lively stones to that "living corner-stone, and so built up | a spiritual house," 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. And so that, "In whom ye are also builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit," Ephes. ii. 22. Here, ergo, now the Holy Ghost is to dwell-a mighty friendship! I will have my very Spirit be in you. "I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them," Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. I will put it into you, so that there it shall have a fixed abode. Hereby we know that he dwelleth in us and we in him, by the Spirit that he hath given us. This is the mutual indwelling which speaks the nearness of the union, and is indifferently expressed by God's dwelling in us and our dwelling in him. We could know nothing of this, but by the Spirit in its vital and discernible operations. By the Spirit that he hath given us, (which is an active, powerful principle in us,) we know that he dwells in us and we dwell in him; it speaks itself by efforts that may be felt, that are most perceptible. And, 2. He hereupon holds a continual communion with such souls: that is it for which he will dwell with them by his Spirit, in order to constant converse; as they that cohabit can converse together more freely and more constantly than others. Indeed, cohabitation is not fully expressive of this case, of this mutual inhabitation, which comes a great deal nearer; so that the conversation that can be between them who inhabit in the same walls, and under the same roof, is too defectively expressive of vital communion, that living intercourse which is between God and such souls: for as he doth inhabit by his Spirit, he converseth by his Spirit. This fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, but by the Spirit, called the communion of the Holy Ghost. Compare 1 John i. 3. with 2 Cor. xiii. 14. That fellowship which believing souls are said to have with the Father and with the Son, is called the communion of the Holy Ghost: the immediate agent between the blessed God, Father and Son, and the soul, that must move and work towards him. And so this communion is not like that between men and men, be they never so near and never so dear to each other, never such friends; they cannot converse but by words or by external signs and tokens. But here is an immediate converse of spirit, a vital converse; the Holy Spirit moving the soul inwardly, and making it move under its motions back again towards God in Christ: for God is not to be conversed with otherwise than in his Christ. And so the matter differs as to this sort of operation by the renewed soul, from the operations that are exerted and put forth in it, by way of preparation and introduction unto this state of friendship; for in those the soul is but passive, barely passive, it is wrought upon; but now it comes to be active; it is so acted upon as to procure a continual e-acting, and it is so in every gracious act. Such is the vouchsafement of grace on God's part, and such the exigency of the case on the soul's part, that there shall not be one act but, saith God, I will have a hand in it. He mingles with the renewed spirit in every gracious act that this communion speaks. As it is in playing on a musical instrument, there is no string that sounds untouched, and every string as it is touched; here is action and re-action throughout; so it is in this communion between God and the soul through Christ and by the Spirit. Here is the greatest friendliness imaginable on his part to bring it about and procure that a soul which was alienated from him, and a stranger and disaffected to him, which chose to live at the utmost distance from him, now acts all in God. "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God," John iii. 21. There are such works, such motions, such modencies, such suspirings in the soul, as speak him to be the author; as carry their own proof, their own evidence in them, that they are wrought in God: Men would be no such thing if God were not in the matter. But O! what friendliness is this, that he will procure that there should be such a converse, such an intercourse; his own blessed Spirit mingling with the spirit of a poor soul, which he hath now put his own impression upon, and gives his vital formative touch unto. 3. His friendship appears upon all this, that now he taketh all due care of their growth, of their improvement in all spiritual excellencies. He takes continual care, I say, of their growth, all due care, all that it befits and becomes him to take. And you must know, that his friendliness in this thing is not to be estimated merely by the success, by their actual discernible growth and improvement; because his care and his agency must be suitable to the subject. This the divine decorum doth require, that his agency should be suitable to the subject, and the subject must be considered as an intelligent subject. And, ergo, how are such to grow? They are not to grow as the lilies of the field, not to grow as the grass and trees grow, without any thing of care and concern. Indeed, we are directed by our Saviour, in reference to our external concerns, to be void of all perplexing care, considering how the lilies of the field grow without it. But there is no such thing directed with reference to our souls and spiritual concernment. But we are there put upon seeking and striving to the very utmost. Seek first the kingdom of God, principally, with all the intentions of your souls. That kingdom of God, which in its first and inchoate state must be within us, that we are to intend and take care of, and to labour every day to have our spirits near, and more culti vated and wrought into a