the world, a spirit that fills the world with nothing but | Thus far conformity to the world speaks an unsuitableness and contrariety to walking in the Spirit. There are some other things, that are thought to be out of that verge, and are really beside the more common and general course of this walk; which I shall mention under distinct heads from this, because I would speak of them as they are thought of. And therefore I add, taste or feed upon these things. Starving in the midst of plenty is their case: or, as if a sick man should have by him, in the midst of his languishing sickness, some vial of very choice and precious spirits, that in all likelihood would be relieving to him, and save him from death, but he keeps it by him, and will discourse to you very curiously and philosophically concerning the nature and virtues of this thing, yet never uses it, nor apprehends that he is concerned to use it, or that his case requires it; and so dies away with a medicine at hand all the while that might have saved his life. 3. Formality in the business of religion. There are those, who think it cannot serve their turn to speculate all their days, and therefore would practice somewhat. But what do they practise? They run in a common road of duties, in which their own hearts upon reflection must confess, that they never had the Spirit of God breathing, and never concerned themselves to have it so. Theirs is a religious course, and a course of practical religion; but transacted at the utmost distance from the Spirit of God, so that it and their spirits have no communion from day to day ir. the whole. They keep up a course of prayer in their families, and it may be in secret, go to public assemblies, attend upon the ordinances of worship; but never find any impression upon their spirits, any warmth or vigour there, or a concern to look after any such thing. They think it well, that such a duty is over, and so that they have walked in a religious course, though strangers to God and his Spirit all their time. 4. The neglect of the very form itself. This is too known a thing among some persons; and that too under the very pretence of spirituality. They are too spiritual to be bound to any forms of worship, or any stated course of duties; and that they may be more spiritual, they cast prayer out of their families, and refuse, yea even disdain, to live worshipping lives, as too mean for them. All these things speak a manifest repugnancy to walking in the Spirit. Sure it is not the governor of any such courses of walking as these are. I shall shut up all with some brief reflections upon both parts of the text together. 2ndly, Opinionativeness in the business of religion. Many would little suspect this to be from the spirit of this world and indeed it is not the very common course of Since it doth belong to the Spiri of God by office, as this world to be much concerned about such matters. But we have asserted, to maintain the life and govern the walk no matter from what spirit it is, their own or a worse; it and motions of Christians; we should bethink ourselves, is not from the Spirit of God; that doth not influence of how indispensable necessity the communications of the their course. But take aright what I mean by the term, Spirit for these purposes are unto us, and how miserable a opinionativeness: I mean such as in their ordinary course thing it is to be destitute of them. We may easily apprefrom day to day either are wholly taken up about specu- hend how necessary that influence is, without which we lative matters, that either really belong or that they affix to can neither live nor move; and how miserable to be withreligion; or who only converse about most practical mat-out it. For represent we to ourselves the case of a poor, ters speculatively, as if they were matters of mere opinion, languishing, decrepit creature, that is deprived of motive and not to be turned or employed to practice at all. A power; suppose him barely to live, to have only life course of walking so managed as this is, certainly is not enough to feel himself in a dying condition: now is not governed by the Spirit of God; that is the author of no the case so with many Christians, with some of those persuch persuasion to men. Men are apt to think, that they haps that have the root of the matter in them? They have are very safe from sin and blame in this case, because they but life enough to feel that they are consuming, and in a are things of religion that they are much concerned and state wherein the things that remain are even ready to die! taken up about. But what things? and how are they That they do not die, is by Divine vouchsafement, and employed about them? Either they converse about the none of their care. What a sad case is this! And is it mere skirts and borders of religion, and keep as remote as not yet worse with some? They have not life enough to they can from the heart and vitals of it, from having any take any notice, or make inquiry, whether they live or no: commerce with such things: or, if the case be not so, then as persons that have some life left, yet may be incapable they presume (and it is a dreadful presumption) to touch of considering whether they are alive or dead. Many tho e most sacred things with sacrilegious hands; to alien- Christians are so far from having that motive power, that at the great and deep things of God, that appertain to his