a#a             ,,the ,,existence ,,and 
,,attributes ,,of ,,god                 
,,stephen ,,charnock                    
,,with ,,his ,,life ,,and ,,character   
,,by ,,william ,,symington              
,,two ,,volumes ,,in ,,one              
,volume #a                              
,baker ,books                      ,a   
,division of ,baker ,book ,house ,co    
,grand ,rapids1 ,michigan #dieaf        
a#b                ,reprinted #aiif by  
,baker ,books                  a        
division of ,baker ,book ,house ,company
                ,p4,o4 ,box #fbhg1      
,grand ,rapids1 ,,mi #dieaffbhg         
,originally published as                
,discourses upon the ,existence and     
,attributes of ,god                     
by ,robert ,carter  ,brothers1 #ahec    
,third printing1 ,january #bjjj         
,printed in the ,united ,states of      
,america                                
,,isbn3 #jhjajaaabd             ,for    
information about academic books1       
resources for          ,christian       

leaders1 and all new releases available 
from                  ,baker ,book      
,house1 visit our web site3             
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,transcriber's ,notes                   
,punctuation has been standardized4     
,characters in small caps have been     
replaced by all caps4                   
,non-printable characteristics have been
 given the following                    
transliteration3                        
,italic text3 -- text                   
,this book was written in a period when 
many words had               not become 
standardized in their spelling4 ,words  
may have           multiple spelling    
variations or inconsistent hyphenation  
in         the text4 ,these have been   
left unchanged unless indicated         
with a ,transcriber's ,note4            
,the page numbers from the original book
 are shown in braces          for       
reference purposes4                     
,footnotes are identified in the text   
with a number in               brackets 

#b and have been accumulated in a single
 section          at the end of the     
text4                                   
,transcriber's ,notes are used when     
making corrections to the         text  
or to provide additional information for
 the modern            reader4 ,these   
notes are not identified in the text1   
but have        been accumulated in a   
single section at the end of the book4  
a#c                      ,,contents ,,of
 ,,vol4 ,i                              
,,page    ,,life ,,and ,,character ,,of 
,,the ,,author4                         
a#e      ,,preface4                     
a#ai                                    
,,discourse ,i4                         
,,on ,,the ,,existence ,,of ,,god4      
,,psalm xiv4 #a4,the fool hath said in  
his heart1 ,there is no ,god4      ,they
 are corrupt1 they have done abominable 
works1 there is      none that doeth    
good4                                   
a#bc                                    
,,discourse ,,ii4                       

,,on ,,practical ,,atheism4      ,,psalm
 xiv4 #a4,the fool hath said in his     
heart1 ,there is no ,god4      ,they are
 corrupt1 they have done abominable     
works1 there is      none that doeth    
good4                                   
a#hi                                    
,,discourse ,,iii4                      
,,on ,,god',s ,,being ,a ,,spirit4      
,,john iv4 #bd4;,god is a ,spirit3 and  
they that worship him must      worship 
him in spirit and in truth4             
a#agf                                   
,,discourse ,,iv4                       
,,on ,,spiritual ,,worship4      ,,john 
iv4 #bd4;,god is a ,spirit3 and they    
that worship him must      worship him  
in spirit and in truth4                 
a#bje                                   
,,discourse ,v4                         
,,on ,,the ,,eternity ,,of ,,god4       
,,psalm xc4 #b4;,before the mountains   
were brought forth1 or      ever thou   
hadst formed the earth and the world1   
even from      everlasting to           

everlasting1 thou art ,god4             
a#bgf      a#d                          
,,discourse ,,vi4                       
,,on ,,the ,,immutability ,,of ,,god4   
,,psalm cii4 #bf1 #bg4,they shall       
perish1 but thou shalt endure3 yea1     
all of them shall wax old as a garment2 
as a vesture shalt thou      change     
them1 and they shall be changed3 but    
thou art the same1      and thy years   
shall have no end4                      
a#caj                                   
,,discourse ,,vii4                      
,,on ,,god',s ,,omnipresence4           
,,jeremiah xxiii4 #bd4;,can any hide    
himself in secret places1 that      ,i  
shall not see him8 saith the ,lord4 ,do 
not ,i fill heaven and      earth8 saith
 the ,lord4                             
a#cfc                                   
,,discourse ,,viii4                     
,,on ,,god',s ,,knowledge4      ,,psalm 
cxlvii4 #e4;,great is our ,lord1 and of 
great power3 his      understanding is  
infinite4                               

a#djf                                   
,,discourse ,,ix4                       
,,on ,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,god4         
,,romans xvi4 #bg4,to ,god only wise be 
glory1 through ,jesus ,christ           
forever4 ,amen4                         
a#dih          a#e               ,,life 
,,and ,,character ,,of ,,charnock1      
,,by ,,wm4 ,,symington1 ,d4,d4          
,,stephen ,,charnock1 ,b4,d41 was born  
in the year #afbh1 in the parish  of    
,st4 ,katharine ,cree1 ,london4 ,his    
father1 ,mr4 ,richard ,charnock1        
practised as a solicitor in the ,court  
of ,chancery1 and was descended  from a 
family of some antiquity in ,lancashire4
 ,stephen1 after a course  of           
preparatory study1 entered himself1 at  
an early period of life1 a  student in  
,emmanuel ,college1 ,cambridge1 where he
 was placed under the  immediate tuition
 of the celebrated ,dr4 ,william        
,sancroft1 who became  afterwards       
,archbishop of ,canterbury4 ,although   
there is too much reason  to fear that  

colleges seldom prove the spiritual     
birthplaces of the  youth that attend   
them1 it was otherwise in this case4    
,the ,sovereign  ,spirit1 who worketh   
where and how he wills1 had determined  
that  this young man1 while prosecuting 
his early studies1 should undergo  that 
essential change of heart which1 besides
 yielding an amount of  personal        
comfort1 could not fail to exert a      
salutary influence on all  his future   
inquiries1 sanctify whatever learning he
 might hereafter  acquire1 and fit him  
for being eminently useful to thousands 
of his  fellowcreatures4 ,to this       
allimportant event we may safely trace  
the  eminence to which1 both as a       
,preacher and as a ,divine1 he          
afterwards  attained1as he had thus a   
stimulus to exertion1 a motive to       
vigorous  and unremitting application1  
which could not otherwise have existed4 
,on his leaving the ,university he spent
 some time in a private family1  either 
as a preceptor or for the purpose of    

qualifying himself the  better for      
discharging the solemn and arduous      
duties of public life1  on which he was 
about to enter4 ,soon after this1 just  
as the ,civil ,war  broke out in        
,england1 he commenced his official     
labors as a minister  of the gospel of  
peace1 somewhere in ,southwark4 ,he does
 not appear  to have held this situation
 long2 but short as was his a#f ministry
  there1 it was not altogether without  
fruit4 ,he who had made the  student    
himself1 while yet young1 the subject of
 saving operations1  was pleased also to
 give efficacy to the first efforts of  
the youthful  pastor to win souls to    
,christ4 ,several individuals in this   
his first  charge were led to own him as
 their spiritual father4 ,nor is this a 
solitary instance of the early ministry 
of an individual receiving  that        
countenance from on high which has been 
withheld from the labors  of his riper  
years4 ,a circumstance this1 full of    
encouragement to  those who1 in the days

 of youth1 are entering with much fear  
and  trembling on service in the ,lord's
 vineyard4 ,at the time when they  may  
feel impelled to exclaim with most      
vehemence1 ,who is sufficient  for these
 things8 ,god may cheer them with       
practical confirmations of  the truth1  
that their sufficiency is of ,god4      
,in #afdi1 ,charnock removed from       
,southwark to ,oxford1 where1 through   
favor of the ,parliamentary ,visitors1  
he obtained a fellowship in ,new        
,college2 and1 not long afterwards1 in  
consequence of his own merits1  was     
incorporated ,master of ,arts4 ,his     
singular gifts1 and unwearied           
exertions1 so attracted the notice and  
gained the approbation of  the learned  
and pious members of the ,university1   
that1 in #afeb1 he  was elevated to the 
dignity of ,senior ,proctor1an office   
which he  continued to hold till #afef1 
and the duties of which he discharged   
in a way which brought equal honor to   
himself and benefit to the  community4  

,when the period of his proctorship     
expired1 he went to ,ireland1 where  he 
resided in the family of ,mr4 ,henry    
,cromwell1 who had been appointed  by   
his father1 the ,protector1 to the      
government of that country4  ,it is     
remarkable how many of the eminent      
divines1 both of ,england  and          
,scotland1 have spent some part of their
 time in ,ireland1 either  as chaplains 
to the army or as refugees from         
persecuting bigotry4  ,charnock seems to
 have gone thither in the capacity of   
chaplain to the  ,governor1 an office   
which1 in his case at least1 proved no  
sinecure4  ,during his residence in     
,dublin1 he appears to have exercised   
his  ministry with great regularity and 
zeal4 ,he preached1 we are told1  every 
,lord's day1 with much acceptance1 to an
 audience composed of  persons of       
different religious denominations1 and  
of opposite grades  in society4 ,his    
talents and worth attracted the members 
of other  churches1 and his connection  

with the family of the ,governor secured
  the attendance of persons of rank4 ,by
 these his ministrations were  greatly  
esteemed and applauded2 and it is hoped 
that to some of them  they were also    
blessed4 ,but even many who had no      
respect for his  piety1 and who reaped  
no saving benefits from his preaching1  
were  unable to withhold their          
admiration a#g of his learning and his  
gifts4 ,studying at once to be an       
8ensample to the flock10 and to 8walk   
within his house with a perfect heart10 
his qualities1 both public  and private1
 his appearances1 whether in the pulpit 
or the domestic  circle1 commanded the  
esteem of all who were privileged to    
form his  acquaintance4 ,it is          
understood that the honorary degree of  
,bachelor  in ,divinity1 which he held1 
was the gift of ,trinity ,college1      
,dublin1  conferred during his residence
 in that city4    ,the restoration of   
,charles1 in #affj1 put an end to       
,charnock's  ministry in ,ireland1 and  

hindered his resuming it elsewhere for a
  considerable time4 ,that event1       
leading1 as it could not but do1 to  the
 reestablishment of arbitrary power1 was
 followed1 as a natural  consequence1 by
 the ejectment of many of the most godly
 ministers that  ever lived4 ,among     
these was the excellent individual of   
whom we are  now speaking4 ,accordingly1
 although on his return to ,england he  
took  up his residence in ,london1 he   
was not permitted to hold any pastoral  
charge there4 ,nevertheless1 he         
continued to prosecute his studies  with
 ardor1 and occasionally exercised his  
gifts in a private way for  fifteen     
years1 during which time he paid some   
visits to the continent1  especially to 
,france and ,holland4    ,at length1 in 
#afge1 when the restrictions of the     
government were so  far relaxed1 he     
accepted a call from a congregation in  
,crosby ,square1  to become copastor    
with the ,rev4 ,thomas ,watson1 the     
ejected minister  of ,st4 ,stephen's1   

,walbrook1 who1 soon after the ,act of  
,uniformity1  had collected a church in 
that place4 ,mr4 ,watson was an eminent 
,presbyterian divine1 and the society   
which he was instrumental in  founding  
became afterwards1 under the ministry of
 ,dr4 ,grosvenor1 one  of the most      
flourishing in the city1 in respect both
 of numbers and of  wealth4 ,it may not 
be uninteresting here to insert a few   
brief notices  respecting the place of  
worship which this congregation         
occupied1  being the scene of           
,charnock's labors during a principal   
part of his  ministry1 and that in      
connection with which he closed his     
official  career4    ,the place in which
 this humble ,presbyterian              
congregation#a assembled  was a large   
hall of ,crosby ,house1 an ancient      
mansion on the east side  of ,bishopgate
 ,street1 erected by ,sir ,john ,crosby1
 ,sheriff and ,alderman  of ,london1 in 
#adgj4 ,after passing through the hands 
of several  occupants1 and1 among       

others1 those of ,richard ,,iii41 who   
thought  it not unfit for being a royal 
residence1 it became1 about the  a#h    
year #afdj1 the property of ,alderman   
,sir ,john ,langham1 a staunch          
,presbyterian and ,loyalist4 ,a         
calamitous fire afterwards so injured   
the building1 as to render it unsuitable
 for a family residence2  but the hall1 
celebrated for its magnificent oaken    
ceiling1 happily  escaped the           
conflagration1 and was converted into a 
meetinghouse for  ,mr4 ,watson's        
congregation1 of which the proprietor is
 supposed to have  been a member4 ,the  
structure1 though greatly dilapidated1  
still exists1  and is said to be        
regarded as one of the most perfect     
specimens of the  domestic architecture 
of the fifteenth century now remaining  
in the  metropolis4 ,but1 as an         
illustration of the vicissitudes such   
edifices  are destined to undergo1 it   
may be stated that ,crosby ,hall1 after 
having witnessed the splendors of       

royalty1 and been consecrated  to the   
solemnities of divine worship1 was      
latelyperhaps it  is stilldedicated to  
the inferior1 if not ignoble1 uses of a 
woolpacker4    ,after saying so much    
about the building1 a word or two       
respecting the  congregation which      
assembled for years under its vaulted   
roof1 may  not be deemed inappropriate4 
,it was formed1 as we have already said1
  by the ,rev4 ,thomas ,watson1 the     
ejected minister of ,st4 ,stephen's1    
,walbrook4 ,this took place in #affb1   
and ,charnock was ,mr4 ,watson's        
colleague for five years4 ,mr4 ,watson  
was succeeded by the son of an  ejected 
minister1 the ,rev4 ,samuel ,slater1 who
 discharged the pastoral  duties with   
great ability and faithfulness for      
twentyfour years1 and  closed his       
ministry and life with this solemn      
patriarchal sentence  addressed to his  
people38,i charge you before ,god1 that 
you prepare  to meet me at the day of   
judgment1 as my crown of joy2 and that  

not one of you be wanting at the right  
hand of ,god40 ,dr4 ,benjamin           
,grosvenor succeeded ,mr4 ,slater4 ,his 
singular acumen1 graceful  utterance1   
lively imagination1 and fervid devotion1
 are said to have  secured for the      
congregation a greater degree of        
prosperity than it  had ever before     
enjoyed4 ,a pleasing recollection has   
been preserved1  of perhaps one of the  
most touching discourses ever composed1 
having  been delivered by him in this   
,hall1 on ,the ,temper of ,christ4 ,in  
this  discourse the ,saviour is         
introduced1 by way of illustrating his  
own  command that 8repentance and       
remission of sins should be preached    
unto all nations1 beginning at          
,jerusalem10 as giving the ,apostles    
directions how they are to proceed in   
carrying out this requirement4  ,amongst
 other things1 he is represented as     
saying to them38,go into  all nations   
and offer this salvation as you go2 but 
lest the poor  house of ,israel should  

think themselves abandoned to despair1  
the  seed of ,abraham1 mine ancient     
friend2 as cruel and unkind as they have
  been1 go1 make them the first offer of
 grace2 let them that struck  the rock1 
drink first of its refreshing streams2  
and a#i they that  drew my blood1 be    
welcome to its healing virtue4 ,tell    
them1 that as ,i  was sent to the lost  
sheep of the house of ,israel1 so1 if   
they will  be gathered1 ,i will be their
 shepherd still4 ,though they despised  
my  tears which ,i shed over them1 and  
imprecated my blood to be upon  them1   
tell them 'twas for their sakes ,i shed 
both2 that by my tears  ,i might soften 
their hearts towards ,god1 and by my    
blood ,i might  reconcile ,god to       
them4444 ,tell them1 you have seen the  
prints of  the nails upon my hands and  
feet1 and the wounds of the spear in my 
side2 and that those marks of their     
cruelty are so far from giving me       
vindictive thoughts1 that1 if they will 
but repent1 every wound they  have given

 me speaks in their behalf1 pleads with 
the ,father for the  remission of their 
sins1 and enables me to bestow it4444   
,nay1 if you  meet that poor wretch that
 thrust the spear into my side1 tell him
  there is another way1 a better way1 of
 coming at my heart4 ,if he will        
repent1 and look upon him whom he has   
pierced1 and will mourn1 ,i  will       
cherish him in that very bosom he has   
wounded2 he shall find the  blood he    
shed an ample atonement for the sin of  
shedding it4 ,and tell  him from me1 he 
will put me to more pain and displeasure
 by refusing  this offer of my blood1   
than when he first drew it forth40 ,in  
,dr4  ,grosvenor's old age1             
notwithstanding that he was assisted1   
from time  to time1 by eminent divines1 
the congregation began to decline4      
,after  his death1 the pastoral charge  
was held by ,dr4 ,hodge and ,mr4 ,jones 
successively1 but1 under the ministry of
 the latter1 the church had  become so  
enfeebled1 that1 on the expiration of   

the lease in #agfi1 the  members agreed 
to dissolve1 and were gradually absorbed
 in other  societies4    ,from this     
digression we return1 only to record the
 last circumstance  necessary to        
complete this brief sketch4 ,the death  
of ,charnock took  place ,july #bg1     
#afhj1 when he was in the fiftythird    
year of his age4  ,the particulars that 
have come down to us of this event1 like
 those  of the other parts of his       
history1 are scanty1 yet they warrant us
  to remark that he died in a frame of  
mind every way worthy of his  excellent 
character and holy life4 ,he was        
engaged1 at the time1 in  delivering to 
his people1 at ,crosby ,hall1 that      
series of ,discourses  on the ,existence
 and ,attributes of ,god1 on which his  
fame as a writer  chiefly rests4 ,the   
intense interest which he was observed  
to take in  the subjects of which he    
treated1 was regarded as an indication  
that  he was nearly approaching that    
state in which he was to be 8filled     

with all the fulness of ,god40 ,not     
unfrequently was he heard to  give      
utterance to a longing desire for that  
region for which he  gave evidence of   
his being so well prepared4 ,these      
circumstances  were1 naturally enough1  
looked upon as proofs that his mighty   
a#aj  mind1 though yet on earth1 had    
begun to 8put off its mortality10 and   
was fast ripening for the paradise of   
,god4 ,from his death taking place  in  
the house of ,mr4 ,richard ,tymns1 in   
the parish of ,whitechapel1  ,london1 it
 may be inferred that his departure was 
sudden4 ,the body  was immediately after
 taken to the meetinghouse at ,crosby   
,square1  which had been so often the   
scene of his prayers and preaching4     
,from  thence1 accompanied by a long    
train of mourners1 it was conveyed to   
,st4 ,michael's ,church1 ,cornhill1     
where it was deposited hard by the      
,tower under the belfrey4 ,the funeral  
sermon was preached by his early  friend
 and fellowstudent at ,cambridge1 ,mr4  

,john ,johnson1 from these  apposite    
words38,then shall the righteous shine  
forth as the sun in  the kingdom of     
their ,father40    ,such is an outline  
of the facts1 as far as they are known1 
of the  life of this great man4 ,there  
are none1 it is true1 of those striking 
occurrences and marvellous incidents in 
the narrative1 which attract  the notice
 of the multitude1 and which are so     
gratifying to those who  are in quest of
 excitement more than of edification4   
,but1 let it not  be thought that1 for  
this reason1 the narrative must be      
destitute of  the materials of personal 
improvement4 ,if the advantages to be   
derived  from a piece of biography are  
at all proportioned to the degree in    
which the character and circumstances of
 the subject resemble those  of the     
reader1 a greater number1 at least1 may 
be expected to obtain  benefit from a   
life1 the incidents of which are more   
common1 inasmuch  as there are but      
comparatively few1 the events of whose  

history are of  an extraordinary and    
dazzling description4 8,when a          
character10 to use  the language of a   
profound judge of human nature1#b       
8selected from  the ordinary ranks of   
life1 is faithfully and minutely        
delineated1  no effort is requisite to  
enable us to place ourselves in the same
  situation2 we accompany the subject of
 the narrative1 with an interest        
undiminished by distance1 unimpaired by 
dissimilarity of circumstances2  and1   
from the efforts by which he surmounted 
difficulties and  vanquished            
temptations1 we derive the most useful  
practical lessons4  ,he who desires to  
strengthen his virtue and purify his    
principles1  will always prefer the     
solid to the specious2 will be more     
disposed to  contemplate an example of  
the unostentatious piety and goodness   
which  all men may obtain1 than of those
 extraordinary achievements to which    
few can aspire2 nor is it the mark of a 
superior1 but rather a vulgar  and      

superficial taste1 to consider nothing  
as great or excellent but  that which   
glitters with titles1 or is elevated by 
rank40    a#aa ,let us endeavor to      
portray the character of ,charnock4     
,the mental qualities by which he was   
most distinguished as a man1  were      
judgment and imagination4 ,the reasoning
 faculty1 naturally strong1  was        
improved by diligent training and       
habitual exercise4 ,in tracing  the     
relations and tendencies of things1 he  
greatly excelled2 he could  compare and 
contrast with admirable ease and        
beautiful discrimination2  and his      
deductions1 as was to be expected1 were 
usually sound and  logical4 ,judgment   
was1 indeed1 the presiding faculty in   
his1 as it  ought to be in all minds4   
,the more weighty qualities of intellect
 were in him united to a  brilliant     
fancy4 ,by this means he was enabled to 
adorn the more solid  materials of      
thought with the attractive hues of     
inventive genius4 ,his  fine and teeming

 imagination1 ever under the strict     
control of reason  and virtue1 was      
uniformly turned to the most important  
purposes4  ,this department of mental   
phenomena1 from the abuses to which it  
is  liable1 is apt to be undervalued2   
yet1 were this the proper place1 it     
would not be difficult to show that     
imagination is one of the noblest       
faculties with which man has been       
endoweda faculty1 indeed1 the  sound and
 proper use of which is not only        
necessary to the existence  of sympathy 
and other social affections1 but also   
intimately connected  with those higher 
exercises of soul1 by which men are     
enabled  to realize the things that are 
not seen and eternal4 ,charnock's       
imagination was under the most cautious 
and skilful managementthe  handmaid1 not
 the mistress of his reasonand1         
doubtless1 it  tended1 in no small      
degree1 to free his character from that 
cold  and contracted selfishness which  
is apt to predominate in those who  are 

deficient in this quality2 to impart a  
generous warmth to his  intercourse with
 others2 and to throw over his          
compositions as an  author an animating 
and delightful glow4    ,these qualities
 of mind were associated with habits of 
intense  application and persevering    
diligence1 which alike tended to        
invigorate his original powers1 and     
enabled him to turn them all to  the    
best account4 ,to the original vigor of 
his powers must be added  that which    
culture supplied4 ,charnock was a highly
 educated man4 ,as  remarked by the     
first editors of his works1 he was not  
only 8a person  of excellent parts1     
strong reason1 great judgment1 and      
curious fancy10  but 8of high           
improvements and general learning1 as   
having been all  his days a most        
diligent and methodical student40 ,an   
alumnus of both  the ,english           
universities1 he may be said to have    
drawn nourishment  from each of these   
generous mothers4 ,he had the reputation

 of being  a general scholar2 his       
acquisitions being by no means limited  
to  the literature of his profession4   
,not only was his a#ab acquaintance     
with the original languages of          
,scripture great1 but he had made       
considerable attainments in the study of
 medicine2 and1 indeed1 there  was      
scarcely any branch of learning with    
which he was unacquainted4  ,all his    
mental powers were thus strengthened and
 refined by judicious  discipline1 and1 
as we shall see presently1 he knew well 
how to devote  his treasures1 whether   
original or acquired1 to the service of 
the  ,redeemer2 and to consecrate the   
richest stores of natural genius and    
educational attainment1 by laying them  
all at the foot of the ,cross4    ,but  
that which gave the finish to           
,charnock's intellectual character1  was
 not the predominance of any one quality
 so much as the harmonious  and nicely  
balanced union of all4 ,acute           
perception1 sound judgment1  masculine  

sense1 brilliant imagination1 habits of 
reflection1 and  a complete mastery over
 the succession of his thoughts1 were   
all  combined in that comely order and  
that due proportion which go to         
constitute a wellregulated mind4 ,there 
was1 in his case1 none of that          
disproportionate development of any one 
particular faculty1 which1 in  some     
cases1 serves1 like an overpowering     
glare1 to dim1 if not almost  to quench 
the splendor of the rest4 ,the various  
faculties of his soul1  to make use of a
 figure1 rather shone forth like so many
 glittering  stars1 from the calm and   
clear firmament of his mind1 each       
supplying  its allotted tribute of      
light1 and contributing to the serene   
and  solemn lustre of the whole4 ,as has
 been said of another1 so may it be     
said of him8,if it be rare to meet with 
an individual whose mental  faculties   
are thus admirably balanced1 in whom no 
tyrant faculty  usurps dominion over the
 rest1 or erects a despotism on the     

ruins of  the intellectual republic2    
still more rare is it to meet with such 
a  mind in union with the far higher    
qualities of religious and moral        
excellence40    ,nor were ,charnock's   
moral qualities less estimable than his 
intellectual4 ,he was a preeminently    
holy man1 distinguished at  once by     
personal purity1 social equity1 and     
habitual devotion4 ,early  the subject  
of saving grace1 he was in his own      
person an excellent  example of the     
harmony of faith1 with the philosophy of
 the moral  feelings4 ,strongly he felt 
that while 8not without law to ,god10 he
  was nevertheless 8under law to        
,christ40 ,the motives from which he    
acted in every department of moral duty 
were evangelical motives2  and so       
entirely was he imbued with the spirit1 
so completely  under the power of the   
gospel1 that whatever he did1 no matter 
how  humble in the scale of moral duty1 
he 8served the ,lord ,christ40 ,the     
regulating principle of his whole life  

is embodied in the apostolical          
injunction38,whatsoever ye do1 do it    
heartily1 as to the ,lord1 and  not a#ac
 unto men40 ,the various talents with   
which he was gifted  by the ,god of     
nature1 were all presided over by an    
enlightened and  deeptoned piety1 for   
which he was indebted to the sovereign  
grace  of ,god in the ,lord ,jesus      
,christ4 ,it was this that struck the   
keynote  of the intellectual and moral  
harmony to which we have adverted as a  
prominent feature in his character4     
,this at once directed each faculty  to 
its proper object1 and regulated the    
measure of its exercise4  ,devotion was 
the very element in which he lived and  
breathed1 and had  his being4 ,devout   
communion with ,supreme ,excellence1 the
 contemplation  of celestial themes1 and
 preparation for a higher state of      
being1  constituted the truest pleasures
 of his existence1 elevated him far     
above the control of merely sentient and
 animal nature1 and secured  for him an 

undisturbed repose of mind1 which was   
itself but an  antepast of what awaited 
him in the unclouded region of glory4   
,nor was  his devotion transient or     
occasional merely2 it was habitual as it
 was  deep1 extending its plastic and   
sanctifying influence to every feature  
of character1 and every event of life2  
dictating at once ceaseless  efforts for
 the welfare of man1 and intensest      
desires for the  glory of ,god2 and     
securing that rarest perhaps of all     
combinations1  close communion with the 
future and the eternal1 and the busy and
  conscientious discharge of the        
ordinary duties of everyday life4       
,his natural temper appears to have been
 reserved1 and his manners  grave4      
,regarding the advantages to be derived 
from general society as  insufficient to
 compensate for the loss of those to be 
acquired by  retirement1 he cultivated  
the acquaintance of few1 and these few  
the more intelligent and godly1 with    
whom1 however1 putting aside  his       

natural backwardness1 he was wont to be 
perfectly affable and  communicative4   
,but his best and most highly cherished 
companions  were his books1 of which he 
had contrived to secure a valuable      
though select collection4 ,with these he
 held frequent and familiar             
intercourse4 ,great part of his time1   
indeed1 was spent in his study2  and    
when the calls of unavoidable duty      
compelled him to leave it1 so  bent was 
he on redeeming time1 that1 not content 
with appropriating  the hours usually   
devoted to sleep1 he cultivated the     
habit of  thinking while walking along  
the streets4 ,so successful was he in   
his  efforts of abstraction1 that1 amid 
the most crowded and attractive  scenes1
 he could withdraw his mind easily from 
the vanities which  solicited his       
attention1 and give himself up to close 
thinking and  useful meditation4 ,the   
productions of his pen1 and the         
character of  his pulpit services1 bore 
ample evidence that the hours of        

retirement  were given neither to       
frivolous vacuity nor to selfindulgent  
a#ad  sloth1 but to the industrious     
cultivation of his powers1 and to       
conscientious preparation for public    
duty4 ,he was not content1 like  many1  
with the mere reputation of being a     
recluse2 on the contrary1  he was set on
 bringing forth the fruits of a hard    
student4 ,there  was always one day in  
the week in which he made it to appear  
that  the others were not misspent4 ,his
 ,sabbath ministrations were not the    
loose vapid effusions of a few hours'   
careless preparation1 but were  rather  
the substantial1 wellarranged1          
wellcompacted products of much  intense 
thought and deep cogitation4 8,had he   
been less in his study10  says his      
editors quaintly1 8he would have been   
less liked in the  pulpit40    ,to a    
person of these studious habits it may  
easily be conceived what  distress it   
must have occasioned to have his library
 swept away from  him4 ,in that dreadful

 misfortune which befell the metropolis 
in #afff1  ever since known as 8the fire
 of ,london10 the whole of ,charnock's  
books were destroyed4 ,the amount of    
calamity involved in such an  occurrence
 can be estimated aright only by those  
who know from  experience the strength  
and sacredness of that endearment with  
which  the real student regards those   
silent but instructive friends which  he
 has drawn around him by slow degrees2  
with which he has cultivated  a long and
 intimate acquaintance2 which are ever  
at hand with their  valuable assistance1
 counsel and consolation1 when these are
 needed2  which1 unlike some less       
judicious companions1 never intrude upon
 him  against his will2 and with whose  
very looks and positions1 as they       
repose in their places around him1 he   
has become so familiarized1  that it is 
no difficult thing for him to call up   
their appearance  when absent1 or to go 
directly to them in the dark without the
 risk  of a mistake4 ,some may be       

disposed to smile at this love of books4
  ,but where is the scholar who will do 
so8 ,where is the man of letters  who1  
for a single moment1 would place the    
stately mansions and large  estates of  
the 8sons of earth0 in comparison with  
his own wellloaded  shelves8 ,where the 
student who1 on looking round upon the  
walls of  his study1 is not conscious of
 a satisfaction greater and better far  
than landed proprietor ever felt on     
surveying his fields and lawnsa         
satisfaction which almost unconsciously 
seeks vent in the exclamation1  8,my    
library6 a dukedom large enough60 ,such1
 and such only1 can judge  what must    
have been ,charnock's feelings1 when he 
found that his  much cherished volumes  
had become a heap of smouldering ashes4 
,the  sympathetic regret is only        
rendered the more intense1 when it is   
thought that1 in all probability1 much  
valuable manuscript perished  in the    
conflagration4    a#ae ,charnock        
excelled as a ,preacher4 ,this is an    

office which1  whether as regards its   
origin1 nature1 design1 or effects1 it  
will be difficult to overrate4 ,the     
relation in which it stands  to the     
salvation of immortal souls1 invests it 
with an interest  overwhelmingly        
momentous4 ,our former remarks will     
serve to show how  well he of whom we   
now speak was qualified for acting in   
this highest  of all the capacities in  
which man is required to serve4 ,his    
mental  and moral endowments1 his       
educational acquirements1 his habitual  
seriousness1 his sanctified imagination1
 and his vigorous faith1  preeminently  
fitted him for discharging with ability 
and effect the  duties of a herald of   
the ,cross4 ,of his style of preaching  
we may form  a pretty accurate idea from
 the writings he has left1 which were   
all  of them transcribed from the notes 
of his sermons4 ,we hence infer that    
his discourses1 while excelling in solid
 divinity and argumentative  power1 were
 not by any means deficient in their    

practical bearing1  being addressed not 
more to the understandings than to the  
hearts  of his hearers4 8,nothing10 it  
has been justly remarked1 8can be  more 
nervous than his reasoning1 nothing more
 affecting than his  applications40     
,while able to unravel with great       
acuteness and judgment  the intricacies 
of a nice question in polemics1 he could
 with no less  dexterity and skill      
address himself to the business of the  
,christian  life1 or to the casuistry of
 religious experience4 ,perspicuous     
plainness1 convincing cogency1 great    
wisdom1 fearless honesty1 and           
affectionate earnestness1 are the chief 
characteristics of his sermons4    ,to  
this it must be added that his preaching
 was eminently evangelical4  ,so deeply 
imbued with gospel truth were his       
discourses1 that1 like the  ,book of the
 ,law of old1 they might be said to be  
sprinkled with blood1  even the blood of
 atonement4 ,the ,cross was at once the 
basis on which  he rested his doctrinal 

statements1 and the armory from which he
 drew  his most forcible and pointed    
appeals to the conscience4 ,his aim     
seems  never once to have been to catch 
applause to himself by the enticing     
words of man's wisdom1 by arraying his  
thoughts in the motley garb of  an      
affected and gorgeous style1 or by      
having recourse to the tricks  of an    
inflated and meretricious oratory4 ,his 
sole ambition appears to  have been to  
8turn sinners from the error of their   
ways20 and for this  end he wisely      
judged nothing to be so well adapted as 
8holding forth  the words of eternal    
life0 in their native simplicity and    
power1 and  in a spirit of sincere and  
ardent devotion4 ,his object was to move
 his  hearers1 not towards himself1 but 
towards his ,master2 not to elicit      
expressions of admiration for the       
messenger1 but to make the message  bear
 on the salvation of those to whom it   
was delivered2 not to please1  so a#af  
much as to convert1 his hearers2 not to 

tickle their fancy1  but to save the    
soul from death1 and thus to hide a     
multitude of sins4    ,the character of 
his preaching1 it is true1 was adapted  
to the higher  and more intelligent     
classes2 yet was it not altogether      
unsuited to  those of humbler rank and  
pretensions4 ,he could handle the       
mysteries  of the gospel with great     
perspicuity and plainness1 using his    
profound  learning for the purpose1 not 
of mystifying1 but of making things     
clear1 so that persons even in the      
ordinary walks of life felt him to  be  
not beyond their capacity4 ,the energy1 
gravity1 and earnestness of  his manner1
 especially when young1 contributed to  
render him a great  favorite with the   
public1 and accordingly he drew after   
him large and  deeply interested        
audiencesa circumstance which1 we can   
suppose1  was valued by him1 not because
 of the incense which it ministered  to 
a spirit of vanity1 but of the          
opportunity it afforded him of  winning 

souls to the ,redeemer4 ,when more      
advanced in life1 this kind  of         
popularity1 we are told1 declined1 in   
consequence of his being  compelled from
 an infirmity of memory to read his     
sermons1 with the  additional           
disadvantage of requiring to supply     
defect of sight by the  use of a glass4 
,but an increasing weight and importance
 in the matter1  fully compensated for  
any deficiency in the manner of his     
preaching4  ,if the more flighty of his 
hearers retired1 othersamong whom were  
many of his brethren in the ministrywho 
knew how to prefer solidity  to show1   
crowded to supply their places4         
,reckoning it no ordinary  privilege to 
be permitted to sit devoutly at the feet
 of one so well  qualified to initiate  
them into the knowledge of the deep     
things of  ,god1 they continued to      
listen to his instructions with as much 
admiration and profit as ever4    ,it is
 as a ,writer1 however1 that ,charnock  
is best known1 and this1  indeed1 is the

 only character in which we can now come
 into contact  with him4 ,his works are 
extensive1 but1 with a single exception1
  posthumous4 ,the only thing published 
by himself was the piece on 8,the       
,sinfulness and ,cure of ,thoughts10    
which appeared originally in the        
,supplement to the ,morning ,exercise at
 ,cripplegate4 ,yet such was the        
quantity of manuscript left behind him  
at his death1 that two large  folio     
volumes were soon transcribed1 and      
published by his friends1  ,mr4 ,adams  
and ,mr4 ,veal1 to whom he had committed
 his papers4 ,the  ,discourse on        
,providence was the first published2 it 
appeared in #afhj4  ,the ,discourses on 
the ,existence and ,attributes of ,god  
came next1 in  #afhb4 ,there followed in
 succession the treatises on            
,regeneration1  ,reconciliation1 ,the   
,lord's ,supper1 c4 ,a second edition of
 the  whole works1 in two volumes1      
folio1 came out in #afhd1 and a third   
in #agjbno slight proof of the          

estimation in which they a#ag were      
held4 ,several of the treatises have    
appeared from time to time in a         
separate form1 especially those on      
,divine ,providence1 on ,man's ,enmity  
to ,god1 and on ,mercy for the ,chief of
 ,sinners4 ,the best edition of         
,charnock's works is that published in  
#ahae1 in nine volumes1 royal  #hvo2    
with a prefatory ,dedication1 and a     
,memoir of the ,author1 by the  ,rev4   
,edward ,parsons of ,leeds4    ,all     
,charnock's writings are distinguished  
for sound theology1 profound  thinking1 
and lively imagination4 ,they partake of
 that massive  divinity for which the   
,puritan ,divines were in general       
remarkable1 and  are of course orthodox 
in their doctrinal statements and       
reasonings4  ,everywhere the reader     
meets with the evidences and fruits of  
deep  thought1 of a mind1 indeed1 of    
unusual comprehension and energy  of    
grasp1 that could penetrate with ease   
into the very core1 and  fathom at      

pleasure the profoundest depths of the  
most abstruse and  obscure subjects2    
while1 from the rich stores of an       
exuberant and  hallowed fancy1 he was   
enabled to throw over his compositions  
the most  attractive ornaments1 and to  
supply spontaneously such illustrations 
as were necessary to render his meaning 
more clear1 or his lessons  more        
impressive4 ,in a word1 for weight of   
matter1 for energy of  thought1 for     
copiousness of improving reflection1 for
 grandeur  and force of illustration1   
and for accuracy and felicitousness of  
expression1 ,charnock is equalled by    
few1 and surpassed by none of  the      
writers of the age to which he belonged4
 ,the eulogy pronounced  by a competent 
judge on the ,treatise on the           
,attributes1 applies with  equal justice
 to all his other writings38,perspicuity
 and depth2  metaphysical subtlety and  
evangelical simplicity2 immense         
learning1  and plain but irrefragable   
reasoning1 conspire to render that work 

one of the most inestimable productions 
that ever did honor to the  sanctified  
judgment and genius of a human being40#c
    ,the correctness of the composition1
 in these works1 is remarkable1         
considering that they were not prepared 
for the press by the author  himself1   
and that they must have been originally 
written amid scenes  of distraction and 
turmoil1 arising out of the events of   
the times4  ,the latter circumstance may
 account for the manly vigor by which   
they  are characterized1 but it only    
renders their accuracy and polish the   
more wonderful4 ,refinement of taste and
 extensive scholarship can  alone       
explain the chasteness1 ease1 and       
elegance of style1 so free  from all    
verbosity and clumsiness1 which mark    
these productions4 ,there  were giants  
in literature in those days1 and        
,,stephen ,,charnock was not  the least 
of the noble fraternity4    ,charnock   
may not have all the brilliancy of      
,bunyan1 nor all the a#ah  metaphysical 

acumen and subtle analysis of ,howe1 nor
 all the awful  earnestness of ,baxter2 
but he is not less argumentative1 while 
he  is more theological than any of     
them1 and his theology1 too1 is more    
sound than that of some4 8,he was not10 
say the original editors of  his works1 
8for that modern divinity which is so   
much in vogue with  some1 who would be  
counted the only sound divines2 having  
tasted the  old1 he did not desire the  
new1 but said the old is better40 ,there
 is1  therefore1 not one of all the     
,puritan ,divines whose writings can    
with  more safety be recommended to the 
attention of students of divinity  and  
young ministers4 ,it is one of the happy
 signs of the times in  which we live1  
that a taste for reading such works is  
beginning  to revive2 and we can        
conceive no better wish for the         
interests of  mankind in general1 and of
 our country in particular1 than that   
the  minds of our young divines were    
thoroughly impregnated with the good    

old theology to be found in such        
writings as those which we now take  the
 liberty to introduce and recommend4    
8,if a preacher wishes to  recommend    
himself by the weight of his doctrines10
 to use the language  of ,mr4 ,parsons1 
8he will find in the writings of        
,charnock the great  truths of          
,scripture illustrated and explained in 
the most lucid and  masterly manner4 ,if
 he wishes to be distinguished by the   
evangelical  strain of his discourses1  
and by the continual exhibition of      
,christ  and him crucified1 he will here
 find the characters of ,christ1 and the
  adaptation of the gospel to the       
circumstances and wants of man as a     
fallen creature1 invariably kept in     
view4 ,if he wishes for usefulness  in  
the ,church of ,god1 here he has the    
brightest example of forcible  appeals  
to the conscience1 and of the most      
impressive applications of  ,scripture  
truth1 to the various conditions of     
mankind4 ,and1 finally1  if he reads for

 his own advantage as a ,christian1 his 
mind will  be delighted with the        
inexhaustible variety here provided for 
the  employment of his enlightened      
faculties1 and his improvement in every 
divine attainment40    ,happy shall we  
be1 if what we have written shall1 by   
the blessing  of ,god1 prove the means  
of producing or reviving a taste for    
reading  the works of our author1 being 
fully convinced with a former editor1   
that1 8while talent is respected1 or    
virtue reveredwhile holiness  of        
conversation1 consistency of character1 
or elevation of mind1  are considered as
 worthy of imitationwhile uniform and   
strenuous  exertion for the welfare of  
man is honored1 and constant devotedness
  to the glory of ,god admired1 the     
memory of ,,charnock shall be held in   
grateful remembrance40        ,,annfield
 ,,place1 ,glasgow1 ,june1 #ahdf4       
a#ai                       ,,to ,,the   
,,reader4      ,,this long since        
promised and greatly expected volume of 

the reverend  author upon the ,divine   
,attributes1 being transcribed out of   
his own  manuscripts by the unwearied   
diligence of those worthy persons that  
undertook it1#d is now at last come to  
thy hands3 doubt not but  thy reading   
will pay for thy waiting1 and thy       
satisfaction make full  compensation for
 thy patience4 ,in the epistle before   
his treatise on  ,providence1 it was    
intimated that his following discourses 
would not  be inferior to that2 and we  
are persuaded that1 ere thou hast       
perused  one half of this1 thou wilt    
acknowledge that it was modestly spoken4
  ,enough1 assure thyself1 thou wilt    
find here for thy entertainment and     
delight1 as well as profit4 ,the        
sublimeness1 variety1 and rareness of   
the truths here handled1 together with  
the elegancy of the composure1  neatness
 of the style1 and whatever is wont to  
make any book desirable1  will all      
concur in the recommendation of this4   
,what so high and  noble a subject1 what

 so fit for his meditations or thine1 as
  the highest and noblest ,being1 and   
those transcendently glorious           
perfections wherewith he is clothed6 ,a 
mere contemplation of the  ,divine      
excellencies may afford much pleasure to
 any man that loves  to exercise his    
reason1 and is addicted to speculation3 
but what  incomparable sweetness1 then1 
will holy souls find in viewing and     
considering those perfections now1 which
 they are more fully to behold          
hereafter2 and seeing what manner of    
,god1 how wise and powerful1 how  great1
 and good1 and holy is he1 in whom the  
covenant interests them1  and in the    
enjoyment of whom their happiness       
consists6 ,if rich men  delight to sum  
up their vast revenues1 to read over    
their rentals1  look upon their hoards2 
if they bless themselves in their great 
wealth1  or1 to use the prophet's words 
7,jer4 ix4 #bc71 8glory in their        
riches10  well may believers rejoice and
 glory in their 8knowing the ,lord0     

7ver4 #bd71 and please themselves in    
seeing how rich they are in having  an  
immensely full and allsufficient ,god   
for their inheritance4 ,alas6  how      
little do most men know of that ,deity  
they profess to serve1 and  own1 not as 
their ,sovereign only1 but their        
,portion4 ,to such this  author might   
say1 as ,paul to the ,athenians1 8,whom 
you ignorantly  worship1 him declare ,i 
unto you0 7,acts xvii4 #bc74 ,these     
treatises1  reader1 will inform thee who
 ,he is whom thou callest thine1 a#bj   
present thee with a view of thy chief   
good1 and make thee value  thyself a    
thousand times more upon thy interest   
with ,god1 than upon  all external      
accomplishments and worldly possessions4
 ,who but delights  to hear well of one 
whom he loves6 ,god is thy love1 if thou
 be a  believer2 and then it cannot but 
fill thee with delight and ravishment   
to hear so much spoken in his praise4   
,david desired to 8dwell in the  house  
of the ,lord10 that he might there      

behold his beauty3 how much of  that    
beauty1 if thou art but capable of      
seeing it1 mayest thou behold  in this  
volume1 which was our author's main     
business1 for about three  years before 
he died1 to display before his hearers6 
,true1 indeed1 the  ,lord's glory1 as   
shining forth before his heavenly       
courtiers above1  is unapproachable by  
mortal men2 but what of it is visible in
 his  workscreation1 providence1        
redemptionfalls under the cognizance of 
his inferior subjects here4 ,and this   
is1 in a great measure1 presented  to   
view in these discourses2 and so much1  
we may well say1 as may1 by  the help of
 grace1 be effectual to raise thy       
admiration1 attract thy  love1 provoke  
thy desires1 and enable thee to make    
some guess at what  is yet unseen2 and  
why not1 likewise1 to clear thy eyes1   
and prepare  them for future sight1 as  
well as turn them away from the         
contemptible  vanities of this present  
life8 ,whatever is glorious in this     

world1  yet 7as the apostle1 in another 
case7 8hath no glory1 by reason of  the 
glory that excels0 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #aj74 
,this 8excellent glory0 is the  subject 
of this book1 to which all created      
beauty is but mere shadow  and          
duskiness4 ,if thy eyes be well fixed on
 this1 they will not be  easily drawn to
 wander after other objects3 if thy     
heart be taken with  ,god1 it will be   
mortified to everything that is not     
,god4    ,but thou hast in this book1   
not only an excellent subject in the    
general1 but great variety of matter for
 the employment of thy  understanding1  
as well as enlivening thy affections1   
and that1 too1  such as thou wilt not   
find elsewhere3 many excellent things   
which are  out of the road of ordinary  
preachers and writers1 and which may be 
grateful to the curious1 no less than   
satisfactory to the wise and  judicious4
 ,it is not1 therefore1 a book to be    
played with or slept  over1 but read    
with the most intent and serious mind2  

for though it  afford much pleasure for 
the fancy1 yet much more work for the   
heart1  and hath1 indeed1 enough in it  
to busy all the faculties4 ,the dress   
is complete and decent1 yet not garish  
nor theatrical2 the rhetoric  masculine 
and vigorous1 such as became a pulpit1  
and was never  borrowed from the stage2 
the expressions full1 clear1 apt1 and   
such  as are best suited to the         
weightiness and spirituality of the     
truths  here delivered4 ,it is plain he 
was no empty preacher1 but was more for 
sense than sound1 filled up his words   
with matter1 and chose rather to  inform
 his hearers' minds than to claw any    
itching ears4 ,yet we will  not say but 
some little things1 a word1 or a phrase 
now and then he  may have1 which1 no    
doubt1 had he lived to transcribe his   
own sermons1  he would have altered4 ,if
 in some lesser matters he differ from  
thee1  it is but in such as godly and   
learned men do frequently1 and may1     
without breach of charity1 differ in    

among themselves3 in some things  he may
 differ from us too1 and1 it may be1 we 
from a#ba each other2  and where are    
there any two persons who have in all1  
especially the  more disputable points  
of religion1 exactly the same           
sentiments1at  least1 express themselves
 altogether in the same terms8 ,but this
  we must say1 that though he treat of  
many of the most abstruse and           
mysterious doctrines of ,christianity1  
which are the subjects of great  debates
 and controversies in the world1 yet we 
find no one material  thing in which he 
may justly be called heterodox 7unless  
old heresies  be of late grown orthodox1
 and his differing from them must make  
him  faulty71 but generally delivers1 as
 in his former pieces1#e what  is most  
consonant to the faith of this and      
other1 the best reformed  churches4 ,he 
was not1 indeed1 for that modern        
divinity which is so  much in vogue with
 some who would be counted the only     
sound divines2  having 8tasted the old10

 he did not desire 8the new10 but said1 
8the  old is better40 ,some errors1     
especially the ,socinian1 he sets       
himself  industriously against1 and cuts
 the very sinews of them1 yet sometimes 
almost without naming them4    ,in the  
doctrinal part of several of his        
discourses thou wilt find  the depth of 
polemical divinity1 and in his          
inferences from thence1  the sweetness  
of practical2 some things which may     
exercise the  profoundest scholar1 and  
others which may instruct and edify the 
weakest ,christian4 ,nothing is more    
nervous than his reasonings1 and        
nothing more affecting than his         
applications4 ,though he make great use 
of schoolmen1 yet they are certainly    
more beholden to him than he to  them2  
he adopts their notions1 but he refines 
them too1 and improves  them and reforms
 them from the barbarousness in which   
they were  expressed1 and dresseth them 
up in his own language 7so far as the   
nature of the matter will permit1 and   

more clear terms are to be  found71 and 
so makes them intelligible to vulgar    
capacities1 which1  in their original   
rudeness1 were obscure and strange even 
to learned  heads4    ,in a word1 he    
handles the great truths of the gospel  
with that  perspicuity1 gravity1 and    
majesty1 which best becomes the oracles 
of  ,god2 and we have reason to believe1
 that no judicious and unbiassed  reader
 but will acknowledge this to be        
incomparably the best practical         
treatise the world ever saw in ,english 
upon this subject4 ,what ,dr4  ,jackson 
did1 to whom our author gave all due    
respect1 was more brief  and in another 
way4 ,dr4 ,preston did worthily upon the
 ,attributes in  his day2 but his       
discourses likewise1 are more succinct1 
when this  author's are more full and   
large4 ,but whatever were the mind of   
,god in  it1 it was not his will that   
either of these two should live to      
finish  what he had begun1 both being   
taken away when preaching upon this     

subject4 ,happy souls6 whose last breath
 was spent in so noble a work1  praising
 ,god while they had any being 7,psal4  
cxlvi4 #b74    ,his method is much the  
same in most of these discourses1 both  
in the  doctrinal and practical part1   
which will make the whole more plain    
and facile to ordinary readers4 ,he     
rarely makes objections1 and yet        
frequently answers them1 by implying    
them in those propositions he  lays down
 for the clearing up the truths he      
asserts4 ,his dexterity  is admirable in
 the applicatory a#bb work1 where he not
 only brings  down the highest doctrines
 to the lowest capacities1 but collects 
great variety of proper1 pertinent1     
useful1 and yet1 many times1            
unthoughtof inferences1 and that from   
those truths1 which however  they afford
 much matter for inquisition and        
speculation1 yet might  seem1 unless to 
the most intelligent and judicious      
,christians1 to  have a more remote     
influence upon practice4 ,he is not like

 some school  writers1 who attenuate and
 rarefy the matter they discourse of to 
a  degree bordering upon annihilation1  
at least1 beat it so thin1 that a  puff 
of breath may blow it away2 spin their  
thread so fine1 that the  cloth1 when   
made up1 proves useless1 solidity       
dwindles into niceties1  and what we    
thought we had got by their assertions1 
we lose by their  distinctions4 ,but if 
our author have some subtilties and     
superfine  notions in his               
argumentations1 yet he condenseth them  
again1 and  consolidates them into      
substantial and profitable corollaries  
in his  applications2 and in them his   
main business is1 as to discipline a    
profane world for its neglect of ,god1  
and contempt of him in his most         
adorable and shining perfections1 so    
likewise to show how the ,divine        
,attributes are not only infinitely     
excellent in themselves1 but a  grand   
foundation for all true divine worship1 
and should be the great  motives to     

provoke men to the exercise of faith1   
and love1 and fear1  and humility1 and  
all that holy obedience they are called 
to by the  gospel2 and this1 without    
peradventure1 is the great end of all   
those  rich discoveries ,god hath in his
 word made of himself to us4 ,and1      
reader1 if these elaborate discourses of
 this holy man1 through the  ,lord's    
blessing1 become a means of promoting   
holiness in thee1 and  stir thee up to  
love and live to the ,god of his praise 
7,ps4 cix4 #a71  we are well assured    
that his end in preaching them is       
answered1 and  so is ours in publishing 
them4                                   
,thine in the ,lord1                    
,,edw4 ,,veel4                          
,,ri4 ,,adams4          a#bc            
,,discourse ,i4                         
,,on ,,the ,,existence ,,of ,,god4      
,,psalm xiv4 #a4,the fool hath said in  
his heart1 ,there is no ,god4      ,they
 are corrupt1 they have done abominable 
works1 there is      none that doeth    

good4      ,,this psalm is a description
 of the deplorable corruption by nature 
of every son of ,adam1 since the        
withering of that common root4 ,some    
restrain it to the ,gentiles1 as a      
wilderness full of briers and  thorns1  
as not concerning the ,jews1 the garden 
of ,god1 planted by his  grace1 and     
watered by the dew of heaven4 ,but the  
apostle1 the best  interpreter1         
rectifies this in extending it by name  
to ,jews1 as well  as ,gentiles1 7,rom4 
iii4 #i74 8,we have before proved both  
,jews and  ,gentiles1 that they are all 
under sin20 and 7ver4 #ajab7 cites part 
of this psalm and other passages of     
scripture for the further evidence  of  
it1 concluding by ,jews and ,gentiles1  
every person in the world  naturally in 
this state of corruption4    ,the       
psalmist first declares the corruption  
of the faculties of  the soul1 ,the fool
 hath said in his heart2 secondly1 the  
streams  issuing from thence1 they are  
corrupt1 c43 the first in atheistical   

principles1 the other in unworthy       
practice2 and lays all the evil1        
tyranny1 lust1 and persecutions by men1 
7as if the world were only  for their   
sake7 upon the neglects of ,god1 and the
 atheism cherished  in their hearts4    
,the fool1 a term in scripture          
signifying a wicked man1 used also  by  
the heathen philosophers to signify a   
vicious person1  as coming  from        
signifies the extinction of life in men1
 animals1 and plants2  so the word  is  
taken1 a plant that hath lost all that  
juice  that made it lovely and useful4#f
 ,so a fool is one that hath lost  his  
wisdom1 and right notion of ,god and    
divine things which were  communicated  
to man by creation2 one dead in sin1 yet
 one not so  much void of rational      
faculties as of grace in those          
faculties1 not  one that wants reason1  
but abuses his reason4 ,in ,scripture   
the word  signifies foolish4#g    ,said 
in his heart2 that is1 he thinks1 or he 
doubts1 or he wishes4  ,the thoughts of 

the heart are in the nature of words to 
,god1 though  not to men4 ,it is used in
 the like case of the atheistical       
person1  7,ps4 x4 #aa1 #ac71 8,he hath  
said in his heart1 ,god hath forgotten2 
he  hath said in his heart1 ,thou wilt  
not require it40 ,he doth not form  a   
syllogism1 as ,calvin speaks1 that there
 is no ,god3 he dares not  a#bd openly  
publish it1 though he dares secretly    
think it4 ,he cannot  raze out the      
thoughts of a ,deity1 though he         
endeavors to blot those  characters of  
,god in his soul4 ,he hath some doubts  
whether there be a  ,god or no3 he      
wishes there were not any1 and sometimes
 hopes there is  none at all4 ,he could 
not so ascertain himself by convincing  
arguments  to produce to the world1 but 
he tampered with his own heart to bring 
it to that persuasion1 and smothered in 
himself those notices of a  ,deity2     
which is so plain against the light of  
nature1 that such a man  may well be    
called a fool for it4    ,there is no   

,god#h   non potestas ,domini1 ,chald4  
,it is not  ,jehovah1 which name        
signifies the essence of ,god1 as the   
prime and  supreme being2 but ,eloahia1 
which name signifies the providence of  
,god1 ,god as a rector and judge4 ,not  
that he denies the existence  of a      
,supreme ,being1 that created the world1
 but his regarding the  creatures1 his  
government of the world1 and            
consequently his reward  of the         
righteous or punishments of the wicked4 
,there is a threefold denial of ,god1#i 
#a4 ,quoad existentiam2 this  is        
absolute atheism4 #b4 ,quoad            
,providentiam1 or his inspection into1  
or care of the things of the world1     
bounding him in the heavens4  #c4 ,quoad
 naturam1 in regard of one or other of  
the perfections due  to his nature4     
,of the denial of the providence of ,god
 most understand this1 not  excluding   
the absolute atheist1 as ,diagoras is   
reported to be1 nor  the skeptical      
atheist1 as ,protagoras1 who doubted    

whether there were a  ,god4#aj ,those   
that deny the providence of ,god1 do in 
effect deny the  being of ,god2 for they
 strip him of that wisdom1 goodness1    
tenderness1  mercy1 justice1            
righteousness1 which are the glory of   
the ,deity4 ,and  that principle1 of a  
greedy desire to be uncontrolled in     
their lusts1  which induceth men to a   
denial of ,providence1 that thereby they
 might  stifle those seeds of fear which
 infect and embitter their sinful       
pleasures1 may as well lead them to deny
 that there is any such being  as a     
,god4 ,that at one blow1 their fears may
 be dashed all in pieces  and dissolved 
by the removal of the foundation3 as men
 who desire  liberty to commit works of 
darkness1 would not have the lights in  
the house dimmed1 but extinguished4     
,what men say against ,providence1      
because they would have no check in     
their lusts1 they may say in their      
hearts against the existence of ,god    
upon the same account2 little           

difference between the dissenting from  
the one and disowning the other4        
,they are corrupt1 they have done       
abominable works1 there is none  that   
doeth good4 ,he speaks of the atheist in
 the singular1 8the fool20  of the      
corruption issuing in the life in the   
plural2 intimating that  though some few
 may choke in their hearts the          
sentiments of ,god and  his providence1 
and positively deny them1 yet there is  
something of  a secret atheism in all1  
which is the fountain of the evil       
practices  in their lives1 not an utter 
disowning of the being of a ,god1 but a 
denial or doubting of some of the rights
 of his nature4 ,when men deny  the ,god
 of purity1 they must needs be polluted 
in soul and body1 and  grow brutish in  
their actions4 ,when the sense of       
religion is a#be  shaken off1 all kinds 
of wickedness is eagerly rushed into1   
whereby  they become as loathsome to    
,god as putrefied carcases are to       
men4#aa  ,not one or two evil actions is

 the product of such a principle1 but   
the whole scene of a man's life is      
corrupted and becomes execrable4    ,no 
man is exempted from some spice of      
atheism by the depravation of  his      
nature1 which the psalmist intimates1   
8there is none that doeth  good30 though
 there are indelible convictions of the 
being of a ,god1  that they cannot      
absolutely deny it2 yet there are some  
atheistical  bubblings in the hearts of 
men1 which evidence themselves in their 
actions4 ,as the apostle1 7,tit4 i4     
#af71 8,they profess that they know     
,god1 but in works they deny him40 ,evil
 works are a dust stirred up by  an     
atheistical breath4 ,he that habituates 
himself in some sordid lust1  can       
scarcely be said seriously and firmly to
 believe that there is  a ,god in being2
 and the apostle doth not say that they 
know ,god1 but  they profess to know    
him3 true knowledge and profession of   
knowledge  are distinct4 ,it intimates  
also to us1 the unreasonableness of     

atheism  in the consequence1 when men   
shut their eyes against the beams of so 
clear a sun1 ,god revengeth himself upon
 them for their impiety1 by  leaving    
them to their own wills1 lets them fall 
into the deepest sink  and dregs of     
iniquity2 and since they doubt of him in
 their hearts1  suffers them above      
others to deny him in their works1 this 
the apostle  discourseth at large4#ab   
,the text then is a description of man's
  corruption4    #a4 ,of his mind4 ,the 
fool hath said in his heart4 ,no better 
title  than that of a fool is afforded  
to the atheist4    #b4 ,of the other    
faculties1 #a4 ,in sins of commission1  
expressed by  the loathsomeness         
7corrupt1 abominable71 #b4 ,in sins of  
omission  7there is none that doeth     
good7 he lays down the corruption of the
  mind as the cause1 the corruption of  
the other faculties as the effect4      
,i4 ,it is a great folly to deny or     
doubt of the existence or being of      
,god3 or1 an atheist is a great fool4   

,,ii4 ,practical atheism is natural to  
man in his corrupt state4 ,it  is       
against nature as constituted by ,god1  
but natural1 as nature is  depraved by  
man3 the absolute disowning of the being
 of a ,god is not  natural to men1 but  
the contrary is natural2 but an         
inconsideration of  ,god1 or            
misrepresentation of his nature1 is     
natural to man as corrupt4    ,,iii4 ,a 
secret atheism1 or a partial atheism1 is
 the spring of all the  wicked practices
 in the world3 the disorders of the life
 spring from  the ill dispositions of   
the heart4    ,for the first1 every     
atheist is a grand fool4 ,if he were not
 a  fool1 he would not imagine a thing  
so contrary to the stream of the        
universal reason of the world1 contrary 
to the rational dictates of  his own    
soul1 and contrary to the testimony of  
every creature1 and  link in the chain  
of creation3 if he were not a fool1 he  
would not  strip himself of humanity1   
and degrade himself lower than the most 

despicable brute4 ,it is a folly2 for   
though ,god be so inaccessible  that we 
cannot know him perfectly1 yet he is so 
much in the light1  that a#bf we cannot 
be totally ignorant of him2 as he cannot
 be  comprehended in his essence1 he    
cannot be unknown in his existence2 it  
is as easy by reason to understand that 
he is1 as it is difficult to  know what 
he is4 ,the demonstrations reason       
furnisheth us with for the  existence of
 ,god1 will be evidences of the         
atheist's folly4 ,one would  think there
 were little need of spending time in   
evidencing this truth1  since in the    
principle of it1 it seems to be so      
universally owned1 and  at the first    
proposal and demand1 gains the assent of
 most men4    ,but1 #a4 ,doth not the   
growth of atheism among us render this  
necessary8  may it not justly be        
suspected1 that the swarms of atheists  
are more  numerous in our times1 than   
history records to have been in any age1
  when men will not only say it in their

 hearts1 but publish it with  their     
lips1 and boast that they have shaken   
off those shackles which  bind other    
men's consciences8 ,doth not the        
barefaced debauchery of  men evidence   
such a settled sentiment1 or at least a 
careless belief  of the truth1 which    
lies at the root1 and sprouts up in such
 venomous  branches in the world8 ,can  
men's hearts be free from that principle
  wherewith their practices are so      
openly depraved8 ,it is true1 the  light
 of nature shines too vigorously for the
 power of man totally  to put it out2   
yet loathsome actions impair and weaken 
the actual  thoughts and considerations 
of a ,deity1 and are like mists that    
darken the light of the sun1 though they
 cannot extinguish it3  their           
consciences1 as a candlestick1 must hold
 it1 though their  unrighteousness      
obscure it1 7,rom4 i4 #ah74 8,who hold  
the truth in  unrighteousness40 ,the    
engraved characters of the law of nature
 remain1  though they daub them with    

their muddy lusts to make them          
illegible3  so that since the           
inconsideration of a ,deity is the cause
 of all  the wickedness and             
extravagances of men2 and as ,austin    
saith1 the  proposition is always true1 
the fool hath said in his heart1 c4 and 
more evidently true in this age than    
any1 it will not be unnecessary  to     
discourse of the demonstrations of this 
first principle4 ,the  apostles spent   
little time in urging this truth2 it was
 taken for  granted all over the world1 
and they were generally devout in the   
worship of those idols they thought to  
be gods3 that age run from  one ,god to 
many1 and our age is running from one   
,god to none at all4    #b4 ,the        
existence of ,god is the foundation of  
all religion4 ,the whole  building      
totters if the foundation be out of     
course3 if we have not  deliberate and  
right notions of it1 we shall perform no
 worship1  no service1 yield no         
affection to him4 ,if there be not a    

,god1 it is  impossible there can be    
one1 for eternity is essential to the   
notion  of a ,god2 so all religion would
 be vain1 and unreasonable to pay       
homage to that which is not in being1   
nor can ever be4 ,we must first  believe
 that he is1 and that he is what he     
declares himself to be1  before we can  
seek him1 adore him1 and devote our     
affections to  him4#ac ,we cannot pay   
,god a due and regular homage1 unless we
  understand him in his perfections1    
what he is2 and we can pay him  no      
homage at all1 unless we believe that he
 is4    #c4 ,it is fit we should know   
why we believe1 that our belief of a    
,god may appear to be upon undeniable   
evidence1 and that we may give  a better
 reason for his existence1 than that we 
have heard our a#bg  parents and        
teachers tell us so1 and our            
acquaintance think so4 ,it  is as much  
as to say there is no ,god1 when we know
 not why we believe  there is1 and would
 not consider the arguments for his     

existence4    #d4 ,it is necessary to   
depress that secret atheism which is in 
the  heart of every man by nature4      
,though every visible object which      
offers  itself to our sense1 presents a 
deity to our minds1 and exhorts us to   
subscribe to the truth of it2 yet there 
is a root of atheism springing  up      
sometimes in wavering thoughts and      
foolish imaginations1 inordinate        
actions1 and secret wishes4 ,certain it 
is1 that every man that doth  not love  
,god1 denies ,god2 now can he that      
disaffects him1 and hath  a slavish fear
 of him1 wish his existence1 and say to 
his own heart  with any cheerfulness1   
there is a ,god1 and make it his chief  
care to  persuade himself of it8 he     
would persuade himself there is no ,god1
  and stifle the seeds of it in his     
reason and conscience1 that he might    
have the greatest liberty to entertain  
the allurements of the flesh4  ,it is   
necessary to excite men to daily and    
actual considerations of  ,god and his  

nature1 which would be a bar to much of 
that wickedness  which overflows in the 
lives of men4    #e4 ,nor is it unuseful
 to those who effectually believe and   
love  him2#ad for those who have had a  
converse with ,god1 and felt his        
powerful influences in the secrets of   
their hearts1 to take a prospect  of    
those satisfactory accounts which reason
 gives of that ,god they  adore and     
love2 to see every creature justify them
 in their owning  of him1 and affections
 to him3 indeed the evidences of a ,god 
striking  upon the conscience of those  
who resolve to cleave to sin as their   
chiefest darling1 will dash their       
pleasures with unwelcome mixtures4    ,i
 shall further premise this1 ,that the  
folly of atheism is evidenced  by the   
light of reason4 ,men that will not     
listen to ,scripture1 as  having no     
counterpart of it in their souls1 cannot
 easily deny natural  reason1 which     
riseth up on all sides for the          
justification of this  truth4 ,there is 

a natural as well as a revealed         
knowledge1 and the  book of the         
creatures is legible in declaring the   
being of a ,god1 as  well as the        
,scriptures are in declaring the nature 
of a ,god2 there are  outward objects in
 the world1 and common principles in the
 conscience1  whence it may be inferred4
    ,for1 #a4 ,god in regard of his     
existence is not only the discovery of  
faith1 but of reason4 ,god hath revealed
 not only his being1 but some  sparks of
 his eternal power and godhead in his   
works1 as well as in  his word4 7,rom4  
i4 #ai1 #bj71 8,god hath showed it unto 
them10how8#ae  in his works2 by the     
things that are made1 it is a discovery 
to our  reason1 as shining in the       
creatures2 and an object of our faith as
  breaking out upon us in the           
,scriptures3 it is an article of our    
faith1  and an article of our reason4   
,faith supposeth natural knowledge1  as 
grace supposeth nature4 ,faith indeed is
 properly of things above  reason1      

purely depending upon revelation4 ,what 
can be demonstrated  by natural light1  
is not so properly the object of faith2 
though in  regard of the addition of a  
certainty by revelation it is so4 ,the  
belief that ,god is1 which the apostle  
speaks of1#af is not so much  of the    
bare existence of ,god1 as what ,god is 
in relation to them that  a#bh seek him1
 viz4 a rewarder4 ,the apostle speaks of
 the faith of  ,abel1 the faith of      
,enoch1 such a faith that pleases ,god3 
but the faith  of ,abel testified in his
 sacrifice1 and the faith of ,enoch     
testified  in his walking with ,god1 was
 not simply a faith of the existence of 
,god4 ,cain in the time of ,abel1 other 
men in the world in the time  of ,enoch1
 believed this as well as they3 but it  
was a faith joined  with the worship of 
,god1 and desires to please him in the  
way of his  own appointment2 so that    
they believed that ,god was such as he  
had  declared himself to be in his      
promise to ,adam1 such an one as would  

be as good as his word1 and bruise the  
serpent's head4 ,he that seeks  to ,god 
according to the mind of ,god1 must     
believe that he is such a  ,god that    
will pardon sin1 and justify a seeker of
 him2 that he is a  ,god of that ability
 and will1 to justify a sinner in that  
way he hath  appointed for the clearing 
the holiness of his nature1 and         
vindicating  the honor of his law       
violated by man4 ,no man can seek ,god  
or love  ,god1 unless he believe him to 
be thus2 and he cannot seek ,god without
  a discovery of his own mind how he    
would be sought4 ,for it is not a       
seeking ,god in any way of man's        
invention1 that renders him capable  of 
this desired fruit of a reward4 ,he that
 believes ,god as a rewarder1  must     
believe the promise of ,god concerning  
the ,messiah4 ,men under the  conscience
 of sin1 cannot tell without a divine   
discovery1 whether ,god  will reward1 or
 how he will reward the seekers of him2 
and therefore  cannot act towards him as

 an object of faith4 ,would any man seek
 ,god  merely because he is1 or love him
 because he is1 if he did not know  that
 he should be acceptable to him8 ,the   
bare existence of a thing is  not the   
ground of affection to it1 but those    
qualities of it and our  interest in it1
 which render it amiable and delightful4
 ,how can men1  whose consciences fly in
 their faces1 seek ,god or love him1    
without  this knowledge that he is a    
rewarder8 ,nature doth not show any way 
to  a sinner1 how to reconcile ,god's   
provoked justice with his tenderness4   
,the faith the apostle speaks of here is
 a faith that eyes the reward  as an    
encouragement1 and the will of ,god as  
the rule of its acting2 he  doth not    
speak simply of the existence of ,god4  
,i have spoken the more of this place1  
because the ,socinians#ag use  this to  
decry any natural knowledge of ,god1 and
 that the existence of  ,god is only to 
be known by revelation1 so that by that 
reason any one  that lived without the  

,scripture hath no ground to believe the
 being  of a ,god4 ,the ,scripture      
ascribes a knowledge of ,god to all     
nations  in the world 7,rom4 i4 #ai72   
not only a faculty of knowing1 if they  
had arguments and demonstrations1 as an 
ignorant man in any art hath  a faculty 
to know2 but it ascribes an actual      
knowledge 7ver4 #aj7  8manifest in      
them20 7ver4 #ba7 8,they knew ,god20 not
 they might know him2  they knew him    
when they did not care for knowing him4 
,the notices of  ,god are as            
intelligible to us by reason1 as any    
object in the world is  visible2 he is  
written in every letter4    #b4 ,we are 
often in the ,scripture sent to take a  
prospect of the  creatures for a        
discovery of ,god4 ,the apostles drew   
arguments from  the topics of nature1   
when they discoursed with those that    
owned  the ,scripture 7,rom4 i4 #ai71 as
 well as when they treated with those   
a#bi that were ignorant of it1 as ,acts 
xiv4 #af1 #ag4 ,and among the           

philosophers of ,athens 7,acts xvii4    
#bg1 #bi71 such arguments the ,holy     
,ghost in the apostles thought          
sufficient to convince men of the       
existence1 unity1 spirituality1 and     
patience of ,god4 ,such arguments  had  
not been used by them and the prophets  
from the visible things in  the world to
 silence the ,gentiles with whom they   
dealt1 had not this  truth1 and much    
more about ,god1 been demonstrable by   
natural reason3  they knew well enough  
that probable arguments would not       
satisfy  piercing and inquisitive       
minds4#ah    ,in ,paul's account1 the   
testimony of the creatures was without  
contradiction4 ,god himself justifies   
this way of proceeding by his  own      
example1 and remits ,job to the         
consideration of the creatures1  to     
spell out something of his divine       
perfections4#ai ,and this is  so        
convincing an argument of the existence 
of ,god1 that ,god never  vouchsafed any
 miracle1 or put forth any act of       

omnipotency1 besides  what was evident  
in the creatures1 for the satisfaction  
of the  curiosity of any atheist1 or the
 evincing of his being1 as he hath  done
 for the evidencing those truths which  
were not written in  the book of nature1
 or for the restoring a decayed worship1
 or the  protection or deliverance of   
his people4 ,those miracles in          
publishing  the gospel1 indeed1 did     
demonstrate the existence of some       
supreme  power2 but they were not seals 
designedly affixed for that1 but for    
the confirmation of that truth1 which   
was above the ken of purblind  reason1  
and purely the birth of divine          
revelation4 ,yet what proves the  truth 
of any spiritual doctrine1 proves also  
in that act the existence  of the       
,divine ,author of it4 ,the revelation  
always implies a revealer1  and that    
which manifests it to be a revelation1  
manifests also the  supreme ,revealer of
 it4 ,by the same light the sun         
manifests other  things to us1 it also  

manifests itself4 ,but what miracles    
could  rationally be supposed to work   
upon an atheist1 who is not drawn  to a 
sense of the truth proclaimed aloud by  
so many wonders of the  creation8 ,let  
us now proceed to the demonstration of  
the atheist's  folly4    ,it is a folly 
to deny or doubt of a ,sovereign ,being1
 incomprehensible  in his nature1       
infinite in his essence and perfections1
 independent  in his operations1 who    
hath given being to the whole frame of  
sensible  and intelligible creatures1   
and governs them according to their     
several natures1 by an unconceivable    
wisdom2 who fills the heavens  with the 
glory of his majesty1 and the earth with
 the influences of  his goodness4    ,it
 is a folly inexcusable to renounce1 in 
this case1 all appeal to  universal     
consent1 and the joint assurances of the
 creatures4    ,reason ,i4 ',tis a folly
 to deny or doubt of that which hath    
been the  acknowledged sentiment of all 
nations1 in all places and ages4 ,there 

is no nation but hath owned some kind of
 religion1 and1 therefore1  no nation   
but hath consented in the notion of a   
,supreme ,creator and  ,governor4    #a4
 ,this hath been universal4 #b4 ,it hath
 been constant and  uninterrupted4 #c4  
,natural and innate4    a#cj ,first1 ,it
 hath been universally assented to by   
the judgments and  practices of all     
nations in the world4    #a4 ,no nation 
hath been exempt from it4 ,all histories
 of former and  latter ages have not    
produced any one nation but fell under  
the force  of this truth4 ,though they  
have differed in their religions1 they  
have  agreed in this truth2 here both   
heathen1 ,turk1 ,jew1 and ,christian1   
centre without any contention4 ,no      
quarrel was ever commenced upon this    
score2 though about other opinions wars 
have been sharp1 and enmities           
irreconcilable4 ,the notion of the      
existence of a ,deity was the same  in  
all1 ,indians as well as ,britons1      
,americans as well as ,jews4 ,it hath   

not been an opinion peculiar to this or 
that people1 to this or that  sect of   
philosophers2 but hath been as universal
 as the reason whereby  men are         
differenced from other creatures1 so    
that some have rather  defined man by   
animal religiosum1 than animal          
rationale4 ',tis so  twisted with reason
 that a man cannot be accounted         
rational1 unless  he own an object of   
religion2 therefore he that understands 
not this1  renounceth his humanity when 
he renounceth a ,divinity4 ,no instance 
can be given of any one people in the   
world that disclaimed it4 ,it  hath been
 owned by the wise and ignorant1 by the 
learned and stupid1  by those who had no
 other guide but the dimmest light of   
nature1 as  well as those whose candles 
were snuffed by a more polite education1
  and that without any solemn debate and
 contention4 ,though some  philosophers 
have been known to change their opinions
 in the concerns  of nature1 yet none   
can be proved to have absolutely changed

 their  opinion concerning the being of 
a ,god4 ,one died for asserting one     
,god2  none1 in the former ages upon    
record1 hath died for asserting no ,god4
  ,go to the utmost bounds of ,america1 
you may find people without some  broken
 pieces of the law of nature1 but not   
without this signature  and stamp upon  
them1 though they wanted commerce with  
other nations1  except as savage as     
themselves1 in whom the light of nature 
was as  it were sunk into the socket1   
who are but one remove from brutes1  who
 clothe not their bodies1 cover not     
their shame1 yet were they as  soon     
known to own a ,god1 as they were known 
to be a people4 ,they were  possessed   
with the notion of a ,supreme ,being1   
the author of the world2  had an object 
of religious adoration2 put up prayers  
to the deity they  owned for the good   
things they wanted1 and the diverting   
the evils  they feared4 ,no people so   
untamed where absolute perfect atheism  
had gained a footing4 ,no one nation of 

the world known in the time  of the     
,romans that were without their         
ceremonies1 whereby they  signified     
their devotion to a deity4 ,they had    
their places of worship1  where they    
made their vows1 presented their        
prayers1 offered their  sacrifices1 and 
implored the assistance of what they    
thought to be a  god2 and in their      
distresses run immediately1 without any 
deliberation1  to their gods3 so that   
the notion of a deity was as inward and 
settled  in them as their own souls1    
and1 indeed1 runs in the blood of       
mankind4  ,the distempers of the        
understanding cannot utterly deface it2 
you  shall scarce find the most         
distracted bedlam1 in his raving fits1  
to deny a ,god1 though he may blaspheme1
 and fancy himself one4    #b4 ,nor doth
 the idolatry and multiplicity of gods  
in the world a#ca  weaken1 but confirm  
this universal consent4 ,whatsoever     
unworthy  conceits men have had of ,god 
in all nations1 or whatsoever degrading 

representations they have made of him1  
yet they all concur in  this1 that there
 is a ,supreme ,power to be adored4     
,though one people  worshipped the sun1 
others the fire1and the ,egyptians1 gods
 out of  their rivers1 gardens1 and     
fields2 yet the notion of a ,deity      
existent1  who created and governed the 
world1 and conferred daily benefits upon
  them1 was maintained by all1 though   
applied to the stars1 and in part  to   
those sordid creatures4 ,all the ,dagons
 of the world establish this  truth1 and
 fall down before it4 ,had not the      
nations owned the being of  a ,god1 they
 had never offered incense to an idol3  
had there not been  a deep impression of
 the existence of a ,deity1 they had    
never exalted  creatures below          
themselves to the honor of altars3 men  
could not so  easily have been deceived 
by forged deities1 if they had not had a
  notion of a real one4 ,their fondness 
to set up others in the place of  ,god1 
evidenced a natural knowledge that there

 was ,one who had a right  to be        
worshipped4 ,if there were not this     
sentiment of a ,deity1 no  man would    
ever have made an image of a piece of   
wood1 worshipped it1  prayed to it1 and 
said1 8,deliver me1 for thou art my     
,god40#bj ,they  applied a general      
notion to a particular image4 ,the      
difference is in  the manner1 and       
immediate object of worship1 not in the 
formal ground  of worship4 ,the worship 
sprung from a true principle1 though it 
was  not applied to a right object3     
while they were rational creatures1     
they could not deface the notion2 yet   
while they were corrupt  creatures it   
was not difficult to apply themselves to
 a wrong object  from a true principle4 
,a blind man knows he hath a way to go  
as well  as one of the clearest sight2  
but because of his blindness he may miss
  the way and stumble into a ditch4 ,no 
man would be imposed upon to take  a    
,bristol stone instead of a diamond1 if 
he did not know that there  were such   

things as diamonds in the world3 nor any
 man spread forth  his hands to an idol1
 if he were altogether without the sense
 of a  ,deity4 ,whether it be a false or
 a true ,god men apply to1 yet in both1 
the natural sentiment of a ,god is      
evidenced2 all their mistakes were      
grafts inserted in this stock1 since    
they would multiply gods rather  than   
deny a ,deity4    ,how should such a    
general submission be entered into by   
all the  world1 so as to adore things of
 a base alloy1#ba if the force of       
religion were not such1 that in any     
fashion a man would seek the            
satisfaction of his natural instinct to 
some object of worship8 ,this  great    
diversity confirms this consent to be a 
good argument1 for it  evidenceth it not
 to be a cheat1 combination or          
conspiracy to deceive1  or a mutual     
intelligence1 but every one finds it in 
his climate1 yea  in himself4 ,people   
would never have given the title of a   
,god to men or  brutes had there not    

been a preexisting and unquestioned     
persuasion1  that there was such a      
being2how else should the notion of a   
,god  come into their minds8the notion  
that there is a ,god must be more       
ancient4#bb    #c4 ,whatsoever disputes 
there have been in the world1 this of   
the a#cb  existence of ,god was never   
the subject of contention4 ,all other   
things  have been questioned4 ,what     
jarrings were there among philosophers  
about natural things6 into how many     
parties were they split6 with what      
animosities did they maintain their     
several judgments6 but we hear of  no   
solemn controversies about the existence
 of a ,supreme ,being3 this  never met  
with any considerable contradiction3 no 
nation1 that hath  put other things to  
question1 would ever suffer this to be  
disparaged1  so much as by a public     
doubt4 ,we find among the heathen       
contentions  about the nature of ,god   
and the number of gods1 some asserted an
  innumerable multitude of gods1 some   

affirmed him to be subject to  birth and
 death1 some affirmed the entire world  
was ,god2 others  fancied him to be a   
circle of a bright fire2 others that he 
was a  spirit diffused through the whole
 world3#bc yet they unanimously         
concurred in this1 as the judgment of   
universal reason1 that there was  such a
 sovereign ,being3 and those that were  
skeptical in everything  else1 and      
asserted that the greatest certainty was
 that there was  nothing certain1       
professed a certainty in this4 ,the     
question was not  whether there was a   
,first ,cause1 but what it was4 ,it is  
much the same  thing1 as the disputes   
about the nature and matter of the      
heavens1  the sun and planets1 though   
there be great diversity of judgments1  
yet  all agree that there are heavens1  
sun1 planets2 so all the contentions    
among men about the nature of ,god1     
weaken not1 but rather confirm1  that   
there is a ,god1 since there was never a
 public formal debate  about his        

existence4#bd ,those that have been     
ready to pull out  one another's eyes   
for their dissent from their judgments1 
sharply  censured one another's         
sentiments1 envied the births of one    
another's  wits1 always shook hands with
 an unanimous consent in this2 never    
censured one another for being of this  
persuasion1 never called it  into       
question2 as what was never controverted
 among men professing  ,christianity1   
but acknowledged by all1 though         
contending about other  things1 has     
reason to be judged a certain truth     
belonging to the  christian religion2 so
 what was never subjected to any        
controversy1  but acknowledged by the   
whole world1 hath reason to be embraced 
as  a truth without any doubt4    #d4   
,this universal consent is not          
prejudiced by some few dissenters4      
,history doth not reckon twenty         
professed atheists in all ages in  the  
compass of the whole world3 and we have 
not the name of any one  absolute       

atheist upon record in ,scripture2 yet  
it is questioned1  whether any of them1 
noted in history with that infamous     
name1 were  downright deniers of the    
existence of ,god1 but rather because   
they  disparaged the deities commonly   
worshipped by the nations where they    
lived1 as being of a clearer reason to  
discern that those qualities1  vulgarly 
attributed to their gods1 as lust and   
luxury1 wantonness and  quarrels1 were  
unworthy of the nature of a god4#be ,but
 suppose they  were really what they are
 termed to be1 what are they to the     
multitude  of men that have sprung out  
of the loins of ,adam8 not so much as   
one grain of ashes is to all that were  
ever turned into that form  by any fires
 in your chimneys4 ,and many more were  
not sufficient to  weigh down the       
contrary consent of the whole world1 and
 bear a#cc  down an universal           
impression4 ,should the laws of a       
country1 agreed  universally to by the  
whole body of the people1 be accounted  

vain1  because an hundred men of those  
millions disapprove of them1 when  not  
their reason1 but their folly and base  
interest1 persuades them  to dislike    
them and dispute against them8 ,what if 
some men be blind1  shall any conclude  
from thence that eyes are not natural to
 men8 shall  we say that the notion of  
the existence of ,god is not natural to 
men1  because a very small number have  
been of a contrary opinion8 shall a  man
 in a dungeon1 that never saw the sun1  
deny that there is a sun1  because one  
or two blind men tell him there is none1
 when thousands  assure him there is4#bf
 ,why should then the exceptions of a   
few1 not  one to millions1 discredit    
that which is voted certainly true by   
the  joint consent of the world8 ,add   
this1 too1 that if those that are       
reported to be atheists had had any     
considerable reason to step aside  from 
the common persuasion of the whole      
world1 it is a wonder it met  not with  
entertainment by great numbers of those1

 who1 by reason of  their notorious     
wickedness and inward disquiets1 might  
reasonably be  thought to wish in their 
hearts that there were no ,god4 ,it is  
strange  if there were any reason on    
their side1 that in so long a space of  
time as hath run out from the creation  
of the world1 there could not  be       
engaged a considerable number to frame a
 society for the profession  of it4 ,it 
hath died with the person that started  
it1 and vanished as  soon as it         
appeared4    ,to conclude this1 is it   
not folly for any man to deny or doubt  
of the being of a ,god1 to dissent from 
all mankind1 and stand in  contradiction
 to human nature8 ,what is the general  
dictate of nature  is a certain truth4  
,it is impossible that nature can       
naturally and  universally lie4 ,and    
therefore those that ascribe all to     
nature1 and  set it in the place of     
,god1 contradict themselves1 if they    
give not  credit to it in that which it 
universally affirms4 ,a general consent 

of all nations is to be esteemed as a   
law of nature4#bg ,nature cannot  plant 
in the minds of all men an assent to a  
falsity1 for then the  laws of nature   
would be destructive to the reason and  
minds of men4  ,how is it possible1 that
 a falsity should be a persuasion spread
  through all nations1 engraven upon the
 minds of all men1 men of the  most     
towering1 and men of the most creeping  
understanding2 that they  should consent
 to it in all places1 and in those      
places where the  nations have not had  
any known commerce with the rest of the 
known  world8 a consent not settled by  
any law of man to constrain people to  a
 belief of it3 and indeed it is         
impossible that any law of man can      
constrain the belief of the mind4 ,would
 not he deservedly be accounted  a fool1
 that should deny that to be gold which 
hath been tried and  examined by a great
 number of knowing goldsmiths1 and hath 
passed the  test of all their           
touchstones8 ,what excess of folly would

 it be for  him to deny it to be true   
gold1 if it had been tried by all that  
had  skill in that metal in all nations 
in the world6    ,secondly1 ,it hath    
been a constant and uninterrupted       
consent4 ,it hath  been as ancient as   
the first age of the world2 no man is   
able to  mention any time1 from the     
beginning of the world1 wherein this    
notion  hath not been universally owned2
 it is as old as mankind1 a#cd and  hath
 run along with the course of the sun1  
nor can the date be fixed  lower than   
that4    #a4 ,in all the changes of the 
world1 this hath been maintained4 ,in   
the overturnings of the government of   
states1 the alteration of modes  of     
worship1 this hath stood unshaken4 ,the 
reasons upon which it was  founded were1
 in all revolutions of time1 accounted  
satisfactory and  convincing1 nor could 
absolute atheism in the changes of any  
laws  ever gain the favor of any one    
body of people to be established by  a  
law4 ,when the honor of the heathen     

idols was laid in the dust1 this        
suffered no impair4 ,the being of one   
,god was more vigorously owned  when the
 unreasonableness of multiplicity of    
gods was manifest2 and  grew taller by  
the detection of counterfeits4 ,when    
other parts of the  law of nature have  
been violated by some nations1 this hath
 maintained  its standing4 ,the long    
series of ages hath been so far from    
blotting  it out1 that it hath more     
strongly confirmed it1 and maketh       
further  progress in the confirmation of
 it4 ,time1 which hath eaten out the    
strength of other things1 and blasted   
mere inventions1 hath not been  able to 
consume this4 ,the discovery of all     
other impostures1 never  made this by   
any society of men to be suspected as   
one4 ,it will not be  easy to name any  
imposture that hath walked perpetually  
in the world  without being discovered1 
and whipped out by some nation or other4
  ,falsities have never been so         
universally and constantly owned without

  public control and question4 ,and     
since the world hath detected many      
errors of the former age1 and learning  
been increased1 this hath been  so far  
from being dimmed1 that it hath shone   
out clearer with the  increase of       
natural knowledge1 and received fresh   
and more vigorous  confirmations4    #b4
 ,the fears and anxieties in the        
consciences of men have given men       
sufficient occasion to root it out1 had 
it been possible for them to  do it4 ,if
 the notion of the existence of ,god had
 been possible to have  been dashed out 
of the minds of men1 they would have    
done it rather  than have suffered so   
many troubles in their souls upon the   
commission  of sin2 since there did not 
want wickedness and wit in so many      
corrupt  ages to have attempted it and  
prospered in it1 had it been possible4  
,how comes it therefore to pass1 that   
such a multitude of profligate  persons 
that have been in the world since the   
fall of man1 should not  have rooted out

 this principle1 and dispossessed the   
minds of men of  that which gave birth  
to their tormenting fears8 ,how is it   
possible  that all should agree together
 in a thing which created fear1 and an  
obligation against the interest of the  
flesh1 if it had been free for  men to  
discharge themselves of it8 ,no man1 as 
far as corrupt nature  bears sway in    
him1 is willing to live controlled4     
,the first man would rather be a god    
himself than under one3#bh why  should  
men continue this notion in them1 which 
shackled them in their  vile            
inclinations1 if it had been in their   
power utterly to deface  it8 ,if it were
 an imposture1 how comes it to pass1    
that all the wicked  ages of the world  
could never discover that to be a cheat1
 which  kept them in continual alarms8  
,men wanted not will to shake off such  
apprehensions2 as ,adam1 so all his     
posterity are desirous to hide          
themselves from ,god upon the commission
 of sin1#bi and by the a#ce  same reason

 they would hide ,god from their souls4 
,what is the reason  they could never   
attain their will and their wish by all 
their  endeavors8 ,could they possibly  
have satisfied themselves that there    
were no ,god1 they had discarded their  
fears1 the disturbers of the  repose of 
their lives1 and been unbridled in their
 pleasures4 ,the  wickedness of the     
world would never have preserved that   
which was a  perpetual molestation to   
it1 had it been possible to be razed    
out4    ,but since men under the        
turmoils and lashes of their own        
consciences  could never bring their    
hearts to a settled dissent from this   
truth1  it evidenceth1 that as it took  
its birth at the beginning of the       
world1 it cannot expire1 no not in the  
ashes of it1 nor in anything  but the   
reduction of the soul to that nothing   
from whence it sprung4  ,this conception
 is so perpetual1 that the nature of the
 soul must be  dissolved before it be   
rooted out1 nor can it be extinct while 

the  soul endures4    #c4 ,let it be    
considered also by us that own the      
,scripture1 that the  devil deems it    
impossible to root out this sentiment4  
,it seems to be  so perpetually fixed1  
that the devil did not think fit to     
tempt man to  the denial of the         
existence of a ,deity1 but persuaded him
 to believe  he might ascend to that    
dignity and become a god himself2 ,gen4 
iii4 #a1  8,hath ,god said80 and he     
there owns him 7ver4 #e71 8,ye shall    
become as  gods40 ,he owns ,god in the  
question he asks the woman1 and         
persuades  our first parents to be gods 
themselves4 ,and in all stories1 both   
ancient and modern1 the devil was never 
able to tincture men's minds  with a    
professed denial of the ,deity1 which   
would have opened a door  to a world of 
more wickedness than hath been acted1   
and took away  the bar to the breaking  
out of that evil1 which is naturally in 
the  hearts of men1 to the greater      
prejudice of human societies4 ,he wanted

  not malice to raze out all the notions
 of ,god1 but power3 he knew it  was    
impossible to effect it1 and therefore  
in vain to attempt it4 ,he  set up      
himself in several places of the        
ignorant world as a god1 but  never was 
able to overthrow the opinion of the    
being of a ,god4 ,the  impressions of a 
,deity were so strong as not to be      
struck out by the  malice and power of  
hell4    ,what a folly is it then in any
 to contradict or doubt of this truth1  
which all the periods of time have not  
been able to wear out2 which  all the   
wars and quarrels of men with their own 
consciences have not  been able to      
destroy2 which ignorance and debauchery1
 its two greatest  enemies1 cannot      
weaken2 which all the falsehoods and    
errors which  have reigned in one or    
other part of the world1 have not been  
able  to banish2 which lives in the     
consents of men in spite of all their   
wishes to the contrary1 and hath grown  
stronger1 and shone clearer1  by the    

improvements of natural reason6         
,thirdly1 ,natural and innate2 which    
pleads strongly for the perpetuity  of  
it4 ,it is natural1 though some think it
 not a principle writ in  the heart of  
man2#cj it is so natural that every man 
is born with  a restless instinct to be 
of some kind of religion or other1 which
  implies some object of religion4 ,the 
impression of a ,deity is as  common as 
reason1 and of the same age with        
reason4#ca ,it is a  relic of knowledge 
after the fall of ,adam1 like fire under
 ashes1  which sparkles as soon a#cf as 
ever the heap of ashes is opened4 ,a    
notion sealed up in the soul of every   
man2#cb else how could those  people who
 were unknown to one another1 separate  
by seas and mounts1  differing in       
various customs and manner of living1   
had no mutual  intelligence one with    
another1 light upon this as a common    
sentiment1  if they had not been guided 
by one uniform reason in all their      
minds1  by one nature common to them    

all3 though their climates be different1
  their tempers and constitutions       
various1 their imaginations in some     
things as distant from one another as   
heaven is from earth1 the  ceremonies of
 their religion not all of the same     
kind2 yet wherever  you find human      
nature1 you find this settled           
persuasion4 ,so that the  notion of a   
,god seems to be twisted with the nature
 of man1 and is  the first natural      
branch of common reason1 or upon either 
the first  inspection of a man into     
himself and his own state and           
constitution1  or upon the first sight  
of any external visible object4 ,nature 
within  man1 and nature without man1    
agree upon the first meeting together to
  form this sentiment1 that there is a  
,god4 ,it is as natural as anything  we 
call a common principle4 ,one thing     
which is called a common  principle and 
natural is1 that the whole is greater   
than the parts4 ,if  this be not born   
with us1 yet the exercise of reason     

essential to man  settles it as a       
certain maxim2 upon the dividing        
anything into several  parts1 he finds  
every part less than when they were     
altogether4 ,by  the same exercise of   
reason1 we cannot cast our eyes upon    
anything in  the world1 or exercise our 
understandings upon ourselves1 but we   
must  presently imagine1 there was some 
cause of those things1 some cause  of   
myself and my own being2 so that this   
truth is as natural to man  as anything 
he can call most natural or a common    
principle4    ,it must be confessed by  
all1 that there is a law of nature writ 
upon  the hearts of men1 which will     
direct them to commendable actions1 if  
they will attend to the writing in their
 own consciences4 ,this law  cannot be  
considered without the notice of a      
,lawgiver4 ,for it is but  a natural and
 obvious conclusion1 that some superior 
hand engrafted  those principles in man1
 since he finds something in him        
twitching  him upon the pursuit of      

uncomely actions1 though his heart be   
mightily  inclined to them2 man knows he
 never planted this principle of        
reluctancy in his own soul2 he can never
 be the cause of that which  he cannot  
be friends with4 ,if he were the cause  
of it1 why doth he not  rid himself of  
it8 ,no man would endure a thing that   
doth frequently  molest and disquiet    
him1 if he could cashier it4 ,it is     
therefore sown  in man by some hand more
 powerful than man1 which riseth so     
high1 and  is rooted so strong1 that all
 the force that man can use cannot pull 
it up4 ,if therefore this principle be  
natural in man1 and the law of  nature  
be natural1 the notion of a ,lawgiver   
must be as natural1 as the  notion of a 
printer1 or that there is a printer1 is 
obvious upon the  sight of a stamp      
impressed4 ,after this the multitude of 
effects in the  world step in to        
strengthen this beam of natural light1  
and the direct  conclusion from thence  
is1 that that power which made those    

outward  objects1 implanted this inward 
principle4 ,this is sown in us1 born    
with us1 and sprouts up with our growth1
 or as one saith2 it is like  letters   
carved upon the bark of a a#cg young    
plant1 which grows  up together with us1
 and the longer it grows the letters are
 more  legible4#cc    ,this is the      
ground of this universal consent1 and   
why it may well be  termed natural4     
,this will more evidently appear to be  
natural1 because1    #a4 ,this consent  
could not be by mere tradition4 #b4 ,nor
 by any mutual  intelligence of         
governors to keep people in awe1 which  
are two things  the atheist pleads2 the 
first hath no strong foundation1 and    
that  other is as absurd and foolish as 
it is wicked and abominable4 #c4 ,nor   
was it fear first introduced it4        
,first1 ,it could not be by mere        
tradition4 ,many things indeed are      
entertained by posterity which their    
ancestors delivered to them1 and  that  
out of a common reverence to their      

forefathers1 and an opinion  that they  
had a better prospect of things than the
 increase of the  corruption of         
succeeding ages would permit them to    
have4 ,but if this  be a tradition      
handed from our ancestors1 they also    
must receive it  from theirs2 we must   
then ascend to the first man1 we cannot 
else  escape a confounding ourselves    
with running into infinite4 ,was it then
  the only tradition he left to them8   
,is it not probable he acquainted  them 
with other things in conjunction with   
this1 the nature of ,god1  the way to   
worship him1 the manner of the world's  
existence1 his own  state8 ,we may      
reasonably suppose him to have a good   
stock of knowledge2  what is become of  
it8 ,it cannot be supposed1 that the    
first man should  acquaint his posterity
 with an object of worship1 and leave   
them  ignorant of a mode of worship and 
of the end of worship4 ,we find in      
,scripture his immediate posterity did  
the first in sacrifices1 and  without   

doubt they were not ignorant of the     
other3 how come men to be  so uncertain 
in all other things1 and so confident of
 this1 if it were  only a tradition8    
,how did debates and irreconcilable     
questions start  up concerning other    
things1 and this remain untouched1 but  
by a small  number8 ,whatsoever         
tradition the first man left besides    
this1 is lost1  and no way recoverable1 
but by the revelation ,god hath made in 
his  ,word4 ,how comes it to pass this  
of a ,god is longer lived than all the  
rest which we may suppose man left to   
his immediate descendants8 ,how  come   
men to retain the one and forget the    
other8 ,what was the reason  this       
survived the ruin of the rest1 and      
surmounted the uncertainties  into which
 the other sunk8 ,was it likely it      
should be handed down  alone without    
other attendants on it at first8 ,why   
did it not expire  among the ,americans1
 who have lost the account of their own 
descent1  and the stock from whence they

 sprung1 and cannot reckon above eight  
hundred or a thousand years at most8    
,why was not the manner of the  worship 
of a ,god transmitted as well as that of
 his existence8 ,how  came men to       
dissent in their opinions concerning his
 nature1 whether  he was corporeal or   
incorporeal1 finite or infinite1        
omnipresent  or limited8 ,why were not  
men as negligent to transmit this of his
  existence as that of his nature8 ,no  
reason can be rendered for  the security
 of this above the other1 but that there
 is so clear a  tincture of a ,deity    
upon the minds of men1 such traces and  
shadows  of him in the creatures1 such  
indelible a#ch instincts within1 and    
invincible arguments without to keep up 
this universal consent4 ,the  characters
 are so deep that they cannot possibly  
be rased out1 which  would have been one
 time or other1 in one nation or other1 
had it  depended only upon tradition1   
since one age shakes off frequently the 
sentiments of the former4 ,i cannot     

think of above one which may be  called 
a tradition1 which indeed was kept up   
among all nations1 viz4  sacrifices1    
which could not be natural but          
instituted4 ,what ground  could they    
have in nature1 to imagine that the     
blood of beasts could  expiate and wash 
off the guilt and stains of a rational  
creature8 ,yet  they had in all places  
7but among the ,jews1 and some of them  
only7  lost the knowledge of the reason 
and end of the institution1 which the   
,scripture acquaints us was to typify   
and signify the redemption by the       
,promised ,seed4 ,this tradition hath   
been superannuated and laid aside  in   
most parts of the world1 while this     
notion of the existence of a  ,god hath 
stood firm4 ,but suppose it were a      
tradition1 was it likely  to be a mere  
intention and figment of the first man8 
,had there been no  reason for it1 this 
posterity would soon have found out the 
weakness  of its foundation4 ,what      
advantage had it been to him to transmit

  so great a falsehood to kindle the    
fears or raise the hopes of his         
posterity1 if there were no ,god8 ,it   
cannot be supposed he should  be so void
 of that natural affection men in all   
ages bear to their  descendants1 as so  
grossly to deceive them1 and be so      
contrary to the  simplicity and         
plainness which appears in all things   
nearest their  original4    ,secondly1  
,neither was it by any mutual           
intelligence of governors  among        
themselves to keep people in subjection 
to them4 ,if it were a  political design
 at first1 it seems it met with the     
general nature of  mankind very ready to
 give it entertainment4    #a4 ,it is   
unaccountable how this should come to   
pass4 ,it must be either  by a joint    
assembly of them1 or a mutual           
correspondence4 ,if by an  assembly1 who
 were the persons8 ,let the name of any 
one be mentioned4  ,when was the time8  
,where was the place of this appearance8
 ,by what  authority did they meet      

together8 ,who made the first motion1   
and  first started this great principle 
of policy8 ,by what means could  they   
assemble from such distant parts of the 
world8 ,human histories  are utterly    
silent in it1 and the ,scripture1 the   
ancientest history1  gives an account of
 the attempt of ,babel1 but not a word  
of any design  of this nature4 ,what    
mutual correspondence could such have1  
whose  interests are for the most part  
different1 and their designs contrary   
to one another8 ,how could they1 who    
were divided by such vast seas1  have   
this mutual converse8 ,how could those  
who were different in their  customs and
 manners1 agree so unanimously together 
in one thing to  gull the people8 ,if   
there had been such a correspondence    
between the  governors of all nations1  
what is the reason some nations should  
be  unknown to the world till of late   
times8 ,how could the business be so    
secretly managed1 as not to take vent1  
and issue in a discovery to the  world8 

,can reason suppose so many in a joint  
conspiracy1 and no man's  conscience in 
his life under sharp afflictions1 or on 
his deathbed1  when conscience is most  
awakened1 constrain him to reveal openly
 the  cheat that beguiled the world8    
,how came they to be so unanimous a#ci  
in this notion1 and to differ in their  
rites almost in every country8  why     
could they not agree in one mode of     
worship throughout all the  world1 as   
well as in this universal notion8 ,if   
there were not a  mutual intelligence1  
it cannot be conceived how in every     
nation such  a stateengineer should rise
 up with the same trick to keep people  
in  awe4 ,what is the reason we cannot  
find any law in any one nation to       
constrain men to the belief of the      
existence of a ,god1 since politic      
stratagems have been often fortified by 
laws8 ,besides1 such men make  use of   
principles received to effect their     
contrivances1 and are  not so impolitic 
as to build designs upon principles that

 have no  foundation in nature4 ,some   
heathen lawgivers have pretended a      
converse  with their gods1 to make their
 laws be received by the people with  a 
greater veneration1 and fix with        
stronger obligation the observance  and 
perpetuity of them2 but this was not the
 introducing a new  principle1 but the  
supposition of an old received notion1  
that there  was a ,god1 and an          
application of that principle to their  
present  design4 ,the pretence had been 
vain had not the notion of a ,god been  
ingrafted4 ,politicians are so little   
possessed with a reverence of ,god1     
that the first mighty one in the        
,scripture 7which may reasonably gain   
with the atheist the credit of the      
ancientest history in the world71  is   
represented without any fear of ,god4#cd
 ,an invader and oppressor  of his      
neighbors1 and reputed the introducer of
 a new worship1 and  being the first    
that built cities after the flood 7as   
,cain was the  first builder of them    

before the flood71 built also idolatry  
with  them1 and erected a new worship1  
and was so far from strengthening  that 
notion the people had of ,god1 that he  
endeavored to corrupt it4  ,the first   
idolatry in common histories being noted
 to proceed from  that part of the      
world2 the ancientest idol being at     
,babylon1 and  supposed to be first     
invented by this person3 whence1 by the 
way1  perhaps ,rome is in the           
,revelations called ,babylon1 with      
respect to  that similitude of their    
saintworship1 to the idolatry first set 
up  in that place4#ce ',tis evident     
politicians have often changed the      
worship of a nation1 but it is not upon 
record that the first thoughts  of an   
object of worship ever entered into the 
minds of people by any  trick of theirs4
    ,but to return to the present       
argument1 the being of a ,god is owned  
by some nations that have scarce any    
form of policy among them4 ',tis  as    
wonderful how any wit should hit upon   

such an invention1 as it is  absurd to  
ascribe it to any human device1 if there
 were not prevailing  arguments to      
constrain the consent4 ,besides1 how is 
it possible they  should deceive        
themselves8 ,what is the reason the     
greatest politicians  have their fears  
of a ,deity upon their unjust practices1
 as well as  other men they intend to   
befool8 ,how many of them have had      
forlorn  consciences upon a deathbed1   
upon the consideration of a ,god to     
answer an account to in another world8  
,is it credible they should  be frighted
 by that wherewith they knew they       
beguiled others8 ,no man  satisfying his
 pleasures would impose a#dj such a     
deceit upon himself  to render and make 
himself more miserable than the         
creatures he hath  dominion over4    #b4
 ,it is unaccountable how it should     
endure so long a time2 that this  policy
 should be so fortunate as to gain      
ground in the consciences of  men1 and  
exercise an empire over them1 and meet  

with such an universal  success4 ,if the
 notion of a ,god were a stateengine1   
and introduced  by some political       
grandees1 for the ease of government1   
and preserving  people with more        
facility in order1 how comes it to pass 
the first  broachers of it were never   
upon record8 ,there is scarce a false   
opinion vented in the world1 but may1 as
 a stream1 be traced to the  first head 
and fountain4 ,the inventors of         
particular forms of worship  are known2 
and the reasons why they prescribed them
 known2 but what  grandee was the author
 of this8 ,who can pitch a time and     
person that  sprung up this notion8 ,if 
any be so insolent as to impose a cheat1
  he can hardly be supposed to be so    
successful as to deceive the whole      
world for many ages3 impostures pass not
 free through the whole world  without  
examination and discovery3 falsities    
have not been universally  and          
constantly owned without control and    
question4 ,if a cheat imposeth  upon    

some towns and countries1 he will be    
found out by the more  piercing         
inquiries of other places2 and it is not
 easy to name any  imposture that hath  
walked so long in its disguise in the   
world1  without being unmasked and      
whipped out by some nation or other4 ,if
  this had been a mere trick1 there     
would have been as much craft in  some  
to discern it as there was in others to 
contrive it4 ,no man can  be imagined so
 wise in a kingdom1 but others may be   
found as wise as  himself3 and it is not
 conceivable1 that so many clearsighted 
men in  all ages should be ignorant of  
it1 and not endeavour to free the world 
from so great a falsity4 ,it cannot be  
found that a trick of state  should     
always beguile men of the most piercing 
insights1 as well as  the most          
credulous3 that a few crafty men should 
befool all the wise  men in the world1  
and the world lie in a belief of it and 
never like  to be freed from it4#cf     
,what is the reason the succeeding      

politicians  never knew this stratagem2 
since their maxims are usually handed to
  their successors4#cg    ,this         
persuasion of the existence of ,god1    
owes not itself to any  imposture or    
subtility of men3 if it had not been    
agreeable to common  nature and reason1 
it could not so long have borne sway4   
,the imposed  yoke would have been cast 
off by multitudes2 men would not have   
charged themselves with that which was  
attended with consequences  displeasing 
to the flesh1 and hindered them from a  
full swing of their  rebellious         
passions2 such a shackle would have     
mouldered of itself1  or been broke by  
the extravagances human nature is       
inclined unto4 ,the  wickedness of men1 
without question1 hath prompted them to 
endeavour  to unmask it1 if it were a   
cosenage1 but could never yet be so     
successful as to free the world from a  
persuasion1 or their own  consciences   
from the tincture of the existence of a 
,deity4 ,it must  be therefore of an    

ancienter date than the craft of        
statesmen1 and  descend into the world  
with the first appearance of human      
nature4  a#da ,time1 which hath         
rectified many errors1 improves this    
notion1  makes it shock down its roots  
deeper and spread its branches larger4  
,it must be a natural truth that shines 
clear by the detection of those  errors 
that have befooled the world1 and the   
wit of man is never able  to name any   
human author that first insinuated it   
into the beliefs of  men4    ,thirdly1  
,nor was it fear first introduced it4   
,fear is the consequent  of wickedness4 
,as man was not created with any        
inherent sin1 so he  was not created    
with any terrifying fears2 the one had  
been against  the holiness of the       
,creator1 the other against his         
goodness3 fear did  not make this       
opinion1 but the opinion of the being of
 a ,deity was  the cause of this fear1  
after his sense of angering the ,deity  
by his  wickedness4 ,the object of fear 

is before the act of fear2 there could  
not be an act of fear exercised about   
the ,deity1 till it was believed  to be 
existent1 and not only so1 but offended3
 for ,god as existent  only1 is not the 
object of fear or love2 it is not the   
existence of a  thing that excites any  
of those affections1 but the relation a 
thing  bears to us in particular4 ,god  
is good1 and so the object of love1 as  
well as just1 and thereby the object of 
fear4 ,he was as much called  ,love1#ch 
and ,mens1 or ,mind1 in regard of his   
goodness and  understanding1 by the     
heathens1 as much as by any other name4 
,neither  of those names were proper to 
insinuate fear2 neither was fear the    
first principle that made the heathens  
worship a ,god2 they offered  sacrifices
 out of gratitude to some1 as well as to
 other1 out of fear2  the fear of evils 
in the world1 and the hopes of relief   
and assistance  from their gods1 and not
 a terrifying fear of ,god1 was the     
principal  spring of their worship4     

,when calamities from the hands of men1 
or  judgments by the influences of      
,heaven were upon them1 they implored   
that which they thought a deity2 it was 
not their fear of him1 but  a hope in   
his goodness1 and persuasion of remedy  
from him1 for the  averting those evils 
that rendered them adorers of a ,god3 if
 they had  not had preexisting notions  
of his being and goodness1 they would   
never have made addresses to him1 or so 
frequently sought to that they  only    
apprehended as a terrifying object4#ci  
,when you hear men calling  upon ,god in
 a time of affrighting thunder1 you     
cannot imagine that the  fear of thunder
 did first introduce the notion of a    
,god1 but implies1  that it was before  
apprehended by them1 or stamped upon    
them1 though  their fear doth at present
 actuate that belief1 and engage them in
 a  present exercise of piety2 and      
whereas the ,scripture saith1 8,the fear
  of ,god is the beginning of           
wisdom10#dj or of all religion2 it is   

not  understood of a distracted and     
terrifying fear1 but a reverential fear 
of him1 because of his holiness2 or a   
worship of him1 a submission to  him1   
and sincere seeking of him4    ,well1   
then1 is it not a folly for an atheist  
to deny that which is the  reason and   
common sentiment of the whole world2 to 
strip himself of  humanity1 run counter 
to his own conscience1 prefer a private 
before  an universal judgment1 give the 
lie to his own nature and reason1       
assert things impossible to be proved1  
nay1 impossible to be acted1  forge     
irrationalities for the support of his  
fancy against the common  a#db          
persuasion of the world1 and against    
himself1 and so much of ,god  as is     
manifest in him and every man8#da       
,reason ,,ii4 ,it is a folly to deny    
that which all creatures or all  things 
in the world manifest4#db ,let us view  
this in ,scripture1  since we           
acknowledge it1 and after consider the  
arguments from natural  reason4    ,the 

apostle resolves it 7,rom4 i4 #ai1 #bj71
 8,the invisible things of him  from the
 creation of the world are clearly seen1
 being understood by  the things that   
are made1 even his eternal power and    
,godhead1 so that  they are without     
excuse40 ,they know1 or might know1 by  
the things  that were made1 the eternity
 and power of ,god2 their sense might   
take  a circuit about every object1 and 
their minds collect the being and       
something of the perfections of the     
,deity4 ,the first discourse of  the    
mind upon the sight of a delicate piece 
of workmanship1 is the  conclusion of   
the being of an artificer1 and the      
admiration of his  skill and industry4  
,the apostle doth not say1 the invisible
 things  of ,god are believed1 or they  
have an opinion of them1 but they are   
seen1 and clearly seen4 ,they are like  
crystal glasses1 which give  a clear    
representation of the existence of a    
,deity1 like that mirror1  reported to  
be in a temple in ,arcadia1 which       

represented to the  spectator1 not his  
own face1 but the image of that deity   
which he  worshipped4 ,the whole world  
is like a lookingglass1 which1 whole    
and entire1 represents the image of     
,god1 and every broken piece of  it1    
every little shred of a creature doth   
the like2 not only the  great ones1     
elephants and the leviathan1 but ants1  
flies1 worms1 whose  bodies rather than 
names we know3 the greater cattle and   
the creeping  things 7,gen4 i4 #bd72 not
 naming there any intermediate creature1
 to  direct us to view him in the       
smaller letters1 as well as the greater 
characters of the world4 ,his name is   
8glorious10 and his attributes  are     
excellent 8in all the earth20#dc in     
every creature1 as the glory  of the sun
 is in every beam and smaller flash2 he 
is seen in every  insect1 in every spire
 of grass4 ,the voice of the ,creator is
 in  the most contemptible creature4    
,the apostle adds1 that they are so     
clearly seen1 that men are inexcusable  

if they have not some knowledge  of ,god
 by them2 if they might not certainly   
know them1 they might  have some excuse3
 so that his existence is not only      
probably1 but  demonstratively proved   
from the things of the world4#dd        
,especially the heavens declare him1    
which ,god 8stretches out like  a       
curtain10#de or1 as some render the     
word1 a 8skin10 whereby is  signified1  
that heaven is as an open book1 which   
was anciently made  of the skins of     
beasts1 that by the knowledge of them we
 may be taught  the knowledge of ,god4  
,where ,scripture was not revealed1 the 
world  served for a witness of a ,god2  
whatever arguments the ,scripture uses  
to prove it1 are drawn from nature      
7though1 indeed1 it doth not so  much   
prove as suppose the existence of a     
,god72 but what arguments it  uses are  
from the creatures1 and particularly the
 heavens1 which are  the public         
preachers of this doctrine4 ,the breath 
of ,god sounds to  all the world through

 those organpipes4 ,his being is visible
 in their  existence1 his wisdom in     
their frame1 his power in their a#dc    
motion1  his goodness in their          
usefulness4 ,they have a voice1 and     
their voice  is as intelligible as any  
common language4#df ,and those are so   
plain heralds of a ,deity1 that the     
heathen mistook them for deities1  and  
gave them a particular adoration1 which 
was due to that ,god they  declared4    
,the first idolatry seems to be of those
 heavenly bodies1  which began probably 
in the time of ,nimrod4 ,in ,job's time 
it is  certain they admired the glory of
 the sun1 and the brightness of the     
moon1 not without kissing their hands1 a
 sign of adoration4#dg ,it is  evident a
 man may as well doubt whether there be 
a sun1 when he sees  his beams gilding  
the earth1 as doubt whether there be a  
,god1 when he  sees his works spread in 
the world4    ,the things in the world  
declare the existence of a ,god4 #a4 ,in
 their  production4 #b4 ,harmony4 #c4   

,preservation4 #d4 ,answering their     
several  ends4    ,first1 ,in their     
production4 ,the declaration of the     
existence of ,god  was the chief end for
 which they were created1 that the      
notion of  a supreme and independent    
,eternal ,being might easier incur into 
the  active understanding of man from   
the objects of sense1 dispersed in      
every corner of the world1 that he might
 pay a homage and devotion  to the ,lord
 of all 7,isai4 xl4 #ab1 #ac1 #ah1 #ai1 
c471 8,have you not  understood from the
 foundation of the earth1 it is he that 
sits upon  the circle of the heaven10 c4
 ,how could this great heap be brought  
into being1 unless a ,god had framed it8
 ,every plant1 every atom1 as  well as  
every star1 at the first meeting1       
whispers this in our ears1  8,i have a  
,creator2 ,i am witness to a ,deity40   
,who ever saw statues or  pictures but  
presently thinks of a statuary and      
limner8 ,who beholds  garments1 ships1  
or houses1 but understands there was a  

weaver1 a  carpenter1 an architect8#dh  
,who can cast his eyes about the world1 
but must think of that power that formed
 it1 and that the goodness  which       
appears in the formation of it hath a   
perfect residence in some  being8       
8,those things that are good must flow  
from something perfectly  good3 that    
which is chief in any kind is the cause 
of all of that  kind4 ,fire1 which is   
most hot1 is the cause of all things    
which are  hot4 ,there is some being1   
therefore1 which is the cause of all    
that  perfection which is in the        
creature2 and this is ,god40 7,aquin4 #a
  qu4 #b4 ,artic4 #c47 ,all things that 
are demonstrate something from  whence  
they are4 ,all things have a contracted 
perfection1 and what  they have is      
communicated to them4 ,perfections are  
parcelled out among  several creatures4 
,anything that is imperfect cannot exist
 of itself4  ,we are led1 therefore1 by 
them to consider a fountain which       
bubbles up  in all perfection2 a hand   

which distributes those several degrees 
of  being and perfection to what we see4
 ,we see that which is imperfect2  our  
minds conclude something perfect to     
exist before it4 ,our eye sees  the     
streams1 but our understanding riseth to
 the head2 as the eye sees  the shadow1 
but the understanding informs us whether
 it be the shadow  of a man or of a     
beast4    ,god hath given us sense to   
behold the objects in the world1 and    
understanding to reason his existence   
from them4 ,the understanding  cannot   
conceive a thing to have made itself2   
that is against all a#dd  reason4 ,as   
they are made1 they speak out a         
,maker1#di and cannot be a  trick of    
chance1 since they are made with such an
 immense wisdom1 that  is too big for   
the grasp of all human understanding4   
,those that doubt  whether the existence
 of ,god be an implanted principle1 yet 
agree that  the effects in the world    
lead to a supreme and universal cause2  
and  that if we have not the knowledge  

of it rooted in our natures1 yet we     
have it by discourse2 since1 by all     
masters of reason1 a processus  in      
infinitum must be accounted impossible  
in subordinate causes4 ,this  will      
appear in several things4    ,i4 ,the   
world and every creature had a          
beginning4 ,the ,scripture  ascertains  
this to us4#ej ,david1 who was not the  
first man1 gives  the praise to ,god of 
his being 8curiously wrought10 c4 7,ps4 
cxxxix4  #ad1 #ae74 ,god gave being to  
men1 and plants1 and beasts1 before they
  gave being to one another4 ,he gives  
being to them now as the ,fountain  of  
all being1 though the several modes of  
being are from the several  natures of  
second causes4    ,it is true1 indeed1  
we are ascertained that they were made  
by the true  ,god2 that they were made  
by his word2 that they were made of     
nothing2  and not only this lower world 
wherein we live1 but1 according to the  
,jewish division1 the world of men1 the 
world of stars1 and the world  of       

spirits and souls4 ,we do not waver in  
it1 or doubt of it1 as the  heathen did 
in their disputes2 we know they are the 
workmanship of  the true ,god1 of that  
,god we adore1 not of false gods2 8by   
his word10  without any instrument or   
engine1 as in earthly structures2 8of   
things which do not appear10 without any
 preexistent matter1 as all  artificial 
works of men are framed4 ,yet the proof 
of the beginning of  the world is       
affirmed with good reason2 and if it had
 a beginning1 it  had also some higher  
cause than itself3 every effect hath a  
cause4    ,the world was not eternal1 or
 from eternity4#ea ,the matter of the   
world cannot be eternal4 ,matter cannot 
subsist without form1 nor put  on any   
form without the action of some cause4  
,this cause must be in  being before it 
acted2 that which is not cannot act4    
,the cause of the  world must           
necessarily exist before any matter was 
endued with any  form2 that1 therefore1 
cannot be eternal before which another  

did  subsist2 if it were from eternity1 
it would not be subject to mutation4    
,if the whole was from eternity1 why not
 also the parts2 what makes the  changes
 so visible1 then1 if eternity would    
exempt it from mutability8    #a4 ,time 
cannot be infinite1 and1 therefore1 the 
world not eternal4  ,all motion hath its
 beginning2 if it were otherwise1 we    
must say the  number of heavenly        
revolutions of days and nights1 which   
are past to  this instant1 is actually  
infinite1 which cannot be in nature4#eb 
,if  it were so1 it must needs be       
granted that a part is equal to the     
whole2  because infinite being equal to 
infinite1 the number of days past1 in   
all ages to the beginning of one year   
being infinite 7as they would be1       
supposing the world had no beginning7   
would by consequence be equal  to the   
number of days which shall pass to the  
end of the a#de next2  whereas that     
number of days past is indeed but a     
part2 and so a part  would be equal to  

the whole4    #b4 ,generations of men1  
animals1 and plants1 could not be from  
eternity4 ,if any man say the world was 
from eternity1 then there must  be      
propagations of living creatures in the 
same manner as are at this  day2 for    
without this the world could not        
consist4#ec ,what we see  now done must 
have been perpetually done1 if it be    
done by a necessity  of nature2 but we  
see nothing now that doth arise but by a
 mutual  propagation from another4 ,if  
the world were eternal1 therefore1 it   
must be so in all eternity4 ,take any   
particular species4 ,suppose a man1  if 
men were from eternity2 then there were 
perpetual generationssome  were born    
into the world1 and some died4 ,now the 
natural condition of  generation is1    
that a man doth not generate a man1 nor 
a sheep a lamb1  as soon as ever itself 
is brought into the world2 but get      
strength and  vigor by degrees1 and must
 arrive to a certain stated age before  
they  can produce the like2 for whilst  

anything is little and below the due    
age1 it cannot increase its kind4 ,men1 
therefore1 and other creatures1  did    
propagate their kind by the same law1   
not as soon as ever they  were born1 but
 in the interval of some time2 and      
children grew up  by degrees in the     
mother's womb till they were fit to be  
brought  forth4 ,if this be so1 then    
there could not be an eternal succession
  of propagating2 for there is no       
eternal continuation of time4 ,time  is 
always to be conceived as having one    
part before another2 but  that          
perpetuity of nativities is always after
 some time1 wherein it  could not be for
 the weakness of age4 ,if no man1 then1 
can conceive  a propagation from        
eternity1 there must be then a beginning
 of  generation in time1 and1           
consequently1 the creatures were made in
 time4    8,if the world were eternal1  
it must have been in the same posture as
  it is now1 in a state of generation   
and corruption2 and so corruption  must 

have been as eternal as generation1 and 
then things that do  generate and       
corrupt must have eternally been and    
eternally not have  been3 there must be 
some first way to set generation on     
work40#ed ,we  must lose ourselves in   
our conceptions2 we cannot conceive a   
father  before a child1 as well as we   
cannot conceive a child before a father3
  and reason is quite bewildered1 and   
cannot return into a right way of       
conception1 till it conceive one first  
of every kind3 one first man1  one first
 animal1 one first plant1 from whence   
others do proceed4 ,the  argument is    
unanswerable1 and the wisest atheist 7if
 any atheist can  be called wise7 cannot
 unloose the knot4 ,we must come to     
something  that is first in every kind1 
and this first must have a cause1 not of
  the same kind1 but infinite and       
independent2 otherwise men run into     
inconceivable labyrinths and            
contradictions4    ,man1 the noblest    
creature upon earth1 hath a beginning4  

,no man in  the world but was some years
 ago no man4 ,if every man we see had a 
beginning1 then the first man had also a
 beginning1 then the world  had a       
beginning3 for the earth1 which was made
 for the use of man1 had  wanted that   
end for which it was made4 ,we must     
pitch upon some one man  that was       
unborn2 that first man must either be   
eternal2 that cannot be1  for he that   
hath no beginning hath no end2 or must  
a#df spring out of  the earth as plants 
and trees do2#ee that cannot be2 why    
should not  the earth produce men to    
this day1 as it doth plants and trees8  
,he was  therefore made2 and whatsoever 
is made hath some cause that made it1   
which is ,god4 ,if the world were       
uncreated1 it were then immutable1  but 
every creature upon the earth is in a   
continual flux1 always  changing3#ef if 
things be mutable1 they were created2 if
 created1  they were made by some       
author3 whatsoever hath a beginning must
 have  a maker2 if the world hath a     

beginning1 there was then a time when it
  was not2 it must have some cause to   
produce it4 ,that which makes is  before
 that which is made1 and this is ,god4  
,,ii4 ,which will appear further in this
 proposition1 ,no creature can  make    
itself2 the world could not make itself4
    ,if every man had a beginning1 every
 man then was once nothing2 he  could   
not then make himself1 because nothing  
cannot be the cause  of something2      
#8,the ,lord he is ,god2 he hath made   
us1 and not we  ourselves4' 7,ps4 c4    
#c47 ,whatsoever begun in time was not2 
and when it  was nothing1 it had        
nothing1 and could do nothing2 and      
therefore could  never give to itself1  
nor to any other1 to be1 or to be able  
to do3  for then it gave what it had    
not1 and did what it could not4 ,since  
reason must acknowledge a first of every
 kind1 a first man1 c41 it  must        
acknowledge him created and made1 not by
 himself3#eg why have  not other men    
since risen up by themselves1 not by    

chance8 why hath  not chance produced   
the like in that long time the world    
hath stood8  ,if we never knew anything 
give being to itself1 how can we imagine
  anything ever could8 ,if the chiefest 
part of this lower world cannot1  nor   
any part of it hath been known to give  
being to itself1 then the  whole cannot 
be supposed to give any being to itself3
 man did not form  himself2 his body is 
not from himself2 it would then have the
 power  of moving itself1 but that it is
 not able to live or act without the    
presence of the soul4 ,whilst the soul  
is present1 the body moves2  when that  
is absent1 the body lies as a senseless 
log1 not having  the least action or    
motion4 ,his soul could not form itself4
 ,can that  which cannot form the least 
mote1 the least grain of dust1 form     
itself  a nobler substance than any upon
 the earth8 ,this will be evident to    
every man's reason1 if we consider1     
#a4 ,nothing can act before it be4 ,the 
first man was not1 and therefore  could 

not make himself to be4 ,for anything to
 produce itself is to act2  if it acted 
before it was1 it was then something and
 nothing at the  same time2 it then had 
a being before it had a being2 it acted 
when it  brought itself into being4 ,how
 could it act without a being1 without  
it was8 ,so that if it were the cause of
 itself1 it must be before  itself as   
well as after itself2 it was before it  
was2 it was as a  cause before it was as
 an effect4 ,action always supposeth a  
principle  from whence it flows2 as     
nothing hath no existence1 so it hath no
  operation3 there must be1 therefore1  
something of real existence to  give a  
being to those things that are1 and     
every cause must be an  effect of some  
other before it be a cause4 ,to be and  
not to be at the  same time1 is a       
manifest contradiction1 which would be1 
if anything  made itself4 ,that which   
makes is always before that a#dg which  
is  made4 ,who will say the house is    
before the carpenter1 or the picture    

before the limner8 ,the world as a      
creator must be before itself as a      
creature4    #b4 ,that which doth not   
understand itself and order itself could
 not  make itself4 ,if the first man    
fully understood his own nature1 the    
excellency of his own soul1 the manner  
of its operations1 why was not  that    
understanding conveyed to his posterity8
 ,are not many of them  found1 who      
understand their own nature1 almost as  
little as a beast  understands itself2  
or a rose understands its own sweetness2
 or a  tulip its own colors8 ,the       
,scripture1 indeed1 gives us an account 
how  this came about1 viz4 by the       
deplorable rebellion of man1 whereby    
death was brought upon them 7a spiritual
 death1 which includes  ignorance1 as   
well as an inability to spiritual       
action4#eh7 ,thus  he fell from his     
honor1 and became like the beasts that  
perish1 and  not retaining ,god in his  
knowledge1 retained not himself in his  
own  knowledge4    ,but what reply can  

an atheist make to it1 who acknowledges 
no higher  cause than nature8 ,if the   
soul made itself1 how comes it to be so 
muddy1 so wanting in its knowledge of   
itself1 and of other things8  ,if the   
soul made its own understanding1 whence 
did the defect arise8  ,if some first   
principle was settled by the first man  
in himself1  where was the stop that he 
did not implant all in his own mind1    
and1  consequently in the minds of all  
his descendants8 ,our souls know  little
 of themselves1 little of the world1 are
 every day upon new  inquiries1 have    
little satisfaction in themselves1 meet 
with many  an invincible rub in their   
way1 and when they seem to come to some 
resolution in some cases1 stagger again1
 and1 like a stone rolled up  to the top
 of the hill1 quickly find themselves   
again at the foot4  ,how come they to be
 so purblind in truth8 so short of that 
which they  judge true goodness8 ,how   
comes it to pass they cannot order their
  own rebellious affections1 and suffer 

the reins they have to hold  over their 
affections to be taken out of their     
hands by the unruly  fancy and flesh8   
,this no man that denies the being of a 
,god1 and the  revelation in ,scripture1
 can give an account of4 ,blessed be    
,god that  we have the ,scripture1 which
 gives us an account of those things1   
that  all the wit of men could never    
inform us of2 and that when they are    
discovered and known by revelation1 they
 appear not contrary to reason6    #c4  
,if the first man made himself1 how came
 he to limit himself8 ,if he  gave      
himself being1 why did he not give      
himself all the perfections  and        
ornaments of being8 ,nothing that made  
itself could sit down  contented with a 
little1 but would have had as much power
 to give  itself that which is less1 as 
to give itself being1 when it was       
nothing4 ,the excellences it wanted had 
not been more difficult to gain  than   
the other which it possessed1 as        
belonging to its nature4 ,if the  first 

man had been independent upon another1  
and had his perfection  from himself1 he
 might have acquired that perfection he 
wanted as well  as have bestowed upon   
himself that perfection he had2 and then
 there  would have been no bounds set to
 him4 ,he would have been omniscient    
and immutable4 ,he might have given a#dh
 himself what he would2 if he  had had  
the setting his own bounds1 he would    
have set none at all2 for  what should  
restrain him8 ,no man now wants ambition
 to be what he is  not2 and if the first
 man had not been determined by another1
 but had  given himself being1 he would 
not have remained in that determinate   
being1 no more than a toad would remain 
a toad1 if it had power to  make itself 
a man1 and that power it would have had1
 if it had given  itself a being4       
,whatsoever gives itself being1 would   
give itself all  degrees of being1 and  
so would have no imperfection1 because  
every  imperfection is a want of some   
degree of being4 ,he that could give    

himself matter and life1 might give     
himself everything4#ei ,the giving  of  
life is an act of omnipotence2 and what 
is omnipotent in one thing  may be in   
all4 ,besides1 if the first man had made
 himself1 he would  have conveyed       
himself to all his posterity in the same
 manner2  every man would have had all  
the perfections of the first man1 as    
every creature hath the perfections of  
the same kind1 from whence it  naturally
 issues2 all are desirous to communicate
 what they can to  their posterity4     
,communicative goodness belongs to every
 nature4 ,every  plant propagates its   
kind in the same perfection it hath     
itself2 and  the nearer anything comes  
to a rational nature1 the greater       
affection  it hath to that which        
descends from it2 therefore this        
affection  belongs to a rational nature 
much more4 ,the first man1 therefore1   
if he had had power to give himself     
being1 and1 consequently1 all           
perfection1 he would have had as much   

power to convey it down to his          
posterity2 no impediment could have     
stopped his way2 then all souls         
proceeding from that first man would    
have been equally intellectual4  ,what  
should hinder them from inheriting the  
same perfections8  ,whence should they  
have divers qualifications and          
differences in  their understandings8   
,no man then would have been subject to 
those  weaknesses1 doubtings1 and       
unsatisfied desires of knowledge and    
perfection4 ,but being all souls are not
 alike1 it is certain they  depend upon 
some other cause for the communication  
of that excellency  they have4 ,if the  
perfections of man be so contracted and 
kept within  certain bounds1 it is      
certain that they were not in his own   
power1  and so were not from himself4   
,whatsoever hath a determinate being    
must  be limited by some superior cause4
 ,there is1 therefore1 some superior    
power1 that hath thus determined the    
creature by set bounds and  distinct    

measures1 and hath assigned to every one
 its proper nature1  that it should not 
be greater or less than it is2 who hath 
said of  every one as of the waves of   
the sea1 8,hitherto shalt thou come1 but
  no further20#fj and this is ,god4 ,man
 could not have reserved any  perfection
 from his posterity2 for since he doth  
propagate not by  choice1 but nature1 he
 could no more have kept back any       
perfection  from them1 than he could1 as
 he pleased1 have given any perfection  
belonging to his nature to them4    #d4 
,that which hath power to give itself   
being1 cannot want power to  preserve   
that being4 ,preservation is not more   
difficult than creation4  ,if the first 
man made himself1 why did he not        
preserve himself8 ,he  is not now among 
the living in the world4 ,how came he   
a#di to be so  feeble as to sink into   
the grave8 ,why did he not inspire      
himself with  new heat and moisture1 and
 fill his languishing limbs and         
declining  body with new strength8 ,why 

did he not chase away diseases and death
  at the first approach8 ,what creature 
can find the dust of the first  man8    
,all his posterity traverse the stage   
and retire again2 in a short  space     
their age departs1 and is removed from  
them #8as a shepherd's  tent1' and is   
#8cut off with pining sickness4'#fa     
#8,the life of man is  as a wind1 and   
like a cloud that is consumed and       
vanishes away4 ,the  eye that sees him  
shall see him no more2 he returns not to
 his house1  neither doth his place know
 him any more4'#fb ,the ,scripture gives
 us  the reason of this1 and lays it    
upon the score of sin against his       
,creator1 which no man without          
revelation can give any satisfactory    
account of4 ,had the first man made     
himself1 he had been sufficient  for    
himself1 able to support himself without
 the assistance of any  creature4 ,he   
would not have needed animals and       
plants1 and other helps  to nourish and 
refresh him1 nor medicines to cure him4 

,he could not be  beholden to other     
things for his support1 which he is     
certain he never  made for himself4 ,his
 own nature would have continued that   
vigor1  which once he had conferred upon
 himself4 ,he would not have needed  the
 heat and light of the sun2 he would    
have wanted nothing sufficient  for     
himself in himself2 he needed not have  
sought without himself for  his own     
preservation and comfort4 ,what depends 
upon another is not  of itself2 and what
 depends upon things inferior to itself 
is less of  itself4 ,since nothing can  
subsist of itself1 since we see those   
things  upon which man depends for his  
nourishment and subsistence1 growing    
and decaying1 starting into the world   
and retiring from it1 as well as  man   
himself2 some preserving cause must be  
concluded1 upon which all  depends4     
#e4 ,if the first man did produce       
himself1 why did he not produce  himself
 before8    ,it hath been already       
proved1 that he had a beginning1 and    

could not  be from eternity4 ,why then  
did he not make himself before8 ,not    
because  he would not4 ,for having no   
being1 he could have no will2 he could  
neither be willing nor not willing4 ,if 
he could not then1 how could  he        
afterwards8 ,if it were in his own      
power1 he could have done it1  he would 
have done it2 if it were not in his own 
power1 then it was  in the power of some
 other cause1 and that is ,god4 ,how    
came he by  that power to produce       
himself8 ,if the power of producing     
himself were  communicated by another1  
then man could not be the cause of      
himself4  ,that is the cause of it which
 communicated that power to it4 ,but  if
 the power of being was in and from     
himself and in no other1 nor            
communicated to him1 man would always   
have been in act1 and always  have      
existed2 no hindrance can be conceived4 
,for that which had the  power of being 
in itself was invincible by anything    
that should stand  in the way of its own

 being4    ,we may conclude from hence1 
the excellency of the ,scripture2 that  
it is a word not to be refused credit4  
,it gives us the most rational  account 
of things in the #ast and #b;d of       
,genesis1 which nothing in the  world   
else is able to do4    ,,iii4 ,no       
creature could make the world4 ,no      
creature can create a#ej  another4 ,if  
it creates of nothing1 it is then       
omnipotent and so not  a creature4 ,if  
it makes something of matter unfit for  
that which is  produced out of it1 then 
the inquiry will be1 ,who was the cause 
of the  matter8 and so we must arrive to
 some uncreated being1 the cause of     
all4 ,whatsoever gives being to any     
other must be the highest being1  and   
must possess all the perfections of that
 which it gives being to4  ,what visible
 creature is there which possesses the  
perfections of the  whole world8 ,if    
therefore an invisible creature made the
 world1 the  same inquiries will return 
whence that creature had its being8 for 

he  could not make himself4 ,if any     
creature did create the world1 he must  
do it by the strength and virtue of     
another1 which first gave him  being1   
and this is ,god4 ,for whatsoever hath  
its existence and virtue  of acting from
 another1 is not ,god4 ,if it hath its  
virtue from another1  it is then a      
second cause1 and so supposeth a first  
cause4 ,it must  have some cause of     
itself1 or be eternally existent4 ,if   
eternally  existent1 it is not a second 
cause1 but ,god2 if not eternally       
existent1  we must come to something at 
length which was the cause of it1 or    
else  be bewildered without being able  
to give an account of anything4 ,we     
must come at last to an infinite1       
eternal1 independent ,being1 that  was  
the first cause of this structure and   
fabric wherein we and all  creatures    
dwell4 ,the ,scripture proclaims this   
aloud1 8,i am the ,lord  and there is   
none else3 ,i form the light1 and ,i    
create darkness40#fc  ,man1 the noblest 

creature1 cannot of himself make a man1 
the chiefest  part of the world4 ,if our
 parents only1 without a superior power1
 made  our bodies or souls1 they would  
know the frame of them2 as he that      
makes a lock knows the wards of it2 he  
that makes any curious piece  of arras1 
knows how he sets the various colors    
together1 and how many  threads went to 
each division in the web2 he that makes 
a watch1  having the idea of the whole  
work in his mind1 knows the motions of  
it1 and the reason of those motions4    
,but both parents and children  are     
equally ignorant of the nature of their 
souls and bodies1 and  of the reason of 
their motions4 ,god only1 that had the  
supreme hand  in forming us1 in whose   
8book all our members are written1 which
 in  continuance were fashioned10#fd    
knows what we all are ignorant of4 ,if  
man hath in an ordinary course of       
generation his being chiefly from a     
higher cause than his parents1 the world
 then certainly had its being  from some

 infinitely wise intelligent ,being1    
which is ,god4 ,if it  were1 as some    
fancy1 made by an assembly of atoms1    
there must be some  infinite intelligent
 cause that made them1 some cause that  
separated  them1 some cause that mingled
 them together for the piling up so     
comely a structure as the world4 ,it is 
the most absurd thing to think  they    
should meet together by hazard1 and rank
 themselves in that order  we see1      
without a higher and a wise agent4 ,so  
that no creature could  make the world4 
,for supposing any creature was formed  
before this  visible world1 and might   
have a hand in disposing things1 yet he 
must  have a cause of himself1 and must 
act by the virtue and strength of       
another1 and this is ,god4    ,,iv4     
,from hence it follows1 that there is a 
first cause of things1  which we call   
,god4 ,there must be something supreme  
in the order a#ea  of nature1 something 
which is greater than all1 which hath   
nothing  beyond it or above it1         

otherwise we must run in infinitum4 ,we 
see  not a river1 but we conclude a     
fountain2 a watch1 but we conclude an   
artificer4 ,as all number begins from   
unity1 so all the multitude of  things  
in the world begins from some unity1    
oneness as the principle  of it4 ,it is 
natural to arise from a view of those   
things1 to the  conception of a nature  
more perfect than any4 ,as from heat    
mixed  with cold1 and light mixed with  
darkness1 men conceive and arise in     
their understandings to an intense heat 
and a pure light2 and from a  corporeal 
or bodily substance joined with an      
incorporeal1 7as man is  an earthly body
 and a spiritual soul71 we ascend to a  
conception of  a substance purely       
incorporeal and spiritual3 so from a    
multitude of  things in the world1      
reason leads us to one choice being     
above all4  ,and since in all natures in
 the world1 we still find a superior    
nature2  the nature of one beast1 above 
the nature of another2 the nature of    

man above the nature of beasts2 and some
 invisible nature1 the worker  of       
strange effects in the air and earth1   
which cannot be ascribed to  any visible
 cause1 we must suppose some nature     
above all those1 of  unconceivable      
perfection4    ,every skeptic1 one that 
doubts whether there be anything real or
 no  in the world1 that counts          
everything an appearance1 must          
necessarily  own a first cause4#fe ,they
 cannot reasonably doubt1 but that there
  is some first cause which makes the   
things appear so to them4 ,they  cannot 
be the cause of their own appearance4   
,for as nothing can have  a being from  
itself1 so nothing can appear by itself 
and its own force4  ,nothing can be and 
not be at the same time4 ,but that which
 is not and  yet seems to be2 if it be  
the cause why it seems to be what it is 
not1  it may be said to be and not to   
be4 ,but certainly such persons must    
think themselves to exist4 ,if they do  
not1 they cannot think2 and if  they do 

exist1 they must have some cause of that
 existence4 ,so that  which way soever  
we turn ourselves1 we must in reason own
 a first  cause of the world4 ,well then
 might the ,psalmist term an atheist  a 
fool1 that disowns a ,god against his   
own reason4 ,without owning a  ,god as  
the first cause of the world1 no man can
 give any tolerable or  satisfactory    
account of the world to his own reason4 
,and this first  cause1    #a4 ,must    
necessarily exist4 ,it is necessary that
 ,he by whom all things  are1 should be 
before all things1 and nothing before   
him4#ff ,and if  nothing be before him1 
he comes not from any other2 and then he
 always  was1 and without beginning4 ,he
 is from himself2 not that he once was  
not1 but because he hath not his        
existence from another1 and therefore   
of necessity he did exist from all      
eternity4 ,nothing can make itself1  or 
bring itself into being2 therefore there
 must be some being which  hath no      
cause1 that depends upon no other1 never

 was produced by any  other1 but was    
what he is from eternity1 and cannot be 
otherwise2  and is not what he is by    
will1 but nature1 necessarily existing1 
and  always existing without any        
capacity or possibility ever not to be4 
#b4 ,must be infinitely perfect4 ,since 
man knows he is an imperfect  being1 he 
must suppose the perfections he wants   
are seated in some  a#eb other being    
which hath limited him1 and upon which  
he depends4  ,whatsoever we conceive of 
excellency or perfection1 must be in    
,god4  ,for we can conceive no          
perfection but what ,god hath given us a
 power  to conceive4 ,and he that gave  
us a power to conceive a transcendent   
perfection above whatever we saw or     
heard of1 hath much more in  himself2   
else he could not give us such a        
conception4    ,secondly1 ,as the       
production of the world1 so the harmony 
of all  the parts of it declare the     
being and wisdom of a ,god4 ,without the
  acknowledging ,god1 the atheist can   

give no account of those things4  ,the  
multitude1 elegancy1 variety1 and beauty
 of all things are steps  whereby to    
ascend to one fountain and original of  
them4 ,is it not a  folly to deny the   
being of a wise agent1 who sparkles in  
the beauty  and motions of the heavens1 
rides upon the wings of the wind1 and is
  writ upon the flowers and fruits of   
plants8 ,as the cause is known by  the  
effects1 so the wisdom of the cause is  
known by the elegancy of  the work1 the 
proportion of the parts to one another4 
,who can imagine  the world could be    
rashly made1 and without consultation1  
which1 in  every part of it1 is so      
artificially framed8 ,no work of art    
springs up  of its own accord4#fg ,the  
world is framed by an excellent art1    
and1  therefore1 made by some skilful   
artist4 ,as we hear not a melodious     
instrument1 but we conclude there is a  
musician that touches it1  as well as   
some skilful hand that framed and       
disposed it for those  lessons2 and no  

man that hears the pleasant sound of a  
lute but will  fix his thoughts1 not    
upon the instrument itself1 but upon the
 skill  of the artist that made it1 and 
the art of the musician that strikes    
it1 though he should not see the first1 
when he saw the lute1 nor see  the      
other1 when he hears the harmony3 so a  
rational creature confines  not his     
thoughts to his sense when he sees the  
sun in its glory1 and  the moon walking 
in its brightness2 but riseth up in a   
contemplation  and admiration of that   
,infinite ,spirit that composed1 and    
filled them  with such sweetness4 ,this 
appears1    #a4 ,in the linking contrary
 qualities together4 ,all things are    
compounded of the elements4 ,those are  
endued with contrary qualities1  dryness
 and moisture1 heat and cold4 ,these    
would always be contending  with and    
infesting one another's rights1 till the
 contest ended in the  destruction of   
one or both4 ,where fire is predominant1
 it would suck  up the water2 where     

water is prevalent1 it would quench the 
fire4  ,the heat would wholly expel the 
cold1 or the cold overpower the heat2   
yet we see them chained and linked one  
within another in every body  upon the  
earth1 and rendering mutual offices for 
the benefit of that  body wherein they  
are seated1 and all conspiring together 
in their  particular quarrels for the   
public interest of the body4 ,how could 
those contraries1 that of themselves    
observe no order1 that are always       
preying upon one another1 jointly accord
 together of themselves1 for  one common
 end1 if they were not linked in a      
common band1 and reduced  to that order 
by some incomprehensible wisdom and     
power1 which keeps  a hand upon them1   
orders their motions and directs their  
events1 and  makes them friendly pass   
into one another's natures8 ,confusion  
had  been the result of the discord and 
diversity of their natures2 no          
composition could have been of a#ec     
those conflicting qualities for  the    

frame of any body1 nor any harmony arose
 from so many jarring  strings1 if they 
had not been reduced into concord by one
 that is  supreme ,lord over them1 and  
knows how to dispose their varieties and
  enmities for the public good4 ,if a   
man should see a large city or  country1
 consisting of great multitudes of men1 
of different tempers1  full of frauds1  
and factions1 and animosities in their  
natures against  one another1 yet living
 together in good order and peace1      
without  oppressing and invading one    
another1 and joining together for the   
public good1 he would presently conclude
 there were some excellent  governor1   
who tempered them by his wisdom1 and    
preserved the public  peace1 though he  
had never yet beheld him with his       
eye4#fh ,it is  as necessary to conclude
 a ,god1 who moderates the contrarieties
 in  the world1 as to conclude a wise   
prince who overrules the contrary       
dispositions in a state1 making every   
one to keep his own bounds  and         

confines4 ,things that are contrary to  
one another subsist in an  admirable    
order4    #b4 ,in the subserviency of   
one thing to another4 ,all the members  
of  living creatures are curiously      
fitted for the service of one another1  
destined to a particular end1 and endued
 with a virtue to attain that  end1 and 
so distinctly placed1 that one is no    
hindrance to the other  in its          
operations4#fi ,is not this more        
admirable than to be the  work of       
chance1 which is incapable to settle    
such an order1 and fix  particular and  
general ends1 causing an exact          
correspondency of all  the parts with   
one another1 and every part to conspire 
together for  one common end8 ,one thing
 is fitted for another4 ,the eye is     
fitted  for the sun1 and the sun fitted 
for the eye4 ,several sorts of food are 
fitted for several creatures1 and those 
creatures fitted with organs  for the   
partaking that food4    7#a47           
,subserviency of heavenly bodies4 ,the  

sun1 the heart of the world1  is not for
 itself1 but for the good of the world1 
as the heart of man  is for the good of 
the body4#gj ,how conveniently is the   
sun placed1  at a distance from the     
earth1 and the upper heavens1 to        
enlighten the  stars above1 and enliven 
the earth below6 ,if it were either     
higher  or lower1 one part would want   
its influences4 ,it is not in the higher
  parts of the heavens2 the earth1 then1
 which lives and fructifies  by its     
influence would have been exposed to a  
perpetual winter and  chillness1 unable 
to have produced anything for the       
sustenance of man  or beast4 ,if seated 
lower1 the earth had been parched up1   
the world  made uninhabitable1 and long 
since had been consumed to ashes by the 
strength of its heat4 ,consider the     
motion1 as well as the situation of  the
 sun4 ,had it stood still1 one part of  
the world had been cherished  by its    
beams1 and the other left in a desolate 
widowhood1 in a  disconsolate darkness4 

,besides1 the earth would have had no   
shelter  from its perpendicular beams   
striking perpetually1 and without any   
remission1 upon it4 ,the same           
incommodities would have followed upon  
its fixedness as upon its too great     
nearness4 ,by a constant day1 the       
beauty of the stars had been obscured1  
the knowledge of their motions  been    
prevented1 and a considerable part of   
the glorious wisdom of  the ,creator1 in
 those choice 8works of his a#ed        
fingers10#ga had  been veiled from our  
eyes4 ,it moves in a fixed line1 visits 
all parts  of the earth1 scatters in the
 day its refreshing blessings in every  
creek of the earth1 and removes the mask
 from the other beauties of  heaven in  
the night1 which sparkle out to the     
glory of the ,creator4  ,it spreads its 
light1 warms the earth1 cherisheth the  
seeds1 excites  the spirit in the earth1
 and brings fruit to maturity4 ,view    
also the  air1 the vast extent between  
heaven and earth1 which serves for a    

watercourse1 a cistern for water1 to    
bedew the face of the sunburnt  earth1  
to satisfy the desolate ground1 and to  
cause the 8bud of the  tender herb to   
spring forth40#gb ,could chance appoint 
the clouds of  the air to interpose as  
fans between the scorching heat of the  
sun1  and the faint bodies of the       
creatures8 ,can that be the 8father of  
the  rain1 or beget the drops of        
dew80#gc ,could anything so blind settle
  those ordinances of heaven for the    
preservation of creatures on the  earth8
 ,can this either bring or stay the     
bottles of heaven1 when the  8dust grows
 into hardness1 and the clouds cleave   
fast together80#gd    7#b47             
,subserviency of the lower world1 the   
earth1 and sea1 which was  created to be
 inhabited1 7,isa4 xlv4 #ah74 ,the sea  
affords water to the  rivers1 the       
rivers1 like so many veins1 are spread  
through the whole  body of the earth1 to
 refresh and enable it to bring forth   
fruit for  the sustenance of man and    

beast1 7,ps4 civ4 #aj1 #aa74 8,he sends 
the  springs into the valleys1 which run
 among the hills2 they give drink  to   
every beast of the field2 the wild asses
 quench their thirst4 ,he  causes the   
grass to grow for the cattle1 and the   
herb for the service  of man1 that he   
may bring forth food out of the earth40 
7ver4 #ad47 ,the  trees are provided for
 shades against the extremity of heat1 a
 refuge  for the panting beasts1 an     
8habitation for birds10 wherein to make 
their nests 7ver4 #ag71 and a basket for
 their provision4 ,how are  the valleys 
and mountains of the earth disposed for 
the pleasure and  profit of man6 ,every 
year are the fields covered with        
harvests for  the nourishing the        
creatures2 no part is barren1 but       
beneficial to  man4 ,the mountains that 
are not clothed with grass for his food1
 are  set with stones to make him an    
habitation2 they have their peculiar    
services of metals and minerals1 for the
 conveniency and comfort1 and  benefit  

of man4 ,things which are not fit for   
his food1 are medicines  for his cure1  
under some painful sickness4 ,where the 
earth brings not  forth corn1 it brings 
forth roots for the service of other    
creatures4  ,wood abounds more in those 
countries where the cold is stronger    
than  in others4 ,can this be the result
 of chance1 or not rather of an         
,infinite ,wisdom8 ,consider the        
usefulness of the sea1 for the supply   
of rivers to refresh the earth3 8,which 
go up by the mountains and down  by the 
valleys into the place ,god hath founded
 for them0 7,ps4 civ4 #h73  a storehouse
 for fish1 for the nourishment of other 
creatures1 a  shop of medicines for     
cure1 and pearls for ornament3 the band 
that  ties remote nations together1 by  
giving opportunity of passage to1 and   
commerce with1 one another4 ,how should 
that natural inclination of the  sea to 
cover the earth1 submit to this         
subserviency to the creatures8  ,who    
hath pounded in this fluid mass of water

 in certain limits1  and confined it to 
its a#ee own channel1 for the           
accommodation of  such creatures1 who1  
by its common law1 can only be upon the 
earth8  ,naturally the earth was covered
 with the deep as with a garment2 the   
waters stood above the mountains4 8,who 
set a bound that they might not  pass   
over10#ge that they return not again to 
cover the earth8 ,was it  blind chance  
or an ,infinite ,power1 that 8shut up   
the sea with doors1  and made thick     
darkness a swaddling band for it1 and   
said1 ,hitherto  shall thou come and no 
farther1 and here shall thy proud waves 
be  stayed80#gf ,all things are so      
ordered1 that they are not propter  se1 
but propter aliud4 ,what advantage      
accrues to the sun by its  unwearied    
rolling about the world8 ,doth it       
increase the perfection of  its nature  
by all its circuits8 ,no2 but it serves 
the inferior world1  it impregnates     
things by its heat4 ,not the most abject
 thing but hath  its end and use4 ,there

 is a straight connection3 the earth    
could not  bring forth fruit without the
 heavens2 the heavens could not water   
the  earth without vapors from it4      
7#c47 ,all this subserviency of         
creatures centres in man4 ,other        
creatures are served by those things1 as
 well as ourselves1 and  they are       
provided for their nourishment and      
refreshment1 as well as  ours2#gg yet1  
both they1 and all creatures meet in    
man1 as lines in  their centres4 ,things
 that have no life or sense1 are made   
for those  that have both life and      
sense2 and those that have life and     
sense1  are made for those that are     
endued with reason4 ,when the ,psalmist 
admiringly considers the heavens1 moon  
and stars1 he intimates man to  be the  
end for which they were created 7,ps4   
viii4 #c1 #d73 8,what is man1  that thou
 art mindful of him80 ,he expresseth    
more particularly the  dominion that man
 hath 8over the beasts of the field1 the
 fowl of the  air1 and whatsoever passes

 through the paths of the sea0 7ver4    
#fh72  and concludes from thence1 the   
8excellency of ,god's name in all  the  
earth40 ,all things in the world1 one   
way or other1 centre in an  usefulness  
for man2 some to feed him1 some to      
clothe him1 some to  delight him1 others
 to instruct him1 some to exercise his  
wit1 and  others his strength4 ,since   
man did not make them1 he did not also  
order them for his own use4 ,if they    
conspire to serve him who never  made   
them1 they direct man to acknowledge    
another1 who is the joint  ,creator both
 of the lord and the servants under his 
dominion2 and1  therefore1 as the       
inferior natures are ordered by an      
invisible hand  for the good of man1 so 
the nature of man is1 by the same hand1 
ordered to acknowledge the existence and
 the glory of the ,creator of  him4     
,this visible order man knows he did not
 constitute2 he did not  settle those   
creatures in subserviency to himself2   
they were placed  in that order before  

he had any acquaintance with them1 or   
existence  of himself2 which is a       
question ,god puts to ,job1 to consider 
of 7,job  xxxviii4 #d73 8,where wast    
thou when ,i laid the foundation of the 
earth8  declare1 if thou hast           
understanding40 ,all is ordered for     
man's use2  the heavens answer to the   
earth1 as a roof to a floor1 both       
composing  a delightful habitation for  
man2 vapors ascend from the earth1 and  
the heaven concocts them1 and returns   
them back in welcome showers for  the   
supplying of the earth4#gh ,the light   
a#ef of the sun descends  to beautify   
the earth1 and employs its heat to      
midwife its fruits1  and this for the   
good of the community1 whereof man is   
the head2  and though all creatures have
 distinct natures1 and must act for     
particular ends1 according to the law of
 their creation1 yet there  is a joint  
combination for the good of the whole1  
as the common end2  just as all the     
rivers in the world1 from what part     

soever they come1  whether north or     
south1 fall into the sea1 for the supply
 of that mass  of waters1 which loudly  
proclaims some infinitely wise nature1  
who  made those things in so exact an   
harmony4 8,as in a clock1 the hammer    
which strikes the bell leads us to the  
next wheel1 that to another1  the little
 wheel to a greater1 whence it derives  
its motion1 this  at last to the spring1
 which acquaints us that there was some 
artist  that framed them in this        
subordination to one another for this   
orderly  motion40#gi    7#d47 ,this     
order or subserviency is regular and    
uniform2 everything is  determined to   
its particular nature4#hj ,the sun and  
moon make day and  night1 months and    
years1 determine the seasons1 never are 
defective  in coming back to their      
station and place2 they wander not from 
their  roads1 shock not against one     
another1 nor hinder one another in the  
functions assigned them4 ,from a small  
grain or seed1 a tree springs1  with    

body1 root1 bark1 leaves1 fruit of the  
same shape1 figure1 smell1  taste2 that 
there should be as many parts in one1 as
 in all of the  same kind1 and no more2 
and that in the womb of a sensitive     
creature  should be formed one of the   
same kind1 with all the due members1    
and no more2 and the creature that      
produceth it knows not how it is        
formed1 or how it is perfected4 ,if we  
say this is nature1 this nature  is an  
intelligent being2 if not1 how can it   
direct all causes to  such uniform ends8
 if it be intelligent1 this nature must 
be the same  we call ,god1 8who ordered 
every herb to yield seed1 and every     
fruit  tree to yield fruit after its    
kind1 and also every beast1 and every   
creeping thing after its kind40 7,gen4  
i4 #aa1 #ab1 #bd47 ,and everything  is  
determined to its particular season2 the
 sap riseth from the root  at its       
appointed time1 enlivening and clothing 
the branches with a  new garment at such
 a time of the sun's returning1 not     

wholly hindered  by any accidental      
coldness of the weather1 it being often 
colder at  its return1 than it was at   
the sun's departure4 ,all things have   
their  seasons of flourishing1 budding1 
blossoming1 bringing forth fruit2  they 
ripen in their seasons1 cast their      
leaves at the same time1 throw  off     
their old clothes1 and in the spring    
appear with new garments1 but  still in 
the same fashion4 ,the winds and the    
rain have their seasons1  and seem to be
 administered by laws for the profit of 
man4#ha ,no  satisfactory cause of those
 things can be ascribed to the earth1   
the sea1 or the air1 or stars4 8,can any
 understand the spreading  of his       
clouds1 or the noise of his tabernacle80
 7,job xxxviii4 #bi74  ,the natural     
reason of those things cannot be        
demonstrated1 without  recourse to an   
infinite and intelligent being2 nothing 
can be rendered  capable of the         
direction of those things but a ,god4   
,this regularity in plants and animals  

is in all nations4 ,the heavens  have   
the same motion in all parts of the     
world2 all men have the same  law of    
nature in their mind2 all creatures are 
stamped a#eg with the  same law of      
creation4 ,in all parts the same        
creatures serve for the  same use2 and  
though there be different creatures in  
,india and ,europe1  yet they have the  
same subordination1 the same            
subserviency to one  another1 and       
ultimately to man2 which shows that     
there is a ,god1 and  but one ,god1 who 
tunes all those different strings to the
 same notes  in all places4 ,is it      
nature merely conducts these natural    
causes in  due measure to their proper  
effects1 without interfering with one   
another8 ,can mere nature be the cause  
of those musical proportions of  time8  
,you may as well conceive a lute to     
sound its own strings without  the hand 
of an artist2 a city well governed      
without a governor2 an  army keep its   
stations without a general1 as imagine  

so exact an order  without an orderer4  
,would any man1 when he hears a clock   
strike1 by  fit intervals1 the hour of  
the day1 imagine this regularity in it  
without the direction of one that had   
understanding to manage it8  ,he would  
not only regard the motion of the clock1
 but commend the  diligence of the      
clockkeeper4    7#e47 ,this order and   
subserviency is constant4 ,children     
change the  customs and manners of their
 fathers2 magistrates change the laws   
they have received from their ancestors1
 and enact new ones in their  room3 but 
in the world all things consist as they 
were created at the  beginning2 the law 
of nature in the creatures hath met with
 no change4  ,who can behold the sun    
rising in the morning1 the moon shining 
in  the night1 increasing and decreasing
 in its due spaces1 the stars in  their 
regular motions night after night1 for  
all ages1 and yet deny a  ,president    
over them8#hb ,and this motion of the   
heavenly bodies1 being  contrary to the 

nature of other creatures1 who move in  
order to rest1  must be from some higher
 cause4 ,but those1 ever since the      
settling in  their places1 have been    
perpetually rounding the world4 ,what   
nature1  but one powerful and           
intelligent1 could give that perpetual  
motion  to the sun1#hc which being      
bigger than the earth a hundred sixtysix
  times1 runs many thousand miles with a
 mighty swiftness in the space  of an   
hour1 with an unwearied diligence       
performing its daily task1 and1  as a   
strong man1 rejoicing to run its race1  
for above five thousand  years together1
 without intermission1 but in the time  
of ,joshua8#hd  ,it is not nature's sun1
 but ,god's sun1 which he 8makes to rise
 upon  the just and unjust40#he ,so a   
plant receives its nourishment from  the
 earth1 sends forth the juice to every  
branch1 forms a bud which  spreads it   
into a blossom and flower2 the leaves of
 this drop off1  and leave a fruit of   
the same color and taste1 every year1   

which1  being ripened by the sun1 leaves
 seeds behind it for the propagation  of
 its like1 which contains in the nature 
of it the same kind of buds1  blossoms1 
fruit1 which were before2 and being     
nourished in the womb  of the earth1 and
 quickened by the power of the sun1     
discovers itself  at length1 in all the 
progresses and motions which its        
predecessor  did4 ,thus in all ages1 in 
all places1 every year it performs the  
same  task1 spins out fruit of the same 
color1 taste1 virtue1 to refresh  the   
several creatures for which they are    
provided4 a#eh ,this settled  state of  
things comes from that ,god who laid the
 8foundations of  the earth10 that it   
should 8not be removed0 forever2#hf and 
set  8ordinances for them0 to act by a  
stated law2#hg according to which  they 
move as if they understood themselves to
 have made a covenant  with their       
,creator4#hh    #c4 ,add to this union  
of contrary qualities1 and the          
subserviency of  one thing to another1  

the admirable variety and diversity of  
things  in the world4 ,what variety of  
metals1 living creatures1 plants6 what  
variety and distinction in the shape of 
their leaves1 flowers1 smell1  resulting
 from them6 ,who can number up the      
several sorts of beasts  on the earth1  
birds in the air1 fish in the sea8 ,how 
various are  their motions6 ,some creep1
 some go1 some fly1 some swim2 and in   
all  this variety each creature hath    
organs or members1 fitted for their     
peculiar motion4 ,if you consider the   
multitude of stars1 which shine  like   
jewels in the heavens1 their different  
magnitudes1 or the variety  of colors in
 the flowers and tapestry of the earth1 
you could no more  conclude they made   
themselves1 or were made by chance1 than
 you can  imagine a piece of arras1 with
 a diversity of figures and colors1     
either wove itself1 or were knit        
together by hazard4    ,how delicious is
 the sap of the vine1 when turned into  
wine1 above  that of a crab6 ,both have 

the same womb of earth to conceive them1
  both agree in the nature of wood and  
twigs1 as channels to convey it  into   
fruit4 ,what is that which makes the one
 so sweet1 the other so  sour1 or makes 
that sweet which was a few weeks before 
unpleasantly  sharp8 ,is it the earth8  
,no3 they both have the same soil2 the  
branches  may touch each other2 the     
strings of their roots may1 under       
ground1  entwine about one another4 ,is 
it the sun8 both have the same beams4   
,why is not the taste and color of the  
one as gratifying as the other8  ,is it 
the root8 the taste of that is far      
different from that of  the fruit it    
bears4 ,why do they not1 when they have 
the same soil1  the same sun1 and stand 
near one another1 borrow something from 
one  another's natures8 ,no reason can  
be rendered1 but that there is a  ,god  
of infinite wisdom hath determined this 
variety1 and bound up the  nature of    
each creature within itself4            
8,everything follows the law  of its    

creation2 and it is worthy observation1 
that the ,creator of  them hath not     
given that power to animals1 which arise
 from different  species1 to propagate  
the like to themselves2 as mules1 that  
arise  from different species4 ,no      
reason can be rendered of this1 but the 
fixed determination of the ,creator1    
that those species which were  created  
by him should not be lost in those      
mixtures which are contrary  to the law 
of the creation80#hi ,this cannot       
possibly be ascribed to  that which is  
commonly called nature1 but unto the    
,god of nature1 who  will not have his  
creatures exceed their bounds or come   
short of them4    ,now since among those
 varieties there are some things better 
than  other1 yet all are good in their  
kind1 and partake of goodness1#ij  there
 must be something better and more      
excellent than all those1 from  whom    
they derive that goodness1 which inheres
 in their nature and is  communicated by
 them to others3 and this excellent     

