nothing; you cannot say that wisdom is nothing, and knowledge nothing, justice nothing, for then there would be no difference between a wise man and a fool. If they are something, they could not of themselves come out of nothing; therefore there must have been eternal goodness, wisdom, and life; that that in itself lived, and lives to all eternity: for you see there are such things as these among what is made. Why then, it is fit to retort upon the tempter with disdain, "Dost thou go about to make me believe, against the clear light of my own mind, that there is not a God, when it is clearly seen from the things that are made?" If there were nothing else, this proves the eternal Being, that there must be an eternal Cause that hath in it something proportionable to the visible effects that are to be seen, impressed even upon the things that are made. Characters appearing in the effect must have something correspondent to them in their cause, otherwise something must come of itself out of nothing, which is simply the most impossible thing that can be thought. I would only add this in the last place,

| expostulated with, and that we do expostulate with ourselves concerning them: otherwise it would be in vain that another should reprove us, if we be not brought by it to reprove ourselves; or that another should expostulate with our own souls. And this we should do upon that | which hath been opened and improved in respect of such things as these: as,

1. Why are we yet so much in doubt concerning what is so clearly demonstrable? the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead, which are things so clearly seen (though they are in themselves invisible) by visible effects, by things that are made. Why are our minds yet pendulous and in suspense about so very plain and demonstrable things? For what, can it enter into our minds to think this world rose up out of itself, without a Maker, out of nothing? Who of us can endure (if he consider) the gross absurdity of such a thought? And since we may so easily be at a certainty, why are we not at certainty in so plain a case? why do not our minds come to a settlement? why are they so off and on? why do we hover and 8. Whosoever they are that do terminate their thoughts halt between two opinions, as we did not know whether upon this visible world, and look no further, they resist, God be God, yea or no? or whether he were to be stuck nay (as much as in them is) defeat and destroy the very to as such? as the prophet deals with that people so much design of the creation. Why hath God made such a world divided in opinion between God and Baal. But indeed as this, and set such creatures as we in it? It is, that this ours would be a worse division and more absurd, for if we world may be an extant, continual standing representation are divided in our own minds in this case, it must be beto us, an evidence, a proof of his invisible eternal power tween a God and no God. There was no question among and Godhead who made it. We have our concerns and them, but there was and must be some God or other, but business lying here, within this visible world, from day to only the question was, whether that God the people owned. day; here we are too apt to take up our thoughts, our de- or another, were the God; that was all the doubt, but this sires, our designs; they terminate upon this visible world. is a much wider case, when the question is between a If we let them do so, if we tolerate ourselves in such a God and no God; and nothing can be more evident than course as this, it is (as much as in us is) to defeat and de- the things that are made, must have had some maker and stroy the design of the creation. God hath designed this author. It is a comfortable thing to ourselves to feel the visible frame of things to be to us a continual monument ground firm under us as to this first and deepest fundaand representation of himself; but we look to the things mental; a very comfortable thing for us to feel that it that are made, and there we let our eyes stay and terminate, shakes not. But know withal, it is a very dutiful thing and never look through them to that which is unmade. towards our Maker to be at a point, and not to be always This would be a like case, as if one should have a very disputing, or to have perpetual disceptations within ourcurious perspective put into his hands, that was very much selves, about that which is prerequisite to our duty; for adorned and beautified with every thing of external orna- that suspends all duty, and lays a restraint upon every ture that art could confer upon it, and holds it in his hand, thing of duty towards him; while we waver and hover in turns it this way and that, and views it on every side for a our spirits about so plain a thing as this. Let us be all long time together, and then lays it aside, never looks at a certainty, when we may be so easily at a certainty; through it; he would see a vast country that now appears as certain (as I have urged to you) about this as we can be to him nothing else but a dark shadow: just so men deal of any thing whatsoever; for we cannot be more certain of with this visible creation and frame of things; they look any thing than we can be of this, that we ourselves are upon it, take notice of the variety of creatures that are in made things; for whatsoever is unmade must have been it, they look on every side of this visible world, as it doth from everlasting, inasmuch as nothing that is made but apply itself to them, and as they have opportunity to view it hath received a beginning of being. Whatsoever is unthe things therein; but whereas it was intended as a per- made must have no beginning of being, must have been spective, that they might look through it into the invisible from everlasting. But can you be surer of any thing than power and Godhead of him that made all, this never that you have not been from everlasting? You know comes into their minds. How preposterous a course is you have not been from everlasting, therefore you are this! It is little apprehended how guilty we make our-made things. And again; you cannot be surer of any selves in this kind, every day, when we let our minds stay thing than you are of this, that you are such a sort of made upon any creature of God, this or that man or woman, or things as can think, as have a power of thought; you are house or star, (if we should go so high,) and never think of not more sure that you can see, than you are that you can God; while they are all made things, that tend to repre- think, and therefore you do know and are sure, that you sent to us their Maker. Oh! how little is the end answer- have minds and spirits about you; for you are sure that ed and considered, why we have such a frame of things flesh and blood and bones cannot think; you cannot be set in view and kept in view continually before us, that surer of any thing than you are of this, that this bulk of a we might look through them and adore, look up and body of yours cannot exercise a thought. Well then, if adore, that we might through all view and behold the you be a made sort of thing, and you find you have a great Author of all, and bow our heads before him. When power of thought belonging to you, and therefore that you we eat and drink, and never think of God, commend the have a mind and spirit belonging to you, you must then food and drink, and never think of God; here we take up have proceeded from an unmade mind and Spirit, an unwith the creature, the made thing, and never consider the made self-subsisting mind and Spirit; and this is God, unmade Maker of it and of us. The end is defeated and and can be nothing but God. This is all as plain as any lost, for which this world was made and we placed in it, thing is that we see with our eyes, therefore do not pretend while we look not through things visible and made, unto to be uncertain in a matter wherein it is so easy to you to him that is invisible and unmade. be at a certainty, when so much also doth depend upon it. And blame yourselves for this, if you have been pendulous in so plain a case hitherto. Why am I in doubt when I should have been loving, serving, fearing, and adoring this invisible Deity all this while? Why have I suffered doubts to hang on my mind in so plain a case? And,