is to be exercised in the managing of their own walk, and kingdom and glory, from their proper and genuine pur- that would be so if it were not through their own default; poses; that, whereas they should be the food of souls, and that they are so altogether destitute also of any presence the maintenance of the spiritual life, they employ them and vital influence of the Spirit, as never to consider the only to feed curiosity, and so to satisfy a more refined case, "Am I alive or dead?" Certainly this is a miserable lust. This is the very truth of the case; and so a great case. And I may add, many, that are persons of more leisure and vacancy from worldly affairs, spend most of their time. It is doleful to think, that the design, for which such important things are revealed to men, should be so little understood, and so 1. It is intolerable in the case, to lay aside the apprelittle complied with and answered; and that so great hension of the distinction between natural and spiritual things should be perverted unto so mean and ill services.life, natural motion and spiritual. You may judge, whether And it is sad to think of the injury that such men do to their own souls; they go with famished souls from day to day, while they have most proper and suitable nutriment for them just at hand, but they will not touch, so as to Where there is manifestly such a destitution, there are some things very intolerable, which yet are too obvious and frequent with many such. As, the mention of this be not a most apparently needful thing. Are there not a great many, that spend away their days without so much as ever considering, that there is such a thing as spiritual life and motion, or a region all replenished with spiritual vitality, a distinct sphere from that of nature wherein alone the rest of men do converse? They never think of such a distinction between world and world; an orb of spiritual life, and that mean and lower orb, wherein only a low kind of animality fills up all. 2. It is an intolerable thing in this case, to be unapprehensive of what others find of the power and vigour of that other Spirit moving in them, even the Spirit of God. There are some, that through grace (though that is not to be vaunted of, and whereof it becomes none to make a boast) feel the stirrings of another principle in them different from the spirit of this world: they feel themselves to live, and to be acted in their walk by a spring of life that is from above. Those that are without the experience of such a thing, will not believe there is any such thing; as if their knowledge were to measure all realities; as though they were persons commensurate in their understandings and experience with the whole nature of things. This is just for all the world, as if a languid person, that hath been long confined to his chamber and bed, should come to fancy, that his chamber and bed were all the world, and that there was nothing done among mankind but what he saw transacted in his own chamber: or, if we should imagine a thinking power to be in the grave, and fancying a grave to be the universe. 3. It is intolerable, to be unconcerned about our own part and share in the world and region of spiritual life and motion, of which we have been speaking. If there were a line to be drawn through the world to sever in it the living from the dead, and a public notification were made of this all the world over; would we not then be very much concerned, on which side of the line we placed ourselves, that it might be where we could live? But how strange is it, that in this case many are altogether unconcerned, whether they are of the living or the dead side! Lastly, 4. It is a most intolerable thing, to make no applications to this Spirit, after we know its distance. We know it is the Author of life, and the Governor of all holy motions unto all the children of God; and yet never apply to it, never put up a sigh or a cry! How intolerable is this! Do we know of any other way to live? Do we think, that there can be such a thing as everlasting life, a life which shall never end, and which shall also never begin? Sure if there be such a life, it must sometime begin: and where will we place the beginning of it, but in the communication of that spiritual, vital influence, which once given is a spring of living waters, springing up unto life eternal ? Let us so therefore represent the matter to ourselves; the high dignity, the immense fulness, the royal magnificent bounty and benignity of this blessed Spirit; that we may neither neglect it, nor distrust it. Represent the tendency of all its communications, and consider them as the earnest and pledges of everlasting life, the blossomings of glory; that which must be our preparation for, and our assurance of, the eternal state of life. And then desire such communications above all things. Let this be the sense of our souls, (sure there is reason enough that it should be so,) "Lord, let me rather live in poverty, live in pain and sickness, live in disgrace all my days, than live without thy Spirit! Let not that Spirit be a stranger to me, but inhabit and dwell in me, act and move me; and be my condition what it will in all external respects, I am unsolicitous, I will never capitulate, never dispute the matter." Till that Spirit come to be valued by us, and all its communications, even above all things else that men are wont to count dear to them, we have reason to apprehend, that it and we are like to continue still strangers; and if we be strangers to the Divine Spirit, we must be acquainted with misery both in this and another state, THE PROSPEROUS STATE OF THE CHRISTIAN INTEREST BEFORE THE END OF TIME, BY A PLENTIFUL EFFUSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; CONSIDERED IN FIFTEEN SERMONS, ON EZEK. XXXIX. 