,being must a#ei  inherit1 in an eminent
 way in his own nature1 the goodness of 
all  those varieties1 since they made   
not themselves1 but were made by        
another4 ,all that goodness which is    
scattered in those varieties must  be   
infinitely concentered in that nature1  
which distributed those  various        
perfections to them 7,ps4 xciv4 #i73    
8,he that planted the ear1  shall not he
 hear2 he that formed the eye1 shall not
 he see2 he that  teacheth man          
knowledge1 shall not he know80 ,the     
,creator is greater  than the creature1 
and whatsoever is in his effects1 is but
 an  impression of some excellency in   
himself3 there is1 therefore1 some      
chief fountain of goodness whence all   
those various goodnesses in the  world  
do flow4    ,from all this it follows1  
if there be an order1 and harmony1 there
  must be an ,orderer3 one that 8made   
the earth by his power1 established  the
 world by his wisdom1 and stretched out 
the heavens by his  discretion0 7,jer4  

x4 #ab74 ,order being the effect1 cannot
 be the cause  of itself3 order is the  
disposition of things to an end1 and is 
not  intelligent1 but implies an        
intelligent ,orderer2 and1 therefore1 it
  is as certain that there is a ,god1 as
 it is certain there is order in  the   
world4 ,order is an effect of reason and
 counsel2 this reason and  counsel must 
have its residence in some being before 
this order was  fixed3 the things       
ordered are always distinct from that   
reason and  counsel whereby they are    
ordered1 and also after it1 as the      
effect  is after the cause4 ,no man     
begins a piece of work but he hath the  
model of it in his own mind3 no man     
builds a house1 or makes a watch1  but  
he hath the idea or copy of it in his   
own head4 ,this beautiful  world        
bespeaks an idea of it1 or a model3     
since there is such a  magnificent      
wisdom in the make of each creature1 and
 the proportion  of one creature to     
another1 this model must be before the  

world1 as  the pattern is always before 
the thing that is wrought by it4 ,this1 
therefore1 must be in some intelligent  
and wise agent1 and this is ,god4       
,since the reason of those things exceed
 the reason and all the art of  man1 who
 can ascribe them to any inferior cause8
 ,chance it could not  be2 the motions  
of chance are not constant1 and at set  
seasons1 as  the motions of creatures   
are4 ,that which is by chance is        
contingent1  this is necessary2         
uniformity can never be the birth of    
chance4 ,who  can imagine that all the  
parts of a watch can meet together and  
put  themselves in order and motion by  
chance8 8,nor can it be nature only1    
which indeed is a disposition of second 
causes4 ,if nature hath not  an         
understanding1 it cannot work such      
effects4 ,if nature therefore  uses     
counsel to begin a thing1 reason to     
dispose it1 art to effect it1  virtue to
 complete it1 and power to govern it1   
why should it be called  nature rather  

than ,god80#ia ,nothing so sure as that 
which hath an end  to which it tends1   
hath a cause by which it is ordered to  
that end4  ,since therefore all things  
are ordered in subserviency to the good 
of  man1 they are so ordered by ,him    
that made both man and them2 and man    
must acknowledge the wisdom and goodness
 of his ,creator1 and act in            
subserviency to his glory1 as other     
creatures act in subserviency to  his   
good4 ,sensible objects were not made   
only to gratify the sense of  man1 but  
to hand something to his mind as he is a
 rational creature3  to discover ,god to
 a#fj him as an object of love and      
desire to be  enjoyed4 ,if this be not  
the effect of it1 the order of the      
creature1  as to such an one1 is in     
vain1 and falls short of its true       
end4#ib    ,to conclude this3 ,as when a
 man comes into a palace1 built         
according  to the exactest rule of art1 
and with an unexceptionable conveniency 
for the inhabitants1 he would           

acknowledge both the being and skill  of
 the builder2 so whosoever shall observe
 the disposition of all  the parts of   
the world1 their connection1 comeliness1
 the variety of  seasons1 the swarms of 
different creatures1 and the mutual     
offices  they render to one another1    
cannot conclude less1 than that it was  
contrived by an infinite skill1 effected
 by infinite power1 and  governed by    
infinite wisdom4 ,none can imagine a    
ship to be orderly  conducted without a 
pilot2 nor the parts of the world to    
perform their  several functions without
 a wise guide2 considering the members  
of the  body cannot perform theirs1     
without the active presence of the soul4
  ,the atheist1 then1 is a fool to deny 
that which every creature in his        
constitution asserts1 and thereby       
renders himself unable to give a        
satisfactory account of that constant   
uniformity in the motions of  the       
creatures4    ,thirdly1 ,as the         
production and harmony1 so particular   

creatures1  pursuing and attaining their
 ends1 manifest that there is a ,god4   
,all  particular creatures have natural 
instincts1 which move them for some     
end4 ,the intending of an end is a      
property of a rational creature2  since 
the lower creatures cannot challenge    
that title1 they must act  by the       
understanding and direction of another2 
and since man cannot  challenge the     
honor of inspiring the creatures with   
such instincts1  it must be ascribed to 
some nature infinitely above any        
creature in  understanding4 ,no creature
 doth determine itself4 ,why do the     
fruits  and grain of the earth nourish  
us1 when the earth which instrumentally 
gives them that fitness1 cannot nourish 
us1 but because their several  ends are 
determined by one higher than the world8
    #a4 ,several creatures have several 
natures4 ,how soon will all creatures1  
as soon as they see the light1 move to  
that whereby they must live1  and make  
use of the natural arms ,god hath given 

their kind1 for their  defence1 before  
they are grown to any maturity to afford
 them that  defence6 ,the ,scripture    
makes the appetite of infants to their  
milk a  foundation of the divine glory1 
7,ps4 viii4 #c71 8,out of the mouths of 
babes and sucklings hast thou ordained  
strength20 that is1 matter of  praise   
and acknowledgment of ,god1 in the      
natural appetite they have  to their    
milk and their relish of it4 ,all       
creatures have a natural  affection to  
their young ones2 all young ones by a   
natural instinct1  move to1 and receive 
the nourishment that is proper for them2
 some  are their own physicians1 as well
 as their own caterers1 and naturally   
discern what preserves them in life1 and
 what restores them when  sick4 ,the    
swallow flies to its celandine1 and the 
toad hastens to  its plantain4 ,can we  
behold the spider's nets1 or silkworm's 
web1  the bee's closets1 or the ant's   
granaries1 without acknowledging a      
higher being than a creature who hath   

planted that genius in them8  ,the      
consideration of the nature of several  
creatures ,god commended to  ,job1      
7chap4 xxxix41 where he discourseth a#fa
 to ,job of the natural  instincts of   
the goat1 the ostrich1 horse1 and eagle1
 c47 to persuade  him to the            
acknowledgment and admiration of ,god1  
and humiliation of  himself4 ,the       
spider1 as if it understood the art of  
weaving1 fits its  web both for its own 
habitation1 and a net to catch its prey4
 ,the bee  builds a cell which serves   
for chambers to reside in1 and a        
repository  for its provision4 ,birds   
are observed to build their nests with a
  clammy matter without1 for the firmer 
duration of it1 and with a soft  moss   
and down within1 for the conveniency and
 warmth of their young4  8,the stork    
knows his appointed time10 7,jer4 viii4 
#g71 and the swallows  observe the time 
of their coming2 they go and return     
according to the  seasons of the year2  
this they gain not by consideration1 it 

descends  to them with their nature2    
they neither gain nor increase it by    
rational deductions4 ,it is not in vain 
to speak of these4 ,how little  do we   
improve by meditation those objects     
which daily offer themselves  to our    
view1 full of instructions for us6 ,and 
our ,saviour sends his  disciples to    
spell ,god in the lilies4#ic ,it is     
observed also1 that  the creatures      
offensive to man go single2 if they went
 by troops1 they  would bring           
destruction upon man and beast2 this is 
the nature of them1  for the            
preservation of others4    #b4 ,they    
know not their end4 ,they have a law in 
their natures1 but  have no rational    
understanding1 either of the end to     
which they are  appointed1 or the means 
fit to attain it2 they naturally do what
 they  do1 and move by no counsel of    
their own1 but by a law impressed by    
some higher hand upon their natures4    
,what plant knows why it strikes  its   
root into the earth8 doth it understand 

what storms it is to  contest with8 ,or 
why it shoots up its branches towards   
heaven8 doth it  know it needs the      
droppings of the clouds to preserve     
itself1 and make  it fruitful8 ,these   
are acts of understanding2 the root is  
downward  to preserve its own standing1 
the branches upward to preserve other   
creatures2 this understanding is not in 
the creature itself1 but  originally in 
another4 ,thunders and tempests know not
 why they are  sent2 yet by the         
direction of a mighty hand1 they are    
instruments of  justice upon a wicked   
world4 ,rational creatures that act for 
some end1  and know the end they aim at1
 yet know not the manner of the natural 
motion of the members to it4#id ,when we
 intend to look upon a thing1  we take  
no counsel about the natural motion of  
our eyes1 we know  not all the          
principles of their operations1 or how  
that dull matter  whereof our bodies are
 composed1 is subject to the order of   
our minds4  ,we are not of counsel with 

our stomachs about the concoction of our
  meat1 or the distribution of the      
nourishing juice to the several parts   
of the body4#ie ,neither the mother nor 
the ftus sit in council how  the        
formation should be made in the womb4   
,we know no more than a plant  knows    
what stature it is of1 and what         
medicinal virtue its fruit hath  for the
 good of man2 yet all those natural     
operations are perfectly  directed to   
their proper end1 by an higher wisdom   
than any human  understanding is able to
 conceive1 since they exceed the ability
  of an inanimate or fleshly nature1    
yea1 and the wisdom of a man4  ,do we   
not often a#fb see reasonable creatures 
acting for one end1  and perfecting a   
higher than what they aimed at or could 
suspect8  ,when ,joseph's brethren sold 
him for a slave1 their end was to be    
rid of an informer2#if but the action   
issued in preparing him to  be the      
preserver of them and their families4   
,cyrus's end was to be  a conqueror1 but

 the action ended in being the ,jews'   
deliverer 7,prov4  xvi4 #i74 8,a man's  
heart deviseth his way1 but the ,lord   
directs his  steps40    #c4 ,therefore  
there is some superior understanding and
 nature which so  acts them4 ,that which
 acts for an end unknown to itself1     
depends upon  some overruling wisdom    
that knows that end4 ,who should direct 
them in  all those ends1 but ,he that   
bestowed a being upon them for those    
ends2  who knows what is convenient for 
their life1 security and propagation  of
 their natures8#ig ,an exact knowledge  
is necessary both of what is  agreeable 
to them1 and the means whereby they must
 attain it1 which1  since it is not     
inherent in them1 is in that wise ,god1 
who puts those  instincts into them1 and
 governs them in the exercise of them to
 such  ends4 ,any man that sees a dart  
flung1 knows it cannot hit the mark     
without the skill and strength of an    
archer2 or he that sees the hand  of a  
dial pointing to the hours successively1

 knows that the dial  is ignorant of its
 own end1 and is disposed and directed  
in that  motion by another4 ,all        
creatures ignorant of their own natures1
 could  not universally in the whole    
kind1 and in every climate and country1 
without any difference in the whole     
world1 tend to a certain end1 if  some  
overruling wisdom did not preside over  
the world and guide them3  and if the   
creatures have a ,conductor1 they have a
 ,creator2 all things  are 8turned round
 about by his counsel1 that they may do 
whatsoever  he commands them1 upon the  
face of the world in the earth40#ih ,so 
that in this respect the folly of       
atheism appears4 ,without the owning  a 
,god1 no account can be given of those  
actions of creatures1 that  are an      
imitation of reason4 ,to say the bees1  
c4 are rational1 is  to equal them to   
man3 nay1 make them his superiors1 since
 they do  more by nature than the wisest
 man can do by art3 it is their own     
counsel whereby they act1 or another's2 

if it be their own1 they are  reasonable
 creatures2 if by another's1 it is not  
mere nature that is  necessary2 then    
other creatures would not be without the
 same skill1  there would be no         
difference among them4 ,if nature be    
restrained by  another1 it hath a       
superior2 if not1 it is a free agent2 it
 is an  understanding ,being that       
directs them2 and then it is something  
superior to all creatures in the world2 
and by this1 therefore1 we  may ascend  
to the acknowledgment of the necessity  
of a ,god4    ,fourthly4 ,add to the    
production and order of the world and   
the  creatures acting for their end1 the
 preservation of them4 ,nothing  can    
depend upon itself in its preservation1 
no more than it could  in its being4 ,if
 the order of the world was not fixed by
 itself1  the preservation of that order
 cannot be continued by itself4 ,though 
the matter of the world after creation  
cannot return to that nothing  whence it
 was fetched1 without the power of ,god 

that made it1 7because  the same power  
is as requisite to reduce a thing to    
nothing as to  raise a thing from       
nothing71 yet without the actual        
exerting of a a#fc  power that made the 
creatures1 they would fall into         
confusion4 ,those  contesting qualities 
which are in every part of it1 could not
 have  preserved1 but would have        
consumed1 and extinguished one another1 
and  reduced the world to that confused 
chaos1 wherein it was before the        
,spirit moved upon the waters3 as       
contrary parts could not have met       
together in one form1 unless there had  
been one that had conjoined  them2 so   
they could not have kept together after 
their conjunction  unless the same hand 
had preserved them4 ,natural            
contrarieties cannot  be reconciled4 ,it
 is as great power to keep discords     
knit1 as at first  to link them4 ,who   
would doubt but that an army made up of 
several  nations and humors1 would fall 
into a civil war and sheathe their      

swords in one another's bowels1 if they 
were not under the management  of some  
wise general2 or a ship dash against the
 rocks without the  skill of a pilot8   
,as the body hath neither life nor      
motion without  the active presence of  
the soul1 which distributes to every    
part  the virtue of acting1 sets every  
one in the exercise of its proper       
function1 and resides in every part2 so 
there is some powerful cause  which doth
 the like in the world1 that rules and  
tempers it4#ii ,there  is need of the   
same power and action to preserve a     
thing1 as there  was at first to make   
it4 ,when we consider that we are       
preserved1 and  know that we could not  
preserve ourselves1 we must necessarily 
run to  some first cause which doth     
preserve us4 ,all works of art depend   
upon  nature1 and are preserved while   
they are kept by the force of nature1   
as a statue depends upon the matter     
whereof it is made1 whether stone  or   
brass2 this nature1 therefore1 must have

 some superior by whose  influx it is   
preserved4 ,since1 therefore1 we see a  
stable order in  the things of the      
world1 that they conspire together for  
the good and  beauty of the universe2   
that they depend upon one another2 there
 must  be some principle upon which they
 do depend2 something to which the      
first link of the chain is fastened1    
which himself depends upon no  superior1
 but wholly rests in his own essence and
 being4 ,it is the  title of ,god to be 
the 8,preserver of man and beast40#ajj  
,the ,psalmist  elegantly describeth it1
 7,psalm civ4 #bd1 c47 8,the earth is   
full of  his riches3 all wait upon him1 
that he may give them their meat in  due
 season4 ,when he opens his hand1 he    
fills them with good2 when  he hides his
 face they are troubled2 if he take away
 their breath1  they die1 and return to 
dust4 ,he sends forth his ,spirit1 and  
they are  created1 and renews the face  
of the earth4 ,the glory of the ,lord   
shall  endure forever2 and the ,lord    

shall rejoice in his works40 ,upon the  
consideration of all which1 the         
,psalmist 7ver4 #cd7 takes a pleasure   
in the meditation of ,god as the cause  
and manager of all those things2  which 
issues into a joy in ,god1 and a        
praising of him4 ,and why should  not   
the consideration of the power and      
wisdom of ,god in the creatures  produce
 the same effect in the hearts of us1 if
 he be our ,god8 ,or1 as  some render   
it1 8,my meditation shall be sweet10 or 
acceptable to him1  whereby ,i find     
matter of praise in the things of the   
world1 and offer  it to the ,creator of 
it4    ,reason ,,iii4 ,it is a folly to 
deny that which a man's own nature      
witnesseth to him4 ,the whole frame of  
bodies and souls bears the a#fd  impress
 of the infinite power and wisdom of the
 ,creator3 a body framed  with an       
admirable architecture1 a soul endowed  
with understanding1  will1 judgment1    
memory1 imagination4 ,man is the epitome
 of the world1  contains in himself the 

substance of all natures1 and the       
fulness of  the whole universe2 not only
 in regard of the universalness of his  
knowledge1 whereby he comprehends the   
reasons of many things2 but as  all the 
perfections of the several natures of   
the world are gathered  and united in   
man1 for the perfection of his own1 in a
 smaller volume4  ,in his soul he       
partakes of heaven2 in his body of the  
earth4 ,there is  the life of plants1   
the sense of beasts1 and the            
intellectual nature  of angels4 8,the   
,lord breathed into his nostril the     
breath of life1 and  man10#aja c43 1 of 
lives4 ,not one sort of lives1 but      
several2  not only an animal1 but a     
rational life2 a soul of a nobler       
extract and nature1 than what was given 
to other creatures4 ,so that  we need   
not step out of doors1 or cast our eyes 
any further than  ourselves1 to behold a
 ,god4 ,he shines in the capacity of our
 souls1  and the vigor of our members4  
,we must fly from ourselves1 and be     

stripped of our own humanity1 before we 
can put off the notion of a  ,deity4 ,he
 that is ignorant of the existence of   
,god1 must be possessed  of so much     
folly1 as to be ignorant of his own make
 and frame4    #a4 ,in the parts whereof
 he doth consist1 body and soul4        
,first1 ,take a prospect of the body4   
,the ,psalmist counts it a matter  of   
praise and admiration 7,psalm cxxxix4   
#ae1 #af73 8,i will praise thee1  for ,i
 am fearfully and wonderfully made4     
,when ,i was made in secret1  and       
curiously wrought in the lowest parts of
 the earth1 in thy book  all my members 
were written40 ,the scheme of man and   
every member was  drawn in his book4    
,all the sinews1 veins1 arteries1 bones1
 like a  piece of embroidery or         
tapestry1 were wrought by ,god1 as it   
were1 with  deliberation2 like an       
artificer1 that draws out the model of  
what he  is to do in writing1 and sets  
it before him when he begins his work4  
,and1 indeed1 the fabric of man's body1 

as well as his soul1 is an  argument for
 a ,divinity4 ,the artificial structure 
of it1 the elegancy  of every part1 the 
proper situation of them1 their         
proportion one to  another1 the fitness 
for their several functions1 drew from  
,galen#ajb  7a heathen1 and one that had
 no raised sentiments of a ,deity7 a    
confession of the admirable wisdom and  
power of the ,creator1 and that  none   
but ,god could frame it4    #a4 ,in the 
order1 fitness1 and usefulness of every 
part4 ,the whole  model of the body is  
grounded upon reason4 ,every member hath
 its  exact proportion1 distinct office1
 regular motion4 ,every part hath a     
particular comeliness1 and convenient   
temperament bestowed upon it1  according
 to its place in the body4 ,the heart is
 hot1 to enliven the  whole2 the eye    
clear1 to take in objects to present    
them to the soul4  ,every member is     
presented for its peculiar service and  
action4 ,some  are for sense1 some for  
motion1 some for preparing1 and others  

for  dispensing nourishment to the      
several parts3 they mutually depend     
upon and serve one another4 ,what small 
strings fasten the particular  members  
together1 8as the earth1 that hangs a#fe
 upon nothing60#ajc  ,take but one part 
away1 and you either destroy the whole1 
or stamp  upon it some mark of          
deformity4 ,all are knit together by an 
admirable  symmetry2 all orderly perform
 their functions1 as acting by a settled
  law2 none swerving from their rule1   
but in case of some predominant  humor4 
,and none of them1 in so great a        
multitude of parts1 stifled  in so      
little a room1 or jostling against one  
another1 to hinder their  mutual        
actions2 none can be better disposed4   
,and the greatest wisdom  of man could  
not imagine it1 till his eyes present   
them with the sight  and connection of  
one part and member with another4       
7#a47 ,the heart4#ajd ,how strongly it  
is guarded with ribs like a  wall1 that 
it might not be easily hurt6 ,it draws  

blood from the liver1  through a channel
 made for that purpose2 rarefies it1 and
 makes it  fit to pass through the      
arteries and veins1 and to carry heat   
and  life to every part of the body3 and
 by a perpetual motion1 it sucks  in the
 blood1 and spouts it out again2 which  
motion depends not upon  the command of 
the soul1 but is pure natural4    7#b47 
,the mouth takes in the meat1 the teeth 
grind it for the stomach1  the stomach  
prepares it1 nature strains it through  
the milky veins1  the liver refines it1 
and mints it into blood1 separates the  
purer  from the drossy parts1 which go  
to the heart1 circuits through the      
whole body1 running through the veins1  
like rivers through so many  channels of
 the world1 for the watering of the     
several parts2 which  are framed of a   
thin skin for the straining the blood   
through1 for the  supply of the members 
of the body1 and framed with several    
valves or  doors1 for the thrusting the 
blood forwards to perform its circular  

motion4    7#c47 ,the brain1 fortified  
by a strong skull1 to hinder outward    
accidents1 a tough membrane or skin1 to 
hinder any oppression by the  skull2 the
 seat of sense1 that which coins the    
animal spirits1 by  purifying and       
refining those which are sent to it1 and
 seems like a  curious piece of         
needlework4    7#d47 ,the ear1 framed   
with windings and turnings1 to keep any 
thing  from entering to offend the      
brain2 so disposed as to admit sounds   
with  the greatest safety and delight2  
filled with an air within1 by the       
motion whereof the sound is transmitted 
to the brain3#aje as sounds  are made in
 the air by diffusing themselves1 as you
 see circles made  in the water by the  
flinging in a stone4 ,this is the gate  
of knowledge1  whereby we hear the      
oracles of ,god1 and the instruction of 
men for  arts4 ,it is by this they are  
exposed to the mind1 and the mind of    
another man framed in our               
understandings4    7#e47 ,what a curious

 workmanship is that of the eye1 which  
is in the  body1 as the sun in the      
world2 set in the head as in a          
watchtower1  having the softest nerves  
for the receiving the greater multitude 
of spirits necessary for the act of     
vision6 ,how is it provided with        
defence1 by the variety of coats to     
secure and accommodate the little  humor
 and part whereby the vision is made6   
,made of a round figure1 and  convex1 as
 most commodious to receive the species 
of objects2 shaded  by the eyebrows and 
eyelids2 secured by the eyelids1 which  
are its  ornament and safety1 which     
refresh it when it is a#ff too much     
dried  by heat1 hinder too much light   
from insinuating itself into it to      
offend it1 cleanse it from impurities1  
by their quick motion preserve  it from 
any invasion1 and by contraction confer 
to the more evident  discerning of      
things4 ,both the eyes seated in the    
hollow of the bone  for security1 yet   
standing out1 that things may be        

perceived more  easily on both sides4   
,and this little member can behold the  
earth1  and in a moment view things as  
high as heaven4    7#f47 ,the tongue for
 speech framed like a musical           
instrument2 the  teeth serving for      
variety of sounds2 the lungs serving for
 bellows to  blow the organs as it were1
 to cool the heart1 by a continual      
motion  transmitting a pure air to the  
heart1 expelling that which was smoky   
and superfluous4#ajf ,it is by the      
tongue that communication of truth  hath
 a passage among men2 it opens the sense
 of the mind2 there would  be no        
converse and commerce without it4       
,speech among all nations hath  an      
elegancy and attractive force1 mastering
 the affections of men4  ,not to speak  
of other parts1 or of the multitude of  
spirits that act  every part2 the quick 
flight of them where there is a         
necessity of  their presence4 ,solomon  
7,eccles4 xii47 makes an elegant        
description  of them1 in his speech of  

old age2 and ,job speaks of this        
formation of  the body 7,job x4 #iaa71  
c4 ,not the least part of the body is   
made in  vain4 ,the hairs of the head   
have their use1 as well as are an       
ornament4  ,the whole symmetry of the   
body is a ravishing object4 ,every      
member  hath a signature and mark of    
,god and his wisdom4 ,he is visible in  
the  formation of the members1 the      
beauty of the parts1 and the vigor of   
the body4 ,this structure could not be  
from the body2 that only hath a  passive
 power1 and cannot act in the absence of
 the soul4 ,nor can it  be from the     
soul4 ,how comes it then to be so       
ignorant of the manner of  its          
formation8 ,the soul knows not the      
internal parts of its own body1  but by 
information from others1 or inspection  
into other bodies4 ,it  knows less of   
the inward frame of the body than it    
doth of itself2 but  he that makes the  
clock can tell the number and motions of
 the wheels  within1 as well as what    

figures are without4    ,this short     
discourse is useful to raise our        
admirations of the  wisdom of ,god1 as  
well as to demonstrate that there is an 
infinite  wise ,creator2 and the        
consideration of ourselves every day1   
and  the wisdom of ,god in our frame1   
would maintain religion much in the     
world2 since all are so framed that no  
man can tell any error in the           
constitution of him4 ,if thus the body  
of man is fitted for the service  of his
 soul by an infinite ,god1 the body     
ought to be ordered for the  service of 
this ,god1 and in obedience to him4     
#b4 ,in the admirable difference of the 
features of men2 which is a  great      
argument that the world was made by a   
wise ,being4 ,this could  not be wrought
 by chance1 or be the work of mere      
nature1 since we find  never1 or very   
rarely1 two persons exactly alike4 ,this
 distinction  is a part of infinite     
wisdom2 otherwise what confusion would  
be  introduced into the world8 ,without 

this1 parents could not know their      
children1 nor children their parents1   
nor a brother his sister1 nor  a subject
 his magistrate4 ,without it there had  
been no comfort of  relations1 no       
government1 no commerce4 ,debtors a#fg  
would not have  been known from         
strangers1 nor good men from bad4       
,propriety could  not have been         
preserved1 nor justice executed2 the    
innocent might  have been apprehended   
for the nocent2 wickedness could not    
have been  stopped by any law4 ,the     
faces of men are the same for parts1 not
 for  features1 a dissimilitude in a    
likeness4 ,man1 like to all the rest in 
the world1 yet unlike to any1 and       
differenced by some mark from all1      
which is not to be observed in any other
 species of creatures4 ,this  speaks    
some wise agent which framed man2 since1
 for the preservation  of human society 
and order in the world1 this distinction
 was  necessary4    ,secondly1 ,as man's
 own nature witnesseth a ,god to him in 

the structure  of his body1 so also 8in 
the nature of his soul40#ajg ,we know   
that we  have an understanding in us2 a 
substance we cannot see1 but we know it 
by its operations2 as thinking1         
reasoning1 willing1 remembering1 and  as
 operating about things that are        
invisible and remote from sense4  ,this 
must needs be distinct from the body2   
for that being but dust and  earth in   
its original1 hath not the power of     
reasoning and thinking2  for then it    
would have that power1 when the soul    
were absent1 as well  as when it is     
present4 ,besides1 if it had that power 
of thinking1 it  could think only of    
those things which are sensible1 and    
made up of  matter1 as itself is4 ,this 
soul hath a greater excellency2 it can  
know  itself1 rejoice in itself1 which  
other creatures in this world are not   
capable of4 ,the soul is the greatest   
glory of this lower world2 and1  as one 
saith1 8,there seems to be no more      
difference between the soul  and an     

angel1 than between a sword in the      
scabbard and when it is out  of the     
scabbard40#ajh    #a4 ,consider the     
vastness of its capacity4 ,the          
understanding can  conceive the whole   
world1 and paint in itself the invisible
 pictures  of all things4 ,it is capable
 of apprehending and discoursing of     
things  superior to its own nature4 8,it
 is suited to all objects1 as the  eye  
to all colors1 or the ear to all        
sounds40#aji ,how great is the  memory1 
to retain such varieties1 such          
diversities6 ,the will also can         
accommodate other things to itself4 ,it 
invents arts for the use of man3        
prescribes rules for the government of  
states2 ransacks the bowels of  nature2 
makes endless conclusions1 and steps in 
reasoning from one  thing to another1   
for the knowledge of truth4 ,it can     
contemplate and  form notions of things 
higher than the world4    #b4 ,the      
quickness of its motion4 8,nothing is   
more quick in the whole  course of      

nature4 ,the sun runs through the world 
in a day2 this can  do it in a moment4  
,it can1 with one flight of fancy1      
ascend to the  battlements of           
heaven40#aaj ,the mists of the air1 that
 hinder the  sight of the eye1 cannot   
hinder the flights of the soul2 it can  
pass  in a moment from one end of the   
world to the other1 and think of  things
 a thousand miles distant4 ,it can think
 of some mean thing in  the world2 and  
presently1 by one cast1 in the twinkling
 of an eye1  mount up as high as heaven4
 ,as its desires are not bounded by     
sensual  objects1 so neither are the    
motions of it restrained by them4 ,it   
will  break forth with the greatest     
vigor1 and conceive things infinitely   
above it2 though it be in the body1 it  
acts as if it were ashamed  to be       
cloistered in it4 ,this could not be the
 result of any a#fh  material cause4    
,whoever knew mere matter understand1   
think1 will8 and  what it hath not1 it  
cannot give4 ,that which is destitute of

 reason  and will1 could never confer   
reason and will4 ,it is not the effect  
of the body2 for the body is fitted with
 members to be subject to it4  ,it is in
 part ruled by the activity of the soul1
 and in part by the  counsel of the     
soul2 it is used by the soul1 and knows 
not how it is  used4#aaa ,nor could it  
be from the parents1 since the souls of 
the  children often transcend those of  
the parents in vivacity1 acuteness  and 
comprehensiveness4 ,one man is stupid1  
and begets a son with  a capacious      
understanding2 one is debauched and     
beastly in morals1  and begets a son    
who1 from his infancy1 testifies some   
virtuous  inclinations1 which sprout    
forth in delightful fruit with the      
ripeness  of his age4 ,whence should    
this difference arise1a fool begat the  
wise man1 and a debauched the virtuous  
man8 ,the wisdom of the one  could not  
descend from the foolish soul of the    
other2 nor the virtues  of the son1 from
 the deformed and polluted soul of the  

parent4#aab  ,it lies not in the organs 
of the body3 for if the folly of the    
parent  proceeded not from their souls1 
but the ill disposition of the organs   
of their bodies1 how comes it to pass   
that the bodies of the children  are    
better organized beyond the goodness of 
their immediate cause8  ,we must recur  
to some invisible hand1 that makes the  
difference1 who  bestows upon one at his
 pleasure richer qualities than upon    
another4  ,you can see nothing in the   
world endowed with some excellent       
quality1  but you must imagine some     
bountiful hand did enrich it with that  
dowry4  ,none can be so foolish as to   
think that a vessel ever enriched itself
  with that sprightly liquor wherewith  
it is filled2 or that anything  worse   
than the soul should endow it with that 
knowledge and activity  which sparkles  
in it4 ,nature could not produce it4    
,that nature is  intelligent1 or not2 if
 it be not1 then it produceth an effect 
more  excellent than itself1 inasmuch as

 an understanding being surmounts  a    
being that hath no understanding4 ,if   
the supreme cause of the soul  be       
intelligent1 why do we not call it ,god 
as well as nature8 ,we must  arise from 
hence to the notion of a ,god2 a        
spiritual nature cannot  proceed but    
from a spirit higher than itself1 and of
 a transcendent  perfection above       
itself4 ,if we believe we have souls1   
and understand  the state of our own    
faculties1 we must be assured that there
 was some  invisible hand which bestowed
 those faculties1 and the riches of them
  upon us4 ,a man must be ignorant of   
himself before he can be ignorant  of   
the existence of ,god4 ,by considering  
the nature of our souls1 we  may as well
 be assured that there is a ,god1 as    
that there is a sun1 by  the shining of 
the beams in at our windows2 and1       
indeed1 the soul is  a statue and       
representation of ,god1 as the landscape
 of a country or a  map represents all  
the parts of it1 but in a far less      

proportion than  the country itself is4 
,the soul fills the body1 and ,god the  
world2  the soul sustains the body1 and 
,god the world2 the soul sees1 but is   
not seen2 ,god sees all things1 but is  
himself invisible4 ,how base are  they  
a#fi then that prostitute their souls1  
an image of ,god1 to base  things       
unexpressibly below their own nature6   
#c4 ,i might add1 the union of soul and 
body4 ,man is a kind of compound  of    
angel and beast1 of soul and body2 if he
 were only a soul1 he were  a kind of   
angel2 if only a body1 he were another  
kind of brute4 ,now  that a body as vile
 and dull as earth1 and a soul that can 
mount up  to heaven1 and rove about the 
world1 with so quick a motion1 should be
  linked in so strait an acquaintance2  
that so noble a being as the soul       
should be inhabitant in such a          
tabernacle of clay2 must be owned to    
some infinite power that hath so chained
 it4    ,thirdly1 ,man witnesseth to a  
,god in the operations and reflections  

of  conscience4 7,rom4 ii4 #ae71 8,their
 thoughts are accusing or excusing40    
,an inward comfort attends good actions1
 and an inward torment follows  bad     
ones2 for there is in every man's       
conscience fear of punishment  and hope 
of reward2 there is1 therefore1 a sense 
of some superior  judge1 which hath the 
power both of rewarding and punishing4  
,if man  were his supreme rule1 what    
need he fear punishment1 since no man   
would inflict any evil or torment on    
himself2 nor can any man be  said to    
reward himself1 for all rewards refer to
 another1 to whom the  action is        
pleasing1 and is a conferring some good 
a man had not before2  if an action be  
done by a subject or servant1 with hopes
 of reward1 it  cannot be imagined that 
he expects a reward from himself1 but   
from the  prince or person whom he eyes 
in that action1 and for whose sake he   
doth it4    #a4 ,there is a law in the  
minds of men which is a rule of good and
  evil4 ,there is a notion of good and  

evil in the consciences of men1  which  
is evident by those laws which are      
common in all countries1  for the       
preserving human societies1 the         
encouragement of virtue1 and            
discouragement of vice2 what standard   
should they have for those laws  but a  
common reason8 the design of those laws 
was to keep men within  the bounds of   
goodness for mutual commerce1 whence the
 apostle calls  the heathen magistrate a
 8minister of ,god for good0 7,rom4     
xiii4 #d73  and 8the ,gentiles do by    
nature the things contained in the law0 
7,rom4 ii4 #ad74    ,man in the first   
instant of the use of reason1 finds     
natural  principles within himself2     
directing and choosing them1 he finds a 
distinction between good and evil2 how  
could this be if there were not  some   
rule in him to try and distinguish good 
and evil8 ,if there was  not such a law 
and rule in man1 he could not sin2 for  
where there is  no law there is no      
transgression4 ,if man were a law to    

himself1 and  his own will his law1     
there could be no such thing as evil2   
whatsoever  he willed1 would be good and
 agreeable to the law1 and no action    
could  be accounted sinful2 the worst   
act would be as commendable as the      
best4 ,everything at man's appointment  
would be good or evil4 ,if there  were  
no such law1 how should men that are    
naturally inclined to evil  disapprove  
of that which is unlovely1 and approve  
of that good which  they practise not8  
,no man but inwardly thinks well of that
 which  is good1 while he neglects it2  
and thinks ill of that which is evil1   
while he commits it4 ,those that are    
vicious1 do praise those that  practise 
the contrary virtues4 ,those that are   
evil would seem to be  good1 and those  
that are blameworthy a#gj yet will      
rebuke evil in  others4 ,this is really 
to distinguish between good and evil2   
whence  doth this arise1 by what rule do
 we measure this1 but by some innate    
principle8 ,and this is universal1 the  

same in one man as in another1  the same
 in one nation as in another2 they are  
born with every man1  and inseparable   
from his nature 7,prov4 xxvii4 #ai73 as 
in water1 face  answers to face1 so the 
heart of man to man4 ,common reason     
supposeth  that there is some hand which
 hath fixed this distinction in man2    
how could it else be universally        
impressed8 ,no law can be without a     
lawgiver3 no sparks but must be kindled1
 by some other4 ,whence should  this law
 then derive its original8 ,not from    
man2 he would fain blot  it out1 and    
cannot alter it when he pleases4        
,natural generation never  intended it2 
it is settled therefore by some higher  
hand1 which1 as  it imprinted it1 so it 
maintains it against the violence of    
men1 who1  were it not for this law1    
would make the world more than it is1 an
  aceldama and field of blood2 for had  
there not been some supreme good1  the  
measure of all other goodness in the    
world1 we could not have  had such a    

thing as good4 ,the ,scripture gives us 
an account that this  good was          
distinguished from evil before man fell1
 they were objecta  scibilia2 good was  
commanded and evil prohibited1 and did  
not depend  upon man4 ,from this a man  
may rationally be instructed that there 
is  a ,god2 for he may thus argue3 ,i   
find myself naturally obliged to do     
this thing1 and avoid that2 ,i have1    
therefore1 a superior that doth  oblige 
me2 ,i find something within me that    
directs me to such actions1  contrary to
 my sensitive appetite2 there must be   
something above  me1 therefore1 that    
puts this principle into man's nature2  
if there  were no superior1 ,i should be
 the supreme judge of good and evil2    
were ,i the lord of that law which doth 
oblige me1 ,i should find no            
contradiction within myself1 between    
reason and appetite4    #b4 ,from the   
transgression of this law of nature1    
fears do arise in  the consciences of   
men4 ,have we not known or heard of men 

struck by  so deep a dart1 that could   
not be drawn out by the strength of men1
 or  appeased by the pleasure of the    
world2 and men crying out with horror1  
upon a deathbed1 of their past life1    
when 8their fear hath come as a         
desolation1 and destruction as a        
whirlwind80 7,prov4 i4 #bg73 and often  
in some sharp affliction1 the dust hath 
been blown off from men's  consciences1 
which for a while hath obscured the     
writing of the law4  ,if men stand in   
awe of punishment1 there is then some   
superior to whom  they are accountable2 
if there were no ,god1 there were no    
punishment  to fear4 ,what reason of any
 fear1 upon the dissolution of the knot 
between the soul and body1 if there were
 not a ,god to punish1 and  the soul    
remained not in being to be punished8   
,how suddenly will  conscience work upon
 the appearance of an affliction1 rouse 
itself  from sleep like an armed man1   
and fly in a man's face before he is    
aware of it6 ,it will 8surprise the     

hypocrites0 7,isa4 xxxviii4 #ad73  it   
will bring to mind actions committed    
long ago1 and set them in  order before 
the face1 as ,god's deputy1 acting by   
his authority and  omniscience4 ,as ,god
 hath not left himself without a witness
 among  the creatures 7,acts xiv4 #ag71 
so he hath not left himself without  a  
witness in a man's own breast4    7#a47 
,this operation of conscience hath been 
universal4 ,no nation a#ga  hath been   
any more exempt from it than from       
reason2 not a man but hath  one time or 
other more or less smarted under the    
sting of it4 ,all over  the world       
conscience hath shot its darts2 it hath 
torn the hearts of  princes in the midst
 of their pleasures2 it hath not        
flattered them  whom most men flatter2  
nor feared to disturb their rest1 whom  
no man  dares to provoke4 ,judges have  
trembled on a tribunal1 when innocents  
have rejoiced in their condemnation4    
,the iron bars upon ,pharaoh's          
conscience1 were at last broke up1 and  

he acknowledged the justice  of ,god in 
all that he did1 7,exod4 ix4 #bg73 8,i  
have sinned1 the ,lord  is righteous1   
and ,i and my people are wicked40 ,had  
they been like  childish frights at the 
apprehension of bugbears1 why hath not  
reason  shaken them off8 ,but1 on the   
contrary1 the stronger reason grows1    
the smarter those lashes are2 groundless
 fears had been shortlived1  age and    
judgment would have worn them off1 but  
they grow sharper with  the growth of   
persons4 ,the ,scripture informs us they
 have been of as  ancient a date as the 
revolt of the first man1 7,gen4 iii4    
#aj73 8,i was  afraid10 saith ,adam1    
8because ,i was naked20 which was an    
expectation  of the judgment of ,god4   
,all his posterity inherit his fears1   
when ,god  expresseth himself in any    
tokens of his majesty and providence in 
the  world4 ,every man's conscience     
testifies that he is unlike what he     
ought to be1 according to that law      
engraven upon his heart4 ,in some1      

indeed1 conscience may be seared or     
dimmer2 or suppose some men may  be     
devoid of conscience1 shall it be denied
 to be a thing belonging  to the nature 
of man8 ,some men have not their eyes1  
yet the power of  seeing the light is   
natural to man1 and belongs to the      
integrity of  the body4 ,who would argue
 that1 because some men are mad1 and    
have  lost their reason by a distemper  
of the brain1 that therefore reason     
hath no reality1 but is an imaginary    
thing8 ,but ,i think it is a  standing  
truth that every man hath been under the
 scourge of it1 one  time or other1 in a
 less or a greater degree2 for1 since   
every man is  an offender1 it cannot be 
imagined1 conscience1 which is natural  
to  man1 and an active faculty1 should  
always lie idle1 without doing this     
part of its office4 ,the apostle tells  
us of the thoughts accusing or  excusing
 one another1 7or by turns71 according  
as the actions were4  ,nor is this truth
 weakened by the corruptions in the     

world1 whereby  many have thought       
themselves bound in conscience to adhere
 to a false  and superstitious worship  
and idolatry1 as much as any have       
thought  themselves bound to adhere to a
 worship commanded by ,god4 ,this very  
thing infers that all men have a        
reflecting principle in them2 it is  no 
argument against the being of           
conscience1 but only infers that it  may
 err in the application of what it      
naturally owns4 ,we can no more  say1   
that because some men walk by a false   
rule1 there is no such  thing as        
conscience1 than we can say that because
 men have errors in  their minds1       
therefore they have no such faculty as  
an understanding2  or because men will  
that which is evil1 they have no such   
faculty as a  will in them4    7#b47    
,these operations of conscience are when
 the wickedness is most  secret4 ,these 
tormenting fears of vengeance have been 
frequent in  men1 who have had no reason
 to fear man1 since their wickedness    

being unknown to any but themselves1    
they could have no accuser  but         
themselves4 ,they have been in many acts
 which their companions  a#gb have      
justified them in2 persons above the    
stroke of human laws1  yea1 such as the 
people have honored as gods1 have been  
haunted by  them4 ,conscience hath not  
been frighted by the power of princes1  
or  bribed by the pleasures of courts4  
,david was pursued by his horrors1  when
 he was1 by reason of his dignity1 above
 the punishment of the law1  or1 at     
least1 was not reached by the law2      
since1 though the murder  of ,uriah was 
intended by him1 it was not acted by    
him4 ,such examples  are frequent in    
human records2 when the crime hath been 
above any  punishment by man1 they have 
had an accuser1 judge1 and executioner  
in their own breasts4 ,can this be      
originally from a man's self8 ,he who   
loves and cherishes himself1 would fly  
from anything that disturbs him2  it is 
a greater power and majesty from whom   

man cannot hide himself1  that holds him
 in those fetters4 ,what should affect  
their minds for  that which can never   
bring them shame or punishment in this  
world1 if  there were not some supreme  
judge to whom they were to give an      
account1  whose instrument conscience   
is8 ,doth it do this of itself8 hath it 
received an authority from the man      
himself to sting him8 ,it is some       
supreme power that doth direct and      
commission it against our wills4        
7#c47 ,these operations of conscience   
cannot be totally shaken off by  man4   
,if there be no ,god1 why do not men    
silence the clamors of their            
consciences1 and scatter those fears    
that disturb their rest and  pleasures8 
,how inquisitive are men after some     
remedy against those  convulsions6      
,sometimes they would render the charge 
insignificant1  and sing a rest to      
themselves1 though they 8walk in the    
wickedness  of their own hearts40#aac   
,how often do men attempt to drown it by

  sensual pleasures1 and perhaps        
overpower it for a time2 but it revives1
  reinforceth itself1 and acts a revenge
 for its former stop4 ,it holds  sin to 
a man's view1 and fixes his eyes upon   
it1 whether he will or no4  8,the wicked
 are like a troubled sea1 and cannot    
rest10 7,isa4 lvii4 #bj73  they would   
wallow in sin without control1 but this 
inward principle  will not suffer it2   
nothing can shelter men from those      
blows4 ,what  is the reason it could    
never be cried down8 ,man is an enemy to
 his  own disquiet2 what man would      
continue upon the rack1 if it were in   
his power to deliver himself8 ,why have 
all human remedies been without         
success1 and not able to extinguish     
those operations1 though all  the       
wickedness of the heart hath been ready 
to assist and second the  attempt8 ,it  
hath pursued men notwithstanding all the
 violence used  against it2 and renewed 
its scourges with more severity1 as men 
deal  with their resisting slaves4 ,man 

can as little silence those thunders  in
 his soul1 as he can the thunders in the
 heavens2 he must strip  himself of his 
humanity1 before he can be stripped of  
an accusing  and affrighting conscience2
 it sticks as close to him as his       
nature2  since man cannot throw out the 
process it makes against him1 it is an  
evidence that some higher power secures 
its throne and standing4 ,who  should   
put this scourge into the hand of       
conscience1 which no man in  the world  
is able to wrest out8    7#d47 ,we may  
add1 the comfortable reflections of     
conscience4 ,there are  excusing1 as    
well as accusing reflections of         
conscience1 when things  are done as    
works of the 8law of nature10 7,rom4 ii4
 #ae73 as it doth  a#gc not forbear to  
accuse and torture1 when a wickedness1  
though  unknown to others1 is committed2
 so when a man hath done well1 though   
he be attacked with all the calumnies   
the wit of man can forge1 yet  his      
conscience justifies the action1 and    

fills him with a singular  contentment4 
,as there is torture in sinning1 so     
there is peace and joy  in welldoing4   
,neither of those it could do1 if it did
 not understand  a ,sovereign ,judge1   
who punishes the rebels1 and rewards the
 welldoer4  ,conscience is the          
foundation of all religion2 and the two 
pillars  upon which it is built1 are the
 being of ,god1 and the bounty of ,god  
to those that 8diligently seek him40#aad
 ,this proves the existence  of ,god4   
,if there were no ,god1 conscience were 
useless2 the operations  of it would    
have no foundation1 if there were not an
 eye to take  notice1 and a hand to     
punish or reward the action4 ,the       
accusations  of conscience evidence the 
omniscience and the holiness of ,god2   
the terrors of conscience1 the justice  
of ,god2 the approbations of            
conscience1 the goodness of ,god4 ,all  
the order in the world owes  itself1    
next to the providence of ,god1 to      
conscience2 without it the  world would 

be a ,golgotha4 ,as the creatures       
witness1 there was a first  cause that  
produced them1 so this principle in man 
evidenceth itself  to be set by the same
 hand1 for the good of that which it had
 so  framed4 ,there could be no         
conscience if there were no ,god1 and   
man  could not be a rational creature1  
if there were no conscience4 ,as  there 
is a rule in us1 there must be a judge1 
whether our actions be  according to the
 rule4 ,and since conscience in our     
corrupted state  is in some particular  
misled1 there must be a power superior  
to  conscience1 to judge how it hath    
behaved itself in its deputed office2   
we must come to some supreme judge1 who 
can judge conscience itself4  ,as a man 
can have no surer evidence that he is a 
being1 than because  he thinks he is a  
thinking being2 so there is no surer    
evidence  in nature that there is a     
,god1 than that every man hath a natural
  principle in him1 which continually   
cites him before ,god1 and puts him  in 

mind of him1 and makes him one way or   
other fear him1 and reflects  upon him  
whether he will or no4 ,a man hath less 
power over his  conscience1 than over   
any other faculty2 he may choose whether
 he will  exercise his understanding    
about1 or move his will to such an      
object2  but he hath no such authority  
over his conscience3 he cannot limit it1
  or cause it to cease from acting and  
reflecting2 and therefore1 both  that1  
and the law about which it acts1 are    
settled by some ,supreme  ,authority in 
the mind of man1 and this is ,god4      
,fourthly4 ,the evidence of a ,god      
results from the vastness of desires  in
 man1 and the real dissatisfaction he   
hath in everything below  himself4 ,man 
hath a boundless appetite after some    
sovereign good2  as his understanding is
 more capacious than anything below1 so 
is his  appetite larger4 ,this affection
 of desire exceeds all other affections4
  ,love is determined to something      
known2 fear1 to something apprehended3  

but desires approach nearer to          
infiniteness1 and pursue1 not only what 
we know1 or what we have a glimpse of1  
but what we find wanting in  what we    
already enjoy4 ,that which the desire of
 man is most naturally  carried after is
 bonum2 some fully satisfying good4 ,we 
desire  knowledge by the sole impulse of
 reason1 a#gd but we desire good  before
 the excitement of reason2 and the      
desire is always after  good1 but not   
always after knowledge4 ,now the soul of
 man finds  an imperfection in          
everything here1 and cannot scrape up a 
perfect  satisfaction and felicity4 ,in 
the highest fruitions of worldly things 
it is still pursuing something else1    
which speaks a defect in what it        
already hath4 ,the world may afford a   
felicity for our dust1 the body1  but   
not for the inhabitant in it2 it is too 
mean for that4 ,is there  any one soul  
among the sons of men1 that can upon a  
due inquiry say  it was at rest and     
wanted no more1 that hath not sometimes 

had desires  after an immaterial good8  
,the soul 8follows hard after0 such a   
thing1  and hath frequent looks after it
 7,ps4 lxiii4 #h74 ,man desires a stable
  good1 but no sublunary thing is so2   
and he that doth not desire such  a     
good1 wants the rational nature of a    
man4 ,this is as natural as             
understanding1 will1 and conscience4    
,whence should the soul of man  have    
those desires8 how came it to understand
 that something is still  wanting to    
make its nature more perfect1 if there  
were not in it  some notion of a more   
perfect being which can give it rest8   
,can such  a capacity be supposed to be 
in it without something in being able to
  satisfy it8 if so1 the noblest        
creature in the world is miserablest1   
and in a worse condition than any other4
 ,other creatures obtain  their ultimate
 desires1 8they are filled with good10  
7,ps4 civ4 #bh73  and shall man only    
have a vast desire without any          
possibility  of enjoyment8 ,nothing in  

man is in vain2 he hath objects for his 
affections1 as well as affections for   
objects2 every member of his  body hath 
its end1 and doth attain it2 every      
affection of his soul  hath an object1  
and that in this world2 and shall there 
be none for  his desire1 which comes    
nearest to infinite of any affection    
planted  in him8 ,this boundless desire 
had not its original from man himself2  
nothing would render itself restless2   
something above the bounds  of this     
world implanted those desires after a   
higher good1 and made  him restless in  
everything else4 ,and since the soul can
 only rest in  that which is infinite1  
there is something infinite for it to   
rest in2  since nothing in the world1   
though a man had the whole1 can give it 
a satisfaction1 there is something above
 the world only capable to  do it1      
otherwise the soul would be always      
without it1 and be more in  vain than   
any other creature4 ,there is1          
therefore1 some infinite being  that can

 only give a contentment to the soul1   
and this is ,god4 ,and  that goodness   
which implanted such desires in the     
soul1 would not  do it to no purpose1   
and mock it in giving it an infinite    
desire of  satisfaction1 without        
intending it the pleasure of enjoyment1 
if it  doth not by its own folly deprive
 itself of it4 ,the felicity of human   
nature must needs exceed that which is  
allotted to other creatures4    ,reason 
,,iv4 ,as it is a folly to deny that    
which all nations in the  world have    
consented to1 which the frame of the    
world evidenceth1  which man in his     
body1 soul1 operations of conscience1   
witnesseth to2  so it is a folly to deny
 the being of ,god1 which is witnessed  
unto by  extraordinary occurrences in   
the world4    #a4 ,in extraordinary     
judgments4 ,when a just revenge follows 
abominable  crimes1 especially when the 
judgment is suited to the sin by a      
strange  concatenation and succession of
 providences1 methodized a#ge to bring  

such a particular punishment2 when the  
sin of a nation or person is  made      
legible in the inflicted judgment1 which
 testifies that it cannot  be a casual  
thing4 ,the ,scripture gives us an      
account of the necessity  of such       
judgments1 to keep up the reverential   
thoughts of ,god in  the world 7,ps4 ix4
 #af73 8,the ,lord is known by the      
judgment which  he executes2 the wicked 
is snared in the work of his own hand30 
and jealousy is the name of ,god1       
7,exod4 xxxiv4 #ad71 8,whose name is    
jealous40 ,he is distinguished from     
false gods by the judgments which  he   
sends1 as men are by their names4       
,extraordinary prodigies in many        
nations have been the heralds of        
extraordinary judgments1 and presages   
of the particular judgments which       
afterwards they have felt1 of  which the
 ,roman histories1 and others1 are full4
 ,that there are such  things is        
undeniable1 and that the events have    
been answerable to  the threatening1    

unless we will throw away all human     
testimonies1  and count all the         
histories of the world forgeries4 ,such 
things are  evidences of some invisible 
power which orders those affairs4 ,and  
if  there be invisible powers1 there is 
also an efficacious cause which  moves  
them2 a government certainly there is   
among them1 as well as  in the world1   
and then we must come to some supreme   
governor which  presides over them4     
,judgments upon notorious offenders have
 been  evident in all ages2 the         
,scripture gives many instances4 ,i     
shall  only mention that of ,herod      
,agrippa1 which ,josephus mentions4#aae 
,he  receives the flattering applause of
 the people1 and thought himself a      
,god2 but by the sudden stroke upon him1
 was forced by his torture to  confess  
another4 8,i am ,god10 saith he1 8in    
your account1 but a higher  calls me    
away2 the will of the heavenly ,deity is
 to be endured40 ,the  angel of the     
,lord smote him4 ,the judgment here was 

suited to the sin2  he that would be a  
god1 is eaten up of worms1 the vilest   
creatures4  ,tully ,hostilius1 a ,roman 
king1 who counted it the most unroyal   
thing  to be religious1 or own any other
 ,god but his sword1 was consumed       
himself1 and his whole house1 by        
lightning from heaven4 ,many things  are
 unaccountable unless we have recourse  
to ,god4 ,the strange  revelations of   
murderers1 that have most secretly      
committed their  crimes2 the making good
 some dreadful imprecations1 which some 
wretches have used to confirm a lie1 and
 immediately have been struck  with that
 judgment they wished2 the raising often
 unexpected persons  to be instruments  
of vengeance on a sinful and perfidious 
nation2 the  overturning the deepest and
 surest counsels of men1 when they have 
had  a successful progress1 and come to 
the very point of execution2 the  whole 
design of men's preservation hath been  
beaten in pieces by some  unforeseen    
circumstance1 so that judgments have    

broken in upon them  without control1   
and all their subtleties been outwitted2
 the strange  crossing of some in their 
estates1 though the most wise1          
industrious1  and frugal persons1 and   
that by strange and unexpected ways2 and
 it  is observable how often everything 
contributes to carry on a judgment      
intended1 as if they rationally designed
 it3 all those loudly proclaim  a ,god  
in the world2 if there were no ,god1    
there would be no sin2 if no  sin1 there
 would be no punishment4    a#gf #b4 ,in
 miracles4 ,the course of nature is     
uniform2 and when it is  put out of its 
course1 it must be by some superior     
power invisible to  the world2 and by   
whatsoever invisible instruments they   
are wrought1  the efficacy of them must 
depend upon some first cause above      
nature4  7,psalm lxxii4 #ah73 8,blessed 
be the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 who only  
doeth  wondrous things10 by himself and 
his sole power4 ,that which cannot  be  
the result of a natural cause1 must be  

the result of something  supernatural3  
what is beyond the reach of nature1 is  
the effect of a  power superior to      
nature2 for it is quite against the     
order of nature1  and is the elevation  
of something to such a pitch1 which all 
nature  could not advance it to4 ,nature
 cannot go beyond its own limits2 if it 
be determined by another1 as hath been  
formerly proved1 it cannot lift  itself 
above itself1 without that power that so
 determined it4 ,natural  agents act    
necessarily2 the sun doth necessarily   
shine1 fire doth  necessarily burn3 that
 cannot be the result of nature1 which  
is above  the ability of nature2 that   
cannot be the work of nature which is   
against the order of nature2 nature     
cannot do anything against itself1  or  
invert its own course4 ,we must own that
 such things have been1 or  we must     
accuse all the records of former ages to
 be a pack of lies2  which whosoever    
doth1 destroys the greatest and best    
part of human  knowledge4 ,the miracles 

mentioned in the ,scripture1 wrought by 
our  ,saviour1 are acknowledged by the  
heathen1 by the ,jews at this day1      
though his greatest enemies4 ,there is  
no dispute whether such things  were    
wrought1 8the dead raised10 the 8blind  
restored to sight40  ,the heathens have 
acknowledged the miraculous eclipse of  
the sun  at the passion of ,christ1     
quite against the rule of nature1 the   
moon  being then in opposition to the   
sun2 the propagation of ,christianity   
contrary to the methods whereby other   
religions have been propagated1  that in
 a few years the nations of the world   
should be sprinkled with  this doctrine1
 and give in a greater catalogue of     
martyrs courting the  devouring flames1 
than all the religions of the world4 ,to
 this might  be added1 the strange hand 
that was over the ,jews1 the only people
 in  the world professing the true ,god1
 that should so often be befriended  by 
their conquerors1 so as to rebuild their
 temple1 though they were  looked upon  

as a people apt to rebel4 ,dion and     
,seneca observe1 that  wherever they    
were transplanted1 they prospered1 and  
gave laws to  the victors2 so that this 
proves also the authority of the        
,scripture1  the truth of christian     
religion1 as well as the being of a     
,god1 and  a superior power over the    
world4 ,to this might be added1 the     
bridling  the tumultuous passions of men
 for the preservation of human          
societies1  which else would run the    
world into unconceivable confusions1    
7,psalm  lxv4 #g73 8,which stilleth the 
noise of the sea1 and the tumults of    
the people20 as also the miraculous     
deliverance of a person or nation1  when
 upon the very brink of ruin2 the sudden
 answer of prayer when ,god  hath been  
sought to1 and the turning away a       
judgment1 which in reason  could not be 
expected to be averted1 and the raising 
a sunk people  from a ruin which seemed 
inevitable1 by unexpected ways4    #c4  
,accomplishments of prophecies4 ,those  

things which are purely  contingent1 and
 cannot be known by natural signs and in
 their causes1  as eclipses and changes 
in nations1 which may be discerned a#gg 
by an observation of the signs of the   
times2 such things that fall  not within
 this compass1 if they be foretold and  
come to pass1 are  solely from some     
higher hand1 and above the cause of     
nature4 ,this in  ,scripture is asserted
 to be a notice of the true ,god 7,isa4 
xli4 #bc73  8,show the things that are  
to come hereafter1 that we may know that
 you  are ,god10 and 7,isa4 xlvi4 #aj71 
8,i am ,god declaring the end from the  
beginning1 and from ancient times the   
things that are not yet done1  saying1  
,my counsel shall stand1 and ,i will do 
all my pleasure40 ,and  prophecy was    
consented to by all the philosophers to 
be from divine  illumination3 that power
 which discovers things future1 which   
all  the foresight of men cannot ken and
 conjecture1 is above nature4 ,and  to  
foretell them so certainly as if they   

did already exist1 or had  existed long 
ago1 must be the result of a mind       
infinitely intelligent2  because it is  
the highest way of knowing1 and a higher
 cannot be  imagined3 and he that knows 
things future in such a manner1 must    
needs know things present and past4     
,cyrus was prophesied of by ,isaiah     
7xliv4 #bh1 and xlv4 #a7 long before he 
was born2 his victories1 spoils1  all   
that should happen in ,babylon1 his     
bounty to the ,jews came to pass1       
according to that prophecy2 and the     
sight of that prophecy which the  ,jews 
shewed him1 as other historians report1 
was that which moved him  to be         
favorable to the ,jews4    ,alexander's 
sight of ,daniel's prophecy concerning  
his victories  moved him to spare       
,jerusalem4 ,and are not the four       
monarchies plainly  deciphered in that  
book1 before the fourth rose up in the  
world8  ,that power which foretells     
things beyond the reach of the wit of   
man1  and orders all causes to bring    

about those predictions1 must be an     
infinite power1 the same that made the  
world1 sustains it and governs  all     
things in it according to his pleasure1 
and to bring about his own  ends2 and   
this being is ,god4    ,use ,i4 ,if     
atheism be a folly1 it is then          
pernicious to the world  and to the     
atheist himself4 ,wisdom is the band of 
human societies1 the  glory of man4     
,folly is the disturber of families1    
cities1 nations2 the  disgrace of human 
nature4    ,first1 ,it is pernicious to 
the world4    #a4 ,it would root out the
 foundations of government4 ,it         
demolisheth all  order in nations4 ,the 
being of a ,god is the guard of the     
world3 the  sense of a ,god is the      
foundation of civil order3 without this 
there  is no tie upon the consciences of
 men4 ,what force would there be in     
oaths for the decisions of              
controversies1 what right could there be
  in appeals made to one that had no    
being8 ,a city of atheists would  be a  

heap of confusion2 there could be no    
ground of any commerce1  when all the   
sacred bands of it in the consciences of
 men were snapt  asunder1 which are torn
 to pieces and utterly destroyed by     
denying  the existence of ,god4 ,what   
magistrate could be secure in his       
standing8  ,what private person could be
 secure in his right8 ,can that then be 
a truth that is destructive of all      
public good8 ,if the atheist's          
sentiment1 that there were no ,god1 were
 a truth1 and the contrary that  there  
were a ,god1 were a falsity1 it would   
then follow1 that falsity  made men good
 and serviceable to one another2 that   
error were the  foundation of all the   
beauty1 and order1 and outward a#gh     
felicity of  the world1 the fountain of 
all good to man4#aaf ,if there were no  
,god1  to believe there is one1 would be
 an error2 and to believe there is      
none1 would be the greatest wisdom1     
because it would be the greatest  truth4
 ,and then as it is the greatest wisdom 

to fear ,god1 upon the  apprehension of 
his existence1 so it would be the       
greatest error to  fear him if there    
were none4#aag ,it would unquestionably 
follow1 that  error is the support of   
the world1 the spring of all human      
advantages2  and that every part of the 
world were obliged to a falsity for     
being  a quiet habitation1 which is the 
most absurd thing to imagine4 ,it is a  
thing impossible to be tolerated by any 
prince1 without laying an axe  to the   
root of the government4    #b4 ,it would
 introduce all evil into the world4 ,if 
you take away ,god1  you take away      
conscience1 and thereby all measures and
 rules of good  and evil4 ,and how could
 any laws be made when the measure and  
standard  of them were removed8 ,all    
good laws are founded upon the dictates 
of  conscience and reason1 upon common  
sentiments in human nature1 which       
spring from a sense of ,god2 so that if 
the foundation be demolished1  the whole
 superstructure must tumble down3 a man 

might be a thief1 a  murderer1 an       
adulterer1 and could not in a strict    
sense be an offender4  ,the worst of    
actions could not be evil1 if a man were
 a god to himself1  a law to himself4   
,nothing but evil deserves a censure1   
and nothing  would be evil if there were
 no ,god1 the ,rector of the world      
against  whom evil is properly          
committed4 ,no man can make that morally
 evil  that is not so in itself3 as     
where there is a faint sense of ,god1   
the heart is more strongly inclined to  
wickedness2 so where there is  no sense 
of ,god1 the bars are removed1 the      
floodgates set open for  all wickedness 
to rush in upon mankind4 ,religion      
pinions men from  abominable practices1 
and restrains them from being slaves to 
their  own passions3 an atheist's arms  
would be loose to do anything4#aah      
,nothing so villanous and unjust but    
would be acted if the natural fear  of a
 ,deity were extinguished4 ,the first   
consequence issuing from the            

apprehension of the existence of ,god1  
is his government of the world4  ,if    
there be no ,god1 then the natural      
consequence is that there is  no supreme
 government of the world3 such a notion 
would cashier all  sentiments of good1  
and be like a ,trojan horse1 whence all 
impurity1  tyranny1 and all sorts of    
mischiefs would break out upon mankind3 
corruption and abominable works in the  
text are the fruit of the  fool's       
persuasion that there is no ,god4 ,the  
perverting the ways of  men1 oppression 
and extortion1 owe their rise to a      
forgetfulness of  ,god 7,jer4 iii4 #ba73
 8,they have perverted their way1 and   
they have  forgotten the ,lord their    
,god40 7,ezek4 xxii4 #ab73 8,thou hast  
greedily  gained by extortion1 and hast 
forgotten me1 saith the ,lord40 ,the    
whole  earth would be filled with       
violence1 all flesh would corrupt their 
way1 as it was before the deluge1 when  
probably atheism did abound  more than  
idolatry2 and if not a disowning the    

being1 yet denying the  providence of   
,god by the posterity of ,cain3 those of
 the family of  ,seth only 8calling upon
 the name of the ,lord0 7,gen4 vi4 #aa1 
#ab1  compared with ,gen4 iv4 #bf74     
,the greatest sense of a ,deity in any1 
hath been attended with the  a#gi       
greatest innocence of life and          
usefulness to others2 and a  weaker     
sense hath been attended with a baser   
impurity4 ,if there were  no ,god1      
blasphemy would be praiseworthy2 as the 
reproach of idols  is praiseworthy1     
because we testify that there is no     
divinity in  them4#aai ,what can be more
 contemptible than that which hath no   
being8 ,sin would be only a false       
opinion of a violated law1 and an       
offended deity4 ,if such apprehensions  
prevail1 what a wide door is  opened to 
the worst of villanies6 ,if there be no 
,god1 no respect is  due to him2 all the
 religion in the world is a trifle1 and 
error2  and thus the pillars of all     
human society1 and that which hath made 

commonwealths to flourish1 are blown    
away4    ,secondly1 ,it is pernicious to
 the atheist himself4 ,if he fear no    
future punishment1 he can never expect  
any future reward3 all his  hopes must  
be confined to a swinish and despicable 
manner of life1  without any            
imaginations of so much as a drachm of  
reserved happiness4  ,he is in a worse  
condition than the silliest animal1     
which hath  something to please it in   
its life3 whereas an atheist can have   
nothing here to give him a full content1
 no more than any other man  in the     
world1 and can have less satisfaction   
hereafter4 ,he deposeth  the noble end  
of his own being1 which was to serve a  
,god and have a  satisfaction in him1 to
 seek a ,god and be rewarded by him2 and
 he that  departs from his end1 recedes 
from his own nature4 ,all the content   
any creature finds1 is in performing its
 end1 moving according to its  natural  
instinct2 as it is a joy to the sun to  
run its race4#abj ,in  the same manner  

it is a satisfaction to every other     
creature1 and its  delight to observe   
the law of its creation4 ,what content  
can any man  have that runs from his    
end1 opposeth his own nature1 denies a  
,god by  whom and for whom he was       
created1 whose image he bears1 which is 
the  glory of his nature1 and sinks into
 the very dregs of brutishness8 ,how    
elegantly it is described by            
,bildad1#aba 8,his own counsel shall    
cast  him down1 terrors shall make him  
afraid on every side1 destruction  shall
 be ready at his side1 the firstborn of 
death shall devour  his strength1 his   
confidence shall be rooted out1 and it  
shall bring  him to the king of terrors4
 ,brimstone shall be scattered upon his 
habitation2 he shall be driven from     
light into darkness1 and chased  out of 
the world4 ,they that come after him    
shall be astonished at his  day1 as they
 that went before were affrighted4 ,and 
this is the place  of him that knows not
 ,god40#abb ,if there be a future       

reckoning 7as  his own conscience cannot
 but sometimes inform him of71 his      
condition  is desperate1 and his misery 
dreadful and unavoidable4 ,it is not    
righteous a hell should entertain any   
else1 if it refuse him4    ,use ,,ii4   
,how lamentable is it1 that in our times
 this folly of  atheism should be so    
rife6 ,that there should be found such  
monsters in  human nature1 in the midst 
of the improvements of reason1 and      
shinings  of the gospel1 who not only   
make the ,scripture the matter of their 
jeers1 but scoff at the judgments and   
providences of ,god in the world1  and  
envy their ,creator a being1 without    
whose goodness they had none            
themselves2 who contradict in their     
carriage what they assert to be  their  
sentiment1 when they dreadfully         
imprecate a#hj damnation to  themselves6
 ,whence should that damnation they so  
rashly wish be poured  forth upon them1 
if there were not a revenging ,god8     
,formerly atheism  was as rare as       

prodigious1 scarce two or three known in
 an age2 and  those that are reported to
 be so in former ages1 are rather       
thought to  be counted so for mocking at
 the senseless deities the common people
  adored1 and laying open their         
impurities4 ,a mere natural strength    
would easily discover that those they   
adored for gods1 could not  deserve that
 title1 since their original was known1 
their uncleanness  manifest and         
acknowledged by their worshippers4 ,and 
probably it was so2  since the          
,christians were termed 1 because they  
acknowledged not  their vain idols4#abc 
,i question whether there ever was1 or  
can be in the world1 an  uninterrupted  
and internal denial of the being of     
,god1 or that men  7unless we can       
suppose conscience utterly dead7 can    
arrive to such  a degree of impiety2 for
 before they can stifle such sentiments 
in  them 7whatsoever they may assert71  
they must be utter strangers to  the    
common conceptions of reason1 and       

despoil themselves of their  own        
humanity4 ,he that dares to deny a ,god 
with his lips1 yet sets up  something or
 other as a ,god in his heart4 ,is it   
not lamentable that  this sacred truth1 
consented to by all nations1 which is   
the band  of civil societies1 the source
 of all order in the world1 should  be  
denied with a bare face1 and disputed   
against in companies1 and  the glory of 
a wise ,creator ascribed to an          
unintelligent nature1 to  blind chance8 
,are not such worse than heathens8 ,they
 worshipped many  gods1 these none2 they
 preserved a notion of ,god in the world
 under a  disguise of images1 these     
would banish him both from earth and    
heaven1  and demolish the statutes of   
him in their own consciences2 they      
degraded him1 these would destroy him2  
they coupled creatures with  him7,rom4  
i4 #be71 8,who worshipped the creature  
with the ,creator10 as  it may most     
properly be renderedand these would make
 him worse than  the creature1 a mere   

nothing4 ,earth is hereby become worse  
than hell4  ,atheism is a persuasion    
which finds no footing anywhere else4   
,hell1  that receives such persons1 in  
this point reforms them3 they can never 
deny or doubt of his being1 while they  
feel his strokes4 ,the devil1  that     
rejoices at their wickedness1 knows them
 to be in an error2 for  he 8believes1  
and trembles at the belief40#abd ,this  
is a forerunner  of judgment4 ,boldness 
in sin is a presage of vengeance1       
especially  when the honor of ,god is   
more particularly concerned therein2 it 
tends to the overturning human society1 
taking off the bridle from  the wicked  
inclinations of men3 and ,god appears   
not in such visible  judgments against  
sin immediately committed against       
himself1 as in  the case of those sins  
that are destructive to human society4  
,besides1  ,god1 as ,governor of the    
world1 will uphold that1 without which  
all his ordinances in the world would be
 useless4 ,atheism is point  blank      

against all the glory of ,god in        
creation1 and against all the  glory of 
,god in redemption1 and pronounceth at  
one breath1 both the  ,creator1 and all 
acts of religion and divine             
institutions1 useless and               
insignificant4 ,since most have had1 one
 time or other1 some risings of  doubt1 
whether there be a ,god1 though few do  
in expressions deny his  being1 it may  
not be a#ha unnecessary to propose some 
things for the  further impressing this 
truth1 and guarding themselves against  
such  temptations4    #a4 ,it is utterly
 impossible to demonstrate there is no  
,god4 ,he  can choose no medium1 but    
will fall in as a proof for his         
existence1  and a manifestation of his  
excellency1 rather than against it4 ,the
  pretences of the atheist are so       
ridiculous1 that they are not worth  the
 mentioning4 ,they never saw ,god1 and  
therefore know not how to  believe such 
a being2 they cannot comprehend him4 ,he
 would not be a  ,god1 if he could fall 

within the narrow model of a human      
understanding2  he would not be         
infinite1 if he were comprehensible1 or 
to be  terminated by our sight4 ,how    
small a thing must that be which is     
seen by a bodily eye1 or grasped by a   
weak mind6 ,if ,god were visible  or    
comprehensible1 he would be limited4    
,shall it be a sufficient  demonstration
 from a blind man1 that there is no fire
 in the room1  because he sees it not1  
though he feel the warmth of it8 ,the   
knowledge  of the effect is sufficient  
to conclude the existence of the cause4 
,who ever saw his own life8 ,is it      
sufficient to deny a man lives1  because
 he beholds not his life1 and only knows
 it by his motion8 ,he  never saw his   
own soul1 but knows he hath one by his  
thinking power4  ,the air renders itself
 sensible to men in its operations1 yet 
was  never seen by the eye4 ,if ,god    
should render himself visible1 they     
might question as well as now1 whether  
that which was so visible were  ,god1 or

 some delusion4 ,if he should appear    
glorious1 we can as little  behold him  
in his majestic glory1 as an owl can    
behold the sun in its  brightness3 we   
should still but see him in his effects1
 as we do the  sun by his beams4 ,if he 
should show a new miracle1 we should    
still  see him but by his works2 so we  
see him in his creatures1 every one of  
which would be as great a miracle as any
 can be wrought1 to one that  had the   
first prospect of them4 ,to require to  
see ,god1 is to require  that which is  
impossible 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af73 8,he     
dwells in the light  which no man can   
approach unto1 whom no man hath seen1   
nor can see40  ,it is visible that he   
is1 8for he covers himself with light as
 with  a garment0 7,psalm civ4 #b72 it  
is visible what he is1 8for he makes    
darkness his secret place0 7,psalm      
xviii4 #aa74 ,nothing more clear to  the
 eye than light1 and nothing more       
difficult to the understanding  than the
 nature of it3 as light is the first    

object obvious to the eye1  so is ,god  
the first object obvious to the         
understanding4 ,the arguments  from     
nature do1 with greater strength1 evince
 his existence1 than any  pretences can 
manifest there is no ,god4 ,no man can  
assure himself by  any good reason there
 is none2 for as for the likeness of    
events to  him that is righteous1 and   
him that is wicked2 to him that         
sacrificeth1  and to him that           
sacrificeth not 7,eccles4 ix4 #b73 it is
 an argument for  a reserve of judgment 
in another state1 which every man's     
conscience  dictates to him1 when the   
justice of ,god shall be glorified in   
another  world1 as much as his patience 
is in this4    #b4 ,whosoever doubts of 
it1 makes himself a mark1 against which 
all  the creatures fight4 ,all the stars
 fought against ,sisera for ,israel3    
all the stars in heaven1 and the dust on
 earth1 fight for ,god against  the     
atheist4 ,he hath as many arguments     
against him as there are  creatures in  

the whole compass of heaven and earth4  
,he is most a#hb  unreasonable1 that    
denies or doubts of that whose image and
 shadow he  sees round about him2 he may
 sooner deny the sun that warms him1 the
  moon that in night walks in her       
brightness1 deny the fruits he enjoys   
from the earth1 yea1 and deny that he   
doth exist4 ,he must tear his own       
conscience1 fly from his own thoughts1  
be changed into the nature of  a stone1 
which hath neither reason nor sense1    
before he can disengage  himself from   
those arguments which evince the being  
of a ,god4 ,he that  would make the     
natural religion professed in the world 
a mere romance1  must give the lie to   
the common sense of mankind2 he must be 
at an  irreconcilable enmity with his   
own reason1 resolve to hear nothing     
that it speaks1 if he will not hear what
 it speaks in this case1 with  a greater
 evidence than it can ascertain anything
 else4 ,god hath so  settled himself in 
the reason of man1 that he must vilify  

the noblest  faculty ,god hath given    
him1 and put off nature itself1 before  
he can  blot out the notion of a ,god4  
#c4 ,no question but those that have    
been so bold as to deny that there  was 
a ,god1 have sometimes been much afraid 
they have been in an error1  and have at
 least suspected there was a ,god1 when 
some sudden prodigy  hath presented     
itself to them1 and roused their fears2 
and whatsoever  sentiments they might   
have in their blinding prosperity1 they 
have  had other kind of motions in them 
in their stormy afflictions1 and1  like 
,jonah's mariners1 have been ready to   
cry to him for help1 whom  they         
disdained to own so much as in being1   
while they swam in their  pleasures4    
,the thoughts of a ,deity cannot be so  
extinguished1 but they  will revive and 
rush upon a man1 at least under some    
sharp affliction4  ,amazing judgments   
will make them question their own       
apprehensions4 ,god  sends some         
messengers to keep alive the            

apprehension of him as a ,judge1  while 
men resolve not to own or reverence him 
as a ,governor4 ,a man  cannot but keep 
a scent of what was born with him2 as a 
vessel that  hath been seasoned first   
with a strong juice will preserve the   
scent  of it1 whatsoever liquors are    
afterwards put into it4    #d4 ,what is 
it for which such men rack their wits1  
to form notions  that there is no ,god8 
,is it not that they would indulge some 
vicious  habit1 which hath gained the   
possession of their soul1 which they    
know  8cannot be favored by that holy   
,god10 whose notion they would raze     
out8#abe ,is it not for some brutish    
affection1 as degenerative of  human    
nature1 as derogatory to the glory of   
,god2 a lust as unmanly  as sinful8 ,the
 terrors of ,god are the effects of     
guilt2 and therefore  men would wear out
 the apprehensions of a ,deity1 that    
they might  be brutish without control4 
,they would fain believe there were no  
,god1 that they might not be men1 but   

beasts4 ,how great a folly is  it to    
take so much pains in vain1 for a       
slavery and torment2 to  cast off that  
which they call a yoke1 for that which  
really is one6  ,there is more pains and
 toughness of soul requisite to shake   
off  the apprehensions of ,god1 than to 
believe that he is1 and cleave          
constantly to him4 ,what a madness is it
 in any to take so much pains  to be    
less than a man1 by razing out the      
apprehensions of ,god1 when1  with less 
pains1 he may be more than an earthly   
man1 by cherishing the  notions of ,god1
 and walking answerably thereunto8      
a#hc #e4 ,how unreasonable is it for any
 man to hazard himself at  this rate in 
the denial of a ,god6 ,the atheist saith
 he knows not that  there is a ,god2 but
 may he not reasonably think there may  
be one for  aught he knows8 and if there
 be1 what a desperate confusion will he 
be in1 when all his bravadoes shall     
prove false6 ,what can they gain  by    
such an opinion8 ,a freedom1 say they1  

from the burdensome yoke  of conscience1
 a liberty to do what they list1 that   
doth not subject  them to divine laws4  
,it is a hard matter to persuade any    
that they can  gain this4 ,they can gain
 but a sordid pleasure1 unworthy the    
nature  of man4 ,but it were well that  
such would argue thus with themselves3  
,if there be a ,god1 and ,i fear and    
obey him1 ,i gain a happy eternity2  but
 if there be no ,god1 ,i lose nothing   
but my sordid lusts1 by firmly          
believing there is one4 ,if ,i be       
deceived at last1 and find a ,god1  can 
,i think to be rewarded by him1 for     
disowning him8 ,do not ,i run a         
desperate hazard to lose his favor1 his 
kingdom1 and endless felicity  for an   
endless torment8 ,by confessing a ,god  
,i venture no loss2 but  by denying him1
 ,i run the most desperate hazard1 if   
there be one4 ,he  is not a reasonable  
creature1 that will not put himself upon
 such a  reasonable arguing4 ,what a    
doleful meeting will there be between   

the  ,god who is denied1 and the atheist
 that denies him1 who shall meet  with  
reproaches on ,god's part1 and terrors  
on his own6 ,all that he  gains is a    
liberty to defile himself here1 and a   
certainty to be  despised hereafter1 if 
he be in an error1 as undoubtedly he is4
    #f4 ,can any such person say he hath
 done all that he can to inform  himself
 of the being of ,god1 or of other      
things which he denies8  ,or rather they
 would fain imagine there is none1 that 
they may  sleep securely in their lusts1
 and be free 7if they could7 from  the  
thunderclaps of conscience4 ,can such   
say they have used their  utmost        
endeavors to instruct themselves in     
this1 and can meet with no              
satisfaction8 ,were it an abstruse truth
 it might not be wondered at2  but not  
to meet with satisfaction in this which 
everything minds us of1  and helpeth1 is
 the fruit of an extreme negligence1    
stupidity1 and a  willingness to be     
unsatisfied1 and a judicial process of  

,god against  them4 ,it is strange any  
man should be so dark in that upon which
  depends the conduct of his life1 and  
the expectation of happiness  hereafter4
 ,i do not know what some of you may    
think1 but ,i believe  these things are 
not useless to be proposed for ourselves
 to answer  temptations2 we know not    
what wicked temptation in a debauched   
and  skeptic age1 meeting with a corrupt
 heart1 may prompt men to2 and  though  
there may not be any atheist here       
present1 yet ,i know there is  more than
 one1 who have accidentally met with    
such1 who openly denied  a ,deity2 and  
if the like occasion happen1 these      
considerations may  not be unuseful to  
apply to their consciences4 ,but ,i must
 confess1  that since those that live in
 this sentiment1 do not judge themselves
  worthy of their own care1 they are not
 worthy of the care of others2  and a   
man must have all the charity of the    
christian religion1 which  they despise1
 not to contemn them1 and leave them to 

their own folly4  ,as we are to pity    
madmen1 who sink under an unavoidable   
distemper1 we  are as much to abominate 
them1 who wilfully hug this prodigious  
frenzy4    a#hd ,use ,,iii4 ,if it be   
the atheist's folly to deny or doubt of 
the being of ,god1 it is our wisdom to  
be firmly settled in this truth1  that  
,god is4 ,we should never be without our
 arms in an age wherein  atheism appears
 barefaced without a disguise4 ,you may 
meet with  suggestions to it1 though the
 devil formerly never attempted to      
demolish this notion in the world1 but  
was willing to keep it up1  so the      
worship due to ,god might run in his own
 channel1 and was  necessitated to      
preserve it1 without which he could not 
have erected  that idolatry1 which was  
his great design in opposition to ,god2 
yet since the foundations of that are   
torn up1 and never like to be  rebuilt1 
he may endeavor1 as his last refuge1 to 
banish the notion of  ,god out of the   
world1 that he may reign as absolutely  

without it1 as  he did before by the    
mistakes about the divine nature4 ,but  
we must not  lay all upon ,satan2 the   
corruption of our own hearts ministers  
matter  to such sparks4 ,it is not said 
,satan hath suggested to the fool1 but  
8the fool hath said in his heart10 there
 is no ,god4 ,but let them come  from   
what principle soever1 silence them     
quickly1 give them their  dismiss2      
oppose the whole scheme of nature to    
fight against them1  as the stars did   
against ,sisera4 ,stir up sentiments of 
conscience  to oppose sentiments of     
corruption4 ,resolve sooner to believe  
that  yourselves are not1 than that ,god
 is not2 and if you suppose they  at any
 time come from ,satan1 object to him   
that you know he believes  the contrary 
to what he suggests4 ,settle this       
principle firmly in you1  8let us behold
 ,him that is invisible10 as ,moses     
did2#abf let us have  the sentiments    
following upon the notion of a ,god1 to 
be restrained  by a fear of him1 excited

 by a love to him1 not to violate his   
laws  and offend his goodness4 ,he is   
not a ,god careless of our actions1     
negligent to inflict punishment1 and    
bestow rewards1 8he forgets not  the    
labor of our love10#abg nor the         
integrity of our ways2 he were  not a   
,god1 if he were not a governor2 and    
punishments and rewards are  as         
essential to government1 as a foundation
 to a building4 ,his being  and his     
government in rewarding1 which implies  
punishment1 7for the  neglects of him   
are linked together7#abh are not to be  
separated in  our thoughts of him4      
#a4 ,without this truth fixed in us1 we 
can never give him the worship  due to  
his name4 ,when the knowledge of        
anything is fluctuating and  uncertain1 
our actions about it are careless4 ,we  
regard not that  which we think doth not
 much concern us4 ,if we do not firmly  
believe  there is a ,god1 we shall pay  
him no steady worship2 and if we believe
  not the excellency of his nature1 we  

shall offer him but a slight            
service4#abi ,the ,jews call the        
knowledge of the being of ,god the      
foundation and pillar of wisdom4#acj    
,the whole frame of religion is         
dissolved without this apprehension1 and
 totters if this apprehension  be       
wavering4 ,religion in the heart is as  
water in a weatherglass1  which riseth  
or falls according to the strength or   
weakness of this  belief4 ,how can any  
man worship that which he believes not  
to be1 or  doubts of8 ,could any man    
omit the paying a homage to one1 whom he
 did  believe to be an omnipotent1 wise 
being1 possessing a#he 7infinitely      
above our conceptions7 the perfections  
of all creatures8 ,he must  either think
 there is no such being1 or that he is  
an easy1 drowsy1  inobservant ,god1 and 
not such an one as our natural notions  
of him1  if listened to1 as well as the 
,scripture1 represents him to be4    #b4
 ,without being rooted in this1 we      
cannot order our lives4 ,all  our       

baseness1 stupidity1 dulness1           
wanderings1 vanity1 spring from  a      
wavering and unsettledness in this      
principle4 ,this gives ground  to       
brutish pleasures1 not only to solicit1 
but conquer us4 ,abraham  expected      
violence in any place where ,god was not
 owned 7,gen4 xx4 #aa71  8,surely the   
fear of ,god is not in this place1 and  
they will slay me  for my wife's sake40 
,the natural knowledge of ,god firmly   
impressed1  would choke that which would
 stifle our reason and deface our souls4
  ,the belief that ,god is1 and what he 
is1 would have a mighty influence  to   
persuade us to a real religion1 and     
serious consideration1 and  casting     
about how to be like to him and united  
with him4    #c4 ,without it we cannot  
have any comfort of our lives4 ,who     
would  willingly live in a stormy world1
 void of a ,god8 ,if we waver in this   
principle1 to whom should we make our   
complaints in our afflictions8  ,where  
should we meet with supports8 ,how could

 we satisfy ourselves  with the hopes of
 a future happiness8 ,there is a        
sweetness in the  meditation of his     
existence1 and that he is a             
,creator4#aca ,thoughts  of other things
 have a bitterness mixed with them3     
houses1 lands1  children1 now are1      
shortly they will not be2 but ,god is1  
that made the  world3 his faithfulness  
as he is a ,creator1 is a ground to     
deposit our  souls and concerns in our  
innocent sufferings4#acb ,so far as we  
are  weak in the acknowledgment of ,god1
 we deprive ourselves of our content  in
 the view of his infinite perfections4  
#d4 ,without the rooting of this        
principle1 we cannot have a firm belief 
of ,scripture4 ,the ,scripture will be a
 slight thing to one that hath  weak    
sentiments of ,god4 ,the belief of a    
,god must necessarily precede  the      
belief of any revelation2 the latter    
cannot take place without  the former as
 a foundation4 ,we must firmly believe  
the being of a ,god1  wherein our       

happiness doth consist1 before we can   
believe any means  which conduct us to  
him4 ,moses begins with the ,author of  
creation1  before he treats of the      
promise of redemption4 ,paul preached   
,god as  a ,creator to a university1    
before he preached ,christ as           
,mediator4#acc  ,what influence can the 
testimony of ,god have in his revelation
 upon  one that doth not firmly assent  
to the truth of his being8 ,all would   
be in vain that is so often repeated1   
8,thus saith the ,lord10 if we  do not  
believe there is a ,lord that speaks it4
 ,there could be no  awe from his       
sovereignty in his commands1 nor any    
comfortable taste  of his goodness in   
his promises4 ,the more we are          
strengthened in  this principle1 the    
more credit we shall be able to give to 
divine  revelation1 to rest in his      
promise1 and to reverence his precept2  
the  authority of all depends upon the  
being of the ,revealer4    ,to this     
purpose1 since we have handled this     

discourse by natural  arguments1    a#hf
 #a4 ,study ,god in the creatures as    
well as in the ,scriptures4 ,the        
primary use of the creatures1 is to     
acknowledge ,god in them2 they were     
made to be witnesses of himself in his  
goodness1 and heralds of his  glory1    
which glory of ,god as ,creator 8shall  
endure forever0 7,psalm  civ4 #ca73 that
 whole psalm is a lecture of creation   
and providence4  ,the world is a sacred 
temple2 man is introduced to contemplate
 it1 and  behold with praise the glory  
of ,god in the pieces of his art4 ,as   
grace  doth not destroy nature1 so the  
book of redemption blots not out that   
of creation4 ,had he not shown himself  
in his creatures1 he could never  have  
shown himself in his ,christ2 the order 
of things required it4  ,god must be    
read wherever he is legible2 the        
creatures are one book1  wherein he hath
 writ a part of the excellency of his   
name1#acd as  many artists do in their  
works and watches4 ,god's glory1 like   

the  filings of gold1 is too precious to
 be lost wherever it drops3 nothing  so 
vile and base in the world1 but carries 
in it an instruction for  man1 and      
drives in further the notion of a ,god4 
,as he said of his  cottage1 ,enter     
here1 ,sunt hic etiam ,dii1 ,god        
disdains not this place3  so the least  
creature speaks to man1 every shrub in  
the field1 every  fly in the air1 every 
limb in a body2 ,consider me1 ,god      
disdains not  to appear in me2 he hath  
discovered in me his being and a part of
 his  skill1 as well as in the highest4 
,the creatures manifest the being of    
,god and part of his perfections4 ,we   
have indeed a more excellent way1  a    
revelation setting him forth in a more  
excellent manner1 a firmer  object of   
dependence1 a brighter object of love1  
raising our hearts  from selfconfidence 
to a confidence in him4 ,though the     
appearance  of ,god in the one be       
clearer than in the other1 yet neither  
is to  be neglected4 ,the ,scripture    

directs us to nature to view ,god2 it   
had  been in vain else for the apostle  
to make use of natural arguments4       
,nature is not contrary to ,scripture1  
nor ,scripture to nature2 unless  we    
should think ,god contrary to himself   
who is the ,author of both4    #b4 ,view
 ,god in your own experiences of him4   
,there is a taste and  sight of his     
goodness1 though no sight of his        
essence4#ace ,by the  taste of his      
goodness you may know the reality of the
 fountain1 whence  it springs and from  
whence it flows2 this surpasseth the    
greatest  capacity of a mere natural    
understanding4 ,experience of the       
sweetness  of the ways of ,christianity 
is a mighty preservative against        
atheism4  ,many a man knows not how to  
prove honey to be sweet by his reason1  
but  by his sense2 and if all the reason
 in the world be brought against  it1 he
 will not be reasoned out of what he    
tastes4 ,have not many found  the       
delightful illapses of ,god into their  

souls1 often sprinkled with  his inward 
blessings upon their seeking of him2 had
 secret warnings in  their approaches to
 him2 and gentle rebukes in their       
consciences upon  their swervings from  
him8 ,have not many found sometimes an  
invisible  hand raising them up when    
they were dejected2 some unexpected     
providence stepping in for their relief2
 and easily perceived that  it could not
 be a work of chance1 nor many times the
 intention of the  instruments he hath  
used in it8 ,you have often found that  
a#hg he is1  by finding that he is a    
rewarder1 and can set to your seals that
 he is  what he hath declared himself to
 be in his word 7,isa4 xliii4 #ab73 8,i 
have declared1 and have saved2 therefore
 you are my witnesses1 saith  the ,lord1
 that ,i am ,god40 ,the secret touches  
of ,god upon the heart1  and inward     
converses with him1 are a greater       
evidence of the existence  of a supreme 
and infinitely good ,being1 than all    
nature4    ,use ,,iv4 ,is it a folly to 

deny or doubt of the being of ,god8 ,it 
is a  folly also not to worship ,god1   
when we acknowledge his existence2 it   
is our wisdom then to worship him4 ,as  
it is not indifferent whether  we       
believe there is a ,god or no2 so it is 
not indifferent whether we  will give   
honor to that ,god or no4 ,a worship is 
his right as he is the  ,author of our  
being1 and fountain of our happiness4   
,by this only we  acknowledge his       
,deity2 though we may profess his being1
 yet we deny  that profession in        
neglects of worship4 ,to deny him a     
worship is as  great a folly1 as to deny
 his being4 ,he that renounceth all     
homage to  his ,creator1 envies him the 
being which he cannot deprive him of4   
,the  natural inclination to worship is 
as universal as the notion of a ,god2   
idolatry else had never gained footing  
in the world4 ,the existence of  ,god   
was never owned in any nation1 but a    
worship of him was appointed4  ,and many
 people who have turned their backs upon

 some other parts  of the law of nature1
 have paid a continual homage to some   
superior  and invisible being4 ,the     
,jews give a reason why man was created 
in  the evening of the ,sabbath1 because
 he should begin his being with  the    
worship of his ,maker4 ,as soon as ever 
he found himself to be  a creature1 his 
first solemn act should be a particular 
respect to  his ,creator4 8,to fear ,god
 and keep his commandment10 is the whole
 of  man1#acf or is whole man2#acg he is
 not a man but a beast1 without         
observance of ,god4 ,religion is as     
requisite as reason to complete  a man3 
he were not reasonable if he were not   
religious2 because by  neglecting       
religion1 he neglects the chiefest      
dictate of reason4  ,either ,god framed 
the world with so much order1 elegancy1 
and variety  to no purpose1 or this was 
his end at least1 that reasonable       
creatures  should admire him in it1 and 
honor him for it4 ,the notion of ,god   
was not stamped upon men1 the shadows of

 ,god did not appear in the  creatures1 
to be the subject of an idle            
contemplation1 but the motive  of a due 
homage to ,god4 ,he created the world   
for his glory1 a people  for himself1   
that he might have the honor of his     
works2 that since we  live and move in  
him1 and by him1 we should live and move
 to him and  for him4 ,it was the       
condemnation of the heathen world1 that 
when they  knew there was a ,god1 they  
did not give him the glory due to       
him4#ach  ,he that denies his being1 is 
an atheist to his essence3 he that      
denies  his worship1 is an atheist to   
his honor4    ,if it be a folly to deny 
the being of ,god1 it will be our       
wisdom1  then1 since we acknowledge his 
being1 often to think of him4 ,thoughts 
are the first issue of a creature as    
reasonable3#aci ,he that hath  given us 
the faculty whereby we are able to      
think1 should be the  principal object  
about which the power of it should be   
exercised4  ,it is a justice to ,god1   

the author of our understandings1 a     
justice  to a#hh the nature of our      
understandings1 that the noblest faculty
  should be employed about the most     
excellent object4 ,our minds are  a beam
 from ,god2 and1 therefore1 as the beams
 of the sun1 when they  touch the earth1
 should reflect back upon ,god4 ,as we  
seem to deny the  being of ,god not to  
think of him2 we seem also to unsoul our
 souls  in misemploying the activity of 
them any other way1 like flies1 to  be  
oftener on dunghills than flowers4 ,it  
is made the black mark of  an ungodly   
man1 or an atheist1 that 8,god is not in
 all his thoughts0  7,psalm x4 #d74     
,what comfort can be had in the being of
 ,god without  thinking of him with     
reverence and delight8 ,a ,god forgotten
 is as good  as no ,god to us4          
a#hi                       ,,discourse  
,,ii4                            ,,on   
,,practical ,,atheism4      ,,psalm xiv4
 #a4,the fool hath said in his heart1   
,there is no ,god4      ,they are       

corrupt1 they have done abominable      
works1 there is      none that doeth    
good4      ,,practical atheism is       
natural to man in his depraved state1   
and very  frequent in the hearts and    
lives of men4    ,the fool hath said in 
his heart1 ,there is no ,god4 ,he       
regards him  as little as if he had no  
being4 ,he said in his heart1 not with  
his tongue1 nor in his head3 he never   
firmly thought it1 nor openly  asserted 
it4 ,shame put a bar to the first1 and  
natural reason to the  second2 yet1     
perhaps1 he had sometimes some doubts   
whether there were  a ,god or no4 ,he   
wished there were not any1 and sometimes
 hoped there  were none at all4 ,he     
could not raze out the notion of a      
,deity in his  mind1 but he neglected   
the fixing the sense of ,god in his     
heart1 and  made it too much his        
business to deface and blot out those   
characters  of ,god in his soul1 which  
had been left under the ruins of        
original  nature4 ,men may have         

atheistical hearts without atheistical  
heads4  ,their reasons may defend the   
notion of a ,deity1 while their hearts  
are empty of affection to the ,deity4   
,job's children may curse ,god  in their
 hearts1 though not with their lips4#adj
    ,there is no ,god4 ,most understand 
it of a denial of the providence  of    
,god1 as ,i have said in opening the    
former doctrine4 ,he denies some        
essential attribute of ,god1 or the     
exercise of that attribute in the       
world4#ada ,he that denies any essential
 attribute1 may be said to  deny the    
being of ,god4 ,whosoever denies angels 
or men to have reason  and will1 denies 
the human and angelical nature1 because 
understanding  and will are essential to
 both those natures2 there could neither
  be angel nor man without them4 ,no    
nature can subsist without the          
perfections essential to that nature1   
nor ,god be conceived of without  his4  
,the apostle tells us 7,eph4 ii4 #ab71  
that the ,gentiles were  8without ,god  

in the world40 ,so1 in some sense1 all  
unbelievers may  be termed atheists2 for
 rejecting the ,mediator appointed by   
,god1 they  reject that ,god who        
appointed him4 ,but this is beyond the  
intended  scope1 natural atheism being  
the only subject2 yet this is deducible 
from it4 ,that the title of  doth not   
only belong to those who  deny the      
existence of ,god1 or to those who      
contemn all sense of a  ,deity1 and     
would root the conscience and reverence 
of ,god out a#ij  of their souls2 but it
 belongs also to those who give not that
 worship  to ,god which is due to him1  
who worship many gods1 or who worship   
one ,god in a false and superstitious   
manner1 when they have not right        
conceptions of ,god1 nor intend an      
adoration of him according to the       
excellency of his nature4 ,all those    
that are unconcerned for any  particular
 religion fall under this character3    
though they own a  ,god in general1 yet 
are willing to acknowledge any ,god that

 shall be  coined by the powers under   
whom they live4 ,the ,gentiles were     
without  ,god in the world2 without the 
true notion of ,god1 not without a ,god 
of  their own framing4 ,this general or 
practical atheism is natural to men4    
#a4 ,not natural by created1 but by     
corrupted nature4 ,it is against        
nature1 as nature came out of the hand  
of ,god2 but universally  natural1 as   
nature hath been sophisticated and      
infected by the  serpent's breath4      
,inconsideration of ,god1 or            
misrepresentation of his  nature1 are as
 agreeable to corrupt nature1 as the    
disowning the being  of a ,god is       
contrary to common reason4 ,god is not  
denied1 natur1 sed  vitiis4#adb    #b4  
,it is universally natural3 8,the wicked
 are estranged from the womb  7,psalm   
lviii4 #c74 ,they go astray as soon as  
they be born3 their poison  is like the 
poison of a serpent40 ,the wicked1 7and 
who by his birth  hath a better title87 
they go astray from the dictates of ,god

 and the  rule of their creation as soon
 as ever they be born4 ,their poison is 
like the poison of a serpent1 which is  
radically the same in all of  the same  
species4 ,it is seminally and           
fundamentally in all men1 though  there 
may be a stronger restraint by a divine 
hand upon some men than  upon others4   
,this principle runs through the whole  
stream of nature4  ,the natural bent of 
every man's heart is distant from ,god4 
,when we  attempt anything pleasing to  
,god1 it is like the climbing up a hill1
  against nature2 when anything is      
displeasing to him1 it is like  a       
current running down the channel in its 
natural course2 when we  attempt        
anything that is an acknowledgment of   
the holiness of ,god1  we are fain to   
rush1 with arms in our hands1 through a 
multitude of  natural passions1 and     
fight the way through the oppositions of
 our  own sensitive appetite4 ,how      
softly do we naturally sink down into   
that  which sets us at a greater        

distance from ,god6 ,there is no active1
  potent1 efficacious sense of a ,god by
 nature4 8,the heart of the sons  of men
 is fully set in them to do evil0       
7,eccl4 viii4 #aa74 ,the heart1  in the 
singular number1 as if there were but   
one common heart beat in  all mankind1  
and bent1 as with one pulse1 with a     
joint consent and  force to wickedness1 
without a sense of the authority of ,god
 in the  earth1 as if one heart acted   
every man in the world4 ,the great      
apostle  cites the text to verify the   
charge he brought against all mankind4  
#adc ,in his interpretation1 the ,jews1 
who owned one ,god1 and were  dignified 
with special privileges1 as well as the 
,gentiles that  maintained many gods1   
are within the compass of this          
character4 ,the  apostle leaves out the 
first part of the text1 8,the fool hath 
said in  his heart10 but takes in the   
latter part1 and the verses following4  
,he  charges all1 because all1 every man
 of them1 was under sin8,there  is none 

that seeks ,god20 and1 a#ia ver4 #ai1 he
 adds1 8,what the law  saith1 it speaks 
to those that are under the law10 that  
none should  imagine he included only   
the ,gentiles1 and exempted the ,jews   
from this  description4 ,the leprosy of 
atheism had infected the whole mass of  
human nature4 ,no man1 among ,jews or   
,gentiles1 did naturally seek ,god2     
and1 therefore1 all were void of any    
spark of the practical sense of  the    
,deity4 ,the effects of this atheism are
 not in all externally of  an equal     
size2 yet1 in the fundamentals and      
radicals of it1 there  is not a hair's  
difference between the best and the     
worst men  that ever traversed the      
world4 ,the distinction is laid either  
in  common grace1 bounding and          
suppressing it2 or in special grace1    
killing and crucifying it4 ,it is in    
every one either triumphant or          
militant1 reigning or deposed4 ,no man  
is any more born with sensible          
acknowledgments of ,god1 than he is born

 with a clear knowledge of  the nature  
of all the stars in the heavens1 or     
plants upon the earth4  ,none seeks     
after ,god4#add ,none seek ,god as his  
rule1 as his end1  as his happiness1    
which is a debt the creature naturally  
owes to  ,god4 ,he desires no communion 
with ,god2 he places his happiness in   
anything inferior to ,god2 he prefers   
everything before him1 glorifies        
everything above him2 he hath no delight
 to know him2 he regards not  those     
paths which lead to him2 he loves his   
own filth better than  ,god's holiness2 
his actions are tinctured and dyed with 
self1 and are  void of that respect     
which is due from him to ,god4    ,the  
noblest faculty of man1 his             
understanding1 wherein the remaining    
lineaments of the image of ,god are     
visible2 the highest operation of  that 
faculty1 which is wisdom1 is1 in the    
judgment of the ,spirit of  ,god1       
devilish1 whilst it is earthly and      
sensual2#ade and the wisdom  of the best

 man is no better by nature2 a legion of
 impure spirits  possess it2 devilish1  
as the devil1 who1 though he believe    
there is  a ,god1 yet acts as if there  
were none1 and wishes he had no superior
  to prescribe him a law1 and inflict   
that punishment upon him which  his     
crimes have merited4 ,hence the poison  
of man by nature is said  to be like the
 poison of a serpent1#adf alluding to   
that serpentine  temptation which first 
infected mankind1 and changed the nature
 of  man into the likeness of that of   
the devil2 so that1 notwithstanding  the
 harmony of the world1 that presents men
 not only with the notice  of the being 
of a ,god1 but darts into their minds   
some remarks of  his power and eternity2
 yet the thoughts and reasonings of man 
are  so corrupt1 as may well be called  
diabolical1 and as contrary to  the     
perfection of ,god1 and the original law
 of their nature1 as the  actings of the
 devil are2 for since every natural man 
is a child of  the devil1 and is acted  

by the diabolical spirit1 he must needs 
have  that nature which his father hath1
 and the infusion of that venom  which  
the spirit that acts him is possessed   
with1 though the full  discovery of it  
may be restrained by various            
circumstances 7,eph4  ii4 #b74 ,to      
conclude3 though no man1 or at least    
very few1 arrive to  a round and        
positive conclusion in their hearts that
 there is no ,god1  yet there is no man 
that naturally hath in his heart any    
reverence  of ,god4 ,in general1 before 
,i come to a particular proof1 take some
  propositions4    a#ib ,prop4 ,i4      
,actions are a greater discovery of a   
principle than  words4 ,the testimony of
 works is louder and clearer than that  
of words2  and the frame of men's hearts
 must be measured rather by what they   
do than by what they say4 ,there may be 
a mighty distance between the  tongue   
and the heart1 but a course of actions  
is as little guilty  of lying as        
interest is1 according to our common    

saying4 ,all outward  impieties are the 
branches of an atheism at the root of   
our nature1 as  all pestilential sores  
are expressions of the contagion in the 
blood2  sin is therefore frequently     
called ungodliness in our ,english      
dialect4  ,men's practices are the best 
indexes of their principles3 the current
  of a man's life is the counterpart of 
the frame of his heart4 ,who can  deny  
an error in the spring or wheels1 when  
he perceives an error in  the hand of   
the dial8 ,who can deny an atheism in   
the heart1 when so  much is visible in  
the life8 ,the taste of the water       
discovers what  mineral it is strained  
through4 ,a practical denial of ,god is 
worse  than a verbal1 because deeds have
 usually more of deliberation than      
words2 words may be the fruit of a      
passion1 but a set of evil actions  are 
the fruit and evidence of a predominant 
evil principle in the  heart4 ,all      
slighting words of a prince do not argue
 an habitual  treason2 but a succession 

of overt treasonable attempts signify a 
settled treasonable disposition in the  
mind4 ,those1 therefore1 are  more      
deservedly termed atheists1 who         
acknowledge a ,god1 and walk as if      
there were none1 than those 7if there   
can be any such7 that deny a ,god1  and 
walk as if there were one4 ,a sense of  
,god in the heart would burst  out in   
the life2 where there is no reverence of
 ,god in the life1 it is  easily        
concluded there is less in the heart4   
,what doth not influence  a man when it 
hath the addition of the eyes1 and      
censures of outward  spectators1 and the
 care of a reputation 7so much the god  
of the  world7 to strengthen it and     
restrain the action1 must certainly     
have less power over the heart when it  
is single1 without any other            
concurrence4 ,the flames breaking out of
 a house discover the fire  to be much  
stronger and fiercer within4 ,the       
apostle judgeth those  of the           
circumcision1 who gave heed to ,jewish  

fables1 to be deniers  of ,god1 though  
he doth not tax them with any notorious 
profaneness3  7,tit4 i4 #af71 8,they    
profess that they know ,god1 but in     
works they  deny him40 ,he gives them   
epithets contrary to what they arrogated
  to themselves4#adg ,they boasted      
themselves to be holy2 the apostle      
calls them abominable3 they bragged that
 they fulfilled the law1  and observed  
the traditions of their fathers2 the    
apostle calls them  disobedient1 or     
unpersuadable3 they boasted that they   
only had the  rule of righteousness1 and
 a sound judgment concerning it2 the    
apostle  said they had a reprobate      
sense1 and unfit for any good work2 and 
judges against all their vainglorious   
brags1 that they had not a  reverence of
 ,god in their hearts2 there was more of
 the denial of ,god  in their works than
 there was acknowledgment of ,god in    
their words4  ,those that have neither  
,god in their thoughts1 nor in their    
tongues1  nor in their works1 cannot    

properly be said to acknowledge him4    
,where  the honor of ,god is not        
practically owned in the lives of men1  
the  being of ,god is not sensibly      
acknowledged in the hearts of men4 ,the 
a#ic principle must be of the same kind 
with the actions2 if the  actions be    
atheistical1 the principle of them can  
be no better4    ,prop4 ,,ii4 ,all sin  
is founded in a secret atheism4 ,atheism
 is the  spirit of every sin2 all the   
floods of impieties in the world break  
in  at the gate of a secret atheism1 and
 though several sins may disagree  with 
one another1 yet1 like ,herod and       
,pilate against ,christ1 they join  hand
 in hand against the interest of ,god4  
,though lusts and pleasures  be diverse1
 yet they are all united in disobedience
 to him4#adh ,all  the wicked           
inclinations in the heart1 and          
struggling motions1 secret  repinings1  
selfapplauding confidences in our own   
wisdom1 strength1  c41 envy1 ambition1  
revenge1 are sparks from this latent    

fire2 the  language of every one of     
these is1 ,i would be a ,lord to myself1
 and  would not have a ,god superior to 
me4 ,the variety of sins against the    
first and second table1 the neglects of 
,god1 and violences against man1  are   
derived from this in the text2 first1   
8,the fool hath said in his  heart10 and
 then follows a legion of devils4 ,as   
all virtuous actions  spring from an    
acknowledgment of ,god1 so all vicious  
actions rise from  a lurking denial of  
him3 all licentiousness goes glib down  
where there  is no sense of ,god4       
,abraham judged himself not secure from 
murder1  nor his wife from defilement in
 ,gerar1 if there were no fear of ,god  
there4#adi ,he that makes no conscience 
of sin has no regard to the  honor1 and1
 consequently1 none to the being of     
,god4 8,by the fear of  ,god men depart 
from evil0 7,prov4 xvi4 #f72 by the     
nonregarding of ,god  men rush into     
evil4 ,pharaoh oppressed ,israel because
 he 8knew not the  ,lord40 ,if he did   

not deny the being of a ,deity1 yet he  
had such an  unworthy notion of ,god as 
was inconsistent with the nature of a   
,deity2  he1 a poor creature1 thought   
himself a mate for the ,creator4 ,in    
sins  of omission we own not ,god1 in   
neglecting to perform what he enjoins2  
in sins of commission we set up some    
lust in the place of ,god1 and  pay to  
that the homage which is due to our     
,maker4 ,in both we disown  him2 in the 
one by not doing what he commands1 in   
the other by doing  what he forbids4 ,we
 deny his sovereignty when we violate   
his laws2  we disgrace his holiness when
 we cast our filth before his face2 we  
disparage his wisdom when we set up     
another rule as the guide of our        
actions than that law he hath fixed2 we 
slight his sufficiency when  we prefer a
 satisfaction in sin before a happiness 
in him alone2 and  his goodness1 when we
 judge it not strong enough to attract  
us to him4  ,every sin invades the      
rights of ,god1 and strips him of one or

 other of  his perfections4 ,it is such 
a vilifying of ,god as if he were not   
,god2  as if he were not the supreme    
,creator and ,benefactor of the world2  
as  if we had not our being from him2 as
 if the air we breathed in1 the  food we
 lived by1 were our own by right of     
supremacy1 not of donation4  ,for a     
subject to slight his sovereign1 is to  
slight his royalty2 or a  servant his   
master1 is to deny his superiority4     
,prop4 ,,iii4 ,sin implies that ,god is 
unworthy of a being4 ,every sin is  a   
kind of cursing ,god in the heart2#aej  
an aim at the destruction of  the being 
of ,god2 not actually1 but virtually2   
not in the intention  of every sinner1  
but in the nature of every sin4 ,that   
affection which  a#id excites a man to  
break ,his law1 would excite him to     
annihilate  his being if it were in his 
power4 ,a man in every sin aims to set  
up  his own will as his rule1 and his   
own glory as the end of his actions     
against the will and glory of ,god2 and 

could a sinner attain his end1  ,god    
would be destroyed4 ,god cannot outlive 
his will and his glory2  ,god cannot    
have another rule but his own will1 nor 
another end but his  own honor4 ,sin is 
called a turning the back upon ,god1#aea
 a kicking  against him1#aeb as if he   
were a slighter person than the meanest 
beggar4 ,what greater contempt can be   
shown to the meanest1 vilest  person1   
than to turn the back1 lift up the heel1
 and thrust away with  indignation8 all 
which actions1 though they signify that 
such a one  hath a being1 yet they      
testify also that he is unworthy of a   
being1  that he is an unuseful being in 
the world1 and that it were well the    
world were rid of him4 ,all sin against 
knowledge is called a reproach  of      
,god4#aec ,reproach is a vilifying a man
 as unworthy to be admitted  into       
company4 ,we naturally judge ,god unfit 
to be conversed with4 ,god  is the term 
turned from by a sinner2 sin is the term
 turned to1 which  implies a greater    

excellency in the nature of sin than in 
the nature  of ,god2 and as we naturally
 judge it more worthy to have a being in
  our affections1 so consequently more  
worthy to have a being in the  world1   
than that infinite nature from whom we  
derive our beings and  our all1 and upon
 whom1 with a kind of disdain1 we turn  
our backs4  ,whosoever thinks the notion
 of a ,deity unfit to be cherished in   
his  mind by warm meditation1 implies   
that he cares not whether he hath a     
being in the world or no4 ,now though   
the light of a ,deity shines so  clearly
 in man1 and the stings of conscience   
are so smart1 that he  cannot absolutely
 deny the being of a ,god1 yet most men 
endeavor to  smother this knowledge1 and
 make the notion of a ,god a sapless and
  useless thing 7,rom4 i4 #bh73 8,they  
like not to retain ,god in their        
knowledge40 ,it is said1 8,cain went out
 from the presence of the ,lord0  7,gen4
 iv4 #af72 that is1 from the worship of 
,god4 ,our refusing or  abhorring the   

presence of a man implies a carelessness
 whether he  continue in the world or   
no2 it is a using him as if he had no   
being1  or as if we were not concerned  
in it4 ,hence all men in ,adam1 under   
the emblem of the prodigal1 are said to 
go into a far country2 not  in respect  
of place1 because of ,god's             
omnipresence1 but in respect  of        
acknowledgment and affection3 they mind 
and love anything but ,god4  ,and the   
descriptions of the nations of the      
world1 lying in the ruins  of ,adam's   
fall1 and the dregs of that revolt1 is  
that they know not  ,god4 ,they forget  
,god1 as if there were no such being    
above them2 and1  indeed1 he that doth  
the works of the devil1 owns the devil  
to be more  worthy of observance1 and1  
consequently1 of a being1 than ,god1    
whose  nature he forgets1 and whose     
presence he abhors4    ,prop4 ,,iv4     
,every sin in its own nature would      
render ,god a foolish and  impure being4
 ,many transgressors esteem their acts1 

which are contrary  to the law of ,god1 
both wise and good3 if so1 the law      
against which  they are committed1 must 
be both foolish and impure4 ,what a     
reflection  is there1 then1 upon the    
,lawgiver6 ,the moral law is not        
properly a  mere act of ,god's will     
considered in itself1 or a tyrannical   
a#ie  edict1 like those of whom it may  
well be said1 stat pro ratione          
voluntas3 but it commands those things  
which are good in their own  nature1 and
 prohibits those things which are in    
their own nature evil2  and therefore is
 an act of his wisdom and righteousness2
 the result  of his wise counsel1 and an
 extract of his pure nature2 as all the 
laws of just lawgivers1 are not only the
 acts of their will1 but of  a will     
governed by reason and justice1 and for 
the good of the public1  whereof they   
are conservators4 ,if the moral commands
 of ,god were  only acts of his will1   
and had not an intrinsic necessity1     
reason  and goodness1 ,god might have   

commanded the quite contrary1 and made  
a contrary law1 whereby that which we   
now call vice1 might have been          
canonized for virtue3 ,he might then    
have forbid any worship of him1  love to
 him1 fear of his name3 ,he might then  
have commanded murders1  thefts1        
adulteries4 ,in the first he would have 
untied the link of  duty from the       
creature1 and dissolved the obligations 
of creatures to  him1 which is          
impossible to be conceived2 for from the
 relation of a  creature to ,god1       
obligations to ,god1 and duties upon    
those obligations1  do necessarily      
result4 ,it had been against the rule of
 goodness and  justice to have commanded
 the creature not to love him1 and fear 
and  obey him3 this had been a command  
against righteousness1 goodness1  and   
intrinsic obligations to gratitude4 ,and
 should murder1 adulteries1  rapines    
have been commanded instead of the      
contrary1 ,god would have  destroyed his
 own creation2 he would have acted      

against the rule  of goodness and order2
 he had been an unjust tyrannical       
governor of  the world3 public society  
would have been cracked in pieces1 and  
the  world become a shambles1 a         
brothelhouse1 a place below the common  
sentiments of a mere man4 ,all sin1     
therefore1 being against the law of     
,god1 the wisdom and holy rectitude of  
,god's nature is denied in every  act of
 disobedience4 ,and what is the         
consequence of this1 but that  ,god is  
both foolish and unrighteous in         
commanding that1 which was  neither an  
act of wisdom1 as a governor1 nor an act
 of goodness1 as  a benefactor to his   
creature8 ,as was said before1          
presumptuous sins  are called reproaches
 of ,god 7,numb4 xv4 #cj73 8,the soul   
that doth aught  presumptuously         
reproacheth the ,lord40 ,reproaches of  
men are either  for natural1 moral1 or  
intellectual defects4 ,all reproaches of
 ,god  must imply a charge1 either of   
unrighteousness or ignorance3 if of     

unrighteousness1 it is a denial of his  
holiness2 if of ignorance1 it  is a     
blemishing his wisdom4 ,if ,god's laws  
were not wise and holy1 ,god  would not 
enjoin them3 and if they are so1 we deny
 infinite wisdom and  holiness in ,god  
by not complying with them4 ,as when a  
man believes not  ,god when he promises1
 he makes him a liar 7#a ,john v4 #aj72 
so he that  obeys not a wise and holy   
,god commanding1 makes him guilty either
 of  folly or unrighteousness4 ,now1    
suppose you knew an absolute atheist    
who denied the being of a ,god1 yet had 
a life free from any notorious  spot or 
defilement2 would you in reason count   
him so bad as the other  that owns a    
,god in being1 yet lays1 by his course  
of action1 such a  black imputation of  
folly and impurity upon the ,god he     
professeth to  ownan imputation which   
renders any man a most despicable       
creature8    ,prop4 ,v4 ,sin in its own 
nature endeavors to render ,god the most
  a#if miserable being4 ,it is nothing  

but an opposition to the will of  ,god3 
the will of no creature is so much      
contradicted as the will of  ,god is by 
devils and men2 and there is nothing    
under the heavens that  the affections  
of human nature stand more point blank  
against1 than  against ,god4 ,there is a
 slight of him in all the faculties of  
man2 our  souls are as unwilling to know
 him1 as our wills are averse to follow 
him 7,rom4 viii4 #g73 8,the carnal mind 
is enmity against ,god1 it is not       
subject to the law of ,god1 nor can be  
subject40 ,it is true1 ,god's will      
cannot be hindered of its effect1 for   
then ,god would not be supremely        
blessed1 but unhappy and miserable3 all 
misery ariseth from a want  of that     
which a nature would have1 and ought to 
have3 besides1 if  anything could       
frustrate ,god's will1 it would be      
superior to him3 ,god  would not be     
omnipotent1 and so would lose the       
perfection of the ,deity1  and          
consequently the ,deity itself2 for that

 which did wholly defeat  ,god's will1  
would be more powerful than he4 ,but sin
 is a contradiction  to the will of     
,god's revelation1 to the will of his   
precept3 and  therein doth naturally    
tend to a superiority over ,god1 and    
would  usurp his omnipotence1 and       
deprive him of his blessedness4 ,for if 
,god  had not an infinite power to turn 
the designs of it to his own glory1  but
 the will of sin could prevail1 ,god    
would be totally deprived  of his       
blessedness4 ,doth not sin endeavor to  
subject ,god to the  extravagant and    
contrary wills of men1 and make him more
 a slave than  any creature can be8 ,for
 the will of no creature1 not the       
meanest and  most despicable creature1  
is so much crossed1 as the will of ,god 
is by  sin 7,isa4 xliii4 #bd73 8,thou   
hast made me to serve with thy sins30   
thou  hast endeavored to make a mere    
slave of me by sin4 ,sin endeavors to   
subject the blessed ,god to the humor   
and lust of every person in the  world4 

,prop4 ,,vi4 ,men sometimes in some     
circumstances do wish the not being  of 
,god4 ,this some think to be the meaning
 of the text1 8,the fool hath  said in  
his heart1 ,there is no ,god10 that is1 
he wishes there were no  ,god4 ,many    
tamper with their own hearts to bring   
them to a persuasion  that there is no  
,god3 and when they cannot do that1 they
 conjure up  wishes that there were     
none4 ,men naturally have some          
conscience of  sin1 and some notices of 
justice 7,rom4 i4 #cb73 8,they know the 
judgment  of ,god10 and they know the   
demerit of sin2 8they know the judgment 
of  ,god1 and that they which do such   
things are worthy of death40 ,what is   
the consequent of this but fear of      
punishment2 and what is the issue  of   
that fear1 but a wishing the ,judge     
either unwilling or unable  to vindicate
 the honor of his violated law8 ,when   
,god is the object  of such a wish1 it  
is a virtual undeifying of him3 not to  
be able  to punish1 is to be impotent2  

not to be willing to punish1 is to  be  
unjust3 imperfections inconsistent with 
the ,deity4 ,god cannot  be supposed    
without an infinite power to act1 and an
 infinite  righteousness as the rule of 
acting4 ,fear of ,god is natural to all 
men2 not a fear of offending him1 but a 
fear of being punished by him3  the     
wishing the extinction of ,god has its  
degree in men1 according  to the degree 
of their fears of his just vengeance3   
and though such a  wish be not in its   
meridian but in the damned in hell1 yet 
it hath its  starts and motions in      
affrighted and awakened consciences on  
the earth3  under this rank of wishers1 
that there were no ,god1 or that ,god   
were  destroyed1 do fall4    a#ig #a4   
,terrified consciences1 that are        
,magormissabib1 see nothing  but matter 
of fear round about4 ,as they have lived
 without the bounds  of the law1 they   
are afraid to fall under the stroke of  
his justice3  fear wishes the           
destruction of that which it apprehends 

hurtful3 it  considers him as a ,god to 
whom vengeance belongs1 as the ,judge of
  all the earth4#aed ,the less hopes    
such an one hath of his pardon1  the    
more joy he would have to hear that his 
judge should be stripped  of his life3  
he would entertain with delight any     
reasons that might  support him in the  
conceit that there were no ,god3 in his 
present  state such a doctrine would be 
his security from an account3 he would  
as much rejoice if there were no ,god to
 inflame an hell for him1 as  any guilty
 malefactor would if there were no judge
 to order a gibbet  for him4 ,shame may 
bridle men's words1 but the heart will  
be casting  about for some arguments    
this way1 to secure itself3 such as are 
at  any time in ,spira's case1 would be 
willing to cease to be creatures1  that 
,god might cease to be ,judge4 8,the    
fool hath said in his heart1  there is  
no ,elohim1 no ,judge20 fancying ,god   
without any exercise of  his judicial   
authority4 ,and there is not any wicked 

man under anguish  of spirit1 but1 were 
it within the reach of his power1 would 
take  away the life of ,god1 and rid    
himself of his fears by destroying his  
,avenger4    #b4 ,debauched persons are 
not without such wishes sometimes3 an   
obstinate servant wishes his master's   
death1 from whom he expects  correction 
for his debaucheries4 ,as man stands in 
his corrupt nature1  it is impossible   
but one time or other most debauched    
persons at least  have some kind of     
velleities1 or imperfect wishes4 ,it is 
as natural  to men to abhor those things
 which are unsuitable and troublesome1  
as it is to please themselves in things 
agreeable to their minds and  humors2   
and since man is so deeply in love with 
sin1 as to count it  the most estimable 
good1 he cannot but wish the abolition  
of that law  which checks it1 and1      
consequently1 the change of the         
,lawgiver which  enacted it2 and in     
wishing a change in the holy nature of  
,god1 he  wishes a destruction of ,god1 

who could not be ,god if he ceased to   
be immutably holy4 ,they do as certainly
 wish that ,god had not a holy  will to 
command them1 as despairing souls wish  
that ,god had not a  righteous will to  
punish them1 and to wish conscience     
extinct for the  molestations they      
receive from it1 is to wish the power   
conscience  represents out of the world 
also4 ,since the state of sinners is a  
state of distance from ,god1 and the    
language of sinners to ,god is1         
8,depart from us20#aee they desire as   
little the continuance of his  being1 as
 they desire the knowledge of his ways2 
the same reason which  moves them to    
desire ,god's distance from them1 would 
move them to  desire ,god's not being3  
since the greatest distance would be    
most  agreeable to them1 the destruction
 of ,god must be so too2 because  there 
is no greater distance from us1 than in 
not being4 ,men would  rather have ,god 
not to be1 than themselves under        
control1 that  sensuality might range at

 pleasure2 he is like a 8heifer sliding 
from  the yoke0 7,hosea iv4 #af74 ,the  
cursing of ,god in the heart1 feared  by
 ,job of his children1 intimates a      
wishing ,god despoiled of his           
authority1 that their pleasure might not
 be damped by his law4 ,besides1  a#ih  
is there any natural man that sins      
against actuated knowledge1  but either 
thinks or wishes that ,god might not see
 him1 that ,god might  not know his     
actions8 ,and is not this to wish the   
destruction of ,god1  who could not be  
,god unless he were immense and         
omniscient8    #c4 ,under this rank fall
 those who perform external duties only 
out of a principle of slavish fear4     
,many men perform those duties  that the
 law enjoins1 with the same sentiments  
that slaves perform  their drudgery2 and
 are constrained in their duties by no  
other  considerations but those of the  
whip and the cudgel4 ,since1 therefore1 
they do it with reluctancy1 and secretly
 murmur while they seem to  obey1 they  

would be willing that both the command  
were recalled1 and  the master that     
commands them were in another world4    
,the spirit of  adoption makes men act  
towards ,god as a father1 a spirit of   
bondage  only eyes him as a judge4      
,those that look upon their superiors as
  tyrannical1 will not be much concerned
 in their welfare2 and would be  more   
glad to have their nails pared1 than be 
under perpetual fear of  them4 ,many men
 regard not the ,infinite ,goodness in  
the service of him1  but consider him as
 cruel1 tyrannical1 injurious to their  
liberty4  ,adam's posterity are not free
 from the sentiments of their common    
father1 till they are regenerate4 ,you  
know what conceit was the hammer        
whereby the hellish ,jael struck the    
nail into our first parents1 which      
conveyed death1 together with the same  
imagination to all their  posterity     
7,gen4 iii4 #e73 8,god knows that in the
 day you eat thereof1  your eyes shall  
be opened1 and you shall be as gods1    

knowing good and  evil40 ,alas1 poor    
souls6 ,god knew what he did when he    
forbade you that  fruit2 he was jealous 
you should be too happy2 it was cruelty 
in him  to deprive you of a food so     
pleasant and delicious4 ,the            
apprehension  of the severity of ,god's 
commands riseth up no less in desires   
that  there were no ,god over us1 than  
,adam's apprehension of envy in ,god    
for the restraint of one tree1 moved him
 to attempt to be equal with  ,god3 fear
 is as powerful to produce the one in   
his posterity1 as  pride was to produce 
the other in the common root4 ,when we  
apprehend  a thing hurtful to us1 we    
desire so much evil to it1 as may render
 it  incapable of doing us the hurt we  
fear4 ,as we wish the preservation  of  
what we love or hope for1 so we are     
naturally apt to wish the  not being of 
that whence we fear some hurt or        
trouble4 ,we must not  understand this  
as if any man did formally wish the     
destruction of  ,god1 as ,god4 ,god in  

himself is an infinite mirror of        
goodness and  ravishing loveliness2 he  
is infinitely good1 and so universally  
good1  and nothing but good2 and is     
therefore so agreeable to a creature1   
as a creature1 that it is impossible    
that the creature1 while it  bears      
itself to ,god as a creature1 should be 
guilty of this1 but  thirst after him   
and cherish every motion to him4 ,as no 
man wishes the  destruction of any      
creature1 as a creature1 but as it may  
conduce to  something which he counts   
may be beneficial to himself2 so no man 
doth1  nor perhaps can wish the         
cessation of the being of ,god1 as ,god2
 for  then he must wish his own being to
 cease also2 but as he considers  him   
clothed with some perfections1 which he 
apprehends as injurious  to him1 as his 
holiness in forbidding sin1 his justice 
in punishing  sin2 and ,god being judged
 in those perfections1 contrary a#ii to 
what  the revolted creature thinks      
convenient and good for himself1 he may 

wish ,god stripped of those perfections1
 that thereby he may be free  from all  
fear of trouble and grief from him in   
his fallen state4 ,in  wishing ,god     
deprived of those1 he wishes ,god       
deprived of his being2  because ,god    
cannot retain his deity without a love  
of righteousness1  and hatred of        
iniquity2 and he could not testify his  
love to the  one1 or his loathing of the
 other1 without encouraging goodness1   
and  witnessing his anger against       
iniquity4 ,let us now appeal to         
ourselves1  and examine our own         
consciences4 ,did we never please       
ourselves  sometimes in the thoughts1   
how happy we should be1 how free in our 
vain pleasures1 if there were no ,god8  
,have we not desired to be our  own     
lords1 without control1 subject to no   
law but our own1 and be  guided by no   
will but that of the flesh8 ,did we     
never rage against  ,god under his      
afflicting hand8 ,did we never wish ,god
 stripped of his  holy will to command1 

and his righteous will to punish8 c4    
,thus much for the general4 ,for the    
proof of this1 many considerations  will
 bring in evidence2 most may be reduced 
to these two generals3 ,man  would set  
himself up1 first1 as his own rule2     
secondly1 as his own end  and happiness4
    ,i4 ,man would set himself up as his
 own rule instead of ,god4 ,this will   
be evidenced in this method4    #a4 ,man
 naturally disowns the rule ,god sets   
him4 #b4 ,he owns any other  rule rather
 than that of ,god's prescribing4 #c4   
,these he doth in order  to the setting 
himself up as his own rule4 #d4 ,he     
makes himself not  only his own rule1   
but he would make himself the rule of   
,god1 and give  laws to his ,creator4   
,first1 ,man naturally disowns the rule 
,god sets him4 ,it is all one to  deny  
his royalty1 and to deny his being4     
,when we disown his authority1  we      
disown his ,godhead4 ,it is the right of
 ,god to be the sovereign of  his       
creatures1 and it must be a very loose  

and trivial assent that  such men have  
to ,god's superiority over them1 7and   
consequently to  the excellency of his  
being1 upon which that authority is     
founded7  who are scarce at ease in     
themselves1 but when they are invading  
his  rights1 breaking his bands1 casting
 away his cords1 and contradicting  his 
will4 ,every man naturally is a son of  
,belial1 would be without a  yoke1 and  
leap over ,god's enclosures2 and in     
breaking out against his  sovereignty1  
we disown his being1 as ,god1 for to be 
,god and sovereign  are inseparable2 he 
could not be ,god1 if he were not       
supreme2 nor  could he be a ,creator    
without being a ,lawgiver4 ,to be ,god  
and yet  inferior to another1 is a      
contradiction4 ,to make rational        
creatures  without prescribing them a   
law1 is to make them without holiness1  
wisdom and goodness4    #a4 ,there is in
 man naturally an unwillingness to have 
any  acquaintance with the rule ,god    
sets him 7,psalm xiv4 #b73 8,none that  

did understand and seek ,god40 ,the     
refusing instruction and casting  his   
,word behind the back is a part of      
atheism4#aef ,we are heavy in  hearing  
the instructions either of law or       
gospel1#aeg and slow in  the            
apprehension of what we hear4 ,the      
people that ,god had hedged in  from the
 wilderness of the world for his own    
garden1 were foolish  a#ajj and did not 
know ,god2 were sottish and had no      
understanding of  him4#aeh ,the law of  
,god is accounted a strange thing2#aei a
 thing  of a different climate1 and a   
far country from the heart of man2      
wherewith the mind of man had no natural
 acquaintance1 and had no  desire to    
have any2 or they regarded it as a      
sordid thing3 what ,god  accounts great 
and valuable1 they account mean and     
despicable4 ,men  may show a civility to
 a stranger1 but scarce contract an     
intimacy3  there can be no amicable     
agreement between the holy will of ,god 
and  the heart of a depraved creature3  

one is holy1 the other unholy2 one  is  
universally good1 the other stark       
naught4 ,the purity of the ,divine  rule
 renders it nauseous to the impurity of 
a carnal heart4 ,water and  fire may as 
well friendly kiss each other and live  
together without  quarrelling and       
hissing1 as the holy will of ,god and   
the unregenerate  heart of a fallen     
creature4    ,the nauseating a holy rule
 is an evidence of atheism in the heart1
 as  the nauseating wholesome food is of
 putrefied phlegm in the stomach4  ,it  
is found more or less in every          
,christian1 in the remainders1  though  
not in a full empire4 ,as there is a law
 in his mind whereby he  delights in the
 law of ,god1 so there is a law in his  
members whereby  he wars against the law
 of ,god 7,rom4 vii4 #bb1 #bc1 #be74    
,how predominant  is this loathing of   
the law of ,god1 when corrupt nature is 
in its full  strength1 without any      
principle to control it6 ,there is in   
the mind of  such a one a darkness1     

whereby it is ignorant of it1 and in the
 will  a depravedness1 whereby it is    
repugnant to it4 ,if man were naturally 
willing and able to have an intimate    
acquaintance with1 and delight  in the  
law of ,god1 it had not been such a     
signal favor for ,god to  promise to    
8write the law in the heart40 ,a man may
 sooner engrave  the chronicle of a     
whole nation1 or all the records of ,god
 in the  ,scripture upon the hardest    
marble with his bare finger1 than write 
one  syllable of the law of ,god in a   
spiritual manner upon his heart4 ,for1  
7#a47 ,men are negligent in using the   
means for the knowledge of ,god's  will4
 ,all natural men are fools1 who know   
not how to use the price  ,god puts into
 their hands2#afj they put not a due    
estimate upon  opportunities and means  
of grace1 and account that law folly    
which is  the birth of an infinite and  
holy wisdom4 ,the knowledge of ,god     
which  they may glean from creatures1   
and is more pleasant to the natural     

gust of men1 is not improved to the     
glory of ,god1 if we will believe  the  
indictment the apostle brings against   
the ,gentiles4#afa ,and most  of those  
that have dived into the depths of      
nature1 have been more  studious of the 
qualities of the creatures1 than of the 
excellency of  the nature1 or the       
discovery of the mind of ,god in them2  
who regard  only the rising and motions 
of the star1 but follow not with the    
wise  men1 its conduct to the ,king of  
the ,jews4 ,how often do we see men     
filled with an eager thirst for all     
other kind of knowledge1 that  cannot   
acquiesce in a twilight discovery1 but  
are inquisitive into  the causes and    
reasons of effects1 yet are contented   
with a weak and  languishing knowledge  
of ,god and his law1 and are easily     
tired with  the proposals of them6 ,he  
now that nauseates the means whereby he 
may come to know and obey ,god1 has no  
intention to make the a#aja  law of ,god
 his rule4 ,there is no man that intends

 seriously an end1  but he intends means
 in order to that end3 as when a man    
intends the  preservation or recovery of
 his health1 he will intend means in    
order  to those ends1 otherwise he      
cannot be said to intend his health2 so 
he that is not diligent in using means  
to know the mind of ,god1 has  no sound 
intention to make the will and law of   
,god his rule4 ,is not  the inquiry     
after the will of ,god made a work by   
the bye1 and fain  to lacquey after     
other concerns of an inferior nature1 if
 it hath  any place at all in the soul8 
which is a despising the being of ,god4 
,the notion of the sovereignty of ,god  
bears the same date with the  notion of 
his ,godhead2 and by the same way that  
he reveals himself1 he  reveals his     
authority over us3 whether it be by     
creatures without1 or  conscience       
within4 ,all authority over rational    
creatures consists in  commanding and   
directing3 the duty of rational         
creatures in compliance  with that      

authority consists in obeying4 ,where   
there is therefore a  careless neglect  
of those means which convey the         
knowledge of ,god's  will and our duty1 
there is an utter disowning of ,god as  
our ,sovereign  and our rule4    7#b47  
,when any part of the mind and will of  
,god breaks in upon men1  they endeavor 
to shake it off3 as a man would a       
sergeant that comes  to arrest him1     
8they like not to retain ,god in their  
knowledge0  7,rom4 i4 #bh74 8,a natural 
man receives not the things of the      
,spirit  of ,god20 that is1 into his    
affection2 he pusheth them back as men  
do  troublesome and importunate beggars3
 they have no kindness to bestow  upon  
it3 they thrust with both shoulders     
against the truth of ,god1  when it     
presseth in upon them2 and dash as much 
contempt upon it as  the ,pharisees did 
upon the doctrine our ,saviour directed 
against their  covetousness4 ,as men    
naturally delight to be without ,god in 
the world1  so they delight to be       

without any offspring of ,god in their  
thoughts4  ,since the spiritual palate  
of man is depraved1 divine truth is     
unsavory and ungrateful to us1 till our 
taste and relish is restored  by grace3 
hence men damp and quench the motions of
 the ,spirit to  obedience and          
compliance with the dictates of ,god2   
strip them of their  life and vigor1 and
 kill them in the womb4 ,how unable are 
our memories  to retain the substance of
 spiritual truth2 but like sand in a    
glass1  put in at one part and runs out 
at the other6 ,have not many a secret   
wish1 that the ,scripture had never     
mentioned some truths1 or that they     
were blotted out of the ,bible1 because 
they face their consciences1  and       
discourage those boiling lusts they     
would with eagerness and  delight       
pursue8 ,methinks that interruption     
,john gives our ,saviour  when he was   
upon the reproof of their pride1 looks  
little better than  a design to divert  
him from a discourse so much against the

 grain1  by telling him a story of their
 prohibiting one to cast out devils1    
because he followed not them4#afb ,how  
glad are men when they can  raise a     
battery against a command of ,god1 and  
raise some smart  objection whereby they
 may shelter themselves from the        
strictness  of it6    7#c47 ,when men   
cannot shake off the notices of the will
 and mind of ,god1  they have no        
pleasure in the consideration of them2  
which could not  possibly be1 if there  
were a real and fixed design to own     
a#ajb the  mind and law of ,god as our  
rule4 ,subjects or servants that love to
  obey their prince and master1 will    
delight to read and execute their       
orders4 ,the devils understand the law  
of ,god in their minds1 but they  loathe
 the impressions of it upon their wills3
 those miserable spirits  are bound in  
chains of darkness1 evil habits in their
 wills1 that they  have not a thought of
 obeying that law they know4 ,it was an 
unclean  beast under the law that did   

not chew the cud3 it is a corrupt heart 
that doth not chew truth by meditation4 
,a natural man is said not to  know     
,god1 or the things of ,god2 he may know
 them nationally1 but he  knows them not
 affectionately4 ,a sensual soul can    
have no delight  in a spiritual law4 ,to
 be sensual and not to have the ,spirit 
are  inseparable 7,jude #ai74 ,natural  
men may indeed meditate upon the law    
and truth of ,god1 but without delight  
in it2 if they take any pleasure  in it1
 it is only as it is knowledge1 not as  
it is a rule2 for we  delight in nothing
 that we desire1 but upon the same      
account that  we desire it4 ,natural men
 desire to know ,god and some part of   
his  will and law1 not out of a sense of
 their practical excellency1 but  a     
natural thirst after knowledge3 and if  
they have a delight1 it is  in the act  
of knowing1 not in the object known1 not
 in the duties  that stream from that   
knowledge2 they design the furnishing   
their  understandings1 not the          

quickening their affections1like idle   
boys that strike fire1 not to warm      
themselves by the heat1 but sport       
themselves with the sparks2 whereas a   
gracious soul accounts not only  his    
meditation1 or the operations of his    
soul about ,god and his will  to be     
sweet1 but he hath a joy in the object  
of that meditation4#afc  ,many have the 
knowledge of ,god1 who have no delight  
in him or his will4  ,owls have eyes to 
perceive that there is a sun1 but by    
reason of the  weakness of their sight  
have no pleasure to look upon a beam of 
it3  so neither can a man by nature     
love1 or delight in the will of ,god1   
because of his natural corruption4 ,that
 law that riseth up in men  for         
conviction and instruction1 they keep   
down under the power of  corruption2    
making their souls not the sanctuary1   
but prison of truth  7,rom4 i4 #ah74    
,they will keep it down in their hearts1
 if they cannot  keep it out of their   
heads1 and will not endeavor to know and

 taste  the spirit of it4    7#d47      
,there is1 further1 a rising and        
swelling of the heart against  the will 
of ,god4 #ast4 ,internal4 ,god's law    
cast against a hard  heart1 is like a   
ball thrown against a stone wall1 by    
reason of the  resistance rebounding the
 further from it2 the meeting of a      
divine  truth and the heart of man1 is  
like the meeting of two tides1 the      
weaker swells and foams4 ,we have a     
natural antipathy against a divine      
rule1 and therefore when it is clapped  
close to our consciences1  there is a   
snuffing at it1 high reasonings against 
it1 corruption  breaks out more         
strongly3 as water poured on lime sets  
it on fire  by an antiperistasis1 and   
the more water is cast upon it1 the more
  furiously it burns2 or as the sunbeams
 shining upon a dunghill make  the      
steams the thicker1 and the stench the  
noisomer1 neither being  the positive   
cause of the smoke in the lime1 or the  
stench in the  dunghill1 but by accident

 the causes of the eruption3 7,rom4 vii4
 #h71  8,but sin taking occasion by the 
commandment1 wrought in me all manner   
of concupiscence1 for a#ajc without the 
law sin was dead40 ,sin was  in a       
languishing posture1 as if it were dead1
 like a lazy garrison  in a city1 till1 
upon an alarm from the adversary1 it    
takes arms1 and  revives its courage2   
all the sin in the heart gathers        
together its  force to maintain its     
standing1 like the vapors of the night1 
which  unite themselves more closely to 
resist the beams of the rising  sun4    
,deep conviction often provokes fierce  
opposition2 sometimes  disputes against 
a divine rule end in blasphemies3 7,acts
 xiii4 #de71  8contradicting and        
blaspheming0 are coupled together4 ,men 
naturally  desire things that are       
forbidden1 and reject things commanded1 
from  the corruption of nature1 which   
affects an unbounded liberty1 and  is   
impatient of returning under that yoke  
it hath shaken off1 and  therefore      

rageth against the bars of the law1 as  
the waves roar  against the restraint of
 a bank4 ,when the understanding is     
dark1 and  the mind ignorant1 sin lies  
as dead2 8,a man scarce knows he hath   
such  motions of concupiscence in him1  
he finds not the least breath of wind1  
but a full calm in his soul2 but when he
 is awakened by the law1 then  the      
viciousness of nature being sensible of 
an invasion of its empire1  arms itself 
against the divine law1 and the more the
 command is urged1  the more vigorously 
it bends its strength1 and more         
insolently lifts  up itself against     
it20#afd he perceives more and more     
atheistical  lusts than before2 8all    
manner of concupiscence10 more leprous  
and  contagious than before4 ,when there
 are any motions to turn to ,god1 a     
reluctancy is presently perceived2      
atheistical thoughts bluster in the     
mind like the wind1 they know not whence
 they come1 nor whither they  go2 so    
unapt is the heart to any acknowledgment

 of ,god as his ruler1  and any reunion 
with him4 ,hence men are said to resist 
the ,holy ,ghost  7,acts vii4 #ea71 to  
fall against it1 as the word signifies1 
as a stone1  or any ponderous body falls
 against that which lies in its way3    
they  would dash to pieces1 or grind to 
powder that very motion which is  made  
for their instruction1 and the ,spirit  
too which makes it1 and  that not from a
 fit of passion1 but an habitual        
repugnance2 8,ye always  resist10 c4    
#b;d4 ,external4 ,it is a fruit of      
atheism in the fourth  verse of this    
psalm1 8,who eat up my people as they   
eat bread40 ,how  do the revelations of 
the mind of ,god meet with opposition6  
and the  carnal world like dogs bark    
against the shining of the moon2 so much
  men hate the light1 that they spurn at
 the lanthorns that bear it2  and       
because they cannot endure the treasure1
 often fling the earthen  vessels       
against the ground wherein it is held4  
,if the entrance of  truth render the   

market worse for ,diana's shrines1 the  
whole city will  be in an uproar4#afe   
,when ,socrates upon natural principles 
confuted  the heathen idolatry1 and     
asserted the unity of ,god1 the whole   
cry of  ,athens1 a learned university1  
is against him2 and because he opposed  
the public received religion1 though    
with an undoubted truth1 he must  end   
his life by violence4 ,how hath every   
corner of the world steamed  with the   
blood of those that would maintain the  
authority of ,god in  the world6 ,the   
devil's children will follow the steps  
of their father1  and endeavor to bruise
 the heel of divine truth1 that would   
endeavor  to break the head of corrupt  
lust4    a#ajd 7#e47 ,men often seem    
desirous to be acquainted with the will 
of  ,god1 not out of any respect to his 
will1 and to make it their rule1  but   
upon some other consideration4 ,truth is
 scarce received as truth4  ,there is   
more of hypocrisy than sincerity in the 
pale of the church1  and attendance on  

the mind of ,god4 ,the outward dowry of 
a religious  profession1 makes it often 
more desirable than the beauty4 ,judas  
was a  follower of ,christ for the bag1 
not out of any affection to the divine  
revelation4 ,men sometime pretend a     
desire to be acquainted with the  will  
of ,god1 to satisfy their own passions1 
rather than to conform to  ,god's will2 
the religion of such is not the judgment
 of the man1 but  the passion of the    
brute4 ,many entertain a doctrine for   
the person's  sake1 rather than a person
 for the doctrine's sake1 and believe a 
thing because it comes from a man they  
esteem1 as if his lips were  more       
canonical than ,scripture4 ,the ,apostle
 implies in the commendation  he gives  
the ,thessalonians1#aff that some       
receive the word for human  interest1   
not as it is in truth the word and will 
of ,god to command  and govern their    
consciences by its sovereign authority2 
or else they  have the 8truth of ,god0  
7as ,st4 ,james speaks of the faith of  

,christ7  8with respect of persons20#afg
 and receive it not for the sake of  the
 fountain1 but of the channel2 so that  
many times the same truth  delivered by 
another1 is disregarded1 which1 when    
dropping from the  fancy and mouth of a 
man's own idol1 is cried up as an       
oracle4 ,this  is to make not ,god1 but 
man the rule2 for though we entertain   
that  which materially is the truth of  
,god1 yet not formally as his truth1    
but as conveyed by one we affect2 and   
that we receive a truth and  not an     
error1 we owe the obligation to the     
honesty of the instrument1  and not to  
the strength and clearness of our own   
judgment4 ,wrong  considerations may    
give admittance to an unclean1 as well  
as a clean  beast into the ark of the   
soul4 ,that which is contrary to the    
mind of  ,god1 may be entertained1 as   
well as that which is agreeable4 ,it is 
all  one to such that have no respect to
 ,god1 what they have1 as it is all  one
 to a sponge to suck up the foulest     

water or the sweetest wine1  when either
 is applied to it4    7#f47 ,many that  
entertain the notions of the will and   
mind of ,god1  admit them with unsettled
 and wavering affections4 ,there is a   
great  levity in the heart of man4 ,the 
,jews that one day applaud our ,saviour 
with hosannahs as their king1 vote his  
crucifixion the next1 and use  him as a 
murderer4 ,we begin in the ,spirit1 and 
end in the flesh4 ,our  hearts1 like    
lutestrings1 are changed with every     
change of weather1  with every          
appearance of a temptation2 scarce one  
motion of ,god in a  thousand prevails  
with us for a settled abode4 ,it is a   
hard task to  make a signature of those 
truths upon our affections1 which will  
with  ease pass current with our        
understandings2 our affections will as  
soon  lose them1 as our understandings  
embrace them4 ,the heart of man is      
8unstable as water40#afh ,some were     
willing to rejoice in ,john's  light1   
which reflected a lustre on their minds2

 but not in his heat1  which would have 
conveyed a warmth to their hearts2 and  
the light was  pleasing to them but for 
a season1#afi while their corruptions   
lay  as if they were dead1 not when they
 were awakened4 a#aje ,truth may  be    
admitted one day1 and the next day      
rejected2 as ,austin saith of  a wicked 
man1 he loves the truth shining1 but he 
hates the truth  reproving4 ,this is not
 to make ,god1 but our own humor1 our   
rule and  measure4    7#g47 ,many desire
 an acquaintance with the law and truth 
of ,god1 with  a design to improve some 
lust by it2 to turn the word of ,god to 
be a  pander to the breach of his law4  
,this is so far from making ,god's will 
our rule1 that we make our own vile     
affections the rule of his law4  ,how   
many forced interpretations of          
,scripture have been coined to give     
content to the lusts of men1 and the    
divine rule forced to bend1 and  be     
squared to men's loose and carnal       
apprehensions6 ,it is a part of  the    

instability or falseness of the heart1  
to 8wrest the ,scriptures to  their own 
destruction20#agj which they could not  
do1 if they did not  first wring them to
 countenance some detestable error or   
filthy crime4  ,in ,paradise the first  
interpretation made of the first law of 
,god1  was point blank against the mind 
of the ,lawgiver1 and venomous to the   
whole race of mankind4 ,paul himself    
feared that some might put his  doctrine
 of grace to so ill a use1 as to be an  
altar and sanctuary to  shelter their   
presumption 7,rom4 vi4 #a1 #ae73 8,shall
 we then continue  in sin1 that grace   
may abound80 ,poisonous consequences are
 often  drawn from the sweetest truths2 
as when ,god's patience is made a topic 
whence to argue against his             
providence1#aga or an encouragement to  
commit evil more greedily2 as though    
because he had not presently a          
revenging hand1 he had not an allseeing 
eye3 or when the doctrine  of           
justification by faith is made use of to

 depress a holy life2 or  ,god's        
readiness to receive returning sinners1 
an encouragement to  defer repentance   
till a deathbed4 ,a liar will hunt for  
shelter  in the reward ,god gave the    
midwives that lied to ,pharaoh for the  
preservation of the males of ,israel1   
and ,rahab's saving the spies by  false 
intelligence4 ,god knows how to         
distinguish between grace and           
corruption1 that may lie close together2
 or between something of moral  goodness
 and moral evil1 which may be mixed2 we 
find their fidelity  rewarded1 which was
 a moral good2 but not their lie        
approved1 which  was a moral evil4 ,nor 
will ,christ's conversing with sinners1 
be a  plea for any to thrust themselves 
into evil company4 ,christ conversed    
with sinners1 as a physician with       
diseased persons1 to cure them1 not     
approve them2 others with profligate    
persons1 to receive infection  from     
them1 not to communicate holiness to    
them4 ,satan's children have  studied   

their father's art1 who wanted not      
perverted ,scripture to  second his     
temptations against our ,saviour4#agb   
,how often do carnal  hearts turn divine
 revelation to carnal ends1 as the sea  
fresh water  into salt6 ,as men subject 
the precepts of ,god to carnal          
interests1  so they subject the truths  
of ,god to carnal fancies4 ,when men    
will allegorize the word1 and make a    
humorous and crazy fancy the            
interpreter of divine oracles1 and not  
the ,spirit speaking in the  word2 this 
is to enthrone our own imaginations as  
the rule of ,god's  law1 and depose his 
law from being the rule of our reason2  
this is to  rifle truth of its true mind
 and intent4 ',tis more to rob a man of 
his  reason1 the essential constitutive 
part of man1 than of his estate2  this  
is to refuse an intimate acquaintance   
with his will4 ,we shall  a#ajf never   
tell what is the matter of a precept1 or
 the matter of  a promise1 if we impose 
a sense upon it contrary to the plain   

meaning  of it2 thereby we shall make   
the law of ,god to have a distinct sense
  according to the variety of men's     
imaginations1 and so make every  man's  
fancy a law to himself4 ,now that this  
unwillingness to have a  spiritual      
acquaintance with divine truth is a     
disowning ,god as our  rule1 and a      
setting up self in his stead1 is        
evident2 because this  unwillingness    
respects truth4    #ast4 ,as it is most 
spiritual and holy4 ,a fleshly mind is  
most  contrary to a spiritual law1 and  
particularly as it is a searching  and  
discovering law1 that would dethrone all
 other rules in the soul4  ,as men love 
to be without a holy ,god in the world1 
so they love to  be without a holy law1 
the transcript and image of ,god's      
holiness in  their hearts2 and without  
holy men1 the lights kindled by the     
,father  of lights4 ,as the holiness of 
,god1 so the holiness of the law most   
offends a carnal heart 7,isa4 xxx4 #aa73
 8,cause the ,holy ,one of ,israel  to  

cease from before us1 prophesy to us    
right things40 ,they could not  endure  
,god as a holy one4 ,herein ,god places 
their rebellion1 rejecting  him as their
 rule 7ver4 #i71 8,rebellious children1 
that will not hear  the law of the      
,lord40 ,the more pure and precious any 
discovery of ,god  is1 the more it is   
disrelished by the world3 as spiritual  
sins are  sweetest to a carnal heart1 so
 spiritual truths are most distasteful4 
,the more of the brightness of the sun  
any beam conveys1 the more  offensive it
 is to a distempered eye4    #b;d4 ,as  
it doth most relate to1 or lead to ,god4
 ,the devil directs his  fiercest       
batteries against those doctrines in the
 word1 and those  graces in the heart1  
which most exalt ,god1 debase man1 and  
bring men  to the lowest subjection to  
their ,creator2 such is the doctrine and
  grace of justifying faith4 ,that men  
hate not knowledge as knowledge1  but as
 it directs them to choose the fear of  
the ,lord1 was the  determination of the

 ,holy ,ghost long ago 7,prov4 i4 #bi73 
8,for that they  hated knowledge1 and   
did not choose the fear of the ,lord40  
,whatsoever  respects ,god1 clears up   
guilt1 witnesses man's revolt to him1   
rouseth  up conscience1 and moves to a  
return to ,god1 a man naturally runs    
from1  as ,adam did from ,god1 and seeks
 a shelter in some weak bushes of error1
  rather than appear before it4 ,not    
that men are unwilling to inquire  into 
and contemplate some divine truths which
 lie furthest from the  heart1 and      
concern not themselves immediately with 
the rectifying  the soul3 they may view 
them with such a pleasure as some might 
take  in beholding the miracles of our  
,saviour1 who could not endure his      
searching doctrine4 ,the light of       
speculation may be pleasant1 but the    
light of conviction is grievous2 that   
which galls their consciences1  and     
would affect them with a sense of their 
duty to ,god4 ,is it not  easy to       
perceive1 that when a man begins to be  

serious in the concerns  of the honor of
 ,god and the duty of his soul1 he feels
 a reluctancy  within him1 even against 
the pleas of conscience2 which          
evidenceth  that some unworthy principle
 has got footing in the hearts of men1  
which fights against the declarations of
 ,god without1 and the  impressions of  
the law of ,god within1 at the same time
 when a man's  own conscience takes part
 with it1 which is the substance of the 
apostle's discourse1 ,rom4 vii4 #ae1    
#af1 a#ajg c4 ,close discourses  of the 
honor of ,god1 and our duty to him1 are 
irksome when men are  upon a merry pin3 
they are like a damp in a mine1 that    
takes away  their breath2 they shuffle  
them out as soon as they can1 and are   
as unwilling to retain the speech of    
them in their mouths1 as the  knowledge 
of them in their hearts4 ,gracious      
speeches1 instead of  bettering many    
men1 distemper them1 as sometimes sweet 
perfumes affect  a weak head with aches4
    #c;d4 ,as it is most contrary to    

self4 ,men are unwilling to acquaint    
themselves with any truth that leads to 
,god1 because it leads from  self4      
,every part of the will of ,god is more 
or less displeasing1 as it  sounds harsh
 against some carnal interest men would 
set above ,god1 or  as a mate with him4 
,man cannot desire any intimacy with    
that law which  he regards as a bird of 
prey1 to pick out his right eye or gnaw 
off  his right hand1 his lust dearer    
than himself4 ,the reason we have such  
hard thoughts of ,god's will is1 because
 we have such high thoughts  of         
ourselves4 ,it is a hard matter to      
believe or will that which hath  no     
affinity with some principle in the     
understanding1 and no interest  in our  
will and passions3 our unwillingness to 
be acquainted with  the will of ,god    
ariseth from the disproportion between  
that and our  corrupt hearts2 8,we are  
alienated from the life of ,god in our  
minds0  7,eph4 iv4 #ah1 #ai74 ,as we    
live not like ,god1 so we neither think 

or  will as ,god2 there is an antipathy 
in the heart of man against that        
doctrine which teaches us to deny       
ourselves and be under the rule of      
another2 but whatsoever favors the      
ambition1 lusts1 and profits of  men1 is
 easy entertainable4 ,many are fond of  
those sciences which may  enrich their  
understandings1 and grate not upon their
 sensual delights4  ,many have an       
admirable dexterity in finding out      
philosophical reasons1  mathematical    
demonstrations1 or raising observations 
upon the records  of history2 and spend 
much time and many serious and          
affectionate  thoughts in the study of  
them4 ,in those they have not           
immediately  to do with ,god1 their     
beloved pleasures are not impaired2 it  
is a  satisfaction to self without the  
exercise of any hostility against it4   
,but had those sciences been against    
self1 as much as the law and will  of   
,god1 they had long since been rooted   
out of the world4 ,why did the  young   

man turn his back upon the law of       
,christ8 because of his worldly  self4  
,why did the ,pharisees mock at the     
doctrine of our ,saviour1 and  not at   
their own traditions8 because of        
covetous self4 ,why did the  ,jews      
slight the person of our ,saviour and   
put him to death1 after the  reading so 
many credentials of his being sent from 
heaven8 because  of ambitious self1 that
 the ,romans might not come and take    
away their  kingdom4 ,if the law of ,god
 were fitted to the humors of self1 it  
would  be readily and cordially observed
 by all men3 self is the measure of a   
world of seeming religious actions2     
while ,god seems to be the object1  and 
his law the motive1 self is the rule and
 end 7,zech4 vii4 #e73 8,did  you fast  
unto me10 c4    #b4 ,as men discover    
their disowning the will of ,god as a   
rule by  unwillingness to be acquainted 
with it1 so they discover it1 by  the   
contempt of it after they cannot avoid  
the notions and some  impressions of it4

 ,the rule of ,god is burthensome to a  
sinner2 he  flies from it as from a     
frightful bugbear1 and unpleasant yoke3 
sin  against a#ajh the knowledge of the 
law is therefore called a going  back   
from the commandment of ,god's lips     
7,job xxiii4 #ab73 8,a casting  ,god's  
word behind them10#agc as a contemptible
 thing1 fitter to be  trodden in the    
dirt than lodged in the heart2 nay it is
 a casting it  off as an abominable     
thing1 for so the word  signifies1 ,hos4
 viii4 #c4  8,israel hath cast off the  
thing that is good20 an utter refusal of
  ,god 7,jer4 xliv4 #af73 8,as for the  
word which thou hast spoken to us  in   
the name of the ,lord1 we will not      
hearken40 ,in the slight of his         
precepts his essential perfections are  
slighted4 ,in disowning his  will as a  
rule1 we disown all those attributes    
which flow from his  will1 as goodness1 
righteousness1 and truth4 ,as an act of 
the divine  understanding is supposed to
 precede the act of the divine will1 so 

we  slight the infinite reason of ,god4 
,every law1 though it proceeds from  the
 will of the lawgiver1 and doth formally
 consist in an act of the  will1 yet it 
doth presuppose an act of the           
understanding4 ,if the  commandment be  
holy1 just1 and good1 as it is 7,rom4   
vii4 #ab72 if it  be the image of ,god's
 holiness1 a transcript of his          
righteousness1  and the efflux of his   
goodness2 then in every breach of it1   
dirt is  cast upon those attributes     
which shine in it2 and a slight of all  
the regards he hath to his own honor1   
and all the provisions he makes  for his
 creature4 ,this atheism1 or contempt of
 ,god1 is more taken  notice of by ,god 
than the matter of the sin itself2 as a 
respect  to ,god in a weak and imperfect
 obedience is more than the matter of   
the obedience itself1 because it is an  
acknowledgment of ,god2 so a  contempt  
of ,god in an act of disobedience1 is   
more than the matter  of the            
disobedience4 ,the creature stands in   

such an act not only in a  posture of   
distance from ,god1 but defiance of him2
 it was not the bare  act of murder and 
adultery which ,nathan charged upon     
,david1 but the  atheistical principle  
which spirited those evil acts4 ,the    
despising  the commandment of the ,lord 
was the venom of them4#agd ,it is       
possible  to break a law without        
contempt2 but when men pretend to       
believe there  is a ,god1 and that this 
is the law of ,god1 it shows a contempt 
of his  majesty3#age men naturally      
account ,god's laws too strict1 his yoke
  too heavy1 and his limits too strait2 
and he that liveth in a contempt  of    
this law1 curseth ,god in his life4 ,how
 can they believe there is  a ,god1 who 
despise him as a ruler8 ,how can they   
believe him to be a  guide1 that disdain
 to follow him8 ,to think we firmly     
believe a ,god  without living          
conformable to his law1 is an idle and  
vain imagination4  ,the true and        
sensible notion of a ,god cannot subsist

 with disorder and  an affected         
unrighteousness4 ,this contempt is seen1
    #a4 ,in any presumptuous breach of  
any part of his law4 ,such sins are     
frequently called in ,scripture1        
rebellions1 which are a denial of  the  
allegiance we owe to him4 ,by a wilful  
refusal of his right in one  part1 we   
root up the foundation of that rule he  
doth justly challenge  over us2 his     
right is as extensive to command us in  
one thing1 as in  another2 and if it be 
disowned in one thing1 it is virtually  
disowned  in all1 and the whole statute 
book of ,god is contemned 7,james ii4   
#aj1  #aa73 8,whosoever shall keep the  
whole law and yet offend in one point1  
is guilty of all40 ,a willing breaking  
one part1 though there be a  willing    
observance of all the other points of   
it1 is a breach a#aji  of the whole2    
because the authority of ,god1 which    
gives sanction to  the whole1 is        
slighted3 the obedience to the rest is  
dissembled3 for  the love1 which is the 

root of all obedience1 is wanting2 for  
8love  is the fulfilling the whole      
law40#agf ,the rest are obeyed because  
they cross not carnal desire so much as 
the other1 and so it is an  observance  
of himself1 not of ,god4 ,besides1 the  
authority of ,god1  which is not        
prevalent to restrain us from the breach
 of one point1  would be of as little   
force with us to restrain us from the   
breach  of all the rest1 did the        
allurements of the flesh give us as     
strong a  diversion from the one as from
 the other2 and though the command that 
is transgressed be the least in the     
whole law1 yet the authority which      
enjoins it is the same with that which  
enacts the greatest3 and it is  not so  
much the matter of the command1 as the  
authority commanding  which lays the    
obligation4    #b4 ,in the natural      
averseness to the declarations of ,god's
 will and  mind1 which way soever they  
tend4 ,since man affected to be as ,god1
  he desires to be boundless2 he would  

not have fetters1 though they  be golden
 ones1 and conduce to his happiness4    
,though the law of ,god  be a strength  
to them1 yet they will not 7,isa4 xxx4  
#ae73 8,in returning  shall be your     
strength1 and you would not40 ,they     
would not have a  bridle to restrain    
them from running into the pit1 nor be  
hedged in by  the law1 though for their 
security2 as if they thought it too     
slavish  and lowspirited a thing to be  
guided by the will of another4 ,hence   
man is compared to a wild ass1 that     
loves to 8snuff up the wind in  the     
wilderness at her pleasure10 rather than
 come under the guidance  of ,god2#agg  
from whatsoever quarter of the heavens  
you pursue her  she will run to the     
other4 ,the ,israelites 8could not      
endure what was  commanded10#agh though 
in regard of the moral part1 agreeable  
to what  they found written in their own
 nature1 and to the observance whereof  
they had the highest obligations of any 
people under heaven1 since  ,god had1 by

 many prodigies1 delivered them from a  
cruel slavery1 the  memory of which     
prefaced the ,decalogue 7,exod4 xx4 #b71
 8,i am the ,lord  thy ,god1 which have 
brought thee out of the land of ,egypt1 
out of the  house of bondage40 ,they    
could not think of the rule of their    
duty1 but  they must reflect upon the   
grand incentive of it in their          
redemption  from ,egyptian thraldom2 yet
 this people were cross to ,god1 which  
way  soever he moved4 ,when they were in
 the brick kilns1 they cried for        
deliverance2 when they had heavenly     
manna1 they longed for their  onions and
 garlic4 ,in ,num4 xiv4 #c1 they repent 
of their deliverance  from ,egypt1 and  
talk of returning again to seek the     
remedy of their  evils in the hands of  
their cruellest enemies1 and would      
rather put  themselves into the irons1  
whence ,god had delivered them1 than    
believe  one word of the promise of ,god
 for giving them a fruitful land2 but   
when ,moses tells them ,god's order1    

that they should turn back by the  way  
of the ,red ,sea1#agi and that ,god had 
confirmed it by an oath1  that they     
should not see the land of ,canaan1#ahj 
they then run cross  to this command of 
,god1 and1 instead of marching towards  
the ,red  ,sea1 which they had wished   
for before1 they will go up to ,canaan1 
as in spite of ,god and his threatening3
 8,we will go to the place  a#aaj which 
the ,lord hath promised0 7ver4 #dj71    
which ,moses calls  a transgressing the 
commandment of the ,lord 7ver4 #da74    
,they would  presume to go up1          
notwithstanding ,moses' prohibition1 and
 are smitten  by the ,amalekites4 ,when 
,god gives them a precept1 with a       
promise to  go up to ,canaan1 they long 
for ,egypt2 when ,god commands them to  
return  to the ,red ,sea1 which was     
nearer to the place they longed for1    
they  will shift sides1 and go up to    
,canaan2#aha and when they found they   
were to traverse the solitudes of the   
desert1 they took pet against  ,god1    

and1 instead of thanking him for the    
late victory against the  ,canaanites1  
they reproach him for his conduct from  
,egypt1 and the  manna wherewith he     
nourished them in the wilderness4 ,they 
would not  go to ,canaan1 the way ,god  
had chosen1 nor preserve themselves by  
the means ,god had ordained4 ,they would
 not be at ,god's disposal1 but         
complain of the badness of the way1 and 
the lightness of manna1 empty  of any   
necessary juice to sustain their nature4
 ,they murmuringly  solicit the will and
 power of ,god to change all that order 
which he  had resolved in his counsel1  
and take another1 conformable to their  
vain foolish desires2 and they signified
 thereby that they would  invade his    
conduct1 and that he should act         
according to their fancy1  which the    
psalmist calls a 8tempting of ,god1 and 
limiting the ,holy ,one  of ,israel0    
7,psalm lxxviii4 #da74 ,to what point   
soever the declarations  of ,god stand1 
the will of man turns the quite contrary

 way4 ,is not  the carriage of this     
nation the best then in the world8 a    
discovery  of the depth of our natural  
corruption1 how cross man is to ,god8   
,and that charge ,god brings against    
them1 may be brought against all  men by
 nature1 that they despise his          
judgments1 and have a rooted  abhorrency
 of his statutes in their soul 7,lev4   
xxvi4 #dc74 ,no sooner  had they        
recovered from one rebellion1 but they  
revolted to another2  so difficult a    
thing it is for man's nature to be      
rendered capable of  conforming to the  
will of ,god4 ,the carriage of this     
people is but a  copy of the nature of  
mankind1 and is 8written for our        
admonition0  7#a ,cor4 x4 #aa74 ,from   
this temper men are said to make 8void  
the law of  ,god20#ahb to make it of no 
obligation1 an antiquated and motheaten 
record4 ,and the ,pharisees1 by setting 
up their traditions against the  will of
 ,god1 are said to make his law of 8none
 effect20 to strip it of  all its       

authority1 as the word signifies1       
7,matt4 xv4 #f71 4    #c4 ,we have the  
greatest slight of that will of ,god    
which is most for  his honor and his    
greatest pleasure4 ,it is the nature of 
man1 ever  since ,adam1 to do so 7,hos4 
vi4 #f1 #g74 ,god desired mercy and not 
a  sacrifice2 the knowledge of himself  
more than burnt offering2 but they1     
like men as ,adam1 have transgressed the
 covenant1 invade ,god's rights1  and   
not let him be ,lord of one tree4 ,we   
are more curious observers of  the      
fringes of the law than of the greater  
concerns of it4 ,the ,jews  were        
diligent in sacrifices and offerings1   
which ,god did not urge upon  them as   
principals1 but as types of other       
things2 but negligent of  the faith     
which was to be established by him4     
,holiness1 mercy1 pity1  which concerned
 the honor of ,god1 as governor of the  
world1 and were  imitations of the      
holiness and goodness of ,god1 they were
 strangers  to4 ,this is ,god's         

complaint a#aaa 7,isa4 i4 #aa1 #ab1 xvi4
 #ag74 ,we shall  find our hearts most  
averse to the observation of those laws 
which are  eternal1 and essential to    
righteousness2 such that he could not   
but  command1 as he is a righteous      
,governor2 in the observation of which  
we  come nearest to him1 and express his
 image more clearly2 as those laws  for 
an inward and spiritual worship1 a      
supreme affection to him4 ,god1  in     
regard of his righteousness and holiness
 of his nature1 and the  excellency of  
his being1 could not command the        
contrary to these4 ,but  this part of   
his will our hearts most swell against1 
our corruption  doth most snarl at2     
whereas those laws which are only       
positive1 and  have no intrinsic        
righteousness in them1 but depend purely
 upon the  will of the ,lawgiver1 and   
may be changed at his pleasure 7which   
the  other1 that have an intrinsic      
righteousness in them1 cannot71 we      
better comply with1 than that part of   

his will that doth express more  the    
righteousness of his nature2#ahc such as
 the ceremonial part of  worship1 and   
the ceremonial law among the ,jews4 ,we 
are more willing  to observe order in   
some outward attendances and glavering  
devotions1  than discard secret         
affections to evil1 crucify inward lusts
 and  delightful thoughts4 ,a 8hanging  
down the head like a bullrush0 is not   
difficult2 but the 8breaking the heart10
 like a potter's vessel1 to  shreds and 
dust 7a sacrifice ,god delights in1     
whereby the excellency  of ,god and the 
vileness of the creature is owned71 goes
 against the  grain2 to cut off an      
outward branch is not so hard as to hack
 at the  root4 ,what ,god most loathes1 
as most contrary to his will1 we most   
love3 no sin did ,god so severely hate1 
and no sin were the ,jews more  inclined
 unto1 than that of idolatry4 ,the      
heathen had not changed  their ,god1 as 
the ,jews had changed their glory 7,jer4
 ii4 #aa72 and all  men are naturally   

tainted with this sin1 which is so      
contrary to the  holy and excellent     
nature of ,god4 ,by how much the more   
defect there is  of purity in our       
respects to ,god1 by so much the more   
respect there is  to some idol within or
 without us1 to humor1 custom1 and      
interest1 c4  ,never did any law of ,god
 meet with so much opposition as        
,christianity1  which was the design of 
,god from the first promise to the      
exhibiting  the ,redeemer1 and from     
thence to the end of the world4 ,all    
people  drew swords at first against it4
 ,the ,romans prepared yokes for their  
neighbors1 but provided temples for the 
idols those people worshipped2  but     
,christianity1 the choicest design and  
most delightful part of the  will of    
,god1 never met with a kind             
entertainment at first in any place2    
,rome1 that entertained all others1     
persecuted this with fire and sword1    
though sealed by greater testimonies    
from heaven than their own  records     

could report in favor of their idols4   
#d4 ,in running the greatest hazards1   
and exposing ourselves to more  trouble 
to cross the will of ,god1 than is      
necessary to the observance  of it4 ,it 
is a vain charge men bring against the  
divine precepts1 that  they are         
rigorous1 severe1 difficult2 when1      
besides the contradiction  to our       
,saviour1 who tells us his 8yoke is     
easy10 and his 8burthen  light10 they   
thwart their own calm reason and        
judgment4 ,is there not  more difficulty
 to be vicious1 covetous1 violent1      
cruel1 than to be  virtuous1 charitable1
 kind8 ,doth the will of ,god enjoin    
that that  is a#aab not conformable to  
right reason1 and secretly delightful   
in the exercise and issue8 ,and on the  
contrary1 what doth ,satan and  the     
world engage us in1 that is not full of 
molestation and hazard8  ,is it a sweet 
and comely thing to combat continually  
against our  own consciences1 and resist
 our own light1 and commence a perpetual

  quarrel against ourselves1 as we      
ordinarily do when we sin8 ,they in  the
 ,prophet 7,micah vi4 #fh7 would be at  
the expense of 8thousands of  rams1 and 
ten thousand rivers of oil10 if they    
could compass them2 yea1  would strip   
themselves of their natural affection to
 their firstborn  to expiate the 8sin of
 their soul10 rather than to 8do        
justice1 love  mercy1 and walk humbly   
with ,god20 things more conducible to   
the honor  of ,god1 the welfare of the  
world1 the security of their souls1 and 
of a more easy practice than the        
offerings they wished for4 ,do not  men 
then disown ,god when they will walk in 
ways hedged with thorns1  wherein they  
meet with the arrows of conscience1 at  
every turn1 in  their sides2 and slide  
down to an everlasting punishment1 sink 
under  an intolerable slavery1 to       
contradict the will of ,god8 when they  
will  prefer a sensual satisfaction1    
with a combustion in their consciences1 
violation of their reasons1 gnawing     

cares and weary travels before the      
honor of ,god1 the dignity of their     
natures1 the happiness of peace and     
health1 which might be preserved at a   
cheaper rate1 than they are at  to      
destroy them8    #e4 ,in the            
unwillingness and awkwardness of the    
heart1 when it is  to pay ,god a        
service4 ,men 8do evil with both hands  
earnestly10#ahd  but do good with one   
hand faintly2 no life in the heart1 nor 
any  diligence in the hand4 ,what slight
 and loose thoughts of ,god doth  this  
unwillingness imply8 ,it is a wrong to  
his providence1 as though  we were not  
under his government1 and had no need of
 his assistance2  a wrong to his        
excellency1 as though there were no     
amiableness in him  to make his service 
desirable2 an injury to his goodness and
 power1  as if he were not able or      
willing to reward the creatures'        
obedience1  or careless not to take     
notice of it2 it is a sign we receive   
little  satisfaction in him1 and that   

there is a great unsuitableness between 
him and us4    7#a47 ,there is a kind of
 constraint in the first engagement4 ,we
 are  rather pressed to it than enter   
ourselves volunteers4 ,what we call     
service to ,god is done naturally much  
against our wills2 it is not a          
delightful food1 but a bitter potion2 we
 are rather haled1 than run  to it4     
,there is a contradiction of sin within 
us against our service1  as there was a 
contradiction of sinners without our    
,saviour against  his doing the will of 
,god4 ,our hearts are unwieldy to any   
spiritual  service of ,god2 we are fain 
to use a violence with them sometimes3  
,hezekiah1 it is said1 8walked before   
the ,lord1 with a perfect heart0  7#b   
,kings xx4 #i72 he walked1 he made      
himself to walk3 man naturally  cares   
not for a walk with ,god2 if he hath any
 communion with him1 it  is with such a 
dulness and heaviness of spirit as if he
 wished himself  out of his company4    
,man's nature1 being contrary to        

holiness1 hath an  aversion to any act  
of homage to ,god1 because holiness must
 at least  be pretended4 ,in every duty 
wherein we have a communion with ,god1  
holiness is requisite3 now as men are   
against a#aac the truth of  holiness1   
because it is unsuitable to them1 so    
they are not friends  to those duties   
which require it1 and for some space    
divert them from  the thoughts of their 
beloved lusts4 ,the word of the ,lord is
 a yoke1  prayer a drudgery1 obedience a
 strange element4 ,we are like fish1    
that  8drink up iniquity like           
water10#ahe and come not to the bank    
without  the force of an angle2 no more 
willing to do service for ,god1 than  a 
fish is of itself to do service for man4
 ,it is a constrained act to  satisfy   
conscience1 and such are servile1 not   
sonlike performances1  and spring from  
bondage more than affection2 if         
conscience1 like a  taskmaster1 did not 
scourge them to duty1 they would never  
perform  it4 ,let us appeal to          

ourselves1 whether we are not more      
unwilling to  secret1 closet1 hearty    
duty to ,god1 than to join with others  
in some  external service2 as if those  
inward services were a going to the     
rack1  and rather our penance than      
privilege4 ,how much service hath ,god  
in  the world from the same principle   
that vagrants perform their task in     
,bridewell6 ,how glad are many of       
evasions to back them in the neglect  of
 the commands of ,god1 of corrupt       
reasonings from the flesh to waylay  an 
act of obedience1 and a multitude of    
excuses to blunt the edge of  the       
precept6 ,the very service of ,god shall
 be a pretence to deprive  him of the   
obedience due to him4 ,saul will not be 
ruled by ,god's will  in the destroying 
the cattle of the ,amalekites1 but by   
his own2 and  will impose upon the will 
and wisdom of ,god1 judging ,god        
mistaken in  his command1 and that the  
cattle ,god thought fittest to be meat  
to  the fowls1 were fitter to be        

sacrifices on the altar4#ahf ,if we do  
perform any part of his will1 is it not 
for our own ends1 to have  some         
deliverance from trouble8 7,isa4 xxvi4  
#af73 8,in trouble have  they visited   
thee2 they poured out a prayer when thy 
chastening was  upon them40 ,in         
affliction1 he shall find them kneeling 
in homage and  devotion2 in prosperity1 
he shall feel them kicking with         
contempt2  they can pour out a prayer in
 distress1 and scarce drop one when they
  are delivered4    7#b47 ,there is a   
slightness in our service of ,god4 ,we  
are loth to come  into his presence2 and
 when we do come1 we are loth to        
continue with  him4 ,we pay not an      
homage to him heartily1 as to our ,lord 
and ,governor2  we regard him not as our
 ,master1 whose work we ought to do1 and
 whose  honor we ought to aim at4 #a4   
,in regard of the matter of service4    
,when  the torn1 the lame1 and the sick 
is offered to ,god2#ahg so thin and     
lean a sacrifice1 that you may have     

thrown it to the ground with a  puff2 so
 some understand the meaning of 8you    
have snuffed at it40  ,men have         
naturally such slight thoughts of the   
majesty and law of ,god1  that they     
think any service is good enough for    
him1 and conformable  to his law4 ,the  
dullest and deadest time we think       
fittest to pay ,god  a service in2 when 
sleep is ready to close our eyes1 and we
 are unfit  to serve ourselves1 we think
 it a fit time to open our hearts to    
,god4  ,how few morning sacrifices hath 
,god from many persons and families6    
,men leap out of their beds to their    
carnal pleasures or worldly             
employments1 without any thought of     
their ,creator and ,preserver1 or  any  
reflection upon his will as the rule of 
our daily obedience4 ,and  as many      
reserve the dregs of their lives1 their 
old age1 to offer up  their souls to    
a#aad ,god1 so they reserve the dregs of
 the day1 their  sleeping time1 for the 
offering up their service to him4 ,how  

many  grudge to spend their best time in
 the serving the will of ,god1 and      
reserve for him the sickly and rheumatic
 part of their lives2 the  remainder of 
that which the devil and their own lusts
 have fed upon6  ,would not any prince  
or governor judge a present half eaten  
up by  wild beasts1 or that which died  
in a ditch1 a contempt of his royalty8  
,a corrupt thing is too base and vile   
for so great a ,king as ,god is1  whose 
name is dreadful4#ahh ,when by age men  
are weary of their own  bodies1 they    
would present them to ,god2 yet         
grudgingly1 as if a tired  body were too
 good for him1 snuffing at the command  
for service4 ,god  calls for our best1  
and we give him the worst4 #b4 ,in      
respect of frame4  ,we think any frame  
will serve ,god's turn1 which speaks our
 slight  of ,god as a ,ruler4 ,man      
naturally performs duty with an unholy  
heart1  whereby it becomes an           
abomination to ,god 7,prov4 xxviii4 #i73
 8,he that  turns away his ear from     

hearing the law1 even his prayers shall 
be  an abomination to ,god40 ,the       
services which he commands1 he hates for
  their evil frames or corrupt ends     
7,amos v4 #ba73 8,i hate1 ,i despise    
your feastdays1 ,i will not smell in    
your solemn assemblies40 ,god  requires 
gracious services1 and we give him      
corrupt ones4 ,we do not  rouse up our  
hearts1 as ,david called upon his lute  
and harp to awake  7,psalm lvii4 #h74   
,our hearts are not given to him2 we put
 him off with  bodily exercise4 ,the    
heart is but ice to what it doth not    
affect4  #a4 ,there is not that natural 
vigor in the observance of ,god1 which  
we have in worldly business4 ,when we   
see a liveliness in men in other        
things1 change the scene into a motion  
towards ,god1 how suddenly doth  their  
vigor shrink and their hearts freeze    
into sluggishness6 ,many  times we serve
 ,god as languishingly as if we were    
afraid he should  accept us1 and pray as
 coldly as if we were unwilling he      

should  hear us1 and take away that lust
 by which we are governed1 and which    
conscience forces us to pray against2 as
 if we were afraid ,god should  set up  
his own throne and government in our    
hearts4 ,how fleeting are  we in divine 
meditation1 how sleepy in spiritual     
exercises6 but in  other exercises      
active4 ,the soul doth not awaken       
itself1 and excite  those animal and    
vital spirits1 which it will in bodily  
recreations  and sports2 much less the  
powers of the soul3 whereby it is       
evident  we prefer the latter before any
 service to ,god4 ,since there is a     
fulness of animal spirits1 why might    
they not be excited in holy  duties as  
well as in other operations1 but that   
there is a reluctancy  in the soul to   
exercise its supremacy in this case1 and
 perform  anything becoming a creature  
in subjection to ,god as a ,ruler8  #b4 
,it is evident also in the distractions 
we have in his service4  ,how loth are  
we to serve ,god fixedly one hour1 nay a

 part of an hour1  notwithstanding all  
the thoughts of his majesty1 and the    
eternity  of glory set before our eye6  
,what man is there1 since the fall of   
,adam1 that served ,god one hour without
 many wanderings and unsuitable         
thoughts unfit for that service8 ,how   
ready are our hearts to start  out and  
unite themselves with any worldly       
objects that please us6  #c4 ,weariness 
in it evidenceth it4 ,to be weary of our
 dulness  signifies a desire1 a#aae to  
be weary of service signifies a         
discontent1 to be ruled by ,god4 ,how   
tired are we in the performance  of     
spiritual duties1 when in the vain      
triflings of time we have a  perpetual  
motion6 ,how will many willingly revel  
whole nights1 when  their hearts will   
flag at the threshold of a religious    
service6 like  ,dagon1#ahi lose both our
 heads to think1 and hands to act1 when 
the  ark of ,god is present4 ,some in   
the ,prophet wished the new moon and    
the ,sabbath over1 that they might sell 

their corn1 and be busied again  in     
their worldly affairs4#aij ,a slight and
 weariness of the ,sabbath1  was a      
slight of the ,lord of the ,sabbath1 and
 of that freedom from the  yoke and rule
 of sin1 which was signified by it4 ,the
 design of the  sacrifices in the new   
moon was to signify a rest from the     
tyranny of  sin1 and a consecration to  
the spiritual service of ,god4 ,servants
 that  are quickly weary of their work1 
are weary of the authority of their     
master that enjoins it4 ,if our hearts  
had a value for ,god1 it would  be with 
us as with the needle to the loadstone2 
there would be upon  his beck a speedy  
motion to him1 and a fixed union with   
him4 ,when the  judgments and affections
 of the saints shall be fully refined in
 glory1  they shall be willing to behold
 the face of ,god1 and be under his     
government to eternity1 without any     
weariness3 as the holy angels have      
owned ,god as their sovereign near these
 six thousand years1 without  being     

weary of running on his errands4 ,but1  
alas1 while the flesh  clogs us1 there  
will be some relics of unwillingness to 
hear his  injunctions1 and weariness in 
performing them2 though men may excuse  
those things by extrinsic causes1 yet   
,god's unerring judgment calls it  a    
weariness of himself 7,isaiah xliii4    
#bb73 8,thou hast not called upon  me1  
,o ,jacob1 but thou hast been weary of  
me1 ,o ,israel40 ,of this he  taxeth his
 own people1 when he tells them he would
 have the beasts  of the field1 the     
dragons and the owlsthe ,gentiles1 that 
the ,jews  counted no better than suchto
 honor him and acknowledge him their    
rule in a way of duty 7ver4 #bj1 #ba74  
#f4 ,this contempt is seen in a         
deserting the rule of ,god1 when our    
expectations are not answered upon our  
service4 ,when services are  performed  
from carnal principles1 they are soon   
cast off when carnal  ends meet not with
 desired satisfaction4 ,but when we own 
ourselves  ,god's servants and ,god our 

,master1 8our eyes will wait upon him   
till  he have mercy on us40#aia ,it is  
one part of the duty we owe to ,god  as 
our ,master in heaven to continue in    
prayer 7,col4 iv4 #a1 #b72 and  by the  
same reason in all other service1 and to
 watch in the same  with thanksgiving3  
to watch for occasions of praise1 to    
watch with  cheerfulness for further    
manifestations of his will1 strength to 
perform it1 success in the performance1 
that we may from all draw  matter of    
praise4 ,as we are in a posture of      
obedience to his precepts1  so we should
 be in a posture of waiting for the     
blessing of it4 ,but  naturally we      
reject the duty we owe to ,god1 if he do
 not speed the  blessing we expect from 
him4 ,how many do secretly mutter the   
same as  they in ,job xxi4 #ae3 8,what  
is the ,almighty that we should serve   
him1  and what profit shall we have if  
we pray to him80 ,they serve not ,god   
out of conscience to his commands1 but  
for some carnal profit2 and if  ,god    

make them to wait for it1 they will not 
a#aaf stay his leisure1  but cease      
soliciting him any longer4 ,two things  
are expressed2that  ,god was not worthy 
of any homage from them18,what is the   
,almighty  that we should serve him80   
and that the service of him would not   
bring  them in a good revenue or an     
advantage of that kind they expected4   
,interest drives many men on to some    
kind of service1 and when they do  not  
find an advance of that1 they will      
acknowledge ,god no more2 but  like some
 beggars1 if you give them not upon     
their asking1 and calling  you good     
master1 from blessing they will turn to 
cursing4 ,how often  do men do that     
secretly1 practically1 if not plainly1  
which ,job's wife  advised him to1 curse
 ,god1 and cast off that disguise of    
integrity  they had assumed6 7,job ii4  
#i73 8,dost thou still retain thy       
integrity8  curse ,god4 0 ,what a stir1 
and pulling1 and crying is here6 ,cast  
off  all thoughts of religious service1 

and be at daggers drawing with  that    
,god1 who for all thy service of him has
 made thee so wretched  a spectacle to  
men1 and a banquet for worms4 ,the like 
temper is  deciphered in the ,jews      
7,mal4 iii4 #ad71 8,it is in vain to    
serve ,god1  and what profit is it that 
we have kept his ordinances1 that we    
have  walked mournfully before the      
,lord80 ,what profit is it that we have 
regarded his statutes1 and carried      
ourselves in a way of subjection  to    
,god1 as our ,sovereign1 when we inherit
 nothing but sorrow1 and the  idolatrous
 neighbors swim in all kind of          
pleasures8 as if it were the  most      
miserable thing to acknowledge ,god8 ,if
 men have not the benefits  they expect1
 they think ,god unrighteous in himself1
 and injurious to  them1 in not         
conferring the favor they imagine they  
have merited2 and  if they have not that
 recompense1 they will deny ,god that   
subjection  they owe to him as          
creatures4 ,grace moves to ,god upon a  

sense of duty2  corrupt nature upon a   
sense of interest4 ,sincerity is        
encouraged by  gracious returns1 but is 
not melted away by ,god's delay or      
refusal4  ,corrupt nature would have    
,god at its back1 and steers a course of
 duty  by hope of some carnal profit1   
not by a sense of the sovereignty of    
,god4    #g4 ,this contempt is seen in  
breaking promises with ,god4 8,one while
  the conscience of a man makes vows of 
new obedience1 and perhaps  binds       
himself with many an oath2 but they     
prove like ,jonah's gourd1  withering   
the next day after their birth4 ,this   
was ,pharaoh's temper3  under a storm he
 would submit to ,god1 and let ,israel  
go2 but when  the storm is ended1 he    
will not be under ,god's control1 and   
,israel's  slavery shall be increased4  
,the fear of ,divine wrath makes many  a
 sinner turn his back upon his sin1 and 
the love of his ruling  lust makes him  
turn his back upon his true ,lord4 ,this
 is from the  prevalency of sin1 that   

disputes with ,god for the              
sovereignty40#aib  ,when ,god hath sent 
a sharp disease1 as a messenger to bind 
men to  their beds1 and make an         
interruption of their sinful pleasures1 
their  mouths are full of promises of a 
new life1 in hope to escape the just    
vengeance of ,god3 the sense of hell1   
which strikes strongly upon them1  makes
 them full of such pretended resolutions
 when they howl upon  their beds4 ,but  
if ,god be pleased in his patience to   
give them a  respite1 to take off the   
chains wherewith he seemed to be binding
  them for destruction1 and recruit     
their strength1 a#aag they are  more    
earnest in their sins than they were in 
their promises of a  reformation1 as if 
they had got the mastery of ,god1 and   
had outwitted  him4 ,how often doth ,god
 charge them of not returning to him    
after a  succession of judgments6#aic   
,so hard it is1 not only to allure1 but 
to scourge men1 to an acknowledgment of 
,god as their ,ruler6    ,consider then1

 are we not naturally inclined to       
disobey the known  will of ,god8 ,can we
 say1 ,lord1 for thy sake we refrain the
 thing to  which our hearts incline8 ,do
 we not allow ourselves to be           
licentious1  earthly1 vain1 proud1      
revengeful1 though we know it will      
offend him8  ,have we not been peevishly
 cross to his declared will8 run counter
 to  him and those laws which express   
most of the glory of his holiness8  ,is 
not this to disown him as our rule8 ,did
 we never wish there were  no law to    
bind us1 no precept to check our idols8 
,what is this1 but  to wish that ,god   
would depose himself from being our     
governor1 and  leave us to our own      
conduct8 or else to wish that he were as
 unholy  as ourselves1 as careless of   
his own laws as we are2 that is1 that   
he were no more a ,god than we1 a ,god  
as sinful and unrighteous as  ourselves8
 ,he whose heart riseth against the law 
of ,god to unlaw it1  riseth against the
 ,author of that law to undeify him4 ,he

 that casts  contempt upon the dearest  
thing ,god hath in the world1 that which
 is  the image of his holiness1 the     
delight of his soul2 that which he hath 
given a special charge to maintain1 and 
that because it is holy1 just1  and     
good1 would not stick to rejoice at the 
destruction of ,god himself4  ,if ,god's
 holiness and righteousness in the beam 
be despised1 much more  will an immense 
goodness and holiness in the fountain be
 rejected3  he that wisheth a beam far  
from his eyes1 because it offends and   
scorcheth him1 can be no friend to the  
sun1 from whence that beam  doth issue4 
,how unworthy a creature is man1 since  
he only1 a rational  creature1 is the   
sole being that withdraws itself from   
the rule of  ,god in this earth6 ,and   
how miserable a creature is he also1    
since1  departing from the order of     
,god's goodness1 he falls into the order
  of his justice2 and while he refuseth 
,god to be the rule of his life1  he    
cannot avoid him being the ,judge of his

 punishment6 ,it is this is  the        
original of all sin1 and the fountain of
 all our misery4 ,this is  the first    
thing man disowns1 the rule which ,god  
sets him4    ,secondly1 ,man naturally  
owns any other rule rather than that of 
,god's  prescribing4 ,the law of ,god   
orders one thing1 the heart of man      
desires  another4 ,there is not the     
basest thing in the world1 but man would
  sooner submit to be guided by it1     
rather than by the holiness of ,god2    
and when anything that ,god commands    
crosses our own wills1 we value  it no  
more than we would the advice of a poor 
despicable beggar4 ,how  many are       
8lovers of pleasure1 more than lovers of
 ,god60#aid ,to make  something which   
contributes to the perfection of nature1
 as learning1  wisdom1 moral virtues1   
our rule1 would be more tolerable2 but  
to pay  that homage to a swinish        
pleasure1 which is the right of ,god1 is
 an  inexcusable contempt of him4 ,the  
greatest excellency in the world  is    

infinitely below ,god2 much more a      
bestial delight1 which is both          
disgraceful and below the nature of     
a#aah man4 ,if we made the vilest       
creature on earth our idol1 it is more  
excusable than to be the slave  of a    
brutish pleasure4 ,the viler the thing  
is that doth possess the  throne in our 
heart1 the greater contempt it is of him
 who can only  claim a right to it1 and 
is worthy of it4 ,sin is the first      
object  of man's election1 as soon as   
the faculty whereby he chooses comes  to
 exercise its power2 and it is so dear  
to man1 that it is1 in the  estimate of 
our ,saviour1 counted as the right hand1
 and the right eye1  dear1 precious1 and
 useful members4    #a4 ,the rule of    
,satan is owned before the rule of ,god4
 ,the natural  man would rather be under
 the guidance of ,satan than the yoke of
 his  ,creator4 ,adam chose him to be   
his governor in ,paradise4 ,no sooner   
had  ,satan spoke of ,god in a way of   
derision 7,gen4 iii4 #a1 #e71 8,yea1    

hath  ,god said10 but man follows his   
counsel and approves of the scoff2 and  
the greatest part of his posterity have 
not been wiser by his fall1  but would  
rather ramble in the devil's wilderness1
 than to stay in  ,god's fold4 ,it is by
 the sin of man that the devil is become
 the god  of the world1 as if men were  
the electors of him to the government2  
sin is an election of him for a lord1   
and a putting the soul under his        
government4 ,those that live according  
to the course of the world1 and  are    
loth to displease it1 are under the     
government of the prince of  it4 ,the   
greatest part of the works done in the  
world is to enlarge  the kingdom of     
,satan4 ,for how many ages were the laws
 whereby the  greatest part of the world
 was governed in the affairs of         
religion1  the fruits of his usurpation 
and policy8 ,when temples were erected  
to him1 priests consecrated to his      
service2 the rites used in most  of the 
worship of the world were either of his 

own coining1 or the  misapplying the    
rites ,god had ordained to himself1     
under the notion  of a ,god3 whence the 
apostle calls all idolatrous feasts the 
table  of devils1 the cup of devils1    
sacrifice to devils1 fellowship with    
devils2#aie devils being the real object
 of the pagan worship1 though  not      
formally intended by the worshipper2    
though in some parts of the  ,indies1   
the direct and peculiar worship is to   
the devil1 that he might  not hurt them4
 ,and though the intention of others was
 to offer to ,god1  and not the devil1  
yet since the action was contrary to the
 will of  ,god1 he regards it as a      
sacrifice to devils4 ,it was not the    
intention  of ,jeroboam to establish    
priests to the devil1 when he           
consecrated  them to the service of his 
calves1 for ,jehu afterwards calls them 
8the  servants of the ,lord0 7#b ,kings 
x4 #bc71 8,see if there be here none of 
the servants of the ,lord10 to          
distinguish them from the servants of   

,baal2 signifying that the true ,god was
 worshipped under those images1  and not
 ,baal1 nor any of the gods of the      
heathens2 yet the ,scripture  couples   
the calves and devils together1 and     
ascribes the worship given  to one to be
 given to the other3 8,he ordained him  
priests for the high  places1 and for   
the devils1 and for the calves which he 
had made20#aif  so that they were       
sacrifices to devils1 notwithstanding   
the intention  of ,jeroboam and his     
subjects that had set them up and       
worshipped them1  because they were     
contrary to the mind of ,god1 and       
agreeable to the  doctrine and mind of  
,satan1 though the object of their      
worship in  their own intention were not
 the devil1 but some deified man or some
  canonized saint4 a#aai ,the intention 
makes not a good action2 if so1  when   
men kill the best servants of ,god with 
a design to do ,god service1  as our    
,saviour foretells1#aig the action would
 not be murder2 yet  who can call it    

otherwise1 since ,god is wronged in the 
persons of his  servants8 ,since most of
 the worship of the world1 which men's  
corrupt  natures incline them to1 is    
false and different from the revealed   
will  of ,god1 it is a practical        
acknowledgment of the devil1 as the     
governor1  by acknowledging and         
practising those doctrines1 which have  
not the  stamp of divine revelation upon
 them1 but were minted by ,satan to     
depress the honor of ,god in the world4 
,it doth concern men1 then1  to take    
good heed1 that in their acts of worship
 they have a divine  rule2 otherwise it 
is an owning the devil as the rule3 for 
there is no  medium2 whatsoever is not  
from ,god1 is from ,satan4 ,but to bring
 this  closer to us1 and consider that  
which is more common among us3 men  that
 are in a natural condition1 and wedded 
to their lusts1 are under  the paternal 
government of ,satan 7,john viii4 #dd73 
8,ye are of your  father1 the devil1 and
 the lusts of your father you will do40 

,if we  divide sin into spiritual and   
carnal1 which division comprehends all1 
the devil's authority is owned in both2 
in spiritual1 we conform to  his        
example1 because those he commits2 in   
carnal1 we obey his will1  because those
 he directs3 he acts the one1 and sets  
us a copy2 he  tempts to the other1 and 
gives us a kind of a precept4 ,thus man 
by  nature being a willing servant of   
sin1 is more desirous to be bound  in   
the devil's iron chain1 than in ,god's  
silken cords4 ,what greater  atheism can
 there be1 than to use ,god as if he    
were inferior to the  devil8 to take the
 part of his greatest enemy1 who drew   
all others  into the faction against    
him8 to pleasure ,satan by offending    
,god1 and  gratify our adversary with   
the injury of our ,creator8 ,for a      
subject  to take arms against his prince
 with the deadliest enemy both himself  
and prince hath in the whole world1 adds
 a greater blackness to the  rebellion4 
#b4 ,the more visible rule preferred    

before ,god in the world1 is man4  ,the 
opinion of the world is more our rule   
than the precept of ,god2  and many     
men's abstinence from sin is not from a 
sense of the ,divine  will1 no1 nor from
 a principle of reason1 but from an     
affection to  some man on whom they     
depend1 or fear of punishment from a    
superior2  the same principle with that 
in a ravenous beast1 who abstains from  
what he desires1 for fear only of a     
stick or club4 ,men will walk with  the 
herds1 go in fashion with the most1     
speak and act as the most  do4 ,while we
 conform to the world1 we cannot perform
 a reasonable  service to ,god1 nor     
prove1 nor approve practically what the 
good and  acceptable will of ,god is2   
the apostle puts them in opposition to  
one  another4#aih ,this appears1    #a4 
,in complying more with the dictates of 
men1 than the will of ,god4  ,men draw  
encouragement from ,god's forbearance to
 sin more freely  against him2 but the  
fear of punishment for breaking the will

 of man  lays a restraint upon them4    
,the fear of man is a more powerful     
curb1  to restrain men in their duty1   
than the fear of ,god2 so we may please 
a friend1 a master1 a governor1 we are  
regardless whether we please  ,god or   
no2 menpleasers are more than           
,godpleasers2 a#abj man is  more        
advanced as a rule1 than ,god1 when we  
submit to human orders1 and  stagger and
 dispute against divine4 ,would not a   
prince think himself  slighted in his   
authority1 if any of his servants should
 decline his  commands1 by the order of 
one of his subjects8 ,and will not ,god 
make  the same account of us1 when we   
deny or delay our obedience1 for fear   
of one of his creatures8 ,in the fear of
 man1 we as little acknowledge  ,god for
 our sovereign1 as we do for our        
comforter 7,isa4 li4 #ab1 #ac73  8,i1   
even ,i1 am he that comforteth you2 who 
art thou1 that thou  shouldst be afraid 
of a man that shall die10 c4 8and       
forgettest  the ,lord thy maker80 c4 ,we

 put a slight upon ,god1 as if he were  
not  able to bear us out in our duty to 
him1 and incapable to balance the       
strength of an arm of flesh4    #b4 ,in 
observing that which is materially the  
will of ,god1 not because  it is his    
will1 but the injunctions of men4 ,as   
the word of ,god may be  received1 yet  
not as his word1 so the will of ,god may
 be performed1  yet not as his will2 it 
is materially done1 but not formally    
obeyed4  ,an action1 and obedience in   
that action1 are two things2 as when man
  commands the ceasing from all works of
 the ordinary calling on the  ,sabbath1 
it is the same that ,god enjoins3 the   
cessation1 or attendance  of his        
servants on the hearing of the word1 are
 conformable in the  matter of it to the
 will of ,god2 but it is only           
conformable in the  obediential part of 
the acts to the will of man1 when it is 
done only  with respect to a human      
precept4 ,as ,god hath a right to enact 
his  laws without consulting his        

creature in the way of his government1  
so  man is bound to obey those laws1    
without consulting whether they be      
agreeable to men's laws or no4 ,if we   
act the will of ,god because the  will  
of our superiors concurs with it1 we    
obey not ,god in that1 but  man1 a human
 will being the rule of our obedience1  
and not the divine2  this is to vilify  
,god1 and make him inferior to man in   
our esteem1 and  a valuing the rule of  
man above that of our ,creator4 ,since  
,god is the  highest perfection and     
infinitely good1 whatsoever rule he     
gives the  creature must be good1 else  
it cannot proceed from ,god4 ,a base    
thing  cannot be the product of an      
infinite excellency1 and an unreasonable
  thing cannot be the product of an     
infinite wisdom and goodness2           
therefore1 as the respecting ,god's will
 before the will of man is  excellent   
and worthy of a creature1 and is an     
acknowledging the  excellency1 goodness1
 and wisdom of ,god1 so the eying the   

will of man  before and above the will  
of ,god1 is on the contrary1 a denial of
 all  those in a lump1 and a preferring 
the wisdom1 goodness1 and power of  man 
in his law1 above all those perfections 
of ,god in his4 ,whatsoever  men do that
 looks like moral virtue or abstinence  
from vices1 not  out of obedience to the
 rule ,god hath set1 but because of     
custom1  necessity1 example1 or         
imitation1 they may1 in the doing of it1
 be  rather said to be apes than        
,christians4    #c4 ,in obeying the will
 of man when it is contrary to the will 
of  ,god2 as the ,israelites willingly  
8walked after the commandment10#aii  not
 of ,god1 but of ,jeroboam in the case  
of the calves1 and 8made  the king's    
heart glad with their lies40#bjj ,they  
cheered him with  their ready obedience 
to his command for idolatry 7which was a
 lie  in itself1 and a lie in them7     
against the commandment of ,god1 and the
  a#aba warnings of the prophets1 rather
 than cheer the heart of ,god  with     

their obedience to his worship          
instituted by him2 nay1 and when  ,god  
offered them to cure them their wound1  
their iniquity breaks  out afresh2 they 
would neither have him as a lord to rule
 them1 nor  a physician to cure them    
7,hosea vii4 #a73 8,when ,i would have  
healed  ,israel1 then the iniquity of   
,ephraim was discovered40 ,the whole    
,persian nation shrunk at once from a   
duty due by the light of nature  to the 
,deity1 upon a decree that 8neither ,god
 or man should be  petitioned to for    
thirty days1 but only their king20#bja  
one only1  ,daniel1 excepted against it1
 who preferred his homage to ,god1 above
  obedience to his prince4 ,an          
adulterous generation is many times made
  the rule of men's professions1 as is  
implied in those words of our  ,saviour 
7,mark viii4 #ch73 8,whosoever shall be 
ashamed of me and my  words in this     
adulterous and sinful generation30 own  
him among his  disciples1 and be ashamed
 of him among his enemies4 ,thus men are

  said to deny ,god 7,tit4 i4 #af71 when
 they 8attend to ,jewish fables  and the
 precepts of men rather than the word of
 ,god20 when the  decrees or canons of  
fallible men are valued at a higher     
rate1 and  preferred before the writings
 of the ,holy ,ghost by his apostles4   
,as  man naturally disowns the rule ,god
 sets him1 and owns any other rule  than
 that of ,god's prescribing1 so1        
,thirdly1 ,he doth this in order to the 
setting himself up as his own  rule2 as 
though our own wills1 and not ,god's1   
were the true square and  measure of    
goodness4 ,we make an idol of our own   
wills1 and as much as  self is exalted1 
,god is deposed2 the more we esteem our 
own wills1 the  more we endeavor to     
annihilate the will of ,god2 account    
nothing of him1  the more we account of 
ourselves1 and endeavor to render       
ourselves his  superiors1 by exalting   
our own wills4 ,no prince but would look
 upon  his authority as invaded1 his    
royalty derided1 if a subject should    

resolve to be a law to himself1 in      
opposition to his known will2 true      
piety is to hate ourselves1 deny        
ourselves1 and cleave solely to the     
service of ,god4 ,to make ourselves our 
own rule1 and the object of  our        
chiefest love1 is atheism4 ,if          
selfdenial be the greatest part  of     
godliness1 the great letter in the      
alphabet of religion2 selflove  is the  
great letter in the alphabet of         
practical atheism4 ,self is the  great  
antichrist and anti,god in the world1   
that sets up itself above  all that is  
called ,god2 selflove is the captain of 
that black band  7#b ,tim4 iii4 #b73 it 
sits in the temple of ,god1 and would be
 adored as  ,god4 ,selflove begins2 but 
denying the power of godliness1 which is
  the same with denying the ruling power
 of ,god1 ends the list4 ,it is so  far 
from bending to the righteous will of   
the ,creator1 that it would  have the   
eternal will of ,god stoop to the humor 
and unrighteous will  of a creature2 and

 this is the ground of the contention   
between the  flesh and spirit in the    
heart of a renewed man2 flesh wars for  
the  godhead of self1 and spirit fights 
for the godhead of ,god2 the one  would 
settle the throne of the ,creator1 and  
the other maintain a  law of            
covetousness1 ambition1 envy1 lust1 in  
the stead of ,god4 ,the  evidence of    
this will appear in these propositions3 
#a4 ,this is natural to man as he is    
corrupted4 ,what was the venom  a#abb of
 the sin of ,adam1 is naturally derived 
with his nature to  all his posterity4  
,it was not the eating a forbidden      
apple1 or the  pleasing his palate that 
,adam aimed at1 or was the chief object 
of  his desire1 but to live             
independently on his ,creator1 and be a 
,god  to himself 7,gen4 iii4 #e73 8,you 
shall be as gods40 ,that which was the  
matter of the devil's temptation1 was   
the incentive of man's rebellion2  a    
likeness to ,god he aspired to in the   
judgment of ,god himself1 an  infallible

 interpreter of man's thoughts2         
8,behold1 man is become  as one of us1  
to know good and evil10 in regard of    
selfsufficiency  and being a rule to    
himself4 ,the ,jews understand the      
ambition of man  to reach no further    
than an equality with the angelical     
nature2 but  ,jehovah here understands  
it in another sense2 ,god had ordered   
man by  this prohibition not to eat of  
the fruit of the 8tree of knowledge  of 
good and evil20 not to attempt the      
knowledge of good and evil of  himself1 
but to wait upon the dictates of ,god2  
not to trust to his own  counsels1 but  
to depend wholly upon him for direction 
and guidance4  ,certainly he that would 
not hold off his hand from so small a   
thing  as an apple1 when he had his     
choice of the fruit of the garden1 would
  not have denied himself anything his  
appetite had desired1 when that         
principle had prevailed upon him2 he    
would not have stuck at a greater       
matter to pleasure himself with the     

displeasing of ,god1 when for so  small 
a thing he would incur the anger of his 
,creator4 ,thus would he  deify his own 
understanding against the wisdom of     
,god1 and his own  appetite against the 
will of ,god4 ,this desire of equality  
with ,god1  a learned man#bjb thinks the
 apostle intimates 7,phil4 ii4 #f73     
8,who  being in the form of ,god1       
thought it not robbery to be equal with 
,god20  the ,son's being in the form of 
,god1 and thinking it no robbery to be  
equal with ,god1 implies that the       
robbery of sacrilege committed by our   
first parents1 for which the ,son of    
,god humbled himself to the death  of   
the cross1 was an attempt to be equal   
with ,god1 and depend no more  upon     
,god's directions1 but his own conduct2 
which could be no less  than an invasion
 of the throne of ,god1 and endeavor to 
put himself  into a posture to be his   
mate4 ,other sins1 adultery1 theft1 c4  
could  not be committed by him at that  
time1 but he immediately puts forth  his

 hand to usurp the power of his ,maker2 
this treason is the old ,adam  in every 
man4 ,the first ,adam contradicted the  
will of ,god to set up  himself2 the    
second ,adam humbled himself1 and did   
nothing but by the  command and will of 
his ,father4 ,this principle wherein the
 venom of  the old ,adam lies1 must be  
crucified to make way for the throne of 
the  humble and obedient principle of   
the new ,adam1 or quickening ,spirit2   
indeed sin in its own nature is nothing 
else but 8a willing according  to self1 
and contrary to the will of ,god20 lusts
 are therefore called  the wills of the 
flesh and of the mind4#bjc ,as the      
precepts of ,god  are ,god's will1 so   
the violation of these precepts is man's
 will2 and  thus man usurps a godhead to
 himself1 by giving that honor to his   
own  will which belongs to ,god1        
appropriating the right of rule to      
himself1  and denying it to his         
,creator4 ,that servant that acts       
according to  his own will1 with a      

neglect of his master's1 refuseth the   
duty of  a servant1 and invades the     
right of his master4 a#abc ,this        
selflove  and desire of independency on 
,god has been the root of all sin in the
  world4 ,the great controversy between 
,god and man hath been1 whether he  or  
they shall be ,god2 whether his reason  
or theirs1 his will or theirs1  shall be
 the guiding principle4 ,as grace is the
 union of the will  of ,god and the will
 of the creature1 so sin is the         
opposition of the  will of self to the  
will of ,god2 8,leaning to our own      
understanding10  is opposed as a natural
 evil to 8trusting in the ,lord10#bjd a 
supernatural grace4 ,men commonly love  
what is their own1 their  own           
inventions1 their own fancies2 therefore
 the ways of a wicked  man are called   
the 8ways of his own heart40#bje and the
 ways of a  superstitious man his own   
devices 7,jer4 xviii4 #aa73 8,we will   
walk  after our own devices20 we will be
 a law to ourselves2 and what the       

,psalmist saith of the tongue1 ,our     
tongues are our own1 who shall  control 
us8 is as truly the language of men's   
hearts1 ,our wills are  our own1 who    
shall check us8    #b4 ,this is evident 
in the dissatisfaction of men with their
 own  consciences when they contradict  
the desires of self4 ,conscience is     
nothing but an actuated or reflex       
knowledge of a superior power and  an   
equitable law2 a law impressed1 and a   
power above it impressing  it4          
,conscience is not the lawgiver1 but the
 remembrancer to mind  us of that law of
 nature imprinted upon our souls1 and   
actuate the  considerations of the duty 
and penalty1 to apply the rule to our   
acts1 and pass judgment upon matter of  
fact3 it is to give the charge1  urge   
the rule1 enjoin the practice of those  
notions of right1 as part  of our duty  
and obedience4 ,but man is as much      
displeased with the  directions of      
conscience1 as he is out of love with   
the accusations  and condemning sentence

 of this officer of ,god3 we cannot     
naturally  endure any quick and lively  
practical thoughts of ,god and his will1
  and distaste our own consciences for  
putting us in mind of it3 they          
therefore 8like not to retain ,god in   
their knowledge10#bjf that is1  ,god in 
their own consciences2 they would blow  
it out1 as it is the  candle of the     
,lord in them to direct them1 and their 
acknowledgments  of ,god1 to secure     
themselves against the practice of its  
principles3  they would stop all the    
avenues to any beam of light1 and would 
not  suffer a sparkle of divine         
knowledge to flutter in their minds1 in 
order to set up another directing rule  
suited to the fleshly appetite3  and    
when they cannot stop the light of it   
from glaring in their faces1  they rebel
 against it1 and cannot endure to abide 
in its paths4#bjg  ,he speaks not of    
those which had the written word1 or    
special  revelations2 but only a natural
 light or traditional1 handed from      