LECTURE VI."

II. There are hereupon most apparent and very blamable things, about which it is needful that we should be

* Preached December 26th, 1690.

2. Let us expostulate with ourselves about this, that our apprehensions of the eternal God are so feeble and languid

selves, and no wonder if we languish and perish by it. And,

3. We should expostulate with ourselves about our so frequent unmindfulness of the invisible eternal God, when we have so much occasion to mind him every hour; for that things that are made, reveal him to us continually; we cannot open our eyes, but we must see something or other the should put us in mind of God: we shall behold some of the made things, that should be still putting us in mind of their Maker, theirs and ours. And,

4. Why are we so little conversant with God, so unconversable towards him, when he is continually surrounding us, compassing us about before and behind, in all the made things which do encompass us? God is in them, or they are all in him, all living, and moving, and having their be ing in him. This conversableness with God, or a disposi tion of spirit to converse with him, it imports more than bare minding of him, thinking of him; it carries in it an application of faith towards him. It is a thing that involves complacency in the nature of it, as you can any of you easily apprehend. I converse electively with whom or what I converse with, out of choice, and for a complacential inclination of my own mind. Oh! why is there no more of this with us towards God, the unmade and eternal Being, while he continually besets us in the things that are made, and who is nearer to us than we are to ourselves! He is in us if we would but look in, and meet with him, and apply ourselves to him. It was first the saying of a heathen, (taken up since and improved by many in the Christian church, both ancient and modern writers,) "God is more inward to us, than we are to ourselves, and yet we will not converse with him." It was Plato's saying first. But will we not converse with him? How inexcusable a thing is this, his own creature to be a stranger to him; a creature that he made! "I that have made thee, (may he say,) and made thee as thou art, given thee a reasonable, intelligent, apprehensive, immortal mind and spirit, and wilt thou not know me? wilt thou not converse with me? wilt thou not acquaint thyself with me? wilt thou not lead thy life with me ?" What have we to say to this?