29. TO THE READER. I APPREHEND little occasion to make an apology for the publication of the following discourses. They who relish Mr. Howe's inimitable spirit of piety, judgment, copiousness, and force, in the management of every subject he hath undertaken, will be glad of any remains of so great a man; and those who have been conversant with his writings, will hardly want any other voucher, besides the sermons themselves, that they are genuine, they so evidently carry in them, to a person of taste, the marks which always distinguish his performances. They have not indeed had the advantage of his own masterly hand to prepare them for the press, and give them their last finishing; but were his discourses from the pulpit, taken first in short-hand by the hand of a very ready and judicious writer, who afterwards copied them out fair with the minutest exactness, as they were delivered. This very precise accuracy made it necessary, that they should be transcribed anew, before they saw the light. This I have adventured to do, without the alteration or addition of any one thought. But, in discourses delivered by a preacher without notes, some repetitions naturally occur in the pulpit; and very usefully, to enable the hearer to discern the connexion of the discourse as he goes along, and to make the deeper impression. These might appear tedious to a reader, who hath the whole before him; and therefore are omitted, further than they seemed to carry a peculiar emphasis, or than a different representation of the same thought was apprehended to convey the idea with greater force. The writer appears to have religiously followed the very words of the author, when he cited passages of Scripture by memory. It was judged proper to consult the texts themselves, and to cite them as they lie in the Bible; except where the author might be supposed out of choice to substitute another English word, as more expressive of the sense of the original. The repetition also of former discourses at the beginning of another sermon hath been omitted where nothing new occurred. But where a new thought is suggested, in such a repetition, it hath been carefully inserted in its proper place. This is all the variation I have allowed myself to make from the copy; and so much I apprehend will be accounted reasonable and necessary by all that are acquainted with such things. The subject can hardly fail to be particularly acceptable. The reverend author hath often indeed expressed in general the same catholic sentiments in several of the works which he published himself; and shown his mind to have been uniformly the same as here, upon that head, wherein the prosperity of the Christian interest lies: that it consists not it the advancement of any party among Christians as such, or of any distinguishing name, or in any mere external forms; but in real vital religion and conformity to God. He hath also more than once intimated his expectation of better times for the church of God, than the present state of it. But he hath no where so professedly and distinctly explained his sentiments concerning the latter days of the Christian church, as in these discourses. They were all preached in the course of a Wednesday lecture, which he formerly kept up at Cordwainer's Hall in this city; and all within the year 1678, as appears by the dates prefixed to each. A time, wherein he was in the vigour of life and height of judgment, between forty and fifty years old; and within a few years after his settlement with that congregation of protestant dissenters, where he ministered till his death. That was a time of peculiar distress and danger, not only to protestants out of the legal establishment in these kingdoms, but to the reformed interest in general through Europe. This may be supposed to have engaged his thoughts in so long attention to this subject, which animates with the hope of better times to come. There are other discourses immediately preceding these at the same lecture, concerning the work of the Spirit in every age upon particular persons; as these relate to his work upon the Christian community, to be expected in the last age. A copy of those sermons, drawn up by the same writer, is fallen into the hands of a very worthy brother of this city, by as unexpected a providence as these came into mine. I hope he may be prevailed with to introduce them into the world, if those which are now offered meet with a favourable reception. And both these volumes together, will contain the sum of this great man's sentiments concerning the important doctrine of the Holy Spirit. If any inquire, why these sermons were not inserted in the late collection of Mr. Howe's works in folio; I answer; besides that it was resolved to insert none there, but those which he had published himself; so, if it had been thought proper to add more, the copy of these came not into my hands, or within my notice, till that edition was made public. Such an index cannot be judged needful to a particular discourse; as I thought proper to