,adam3  hence are all the endeavors to  
still it when it begins to speak1 by    
some carnal pleasures1 as ,saul's evil  
spirit with a fit of music2 or  bribe it
 with some fits of a glavering devotion1
 when it holds the  law of ,god in its  
commanding authority before the mind3   
they would  wipe out all the impressions
 of it when it presses the advancement  
of ,god above self1 and entertain it    
with no better compliment than  ,ahab   
did ,elijah1 8,hast thou found me1 ,o my
 enemy80 ,if we are like  to ,god in    
anything of our natural fabric1 it is in
 the superior and  more spiritual part  
of our souls4 ,the resistance of that   
which is  most like to ,god1 and instead
 of ,god in us1 is a disowning of the   
,sovereign represented by a#abd that    
officer4 ,he that would be without      
conscience1 would be without ,god1 whose
 vicegerent it is1 and make  the        
sensitive part1 which conscience        
opposes1 his lawgiver4 ,thus a  man1 out
 of respect to sinful self1 quarrels    

with his natural self1  and cannot      
comport himself in a friendly behavior  
to his internal  implanted principles3  
he hates to come under the rebukes of   
them1 as  much as ,adam hated to come   
into the presence of ,god1 after he     
turned  traitor against him3 the bad    
entertainment ,god's deputy hath in us1 
reflects upon that ,god whose cause it  
pleads3 it is upon no other  account    
that men loathe the upright language of 
their own reasons in  those matters1 and
 wish the eternal silence of their own  
consciences1  but as they maintain the  
rights of ,god1 and would hinder the    
idol of  self from usurping his godhead 
and prerogative4 ,though this power be  
part of a man's self1 rooted in his     
nature1 as essential to him and         
inseparable from him as the best part of
 his being2 yet he quarrels  with it1 as
 it is ,god's deputy1 and stickling for 
the honor of ,god in  his soul1 and     
quarrelling with that sinful self he    
would cherish above  ,god4 ,we are not  

displeased with this faculty barely as  
it exerciseth a  selfreflection2 but as 
it is ,god's vicegerent1 and bears the  
mark of  his authority in it4 ,in some  
cases this selfreflecting act meets with
  good entertainment1 when it acts not  
in contradiction to self1 but  suitable 
to natural affections4 ,as suppose a man
 hath in his passion  struck his child1 
and caused thereby some great mischief  
to him1 the  reflection of conscience   
will not be unwelcome to him2 will work 
some  tenderness in him1 because it     
takes the part of self and of natural   
affection2 but in the more spiritual    
concerns of ,god it will be rated  as a 
busybody4    #c4 ,many1 if not most     
actions1 materially good in the world1  
are done  more because they are         
agreeable to self1 than as they are     
honorable  to ,god4 ,as the word of ,god
 may be heard not as his word1#bjh but  
as  there may be pleasing notions in it1
 or discourses against an opinion  or   
party we disaffect2 so the will of ,god 

may be performed1 not as his  will1 but 
as it may gratify some selfish          
consideration1 when we will  please ,god
 so far as it may not displease         
ourselves1 and serve him as  our        
,master1 so far as his command may be a 
servant to our humor2 when  we consider 
not who it is that commands1 but how    
short it comes of  displeasing that sin 
which rules in our heart1 pick and      
choose what is  least burdensome to the 
flesh1 and distasteful to our lusts4 ,he
 that  doth the will of ,god1 not out of
 conscience of that will1 but because   
it is agreeable to himself1 casts down  
the will of ,god1 and sets his  own will
 in the place of it2 takes the crown    
from the head of ,god1  and places it   
upon the head of self4 ,if things are   
done1 not because  they are commanded by
 ,god1 but desirable to us1 it is a     
disobedient  obedience2 a conformity to 
,god's will in regard of the matter1 a  
conformity to our own will in regard of 
the motive2 either as the  things done  

are agreeable to natural and moral self1
 or sinful self4    7#a74 ,as they are  
agreeable to natural or moral self4     
,when men will  practise some points of 
religion1 and walk in the track of some 
divine  precepts2 not because they are  
divine1 but because they are a#abe      
agreeable to their humor or constitution
 of nature2 from the sway  of a natural 
bravery1 the bias of a secular interest1
 not from an  ingenuous sense of ,god's 
authority1 or a voluntary submission to 
his  will2 as when a man will avoid     
excess in drinking1 not because it is   
dishonorable to ,god1 but as it is a    
blemish to his own reputation1  or an   
impair of the health of his body3 doth  
this deserve the name  of an observance 
of the divine injunction1 or rather an  
obedience  to ourselves8 ,or when a man 
will be liberal in the distribution of  
his charity1 not with an eye to ,god's  
precept1 but in compliance  with his own
 natural compassion1 or to pleasure the 
generosity of  his nature3 the one is   

obedience to a man's own preservation2  
the  other an obedience to the interest 
or impulse of a moral virtue4 ,it  is   
not respect to the rule of ,god1 but the
 authority of self1 and1 at  the best1  
is but the performance of the material  
part of the divine  rule1 without any   
concurrence of a spiritual motive or a  
spiritual  manner4 ,that only is a      
maintaining the rights of ,god1 when we 
pay  an observance to his rule1 without 
examining the agreeableness of  it to   
our secular interest1 or consulting with
 the humor of flesh and  blood2 when we 
will not decline his service1 though we 
find it cross1  and hath no affinity    
with the pleasure of our own nature3    
such an  obedience as ,abraham          
manifested in his readiness to sacrifice
 his  son2 such an obedience as our     
,saviour demands in cutting off the     
right  hand4 ,when we observe anything  
of divine order upon the account of its 
suitableness to our natural sentiments1 
we shall readily divide from  him1 when 

the interest of nature turns its point  
against the interest  of ,god's honor2  
we shall fall off from him according to 
the change  we find in our own humors4  
,and can that be valued as a setting up 
the  rule of ,god1 which must be deposed
 upon the mutable interest of an        
inconstant mind8 ,esau had no regard to 
,god in delaying the execution  of his  
resolution to shorten his brother's     
days1 though he was awed by  the        
reverence of his father to delay it2 he 
considered1 perhaps1 how  justly he     
might lie under the imputation of       
hastening crazy ,isaac's  death1 by     
depriving him of a beloved son4 ,but had
 the old man's head  been laid1 neither 
the contrary command of ,god1 nor the   
nearness of a  fraternal relation1 could
 have bound his hands from the act1 no  
more  than they did his heart from the  
resolution 7,gen4 xxvii4 #da73 8,esau   
hated ,jacob because of the blessing    
wherewith his father blessed him2  and  
,esau said in his heart1 ,the days of   

mourning for my father are  at hand1    
then will ,i slay my brother40 ,so many 
children1 that expect  at the death of  
their parents great inheritances of     
portions1 may be  observant of them1 not
 in regard of the rule fixed by ,god1   
but to  their own hopes1 which they     
would not frustrate by a disobligement4 
,whence is it that many men abstain from
 gross sins1 but in love to  their      
reputation8 ,wickedness may be acted    
privately1 which a man's  own credit    
puts a bar to the open commission of4   
,the preserving his  own esteem may     
divert him from entering into a brothel 
house1 to which  he hath set his mind   
before1 against a known precept of his  
,creator4  ,as ,pharaoh parted with the 
,israelites1 so do some men with their  
blemishing sins2 not out of a sense of  
,god's rule1 but the smart  of present  
judgments1 or fear of a future wrath4   
,our security then1  a#abf and          
reputation1 is set up in the place of   
,god4 ,this also may be1  and is in     

renewed men1 who have the law written in
 their hearts1 that  is1 an habitual    
disposition to an agreement with the law
 of ,god2 when  what is done is with a  
respect to this habitual inclination1   
without  eying the divine precept1 which
 is appointed to be their rule4 ,this   
also is to set up a creature1 as renewed
 self is1 instead of the  ,creator1 and 
that law of his in his word1 which ought
 to be the rule  of our actions4 ,thus  
it is when men choose a moral life1 not 
so much  out of respect to the law of   
nature1 as it is the law of ,god1 but   
as it is a law become one with their    
souls and constitutions4 ,there  is more
 of self in this than consideration of  
,god2 for if it were  the latter1 the   
revealed law of ,god would1 upon the    
same reason1 be  received as well as his
 natural law4 ,from this principle of   
self1  morality comes by some to be     
advanced above evangelical dictates4    
7#b47 ,as they are agreeable to sinful  
self4 ,not that the commands of  ,god   

are suited to bolster up the corruptions
 of men1 no more than  the law can be   
said to excite or revive sin3#bji but it
 is like a  scandal taken1 not given2 an
 occasion taken by the tumultuousness of
  our depraved nature4 ,the ,pharisees  
were devout in long prayers1 not  from a
 sense of duty1 or a care of ,god's     
honor2 but to satisfy their  ambition1  
and rake together fuel for their        
covetousness1#baj that  they might have 
the greater esteem and richer offerings1
 to free by  their prayers the souls of 
deceased persons from purgatory2 an     
opinion  that some think the ,jewish    
synagogue had then entertained1#baa     
since some of their doctors have        
defended such a notion4 ,men may        
observe some precepts of ,god to have a 
better conveniency to break  others4    
,jehu was ordered to cut off the house  
of ,ahab4 ,the service  he undertook was
 in itself acceptable1 but corrupt      
nature misacted  that which holiness and
 righteousness commanded4 ,god appointed

 it to  magnify his justice1 and check  
the idolatry that had been supported  by
 that family2 ,jehu acted it to satisfy 
his revenge and ambition3  he did it to 
fulfil his lust1 not the will of ,god   
who enjoined him3  ,jehu applauds it as 
zeal2 and ,god abhors it as murder1 and 
therefore  would avenge the blood of    
,jezreel on the house of ,jehu 7,hos4 i4
 #d74  ,such kind of services are not   
paid to ,god for his own sake1 but to   
ourselves for our lusts' sake4    #d4   
,this is evident in neglecting to take  
,god's direction upon emergent          
occasions4 ,this follows the text1      
8,none did seek ,god40 ,when we consult 
not with him1 but trust more to our own 
will and counsel1 we make  ourselves our
 own governors and lords independent    
upon him2 as though  we could be our own
 counsellors1 and manage our concerns   
without  his leave and assistance2 as   
though our works were in our own hands1 
and not in the 8hands of ,god20#bab that
 we can by our own strength  and        

sagacity direct them to a successful end
 without him4 ,if we must  8acquaint    
ourselves with ,god0 before we decree a 
thing1#bac then  to decree a thing      
without acquainting ,god with it1 is to 
prefer our  purblind wisdom before the  
infinite wisdom of ,god3 to resolve     
without  consulting ,god1 is to depose  
a#abg ,god and deify self1 our own wit  
and strength4 ,we would rather1 like    
,lot1 follow our own humor and stay  in 
,sodom1 than observe the angel's order  
to go out of it4    #e4 ,as we account  
the actions of others to be good or     
evil1 as they  suit with1 or spurn      
against our fancies and humors4 ,virtue 
is a crime1  and vice a virtue1 as it is
 contrary or concurrent with our humors4
  ,little reason have many men to blame 
the actions of others1 but  because they
 are not agreeable to what they affect  
and desire2 we  would have all men take 
directions from us1 and move according  
to our  beck1 hence that common speech  
in the world1 ,such an one is an honest 

friend4 ,why8 because he is of their    
humor1 and lackeys according to  their  
wills4 ,thus we make self the measure   
and square of good and evil  in the rest
 of mankind1 and judge of it by our own 
fancies1 and not  by the will of ,god1  
the proper rule of judgment4 ,well then1
 let us  consider3 ,is not this very    
common8 are we not naturally more       
willing  to displease ,god than         
displease ourselves1 when it comes to a 
point  that we must do one or other8 ,is
 not our own counsel of more value  with
 us1 than conformity to the will of the 
,creator8 ,do not our  judgments often  
run counter to the judgment of ,god8    
,have his laws  a greater respect from  
us1 than our own humors8 ,do we scruple 
the  staining his honor when it comes in
 competition with our own8 ,are  not the
 lives of most men a pleasing           
themselves1 without a repentance  that  
ever they displeased ,god8 ,is not this 
to undeify ,god1 to deify  ourselves1   
and disown the propriety he hath in us  

by the right of  creation and           
beneficence8 ,we order our own ways by  
our own humors1 as  though we were the  
authors of our own being1 and had given 
ourselves  life and understanding4 ,this
 is to destroy the order that ,god hath 
placed between our wills and his own1   
and a lifting up of the foot  above the 
head2 it is the deformity of the        
creature4 ,the honor of  every rational 
creature consists in the service of the 
,first ,cause  of his being2 as the     
welfare of every creature consists in   
the orders  and proportionable motion of
 its members1 according to the law of   
its creation4 ,he that moves and acts   
according to a law of his own1  offers a
 manifest wrong to ,god1 the highest    
wisdom and chiefest good2  disturbs the 
order of the world2 nulls the design of 
the righteousness  and holiness of ,god4
 ,the law of ,god is the rule of that   
order he  would have observed in the    
world2 he that makes another law his    
rule1  thrusts out the order of the     

,creator1 and establishes the disorder  
of  the creature4 ,but this will yet be 
more evident1 in the fourth thing4      
,fourthly1 ,man would make himself the  
rule of ,god1 and give laws to  his     
,creator4 ,we are willing ,god should be
 our benefactor1 but not our  ruler2 we 
are content to admire his excellency and
 pay him a worship1  provided he will   
walk by our rule4 8,this commits a riot 
upon his  nature1 ,to think him to be   
what we ourselve #8would have him1 and  
wish  him to be' 7,psalm l4 #ba71 we    
would amplify his mercy and contract his
  justice2 we would have his power      
enlarged to supply our wants1 and       
straitened when it goes about to revenge
 our crimes2 we would have  him wise to 
defeat our enemies1 but not to          
disappoint our unworthy  projects2 we   
would have him all eye to regard our    
indigence1 and  blind not to discern our
 guilt2 we would have him a#abh true to 
his  promises1 regardless of his        
precepts1 and false to his threatenings2

  we would new mint the nature of ,god  
according to our models1 and shape  a   
,god according to our own fancies1 as he
 made us at first according  to his own 
image20 instead of obeying him1 we would
 have him obey  us2 instead of owning   
and admiring his perfections1 we would  
have him  strip himself of his infinite 
excellency1 and clothe himself with a   
nature agreeable to our own4 ,this is   
not only to set up self as the  law of  
,god1 but to make our own imaginations  
the model of the nature  of ,god4#bad   
,corrupted man takes a pleasure to      
accuse or suspect the  actions of ,god3 
we would not have him act conveniently  
to his nature2  but act what doth       
gratify us1 and abstain from what       
distastes us4 ,man  is never well but   
when he is impeaching one or other      
perfection of  ,god's nature1 and       
undermining his glory1 as if all his    
attributes must  stand indicted at the  
bar of our purblind reason3 this weed   
shoots up  in the exercise of grace4    

,peter intended the refusal of our      
,saviour's  washing his feet1 as an act 
of humility1 but ,christ understands it 
to  be a prescribing a law to himself1 a
 correcting his love 7,john xiii4  #h1  
#i74 ,this is evidenced1    #a4 ,in the 
strivings against his law4 ,how many men
 imply by their  lives1 that they would 
have ,god deposed from his government1  
and some  unrighteous being step into   
his throne2 as if ,god had or should    
change  his laws of holiness into laws  
of licentiousness3 as if he should      
abrogate his old eternal precepts1 and  
enact contrary ones in their  stead8    
,what is the language of such practices1
 but that they would be  ,god's         
lawgivers and not his subjects8 that he 
should deal with them  according to     
their own wills1 and not according to   
his righteousness8  that they could make
 a more holy1 wise1 and righteous law   
than the  law of ,god8 that their       
imaginations1 and not ,god's            
righteousness1  should be the rule of   

his doing good to them8 7,jer4 ix4 #ca73
 8,they  have forsaken my law1 and      
walked after the imaginations of their  
own  heart40 ,when an act is known to be
 a sin1 and the law that forbids it     
acknowledged to be the law of ,god1 and 
after this we persist in that  which is 
contrary to it1 we tax his wisdom as if 
he did not understand  what was         
convenient for us2 8we would teach ,god 
knowledge20#bae it is  an implicit wish 
that ,god had laid aside the holiness of
 his nature1  and framed a law to       
pleasure our lusts4 ,when ,god calls for
 weeping  and mourning1 and girding with
 sackcloth upon approaching judgments1  
then the corrupt heart is for joy and   
gladness1 eating of flesh and  drinking 
of wine1 because tomorrow they should   
die2#baf as if ,god  had mistaken       
himself when he ordered them so much    
sorrow1 when their  lives were so near  
an end2 and had lost his understanding  
when he  ordered such a precept3        
disobedience is therefore called        

contention  7,rom4 ii4 #h73             
8,contentious1 and obey not the truth30 
contention  against ,god1 whose truth it
 is that they disobey2 a dispute with   
him1  which hath more of wisdom in      
itself1 and conveniency for them1 his   
truth of their imaginations4 ,the more  
the love1 goodness1 and holiness  of    
,god appears in any command1 the more   
are we naturally averse from  it1 and   
cast an imputation on him1 as if he were
 foolish1 unjust1  cruel1 a#abi and that
 we could have advised and directed him 
better4  ,the goodness of ,god is       
eminent to us in appointing a day for   
his own  worship1 wherein we might      
converse with him1 and he with us1 and  
our  souls be refreshed with spiritual  
communications from him2 and we  rather 
use it for the ease of our bodies1 than 
the advancement of  our souls1 as if    
,god were mistaken and injured his      
creature1 when he  urged the spiritual  
part of duty4 ,every disobedience to the
 law is  an implicit giving law to him1 

and a charge against him that he might  
have provided better for his creature4  
#b4 ,in disapproving the methods of     
,god's government of the world4  ,if the
 counsels of ,heaven roll not about     
according to their schemes1  instead of 
adoring the unsearchable depths of his  
judgments1 they call  him to the bar1   
and accuse him1 because they are not    
fitted to their  narrow vessels1 as if a
 nutshell could contain an ocean4 ,as   
corrupt  reason esteems the highest     
truths foolishness1 so it counts the    
most  righteous ways unequal4 ,thus we  
commence a suit against ,god1 as though 
he had not acted righteously and wisely1
 but must give an account  of his       
proceedings at our tribunal4 ,this is to
 make ourselves ,god's  superiors1 and  
presume to instruct him better in the   
government of the  world2 as though ,god
 hindered himself and the world1 in not 
making us  of his privy council1 and not
 ordering his affairs according to the  
contrivances of our dim understandings4 

,is not this manifest in our  immoderate
 complaints of ,god's dealings with his 
church1 as though  there were a coldness
 in ,god's affections to his church1 and
 a glowing  heat towards it only in us8 
,hence are those importunate desires for
  things which are not established by   
any promise1 as though we would         
overrule and over persuade ,god to      
comply with our humor4 ,we have an      
ambition to be ,god's tutors and direct 
him in his counsels3 8,who hath  been   
his counsellor80 saith the apostle4#bag 
,who ought not to be his  counsellor8   
saith corrupt nature4 ,men will find    
fault with ,god in what  he suffers to  
be done according to their own minds1   
when they feel  the bitter fruit of it4 
,when ,cain had killed his brother1 and 
his  conscience racked him1 how saucily 
and discontentedly doth he answer  ,god6
 7,gen4 iv4 #i71 8,am ,i my brother's   
keeper80 ,since thou dost own  thyself  
the rector of the world1 thou shouldst  
have preserved his  person from my fury2

 since thou dost accept his sacrifice   
before my  offering1 preservation was   
due as well as acceptance4 ,if this     
temper  be found on earth1 no wonder it 
is lodged in hell4 ,that deplorable     
person under the sensible stroke of     
,god's sovereign justice1 would  oppose 
his nay to ,god's will 7,luke xvi4 #cj73
 8,and he said1 ,nay1 father  ,abraham1 
but if one went to them from the dead   
they will repent40  ,he would presume to
 prescribe more effectual means than    
,moses and  the prophets1 to inform men 
of the danger they incurred by their    
sensuality4 ,david was displeased1 it is
 said 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #h71 when the  ,lord
 had made a breach upon ,uzzah1 not with
 ,uzzah1 who was the object  of his     
pity1 but with ,god1 who was the        
inflicter of that punishment4  ,when any
 of our friends have been struck with a 
rod1 against our  sentiments and wishes1
 have not our hearts been apt to swell  
in  complaints against ,god1 as though  
he disregarded the goodness a#acj  of   

such a person1 did not see with our     
eyes1 and measure him by our  esteem of 
him8 as if he should have asked our     
counsel1 before he had  resolved1 and   
managed himself according to our will1  
rather than his  own4 ,if he be patient 
to the wicked1 we are apt to tax his    
holiness1  and accuse him as an enemy to
 his own law4 ,if he inflict severity   
upon  the righteous1 we are ready to    
suspect his goodness1 and charge him to 
be an enemy to his affectionate         
creature4 ,if he spare the ,nimrods of  
the world1 we are ready to ask1 8,where 
is the ,god of judgment80#bah  ,if he   
afflict the pillars of the earth1 we are
 ready to question1  where is the ,god  
of mercy8 ,it is impossible1 since the  
depraved nature  of man1 and the various
 interests and passions in the world1   
that  infinite power and wisdom can act 
righteously for the good of the         
universe1 but he will shake some corrupt
 interest or other upon the  earth2 so  
various are the inclinations of men1 and

 such a weathercock  judgment hath every
 man in himself1 that the divine method 
he applauds  this day1 upon a change of 
his interest1 he will cavil at the next4
  ,it is impossible for the just orders 
of ,god to please the same person  many 
weeks1 scarce many minutes together4    
,god must cease to be ,god1  or to be   
holy1 if he should manage the concerns  
of the world according  to the fancies  
of men4 ,how unreasonable is it thus to 
impose laws upon  ,god6 ,must ,god      
revoke his own orders8 govern according 
to the dictates  of his creature8 ,must 
,god1 who hath only power and wisdom to 
sway the  sceptre1 become the obedient  
subject of every man's humor1 and manage
  everything to serve the design of a   
simple creature8 ,this is not to  be    
,god1 but to set the creature in his    
throne3 though this be not  formally    
done1 yet that it is interpretatively   
and practically done1  is every hour's  
experience4    #c4 ,in impatience in our
 particular concerns4 ,it is ordinary   

with man  to charge ,god in his         
complaints in the time of affliction4   
,therefore  it is the commendation the  
,holy ,ghost gives to ,job 7ch4 i4 #bb71
 that  in all this1 that is1 in those   
many waves that rolled over him1 he did 
not charge ,god foolishly1 he never     
spake nor thought anything unworthy  of 
the majesty and righteousness of ,god2  
yet afterwards we find  him warping2 he 
nicknames the affliction to be ,god's   
oppression of  him1 and no act of his   
goodness 7x4 #c73 8,is it good for thee1
 that  thou shouldst oppress80 ,he seems
 to charge ,god with injustice1 for     
punishing him when he was not wicked1   
for which he appeals to ,god3  8,thou   
knowest that ,i am not wicked0 7ver4    
#g71 and that ,god acted  not like a    
,creator 7ver4 #h74 ,if our projects are
 disappointed1 what  fretfulness against
 ,god's management are our hearts racked
 with6  ,how do uncomely passions bubble
 upon us1 interpretatively at least     
wishing that the arms of his power had  

been bound1 and the eye of his          
omniscience been hoodwinked1 that we    
might have been left to our own  liberty
 and designs8 and this oftentimes when  
we have more reason to  bless him than  
repine at him4 ,the ,israelites murmured
 more against  ,god in the wilderness1  
with manna in their mouths1 than they   
did at  ,pharaoh in the brickkilns1 with
 their garlic and onions between their  
teeth4 ,though we repine at instruments 
in our afflictions1 yet ,god  counts it 
a reflection upon himself4 ,the         
,israelites speaking against  ,moses1   
was1 in ,god's interpretation1 a#aca a  
rebellion against  himself3#bai and     
rebellion is always a desire of imposing
 laws  and conditions upon those against
 whom the rebellion is raised4 ,the     
sottish dealings of the vinedressers in 
,franconia with the statue of  ,st4     
,urban1 the protector of the vines1 upon
 his own day1 is an emblem  of our      
dealing with ,god3 if it be a clear day 
and portend a prosperous  vintage1 they 

honor the statue and drink healths to   
it2 if it be  a rainy day1 and presage a
 scantiness1 they daub it with dirt in  
indignation4 ,we cast out our mire and  
dirt against ,god when he acts  cross to
 our wishes1 and flatter him when the   
wind of his providence  joins itself to 
the tide of our interest4 ,men set a    
high price upon  themselves1 and are    
angry ,god values them not at the same  
rate1 as if  their judgment concerning  
themselves were more piercing than his4 
,this  is to disannul ,god's judgment1  
and condemn him and count ourselves     
righteous1 a 'tis ,job xl4 #h4 ,this is 
the epidemical disease of human  nature2
 they think they deserve caresses       
instead of rods1 and upon  crosses are  
more ready to tear out the heart of     
,god1 than reflect  humbly upon their   
own hearts4 ,when we accuse ,god1 we    
applaud ourselves1  and make ourselves  
his superiors1 intimating that we have  
acted more  righteously to him than he  
to us1 which is the highest manner of   

imposing laws upon him2 as that emperor 
accused the justice of ,god  for        
snatching him out of the world too      
soon4#bbj ,what a high piece  of        
practical atheism is this1 to desire    
that infinite wisdom should  be guided  
by our folly1 and asperse the           
righteousness of ,god rather  than      
blemish our own6 ,instead of silently   
submitting to his will  and adoring his 
wisdom1 we declaim against him1 as an   
unwise and  unjust governor3 we would   
invert his order1 make him the steward  
and  ourselves the proprietors of what  
we are and have3 we deny ourselves  to  
be sinners1 and our mercies to be       
forfeited4    #d4 ,it is evidenced in   
envying the gifts and prosperities of   
others4  ,envy hath a deep tincture of  
practical atheism1 and is a cause of    
atheism4#bba ,we are unwilling to leave 
,god to be the proprietor and  do what  
he will with his own1 and as a ,creator 
to do what he pleases  with his         
creatures4 ,we assume a liberty to      

direct ,god what portions1  when and    
how1 he should bestow upon his          
creatures4 ,we would not let  him choose
 his own favorites1 and pitch upon his  
own instruments for  his glory2 as if   
,god should have asked counsel of us how
 he should  dispose of his benefits4 ,we
 are unwilling to leave to his wisdom   
the  management of his own judgments to 
the wicked1 and the dispensation  of his
 own love to ourselves4 ,this temper is 
natural3 it is as ancient  as the first 
age of the world4 ,adam envied ,god a   
felicity by himself1  and would not     
spare a tree that he had reserved as a  
mark of his  sovereignty4 ,the passion  
that ,god had given ,cain to employ     
against  his sin1 he turns against his  
,creator4 ,he was wroth with ,god and   
with  ,abel2#bbb but envy was at the    
root1 because his brother's sacrifice   
was accepted and his refused4 ,how could
 he envy his accepted person1  without  
reflecting upon the a#acb ,acceptor of  
his offering8 ,good men  have not been  

free from it4 ,job questions the        
goodness of ,god1 that he  should shine 
upon the counsel of the wicked 7,job x4 
#c74 ,jonah had too  much of self1 in   
fearing to be counted a false prophet1  
when he came  with absolute             
denunciations of wrath2#bbc and when he 
could not bring  a volley of destroying 
judgments upon the ,ninevites1 he would 
shoot  his fury against his ,master1    
envying those poor people the benefit1  
and ,god the honor of his mercy2 and    
this after he had been sent into  the   
whale's belly to learn humiliation1     
which1 though he exercised  there1 yet  
those two great branches of selfpride   
and envy were  not lopped off from him  
in the belly of hell2 and ,god was fain 
to  take pains with him1 and by a gourd 
scarce makes him ashamed of his         
peevishness4 ,envy is not like to cease 
till all atheism be cashiered1  and that
 is in heaven4 ,this sin is an imitation
 of the devil1 whose  first sin upon    
earth was envy1 as his first sin in     

heaven was pride4  ,it is a wishing that
 to ourselves1 which the devil asserted 
as his  right1 to give the kingdoms of  
the world to whom he pleased3#bbd  it is
 an anger with ,god1 because he hath not
 given us a patent for  government4 ,it 
utters the same language in             
disparagement of ,god1 as  ,absalom did 
in reflection on his father3 ,if ,i were
 king in ,israel1  justice should be    
better managed2 if ,i were ,lord of the 
world1  there should be more wisdom to  
discern the merits of men1 and more     
righteousness in distributing to them   
their several portions4 ,thus  we impose
 laws upon ,god1 and would have the     
righteousness of his  will submit to the
 corruptions of ours1 and have him lower
 himself to  gratify our minds1 rather  
than fulfil his own4 ,we charge the     
,author  of those gifts with injustice1 
that he hath not dealt equally2 or with 
ignorance1 that he hath mistook his     
mark4 ,in the same breath that we       
censure him by our peevishness1 we would

 guide him by our wills4 ,this  is an   
unreasonable part of atheism4 ,if all   
were in the same state and  condition1  
the order of the world would be         
impaired4 ,is ,god bound to  have a care
 of thee1 and neglect all the world     
besides8 8,shall the  earth be forsaken 
for thee80#bbe ,joseph had reason to be 
displeased  with his brothers1 if they  
had muttered because he gave ,benjamin a
  double portion1 and the rest a single4
 ,it was unfit that they1 who had       
deserved no gift at all1 should         
prescribe him rules how to dispense  his
 own doles2 much more unworthy it is to 
deal so with ,god2 yet this  is too     
rife4    #e4 ,it is evidenced in corrupt
 matter or ends of prayer and praise4   
,when we are importunate for those      
things that we know not whether the     
righteousness1 holiness1 and wisdom of  
,god can grant1 because he hath  not    
discovered his will in any promise to   
bestow them1 we would then  impose such 
conditions on ,god1 which he never      

obliged himself to grant2  when we pray 
for things not so much to glorify ,god1 
which ought to be  the end of prayer1 as
 to gratify ourselves4 ,we acknowledge1 
indeed1  by the act of petitioning1 that
 there is a ,god2 but we would have him 
ungod himself to be at our beck1 and    
debase himself to serve our turns4      
,when we desire those things which are  
repugnant to those attributes  whereby  
he doth manage the government of the    
world2 when1 by some  superficial       
services1 we think we have a#acc gained 
indulgence to  sins1 which seems to be  
the thought of the strumpet1 in her     
paying her  vows1 to wallow more freely 
in the mire of her sensual pleasures8,i 
have peaceofferings with me2 this day ,i
 have paid my vows1 ,i have  made my    
peace with ,god1 and have entertainment 
for thee20#bbf or when  men desire ,god 
to bless them in the commission of some 
sin1 as when  ,balak and ,balaam offered
 sacrifices1 that they might prosper in 
the  cursing of the ,israelites 7,numb4 

xxv4 #a1 c47 ,so for a man to pray to   
,god to save him1 while he neglects the 
means of salvation appointed  by ,god1  
or to renew him when he slights the     
word1 the only instrument  to that      
purpose2 this is to impose laws upon    
,god1 contrary to the  declared will and
 wisdom of ,god1 and to desire him to   
slight his own  institutions4 ,when we  
come into the presence of ,god with     
lusts reeking  in our hearts1 and leap  
from sin to duty1 we would impose the   
law  of our corruption on the holiness  
of ,god4 ,while we pray 8the will of    
,god may be done10 selflove wishes its  
own will may be performed1 as  though   
,god should serve our humors1 when we   
will not obey his precepts4  ,and when  
we make vows under any affliction1 what 
is it often but a  secret contrivance to
 bend and flatter him to our conditions8
 ,we will  serve him if he will restore 
us2 we think thereby to compound the    
business with him1 and bring him down to
 our terms4    #f4 ,it is evidenced in  

positive and bold interpretations of the
  judgments of ,god in the world4 ,to   
interpret the judgments of ,god to  the 
disadvantage of the sufferer1 unless it 
be an unusual judgment1  and have a     
remarkable hand of ,god in it1 and the  
sin be rendered  plainly legible in the 
affliction1 is a presumption of this    
nature4  ,when men will judge the       
,galileans1 whose blood ,pilate mingled 
with  the sacrifices1 greater sinners   
than others1 and themselves righteous1  
because no drops of it were dashed upon 
them2 or when ,shimei1 being  of the    
house of ,saul1 shall judge according to
 his own interest1 and  desires ,david's
 flight upon ,absalom's rebellion to be 
a punishment  for invading the rights of
 ,saul's family1 and depriving him of   
the  succession in the kingdom1#bbg as  
if he had been of ,god's privy  council1
 when he decreed such acts of justice in
 the world4 ,thus we  would fasten our  
own wills as a law or motive upon ,god1 
and interpret  his acts according to the

 motions of self4 ,is it not too        
ordinary1  when ,god sends an affliction
 upon those that bear illwill to us1 to 
judge it to be a righting of our cause1 
to be a fruit of ,god's concern  for us 
in revenging our wrongs1 as if we 8had  
heard the secrets of  ,god10 or1 as     
,eliphaz saith1 8had turned over the    
records of heaven80  7,job xv4 #h47     
,this is a judgment according to        
selflove1 not a divine  rule2 and       
imposeth laws upon heaven1 implying a   
secret wish that ,god  would take care  
only of them1 make our concerns his own1
 not in ways  of kindness and justice1  
but according to our fancies2 and this  
is  common in the profane world1 in     
those curses they so readily spit out   
upon any affront1 as if ,god were bound 
to draw his arrows and shoot  them into 
the heart of all their offenders at     
their beck and pleasure4    #g4 ,it is  
evidenced1 in mixing rules for the      
worship of ,god with those  which have  
been ordered by him4 ,since men are most

 prone a#acd to  live by sense1 it is no
 wonder that a sensible worship1 which  
affects  their outward sense with some  
kind of amazement1 is dear to them1 and 
spiritual worship most loathsome4       
,pompous rites have been the great      
engine wherewith the devil hath deceived
 the souls of men1 and wrought  them to 
a nauseating the simplicity of divine   
worship1 as unworthy the  majesty and   
excellency of ,god4#bbh ,thus the ,jews 
would not understand  the glory of the  
second temple in the presence of the    
,messiah1 because  it had not the       
pompous grandeur of that of ,solomon's  
erecting4 ,hence  in all ages men have  
been forward to disfigure ,god's models1
 and dress  up a brat of their own2 as  
though ,god had been defective in       
providing  for his own honor in his     
institutions1 without the assistance of 
his  creature4 ,this hath always been in
 the world2 the old world had their     
imaginations1 and the new world hath    
continued them4 ,the ,israelites in  the

 midst of miracles1 and under the memory
 of a famous deliverance1  would erect a
 calf4 ,the ,pharisees1 that sate in    
,moses' chair1 would  coin new          
traditions1 and enjoin them to be as    
current as the law of  ,god4#bbi        
,papists will be blending the christian 
appointments with  pagan ceremonies1 to 
please the carnal fancies of the common 
people4  8,altars have been multiplied0 
under the knowledge of the law of       
,god4#bcj ,interest is made the balance 
of the conveniency of ,god's            
injunctions4 ,jeroboam fitted a worship 
to politic ends1 and posted up  calves  
to prevent his subjects revolting from  
his sceptre1 which might  be occasioned 
by their resort to ,jerusalem1 and      
converse with the body  of the people   
from whom they were separated4#bca ,men 
will be putting  in their own dictates  
with ,god's laws1 and are unwilling he  
should be  the sole ,governor of the    
world without their counsel2 they will  
not  suffer him to be ,lord of that     

which is purely and solely his concern4 
,how often hath the practice of the     
primitive church1 the custom  wherein we
 are bred1 the sentiments of our        
ancestors1 been owned as  a more        
authentic rule in matters of worship1   
than the mind of ,god  delivered in his 
,word6 ,it is natural by creation to    
worship ,god2 and  it is as natural by  
corruption for man to worship him in a  
human way1  and not in a divine2 is not 
this to impose laws upon ,god1 to esteem
  ourselves wiser than he8 to think him 
negligent of his own service1  and that 
our feeble brains can find out ways to  
accommodate his honor1  better than     
himself hath done8 ,thus do men for the 
most part equal  their own imaginations 
to ,god's oracles3 as ,solomon built a  
high place  to ,moloch and ,chemoch1    
upon the ,mount of ,olives1 to face on  
the east  part ,jerusalem and the       
temple2#bcb this is not only to impose  
laws  on ,god1 but also to make self the
 standard of them4    #h4 ,it is        

evidenced1 in suiting interpretations of
 ,scripture to  their own minds and     
humors4 ,like the ,lacedmonians1 that   
dressed the  images of their gods       
according to the fashion of their own   
country1  we would wring ,scripture to  
serve our own designs1 and judge the law
  of ,god by the law of sin1 and make   
the serpentine seed in us to be  the    
interpreter of divine oracles3 this is  
like ,belshazzar to drink  healths out  
of the sacred vessels4 ,as ,god is the  
author of his law  a#ace and word1 so he
 is the best interpreter of it2 the     
,scripture  having an impress of divine 
wisdom1 holiness1 and goodness1 must be 
regarded according to that impress1 with
 a submission and meekness of  spirit   
and reverence of ,god in it2 but when1  
in our inquiries into the  word1 we     
inquire not of ,god1 but consult flesh  
and blood1 the temper  of the times     
wherein we live1 or the satisfaction of 
a party we side  withal1 and impose     
glosses upon it according to our own    

fancies1  it is to put laws upon ,god1  
and make self the rule of him4 ,he that 
interprets the law to bolster up some   
eager appetite against the will  of the 
lawgiver1 ascribes to himself as great  
an authority as he that  enacted it4    
#i4 ,in falling off from ,god after some
 fair compliances1 when his will        
grateth upon us1 and crosseth ours4     
,they will walk with him as far  as he  
pleaseth them1 and leave him upon the   
first distaste1 as though  ,god must    
observe their humors more than they his 
will4 ,amos must  be suspended from     
prophesying1 because the 8land could not
 bear his  words10 and his discourses   
condemned their unworthy practices      
against  ,god4#bcc ,the young man came  
not to receive directions from our      
,saviour1 but expected a confirmation of
 his own rules1 rather than  an         
imposition of new4#bcd ,he rather cares 
for commendations than  instructions1   
and upon the disappointment turns his   
back2 8he was  sad10 that ,christ would 

not suffer him to be rich1 and a        
,christian  together2 and leaves him    
because his command was not suitable to 
the law of his covetousness4 ,some      
truths that are at a further  distance  
from us1 we can hear gladly2 but when   
the conscience  begins to smart under   
others1 if ,god will not observe our    
wills1 we  will1 with ,herod1 be a law  
to ourselves4#bce ,more instances might 
be  observed4,ingratitude is a setting  
up self1 and an imposing laws on  ,god4 
,it is as much as to say1 ,god did no   
more than he was obliged to  do2 as if  
the mercies we have were an act of duty 
in ,god1 and not of  bounty4,insatiable 
desires after wealth3 hence are those   
speeches  7,james iv4 #ac71 8,we will go
 into such a city1 and buy and sell1 c4 
to  get gain20 as though they had the   
command of ,god1 and ,god must lacquey  
after their wills4 ,when our hearts are 
not contented with any supply  of our   
wants1 but are craving an overplus for  
our lust2 when we are  unsatisfied in   

the midst of plenty1 and still like the 
grave1 cry1  ,give1                     
give4,incorrigibleness under affliction1
 c4    ,,ii4 ,the second main thing3 ,as
 man would be a law to himself1 so he   
would be his own end and happiness in   
opposition to ,god4 ,here four  things  
shall be discoursed on4 #a4 ,man would  
make himself his own end  and happiness4
 #b4 ,he would make anything his end and
 happiness rather  than ,god4 #c4 ,he   
would make himself the end of all       
creatures4 #d4 ,he  would make himself  
the end of ,god4    ,first1 ,man would  
make himself his own end and happiness4 
,as ,god ought  to be esteemed the first
 cause1 in point of our dependence on   
him1 so  he ought to be our last end1 in
 point of our enjoyment of him4 ,when   
we therefore trust in ourselves1 we     
refuse him as the first cause2 and  when
 we act for ourselves1 and expect a     
blessedness from ourselves1 we  refuse  
him as the chiefest good1 and last end1 
which is an undeniable  piece of        

atheism2 for man is a creature of a     
higher rank than others  in the world1  
and was not made as animals1 a#acf      
plants1 and other  works of the divine  
power1 materially to glorify ,god1 but a
 rational  creature1 intentionally to   
honor ,god by obedience to his rule1    
dependence on his goodness1 and zeal for
 his glory4 ,it is1 therefore1  as much 
a slighting of ,god1 for man1 a         
creature1 to set himself up as  his own 
end1 as to regard himself as his own    
law4 ,for the discovery of  this1       
observe that there is a threefold       
selflove4    #a4 ,natural1 which is     
common to us by the law of nature with  
other  creatures1 inanimate as well as  
animate1 and so closely twisted with    
the nature of every creature1 that it   
cannot be dissolved but with  the       
dissolution of nature itself4 ,it       
consisted not with the wisdom and       
goodness of ,god to create an unnatural 
nature1 or to command anything          
unnatural1 nor doth he2 for when he     

commands us to sacrifice ourselves1  and
 dearest lives for himself1 it is not   
without a promise of a more  noble state
 of being in exchange for what we lose4 
,this selflove is  not only commendable1
 but necessary1 as a rule to measure    
that duty  we owe to our neighbor1 whom 
we cannot love as ourselves1 if we do   
not  first love ourselves4 ,god having  
planted this selflove in our nature1    
makes this natural principle the measure
 of our affection to all  mankind of the
 same blood with ourselves4    #b4      
,carnal selflove3 when a man loves      
himself above ,god1 in opposition  to   
,god1 with a contempt of ,god2 when our 
thoughts1 affections1 designs1  centre  
only in our own fleshly interest1 and   
rifle ,god of his honor1  to make a     
present of it to ourselves3 thus the    
natural selflove1 in  itself good1      
becomes criminal by the excess1 when it 
would be superior  and not subordinate  
to ,god4    #c4 ,a gracious selflove3   
when we love ourselves for higher ends  

than  the nature of a creature1 as a    
creature dictates1 viz4 in subserviency 
to the glory of ,god4 ,this is a        
reduction of the revolted creature to   
his true and happy order2 a ,christian  
is therefore said to be 8created  in    
,christ to good works40#bcf ,as all     
creatures were created1 not  only for   
themselves1 but for the honor of ,god2  
so the grace of the  new creation       
carries a man to answer this end1 and to
 order all his  operations to the honor 
of ,god1 and his wellpleasing4 ,the     
first is  from nature1 the second from  
sin1 the third from grace2 the first is 
implanted by creation1 the second the   
fruit of corruption1 and the  third is  
by the powerful operation of grace4     
,this carnal selflove is  set up in the 
stead of ,god as our last end2 like the 
sea1 which all  the little and great    
streams of our actions run to and rest  
in4 ,and  this is1 #a4 ,natural4 ,it    
sticks as close to us as our souls2 it  
is  as natural as sin1 the foundation of

 all the evil in the world4 ,as         
selfabhorrency is the first stone that  
is laid in conversion1 so an  inordinate
 selflove was the first inlet to all    
iniquity4 ,as grace  is a rising from   
self to centre in ,god1 so is sin a     
shrinking from  ,god into the mire of a 
carnal selfishness2 since every creature
 is  nearest to itself and next to ,god1
 it cannot fall from ,god1 but must     
immediately sink into self2#bcg and1    
therefore1 all sins are well  said to be
 branches or modifications of this      
fundamental passion4 ,what  is wrath1   
but a defence and strengthening self    
against the attempts of  some real or   
imaginary evil8 ,whence springs envy1   
but from a selflove1  grieved a#acg at  
its own wants in the midst of another's 
enjoyment1  able to supply it8 ,what is 
impatience1 but a regret that self is   
not  provided for at the rate of our    
wish1 and that it hath met with a  shock
 against supposed merit8 ,what is pride1
 but a sense of selfworth1  a desire to 

have self of a higher elevation than    
others8 ,what is  drunkenness1 but a    
seeking a satisfaction for sensual self 
in the  spoils of reason8 ,no sin is    
committed as sin1 but as it pretends  a 
selfsatisfaction4 ,sin1 indeed1 may well
 be termed a man's self1  because it is1
 since the loss of original             
righteousness1 the form  that           
overspreads every part of our souls4    
,the understanding assents  to nothing  
false but under the notion of true1 and 
the will embraceth  nothing evil but    
under the notion of good2 but the rule  
whereby  we measure the truth and       
goodness of proposed objects1 is not the
  unerring ,word1 but the inclinations  
of self1 the gratifying of which  is the
 aim of our whole lives4 ,sin and self  
are all one3 what is  called a living to
 sin in one place1#bch is called a      
living to self  in another3 8,that they 
that live should not live unto          
themselves40#bci  ,and upon this account
 it is that both the ,hebrew word1 1 and

 the  ,greek word1 1 used in ,scripture 
to express sin1 properly  signify to    
miss the mark1 and swerve from that     
white to which all  our actions should  
be directed1 viz4 the glory of ,god4    
,when we fell  to loving ourselves1 we  
fell from loving ,god2 and1 therefore1  
when  the ,psalmist saith 7,psalm xiv4  
#b71 there were none that sought ,god1  
viz4 as the last end2 he presently adds1
 8,they are all gone aside10  viz4 from 
their true mark1 and therefore become   
filthy4 #b4 ,since  it is natural1 it is
 also universal4#bdj ,the not seeking   
,god is as  universal as our ignorance  
of him4 ,no man in a state of nature but
  hath it predominant2 no renewed man on
 this side heaven but hath it           
partially4 ,the one hath it flourishing1
 the other hath it struggling4  ,if to  
aim at the glory of ,god as the chief   
end1 and not to live to  ourselves1 be  
the greatest mark of the restoration of 
the divine  image1#bda and a conformity 
to ,christ1 who glorified not           

himself1#bdb  but the ,father2#bdc then 
every man1 wallowing in the mire of     
corrupt  nature1 pays a homage to self1 
as a renewed man is biassed by the      
honor of ,god4 ,the ,holy ,ghost excepts
 none from this crime 7,phil4  ii4 #ba73
 8,all seek their own40 ,it is rare for 
them to look above or  beyond           
themselves4 ,whatsoever may be the      
immediate subject of their  thoughts and
 inquiries1 yet the utmost end and stage
 is their profit1  honor1 or pleasure4  
,whatever it be that immediately        
possesses the mind  and will1 self sits 
like a queen1 and sways the sceptre1 and
 orders  things at that rate1 that ,god 
is excluded1 and can find no room in    
all his thoughts 7,psalm x4 #d73 8,the  
wicked1 through the pride of his        
countenance1 will not seek after ,god2  
,god is not in all his thoughts40  ,the 
whole little world of man is so         
overflowed with a deluge of self1  that 
the dove1 the glory of the ,creator1 can
 find no place where to  set its foot2  

and if ever it gain the favor of        
admittance1 it is to  disguise and be a 
vassal to some carnal project1 as the   
glory of ,god  was a mask for the       
murdering his servants4 ,it is from the 
power of  this principle that the       
difficulty of conversion ariseth3 as    
there  is no greater pleasure to a      
believing a#ach soul than the giving    
itself up to ,god1 and no stronger      
desire in him1 than to have a fixed  and
 unchangeable will to serve the designs 
of his honor2 so there is  no greater   
torment to a wicked man1 than to part   
with his carnal ends1  and lay down the 
,dagon of self at the feet of the ark4  
,selflove and  selfopinion in the       
,pharisees waylaid all the entertainment
 of truth  7,john v4 #dd73 8,they sought
 honor one of another1 and not the honor
  which comes from ,god40 ,it is of so  
large an extent1 and so insinuating     
nature1 that it winds itself into the   
exercise of moral virtues1  mixeth with 
our charity 7,matt4 vi4 #b71 and finds  

nourishment in the  ashes of martyrdom  
7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #c74    ,this making    
ourselves our end will appear in a few  
things4    #a4 ,in frequent             
selfapplauses1 and inward overweening   
reflections4  ,nothing more ordinary in 
the natures of men1 than a dotage on    
their  own perfections1 acquisitions1 or
 actions in the world3 8,most think of  
themselves above what they ought to     
think0 7,rom4 xii4 #c1 #d74 ,few think  
of themselves so meanly as they ought to
 think3 this sticks as close  to us as  
our skin2 and as humility is the beauty 
of grace1 this is the  filthiest soil of
 nature4 ,our thoughts run more         
delightfully upon the  track of our own 
perfections1 than the excellency of     
,god2 and when we  find anything of a   
seeming worth1 that may make us glitter 
in the eyes  of the world1 how          
cheerfully do we grasp and embrace      
ourselves6 ,when  the grosser           
profanenesses of men have been          
discarded1 and the floods  of them      

dammed up1 the head of corruption1      
whence they sprang1 will  swell the     
higher within1 in selfapplauding        
speculations of their  own reformation1 
without acknowledgment of their own     
weaknesses1 and  desires of divine      
assistance to make a further progress4  
8,i thank ,god  ,i am not like this     
publican20#bdd a selfreflection1 with a 
contempt  rather than compassion to his 
neighbor1 is frequent in every          
,pharisee4  ,the vapors of              
selfaffections1 in our clouded          
understandings1 like  those in the air  
in misty mornings1 alter the appearance 
of things1  and make them look bigger   
than they are4 ,this is thought by some 
to be  the sin of the fallen angels1    
who1 reflecting upon their own natural  
excellency superior to other creatures1 
would find a blessedness in  their own  
nature1 as ,god did in his1 and make    
themselves the last  end of their       
actions4 ,it is from this principle we  
are naturally so  ready to compare      

ourselves rather with those that are    
below us1 than  with those that are     
above us2 and often think those that are
 above  us inferior to us1 and secretly 
glory that we are become none of the    
meanest and lowest in natural or moral  
excellencies4 ,how far were  the        
gracious penmen of the ,scripture from  
this1 who1 when possessed  and directed 
by the ,spirit of ,god1 and filled with 
a sense of him1  instead of applauding  
themselves1 publish upon record their   
own faults  to all the eyes of the      
world6 ,and if ,peter1 as some think1   
dictated  the ,gospel which ,mark wrote 
as his amanuensis1 it is observable that
  his crime in denying his ,master is   
aggravated in that ,gospel in some      
circumstances1 and less spoken of his   
repentance than in the other            
evangelists3 8,when he thought thereon1 
he wept20#bde but in the other1  8,he   
went out and wept bitterly40#bdf ,this  
is one part a#aci of  atheism and       
selfidolatry1 to magnify ourselves with 

the forgetfulness1  and to the injury of
 our ,creator4    #b4 ,in ascribing the 
glory of what we do or have to          
ourselves1 to our  own wisdom1 power1   
virtue1 c4 ,how flaunting is            
,nebuchadnezzar at  the prospect of     
,babylon1 which he had exalted to be the
 head of so  great an empire6 7,dan4 iv4
 #cj73 8,is not this great ,babylon that
 ,i  have built8 ,for10 c4 ,he struts   
upon the battlements of his palace1  as 
if there were no ,god but himself in the
 world1 while his eye  could not but see
 the heavens above him to be none of his
 own framing1  attributing his          
acquisitions to his own arm1 and        
referring them to  his own honor1 for   
his own delight2 not for the honor of   
,god1 as a  creature ought1 nor for the 
advantage of his subjects1 as the duty  
of  a prince4 ,he regards ,babylon as   
his heaven1 and himself as his idol1  as
 if he were all1 and ,god nothing4 ,an  
example of this we have in the  present 
age4 ,but it is often observed1 that    

,god vindicates his own  honor1 brings  
the most heroical men to contempt and   
unfortunate ends1  as a punishment of   
their pride1 as he did here 7,dan4 iv4  
#ca73 8,while  the word was in the      
king's mouth1 there fell a voice from   
heaven10  c4 ,this was ,herod's crime1  
to suffer others to do it3#bdg he had   
discovered his eloquence actively1 and  
made himself his own end  passively1 in 
approving the flatteries of the people1 
and offered not  with one hand to ,god  
the glory he received from his people   
with the  other4#bdh ,samosatenus is    
reported to put down the hymns which    
were  sung for the glory of ,god and    
,christ1 and caused songs to be sung  in
 the temple for his own honor4 ,when    
anything succeeds well1 we are  ready to
 attribute it to our own prudence and   
industry3 if we meet  with a cross1 we  
fret against the stars and fortune1 and 
second  causes1 and sometimes against   
,god3 as they curse ,god as well as     
their  king 7,isa4 viii4 #ba71 not      

acknowledging any defect in themselves4 
,the  ,psalmist1 by his repetition of1  
8,not unto us1 not unto us1 but to thy  
name give glory0 7,psalm cxv4 #a71      
implies the naturality of this temper1  
and the difficulty to cleanse our hearts
 from those selfreflections4  ,if it be 
angelical to refuse an undue glory      
stolen from ,god's throne  7,rev4 xxii4 
#h1 #i71 it is diabolical to accept and 
cherish it4 ,to  seek our own glory is  
not glory 7,prov4 xxv4 #bg74 ,it is     
vile1 and the  dishonor of a creature1  
who by the law of his creation is       
referred  to another end4 ,so much as we
 sacrifice to our own credit1 to the    
dexterity of our hands1 or the sagacity 
of our wit1 we detract from  ,god4      
#c4 ,in desires to have selfpleasing    
doctrines4 ,when we cannot endure  to   
hear anything that crosses the flesh2   
though the wise man tells us1  it is    
better to hear the 8rebuke of the wise1 
than the song of fools0  7,eccles4 vii4 
#e74 ,if ,hanani the seer reprove king  

,asa for not relying  on the ,lord1 his 
passion shall be armed for self against 
the prophet1  and arrest him a prisoner 
7#b ,chron4 xvi4 #aj74 ,if ,micaiah     
declare to  ,ahab the evil that shall   
befall him1 ,amon the governor shall    
receive  orders to clap him up in a     
dungeon4 ,fire doth not sooner seize    
upon  combustible matter than fury will 
be kindled1 if self be but pinched4     
,this interest of lustful self barred   
the heart of ,herodias against the      
entertainment of the truth1 and caused  
her a#adj savagely to dip her  hands in 
the blood of the ,baptist1 to make him a
 sacrifice to that  inward idol4#bdi    
#d4 ,in being highly concerned for      
injuries done to ourselves1 and  little 
or not at all concerned for injuries    
done to ,god4 ,how will  the blood rise 
in us1 when our honor and reputation is 
invaded1 and  scarce reflect upon the   
dishonor ,god suffers in our sight and  
hearing6  ,violent passions will        
transform us into ,boanerges in the one 

case1 and  our unconcernedness render us
 ,gallios in the other4 ,we shall       
extenuate  that which concerns ,god1 and
 aggravate that which concerns          
ourselves4  ,nothing but the death of   
,jonathan1 a firstborn and a generous   
son1  will satisfy his father ,saul1    
when the authority of his edict was     
broken by his tasting of honey1 though  
he had recompensed his crime  committed 
in ignorance by the purchase of a       
gallant victory4 ,but when  the         
authority of ,god was violated in saving
 the ,amalekites' cattle1  against the  
command of a greater sovereign than     
himself1 he can daub  the business1 and 
excuse it with a design of sacrificing4 
,he was not  so earnest in hindering the
 people from the breach of ,god's       
command1  as he was in vindicating the  
honor of his own3#bej he could hardly   
admit of an excuse to salve his own     
honor2 but in the concerns of  ,god's   
honor1 pretend piety1 to cloak his      
avarice4 ,and it is often  seen1 when   

the violation of ,god's authority1 and  
the stain of  our own reputation are    
coupled together1 we are more troubled  
for  what disgraces us than for what    
dishonors ,god4 ,when ,saul had thus    
transgressed1 he is desirous that       
,samuel would turn again to preserve    
his own honor before the elders1 rather 
than grieved that he had  broken the    
command of ,god 7ver4 #cj74    #e4 ,in  
trusting in ourselves4 ,when we consult 
with our own wit and  wisdom1 more than 
inquire of ,god1 and ask leave of him3  
as the  ,assyrian 7,isa4 x4 #ac71 8,by  
the strength of my hands ,i have done   
it1  and by my wisdom2 for ,i am        
prudent40 ,when we attempt things in the
  strength of our own heads1 and parts1 
and trust in our own industry1  without 
application to ,god for direction1      
blessing1 and success1 we  affect the   
privilege of the ,deity1 and make gods  
of ourselves4 ,the  same language in    
reality with ,ajax in ,sophocles3       
8,others think to  overcome with the    

assistance of the gods1 but ,i hope to  
gain honor  without them40 ,dependence  
and trust is an act due from the        
creature  only to ,god4 ,hence ,god     
aggravates the crime of the ,jews in    
trusting in  ,egypt 7,isa4 xxxi4 #c71   
8the ,egyptians are men and not gods40  
,confidence  in ourselves is a defection
 from ,god 7,jer4 xvii4 #e74 ,and when  
we  depart from and cast off ,god to    
depend upon ourselves1 which is but  an 
arm of flesh1 we choose the arm of flesh
 for our ,god2 we rob ,god of  that     
confidence we ought to place in him1 and
 that adoration which is  due to him1   
and build it upon another foundation2   
not that we are to  neglect the reason  
and parts ,god hath given us1 or spend  
more time  in prayer than in consulting 
about our own affairs1 but to mix our   
own intentions in business1 with        
ejaculations to heaven1 and take  ,god  
along with us in every motion3 but      
certainly it is an idolizing  of self1  
when we are more diligent in our        

attendance on our own wit1  than fervent
 in our recourses to ,god4    #f4 ,the  
power of sinful self1 above the efficacy
 of the notion  of ,god1 a#ada is       
evident in our workings for carnal self 
against  the light of our own           
consciences4 ,when men of sublime       
reason1 and  clear natural wisdom1 are  
voluntary slaves to their own lusts1 row
  against the stream of their own       
consciences1 serve carnal self with a   
disgraceful and disturbing drudgery1    
making it their ,god1 sacrificing       
natural self1 all sentiments of virtue1 
and the quiet of their lives1  to the   
pleasure1 honor1 and satisfaction of    
carnal self3 this is a  prostituting    
,god in his deputy1 conscience1 to      
carnal affections1 when  their eyes are 
shut against the enlightenings of it1   
and their ears  deaf to its voice1 but  
open to the least breath and whisper of 
self2 a  debt that the creature owes    
supremely to ,god4 ,much more might be  
said1  but let us see what atheism lurks

 in this1 and how it entrencheth upon   
,god4    #a4 ,it is usurping ,god's     
prerogative4 ,it is ,god's prerogative  
to be his  own end1 and act for his own 
glory2 because there is nothing superior
  to him in excellency and goodness to  
act for3 he had not his being  from     
anything without himself1 whereby he    
should be obliged to act  for anything  
but himself4 ,to make ourselves then our
 last end1 is to  corrival ,god in his  
being the supreme good1 and blessedness 
to himself3  as if we were our own      
principle1 the author of our own being1 
and were  not obliged to a higher power 
than ourselves1 for what we are and     
have4  ,to direct the lines of all our  
motions to ourselves1 is to imply that  
they first issued only from ourselves4  
,when we are rivals to ,god in  his     
chief end1 we own or desire to be rivals
 to him in the principle  of his being3 
this is to set ourselves in the place of
 ,god4 ,all things  have something      
without them1 and above them as their   

end2 all inferior  creatures act for    
some superior order in the rank of      
creation2 the  lesser animals are       
designed for the greater1 and all for   
man3 man1  therefore1 for something     
nobler than himself4 ,to make ourselves 
therefore our own end1 is to deny any   
superior1 to whom we are to  direct our 
actions4 ,god alone being the supreme   
,being1 can be his  own ultimate end3   
for if there were anything higher and   
better than  ,god1 the purity and       
righteousness of his own nature would   
cause him  to act for and toward that as
 his chiefest mark3 this is the highest 
sacrilege1 to alienate the proper good  
and rights of ,god1 and employ  them for
 our own use2 to steal from him his own 
honor1 and put it into  our own         
cabinets2 like those birds that ravished
 the sacrifice from  the altar and      
carried it to their own nests4#bea ,when
 we love only  ourselves1 and act for no
 other end but ourselves1 we invest     
ourselves  with the dominion which is   

the right of ,god1 and take the crown   
from  his head4 ,for as the crown       
belongs to the king1 so to love his own 
will1 to will by his own will and for   
himself1 is the property of  ,god2      
because he hath no other will1 no other 
end above him to be the  rule and scope 
of his actions4 ,when therefore we are  
by selflove  transformed wholly into    
ourselves1 we make ourselves our own    
foundation1 without ,god and against    
,god2 when we mind our own glory  and   
praise1 we would have a royal state     
equal with ,god1 who created  all things
 for himself4#beb ,what can man do more 
for ,god than he  naturally doth for    
himself1 since he doth all those things 
for himself  which he should do for     
,god8 ,we a#adb own ourselves to be our 
own  creators and benefactors1 and fling
 off all sentiments of gratitude  to    
him4    #b4 ,it is a vilifying of ,god4 
,when we make ourselves our end1 it is  
plain language that ,god is not our     
happiness2 we postpone ,god to          

ourselves1 as if he were not an object  
so excellent and fit for our  love as   
ourselves are 7for it is irrational to  
make that our end1  which is not ,god1  
and not the chiefest good72 it is to    
deny him to be  better than we1 to make 
him not to be so good as ourselves1 and 
so fit  to be our chiefest good as      
ourselves are2 that he hath not deserved
  any such acknowledgment at our hands  
by all that he hath done for us3  we    
assert ourselves his superiors by such  
kind of acting1 though we  are          
infinitely more inferior to ,god than   
any creature can be to us4  ,man cannot 
dishonor ,god more than by referring    
that to his own glory1  which ,god made 
for his own praise1 upon account whereof
 he only hath a  right to glory and     
praise1 and none else4 ,he thus         
8changeth the glory  of the             
incorruptible ,god into a corruptible   
image20#bec a perishing  fame and       
reputation1 which extends but little    
beyond the limits of his  own           

habitation2 or if it doth1 survives but 
a few years1 and perishes  at last with 
the age wherein he lived4    #c4 ,it is 
as much as in us lies a destroying of   
,god4 ,by this temper  we destroy that  
,god that made us1 because we destroy   
his intention  and his honor4 ,god      
cannot outlive his will and his glory3  
because he  cannot have any other rule  
but his own will1 or any other end but  
his  own honor4 ,the setting up self as 
our end puts a nullity upon the true    
,deity2 by paying to ourselves that     
respect and honor which is due to  ,god1
 we make the true ,god as no ,god4      
,whosoever makes himself a king of  his 
prince's rights and territories1        
manifests an intent to throw him  out of
 his government4 ,to choose ourselves as
 our end is to undeify  ,god1 since to  
be the last end of a rational creature  
is a right  inseparable from the nature 
of the ,deity2 and therefore not to set 
,god1  but self always before us1 is to 
acknowledge no being but ourselves to   

be ,god4    ,secondly4 ,the second      
thing1 ,man would make anything his end 
and  happiness rather than ,god4 ,an end
 is so necessary in all our actions1    
that he deserves not the name of a      
rational creature that proposeth  not   
one to himself4 ,this is the distinction
 between rational creatures  and others2
 they act with a formal intention1      
whereas other creatures  are directed to
 their end by a natural instinct1 and   
moved by nature  to what the others     
should be moved by reason3 when a man1  
therefore1  acts for that end which was 
not intended him by the law of his      
creation1 nor is suited to the noble    
faculties of his soul1 he acts  contrary
 to ,god1 overturns his order1 and      
merits no better a title  than that of  
an atheist4 ,a man may be said two ways 
to make a thing  his last end and chief 
good4    #a4 ,formally4 ,when he        
actually judges this or that thing to be
 his  chiefest good1 and orders all     
things to it4 ,so man doth not formally 

judge sin to be good1 or any object     
which is the incentive of sin  to be his
 last end3 this cannot be while he hath 
the exercise of his  rational faculties4
    #b4 ,virtually and implicitly4 ,when
 he loves anything against the a#adc    
command of ,god1 and prefers in the     
stream of his actions the enjoyment  of 
that1 before the fruition of ,god1 and  
lays out more strength and  expends more
 time in the gaining that1 than         
answering the true end  of his creation3
 when he acts so as if something below  
,god could make  him happy without ,god1
 or that ,god could not make him happy  
without  the addition of something else4
 ,thus the glutton makes a god of his   
dainties2 the ambitious man of his      
honor2 the incontinent man of his  lust2
 and the covetous man of his wealth2 and
 consequently esteems  them as his      
chiefest good1 and the most noble end1  
to which he directs  his thoughts3 thus 
he vilifies and lessens the true ,god1  
which can  make him happy1 in a         

multitude of false gods1 that can only  
render  him miserable4 ,he that loves   
pleasure more than ,god1 says in his    
heart  there is no ,god but his         
pleasure4 ,he that loves his belly more 
than  ,god1 says in his heart there is  
no ,god but his belly3 their happiness  
is not accounted to lie in that ,god    
that made the world1 but in the         
pleasure or profit they make their god4 
,in this1 though a created  object be   
the immediate and subordinate term to   
which we turn1 yet  principally and     
ultimately1 the affection to it         
terminates in self4  ,nothing is        
naturally entertained by us1 but as it  
affects our sense  or mingles with some 
promise of advantage to us4 ,this is    
seen1    #a4 ,in the fewer thoughts we  
have of ,god than of anything else4 ,did
  we apprehend ,god to be our chiefest  
good and highest end1 should we  grudge 
him the pains of a few days' thoughts   
upon him8 ,men in their  travels are    
frequently thinking upon their intended 

stage3 but our  thoughts run upon new   
acquisitions to increase our wealth1    
rear up our  families1 revenge our      
injuries1 and support our reputation3   
trifles  possess us2 but 8,god is not in
 all our thoughts20#bed seldom the  sole
 object of them4 ,we have durable       
thoughts of transitory things1  and     
flitting thoughts of a durable and      
eternal good4 ,the covenant of  grace   
engageth the whole heart to ,god1 and   
bars anything else from  engrossing it3 
but what strangers are ,god and the     
souls of most men6  ,though we have the 
knowledge of him by creation1 yet he is 
for the  most part an unknown ,god in   
the relations wherein he stands to us1  
because a ,god undelighted in3 hence it 
is1 as one observes1 that  because we   
observe not the ways of ,god's wisdom1  
conceive not of him  in his vast        
perfections1 nor are stricken with an   
admiration of his  goodness1 that we    
have fewer good sacred poems1 than of   
any other  kind4#bee ,the wits of men   

hang the wing when they come to exercise
  their reasons and fancies about ,god4 
,parts and strength are given us1  as   
well as corn and wine to the            
,israelites1 for the service of ,god2   
but those are consecrated to some cursed
 ,baal4#bef ,like ,venus in the  ,poet1 
we forsake heaven to follow some        
,adonis4    #b4 ,in the greedy pursuit  
of the world4#beg ,when we pursue       
worldly  wealth or worldly reputation   
with more vehemency than the riches of  
grace1 or the favor of ,god2when we have
 a foolish imagination1 that  our       
happiness consists in them1 we prefer   
earth before heaven1 broken  cisterns   
which can hold no water1 before an      
everspringing fountain  of glory and    
bliss2 and1 as though there were a      
defect in a#add ,god1  cannot be content
 with him as our portion1 without an    
addition of  something inferior to      
him2when we make it our hopes1 and say  
to the  wedge1 8,thou art my            
confidence20 and rejoice more because it

 is great1  and because 8our hand hath  
gotten much10 than in the privilege of  
communion with ,god and the promise of  
an everlasting fruition of  him2#beh    
this is so gross1 that ,job joins it    
with the idolatry of  the sun and moon1 
which he purgeth himself of 7xxxi4 #bf74
 ,and the  apostle1 when he mentions    
covetousness or covetous men1 passes it 
not  over without the title of idolatry 
to the vice1 and idolater to the        
person2#bei in that it is a preferring  
clay and dirt as an end more  desirable 
than the original of all goodness1 in   
regard of affection  and dependence4    
#c4 ,in a strong addictedness to sensual
 pleasures 7,phil4 iii4 #ai74  ,who make
 their 8belly their god20 subjecting the
 truths of ,god to  the maintenance of  
their luxury4 ,in debasing the higher   
faculties to  project for the           
satisfaction of the sensitive appetite  
as their chief  happiness1 whereby many 
render themselves no better than a rout 
of  sublimated brutes among men1 and    

gross atheists to ,god4 ,when men's     
thoughts run also upon inventing new    
methods to satisfy their bestial        
appetite1 forsaking the pleasures which 
are to be had in ,god1 which  are the   
delights of angels1 for the satisfaction
 of brutes4 ,this is an  open and       
unquestionable refusal of ,god for our  
end1 when our rest is  in them1 as if   
they were the chief good1 and not ,god4 
#d4 ,in paying a service1 upon any      
success in the world1 to instruments    
more than to ,god1 their sovereign      
,author4 ,when 8they sacrifice to  their
 net1 and burn incense to their         
drag40#bfj ,not that the ,assyrian  did 
offer a sacrifice to his arms1 but      
ascribed to them what was due  only to  
,god1 and appropriated the victory to   
his forces and arms4 ,the  prophet      
alludes to those that worshipped their  
warlike instruments1  whereby they had  
attained great victories2 and those     
artificers who  worshipped the tools by 
which they had purchased great wealth1  

in  the stead of ,god2 preferring them  
as the causes of their happiness1       
before ,god who governs the world4 ,and 
are not our affections1 upon  the       
receiving of good things1 more closely  
fixed to the instruments  of conveyance1
 than to the chief ,benefactor1 from    
whose coffers they  are taken8 ,do we   
not more delight in them1 and hug them  
with a greater  endearedness1 as if all 
our happiness depended on them1 and ,god
 were  no more than a bare spectator8   
,just as if when a man were warmed by  a
 beam1 he should adore that and not     
admire the sun that darts it out  upon  
him4    #e4 ,in paying a respect to man 
more than ,god4 ,when in a public       
attendance on his service1 we will not  
laugh1 or be garish1 because  men see   
us2 but our hearts shall be in a        
ridiculous posture1 playing  with       
feathers and trifling fancies1 though   
,god see us2 as though  our happiness   
consisted in the pleasing of men1 and   
our misery in  a respect to ,god4 ,there

 is no fool that saith in his heart1    
,there is  no ,god1 but he sets up      
something in his heart as a god4 ,this  
is1    #a4 ,a debasing of ,god1 7#a47   
,in setting up a creature4 ,it speaks   
,god  less amiable than the creature1   
short of those perfections which  some  
silly1 sordid thing1 which hath         
engrossed their affections1  is         
possessed a#ade with2 as if the cause of
 all being could be  transcended by his 
creature1 and a vile lust could equal1  
yea1  surmount the loveliness of ,god4  
,it is to say to ,god1 as the rich  to  
the poor 7,james ii4 #c71 8,stand thou  
there1 or sit here under my  footstool20
 it is to sink him below the mire of the
 world1 to order  him to come down from 
his glorious throne1 and take his place 
below  a contemptible creature1 which1  
in regard of its infinite distance1 is  
not to be compared with him4 ,it strips 
,god of the love that is due to  him by 
the right of his nature and the         
greatness of his dignity2 and  of the   

trust that is due to him1 as the ,first 
,cause and the chiefest  good1 as though
 he were too feeble and mean to be our  
blessedness4  ,this is intolerable1 to  
make that which is ,god's footstool1 the
 earth1  to climb up into his throne2 to
 set that in our heart which ,god hath  
made even below ourselves and put under 
our feet2 to make that which  we trample
 upon to dispose of the right ,god hath 
to our hearts4#bfa  ,it is worse than if
 a queen should fall in love with the   
little image  of the prince in the      
palace1 and slight the beauty of his    
person2 and  as if people should adore  
the footsteps of a king in the dirt1 and
  turn their backs upon his presence4   
7#b47 ,it doth more debase him to  set  
up a sin1 a lust1 a carnal affection as 
our chief end4 ,to steal  away the honor
 due to ,god1 and appropriate it to that
 which is no work  of his hands1 to that
 which is loathsome in his sight1 hath  
disturbed  his rest1 and wrung out his  
just breath to kindle a hell for its    

eternal lodging1 a ,goddishonoring and a
 soulmurdering lust1 is worse  than to  
prefer ,barabbas before ,christ4 ,the   
baser the thing1 the worse  is the      
injury to him with whom we would        
associate it4 ,if it were some  generous
 principle1 a thing useful to the world1
 that we place in an  equality with1 or 
a superiority above him1 though it were 
a vile usage1  yet it were not          
altogether so criminal2 but to gratify  
some unworthy  appetite with the        
displeasure of the ,creator1 something  
below the  rational nature of man1 much 
more infinitely below the excellent     
majesty of ,god1 is a more unworthy     
usage of him4 ,to advance one of  the   
most virtuous nobles in a kingdom as a  
mark of our service and  subjection1 is 
not so dishonorable to a despised prince
 as to take  a scabby beggar or a rotten
 carcase to place in his throne4        
,creeping  things1 abominable beasts1   
the ,egyptian idols1 cats and           
crocodiles1  were greater abominations1 

and a greater despite done to ,god1 than
  the image of jealousy at the gate of  
the altar4#bfb ,and let not any  excuse 
themselves1 that it is but one lust or  
one creature which is  preferred as the 
end3 is not he an idolater that worships
 the sun or  moon1 one idol1 as well as 
he that worships the whole host of      
heaven8  ,the inordinacy of the heart to
 one lust may imply a stronger contempt 
of him1 than if a legion of lusts did   
possess the heart4 ,it argues a  greater
 disesteem1 when he shall be slighted   
for a single vanity4 ,the  depth of     
,esau's profaneness in contemning his   
birthright1 and ,god in  it1 is         
aggravated by his selling it for one    
morsel of meat1#bfc and  that none of   
the daintiest1 none of the costliesta   
mess of pottage2  implying1 had he      
parted with it at a greater rate1 it had
 been more  tolerable1 and his          
profaneness more excusable4 ,and it is  
reckoned  as a high aggravation of the  
corruption of the ,israelite judges     

7,amos  ii4 #f71 a#adf that they sold   
the poor for a pair of shoes2 that is1  
that they would betray the cause of the 
poor for a bribe of no greater  value   
than might purchase them a pair of      
shoes4 ,to place any one thing  as our  
chief end1 though never so light1 doth  
not excuse4 ,he that  will not stick to 
break with ,god for a trifle1 a small   
pleasure1 will  leap the hedge upon a   
greater temptation4 ,nay1 and if wealth1
 riches1  friends1 and the best thing in
 the world1 our own lives1 be preferred 
before ,god1 as our chief happiness and 
end but one moment1 it is an  infinite  
wrong1 because the infinite goodness and
 excellency of ,god  is denied2 as      
though the creature or lust we love1 or 
our own life1  which we prefer in that  
short moment before him1 had a goodness 
in  itself1 superior to1 and more       
desirable than the blessedness in ,god4 
,and though it should be but one minute1
 and a man in all the period  of his    
days1 both before and after that        

failure1 should actually and            
intentionally prefer ,god before all    
other things2 yet he doth him an        
infinite wrong1 because ,god in every   
moment is infinitely good1 and          
absolutely desirable1 and can never     
cease to be good1 and cannot have  the  
least shadow or change in him and his   
perfections4    #b4 ,it is a denying of 
,god 7,job xxxi4 #bfbh73 8,if ,i beheld 
the sun  when it shined1 or the moon    
walking in its brightness1 and my heart 
hath been secretly enticed1 or my mouth 
hath kissed my hand2 this also  were    
iniquity to be punished by the judge1   
for ,i should have denied  the ,lord    
above40 ,this denial of ,god is not only
 the act of an open  idolater1 but the  
consequent of a secret confidence1 and  
immoderate  joy in worldly goods4 ,this 
denial of ,god is to be referred to ver4
 #bd1  #be4 ,when a man saith to gold1  
8,thou art my confidence10 and rejoices 
because his wealth is great2 he denies  
that ,god which is superior to  all     

those1 and the proper object of trust4  
,both idolatries are coupled  here      
together2 that which hath wealth and    
that which hath those  glorious         
creatures in heaven for its object4 ,and
 though some may think  it a light sin1 
yet the crime being of deeper guilt1 a  
denial of ,god1  deserves a severer     
punishment1 and falls under the sentence
 of the  just ,judge of all the earth1  
under that notion which ,job intimates  
in  those words1 8,this also were an    
iniquity to be punished by the ,judge40 
,the kissing the hand to the sun1 moon1 
or any idol1 was an external  sign of   
religious worship among those and other 
nations4 ,this is far  less than an     
inward hearty confidence1 and an        
affectionate trust4 ,if  the motion of  
the hand be1 much more the affection of 
the heart to an  excrementitious        
creature1 or a brutish pleasure1 is a   
denial of ,god1  and a kind of an       
abjuring of him1 since the supreme      
affection of the  soul is undoubtedly   

and solely the right of the ,sovereign  
,creator1  and not to be given in common
 to others1 as the outward gesture may  
in a way of civil respect4 ,nothing that
 is an honor peculiar to ,god  can be   
given to a creature1 without a plain    
exclusion of ,god to be  ,god2 it being 
a disowning the rectitude and excellency
 of his nature4  ,if ,god should command
 a creature such a love1 and such a     
confidence  in anything inferior to him1
 he would deny himself his own glory1 he
  would deny himself to be the most     
excellent being4 ,can the ,romanists  be
 free from this1 when they call the     
cross spem unicam1 and  a#adg say to the
 ,virgin1 ,in te ,domina speravi1 as    
,bonaventure8  c4 ,good reason1         
therefore1 have worldlings and          
sensualists1 persons  of immoderate     
fondness to anything in the world1 to   
reflect upon  themselves2 since though  
they own the being of ,god1 they are    
guilty  of so great disrespect to him1  
that cannot be excused from the title   

of an unworthy atheism2 and those that  
are renewed by the spirit  of ,god1 may 
here see ground of a daily humiliation  
for the frequent  and too common        
excursions of their souls in creature   
confidences and  affections1 whereby    
they fall under the charge of an act of 
practical  atheism1 though they may be  
free from a habit of it4    ,thirdly1   
,man would make himself the end of all  
creatures4 ,man would  sit in the seat  
of ,god1 and set his heart as the heart 
of ,god1 as the  ,lord saith of ,tyrus  
7,ezek4 xxviii4 #b74 ,what is the       
consequence of this1  but to be esteemed
 the chief good and end of other        
creatures8 a thing  that the heart of   
,god cannot but be set upon1 it being an
 inseparable  right of the ,deity1 who  
must deny himself if he deny this       
affection  of the heart4 ,since it is   
the nature of man1 derived from his     
root1  to desire to be equal with ,god1 
it follows that he desires no creature  
should be equal with him1 but           

subservient to his ends and his glory4  
,he that would make himself ,god1 would 
have the honor proper to ,god4  ,he that
 thinks himself worthy of his own       
supreme affection1 thinks  himself      
worthy to be the object of the supreme  
affection of others4  ,whosoever counts 
himself the chiefest good and last end1 
would have  the same place in the       
thoughts of others4 ,nothing is more    
natural  to man than a desire to have   
his own judgment the rule and measure   
of the judgments and opinions of the    
rest of mankind4 ,he that sets  himself 
in the place of the prince1 doth1 by    
that act1 challenge all  the            
prerogatives and dues belonging to the  
prince2 and apprehending  himself fit to
 be a king1 apprehends himself also     
worthy of the homage  and fealty of the 
subjects4 ,he that loves himself        
chiefly1 and all  other things and      
persons for himself1 would make himself 
the end of  all creatures4 ,it hath not 
been once or twice only in the world    

that  some vain princes have assumed to 
themselves the title of gods1 and       
caused divine adorations to be given to 
them1 and altars to smoke with          
sacrifices for their honor4 ,what hath  
been practised by one1 is by  nature    
seminally in all2 we would have all pay 
an obedience to us1  and give to us the 
esteem that is due to ,god4 ,this is    
evident1    #a4 ,in pride4 ,when we     
entertain a high opinion of ourselves1  
and act  for our own reputes1 we        
dispossess ,god from our own hearts2 and
 while  we would have our fame to be in 
every man's mouth1 and be admired in    
the hearts of men1 we would chase ,god  
out of the hearts of others1 and  deny  
his glory a residence anywhere else1    
that our glory should reside  more in   
their minds than the glory of ,god2 that
 their thoughts should  be filled with  
our achievements1 more than the works   
and excellency  of ,god1 with our image1
 and not with the divine4 ,pride would  
paramount  ,god in the affections of    

others1 and justle ,god out of their    
souls2  and by the same reason that man 
doth thus in the place where he lives1  
he would do so in the whole world1 and  
press the whole creation from  the      
service of their true ,lord1 to his own 
service4 ,every proud man  would be     
counted by a#adh others as he counts    
himself1 the highest1  chiefest piece of
 goodness1 and be adored by others1 as  
much as  he adores and admires himself4 
,no proud man1 in his selflove1 and     
selfadmiration1 thinks himself in an    
error2 and if he be worthy of  his own  
admiration1 he thinks himself worthy of 
the highest esteem  of others1 that they
 should value him above themselves1 and 
value  themselves only for him4 ,what   
did ,nebuchadnezzar intend by setting up
  a golden image1 and commanding all his
 subjects to worship it1 upon  the      
highest penalty he could inflict1 but   
that all should aim only at  the        
pleasing his humor8    #b4 ,in using the
 creatures contrary to the end ,god has 

appointed4 ,god  created the world and  
all things in it1 as steps whereby men  
might  ascend to a prospect of him1 and 
the acknowledgment of his glory2 and  we
 would use them to dishonor ,god1 and   
gratify ourselves3 he appointed  them to
 supply our necessities1 and support our
 rational delights1  and we use them to 
cherish our sinful lusts4 ,we wring     
groans from  the creature in diverting  
them from their true scope to one of our
  own fixing1 when we use them not in   
his service1 but purely for our  own1   
and turn those things he created for    
himself1 to be instruments  of rebellion
 against him to serve our turns1 and    
hereby endeavor to  defeat the ends of  
,god in them1 to establish our own ends 
by them3  this is a high dishonor to    
,god1 a sacrilegious undermining of his 
glory1#bfd to reduce what ,god hath made
 to serve our own glory  and our own    
pleasure2 it perverts the whole order of
 the world1 and  directs it to another  
end than what ,god hath constituted1 to 

another  intention contrary to the      
intention of ,god2 and thus man makes   
himself  a ,god by his own authority4   
,as all things were made by ,god1 so    
they  are for ,god2 but while we aspire 
to the end of the creation1 we deny  and
 envy ,god the honor of being ,creator2 
we cannot make ourselves the  chief end 
of the creatures against ,god's order1  
but we imply thereby  that we were their
 first principle2 for if we lived under 
a sense of  the ,creator of them while  
we enjoy them for our use1 we should    
return  the glory to the right owner4   
,this is diabolical2 though the devil1  
for his first affecting an authority in 
heaven1 has been hurled down  from the  
state of an angel of light into that of 
darkness1 vileness1  and misery1 to be  
the most accursed creature living1 yet  
he still  aspires to mate ,god1 contrary
 to the knowledge of the impossibility  
of  success in it4 ,neither the terrors 
he feels1 nor the future torments  he   
doth expect1 do a jot abate his ambition

 to be competitor with his  ,creator2   
how often hath he1 since his first sin1 
arrogated to himself  the honor of a    
,god from the blind world1 and attempted
 to make the ,son  of ,god1 by a        
particular worship1 count him as the    
8chiefest good and  benefactor of the   
world60#bfe ,since all men by nature are
 the devil's  children1 the serpent's   
seed1 they have something of this venom 
in  their natures1 as well as others of 
his qualities4 ,we see that there  may  
be1 and is a prodigious atheism1 lurking
 under the belief of a  ,god2 the devil 
knows there is a ,god1 but acts like an 
atheist2 and so  do his children4       
,fourthly1 ,man would make himself the  
end of ,god4 ,this necessarily  follows 
upon the former2 whosoever makes himself
 his own law and his  own end in the    
place of ,god1 would make ,god the      
subject a#adi in  making himself the    
sovereign2 he that steps into the throne
 of a  prince1 sets the prince at his   
footstool2 and while he assumes the     

prince's prerogative1 demands a         
subjection from him4 ,the order of the  
creation has been inverted by the       
entrance of sin4#bff ,god implanted  an 
affection in man with a double aspect1  
the one to pitch upon  ,god1 the other  
to respect ourselves2 but with this     
proviso1 that  our affection to ,god    
should be infinite1 in regard of the    
object1  and centre in him as the       
chiefest happiness and highest end4 ,our
  affections to ourselves should be     
finite1 and refer ultimately to ,god  as
 the original of our being2 but sin hath
 turned man's affections  wholly to     
himself1 whereas he should love ,god    
first1 and himself in  order to ,god2 he
 now loves himself first1 and ,god in   
order to himself2  love to ,god is lost1
 and love to self hath usurped the      
throne4 ,as ,god  by 8creation put all  
things under the feet of man10#bfg      
reserving  the heart for himself1 man by
 corruption hath dispossessed ,god of   
his  heart1 and put him under his own   

feet4 ,we often intend ourselves when   
we pretend the honor of ,god1 and make  
,god and religion a stale to some       
designs we have in hand2 our ,creator a 
tool for our own ends4 ,this is         
evident1    #a4 ,in our loving ,god1    
because of some selfpleasing benefits   
distributed by him4 ,there is in men a  
kind of natural love to ,god1  but it is
 but a secondary one1 because ,god gives
 them the good things  of this world1   
spreads their table1 fills their cup1   
stuffs their  coffers1 and doth them    
some good turns by unexpected           
providences2 this  is not an affection  
to ,god for the unbounded excellency of 
his own  nature1 but for his            
beneficence1 as he opens his hand for   
them2 an  affection to themselves1 and  
those creatures1 their gold1 their      
honor1  which their hearts are most     
fixed upon1 without a strong spiritual  
inclination that ,god should be         
glorified by them in the use of those   
mercies4 ,it is rather a disowning of   

,god1 than any love to him1  because it 
postpones ,god to those things they love
 him for2 this would  appear to be no   
love1 if ,god should cease to be their  
benefactor1 and  deal with them as a    
judge2 if he should change his outward  
smiles into  afflicting frowns1 and not 
only shut his hand1 but strip them of   
what  he sent them4 ,the motive of their
 love being expired1 the affection      
raised by it must cease for want of fuel
 to feed it2 so that ,god  is beholden  
to sordid creatures of no value 7but as 
they are his  creatures7 for most of the
 love the sons of men pretend to him4   
,the  devil spake truth of most men1    
though not of ,job1 when he said 7,job  
i4  #i73 8,they love not ,god for       
naught20 but while he makes a hedge     
about  them and their families1 whilst  
he blesseth the works of their hands1   
and increaseth their honor in the land4 
,it is like ,peter's sharp  reproof of  
his ,master1 when he spake of the       
illusage1 even to death1  he was to meet

 with at ,jerusalem3 8,this shall not be
 unto thee40 ,it  was as much out of    
love to himself1 as zeal for his        
,master's interest1  knowing his ,master
 could not be in such a storm without   
some drops  lighting upon himself4 ,all 
the apostasies of men in the world are  
witnesses to this2 they fawn whilst they
 may have a prosperous  profession1 but 
will not bear one chip of the cross for 
the interest  of ,god2 they would       
partake of his blessings1 a#aej but not 
endure the  prick of a lance for him1 as
 those1 that admired the miracles of our
  ,saviour1 and shrunk at his           
sufferings4 ,a time of trial discovers  
these  mercenary souls to be more lovers
 of themselves than their ,maker4 ,this 
is a pretended love of friendship to    
,god1 but a real love to a lust1  only  
to gain by ,god4 ,a good man's temper is
 contrary3 8,quench hell1  burn heaven10
 said a holy man1 8,i will love and fear
 my ,god40    #b4 ,it is evident1 in    
abstinence from some sins1 not because  

they  offend ,god1 but because they are 
against the interest of some other      
beloved corruption1 or a bar to         
something men hunt after in the world4  
,when temperance is cherished not to    
honor ,god1 but preserve a crazy        
carcase2 prodigality forsaken1 out of a 
humor of avarice2 uncleanness  forsaken1
 not out of a hatred of lust1 but love  
to their money2  declining a denial of  
the interest and truth of ,god1 not out 
of  affection to them1 but an ambitious 
zeal for their own reputation4  ,there  
is a kind of conversion from sin1 when  
,god is not made the term  of it 7,jer4 
iv4 #a73 8,if thou wilt return1 ,o      
,israel1 return unto me1  saith the     
,lord40#bfh ,when we forbear sin as dogs
 do the meat they  love3 they forbear   
not out of a hatred of the carrion1 but 
fear of  the cudgel2 these are as wicked
 in their abstaining from sin1 as       
others are in their furious committing  
it4 ,nothing of the honor of  ,god and  
the end of his appointments is indeed in

 all this1 but the  conveniences self   
gathers from them4 ,again1 many of the  
motives the  generality of the world    
uses to their friends and relations to  
draw  them from vices1 are drawn from   
self1 and used to prop up natural or    
sinful self in them4 ,come1 reform      
yourself1 take other courses1 you  will 
smut your reputation and be despicable2 
you will destroy your  estate1 and      
commence a beggar2 your family will be  
undone1 and you may  rot in a prison3   
not laying close to them the duty they  
owe to ,god1  the dishonor which accrues
 to him by their unworthy courses1 and  
the  ingratitude to the ,god of their   
mercies2 not that the other motives  are
 to be laid aside and slighted4 ,mint   
and cummin may be tithed1  but the      
weightier concerns are not to be        
omitted2 but this shows that  self is   
the bias1 not only of men in their own  
course1 but in their  dealings with     
others2 what should be subordinate to   
the honor of ,god1  and the duty we owe 

to him1 is made superior4    #c4 ,it is 
evident1 in performing duties merely for
 a selfish interest3  making ourselves  
the end of religious actions1 paying a  
homage to that1  while we pretend to    
render it to ,god 7,zech4 vii4 #e73     
8,did you at all  fast unto me1 even    
unto me80 ,things ordained by ,god may  
fall in with  carnal ends affected by   
ourselves2 and then religion is not kept
 up by  any interest of ,god in the     
conscience1 but the interest of self in 
the  heart3 we then sanctify not the    
name of ,god in the duty1 but gratify   
ourselves3 ,god may be the object1 self 
is the end2 and a heavenly  object is   
made subservient to a carnal design4    
,hypocrisy passes a  compliment on ,god1
 and is called flattery 7,psalm lxxviii4
 #cf73 8,they  did flatter him with     
their lips10 c4 ,they gave him a parcel 
of good  words for their own            
preservation4 ,flattery1 in the old     
notion among  the heathens1 is a vice   
more peculiar to serve our own turn and 

purvey  for the belly3 they knew they   
could not a#aea subsist without ,god1   
and therefore gave him a parcel of good 
words1 that he might spare  them1 and   
make provision for them4 ,israel is an  
empty vine1#bfi a  vine1 say some1 with 
large branches and few clusters1 but    
brings forth  fruit to himself3 while   
they professed love to ,god with their  
lips1  it was that ,god should promote  
their covetous designs1 and preserve    
their wealth and grandeur2#bgj in which 
respect a hypocrite may be  well termed 
a religious atheist1 an atheist masked  
with religion4 ,the  chief arguments    
which prevail with many men to perform  
some duties  and appear religious1 are  
the same that ,hamor and ,shechem used  
to the  people of their city to submit  
to circumcision1 viz4 the engrossing  of
 more wealth 7,gen4 xxxiv4 #ba1 #bb73   
8,if every male among us be             
circumcised1 as they are circumcised1   
shall not their cattle and  their       
substance1 and every beast of theirs1 be

 ours80 ,this is seen1    7#a47 ,in     
unwieldiness to religious duties where  
self is not concerned4  ,with what      
lively thoughts will many approach to   
,god1 when a revenue  may be brought in 
to support their own ends6 ,but when the
 concerns of  ,god only are in it1 the  
duty is not the delight1 but the clog2  
such  feeble devotions1 that warm not   
the soul1 unless there be something  of 
self to give strength and heat to them4 
,jonah was sick of his work1  and run   
from ,god1 because he thought he should 
get no honor by his  message3 ,god's    
mercy would discredit his prophecy4#bga 
,thoughts of  disadvantage cut the very 
sinews of service4 ,you may as well     
persuade  a merchant to venture all his 
estate upon the inconstant waves without
  hopes of gain1 as prevail with a      
natural man to be serious in duty1      
without expectation of some warm        
advantage4 8,what profit should we  have
 if we pray to him80 is the natural     
question 7,job xxi4 #ae74 8,what  profit

 shall ,i have if ,i be cleansed from my
 sin80 7,job xxxv4 #c74  ,i shall have  
more good by my sin than by my service4 
,it is for ,god  that ,i dance before   
the ark1 saith ,david1 therefore ,i will
 be more  vile 7#b ,sam4 vi4 #bb74 ,it  
is for self that ,i pray1 saith a       
natural  man1 therefore ,i will be more 
warm and quick4 ,ordinances of ,god are 
observed only as a point of interest1   
and prayer is often most fervent1  when 
it is least godly1 and most selfish2    
carnal ends and affections  will pour   
out lively expressions4 ,if there be no 
delight in the means  that lead to ,god1
 there is no delight in ,god himself2   
because love  is appetitus unionis1 a   
desire of union2 and where the object is
  desirable1 the means that brings us to
 it would be delightful too4    7#b47   
,in calling upon ,god only in a time of 
necessity4 ,how officious  will men be  
in affliction1 to that ,god whom they   
neglect in their  prosperity6 8,when he 
slew them1 then they sought him1 and    

they  returned and inquired after ,god1 
and they remembered that ,god was  their
 rock0 7,psalm lxxviii4 #cd74 ,they     
remembered him under the scourge1  and  
forgot him under his smiles3 they visit 
the throne of grace1  knock loud at     
heaven's gates1 and give ,god no rest   
for their early  and importunate        
devotions when under distress3 but when 
their desires  are answered1 and the rod
 removed1 they stand aloof from him1 and
 rest  upon their own bottom1 as ,jer4  
ii4 #ca3 8,we are lords2 we will come   
no more unto thee40 ,when we have need  
a#aeb of him1 he shall find  us clients 
at his gate2 and when we have served our
 turn1 he hears no  more of us3 like    
,noah's dove sent out of the ark1 that  
returned to him  when she found no rest 
on the earth1 but came not back when she
 found  a footing elsewhere4 ,how often 
do men apply themselves to ,god1 when   
they have some business for him to do   
for them6 ,and then too1 they are  loth 
to put it solely into his hand to manage

 it for his own honor2  but they presume
 to be his directors1 that he may manage
 it for their  glory4 ,self spurs men on
 to the throne of grace2 they desire to 
be  furnished with some mercy they want1
 or to have the clouds of some          
judgments which they fear blown over3   
this is not affection to ,god1  but to  
ourselves3 as the ,romans worshipped a  
quartan ague as a goddess1  and ,timorem
 and ,pallorem1 fear and paleness1 as   
gods2 not out of any  affection they had
 to the disease or the passion1 but for 
fear to  receive any hurt by them4      
,again1 when we have gained the mercy we
 need1  how little do we warm our souls 
with the consideration of that ,god     
that gave it1 or lay out the mercy in   
his service6 ,we are importunate  to    
have him our friend in our necessities1 
and are ungratefully  careless of him1  
and his injuries he suffers by us or    
others4 ,when  he hath discharged us    
from the rock where we stuck1 we leave  
him1 as  having no more need of him1 and

 able to do well enough without him2  as
 if we were petty gods ourselves1 and   
only wanted a lift from him  at first4  
,this is not to glorify ,god as ,god1   
but as our servant2 not  an honoring of 
,god1 but a selfseeking3 he would hardly
 beg at ,god's  door1 if he could       
pleasure himself without him4    7#c47  
,in begging his assistance to our own   
projects4 ,when we lay the  plot of our 
own affairs1 and then come to ,god1 not 
for counsel but  blessing1 self only    
shall give us counsel how to act2 but   
because we  believe there is a ,god that
 governs the world1 we will desire him  
to  contribute success4 ,god is not     
consulted with till the counsel of  self
 be fixed2 then ,god must be the        
executor of our will4 ,self must be  the
 principal1 and ,god the instrument to  
hatch what we have contrived4  ,it is   
worse when we beg of ,god to favor some 
sinful aim2 the ,psalmist  implies this 
7,psalm lxvi4 #ah73 8,if ,i regard      
iniquity in my heart1  the ,lord will   

not hear me40 ,iniquity regarded as the 
aim in prayer1  renders the prayer      
successless1 and the suppliant an       
atheist1 in  debasing ,god to back his  
lust by his holy providence4 ,the       
disciples  had determined revenge2 and  
because they could not act it without   
their ,master1 they would have him be   
their second in their vindictive        
passion 7,luke ix4 #ee73 8,call for fire
 from heaven40 ,we scarce seek  ,god    
till we have modelled the whole         
contrivance in our own brains1  and     
resolved upon the methods of            
performance2 as though there were  not a
 fulness of wisdom in ,god to guide us  
in our resolves1 as well  as power to   
breathe success upon them4    7#d47 ,in 
impatience upon the refusal of our      
desires4 ,how often do men's  spirits   
rise against ,god1 when he steps not in 
with the assistance  they want6 ,if the 
glory of ,god swayed more with them than
 their  private interest1 they would let
 ,god be judge of his own glory1 and    

rather magnify his wisdom than complain 
of his want of goodness4  ,selfish      
hearts will charge ,god with neglect of 
them1 if he be a#aec  not as quick in   
their supplies as they are in their     
desires2 like  those in ,isa4 lviii4 #c1
 8,wherefore have we fasted1 say they1  
and thou  seest not8 wherefore have we  
afflicted our souls1 and thou takest  no
 knowledge80 ,when we aim at ,god's     
glory in our importunities1 we  shall   
fall down in humble submissions when he 
denies us2 whereas self  riseth up in   
bold expostulations1 as if ,god were our
 servant1 and  had neglected the service
 he owed us1 not to come at our call4   
,we  overvalue the satisfactions of self
 above the honor of ,god4 ,besides1  if 
what we desire be a sin1 our impatience 
at a refusal is more  intolerable3 it is
 an anger1 that ,god will not lay aside 
his holiness  to serve our corruption4  
7#e47 ,in the actual aims men have in   
their duties4 ,in prayer for  temporal  
things1 when we desire health for our   

own ease1 wealth  for our own           
sensuality1 strength for our revenge1   
children for the  increase of our       
family1 gifts for our applause2 as      
,simon ,magus did  the ,holy ,ghost3 or1
 when some of those ends are aimed at1  
this is  to desire ,god not to serve    
himself of us1 but to be a servant to   
our  worldly interest1 our vain glory1  
the greatening of our names1 c4 ,in     
spiritual mercies begged for2 when      
pardon of sin is desired only for  our  
own security from eternal vengeance2    
sanctification desired only  to make us 
fit for everlasting blessedness2 peace  
of conscience1 only  that we may lead   
our lives more comfortably in the world2
 when we have  not actual intentions for
 the glory of ,god1 or when our thoughts
 of  ,god's honor are overtopped by the 
aims of selfadvantage3 not but  that as 
,god hath pressed us to those things by 
motives drawn from the  blessedness     
derived to ourselves by them1 so we may 
desire them with  a respect to          

ourselves2 but this respect must be     
contained within the  due banks1 in     
subordination to the glory of ,god1 not 
above it1 nor in  an equal balance with 
it4#bgb ,that which is nourishing or    
medicinal  in the first or second       
degree1 is in the fourth or fifth degree
 mere  destructive poison4 ,let us      
consider it seriously2 though a duty be 
heavenly1 doth not some base end smut us
 in it8 #a4 ,how is it with  our        
confessions of sin8 ,are they not more  
to procure our pardon1 than  to shame   
ourselves before ,god1 or to be freed   
from the chains that  hinder us from    
bringing him the glory for which we were
 created2 or  more to partake of his    
benefits1 than to honor him in          
acknowledging  the rights of his        
justice8 ,do we not bewail sin as it    
hath ruined us1  not as it opposed the  
holiness of ,god8 ,do we not shuffle    
with ,god1  and confess one sin1 while  
we reserve another2 as if we would      
allure  ,god by declaring our dislike of

 one1 to give us liberty to commit      
wantonness with another2 not to abhor   
ourselves1 but to daub with  ,god4 #b4  
,is it any better in our private and    
family worship8 ,are not  such          
assemblies frequented by some1 where    
some upon whom they have  a dependence  
may eye them1 and have a better opinion 
of them1 and  affection to them8 ,if    
,god were the sole end of our hearts1   
would  they not be as glowing under the 
sole eye of ,god1 as our tongues or     
carriages are seemingly serious under   
the eye of man8 ,are not family  duties 
performed by some that their voices may 
be heard1 and their  reputation         
supported among godly neighbors8 #c4 ,is
 not the charity  of many men tainted   
with this a#aed endself1#bgc as the     
,pharisees  were1 while they set the    
miserable object before them1 but not   
the  ,lord2 bestowing alms not so much  
upon the necessities of the people1  as 
the friendship we owe them for some     
particular respects2 or casting  our    

bread upon those waters which stream    
down in the sight of the  world1 that   
our doles may be visible to them1 and   
commended by them2  or when we think to 
oblige ,god to pardon our               
transgressions1 as if  we merited it and
 heaven too at his hands1 by bestowing a
 few pence  upon indigent persons8 ,and 
#d4 ,is it not the same with the        
reproofs  of men8 ,is not heat and anger
 carried out with full sail when our    
worldly interest is prejudiced and      
becalmed in the concerns of ,god8  ,do  
not many masters reprove their servants 
with more vehemency for the  neglect of 
their trade and business1 than the      
neglect of divine duties2  and that upon
 religious arguments1 pretending the    
honor of ,god that  they may mind their 
own interest8 ,but when they are        
negligent in what  they owe to ,god1 no 
noise is made1 they pass without rebuke2
 is not  this to make ,god and religion 
a stale to their own ends8 ,it is a part
  of atheism not to regard the injuries 

done to ,god1 as ,tiberius1#bgd  8,let  
,god's wrongs be looked to or cared for 
by himself40 #e4 ,is  it not thus in our
 seeming zeal for religion8 as          
,demetrius and the  craftsmen at        
,ephesus cried up aloud the greatness of
 ,diana of the  ,ephesians1 not out of  
any true zeal they had for her1 but     
their gain1  which was increased by the 
confluence of her worshippers1 and the  
sale  of her own shrines 7,acts xix4    
#bd1 #bh74    #d4 ,in making use of the 
name of ,god to countenance our sin4    
,when we  set up an opinion that is a   
friend to our lusts1 and then dig deep  
into the ,scripture to find crutches to 
support it1 and authorize our           
practices2 when men will thank ,god for 
what they have got by unlawful  means1  
fathering the fruit of their cheating   
craft1 and the simplicity  of their     
chapmen upon ,god2 crediting their      
cozenage by his name1 as  men do brass  
money1 with a thin plate of silver1 and 
the stamp and  image of the prince4 ,the

 ,jews urge the law of ,god for the     
crucifying  his ,son 7,john xix4 #g73   
8,we have a law1 and by that law he is  
to die10  and would make him a party in 
their private revenge4 ,thus often when 
we have faltered in some actions1 we    
wipe our mouths1 as if we sought  ,god  
more than our own interest1 prostituting
 the sacred name and  honor of ,god1    
either to hatch or defend some unworthy 
lust against  his word4#bge ,is not all 
this a high degree of atheism8    #a4   
,it is a vilifying ,god1 an abuse of the
 highest good4 ,other  sins subject the 
creature and outward things to them1 but
 acting  in religious services for self1
 subjects not only the highest          
concernments of men's souls1 but the    
,creator himself to the creature1  nay1 
to make ,god contribute to that which is
 the pleasure of the  devil1 a greater  
slight than to cast the gifts of a      
prince to a herd  of nasty swine4 ,it   
were more excusable to serve ourselves  
of ,god upon  the higher accounts1 such 

that materially conduce to his glory2   
but  it is an intolerable wrong to make 
him and his ordinances caterers for  our
 own bellies1 as they did3#bgf they     
sacrificed the  of which  the offerer   
a#aee might eat1 not out of any         
reference to ,god1 but  love to their   
gluttony2 not to please him1 but feast  
themselves4 ,the  belly was truly made  
the god1 when ,god was served only in   
order to  the belly2 as though the      
blessed ,god had his being1 and his     
ordinances  were enjoined to pleasure   
their foolish and wanton appetites2 as  
though the work of ,god were only to    
patronize unrighteous ends1 and be  as  
bad as themselves1 and become a pander  
to their corrupt affections4    #b4     
,because it is a vilifying of ,god1 it  
is an undeifying or dethroning  ,god4   
,it is an acting as if we were the      
lords1 and ,god our vassal2 a  setting  
up those secular ends in the place of   
,god1 who ought to be our  ultimate end 
in every action2 to whom a glory is as  

due1 as his mercy  to us is utterly     
unmerited by us4 ,he that thinks to     
cheat and put the  fool upon ,god by his
 pretences1 doth not heartily believe   
there is  such a being4 ,he could not   
have the notion of a ,god1 without that 
of omniscience and justice2 an eye to   
see the cheat1 and an arm to  punish it4
 ,the notion of the one would direct him
 in the manner of  his services1 and the
 sense of the other would scare him from
 the  cherishing his unworthy ends4 ,he 
that serves ,god with a sole respect  to
 himself1 is prepared for any idolatry2 
his religion shall warp with  the times 
and his interest2 he shall deny the true
 ,god for an idol1  when his worldly    
interest shall advise him to it1 and pay
 the same  reverence to the basest      
image1 which he pretends now to pay to  
,god2 as  the ,israelites were as real  
for idolatry under their basest princes1
  as they were pretenders to the true   
religion under those that were  pious4  
,before ,i come to the use of this1 give

 me leave to evince this  practical     
atheism by two other considerations4    
#a4 ,unworthy imaginations of ,god4     
8,the fool hath said in his heart1      
,there is no ,god30 that is1 he is not  
such a ,god as you report him  to be2   
this is meant by their being 8corrupt10 
in the second verse1  corrupt being     
taken for playing the idolaters 7,exod4 
xxxii4 #g74 ,we  cannot comprehend ,god2
 if we could1 we should cease to be     
finite2 and  because we cannot          
comprehend him1 we erect strange images 
of him in  our fancies and affections4  
,and since guilt came upon us1 because  
we  cannot root out the notions of ,god1
 we would debase the majesty and  nature
 of ,god1 that we may have some ease in 
our consciences1 and  lie down with some
 comfort in the sparks of our own       
kindling4 ,this  is universal in men by 
nature4 8,god is not in all his         
thoughts20#bgg  not in any of his       
thoughts1 according the excellency of   
his nature  and greatness of his        

majesty4 ,as the heathen did not glorify
 ,god as  ,god1 so neither do they      
conceive of ,god as ,god2 they are all  
infected  with some one or other ill    
opinion of him1 thinking him not so     
holy1  powerful1 just1 good1 as he is1  
and as the natural force of the human   
understanding might arrive to4 ,we join 
a new notion of ,god in our vain        
fancies1 and represent him not as he is1
 but as we would have him to  be1 fit   
for our own use1 and suited to our own  
pleasure4 ,we set that  active power of 
imagination on work1 and there comes out
 a god 7a calf7  whom we own for a      
notion of ,god4 ,adam cast him into so  
narrow a mould1  as to think that       
himself1 who had newly sprouted up by   
his almighty  power1 was fit to be his  
corrival in knowledge1 and had vain     
hopes to  grasp as a#aef much as        
infiniteness2 if he1 in his first       
declining1  begun to have such a        
conceit1 it is no doubt but we have as  
bad under  a mass of corruption4 ,when  

holy ,agur speaks of ,god1 he cries out 
that he had not 8the understanding of a 
man1 nor the knowledge of  the          
holy20#bgh he did not think rationally  
of ,god1 as man might by  his strength  
at his first creation4 ,there are as    
many carved images  of ,god as there are
 minds of men1 and as monstrous shapes  
as those  corruptions into which they   
would transform him4 ,hence sprang1     
#a4 ,idolatry4 ,vain imaginations first 
set afloat and kept up this in  the     
world4 ,vain imaginations of the ,god   
8whose glory they changed  into the     
image of corruptible man40#bgi ,they had
 set up vain images  of him in their    
fancy1 before they set up idolatrous    
representations  of him in their        
temples2 the likening him to those idols
 of wood and  stone1 and various metals1
 were the fruit of an idea erected in   
their  own minds4 ,this is a mighty     
debasing the ,divine nature1 and        
rendering  him no better than that base 
and stupid matter they make the visible 

object of their adoration2 equalling him
 with those base creatures  they think  
worthy to be the representations of him4
 ,yet how far did  this crime spread    
itself in all corners of the world1 not 
only among  the more barbarous and      
ignorant1 but the more polished and     
civilized  nations6 ,judea only1 where  
,god had placed the ark of his presence1
  being free from it1 in some intervals 
of time only after some sweeping        
judgment4 ,and though they vomited up   
their idols under some sharp  scourge1  
they licked them up again after the     
heavens were cleared over  their heads3 
the whole book of ,judges makes mention 
of it4 ,and though  an evangelical light
 hath chased that idolatry away from a  
great part  of the world1 yet the       
principle remaining coins more spiritual
 idols  in the heart1 which are brought 
before ,god in acts of worship4    #b4  
,hence all superstition received its    
rise and growth4 ,when we mint  a god   
according to our own complexion1 like to

 us in mutable and  various passions1   
soon angry and soon appeased1 it is no  
wonder that  we invent ways of pleasing 
him after we have offended him1 and     
think  to expiate the sin of our souls  
by some melancholy devotions and        
selfchastisements4 ,superstition is     
nothing else but an unscriptural  and   
unrevealed dread of ,god4#bhj ,when they
 imagined him a rigorous  and severe    
master1 they cast about for ways to     
mitigate him whom they  thought so hard 
to be pleased3 a very mean thought of   
him1 as if a  slight and pompous        
devotion could as easily bribe and      
flatter him out  of his rigors1 as a few
 good words or baubling rattles could   
please  and quiet little children2 and  
whatsoever pleased us1 could please  a  
,god infinitely above us4 ,such narrow  
conceits had the ,philistines1  when    
they thought to still the anger of the  
,god of ,israel1 whom they  thought they
 possessed in the ark1 with the present 
of a few golden  mice4#bha ,all the     

superstition this day living in the     
world is built  upon this foundation3 so
 natural it is to man to pull ,god down 
to  his own imaginations1 rather than   
raise his imaginations up to ,god4      
,hence doth arise also the diffidence of
 his mercy1 though they repent2         
measuring ,god by the contracted models 
of their own spirits2 as though  his    
nature were as difficult to pardon a#aeg
 their offences against  him1 as they   
are to remit wrongs done to themselves4 
#c4 ,hence springs all presumption1 the 
common disease of the world4  ,all the  
wickedness in the world1 which is       
nothing else but presuming  upon ,god1  
rises from the ill interpretations of   
the goodness of ,god1  breaking out upon
 them in the works of creation and      
providence4 ,the  corruption of man's   
nature engendered by those notions of   
goodness  a monstrous birth of vain     
imaginations2 not of themselves         
primarily1  but of ,god2 whence arose   
all that folly and darkness in their    

minds  and conversations 7,rom4 i4 #bj1 
#ba74 ,they glorified him not as ,god1  
but1 according to themselves1 imagined  
him good that themselves might  be bad2 
fancied him so indulgent1 as to neglect 
his own honor for  their sensuality4    
,how doth the unclean person represent  
him to his own  thoughts1 but as a goat2
 the murderer as a tiger2 the sensual   
person  as a swine2 while they fancy a  
,god indulgent to their crimes without  
their repentance6 ,as the image on the  
seal is stamped upon the wax1 so  the   
thoughts of the heart are printed upon  
the actions4 ,god's patience  is        
apprehended to be an approbation of     
their vices1 and from the  consideration
 of his forbearance1 they fashion a god 
that they believe  will smile upon their
 crimes4 ,they imagine a god that plays 
with them2  and though he threatens doth
 it only to scare1 but means not as he  
speaks4 ,a god they fancy like          
themselves1 that would do as they would 
do1 not be angry for what they count a  

light offence 7,psalm l4 #ba73  8,thou  
thoughtest ,i was such a one as         
thyself20 that ,god and they were       
exactly alike as two tallies4 8,our     
wilful misapprehensions of ,god are  the
 cause of our misbehavior in all his    
worship4 ,our slovenly and lazy         
services tell him to his face what      
slight thoughts and apprehensions  we   
have of him40#bhb ,compare these two    
together4 ,superstition  ariseth from   
terrifying misapprehensions of ,god3    
presumption from  selfpleasing thoughts4
 ,one represents him only rigorous1 and 
the  other careless4 ,one makes us      
overofficious in serving him by our  own
 rules2 and the other overbold in       
offending him according to our  humors4 
,the want of a true notion of ,god's    
justice makes some men  slight him2 and 
the want of a true apprehension of his  
goodness makes  others too servile in   
their approaches to him4 ,one makes us  
careless  of duties1 and the other makes
 us look on them rather as physic  than 

food2 an unsupportable penance1 than a  
desirable privilege4  ,in this case hell
 is the principle of duty performed to  
heaven4  ,the superstitious man believes
 ,god hath scarce mercy to pardon2 the  
presumptuous man believes he hath no    
such perfection as justice to  punish4  
,the one makes him insignificant to what
 he desires1 kindness  and goodness2 the
 other renders him insignificant to what
 he fears1  his vindictive justice4     
,what between the idolater1 the         
superstitious1  the presumptuous person1
 ,god should look like no ,god in the   
world4  ,these unworthy imaginations of 
,god are likewise1    #b4 ,a vilifying  
of him4 ,debasing the ,creator to be a  
creature of their  own fancies2 putting 
their own stamp upon him2 and fashioning
 him not  according to that beautiful   
image he impressed upon a#aeh them by   
creation2 but the defaced image they    
inherit by their fall1 and which  is    
worse1 the image of the devil which     
spread itself over them at  their revolt

 and apostasy4 ,were it possible to see 
a picture of ,god1  according to the    
fancies of men1 it would be the most    
monstrous being1  such a ,god that never
 was1 nor ever can be4 ,we honor ,god   
when we have  worthy opinions of him    
suitable to his nature2 when we conceive
 of him  as a being of unbounded        
loveliness and perfection4 ,we detract  
from him  when we ascribe to him such   
qualities as would be a horrible        
disgrace  to a wise and good man as     
injustice and impurity4 ,thus men debase
 ,god  when they invert his order1 and  
would create him according to their     
image1 as he first created them         
according to his own2 and think him  not
 worthy to be a ,god1 unless he fully   
answer the mould they would  cast him   
into1 and be what is unworthy of his    
nature4 ,men do not  conceive of ,god as
 he would have them2 but he must be what
 they would  have him1 one of their own 
shaping4    #a4 ,this is worse than     
idolatry4 ,the grossest idolater commits

 not a  crime so heinous1 by changing   
his glory into the image of creeping    
things and senseless creatures1 as the  
imagining ,god to be as one of  our     
sinful selves1 and likening him to those
 filthy images we erect in  our fancies4
 ,one makes him an earthly ,god1 like an
 earthly creature2  the other fancies   
him an unjust and impure ,god1 like a   
wicked creature4  ,one sets up an image 
of him in the earth1 which is his       
footstool2  the other sets up an image  
of him in the heart1 which ought to be  
his  throne4    #b4 ,it is worse than   
absolute atheism1 or a denial of ,god4  
8,dignius  credimus non esse1 quodcunque
 non ita fuerit1 ut esse deberet10#bhc  
was the opinion of ,tertullian4 ,it is  
more commendable to think him not  to   
be1 than to think him such a one as is  
inconsistent with his nature4  ,better  
to deny his existence1 than deny his    
perfection4 ,no wise man  but would     
rather have his memory rot1 than be     
accounted infamous1 and  would be more  

obliged to him that should deny that    
ever he had a being  in the world1 than 
to say he did indeed live1 but he was a 
sot1 a  debauched person1 and a man not 
to be trusted4 ,when we apprehend ,god  
deceitful in his promises1 unrighteous  
in his threatenings1 unwilling  to      
pardon upon repentance1 or resolved to  
pardon notwithstanding  impenitency3    
these are things either unworthy of the 
nature of ,god1  or contrary to that    
revelation he hath given of himself4    
,better for  a man never to have been   
born than be forever miserable2 so      
better to  be thought no ,god1 than     
represented impotent or negligent1      
unjust or  deceitful2 which are more    
contrary to the nature of ,god than hell
 can  be to the greatest criminal4 ,in  
this sense perhaps the apostle affirms  
the ,gentiles 7,eph4 ii4 #ab7 to be such
 as are 8without ,god in the  world20 as
 being more atheists in adoring ,god    
under such notions as  they commonly    
did1 than if they had acknowledged no   

,god at all4    #c4 ,this is evident by 
our natural desire to be distant from   
him1 and  unwillingness to have any     
acquaintance with him4 ,sin set us first
 at  a distance from ,god2 and every new
 act of gross sin estrangeth us more    
from him1 and indisposeth us more for   
him3 it makes us a#aei both  afraid and 
ashamed to be near him4 ,sensual men    
were of this frame  that ,job           
discourseth of 7ch4 xxi4 #gi1 #ad1 #ae74
 ,where grace reigns1  the nearer to    
,god the more vigorous the motion2 the  
nearer anything  approaches to us1 that 
is the object of our desires1 the more  
eagerly  do we press forward to it3 but 
our blood riseth at the approaches of   
anything to which we have an aversion4  
,we have naturally a loathing  of ,god's
 coming to us or our return to him3 we  
seek not after him as  our happiness2   
and when he offers himself1 we like it  
not1 but put  a disgrace upon him in    
choosing other things before him4 ,god  
and we  are naturally at as great a     

distance1 as light and darkness1 life   
and death1 heaven and hell4 ,the        
stronger impression of ,god anything    
hath1 the more we fly from it4 ,the     
glory of ,god in reflection upon        
,moses' face scared the ,israelites2    
they who had desired ,god to speak  to  
them by ,moses1 when they saw a signal  
impression of ,god upon  his            
countenance1 were afraid to come near   
him1 as they were before  unwilling to  
come near to ,god4#bhd ,not that the    
blessed ,god is in  his own nature a    
frightful object2 but our own guilt     
renders him so  to us1 and ourselves    
indisposed to converse with him2 as the 
light of  the sun is as irksome to a    
distempered eye1 as it is in its own    
nature  desirable to a sound one4 ,the  
saints themselves have had so much      
frailty1 that they have cried out1 that 
they were undone1 if they had  any more 
than ordinary discoveries of ,god made  
unto them2 as if they  wished him more  
remote from them4 ,vileness cannot      

endure the splendor  of majesty1 nor    
guilt the glory of a judge4    ,we have 
naturally1 #a4 ,no desire of remembrance
 of him1 #b4 ,or converse  with him1 #c4
 ,or thorough return to him1 #d4 ,or    
close imitation of him3  as if there    
were not any such being as ,god in the  
world2 or as if  we wished there were   
none at all2 so feeble and spiritless   
are our  thoughts of the being of a     
,god4    #a4 ,no desire for the         
remembrance of him4 ,how delightful are 
other  things in our minds6 ,how        
burdensome the memorials of ,god1 from  
whom  we have our being6 ,with what     
pleasure do we contemplate the nature   
of creatures1 even of flies and toads1  
while our minds tire in the  search of  
,him1 who hath bestowed upon us our     
knowing and meditating  faculties6      
,though ,god shows himself to us in     
every creature1 in the  meanest weed as 
well as the highest heavens1 and is more
 apparent in  them to our reasons than  
themselves can be to our sense2 yet     

though we  see them1 we will not behold 
,god in them3 we will view them to      
please  our sense1 to improve our reason
 in their natural perfections2 but  pass
 by the consideration of ,god's         
perfections so visibly beaming  from    
them4 ,thus we play the beasts and      
atheists in the very exercise  of       
reason1 and neglect our ,creator to     
gratify our sense1 as though  the       
pleasure of that were more desirable    
than the knowledge of ,god4  ,the desire
 of our souls is not towards his name   
and the remembrance  of him1#bhe when we
 set not ourselves in a posture to feast
 our souls  with deep and serious       
meditations of him2 have a thought of   
him1 only  by the bye and away1 as if we
 were afraid of too intimate            
acquaintance  with him4 ,are not the    
thoughts of ,god rather our invaders    
than our  guests2 seldom invited to     
reside and take up their home in our    
hearts8  ,have we not1 when a#afj they  
have broke in upon us1 bid them depart  

from us1#bhf and warned them to come no 
more upon our ground2 sent  them packing
 as soon as we could1 and were glad when
 they were gone8  ,and when they have   
departed1 have we not often been afraid 
they should  return again upon us1 and  
therefore looked about for other        
inmates1  things not good1 or if good1  
infinitely below ,god1 to possess the   
room  of our hearts before any thoughts 
of him should appear again8 ,have we    
not often been glad of excuses to shake 
off present thoughts of him1  and when  
we have wanted real ones1 found out     
pretences to keep ,god  and our hearts  
at a distance8 ,is not this a part of   
atheism1 to be so  unwilling to employ  
our faculties about the giver of them1  
to refuse  to exercise them in a way of 
a grateful remembrance of him2 as though
  they were none of his gift1 but our   
own acquisition2 as though the  ,god    
that truly gave them had no right to    
them1 and he that thinks on  us every   
day in a way of providence1 were not    

worthy to be thought on  by us in a way 
of special remembrance8 ,do not the     
best1 that love the  remembrance of him1
 and abhor this natural averseness1     
find1 that when  they would think of    
,god1 many things tempt them and turn   
them to think  elsewhere8 ,do they not  
find their apprehensions too feeble1    
their  motions too dull1 and the        
impressions too slight8 ,this natural   
atheism  is spread over human nature4   
#b4 ,no desire of converse with him4    
,the word 8remember0 in the command  for
 keeping holy the ,sabbathday1 including
 all the duties of the day1  and the    
choicest of our lives1 implies our      
natural unwillingness to  them1 and     
forgetfulness of them4 ,god's pressing  
this command with more  reasons than the
 rest1 manifests that man hath no heart 
for spiritual  duties4 ,no spiritual    
duty1 which sets us immediately face to 
face  with ,god1 but in the attempts of 
it we find naturally a resistance  from 
some powerful principle2 so that        

everyone may subscribe to the  speech of
 the apostle1 that 8when we would do    
good1 evil is present  with them40 ,no  
reason of this can be rendered1 but the 
natural  temper of our souls1 and an    
affecting a distance from ,god under    
any consideration3 for though our guilt 
first made the breach1 yet  this        
aversion to a converse with him steps up
 without any actual  reflections upon   
our guilt1 which may render ,god        
terrible to us as  an offended judge4   
,are we not often also1 in our          
attendance upon  him1 more pleased with 
the modes of worship which gratify our  
fancy1  than to have our souls inwardly 
delighted with the object of worship    
himself8 ,this is a part of our natural 
atheism4 ,to cast such duties  off by   
total neglect1 or in part1 by affecting 
a coldness in them1 is  to cast off the 
fear of the ,lord4#bhg ,not to call upon
 ,god1 and not  to know him1 are one and
 the same thing 7,jer4 x4 #be74 ,either 
we think  there is no such ,being in the

 world1 or that he is so slight a one1  
that he deserves not the respect he     
calls for2 or so impotent and poor1     
that he cannot supply what our          
necessities require4    #c4 ,no desire  
of a thorough return to him4 ,the first 
man fled from  him after his defection1 
though he had no refuge to fly to but   
the  grace of his ,creator4 ,cain went  
from his presence1 would be a fugitive  
a#afa from ,god rather than a suppliant 
to him2 when by faith in1 and           
application of the promised ,redeemer1  
he might have escaped the wrath  to come
 for his brother's blood1 and mitigated 
the sorrows he was  justly sentenced to 
bear in the world4 ,nothing will        
separate prodigal  man from commoning   
with swine2 and make him return to his  
father1  but an empty trough3 have we   
but husks to feed on1 we shall never    
think of a father's presence4 ,it were  
well if our sores and indigence  would  
drive us to him2 but when our strength  
is devoured1 we will not  8return to the

 ,lord our ,god1 nor seek him for all   
this40#bhh ,not his  drawn sword1 as a  
,god of judgment1 nor his mighty power1 
as a ,lord1  nor his open arms1 as the  
,lord their ,god1 could move them to    
turn  their eyes and their hearts       
towards him4 ,the more he invites us to 
partake of his grace1 the further we run
 from him to provoke his wrath3  the    
louder ,god called them by his prophets1
 the closer they stuck to  their        
,baal4#bhi ,we turn our backs when he   
stretches out his hand1  stop our ears  
when he lifts up his voice4 ,we fly from
 him when he  courts us1 and shelter    
ourselves in any bush from his merciful 
hand  that would lay hold upon us2 nor  
will we set our faces towards him1  till
 our way be hedged up with thorns1 and  
not a gap left to creep  out any        
byway4#bij ,whosoever is brought to a   
return1 puts the ,holy  ,ghost to the   
pain of striving2 he is not easily      
brought to a spiritual  subjection to   
,god1 nor persuaded to a surrender at a 

summons1 but  sweetly overpowered by    
storm1 and victoriously drawn into the  
arms  of ,god4 ,god stands ready1 but   
the heart stands off2 grace is full  of 
entreaties1 and the soul full of        
excuses2 ,divine love offers1  and      
carnal selflove rejects4 ,nothing so    
pleases us as when we are  farthest from
 him2 as if anything were more amiable1 
anything more  desirable1 than himself4 
#d4 ,no desire of any close imitation of
 him4 ,when our ,saviour was to  come as
 a refiner's fire1 to purify the sons of
 ,levi1 the cry is1 8,who  shall abide  
the day of his coming80 7,mal4 iii4 #b1 
#c47 ,since we are  alienated from the  
life of ,god1 we desire no more         
naturally to live  the life of ,god1    
than a toad1 or any other animal1       
desires to live  the life of a man4 ,no 
heart that knows ,god but hath a holy   
ambition  to imitate him4 ,no soul that 
refuseth him for a copy1 but is ignorant
  of his excellency4 ,of this temper is 
all mankind naturally4 ,man in          

corruption is as loth to be like ,god in
 holiness1 as ,adam1 after his          
creation1 was desirous to be like ,god  
in knowledge2 his posterity are  like   
their father1 who soon turned his back  
upon his original copy4  ,what can be   
worse than this8 ,can the denial of his 
being be a greater  injury than this    
contempt of him2 as if he had not       
goodness to deserve  our remembrance1   
nor amiableness fit for our converse2 as
 if he were  not a ,lord fit for our    
subjection1 nor had a holiness that     
deserved  our imitation8 ,for the use of
 this3    ,use ,i4 ,it serves for       
information4    #a4 ,it gives us        
occasion to admire the wonderful        
patience and mercy  of ,god4 ,how many  
millions of practical atheists breathe  
every day in  his air1 and live upon his
 bounty who deserve to be inhabitants in
  hell1 rather than possessors of the   
earth6 ,an infinite holiness is         
offended1 an infinite justice is        
provoked2 yet an infinite patience      

a#afb forbears the punishment1 and an   
infinite goodness relieves our  wants3  
the more we had merited his justice and 
forfeited his favor1  the more is his   
affection enhanced1 which makes his hand
 so liberal  to us4 ,at the first       
invasion of his rights1 he mitigates the
 terror of  the threatening which was   
set to defend his law1 with the grace of
 a  promise to relieve and recover his  
rebellious creature4#bia ,who would     
have looked for anything but tearing    
thunders1 sweeping judgments1  to raze  
up the foundations of the apostate      
world8 ,but oh1 how great  are his      
bowels to his aspiring competitors6     
,have we not experimented  his          
contrivances for our good1 though we    
have refused him for our  happiness8    
,has he not opened his arms1 when we    
spurned with our feet2  held out his    
alluring mercy1 when we have brandished 
against him  a rebellious sword8 ,has he
 not entreated us while we have invaded 
him1 as if he were unwilling to lose us1

 who are ambitious to destroy           
ourselves8 ,has he yet denied us the    
care of his providence1 while we  have  
denied him the rights of his honor1 and 
would appropriate them  to ourselves8   
,has the sun forborne shining upon us1  
though we have  shot our arrows against 
him8 ,have not our beings been supported
 by  his goodness1 while we have        
endeavored to climb up to his throne2   
and  his mercies continued to charm us1 
while we have used them as weapons  to  
injure him8 ,our own necessities might  
excite us to own him as our  happiness1 
but he adds his invitations to the voice
 of our wants4 ,has  he not promised a  
kingdom to those that would strip him of
 his crown1  and proclaimed pardon upon 
repentance to those that would take away
  his glory8 and hath so twisted        
together his own end1 which is his      
honor1 and man's true end1 which is his 
salvation1 that a man cannot  truly mind
 himself and his own salvation1 but he  
must mind ,god's  glory2 and cannot be  

intent upon ,god's honor1 but by the    
same act  he promotes himself and his   
own happiness8 so loth is ,god to give  
any just occasion of dissatisfaction to 
his creature1 as well as  dishonor to   
himself4 ,all those wonders of his mercy
 are enhanced by  the heinousness of our
 atheism2 a multitude of gracious       
thoughts from  him above the multitude  
of contempts from us4#bib ,what rebels  
in  actual arms against their prince1   
aiming at his life1 ever found that     
favor from him2 to have all their       
necessaries richly afforded them1       
without which they would starve1 and    
without which they would be  unable to  
manage their attempts1 as we have       
received from ,god8 ,had  not ,god had  
riches of goodness1 forbearance1 and    
longsuffering1 and  infinite riches too1
 the despite the world had done him1 in 
refusing  him as their rule1 happiness1 
and end1 would have emptied him long    
ago4#bic    #b4 ,it brings in a         
justification of the exercise of his    

justice4 ,if  it gives us occasion      
loudly to praise his patience1 it also  
stops  our mouths from accusing any acts
 of his vengeance4 ,what can be too     
sharp a recompense for the despising and
 disgracing so great a ,being8  ,the    
highest contempt merits the greatest    
anger2 and when we will not  own him for
 our happiness1 it is equal we should   
feel the misery of  separation from him4
 ,if he that is guilty of treason       
deserves to lose  his life1 what        
punishment can be thought great enough  
for him that  is so disingenuous as to  
prefer himself before a ,god so         
infinitely  a#afc good1 and so foolish  
as to invade the rights of one          
infinitely  powerful8 ,it is no         
injustice for a creature to be forever  
left to  himself1 to see what advantage 
he can make of that self he was so      
busily employed to set up in the place  
of his ,creator4 ,the soul of  man      
deserves an infinite punishment for     
despising an infinite good2  and it is  

not unequitable1 that that self which   
man makes his rule  and happiness above 
,god1 should become his torment and     
misery by the  righteousness of that    
,god whom he despised4    #c4 ,hence    
ariseth a necessity of a new state and  
frame of soul1  to alter an atheistical 
nature4 ,we forget ,god2 think of him   
with  reluctancy2 have no respect to    
,god in our course and acts3 this cannot
  be our original state4 ,god1 being    
infinitely good1 never let man come  out
 of his hands with this actual          
unwillingness to acknowledge and  serve 
him2 he never intended to dethrone      
himself for the work of his  hands1 or  
that the creature should have any other 
end than that of  his ,creator3 as the  
apostle saith1 in the case of the       
,galatians' error  7,gal4 v4 #h71 8,this
 persuasion came not of ,him that called
 you20 so  this frame comes not from him
 that created you3 how much1 therefore1 
do we need a restoring principle in us6 
,instead of ordering ourselves          

according to the will of ,god1 we are   
desirous to 8fulfil the wills of  the   
flesh30#bid there is a necessity of some
 other principle in us  to make us      
fulfil the will of ,god1 since we were  
created for ,god1 not  for the flesh4   
,we can no more be voluntarily          
serviceable to ,god1 while  our         
serpentine nature and devilish habits   
remain in us1 than we can  suppose the  
devil can be willing to glorify ,god1   
while the nature  he contracted by his  
fall abides powerfully in him4 ,our     
nature and  will must be changed1 that  
our actions may regard ,god as our end1 
that we may delightfully meditate on    
him1 and draw the motives of our        
obedience from him4 ,since this atheism 
is seated in nature1 the change  must be
 in our nature2 since our first         
aspirings to the rights of  ,god were   
the fruits of the serpent's breath which
 tainted our nature1  there must be a   
removal of this taint1 whereby our      
natures may be  on the side of ,god     

against ,satan1 as they were before on  
the side  of ,satan against ,god4 ,there
 must be a supernatural principle before
  we can live a supernatural life1 i4 e4
 live to ,god1 since we are  naturally  
alienated from the life of ,god3 the    
aversion of our natures  from ,god1 is  
as strong as our inclination to evil2 we
 are disgusted  with one1 and pressed   
with the other2 we have no will1 no     
heart1 to  come to ,god in any service4 
,this nature must be broken in pieces   
and  new moulded1 before we can make    
,god our rule and our end3 while men's  
8deeds are evil0 they cannot comply with
 ,god2#bie much less while  their       
natures are evil4 ,till this be done1   
all the service a man  performs riseth  
from some 8evil imagination of the      
heart1 which is  evil1 only evil1 and   
that continually20#bif from wrong       
notions of  ,god1 wrong notions of duty1
 or corrupt motives4 ,all the pretences 
of  devotion to ,god are but the        
adoration of some golden image4 ,prayers

 to  ,god for the ends of self1 are like
 those of the devil to our ,saviour1    
when he asked leave to go into the herd 
of swine3 the object was right1         
,christ2 the end was the destruction of 
the swine1 and the satisfaction  of     
their malice to the owners2 there a#afd 
is a necessity then that  depraved ends 
should be removed1 that that which was  
,god's end in our  framing1 may be our  
end in our acting1 viz4 his glory1 which
 cannot  be without a change of nature4 
,we can never honor him supremely whom  
we do not supremely love2 till this be1 
we cannot glorify ,god as ,god1  though 
we do things by his command and order2  
no more1 than when ,god  employed the   
devil in afflicting ,job4#big ,his      
performance cannot be  said to be good1 
because his end was not the same with   
,god's2 he acted  out of malice1 what   
,god commanded out of sovereignty1 and  
for gracious  designs2 had ,god employed
 an holy angel in his design upon ,job1 
the  action had been good in the        

affliction1 because his nature was holy1
  and therefore his ends holy2 but bad  
in the devil1 because his ends  were    
base and unworthy4    #d4 ,we may gather
 from hence1 the difficulty of          
conversion1 and  mortification to follow
 thereupon4 ,what is the reason men     
receive no  more impression from the    
voice of ,god and the light of his      
truth1 than  a dead man in the grave    
doth from the roaring thunder1 or a     
blind mole  from the light of the sun8  
,it is because our atheism is as great  
as  the deadness of the one1 or the     
blindness of the other4 ,the principle  
in the heart is strong to shut the door 
both of the thoughts and  affections    
against ,god4 ,if a friend oblige us1 we
 shall act for him as  for ourselves2 we
 are won by entreaties2 soft words      
overcome us2 but  our hearts are as deaf
 as the hardest rock at the call of     
,god2 neither  the joys of heaven       
proposed by him can allure us1 nor the  
flashed  terrors of hell affright us to 

him1 as if we conceived ,god unable to  
bestow the one or execute the other3 the
 true reason is1 ,god and self  contest 
for the deity4 ,the law of sin is1 ,god 
must be at the footstool2  the law of   
,god is1 sin must be utterly deposed4   
,now it is difficult  to leave a law    
beloved for a law long ago discarded4   
,the mind of man  will hunt after       
anything2 the will of man embrace       
anything3 upon the  proposal of mean    
objects the spirit of man spreads its   
wings1 flies to  catch them1 becomes one
 with them3 but attempt to bring it     
under the  power of ,god1 the wings     
flag1 the creature looks lifeless1 as   
though  there were no spring of motion  
in it2 it is as much crucified to ,god1 
as the holy apostle was to the world4   
,the sin of the heart discovers  its    
strength the more ,god discovers the    
8holiness of his will40#bih  ,the love  
of sin hath been predominant in our     
nature1 has quashed a  love to ,god1 if 
not extinguished it4 ,hence also is the 

difficulty of  mortification4 ,this is a
 work tending to the honor of ,god1 the 
abasing  of that inordinately aspiring  
humor in ourselves4 ,if the nature of   
man  be inclined to sin1 as it is1 it   
must needs be bent against anything     
that opposes it4 ,it is impossible to   
strike any true blow at any  lust till  
the true sense of ,god be reentertained 
in the soil where  it ought to grow4    
,who can be naturally willing to crucify
 what is  incorporated with himhis      
flesh8 what is dearest to himhimself8   
,is  it an easy thing for man1 the      
competitor with ,god1 to turn his arms  
against himself1 that self should       
overthrow its own empire1 lay aside  all
 its pretensions to1 and designs for1 a 
godhead2 to hew off its  own members1   
and subdue its own affections8 ,it is   
the nature of man to  8cover his sin10  
a#afe to hide it in his bosom1#bii not  
to destroy  it2 and as unwillingly part 
with his carnal affections1 as the      
legion  of devils were with the man that

 had been long possessed2 and when he   
is forced and fired from one1 he will   
endeavor to espouse some other  lust1 as
 those devils desired to possess swine1 
when they were chased  from their       
possession of that man4    #e4 ,here we 
see the reason of unbelief4 ,that which 
hath most of ,god  in it1 meets with    
most aversion from us2 that which hath  
least of  ,god1 finds better and        
stronger inclinations in us4 ,what is   
the reason  that the heart of man is    
more unwilling to embrace the gospel1   
than  acknowledge the equity of the law8
 because there is more of ,god's  nature
 and perfection evident in the gospel   
than in the law2 besides1  there is more
 reliance on ,god1 and distance from    
self1 commanded  in the gospel4 ,the law
 puts a man upon his own strength1 the  
gospel  takes him off from his own      
bottom2 the law acknowledges him to have
  a power in himself1 and to act for his
 own reward2 the gospel strips  him of  
all his proud and towering thoughts1#cjj

 brings him to his due  place1 the foot 
of ,god2 orders him to deny himself as  
his own rule1  righteousness1 and end1  
8and henceforth not to live to          
himself40#cja  ,this is the true reason 
why men are more against the gospel than
  against the law2 because it doth more 
deify ,god1 and debase man4 ,hence  it  
is easier to reduce men to some moral   
virtue than to faith2 to make  men blush
 at their outward vices1 but not at the 
inward impurity of  their natures4      
,hence it is observed1 that those that  
asserted that all  happiness did arise  
from something in a man's self1 as the  
,stoics and  ,epicureans did1 and that a
 wise man was equal with ,god1 were     
greater  enemies to the truths of the   
gospel than others 7,acts xvii4 #ah71   
because it lays the axe to the root of  
their principal opinion1  takes the one 
from their selfsufficiency1 and the     
other from their  selfgratification2 it 
opposeth the brutish principle of the   
one1  which placed happiness in the     

pleasures of the body1 and the more     
noble principle of the other1 which     
placed happiness in the virtue  of the  
mind2 the one was for a sensual1 the    
other for a moral self2  both disowned  
by the doctrine of the gospel4    #f4   
,it informs us1 consequently1 who can be
 the ,author of grace and  conversion1  
and every other good work4 ,no practical
 atheist ever yet  turned to ,god1 but  
was turned by ,god2 and not to          
acknowledge it to ,god  is a part of    
this atheism1 since it is a robbing ,god
 of the honor of  one of his most       
glorious works4 ,if this practical      
atheism be natural  to man ever since   
the first taint of nature in ,paradise1 
what can be  expected from it1 but a    
resisting of the work of ,god1 and      
setting up  all the forces of nature    
against the operations of grace1 till a 
day  of power dawn and clear up upon the
 soul8#cjb ,not all the angels in       
heaven1 or men upon earth1 can be       
imagined to be able to persuade a  man  

to fall out with himself2 nothing can   
turn the tide of nature1 but  a power   
above nature4 ,god took away the        
sanctifying ,spirit from man1  as a     
penalty for the first sin2 who can      
regain it but by his will and  pleasure8
 who can restore it1 but he that removed
 it8 ,since every man  hath the same    
fundamental atheism a#aff in him by     
nature1 and would  be a rule to himself 
and his own end1 he is so far from      
dethroning  himself1 that all the       
strength of his corrupted nature is     
alarmed up  to stand to their arms upon 
any attempt ,god makes to regain the    
fort4  ,the will is so strong against   
,god1 that it is like many wills twisted
  together 7,eph4 ii4 #c71 8,wills of   
the flesh20 we translate it the         
8desires of the flesh20 like many       
threads twisted in a cable1 never  to be
 snapped asunder by a human arm2 a power
 and will above ours1  can only untwist 
so many wills in a knot4 ,man cannot    
rise to an  acknowledgment of ,god      

without ,god2 hell may as well become   
heaven1 the  devil be changed into an   
angel of light4 ,the devil cannot but   
desire  happiness2 he knows the misery  
into which he is fallen1 he cannot be   
desirous of that punishment he knows is 
reserved for him4 ,why doth he  not     
sanctify ,god1 and glorify his ,creator1
 wherein there is abundantly  more      
pleasure than in his malicious course8  
,why doth he not petition  to recover   
his ancient standing8 he will not2 there
 are chains of  darkness upon his       
faculties2 he will not be otherwise than
 he is2 his  desire to be god of the    
world sways him against his own         
interest1 and  out of love to his       
malice1 he will not sin at a less rate  
to make a  diminution of his punishment4
 ,man1 if ,god utterly refuseth to work 
upon him1 is no better2 and to maintain 
his atheism would venture a  hell4 ,how 
is it possible for a man to turn himself
 to that ,god against  whom he hath a   
quarrel in his nature2 the most rooted  

and settled  habit in him being to set  
himself in the place of ,god8 ,an       
atheist by  nature can no more alter his
 own temper1 and engrave in himself the 
divine nature1 than a rock can carve    
itself into the statue of a man1  or a  
serpent that is an enemy to man could or
 would raise itself to  the nobility of 
the human nature4 ,that soul that by    
nature would strip  ,god of his rights1 
cannot1 without a divine power1 be made 
conformable  to him1 and acknowledge    
sincerely and cordially the rights and  
glory  of ,god4    #g4 ,we may here see 
the reason why there can be no          
justification by  the best and strongest
 works of nature4 ,can that which hath  
atheism at  the root justify either the 
action or person8 ,what strength can    
those  works have which have neither    
,god's law for their rule1 nor his glory
  for their end8 that are not wrought by
 any spiritual strength from  him1 nor  
tend with any spiritual affection to    
him8 ,can these be a  foundation for the

 most holy ,god to pronounce a creature 
righteous8  ,they will justify his      
justice in condemning1 but cannot sway  
his  justice to an absolution4 ,every   
natural man in his works picks and      
chooses2 he owns the will of ,god no    
further than he can wring it to  suit   
the law of his members1 and minds not   
the honor of ,god1 but as it  jostles   
not with his own glory and secular ends4
 ,can he be righteous  that prefers his 
own will and his own honor before the   
will and honor  of the ,creator8        
,however men's actions may be beneficial
 to others1  what reason hath ,god to   
esteem them1 wherein there is no respect
  to him1 but themselves2 whereby they  
dethrone him in their thoughts1  while  
they seem to own him in their religious 
works8 ,every day  reproves us with     
something different from the rule2      
thousands of  wanderings offer          
themselves to a#afg our eyes3 can       
justification  be expected from that    
which in itself is matter of despair8   

#h4 ,see here the cause of all the      
apostasy in the world4 ,practical       
atheism was never conquered in such2    
they are still 8alienated from  the life
 of ,god10 and will not live to ,god1 as
 he lives to himself and  his own       
honor4#cjc ,they loathe his rule1 and   
distaste his glory2 are  loth to step   
out of themselves to promote the ends of
 another2 find  not the satisfaction in 
him as they do in themselves2 they will 
be  judges of what is good for them and 
righteous in itself1 rather than  admit 
of ,god to judge for them4 ,when men    
draw back from truth to error1  it is to
 such opinions which may serve more to  
foment and cherish  their ambition1     
covetousness1 or some beloved lust that 
disputes with  ,god for precedency1 and 
is designed to be served before him     
7,john xii4  #db1 #dc73 8,they love the 
praise of men more than the praise of   
,god40 ,a  preferring man before ,god   
was the reason they would not confess   
,christ1  and ,god in him4    #i4 ,this 

shows us the excellency of the gospel   
and christian religion4  ,it sets man in
 his due place1 and gives to ,god what  
the excellency of  his nature requires4 
,it lays man in the dust from whence he 
was taken1  and sets ,god upon that     
throne where he ought to sit4 ,man by   
nature  would annihilate ,god and deify 
himself2 the gospel glorifies ,god and  
annihilates man4 ,in our first revolt we
 would be like him in knowledge2  in the
 means he hath provided for our         
recovery1 he designs to make  us like   
him in grace2 the gospel shows ourselves
 to be an object of  humiliation1 and   
,god to be a glorious object for our    
imitation4 ,the  light of nature tells  
us there is a ,god2 the gospel gives us 
a more  magnificent report of him2 the  
light of nature condemns gross atheism1 
and that of the gospel condemns and     
conquers spiritual atheism in the       
hearts of men4    ,use ,,ii4 ,of        
exhortation4    ,first1 ,let us labor to
 be sensible of this atheism in our     

nature1 and  be humbled for it4 ,how    
should we lie in the dust1 and go bowing
 under  the humbling thoughts of it all 
our days6 ,shall we not be sensible of  
that whereby we spill the blood of our  
souls1 and give a stab to the  heart of 
our own salvation8 ,shall we be worse   
than any creature1 not  to bewail that  
which tends to our destruction8 ,he that
 doth not lament  it1 cannot challenge  
the character of a ,christian1 hath     
nothing of the  divine life and love    
planted in his soul4 ,not a man but     
shall one day  be sensible1 when the    
eternal ,god shall call him out to      
examination1  and charge his conscience 
to discover every crime1 which will then
  own the authority whereby it acted2   
when the heart shall be torn open1  and 
the secrets of it brought to public     
view2 and the world and man  himself    
shall see what a viperous brood of      
corrupt principles and ends  nested in  
his heart4 ,let us1 therefore1 be truly 
sensible of it1 till  the consideration 

draw tears from our eyes and sorrow from
 our souls2  let us urge the thoughts of
 it upon our hearts till the core of    
that  pride be eaten out1 and our       
stubbornness changed into humility2 till
  our heads become waters1 and our eyes 
fountains of tears1 and be a  spring of 
prayer to ,god to change the heart1 and 
mortify the atheism  in it2 and consider
 a#afh what a sad thing it is to be a   
practical  atheist3 and who is not so by
 nature8    #a4 ,let us be sensible of  
it in ourselves4 ,have any of our hearts
 been  a soil wherein the fear and      
reverence of ,god hath naturally grown8 
,have we a desire to know him1 or a will
 to embrace him8 ,do we delight  in his 
will1 and love the remembrance of his   
name8 ,are our respects to  him1 as     
,god1 equal to the speculative knowledge
 we have of his nature8  ,is the heart1 
wherein he hath stamped his image1      
reserved for his  residence8 ,is not the
 world more affected than the ,creator  
of the  world2 as though that could     

contribute to us a greater happiness    
than  the ,author of it8 ,have not      
creatures as much of our love1 fear1    
trust1  nay1 more1 than ,god that framed
 both them and us8 ,have we not too     
often relied upon our own strength1 and 
made a calf of our own wisdom1  and said
 of ,god1 as the ,israelites of ,moses1 
8,as for this ,moses we  wot not what is
 become of him80 7,exod4 xxxii4 #a7 and 
given oftener the  glory of our good    
success to our drag and our net1 to our 
craft and  our industry1 than to the    
wisdom and blessing of ,god8 ,are we1   
then1  free from this sort of           
atheism8#cjd ,it is as impossible to    
have two  ,gods at one time in one      
heart1 as to have two kings at one time 
in  full power in one kingdom4 ,have    
there not been frequent neglects  of    
,god8 ,have we not been deaf whilst he  
hath knocked at our doors8  slept when  
he hath sounded in our ears1 as if there
 had been no such  being as a ,god in   
the world8 ,how many strugglings have   

been against  our approaches to him6    
,hath not folly often been committed1   
with  vain imaginations starting up in  
the time of religious service1 which  we
 would scarce vouchsafe a look to at    
another time1 and in another  business1 
but would have thrust them away with    
indignation8 ,had  they stept in to     
interrupt our worldly affairs1 they     
would have been  troublesome intruders2 
but while we are with ,god they are     
acceptable  guests4 ,how unwilling have 
our hearts been to fortify themselves   
with  strong and influencing            
considerations of ,god1 before we       
addressed  to him6 ,is it not too often 
that our lifelessness in prayer proceeds
  from this atheism2 a neglect of seeing
 what arguments and pleas may  be drawn 
from the divine perfections1 to second  
our suit in hand1 and  quicken our      
hearts in the service8 ,whence are those
 indispositions  to any spiritual duty1 
but because we have not due thoughts of 
the  majesty1 holiness1 goodness1 and   

excellency of ,god8 ,is there any duty  
which leads to a more particular inquiry
 after him1 or a more clear  vision of  
him1 but our hearts have been ready to  
rise up and call  it cursed rather than 
blessed8 ,are not our minds bemisted    
with an  ignorance of him1 our wills    
drawn by aversion from him1 our         
affections  rising in distaste of him8  
more willing to know anything than his  
nature1 and more industrious to do      
anything than his will8 ,do we not  all 
fall under some one or other of these   
considerations8 ,is it not  fit1 then1  
that we should have a sense of them8 ,it
 is to be bewailed  by us1 that so      
little of ,god is in our hearts1 when so
 many evidences  of the love of ,god are
 in the creatures2 that ,god should be  
so little  our end1 who hath been so    
much our benefactor2 that he should be  
so a#afi little in our thoughts1 who    
sparkles in everything which  presents  
itself to our eyes4    #b4 ,let us be   
sensible of it in others4 ,we ought to  

have a just  execration of the too open 
iniquity in the midst of us2 and imitate
  holy ,david1 whose tears plentifully  
gushed out1 8because men kept  not      
,god's law40#cje ,and is it not a time  
to exercise this pious  lamentation8    
,hath the wicked atheism of any age been
 greater1 or  can you find worse in     
hell1 than we may hear of and behold on 
earth8  ,how is the excellent ,majesty  
of ,god adored by the angels in heaven1 
despised and reproached by men on earth1
 as if his name were published  to be   
matter of their sport6 ,what a gasping  
thing is a natural sense  of ,god among 
men in the world6 ,is not the law of    
,god1 accompanied with  such dreadful   
threatenings and curses1 made light of1 
as if men would  place their honor in   
being above or beyond any sense of that 
glorious  ,majesty8 ,how many wallow in 
pleasures1 as if they had been made men 
only to turn brutes1 and their souls    
given them only for salt1 to  keep their
 bodies from putrefying8 ,it is as well 

a part of atheism not  to be sensible of
 the abuses of ,god's name and laws by  
others1 as to  violate them ourselves3  
what is the language of a stupid        
senselessness  of them1 but that there  
is no ,god in the world whose glory is  
worth  a vindication1 and deserves our  
regards8 ,that we may be sensible of    
the unworthiness of neglecting ,god as  
our rule and end1 consider1    #a4 ,the 
unreasonableness of it as it concerns   
,god4    #ast4 ,it is a high contempt of
 ,god4 ,it is an inverting the order of 
things2 a making ,god the highest to    
become the lowest2 and self the  lowest 
to become the highest3 to be guided by  
every base companion1  some idle vanity1
 some carnal interest1 is to acknowledge
 an  excellency abounding in them which 
is wanting in ,god2 an equity in  their 
orders1 and none in ,god's precepts2 a  
goodness in their promises1  and a      
falsity in ,god's2 as if infinite       
excellency were a mere vanity1  and to  
act for ,god were the debasement of our 

reason2 to act for  self or some pitiful
 creature1 or sordid lust1 were the     
glory and  advancement of it4 ,to prefer
 any one sin before the honor of ,god1  
is as if that sin had been our creator  
and benefactor1 as if it were  the      
original cause of our being and support4
 ,do not men pay as great  a homage to  
that as they do to ,god8 ,do not their  
minds eagerly pursue  it8 ,are not the  
revolvings of it1 in their fancies1 as  
delightful  to them as the remembrance  
of ,god to a holy soul8 ,do any obey the
  commands of ,god with more readiness  
than they do the orders of their  base  
affections8 ,did ,peter leap more       
readily into the sea to meet his        
,master1 than many into the jaws of hell
 to meet their ,dalilahs8 ,how          
cheerfully did the ,israelites part with
 their ornaments for the sake  of an    
idol1 who would not have spared a moiety
 for the honor of their  ,deliverer6#cjf
 ,if to make ,god our end is the        
principal duty in nature1  then to make 

ourselves1 or anything else1 our end1 is
 the greatest  vice in the rank of      
evils4    #b;d4 ,it is a contempt of    
,god as the most amiable object4 ,god is
  infinitely excellent and desirable    
7,zech4 ix4 #ag73 8,how great is his    
a#agj goodness1 and how great is his    
beauty60 ,there is nothing in  him but  
what may ravish our affections2 none    
that knows him but finds  attractives to
 keep them with him2 ,he hath nothing in
 him which can  be a proper object of   
contempt1 no defects or shadow of evil2 
there  is infinite excellency to charm  
us1 and infinite goodness to allure     
us1the ,author of our being1 the        
,benefactor of our lives4 ,why then     
should man1 which is his image1 be so   
base as to slight the beautiful         
,original which stamped it on him8 ,he  
is the most lovely object2  therefore to
 be studied1 therefore to be honored1   
therefore to be  followed4 ,in regard of
 his perfection he hath the highest     
right to our  thoughts4 ,all other      

beings were eminently contained in his  
essence1  and were produced by his      
infinite power4 ,the creature hath      
nothing  but what it hath from ,god4    
,and is it not unworthy to prefer the   
copy  before the originalto fall in love
 with a picture1 instead of the  beauty 
it represents8 ,the creature which we   
advance to be our rule and  end1 can no 
more report to us the true amiableness  
of ,god1 than a few  colors mixed and   
suited together upon a piece of cloth1  
can the moral  and intellectual         
loveliness of the soul of man4 ,to      
contemn ,god one  moment is more base   
than if all creatures were contemned by 
us forever2  because the excellency of  
creatures is1 to ,god1 like that of a   
drop to  the sea1 or a spark to the     
glory of unconceivable millions of suns4
 ,as  much as the excellency of ,god is 
above our conceptions1 so much doth  the
 debasing of him admit of unexpressible 
aggravations4    #b4 ,consider the      
ingratitude in it4 ,that we should      

resist that ,god with  our hearts who   
made us the work of his hands1 and count
 him as nothing1  from whom we derive   
all the good that we are or have4 ,there
 is no  contempt of man but steps in    
here to aggravate our slighting of ,god2
  because there is no relation one man  
can stand in to another1 wherein  ,god  
doth not more highly appear to man4 ,if 
we abhor the unworthy  carriage of a    
child to a tender father1 a servant to  
an indulgent  master1 a man to his      
obliging friend1 why do men daily act   
that  toward ,god which they cannot     
speak of without abhorrency1 if acted   
by another against man8 ,is ,god a being
 less to be regarded than man1  and more
 worthy of contempt than a creature88,it
 would be strange  if a benefactor      
should live in the same town1 in the    
same house with  us1 and we never       
exchange a word with him2 yet this is   
our case1 who  have the works of ,god in
 our eyes1 the goodness of ,god in our  
being1  the mercy of ,god in our daily  

food0#cjgyet think so little of him1    
converse so little with him1 serve      
everything before him1 and prefer       
everything above him8 ,whence have we   
our mercies but from his hand8  ,who1   
besides him1 maintains our breath this  
moment8 ,would he call  for our spirits 
this moment1 they must depart from us to
 attend  his command4 ,there is not a   
moment wherein our unworthy carriage is 
not aggravated1 because there is not a  
moment wherein he is not our  ,guardian1
 and gives us not tastes of a fresh     
bounty4 ,and it is no  light aggravation
 of our crime1 that we injure him       
without whose  bounty1 in giving us our 
being1 we had not been capable of       
casting  contempt upon him3 that he that
 hath the greatest stamp of his image1  
man1 a#aga should deserve the character 
of the worst of his rebels3  that he who
 hath only reason by the gift of ,god to
 judge of the equity  of the laws of    
,god1 should swell against them as      
grievous1 and the  government of the    

,lawgiver as burdensome4 ,can it lessen 
the crime to  use the principle wherein 
we excel the beasts to the disadvantage 
of  ,god1 who endowed us with that      
principle above the beasts8    #a4 ,it  
is a debasing of ,god beyond what the   
devil doth at present4  ,he is more     
excusable in his present state of       
acting1 than man is in  his present     
refusing ,god for his rule and end4 ,he 
strives against  a ,god that exerciseth 
upon him a vindictive justice2 we debase
 a  ,god that loads us with his daily   
mercies4 ,the despairing devils are     
excluded from any mercy or divine       
patience2 but we are not only under  the
 longsuffering of his patience1 but the 
large expressions of  his bounty4 ,he   
would not be governed by him when he was
 only his  bountiful ,creator3 we refuse
 to be guided by him after he hath given
  us the blessing of creation from his  
own hand1 and the more obliging         
blessings of redemption by the hand and 
blood of his ,son4 ,it cannot be        

imagined that the devils and the damned 
should ever make ,god their end1  since 
he hath assured them he will not be     
their happiness2 and shut up  all his   
perfections from their experimental     
notice1 but those of his  power to      
preserve them1 and his justice to punish
 them4 ,they have no  grant from ,god of
 ever having a heart to comply with his 
will1 or ever  having the honor to be   
actively employed for his glory4 ,they  
have some  plea for their present       
contempt of ,god1 not in regard of his  
nature1  for he is infinitely amiable1  
excellent and lovely1 but in regard of  
his administration toward them4 ,but    
what plea can man have for his          
practical atheism1 who lives by his     
power1 is sustained by his bounty1  and 
solicited by his ,spirit8 ,what an      
ungrateful thing is it to put off  the  
nature of man for that of devils1 and   
dishonor ,god under mercy1 as  the      
devils do under his wrathful anger6     
#b4 ,it is an ungrateful contempt of    

,god1 who cannot be injurious to us4    
,he cannot do us wrong1 because he      
cannot be unjust 7,gen4 xviii4 #be73    
8,shall not the ,judge of all the earth 
do right80 ,his nature doth as  much    
abhor unrighteousness1 as love a        
communicative goodness3 he never        
commanded anything but what was highly  
conducible to the happiness  of man4    
,infinite goodness can no more injure   
man than it can dishonor  itself3 it    
lays out itself in additions of         
kindness1 and while we  debase him1 he  
continues to benefit us2 and is it not  
an unparalleled  ingratitude to turn our
 backs upon an object so lovely1 an     
object  so loving1 in the midst of      
varieties of allurements from him8 ,god 
did create intellectual creatures1      
angels and men1 that he might           
communicate more of himself and his own 
goodness and holiness to  man1 than     
creatures of a lower rank were capable  
of4 ,what do we  do1 by rejecting him as
 our rule and end1 but cross1 as much as

 in  us lies1 ,god's end in our         
creation1 and shut our souls against the
  communications of those perfections he
 was so willing to bestow8 ,we  use him 
as if he intended us the greatest wrong1
 when it is impossible  for him to do   
any to any of his creatures4    #c4     
,consider the misery which will attend  
such a temper if it continue  a#agb     
predominant4 ,those that thrust ,god    
away as their happiness  and end1 can   
expect no other but to be thrust away by
 him1 as to any  relief and compassion4 
,a distance from ,god here can look for 
nothing1  but a remoteness from ,god    
hereafter4 ,when the devil1 a creature  
of  vast endowments1 would advance      
himself above ,god1 and instruct man  to
 commit the same sin1 he is 8cursed     
above all creatures40#cjh ,when  we will
 not acknowledge him a ,god of all      
glory1 we shall be separated  from him  
as a ,god of all comfort3 8,all they    
that are afar off shall  perish0 7,psalm
 lxxiii4 #bg74 ,this is the spring of   

all woe4 ,what the  ,prodigal suffered1 
was because he would leave his father1  
and live  of himself4 ,whosoever is     
ambitious to be his own heaven1 will at 
last find his soul to become its own    
hell4 ,as it loved all things for       
itself1 so it shall be grieved with all 
things for itself4 ,as it would  be its 
own god against the right of ,god1 it   
shall then be its own  tormentor by the 
justice of ,god4    ,secondly1 ,watch   
against this atheism1 and be daily      
employed in the  mortification of it4   
,in every action we should make the     
inquiry1  ,what is the rule ,i observe8 
,is it ,god's will or my own8 ,whether  
do my  intentions tend to set up ,god or
 self8 ,as much as we destroy this1 we  
abate the power of sin3 these two things
 are the head of the serpent  in us1    
which we must be bruising by the power  
of the cross4 ,sin is  nothing else but 
a turning from ,god1 and centering in   
self1 and most  in the inferior part of 
self3 if we bend our force against those

 two1  selfwill and selfends1 we shall  
intercept atheism at the spring head1   
take away that which doth constitute and
 animate all sin3 the sparks  must      
vanish if the fire be quenched which    
affords them fuel4 ,they  are but two   
short things to ask in every            
undertaking3 ,is ,god my rule  in regard
 of his will8 ,is ,god my end in regard 
of his glory8 ,all sin  lies in the     
neglect of these1 all grace lies in the 
practice of them4  ,without some degree 
of the mortification of these2 we cannot
 make  profitable and comfortable       
approaches to ,god4 ,when we come with  
idols  in our hearts1 we shall be       
answered according to the multitude and 
the baseness of them too4#cji ,what     
expectation of a good look from  him can
 we have1 when we come before him with  
undeifying thoughts of  him1 a petition 
in our mouths1 and a sword in our       
hearts1 to stab his  honor8 ,to this    
purpose1    #a4 ,be often in the views  
of the excellencies of ,god4 ,when we   

have  no intercourse with ,god by       
delightful meditations1 we begin to be  
estranged from him1 and prepare         
ourselves to live without ,god in the   
world4 ,strangeness is the mother and   
nurse of disaffection3 we slight  men   
sometimes because we know them not4 ,the
 very beasts delight in the  company of 
men2 when being tamed and familiar1 they
 become acquainted  with their          
disposition4 ,a daily converse with ,god
 would discover so  much of loveliness  
in his nature1 so much of sweetness in  
his ways1  that our injurious thoughts  
of ,god would wear off1 and we should   
count  it our honor to contemn ourselves
 and magnify him4 ,by this means a      
slavish fear1 which is both a dishonor  
to ,god and a torment to the  soul1#caj 
and the root of atheism1 will be cast   
out1 and an ingenuous  fear of him      
wrought in the heart4 ,exercised        
thoughts on him would  issue out in     
affections to him1 which a#agc would    
engage our hearts  to make him both our 

rule and our end4 ,this course would    
stifle any  temptations to gross        
atheism1 wherewith good souls are       
sometimes  haunted1 by confirming us    
more in the belief of a ,god1 and       
discourage  any attempts to a deliberate
 practical atheism4 ,we are not like to 
espouse any principle which is confuted 
by the delightful converse we  daily    
have with him4 ,the more we thus enter  
into the presence chamber  of ,god1 the 
more we cling about him with our        
affections1 the more  vigorous and      
lively will the true notion of ,god grow
 up in us1 and be  able to prevent      
anything which may dishonor him and     
debase our souls4  ,let us therefore    
consider him as the only happiness2 set 
up the true  ,god in our understandings2
 possess our hearts with a deep sense of
 his  desirable excellency above all    
other things4 ,this is the main thing   
we are to do in order to our great      
business3 all the directions in the     
world1 with the neglect of this1 will be

 insignificant ciphers4 ,the  neglect of
 this is common1 and is the basis of all
 the mischiefs which  happen to the     
souls of men4    #b4 ,prize and study   
the ,scripture4 ,we can have no delight 
in meditation  on him1 unless we know   
him2 and we cannot know him but by the  
means of  his own revelation2 when the  
revelation is despised1 the revealer    
will  be of little esteem4 ,men do not  
throw off ,god from being their rule1   
till they throw off ,scripture from     
being their guide2 and ,god must  needs 
be cast off from being an end1 when the 
,scripture is rejected  from being a    
rule4 ,those that do not care to know   
his will1 that love  to be ignorant of  
his nature1 can never be affected to his
 honor4 ,let  therefore the subtleties  
of reason veil to the doctrine of faith1
 and  the humor of the will to the      
command of the word4    #c4 ,take heed  
of sensual pleasures1 and be very       
watchful and cautious  in the use of    
those comforts ,god allows us4 ,job was 

afraid1 when his  8sons feasted1 that   
they should curse ,god in their         
hearts40#caa ,it  was not without cause 
that the apostle ,peter joined sobriety 
with  watchfulness and prayer 7#a ,pet4 
iv4 #g73 8,the end of all things is at  
hand2 be ye therefore sober1 and watch  
unto prayer40,a moderate use  of worldly
 comforts4,prayer is the great          
acknowledgment of ,god1 and  too much   
sensuality is a hindrance of this1 and a
 step to atheism4  ,belshazzar's lifting
 himself up against the ,lord1 and not  
glorifying  of ,god1 is charged upon his
 sensuality 7,dan4 v4 #bc74 ,nothing is 
more  apt to quench the notions of ,god1
 and root out the conscience of him1    
than an addictedness to sensual         
pleasures4 ,therefore take heed of that 
snare4    #d4 ,take heed of sins against
 knowledge4 ,the more sins against      
knowledge are committed1 the more       
careless we are1 and the more  careless 
we shall be of ,god and his honor2 we   
shall more fear his  judicial power2 and

 the more we fear that1 the more we     
shall disaffect  that ,god in whose hand
 vengeance is1 and to whom it doth      
belong4  ,atheism in conversation       
proceeds to atheism in affection1 and   
that  will endeavor to sink into atheism
 in opinion and judgment4    ,the sum of
 the whole4,and now consider in the     
whole what has been  spoken4    a#agd   
#a4 ,man would set himself up as his own
 rule4 ,he disowns the  rule of ,god1 is
 unwilling to have any acquaintance with
 the rule ,god  sets him1 negligent in  
using the means for the knowledge of his
 will1  and endeavors to shake it off   
when any notices of it break in upon    
him2 when he cannot expel it1 he hath no
 pleasure in the consideration  of it1  
and the heart swells against it4 ,when  
the notions of the will  of ,god are    
entertained1 it is on some other        
consideration1 or with  wavering and    
unsettled affections4 ,many times men   
design to improve  some lust by his     
truth4 ,this unwillingness respects     

truth as it is  most spiritual and holy2
 as it most relates and leads to ,god2  
as it  is most contrary to self4 ,he is 
guilty of contempt of the will of ,god1 
which is seen in every presumptuous     
breach of his law2 in the natural       
aversions to the declaration of his will
 and mind1 which way soever he  turns2  
in slighting that part of his will which
 is most for his honor2  in the         
awkwardness of the heart when it is to  
pay ,god a service4  ,a constraint in   
the first engagement1 slightness in the 
service1 in  regard of the matter1 in   
regard of the frame1 without a natural  
vigor4  ,many distractions1 much        
weariness1 in deserting the rule of     
,god1  when our expectations are not    
answered upon our service1 in breaking  
promises with ,god4 ,man naturally owns 
any other rule rather than that  of     
,god's prescribing3 the rule of ,satan2 
the will of man2 in complying  more with
 the dictates of men than the will of   
,god2 in observing  that which is       

materially so1 not because it is his    
will1 but the  injunctions of men2 in   
obeying the will of man when it is      
contrary  to the will of ,god4 ,this man
 doth in order to the setting up        
himself4  ,this is natural to man as he 
is corrupted4 ,men are dissatisfied with
  their own consciences when they       
contradict the desires of self4 ,most   
actions in the world are done1 more     
because they are agreeable to self1     
than as they are honorable to ,god2 as  
they are agreeable to natural  and moral
 self1 or sinful self4 ,it is evident in
 neglects of taking  ,god's directions  
upon emergent occasions2 in counting the
 actions  of others to be good or bad1  
as they suit with1 or spurn against our 
fancies and humors4 ,man would make     
himself the rule of ,god1 and give  laws
 to his ,creator1 in striving against   
his law2 disapproving of his  methods of
 government in the world2 in impatience 
in our particular  concerns2 envying the
 gifts and prosperity of others2 corrupt

 matter  or ends of prayer or praise2   
bold interpretations of the judgments   
of ,god in the world2 mixing rules in   
the worship of ,god with those  which   
have been ordained by him2 suiting      
interpretations of ,scripture  with our 
own minds and humors2 falling off from  
,god after some fair  compliances1 when 
his will grates upon us1 and crosseth   
ours4    #b4 ,man would be his own end4 
,this is natural and universal4 ,this is
  seen in frequent selfapplauses and    
inward overweening reflections2 in      
ascribing the glory of what we do or    
have to ourselves2 in desire of         
selfpleasing doctrines2 in being highly 
concerned in injuries done  to          
ourselves1 and little or not at all     
concerned for injuries done to  ,god2 in
 trusting in ourselves2 in workings for 
carnal self against the  light of our   
own consciences3 this is a usurping     
,god's prerogative1  vilifying ,god1    
destroying ,god4 ,man would make        
anything his end or  happiness rather   

than ,god4 ,this appears in the a#age   
fewer thoughts  we have of him than of  
anything else2 in the greedy pursuit of 
the  world2 in the strong addictedness  
to sensual pleasures2 in paying  a      
service1 upon any success in the world1 
to instruments more than  to ,god3 this 
is a debasing ,god in setting up a      
creature1 but more  in setting up a base
 lust2 it is a denying of ,god4 ,man    
would make  himself the end of all      
creatures4 ,in pride2 using the         
creatures  contrary to the end ,god hath
 appointed3 this is to dishonor ,god1   
and  it is diabolical4 ,man would make  
himself the end of ,god2 in loving      
,god1 because of some selfpleasing      
benefits distributed by him2 in         
abstinence from some sins1 because they 
are against the interest  of some other 
beloved corruption2 in performing duties
 merely for  a selfish interest1 which  
is evident in unwieldiness in religious 
duties1 where self is not concerned2 in 
calling upon ,god only in  a time of    

necessity2 in begging his assistance to 
our own projects  after we have by our  
own craft1 laid the plot2 in impatience 
upon  a refusal of our desires2 in      
selfish aims we have in our duties3 this
  is a vilifying ,god1 a dethroning him2
 in unworthy imaginations of  ,god1     
universal in man by nature4 ,hence      
spring idolatry1 superstition1          
presumption1 the common disease of the  
world4 ,this is a vilifying ,god2  worse
 than idolatry1 worse than absolute     
atheism4 ,natural desires to  be distant
 from him2 no desires for the           
remembrance of him2 no desires  of      
converse with him2 no desires of a      
thorough return to him2 no  desire of   
any close imitation of him4             
a#agf                      ,,discourse  
,,iii4                           ,,on   
,,god',s ,,being ,a ,,spirit4           
,,john iv4 #bd;,god is a ,spirit3 and   
they that worship him must      worship 
him in spirit and in truth4      ,,the  
words are part of the dialogue between  

our ,saviour and the  ,samaritan        
woman4#cab ,christ1 intending to return 
from ,judea to  ,galilee1 passed through
 the country of ,samaria1 a place       
inhabited not  by ,jews1 but a mixed    
company of several nations1 and some    
remainders  of the posterity of ,israel1
 who escaped the captivity1 and were    
returned from ,assyria2 and being weary 
with his journey1 arrived  about the    
sixth hour or noon 7according to the    
,jews' reckoning the  time of the day71 
at a well that ,jacob had digged1 which 
was of great  account among the         
inhabitants for the antiquity of it1 as 
well as the  usefulness of it1 in       
supplying their necessities3 he being   
thirsty1  and having none to furnish him
 wherewith to draw water1 at last comes 
a woman from the city1 whom he desires  
to give him some water to  drink4 ,the  
woman1 perceiving him by his language or
 habit to be a ,jew1  wonders at the    
question1 since the hatred the ,jews    
bore the ,samaritans  was so great1 that

 they would not vouchsafe to have any   
commerce with  them1 not only in        
religious1 but civil affairs1 and common
 offices  belonging to mankind4 ,hence  
our ,saviour takes occasion to publish  
to  her the doctrine of the gospel2 and 
excuseth her rude answer by her         
ignorance of him2 and tells her1 that if
 she had asked him a greater  matter1   
even that which concerned her eternal   
salvation1 he would  readily have       
granted it1 notwithstanding the rooted  
hatred between  the ,jews and           
,samaritans2 and bestowed a water of a  
greater virtue1  the 8water of          
life40#cac ,the woman is no less        
astonished at his reply  than she was at
 his first demand4 ,it was strange to   
hear a man speak  of giving living water
 to one of whom he had begged the water 
of that  spring1 and had no vessel to   
draw any to quench his own thirst4 ,she 
therefore demands whence he could have  
this water that he speaks  of1#cad since
 she conceived him not greater than     

,jacob1 who had  digged that well and   
drank of it4 ,our ,saviour1 desirous to 
make a  progress in that work he had    
begun1 extols the water he spake of1    
above this of the well1 from its        
particular virtue fully to refresh      
those that drank of it1 and be as a     
cooling and comforting fountain  within 
them1 of more efficacy than that        
without4#cae ,the woman1  conceiving a  
good opinion of our ,saviour1 a#agg     
desires to partake  of this water1 to   
save her pains in coming daily to the   
well1 not  apprehending the spirituality
 of ,christ's discourse to her3#caf     
,christ finding her to take some        
pleasure in his discourse1 partly  to   
bring her to a sense of her sin1 before 
he did communicate the  excellency of   
his grace1 bids her return back to the  
city and bring  her husband with her to 
him4 #cag ,she freely acknowledges that 
she  had no husband2 whether having some
 check of conscience at present for  the
 unclean life she led1 or loth to lose  

so much time in the gaining  this water 
so much desired by her3#cah our ,saviour
 takes an occasion  from this to lay    
open her sin before her1 and to make her
 sensible of  her own wicked life and   
the prophetic excellency of himself2 and
 tells  her she had had five husbands1  
to whom she had been false1 and by whom 
she was divorced1 and the person she now
 dwelt with was not her lawful  husband1
 and in living with him she violated the
 rights of marriage1  and increased     
guilt upon her conscience4#cai ,the     
woman being affected  with this         
discourse1 and knowing him to be a      
stranger that could not  be certified of
 those things but in an extraordinary   
way1 begins to  have a high esteem of   
him as a prophet4#cbj ,and upon this    
opinion  she esteems him able to decide 
a question1 which had been canvassed    
between them and the ,jews1 about the   
place of worship4#cba ,their  fathers   
worshipping in that mountain1 and the   
,jews affirming ,jerusalem  to be a     

place of worship1 she pleads the        
antiquity of the worship in  this place1
 ,abraham having built an altar there   
7,gen4 xii4 #g71 and  ,jacob1 upon his  
return from ,syria4 ,and1 surely1 had   
the place been  capable of an exception1
 such persons as they1 and so well      
acquainted  with the will of ,god1 would
 not have pitched upon that place to    
celebrate their worship4 ,antiquity     
hath1 too1 too often bewitched the      
minds of men1 and drawn them from the   
revealed will of ,god4 ,men are  more   
willing to imitate the outward actions  
of their famous ancestors1  than conform
 themselves to the revealed will of     
their ,creator4 ,the  ,samaritans would 
imitate the patriarchs in the place of  
worship1 but  not in the faith of the   
worshippers4 ,christ answers her1 that  
this  question would quickly be resolved
 by a new state of the church1 which    
was near at hand2 and neither           
,jerusalem1 which had now the           
precedency1  nor that mountain1 should  

be of any more value in that concern1   
than  any other place in the world3#cbb 
but yet1 to make her sensible of  her   
sin and that of her countrymen1 tells   
her1 that their worship  in that        
mountain was not according to the will  
of ,god1 he having  long after the      
altars built in this place1 fixed       
,jerusalem as the  place of sacrifices2 
besides1 they had not the knowledge of  
that  ,god which ought to be worshipped 
by them1 but the ,jews had the 8true    
object of worship10 and the 8true manner
 of worship1 according to  the          
declaration ,god had made of himself to 
them40#cbc ,but all that  service shall 
vanish1 the veil of the temple shall be 
rent in twain1  and that carnal worship 
give place to one more spiritual2       
shadows  shall fly before substance1 and
 truth advance itself above figures2    
and the worship of ,god shall be with   
the strength of the ,spirit3 such  a    
worship1 and such worshippers doth the  
,father seek2#cbd for 8,god is  a a#agh 

,spirit3 and those that worship him must
 worship him in spirit  and in truth40  
,the design of our ,saviour is to       
declare1 that ,god is  not taken with   
external worship invented by men1 no1   
nor commanded by  himself2 and that upon
 this reason1 because he is a spiritual 
essence1  infinitely above gross and    
corporeal matter1 and is not taken with 
that pomp which is a pleasure to our    
earthly imaginations4      4 ,some      
translate it just as the words lie3     
8,spirit is  ,god40#cbe ,but it is not  
unusual1 both in the ,old and ,new      
,testament  languages1 to put the       
predicate before the subject1 as ,psalm 
v4 #i1  8,their throat is an open       
sepulchre20 in the ,hebrew1 8,a         
sepulchre open  their throat20 so ,psalm
 cxi4 #c1 8,his work is honorable and   
glorious20  ,heb4 8,honor and glory is  
his work20 and there wants not one      
example  in the same evangelist 7,john  
i4 #a71 8,and the ,word was ,god20      
,greek1  8,and ,god was the ,word30 in  

all1 the predicate1 or what is ascribed1
  is put before the subject to which it 
is ascribed4 ,one tells us1 and  he1 a  
head of a party that hath made a        
disturbance in the church of  ,god1#cbf 
that this place is not aptly brought to 
prove ,god to be a  ,spirit2 and the    
reason of ,christ runs not thus1,god is 
of a spiritual  essence1 and therefore  
must be worshipped with a spiritual     
worship2  for the essence of ,god is not
 the foundation of his worship1 but his 
will2 for then we were not to worship   
him with a corporeal worship1  because  
he is not a body2 but with an invisible 
and eternal worship1  because he is     
invisible and eternal4 ,but the nature  
of ,god is the  foundation of worship2  
the will of ,god is the rule of worship2
 the  matter and manner is to be        
performed according to the will of ,god4
  ,but is the nature of the object of   
worship to be excluded8 ,no2 as the     
object is1 so ought our devotion to be1 
spiritual as he is spiritual4  ,god1 in 

his commands for worship1 respected the 
discovery of his  own nature2 in the    
law1 he respected the discovery of his  
mercy and  justice1 and therefore       
commanded a worship by sacrifices2 a    
spiritual  worship without those        
institutions would not have declared    
those  attributes which was ,god's end  
to display to the world in ,christ2  and
 though the nature of ,god is to be     
respected in worship1 yet the           
obligations of the creature are to be   
considered4 ,god is a ,spirit1          
therefore must have a spiritual worship2
 the creature hath a body as  well as a 
soul1 and both from ,god2 and therefore 
ought to worship ,god  with the one as  
well as the other1 since one as well as 
the other is  freely bestowed upon him4 
,the spirituality of ,god was the       
foundation  of the change from the      
,judaical carnal worship to a more      
spiritual  and evangelical4    ,god is a
 ,spirit2 that is1 he hath nothing      
corporeal1 no mixture of  matter1 not a 

visible substance1 a bodily form4#cbg   
,he is a ,spirit1  not a bare spiritual 
substance1 but an understanding1 willing
 ,spirit1  holy1 wise1 good1 and just4  
,before1 ,christ spake of the           
,father1#cbh  the first person in the   
,trinity2 now he speaks of ,god         
essentially3 the  word ,father is       
personal1 the word ,god essential2 so   
that our ,saviour  would render a       
reason1 not from any one person in the  
blessed ,trinity1  but from the ,divine 
nature1 why we should worship in spirit1
 and  therefore makes use of the word   
,god1 the being a ,spirit being common  
a#agi to the other persons with the     
,father4 ,this is the reason of  the    
proposition 7ver4 #bc71 8,of a spiritual
 worship40 ,every nature  delights in   
that which is like it1 and distastes    
that which is most  different from it4  
,if ,god were corporeal1 he might be    
pleased with the  victims of beasts1 and
 the beautiful magnificence of temples1 
and the  noise of music2 but being a    

,spirit1 he cannot be gratified with    
carnal  things2 he demands something    
better and greater than all those1that  
soul which he made1 that soul which he  
hath endowed1 a spirit of a  frame      
suitable to his nature4 ,he indeed      
appointed sacrifices1 and a  temple1 as 
shadows of those things which were to be
 most acceptable  to him in the         
,messiah1 but they were imposed only    
8till the time of  reformation40#cbi    
,must worship him2 not they may1 or it  
would be more agreeable to  ,god to have
 such a manner of worship2 but they     
must4 ,it is not  exclusive of bodily   
worship2 for this were to exclude all   
public  worship in societies1 which     
cannot be performed without reverential 
postures of the body4#ccj ,the gestures 
of the body are helps to  worship1 and  
declarations of spiritual acts4 ,we can 
scarcely worship  ,god with our spirits 
without some tincture upon the outward  
man2 but  he excludes all acts merely   
corporeal1 all resting upon an external 

service and devotion1 which was the     
crime of the ,pharisees1 and the        
general persuasion of the ,jews as well 
as heathens1 who used the  outward      
ceremonies1 not as signs of better      
things1 but as if they did  of          
themselves please ,god1 and render the  
worshippers accepted with  him1 without 
any suitable frame of the inward        
man4#cca ,it is as if  he had said1 ,now
 you must separate yourselves from all  
carnal modes  to which the service of   
,god is now tied1 and render a worship  
chiefly  consisting in the affectionate 
motions of the heart1 and accommodated  
more exactly to the condition of the    
object1 who is a ,spirit4    ,in spirit 
and truth4#ccb ,the evangelical service 
now required has  the advantage of the  
former2 that was a shadow and figure1   
this the  body and truth4#ccc ,spirit1  
say some1 is here opposed to the legal  
ceremonies2 truth1 to hypocritical      
services2 or1 rather truth is  opposed  
to shadows1#ccd and an opinion of worth 

in the outward action2  it is           
principally opposed to external rites1  
because our ,saviour saith  7ver4 #bc73 
8,the hour comes1 and now is10 c4 ,had  
it been opposed to  hypocrisy1 ,christ  
had said no new thing2 for ,god always  
required truth  in the inward parts1 and
 all true worshippers had served him    
with a  sincere conscience and single   
heart4 ,the old patriarchs did worship  
,god in spirit and truth1 as taken for  
sincerity2 such a worship  was always1  
and is perpetually due to ,god1 because 
he always was1 and  eternally will be1 a
 ,spirit4#cce ,and it is said1 8,the    
,father seeks  such to worship him10    
not1 shall seek2 he always sought it2 it
 always  was performed to him by one or 
other in the world3 and the prophets    
had always rebuked them for resting upon
 their outward solemnities  7,isa4      
lviii4 #g1 and ,micah vi4 #h73 but a    
worship without legal rites  was proper 
to an evangelical state and the times of
 the gospel1 ,god  having then exhibited

 ,christ1 and brought into the world the
 substance  of those a#ahj shadows1 and 
the end of those institutions2 there was
  no more need to continue them when the
 true reason of them was ceased4  ,all  
laws do naturally expire when the true  
reason upon which they were  first      
framed is changed4 ,or by spirit may be 
meant1 such a worship as  is kindled in 
the heart by the breath of the ,holy    
,ghost4 ,since we are  dead in sin1 a   
spiritual light and flame in the heart1 
suitable to the  nature of the object of
 our worship1 cannot be raised in us    
without  the operation of a supernatural
 grace2 and though the fathers could    
not worship ,god without the ,spirit1   
yet in the gospeltimes1 there  being a  
fuller effusion of the ,spirit1 the     
evangelical state is called1  8the      
administration of the ,spirit10 and 8the
 newness of the ,spirit10  in opposition
 to the legal economy1 entitled the     
8oldness of the  letter40#ccf ,the      
evangelical state is more suited to the 

nature  of ,god than any other2 such a  
worship ,god must have1 whereby he is   
acknowledged to be the true sanctifier  
and quickener of the soul4 ,the  nearer 
,god doth approach to us1 and the more  
full his manifestations  are1 the more  
spiritual is the worship we return to   
,god4 ,the gospel  pares off the rugged 
parts of the law1 and heaven shall      
remove what is  material in the gospel1 
and change the ordinances of worship    
into that  of a spiritual praise4    ,in
 the words there is3 #a4 ,a             
proposition18,god is a ,spirit20 the    
foundation of all religion4 #b4 ,an     
inference18,they that worship  him10 c4 
,as ,god1 a worship belongs to him2 as a
 ,spirit1 a spiritual worship  is due to
 him3 in the inference we have1 #a4 ,the
 manner of worship1  8in spirit and     
truth20 #b4 ,the necessity of such a    
worship1 8must40    ,the proposition    
declares the nature of ,god2 the        
inference1 the duty  of man4 ,the       
observations lie plain4    ,obs4 #a4    