and ineffectual as they have been hitherto, and for the most part (the Lord knows) yet are; that our minds have not only been in a dubious uncertainty, but that the apprehensions we have had, have had so little of vitality and | efficacy and power in them, to form our spirits and govern our way and course agreeably thereunto. For, (as was told you by way of inference,) there needs not only clear knowledge, but vital knowledge of the Deity. And now let me a little further insist upon it, that is, that there is something more requisite than certainty, somewhat besides a certainty of apprehension and knowledge about it. Such things as there are to be superadded thereto; that is, efficacy, energy, and operative power. I may be certain of those things that do concern me God-ward, or that do concern me in reference to my soul, and yet feel little of efficacy and power in the most certain and undoubting thoughts that I can have about such things; that is, though I may have as great a certainty about the objects of my mind as I can have about the objects of sense; yet the objects of sense do always strike with more efficacy than the objects of the mind do. Experience speaks this plainly, and I need but appeal to every one's experience about it. I might illustrate it to you by a very plain and obvious instance or two, how much more the things that fall under present sense do affect us, than the things do that fall not under sense. Though we are not more certain about the one than we are about the other. As in reference to these bodies of ours, we are not more certain that we do at present feel any thing, whether it be grateful or ungrateful to our sense,than we are certain that at one time or other we shall die. But is there any one that doth sensibly fear death, and set himself thereupon to prepare for it, as he doth feel pain when that is upon him? Therefore I say, we do need something to be superadded to our certainty to enliven our apprehensions, a power and energy is needful to be superadded to them. As I told you before, we are as certain we can think, as we are certain we can see; we are not more sure we can see with our eye, than we are sure that we can think with our minds; yet the things we do see with our eyes, do affect us more than the things we only apprehend with our minds; therefore do we need to have a great deal of efficacy and power superadded to the apprehensions of our minds concerning the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead. And since it is plain we do need it, that is, that such apprehensions often lie in our minds, and work nothing; but the case is with us as if we had them not, as if our minds were vacant of such apprehensions: surely we should not lie still patient in such a case as this; when these apprehensions of God are the most important that can have place in our minds. Why are we so pleased with ourselves, and so much at ease concerning this thing, that our apprehensions of the Godhead should have so lit-in it, and we find ourselves supplied with all things netle efficacy with them as they have to command our spirits? It is a relievable case, as well as there is a necessity there should be a relief sought and had in it. If he is pleased to shine into our minds himself, then there will be efficacy go with our certainty; when he is pleased to strike through the consistent darkness that doth in wrap our hearts, and to shine into our hearts by giving us the light of the know ledge of his own glory, then there will be power in our apprehensions of the invisible God, and then in his light we shall see light, as in that Psalm xxxvi. 9. Therefore, for this should we supplicate every day more earnestly than we do for daily bread; "I need thy delivering influence, O Lord, to quicken dead notions of things that lie in my mind, that they may have power and be operative in me, as much as I need daily bread, and momently breath." This should be our sense, and with waiting and craving eyes should we be looking up daily and continually; for it is dutiful, that this should be the posture of made spirits towards the unmade Spirit, of produced spirits towards their great Parent, the original universal Spirit that is the Parent of all; that they may be continually maintained and held in life by vital communications from himself: this he would take well; it is childlike, it is filial deportment towards the supreme, original, eternal Spirit, whose offspring their spirits are. A parent is pleased to have a child express and own his dependance upon him. When we cut off these spirits of ours from the unmade eternal Spirit, this is apostacy, disloyalty; this is to set up ourselves and for our

5. Why do we not more frequently do him homage, when we dwell in a world that is all his? Every thing that we can use and enjoy in it, are all made things, and made by him, and this world that contains and inwraps them all, itself a made thing, and we are made things; why are we not more frequently doing him homage? We can take up nothing, we can use nothing, we can enjoy nothing in all this whole world but what he hath made. And what! not do him homage, deep, inward, profound homage? how inexcusable is this! We know we did not make or furnish this world; we were brought into it, placed

cessary for our support and for our accommodation, suitable to that sort of being that God hath given us. And shall we not do him frequent homage? Suppose a man should rush into one of your houses and set himself by your fire-side, and make use of such and such provisions of your house, as he can lay his hands on, and take no notice of you, would you long bear so barbarous a usage as this? And is not this the very case? You come here into this world that God hath made, and not you; and every thing is his that you can lay your hands upon, or make any use of; and to take up and use this and the other thing, and never look up, or not often look up to him: or not look up with a more delightful sense of your obligation to him, than (God knows) is too common with us; how can we defend ourselves against our own thoughts, against our own reasonings, in this case? And further,

