the soul in its motions thitherward, until it have lodged it in the very bosom and heart of God. If any principle lower than true religion actuate a man, it will certainly waste and be exhausted; though it may carry him swiftly in a rapid motion, yet not steadily; though it may carry him high, yet not quite through. A meteor, exhaled from the earth by a foreign force, though it may mount high in appearance, and brave it in a blaze, enough to be envied by the poor twinkling stars, and to be admired by ordinary spectators, yet its fate is to fall down, and shamefully confess its base origin. That religion which men put on only for a cloak will wear out and drop into rags, if it be not presently thrown by as a garment out of fashion. You have read of the seeming righteousness of Jehu, founded in ambition and cruelty; the piety and devotion of Joash, grounded upon a good and virtuous education; the zeal of Saul for the worship of God, and his fat sacrifices, growing upon a root of superstition, as Samuel, that man of God, interprets it, 1 Sam. xv. 22, and you have seen the shameful issue of all these dissemblers, and the stinking snuff in which all this candle-light religion ended, very much unlike to that sun-like lustre of true and genuine goodness, "which shineth more and more unto the perfect day;" according to that elegant description which the Spirit of God makes of it in the writings of Solomon, whose pen hath as

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much adorned this great truth, as his life hath blotted it, Prov. iv. 18.

To this purpose I might allege the testimonies which the Holy Ghost in Scripture gives concerning such hypocritical and unprincipled professors, that, having no root, they wither away in a scorching season, that they are again entangled in the pollutions of the world and overcome, that like dogs they turn to their own vomit again, and like sows wallow in the mire from which they had been washed, 2 Pet. ii. 20-22, together with many others of the same nature; as also the prophecies that are made concerning them, that that which they seemed to have shall be taken away from them, Luke viii. 18, that they shall proceed no further; "for their folly shall be manifest unto all men," 2 Tim. iii. 9, that "evil men and seducers," and of those self-seducers are the worst, "shall wax worse and worse," 2 Tim. iii. 13, with other places of the like nature. It were easy to record many histories of men, especially of great men, who have speedily, I had almost said disdainfully, thrown off that semblance of humility, meekness, self-denial, justice, and faithfulness, which they had put on for a mask during their probationaryship for preferment, the better to accomplish their selfish designs, and to be possessed of some base ends of their own.

But yet I will not deny but that a hypocrite may maintain a fair conformity to, and

agreement with the letter of law of God; he may continue fair and specious to the very end of his life; yea, perhaps may go to the grave undiscovered, either to himself, or any in the world besides. I believe many men have lived and died pharisees, have never apostatized from that righteousness which they professed, but have persevered in their formality and hypocrisy to the last. But yet, although that counterfeit righteousness and religion may possibly not fade away, nevertheless being of an earthly and selfish constitution, it is transitory and fading; and if it were soundly assaulted and battered with persecutions and temptations, no doubt it would actually vanish and disappear: on the other hand, the promise of God is pregnant and precious, Isa. xl. 31, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall walk and not faint."

Take encouragement from hence, all ye that love the Lord; go on in the strength of God; be the more lively, by how much the more you are assured that this well of water shall spring up in you into everlasting life. Make this good use of this comfortable doctrine: will God indeed work in you both to will and to do? why then so much the rather work out your own salvation, according to the apostle, Phil. ii. 12, 13. Will the Lord God be with you? will he not fail you nor forsake you till you have finished all your work? why then "be strong and of good courage," and do as good David infers and

argues, 1 Chron. xxviii. 20. Have you this hope, this firm ground of hope in the promise and goodness of God? why then "purify yourselves as God is pure," according to the apostle, 1 John ïii. 3. Stop the mouths of those men that say the doctrine of perseverance is prejudicial to godliness: let them see and be forced to acknowledge it, that the more a godly soul is assured of the infinite and unchangeable love and care of God towards him, the more he is winged with love and zeal, with speed mounting up thither daily, where he longs to arrive. They that understand the doctrine of perseverance, do also understand that they must accomplish it in a way of dutiful diligence and watchful willingness; and if any grow profane and licentious, and apostatize from the way of righteousness which they have known, it is an evident argument to them that they are no saints, and then what will the doctrine of the perseverance of saints avail them?

CHAPTER VII.

Religion considered in the consequence of not thirsting; the phrase explained two ways, both resulting in the same general truth, namely, that divine grace gives a solid satisfaction to the soul. The chapter concludes with a lamentation over the levity and earthliness of Christian minds.

HITHERTO we have taken a view of true religion as it stands described in this pregnant

text, by its origin, nature, and properties: we are now to consider it in the certain and genuine consequence of it; and that is in one word, affirmatively, satisfaction; or if you will, negatively, not thirsting: for so it is, in our Saviour's phrase, "Whosoever drinketh. of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst.' 99

Whilst I address myself to the explication of this phrase, I suppose I need not be so exact and curious as to tell you in order, with a certain kind of scholastical gravity, first what is not, and then what is meant by it: for I presume no body will dream of a corporeal or gross kind of thirsting to be meant here. Grace doth no more quench the thirst of the body, than elementary water can relieve the panting of the soul. Nay, He himself was subject to this gross kind of thirst, who gave to others the water, whereof, if they drank, they should never thirst more. If it be understood of a spiritual thirst, yet I suppose I need not to tell you, that then it must not be understood absolutely: for it cannot possibly be, that the thirst of a soul should be perfectly allayed till all its faculties be filled up to the brim of their respective capacities, which will never be until it be swallowed up in the infinite and unbounded ocean of the supreme good.

But I conceive we may fairly come to the meaning of this phrase, "never thirst," either by adding or distinguishing.

Then let us supply the sentence thus,