,god is a pure spiritual being3 8he is a
 ,spirit40 #b4 ,the  worship due from   
the creature to ,god must be agreeable  
to the nature  of ,god1 and purely      
spiritual4 #c4 ,the evangelical state is
 suited to  the nature of ,god4    ,i4  
,for the first3 8,god is a pure         
spiritual being40 ,it is the            
observation of one1#ccg that the plain  
assertion of ,god's being a  ,spirit is 
found but once in the whole ,bible1 and 
that is in this place2  which may well  
be wondered at1 because ,god is so often
 described  with hands1 feet1 eyes1 and 
ears1 in the form and figure of a man4  
,the spiritual nature of ,god is        
deducible from many places2 but not     
anywhere1 as ,i remember1 asserted      
totidem verbis1 but in this text3  some 
allege that place 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #ag71  
8,the ,lord is that ,spirit10  for the  
proof of it2 but that seems to have a   
different sense3 in the  text1 the      
nature of ,god is described2 in that    
place1 the operations  of ,god in the   

gospel4 8,it is not the ministry of     
,moses1 or that old  covenant1 which    
communicates to you that ,spirit it     
speaks of2 but it  is the ,lord ,jesus1 
and the doctrine of the gospel delivered
 by him1  whereby this ,spirit and      
liberty is dispensed to you2 he opposes 
here  the liberty of the gospel to the  
servitude of the law20#cch it is  from  
,christ that a divine virtue diffuseth  
itself by the gospel2  it is by him1 not
 by the law1 that we partake of that    
,spirit4 ,the  spirituality of ,god is  
a#aha as evident as his being4#cci ,if  
we grant that ,god is1 we must          
necessarily grant that he cannot be     
corporeal1 because a body is of an      
imperfect nature4 ,it will appear       
incredible to any that acknowledge ,god 
the first ,being and ,creator of  all   
things1 that he should be a massy1 heavy
 body1 and have eyes and  ears1 feet and
 hands1 as we have4,for the explication 
of it1    #a4 ,spirit is taken various  
ways in ,scripture4 ,it signifies       

sometimes  an arial substance1 as ,psalm
 xi4 #f2 a horrible tempest 7,heb4 a    
spirit of tempest72 sometimes the       
breath1 which is a thin substance       
7,gen4 vi4 #ag73 8,all flesh1 wherein is
 the breath of life0 7,heb4 spirit  of  
life74 ,a thin substance1 though it be  
material and corporeal1 is  called      
spirit2 and in the bodies of living     
creatures1 that which is  the principle 
of their actions is called spirits1 the 
animal and vital  spirits4 ,and the     
finer parts extracted from plants and   
minerals we  call spirits1 those        
volatile parts separated from that gross
 matter  wherein they were immersed1    
because they come nearest to the nature 
of an incorporeal substance2 and from   
this notion of the word1 it is          
translated to signify those substances  
that are purely immaterial1 as  angels  
and the souls of men4 ,angels are called
 spirits 7,psalm civ4 #d73  8,who makes 
his angels spirits20#cdj and not only   
good angels are so  called1 but evil    

angels 7,mark i4 #bg72 souls of men are 
called spirits  7,eccles4 xii472 and the
 soul of ,christ is called so 7,john    
xix4 #cj72  whence ,god is called 8the  
,god of the spirits of all flesh0       
7,numb4 xxii4  #af74 ,and spirit is     
opposed to flesh 7,isa4 xxxi4 #c73 8,the
 ,egyptians  are flesh1 and not spirit40
 ,and our ,saviour gives us the notion  
of  a spirit to be something above the  
nature of a body 7,luke xxiv4 #ci71     
8not having flesh and bones10 extended  
parts1 loads of gross matter4  ,it is   
also taken for those things which are   
active and efficacious2  because        
activity is of the nature of a spirit3  
,caleb had another  spirit 7,numb4 xiv4 
#bd71 an active affection4 ,the vehement
 motions  of sin are called spirit      
7,hos4 iv4 #ab73 8the spirit of         
whoredoms10  in that sense that ,prov4  
xxix4 #aa1 8a fool utters all his mind10
 all  his spirit2 he knows not how to   
restrain the vehement motions of his    
mind4 ,so that the notion of a spirit   

is1 that it is a fine1 immaterial       
substance1 an active being1 that acts   
itself and other things4 ,a mere  body  
cannot act itself2 as the body of man   
cannot move without the  soul1 no more  
than a ship can move itself without wind
 and waves4 ,so  ,god is called a       
,spirit1 as being not a body1 not having
 the greatness1  figure1 thickness1 or  
length of a body1 wholly separate from  
anything  of flesh and matter4 ,we find 
a principle within us nobler than that  
of  our bodies2 and1 therefore1 we      
conceive the nature of ,god1 according  
to that which is more worthy in us1 and 
not according to that which is  the     
vilest part of our natures4 ,god is a   
most spiritual ,spirit1 more  spiritual 
than all angels1 all souls4#cda ,as he  
exceeds all in the  nature of being1 so 
he exceeds all in the nature of spirit3 
he hath  nothing gross1 heavy1 material1
 in his essence4    #b4 ,when we say    
,god is a ,spirit1 it is to be          
understood by way of  negation4 ,there  

are two ways of knowing or describing   
,god3 by way  of affirmation1 affirming 
that of him by way of eminency1 which is
  excellent in the creature1 as when we 
say ,god is wise1 good2 the a#ahb       
other1 by way of negation1 when we      
remove from ,god in our conceptions     
what is tainted with imperfection in the
 creature4#cdb ,the first  ascribes to  
him whatsoever is excellent2 the other  
separates from  him whatsoever is       
imperfect4 ,the first is like a limning1
 which adds  one color to another to    
make a comely picture2 the other is like
  a carving1 which pares and cuts away  
whatsoever is superfluous1 to  make a   
complete statue4 ,this way of negation  
is more easy2 we better  understand what
 ,god is not1 than what he is2 and most 
of our knowledge  of ,god is by this    
way2 as when we say ,god is infinite1   
immense1  immutable1 they are negatives2
 he hath no limits1 is confined to  no  
place1 admits of no change4#cdc ,when we
 remove from him what is  inconsistent  

with his being1 we do more strongly     
assert his being1  and know more of him 
when we elevate him above all1 and above
 our own  capacity4 ,and when we say    
,god is a ,spirit1 it is a negation2 he 
is  not a body2 he consists not of      
various parts1 extended one without  and
 beyond another4 ,he is not a spirit1 so
 as our souls are1 to be  the form of   
any body2 a spirit1 not as angels and   
souls are1 but  infinitely higher4 ,we  
call him so1 because1 in regard of our  
weakness1  we have not any other term of
 excellency to express or conceive of   
him by2 we transfer it to ,god in honor1
 because spirit is the highest          
excellency in our nature3 yet we must   
apprehend ,god above any spirit1  since 
his nature is so great that he cannot be
 declared by human  speech1 perceived by
 human sense1 or conceived by human     
understanding4    ,,ii4 ,the second     
thing1 that 8,god is a ,spirit40 ,some  
among the heathens  imagined ,god to    
have a body2#cdd some thought him to    

have a body  of air2 some a heavenly    
body2 some a human body2#cde and many of
  them ascribed bodies to their gods1   
but bodies without blood1 without       
corruption1 bodies made up of the finest
 and thinnest atoms2 such  bodies1      
which1 if compared with ours1 were as no
 bodies4 ,the ,sadducees  also1 who     
denied all spirits1 and yet acknowledged
 a ,god1 must  conclude him to be a     
body1 and no spirit4 ,some among        
,christians have  been of that opinion4 
,tertullian is charged by some1 and     
excused by  others2 and some monks of   
,egypt were so fierce for this error1   
that  they attempted to kill one        
,theophilus1 a bishop1 for not being of 
that judgment4 ,but the wiser heathens  
were of another mind1#cdf and  esteemed 
it an unholy thing to have such         
imaginations of ,god4#cdg  ,and some    
,christians have thought ,god only to be
 free from anything of  body1 because he
 is omnipresent1 immutable1 he is only  
incorporeal and  spiritual2 all things  

else1 even the angels1 are clothed with 
bodies1  though of a neater matter1 and 
a more active frame than ours2 a pure   
spiritual nature they allowed to no     
being but ,god4 ,scripture and  reason  
meet together to assert the spirituality
 of ,god4 ,had ,god had  the lineaments 
of a body1 the ,gentiles had not fallen 
under that  accusation of changing his  
glory into that of a corruptible        
man4#cdh  ,this is signified by the name
 ,god gives himself 7,exod4 iii4 #ad73  
8,i  am that ,i am20 a simple1 pure1    
uncompounded a#ahc being1 without  any  
created mixture2 as infinitely above the
 being of creatures as  above the       
conceptions of creatures 7,job xxxvii4  
#bc73 8,touching the  ,almighty1 we     
cannot find him out40 ,he is so much a  
,spirit1 that he  is the 8,father of    
spirits0 7,heb4 xii4 #i74 ,the ,almighty
 ,father is not  of a nature inferior to
 his children4 ,the soul is a spirit2 it
 could  not else exert actions without  
the assistance of the body1 as the act  

of understanding itself1 and its own    
nature1 the act of willing1 and  willing
 things against the incitements and     
interest of the body4 ,it  could not    
else conceive of ,god1 angels1 and      
immaterial substances2  it could not    
else be so active1 as with one glance to
 fetch a  compass from earth to heaven1 
and by a sudden motion1 to elevate the  
understanding from an earthly thought1  
to the thinking of things as  high as   
the highest heavens4 ,if we have this   
opinion of our souls1  which1 in the    
nobleness of their acts1 surmount the   
body1 without  which the body is but a  
dull inactive piece of clay1 we must    
needs  have a higher conception of ,god1
 than to clog him with any matter1      
though of a finer temper than ours3 we  
must conceive of him by the  perfections
 of our souls1 without the vileness of  
our bodies4 ,if ,god  made man according
 to his image1 we must raise our        
thoughts of ,god  according to the      
noblest part of that image1 and imagine 

the exemplar  or copy not to come short1
 but to exceed the thing copied by it4  
,god were not the most excellent        
substance if he were not a ,spirit4     
,spiritual substances are more excellent
 than bodily2 the soul of man  more     
excellent than other animals2 angels    
more excellent than men4  ,they contain1
 in their own nature1 whatsoever dignity
 there is in the  inferior creatures2   
,god must have1 therefore1 an excellency
 above all  those1 and1 therefore1 is   
entirely remote from the conditions of a
  body4 ,it is a gross conceit1         
therefore1 to think that ,god is such a 
spirit as the air is2 for that is to be 
a body as the air is1 though  it be a   
thin one2 and if ,god were no more a    
spirit than that1 or than  angels1 he   
would not be the most simple being4#cdi 
,yet some think  that the spiritual     
,deity was represented by the air in the
 ark of  the testament4#cej ,it was     
unlawful to represent him by any image  
that ,god had prohibited4 ,everything   

about the ark had a particular          
signification4 ,the gold and other      
ornaments about it signified  something 
of ,christ1 but were unfit to represent 
the nature of ,god3 a  thing purely     
invisible1 and falling under nothing of 
sense1 could not  represent him to the  
mind of man4 ,the air in the ark was the
 fittest2  it represented the           
invisibility of ,god1 air being         
imperceptible to our  eyes4 ,air        
diffuseth itself through all parts of   
the world2 it glides  through secret    
passages into all creatures2 it fills   
the space between  heaven and earth4    
,there is no place wherein ,god is not  
present4 ,to  evidence this1    #a4 ,if 
,god were not a ,spirit1 he could not be
 ,creator4 ,all multitude  begins in1   
and is reduced to unity4 ,as above      
multitude there is  an absolute unity1  
so above mixed creatures there is an    
absolute  simplicity4 ,you cannot       
conceive number without conceiving the  
beginning of it in that which was not   

number1 viz4 a unit4 ,you cannot        
conceive any mixture1 but you must      
conceive some simple thing to  be the   
original and basis of it4 ,the works of 
art done by a#ahd  rational creatures   
have their foundation in something      
spiritual4 ,every  artificer1           
watchmaker1 carpenter1 hath a model in  
his own mind of the  work he designs to 
frame3 the material and outward fabric  
is squared  according to an inward and  
spiritual idea4 ,a spiritual idea speaks
  a spiritual faculty as the subject of 
it4 ,god could not have an idea  of that
 vast number of creatures he brought    
into being1 if he had not  had a        
spiritual nature4#cea ,the wisdom       
whereby the world was created  could    
never be the fruit of a corporeal       
nature2 such natures are  not capable of
 understanding and comprehending the    
things which are  within the compass of 
their nature1 much less of producing    
them2 and  therefore beasts which have  
only corporeal faculties move to objects

  by the force of their sense1 and have 
no knowledge of things as they  are     
comprehended by the understanding of    
man4 ,all acts of wisdom speak  an      
intelligent and spiritual agent4 ,the   
effects of wisdom1 goodness1  power1 are
 so great and admirable1 that they      
bespeak him a more  perfect and eminent 
being than can possibly be beheld under 
a bodily  shape4 ,can a corporeal       
substance put 8wisdom in the inward     
parts1 and  give understanding to the   
heart80#ceb    #b4 ,if ,god were not a  
pure ,spirit1 he could not be one4 ,if  
,god had a  body1 consisting of distinct
 members1 as ours2 or all of one nature1
  as the water and air are1 yet he were 
then capable of division1 and  therefore
 could not be entirely one4 ,either     
those parts would be  finite or         
infinite3 if finite1 they are not parts 
of ,god2 for to be  ,god and finite is a
 contradiction2 if infinite1 then there 
are as many  infinite as distinct       
members1 and therefore as many ,deities4

 ,suppose  this body had all parts of   
the same nature1 as air and water hath1 
every little part of air is as much air 
as the greatest1 and every  little part 
of water is as much water as the ocean2 
so every little  part of ,god would be  
as much ,god as the whole2 as many      
particular  ,deities to make up ,god1 as
 little atoms to compose a body4 ,what  
can be  more absurd8 ,if ,god had a body
 like a human body1 and were compounded 
of body and soul1 of substance and      
quality1 he could not be the most       
perfect unity2 he would be made up of   
distinct parts1 and those of  a distinct
 nature1 as the members of a human body 
are4 ,where there  is the greatest      
unity1 there must be the greatest       
simplicity2 but ,god  is one4 ,as he is 
free from any change1 so he is void of  
any multitude  7,deut4 vi4 #d73 8,the   
,lord our ,god is one ,lord40    #c4 ,if
 ,god had a body as we have1 he would   
not be invisible4 ,every  material thing
 is not visible3 the air is a body yet  

invisible1 but  it is sensible2 the     
cooling quality of it is felt by us at  
every  breath1 and we know it by our    
touch1 which is the most material sense4
  ,everybody that hath members like to  
bodies1 is visible2 but ,god is         
invisible4#cec ,the apostle reckons it  
amongst his other perfections  7#a ,tim4
 i4 #ag73 8,now unto the ,king eternal1 
immortal1 invisible40  ,he is invisible 
to our sense1 which beholds nothing but 
material  and colored things2 and       
incomprehensible to our understanding1  
that  conceives nothing but what is     
finite4 ,god is therefore a ,spirit     
incapable of being seen1 and infinitely 
incapable of being understood4  a#ahe   
,if he be invisible1 he is also         
spiritual4 ,if he had a body1 and  hid  
it from our eyes1 he might be said not  
to be seen1 but could not  be said to be
 invisible4 ,when we say a thing is     
visible1 we understand  that it hath    
such qualities which are the objects of 
sense1 though we  may never see that    

which is in its own nature to be seen4  
,god hath no  such qualities as fall    
under the perception of our sense4 ,his 
works  are visible to us1 but not his   
,godhead4#ced ,the nature of a human    
body is to be seen and handled2 ,christ 
gives us such a description of  it      
7,luke xxiv4 #ci73 8,handle me and see1 
for a spirit hath not flesh  and bones  
as you see me have20 but man hath been  
so far from seeing  ,god1 8that it is   
impossible he can see him0 7#a ,tim4 vi4
 #af74 ,there  is such a disproportion  
between an infinite object and a finite 
sense  and understanding1 that it is    
utterly impossible either to behold or  
comprehend him4 ,but if ,god had a body 
more luminous and glorious than  that of
 the sun1 he would be as well visible to
 us as the sun1 though  the immensity of
 that light would dazzle our eyes1 and  
forbid any  close inspection into him by
 the virtue of our sense4 ,we have seen 
the shape and figure of the sun1 but 8no
 man hath ever seen the shape  of       

,god40#cee ,if ,god had a body1 he were 
visible1 though he might not  perfectly 
and fully be seen by us2#cef as we see  
the heavens1 though  we see not the     
extension1 latitude1 and greatness of   
them4 ,though  ,god hath manifested     
himself in a bodily shape 7,gen4 xviii4 
#a71 and  elsewhere ,jehovah appeared to
 ,abraham1 yet the substance of ,god was
  not seen1 no more than the substance  
of angels was seen in their  apparitions
 to men4 ,a body was formed to be made  
visible by them1 and  such actions done 
in that body1 that spake the person that
 did them  to be of a higher eminency   
than a bare corporeal creature4         
,sometimes  a representation is made to 
the inward sense and imagination1 as to 
,micaiah1#ceg and to ,isaiah 7vi4 #a72  
but they saw not the essence of  ,god1  
but some images and figures of him      
proportioned to their sense  or         
imagination4 ,the essence of ,god no man
 ever saw1 nor can see4 ,john  i4 #ah4  
,nor doth it follow that ,god hath a    

body1#ceh because ,jacob  is said to    
8see ,god face to face0 7,gen4 xxxii4   
#cj72 and ,moses had the  like privilege
 7,deut4 xxxiv4 #aj74 ,this only        
signifies a fuller and  clearer         
manifestation of ,god by some           
representations offered to the  bodily  
sense1 or rather to the inward spirit4  
,for ,god tells ,moses he  could not see
 his face 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #bj72 and that
 none ever saw the  similitude of ,god  
7,deut4 iv4 #ae74 ,were ,god a corporeal
 substance1 he  might in some measure be
 seen by corporeal eyes4    #d4 ,if ,god
 were not a ,spirit1 he could not be    
infinite4 ,all bodies are  of a finite  
nature2 everybody is material1 and every
 material thing  is terminated4 ,the    
sun1 a vast body1 hath a bounded        
greatness2 the  heavens1 of a mighty    
bulk1 yet have their limits4 ,if ,god   
had a body he  must consist of parts1   
those parts would be bounded and        
limited1 and  whatsoever is limited is  
of a finite virtue1 and therefore below 

an  infinite nature4 ,reason therefore  
tells us1 that the most excellent       
nature1 as ,god is1 cannot be of a      
corporeal condition2 because of the     
limitation and other actions which      
belong to every a#ahf body4 ,god  is    
infinite1 8for the heaven of heavens    
cannot contain him0 7#b ,chron4  ii4    
#f74 ,the largest heavens1 and those    
imaginary spaces beyond the  world1 are 
no bounds to him4 ,he hath an essence   
beyond the bounds of  the world1 and    
cannot be included in the vastness of   
the heavens4 ,if  ,god be infinite1 then
 he can have no parts in him2 if he had1
 they  must be finite or infinite3      
finite parts can never make up an       
infinite  being4 ,a vessel of gold1 of a
 pound weight1 cannot be made of the    
quantity of an ounce4 ,infinite parts   
they cannot be1 because then  every part
 would be equal to the whole1 as        
infinite as the whole1  which is        
contradictory4 ,we see in all things    
every part is less than  the whole bulk 

that is composed of it2 as every member 
of a man is  less than the whole body of
 man4 ,if all the parts were finite1    
then  ,god in his essence were finite2  
and a finite ,god is not more excellent 
than a creature3 so that if ,god were   
not a ,spirit1 he could not be          
infinite4    #e4 ,if ,god were not a    
,spirit1 he could not be an independent 
being4  ,whatsoever is compounded of    
many parts depends either essentially or
  integrally upon those parts2 as the   
essence of a man depends upon the       
conjunction and union of his two main   
parts1 his soul and body2 when  they are
 separated1 the essence of a man        
ceaseth3 and the perfection  of a man   
depends upon every member of the body2  
so that if one be  wanting the          
perfection of the whole is wanting3 as  
if a man hath lost  a limb1 you call him
 not a perfect man1 because that part is
 gone upon  which his perfection as an  
entire man did depend4 ,if ,god         
therefore  had a body1 the perfection of

 the ,deity would depend upon every part
  of that body2 and the more parts he   
were compounded of1 the more  his       
dependency would be multiplied according
 to the number of those  parts of the   
body3 for that which is compounded of   
many parts is more  dependent than that 
which is compounded of fewer4 ,and      
because ,god  would be a dependent being
 if he had a body1 he could not be the  
first  being2 for the compounding parts 
are in order of nature before that      
which is compounded by them2 as the soul
 and body are before the man  which     
results from the union of them4 ,if ,god
 had parts and bodily  members as we    
have1 or any composition1 the essence of
 ,god would  result from those parts1   
and those parts be supposed to be before
  ,god4 ,for that which is a part1 is   
before that whose part it is4 ,as  in   
artificial things you may conceive it3  
all the parts of a watch  or clock are  
in time before that watch which is made 
by setting those  parts together4 ,in   

natural things you must suppose the     
members of a  body framed before you can
 call it a man2 so that the parts of    
this  body are before that which is     
constituted by them4 ,we can conceive no
  other of ,god1 if he were not a pure1 
entire1 unmixed ,spirit4 ,if he had     
distinct parts1 he would depend upon    
them2 those parts would be before  him2 
his essence would be the effect of those
 distinct parts1 and so  he would not be
 absolutely and entirely the first      
being2 but he is so  7,isa4 xliv4 #f73  
8,i am the first1 and ,i am the last40  
,he is the first2  nothing is before    
him4 ,whereas1 if he had bodily parts1  
and those  finite1 it would follow1 ,god
 is made up of those parts which are not
  ,god2 and that which is not ,god1 is  
in order of nature before that  which is
 ,god4 ,so that we see if ,god were not 
a ,spirit he could not  be independent4 
a#ahg #f4 ,if ,god were not a ,spirit1  
he were not immutable and  unchangeable4
 ,his immutability depends upon his     

simplicity4 ,he  is unchangeable in his 
essence1 because he is a pure and       
unmixed  spiritual ,being4 ,whatsoever  
is compounded of parts may be divided   
into those parts1 and resolved into     
those distinct parts which make  up and 
constitute the nature4 ,whatsoever is   
compounded is changeable  in its own    
nature1 though it should never be       
changed4 ,adam1 who was  constituted of 
body and soul1 had he stood in          
innocence1 had not died2  there had been
 no separation made between his soul and
 body whereof he  was constituted1 and  
his body had not resolved into those    
principles  of dust from whence it was  
extracted4 ,yet in his own nature he was
  dissoluble into those distinct parts  
whereof he was compounded2 and so  the  
glorified saints in heaven1 after the   
resurrection1 and the happy  meeting of 
their souls and bodies in a new marriage
 knot1 shall never  be dissolved2 yet in
 their own nature they are mutable and  
dissoluble1  and cannot be otherwise1   

because they are made up of such        
distinct  parts that may be separated in
 their own nature1 unless sustained by  
the grace of ,god3 they are immutable by
 will1 the will of ,god1 not  by nature4
 ,god is immutable by nature as well as 
will3 as he hath  a necessary existence1
 so he hath a necessary unchangeableness
 7,mal4  iii4 #f71 8,i1 the ,lord1      
change not40 ,he is as unchangeable in  
his  essence as in his veracity and     
faithfulness3 they are perfections      
belonging to his nature4 ,but if he were
 not a pure ,spirit1 he could  not be   
immutable by nature4    #g4 ,if ,god    
were not a pure ,spirit1 he could not be
 omnipresent4 ,he  is in heaven above1  
and the earth below2#cei he fills heaven
 and  earth4#cfj ,the divine essence is 
at once in heaven and earth2 but  it is 
impossible a body can be in two places  
at one and the same time4  ,since ,god  
is everywhere1 he must be spiritual4    
,had he a body1 he could  not penetrate 
all things2 he would be circumscribed in

 place4 ,he could  not be everywhere but
 in parts1 not in the whole2 one member 
in one  place1 and another in another2  
for to be confined to a particular      
place1 is the property of a body3 but1  
since he is diffused through  the whole 
world1 higher than heaven1 deeper than  
hell1 longer than the  earth1 broader   
than the sea1#cfa he hath not any       
corporeal matter4  ,if he had a body    
wherewith to fill heaven and earth1     
there could be no  body besides his own3
 it is the nature of bodies to bound one
 another1  and hinder the extending of  
one another4 ,two bodies cannot be in   
the  same place in the same point of    
earth3 one excludes the other2 and it   
will follow hence that we are nothing1  
no substances1 mere illusions2  there   
could be no place for anybody else4#cfb 
,if his body were as big  as the world1 
as it must be if with that he filled    
heaven and earth1  there would not be   
room for him to move a hand or a foot1  
or extend  a finger2 for there would be 

no place remaining for the motion4      
#h4 ,if ,god were not a ,spirit1 he     
could not be the most perfect being4    
,the more perfect anything is in the    
rank of creatures1 the more  spiritual  
and simple it is1 as gold is the more   
pure and perfect that  hath least       
mixture of other metals4 ,if ,god were  
not a ,spirit1 a#ahh  there would be    
creatures of a more excellent nature    
than ,god1 as  angels and souls1 which  
the ,scripture call spirits1 in         
opposition to  bodies4 ,there is more of
 perfection in the first notion of a    
spirit  than in the notion of a body4   
,god cannot be less perfect than his    
creatures1 and contribute an excellency 
of being to them which he  wants        
himself4 ,if angels and souls possess   
such an excellency1 and  ,god want that 
excellency1 he would be less than his   
creatures1 and  the excellency of the   
effect would exceed the excellency of   
the cause4  ,but every creature1 even   
the highest creature1 is infinitely     

short of  the perfection of ,god2 for   
whatsoever excellency they have is      
finite  and limited2 it is but a spark  
from the suna drop from the ocean2  but 
,god is unboundedly perfect1 in the     
highest manner1 without any  limitation2
 and therefore above spirits1 angels1   
the highest creatures  that were made by
 him3 an infinite sublimity1 a pure act1
 to which  nothing can be added1 from   
which nothing can be taken4 8,in him    
there  is light and no darkness10#cfc   
spirituality without any matter1        
perfection without any shadow or taint  
of imperfection4 ,light pierceth  into  
all things1 preserves its own purity1   
and admits of no mixture of  anything   
else with it4    ,question4 ,it may be  
said1 ,if ,god be a ,spirit1 and it is  
impossible  he can be otherwise than a  
,spirit1 how comes ,god so often to have
 such  members as we have in our bodies 
ascribed to him1 not only a soul1 but   
particular bodily parts1 as heart1 arms1
 hands1 eyes1 ears1 face1 and  back     

parts8 ,and how is it that he is never  
called a ,spirit in plain  words1 but in
 this text by our ,saviour8    ,answer4 
,it is true1 many parts of the body1 and
 natural affections  of the human       
nature1 are reported of ,god in         
,scripture4 ,head1#cfd eyes1  and       
eyelids1#cfe apple of the eye1 mouth1   
c42 our affections also1  grief1 joy1   
anger1 c4 ,but it is to be considered1  
#a4 ,that this is in condescension to   
our weakness4 ,god being desirous  to   
make himself known to man1 whom he      
created for his glory1 humbles1  as it  
were1 his own nature to such            
representations as may suit and  assist 
the capacity of the creature2 since by  
the condition of our  nature nothing    
erects a notion of itself in our        
understanding1 but  as it is conducted  
in by our sense4#cff ,god hath served   
himself of  those things which are most 
exposed to our sense1 most obvious to   
our understandings1 to give us some     
acquaintance with his own nature1  and  

those things which otherwise we were not
 capable of having any  notion of4 ,as  
our souls are linked with our bodies1 so
 our knowledge  is linked with our      
sense2 that we can scarce imagine       
anything1 at  first1 but under a        
corporeal form and figure1 till we come1
 by great  attention to the object1 to  
make1 by the help of reason1 a          
separation  of the spiritual substance  
from the corporeal fancy1 and consider  
it  in its own nature4 ,we are not able 
to conceive a spirit1 without some  kind
 of resemblance to something below it1  
nor understand the actions  of a spirit1
 without considering the operations of a
 human body in  its several members4 ,as
 the glories of another life are        
signified  to us by the pleasures of    
this2 so the nature of ,god1 by a       
gracious  condescension to our          
capacities1 is a#ahi signified to us by 
a  likeness to our own4 ,the more       
familiar the things are to us which     
,god uses to this purpose1 the more     

proper they are to teach us what  he    
intends by them4    #b4 ,all such       
representations are to signify the acts 
of ,god1 as they  bear some likeness to 
those which we perform by those members 
he  ascribes to himself4 ,so that those 
members ascribed to him rather note  his
 visible operations to us1 than his     
invisible nature2 and signify  that ,god
 doth some works like to those which men
 do by the assistance  of those organs  
of their bodies4 ,so the wisdom of ,god 
is called  his eye1 because he knows    
that with his mind which we see with our
  eyes4#cfg ,the efficiency of ,god is  
called his hand and arm2 because  as we 
act with our hands1 so doth ,god with   
his power4 ,the divine  efficacies are  
signified3by his eyes and ears1 we      
understand his  omniscience2 by his     
face1 the manifestation of his favor2 by
 his  mouth1 the revelation of his will2
 by his nostrils1 the acceptation  of   
our prayers2 by his bowels1 the         
tenderness of his compassion2 by  his   

heart1 the sincerity of his affections2 
by his hand1 the strength  of his power2
 by his feet1 the ubiquity of his       
presence4 ,and in this1  he intends     
instruction and comfort3 by his eyes1 he
 signifies his  watchfulness over us2 by
 his ears1 his readiness to hear the    
cries  of the oppressed2#cfh by his arm1
 his poweran arm to destroy  his        
enemies1 and an arm to relieve his      
people4#cfi ,all those are  attributed  
to ,god to signify divine actions1 which
 he doth without  bodily organs as we do
 with them4    #c4 ,consider also1 that 
only those members which are the        
instruments  of the noblest actions1 and
 under that consideration1 are used  by 
him to represent a notion of him to our 
minds4 ,whatsoever is  perfect and      
excellent is ascribed to him1 but       
nothing that savors  of                 
imperfection4#cgj ,the heart is ascribed
 to him1 it being the  principle of     
vital actions1 to signify the life that 
he hath in  himself2 watchful and       

discerning eyes1 not sleepy and lazy    
ones2 a  mouth to reveal his will1 not  
to take in food4 ,to eat and sleep are  
never ascribed to him1 nor those parts  
that belong to the preparing or         
transmitting nourishment to the several 
parts of the body1 as stomach1  liver1  
reins1 nor bowels under that            
consideration1 but as they are          
significant of compassion2 but only     
those parts are ascribed to him  whereby
 we acquire knowledge1 as eyes and ears1
 the organs of learning  and wisdom2 or 
to communicate it to others1 as the     
mouth1 lips1 tongue1  as they are       
instruments of speaking1 not of tasting2
 or those parts  which signify strength 
and power1 or whereby we perform the    
actions of  charity for the relief of   
others2 taste and touch1 senses that    
extend  no farther than to corporeal    
things1 and are the grossest of all the 
senses1 are never ascribed to him4      
#d4 ,it were worth consideration1       
8whether this describing ,god by the    

members of a human body were so much    
figuratively to be understood1  as with 
respect to the incarnation of our       
,saviour1 who was to assume  the human  
nature1 and all the members of a human  
body80#cga ,asaph1  speaking in the     
person of ,god 7,psalm lxxviii4 #a71    
a#aij 8,i will  open my mouth in        
parables20 in regard of ,god it is to be
 understood  figuratively1 but in regard
 of ,christ literally1 to whom it is    
applied  7,matt4 xiii4 #cd1 #ce72 and   
that apparition 7,isa4 vi47 which was   
the  appearance of ,jehovah1 is applied 
to ,christ 7,john xii4 #dj1 #da74 ,after
  the report of the creation1 and the   
forming of man1 we read of ,god's       
speaking to him1 but not of ,god's      
appearing to him in any visible         
shape4#cgb ,a voice might be formed in  
the air to give man notice of  his duty2
 some way of information he must have   
what positive laws he  was to observe1  
besides that law which was engraven in  
his nature1  which we call the law of   

nature2 and without a voice the         
knowledge  of the divine will could not 
be so conveniently communicated to man4 
,though ,god was heard in a voice1 he   
was not seen in a shape2 but after  the 
fall we several times read of his       
appearing in such a form2 though  we    
read of his speaking before man's       
committing of sin1 yet not of  his      
walking1 which is more corporeal1 till  
afterwards4#cgc 8,though  ,god would not
 have man believe him to be corporeal1  
yet he judged it  expedient to give some
 prenotices of that divine incarnation  
which  he had promised40#cgd    #e4     
,therefore1 we must not conceive of the 
visible ,deity according to  the letter 
of such expressions1 but the true intent
 of them4 ,though  the ,scripture speaks
 of his eyes and arm1 yet it denies them
 to be  8arms of flesh40#cge ,we must   
not conceive of ,god according to the   
letter1 but the design of the metaphor4 
,when we hear things described  by      
metaphorical expressions1 for the       

clearing them up to our fancy1  we      
conceive not of them under that garb1   
but remove the veil by an  act of our   
reason4 ,when ,christ is called a sun1 a
 vine1 bread1 is  any so stupid as to   
conceive him to be a vine with material 
branches1  and clusters1 or be of the   
same nature with a loaf8 ,but the things
  designed by such metaphors are obvious
 to the conception of a mean            
understanding4 ,if we would conceive    
,god to have a body like a man1  because
 he describes himself so1 we may conceit
 him to be like a bird1  because he is  
mentioned with wings2#cgf or like a     
lion1 or leopard1  because he likens    
himself to them in the acts of his      
strength and  fury4#cgg ,he is called a 
rock1 a horn1 fire1 to note his strength
  and wrath2 if any be so stupid as to  
think ,god to be really such1  they     
would make him not only a man but worse 
than a monster4 ,onkelos1  the ,chaldee 
paraphrast upon parts of the ,scripture1
 was so tender of  expressing the notion

 of any corporeity in ,god1 that when he
 meets  with any expressions of that    
nature1 he translates them according to 
the true intent of them2 as when ,god is
 said to descend 7,gen4 xi4 #e71  which 
implies a local motion1 a motion from   
one place to another1 he  translates it1
 8,and ,god revealed himself40#cgh ,we  
should conceive of  ,god according to   
the design of the expressions2 when we  
read of his  eyes1 we should conceive   
his omniscience2 of his hand1 his power2
  of his sitting1 his immutability2 of  
his throne1 his majesty2 and  conceive  
of him as surmounting1 not only the     
grossness of bodies1  but the spiritual 
excellency a#aia of the most dignified  
creatures2  something so perfect1 great1
 spiritual1 as nothing can be conceived 
higher and purer4 8,christ10 saith one1 
8is truly ,deus figuratus2 and  for his 
sake1 was it more easily permitted to   
the ,jews to think of ,god  in the shape
 of a man40#cgi    ,use4 ,if ,god be a  
pure spiritual being1 then    #a4 ,man  

is not the image of ,god1 according to  
his external bodily form  and figure4   
,the image of ,god in man consisted not 
in what is seen1  but in what is not    
seen2 not in the conformation of the    
members1 but  rather in the spiritual   
faculties of the soul2 or1 most of all1 
in  the holy endowments of those        
faculties 7,eph4 iv4 #bd73 8,that ye put
  on the new man1 which after ,god is   
created in righteousness and  true      
holiness40#chj ,the image which is      
restored by redeeming grace1  was the   
image of ,god by original nature4 ,the  
image of ,god cannot be  in that part   
which is common to us with beasts1 but  
rather in that  wherein we excel all    
living creatures1 in reason1            
understanding1 and  an immortal spirit4 
,god expressly saith1 that none 8saw a  
similitude0  of him 7,deut4 iv4 #ae1    
#af72 which had not been true1 if man1  
in regard  of his body1 had been the    
image and similitude of ,god1 for then a
  figure of ,god had been seen every    

day1 as often as we saw a man or  beheld
 ourselves4 ,nor would the apostle's    
argument stand good 7,acts  xvii4 #bi71 
8,that the ,godhead is not like to stone
 graven by art10 if  we were not the    
offspring of ,god1 and bore the stamp of
 his nature in  our spirits rather than 
our bodies4#cha ,it was a fancy of      
,eugubinus1  that when ,god set upon the
 actual creation of man1 he took a      
bodily  form for an exemplar of that    
which he would express in his work1 and 
therefore that the words of ,moses#chb  
are to be understood of the  body of    
man2 because there was in man such a    
shape which ,god had then  assumed4 ,to 
let alone ,god's forming himself a body 
for that work as  a groundless fancy1   
man can in no wise be said to be the    
image of ,god1  in regard of the        
substance of his body2 but beasts may as
 well be said  to be made in the image  
of ,god1 whose bodies have the same     
members as  the body of man for the most
 part1 and excel men in the acuteness of

  the senses and swiftness of their     
motion1 agility of body1 greatness  of  
strength1 and in some kind of           
ingenuities also1 wherein man hath  been
 a scholar to the brutes1 and beholden  
to their skill4 ,the soul  comes nearest
 the nature of ,god1 as being a         
spiritual substance2 yet  considered    
singly1 in regard of its spiritual      
substance1 cannot well  be said to be   
the image of ,god2 a beast1 because of  
its corporeity1  may as well be called  
the image of a man1 for there is a      
greater  similitude between man and a   
brute1 in the rank of bodies1 than there
  can be between ,god and the highest   
angels in the rank of spirits4 ,if  it  
doth not consist in the substance of the
 soul1 much less can it in  any         
similitude of the body4 ,this image     
consisted partly in the state  of man1  
as he had dominion over the creatures2  
partly in the nature of  man1 as he was 
an intelligent being1 and thereby was   
capable of having  a grant of that      

dominion2 but principally in the        
conformity of the  soul with a#aib ,god1
 in the frame of his spirit1 and the    
holiness of  his actions2 not at all in 
the figure and form of his body1        
physically1  though morally there might 
be1 as there was a rectitude in the body
  as an instrument to conform to the    
holy motions of the soul1 as the        
holiness of the soul sparkled in the    
actions and members of the body4  ,if   
man were like ,god because he hath a    
body1 whatsoever hath a body  hath some 
resemblance to ,god1 and may be said to 
be in part his image2  but the truth is1
 the essence of all creatures cannot be 
an image of  the immense essence of     
,god4    #b4 ,if ,god be a pure ,spirit1
 8it is unreasonable to frame any image 
or  picture of ,god40#chc ,some heathens
 have been wiser in this than some      
,christians2 ,pythagoras forbade his    
scholars to engrave any shape of  him   
upon a ring1 because he was not to be   
comprehended by sense1 but  conceived   

only in our minds3 our hands are as     
unable to fashion him1  as our eyes to  
see him4#chd ,the ancient ,romans       
worshipped their gods  one hundred and  
seventy years before any material       
representations  of them2#che and the   
ancient idolatrous ,germans thought it a
 wicked  thing to represent ,god in a   
human shape2 yet some1 and those no     
,romanists1 labor to defend the making  
images of ,god in the resemblance  of   
man1 because he is so represented in    
,scripture3 8,he may be10 saith         
one1#chf 8conceived so in our minds1 and
 figured so to our sense40 ,if  this    
were a good reason1 why may he not be   
pictured as a lion1 horn1  eagle1 rock1 
since he is under such metaphors        
shadowed to us8 ,the  same ground there 
is for the one as for the other4 ,what  
though man  be a nobler creature1 ,god  
hath no more the body of a man than that
  of an eagle2 and some perfections in  
other creatures represent some          
excellencies in his nature and actions  

which cannot be figured by a  human     
shape1 as strength by the lion1         
swiftness and readiness by the  wings of
 the bird4 ,but ,god hath absolutely    
prohibited the making 8any  image0      
whatsoever of him1 and that with        
terrible threatenings 7,exod4  xx4 #e73 
8,i1 the ,lord1 am a jealous ,god1      
visiting the iniquities of the  fathers 
upon their children10 and ,deut4 v4 #h1 
#i4 ,after ,god had given  the          
,israelites the commandment wherein he  
forbade them to have any  other gods    
before him1 be forbids all figuring of  
him by the hand of  man2#chg not only   
images1 but any likeness of him1 either 
by things  in heaven1 in the earth1 or  
in the water4 ,how often doth he        
discover  his indignation by the        
prophets1 against them that offer to    
mould  him in a creature form6 ,this law
 was not to serve a particular          
dispensation1 or to endure a particular 
time1 but it was a declaration  of his  
will1 invariable in all places and all  

times2 being founded  upon the immutable
 nature of his being1 and therefore     
agreeable to  the law of nature1        
otherwise not chargeable upon the       
heathens2 and  therefore when ,god had  
declared his nature and his works in a  
stately  and majestic eloquence1 he     
demands of them1 8,to whom they would   
liken  him1 or what likeness they would 
compare unto him80 7,isa4 xl4 #ah72     
a#aic where they could find anything    
that would be a lively image  and       
resemblance of his infinite excellency8 
founding it upon the  infiniteness of   
his nature1 which necessarily implies   
the spirituality  of it1 ,god is        
infinitely above any statue3 and those  
that think to  draw ,god by a stroke of 
a pencil1 or form him by the engravings 
of  art1 are more stupid than the       
statues themselves4 ,to show the        
unreasonableness of it1 consider1    #a4
 ,it is impossible to fashion any image 
of ,god4 ,if our more capacious  souls  
cannot grasp his nature1 our weaker     

sense cannot frame his image2  it is    
more possible1 of the two1 to comprehend
 him in our minds1 than  to frame him in
 an image to our sense4 ,he inhabits    
inaccessible light2  as it is impossible
 for the eye of man to see him1 it is   
impossible  for the art of man to paint 
him upon walls1 and carve him out of    
wood4  ,none knows him but himself1 none
 can describe him but himself4#chh  ,can
 we draw a figure of our own souls1 and 
express that part of  ourselves1 wherein
 we are most like to ,god8 ,can we      
extend this to any  bodily figure1 and  
divide it into parts8 ,how can we deal  
so with the  original copy1 whence the  
first draught of our souls was taken1   
and  which is infinitely more spiritual 
than men or angels8 ,no corporeal  thing
 can represent a spiritual substance2   
there is no proportion  in nature       
between them4 ,god is a simple1         
infinite1 immense1 eternal1  invisible1 
incorruptible being2 a statue is a      
compounded1 finite1  limited1 temporal1 

visible1 and corruptible body4 ,god is a
 living  spirit2 but a statue nor sees1 
nor hears1 nor perceives anything4 ,but 
suppose ,god had a body1 it is          
impossible to mould an image of it in   
the true glory of that body2 can the    
statue of an excellent monarch          
represent the majesty and air of his    
countenance1 though made by the         
skilfullest workman in the world8 ,if   
,god had a body in some measure  suited 
to his excellency1 were it possible for 
man to make an exact  image of him1 who 
cannot picture the light1 heat1 motion1 
magnitude1  and dazzling property of the
 sun8 ,the excellency of any corporeal  
nature of the least creature1 the       
temper1 instinct1 artifice1 are  beyond 
the power of a carving tool2 much more  
is ,god4    #b4 ,to make any corporeal  
representations of ,god is unworthy of  
,god4  ,it is a disgrace to his nature4 
,whosoever thinks a carnal corruptible  
image to be fit for a representation of 
,god1 renders ,god no better  than a    

carnal and a corporeal being4 ,it is a  
kind of debasing an angel1  who is a    
spiritual nature1 to represent him in a 
bodily shape1 who is  as far removed    
from any fleshliness as heaven from     
earth2 much more to  degrade the glory  
of the divine nature to the lineaments  
of a man4 ,the  whole stock of images is
 but a lie of ,god 7,jer4 x4 #h1 #ad72 a
 doctrine  of vanities and falsehood2 it
 represents him in a false garb to the  
world1 and sinks his glory into that of 
a corruptible creature4#chi  ,it impairs
 the reverence of ,god in the minds of  
men1 and by degrees  may debase men's   
apprehensions of ,god1 and be a means to
 make  them believe he is such a one as 
themselves2 and that not being  free    
from the figure1 he is not also free    
from the imperfections  of the          
bodies4#cij ,corporeal images of ,god   
were the fruits of base  imaginations of
 him2 and as they sprung from them1 so  
a#aid they  contribute to a greater     
corruption of the notions of the divine 

nature3  the heathens begun their first 
representations of him by the image  of 
a corruptible man1 then of birds1 till  
they descended not only to  fourfooted  
beasts but creeping things1 even        
serpents1 as the apostle  seems to      
intimate in his enumeration 7,rom4 i4   
#bc73 it had been more  honorable to    
have continued in human representations 
of him1 than have  sunk so low as beasts
 and serpents1 the baser images2 though 
the first  had been infinitely unworthy 
of him1 he being more above a man1      
though  the noblest creature1 than man  
is above a worm1 a toad1 or the most    
despicable creeping thing upon the      
earth4 ,to think we can make an  image  
of ,god of a piece of marble1 or an     
ingot of gold1 is a greater  debasing of
 him1 than it would be of a great       
prince1 if you should  represent him in 
the statue of a frog4 ,when the         
,israelites represented  ,god by a calf1
 it is said 8they sinned a great sin0   
7,exod4 xxxii4 #ca73  and the sin of    

,jeroboam1 who intended only a          
representation of ,god by  the calves at
 ,dan and ,bethel1 is called more       
emphatically1#cia 8the  wickedness of   
your wickedness10 the very scum and     
dregs of wickedness4  ,as men debased   
,god by this1 so ,god debased men for   
this2 he degraded  the ,israelites into 
captivity1 under the worst of their     
enemies1 and  punished the heathens with
 spiritual judgments1 as uncleanness    
through  the lusts of their own hearts  
7,rom4 i4 #bd72 which is repeated again 
in other expressions 7ver4 #bf1 #bg71 as
 a meet recompense for their  disgracing
 the spiritual nature of ,god4 ,had ,god
 been like to man1 they  had not        
offended in it2 but ,i mention this1 to 
show a probable reason  of those base   
lusts which are in the midst of us1 that
 have scarce  been exceeded by any      
nation1 viz41 the unworthy and          
unspiritual  conceits of ,god1 which are
 as much a debasing of him as material  
images were when they were more rife in 

the world2 and may be as well  the cause
 of spiritual judgments upon men1 as the
 worshipping molten  and carved images  
were the cause of the same upon the     
heathen4    #c4 ,yet this is natural to 
man4 ,wherein we may see the contrariety
  of man to ,god4 ,though ,god be a     
,spirit1 yet there is nothing man is    
more prone to1 than to represent him    
under a corporeal form4 ,the  most      
famous guides of the heathen world have 
fashioned him1 not only  according to   
the more honorable images of men1 but   
bestialized him  in the form of a brute4
 ,the ,egyptians1 whose country was the 
school  of learning to ,greece1 were    
notoriously guilty of this brutishness  
in  worshipping an ox for an image of   
their ,god2 and the ,philistines their  
,dagon1 in a figure composed of the     
image of a woman and a fish3#cib  such  
representations were ancient in the     
oriental parts4 ,the gods of  ,laban1   
that he accuseth ,jacob of stealing from
 him1 are supposed to  be little figures

 of men4#cic ,such was the ,israelites' 
golden calf2  their worship was not     
terminated on the image1 but they       
worshipped the  true ,god under that    
representation2 they could not be so    
brutish as to  call a calf their        
deliverer1 and give him so great a title
 78,these be  thy gods1 ,o ,israel1     
which brought thee up out of the land of
 ,egypt10  ,exod4 xxxii4 #d73 or that   
which they knew belonged to the true    
,god1  8the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1   
a#aie and ,jacob40#cid ,they knew the   
calf  to be formed of their earrings1   
but they had consecrated it to ,god  as 
a representation of him2 though they    
chose the form of the ,egyptian  idol1  
yet they knew that ,apis1 ,osiris1 and  
,isis1 the gods of the  ,egyptians      
adored in that figure1 had not wrought  
their redemption from  bondage1 but     
would have used their force1 had they   
been possessed of  any1 to have kept    
them under the yoke1 rather than have   
freed them  from it2 the feast also     

which they celebrated before that image1
 is  called by ,aaron the feast of the  
,lord 7,exod4 xxxii4 #e72 a feast to    
,jehovah1 the incommunicable name of the
 creator of the world2 it is  therefore 
evident1 that both the priest and the   
people pretended to  serve the true     
,god1 not any false divinity of ,egypt2 
that ,god who  had rescued them from    
,egypt1 with a mighty hand1 divided the 
,red  ,sea before them1 destroyed their 
enemies1 conducted them1 fed them  by   
miracle1 spoken to them from ,mount     
,sinai1 and amazed them by his          
thunderings and lightnings when he      
instructed them by his law2 a ,god  whom
 they could not so soon forget4 ,and    
with this representing ,god  by that    
image1 they are charged by the ,psalmist
 7,psalm cvi4 #ai1 #bj71  8they made a  
calf in ,horeb1 and changed their glory 
into a similitude  of an ox that eateth 
grass30 they changed their glory1 that  
is1 ,god1  the glory of ,israel2 so that
 they took this figure for the image of 

the true ,god of ,israel1 their own     
,god2 not the ,god of any other nation  
in the world4 ,jeroboam intended no     
other by his calves1 but symbols of  the
 presence of the true ,god2 instead of  
the ark and the propitiatory  which     
remained among the ,jews4 ,we see the   
inclination of our natures  in the      
practice of the ,israelites2 a people   
chosen out of the whole  world to bear  
up ,god's name1 and preserve his glory2 
and in that the  images of ,god were so 
soon set up in the ,christian church2   
and to this  day1 the picture of ,god1  
in the shape of an old man1 is visible  
in the  temple of the ,romanists4 ,it is
 prone to the nature of man1    #d4 ,to 
represent ,god by a corporeal image2 and
 to worship him in and  by that image1  
is idolatry4 ,though the ,israelites did
 not acknowledge  the calf to be ,god1  
nor intended a worship to any of the    
,egyptian  deities by it2 but worshipped
 that ,god in it1 who had so lately and 
miraculously delivered them from a cruel

 servitude2 and could not in  natural   
reason judge him to be clothed with a   
bodily shape1 much less  to be like an  
ox that eateth grass2 yet the apostle   
brings no less  a charge against them   
than that of idolatry 7#a ,cor4 x4 #g72 
he calls  them idolaters1 who before    
that calf kept a feast to ,jehovah1     
citing  ,exod4 xxxii4 #e4 ,suppose we   
could make such an image of ,god as     
might  perfectly represent him2 yet     
since ,god hath prohibited it1 shall we 
be wiser than ,god8 ,he hath            
sufficiently manifested himself in his  
works without images3 ,he is seen in the
 creatures1 more particularly  in the   
heavens1 which declare his glory4 ,his  
works are more excellent                
representations of him1 as being the    
works of his own hands1 than  anything  
that is the product of the art of man4  
,his glory sparkles in  the heavens1    
sun1 moon1 and stars1 as being          
magnificent pieces of his  wisdom and   
power2 yet the kissing the hand to the  

sun or the heavens1  as representatives 
of the a#aif excellency and majesty of  
,god1  is idolatry in ,scripture        
account1 and a denial of ,god2#cie a    
prostituting the glory of ,god to a     
creature4 ,either the worship is        
terminated on the image itself1 and then
 it is confessed by all to  be idolatry1
 because it is a giving that worship to 
a creature which  is the sole right of  
,god1 or not terminated in the image1   
but in  the object represented by it2 it
 is then a foolish thing2 we may as     
well terminate our worship on the true  
object without1 as with an  image4#cif  
,an erected statue is no sign or symbol 
of ,god's special  presence1 as the ark1
 tabernacle1 temple were4 ,it is no part
 of divine  institution2 has no         
authority of a command to support it2 no
 cordial  of a promise to encourage it2 
and the image being infinitely distant  
from1 and below the majesty and         
spirituality of ,god1 cannot constitute 
one object of worship with him4 ,to put 

a religious character upon any  image   
formed by the corrupt imagination of    
man1 as a representation of  the        
invisible and spiritual ,deity1 is to   
think the ,godhead to be like  silver   
and gold1 or stone graven by art and    
man's device4#cig    ,,iii4 ,this       
doctrine will direct us in our          
conceptions of ,god1 as a pure  perfect 
,spirit1 than which nothing can be      
imagined more perfect1 more  pure1 more 
spiritual4    #a4 ,we cannot have an    
adequate or suitable conception of ,god3
 ,he dwells  in inaccessible light2     
inaccessible to the acuteness of our    
fancy1  as well as the weakness of our  
sense4 ,if we could have thoughts of    
him1 as high and excellent as his       
nature1 our conceptions must be as      
infinite as his nature4 ,all our        
imaginations of him cannot represent    
him1 because every created species is   
finite2 it cannot therefore  represent  
to us a full and substantial notion of  
an infinite ,being4 ,we  cannot speak or

 think worthily enough of him1 who is   
greater than our  words1 vaster than our
 understandings4 ,whatsoever we speak or
 think  of ,god1 is handed first to us  
by the notice we have of some perfection
  in the creature1 and explains to us   
some particular excellency of ,god1     
rather than the fulness of his essence4 
,no creature1 nor all creatures         
together1 can furnish us with such a    
magnificent notion of ,god1 as can  give
 us a clear view of him4 ,yet ,god in   
his word is pleased to step  below his  
own excellency1 and point us to those   
excellencies in his  works1 whereby we  
may ascend to the knowledge of those    
excellencies  which are in his nature4  
,but the creatures1 whence we draw our  
lessons1  being finite1 and our         
understandings being finite1 it is      
utterly  impossible to have a notion of 
,god commensurate to the immensity and  
spirituality of his being4 8,god is not 
like to visible creatures1 nor  is there
 any proportion between him and the most

 spiritual40#cih ,we  cannot have a full
 notion of a spiritual nature1 much less
 can we have  of ,god1 who is a ,spirit 
above spirits4 ,no spirit can clearly   
represent  him3 the angels1 that are    
great spirits1 are bounded in their     
extent1  finite in their being1 and of a
 mutable nature4 ,yet though we cannot  
have a suitable conception of ,god1 we  
must not content ourselves  without any 
conception of him4 ,it is our sin not to
 endeavor after  a true notion of a#aig 
him3 it is our sin to rest in a mean and
  low notion of him1 when our reason    
tells us we are capable of having       
higher3 but if we ascend as high as we  
can1 though we shall then  come short of
 a suitable notion of him1 this is not  
our sin1 but our  weakness4 ,god is     
infinitely superior to the choicest     
conceptions1 not  only of a sinner1 but 
of a creature4 ,if all conceptions of   
,god below  the true nature of ,god were
 sin1 there is not a holy angel in      
heaven  free from sin2 because1 though  

they are the most capacious creatures1  
yet they cannot have such a notion of an
 infinite ,being as is fully  suitable  
to his nature1 unless they were infinite
 as he himself is4    #b4 ,but1 however1
 we must by no means conceive of ,god   
under a human or  corporeal shape4      
,since we cannot have conceptions       
honorable enough for  his nature1 we    
must take heed we entertain not any     
which may debase  his nature2 though we 
cannot comprehend him as he is1 we must 
be  careful not to fancy him to be what 
he is not4 ,it is a vain thing to       
conceive him with human lineaments3 we  
must think higher of him than  to       
ascribe to him so mean a shape3 we deny 
his spirituality when we  fancy him     
under such a form4 ,he is spiritual1 and
 between that which  is spiritual and   
that which is corporeal1 there is no    
resemblance4#cii  ,indeed1 ,daniel saw  
,god in a human form 7,dan4 vii4 #i73   
8,the ,ancient  of days did sit1 whose  
garment was white as snow1 and the hairs

 of  his head like pure wool30 he is    
described as coming to judgment2 it  is 
not meant of ,christ probably1 because  
,christ 7ver4 #ac7 is called  the ,son  
of ,man coming near to the ,ancient of  
days4 ,this is not the  proper shape of 
,god1 for no man hath seen his shape4   
,it was a vision  wherein such          
representations were made1 as were      
accommodated to  the inward sense of    
,daniel2 ,daniel saw him in a rapture or
 ecstacy1  wherein outward senses are of
 no use4 ,god is described1 not as he is
  in himself1 of a human form1 but in   
regard of his fitness to judge3         
8white10 notes the purity and simplicity
 of the ,divine nature2  8,ancient of   
days10 in regard of his eternity2 8white
 hair10 in regard  of his prudence and  
wisdom1 which is more eminent in age    
than youth1  and more fit to discern    
causes and to distinguish between right 
and  wrong4 ,visions are riddles1 and   
must not be understood in a literal     
sense4 ,we are to watch against such    

determinate conceptions of ,god4  ,vain 
imaginations do easily infest us2 tinder
 will not sooner take  fire than our    
natures kindle into wrong notions of the
 ,divine ,majesty4  ,we are very apt to 
fashion a god like ourselves2 we must   
therefore  look upon such               
representations of ,god1 as accommodated
 to our weakness3  and no more think    
them to be literal descriptions of ,god1
 as he is in  himself1 than we will     
think the image of the sun in the water1
 to be  the true sun in the heavens4 ,we
 may1 indeed1 conceive of ,christ as    
man1  who hath in heaven the vestment of
 our nature1 and is ,deus figuratus1    
though we cannot conceive the godhead   
under a human shape4    #a4 ,to have    
such a fancy is to disparage and wrong  
,god4 ,a corporeal  fancy of ,god is as 
ridiculous in itself1 and as injurious  
to ,god1  as a wooden statue4 ,the      
caprices of our imagination are often   
more mysterious than the images which   
are the works of art2 it is  as         

irreligious a#aih to measure ,god's     
essence by our line1 his  perfections by
 our imperfections1 as to measure his   
thoughts and  actings by the weakness   
and unworthiness of our own4 ,this is to
 limit  an infinite essence1 and pull   
him down to our scanty measures1 and    
render that which is unconceivably above
 us1 equal with us4 ,it is  impossible  
we can conceive ,god after the manner of
 a body1 but we  must bring him down to 
the proportion of a body1 which is to   
diminish  his glory1 and stoop him below
 the dignity of his nature4 ,god is a   
pure ,spirit1 he hath nothing of the    
nature and tincture of a body2          
whosoever1 therefore1 conceives of him  
as having a bodily form1 though  he     
fancy the most beautiful and comely     
body1 instead of owning his  dignity1   
detracts from the supereminent          
excellency of his nature and            
blessedness4 ,when men fancy ,god like  
themselves in their corporeal  nature1  
they will soon make a progress1 and     

ascribe to him their  corrupt nature2   
and while they clothe him with their    
bodies1 invest  him also in the         
infirmities of them4 ,god is a jealous  
,god1 very  sensible of any disgrace1   
and will be as much incensed against an 
inward idolatry as an outward3 that     
command which forbade corporeal         
images1#djj would not indulge carnal    
imaginations2 since the nature  of ,god 
is as much wronged by unworthy images1  
erected in the fancy1  as by statues    
carved out of stone or metals3 one as   
well as the other  is a deserting of our
 true spouse1 and committing adultery2  
one with  a material image1 and the     
other with a carnal notion of ,god4     
,since  ,god humbles himself to our     
apprehensions1 we should not debase him 
in thinking him to be that in his       
nature1 which he makes only a           
resemblance of himself to us4    #b4 ,to
 have such fancies of ,god1 will        
obstruct and pollute our worship  of    
him4 ,how is it possible to give him a  

right worship1 of whom we  have so      
debasing a notion8 ,we shall never think
 a corporeal deity  worthy of a         
dedication of our spirits4 ,the hating  
instruction1 and  casting ,god's word   
behind the back1 is charged upon the    
imagination  they had1 that 8,god was   
such a one as themselves0 7,psalm l4    
#ag1 #ba74  ,many of the wiser heathens 
did not judge their statues to be their 
gods1 or their gods to be like their    
statues2 but suited them to  their      
politic designs2 and judged them a good 
invention to keep people  within the    
bounds of obedience and devotion1 by    
such visible figures  of them1 which    
might imprint a reverence and fear of   
those gods upon  them2 but these are    
false measures2 a despised and          
undervalued ,god is  not an object of   
petition or affection4 ,who would       
address seriously  to a ,god he has low 
apprehensions of8 ,the more raised      
thoughts we have  of him1 the viler     
sense we shall have of ourselves2 they  

would make us  humble and selfabhorrent 
in our supplications to him 7,job xlii4 
#f73  8wherefore ,i abhor myself10 c4   
#c4 ,though we must not conceive of     
,god1 as of a human or corporeal  shape2
 yet we cannot think of ,god1 without   
some reflection upon our  own being4 ,we
 cannot conceive him to be an           
intelligent being1 but we  must make    
some comparison between him and our own 
understanding nature  to come to a      
knowledge of him4 ,since we are enclosed
 in bodies1 we  apprehend nothing but   
what comes in a#aii by sense1 and what  
we in  some sort measure by sensible    
objects4 ,and in the consideration of   
those things which we desire to abstract
 from sense1 we are fain to  make use of
 the assistance of sense and visible    
things3 and therefore  when we frame the
 highest notion1 there will be some     
similitude of  some corporeal thing in  
our fancy2 and though we would          
spiritualize  our thoughts1 and aim at a
 more abstracted and raised             

understanding1  yet there will be some  
dregs of matter sticking to our         
conceptions2  yet we still judge by     
argument and reasoning1 what the thing  
is we  think of under those material    
images4 ,a corporeal image will follow  
us1 as the shadow doth the body4#dja    
,while we are in the body1 and          
surrounded with fleshly matter1 we      
cannot think of things without some     
help from corporeal representations3    
something of sense will interpose       
itself in our purest conceptions of     
spiritual things2#djb for the  faculties
 which serve for contemplation1 are     
either corporeal1 as the  sense and     
fancy1 or so allied to them1 that       
nothing passes into them  but by the    
organs of the body2 so that there is a  
natural inclination  to figure nothing  
but under a corporeal notion1 till by an
 attentive  application of the mind and 
reason to the object thought upon1 we   
separate that which is bodily from that 
which is spiritual1 and by  degrees     

ascend to that true notion of that we   
think upon1 and would  have a due       
conception of in our mind4 ,therefore   
,god tempers the  declaration of himself
 to our weakness1 and the condition of  
our  natures4 ,he condescends to our    
littleness and narrowness1 when he      
declares himself by the similitude of   
bodily members4 ,as the light of  the   
sun is tempered1 and diffuseth itself to
 our sense through the air  and vapors1 
that our weak eyes may not be too much  
dazzled with it2  without it we could   
not know or judge of the sun1 because we
 could  have no use of our sense1 which 
we must have before we can judge of  it 
in our understanding2 so we are not able
 to conceive of spiritual  beings in the
 purity of their own nature1 without    
such a temperament1  and such shadows to
 usher them into our minds4 ,and        
therefore we find  the ,spirit of ,god  
accommodates himself to our contracted  
and teddered  capacities1 and uses such 
expressions of ,god as are suited to us 

in  this state of flesh wherein we are4 
,and therefore because we cannot        
apprehend ,god in the simplicity of his 
own being1 and his undivided  essence1  
he draws the representations of himself 
from several  creatures and several     
actions of those creatures3 as sometimes
 he is  said to be angry1 to walk1 to   
sit1 to fly2 not that we should rest in 
such conceptions of him1 but take our   
rise from this foundation1 and  such    
perfections in the creatures1 to mount  
up to a knowledge of ,god's  nature by  
those several steps1 and conceive of him
 by those divided  excellencies1 because
 we cannot conceive of him in the purity
 of  his own essence4 ,we cannot        
possibly think or speak of ,god1 unless 
we  transfer the names of created       
perfections to him2#djc yet we are to   
conceive of them in a higher manner when
 we apply them to the ,divine  nature1  
than when we consider them in the       
several creatures formally1  exceeding  
those perfections and excellencies which

 are in the creature1  and in a more    
excellent manner3 8as one saith1 though 
a#bjj we cannot  comprehend ,god without
 the help of such resemblances1 yet we  
may1  without making an image of him2 so
 that inability of ours excuseth  those 
apprehensions of him from any way       
offending against his ,divine           
nature40#djd ,these are not notions so  
much suited to the nature of  ,god as   
the weakness of man4 ,they are helps to 
our meditations1 but  ought not to be   
formal conceptions of him4 ,we may      
assist ourselves in  our apprehensions  
of him1 by considering the subtilty and 
spirituality  of air2 and considering   
the members of a body1 without thinking 
him  to be air1 or to have any corporeal
 member4 ,our reason tells us1  that    
whatsoever is a body1 is limited and    
bounded2 and the notion  of infiniteness
 and bodiliness1 cannot agree and       
consist together3  and therefore what is
 offered by our fancy should be purified
 by our  reason4    #d4 ,therefore we   

are to elevate and refine all our       
notions of ,god1 and  spiritualize our  
conceptions of him4 ,every man is to    
have a conception  of ,god2 therefore he
 ought to have one of the highest       
elevation4 ,since  we cannot have a full
 notion of him1 we should endeavor to   
make it as  high and as pure as we can4 
,though we cannot conceive of ,god1 but 
some  corporeal representations or      
images in our minds will be conversant  
with us1 as motes in the air when we    
look upon the heavens1 yet our          
conceptions may and must rise higher4   
,as when we see the draught of  the     
heavens and earth in a globe1 or a      
kingdom in a map1 it helps our          
conceptions1 but doth not terminate     
them3 we conceive them to be of a  vast 
extent1 far beyond that short           
description of them4 ,so we should      
endeavor to refine every representation 
of ,god1 to rise higher and  higher1 and
 have our apprehensions still more      
purified2 separating the  perfect from  

the imperfect1 casting away the one1 and
 greatening the  other2 conceive him to 
be a ,spirit diffused through all1      
containing  all1 perceiving all4 ,all   
the perfections of ,god are infinitely  
elevated above the excellencies of the  
creatures2 above whatsoever  can be     
conceived by the clearest and most      
piercing understanding4  ,the nature of 
,god as a ,spirit is infinitely superior
 to whatsoever  we can conceive perfect 
in the notion of a created spirit4      
,whatsoever  ,god is1 he is infinitely  
so3 he is infinite ,wisdom1 infinite    
,goodness1  infinite ,knowledge1        
infinite ,power1 infinite ,spirit2      
infinitely  distant from the weakness of
 creatures1 infinitely mounted above    
the excellencies of creatures3 as easy  
to be known that he is1  as impossible  
to be comprehended what he is4 ,conceive
 of him as  excellent1 without any      
imperfection2 a ,spirit without parts2  
great  without quantity2 perfect without
 quality2 everywhere without place2     

powerful without members2 understanding 
without ignorance2 wise  without        
reasoning2 light without darkness2      
infinitely more excelling  the beauty of
 all creatures1 than the light in the   
sun1 pure and  unviolated1 exceeds the  
splendor of the sun dispersed and       
divided  through a cloudy and misty air3
 and when you have risen to the highest1
  conceive him yet infinitely above all 
you can conceive of spirit1  and        
acknowledge the infirmity of your own   
minds4 ,and whatsoever  conception comes
 into your minds1 say1 ,this is not     
,god2 ,god is more  than this3 if ,i    
could conceive a#bja him1 he were not   
,god2 for ,god  is incomprehensibly     
above whatsoever ,i can say1 whatsoever 
,i can think  and conceive of him4      
,inference #a4 ,if ,god be a ,spirit1 no
 corporeal thing can defile  him4 ,some 
bring an argument against the           
omnipresence of ,god1 that it  is a     
disparagement to the ,divine essence to 
be everywhere1 in nasty  cottages as    

well as beautiful palaces and garnished 
temples4 ,what  place can defile a      
spirit8 ,is light1 which approaches to  
the nature of  spirit1 polluted by      
shining upon a dunghill1 or a sunbeam   
tainted by  darting upon a quagmire8    
,doth an angel contract any soil1 by    
stepping  into a nasty prison to deliver
 ,peter8 ,what can steam from the most  
noisome body to pollute the spiritual   
nature of ,god8 ,as he is 8of  purer    
eyes than to behold iniquity10#dje so he
 is of a more spiritual  substance than 
to contract any physical pollution from 
the places  where he doth diffuse       
himself4 ,did our ,saviour1 who had a   
true body1  derive any taint from the   
lepers he touched1 the diseases he      
cured1 or  the devils he expelled8 ,god 
is a pure ,spirit2 plungeth himself into
 no  filth2 is dashed with no spot by   
being present with all bodies4 ,bodies  
only receive defilement from bodies4    
,inference #b4 ,if ,god be a ,spirit1 he
 is active and communicative4  ,he is   

not clogged with heavy and sluggish     
matter1 which is cause of  dulness and  
inactivity4 ,the more subtle1 thin1 and 
approaching nearer  the nature of a     
spirit anything is1 the more diffusive  
it is4 ,air  is a gliding substance2    
spreads itself through all regions1     
pierceth  into all bodies2 it fills the 
space between heaven and earth2 there is
  nothing but partakes of the virtue of 
it4 ,light1 which is an emblem of       
spirit1 insinuates itself into all      
places1 refresheth all things4 ,as      
spirits are fuller1 so they are more    
overflowing1 more piercing1 more        
operative than bodies4 ,the ,egyptian   
horses were weak things1 because  they  
were 8flesh1 and not spirit40#djf ,the  
soul being a spirit1  conveys more to   
the body than the body can to it4 ,what 
cannot so  great a spirit do for us8    
,what cannot so great a spirit work in  
us8  ,god1 being a spirit above all     
spirits1 can pierce into the centre of  
all spirits2 make his way into the most 

secret recesses2 stamp what  he pleases4
 ,it is no more to him to turn our      
spirits1 than to make a  wilderness     
become waters1 and speak a chaos into a 
beautiful frame of  heaven and earth4   
,he can act our souls with infinite more
 ease than  our souls can act our       
bodies2 he can fix in us what motions1  
frames1  inclinations he pleases2 he can
 come and settle in our hearts with  all
 his treasures4 ,it is an encouragement 
to confide in him1 when  we petition him
 for spiritual blessings3 as he is a    
spirit1 he is  possessed with 8spiritual
 blessings40#djg ,a spirit delights to  
bestow  things suitable to its nature1  
as bodies do to communicate what is     
agreeable to theirs4 ,as he is a ,father
 of spirits1 we may go to him  for the  
welfare of our spirits2 he being a      
,spirit1 is as able to  repair our      
spirits as he was to create them4 ,as he
 is a ,spirit1 he is  indefatigable in  
acting4 ,the members of the body tire   
and flag2 but  who ever heard of a soul 

wearied with being active8 who ever     
heard of  a weary angel8 ,in the purest 
simplicity1 there is the greatest power1
  the most efficacious goodness1 the    
most reaching justice to affect  the    
spirit1 that can insinuate itself       
everywhere a#bjb to punish  wickedness  
without weariness1 as well as to comfort
 goodness4 ,god  is active1 because he  
is spirit2 and if we be like to ,god1   
the more  spiritual we are1 the more    
active we shall be4    ,inference #c4   
,god being a ,spirit1 is immortal4 ,his 
being immortal1  and being invisible1   
are joined together4#djh ,spirits are in
 their  nature incorruptible2 they can  
only perish by that hand that framed    
them4 ,every compounded thing is subject
 to mutation2 but ,god1 being  a pure   
and simple ,spirit1 is without          
corruption1 without any shadow  of      
change4#dji ,where there is composition1
 there is some kind  of repugnancy of   
one part against the other2 and where   
there is  repugnancy1 there is a        

capability of dissolution4 ,god1 in     
regard of  his infinite spirituality1   
hath nothing in his own nature contrary 
to it2 can have nothing in himself which
 is not himself4 ,the world  perishes2  
friends change and are dissolved2 bodies
 moulder1 because  they are mutable4    
,god is a ,spirit in the highest        
excellency and glory  of spirits2       
nothing is beyond him2 nothing above    
him2 no contrariety  within him4 ,this  
is our comfort1 if we devote ourselves  
to him2  this ,god is our ,god2 this    
,spirit is our ,spirit2 this is our all1
  our immutable1 our incorruptible      
support2 a ,spirit that cannot die  and 
leave us4    ,inference #d4 ,if ,god be 
a ,spirit1 we see how we can only       
converse  with him by our spirits4      
,bodies and spirits are not suitable to 
one  another3 we can only see1 know1    
embrace a spirit with our spirits4 ,he  
judges not of us by our corporeal       
actions1 nor our external devotions  by 
our masks and disguises3 he fixes his   

eye upon the frame of the  heart1 bends 
his ear to the groans of our spirits4   
,he is not pleased  with outward pomp4  
,he is not a body2 therefore the beauty 
of temples1  delicacy of sacrifices1    
fumes of incense1 are not grateful to   
him2  by those1 or any external action1 
we have no communion with him4  ,a      
spirit1 when broken1 is his delightful  
sacrifice2#daj we must  therefore1 have 
our spirits fitted for him1 8be renewed 
in the spirit  of our minds10#daa that  
we may be in a posture to live with him1
 and  have an intercourse with him4 ,we 
can never be united to ,god but in  our 
spirits3 bodies unite with bodies1      
spirits with spirits4 ,the more         
spiritual anything is1 the more closely 
doth it unite4 ,air hath the  closest   
union2 nothing meets together sooner    
than that1 when the parts  are divided  
by the interposition of a body4         
,inference #e4 ,if ,god be a ,spirit1 he
 can only be the true  satisfaction of  
our spirits3 spirit can only be filled  

with spirit3  content flows from        
likeness and suitableness4 ,as we have a
 resemblance  to ,god in regard of the  
spiritual nature of our soul1 so we can 
have  no satisfaction but in him4       
,spirit can no more be really satisfied 
with that which is corporeal1 than a    
beast can delight in the company  of an 
angel4 ,corporeal things can no more    
fill a hungry spirit1 than  pure spirit 
can feed an hungry body4 ,god1 the      
highest ,spirit1 can only  reach out a  
full content to our spirits4 ,man is    
lord of the creation3  nothing below him
 can be fit for his converse2 nothing   
above him  offers itself to his converse
 but ,god4 ,we have no correspondence   
with  angels4 ,the influence they have  
upon us1 the protection they a#bjc      
afford us1 is secret and undiscerned2   
but ,god1 the highest ,spirit1  offers  
himself to us in his ,son1 in his       
ordinances1 is visible in  every        
creature1 presents himself to us in     
every providence2 to him  we must seek2 

in him we must rest4 ,god had no rest   
from the creation  till he had made man2
 and man can have no rest in the        
creation till  he rests in ,god4 ,god   
only is our dwelling place2#dab our     
souls should  only long for him3#dac our
 souls should only wait upon him4 ,the  
spirit of man never riseth to its       
original glory1 till it be carried  up  
on the wings of faith and love to its   
original copy4 ,the face  of the soul   
looks most beautiful1 when it is turned 
to the face of  ,god1 the ,father of    
spirits2 when the derived spirit is     
fixed upon  the original ,spirit1       
drawing from it life and glory4 ,spirit 
is only  the receptacle of spirit4 ,god1
 as ,spirit1 is our principle2 we must  
therefore live upon him4 ,god1 as       
,spirit1 hath some resemblance to us  as
 his image2 we must1 therefore1 only    
satisfy ourselves in him4    ,inference 
#f4 ,if ,god be a ,spirit1 we should    
take most care of that  wherein we are  
like to ,god4 ,spirit is nobler than    

body2 we must1  therefore1 value our    
spirits above our bodies4 ,the soul1 as 
spirit1  partakes more of the divine    
nature1 and deserves more of our        
choicest  cares4 ,if we have any love to
 this ,spirit1 we should have a real    
affection to our own spirits1 as bearing
 a stamp of the spiritual  ,divinity1   
the chiefest of all the works of ,god2  
as it is said of  behemoth 7,job xl4    
#ai74 ,that which is most the image of  
this immense  spirit1 should be our     
darling2 so ,david calls his soul       
7,psalm xxxv4  #ag74 ,shall we take care
 of that wherein we partake not of ,god1
 and not  delight in the jewel which    
hath his own signature upon it8 ,god was
 not  only the ,framer of spirits1 and  
the ,end of spirits2 but the ,copy and  
,exemplar of spirits4 ,god partakes of  
no corporeity2 he is pure ,spirit4  ,but
 how do we act1 as if we were only      
matter and body6 ,we have but  little   
kindness for this great ,spirit as well 
as our own1 if we take  no care of his  

immediate offspring1 since he is not    
only ,spirit1 but  the ,father of       
spirits4#dad    ,inference #g4 ,if ,god 
be a ,spirit1 let us take heed of those 
sins  which are spiritual4 ,paul        
distinguisheth between the filth of the 
flesh1 and that of the spirit4#dae ,by  
the one we defile the body2  by the     
other we defile the spirit1 which1 in   
regard of its nature1 is  of kin to the 
,creator4 ,to wrong one who is near of  
kin to a prince1  is worse than to      
injure an inferior subject4 ,when we    
make our spirits1  which are most like  
to ,god in their nature1 and framed     
according  to his image1 a stage to act 
vain imaginations1 wicked desires1 and  
unclean affections1 we wrong ,god in the
 excellency of his work1 and  reflect   
upon the nobleness of the pattern2 we   
wrong him in that part  where he hath   
stamped the most signal character of his
 own spiritual  nature2 we defile that  
whereby we have only converse with him  
as a  ,spirit1 which he hath ordered    

more immediately to represent him in    
this nature1 than all corporeal things  
in the world can1 and make that  ,spirit
 with whom we desire to be joined unfit 
for such a knot4 ,god's  spirituality is
 the root of his other perfections4 ,we 
have already  heard he could not be     
infinite1 omnipresent1 immutable1       
without a#bjd  it4 ,spiritual sins are  
the greatest root of bitterness within  
us4  ,as grace in our spirits renders us
 more like to a spiritual ,god1 so      
spiritual sins bring us into a          
conformity to a degraded devil4#daf     
,carnal sins change us from men to      
brutes1 and spiritual sins divest  us of
 the image of ,god for the image of     
,satan4 ,we should by no means  make our
 spirits a dunghill1 which bear upon    
them the character of  the spiritual    
nature of ,god1 and were made for his   
residence4 ,let us1  therefore1 behave  
ourselves towards ,god in all those ways
 which the  spiritual nature of ,god    
requires us4          a#bje             

,,discourse ,,iv4                       
,,on ,,spiritual ,,worship4      ,,john 
iv4 #bd4;,god is a ,spirit3 and they    
that worship him must      worship him  
in spirit and in truth4      ,,having   
thus despatched the first proposition1  
8,god is a ,spirit10 it  will not be    
amiss to handle the inference our       
,saviour makes from that  proposition1  
which is the second observation         
propounded4    ,doct4 ,that the worship 
due from us to ,god ought to be         
spiritual1 and  spiritually performed4  
,spirit and truth are understood        
variously4 ,we  are to worship ,god1    
#a4 ,not by legal ceremonies4 ,the      
evangelical administration being  called
 spirit1 in opposition to the legal     
ordinances as carnal2 and  truth in     
opposition to them as typical4 ,as the  
whole ,judaical service  is called      
flesh1 so the whole evangelical service 
is called spirit2 or  spirit may be     
opposed to the worship at ,jerusalem1 as
 it was carnal2  truth1 to the worship  

on the ,mount ,gerizim1 because it was  
false4 ,they  had not the true object of
 worship1 nor the true medium of worship
  as those at ,jerusalem had4 ,their    
worship should cease1 because it was    
false2 and the ,jewish worship should   
cease1 because it was carnal4  ,there is
 no need of a candle when the sun       
spreads his beams in the air2  no need  
of those ceremonies when the ,sun of    
righteousness appeared2  they only      
served for candles to instruct and      
direct men till the time  of his coming4
 ,the shadows are chased away by        
displaying the substance1  so that they 
can be of no more use in the worship of 
,god1 since the  end for which they were
 instituted is expired2 and that        
discovered to  us in the gospel1 which  
the ,jews sought for in vain among the  
baggage  and stuff of their ceremonies4 
#b4 ,with a spiritual and sincere frame4
 ,in spirit1 i4 e4 with  spirit2 with   
the inward operations of all the        
faculties of our souls1  and the cream  

and flower of them2 and the reason is1  
because there  ought to be a worship    
suitable to the nature of ,god2 and as  
the  worship was to be spiritual1 so the
 exercise of that worship ought  to be  
in a spiritual manner4#dag ,it shall be 
a worship 8in truth10  because the true 
,god shall be adored without those vain 
imaginations  and fantastic resemblances
 of him1#dah which were common among the
  blind ,gentiles1 and contrary to the  
glorious nature of ,god1 and  unworthy  
ingredients in religious services4 ,it  
shall be a worship 8in  spirit10 without
 those carnal rites the degenerate ,jews
 rested on2  such a a#bjf posture of    
soul which is the life and ornament of  
every  service ,god looks for at your   
hands4 ,there must be some proportion   
between the object adored1 and the      
manner in which we adore it2 it  must   
not be a mere corporeal worship1 because
 ,god is not a body2 but  it must rise  
from the centre of our soul1 because    
,god is a ,spirit4 ,if  he were a body1 

a bodily worship might suit him1 images 
might be fit  to represent him2 but     
being a ,spirit1 our bodily services    
enter us not  into communion with him4  
,being a spirit1 we must banish from our
 minds  all carnal imaginations of him1 
and separate from our wills all cold    
and dissembled affections to him4 ,we   
must not only have a loud voice1  but an
 elevated soul2 not only a bended knee1 
but a broken heart2  not only a         
supplicating tone1 but a groaning       
spirit2 not only a ready  ear for the   
word1 but a receiving heart2 and this   
shall be of greater  value with him1    
than the most costly outward services   
offered at  ,gerizim or ,jerusalem4 ,our
 ,saviour certainly meant not by        
worshipping  in spirit1 only the matter 
of the evangelical service1 as opposed  
to the legal administration1 without the
 manner wherein it was to  be performed4
 ,it is true1 ,god always sought a      
worship in spirit2 he  expected the     
heart of the worshipper should join with

 his instituted  rights of adoration in 
every exercise of them2 but he expects  
such a  carriage more under the gospel  
administration1 because of the clearer  
discoveries of his nature made in it1   
and the greater assistances  conveyed by
 it4    ,i shall1 therefore1 #a4 ,lay   
down some general propositions4 #b4     
,show  what this spiritual worship is4  
#c4 ,why we must offer to ,god a        
spiritual service4 #d4 ,the use4    #a4 
,some general propositions4    ,prop4   
,i4 ,the right exercise of worship is   
founded upon1 and riseth  from1 the     
spirituality of ,god4#dai ,the first    
ground of the worship  we render to     
,god1 is the infinite excellency of his 
nature1 which  is not only one          
attribute1 but results from all2 for    
,god1 as ,god1 is  the object of        
worship2 and the notion of ,god consists
 not in thinking  him wise1 good1 just1 
but all those infinitely beyond any     
conception2  and hence it follows that  
,god is an object infinitely to be loved

 and  honored4 ,his goodness is         
sometimes spoken of in ,scripture as a  
motive  of our homage 7,psalm cxxx4 #d73
 8,there is forgiveness with thee that  
thou mayest be feared40 ,fear1 in the   
,scripture dialect1 signifies the       
8whole worship of ,god0 7,acts x4 #ce73 
but in every nation1 8he that  fears    
him0 is accepted of him4#dbj ,if ,god   
should act towards men  according to the
 rigors of his justice due to them for  
the least of  their crimes1 there could 
be no exercise of any affection but that
  of despair1 which could not engender a
 worship of ,god1 which ought to  be    
joined with love1 not with hatred4 ,the 
beneficence and patience of  ,god1 and  
his readiness to pardon men1 is the     
reason of the honor they  return to him2
 and this is so evident a motive1 that  
generally the  idolatrous world ranked  
those creatures in the number of their  
gods1  which they perceived useful and  
beneficial to mankind1 as the sun  and  
moon1 the ,egyptians the ox1 c4 ,and the

 more beneficial anything  appeared to  
mankind1 the higher station men gave it 
in the rank  of their deities1 and      
bestowed a more peculiar and solemn     
worship  a#bjg upon it4 ,men worshipped 
,god to procure and continue his favor1 
which would not have been acted by them1
 had they not conceived it  a pleasing  
thing to him to be merciful and         
gracious4 ,sometimes his  justice is    
proposed to us as a motive of worship   
7,heb4 xii4 #bh1 #bi73  8,serve ,god    
with reverence and godly fear1 for our  
,god is a consuming  fire20 which       
includes his holiness1 whereby he doth  
hate sin1 as well  as his wrath1 whereby
 he doth punish it4 ,who but a mad and  
totally  brutish person1 or one that was
 resolved to make war against heaven1   
could behold the effects of ,god's anger
 in the world1 consider him  in his     
justice as a 8consuming fire10 and      
despise him1 and rather be  drawn out by
 that consideration to blasphemy and    
despair1 than to seek  all ways to      

appease him8 ,now though the infinite   
power of ,god1 his  unspeakable wisdom1 
his incomprehensible goodness1 the      
holiness of  his nature1 the vigilance  
of his providence1 the bounty of his    
hand1  signify to man that he should    
love and honor him1 and are the motives 
of worship2 yet the spirituality of his 
nature is the rule of worship1  and     
directs us to render our duty to him    
with all the powers of our  soul4 ,as   
his goodness beams out upon us1 worship 
is due in justice to  him2 and as he is 
the most excellent nature1 veneration is
 due to him  in the highest manner with 
the choicest affections4 ,so that indeed
  the spirituality of ,god comes chiefly
 into consideration in matter of        
worship3 all his perfections are        
grounded upon this3 he could not be     
infinite1 immutable1 omniscient1 if he  
were a corporeal being2#dba we  cannot  
give him a worship unless we judge him  
worthy1 excellent1 and  deserving a     
worship at our hands2 and we cannot     

judge him worthy of  a worship1 unless  
we have some apprehensions and          
admirations of his  infinite virtues2   
and we cannot apprehend and admire those
 perfections1  but as we see them as    
causes shining in their effects4 ,when  
we see1  therefore1 the frame of the    
world to be the work of his power1 the  
order of the world to be the fruit of   
his wisdom1 and the usefulness  of the  
world to be the product of his goodness1
 we find the motives  and reasons of    
worship2 and weighing that this power1  
wisdom1 goodness1  infinitely transcend 
any corporeal nature1 we find a rule of 
worship1  that it ought to be offered by
 us in a manner suitable to such a      
nature as is infinitely above any bodily
 being4 ,his being a ,spirit  declares  
what he is2 his other perfections       
declare what kind of ,spirit  he is4    
,all ,god's perfections suppose him a   
,spirit2 all centre in  this2 his wisdom
 doth not suppose him merciful1 or his  
mercy suppose  him omniscient2 there may

 be distinct notions of those1 but all  
suppose him to be of a spiritual nature4
 ,how cold and frozen will our          
devotions be1 if we consider not his    
omniscience1 whereby he discerns  our   
hearts6 ,how carnal will our services   
be1 if we consider him not as  a pure   
,spirit6#dbb ,in our offers to1 and     
transactions with men1 we  deal not with
 them as mere animals1 but as rational  
creatures2 and we  debase their natures 
if we treat them otherwise2 and if we   
have not  raised apprehensions of ,god's
 spiritual nature in our treating with  
him1 but allow him only such frames as  
we think fit enough for men1 we  debase 
his spirituality to the littleness of   
our own being4 ,we must1  therefore1    
possess our souls with a#bjh this2 we   
shall else render  him no better than a 
fleshly service4 ,we do not much concern
 ourselves  in those things of which we 
are either utterly ignorant1 or have but
  slight apprehensions of4 ,that is the 
first proposition2,the right  exercise  

of worship is grounded upon the         
spirituality of ,god4    ,prop4 ,,ii4   
,this spiritual worship of ,god is      
manifest by the light of  nature1 to be 
due to him4 ,in reference to this1      
consider1    #a4 ,the outward means or  
matter of that worship which would be   
acceptable to ,god1 was not known by the
 light of nature4 ,the law for a        
worship1 and for a spiritual worship by 
the faculties of our souls was  natural1
 and part of the law of creation2 though
 the determination of  the particular   
acts1 whereby ,god would have this      
homage testified1 was  of positive      
institution1 and depended not upon the  
law of creation4  ,though ,adam in      
innocence knew ,god was to be           
worshipped1 yet by nature  he did not   
know by what outward acts he was to pay 
this respect1 or at  what time he was   
more solemnly to be exercised in it than
 at another3  this depended upon the    
directions ,god1 as the sovereign       
,governor  and ,lawgiver1 should        

prescribe4 ,you therefore find the      
positive  institutions of the 8tree of  
the knowledge of good and evil10 and the
  determination of the time of worship  
7,gen4 ii4 #c1 #ag74 ,had there been    
any such notion in ,adam naturally1 as  
strong as that other1 that a  worship   
was due to ,god1 there would have been  
found some relics of  these modes       
universally consented to by mankind1 as 
well as of the  other4 ,but though all  
nations have by an universal consent    
concurred  in the acknowledgment of the 
being of ,god1 and his right to         
adoration1  and the obligation of the   
creature to it2 and that there ought to 
be  some public rule and polity in      
matters of religion 7for no nation hath 
been in the world without a worship1 and
 without external acts and  certain     
ceremonies to signify that worship72 yet
 their modes and rites  have been as    
various as their climates1 unless in    
that common notion  of sacrifices1 not  
descending to them by nature1 but       

tradition from  ,adam2 and the various  
ways of worship have been more provoking
 than  pleasing4 ,every nation suited   
the kind of worship to their particular 
ends and polities they designed to rule 
by4 ,how ,god was to be  worshipped is  
more difficult to be discerned by nature
 with its eyes  out than with its eyes  
clear4#dbc ,the pillars upon which the  
worship  of ,god stands cannot be       
discerned without revelation1 no more   
than  blind ,samson could tell where the
 pillars of the ,philistines' theatre   
stood1 without one to conduct him4 ,what
 ,adam could not see with his  sound    
eyes1 we cannot with our dim eyes2 he   
must be told from heaven  what worship  
was fit for the ,god of heaven4 ,it is  
not by nature that  we can have such a  
full prospect of ,god as may content and
 quiet us2  this is the noble effect of 
,divine revelation2 ,he only knows      
himself1  and can only make himself     
known to us4 ,it could not be supposed  
that  an infinite ,god should have no   

perfections but what were visible  in   
the works of his hands2 and that these  
perfections should not  be infinitely   
greater1 than as they were sensible in  
their present  effects3 this had been to
 apprehend ,god a limited ,being1 meaner
 than  he is4 ,now it is impossible to  
honor ,god as we ought1 a#bji unless we 
know him as he is2 and we could not know
 him as he is1 without divine           
revelation from himself2 for none but   
,god can acquaint us with his  own      
nature3 and therefore the nations void  
of this conduct1 heaped up  modes of    
worship from their own imaginations1    
unworthy of the majesty  of ,god1 and   
below the nature of man4 ,a rational man
 would scarce  have owned such for signs
 of honor1 as the ,scripture mentions in
 the  services of ,baal and ,dagon2 much
 less an infinitely wise and glorious   
,god4 ,and when ,god had signified his  
mind to his own people1 how  unwilling  
were they to rest satisfied with ,god's 
determination1 but  would be warping to 

their own inventions1 and make gods1 and
 ways of  worship to themselves6#dbd as 
in the matter of the golden calf1 as    
was lately spoken of4    #b4 ,though the
 outward manner of worship acceptable to
 ,god could not be  known without       
revelation1 and those revelations might 
be various2 yet  the inward manner of   
worship with our spirits was manifest by
 nature3  and not only manifest by      
nature to ,adam in innocence1 but after 
his  fall1 and the scales he had brought
 upon his understanding by that  fall4  
,when ,god gave him his positive        
institutions before the fall1  or       
whatsoever additions ,god should have   
made1 had he persisted in  that state2  
or1 when he appointed him1 after his    
fall1 to testify his  acknowledgment of 
him by sacrifices1 there needed no      
command to him  to make those           
acknowledgments by those outward ways   
prescribed to  him1 with the intention  
and prime affection of his spirit3 this 
nature  would instruct him in without   

revelation2 for he could not possibly   
have any semblance of reason to think   
that the offering of beasts1 or  the    
presenting the first fruits of the      
increase of the ground1 as an           
acknowledgment of ,god's sovereignty    
over him and his bounty to him1  was    
sufficient1 without devoting to him that
 part wherein the image  of his ,creator
 did consist3 he could not but discern1 
by a reflection  upon his own being1    
that he was made for ,god as well as by 
,god3 for it  is a natural principle of 
which the apostle speaks 7,rom4 xi4     
#cf71 8,for  of him1 and through him1   
and to him are all things10 c43 that the
  whole whereof he did consist was due  
to ,god2 and that his body1 the  dreggy 
and dusty part of his nature1 was not   
fit to be brought alone  before ,god1   
without that nobler principle1 which he 
had1 by creation1  linked with it4      
,nothing in the whole law of nature1 as 
it is informed  of religion1 was        
clearer1 next to the being of a ,god1   

than this manner  of worshipping ,god   
with the mind and spirit4 ,and as the   
,gentiles  never sunk so low into the   
mud of idolatry1 as to think the images 
they worshipped were really their gods1 
but the representations1 or  habitations
 of their gods2 so they never deserted  
this principle in  the notion of it1    
that ,god was to be honored with the    
best they were1  and the best they had3 
as they never denied the being of a ,god
 in  the notion1 though they did in the 
practice1 so they never rejected  this  
principle in notion1 though they did1   
and now most men do1 in  the inward     
observation of it3 it was a maxim among 
them that ,god was  mens animus1 mind   
and spirit1 and therefore was to be     
honored with  the mind and spirit3 that 
religion did not consist in the         
ceremonies  of the body1 but the work of
 the soul2 whence the speech of one  of 
them3 a#baj 8,sacrifice to the gods1 not
 so much clothed with  purple garments  
as a pure heart30#dbe and of another3   

8,god regards  not the multitude of the 
sacrifices1 but the disposition of the  
sacrificer40#dbf ,it is not fit we      
should deny ,god the cream and the      
flower1 and give him the flotten part   
and the stalks4 ,and with what          
reverence and intention of mind they    
thought their worship was to be         
performed1 is evident by the priests    
crying out often1 ,hoc age1 ,mind  this1
 let your spirits be intent upon it4    
,this could not but result1    7#a47    
,from the knowledge of ourselves4 ,it is
 a natural principle1  8,god hath made  
us1 and not we ourselves0 7,psalm c4 #a1
 #b74 ,man knows  himself to be a       
rational creature2 as a creature he was 
to serve  his ,creator1 and as a        
rational creature with the best part of 
that  rational nature he derived from   
him4 ,by the same act of reason that  he
 knows himself to be a creature1 he     
knows himself to have a ,creator2  that 
this ,creator is more excellent than    
himself1 and that an honor  is due from 

him to the ,creator for framing of him2 
and1 therefore1  this honor was to be   
offered to him by the most excellent    
part  which was framed by him4 ,man     
cannot consider himself as a thinking1  
understanding1 being1 but he must know  
that he must give ,god the  honor of his
 thoughts1 and worship him with those   
faculties whereby  he thinks1 wills1 and
 acts4#dbg ,he must know his faculties  
were given  him to act1 and to act for  
the glory of that ,god who gave him his 
soul1  and the faculties of it2 and he  
could not in reason think they must be  
only active in his own service1 and the 
service of the creature1 and  idle and  
unprofitable in the service of his      
,creator4 ,with the same  powers of our 
soul1 whereby we contemplate ,god1 we   
must also worship  ,god2 we cannot think
 of him but with our minds1 nor love him
 but with  our will2 and we cannot      
worship him without the acts of thinking
 and  loving1 and therefore cannot      
worship him without the exercise of our 

inward faculties3 how is it possible    
then for any man that knows his  own    
nature1 to think that extended hands1   
bended knees1 and lifted up  eyes1 were 
sufficient acts of worship1 without a   
quickened and active  spirit8    7#b47  
,from the knowledge of ,god4 ,as there  
was a knowledge of ,god by  nature1 so  
the same nature did dictate to man1 that
 ,god was to be  glorified as ,god2 the 
apostle implies the inference in the    
charge he  brings against them for      
neglecting it4#dbh 8,we should speak of 
,god  as he is10 said one2#dbi and the  
same reason would inform them that  they
 were to act towards ,god as he is4 ,the
 excellency of the object  required a   
worship according to the dignity of his 
nature1 which could  not be answered but
 by the most serious inward affection1  
as well  as outward decency2 and a want 
of this cannot but be judged to be      
unbecoming the majesty of the ,creator  
of the world1 and the excellency  of    
religion4 ,no nation1 no person1 did    

ever assert1 that the vilest  part of   
man was enough for the most excellent   
,being1 as ,god is2 that a  bodily      
service could be a sufficient           
acknowledgment for the greatness  of    
,god1 or a sufficient return for the    
bounty of ,god4 ,man could not  but know
 that he was to act in religion         
conformably to the object  of religion1 
and to the excellency of his own a#baa  
soul3#dcj  the notion of a ,god was     
sufficient to fill the mind of man with 
admiration and reverence1 and the first 
conclusion from it would be  to honor   
,god1 and that he have all the affection
 placed on him that so  infinite and    
spiritual a ,being did deserve3 the     
progress then would be1  that this      
excellent ,being was to be honored with 
the motions of the  understanding and   
will1 with the purest and most spiritual
 powers in  the nature of man1 because  
he was a spiritual being1 and had       
nothing  of matter mingled with him4    
,such a brutish imagination1 to suppose 

that blood and fumes1 beasts and        
incense1 could please a ,deity1  without
 a spiritual frame1 cannot be supposed  
to befall any but those  that had lost  
their reason in the rubbish of sense4   
,mere rational  nature could never      
conclude that so excellent a ,spirit    
would be put  off with a mere animal    
service2 an attendance of matter and    
body  without spirit1 when they         
themselves1 of an inferior nature1 would
  be loth to sit down contented with an 
outside service from those that  belong 
to them2 so that this instruction of our
 ,saviour1 that ,god is  to be          
worshipped in spirit and truth1 is      
conformable to the sentiments  of       
nature1 and drawn from the most         
undeniable principles of it4 ,the       
excellency of ,god's nature1 and the    
excellent constitution of human         
faculties1 concur naturally to support  
this persuasion2 this was as  natural to
 be known by men1 as the necessity of   
justice and temperance  for the support 

of human societies and bodies4 ,it is to
 be feared1  that if there be not among 
us such brutish apprehensions1 there are
  such brutish dealings with ,god1 in   
our services1 against the light of      
nature2 when we place all our worship of
 ,god in outward attendances  and       
drooping countenances1 with unbelieving 
frames and formal  devotions2 when      
prayer is muttered over in private1     
slightly1 as  a parrot learns lessons by
 rote1 not understanding what it speaks1
  or to what end it speaks it2 not      
glorifying ,god in thought and spirit1  
with understanding and will4    ,prop4  
,,iii4 ,spiritual worship therefore was 
always required by  ,god1 and always    
offered to him by one or other4 ,man had
 a perpetual  obligation upon him to    
such a worship from the nature of ,god2 
and  what is founded upon the nature of 
,god is invariable4 ,this and that      
particular mode of worship may wax old  
as a garment1 and as a vesture  may be  
folded up and changed1 as the expression

 is of the heavens2#dca  but ,god       
endures forever2 his spirituality fails 
not1 therefore a  worship of him in     
spirit must run through all ways and    
rites of  worship4 ,god must cease to be
 ,spirit1 before any service but that   
which is spiritual can be accepted by   
him4 ,the light of nature is  the light 
of ,god2 the light of nature being      
unchangeable1 what was  dictated by     
that1 was alway1 and will alway be1     
required by ,god4  ,the worship of ,god 
being perpetually due from the creature1
 the  worshipping him as ,god is as     
perpetually his right4 ,though the      
outward  expressions of his honor were  
different1 one way in ,paradise 7for  a 
worship was then due1 since a solemn    
time for that worship was  appointed71  
another under the law1 another under the
 gospel2 the  angels also worship ,god  
in heaven1 and fall down before his     
throne2  yet1 though they differ in     
rites1 they agree in this necessary     
ingredient1 all rites1 though of a      

different shape1 a#bab must be  offered 
to him1 not as carcasses1 but animated  
with the affections of  the soul4       
,abel's sacrifice had not been so       
excellent in ,god's esteem1  without    
those gracious habits and affections    
working in his soul4#dcb  ,faith works  
by love2 his heart was on fire as well  
as his sacrifice4  ,cain rested upon his
 present2 perhaps thought he had obliged
 ,god2  he depended upon the outward    
ceremony1 but sought not for the inward 
purity3 it was an offering brought to   
the ,lord2#dcc he had the right  object1
 but not the right manner 7,gen4 iv4    
#g73 8,if thou doest well1  shalt thou  
not be accepted80 ,and in the command   
afterwards to ,abraham1  8,walk before  
me1 and be thou perfect10 was the       
direction in all our  religious acts and
 walkings with ,god4 ,a sincere act of  
the mind and  will1 looking above and   
beyond all symbols1 extending the soul  
to  a pitch far above the body1 and     
seeing the day of ,christ through  the  

veil of the ceremonies1 was required by 
,god3 and though ,moses1  by ,god's     
order1 had instituted a multitude of    
carnal ordinances1  sacrifices1         
washings1 oblations of sensible things1 
and recommended  to the people the      
diligent observation of those statutes1 
by the  allurements of promises and     
denouncing of threatenings2 as if there 
were nothing else to be regarded1 and   
the true workings of grace were  to be  
buried under a heap of ceremonies2 yet  
sometimes he doth point  them to the    
inward worship1 and1 by the command of  
,god1 requires of  them the             
8circumcision of the heart0 7,deut4 x4  
#af71 the turning to  ,god with 8all    
their heart and all their soul0 7,deut4 
xxx4 #aj73 whereby  they might          
recollect1 that it was the engagement of
 the heart and the  worship of the      
,spirit that was most agreeable to ,god2
 and that he took  not any pleasure in  
their observance of ceremonies1 without 
true piety  within1 and the true purity 

of their thoughts4    ,prop4 ,,iv4 ,it  
is1 therefore1 as much every man's duty 
to worship ,god  in spirit1 as it is    
their duty to worship him4 ,worship is  
so due to  him as ,god1 as that he that 
denies it disowns his deity2 and        
spiritual  worship is so due1 that he   
that waives it denies his spirituality4 
,it  is a debt of justice we owe to     
,god1 to worship him2 and it is as much 
a debt of justice to worship him        
according to his nature4 ,worship is    
nothing else but a rendering to ,god the
 honor that is due to him2 and1         
therefore1 the right posture of our     
spirits in it is as much1 or more1  due1
 than the material worship in the modes 
of his own prescribing3  that is1       
grounded both upon his nature and upon  
his command2 this  only upon his        
command1 that is perpetually due2       
whereas1 the channel  wherein outward   
worship runs may be dried up1 and the   
river diverted  another way2 such a     
worship wherein the mind thinks of ,god1

 feels a  sense of ,god1 has a spirit   
consecrated to ,god1 the heart glowing  
with  affections to ,god2 it is else a  
mocking ,god with a feather4 ,a rational
  nature must worship ,god with that    
wherein the glory of ,god doth most     
sparkle in him4 ,god is most visible in 
the frame of the soul1 it is  there his 
image glitters2 he hath given us a jewel
 as well as a case1  and the jewel as   
well as the case we must return to him2 
the spirit  is ,god's gift1 and must    
8return to him20#dcd it must return to  
him  in every service morally1 as well  
as it must return to him at last        
physically4 ,it is not fit we should    
serve a#bac our ,maker only with  that  
which is the brute in us1 and withhold  
from him that which doth  constitute us 
reasonable creatures2 we must give him  
our bodies1 but  a 8living              
sacrifice40#dce ,if the spirit be absent
 from ,god when the  body is before him1
 we present a dead sacrifice2 it is     
morally dead in  the duty1 though it be 

naturally alive in the posture and      
action4 ,it  is not an indifferent thing
 whether we shall worship ,god or no2   
nor is  it an indifferent thing whether 
we shall worship him with our spirits   
or no2 as the excellency of man's       
knowledge consists in knowing things  as
 they are in truth1 so the excellency of
 the will in willing things  as they are
 in goodness4 ,as it is the excellency  
of man1 to know ,god  as ,god2 so it is 
no less his excellency1 as well as his  
duty to honor  ,god as ,god4 ,as the    
obligation we have to the power of ,god 
for our  being1 binds us to a worship of
 him2 so the obligation we have to his  
bounty for fashioning us according to   
his own image1 binds us to an  exercise 
of that part wherein his image doth     
consist4 ,god hath 8made  all things for
 himself0 7,prov4 xvi4 #d71 that is1 for
 the evidence of  his own goodness and  
wisdom2 we are therefore to render him a
 glory  according to the excellency of  
his nature1 discovered in the frame of  

our own4 ,it is as much our sin not to  
glorify ,god as ,god1 as not to  attempt
 the glorifying of him at all2 it is our
 sin not to worship  ,god as ,god1 as   
well as to omit the testifying any      
respect at all to  him4 ,as the ,divine 
nature is the object of worship1 so the 
,divine  perfections are to be honored  
in worship2 we do not honor ,god if we  
honor him not as he is2 we honor him not
 as a ,spirit1 if we think him  not     
worthy of the ardors and ravishing      
admirations of our spirits4 ,if  we     
think the devotions of the body are     
sufficient for him1 we contract  him    
into the condition of our own being2 and
 not only deny him to be  a spiritual   
nature1 but dash out all those          
perfections which he could  not be      
possessed of were he not a ,spirit4     
,prop4 ,v4 ,the ceremonial law was      
abolished to promote the  spirituality  
of divine worship4 ,that service was    
gross1 carnal1  calculated for an infant
 and sensitive church4 ,it consisted in 

rudiments1 the circumcision of the      
flesh1 the blood and smoke of           
sacrifices1 the steams of incense1      
observation of days1 distinction  of    
meats1 corporal purifications2 every    
leaf of the law is clogged  with some   
rite to be particularly observed by     
them4 ,the spirituality  of worship lay 
veiled under a thick cloud1 that the    
people could not  behold the glory of   
the gospel1 which lay covered under     
those shadows  7#b ,cor4 iii4 #ac73     
8,they could not steadfastly look to the
 end of  that which is abolished30 ,they
 understood not the glory and spiritual 
intent of the law1 and therefore came   
short of that spiritual frame in  the   
worship of ,god1 which was their duty4  
,and therefore in opposition  to this   
administration1 the worship of ,god     
under the gospel is called  by our      
,saviour in the text1 a worship in      
spirit2 more spiritual for  the matter1 
more spiritual for the motives1 and more
 spiritual for  the manner and frames of

 worship4    #a4 ,this legal service is 
called flesh in ,scripture1 in          
opposition to  the gospel1 which is     
called spirit4 ,the ordinances of the   
law1 though  of divine institution1 are 
dignified by the apostle with no better 
a  a#bad title than carnal              
ordinances1#dcf and a carnal            
command3#dcg  but the gospel is called  
the ministration of the ,spirit1 as     
being  attended with a special and      
spiritual efficacy on the minds of      
men4#dch ,and when the degenerate       
,galatians1 after having tasted of  the 
pure streams of the gospel1 turned about
 to drink of the thicker  streams of the
 law1 the apostle tells them1 that they 
begun in the  spirit and would now be   
made perfect in the flesh2#dci they     
would  leave the righteousness of faith 
for a justification by works4 ,the      
moral law1 which is in its own nature   
spiritual1#ddj in regard of  the abuse  
of it1 in expectation of justification  
by the outward works  of it1 is called  

flesh3 much more may the ceremonial     
administration1  which was never        
intended to run parallel with the moral1
 nor had any  foundation in nature as   
the other had4 ,that whole economy      
consisted  in sensible and material     
things1 which only touched the flesh3 it
  is called the letter and the oldness  
of the letter2#dda as letters1  which   
are but empty sounds of themselves1 but 
put together and formed  into words1    
signify something to the mind of the    
hearer or reader3  an old letter1 a     
thing of no efficacy upon the spirit1   
but as a law  written upon paper4 ,the  
gospel hath an efficacious spirit       
attending it1  strongly working upon the
 mind and will1 and moulding the soul   
into  a spiritual frame for ,god1       
according to the doctrine of the gospel2
  the one is old and decays1 the other  
is new and increaseth daily4 ,and  as   
the law itself is called flesh1 so the  
observers of it and resters  in it are  
called ,israel after the flesh2#ddb and 

the evangelical  worshipper is called a 
,jew after the spirit 7,rom4 ii4 #bi74  
,they were  ,israel after the flesh as  
born of ,jacob1 not ,israel after the   
spirit  as born of ,god2 and therefore  
the apostle calls them ,israel and not  
,israel2#ddc ,israel after a carnal     
birth1 not ,israel after a spiritual2   
,israel in the circumcision of the      
flesh1 not ,israel by a regeneration  of
 the heart4    #b4 ,the legal ceremonies
 were not a fit means to bring the heart
  into a spiritual frame4 ,they had a   
spiritual intent2 the rock and  manna   
prefigured the salvation and spiritual  
nourishment by the  ,redeemer4#ddd ,the 
sacrifices were to point them to the    
justice of ,god  in the punishment of   
sin1 and the mercy of ,god in           
substituting them  in their steads1 as  
types of the ,redeemer and the ransom by
 his blood4  ,the circumcision of the   
flesh was to instruct them in the       
circumcision  of the heart3 they were   
flesh in regard of their matter1        

weakness and  cloudiness1 spiritual in  
regard of their intent and              
signification2  they did instruct1 but  
not efficaciously work strong spiritual 
affections in the soul of the           
worshipper4 ,they were weak and beggarly
  elements2#dde had neither wealth to   
enrich nor strength to nourish  the     
soul3 they could not perfect the comers 
to them1 or put them  into a frame      
agreeable to the nature of ,god1#ddf nor
 purge the  conscience from those dead  
and dull dispositions which were by     
nature  in them3#ddg being carnal they  
could not have an efficacy to purify    
the conscience of the offerer and work  
spiritual effects3 had they  continued  
without the exhibition of ,christ1 they 
could never have  wrought any change in 
us or purchased a#bae any favor for     
us4#ddh  ,at the best they were but     
shadows1 and came inexpressibly short of
 the  efficacy of that person and state 
whose shadows they were4 ,the shadow  of
 a man is too weak to perform what the  

man himself can do1 because  it wants   
the life1 spirit1 and activity of the   
substance3 the whole  pomp and scene was
 suited more to the sensitive than the  
intellectual  nature2 and1 like         
pictures1 pleased the fancy of children 
rather than  improved their reason4 ,the
 ,jewish state was a state of           
childhood1#ddi  and that administration 
a pedagogy4#dej ,the law was a          
schoolmaster  fitted for their weak and 
childish capacity1 and could no more    
spiritualize the heart1 than the        
teachings in a primerschool can  enable 
the mind1 and make it fit for affairs of
 state2 and because  they could not     
better the spirit1 they were instituted 
only for a time1  as elements delivered 
to an infant age1 which naturally lives 
a life  of sense rather than a life of  
reason4 ,it was also a servile state1   
which doth rather debase than elevate   
the mind2 rather carnalize  than        
spiritualize the heart3 besides1 it is a
 sense of mercy that  both melts and    

elevates the heart into a spiritual     
frame3 8,there is  forgiveness with     
thee1 that thou mayest be feared20#dea  
and they  had1 in that state1 but some  
glimmerings of mercy in the daily bloody
  intimations of justice4 ,there was no 
sacrifice for some sins1 but  a cutting 
off without the least hints of pardon2  
and in the yearly  remembrance of sin   
there was as much to shiver them with   
fear1 as to  possess them with hopes2   
and such a state which always held them 
under  the conscience of sin1 could not 
produce a free spirit1 which was        
necessary for a worship of ,god         
according to his nature4    #c4 ,in     
their use they rather hindered than     
furthered a spiritual  worship4 ,in     
their own nature they did not tend to   
the obstructing a  spiritual worship1   
for then they had been contrary to the  
nature of  religion1 and the end of ,god
 who appointed them2 nor did ,god cover 
the  evangelical doctrine under the     
clouds of the legal administration1 to  

hinder the people of ,israel from       
perceiving it1 but because they were    
not yet capable to bear the splendor of 
it1 had it been clearly set  before     
them4 ,the shining of the face of ,moses
 was too dazzling for  their weak eyes1 
and therefore there was a necessity of a
 veil1 not  for the things themselves1  
but the 8weakness of their eyes40#deb   
,the  carnal affections of that people  
sunk down into the things themselves2   
stuck in the outward pomp1 and pierced  
not through the veil to the  spiritual  
intent of them2 and by the use of them  
without rational  conceptions1 they     
besotted their minds and became         
senseless of those  spiritual motions   
required of them4 ,hence came all their 
expectations  of a carnal ,messiah2 the 
veil of ceremonies was so thick1 and the
 film  upon their eyes so condensed1    
that they could not look through the    
veil to the ,spirit of ,christ2 they    
beheld not the heavenly ,canaan for  the
 beauty of the earthly2 nor minded the  

regeneration of the spirit1  while they 
rested upon the purifications of the    
flesh2 the prevalency  of sense and     
sensitive affections diverted their     
minds from inquiring  into a#baf the    
intent of them4 ,sense and matter are   
often clogs to  the mind1 and sensible  
objects are the same often to spiritual 
motions4  ,our souls are never more     
raised than when they are abstracted    
from  the entanglements of them4 ,a     
pompous worship1 made up of many        
sensible  objects1 weakens the          
spirituality of religion4 ,those that   
are most  zealous for outward1 are      
usually most cold and indifferent in    
inward  observances2 and those that     
overdo in carnal modes1 usually underdo 
in spiritual affections4 ,this was the  
,jewish state4#dec ,the nature  of the  
ceremonies being pompous and earthly by 
their show and beauty1  meeting with    
their weakness and childish affections1 
filled their eyes  with an outward      
lustre1 allured their minds and detained

 them from  seeking things higher and   
more spiritual2 the kernel of those     
rights  lay concealed in a thick shell2 
the spiritual glory was little seen2    
and the spiritual sweetness little      
tasted4 ,unless the ,scripture be       
diligently searched1 it seems to        
transfer the worship of ,god from the   
true faith and the spiritual motions of 
the heart1 and stake it down  to outward
 observances1 and the opus operatum4    
,besides1 the voice  of the law did only
 declare sacrifices1 and invited the    
worshippers to  them with a promise of  
the atonement of sin1 turning away the  
wrath of  ,god4 ,it never plainly       
acquainted them that those things were  
types and  shadows of something future2 
that they were only outward             
purifications  of the flesh2 it never   
plainly told them1 at the time of       
appointing  them1 that those sacrifices 
could not abolish sin1 and reconcile    
them  to ,god4 ,indeed1 we see more of  
them since their death and dissection1  

in that one ,epistle to the ,hebrews1   
than can be discerned in the five  books
 of ,moses4 ,besides1 man naturally     
affects a carnal life1 and  therefore   
affects a carnal worship2 he designs the
 gratifying his  sense1 and would have a
 religion of the same nature4 ,most men 
have  no mind to busy their reasons     
about the things of sense1 and are      
naturally unwilling to raise them up to 
those things which are allied  to the   
spiritual nature of ,god2 and therefore 
the more spiritual any  ordinance is1   
the more averse is the heart of man to  
it4 ,there is a  simplicity of the      
gospel from which our minds are easily  
corrupted  by things that pleasure the  
sense1 as ,eve was by the curiosity of  
her  eyes1 and the liquorishness of her 
palate4#ded ,from this principle  hath  
sprung all the idolatry in the world4   
,the ,jews knew they had a  ,god who had
 delivered them1 but they would have a  
sensible ,god to go  before them2#dee   
and the papacy at this day is a witness 

of the truth  of this natural           
corruption4    #d4 ,upon these accounts1
 therefore1 ,god never testified himself
 well  pleased with that kind of        
worship4 ,he was not displeased with    
them1  as they were his own institution1
 and ordained for the representing      
7though in an obscure manner7 the       
glorious things of the gospel2 nor  was 
he offended with those people's         
observance of them2 for1 since  he had  
commanded them1 it was their duty to    
perform them1 and their  sin to neglect 
them2 but he was displeased with them as
 they were  practised by them1 with     
souls as morally carnal in the          
practices1 as  the ceremonies were      
materially carnal a#bag in their        
substance4 ,it  was not their           
disobedience to observe them2 but it was
 a disobedience1  and a contempt of the 
end of the institution to rest upon     
them2 to be  warm in them1 and cold in  
morals2 they fed upon the bone and      
neglected  the marrow2 pleased          

themselves with the shell1 and sought   
not for the  kernel2 they joined not    
with them the internal worship of ,god2 
fear  of him1 with faith in the promised
 ,seed1 which lay veiled under those    
coverings 7,hos4 vi4 #f72 8,i desired   
mercy1 and not sacrifice2 and the       
knowledge of ,god more than             
burntofferings20 and therefore he seems 
sometimes weary of his own institutions1
 and calls them not his own1  but their 
sacrifices1 their feasts 7,isa4 i4 #aa1 
#ad73 they were his by  appointment1    
theirs by abuse2 the institution was    
from his goodness  and condescension1   
therefore his2 the corruption of them   
was from the  vice of their nature1     
therefore theirs4 ,he often blamed them 
for their  carnality in them2 showed his
 dislike of placing all their religion  
in them2 gives the sacrificers1 on that 
account1 no better a title  than that of
 the princes of ,sodom and              
,gomorrah2#def and compares  the        
sacrifices themselves to the 8cutting   

off a dog's neck10 8swine's  blood10 and
 8the murder of a man40#deg ,and indeed 
,god never valued  them1 or expressed   
any delight in them2 he despised the    
feasts of the  wicked 7,amos v4 #ba72   
and had no esteem for the material      
offerings of  the godly 7,psalm l4 #ac73
 8,will ,i eat the flesh of bulls1 or   
drink the  blood of goats80 which he    
speaks to his saints and people1 before 
he  comes to reprove the wicked2 which  
he begins 7ver4 #af71 8,but to the      
wicked1 ,god said10 c4 ,so slightly he  
esteems them1 that he seems to  disown  
them to be any part of his command1 when
 he brought his people  out of the land 
of ,egypt 7,jer4 vii4 #ba73 8,i spake   
not to your fathers1  nor commanded them
 concerning burntofferings and          
sacrifices40 ,he did  not value and     
regard them1 in comparison with that    
inward frame which  he had required by  
the moral law2 that being given before  
the law  of ceremonies1 obliged them1 in
 the first place1 to an observance of   

those precepts4 ,they seemed to be below
 the nature of ,god1 and could  not of  
themselves please him4 ,none could in   
reason persuade themselves  that the    
death of a beast was a proportionable   
offering for the sin of  a man1 or ever 
was intended for the expiation of       
transgression4 ,in the  same rank are   
all our bodily services under the       
gospel2 a loud voice  without spirit1   
bended bulrushes without inward         
affections1 are no  more delightful to  
,god1 than the sacrifices of animals2 it
 is but a  change of one brute for      
another of a higher species2 a mere     
brute for  that part of man which hath  
an agreement with brutes2 such a service
  is a mere animal service1 and not     
spiritual4    #e4 ,and therefore ,god   
never intended that sort of worship to  
be durable1  and had often mentioned the
 change of it for one more spiritual4   
,it  was not good or evil in itself2    
whatsoever goodness it had was solely   
derived to it by institution1 and       

therefore it was mutable4 ,it had no    
conformity with the spiritual nature of 
,god who was to be worshipped1  nor with
 the rational nature of man who was to  
worship2 and therefore  he often speaks 
of taking away the new a#bah moons1 and 
feasts1  and sacrifices1 and all the    
ceremonial worship1 as things he took no
  pleasure in1 to have a worship more   
suited to his excellent nature2  but he 
never speaks of removing the gospel     
administration1 and the  worship        
prescribed there1 as being more         
agreeable to the nature and  perfections
 of ,god1 and displaying them more      
illustriously to the  world4 ,the       
apostle tells us1 it was to be          
8disannulled because of its             
weakness20#deh a determinate time was   
fixed for its duration1 till  the       
accomplishment of the truth figured     
under that pedagogy4#dei ,some  of the  
modes of that worship being only        
typical1 must naturally expire  and be  
insignificant in their use1 upon the    

finishing of that by the  ,redeemer1    
which they did prefigure3 and other     
parts of it1 though ,god  suffered them 
so long1 because of the weakness of the 
worshipper1 yet  because it became not  
,god to be always worshipped in that    
manner1 he  would reject them1 and      
introduce another more spiritual and    
elevated4  8,incense and a pure         
offering0 should be offered everywhere  
unto his  name4#dfj ,he often told them 
he would make a 8new covenant by the    
,messiah10 and the old should be        
rejected2#dfa that the 8former things   
should not be remembered1 and the things
 of old no more considered10  when he   
should do 8a new thing in the           
earth40#dfb ,even the ark of  the       
covenant1 the symbol of his presence1   
and the glory of the ,lord in  that     
nation1 should not any more be          
remembered and visited2#dfc that  the   
temple and sacrifices should be         
rejected1 and others established2  that 
the order of the ,aaronical priesthood  

should be abolished1 and  that of       
,melchizedek set up in the stead of it1 
in the person of the  ,messiah1 to      
endure forever2#dfd that ,jerusalem     
should be changed2  a new heaven and    
earth created2 a worship more           
conformable to heaven1  more            
advantageous to earth4 ,god had         
proceeded in the removal of some  parts 
of it1 before the time of taking down   
the whole furniture of  this house2 the 
pot of manna was lost2 ,urim and        
,thummim ceased2 the  glory of the      
temple was diminished2 and the ignorant 
people wept at  the sight of the one1   
without raising their faith and hope in 
the  consideration of the other1 which  
was promised to be filled with  a       
spiritual glory4 ,and as soon as ever   
the gospel was spread in the  world1    
,god thundered out his judgments upon   
that place in which he  had fixed all   
those legal observances2 so that the    
,jews1 in the letter  and flesh1 could  
never practise the main part of their   

worship1 since  they were expelled from 
that place where it was only to be      
celebrated4  ,it is one thousand six    
hundred years since they have been      
deprived  of their altar1 which was the 
foundation of all the ,levitical        
worship1  and have wandered in the world
 without a sacrifice1 a prince1 or      
priest1 an ephod or teraphim4#dfe ,and  
,god fully put an end to it  in the     
command he gave to the apostles1 and in 
them to us1 in the  presence of ,moses  
and ,elias1 to hear his ,son only       
7,matt4 xvii4 #e73  8,behold a voice out
 of the cloud1 which said1 ,this is my  
beloved  ,son1 in whom ,i am well       
pleased2 hear ye him40 ,and at the death
 of  our ,saviour1 testified it to that 
whole nation and the world1 by  the     
rending in twain the veil of the temple4
 ,the whole frame of that  service1     
a#bai which was carnal1 and1 by reason  
of the corruption of  man1 weakened1 is 
nulled2 and a spiritual worship is made 
known to the  world1 that we might now  

serve ,god in a more spiritual manner1  
and  with more spiritual frames4        
,prop4 ,,vi4 ,the service and worship   
the gospel settles is spiritual1  and   
the performance of it more spiritual4   
,spirituality is the genius  of the     
gospel1 as carnality was of the law2 the
 gospel is therefore  called spirit2 we 
are abstracted from the employments of  
sense1 and  brought nearer to a heavenly
 state4 ,the ,jews had angels' bread    
poured  upon them2 we have angels'      
service prescribed to us1 the praises   
of ,god1 communion with ,god in spirit1 
through his ,son ,jesus ,christ1  and   
stronger foundations for spiritual      
affections4 ,it is called a  8reasonable
 service20#dff it is suited to a        
rational nature1 though  it finds no    
friendship from the corruption of       
reason4 ,it prescribes  a service fit   
for the reasonable faculties of the     
soul1 and advanceth  them while it      
employs them4 ,the word reasonable may  
be translated  8wordservice10#dfg as    

well as reasonable service2 an          
evangelical  service1 in opposition to a
 law service4 ,all evangelical service  
is  reasonable1 and all truly reasonable
 service is evangelical4    ,the matter 
of the worship is spiritual2 it consists
 in love of  ,god1 faith in ,god1       
recourse to his goodness1 meditation on 
him1 and  communion with him4 ,it lays  
aside the ceremonial1 spiritualizeth the
  moral4 ,the commands that concerned   
our duty to ,god1 as well as those  that
 concerned our duty to our neighbor1    
were reduced by ,christ to  their       
spiritual intention4 ,the motives are   
spiritual2 it is a state  of more grace1
 as well as of more truth1#dfh supported
 by spiritual  promises1 beaming out in 
spiritual privileges2 heaven comes down 
in  it to earth1 to spiritualize earth  
for heaven4 ,the manner of worship  is  
more spiritual2 higher flights of the   
soul1 stronger ardors  of affection1    
sincerer aims at his glory2 mists are   
removed from  our minds1 clogs from the 

soul1 more of love than fear2 faith in  
,christ kindles the affections1 and     
works by them4 ,the assistances  to     
spiritual worship are greater4 ,the     
,spirit doth not drop1 but is           
plentifully poured out4 ,it doth not    
light sometimes upon1 but dwells  in the
 heart4 ,christ suited the gospel to a  
spiritual heart1 and the  ,spirit       
changeth the carnal heart to make it fit
 for a spiritual gospel4  ,he blows upon
 the garden1 and causes the spices to   
flow forth2 and  often makes the soul in
 worship like the chariots of ,aminadab1
 in a  quick and nimble motion4 ,our    
blessed ,lord and ,saviour1 by his      
death1  discovered to us the nature of  
,god2 and after his ascension sent his  
,spirit to fit us for the worship of    
,god1 and converse with him4 ,one       
spiritual evangelical believing breath  
is more delightful to ,god than         
millions of altars made up of the       
richest pearls1 and smoking with  the   
costliest oblations1 because it is      

spiritual2 and a mite of spirit  is of  
more worth than the greatest weight of  
flesh3 one holy angel is  more excellent
 than a whole world of mere bodies4     
,prop4 ,,vii4 ,yet the worship of ,god  
with our bodies is not to be  rejected  
upon the account that ,god requires a   
spiritual worship4  ,though we must     
perform the weightier duties of the law1
 yet we are  a#bbj not to omit and leave
 undone the lighter precepts1 since both
  the magnalia and minutula legis1 the  
greater and the lesser duties  of the   
law1 have the stamp of divine authority 
upon them4 ,as ,god under  the          
ceremonial law did not command the      
worship of the body and the  observation
 of outward rites without the engagement
 of the spirit1  so neither doth he     
command that of the spirit without the  
peculiar  attendance of the body4 ,the  
,schwelksendians denied bodily worship2 
and the indecent postures of many in    
public attendance intimate no  great    
care either of composing their bodies or

 spirits4 ,a morally  discomposed body  
intimates a tainted heart4 ,our bodies  
as well as our  spirits are to be       
presented to ,god4#dfi ,our bodies in   
lieu of the  sacrifices of beasts1 as in
 the ,judaical institutions2 body for   
the  whole man2 a living sacrifice1 not 
to be slain1 as the beasts were1  but   
living a new life1 in a holy posture1   
with crucified affections4  ,this is the
 inference the apostle makes of the     
privileges of  justification1 adoption1 
coheirship with ,christ1 which he had   
before  discoursed of2 privileges       
conferred upon the person1 and not upon 
a  part of man4    #a4 ,bodily worship  
is due to ,god4 ,he hath a right to an  
adoration by  our bodies1 as they are   
his by creation2 his right is not       
diminished1  but increased1 by the      
blessing of redemption3 7#a ,cor4 vi4   
#bj7 8,for  you are bought with a price2
 therefore glorify ,god in your bodies  
and  your spirits1 which are ,god's40   
,the body1 as well as the spirit1 is    

redeemed1 since our ,saviour suffered   
crucifixion in his body1 as well  as    
agonies in his soul4 ,body is not taken 
here for the whole man1 as  it may be in
 ,rom xii42 but for the material part of
 our nature1 it  being distinguished    
from the spirit4 ,if we are to render to
 ,god an  obedience with our bodies1 we 
are to render him such acts of worship  
with our bodies as they are capable of4 
,as ,god is the ,father of  spirits1 so 
he is the ,god of all flesh2 therefore  
the flesh he hath  framed of the earth1 
as well as the noble portion he hath    
breathed  into us1 cannot be denied him 
without a palpable injustice4 ,the      
service of the body we must not deny to 
,god1 unless we will deny him  to be the
 author of it1 and the exercise of his  
providential care  about it4 ,the       
mercies of ,god are renewed every day   
upon our bodies  as well as our souls1  
and1 therefore1 they ought to express a 
fealty  to ,god for his bounty every    
day4 8,both are from ,god2 both should  

be  for ,god4 ,man consists of body and 
soul2 the service of man is the  service
 of both4 ,the body is to be sanctified 
as well as the soul2  and1 therefore1 to
 be offered to ,god as well as the soul4
 ,both are  to be glorified1 both are to
 glorify4 ,as our ,saviour's divinity   
was  manifested in his body1 so should  
our spirituality in ours4 ,to give  ,god
 the service of the body and not of the 
soul1 is hypocrisy2 to  give ,god the   
service of the spirit and not of the    
body1 is sacrilege2  to give him        
neither1 atheism40#dgj ,if the only part
 of man that  is visible were exempted  
from the service of ,god1 there could be
  no visible testimonies of piety given 
upon any occasion4 ,since not  a moiety 
of man1 but the whole is ,god's         
creature1 he ought to pay  a homage with
 the whole1 and not only with a moiety  
of himself4    a#bba #b4 ,worship in    
societies is due to ,god1 but this      
cannot be  without some bodily          
expressions4 ,the law of nature doth as 

much direct  men to combine together in 
public societies for the acknowledgment 
of  ,god1 as in civil communities for   
selfpreservation and order2 and a       
notice of a society for religion is more
 ancient than the mention of  civil     
associations for politic government     
7,gen4 iv4 #bf73 8,then began  men to   
call upon the name of the ,lord10 viz41 
in the time of ,seth4  ,no question but 
,adam had worshipped ,god before1 as    
well as ,abel1 and  a family religion   
had been preserved2 but1 as mankind     
increased in  distinct families1 they   
knit together in companies to solemnize 
the  worship of ,god4#dga ,hence1 as    
some think1 those that incorporated     
together for such ends1 were called the 
8sons of ,god20 sons by  profession1    
though not sons by adoption2 as those of
 ,corinth were  saints by profession1   
though in such a corrupted church they  
could  not be all so by regeneration2   
yet saints1 as being of a ,christian    
society1 and calling upon the name of   

,christ1 that is1 worshipping ,god  in  
,christ1 though they might not be all   
saints in spirit and practice4  ,so     
,cain and ,abel met together to worship 
7,gen4 iv4 #c7 8at the end of  the      
days10 at a set time4 ,god settled a    
public worship among the ,jews1         
instituted synagogues for their         
convening together1 whence called the   
8synagogues of ,god40#dgb ,the ,sabbath 
was instituted to acknowledge  ,god a   
common benefactor4 ,public worship keeps
 up the memorials of ,god  in a world   
prone to atheism1 and a sense of ,god in
 a heart prone to  forgetfulness4 ,the  
angels sung in company1 not singly1 at  
the birth  of ,christ1#dgc and praised  
,god not only with a simple elevation of
  their spiritual nature1 but audibly1  
by forming a voice in the air4          
,affections are more lively1 spirits    
more raised in public than private2     
,god will credit his own ordinance4     
,fire increaseth by laying together     
many coals on one place2 so is devotion 

inflamed by the union of  many hearts1  
and by a joint presence2 nor can the    
approach of the  last day of judgment1  
or particular judgments upon a nation1  
give  a writ of ease from such          
assemblies4 7,heb4 x4 #be73 8,not       
forsaking the  assembling ourselves     
together2 but so much the more as you   
see the  day approaching40 ,whether it  
be understood of the day of judgment1   
or the day of the ,jewish destruction   
and the ,christian persecution1  the    
apostle uses it as an argument to       
quicken them to the observance1  not to 
encourage them to a neglect4 ,since1    
therefore1 natural  light informs us1   
and divine institution commands us1     
publicly to  acknowledge ourselves the  
servants of ,god1 it implies the service
 of  the body4 ,such acknowledgments    
cannot be without visible testimonies1  
and outward exercises of devotion1 as   
well as inward affections4 ,this        
promotes ,god's honor1 checks others'   
profaneness1 allures men to the  same   

expressions of duty2 and though there   
may be hypocrisy and an  outward garb   
without an inward frame1 yet better a   
moiety of worship  than none at all2    
better acknowledge ,god's right in one  
than disown it  in both4    #c4 ,jesus  
,christ1 the most spiritual worshipper1 
worshipped ,god  with his body4 ,he     
prayed orally1 and kneeled1 8,father1 if
 it be  a#bbb thy will10#dgd c4 ,he     
blessed with his mouth1 8,father1 ,i    
thank  thee40#dge ,he lifted up his eyes
 as well as elevated his spirit1 when   
he praised his ,father for mercy        
received1 or begged for the blessings   
his disciples wanted4#dgf ,the strength 
of the spirit must have vent  at the    
outward members4 ,the holy men of ,god  
have employed the body in  significant  
expressions of worship2 ,abraham in     
falling on his face1  ,paul in kneeling1
 employing their tongues1 lifting up    
their hands4  ,though ,jacob was bedrid1
 yet he would not worship ,god without  
some  devout expression of reverence2 it

 is in one place 8leaning upon his      
staff20#dgg in another1 8bowing himself 
upon his bed's head40#dgh  ,the reason  
of the diversity is in the ,hebrew word1
 which1 without  vowels1 may be read    
mittah1 a bedor matteh1 a staff2        
however1 both  signify a testimony of   
adoration by a reverent gesture of the  
body4  ,indeed1 in angels and separated 
souls1 a worship is performed purely  by
 the spirit2 but while the soul is in   
conjunction with the body1 it  can      
hardly perform a serious act of worship 
without some tincture upon  the outward 
man and reverential composure of the    
body4 ,fire cannot be  in the clothes   
but it will be felt by the members1 nor 
flames be pent  up in the soul without  
bursting out in the body4 ,the heart can
 no  more restrain itself from breaking 
out1 than ,joseph could inclose his     
affections without expressing them in   
tears to his brethren4#dgi 8,we         
believe1 and therefore speak40#dhj      
,to conclude3 ,god hath appointed some  

parts of worship which cannot  be       
performed without the body1 as          
sacraments2 we have need of them        
because we are not wholly spiritual and 
incorporeal creatures4 ,the  religion   
which consists in externals only is not 
for an intellectual  nature2 a worship  
purely intellectual is too sublime for a
 nature  allied to sense1 and depending 
much upon it4 ,the christian mode of    
worship is proportioned to both2 it     
makes the sense to assist the  mind1 and
 elevates the spirit above the sense4   
,bodily worship helps  the spiritual3   
the members of the body reflect back    
upon the heart1  the voice bars         
distractions1 the tongue sets the heart 
on fire in good  as well as in evil4 ,it
 is as much against the light of nature 
to serve  ,god without external         
significations1 as to serve him only    
with them  without the intention of the 
mind4 ,as the invisible ,god declares   
himself to men by visible works and     
signs1 so should we declare our         

invisible frames by visible expressions4
 ,god hath given us a soul and  body in 
conjunction2 and we are to serve him in 
the same manner he  hath framed us4     
,,ii4 ,the second thing ,i am to show   
is1 what spiritual worship is4 ,in      
general1 the whole spirit is to be      
employed2 the name of ,god is not       
sanctified but by the engagement of our 
souls4 ,worship is an act of  the       
understanding1 applying itself to the   
knowledge of the excellency  of ,god and
 actual thoughts of his majesty2        
recognizing him as the  supreme ,lord   
and ,governor of the world1 which is    
natural knowledge2  beholding the glory 
of his attributes in the ,redeemer1     
which is  evangelical knowledge4 ,this  
is the sole act of the spirit of man4   
,the  same reason is for all our worship
 as for our thanksgiving4 ,this must  be
 done with understanding3 7,psalm xlvii4
 #g7 a#bbc 8,sing ye praise  with       
understanding20 with a knowledge and    
sense of his greatness1  goodness1 and  

wisdom4 ,it is also an act of the will1 
whereby the soul  adores and reverences 
his majesty1 is ravished with his       
amiableness1  embraceth his goodness1   
enters itself into an intimate communion
 with  this most lovely object1 and     
pitcheth all his affections upon him4   
,we  must worship ,god understandingly2 
it is not else a reasonable service4    
,the nature of ,god and the law of ,god 
abhor a blind offering2 we must  worship
 him heartily1 else we offer him a dead 
sacrifice4 ,a reasonable  service is    
that wherein the mind doth truly act    
something with ,god4  ,all spiritual    
acts must be acts of reason1 otherwise  
they are not  human acts1 because they  
want that principle which is            
constitutive of  man1 and doth          
difference him from other creatures4    
,acts done only by  sense are the acts  
of a brute2 acts done by reason are the 
acts of a  man4 ,that which is only an  
act of sense cannot be an act of        
religion4  ,the sense1 without the      

conduct of reason1 is not the subject of
  religious acts2 for then beasts were  
capable of religion as well as  men4    
,there cannot be religion where there is
 not reason2 and there  cannot be the   
exercise of religion where there is not 
an exercise of  the rational faculties2 
nothing can be a christian act that is  
not a  human act4 ,besides1 all worship 
must be for some end2 the worship of    
,god must be for ,god4 ,it is by the    
exercise of our rational faculties  that
 we only can intend an end4 ,an ignorant
 and carnal worship is a  brutish       
worship4 ,particularly1    #a4          
,spiritual worship is a worship from a  
spiritual nature4 ,not only  physically 
spiritual1 so our souls are in their    
frame2 but morally  spiritual1 by a     
renewing principle4 ,the heart must be  
first cast into  the mould of the       
gospel1 before it can perform a worship 
required by  the gospel4 ,adam living in
 ,paradise might perform a spiritual    
worship2  but ,adam fallen from his     

rectitude could not3 we1 being heirs of 
his  nature1 are heirs of his impotence4
 ,restoration to a spiritual life  must 
precede any act of spiritual worship4   
,as no work can be good1  so no worship 
can be spiritual1 till we are created in
 ,christ4#dha  ,christ is our life4#dhb 
,as no natural action can be performed  
without  life in the root or heart1 so  
no spiritual act without ,christ in the 
soul4 ,our being in ,christ is as       
necessary to every spiritual act as  the
 union of our soul with our body is     
necessary to natural action4  ,nothing  
can exceed the limits of its nature2 for
 then it should  exceed itself in       
acting1 and do that which it hath no    
principle to do4  ,a beast cannot act   
like a man1 without partaking of the    
nature of a  man2 nor a man act like an 
angel1 without partaking of the         
angelical  nature4 ,how can we perform  
spiritual acts without a spiritual      
principle8 ,whatsoever worship proceeds 
from the corrupted nature1  cannot      

deserve the title of spiritual worship1 
because it springs  not from a spiritual
 habit4 ,if those that are evil cannot  
speak good  things1 those that are      
carnal cannot offer a spiritual service4
 ,poison  is the fruit of a viper's     
nature 7,matt4 xii4 #cd73 8,o generation
 of  vipers1 how can you1 being evil1   
speak good things8 for out of the       
abundance of the heart the mouth        
speaks40 ,as the root is1 so is the     
fruit4 ,if the soul be habitually       
carnal1 a#bbd the worship cannot  be    
actually spiritual4 ,there may be an    
intention of spirit1 but there  is no   
spiritual principle as a root of that   
intention4 ,a heart may  be sensibly    
united with a duty1 when it is not      
spiritually united  with ,christ in it4 
,carnal motives and carnal ends may fix 
the mind  in an act of worship1 as the  
sense of some pressing affliction may   
enlarge a man's mind in prayer4         
,whatsoever is agreeable to the nature  
of ,god must have a stamp of ,christ    

upon it2 a stamp of his grace  in       
performance1 as well as of his mediation
 in the acceptance4 ,the  apostle lived 
not1 but ,christ lived in him2#dhc the  
soul worships  not1 but ,christ in him4 
,not that ,christ performs the act of   
worship1  but enables us spiritually to 
worship1 after he enables us spiritually
  to live4 ,as ,god counts not any soul 
living but in ,christ1 so he  counts not
 any a spiritual worshipper but in      
,christ4 ,the goodness and  fatness of  
the fruit come from the fatness of the  
olive wherein we are  engrafted4 ,we    
must find healing in ,christ's wings1   
before ,god can find  spirituality in   
our services4 ,all worship issuing from 
a dead nature  is but a dead service4 ,a
 living action cannot be performed1     
without  being knit to a living root4   
#b4 ,spiritual worship is done by the   
influence and with the assistance  of   
the ,spirit of ,god4 ,a heart may be    
spiritual1 when a particular act  of    
worship may not be spiritual4 ,the      

,spirit may dwell in the heart1  when he
 may suspend his influence on the act4  
,our worship is then  spiritual1 when   
the fire that kindles our affections    
comes from heaven1  as that fire upon   
the altar wherewith the sacrifices were 
consumed4  ,god tastes a sweetness in no
 service1 but as it is dressed up by the
  hand of the ,mediator1 and hath the   
air of his own ,spirit in it2 they  are 
but natural acts1 without a supernatural
 assistance2 without  an actual         
influence1 we cannot act from spiritual 
motives1 nor for  spiritual ends1 nor in
 a spiritual manner4 ,we cannot mortify 
a lust  without the ,spirit1#dhd nor    
quicken a service without the ,spirit4  
,whatsoever corruption is killed1 is    
slain by his power2 whatsoever  duty is 
spiritualized1 is refined by his breath4
 ,he quickens our  dead bodies in our   
resurrection2#dhe he renews our dead    
souls in our  regeneration2 he quickens 
our carnal services in our adorations2  
the  choicest acts of worship are but   

infirmities without his auxiliary       
help4#dhf ,we are logs1 unable to move  
ourselves1 till he raise our  faculties 
to a pitch agreeable to ,god2 puts his  
hand to the duty1 and  lifts that up and
 us with it4 ,never any great act was   
performed by the  apostles to ,god1 or  
for ,god2 but they are said to be filled
 with the  ,holy ,ghost4 ,christ could  
not have been conceived immaculate as   
that  8holy thing10 without the         
,spirit's overshadowing the ,virgin2 nor
 any  spiritual act conceived in our    
heart1 without the ,spirit's moving     
upon us1 to bring forth a living        
religion from us4 ,the acts of worship  
are said to be in the ,spirit1          
8supplication in the ,spirit20#dhg  not 
only with the strength and affection of 
our own spirits1 but  with the mighty   
operation of the ,holy ,ghost1 if ,jude 
may be the  interpreter2#dhh the ,holy  
,ghost exciting us1 impelling us1 and   
firing  our souls by his divine flame2  
raising up the affections1 and making   

the a#bbe soul cry with a holy          
importunity1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,to render 
our worship spiritual1 we should1 before
 every engagement in it1  implore the   
actual presence of the ,spirit1 without 
which we are not  able to send forth one
 spiritual breath or groan2 but be      
windbound  like a ship without a gale1  
and our worship be no better than       
carnal4  ,how doth the spouse solicit   
the ,spirit with an 8,awake1 ,o north   
wind1  and come1 thou south wind10#dhi  
c4    #c4 ,spiritual worship is done    
with sincerity4 ,when the heart stands  
right to ,god1 and the soul performs    
what it pretends to perform2 when  we   
serve ,god with our spirits1 as the     
apostle 7,rom4 i4 #i71 8,god is  my     
witness1 whom ,i serve with my spirit in
 the gospel of his ,son30  this is not  
meant of the ,holy ,ghost2 for the      
apostle would never have  called the    
,spirit of ,god his own spirit2 but with
 my spirit1 that  is1 a sincere frame of
 heart4 ,a carnal worship1 whether under

 the law  or gospel1 is1 when we are    
busied about external rites1 without an 
inward compliance of soul4 ,god demands 
the heart2 8,my son1 give me thy        
heart20#dij not give me thy tongue1 or  
thy lips1 or thy hands2 these  may be   
given without the heart1 but the heart  
can never be bestowed  without these as 
its attendants4 ,a heap of services can 
be no more  welcome to ,god1 without our
 spirits1 than all ,jacob's sons could  
be  to ,joseph1 without the ,benjamin he
 desired to see4 ,god is not taken  with
 the cabinet1 but the jewel2 he first   
respected ,abel's faith and  sincerity1 
and then his sacrifice2 he disrespected 
,cain's infidelity  and hypocrisy1 and  
then his offering4 ,for this cause he   
rejected the  offerings of the ,jews1   
the prayers of the ,pharisees1 and the  
alms of  ,ananias and ,sapphira1 because
 their hearts and their duties were at  
a distance from one another4 ,in all    
spiritual sacrifices1 our spirits  are  
,god's portion4 ,under the law1 the     

reins were to be consumed by  the fire  
on the altar1 because the secret        
intentions of the heart were  signified 
by them 7,psalm vii4 #i71 8,the ,lord   
trieth the heart and the  reins40 ,it   
was an ill omen among the heathen1 if a 
victim wanted a  heart4 ,the widow's    
mites1 with her heart in them1 were more
 esteemed  than the richer offerings    
without it4#dia ,not the quantity of    
service1  but the will in it1 is of     
account with this infinite ,spirit4 ,all
  that was to be brought for the framing
 of the tabernacle was to be  offered   
8willingly with the heart40#dib ,the    
more of will1 the more of  spirituality 
and acceptableness to ,god 7,psalm cxix4
 #ajh71 8,accept the  freewill offering 
of my lips40 ,sincerity is the salt     
which seasons  every sacrifice4 ,the    
heart is most like to the object of     
worship2 the  heart in the body is the  
spring of all vital actions2 and a      
spiritual  soul is the spring of all    
spiritual actions4 ,how can we imagine  

,god  can delight in the mere service of
 the body1 any more than we can  delight
 in converse with a carcass8 ,without   
the heart it is no worship2  it is a    
stage play2 an acting a part without    
being that person really  which is acted
 by us3 a hypocrite1 in the notion of   
the word1 is a  stageplayer4 ,we may as 
well say a man may believe with his     
body1 as  worship ,god only with his    
body4 ,faith is a great ingredient in   
worship2  and it is 8with the heart man 
believes unto righteousness40#dic ,we   
may be truly said to worship ,god1 a#bbf
 though we want perfection2  but we     
cannot be said to worship him1 if we    
want sincerity2 a statue  upon a tomb1  
with eyes and hands lifted up1 offers as
 good and true  a service2 it wants only
 a voice1 the gestures and postures are 
the  same2 nay1 the service is better2  
it is not a mockery2 it represents  all 
that it can be framed to2 but to worship
 without our spirits1 is  a presenting  
,god with a picture1 an echo1 voice1 and

 nothing else2  a compliment2 a mere    
lie2 a 8compassing him about with       
lies40#did  ,without the heart the      
tongue is a liar2 and the greatest zeal 
a dissembling with him4 ,to present the 
spirit1 is to present with  that which  
can never naturally die2 to present him 
only the body1 is  to present him that  
which is every day crumbling to dust1   
and will at  last lie rotting in the    
grave2 to offer him a few rags1 easily  
torn2 a  skin for a sacrifice1 a thing  
unworthy the majesty of ,god2 a fixed   
eye  and elevated hands1 with a sleepy  
heart and earthly soul1 are pitiful     
things for an everblessed and glorious  
,spirit3 nay1 it is so far  from being  
spiritual1 that it is blasphemy2 to     
pretend to be a ,jew  outwardly1 without
 being so inwardly1 is1 in the judgment 
of ,christ1  to blaspheme4#die ,and is  
not the same title to be given with as  
much  reason to those that pretend a    
worship and perform none8 ,such a one is
  not a spiritual worshipper1 but a     

blaspheming devil in ,samuel's mantle4  
#d4 ,spiritual worship is performed with
 an unitedness of heart4  ,the heart is 
not only now and then with ,god1 but    
8united to fear or  worship his         
name40#dif ,a spiritual duty must have  
the engagement  of the spirit1 and the  
thoughts tied up to the spiritual       
object4 ,the  union of all the parts of 
the heart together with the body is the 
life of the body2 and the moral union of
 our hearts is the life of any  duty4 ,a
 heart quickly flitting from ,god makes 
not ,god his treasure2 he  slights the  
worship1 and therein affronts the object
 of worship4 ,all  our thoughts ought to
 be ravished with ,god2 bound up in him 
as in a  bundle of life2 but when we    
start from him to gaze after every      
feather1  and run after every bubble1 we
 disown a full and affecting excellency1
  and a satisfying sweetness in him4    
,when our thoughts run from ,god1 it  is
 a testimony we have no spiritual       
affection to ,god2 affection would      

stake down the thoughts to the object   
affected2 it is but a mouth love1  as   
the prophet praiseth it2#dig but their  
hearts go 8after their  covetousness20  
covetous objects pipe1 and the heart    
danceth after them2  and thoughts of    
,god are shifted off to receive a       
multitude of other  imaginations2 the   
heart and the service staid awhile      
together1 and  then took leave of one   
another4 ,the ,psalmist#dih still found 
his  heart with ,god when he awaked2    
still with ,god in spiritual affections 
and fixed meditations4 ,a carnal heart  
is seldom with ,god1 either in or  out  
of worship2 if ,god should knock at the 
heart in any duty1 it would  be found   
not at home1 but straying abroad4 ,our  
worship is spiritual  when the door of  
the heart is shut against all intruders1
 as our  ,saviour commands in           
closetduties4#dii ,it was not his       
meaning to  command the shutting the    
closetdoor1 and leave the heartdoor open
  for every thought that would be apt to

 haunt us4 ,worldly affections  are to  
be laid aside if we would have a#bbg our
 worship spiritual2  this was meant by  
the ,jewish custom of wiping or washing 
off the  dust of their feet before their
 entrance into the temple1 and of not   
bringing money in their girdles4 ,to be 
spiritual in worship1 is to  have our   
souls gathered and bound up wholly in   
themselves1 and offered  to ,god4 ,our  
loins must be girt1 as the fashion was  
in the eastern  countries1 where they   
wore long garments1 that they might not 
waver  with the wind1 and be blown      
between their legs1 to obstruct them in 
their travel3 our faculties must not    
hang loose about us4 ,he is a  carnal   
worshipper that gives ,god but a piece  
of his heart1 as well as  he that denies
 him the whole of it2 that hath some    
thoughts pitched  upon ,god in worship1 
and as many willingly upon the world4   
,david  sought ,god1 not with a moiety  
of his heart1 but with his 8whole       
heart20  with his entire frame2#ejj he  

brought not half his heart1 and left    
the other in the possession of another  
master4 ,it was a good lesson           
,pythagoras gave his scholars1#eja 8,not
 to make the observance of ,god  a work 
by the bye40 ,if those guests be        
invited1 or entertained kindly1  or if  
they come unexpected1 the spirituality  
of that worship is lost2  the soul kicks
 down what it wrought before3 but if    
they be browbeaten  by us1 and our grief
 rather than our pleasure1 they divert  
our  spiritual intention from the work  
in hand1 but hinder not ,god's          
acceptance of it as spiritual1 because  
they are not the acts of our  will1 but 
offences to our wills4    #e4 ,spiritual
 worship is performed with a spiritual  
activity1 and  sensibleness of ,god2    
with an active understanding to meditate
 on his  excellency1 and an active will 
to embrace him when he drops upon the   
soul4 ,if we understand the amiableness 
of ,god1 our affections will be         
ravished2 if we understand the immensity

 of his goodness1 our spirits  will be  
enlarged4 ,we are to act with the       
highest intention suitable  to the      
greatness of that ,god with whom we have
 to do 7,psalm cl4 #b73  8,praise him   
according to his excellent greatness20  
not that we can  worship him equally1   
but in some proportion the frame of the 
heart is  to be suited to the excellency
 of the object2 our spiritual strength  
is to be put out to the utmost1 as      
creatures that act naturally do4  ,the  
sun shines1 and the fire burns to the   
utmost of their natural  power4 ,this is
 so necessary1 that ,david1 a spiritual 
worshipper1  prays for it before he sets
 upon acts of adoration 7,psalm lxxx4   
#ah73  8,quicken us1 that we may call   
upon thy name20 as he was loth to have  
a drowsy faculty1 he was loth to have a 
drowsy instrument1 and would  willingly 
have them as lively as himself 7,psalm  
lvii4 #h73 8,awake up1  my glory2 awake1
 psaltery and harp2 ,i myself will awake
 early40 ,how  would this divine soul   

screw himself up to ,god1 and be turned 
into  nothing but a holy flame6 ,our    
souls must be boiling hot when we serve 
the ,lord4#ejb ,the heart doth no less  
burn when it spiritually comes  to ,god1
 than when ,god doth spiritually        
approach to it2#ejc a ,nabal's  heart1  
one as cold as a stone1 cannot offer up 
a spiritual service4  ,whatsoever is    
enjoined us as our duty1 ought to be    
performed with the  greatest intenseness
 of our spirit4 ,as it a#bbh is our duty
 to pray1  so it is our duty to pray    
with the most fervent importunity4 ,it  
is  our duty to love ,god1 but with the 
purest and most sublime affections2     
every command of ,god requires the whole
 strength of the creature to be         
employed in it4 ,that love to ,god      
wherein all our duty to ,god is summed  
up1 is to be with all our strength1 with
 all our might1 c4#ejd  ,though in the  
covenant of grace he hath mitigated the 
severity of the  law1 and requires not  
from us such an elevation of our        

affections as  was possible in the state
 of innocence1 yet ,god requires of us  
the  utmost moral industry to raise our 
affections to a pitch1 at least  equal  
to what they are in other things4 ,what 
strength of affection  we naturally     
have1 ought to be as much and more      
excited in acts of  worship1 than upon  
other occasions and our ordinary works4 
,as there  was an inactivity of soul in 
worship1 and a quickness to sin1 when   
sin had the dominion2 so when the soul  
is spiritualized1 the temper is         
changed2 there is an inactivity to sin1 
and an ardor in duty2 the more  the soul
 is 8dead to sin10 the more it is 8alive
 to ,god10#eje and  the more lively too 
in all that concerns ,god and his honor2
 for grace  being a new strength added  
to our natural1 determines the          
affections  to new objects1 and excites 
them to a greater vigor4 ,and as the    
hatred of sin is more sharp1 the love to
 everything that destroys the  dominion 
of it is more strong2 and acts of       

worship may be reckoned as  the chiefest
 batteries against the power of this    
inbred enemy4 ,when  the ,spirit is in  
the soul1 like the rivers of waters     
flowing out of  the belly1 the soul hath
 the activity of a river1 and makes     
haste to  be swallowed up in ,god1 as   
the streams of the river in the sea4    
,christ  makes his people 8kings and    
priests to ,god20#ejf first kings1 then 
priests2 gives first a royal temper of  
heart1 that they may offer  spiritual   
sacrifices as priests1 kings and priests
 to ,god1 acting  with a magnificent    
spirit in all their motions to him4 ,we 
cannot be  spiritual priests1 till we be
 spiritual kings4 ,the ,spirit appeared 
in  the likeness of fire1 and where he  
resides1 communicates1 like fire1       
purity and activity4 ,dulness is against
 the light of nature4 ,i do not         
remember that the heathen ever offered a
 snail to any of their false  deities1  
nor an ass1 but to ,priapus1 their      
unclean idol2 but the  ,persians        

sacrificed to the sun a horse1 a swift  
and generous creature4  ,god provided   
against those in the law1 commanding an 
ass' firstling1  the offspring of a     
sluggish creature1 to be redeemed1 or   
his neck  broke1 but by no means to be  
offered to him4#ejg ,god is a ,spirit   
infinitely active1 and therefore frozen 
and benumbed frames are  unsuitable to  
him2 he 8rides upon a cherub0 and flies2
 he comes upon  the 8wings of the wind20
 he rides upon a 8swift cloud20#ejh and 
therefore demands of us not a dull      
reason1 but an active spirit4 ,god  is a
 living ,god1 and therefore must have a 
lively service4 ,christ is  life1 and   
slothful adorations are not fit to be   
offered up in the name  of life4 ,the   
worship of ,god is called wrestling in  
,scripture2 and ,paul  was a striver in 
the service of his ,master1#eji 8in an  
agony40#eaj  ,angels worshipped ,god    
spiritually with their wings on2 and    
when ,god  commands them to worship     
,christ1 the next ,scripture quoted is1 

that  he makes them a#bbi 8flames of    
fire40#eaa ,if it be thus1 how may  we  
charge ourselves8 ,what ,paul said of   
the sensual widow1#eab that  she is     
8dead while she lives10 we may say often
 of ourselves1 we are  dead while we    
worship4 ,our hearts are in duty as the 
,jews were in  deliverances1 as those   
8in a dream20#eac by which              
unexpectedness  ,god showed the         
greatness of his care and mercy2 and we 
attend him as  men in a dream1 whereby  
we discover our negligence and folly4   
,this  activity doth not consist in     
outward acts2 the body may be hot1 and  
the heart may be faint1 but in an inward
 stirring1 meltings1 flights4  ,in the  
highest raptures the body is most       
insensible4 ,strong spiritual           
affections are abstracted from outward  
sense4    #f4 ,spiritual worship is     
performed with acting spiritual habits4 
,when  all the living springs of grace  
are opened1 as the fountains of the     
deep were in the deluge1 the soul and   

all that is within it1 all the          
spiritual impresses of ,god upon it1    
erect themselves to 8bless his  holy    
name40#ead ,this is necessary to make a 
worship spiritual4 ,as  natural agents  
are determined to act suitable to their 
proper nature1  so rational agents are  
to act conformable to a rational being4 
,when  there is a conformity between the
 act and the nature whence it flows1  it
 is a good act in its kind2 if it be    
rational1 it is a good rational  act1   
because suitable to its principle2 as a 
man endowed with reason  must act       
suitable to that endowment1 and exercise
 his reason in his  acting2 so a        
,christian endued with grace1 must act  
suitable to that  nature1 and exercise  
his grace in his acting4 ,acts done by a
 natural  inclination are no more human 
acts than the natural acts of a beast   
may be said to be human2 though they are
 the acts of a man1 as he is  the       
efficient cause of them1 yet they are   
not human acts1 because they  arise not 

from that principle of reason which     
denominates him a man4  ,so acts of     
worship performed by a bare exercise of 
reason1 are not  christian and spiritual
 acts1 because they come not from the   
principle  which constitutes him a      
,christian2 reason is not the principle1
 for  then all rational creatures would 
be ,christians4 ,they ought1 therefore1 
to be acts of a higher principle1       
exercises of that grace whereby         
,christians are what they are2 not but  
that rational acts in worship  are due  
to ,god1 for worship is due from us as  
men1 and we are settled  in that rank of
 being by our reason4 ,grace doth not   
exclude reason1  but ennobles it1 and   
calls it up to another form2 but we must
 not rest  in a bare rational worship1  
but exert that principle whereby we are 
,christians4 ,to worship ,god with our  
reason1 is to worship him as men2  to   
worship ,god with our grace is to       
worship him as ,christians1 and  so     
spiritually2 but to worship him only    

with our bodies1 is no better  than     
brutes4 ,our desires of the word are to 
issue from the regenerate  principle 7#a
 ,pet4 ii4 #b73 8,as newborn babes      
desire the sincere milk  of the word20  
it seems to be not a comparison1 but a  
restriction4  ,all worship must have the
 same spring1 and be the exercise of    
that  principle1 otherwise we can have  
no communion with ,god4 ,friends that   
have the same habitual dispositions1    
have a fundamental fitness for an       
agreeable converse with one another2 but
 if the temper wherein their  likeness  
consists be languishing1 and the string 
out of tune1 there is  not an actual    
fitness2 a#bcj and the present          
indisposition breaks the  converse1 and 
renders the company troublesome4 ,though
 we may have the  habitual graces which 
compose in us a resemblance to ,god1 yet
 for want  of acting those suitable     
dispositions1 we render ourselves unfit 
for  his converse1 and make the worship1
 which is fundamentally spiritual1  to  

become actually carnal4 ,as the will    
cannot naturally act to any  object but 
by the exercise of its affections1 so   
the heart cannot  spiritually act       
towards ,god but by the exercise of     
graces4 ,this is  ,god's music 7,eph4 v4
 #ai73 8,singing and making melody to   
,god in your  hearts40 ,singing and all 
other acts of worship are outward1 but  
the  spiritual melody is 8by grace in   
the heart0 7,col4 iii4 #af73 this       
renders it a spiritual worship2 for it  
is an effect of the fulness of  the     
spirit in the soul1 as 7ver4 #ai71 8,but
 be filled with the ,spirit40  ,the     
overflowing of the ,spirit in the heart1
 setting the soul of a  believer thus on
 work to make a spiritual melody to     
,god1 shows that  something higher than 
bare reason is put in tune in the heart4
 ,then  is the fruit of the garden      
pleasant to ,christ1 when the ,holy     
,spirit1  8the north and south wind1    
blow upon the spices10 and strike out   
the  fragrancy of them4#eae ,since ,god 

is the ,author of graces1 and bestows   
them to have a glory from them1 they are
 best employed about him and  his       
service4 ,it is fit he should have the  
cream of his own gifts4  ,without the   
exercise of grace we perform but a work 
of nature1 and  offer him a few dry     
bones without marrow4 ,the whole set of 
graces must  be one way or other        
exercised4 ,if any treble be wanting in 
a lute1  there will be great defect in  
the music4 ,if any one spiritual string 
be dull1 the spiritual harmony of       
worship will be spoiled4 ,and           
therefore2    #a4 ,faith must be acted  
in worship2 a confidence in ,god4 ,a    
natural  worship cannot be performed    
without a natural confidence in the     
goodness of ,god2 whosoever comes to    
him1 must regard him as a rewarder1  and
 a faithful ,creator4#eaf ,a spiritual  
worship cannot be performed  without an 
evangelical confidence in him as a      
gracious ,redeemer4 ,to  think him a    
tyrant1 meditating revenge1 damps the   

soul2 to regard him  as a gracious king1
 full of tender bowels1 spirits the     
affections to  him4 ,the mercy of ,god  
is the proper object of trust 7,psalm   
xxxiii4 #ah73  8,the eye of the ,lord is
 upon them that fear him1 upon them that
  hope in his mercy40 ,the worship of   
,god in the ,old ,testament is most     
described by fear2 in the ,new          
,testament by faith4 ,fear1 or the      
worship  of ,god1 and hope in his mercy 
are linked together2 when they go hand  
in hand1 the accepting eye of ,god is   
upon us2 when we do not trust1  we do   
not worship4 ,those of ,judah had the   
templeworship among them1  especially in
 ,josiah's time 7,zeph4 iii4 #b71 the   
time of that prophecy2  yet it was      
accounted no worship1 because no trust  
in the worshippers4  ,interest in ,god  
cannot be improved without an exercise  
of faith4 ,the  gospelworship is        
prophesied of1 to be a confidence in    
,god1 as in a  husband more than in a   
lord 7,hos4 ii4 #af73 8,thou shalt call 

me ,ishi1  and shalt call me no more    
,baali40 8,thou shalt call me20 that is1
 thou  shalt worship me1 worship being  
often comprehended under invocation4    
,more confidence is to be exercised in a
 husband or father1 than in a  lord     
a#bca or master4 ,if a man have not     
faith1 he is without ,christ2  and      
though a man be in ,christ by the habit 
of faith1 he performs a  duty out of    
,christ without an act of faith3 without
 the habit of faith1  our persons are   
out of ,christ2 and without the exercise
 of faith1  the duties are out of       
,christ4 ,as the want of faith in a     
person is  the death of the soul1 so the
 want of faith in a service is the death
  of the offering4 ,though a man were at
 the cost of an ox1 yet to kill  it     
without bringing it to the 8door of the 
tabernacle10 was not a  sacrifice1 but a
 murder 7,lev4 xvii4 #c1 #d74 ,the      
tabernacle was a type  of ,christ1 and a
 look to him is necessary in every      
spiritual sacrifice4  ,as there must be 

faith to make any act an act of         
obedience1 so there  must be faith to   
make any act of worship spiritual4 ,that
 service is  not spiritual that is not  
vital2 and it cannot be vital without   
the  exercise of a vital principle2 all 
spiritual life is 8hid in ,christ10  and
 drawn from him by faith 7,gal4 ii4     
#bj74 ,faith1 as it hath relation  to   
,christ1 makes every act of worship a   
living act1 and1 consequently1  a       
spiritual act4 ,habitual unbelief cuts  
us off from the body of ,christ  7,rom4 
xi4 #bj73 8,because of unbelief they    
were broken off20 and a want  of        
actuated belief breaks us off from a    
present communion with ,christ  in      
spirit4 ,as unbelief in us hinders      
,christ from doing any mighty work1  so 
unbelief in us hinders us from doing any
 mighty spiritual duty2 so  that the    
exercise of faith1 and a confidence in  
,god1 is necessary to  every duty4      
#b4 ,love must be acted to render a     
worship spiritual4 ,though ,god         

commanded love in the ,old ,testament1  
yet the manner of giving the law        
bespoke more of fear than love4 ,the    
dispensation of the law was with  fire1 
thunder1 c41 proper to raise horror1 and
 benumb the spirit2  which effect it had
 upon the ,israelites1 when they desired
 that ,god  would speak no more to them4
 ,grace is the genius of the gospel1    
proper  to excite the affection of love4
 ,the law was given by the 8disposition 
of angels10 with signs to amaze2 the    
gospel was ushered in with the  8songs  
of angels10 composed of peace and       
goodwill1 calculated to  ravish the     
soul4 ,instead of the terrible voice of 
the law1 8,do this  and live10 the      
comfortable voice of the gospel is1     
8,grace1 grace60  ,upon this account the
 principle of the ,old ,testament was   
fear1 and the  worship often expressed  
by the fear of ,god4 ,the principle of  
the ,new  ,testament is love4 ,the      
,mount ,sinai gendereth to bondage      
7,gal4 iv4 #dd72  ,mount ,sion1 from    

whence the gospel or evangelical law    
goes forth1  gendereth to liberty2 and  
therefore the 8spirit of bondage unto   
fear10  as the property of the law1 is  
opposed to the state of adoption1 the   
principle of love1 as the property of   
the gospel 7,rom4 viii4 #ae72  and      
therefore the worship of ,god under the 
gospel1 or ,new ,testament1  is oftener 
expressed by love than fear1 as         
proceeding from higher  principles1 and 
acting nobler passions4 ,in this state  
we are to serve  him without fear 7,luke
 i4 #gd72 without a bondage fear2 not   
without  a fear of unworthy treating    
him2 with a 8fear of his goodness0 as it
  is prophesied of 7,hos4 ix4 #e74      
,goodness is not the object of terror1  
but reverence2 ,god1 in the law1 had    
more the garb of a judge2 in the        
gospel1 of a father2 the name of a      
father is sweeter and bespeaks more  of 
affection4 ,as their services were with 
a feeling of the thunders  of the law in
 their consciences1 a#bcb so is our     

worship to be with  a sense of gospel   
grace in our spirits2 spiritual worship 
is that1  therefore1 which is exercised 
with a spiritual and heavenly affection1
  proper to the gospel4 ,the heart      
should be enlarged according to the     
liberty the gospel gives of drawing near
 to ,god as a father4 ,as he  gives us  
the nobler relation of children1 we are 
to act the nobler  qualities of         
children4 ,love should act according to 
its nature1 which  is desired of union2 
desire of a moral union by affections1  
as well as  a mystical union by faith2  
as flame aspires to reach flame1 and    
become  one with it4 ,in every act of   
worship we should endeavor to be united 
to ,god1 and become one spirit with him4
 ,this grace doth spiritualize  worship2
 in that one word1 love1 ,god hath wrapt
 up all the devotion  he requires of us2
 it is the total sum of the first table1
 8,thou shalt  love the ,lord thy ,god30
 it is to be acted in everything we do2 
but  in worship our hearts should more  

solemnly rise up and acknowledge  him   
amiable and lovely1 since the law is    
stripped of its cursing  power1 and made
 sweet in the blood of the ,redeemer4   
,love is a thing  acceptable of itself1 
but nothing acceptable without it2 the  
gifts  of one man to another are        
spiritualized by it4 ,we would not value
 a  present without the affection of the
 donor2 every man would lay claim  to   
the love of others1 though he would not 
to their possessions4  ,love is ,god's  
right in every service1 and the noblest 
thing we can  bestow upon him in our    
adorations of him4 ,god's gifts to us   
are  not so estimable without his love2 
nor our services valuable by him        
without the exercise of a choice        
affection4 ,hezekiah regarded not his   
deliverance without the love of the     
,deliverer2 8,in love to my soul  thou  
hast delivered me0 7,isa4 xxxviii4 #ag74
 ,so doth ,god say1 ,in love  to my     
honor thou hast worshipped me3 so that  
love must be acted1 to  render our      

worship spiritual4    #c4 ,a spiritual  
sensibleness of our own weakness is     
necessary to make  our worship          
spiritual4 ,affections to ,god cannot be
 without relentings  in ourselves4 ,when
 the eye is spiritually fixed upon a    
spiritual ,god1  the heart will mourn   
that the worship is no more spiritually 
suitable4  ,the more we act love upon   
,god1 as amiable and gracious1 the more 
we should exercise grief in ourselves1  
as we are vile and offending4           
,spiritual worship is a melting worship1
 as well as an elevating  worship2 it   
exalts ,god1 and debaseth the creature4 
,the ,publican was  more spiritual in   
his humble address to ,god1 when the    
,pharisee was  wholly carnal with his   
swelling language4 ,a spiritual love in 
worship  will make us grieve that we    
have given him so little1 and could give
  him no more4 ,it is a part of         
spiritual duty to bewail our carnality  
mixed with it2 as we receive mercies    
spiritually1 when we receive  them with 

a sense of ,god's goodness and our own  
vileness2 in the same  manner we render 
a spiritual worship4    #d4 ,spiritual  
desires for ,god render the service     
spiritual2 when the  soul 8follows hard 
after him0 7,psalm lxiii4 #h72 pursues  
after ,god as  a ,god of infinite and   
communicative goodness1 with sighs and  
groans  unutterable4 ,a spiritual soul  
seems to be transformed into hunger and 
thirst1 and becomes nothing but desire4 
,a carnal worshipper is taken  with the 
beauty and magnificence of the temple2 a
 spiritual worshipper  desires to see   
the glory of ,god in the sanctuary      
7,psalm lxiii4 #b71  a#bcc he pants     
after ,god3 as he came to worship1 to   
find ,god1 he  boils up in desires for  
,god1 and is loth to go from it without 
,god1  8the living ,god0 7,psalm xlii4  
#b74 ,he would see the ,urim and the    
,thummim2 the unusual sparkling of the  
stones upon the highpriest's            
breastplate4 ,that deserves not the     
title of spiritual worship1 when  the   

soul makes no longing inquiries3 8,saw  
you him whom my soul loves80  ,a        
spiritual worship is when our desires   
are chiefly for ,god in the  worship2 as
 ,david desires to dwell in the house of
 the ,lord2 but his  desire is not      
terminated there1 but to behold the     
beauty of the ,lord  7,psalm xxvii4 #d71
 and taste the ravishing sweetness of   
his presence4  ,no doubt but ,elijah's  
desires for the enjoyment of ,god while 
he  was mounting to heaven1 were as     
fiery as the chariot wherein he was     
carried4 ,unutterable groans acted in   
worship are the fruit of the  ,spirit1  
and certainly render it a spiritual     
service 7,rom4 viii4 #bf74  ,strong     
appetites are agreeable to ,god1 and    
prepare us to eat the fruit  of worship4
 ,a spiritual ,paul presseth forward to 
know ,christ1 and the  power of his     
resurrection2 and a spiritual worshipper
 actually aspires  in every duty to know
 ,god1 and the power of his grace4 ,to  
desire  worship as an end is carnal2 to 

desire it as a means1 and act desires   
in it for communion with ,god in it1 is 
spiritual1 and the fruit of  a spiritual
 life4    #e4 ,thankfulness and         
admiration are to be exercised in       
spiritual  service4 ,this is a worship  
of spirits2 praise is the adoration of  
the  blessed angels 7,isa4 vi4 #c71 and 
of glorified spirits 7,rev4 iv4 #aa73   
8,thou art worthy1 ,o ,lord1 to receive 
glory and honor1 and power20 and  7,rev4
 v4 #ac1 #ad71 they worship him         
ascribing 8,blessing1 honor1 glory1  and
 power to ,him that sits upon the       
throne1 and to the ,lamb forever  and   
ever40 ,other acts of worship are       
confined to this life1 and leave  us as 
soon as we have set our foot in heaven2 
there1 no notes but  this of praise are 
warbled out2 the power1 wisdom1 love1   
and grace in  the dispensation of the   
gospel1 seat themselves in the thoughts 
and  tongues of blessed souls4 ,can a   
worship on earth be spiritual1 that     
hath no mixture of an eternal heavenly  

duty with it8 ,the worship of  ,god in  
innocence had been chiefly an admiration
 of him in the works  of creation2 and  
should not our evangelical worship be an
 admiration  of him in the works of     
redemption1 which is a restoration to a 
better  state8 ,after the petitioning   
for pardoning grace 7,hos4 xiv4 #b71    
there  is a rendering the calves or     
heifers of our lips1 alluding to the    
heifers used in eucharistical           
sacrifices4 ,the praise of ,god is the  
choicest sacrifice and worship under a  
dispensation of redeeming grace2  this  
is the prime and eternal part of worship
 under the gospel4 ,the  ,psalmist      
7,psalm cxlix4 cl471 speaking of the    
gospel times1 spurs on to  this kind of 
worship2 8,sing to the ,lord a new song2
 let the children  of ,zion be joyful in
 their king2 let the saints be joyful in
 glory1  and sing aloud upon their beds2
 let the high praises of ,god be in     
their mouths20 he begins and ends both  
psalms with 8,praise ye the  ,lord40    

,that cannot be a spiritual and         
evangelical worship1 that hath  nothing 
of the praise of ,god in the heart4 ,the
 consideration of ,god's  adorable      
perfections1 discovered in the gospel1  
will make us come to  him with more     
seriousness2 beg blessings of him with  
more confidence2  fly to him with a     
winged a#bcd faith and love1 and more   
spiritually  glorify him in our         
attendances upon him4    #f4 ,spiritual 
worship is performed with delight4 ,the 
evangelical  worship is prophetically   
signified by keeping the feast of       
tabernacles2  8,they shall go up from   
year to year1 to worship the ,king1 the 
,lord  of ,hosts1 and to keep the feast 
of tabernacles0 7,zech4 xiv4 #af73  why 
that feast1 when there were other feasts
 observed by the ,jews8  ,that was a    
feast celebrated with the greatest joy2 
typical of the  gladness which was to be
 under the exhibition of the ,messiah1  
and a  thankful commemoration of the    
redemption wrought by him4 ,it was to be

  celebrated five days after the 8solemn
 day of atonement0 7,lev4 xxiii4  #cd1  
compared with ver4 #bg71 wherein there  
was one of the solemnest  types of the  
sacrifice of the death of ,christ4 ,in  
this feast they  commemorated their     
exchange of ,egypt for ,canaan2 the     
manna wherewith  they were fed2 the     
water out of the rock wherewith they    
were refreshed2  in remembrance of this1
 they poured water on the ground1       
pronouncing  those words in ,isaiah1    
they shall 8draw waters out of the wells
  of salvation20 which our ,saviour     
refers to himself 7,john vii4 #cg71     
inviting them to him1 to drink 8upon the
 last day1 the great day of  the feast  
of tabernacles10 wherein the solemn     
ceremony was observed4  ,since we are   
freed by the death of the ,redeemer from
 the curses of the  law1 ,god requires  
of us a joy in spiritual privileges4 ,a 
sad frame in  worship gives the lie to  
all gospel liberty1 to the purchase of  
the  ,redeemer's death1 the triumphs of 

his resurrection3 it is a carriage1  as 
if we were under the influences of the  
legal fire and lightning1  and an       
entering a protest against the freedom  
of the gospel4 ,the  evangelical worship
 is a spiritual worship2 and praise1    
joy1 and  delight are prophesied of1 as 
great ingredients in attendance on      
gospel ordinances 7,isaiah xii4 #ce74   
,what was occasion of terror in  the    
worship of ,god under the law1 is the   
occasion of delight in the  worship of  
,god under the gospel4 ,the justice and 
holiness of ,god1 so  terrible in the   
law1 becomes comfortable under the      
gospel2 since they  have feasted        
themselves on the active and passive    
obedience of the  ,redeemer4 ,the       
approach is to ,god as gracious1 not to 
,god as unpacified2  as a son to a      
father1 not as a criminal to a judge4   
,under the law1 ,god  was represented as
 a judge2 remembering their sin in their
 sacrifices1  and representing the      
punishment they had merited3 in the     

gospel as  a father1 accepting the      
atonement1 and publishing the           
reconciliation  wrought by the          
,redeemer4 ,delight in ,god is a gospel 
frame2 therefore  the more joyful1 the  
more spiritual3 8,the sabbath is to be a
 delight20  not only in regard of the   
day1 but in regard to the duties of it  
7,isa4  lviii4 #ac72 in regard of the   
marvellous work he wrought on it2       
raising  up our blessed ,redeemer on    
that day1 whereby a foundation was laid 
for  the rendering our persons and      
services acceptable to ,god 7,psalm     
cxviii4  #bd72 8,this is the day which  
the ,lord hath made1 we will be glad and
  rejoice in it40 ,a lumpish frame      
becomes not a day and a duty1 that  hath
 so noble and spiritual a mark upon it4 
,the angels1 in the first  act of       
worship after the creation1 were highly 
joyful 7,job xxxviii4 #g73  8,they      
shouted for joy10 c4 ,the saints have   
particularly acted this in  their       
worship4 ,david would not content       

himself with an approach to the  altar1 
without going to a#bce ,god as his      
8exceeding joy0 7,psalm xliii4  #d74 ,my
 triumphant joy3 when he danced before  
the ark1 he seems to be  transformed    
into delight and pleasure 7#b ,sam4 vi4 
#ad1 #af74 ,he had as  much delight in  
worship1 as others had in their harvest 
and vintage4  ,and those that took      
joyfully the spoiling of their goods1   
would as  joyfully attend upon the      
communications of ,god4 ,where there is 
a  fulness of the ,spirit1 there is a   
8waking melody to ,god in the heart0    
7,eph4 v4 #ah1 #ai72 and where there is 
an acting of love 7as there is  in all  
spiritual services71 the proper fruit of
 it is joy in a near  approach to the   
object of the soul's affection4 ,love is
 appetitus  unionis2 the more love1 the 
more delight in the approachings of     
,god to the soul1 or the outgoings of   
the soul to ,god4 ,as the object  of    
worship is amiable in a spiritual eye1  
so the means tending to a  communion    

with this object are delightful in the  
exercise4 ,where there  is no delight in
 a duty1 there is no delight in the     
object of the duty2  the more of grace1 
the more of pleasure in the actings of  
it2 as the  more of nature there is in  
any natural agent1 the more of pleasure 
in  the act1 so the more heavenly the   
worship1 the more spiritual4 ,delight   
is the frame and temper of glory4 ,a    
heart filled up to the brim with  joy1  
is a heart filled up to the brim with   
the ,spirit2 joy is the  fruit of the   
,holy ,ghost 7,gal4 v4 #bb74 7#a47 ,not 
the joy of ,god's  dispensation flowing 
from ,god1 but a gracious active joy    
streaming  to ,god4 ,there is a joy1    
when the comforts of ,god are dropped   
into the  soul1 as oil upon the wheel2  
which indeed makes the faculties move   
with more speed and activity in his     
service1 like the chariots of           
,aminadab2 and a soul may serve ,god in 
the strength of this taste1  and its    
delight terminate in the sensible       

comfort4 ,this is not the  joy ,i mean1 
but such a joy that hath ,god for its   
object1 delighting  in him as the term1 
in worship as the way to him2 the first 
is ,god's  dispensation1 the other is   
our duty2 the first is an act of ,god's 
favor to us1 the second a sprout of     
habitual grace in us4 ,the comforts  we 
have from ,god may elevate our duties2  
but the grace we have within  doth      
spiritualize our duties4 7#b47 ,nor is  
every delight an argument of  a         
spiritual service4 ,all the requisites  
to worship must be taken in4 ,a  man may
 invent a worship and delight in it2 as 
,micah in the adoration  of his idol1   
when he was glad he had got both an     
,ephod and a ,levite  7,judges xvii74   
,as a man may have a contentment in sin1
 so he may have  a contentment in       
worship2 not because it is a worship of 
,god1 but the  worship of his own       
invention1 agreeable to his own humor   
and design1  as 7,isa4 lviii4 #b7 it is 
said1 they 8delighted in approaching to 

,god20  but it was for carnal ends4     
,novelty engenders complacency2 but it  
must be a worship wherein ,god will     
delight2 and that must be a worship     
according to his own rule and infinite  
wisdom1 and not our shallow  fancies4   
,god requires a cheerfulness in his     
service1 especially under  the gospel1  
where he sits upon a throne of grace2   
discovers himself  in his amiableness1  
and acts the covenant of grace1 and the 
sweet  relation of a father4 ,the       
priests of old were not to sully        
themselves  with any sorrow1 when they  
were in the exercise of their functions4
  ,god put a bar to the natural         
affections of ,aaron and his sons1 when 
,nadab and ,abihu had been cut off by a 
severe hand of ,god 7,lev4 x4 #f74      
,every true ,christian in a higher order
 of priesthood1 is a person  a#bcf      
dedicated to joy and peace1 offering    
himself a lively sacrifice  of praise   
and thanksgiving2 and there is no       
christian duty1 but is to  be set off   

and seasoned with cheerfulness3 he that 
loves a cheerful  giver in acts of      
charity1 requires no less a cheerful    
spirit in acts  of worship2 as this is  
an ingredient in worship1 so it is the  
means  to make your spirits intent in   
worship4 ,when the heart triumphs in the
  consideration of divine excellency and
 goodness1 it will be angry at  anything
 that offers to jog and disturb it4     
#g4 ,spiritual worship is to be         
performed1 though with a delight in     
,god1 yet with a deep reverence of ,god4
 ,the gospel1 in advancing the          
spirituality of worship1 takes off the  
terror1 but not the reverence  of ,god2 
which is nothing else in its own nature1
 but a due and high  esteem of the      
excellency of a thing according to the  
nature of it2 and1  therefore1 the      
gospel presenting us with more          
illustrious notices of  the glorious    
nature of ,god1 is so far from indulging
 any disesteem of  him1 that it requires
 of us a greater reverence suitable to  

the height  of its discovery1 above what
 could be spelt in the book of creation2
  the gospel worship is therefore       
expressed by trembling 7,hos4 xi4 #aj73 
8,they shall walk after the ,lord2 he   
shall roar like a lion2 when  he shall  
roar1 then the children shall tremble   
from the ,west40 ,when  the lion of the 
tribe of ,judah shall lift up his       
powerful voice  in the gospel1 the      
western ,gentiles shall run trembling to
 walk  after the ,lord4 ,god hath alway 
attended his greatest manifestations    
with remarkable characters of majesty1  
to create a reverence in  his creature3 
he caused the 8wind to march before     
him10 to cut the  mountain1 when he     
manifested himself to ,elijah 7#a ,kings
 xix4 #aa72 8,a  wind and a cloud of    
fire10 before that magnificent vision to
 ,ezekiel  7chap4 i4 #d1 #e72 8,thunders
 and lightnings0 before the giving the  
law  7,exod4 xix4 #ah72 and a 8mighty   
wind0 before the giving the ,spirit     
7,acts ii473 ,god requires of us an awe 

of him in the very act of  performance4 
,the angels are pure1 and cannot fear   
him as sinners1 but  in 8reverence they 
cover their faces0 when they stand      
before him 7,isa4  vi4 #b73 his power   
should make us reverence him1 as we are 
creatures2  his justice1 as we are      
sinners2 his goodness1 as we are        
restored  creatures4 8,god is clothed   
with unspeakable majesty2 the glory of  
his  face shines brighter than the      
lights of heaven in their beauty4       
,before  him the angels tremble1 and the
 heavens melt2 we ought not therefore   
to come before him with the sacrifice of
 fools1 nor tender a duty to  him1      
without falling low upon our faces1 and 
bowing the knees of our  hearts in token
 of reverence40#eag ,not a slavish fear1
 like that  of devils2 but a 8godly     
fear10 like that of saints 7,heb4 xii4  
#bh72  joined with a sense of an        
unmovable kingdom1 becometh us2 and this
  the apostle calls a grace necessary to
 make our service acceptable1  and      

therefore the grace necessary to make it
 spiritual1 since nothing  finds        
admission to ,god1 but what is of a     
spiritual nature4 ,the  consideration of
 his glorious nature should imprint an  
awful respect  upon our souls to him2   
his goodness should make his majesty    
more  adorable to us1 as his majesty    
makes his goodness more admirable in    
his condescensions to us4 ,as ,god is a 
,spirit1 our worship must be  spiritual2
 and being1 as he is1 the supreme       
,spirit1 our worship a#bcg  must be     
reverential2 we must observe the state  
he takes upon him in  his ordinances2   
8,he is in heaven1 we upon the earth20  
we must not  therefore be 8hasty to     
utter anything before ,god0 7,eccles4 v4
 #g74  ,consider him a ,spirit in the   
highest heavens1 and ourselves spirits  
dwelling in a dreggy earth4 ,loose and  
garish frames debase him to our  own    
quality2 slight postures of spirit      
intimate him to be a slight and  mean   
being2 our being in covenant with him1  

must not lower our awful  apprehensions 
of him2 as he is the ,lord thy ,god1 it 
is a glorious and  fearful name1 or     
wonderful 7,deut4 xxviii4 #eh72 though  
he lay by his  justice to believers1 he 
doth not lay by his majesty2 when we    
have a  confidence in him1 because he is
 the ,lord our ,god1 we must have awful 
thoughts of his majesty1 because his    
name is glorious4 ,god is terrible  from
 his holy places1 in regard of the great
 things he doth for his  ,israel 7,psalm
 lxviii4 #ce72 we should behave         
ourselves with that inward  honor and   
respect of him1 as if he were present to
 our bodily eyes2  the higher           
apprehensions we have of his majesty1   
the greater awe will  be upon our hearts
 in his presence1 and the greater       
spirituality in  our acts4 ,we should   
manage our hearts so1 as if we had a    
view of ,god  in his heavenly glory4    
#h4 ,spiritual worship is to be         
performed with humility in our spirits4 
,this is to follow upon the reverence of

 ,god4 ,as we are to have high  thoughts
 of ,god1 that we may not debase him2 we
 must have low thoughts  of ourselves1  
not to vaunt before him4 ,when we have  
right notions of  the ,divine ,majesty1 
we shall be as worms in our own         
thoughts1 and  creep as worms into his  
presence2 we can never consider him in  
his  glory1 but we have a fit           
opportunity to reflect upon ourselves1  
and  consider how basely we revolted    
from him1 and how graciously we are     
restored by him4 ,as the gospel affords 
us greater discoveries of ,god's        
nature1 and so enhanceth our reverence  
of him1 so it helps us to a  fuller     
understanding of our own vileness and   
weakness1 and therefore  is proper to   
engender humility2 the more spiritual   
and evangelical  therefore any service  
is1 the more humble it is4 ,that is a   
spiritual  service that doth most       
manifest the glory of ,god2 and this    
cannot  be manifested by us1 without    
manifesting our own emptiness and       

nothingness4 ,the heathens were sensible
 of the necessity of humility  by the   
light of nature2#eah after the name of  
,god1 signified by   inscribed on the   
temple at ,delphos1 followed  1 whereby 
was insinuated1 that when we have to do 
with ,god1 who is the only  ,ens1 we    
should behave ourselves with a sense of 
our own infirmity1  and infinite        
distance from him4 ,as a person1 so a   
duty leavened  with pride1 hath nothing 
of sincerity1 and therefore nothing of  
spirituality in it 7,hab4 ii4 #d73 8,his
 soul which is lifted up1 is not        
upright in him40 ,the elders that were  
crowned by ,god to be kings and         
priests1 to offer spiritual sacrifices1 
uncrown themselves in their  worship of 
him1 and cast down their ornaments at   
8his feet0#eai the  ,greek word to      
worship1 1 signifies to creep like a dog
 upon  his belly before his master2 to  
lie low4 ,how deep should our sense be  
of the privilege of ,god's admitting us 
to his worship1 and affording  us such a

 mercy under our deserts of wrath6 ,how 
mean should be our  thoughts1 both of   
our persons a#bch and performances6 ,how
 patiently  should we wait upon ,god for
 the success of worship6 ,how did       
,abraham1  the father of the faithful1  
equal himself to the earth1 when he     
supplicated the ,god of heaven1 and     
devote himself to him under the  title  
of very 8dust and ashes60 7,gen4 xviii4 
#bg47 ,isaiah did but  behold an        
evangelical apparition of ,god and the  
angels worshipping him1  and presently  
reflects upon his 8own uncleanness0     
7,isa4 vi4 #e74 ,god's  presence both   
requires and causes humility4 ,how lowly
 is ,david in his  own opinion1 after a 
magnificent duty performed by himself   
and his  people 7#a ,chron4 xxix4 #ad73 
8,who am ,i8 and what is my people1 that
 we  should be able to offer so         
willingly80 ,the more spiritual the soul
 is  in its carriage to ,god1 the more  
humble it is2 and the more gracious     
,god is in his communications to the    

soul1 the lower it lies4 ,god  commanded
 not the fiercer creatures to be offered
 to him in sacrifices1  but lambs and   
kids1 meek and lowly creatures2 none    
that had stings  in their tails1 or     
venom in their tongues#ebj ,the meek    
lamb was the  daily sacrifice2 the doves
 were to be offered by pairs2 ,god would
 not  have honey mixed with any         
sacrifice 7,lev4 ii4 #aa71 that breeds  
choler1  and choler pride2 but oil he   
commanded to be used1 that supples and  
mollifies the parts4 ,swelling pride and
 boiling passions render our  services  
carnal2 they cannot be spiritual1       
without a humble sweetness  and an      
innocent sincerity2 one grain of this   
transcends the most  costly sacrifices3 
a contrite heart puts a gloss upon      
worship 7,psalm  li4 #af1 #ag74 ,the    
departure of men and angels from ,god1  
began in pride2  our approaches and     
return to him must begin in humility2   
and therefore  all those graces1 which  
are bottomed on humility1 must be acted 

in  worship1 as faith1 and a sense of   
our own indigence4 ,our blessed         
,saviour1 the most spiritual worshipper1
 prostrated himself in the  garden with 
the greatest lowliness1 and offered     
himself upon the cross  a sacrifice with
 the greatest humility4 ,melted souls in
 worship have  the most spiritual       
conformity to the person of ,christ in  
the state of  humiliation1 and his      
design in that state2 as worship without
 it is  not suitable to ,god1 so neither
 is it advantageous for us4 ,a time of  
worship is a time of ,god's             
communication4 ,the vessel must be      
melted  to receive the mould it is      
designed for2 softened wax is fittest to
  receive a stamp1 and a spiritually    
melted soul fittest to receive a        
spiritual impression4 ,we cannot perform
 duty in an evangelical and  spiritual  
strain1 without the meltingness and     
meanness in ourselves  which the gospel 
requires4    #i4 ,spiritual worship is  
to be performed with holiness4 ,god is a

 holy  ,spirit2 a likeness to ,god must 
attend the worshipping of ,god as he    
is2 holiness is alway in season2 8,it   
becomes his house forever0 7,psalm  xci4
 #e74 ,we can never serve the living    
,god till we 8have consciences  purged  
from dead works0 7,heb4 ix4 #ad74 ,dead 
works in our consciences  are unsuitable
 to ,god1 an eternal living ,spirit4    
,the more mortified  the heart1 the more
 quickened the service4 ,nothing can    
please an  infinite purity but that     
which is pure2 since ,god is in his     
glory1 in  his ordinances1 we must not  
be in our filthiness4 ,the holiness of  
his  ,spirit doth sparkle in his        
ordinances2 the holiness of our spirits 
ought also to sparkle in our observance 
of them4 ,the a#bci holiness  of ,god is
 most celebrated in the worship of      
angels2#eba spiritual  worship ought to 
be like angelical2 that cannot be with  
souls totally  impure4 ,as there must be
 perfect holiness to make a worship     
perfectly  spiritual2 so there must be  

some degree of holiness to make it in   
any  measure spiritual4 ,god would have 
all the utensils of the sanctuary       
employed about his service to be holy2  
the inwards of the sacrifice  were to be
 rinsed thrice4#ebb ,the crop and       
feathers of sacrificed  doves were to be
 hung eastward towards the entrance of  
the temple1 at  a distance from the holy
 of holies1 where the presence of ,god  
was most  eminent 7,lev4 i4 #af74 ,when 
,aaron was to go into the holy of       
holies1  he was to 8sanctify himself0 in
 an extraordinary manner 7,lev4 xvi4    
#d74  ,the priests were to be barefooted
 in the temple1 in the exercise of      
their office2 shoes alway were to be put
 off upon holy ground3 8,look  to thy   
foot when thou goest to the house of    
,god10 saith the wise man  7,eccles4 v4 
#a74 ,strip the affections1 the feet of 
the soul1 of all the  dirt contracted2  
discard all earthly and base thoughts   
from the heart4  ,a beast was not to    
touch the ,mount ,sinai1 without losing 

his life2 nor  can we come near the     
throne with brutish affections1 without 
losing  the life and fruit of the       
worship4 ,an unholy soul degrades       
himself  from a spirit to a brute1 and  
the worship from spiritual to brutish4  
,if any unmortified sin be found in the 
life1 as it was in the comers  to the   
temple1 it taints and pollutes the      
worship 7,isa4 i4 #ae74 ,all  worship is
 an acknowledgment of the excellency of 
,god as he is holy2  hence it is called1
 a 8sanctifying ,god's name0 7,jer4 vii4
 #i1 #aj72 how  can any person sanctify 
,god's name that hath not a holy        
resemblance  to his nature8 ,if he be   
not holy as he is holy1 he cannot       
worship  him according to his excellency
 in spirit and in truth2 no worship  is 
spiritual wherein we have not a         
communion with ,god4 ,but what          
intercourse can there be between a holy 
,god1 and an impure creature2  between  
light and darkness8 ,we have no         
fellowship with him in any  service1    

unless 8we walk in the light10 in       
service and out of service1  as he is   
light 7#a ,john i4 #g74 ,the heathen    
thought not their sacrifices  agreeable 
to ,god without washing their hands2    
whereby they signified  the preparation 
of their hearts1 before they made the   
oblation3 clean  hands without a pure   
heart1 signify nothing2 the frame of our
 hearts  must answer the purity of the  
outward symbols 7,psalm xxvi4 #f73 8,i  
will  wash my hands in innocence1 so    
will ,i compass thine altar1 ,o ,lord20 
he  would observe the appointed         
ceremonies1 but not without 8cleansing  
his  heart as well as his hands40 ,vain 
man is apt to rest upon outward acts    
and rites of worship2 but this must     
alway be practised2 the words are  in   
the present tense1 8,i wash10 8,i       
compass40 ,purity in worship ought  to  
be our continual care4 ,if we would     
perform a spiritual service1  wherein we
 would have communion with ,god1 it must
 be in holiness2  if we would walk with 