6. Why do we drive designs here in this world, apart from him, without reference to him? This, and that, and the other thing I do to please myself, or to advance myself, without any thoughts of God, without any referring to him. I lay my designs without him; I will go to such and such a place, I will abide there so long, I will there do so and so, I will "buy and sell and get gain," when we "ought to say, If the Lord will, I will do so and so." He that is the Author and Lord of all this made world, what! do you think to move to and fro in it without reference to him, and drive designs for yourselves apart from him? Sure, the forming of a design should always be accompanied

with an act of worship, there should still be a dedicating | is plainly proved by the things that are made to compreof our designs to him, as well as of ourselves: for what is hend in himself, virtually, all the perfections of this world, plainer, than that he that is the Alpha must be the Omega and formally, infinitely more? For there must be infinitely too? Hath he not made himself known to us by those more in himself than is laid out on creation. Do you think conjunct titles, the first and the last? "Of him, and by he did exhaust himself in making such a world as this? him, and to him are all things," that he alone might have The world when all is done is but a finite thing, all that the glory. There should be a tribute of glory paid him, in is made is but finite, but that which is unmade is still inevery thing we design, and more especially in reference to finite. He that comprehends in himself all excellency, all his design. When we come to take notice of that great goodness, all perfection, created and uncreated, must cerdesign of his, oh! how it might make our hearts shake tainly be a sufficient portion for us. The absolutely perwithin us, to think what sort of acknowledgments God fect Being, or (which is all one in Scripture) God all-sufhath in this world, even in that part of the world that is ficient, must be a competent satisfying portion (one would called Christian, in reference to some of the great things, think) for any one. Why then do we not covet him more and even the greatest thing that ever was done since there for our portion? why is this not more the sense of our was such a world in being. That is, that extraordinary souls, "Whom have I heaven but thee? and who is descent of God into the world, in the person of his own there on earth, that can come in comparison with thee?" Son, taking upon him human flesh, becoming the Em-"When heaven and earth are all made things and made manuel, the Divine nature, the invisible Godhead, in the by thee, there must be in thee infinitely more than in both." second person, uniting itself with the manhood. Here are But when we take up with so mean and little things in acknowledgments of this made amongst us; but it might our thoughts, (inasmuch as we know it belongs to the Deity make our hearts shake within us, to think of what kind. to be the portion and blessedness of a soul,) let us hereThat is, according to the usage of too many, the descent upon think with ourselves, what an affront we put upon of our blessed Lord, the eternal Word, in human flesh, the infinite eternal Godhead, to think it possible for any they seem to think (that their practice expresseth) that the creature to fill up his room. It is a most insolent affront to nativity of our Lord is not to be celebrated fitly but by a the infinite eternal God, to think that any creature can be to debauch; they cannot fitly celebrate the nativity of Christ, you instead of God: an affront that you can never expiate but by being drunk. Monstrous wickedness! To think with your blood. This is to undeify him. Him, whom in all that the great God is to be worshipped so unsuitably to your thonghts you should de:fy, you nullify; for make him himself; when he is to be made the end of all things. any thing less than God, and you make him nothing. And, The Former of all things; how is he made the end, other- 9. Why do we no more fear him as an enemy, when he wise than as he is glorified? But to glorify him, to pretend hath demonstrated his eternal power and Godhead by the to glorify him, by breaking his laws, by violating his known things that are made? and all the invisible things that beand most sacred precepts! By breaking the law, dis- long to his nature besides, are all demonstrated by the honourest thou God? Rom. ii. 23. That was bad enough; things that are made? Why do we not more fear to have but it is much worse, by breaking the law, to dishonour such a one for our enemy? "Fear ye not me, (saith the God under the pretence of doing him honour, to think that Lord,) who hath bounded the sea that it cannot pass; and I honour him by so palpably dishonouring him. And, though the waves thereof toss themselves they cannot go over?" giving that one instance, when he could have given thousands as great, in that 5th Jeremiah :) what stupid creatures are you that you will not fear me, when ye have such an instance as this and thousands more always in view before you, of my invisible eternal Godhead, that hath in time displayed and showed itself forth! And,