add to that collection, where the subjects treated of are so various. It appeared more useful here to give a view of his whole scheme upon the argument, by way of contents: and because of the felicity of this author in descants upon Scripture, an index of the texts, which he hath taken notice of, is added even to this short treatise. May the great Lord of the harvest succeed the revived labours of our fathers, and the endeavours of those in the present age, who are called to serve him in the Gospel; and still raise a seed to serve him, both in the ministry and out of it, which from time to time shall be accounted to him for a generation. This is the hearty prayer of An unworthy Servant of Prescot-street. our common Lord, JOHN EVANS. to mean here, by "the face of God." It is very plain, that it frequently means his providential appearances, or the aspect of providence one way or another. And thus we are more frequently to understand it, when it is spoken of in reference to a community, or the collective body of a people; yea, and sometimes, when in reference to particular persons too. And hence it will easily appear, how we are to take the opposite expressions, of his "making his face to shine;" or of his "hiding, or covering, or clouding his face." THE operations of the Holy Ghost may be considered It appears from sundry scriptures, that by his-showing either as relating to particular persons, in a single and pri- his face, or letting it be seen,-giving the sight of it, or vate capacity; for the regenerating of souls, or implant- causing his face to shine, giving the pleasant sight of it, or ing in them the principles of the divine and spiritual life;-lifting up the light of his countenance,-(expressions of the maintaining of that life; the causing and ordering all the same import,) the favourable aspect of providence is to the motions that are proper thereunto: or, as having an be understood; when these expressions are used, as I said, influence upon the-felicity and prosperous state of the more especially in reference to the collective body of a church in general.-For this last, the Scripture that I have people. And so the hiding of his face, signifies as much pitched upon, gives us a very plain and sufficient ground. as the change of these more favourable aspects of proviIt is manifest, that it is a very happy and prosperous dence, for those that are more severe, and that do import state, which is here referred unto, if you look back upon anger and displeasure. For so, by the aspects and apthis and the foregoing chapters, the xxxvi. xxxvii. and pearances of providence, it is to be understood, whether Xxxviii. which are all congenerous, and as it were of a piece God be propitious and favourably inclined toward a peowith this. You find such things copiously spoken of and ple, or whether he be displeased and have a controversy promised, as we are wont to consider in the constitution with them: as it may be discerned in the face of a man, of a prosperous happy state, in reference to what their case whether he be pleased or displeased. Wherefore you required; reduction from captivity, victory over their ene- have anger and severity, which uses to be signified by mies, abundant plenty of all things, settled tranquillity providence, and as it is so signified held forth to us under and peace, entire union among themselves, both Ephraim this same phrase or form of speech, Dent. xxxi. 18. I and Judah, as you will find it expressed; the renewal of will surely hide my face in that day, for all the evils which God's covenant with them, after their so great and long- they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto continued defection and apostacy from it; in which cove- other gods. See what the expression there is exegetical nant he would be their God, and take them for his people, of, or with what other phrases it is joined, as manifestly and have the relation avowed and made visible to all the intending the same thing; such as, his anger being kinworld, that he and they were thus related to one another. dled against them, and his forsaking them. It is intersertThese things you may find at large in the several chapters ed among such expressions again and again. So ver. 17. mentioned; importing all the favour that we could sup- My anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and pose any way conducible to make a people happy. And I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them; indeed the same thing is compendiously and summarily and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles held forth in the words of the text themselves: "Neither shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are will I hide my face any more from them; for I have poured not these evils come upon us, because our God is not out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord amongst us? In the same sense the word is used, chap. God." We cannot in few words have a fuller account xxxii. 20., and in many other scriptures, in reference to given of a happy state. To consider these words them- bodies of men. And sometimes in reference to a particuselves; the contents of them are, 1. A gracious prediction: lar person; as in Job xxxiv. 