,christ1 it must be in 8white0 7,rev4   
iii4 #d71  alluding to the white        
garments the priests put on1 when they  
went to  perform their service2 as      
without this we cannot see ,god in      
heaven1  so neither can we see the      
beauty of ,god in his own ordinances4   
#aj4 ,spiritual worship is performed    
with spiritual ends1 with raised  a#bdj 
aims at the glory of ,god4 ,no duty can 
be spiritual that hath a  carnal aim2   
where ,god is the sole object1 he ought 
to be the principal  end2 in all our    
actions he is to be our end1 as he is   
the principle  of our being2 much more  
in religious acts1 as he is the object  
of our  worship4 ,the worship of ,god in
 ,scripture is expressed by the 8seeking
  of him0 7,heb4 xi4 #f72 him1 not      
ourselves2 all is to be referred to     
,god4  ,as we are 8not to live to       
ourselves1 that being the sign of a     
carnal  state1 so we are not to worship 
for ourselves0 7,rom4 xiv4 #g1 #h74 ,as 
all actions are denominated good from   

their end1 as well as their  object1 so 
upon the same account they are          
denominated spiritual4  ,the end        
spiritualizeth our natural actions1 much
 more our religious2  then are our      
faculties devoted to him when they      
centre in him4 ,if the  intention be    
evil1 there is nothing but darkness in  
the whole service  7,luke xi4 #cd74 ,the
 first institution of the ,sabbath1 the 
solemn day  for worship1 was to         
contemplate the glory of ,god in his    
stupendous  works of creation1 and      
render him a homage for them 7,rev4 iv4 
#aa73  8,thou art worthy1 ,o ,lord1 to  
receive honor1 glory1 and power2 for    
thou hast created all things1 and for   
thy pleasure they are and  were         
created40 ,no worship can be returned   
without a glorifying of  ,god2 and we   
cannot actually glorify him1 without    
direct aims at the  promoting his honor4
 ,as we have immediately to do with     
,god1 so we  are immediately to mind the
 praise of ,god4 ,as we are not to      

content  ourselves with habitual grace1 
but be rich in the exercise of it in    
worship1 so we are not to acquiesce in  
the habitual aims at the glory  of ,god1
 without the actual overflowings of our 
hearts in those aims4  ,it is natural   
for man to worship ,god for self2       
selfrighteousness is  the rooted aim of 
man in his worship since his revolt from
 ,god1 and  being sensible it is not to 
be found in his natural actions1 he     
seeks  for it in his moral and          
religious4 ,by the first pride we flung 
,god off  from being our sovereign1 and 
from being our end1 since a pharisaical 
spirit struts it in nature1 not only to 
do things to be seen of  men1 but to be 
admired by ,god 7,isa4 lviii4 #c73      
8,wherefore have we  fasted and thou    
takest no knowledge80 ,this is to have  
,god worship  them1 instead of being    
worshipped by them4 ,cain's carriage    
after his  sacrifice testified some base
 end in his worship2 he came not to ,god
  as a subject to a sovereign1 but as if

 he had been the sovereign1 and  ,god   
the subject2 and when his design is not 
answered1 and his desire  not gratified1
 he proves more a rebel to ,god1 and a  
murderer of his  brother4 ,such base    
scents will rise up in our worship from 
the body  of death which cleaves to us1 
and mix themselves with our services1   
as weeds with the fish in the net4      
,david1 therefore1 after his people  had
 offered willingly to the temple1 begs  
of ,god that their 8hearts  might be    
prepared to him0 7#a ,chron4 xxix4 #ah72
 that their hearts might  stand right to
 ,god1 without any squinting to         
selfends4 ,some present  themselves to  
,god1 as poor men offer a present to a  
great person2 not  to honor him1 but to 
gain for themselves a reward richer than
 their  gift4 8,what profit is it that  
we have kept his ordinance80 c4 7,mal4  
iii4 #ad74 ,some worship him1 intending 
thereby to make him amends for  the     
wrong they have done him2 wipe off their
 scores1 and satisfy their  debts2 as   

though a spiritual wrong could be a#bda 
recompensed with a  bodily service1 and 
an infinite ,spirit be outwitted and    
appeased by a  carnal flattery4 ,self is
 the spirit of carnality2 to pretend a  
homage  to ,god1 and intend only the    
advantage of self1 is rather to mock    
him than worship him4 ,when we believe  
that we ought to be satisfied1  rather  
than ,god glorified1 we set ,god below  
ourselves1 imagine that he  should      
submit his own honor to our advantage2  
we make ourselves more  glorious than   
,god1 as though we were not made for    
him1 but he hath a  being only for us2  
this is to have a very low esteem of the
 majesty  of ,god4 ,whatsoever any man  
aims at in worship above the glory of   
,god1  that he forms as an idol to      
himself instead of ,god1 and sets up a  
golden image1 ,god counts not this as a 
worship4 ,the offerings made in  the    
wilderness for forty years together1    
,god esteemed as not offered  to him    
7,amos v4 #be73 8,have you offered to me

 sacrifices and offerings  in the       
wilderness forty years1 ,o house of     
,israel80 ,they did it not to  ,god1 but
 to themselves2 for their own security1 
and the attainment of  the possession of
 the promised land4 ,a spiritual        
worshipper performs  not worship for    
some hopes of carnal advantage2 he uses 
ordinances as  means to bring ,god and  
his soul together1 to be more fitted to 
honor  ,god in the world1 in his        
particular place2 when he hath been     
inflamed  and humble in any address or  
duty1 he gives ,god the glory2 his heart
  suits the doxology at the end of the  
,lord's ,prayer1 ascribes the  kingdom1 
power1 and glory to ,god alone1 and if  
any viper of pride  starts out upon him1
 he endeavors presently to shake it off4
 ,that  which was the first end of our  
framing1 ought to be the chief end of   
our acting towards ,god2 but when men   
have the same ends in worship as        
brutes1 the satisfaction of a sensitive 
part1 the service is no more  than      

brutish4 ,the acting for a sensitive end
 is unworthy the majesty  of ,god to    
whom we address1 and unbecoming a       
rational creature4 ,the  acting for a   
sensitive end is not a rational1 much   
less can it be a  spiritual service2    
though the act may be good in itself1   
yet not good  in the agent1 because he  
wants a due end4 ,we are1 then1         
spiritual1  when we have the same end in
 our redeemed services1 as ,god had in  
his  redeeming love1 viz41 his own      
glory4    #aa4 ,spiritual service is    
offered to ,god in the name of ,christ4 
,those  are only 8spiritual sacrifices1 
that are offered up to ,god by ,jesus   
,christ0 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #e72 that are the
 fruits of the sanctification  of the   
,spirit1 and offered in the mediation of
 the ,son3 as the altar  sanctifies the 
gift1 so doth ,christ spiritualize our  
services for  ,god's acceptation2 as the
 fire upon the altar separated the airy 
and  finer parts of the sacrifice from  
the terrene and earthly2 this is  the   

golden altar upon which the prayers of  
the saints are offered  up 8before the  
throne0 7,rev4 viii4 #c74 ,as all that  
we have from ,god  streams through his  
blood1 so all that we give to ,god      
ascends by  virtue of his merits4 ,all  
the blessings ,god gave to the          
,israelites  came out of ,sion1#ebc that
 is1 from the gospel hid under the law2 
all the duties we present to ,god are to
 be presented in ,sion1 in an           
evangelical manner2 all our worship must
 be bottomed on ,christ4 ,god  hath     
intended that we should 8honor the ,son1
 as we honor the ,father20  as we honor 
the ,father by offering our service only
 to him1 so we  a#bdb are to honor the  
,son by offering it only in his name2 in
 him  alone ,god is well pleased1       
because in him alone he finds our       
services  spiritual and worthy of       
acceptation2 we must therefore take fast
  hold of him with our spirits1 and the 
faster we hold him1 the more  spiritual 
is our worship4 ,to do anything in the  

name of ,christ1 is not  to believe the 
worship shall be accepted for itself1   
but to have our  eye fixed upon ,christ 
for the acceptance of it1 and not to    
rest upon  the work done1 as carnal     
people are apt to do4 ,the creatures    
present  their acknowledgments to ,god  
by man2 and man can only present his  by
 ,christ4 ,it was utterly unlawful after
 the building of the temple1  to        
sacrifice anywhere else2 the temple     
being a type of ,christ1 it is  utterly 
unlawful for us to present our services 
in any other name than  his4 ,this is   
the way to be spiritual4 ,if we consider
 ,god out of ,christ1  we can have no   
other notions but those of horror and   
bondage4 ,we  behold him a ,spirit1 but 
environed with justice and wrath for    
sinners2  but the consideration of him  
in ,christ1 veils his justice1 draws    
forth  his mercy1 represents him more a 
father than a judge4 ,in ,christ the    
aspect of justice is changed1 and by    
that the temper of the creature2  so    

that in and by this ,mediator1 we 8can  
have a spiritual boldness1  and access  
to ,god with confidence0 7,eph4 iii4    
#ab71 whereby the spirit  is kept from  
benumbness and distraction1 and our     
souls quickened and  refined4 ,the      
thoughts kept upon ,christ in a duty of 
worship quickly  elevates the soul1 and 
benumbness the whole service4 ,sin makes
 our  services black1 and the blood of  
,christ makes both our persons and      
services white4    ,to conclude this    
head4 ,god is a ,spirit infinitely      
happy1 therefore  we must approach to   
him with cheerfulness2 he is a ,spirit  
of infinite  majesty1 therefore we must 
come before him with reverence2 he is a 
,spirit infinitely high1 therefore we   
must offer up our sacrifices with  the  
deepest humility2 he is a ,spirit       
infinitely holy1 therefore we  must     
address him with purity2 he is a ,spirit
 infinitely glorious1 we  must therefore
 acknowledge his excellency in all that 
we do1 and in  our measures contribute  

to his glory1 by having the highest aims
 in  his worship2 he is a ,spirit       
infinitely provoked by us1 therefore we 
must offer up our worship in the name of
 a pacifying ,mediator and              
,intercessor4    ,,iii4 ,the third      
general is1 ,why a spiritual worship is 
due to ,god1  and to be offered to him4 
,we must consider the object of worship1
  and the subject of worship2 the       
worshipper and the worshipped4 ,god  is 
a spiritual ,being2 man is a reasonable 
creature4 ,the nature of ,god  informs  
us what is fit to be presented to him2  
our own nature informs  us what is fit  
to be presented by us4    ,reason ,i4   
,the best we have is to be presented to 
,god in worship4  ,for1    #a4 ,since   
,god is the most excellent ,being1 he is
 to be served by  us with the most      
excellent thing we have1 and with the   
choicest  veneration4 ,god is so        
incomprehensibly excellent1 that we     
cannot  render him what he deserves3 we 
must render him what we are able to     

offer3 the best of our affections2 the  
flower of our strength2 the  cream and  
top of our spirits4 ,by the same reason 
that we are bound to  give ,god the best
 worship1 we must offer it to him in the
 best manner4  ,we cannot give to ,god  
anything too good for so blessed a#bdc a
 ,being2  ,god being a 8great king10    
slight services become not his majesty  
7,mal4 i4 #ac1 #ad72 it is unbecoming   
the majesty of ,god1 and the reason  of 
a creature1 to give him a trivial thing2
 it is unworthy to bestow  the best of  
our strength on our lust1 and the worst 
and weakest in  the service of ,god4 ,an
 infinite ,spirit should have affections
 as near  to infinite as we can2 as he  
is a ,spirit without bounds1 so he      
should  have a service without limits2  
when we have given him all1 we cannot   
serve him according to the excellency of
 his nature 7,josh4 xxiv4 #ai72  and    
shall we give him less than all8 ,his   
infinite excellency1 and our  dependence
 on him as creatures1 demands the       

choicest adoration2 our  spirits1 being 
the noblest part of our nature1 are as  
due to him as  the service of our       
bodies1 which are the vilest2 to serve  
him with the  worst only1 is to diminish
 his honor4    #b4 ,under the law1 ,god 
commanded the best to be offered him4   
,he  would have the males1 the best of  
the kind2 the fat1 the best of the      
creature2#ebd he commanded them to offer
 him the firstlings of the  flock2 not  
the firstlings of the womb1 but the     
firstlings of the year3  the ,jewish    
cattle having two breedingtimes1 in the 
beginning of the  spring and the        
beginning of ,september2 the latter     
breed was the weaker1  which ,jacob knew
 7,gen4 xxx47 when he laid the rods     
before the cattle  when they were strong
 in the spring1 and withheld them when  
they were  feeble in the autumn4 ,one   
reason 7as the ,jews say7 why ,god      
accepted  not the offering of ,cain was1
 because he brought the meanest1 not the
  best of the fruit2 and therefore1 it  

is said1 only that he brought of  the   
8fruit0 of the ground 7,gen4 iv4 #c71   
not the first of the fruit1  or the best
 of the fruit1 as ,abel1 who brought the
 8firstling0 of his  flock1 and the fat 
thereof 7ver4 #d74    #c4 ,and this the 
heathen practised by the light of       
nature4 ,they for the  most part offered
 males1 as being more worthy2 and burnt 
the male1 not  the female frankincense1 
as it is divided into those two kinds2  
they  offered the best1 when they       
offered their children to ,moloch4      
,nothing  more excellent than man1 and  
nothing dearer to parents than their    
children1 which are part of themselves4 
,when the ,israelites would have  a     
golden calf for a representation of     
,god1 they would dedicate their  jewels1
 and strip their wives and children of  
their richest ornaments1  to show their 
devotion4 ,shall men serve their dumb   
idols with the best  of their substance1
 and the strength of their souls2 and   
shall the  living ,god have a duller    

service from us1 than idols had from    
them8  ,god requires no such hard1 but  
delightful worship from us1 our spirits4
    #d4 ,all creatures serve man1 by the
 providential order of ,god1 with the   
best they have4 ,as we1 by ,god's       
appointment1 receive from creatures  the
 best they can give1 ought we not with a
 free will to render to ,god  the best  
we can offer8 ,the beasts give us their 
best fat2 the trees  their best fruit2  
the sun its best light2 the fountains   
their best  streams2 shall ,god order us
 the best from creatures1 and we put him
  off with the worst from ourselves8    
#e4 ,god hath given us the choicest     
thing he hada ,redeemer that was  the   
power of ,god1 and the wisdom of ,god2  
the best he had in a#bdd  heaven1 his   
own ,son1 and in himself a sacrifice for
 us1 that we might  be enabled to       
present ourselves a sacrifice to him4   
,and ,christ offered  himself for us1   
the best he had1 and that with the      
strength of the  ,deity through the     

eternal ,spirit2 and shall we grudge    
,god the best  part of ourselves8 ,as   
,god would have a worship from his      
creature1  so it must be with the best  
part of his creature4 ,if we have 8given
  ourselves to the ,lord0 7#b ,cor4     
viii4 #e71 we can worship with no less  
than ourselves4 ,what is the man without
 his spirit8 ,if we are to  worship ,god
 with all that we have received from    
him1 we must worship  him with the best 
part we have received from him2 it is   
but a small  glory we can give him with 
the best1 and shall we deprive him of   
his  right by giving him the worst8 ,as 
what we are is from ,god1 so what we    
are ought to be for ,god4 ,creation is  
the foundation of worship 7,psalm  c4   
#b1 #c73 8,serve the ,lord with         
gladness2 know ye that the ,lord he is  
,god2 it is he that hath made us40 ,he  
hath ennobled us with spiritual         
affections2 where is it fittest for us  
to employ them1 but upon him8  and at   
what time1 but when we come solemnly to 

converse with him8 ,is  it justice to   
deny him the honor of his best gift to  
us8 our souls  are more his gift to us1 
than anything in the world2 other things
  are so given that they are often taken
 from us1 but our spirits  are the most 
durable gift4 ,rational faculties cannot
 be removed  without a dissolution of   
nature4 ,well then1 as he is ,god1 he is
 to be  honored with all the propensions
 and ardor that the infiniteness and    
excellency of such a ,being require1 and
 the incomparable obligations  he hath  
laid upon us in this state deserve at   
our hands4 ,in all our  worship1        
therefore1 our minds ought to be filled 
with the highest  admiration1 love1 and 
reverence4 ,since our end was to glorify
 ,god1 we  answer not our end1 and honor
 him not1 unless we give him the        
choicest  we have4#ebe    ,reason ,,ii4 
,we cannot else act towards ,god        
according to the nature  of rational    
creatures4 ,spiritual worship is due to 
,god1 because of his  nature2 and due   

from us1 because of our nature4 ,as we  
are to adore ,god1  so we are to adore  
him as men2 the nature of a rational    
creature makes  this impression upon    
him2 he cannot view his own nature      
without having  this duty striking upon 
his mind4 ,as he knows1 by inspection   
into  himself1 that there was a ,god    
that made him2 so1 that he is made to be
  in subjection to ,god1 subjection to  
him in his spirit as well as his  body1 
and ought morally to testify this       
natural dependence on him4 ,his         
constitution informs him that he hath a 
capacity to converse with ,god2  that he
 cannot converse with him1 but by those 
inward faculties2 if  it could be       
managed by his body without his spirit1 
beasts might as  well converse with ,god
 as men4 ,it can never be a 8reasonable 
service0  7,rom4 xii4 #a71 as it ought  
to be1 unless the reasonable faculties  
be  employed in the management of it2 it
 must be a worship prodigiously  lame1  
without the concurrence of the chiefest 

part of man with it4  ,as we are to act 
conformably to the nature of the object1
 so also  to the nature of our own      
faculties4 ,our faculties1 in the very  
gift  of them to us1 were destined to be
 exercised1 about what8 ,what8 ,all     
other things but the ,author of them4   
,it is a conceit cannot enter into  the 
heart a#bde of a rational creature1 that
 he should act as such  a creature in   
other things1 and as a stone in things  
relating to the  donor of them2 as a    
man1 with his mind about him in the     
affairs of the  world2 as a beast1      
without reason in his acts towards ,god4
 ,if a man  did not employ his reason in
 other things1 he would be an           
unprofitable  creature in the world3 if 
he do not employ his spiritual faculties
  in worship1 he denies them the proper 
end and use for which they were  given  
him2 it is a practical denial that ,god 
hath given him a soul1  and that ,god   
hath any right to the exercise of it4   
,if there were no  worship appointed by 

,god in the world1 the natural          
inclination of man  to some kind of     
religion would be in vain2 and if our   
inward faculties  were not employed in  
the duties of religion they would be in 
vain2  the true end of ,god in the      
endowment of us with them would be      
defeated  by us1 as much as lies in us1 
if we did not serve him with that  which
 we have from him solely at his own     
cost4 ,as no man can with  reason       
conclude1 that the rest commanded on the
 ,sabbath and the  sanctification of it1
 was only a rest of the body1 that had  
been  performed by the beasts as well as
 men1 but some higher end was aimed  at 
for the rational creature2 so no man can
 think that the command for  worship    
terminated only in the presence of the  
body2 that ,god should  give the command
 to man as a reasonable creature1 and   
expect no other  service from him than  
that of a brute4 ,god did not require a 
worship  from man for any want he had1  
or any essential honor that could       

accrue to him1 but that men might       
testify their gratitude to him1  and    
dependence on him4 ,it is the most      
horrid ingratitude not to have  lively  
and deep sentiments of gratitude after  
such obligations1 and  not to make those
 due acknowledgments that are proper for
 a rational  creature4 ,religion is the 
highest and choicest act of a reasonable
  creature2 no creature under heaven is 
capable of it that wants reason4  ,as it
 is a violation of reason not to worship
 ,god1 so it is no less a  violation of 
reason not to worship him with the heart
 and spirit2 it  is a high dishonor to  
,god1 and defeats him not only of the   
service due  to him from man1 but that  
which is due to him from all the        
creatures4  ,every creature1 as it is an
 effect of ,god's power and wisdom1 doth
  passively worship ,god2 that is1 it   
doth afford matter of adoration  to man 
that hath reason to collect it1 and     
return it where it is due4  ,without the
 exercise of the soul1 we can no more   

hand it to ,god1 than  without such an  
exercise1 we can gather it from the     
creature2 so that  by this neglect1 the 
creatures are restrained from answering 
their  chief end2 they cannot pay any   
service to ,god without man2 nor can    
man1 without the employment of his      
rational faculties1 render a homage  to 
,god1 any more than beasts can4 ,this   
engagement of our inward power  stands  
firm and inviolable1 let the modes of   
worship be what they  will1 or the      
changes of them by the sovereign        
authority of ,god never  so frequent2   
this could not expire or be changed as  
long as the nature  of man endured4 ,as 
man had not been capable of a command   
for worship1  unless he had been endued 
with spiritual faculties2 so he is not  
active in a true practice of worship1   
unless they be employed by  him in it4  
,the constitution of man makes this     
manner of worship  perpetually          
obligatory1 and the oblation can never  
cease1 till man  a#bdf cease to be a    

creature furnished with such faculties2 
in our  worship1 therefore1 if we would 
act like rational creatures1 we should  
extend all the powers of our souls to   
the utmost pitch1 and essay  to have    
apprehensions of ,god1 equal to the     
excellency of his nature1  which1 though
 we may attempt1 we can never attain4   
,reason ,,iii4 ,without this engagement 
of our spirits no act is an  act of     
worship4 ,true worship1 being an        
acknowledgment of ,god and the          
perfections of his nature1 results only 
from the soul1 that being  only capable 
of knowing ,god and those perfections   
which are the object  and motive of     
worship4 ,the posture of the body is but
 to testify the  inward temper and      
affection of the mind2 if1 therefore1 it
 testifies  what it is not1 it is a lie1
 and no worship2 the cringes a beast may
  be taught to make to an altar may as  
well be called worship1 since a  man    
thinks as little of that ,god he        
pretends to honor1 as the beast  doth of

 the altar to which he bows4 ,worship is
 a reverent remembrance  of ,god1 and   
giving some honor to him with the       
intention of the soul2  it cannot justly
 have the name of worship1 that wants   
the essential  part of it2 it is an     
ascribing to ,god the glory of his      
nature1 an  owning subjection and       
obedience to him as our sovereign ,lord2
 this is  as impossible to be performed 
without the spirit1 as that there can be
  life and motion in a body without a   
soul2 it is a drawing near to ,god1  not
 in regard of his essential presence1 so
 all things are near to ,god1  but in an
 acknowledgment of his excellency1 which
 is an act of the  spirit2 without this1
 the worst of men in a place of worship 
are as  near to ,god as the best4 ,the  
necessity of the conjunction of our soul
  ariseth from the nature of worship1   
which being the most serious thing  we  
can be employed in1 the highest converse
 with the highest object  requires the  
choicest temper of spirit in the        

performance4 ,that  cannot be an act of 
worship1 which is not an act of piety   
and virtue2  but there is no act of     
virtue done by the members of the body1 
without the concurrence of the powers of
 the soul4 ,we may as well  call the    
presence of a dead carcass in a place of
 worship1 an act of  religion1 as the   
presence of a living body without an    
intent spirit2  the separation of the   
soul from one is natural1 the other     
moral2 that  renders the body lifeless1 
but this renders the act loathsome to   
,god2  as the being of the soul gives   
life to the body1 so the operation of   
the soul gives life to the actions4 ,as 
he cannot be a man that wants  the form 
of a man1 a rational soul2 so that      
cannot be a worship that  wants an      
essential part1 the act of the spirit2  
,god will not vouchsafe  any acts of man
 so noble a title without the requisite 
qualifications  7,hos4 v4 #f73 8,they   
shall go with their flocks and their    
herds to  seek the ,lord10 c4 ,a        

multitude of lambs and bullocks for     
sacrifice1  to appease ,god's anger4    
,god would not give it the title of     
worship1  though instituted by himself1 
when it wanted the qualities of such  a 
service4 8,the spirit of whoredom was in
 the midst of them0 7v4 #d74  ,in the   
judgment of our ,saviour1 it is a 8vain 
worship1 when the  traditions of men are
 taught for the doctrines of ,god0      
7,matt4 xv4 #i72  and no less vain must 
it be1 when the bodies of men are       
presented  to supply the place of their 
spirits4 ,as an omission of duty is a   
contempt of ,god's sovereign authority1 
so the omission of the manner  of it is 
a contempt of it1 and of his a#bdg      
amiable excellency2 and  that which is a
 contempt and mockery1 can lay no just  
claim to the  title of worship4         
,reason ,,iv4 ,there is in worship an   
approach of ,god to man4 ,it was        
instituted to this purpose1 that ,god   
might give out his blessings to  man2   
and ought not our spirits to be prepared

 and ready to receive his               
communications8 ,we are1 in such acts1  
more peculiarly in his presence4  ,in   
the ,israelites hearing the law1 it is  
said1 ,god was to 8come among  them0    
7,exod4 xix4 #aj1 #aa74 ,then1 men are  
said to stand before the  ,lord 7,deut4 
x4 #h73 8,god1 before whom ,i stand0 7#a
 ,kings1 xvii4 #a73  that is1 whom ,i   
worship2 and therefore when ,cain       
forsook the worship  of ,god settled in 
his father's family1 he is said1 8to go 
out from the  presence of the ,lord0    
7,gen4 iv4 #af74 ,god is essentially    
present in the  world2 graciously       
present in his church4 ,the name of the 
evangelical  city is ,jehovah ,shammah  
7,ezek4 xlviii4 #ce71 8the ,lord is     
there40 ,god  is more graciously present
 in the evangelical institutions than in
  the legal2 he 8loves the gates of     
,zion more than all the dwellings  of   
,jacob0 7,ps4 lxxxvii4 #b72 his         
evangelical law and worship which was   
to go forth from ,zion1 as the other did

 from ,sinai 7,mic4 iv4 #b74 ,god       
delights to approach to men1 and        
converse with them in the worship       
instituted in the gospel1 more than in  
all the dwellings of ,jacob4 ,if  ,god  
be graciously present1 ought not we to  
be spiritually present8 ,a  lifeless    
carcass service becomes not so high and 
delectable a presence  as this2 it is to
 thrust him from us1 not invite him to  
us2 it is  to practise in the ordinances
 what the prophet predicts concerning   
men's usage of our ,saviour 7,isa4 liii4
 #b73 8,there is no form1 no            
comeliness1 nor beauty that we should   
desire him40 ,a slightness in  worship  
reflects upon the excellency of the     
object of worship4 ,god  and his worship
 are so linked together1 that whosoever 
thinks the  one not worth his inward    
care1 esteems the other not worth his   
inward  affection4 ,how unworthy a      
slight is it of ,god1 who proffers the  
opening his treasure2 the reimpressing  
his image2 conferring his  blessings2   

admits us into his presence1 when he    
hath no need for us2  who hath millions 
of angels to attend him in his court1   
and celebrate  his praise6 ,he that     
worships not ,god with his spirit1      
regards not  ,god's presence in his     
ordinances1 and slights the great end of
 ,god in  them1 and that perfection he  
may attain by them4 ,we can only expect 
what ,god hath promised to give1 when we
 tender to him what he hath  commanded  
us to present4 ,if we put off ,god with 
a shell1 he will put  us off with a     
husk4 ,how can we expect his heart1 when
 we do not give  him ours2 or hope for  
the blessing needful for us1 when we    
render not  the glory due to him8 ,it   
cannot be an advantageous worship       
without  spiritual graces2 for those are
 uniting1 and union is the ground of    
all communion4    ,reason ,v4 ,to have a
 spiritual worship is ,god's end in the 
restoration of the creature1 both in    
redemption by his ,son and              
sanctification by his spirit4 ,a fitness

 for spiritual offerings was  the end of
 the 8coming of ,christ0 7,mal4 iii4    
#c72 he should purge them  as gold and  
silver by fire1 a spirit burning up     
their dross1 melting  them into a holy  
compliance with and submission to ,god4 
,to what  purpose8 ,that they may offer 
to the lord an offering in              
righteousness2  a pure a#bdh offering   
from a purified spirit2 he came to      
8bring us  to ,god0 7#a ,pet4 iii4 #ah7 
in such a garb1 as that we might be fit 
to  converse with him4 ,can we be thus1 
without a fixedness of our spirits  on  
him8 ,the offering of spiritual         
sacrifices is the end of making  any a  
8spiritual habitation0 and a 8holy      
priesthood0 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #e74  ,we can 
no more be worshippers of ,god without a
 worshipper's nature1  than a man can be
 a man without human nature4 ,as man was
 at first  created for the honor and    
worship of ,god1 so the design of       
restoring  that image which was defaced 
by sin tends to the same end4 ,we are   

not  brought to ,god by ,christ1 nor are
 our services presented to him1 if  they
 be without our spirits2 would any man  
that undertakes to bring  another to a  
prince1 introduce him in a slovenly and 
sordid habit1  such a garb that he knows
 hateful to him8 or bring the clothes or
  skin of a man stuffed with straw1     
instead of the person8 to come with  our
 skins before ,god1 without our spirits1
 is contrary to the design  of ,god in  
redemption and regeneration4 ,if a      
carnal worship would  have pleased ,god1
 a carnal heart would have served his   
turn1 without  the expense of his       
,spirit in sanctification4 ,he bestows  
upon man a  spiritual nature1 that he   
may return to him a spiritual service2  
he  enlightens the understanding1 that  
he may have a rational service2  and new
 moulds the will1 that he may have a    
voluntary service4 ,as it  is the milk  
of the word wherewith he feeds us1 so it
 is the service  of the word wherewith  
we must glorify him4 ,so much as there  

is of  confusedness in our              
understanding1 so much of starting and  
levity in  our wills1 so much of        
slipperiness and skipping in our        
affections2 so  much is abated of the   
due qualities of the worship of ,god1   
and so much  we fall short of the end of
 redemption and sanctification4         
,reason ,,vi4 ,a spiritual worship is to
 be offered to ,god1 because  no worship
 but that can be acceptable4 ,we can    
never be secured of  acceptance without 
it2 he being a ,spirit1 nothing but the 
worship  in spirit can be suitable to   
him3 what is unsuitable1 cannot be      
acceptable2 there must be something in  
us1 to make our services  capable of    
being presented by ,christ for an actual
 acceptation4  ,no service is           
8acceptable to ,god by ,jesus ,christ10 
but as it is a  spiritual sacrifice1 and
 offered by a spiritual heart 7#a ,pet4 
ii4 #e74  ,the sacrifice is first       
spiritual1 before it be acceptable to   
,god by  ,christ2 when it is 8an        

offering in righteousness10 it is then1 
and  only then1 pleasant to the ,lord   
7,mal4 iii4 #c1 #d74 ,no prince would   
accept a gift that is unsuitable to his 
majesty1 and below the  condition of the
 person that presents it4 ,would he be  
pleased with  a bottle of water for     
drink1 from one that hath his cellar    
full of  wine8 ,how unacceptable must   
that be that is unsuitable to the       
,divine  ,majesty6 ,and what can be more
 unsuitable than a withdrawing the      
operations of our souls from him1 in the
 oblation of our bodies8 ,we as  little 
glorify ,god as ,god1 when we give him  
only a corporeal worship1  as the       
heathen did1 when they represented him  
in a corporeal shape  7,rom4 i4 #ba72   
one as well as the other denies his     
spiritual nature3  this is worse1 for   
had it been lawful to represent ,god to 
the eye1 it  could not have been done   
but by a bodily figure suited to the    
sense2  but since it is necessary to    
worship him1 it cannot be by a corporeal

  attendance1 a#bdi without the         
operation of the ,spirit4 ,a spiritual  
frame is more pleasing to ,god than the 
highest exterior adornments1  than the  
greatest gifts1 and the highest         
prophetic illuminations4  8,the glory of
 the second temple0 exceeded the glory  
of the first  7,hag4 ii4 #h1 #i74 ,as   
,god accounts the spiritual glory of    
ordinances  most beneficial for us1 so  
our spiritual attendance upon ordinances
  is most pleasing to him2 he that      
offers the greatest services without    
it1 offers but flesh 7,hos4 viii4 #ac73 
8,they sacrifice flesh for the          
sacrifices of my offerings1 but the     
,lord accepts them not40 ,spiritual     
frames are the soul of religious        
services2 all other carriages without   
them are contemptible to this spirit3 we
 can never lay claim to that  promise of
 ,god1 none shall 8seek my face in      
vain40 ,we affect a vain  seeking of    
him1 when we want a due temper of spirit
 for him2 and vain  spirits shall have  

vain returns3 it is more contrary to the
 nature of  ,god's holiness to have     
communion with such1 than it is contrary
 to the  nature of light to have        
communion with darkness4 ,to make use of
 this3    ,use #a4 ,first it serves for 
information4    #a4 ,if spiritual       
worship be required by ,god1 how sad is 
it for them  that they are so far from  
giving ,god a spiritual worship1 that   
they  render him no worship at all6 ,i  
speak not of the neglect of public1  but
 of private2 when men present not a     
devotion to ,god from one year's  end to
 the other4 ,the speech of our ,saviour1
 that we must worship ,god  in spirit   
and truth1 implies that a worship is due
 to him from every  one2 that is the    
common impression upon the consciences  
of all men  in the world1 if they have  
not by some constant course in gross    
sins1  hardened their souls1 and stifled
 those natural sentiments4 ,there  was  
never a nation in the world without some
 kind of religion2 and  no religion was 

ever without some modes to testify a    
devotion2 the  heathens had their       
sacrifices and purifications2 and the   
,jews1 by  ,god's order1 had their      
rites1 whereby they were to express     
their  allegiance to ,god4 ,consider1   
7#a47 ,worship is a duty incumbent upon 
all men4 ,it is a homage mankind  owes  
to ,god1 under the relation wherein he  
stands obliged to him2 it  is a prime   
and immutable justice to own our        
allegiance to him2 it is  as            
unchangeable a truth that ,god is to be 
worshipped1 as that ,god is2  he is to  
be worshipped as ,god1 as creator1 and  
therefore by all1 since  he is the      
,creator of all1 the ,lord of all1 and  
all are his creatures1  and all are his 
subjects4 ,worship is founded upon      
creation 7,psalm c4  #b1 #c73 it is due 
to ,god for himself and his own         
essential excellency1  and therefore due
 from all2 it is due upon the account of
 man's nature2  the human rational      
nature is the same in all4 ,whatsoever  

is due to  ,god upon the account of     
man's nature1 and the natural           
obligations  he hath laid upon man1 is  
due from all men2 because they all enjoy
  the benefits which are proper to their
 nature4 ,man in no state  was exempted1
 nor can be exempted from it2 in        
,paradise he had his  ,sabbath and      
sacraments2 man therefore dissolves the 
obligation of a  reasonable nature1 by  
neglecting the worship of ,god4         
,religion is in  the first place to be  
minded4 ,as soon as ,noah came out of   
the ark1 he  contrived not a habitation 
for himself1 but an altar for the ,lord1
 to  acknowledge him the author of his  
preservation from the deluge 7,gen4     
viii4 #bj73 and wheresoever a#bej       
,abraham came1 his first business was   
to erect an altar1 and pay his arrears  
of gratitude to ,god1 before he  ran    
upon the score for new mercies 7,gen4   
xii4 #g2 xiii4 #d1 #ah73 he left  a     
testimony of worship wherever he came4  
7#b47 ,wholly therefore to neglect it1  

is a high degree of atheism4  ,he that  
calls not upon ,god1 8saith in his      
heart1 ,there is no ,god20  and seems to
 have the sentiments of natural         
conscience1 as to ,god1  stifled in him 
7,psalm xiv4 #a1 #d73 it must arise from
 a conceit that  there is no ,god1 or   
that we are equal to him1 adoration not 
being due  from persons of an equal     
state2 or that ,god is unable1 or       
unwilling to  take notice of the adoring
 acts of his creatures3 what is any of  
these  but an undeifying the supreme    
,majesty8 ,when we lay aside all        
thoughts  of paying any homage to him1  
we are in a fair way opinionatively to  
deny him1 as much as we practically     
disown him4 ,where there is no          
knowledge of ,god1 that is1 no          
8acknowledgment of ,god10 a gap is      
opened  to all licentiousness 7,hos4 iv4
 #a1 #b72 and that by degrees brawns the
  conscience1 and razeth out the sense  
of ,god4 ,those forsake ,god that       
8forget his holy mountain0 7,isa4 lxv4  

#aa72 they do not practically  own him  
as the ,creator of their souls or       
bodies4 ,it is the sin of  ,cain1 who   
turning his back upon worship1 is said  
to 8go out from  the presence of the    
,lord0 7,gen4 iv4 #af74 ,not to worship 
him with our  spirits1 is against his   
law of creation3 not to worship him at  
all1 is  against his act of creation2   
not to worship him in truth1 is         
hypocrisy2  not to worship him at all1  
is atheism2 whereby we render ourselves 
worse than the worms in the earth1 or a 
toad in a ditch4    7#c47 ,to perform a 
worship to a false ,god1 or to the true 
,god in a  false manner1 seems to be    
less a sin than to live in perpetual    
neglect  of it4 ,though it be directed  
to a false object instead of ,god1 yet  
it  is under the notion of a ,god1 and  
so is an acknowledgment of such a       
,being as ,god in the world2 whereas the
 total neglect of any worship1  is a    
practical denying of the existence of   
any supreme ,majesty4  ,whosoever       

constantly omits a public and private   
worship1 transgresses  against an       
universally received dictate2 for all   
nations have agreed  in the common      
notion of worshipping ,god1 though they 
have disagreed in  the several modes and
 rites whereby they would testify that  
adoration4  ,by a worship of ,god1      
though superstitious1 a veneration and  
reverence  of such a being is maintained
 in the world2 whereas by a total       
neglect  of worship1 he is virtually    
disowned and discarded1 if not from his 
existence1 yet from his providence and  
government of the world2 all  the       
mercies we breathe in are denied to flow
 from him4 ,a foolish  worship owns     
religion1 though it bespatters it2 as if
 a stranger  coming into a country      
mistakes the subject for the prince1 and
 pays  that reverence to the subject    
which is due to the prince2 though  he  
mistakes the object1 yet he owns an     
authority2 or if he pays any  respect to
 the true prince of that country after  

the mode of his own1  though appearing  
ridiculous in the place where he is1 he 
owns the  authority of the prince2      
whereas the omission of all respect     
would  be a contempt of majesty3 and1   
therefore1 the judgments of ,god have   
been more signal upon the sacrilegious  
contemners of worship among  the        
heathens1 than upon a#bea those that    
were diligent and devout in  their false
 worship2 and they generally owned the  
blessings received  to the preservation 
of a sense and worship of a ,deity among
 them4  ,though such a worship be not   
acceptable to ,god1 and every man is    
bound to offer to ,god a devotion       
agreeable to his own mind2 yet it  is   
commendable1 not as worship1 but as it  
speaks an acknowledgment of  such a     
being as ,god1 in his power and         
creation1 and his beneficence  in his   
providence4 ,well1 then1 omissions of   
worship are to be avoided4  ,let no man 
execute that upon himself which ,god    
will pronounce at last  as the greatest 

misery1 and bid ,god depart from him1   
who will at last  be loth to hear ,god  
bid him depart from him4 ,though man    
hath natural  sentiments that ,god is to
 be worshipped1 yet having an hostility 
in  his nature1 he is apt to neglect1 or
 give it him in a slight manner2  he    
therefore sets a particular mark and    
notice of attention upon the  fourth    
command1 8,remember thou keep holy the  
,sabbath day40 ,corrupt  nature is apt  
to neglect the worship of ,god1 and flag
 in it4 ,this  command1 therefore1 which
 concerns his worship1 he fortifies with
  several reasons4 ,nor let any neglect 
worship1 because they cannot  find their
 hearts spiritual in it4 ,the further we
 are from ,god1 the  more carnal shall  
we be4 ,no man can expect heat by a     
distance from the  sunbeams1 or other   
means of warmth4 ,though ,god commanded 
a circumcised  heart in the ,jewish     
services1 yet he did not warrant a      
neglect of the  outward testimonies of  
religion he had then appointed4 ,he     

expected1  according to his command1    
that they should offer the sacrifices1  
and  practise the legal purification he 
had commanded2 he would have them       
diligently observed1 though he had      
declared that he imposed them only  for 
a time2 and our ,saviour ordered the    
practice of those positive  rites as    
long as the law remained unrepealed1 as 
in the case of  the leper 7,mark xiv4   
#d74 ,it is an injustice to refuse the  
offering  ourselves to ,god according to
 the manner he hath in his wisdom       
prescribed and required4 ,if spiritual  
worship be required by ,god1 then1      
#b4 ,it informs us1 that diligence in   
outward worship is not to be  rested in4
 ,men may attend all their days on      
worship1 with a juiceless  heart and    
unquickened frame1 and think to         
compensate the neglect  of the manner   
with abundance of the matter of         
service4#ebf ,outward  expressions are  
but the badges and liveries of service1 
not the  service itself4 ,as the        

strength of sin lies in the inward frame
  of the heart1 so the strength of      
worship in the inward complexion  and   
temper of the soul4 ,what do a thousand 
services avail1 without  cutting the    
throat of our carnal affections8 ,what  
are loud prayers1  but as sounding brass
 and tinkling cymbals1 without divine   
charity8  ,a pharisaical diligence in   
outward forms1 without inward spirit1   
had  no better a title vouchsafed by our
 ,saviour than that of hypocritical4    
,god desires not sacrifices1 nor        
delights in burntofferings3 shadows  are
 not to be offered instead of substance4
 ,god required the heart  of man for    
itself1 but commanded outward ceremonies
 as subservient to  inward worship1 and 
goads and spurs unto it4 ,they were     
never appointed  as the substance of    
religion1 but auxiliaries to it4 ,what  
value had  the offering of the human    
nature of ,christ been of1 if he a#beb  
had  not had a divine nature to qualify 
him to be the ,priest8 and what is  the 

oblation of our bodies1 without a       
priestly act of the spirit in  the      
presentation of it8 ,could the          
,israelites have called themselves      
worshippers of ,god according to his    
order1 if they had brought a  thousand  
lambs that had died in a ditch1 or been 
killed at home8 ,they  were to be       
brought living to the altar2 the blood  
shed at the foot  of it4 ,a thousand    
sacrifices killed without had not been  
so valuable  as one brought alive to the
 place of offering3 one sound sacrifice 
is better than a thousand rotten ones4  
,as ,god took no pleasure in  the blood 
of beasts without its relation to the   
,antitype2 so he takes  no pleasure in  
the outward rites of worship1 without   
faith in the  ,redeemer4 ,to offer a    
body with a sapless spirit1 is a        
sacrilege of the  same nature with that 
of the ,israelites when they offered    
dead beasts4  ,a man without spiritual  
worship is dead while he worships1      
though by  his diligence in the         

externals of it1 he may1 like the angel 
of the  church of ,sardis1 8have a name 
to live0 7,rev4 iii4 #a74 ,what security
  can we expect from a multitude of dead
 services8 ,what weak shields are  they 
against the holy eye and revenging wrath
 of ,god6 ,what man1 but  one out of his
 wits1 would solicit a dead man to be   
his advocate or  champion8 ,diligence in
 outward worship is not to be rested in4
    ,use ,,ii4 shall be for examination4
 ,let us try ourselves concerning  the  
manner of our worship4 ,we are now in   
the end of the world1 and  the dregs of 
time2 wherein the apostle predicts there
 may be much of  a form1 and little of  
the power of godliness 7#b ,tim4 iii4   
#a1 #e72 and1  therefore1 it stands us  
in hand to search into ourselves1       
whether it  be not thus with us8 whether
 there be as much reverence in our      
spirits  as there may be devotion in our
 countenances and outward carriages4    
#a4 ,how1 therefore1 are our hearts     
prepared to worship8 ,is our  diligence 

greater to put our hearts in an adoring 
posture1 than our  bodies in a decent   
garb8 or are we content to have a muddy 
heart1  so we may have a dressed        
carcass8 ,to have a spirit a cage of    
unclean  birds1 while we wipe the filth 
from the outside of the platter1 is  no 
better than a pharisaical devotion1 and 
deserves no better a name  than that of 
a whited sepulchre4 ,do we take         
opportunities to excite  and quicken our
 spirits to the performance1 and cry    
aloud with ,david1  8,awake1 awake1 my  
glory60 ,are not our hearts asleep when 
,christ  knocks8 ,when we hear the voice
 of ,god1 8,seek my face20 do we answer 
him with warm resolutions1 8,thy face1  
,lord1 we will seek80 7,ps4 xxvii4  #h47
 ,do we comply with spiritual motions1  
and strike whilst the iron is  hot8 ,is 
there not more of reluctancy than       
readiness8 ,is there a quick  rising of 
the soul in reverence to the motion1 as 
,eglon to ,ehud2 or a  sullen hanging   
the head at the first approach of it8   

,or if our hearts  seem to be engaged   
and on fire1 what are the motives that  
quicken  that fire8 ,is it only the     
blast of a natural conscience1 fear of  
hell1 desires of heaven1 as abstracted  
from ,god8 or is it an affection  to    
,god2 an obedient will to please him2   
longings to enjoy him1 as a  holy and   
sanctifying ,god in his ordinances1 as  
well as a blessed and  glorified ,god in
 heaven8 ,what do we expect in our      
approaches from  him8 that which may    
make a#bec divine impressions upon us1  
and more  exactly conform us to the     
,divine nature8 or do we design nothing 
but  an empty formality1 a rolling eye1 
and a filling the air with a few  words1
 without any openings of heart to       
receive the incomes1 which1  according  
to the nature of the duty1 might be     
conveyed to us8 ,can this  be a         
spiritual worship8 ,the soul then       
closely waits upon him1 when its        
expectation is only from him 7,psalm    
lxii4#f74 ,are our hearts seasoned  with

 a sense of sin2 a sight of our         
spiritual wants2 raised notions  of     
,god2 glowing affections to him2 strong 
appetite after a spiritual  fulness8 ,do
 we rouse up our sleepy spirits1 and    
make a covenant with  all that is within
 us to attend upon him8 ,so much as we  
want of this1  so much we come short of 
a spiritual worship4 ,in ,ps4 lvii4 #g  
78,my  heart is fixed1 ,o ,god1 my heart
 is fixed071 ,david would fix his heart1
  before he would engage in a praising  
act of worship4 ,he appeals to ,god     
about it1 and that with doubling the    
expression1 as being certain of  an     
inward preparedness4 ,can we make the   
same appeals in a fixation of  spirit8  
#b4 ,how are our hearts fixed upon him2 
how do they cleave to him in  the duty8 
,do we resign our spirits to ,god1 and  
make them an entire  holocaust1 a whole 
burntoffering in his worship8 or do we  
not  willingly admit carnal thoughts to 
mix themselves with spiritual  duties1  
and fasten our minds to the creature1   

under pretences of  directing them to   
the ,creator8 ,do we not pass a mere    
compliment  upon ,god1 by some          
superficial act of devotion2 while some 
covetous1  envious1 ambitious1          
voluptuous imagination may possess our  
minds8  ,do we not invert ,god's order1 
and worship a lust instead of ,god with 
our spirits1 that should not have the   
least service1 either from  our souls or
 bodies1 but with a spiritual disdain be
 sacrificed to  the just indignation of 
,god8 ,how often do we fight against his
 will1  while we cry1 8,hail1 ,master60 
instead of crucifying our own thoughts1 
crucifying the ,lord of our lives2 our  
outward carriage plausible1 and  our    
inward stark naught6 ,do we not often   
regard iniquity more than  ,god in our  
hearts1 in a time of worship8roll some  
filthy imagination  as a sweet morsel   
under our tongues1 and taste more       
sweetness in that  than in ,god8 ,do not
 our spirits smell rank of earth1 while 
we offer  to heaven2 and have we not    

hearts full of thick clay1 as their     
8hands  were full of blood80 7,isa4 i4  
#ae47 ,when we sacrifice1 do we not wrap
  up our souls in communion with some   
sordid fancy1 when we should  entwine   
our spirits about an amiable ,god8      
,while we have some fear of  him1 may we
 not have a love to something else above
 him8 ,this is to  worship1 or swear by 
the ,lord1 and by ,malcham 7,zeph4 i4   
#e74 ,how often  doth an apish fancy    
render a service inwardly ridiculous1   
under a  grave outward posture2 skipping
 to the shop1 warehouse1 countinghouse1 
in the space of a short prayer6 and we  
are before ,god as a ,babel1 a          
confusion of internal languages2 and    
this in those parts of worship  which   
are1 in the right use1 most agreeable to
 ,god1 profitable for  ourselves1       
ruinous to the kingdom of sin and       
,satan1 and means to bring  us into a   
closer communion with the ,divine       
,majesty4 ,can this be a  spiritual     
worship8    #c4 ,how do we act our      

graces in worship8 ,though the          
instrument a#bed  be strung1 if the     
strings be not wound up1 what melody can
 be the  issue8 ,all readiness and      
alacrity discover a strength of nature2 
and  a readiness in spirituals discovers
 a spirituality in the heart4 ,as       
unaffecting thoughts of ,god are not    
spiritual thoughts1 so unaffecting      
addresses to ,god are not spiritual     
addresses4 ,well1 then1 what            
awakenings1 and elevations of faith and 
love have we8 ,what strong  outflowings 
of our souls to him8 ,what indignation  
against sin8  ,what admirations of      
redeeming grace8 ,how low have we       
brought our  corruptions to the         
footstool of ,christ1 to be made his    
conquered  enemies8 ,how straitly have  
we clasped our faith about the cross and
  throne of ,christ1 to become his      
intimate spouse8 ,do we in hearing hang 
upon the lips of ,christ2 in prayer take
 hold of ,god1 and will not let  him go2
 in confessions rend the caul of our    

hearts1 and indite our  souls before him
 with a deep humility8 ,do we act more  
by a soaring  love than a drooping fear8
 ,so far as our spirits are servile1 so 
far  they are legal and carnal2 so much 
as they are free and spontaneous1  so   
much they are evangelical and spiritual4
 ,as men under the law  are subject to  
the constraint of 8bondage all their    
lifetime0 7,heb4  ii4 #ae71 in all their
 worship2 so under the gospel they are  
under a  constraint of love 7#b ,cor4 v4
 #ad73 how then are believing affections
  exercised1 which are alway accompanied
 with holy fear2 a fear of his  goodness
 that admits us into his presence1 and a
 fear to offend him in  our act of      
worship8 ,so much as we have of forced  
or feeble affection1  so much we have of
 carnality4    #d4 ,how do we find our  
hearts after worship8 ,by an after      
carriage we  may judge of the           
spirituality of it4    7#a47 ,how are we
 as to inward strength8 ,when a worship 
is spiritually  performed1 grace is more

 strengthened1 corruption more          
mortified2  the soul1 like ,samson after
 his awakening1 goes out with a renewed 
strength2 as the inward man is renewed  
day by day1 that is1 every day2  so it  
is renewed in every worship4 ,every     
shower makes the grass and  fruit grow  
in good ground where the root is good1  
and the weeds where  the ground is      
naught2 the more prepared the heart is  
to obedience  in other duties after     
worship1 the more evidence there is that
 it  hath been spiritual in the exercise
 of it4 ,it is the end of ,god in  every
 dispensation1 as in that of ,john      
,baptist1 8to make ready a  people      
prepared for the ,lord0 7,luke i4 #ag73 
when the heart is by  worship prepared  
for fresh acts of obedience1 and hath a 
more exact  watchfulness against the    
encroachments of sin4 ,as carnal men    
after  worship sprout up in spiritual   
wickedness1 so do spiritual worshippers 
in spiritual graces2 spiritual fruits   
are a sign of a spiritual frame4  ,when 

men are more prone to sin after duty1 it
 is a sign there was  but little        
communion with ,god in it2 and a greater
 strength of sin1  because such an act  
is contrary to the end of worship which 
is the  subduing of sin4 ,it is a sign  
the physic hath wrought well1 when the  
stomach hath a better appetite to its   
appointed food2 and worship  hath been  
well performed1 when we have a stronger 
inclination to  other acts well pleasing
 to ,god1 and a more sensible distaste  
of  those temptations we too much       
relished before4 ,it is a sign of a good
  concoction1 a#bee when there is a     
greater strength in the vitals of       
religion1 a more eager desire to know   
,god4 ,when ,moses had been praying  to 
,god1 and prevailed with him1 he puts up
 a higher request to 8behold  his glory0
 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #ac1 #ah73 when the    
appetite stands strong to  fuller       
discoveries of ,god1 it is a sign there 
hath been a spiritual  converse with    
him4    7#b47 ,how is it especially as  

to humility8 ,the ,pharisees' worship   
was1  without dispute1 carnal2 and we   
find them not more humble after all     
their devotions1 but overgrown with more
 weeds of spiritual pride2  they        
performed them as their righteousness4  
,what men dare plead before  ,god in his
 day1 they plead before him in their    
hearts in their day2  but this men will 
do at the day of judgment3 8,we have    
prophesied in  thy name10 c4 7,matt4    
vii4 #ba74 ,they show what tincture     
their services  left upon their spirits2
 that which excludes them from any      
acceptation  at the last day1 excludes  
them from any estimation of being       
spiritual  in this day4 ,the carnal     
worshippers charge ,god with injustice  
in not  rewarding them1 and claim an    
acceptation as a compensation due to    
them 7,isa4 lviii4 #c73 8,wherefore have
 we afflicted our souls1 and thou       
takest no knowledge80 ,a spiritual      
worshipper looks upon his duties  with  
shame1 as well as he doth upon his sins 

with confusion2 and  implores the mercy 
of ,god for the one as well as the      
other4 ,in ,psalm  cxliii4 #b1 the      
prophet ,david1 after his supplications1
 begs of ,god  not to enter into        
judgment with him2 and acknowledges any 
answer that  ,god should give him1 as a 
fruit of his faithfulness to his        
promise1  and not the merit of his      
worship3 8,in thy faithfulness answer   
me10 c4  ,whatsoever springs from a     
gracious principle1 and is the breath of
 the  ,spirit1 leaves a man more humble2
 whereas1 that which proceeds from  a   
stock of nature1 hath the true blood of 
nature running in the veins  of it2     
viz41 that pride which is naturally     
derived from ,adam4 ,the  breathing of  
the ,divine ,spirit is1 in everything1  
to conform us to  our ,redeemer2 that   
being the main work of his office1 is   
his work in  every particular christian 
act influenced by him4 ,now ,jesus      
,christ1  in all his actions1 was an    
exact pattern of all humility4 ,after   

the  institution and celebration of the 
supper1 a special act of worship in  the
 church1 though he had a sense of all   
the authority his ,father had  given    
him1 yet he 8humbles himself to wash his
 disciples' feet0 7,john  xiii4 #bd72   
and after his sublime prayer 7,john     
xvii471 8,he humbles  himself to the    
death1 and offers himself0 to his       
murderers1 because  of his ,father's    
pleasure4 7,john xviii4 #a73 8,when he  
had spoken those  words1 he went over   
the brook ,kedron into the garden40     
,what is the  end of ,god in appointing 
worship1 is the end of a spiritual heart
 in  offering it2 not his own           
exaltation1 but ,god's glory4           
,glorifying the  name of ,god is the    
fruit of that evangelical worship the   
,gentiles were  in time to give to ,god 
7,ps4 lxxxvi4 #i73 8,all nations which  
thou hast  made shall come and worship  
before thee1 ,o ,lord1 and shall glorify
  thy name40 ,let us examine1 then1 what
 debasing ourselves there is in  a sense

 of our own vileness1 and distance from 
so glorious a ,spirit4  ,selfdenial is  
the heart of all gospel grace4          
,evangelical1 a#bef  spiritual worship  
cannot be without the ingredient of the 
main  evangelical principle4    7#c47   
,what delight is there after it8 ,what  
pleasure is there1 and what  is the     
object of that pleasure8 ,is it the     
communion we have had with  ,god1 or a  
fluency in ourselves8 ,is it something  
which hath touched  our hearts1 or      
tickled our fancies8 ,as the strength of
 sin is known  by the delightful        
thoughts of it after the commission2 so 
is the  spirituality of duty1 by the    
object of our delightful remembrance    
after the performance4 ,it was a sign   
,david was spiritual in the  worship of 
,god in the tabernacle1 when he enjoyed 
it1 because he  longed for the spiritual
 part of it1 when he was exiled from it2
 his  desires were not only for liberty 
to revisit the tabernacle1 but to  see  
the 8power and glory of ,god in the     

sanctuary10 as he had seen  it before   
7,ps4 lxiii4 #b73 his desires for it    
could not have been so  ardent1 if his  
reflection upon what had past had not   
been delightful2  nor could his soul be 
poured out in him1 for the want of such 
opportunities1 if the remembrance of the
 converse he had had with  ,god1 had not
 been accompanied with a delightful     
relish 7,ps4 xlii4 #d74  ,let us examine
 what delight we find in our spirits    
after worship4    ,use ,,iii4 is of     
comfort4 ,and it is very comfortable to 
consider1  that the smallest worship    
with the heart and spirit1 flowing from 
a principle of grace1 is more acceptable
 than the most pompous  veneration2 yea1
 if the oblation were as precious as the
 whole circuit  of heaven and earth     
without it4 ,that ,god that values a cup
 of cold  water given to any as his     
disciple1 will value a sincere service  
above  a costly sacrifice4 ,god hath his
 eye upon them that honor his nature2   
he would not 8seek such to worship him10

 if he did not intend to  accept such a 
worship from them2 when we therefore    
invoke him1 and  praise him1 which are  
the prime parts of religion1 he will    
receive  it as a sweet savor from us1   
and overlook infirmities mixed with  the
 graces4 ,the great matter of           
discomfort1 and that which makes  us    
question the spirituality of worship1 is
 the many starts of our  spirits1 and   
rovings to other things4 ,for answer to 
which1    #a4 ,it is to be confessed    
that these starts are natural to us4    
,who is  free from them8 ,we bear in our
 bosoms a nest of turbulent thoughts1   
which1 like busy gnats1 will be buzzing 
about us while we are in our  most      
inward and spiritual converses4 ,many   
wild beasts lurk in a man's  heart1 as  
in a close and covert wood1 and scarce  
discover themselves  but at our solemn  
worship4 ,no duty so holy1 no worship so
 spiritual1  that can wholly privilege  
us from them2 they will jog us in our   
most  weighty employments1 that1 as ,god

 said to ,cain1 sin lies at the door1   
and enters in1 and makes a riot in our  
souls4 ,as it is said of wicked  men1   
8they cannot sleep0 for multitude of    
thoughts 7,eccles4 v4 #ab72  so it may  
be of many a good man1 he cannot worship
 for multitude of  thoughts2 there will 
be starts1 and more in our religious    
than natural  employments2 it is natural
 to man4 ,some therefore think1 the     
bells  tied to ,aaron's garments1       
between the pomegranates1 were to warn  
the  people1 and recall their fugitive  
minds to the present service1 when  they
 heard the sound of them1 upon the least
 motion of the highpriest4  ,the        
sacrifice of ,abraham1 the father or the
 faithful1 was not exempt  from the     
fowls a#beg pecking at it 7,gen4 xv4    
#aa74 ,zechariah himself  was drowsy in 
the midst of his visions1 which being   
more amazing1  might cause a heavenly   
intentness 7,zech4 iv4 #a73 8,the angel 
that  talked with me1 came again and    
awaked me1 as a man is awaked out of    

sleep40 ,he had been roused up before1  
but he was ready to drop down  again2   
his heart was gone1 till the angel      
jogged him4 ,we may complain  of such   
imaginations1 as ,jeremiah doth of the  
enemies of the ,jews  7,lam4 iv4 #ai74  
,our persecutors are swifter than       
eagles2 they light  upon us with as much
 speed as eagles upon a carcass2 they   
pursue us  upon the mountain of divine  
institutions1 and they lay wait for us  
in  the wilderness1 in our retired      
addresses to ,god4 ,and this will be so 
while1    7#a47 ,there is natural       
corruption in us4 ,there are in a godly 
man  two contrary principles1 flesh and 
spirit1 which endeavor to hinder  one   
another's acts1 and are alway stirring  
upon the offensive or  defensive part   
7,gal4 v4 #ag74 ,there is a body of     
death1 continually  exhaling its noisome
 vapors3 it is a body of death in our   
worship1  as well as in our natures2 it 
snaps our resolutions asunder 7,rom4    
vii4 #ai72 it hinders us in the doing   

good1 and contradicts our  wills in the 
stirring up evil4 ,this corruption being
 seated in all  the faculties1 and a    
constant domestic in them1 has the      
greater  opportunity to trouble us1     
since it is by those faculties that we  
spiritually transact with ,god2 and it  
stirs more in the time of  religious    
exercises1 though it be in part         
mortified2 as a wounded  beast1 though  
tired1 will rage and strive to its      
utmost1 when the  enemy is about to     
fetch a blow at it4 ,all duties of      
worship tend to  the wounding of        
corruption2 and it is no wonder to feel 
the striving  of sin to defend itself   
and offend us1 when we have our arms in 
our  hands to mortify it1 that the blow 
may be diverted which is directed       
against it4 ,the apostles had aspiring  
thoughts2 and being persuaded of  an    
earthly kingdom1 expected a grandeur in 
it2 and though we find some  appearance 
of it at other times1 as when they were 
casting out devils1  and gave an account

 of it to their ,master1 he gives them a
 kind of  a check 7,luke x4 #bj71       
intimating that there was some kind of  
evil in  their rejoicing upon that      
account2 yet this never swelled so high1
 as  to break out into a quarrel who    
should be greatest1 until they had the  
most solemn ordinance1 the ,lord's      
supper1 to quell it 7,luke xxii4 #bd74  
,our corruption is like lime1 which     
discovers not its fire by any smoke  or 
heat1 till you cast water1 the enemy of 
fire1 upon it2 neither doth  our natural
 corruption rage so much1 as when we are
 using means to  quench and destroy it4 
7#b47 ,while there is a devil1 and we in
 his precinct4 ,as he accuseth  us to   
,god1 so he disturbs us in ourselves2 he
 is a bold spirit1 and  loves to intrude
 himself when we are conversing with    
,god3 we read1  that when the angels    
presented themselves before ,god1 ,satan
 comes  among them 7,job i4 #f74        
,motions from ,satan will thrust        
themselves  in with our most raised and 

angelical frames2 he loves to take off  
the edge of our spirits from ,god2 he   
acts but after the old rate2 he  from   
the first envied ,god an obedience from 
man1 and envied man the  felicity of    
communion with ,god2 he is unwilling    
,god should have the  honor of worship1 
and that we should have the fruit of it2
 a#beh he  hath himself lost it1 and    
therefore is unwilling we should enjoy  
it2  and being subtle1 he knows how to  
make impressions upon us suitable to    
our inbred corruptions1 and assault us  
in the weakest part4 ,he knows  all the 
avenues to get within us 7as he did in  
the temptation of ,eve71  and being a   
spirit1 he wants not a power to dart    
them immediately upon  our fancy2 and   
being a spirit1 and therefore active and
 nimble1 he  can shoot those darts      
faster than our weakness can beat them  
off4 ,he  is diligent also1 and watcheth
 for his prey1 and seeks to devour our  
services as well as our souls1 and      
snatch our best morsels from us4 ,we    

know he mixed himself with our          
,saviour's retirements in the           
wilderness1  and endeavored to flyblow  
his holy converse with his ,father in   
the  preparation to his mediatory work4 
,satan is ,god's ape1 and imitates  the 
,spirit in the office of a remembrancer2
 as the ,spirit brings good  thoughts   
and divine promises to mind1 to quicken 
our worship1 so the  devil brings evil  
things to mind1 and endeavors to fasten 
them in  our souls to disturb us2 and   
though all the foolish starts we have in
  worship are not purely his issue1 yet 
being of kin to him1 he claps  his      
hands1 and sets them on like so many    
mastiffs1 to tear the service  in       
pieces4 ,and both those distractions1   
which arise from our own  corruption and
 from ,satan1 are most rife in worship1 
when we are under  some pressing        
affliction4 ,this seems to be ,david's  
case1 ,ps4 lxxxvi4  when in ver4 #aa he 
prays ,god to unite his heart to fear   
and worship  his name2 he seems to be   

under some affliction1 or fear of his   
enemies3  8,o free me from those        
distractions of spirit1 and those       
passions which  arise in my soul1 upon  
considering the designs of my enemies   
against  me1 and press upon me in my    
addresses to thee1 and attendances on   
thee4 0 ,job also in his affliction     
complains 7,job xvii4 #aa7 that  8his   
purposes were broken off20 he could not 
make an even thread  of thoughts and    
resolutions2 they were frequently snapt 
asunder1  like rotten yarn when one is  
winding it up4 ,good men and spiritual  
worshippers have lain under this        
trouble4 ,though they are a sign of     
weakness of grace1 or some obstructions 
in the acting of strong grace1  yet they
 are not alway evidences of a want of   
grace2 what ariseth from  our own       
corruption1 is to be matter of          
humiliation and resistance2  what       
ariseth from ,satan1 should edge our    
minds to a noble conquest of  them4 ,if 
the apostle did comfort himself with his

 disapproving of what  rose from the    
natural spring of sin within him1 with  
his consent to  the law1 and dissent    
from his lust2 and charges it not upon  
himself1  but upon the sin that dwelt in
 him1 with which he had broken off the  
former league1 and was resolved never to
 enter into amity with it2  by the same 
reason we may comfort ourselves1 if such
 thoughts are  undelighted in1 and      
alienate not our hearts from the worship
 of ,god  by all their busy intrusions  
to interrupt us4    #b4 ,these          
distractions 7not allowed7 may be       
occasions1 by an holy  improvement1 to  
make our hearts more spiritual after    
worship1 though  they disturb us in it1 
by answering those ends for which we may
  suppose ,god permits them to invade   
us4 ,and that is1    ,first1 ,when they 
are occasions to humble us1    7#a47    
,for our carriage in the particular     
worship4 ,there is nothing  so dangerous
 as spiritual pride2 it deprived devils 
and men of the  a#bei presence of ,god1 

and will hinder us of the influence of  
,god4  ,if we had had raised and        
uninterrupted motions in worship1 we    
should  be apt to be lifted up2 and the 
devil stands ready to tempt us to       
selfconfidence4 ,you know how it was    
with ,paul 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #ag72  his    
buffetings were occasions to render him 
more spiritual than his  raptures1      
because more humble4 ,god suffers those 
wanderings1 starts1  and distractions1  
to prevent our spiritual pride2 which is
 as a worm  at the root of spiritual    
worship1 and mind us of the dusty frame 
of  our spirits1 how easily they are    
blown away2 as he sends sickness to  put
 us in mind of the shortness of our     
breath1 and the easiness to  lose it4   
,god would make us ashamed of ourselves 
in his presence2 that  we may own1 that 
what is good in any duty1 is merely from
 his grace  and ,spirit1 and not from   
ourselves2 that with ,paul we may cry   
out1  8,by grace we are what we are10   
and by grace we do what we do2 we may   

be hereby made sensible1 that ,god can  
alway find something in our  exactest   
worship1 as a ground of denying us the  
successful fruit of it4  ,if we cannot  
stand upon our duties for salvation1    
what can we bottom  upon in ourselves8  
,if therefore they are occasions to make
 us out of  love with any righteousness 
of our own1 to make us break our hearts 
for them1 because we cannot keep them   
out2 if we mourn for them as  our sins1 
and count them our great afflictions1 we
 have attained  that brokenness which is
 a choice ingredient in a spiritual     
sacrifice4  ,though we have been        
disturbed by them1 yet we are not robbed
 of the  success2 we may behold an      
answer of our worship in our            
humiliation1  in spite of all of them4  
7#b47 ,for the baseness of our nature4  
,these unsteady motions help us  to     
discern that heap of vermin that breeds 
in our nature4 ,would any  man think he 
had such an averseness to his ,creator  
and ,benefactor2  such an unsuitableness

 to him2 such an estrangedness from him1
 were  it not for his inspection into   
his distracted frame8 ,god suffers this 
to hang over us as a rod of correction1 
to discover and fetch out the  folly of 
our hearts4 ,could we imagine our       
natures so highly contrary  to that ,god
 who is so infinitely amiable1 so       
desirable an object2  or that there     
should be so much folly and madness in  
the heart1 as  to draw back from ,god in
 those services which ,god hath         
appointed  as pipes through which to    
communicate his grace1 to convey        
himself1  his love and goodness to the  
creature8 ,if1 therefore1 we have a deep
  sense of1 and strong reflections upon 
our base nature1 and bewail that  mass  
of averseness which lies there1 and that
 fulness of irreverence  towards the    
,god of our mercies1 the object of our  
worship1 it is a  blessed improvement of
 our wanderings and diversions4         
,certainly1 if  any ,israelite had      
brought a lame and rotten lamb to be    

sacrificed to  ,god1 and afterward had  
bewailed it1 and laid open his heart to 
,god  in a sensible and humble          
confession of it1 that repentance had   
been a  better sacrifice1 and more      
acceptable in the sight of ,god1 than if
 he  had brought a sound and a living   
offering4    ,secondly1 ,when they are  
occasions to make us prize duties of    
worship4  ,when we argue1 as rationally 
we may1 that they are of singular use1  
since our corrupt hearts and a malicious
 devil doth chiefly endeavor  to hinder 
us from them1 and that we find we have  
not those gadding  thoughts when we are 
upon worldly business1 or a#bfj upon any
 sinful  design which may dishonor ,god 
and wound our souls4 ,this is a sign    
sin and ,satan dislike worship1 for he  
is too subtle a spirit to  oppose that  
which would further his kingdom4 ,as it 
is an argument the  ,scripture is the   
word of ,god1 because the wickedness of 
the world doth  so much oppose it1 so it
 is a ground to believe the             

profitableness  and excellency of       
worship1 because ,satan and our own     
unruly hearts  do so much interrupt us  
in it3 if1 therefore1 we make this use  
of our  crosssteps in worship1 to have a
 greater value for such duties1 more    
affections to them1 and desires to be   
frequent in them1 our hearts are        
growing spiritual under the weights that
 would depress them to  carnality4      
,thirdly1 ,when we take a rise from     
hence1 to have heavenly admirations  of 
the graciousness of ,god1 that he should
 pity and pardon so many  slight        
addresses to him1 and give any gracious 
returns to us4 ,though  men have foolish
 rangings every day1 and in every duty1 
yet free  grace is so tender as not to  
punish them 7,gen4 viii4 #ba73 8,and the
  ,lord smelt a sweet savor2 and the    
,lord said in his heart1 ,i will not    
curse the ground for man's sake1 for the
 imagination of man's heart  is evil    
from his youth40 ,it is observable1 that
 this was just after  a sacrifice which 

,noah offered to ,god 7ver4 #bj73 but   
probably not  without infirmities common
 to human nature1 which may be grounded 
upon  the reason ,god gives1 that though
 he had destroyed the earth before1     
because of the 8evil of man's           
imaginations0 7,gen4 vi4 #e71 he still  
found evil imaginations2 he doth not say
 in the heart of ,cham1 or  others of   
,noah's family1 but in man's heart1     
including ,noah also1 who  had both the 
judgments of ,god upon the former world1
 and the mercy  of ,god in his own      
preservation1 before his eyes2 yet ,god 
saw evil  imaginations rooted in the    
nature of man1 and though it were so1   
yet  he would be merciful4 ,if1         
therefore1 we can1 after finding our    
hearts  so vagrant in worship1 have real
 frames of thankfulness that ,god hath  
spared us1 and be heightened in our     
admirations at ,god's giving us  any    
fruit of such a distracted worship1 we  
take advantage from them  to be raised  
into an evangelical frame1 which        

consists in the humble  acknowledgments 
of the grace of ,god4 ,when ,david takes
 a review of  those tumultuous passions 
which had ruffled his mind1 and         
possessed  him with unbelieving notions 
of ,god in the persons of his prophets  
7,ps4 cxvi4 #aa71 how high doth his soul
 mount in astonishment and  thankfulness
 to ,god for his mercy6 7ver4 #ab47     
,notwithstanding his  distrust1 ,god did
 graciously perform his promise1 and    
answer his  desire3 then it is1 8,what  
shall ,i render to the ,lord80 ,his     
heart was  more affected for it1 because
 it had been so passionate in former    
distrusts4 ,it is indeed a ground of    
wondering at the patience of the        
,spirit of ,god1 that he should guide   
our hearts when they are so apt to      
start out1 as it is the patience of a   
master to guide the hand of his         
scholar1 while he mixes his writing with
 many blots4 ,it is not one  or two     
infirmities the ,spirit helps us in1 and
 helps over1 but many  7,rom4 viii4     

#bf74 ,it is a sign of a spiritual      
heart1 when he can take  a rise to bless
 ,god for the renewing and blowing up   
his affections1  in the midst of so many
 incursions from ,satan to the contrary1
 and  the readiness of the heart too    
much to comply with them4    a#bfa      
,fourthly1 ,when we take occasion from  
thence to prize the  mediation of       
,christ4 ,the more distractions jog us1 
the more need  we should see of going   
out to a ,saviour by faith4 ,one part of
 our  ,saviour's office is to stand     
between us and the infirmities of our   
worship4 ,as he is an advocate1 he      
presents our services1 and pleads  for  
them and us 7#a ,john ii4 #a71 for the  
sins of our duties1 as well as  for our 
other sins4 ,jesus ,christ is an        
,highpriest1 appointed by ,god  to take 
away the 8iniquities of our holy        
things10 which was typified  by ,aaron's
 plate upon his mitre 7,exod4 xxviii4   
#cf1 #ch74 ,were there  no              
imperfections1 were there no creeping up

 of those frogs into our  minds1 we     
should think our worship might merit    
acceptance with ,god  upon its own      
account2 but if we behold our own       
weakness1 that not  a tear1 a groan1 a  
sigh1 is so pure1 but must have ,christ 
to make  it entertainable2 that there is
 no worship without those blemishes2    
and upon this1 throw all our services   
into the arms of ,christ for            
acceptance1 and solicit him to put his  
merits in the front1 to make  our       
ciphers appear valuable2 it is a        
spiritual act1 the design of ,god  in   
the gospel being to advance the honor   
and mediation of his ,son4  ,that is a  
spiritual and evangelical act which     
answers the evangelical  design4 ,the   
design of ,satan1 and our own corruption
 is defeated1 when  those interruptions 
make us run swifter1 and take faster    
hold on the  ,highpriest who is to      
present our worship to ,god1 and our own
 souls  receive comfort thereby4 ,christ
 had temptations offered to him by  the 

devil in his wilderness retirement1     
that1 from an experimental  knowledge1  
he might be able more 8compassionately  
to succor us0 7,heb4  ii4 #ah72 we have 
such assaults in our retired worship    
especially1  that we may be able more   
highly to value him and his mediation4  
#c4 ,let us not1 therefore1 be          
discouraged by those interruptions and  
starts of our hearts4    7#a47 ,if we   
find in ourselves a strong resistance of
 them4 ,the flesh  will be lusting2 that
 cannot be hindered2 yet if we do not   
fulfil the  lusts of it1 rise up at its 
command1 and go about its work1 we may  
be  said to walk in the ,spirit 7,gal4  
v4 #af1 #ag73 we 8walk in the ,spirit10 
if we 8fulfil not the lusts of the      
flesh10 though there be a lusting  of   
the flesh against the ,spirit2 so we    
worship in the ,spirit1 though  there be
 carnal thoughts arising if we do not   
fulfil them2 though  the stirring of    
them discovers some contrariety in us to
 ,god1 yet the  resistance manifests    

that there is a principle of contrariety
 in us  to them2 that as there is       
something of flesh that lusts against   
the  spirit1 so there is something of   
spirit in worship which lusts against   
the flesh3 we must take heed of omitting
 worship1 because of such  inroads1 and 
lying down in the mire of a total       
neglect4 ,if our spirits  are made more 
lively and vigorous against them2 if    
those cold vapors  which have risen from
 our hearts make us1 like a spring in   
the midst  of the cold earth1 more warm1
 there is1 in this case1 more reason    
for us to bless ,god1 than to be        
discouraged4 ,god looks upon it as  the 
disease1 not the wilfulness of our      
nature2 as the weakness of the  flesh1  
not the willingness of the spirit4 ,if  
we would shut the door  upon them1 it   
seems they are unwelcome company2 men do
 not use to lock  their doors upon those
 they love2 if they break in and disturb
 a#bfb  us with their impertinences1 we 
need not be discomforted1 unless we     

give them a share in our affections1 and
 turn our back upon ,god to  entertain  
them2 if their presence makes us sad1   
their flight would  make us joyful4     
7#b47 ,if we find ourselves excited to a
 stricter watch over our  hearts against
 them2 as travellers will be careful    
when they come to  places where they    
have been robbed before1 that they be   
not so easily  surprised again4 ,we     
should not only lament when we have had 
such  foolish imaginations in worship   
breaking in upon us1 but also bless     
,god that we have had no more1 since we 
have hearts so fruitful of  weeds4 ,we  
should give ,god the glory when we find 
our hearts preserved  from these        
intruders1 and not boast of ourselves1  
but return him our  praise for the watch
 and guard he kept over us1 to preserve 
us from  such thieves4 ,let us not be   
discomforted2 for as the greatness of   
our  sins1 upon our turning to ,god1 is 
no hindrance to our justification1      
because it doth not depend upon our     

conversion as the meritorious  cause1   
but upon the infinite value of our      
,saviour's satisfaction1  which reaches 
the greatest sins as well as the least2 
so the multitude  of our bewailed       
distractions in worship are not a       
hindrance to our  acceptation1 because  
of the uncontrollable power of ,christ's
  intercession4    ,use ,,iv4 is for    
exhortation4 ,since spiritual worship is
 due to ,god1  and the ,father seeks    
such to worship him1 how much should we 
endeavor  to satisfy the desire and     
order of ,god1 and act conformable to   
the law  of our creation and the love of
 redemption6 ,our end must be the same  
in worship which was ,god's end in      
creation and redemption2 to glorify  his
 name1 set forth his perfections1 and be
 rendered fit1 as creatures  and        
redeemed ones1 to partake of that grace 
which is the fruit of  worship4 ,an     
evangelical dispensation requires a     
spiritual homage2 to  neglect1          
therefore1 either the matter or manner  

of gospel duties1 is  to put a slight   
upon gospel privileges4 ,the manner of  
duty is ever  of more value than the    
matter2 the scarlet dye is more precious
 than  the cloth tinctured with it4 ,god
 respects more the disposition of  the  
sacrificer than the multitude of the    
sacrifices4#ebg ,the solemn  feasts     
appointed by ,god were but dung as      
managed by the ,jews 7,mal4  ii4 #c74   
,the heart is often welcome without the 
body1 but the body  never grateful      
without the heart4 ,the inward acts of  
the spirit  require nothing from without
 to constitute them good in themselves2 
but the outward acts of devotion require
 inward acts to render them  savory to  
,god4 ,as the goodness of outward acts  
consists not in the  acts themselves1 so
 the acceptableness of them results not 
from the  acts themselves1 but from the 
inward frame animating and quickening   
those acts1 as blood and spirits running
 through the veins of a duty  to make it
 a living service in the sight of ,god4 

,imperfections in  worship hinder not   
,god's acceptation of it1 if the heart1 
spirited  by grace1 be there to make it 
a sweet savor4 ,the stench of burning   
flesh and fat in the legal sacrifices   
might render them noisome to the        
outward senses2 but ,god smelt a sweet  
savor in them1 as they a#bfc  respected 
,christ4 ,when the heart and spirit are 
offered up to ,god1 it  may be a savory 
duty1 though attended with unsavory     
imperfections2 but  a thousand          
sacrifices without a stamp of faith1 a  
thousand spiritual  duties with an      
habitual carnality1 are no better than  
stench with ,god4  ,the heart must be   
purged1 as well as the temple was by our
 ,saviour1 of  the thieves that would   
rob ,god of his due worship4 ,antiquity 
had some  temples wherein it was a crime
 to bring any gold2 therefore those that
  came to worship laid their gold aside 
before they went into the temple4  ,we  
should lay aside our worldly and trading
 thoughts before we address  to worship 

7,isa4 xxvi4 #i73 8,with my spirit      
within me will ,i seek thee  early40    
,let not our minds be gadding abroad1   
and exiled from ,god and  themselves4   
,it will be thus when the 8desire of our
 soul is to his  name1 and the          
remembrance of him0 7ver4 #h74 ,when he 
hath given so  great and admirable a    
gift as that of his ,son1 in whom are   
all things  necessary to salvation1     
righteousness1 peace1 and pardon of sin1
 we  should manage the remembrance of   
his name in worship with the closest    
unitedness of heart1 and the most       
spiritual affections4 ,the motion  of   
the spirit is the first act in religion2
 to this we are obliged in  every act4  
,the devil requires the spirit of his   
votaries2 should ,god  have a less      
dedication than the devil8    ,motives  
to back this exhortation4    ,i4 ,not to
 give ,god our spirit is a great sin4   
,it is a mockery of ,god1  not worship1 
contempt1 not adoration1 whatever our   
outward fervency or  protestations may  

be4#ebh ,every alienation of our hearts 
from him is  a real scorn put upon him4 
,the acts of the soul are real1 and more
 the  acts of the man than the acts of  
the body2 because they are the acts  of 
the choicest part of man1 and of that   
which is the first spring of  all bodily
 motions2 it is the  1 the internal     
speech  whereby we must speak with ,god4
 ,to give him1 therefore1 only an       
external form of worship without the    
life of it1 is a taking his name  in    
vain4 ,we mock him1 when we mind not    
what we are speaking to him1 or  what he
 is speaking to us2 when the motions of 
our hearts are contrary  to the motions 
of our tongues2 when we do anything     
before him slovenly1  impudently1 or    
rashly4 ,as in a lutinist it is absurd  
to sing one tune  and play another2 so  
it is a foul thing to tell ,god one     
thing with  our lips1 and think another 
with our hearts4 ,it is a sin like that 
the apostle chargeth the heathens with  
7,rom4 i4 #bh73 8,they like not to      

retain ,god in their knowledge40 ,their 
stomachs are sick while they are  upon  
any duty1 and never leave working till  
they have thrown up all  the spiritual  
part of worship1 and rid themselves of  
the thoughts of  ,god1 which are as     
unwelcome and troublesome guests to     
them4 ,when men  behave themselves in   
the sight of ,god1 as if ,god were not  
,god1 they  do not only defame him1 but 
deny him1 and violate the unchangeable  
perfections of the ,divine nature4      
#a4 ,it is against the majesty of ,god1 
when we have not awful thoughts  of that
 great ,majesty to whom we address2 when
 our souls cleave  not to him when we   
petition him in prayer1 or when he gives
 out his  orders to us in his ,word4 ,it
 is a contempt of the majesty of a      
prince1  if1 whilst he is speaking to   
us1 we listen not to him with a#bfd     
reverence and attention1 but turn our   
backs on him1 to play with one  of his  
hounds1 or talk with a beggar2 or while 
we speak to him1 to  rake in a dunghill4

 ,solomon adviseth us to 8keep our foot 
when we go  to the house of ,god0       
7,eccles4 v4 #a74 ,our affections should
 be steady1  and not slip away again2   
why8 7ver4 #b7 because 8,god is in      
heaven10  c4 ,he is a ,god of majesty2  
earthly1 dirty frames are unsuitable  to
 the ,god of heaven2 low spirits are    
unsuitable to the ,most ,high4  ,we     
would not bring our mean servants or    
dirty dogs into a prince's  presence    
chamber2 yet we bring not only our      
worldly1 but our profane  affections    
into ,god's presence4 ,we give in this  
case those services  to ,god which our  
,governor would think unworthy of him   
7,mal4 i4 #h74 ,the  more excellent and 
glorious ,god is1 the greater contempt  
of him it is  to suffer such foolish    
affections to be competitors with him   
for our  hearts4 ,it is a scorn put upon
 him to converse with a creature1 while 
we are dealing with him2 but a greater  
to converse in our thoughts  and fancies
 with some sordid lust1 which is most   

hateful to him2 and  the more           
aggravation it attracts1 in that we are 
to apprehend him the  most glorious     
object sitting upon his throne in time  
of worship1 and  ourselves standing as  
vile creatures before him1 supplicating 
for our  lives1 and the conveyance of   
grace and mercy to our souls2 as if a   
grand mutineer1 instead of humbly       
begging the pardon of his offended      
prince1 should present his petition not 
only scribbled and blotted1  but        
besmeared with some loathsome excrement4
 ,it is unbecoming both the  majesty of 
,god1 and the worship itself1 to present
 him with a picture  instead of a       
substance1 and bring a world of nasty   
affections in  our hearts1 and          
ridiculous toys in our heads before him1
 and worship  with indisposed and       
heedless souls4 ,he is a great ,king    
7,mal4 i4 #ad73  therefore address to   
him with fear and reverence4    #b4 ,it 
is against the life of ,god4 ,is a dead 
worship proportioned  to a living ,god8 

,the separation of heavenly affections  
from our  souls before ,god1 makes them 
as much a carcass in his sight1 as the  
divorce of the soul makes the body a    
carcass4 ,when the affections  are      
separated1 worship is no longer worship1
 but a dead offering1  a lifeless bulk2 
for the essence and spirit of worship is
 departed4  ,though the soul be present 
with the body in a way of information1  
yet  it is not present in a way of      
affection1 and this is the worst2 for   
it is not the separation of the soul    
from informing that doth separate  a man
 from ,god1 but the removal of our      
affections from him4 ,if a  man pretend 
an application to ,god1 and sleep and   
snore all the time1  without question   
such a one did not worship4 ,in a       
careless worship  the heart is morally  
dead while the eyes are open3 the heart 
of the  spouse 7,cant4 v4 #b7 waked     
while her eyes slept2 and our hearts1 on
 the  contrary1 sleep while our eyes    
wake4 ,our blessed ,saviour hath died to

  purge our consciences from dead works 
and frames1 that we may serve  the      
living ,god 7,heb4 ix4 #ad72 to serve   
,god as a ,god of life4 ,david's  soul  
cried and fainted for ,god under this   
consideration 7,ps4 xlii4 #b72  but to  
present our bodies without our spirits1 
is such a usage of  ,god1 that implies  
he is a dead image1 not worthy of any   
but a dead  and heartless service1 like 
one of those idols the ,psalmist speaks 
of  7,ps4 cxv4 #e71 that have 8eyes1 and
 see not2 ears1 a#bfe and hear not20  no
 life in it4 ,though it be not an       
objective idolatry1 because the  worship
 is directed to the true ,god2 yet ,i   
may call it a subjective  idolatry in   
regard of the frame1 fit only to be     
presented to some  senseless stock4 ,we 
intimate ,god to be no better than an   
idol1 and  to have no more knowledge of 
us and insight into us1 than an idol can
  have4 ,if we did believe him to be the
 living ,god1 we durst not come  before 
him with services so unsuitable to him1 

and reproaches of him4    #c4 ,it is    
against the infiniteness of ,god4 ,we   
should worship ,god with  those         
boundless affections which bear upon    
them a shadow or image  of his          
infiniteness2 such are the desires of   
the soul which know no  limits1 but     
start out beyond whatsoever enjoyment   
the heart of man  possesses4 ,no        
creeping creature was to be offered to  
,god in sacrifice1  but such as had legs
 to run1 or wings to fly4 ,for us to    
come before  ,god with a light creeping 
frame1 is to worship him with the lowest
  finite affections1 as though anything1
 though never so mean or torn1  might   
satisfy an infinite ,being2 as though a 
poor shallow creature  could give enough
 to ,god without giving him the heart1  
when1 indeed1  we cannot give him a     
worship proportionable to his           
infiniteness1 did  our hearts swell as  
large as heaven in our desires for him  
in every  act of our duties4    #d4 ,it 
is against the spirituality of ,god4    

,god being a ,spirit1 calls  for a      
worship in spirit2 to withhold this from
 him implies him to  be some gross      
corporeal matter4 ,as a ,spirit1 he     
looks for the heart2  a wrestling heart 
in prayer1 a trembling heart in the     
,word 7,isa4  lxvi4 #b74 ,to bring      
nothing but the body when we come to a  
spiritual  ,god to beg spiritual        
benefits1 to wait for spiritual         
communications1  which can only be      
dispensed to us in a spiritual manner1  
is unsuitable  to the spiritual nature  
of ,god4 ,a mere carnal service         
implicitly  denies his spirituality1    
which requires of us higher engagements 
than  mere corporeal ones4 ,worship     
should be rational1 not an imaginative  
service1 wherein is required the        
activity of our noblest faculties2  and 
our fancy ought to have no share in it1 
but in subserviency to  the more        
spiritual part of our soul4    #e4 ,it  
is against the supremacy of ,god4 ,as   
,god is one and the only  ,sovereign2 so

 our hearts should be one1 cleaving     
wholly to him1 and  undivided from him4 
,in pretending to deal with him1 we     
acknowledge his  deity and sovereignty2 
but in withholding our choicest         
faculties and  affections from him1 and 
the starting of our minds to vain       
objects1  we intimate their equality    
with ,god1 and their right as well as   
his  to our hearts and affections4 ,it  
is as if a princess should commit       
adultery with some base scullion while  
she is before her husband1  which would 
be a plain denial of his sole right to  
her4 ,it intimates  that other things   
are superior to ,god2 they are true     
sovereigns that  engross our hearts4 ,if
 a man were addressing himself to a     
prince1 and  should in an instant turn  
his back upon him1 upon a beck or nod   
from  some inconsiderable person2 is it 
not an evidence that that person  that  
invited him away hath a greater         
sovereignty over him than that  prince  
to whom he was applying himself8 ,and do

 we not discard ,god's  absolute        
dominion over us1 when1 at the least    
beck of a corrupt  inclination1 we can  
dispose of our hearts to it1 and        
alienate a#bff  them from ,god8 as they1
 in ,ezek4 xxxiii4 #cb1 left the service
 of ,god  for the service of their      
covetousness1 which evidenced that they 
owned  the authority of sin more than   
the authority of ,god4 ,this is not to  
serve ,god as our ,lord and absolute    
,master1 but to make ,god serve our     
turn1 and submit his sovereignty to the 
supremacy of some unworthy  affection4  
,the creature is preferred before the   
,creator1 when the  heart runs most upon
 it in time of religious worship1 and   
our own  carnal interest swallows up the
 affections that are due to ,god4 ,it is
  8an idol set up in the heart0 7,ezek4 
xiv4 #d7 in his solemn presence1  and   
attracts that devotion to itself which  
we only owe to our  ,sovereign ,lord2   
and the more base and contemptible that 
is to which  the spirit is devoted1 the 

more contempt there is of ,god's        
dominion4  ,judas's kiss1 with a 8,hail 
,master60 was no act of worship1 or an  
owning his ,master's authority1 but a   
designing the satisfaction of  his      
covetousness in the betraying of him4   
#f4 ,it is against the wisdom of ,god4  
,god1 as a ,god of order1 has put       
earthly things in subordination to      
heavenly2 and we1 by this unworthy      
carriage1 invert this order1 and put    
heavenly things in subordination  to    
earthly2 in placing mean and low things 
in our hearts1 and bringing  them so    
placed into ,god's presence1 which his  
wisdom at the creation  put under our   
feet4 ,a service without spiritual      
affections is a  8sacrifice of fools0   
7,eccles4 v4 #a71 which have lost their 
brains and  understandings3 a foolish   
spirit is very unsuitable to an         
infinitely  wise ,god4 ,well may ,god   
say of such a one1 as ,achish of ,david1
 who  seemed mad1 8,why have you brought
 this fellow to play the madman in  my  

presence8 ,shall this fellow come into  
my house80 7#a ,sam4 xxi4 #ae47    #g4  
,it is against the omnisciency of ,god4 
,to carry it fair without1  and         
impertinently within1 is as though ,god 
had not an allseeing eye  that could    
pierce into the heart1 and understand   
every motion of the  inward faculties2  
as though ,god were easily cheated with 
an outward  fawning service1 like an    
apothecary's box with a gilded title1   
that  may be full of cobwebs within4    
,what is such a carriage1 but a design  
to deceive ,god1 when1 with ,herod1 we  
pretend to worship ,christ1 and  intend 
to murder all the motions of ,christ in 
our souls8 ,a heedless  spirit1 an      
estrangement of our souls1 a giving the 
reins to them to  run out from the      
presence of ,god to see every reed      
shaken with the  wind1 is to deny him to
 be the ,searcher of hearts1 and the    
,discerner  of secret thoughts2 as      
though he could not look through us to  
the  darkness and remoteness of our     

minds1 but were an ignorant ,god1 who   
might be put off with the worst as well 
as the best in our flock4 ,if  we did   
really believe there were a ,god of     
infinite knowledge1 who saw  our frames 
and whether we came dressed with wedding
 garments suitable  to the duties we are
 about to perform1 should we be so      
garish1 and put  him off with such      
trivial stuff1 without any reverence of 
his ,majesty8    #h4 ,it is against the 
holiness of ,god4 ,to alienate our      
spirits is to  offend him while we      
pretend to worship him2 though we may be
 mighty  officious in the external part1
 yet our base and carnal affections     
make all our worship but as a heap of   
dung2 and who would not look  upon it as
 an affront to lay dung before a        
prince's throne8 a#bfg  7,prov4 xxi4    
#bg71 8,the sacrifice of the wicked is  
an abomination20 how  much more when he 
brings it with a wicked mind8 ,a        
putrefied carcass  under the law had not
 been so great an affront to the        

holiness of ,god1  as a frothy unmelted 
heart1 and a wanton fancy1 in a time of 
worship4  ,god is so holy1 that if we   
could offer the worship of angels1 and  
the quintessence of our souls in his    
service1 it would be beneath his        
infinite purity2 how unworthy1 then1 are
 they of him1 when they are  presented  
not only without the sense of our       
uncleanness1 but sullied  with the fumes
 and exhalations of our corrupt         
affections1 which are as  so many       
plaguespots upon our duties1 contrary to
 the unspotted purity  of the ,divine   
nature8 ,is not this an unworthy conceit
 of ,god1 and  injurious to his infinite
 holiness8    #i4 ,it is against the    
love and kindness of ,god4 ,it is a     
condescension  in ,god to admit a piece 
of earth to offer up a duty to him1 when
  he hath myriads of angels to attend   
him in his court1 and celebrate  his    
praise4 ,to admit man to be an attendant
 on him1 and a partner  with angels1 is 
a high favor4 ,it is not a single mercy1

 but a heap  of mercies1 to be admitted 
into the presence of ,god 7,ps4 v4 #g73 
8,i  will come into thy house in the    
multitude of thy mercies40 ,when the    
blessed ,god is so kind as to give us   
access to his majesty1 do we not        
undervalue his kindness when we deal    
uncivilly with him1 and deny him  the   
choicest part of ourselves8 ,it is a    
contempt of his sovereignty1  as our    
spirits are due to him by nature2 a     
contempt of his goodness1  as our       
spirits are due to him by gratitude4    
,how abusive a carriage  is it to make  
use of his mercy to encourage our       
impudence1 that  should excite our fear 
and reverence6 ,how unworthy would it be
 for  an indigent debtor to bring to his
 indulgent creditor an empty purse      
instead of payment6 ,when ,god holds out
 his golden sceptre to encourage  our   
approaches to him1 stands ready to give 
us the pardon of sin and  full felicity1
 the best things he hath1 is it a fit   
requital of his  kindness to give him a 

formal outside only1 a shadow of        
religion2 to  have the heart overswayed 
with other thoughts and affections1 as  
if  all his proffers were so            
contemptible as to deserve only a slight
 at  our hands8 ,it is a contempt of the
 love and kindness of ,god4    #aj4 ,it 
is against the sufficiency and fulness  
of ,god4 ,when we give ,god  our bodies1
 and the creature our spirits1 it       
intimates a conceit that  there is more 
content to be had in the creature than  
in ,god blessed  forever2 that the      
waters in the cistern are sweeter than  
those in  the fountain4 ,is not this a  
practical giving ,god the lie1 and      
denying  those promises wherein he hath 
declared the satisfaction he can give   
to the spirit1 as he is the ,god of the 
spirits of all flesh8 ,if we  did       
imagine the excellency and loveliness of
 ,god were worthy to be  the ultimate   
object of our affections1 the heart     
would attend more  closely upon him1 and
 be terminated in him2 did we believe   

,god to  be allsufficient1 full of grace
 and goodness1 a tender ,father1 not    
willing to forsake his own1 willing1 as 
well as able1 to supply their  wants1   
the heart would not so lamely attend    
upon him1 and would not  upon every     
impertinency be diverted from him4      
,there is much of a wrong  notion of    
,god1 and a predominancy of the world   
above him in the heart1  when we can    
more savorly relish the thoughts of     
a#bfh low inferior  things than         
heavenly1 and let our spirits upon every
 trifling occasion  be fugitive from    
him2 it is a testimony that we make not 
,god our  chiefest good4 ,if            
apprehensions of his excellency did     
possess our  souls1 they would be       
fastened on him1 glued to him2 we should
 not  listen to that rabble of foolish  
thoughts that steal our hearts  so often
 from him4 ,were our breathings after   
,god as strong as the  pantings of the  
hart after the waterbrooks1 we should be
 like that  creature1 not diverted in   

our course by every puddle4 ,were ,god  
the  predominant satisfactory object in 
our eye1 he would carry our whole  soul 
along with him4 ,when our spirits       
readily retreat from ,god in  worship   
upon every giddy motion1 it is a kind of
 repentance that ever  we did come near 
him1 and implies that there is a fuller 
satisfaction1  and more attractive      
excellency in that which doth so easily 
divert us1  than in that ,god to whose  
worship we did pretend to address       
ourselves4  ,it is as if1 when we are   
petitioning a prince1 we should         
immediately  turn about1 and make       
request to one of his guard1 as though  
so mean a  person were more able to give
 us the boon we want than the sovereign 
is4    ,,ii4 ,consideration by way of   
motive4 ,to have our spirits off from   
,god  in worship is a bad sign3 it was  
not so in innocence4 ,the heart of      
,adam could cleave to ,god3 the law of  
,god was engraven upon him1 he  could   
apply himself to the fulfilling of it   

without any twinkling4  ,there was no   
folly and vanity in his mind1 no        
independency in his  thoughts1 no duty  
was his burden2 for there was in him a  
proneness  to1 and a delight in1 all the
 duties of worship4 ,it is the fall hath
  distempered us2 and the more          
unwieldiness there is in our spirits1   
the  more carnal our affections are in  
worship1 the more evidence there is  of 
the strength of that revolted state4    
#a4 ,it argues much corruption in the   
heart4 ,as by the eructations of  the   
stomach1 we may judge of the windiness  
and foulness of it2 so1  by the         
inordinate motions of our minds and     
hearts1 we may judge of  the weakness of
 its complexion4 ,a strength of sin is  
evidenced by the  eruptions and         
ebullitions of it in worship1 when they 
are more sudden1  numerous1 and vigorous
 than the motions of grace4 ,when the   
heart  is apt1 like tinder1 to catch    
fire from ,satan1 it is a sign of much  
combustible matter suitable to his      

temptation4 ,were not corruption        
strong1 the soul could not turn so      
easily from ,god when it is in his      
presence1 and hath an advantageous      
opportunity to create a fear and  awe of
 ,god in it4 ,such base fruit could not 
sprout up so suddenly1  were there not  
much sap and juice in the root of sin4  
,what communion  with a living root can 
be evidenced without exercises of an    
inward  life8 ,that spirit1 which is a  
well of living waters in a gracious     
heart1 will be especially springing up  
when it is before ,god4    #b4 ,it shows
 much affection to earthly things1 and  
little to heavenly4  ,there must needs  
be an inordinate affection to earthly   
things1 when1  upon every slight        
solicitation1 we can part with ,god1 and
 turn the  back upon a service glorious 
for him and advantageous for ourselves1 
to wed our hearts to some idle fancy    
that signifies nothing4 ,how  can we be 
said to entertain ,god in our           
affections1 when we give  him not the   

precedency in our understandings1 but   
let every a#bfi  trifle jostle the sense
 of ,god out of our minds8 ,were our    
hearts  fully determined to spiritual   
things1 such vanities could not seat    
themselves in our understandings1 and   
divide our spirits from ,god4  ,were our
 hearts balanced with a love to ,god1   
the world could never  steal our hearts 
so much from his worship1 but his       
worship would  draw our hearts to it4   
,it shows a base neutrality in the      
greatest  concernments2 a halting       
between ,god and ,baal2 a contrariety   
between  affection and conscience1 when 
natural conscience presses a man to     
duties of worship1 and his other        
affections pull him back1 draw him  to  
carnal objects1 and make him slight that
 whereby he may honor ,god4  ,god argues
 the profaneness of the ,jews' hearts   
from the wickedness  they brought into  
his house1 and acted there 7,jer4 xxiii4
 #aa73 8,yea1  in my house10 that is1 my
 worship1 8,i found their wickedness10  

saith  the ,lord4 ,carnality in worship 
is a kind of an idolatrous frame2  when 
the heart is renewed1 idols are cast to 
the moles and the bats  7,isa4 ii4 #bj74
    #c4 ,it shows much hypocrisy to have
 our spirits off from ,god4 ,the mouth  
speaks1 and the carriage pretends what  
the heart doth not think2 there  is a   
dissent of the heart from the pretence  
of the body4 ,instability  is a sure    
sign of hypocrisy4 ,double thoughts     
argue a double heart4  ,the wicked are  
compared to chaff 7,ps4 i4 #d71 for the 
uncertain and  various motions of their 
minds1 by the least wind of fancy4 ,the 
least  motion of a carnal object diverts
 the spirit from ,god1 as the scent  of 
carrion doth the raven from the flight  
it was set upon4 ,the people  of ,god   
are called ,god's spouse1 and ,god calls
 himself their husband2  whereby is     
noted the most intimate union of the    
soul with ,god2 and  that there ought to
 be the highest love and affection to   
him1 and  faithfulness in his worship2  

but when the heart doth start from him  
in worship1 it is a sign of the         
unsteadfastness of it with ,god1 and  a 
disrelish of any communion with him2 it 
is1 as ,god complains of the            
,israelites1 a going a whoring after our
 own imaginations4 ,as grace  respects  
,god as the object of worship1 so it    
looks most upon ,god in  approaching to 
him4 ,where there is a likeness and     
love1 there is a  desire of converse and
 intimacy2 if there be no spiritual     
entwining  about ,god in our worship1 it
 is a sign there is no likeness to him1 
no  true sense of him1 no renewed image 
of ,god in us2 every living image  will 
move strongly to join itself with its   
original copy1 and be glad1  with       
,jacob1 to sit steadily in those        
chariots that shall convey him  to his  
beloved ,joseph4    ,,iii4 ,consider the
 danger of a carnal worship4    #a4 ,we 
lose the comfort of worship4 ,the soul  
is a great gainer when it  offers a     
spiritual worship1 and as great a loser 

when it is unfaithful  with ,god4       
,treachery and perfidiousness hinder    
commerce among men2  so doth hypocrisy  
in its own nature communion with ,god4  
,god never  promised anything to the    
carcass1 but to the spirit of worship4  
,god  hath no obligation upon him1 by   
any word of his1 to reward us with      
himself1 when we perform it not to      
himself2 when we give an outside        
worship1 we have only the outside of an 
ordinance2 we can expect  no kernel1    
when we give ,god only the shell3 he    
that only licks the  outside of the     
glass1 can never be refreshed a#bgj with
 the rich  cordial enclosed within4 ,a  
cold and lazy formality will make ,god  
to withdraw the light of his            
countenance1 and not shine with any     
delightful communications upon our      
souls2 but if we come before him  with a
 liveliness of affections1 and          
steadiness of heart1 he will draw  the  
veil1 and cause his glory to display    
itself before us4 ,an humble  praying   

,christian1 and a warm1 affectionate    
,christian in worship1 will  soon find a
 ,god who is delighted with such frames1
 and cannot long  withhold himself from 
the soul4 ,when our hearts are inflamed 
with love  to him in worship1 it is a   
preparation to some act of love on his  
part1  whereby he intends further to    
gratify us4 ,when ,john was in the      
,spirit  on the ,lord's day1 that is1 in
 spiritual employment1 and meditation1  
and other duties1 he had that great     
revelation of what should happen  to the
 church in all ages 7,rev4 i4 #aj72 his 
being in the ,spirit1  intimates his    
ordinary course on that day1 and not any
 extraordinary  act in him1 though it   
was followed with an extraordinary      
discovery  of ,god to him2 when he was  
thus engaged1 8he heard a voice behind  
him40 ,god doth not require of us       
spirituality in worship to advantage    
himself1 but that we might be prepared  
to be advantaged by him4 ,if we  have a 
clear and welldisposed eye1 it is not a 

benefit to the sun1  but fits us to     
receive benefits from his beams4        
,worship is an act that  perfects our   
own souls2 they are then most widened by
 spiritual frames1  to receive the      
influence of divine blessings1 as an eye
 most opened  receives the fruit of the 
sun's light better than the eye that is 
shut4  ,the communications of ,god are  
more or less1 according as our spiritual
  frames are more or less in our        
worship2 ,god will not give his         
blessings to unsuitable hearts4 ,what a 
nasty vessel is a carnal heart  for a   
spiritual communication6 ,the chief end 
of every duty enjoined  by ,god1 is to  
have communion with him2 and therefore  
it is called a  drawing near to ,god2 it
 is impossible1 therefore1 that the     
outward  part of any duty can answer the
 end of ,god in his institution4 ,it is 
not a bodily appearance or gesture      
whereby men can have communion with     
,god1 but by the impressions of the     
heart1 and reflections of the heart     

upon ,god2 without this1 all the rich   
streams of grace will run beside  us1   
and the growth of the soul be hindered  
and impaired4 ,a 8diligent  hand makes  
rich10 saith the wise man2 a diligent   
heart in spiritual  worship1 brings in  
rich incomes to the humble and spiritual
 soul4    #b4 ,it renders the worship   
not only unacceptable1 but abominable   
to ,god4 ,it makes our gold to become   
dross1 it soils our duties1 and  bespots
 our souls4 ,a carnal and unsteady frame
 shows an indifferency  of spirit at    
best2 and lukewarmness is as ungrateful 
to ,god1 as heavy  and nauseous meat is 
to the stomach2 he 8spews them out of   
his mouth0  7,rev4 iii4 #af74 ,as our   
gracious ,god doth overlook infirmities 
where  intentions are good1 and         
endeavors serious and strong2 so he     
loathes  the services where the frames  
are stark naught 7,ps4 lxvi4 #ah73 8,if 
,i regard iniquity in my heart1 the     
,lord will not hear my prayer40         
,lukewarm and indifferent services stink

 in the nostrils of ,god4 ,the  heart   
seems to loathe ,god when it starts from
 him upon every occasion1  when it is   
unwilling to employ itself about1 and   
stick close to him3  and can ,god be    
pleased with such a frame8 ,the a#bga   
more of the  heart and spirit is in any 
service1 the more real goodness there   
is in it1 and the more savory it is to  
,god2 the less of the heart  and spirit1
 the less of goodness1 and the more     
nauseous to ,god1 who  loves            
righteousness and 8truth in the inward  
parts0 7,ps4 li4 #f74  ,and therefore   
infinite goodness and holiness cannot   
but hate worship  presented to him with 
deceitful1 carnal1 and flitting         
affections2 they  must be more nauseous 
to ,god1 than a putrefied carcass can be
 to man2  they are the profanings of    
that which should be the habitation of  
the  ,spirit2 they make the spirit1 the 
seat of duty1 a filthy dunghill2  and   
are as loathsome to ,god1 as            
moneychangers in the temple were to  our

 ,saviour4 ,we see the evil of carnal   
frames1 and the necessity and  benefit  
of spiritual frames3 for further help in
 this last1 let us  practise these      
following directions3    #a4 ,keep up   
spiritual frames out of worship4 ,to    
avoid low affections1  we must keep our 
hearts as much as we can in a settled   
elevation4 ,if  we admit unworthy       
dispositions at one time1 we shall not  
easily be rid  of them in another2#ebi  
as he that would not be bitten with     
gnats in  the night1 must keep his      
windows shut in the day3 when they are  
once  entered1 it is not easy to expel  
them2 in which respect1 one adviseth  to
 be such out of worship as we would be  
in worship4 ,if we mix  spiritual       
affections with our worldly employments1
 worldly affections  will not mingle    
themselves so easily with our heavenly  
engagements4  ,if our hearts be         
spiritual in our outward calling1 they  
will scarce be  carnal in our religious 
service4 ,if 8we walk in the ,spirit1 we

 shall  not fulfil the lusts of the     
flesh0 7,gal4 v4 #af74 ,a spiritual walk
 in  the day will hinder carnal lustings
 in worship4 ,the fire was to be  kept  
alive upon the altar1 when sacrifices   
were not offered1 from  morning till    
night1 from night till morning1 as well 
as in the very  time of sacrifice4 ,a   
spiritual life and vigor out of worship 
would  render it at its season sweet and
 easy1 and preserve a spontaneity  and  
preparedness to it1 and make it both    
natural and pleasant to us4  ,anything  
that doth unhinge and discompose our    
spirits1 is inconsistent  with religious
 services1 which are to be performed    
with the greatest  sedateness and       
gravity4 ,all irregular passions disturb
 the serenity of  the spirit1 and open  
the door for ,satan3 saith the apostle  
7,eph4 iv4  #bf1 #bg71 8,let not the sun
 go down upon your wrath2 neither give  
place  to the devil40 ,where wrath      
breaks the lock1 the devil will quickly 
be over the threshold2 and though they  

be allayed1 yet they leave  the heart   
sometime after1 like the sea rolling and
 swelling after  the storm is ceased4   
,mixture with ill company leaves a      
tincture upon  us in worship4 ,ephraim's
 allying himself with the ,gentiles1    
bred an  indifferency in religion 7,hos4
 vii4 #h73 8,ephraim hath mixed himself 
with the people2 ,ephraim is a cake not 
turned30 it will make our  hearts1 and  
consequently our services1 half dough1  
as well as half  baked2 these and the   
like1 make the ,holy ,spirit withdraw   
himself1 and  then the soul is like a   
windbound vessel1 and can make no way4  
,when  the sun departs from us1 it      
carries its beams away with it2 then    
8doth  darkness spread itself over the  
earth1 and the beasts of the forests    
creep out0 7,ps4 civ4 #bj74 ,when the   
,spirit withdraws awhile from a  good   
man1 it carries #bgb away 7though not   
habitual1 yet7 much of  the exciting and
 assisting grace2 and then carnal       
dispositions perk  up themselves from   

the bosom of natural corruption4 ,to be 
spiritual  in worship1 we must bar the  
door at other times against that which  
is contrary to it2 as he that would not 
be infected with a contagious  disease1 
carries some preservative about with    
him1 and inures himself  to good scents4
 ,to this end1 be much in secret        
ejaculations to ,god2  these are the    
purest nights of the soul1 that have    
more of fervor and  less of carnality2  
they preserve a liveliness in the       
spirit1 and make  it more fit to perform
 solemn stated worship with greater     
freedom and  activity2 a constant use of
 this would make our whole lives1 lives 
of  worship4 ,as frequent sinful acts   
strengthen habits of sin1 so frequent   
religious acts strengthen habits of     
grace4    #b4 ,excite and exercise      
particularly a love to ,god1 and        
dependence on  him4 ,love is a          
commanding affection1 a uniting grace2  
it draws all  the faculties of the soul 
to one centre4 ,the soul that loves     

,god1 when  it hath to do with him1 is  
bound to the beloved object2 it can mind
  nothing else during such impressions4 
,when the affection is set to  the      
worship of ,god1 everything the soul    
hath will be bestowed upon it2  as      
,david's disposition was to the temple  
7#a ,chron4 xxix4 #c74 ,carnal  frames1 
like the fowls1 will be lighting upon   
the sacrifice1 but not  when it is      
inflamed2 though the scent of the flesh 
invite them1 yet  the heat of the fire  
drives them to their distance4 ,a       
flaming love  will singe the flies that 
endeavor to interrupt and disturb us4   
,the  happiness of heaven consists in a 
full attraction of the soul to ,god1  by
 his glorious influence upon it2 there  
will be such a diffusion of  his        
goodness throughout the souls of the    
blessed1 as will unite the  affections  
perfectly to him2 these affections which
 are scattered here1  will be there     
gathered into one flame1 moving to him1 
and centering in  him3 therefore1 the   

more of a heavenly frame possesses our  
affections  here1 the more settled and  
uniform will our hearts be in all their 
motions to ,god1 and operations about   
him4 ,excite a dependence on him3       
7,prov4 xvi4 #c7 8,commit thy works to  
the ,lord1 and thy thoughts shall  be   
established40 ,let us go out in ,god's  
strength1 and not in our own2  vain is  
the help of man in anything1 and vain is
 the help of the heart4  ,it is through 
,god only we can do valiantly in        
spiritual concerns as  well as temporal2
 the want of this makes but slight      
impressions upon  the spirit4    #c4    
,nourish right conceptions of the       
majesty of ,god in your minds4  ,let us 
consider that we are drawing to ,god1   
the most amiable object1  the best of   
beings1 worthy of infinite honor1 and   
highly meriting the  highest affections 
we can give2 a ,god that made the world 
by a word1  that upholds the great frame
 of heaven and earth2 a ,majesty above  
the conceptions of angels2 who uses not 

his power to strike us to our  deserved 
punishment1 but his love and bounty to  
allure us2 a ,god that  gave all the    
creatures to serve us1 and can1 in a    
trice1 make them as  much our enemies as
 he hath now made them our servants4    
,let us view  him in his greatness1 and 
in his goodness1 that our hearts may    
have a  true value of the worship of so 
great a majesty1 and count it the most  
worthy employment with all diligence to 
attend upon him4 ,when we have  a fear  
of ,god1 it will make our worship a#bgc 
serious2 when we have  a joy in ,god1 it
 will make our worship durable4 ,our    
affections will be  raised when we      
represent ,god in the most reverential1 
endearing1 and  obliging circumstances4 
,we honor the majesty of ,god1 when we  
consider  him with due reverence        
according to the greatness and          
perfection of  his works1 and in this   
reverence of his majesty doth worship   
chiefly  consist4 ,low thoughts of ,god 
will make low frames in us before him4  

,if we thought ,god an infinite glorious
 ,spirit1 how would our hearts  be lower
 than our knees in his presence6 ,how   
humbly1 how believingly  pleading is the
 ,psalmist1 when he considers ,god to be
 without  comparison in the heavens2 to 
whom none of the sons of the mighty  can
 be likened2 when there was none like to
 him in strength and  faithfulness round
 about 7,ps4 lxxxix #fh74 ,we should    
have also deep  impressions of the      
omniscience of ,god1 and remember we    
have to deal  with a ,god that searcheth
 the heart and trieth the reins1 to whom
 the  most secret temper is as visible  
as the loudest words are audible2  that 
though man judges by outward            
expressions1 ,god judges by inward      
affections4 ,as the law of ,god         
regulates the inward frames of the      
heart1  so the eye of ,god pitches upon 
the inward intentions of the soul4  ,if 
,god were visibly present with us1      
should we not approach to him  with     
strong affections1 summon our spirits to

 attend upon him1 behave  ourselves     
modestly before him8 ,let us consider he
 is as really present  with us1 as if he
 were visible to us2 let us1 therefore1 
preserve  a strong sense of the presence
 of ,god4 ,no man1 but one out of his   
wits1 when he were in the presence of a 
prince1 and making a speech  to him1    
would break off at every period1 and run
 after the catching of  butterflies4    
,remember in all worship you are before 
the ,lord1 to whom  all things are open 
and naked4    #d4 ,let us take heed of  
inordinate desires after the world4 ,as 
the  world steals away a man's heart    
from the word1 so it doth from all      
other worship2 8,it chokes the word0    
7,matt4 xiii4 #bg72 it stifles all  the 
spiritual breathings after ,god in every
 duty2 the edge of the soul  is blunted 
by it1 and made too dull for such       
sublime exercises4 ,the  apostle's rule 
in prayer1 when he joins 8sobriety with 
watching unto  prayer0 7#a ,pet4 iv4    
#g71 is of concern in all worship1      

sobriety in the  pursuit and use of all 
worldly things4 ,a man drunk with       
worldly fumes  cannot watch1 cannot be  
heavenly1 affectionate1 spiritual in    
service4  ,there is a magnetic force in 
the earth to hinder our flights to      
heaven4  ,birds1 when they take their   
first flights from the earth1 have more 
flutterings of their wings1 than when   
they are mounted further in the  air1   
and got more without the sphere of the  
earth's attractiveness3  the motion of  
their wings is more steady1 that you can
 perceive them  stir2 they move like a  
ship with a full gale4 ,the world is a  
clog  upon the soul1 and a bar to       
spiritual frames2 it is as hard to      
elevate  the heart to ,god in the midst 
of a hurry of worldly affairs1 as it is 
difficult to meditate when we are near a
 great noise of waters falling  from a  
precipice1 or in the midst of a volley  
of muskets4 ,thick clayey  affections   
bemire the heart1 and make it unfit for 
such high flights  it is to take in     

worship2 therefore1 get your hearts     
clear from  worldly thoughts and        
desires1 if you would be more spiritual 
in  worship4    a#bgd #e4 ,let us be    
deeply sensible of our present wants1   
and the  supplies we may meet with in   
worship4 ,cold affections to the things 
we  would have will grow cooler2        
weakness of desire for the              
communications  in worship1 will freeze 
our hearts at the time of worship1 and  
make  way for vain and foolish          
diversions4 ,a beggar that is ready to  
perish1  and knows he is next door to   
ruin1 will not slightly and dully beg an
  alms1 and will not be diverted from   
his importunity by every slight  call1  
or the moving of an atom in the air4 ,is
 it pardon we would have8  let us       
apprehend the blackness of sin1 with the
 aggravations of it  as it respects     
,god2 let us be deeply sensible of the  
want of pardon  and worth of mercy1 and 
get your affections into such a frame as
  a condemned man would do2 let us      

consider1 that as we are now at  the    
throne of ,god's grace1 we shall shortly
 be at the bar of ,god's  justice2 and  
if the soul should be forlorn there1 how
 fixedly and  earnestly would it plead  
for mercy6 ,let us endeavor to stir up  
the  same affections now1 which we have 
seen some dying men have1 and  which we 
suppose despairing souls would have done
 at ,god's tribunal4  ,we must be       
sensible that the life or death of our  
souls depends upon  worship4#ecj ,would 
we not be ashamed to be ridiculous in   
our carriage  while we are eating2 and  
shall we not be ashamed to be cold or   
garish  before ,god1 when the salvation 
of our souls1 as well as the honor of   
,god1 is concerned8 ,if we did see the  
heaps of sins1 the eternity of          
punishment due to them2 if we did see an
 angry and offended ,judge2 if  we did  
see the riches of mercy1 the glorious   
outgoings of ,god in the  sanctuary1 the
 blessed doles he gives out to men when 
they spiritually  attend upon him1 both 

the one and the other would make us     
perform our  duties humbly1 sincerely1  
earnestly1 and affectionately1 and wait 
upon  him with our whole souls1 to have 
misery averted1 and mercy bestowed4     
,let our sense of this be encouraged by 
the consideration of our  ,saviour      
presenting his merits2 with what        
affection doth he present his  merits1  
his blood shed upon the cross1 now in   
heaven8 ,and shall our  hearts be cold  
and frozen1 flitting and unsteady1 when 
his affections  are so much concerned8  
,christ doth not present any man's case 
and  duties without a sense of his      
wants2 and shall we have none of  our   
own8 ,let me add this2 let us affect our
 hearts with a sense of  what supplies  
we have met with in former worship2 the 
delightful  remembrance of what converse
 we have had with ,god in former worship
  would spiritualize our hearts for the 
present worship4 ,had ,peter had  a view
 of ,christ's glory in the mount fresh  
in his thoughts1 he would  not so easily

 have turned his back upon his ,master1 
nor would the  ,israelites have been at 
leisure for their idolatry1 had they    
preserved  the sense of the majesty of  
,god discovered in his late thunders    
from  ,mount ,sinai4    #f4 ,if anything
 intrudes that may choke the worship1   
cast it speedily  out4 ,we cannot hinder
 ,satan and our own corruption from     
presenting  coolers to us1 but we may   
hinder the success of them2 we cannot   
hinder  the gnats from buzzing about us 
when we are in our business1 but we  may
 prevent them from settling upon us4 ,a 
man that is running on a  considerable  
errand1 will shun all unnecessary       
discourse1 that may  make him forget or 
loiter in his business4 ,what a#bge     
though there  may be something offered  
that is good in itself1 yet if it hath a
  tendency to despoil ,god of his honor1
 and ourselves of the spiritual         
intentness in worship1 send it away4    
,those that weed a field of  corn1      
examine not the nature and particular   

virtues of the weeds1 but  consider only
 how they choke the corn1 to which the  
native juice of  the soil is designed4  
,consider what you are about2 and if    
anything  interpose that may divert you1
 or cool your affections in your present
  worship1 cast it out4    #g4 ,as to   
private worship1 let us lay hold of the 
most melting  opportunities and frames4 
,when we find our hearts in a more than 
ordinary spiritual frame1 let us look   
upon it as a call from ,god to  attend  
him2 such impressions and notions are   
,god's voice1 inviting  us into         
communion with him in some particular   
act of worship1 and  promising us some  
success in it4 ,when the ,psalmist had a
 secret  motion to 8seek ,god's face0   
7,ps4 xxvii4 #h71 and complied with it1 
the issue is the encouragement of his   
heart1 which breaks out into  an        
exhortation to others to be of good     
courage1 and wait on the ,lord  7v4 #ac1
 #ad73 8,wait on the ,lord1 be of good  
courage1 and he shall  strengthen thy   

heart2 wait1 ,i say1 on the ,lord40 ,one
 blow will do more  on the iron when it 
is hot1 than a hundred when it is cold2 
melted  metals may be stamped with any  
impression2 but1 once hardened1 will    
with difficulty be brought into the     
figure we intend4#eca    #h4 ,let us    
examine ourselves at the end of every   
act of worship1 and  chide ourselves for
 any carnality we perceive in them4 ,let
 us take a  review of them1 and examine 
the reason1 why art thou so low and     
carnal1  ,o my soul8 as ,david did of   
his disquietedness 7,ps4 xlii4 #e73     
8,why art  thou cast down1 ,o my soul1  
and why art thou disquieted within me80 
,if any unworthy frames have surprised  
us in worship1 let us seek them  out    
after worship2 call them to the bar2    
make an exact scrutiny into  the causes 
of them1 that we may prevent their      
incursions another time2  let our pulses
 beat quick by way of anger and         
indignation against  them2 this would be
 a repairing what hath been amiss2      

otherwise they  may grow1 and clog an   
afterworship more than they did a       
former4  ,daily examination is an       
antidote against the temptations of the 
following day1 and constant examination 
of ourselves after duty is a            
preservative against vain encroachments 
in following duties2 and upon  the      
finding them out1 let us apply the blood
 of ,christ by faith for  our cure1 and 
draw strength from the death of ,christ 
for the conquest  of them1 and let us   
also be humbled for them4 ,god lifts up 
the humble2  when we are humbled for our
 carnal frames in one duty1 we shall    
find  ourselves by the grace of ,god    
more elevated in the next4              
a#bgf                       ,,discourse 
,v4                           ,,on ,,the
 ,,eternity ,,of ,,god4      ,,psalm xc4
 #b4;,before the mountains were brought 
forth1 or      ever thou hadst formed   
the earth and the world1 even from      
everlasting to everlasting1 thou art    
,god4      ,,the title of this psalm is 

a prayer2 the author1 ,moses4 ,some     
think  not only this1 but the ten       
following psalms1 were composed by him4 
,the  title wherewith he is dignified   
is1 8,the man of ,god10 as also in      
,deut4  xxxiii4 #a4 ,one inspired by him
 to be his interpreter1 and deliver his 
oracles2 one particularly directed by   
him2#ecb one who as a servant  did      
diligently employ himself in his        
master's business1 and acted for  the   
glory of ,god2#ecc he was the minister  
of the ,old ,testament1 and  the prophet
 of the ,new4#ecd    ,there are two     
parts of this psalm4 #a4 ,a complaint of
 the frailty of  man's life in general  
7v4 #cf72 and then a particular         
complaint of  the condition of the      
church 7v4 #haj74 #b4 ,a prayer 7v4     
#ab74 ,but before  he speaks of the     
shortness of human life1 he fortifies   
them by the  consideration of the refuge
 they had1 and should find in ,god 7v4  
#a73  8,lord1 thou hast been our        
dwellingplace in all generations40 ,we  

have  had no settled abode in the earth1
 since the time of ,abraham's being     
called out from ,ur of the ,chaldees4   
,we have had ,canaan in a promise1  we  
have it not yet in possession2 we have  
been exposed to the  cruelties of an    
oppressing enemy1 and the incommodities 
of a desert  wilderness2 we have wanted 
the fruits of the earth1 but not the    
dews  of heaven4 8,thou hast been our   
dwellingplace in all generations40      
,abraham was under thy conduct2 ,isaac  
and ,jacob under thy care2 their        
posterity was multiplied by thee1 and   
that under their oppressions4  ,thou    
hast been our shield against dangers1   
our security in the times  of trouble2  
when we were pursued to the ,red ,sea1  
it was not a creature  delivered us2 and
 when we feared the pinching of our     
bowels in the  desert1 it was no        
creature rained manna upon us4 ,thou    
hast been  our dwellingplace2 thou hast 
kept open house for us1 sheltered us    
against storms1 and preserved us from   

mischief1 as a house doth an  inhabitant
 from wind and weather2 and that not in 
one or two1 but in  all generations4    
,some think an allusion is here made to 
the ark1 to  which they were to have    
recourse in all emergencies4 ,our refuge
 and  defence hath not been from created
 things2 not from the ark1 but from  the
 ,god of the ark4 ,observe1    #a4 ,god 
is a perpetual refuge and security to   
his people4 ,his  providence is not     
confined to one generation2 it is not   
one age a#bgg  only that tastes of his  
bounty and compassion4 ,his eye never   
yet slept1  nor hath he suffered the    
little ship of his church to be         
swallowed up1  though it hath been      
tossed upon the waves2 he hath always   
been a haven  to preserve us1 a house to
 secure us2 he hath always had          
compassions  to pity us1 and power to   
protect us2 he hath had a face to shine1
  when the world hath had an angry      
countenance to frown4#ece ,he brought   
,enoch home by an extraordinary         

translation from a brutish world2 and   
when he was resolved to reckon with men 
for their brutish lives1 he  lodged     
,noah1 the phnix of the world1 in an    
ark1 and kept him alive  as a spark in  
the midst of many waters1 whereby to    
rekindle a church  in the world2 in all 
generations he is a dwellingplace to    
secure his  people here1 or entertain   
them above4 ,his providence is not      
wearied1  nor his care fainting2 he     
never wanted will to relieve us1 8for he
  hath been our refuge10 nor ever can   
want power to support us1 8for he  is a 
,god from everlasting to everlasting40  
,the church never wanted a  pilot to    
steer her1 and a rock to shelter her1   
and dash in pieces the  waves which     
threaten her4    #b4 ,how worthy is it  
to remember former benefits1 when we    
come to  beg for new4 ,never were the   
records of ,god's mercies so exactly    
revised1 as when his people have stood  
in need of new editions of  his power4  
,how necessary are our wants to stir us 

up to pay the rent  of thankfulness in  
arrear6 ,he renders himself doubly      
unworthy of the  mercies he wants1 that 
doth not gratefully acknowledge the     
mercies he  hath received4 ,god scarce  
promised any deliverance to the         
,israelites1  and they1 in their        
distress1 scarce prayed for any         
deliverance2 but  that from ,egypt was  
mentioned on both sides1 by ,god to     
encourage them1  and by them to         
acknowledge their confidence in him4    
,the greater our  dangers1 the more we  
should call to mind ,god's former       
kindness4 ,we  are not only thankfully  
to acknowledge the mercies bestowed upon
 our  persons1 or in our age1 but those 
of former times4 8,thou hast been our   
dwellingplace in all generations40      
,moses was not living in the former     
generations1 yet he appropriates the    
former mercies to the present age4      
,mercies1 as well as generations1       
proceed out of the loins of those  that 
have gone before4 ,all mankind are but  

one ,adam2 the whole church  but one    
body4 ,in the second verse he backs his 
former consideration4  #a4 ,by the      
greatness of his power in forming the   
world4 #b4 ,by the  boundlessness of his
 duration3 8,from everlasting to        
everlasting40 ,as  thou hast been our   
dwellingplace1 and expended upon us the 
strength  of thy power and riches of thy
 love1 so we have no reason to doubt    
the continuance on thy part1 if we be   
not wanting on our parts2 for  the vast 
mountains and fruitful earth are the    
works of thy hands1 and  there is less  
power requisite for our relief1 than    
there was for their  creation2 and      
though so much strength hath been upon  
various occasions  manifested1 yet thy  
arm is not weakened1 for 8from          
everlasting to  everlasting thou art    
,god40#ecf ,thou hast always been ,god1 
and no  time can be assigned as the     
beginning of thy being4#ecg ,the        
mountains  are not of so long a standing
 as thyself2 they are a#bgh the effects 

of thy power1 and therefore cannot be   
equal to thy duration2 since  they are  
the effects1 they suppose the precedency
 of their cause4  ,if we would look     
back1 we can reach no further than the  
beginning of  the creation1 and account 
the years from the first foundation of  
the  world2 but after that we must lose 
ourselves in the abyss of eternity2  we 
have no cue to guide our thoughts2 we   
can see no bounds in thy  eternity4 ,but
 as for man1 he traverseth the world a  
few days1 and  by thy order pronounced  
concerning all men1 returns to the dust1
 and  moulders into the grave4 ,by      
mountains1 some understand angels1 as   
being creatures of a more elevated      
nature2 by earth1 they understand  human
 nature1 the earth being the habitation 
of men4 ,there is no  need to divert in 
this place from the letter to such a    
sense4 ,the  description seems to be    
poetical1 and amounts to this3 he       
neither  began with the beginning of    
time1 nor will expire with the end of   

it2  he did not begin when he made      
himself known to our fathers1 but his   
being did precede the creation of the   
world1 before any created being  was    
formed1 and any time settled4#ech       
8,before the mountains were  brought    
forth10 or before they were begotten or 
born2 the word being  used in those     
senses in ,scripture2 before they stood 
up higher than  the rest of the earthly 
mass ,god had created4 ,it seems that   
mountains  were not casually cast up by 
the force of the deluge softening the   
ground1 and driving several parcels of  
it together1 to grow up into a  massy   
body1 as the sea doth the sand in       
several places2 but they were  at first 
formed by ,god4 ,the eternity of ,god is
 here described1    #a4 ,in his         
priority3 8,before the world40    #b4   
,in the extension of his duration3      
8,from everlasting to everlasting  thou 
art ,god40 ,he was before the world1 yet
 he neither began nor ends2  he is not a
 temporary1 but an eternal ,god2 it     

takes in both parts  of eternity1 what  
was before the creation of the world1   
and what is  after2 though the eternity 
of ,god be one permanent state1 without 
succession1 yet the spirit of ,god1     
suiting himself to the weakness  of our 
conception1 divides it into two parts2  
one past before the  foundation of the  
world1 another to come after the        
destruction of the  world2 as he did    
exist before all ages1 and as he will   
exist after  all ages4 ,many truths lie 
couched in the verse4    #a4 ,the world 
hath a beginning of being3 it was not   
from eternity1 it  was once nothing2 had
 it been of a very long duration1 some  
records  would have remained of some    
memorable actions done of a longer date 
than any extant4 #b4 ,the world owes its
 being to the creating power of  ,god3  
8,thou hast formed it0 out of nothing   
into being2 ,thou1 that is1  ,god2 it   
could not spring into being of itself2  
it was nothing2 it must  have a former4 
#c4 ,god was in being before the world3 

the cause must  be before the effect2   
that word which gives being1 must be    
before  that which receives being4 #d4  
,this ,being was from eternity3 8,from  
everlasting40 #e4 ,this ,being shall    
endure to eternity3 8,to everlasting40  
#f4 ,there is but one ,god1 one eternal3
 8,from everlasting to everlasting1     
thou art a#bgi ,god40 ,none else but one
 hath the property of eternity2  the    
gods of the heathen cannot lay claim to 
it4    ,doct4 ,god is of an eternal     
duration4 ,the eternity of ,god is the  
foundation of the stability of the      
covenant1 the great comfort of a        
,christian4 ,the design of ,god in      
,scripture is1 to set forth his dealing 
with men in the way of a covenant4 ,the 
priority of ,god before all  things     
begins the ,bible3 8,in the beginning   
,god created0 7,gen4 i4 #a74  ,his      
covenant can have no foundation1 but in 
his duration before and  after the      
world3#eci and ,moses here mentions his 
eternity1 not only  with respect to the 

essence of ,god1 but to his federal     
providence2  as he is the dwellingplace 
of his people in all generations4 ,the  
duration of ,god forever is more spoken 
of in ,scripture than his  eternity1    
parte ante1 though that is the          
foundation of all the  comfort we can   
take from his immortality3 if he had a  
beginning1 he  might have an end1 and so
 all our happiness1 hope and being would
  expire with him2 but the ,scripture   
sometimes takes notice of his being     
without beginning1 as well as without   
end3 8,thou art from everlasting0  7,ps4
 xciii4 #b72 8,blessed be ,god from     
everlasting to everlasting0 7,ps4  xli4 
#ac72 8,i was set up from everlasting0  
7,prov4 viii4 #bc73 if his  wisdom were 
from everlasting1 himself was from      
everlasting3 whether we  understand it  
of ,christ the ,son of ,god1 or of the  
essential wisdom of  ,god1 it is all one
 to the present purpose4 ,the wisdom of 
,god supposeth  the essence of ,god1 as 
habits in creatures suppose the being of

 some  power or faculty as their        
subject4 ,the wisdom of ,god supposeth  
mind  and understanding1 essence and    
substance4 ,the notion of eternity is   
difficult2 as ,austin said of time1#edj 
if no man will ask me the  question1    
what time is1 ,i know well enough what  
it is2 but if any ask  me what it is1 ,i
 know not how to explain it2 so may ,i  
say of eternity2  it is easy in the word
 pronounced1 but hardly understood1 and 
more  hardly expressed2 it is better    
expressed by negative than positive     
words4 ,though we cannot comprehend     
eternity1 yet we may comprehend  that   
there is an eternity2 as1 though we     
cannot comprehend the  essence of ,god  
what he is1 yet we may comprehend that  
he is2 we may  understand the notion of 
his existence1 though we cannot         
understand  the infiniteness of his     
nature2 yet we may better understand    
eternity  than infiniteness2 we can     
better conceive a time with the addition
 of  numberless days and years1 than    

imagine a ,being without bounds2 whence 
the apostle joins his eternity with his 
power2 8,his eternal power and          
,godhead0 7,rom4 i4 #bj72 because1 next 
to the power of ,god1 apprehended  in   
the creature1 we come necessarily by    
reasoning1 to acknowledge  the eternity 
of ,god4 ,he that hath an               
incomprehensible power must  needs have 
an eternity of nature2 his power is most
 sensible in the  creatures to the eye  
of man1 and his eternity easily from    
thence  deducible by the reason of man4 
,eternity is a perpetual duration1      
which hath neither beginning nor end2   
time hath both4 ,those things  we say   
are in time that have beginning1 grow up
 by degrees1 have  succession of parts2 
eternity is contrary to time1 and is    
therefore  a permanent and immutable    
state2 a perfect possession a#bhj of    
life  without any variation2 it         
comprehends in itself all years1 all    
ages1  all periods of ages2 it never    
begins2 it endures after every duration 

of time1 and never ceaseth2 it doth as  
much outrun time1 as it went  before the
 beginning of it3 time supposeth        
something before it2 but  there can be  
nothing before eternity2 it were not    
then eternity4 ,time  hath a continual  
succession2 the former time passeth away
 and another  succeeds3 the last year is
 not this year1 nor this year the next4 
,we must conceive of eternity contrary  
to the notion of time2 as the  nature of
 time consists in the succession of     
parts1 so the nature of  eternity in an 
infinite immutable duration4 ,eternity  
and time differ  as the sea and rivers2 
the sea never changes place1 and is     
always  one water2 but the rivers glide 
along1 and are swallowed up in the  sea2
 so is time by eternity4#eda ,a thing is
 said to be eternal1 or  everlasting    
rather1 in ,scripture1    #a4 ,when it  
is of a long duration1 though it will   
have an end2 when  it hath no measures  
of time determined to it2 so            
circumcision is said  to be in the flesh

 for an 8everlasting covenant0 7,gen4   
xvii4 #ac72 not  purely everlasting1 but
 so long as that administration of the  
covenant  should endure4 ,and so when a 
servant would not leave his master1  but
 would have his ear bored1 it is said1  
he should be a servant  8forever0       
7,deut4 xv4 #ag72 i4 e4 till the        
jubilee1 which was every  fiftieth year3
 so the meatoffering they were to offer 
is said to  be 8perpetual0 7,lev4 vi4   
#bj72 ,canaan is said to be given to    
,abraham  for an 8everlasting0          
possession 7,gen4 xvii4 #h72 when as the
 ,jews are  expelled from ,canaan1 which
 is given a prey to the barbarous       
nations4  ,indeed circumcision was not  
everlasting2 yet the substance of the   
covenant whereof this was a sign1 viz41 
that ,god would be the ,god of          
believers1 endures forever2 and that    
circumcision of the heart1 which  was   
signified by circumcision of the flesh1 
shall remain forever in  the kingdom of 
glory3 it was not so much the lasting of

 the sign1 as  of the thing signified by
 it1 and the covenant sealed by it3 the 
sign  had its abolition2 so that the    
apostle is so peremptory in it1 that he 
asserts1 that if any went about to      
establish it1 he excluded himself  from 
a participation of ,christ 7,gal4 v4    
#b74 ,the sacrifices were to be         
perpetual1 in regard to the thing       
signified by them2 viz41 the death  of  
,christ1 which was to endure in the     
efficacy of it3 and the passover  was to
 be 8forever0 7,exod4 xii4 #bd71 in     
regard of the redemption  signified by  
it1 which was to be of everlasting      
remembrance4 ,canaan  was to be an      
everlasting possession1 in regard of the
 glory of heaven  typified1 to be       
forever conferred upon the spiritual    
seed of ,abraham4    #b4 ,when a thing  
hath no end1 though it hath a beginning4
 ,so angels and  souls are everlasting2 
though their being shall never cease1   
yet there  was a time when their being  
began2 they were nothing before they    

were  something1 though they shall never
 be nothing again1 but shall live  in   
endless happiness or misery4 ,but that  
properly is eternal that hath  neither  
beginning nor end2 and thus eternity is 
a property of ,god4    ,in this doctrine
 ,i shall show1 ,i4 ,how ,god is        
eternal1 or in what  respects eternity  
is his property4 ,,ii4 ,that he is      
eternal1 and must  a#bha needs be so4   
,,iii4 ,that eternity is only proper to 
,god1 and not  common to him with any   
creature4 ,,iv4 ,the use4    ,i4 ,how   
,god is eternal1 or in what respects he 
is so4 ,eternity is a  negative         
attribute1 and is a denying of ,god any 
measures of time1 as  immensity is a    
denying of him any bounds of place4 ,as 
immensity is the  diffusion of his      
essence1 so eternity is the duration of 
his essence2  and when we say ,god is   
eternal1 we exclude from him all        
possibility  of beginning and ending1   
all flux and change4 ,as the essence of 
,god  cannot be bounded by any place1 so

 it is not to be limited by any time3   
as it is his immensity to be everywhere1
 so it is his eternity to be  alway4 ,as
 created things are said to be somewhere
 in regard of place1  and to be present1
 past1 or future1 in regard of time2 so 
the ,creator  in regard of place is     
everywhere1 in regard of time is        
semper4#edb  ,his duration is as endless
 as his essence is boundless3 he always 
was and always will be1 and will no more
 have an end than he had  a beginning2  
and this is an excellency belonging to  
the ,supreme  ,being4#edc ,as his       
essence comprehends all beings1 and     
exceeds them1  and his immensity        
surmounts all places2 so his eternity   
comprehends  all times1 all durations1  
and infinitely excels them4#edd    #a4  
,god is without beginning4 8,in the     
beginning0 ,god created the world       
7,gen4 i4 #a74 ,god was then before the 
beginning of it2 and what point  can be 
set wherein ,god began1 if he were      
before the beginning of  created things8

 ,god was without beginning1 though all 
other things  had time and beginning    
from him4 ,as unity is before all       
numbers1 so  is ,god before all his     
creatures4 ,abraham called upon the name
 of the  everlasting ,god 7,gen4 xxi4   
#cc7 the eternal ,god4#ede;,it is       
opposed to  the heathen gods1 which were
 but of yesterday1 new coined1 and so   
new2  but the eternal ,god was before   
the world was made4 ,in that sense it is
  to be understood2 8,the mystery which 
was kept secret since the world  began1 
but now is made manifest1 and by the    
scriptures of the prophets1  according  
to the command of the everlasting ,god1 
made known to all  nations for the      
obedience of faith0 7,rom4 xvi4 #bf74   
,the gospel is not  preached by the     
command of a new and temporary god1 but 
of that ,god  that was before all ages3 
though the manifestation of it be in    
time1  yet the purpose and resolve of it
 was from eternity4 ,if there were      
decrees before the foundation of the    

world1 there was a ,decreer  before the 
foundation of the world4 ,before the    
foundation of the  world he loved       
,christ as a ,mediator2 a foreordination
 of him was  before the foundation of   
the world 7,john xvii4 #bd72 a choice of
 men1  and therefore a ,chooser before  
the foundation of the world 7,eph4 i4   
#d72  a grace given in ,christ before   
the world began 7#b ,tim4 i4 #i71 and   
therefore a ,donor of that grace4 ,from 
those places1 saith ,crellius1  it      
appears that ,god was before the        
foundation of the world1 but they  do   
not assert an absolute eternity2 but to 
be before all creatures  is equivalent  
to his being from eternity4#edf ,time   
began with  the foundation of the world2
 but ,god being before time1 could have 
no beginning in time4 ,before the       
beginning of the creation1 and  the     
beginning of a#bhb time1 there could be 
nothing but eternity2  nothing but what 
was uncreated1 that is1 nothing but what
 was without  beginning4 ,to be in time 

is to have a beginning2 to be before all
 time  is never to have a beginning1 but
 always to be2 for as between the       
,creator and creatures there is no      
medium1 so between time and eternity    
there is no medium4 ,it is as easily    
deduced that he that was before  all    
creatures is eternal1 as he that made   
all creatures is ,god4 ,if  he had a    
beginning1 he must have it from another1
 or from himself2  if from another1 that
 from whom he received his being would  
be better  than he1 so more a ,god than 
he4 ,he cannot be ,god that is not      
supreme2  he cannot be supreme that owes
 his being to the power of another4 ,he 
would not be said only to have          
immortality as he is 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af71
  if he had it dependent upon another2  
nor could he have a beginning  from     
himself2 if he had given beginning to   
himself1 then he was once  nothing2     
there was a time when he was not2 if he 
was not1 how could he  be the ,cause of 
himself8 ,it is impossible for any to   

give a beginning  and being to itself3  
if it acts it must exist1 and so exist  
before  it existed4 ,a thing would exist
 as a cause before it existed as an     
effect4 ,he that is not1 cannot be the  
cause that he is2 if1 therefore1  ,god  
doth exist1 and hath not his being from 
another1 he must exist  from eternity4  
,therefore1 when we say ,god is of and  
from himself1  we mean not that ,god    
gave being to himself2 but it is        
negatively  to be understood that he    
hath no cause of existence without      
himself4  ,whatsoever number of millions
 of millions of years we can imagine    
before the creation of the world1 yet   
,god was infinitely before those2  he is
 therefore called the 8,ancient of      
,days0 7,dan4 vii4 #i71 as being  before
 all days and time1 and eminently       
containing in himself all  times and    
ages4 ,though1 indeed1 ,god cannot      
properly be called ancient1  that will  
testify that he is decaying1 and shortly
 will not be2 no  more than he can be   

called young1 which would signify that  
he was not  long before4 ,all created   
things are new and fresh2 but no        
creature can  find out any beginning of 
,god3 it is impossible there should be  
any  beginning of him4    #b4 ,god is   
without end4 ,he always was1 always is1 
and always will  be what he is4 ,he     
remains always the same in being2 so far
 from any  change1 that no shadow of it 
can touch him 7,james i4 #ag74 ,he will 
continue in being as long as he hath    
already enjoyed it2 and if we  could add
 never so many millions of years        
together1 we are still  as far from an  
end as from a beginning2 for 8the ,lord 
shall endure  forever0 7,ps4 ix4 #g74   
,as it is impossible he should not be1  
being  from all eternity1 so it is      
impossible that he should not be to all 
eternity4 ,the ,scripture is most       
plentiful in testimonies of this        
eternity of ,god1  parte post1 or after 
the creation of the world3  he is said  
to 8live forever0 7,rev4 iv4 #i1 #aj74  

,the earth shall perish1  but ,god shall
 8endure forever10 and his 8years shall 
have no end0 7,ps4  cii4 #bg74 ,plants  
and animals grow up from small          
beginnings1 arrive  to their full       
growth1 and decline again1 and have     
always remarkable  alterations in their 
nature2 but there is no declination in  
,god by all  the revolutions of time4   
,hence some think the incorruptibility  
of the  ,deity was signified by the     
shittim1 or cedar wood1 whereof the ark 
was made1 it being of an incorruptible  
nature 7,exod4 xxv4 #aj74 a#bhc  ,that  
which had no beginning of duration can  
never have an end1 or any  interruptions
 in it4 ,since ,god never depended upon 
any1 what should  make him cease to be  
what eternally he hath been1 or put a   
stop to the  continuance of his         
perfections8 ,he cannot will his own    
destruction2  that is against universal 
nature in all things to cease from      
being1 if  they can preserve themselves4
 ,he cannot desert his own being1       

because  he cannot but love himself as  
the best and chiefest good4 ,the reason 
that anything decays is either its own  
native weakness1 or a superior  power of
 something contrary to it4 ,there is no 
weakness in the nature  of ,god that can
 introduce any corruption1 because he is
 infinitely  simple without any mixture2
 nor can he be overpowered by anything  
else2 a weaker cannot hurt him1 and a   
stronger than he there cannot  be2 nor  
can he be outwitted or circumvented1    
because of his infinite  wisdom4#edg ,as
 he received his being from none1 so he 
cannot be  deprived of it by any3 as he 
doth necessarily exist1 so he doth      
necessarily always exist4 ,this1 indeed1
 is the property of ,god2  nothing so   
proper to him as always to be4          
,whatsoever perfections  any being hath1
 if it be not eternal1 it is not divine4
 ,god only is  immortal2#edh he only is 
so by a necessity of nature4 ,angels1   
souls1  and bodies too1 after the       
resurrection1 shall be immortal1 not by 

nature1 but grant2 they are subject to  
return to nothing1 if that word  that   
raised them from nothing should speak   
them into nothing again4  ,it is as easy
 with ,god to strip them of it1 as to   
invest them with  it2 nay1 it is        
impossible but that they should perish1 
if ,god should  withdraw his power from 
preserving them1 which he exerted in    
creating  them2 but ,god is immovably   
fixed in his own being2 that as none    
gave him his life1 so none can deprive  
him of his life1 or the  least particle 
of it4 ,not a jot of the happiness and  
life which ,god  infinitely possesses   
can be lost2 it will be as durable to   
everlasting1  as it hath been possessed 
from everlasting4    #c4 ,there is no   
succession in ,god4 ,god is without     
succession or  change4 ,it is a part of 
eternity2 8from everlasting to          
everlasting he  is ,god10 i4 e4 the     
same4 ,god doth not only always remain  
in being1  but he always remains the    
same in that being3 8thou art the same0 

7,ps4 cii4 #bg74 ,the being of creatures
 is successive2 the being of ,god  is   
permanent1 and remains entire with all  
its perfections unchanged  in an        
infinite duration4 ,indeed1 the first   
notion of eternity is to be  without    
beginning and end1 which notes to us the
 duration of a being  in regard of its  
existence2 but to have no succession1   
nothing first  or last1 notes rather the
 perfection of a being in regard of its 
essence4 ,the creatures are in a        
perpetual flux2 something is acquired   
or something lost every day4 ,a man is  
the same in regard of existence  when he
 is a man1 as he was when he was a      
child2 but there is a new  succession of
 quantities and qualities in him4 ,every
 day he acquires  something till he     
comes to his maturity2 every day he     
loseth something  till he comes to his  
period4 ,a man is not the same at night 
that he  was in the morning2 something  
is expired1 and something is added2     
every day there is a change in his age1 

a change in his substance1  a change in 
his accidents4 ,but ,god hath his whole 
being in one and  the same point1 or    
moment of eternity4 a#bhd ,he receives  
nothing as  an addition to what he was  
before2 he loseth nothing of what he was
  before2 he is always the same         
excellency and perfection in the same   
infiniteness as ever4 ,his years do not 
fail 7,heb4 i4 #ab71 his years  do not  
come and go as others do2 there is not  
this day1 tomorrow1 or  yesterday1 with 
him4 ,as nothing is past or future with 
him in regard  of knowledge1 but all    
things are present1 so nothing is past  
or future  in regard of his essence4 ,he
 is not in his essence this day what he 
was not before1 or will be the next day 
and year what he is not now4  ,all his  
perfections are most perfect in him     
every moment2 before all  ages1 after   
all ages4#edi ,as he hath his whole     
essence undivided in  every place1 as   
well as in an immense space1 so he hath 
all his being  in one moment of time1 as

 well as in infinite intervals of time4 
,some  illustrate the difference between
 eternity and time by the similitude  of
 a tree1 or a rock standing upon the    
side of a river1 or shore  of the sea2  
the tree stands always the same and     
unmoved1 while the  waters of the river 
glide along at the foot4 ,the flux is in
 the river1  but the tree acquires      
nothing but a diverse respect and       
relation of  presence to the various    
parts of the river as they flow4 ,the   
waters  of the river press on1 and push 
forward one another1 and what the  river
 had this minute1 it hath not the same  
the next4#eej ,so are all  sublunary    
things in a continual flux4 ,and though 
the angels have no  substantial change1 
yet they have an accidental2 for the    
actions of  the angels this day are not 
the same individual actions which they  
performed yesterday3 but in ,god there  
is no change2 he always remains  the    
same4 ,of a creature1 it may be said he 
was1 or he is1 or he shall  be2 of ,god 

it cannot be said but only he is4#eea   
,he is what he always  was1 and he is   
what he always will be2 whereas a       
creature is what he  was not1 and will  
be what he is not now4 ,as it may be    
said of the  flame of a candle1 it is a 
flame2 but it is not the same individual
  flame as was before1 nor is it the    
same that will be presently after2      
there is a continual dissolution of it  
into air1 and a continual  supply for   
the generation of more4 ,while it       
continues it may be said  there is a    
flame2 yet not entirely one1 but in a   
succession of parts4  ,so of a man it   
may be said1 he is in a succession of   
parts2 but he is  not the same that he  
was1 and will not be the same that he   
is4 ,but ,god  is the same1 without any 
succession of parts and of time2 of him 
it  may be said1 8,he is40 ,he is no    
more now than he was1 and he shall be   
no more hereafter than he is4 ,god      
possesses a firm and absolute being1    
always constant to himself4#eeb ,he sees

 all things sliding under  him in a     
continual variation2 he beholds the     
revolutions in the world  without any   
change of his most glorious and         
immovable nature4 ,all  other things    
pass from one state to another2 from    
their original1  to their eclipse and   
destruction2 but ,god possesses his     
being in one  indivisible point1 having 
neither beginning1 end1 nor middle4     
7#a47 ,there is no succession in the    
knowledge of ,god4 ,the variety  of     
successions and changes in the world    
make not succession1 or new  a#bhe      
objects in the ,divine mind2 for all    
things are present to  him from eternity
 in regard of his knowledge1 though they
 are not  actually present in the world1
 in regard of their existence4 ,he doth 
not know one thing now1 and another     
anon2 he sees all things at once2       
8,known unto ,god are all things from   
the beginning of the world0 7,acts  xv4 
#ah72 but in their true order of        
succession1 as they lie in the  eternal 

council of ,god1 to be brought forth in 
time4 ,though there be  a succession and
 order of things as they are wrought1   
there is yet no  succession in ,god in  
regard of his knowledge of them4 ,god   
knows the  things that shall be wrought1
 and the order of them in their being   
brought upon the stage of the world2 yet
 both the things and the order  he knows
 by one act4 ,though all things be      
present with ,god1 yet they  are present
 to him in the order of their appearance
 in the world1  and not so present with 
him as if they should be wrought at     
once4  ,the death of ,christ was to     
precede his resurrection in order of    
time2  there is a succession in this2   
both at once are known by ,god2 yet the 
act of his knowledge is not exercised   
about ,christ as dying and rising  at   
the same time2 so that there is         
succession in things when there  is no  
succession in ,god's knowledge of them4 
,since ,god knows time1  he knows all   
things as they are in time2 he doth not 

know all things  to be at once1 though  
he knows at once what is1 has been1 and 
will  be4 ,all things are past1 present1
 and to come1 in regard of their        
existence2 but there is not past1       
present1 and to come1 in regard of      
,god's knowledge of them1#eec because he
 sees and knows not by any  other1 but  
by himself2 he is his own light by which
 he sees1 his own  glass wherein he     
sees2 beholding himself1 he beholds all 
things4    7#b47 ,there is no succession
 in the decrees of ,god4 ,he doth not   
decree  this now1 which he decreed not  
before2 for as his works were known     
from the beginning of the world1 so his 
works were decreed from the  beginning  
of the world2 as they are known at once1
 so they are decreed  at once2 there is 
a succession in the execution of them2  
first grace1  then glory2 but the       
purpose of ,god for the bestowing of    
both1 was  in one and the same moment of
 eternity4 8,he chose us in him before  
the foundation of the world1 that we    

should be holy0 7,eph4 i4 #d73 ,the     
choice of ,christ1 and the choice of    
some in him to be holy and to be  happy1
 were before the foundation of the      
world4 ,it is by the eternal  counsel of
 ,god all things appear in time2 they   
appear in their order  according to the 
counsel and will of ,god from eternity4 
,the redemption  of the world is after  
the creation of the world2 but the      
decree  whereby the world was created1  
and whereby it was redeemed1 was from   
eternity4    7#c47 ,god is his own      
eternity4 ,he is not eternal by grant1  
and the  disposal of any other1 but by  
nature and essence4#eed ,the eternity   
of ,god is nothing else but the duration
 of ,god2 and the duration  of ,god is  
nothing else but his existence          
enduring4#eee ,if eternity  were        
anything distinct from ,god1 and not of 
the essence of ,god1 then  there would  
be something which was not ,god1        
necessary to perfect ,god4  ,as         
immortality is the great perfection of a

 rational creature1 so  eternity is the 
choice perfection of ,god1 yea1 the     
gloss and lustre of  all a#bhf others4  
,every perfection would be imperfect1 if
 it were not  always a perfection4 ,god 
is essentially whatsoever he is1 and    
there  is nothing in ,god but his       
essence4 ,duration or continuance in    
being  in creatures1 differs from their 
being2 for they might exist but for  one
 instant1 in which case they may be said
 to have being1 but not  duration1      
because all duration includes prius et  
posterius4 ,all  creatures may cease    
from being if it be the pleasure of     
,god2 they are  not1 therefore1 durable 
by their essence1 and therefore are not 
their  own duration1 no more than they  
are their own existence4 ,and though    
some creatures1 as angels1 and souls1   
may be called everlasting1 as  a        
perpetual life is communicated to them  
by ,god2 yet they can never  be called  
their own eternity1 because such a      
duration is not simply  necessary1 nor  

essential to them1 but accidental1      
depending upon the  pleasure of another2
 there is nothing in their nature that  
can hinder  them from losing it1 if     
,god1 from whom they received it1 should
 design  to take it away2 but as ,god is
 his own necessity of existing1 so he is
  his own duration in existing2 as he   
doth necessarily exist by himself1  so  
he will always necessarily exist by     
himself4#eef    7#d47 ,hence all the    
perfections of ,god are eternal4 ,in    
regard of  the ,divine eternity1 all    
things in ,god are eternal2 his power1  
mercy1  wisdom1 justice1 knowledge4 ,god
 himself were not eternal if any of his 
perfections1 which are essential to him1
 were not eternal also2 he had  not else
 been a perfect ,god from all eternity1 
and so his whole self  had not been     
eternal4 ,if anything belonging to the  
nature of a thing  be wanting1 it cannot
 be said to be that thing which it ought
 to be4  ,if anything requisite to the  
nature of ,god had been wanting one     

moment1  he could not have been said to 
be an eternal ,god4    ,,ii4 ,god is    
eternal4 ,the ,spirit of ,god in        
,scripture condescends to  our          
capacities in signifying the eternity of
 ,god by days and years1  which are     
terms belonging to time1 whereby we     
measure it 7,ps4 cii4 #bg74  ,but we    
must no more conceive that ,god is      
bounded or measured by time1  and hath  
succession of days1 because of those    
expressions1 than we  can conclude him  
to have a body1 because members are     
ascribed to  him in ,scripture1 to help 
our conceptions of his glorious nature  
and  operations4 ,though years are      
ascribed to him1 yet they are such as   
cannot be numbered1 cannot be finished1 
since there is no proportion  between   
the duration of ,god1 and the years of  
men4 8,the number of his  years cannot  
be searched out1 for he makes small the 
drops of water2  they pour down rain    
according to the vapor thereof0 7,job   
xxxvi4 #bf1  #bg74 ,the numbers of the  

drops of rain which have fallen in all  
parts  of the earth since the creation  
of the world1 if subtracted from the    
number of the years of ,god1 would be   
found a small quantity1 a mere  nothing1
 to the years of ,god4 ,as all the      
nations in the world compared  with     
,god1 are but as the 8drop of a bucket1 
worse than nothing1 than  vanity0 7,isa4
 xl4 #ae72 so all the ages of the world1
 if compared with  ,god1 amount not to  
so much as the one hundred thousandth   
part of a  minute2 the minutes from the 
creation may be numbered1 but the years 
of the duration of ,god being infinite1 
are without measure4 ,as one day  is to 
the life of man1 so are a thousand years
 to the life of ,god4 ,the  ,holy ,ghost
 expresseth a#bhg himself to the        
capacity of man1 to give  us some notion
 of an infinite duration1 by a          
resemblance suited to the  capacity of  
man4#eeg ,if a thousand years be but as 
a day to the life  of ,god1 then as a   
year is to the life of man1 so are three

 hundred  and sixtyfive thousand years  
to the life of ,god2 and as seventy     
years  are to the life of man1 so are   
twentyfive millions four hundred and    
fifty thousand years to the life of     
,god4 ,yet still1 since there is no     
proportion between time and eternity1 we
 must dart our thoughts beyond  all     
those2 for years and days measure only  
the duration of created  things1 and of 
those only that are material and        
corporeal1 subject to  the motion of the
 heavens1 which makes days and          
years4#eeh ,sometimes  this eternity is 
expressed by parts1 as looking backward 
and forward2  by the differences of     
time1 8past1 present1 and to come0      
7,rev4 i4 #h71  8which was1 and is1 and 
is to come0 7,rev4 iv4 #h74eei ,though  
this  might be spoken of anything in    
being1 though but for an hour1 it was   
the last minute1 it is now1 and it will 
be the next minute2 yet the  ,holy      
,ghost would declare something proper to
 ,god1 as including all  parts of time2 

he always was1 is now1 and always shall 
be4 ,it might  always be said of him1 he
 was1 and it may always be said of him1 
he  will be2 there is no time when he   
began1 no time when he shall cease4  ,it
 cannot be said of a creature he always 
was1 he always is what  he was1 and he  
always will be what he is2 but ,god     
always is what he  was1 and always will 
be what he is2 so that it is a very     
significant  expression of the eternity 
of ,god1 as can be suited to our        
capacities4    #a4 ,his eternity is     
evident1 by the name ,god gives himself 
7,exod4 iii4  #ad73 8,and ,god said unto
 ,moses1 ,i am that ,i am2 thus shalt   
thou say  to the children of ,israel1   
#8,i ,am hath sent me unto you4'0 ,this 
is  the name whereby he is distinguished
 from all creatures2 ,i ,am1 is his     
proper name4 ,this description being in 
the present tense1 shows that  his      
essence knows no past1 nor future2 if it
 were he was1 it would  intimate he were
 not now what he once was2 if it were he

 will be1  it would intimate he were not
 yet what he will be2 but ,i ,am2 ,i  am
 the only being1 the root of all beings2
 he is therefore1 at the  greatest      
distance from not being1 and that is    
eternal4 ,so that is  signifies his     
eternity1 as well as his perfection and 
immutability4  ,as ,i ,am speaks the    
want of no blessedness1 so it speaks the
 want  of no duration2 and therefore the
 ,french1 wherever they find this  word 
,jehovah1 in the ,scripture1 which we   
translate ,lord1 and ,lord  eternal1    
render it the ,eternal1,i am always and 
immutably the same4  ,the eternity of   
,god is opposed to the volubility of    
time1 which is  extended into past1     
present and to come4 ,our time is but a 
small drop1  as a sand to all the atoms 
and small particles of which the world  
is  made2 but ,god is an unbounded sea  
of being4 8,i ,am that ,i ,am20 i4 e4   
an infinite life2 ,i have not that now1 
which ,i had not formerly2  ,i shall not
 afterwards have that which ,i have not 

now2 ,i am that in  every moment which  
,i was1 and will be in all moments of   
time2 nothing  can be added to me1      
nothing can be detracted from me2 there 
is nothing  superior to him1 which can  
detract from him2 nothing desirable     
a#bhh  that can be added to him4 ,now if
 there were any beginning and end of    
,god1 any succession in him1 he could   
not be 8,i ,am20#efj for in regard  of  
what was past1 he would not be2 in      
regard of what was to come1 he  is not  
yet2 and upon this account a heathen    
argues well2#efa of all  creatures it   
may be said they were1 or they will be2 
but of ,god it  cannot be said anything 
else but est1 ,god is1 because he fills 
an  eternal duration4 ,a creature cannot
 be said to be1 if it be not yet1  nor  
if it be not now1 but hath been4#efb    
,god only can be called  8,i ,am20 all  
creatures have more of not being1 than  
being2 for every  creature was nothing  
from eternity1 before it was made       
something  in time2 and if it be        

incorruptible in its whole nature1 it   
will be  nothing to eternity after it   
hath been something in time2 and if it  
be  not corruptible in its nature1 as   
the angels1 or in every part of its     
nature1 as man in regard of his soul2   
yet it hath not properly a being1       
because it is dependent upon the        
pleasure of ,god to continue it1 or     
deprive it of it2 and while it is1 it is
 mutable1 and all mutability  is a      
mixture of not being4 ,if ,god therefore
 be properly 8,i ,am10 i4 e4  being1 it 
follows that he always was2 for if he   
were not always1 he  must1 as was argued
 before1 be produced by some other1 or  
by himself2  by another he could not2   
then he had not been ,god1 but a        
creature2  nor by himself1 for then as  
producing1 he must be before himself1 as
  produced2 he had been before he was4  
,and he always will be2 for being  8,i  
,am10 having all being in himself1 and  
the fountain of all being to  everything
 else1 how can he ever have his name    

changed to ,i am not4    #b4 ,god hath  
life in himself 7,john v4 #bf73 8,the   
,father hath life in  himself20 he is   
the 8living ,god20 therefore 8steadfast 
forever0 7,dan4  vi4 #bf74 ,he hath life
 by his essence1 not by participation4  
,he is a  sun to give light and life to 
all creatures1 but receives not light   
or life from anything2 and therefore he 
hath an unlimited life1 not  a drop of  
life1 but a fountain2 not a spark of a  
limited life1 but a  life transcending  
all bounds4 ,he hath life in himself2   
all creatures  have their life in him   
and from him4 ,he that hath life in     
himself doth  necessarily exist1 and    
could never be made to exist2 for then  
he had  not life in himself1 but in that
 which made him to exist1 and gave  him 
life4 ,what doth necessarily exist      
therefore1 exists from eternity2  what  
hath being of itself could never be     
produced in time1 could not  want being 
one moment1 because it hath being from  
its essence1 without  influence of any  

efficient cause4 ,when ,god pronounced  
his name1 8,i ,am  that ,i ,am10 angels 
and men were in being2 the world had    
been created  above two thousand four   
hundred years2 ,moses1 to whom he then  
speaks1  was in being2 yet ,god only is1
 because he only hath the fountain of   
being in himself2 but all that they were
 was a rivulet from him4 ,he  hath from 
nothing else1 that he doth subsist2     
everything else hath its  subsistence   
from him as their root1 as the beam from
 the sun1 as the  rivers and fountains  
from the sea4#efc ,all life is seated in
 ,god1  as in its proper throne1 in its 
most perfect purity4 ,god is life2 it   
is in him originally1 radically1        
therefore eternally4 ,he is a pure  act1
 nothing but vigor and act2 he hath by  
his nature that life which  others have 
by his grant2 a#bhi whence the ,apostle 
saith 7#a ,tim4 vi4  #af7 not only that 
he is immortal1 but he hath immortality 
in a full  possession2 fee simple1 not  
depending upon the will of another1 but 

containing all things within himself4   
,he that hath life in himself1  and is  
from himself1 cannot but be4 ,he always 
was1 because he received  his being from
 no other1 and none can take away that  
being which was  not given by another4  
,if there were any space before he did  
exist1  then there was something which  
made him to exist2 life would not then  
be in him1 but in that which produced   
him into being2 he could not  then be   
,god1 but that other which gave him     
being would be ,god4#efd  ,and to say   
,god sprung into being by chance1 when  
we see nothing in  the world that is    
brought forth by chance1 but hath some  
cause of  its existence1 would be vain2 
for since ,god is a being1 chance1 which
  is nothing1 could not bring forth     
something2 and by the same reason1  that
 he sprung up by chance1 he might       
totally vanish by chance4 ,what a       
strange notion of a ,god would this be6 
such a ,god that had no life in  himself
 but from chance6 ,since he hath life in

 himself1 and that there  was no cause  
of his existence1 he can have no cause  
of his limitation1  and can no more be  
determined to a time1 than he can to a  
place4 ,what  hath life in itself1 hath 
life without bounds1 and can never      
desert  it1 nor be deprived of it2 so   
that he lives necessarily1 and it is    
absolutely impossible that he should not
 live2 whereas all other  things 8live1 
and move1 and have their being in him0  
7,acts xvii4 #bh72  and as they live by 
his will1 so they can return to nothing 
at his  word4    #c4 ,if ,god were not  
eternal1 he were not immutable in his   
nature4 ,it  is contrary to the nature  
of immutability to be without eternity2 
for  whatsoever begins1 is changed in   
its passing from not being to being4    
,it began to be what it was not2 and if 
it ends1 it ceaseth to be what  it was2 
it cannot therefore be said to be ,god1 
if there were neither  beginning or     
ending1 or succession in it 7,mal4 iii4 
#f73 8,i am the ,lord1  ,i change not20 

7,job xxxvii4 #bc73 8,touching the      
,almighty1 we cannot  find him out40    
,god argues here1 saith ,calvin1 from   
his unchangeable  nature as ,jehovah1 to
 his immutability in his purpose4 ,had  
he not been  eternal1 there had been the
 greatest change from nothing to        
something4  ,a change of essence is     
greater than a change of purpose4 ,god  
is a  sun glittering always in the same 
glory2 no growing up in youth2 no       
passing on to age4 ,if he were not      
without succession1 standing in one     
point of eternity1 there would be a     
change from past to present1 from       
present to future4 ,the eternity of ,god
 is a shield against all kind  of       
mutability4 ,if anything sprang up in   
the essence of ,god that was  not there 
before1 he could not be said to be      
either an eternal1 or an  unchanged     
substance4    #d4 ,god could not be an  
infinitely perfect ,being1 if he were   
not  eternal4 ,a finite duration is     
inconsistent with infinite perfection4  

,whatsoever is contracted within the    
limits of time1 cannot swallow up  all  
perfections in itself4 ,god hath an     
unsearchable perfection4 8,canst  thou  
by searching find out ,god8 canst thou  
find out the ,almighty  unto            
perfection80 7,job xi4 #g47 ,he cannot  
be found out3 he a#bij is  infinite1    
because he is incomprehensible4         
,incomprehensibility ariseth  from an   
infinite perfection1 which cannot be    
fathomed by the short  line of man's    
understanding4 ,his essence in regard of
 its diffusion1  and in regard of its   
duration1 is incomprehensible1 as well  
as his  action3 if ,god1 therefore1 had 
beginning1 he could not be infinite2  if
 not infinite1 he did not possess the   
highest perfection2 because a           
perfection might be conceived beyond it4
 ,if his being could fail1 he  were not 
perfect2 can that deserve the name of   
the highest perfection1  which is       
capable of corruption and dissolution8  
,to be finite and  limited1 is the      

greatest imperfection1 for it consists  
in a denial of  being4 ,he could not be 
the most blessed ,being if he were not  
always  so1 and should not forever      
remain so2 and whatsoever perfections he
  had1 would be soured by the thoughts1 
that in time they would cease1  and so  
could not be pure affections1 because   
not permanent2 but 8,he  is blessed from
 everlasting to everlasting0 7,ps4 xli4 
#ac74 ,had he a  beginning1 he could not
 have all perfection without limitation2
 he  would have been limited by that    
which gave him beginning2 that which    
gave him being would be ,god1 and not   
himself1 and so more perfect than  he3  
but since ,god is the most sovereign    
perfection1 than which nothing  can be  
imagined perfecter by the most capacious
 understanding1 ,he is  certainly       
8eternal20 being infinite1 nothing can  
be added to him1  nothing detracted from
 him4    #e4 ,god could not be          
omnipotent1 almighty1 if he were not    
eternal4  ,the title of almighty agrees 

not with a nature that had a beginning2 
whatsoever hath a beginning was once    
nothing2 and when it was nothing1  could
 act nothing3 where there is no being   
there is no power4 ,neither  doth the   
title of almighty agree with a perishing
 nature3 he can  do nothing to purpose1 
that cannot preserve himself against the
  outward force and violence of enemies1
 or against the inward causes  of       
corruption and dissolution4 ,no account 
is to be made of man1  because 8his     
breath is in his nostrils0 7,isa4 ii4   
#bb72 could a better  account be made of
 ,god1 if he were of the like condition8
 ,he could not  properly be almighty1   
that were not always mighty2 if he be   
omnipotent1  nothing can impair him2 he 
that hath all power1 can have no hurt4  
,if  he doth whatsoever he pleaseth1    
nothing can make him miserable1 since   
misery consists in those things which   
happen against our will4#efe  ,the      
almightiness and eternity of ,god are   
linked together3 8,i am ,alpha  and     

,omega1 the beginning and ending1 saith 
the ,lord1 which was1 and  which is1 and
 which is to come1 the ,almighty0 7,rev4
 i4 #h73 almighty  because eternal1 and 
eternal because almighty4    #f4 ,god   
would not be the first cause of all if  
he were not eternal2  but he is the     
first and the last2 the first cause of  
all things1 the  last end of all        
things3#eff that which is the first     
cannot begin to  be2 it were not then   
the first2 it cannot cease to be3       
whatsoever is  dissolved1 is dissolved  
into that whereof it doth consist1 which
 was  before it1 and then it was not the
 first4 ,the world might not have  been2
 it was once nothing2 it must have some 
cause to call it out of  nothing3       
nothing hath no power to make itself    
something2 there a#bia  is a superior   
cause1 by whose will and power it comes 
into being1  and so gives all the       
creatures their distinct forms4#efg     
,this power  cannot but be eternal2 it  
must be before the world2 the founder   

must  be before the foundation2 and his 
existence must be from eternity2 or  we 
must say nothing did exist from         
eternity3#efh and if there were no      
being from eternity1 there could not now
 be any being in time4 ,what we  see1   
and what we are1 must arise from itself 
or some other2 it cannot  from itself3  
if anything made itself1 it had a power 
to make itself2  it then had an active  
power before it had a being2 it was     
something  in regard of power1 and was  
nothing in regard of existence at the   
same  time4 ,suppose it had a power to  
produce itself1 this power must be      
conferred upon it by another2 and so the
 power of producing itself1  was not    
from itself1 but from another2 but if   
the power of being was  from itself1 why
 did it not produce itself before8 why  
was it one  moment out of being8#efi ,if
 there be any existence of things1 it is
  necessary that that which was the     
8first cause10 should 8exist from       
eternity40 ,whatsoever was the immediate

 cause of the world1 yet the  first and 
chief cause wherein we must rest1 must  
have nothing before  it2 if it had      
anything before it1 it were not the     
first2 he therefore  that is the first  
cause1 must be without beginning2       
nothing must be  before him2 if he had a
 beginning from some other1 he could not
 be  the first principle and author of  
all things2 if he be the first cause  of
 all things1 he must give himself a     
beginning1 or be from eternity3  he     
could not give himself a beginning2     
whatsoever begins in time was  nothing  
before1 and when it was nothing1 it     
could do nothing2 it could  not give    
itself anything1 for then it gave what  
it had not1 and did  what it could not4 
,if he made himself in time1 why did he 
not make  himself before8 what hindered 
him8 ,it was either because he could    
not1 or because he would not2 if he     
could not1 he always wanted power1  and 
always would1 unless it were bestowed   
upon him1 and then he could  not be said

 to be from himself4 ,if he would not   
make himself before1  then he might have
 made himself when he would3 how had he 
the power  of willing and nilling       
without a being8 ,nothing cannot will or
 nill2  nothing hath no faculties2 so   
that it is necessary to grant some      
eternal being1 or run into inextricable 
labyrinths and mazes4 ,if we  deny some 
eternal being1 we must deny all being2  
our own being1 the  being of everything 
about us2 unconceivable absurdities will
 arise4  ,so1 then1 if ,god were the    
cause of all things1 he did exist before
  all things1 and that from eternity4   
,,iii4 ,eternity is only proper to ,god1
 and not communicable4 ,it is as  great 
a madness to ascribe eternity to the    
creature1 as to deprive the  ,lord of   
the creature of eternity4#egj ,it is so 
proper to ,god1 that  when the apostle  
would prove the deity of ,christ1 he    
proves it by his  immutability and      
eternity1 as well as his creating power3
 8,thou art  the same1 and thy years    

shall not fail0 7,heb4 i4 #ajab74 ,the  
argument  had not strength1 if eternity 
belonged essentially to any but ,god2   
and  therefore he is said only to have  
8immortality0 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af73 all   
other things receive their being from   
him1 and can be deprived a#bib  of their
 being by him3 all things depend on him2
 he of none3 all other  things are like 
clothes1 which would consume if ,god    
preserved them not4  ,immortality is    
appropriated to ,god1 i4 e4 an          
independent immortality4  ,angels and   
souls have an immortality1 but by       
donation from ,god1 not  by their own   
essence2 dependent upon their ,creator1 
not necessary in  their own nature3 ,god
 might have annihilated them after he   
had created  them2 so that their        
duration cannot properly be called an   
eternity1  it being extrinsical to them1
 and dependent upon the will of their   
,creator1 by whom they may be           
extinguished2 it is not an absolute and 
necessary1 but a precarious immortality4

 ,whatsoever is not ,god1 is  temporary2
 whatsoever is eternal1 is ,god4 ,it is 
a contradiction to say  a creature can  
be eternal2 as nothing eternal is       
created1 so nothing  created is eternal4
 ,what is distinct from the nature of   
,god cannot  be eternal1 eternity being 
the essence of ,god4 ,every creature1 in
 the  notion of a creature1 speaks a    
dependence on some cause1 and therefore 
cannot be eternal4 ,as it is repugnant  
to the nature of ,god not to be         
eternal1 so it is repugnant to the      
nature of a creature to be eternal2  for
 then a creature would be equal to the  
,creator1 and the ,creator1 or  the     
,cause1 would not be before the         
creature1 or effect4#ega ,it would  be  
all one to admit many gods1 as many     
eternals2 and all one to say1  ,god can 
be created1 as to say a creature can be 
uncreated1 which is  to be eternal4     
#a4 ,creation is a producing something  
from nothing4 ,what was once  nothing1  
cannot therefore be eternal2 not being  

was eternal2 therefore  its being could 
not be eternal1 for it should be then   
before it was1  and would be something  
when it was nothing4 ,it is the nature  
of a  creature to be nothing before it  
was created2 what was nothing before  it
 was1 cannot be equal with ,god in an   
eternity of duration4    #b4 ,there is  
no creature but is mutable1 therefore   
not eternal4 ,as  it had a change from  
nothing to something1 so it may be      
changed from  being to not being4 ,if   
the creature were not mutable1 it would 
be most  perfect1 and so would not be a 
creature1 but ,god2 for ,god only is    
most  perfect4 ,it is as much the       
essence of a creature to be mutable1 as 
it is the essence of ,god to be         
immutable4 ,mutability and eternity are 
utterly inconsistent4    #c4 ,no        
creature is infinite1 therefore not     
eternal3 to be infinite in  duration is 
all one as to be infinite in essence4   
,it is as reasonable  to conceive a     
creature immense1 filling all places at 

once1 as eternal1  extended to all ages2
 because neither can be without         
infiniteness1  which is the property of 
the ,deity4#egb ,a creature may as well 
be  without bounds of place1 as         
limitations of time4    #d4 ,no effect  
of an intellectual free agent can be    
equal in duration  to its cause4 ,the   
productions of natural agents are as    
ancient often  as themselves2 the sun   
produceth a beam as old in time as      
itself2  but who ever heard of a piece  
of wise workmanship as old as the wise  
artificer8 ,god produced a creature1 not
 necessarily and naturally1 as  the sun 
doth a beam1 but freely1 as an          
intelligent agent4 ,the sun was  not    
necessary2 it might be or not be1       
according to the a#bic pleasure  of     
,god4 ,a free act of the will is        
necessary to precede in order of  time1 
as the cause of such effects as are     
purely voluntary4#egc ,those  causes    
that act as soon as they exist act      
naturally1 necessarily1 not  freely1 and

 cannot cease from acting4 ,but suppose 
a creature might  have existed by the   
will of ,god from eternity2 yet1 as some
 think1  it could not be said           
absolutely1 and in its own nature to be 
eternal1  because eternity was not of   
the essence of it4 ,the creature could  
not  be its own duration2 for though it 
were from eternity1 it might not  have  
been from eternity1 because its         
existence depended upon the free  will  
of ,god1 who might have chose whether he
 would have created it or  no4 ,god only
 is eternal2 8the first and the last1   
the beginning and  the end20 who1 as he 
subsisted before any creature had a     
being1 so he  will eternally subsist if 
all creatures were reduced to nothing4  
,,iv4 ,use #a4 ,information4 ,if ,god be
 of an eternal duration1 then  8,christ 
is ,god40 ,eternity is the property of  
,god1 but it is ascribed  to ,christ3   
8,he is before all things0 7,col4 i4    
#ag71 i4 e4 all created  things2 he is  
therefore no creature1 and if no        

creature1 eternal4 8,all  things were   
created by him10 both in heaven and in  
earth1 angels1 as  well as men1 whether 
they be thrones or dominions 7ver4 #af74
 ,if all  things were his creatures1    
then he is no creature2 if he were1 all 
things were not created by him1 or he   
must create himself4 ,he hath no        
difference of time2 for he is 8the same 
yesterday1 today1 and forever3  0#egd   
the same1 with the name of ,god1 8,i    
,am10 which signifies his  eternity4 ,he
 is no more today than he was yesterday1
 nor will be  any other tomorrow than he
 is today2 and therefore ,melchizedec1  
whose descent1 birth1 and death1 father 
and mother1 beginning and end  of days1 
are not upon record1 was a type of the  
existence of ,christ  without difference
 of time2 8,having neither beginning of 
days nor end  of life1 but made like the
 ,son of ,god0 7,heb4 vii4 #c74 ,the    
suppression  of his birth and death was 
intended by the ,holy ,ghost as a type  
of  the excellency of ,christ's person  

in regard of his eternity1 and  the     
duration of his charge in regard of his 
priesthood4 ,as there  was an appearance
 of an eternity in the suppression of   
the race of  ,melchisedec1 so there is a
 true eternity in the ,son of ,god4 ,how
 could  the eternity of the ,son of ,god
 be expressed by any resemblance so     
well1 as by such a suppression of the   
beginning and end of this great  person1
 different from the custom of the       
,spirit of ,god in the ,old  ,testament1
 who often records the generations and  
ends of holy men2  and why might not    
this1 which was a kind of a shadow of   
eternity1  be a representation of the   
true eternity of ,christ1 as well as the
  restoration of ,isaac to his father   
without death1 is said to be  a figure  
of the resurrection of ,christ after a  
real death8#ege  ,melchisedec is only   
mentioned once 7without any record of   
his  extraction7 in his appearance to   
,abraham after his victory1 as if  he   
came from heaven only for that action1  

and instantly disappeared  again1 as if 
he had been an eternal person4 ,and     
,christ himself hints  his own eternity3
 8,i came forth from the ,father1 and am
 come into  a#bid the world2 again ,i   
leave the world1 and go to the ,father0 
7,john  xvi4 #bh74 ,he goes to the      
,father as he came from the ,father2 he 
goes  to the ,father 8for everlasting10 
so he came from the ,father 8from       
everlasting20 there is the same duration
 in coming forth from the  ,father1 as  
in returning to the ,father4 ,but more  
plainly3 he speaks  of a glory that he  
8had with the ,father before the world  
was0 7,john  xvii4 #e71 when there was  
no creature in being4 ,this is an actual
 glory1  and not only in decree2 for a  
decreed glory believers had1 and why    
may not every one of them say the same  
words1 8,father1 glorify me  with that  
glory which ,i had with thee before the 
world was10 if it  were only a glory in 
decree8 ,nay1 it may be said of every   
man1 he  was before the world was1      

because he was so in decree4 ,christ    
speaks  of something peculiar to him1 a 
glory in actual possession before  the  
world was3 8,glorify me1 embrace1 honor 
me as thy ,son1 whereas ,i  have now    
been1 in the eyes of the world1 handled 
disgracefully as a  servant40 ,if it    
were only in decree1 why is not the like
 expression  used of others in          
,scripture as well as of ,christ8 ,why  
did he not use  the same words for his  
disciples that were then with him1 who  
had a  glory in decree8 ,his eternity is
 also mentioned in the ,old ,testament3 
8,the ,lord possessed me in the         
beginning of his way1 before his works  
of old0 7,prov4 viii4 #bb74 ,if he were 
the work of ,god1 he existed  before    
himself1 if he existed before all the   
works of ,god4 ,it is so  not properly  
meant of the essential wisdom of ,god1  
since the discourse  runs in the name of
 a person2 and several passages there   
are which  belong not so much to the    
essential wisdom of ,god1 as ver4 #ac3  

8,the  evil way and the froward mouth do
 ,i hate10 which belongs rather to the  
holiness of ,god1 than to the essential 
wisdom of ,god2 besides1 it is          
distinguished from ,jehovah1 as         
possessed by him1 8and rejoicing before 
him40 ,yet plainer3 8,out of thee10 i4  
e4 ,bethlehem1 8shall he come  forth to 
be ,ruler in ,israel1 whose goings forth
 have been from of  old1 from           
everlasting10   8from the ways of       
eternity0 7,mic4 v4 #b74  ,there are two
 goings forth of ,christ described1 one 
from ,bethlehem1 in  the days of his    
incarnation1 and another from eternity4 
,the ,holy ,ghost  adds1 after his      
prediction of his incarnation1 his going
 out from  everlasting1 that none should
 doubt of his deity4 ,if this going out 
from everlasting were only in the       
purpose of ,god1 it might be said  of   
,david1 and of every creature2 and in   
,isa4 ix4 #f he is particularly  called 
the 8everlasting10 or 8eternal ,father20
 not the ,father in the  ,trinity1 but a