compliance with, and subserviency to, the laws and rules of that kingdom: this must be our business. Our souls ought to be a garden, a paradise, which we are to till and cultivate, and to take a continual care of. Therefore, I say, that the friendliness that is to be seen in the care of God for our growth, is not to be esti mated merely by our discernible growth, but several other ways. As, 1. By the kindness of his design: he designs our spiritual increase. And, 2. By the aptness of the means that he useth thereunto, both internally and externally. (1.) Internally. He hath implanted vital principles capable of growing, capable of improving, a new life, a new nature, whose tendency is to perfection. Natura intendit perfectissimum. It is a universal law, concerning all nature, that it ever intends that which is most perfect. And certainly the new nature is not most unnatural, it is not the least of all natural; it doth not deviate from and fall below the rules of universal_nature. He hath implanted principles which naturally tend to perfection, and that affords continual influences to co-operate with, and cherish those principles from that Spirit; from which it is possible he may retire, may be grieved, and so infer miserable infeeblements and languishments upon the deserted soul, deserted in a degree, and deserted for a time. And, (2.) He affords the most suitable external means. The sincere milk of the word is to be received for that very purpose, that we may grow thereby; and we are directed continually to supplícate and draw down by believing, by the exercise of that principle of faith, influences from above that may cherish all the rest, and to have that faith exercised and breathing in all the external duties and acts o worship, which from time to time are to be performed. And herein there is a great appearance and demonstration of God's friendliness towards regenerate souls. He so far takes care of their growth, doing what becomes and befits the wisdom of a God to do in his dealings with intelligent creatures, reasonable spirits now inspired from himself, and planted with new principles from above; yea, and in this matter his friendliness must be owned to appear, (3.) In the very rebukings themselves, which he gives, when, through slothful neglect, languishings do ensue. For we must know, that such decays as are consequent upon the Spirit's being grieved, and retiring and withdrawing in a degree, are at the same time faults and chastisements. If my spirit languisheth, be faint and feeble, this is a defect,-the wont of that spirit and liveliness that should be in me, and, ergo, blameable. But it is corrective also; "thine own backslidings shall reprove thee," Jer. ii. 19. See now "that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken me," that thou hast withdrawn thyself, that thou hast retired and neglected me: "thy own backslidings shall reprove thee." And then, (4.) The friendliness that appears in that care which God takes of our spiritual growth, is seen in the excellency of the plant that is to grow, or whose growth or improvement he takes this care of. And what is that? A divine and neavenly principle, and all additional degrees, by the acces- | return. Indeed it is such an aggravation to the sinner, as sion whereof it is said to improve and grow. They hold to the kind, they are congenerous, and are of the same kind. So that if there be growth, there is always a suitable communication from heaven, from God, which is in its own kind and nature a divine and heavenly thing. That grace which is to grow, is a heaven-born thing; a thing born of God. It is God's own production; yea, it is his very image; for the creation is his production-he hath made all things. But this is a production of his own image, his very likeness. The new man is created after God. He is himself at once the author and exemplar of this work and production. Eph. iv. 24. "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him," Coloss. iii. 10. God is now introducing his own image into the soul, when he is new-creating it. And this is a work not to be done in the dark; it "is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Now, (as if he should say, I am now going to raise up a new creation in a dark, dead, ruined, desolate, forlorn soul: it is a glorious work I am about, let it be beheld, let it come into the light. I will have the soul itself know what I am doing upon it: it is renewed in knowledge, a light shining upon the soul, by which it may perceive that God is bringing in upon it his own likeness, Mighty friendliness this is. As it is often a way wherein a man expresses his kindness to his friend, by giving him his picture, so doth God express his friendliness, gives his picture, and gives it so inwrought into the soul itself. Wherever thou goest, I will have thee carry my picture, even in thy breast. Great friendliness. And this is an image that can grow; for it is a living image, not a dead show. It is a vital image that is capable of improvement, and growing liker and liker, and still of growing liker and liker, as the image is. By beholding the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord," 2 Cor. iii. 18. What a mighty friendliness is this! But then I should come, in the fourth place, to show, 4. What friendliness he expresses towards the soul, upon its backsliding, after all. How graciously he recalls the backsliding soul, and what his workings towards it are herein and hereupon. But methinks the hearing of all this should set many a heart on work among us. Oh, who would not have such a friend? Who would want such a friend, if he be to be had? If friendship with him be a possible thing, oh, why should I live upon earth without it? They are dark and gloomy days wherein generally men go from morning to night, and know nothing of this friendly converse with him. Oh, why should not my soul be open to the entertainment of such a friendly overture? Why should not I fall in with it? Why should such a day be lost to me? Why should such a day as this be past over? the day of treaty betwixt the blessed God and wretched souls. Why should I lose such a day, and not be immediately and out of hand taken into this blessed state of friendship with God, and give up myself absolutely and entirely to him? But now to proceed: SERMON XXXII.