29. When he gives quiet"Neither will I hide my face any more from them:" a ness, who shall give trouble? and when he hides his face, prediction, or prophetic promise, or a promissory prophe- who shall behold him? Who dare behold him, when cy of a most happy state: and, 2. The reason given here- clouds and frowns do eclipse that bright and pleasant light of, why God would provide that all things should be well of his countenance before lift up, whether it be against a with them in other respects: "For I have poured out my nation or a particular person? as there Elihu speaks. Spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." And he had been speaking before of the acts of providence, in lifting up and casting down at his pleasure, and according as men's ways and deportment towards him in this kind or that did make it most suitable and fit. And therefore also the church, being represented as in a very afflictive condition, exposed to the insultations of tyrannous enemies, and having suffered very hard and grievous things from them; this is the petition that is put up in the case, Turn us, and cause thy face to shine upon us, and we shall be saved, Psal. lxxx. 3, 19. There are two things, that must be the matter of a litthe previous inquiry, in order to our taking up what we are to insist upon from this Scripture;-1. The import of this negative expression, "Neither will I hide my face any more from them;" and,-2. How we are to understand the subject of the promised favour here, as it is designed by this name, "the house of Israel."-These things being cleared, the matters that I intend to recommend to you and insist upon, will plainly result. I. As to the former, what this negative expression should mean, Neither will I hide my face any more from them." It is needful, that we may understand that, to know what the Scripture doth often mean, and may well be supposed * Preached May 8th, 1678. Therefore it is obvious to collect, what the like expression here must mean; "Neither will I hide my face any more from them." It must mean, that he would put them into a prosperous condition; the course of his providence toward them should be such as would import favour and kindness to them. And, "Neither will I hide my face any more from them," imports the permanency and settledness of this happy and prosperous state; that it should not be a short, lucid interval only; but through a very considerable and continued tract of time this should be the posture and course of his providence towards them. And then, II. For the subject of this promised favour, as it is designed here by the expression, "The house of Israel." 1. I doubt not but that it hath a meaning included, as it is literally taken, of that very people wont to be known by that name," The house of Israel," the seed of Jacob. | The church was externally miserable in the first ages of it by persecutions from without: and after it arrived to a state of some tranquillity and peace, by the favour of the world and its more gentle aspect upon it; after there was an emperor of the Christian religion, that would own and patronize it against the rage and fury that it was pursued with before; then it soon bred trouble enough within itself, and grew factious and divided, and broken into parts, pestered with heresies, and filled with varieties of contending opinions and sects; and then these were continually the authors of troubles to one another, according as one or another could get opportunity to grasp power into its hand. This hath been the state of things with it all along, though there have been some more quiet intervals here and there, in this or that part of the Christian world. It can hardly be said, the church hath ever had any considerable season of tranquillity and serenity, universally, and all at once, even in any time. 2. It is more obvious, as we may suppose, unto the most, that the state of the church is externally very miserable and sad at this time. Those, that understand any thing of the world, cannot but know so much; and we need not to except that part of the church at home, as you all well enough know. In other countries Christians are rolling and weltering in one another's blood; and you know the shattered state of things within ourselves. 2. But I as little doubt, that it hath a further meaning too. And it is an obvious observation, than which none more obvious, that the universal church, even of the Gospel constitution, is frequently in the prophetical scriptures of the Old Testament represented by this, and by the equivalent names of Jerusalem and Zion, and the like. And the reason was as obvious as the thing itself; for they were the church of God, that people, and they who were proselyted to them: and the prophecies of the Old Testament we know were first and most immediately directed to them; and were more likely to be regarded by them, by how much the more the church, whom these prophecies did concern, was more constantly designed or set forth by their own name. It invited them to look towards the great 3. By the present posture of affairs, the position and asthings represented and held forth in these prophecies, as pect of things, we cannot say that matters are in a tendenthings wherein they had a special concern, and wherein cy unto a better state; but have rather reason to fear, that their interest was bound up; though they had no reason all will grow worse and worse. Clouds gather and thickto think, that they were things appropriate to them. And en, and grows blacker and blacker, and spread far and we find, that in the New Testament too the name is re-wide over the church of Christ in the world, and are very tained: "All are not Israel that are of Israel. He is not likely to discharge into very tremendous storms: accorda Jew that is one outwardly:" he means certainly a Chris- ing to human probabilities and experience nothing else is tian. "I know the blasphemy of them that say they are to be expected. Jews, and are not." Rom. ii. 28. Rev. ii. 9. And we have little reason to doubt, and there will be occasion to make it more apparent hereafter, that so we are to explain the signification of this name here; not to exclude the natural Israelites, but also to include the universal Christian church. These things being thus far cleared, the ground will be plain upon which to recommend to you a twofold truth from these words; viz.