 ,father to us2 yet 8eternal10 the      
8,father of eternity40  ,as he is the   
8mighty ,god10 so he is 8the everlasting
 ,father40 ,can  such a title be        
ascribed to any whose being depends upon
 the will  of another1 and may be dashed
 out at the pleasure of a superior8 ,as 
the eternity of ,god is the ground of   
all religion1 so the eternity  of       
,christ is the ground of the ,christian 
religion4 ,could our sins be  perfectly 
expiated had he not an eternal divinity 
to answer for the  offences committed   
against an eternal ,god8 ,temporary     
sufferings had  been of little validity1
 without an infiniteness and eternity in
 his  person to add weight to his       
passion4    #b4 ,if ,god be eternal1 he 
knows all things as present4 ,all things
 are  present to him in his eternity2   
for this is the notion of eternity1     
a#bie to be without succession4#egf ,if 
eternity be one indivisible  point1 and 
is not diffused into preceding and      
succeeding parts1 then  that which is   

known in it or by it is perceived       
without any succession1  for knowledge  
is as the substance of the person       
knowing2 if that hath  various actions  
and distinct from itself1 then it       
understands things  in differences of   
time as time presents them to view4     
,but1 since  ,god's being depends not   
upon the revolutions of time1 so neither
 does  his knowledge2 it exceeds all    
motions of years and days1 comprehends  
infinite spaces of past and future4 ,god
 considers all things in his  eternity  
in one simple knowledge1 as if they were
 now acted before him3  8,known unto    
,god are all his works from the         
beginning of the world20   1  seculo1   
8from eternity0 7,acts xv4 #ah74 ,god's 
knowledge  is coeternal with him2 if he 
knows that in time which he did not not 
know from eternity1 he would not be     
eternally perfect1 since knowledge  is  
the perfection of an intelligent nature4
    #c4 ,how bold and foolish is it for 
a mortal creature to censure the        

counsels and actions of an eternal ,god1
 or be too curious in his  inquisitions6
 ,it is by the consideration of the     
unsearchable number  of the years of    
,god that ,elihu checks too bold        
inquiries3 8who hath  enjoined him his  
way1 or who can say1 ,thou hast wrought 
iniquity8  ,behold1 ,god is great1 and  
we know him not2 neither can the number 
of  his years be searched out40#egg     
,eternity sets ,god above our inquiries 
and censures4 ,infants of a day old are 
not able to understand the  acts of wise
 and gray heads3 shall we1 that are of  
so short a being  and understanding as  
yesterday1 presume to measure the       
motions  of eternity by our scanty      
intellects8 ,we that cannot foresee an  
unexpected accident which falls in to   
blast a welllaid design1 and  run a ship
 many leagues back from the intended    
harbor2 we cannot  understand the reason
 of things we see done in time1 the     
motions of  the sea1 the generation of  
rain1 the nature of light1 the          

sympathies  and antipathies of the      
creatures2 and shall we dare to censure 
the actions of an eternal ,god1 so      
infinitely beyond our reach8 ,the       
counsels of a boundless being are not to
 be scanned by the brain of a  silly    
worm1 that hath breathed but a few      
minutes in the world4 ,since  eternity  
cannot be comprehended in time1 it is   
not to be judged by  a creature of time3
 8,let us remember to magnify his works 
which we  behold10 because he is        
eternal1 which is the exhortation of    
,elihu1  backed by this doctrine of     
,god's eternity 7,job xxxvi4 #bd71 and  
not  accuse any work of him who is the  
8,ancient of ,days10 or presume to      
direct him of whose eternity we come    
infinitely short4 ,whenever1  therefore1
 any unworthy notion of the counsels and
 works of ,god is  suggested to us by   
,satan1 or our own corrupt hearts1 let  
us look  backward to ,god's eternal and 
our own short duration1 and silence     
ourselves with the same question        

wherewith ,god put a stop to the        
reasoning of ,job8,where wast thou when 
,i laid the foundations of the  earth80 
7,job xxxviii4 #d71 and reprove         
ourselves for our curiosity1  since we  
are of so short a standing1 and were    
nothing when the eternal  ,god laid the 
first stone of the world4    #d4 ,what a
 folly and boldness is there in sin1    
since an eternal ,god  a#bif is offended
 thereby6 ,all sin is aggravated by     
,god's eternity4  ,the blackness of the 
heathen idolatry was in changing the    
glory of  the incorruptible ,god 7,rom4 
i4 #bc72 erecting resemblances of him   
contrary to his immortal nature2 as if  
the eternal ,god1 whose life is  as     
unlimited as eternity1 were like those  
creatures whose beings are  measured by 
the short ell of time1 which are of a   
corruptible nature1  and daily passing  
on to corruption2 they could not really 
deprive ,god  of his glory and          
immortality1 but they did in estimation4
 ,there is in  the nature of every sin a

 tendency to reduce ,god to a not being4
 ,he  that thinks unworthily of ,god1 or
 acts unworthily towards him1 doth  7as 
much as in him lies7 sully and destroy  
these two perfections of  his1          
immutability and eternity4 ,it is a     
carriage1 as if he were as  contemptible
 as a creature that were but of         
yesterday1 and shall not  remain in     
being tomorrow4 ,he that would put an   
end to ,god's glory  by darkening it1   
would put an end to ,god's life by      
destroying it4 ,he  that should love a  
beast with as great an affection as he  
loves a man1  contemns a rational       
nature2 and he that loves a perishing   
thing with  the same affection he should
 love an everlasting ,god1 contemns his 
eternity2 he debaseth the duration of   
,god below that of the world4 ,the  low 
valuation of ,god speaks him in his     
esteem no better than withering  grass1 
or a gourd1 which lasts for a night2 and
 the creature which  possesses his      
affection1 to be a good that lasts      

forever4 ,how foolish1  then1 is every  
sin that tends to destroy a being that  
cannot destroy  or desert himself2 a    
,being1 without whose eternity the      
sinner himself  could not have had the  
capacity of a being to affront him6 ,how
 base is  that which would not let the  
works of ,god remain in their           
established  posture6 ,how much more    
base is not enduring the fountain and   
glory of  all beings1 that would not    
only put an end to the beauty of the    
world1  but the eternity of ,god6    #e4
 ,how dreadful is it to lie under the   
stroke of an eternal ,god6  ,his        
eternity is as great a terror to him    
that hates him1 as it is  a comfort to  
him that loves him2 because he is the   
8living ,god1  an everlasting king1 the 
nations shall not be able to abide his  
indignation0 7,jer4 x4 #aj74 ,though    
,god be least in their thoughts1 and  is
 made light of in the world1 yet the    
thoughts of ,god's eternity1  when he   
comes to judge the world1 shall make the

 slighters of him  tremble4 ,that the   
,judge and punisher lives forever1 is   
the greatest  grievance to a soul in    
misery1 and adds an inconceivable weight
 to it1  above what the infiniteness of 
,god's executive power could do without 
that duration4 ,his eternity makes the  
punishment more dreadful than  his      
power2 his power makes it sharp1 but his
 eternity renders it  perpetual2 ever to
 endure1 is the sting at the end of     
every lash4  ,and how sad is it to think
 that ,god lays his eternity to pawn for
 the  punishment of obstinate sinners1  
and engageth it by an oath1 that he     
will 8whet his glittering sword10 that  
his 8hand shall take hold of  judgment10
 that he will 8render vengeance to his  
enemies1 and a reward  to them that hate
 him20 a reward proportioned to the     
greatness of  their offences1 and the   
glory of an eternal ,god6 8,i lift up my
 hand to  heaven1 and say1 ,i live      
forever20 7,deut4 xxxii4 #dj1 #da73 i4  
e41 as  surely as ,i live forever1 ,i   

will whet my glittering sword4 a#big ,as
  none can convey good with a           
perpetuity1 so none can convey evil with
  such a lastingness as ,god4 ,it is a  
great loss to lose a ship richly        
fraught in the bottom of the sea1 never 
to be cast upon the shore2  but how much
 greater is it to lose eternally a      
sovereign ,god1 which  we were capable  
of eternally enjoying1 and undergo an   
evil as durable  as that ,god we        
slighted1 and were in a possibility of  
avoiding6 ,the  miseries of men after   
this life are not eased1 but sharpened1 
by the  life and eternity of ,god4      
,use #b4 ,of comfort4 ,what foundation  
of comfort can we have in any  of ,god's
 attributes1 were it not for his        
infiniteness and eternity1  though he be
 8merciful1 good1 wise1 faithful80 ,what
 support could  there be1 if they were  
perfections belonging to a corruptible  
,god8  ,what hopes of a resurrection to 
happiness can we have1 or of the        
duration of it1 if that ,god that       

promised it were not immortal to        
continue it1 as well as powerful to     
effect it8 ,his power were not          
,almighty1 if his duration were not     
eternal4    #a4 ,if ,god be eternal1 his
 covenant will be so4 ,it is founded    
upon  the eternity of ,god2 the oath    
whereby he confirms it1 is by his  life4
 ,since there is none greater than      
himself1 he swears by himself  7,heb4   
vi4 #ac71 or by his own life1 which he  
engageth together with his  eternity for
 the full performance2 so that if he    
lives forever1 the  covenant shall not  
be disannulled2 it is an 8immutable     
counsel0 7ver4  #af1 #ag74 ,the         
immutability of his counsel follows the 
immutability of  his nature4            
,immutability and eternity go hand in   
hand together4 ,the  promise of eternal 
life is as ancient as ,god himself in   
regard of the  purpose of the promise1  
or in regard of the promise made to     
,christ  for us4 8,eternal life which   
,god promised before the world began40  

7,tit4 i4 #b73 ,as it hath an           
anteeternity1 so it hath a posteternity2
  therefore the gospel1 which is the new
 covenant published1 is termed  the     
8everlasting gospel0 7,rev4 xiv4 #f71   
which can no more be altered  and       
perish1 than ,god can change and vanish 
into nothing2 he can as  little morally 
deny his truth1 as he can naturally     
desert his life4  ,the covenant is there
 represented in a green color1 to note  
its  perpetual verdure2 the rainbow1 the
 emblem of the covenant 8about the      
throne1 was like to an emerald0 7,rev4  
iv4 #c71 a stone of a green color1      
whereas the natural rainbow hath many   
colors2 this but one1 to signify  its   
eternity4    #b4 ,if ,god be eternal1 he
 being our ,god in covenant1 is an      
eternal  good and possession4 8,this    
,god is our ,god forever and ever0 7,ps4
  xlviii4 #ad73 8,he is a dwellingplace 
in all generations40 ,we shall  traverse
 the world awhile1 and then arrive at   
the blessings ,jacob  wished for        

,joseph1 8the blessings of the          
everlasting hills0 7,gen4  xlix4 #bf74  
,if an estate of a thousand pound per   
annum render a man's  life comfortable  
for a short term1 how much more may the 
soul be  swallowed up with joy in the   
enjoyment of the ,creator1 whose years  
never fail1 who lives forever to be     
enjoyed1 and can keep us in life        
forever to enjoy him6 ,death1 indeed1   
will seize upon us by ,god's            
irreversible order1 but the immortal    
,creator will make him disgorge  his    
morsel1 and land us in a glorious       
immortality2 our souls at their         
dissolution1 and our bodies at the      
resurrection1 after which they  shall   
remain forever1 and employ the extent of
 that boundless a#bih  eternity1 in the 
fruition of the sovereign and eternal   
,god2 for it  is impossible that the    
believer1 who is united to the immortal 
,god  that is from everlasting to       
everlasting1 can ever perish2 for being 
in conjunction with him who is an       

everflowing fountain of life1 he  cannot
 suffer him to remain in the jaws of    
death4 ,while ,god is eternal1  and     
always the same1 it is not possible that
 those that partake of his  spiritual   
life1 should not also partake of his    
eternal4 ,it is from the  consideration 
of the endlessness of the years of ,god 
that the church  comforts herself that  
8her children shall continue1 and their 
seed  be established forever0 7,ps4 cii4
 #bg1 #bh74 ,and from the eternity  of  
,god ,habakkuk 7chap4 i4 #ab7 concludes 
the eternity of believers1  8,art not   
thou from everlasting1 ,o ,lord1 my     
,god1 my ,holy ,one8 we shall  not die1 
,o ,lord40 ,after they are retired from 
this world1 they shall  live forever    
with ,god1 without any change by the    
multitude of those  imaginable years and
 ages that shall run forever4 ,it is    
that ,god that  hath neither beginning  
nor end1 that is our ,god2 who hath not 
only  immortality in himself1 but       
immortality to give out to others4 ,as  

he hath 8abundance of spirit0 to quicken
 them 7,mal4 ii4 #ae71 so he  hath      
abundance of immortality to continue    
them4 ,it is only in the  consideration 
of this a man can with wisdom say1      
8,soul1 take thy ease2  thou hast goods 
laid up for many years0 7,luke xii4 #ai1
 #bj73 to say it  of any other          
possession is the greatest folly in the 
judgment of our  ,saviour4 8,mortality  
shall be swallowed up of immortality20  
8rivers  of pleasure0 shall be 8for     
evermore40 ,death is a word never spoken
  there by any2 never heard by any in   
that possession of eternity2 it  is     
forever put out as one of ,christ's     
conquered enemies4 ,the happiness       
depends upon the presence of ,god1 with 
whom believers shall be forever         
present4 ,happiness cannot perish as    
long as ,god lives2 he is the first  and
 the last2 the first of all delights1   
nothing before him2 the last  of all    
pleasures1 nothing beyond him2 a        
paradise of delights in every  point1   

without a flaming sword4    #c4 ,the    
enjoyment of ,god will be as fresh and  
glorious after many ages1  as it was at 
first4 ,god is eternal1 and eternity    
knows no change2  there will then be the
 fullest possession without any decay in
 the  object enjoyed4 ,there can be     
nothing past1 nothing future2 time      
neither adds to it1 nor detracts from   
it2 that infinite fulness of  perfection
 which flourisheth in him now1 will     
flourish eternally1  without any        
discoloring of it in the least1 by those
 innumerable ages  that shall run to    
eternity1 much less any despoiling him  
of them3  8,he is the same in his       
endless duration0 7,ps4 cii4 #bg74 ,as  
,god is1  so will the eternity of him   
be1 without succession1 without         
division2  the fulness of joy will be   
always present2 without past to be      
thought  of with regret for being gone2 
without future to be expected with      
tormenting desires4 ,when we enjoy ,god1
 we enjoy him in his eternity  without  

any flux2 an entire possession of all   
together1 without the  passing away of  
pleasures that may be wished to return1 
or expectation  of future joys which    
might be desired to hasten4 ,time is    
fluid1 but  eternity is stable2 and     
after many ages1 the joys will be as    
savory  and satisfying as if they had   
been but that moment first tasted by    
our hungry appetites4 ,when the glory of
 the ,lord shall rise upon you1  it     
shall be so far from ever setting1 that 
after millions a#bii of  years are      
expired1 as numerous as the sands on the
 seashore1 the sun1  in the light of    
whose countenance you shall live1 shall 
be as bright  as at the first           
appearance2 he will be so far from      
ceasing to flow1  that he will flow as  
strong1 as full1 as at the first        
communication  of himself in glory to   
the creature4 ,god1 therefore1 as       
sitting upon  his throne of grace1 and  
acting according to his covenant1 is    
like  a jasperstone1 which is of a green

 color1 a color always delightful       
7,rev4 iv4 #c72 because ,god is always  
vigorous and flourishing2 a pure  act of
 life1 sparkling new and fresh rays of  
life and light to the  creature1        
flourishing with a perpetual spring1 and
 contenting the most  capacious desire2 
forming your interest1 pleasure1 and    
satisfaction2  with an infinite variety1
 without any change or succession2 he   
will  have variety to increase delights1
 and eternity to perpetuate them2  this 
will be the fruit of the enjoyment of an
 infinite and eternal ,god3  he is not a
 cistern1 but a fountain1 wherein water 
is always living1  and never putrefies4 
#d4 ,if ,god be eternal1 here is a      
strong ground of comfort against all    
the distresses of the church1 and the   
threats of the church's enemies4  ,god's
 abiding forever is the plea ,jeremy    
makes for his return to  his forsaken   
church3 8,thou1 ,o ,lord1 remainest     
forever2 thy throne  from generation to 
generation0 7,lam4 v4 #ai1 #bj74 ,the   

church is weak2  created things are     
easily cut off2 what prop is there1 but 
that ,god  that lives forever8 ,what1   
though ,jerusalem lost its bulwarks1 the
  temple were defaced1 the land wasted2 
yet the ,god of ,jerusalem sits  upon an
 eternal throne1 and from everlasting to
 everlasting there is  no diminution of 
his power4 ,the prophet intimates in    
this complaint1  that it is not         
agreeable to ,god's eternity to forget  
his people1 to  whom he hath from       
eternity borne goodwill4 ,in the        
greatest confusions1  the church's eyes 
are to be fixed upon the eternity of    
,god's throne1  where he sits as        
governor of the world4 ,no creature can 
take any  comfort in this perfection1   
but the church2 other creatures depend  
upon ,god1 but the church is united to  
him4 ,the first discovery of  the name  
8,i am10 which signifies the divine     
eternity1 as well as  immutability1 was 
for the comfort of the 8oppressed       
,israelites in  ,egypt0 7,exod4 iii4    

#ad1 #ae73 it was then published from   
the secret  place of the ,almighty1 as  
the only strong cordial to refresh them3
 it  hath not yet1 it shall not ever    
lose its virtue in any of the miseries  
that have1 or shall successively befall 
the church4 ,it is a comfort as  durable
 as the ,god whose name it is2 he is    
still 8,i ,am20 and the same  to the    
church1 as he was then to his ,israel4  
,his spiritual ,israel have  a greater  
right to the glories of it1 than the    
carnal ,israel could  have4 ,no         
oppression can be greater than theirs2  
what was a comfort  suited to that      
distress1 hath the same suitableness to 
every other  oppression4 ,it was not a  
temporary name1 but a name forever2 his 
8memorial to all generations0 7ver4     
#ae71 and reacheth to the church of  the
 ,gentiles with whom he treats as the   
,god of ,abraham2 ratifying that        
covenant by the ,messiah1 which he made 
with ,abraham1 the father of the        
faithful4 ,the church's enemies are not 

to be feared2 they may spring  as the   
grass1 but soon after do wither by their
 own inward principles  of decay1 or are
 cut down by the hand of ,god 7,ps4     
xcii4 #gi74 ,they  may be instruments of
 the a#cjj anger of ,god1 but 8they     
shall be  scattered as the workers of   
iniquity by the hand of the ,lord1 that 
is high for evermore0 7ver4 #h71 and is 
engaged by his promise1 to  preserve a  
church in the world4 ,they may threaten1
 but their breath  may vanish as soon as
 their threatenings are pronounced2 for 
they  carry their breath in no surer a  
place than their own nostrils1 upon     
which the eternal ,god can put his hand1
 and sink them with all their  rage4 ,do
 the prophets and instructors of the    
church 8live forever0  7,zech4 i4 #e78  
,no3 shall1 then1 the adversaries and   
disturbers of  the church live forever8 
,they shall vanish as a shadow2 their   
being  depends upon the eternal ,god of 
the faithful1 and the everlasting       
,judge of the wicked4 ,he that inhabits 

eternity is above them that  inhabit    
mortality2 and must1 whether they will  
or no1 8say to  corruption1 ,thou art my
 father1 and to the worm1 ,thou art my  
mother1  and my sister0 7,job xvii4     
#ad47 ,when they will act with a        
confidence1  as if they were living     
gods1 he will not be mated2 but evidence
  himself to be a living ,god above     
them4 ,why1 then1 should mortal  men be 
feared in their frowns1 when an immortal
 ,god hath promised  protection in his  
word1 and lives forever to perform it8  
#e4 ,hence follows another comfort2     
since ,god is eternal1 he hath  as much 
power as will to be as good as his word4
 ,his promises are  established upon his
 eternity2 and his perfection is a main 
ground  of trust2 8,trust in the ,lord  
forever3 for in the ,lord ,jehovah is   
everlasting strength0 7,isa4 xxvi4 #d74 
,his name is doubled2  that name1 ,jah  
and ,jehovah1 which was always the      
strength of his  people2 and not a      
single one1 but the strength or rock of 

eternities3  not a failing1 but an      
eternal truth and power2 that as his    
strength  is eternal1 so our trust in   
him should imitate his eternity in its  
perpetuity2 and therefore in the        
despondency of his people1 as if ,god   
had forgot his promises1 and made no    
account of them1 or his word1 and  were 
weary of doing good1 he calls them to   
reflect on what they had  heard of his  
eternity1 which is attended with        
immutability1 who hath  an infiniteness 
of power to perform his will1 and an    
infiniteness  of understanding to judge 
of the right seasons of it4 ,his wisdom1
  will1 truth1 have always been1 and    
will to eternity be the same  7,isa4 xl4
 #bg1 #bh74 ,he wants not life1 any more
 than love1 forever  to help us2 since  
his word is past1 he will never fail us2
 since  his life continues1 he can never
 be out of a capacity to relieve us2    
and1 therefore1 whenever we foolishly   
charge him by our distrustful  thoughts1
 we forget his love1 which made the     

promise1 and his eternal  life1 which   
can accomplish it4 ,as his word is the  
bottom of our trust1  and his truth is  
the assurance of his sincerity1 so his  
eternity is  the assurance of his       
ability to perform3 8,his word stands   
forever0  7ver4 #h74 ,a man may be my   
friend this day1 and be in another world
  tomorrow2 and though he be never so   
sincere in his word1 yet death  snaps   
his life asunder1 and forbids the       
execution4 ,but as ,god cannot  die1 so 
he cannot lie2 because he is the        
eternity of ,israel3 8,the  strength of 
,israel will not lie1 nor repent10      
perpetuity1 or  eternity of ,israel 7#a 
,sam4 xv4 #bi74 ,eternity implies       
immutability2  we could have no ground  
for our hopes1 if we knew him not to be 
longer  lived than ourselves4 ,the      
,psalmist beats a#cja off our hands from
  trust in men1 8because their breath   
goes forth1 they return to their  earth1
 and in that day their thoughts perish0 
7,ps4 cxlvi4 #c1 #d74  ,and if the ,god 

of ,jacob were like them1 what happiness
 could we have  in making him our help8 
,as his sovereignty in giving precepts  
had  not been a strong ground of        
obedience1 without considering him as   
an eternal lawgiver1 who could maintain 
his rights2 so his kindness  in making  
the promises had not been a strong      
ground of confidence1  without          
considering him as an eternal promiser1 
whose thoughts and  whose life can never
 perish4#egh ,and this may be one reason
 why the  ,holy ,ghost mentions so often
 the posteternity of ,god1 and so little
  his anteeternity2 because that is the 
strongest foundation of our  faith and  
hope1 which respects chiefly that which 
is future1 and not  that which is past2 
yet1 indeed1 no assurance of his        
aftereternity  can be had1 if his       
anteeternity be not certain4 ,if he had 
a beginning1  he may have an end2 and if
 he had a change in his nature1 he might
  have in his counsels2 but since all   
the resolves of ,god are as himself  is1

 eternal1 and all the promises of ,god  
are the fruits of his counsel1          
therefore they cannot be changed2 if he 
should change them for the  better1 he  
would not have been eternally wise1 to  
know what was best2  if for the worse1  
he had not been eternally good or just4 
,men may  break their promises1 because 
they are made without foresight2 but    
,god1 that inhabits eternity1 foreknows 
all things that shall be done  under the
 sun1 as if they had been then acting   
before him2 and nothing  can intervene1 
or work a change in his resolves2       
because the least  circumstances were   
eternally foreseen by him4 ,though there
 may be  variations1 and changes to our 
sight1 the wind may tack about1 and     
every hour new and cross accidents      
happen2 yet the eternal ,god1 who  is   
eternally true to his word1 sits at the 
helm1 and the winds and  the waves obey 
him4 ,and though he should defer his    
promise a thousand  years1 yet he is    
8not slack0 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #h1 #i72 for 

he defers it but  a day to his eternity3
 and who would not with comfort stay a  
day in  expectation of a considerable   
advantage8    ,use #c4 ,for exhortation4
 #a4 ,to something which concerns us in 
ourselves2 #b4 ,to something which      
concerns us with respect to ,god4    #a4
 ,to something which concerns us in     
ourselves4    7#a47 ,let us be deeply   
affected with our sins long since       
committed4  ,though they are past with  
us1 they are1 in regard of ,god's       
eternity1  present with him2 there is no
 succession in eternity1 as there is in 
time4 ,all things are before ,god at    
once2 our sins are before him1 as  if   
committed this moment1 though committed 
long ago4 ,as he is what  he is in      
regard of duration1 so he knows what he 
knows in regard of  knowledge4 ,as he is
 not more than he was1 nor shall not be 
any more  than he is1 so he always knew 
what he knows1 and shall not cease  to  
know what he now knows4 ,as himself1 so 
his knowledge1 is one  indivisible point

 of eternity4 ,he knows nothing but what
 he did know  from eternity2 he shall   
know no more for the future than he now 
knows4  ,our sins being present with him
 in his eternity1 should be present     
with us in our regard of remembrance of 
them1 and sorrow for them4  ,what though
 many years are lapsed1 much time run   
out1 a#cjb and our  iniquities almost   
blotted out of our memory2 yet since a  
thousand  years are1 in ,god's sight1   
and in regard of his eternity1 but as a 
day8,a thousand years in thy sight are  
but as yesterday1 when it  is past1 and 
as a watch in the night0 7,ps4 xc4      
#d7they are before  him4 ,for suppose a 
man were as old as the world1 above five
 thousand  six hundred years2 the sins  
committed five thousand years ago1 are1 
according to that rule1 but as if they  
were committed five days ago2  so that  
sixtytwo years are but as an hour and a 
half2 and the sins  committed forty     
years since as if they were committed   
but this present  hour4 ,but if we will 

go further1 and consider them but as a  
watch  of the night1 about three hours  
7for the night1 consisting of twelve    
hours1 was divided into set watches71   
then a thousand years are but  as three 
hours in the sight of ,god2 and then    
sins committed sixty  years ago are but 
as if they were committed within this   
five minutes4  ,let none of us set light
 by the iniquities committed many years 
ago1  and imagine that length of time   
can wipe out their guilt4 ,no3 let  us  
consider them in relation to ,god's     
eternity1 and excite an inward  remorse1
 as if they had been but the birth of   
this moment4    7#b47 ,let the          
consideration of ,god's eternity abate  
our pride4 ,this  is the design of the  
verses following the text3 the eternity 
of ,god  being so sufficient to make us 
understand our own nothingness1 which   
ought to be one great end of man1       
especially as fallen4 ,the eternity  of 
,god should make us as much disesteem   
ourselves1 as the excellency  of ,god   

made ,job abhor himself 7,job xlii4 #e1 
#f74 ,his excellency should  humble us  
under a sense of our vanity1 and his    
eternity under a sense  of the shortness
 of our duration4 ,if man compares      
himself with other  creatures1 he may be
 too sensible of his greatness2 but if  
he compares  himself with ,god1 he      
cannot but be sensible of his baseness4 
#ast4 ,in regard of our impotence to    
comprehend this eternity of ,god4  ,how 
little do we know1 how little can we    
know1 of ,god's eternity6  ,we cannot   
fully conceive it1 much less express it2
 we have but a  brutish understanding in
 all those things1 as ,agur said of     
himself  7,prov4 xxx4 #g74 ,what is     
infinite and eternal1 cannot be         
comprehended  by finite and temporary   
creatures2 if it could1 it would not be 
infinite and eternal2#egi for to know a 
thing1 is to know the extent  and cause 
of it4 ,it is repugnant to eternity to  
be known1 because it  hath no limits1 no
 causes2 the most soaring understanding 

cannot have  a proportionable           
understanding of it4 ,what disproportion
 is there  between a drop of water and  
the sea in their greatness and motion2  
yet  by a drop we may arrive to a       
knowledge of the nature of the sea1     
which  is a mass of drops joined        
together2 but the longest duration of   
times  cannot make us know what eternity
 is1 because there is no proportion     
between time and eternity4 ,the years of
 ,god are as numberless as  his thoughts
 7,ps4 xl4 #e71 and our minds as far    
from reckoning the  one as the other4   
,if our understandings are too gross to 
comprehend  the majesty of his infinite 
works1 they are much more too short to  
comprehend the infiniteness of his      
eternity4    a#cjc #b;d4 ,in regard of  
the vast disproportion of our duration  
to this  duration of ,god4    #a4 ,we   
have more of nothing than being4 ,we    
were nothing from an  unbegun eternity1 
and we might have been nothing to an    
endless  eternity1 had not ,god called  

us into being2 and if he please we may  
be nothing by as short an annihilating  
word1 as we were something by  a        
creating word4 ,as it is the prerogative
 of ,god to be1 8,i am that ,i  am20 so 
it is the property of a creature to be1 
8,i am not what ,i am20  ,i am not by   
myself what ,i am1 but by the indulgence
 of another4 ,i was  nothing formerly2  
,i may be nothing again1 unless he that 
is 8,i ,am0  make me to subsist what ,i 
now am4 ,nothing is as much the title of
  the creature as being is the title of 
,god4 ,nothing is so holy as ,god1      
because nothing hath being as ,god3     
8,there is none holy as the ,lord1  for 
there is none besides thee0 7#a ,sam4   
ii4 #b74 ,man's life is an image1  a    
dream1 which are next to nothing2 and if
 compared with ,god1 worse  than        
nothing2 a nullity as well as a vanity1 
because 8with ,god only  is the fountain
 of life0 7,ps4 xxxvi4 #i74 ,the        
creature is but a drop  of life from    
him1 dependent on him3 a drop of water  

is a nothing if  compared with the vast 
conflux of waters and numberless drops  
in the  ocean4 ,how unworthy is it for  
dust and ashes1 kneaded together in     
time1  to strut against the ,father of  
eternity6 ,much more unworthy for that  
which is nothing1 worse than nothing1 to
 quarrel with that which is  only being1
 and equal himself with ,him that       
inhabits eternity4    #b4 ,what being we
 have had a beginning4 ,after an        
unaccountable  eternity was run out1 in 
the very dregs of time1 a few years ago 
we  were created1 and made of the basest
 and vilest dross of the world1  the    
slime and dust of the earth2 made of    
that wherewith birds build  their nests2
 made of that which creeping things make
 their habitation1  and beasts trample  
upon4 ,how monstrous is pride in such a 
creature1 to  aspire1 as if he were the 
,father of eternity1 and as eternal as  
,god1  and so his own eternity6    #c4  
,what being we have is but of a short   
duration in regard of our  life in this 

world4 ,our life is in a constant change
 and flux2 we  remain not the same an   
entire day2 youth quickly succeeds      
childhood1  and age as speedily treads  
upon the heels of youth2 there is a     
continual defluxion of minutes1 as there
 is of sands in a glass4 ,he is  as a   
watch wound up at the beginning of his  
life1 and from that time  is running    
down1 till he comes to the bottom2 some 
part of our lives  is cut off every day1
 every minute4 ,life is but a moment3   
what is past  cannot be recalled1 what  
is future cannot be ensured4 ,if we     
enjoy this  moment1 we have lost that   
which is past1 and shall presently lose 
this  by the next that is to come4 ,the 
short duration of men is set out in     
,scripture by such creatures as soon    
disappear3 a worm 7,job xxv4 #f71  that 
can scarce outlive a winter2 grass1 that
 withers by the summer  sun4 ,life is a 
8flower10 soon withering 7,job xiv4 #b72
 a 8vapor10 soon  vanishing 7,james iv4 
#ad72 a 8smoke10 soon disappearing 7,ps4

 cii4 #c74  ,the strongest man is but   
compacted dust2 the fabric must moulder2
  the highest mountain falls and comes  
to naught4 ,time gives place to         
eternity2 we live now1 and die tomorrow4
 a#cjd ,not a man since the  world began
 ever lived a day in ,god's sight2 for  
no man ever lived a  thousand years4    
,the longest day of any man's life never
 amounted to  twentyfour hours in the   
account of divine eternity3 a life of so
 many  hundred years1 with the addition 
8he died10 makes up the greatest part   
of the history of the patriarchs 7,gen4 
v472 and since the life of man  hath    
been curtailed1 if any be in the world  
eighty years1 he scarce  properly lives 
sixty of them1 since the fourth part of 
time is at  least consumed in sleep4 ,a 
greater difference there is between the 
duration of ,god and that of a creature1
 than between the life of  one for a    
minute1 and the life of one that should 
live as many years  as the whole globe  
of heaven and earth1 if changed into    

papers1  could contain figures4 ,and    
this life1 though but of a short        
duration  according to the period ,god  
hath determined1 is easily cut off2 the 
treasure of life is deposited in a      
brittle vessel4 ,a small stone  hitting 
against ,nebuchadnezzar's statue will   
tumble it down into a  poor and nasty   
grave2 a grapestone1 the bone of a fish1
 a small fly  in the throat1 a moist    
damp1 are enough to destroy an earthly  
eternity1  and reduce it to nothing4    
,what a nothing1 then1 is our shortness1
 if  compared with ,god's eternity2 our 
frailty1 with ,god's duration6 ,how     
humble1 then1 should perishing creatures
 be before an eternal ,god1  with whom  
8our days are as a hand's breadth1 and  
our age as nothing60  7,ps4 xxxix4 #e47 
,the angels1 that have been of as long a
 duration as  heaven and earth1 tremble 
before him2 the heavens melt at his     
presence2  and shall we1 that are but of
 yesterday1 approach a divine eternity  
with unhumbled souls1 and offer the     

calves of our lips with the pride  of   
devils1 and stand upon our terms with   
him1 without falling upon our  faces1   
with a sense that we are but dust and   
ashes1 and creatures of  time8 ,how easy
 is it to reason out man's humility6 but
 how hard is it  to reason man into it6 
7#c47 ,let the consideration of ,god's  
eternity take off our love and          
confidence from the world1 and the      
things thereof4 ,the eternity of  ,god  
reproaches a pursuit of the world1 as   
preferring a momentary  pleasure before 
an everlasting ,god2 as though a        
temporal world could  be a better supply
 than a ,god whose years never fail4    
,alas6 what is  this earth men are so   
greedy of1 and will get1 though by blood
 and  sweat8 ,what is this whole earth1 
if we had the entire possession of  it1 
if compared with the vast heavens1 the  
seat of angels and blessed  spirits8 ,it
 is but as an atom to the greatest      
mountain1 or as a drop  of dew to the   
immense ocean4 ,how foolish is it to    

prefer a drop before  the sea1 or an    
atom before the world6 ,the earth is but
 a point to the  sun2 the sun with its  
whole orb1 but a little part of the     
heavens if  compared with the whole     
fabric4 ,if a man had the possession of 
all  those1 there could be no comparison
 between those that have had a          
beginning1 and shall have an end1 and   
,god who is without either of  them4    
,yet how many are there that make       
nothing of the divine eternity1  and    
imagine an eternity of nothing6    #a4  
,the world hath been but of a short     
standing4 ,it is not yet six  thousand  
years since the foundations of it were  
laid1 and therefore  it cannot have a   
boundless excellency1 as that ,god1 who 
hath a#cje  been from everlasting1 doth 
possess4 ,if ,adam had lived to this    
day1  and been as absolute lord of his  
posterity1 as he was of the other       
creatures1 had it been a competent      
object to take up his heart8 had  he not
 been a madman1 to have preferred this  

little created pleasure  before an      
everlasting uncreated ,god8 a thing that
 had a dependent  beginning1 before that
 which had an independent eternity8     
#b4 ,the beauties of the world are      
transitory and perishing4 ,the  whole   
world is nothing else but a fluid thing2
 the fashion of it is a  pageantry1     
8passing away0 7#a ,cor4 vii4 #ca73     
though the glories of it  might be      
conceived greater than they are1 yet    
they are not consistent1  but transient2
 there cannot be an entire enjoyment of 
them1 because  they grow up and expire  
every moment1 and slip away between our 
fingers while we are using them4 ,have  
we not heard of ,god's dispersing  the  
greatest empires like 8chaff before a   
whirlwind10 or as 8smoke out  of a      
chimney0 7,hos4 xiii4 #c71 which1 though
 it appears as a compacted  cloud1 as if
 it would choke the sun1 is quickly     
scattered into several  parts of the    
air1 and becomes invisible8 ,nettles    
have often been heirs  to stately       

palaces1 as ,god threatens ,israel      
7,hos4 ix4 #f74 ,we cannot  promise     
ourselves over night anything the next  
day4 ,a kingdom with  the glory of a    
throne may be cut off in a morning      
7,hos4 x4 #ae74 ,the  new wine may be   
taken from the mouth when the vintage is
 ripe2 the  devouring locust may snatch 
away both the hopes of that and the     
harvest 7,joel i4 #ae72 they are1       
therefore1 things which are not1 and    
nothing cannot be a fit object for      
confidence or affection2 8,wilt  thou   
set thy eyes upon that which is not8 for
 riches certainly make  themselves      
wings0 7,prov4 xxiii4 #e74 ,they are not
 properly beings1  because they are not 
stable1 but flitting4 ,they are not1    
because they  may not be the next moment
 to us what they are this3 they are but 
cisterns1 not springs1 and broken       
cisterns1 not sound and stable2 no      
solidity in their substance1 nor        
stability in their duration4 ,what  a   
foolish thing is it then1 to prefer a   

transient felicity1 a mere  nullity1    
before an eternal ,god6 ,what a         
senseless thing would it be  in a man to
 prefer the map of a kingdom1 which the 
hand of a child  can tear in pieces1    
before the kingdom shadowed by it6 ,how 
much more  inexcusable is it to value   
things1 that are so far from being      
eternal1  that they are not so much as  
dusky resemblances of an eternity4 ,were
  the things of the world more glorious 
than they are1 yet they are but  as a   
counterfeit sun in a cloud1 which comes 
short of the true sun in  the heavens1  
both in glory and duration2 and to      
esteem them before ,god1  is            
inconceivably baser1 than if a man      
should value a partycolored  bubble in  
the air1 before a durable rock of       
diamonds4 ,the comforts  of this world  
are as candles1 that will end in a      
snuff2 whereas the  felicity that flows 
from an eternal ,god1 is like the sun1  
that shines  more and more to a perfect 
day4    #c4 ,they cannot therefore be   

fit for a soul1 which was made to have  
an interest in ,god's eternity4 ,the    
soul being of a perpetual nature1  was  
made for the fruition of an eternal     
good2 without such a good it  can never 
be perfect4 ,perfection1 that noble     
thing1 riseth a#cjf not  from anything  
in this world1 nor is a title due to a  
soul while in  this world2 it is then   
they are said to be made perfect1 when  
they  arrive at that entire conjunction 
with the eternal ,god in another  life  
7,heb4 xii4 #bc74 ,the soul cannot be   
ennobled by an acquaintance  with these 
things1 or established by a dependence  
on them2 they cannot  confer what a     
rational nature should desire1 or supply
 it with what  it wants4 ,the soul hath 
a resemblance to ,god in a posteternity2
 why  should it be drawn aside by the   
blandishments of earthly things1 to     
neglect its true establishment1 and     
lackey after the body1 which is  but the
 shadow of the soul1 and was made to    
follow it and serve it8  ,but while it  

busieth itself altogether in the        
concerns of a perishing  body1 and seeks
 satisfaction in things that glide away1
 it becomes  rather a body than soul1   
descends below its nature1 reproacheth  
that  ,god who hath imprinted upon it an
 image of his own eternity1 and  loseth 
the comfort of the everlastingness of   
its ,creator4 ,how shall  the whole     
world1 if our lives were as durable as  
that1 be a happy  eternity to us1 who   
have souls that shall survive all the   
delights of  it1 which must fry in those
 flames that shall fire the whole frame 
of  nature at the general conflagration 
of the world8 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #aj47      
#d4 ,therefore let us provide for a     
happy interest in the eternity of  ,god4
 ,man is made for an eternal state4 ,the
 soul hath such a perfection  in its    
nature1 that it is fit for eternity1 and
 cannot display all  its operations but 
in eternity4 ,to an eternity it must go1
 and live  as long as ,god himself      
lives4 ,things of a short duration are  

not  proportioned to a soul made for an 
eternal continuance2 to see that it  be 
a comfortable eternity1 is worth all our
 care4 ,man is a forecasting  creature1 
and considers not only the present1 but 
the future too1 in  his provisions for  
his family2 and shall he disgrace his   
nature in  casting off all consideration
 of a future eternity8 ,get possession1 
therefore1 of the eternal ,god4 8,a     
portion in this life0 is the lot  of    
those who shall be forever miserable    
7,ps4 xvii4 #ad74 ,but ,god1  8an       
everlasting portion10 is the lot of them
 that are designed for  happiness4 8,god
 is my portion forever0 7,ps4 lxxiii4   
#bf74 8,time is  short0 7#a ,cor4 vii4  
#bi74 ,the whole time for which ,god    
designed this  building of the world1 is
 of a little compass2 it is a stage     
erected  for rational creatures to act  
their parts upon for a few thousand     
years2 the greatest part of which time  
is run out2 and then shall time1  like a
 rivulet1 fall into the sea of eternity1

 from whence it sprung4  ,as time is but
 a slip of eternity1 so it will end in  
eternity2 our  advantages consist in the
 present instant2 what is past never    
promised  a return1 and cannot be       
fetched back by all our vows4 ,what is  
future1  we cannot promise ourselves to 
enjoy2 we may be snatched away before   
it comes4 ,every minute that passeth1   
speaks the fewer remaining1  till the   
time of death2 and as we are every hour 
further from our  beginning1 we are     
nearer our end4 ,the child born this day
 grows up1 to  grow nothing at last4 ,in
 all ages there is 8but a step between  
us and  death10 as ,david said of       
himself 7#a ,sam4 xx4 #c74 ,the little  
time that  remains for the devil till   
the day of judgment1 envenoms his wrath2
  he rageth1 because 8his time is short0
 7,rev4 xii4 #ab74 ,the little time     
that remains between this moment a#cjg  
and our death1 should quicken  our      
diligence to inherit the endless and    
unchangeable eternity of ,god4    #e4   

,often meditate on the eternity of ,god4
 ,the holiness1 power1 and  eternity of 
,god1 are the fundamental articles of   
all religion1 upon  which the whole body
 of it leans2 his holiness for          
conformity to him1  his power and       
eternity for the support of faith and   
hope4 ,the strong  and incessant cries  
of the four beasts1 representing that   
christian  church1 are 8,holy1 holy1    
holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty1 which was1  
and is1  and is to come0 7,rev4 iv4 #h74
 ,though his power is intimated1 yet the
  chiefest are his holiness1 three times
 expressed2 and his eternity  which is  
repeated1 8who lives forever and ever0  
7ver4 #i74 ,this ought  to be the       
constant practice in the church of the  
,gentiles1 which  this book chiefly     
respects2 the meditation of his         
converting grace  manifested to ,paul1  
ravished the apostle's heart2 but not   
without  the triumphant consideration of
 his immortality and eternity1 which    
are the principal parts of the doxology3

 8,now unto the ,king eternal1          
immortal1 invisible1 the only wise ,god1
 be honor and glory forever  and ever0  
7#a ,tim4 i4 #aeag74 ,it could be no    
great transport to the  spirit1 to      
consider him glorious without           
considering him immortal4 ,the          
unconfinedness of his perfections in    
regard of time1 presents the soul  with 
matter of the greatest complacency4 ,the
 happiness of our souls  depends upon   
his other attributes1 but the perpetuity
 of it upon his  eternity4 ,is it a     
comfort to view his immense wisdom2 his 
overflowing  goodness2 his tender mercy2
 his unerring truth8 ,what comfort were 
there in any of those1 if it were a     
wisdom that could be baffled2 a         
goodness that could be damped2 a mercy  
that can expire2 and a truth  that can  
perish with the subject of it8 ,without 
eternity1 what were  all his other      
perfections1 but as glorious1 yet       
withering flowers2  a great1 but a      
decaying beauty8 ,by a frequent         

meditation of ,god's  eternity1 we      
should become more sensible of our own  
vanity and the  world's triflingness2   
how nothing should ourselves2 how       
nothing would  all other things appear  
in our eyes6 how coldly should we desire
 them6  how feebly should we place any  
trust in them6 ,should we not think     
ourselves worthy of contempt to dote    
upon a perishing glory1 to expect       
support from an arm of flesh1 when there
 is an eternal beauty to  ravish us1 an 
eternal arm to protect us8 ,asaph1 when 
he considered ,god  8a portion forever10
 thought nothing of the glories of the  
earth1 or  the beauties of the created  
heavens1 worth his appetite or          
complacency1  but 8,god0 7,ps4 lxxiii4  
#be1 #bf74 ,besides1 an elevated frame  
of heart at  the consideration of ,god's
 eternity1 would batter down the        
strongholds  and engines of any         
temptation3 a slight temptation will not
 know where  to find and catch hold of a
 soul high and hid in a meditation of   

it2  and if it doth1 there will not be  
wanting from hence preservatives to     
resist and conquer it4 ,what transitory 
pleasures will not the thoughts  of     
,god's eternity stifle8 ,when this work 
busieth a soul1 it is too  great to     
suffer it to descend1 to listen to a    
sleeveless errand from  hell or the     
world4 ,the wanton allurements of the   
flesh will be put  off with indignation4
 ,the proffers of the world will be     
ridiculous  when they are cast into the 
balance with the eternity of ,god1 which
  sticking in our thoughts1 we shall not
 be a#cjh so easy a prey for  the       
fowler's gin4 ,let us1 therefore1 often 
meditate upon this1 but  not in a bare  
speculation1 without engaging our       
affections1 and making  every notion of 
the divine eternity end in a suitable   
impression  upon our hearts4 ,this would
 be much like the disciples gazing upon 
the heavens at the ascension of their   
,master1 while they forgot the  practice
 of his orders 7,acts i4 #aa74 ,we may  

else find something of  the nature of   
,god1 and lose ourselves1 not only in   
eternity1 but to  eternity4    #b4 ,and 
hence the second part of the exhortation
 is1 to something which  concerns us    
with a respect to ,god4    7#a47 ,if    
,god be eternal1 how worthy is he of our
 choicest affections1  and strongest    
desires of communion with him6 ,is not  
everything to be  valued according to   
the greatness of its being6 ,how1 then1 
should we  love him1 who is not only    
lovely in his nature1 but eternally     
lovely2  having from everlasting all    
those perfections centered in himself1  
which appear in time6 ,if everything be 
lovely1 by how much more  it partakes of
 the nature of ,god1 who is the chief   
good2 how much  more infinitely lovely  
is ,god1 who is superior to all other   
goods1  and eternally so6 ,not a ,god of
 a few minutes1 months1 years1 or       
millions of years2 not of the dregs of  
time or the top of time1 but  of        
eternity2 above time1 inconceivably     

immense beyond time4 ,the loving  him   
infinitely1 perpetually1 is an act of   
homage due to him for his  eternal      
excellency2 we may give him the one1    
since our souls are  immortal1 though we
 cannot the other1 because they are     
finite4 ,since  he incloseth in himself 
all the excellencies of heaven and earth
  forever1 he should have an affection1 
not only of time in this world1  but of 
eternity in future2 and if we did not   
owe him a love for what  we are by him1 
we owe him a love for what he is in     
himself2 and more  for what he is1 than 
for what he is to us4 ,he is more worthy
 of our  affections because he is the   
eternal ,god1 than because he is our    
,creator2 because he is more excellent  
in his nature1 than in his  transient   
actions2 the beams of his goodness to   
us1 are to direct our  thoughts and     
affections to him2 but his own eternal  
excellency ought  to be the ground and  
foundation of our affections to him4    
,and truly1  since nothing but ,god is  

eternal1 nothing but ,god is worth the  
loving2  and we do but a just right to  
our love1 to pitch it upon that which   
can always possess us and be possessed  
by us2 upon an object that  cannot      
deceive our affection1 and put it out of
 countenance by a  dissolution4 ,and if 
our happiness consists in being like to 
,god1 we  should imitate him in loving  
him as he loves himself1 and as long as 
he loves himself2 ,god cannot do more to
 himself than love himself2  he can make
 no addition to his essence1 nor        
diminution from it4 ,what  should we do 
less to an eternal ,being1 than to      
bestow affections upon  him1 like his   
own to himself2 since we can find       
nothing so durable as  himself1 for     
which we should love it8    7#b47 ,he   
only is worthy of our best service4 ,the
 ,ancient of ,days is to  be served     
before all that are younger than        
himself2 our best obedience  is due to  
him as a ,god of unconfined excellency2 
everything that is  excellent deserves a

 veneration suitable to its excellency4 
,as ,god  is infinite1 he hath right to 
a boundless service2 as he is a#cji     
eternal1 he hath right to a perpetual   
service3 as service is a debt  of       
justice upon the account of the         
excellency of his nature1 so a          
perpetual service is as much a debt of  
justice upon the account of  his        
eternity4 ,if ,god be infinite and      
eternal1 he merits an honor and         
comportment from his creatures1 suited  
to the unlimited perfection  of his     
nature1 and the duration of his being4  
,how worthy is the  ,psalmist's         
resolution6 8,i will sing unto the ,lord
 as long as ,i live2  ,i will sing      
praise to my ,god while ,i have any     
being0 7,ps4 civ4 #cc74  ,it is the use 
he makes of the endless duration of the 
glory of ,god2  and will extend to all  
other service as well as praise4 ,to    
serve other  things1 or to serve        
ourselves1 is too vast a service upon   
that which  is nothing4 ,in devoting    

ourselves to ,god1 we serve him that is1
 that  was1 so as that he never began2  
is to come1 so as that he never shall   
end2 by whom all things are what they   
are2 who hath both eternal  knowledge to
 remember our service1 and eternal      
goodness to reward it4          a#caj   
,,discourse ,,vi4                       
,,on ,,the ,,immutability ,,of ,,god4   
,,psalm cii4 #bf1 #bg4,they shall       
perish1 but thou shalt endure3      yea1
 all of them shall wax old as a garment2
 as a vesture      shalt thou change    
them1 and they shall be changed3 ,but   
thou      art the same1 and thy years   
shall have no end4      ,,this ,psalm   
contains a complaint of a people pressed
 with a great  calamity2 some think of  
the ,jewish church in ,babylon2 others  
think the  ,psalmist doth here personate
 mankind lying under a state of         
corruption1  because he wishes for the  
coming of the ,messiah1 to accomplish   
that  redemption promised by ,god1 and  
needed by them4 ,indeed the title  of   

the ,psalm is 8,a prayer of the         
afflicted when he is overwhelmed1  and  
pours out his complaint before the      
,lord20 whether afflicted with  the     
sense of corruption1 or with the sense  
of oppression4 ,and the  redemption by  
the ,messiah1 which the ancient church  
looked upon as  the fountain of their   
deliverance from a sinful or a servile  
bondage1  is in this psalm spoken of4 ,a
 set time appointed for the discovery   
of his mercy to ,sion 7ver4 #ac72 an    
appearance in glory to build up  ,sion  
7ver4 #af72 the loosing of the prisoner 
by redemption1 and them  that are       
appointed to death 7ver4 #bj72 the      
calling of the ,gentiles  7ver4 #bb72   
and the latter part of the psalm1       
wherein are the verses  ,i have read1   
are applied to ,christ 7,heb4 i47       
,whatsoever the design  of the psalm    
might be1 many things are intermingled  
that concern the  kingdom of the        
,messiah1 and redemption by ,christ4    
,some make three parts of the psalm4 #a4

 ,a petition plainly delivered  7ver4   
#a1 #b73 8,hear my prayer1 ,o ,lord1 and
 let my cry come unto thee10  c4 #b4    
,the petition strongly and              
argumentatively enforced and pleaded    
7ver4 #c71 from the misery of the       
petitioner in himself1 and his  reproach
 from his enemies4 #c4 ,an acting of    
faith in the expectation of  an answer  
in the general redemption promised 7ver4
 #ab1 #ac73 8,but thou1  ,o ,lord1 shalt
 endure forever2 thou shalt arise and   
have mercy upon  ,sion2 the heathen     
shall fear thy name40 ,the first part is
 the petition  pleaded2 the second part 
is the petition answered1 in an         
assurance  that there should in time be 
a full deliverance4#ehj ,the design  of 
the penman is to confirm the church in  
the truth of the divine  promises2 that 
though the foundations of the world     
should be ripped  up1 and the heavens   
clatter together1 and the whole fabric  
of them  be unpinned and fall to pieces1
 the firmest parts of it dissolved2  yet

 the church should continue a#caa in its
 stability1 because it  stands not upon 
the changeableness of creatures1 but is 
built upon  the immutable rock of the   
truth of ,god1 which is as little       
subject  to change1 as his essence4     
,they shall perish1 thou shalt change   
them4 ,as he had before ascribed  to    
,god the 8foundation of heaven and      
earth0 7ver4 #be71 so he ascribes  to   
,god here the destruction of them4 ,both
 the beginning and end of the  world are
 here ascertained4 ,there is nothing1   
indeed1 from the present  appearance of 
things1 that can demonstrate the        
cessation of the world4  ,the heaven and
 earth stand firm2 the motions of the   
heavenly bodies  are the same1 their    
beauty is not decayed2 individuals      
corrupt1 but  the species and kinds     
remain4 ,the successions of the year    
observe  their due order2 but the sin of
 man renders the change of the present  
appearance of the world necessary to    
accomplish the design of ,god for  the  

glory of his elect4 ,the heavens do not 
naturally perish1 as some  fancied an   
old age of the world1 wherein it must   
necessarily decay as  the bodies of     
animals do2 or that the parts of the    
heavens are broken  off by their rubbing
 one against another in their motion1   
and falling  to the earth1 are the seeds
 of those things that grow among us4#eha
    ,the earth and heavens4 ,he names   
here the most stable parts of  the      
world1 and the most beautiful parts of  
the creation2 those that  are freest    
from corruptibility and change1 to      
illustrate thereby  the immutability of 
,god2 that though the heavens and earth 
have a  prerogative of fixedness above  
other parts of the world1 and the       
creatures that reside below1 the heavens
 remain the same as they  were created1 
and the centre of the earth retains its 
fixedness1 and  are as beautiful and    
fresh in their age as they were in their
 youth  many years ago1 notwithstanding 
the change of the elements1 fire  and   

water being often turned into air1 so   
that there may remain but  little of    
that air which was first created by     
reason of the continual  transmutation2 
yet this firmness of the earth and      
heavens is not to  be regarded in       
comparison of the unmovableness and     
fixedness of the  being of ,god2 as     
their beauty comes short of the glory of
 his being1  so doth their firmness come
 short of his stability4 ,some1 by      
heavens  and earth1 understand the      
creatures which reside in the earth1 and
  those which are in the air1 which is  
called heaven often in ,scripture2  but 
the ruin and fall of these being seen   
every day1 had been no fit  illustration
 of the unchangeableness of ,god4       
,they1 shall perish1 they shall be      
changed4 #a4 ,they may perish1  say     
some2 they have it not from themselves  
that they do not perish1  but from thee1
 who didst endue them with an           
incorruptible nature2 they  shall perish
 if thou speakest the word2 thou canst  

with as much ease  destroy them1 as thou
 didst create them4 ,but the ,psalmist  
speaks not  of their possibility1 but   
the certainty of their perishing4 #b4   
,they  shall perish in their qualities  
and motion1 not in their substance1  say
 others4 ,they shall cease from that    
motion which is designed  properly for  
the generation and corruption of things 
in the earth2  but in regard of their   
substance and beauty they shall remain4 
,as when  the strings or wheels of a    
clock or watch are taken off1 the       
material  parts remain1 though the      
motion of it1 and the use for           
discovering  a#cab the time of the day1 
ceaseth4#ehb ,to perish1 doth not       
signify  alway a falling into nothing1  
an annihilation1 by which both the      
matter and the form are destroyed1 but a
 ceasing of the present  appearance of  
them2 a ceasing to be what they now are2
 as a man is  said to perish when he    
dies1 whereas the better part of man    
doth not  cease to be4 ,the figure of   

the body moulders away1 and the matter  
of  it returns to dust2 but the soul    
being immortal ceaseth not to act1  when
 the body1 by reason of the absence of  
the soul1 is incapable  of acting4 ,so  
the heavens shall perish2 the appearance
 they now have  shall vanish1 and a more
 glorious and incorruptible frame be    
erected  by the power and goodness of   
,god4 ,the dissolution of heaven and    
earth  is meant by the word perish2 the 
raising a new frame is signified  by the
 word changed3 as if the ,spirit of ,god
 would prevent any wrong  meaning of the
 word perish1 by alleviating the sense  
of that1 by  another which signifies    
only a mutation and change2 as when we  
change  a habit and garment1 we quit the
 old to receive the new4    ,as a       
garment1 as a vesture4 ,thou shalt      
change them1 1#ehc  thou shalt fold them
 up4 ,the heavens are compared to a     
curtain 7,ps4  civ4 #b71 and shall in   
due time be folded up as clothes and    
curtains  are4 ,as a garment            

encompasseth the whole body1 so do the  
heavens  encircle the earth4#ehd ,some  
say1 as a garment is folded up to be    
laid aside1 that when there is need it  
may be taken again for use2  so shalt   
thou fold up the heavens like a garment1
 that when they are  repaired1 thou     
mayest again stretch them out about the 
earth2 thou  shalt fold them up1 so that
 what did appear shall not now appear4  
,it may be illustrated by the metaphor  
of a scroll or book1 which  the ,spirit 
of ,god useth 7,isa4 xxxiv4 #d2 ,rev4   
vi4 #ad73 8,the heavens  departed as a  
scroll when it is rolled together40     
,when a book is  rolled up or shut1     
nothing can be read in it till it be    
opened again2  so the face of the       
heavens1 wherein the stars are as       
letters declaring  the glory of ,god1   
shall be shut or rolled together1 so    
that nothing  shall appear1 till by its 
renovation it be opened again3 as a     
garment  it shall be changed1 not to be 
used in the same fashion1 and for the   

same use again4 ,it seems1 indeed1 to be
 for the worse2 an old garment  is not  
changed but into rags1 to be put to     
other uses1 and afterwards  thrown upon 
the dunghill2 but similitudes are not to
 be pressed  too far2 and this will not 
agree with the new heavens and new      
earth1 physically so1 as well as        
metaphorically so4 ,it is not likely    
the heavens will be put to a worse use  
than ,god designed them for  in         
creation2 however1 a change as a        
garment1 speaks not a total  corruption1
 but an alteration of qualities2 as a   
garment not to  be used in the same     
fashion as before4 ,we may observe1 that
 it is  probable the world shall not be 
annihilated1 but refined4 ,it shall     
lose its present form and fashion2 but  
not its foundation3 indeed1 as  ,god    
raised it from nothing1 so he can reduce
 it into nothing2 yet it  doth not      
appear that ,god will annihilate it1 and
 utterly destroy both  the matter and   
form of it2 part shall be consumed1 and 

part purified  7#b ,pet4 iii4 #ab1 #ac73
 8,the heavens shall be on fire and     
dissolved2  nevertheless1 we1 according 
to his promise1 look for a new heaven   
and  a new earth40 ,they shall be melted
 down as gold by the artificer1 to  be  
refined from its dross1 a#cac and       
wrought into a more beautiful  fashion1 
that they may serve the design of ,god  
for those that shall  reside therein2 a 
new world wherein righteousness shall   
dwell3 the  apostle opposing it thereby 
to the old world wherein wickedness did 
reside4 ,the heavens are to be purged1  
as the vessels that held the            
sinoffering were to be purified by the  
fire of the sanctuary4 ,god1  indeed1   
will take down this scaffold1 which he  
hath built to publish  his glory4 ,as   
every individual hath a certain term of 
its duration1 so  an end is appointed   
for the universal nature of heaven and  
earth 7,isa4  li4 #f73 8,the heavens    
shall vanish like smoke0 which          
disappears4 ,as  smoke is resolved and  

attenuated into air1 not annihilated1 so
 shall  the world assume a new face1 and
 have a greater clearness and splendor2 
as the bodies of men1 dissolved into    
dust1 shall have more glorious          
qualities at their resurrection2 as a   
vessel of gold is melted down  to remove
 the batterings in it1 and receive a    
more comely form by the  skill of the   
workman4    #a4 ,the world was not      
destroyed by the deluge3 it was rather  
washed by  water1 than consumed2 so it  
shall be rather refined by the last     
fire1  than lie under an irrecoverable  
ruin4    #b4 ,it is not likely ,god     
would liken the everlastingness of his  
covenant1 and the perpetuity of his     
spiritual ,israel1 to the duration  of  
the ordinances of the heavens 7as he    
doth in ,jer4 xxxi4 #ce1 #cf71 if  they 
were wholly to depart from before him4  
,though that place may only  tend to an 
assurance of a church in the world1     
while the world endures2  yet it would  
be but small comfort1 if the happiness  

of believers  should endure no longer   
than the heavens and earth1 if they were
 to  have a total period4    #c4        
,besides1 the bodies of the saints must 
have place for their support  to move   
in1 and glorious objects suited to those
 glorious senses which  shall be        
restored to them2 not in any carnal way1
 which our ,saviour  rejects1 when he   
saith1 ,there is no eating1 or drinking1
 or marrying1  c4 in the other world2   
but whereby they may glorify ,god2      
though how  or in what manner their     
senses shall be used1 would be rashness 
to  determine2 only something is        
necessary for the corporeal state of    
men1 that there may be an employment for
 their senses as well as their  souls4  
#d4 ,again1 ,how could the creature1 the
 world1 or any part of it1 be  said to  
be delivered from the bondage of        
corruption1 into the glorious  liberty  
of the sons of ,god1 if the whole frame 
of heaven and earth  were to be         
annihilated 7,rom4 viii4 #ba78 ,the     

apostle saith also1 that  the creature  
waits with an 8earnest expectation for  
this manifestation  of the sons of ,god0
 7ver4 #ai72 which would have no        
foundation if the  whole frame should be
 reduced to nothing4 ,what joyful       
expectation can  there be in any of a   
total ruin8 ,how should the creature be 
capable  of partaking in this glorious  
liberty of the sons of ,god8#ehe ,as the
  world for the sin of man lost its     
first dignity1 and was cursed after  the
 fall1 and the beauty bestowed upon it  
by creation defaced2 so  it shall       
recover that ancient glory1 when he     
shall be fully restored  by the         
resurrection to that dignity he lost by 
his first sin4 ,as man  shall be freed  
from his corruptibility to receive a#cad
 that glory  which is prepared for him1 
so shall the creatures be freed from    
that  imperfection or corruptibility1   
those stains and spots upon the face  of
 them1 to receive a new glory suited to 
their nature1 and answerable  to the    

design of ,god1 when the glorious       
liberty of the saints shall  be         
accomplished4#ehf ,as when a prince's   
nuptials are solemnized1 the  whole     
country echoes with joy2 so the         
inanimate creatures1 when the  time of  
the marriage of the ,lamb is come1 shall
 have a delight and  pleasure from that 
renovation4 ,the apostle sets forth the 
whole world  as a person groaning2 and  
the ,scripture is frequent in such      
metaphors2  as when the creatures are   
said to wait upon ,god1 and to be       
troubled1  the hills are said to leap   
and the mountains to rejoice 7,ps4 civ4 
#bgbi72 the creature is said to groan1  
as the heavens are said to  declare the 
glory of ,god1 passively1 naturally1 not
 rationally4 ,it is  not likely angels  
are here meant1 though they cannot but  
desire it2  since they are affected with
 the dishonor and reproach ,god hath in 
the  world1 they cannot but long for the
 restoration of his honor in the        
restoration of the creature to its true 

end3 and1 indeed1 the angels  are       
employed to serve man in this sinful    
state1 and cannot but in  holiness wish 
the creature freed from his corruption4 
,nor is it meant  of the new creatures1 
which have the first fruits of the      
,spirit2  those he brings in afterwards1
 groaning and waiting for the adoption  
7ver4 #bc72 where he distinguisheth the 
rational creature from the  creature he 
had spoken of before4 ,if he had meant  
the believing  creature by that creature
 that desired the liberty of the sons of
  ,god1 what need had there been of that
 additional distinction1 and  not only  
they1 but we also who have the first    
fruits of the ,spirit1  groan within    
ourselves8 ,whereby it seems he means   
some creatures below  rational          
creatures1 since neither angels nor     
blessed souls can be said  to travail in
 pain1 with that distress as a woman in 
travail hath1 as  the word signifies1   
who perform the work joyfully which ,god
 sets them  upon4#ehg ,if the creatures 

be subject to vanity by the sin of man1 
they shall also partake of a happiness  
by the restoration of man4 ,the  earth  
hath borne thorns and thistles1 and     
venomous beasts2 the air  hath had its  
tempests and infectious qualities2 the  
water hath caused  its floods and       
deluges4 ,the creature hath been abused 
to luxury and  intemperance2 and been   
tyrannized over by man1 contrary to the 
end of  its creation4 ,it is convenient 
that some time should be allotted for   
the creature's attaining its true end1  
and that it may partake of the  peace of
 man1 as it hath done of the fruits of  
his sin2 otherwise it  would seem1 that 
sin had prevailed more than grace1 and  
would have  had more power to deface1   
than grace to restore things into their 
due  order4    #e4 ,again1 ,upon what   
account should the ,psalmist exhort the 
heavens to  rejoice1 and the earth to be
 glad1 when ,god 8comes to judge the    
world  with righteousness0 7,ps4 xcvi4  
#aaac71 if they should be annihilated   

and sunk forever into nothing8 8,it     
would seem10 saith ,daille1 8to be  an  
impertinent figure1 if the ,judge of the
 world brought to them a  total         
destruction2 an entire ruin could not be
 matter of triumph to  creatures1 who   
naturally have that instinct or a#cae   
inclination  put into them by their     
,creator1 to preserve themselves1 and to
 effect  their own preservation40    #f4
 ,again1 the ,lord is to rejoice in his 
works 7,ps4 civ4 #ca73 8,the  glory of  
the ,lord shall endure forever2 the     
,lord shall rejoice in  his works20 not 
hath1 but shall rejoice in his works3 in
 the works of  creation1 which the      
,psalmist had enumerated1 and which is  
the whole  scope of the ,psalm3 and he  
intimates that it is part of the glory  
of  the ,lord which endures forever2    
that is1 his manifestative glory1 to    
rejoice in his works3 the glory of the  
,lord must be understood with  reference
 to the creation he had spoken of       
before4 ,how short was that  joy ,god   

had in his works after he had sent them 
beautified out of his  hand6 ,how soon  
did he repent1 not only that he had made
 man1 but was  grieved at the heart     
also1 that he made the other creatures  
which  man's sin had disordered6 7,gen4 
vi4 #g47 ,what joy can ,god have in     
them1  since the curse upon the entrance
 of sin into the world remains upon     
them8 ,if they are to be annihilated    
upon the full restoration of his        
holiness1 what time will ,god have to   
rejoice in the other works of  creation8
 ,it is the joy of ,god to see all his  
works in due order2  every one pointing 
to their true end2 marching together in 
their  excellency1 according to his     
first intendment in their creation4 ,did
  ,god create the world to perform its  
end only for one day2 scarce so  much1  
if ,adam fell the very first day of his 
creation8 ,what would have  been their  
end1 if ,adam had been confirmed in a   
state of happiness as  the angels were8 
'tis likely will be answered and        

performed upon the  complete restoration
 of man to that happy state from whence 
he fell4  ,what artificer compiles a    
work by his skill1 but to rejoice in it8
 ,and  shall ,god have no joy from the  
works of his hands8 ,since ,god can only
  rejoice in goodness1 the creatures    
must have that goodness restored  to    
them which ,god pronounced them to have 
at the first creation1 and  which he    
ordained them for1 before he can again  
rejoice in his works4  ,the goodness of 
the creatures is the glory and joy of   
,god4    ,inference #a4 ,we may infer   
from hence1 what a base and vile thing  
sin  is1 which lays the foundation of   
the world's change4 ,sin brings it to  a
 decrepit age2 sin overturned the whole 
work of ,god 7,gen4 iii4 #ag72  so that 
to render it useful to its proper end1  
there is a necessity of  a kind of a new
 creating it4 ,this causes ,god to fire 
the earth for a  purification of it from
 that infection and contagion brought   
upon it  by the apostasy and corruption 

of man4 ,it hath served sinful man1 and 
therefore must undergo a purging flame1 
to be fit to serve the holy  and        
righteous ,creator4 ,as sin is so       
riveted in the body of man1 that  there 
is need of a change by death to raze it 
out2 so hath the curse  for sin got so  
deep into the bowels of the world1 that 
there is need  of a change by fire to   
refine it for its master's use4 ,let us 
look  upon sin with no other notion than
 as the object of ,god's hatred1 the    
cause of his grief in the creatures1 and
 the spring of the pain and  ruin of the
 world4    #b4 ,how foolish a thing is  
it to set our hearts upon that which    
shall  perish1 and be no more what it is
 now6 ,the heavens and the earth1  the  
solidest and firmest parts of the       
creation1 shall not continue in  the    
posture they are2 they must perish and  
undergo a refining a#caf  change4 ,how  
feeble and weak are the other parts of  
the creation1 the  little creatures     
walking upon and fluttering about the   

world1 that  are perishing and dying    
every day2 and we scarce see them       
clothed with  life and beauty this day1 
but they wither and are despoiled of all
  the next2 and are such frail things   
fit objects for our everlasting  spirits
 and affections8 ,though the daily      
employment of the heavens is  the       
declaration of the glory of ,god 7,ps4  
xix4 #a71 yet neither this1  nor their  
harmony1 order1 beauty1 amazing         
greatness and glory of them1  shall     
preserve them from a dissolution and    
melting at the presence  of the ,lord4  
,though they have remained in the same  
posture from the  creation till this    
day1 and are of so great antiquity1 yet 
they must  bow down to a change before  
the will and word of their ,creator2 and
  shall we rest upon that which shall   
vanish like smoke8 ,shall we take  any  
creature for our support like ice1 that 
will crack under our  feet1 and must1 by
 the order of their ,lord ,creator1     
deceive our hopes8  ,perishing things   

can be no support to the soul2 if we    
would have rest1  we must run to ,god   
and rest in ,god4 ,how contemptible     
should that be to  us1 whose fashion    
shall pass away1 which shall not endure 
long in its  present form and           
appearance2 contemptible as a rest1 not 
contemptible  as the work of ,god2      
contemptible as an end1 not contemptible
 as a  means to attain our end6 ,if     
these must be changed1 how unworthy are 
other things to be the centre of our    
souls1 that change in our very  using of
 them1 and slide away in our very       
enjoyment of them6    ,thou art the     
same4 ,the essence of ,god1 with all the
 perfections  of his nature1 are        
pronounced the same1 without any        
variation from  eternity to eternity2 so
 that the text doth not only assert the 
eternal duration of ,god1 but his       
immutability in that duration4  ,his    
eternity is signified in that           
expression1 8,thou shalt endure20  his  
immutability in this1 8,thou art the    

same40 ,to endure1 argues  indeed his   
immutability as well as eternity2 for   
what endures1 is not  changed1 and what 
is changed1 doth not endure2#ehh but    
8,thou art the  same0#ehi doth more     
fully signify it4 ,he could not be the  
same if he  could be changed into any   
other thing than what he is2 the        
,psalmist  therefore puts not thou hast 
been1 or shalt be1 but thou art the     
same1  without any alteration4 8,thou   
art the same20 that is1 the same ,god2  
the same in essence and nature2 the same
 in will and purpose4 ,thou  dost change
 all other things as thou pleasest1 but 
thou art immutable  in every respect1   
and receivest no shadow of change1      
though never  so light and small4 ,the  
,psalmist here alludes to the name      
,jehovah1  ,i ,am2#eij and doth not only
 ascribe immutability to ,god1 but      
exclude  everything else from partaking 
in that perfection4 ,all things else    
are tottering2 ,god sees all other      
things in continual motion under  his   

feet1 like water passing away and no    
more seen2 while he remains  fixed and  
immovable2 his wisdom and power1 his    
knowledge and will1  are always the     
same4 ,his essence can receive no       
alteration1 neither  by itself1 nor by  
any external cause2 whereas other things
 either  naturally decline to           
destruction1 pass from one term to      
another1 till  they come to their       
period2 or shall at the last a#cag day  
be wrapped  up1 after ,god hath         
completed his will in them and by them1 
as a man  doth a garment he intends to  
repair and transform to another use4 ,so
  that in the text1 ,god1 as immutable1 
is opposed to all creatures as          
perishing and changeable4    ,doctrine4 
,god is unchangeable in his essence1    
nature1 and  perfections4 ,immutability 
and eternity are linked together2 and1  
indeed1 true eternity is true           
immutability2 whence eternity is        
defined the possession of an immutable  
life4 ,yet immutability differs  from   

eternity in our conception2 immutability
 respects the essence  or existence of a
 thing2 eternity respects the duration  
of a being in  that state1 or rather1   
immutability is the state itself2#eia   
eternity  is the measure of that state4 
,a thing is said to be changed1 when it 
is otherwise now in regard of nature1   
state1 will1 or any quality than  it was
 before2 when either something is added 
to it1 or taken from it2  when it either
 loses or acquires4 ,but now it is the  
essential property  of ,god1 not to have
 any accession to1 or diminution of1 his
 essence  or attributes1 but to remain  
entirely the same4 ,he wants nothing2   
he loses nothing2 but doth uniformly    
exist by himself1 without any  new      
nature1 new thoughts1 new will1 new     
purpose1 or new place4 ,this            
unchangeableness of ,god was anciently  
represented by the figure of  a cube1 a 
piece of metal or wood framed           
foursquare1 when every side  is exactly 
of the same equality2 cast it which way 

you will1 it will  always be in the same
 posture1 because it is equal to itself 
in all  its dimensions4#eib ,he was     
therefore said to be the centre of all  
things1 and other things the            
circumference2 the centre is never      
moved1  while the circumference is2 it  
remains immovable in the midst of the   
circle2 8,there is no variableness nor  
shadow of turning with him0  7,james i4 
#ag74 ,the moon hath her spots1 so hath 
the sun2 there is a  mixture of light   
and darkness2 it hath its changes2      
sometimes it is  in the increase1       
sometimes in the wane2 it is always     
either gaining  or losing1 and by the   
turnings and motions1 either of the     
heavenly  bodies or of the earth1 it is 
in its eclipse1 by the interposition of 
the earth between that and the sun4 ,the
 sun also hath its diurnal and  annual  
motion2 it riseth and sets1 and puts on 
a different face2 it  doth not always   
shine with the noonday light2 it is     
sometimes veiled  with clouds and       

vapors2 it is always going from one     
tropic to another1  whereby it makes    
various shadows on the earth1 and       
produceth the  various seasons of the   
year2 it is not always in our           
hemisphere1 nor  doth it always shine   
with an equal force and brightness in   
it4 ,such  shadows and variations have  
no place in the eternal ,father of      
,lights2  he hath not the least spot or 
diminution of brightness2 nothing can   
cloud him or eclipse him4    ,for the   
better understanding this perfection of 
,god1 ,i shall premise  three things4   
#a4 ,the immutability of ,god is a      
perfection4 ,immutability considered  in
 itself1 without relation to other      
things1 is not a perfection4 ,it  is the
 greatest misery and imperfection of the
 evil angels1 that they  are immutable  
in malice against ,god2 but as ,god is  
infinite in essence1  infinitely good1  
wise1 holy2 so it is a perfection       
necessary to his  nature1 that he should
 be immutably all this1 all excellency1 

a#cah  goodness1 wisdom1 immutably all  
that he is2 without this he would be  an
 imperfect ,being4 ,are not the angels  
in heaven1 who are confirmed  in a holy 
and happy state1 more perfect than when 
they were in a  possibility of          
committing evil and becoming miserable8 
,are not the  saints in heaven1 whose   
wills by grace do unalterably cleave to 
,god  and goodness1 more perfect than if
 they were as ,adam in ,paradise1       
capable of losing their felicity1 as    
well as preserving it8 ,we count a      
rock1 in regard of its stability1 more  
excellent than the dust of the  ground1 
or a feather that is tossed about with  
every wind2 is it not  also the         
perfection of the body to have a        
constant tenor of health1  and the glory
 of a man not to warp aside from what is
 just and right1  by the persuasions of 
any temptations8    #b4 ,immutability is
 a glory belonging to all the attributes
 of ,god4  ,it is not a single          
perfection of the ,divine nature1 nor is

 it limited  to particular objects thus 
and thus disposed4 ,mercy and justice   
have  their distinct objects and        
distinct acts2 mercy is conversant about
  a penitent1 justice conversant about  
an obstinate sinner4 ,in our  notion and
 conception of the ,divine perfections1 
his perfections  are different3 the     
wisdom of ,god is not his power1 nor his
 power his  holiness1 but immutability  
is the centre wherein they all unite4   
,there  is not one perfection but may be
 said to be and truly is1 immutable2    
none of them will appear so glorious    
without this beam1 this sun of          
immutability1 which renders them highly 
excellent without the least  shadow of  
imperfection4 ,how cloudy would his     
blessedness be if it were  changeable6  
,how dim his wisdom1 if it might be     
obscured6 ,how feeble  his power1 if it 
were capable to be sickly and languish6 
,how would  mercy lose much of its      
lustre1 if it could change into wrath2  
and  justice much of its dread1 if it   

could be turned into mercy1 while the   
object of justice remains unfit for     
mercy1 and one that hath need of  mercy 
continues only fit for the ,divine fury6
 ,but unchangeableness is  a thread that
 runs through the whole web2 it is the  
enamel of all the  rest2 none of them   
without it could look with a triumphant 
aspect4 ,his  power is unchangeable3    
8,in the ,lord ,jehovah is everlasting  
strength0  7,isa4 xxvi4 #d74 ,his mercy 
and his holiness endure forever3 he     
never  could1 nor ever can1 look upon   
iniquity 7,hab4 i4 #ac74 ,he is a rock  
in  the righteousness of his ways1 the  
truth of his word1 the holiness of  his 
proceedings1 and the rectitude of his   
nature4 ,all are expressed  ,deut xxxii4
 #d3 8,he is a rock1 his work is        
perfect1 for all his ways  are judgment2
 a ,god of truth1 and without iniquity2 
just and right  is he40 ,all that we    
consider in ,god is unchangeable2 for   
his essence  and his properties are the 
same1 and1 therefore1 what is           

necessarily  belonging to the essence of
 ,god1 belongs also to every perfection 
of  the nature of ,god2 none of them can
 receive any addition or diminution4    
,from the unchangeableness of his       
nature1 the apostle 7,james i4 #ag7     
infers the unchangeableness of his      
holiness1 and himself 7in ,mal4  iii4   
#f7 the unchangeableness of his counsel4
    #c4 ,unchangeableness doth          
necessarily pertain to the nature of    
,god4 ,it  is of the same necessity with
 the rectitude of his nature2 he can no 
more be changeable in his essence than  
he can be unrighteous in his  actions4  
,god is a necessary ,being2 he is       
necessarily what he is1 and1  a#cai     
therefore1 is unchangeably what he is4  
,mutability belongs to  contingency4 ,if
 any perfection of his nature could be  
separated from  him1 he would cease to  
be ,god4 ,what did not possess the whole
 nature  of ,god1 could not have the    
essence of ,god2 it is reciprocated with
 the  nature of ,god4 ,whatsoever is    

immutable by nature is ,god2 whatsoever 
is  ,god is immutable by nature4 ,some  
creatures are immutable by his grace    
and power4 ,god is holy1 happy1 wise1   
good1 by his essence2 angels  and men   
are made holy1 wise1 happy1 strong1 and 
good1 by qualities  and graces4#eic ,the
 holiness1 happiness1 and wisdom of     
saints and  angels1 as they had a       
beginning1 so they are capable of       
increase  and diminution1 and of an end 
also2 for their standing is not from    
themselves1 or from the nature of       
created strength1 holiness1 or  wisdom1 
which in themselves are apt to fail1 and
 finally to decay2  but from the        
stability and confirmation they have by 
the gift and  grace of ,god4 ,the heaven
 and earth shall be changed2 and after  
that  renewal and reparation they shall 
not be changed4 ,our bodies after the   
resurrection shall not be changed1 but  
forever be 8made conformable  to the    
glorious body of ,christ0 7,phil4 iii4  
#ba72 but this is by the  powerful grace

 of ,god3 so that1 indeed1 those things 
may be said  afterwards rather to be    
unchanged than unchangeable1 because    
they are  not so by nature1 but by      
sovereign dispensation4 ,as creatures   
have not  necessary beings1 so they have
 not necessary immutability4 ,necessity 
of being1 and1 therefore1 immutability  
of being1 belongs by nature  only to    
,god2 otherwise1 if there were any      
change in ,god1 he would be  sometimes  
what he was not1 and would cease to be  
what he was1 which is  against the      
nature1 and1 indeed1 against the natural
 notion of a ,deity4  ,let us see then1 
,i4 ,in what regards ,god is immutable4 
,,ii4 ,prove that ,god is immutable4    
,,iii4 ,that this is proper to ,god1 and
 incommunicable to any creature4  ,,iv4 
,some propositions to clear the         
unchangeableness of ,god from  anything 
that seems contrary to it4 ,v4 ,the use4
    ,i4 ,in what respects ,god is       
unchangeable4    #a4 ,god is            
unchangeable in his essence4 ,he is     

unalterably fixed in  his being1 so that
 not a particle of it can be lost from  
it1 not a  mite added to it4 ,if a man  
continue in being as long as            
,methuselah1  nine hundred and sixtynine
 years2 yet there is not a day1 nay1 an 
hour1 wherein there is not some         
alteration in his substance4 ,though  no
 substantial part is wanting1 yet there 
is an addition to him by  his food1 a   
diminution of something by his labor2 he
 is always making  some acquisition1 or 
suffering some loss3 but in ,god there  
can be no  alteration1 by the accession 
of anything to make his substance       
greater  or better1 or by diminution to 
make it less or worse4 ,he who hath not 
being from another1 cannot but be always
 what he is3 ,god is the first  ,being1 
an independent ,being2 he was not       
produced of himself1 or of  any other1  
but by nature always hath been1 and1    
therefore1 cannot by  himself1 or by any
 other1 be changed from what he is in   
his own nature4  ,that which is not may 

as well assume to itself a being1 as he 
who  hath and is all being1 have the    
least change from what he is4 ,again1   
because he is a ,spirit1 he is not      
subject to those mutations which  are   
found in corporeal and bodily natures2  
because he is an a#cbj  absolutely      
simple ,spirit1 not having the least    
particle of composition2  he is not     
capable of those changes which may be in
 created spirits4    7#a47 ,if his      
essence were mutable1 ,god would not    
truly be2 it could  not be truly said by
 himself1 8,i ,am that ,i ,am0 7,exod4  
iii4 #ad71 if  he were such a thing or  
,being at this time1 and a different    
,being at  another time4 ,whatsoever is 
changed properly is not1 because it doth
  not remain to be what it was2 that    
which is changed was something1 is      
something1 and will be something4 ,a    
being remains to that thing which  is   
changed2 yet though it may be said such 
a thing is1 yet it may be  also said    
such a thing is not1 because it is not  

what it was in its  first being2 it is  
not now what it was1 it is now what it  
was not2 it  is another thing than it   
was1 it was another thing than it is2 it
 will  be another thing than what it is 
or was4 ,it is1 indeed1 a being1 but  a 
different being from what it was before4
 ,but if ,god were changed1  it could   
not be said of him that he is1 but it   
might also be said of  him that he is   
not2 or if he were changeable1 or could 
be changed1 it  might be said of him he 
is1 but he will not be what he is2 or he
 may  not be what he is1 but there will 
be or may be some difference in his     
being1 and so ,god would not be 8,i ,am 
that ,i ,am20 for though he would  not  
cease utterly to be1 yet he would cease 
to be what he was before4    7#b47      
,again3 if his essence were mutable1 he 
could not be perfectly  blessed1 and    
fully rejoice in himself4 ,if he changed
 for the better1  he could not have an  
infinite pleasure in what he was before 
the  change1 because he was not         

infinitely blessed2 and the pleasure of 
that state could not be of a higher kind
 than the state itself1 or1  at least1  
the apprehension of a happiness in it4  
,if he changed for  the worse1 he could 
not have a pleasure in it after the     
change2 for  according to the diminution
 of his state would be the decrease of  
his  pleasure4 ,his pleasure could not  
be infinite before the change1 if  he   
changed for the better2 it could not be 
infinite after the change1  if he       
changed for the worse4 ,if he changed   
for the better1 he would  not have had  
an infinite goodness of being before2   
and not having an  infinite goodness of 
being1 he would have a finite goodness  
of being2  for there is no medium       
between finite and infinite4 ,then1     
though the  change were for the better1 
yet1 being finite before1 something     
would  be still wanting to make him     
infinitely blessed2 because being       
finite1  he could not change to that    
which is infinite2 for finite and       

infinite  are extremes so distant1 that 
they can never pass into one another2   
that is1 that that which is finite      
should become infinite1 or that  which  
is infinite should become finite2 so    
that supposing him mutable1  his essence
 in no state of change could furnish him
 with an infinite  peace and            
blessedness4    7#c47 ,again3 if ,god's 
essence be changed1 he either increaseth
 or  diminisheth4#eid ,whatsoever is    
changed1 doth either gain by receiving  
something larger and greater than it had
 in itself before1 or gains  nothing by 
being changed4 ,if the former1 then it  
receives more than  itself1 more than it
 had in itself before4 ,the ,divine     
nature cannot  be increased2 for        
whatsoever receives anything than what  
it had in  itself before1 must          
necessarily receive it from another1    
because a#cba  nothing can give to      
itself that which it hath not4 ,but ,god
 cannot  receive from another what he   
hath not already1 because whatsoever    

other things possess is derived from    
him1 and1 therefore1 contained  in him1 
as the fountain contains the virtue in  
itself which it conveys  to the streams2
 so that ,god cannot gain anything4 ,if 
a thing that is  changed gain nothing by
 that change1 it loseth something of    
what it  had before in itself2 and this 
loss must be by itself or some other4   
,god cannot receive any loss from       
anything in himself2 he cannot will  his
 own diminution1 that is repugnant to   
every nature4 ,he may as well  will his 
own destruction as his own decrease3    
every decrease is a  partial            
destruction4 ,but it is impossible for  
,god to die any kind  of death1 to have 
any resemblance of death1 for he is     
immortal1 and  8only hath immortality0  
7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af71 therefore impossible
 to be  diminished in any particle of   
his essence2 nor can he be diminished by
  anything in his own nature1 because   
his infinite simplicity admits of       
nothing distinct from himself1 or       

contrary to himself4 ,all decreases     
come from something contrary to the     
nature of that thing which doth         
decrease4 ,whatsoever is made less than 
itself1 was not truly unum1  one and    
simple1 because that which divides      
itself in separation was  not the same  
in conjunction4 ,nor can he be          
diminished by any other  without        
himself2 because nothing is superior to 
,god1 nothing stronger  than ,god which 
can oppress him4 ,but whatsoever is     
changed is weaker  than that which      
changeth it1 and sinks under a power it 
cannot  successfully resist2 weakness   
belongs not to the ,deity4#eie ,nor1    
lastly1 can ,god change from a state    
wherein he is1 to another state  equal  
to the former1 as men in some cases may 
do2 for in passing from  one state to   
another equal to it1 something must be  
parted with which  he had before1 that  
some other thing may accrue to him as a 
recompense  for that loss1 to make him  
equal to what he was4 ,this recompense  

then  he had not before1 though he had  
something equal to it4 ,and in this     
case it could not be said by ,god 8,i   
,am that ,i ,am10 but ,i am equal to    
what ,i was2 for in this case there     
would be a diminution and increase      
which1 as was showed1 cannot be in ,god4
    7#d47 ,again3 ,god is of himself1   
from no other4#eif ,natures1 which  are 
made by ,god1 may increase1 because they
 began to be2 they may  decrease1       
because they were made of nothing1 and  
so tend to nothing2  the condition of   
their original leads them to defect1 and
 the power  of their ,creator brings    
them to increase4 ,but ,god hath no     
original2  he hath no defect1 because he
 was not made of nothing3 he hath no    
increase1 because he had no beginning4  
,he was before all things1 and1         
therefore1 depends upon no other thing  
which1 by its own change1 can  bring any
 change upon him4 ,that which is from   
itself cannot be changed1  because it   
hath nothing before it1 nothing more    

excellent than itself2  but that which  
is from another as its first cause and  
chief good1 may  be changed by that     
which was its efficient cause and last  
end4#eig    #b4 ,god is immutable in    
regard of knowledge4 ,god hath known    
from  all eternity all that which he can
 know1 so that nothing is hid from  him4
 ,he knows not at present any more than 
he hath known a#cbb from  eternity3 and 
that which he knows now he always knows3
 8,all things are  open and naked before
 him0 7,heb4 iv4 #ac74 ,a man is said to
 be changed  in regard of knowledge1    
when he knows that now which he did not 
know  before1 or knows that to be false 
now which he thought true before1  or   
has something for the object of his     
understanding now1 which he had  not    
before4 ,but1    7#a47 ,this would be   
repugnant to the wisdom and omniscience 
which  belongs to the notions of a      
,deity4 ,that cannot be ,god that is not
  infinitely wise2 that cannot be       
infinitely wise that is either  ignorant

 of1 or mistaken in1 his apprehension of
 any one thing4 ,if ,god  be changed in 
knowledge1 it must be for want of       
wisdom2 all change of  this nature in   
creatures implies this defect preceding 
or accompanying  it4 ,such a thought of 
,god would have been unworthy of him    
that is  8only wise10 that hath no mate 
for wisdom 7#a ,tim4 i4 #ag72 none wise 
beside himself4 ,if he knew that thing  
this day which he knew not  before1 he  
would not be an 8only wise0 ,being2 for 
a being that did  know everything at    
once might be conceived1 and so a wiser 
being  be apprehended by the mind of    
man4 ,if ,god understood a thing at one 
time which he did not at another1 he    
would be changed from ignorance  to     
knowledge2 as if he could not do that   
this day which he could  do tomorrow1 he
 would be changed from impotence to     
power4 ,he could  not be always         
omniscient1 because there might be yet  
something still  to come which he yet   
knows not1 though he may know all things

 that  are past4 ,what way soever you   
suppose a change1 you must suppose a    
present or a past ignorance2 if he be   
changed in his knowledge for  the       
perfection of his understanding1 he was 
ignorant before2 if his  understanding  
be impaired by the change1 he is        
ignorant after it4    7#b47 ,if ,god    
were changeable in his knowledge1 it    
would make him unfit  to be an object of
 trust to any rational creature4 ,his   
revelations  would want the due ground  
for entertainment1 if his understanding 
were changeable2 for that might be      
revealed as truth now which might  prove
 false hereafter1 and that as false now 
which hereafter might  prove true2 and  
so ,god would be an unfit object of     
obedience in regard  of his precepts1   
and an unfit object of confidence in    
regard of his  promises4 ,for if he be  
changeable in knowledge he is defective 
in  knowledge1 and might promise that   
now which he would know afterwards  was 
unfit to be promised1 and1 therefore1   

unfit to be performed4  ,it would make  
him an incompetent object of dread1 in  
regard of his  threatenings2 for he     
might threaten that now which he might  
know  hereafter were not fit or just to 
be inflicted4 ,a changeable mind and    
understanding cannot make a due and     
right judgment of things to be  done1   
and things to be avoided2 no wise man   
would judge it reasonable  to trust a   
weak and flitting person4 ,god must     
needs be unchangeable  in his knowledge2
 but1 as the schoolmen say1 that1 as the
 sun always  shines1 so ,god always     
knows2 as the sun never ceaseth to      
shine1 so ,god  never ceaseth to know4  
,nothing can be hid from the vast       
compass of his  understanding1 no more  
than anything can shelter itself without
 the  verge of his power4 ,this farther 
appears in that1    #ast4 ,god knows by 
his own essence4 ,he doth not know1 as  
we a#cbc  do1 by habits1 qualities1     
species1 whereby we may be mistaken at  
one  time and rectified at another4 ,he 

hath not an understanding distinct  from
 his essence as we have1 but being the  
most simple ,being1 his  understanding  
is his essence2 and as from the         
infiniteness of his  essence we conclude
 the infiniteness of his understanding1 
so from  the unchangeableness of his    
essence1 we may justly conclude the     
unchangeableness of his knowledge4      
,since1 therefore1 ,god is without  all 
composition1 and his understanding is   
not distinct from his  essence1 what he 
knows1 he knows by his essence1 and     
there can then be  no more mutability in
 his knowledge than there can be in his 
essence2  and if there were any in that1
 he could not be ,god1 because he would 
have the property of a creature4 ,if his
 understanding then be his  essence1 his
 knowledge is as necessary1 as          
unchangeable as his essence4  ,as his   
essence eminently contains all          
perfections in itself1 so his           
understanding comprehends all things    
past1 present1 and future1 in  itself4  

,if his understanding and his essence   
were not one and the same1  he were not 
simple1 but compounded3 if compounded1  
he would consist of  parts2 if he       
consisted of parts1 he would not be an  
independent ,being1  and so would not be
 ,god4    #b;d4 ,god knows all things by
 one intuitive act4 ,as there is no     
succession in his being1 so that he is  
one thing now and another  thing        
hereafter2 so there is no succession in 
his knowledge4 ,he knows  things that   
are successive1 before their existence  
and succession1 by  one single act of   
intuition2 by one cast of his eye all   
things future  are present to him in    
regard of his eternity and omnipresence2
 so that  though there is a change and  
variation in the things known1 yet his  
knowledge of them and their several     
changes in nature is invariable  and    
unalterable4 ,as imagine a creature that
 could see with his eye  at one glance  
the whole compass of the heavens1 by    
sending out beams  from his eye without 

receiving any species from them1 he     
would see the  whole heavens uniformly1 
this part now in the east1 then in the  
west1  without any change in his eye1   
for he sees every part and every motion 
together2 and though that great body    
varies and whirls about1 and is  in     
continual agitation1 his eye remains    
steadfast1 suffers no change1  beholds  
all their motions at once and by one    
glance4 ,god knows all  things from     
eternity1 and1 therefore1 perpetually   
knows them2#eih the  reason is because  
the ,divine knowledge is infinite1#eii  
and therefore1  comprehends all knowable
 truths at once4 ,an eternal knowledge  
comprehends in itself all time1 and     
beholds past and present in the  same   
manner1 and1 therefore1 his knowledge is
 immutable3 by one simple  knowledge he 
considers the infinite spaces of past   
and future4    #c;d4 ,god's knowledge   
and will is the cause of all things and 
their  successions4#fjj ,there can be no
 pretence of any changeableness of      

knowledge in ,god2 but in this case1    
before things come to pass1 he  knows   
that they will come to pass2 after they 
are come to pass1 he  knows that they   
are past1 and slide away4 ,this would be
 something if  the succession of things 
were the cause of the ,divine knowledge1
 as it  is of our knowledge2 but on the 
contrary1 the a#cbd ,divine knowledge   
and will is the cause of the succession 
of them3 ,god doth not know  creatures  
because they are2 but they are because  
he knows them3 8,all  his works were    
known to him from the beginning of the  
world0 7,acts xv4  #ah74 ,all his works 
were not known to him1 if the events of 
all those  works were not also known to 
him2 if they were not known to him1 how 
should he make them8 he could not do    
anything ignorantly4 ,he made them  then
 after he knew them1 and did not know   
them after he made them4  ,his knowledge
 of them made a change in them2 their   
existence made no  change in his        
knowledge4 ,he knew them when they were 

to be created1  in the same manner that 
he knew them after they were created2   
before  they were brought into act1 as  
well as after they were brought into    
act2 before they were made1 they were1  
and were not2 they were in the          
knowledge of ,god1 when they were not in
 their own nature2 ,god did not  receive
 his knowledge from their existence1 but
 his knowledge and will  acted upon them
 to bring them into being4    #dth4     
,therefore the distinction of past and  
future makes no change in  the knowledge
 of ,god4 ,when a thing is past1 ,god   
hath no more distinct  knowledge of it  
after it is past1 than he had when it   
was to come2 all  things were all in    
their circumstances of past1 present1   
and to come2  seen by his understanding1
 as they were determined by his         
will4#fja  ,besides1 to know a day to be
 past or future1 is only to know the    
state  of that day in itself1 and to    
know its relation to that which follows1
  and that which went before4 ,this day 

wherein we are1 if we consider it  in   
the state wherein it was yesterday1 it  
was to come1 it was future2  but if we  
consider it in that state wherein it    
will be tomorrow1 we  understand it as  
past4 ,this in man cannot be said to be 
a different  knowledge of the thing     
itself1 but only of the circumstance    
attending  a thing1 and the different   
relation of it4 ,as ,i see the sun this 
day1 ,i know it was up yesterday1 ,i    
know it will be up tomorrow2 my         
knowledge of the sun is the same2 if    
there be any change1 it is in the  sun1 
not in my knowledge2 only ,i apply my   
knowledge to such particular            
circumstances4 ,how much more must the  
knowledge of those things in  ,god be   
unchangeable1 who knows all those       
states1 conditions1 and  circumstances1 
most perfectly from eternity2 wherein   
there is no  succession1 no past or     
future1 and therefore will know them    
forever6  ,he always beholds the same   
thing2 he sees1 indeed1 succession in   

things1 and he sees a thing to be past  
which before was future4 ,as  from      
eternity he saw ,adam as existing in    
such a time2 in the first  time he saw  
that he would be1 in the following time 
he saw that he had  been2 but this he   
knew from eternity2 this he knew in the 
same manner2  though there was a        
variation in ,adam1 yet there was no    
variation in  ,god's knowledge of him1  
in all his states2 though ,adam was not 
present  to himself1 yet in all his     
states he was present to ,god's         
eternity4    #eth4 ,consider1 that the  
knowledge of ,god1 in regard of the     
manner of  it1 as well as the objects1  
is incomprehensible to a finite         
creature4  ,so that though we cannot    
arrive to a full understanding of the   
manner  of ,god's knowledge1 yet we must
 conceive so of it1 as to a#cbe remove  
all imperfection from him in it4 ,and   
since it is an imperfection to be       
changeable1 we must remove that from    
,god2 the knowledge of ,god about       

things past1 present and future1 must be
 inconceivably above ours3  8,his       
understanding is infinite0 7,ps4 cxlvii4
 #e74 ,there is no number  of it2 it can
 no more be calculated or drawn into an 
account by us1  than infinite spaces1   
which have no bounds and limits1 can be 
measured  by us4 ,we can no more arrive1
 even in heaven1 to a comprehensive     
understanding of the manner of his      
knowledge1 than of the infinite  glory  
of his essence2 we may as well          
comprehend one as the other4 ,this  we  
must conclude1 that ,god being not a    
body1 doth not see one thing  with eyes1
 and another thing with mind1 as we do2 
but being a spirit1  he sees and knows  
only with mind1 and his mind is himself1
 and is as  unchangeable as himself2 and
 therefore as he is not now another     
thing  than what he was1 so he knows not
 anything now in another manner than  as
 he knew it from eternity2 he sees all  
things in the glass of his  own essence2
 as1 therefore1 the glass doth not vary1

 so neither doth  his vision4    #c4    
,god is unchangeable in regard of his   
will and purpose4 ,a change  in his     
purpose is1 when a man determines to do 
that now which before  he determined not
 to do1 or to do the contrary2 when a   
man hates  that thing which he loved1 or
 begins to love that which he before    
hated2 when the will is changed1 a man  
begins to will that which he  willed not
 before1 and ceaseth to will that which 
he willed before4  ,but whatsoever ,god 
hath decreed1 is immutable2 whatsoever  
,god hath  promised1 shall be           
accomplished3 8,the word that goes forth
 of his  mouth shall not return to him  
void1 but it shall accomplish that      
which he pleaseth0 7,isa4 lv4 #aa72     
whatsoever 8he purposeth1 he will  do0  
7,isa4 xlvi4 #aa2 ,numb4 xxiii4 #ai72   
his decrees are therefore called        
8mountains of brass0 7,zech4 vi4 #a73   
brass1 as having substance and          
solidity2 mountains1 as being immovable1
 not only by any creature1 but  by      

himself2 because they stand upon the    
basis of infallible wisdom1  and are    
supported by uncontrollable power4 ,from
 this immutability  of his will1        
published to man1 there could be no     
release from the  severity of the law1  
without satisfaction made by the death  
of a  ,mediator1 since it was the       
unalterable will of ,god1 that death    
should  be the wages of sin2 and from   
this immutable will it was1 that the    
length of time1 from the first promise  
of the ,redeemer to his mission1  and   
the daily provocations of men1 altered  
not his purpose for the  accomplishment 
of it in the fulness of that time he had
 resolved upon2  nor did the wickedness 
of former ages hinder the addition of   
several  promises as buttresses to the  
first4 ,to make this out1 consider1     
7#a47 ,the will of ,god is the same with
 his essence4 ,if ,god had a will       
distinct from his essence1 he would not 
be the most simple ,being4 ,god  hath   
not a faculty of will distinct from     

himself2 as his understanding  is       
nothing else but ,deus intelligens1 ,god
 understanding2 so his will  is nothing 
else but ,deus volens1 ,god willing2    
being1 therefore1 the  essence of ,god2 
though it is considered1 according to   
our weakness1  as a faculty1 it is as   
his understanding and wisdom1 eternal   
and  immutable2 and can no more be      
changed than his essence4 ,the a#cbf    
immutability of the ,divine counsel     
depends upon that of his essence2  he is
 the ,lord ,jehovah1 therefore he is    
true to his word 7,mal4 iii4 #f2  ,isa4 
xliii4 #ac73 8,yea1 before the day ,i am
 he1 and there is none that  can deliver
 out of my hand40 ,he is the same1      
immutable in his essence1  therefore    
irresistible in his power4    7#b47     
,there is a concurrence of ,god's will  
and understanding in  everything4 ,as   
his knowledge is eternal1 so is his     
purpose4 ,things  created had not been  
known to be1 had not ,god resolved them 
to be  the act of his will2 the         

existence of anything supposeth an act  
of  his will4 ,again1 as ,god knows all 
things by one simple vision of  his     
understanding1 so he wills all things by
 one act of volition2  therefore the    
purpose of ,god in the ,scripture is not
 expressed by  counsels in the plural   
number1 but counsel2 showing that all   
the  purposes of ,god are not various1  
but as one will1 branching itself  out  
into many acts towards the creature2 but
 all knit in one root1  all links of one
 chain4 ,whatsoever is eternal is       
immutable2 as his  knowledge is eternal1
 and therefore immutable1 so is his     
will2 he  wills or nills nothing to be  
in time1 but what he willed and nilled  
from eternity2 if he willed in time that
 to be that he willed not  from         
eternity1 then he would know that in    
time which he knew not from  eternity2  
for ,god knows nothing future1 but as   
his will orders it to  be future1 and in
 time to be brought into being4    7#c47
 ,there can be no reason for any change 

in the will of ,god4 ,when  men change  
in their minds1 it must be for want of  
foresight2 because  they could not      
foresee all the rubs and bars which     
might suddenly  offer themselves2 which 
if they had foreseen1 they would not    
have  taken such measures3 hence men    
often will that which they afterwards   
wish they had not willed when they come 
to understand it clearer1  and see that 
to be injurious to them which they      
thought to be good  for them2 or else   
the change proceeds from a natural      
instability  without any just cause1 and
 an easiness to be drawn into that which
 is  unrighteous2 or else it proceeds   
from a want of power1 when men take  new
 counsels1 because they are invincibly  
hindered from executing the  old4 ,but  
none of those can be in ,god4    #ast4  
,it cannot be for want of foresight4    
,what can be wanting to an  infinite    
understanding8 ,how can any unknown     
event defeat his purpose1  since nothing
 happens in the world but what he wills 

to effect1 or  wills to permit2 and     
therefore all future events are present 
with him8  ,besides1 it doth not consist
 with ,god's wisdom to resolve anything1
  but upon the highest reason2 and what 
is the highest and infinite  reason1    
cannot but be unalterable in itself2 for
 there can be no  reason and wisdom     
higher than the highest4 ,all ,god's    
purposes are not  bare acts of will1 but
 acts of counsel4 8,he works all things 
according  to the counsel of his own    
will0 7,eph4 i4 #aa73 and he doth not   
say so  much that his will1 as that 8his
 counsel shall stand0 7,isa4 xlvi4 #aj74
  ,it stands1 because it is counsel2 and
 the immutability of a promise  is      
called the 8immutability of his counsel0
 7,heb4 vi4 #ag71 as being  introduced  
and settled by the most perfect wisdom1 
and therefore to  be carried on to a    
full and complete execution2 his        
purpose1 then1  cannot be changed for   
want of foresight2 for this would be a  
charge  of weakness4    a#cbg #b;d4 ,nor

 can it proceed from a natural          
instability of his will1  or an easiness
 to be drawn to that which is           
unrighteous4 ,if his will  should not   
adhere to his counsel1 it is because it 
is not fit to be  followed1 or because  
it will not follow it2 if not fit to be 
followed1  it is a reflection upon his  
wisdom2 if it be established1 and he    
will  not follow it1 there is a         
contrariety in ,god1 as there is in a   
fallen  creature1 will against wisdom4  
,that cannot be in ,god which he hates  
in a creature1 viz4 the disorder of     
faculties1 and being out of their  due  
place4 ,the righteousness of ,god is    
like a 8great mountain0 7,ps4  xxxvi4   
#f74 ,the rectitude of his nature is as 
immovable in itself1  as all the        
mountains in the world are by the       
strength of man4 8,he is  not as a man1 
that he should repent or lie0 7,numb4   
xxiii4 #ai72 who  often changes1 out of 
a perversity of will1 as well as want of
 wisdom  to foresee1 or want of ability 

to perform4 ,his eternal purpose must   
either be righteous or unrighteous2 if  
righteous and holy1 he would  become    
unholy by the change2 if not righteous  
nor holy1 then he  was unrighteous      
before the change2 which way soever it  
falls1 it  would reflect upon the       
righteousness of ,god1 which is a       
blasphemous  imagination4#fjb ,if ,god  
did change his purpose1 it must be      
either  for the better1then the counsel 
of ,god was bad before2 or for the      
worse1then he was not wise and good     
before4    #c;d4 ,nor can it be for want
 of strength4 ,who hath power to control
 him8  ,not all the combined devices and
 endeavors of men can make the counsel  
of ,god to totter 7,prov4 xix4 #ba73    
8,there are many devices in a man's     
heart2 nevertheless the counsel of the  
,lord1 that shall stand20 that1  and    
that only shall stand4 ,man hath a power
 to devise and imagine1  but no power to
 effect and execute of himself4 ,god    
wants no more power  to effect what he  

will1 than he wants understanding to    
know what is  fit4 ,well1 then1 since   
,god wanted not wisdom to frame his     
decrees1  nor holiness to regulate them1
 nor power to effect them1 what should  
make him change them8 since there can be
 no reason superior to  his1 no event   
unforeseen by him1 no holiness          
comparable to his1 no  unrighteousness  
found in him1 no power equal to his1 to 
put a rub in  his way4    #dth4 ,though 
the will of ,god be immutable1 yet it is
 not to be  understood so1 as that the  
things themselves so willed are         
immutable4  ,nor will the immutability  
of the things willed by him1 follow upon
 the  unchangeableness of his will in   
willing them2 though ,god be firm in    
willing them1 yet he doth not will that 
they should alway be4 ,god did  not     
perpetually will the doing those things 
which he once decreed to  be done2 he   
decreed that ,christ should suffer1 but 
he did not decree  that ,christ should  
alway suffer2 so he willed the ,mosaical

 rites for  a time1 but he did not will 
that they should alway continue2 he     
willed  that they should endure only for
 a time2 and when the time came for     
their ceasing1 ,god had been mutable if 
he had not put an end to them1  because 
his will had fixed such a period4 ,so   
that the changing of  those things which
 he had once appointed to be practised1 
is so far  from charging ,god with      
changeableness1 that ,god would be      
mutable if  he did not take them away2  
since he decreed as well their abolition
 at  such a time1 as their continuance  
till such a a#cbh time2 so that the     
removal of them was pursuant to his     
unchangeable will and decree4 ,if  ,god 
had decreed that such laws should alway 
continue1 and afterwards  changed that  
decree1 and resolved the abrogation of  
them1 then indeed  ,god had been        
mutable2 he had rescinded one decree by 
another2 he  had then seen an error in  
his first resolve1 and there must be    
some  weakness in the reason and wisdom 

whereon it was grounded4#fjc ,but it    
was not so here2 for the change of those
 laws is so far from slurring  ,god with
 any mutability1 that the very change of
 them is no other  than the issue of his
 eternal decree2 for from eternity he   
purposed  in himself to change this or  
that dispensation1 though he did decree 
to bring such a dispensation into the   
world4 ,the decree itself  was eternal  
and immutable1 but the thing decreed was
 temporary and  mutable4 ,as a decree   
from eternity doth not make the thing   
decreed to  be eternal1 so neither doth 
the immutability of the decree render   
the  thing so decreed to be immutable3  
as for example1 ,god decreed from all   
eternity to create the world2 the       
eternity of this decree did not make    
the world to be in being and actually   
created from eternity2 so ,god  decreed 
immutably that the world so created     
should continue for such  a time2 the   
decree is immutable if the world perish 
at that time1  and would not be         

immutable if the world did endure beyond
 that time  that ,god hath fixed for the
 duration of it3 as when a prince orders
 a  man's remaining in prison for so    
many days2 if he be prevailed with to   
give him a delivery before those days1  
or to continue him in custody  for the  
same crime after those days1 his order  
is changed2 but if he  orders the       
delivery of him just at that time1 till 
which he had before  decreed that he    
should continue in prison1 the purpose  
and order of  the prince remains firm1  
and the change in the state of the      
prisoner  is the fruit of that firm and 
fixed resolution3 so that we must       
distinguish between the person          
decreeing1 the decree itself1 and  the  
thing decreed4 ,the person decreeing1   
viz41 ,god1 is in himself  immutable1   
and the decree is immutable2 but the    
thing decreed may be  mutable2 and if it
 were not changed according to the first
 purpose1  it would argue the decree    
itself to be changed2 for while a man   

wills  that this may be done now1 and   
another thing done afterwards1 the same 
will remains2 and though there be a     
change in the effects1 there is no      
change in the will4    #eth4 ,the       
immutability of ,god's will doth not    
infringe the liberty  of it4 ,the       
liberty of ,god's will consists with the
 necessity of  continuing his purpose4  
,god is necessarily good1 immutably     
good2 yet  he is freely so1 and would   
not be otherwise than what he is4 ,god  
was  free in his first purpose2 and     
purposing this or that by an infallible 
and unerring wisdom1 it would be a      
weakness to change the purpose4 ,but1   
indeed1 the liberty of ,god's will doth 
not seem so much to consist  in an      
indifferency to this or that1 as in an  
independency on anything  without       
himself3 his will was free1 because it  
did not depend upon the  objects about  
which his will was conversant4 ,to be   
immutably good is  no point of          
imperfection1 but the height of         

perfection4    #d4 ,as ,god is          
unchangeable in regard of essence1      
knowledge1 purpose1  a#cbi so he is     
unchangeable in regard of place4 ,he    
cannot be changed  in time1 because he  
is eternity2 so he cannot be changed in 
place1  because he hath ubiquity3 he is 
eternal1 therefore cannot be changed  in
 time2 he is omnipresent1 therefore     
cannot be changed in place3 he  doth not
 begin to be in one place wherein he was
 not before1 or cease  to be in a place 
wherein he was before4 ,he that fills   
every place in  heaven and earth1 cannot
 change place2 he cannot leave one to   
possess  another1 that is equally1 in   
regard of his essence1 in all3 8,he     
fills  heaven and earth0 7,jer4 xxiii4  
#bd74 ,the heavens that are not subject 
to those changes to which sublunary     
bodies are subject1 that are not        
diminished in quantity or quality2 yet  
they are alway changing place  in regard
 of their motion2 no part of them doth  
alway continue in the  same point3 but  

,god hath no change of his nature1      
because he is most  inward in           
everything2 he is substantially in all  
spaces1 real and  imaginary2 there is no
 part of the world which he doth not    
fill2 no  place can be imagined wherein 
he doth not exist4 ,suppose a million of
  worlds above and about this1          
encircling one another2 his essence     
would  be in every part and point of    
those worlds2 because it is indivisible1
  it cannot be divided2 nor can it be   
contained within those created  limits  
of millions of worlds1 when the most    
soaring and best coining  fancy hath run
 through all creatures to the highest   
sphere of the  heavens1 and imagined one
 world after another1 till it can fancy 
no more3 none of these1 nor all of      
these1 can contain ,god2 for the        
8heaven of heavens cannot contain him0  
7#a ,kings viii4 #bg72 8,he is  higher  
than heaven1 deeper than hell0 7,job xi4
 #h71 and possesses  infinite imaginary 
spaces beyond created limits4 ,he who   

hath no cause  of being1 can have no    
limits of being2#fjd and though by      
creation he  began to be in the world1  
yet he did not begin to be where the    
world  is1 but was in the same imaginary
 space from all eternity2 for he was    
alway in himself by his own eternal ubi4
 ,therefore observe1 that  when ,god is 
said to draw near to us when we draw    
near to him 7,james  iv4 #h71 it is not 
by local motion or change of place1 but 
by special  and spiritual influences1 by
 exciting and supporting grace4 ,as we  
ordinarily say1 the sun is come into the
 house when yet it remains in  its place
 and order in the heavens1 because the  
beams pierce through  the windows and   
enlighten the room1 so when ,god is said
 to come down  or descend 7,gen4 xi4 #e2
 ,exod4 xxxiv4 #e71 it is not by a      
change of  place1 but a change of       
outward acts1 when he puts forth himself
 in  ways of fresh mercy or new         
judgments1 in the effluxes of his love  
or the flames of his wrath4 ,when good  

men feel the warm beams of his  grace   
refreshing them1 or wicked men feel the 
hot coals of his anger  scorching them4 
,god's drawing near to us is not so much
 his coming to  us1 but his drawing us  
to him2#fje as when watermen pull a rope
 that  is in one end fastened to the    
shore1 and the other end to the vessel2 
the shore is immovable1 yet it seems to 
the eye to come to them1  but they      
really move to the shore4 ,god is an    
immovable rock2 we are  floating and    
uncertain creatures2 while he seems to  
approach to us1 he  doth really make us 
to approach to him2 he comes not to us  
by a#ccj  any change of place himself1  
but draws us to him by a change of mind1
  will1 and affections in us4    ,,ii4  
,the second thing propounded1 is the    
reasons to prove ,god  immutable4 ,the  
heathens acknowledged ,god to be so3    
,plato#fjf and the  ,pythagoreans called
 ,god1 or the stable good principle1 1  
idem3  the evil principle1 1 another    
thing1 changeable2 one thing one  time1 

and another thing another time#fjg      
7,dan4 vi4 #bf73 8,he is the  living    
,god1 and steadfast forever40    #a4    
,the name ,jehovah signifies this       
attribute 7,exod4 iii4 #ad73 8,i am     
that ,i am2 ,i am hath sent me to you40 
,it signifies his immutability  as well 
as eternity4 ,i am1 signifies his       
eternity2 that1 or the same  that ,i am1
 his immutability3#fjh as it respects   
the essence of ,god1  it signifies his  
unchangeable being from eternity to     
eternity2 as it  respects the creature1 
it signifies his constancy in his       
counsels and  promises1 which spring    
from no other cause but the             
unchangeableness  of his nature4#fji    
,the reason why men stand not to their  
covenant1  is because they are not      
always the same2 ,i am1 that is1 ,i am  
the same1  before the creation of the   
world1 and since the creation of the    
world2  before the entrance of sin1 and 
since the entrance of sin2 before  their
 going into ,egypt1 and while they      

remain in ,egypt4 ,the very  name       
,jehovah#faj bears1 according to the    
grammatical order1 a mark  of ,god's    
unchangeableness2 it never hath anything
 added to it1 nor  anything taken from  
it2 it hath no plural number1 no        
affixesa custom  peculiar to the eastern
 languages2 it never changes its letters
 as  other words do4 ,that only is a    
true being which hath not only an       
eternal existence1 but stability in it3 
that is not truly a being1  that never  
remains in the same state4#faa ,all     
things that are changed  cease to be    
what they were1 and begin to be what    
they were not1 and  therefore cannot    
have the title truly applied to them1   
they are2 they  are1 indeed1 but like a 
river in a continual flux1 that no man  
ever  sees the same2 let his eye be     
fixed upon one place of it1 the water   
he sees1 slides away1 and that which he 
saw not succeeds in its place2  let him 
take his eye off but for the least      
moment1 and fix it there  again1 and he 

sees not the same that he saw before4   
,all sensible  things are in a perpetual
 stream2 that which is sometimes this   
and  sometimes that1 is not1 because it 
is not always the same2 whatsoever  is  
changed1 is something now which it was  
not alway2 but of ,god it  is said1 ,i  
am1 which could not be if he were       
changeable2 for it may  be said of him1 
he is not1 as well as he is1 because he 
is not what  he was2 if we say not of   
him1 he was1 nor he will be1 but only he
 is1  whence should any change arrive8  
,he must invincibly remain the same1  of
 whose nature1 perfections1 knowledge   
and will1 it cannot be said it  was1 as 
if it were not now in him2 or it shall  
be1 as if it were not  yet in him2 but  
he is1 because he doth not only exist1  
but doth alway  exist the same4 ,i am1  
that is1 ,i receive from no other what  
,i am in  myself2 he depends upon no    
other in his a#cca essence1 knowledge1  
purposes1 and therefore hath no changing
 power over him4    #b4 ,if ,god were   

changeable1 he could not be the most    
perfect ,being4  ,god is the most       
perfect ,being1 and possesses in himself
 infinite and  essential goodness       
7,matt4 v4 #dh73 8,your heavenly ,father
 is perfect40  ,if he could change from 
that perfection1 he were not the highest
  exemplar and copy for us to write     
after4 ,if ,god doth change1 it  must be
 either to a greater perfection than he 
had before1 or to a  less1 mutatio      
perfectiva vel amissiva2 if he changes  
to acquire a  perfection he had not1    
then he was not before the most         
excellent ,being2  necessarily1 he was  
not what he might be2 there was a defect
 in him1  and a privation of that which 
is better than what he had and was2 and 
then he was not alway the best1 and so  
was not alway ,god2 and being  not alway
 ,god1 could never be ,god2 for to begin
 to be ,god is against  the notion of   
,god2 not to a less perfection than he  
had2 that were to  change to            
imperfection1 and to lose a perfection  

which he possessed  before1 and cease to
 be the best ,being2 for he would lose  
some good  which he had1 and acquire    
some evil which he was free from before4
  ,so that the sovereign perfection of  
,god is an invincible bar to any  change
 in him2 for which way soever you cast  
it for a change1 his  supreme excellency
 is impaired and nulled by it3 for in   
all change  there is something from     
which a thing is changed1 and something 
to  which it is changed2 so that on the 
one part there is a loss of what  it    
had1 and on the other part there is an  
acquisition of what it had  not4 ,if to 
the better1 he was not perfect1 and so  
was not ,god2 if to  the worse1 he will 
not be perfect1 and so be no longer ,god
 after that  change4 ,if ,god be        
changed1 his change must be voluntary or
 necessary2  if voluntary1 he then      
intends the change for the better1 and  
chose  it to acquire a perfection by it2
 the will must be carried out to        
anything under the notion of some       

goodness in that which it desires4      
,since good is the object of the desire 
and will of the creature1 evil  cannot  
be the object of the desire and will of 
the ,creator4 ,and if he  should be     
changed for the worse1 when he did      
really intend the better1  it would     
speak a defect of wisdom1 and a mistake 
of that for good  which was evil and    
imperfect in itself2 and if it be for   
the better1  it must be a motion or     
change for something without himself2   
that  which he desireth is not possessed
 by himself1 but by some other4  ,there 
is1 then1 some good without him and     
above him1 which is the end  in this    
change2 for nothing acts but for some   
end1 and that end is  within itself or  
without itself2 if the end for which    
,god changes be  without himself1 then  
there is something better than himself3 
besides1  if he were voluntarily changed
 for the better1 why did he not change  
before8 ,if it were for want of power1  
he had the imperfection of  weakness2 if

 for want of knowledge of what was the  
best good1 he had  the imperfection of  
wisdom1 he was ignorant of his own      
happiness2 if  he had both wisdom to    
know it1 and power to effect it1 it must
 be for  want of will2 he then wanted   
that love to himself and his own glory1 
which is necessary in the ,supreme      
,being4 ,voluntarily he could not be    
changed for the worse1 he could not be  
such an enemy a#ccb to his  own glory2  
there is nothing but would hinder its   
own imperfection  and becoming worse4   
,necessarily he could not be changed1   
for that  necessity must arise from     
himself1 and then the difficulties      
spoken  of before will recur1 or it must
 arise from another2 he cannot be       
bettered by another1 because nothing    
hath any good but what it hath  received
 from the hands of his bounty1 and that 
without loss to  himself1 nor made      
worse2 if anything made him worse1 it   
would be sin1  but that cannot touch his
 essence or obscure his glory1 but in   

the  design and nature of the sin itself
 7,job xxxv4 #f1 #g73 8,if thou sinnest1
  what dost thou against him8 or if thy 
transgressions be multiplied1  what dost
 thou unto him8 if thou be righteous1   
what givest thou him2  or what receives 
he at thy hand80 ,he hath no addition by
 the service  of man1 no more than the  
sun hath of light by a multitude of     
torches  kindled on the earth2 nor any  
more impair by the sins of men1 than    
the light of the sun hath by men's      
shooting arrows against it4    #c4 ,god 
were not the most simple being if he    
were not immutable4#fab  ,there is in   
everything that is mutable a composition
 either essential  or accidental2 and in
 all changes1 something of the thing    
changed  remains1 and something of it   
ceaseth and is done away2 as for        
example1  in an accidental change1 if a 
white wall be made black1 it loses its  
white color2 but the wall itself1 which 
was the subject of that color1  remains 
and loses nothing of its substance3     

likewise in a substantial  change1 as   
when wood is burnt1 the substantial part
 of wood is lost1  the earthly part is  
changed into ashes1 the airy part       
ascends in smoke1  the watery part is   
changed into air by the fire3 there is  
not an  annihilation of it1 but a       
resolution of it into those parts       
whereof it  was compounded2 and this    
change doth evidence that it was        
compounded  of several parts distinct   
from one another4 ,if there were any    
change  in ,god1 it is by separating    
something from him1 or adding something 
to him2 if by separating something from 
him1 then he was compounded  of         
something distinct from himself2 for if 
it were not distinct from  himself it   
could not be separated from him without 
loss of his being2  if by adding        
anything to him1 then it is a           
compounding of him1 either              
substantially or accidentally4          
,mutability is absolutely inconsistent  
with simplicity1 whether the change come

 from an internal or external           
principle4 ,if a change be wrought by   
something without1 it supposeth  either 
contrary or various parts in the thing  
so changed1 whereof it  doth consist2 if
 it be wrought by anything within1 it   
supposeth that  the thing so changed    
doth consist of one part that doth      
change it1  and another part that is    
changed1 and so it would not be a simple
  being4 ,if ,god could be changed by   
anything within himself1 all in ,god    
would not be ,god2 his essence would    
depend upon some parts1 whereof  some   
would be superior to others2 if one part
 were able to change  or destroy        
another1 that which doth change would be
 ,god1 that which  is changed would not 
be ,god2 so ,god would be made up of a  
,deity and  a non,deity1 and part of    
,god would depend upon ,god2 part would 
be  dependent1 and part would be        
independent2 part would be mutable1 part
  immutable3 so that a#ccc mutability is
 against the notion of ,god's           

independency as well as his simplicity4 
,god is the most simple being2  for that
 which is first in nature1 having       
nothing beyond it1 cannot by  any means 
be thought to be compounded2 for        
whatsoever is so1 depends  upon the     
parts whereof it is compounded1 and so  
is not the first being3  now ,god being 
infinitely simple1 hath nothing in      
himself which is not  himself1 and      
therefore cannot will any change in     
himself1 he being his  own essence and  
existence4#fac    #d4 ,god were not     
eternal if he were mutable4 ,in all     
change there is  something that         
perishes1 either substantially or       
accidentally4 ,all  change is a kind of 
death1 or imitation of death2 that which
 was dies1  and begins to be what it was
 not4 ,the soul of man1 though it       
ceaseth  not to be and exist1 yet when  
it ceaseth to be in quality what it was1
  is said to die4 ,adam died when he    
changed from integrity to corruption1   
though both his soul and body were in   

being 7,gen4 ii4 #ag72 and the  soul of 
a regenerate man is said to 8die to     
sin10 when it is changed  from sin to   
grace 7,rom4 vi4 #aa74 ,in all change   
there is a resemblance  of death2 so the
 notion of mutability is against the    
eternity of ,god4  ,if anything be      
acquired by a change1 then that which is
 acquired was  not from eternity1 and so
 he was not wholly eternal2 if anything 
be  lost which was from eternity1 he is 
not wholly everlasting2 if he did       
decrease by the change1 something in him
 which had no beginning would  have an  
end2 if he did increase by that change1 
something in him would  have a beginning
 that might have no end4 ,what is       
changed doth not  remain1 and what doth 
not remain is not eternal4#fad ,though  
,god alway  remains in regard of        
existence1 he would be immortal1 and    
live alway2  yet if he should suffer any
 change1 he could not properly be       
eternal1  because he would not alway be 
the same1 and would not in every part   

be eternal2 for all change is finished  
in time1 one moment preceding1  another 
moment following2 but that which is     
before time cannot be  changed by time4 
,god cannot be eternally what he was2   
that is1 he  cannot have a true         
eternity1 if he had a new knowledge1 a  
new purpose1  a new essence2 if he were 
sometimes this and sometimes that1      
sometimes  know this and sometimes know 
that1 sometimes purpose this and        
afterwards hath a new purpose2 he would 
be partly temporary and partly  eternal1
 not truly and universally eternal4 ,he 
that hath anything of  newness1 hath not
 properly and truly an entire eternity4 
,again1 by  the same reason that ,god   
could in the least cease to be what he  
was1  he might also cease wholly to be2 
and no reason can be rendered why  ,god 
might not cease wholly to be1 as well as
 cease to be entirely and  uniformly    
what he was4 ,all changeableness implies
 a corruptibility4    #e4 ,if ,god were 
changeable1 he were not infinite and    

almighty4 ,all  change ends in addition 
or diminution2 if anything be added1 he 
was  not infinite before1 if anything be
 diminished1 he is not infinite  after4 
,all change implies bounds and limits to
 that which is changed2  but ,god is    
infinite2 8,his greatness is            
unsearchable30#fae we can add  number to
 number without any end1 and can        
conceive a#ccd an infinite  number2 yet 
the greatness of ,god is beyond all our 
conceptions4 ,but  if there could be any
 change in his greatness for the better1
 it would  not be unsearchable before   
that change2 if for the worse1 it would 
not be unsearchable after that change4  
,whatsoever hath limits and is          
changeable1 is conceivable and          
searchable2 but ,god is not only not    
known1 but impossible in his own nature 
to be known and searched out1  and1     
therefore1 impossible to have any       
diminution in his nature4 ,all  that    
which is changed arrives to something   
which it was not before1  or ceaseth in 

part to be what it was before4 ,he would
 not also be  almighty4 ,what is        
omnipotent cannot be made worse2 for to 
be made  worse1 is in part to be        
corrupted4 ,if he be made better1 he was
 not  almighty before2 something of     
power was wanting to him4 ,if there     
should be any change1 it must proceed   
from himself or from another2  if from  
himself1 it would be an inability to    
preserve himself in the  perfection of  
his nature2 if from another1 he would be
 inferior in  strength1 knowledge1 and  
power1 to that which changes him1 either
 in  his nature1 knowledge1 or will2 in 
both an inability2 an inability in  him 
to continue the same1 or an inability in
 him to resist the power  of another4   
#f4 ,the world could not be ordered and 
governed but by some ,principle  or     
,being which were immutable4 ,principles
 are alway more fixed and  stable than  
things which proceed from those         
principles2 and this is  true both in   
morals and naturals4 ,principles in     

conscience1 whereby  men are governed1  
remain firmly engraven in their minds4  
,the root  lies firmly in the earth1    
while branches are shaken with the wind4
 ,the  heavens1 the cause of generation1
 are more firm and stable than those    
things which are wrought by their       
influence4 ,all things in the world  are
 moved by some power and virtue which is
 stable2 and unless it were  so1 no     
order would be observed in motion1 no   
motion could be regularly  continued4   
,he could not be a full satisfaction to 
the infinite desire  of the souls of his
 people4 ,nothing can truly satisfy the 
soul of man  but rest2 and nothing can  
give it rest but that which is perfect  
and  immutably perfect2 for else it     
would be subject to those agitations    
and variations which the being it       
depends upon is subject to4 ,the        
principle of all things must be         
immutable1#faf which is described  by   
some by a unity1 the principle of       
number1 wherein there is a  resemblance 

of ,god's unchangeableness4 ,a unit is  
not variable2 it  continues in its own  
nature immutably a unit4 ,it never      
varies from  itself2 it cannot be       
changed from itself2 but is1 as it were1
 so  omnipotent towards others1 that it 
changes all numbers4 ,if you add  any   
number1 it is the beginning of that     
number1 but the unit is not  increased  
by it2 a new number ariseth from that   
addition1 but the unit  still remains   
the same1 and adds value to other       
figures1 but receives  none from them4  
,,iii4 ,the third thing to speak to is1 
that immutability is proper  to ,god1   
and incommunicable to any creature4     
,mutability is natural to  every        
creature as a creature1 and immutability
 is the sole perfection  of ,god4 ,he   
only is infinite wisdom1 able to        
foreknow future events2  he only is     
infinitely powerful1 able to call forth 
all means to  effect2 so that wanting   
neither wisdom to contrive1 nor strength
 to  execute1 a#cce he cannot alter his 

counsel4 ,none being above him1  nothing
 in him contrary to him1 and being      
defective in no blessedness  and        
perfection1 he cannot vary in his       
essence and nature4 ,had not            
immutability as well as eternity been a 
property solely pertaining  to the      
,divine nature1 as well as creative     
power and eternal duration1  the        
apostle's argument to prove ,christ to  
be ,god from this perpetual  sameness1  
had come short of any convincing        
strength4 ,these words of  the text he  
applies to ,christ 7,heb4 i4 #ajab73    
8,they shall be changed1  but thou art  
the same40 ,there had been no strength  
in the reason1 if  immutability by      
nature did belong to any creature4      
,the changeableness of all creatures is 
evident3    #a4 ,of corporeal creatures 
it is evident to sense4 ,all plants and 
animals1 as they have their duration    
bounded in certain limits2 so  while    
they do exist1 they proceed from their  
rise to their fall4 ,they  pass through 

many sensible alterations1 from one     
degree of growth to  another1 from buds 
to blossoms1 from blossoms to flowers   
and fruits4  ,they come to their pitch  
that nature had set them1 and return    
back  to the state from whence they     
sprung2 there is not a day but they     
make some acquisition1 or suffer some   
loss4 ,they die and spring up  every    
day2 nothing in them more certain than  
their inconstancy3 8,the  creature is   
subject to vanity0 7,rom4 viii4 #bj74   
,the heavenly bodies  are changing their
 place2 the sun every day is running his
 race1 and  stays not in the same point2
 and though they are not changed in     
their  essence1 yet they are in their   
place4 ,some1 indeed1 say there is a    
continual generation of light in the    
sun1 as there is a loss of light  by the
 casting out its beams1 as in a fountain
 there is a flowing out  of the streams1
 and a continual generation of supply4  
,and though these  heavenly bodies have 
kept their standing and motion from the 

time of  their creation1 yet both the   
sun's standing still in ,joshua's time1 
and its going back in ,hezekiah's time1 
show that they are changeable  at the   
pleasure of ,god4 ,but in man the change
 is perpetually visible2  every day     
there is a change from ignorance to     
knowledge1 from one  will to another1   
from passion to passion1 sometimes sad  
and sometimes  cheerful1 sometimes      
craving this1 and presently nauseating  
it2 his  body changes from health to    
sickness1 or from weakness to strength2 
some alteration there is either in body 
or mind4 ,man1 who is the  noblest      
creature1 the subordinate end of the    
creation of other things1  cannot assure
 himself of a consistency and fixedness 
in anything the  short space of a day1  
no1 not of a minute4 ,all his months are
 months  of vanity 7,job vii4 #c72      
whence the ,psalmist calls man at the   
8best  estate altogether vanity10 a mere
 heap of vanity 7,ps4 xxxv47 ,as he     
contains in his nature the nature of all

 creatures1 so he inherits in  his      
nature the vanity of all creatures4 ,a  
little world1 the centre of  the world  
and of the vanity of the world2 yea1    
8lighter than vanity0  7,ps4 lxii4 #i71 
more movable than a feather2 tossed     
between passion and  passion1 daily     
changing his end1 and changing the      
means2 an image of  nothing4    #b4     
,spiritual natures1 as angels4 ,they    
change not in their being1 but  that is 
from the indulgence of ,god4 ,they      
change not in their goodness1  but that 
is not from their nature1 but divine    
grace in their a#ccf  confirmation2 but 
they change in their knowledge2 they    
know more  by ,christ than they did by  
creation 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #af74 ,they have
 an  addition of knowledge every day1 by
 the providential dispensations  of ,god
 to his church 7,eph4 iii4 #aj72 and the
 increase of their  astonishment and    
love is according to the increase of    
their knowledge  and insight4 ,they     
cannot have a new discovery without new 

admirations  of what is discovered to   
them3 there is a change in their joy    
when  there is a change in a sinner     
7,luke xv4 #aj74 ,they were changed in  
their essence1 when they were made such 
glorious spirits of nothing2  some of   
them were changed in their will1 when of
 holy they became  impure4 ,the good    
angels were changed in their            
understandings1 when  the glories of    
,god in ,christ were presented to their 
view2 and all can  be changed in their  
essence again2 and as they were made of 
nothing1  so by the power of ,god may be
 reduced to nothing again4 ,so glorified
  souls shall have an unchanged         
operation about ,god1 for they shall    
behold his face without any grief or    
fear of loss1 without vagrant  thoughts2
 but they can never be unchangeable in  
their nature1 because  they can never   
pass from finite to infinite4    ,no    
creature can be unchangeable in its     
nature3#a4 ,because every  creature rose
 from nothing4 ,as they rose from       

nothing1 so they  tend to nothing1      
unless they are preserved by ,god4 ,the 
notion of  a creature speaks            
changeableness2 because to be a creature
 is to be  made something of nothing1   
and1 therefore1 creation is a change of 
nothing into something4 ,the being of a 
creature begins from change1  and1      
therefore1 the essence of a creature is 
subject to change4 ,god  only is        
uncreated1 and1 therefore1 unchangeable4
 ,if he were made he  could not be      
immutable2 for the very making is a     
change of not being  into being4 ,all   
creatures were made good1 as they were  
the fruits of  ,god's goodness and      
power2 but must needs be mutable1       
because they were  the extracts of      
nothing4 #b4 ,because every creature    
depends purely upon  the will of ,god4  
,they depend not upon themselves1 but   
upon another for  their being4 ,as they 
received their being from the word of   
his mouth  and the arm of his power1 so 
by the same word they can be cancelled  

into nothing1 and return into as little 
significancy as when they were  nothing4
 ,he that created them by a word1 can by
 a word destroy them3  if ,god should   
8take away their breath1 they die1 and  
return into their  dust0 7,ps4 civ4     
#bi74 ,as it was in the power of the    
,creator that things  might be1 before  
they actually were1 so it is in the     
power of the  ,creator that things after
 they are may cease to be what they are2
 and  they are1 in their own nature1 as 
reducible to nothing as they were       
producible by the power of ,god from    
nothing2 for there needs no more  than  
an act of ,god's will to null them1 as  
there needed only an act of  ,god's will
 to make them4 ,creatures are all       
subject to a higher cause3  they are all
 reputed as nothing4 8,he doth according
 to his will in the  armies of heaven1  
and among the inhabitants of the earth1 
and none can  stay his hand1 or say unto
 him1 ,what dost thou80 7,dan4 iv4 #ce47
 ,but  ,god is unchangeable1 because he 

is the highest good2 none above him1    
all below him2 all dependent on him2    
himself upon none4 #c4 ,no creature  is 
absolutely perfect4 ,no a#ccg creature  
can be so perfect1 or can  ever be1 but 
something by the infinite power of ,god 
may be added to it2  for whatsoever is  
finite may receive greater additions1   
and1 therefore1  a change4 ,no creature 
you can imagine1 but in your thoughts   
you may  fancy him capable of greater   
perfections than you know he hath1 or   
than really he hath4 ,the perfections of
 all creatures are searchable2  the     
perfection of ,god is only unsearchable 
7,job xi4 #f71 and1 therefore1  he only 
immutable4 ,god only is always the same4
 ,time makes no addition  to him1 nor   
diminisheth anything of him4 ,his nature
 and essence1 his  wisdom and will1 have
 always been the same from eternity1 and
 shall be  the same to eternity1 without
 any variation4    ,,iv4 ,the fourth    
thing propounded is1 ,some propositions 
to clear this  unchangeableness of ,god 

from anything that seems contrary to it4
    ,prop4 ,i4 ,there was no change in  
,god when he began to create the  world 
in time4 ,the creation was a real       
change1 but the change was  not         
subjectively in ,god1 but in the        
creature2 the creature began  to be what
 it was not before4 ,creation is        
considered as active or  passive4#fag   
,active creation is the will and power  
of ,god to create4  ,this is from       
eternity1 because ,god willed from      
eternity to create  in time2 this never 
had beginning1 for ,god never began in  
time to  understand anything1 to will   
anything1 or to be able to do anything2 
but he alway understood and alway willed
 those things which he  determined from 
eternity to produce in time4 ,the decree
 of ,god may be  taken for the act      
decreeing1 that is eternal and the same1
 or for the  object decreed1 that is in 
time2 so that there may be a change in  
the  object1 but not in the will whereby
 the object doth exist4    #a4 ,there   

was no change in ,god by the act of     
creation1 because there  was no new will
 in him4 ,there was no new act of his   
will which was not  before4 ,the        
creation began in time1 but the will of 
creating was from  eternity4 ,the work  
was new1 but the decree whence that new 
work sprung  was as ancient as the      
,ancient of ,days4 ,when the time of    
creating came1  ,god was not made ex    
nolente volens1 as we are2 for          
whatsoever ,god  willed to be now done1 
he willed from eternity to be done2 but 
he  willed also that it should not be   
done till such an instant of time1  and 
that it should not exist before such a  
time4 ,if ,god had willed the  creation 
of the world only at that time when the 
world was produced1  and not before1    
then1 indeed1 ,god had been changeable4 
,but though ,god  spake that word which 
he had not spoke before1 whereby the    
world was  brought into act2 yet he did 
not will that will he willed not before4
  ,god did not create by a new counsel  

or new will1 but by that which was  from
 eternity 7,eph4 i4 #i74 ,all things are
 wrought according to that  8purpose in 
himself10 and according to 8the counsel 
of his will0 7ver4  #aa72 and as the    
holiness of the elect is the fruit of   
his eternal will  8before the foundation
 of the world0 7ver4 #d71 so1 likewise1 
is the  existence of things1 and of     
those persons whom he did elect4 ,as    
when  an artificer frames a house or a  
temple according to that model he had   
in his mind some years before1 there is 
no change a#cch in the model  in his    
mind2 the artificer is the same1 though 
the work is produced by  him some time  
after he had framed that copy of it in  
his own mind1 but  there is a change of 
the thing produced by him according to  
that model4  ,or1 when a rich man       
intends1 four or five years hence1 if he
 lives1  to build a hospital1 is there  
any change in will1 when1 after the     
expiration of that time1 he builds and  
endows it8 ,though it be after  his     

will1 yet it is the fruit of his        
precedent will4 ,so ,god1 from all      
eternity1 did will and command that the 
creatures should exist in such  a part  
of time2 and1 by his eternal will1 all  
things1 whether past1  present1 or to   
come1 did1 do1 and shall exist1 at that 
point of time  which that will did      
appoint for them3 not1 as though ,god   
had a new  will when things stood up in 
being1 but only that which was prepared 
in his immutable counsel and will from  
eternity1 doth then appear4  ,there can 
be no instant fixed from eternity1      
wherein it can be said1  ,god did not   
will the creation of the world2 for had 
the will of ,god  for the shortest      
moment been undetermined to the creation
 of the world1  and afterwards resolved 
upon it1 there had been a moral change  
in ,god  from not willing to willing2   
but this there was not1 for ,god        
executes  nothing in time which he had  
not ordained from eternity1 and         
appointed  all the means and            

circumstances whereby it should be      
brought about4 ,as  the determination of
 our ,saviour to suffer was not a new   
will1 but an  eternal counsel1 and      
wrought no change in ,god 7,acts ii4    
#bc74    #b4 ,there is no change in ,god
 by the act of creation1 because there  
was  no new power in ,god4 ,had ,god had
 a will at the time of creation which   
he had not before1 there had been a     
moral change in him2 so had there  been 
in him a power only to create then and  
not before1 there had been  a physical  
change in him from weakness to ability4 
,there can be no  more new power in     
,god1 than there can be a new will in   
,god2 for his  will is his power1 and   
what he willeth to effect1 that he doth 
effect3  as he was unchangeably holy1 so
 he was unchangeably almighty1 8which   
was1 and is1 and is to come0 7,rev4 iv4 
#h72 which was almighty1 and  is        
almighty1 and ever will be almighty4    
,the work therefore makes no  change in 
,god1 but there is a change in the thing

 wrought by that  power of ,god4        
,suppose you had a seal engraven upon   
some metal a  hundred years old1 or as  
old as the creation1 and you should this
  day1 so many ages after the engraving 
of it1 make an impression of  that seal 
upon wax2 would you say the engravement 
upon the seal were  changed1 because it 
produced that stamp upon the wax now    
which it did  not before8 ,no1 the      
change is purely in the wax1 which      
receives a new  figure or form by the   
impression2 not in the seal1 that was   
capable of  imprinting the same long    
before4 ,god was the same from eternity 
as he  was when he made a signature of  
himself upon the creatures by creation1 
and is no more changed by stamping them 
into several forms1 than the  seal is   
changed by making impression upon the   
wax4 ,as when a house is  enlightened by
 the sun1 or that which was cold is     
heated by it1 there  is a change in the 
house from darkness to light1 from      
coldness to heat2  but is there any     

change in the light and heat of the sun8
 ,there is a  change in the thing       
enlightened or warmed by that light and 
heat which  remains fixed and constant  
in the sun1 which was a#cci as capable  
in  itself to produce the same effects  
before1 as at that instant when it      
works them2 so when ,god is the author  
of a new work1 he is not changed1       
because he works it by an eternal will  
and an eternal power4    #c4 ,nor is    
there any new relation acquired by ,god 
by the creation of  the world4 ,there   
was a new relation acquired by the      
creature1 as1 when  a man sins1 he hath 
another relation to ,god than he had    
before1he  hath relation to ,god1 as a  
criminal to a ,judge2 but there is no   
change  in ,god1 but in the malefactor4 
,the being of men makes no more change  
in ,god than the sins of men4 ,as a tree
 is now on our right hand1  and by our  
turning about it is on our left hand1   
sometimes before us1  sometimes behind  
us1 according to our motion near it or  

about it1 and  the turning of the body2 
there is no change in the tree1 which   
remains  firm and fixed in the earth1   
but the change is wholly in the posture 
of the body1 whereby the tree may be    
said to be before us or behind  us1 or  
on the right hand or on the left        
hand4#fah ,god gained no new  relation  
of ,lord or ,creator by the creation2   
for though he had created  nothing to   
rule over1 yet he had the power to      
create and rule1 though  he did not     
create and rule3 as a man may be called 
a skilful writer1  though he does not   
write1 because he is able to do it when 
he pleases2  or a man skilful in physic 
is called a physician1 though he doth   
not practise that skill1 or discover his
 art in the distribution of  medicines1 
because he may do it when he pleases2 it
 depends upon his  own will to show his 
art when he has a mind to it4 ,so the   
name ,creator  and ,lord belongs to ,god
 from eternity1 because he could create 
and  rule1 though he did not create and 

rule4 ,but1 howsoever1 if there were    
any such change of relation1 that ,god  
may be called ,creator and ,lord  after 
the creation and not before1 it is not a
 change in essence1 nor  in knowledge1  
nor in will2 ,god gains no perfection   
nor diminution by  it2 his knowledge is 
not increased by it2 he is no more by it
 than  he was1 and will be1 if all those
 things ceased2 and therefore ,austin   
illustrates it by this similitude3as a  
piece of money when it is  given as the 
price of a thing1 or deposited only as a
 pledge for the  security of a thing    
borrowed2 the coin is the same1 and is  
not changed1  though the relation it had
 as a pledge and as a price be different
  from one another3 so that suppose any 
new relation be added1 yet there  is    
nothing happens to the nature of ,god   
which may infer any change4    ,prop4   
,,ii4 ,there was no change in the       
,divine nature of the ,son1  when he    
assumed human nature4 ,there was an     
union of the two natures1  but no change

 of the ,deity into the humanity1 or of 
the humanity into  the ,deity3 both     
preserved their peculiar properties4    
,the humanity was  changed by a         
communication of excellent gifts from   
the divine nature1  not by being brought
 into an equality with it1 for that was 
impossible  that a creature should      
become equal to the ,creator4 ,he took  
the 8form  of a servant10 but he lost   
not the form of ,god2 he despoiled not  
himself of the perfections of the       
,deity4 ,he was indeed emptied1 8and    
became of no reputation0 7,phil4 ii4    
#g72 but he did not cease to be ,god1   
though he was reputed to be only a man1 
a#cdj and a very mean one too4  ,the    
glory of his divinity was not           
extinguished nor diminished1 though  it 
was obscured and darkened1 under the    
veil of our infirmities2 but  there was 
no more change in the hiding of it1 than
 there is in the  body of the sun when  
it is shadowed by the interposition of a
 cloud4  ,his blood while it was pouring

 out from his veins was the 8blood of   
,god0 7,acts xx4 #bh72 and1 therefore1  
when he was bowing the head of  his     
humanity upon the cross1 he had the     
nature and perfections of  ,god2 for had
 he ceased to be ,god1 he had been a    
mere creature1 and his  sufferings would
 have been of as little value and       
satisfaction as the  sufferings of a    
creature4 ,he could not have been a     
sufficient ,mediator1  had he ceased to 
be ,god3 and he had ceased to be ,god1  
had he lost any  one perfection proper  
to the divine nature2 and losing none1  
he lost  not this of unchangeableness1  
which is none of the meanest belonging  
to the ,deity4 ,why by his union with   
the human nature should he lose  this1  
any more than he lost his omniscience1  
which he discovered  by his knowledge of
 the thoughts of men2 or his mercy1     
which he  manifested to the height in   
the time of his suffering8 ,that is     
truly a  change1 when a thing ceaseth to
 be what it was before3 this was not in 

,christ2 he assumed our nature without  
laying aside his own4 ,when the  soul is
 united to the body1 doth it lose any of
 those perfections that  are proper to  
its nature8 ,is there any change either 
in the substance  or qualities of it8   
,no2 but it makes a change in the body1 
and of a  dull lump it makes it a living
 mass1 conveys vigor and strength to it1
  and1 by its power1 quickens it to     
sense and motion4#fai ,so did the       
divine nature and human remain entire2  
there was no change of the one  into the
 other1 as ,christ by a miracle changed 
water into wine1 or  men by art change  
sand or ashes into glass3 and when he   
prays 8for the  glory he had with ,god  
before the world was0 7,john xvii4 #e71 
he prays  that a glory he had in his    
,deity might shine forth in his person  
as  ,mediator1 and be evidenced in that 
height and splendor suitable to  his    
dignity1 which had been so lately       
darkened by his abasement2  that as he  
had appeared to be the ,son of ,man in  

the infirmity of the  flesh1 he might   
appear to be the ,son of ,god in the    
glory of his person1  that he might     
appear to be the ,son of ,god and the   
,son of ,man in one  person4#fbj ,again1
 there could be no change in this union2
 for1 in  a real change1 something is   
acquired which was not possessed before1
  neither formally nor eminently3 but   
the divinity had from eternity1  before 
the incarnation1 all the perfections of 
the human nature  eminently in a nobler 
manner than they are in themselves1 and 
therefore could not be changed by a real
 union4#fba    ,prop4 ,,iii4 ,repentance
 and other affections ascribed to ,god  
in  ,scripture1 argue no change in ,god4
 ,we often read of ,god's repenting1    
repenting of the good he promised 7,jer4
 xviii4 #aj71 and of the evil  he       
threatened 7,exod4 xxxii4 #ad2 ,john    
iii4 #aj71 or of the work he hath       
wrought 7,gen4 vi4 #f74 ,we must        
observe1 therefore1 that1    #a4        
,repentance is not properly in ,god4 ,he

 is a pure ,spirit1 and is not  capable 
of those passions which are signs of    
weakness and impotence1  a#cda or       
subject to those regrets we are subject 
to4 ,where there is  a proper repentance
 there is a want of foresight1 an       
ignorance of what  would succeed1 or a  
defect in the examination of the        
occurrences which  might fall within    
consideration4 ,all repentance of a fact
 is grounded  upon a mistake in the     
event which was not foreseen1 or upon an
 after  knowledge of the evil of the    
thing which was acted by the person     
repenting4 ,but ,god is so wise that he 
cannot err1 so holy he cannot  do evil2 
and his certain prescience1 or          
foreknowledge1 secures him  against any 
unexpected events4 ,god doth not act but
 upon clear and  infallible reason2 and 
a change upon passion is accounted by   
all  so great a weakness in man1 that   
none can entertain so unworthy a        
conceit of ,god4 ,where he is said to   
repent 7,gen4 vi4 #f71 he is also  said 

to grieve2 now no proper grief can be   
imagined to be in ,god4 ,as  repentance 
is inconsistent with infallible         
foresight1 so is grief no  less         
inconsistent with undefiled blessedness4
 ,god is 8blessed forever0  7,rom4 ix4  
#h71 and therefore nothing can befall   
him that can stain that  blessedness4   
,his blessedness would be impaired and  
interrupted while  he is repenting1     
though he did soon rectify that which is
 the cause  of his repentance4 8,god is 
of one mind1 and who can turn him8 what 
his  soul desires that he doth0 7,job   
xxiii4 #ac74    #b4 ,but ,god           
accommodates himself in the ,scripture  
to our weak capacity4  ,god hath no more
 of a proper repentance1 than he hath of
 a real body2  though he1 in            
accommodation to our weakness1 ascribes 
to himself the  members of our bodies to
 set out to our understanding the       
greatness of  his perfections1 we must  
not conclude him a body like us2 so1    
because  he is said to have anger and   

repentance1 we must not conclude him  to
 have passions like us4 ,when we cannot 
fully comprehend him as he  is1 he      
clothes himself with our nature in his  
expressions that we may  apprehend him  
as we are able1 and by an inspection    
into ourselves1  learn something of the 
nature of ,god2 yet those human ways of 
speaking ought to be understood in a    
manner agreeable to the infinite        
excellency and majesty of ,god1 and are 
only designed to mark out  something in 
,god which hath a resemblance with      
something in us2 as we  cannot speak to 
,god as gods1 but as men1 so we cannot  
understand him  speaking to us as a     
,god1 unless he condescend to speak to  
us like a  man4 ,god therefore frames   
his language to our dulness1 not to his 
own  state1 and informs us by our own   
phrases1 what he would have us learn  of
 his nature1 as nurses talk broken      
language to young children4 ,in  all    
such expressions1 therefore1 we must    
ascribe the perfection we  conceive in  

them to ,god1 and lay the imperfection  
at the door of the  creature4    #c4    
,therefore1 repentance in ,god is only a
 change of his outward  conduct1        
according to his infallible foresight   
and immutable will4  ,he changes the way
 of his providential proceeding         
according to the  carriage of the       
creature1 without changing his will1    
which is the rule  of his providence4   
,when ,god speaks of his repenting 8that
 he had made  man0 7,gen4 vi4 #f71 it is
 only his changing his conduct from a   
way of  kindness to a way of severity1  
and is a word suited to our capacities  
to signify his detestation of sin1 and  
his resolution to punish a#cdb  it1     
after man had made himself quite another
 thing1 than ,god had made  him2 8it    
repents me10 that is1 ,i am purposed to 
destroy the world1 as  he that repents  
of his work throws it away2#fbb as if a 
potter cast  away the vessel he had     
framed1 it were a testimony that he     
repented  that ever he took pains about 

it1 so the destruction of them seems  to
 be a repentance in ,god that ever he   
made them2 it is a change of  events1   
not of counsels4 ,repentance in us is a 
grief for a former  fact1 and a changing
 of our course in it2 grief is not in   
,god1 but  his repentance is a willing a
 thing should not be as it was1 which   
will was fixed from eternity2 for ,god1 
foreseeing man would fall1  and         
decreeing to permit it1 he could not be 
said to repent in time  of what he did  
not repent from eternity2 and therefore1
 if there were  no repentance in ,god   
from eternity1 there could be none in   
time4#fbc  ,but ,god is said to repent  
when he changes the disposition of      
affairs  without himself2 as men1 when  
they repent1 alter the course of their  
actions1 so ,god alters things1 extra   
se1 or without himself1 but  changes    
nothing of his own purpose within       
himself4 ,it rather notes  the action he
 is about to do1 than anything in his   
own nature1 or  any change in his       

eternal purpose4 ,god's repenting of his
 kindness  is nothing but an inflicting 
of punishment1 which the creature by    
the change of his carriage hath merited3
 as his repenting of the  evil          
threatened is the withholding the       
punishment denounced1 when the  creature
 hath humbly submitted to his authority1
 and acknowledged his  crime4 ,or else  
we may understand those expressions of  
joy1 and grief1  and repentance1 to     
signify thus much1 that the things      
declared to be  the objects of joy1 and 
grief1 and repentance1 are of that      
nature1  that if ,god were capable of   
our passions1 he would discover himself 
in such cases as we do2 as when the     
prophets mention the joys and           
applaudings of heaven1 earth1 and the   
sea1 they only signify that  the things 
they speak of are so good1 that if the  
heavens and the sea  had natures capable
 of joy1 they would express it upon that
 occasion  in such a manner as we do2 so
 would ,god have joy at the obedience   

of men1 and grief at the unworthy       
carriage of men1 and repent of his      
kindness when men abuse it1 and repent  
of his punishment when men  reform under
 his rod1 were the majesty of his nature
 capable of such  affections4#fbd       
,prop4 ,,iv4 ,the not fulfilling of some
 predictions in ,scripture1  which seem 
to imply a changeableness of the ,divine
 will1 do not argue  any change in it4  
,as when he reprieved ,hezekiah from    
death1 after a  message sent by the     
prophet ,isaiah1 that he should die 7#b 
,kings xx4  #ae2 ,isa4 xxxviii4 #ae71   
and when he made an arrest of that      
judgment  he had threatened by ,jonah   
against ,nineveh 7,jon4 iii4 #daj74     
,there is  not1 indeed1 the same reason 
of promises and threatenings altogether2
  for in promising1 the obligation lies 
upon ,god1 and the right to  demand is  
in the party that performs the condition
 of the promise3 but  in threatenings1  
the obligation lies upon the sinner1 and
 ,god's right  to punish is declared    

thereby2 so that though ,god doth not   
punish1 his  will is not changed1       
because his will was to declare the     
demerit of  sin1 and his right to punish
 a#cdc upon the commission of it2 though
  he may not punish according to the    
strict letter of the threatening  the   
person sinning1 but relax his own law   
for the honor of his  attributes1 and   
transfer the punishment from the        
offender to a person  substituted in his
 room3 this was the case in the first   
threatening  against man1 and the       
substituting a ,surety in the place of  
the  malefactor4 ,but the answer to     
these cases is this1 that where we  find
 predictions in ,scripture declared1 and
 yet not executed1 we  must consider    
them1 not as absolute but conditional1  
or as the civil  law calls it1 an       
interlocutory sentence4#fbe ,god        
declared what  would follow by natural  
causes1 or by the demerit of man1 not   
what  he would absolutely himself do3   
and in many of those predictions1       

though the condition be not expressed1  
yet it is to be understood2  so the     
promises of ,god are to be understood1  
with the condition  of perseverance in  
well doing2 and threatenings1 with a    
clause of  revocation annexed to them1  
provided that men repent3 and this ,god 
lays down as a general case1 alway to be
 remembered as a rule for  the          
interpreting his threatenings against a 
nation1 and the same  reason will hold  
in threatenings against a particular    
person4 7,jer4  xviii4 #gaj7 8,at what  
instant ,i shall speak concerning a     
nation1 and  concerning a kingdom1 to   
pluck up1 and to pull down1 and destroy 
it2  if that nation1 against whom ,i    
have pronounced1 turn from their evil1  
,i will repent of the evil that ,i      
thought to do unto them20 and so when   
he speaks of planting a nation1 if they 
do evil1 he will repent of the  good1 c4
 ,it is a universal rule by which all   
particular cases of this  nature are to 
be tried2 so that when man's repentance 

arrives1 ,god  remains firm in his first
 will1 always equal to himself2 and it  
is not  he that changes1 but man4 ,for  
since the interposition of the          
,mediator1  with an eye to whom ,god    
governed the world after the fall1 the  
right  of punishing was taken off if men
 repented1 and mercy was to flow out1   
if by a conversion men returned to their
 duty 7,ezek4 xviii4 #bj1 #ba74  ,this1 
,i say1 is grounded upon ,god's         
entertaining the ,mediator2 for the     
covenant of works discovered no such    
thing as repentance or pardon4  ,now    
these general rules are to be the       
interpreters of particular cases3  so   
that predictions of good are not to be  
counted absolute1 if men  return to     
evil2 nor predictions of evil1 if men be
 thereby reduced to  a repentance of    
their crimes4 ,so ,nineveh shall be     
destroyed1 that is1  according to the   
general rule1 unless the inhabitants    
repent1 which  they did2 they manifested
 a belief of the threatening1 and gave  

glory  to ,god by giving credit to the  
prophet3 and they had a notion of this  
rule ,god lays down in the other        
prophets2 for they had an apprehension  
that1 upon their humbling themselves1   
they might escape the threatened        
vengeance1 and stop the shooting those  
arrows that were ready in  the bow4#fbf 
,though ,jonah proclaimed destruction   
without declaring  any hopes of an      
arrest of judgment1 yet their natural   
notion of ,god  afforded some natural   
hopes of relief if they did their duty1 
and  spurned not against the prophet's  
message2 and therefore1 saith one1  ,god
 did not always express this condition1 
because it was needless2  his own rule  
revealed in ,scripture was sufficient to
 some2 and the  natural notion all men  
had of ,god's goodness upon their       
repentance1  made a#cdd it not          
absolutely necessary to declare it4 ,and
 besides1  saith he1 it is bootless2 the
 expressing it can do but little good2  
secure ones will repent never the       

sooner1 but rather presume upon  their  
hopes of ,god's forbearance1 and linger 
out their repentance till  it be too    
late4 ,and to work men to repentance1   
whom he hath purposed  to spare1 he     
threatens them with terrible judgments2 
which by how  much the more terrible and
 peremptory they are1 are likely to be  
more  effectual for that end ,god in his
 purpose designs them2 viz4 to humble   
them under a sense of their demerit1 and
 an acknowledgment of his  righteous    
justice2 and1 therefore1 though they be 
absolutely denounced1  yet they are to  
be conditionally interpreted with a     
reservation of  repentance4 ,as for that
 answer which one gives1 that by forty  
days  was not meant forty natural days1 
but forty prophetical days1 that  is    
years1 a day for a year2 and that the   
city was destroyed forty  years after by
 the ,medes2 the expression of ,god's   
repenting upon their  humiliation puts a
 bar to that interpretation2 ,god       
repented1 that is1  he did not bring the

 punishment upon them according to those
 days the  prophet had expressed2 and1  
therefore1 forty natural days are to be 
understood2 and if it were meant forty  
years1 and they were destroyed  at the  
end of that term1 how could ,god be said
 to repent1 since  according to that1   
the punishment threatened was1 according
 to the  time fixed1 brought upon them8 
and the destruction of it forty years   
after will not be easily evinced1 if    
,jonah lived in the time of  ,jeroboam1 
the second king of ,israel1 as he did   
7#b ,kings xiv4 #be72  and ,nineveh was 
destroyed in the time of ,josiah1 king  
of ,judah4 ,but  the other answer is    
plain4 ,god did not fulfil what he had  
threatened1  because they reformed what 
they had committed3 when the threatening
  was made1 they were a fit object for  
justice2 but when they repented1  they  
were a fit object for a merciful        
respite4 ,to threaten when sins  are    
high1 is a part of ,god's justice2 not  
to execute when sins are  revoked by    

repentance1 is a part of ,god's         
goodness4 ,and in the case  of ,hezekiah
 7#b ,kings xx4 #a1 #e71 ,isaiah comes  
with a message from ,god1  that he      
should 8set his house in order10 for he 
shall die2 that is1  the disease was    
mortal1 and no outward applications     
could in their own  nature resist the   
distemper3 8,behold1 ,i will add to thy 
days fifteen  years2 ,i will heal thee0 
7,isa4 xxxviii4 #a1 #e74 ,it seems to me
 to be  one entire message1 because the 
latter part of it was so suddenly  after
 the other committed to ,isaiah1 to be  
delivered to ,hezekiah2  for he was not 
gone out of the king's house1 before he 
was ordered  to return with the news of 
his health1 by an extraordinary         
indulgence  of ,god against the power of
 nature and force of the disease1       
8,behold1  ,i will add to thy life20    
noting it as an extraordinary thing2 he 
was  in the second court of the king's  
house when this word came to him  7#b   
,kings xx4 #d72 the king's house having 

three courts1 so that he  was not gone  
above halfway out of the palace4 ,god   
might send this  message of death1 to   
prevent the pride ,hezekiah might swell 
with for  his deliverance from          
,sennacherib3 as ,paul had a messenger  
of ,satan to  buffet him to prevent his 
lifting up 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #g72 and this 
good  man was subject to this sin1 as we
 find afterwards in the case of the     
,babylonish ambassadors2 and ,god       
delayed this other part of the message  
to humble him1 and a#cde draw out his   
prayer3 and as soon as ever  he found   
,hezekiah in this temper1 he sent       
,isaiah with a comfortable  message of  
recovery2 so that the will of ,god was  
to signify to him the  mortality of his 
distemper1 and afterwards to relieve him
 by a message  of an extraordinary      
recovery4    ,prop4 ,v4 ,god is not     
changed1 when of loving to any creatures
 he  becomes angry with them1 or of     
angry he becomes appeased4 ,the change  
in these cases is in the creature2      

according to the alteration in the      
creature1 it stands in a various        
relation to ,god3 an innocent creature  
is the object of his kindness1 an       
offending creature is the object of  his
 anger2 there is a change in the        
dispensations of ,god1 as there is  a   
change in the creature making himself   
capable of such dispensations4  ,god    
always acts according to the immutable  
nature of his holiness1  and can no more
 change in his affections to good and   
evil1 than he can  in his essence4 ,when
 the devils1 now fallen1 stood as       
glorious angels1  they were the objects 
of ,god's love1 because holy2 when they 
fell1  they were the objects of ,god's  
hatred1 because impure2 the same reason 
which made him love them while they were
 pure1 made him hate them when  they    
were criminal4 ,the reason of his       
various dispensations to them  was the  
same in both1 as considered in ,god1 his
 immutable holiness2  but as respecting 
the creature1 different2 the nature of  

the creature  was changed1 but the      
,divine holy nature of ,god remained the
 same3  8,with the pure thou wilt show  
thyself pure1 and with the froward1 thou
  wilt show thyself froward0 7,ps4      
xviii4 #bf73 he is a refreshing light   
to those that obey him1 and a consuming 
fire to those that resist him4  ,though 
the same angels were not always loved1  
yet the same reason that  moved him to  
love them1 moved him to hate them4 ,it  
had argued a change  in ,god if he had  
loved them alway1 in whatsoever posture 
they were  towards him2 it could not be 
counted love1 but a weakness and        
impotent  fondness2 the change is in the
 object1 not in the affection of ,god2  
for the object loved before is not      
beloved now1 because that which  was the
 motive of love1 is not now in it2 so   
that the creature having  a different   
state from what it had1 falls under a   
different affection  or dispensation4   
,it had been a mutable affection in ,god
 to love that  which was not worthy of  

love with the same love wherewith he    
loved  that which had the greatest      
resemblance to himself2 had ,god loved  
the  fallen angels in that state and for
 that state1 he had hated himself1      
because he had loved that which was     
contrary to himself and the  image of   
his own holiness1 which made them appear
 before1 good in his  sight4 ,the will  
of ,god is unchangeably set to love     
righteousness and  hate iniquity1 and   
from this hatred to punish it2 and if a 
righteous  creature contracts the wrath 
of ,god1 or a sinful creature hath the  
communications of ,god's love1 it must  
be by a change in themselves4  ,is the  
sun changed when it hardens one thing   
and softens another1  according to the  
disposition of the several subjects8 ,or
 when the sun  makes a flower more      
fragrant1 and a dead carcass more       
noisome8 ,there  are divers effects1 but
 the reason of that diversity is not in 
the sun1  but in the subject2 the sun is
 the same1 and produceth those different

  effects by the same quality of heat2  
so if an unholy soul approach to  ,god1 
,god looks angrily a#cdf upon him2 if a 
holy soul come before him1  the same    
immutable perfection in ,god draws out  
his kindness towards  him3 as some      
think1 the sun would rather refresh than
 scorch us1 if  our bodies were of the  
same nature and substance with that     
luminary4  ,as the will of ,god for     
creating the world was no new1 but an   
eternal  will1 though it manifested     
itself in time1 so the will of ,god for 
the  punishment of sin1 or the          
reconciliation of the sinner1 was no new
  will3 though his wrath in time break  
out in the effects of it upon  sinners1 
and his love flows out in the effects of
 it upon penitents4  ,christ by his     
death reconciling ,god to man1 did not  
alter the will of  ,god1 but did what   
was consonant to his eternal will2 he   
came not to  change his will1 but to    
execute his will3 8,lo1 ,i come to do   
thy will1  ,o ,god0 7,heb4 x4 #g74 ,and 

the grace of ,god in ,christ was not a  
new grace1  but an old grace in a new   
appearance2 8the grace of ,god hath     
appeared0  7,tit4 i4 #aa74    ,prop4    
,,vi4 ,a change of laws by ,god argues  
no change in ,god1 when  ,god abrogates 
some laws which he had settled in the   
church1 and enacts  others4 ,i spake of 
this something the last day2 ,i shall   
only add this3  ,god commanded one thing
 to the ,jews1 when the church was in an
 infant  state2 and removed those laws1 
when the church came to some growth4    
,the elements of the world were suited  
to the state of children 7,gal4  iv4    
#c74 ,a mother feeds not the infant with
 the same diet as she doth  when it is  
grown up4 ,our ,saviour acquainted not  
his disciples with  some things at one  
time which he did at another1 because   
they were  not able to bear them3 where 
was the change2 in ,christ's will1 or in
  their growth from a state of weakness 
to that of strength8 ,a physician       
prescribes not the same thing to a      

person in health1 as he doth to one     
conflicting with a distemper2 nor the   
same thing in the beginning as  he doth 
in the state or declination of the      
disease4 ,the physician's  will and     
skill are the same1 but the capacity and
 necessity of the  patient for this or  
that medicine1 or method of proceeding1 
are not  the same4 ,when ,god changed   
the ceremonial law1 there was no change 
in  the ,divine will1 but an execution  
of his will2 for when ,god commanded    
the observance of the law he intended   
not the perpetuity of it2  nay1 in the  
prophets he declares the cessation of   
it2 he decreed to  command it1 but he   
decreed to command it only for such a   
time2 so  that the abrogation of it was 
no less an execution of his decree1 than
  the establishment of it for a season  
was2 the commanding of it was  pursuant 
to his decree for the appointing of it1 
and the nulling of it  was pursuant to  
his decree of continuing it only for    
such a season2 so  that in all this     

there was no change in the will of ,god4
 ,the counsel  of ,god stands sure2 what
 changes soever there are in the world1 
are  not in ,god or his will1 but in the
 events of things1 and the different    
relations of things to ,god3 it is in   
the creature1 not in the ,creator4  ,the
 sun alway remains of the same hue1 and 
is not discolored in itself1  because it
 shines green through a green glass1 and
 blue through a blue  glass2 the        
different colors come from the glass1   
not from the sun2 the  change is alway  
in the disposition of the creature1 and 
not in the  nature of ,god or his will4 
,v4 ,use #a4 ,for information4    #a4   
,if ,god be unchangeable in his nature1 
and immutability be a a#cdg  property of
 ,god1 then ,christ hath a ,divine      
nature4 ,this in the ,psalm  is applied 
to ,christ in the ,hebrews 7,heb4 i4    
#aa71 where he joins the  citation out  
of this ,psalm with that out of ,ps4    
xlv4 #f1 #g1 8,thy throne1  ,o ,god1 is 
forever and ever2 thou hast loved       

righteousness and hated  iniquity2      
therefore ,god1 even thy ,god1 hath     
anointed thee with the oil  of gladness 
above thy fellows2 and thou1 ,lord1 in  
the beginning hast  laid the foundation 
of the earth10 c4 ,as the first must    
necessarily  be meant of ,christ the    
,mediator1 and therein he is            
distinguished  from ,god1 as one        
anointed by him2 so the other must be   
meant of  ,christ1 whereby he is made   
one with ,god in regard of the creation 
and dissolution of the world1 in regard 
of eternity and immutability4  ,both the
 testimonies are linked together by the 
copulative and1 8and  thou1 ,lord20     
declaring thereby that they are both to 
be understood  of the same person1 the  
,son of ,god4 ,the design of the chapter
 is to  prove ,christ to be ,god2 and   
such things are spoken of him as could  
not  belong to any creature2 no1 not to 
the most excellent of the angels4  ,the 
same person that is said to be anointed 
above his fellows1 and  is said to lay  

the foundation of the earth and heavens1
 is said to be  the same2 that is1 the  
same in himself2 the prerogative of     
sameness  belongs to that person as well
 as creation of heaven and earth4 ,the  
,socinians say it is spoken of ,god1 and
 that ,god shall destroy the  heavens by
 ,christ2 if so1 ,christ is not a mere  
creature1 not created  when he was      
incarnate2 for the same person that     
shall change the world  did create the  
world2 if ,god shall change the world by
 him1 ,god also  created the world by   
him2 he was then before the world was2  
for how  could ,god create the world by 
one that was not2 that was not in being 
till after the creation of the world8   
,the heavens shall be changed1  but the 
person who is to change the heavens is  
said to be the same1 or  unchangeable in
 the creation as well as the dissolution
 of the world4  ,this sameness refers to
 the whole sentence4 ,the ,psalm wherein
 the  text is1 and whence this in the   
,hebrews is cited1 is properly meant  of

 ,christ1 and redemption by him1 and the
 completing of it at the last  day1 and 
not of the ,babylonish captivity2#fbg   
that captivity was not  so deplorable as
 the state of the ,psalmist describes2  
,daniel and his  companions flourished  
in that captivity2 it could not         
reasonably be  said of them1 that their 
days were consumed like smoke1 their    
hearts  withered like grass2 that they  
forgot to 8eat their bread0 7ver4 #c1   
#d74  ,besides1 he complains of         
8shortness of life0 7ver4 #aa72 but none
 had  any more reason to complain of    
that in the time of the captivity1 than 
before and after it1 than at any other  
time3 their deliverance would           
contribute nothing to the natural length
 of their lives4 ,besides1 when  ,sion  
should be built1 the heathen should     
8fear the name of the ,lord0  7that is1 
worship ,god71 and 8all the kings of the
 earth his glory0  7ver4 #ae74 ,the     
rearing the second temple after the     
deliverance1 did  not proselyte the     

nations2 nor did the kings of the earth 
worship the  glory of ,god2 nor did ,god
 appear in such glory at the erecting   
the  second temple4 ,the second temple  
was less glorious than the first1 for   
it wanted some of the ornaments which   
were the glory of the first2 but  it is 
a#cdh said of this state1 that when the 
,lord should build up  ,sion1 he should 
8appear in his glory0 7ver4 #af72 his   
proper glory1  and extraordinary glory4 
,now that ,god who shall appear in      
glory1 and  build up ,sion1 is the ,son 
of ,god1 the ,redeemer of the world2 he 
builds  up the church1 he causes the    
nations to fear the ,lord1 and the kings
  of the earth his glory2 he broke down 
the partition wall1 and opened  a door  
for the entrance of the ,gentiles2 he   
struck the chains from  off the         
prisoners1 and loosed those that were   
appointed to death by  the curse of the 
law 7ver4 #bj73 and to this person is   
ascribed the  creation of the world2 and
 he is pronounced to remain the same in 

the  midst of an infinite number of     
changes in inferior things4 ,and it is  
likely the ,psalmist considers not only 
the beginning of redemption1  but the   
completing of it at the second coming of
 ,christ2 for he  complains of those    
evils which shall be removed by his     
second coming1  viz41 the shortness of  
life1 persecutions and reproaches       
wherewith the  church is afflicted in   
this world2 and comforts not himself    
with those  attributes which are        
directly opposed to sin1 as the mercy of
 ,god1  the covenant of ,god1 but with  
those that are opposed to mortality  and
 calamities1 as the unchangeableness and
 eternity of ,god2 and from  thence     
infers a perpetual establishment of     
believers4 8,the children  of thy       
servants shall continue1 and their seed 
shall be established  before thee0 7ver4
 #bh73 so that the ,psalm itself seems  
to aim in the  whole discourse at       
,christ1 and asserts his divinity1 which
 the apostle1  as an interpreter1 doth  

fully evidence2 applying it to him1 and 
manifesting his deity by his            
immutability as well as eternity4#fbh   
,while all other things lose their      
forms1 and pass through multitudes  of  
variations1 he constantly remains the   
same1 and shall be the same1  when all  
the empires of the world shall slide    
away1 and a period be  put to the       
present motions of the creation3 and as 
there was no change  made in his being  
by the creation of things1 so neither   
shall there be  by the final alteration 
of things2 he shall see them finish1 as 
he saw  them rise up into being1 and be 
the same after their reign1 as he was   
before their original2 he is the first  
and the last 7,rev4 i4 #ag74    #b4     
,here is ground and encouragement for   
worship4 ,an atheist will make  another 
use of this2 if ,god be immutable1 why  
should we worship him1  why should we   
pray to him8 good will come if he wills 
it2 evil cannot  be averted by all our  
supplications1 if he hath ordained it to

 fall  upon us4 ,but certainly since    
unchangeableness is knowing1 and willing
  goodness is a perfection1 an adoration
 and admiration is due to  ,god1 upon   
the account of this excellence4 ,if he  
be ,god1 he is to be  reverenced1 and   
the more highly reverenced1 because he  
cannot but be  ,god4 ,again1 what       
comfort could it be to pray to a ,god1  
that like the  chameleon changed colors 
every day1 every moment8 ,what          
encouragement  could there be to lift up
 our eyes to one that were of one mind  
this  day and of another mind tomorrow8 
,who would put up a petition to an      
earthly prince that were so mutable1 as 
to grant a petition one day  and deny it
 another1 and change his own act8 ,but  
if a prince promise  this or that thing 
upon such or such a condition1 and you  
know his  promise to be as unchangeable 
as the laws of the ,medes and ,persians1
  would any man a#cdi reason thus8      
because it is unchangeable we will  not 
seek to him1 we will not perform the    

condition1 upon which the  fruit of the 
proclamation is to be enjoyed4 ,who     
would not count such  an inference      
ridiculous8 ,what blessings hath not    
,god promised upon  the condition of    
seeking him8 ,were he of an unrighteous 
nature1 or  changeable in his mind1 this
 would be a bar to our seeking him1 and 
frustrate our hopes2 but since it is    
otherwise1 is not this excellency  of   
his nature the highest encouragement1 to
 ask of him the blessings  he hath      
promised1 and a beam from heaven to fire
 our zeal in asking8  ,if you desire    
things against his will1 which he hath  
declared he will  not grant1 prayer then
 would be an act of disobedience and    
injury to  him1 as well as an act of    
folly in itself2 his unchangeableness   
then  might stifle such desires3 but if 
we ask according to his will1 and       
according to our reasonable wants1 what 
ground have we to make such  a          
ridiculous argument8 ,he hath willed    
everything that may be for  our good1 if

 we perform the condition he hath       
required2 and hath  put it upon record1 
that we may know it and regulate our    
desires  and supplications according to 
it4 ,if we will not seek him1 his       
immutability cannot be a bar1 but our   
own folly is the cause2 and by  our     
neglect we despoil him of this          
perfection as to us1 and either  imply  
that he is not sincere1 and means not as
 he speaks2 or that he  is as changeable
 as the wind1 sometimes this thing1     
sometimes that1  and not at all to be   
confided in4 ,if we ask according to his
 revealed  will1 the unchangeableness of
 his nature will assure us of the grant2
  and what a presumption would it be in 
a creature dependent upon his           
sovereign1 to ask that which he knows he
 has declared his will against2  since  
there is no good we can want1 but he    
hath promised to give1 upon  our sincere
 and ardent desire for it8 ,god hath    
decreed to give this  or that to man1   
but conditionally1 and by the means of  

inquiring after  him1 and asking for it3
 8,ask1 and you shall receive0 7,ezek4  
xxxvi4 #cg2  ,matt4 vii4 #g73 as much as
 to say1 ,you shall not receive unless  
you ask4  ,when the highest promises are
 made1 ,god expects they should be put  
in suit2 our ,saviour joins the promise 
and the petition together2  the promise 
to encourage the petition1 and the      
petition to enjoy  the promise3 he doth 
not say perhaps it shall be given1 but  
it shall1  that is1 it certainly shall2 
your heavenly ,father is unchangeably   
willing to give you those things4 ,we   
must depend upon his immutability  for  
the thing1 and submit to his wisdom for 
the time4 ,prayer is an  acknowledgment 
of our dependence upon ,god2 which      
dependence could have  no firm          
foundation without unchangeableness4    
,prayer doth not desire  any change in  
,god1 but is offered to ,god that he    
would confer those  things which he hath
 immutably willed to communicate2 but he
 willed  them not without prayer as the 

means of bestowing them4 ,the light  of 
the sun is ordered for our comfort1 for 
the discovery of visible  things1 for   
the ripening the fruits of the earth2   
but withal it  is required that we use  
our faculty of seeing1 that we employ   
our  industry in sowing and planting1   
and expose our fruits to the view of    
the sun1 that they may receive the      
influence of it4 ,if a man shuts his    
eyes1 and complains that the sun is     
changed into darkness1 it would  be     
ridiculous2 the sun is not changed1 but 
we alter ourselves2 nor is  ,god changed
 a#cej in not giving us the blessings he
 hath promised1  because he hath        
promised in the way of a due address to 
him1 and  opening our souls to receive  
his influence1 and to this1 his         
immutability is the greatest            
encouragement4    #c4 ,this shows how   
contrary man is to ,god in regard of his
  inconstancy4 ,what an infinite        
distance is there between the immutable 
,god1 and mutable man1 and how should we

 bewail this flittingness  in our       
nature6 ,there is a mutability in us as 
creatures1 and a  creature cannot but be
 mutable by nature1 otherwise it were   
not a  creature but ,god4 ,the          
establishment of any creature is from   
grace  and gift2 naturally we tend to   
nothing1 as we come from nothing4 ,this 
creaturemutability is not our sin1 yet  
it should cause us to lie  down under a 
sense of our own nothingness1 in the    
presence of the  ,creator4 ,the angels  
as creatures1 though not corrupt1 cover 
their  faces before him3 and the        
arguments ,god uses to humble ,job1     
though  a fallen creature1 are not from 
his corruption3 for ,i do not remember  
that he taxed him with that2 but from   
the greatness of his majesty and        
excellency of his nature declared in his
 works 7,job xxxviii4xli472  and1       
therefore1 men that have no sense of    
,god and humility before him1  forget   
that they are creatures as well as      
corrupt ones4 ,how great is  the        

distance between ,god and us1 in regard 
of our inconstancy in good1  which is   
not natural to us by creation3 for the  
mind and affections  were regular1 and  
by the great artificer were pointed to  
,god as  the object of knowledge and    
love4 ,we have the same faculties of    
understanding1 will1 and affection1 as  
,adam had in innocence2 but  not with   
the same light1 the same bias1 and the  
same ballast4 ,man1  by his fall1       
wounded his head and heart2 the wound in
 his head made  him unstable in the     
truth1 and that in his heart unsteadfast
 in  his affections3 he changed himself 
from the image of ,god to that of  the  
devil1 from innocence to corruption1 and
 from an ability to be  steadfast to a  
perpetual inconstancy2 8his silver      
became dross1 and  his wine was mixed   
with water0 7,isa4 i4 #bb74 ,he changed1
    7#a47 ,to inconstancy in truth1     
opposed to the immutability of          
knowledge in ,god4 ,how are our minds   
floating between ignorance and          

knowledge6 ,truth in us is like those   
ephemera1 creatures of a day's          
continuance1springs up in the morning1  
and expires at night4 ,how  soon doth   
that fly away from us which we have had1
 not only some weak  flashes of1 but    
which we have learned and have had some 
relish of6 ,the  devil stood not in the 
truth 7,john viii4 #dd71 and therefore  
manages  his engines to make us as      
unstable as himself3 our minds reel1 and
  corrupt reasonings oversway us2 like  
sponges we suck up water1 and a  light  
compression makes us spout it out again4
 ,truths are not engraven  upon our     
hearts1 but writ as in dust1 defaced by 
the next puff of wind1  8carried about  
with every wind of doctrine0 7,eph4 iv4 
#ad72 like a ship  without a pilot and  
sails1 at the courtesy of the next      
storm1 or like  clouds that are tenants 
to the wind and sun1 moved by the wind  
and  melted by the sun4 ,the ,galatians 
were no sooner called into the grace  of
 ,god1 but they were removed from it    

7,gal4 i4 #f72 some have been  reported 
to have menstruam fidem1 kept an opinion
 for a month2  and many are like him    
that believed the soul's immortality no 
longer  than he had ,plato's a#cea book 
of that subject in his hand3#fbi one    
likens such to children2 they play with 
truths as children do with  babies1 one 
while embrace them1 and a little after  
throw them into  the dirt4 ,how soon do 
we forget what the truth is delivered to
 us1 and  what it represented us to be  
7,james i4 #bc1 #bd74 ,is it not a thing
 to  be bewailed1 that man should be    
such a weathercock1 turned about with   
every breath of wind1 and shifting      
aspects as the wind shifts points8      
7#b47 ,inconstancy in will1 and         
affections opposed to the immutability  
of will in ,god4 ,we waver between ,god 
and ,baal2 and while we are  not only   
resolving1 but upon motion a little way1
 look back with a  hankering after      
,sodom2 sometimes lifted up with        
heavenly intentions1  and presently cast

 down with earthly cares1 like a ship   
that by an  advancing wave seems to     
aspire to heaven1 and the next fall of  
the  waves makes it sink down to the    
depths4 ,we change purposes oftener     
than fashions1 and our resolutions are  
like letters in water1 whereof  no mark 
remains2 we will be as ,john today to   
love ,christ1 and as  ,judas tomorrow to
 betray him1 and1 by an unworthy levity1
 pass into  the camp of the enemies of  
,god2 resolved to be as holy as angels  
in  the morning1 when the evening       
beholds us as impure as devils4 ,how    
often do we hate what before we loved1  
and shun what before we longed  for6 and
 our resolutions are like vessels of    
crystal1 which break at  the first      
knock1 are dashed in pieces by the next 
temptation4 ,saul  resolved not to      
persecute ,david any more1 but you soon 
find him upon  his old game4 ,pharaoh   
more than once promised1 and probably   
resolved1  to let ,israel go1 but at the
 end of the storm his purposes vanish   

7,exod4 viii4 #bg1 #cb74 ,when an       
affliction pincheth men1 they intend  to
 change their course1 and the next news 
of ease changes their  intentions2 like 
a bow not fully bent in their           
inclinations1 they  cannot reach the    
mark1 but live many years between       
resolutions of  obedience and affections
 to rebellion 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #ag73 and  
what  promises men make to ,god are     
often the fruit of their passion1 their 
fear1 not of their will4 ,the           
,israelites were startled at the terrors
  wherewith the law was delivered1 and  
promised obedience 7,exod4 xx4 #ai71    
but a month after forgot them1 and make 
a golden calf1 and in the  sight of     
,sinai call for1 and dance before1 their
 gods 7,exod4 xxxii472  never people    
more unconstant4 ,peter1 who vowed an   
allegiance to his  ,master1 and a       
courage to stick to him1 forswears him  
almost with the  same breath4 ,those    
that cry out with a zeal1 8,the ,lord he
 is ,god10  shortly after return to the 

service of their idols 7#a ,kings xviii4
 #ci74  ,that which seems to be our     
pleasure this day1 is our vexation      
tomorrow2 a fear of a judgment puts us  
into a religious pang1 and a  love to   
our lusts reduceth us to a rebellious   
inclination2 as soon as  the danger is  
over1 the saint is forgotten3 salvation 
and damnation  present themselves to us1
 touch us1 and engender some weak       
wishes1  which are dissolved by the next
 allurements of a carnal interest4 ,no  
hold can be taken of our promises1 no   
credit is to be given to our            
resolutions4    7#c47 ,inconstancy in   
practice4 ,how much beginning in the    
,spirit1 and  ending in the flesh2 one  
day in the sanctuary1 another in the    
stews2  clear in the morning as the sun1
 and clouded before noon2 a#ceb in      
heaven by an excellency of gifts1 in    
hell by a course of profaneness2  like a
 flower1 which some mention1 that       
changes its color three times  a day1   
one part white1 then purple1 then       

yellow6 ,the spirit lusts  against the  
flesh1 and the flesh quickly triumphs   
over the spirit4  ,in a good man how    
often is there a spiritual lethargy2    
though he doth  not openly defame ,god1 
yet he doth not always glorify him2 he  
doth  not forsake the truth1 but he doth
 not always make the attainment of  it1 
and settlement in it his business4 ,this
 levity discovers itself in  religious  
duty1 8when ,i would do good1 evil is   
present with me0 7,rom4  vii4 #ba74     
,never more present1 than when we have a
 mind to do good1  and never more       
present than when we have a mind to do  
the best and  greatest good4 ,how hard  
is it to make our thoughts and          
affections keep  their stand6 place them
 upon a good object1 and they will be   
frisking  from it1 as a bird from one   
bough1 one fruit1 to another3 we vary   
postures according to the various       
objects we meet with4 ,the course  of   
the world is a very airy thing1 suited  
to the uncertain notions of  that       

8prince of the power of the air10 which 
works in it 7,eph4 ii4 #b74  ,this ought
 to be bewailed by us4 ,though we may   
stand fast in the truth1  though we may 
spin our resolutions into a firm web1   
though the spirit  may triumph over the 
flesh in our practice1 yet we ought to  
bewail  it1 because inconstancy is our  
nature1 and what fixedness we have in   
good is from grace4 ,what we find       
practised by most men is natural to     
all2#fcj 8as face answers to face in a  
glass1 so doth heart to heart0  7,prov4 
xxvii4 #ai72 a face in the glass is not 
more like a natural face1  whose image  
it is1 than one man's heart is naturally
 like another4    #ast4 ,it is natural  
to those out of the church4             
,nebuchadnezzar is  so affected with    
,daniel's prophetic spirit1 that he     
would have none  accounted the true     
,god1 but the 8,god of ,daniel0 7,dan4  
ii4 #dg74 ,how  soon doth this notion   
slip from him1 and an image must be set 
up for  all to worship1 upon pain of a  

most cruel1 painful death6 ,daniel's    
,god  is quite forgotten4 ,the          
miraculous deliverance of the three     
children1  for not worshipping his      
image1 makes him settle a decree to     
secure the  honor of ,god from the      
reproach of his subjects 7,dan4 iii4    
#bi72 yet1 a  little while after1 you   
have him strutting in his palace1 as if 
there  were no ,god but himself4        
#b;d4 ,it is natural to those in the    
,church4 ,the ,israelites were the  only
 church ,god had in the world1 and a    
notable example of inconstancy4  ,after 
the miracles of ,egypt1 they murmured   
against ,god1 when they saw  ,pharaoh   
marching with an army at their heels4   
,they desired food1 and  soon nauseated 
the manna they were before fond of4     
,when they came into  ,canaan1 they     
sometimes worshipped ,god1 and sometimes
 idols1 not only  the idols of one      
nation1 but of all their neighbors4 ,in 
which regard  ,god calls this1 his      
heritage2 8a speckled bird0 7,jer4 xii4 