* James ii. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled, &c. 4. Ir is a further expression of friendliness on God's part, towards these believing ones, that when they wander and backslide from him, he recalls them and recovers them-takes a course for their reducement-will not let them go so as at length to lose them, by not using the most apt and fit means for their recovery and final salvation. How often is his voice heard crying out, "Return, return, ye backsliding children." How full of affection to this purpose are there many verses in Jeremiah iii. Pleading, striving with backsliding wanderers, that they would Preached October 22nd, 1693. it might make it astonishing to us, that such as have been treated with such kindness and friendliness as doth appear in all the fore-mentioned instances, should yet be so prone to backslide and deviate. How might it confound us to think that such a spirit should be in us, that no enticements, no endearments, will stay or hold us in with this our great and blessed friend, but that we should still be so apt to make excursions. What with convictions we have continual reason to discern, and with sorrow and shame to confess in this kind, is what we find in the word of truth, and in the sacred records often. "My people are bent to backslide from me," Hosea xi. 7. A people that might call themselves his, and whom he calls his, that there should be such a bent in them, not a weak inclination only appearing now and then, and usually overcome, but a stiff and steady bent, as the expression signifies this is very amazing. And that there is a continual bent and proneness this way, the apostle's caution to Christians doth too plainly signify. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God," Heb. iii. 12. They who believe have still reason to say, "Lord, help our unbelief." They who have that for the nature and kind of it which was the faith of Abraham, and whereupon God imputes righteousness to him, they are not throughout always of his practice, do not constantly walk by that faith. Though that faith, in the nature and kind of it, was spoken of as so common to him with all believers, that it is designedly represented and held forth to us, as neither confined to the circumcision nor to the uncircumcision. And, ergo, so mighty a stress is laid upon this thing, that he had this upon which God judged him righteous before he was circumcised; that so it might be understood that this faith, and the justifying, saving effects of it, were not confined to the Jew or Gentile, but common to believers of both sorts by the same faith; God justifying the circumcision and uncircumcision too, through the same faith, as you find Rom. iii. 30. But this faith hath its remission, (as to degree, and as its exercise,) its great and sinful intermissions; for all intermissions of acts are not sinful; but there are sinful intermissions too of the exercise of faith very frequently, and then what is the issue and effect? Departing from the living God, backsliding, drawing off from God, as faith is a coming to him. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Believing is coming; disbelieving, not believing, ceasing to believe, that is departing from him-going off. Take heed of "an evil heart of unbelief," which lies in that departure from the living God. I say But as that is indeed on their parts a most unfriendly thing, oh, how friendly is it, that, when they depart, he calls after them, "Whither are ye going?" Rather might he have said, and with infinitely higher reason, "Be gone then. Will you be gone?-then depart for ever." with higher reason, than he who once said somewhat like it. It is said of that morose philosopher, (who was wont to be called the Cynic,) that his servant Manes was leaving him, withdrawing himself from him, and was gone. Some of his friends would have had him send after him, to have reduced him. 'Fetch him back? No, (saith he,) that is a mean, that is a turpid action. It is very mean and dishonourable (saith he) that Manes should think that he could live without Diogenes, and Diogenes should not live without Manes: never send after him.' Oh! with how infinitely higher reason might God have said so. "That is mean, that they should think they could live without me, but I cannot live without them. If they will be gone, let them go." But he doth not do so; and, ergo, you may understand it is pure friendliness towards them, that when they are departed and gone, he ever calls after them; that he should direct his proclamation to be made in such cases. Go and proclaim these words, "Return, return, O ye backsliding children," as it is in Jeremiah iii. That he should insist upon it, urge and inculcate it, as he doth. You have the same thing again, Hosea xiv. 1. “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity,-I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him," ver. 4. How gracious an invitation doth he send after such as are backsliders, revolted and gone, to return and come back again. He orders that they "shall hear a voice behind