7. Why are we so prone to blame and censure the methods of his government over this world, which he hath made, and when by it, and the things in it that he hath made, he is proclaiming to us his eternal power and Godhead? Is he not able wisely and well to govern his own creation? Could he bring such a world as this out of nothing into being, and doth he not know what to do with 10. Lastly, Why are we so prone to fear men, the creait, now he hath made it, and how to order the concerns of tures of God, while we so little fear and stand in awe of it? Oh! how little is God reverenced as the Creator and him? It is still a wrong to our Maker, a wrong done to Former of all things, when we take upon us to censure, God, considered under the notion of Creator. Look to and blame, and tax his doings? Why do we strive with that, Isa. li. 12. "Who art thou, that art afraid of a man him, when he gives not account of any of his matters? that shall die, and the son of man that shall be as grass? Job xxxiii. 13. He is far above it. And like it is that, xl. and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, who stretched forth the 2. "Shall he that contends with the Almighty, instruct heavens ?" inasmuch as he is the Maker and Lord of all. him? He that reproves God, let him answer it." What! This shows that it is an insolency against him and the rights for man to take upon him to reprove God, to say he might of his Godhead, to place your supreme fear on any thing have ordered things better, so and so, things might have besides him. Therefore the form of speech there is very been brought about in a fitter season, might have been remarkable, "Who art thou, that art afraid of a man?" done sooner, they might have been compassed by fitter The form of speech is reprehensive and expostulatory, methods, by more suitable instruments, and the like. Sure "Who art thou?" When people find themselves seized we forget ourselves when we consider not, that "the in- with any immoderate fears, they are wont to pity themvisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead," are selves, and to look upon it as an infelicity: but they forget all testified by the things that are made. And what! can- it is a crime; and those words represent it as a crime, not "the invisible things of God, his eternal power and "Who art thou that art afraid-who art thou?" What doth Godhead," guide and manage things more wisely than we? that signify? Why, it signifies thus much, Thou takest "Wo to him that strives with his Maker! Let the post- too much upon thee, while thou thinkest thou art only to herd strive with the potsherd of the earth," Isaiah xlv. 9. be pitied; thou dost little consider how faulty thou art, Let them choose their match. And those many expressions thou dost transpose the government, thou deposest the we have from himself in the latter end of the book of Job; Lord thy Maker, and settest up a mortal thing upon his "Canst thou do so and so?" doth intimate this all along throne. Who art thou that takest upon thee at this rate, to them and to us, that unless we could do such and such to undeify God and deify the creature, a mortal worm? things; unless we could lay the foundation of such a world Who art thou that turnest all things upside down, to deas this; unless we could stretch out such another heaven, press the Maker and to exalt a little piece of animated and form and establish such another earth; unless we could clay into his place? This is very deeply to be considered, span the heavens with our hands, and measure the dust of that to have our spirits more liable to be awed by a man, the earth, and gather the winds in our fists, and set bounds a mortal thing, than by the eternal immortal God, is a doand limits to the sea as we please: "You are not my matching violence and a wrong to, and encroaching upon the (saith God) unless you can do such and such things. And if you are not my match, why will you strive with me? why will you contend with me? why should your wisdom vie with mine, and your will with mine, and your interest with mine?" And again,

8. Why do we so little covet him for our portion, who

rights of the eternal Godhead. Well now, about such things as these we should expostulate with ourselves.

III. I shall shut up all with some particulars of most apparent duty, to which we need to be exhorted in reference to what hath been hitherto said. As,