#i72 a  peacock1 saith ,hierom1         
inconstant1 made up of varieties of     
idolatrous  colors and ceremonies4 ,this
 levity of spirit is the root of all    
mischief2 it scatters our thoughts in   
the service of ,god2 it is the  cause of
 all revolts and apostasies from him2 it
 makes us unfit to  receive the         
communications of ,god3 whatsoever we   
hear is like words  writ in sand1       
ruffled out by the a#cec next gale2     
whatsoever is put  into us is like      
precious liquor in a palsy hand1 soon   
spilt3 it breeds  distrust of ,god when 
we have an uncertain judgment of him1 we
 are not  like to confide in him2 an    
uncertain judgment will be followed with
  a distrustful heart4 ,in fine1 where  
it is prevalent1 it is a certain  sign  
of ungodliness4 ,to be driven with the  
wind like chaff1 and to  be ungodly1 is 
all one in the judgment of the ,holy    
,ghost 7,ps4 i4 #d72  the ungodly are   
8like the chaff which the wind drives   
away10 which  signifies not their       

destruction1 but their disposition1 for 
their  destruction is inferred from it  
7ver4 #e71 8therefore the ungodly shall 
not stand in judgment40 ,how contrary is
 this to the unchangeable ,god1  who is 
alway the same1 and would have us the   
same1 in our religious  promises and    
resolutions for good6    #d4 ,if ,god be
 immutable1 it is sad news to those that
 are resolved in  wickedness1 or        
careless of returning to that duty he   
requires4 ,sinners  must not expect that
 ,god will alter his will1 make a breach
 upon his  nature1 and violate his own  
word to gratify their lusts4 ,no1 it is 
not  reasonable ,god should dishonor    
himself to secure them1 and cease to be 
,god1 that they may continue to be      
wicked1 by changing his own nature1     
that they may be unchanged in their     
vanity4 ,god is the same2 goodness  is  
as amiable in his sight1 and sin as     
abominable in his eyes now1 as  it was  
at the beginning of the world4 ,being   
the same ,god1 he is the  same enemy to 

the wicked as the same friend to the    
righteous4 ,he is  the same in          
knowledge1 and cannot forget sinful     
acts4 ,he is the same  in will1 and     
cannot approve of unrighteous practices4
 ,goodness cannot  but be alway the     
object of his love1 and wickedness      
cannot but be  alway the object of his  
hatred3 and as his aversion to sin is   
alway  the same1 so as he hath been in  
his judgments upon sinners1 the same  he
 will be still2 for the same perfection 
of immutability belongs  to his justice 
for the punishment of sin1 as to his    
holiness for his  disaffection to sin4  
,though the covenant of works was       
changeable by  the crime of man         
violating it1 yet it was unchangeable in
 regard of  ,god's justice vindicating  
it1 which is inflexible in the          
punishment of  the breaches of his law4 
,the law had a preceptive part1 and a   
minatory  part3 when man changed the    
observation of the precept1 the         
righteous  nature of ,god could not null

 the execution of the threatening2 he   
could not1 upon the account of this     
perfection1 neglect his just word1  and 
countenance the unrighteous             
transgression4 ,though there were no    
more rational creatures in being but    
,adam and ,eve1 yet ,god subjected  them
 to that death he had assured them of3  
and from this immutability  of his will1
 ariseth the necessity of the suffering 
of the ,son of  ,god for the relief of  
the apostate creature4 ,his will in the 
second  covenant is as unchangeable as  
that in the first1 only repentance is   
settled as the condition of the second1 
which was not indulged in the  first2   
and without repentance1 the sinner must 
irrevocably perish1 or  ,god must change
 his nature3 there must be a change in  
man2 there can  be none in ,god2 his bow
 is bent1 his arrows are ready1 if the  
wicked  do not turn 7,ps4 vii4 #aa74    
,there is not an atheist1 an hypocrite1 
a  profane person1 that ever was upon   
the earth1 but ,god's soul abhorred  him

 as such1 and the like he will a#ced    
abhor forever2 while any  therefore     
continue so1 they may sooner expect the 
heavens should roll  as they please1 the
 sun stand still at their order1 the    
stars change  their course at their     
beck1 than that ,god should change his  
nature1  which is opposite to           
profaneness and vanity2 8,who hath      
hardened  himself against him1 and hath 
prospered80 7,job ix4 #d47    ,use #b4  
,of comfort4 ,the immutability of a good
 ,god is a strong ground  of            
consolation4 ,subjects wish a good      
prince to live forever1 as being  loth  
to change him1 but care not how soon    
they are rid of an oppressor4  ,this    
unchangeableness of ,god's will shows   
him as ready to accept any  that come to
 him as ever he was2 so that we may with
 confidence make  our address to him1   
since he cannot change his affections to
 goodness4  ,the fear of change in a    
friend hinders a full reliance upon him2
 an  assurance of stability encourages  

hope and confidence4 ,this attribute  is
 the strongest prop for faith in all our
 addresses2 it is not a  single         
perfection1 but the glory of all those  
that belong to his  nature2 for he is   
unchangeable in his love 7,jer4 xxxi4   
#c71 in his  truth 7,ps4 cxvii4 #b74    
,the more solemn revelation of himself  
in this  name1 ,jehovah1 which signifies
 chiefly his eternity and immutability1 
was to support the ,israelites' faith in
 expectation of a deliverance  from     
,egypt1 that he had not retracted his   
purpose1 and his promise  made to       
,abraham for giving ,canaan to his      
posterity 7,exod4 iii4 #adag74  ,herein 
is the basis and strength of all his    
promises2 therefore1  saith the         
,psalmist1 8,those that know thy name1  
will put their trust  in thee0 7,ps4 ix4
 #aj73 those that are spiritually       
acquainted with  thy name1 ,jehovah1 and
 have a true sense of it upon their     
hearts1  will put their trust in thee4  
,his goodness could not be distrusted1  

if his unchangeableness were well       
apprehended and considered4 ,all        
distrust would fly before it1 as        
darkness before the sun2 it only  gets  
advantage of us when we are not well    
grounded in his name2 and  if ever we   
trusted ,god1 we have the same reason to
 trust him forever3  7,isa4 xxvi4 #d7   
8,trust in the ,lord forever1 for in the
 ,lord ,jehovah  is everlasting         
strength20 or1 as it is in the ,hebrew1 
8a ,rock of  ,ages10 that is1           
perpetually unchangeable4 ,we find the  
traces of ,god's  immutability in the   
creatures4 ,he has1 by his peremptory   
decree1 set  bounds to the sea3         
8,hitherto shalt thou come1 but no      
further1 and here  shall thy proud waves
 be stayed0 7,job xxxviii4 #aa74 ,do we 
fear the sea  overflowing us in this    
island8 ,no1 because of his fixed       
decree4 ,and  is not his promise in his 
,word as unchangeable as his word       
concerning  inanimate things1 as good a 
ground to rest upon8    #a4 ,the        

covenant stands unchangeable4 ,mutable  
creatures break their  leagues and      
covenants1 and snap them asunder like   
,samson's cords1 when  they are not     
accommodated to their interests4 ,but an
 unchangeable ,god  keeps his3 8,the    
mountains shall depart1 and the hills be
 removed1 but  my kindness shall not    
depart from thee1 nor shall the covenant
 of my  peace be removed0 7,isa4 liv4   
#aj74 ,the heaven and earth shall sooner
  fall asunder1 and the strongest and   
firmest parts of the creation  crumble  
to dust1 sooner than one iota of my     
covenant shall fail4 ,it  depends upon  
the unchangeableness of his will and the
 unchangeableness  of his word1 and1    
therefore1 is called 8the immutability  
of his  counsel0 7,heb4 vi4 #ag74 ,it is
 the a#cee fruit of the everlasting     
purpose of ,god2 whence the apostle     
links purpose and grace together  7#b   
,tim4 i4 #i74 ,a covenant with a nation 
may be changeable1 because  it may not  
be built upon the eternal purpose of    

,god1 8to put his fear  in the heart20  
but with respect to the creature's      
obedience4 ,thus  ,god chose ,jerusalem 
as the place wherein he would 8dwell    
forever0  7,ps4 cxxxii4 #ad71 yet he    
threatens to depart from them when they 
had  broken covenant with him2 8and the 
glory of the ,lord went up from the     
midst of the city to the mountain on the
 east side0 7,ezek4 xi4 #cc74  ,the     
covenant of grace doth not run1 8,i will
 be your ,god if you  will be my        
people20 but 8,i will be their ,god1 and
 they shall be my  people0 7,hos4 ii4   
#ai1 c47 8,i will betroth thee to me    
forever2 ,i will  say1 ,thou art my     
people1 and they shall say1 ,thou art my
 ,god40 ,his  everlasting purpose is1 to
 write his laws in the hearts of the    
elect4  ,he puts a condition to his     
covenant of grace1 the condition of     
faith1  and he resolves to work that    
condition in the hearts of the elect2   
and1 therefore1 believers have two      
immutable pillars for their support1    

stronger than those erected by ,solomon 
at the porch of the temple  7#a ,kings  
vii4 #ba71 called ,jakin and ,boaz1 to  
note the firmness of  that building     
dedicated to ,god2 these are election1  
or the standing1  counsel of ,god1 and  
the covenant of grace4 ,he will not     
revoke the  covenant1 and blot the names
 of his elect out of the book of life4  
#b4 ,perseverance is ascertained4 ,it   
consists not with the majesty of  ,god  
to call a person effectually to himself 
today1 to make him fit  for his eternal 
love1 to give him faith1 and take away  
that faith  tomorrow4 ,his effectual    
call is the fruit of his eternal        
election1  and that counsel hath no     
other foundation but his constant and   
unchangeable will2 a foundation that    
stands sure1 and1 therefore1  called the
 foundation of ,god1 and not of the     
creature2 8the foundation  of ,god      
stands sure1 the ,lord knows who are    
his0 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #ai74 ,it  is not    
founded upon our own natural strength2  

it may be then subject  to change1 as   
all the products of nature are4 ,the    
fallen angels had  created grace in     
their innocency1 but lost it by their   
fall4 ,were this  the foundation of the 
creature1 it might soon be shaken2 since
 man1  after his revolt1 can ascribe    
nothing constant to himself1 but his own
  inconstancy4 ,but the foundation is   
not in the infirmity of nature1 but  the
 strength of grace1 and of the grace of 
,god1 who is immutable1 who  wants not  
virtue to be able1 nor kindness to be   
willing1 to preserve  his own           
foundation4#fca ,to what purpose doth   
our ,saviour tell his  disciples their  
names 8were written in heaven0 7,luke x4
 #bj71 but to  mark the infallible      
certainty of their salvation by an      
opposition to  those things which       
perish1 and have their 8names written in
 the earth0  7,jer4 xvii4 #bc72 or upon 
the sand1 where they may be defaced8    
,and why  should ,christ order his      
disciples to rejoice that their names   

were  written in heaven1 if ,god were   
changeable to blot them out again8 or   
why should the apostle assure us1 that  
though ,god had rejected the  greatest  
part of the ,jews1 he had not1          
therefore1 rejected his people  elected 
according to his purpose and immutable  
counsel2 because there  are none of the 
elect of ,god but will come to          
salvation8 ,for1 saith  he1 the         
8election hath obtained it0 7,rom4 xi4  
#g72 that is1 a#cef  all those that are 
of the election have obtained it1 and   
the others  are hardened4 ,where the    
seal of sanctification is stamped1 it is
 a  testimony of ,god's election1 and   
that foundation shall stand sure3  8,the
 foundation of the ,lord stands sure1   
having this seal1 the ,lord  knows who  
are his20 that is the foundation1 the   
8naming the name of  ,christ10 or       
believing in ,christ1 and 8departing    
from iniquity10 is the  seal4#fcb ,as it
 is impossible when ,god calls those    
things that are  not1 but that they     

should spring up into being and appear  
before him2  so it is impossible but    
that the seed of ,god1 by his eternal   
purpose1  should be brought to a        
spiritual life1 and that calling cannot 
be  retracted2 for that 8gift and       
calling is without repentance0 7,rom4   
xi4 #bi74 ,and when repentance is       
removed from ,god in regard of some     
works1 the immutability of those works  
is declared2 and the reason of  that    
immutability is their pure dependence on
 the eternal favor and  unchangeable    
grace of ,god 8purposed in himself0     
7,eph4 i4 #i1 #aa71 and  not upon the   
mutability of the creature4 ,hence their
 happiness is not  as patents among men1
 quam diu bene se gesserint1 so long as 
they  behave themselves well2 but they  
have a promise that they shall behave   
themselves so as never wholly to depart 
from ,god 7,jer4 xxxii4 #dj73 8,i  will 
make an everlasting covenant with them1 
that ,i will not turn away  from them to
 do them good1 but ,i will put my fear  

in their hearts1  that they shall not   
depart from me40 ,god will not turn from
 them1 to  do them good1 and promiseth  
that they shall not turn from him       
forever1  or forsake him4 ,and the      
bottom of it is the everlasting         
covenant1  and1 therefore1 believing and
 sealing for security are linked        
together  7,eph4 i4 #ac74 ,and when ,god
 doth inwardly teach us his law1 he puts
  in a will not to depart from it3 7,ps4
 cxix4 #ajb7 8,i have not departed  from
 thy judgments20 what is the reason8    
8,for thou hast taught me40    #c4 ,by  
this eternal happiness is insured4 ,this
 is the inference made  from the        
eternity and unchangeableness of ,god in
 the verse following  the text 7ver4    
#bh73 8,the children of thy servants    
shall continue1  and their seed shall be
 established before thee40 ,this is the 
sole  conclusion drawn from those       
perfections of ,god solemnly asserted   
before4 ,the children which the prophets
 and apostles have begotten  to thee1   

shall be totally delivered from the     
relics of their apostasy1  and the      
punishment due to them1 and rendered    
partakers of immortality  with thee1 as 
sons to dwell in their ,father's house  
forever4 ,the  ,spirit begins a         
spiritual life here1 to fit for an      
immutable life in  glory hereafter1     
where believers shall be placed upon a  
throne that  cannot be shaken1 and      
possess a crown that shall not be taken 
off  their heads forever4    ,use #c4   
,of exhortation4 #a4 ,let a sense of the
 changeableness and  uncertainty of all 
other things beside ,god1 be upon us4   
,there are as  many changes as there are
 figures in the world4 ,the whole       
fashion of  the world is a transient    
thing2 every man may say as ,job1       
8,changes and  war are against me0 7,job
 x4 #ag74 ,lot chose the plain of       
,sodom1 because  it was the richer soil4
 ,he was but a little time there before 
he was  taken prisoner1 and his         
substance made the spoil of his enemies4

 ,that  is again restored2 but a while  
after1 fire from a#ceg heaven devours   
his wealth1 though his person was       
secured from the judgment by a  special 
,providence4 ,we burn with a desire to  
settle ourselves1 but  mistake the way1 
and build castles in the air1 which     
vanish like  bubbles of soap in water4  
,and1 therefore1    7#a47 ,let not our  
thoughts dwell much upon them4 ,do but  
consider those  souls that are in the   
possession of an unchangeable ,god1 that
 behold  his neverfading glory6 ,would  
it not be a kind of hell to them to have
  their thoughts starting out to these  
things1 or find any desire in           
themselves to the changeable trifles of 
the earth8 ,nay1 have we not  reason to 
think that they cover their faces with  
shame1 that ever  they should have such 
a weakness of spirit when they were here
 below1  as to spend more thoughts upon 
them than were necessary for this       
present life2 much more that they should
 at any time value and court  them above

 an unchangeable good8 ,do they not     
disdain themselves that  they should    
ever debase the immutable perfections of
 ,god1 as to have  neglecting thoughts  
of him at any time1 for the             
entertainment of such  a mean and       
inconstant rival8    7#b47 ,much less   
should we trust in them1 or rejoice in  
them4 ,the best  things are mutable1 and
 things of such a nature are not fit    
objects  of confidence4 ,trust not in   
riches1 they have their wanes as well as
  increases2 they rise sometimes like a 
torrent1 and flow in upon men1  but     
resemble also a torrent in as sudden a  
fall and departure1 and  leave nothing  
but slime behind them4 ,trust not in    
honor2 all the honor  and applause in   
the world is no better than an          
inheritance of wind1  which the pilot is
 not sure of1 but shifts from one corner
 to another1  and stands not perpetually
 in the same point of the heavens4 ,how1
 in  a few ages did the house of ,david1
 a great monarch1 and a man after       

,god's own heart1 descend to a mean     
condition1 and all the glory of  that   
house shut up in the stock of a         
carpenter8 ,david's sheephook  was      
turned into a sceptre1 and the sceptre  
by the same hand of  ,providence turned 
into a hatchet in ,joseph his           
descendant4 ,rejoice not  immoderately  
in wisdom2 that1 and learning languish  
with age4 ,a wound  in the head may     
impair that which is the glory of man4  
,if an organ  be out of frame1 folly may
 succeed1 and all a man's prudence be   
wound  up in an irrecoverable dotage4   
,nebuchadnezzar was no fool1 yet1 by a  
sudden hand of ,god1 he became not only 
a fool or a madman1 but a kind  of      
brute4 ,rejoice not in strength2 that   
decays1 and a mighty man may  live to   
see his strong arm withered1 and a      
grasshopper to become a  burthen        
7,eccles4 xii4 #e73 8,the strong men    
shall bow themselves1 and  the grinders 
shall cease because they are few0 7ver4 
#c73 nor rejoice  in children2 they are 

like birds upon a tree1 that make a     
little  chirping music1 and presently   
fall into the fowler's net4 ,little  did
 ,job expect such sad news as the loss  
of all his progeny at a  blow1 when the 
messenger knocked at his gate2 and such 
changes happen  oftentimes when our     
expectations of comfort1 and a          
contentment in them1  are at the        
highest4 ,how often doth a string crack 
when the musician  hath wound it up to a
 just height for a tune1 and all his    
pains and  delight marred in a moment6  
,nay1 all these things change while we  
are using them1 like ice that melts     
between our fingers1 a#ceh  and flowers 
that wither while we are smelling to    
them4 ,the apostle  gave them a good    
title when he called them 8uncertain    
riches10 and  thought it a strong       
argument to dissuade them from trusting 
in them  7#a ,tim4 vi4 #ag74 ,the wealth
 of the merchant depends upon the winds 
and waves1 and the revenue of the       
husbandman upon the clouds2 and  since  

they depend upon those things which are 
used to express the  most               
changeableness1 they can be no fit      
object for trust4 ,besides1  ,god       
sometimes kindles a fire under all a    
man's glory1 which doth  insensibly     
consume it 7,isa4 x4 #af72 and while we 
have them1 the fear  of losing them     
renders us not very happy in the        
fruition of them2  we can scarce tell   
whether they are contentments or no1    
because  sorrow follows them so close at
 the heels4 ,it is not an unnecessary   
exhortation for good men2 the best men  
have been apt to place too  much trust  
in them4 ,david thought himself         
immutable in his prosperity1  and such  
thoughts could not be without some      
immoderate outlets of  the heart to     
them1 and confidences in them2 and ,job 
promised himself  to die in his nest1   
and 8multiply his days as the sand10    
without  any interruption 7,job xxix4   
#ah1 #ai1 c472 but he was mistaken and  
disappointed4 ,let me add this3 trust   

not in men1 who are as inconstant  as   
anything else1 and often change their   
most ardent affections into  implacable 
hatred2 and though their affections may 
not be changed1 the  power to help you  
may4 ,haman's friends1 that depended on 
him one day1  were crestfallen the next1
 when their patron was to exchange his  
chariot of state for an ignominious     
gallows4    7#c47 ,prefer an immutable  
,god before mutable creatures4 ,is it   
not  a horrible thing to see what we    
are1 and what we possess1 daily         
crumbling to dust1 and in a continual   
flux from us1 and not seek  out         
something that is permanent1 and always 
abide the same1 for our  portion8 ,in   
,god1 or ,wisdom1 which is ,christ1     
there is substance 7,prov4  viii4 #ba71 
in which respect he is opposed to all   
the things in the  world1 that are but  
shadows1 that are shorter or longer1    
according  to the motion of the sun2    
mutable also1 by every little body that 
intervenes4 ,god is subject to no decay 

within1 to no force without2  nothing in
 his own nature can change him from what
 he is1 and there  is no power above can
 hinder him from being what he will to  
the soul4  ,he is an ocean of all       
perfection3 he wants nothing without    
himself to  render him blessed1 which   
may allure him to a change4 ,his        
creatures  can want nothing out of him  
to make them happy1 whereby they may be 
enticed to prefer anything before him4  
,if we enjoy other things1 it is  by    
,god's donation1 who can as well        
withdraw them as bestow them2 and  it is
 but a reasonable1 as well as a         
necessary thing1 to endeavor the        
enjoyment of the immutable ,benefactor1 
rather than his revocable gifts4  ,if   
the creatures had a sufficient virtue in
 themselves to ravish  our thoughts and 
engross our souls2 yet when we take a   
prospect of a  fixed and unchangeable   
,being1 what beauty1 what strength have 
any of  those things to vie with him8   
,how can they bear up and maintain their

  interest against a lively thought and 
sense of ,god8 ,all the glory of  them  
would fly before him like that of the   
stars before the sun4 ,they  were once  
nothing1 they may be nothing again2 as  
their own nature  brought a#cei them not
 out of nothing1 so their nature secures
 them  not from being reduced to        
nothing4 ,what an unhappiness is it to  
have  our affections set upon that which
 retains something of its non esse  with
 its esse1 its not being with its being2
 that lives indeed1 but  in a continual 
flux1 and may lose that pleasurableness 
tomorrow which  charms us today8    #b4 
,this doctrine will teach us patience   
under such providences as  declare his  
unchangeable will4 ,the rectitude of our
 wills consists in  conformity to the   
,divine1 as discovered in his words1 and
 manifested  in his providence1 which   
are the effluxes of his immutable will4 
,the  time of trial is appointed by his 
immutable will 7,dan4 xi4 #ce72 it  is  
not in the power of the sufferer's will 

to shorten it1 nor in the  power of the 
enemies' will to lengthen it4           
,whatsoever doth happen hath  been      
decreed by ,god 7,eccles4 vi4 #aj71     
8,that which hath been is named         
already20 therefore to murmur or be     
discontented is to contend with  ,god1  
who is mightier than we1 to maintain his
 own purposes4 ,god doth  act all things
 conveniently for that immutable end    
intended by himself1  and according to  
the reason of his own will1 in the true 
point of time  most proper for it and   
for us1 not too soon or too slow1       
because he is  unchangeable in knowledge
 and wisdom4 ,god doth not act anything 
barely  by an immutable will1 but by an 
immutable wisdom1 and an unchangeable   
rule of goodness2 and1 therefore1 we    
should not only acquiesce in what  he   
works1 but have a complacency in it2 and
 by having our wills thus  knitting     
themselves with the immutable will of   
,god1 we attain some  degree of likeness
 to him in his own unchangeableness4    

,when1 therefore1  ,god hath manifested 
his will in opening his decree to the   
world by his  work of providence1 we    
must cease all disputes against it1 and1
 with  ,aaron hold our peace1 though the
 affliction be very smart 7,rev4 x4 #c74
  8,all flesh must be silent before     
,god0 7,zech4 ii4 #ac72 for whatsoever  
is his counsel shall stand1 and cannot  
be recalled4 ,all struggling  against it
 is like a brittle glass contending with
 a rock2 for 8if  he cut off and shut   
up1 or gather together1 then who can    
hinder him80  7,job xi4 #aj47 ,nothing  
can help us1 if he hath determined to   
afflict  us1 as nothing can hurt us1 if 
he hath determined to secure us4 ,the   
more clearly ,god hath evidenced this or
 that to be his will1 the more  sinful  
is our struggling against it4 ,pharaoh's
 sin was the greater  in keeping        
,israel1 by how much the more ,god's    
miracles had been  demonstrations of his
 settled will to deliver them4 ,let     
nothing snatch  our hearts to a         

contradiction to him1 but let us fear   
and give glory  to him1 when the hour of
 judgment which he hath appointed is    
come 7,rev4  xiv4 #g72 that is1 comply  
with the unchangeable will of his       
precept1  the more he declares the      
immutable will of his providence4 ,we   
must not  think ,god must disgrace his  
nature and change his proceedings for   
us2  better the creature should suffer1 
than ,god be impaired in any of his     
perfections4 ,if ,god changed his       
purpose he would change his nature4     
,patience is the way to perform the     
immutable will of ,god1 and a means  to 
attain a gracious immutability for      
ourselves by receiving the  promise     
7,heb4 x4 #cf71 8,ye have need of       
patience1 that after ye have  done the  
will of ,god1 ye might receive the      
promise40    a#cfj #c4 ,this doctrine   
will teach us to imitate ,god in this   
perfection1 by striving to be immovable 
in goodness4 ,god never goes  back from 
himself2 he finds nothing better than   

himself for which he  should change2 and
 can we find anything better than ,god1 
to allure  our hearts to a change from  
him8 ,the sun never declines from the   
ecliptic line1 nor should we from the   
paths of holiness4 ,a steadfast         
obedience is encouraged by an           
unchangeable ,god to reward it 7#a ,cor4
  xv4 #eh73 8,be steadfast and          
immovable1 always abounding in the work 
of the ,lord1 knowing that your labor   
shall not be in vain in the  ,lord40    
,unsteadfastness is the note of a       
hypocrite 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #cg73          
steadfastness in that which is good is  
the mark of a saint2 it is the          
character of a righteous person to 8keep
 the truth0 7,isa4 xxvi4 #b74  ,and it  
is as positively said that 8he that     
abides not in the doctrine  of ,christ  
hath not ,god0 7#b ,john1 #i72 but he   
that doth1 8hath both  the ,father and  
the ,son40 ,so much of uncertainty1 so  
much of nature1  so much of firmness in 
duty1 so much of grace4 ,we can never   

honor  ,god unless we finish his work2  
as ,christ did not glorify ,god but in  
finishing the work ,god gave him to do  
7,john xvii4 #d74 ,the nearer the  world
 comes to an end1 the more is ,god's    
immutability seen in his  promises and  
predictions1 and the more must our      
unchangeableness  be seen in our        
obedience 7,heb4 x4 #bc1 #be73 8,let us 
hold fast the  profession of our faith  
without wavering1 and so much the more  
as  you see the day approaching40 ,the  
christian ,jews were to be the more     
tenacious of their faith1 the nearer    
they saw the day approaching1 the  day  
of ,jerusalem's destruction prophesied  
of by ,daniel 7,dan4 ix4 #bf71  which   
accomplishment must be a great argument 
to establish the  christian ,jews in the
 profession of ,christ to be the        
,messiah1 because  the destruction of   
the city was not to be before the       
cutting off the  ,messiah4 ,let us be1  
therefore1 constant in our profession   
and service  of ,god1 and not suffer    

ourselves to be driven from him by the  
ill  usage1 or flattered from him by the
 caresses of the world4    7#a47 ,it is 
reasonable4 ,if ,god be unchangeable in 
doing us good1 it is  reason we should  
be unchangeable in doing him service4   
,if he assure  us that he is our ,god1  
our 8,i ,am10 he would also that we     
should be his  people2 his we are4 ,if  
he declare himself constant in his      
promises1  he expects we should be so in
 our obedience4 ,as a spouse1 we should 
be unchangeably faithful to him as a    
,husband2 as subjects1 have an          
unchangeable allegiance to him as our   
,prince4 ,he would not have us  faithful
 to him for an hour or a day1 but 8to   
the death0 7,rev4 ii4 #aj72  and it is  
reason we should be his1 and if we be   
his children1 imitate  him in his       
constancy of his holy purposes4    7#b47
 ,it is our glory and interest4 ,to be a
 reed shaken with every wind  is no     
commendation among men1 and it is less a
 ground of praise with  ,god4 ,it was   

,job's glory that he held fast his      
integrity 7,job i4 #bb73  8,in all this 
,job sinned not20 in all this1which     
whole cities and  kingdoms would have   
thought ground enough of high           
exclamations against  ,god1 and also    
against the temptation of his wife1he   
retained his  integrity 7,job ii4 #i73  
8,dost thou still retain thy integrity80
 ,the  devil1 who by ,god's permission  
stripped him a#cfa of his goods and     
health1 yet could not strip him of his  
grace4 ,as a traveller1 when the  wind  
and snow beats in his face1 wraps his   
cloak more closely about  him to        
preserve that and himself4 ,better we   
had never made profession1  than        
afterwards to abandon it2 such a        
withering profession serves  for no     
other use than to aggravate the crime1  
if any of us fly like a  coward1 or     
revolt like a traitor2 what profit will 
it be to a soldier1  if he hath         
withstood many assaults1 and turn his   
back at last8 ,if we  would have ,god   

crown us with an immutable glory1 we    
must crown our  beginnings with a happy 
perseverance 7,rev4 ii4 #aj73 8,be      
faithful to  the death1 and ,i will give
 thee a crown of life20 not as though   
this  were the cause to merit it1 but a 
necessary condition to possess it3      
constancy in good is accompanied with an
 immutability of glory4    7#c47 ,by an 
unchangeable disposition to good1 we    
should begin the  happiness of heaven   
upon earth4 ,this is the perfection of  
blessed  spirits1 those that are nearest
 to ,god as angels and glorified souls1 
they are immutable2 not1 indeed1 by     
nature1 but by grace2 yet not only  by a
 necessity of grace1 but a liberty of   
will3 grace will not let  them change2  
and that grace doth animate their wills 
that they would  not change2 an         
immutable ,god fills their              
understandings and affections1  and     
gives satisfaction to their desires4    
,the saints when they were  below1 tried
 other things1 and found them deficient2

 but now they  are so fully satisfied   
with the beatific vision1 that if ,satan
 should  have an entrance among the     
angels and sons of ,god1 it is not      
likely  he should have any influence    
upon them2 he could not present to their
  understandings anything that could    
either at the first glance1 or upon  a  
deliberate view1 be preferable to what  
they enjoy and are fixed in4  ,well1    
then1 let us be immovable in the        
knowledge and love of ,god4 ,it  is the 
delight of ,god to see his creatures    
resemble him in what they  are able4    
,let not our affections to him be as    
,jonah's gourd1 growing  up in one night
 and withering the next4 ,let us not    
only fight a good  fight1 but do so till
 we have finished our course1 and       
imitate ,god  in an unchangeableness of 
holy purposes2 and to that purpose1     
examine  ourselves daily what fixedness 
we have arrived unto2 and to prevent    
any temptation to a revolt1 let us often
 possess our minds with  thoughts of the

 immutability of ,god's nature and will1
 which1 like  fire under water1 will    
keep a good matter boiling up in us1 and
 make  it both retain and increase its  
heat4    7#d47 ,let this doctrine teach 
us to have recourse to ,god1 and aim at 
a  near conjunction with him4 ,when our 
spirits begin to flag1 and a cold       
aguish temper is drawing upon us1 let us
 go to him who can only fix  our hearts1
 and furnish us with a ballast to render
 them steadfast4  ,as he is only        
immutable in his nature1 so he is the   
only principle  of immutability1 as well
 as being in the creature4 ,without his 
grace1  we shall be as changeable in our
 appearances as the chameleon1 and in   
our turnings as the wind4 ,when ,peter  
trusted in himself1 he changed to  the  
worse2 it was his ,master's recourse to 
,god for him that preserved  in him a   
reducing principle1 which changed him   
again for the better1  and fixed him in 
it 7,luke xxii4 #cb74 ,it will be our   
interest to be in  conjunction with him1

 that moves not about with the heavens1 
nor is  turned by the force of nature1  
nor a#cfb changed by the accidents in   
the world2 but sits in the heavens1     
moving all things by his powerful  arm1 
according to his infinite skill4 ,while 
we have him for our ,god1  we have his  
immutability as well as any other       
perfection of his nature  for our       
advantage2 the nearer we come to him1   
the more stability we  shall have in    
ourselves2 the further from him1 the    
more liable to  change4 ,the line that  
is nearest to the place where it is     
first fixed1  is least subject to       
motion2 the further it is stretched from
 it1 the  weaker it is1 and more liable 
to be shaken4 ,let us also affect those 
things which are nearest to him in this 
perfection2 the righteousness  of       
,christ that shall never wear out1 and  
the graces of the ,spirit that  shall   
never burn out2 by this means1 what ,god
 is infinitely by nature1  we shall come
 to be finitely immutable by grace1 as  

much as the  capacity of a creature can 
contain4          a#cfc                 
,,discourse ,,vii4                      
,,on ,,god',s ,,omnipresence4           
,,jeremiah xxiii4 #bd4;,can any hide    
himself in secret places1 that      ,i  
shall not see him8 saith the ,lord4 ,do 
not ,i fill heaven and      earth8 saith
 the ,lord4      ,,the occasion of this 
discourse begins ver4 #af1 where ,god   
admonisheth  the people1 not to hearken 
to the words of the false prophets which
  spake a vision of their own heart1 and
 not out of the mouth of the  ,lord4    
,they made the people vain by their     
insinuations of peace1 when  ,god had   
proclaimed war and calamity2 and uttered
 the dreams of their  fancies1 and not  
the visions of the ,lord2 and so turned 
the people  from the expectation of the 
evil day which ,god had threatened 7ver4
  #ag73 8,they say still unto them that 
despise me1 ,the ,lord hath said1  ,ye  
shall have peace3 and they say unto     
every one that walks after the          

imagination of his own heart1 ,no evil  
shall come upon you40 ,and they         
invalidate the prophecies of those whom 
,god had sent1 ver4 #ah3 8,who  hath    
stood in the counsel of the ,lord1 and  
hath perceived and heard  his word8 who 
hath marked his word1 and heard it80    
,who hath stood in  the counsel of the  
,lord8 ,are they acquainted with the    
secrets of ,god  more than we8 ,who have
 the word of the ,lord1 if we have not8 
,or1 it  may be a continuation of ,god's
 admonition3 believe not those prophets2
  for who of them have been acquainted  
with the secrets of ,god8 or by  what   
means should they learn his counsel8    
,no2 assure yourselves 8a  whirlwind of 
the ,lord is gone forth in fury1 even a 
grievous whirlwind2  it shall fall      
grievously upon the head of the wicked0 
7ver4 #ai74 ,a  whirlwind shall come    
from ,babylon2 it is just at the door1  
and shall  not be blown over2 it shall  
fall with a witness upon the wicked     
people  and the deceiving prophets1 and 

sweep them together into captivity4     
,for 7ver4 #bj71 8,the anger of the     
,lord shall not return1 until he  have  
executed1 and till he have performed the
 thoughts of his heart40  ,my fury shall
 not be a childish fury1 that quickly   
languisheth1 but  shall accomplish      
whatsoever ,i threaten2 and burn so hot1
 as not to be  cool1 till ,i have       
satisfied my vengeance2 8in the latter  
days ye shall  consider it perfectly0   
7ver4 #bj71 when the storm shall beat   
upon you1  you shall then know that the 
calamities shall answer the words you   
have heard4 ,when the conqueror shall   
waste your grounds1 demolish your       
houses1 and manacle your hands1 then    
shall you consider it1 and have  the    
wishes of fools1 that you had had your  
eyes in your heads before2  you shall   
then know the falseness of your guides1 
and the a#cfd truth  of my prophets1 and
 discern who stood in the counsel of the
 ,lord1 and  subscribe to the messages  
,i have sent you4    ,some understand   

this not only of the ,babylonish        
captivity1 but  refer it to the time of 
,christ1 and the false doctrine of men's
 own  righteousness in opposition to the
 righteousness of ,god2 understanding   
this verse to be partly a threatening of
 wrath1 which shall end in  an advantage
 to the ,jews1 who shall in the latter  
time consider the  falseness of their   
notions about a legal righteousness1 and
 so make  it a promise2 they shall then 
know the intent of the ,scripture1 and  
in  the latter days1 the latter end of  
the world1 when time shall be near  the 
rolling up1 they shall reflect upon     
themselves2 they shall 8look  upon ,him 
whom they have pierced20 and till these 
latter days1 they  shall be hardened1   
and believe nothing of evangelical      
truths4 ,now  ,god denieth that he sent 
those prophets 7ver4 #ba73 8,i have not 
sent  these prophets1 yet they ran2 ,i  
have not spoken to them1 yet they       
prophesied40 ,they have intruded        
themselves without a commission from    

me1 whatsoever their brags are4 ,the    
reason to prove it is 7ver4 #bb71  8,if 
they had stood in my counsel10 if they  
had been instructed1 and  inspired by   
me1 8they would have caused my people to
 hear my words20  they would have       
regulated themselves according to my    
word1 8and have  turned them from their 
evil way20 i4 e4 endeavored to shake    
down  their false confidences of peace1 
and make them sensible of their  false  
notions of me1 and my ways4 ,now because
 those false prophets  could not be so  
impudent as to boast that they          
prophesied in the name  of ,god1 when   
they had not commission from him1 unless
 they had some  secret sentiment1 that  
they and their intentions were hid from 
the  knowledge and eye of ,god2 he adds 
7ver4 #cc71 8,am ,i a ,god at hand1  and
 not a ,god afar off8 ,can any hide     
himself in secret places1 that  ,i shall
 not see him80 ,have ,i not the power of
 seeing and knowing what  they do1 what 
they design1 what they think8 ,why      

should ,i not have  such a power1 since 
,i fill heaven and earth by my essence8 
8,am ,i a  ,god at hand1 and not a ,god 
afar off80 ,he excludes here the        
doctrine  of those that excluded the    
providence of ,god from extending itself
 to  the inferior things of the earth2  
which error was ancient1 as ancient  as 
the time of ,job1 as appears by their   
opinion1 that ,god's eyes were          
hoodwinked and muffled by the thickness 
of the clouds1 and could not  pierce    
through their dark and dense body 7,job 
xxii4 #ad73 8,thick clouds  are a       
covering to him1 that he seeth not40    
,some refer it to time4#fcc ,do you     
imagine me a ,god new framed like  your 
idols1 beginning a little time ago1 and 
not existing before the  foundation of  
the world2 yea1 from eternity8 a ,god   
afar off1 further  than your acutest    
understandings can reach8 ,i am of a    
longer standing1  and you ought to know 
my majesty4 ,but it rather refers to    
place  than time4 ,do you think ,i do   

not behold everything in the earth1 as  
well as in heaven8 ,am ,i locked up     
within the walls of my palace1 and      
cannot peep out to behold the things    
done in the world8 or that am ,i  so    
linked to pleasure in the place of my   
glory1 as earthly kings are  in their   
courts1 that ,i have no mind or leisure 
a#cfe to take notice  of the carriages  
of men upon earth8 ,god doth not say1   
,he was afar off1  but only gives an    
account of the inward thoughts of their 
minds1 or  at least of the language     
expressed by their actions4 ,the        
interrogation  carries in it a strong   
affirmation1 and assures us more of     
,god's care1  and the folly of men in   
not considering it4 8,am ,i a ,god at   
hand1 and  not a ,god afar off8 ,can any
 hide himself in secret places80 7,heb47
 ,in  hiddenesses1 in the deepest cells4
 ,what6 are you besotted by your base   
lusts1 that you think me a ,god         
careless1 ignorant1 blind1 that ,i can  
see nothing1 but as a purblind man1 what

 is very near my eye8 ,are  you so out  
of your wits1 that you imagine you can  
deceive me8 ,do  not all your behaviors 
speak such a sentiment to lie secret in 
your  heart1 though not formed into a   
full conception1 yet testified by  your 
actions8 ,no1 you are much mistaken2 it 
is impossible but that  ,i should see   
and know all things1 since ,i am present
 with all things1  and am not at a      
greater distance from the things on     
earth than from  the things in heaven2  
for ,i fill all that vast fabric which  
is divided  into those two parts of     
heaven and earth2 and he that hath such 
an  infinite essence1 cannot be distant1
 cannot be ignorant2 nothing  can be far
 from his eyes1 since everything is so  
near to his essence4  ,so that it is an 
elegant expression of the omniscience of
 ,god1 and  a strong argument for it4   
,he asserts1 first1 the universality of 
his  knowledge2 but lest they should    
mistake1 and confine his presence only  
to heaven1 he adds1 ,that he 8fills     

heaven and earth40 ,i do not see  things
 so1 as if ,i were in one place1 and the
 things seen in another1  as it is with 
man2 but whatsoever ,i see1 ,i see not  
without myself1  because every corner of
 heaven and earth is filled by me4 ,he  
that  fills all1 must needs see and know
 all4 ,and indeed1 men that question    
the knowledge of ,god1 would be more    
convinced by the doctrine of his        
immediate presence with them4 ,and this 
seems to be the design and  manner of   
arguing in this place4 ,nothing is      
remote from my knowledge1  because      
nothing is distant from my presence4    
,i fill heaven and earth3 he doth not   
say1 8,i am in heaven and earth1  0 but 
,i fill heaven and earth2 i4 e4 say     
some1 with my knowledge1  others1 with  
my authority or my power4#fcd ,but1     
#a4 ,the word filling cannot properly be
 referred to the act of  understanding  
and will4 ,a presence by knowledge is to
 be granted1 but  to say such a presence
 fills a place is an improper speech3   

knowledge  is not enough to constitute a
 presence4 ,a man at ,london knows there
 is  such a city as ,paris1 and knows   
many things in it2 can he be concluded1 
therefore1 to be present in ,paris1 or  
fill any place there1 or be  present    
with the things he knows there8 ,if ,i  
know anything to be  distant from me1   
how can it be present with me8 ,for by  
knowing it to  be distant1 ,i know it   
not to be present4 ,besides1 filling    
heaven and  earth is distinguished here 
from knowing or seeing3 his presence is 
rendered as an argument to prove his    
knowledge4 ,now a proposition1  and the 
proof of that proposition1 are distinct1
 and not the same4 ,it  cannot be       
imagined that ,god should prove idem per
 idem1 as we say2  for what would be the
 import of the speech then8 ,i know all 
things1  ,i see all things1 because     
a#cff ,i know and see all things4#fce   
,the  ,holy ,ghost here accommodates    
himself to the capacity of men2 because 
we know that a man sees and knows that  

which is done1 where he is  corporally  
present2 so he proves that ,god knows   
all things that are  done in the most   
secret caverns of the heart1 because he 
is everywhere  in heaven and earth1 as  
light is everywhere in the air1 and air 
everywhere in the world4 ,hence the     
schools use the term repletive  for the 
presence of ,god4    #b4 ,nor by filling
 of heaven and earth is meant his       
authority and  power4 ,it would be      
improperly said of a king1 that in      
regard of  the government of his        
kingdom1 is everywhere by his authority1
 that  he fills all the cities and      
countries of his dominions4 8,i1 do not 
,i fill80#fcf ,that 8,i0 notes the      
essence of ,god1 as distinguished       
according to our capacity1 from the     
perfections pertaining to his  essence1 
and is in reason better referred to the 
substance of ,god1  than to those things
 we conceive as attributes in him4      
,besides1 were  it meant only of his    
authority or power1 the argument would  

not run  well4 ,i see all things1       
because my authority and power fills    
heaven  and earth4 ,power doth not      
always rightly infer knowledge1 no1 not 
in  a rational agent4 ,many things in a 
kingdom are done by the authority  of   
the king1 that never arrive to the      
knowledge of the king4 ,many  things in 
us are done by the power of our souls1  
which yet we have not  a distinct       
knowledge of in our understandings4     
,there are many motions  in sleep1 by   
the virtue of the soul informing the    
body1 that we have  not so much as a    
simple knowledge of in our minds4       
,knowledge is not  rightly inferred from
 power1 or power from knowledge4 ,by    
filling  heaven and earth is meant1     
therefore1 a filling it with his        
essence4  ,no place can be imagined that
 is deprived of the presence of ,god2   
and  therefore when the ,scripture      
anywhere speaks of the presence of ,god1
  it joins heaven and earth together3   
,he so fills them1 that there is no     

place without him4 ,we do not say a     
vessel is full so long as there is  any 
space to contain more4 ,not a part of   
heaven1 nor a part of earth1  but the   
whole heaven1 the whole earth1 at one   
and the same time4 ,if he  were only in 
one part of heaven1 or one part of      
earth2 nay1 if there  were any part of  
heaven1 or any part of earth void of    
him1 he could  not be said to fill them4
 8,i fill heaven and earth10 not a part 
of  me fills one place1 and another part
 of me fills another1 but ,i1 ,god1     
fill heaven and earth2 ,i am whole ,god 
filling the heaven1 and whole  ,god1    
filling the earth4 ,i fill heaven1 and  
yet fill earth2 ,i fill  earth1 and yet 
fill heaven1 and fill heaven and earth  
at one and the  same time4 8,god fills  
his own works10 a heathen philosopher   
saith4#fcg    ,i4 ,here is then a       
description of ,god's presence4 #a4 ,by 
power1  8,am ,i not a ,god afar off80 a 
,god in the extension of his arm4 #b4   
,by  knowledge1 8,shall ,i not see      

them80 #c4 ,by essence2 as an undeniable
  ground for inferring the two former3  
8,i fill heaven and earth40             
,doctrine4 ,god is essentially          
everywhere present in heaven and  earth4
 ,if ,god be1 he must be somewhere2 that
 which is nowhere1 is  nothing4 ,since  
,god is1 he is in the world2 not in one 
part of it2  for a#cfg then he were     
circumscribed by it3 if in the world1   
and  only there1 though it be a great   
space1 he were also limited4 ,some      
therefore said1 8,god was everywhere1   
and nowhere40#fch ,nowhere1  i4 e4 not  
bounded by any place1 nor receiving from
 any place  anything for his            
preservation or sustainment4 ,he is     
everywhere1  because no creature1 either
 body or spirit1 can exclude the        
presence  of his essence2 for he is not 
only near1 but in everything 7,acts     
xvii4 #bh73 8,in him we live1 and move1 
and have our being40 ,not absent  from  
anything1 but so present with them1 that
 they live and move in  him1 and move   

more in ,god1 than in the air or earth  
wherein they are2  nearer to us than our
 flesh to our bones1 than the air to our
 breath2  he cannot be far from them    
that live1 and have every motion in him4
  ,the apostle doth not say1 ,by him1   
but in him1 to show the inwardness  of  
his presence4 ,as eternity is the       
perfection whereby he hath neither      
beginning nor end1 immutability is the  
perfection whereby he hath  neither     
increase nor diminution1 so immensity or
 omnipresence is that  whereby he hath  
neither bounds nor limitation4 ,as he is
 in all time1  yet so as to be above    
time2 so is he in all places1 yet so as 
to be  above limitation by any place4   
,it was a good expression of a heathen  
to illustrate this1 8,that ,god is a    
sphere or circle1 whose centre  is      
everywhere1 and circumference nowhere40 
,his meaning was1 that  the essence of  
,god was indivisible2 i4 e4 could not be
 divided4 ,it  cannot be said1 here and 
there the lines of it terminate2 it is  

like  a line drawn out in infinite      
spaces1 that no point can be conceived  
where its length and breadth ends4 ,the 
sea is a vast mass of waters2  yet to   
that it is said1 8,hitherto shalt thou  
go1 and no further40  ,but it cannot be 
said of ,god's essence1 hitherto it     
reaches1 and no  further2 here it is1   
and there it is not4 ,it is plain1 that 
,god is  thus immense1 because he is    
infinite2 we have reason and ,scripture 
to assent to it1 though we cannot       
conceive it4 ,we know that ,god is      
eternal1 though eternity is too great to
 be measured by the short line  of a    
created understanding4 ,we cannot       
conceive the vastness and glory  of the 
heavens1 much less that which is so     
great1 as to fill heaven  and earth1 yea
 7#a ,kings viii4 #bg71 8not to be      
contained in the heaven  of ,heavens40  
,things are said to be present1 or in a 
place1    #a4 ,circumscriptive1 as      
circumscribed4 ,this belongs to things  
that  have quantity1 as bodies that are 

encompassed by that place wherein  they 
are2 and a body fills but one particular
 space wherein it is1 and  the space is 
commensurate to every part of it1 and   
every member hath a  distinct place4    
,the hand is not in the same particular 
space that the  foot or head is4    #b4 
,definitive1 which belongs to angels and
 spirits1 which are said to  be in a    
point1 yet so as that they cannot be    
said to be in another at  the same time4
    #c4 ,repletive1 filling all places4 
,this belongs only to ,god3 as he  is   
not measured by time1 so he is not      
limited by place4 ,a body or  spirit1   
because finite1 fills but one space2    
,god1 because infinite1  fills all1 yet 
so as not to be contained in them1 as   
wine and water  is in a vessel4 ,he is  
from the height of the heavens to the   
bottom  of the deeps1 in a#cfh every    
point of the world1 and in the whole    
circle of it1 yet not limited by it1 but
 beyond it4 ,now this hath  been        
acknowledged by the wisest in the world4

 ,some indeed had other  notions of     
,god4 ,the more ignorant sort of the    
,jews confined him to the  temple4#fci  
,and ,god intimates1 that they had such 
a thought when he  asserts his presence 
in heaven and earth1 in opposition to   
the temple  they built as his house1 and
 the place of his rest4#fdj ,and the    
idolaters among them1 thought their gods
 might be at a distance from  them1     
which ,elias intimates in the scoff he  
puts upon them 7#a ,kings  xviii4 #ag71 
8,cry aloud1 for he is a god10 meaning  
,baal2 8either he is  talking1 or he is 
pursuing1 or he is in a journey20 and   
they followed  his advice1 and cried    
louder 7ver4 #bh71 whereby it is        
evident1 they  looked not on it as a    
mock1 but as a truth4 ,and the ,syrians 
called the  ,god of ,israel the ,god of 
the hills1 as though his presence were  
fixed  there1 and not in the valleys 7#a
 ,kings xx4 #bc72 and their own gods in 
the valleys1 and not in the mountains2  
they fancied every god to have  a       

particular dominion and presence in one 
place and not in another1  and bounded  
the territories of their gods as they   
did those of their  princes4#fda ,and   
some thought him tied to and shut up in 
their  temples and groves wherein they  
worshipped him4#fdb ,some of them       
thought ,god to be confined to heaven1  
and therefore sacrificed upon  the      
highest mountains1 that the steam might 
ascend nearer heaven1  and their praises
 be heard better in those places which  
were nearest  to the habitation of ,god4
 ,but the wiser ,jews acknowledged it1  
and  therefore called ,god place1#fdc   
whereby they denoted his immensity2  he 
was not contained in any place2 every   
part of the world subsists by  ,him3 he 
was a place to himself1 greater than    
anything made by ,him4 ,and  the wiser  
heathens acknowledged it also4 ,one     
calls ,god a mind passing  through the  
universal nature of things2#fdd another1
 that ,he was an  infinite and immense  
air2#fde another1 that it is as natural 

to think  ,god is everywhere1 as to     
think that ,god is3 hence they called   
,god the  soul of the world2 that as the
 soul is in every part of the body to   
quicken it1 so is ,god in every part of 
the world to support it4 ,and  there are
 some resemblances of this in the world1
 though no creature  can fully resemble 
,god in any one perfection2 for then it 
would not  be a creature1 but ,god4 ,but
 air and light are some resemblances of 
it3  air is in all the spaces of the    
world1 in the pores of all bodies1 in   
the bowels of the earth1 and extends    
itself from the lowest earth to  the    
highest regions2 and the heavens        
themselves are probably nothing  else   
but a refined kind of air2 and light    
diffuseth itself through  the whole air1
 and every part of it is truly light1 as
 every part of  the air is truly air2   
and though they seem to be mingled      
together1  yet they are distinct things1
 and not of the same essence2 so is the 
essence of ,god in the whole world1 not 

by diffusion as air or light1  not mixed
 with any creature1 but remaining       
distinct from the essence  of any       
created being4 ,now1 when this hath been
 owned by men instructed  only in the   
school of nature1 it is a greater a#cfi 
shame to any  acquainted with the       
,scripture to deny4 ,for the            
understanding of this1  there shall be  
some propositions premised in general4  
,prop4 ,i4 ,this is negatively to be    
understood4 ,our knowledge  of ,god is  
most by withdrawing from him1 or denying
 to him in our  conceptions any         
weaknesses or imperfections in the      
creature4 ,as the  infiniteness of ,god 
is a denial of limitation of being1 so  
immensity  or omnipresence is a denial  
of limitation of place3 and when we say1
  ,god is totus in every place1 we must 
understand it thus2 that he is  not     
everywhere by parts1 as bodies are1 as  
air and light are2 ,he is  everywhere1  
i4 e4 his nature hath no bounds2 he is  
not tied to any  place1 as the creature 

is1 who1 when he is present in one      
place1 is  absent from another4 ,as no  
place can be without ,god1 so no place  
can  compass and contain him4    ,prop4 
,,ii4 ,there is an influential          
omnipresence of ,god4    #a4 ,universal 
with all creatures4 ,he is present with 
all things by  his authority1 because   
all things are subject to him3 by his   
power1  because all things are sustained
 by him3 by his knowledge1 because all  
things are naked before him4 ,he is     
present in the world1 as a king is  in  
all parts of his kingdom regally        
present3 providentially present  with   
all1 since his care extends to the      
meanest of his creatures4 ,his  power   
reacheth all1 and his knowledge pierceth
 all4 ,as everything in  the world was  
created by ,god1 so everything in the   
world is preserved  by ,god2 and since  
preservation is not wholly distinct from
 creation1  it is necessary ,god should 
be present with everything while he     
preserves it1 as well as present with it

 when he created it4 8,thou  preservest 
man and beast0 7,ps4 xxxvi4 #f74 8,he   
upholds all things by  the word of his  
power0 7,heb4 i4 #c74 ,there is a virtue
 sustaining every  creature1 that it may
 not fall back into that nothing from   
whence  it was elevated by the power of 
,god4 ,all those natural virtues we     
call the principles of operation1 are   
fountains springing from his  goodness  
and power2 all things are acted and     
managed by him1 as  well as preserved by
 him2 and in this sense ,god is present 
with all  creatures2 for whatsoever acts
 another1 is present with that which  it
 acts1 by sending forth some virtue and 
influence whereby it acts3  if free     
agents do not only live1 but move in him
 and by him 7,acts  xvii4 #bh71 much    
more are the motions of other natural   
agents by  a virtue communicated to     
them1 and upheld in them in the time of 
their acting4 ,this virtual presence of 
,god is evident to our sense1  a        
presence we feel2 his essential presence

 is evident in our reason4  ,this       
influential presence may be compared to 
that of the sun1 which  though at so    
great a distance from the earth1 is     
present in the air  and earth by its    
light1 and within the earth by its      
influence in  concocting those metals   
which are in the bowels of it1 without  
being  substantially either of them4    
,god is thus so intimate with every     
creature1 that there is not the least   
particle of any creature1 but  the marks
 of his power and goodness are seen in  
it1 and his goodness  doth attend them1 
and is more swift in its effluxes than  
the breakings  out of light from the    
sun1 which yet are more swift than can  
be  declared2 but to say he is in the   
world only by his virtue1 is to         
acknowledge only the effects of his     
power and wisdom in the world1  a#cgj   
that his eye sees all1 his arm supports 
all1 his goodness  nourisheth all1 but  
himself and his essence at a distance   
from  them2#fdf and so the soul of man  

according to its measure would have  in 
some kind a more excellent manner of    
presence in the body1 than  ,god        
according to the infiniteness of his    
,being with his creatures2  for that    
doth not only communicate life to the   
body1 but is actually  present with it1 
and spreads its whole essence through   
the body and  every member of it4 ,all  
grant1 that ,god is efficaciously in    
every  creek of the world2 but some say 
he is only substantially in heaven4     
#b4 ,limited to such subjects that are  
capacitated for this or  that kind of   
presence4 ,yet it is an omnipresence1   
because it is  a presence in all the    
subjects capacitated for it2 thus there 
is  a special providential presence of  
,god with some in assisting them  when  
he sets them on work as his instruments 
for some special service  in the world4 
,as with ,cyrus 7,isa4 xlv4 #b71 8,i    
will go before thee20  and with         
,nebuchadnezzar and ,alexander1 whom he 
protected and directed  to execute his  

counsels in the world2 such a presence  
,judas and  others#fdg that shall not   
enjoy his glorious presence1 had in  the
 working of miracles in the world4      
,besides1#fdh as there is an  effective 
presence of ,god with all creatures1    
because he produced  them and preserves 
them1 so there is an objective presence 
of ,god with  rational creatures1       
because he offers himself to them to be 
known and  loved by them4 ,he is near to
 wicked men in the offers of his grace1 
8,call ye upon him while he is near0    
7,isa4 lv4 #f72 besides1 there is a     
gracious presence of ,god with his      
people in whom he dwells and makes  his 
abode1 as in a temple consecrated to him
 by the graces of the  ,spirit4 8,we    
will come0 7,john xiv4 #bc71 i4 e4 the  
,father and the ,son1  and make our     
abode with him4 ,he is present with all 
by the presence  of his ,divinity1 but  
only in his saints by a presence of a   
gracious  efficacy2 he walks in the     
midst of the golden candlesticks1 and   

hath  dignified the congregation of his 
people with the title of ,jehovah       
,shammah1 8the ,lord is there0 7,ezek4  
xlviii4 #ce73 8in ,salem is his         
tabernacle1 and his dwellingplace in    
,sion0 7,ps4 lxxvi4 #b74 ,as he  filled 
the tabernacle1 so he doth the church   
with the signs of his  presence2 this is
 not the presence wherewith he fills    
heaven and  earth4 ,his ,spirit is not  
bestowed upon all to reside in their    
hearts1  enlighten their minds1 and     
bedew them with refreshing comforts4    
,when  the ,apostle speaks of ,god being
 8above all and through all0 7,eph4  iv4
 #f71 above all in his majesty1 through 
all in his providence2  he doth not     
appropriate that as he doth what        
follows1 8and in you  all20 in you all  
by a special grace2 as ,god was         
specially present  with ,christ by the  
grace of union1 so he is specially      
present  with his people by the grace of
 regeneration4 ,so there are several    
manifestations of his presence2 he hath 

a presence of glory in heaven1  whereby 
he comforts the saints2 a presence of   
wrath in hell1 whereby  he torments the 
damned2 in heaven he is a ,god spreading
 his beams of  light2 in hell1 a ,god   
distributing his strokes of justice2 by 
the one  he fills heaven2 by the other  
he fills hell2 by his providence and    
essence he fills both heaven and earth4 
a#cga ,prop4 ,,iii4 ,there is an        
essential presence of ,god in the       
world4 ,he is not only everywhere by his
 power upholding the creatures1  by his 
wisdom understanding them1 but by his   
essence containing them4  ,that anything
 is essentially present anywhere1 it    
hath from ,god2 ,god  is therefore much 
more present everywhere1 for he cannot  
give that  which he hath not4    #a4 ,he
 is essentially present in all          
places4#fdi ,it is as reasonable  to    
think the essence of ,god to be         
everywhere as to be always4  ,immensity 
is as rational as eternity4 ,that       
indivisible essence which  reaches      

through all times may as well reach     
through all places4 ,it is  more        
excellent to be always than to be       
everywhere2 for to be always in         
duration is intrinsical2 to be          
everywhere is intrinsic4 ,if the greater
  belongs to ,god1 why not the less8 ,as
 all times are a moment to his          
eternity1 so all places are as a point  
to his essence4 ,as he is larger  than  
all time1 so he is vaster than all      
place4 ,the nations of the  world are to
 him 8as the dust of the balance0 or    
8drop of a bucket0  7,isa4 xl4 #ae74    
8,the nations are accounted as the small
 dust40 ,the  essence of ,god may well  
be thought to be present everywhere with
  that which is no more than a grain of 
dust to him1 and in all those  isles1   
which1 if put together1 8are a very     
little thing0 in his hand4  ,therefore1 
saith a learned ,jew1#fej if a man were 
set in the highest  heavens he would not
 be nearer to the essence of ,god than  
if he were  in the centre of the earth4 

,why may not the presence of ,god in the
  world be as noble as that of the soul 
in the body1 which is generally  granted
 to be essentially in every part of the 
body of man1 which is  but a little     
world1 and animates every member by its 
actual presence1  though it exerts not  
the same operation in every part8#fea   
,the world  is less to the ,creator than
 the body to the soul1 and needs more   
the  presence of ,god than the body     
needs the presence of the soul4 ,that   
glorious body of the sun visits every   
part of the habitable earth  in         
twentyfour hours by its beams1 which    
reaches the troughs of the  lowest      
valleys as well as the pinnacles of the 
highest mountains2  must we not         
acknowledge in the ,creator of this sun 
an infinite greater  proportion of      
presence8 ,is it not as easy1 with the  
essence of ,god1  to overspread the     
whole body of heaven and earth as it is 
for the sun  to pierce and diffuse      
itself through the whole air1 between it

 and the  earth1 and send up its light  
also as far to the regions above8 ,do we
  not see something like it in sounds   
and voices8 ,is not the same sound  of a
 trumpet1 or any other musical          
instrument1 at the first breaking  out  
of a blast1 in several places within    
such a compass at the same  time8 ,doth 
not every ear that hears it receive     
alike the whole sound  of it8 ,and      
fragrant odors1 scented in several      
places at the same time1  in the same   
manner2 and the organ proper for        
smelling takes in the  same in every    
person within the compass of it4 ,how   
far is the noise  of thunder heard alike
 to every ear in places something       
distant from  one another6 ,and do we   
daily find such a manner of presence in 
those  things of so low a concern1 and  
not imagine a kind of presence of ,god  
greater than all those8 ,is the sound of
 thunder1 the voice of ,god as  it is   
called1 everywhere in such a compass8   
and shall not the essence  of a#cgb an  

infinite ,god be much more everywhere8  
,those that would  confine the essence  
of ,god only to heaven1 and exclude it  
from the  earth1 run into great         
inconveniences4 ,it may be demanded     
whether he  be in one part of the       
heavens or in the whole vast body of    
them4 ,if  in one part of them1 his     
essence is bounded2 if he moves from    
that  part he is mutable1 for he changes
 a place wherein he was1 for another    
wherein he was not4 ,if he be always    
fixed in one part of the heavens1  such 
a notion would render him little better 
than a living statue4#feb  ,if he be in 
the whole heaven1 why cannot his essence
 possess a greater  space than the whole
 heavens1 which are so vast8 ,how comes 
he to be  confined within the compass of
 that1 since the whole heaven compasseth
  the earth8 ,if he be in the whole     
heaven he is in places farther  distant 
one from another than any part of the   
earth can be from the  heavens2 since   
the earth is like a centre in the midst 

of a circle1  it must be nearer to every
 part of the circle than some parts of  
the  circle can be to one another4 ,if1 
therefore1 his essence possesses the    
whole heavens1 no reason can be rendered
 why he doth not also possess  the      
earth1 since also the earth is but a    
little point in comparison of  the      
vastness of the heavens3 if1 therefore1 
he be in every part of the  heavens1 why
 not in every part of the earth8 ,the   
,scripture is plain  7,ps4 cxxxix4 #gi71
 8,whither shall ,i go from thy ,spirit8
 or whither  shall ,i fly from thy      
presence8 ,if ,i ascend up to heaven1   
thou art  there2 if ,i make my bed in   
hell1 behold thou art there2 if ,i take 
the wings of the morning1 and dwell in  
the uttermost parts of the sea1  even   
there shall thy hand lead me1 and thy   
right hand shall uphold me4  0 ,if he be
 in heaven1 earth1 hell1 sea1 he fills  
all places with his  presence4 ,his     
presence is here asserted in places the 
most distant  from one another4 ,all the

 places then between heaven and earth   
are  possessed by his presence4 ,it is  
not meant of his knowledge1 for that    
the ,psalmist had spoken of before 7ver4
 #b1 #c71 8,thou understandest  my      
thoughts afar off2 thou art acquainted  
with all my ways30 besides1  8thou art  
there20 not thy wisdom or knowledge1 but
 thou1 thy essence1  not only thy       
virtue4 ,for1 having before spoken of   
his omniscience1 he  proves that such   
knowledge could not be in ,god1 unless  
he were present  in his essence in all  
places1 so as to be excluded from none4 
,he fills  the depths of hell1 the      
extension of the earth1 and the heights 
of  the heavens4 ,when the ,scripture   
mentions the power of ,god only1 it     
expresseth it by hand or arm2 but when  
it mentions the ,spirit of ,god1  and   
doth not intend the ,third ,person in   
the ,trinity1 it signifies  the nature  
and essence of ,god4 ,and so here1 when 
he saith1 8,whither  shall ,i go from   
thy ,spirit80 he adds1 exegetically1    

8,whither shall  ,i fly from thy        
presence80 or 7,heb47 8face3 0 and the  
face of ,god in  ,scripture signifies   
the essence of ,god 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #bj1
 #bc72 8,thou  canst not see my face10  
and 8,my face shall not be seen40 ,the  
effects  of his power1 wisdom1 and      
providence are seen1 which are his back 
parts1 but not his face4 ,the effects of
 his power and wisdom are seen  in the  
world1 but his essence is invisible2 and
 this the ,psalmist  elegantly          
expresseth1 ,had ,i wings endued with as
 much quickness as the  first dawnings  
of the morning light1 or the first darts
 of any a#cgc  sunbeam that spreads     
itself through the hemisphere1 and      
passeth many  miles in as short a space 
as ,i can think a thought1 ,i should    
find  thy presence in all places before 
me1 and could not fly out of the        
infinite compass of thy essence4    #b4 
8,he is essentially present with all    
creatures40 ,if he be in all  places1 it
 follows that he is with all creatures  

in those places2  as he is in heaven1 so
 he is with all angels2 as he is in     
hell1 so  he is with all devils3 as he  
is in the earth and sea1 he is with all 
creatures inhabiting those elements2 as 
his essential presence was the  ground  
of the first being of things by         
creation1 so it is the ground  of the   
continued being of things by            
conservation2 as his essential  presence
 was the original1 so it is the support 
of the existence of  all the creatures4 
,what are all those magnificent         
expressions of his  creative virtue1 but
 testimonies of his essential presence  
at the  laying the foundation of the    
world 7,isa4 xl4 #ab71 8when he measured
  the waters in the hollow of his hand1 
meted out heaven with the span1  and    
comprehended the dust of the earth in a 
measure1 and weighed the  mountains in  
scales1 and the hills in a balance80 ,he
 sets forth the  power and majesty of   
,god in the creation and preservation of
 things1  and every expression testifies

 his presence with them4 ,the waters    
that  were upon the face of the earth at
 first were no more than a drop in  the 
palm of a man's hand1 which in every    
part is touched by his hand2  and thus  
he is equally present with the blackest 
devils1 as well as  the brightest       
angels2 with the lowest dust1 as well as
 with the most  sparkling sun4 ,he is   
equally present with the damned and the 
blessed1  as he is an infinite ,being1  
but not in regard of his goodness and   
grace4 ,he is equally present with the  
good and the bad1 with the  scoffing    
,athenians1 as well as the believing    
apostles1 in regard of  his essence1 but
 not in regard of the breathing of his  
divine virtues  upon them to make them  
like himself 7,acts xvii4 #bg74 8,he is 
not far  from every one of us2 for in   
him we live1 and move1 and have our     
being40 ,the apostle includes all2 he   
tells them they should seek the  ,lord2 
the ,lord that they were to seek1 is    
,god essentially considered4  ,we are1  

indeed1 to seek the perfections of ,god1
 that glitter in his  works1 but to the 
end that they should direct us to the   
seeking of  ,god himself in his own     
nature and essence2#fec and1 therefore1 
what  follows1 8,in him we live10 is to 
be understood1 not of his power and     
goodness1 perfections of his nature1    
distinguished according to our  manner  
of conception from his essence1 but of  
the essential presence  of ,god with his
 creatures4 ,if he had meant it of his  
efficacy in  preserving us1 it had not  
been any proof of his nearness to us4   
,who  would go about to prove the body  
or substance of the sun to be near us   
because it doth warm and enlighten us1  
when our sense evidenceth the  distance 
of it8 ,we live in the beams of the sun1
 but we cannot be said  to live in the  
sun1 which is so far distant from us4   
,the expression  seems to be more       
emphatical than to intend any less than 
his essential  presence2 but we live in 
him not only as the efficient cause of  

our  life1 but as the foundation        
sustaining our lives and motions1 as if 
he  were like air1 diffused round about 
us2 and we move in him1 as ,austin      
saith1 as a sponge in the a#cgd sea1 not
 containing him1 but being  contained by
 him4 ,he compasseth all1 is encompassed
 by none2 he fills  all1 is comprehended
 by none4 ,the ,creator contains the    
world1 the  world contains not the      
,creator2 as the hollow of the hand     
contains the  water1 the water in the   
hollow of the hand contains not the     
hand2 and  therefore some have chose to 
say1 rather1 that the world is in ,god1 
it  lives and moves in him1 than that   
,god is in the world4 ,if all things    
thus live and move in him1 then he is   
present with everything that  hath life 
and motion2 and as long as the devils   
and damned have life1  and motion1 and  
being1 so long is he with them2 for     
whatsoever lives  and moves1 lives and  
moves in him4 ,this essential presence  
is1    7#a47 ,without any mixture4 ,i   

fill heaven and earth2 not1 ,i am mixed 
with heaven and earth3 his essence is   
not mixed with the creatures2  it       
remains entire in itself4 ,the sponge   
retains the nature of a sponge1  though 
encompassed by the sea1 and moving in   
it2 and the sea still  retains its own  
nature4 ,god is most simple2 his essence
 therefore is  not mixed with anything4 
,the light of the sun is present with   
the air1  but not mixed with it2 it     
remains light1 and the air remains air2 
the  light of the sun is diffused       
through all the hemisphere1 it pierceth 
all transparent bodies1 it seems to mix 
itself with all things1 yet  remains    
unmixed and undivided2 the light remains
 light1 and the air  remains air2 the   
air is not light1 though it be          
enlightened4 ,or1 take  this similitude3
 ,when many candles are lighted up in a 
room1 the light  is all together1 yet   
not mixed with one another2 every candle
 hath a  particular light belonging to  
it1 which may be separated in a moment1 

by removing one candle from another2 but
 if they were mixed1 they  could not be 
separated1 at least so easily4 ,god is  
not formally one  with the world1 or    
with any creature in the world by his   
presence in  it2 nor can any creature in
 the world1 no1 not the soul of man1 or 
an  angel1 come to be essentially one   
with ,god1 though ,god be essentially   
present with it4    7#b47 ,the essential
 presence is without any division of    
himself4 8,i  fill heaven and earth10   
not part in heaven1 and part in earth2  
,i fill  one as well as the other3 one  
part of his essence is not in one place1
  and another part of his essence in    
another place1 he would then be         
changeable2 for that part of his essence
 which were now in this place1  he might
 alter it to another1 and place that    
part of his essence which  were in      
another place to this2 but he is        
undivided everywhere4 ,as his  eternity 
is one indivisible point1 though in our 
conception we divide  it into past1     

present1 and to come1 so the whole world
 is as a point  to him1 in regard of    
place1 as before was said2 it is as a   
small dust1  and grain of dust3 it is   
impossible that one part of his essence 
can  be separated from another1 for he  
is not a body1 to have one part         
separable from another4 ,the light of   
the sun cannot be cut into parts1  it   
cannot be shut into any place and kept  
there1 it is entire in  every place4    
,shall not ,god1 who gives the light    
that power1 be much  more present       
himself8 ,whatsoever hath parts is      
finite1 but ,god is  infinite1 therefore
 hath no parts of his essence4 ,besides1
 if there  were such a division of his  
being1 he would not be the most simple  
and  uncompounded being1 but would be   
made up of various parts2 he would  not 
be a ,spirit1 for parts are evidences of
 composition2 a#cge and  it could not be
 said that ,god is here or there1 but   
only a part of ,god  here1 and a part of
 ,god there4 ,but he fills heaven and   

earth2 he is  as much a ,god in the     
earth beneath as in heaven above 7,deut4
 iv4 #ci72  entirely in all places1 not 
by scraps and fragments of his essence4 
7#c47 ,this essential presence is not by
 multiplication4 ,for that which  is    
infinite cannot multiply itself1 or make
 itself more or greater  than it was4   
7#d47 ,this essential presence is not by
 extension or diffusion1 as a  piece of 
gold may be beaten out to cover a large 
compass of ground2  no1 if ,god should  
create millions of worlds he would be in
 them all1  not by stretching out his   
being1 but by the infiniteness of his   
being2  not by a new growth of his      
being1 but by the same essence he had   
from  eternity3 upon the same reasons   
mentioned before1 his simplicity and    
indivisibility4    7#e47 ,but totally4  
,there is no space1 not the least1      
wherein ,god is not  wholly1 according  
to his essence1 and wherein his whole   
substance doth  not exist2 not a part of
 heaven can be designed wherein the     

,creator  is not wholly2 as he is in one
 part of heaven1 he is in every part of 
heaven4 ,some kind of resemblance we may
 have from the water of the sea1  which 
fills the great space of the world1 and 
is diffused through all2  yet the       
essence of water is in every drop of    
water in the sea1 as much  as the whole2
 and the same quality of water1 though  
it comes short  in quantity2 and why    
shall we not allow ,god a nobler way of 
presence  without diffusion1 as is in   
that8 or take this resemblance2 since   
,god  likens himself to light in the    
,scripture1 8he covereth himself with   
light40#fed ,a crystal globe hung up in 
the air hath light all about  it1 all   
within it1 every part is pierced by it1 
wherever you see  the crystal you see   
the light2 the light in one part of the 
crystal  cannot be distinguished from   
the light in the other part2 and the    
whole essence of light is in every part2
 and shall not ,god be as much  present 
with his creatures1 as one creature can 

be with another8#fee  ,god is totally   
everywhere by his own simple substance4 
,prop4 ,,iv4 ,god is present beyond the 
world4 ,he is within and above  all     
places1 though places should be infinite
 in number2 as he was  before and beyond
 all time1 so he is above and beyond all
 place2 being  from eternity before any 
real time1 he must also be without as   
well  as within any real space2 if ,god 
were only confined to the world1 he     
would be no more infinite in his essence
 than the world is in quantity2  as a   
moment cannot be conceived from         
eternity1 wherein ,god was not in       
being1 so a space cannot be conceived in
 the mind of man1 wherein ,god  is not  
present2 he is not contained in the     
world nor in the heavens  7#a ,kings    
viii4 #bg74 8,but will ,god indeed dwell
 on the earth8 ,behold1  the heaven of  
heavens cannot contain thee40 ,solomon  
wonders that ,god  should appoint a     
temple to be erected to him upon the    
earth1 when he  is not contained in the 

vast circuit of the heavens2 his essence
 is  not straitened in the limits of any
 created work2 he is not contained  in  
the heavens1 i4 e4 in the manner that he
 is there2 but he is  there in his      
essence1 and therefore cannot be        
contained a#cgf there  in his essence4  
,if it should be meant only of his power
 and providence1  it would conclude also
 for his essence2 if his power and      
providence  were infinite1 his essence  
must be so too2 for the infiniteness of 
his  essence is the ground of the       
infiniteness of his power4 ,it can never
  enter into any thought1 that a finite 
essence can have an infinite  power1 and
 that an infinite power can be without  
an infinite essence2  it cannot be meant
 of his providence1 as if ,solomon      
should say1 the  heaven of heavens      
cannot contain thy providence2 for      
naming the heaven  of heavens1 that     
which encircles and bounds the other    
parts of the  world1 he could not       
suppose a providence to be exercised    

where there  was no object to exercise  
it about2 as no creature is mentioned to
 be  beyond the uttermost heaven1 which 
he calls here the heaven of heavens3    
besides1 to understand it of his        
providence1 doth not consist with       
,solomon's admiration3 he wonders that  
,god1 that hath so immense an  essence1 
should dwell in a temple made with      
hands2 he could not so  much wonder at  
his providence in those things that     
immediately concern  his worship4       
,solomon plainly asserts this of ,god1  
,that he was so far  from being bounded 
within the rich wall of the temple1     
which with so  much cost he had framed  
for the glory of his name1 that the     
richer  palace of the heaven of heavens 
could not contain him2 it is true1  it  
could not contain his power and wisdom1 
because his wisdom could  contrive other
 kind of worlds1 and his power erect    
them4 ,but doth the  meaning of that    
wise king reach no farther than this8   
,will the power  and wisdom of ,god     

reside on the earth8 ,he was too wise to
 ask such  a question1 since every      
object that his eyes met with in the    
world  resolved him1 that the wisdom and
 power of ,god dwelt upon the earth1    
and glittered in everything he had      
created2 and reason would assure  him   
that the power that had framed this     
world1 was able to frame any  more2 but 
,solomon1 considering the immensity of  
,god's essence1 wonders  that ,god      
should order a house to be built for    
him1 as if he wanted  roofs and         
coverings1 and habitation1 as bodily    
creatures do4 ,will ,god  indeed dwell  
in a temple1 who hath an essence so     
immense as not to be  contained in the  
heaven of heavens8 ,it is not the heaven
 of heavens  that can contain him1 his  
substance4 ,here he asserts the         
immensity of  his essence1 and his      
presence not only in the heaven1 but    
beyond the  heavens2 he that is not     
contained in the heavens1 as a man is in
 a  chamber1 is without1 and above1 and 

beyond the heavens2 it is not said1     
they do not contain him1 but it is      
impossible they should contain him2     
they cannot contain him4 ,it is         
impossible1 then1 but that he should  be
 above them2 he that is without the     
compass of the world1 is not  bounded by
 the limits of the world1 as his power  
is not limited by  the things he hath   
made1 but can create innumerable worlds1
 so can his  essence be in innumerable  
spaces2 for as he hath power enough to  
make  more worlds1 so he hath essence   
enough to fill them1 and therefore      
cannot be confined to what he hath      
already created2 innumerable  worlds    
cannot be a sufficient place to contain 
,god2 he can only be  a sufficient place
 to himself2#fef ,he that was before the
 world1  and place1 and all things1 was 
to himself a world1 a place1 and        
everything3#feg ,he is really out a#cgg 
of the world in himself1  as he was in  
himself before the creation of the      
world3 as because  ,god was before the  

foundation of the world1 we conclude his
 eternity2  so because he is without the
 bounds of the world1 we conclude his   
immensity1 and from thence his          
omnipresence4 ,the world cannot be said 
to contain him1 since it was created by 
him2 it cannot contain him  now1 who was
 contained by nothing before the world  
was3 as there was  no place to contain  
him before the world was1 there can be  
no place  to contain him since the world
 was4 ,god might create more worlds1    
circular and round as this1 and those   
could not be so contiguous1  but some   
spaces would be left between2 as1 take  
three round balls1  lay them as close as
 you can to one another1 there will be  
some spaces  between2 none would say but
 ,god would be in these spaces1 as well 
as in the world he had created1 though  
there were nothing real and  positive in
 those spaces3 why should we then       
exclude ,god from those  imaginary      
spaces without the world8 ,god might    
also create many worlds1  and separate  

them by distances1 that they might not  
touch one another1  but be at a great   
distance from one another2 and would not
 ,god fill  them as well as he doth     
this8 if so1 he must also fill the      
spaces  between them2 for if he were in 
all those worlds1 and not in the  spaces
 between those worlds1 his essence would
 be divided2 there would  be gaps in it1
 his essence would be cut into parts1   
and the distance  between every part of 
his essence1 would be as great as the   
space  between each world4 ,the essence 
of ,god may be conceived then well      
enough to be in all those infinite      
spaces where he can erect new  worlds4  
,i shall give one place more to prove   
both these propositions1 viz4  that ,god
 is essentially in every part of the    
world1 and essentially  above ours      
without the world 7,isa4 lxvi4 #a73     
8,the heaven is my throne1  and the     
earth is my footstool40 ,he is          
essentially in every part of the  world2
 he is in heaven and earth at the same  

time1 as a man is upon  his throne and  
his footstool4 ,god describes himself in
 a human shape1  accommodated to our    
capacity2 as if he had his head in      
heaven1 and his  feet on earth4 ,doth   
not his essence then1 fill all          
intermediate spaces  between heaven and 
earth8 ,as when the head of a man is in 
the upper  part of a room1 and his feet 
upon the floor1 his body fills up the   
space between the head and his feet3    
this is meant of the essence  of ,god2  
it is a similitude drawn from kings     
sitting upon the throne1  and not their 
power and authority1 but the feet of    
their persons  are supported by the     
footstool2 so here it is not meant only 
of the  perfections of ,god1 but the    
essence of ,god4 ,besides1 ,god seems to
 tax  them with an erroneous conceit    
they had1 as though his essence were  in
 the temple1 and not in any part of the 
world2 therefore ,god makes  an         
opposition between heaven and earth1 and
 the temple3 8,where is  the house that 

you built unto me8 and where is the     
place of my rest80  ,had he understood  
it only of his providence1 it had not   
been anything  against their mistake2   
for they granted his providence to be   
not only  in the temple1 but in all     
parts of the world4 8,where is the house
 that  you build to me20 to ,me1 not to 
my power or providence1 but think to    
include ,me within those walls4 ,again1 
it shows ,god to be above the  heavens1 
if the heavens be his throne2 he sits   
upon them1 and is above  them1 as a#cgh 
kings are above the thrones on which    
they sit4 ,so it  cannot be meant of his
 providence1 because no creature being  
without  the sphere of the heavens1     
there is nothing of the power and the   
providence of ,god visible there1 for   
there is nothing for him to  employ his 
providence about2 for providence        
supposeth a creature  in actual being2  
it must be therefore meant of his       
essence1 which  is above the world and  
in the world4 ,and the like proof you   

may  see 7,job4 xi4 #g1 #h71 8,it is as 
high as heaven1 what canst thou do8     
deeper than hell1 what canst thou know8 
the measure thereof is longer  than the 
earth1 and broader than the sea40 ,where
 he intends the  unsearchableness of    
,god's wisdom1 but proves it by the     
infiniteness  of his essence1 7,heb47   
8he is the height of the heavens10 he is
 the  top of all the heavens2 so that1  
when you have begun at the lowest  part1
 and traced him through all the         
creatures1 you will find his  essence   
filling all the creatures1 to be at the 
top of the world1  and infinitely beyond
 it4    ,prop4 ,v4 ,this is the property
 of ,god1 incommunicable to any         
creature4 ,as no creature can be eternal
 and immutable1 so no creature  can be  
immense1 because it cannot be infinite2 
nothing can be of an  infinite nature1  
and therefore nothing of an immense     
presence but ,god4  ,it cannot be       
communicated to the human nature of     
,christ1 though in  union with the      

,divine2#feh some indeed argue1 that    
,christ in regard  of his human nature  
is everywhere1 because he sits at the   
right hand  of ,god1 and the right hand 
of ,god is everywhere4 ,his sitting at  
the  right hand of ,god signifies his   
exaltation1 and cannot with any reason1 
be extended to such a kind of arguing4  
8,the hearts of kings are in the  hand  
of ,god20 are the hearts of kings       
everywhere1 because ,god's hand  is     
everywhere8 ,the souls of the righteous 
are in the hand of ,god2 is  the soul1  
therefore1 of every righteous man       
everywhere in the world8  ,the right    
hand of ,god is from eternity2 is the   
humanity of ,christ1  therefore1 from   
eternity1 because it sits at the right  
hand of ,god8  ,the right hand of ,god  
made the world2 did the humanity of     
,christ1  therefore1 make heaven and    
earth8 the humanity of ,christ must then
 be  confounded with his divinity2 be   
the same with it1 not united to it4     
,all creatures are distinct from their  

,creator1 and cannot inherit  the       
properties essential to his nature1 as  
eternity1 immensity1  immutability1     
omnipresence1 omniscience2 no angel1 no 
soul1 no  creature can be in all places 
at once2 before they can be so they     
must be immense1 and so must cease to be
 creatures1 and commence ,god2  this is 
impossible4    ,,ii4 ,reasons to prove  
,god's essential presence4 ,reason ,i4  
,because  he is infinite4 ,as he is     
infinite1 he is everywhere2 as he is    
simple1  his whole essence is           
everywhere3 for1 in regard of his       
infiniteness1  he hath no bounds2 in    
regard of his simplicity1 he hath no    
parts3 and1  therefore1 those that deny 
,god's omnipresence1 though they pretend
 to  own him infinite1 must really      
conceive him finite4    #a4 ,god is     
infinite in his perfections4 ,none can  
set bounds to  terminate the greatness  
and excellency of ,god 7,ps4 cxlv4 #c73 
8,his  greatness is unsearchable10      
,sept4   1 there is no end1  no         

limitation4 ,what hath no end is        
infinite2 his power is infinite  7,job  
v4 #i73 a#cgi 8which doth great things  
and unsearchable20no end  of those      
things he is able to do4 ,his wisdom    
infinite 7,ps4 cxlvii4 #e72  he         
understands all things past1 present1   
and to come2 what is  already made1 what
 is possible to be made4 ,his duration  
infinite  7,job xxxvi4 #bf73 8,the      
number of his years cannot be searched  
out10  4 ,to make a finite thing of     
nothing is an argument of an  infinite  
virtue4 ,infinite power can only extract
 something out of the  barren womb of   
nothing2 but all things were drawn forth
 by the word  of ,god1 the heavens1 and 
all the host of them2 the sun1 moon1    
stars1  the rich embellishments of the  
world1 appeared in being 8at the  breath
 of his mouth0 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #f74 ,the  
author1 therefore1 must be  infinite2   
and since nothing is the cause of ,god1 
or of any perfection  in him1since he   
derives not his being1 or the least     

spark of his  glorious nature1 from     
anything without him1he cannot be       
limited  in any part of his nature by   
anything without him2 and1 indeed1 the  
infiniteness of his power and his other 
perfections is asserted by  the prophet1
 when he tells us that 8the nations are 
as a drop of a  bucket1 or the dust of  
the balance1 and less than nothing and  
vanity0  7,isa4 xl4 #ae1 #ag71 they are 
all so in regard of his power1 wisdom1  
c4  ,conceive what a little thing a     
grain of dust or sand is to all the     
dust that may be made by the rubbish of 
a house3 what a little thing  the heap  
of the rubbish of a house is to the vast
 heap of the rubbish  of a whole city1  
such an one as ,london2 how little that1
 also1 would  be to the dust of a whole 
empire2 how inconsiderable that1 also1  
to the dust of one quarter of the world1
 ,europe or ,asia2 how much  less that1 
still1 to the dust of the whole world6  
,the whole world  is composed of an     
unconceivable number of atoms1 and the  

sea of an  unconceivable number of      
drops2 now what a little grain of dust  
is in  comparison to the dust of the    
whole worlda drop of water from the     
sea1 to all the drops remaining in the  
seathat is the whole world to  ,god4    
,conceive it still less1 a mere nothing1
 yet is it all less than  this in       
comparison of ,god2 there can be nothing
 more magnificently  expressive of the  
infiniteness of ,god to a human         
conception1 than  this expression of    
,god himself in the prophet4 ,in the    
perfection of  a creature1 something    
still may be thought greater to be added
 to it2  but ,god containing all        
perfections in himself formally1 if they
 be  mere perfections1 and eminently1 if
 they be but perfections in the         
creature1 mixed with imperfection1      
nothing can be thought greater1  and    
therefore every one of them is infinite4
    #b4 ,if his perfections be infinite1
 his essence must be so4 ,how ,god  can 
have infinite perfections1 and a finite 

essence1 is unconceivable  by a human or
 angelical understanding2 an infinite   
power1 an infinite  wisdom1 an infinite 
duration1 must needs speak an infinite  
essence2  since the infiniteness of his 
attributes is grounded upon the         
infiniteness of his essence3 to own     
infinite perfections in a finite        
subject is contradictory4 ,the manner of
 acting by his power1 and  knowing by   
his wisdom1 cannot exceed the manner of 
being by his  essence4 ,his perfections 
flow from his essence1 and the principle
 must  be of the same rank with what    
flows from it2 and1 if we conceive his  
essence to be the cause of his          
perfections1 it is utterly impossible   
that an infinite effect should arise    
from a finite cause3 but1 indeed1  his  
a#chj perfections are his essence2 for  
though we conceive the  essence of ,god 
as the subject1 and the attributes of   
,god as faculties  and qualities in that
 subject1 according to our weak model1  
who  cannot conceive of an infinite ,god

 without some manner of likeness to     
ourselveswho find understanding1 and    
will1 and power in us distinct  from our
 substance2 yet truly and really there  
is no distinction  between his essence  
and attributes2 one is inseparable from 
the other4  ,his power and wisdom are   
his essence2 and therefore to maintain  
,god  infinite in the one1 and finite in
 the other1 is to make a monstrous  god1
 and have an unreasonable notion of the 
,deity2 for there would be  the greatest
 disproportion in his nature1 since     
there is no greater  disproportion can  
possibly be between one thing and       
another than there  is between finite   
and infinite4 ,god must not only then be
 compounded1  but have parts of the     
greatest distance from one another in   
nature2  but ,god1 being the most simple
 being without the least composition1   
both must be equally infinite3 if1 then1
 his essence be not infinite1  his power
 and wisdom cannot be infinite1 which is
 both against  scripture and reason4    

,again1 how should his essence be       
finite1 and  his perfections be         
infinite1 since nothing out of himself  
gave them  either the one or the        
other8#fei ,again1 either the essence   
can be  infinite1 or it cannot2 if it   
cannot1 there must be some cause of     
that impossibility2 that can be nothing 
without him1 because nothing  without   
him can be as powerful as himself1 much 
less too powerful for  him2 nothing     
within him can be an enemy to his       
highest perfection2  since he is        
necessarily what he is1 he must be      
necessarily the  most perfect being1 and
 therefore necessarily infinite1 since  
to be  something infinitely is a greater
 perfection than to be something  thing 
finitely3#ffj if he can be infinite he  
is infinite1 otherwise  he could be     
greater than he is1 and so more blessed 
and more perfect  than he is1 which is  
impossible3 for being the most perfect  
,being1 to  whom nothing can be added1  
he must needs be infinite4    #c4 ,if1  

therefore1 ,god have an infinite        
essence1 he hath an infinite  presence4 
,an infinite essence cannot be contained
 in a finite place1  as those things    
which are finite have a bounded space   
wherein they are2  so that which is     
infinite hath an unbounded space2 for1  
as finiteness  speaks limitedness1 so   
infiniteness speaks unboundedness2 and  
if  we grant to ,god an infinite        
duration1 there is no difficulty in     
acknowledging an infinite presence3     
indeed1 the infiniteness of ,god is  a  
property belonging to him in regard of  
time and place2 he is bounded  by no    
place1 and limited to no time4 ,again1  
infinite essence may as  well be        
everywhere1 as infinite power reaches   
everything2 it may as  well be present  
with every being1 as infinite power in  
its working may  be present with nothing
 to bring it into being4 ,where ,god    
works by his  power1 he is present in   
his essence2 because his power and his  
essence  cannot be separated2 and       

therefore his power1 wisdom1 goodness1  
cannot  be anywhere where his essence is
 not3 his essence cannot be severed     
from his power1 nor his power from his  
essence2 for the power of  ,god is      
nothing but ,god acting1 and the wisdom 
of ,god nothing but ,god  knowing4 ,as  
the power of ,god a#cha is always1 so is
 his essenceas  the power of ,god is    
everywhere1 so is his essence3          
whatsoever ,god is1  he is alway1 and   
everywhere4 ,to confine him to a place1 
is to measure  his essence2 as to       
confine his actions1 is to limit his    
power2 his  essence being no less       
infinite than his power and his wisdom1 
can be  no more bounded than his power  
and wisdom2 but they are not separable  
from his essence1 yea1 they are his     
essence4 ,if ,god did not fill the      
whole world1 he would be determined to  
some place1 and excluded from  others2  
and so his substance would have bounds  
and limits1 and then  something might be
 conceived greater than ,god2 for we may

 conceive  that a creature may be made  
by ,god of so vast a greatness as to    
fill  the whole world1 for the power of 
,god is able to make a body that  should
 take up the whole space between heaven 
and earth1 and reach  to every corner of
 it4 ,but nothing can be conceived by   
any creature  greater than ,god2 he     
exceeds all things1 and is exceeded by  
none4 ,god1  therefore1 cannot be       
included in heaven1 nor included in the 
earth2  cannot be contained in either of
 them2 for1 if we should imagine  them  
vaster than they are1 yet still they    
would be finite2 and if his  essence    
were contained in them1 it could be no  
more infinite than the  world which     
contains it1 as water is not of a larger
 compass than the  vessel which contains
 it4 ,if the essence of ,god were       
limited1 either  in the heavens or      
earth1 it must needs be finite1 as the  
heaven and  earth are2 but there is no  
proportion between finite and infinite2 
,god1  therefore1 cannot be contained in

 them4 ,if there were an infinite body1 
that must be everywhere2 certainly1     
then1 an infinite ,spirit must be       
everywhere2 unless we will account him  
finite1 we can render no reason  why he 
should not be in one creature as well as
 in another4 ,if he  be in heaven1 which
 is his creature1 why can he not be in  
the earth1  which is as well his        
creature as the heavens8    ,reason     
,,ii4 ,because of the continual         
operation of ,god in the world4  ,this  
was one reason which made the heathen   
believe that there was an  infinite     
,spirit in the vast body of the world1  
acting in everything1  and producing    
those admirable motions which we see    
everywhere in  nature3 that cause which 
acts in the most perfect manner1 is also
 in  the most perfect manner present    
with its effects4    ,god preserves all1
 and therefore is in all2 the apostle   
thought  it a good induction 7,acts     
xvii4 #bg71 8,he is not far from us1 for
 in  him we live40 ,for being as much as

 because1 shows1 that from his          
operation he concluded his real presence
 with all3 it is not1 ,his  virtue is   
not far from every one of us1 but ,he1  
his substance1 himself2  for1 none that 
acknowledge a ,god will deny the absence
 of the virtue  of ,god from any part of
 the world4 ,he works in everything1    
everything  lives and works in him2     
therefore he is present with all3#ffa or
  rather1 if things live1 they are in   
,god1 who gives them life4 ,if  things  
live1 ,god is in them1 and gives them   
life2 if things move1 ,god  is in them1 
and gives them motion2 if things have   
any being1 ,god is in  them1 and gives  
them being2 if ,god withdraws himself1  
they presently  lose their being1 and   
therefore some have compared the        
creature to  the impression of a seal   
upon the water1 that cannot be preserved
  but by the presence of the seal4 ,as  
his presence was actual a#chb  with what
 he created1 so his presence is actual  
with what preserves1  since creation and

 preservation do so little differ2 if   
,god creates  things by his essential   
presence1 by the same he supports them2 
if  his substance cannot be disjoined   
from his preserving power1 his power    
and wisdom cannot be separated from his 
essence2 where there are the  marks of  
the one1 there is the presence of the   
other2 for it is by his  essence that he
 is powerful and wise2 no man can       
distinguish the one  from the other in a
 simple being2 ,god doth not preserve   
and act things  by a virtue diffused    
from him4 ,it may be demanded whether   
that virtue  be distinct from ,god2 if  
it be not1 it is then the essence of    
,god2 if  it be distinct it is a        
creature1 and then it may be asked1 how 
that  virtue which preserves other      
things1 is preserved itself2 it must  be
 ultimately resolved into the essence of
 ,god1 or else there must  be a running 
in infinitum3 or else1#ffb is that      
virtue of ,god a  substance1 or not8 ,is
 it endued with understanding1 or not8  

,if it hath  understanding1 how doth it 
differ from ,god8 ,if it wants          
understanding1  can any imagine that the
 support of the world1 the guidance of  
all  creatures1 the wonders of nature1  
can be wrought1 preserved1 managed  by a
 virtue that hath nothing of            
understanding in it8 ,if it be not  a   
substance1 it can much less be able to  
produce such excellent  operations as   
the preserving all the kinds of things  
in the world1  and ordering them to     
perform such excellent ends2 this virtue
 is1  therefore1 ,god himselfthe        
infinite power and wisdom of ,god2 and  
therefore1 wheresoever the effects of   
these are seen in the world1 ,god  is   
essentially present3 some creatures1    
indeed1 act at a distance by a  virtue  
diffused4 ,but such a manner of acting  
comes from a limitedness  of nature1    
that such a nature cannot be everywhere 
present and extend  its substance to all
 parts4 ,to act by a virtue1 speaks the 
subject  finite1 and it is a part of    

indigence3 kings act in their kingdoms  
by  ministers and messengers1 because   
they cannot act otherwise2 but ,god     
being infinitely perfect1 works all     
things in all immediately 7#a ,cor4     
xii4 #f74 ,illumination1 sanctification1
 grace1 c41 are the immediate  works of 
,god in the heart1 and immediate agents 
are present with  what they do3 it is an
 argument of the greater perfection of a
 being1  to know things immediately1    
which are done in several places1 than  
to know them at the second hand by      
instruments2 it is no less a  perfection
 to be everywhere1 rather than to be    
tied to one place  of action1 and to act
 in other places by instruments1 for    
want of a  power to act immediately     
itself4 ,god1 indeed1 acts by means and 
second  causes in his providential      
dispensations in the world1 but this is 
not out of any defect of power to work  
all immediately himself2 but he  thereby
 accommodates his way of acting to the  
nature of the creature1  and the order  

of things which he hath settled in the  
world4 ,and when  he works by means1 he 
acts with those means1 in those means1  
sustains  their faculties and virtues in
 them1 concurs with them by his power2  
so that ,god's acting by means doth     
rather strengthen his essential         
presence than weaken it1 since there is 
a necessary dependence of the  creatures
 upon the ,creator in their being and   
acting2 and what they  are1 they are by 
the power of ,god2 what they act1 they  
act in the  power of ,god1 concurring   
a#chc with them2 they have their motion 
in  him as well as their being3 and     
where the power of ,god is1 his essence 
is1 because they are inseparable2 and so
 this omnipresence ariseth  from the    
simplicity of the nature of ,god2 the   
more vast anything is1  the less        
confined4 ,all that will acknowledge    
,god so great1 as to be  able to work   
all things by his will1 without an      
essential presence1  cannot imagine him 
upon the same reason1 so little as to be

 contained  in1 and bounded by any      
place4    ,reason ,,iii4 ,because of his
 supreme perfection4 ,no perfection is  
wanting to ,god2 but an unbounded       
essence is a perfection2 a limited  one 
is an imperfection4 ,though it be a     
perfection in a man to be wise1  yet it 
is an imperfection that his wisdom      
cannot rule all the things  that concern
 him2 though it be a perfection to be   
present in a place  where his affairs   
lie1 yet is it an imperfection that he  
cannot be  present everywhere in the    
midst of all his concerns2 if any man   
could  be so1 it would be universally   
owned as a prime perfection in him      
above others3 is that which would be a  
perfection in man to be denied  to      
,god8#ffc as that which hath life is    
more perfect than that which  hath not  
life2 and that which hath sense is more 
perfect than that  which hath only life 
as the plants have2 and what hath       
reason1 is more  perfect than that which
 hath only life and sense1 as the beasts

 have2  so what is everywhere1 is more  
perfect than that which is bounded in   
some narrow confines3 if a power of     
motion be more excellent than to  be    
bedrid1 and swiftness in a creature be a
 more excellent endowment  than to be   
slow and snaillike1 then to be          
everywhere without  motion1 is          
inconceivably a greater excellency than 
to be everywhere  successively by       
motion4 ,god sets forth his readiness to
 help his  people and punish his        
enemies1 or his omnipresence1 by        
swiftness1 or  8flying upon the wings of
 the wind0 7,ps4 xviii4 #aj73 the wind  
is in  every part of the air1 where it  
blows2 it cannot be said that it is  in 
this or that point of the air where you 
feel it1 so as to exclude  it from      
another part of the air where you are   
not2 it seems to possess  all at once4  
,if the ,divine essence had any bounds  
of place1 it would  be imperfect1 as    
well as if it had bounds of time2 where 
anything hath  limitation1 it hath some 

defect in being2 and therefore if ,god  
were  confined or concluded1 he would be
 as good as nothing in regard of        
infiniteness4 ,whence should this       
restraint arise8 there is no power      
above him to restrain him to a certain  
space2 if so1 then he would  not be     
,god1 but that power which restrained   
him would be ,god3 not from  his own    
nature1 for the being everywhere implies
 no contradiction to  his nature2 if his
 own nature determined him to a certain 
place1 then  if he removed from that    
place1 he would act against his nature2 
to  conceive any such thing of ,god is  
highly absurd4 ,it cannot be thought    
,god should voluntarily impose any such 
restraint or confinement upon  himself2 
this would be to deny himself a         
perfection he might have2 if  ,god have 
not this perfection1 it is either       
because it is inconsistent  with his    
nature2 or1 because he cannot have it2  
or1 because he will  not4 ,the former   
cannot be2 for if he hath impressed upon

 air and  light a resemblance of his    
excellency1 to diffuse themselves and   
fill  so vast a space1 is such an       
excellency a#chd inconsistent with the  
,creator more than the creature8        
whatsoever perfection the creature      
hath1 is eminently in ,god4             
8,understand1 ,o ye brutish among the   
people3  and ye fools1 when will you be 
wise8 ,he that planted the ear1 shall he
  not hear8 he that formed the eye1     
shall he not see8 he that teacheth  man 
knowledge1 shall not he know80 7,ps4    
xciv4 #h1 #i47 ,by the same  reason he  
that hath given such a power to those   
creatures1 air and  light1 shall not he 
be much more filling all spaces of the  
world8 ,it  is so clear a rule1 that the
 ,psalmist fixes a folly and brutishness
  upon those that deny it2 it is not    
therefore inconsistent with  his nature1
 it were not then a perfection but an   
imperfection2 but  whatsoever is an     
excellency in creatures1 cannot in a way
 of eminency  be an imperfection in     

,god2 if it be then a perfection1 and   
,god want it1  it is because he cannot  
have it2 where1 then1 is his power8 ,how
 can he  be then the fountain of his own
 ,being8 ,if he will not1 where is his  
love to his own nature and glory8 since 
no creature would deny that to  itself  
which it can have1 and is an excellency 
to it2 ,god1 therefore1  hath not only a
 power or fitness to be everywhere1 but 
he is actually  everywhere4    ,reason  
,,iv4 ,because of his immutability4 ,if 
,god did not fill all  the spaces of    
heaven and earth1 but only possess one1 
yet it must  be acknowledged that ,god  
hath a power to move himself to another4
 ,it  were absurd to fix ,god in a part 
of the heavens1 like a star in an  orb1 
without a power of motion to another    
place4 ,if he be therefore  essentially 
in heaven1 may he not be upon the earth 
if he please1 and  transfer his         
substance from one place to another8 to 
say he cannot1  is to deny him a        
perfection which he hath bestowed upon  

his creatures2  the angels1 his         
messengers1 are sometimes in heaven1    
sometimes on  the earth2 the eagles1    
meaner creatures1 are sometimes in the  
air  out of sight1 sometimes upon the   
earth4 ,if he doth move1 therefore1  and
 recede from one place and settle in    
another1 doth he not declare  himself   
mutable by changing places8by being     
where he was not before1  and in not    
being where he was before8 ,he would not
 fill heaven and  earth at once1 but    
successively2 no man can be said to fill
 a room1  that moves from one part of a 
room to another2 if therefore any in    
their imaginations stake ,god to the    
heavens1 they render him less than  his 
creatures2 if they allow him a power of 
motion from one place to  another1 they 
conceive him changeable2 and in either  
of them they own  him no greater than a 
finite and limited ,being2 limited to   
heaven1 if  they fix him there2 limited 
to that space to which they imagine him 
to move4    ,reason ,v4 ,because of his 

omnipotency4 ,the ,almightiness of ,god 
is  a notion settled in the minds of    
all1that ,god can do whatsoever  he     
pleases1 everything that is not against 
the purity of his nature1  and doth not 
imply a contradiction in itself2 he can 
therefore  create millions of worlds    
greater than this2 and millions of      
heavens  greater than this heaven he    
hath already created2 if so1 he is then 
in inconceivable spaces beyond this     
world1 for his essence is not  less     
narrower than his power2 and his power  
is not to be thought of  a further      
extent than his essence2 he cannot be   
excluded therefore  from those vast     
spaces where his power may fix those    
worlds if he  please2 if so1 it is no   
wonder that he should fill this a#che   
world3  and there is no reason to       
exclude ,god from the narrow space of   
this  world1 that is not contained in   
infinite spaces beyond the world4  ,god 
is wheresoever he hath a power to act2  
but he hath a power to act  everywhere  

in the world1 everywhere out of the     
world2 he is therefore  everywhere in   
the world1 everywhere out of the world4 
,before this  world was made1 he had a  
power to make it in the space where now 
it  stands2 was he not then unlimitedly 
where the world now is1 before  the     
world received a being by his powerful  
word8 ,why should he not  then be in    
every part of the world now8 ,can it be 
thought that ,god who  was immense      
before1 should1 after he had created the
 world1 contract  himself to the limits 
of one of his creatures1 and tie himself
 to a  particular place of his own      
creation1 and be less after his creation
  than he was before8 ,this might also  
be prosecuted by an argument from  his  
eternity4 ,what is eternal in duration1 
is immense in essence2 the  same reason 
which renders him eternal1 renders him  
immense2 that which  proves him to be   
always1 will prove him to be everywhere4
    ,,iii4 ,the third thing is1         
,propositions for the further clearing  

this  doctrine from any exceptions4     
#a4 ,this truth is not weakened by the  
expressions in ,scripture1 where  ,god  
is said to dwell in heaven and in the   
temple4    7#a47 ,he is indeed said to  
sit in heaven 7,ps4 ii4 #d71 and to     
dwell  on high 7,ps4 cxiii4 #e71 but he 
is nowhere said to dwell only in  the   
heavens1 as confined to them4 ,it is the
 court of his majestical  presence1 but 
not the prison of his essence3 for when 
we are told that  8the heaven is his    
throne10 we are told with the same      
breath that the  8earth is his          
footstool0 7,isa4 lxvi4 #a74 ,he dwells 
on high1 in regard  of the excellency of
 his nature1 but he is in all places1 in
 regard of  the diffusion of his        
presence4 ,the soul is essentially in   
all parts of  the body1 but it doth not 
exert the same operations in all2 the   
more  noble discoveries of it are in the
 head and heart4 ,in the head where  it 
exerciseth the chiefest senses for the  
enriching the understanding2  in the    

heart1 where it vitally resides1 and    
communicates life and  motion to the    
rest of the body4 ,it doth not          
understand with the foot  or toe1 though
 it be in all parts of the body it      
informs2 and so  ,god may be said to    
dwell in heaven1 in regard of the more  
excellent  and majestic representations 
of himself1 both to the creatures that  
inhabit the place1 as angels and blessed
 spirits1 and also in those  marks of   
his greatness which he hath planted     
before1 those spiritual  natures which  
have a nobler stamp of ,god upon them1  
and those  excellent bodies1 as sun and 
stars1 which1 as so many tapers1 light  
us  to behold his glory 7,ps4 xix4 #a71 
and astonish the minds of men when  they
 gaze upon them4 ,it is his court1 where
 he hath the most solemn  worship from  
his creatures1 all his courtiers        
attending there with  a pure love and   
glowing zeal4 ,he reigns there in a     
special manner1  without any opposition 
to his government2 it is1 therefore1    

called  his 8holy dwelling place0 7#b   
,chron4 iii4 #bg74 ,the earth hath not  
that  title1 since sin cast a stain and 
a ruining curse upon it4 ,the earth  is 
not his throne1 because his government  
is opposed3 but heaven is  none of      
,satan's precinct1 and the rule of ,god 
is uncontradicted by  the inhabitants of
 it4 ,it is from thence also he hath    
a#chf given  the greatest discoveries of
 himself2 thence he sends the angels his
  messengers1 his ,son upon ,redemption1
 his ,spirit for sanctification4  ,from 
heaven his gifts drop down upon our     
heads1 and his grace upon  our hearts   
7,james iii4 #ag74 ,from thence the     
chiefest blessings of  earth descend4   
,the motions of the heavens fatten the  
earth2 and the  heavenly bodies are but 
stewards to the earthly comforts for man
 by  their influence4 ,heaven is the    
richest1 vastest1 most steadfast1 and   
majestic part of the visible creation4  
,it is there where he will at  last     
manifest himself to his people in a full

 conjunction of grace and  glory1 and be
 forever open to his people in          
uninterrupted expressions  of goodness1 
and discoveries of his presence1 as a   
reward of their  labor and service2 and 
in these respects it may peculiarly be  
called  his throne4 ,and this doth no   
more hinder his essential presence in   
all parts of the earth1 than it doth his
 gracious presence in all the  hearts of
 his people4 ,god is in heaven1 in      
regard of the manifestation  of his     
glory2 in hell1 by the expressions of   
his justice2 in the earth1  by the      
discoveries of his wisdom1 power1       
patience1 and compassion2 in  his       
people1 by the monuments of his grace2  
and in all1 in regard of  his substance4
    7#b47 ,he is said also to dwell in  
the ark and temple4 ,it is called  7,ps4
 xxvi4 #h7 8the habitation of his house1
 and the place where his  honor dwells20
 and to dwell in ,jerusalem as in his   
holy mountain1  8,the mountain of the   
,lord of ,hosts0 7,zech4 viii4 #c71 in  

regard of  publishing his oracles1      
answering their prayers1 manifesting    
more of  his goodness to the            
,israelites1 than to any other nation in
 the world2  erecting his true worship  
among them1 which was not settled in any
  part of the world besides3 and his    
worship is principally intended in  that
 psalm4 ,the ark is the place where his 
honor dwells4 ,the worship  of ,god is  
called the glory of ,god2 8,they changed
 the glory of ,god into  an image made  
like to corruptible man0 7,rom4 i4 #bc71
 i4 e41 they  changed the worship of    
,god into idolatry2 and to that also    
doth the  place in ,zechariah refer4    
,now1 because he is said to dwell in    
heaven1  is he essentially only there8  
,is he not as essentially in the temple 
and ark as he is in heaven1 since there 
are as high expressions of  his         
habitation there as of his dwelling in  
heaven8 ,if he dwell only  in heaven1   
how came he to dwell in the temple8 both
 are asserted in  ,scripture1 one as    

much as the other4 ,if his dwelling in  
heaven did not  hinder his dwelling in  
the ark1 it could as little hinder the  
presence  of his essence on the earth4  
,to dwell in heaven1 and in one part of 
the earth at the same time1 is all one  
as to dwell in all parts of  heaven1 and
 all parts of earth4 ,if he were in     
heaven1 and in the ark  and temple1 it  
was the same essence in both1 though not
 the same kind  of manifestation of     
himself4 ,if by his dwelling in heaven  
he meant  his whole essence1 why is it  
not also to be meant by his dwelling in 
the ark8 ,it was not1 sure1 part of his 
essence that was in heaven1  and part of
 his essence that was on earth2 his     
essence would then be  divided2 and can 
it be imagined that he should be in     
heaven and the  ark at the same time1   
and not in the spaces between8 ,could   
his essence  be split into fragments1   
and a gap made in it1 that two distant  
spaces  should be filled by him1 and all
 between be empty of him1 so that       

,god's being said a#chg to dwell in     
heaven1 and in the temple1 is so  far   
from impairing the truth of this        
doctrine1 that it more confirms  and    
evidences it4    #b4 ,nor do the        
expressions of ,god's coming to us1 or  
departing from  us1 impair this doctrine
 of his omnipresence4 ,god is said to   
hide his  face from his people 7,ps4 x4 
#a72 to be far from the wicked2 and the 
,gentiles are said to be afar off1 viz4 
from ,god 7,prov4 xv4 #bi2 ,eph4  ii4   
#ag71 and upon the manifestation of     
,christ made near4 ,these must  not be  
understood of any distance or nearness  
of his essence1 for that  is equally    
near to all persons and things2 but of  
some other special  way and             
manifestation of his presence4 ,thus1   
,god is said to be in  believers by     
love1 as they are in him 7#a ,john iv4  
#ae72 8,he that abides  in love1 abides 
in ,god1 and ,god in him40 ,he that     
loves1 is in the  thing beloved2 and    
when two love one another1 they are in  

one another4  ,god is in a righteous man
 by a special grace1 and far from the   
wicked  in regard of such special works2
 and ,god is said to be in a place by  a
 special manifestation1 as when he was  
in the bush 7,exod4 iii471 or           
manifesting his glory upon ,mount ,sinai
 7,exod4 xxiv4 #af72 8,the glory  of the
 ,lord abode about ,mount ,sinai40 ,god 
is said to hide his face  when he       
withdraws his comforting presence1      
disturbs the repose of our  hearts1     
flasheth terror into our consciences1   
when he puts men under  the smart of the
 cross2 as though he had ordered his    
mercy utterly  to depart from them1 or  
when he doth withdraw his special       
assisting  providence from us in our    
affairs2 so he departed from ,saul1 when
 he  withdrew his direction and         
protection from him in the concerns of  
his  government 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #ad72    
8,the ,spirit of the ,lord departed from
  ,saul10 i4 e4 the spirit of           
government4 ,god may be far from us in  

one respect1 and near to us in another2 
far from us in regard of  comfort1 yet  
near to us in regard of support1 when   
his essential  presence continues the   
same3 this is a necessary consequent    
upon the  infiniteness of ,god1 the     
other is an act of the will of ,god2 so 
he was  said to forsake ,christ1 in     
regard of his obscuring his glory from  
his  human nature1 and inflicting his   
wrath1 though he was near to him in     
regard of his grace1 and preserved him  
from contracting any spot in  his       
sufferings4 ,we do not say the sun is   
departed out of the heavens  when it is 
bemisted2 it remains in the same part of
 the heavens1  passes on its course1    
though its beams do not reach us by     
reason of  the bar between us and it4   
,the soul is in every part of the body1 
in  regard of its substance1 and        
constantly in it1 though it doth not act
  so sprightly and vigorously at one    
time as at another in one and the  same 
member1 and discover itself so sensibly 

in its operations2 so  all the various  
effects of ,god towards the sons of men1
 are but divers  operations of one and  
the same essence4 ,he is far from us1 or
 near  to us1 as he is a judge or a     
benefactor4 ,when he comes to punish1 it
  notes not the approach of his essence1
 but the stroke of his justice2  when he
 comes to benefit1 it is not by a new   
access of his essence1  but an efflux of
 his grace3 he departs from us when he  
leaves us to  the frowns of his justice2
 he comes to us when he encircles us in 
the arms of his mercy2 but he was       
equally present with us in both         
dispensations1 in regard of his essence4
 ,and1 likewise1 ,god is said to  come  
down 7,gen4 xi4 #e1 8,and the ,lord came
 down to see the city071 when  he doth  
some signal and wonderful a#chh works   
which attract the minds  of men to the  
acknowledgment of a ,supreme ,power and 
,providence in the  world1 who judged   
,god absent and careless before4    #c4 
,nor is the essential presence of ,god  

with all creatures any  disparagement to
 him4 ,since it was no disparagement to 
create the  heaven and the earth1 it is 
no disparagement to him to fill them2 if
  he were essentially present with them 
when he created them1 it is no  dishonor
 to him to be essentially present with  
them to support them2  if it were his   
glory to create them by his essence1    
when they were  nothing1 can it be his  
disgrace to be present by his essence1  
since  they are something1 and something
 good1 and very good in his eye 7,gen4  
i4 #ca78 ,god saw every thing1 and      
behold it was very good1 or mighty      
good2 all ordered to declare his        
goodness1 wisdom1 power1 and to make    
him adorable to man1 and therefore took 
complacency in them4 ,there is  a       
harmony in all things1 a combination in 
them for those glorious ends  for which 
,god created them2 and is it a disgrace 
for ,god to be present  with his own    
harmonious composition8 ,is it not a    
musician's glory to  touch with his     

fingers the treble1 the least and       
tenderest string1  as well as the       
strongest and greatest bass8 ,hath not  
everything some  stamp of ,god's own    
being upon it1 since he eminently       
contains in  himself the perfections of 
all his works8 ,whatsoever hath being1  
hath  a footstep of ,god upon it1 who is
 all being2 everything in the earth  is 
his footstool1 having a mark of his foot
 upon it2 all declare the  being of     
,god1 because they had their being from 
,god2 and will ,god  account it any     
disparagement to him to be present with 
that which  confirms his being1 and the 
glorious perfections of his nature1 to  
his intelligent creatures8 ,the meanest 
things are not without their  virtues1  
which may boast ,god's being the        
,creator of them1 and rank  them in the 
midst of his works of wisdom as well as 
power4 ,doth ,god  debase himself to be 
present by his essence1 with the things 
he hath  made1 more than he doth to know
 them by his essence8 ,is not the least 

thing known by him8 ,how8 not by a      
faculty or act distinct from his        
essence1 but by his essence itself4 ,how
 is anything disgraceful to the         
essential presence of ,god1 that is not 
disgraceful to his knowledge  by his    
essence8 ,besides1 would ,god make      
anything that should be an  invincible  
reason to him to part with his own      
infiniteness1 by a  contraction of his  
own essence into a less compass than    
before8 it  was immense before1 it had  
no bounds2 and would ,god make a world  
that he would be ashamed to be present  
with1 and continue it to the  diminution
 and lessening of himself1 rather than  
annihilate it to  avoid the             
disparagement8 ,this were to impeach the
 wisdom of ,god1 and  cast a blemish    
upon his infinite understanding1 that he
 knows not  the consequences of his     
work1 or is well contented to be        
impaired in  the immensity of his own   
essence by it4 ,no man thinks it a      
dishonor  to light1 a most excellent    

creature1 to be present with a toad or  
serpent2 and though there be an infinite
 disproportion between light1  a        
creature1 and the ,father of lights1 the
 ,creator3 yet ,god1 being a  ,spirit1  
knows how to be with bodies as if they  
were not bodies2#ffd  and being a#chi   
jealous of his own honor1 would not1    
could not do any  thing that might      
impair it4    #d4 ,nor will it follow1  
,that because ,god is essentially       
everywhere1  that everything is ,god4   
,god is not everywhere by any           
conjunction1  composition or mixture    
with anything on earth4 ,when light is  
in every  part of a crystal globe1 and  
encircles it close on every side1 do    
they  become one8 ,no2 the crystal      
remains what it is1 and the light       
retains  its own nature2 ,god is not in 
us as a part of us1 but as an efficient 
and preserving cause2 it is not by his  
essential presence1 but his  efficacious
 presence1 that he brings any person    
into a likeness to his  own nature2 ,god

 is so in his essence with things1 as to
 be distinct  from them1 as a cause from
 the effect2 as a ,creator different    
from  the creature1 preserving their    
nature1 not communicating his own2 his  
essence touches all1 is in conjunction  
with none2 finite and infinite  cannot  
be joined2 he is not far from us1       
therefore near to us2 so near  that we  
live and move in him 7,acts xvii4 #bh74 
,nothing is ,god because  it moves in   
him1 any more than a fish in the sea1 is
 the sea1 or a  part of the sea1 because
 it moves in it4 ,doth a man that holds 
a thing  in the hollow of his hand1     
transform it by that action1 and make it
  like his hand8#ffe ,the soul and body 
are more straitly united1 than  the     
essence of ,god is1 by his presence1    
with any creature4 ,the soul is  in the 
body as a form in matter1 and from their
 union doth arise a man2  yet in this   
near conjunction1 both body and soul    
remain distinct2 the  soul is not the   
body1 nor the body the soul2 they both  

have distinct  natures and essences2 the
 body can never be changed into a soul1 
nor the soul into a body2 no more can   
,god into the creature1 or the  creature
 into ,god4 ,fire is in heated iron in  
every part of it1 so that  it seems to  
be nothing but fire2 yet is not fire and
 iron the same  thing4 ,but such a kind 
of arguing against ,god's omnipresence1 
that if  ,god were essentially present1 
everything would be ,god1 would exclude 
him from heaven as well as from earth4  
,by the same reason1 since they         
acknowledge ,god essentially in heaven1 
the heaven where he is should  be       
changed into the nature of ,god2 and by 
arguing against his presence  in earth1 
upon this ground they run such an       
inconvenience1 that they  must own him  
to be nowhere1 and that which is nowhere
 is nothing4  ,doth the earth become    
,god1 because ,god is essentially there1
 any more  than the heavens1 where ,god 
is acknowledged by all to be essentially
  present8 ,again1 if where ,god is     

essentially1 that must be ,god2 then  if
 they place ,god in a point of the      
heavens1 not only that point must  be   
,god1 but all the world2 because if that
 point be ,god1 because ,god  is there1 
then the point touched by that point    
must be ,god1 and so  consequently as   
far as there are any points1 touched by 
one another4  ,we live and move in ,god1
 so we live and move in the air2 we are 
no  more ,god by that1 than we are mere 
air because we breathe in it1  and it   
enters into all the pores of our body2  
nay1 where there was a  straiter union  
of the divine nature to the human in our
 ,saviour1 yet  the nature of both was  
distinct1 and the humanity was not      
changed into  the divinity1 nor the     
divinity into the humanity4    #e4 ,nor 
doth it follow1 that because ,god is    
everywhere1 therefore  a#cij a creature 
may be worshipped without idolatry4     
,some of the  heathens who acknowledged 
,god's omnipresence1 abused it to the   
countenancing idolatry2 because ,god was

 resident in everything1  they thought  
everything might be worshipped2 and some
 have used it  as an argument against   
this doctrine2 the best doctrines may by
 men's  corruption be drawn out into    
unreasonable and pernicious conclusions4
  ,have you not met with any1 that from 
the doctrine of ,god's free mercy1  and 
our ,saviour's satisfactory death1 have 
drawn poison to feed  their lusts1 and  
consume their souls8a poison composed by
 their own  corruption1 and not offered 
by those truths4 ,the ,apostle intimates
  to us1 that some did1 or at least were
 ready to be more lavish in  sinning1   
because ,god was abundant in grace2#fff 
8,shall we continue  in sin1 that grace 
may abound80 when he prevents an        
objection that he  thought might be made
 by some3 but as to this case1 since    
though ,god  be present in everything1  
yet everything retains its nature       
distinct  from the nature of ,god2      
therefore it is not to have a worship   
due to  the excellency of ,god4 ,as long

 as anything remains a creature1 it is  
only to have the respect from us1 which 
is due to it in the rank of  creatures4 
,when a prince is present with his      
guard1 or if he should go  arm in arm   
with a peasant1 is1 therefore1 the      
veneration and honor due  to the prince 
to be paid to the peasant1 or any of his
 guard8 ,would  the presence of the     
prince excuse it1 or would it not rather
 aggravate  it8 ,he acknowledged such a 
person equal to me1 by giving him my    
rights1  even in my sight4 ,though ,god 
dwelt in the temple1 would not the      
,israelites have been accounted guilty  
of idolatry had they worshipped  the    
images of the cherubims1 or the ark1 or 
the altar1 as objects of  worship1 which
 were erected only as means for his     
service8 ,is there  not as much reason  
to think ,god was as essentially present
 in the  temple as in heaven1 since the 
same expressions are used of the one    
and the other8 ,the sanctuary is called 
the glorious high throne 7,jer4  xvii4  

#ac72 and he is said to dwell between   
the cherubims 7,ps4 lxxx4 #a71  i4 e4   
the two cherubims that were at the two  
ends of the mercy seat1  appointed by   
,god as the two sides of his throne in  
the sanctuary  7,exod4 xxv4 #ah71 where 
he was to dwell 7ver4 #h71 and meet1 and
 commune1  with his people 7ver4 #bb74  
,could this excuse ,manasseh's idolatry 
in bringing in a carved image into the  
house of ,god 7#a ,chron4  xxxiii4 #g78 
had it been a good answer to the charge1
 ,god is present  here1 and therefore   
everything may be worshipped as ,god8   
,if he be only  essentially in heaven1  
would it not be idolatry to direct a    
worship  to the heavens1 or any part of 
it as a due object1 because of the      
presence of ,god there8 ,though we look 
up to the heavens1 where we pray  and   
worship ,god1 yet heaven is not the     
object of worship2 the soul  abstracts  
,god from the creature4    #f4 ,nor is  
,god denied by being present with those 
creatures which seem  filthy to us4     

,nothing is filthy in the eye of ,god as
 his creature2 he  could never else have
 pronounced all good2 whatsoever is     
filthy to us1  yet1 as it is a creature1
 it owes itself to the power of ,god3   
his  essence is no more defiled by being
 present with it1 than his a#cia  power 
by producing it3 no creature is foul in 
itself1 though it may  seem so to us4   
,doth not an infant lie in a womb of    
filthiness and  rottenness8 yet is not  
the power of ,god present with it1 in   
working  it curiously in the lower parts
 of the earth8 ,are his eyes defiled by 
seeing the substance when it is yet     
imperfect8 or his hand defiled by       
writing every member in his book 7,ps4  
cxxxix4 #ae1 #af78 ,have not the  vilest
 and most noisome things excellent      
medicinal virtues8 ,how are  they endued
 with them8 ,how are those qualities    
preserved in them8  by anything without 
,god1 or no8 ,every artificer looks with
 pleasure  upon the work he hath wrought
 with art and skill4 ,can his essence be

  defiled by being present with them1   
any more than it was in giving  them    
such virtues1 and preserving them in    
them8 ,god measures the  heavens and the
 earth with his hand2 is his hand       
defiled by the evil  influences of the  
planets1 or the corporeal impurities of 
the earth8  ,nothing can be filthy in   
the eye of ,god but sin1 since          
everything else  owes its being to him4 
,what may appear deformed and unworthy  
to us1  is not so to the ,creator2 he   
sees beauty where we see deformity2     
finds  goodness where we behold what is 
nauseous to us4 ,all creatures being    
the effects of his power1 may be the    
objects of his presence4 ,can any  place
 be more foul than hell1 if you take it 
either for the hell of  the damned1 or  
for the grave where there is rottenness8
 yet there  he is 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #h74    
,when ,satan appeared before ,god1 and  
,god spake  with him 7,job i4 #g71 could
 ,god contract any impurity by being    
present  where that filthy spirit was1  

more impure than any corporeal1 noisome1
  and defiling thing can be8 ,no2 ,god  
is purity to himself in the midst  of   
noisomeness2 a heaven to himself in the 
midst of hell4 ,whoever  heard of a     
sunbeam stained by shining upon a       
quagmire1 any more than  sweetened by   
breaking into a perfumed room8#ffg      
,though the light  shines upon pure and 
impure things1 yet it mixes not itself  
with  either of them2 so though ,god be 
present with devils and wicked  men1 yet
 without any mixture2 he is present with
 their essence to  sustain it and       
support it2 not in their defection1     
wherein lies their  defilement1 and     
which is not a physical1 but a moral    
evil2 bodily  filth can never touch an  
incorporeal substance4 ,spirits are not 
present with us in the same manner that 
one body is present with  another2      
bodies can by a touch only1 defile      
bodies4 ,is the glory of  an angel      
stained by being in a coalmine8 or could
 the angel that came  into the lion's   

den to deliver ,daniel1 be any more     
disturbed by the  stench of the place1  
than he could be scratched by the paws1 
or torn  by the teeth1 of the beasts    
7,dan4 vi4 #bb78 ,their spiritual nature
  secures them against any infection    
when they are ministering spirits  to   
persecuted believers in their nasty     
prisons 7,acts xii4 #g74 ,the soul  is  
straitly united with the body1 but it is
 not made white or black  by the        
whiteness or blackness of its           
habitation4 ,is it infected by  the     
corporeal impurities of the body1 while 
it continually dwells in  a sea of      
filthy pollution8 ,if the body be cast  
into a common shore1 is  the soul       
defiled by it8 ,can a diseased body     
derive a contagion to the  spirit that  
animates it8 ,is it not often the purer 
by grace1 the more  the body is infected
 by nature8 ,hezekiah's spirit was      
scarce ever more  fervent a#cib with    
,god1 than when the sore1 which some    
think to be  a plague sore1 was upon him

 7,isa4 xxxviii4 #c74 ,how can any      
corporeal  filth impair the purity of   
the divine essence8 ,it may as well be  
said1  that ,god is not present in      
battles and fights for his people       
7,joshua  xxiii4 #aj71 because he would 
not be disturbed by the noise of        
cannons1  and clashing of swords1 as    
that he is not present in the world     
because  of the ill scents4 ,let us     
therefore conclude this with the        
expression  of a learned man of our     
own3#ffh 8,to deny the omnipresence of  
,god1  because of ill scented places1 is
 to measure ,god rather by the nicety   
of sense1 than by the sagacity of       
reason40    ,,iv4 ,use4 ,first1 of      
information4    #a4 ,christ hath a      
divine nature4 ,as eternity and         
immutability1 two  incommunicable       
properties of the divine nature1 are    
ascribed to  ,christ1 so also is this of
 omnipresence or immensity 7,john iii4  
#ac73  8,no man hath ascended up to     
heaven1 but he that came down from      

heaven1  even the ,son of ,man which is 
in heaven40 ,not which was1 but which   
is4 ,he comes from heaven by            
incarnation1 and remains in heaven by   
his divinity4 ,he was1 while he spake to
 ,nicodemus1 locally on earth1  in      
regard of his humanity2 but in heaven   
according to his deity1 as  well as upon
 earth in the union of his divine and   
human nature4 ,he  descended upon earth1
 but he left not heaven2 he was in the  
world  before he came in the flesh      
7,john i4 #aj73 8,he was in the world1  
and  the world was made by him40 ,he was
 in the world1 as the 8light that       
enlightens every man that comes into the
 world40 ,in the world as ,god1  before 
he was in the world as man4 ,he was then
 in the world as man1  while he         
discoursed with ,nicodemus2 yet so1 that
 he was also in heaven  as ,god4 ,no    
creature but is bounded in place1 either
 circumscribed  as body1 or determined  
as spirit to be in one space1 so as not 
to be  in another at the same time2 to  

leave a place where they were1 and      
possess a place where they were not4    
,but ,christ is so on earth1 that  at   
the same time he is in heaven2 he is    
therefore infinite4 ,to be  in heaven   
and earth at the same moment of time1 is
 a property solely  belonging to the    
,deity1 wherein no creature can be a    
partner with him4  ,he was in the world 
before he came to the world1 and 8the   
world was  made by him0 7,john i4 #aj74 
,his coming was not as the coming of    
angels1  that leave heaven1 and begin to
 be on earth1 where they were not       
before2 but such a presence as can be   
ascribed only to ,god1 who fills  heaven
 and earth4 ,again1 if all things were  
made by him1 then he was  present with  
all things which were made2 for where   
there is a presence  of power1 there is 
also a presence of essence1 and         
therefore he is  still present2 for the 
right and power of conservation follows 
the  power of creation4 ,and1 according 
to this divine nature1 he promiseth  his

 presence with his church 7,matt4 xviii4
 #bj73 8,there am ,i in the  midst of   
them30 and 7,matt4 xxviii4 #bj71 8,i am 
with you alway1 even to  the end of the 
world10 i4 e4 by his divinity3 for he   
had before told  them 7,matt4 xxvi4     
#aa71 that they were not to have him    
alway with them1  i4 e4 according to his
 humanity2 but in his ,divine nature he 
is  present with1 and walks in the midst
 of1 the golden candlesticks4 ,if  we   
understand it of a presence by his      
,spirit in the midst of a#cic  the      
church1 doth it invalidate his essential
 presence8 ,no2 he is no  less than the 
,spirit whom he sends2 and therefore as 
little confined  as the ,spirit is1 who 
dwells in every believer3 and this may  
also  be inferred from ,john x4 #cj3    
8,my father and ,i are one20 not one by 
consent1 though that be included1 but   
one in power3 for he speaks  not of     
their consent1 but of their joint power 
in keeping his people4  ,where there is 
a unity of essence1 there is a unity of 

presence4    #b4 ,here is a confirmation
 of the spiritual nature of ,god4 ,if he
 were  an infinite body1 he could not   
fill heaven and earth1 but with the     
exclusion of all creatures4 ,two bodies 
cannot be in the same space2  they may  
be near one another1 but not in any of  
the same points  together4 ,a body      
bounded he hath not1 for that would     
destroy his  immensity2 he could not    
then fill heaven and earth1 because a   
body  cannot be at one and the same time
 in two different spaces2 but ,god  doth
 not fill heaven at one time1 and the   
earth at another1 but both  at the same 
time4 ,besides a limited body cannot be 
said to fill the  whole earth1 but one  
particular space in the earth at a time4
 ,a body  may fill the earth with its   
virtue1 as the sun1 but not with its    
substance4 ,nothing can be everywhere   
with a corporeal weight and mass2  but  
,god being infinite1 is not tied to any 
part of the world1 but  penetrates all1 
and equally acts by his infinite power  

in all4    #c4 ,here is an argument for 
providence4 ,his presence is mentioned  
in  the text1 in order to his government
 of the affairs of the world4 ,is  he   
everywhere1 to be unconcerned with      
everything8 ,before the world  had a    
being1 ,god was present with himself2   
since the world hath  a being1 he is    
present with his creatures1 to exercise 
his wisdom  in the ordering1 as he did  
his power in the production of them4    
,as the knowledge of ,god is not a bare 
contemplation of a thing1 so  his       
presence is not a bare inspection into a
 thing4 ,were it an idle  careless      
presence1 it were a presence to no      
purpose1 which cannot  be imagined of   
,god4 ,infinite power1 goodness1 and    
wisdom1 being  everywhere present with  
his essence1 are never without their    
exercise4  ,he never manifests any of   
his perfections1 but the manifestation  
is  full of some indulgence and benefit 
to his creatures4 ,it cannot be         
supposed ,god should neglect those      

things1 wherewith he is constantly      
present in a way of efficiency and      
operation4 ,he is not everywhere        
without acting everywhere4 8,wherever   
his essence is1 there is a power  and   
virtue worthy of ,god everywhere        
dispensed40#ffi ,he governs by  his     
presence what he made by his power2 and 
is present as an agent  with all his    
works4 ,his power and essence are       
together1 to preserve  them while he    
pleases1 as his power and his essence   
were together1  to create them when he  
saw good to do it4 ,every creature hath 
a stamp  of ,god1 and his presence is   
necessary to keep the impression        
standing  upon the creature4 ,as all    
things are his works1 they are the      
objects  of his cares2 and the wisdom he
 employed in framing them will not      
suffer him to be careless of them4 ,his 
presence with them engageth  him in     
honor not to be a negligent ,governor4  
a#cid ,his immensity fits  him for      
government2 and where there is a        

fitness1 there is an exercise  of       
government1 where there are objects for 
the exercise of it4 ,he is  worthy to   
have the universal rule of the world2 he
 can be present in  all places of his   
empire2 there is nothing can be done by 
any of his  subjects1 but in his sight4 
,as his eternity renders him ,king      
alway1 so  his immensity renders him    
,king everywhere4 ,if he were only      
present in  heaven1 it might occasion a 
suspicion that he minded only the things
  of heaven1 and had no concern for     
things below that vast body2 but if  he 
be present here1 his presence hath a    
tendency to the government of  those    
things with which he is present4 ,we are
 all in him as fish in  the sea2 and he 
bears all creatures in the womb of his  
providence1 and  the arms of his        
goodness4 ,it is most certain that his  
presence with  his people is far from   
being an idle one2 for when he promises 
to be  with them1 he adds some special  
cordial1 as1 8,i will be with thee1  and

 bless thee0 7,gen4 xxvi4 #c47 8,i am   
with thee1 and ,i will strengthen  thee0
 7,jer4 xv4 #bj47 8,i will help thee1 ,i
 will uphold thee0 7,isa4 xli4  #aj1    
#ad47 ,infinite goodness will never     
countenance a negligent presence4    #d4
 ,the omniscience of ,god is inferred   
from hence4 ,if ,god be present         
everywhere1 he must needs know what is  
done everywhere4 ,it is for this  end he
 proclaims himself a ,god filling heaven
 and earth1 in the text1  8,can any hide
 himself in secret places that ,i shall 
not see him1 saith  the ,lord8 ,i have  
heard what the prophets say1 that       
prophesy lies in  my name3 if ,i fill   
heaven and earth1 the most secret thing 
cannot be  hid from my sight40 ,an      
intelligent being cannot be everywhere  
present1  and more intimate in          
everything1 than it can be in itself2   
but he  must know what is done without1 
what is thought within4 ,nothing can be 
obscure to ,him who is in every part of 
the world1 in every part of his         

creatures4 ,not a thought can start up  
but in his sight1 who is present  in the
 souls and minds of everything4 ,how    
easy is it with him1 to  whose essence  
the world is but a point1 to know and   
observe everything  done in this world1 
as any of us can know what is done in   
one point of  place where we are        
present6 ,if light were an understanding
 being1 it  would behold and know       
everything done where it diffuseth      
itself4 ,god  is light 7as light in a   
crystal glass all within it1 all without
 it71  and is not ignorant of what is   
done within and without2 no ignorance   
can be fastened upon him who hath an    
universal presence4 ,hence1 by the  way1
 we may take notice of the wonderful    
patience of ,god1 who bears  with so    
many provocations2 not from a principal 
of ignorance1 for he  bears with sins   
that are committed near him in his      
sight1 sins that  he sees1 and cannot   
but see4    #e4 ,hence may be inferred  
the incomprehensibility of ,god4 ,he    

that  fills heaven and earth cannot be  
contained in anything2 he fills  the    
understandings of men1 the              
understandings of angels1 but is        
comprehended by neither2 it is a        
rashness to think to find out any       
bounds of ,god2 there is no measuring of
 an infinite ,being2 if it were  to be  
measured it were not infinite2 but      
because it is infinite1 it is  not to be
 measured4 ,god sits above the cherubims
 a#cie 7,ezek4 x4 #a71  above the       
fulness1 above the brightness1 not only 
of a human1 but a  created              
understanding4 ,nothing is more present 
than ,god1 yet nothing  more hid2 he is 
light1 and yet obscurity2#fgj his       
perfections are  visible1 yet           
unsearchable2 we know there is an       
infinite ,god1 but  it surpasseth the   
compass of our minds2 we know there is  
no number  so great1 but another may be 
added to it2 but no man can put it in   
practice1 without losing himself in a   
maze of figures4 ,what is the  reason we

 comprehend not many1 nay1 most things  
in the world8 partly  from the          
excellency of the object1 and partly    
from the imperfection of  our           
understandings4 ,how can we then        
comprehend ,god1 who exceeds all1  and  
is exceeded by none2 contains all1 and  
is contained by none2 is  above our     
understanding1 as well as above our     
sense8 as considered in  himself        
infinite2 as considered in comparison   
with our understandings1                
incomprehensible2 who can1 with his eye1
 measure the breadth1 length  and depth 
of the sea1 and at one cast1 view every 
dimension of the  heavens8 ,god is      
greater1 and we cannot know him 7,job   
xxxvi4 #bf72 he  fills the understanding
 as he fills heaven and earth2 yet is   
above the  understanding as he is above 
heaven and earth4 ,he is known by faith1
  enjoyed by love1 but comprehended by  
no mind4 ,god is not contained in  that 
one syllable1 ,god2 by it we apprehend  
an excellent and unlimited  nature2     

himself only understands himself1 and   
can unveil himself4    #f4 ,how         
wonderful is ,god1 and how nothing are  
creatures6 8,ascribe  the greatness to  
our ,god0 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #c72 he is    
admirable in the  consideration of his  
power1 in the extent of his             
understanding1 and no  less wonderful in
 the immensity of his essence3 that1 as 
,austin saith1  he is in the world1 yet 
not confined to it2 he is out of the    
world1  yet not debarred from it2 he is 
above the world1 yet not elevated  by   
it2 he is below the world1 yet not      
depressed by it2 he is above  all1      
equalled by none2 he is in all1 not     
because he needs them1 but  they stand  
in need of him2 this1 as well as        
eternity1 makes a vast  disproportion   
between ,god and the creature3 the      
creature is bounded  by a little space1 
and no space is so great as to bound the
 ,creator4  ,by this we may take a      
prospect of our own nothingness3 as in  
the  consideration of ,god's holiness we

 are minded of our own impurity2  and in
 the thoughts of his wisdom have a view 
of our own folly2 and  in the meditation
 of his power1 have a sense of our      
weakness2 so his  immensity should make 
us1 according to our own nature1 appear 
little  in our own eyes4 ,what little1  
little1 little things are we to ,god6   
less than an atom in the beams of the   
sun2 poor drops to a ,god that  fills   
heaven and earth1 and yet dare we to    
strut against him1 and  dash ourselves  
against a rock8 ,if the consideration of
 ourselves in  comparison with others1  
be apt to puff us up1 the consideration 
of  ourselves in comparison with ,god1  
will be sufficient to pull us down4  ,if
 we consider him in the greatness of his
 essence1 there is but  little more     
proportion between him and us1 than     
between being and  not being1 than      
between a drop and the ocean4 ,how      
should we never  think of ,god without a
 holy admiration of his greatness1 a#cif
 and a  deep sense of our own           

littleness6 and as the angels cover     
their faces  before him1 with what awe  
should creeping worms come into his     
sight6  and since ,god fills heaven and 
earth with his presence1 we should fill 
heaven and earth with his glory2 for    
this end he created angels to  praise   
him in heaven1 and men to worship him on
 earth1 that the places  he fills with  
his presence may be filled with his     
praise3 we should be  swallowed up in   
admiration of the immensity of ,god1 as 
men are at the  first sight of the sea1 
when they behold a mass of waters1      
without  beholding the bounds and       
immense depth of it4    #g4 ,how much is
 this attribute of ,god forgotten or    
contemned6 ,we  pretend to believe him  
to be present everywhere1 and yet many  
live  as if he were present nowhere4    
7#a47 ,it is commonly forgotten1 or not 
believed4 ,all the extravagances  of men
 may be traced to the forgetfulness of  
this attribute as  their spring4 ,the   
first speech ,adam spake in paradise    

after his fall1  testified his unbelief 
of this 7,gen4 iii4 #aj72 8,i heard thy 
voice in  the garden1 and ,i hid        
myself20 his ear understood the voice of
 ,god1  but his mind did not conclude   
the presence of ,god2 he thought the    
trees could shelter him from ,him whose 
eye was present in the minutest  parts  
of the earth2 he that thought after his 
sin1 that he could hide  himself from   
the presence of his justice1 thought    
before that he could  hide himself from 
the presence of his knowledge2 and being
 deceived in  the one1 he would try what
 would be the fruit of the other4 ,in   
both he  forgets1 if not denies1 this   
attribute2 either corrupt notions of    
,god1  or a slight belief of what in    
general men assent unto1 gives birth to 
every sin4 ,in all transgressions there 
is something of atheism2 either  denying
 the being of ,god1 or a dash upon some 
perfection of ,god2a  not believing his 
holiness to hate it1 his truth that     
threatens1 his  justice to punish it1   

and his presence to observe it4 ,though 
,god be  not afar off in his essence1 he
 is 8afar off in the apprehension of    
the sinner40#fga ,there is no wicked    
man1 but if he be an atheist1 he  is a  
heretic2 and to gratify his lust1 will  
fancy himself to be out of  the presence
 of his ,judge4 ,his reason tells him1  
,god is present with  him1 his lust     
presseth him to embrace the season of   
sensual pleasure2  he will forsake his  
reason1 and prove a heretic1 that he may
 be an  undisturbed sinner2 and sins    
doubly1 both in the error of his mind1  
and the vileness of his practice2 he    
will conceit ,god with those in  ,job1  
8veiled with thick clouds0 7,job xxii4  
#ad71 and not able to pierce  into the  
lower world1 as if his presence and     
cares were confined to  celestial       
things1 and the earth were too low a    
sphere for his essence  to reach1 at    
least with any credit4 ,it is forgotten 
by good men1 when  they fear too much   
the designs of their enemies2 8,fear    

not1 for ,i  am with thee0 7,isa4 xliii4
 #e74 ,if the presence of ,god be enough
 to  strengthen against fear1 then the  
prevailing of fear issues from our      
forgetfulness of it4    7#b47 ,this     
attribute of ,god's omnipresence is for 
the most part  contemned4 ,when men will
 commit that in the presence of ,god    
which  they would be afraid or ashamed  
to do before the eye of man1 men do  not
 practice that modesty before ,god as   
before men4 ,he that a#cig  would       
restrain his tongue out of fear of men's
 eye1 will not restrain  either tongue  
or hands out of fear of ,god's4 ,what is
 the language  of this1 but that ,god is
 not present with us1 or his presence   
ought  to be of less regard with us1 and
 influence upon us1 than that of a      
creature8#fgb ,ask the thief why he     
dares to steal8 will he not answer1     
8,no eye sees him80 ,ask the adulterer  
why he strips himself of his  chastity1 
and invades the rights of another8 will 
he not answer 7,job  xxiv4 #ae71 8,no   

eye sees me80 ,he disguiseth himself to 
be unseen by  man1 but slights the      
allseeing eye of ,god4 ,if only a man   
know them1  they are in terror of the   
shadow of death2 they are planetstruck1 
but stand unshaken at the presence of   
,god 7,job xxiv4 #ag74 ,is not this  to 
account ,god as limited as manas        
ignorant1 as absenting1 as if  ,god were
 something less than those things which 
restrain us8 ',tis a  debasing ,god     
below a creature4 ,if we can forbear sin
 from an awe of  the presence of man1 to
 whom we are equal in regard of nature1 
or from  the presence of a very mean    
man1 to whom we are superior in regard  
of  condition1 and not forbear it       
because we are within the ken of ,god1  
we  respect him not only as our         
inferior1 but inferior to the meanest   
man  or child of his creation1 in whose 
sight we would not commit the like      
action3 it is to represent him as a     
sleepy1 negligent1 or careless  ,god2 as
 though anything might be concealed from

 him1 before whom  the least fibres of  
the heart are anatomised and open1 who  
sees as  plainly midnight as noonday    
sins 7,heb4 iv4 #ac74 ,now this is a    
high  aggravation of sin3 to break a    
king's laws1 in his sight1 is more bold 
than to violate them behind his back2 as
 it was ,haman's offence when  he lay   
upon ,esther's bed1 to force the queen  
before the king's face4  ,the least     
iniquity receives a high tincture from  
this2 and no sin can  be little that is 
an affront in the face of ,god1 and     
casting the filth  of the creature      
before the eyes of his holiness3 as if a
 wife should  commit adultery before her
 husband's face1 or a slave dishonor his
  master1 and disobey his commands in   
his presence4 ,and hath it not  often   
been thus with us8 have we not been     
disloyal to ,god in his sight1  before  
his eyes1 those pure eyes that cannot   
behold iniquity without  anger and      
grief8 7,isa4 lxv4 #ab71 8,ye did evil  
before my eyes40 ,nathan  chargeth this 

home upon ,david 7#b ,sam4 xii4 #i71    
8,thou hast despised the  commandment of
 the ,lord1 to do evil in his sight20   
and ,david1 in his  repentance1 reflects
 upon himself for it 7,ps4 li4 #d72     
8,against thee1  thee only1 have ,i     
sinned1 and done this evil in thy       
sight40 ,i observed  not thy presence1  
,i neglected thee while thy eye was upon
 me4 ,and this  consideration should    
sting our hearts in all our confessions 
of our  crimes4 ,men will be afraid of  
the presence of others1 whatsoever they 
think in their heart4 ,how unworthily do
 we deal with ,god1 in not  giving him  
so much as an eyeservice1 which we do   
man6    #h4 ,how terrible should the    
thoughts of this attribute be to        
sinners6 ,how foolish is it1 to imagine 
any hidingplace from the                
incomprehensible ,god1 who fills and    
contains all things1 and is  present in 
every point of the world6#fgc ,when men 
have shut the door1  and a#cih made all 
darkness within1 to meditate or commit a

 crime1  they cannot in the most        
intricate recesses be sheltered from the
  presence of ,god4 ,if they could      
separate themselves from their own      
shadows1 they could not avoid his       
company1 or be obscured from his        
sight4#fgd ,hypocrites cannot disguise  
their sentiments from him2 he  is in the
 most secret nook of their hearts4 ,no  
thought is hid1 no lust  is secret1 but 
the eye of ,god beholds this1 and that1 
and the other4  ,he is present with our 
heart when we imagine1 with our hands   
when we  act4 ,we may exclude the sun   
from peeping into our solitudes1 but not
  the eyes of ,god from beholding our   
actions4 8,the eyes of the ,lord  are in
 every place1 beholding the evil and    
good0 7,prov4 xv4 #c74 ,he  lies in the 
depths of our souls1 and sees afar off  
our designs before  we have conceived   
them4 ,he is in the greatest darkness1  
as well as  the clearest light2 in the  
closest thought of the mind1 as well as 
the openest expressions4 ,nothing can be

 hid from him1 no1 not in the  darkest  
cells or thickest walls4 8,he compasseth
 our path wherever we  are0 7,ps4       
cxxxix4 #c71 and 8is acquainted with all
 our ways40 ,he is  as much present with
 wicked men to observe their sins1 as he
 is to  detest them4 ,where he is       
present in his essence1 he is present in
 his  attributes3 his holiness to hate1 
and his justice to punish1 if he  please
 to speak the word4 ,it is strange men  
should not be mindful  of this1 when    
their very sins themselves might put    
them in mind of  his presence4 ,whence  
hast thou the power to act8 who         
preserves thy  being1 whereby thou art  
capable of committing that evil8 ,is it 
not  his essential presence that        
sustains us1 and his arm that supports  
us8 and where can any man fly from his  
presence8 ,not the vast regions  of     
heaven could shelter a sinning angel    
from his eye3 how was ,adam  ferreted   
out of his hidingplaces in paradise8    
,nor can we find the  depths of the sea 

a sufficient covering to us4 ,if we were
 with ,jonah1  closeted up in the belly 
of a whale2 if we had the 8wings of the 
morning10 as quick a motion as the light
 at the dawning of the day1  that doth  
in an instant surprise and overpower the
 regions of darkness1  and could pass to
 the utmost parts of the earth or hell1 
there we  should find him1 there his eye
 would be upon us1 there would his hand 
lay hold of us1 and lead us as a        
conqueror triumphing over a captive     
7,ps4 cxxxix4 #haj74 ,nay1 if we could  
leap out of the compass of heaven  and  
earth1 we should find as little reserves
 from him3 he is without  the world in  
those infinite spaces which the mind of 
man can imagine4  ,in regard of his     
immensity1 nothing in being can be      
distant from him1  wheresoever it is4   
,second1 ,use is for comfort4 ,that ,god
 is present everywhere1 is as  much a   
comfort to a good man1 as it is a terror
 to a wicked one4 ,he  is everywhere for
 his people1 not only by a necessary    

perfection of  his nature1 but an       
immense diffusion of his goodness4 ,he  
is in all  creatures as their preserver3
 in the damned1 as their terror2 in his 
people1 as their protector4 ,he fills   
hell with his severity1 heaven  with his
 glory1 his people with his grace4 ,he  
is with his people  as light in         
darkness1 a fountain in a garden1 as    
manna in the ark4  ,god is in the world 
as a spring of preservation2 in the     
church as  his a#cii cabinet1 his spring
 of grace and consolation4 ,a man is    
present sometimes in his field1 but more
 delightfully in his garden4  ,a vine   
yard1 as it hath more of cost1 so more  
of care1 and a watchful  presence of the
 owner 7,isa4 xxvii4 #c72 8,i1 the      
,lord1 do keep it10 viz4  his vineyard2 
8,i will water it every moment1 lest any
 hurt it3 ,i will  keep it night and    
day40 ,as there is a presence of        
essence1 which is  natural1 so there is 
a presence of grace1 which is federal3 a
 presence  by covenant2 8,i will not    

leave thee1 ,i will be with thee40 ,this
 latter  depends upon the former2 for1  
take away the immensity of ,god1 and    
you leave no foundation for his         
universal gracious presence with his    
people in all their emergencies1 in all 
their hearts4 ,and1 therefore1  where he
 is present in his essence1 he cannot be
 absent in his grace1  from them that   
fear him4 ,it is from his filling heaven
 and earth he  proves his knowledge of  
the designs of the false prophets2 and  
from  the same topic may as well be     
inferred the employment of his power and
  grace for his people4    #a4 ,the     
omnipresence of ,god is a comfort in all
 violent temptations4  ,no fiery dart   
can be so present with us1 as ,god is   
present both with  that and the         
marksman4 ,the most raging devils cannot
 be so near us1 as  ,god is to us and   
them4 ,he is present with his people to 
relieve them1  and present with the     
devil to manage him to his own holy     
purposes3 so  he was with ,job1         

defeating his enemies1 and bringing him 
triumphantly  out of those pressing     
trials4 ,this presence is such a terror1
 that  whatsoever the devil can despoil 
us of1 he must leave this untouched4    
,he might scratch the apostle with a    
thorn 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #g1 #i71 but  he   
could not rifle him of the presence of  
divine grace1 which ,god  promised him4 
,he must prevail so far as to make ,god 
cease to be ,god1  before he can make   
him to be distant from us2 and while    
this cannot  be1 the devils and men can 
no more hinder the emanations of ,god to
 the  soul1 than a child can cut off the
 rays of the sun from embellishing  the 
earth4 ,it is no mean support for a good
 man1 at any time1 buffeted  by a       
messenger of ,satan1 to think ,god      
stands near him1 and behold  how ill he 
is used4 ,it would be a satisfaction to 
a king's favorite1  in the midst of the 
violence some enemies might use to him  
upon a  surprise1 to understand that the
 king who loves him stands behind  a    

curtain1 and through a hole sees the    
injuries he suffers3 and were  the devil
 as considering as he is malicious1 he  
could not but be in  great fear at      
,god's being in the generation of the   
righteous1 as his  serpentine seed is   
7,prov4 iii4 #f73 8,they were in great  
fear1 for ,god  is in the generation of 
the righteous40    #b4 ,the omnipresence
 of ,god is a comfort in sharp          
afflictions4 ,good  men have a comfort  
in this presence in their nasty prisons1
 oppressing  tribunals2 in the          
overflowing waters or scorching flames  
he is still  with them 7,isa4 xliii4    
#b72 and many times by his presence     
keeps  the bush from consuming1 when it 
seems to be all in a flame4 ,in         
afflictions ,god shows himself most     
present1 when friends are most  absent3 
8,when my father and mother forsake me1 
then the ,lord shall  take me up0 7,ps4 
xxvii4 #aj71 then ,god will stoop and   
gather me into  his protection2 or1     
7,heb47 8shall gather me10 alluding to  

those tribes  that were to bring up the 
rear in the ,israelites' march1 to take 
care that a#djj none were left behind1  
and exposed to famine or wild  beasts1  
by reason of some disease that          
disenabled them to keep pace  with their
 brethren4 ,he that is the sanctuary of 
his people in all  calamities1 is more  
present with them to support them1 than 
their  adversaries can be present with  
them to afflict them 7,psal4 xlvi4 #b71 
a present help in the time of trouble2  
,he is present with all things  for this
 end2 though his presence be a necessary
 presence in regard of  the immensity of
 his nature1 yet the end of this        
presence in regard  that it is for the  
good of his people1 is a voluntary      
presence4 ,it is  for the good of man he
 is present in the lower world1 and     
principally  for the good of his people1
 for whose sake he keeps up the world   
7#b  ,chron4 xvi4 #i74 8,his eyes run to
 and fro throughout the whole earth1  to
 show himself strong in the behalf of   

them whose heart is perfect  towards    
him40 ,if he doth not deliver good men  
from afflictions1 he  will be so present
 as to manage them in them1 as that his 
glory shall  issue from them1 and their 
grace be brightened by them4#fge ,what a
  man was ,paul when he was lodged in a 
prison1 or dragged to the courts  of    
judicature1 when he was torn with rods1 
or laden with chains6 then  did he show 
the greatest miracles1 made the judge   
tremble upon the  bench1 and brake the  
heart1 though not the prison1 of the    
jailor2  so powerful is the presence of 
,god in the pressures of his people4    
,this presence outweighs all other      
comforts1 and is more valuable  to a    
,christian than barns of corn1 or       
cellars of wine can be to a  covetous   
man 7,ps4 iv4 #g73 it was this presence 
was ,david's cordial  in the mutinying  
of his soldiers 7#a ,sam4 xxx4 #f74     
,what a comfort is  this in exile1 or a 
forced desertion of our habitations6    
,good men may  be banished from their   

country1 but never from the presence of 
their  ,protector2 ye cannot say of any 
corner of the earth1 or of any dungeon  
in a prison1 ,god is not here2 if you   
were cast out of your country  a        
thousand miles off1 you are not out of  
,god's precinct2 his arm is  there to   
cherish the good1 as well as to drag out
 the wicked2 it is  the same ,god1 the  
same presence in every country1 as well 
as the same  sun1 moon1 and stars2 and  
were not ,god everywhere1 yet he could  
not be  meaner than his creature the sun
 in the firmament1 which visits every   
part of the habitable world in          
twentyfour hours4    #c4 ,the           
omnipresence of ,god is a comfort in all
 duties of worship4 ,he  is present to  
observe1 and present to accept our      
petitions1 and answer  our suits4 ,good 
men have not only the essential         
presence1 which is  common to all1 but  
his gracious presence2 not only the     
presence that  flows from his nature1   
but that which flows from his promise2  

his  essential presence makes no        
difference between this and that man in 
regard of spirituals1 without this in   
conjunction with it2 his nature  is the 
cause of the presence of his essence2   
his will engaged by his  truth is the   
cause of the presence of his grace4 ,he 
promised to meet  the ,israelites in the
 place where he should set his name1 and
 in all  places where he doth record it 
7,exod4 xx4 #d74 8,in all places where  
,i record my name1 ,i will come unto    
thee1 and ,i will bless thee20 in  every
 place where ,i shall manifest the      
special presence of my divinity4  ,in   
all places1 hands may be lifted up1     
without doubting of his ability  to     
hear2 he dwells in the contrite hearts1 
wherever a#dja it is  most in the       
exercise of contrition2 which is usually
 in times of  special worship 7,isa4    
lvii4 #ae71 and that to revive and      
refresh them4  ,habitation notes a      
special presence1 though he dwell in the
 highest  heavens in the sparklings of  

his glory1 he dwells also in the lowest 
hearts in the beams of his grace2 as    
none can expel him from his  dwelling in
 heaven1 so none can reject him from his
 residence in the  heart4 ,the          
tabernacle had his peculiar presence    
fixed to it 7,levit4  xxvi4 #aa72 his   
soul should not abhor them1 as they are 
washed by  ,christ1 though they are     
loathsome by sin3 in a greater          
dispensation  there cannot be a less    
presence1 since the church under the    
,new  ,testament is called the temple of
 the ,lord1 wherein he will both dwell  
and walk 7#b ,cor4 vi4 #f72 or1 ,i will 
indwell in them2 as if he should  say1  
,i will dwell in and in them2 ,i will   
dwell in them by grace1 and  walk in    
them by exciting their graces2 he will  
be more intimate with  them than their  
own souls1 and converse with them as the
 living ,god1  i4 e4 as a ,god that hath
 life in himself1 and life to convey to 
them  in their converse with him2 and   
show his spiritual glory among them  in 

a greater measure than in the temple1   
since that was but a heap  of stones1   
and the figure of the ,christian church 
the mystical body  of his ,son4 ,his    
presence is not less in the substance   
than it was in  the shadow2 this        
presence of ,god in his ordinances1 is  
the glory of a  church1 as the presence 
of a king is the glory of a court1 the  
defence  of it1 too1 as a wall of fire  
7,zech4 ii4 #e72 alluding to the fire   
travellers in a wilderness made to      
fright away wild beasts4 ,it is  not the
 meanness of the place of worship can   
exclude him2 the second  temple was not 
so magnificent as the first of          
,solomon's erecting1 and  the ,jews     
seemed to despond of so glorious a      
presence of ,god in the  second1 as they
 had in the first1 because they thought 
it not so good  for the entertainment of
 ,him that inhabits eternity2 but ,god  
comforts  them against this conceit     
again and again 7,hag4 ii4 #c1 #d73 8be 
strong1  be strong1 be strong1 ,i am    

with you20 the meanness of the place    
shall  not hinder the grandeur of my    
presence1 no matter what the room is1   
so it be the presencechamber of the     
king1 wherein he will favor  our suits2 
he can everywhere slide into our souls  
with a perpetual  sweetness1 since he is
 everywhere1 and so1 intimate with every
 one  that fears him4 ,if we should see 
,god on earth in his amiableness1 as    
,moses did1 should we not be encouraged 
by his presence1 to present our         
requests to him1 to echo out our praises
 of him8 and have we not as  great a    
ground now to do it1 since he is as     
really present with us1 as  if he were  
visible to us8 he is in the same room   
with us1 as near to  us as our souls to 
our bodies1 not a word but he hears1 not
 a motion  but he sees1 not a breath but
 he perceives2 he is through all1 he is 
in all4    #d4 ,the omnipresence of ,god
 is a comfort in all special services4  
,god  never puts any upon a hard task1  
but he makes promises to encourage  them

 and assist them1 and the matter of the 
promise is that of his  presence2 so he 
did assure the prophets of old when he  
set them  difficult tasks1 and          
strengthened ,moses against the face of 
,pharaoh1  by assuring him 8he would be 
with his mouth0 7,exod4 iv4 #ab72 and   
when ,christ put his apostles upon a    
contest with the whole world1 to  preach
 a gospel that would be foolishness to  
the ,greeks1 a#djb and  a stumbling     
block to the ,jews1 he gives them a     
cordial only composed  of his presence  
7,matt4 xxviii4 #bj71 ,i will be with   
you2 it is this  presence scatters by   
its light the darkness of our spirits2  
it is  this that is the cause of what is
 done for his glory in the world2 it  is
 this that mingles itself with all that 
is done for his honor2 it is  this from 
whence springs all the assistance of his
 creatures1 marked  out for special     
purposes4    #e4 ,this presence is not  
without the special presence of all his 
attributes4 ,where his essence is1 his  

perfections are1 because they  are one  
with his essence2 yea1 they are his     
essence1 though they  have their several
 degrees of manifestation4 ,as in the   
covenant1 he  makes over himself1 not a 
part of himself1 but his whole deity2 so
 in  promising of his presence1 he means
 not a part of it1 but the whole1  the  
presence of all the excellencies of his 
nature to be manifested  for our good4  
,it is not a piece of ,god is here and  
another parcel  there1 but ,god in his  
whole essence and perfections2 in his   
wisdom to  guide us1 his power to       
protect and support us1 his mercy to    
pity us1  his fulness to refresh us1 and
 his goodness to relieve us3 he is ready
  to sparkle out in this or that        
perfection1 as the necessities of his   
people require1 and his own wisdom      
directs for his own honor2 so that      
being not far from us in an excellency  
of his nature1 we can quickly  have     
recourse to him upon any emergency2 so  
that if we are miserable1  we have the  

presence of his goodness2 if we want    
direction1 we have  the presence of his 
wisdom2 if we are weak1 we have the     
presence of  his power2 and should we   
not rejoice in it1 as a man doth in the 
presence of a powerful1 wealthy1 and    
compassionate friend8    ,third1 ,use4  
,of ,exhortation4    #a4 ,let us be much
 in the actual thoughts of this truth4  
,how should  we enrich our              
understandings with the knowledge of the
 excellency of  ,god1 whereof this is   
none of the least2 nor hath less of     
honey in its  bowels1 though it be more 
terrible to the wicked than the presence
  of a lion2 it is this that makes all  
other excellencies of the divine  nature
 sweet4 ,what would grace1 wisdom1      
power1 signify at a distance  from us8  
,let us frame in our minds a strong idea
 of it2 it is this  makes so great a    
difference between the actions of one   
man and another2  one maintains actual  
thoughts of it1 another doth not3 though
 all  believe it as a perfection        

pertaining to the infiniteness of his   
essence4 ,david1 or rather a greater    
than ,david1 had ,god always before     
him2 there was no time1 no occasion1    
wherein he did not stir up some  lively 
thoughts of him 7,ps4 xvi4 #h74 ,let us 
have right notions of it2  imagine not  
,god as a great ,king1 sitting only in  
his majesty in heaven2  acting all by   
his servants and ministers4 ,this1 saith
 one1#fgf is  a childish and unworthy   
conceit of ,god1 and may in time bring  
such  a conceiver by degrees to deny his
 providence2 the denial of this         
perfection is an axe at the root of     
religion2 if it be not deeply  imprinted
 in the mind1 personal religion grows   
faint and feeble4  ,who would fear that 
,god that is not imagined to be a       
witness of his  actions8 ,who would     
worship a ,god at a distance both from  
the worship  and the worshipper8#fgg    
,let us believe this truth1 a#djc but   
not  with an idle faith1 as if we did   
not believe it4 ,let us know1 that as   

wheresoever the fish moves1 it is in the
 water2 wheresoever the bird  moves1 it 
is in the air2 so wheresoever we move1  
we are in ,god4 ,as  there is not a     
moment but we are under his mercy1 so   
there is not a  moment that we are out  
of his presence4 ,let us therefore look 
upon  nothing1 without thinking who     
stands by1 without reflecting upon him  
in whom it lives1 moves and hath its    
being4 ,when you view a man1 you  fix   
your eyes upon his body1 but your mind  
upon that invisible part  that acts     
every member by life and motion1 and    
makes them fit for your  converse4 ,let 
us not bound our thoughts to the        
creatures we see1 but  pierce through   
the creature to that boundless ,god we  
do not see3 we  have continual          
remembrances of his presence2 the light1
 whereby we see1  and the air1 whereby  
we live1 give us perpetual notices of   
it1 and  some weak resemblance2 why     
should we forget it8 yea1 what a shame  
is  our unmindfulness of it1 when every 

cast of our eye1 every motion of  our   
lungs1 jogs us to remember it8 ,light is
 in every part of the air1  in every    
part of the world1 yet not mixed with   
any1 both remain entire  in their own   
substance4 ,let us not be worse than    
some of the heathens1  who pressed this 
notion upon themselves for the spiriting
 their  actions with virtue1 that all   
places were full of ,god4 ,this was the 
means ,basil used to prescribe1 upon a  
question asked him1 ,how shall we  do to
 be serious8 mind ,god's presence4 ,how 
shall we avoid distractions  in service8
 think of ,god's presence4 ,how shall we
 resist temptation8  oppose to them the 
presence of ,god4#fgh    7#a47 ,this    
will be a shield against all            
temptations4 ,god is present1  is enough
 to blunt the weapons of hell2 this will
 secure us from a  ready compliance with
 any base and vile attractives1 and curb
 that  headstrong principle in our      
nature1 that would join hands with them2
  the thoughts of this would1 like the  

powerful presence of ,god with  the     
,israelites1 take off the wheels from   
the chariots of our sensitive           
appetites1 and make them perhaps move   
slower1 at least1 towards a  temptation4
 ,how did ,peter fling off the          
temptation which had worsted  him1 upon 
a look from ,christ6 ,the actuated faith
 of this would  stifle the darts of     
,satan1 and fire us with an anger       
against his  solicitations1 as strong as
 the fire that inflames the darts4      
,moses'  sight of ,him that was         
invisible1 strengthened him against the 
costly  pleasures and luxuries of a     
prince's court 7,heb4 xi4 #bg74 ,we are 
utterly senseless of a ,deity1 if we are
 not moved with this item  from our     
consciences1 ,god is present4 ,had our  
first parents actually  considered the  
nearness of ,god to them1 when they were
 tempted to eat  of the forbidden fruit1
 they had not probably been so easily   
overcome  by the temptation4 ,what      
soldier would be so base as to revolt   

under  the eye of a tender and obliging 
general8 or what man so negligent of    
himself1 as to rob a house in the sight 
of a judge8 ,let us consider  that ,god 
is as near to observe us1 as the devil  
to solicit us1 yea1  nearer2 the devil  
stands by us1 but ,god is in us2 we may 
have a  thought the devil knows not1 but
 not a thought but ,god is actually     
present with1 as our souls are with the 
thoughts they think2 nor  can any       
creature attract our heart1 if our minds
 were fixed on that  invisible presence 
a#djd that contributes to that          
excellency1 and  sustains it1 and       
considered that no creature could be so 
present with  us as the ,creator is4    
7#b47 ,it will be a spur to holy        
actions4 ,what man would do an unworthy 
action1 or speak an unhandsome word1 in 
the presence of his prince8  ,the eye of
 the general inflames the spirit of a   
soldier4 ,why did ,david  keep ,god's   
testimonies 7,ps4 cxix4 #afh78 because  
he considered that  all his ways were   

before him2 because he was persuaded his
 ways were  present with ,god2 ,god's   
precepts should be present with him4    
,the same  was the cause of ,job's      
integrity 7,job xxxi4 #d73 8,doth he not
 see my  ways80 ,to have ,god in our eye
 is the way to be sincere 7,gen4 xvii4  
#a72  8walk before me0 as in my sight1  
8and be thou perfect40 ,communion with  
,god consists chiefly in an ordering our
 ways as in the presence of him  that is
 invisible4 ,this would make us         
spiritual1 raised and watchful  in all  
our passions1 if we considered that ,god
 is present with us  in our shops1 in   
our chambers1 in our walks1 and in our  
meetings1 as  present with us as with   
the angels in heaven2 who1 though they  
have  a presence of glory above us1 yet 
have not a greater measure of his       
essential presence than we have4 ,what  
an awe had ,jacob upon him when  he     
considered ,god was present in ,bethel  
7,gen4 xxviii4 #af1 #ag76 ,if  ,god     
should appear visibly to us when we were

 alone1 should we not be  reverend and  
serious before him8 ,god is everywhere  
about us1 he doth  encompass us with his
 presence4 ,should not ,god's seeing us 
have the  same influence upon us as our 
seeing ,god8 ,he is not more essentially
  present if he should so manifest      
himself to us1 than when he doth  not4  
,who would appear besmeared in the      
presence of a great person8 or  not be  
ashamed to be found in his chamber in a 
nasty posture by some  visitant8 ,would 
not a man blush to be catched about some
 mean action1  though it were not an    
immoral crime8 ,if this truth were      
impressed upon  our spirits1 we should  
more blush to have our souls daubed with
 some  loathsome lust2 swarms of sin1   
like ,egyptian lice and frogs1 creeping 
about our heart in his sight4 ,if the   
most sensual man be ashamed to  do a    
dishonest action in the sight of a grave
 and holy man1 one of  great reputation 
for wisdom and integrity1 how much more 
should we  lift up ourselves in the ways

 of ,god1 who is infinite and immense1  
is  everywhere1 and infinitely superior 
to man1 and more to be regarded6  ,we   
could not seriously think of his        
presence but there would pass some      
intercourse between us2 we should be    
putting up some petition upon  the sense
 of our indigence1 or sending up our    
praises to him upon the  sense of his   
bounty4 ,the actual thoughts of the     
presence of ,god is the  life and spirit
 of all religion2 we could not have     
sluggish spirits  and a careless watch  
if we considered that his eye is upon us
 all the  day4    7#c47 ,it will quell  
distractions in worship4 ,the actual    
thoughts of  this would establish our   
thoughts1 and pull them back when they  
begin  to rove3 the mind could not      
boldly give ,god the slip if it had     
lively  thoughts of it2 the             
consideration of this would blow off all
 the  froth that lies on the top of our 
spirits4 ,an eye1 taken up with the     
presence of one object1 is not at       

leisure to be filled with another3  he  
that looks intently upon the sun1 shall 
have nothing for a while  but the sun in
 his eye4 ,oppose to every intruding    
thought a#dje the  idea of the ,divine  
omnipresence1 and put it to silence by  
the awe of  his ,majesty4 ,when the     
master is present1 scholars mind their  
books1  keep their places1 and run not  
over the forms to play with one another2
  the master's eye keeps an idle servant
 to his work1 that otherwise  would be  
gazing at every straw1 and prating to   
every passenger4 ,how  soon would the   
remembrance of this dash all extravagant
 fancies out of  countenance1 just as   
the news of the approach of a prince    
would make  the courtiers bustle up     
themselves1 huddle up their vain sports1
 and  prepare themselves for a reverent 
behavior in his sight6 ,we should not   
dare to give ,god a piece of our heart  
when we apprehended him present  with   
the whole3 we should not dare to mock   
one that we knew were more  inwards with

 us than we are with ourselves1 and that
 beheld every  motion of our mind1 as   
well as action of our body4    #b4 ,let 
us endeavor for the more special and    
influential presence  of ,god4 ,let the 
essential presence of ,god be the ground
 of our awe1  and his gracious          
influential presence the object of our  
desire4 ,the  heathen thought themselves
 secure if they had their little petty  
household gods with them in their       
journeys3 such seem to be the images    
,rachel stole from her father 7,gen4    
xxxi4 #ai7 to company her travel  with  
their blessings3 she might not at that  
time have cast off all  respect to those
 idols1 in the acknowledgment of which  
she had been  educated from her infancy2
 and they seem to be kept by her till   
,god  called ,jacob to ,bethel1 after   
the rape of ,dinah 7,gen4 xxxv4 #d71    
when  ,jacob called for the strange     
gods1 and hid them under the oak4 ,the  
gracious presence of ,god we should look
 after1 in our actions1 as  travellers1 

that have a charge of money or jewels1  
desire to keep  themselves in company   
that may protect them from highwaymen   
that would  rifle them4 ,since we have  
the concerns of the eternal happiness of
 our  souls upon our hands1 we should   
endeavor to have ,god's merciful and    
powerful presence with us in all our    
ways 7,ps4 xiv4 #e72 8,in all thy  ways 
acknowledge him1 and he shall direct thy
 paths30 acknowledge him  before any    
action1 by imploring2 acknowledge him   
after1 by rendering  him the glory2     
acknowledge his presence before worship1
 in worship1  after worship3 it is this 
presence makes a kind of heaven upon    
earth2  causeth affliction to put off   
the nature of misery4 ,how much will the
  presence of the sun outshine the stars
 of lesser comforts1 and fully  answer  
the want of them6 ,the ark of ,god going
 before us1 can only make  all things   
successful4 ,it was this led the        
,israelites over ,jordan1  and settled  
them in ,canaan4 ,without this we       

signify nothing3 though  we live without
 this1 we cannot be distinguished       
forever from devils2  his essential     
presence they have2 and if we have no   
more1 we shall be  no better4 ,it is the
 enlivening fructifying presence of the 
sun that  revives the languishing earth2
 and this only can repair our ruined    
soul4 ,let it be1 therefore1 our desire1
 that as he fills heaven and  earth by  
his essence1 he may fill our            
understandings and wills by his  grace1 
that we may have another kind of        
presence with us than animals  have in  
their brutish state1 or devils in their 
chains3 his essential  presence         
maintains our beings1 but his gracious  
presence confers and  continues a       
happiness4          a#djf               
,,discourse ,,viii4                     
,,on ,,god',s ,,knowledge4      ,psalm  
cxlvii4 #e4;,great is our ,lord1 and of 
great power2 his      understanding is  
infinite4      ,it is uncertain who was 
the author of this psalm1 and when it   

was  penned2 some think after the return
 from the ,babylonish captivity4  ,it is
 a psalm of praise1 and is made up of   
matter of praise from the  beginning to 
the end3 ,god's benefits to the church1 
his providence  over his creatures1 and 
the essential excellency of his nature4 
,the psalmist doubles his exhortation to
 praise ,god 7ver4 #a71 8,praise  ye the
 ,lord1 sing praise to our ,god20 to    
praise him from his dominion  as        
8,lord10 from his grace and mercy as    
8our ,god20 from the excellency  of the 
duty itself1 8it is good1 it is comely30
 some read it comely1  some lovely1 or  
desirable1 from the various derivations 
of the word4  ,nothing doth so much     
delight a gracious soul1 as an          
opportunity  of celebrating the         
perfections and goodness of the         
,creator4 ,the  highest duties a        
creature can render to the ,creator are 
pleasant  and delightful in themselves2 
8it is comely40 ,praise is a duty that  
affects the whole soul4 ,the praise of  

,god is a decent thing2 the  excellency 
of ,god's nature deserves it1 and the   
benefits of ,god's  grace requires it4  
,it is comely when done as it ought to  
be1 with the  heart as well as with the 
voice2 a sinner sings ill1 though his   
voice  be good2 the soul in it is to be 
elevated above earthly things4 ,the     
first matter of praise is ,god's        
erecting and preserving his church      
7ver4 #b73 8,the ,lord doth build up    
,jerusalem1 he gathers together  the    
outcasts of ,israel40 ,the walls of     
demolished ,jerusalem are now           
reedified2 ,god hath brought back the   
captivity of ,jacob1 and reduced  his   
people from their ,babylonish exile1 and
 those that were dispersed  into strange
 regions1 he hath restored to their     
habitations4 ,or1 it  may be prophetic  
of the calling of the ,gentiles1 and the
 gathering  the outcasts of the         
spiritual ,israel1 that were before as  
without ,god  in the world1 and         
strangers to the covenant of promise4   

,let ,god be  praised1 but especially   
for building up his church1 and         
gathering the  ,gentiles1 before counted
 as outcasts 7,isa4 xi4 #ab72 he gathers
 them  in this world to the faith1 and  
hereafter to glory4    ,obs4 #a4 ,from  
the two first verses1 observe3 #a4 ,all 
people are  under ,god's care2 but he   
has a particular regard to his church4  
,this  is the signet on his hand1 as a  
bracelet upon his arm2 this is his      
garden which he delights to dress2 if he
 prunes it1 it is to purge  it2 a#djg if
 he digs about his vine1 and wounds the 
branches1 it is  to make it beautiful   
with new clusters1 and restore it to a  
fruitful  vigor4 #b4 ,all great         
deliverances are to be ascribed to ,god1
 as the  principal ,author1 whosoever   
are the instruments4 ,the ,lord doth    
build  up ,jerusalem1 he gathers        
together the outcasts of ,israel4 ,this 
great  deliverance from ,babylon is not 
to be ascribed to ,cyrus or ,darius1  or
 the rest of our favorers2 it is the    