them, a word (as Isa. xxx. 21.) saying, This is the way, walk ye in it." As if he should have said, Alas! you mistake your way, whither are you going? This is the right way. You are going away from your God;-you seem most dangerously to mistake your way, when you are going to the right hand, or going to the left hand. This is not your way to God, and to rest, and blessedness, and peace, and a finally good state. And by many media, and sometimes immediately, he causeth, and he maketh such a voice to be heard, "a voice behind them," or that shall, some way or other, reach their ears, and reach their hearts. Sometimes he takes care that they shall meet it in the Bible; drops a word into their minds, which they have heretofore read, or providentially puts it under their eye. How many such seasonable voices have there been to poor wanderers, that if they have taken up this Book (and sometimes it may be very carelessly, and without design) they have met with a passage that hath struck them. I am out of the way, I must go back to my God again. Sometimes they meet with it in a sermon; sometimes in the conversation of a pious friend; sometimes in a providence, in an affliction, a loss, a sickness, a pain. Sometimes stroke comes upon stroke, in such kinds: and if they will wander in by-paths, God hedgeth up the way with thorns, and they are constrained to retreat and go back: they can find no other way but to return. It is the world, commonly, that insnares and entices away men's hearts from God, that he imbitters to them. And sometimes they meet with so great losses in worldly respects, that thereupon they begin to say, Why at this rate I may lose all, sure it concerns me to ascertain to myself somewhat that cannot be lost. And the effect is sometimes such that they must say, If I had not that loss, I had lost myself. If I had not lost such and such a part of my estate, in all likelihood I had lost my soul, that was going. God hath by such a means reduced me, recovered me, made me bethink myself. I must make sure of my relation to God, of a portion in God, or be ruined for ever. But whatsoever the means be, there is wonderful kindness and friendliness in the thing. thoroughly, and in good earnest, they are very unapt to forgive themselves as God is apt to forgive them. And indeed he is so much the more ready to forgive, by how much the less apt they are to forgive themselves. Self-loathing, selfaccusing, self-abhorrence; they are the best part of the claim that they can make to forgiveness; to say, that to them belongs shame and confusion of face, but to him righteousness. As to any thing that is in them, or can have place there, there is nothing that hath more an aspect and look towards forgiveness from God, than their severity towards their own souls. They think with themselves, taking measure (as they are too prone to do) of God's greatness by their own littleness, of his immense goodness by the narrowness of their own spirits; and what they find their own inclinations to be towards others that offend them, implied by that question of Peter to our Lord, "How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but until seventy times seven," Matt. xviii. 21, 22. On hearing this, the disciples say altogether, "Lord, increase our faith," Luke xvii. 5. us. We do not know how to conceive of so large and so copious a forgiveness, or promise to forgive, as this, Lord, increase our faith, if such a thing as this be looked for from We know not how to comprehend it. So much more incomprehensible and inconceivable is that readiness to forgive which resides in the fountain, in him who is the Father of all mercy, and of all compassion, and who hath made himself known by the name of "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin," Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Men do not know how to conceive this of God, and ergo reason thus with themselves, I should not know how to forgive another offending me so oftentimes. Alas! saith God, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than your thoughts," Isa. lv. 8, 9. They are apt to measure God by their span and inch. As the distance is, and infinitely more, between heaven and earth, "and as far as the east is from the west, so far he removeth our transgression from us." It is in the same context we are told he multiplies to forgive, or he abundantly pardons. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the Sometimes this voice comes more immediately. And unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto indeed if it do not so, he doth afford media; if he by these the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our doth not himself work the effect and touch the heart, it is God, for he will abundantly pardon," or will multiply to never brought about. He speaks inwardly by his Spirit, pardon, that is the emphasis of the Hebrew expression. striving by that; striking the soul by convictions, rousing But how can this be understood, that God should pardon it by terrors; and when it is seasonable allures it, and by so numerous, so multiplied transgressions as ours? Why pleasantness and sweet relishes of better things than they ergo, those words come in, My ways are not as your ways, can gain by their wanderings. And then also he sets con- &c. Indeed if any should think hereupon to turn this science on work, and makes that to fall out and fight with grace into lasciviousness, that is to turn themselves quite themselves, and they are engaged in soliloquies and in dis-out of it. "For sin shall not have dominion over you: coursing and debating the matter with their own souls. for ye are not under the law, but under grace," Rom. vi. What shall