1. Since the invisible things of God, his eternal power

Creator, under obligation. There was a covenant made at first, between himself and his innocent creature; that covenant was broken by the apostacy; so that he could be challenged upon faithfulness no longer. But now, that matter being composed and made up by the Redeemer, by a Mediator, there is a new covenant made, and now faithfulness hath place in reference to him as a Creator, and we are to own him as such, and trust in him, and commit ourselves to him as such. And,

and Godhead," are so clearly demonstrable by the things | venant. We are to commit ourselves now to him as a that are made, let us learn more to contemplate these invisible things of God, in the visible things that we have before our eyes and know that it is an argument of very great spirituality so to do. Let the examples we have in Scripture engage our minds more this way. To look over such Psalms as Psalm the 8th, the 104th, and the 148th, all full of admiration of the works of God and a great many more, with multitudes of passages of Scripture besides in other places; showing how much the spirits of the saints of old have been exercised and taken up in admiring God upon those conspicuous appearances, that have been of his glory in the creation. I doubt there is altogether a fault among us that we so little apply our minds this way. But know it is our duty to be exercised in it, to take times on purpose to contemplate God in the creature, to behold and view the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead, in the things that are made. And,

2. Hereupon joyfully acknowledge this God for your God; considering the case of the blinded besotted pagans, who worship stocks and stones for deities, or the sun, moon, and stars; who pray to a god that cannot save the generality of the more besotted of them; though it be true, indeed, among pagans there have been those that have been much wiser and of more refined minds. But since it hath pleased God more expressly to manifest himself to you, joyfully acknowledge it, as his people of old have been wont to do. "Their gods are idols, the works of men's hands; but our God made the heavens." And as it is in that Jer. x. 11. "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens." When there are such multitudes of fictitious deities under a doom to perish, all the idols of this world, and this world itself, that great idol, that is most set up and exalted against God; oh! do you joyfully acknowledge this God for your God, that you are sure is the only living and true God. Our God that made the heavens; own your relation to him, walk in his name, as all people will do, every one in the name of

his God."

66

3. Resign and devote yourselves absolutely to him, for you are made things, and he is your Maker. And can one have a greater right in any thing than that which he hath made, and made out of nothing? not given it an external accidental form only, but given it its whole being. And so is the matter between him and you. Wherefore it is to God you must give yourselves: give him your whole being, body and soul and all that you have; for it is all but made, and it is the right and property of him that made you.

5. You should hereupon cease from solicitude about the issue of things in reference to yourselves, or in reference to the whole community that you profess to be of, even that people that he hath in this world. Solicitude should cease about private and more public concerns; you should reckon that yourselves and all things are in the best hands in which they could lie, or into which they could be put. In reference to things that relate to yourselves, you have committed yourselves to him, devoted yourselves, intrusted yourselves to him upon invitation; not presumptuously, but as being warranted and encouraged by himself. Then it is a wrong to him to be anxious what he will do with you. What! will he not show mercy to the soul he hath made? Indeed, his having made it, if there be no expiation of sin, would have availed nothing; for there is a case when "he that made them would not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour," Isa. xxvii. 11. That is, when they are in rebellion against him and will not be reconciled to him; but when a reconciliation is brought about, and you have surrendered to him the sou! that he hath made, it is a great iniquity and wrong to him to suppose, that he will not now deal with you as a faithful Creator. Therefore, though now you know your soul is lodged in flesh, and within a little while this mortal frame must drop in pieces and fall into the dust, yet never be solicitous what he will do with your soul, or what will become of it after all: you do betrust, you have committed it to him, who is the most absolutely perfect God, and the most absolutely perfect Being. All things that he hath made demonstrate him to be so; and who would be afraid to let his soul rest in the midst of infinite, immense goodness? "His soul shall dwell at ease;" as it is said of one that fears God, but very faintly, and beneath the significancy of that expression, it is rendered, Psalm xxv. 13. "His soul shall dwell in goodness (that is the expression) who feareth God," shall take up its rest, sweet and pleasant rest, as men are wont to do at night. Who would be solicitous when he is to commit and put his soul into the midst of immense and boundless goodness, as his must be who is the Author of all made things? for they all spring from goodness, goodness that would diffuse itself and flow arbitrarily and freely in such a creation as this. And,

6. Live more adoring lives. Let us labour to habituate ourselves, our spirits, more to adoration, seeing the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead, are continually seen in things that are made. Let that sentence be engraven as a motto upon each of our hearts, and inwrought into our souls; "Come, let us worship and bow down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker." Let every thing that serves to put us in mind of him, prompt us immediately to worship and bow down the head before him, upon such apprehensions of God, such demonstrations of his love, of his power, and goodness, and greatness, as offer themselves to our view. Let us presently bow and worship, take notice and adore.