-First, That there is a state of permanent serenity and happiness appointed for the universal church of Christ upon earth.-Secondly, that the immediate original and cause of that felicity and happy state, is a large and general effusion or pouring forth of the Spirit. -It is the latter of these that I principally intend, and shall speak more briefly to the former. 4. It is to be observed too, that there hath long been a retraction in a very great measure of the Spirit from the church. There was a gradual retraction soon after that large effusion of it at first in the apostle's days; unto which in Acts ii. we find by Peter that scripture in Joel applied, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh." Then they said it had its accomplishment; though I doubt not it is to have another and fuller accomplishment; as it is no unusual thing for the same prophetic scripture to be said to be fulfilled again and again; as that passage, "Out of Egypt I have recalled my Son," applied to the people of Israel and to Christ. A long continued retraction there hath been of that Spirit, which is the very life of that body; whose work and business it is to act and animate it in every part. We are not now inquiring concerning the But before I speak distinctly and severally to either of cause of the retraction. Much must be referred to sovethem, I shall do what is not usual with me; that is, enter-reign pleasure, more to justice: for undoubtedly God hath tain you a while with somewhat of a preface, to give you proceeded according to the tenor of his own rule, I will therein an account in reference to both, and of the whole be with you, as long as you are with me; and he did never of the intended discourse upon this subject, what I design, in any degree leave his people first, that bare his name. and upon what score I think it useful and proper, that such Union always begins on his part; breaches on ours. But a matter, as this is, be entertained into your consideration notwithstanding that so large effusion of the Spirit at first, and my own. Herein I shall, 1st, lay before you sundry when the Gospel light first dawned upon the world, and things obvious unto the consideration of considering per- that pleasant spring of the Christian interest and religion sons, that will serve for some representation of the state of that then appeared and showed itself; how gradual was the Christian church hitherto, and at this time, and as it the languor, that set it a fainting and withering by steps may continue to be for some time hence. And then, 2dly, and degrees, very discernible to those that look upon the shall show you in some other particulars, what it is rea- histories of former days! Though yet the life and vigour sonable should be designed and expected in a discourse of was still much preserved, as long as the church was in a this nature, and upon such a subject as this is, in way of suffering state from without by the persecution of paganaccommodation to such a state of the case? ish enemies; as we know it was, for the three first centu ries and more, in some degree and in some part of it. I. As to the former; these things I reckon very obvious to such as are of considering minds. 1. That the state of the Christian church hath been for the most part very calamitous and sad all along hitherto, in external respects. You know it was eminently so in the time of the first forming of the Christian church. The Christian name was a name every where spoken against; and they, that delivered themselves up to Christ, delivered themselves up to all manner of troubles and persecutions, even upon his account and for his name's sake. He foretold it unto his more immediate followers, that for his name they should be hated of all men; and they were to expect the most malignant hatred; and he told them too of the effects agreeable and suitable to such a principle. But after once the world came to cast more benign aspects upon it, how soon did the life and vigour of the Christian church evaporate and expire? So as that there seemed to be a body left in a great measure destitute of a soul: to allude to the expression that the prophet Jeremiah uses to the people of Israel, "Be instructed, lest my soul depart from you." The very soul of the church was in a great measure departed; departed unto that degree, that it was become such a mere piece of formality, that another religion takes the advantage to vie with the Christian; the most fabulous, the most vain, the most despicable, that could be invented; and of the most despicable original, from Mahomet, a mean, inconsiderable, ignorant, illiterate |