I get by this course of wandering, to which I 14. These are inconsistent terms, to be under grace and seem to have indulged myself a liberty? what will come under the dominion of sin. Most certain it is (as hath of it? He makes their own hearts and reins to instruet been told you before) that God doth impart the righteousthem in the night season, and then to commune withness and the sanctifying Spirit of Christ together, never themselves on their bed, and be still, in great silence, to separately. "And such were some of you: but ye are discourse and reason the matter with their own souls; and washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the so one way or other reduceth and calls back the poor wan- name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," derer. Oh how great is the friendliness of all this. And 1 Cor. vi. 11. If any should say in their own hearts, Now then, I may sin freely, grace will abound. Let us sin, because grace abounds, or that it may abound. "God forbid (saith an apostle.) How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ?" Rom. vi. 2. To reason so is to reason yourselves quite out of all interest in grace at all. To leave yourselves nothing at all. Because that grace is in those streams and communications of it inseparable from itself. That is pardoning grace, and renewing, sanctifying grace, they run together pari passu. And God justifies none in their rebellion. I will pardon you; I will heal your backslidings, and love you freely. Only acknowledge thine iniquities, Jer. iii. 12, 13. and thence to the 19th verse. Here you have God pleading with himself on the behalf of these backsliding ones, what he shall do with them. How shall I put thee among the children? How shall I ever look upon thee as a child more? Why, saith 5. It is great kindness and friendliness, when they do return, and are reduced, that he so freely forgives them; that he pardons so copiously, so plentifully. As there is plenteous forgiveness with him, he is ready to multiply pardons beyond what they can have the confidence many times to ask; that when they must upon occasion, and when their hearts are touched with a lively sense of their own disengenuous dealings, when they come to present and prostrate themselves before the mercy seat, they must be in such postures as that holy man-"I blush, I am ashamed, I am confounded, and not able to lift up my face before thee." He is in this case more ready to forgive than they can be to ask forgiveness. Not unto "seven times, but unto seventy times seven." They would be soon ashamed to ask at that rate. And when they are convinced he, thou shalt call me "My Father," and not turn away | from me. How shall I do this? Why, I have but this one way, to do it inwardly, to touch their hearts. How shall I ever treat you as children again? Why, I tell you the truth, I must inwardly prompt you to betake yourselves to me with inward, child-like, filial humiliation, contrition and repentance, so as to make you own me for your Father with relenting, tender, broken hearts. Then I shall assign you the pleasant portion among the children, not disinherit you, not put you out of the family. But these works of grace must be carried on towards you conjunctly, or not at all. Therefore, that soul which remains under the power of sin reigning in it, and wherein it hath a throne, that soul hath nothing to do with pardoning mercy, while this is his case; for he hath nothing to do with pardoning mercy out of Christ. And if he be in Christ, then Christ is made unto him "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," 2 Cor. i. 30. But again, 6. Friendliness appears towards those that have made a defection, and in great degrees gone off from God, that he doth not (while it is but in such degrees) withdraw his Spirit. "Take not thy Holy Spirit from me," says the penitent Psalmist, Ps. li. 11. "and cast me not out of thy presence." The Spirit is all this while not yet gone; it doth not desert them. It hath formed such into habitations for itself; "made them habitations for God through the Spirit," Ephes, i. 11. Temples they are of the Holy Ghost. He will let it appear that he is not easy to remove; not apt to withdraw and quit his habitation, and to make a sacred habitation or temple desolate. Ergo, prays the Psalmist, "O do not take thy Spirit from me, nor cast me out of thy presence!" The Spirit was not totally withdrawn, even as to his sense; he apprehended it to be with him still. When he saith, "take it not away," he apprehended he then had it; and when he saith, "cast me not away from thy presence," he apprehends himself to be in God's presence; I am yet with thee. And yet there was a seemingness, a look, an aspect, in the present state of things between God and him, as if he was about to cast him out, according to "O do not cast me out of thy presence!" that's death, that's deadly to me. Oh! he dreaded to be cast out; but at the same time he apprehends himself not cast out, according to that in Ps. lxxiii. 23. "Nevertheless I am still with thee; thou holdest me with thy right hand." "I am ever with thee," saith he in one place; and saith in the other, "cast me not out of thy presence." And lay this together, and they carry this signification and sense with them, that the hand which seemed to thrust, held at the same time. The hand (I say) that seemed to throw them away, it held them to him at the same time. And such semblances there are between friends, when on the one part there is occasion given to resent unkindness; one may thrust at such a one, as if one would have him be gone, yet hold at the same time, as loth to let him go. And again, 7. This friendliness further appears in the same case in the recomposing of the frame of your spirits, when all was miserably shattered and discomposed. In the wanderings of such, they waste their strength: they fall and break their bones. All things are put out of frame with them. Oh! what kindness it is to recompose that shattered frame! It comes to this sometimes, that Christ is to be formed again in the soul, as in that, Gal. iv. 19. "Of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." The work of the new creation is (as it were) to be done over again. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me," Ps. li. 10. Here is more creating work to be done again, new creating work to be done. Not as if there were nothing left, as though there were no residue; but there is much to be done de novo. "I create the fruit of the lips peace, peace." Whatsoever is to be produced out of a foregoing state of nonentity, this must be still creation. This heart was become unclean; there must be a cleanness now wrought in it by creation. "Create in me a new heart." The frame of my spirit was all wrong-" renew a right spirit within me," saith the Psalmist. God, put all out of joint and frame; every thing is amiss. The heart was inwrapt in darkness, and he enlightens, and with his beams penetrates that darkness. It was dead, and he quickens it. It was grown a vague heart, and he makes it serious. A hard heart, and he molifies it, softens it again, makes it tender. The conscience was stupified, but he awakens it to the work and business of its office. Love was grown cold, he makes the fire glow again. Desires faint and languid, they become now strong and vigorous. The soul was grown terrene and worldly, thinking to compensate and make up to itself out of this world what it had lost in God, and in his communion, and in the enjoyment of his Christ, and so was fallen into a friendly treaty with God's enemy. "Know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God?" He opportunely breaks this league, renders this world again a contemptible thing, brings the poor soul to overcome it. "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world," gets it under his feet, triumphs over it; so that the soul is enabled to say, What a vile, despicable thing is all this world, to become (as it were) the competitor and rival of the great God, for an opposite and a ruling interest in my heart and soul! This is wonderful kindness, to recompose the frame of the soul when all is out of course. He finds the poor creature wounded, and he heals the wound; doth the part of the good Samaritan, pours in wine and oil; when the wretched creature was fallen among thieves, got into bad company, and there wounded and broken, maimed, and made miserably decrepid, he heals all. If you turn I will heal your backslidings." Heal my soul that hath sinned against thee," saith the Psalmist, Psalm xli. 4. I am sensible of wounds, bruises, and broken bones; heal my soul. Experience makes such say as they come, "Let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up," Hosea vi. 1. This is still great friendliness. And, 8. When it is most seasonable, he restores them peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; "the joy of his salvation," which the Psalmist supplicates for in that penitential Psalm li. And, 9. He helps them in conflicts all along. Their life is to be a continual conflict. This is friendly to stand by them when they are in conflicts with flesh and blood, and conflicts with principalities and powers. "Satan hath desired to have you," saith our Saviour, speaking directly to Peter, but in the plural number, Luke xxii. 31. " but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." He would have you; Satan hath a mind to you, he covets you; but I have prayed. God hath put these believing ones out of doubt concerning his kind propensions towards them in reference to this case of their being tempted, by this, that he hath set over them "a merciful and faithful High Priest, who himself having suffered, being tempted, is able to succour them that are tempted," Heb. ii. 17, 18. and ch. iv. 15, 16. And in the last place, 10. This friendliness appears on God's part in introducing them at last into the heavenly society, who are all to be associated with himself and his Christ for ever. He enables them to overcome, and they then must sit down with him upon his throne." Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God und of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," Rev. xx. 6. This is great friendliness indeed, that can never be satisfied, but with eternal converse, to be everlastingly of the same society. Then those that were of Abraham's faith, with those other great worthies that we find mentioned together often, and particularly in Hebrews xi. are all now gathered to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, where all these friends are to be entertained together in one society. This is an agreed thing, and the known and declared pleasure of God and Christ; a matter concerted between him and his Son." I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am in glory." And he tells us elsewhere, he is always heard; ergo, the matter is agreed between him and his Father. So that this faith, upon which persons are countAnd how much of friendliness is there in this. ed or called (as Abraham was) the friends of God, who do backslidden, wandering soul hath, in its departure from | believe as he did, doth not only now justify, but finally The save. And that indeed ought to compose our minds, and | about those great and glorious things which the Gospel lessen the wonder with us, when we find that God is so frequently gathering and drawing up, one after another, out of this world of ours, divers from among ourselves, gone into the bosom of the earth, and into Abraham's bosom, being believers with Abraham's faith, and now got into possession of the same blessedness that he hath been so long possessed of. Let us all wait: God will gather us up all in time. For those who have lived by this faith, they are all designed to one and the same state. They must be for ever together with the Lord; and ergo, we ought to comfort our own hearts, and to comfort one another, (as the apostle concludes, 1 Thess. iv.) with these words; "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." SERMON XXXIII.