4. Trust in him with all your hearts, commit yourselves entirely and cheerfully to him. Who would scruple to do so to so kind and benign a Maker? for was it not in his choice and power once, whether he would have made you or not? was it not determinate by him, by his pleasure, whether you should be or not be? If you have devoted yourselves to him, so as to be his by choice and consent, as well as by natural right, know then that you have all the encouragement in the world to intrust and commit yourselves to him as to a faithful Creator; as the expression is 1 Pet. iv. 19. This is a thing not enough understood, the obligation that lies upon us to own God more frequently and solemnly, under the notion of our Creator. We think the notion wherein we should own him, more to be that of a Father, and as in Christ he hath been a Redeemer to 7. Let us subject ourselves most absolutely to his gous; but these things are not to exclude one another by vernment, both legal and providential. Doth it not belong any means. It is very true indeed, that all the interest we to him to give laws to his creatures that are capable of gohad in him as Creator, was lost and forfeited by the apos-vernment by law, that have been entirely and wholly made tacy: but that matter being, by the Redeemer, made up by him? Should not he give laws, even to our minds and between him and all those that, in the Redeemer, accept to our spirits, and lay them under the obligation of his him and take him for their God, we are not now to think laws? This is sure the most reasonable thing in the world. his Creatorship is to be absorbed and swallowed up in Why should he not prescribe to my mind, who is himself any other supervening notion, by any means. We are an unmade mind, while mine is but a made mind? Why now, by redeeming grace and mercy, brought to that state should not he prescribe to me how my spirit should work and pass, that we may own him comfortably as a Creator this way or that, while he is an eternal Spirit and Mind? again. So that whereas we had lost all right and interest My spirit that sprung from him, why should not he direct in him as such, by our apostacy; a restitution being made, it, even by a law, how to think, how to dispose of my now we are to commit ourselves to him, as a faithful Cre- thoughts this way and that, when he hath given me a ator. Faithfulness hath reference to a promise, and a co-power to think? Why should I not use my apprehensive

power and knowledge for him from whom I received it? He that knows my mould and frame, and hath given me that intelligent spirit that I have, shall I not keep it in perpetual subjection to him, receive laws from his mouth, never think myself at liberty, and in an indifferency to use my thoughts as I will, and let out my affections as I will; but all under his law? And then, as to his providential government, shall not he do what he will with his creatures, with the thing that he hath made? How reasonable is it, how just towards him and how good for itself to be subject to him! Then I am quiet if I can live under his government, to be disposed of by him as he pleaseth; otherwise there is a continual war between him and me and so a continual war between me and myself; affection against conscience, passion against judgment; for there will always be something in me as long as I live, as long as I have a reasonable intelligent being, that will take the part of God against unreasonable rebellious passions, and I shall be a self-judged creature before him in his sight. And,

"what course shall I take to glorify and joy God?" Why, we that are here wandering in such a wilderness as we are in, and so benighted, so bemisted as we are; if we have no instruction, no guidance, no rule, we are at a sad loss. Therefore it is the greatest joy in the world to a considering mind to have it plainly evidenced to him, that there is a discovery come forth from God, suitable to the forlorn state of the creature, a word from heaven, a written word that he himself hath delivered down to us, to teach us how we are to glorify him, and how we are to enjoy him-which will be the next thing we shall come unto.

LECTURE VII.*

2 Tim. iii. 16.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

8. Lastly, Let us always propound him to ourselves as the object of our religion; and take pleasure in the thought of this, that we have found out an object of religion, which we have revealed to us, that he hath himself revealed to us You have had an Object of religion, the only competent himself as the great and only object of religion; the one and deserving Object, (I hope,) with some efficacy presentindisputable One, so as no controversy remains now con- ed to you; an absolute perfect Being, an eternal infinite cerning it. And whereas, it is the business of all religion, Mind or Spirit, self-existing and unmade; demonstrating to pay all duty to God, and expect and seek all relief and himself to be so, by the things that are made. And now felicity from him, let us demean ourselves towards him the business of that religion that is to be exercised towards accordingly. And consider with ourselves, that in making such an Object, (the glorious and blessed God,) is contihis mind known to us, giving us to know himself, he hath nually to render to him a due homage, and to expect from given us to know ourselves also, so as to understand that him blessedness for our own souls. Religion stands in sebeing creatures, made things, we are made for another. rious endeavours, (as the learners among us are taught to That which cannot be by itself, must not be for itself; speak and understand,) "to glorify God and enjoy him for what more reasonable thing in all the world? Therefore, ever." Under this twofold notion, we are to go and act our business must be with him as the final, ultimate, ani- towards him as our chief end; as one to whom we owe all mative object of our religion; and that designing duty to the duty we are capable of performing, and by performing him and felicity to ourselves, we have to do with him as whereof we glorify him; and from whom only we must the object of religion under that twofold notion, as one that expect all the felicity we are capable of partaking of, and we are to glorify, and as one whom we are to enjoy for ever. in the participation whereof we enjoy him; so we are to And this now shows us much of ourselves. That is, showing consider and move towards God as our end, in such a mous what our nature and state are, it shows us what our end tion of heart and spirit. This is present religion, that is, of business must be, and that it is a very great thing. And the religion of our present state. The religion of the way, this is, we must understand, what we were made for. And (as it is called,) or the religion of viatores; those that are this being the first head of Christian religion, (indeed of travelling, and yet short of their final perfection. And all religion,) it resolves the first question that every one is therefore is the whole of that religion, to wit, the religion concerned to make to himself: What was I made for? of the present state, in contra-distinction to that of the eterWhat is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to en-nal state, expressed by a term that denotes continual mojoy him; to pay all duty to him, and to expect all felicity tion; that is, a coming to God. "He that cometh to God and blessedness from him; and to seek it. It is thus only must believe that he is." We are to be continually in this that you can come to know what you are here in this world motion all the while we are in this world; coming to God. for; and it were a lamentable case, to know the several In order whereto that great fundamental is to be forelaidpowers and faculties that belong to our natures, and not the belief that God is; as that which is prerequisite, upon to know what all these are for. To know I am such a crea- which we have been insisting already. "He that cometh ture, of such a mould and frame, and not to know what to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder these are made for! This would be a very sad consideration of them that diligently seek him." But now, whosoever to a serious and considering mind, if it were not to be col- have it in design thus to come to God, and move towards lected and found out what they were made for. As if one him, they will find that they need a rule to guide those that never saw a watch in his life before he finds it by ca- motions by which they may direct and steer their course: sualty and chance, and sees a great deal of curiosity in the there is no coming to God but as he is pleased to render workmanship, yet cannot imagine what it is intended for, himself accessible, but as he will be approached; and what it was made for; it stands still, and he knows not how therefore our religion, which consists in this motion, in this to set it going, or if he did, he doth not understand the use coming to God, cannot be a self-devised thing, or an invenof it. Here is the case with an intelligent creature, a man tion of our own: we cannot come to God as we please, but if he should contemplate himself, and not contemplate his as he pleases, as he will have us come : we can never gloMaker, his end. Here I have a strange kind of being, I rify him, but by doing his will, nor can we ever come to have a body, and I have a soul inhabiting that body; but enjoy him but by compliance therewith. Therefore, this I do not know why such a creature as I came to have a must of course be the next inquiry, with any considering place in the world, why I have such a being, what I am to person, any one that doth seriously design to do any thing do, and what I was made for. But now by this you come in the business of religion; "What course shall I take to to know what it is you were made for. If you know you know God's will, concerning my approach, my coming, have a Maker, you must know you were made for him, to my tending towards him through the whole course of my glorify him and to enjoy him for ever: and it is a great life in this world?" It is a very rational inquiry, and that thing to have made this step; when we have taken notice which the exigency of the case must urge every one to, of our own faculties and powers, and what our structure that doth intend seriously and in good earnest to be reand frame are. Now to know whose we are, what satis- ligious. For admit, that there be internal principles, from faction is it to the mind of man! to know this, that I am the very reason and nature of things, truth and falsehood, made to glorify and enjoy him that made me. But when good and evil, right and wrong, yet besides that such as you come to be at a loss, (as all in the fallen state are,) are needful are taken into the constitution, or among