* James ii. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled, &c. contains. "They have not all obeyed the Gospel," as the apostle speaks, Rom. x. 16. referring to and quoting this passage, Isa. liii. 1. "For Esaias saith, who hath believed our report ?" We may go whither we will, and scarce can find any one who believes what we say, though we speak the greatest and most glorious things, things of the most pressing necessity and highest importance to the persons themselves to whom we speak. If there be here and there some in a corrupt and degenerate world that will give ear and any regard to what is spoken from heaven in the name of the Lord about the great concernments of souls, these are the persons that have found favour in his eyes; he looks upon them with a kind eye, as he did upon Noah in such a corrupt state of things. "Thee have I found righteous before me." Therefore, for thee I am resolved there shall be an ark prepared, that thou mayest be so far subservient to that design of thine own preservation, as to be employed in preparing that ark. And whence came it that he did so? It is referred to his faith. "By faith he being warned of God, and moved with fear, prepared the ark, to the saving of his house." Whereas ergo, it is said, Gen. vii. 1. "Thee have I found righteous before me in thy generation." I will take care of thee; thou hast borne a friendly mind towards me, and I will do the part of a friend towards thee. I say, wherein this is said, we find wherein this faith stood. Wherein it was (i. e. Now we have spoken of the former part of God's friend-in reference to the productive principle) that Noah did come to approve himself one that bore a just mind towards But this I do only pre-lay as a general. That I may more distinctly speak to this matter, I shall show you what friendliness is shown towards God in and about the exercise of this faith, the faith that will justify and save in such things as, 1. Faith doth suppose, 2. Such things as it includes, and 3. Such things as it infers and draws after it. Things of all these sorts will appear to have in them great indications of a friendly mind towards God; and such as are indeed the peculiarities of those few believers, in com This must be always remembered; and being so, then I say such friendliness towards God as can consist with our state, and with a state of things between him and us, doth eminently appear in many great indications, in or about the exercise of that faith towards him, upon which he jus-parison, that are to be found among men. tifies, and is finally to save. I. Such things as this faith doth suppose. And when I There appears to be much of a friendly mind towards speak of this faith, I especially mean that very unitive act him in this matter upon this account, that the world is so of faith by which the soul closeth with God in Christ, and generally obdured and set against God by infidelity; so so whereupon it is mediately in a justified estate, and enthat such a faith in him is a very singular thing in the titled to a final and eternal salvation. Speaking of that world. "Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is very act which is formally unitive betwixt God in Christ the arm of the Lord revealed ?" as the complaint is, Isa. and the soul, there are several other acts that may come liii. 1. when the design was to give a representation of the under the general notion and name of faith, that are among Son of God in his descent into this wretched world of ours, the things presupposed unto this act, and so are to be spoand that low and mean state of humiliation which he sub-ken to under the head of things supposed; but I shall bemitted himself to here, when he became a man of sorrows gin somewhat lower, and at what is more remote, as, and acquainted with griefs. Here is a report to be made of these things unto the world. But who believes our report? Where shall we find those that will believe or regard it? We speak every where to deaf ears, and represent these matters to blind eyes; hearts obdured and shut up in unbelief. But where any eyes and ears are opened, hearts made attentive and flexible, though this be of God's own promising, he looks upon it with a kind eye. Well, now I find then there are some among men that are not so under the power of a vicious prejudice, but they can hear and receive what is reported and revealed to them * Preached October 29th, 1693. 1. The soul's listening and inquiring after God, which this believing in God must needs be understood to suppose, in an ordinary course at least. They that at length come to believe in him as Abraham did; they must be supposed, however inwardly and secretly prompted hereunto, to have made some inquiry after him first. The most content themselves to be as without God in the world: but when he hath once touched a mind with a vital touch, it begins then to rouse and stir itself. Why, what? Must it not have been some infinitely good and absolutely first Being that hath made me and all things? Why have I lived in |