,lord that doth it2 we had his  promise 
for it1 we have now his performance4    
,let us not ascribe that  which is the  
effect of his truth1 only to the good   
will of men2 it  is ,god's act1 not by  
might1 nor by power1 nor by weapons of  
war1 or  strength of horses1 but by the 
,spirit of the ,lord4 ,he sent prophets 
to comfort us while we were exiles2 and 
now he hath stretched out his  own arm  
to work our deliverance according to his
 word2 blind man looks  so much upon    
instruments1 that he hardly takes notice
 of ,god1 either  in afflictions or     
mercies1 and this is the cause that robs
 ,god of so  much prayer and praise in  
the world4 7ver4 #c47 8,he heals the    
broken  in heart1 and binds up their    
wounds40 ,he hath now restored those who
  had no hope but in his word2 he hath  
dealt with them as a tender and  skilful
 chirurgeon2 he hath applied his curing 
plasters1 and dropped  in his sovereign 
balsams2 he hath now furnished our      
fainting hearts  with refreshing        

cordials1 and comforted our wounds with 
strengthening  ligatures4 ,how gracious 
is ,god1 that restores liberty to the   
captives1  and righteousness to the     
penitent6 ,man's misery is the fittest  
opportunity for ,god to make his mercy  
illustrious in itself1 and most  welcome
 to the patient4 ,he proceeds 7ver4 #d71
 wonder not that ,god  calls together   
the outcasts1 and singles them out from 
every corner  for a return2 why can he  
not do this1 as well as tell the number 
of the stars1 and call them all by their
 names8 ,there are none of  his people  
so despicable in the eye of man1 but    
they are known and  regarded by ,god2   
though they are clouded in the world1   
yet they are  the stars of the world2   
and shall ,god number the inanimate     
stars in  the heavens1 and make no      
account of his living stars on the      
earth8 ,no1  wherever they are          
dispersed1 he will not forget them2     
however they are  afflicted1 he will not
 despise them2 the stars are so         

numerous1 that  they are innumerable by 
man2 some are visible and known by men2 
others  lie more hid and undiscovered in
 a confused light1 as those in the      
milky way2 man cannot see one of them   
distinctly4 ,god knows all his  people4 
,as he can do what is above the power of
 man to perform1 so  he understands what
 is above the skill of man to discover2 
shall man  measure ,god by his          
scantiness8 ,proud man must not equal   
himself to ,god1  nor cut ,god as short 
as his own line4 ,he tells the number of
 the stars1  and calls them all by their
 names4 ,he hath them all in his list1  
as  generals the names of their soldiers
 in their musterroll1 for they  are his 
host1 which he marshals in the heavens1 
as in ,isaiah xl4 #bf1  where you have  
the like expression2 he knows them more 
distinctly  than man can know anything1 
and so distinctly1 as to call 8them all 
by their names40 ,he knows their names1 
that is1 their natural offices1         
influences the different degrees of heat

 and light1 their order and  motion2 and
 all of them1 the least glimmering star1
 as well as the  most glaring planet3   
this1 man cannot do2 8,tell the a#djh   
stars  if thou be able to number them0  
7,gen4 xv4 #e71 saith ,god to ,abraham1 
whom ,josephus represents as a great    
astronomer3 8,yea1 they cannot be       
numbered0 7,jer4 xxxiii4 #bb72 and the  
uncertainty of the opinions of  men1    
evidenceth their ignorance of their     
number2 some reckoning #ajbb2  others   
#ajbe2 others #ajih2 others #gjjj1      
beside those that by reason  of their   
mixture of light with one another1      
cannot be distinctly  discerned1 and    
others1 perhaps so high1 as not to be   
reached by the  eye of man4 ,to impose  
names on things1 and names according to 
their  natures1 is both an argument of  
power and dominion1 and of wisdom  and  
understanding3 from the imposition of   
names upon the creatures by  ,adam1 the 
knowledge of ,adam is generally         
concluded2 and it was also  a fruit of  

that dominion ,god allowed him over the 
creatures4 ,now he  that numbers and    
names the stars that seem to lie        
confused among one  another1 as well as 
those that appear to us in an unclouded 
night1  may well be supposed accurately 
to know his people1 though lurking in   
secret caverns1 and know those that are 
fit to be instruments of their          
deliverance2 the one is as easy to him  
as the other2 and the number of  the one
 as distinctly known by him as the      
multitude of the other4 8,for  great is 
our ,lord1 and of great power2 his      
understanding is infinite0  7ver4 #e74  
,he wants not knowledge to know the     
objects1 nor power to  effect his will  
concerning them4 ,of great power1  4    
,much power1  plenteous in power2 so the
 word 1 is rendered 7,ps4 v4 #ae71  1  a
 multitude of power1 as well as a       
multitude of mercy2 a power that        
exceeds all created power and           
understanding4 ,his understanding is    
infinite4 ,you may not imagine1 how he  

can call all the stars by name1  the    
multitude of the visible being so great1
 and the multitude of the  invisible    
being greater2 but you must know1 that  
as ,god is ,almighty1  so he is         
omniscient2 and as there is no end of   
his power1 so no  account can exactly be
 given of his understanding2 his        
understanding  is infinite1  4 ,no      
number or account of it2 and so the same
 words  are rendered1 8a nation strong1 
and without number0 7,joel i4 #f73 no   
end of his understanding3 7,syriac7 no  
measure1 no bounds4 ,his essence  is    
infinite1 and so is his power and       
understanding2 and so vast is  his      
knowledge1 that we can no more          
comprehend it1 than we can measure      
spaces that are without limits1 or tell 
the minutes or hours of  eternity4 ,who1
 then1 can fathom that whereof there is 
no number1 but  which exceeds all1 so   
that there is no searching of it out8   
,he knows  universals1 he knows         
particulars3 we must not take           

understanding here1  as noting a        
faculty1 but the use of the             
understanding in the knowledge  of      
things1 and the judgment1 1 in the      
consideration of them1 and  so it is    
often used4 ,in the verse there is a    
description of ,god4  #a4 ,in his       
essence1 8great is our ,lord40 #b4 ,in  
his power of 8great  power40 #c4 ,in his
 knowledge1 8his understanding is       
infinite30 his  understanding is his    
eye1 and his power is his arm4 ,of his  
infinite  understanding ,i am to        
discourse4    ,doctrine4 ,god hath an   
infinite knowledge and understanding4   
,all  knowledge4 ,omnipresence1 which   
before we spake of1 respects his        
essence2 omniscience respects his       
understanding1 according to our  a#dji  
manner of conception4 ,this is clear in 
,scripture2 hence ,god  is called a ,god
 of knowledge 7,sam4 ii4 #c71 8the ,lord
 is a ,god of  knowledge10 7,heb47      
knowledges1 in the plural number1 of all
 kind  of knowledge2 it is spoken there 

to quell man's pride in his own  reason 
and parts2 what is the knowledge of man 
but a spark to the  whole element of    
fire1 a grain of dust1 and worse than   
nothing1 in  comparison of the knowledge
 of ,god1 as his essence is in          
comparison  of the essence of ,god8 ,all
 kind of knowledge4 ,he knows what      
angels  know1 what man knows1 and       
infinitely more2 he knows himself1 his  
own  operations1 all his creatures1 the 
notions and thoughts of them2 he is     
understanding above understanding1 mind 
above mind1 the mind of minds1  the     
light of lights2 this the ,greek word1 1
 signifies in the  etymology of it1 of 1
 to see1 to contemplate2 and  of  1     
scio4 ,the names of ,god signify a      
nature1 viewing and piercing  all       
things2 and the attribution of our      
senses to ,god in ,scripture1 as        
hearing and seeing1 which are the senses
 whereby knowledge enters into  us1     
signifies ,god's knowledge4    #a4 ,the 
notion of ,god's knowledge of all things

 lies above the ruins  of nature2 it was
 not obliterated by the fall of man4 ,it
 was necessary  offending man was to    
know that he had a ,creator whom he had 
injured1  that he had a ,judge to try   
and punish him2 since ,god thought fit  
to  keep up the world1 it had been kept 
up to no purpose1 had not this  notion  
been continued alive in the minds of    
men2 there would not have  been any     
practice of his laws1 no bar to the     
worst of crimes4 ,if men  had thought   
they had to deal with an ignorant       
,deity1 there could be no  practice of  
religion4 ,who would lift up his eyes1  
or spread his hands  towards heaven1 if 
he imagined his devotion were directed  
to a ,god as  blind as the heathens     
imagined fortune8 ,to what boot would it
 be for  them to make heaven and earth  
resound with their cries1 if they had   
not thought ,god had an eye to see them1
 and an ear to hear them8 ,and  indeed  
the very notion of a ,god at the first  
blush1 speaks him a ,being  endued with 

understanding2 no man can imagine a     
,creator void of one  of the noblest    
perfections belonging to those          
creatures1 that are the  flower and     
cream of his works4    #b4 ,therefore   
all nations acknowledge this1 as well as
 the existence  and being of ,god4 ,no  
nation but had their temples1 particular
  ceremonies of worship1 and presented  
their sacrifices1 which they  could not 
have been so vain as to do1 without an  
acknowledgment of  this attribute4 ,this
 notion of ,god's knowledge owed not its
 rise to  tradition1 but to natural     
implantation2 it was born and grew up   
with  every rational creature4 ,though  
the several nations and men of the      
world agreed not in one kind of deity1  
or in their sentiments of his  nature or
 other perfections1 some judging him    
clothed with a fine and  pure body1     
others judging him an uncompounded      
spirit1 some fixing him  to a seat in   
the heavens1 others owning his universal
 presence in all  parts of the world2   

yet they all agreed in the universality 
of his  knowledge1 and their own        
consciences reflecting their crimes1    
unknown  to any but themselves1 would   
keep this notion in some vigor1 whether 
they would or no4 ,now this being       
implanted in the minds of all men by    
nature1 cannot be false1 for nature     
imprints a#daj not in the minds  of all 
men an assent to a falsity4 ,nature     
would not pervert the reason  and minds 
of men4 ,universal notions of ,god are  
from original1 not  lapsed nature1 and  
preserved in mankind in order to a      
restoration from  a lapsed state4 ,the  
heathens did acknowledge this3 in all   
the solemn  covenants1 solemnized with  
oaths and the invocation of the name of 
,god1 this attribute was supposed4#fgi  
,they confessed knowledge to  be        
peculiar to the ,deity2 scientia deorum 
vita1 saith ,cicero4 ,some  called him 1
 mens1 mind1 pure understanding1 without
 any note1  1 the inspector of all4 ,as 
they called him life1 because he was    

the author of life1 so they called him  
intellectus1 because he was  the author 
of all knowledge and understanding in   
his creatures2 and  one being asked1    
whether any man could be hid from ,god8 
no1 saith  he1 not so much as           
thinking4#fhj ,some call him the eye of 
the world2  and the ,egyptians          
represented ,god by an eye on the top of
 a sceptre1  because ,god is all eye1   
and can be ignorant of nothing4    ,and 
the same nation made eyes and ears of   
the most excellent metals1  consecrating
 them to ,god1 and hanging them up in   
the midst of their  temples1 in         
signification of ,god's seeing and      
hearing all things2  hence they called  
,god light1 as well as the ,scripture1  
because all  things are visible to him4 
,for the better understanding of this1  
we will enquire1 ,i4 ,what kind  of     
knowledge or understanding there is in  
,god4 ,,ii4 ,what ,god knows4  ,,iii4   
,how ,god knows things4 ,,iv4 ,the proof
 that ,god knows all things4  ,v4 ,the  

use of all to ourselves4    ,i4 ,what   
kind of understanding or knowledge there
 is in ,god4 ,the  knowledge of ,god in 
,scripture hath various names1 according
 to the  various relations or objects of
 it3 in respect of present things1 it   
is called knowledge or sight2 in respect
 of things past1 remembrance2  in       
respect of things future1 or to come1 it
 is called foreknowledge1  or prescience
 7#a ,pet4 i4 #b72 in regard of the     
universality of  the objects1 it is     
called omniscience2 in regard to the    
simple  understanding of things1 it is  
called knowledge2 in regard of acting   
and modelling the ways of acting1 it is 
called wisdom and prudence  7,eph4 i4   
#h74 ,he must have knowledge1 otherwise 
he could not be wise2  wisdom is the    
flower of knowledge1 and knowledge is   
the root of wisdom4  ,as to what this   
knowledge is1 if we know what knowledge 
is in man1 we  may apprehend what it is 
in ,god1 removing all imperfection from 
it1  and ascribing to him the most      

eminent way of understanding2 because   
we cannot comprehend ,god1 but as he is 
pleased to condescend to us  in his own 
ways of discovery1 that is1 under some  
way of similitude  to his perfectest    
creatures1 therefore we have a notion of
 ,god by  his understanding and will2   
understanding1 whereby he conceives  and
 apprehends things2 will1 whereby he    
extends himself in acting  according to 
his wisdom1 and whereby he doth approve 
or disapprove2  yet we must not measure 
his understanding by our own1 or think  
it to  be of so gross a temper as a     
created mind2 that he hath eyes of      
flesh1  or sees or knows as man a#daa   
sees 7,job x4 #d74 ,we can no more      
measure  his knowledge by ours than we  
can measure his essence by our essence4 
,as he hath an incomprehensible essence1
 to which ours is but as a drop  of a   
bucket1 so he hath an incomprehensible  
knowledge1 to which ours  is but as a   
grain of dust1 or mere darkness3 his    
thoughts are above our  thoughts1 as the

 heavens are above the earth4 ,the      
knowledge of ,god is  variously divided 
by the schools1 and acknowledged by all 
divines4    #a4 ,a knowledge visionis et
 simplicis intelligenti2 the one we may 
call a sight1 the other an              
understanding2 the one refers to sense1 
the  other to the mind4 7#a47 ,a        
knowledge of vision or sight4 ,thus ,god
 knows  himself and all things that     
really were1 are1 or shall be in time2  
all those things which he hath decreed  
to be1 though they are not yet  actually
 sprung up in the world1 but lie        
couchant in their causes4  7#b47 ,a     
knowledge of intelligence or simple     
understanding4 ,the object  of this is  
not things that are in being1 or that   
shall by any decree  of ,god ever be    
existent in the world1 but such things  
as are possible  to be wrought by the   
power of ,god1 though they shall never  
in the  least peep up into being1 but   
lie forever wrapt up in darkness and    
nothing4#fha ,this also is a necessary  

knowledge to be allowed to ,god1        
because the object of this knowledge is 
necessary4 ,the possibility  of more    
creatures than ever were or shall be1 is
 a conclusion that  hath a necessary    
truth in it2 as it is necessary that the
 power of ,god  can produce more        
creatures1 though it be not necessary   
that it should  produce more creatures1 
so it is necessary that whatsoever the  
power  of ,god can work1 is possible to 
be4 ,and as ,god knows this possibility1
  so he knows all the objects that are  
thus possible2 and herein doth  much    
consist the infiniteness of his         
knowledge1 as shall be shown  presently4
 ,these two kinds of knowledge differ2  
that of vision1 is of  things which ,god
 hath decreed to be1 though they are not
 yet2 that of  intelligence is of things
 which never shall be2 yet they may be1 
or  are possible to be1 if ,god please  
to will and order their being2 one      
respects things that shall be1 the      
other1 things that may be1 and  are not 

repugnant to the nature of ,god to be4  
,the knowledge of vision  follows the   
act of ,god's will1 and supposeth an act
 of ,god's will  before1 decreeing      
things to be4 7,if we could suppose any 
first or  second in ,god's decree1 we   
might say ,god knew them as possible    
before  he decreed them2 he knew them as
 future1 because he decreed them47  ,for
 without the will of ,god decreeing a   
thing to come to pass1 ,god  cannot know
 that it will infallibly come to pass4  
,but the knowledge of  intelligence     
stands without any act of his will1 in  
order to the being  of those things he  
knows2 he knows possible things only in 
his power2  he knows other things both  
in his power as able to effect them1 and
  in his will1 as determining the being 
of them2 such knowledge we must  grant  
to be in ,god1 for there is such a kind 
of knowledge in man2  for man doth not  
only know and see what is before his    
eyes in this  world1 but he may have a  
conception of many more worlds1 and many

 more  creatures1 which he knows are    
possible to the power of ,god4    #b4   
,there is a speculative and practical   
knowledge in ,god4 7#a47 ,a  a#dab      
speculative knowledge is1 when the truth
 of a thing is known  without a respect 
to any working or practical operation4  
,the knowledge  of things possible is in
 ,god only speculative1#fhb and some say
 ,god's  knowledge of himself is only   
speculative1 because there is nothing   
for ,god to work in himself3 and though 
he knows himself1 yet this  knowledge of
 himself doth not terminate there1 but  
flowers into a  love of himself1 and    
delight in himself2 yet this love of    
himself1 and  delight in himself1 is not
 enough to make it a practical          
knowledge1  because it is natural1 and  
naturally and necessarily flows from the
  knowledge of himself and his own      
goodness3 he cannot but love himself1   
and delight in himself1 upon the        
knowledge of himself4 ,but that which   
is properly practice1 is where there is 

a dominion over the action1  and it is  
wrought not naturally and necessarily1  
but in a way of  freedom and counsel4   
,as when we see a beautiful flower or   
other thing1  there ariseth a delight in
 the mind2 this no man will call        
practice1  because it is a natural      
affection of the will1 arising from the 
virtue  of the object1 without any      
consideration of the understanding in a 
practical manner by counselling1        
commanding1 c4 7#b47 ,a practical       
knowledge3 which tends to operation and 
practice1 and is the principle  of      
working about things that are known2 as 
the knowledge an artificer  hath in an  
art or mystery4 ,this knowledge is in   
,god3 the knowledge  he hath of the     
things he hath decreed1 is such a kind  
of knowledge2  for it terminates in the 
act of creation1 which is not a natural 
and  necessary act1 as the loving       
himself1 and delighting in himself is1  
but wholly free3 for it was at his      
liberty whether he would create  them or

 no2 this is called discretion 7,jer4 x4
 #ab73 8,he hath stretched  out the     
heavens by his discretion40 ,such also  
is his knowledge of  the things he hath 
created1 and which are in being1 for it 
terminates  in the government of them   
for his own glorious ends4 ,it is by    
this  knowledge 8the depths are broken  
up1 and the clouds drop down their  dew0
 7,prov4 iii4 #bj74 ,this is a knowledge
 whereby he knows the essence1          
qualities1 and properties of what he    
creates and governs in order to  his own
 glory1 and the common good of the world
 over which he resides2  so that        
speculative knowledge is ,god's         
knowledge of himself and things         
possible2 practical knowledge is his    
knowledge of his creatures and  things  
governable2 yet in some sort this       
practical knowledge is not  only of     
things that are made1 but of things     
which are possible1 which  ,god might   
make1 though he will not3 for as he     
knows that they can  be created1 so he  

knows how they are to be created1 and   
how to be  governed1 though he never    
will create them4 ,this is a practical  
knowledge3 for it is not requisite to   
constitute a knowledge practical1       
actually to act1 but that the knowledge 
in itself be referable to  action4#fhc  
#c4 ,there is a knowledge of            
approbation1 as well as apprehension4   
,this the ,scripture often mentions4    
,words of understanding are used to     
signify the acts of affection4 ,this    
knowledge adds to the simple act  of the
 understanding1 the complacency and     
pleasure of the will1 and  is improperly
 knowledge1 because it belongs to the   
will1 and not to  the understanding2    
only it is radically in the             
understanding1 because  affection       
implies knowledge3 men cannot approve of
 a#dac that which  they are ignorant of4
 ,thus knowledge is taken 7,amos iii4   
#b71 8,you only  have ,i known of all   
the families of the earth20 and 7#b     
,tim4 ii4 #ai71  8,the ,lord knows who  

are his10 that is1 he loves them2 he    
doth not  only know them1 but           
acknowledges them for his own4 ,it      
notes1 not  only an exact understanding1
 but a special care of them2 and so is  
that to be understood 7,gen4 i471 8,god 
saw every thing that he had  made1 and  
behold it was very good30 that is1 he   
saw it with an eye  of approbation1 as  
well as apprehension4 ,this is grounded 
upon ,god's  knowledge of vision1 his   
sight of his creatures2 for ,god doth   
not love  or delight in anything but    
what is actually in being1 or what he   
hath  decreed to bring into being4 ,on  
the contrary1 also1 when ,god doth not  
approve1 he is said not to know 7,matt4 
xxv4 #ab71 8,i know you not10  and      
7,matt4 vii4 #bc71 8,i never knew you20 
he doth not approve of their  works4 ,it
 is not an ignorance of understanding1  
but an ignorance of  will2 for while he 
saith he never knew them1 he testifies  
that he did  know them1 in rendering the
 reason of his disapproving them1       

because  he knows all their works3 so he
 knows them1 and doth not know them  in 
a different manner3 he knows them so as 
to understand them1 but  he doth not    
know them so as to love them4 ,we must1 
then1 ascribe an  universal knowledge to
 ,god4 ,if we deny him a speculative    
knowledge1  or knowledge of             
intelligence1 we destroy his ,deity1 we 
make him  ignorant of his own power3 if 
we deny him practical knowledge1 we     
deny ourselves to be his creatures2 for1
 as his creatures1 we are the  fruits of
 this1 his discretion1 discovered in    
creation3 if we deny  his knowledge of  
vision1 we deny his governing dominion4 
,how can he  exercise a sovereign and   
uncontrollable dominion1 that is        
ignorant  of the nature and qualities of
 the things he is to govern8 ,if he had 
not knowledge he could make no          
revelation2 he that knows not cannot    
dictate2 we could then have no          
,scripture4 ,to deny ,god knowledge1 is 
to dash out the ,scripture1 and demolish

 the ,deity4 ,god is described in       
,zech4 iii4 #i1 8with seven eyes10 to   
show his perfect knowledge of all       
things1 all occurrences in the world2   
and the cherubims1 or whatsoever  is    
meant by the wings1 are described to be 
full of eyes1 both 8before  and behind0 
7,ezek4 i4 #ah71 round about them2 much 
more is ,god all  eye1 all ear1 all     
understanding4 ,the sun is a natural    
image of ,god2  if the sun had an eye1  
it would see2 if it had an              
understanding1 it  would know all       
visible things2 it would see what it    
shines upon1 and  understand what it    
influenceth1 in the most obscure bowels 
of the  earth4 ,doth ,god excel his     
creature1 the sun1 in excellency and    
beauty1  and not in light and           
understanding8 certainly more than the  
sun excels  an atom or grain of dust4   
,we may yet make some representation of 
this  knowledge of ,god by a lower      
thing1 a picture1 which seems to look   
upon every one1 though there be never so

 great a multitude in the  room where it
 hangs2 no man can cast his eye upon it1
 but it seems to  behold him in         
particular1 and so exactly1 as if there 
were none but  him upon whom the eye of 
it were fixed2 and every man finds the  
same  cast of it3 shall art frame a     
thing of that nature1 and shall not the 
,god of art and all knowledge1 be much  
more in reality than that is  in        
imagination8 ,shall not ,god have a far 
greater capacity to behold  everything  
in a#dad the world1 which is infinitely 
less to him than  a wide room to a      
picture8    ,,ii4 ,the second thing1    
,what ,god knows2 how far his           
understanding  reaches4    #a4 ,god     
knows himself1 and only knows himself4  
,this is the first and  original        
knowledge1 wherein he excels all        
creatures4 ,no man doth  exactly know   
himself2 much less doth he understand   
the full nature  of a spirit2 much less 
still the nature and perfections of     
,god2 for  what proportion can there be 

between a finite faculty and an infinite
  object8 ,herein consists the          
infiniteness of ,god's knowledge1 that  
he  knows his own essence1 that he knows
 that which is unknowable to any  else4 
,it doth not so much consist in knowing 
the creatures1 which he  hath made1 as  
in knowing himself1 who was never made4 
,it is not so  much infinite1 because he
 knows all things which are in the      
world1 or  that shall be2 or things that
 he can make1 because the number of them
  is finite2 but because he hath a      
perfect and comprehensive knowledge  of 
his own infinite perfections4#fhd       
,though it be said that angels  8see his
 face0 7,matt4 xviii4 #aj71 that sight  
notes rather their  immediate           
attendance1 than their exact knowledge2 
they see some signs  of his presence and
 majesty1 more illustrious and express  
than ever  appeared to man in this life2
 but the essence of ,god is invisible to
  them1 hid from them in the secret     
place of eternity2 none knows ,god  but 

himself 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #aa73 8,what man  
knows the things of a man save  the     
spirit of a man8 so the things of ,god  
knows no man but the ,spirit  of ,god2  
the ,spirit of ,god searches the deep   
things of ,god20 searcheth1  that is1   
exactly knows1 thoroughly understands1  
as those who have  their eyes in every  
chink and crevice1 to see what lies hid 
there2 the  word search notes not an    
inquiry1 but an exact knowledge1 such as
 men  have of things upon a diligent    
scrutiny3 as when ,god is said to search
  the heart and the reins1 it doth not  
signify a precedent ignorance1  but an  
exact knowledge of the most intimate    
corners of the hearts  of men4 ,as the  
conceptions of men are unknown to any   
but themselves1  so the depths of the   
divine essence1 perfections1 and        
decrees1 are  unknown to any but to ,god
 himself2 he only knows what he is1 and 
what he knows1 what he can do1 and what 
he hath decreed to do4 ,for  first1 if  
,god did not know himself1 he would not 

be perfect4 ,it is  the perfection of a 
creature to know itself1 much more a    
perfection  belonging to ,god4 ,if ,god 
did not comprehend himself1 he would    
want an  infinite perfection1 and so    
would cease to be ,god1 in being        
defective  in that which intellectual   
creatures in some measure possess4 ,as  
,god is the most perfect being1 so he   
must have the most perfect              
understanding3 if he did not understand 
himself1 he would be under the  greatest
 ignorance1 because he would be ignorant
 of the most excellent  object4         
,ignorance is the imperfection of the   
understanding2 and  ignorance of one's  
self is a greater imperfection than     
ignorance of  things without4 ,if ,god  
should know all things without himself1 
and not  know himself1 he would not have
 the most perfect knowledge1 because he 
would not have the knowledge of the best
 a#dae of objects4 ,secondly1  ,without 
the knowledge of himself1 he could not  
be blessed4 ,nothing can  have any      

complacency in itself1 without knowledge
 of itself4 ,nothing  can in a rational 
manner enjoy itself1 without            
understanding itself4  ,the blessedness 
of ,god consists not in the knowledge of
 anything  without him1 but in the      
knowledge of himself and his own        
excellency1  as the principle of all    
things2 if1 therefore1 he did not       
perfectly  know himself and his own     
happiness1 he could not enjoy a         
happiness2  for to be1 and not to know  
to be1 is as if a thing were not4 8,he  
is ,god1 blessed forever0 7,rom4 ix4    
#e471 and therefore forever had a       
knowledge of himself4 ,thirdly1 ,without
 the knowledge of himself1 he  could    
create nothing4 ,for he would be        
ignorant of his own power1 and  his own 
ability2 and he that doth not know how  
far his power extends1  could not act3  
if he did not know himself1 he could    
know nothing2 and  he that knows        
nothing1 can do nothing2 he could not   
know an effect to  be possible to him1  

unless he knew his own power as a cause4
 ,fourthly1  ,without the knowledge of  
himself1 he could govern nothing4 ,he   
could  not1 without the knowledge of his
 own holiness and righteousness1        
prescribe laws to men1 nor without a    
knowledge of his own nature  order      
himself a manner of worship suitable to 
it4 ,all worship must be  congruous to  
the dignity and nature of the object    
worshipped3 he must  therefore know his 
own authority1 whereby worship was to be
 enacted2  his own excellency1 to which 
worship was to be suited2 his own glory1
  to which worship was to be directed4  
,if he did not know himself1  he did not
 know what to punish1 because he would  
not know what was  contrary to himself3 
not knowing himself1 he would not know  
what was a  contempt of him1 and what an
 adoration of him2 what was worthy of   
,god1  and what was unworthy of him4 ,in
 fine1 he could not know other things1  
unless he knew himself2 unless he knew  
his own power1 he could not  know how he

 created things2 unless he knew his own 
wisdom1 he could  not know the beauty of
 his works2 unless he knew his own      
glory1 he  could not know the end of his
 works2 unless he knew his own holiness1
  he could not know what was evil2 and  
unless he knew his own justice1  he     
could not know how to punish the crimes 
of his offending creatures4  ,and1      
therefore1    7#a47 ,god knows himself1 
because his knowledge1 with his will1 is
  the cause of all other things that can
 fall under his cognizance3  he knows   
himself first1 before he can know any   
other thing2 that is1  first according  
to our conceptions2 for1 indeed1 ,god   
knows himself and  all other things at  
once2 he is the first truth1 and        
therefore is the  first object of his   
own understanding4 ,there is nothing    
more excellent  than himself1 and       
therefore nothing more known to him than
 himself4 ,as  he is all knowledge1 so  
he hath in himself the most excellent   
object  of knowledge4 ,to understand1 is

 properly to know one's self4 ,no object
  is so intelligible to ,god as ,god is 
to himself1 nor so intimately and       
immediately joined with his             
understanding as himself2 for his       
understanding is his essence1 himself4  
7#b47 ,he knows himself by his own      
essence4 ,he knows not himself and his  
own power by the effect1 because he     
knows himself a#daf from eternity1      
before there was a world1 or any effect 
of his power extant4 ,it is not  a      
knowledge by the cause1 for ,god hath no
 cause2 nor a knowledge of  himself by  
any species1 or anything from without3  
if it were anything  from without       
himself1 that must be created or        
uncreated2 if uncreated  it would be    
,god2 and so we must either own many    
,gods1 or own it to  be his essence1 and
 so not distinct from himself3 if       
created1 then  his knowledge of himself 
would depend upon a creature3 he could  
not1  then1 know himself from eternity1 
but in time1 because nothing can  be    

created from eternity1 but in time4 ,god
 knows not himself by any  faculty1 for 
there is no composition in ,god2 he is  
not made up of  parts1 but is a simple  
being2 some1 therefore1 have called     
,god1 not  intellectus1 understanding1  
because that savors of a faculty1 but   
intellectio1 intellection3 ,god is all  
act in the knowledge of  himself and his
 knowledge of other things4    7#c47    
,god1 therefore1 knows himself          
perfectly1 comprehensively4 ,nothing  in
 his own nature is concealed from him2  
he reflects upon everything  that he    
is4#fhe ,there is a positive            
comprehension1 so ,god doth not         
comprehend himself2 for what is         
comprehended hath bounds1 and what is   
comprehended by itself is finite to     
itself2 and there is a negative         
comprehension,god so comprehends        
himself2 nothing in his own nature  is  
obscure to him1 unknown by him2 for     
there is as great a perfection  in the  
understanding of ,god to know1 as there 

is in the divine nature  to be known4   
,the understanding of ,god1 and the     
nature of ,god1 are both  infinite1 and 
so equal to one another3 his            
understanding is equal to  himself2 he  
knows himself so well1 that nothing can 
be known by him  more perfectly than    
himself is known to himself4 ,he knows  
himself  in the highest manner1 because 
nothing is so proportioned to the       
understanding of ,god as himself4 ,he   
knows his own essence1 goodness1  power2
 all his perfections1 decrees1          
intentions1 acts1 the infinite  capacity
 of his own understanding1 so that      
nothing of himself is in  the dark to   
himself3 and1 in this respect1 some use 
this expression1  that the infiniteness 
of ,god is in a manner finite to        
himself1 because  it is comprehended by 
himself4 ,thus ,god transcends all      
creatures2 thus  his understanding is   
truly infinite1 because nothing but     
himself is  an infinite object for it3  
what angels may understand of themselves

  perfectly ,i know not1 but no creature
 in the world understands himself4  ,man
 understands not fully the excellency   
and parts of his own nature2  upon      
,god's knowledge of himself depends the 
comfort of his people1  and the terror  
of the wicked3 this is also a clear     
argument for  his knowledge of all other
 things without himself2 he that knows  
himself1 must needs know all other      
things less than himself1 and which     
were made by himself2 when the knowledge
 of his own immensity and  infiniteness 
is not an object too difficult for him1 
the knowledge  of a finite and limited  
creature1 in all his actions1 thoughts1 
circumstances1 cannot be too hard for   
him3 since he knows himself1  who is    
infinite1 he cannot but know whatsoever 
is finite4 ,this is the  foundation of  
all his other knowledge2 the knowledge  
of everything  present1 past1 a#dag and 
to come1 is far less than the knowledge 
of himself4 ,he is more incomprehensible
 in his own nature1 than all  things    

created1 or that can be created1 put    
together can be4 ,if he1  then1 have a  
perfect comprehensive knowledge of his  
own nature1 any  knowledge of all other 
things is less than the knowledge of    
himself2  this ought to be well         
considered by us1 as the fountain whence
 all his  other knowledge flows4    #b4 
,therefore ,god knows all other things1 
whether they be possible1  past1        
present1 or future2 whether they be     
things that he can do1  but will never  
do1 or whether they be things that he   
hath done1 but  are not now2 things that
 are now in being1 or things that are   
not  now existing1 that lie in the womb 
of their proper and immediate           
causes4#fhf ,if his understanding be    
infinite1 he then knows all  things     
whatsoever that can be known1 else his  
understanding would  have bounds1 and   
what hath limits is not infinite1 but   
finite4 ,if  he be ignorant of any one  
thing that is knowable1 that is a bound 
to  him1 it comes with an exception1 a  

but1 ,god knows all things but  this2 a 
bar is then set to his knowledge4 ,if   
there were anything1 any  particular    
circumstance in the whole creation or   
noncreation1 and  possible to be known  
by him1 and yet were unknown to him1 he 
could not  be said to be omniscient2 as 
he would not be ,almighty if any one    
thing1  that implied not a repugnancy to
 his nature1 did transcend his power4   
,first1 ,all things possible4 ,no       
question but ,god knows what he could   
create1 as well as what he hath created2
 what he would not create1  as well as  
what he resolved to create2 he knew what
 he would not  do before he willed to do
 it2 this is the next thing which       
declares  the infiniteness of his       
understanding2 for1 as his power is     
infinite1  and can create innumerable   
worlds and creatures1 so is his         
knowledge  infinite1 in knowing         
innumerable things possible to his      
power4  ,possibles are infinite2 that   
is1 there is no end of what ,god can do1

  and therefore no end of what ,god doth
 know2 otherwise his power would  be    
more infinite than his knowledge3 if he 
knew only what is created1  there would 
be an end of his understanding1 because 
all creatures may  be numbered1 but     
possible things cannot be reckoned up by
 any creature4  ,there is the same      
reason of this in eternity2 when never  
so many  numbers of years are run out1  
there is still more to come1 there      
still wants an end2 and when millions of
 worlds are created1 there  is no more  
an end of ,god's power than of eternity4
 ,thus there is no  end of his          
understanding2 that is1 his knowledge is
 not terminated  by anything4 ,this the 
,scripture gives us some account of3    
,god knows  things that are not1 8for he
 calls things that are not as if they   
were0 7,rom4 iv4 #ag72 he calls things  
that are not1 as if they were in  being2
 what he calls is not unknown to him3 if
 he knows things that  are not1 he knows
 things that may never be2 as he knows  

things that  shall be1 because he wills 
them1 so he knows things that might be1 
because he is able to effect them3 he   
knew that the inhabitants of  ,keilah   
would betray ,david to ,saul if he      
remained in that place 7#a ,sam4  xxiii4
 #aa72 he knew what they would do upon  
that occasion1 though it  was never     
done2 as he knew what was in a#dah their
 power and in their  wills1 so he must  
needs know what is within the compass of
 his own  power2 as he can permit more  
than he doth permit so he knows what  he
 can permit1 and what1 upon that        
permission1 would be done by his        
creatures2 so ,god knew the possibility 
of the ,tyrians' repentance1  if they   
had had the same means1 heard the same  
truths1 and beheld the  same miracles   
which were offered to the ears1 and     
presented to the  eyes of the ,jews     
7,matt4 xi4 #ba74 ,this must needs be   
so1 because1    #a4 ,man knows things   
that are possible to him1 though he will
 never  effect them4 ,a carpenter knows 

a house in the model he hath of it  in  
his head1 though he never build a house 
according to that model4  ,a watchmaker 
hath the frame of a watch in his mind1  
which he will  never work with his      
instruments2 man knows what he could do1
 though he  never intends to do it4#fhg 
,as the understanding of man hath a     
virtue1  that where it sees one man it  
may imagine thousands of men of the same
  shape1 stature1 form1 parts2 yea1     
taller1 more vigorous1 sprightly1       
intelligent1 than the man he sees2      
because it is possible such a  number   
may be4 ,shall not the understanding of 
,god much more know what  he is able to 
effect1 since the understanding of man  
can know what  he is never able to      
produce1 yet may be produced by ,god1   
viz4 that he  who produced this man     
which ,i see1 can produce a thousand    
exactly like  him8 ,if the ,divine      
understanding did not know infinite     
things1 but  were confined to a certain 
number1 it may be demanded whether ,god 

can  understand anything farther than   
that number1 or whether he cannot8  ,if 
he can1 then he doth actually understand
 all those things which he  hath a power
 to understand2 otherwise there would be
 an increase of  ,god's knowledge1 if it
 were actually now1 and not before1 and 
so he  would be more perfect than he was
 before2 if he cannot understand them1  
then he cannot understand what a human  
mind can understand2 for our            
understandings can multiply numbers in  
infinitum2 and there is no  number so   
great1 but a man can still add to it3 we
 must suppose the  divine understanding 
more excellent in knowledge4 ,god knows 
all that  a man can imagine1 though it  
never were1 nor never shall be2 he must 
needs know whatsoever is in the power of
 man to imagine or think1  because ,god 
concurs to the support of the faculty in
 that imagination2  and though it may be
 replied1 an atheist may imagine that   
there  is no ,god1 a man may imagine    
that ,god can lie1 or that he can be    

destroyed2 doth ,god know therefore that
 he is not8 or that he can  lie1 or     
cease to be8 ,no1 he knows he cannot2   
his knowledge extends  to things        
possible1 not to things impossible to   
himself2 he knows  it as imaginable by  
man1 not as possible in itself2 because 
it is  utterly impossible1 and repugnant
 to the nature of ,god1#fhh since he    
eminently contains in himself all things
 possible1 past1 present1 and  to come2 
he cannot know himself without knowing  
them4    #b4 ,god knowing his own power1
 knows whatsoever is in his power to    
effect4 ,if he knows not all things     
possible1 he could not know the  extent 
of his own power1 and so would not know 
himself1 as a cause  sufficient for more
 things than he hath created4 ,how can  
he a#dai  comprehend himself1 who       
comprehends not all effluxes of things  
possible that may come from him1 and be 
wrought by him8 ,how can he  know       
himself as a cause1 if he know not the  
objects and works which he  is able to  

produce8#fhi ,since the power of ,god   
extends to numberless  things1 his      
knowledge also extends to numberless    
objects2 as if  a unit is1 could see the
 numbers it could produce1 it would see 
infinite numbers3 for a unit1 as it     
were1 all number4 ,god knowing the      
fruitfulness of his own virtue1 knows a 
numberless multitude of things  which he
 can do1 more than have been done1 or   
shall be done by him2  he therefore     
knows innumerable worlds1 innumerable   
angels1 with higher  perfections1 than  
any of them which he hath created have3 
so that if  the world should last many  
millions of years1 ,god knows that he   
can  every day create another world more
 capacious than this2 and having        
created an inconceivable number1 he     
knows he could still create more3  so   
that he beholds infinite worlds1        
infinite numbers of men1 and other      
creatures in himself1 infinite kinds of 
things1 infinite species1 and           
individuals under those kinds1 even as  

many as he can create1 if his  will did 
order and determine it2 for not being   
ignorant of his own  power1 he cannot be
 ignorant of the effects wherein it may 
display  and discover itself4 ,a        
comprehensive knowledge of his own power
 doth  necessarily include the objects  
of that power2 so he knows whatsoever   
he could effect1 and whatsoever he could
 permit1 if he pleased to do  it4 ,if   
,god could not understand more than he  
hath created1 he could  not create more 
than he hath created3 for it cannot be  
conceived how  he can create anything   
that he is ignorant of2 what he doth not
 know1  he cannot do3 he must know also 
the extent of his own goodness1 and  how
 far anything is capable to partake of  
it3 so much therefore1 as  any detract  
from the knowledge of ,god1 they detract
 from his power4    #c4 ,it is further  
evident that ,god knows all possible    
things1 because  he knew those things   
which he has created1 before they were  
created1  when they were yet in a       

possibility4 ,if ,god knew things before
 they  were created1 he knew them when  
they were in a possibility1 and not  in 
actual reality4 ,it is absurd to imagine
 that his understanding did  lackey     
after the creatures1 and draw knowledge 
from them after they  were created4 ,it 
is absurd to think that ,god did create1
 before he  knew what he could or would 
create4 ,if he knew those things he did 
create when they were possible1 he must 
know all things which he can  create1   
and therefore all things that are       
possible4 ,to conclude this1  we must   
consider that this knowledge is of      
another kind than his  knowledge of     
things that are or shall be4 ,he sees   
possible things as  possible1 not as    
things that ever are or shall be4 ,if he
 saw them as  existing or future1 and   
they shall never be1 this knowledge     
would be  false1 there would be a deceit
 in it1 which cannot be4 ,he knows those
  things not in themselves1 because they
 are not1 nor in their causes1  because 

they shall never be3 he knows them in   
his own power1 not in  his will3 he     
understands them as able to produce     
them1 not as willing  to effect them4   
,things possible he knows only in his   
power2 things  future he knows both in  
his power and his a#dbj will1 as he is  
both  able and determined in his own    
good pleasure to give being to them4    
,those that shall never come to pass1 he
 knows only in himself as a  sufficient 
cause2 those things that shall come into
 being1 he knows  in himself as the     
efficient cause1 and also in their      
immediate second  causes4 ,this should  
teach us to spend our thoughts in the   
admiration  of the excellency of ,god1  
and the divine knowledge2 his           
understanding  is infinite4             
,secondly1 ,god knows all things past4  
,this is an argument used by ,god       
himself to elevate his excellency above 
all the commonly adored idols  7,isa4   
xli4 #bb73 8,let them show the former   
things1 what they be1 that  we may      

consider them1 and know the latter end  
of them40 ,he knows them  as if they    
were now present1 and not past3 for     
indeed in his eternity  there is nothing
 past or future to his knowledge4 ,this 
is called  remembrance1 in ,scripture1  
as when ,god remembered ,rachel's prayer
 for  a child 7,gen4 xxx4 #bb71 and he  
is said to put tears into his bottle1   
and write them in his book of accompts1 
which signifies the exact  and unerring 
knowledge in ,god of the minute         
circumstances past in  the world2 and   
this knowledge is called a book of      
remembrance 7,mal4  iii4 #af71          
signifying the perpetual presence of    
things past1 before  him4 ,there are two
 elegant expressions1 signifying the    
certainty  and perpetuity of ,god's     
knowledge of sins past 7,job xiv4 #ag71 
8,my  transgression is sealed up in a   
bag1 and thou sewest up mine iniquity20 
a metaphor1 taken from men that put up  
in a bag the money they would  charily  
keep1 tie the bag1 sew up the holes1 and

 bind it hard1 that  nothing may fall   
out2 or a vessel1 wherein they reserve  
liquors1 and  daub it with pitch and    
glutinous stuff1 that nothing may leak  
out1 but  be safely kept till the time  
of use2 or else1 as some think1 from the
  bags attornies carry with them1 full  
of writings1 when they are to  manage a 
cause against a person4 ,thus we find   
,god often in ,scripture  calling to    
men's minds their past actions1         
upbraiding them with their  ingratitude1
 wherein he testifies his remembrance of
 his own past  benefits and their       
crimes4 ,his knowledge in this regard   
hath something  of infinity in it1 since
 though the sins of all men that have   
been  in the world are finite in regard 
of number1 yet when the sins of one  man
 in thoughts1 words1 and deeds1 are     
numberless in his own account1  and     
perhaps in the count of any creature1   
the sins of all the vast  numbers of men
 that have been1 or shall be1 are much  
more numberless1  it cannot be less than

 infinite knowledge that can make a     
collection  of them1 and take a survey  
of them all at once4 ,if past things had
  not been known by ,god1 how could     
,moses have been acquainted with the    
original of things8 ,how could he have  
declared the former transactions1       
wherein all histories are silent but the
 ,scripture8 ,how could he know  the    
cause of man's present misery so many   
ages after1 wherewith all  philosophy   
was unacquainted8 ,how could he have    
writ the order of the  creation1 the    
particulars of the sin of ,adam1 the    
circumstances of  ,cain's murder1 the   
private speech of ,lamech to his wives1 
if ,god had  not revealed them8 ,and how
 could a revelation be made1 if things  
past  were forgotten by him8 ,do we not 
remember many things done among men1  as
 well as by ourselves1 and reserve the  
forms of divers things in  our minds1   
which a#dba rise as occasions are       
presented to draw them  forth8 ,and     
shall not ,god much more1 who hath no   

cloud of darkness upon  his             
understanding8 ,a man that makes a      
curious picture1 hath the form  of it in
 his mind before he made it2 and if the 
fire burn it1 the form  of it in his    
mind is not destroyed by the fire1 but  
retained in it4  ,god's memory is no    
less perfect than his understanding4 ,if
 he did not  know things past1 he could 
not be a righteous ,governor1 or        
exercise  any judicial act in a         
righteous manner2 he could not dispense 
rewards  and punishments1 according to  
his promises and threatenings1 if things
  that were past could be forgotten by  
him2 he could not require that  which is
 past 7,eccles4 iii4 #ae71 if he did not
 remember that which is  past4 ,and     
though ,god be said to forget in        
,scripture1 and not to know  his people1
 and his people pray to him to remember 
them1 as if he  had forgotten them 7,ps4
 cxix4 #di71 this is improperly ascribed
 to  ,god4#fij ,as ,god is said to      
repent1 when he changes things according

  to his counsel beyond the expectation 
of men1 so he is said to forget1  when  
he defers the making good his promise to
 the godly1 or his  threatenings to the 
wicked2 this is not a defect of memory  
belonging  to his mind1 but an act of   
his will4 ,when he is said to remember  
his  covenant1 it is to will grace      
according to his covenant2 when he is   
said to forget his covenant1 it is to   
intercept the influences of it1  whereby
 to punish the sin of his people2 and   
when he is said not to  know his people1
 it is not an absolute forgetfulness of 
them1 but  withdrawing from them the    
testimonies of his kindness1 and        
clouding  the signs of his favor2 so    
,god in pardon is said to forget sin1   
not  that he ceaseth to know it1 but    
ceaseth to punish it4 ,it is not to be  
meant of a simple forgetfulness1 or a   
lapse of his memory1 but of a  judicial 
forgetfulness2 so when his people in    
,scripture pray1 ,lord1  remember thy   
word unto thy servant1 no more is to be 

understood but1  ,lord1 fulfil thy word 
and promise to thy servant4    ,thirdly1
 ,he knows things present 7,heb4 iv4    
#ac73 8,all things are  naked and opened
 unto the eyes of him with whom we have 
to do20 this  is grounded upon the      
knowledge of himself2 it is not so      
difficult  to know all creatures        
exactly1 as to know himself1 because    
they are  finite1 but himself is        
infinite2 he knows his own power1 and   
therefore  everything through which his 
omnipotence is diffused1 all the acts   
and objects of it2 not the least thing  
that is the birth of his power1  can be 
concealed from him2 he knows his own    
goodness1 and therefore  every object   
upon which the warm beams of his        
goodness strike2 he  therefore knows    
distinctly the properties of every      
creature1 because  every property in    
them is a ray of his goodness2 he is not
 only the  efficient1 but the exemplary 
cause2 therefore as he knows all that   
his power hath wrought1 as he is the    

efficient1 so he knows them in  himself 
as the pattern2 as a carpenter can give 
an account of every  part and passage in
 a house he hath built1 by consulting   
the model in  his own mind1 whereby he  
built it4 8,he looked upon all things   
after  he had made them1 and pronounced 
them good0 7,gen4 i4 #c71 full of  a    
natural goodness he had endowed them    
with3 he did not ignorantly  pronounce  
them so1 and call them good1 a#dbb      
whether he knew them or  not2 and       
therefore he knows them in particular1  
as he knew them all  in their first     
presence4 ,is there any reason he should
 be ignorant of  everything now present 
in the world1 or that anything that     
derives an  existence from him as a free
 cause1 should be concealed from him8   
,if  he did not know things present in  
their particularities1 many things      
would be known by man1 yea1 by beasts1  
which the infinite ,god were  ignorant  
of2 and if he did not know all things   
present1 but only  some1 it is possible 

for the most blessed ,god to be deceived
 and be  miserable3 ignorance is a      
calamity to the understanding3 he could 
not prescribe laws to his creatures1    
unless he knew their natures to  which  
those laws were to be suited3 no1 not   
natural ordinances to the  sun1 moon1   
and heavenly bodies1 and inanimate      
creatures1 unless he  knew the vigor and
 virtue in them1 to execute those       
ordinances2 for  to prescribe laws above
 the nature of things1 is inconsistent  
with  the wisdom of government2 he must 
know how far they were able to obey2    
whether the laws were suited to their   
ability3 and for his rational           
creatures1 whether the punishments      
annexed to the law were proper1 and     
suited to the transgression of the      
creature4    #a4 ,he knows all creatures
 from the highest to the lowest1 the    
least  as well as the greatest4 ,he     
knows the ravens and their young ones   
7,job xxxviii4 #da72 the drops of rain  
and dew which he hath begotten  7,job   

xxxviii4 #bi72 every bird in the air1 as
 well as any man doth what  he hath in a
 cage at home 7,ps4 l4 #aa73 8,i know   
all the fowls in the  mountains1 and the
 wild beasts in the field20 which some  
read creeping  things4 ,the clouds are  
numbered in his wisdom 7,job xxxviii4   
#cg72 every  worm in the earth1 every   
drop of rain that falls upon the ground1
 the  flakes of snow1 and the knots of  
hail1 the sands upon the seashore1  the 
hairs upon the head2 it is no more      
absurd to imagine that ,god  knows them1
 than that ,god made them2 they are all 
the effects of his  power1 as well as   
the stars which he calls by their names1
 as well  as the most glorious angel and
 blessed spirit2 he knows them as well  
as if there were none but them in       
particular for him to know2 the  least  
things were framed by his art as well as
 the greatest2 the  least things partake
 of his goodness as well as the         
greatest2 he knows  his own arts1 and   
his own goodness1 and therefore all the 

stamps and  impressions of them upon all
 his creatures2 he knows the immediate  
causes of the least1 and therefore the  
effects of those causes4  ,since his    
knowledge is infinite1 it must extend to
 those things  which are at the greatest
 distance from him1 to those which      
approach  nearest to not being2 since he
 did not want power to create1 he       
cannot want understanding to know       
everything he hath created1 the         
dispositions1 qualities1 and virtues of 
the minutest creature4 ,nor  is the     
understanding of ,god embased1 and      
suffers a diminution by the  knowledge  
of the vilest and most inconsiderable   
things4 ,is it not  an imperfection to  
be ignorant of the nature of anything8  
and can  ,god have such a defect in his 
most perfect understanding8 ,is the     
understanding of man of an impurer alloy
 by knowing the nature of  the rankest  
poisons8 by understanding a fly1 or a   
small insect8 or  by considering the    
deformity of a toad8 ,is it not         

generally counted a  note of a dignified
 mind to be able to discourse of the    
a#dbc nature  of them8 ,was ,solomon1   
who knew all from the cedar to the      
hyssop1  debased by so rich a present of
 wisdom from his ,creator8 ,is any      
glass defiled by presenting a deformed  
image8 ,is there anything more  vile    
than the 8imaginations1 which are only  
evil1 and continually80  ,doth not the  
mind of man descend to the mud of the   
earth1 play the  adulterer or idolater  
with mean objects1 suck in the most     
unclean  things8 yet ,god knows these in
 all their circumstances1 in every      
appearance1 inside and outside4 ,is     
there anything viler than some  thoughts
 of men8 than some actions of men8 their
 unclean beds and  gluttonous vomiting1 
and ,luciferian pride8 yet do not these 
fall under  the eye of ,god1 in all     
their nakedness8 ,the ,second ,person's 
taking  human nature1 though it         
obscured1 yet it did not disparage the  
,deity1  or bring any disgrace to it4   

,is gold the worse for being formed into
  the image of a fly8 doth it not still 
retain the nobleness of the  metal8     
,when men are despised for descending to
 the knowledge of mean  and vile things1
 it is because they neglect the         
knowledge of the  greater1 and sin in   
their inquiries after lesser things1    
with a  neglect of that which concerns  
more the honor of ,god and the happiness
  of themselves2 to be ambitious of such
 a knowledge1 and careless of  that of  
more concern1 is criminal and           
contemptible4 ,but ,god knows the       
greatest as well as the least2 mean     
things are not known by him to  exclude 
the knowledge of the greater2 nor are   
vile things governed by  him to exclude 
the order of the better4 ,the deformity 
of objects known  by ,god doth not      
deform him1 nor defile him2 he doth not 
view them  without himself1 but within  
himself1 wherein all things in their    
ideas  are beautiful and comely3 our    
knowledge of a deformed thing is not  a 

deforming of our understanding1 but is  
beautiful in the knowledge1  though it  
be not in the object2 nor is there any  
fear that the  understanding of ,god    
should become material by knowing       
material things1  any more than our     
understandings lose their spirituality  
by knowing  the nature of bodies2 it is 
to be observed1 therefore1 that only    
those senses of men1 as seeing1 hearing1
 smelling1 which have those  qualities  
for their objects that come nearest the 
nature of spiritual  things1 as light1  
sounds1 fragrant odors1 are ascribed to 
,god in  ,scripture2 not touching or    
tasting1 which are senses that are not  
exercised without a more immediate      
commerce with gross matter2 and  the    
reason may be1 because we should have no
 gross thoughts of ,god1  as if he were 
a body1 and made of matter1 like the    
things he knows4    #b4 ,as he knows all
 creatures1 so ,god knows all the       
actions of  creatures4 ,he counts in    
particular all the ways of men4 8,doth  

he not  see all my ways1 and count all  
my steps0 7,job xxxi4 #d78 ,he 8tells0  
their 8wanderings10 as if one by one    
7,ps4 lvi4 #h74 8,his eyes are upon  all
 the ways of man1 and he sees all his   
goings0 7,job xxxiv4 #ba72 a  metaphor  
taken from men1 when they look wistly1  
with fixed eyes upon  a thing1 to view  
it in every circumstance1 whence it     
comes1 whether  it goes1 to observe     
every little motion of it4 ,god's eye is
 not a  wandering1 but a fixed eye2 and 
the ways of man are not only 8before    
his eyes10 but he doth exactly 8ponder  
them0 7,prov4 v4 #ba72 as one  that will
 not be ignorant of the least mite in   
them1 but weigh and  examine them by the
 standard of his law2 he may as well    
know a#dbd  the motions of our members1 
as the hairs of our heads2 the smallest 
actions before they be1 whether civil1  
natural1 or religious1 fall  under his  
cognizance2 what meaner than a man      
carrying a pitcher1 yet  our ,saviour   
foretels it 7,luke xxii4 #aj72 ,god     

knows not only what men  do1 but what   
they would have done1 had he not        
restrained them2 what  ,abimelech would 
have done to ,sarah1 had not ,god put a 
bar in his way  7,gen4 xx4 #f72 what a  
man that is taken away in his youth     
would have  done1 had he lived to a     
riper age2 yea1 he knows the most secret
 words  as well as actions2 the words   
spoken by the king of ,israel in his    
bedchamber1 were revealed to ,elisha 7#b
 ,kings vi4 #ab72 and indeed1 how  can  
any action of man be concealed from     
,god8 ,can we view the various  actions 
of a heap of ants1 or a hive of bees in 
a glass1 without  turning our eyes2 and 
shall not ,god behold the actions of all
 men in  the world1 which are less than 
bees or ants in his sight1 and more     
visible to him than an anthill or       
beehive can be to the acutest eye  of   
man8    #c4 ,as ,god knows all the      
actions of creatures1 so he knows all   
the  thoughts of creatures4 ,the        
thoughts are the most closeted acts of  

man1  hid from men and angels1 unless   
disclosed by some outward expressions2  
but ,god descends into the depths and   
abysses of the soul1 discerns the  most 
inward contrivances2 nothing is         
impenetrable to him2 the sun doth  not  
so much enlighten the earth1 as ,god    
understands the heart2 all  things are  
as visible to him1 as flies and motes   
enclosed in a body  of transparent      
crystal2 this man naturally allows to   
,god4 ,men often  speak to ,god by the  
motions of their minds and secret       
ejaculations1  which they would not do1 
if it were not naturally implanted in   
them1  that ,god knows all their inward 
motions2 the ,scripture is plain and    
positive in this1 8,he tries the heart  
and the reins0 7,ps4 vii4 #i71 as  men1 
by the use of fire1 discern the drossy  
and purer parts of metals4  ,the secret 
intentions and aims1 the most lurking   
affections seated  in the reins2 he     
knows that which no man1 no angel1 is   
able to know1  which a man himself knows

 not1 nor makes any particular          
reflection  upon2 yea1 8he weighs the   
,spirit0 7,prov4 xvi4 #b72 he exactly   
numbers  all the devices and            
inclinations of men1 as men do every    
piece of  coin they tell out of a heap4 
8,he discerns the thoughts and intents  
of  the heart0 7,heb4 iv4 #ab72 all that
 is in the mind1 all that is in the     
affections1 every stirring and purpose2 
8so that not one thought can  be        
withheld from him0 7,job xlii4 #b72 yea1
 8,hell and destruction are  before him1
 much more then the hearts of the       
children of men0 7,prov4  xv4 #aa72 he  
works all things in the bowels of the   
earth1 and brings  forth all things out 
of that treasure1 say some2 but more    
naturally1  ,god knows the whole state  
of the dead1 all the receptacles and    
graves  of their bodies1 all the bodies 
of men consumed by the earth1 or        
devoured by living creatures2 things    
that seem to be out of all being2  he   
knows the thoughts of the devils and    

damned creatures1 whom he hath  cast out
 of his care forever into the arms of   
his justice1 never more  to cast a      
delightful glance towards them2 not a   
secret in any soul  in hell 7which he   
hath no need to know1 because he shall  
not judge  them by any of the thoughts  
they now have1 since they were condemned
  to punishment7 is hid from him2 much  
more is he acquainted with the  a#dbe   
thoughts of living men1 the counsels of 
whose hearts are yet  to be manifested1 
in order to their trial and censure2    
yea1 he knows  them before they spring  
up into actual being 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #b73 
8,thou  understandest my thoughts afar  
off20 my thoughts1 that is1 every       
thought2 though innumerable thoughts    
pass through me in a day1 and  that in  
the source and fountain1 when it is yet 
in the womb1 before  it is our thought2 
if he knows them before their existence1
 before  they can be properly called    
ours1 much more doth he know them when  
they actually spring up in us3 he knows 

the tendency of them2 where  the bird   
will light when it is in flight2 he     
knows them exactly1 he  is therefore    
called a 8discerner0 or criticiser 8of  
the heart0 7,heb4  iv4 #ab71 as a critic
 discerns every letter1 point1 and stop2
 he is  more intimate with us than our  
souls with our bodies1 and hath more    
the possession of us than we have of    
ourselves2 he knows them by an          
inspection into the heart1 not by the   
mediation of second causes1 by  the     
looks or gestures of men1 as men may    
discern the thoughts of one  another4   
7#a47 ,god discerns all good motions of 
the mind and will4  ,these he puts into 
men1 and needs must ,god know his own   
act2 he knew  the son of 8,jeroboam to  
have some good thing in him towards the 
,lord  ,god of ,israel0 7#a ,kings xiv4 
#ac72 and the integrity of ,david and   
,hezekiah2 the freest motions of the    
will and affections to him3 8,lord1     
thou knowest that ,i love thee10 saith  
,peter 7,john xxi4 #ag74 ,love  can be  

no more restrained1 than the will itself
 can2 a man may make  another to grieve 
and desire1 but none can force another  
to love4  7#b47 ,god discerns all the   
evil motions of the mind and will2      
8,every  imagination of the heart0      
7,gen4 vi4 #e72 the vanity of 8men's    
thoughts0  7,ps4 xciv4 #aa72 their      
inward darkness1 and deceitful          
disguises4  ,no wonder that ,god1 who   
fashioned the heart1 should understand  
the  motions of it 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #ac1   
#ae73 8,he looks from heaven and beholds
  all the children of men2 he fashioneth
 their hearts alike1 and  considers all 
their works40 ,doth any man make a      
watch1 and yet be  ignorant of its      
motion8 ,did ,god fling away the key to 
this secret  cabinet1 when he framed it1
 and put off the power of unlocking it  
when he pleased8 ,he did not surely     
frame it in such a posture as that      
anything in it should be hid from his   
eye2 he did not fashion it to be        
privileged from his government2 which   

would follow if he were ignorant  of    
what was minted and coined in it4 ,he   
could not be a ,judge to  punish men1 if
 the inward frames and principles of    
men's actions were  concealed from him2 
an outward action may glitter to an     
outward eye1  yet the secret spring be a
 desire of applause1 and not the fear   
and  love of ,god4 ,if the inward frames
 of the heart did lie covered from  him 
in the secret recesses of the heart2    
those plausible acts1 which  in regard  
of their principles1 would merit a      
punishment1 would meet  with a reward2  
and ,god should bestow happiness where  
he had denounced  misery4 ,as without   
the knowledge of what is just1 he could 
not be a  wise ,lawgiver1 so without the
 knowledge of what is inwardly          
committed1  he could not be a righteous 
,judge3 acts that are rotten in the     
spring1  might be judged good by the    
fair color and appearance4 ,this is the 
glory of ,god at the last day1 8to      
manifest the secrets of all hearts0  7#a

 ,cor4 iv4 #e72 and the prophet         
,jeremiah links a#dbf the power  of     
judging and the prerogative of trying   
the hearts together 7,jer4  xi4 #bj73   
8,but thou1 ,o ,lord of hosts1 that     
judgest righteously1 that  triest the   
reins and the heart20 and 7,jer4 xvii4  
#aj73 8,i1 the ,lord1  search the heart1
 ,i try the reins20 to what end8 even to
 8give every  man according to his way1 
and according to the fruit of his       
doings40  ,and1 indeed1 his binding up  
the whole law with that command of not  
coveting1 evidenceth that he will judge 
men by the inward affections  and frames
 of their hearts4 ,again1 ,god sustains 
the mind of man in  every act of        
thinking2 in him we have not only the   
principle of life1  but every motion1   
the motion of our minds as well as of   
our members3  8,in him we live and      
move10 c4 7,acts xvii4 #bh74 ,since he  
supports  the vigor of the faculty in   
every act1 can he be ignorant of those  
acts which spring from the faculty1 to  

which he doth at that instant           
communicate power and ability8 ,now this
 knowledge of the thoughts of  men is1  
#ast4 ,an incommunicable property1      
belonging only to the ,divine           
understanding4 ,creatures1 indeed1 may  
know the thoughts of others  by divine  
revelation1 but not by themselves2 no   
creature hath a key  immediately to open
 the minds of men1 and see all that     
lodgeth there2  no creature can fathom  
the heart by the line of created        
knowledge4#fia  ,devils may have a      
conjectural knowledge1 and may guess at 
them1 by the  acquaintance they have    
with the disposition and constitution of
 men1  and the images they behold in    
their fancies2 and by some marks which  
an inward imagination may stamp upon the
 brain1 blood1 animal spirits1  face1 c4
 ,but the knowing the thoughts merely as
 thought1 without any  impression by it1
 is a royalty ,god appropriates to      
himself1 as the  main secret of his     
government1 and a perfection declarative

 of his  ,deity1 as much as any else    
7,jer4 xvii4 #i1 #aj73 8,the heart of   
man is  desperately wicked1 who can know
 it80 yes1 there is one1 and but one1   
8,i1 the ,lord1 search the heart1 ,i try
 the reins40 8,man looks on the  outward
 appearance1 but the ,lord looks upon   
the heart0 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 #g72  where   
,god is distinguished by this perfection
 from all men whatsoever1  others may   
know by revelation1 as ,elisha did what 
was in ,gehazi's  heart 7#b ,kings1 v4  
#bf74 ,but ,god knows a man more than   
any man knows  himself2 what person upon
 earth understands the windings and     
turnings  of his own heart1 what        
reserves it will have1 what             
contrivances1 what  inclinations8 all   
which ,god knows exactly4    #b;d4 ,god 
acquires no new knowledge of the        
thoughts and hearts by the  discovery of
 them in the actions4 ,he would then be 
but equal in this  part of knowledge to 
his creature2 no man or angel but may   
thus arrive  to the knowledge of them2  

,god were then excluded from an absolute
  dominion over the prime work of his   
lower creation2 he would have made  a   
creature superior in this respect to    
himself1 upon whose will to  discover1  
his knowledge of their inward intentions
 should depend2 and  therefore when ,god
 is said to search the heart1 we must   
not understand  it as if ,god were      
ignorant before1 and was fain to make an
 exact  scrutiny and inquiry1 before he 
attained what he desired to know2 but   
,god condescends to our capacity in the 
expression of his own knowledge1        
signifying that his a#dbg knowledge is  
as complete as any man's  knowledge can 
be of the designs of others1 after he   
hath sifted them  by a strict and       
thorough examination1 and wrung out a   
discovery of  their intentions2 that he 
knows them as perfectly as if he had put
  them upon the rack1 and and forced    
them to make a discovery of their       
secret plottings4 ,nor must we          
understand that in ,gen4 xxii4 #ab1     

where  ,god saith1 after ,abraham had   
stretched out his hand to sacrifice his 
son1 8,now ,i know that thou fearest    
,god10 as though ,god was ignorant  of  
,abraham's gracious disposition to him2 
did ,abraham's drawing his  knife       
furnish ,god with a new knowledge8 no1  
,god knew ,abraham's pious  inclinations
 before 7,gen4 xviii4 #ai73 8,i know    
him1 that he will  command his children 
after him10 c4 ,knowledge is sometimes  
taken  for approbation2 then the sense  
will be1 ,now ,i approve this fact  as a
 testimony of thy fear of me1 since thy 
affection to thy ,isaac  is extinguished
 by the more powerful flame of affection
 to my will  and command2 ,i now accept 
thee1 and count thee a meet subject of  
my  choicest benefits3 or1 ,now ,i know1
 that is1 ,i have made known and        
manifested the faith of ,abraham to     
himself and to the world3 thus ,paul    
uses the word know 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #b73   
8,i have determined to know nothing20   
that is1 to declare and teach nothing1  

to make known nothing but  ,christ      
crucified3 or else1 ,now ,i know1 that  
is1 ,i have an evidence  and experiment 
in this noble fact1 that thou fearest   
me4 ,god often  condescends to our      
capacity in speaking of himself after   
the manner of  men1 as if he had 7as men
 do7 known the inward affections of     
others by  their outward actions4    #d4
 ,god knows all the evils and sins of   
creatures4 7#a47 ,god knows all  sin4   
,this follows upon the other4 ,if he    
knows all the actions and  thoughts of  
creatures1 he knows also all the        
sinfulness in those acts  and thoughts4 
,this ,zophar infers from ,god's        
punishing men 7,job xi4 #aa72  for he   
knows vain man1 he sees his wickedness  
also2 he knows every man1  and sees the 
wickedness of every man2 he looks down  
from heaven1 and  beholds not only the  
filthy persons1 but what is filthy in   
them 7,psal4  xiv4 #b1 #c71 all nations 
in the world1 and every man of every    
nation2  none of their iniquity is hid  

from his eyes2 he searches ,jerusalem   
with candles 7,jer4 xvi4 #ag74 ,god     
follows sinners step by step1 with  his 
eye1 and will not leave searching out   
till he hath taken them2 a  metaphor    
taken from one that searches all chinks 
with a candle1 that  nothing can be hid 
from him4 ,he knows it distinctly in all
 the parts  of it1 how an adulterer     
rises out of his bed to commit          
uncleanness1  what contrivances he had1 
what steps he took1 every circumstance  
in  the whole progress2 not only evil in
 the bulk1 but every one of the  blacker
 spots upon it1 which may most aggravate
 it4 ,if he did not know  evil1 how     
could he permit it1 order it1 punish it1
 or pardon it8 ,doth  he permit he knows
 not what8 order to his own holy ends   
what he is  ignorant of8 punish or      
pardon that which he is uncertain       
whether it  be a crime or no8 8,cleanse 
me10 saith ,david1 8from my secret      
faults0  7,ps4 xix4 #ab71 secret in     
regard of others1 secret in regard of   

himself2  how could ,god cleanse him    
from that whereof he was ignorant8 ,he  
knows  sins before they are committed1  
much more when they are in act2 he      
foreknew the idolatry and apostacy of   
the ,jews2 a#dbh what gods they  would  
serve1 in what measure they would       
provoke him1 and violate his  covenant  
7,deut4 xxxi4 #bj1 #ba72 he knew ,judas'
 sin long before ,judas'  actual        
existence1 foretelling it in the        
,psalms2 and ,christ predicts  it before
 he acted it4 ,he sees sins future in   
his own permitting will2  he sees sins  
present in his own supporting act4 ,as  
he knows things  possible to himself1   
because he knows his own power1 so he   
knows  things practicable by the        
creature1 because he knows the power and
  principles of the creature4#fib ,this 
sentiment of ,god is naturally  written 
in the fears of sinners1 upon lightning1
 thunder1 or some  prodigious operation 
of ,god in the world2 what is the       
language of them1  but that he sees     

their deeds1 hears their words1 knows   
the inward  sinfulness of their hearts2 
that he doth not only behold them as a  
mere spectator1 but considers them as a 
just judge4 ,and the poets say1  that   
the sins of men leaped into heaven1 and 
were writ in parchments  of             
,jupiter1#fic scelus in terram geritur1 
in clo scribitur3  sin is acted on      
earth1 and recorded in heaven4 ,god     
indeed doth not  behold evil with the   
approving eye2 he knows it not with a   
practical  knowledge to be the author of
 it1 but with a speculative knowledge1  
so as to understand the sinfulness of   
it2 or a knowledge simplicis            
intelligenti1 of simple intelligence1 as
 he permits them1 not  positively wills 
them2 he knows them not with a knowledge
 of assent to  them1 but dissent from   
them4 ,evil pertains to a dissenting act
 of the  mind1 and an aversive act of   
the will2 and what though evil formerly 
taken1 hath no distinct conception1     
because it is a privation2 a  defect    

hath no being1 and all knowledge is by  
the apprehension of  some being2 would  
not this lie as strongly against our own
 knowledge  of sin8 ,sin is a privation 
of the rectitude due to an act2 and who 
doubts man's knowledge of sin8 by his   
knowing the act1 he knows the           
deficiency of the act2 the subject of   
evil hath a being1 and so hath  a       
conception in the mind2 that which hath 
no being cannot be known  by itself1 or 
in itself2 but will it follow that it   
cannot be known  by its contrary8 as we 
know darkness to be a privation of      
light1 and  folly to be a privation of  
wisdom4 ,god knows good all by himself1 
because he is the sovereign good2 is it 
strange then1 that he should  know all  
evil1 since all evil is in some natural 
good4 7#b47 ,the manner  of ,god's      
knowing evil is not so easily known4    
,and indeed1 as we cannot  comprehend   
the essence of ,god1 though it is easily
 intelligible that  there is such a     
,being1 so we can as little comprehend  

the manner  of ,god's knowledge1 though 
we cannot but conclude him to be an     
intelligent ,being1 a pure              
understanding1 knowing all things4 ,as  
,god  hath a higher manner of being than
 his creatures1 so he hath another  and 
higher manner of knowing2 and we can as 
little comprehend the  manner of his    
knowing1 as we can the manner of his    
being4 ,but as to  the manner1 doth not 
,god know his own law8 and shall he not 
know how  much any action comes short of
 his rule8 he cannot know his own rule  
without knowing all the deviations from 
it4 ,he knows his own holiness1  and    
shall he not see how any action is      
contrary to the holiness of his  own    
a#dbi nature8 ,doth not ,god know       
everything that is true8 and is  it not 
true that this or that is evil8 and     
shall ,god be ignorant of  any truth8   
,how doth ,god know that he cannot lie1 
but by knowing his  own veracity8 ,how  
doth ,god know that he cannot die1 but  
by knowing  his own immutability8 and by

 knowing those1 he knows what a lie is1 
he knows what death is2 so if sin never 
had been1 if no creature had  ever been1
 ,god would have known what sin was1    
because he knows his  own holiness2     
because he knew what law was fit to be  
appointed to  his creatures if he should
 create them1 and that that law might be
  transgressed by them4 ,god knows all  
good1 all goodness in himself2 he       
therefore hath a foundation in himself  
to know all that comes short  of that   
goodness1 that is opposite to that      
holiness3 as if light  were capable of  
understanding1 it would know darkness   
only by knowing  itself2 by knowing     
itself1 it would know what is contrary  
to itself4  ,god knows all created      
goodness which he hath planted in the   
creature2  he knows then all defects    
from this goodness1 what perfection an  
act  is deprived of2 what is opposite to
 that goodness1 and that is evil4  ,as  
we know sickness by health1 discord by  
harmony1 blindness by sight1  because it

 is a privation of sight1 whosoever     
knows one contrary knows  the other2    
,god knows unrighteousness by the idea  
which he hath of  righteousness1 and    
sees an act deprived of that rectitude  
and goodness  which ought to be in it2  
he knows evil because he knows the      
causes  whence evil proceeds4#fid ,a    
painter knows a picture of his own      
framing1 and if any one dashes any base 
color upon it1 shall not he  also know  
that8 ,god by his hand painted all      
creatures1 impressed upon  man the fair 
stamp and color of his own image2 the   
devil defiles it2  man daubs it4 ,doth  
not ,god1 that knows his own work1 know 
how this  piece is become different from
 his work8 ,doth not ,god1 that knows   
his creatures' goodness1 which himself  
was the fountain of1 know the  change of
 this goodness8 ,yea1 he knew before1   
that the devil would sow  tares where he
 had sown wheat2 and therefore that     
controversy of some  in the schools1    
whether ,god knew evil by its opposition

 to created  or uncreated goodness1 is  
needless4 ,we may say ,god knows sin as 
it  is opposite to created goodness1 yet
 he knows it radically by his  own      
goodness1 because he knows the goodness 
he hath communicated to  the creature by
 his own essential goodness in himself4 
,to conclude  this head3 ,the knowledge 
of sin doth not bespot the holiness of  
,god's  nature2 for the bare knowledge  
of a crime doth not infect the mind  of 
man with the filth and pollution of that
 crime1 for then every man  that knows  
an act of murder committed by another1  
would1 by that bare  knowledge1 be      
tainted with his sin2 yea1 and a judge  
that condemns a  malefactor1 may as well
 condemn himself if this were so3 the   
knowledge  of sins infects not the      
understandings that knows them1 but only
 the  will that approves them4 ,it is no
 discredit to us to know evil1 in  order
 to pass a right judgment upon it2 so   
neither can it be to ,god4    ,fourthly1
 ,god knows all future things1 all      

things to come4 ,the  differences of    
time cannot hinder a knowledge of all   
things by him1  who is before time1     
above time1 that is not measured by     
hours1 or  a#dcj days1 or years2 if ,god
 did not know them1 the hindrance must  
be in himself1 or in the things         
themselves1 because they are things to  
come3 not in himself2 if it did1 it must
 arise from some impotency in  his own  
nature1 and so we render him weak2 or   
from an unwillingness  to know1 and so  
we render him lazy1 and an enemy to his 
own perfection2  for1 simply considered1
 the knowledge of more things is a      
greater  perfection than the knowledge  
of a few2 and if the knowledge of a     
thing includes something of perfection1 
the ignorance of a thing  includes      
something of imperfection4 ,the         
knowledge of future things is  a greater
 perfection than not to know them1 and  
is accounted among men  a great part of 
wisdom1 which they call foresight2 it is
 then surely  a greater perfection in   

,god to know future things1 than to be  
ignorant  of them4 ,and would ,god      
rather have something of imperfection   
than be  possessor of all perfection8   
,nor doth the hindrance lie in the      
things  themselves1 because their       
futurition depends upon his will2 for as
  nothing can actually be without his   
will1 giving it existence1 so  nothing  
can be future without his will1         
designing the futurity of it4           
,certainly if ,god knows all things     
possible1 which he will not do1 he  must
 know all things future1 which he is not
 only able1 but resolved  to do1 or     
resolved to permit4 ,god's perfect      
knowledge of himself1  that is1 of his  
own infinite power and concluding will1 
necessarily  includes a foreknowledge of
 what he is able to do1 and what he will
 do4  ,again1 if ,god doth not know     
future things1 there was a time when    
,god  was ignorant of most things in the
 world2 for before the deluge he was    
more ignorant than after2 the more      

things were done in the world1 the  more
 knowledge did accrue to ,god1 and so   
the more perfection2 then the           
understanding of ,god was not perfect   
from eternity1 but in time2 nay1  is not
 perfect yet1 if he be ignorant of those
 things which are still  to come to     
pass2 he must tarry for a perfection he 
wants1 till those  futurities come to be
 in act1 till those things which are to 
come1  cease to be future1 and begin to 
be present4 ,either ,god knows them1  or
 desires to know them2 if he desires to 
know them and doth not1  there is       
something wanting to him2 all desire    
speaks an absence of the  object        
desired1 and a sentiment of want in the 
person desiring3 if he  doth not desire 
to know them1 nay1 if he doth not       
actually know them1  it destroys all    
providence1 all his government of       
affairs2 for his  providence hath a     
concatenation of means with a prospect  
of something  that is future3 as in     
,joseph's case1 who was put into the    

pit1 and  sold to the ,egyptians in     
order to his future advancement1 and the
  preservation both of his father and   
his envious brethren4 ,if ,god did  not 
know all the future inclinations and    
actions of men1 something  might have   
been done by the will of ,potiphar1 or  
by the freewill of  ,pharaoh1 whereby   
,joseph might have been cut short of his
 advancement1  and so ,god have been    
interrupted in the track and method of  
his  designed providences4 ,he that hath
 decreed to govern man for that  end he 
hath designed him1 knows all the means  
before1 whereby he will  govern him1 and
 therefore hath a distinct and certain  
knowledge of all  things2 for a confused
 knowledge is an imperfection in        
government2 it  is in this the          
infiniteness of his understanding is    
more seen than in  knowing things past  
or present2 his a#dca eyes are a flame  
of fire  7,rev4 i4 #ad71 in regard of   
the penetrating virtue of them into     
things  impenetrable by any else4 ,to   

make it further appear that ,god knows  
all  things future1 consider1    #a4    
,everything which is the object of      
,god's knowledge without himself  was   
once only future4 ,there was a moment   
when nothing was in being  but himself3 
he knew nothing actually past1 because  
nothing was  past2 nothing actually     
present1 because nothing had any        
existence but  himself2 therefore only  
what was future4 ,and why not everything
 that  is future now1 as well as only   
what was future and to come to pass     
just at the beginning of the creation8  
,god indeed knows everything  as        
present1 but the things themselves known
 by him were not present1  but future2  
the whole creation was once future1 or  
else it was from  eternity2 if it begun 
in time1 it was once future in itself1  
else it  could never have begun to be4  
,did not ,god know what would be created
  by him1 before it was created by      
him8#fie ,did he create he knew not     
what1 and knew not before1 what he      

should create8 ,was he ignorant  before 
he acted1 and in his acting1 what his   
operation would tend to8  or did he not 
know the nature of things1 and the ends 
of them1 till  he had produced them and 
saw them in being8 ,creatures1 then1 did
 not  arise from his knowledge1 but his 
knowledge from them2 he did not  then   
will that his creatures should be1 for  
he had then willed what  he knew not1   
and knew not what he willed2 they1      
therefore1 must be  known before they   
were made1 and not known because they   
were made2 he  knew them to make them1  
and he did not make them to know them2  
,by the  same reason that he knew what  
creatures should be before they were1   
he knows still what creatures shall be  
before they are2#fif for all  things    
that are1 were in ,god1 not really in   
their own nature1 but in  him as a      
cause2 so the earth and heavens were in 
him1 as a model is  in the mind of a    
workman1 which is in his mind and soul1 
before it be  brought forth into outward

 act4    #b4 ,the predictions of future 
things evidence this4 ,there is not a   
prophecy of any thing to come1 but is a 
spark of his foreknowledge1  and bears  
witness to the truth of this assertion1 
in the punctual  accomplishment of it2  
this is a thing challenged by ,god as   
his own  peculiar1 wherein he surmounts 
all the idols that man's inventions     
have godded in the world 7,isa4 xli4    
#ba1 #bb73 ,let them bring them forth   
7speaking of the idols7 and show us what
 shall happen1 or declare us  things to 
come3 show the things that are to come  
hereafter1 that we  may know that you   
are gods4 ,such a foreknowledge of      
things to come1  is here ascribed to    
,god by ,god himself1 as a distinction  
of him from  all false gods2 such a     
knowledge1 that if any could prove that 
they  were possessors of1 he would      
acknowledge them gods as well as        
himself3  8that we may know that you are
 gods40 ,he puts his ,deity to stand or 
fall upon this account1 and this should 

be the point which should  decide the   
controversy1 whether he or the heathen  
idols were the true  ,god2 the dispute  
is managed by this medium1,he that knows
 things to  come1 is ,god2 ,i know      
things to come1 ergo1 ,i am ,god2 the   
idols know  not things to come1         
therefore they are not gods2 ,god       
submits the being  of his ,deity to this
 trial4 ,if ,god know a#dcb things to   
come no more  than the heathen idols1   
which were either devils or men1 he     
would  be1 in his own account1 no more a
 ,god than devils or men1 no more  a    
,god than the pagan idols he doth scoff 
at for this defect4 ,if the  heathen    
idols were to be stripped of their deity
 for want of this  foreknowledge of     
things to come1 would not the true ,god 
also fall from  the same excellency if  
he were defective in knowledge8 ,he     
would1 in  his own judgment1 no more    
deserve the title and character of a    
,god  than they4 ,how could he reproach 
them for that1 if it were wanting  in   

himself8 ,it cannot be understood of    
future things in their causes1  when the
 effects necessarily arise from such    
causes1 as light from  the sun1 and heat
 from the fire3 many of these men know2 
more of  them angels and devils know3 if
 ,god1 therefore1 had not a higher and  
farther knowledge than this1 he would   
not by this be proved to be ,god  any   
more than angels and devils1 who know   
necessary effects in their  causes4 ,the
 devils1 indeed1 did predict some things
 in the heathen  oracles2 but ,god is   
differenced from them here by the       
infiniteness  of his knowledge1 in being
 able to predict things to come that    
they  knew not1 or things in their      
particularities1 things that depended   
on the liberty of man's will1 which the 
devils could lay no claim to  a certain 
knowledge of4 ,were it only a           
conjectural knowledge that is  here     
meant1 the devils might answer1 they can
 conjecture1 and so their  deity was as 
good as ,god's2 for1 though ,god might  

know more things1  and conjecture nearer
 to what would be1 yet still it would be
 but  conjectural1 and therefore not a  
higher kind of knowledge than what  the 
devils might challenge4 ,how much1 then1
 is ,god beholden to the  ,socinians for
 denying the knowledge of all future    
things to him1 upon  which here he puts 
the trial of his ,deity8 ,god asserts   
his knowledge  of things to come1 as a  
manifest evidence of his ,godhead2 those
 that  deny1 therefore1 the argument    
that proves it1 deny the conclusion too2
  for this will necessarily follow1 that
 if he be ,god1 because he knows  future
 things then he that doth not know      
future things is not ,god2  and if ,god 
knows not future things but only by     
conjecture1 then there  is no ,god1     
because a certain knowledge1 so as      
infallibly to predict  things to come1  
is an inseparable perfection of the     
,deity3 it was1  therefore1 well said of
 ,austin1 that it was as high a madness 
to deny  ,god to be1 as to deny him the 

foreknowledge of things to come4 ,the   
whole prophetic part of ,scripture      
declares this perfection of ,god2  every
 prophet's candle was lighted at this   
torch2 they could not have  this        
foreknowledge of themselves2 why might  
not many other men have  the same       
insight1 if it were nature8 ,it must be 
from some superior  ,agent2 and all     
nations owned prophecy as a beam from   
,god1 a fruit of  ,divine               
illumination4#fig ,prophecy must be     
totally expunged if this be  denied2 for
 the subjects of prophecy are things    
future1 and no man is  properly a       
prophet but in prediction4 ,now         
prediction is nothing but  foretelling1 
and things foretold are not yet come1   
and the foretelling  of them supposeth  
them not to be yet1 but that they shall 
be in time2  several such predictions we
 have in ,scripture1 the event whereof  
hath been certain4 ,the years of famine 
in ,egypt foretold that he  would order 
second causes for bringing that judgment

 upon them2 the  captivity a#dcc of his 
people in ,babylon1 the calling of the  
,gentiles1  the rejection of the ,jews4 
,daniel's revelation of                 
,nebuchadnezzar's  dream2 that prince   
refers to ,god as the revealer of       
secrets 7,dan4  ii4 #dg74 ,by the same  
reason that he knows one thing future by
 himself1  and by the infiniteness of   
his knowledge before any causes of them 
appear1 he doth know all things future4 
#c4 ,some future things are known by    
men2 and we must allow ,god a  greater  
knowledge than any creature4 ,future    
things in their causes  may be known by 
angels and men1 7as ,i said before72    
whosoever knows  necessary causes1 and  
the efficacy of them1 may foretell the  
effects2  and when he sees the meeting  
and concurrence of several causes       
together1 he may presage what the       
consequent effect will be of such  a    
concurrence3 so physicians foretel the  
progress of a disease1 the  increase or 
diminution of it by natural signs2 and  

astronomers foretel  eclipses by their  
observation of the motion of heavenly   
bodies1 many  years before they         
happen2#fih can they be hid from ,god1  
with whom  are the reasons of all       
things8#fii ,an expert gardener1 by     
knowing  the root in the depth of       
winter1 can tell what flowers and what  
fruit  it will bear1 and the month when 
they will peep out their heads2  and    
shall not ,god much more1 that knows the
 principles of all his  creatures1 and  
is exactly privy to all their natures   
and qualities1  know what they will be1 
and what operations shall be from those 
principles8 ,now1 if ,god did know      
things only in their causes1 his        
knowledge would not be more excellent   
than the knowledge of angels and  men1  
though he might know more than they of  
the things that will come  to pass1 from
 every cause singly1 and from the       
concurrence of many4  ,now1 as ,god is  
more excellent in being than his        
creature1 so he is  more excellent in   

the objects of his knowledge1 and the   
manner of his  knowledge2 well1 then1   
shall a certain knowledge of something  
future1  and a conjectural knowledge of 
many things1 be found among men8 and    
shall a determinate and infallible      
knowledge of things to come be  found   
nowhere1 in no being8 ,if the conjecture
 of future things savours  of ignorance1
 and ,god knows them only by conjecture1
 there is1 then1  no such thing in being
 as a perfect intelligent ,being1 and so
 no ,god4    #d4 ,god knows his own     
decree and will1 and therefore must     
needs know  all future things4 ,if      
anything be future1 or to come to pass1 
it  must be from itself or from ,god3   
not from itself1 then it would be       
independent and absolute3 if it hath its
 futurity from ,god1 then ,god  must    
know what he hath decreed to come to    
pass2 those things that are  future1 in 
necessary causes1 ,god must know1       
because he willed them to  be causes of 
such effects2 he1 therefore1 knows them1

 because he knows  what he willed4 ,the 
knowledge of ,god cannot arise from the 
things  themselves1 for then the        
knowledge of ,god would have a cause    
without  him2 and knowledge1 which is an
 eminent perfection1 would be conferred 
upon him by his creatures4 ,but as ,god 
sees things possible in the  glass of   
his own power1 so he sees things future 
in the glass of  his own will2 in his   
effecting will1 if he hath decreed to   
produce  them2 in his permitting will1  
as he hath decreed to suffer them and   
dispose of them2 nothing can pass out of
 the rank of a#dcd things  merely       
possible into the order of things       
future1 before some act of  ,god's will 
hath passed for its futurition4#gjj ,it 
is not from the  infiniteness of his own
 nature1 simply considered1 that ,god   
knows  things to be future2#gja for as  
things are not future because ,god is   
infinite 7for then all possible things  
should be future71 so neither  is any   
thing known to be future only because   

,god is infinite1 but  because ,god hath
 decreed it2 his declaration of things  
to come1  is founded upon his           
appointment of things to come4#gjb ,in  
,isaiah  xliv4 #g1 it is said1 8,and    
who1 as ,i1 shall call and declare it1  
since  ,i appointed the ancient people1 
and the things that are coming80#gjc    
,nothing is created or ordered in the   
world but what ,god decreed to  be      
created and ordered4 ,god knows his own 
decree1 and therefore all  things which 
he hath decreed to exist in time2 not   
the minutest part  of the world could   
have existed without his will1 not an   
action can  be done without his will2 as
 life1 the principle1 so motion1 the    
fruit  of that life1 is by and from     
,god2 as he decreed life to this or that
  thing1 so he decreed motion as the    
effect of life1 and decreed to  exert   
his power in concurring with them1 for  
producing effects natural  from such    
causes2 for without such a concourse    
they could not have  acted anything1 or 

produced anything2 and therefore as for 
natural  things1 which we call necessary
 causes1 ,god foreseeing them all       
particularly in his own decree1 foresaw 
also all effects which must  necessarily
 flow from them1 because such causes    
cannot but act when  they are furnished 
with all things necessary for action3 he
 knows his  own decrees1 and therefore  
necessarily knows what he hath decreed1 
or  else we must say things come to pass
 whether ,god will or no1 or that  he   
wills he knows not what2 but this cannot
 be1 for 8known unto ,god  are all his  
works1 from the beginning of the world0 
7,acts xv4 #ah74 ,now  this necessarily 
flows from that principle first laid    
down1 that ,god  knows himself1 since   
nothing is future without ,god's will2  
if ,god did  not know future things1 he 
would not know his own will2 for as     
things  possible could not be known by  
him1 unless he knew the fulness of his  
own power1 so things future could not be
 known by his understanding1  unless he 

knew the resolves of his own will4 ,thus
 the knowledge of ,god  differs from the
 knowledge of men2#gjd ,god's knowledge 
of his works  precedes his works2 man's 
knowledge of ,god's works follows his   
works1  just as an artificer's knowledge
 of a watch1 instrument1 or engine1     
which he would make1 is before his      
making of it2 he knows the motion  of   
it1 and the reason of those motions     
before it is made1 because he  knows    
what he hath determined to work2 he     
knows not those motions from  the       
consideration of them after they were   
made1 as the spectator doth1  who1 by   
viewing the instrument after it is made1
 gains a knowledge  from the sight and  
the consideration of it1 till he        
understands the  reason of the whole2 so
 we know things from the consideration  
of them  after we see them in being1 and
 therefore we know not future things3   
but ,god's knowledge doth not arise from
 things because they are1 but  because  
he wills them to be2 and therefore he   

knows everything that  shall be1 because
 it a#dce cannot be without his will1 as
 the ,creator  and maintainer of all    
things2 knowing his own substance1 he   
knows all  his works4    #e4 ,if ,god   
did not know all future things1 he would
 be mutable in his  knowledge4 ,if he   
did not know all things that ever were  
or are to be1  there would be upon the  
appearance of every new object1 an      
addition  of light to his understanding1
 and therefore such a change in him as  
every new knowledge causes in the mind  
of a man1 or as the sun works  in the   
world upon its rising every morning1    
scattering the darkness  that was upon  
the face of the earth2 if he did not    
know them before  they came1 he would   
gain a knowledge by them when they came 
to pass1  which he had not before they  
were effected2 his knowledge would be   
new according to the newness of the     
objects1 and multiplied according  to   
the multitude of the objects4 ,if ,god  
did know things to come as  perfectly as

 he knew things present and past1 but   
knew those certainly1  and the others   
doubtfully and conjecturally1 he would  
suffer some  change1 and acquire some   
perfection in his knowledge1 when those 
future things should cease to be future1
 and become present2 for he  would know 
it more perfectly when it were present1 
than he did when  it was future1 and so 
there would be a change from            
imperfection to a  perfection2 but ,god 
is every way immutable4 ,besides1 that  
perfection  would not arise from the    
nature of ,god1 but from the existence  
and  presence of the thing2 but who will
 affirm that ,god acquires any          
perfection of knowledge from his        
creatures1 any more than he doth of     
being8 he would not then have that      
knowledge1 and consequently that        
perfection from eternity1 as he had when
 he created the world1 and  will not    
have a full perfection of the knowledge 
of his creature till  the end of the    
world1 nor of immortal souls1 which will

 certainly act  as well as live to      
eternity2 and so ,god never was1 nor    
ever will be1  perfect in knowledge2 for
 when you have conceived millions of    
years1  wherein angels and souls live   
and act1 there is still more coming than
  you can conceive1 wherein they will   
act4 ,and if ,god be always changing  to
 eternity1 from ignorance to knowledge1 
as those acts come to be  exerted by his
 creatures1 he will not be perfect in   
knowledge1 no1 not  to eternity1 but    
will always be changing from one degree 
of knowledge  to another2 a very        
unworthy conceit to entertain of the    
most blessed1  perfect1 and infinite    
,god6 ,hence1 then1 it follows1 that    
7#a47 ,god foreknows all his creatures4 
,all kinds which he determined  to make2
 all particulars that should spring out 
of every species2 the  time when they   
should come forth of the womb2 the      
manner how2 8,in thy  ,book all my      
members were written0 7,ps4 cxxxix4     
#af74 ,members is not in  the ,heb4     

whence some refer all1 to all living    
creatures whatsoever1  and all the parts
 of them which ,god did foresee2 he knew
 the number  of creatures with all their
 parts2 they were written in the book   
of his foreknowledge2 the duration of   
them1 how long they shall  remain in    
being1 and act upon the stage2 he knows 
their strength1 the  links of one cause 
with another1 and what will follow in   
all their  circumstances1 and the series
 and combinations of effects with their 
causes4 ,the duration of everything is  
foreknown1 because determined  7,job4   
xiv4 #e72 8seeing his days a#dcf are    
determined1 the number  of his months   
are with thee2 thou hast appointed his  
bounds1 that  he cannot pass20 bounds   
are fixed1 beyond which none shall      
reach2 he  speaks of days and months1   
not of years1 to give us notice of      
,god's  particular foreknowledge of     
everything1 of every day1 month1 year1  
hour of a man's life4    7#b47 ,all the 
acts of his creatures are foreknown by  

him4 ,all natural  acts1 because he     
knows their causes2 voluntary acts ,i   
shall speak of  afterwards4    7#c47    
,this foreknowledge was certain4 ,for it
 is an unworthy notion of  ,god to      
ascribe to him a conjectural knowledge2 
if there were only a  conjectural       
knowledge1 he could but conjecturally   
foretel anything2  and then it is       
possible the events of things might be  
contrary to his  predictions4 ,it would 
appear then that ,god were deceived and 
mistaken1  and then there could be no   
rule of trying things1 whether there    
were  from ,god or no2 for the rule ,god
 sets down to discern his words from    
the words of false prophets1 is the     
event and certain accomplishment  of    
what is predicted 7,deut4 xviii4 #ba7 to
 that question1 8,how shall  we know    
whether ,god hath spoken or no80 he     
answers1 that 8if the thing  doth not   
come to pass1 the ,lord hath not        
spoken40 ,if his knowledge  of future   
things were not certain1 there were no  

stability in this  rule1 it would fall  
to the ground3 we never yet find ,god   
deceived  in any prediction1 but the    
event did answer his forerevelation2 his
  foreknowledge1 therefore1 is certain  
and infallible4 ,we cannot make  ,god   
uncertain in his knowledge1 but we must 
conceive him fluctuating  and wavering  
in his will2 but if his will be not yea 
and nay1 but yea1  his knowledge is     
certain1 because he doth certainly will 
and resolve4    7#d47 ,this             
foreknowledge was from eternity4 ,seeing
 he knows things  possible in his power1
 and things future in his will2 if his  
power and  resolves were from eternity1 
his knowledge must be so too1 or else we
  must make him ignorant of his own     
power1 and ignorant of his own will     
from eternity2 and consequently not from
 eternity blessed and perfect4  ,his    
knowledge of possible things must run   
parallel with his power1  and his       
knowledge of future things run parallel 
with his will4 ,if  he willed from      

eternity1 he knew from eternity what he 
willed2 but  that he did will from      
eternity1 we must grant1 unless we would
 render  him changeable1 and conceive   
him to be made in time of not willing1  
willing4 ,the knowledge ,god hath in    
time1 was always one and the same1      
because his understanding is his proper 
essence1 and of an immutable            
nature4#gje ,and indeed the actual      
existence of a thing is not simply      
necessary to its being perfectly known2 
we may see a thing that is  past out of 
being1 when it doth actually exist2 and 
a carpenter may  know the house he is to
 build1 before it be built1 by the model
 of  it in his own mind2 much more we   
may conceive the same of ,god whose     
decrees were before the foundation of   
the world2#gjf and to be before  time   
was1 and to be from eternity1 hath no   
difference4 ,as ,god in his  being      
exceeds all beginning of time1 so doth  
his knowledge all motions  of time4     
7#e47 ,god foreknows all things as      

present with him from eternity4 ,as  he 
knows mutable things with an immutable  
and firm knowledge1 a#dcg  so he knows  
future things with a present            
knowledge2#gjg not that the  things     
which are produced in time1 were        
actually and really present  with him in
 their own beings from eternity2 for    
then they could not  be produced in     
time2 had they a real existence1 then   
they would not be  creatures1 but ,god2 
and had they actual being1 then they    
could not be  future1 for future speaks 
a thing to come that is not yet4 ,if    
things  had been actually present with  
him1 and yet future1 they had been made 
before they were made1 and had a being  
before they had a being2 but  they were 
all present to his knowledge as if they 
were in actual being1  because the      
reason of all things that were to be    
made1 was present  with him4 ,the reason
 of the will of ,god that they shall be1
 was  equally eternal with him1 wherein 
he saw what1 and when1 and how he  would

 create things1 how he would govern     
them1 to what ends he would  direct     
them4#gjh ,thus all things are present  
to ,god's knowledge1  though in their   
own nature they may be past or future1  
not in  esse reali1 but in esse         
intelligibili1 objectively1 not actually
  present2#gji for as the               
unchangeableness and infiniteness of    
,god's  knowledge of changeable and     
finite things1 doth not make the things 
he knows immutable and infinite1 so     
neither doth the eternity of his        
knowledge make them actually present    
with him from eternity2 but all  things 
are present to his understanding1       
because he hath at once a  view of all  
successions of times2 and his knowledge 
of future things  is as perfect as of   
present things1 or what is past2 it is  
not a  certain knowledge of present     
things1 and an uncertain knowledge of   
future1 but his knowledge of one is as  
certain and unerring as his  knowledge  
of the other2#gaj as a man that beholds 

a circle with  several lines from the   
centre1 beholds the lines as they are   
joined  in the centre1 beholds them also
 as they are distant and severed from   
one another1 beholds them in their      
extent and in their point all at  once1 
though they may have a great distance   
from one another4 ,he saw  from the     
beginning of time to the last minute of 
it1 all things coming  out of their     
causes1 marching in their order         
according to his own  appointment2 as a 
man may see a multitude of ants1 some   
creeping one  way1 some another1        
employed in several businesses for their
 winter  provision4 ,the eye of ,god at 
once runs through the whole circle of   
time2 as the eye of man upon a tower    
sees all the passengers at once1  though
 some be past1 some under the tower1    
some coming at a farther  distance4     
8,god10 saith ,job1 8looks to the end of
 the earth1 and sees  under the whole   
heaven0 7,job xxviii4 #bd72 the         
knowledge of ,god is  expressed by sight

 in ,scripture1 and futurity to ,god is 
the same  thing as distance to us2 we   
can with a perspectiveglass make things 
that are afar off appear as if they were
 near2 and the sun1 so many  thousand   
miles distant from us1 to appear as if  
it were at the end of  the glass3 why1  
then1 should future things be at so     
great a distance  from ,god's knowledge1
 when things so far from us may be made 
to  approach so near to us8 ,god        
considers all things in his own simple  
knowledge1 as if they were now acted2   
and therefore some have  chosen to call 
the knowledge of things to come1 not    
prescience1 or  foreknowledge1 but      
knowledge2 a#dch because ,god sees all  
things in  one instant1 scienti nunquam 
deficientis instanti4#gaa ,upon this    
account1 things that are to come1 are   
set down in ,scripture as present1  and 
sometimes as past 7,isa4 ix4 #f73 8,unto
 us a child is born10 though  not yet   
born2 so of the sufferings of ,christ   
7,isa4 liii4 #d1 c473 8,he  hath borne  

our griefs1 he was wounded for our      
transgressions1 he was  taken from      
prison10 c41 not shall be2 and 7,ps4    
xxii4 #ah73 8they part  my garments     
among them10 as if it were present2 all 
to express the  certainty of ,god's     
foreknowledge1 as if things were        
actually present  before him4    7#f47  
,this is proper to ,god1 and            
incommunicable to any creature4         
,nothing but what is eternal can know   
all things that are to come4  ,suppose a
 creature might know things that are to 
come1 after he is  in being1 he cannot  
know things simply as future1 because   
there were  things future before he was 
in being4 ,the devils know not men's    
hearts1  therefore cannot foretel their 
actions with any certainty2 they  may   
indeed have a knowledge of some things  
to come1 but it is only  conjectural1   
and often mistaken2 as the devil was in 
his predictions  among the heathen1 and 
in his presage of 8,job's cursing ,god  
to his  face0 upon his pressing         

calamities 7,job i4 #aa74 ,sometimes1   
indeed1  they have a certain knowledge  
of something future by the revelation   
of ,god1 when he uses them as           
instruments of his vengeance1 or for    
the trial of his people1 as in the case 
of ,job1 when he gave him a  commission 
to strip him of his goods2 or1 as the   
angels have1 when  he uses them as      
instruments of the deliverance of his   
people4    7#g47 ,though this be        
certain1 that ,god foreknows all things 
and  actions1 yet the manner of his     
knowing all things before they come1 is 
not so easily resolved4 ,we must not1   
therefore1 deny this perfection  in     
,god1 because we understand not the     
manner how he hath the knowledge  of all
 things4 ,it were unworthy for us to own
 no more of ,god than we  can perfectly 
conceive of him2 we should then own no  
more of him than  that he doth exist4   
8,canst thou10 saith ,job1 8by          
searching1 find out  ,god8 canst thou   
find out the ,almighty unto perfection80

 7,job xi4 #g74  ,do we not see things  
unknown to inferior creatures1 to be    
known to  ourselves8 ,irrational        
creatures do not apprehend the nature of
 a man1  nor what we conceived of them  
when we look upon them2 nor do we know  
what they fancy of us when they look    
wistly upon us2 for ought as ,i  know1  
we understand as little the manner of   
their imaginations1 as  they do of ours2
 and shall we ascribe a darkness in ,god
 as to future  things1 because we are   
ignorant of them1 and of the manner how 
he  should know them8#gab shall we doubt
 whether ,god doth certainly know  those
 things which we only conjecture8 ,as   
our power is not the measure  of the    
power of ,god1 so neither is our        
knowledge the judge of the  knowledge of
 ,god1 no better nor so well as an      
irrational nature can be  the judge of  
our reason4 ,do we perfectly know the   
manner how we know8  shall we therefore 
deny that we know anything8 ,we know we 
have such a  faculty which we call      

understanding1 but doth any man         
certainly know  what it is8 and because 
he doth not1 shall he deny that which is
 plain  and evident to him8 a#dci       
,because we cannot ascertain ourselves  
of  the causes of the ebbing and flowing
 of the sea1 of the manner how  minerals
 are engendered in the earth1 shall we  
therefore deny that  which our eyes     
convince us of8 ,and this will be a     
preparation to the  last thing4         
,fifthly1 ,god knows all future         
contingencies1 that is1 ,god knows all  
things that shall accidentally happen1  
or1 as we say1 by chance2 and  he knows 
all the free motions of men's wills that
 shall be to the  end of the world4 ,if 
all things be open to him 7,heb4 iv4    
#ac71 then  all contingencies are1 for  
they are in the number of things2 and   
as1  according to ,christ's speech1     
those things that are impossible to     
man1 are possible to ,god1 so those     
things which are unknown to man1  are   
known to ,god2 because of the infinite  

fulness and perfection of  the divine   
understanding4 ,let us see what a       
contingent is4 ,that is  contingent     
which we commonly call accidental1 as   
when a tile falls  suddenly upon a man's
 head as he is walking in the street2 or
 when  one letting off a musket at      
random shoots another he did not intend 
to  hit2 such was that arrow whereby    
,ahab was killed1 shot by a soldier at  
a venture 7#a ,kings xxii4 #ci72 this   
some call a mixed contingent1 made  up  
partly of necessity1 and partly of      
accident2 it is necessary the  bullet1  
when sent out of the gun1 or arrow out  
of the bow1 should fly  and light       
somewhere2 but it is an accident that it
 hits this or that  man1 that was never 
intended by the archer4 ,other things1  
as voluntary  actions1 are purely       
contingents1 and have nothing of        
necessity in  them2 all free actions    
that depend upon the will of man1       
whether to  do1 or not to do1 are of    
this nature1 because they depend not    

upon a  necessary cause1 as burning doth
 upon the fire1 moistening upon water1  
or as descent or falling down is        
necessary to a heavy body2 for those    
cannot in their own nature do otherwise2
 but the other actions depend  upon a   
free agent1 able to turn to this or that
 point1 and determine  himself as he    
pleases4 ,now we must know1 that what is
 accidental in  regard of the creature1 
is not so in regard of ,god2 the manner 
of  ,ahab's death was accidental1 in    
regard of the hand by which he was      
slain1 but not in regard of ,god who    
foretold his death1 and foreknew  the   
shot1 and directed the arrow2 ,god was  
not uncertain before of  the manner of  
his fall1 nor hovered over the battle to
 watch for  an opportunity to accomplish
 his own prediction2 what may be or not 
be1 in regard of us1 is certain in      
regard of ,god2 to imagine that  what is
 accidental to us1 is so to ,god1 is to 
measure ,god by our  short line4 ,how   
many events following upon the results  

of princes in  their counsels1 seem to  
persons1 ignorant of those counsels1 to 
be a  haphazard1 yet were not           
contingencies to the prince and his     
assistants1  but foreseen by him as     
certainly to issue so as they do1 which 
they knew before would be the fruit of  
such causes and instruments  they would 
knit together6 ,that may be necessary in
 regard of ,god's  foreknowledge1 which 
is merely accidental in regard of the   
natural  disposition of the immediate   
causes which do actually produce it2    
contingent in its own nature1 and in    
regard of us1 but fixed in  the         
knowledge of ,god4 ,one illustrates it  
by this similitude2#gac a  master sends 
two servants to one and the same place1 
two several ways1  unknown to one       
another2 a#ddj they meet at the place   
which their  master had appointed them2 
their meeting is accidental to them1 one
  knows not of the other1 but it was    
foreseen by the master that they  should
 so meet2 and that in regard of them it 

would seem a mere  accident1 till they  
came to explain the business to one     
another2 both  the necessity of their   
meeting1 in regard of their master's    
order1 and  the accidentalness of it in 
regard of themselves1 were in both their
  circumstances foreknown by the master 
that employed them4 ,for the  clearing  
of this1 take it in this method4    #a4 
,it is an unworthy conceit of ,god in   
any to exclude him from the  knowledge  
of these things4    7#a47 ,it will be a 
strange contracting of him to allow him 
no greater  a knowledge than we have    
ourselves4 ,contingencies are known to  
us  when they come into act1 and pass   
from futurity to reality2 and when  they
 are present to us1 we can order our    
affairs accordingly2 shall we  allow    
,god no greater a measure of knowledge  
than we have1 and make him  as blind as 
ourselves1 not to see things of that    
nature before they  come to pass8 ,shall
 ,god know them no more8 ,shall we      
imagine ,god knows  no otherwise than we

 know8 and that he doth1 like us1 stand 
gazing  with admiration at events8 man  
can conjecture many things2 is it fit   
to ascribe the same uncertainty to ,god1
 as though he1 as well as we1  could    
have no assurance till the issue appear 
in the view of all8 ,if  ,god doth not  
certainly foreknow them1 he doth but    
conjecture them2  but a conjectural     
knowledge is by no means to be fastened 
on ,god2  for that is not knowledge1 but
 guess1 and destroys a ,deity by making 
him subject to mistake2 for he that only
 guesseth1 may guess wrong2  so that    
this is to make ,god like ourselves1 and
 strip him of an  universally           
acknowledged perfection of omniscience4 
,a conjectural  knowledge1 saith        
one1#gad is as unworthy of ,god as the  
creature is  unworthy of omniscience4   
,it is certain man hath a liberty to act
 many  things this or that way as he    
pleases2 to walk to this or that        
quarter1  to speak or not to speak2 to  
do this or that thing1 or not to do it2 

which way a man will certainly determine
 himself1 is unknown before to  any     
creature1 yea1 often at the present to  
himself1 for he may be in  suspense2 but
 shall we imagine this future           
determination of himself is  concealed  
from ,god8 ,those that deny ,god's      
foreknowledge in such cases1  must      
either say1 that ,god hath an opinion   
that a man will resolve  rather this way
 than that2 but then if a man by his    
liberty determine  himself contrary to  
the opinion of ,god1 is not ,god then   
deceived8  and what rational creature   
can own him for a ,god that can be      
deceived  in anything8 or else they must
 say that ,god is at uncertainty1  and  
suspends his opinion without determining
 it any way2 then he  cannot know free  
acts till they are done2 he would then  
depend  upon the creature for his       
information2 his knowledge would be     
every  instant increased1 as things1 he 
knew not before1 came into act2  and    
since there are every minute an         

innumerable multitude of various        
imaginations in the minds of men1 there 
would be every minute an  accession of  
new knowledge to ,god which he had not  
before2 besides1  this knowledge would  
be mutable according to the wavering and
 a#dda  weathercock resolutions of men1 
one while standing to this point1       
another while to that1 if he depended   
upon the creature's  determination for  
his knowledge4    7#b47 ,if the free    
acts of men were unknown before to ,god1
 no man  can see how there can be any   
government of the world by him4 ,such   
contingencies may happen1 and such      
resolves of men's freewills  unknown to 
,god1 as may perplex his affairs1 and   
put him upon new  counsels and methods  
for attaining those ends which he       
settled at  the first creation of       
things2 if things happen which ,god     
knows not  of before1 this must be the  
consequence2 where there is no          
foresight1  there is no providence2     
things may happen so sudden1 if ,god be 

ignorant of them1 that they may give a  
check to his intentions and  scheme of  
government1 and put him upon changing   
the whole model of it4  ,how often doth 
a small intervening circumstance1       
unforeseen by man1  dash in pieces a    
long meditated and wellformed design6   
,to govern  necessary causes1 as sun and
 stars1 whose effects are natural and   
constant in themselves1 is easy to be   
imagined2 but how to govern the  world  
that consists of so many men of         
freewill1 able to determine  themselves 
to this or that1 and which have no      
constancy in themselves1  as the sun and
 stars have1 cannot be imagined2 unless 
we will allow  in ,god as great a       
certainty of foreknowledge of the       
designs and  actions of men1 as there is
 inconstancy in their resolves4 ,god    
must  be altering the methods of his    
government every day1 every hour1 every 
minute1 according to the determinations 
of men1 which are so various  and       
changeable in the whole compass of the  

world in the space of one  minute2 he   
must wait to see what the counsels of   
men will be1 before  he could settle his
 own methods of government2 and so must 
govern  the world according to their    
mutability1 and not according to any    
certainty in himself4 ,but his counsel  
is stable in the midst of  multitudes of
 free devices in the heart of man       
7,prov4 xix4 #ba71 and  knowing them all
 before1 orders them to be subservient  
to his own  stable counsel4 ,if he      
cannot know what tomorrow will bring    
forth in  the mind of a man1 how can he 
certainly settle his own determination  
of governing him8 ,his decrees and      
resolves must be temporal1 and  arise   
pro re nata1 and he must alway be in    
counsel what he should do  upon every   
change of men's minds4 ,this is an      
unworthy conceit of the  infinite       
majesty of heaven1 to make his          
government depend upon the  resolves of 
men1 rather than their resolves upon the
 design of ,god4    #b4 ,it is therefore

 certain1 that ,god doth foreknow the   
free and  voluntary acts of man4 ,how   
could he else order his people to ask of
  him things to come1 in order to their 
deliverance1 such things as  depended   
upon the will of man1 if he foreknew not
 the motions of their  will 7,isa4 xlv4 
#aa78    7#a47 ,actions good or         
indifferent depending upon the liberty  
of man's  will as much as any           
whatsoever4 ,several of these he hath   
foretold2 not  only a person to build up
 ,jerusalem was predicted by him1 but   
the name  of that person1 ,cyrus 7,isa4 
xliv4 #bh74 ,what is more contingent1 or
 is  more the effect of the liberty of  
man's will1 than the names of their     
children8 ,was not the destruction of   
the ,babylonish empire foretold1  which 
,cyrus undertook1 not by any a#ddb      
compulsion1 but by a free  inclination  
and resolve of his own will8 ,and was   
not the dismission  of the ,jews into   
their own country a voluntary act in    
that conqueror8  ,if you consider the   

liberty of man's will1 might not ,cyrus 
as well  have continued their yoke1 as  
have struck off their chains1 and kept  
them captive1 as well as dismissed them8
 ,had it not been for his own  interest1
 rather to have strengthened the fetters
 of so turbulent a  people1 who being   
tenacious of their religion and laws    
different from  that professed by the   
whole world1 were like to make          
disturbances more  when they were linked
 in a body in their own country1 than   
when they  were transplanted and        
scattered into the several parts of his 
empire8  ,it was in the power of ,cyrus 
7take him as a man7 to choose one or the
  other2 his interest invited him to    
continue their captivity1 rather  than  
grant their deliverance2 yet ,god knew  
that he would willingly  do this rather 
than the other2 he knew this which      
depended upon the  will of ,cyrus2 and  
why may not an infinite ,god foreknow   
the free acts  of all men1 as well as of
 one8 ,if the liberty of ,cyrus' will   

was no  hindrance to ,god's certain and 
infallible foreknowledge of it1 how  can
 the contingency of any other thing be a
 hindrance to him8 for  there is the    
same reason of one and all2 and his     
government extends  to every village1   
every family1 every person1 as well as  
to kingdoms  and nations4 ,so ,god      
foretold1 by his prophet1 not only the  
destruction  of ,jeroboam's altar1 but  
the name of the person that should be   
the  instrument of it 7#a ,kings xiii4  
#b71 and this about #cjj years before   
,josiah's birth4 ,it is a wonder that   
none of the pious kings of ,judah1  in  
detestation of idolatry1 and hopes to   
recover again the kingdom  of ,israel1  
had in all that space named one of their
 sons by that name  of ,josiah1 in hopes
 that that prophecy should be           
accomplished by him2  that ,manasseh    
only should do this1 who was the        
greatest imitator of  ,jeroboam's       
idolatry among all the ,jewish kings1   
and indeed went beyond  them2 and had no

 mind to destroy in another kingdom what
 he propagated  in his own4 ,what is    
freer than the imposition of a name8 yet
 this he  foreknew1 and this ,josiah was
 ,manasseh's son 7#b ,kings xxi4 #bf74  
,was  there anything more voluntary than
 for ,pharaoh to honor the butler  by   
restoring him to his place1 and punish  
the baker by hanging him  on a gibbet8  
yet this was foretold 7,gen4 xl4 #h74   
,and were not all the  voluntary acts of
 men1 which were the means of ,joseph's 
advancement1  foreknown by ,god1 as well
 as his exaltation1 which was the end he
  aimed at by those means8 ,many of     
these may be reckoned up4 ,can all  the 
free acts of man surmount the infinite  
capacity of the ,divine  understanding8 
,if ,god singles out one voluntary      
action in man as  contingent as any1 and
 lying among a vast number of other     
designs  and resolutions1 both          
antecedent and subsequent1 why should he
 not  know the whole mass of men's      
thoughts and actions1 and pierce into   

all that the liberty of man's will can  
effect8 why should he not know  every   
grain1 as well as one that lies in the  
midst of many of the same  kind8 ,and   
since the ,scripture gives so large an  
account of contingents1  predicted by   
,god1 no man can certainly prove that   
anything is  unforeknown to him4 ,it is 
as reasonable to think he knows every   
contingent1 as that he knows some that  
lie as much hid from the eye of  any    
creature1 a#ddc since there is no more  
difficulty to an infinite  understanding
 to know all1 than to know some4#gae    
,indeed1 if we deny  ,god's             
foreknowledge of the voluntary actions  
of men1 we must strike  ourselves off   
from the belief of scripture predictions
 that yet remain  unaccomplished1 and   
will be brought about by the voluntary  
engagements  of men1 as the ruin of     
antichrist1 c4 ,if ,god foreknows not   
the  secret motions of man's will1 how  
can he foretel them8 if we strip  him of
 this perfection of prescience1 why     

should we believe a word of  scripture  
predictions8 all the credit of the word 
of ,god is torn up by  the roots4 ,if   
,god were uncertain of such events1 how 
can we reconcile  ,god's declaration of 
them to his truth2 and his demanding our
 belief  of them to his goodness8 ,were 
it good and righteous in ,god to urge   
us to the belief of that he were        
uncertain of himself1 how could  he be  
true in predicting things he were not   
sure of8 or good1 in  requiring credit  
to be given to that which might be      
false8 ,this would  necessarily follow1 
if ,god did not foreknow the motions of 
men's wills1  whereby many of his       
predictions were fulfilled1 and some    
remain yet to  be accomplished4    7#b47
 ,god foreknows the voluntary sinful    
motions of men's wills4  ,first1 ,god   
had foretold several of them4 ,were not 
all the minute  sinful circumstances    
about the death of our blessed          
,redeemer1 as the  piercing him1 giving 
him gall to drink1 foretold1 as well as 

the not  breaking his bones1 and parting
 his garments8 ,what were those but the 
free actions of men1 which they did     
willingly without any constraint8  and  
those foretold by ,david1 ,isaiah1 and  
other prophets2 some above a  thousand1 
some eight hundred1 and some more1 some 
fewer years before  they came to pass2  
and the events punctually answered the  
prophesies4  ,many sinful acts of men1  
which depended upon their free will1    
have  been foretold4 ,the ,egyptians'   
voluntary oppressing ,israel 7,gen4  xv4
 #ac72 ,pharaoh's hardening his heart   
against the voice of ,moses  7,exod4    
iii4 #ai72 that ,isaiah's message would 
be in vain to the people  7,isa4 vi4    
#i72 that the ,israelites would be      
rebellious after ,moses'  death1 and    
turn idolaters 7,deut4 xxxi4 #af72      
,judas' betraying of our  ,saviour1 a   
voluntary action 7,john vi4 ult472 he   
was not forced to  do what he did1 for  
he had some kind of repentance for it2  
and not  violence1 but voluntariness    

falls under repentance4 ,second1 ,his   
truth  had depended upon this foresight4
 ,let us consider that in ,gen4 xv4 #af1
  8,but in the fourth generation they   
shall come hither again20 that is1  the 
posterity of ,abraham shall come into   
,canaan1 for the iniquity of  the       
,amorites is not yet full4#gaf ,god     
makes a promise to ,abraham1  of giving 
his posterity the land of ,canaan1 not  
presently1 but in  the fourth           
generation2 if the truth of ,god be     
infallible in the  performance of his   
promise1 his understanding is as        
infallible in the  foresight of the     
,amorites' sin2 the fullness of their   
iniquity was to  precede the            
,israelites' possession4 ,did the truth 
of ,god depend upon  an uncertainty8 did
 he make the promise hand over head 7as 
we say78  ,how could he1 with any wisdom
 and truth1 a#ddd assure ,israel of the 
possession of the land in the fourth    
generation1 if he had not been  sure    
that the ,amorites would fill up the    

measure of their iniquities  by that    
time8 ,if ,abraham had been a ,socinian1
 to deny ,god's knowledge  of the free  
acts of men1 had he not a fine excuse   
for unbelief8 ,what  would his reply    
have been to ,god8 ,alas1 ,lord1 this is
 not a promise  to be relied upon1 the  
,amorites' iniquity depends upon the    
acts  of their free will1 and such thou 
canst have no knowledge of2 thou  canst 
see no more than a likelihood of their  
iniquity being full1 and  therefore     
there is but a likelihood of thy        
performing thy promise1  and not a      
certainty6 ,would not this be judged not
 only a saucy1 but  a blasphemous       
answer8 ,and upon these principles the  
truth of the  most faithful ,god had    
been dashed to uncertainty and a        
peradventure4  ,third1 ,god provided a  
remedy for man's sin1 and therefore     
foresaw the  entrance of it into the    
world by the fall of ,adam4 ,he had a   
decree  before the foundation of the    
world1 to manifest his wisdom in the    

gospel by ,jesus ,christ1 an 8eternal   
purpose in ,jesus ,christ0 7,eph4  iii4 
#aa71 and a decree of election past     
before the foundation of the  world2a   
separation of some to redemption1 and   
forgiveness of sin in  the blood of     
,christ1 in whom they were from eternity
 chosen1 as well  as in time accepted in
 ,christ 7,eph4 i4 #d1 #f1 #g71 which is
 called a  8purpose in himself0 7ver4   
#i72 had not sin entered1 there had been
  no occasion for the death of the ,son 
of ,god1 it being everywhere  in        
,scripture laid upon that score2a decree
 for the shedding  of blood1 supposed a 
decree for the permission of sin1 and a 
certain foreknowledge of ,god1 that it  
would be committed by man4  ,an         
uncertainty of foreknowledge1 and a     
fixedness of purpose1 are  not          
consistent in a wise man1 much less in  
the only wise ,god4 ,god's  purpose to  
manifest his wisdom to men and angels in
 this way might  have been defeated1 had
 ,god had only a conjectural            

foreknowledge  of the fall of man2 and  
all those solemn purposes of displaying 
his perfections in those methods had    
been to no purpose2#gag the  provision  
of a remedy supposed a certainty of the 
disease4 ,if a  sparrow fall not to the 
ground without the will of ,god1 how    
much less  could such a deplorable ruin 
fall upon mankind1 without ,god's will  
permitting it1 and his knowledge        
foreseeing it8 ,it is not hard to       
conceive how ,god might foreknow it8#gah
 he indeed decreed to create  man in an 
excellent state2 the goodness of ,god   
could not but furnish  him with a power 
to stand2 yet in his wisdom he might    
foresee that  the devil would be envious
 to man's happiness1 and would1 out of  
envy1 attempt his subversion4 ,as ,god  
knew of what temper the faculties  were 
he had endued man with1 and how far they
 were able to endure the  assaults of a 
temptation1 so he also foreknew the     
grand subtelties of  ,satan1 how he     
would lay his mine1 and to what point he

 would drive his  temptation2 how he    
would propose and manage it1 and direct 
his battery  against the sensitive      
appetite1 and assault the weakest part  
of the  fort2 might he not foresee that 
the efficacy of the temptation would    
exceed the measure of the resistance2   
cannot ,god know how far the  malice of 
,satan would extend1 what shots he      
would1 according to his  nature1 use1   
how high he would charge his temptation 
without his  powerful restraint1 a#dde  
as well as an engineer judge how many   
shots  of a cannon will make a breach in
 a town1 and how many casks of powder   
will blow up a fortress1 who never yet  
built the one1 nor founded  the other8  
,we may easily conclude ,god could not  
be deceived in the  judgment of the     
issue and event1 since he knew how far  
he would let  ,satan loose1 how far he  
would permit man to act2 and since he   
dives  to the bottom of the nature of   
all things1 he foresaw that ,adam was   
endued with an ability to stand2 as he  

foresaw that ,benhadad might  naturally 
recover of his disease2 but he foresaw  
also that ,adam would  sink under the   
allurements of the temptation1 as he    
foresaw that  ,hazael would let         
,benhadad live 7#b ,kings viii4 #aj74   
,now since the whole  race of mankind   
lies in corruption1 and is subject to   
the power of  the devil 7#a ,john iii4  
#ah71 may not ,god1 that knows that     
corruption  in every man's nature1 and  
the force of every man's spirit1 and    
what  every particular nature will      
incline him to upon such objects        
proposed  to him1 and what the reasons  
of the temptation will be1 know also the
  issues8 is there any difficulty in    
,god's foreknowing this1 since man      
knowing the nature of one he is well    
acquainted with1 can conclude  what     
sentiments he will have1 and how he will
 behave himself upon  presenting this or
 that object to him8 ,if a man that     
understands the  disposition of his     
child or servant1 knows before what he  

will do upon  such an occasion1 may not 
,god much more1 who knows the           
inclination of  all his creatures1 and  
from eternity run with his eyes over all
 the  works he intended8 ,our wills are 
in the number of causes2 and since  ,god
 knows our wills1 as causes1 better than
 we do ourselves1 why  should he be     
ignorant of the effects8 ,god determines
 to give grace to  such a man1 not to   
give it to another1 but leave him to    
himself1 and  suffer such temptations to
 assault him2 now ,god knowing the      
corruption  of man in the whole mass1   
and in every part of it1 is it not easy 
for him to foreknow what the future     
actions of the will will be1 when  the  
tinder and fire meet together1 and how  
such a man will determine  himself1 both
 us to the substance and manner of the  
action8 ,is it  not easy for him to know
 how a corrupted temper and a temptation
 will  suit8 ,god is exactly privy to   
all the gall in the hearts of men1 and  
what principles they will have1 before  

they have a being4 ,he 8knows  their    
thoughts afar off0 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #b71 as
 far off as eternity1 as  some explain  
the words1 and thoughts are as voluntary
 as anything2  he knows the power and   
inclinations of men in the order of     
second  causes2 he understands the      
corruption of men1 as well as 8the      
poison  of dragons1 and the venom of    
asps20 this is 8laid up in store with   
him1 and sealed among his treasures0    
7,deut4 xxxii4 #cc1 #cd73 among  the    
treasures of his foreknowledge1 say     
some4 ,what was the cruelty of  ,hazael1
 but a free act8 yet ,god knew the frame
 of his heart1 and what  acts of murder 
and oppression would spring from that   
bitter fountain1  before ,hazael had    
conceived them in himself 7#b ,kings    
viii4 #ab71 as a  man that knows the    
minerals through which the waters pass1 
may know  what relish they will have    
before they appear above the earth1 so  
our  ,saviour knew how ,peter would deny
 him2 he knew what quantity of powder   

would serve for such a battery1 in what 
measure he would let loose  ,satan1     
a#ddf how far he would leave the reins  
in ,peter's hands1 and  then the issue  
might easily be known2 and so in every  
act of man1 ,god  knows in his own will 
what measure of grace he will give1 to  
determine  the will to good1 and what   
measure of grace he will withdraw from  
such  a person1 or not give to him2 and1
 consequently1 how far such a person    
will fall or not4 ,god knows the        
inclinations of the creature2 he knows  
his own permissions1 what degrees of    
grace he will either allow him1  or keep
 from him1 according to which will be   
the degree of his sin4  ,this may in    
some measure help our conceptions in    
this1 though1 as  was said before1 the  
manner of ,god's foreknowledge is not so
 easily  explicable4    7#c47 ,god's    
foreknowledge of man's voluntary actions
 doth not  necessitate the will of man4 
,the foreknowledge of ,god is not       
deceived1  nor the liberty of man's will

 diminished4 ,i shall not trouble you   
with  any school distinctions1 but be as
 plain as ,i can1 laying down several   
propositions in this case4    ,prop4 ,i4
 ,it is certain all necessity doth not  
take away liberty1  indeed a compulsive 
necessity takes away liberty1 but a     
necessity  of immutability removes not  
liberty from ,god2 why should1 then1 a  
necessity of infallibility in ,god      
remove liberty from the creature8  ,god 
did necessarily create the world1       
because he decreed it2 yet  freely1     
because his will from eternity stood to 
it1 he freely decreed  it and freely    
created it1 as the apostle saith in     
regard of ,god's  decrees1 8,who hath   
been his counsellor0 7,rom4 xi4 #cd78 so
 in regard of  his actions ,i may say1  
,who hath been his compeller8 he freely 
decreed1  and he freely created4 ,jesus 
,christ necessarily took our flesh1     
because he had covenanted with ,god so  
to do1 yet he acted freely and          
voluntarily according to that covenant1 

otherwise his death had not  been       
efficacious for us4 ,a good man doth    
naturally1 necessarily1 love  his       
children1 yet voluntarily3 it is part of
 the happiness of the  blessed to love  
,god unchangeably1 yet freely1 for it   
would not be  their happiness if it were
 done by compulsion4 ,what is done by   
force  cannot be called felicity1       
because there is no delight or          
complacency  in it2 and1 though the     
blessed love ,god freely1 yet1 if there 
were  a possibility of change1 it would 
not be their happiness1 their           
blessedness would be damped by their    
fear of falling from this love1  and    
consequently from their nearness to     
,god1 in whom their happiness  consists3
 ,god foreknows that they will love him 
forever1 but are they  therefore        
compelled forever to love him8 ,if there
 were such a kind  of constraint1 heaven
 would be rendered burdensome to them1  
and so  no heaven4 ,again1 ,god's       
foreknowledge of what he will do1 doth  

not  necessitate him to do3 he foreknew 
that he would create a world1 yet  he   
freely created a world4 ,god's          
foreknowledge doth not necessitate      
himself2 why should it necessitate us   
more than himself8 ,we may  instance in 
ourselves3 when we will a thing1 we     
necessarily use our  faculty of will2   
and when we freely will any thing1 it is
 necessary  that we freely will2 but    
this necessity doth not exclude1 but    
include1  liberty2 or1 more plainly1    
when a man writes or speaks1 whilst he  
writes or speaks1 those actions are     
necessary1 because to speak and be      
silent1 to write and not to write1 at   
the same time1 are impossible2  yet our 
writing a#ddg or speaking doth not take 
away the power not  to write or to be   
silent at that time if a man would be   
so2 for he  might have chose whether he 
would have spoke or writ4 ,so there is  
a necessity of such actions of man1     
which ,god foresees2 that is1 a         
necessity of infallibility1 because ,god

 cannot be deceived1 but not  a coactive
 necessity1 as if they were compelled by
 ,god to act thus or  thus4    ,prop4   
,,ii4 ,no man can say in any of his     
voluntary actions that  he ever found   
any force upon him4 ,when any of us have
 done anything  according to our wills1 
can we say we could not have done the   
contrary  to it8 were we determined to  
it in our own intrinsic nature1 or did  
we  not determine ourselves8 did we not 
act either according to our reason1  or 
according to outward allurements8 did we
 find anything without us1  or within   
us1 that did force our wills to the     
embracing this or that8  ,whatever      
action you do1 you do it because you    
judge it fit to be done1  or because you
 will do it4 ,what1 though ,god foresaw 
that you would do  so1 and that you     
would do this or that1 did you feel any 
force upon  you8 did you not act        
according to your nature8 ,god foresees 
that you  will eat or walk at such a    
time2 do you find anything that moves   

you  to eat1 but your own appetite8 or  
to walk1 but your own reason and  will8 
,if prescience had imposed any necessity
 upon man1 should we not  probably have 
found some kind of plea from it in the  
mouth of ,adam8  he knew as much as any 
man ever since knew of the nature of    
,god1 as  discoverable in creation2 he  
could not in innocence fancy an ignorant
  ,god1 a ,god that knew nothing of     
future things2 he could not be so       
ignorant of his own action1 but he must 
have perceived a force upon  his will1  
had there been any2 had he thought that 
,god's prescience  imposed any necessity
 upon him1 he would not have omitted the
 plea1  especially when he was so daring
 as to charge the providence of ,god  in
 the gift of the woman to him1 to be the
 cause of his crime 7,gen4  iii4 #ab47  
,how come his posterity to invent new   
charges against ,god1  which their      
father ,adam never thought of1 who had  
more knowledge than  all of them8 ,he   
could find no cause of his sin but the  

liberty of his  own will2 he charges it1
 not upon any necessity from the devil1 
or  any necessity from ,god2 nor doth he
 allege the gift of the woman as a      
necessary cause of his sin1 but an      
occasion of it1 by giving the fruit  to 
him4 ,judas knew that our ,saviour did  
foreknow his treachery1 for he  had told
 him of it in the hearing of his        
disciples 7,john xiii4 #babf71  yet he  
never charged the necessity of his crime
 upon the foreknowledge  of his ,master2
 if ,judas had not done it freely1 he   
had had no reason  to repent of it2 his 
repentance justifies ,christ from       
imposing any  necessity upon him by that
 foreknowledge4 ,no man acts anything1  
but  he can give an account of the      
motives of his action2 he cannot father 
it upon a blind necessity2 the will     
cannot be compelled1 for then it  would 
cease to be the will3 ,god doth not root
 up the foundations of  nature1 or      
change the order of it1 and make men    
unable to act like  men1 that is1 as    

free agents4 ,god foreknows the actions 
of irrational  creatures2 this concludes
 no violence upon their nature1 for we  
find  their actions to be according to  
their nature1 and spontaneous4    a#ddh 
,prop4 ,,iii4 ,god's foreknowledge is   
not1 simply considered1 the  cause of   
anything4 ,it puts nothing into things1 
but only beholds them  as present1 and  
arising from their proper causes4 ,the  
knowledge of ,god  is not the principle 
of things1 or the cause of their        
existence1 but  directive of the action2
 nothing is because ,god knows it1 but  
because  ,god wills it1 either          
positively or permissively2 ,god knows  
all things  possible2 yet1 because ,god 
knows them they are not brought into    
actual  existence1 but remain still only
 as things possible2 knowledge only     
apprehends a thing1 but acts nothing2 it
 is the rule of acting1 but  not the    
cause of acting2 the will is the        
immediate principle1 and  the power the 
immediate cause2 to know a thing is not 

to do a thing1  for then we may be said 
to do everything that we know3 but every
 man  knows those things which he never 
did1 nor never will do2 knowledge  in   
itself is an apprehension of a thing1   
and is not the cause of it4  ,a         
spectator of a thing is not the cause of
 that thing which he sees1  that is1 he 
is not the cause of it1 as he beholds   
it4 ,we see a man  write1 we know before
 that he will write at such a time2 but 
this  foreknowledge is not the cause of 
his writing4 ,we see a man walk1 but    
our vision of him brings no necessity of
 walking upon him2 he was free  to walk 
or not to walk4#gai ,we foreknow that   
death will seize upon  all men1 we      
foreknow that the seasons of the year   
will succeed one  another1 yet is not   
our foreknowledge the cause of this     
succession  of spring after winter1 or  
of the death of all men1 or any man8 ,we
  see one man fighting with another2 our
 sight is not the cause of  that        
contest1 but some quarrel among         

themselves1 exciting their own          
passions4 ,as the knowledge of present  
things imposeth no necessity  upon them 
while they are acting1 and present1 so  
the knowledge of  future things imposeth
 no necessity upon them while they are  
coming4  ,we are certain there will be  
men in the world tomorrow1 and that the 
sea will ebb and flow2 but is this      
knowledge of ours the cause that  those 
things will be so8 ,i know that the sun 
will rise tomorrow1 it  is true that it 
shall rise2 but it is not true that my  
foreknowledge  makes it to rise4 ,if a  
physician prognosticates1 upon seeing   
the  intemperances and debaucheries of  
men1 that they will fall into such  a   
distemper1 is his prognostication any   
cause of their disease1 or of  the      
sharpness of any symptoms attending it8 
,the prophet foretold the  cruelty of   
,hazael before he committed it2 but who 
will say that the  prophet was the cause
 of his commission of that evil8 ,and   
thus the  foreknowledge of ,god takes   

not away the liberty of man's will1 no  
more  than a foreknowledge that we have 
of any man's actions takes away his     
liberty4 ,we may upon our knowledge of  
the temper of a man1 certainly          
foreknow1 that if he falls into such    
company1 and get among his cups1  he    
will be drunk2 but is this foreknowledge
 the cause that he is  drunk8 ,no2 the  
cause is the liberty of his own will1   
and not resisting  the temptation4 ,god 
purposes to leave such a man to himself 
and his  own ways2 and man being so     
left1 ,god foreknows what will be done  
by him according to that corrupt nature 
which is in him2 though the  decree of  
,god of leaving a a#ddi man to the      
liberty of his own will  be certain1 yet
 the liberty of man's will as thus left1
 is the cause  of all the extravagances 
he doth commit4 ,suppose ,adam had      
stood1 would  not ,god certainly have   
foreseen that he would have stood8 yet  
it would  have been concluded that ,adam
 had stood1 not by any necessity of     

,god's  foreknowledge1 but by the       
liberty of his own will4 ,why should    
then  the foreknowledge of ,god add more
 necessity to his falling than to  his  
standing8 ,and though it be said        
sometimes in ,scripture1 that  such a   
thing was done 8that the ,scripture     
might be fulfilled10 as  ,john xii4 #ch1
 8that the saying of ,esais might be    
fulfilled1 ,lord1  who hath believed our
 report80 the word that doth not infer  
that  the prediction of the prophet was 
the cause of the ,jews' belief1 but     
infers this1 that the prediction was    
manifested to be true by their          
unbelief1 and the event answered the    
prediction2 this prediction  was not the
 cause of their sin1 but their foreseen 
sin was the cause  of this prediction2  
and so the particle that is taken 7,ps4 
li4 #f71  8,against thee1 thee only have
 ,i sinned1 that thou mightest be       
justified10 c42 the justifying ,god was 
not the end and intent of  the sin1 but 
the event of it upon his                

acknowledgment4#gbj    ,prop4 ,,iv4 ,god
 foreknows things1 because they will    
come to pass2  but things are not       
future1 because ,god knows them4        
,foreknowledge  presupposeth the object 
which is foreknown2 a thing that is to  
come to  pass is the object of the      
,divine knowledge1 but not the cause of 
the  act of divine knowledge2 and though
 the foreknowledge of ,god doth in      
eternity precede the actual presence of 
a thing which is foreseen as  future1   
yet the future thing1 in regard of its  
futurity1 is as eternal  as the         
foreknowledge of ,god3 as the voice is  
uttered before it be  heard1 and a thing
 is visible before it be seen1 and a    
thing knowable  before it be known4 ,but
 how comes it to be knowable to ,god8 it
 must  be answered1 either in the power 
of ,god as a thing possible1 or in the  
will of ,god as a thing future2 he first
 willed1 and then knew what he  willed2 
he knew what he willed to effect1 and he
 knew what he willed  to permit2 as he  

willed the death of ,christ by a        
determinate counsel1  and willed the    
permission of the ,jew's sin1 and the   
ordering of the  malice of their nature 
to that end 7,acts ii4 #bb74 ,god       
decrees to make  a rational creature1   
and to govern him by a law2 ,god decrees
 not to  hinder this rational creature  
from transgressing his law2 and ,god    
foresees that what he would not hinder1 
would come to pass4 ,man did  not sin   
because ,god foresaw him2 but ,god      
foresaw him to sin1 because  man would  
sin4 ,if ,adam and other men would have 
acted otherwise1 ,god  would have       
foreknown that they would have acted    
well2 ,god foresaw  our actions because 
they would so come to pass by the motion
 of our  freewill1 which he would       
permit1 which he would concur with1     
which he  would order to his own holy   
and glorious ends1 for the manifestation
  of the perfection of his nature4 ,if  
,i see a man lie in a sink1 no          
necessity is inferred upon him from my  

sight to lie in that filthy  place1 but 
there is a necessity inferred by him    
that lies there1 that  ,i should see him
 in that condition if ,i pass by1 and   
cast my eye that  way4    ,prop4 ,v4    
,god did not only foreknow our actions1 
but the manner  a#dej of our actions4   
,that is1 he did not only know that we  
would do  such actions1 but that we     
would do them freely2 he foresaw that   
the  will would freely determine itself 
to this or that2 the knowledge of  ,god 
takes not away the nature of things2    
though ,god knows possible  things1 yet 
they remain in the nature of            
possibility2 and though  ,god knows     
contingent things1 yet they remain in   
the nature of  contingencies2 and though
 ,god knows free agents1 yet they remain
 in  the nature of liberty4 ,god did not
 foreknow the actions of man1 as        
necessary1 but as free2 so that liberty 
is rather established by this           
foreknowledge1 than removed4 ,god did   
not foreknow that ,adam had not  a power

 to stand1 or that any man hath not a   
power to omit such a  sinful action1 but
 that he would not omit it4 ,man hath a 
power to  do otherwise than that which  
,god foreknows he will do4 ,adam was not
  determined by any inward necessity to 
fall1 nor any man by any inward         
necessity to commit this or that        
particular sin2 but ,god foresaw that   
he would fall1 and fall freely2 for he  
saw the whole circle of means  and      
causes whereby such and such actions    
should be produced1 and can  be no more 
ignorant of the motions of our wills1   
and the manner of  them1 than an        
artificer can be ignorant of the motions
 of his watch1  and how far the spring  
will let down the string in the space of
 an  hour2 he sees all causes leading to
 such events in their whole order1  and 
how the freewill of man will comply with
 this1 or refuse that2 he  changes not  
the manner of the creature's operation1 
whatsoever it be4    ,prop4 ,,vi4 ,but  
what if the foreknowledge of ,god1 and  

the liberty of  the will1 cannot be     
fully reconciled by man8 shall we       
therefore deny  a perfection in ,god to 
support a liberty in ourselves8 ,shall  
we rather  fasten ignorance upon ,god1  
and accuse him of blindness1 to maintain
  our liberty8 ,that ,god doth foreknow 
everything1 and yet that there  is      
liberty in the rational creature1 are   
both certain2 but how fully  to         
reconcile them1 may surmount the        
understanding of man4 ,some truths  the 
disciples were not capable of bearing in
 the days of ,christ2 and  several      
truths our understandings cannot reach  
as long as the world  doth last2 yet1 in
 the mean time1 we must1 on the one     
hand1 take heed  of conceiving ,god     
ignorant1 and on the other hand1 of     
imagining the  creature necessitated2   
the one will render ,god imperfect1 and 
the  other will seem to render him      
unjust1 in punishing man for that sin   
which he could not avoid1 but was       
brought into by a fatal necessity4  ,god

 is sufficient to render a reason of his
 own proceedings1 and clear  up all at  
the day of judgment2 it is a part of    
man's curiosity1 since  the fall1 to be 
prying into ,god's secrets1 things too  
high for him2  whereby he singes his own
 wings1 and confounds his own           
understanding4  ,it is a cursed         
affectation that runs in the blood of   
,adam's posterity1  to know as ,god1    
though our first father smarted and     
ruined his  posterity in that attempt2  
the ways and knowledge of ,god are as   
much  above our thoughts and conceptions
 as the heavens are above the earth     
7,isa4 lv4 #i71gba and so sublime1 that 
we cannot comprehend them in  their true
 and just greatness2 his designs are so 
mysterious1 and the  ways of his conduct
 so profound1 that it is not possible to
 dive into  them4 ,the force of our     
a#dea understandings is below his       
infinite  wisdom1 and therefore we      
should adore him with an humble         
astonishment1  and cry out with the     

apostle 7,rom4 xi4 #cc73 8,o the depth  
of the riches  of the wisdom and        
knowledge of ,god6 how unsearchable are 
his judgments1  and his ways past       
finding out60 ,whenever we meet with    
depths that we  cannot fathom1 let us   
remember that he is ,god1 and we his    
creatures2  and not be guilty of so     
great extravagance1 as to think that a  
subject  can pierce into all the secrets
 of a prince1 or a work understand all  
the operations of the artificer4 ,let us
 only resolve not to fasten  anything on
 ,god that is unworthy of the perfection
 of his nature1  and dishonorable to the
 glory of his majesty2 nor imagine that 
we  can ever step out of the rank of    
creatures to the glory of the ,deity1   
to understand fully everything in his   
nature4 ,so much for the second         
general1 what ,god knows4    ,,iii4 ,the
 third is1 how ,god knows all things4   
,as it is necessary we  should conceive 
,god to be an understanding being1 else 
he could not be  ,god1 so we must       

conceive his understanding to be        
infinitely more pure  and perfect than  
ours in the act of it1 else we liken him
 to ourselves1  and debase him as low as
 his footstool4#gbb ,as among creatures 
there  are degrees of being and         
perfection1 plants above earth and sand1
  because they have a power of growth1  
beasts above plants1 because  to their  
power of growth there is an addition of 
excellency of sense1  rational creatures
 above beasts1 because to sense there is
 added the  dignity of reason4 ,the     
understanding of man is more noble than 
all  the vegetative power of plants1 or 
the sensative power of beasts3  ,god    
therefore must be infinitely more       
excellent in his understanding1  and    
therefore in the manner of it4 ,as man  
differs from a beast in  regard of his  
knowledge1 so doth ,god also from man1  
in regard of his  knowledge4 ,as ,god   
therefore is in being and perfection1   
infinitely  more above a man than a man 
is above a beast1 the manner of his     

knowledge must be infinitely more above 
a man's knowledge1 than the  knowledge  
of a man is above that of a beast2 our  
understanding can  clasp an object in a 
moment that is at a great distance from 
our sense2  our eye1 by one elevated    
motion1 can view the heavens2 the manner
 of  ,god's understanding must be       
unconceivably above our glimmerings2 as 
the manner of his being is infinitely   
more perfect than all beings1 so  must  
the manner of his understanding be      
infinitely more perfect than  all       
created understandings4#gbc ,indeed1 the
 manner of ,god's knowledge  can no more
 be known by us than his essence can be 
known by us2 and  the same incapacity in
 man1 which renders him unable to       
comprehend  the being of ,god1 renders  
him as unable to comprehend the manner  
of  ,god's understanding4 ,as there is a
 vast distance between the essence  of  
,god and our beings1 so there is between
 the thoughts of ,god and  our thoughts2
 the heavens are not so much higher than

 the earth1 as  the thoughts of ,god are
 above the thoughts of men1 yea1 and of 
the  highest angel 7,isa4 lv4 #h1 #i71  
yet though we know not the manner of    
,god's knowledge1 we know that he knows2
 as though we know not the  infiniteness
 of ,god1 yet we know that he is        
infinite4 ,it is ,god's  a#deb sole     
prerogative to know himself1 what he is2
 and it is equally  his prerogative to  
know how he knows2 the manner of ,god's 
knowledge  therefore must be considered 
by us as free from those imperfections  
our knowledge is encumbered with4 ,in   
general1 ,god doth necessarily  know all
 things2 he is necessarily omnipresent1 
because of the  immensity of his        
essence2 so he is necessarily           
omniscient1 because of  the infiniteness
 of his understanding4 ,it is no more at
 the liberty  of his will1 whether he   
will know all things1 than whether he   
will be  able to create all things2 it  
is no more at the liberty of his will1  
whether he will be omniscient1 than     

whether he will be holy2 he can  as     
little be ignorant1 as he can be impure2
 he knows not all things1  because he   
will know them1 but because it is       
essential to his nature  to know them4  
,in particular1    ,prop4 ,i4 ,god knows
 by his own essence2 that is1 he sees   
the nature  of things in the ideas of   
his own mind1 and the events of things  
in  the decrees of his own will2 he     
knows them not by viewing the things1   
but by viewing himself2 his own essence 
is the mirror and book1  wherein he     
beholds all things that he doth ordain1 
dispose and execute2  and so he knows   
all things in their first and original  
cause2 which is  no other than his own  
essence willing1 and his own essence    
executing  what he wills2 he knows them 
in his power1 as the physical principle2
  in his will1 as the moral principle of
 things1 as some speak4 ,he  borrows not
 the knowledge of creatures from the    
creatures1 nor depends  upon them for   
means of understanding1 as we poor worms

 do1 who are  beholden to the objects   
abroad to assist us with images of      
things1  and to our senses to convey    
them into our minds2 ,god would then    
acquire a perfection from those things  
which are below himself1 and an         
excellency from those things which are  
vile2 his knowledge would not  precede  
the being of the creatures1 but the     
creatures would be before  the act of   
his knowledge4 ,if he understood by     
images drawn from the  creatures1 as we 
do1 there would be something in ,god    
which is not ,god1  viz4 the images of  
things drawn from outward objects3 ,god 
would then  depend upon creatures for   
that which is more noble than a bare    
being2  for to be understanding1 is more
 excellent than barely to be4 ,besides1 
if ,god's knowledge of his creatures    
were derived from the creatures  by the 
impression of anything upon him1 as     
there is upon us1 he could  not know    
from eternity1 because from eternity    
there was no actual  existence of       

anything but himself2 and therefore     
there could not be  any images shot out 
from anything1 because there was not    
anything in  being but ,god2 as there is
 no principle of being to anything but  
by  his essence1 so there is no         
principle of the knowledge of anything  
by  himself but his essence2 if the     
knowledge of ,god were distinct from    
his essence1 his knowledge were not     
eternal1 because there is nothing       
eternal but his essence4 ,his           
understanding is not a faculty in him as
  it is in us1 but the same with his    
essence1 because of the simplicity  of  
his nature2 ,god is not made up of      
various parts1 one distinct from        
another1 as we are1 and therefore doth  
not understand by a part of  himself1   
but by himself2 so that to be1 and to   
understand1 is the  same with ,god2 his 
essence is not one thing1 and the power 
whereby he  understands another2 he     
would then be compounded1 and not be    
a#dec  the most simple being4 ,this is  

also necessary for the perfection of    
,god2 for the more perfect and noble the
 way and manner of knowing  is1 the more
 perfect and noble is the knowledge4    
,the perfection  of knowledge depends   
upon the excellency of the medium       
whereby we  know4 ,as a knowledge by    
reason1 is a more noble way of knowing  
than  knowledge by sense2 so it is more 
excellent for ,god to know by his       
essence1 than by anything without him1  
anything mixed with him2 the  first     
would render him dependent1 and the     
other would demolish his  simplicity4   
,again1 the natures of all things are   
contained in ,god1  not formally2 for   
then the nature of the creatures would  
be ,god2  but eminently1 8,he that      
planted the ear1 shall he not hear8 he  
that  formed the eye1 shall he not see80
 7,ps4 xciv4 #i47 ,he hath in himself   
eminently the beauty1 perfection1 life  
and vigor of all creatures2  he created 
nothing contrary to himself1 but        
everything with some  footsteps of      

himself in them2 he could not have      
pronounced them  good1 as he did1 had   
there been anything in them contrary to 
his own  goodness2 and therefore as his 
essence primarily represents itself1  so
 it represents the creatures1 and makes 
them known to him4 ,as  the essence of  
,god is eminently all things1 so by     
understanding his  essence1 he eminently
 understands all things4#gbd ,and       
therefore  he hath not one knowledge of 
himself1 and another knowledge of the   
creatures2 but by knowing himself as the
 original and exemplary cause  of all   
things1 he cannot be ignorant of any    
creature which he is the  cause of2 so  
that he knows all things1 not by an     
understanding of them1  but by an       
understanding of himself2 by            
understanding his own power as  the     
efficient of them1 his own will as the  
orderer of them1 his own  goodness as   
the adorner and beautifier of them1 his 
own wisdom as the  disposer of them1 and
 his own holiness1 to which many of     

their actions  are contrary4 ,as he sees
 all things possible in his own power1  
because  he is able to produce them2 so 
he sees all things future in his own    
will1 decreeing to effect them1 if they 
be good1 or decreeing to  permit them if
 they be evil4#gbe ,in this class he    
sees what he will  give being to1 and   
what he will suffer to fall into a      
deficiency1  without looking out of     
himself1 or borrowing knowledge from his
  creatures2 he knows all things in     
himself4 ,and thus his knowledge is     
more noble1 and of a higher elevation   
than ours1 or the knowledge of  any     
creature can be2 he knows all things by 
one comprehension of the  causes in     
himself4    ,prop4 ,,ii4 ,god knows all 
things by one act of intuition4 ,this   
the  schools call an intuitive          
knowledge4 ,this follows upon the other2
 for  if he know by his own essence1 he 
knows all things by one act1 there      
would be otherwise a division in his    
essence1 a first and a last1 a  nearness

 and a distance4 ,as what he made1 he   
made by one word2 so what  he sees1 he  
pierceth into by one glance from        
eternity to eternity3 as  he wills all  
things by one act of his will1 so he    
knows all things by  one act of his     
understanding3 he knows not some things 
discursively  from other things1 nor    
knows one thing successively after      
another4 ,as  by one act he imparts     
essence to things2 so by one act he     
knows the  nature of things4    #a4 ,he 
doth not know by discourse1 as we       
do2that is1 by deducing  a#ded one thing
 from another1 and from common notions  
drawing out  other rational conclusions 
and arguing one thing from another1 and 
springing up various consequences from  
some principle assented to4  ,but ,god  
stands in no need of reasonings2 the    
making inferences and  abstracting      
things1 would be stains in the infinite 
perfection of ,god2  here would be a    
mixture of knowledge and ignorance2     
while he knew  the principle1 he would  

not know the consequence and conclusion1
  till he had actually deduced it2 one  
thing would be known after  another1 and
 so he would have an ignorance1 and then
 a knowledge2 and  there would be       
different conceptions in ,god1 and      
knowledge would be  multiplied according
 to the multitude of objects2 as it is  
in human  understandings4 ,but ,god     
knows all things before they did exist1 
and  never was ignorant of them 7,acts  
xv4 #ah73 8,known unto ,god are all his 
works from the beginning of the world40 
,he therefore knows them all at  once2  
the knowledge of one thing was not      
before another1 nor depended  upon      
another1 as it doth in the way of human 
reasoning4#gbf ,though1  indeed1 some   
make a virtual discourse in ,god2 that  
is1 though ,god  hath a simple          
knowledge1 yet it doth virtually contain
 a discourse by  the flowing of one     
knowledge from another2 as from the     
knowledge of  his own power1 he knows   
what things are possible to be made by  

him2  and from the knowledge of himself1
 he passes to the knowledge of the      
creatures2 but this is only according to
 our conception1 and because  of our    
weakness they are apprehended as two    
distinct acts in ,god1 one  of which is 
the reason of another2 as we say that   
one attribute is  the reason of another2
 as his mercy may be said to be the     
reason of  his patience2 and his        
omnipresence to be the reason of the    
knowledge  of present things done in the
 world4 ,god1 indeed1 by one simple act1
  knows himself and the creatures2 but  
when that act whereby he knows  himself1
 is conceived by us to pass to the      
knowledge of the creatures1  we must not
 understand it to be a new act1 distinct
 from the other2  but the same act upon 
different terms or objects2 such an     
order is in  our understandings and     
conceptions1 not in ,god's4    #b4 ,nor 
doth he know successively as we do3 that
 is1 not by drops1  one thing after     
another4 ,this follows from the former2 

a knowledge of  all things without      
discourse1 is a knowledge without       
succession4#gbg  ,the knowledge of one  
thing is not in ,god before another1 one
 act of  knowledge doth not beget       
another2 in regard of the objects1 one  
thing  is before another1 one year      
before another1 one generation of men   
before another1 one is the cause1 the   
other is the effect2 in the  creatures  
there is such a succession1 and ,god    
knows there will be such  a succession2 
but there is no such order in ,god's    
knowledge1 for he  knows all those      
successions by one glance1 without any  
succession of  knowledge in himself4    
,man1 in his view of things1 must turn  
sometimes  his body1 sometimes only his 
eyes1 he cannot see all the contents  of
 a letter at once2 and though he beholds
 all the lines in the page  of a book at
 once1 and a whole country in a map1 yet
 to know what is  contained in them1 he 
must turn his eye from word to word1 and
 line to  line1 and so spin out one     

thing after another by a#dee several    
acts  and motions4 ,we behold a great   
part of the sea at once1#gbh but not    
all the dimensions of it2 for to know   
the length of the sea1 we move  our eyes
 one way2 to see the breadth of it1 we  
turn our eyes another  way2 to behold   
the depth of it1 we have another motion 
of them4 ,and  when we cast our eyes up 
to heaven1 we seem to receive in an     
instant1  the whole extent of the       
hemisphere2 yet there is but one object 
the  eye can attentively pitch upon1 and
 we cannot distinctly view what  we see 
in a lump1 without various motions of   
our eyes1 which is not  done without    
succession of time4#gbi ,and certainly  
the understanding  of angels is bounded1
 according to the measure of their      
beings2 so  that it cannot extend itself
 at one time1 to a quantity of objects1 
to make a distinct application of them1 
but the objects must present  themselves
 one by one2 but ,god is all eye1 all   
understanding2 as there  is no          

succession in his essence1 so there is  
none in his knowledge2  his             
understanding in the nature and in the  
act1 is infinite1 as it  is in the text4
 ,he therefore sees1 eternally and      
universally1 all  things by one act1    
without any motion1 much less various   
motions2 the  various changes of things1
 in their substance1 qualities1 places1 
and  relations1 withdraw not anything   
from his eye1 nor bring any new thing   
to his knowledge2 he doth not upon      
consideration of present things  turn   
his mind from past2 or when he beholds  
future things turn his  mind from       
present2 but he sees them not one after 
another1 but all  at once and all       
together2 the whole circle of his own   
counsels1 and  all the various lines    
drawn forth from the centre of his will1
 to  the circumference of his creatures2
 just as if a man were able in  one     
moment to read a whole library2 or1 as  
if you should imagine  a transparent    
crystal globe1 hung up in the midst of a

 room1 and  so framed as to take in the 
images of all things in the room1 the   
fretwork in the ceiling1 the inlaid     
parts of the floor and the  particular  
parts of the tapestry about it1 the eye 
of a man would  behold all the beauty of
 the room at once in it4 ,as the sun by 
one  light and heat frames sensible     
things1 so ,god by one simple act knows 
all things2 as he knows mutable things  
by an immutable knowledge1  bodily      
things by a spiritual knowledge1 so he  
knows many things by one  knowledge     
7,heb4 iv4 #ac73 8,all things are open  
and naked to him10 more  than any one   
thing can be to us2 and therefore he    
views all things  at once1 as well as we
 can behold and contemplate one thing   
alone4  ,as he is the ,father of lights1
 a ,god of infinite understanding1 there
  is no variableness in his mind1 nor   
any shadow of turning of his  eye1 as   
there is of ours1 to behold various     
things 7,james i4 #ag72 his  knowledge  
being eternal1 includes all times2 there

 is nothing past or  future with him1   
and therefore he beholds all things by  
one and the  same manner of knowledge1  
and comprehends all knowable things by  
one  act1 and in one moment4 ,this must 
needs be so1    7#a47 ,because of the   
eminency of ,god4 ,god is above all1 and
 therefore  cannot but see the motions  
of all4 ,he that sits in a theatre1 or  
at  the top of a place1 sees all things1
 all persons2 by one aspect he          
comprehends the whole circle of the     
place2 whereas1 he that sits below1     
when he looks before1 he cannot see     
things behind2 ,god a#def being  above  
all1 about all1 in all1 sees at once the
 motions of all4 ,the  whole world1 in  
the eye of ,god1 is less than a point   
that divides one  sentence from another 
in a book2 as a cypher1 a 8grain of     
dust0 7,isa4  xl4 #ae72 so little a     
thing can be seen by man at once2 and   
all things  being as little in the eye  
of ,god1 are seen at once by him4 ,as   
all  time is but a moment to his        

eternity1 so all things are but as a    
point  to the immensity of his          
knowledge1 which he can behold with more
 ease  than we can move or turn our eye4
    7#b47 ,because all the perfections  
of knowing are united in ,god4#gcj ,as  
particular senses are divided in man1by 
one he sees1 by another he  smells1 yet 
all those are united in one common      
sense1 and this common  sense           
comprehends all1so the various and      
distinct ways of knowledge  in the      
creatures are all eminently united in   
,god4 ,a man when he  sees a grain of   
wheat1 understands at once all things   
that can in  time proceed from that     
seed2 so ,god1 by beholding his own     
virtue and  power1 beholds all things   
which shall in time be unfolded by him4 
,we have a shadow of this way of        
knowledge in our own understanding2  the
 sense only perceives a thing present1  
and one object only proper  and suitable
 to it2 as the eye sees color1 the ear  
hears sounds2 we  see this and that man1

 one time this1 another minute that2 but
 the  understanding abstracts a notion  
of the common nature of man1 and  frames
 a conception of that nature wherein all
 men agree2 and so in  a manner beholds 
and understands all men at once1 by     
understanding the  common nature of man1
 which is a degree of knowledge above   
the sense  and fancy2 we may then       
conceive an infinite vaster perfection  
in the  understanding of ,god4 ,as to   
know1 is simply better than not to know 
at  all2 so to know by one act          
comprehensive1 is a greater perfection  
than  to know by divided acts1 by       
succession to receive information1 and  
to  have an increase or decrease of     
knowledge2 to be like a bucket1 always  
descending into the well1 and fetching  
water from thence4 ,it is a  man's      
weakness that he is fixed on one object 
only at a time2 it is  ,god's perfection
 that he can behold all at once1 and is 
fixed upon one  no more than upon       
another4    ,prop4 ,,iii4 ,god knows all

 things independently4 ,this is         
essential to  an infinite understanding4
 ,he receives not his knowledge from    
anything  without him2 he hath no tutor 
to instruct him1 or book to inform him3 
8,who hath been his counsellor80 saith  
the prophet 7,isa4 xl4 #ac72 he  hath no
 need of the counsels of others1 nor of 
the instructions of  others4 ,this      
follows upon the first and second       
propositions2 if he  knows things by his
 essence1 then1 as his essence is       
independent from  the creatures1 so is  
his knowledge2 he borrows not any images
 from the  creature2 hath no species or 
pictures of things in his understanding1
  as we have2 no beams from the creature
 strike upon him to enlighten  him1 but 
beams from him upon the world2 the earth
 sends not light  to the sun1 but the   
sun to the earth4 ,our knowledge1       
indeed1 depends  upon the object1 but   
all created objects depend upon ,god's  
knowledge  and will2 we could not know  
creatures unless they were2 but         

creatures  could not be unless ,god knew
 them4 ,as nothing that he wills is the 
cause of his will1 so a#deg nothing that
 he knows is the cause of his           
knowledge2 he did not make things to    
know them1 but he knows them to  make   
them3 who will imagine that the mark of 
the foot in the dust is  the cause that 
the foot stands in this or that         
particular place8 ,if  his knowledge did
 depend upon the things1 then the       
existence of things  did precede ,god's 
knowledge of them3 to say that they are 
the cause of  ,god's knowledge1 is to   
say that ,god was not the cause of their
 being2  and if he did create them1 it  
was effected by a blind and ignorant    
power2 he created he knew not what1 till
 he had produced it4 ,if  he be beholden
 for his knowledge to the creatures he  
hath made1 he  had then no knowledge of 
them before he made them4 ,if his       
knowledge  were dependent upon them1 it 
could not be eternal1 but must have a   
beginning when the creatures had a      

beginning1 and be of no longer  a date  
than since the nature of things was in  
actual existence2 for  whatsoever is a  
cause of knowledge1 doth precede the    
knowledge it  causes1 either in order of
 time1 or order of nature3 temporal     
things1  therefore1 cannot be the cause 
of that knowledge which is eternal4 ,his
  works could not be foreknown to him1  
if his knowledge commenced with  the    
existence of his works 7,acts xv4 #ah73 
if he knew them before he  made them1 he
 could not derive a knowledge from them 
after they were  made4 ,he made all     
things in wisdom 7,ps4 civ4 #bd74 ,how  
can this be  imagined1 if the things    
known where the cause of his knowledge1 
and  so before his knowledge1 and       
therefore before his action8#gca ,god   
would not then be the first in the order
 of knowing agents1 because  he would   
not act by knowledge1 but act before he 
knew1 and know  after he had acted2 and 
so the creature which he made would be  
before  the act of his understanding1   

whereby he knew what he made4 ,again1   
since knowledge is a perfection1 if     
,god's knowledge of the creatures       
depended upon the creatures1 he would   
derive an excellency from them1  they   
would derive no excellency from any idea
 in the ,divine mind2  he would not be  
infinitely perfect in himself2 if his   
perfection in  knowledge were gained    
from anything without himself and below 
himself1  he would not be sufficient of 
himself1 but be under an indigence1     
which wanted a supply from the things he
 had made1 and could not  be eternally  
perfect till he had created and seen the
 effects of  his own power1 goodness1   
and wisdom1 to render him more wise and 
knowing in time than he was from        
eternity4 ,who can fancy such a ,god  as
 this without destroying the ,deity he  
pretends to adore8 for if his           
understanding be perfected by something 
without him1 why may not his  essence be
 perfected by something without him2    
that1 as he was made  knowing by        

something without him1 he might be made 
,god by something  without him8 ,how    
could his understanding be infinite if  
it depended  upon a finite object1 as   
upon a cause8 ,is the majesty of ,god to
 be  debased to a mendicant condition1  
to seek for a supply from things        
inferior to himself8 ,is it to be       
imagined that a fool1 a toad1 a fly1    
should be assistant to the knowledge of 
,god8 that the most noble being  should 
be perfected by things so vile2 that the
 ,supreme ,cause of all  things should  
receive any addition of knowledge1 and  
be determined in  his understanding1 by 
the notion a#deh of things so mean8 ,to 
conclude  this particular1 all things   
depend upon his knowledge1 his knowledge
  depends upon nothing1 but is as       
independent as himself and his own      
essence4    ,prop4 ,,iv4 ,god knows all 
things distinctly4 ,his understanding is
  infinite in regard of clearness2 8,god
 is light1 and in him is no  darkness at
 all0 7,john i4 #e72 he sees not through

 a mist or cloud2  there is no blemish  
in his understanding1 no mote or beam in
 his  eye1 to render any thing obscure  
to him4 ,man discerns the surface and   
outside side of things2 little or       
nothing of the essence of things2  we   
see the noblest thing but 8as in a glass
 darkly0 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #ab72  the too 
great nearness1 as well as the too great
 distance of a thing1  hinders our      
sight2 the smallness of a mote escapes  
our eye1 and so our  knowledge2 also the
 weakness of our understanding is       
troubled with the  multitude of things1 
and cannot know many things but         
confusedly3 but  ,god knows the forms   
and essence of things1 every            
circumstance2 nothing  is so deep1 but  
he sees to the bottom2 he sees the mass1
 and sees the  motes of beings2 his     
understanding being infinite1 is not    
offended  with a multitude of things1 or
 distracted with the variety of them2   
he discerns every thing infinitely more 
clearly and perfectly than  ,adam or    

,solomon could any one thing in the     
circle of their knowledge2  what        
knowledge they had1 was from him2 he    
hath1 therefore1 infinitely  a more     
perfect knowledge than they were capable
 in their natures to  receive a         
communication of4 ,all things are open  
to him 7,heb4 iv4 #ac72  the least      
fibre1 in its nakedness and distinct    
frame1 is transparent  to him1 as1 by   
the help of glasses1 the mouth1 feet1   
hands1 of a small  insect1 are visible  
to a man1 which seem to the eye1 without
 that  assistance1 one entire piece1 not
 diversified into parts4 ,all the       
causes1 qualities1 natures1 properties  
of things1 are open to him2 8he  brings 
out the host of heaven by number1 and   
calleth them by names0  7,isa4 xl4 #bf72
 he numbers the hairs of our heads3 what
 more distinct  than number8 ,thus ,god 
beholds things in every unity1 which    
makes up  the heap2 he knows1 and none  
else can1 every thing in its true and   
intimate causes1 in its original and    

intermediate causes2 in himself1  as the
 cause of every particular of their     
being1 every property in  their being4  
,knowledge by the causes is the most    
noble and perfect  knowledge1 and most  
suited to the infinite excellency of the
 ,divine  ,being2 he created all things1
 and ordered them to a universal and    
particular end2 he1 therefore1 knows the
 essential properties of  every thing1  
every activity of their nature1 all     
their fitness for  those distinct ends1 
to which he orders them1 and for which  
he  governs and disposeth them1 and     
understands their darkest and most      
hidden qualities infinitely clearer than
 any eye can behold the clear  beams of 
the sun4 ,he knows all things as he made
 them2 he made them  distinctly1 and    
therefore knows them distinctly1 and    
that every  individual2 therefore ,god  
is said 7,gen4 i4 #ca7 to see every     
thing that  he had made2 he took a      
review of every particular creature he  
had made1  and upon his view pronounced 

it good4 ,to pronounce that good1 which 
was not exactly known in every creek1 in
 every mite of its nature1  had not     
consisted with his veracity2 for every  
one that speaks truth  ignorantly1 that 
knows not that he speaks truth1 is a    
liar in speaking  a#dei that which is   
true4 ,god knows every act of his own   
will1  whether it be positive or        
permissive1 and therefore every effect  
of  his will4 ,we must needs ascribe to 
,god a perfect knowledge2 but a         
confused knowledge cannot challenge that
 title4 ,to know things only in  a heap 
is unworthy of the ,divine perfection2  
for if ,god knows his own  ends in the  
creation of things1 he knows distinctly 
the means whereby  he will bring them to
 those ends for which he hath appointed 
them3 no  wise man intends an end1      
without a knowledge of the means        
conducing to  that end2 an ignorance1   
then1 of any thing in the world1 which  
falls  under the nature of a means to a 
,divine end 7and there is nothing in    

the world but doth71 would be           
inconsistent with the perfection of     
,god2  it would ascribe to him a blind  
providence in the world4 ,as there can  
be nothing imperfect in his being and   
essence1 so there can be nothing        
imperfect in his understanding and      
knowledge1 and therefore not a  confused
 knowledge1 which is an imperfection4   
8,darkness and light  are both alike to 
him0 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #ab72 he sees        
distinctly into the  one1 as well as the
 other2 what is darkness to us1 is not  
so to him4    ,prop4 ,v4 ,god knows all 
things infallibly4 ,his understanding is
  infinite in regard of certainty2 every
 tittle of what he knows is as  far from
 failing as what he speaks2 our ,saviour
 affirms the one 7,matt4  v4 #ah71 and  
there is the same reason of the         
certainty of one as well  as the other2 
his essence is the measure of his       
knowledge2 whence it  is as impossible  
that ,god should be mistaken in the     
knowledge of the  least thing in the    

world1 as it is that he should be       
mistaken in his  own essence2 for1      
knowing himself comprehensively1 he must
 know all  others things infallibly2    
since he is essentially omniscient1 he  
is  no more capable of error in his     
understanding than of imperfection in   
his essence2 his counsels are as        
unerring as his essence is perfect1  and
 his knowledge as infallible as his     
essence is free from defect4  ,again1   
since ,god knows all things with a      
knowledge of vision1 because  he wills  
them1 his knowledge must be as          
infallible as his purpose2 now  his     
purpose will certainly be effected2     
8what he hath thought shall  come to    
pass1 and what he hath purposed shall   
stand0 7,isa4 xiv4 #bd72  8his counsel  
shall stand1 and he will do all his     
pleasure0 7,isa4  xlvi4 #aj74 ,there may
 be interruptions of nature1 the        
foundation of  it may be out of course1 
but there can be no bar upon the ,author
 of  nature2 he hath an infinite power  

to carry on and perfect the resolves  of
 his own will2 he can effect what he    
pleases by a word4 ,speech is  one of   
the least motions2 yet when ,god said1  
8let there be light1  there was light0  
arising from darkness4 ,no reason can be
 given why  ,god knows a thing to be1   
but because he infallibly wills it to   
be4  ,again1#gcb the schools make this  
difference between the knowledge  of the
 good and bad angels1 that the good are 
never deceived2 for  that is repugnant  
to their blessed state2 for deceit is an
 evil and  an imperfection inconsistent 
with that perfect blessedness the good  
angels are possessed of2 and would it   
not much more be a stain upon  the      
blessedness of that ,god1 that is       
blessed forever1 to be subject  to      
deceit8 ,his knowledge therefore is not 
an opinion1 for an opinion  is          
uncertain2 a man knows not a#dfj what to
 think1 but leans to one  part of the   
question proposed1 rather than to the   
other4 ,if things did  not come to pass 

therefore as ,god knows them1 his       
knowledge would be  imperfect2 and since
 he knows by his essence1 his essence   
also would  be imperfect1 if ,god were  
exposed to any deceit in his knowledge2 
he knows by himself1 who is the highest 
truth2 and therefore it is  impossible  
he should err in his understanding4     
,prop4 ,,vi4 ,god knows immutably4 ,his 
understanding else could not be         
infinite2 everything and every act that 
is mutable1 is finite1 it hath  its     
bounds2 for there is a term from which  
it changeth1 and a term to  which it    
changes4#gcc ,there is a change in the  
understanding1 when  we gain the        
knowledge of a thing1 which was unknown 
to us before2 or  when we actually      
consider a thing which we did not know  
before1 though  we had the principles of
 the knowledge of it2 or1 when we know  
that  distinctly1 which we before knew  
confusedly4 ,none of these can be       
ascribed to ,god without a manifest     
disparagement of his infiniteness4  ,our

 knowledge indeed is alway arriving to  
us or flowing from us2 we  pass from one
 degree to another2 from worse to       
better1 or from better  to worse2 but   
,god loses nothing by the ages that are 
run1 nor will  gain anything by the ages
 that are to come4 ,if there were a     
variation  in the knowledge of ,god1 by 
the daily and hourly changes in the     
world1  he would grow wiser than he was1
 he was not then perfectly wise  before4
 ,a change in the objects known1 infers 
not any change in the  understanding    
exercised about them2 the wheel moves   
round1 the spokes  that are lowest are  
presently highest1 and presently return 
to be low  again2 but the eye that      
beholds them changes not with the       
motions of  the wheels4 ,god's knowledge
 admits no more of increase or decrease1
  than his essence doth2 since ,god     
knows by his essence1 and the essence   
of ,god is ,god himself1 his knowledge  
must be void of any change4 ,the        
knowledge of possible things1 arising   

from the knowledge of his own  power1   
cannot be changed unless his power be   
changed1 and ,god become  weak and      
impotent2 the knowledge of future things
 cannot be changed1  because that       
knowledge ariseth from his will1 which  
is irreversible1  8the counsel of the   
,lord that shall stand0 7,prov4 xix4    
#ba72 so that  if ,god can never decay  
into weakness1 and never turn to        
inconstancy1  there can be no variation 
of his knowledge4 ,he knows what he can 
do1  and he knows what he will do2 and  
both these being immutable1 his         
knowledge must1 consequently1 be so too4
 ,it was not necessary that  this or    
that creature should be1 and therefore  
it was not necessary  that ,god should  
know this or that creature with a       
knowledge of vision2  but after the will
 of ,god had determined the existence of
 this or that  creature1 his knowledge  
being then determined to this or that   
object1  did necessarily continue       
unchangeable4 ,god1 therefore1 knows no 

more  now than he did before2 and at the
 end of the world1 he shall know  no    
more than he doth now2 and from         
eternity1 he knows no less than  he doth
 now1 and shall do to eternity4 ,though 
things pass into being  and out of      
being1 the knowledge of ,god doth not   
vary with them1 for  he knows them as   
well before they were1 as when a#dfa    
they are1 and  knows them as well when  
they are past1 as when they are present4
    ,prop4 ,,vii4 ,god knows all things 
perpetually1 i4 e4 in act4 ,since  he   
knows by his essence1 he always knows1  
because his essence never  ceaseth1 but 
is a pure act2 so that he doth not know 
only in habit1  but in act4 ,men that   
have the knowledge of some art or       
science1 have  it always in habit1      
though when they are asleep they have it
 not in  act3 a musician hath the habit 
of music1 but doth not so much as think 
of it when his senses are bound up4 ,but
 ,god is an unsleepy eye2#gcd  he never 
slumbers nor sleeps2 he never slumbers1 

in regard of his  providence1 and       
therefore never slumbers in regard of   
his knowledge4  ,he knows not himself1  
nor any other creature more perfectly at
 one  time than at another2 he is       
perpetually in the act of knowing1 as   
the  sun is in the act of shining2 the  
sun never ceased to shine in one or     
other part of the world1 since it was   
first fixed in the heavens2 nor  ,god to
 be in the act of knowledge1 since he   
was ,god2 and therefore  since he always
 was1 and always will be ,god1 he always
 was and always  will be in the act of  
knowledge2 always knowing his own       
essence1 he  must alway actually know   
what hath been gone and ceased from     
being1  and what shall come and arise   
into being2 as a watchmaker knows what  
watch he intends to make1 and after he  
hath made it1 though it be  broken to   
pieces1 or consumed by the fire1 he     
still knows it1 because  he knows the   
copy of it in his own mind4 ,some1      
therefore1 in regard  of this perpetual 

act of the ,divine knowledge1 have      
called ,god not  intellectus1 but the   
intellection of intellections2 we have  
no  proper ,english word to express the 
act of the understanding2 as his  power 
is coeternal with him1 so is his        
knowledge2 all times past1  present1 and
 to come1 are embraced in the bosom of  
his understanding2  he fixed all things 
in their seasons1 that nothing new comes
 to him1  nothing old passes from       
him4#gce ,what is done in a thousand    
years1  is actually present with his    
knowledge1 as what is done in one day1  
or in one watch in the night1 is with   
ours2 since a 8thousand years  are no   
more to ,god than a day10 or a 8watch in
 the night0 is to us  7,ps4 xc4 #d74    
,god is in the highest degree of being1 
and therefore  in the highest degree of 
understanding4 ,knowledge is one of the 
most  perfect acts in any creature4 ,god
 therefore hath all actual1 as well  as 
essential and habitual knowledge2 his   
understanding is infinite4    ,,iv4 ,the

 fourth general is1 ,reasons to prove   
this4    ,reason #a4 ,god must know what
 any creature knows1 and more than any  
creature knows4 ,there is nothing done  
in the world but is known by  some      
creature or other2 every action is at   
least known by the person  that acts1   
and therefore known by the ,creator1 who
 cannot be exceeded  by any of the      
creatures1 or all of them together2 and 
every creature  is known by him1 since  
every creature is made by him4#gcf ,and 
as  ,god works all things by an infinite
 power1 so he knows all things  by an   
infinite understanding4 ,first1 the     
perfection of ,god requires  this4#gcg  
,all perfections that include no        
essential defect1 are  formally in ,god2
 but knowledge includes no essential    
defect a#dfb in  itself1 therefore it is
 in ,god4 ,knowledge in itself is       
desirable1 and  an excellency2 ignorance
 is a defect2 it is impossible that the 
least  grain of defect can be found in  
the most perfect ,being4 ,since ,god is 

wise1 he must be knowing2 for wisdom    
must have knowledge for the basis  of   
it4 ,a creature can no more be wise     
without knowledge1 than he can  be      
active without strength4 ,now ,god is   
8only wise0 7,rom4 xvi4 #bg72  and1     
therefore1 only knowing in the highest  
degree of knowledge1  incomprehensibly  
beyond all degrees of knowledge1 because
 infinite4  ,again1 the more spiritual  
anything is1 the more understanding it  
is4 ,the dull body understands nothing2 
sense perceives1 but the  understanding 
faculty is seated in the soul1 which is 
of a spiritual  nature1 which knows     
things that are present1 remembers      
things that  are past1 foresees many    
things to come4 ,what is the property of
 a  spiritual nature1 must be1 in a most
 eminent manner1 in the supreme  spirit 
of the world2 that is1 in the highest   
degree of spirituality1  and most remote
 from any matter4 ,again1 nothing can   
enjoy other things1  but by some kind of
 understanding them2 ,god hath the      

highest enjoyment  of himself1 of all   
things he hath created1 of all the glory
 that  accrues to him by them2 nothing  
of perfection and blessedness can  be   
wanting to him4 ,felicity doth not      
consist with ignorance1 and all         
imperfect knowledge is a degree of      
ignorance3 ,god1 therefore1 doth        
perfectly know himself1 and all things  
from whence he designs any  glory to    
himself4 ,the most noble manner of      
acting must be ascribed to  ,god1 as    
being the most noble and excellent      
,being2 to act by knowledge  is the most
 excellent manner of acting2 ,god hath1 
therefore1 not only  knowledge1 but the 
most excellent manner of knowledge2 for 
as it is  better to know than to be     
ignorant1 so it is better to know in the
  most excellent manner1 than to have a 
mean and low kind of knowledge2  his    
knowledge1 therefore1 must be every way 
as perfect as his essence1  infinite as 
well as that4 ,an infinite nature must  
have an infinite  knowledge3 a ,god     

ignorant of anything cannot be counted  
infinite1 for  he is not infinite to    
whom any degree of perfection is        
wanting4    ,reason #b4 ,all the        
knowledge in any creature is from ,god4 
,and you  must allow ,god a greater and 
more perfect knowledge than any creature
  hath1 yea1 than all creatures have4   
,all the drops of knowledge  any        
creature hath1 come from ,god2 and all  
the knowledge in every  creature1 that  
ever was1 is1 or shall be1 in the whole 
mass1 was  derived from him4 ,if all    
those several drops in particular       
creatures1  were collected into one     
spirit1 into one creature1 it would be  
an  unconceivable knowledge1 yet still  
lower than what the ,author of all  that
 knowledge hath2 for ,god cannot give   
more knowledge than he hath  himself2   
nor is the creature capable of receiving
 so much knowledge  as ,god hath4 ,as   
the creature is incapable of receiving  
so much power  as ,god hath1 for then it
 would be almighty1 so it is incapable  

of  receiving so much knowledge as ,god 
hath1 for then it would be ,god4        
,nothing can be made by ,god equal to   
him in anything2 if anything could  be  
made as knowing as ,god1 it would be    
eternal as ,god1 it would be  the cause 
of all things as ,god4 ,the knowledge   
that we poor worms have1  is an argument
 ,god uses for a#dfc the asserting the  
greatness of his  own knowledge 7,ps4   
xciv4 #aj73 8,he that teaches man       
knowledge1 shall  not he know80 ,man    
hath here knowledge ascribed to him2 the
 author of  this knowledge is ,god2 he  
furnished him with it1 and therefore    
doth  in a higher manner possess it1 and
 much more than can fall under the      
comprehension of any creature2 as the   
sun enlightens all things1 but  hath    
more light in itself than it darts upon 
the earth or the heavens3  and shall not
 ,god eminently contain all that        
knowledge he imparts to  the creatures1 
and infinitely more exact and           
comprehensive8    ,reason #c4 ,the      

accusations of conscience evidence      
,god's knowledge of  all actions of his 
creatures4 ,doth not conscience check   
for the most  secret sins1 to which none
 are privy but a man's self1 the whole  
world  beside being ignorant of his     
crime8 ,do not the fears of another     
,judge  gall the heart8 ,if a judgment  
above him be feared1 an understanding   
above him discerning their secrets is   
confessed by those fears2 whence  can   
those horrors arise1 if there be not a  
superior that understands  and records  
the crime8 ,what perfection of the      
,divine ,being can this  relate unto1   
but omniscience8 ,what other attribute  
is to be feared1 if  ,god were defective
 in this8 ,the condemnation of us by our
 own hearts1  when none in the world can
 condemn us1 renders it legible1 that   
there  is ,one 8greater than our hearts0
 in respect of knowledge1 who 8knoweth  
all things0 7#a ,john iii4 #bj74        
,conscience would be a vain principle1  
and stingless without this2 it would be 

an easy matter to silence  all its      
accusations1 and mockingly laugh in the 
face of its severest  frowns4 ,what need
 any trouble themselves1 if none knows  
their crimes  but themselves8 ,concealed
 sins1 gnawing the conscience1 are      
arguments  of ,god's omniscience of all 
present and past actions4    ,reason #d4
 ,god is the first cause of everything1 
every creature is  his production4      
,since all creatures1 from the highest  
angel to the  lowest worm1 exist by the 
power of ,god1 if ,god understands his  
own  power and excellency1 nothing can  
be hid from him1 that was brought  forth
 by that power1 as well as nothing can  
be unknown to him1 that  that power is  
able to produce4 8,if ,god knows nothing
 besides himself1  he may then believe  
there is nothing besides himself2 we    
shall then  fancy a ,god miserably      
mistaken3 if he knows nothing besides   
himself1  then things were not created  
by him1 or not understandingly and      
voluntarily created1 but dropped from   

him before he was aware40#gch  ,to think
 that the ,first ,cause of all should be
 ignorant of those  things he is the    
cause of1 is to make him not a          
voluntary1 but natural  agent1 and      
therefore necessary2 and then that the  
creature came from  him as light from   
the sun1 and moisture from the water2   
this would be  an absurd opinion of the 
world's creation2 if ,god be a voluntary
 agent1  as he is1 he must be an        
intelligent agent4 ,the faculty of will 
is  not in any creature1 without that of
 understanding also4 ,if ,god be an     
intelligent agent1 his knowledge must   
extend as far as his operation1  and    
every object of his operation1 unless we
 imagine ,god hath lost his  memory1 in 
that long tract of time since the first 
creation of them4  ,an artificer cannot 
be ignorant of his own work3 if ,god    
knows himself1  he knows himself to be a
 a#dfd cause2 how can he know himself to
 be  a cause1 unless he know the effects
 he is the cause of8 ,one relation      

implies another2 a man cannot know      
himself to be a father1 unless  he hath 
a child1 because it is a name of        
relation1 and in the notion  of it      
refers to another4 ,the name of cause is
 a name of relation1  and implies an    
effect2 if ,god therefore know himself  
in all his  perfections1 as the cause of
 things1 he must know all his acts1     
what his wisdom contrived1 what his     
counsel determined1 and what  his power 
effected4 ,the knowledge of ,god is to  
be supposed in a free  determination of 
himself2 and that knowledge must be     
perfect1 both  of the object1 act1 and  
all the circumstances of it4 ,how can   
his will  freely produce anything that  
was not first known in his              
understanding8  ,from this the prophet  
argues the understanding of ,god1 and   
the  unsearchableness of it1 because he 
is the 8,creator of the ends of  the    
earth0 7,isa4 xl4 #bh71 and the same    
reason ,david gives of ,god's  knowledge
 of him1 and of everything he did1 and  

that afar off1 because  he was formed by
 him 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #b1 #ae1 #af74 ,as   
the perfect making of  things only      
belongs to ,god3 so doth the perfect    
knowledge of things2  it is as absurd to
 think1 that ,god should be ignorant of 
what he hath  given being to2 that he   
should not know all the creatures and   
their  qualities1 the plants and their  
virtues2 as that a man should not  know 
the letters that are formed by him in   
writing4 ,everything bears  in itself   
the mark of ,god's perfection2 and shall
 not ,god know the  representation of   
his own virtue8    ,reason #e4 ,without 
this knowledge1 ,god could no more be   
the  ,governor1 than he could be the    
,creator of the world4 ,knowledge is    
the basis of providence2 to know things1
 is before the government  of things2 a 
practical knowledge cannot be without a 
theoretical  knowledge4 ,nothing could  
be directed to its proper end1 without  
the  knowledge of the nature of it1 and 
its suitableness to answer that  end for

 which it is intended4 ,as everything1  
even the minutest1 falls  under the     
conduct of ,god1 so everything falls    
under the knowledge of  ,god4 ,a blind  
coachman is not able to hold the reins  
of his horses1  and direct them in right
 paths3 since the providence of ,god is 
about  particulars1 his knowledge must  
be about particulars2 he could not  else
 govern them in particular2 nor could   
all things be said to depend  upon him  
in their being and operations4          
,providence depends upon the  knowledge 
of ,god1 and the exercise of it upon the
 goodness of ,god2  it cannot be without
 understanding and will2 understanding1 
to know  what is convenient1 and will to
 perform it4 ,when our ,saviour         
therefore  speaks of providence1 he     
intimates these two in a special manner1
  8,your heavenly ,father knows that you
 have need of these things0 7,matt4  vi4
 #cb71 and goodness1 in ,luke xi4 #ac4  
,the reason of providence is so  joined 
with omniscience1 that they cannot be   

separated4 ,what a kind of  ,god would  
he be that were ignorant of those things
 that were governed  by him6 ,the       
ascribing this perfection to him1       
asserts his providence2  for it is as   
easy for one that knows all things1 to  
look over the  whole world1 if writ with
 monosyllables1 in every little         
particular of  it2 as it is with a man  
to take a view of one letter in an      
alphabet4  ,again1 if ,god were not     
omniscient1 how could he reward the     
good1 and  punish the evil8 the a#dfe   
works of men are either rewardable or   
punishable2 not only according to their 
outward circumstances1 but  inward      
principles and ends1 and the degrees of 
venom lurking in the  heart4#gci ,the   
exact discerning of these1 without a    
possibility to  be deceived1 is         
necessary to pass a right and infallible
 judgment upon  them1 and proportion the
 censure and punishment to the crime3   
without  such a knowledge and           
discerning1 men would not have their    

due2 nay1 a  judgment just for the      
matter1 would be unjust in the manner1  
because  unjustly past1 without an      
understanding of the merit of the cause4
  ,it is necessary therefore that the   
,supreme ,judge of the world should  not
 be thought to be blindfold1 when he    
distributes his rewards and             
punishments1 and muffle his face when he
 passes his sentence4 ,it  is necessary 
to ascribe to him the knowledge of men's
 thoughts and  intentions2 the secret   
wills and aims2 the hidden works of     
darkness in  every man's conscience1    
because every man's work is to be       
measured by  the will and inward frame4 
,it is necessary that he should         
perpetually  retain all those things in 
the indelible and plain records of his  
memory1 that there may not be any work  
without a just proportion of  what is   
due to it4 ,this is the glory of ,god1  
to discover the secrets  of all hearts  
at last1 as #a ,cor4 iv4 #e1 8,the ,lord
 shall bring to light  the hidden things

 of darkness1 and will make manifest the
 counsels  of all hearts1 and then shall
 every man have praise of ,god40 ,this  
knowledge fits him to be a judge2 the   
reason why the ungodly shall not  stand 
in judgment1 is because ,god knows their
 ways1 which is implied  in his knowing 
the way of the righteous 7,ps4 i4 #e1   
#f74 ,i now proceed  to the use4    ,use
 ,i4 is of information or instruction4  
,if ,god hath all knowledge2  then1     
,instruct4 #a4 ,jesus ,christ is not a  
mere creature4 ,the two titles of       
wonderful ,counsellor1 and mighty ,god1 
are given him in conjunction  7,isa4 ix4
 #f71 not only the ,angel of the        
covenant1 as he is called  7,malach4    
iii4 #a71 or the executor of his        
counsels1 but a counsellor1  in         
conjunction with him in counsel as well 
as power3 this title is  superior to any
 title given to any of the prophets in  
regard of their  predictions2 and       
therefore ,i should take it rather as   
the note of his  perfect understanding1 

than of his perfect teaching and        
discovering2  as ,calvin doth4 ,he is   
not only the revealer of what he knows1 
so were  the prophets according to their
 measures2 but the counsellor of what   
he revealed1 having a perfect           
understanding of all the counsels of    
,god1  as being interested in them1 as  
the mighty ,god4 ,he calls himself by   
the peculiar title of ,god1 and declares
 that he will manifest himself  by this 
prerogative to all the churches 7,rev4  
ii4 #bc73 8,and all the  churches shall 
know that ,i am he which searches the   
reins and hearts10  the most hidden     
operations of the minds of men1 that lie
 locked up  from the view of all the    
world besides4 ,and this was no new     
thing  to ,him1 after his ascension2 for
 the same perfection he had in the  time
 of his earthly flesh 7,luke vi4 #h71 he
 knew their thoughts2 his  eyes are     
therefore compared 7,cant4 v4 #ab7 to   
doves' eyes1 which are  clear and quick2
 and to a flame of fire 7,rev4 i4 #ad71 

not only heat  to consume his enemies1  
but light to discern a#dff their        
contrivances  against the church2 he    
pierceth by his knowledge1 into all     
parts1 as  fire pierceth into the       
closest particle of iron1 and separates 
between  the most united parts of       
metals2 and some tell us1 he is called a
 ,roe1  from the perspicacity of his    
sight1 as well as from the swiftness of 
his motion4    #a4 ,he hath a perfect   
knowledge of the ,father2 he knows the  
,father1 and  none else knows the       
,father2 angels know ,god1 men know     
,god1 but ,christ  in a peculiar manner 
knows the ,father2 no man knows the ,son
 but the  ,father2 neither knows any man
 the ,father1 save the ,son 7,matt4 xi4 
#bg72  he knows so1 as that he learns   
not from any other2 he doth perfectly   
comprehend him1 which is beyond the     
reach of any creature1 with the         
addition of all the divine virtue2 not  
because of any incapacity in  ,god to   
reveal1 but the incapacity of the       

creature to receive2 finite  is         
incapable of being made infinite1 and   
therefore incapable of  comprehending   
infinite2 so that ,christ cannot be     
,deus factus1 made  of a creature a     
,god1 to comprehend ,god2 for then of   
finite he would  become infinite1 which 
is a contradiction4 ,as the ,spirit is  
,god1  because he searches the deep     
things of ,god 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #aj71 that 
is  comprehends them1#gdj as the spirit 
of a man doth the things of a man  7now 
the spirit of man understands what it   
thinks1 and what it wills71  so the     
,spirit of ,god understands what is in  
the understanding of ,god1  and what is 
in the will of ,god4 ,he hath an        
absolute knowledge ascribed  to him1 and
 such as could not be ascribed to       
anything but a divinity3  now if the    
,spirit knows the deep things of ,god1  
and takes from ,christ  what he shows to
 us of him 7,john xvi4 #ae71 he cannot  
be ignorant of  those things himself2 he
 must know the depths of ,god1 that     

affords  us that ,spirit1 that is not   
ignorant of any of the counsels of the  
,father's will2 since he comprehends the
 ,father1 and the ,father him1  he is in
 himself infinite2 for ,god whose       
essence is infinite1 is  infinitely     
knowable2 but no created understanding  
can infinitely know  ,god4 ,the         
infiniteness of the object hinders it   
from being understood  by anything that 
is not infinite4 ,though a creature     
should understand  all the works of     
,god1 yet it cannot be therefore said to
 understand  ,god himself3 as though ,i 
may understand all the volitions and    
motions  of my soul1 yet it doth not    
follow that therefore ,i understand the 
whole nature and substance of my soul2  
or if a man understood all the  effects 
of the sun1 that therefore he           
understands fully the nature  of the    
sun4 ,but ,christ knows the ,father1 he 
lay in the bosom of the  ,father1 was in
 the greatest intimacy with him 7,john  
i4 #ah71 and from  this intimacy with   

him1 he saw him and knew him2 so he     
knows ,god  as much as he is knowable2  
and therefore knows him perfectly as the
  ,father knows himself by a            
comprehensive vision2 this is the       
knowledge  of ,god wherein properly the 
infiniteness of his understanding       
appears3  and our ,saviour uses such    
expressions which manifest his knowledge
 to  be above all created knowledge1 and
 such a manner of knowledge of the      
,father1 as the ,father hath of him4    
#b4 ,christ knows all creatures4 ,that  
knowledge which comprehends ,god1       
comprehends all created things as they  
are in ,god2 it is a knowledge  that    
sinks to the depths of his will1 and    
therefore extends a#dfg to  all the acts
 of his will in creation and providence2
 by knowing the  ,father he knows all   
things that are contained in the virtue1
 power1  and will of ,god2 8whatsoever  
the ,father doth1 that the ,son doth0   
7,john  v4 #ai74 ,as the ,father        
therefore knows all things he is the    

cause of1  so doth the ,son know all    
things he is the worker of2 as the      
perfect  making of all things belongs to
 both1 so doth the perfect knowledge of 
all things belong to both2 where the    
action is the same1 the knowledge  is   
the same4 ,now the ,father did not      
create one thing and ,christ  another2  
8but all things were created by him1 and
 for him1 all things  both in heaven and
 earth0 7,col4 i4 #af73 as he knows     
himself as the  cause of all things1 and
 the end of all things1 he cannot be    
ignorant  of all things that were       
effected by him1 and are referred to    
him2 he  knows all creatures in ,god1 as
 he knows the essence of ,god1 and knows
  all creatures in themselves1 as he    
knows his own acts and the fruits  of   
his power2 those things must be in his  
knowledge that were in his  power2 all  
the treasures of the wisdom and         
knowledge of ,god are hid in  him 7,col4
 ii4 #c74 ,now it is not the wisdom of  
,god to know in part1 and  be in part   

ignorant4 ,he cannot be ignorant of     
anything1 since there is  nothing but   
what was made by him 7,john i4 #c71 and 
since it is less to  know than create2  
for we know many things which we cannot 
make4#gda  ,if he be the ,creator1 he   
cannot but be the discerner of what he  
made2  this is a part of wisdom         
belonging to an artificer1 to know the  
nature  and quality of what he makes4   
,since he cannot be ignorant of what he 
furnished with being1 and with various  
endowments1 he must know them  not only 
universally1 but particularly4    #c4   
,christ knows the heart and affections  
of men4 ,peter scruples not  to ascribe 
to him this knowledge1 among the        
knowledge of all other  things 7,john   
xxi4 #ag74 8,lord thou knowest all      
things1 thou knowest  that ,i love      
thee40 ,from ,christ's knowledge of all 
things1 he concludes  his knowledge of  
the inward frames and dispositions of   
men4 ,to search  the heart is the sole  
prerogative of ,god 7#a ,kings viii4    

#ci71 for thou1  even thou only knowest 
the hearts of all the children of men3  
shall we  take only here with a         
limitation1 as some that are no friends 
to the  ,deity of ,christ would1 and    
say1 ,god only knows the hearts of men  
from  himself1 and by his own infinite  
virtue8 ,why may we not take only  in   
other places with a limitation1 and make
 nonsense of it1 as ,ps4  lxxxvi4 #aj1  
8,thou art ,god alone40 ,is it to be    
understood that ,god  is ,god alone from
 himself1 but other gods may be made by 
him1 and so  there may be numberless    
infinites8 ,as ,god is ,god alone1 so   
that none  can be ,god but himself2 so  
he alone knows all the hearts of all the
  children of men1 and none but he can  
know them2 this knowledge is from  his  
nature4 ,the reason why ,god knows the  
hearts of men1 is rendered  in the      
,scripture double1 because he created   
them1 and because he is  present        
everywhere 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #ac1 #ae71gdb  
these two are by the  confession of     

,christians and ,pagans universally     
received as the proper  characters of   
divinity1 whereby the ,deity is         
distinguished from all  creatures4 ,now 
when ,christ ascribes this to himself1  
and that with  such an emphasis1 that   
nothing greater than that could be      
urged1 as he  doth 7,rev4 ii4 #bc71 we  
must conclude that he is of the same    
essence  with a#dfh ,god1 one with him  
in his nature1 as well as one with him  
in his attributes4 ,god only knows the  
hearts of the children of men2  there is
 the unity of ,god3 ,christ searches the
 hearts and reins2 there  is a          
distinction of persons in a oneness of  
essence2 he knows the  hearts of all    
men1 not only of those that were with   
him in the time  of the flesh1 that have
 been1 and shall be1 since his          
ascension2 but  of those that lived and 
died before his coming2 because he is to
 be  the ,judge of all that lived before
 his humiliation on earth1 as well  as  
after his exaltation in heaven4 ,it     

pertains to him1 as a ,judge1 to  know  
distinctly the merits of the cause of   
which he is to judge2 and  this         
excellency of searching the hearts is   
mentioned by himself with  relation to  
his judicial proceeding1 8,i will give  
to every one of  you according to your  
works40 ,and though a creature may know 
what  is in a man's heart1 if it be     
revealed to him1 yet such a knowledge   
is a knowledge only by report1 not by   
inspection2 yet this latter is  ascribed
 to ,christ 7,john ii4 #bd1 #be73 8he   
knew all men1 and needed  not that any  
should testify of man1 for he knew what 
was in man30 he  looked into their      
hearts4 ,the ,evangelist1 to allay the  
amazement of  men at his relation of our
 ,saviour's knowledge of the inward     
falsity  of those that made a splendid  
profession of him1 doth not say the     
,father revealed it to him1 but         
intimates it to be an unseparable       
property of his nature4 ,no covering was
 so thick as to bound his eye2  no      

pretence so glittering as to impose upon
 his understanding4 ,those  that made a 
profession of him1 and could not be     
discerned by the eye  of man from his   
faithfulest attendants1 were in their   
inside known  to him plainer than their 
outside was to others2 and1 therefore1  
he  committed not himself to them1      
though they seemed to be persuaded to  a
 real belief in his name1 because of the
 power of his miracles1 and  were       
touched with an admiration of him1 as   
some great prophet1 and1  perhaps1      
declared him to be the ,messiah 7ver4   
#bc74    #d4 ,he had a foreknowledge of 
the particular inclinations of men1     
before those distinct inclinations were 
in actual being in them4  ,this is      
plainly asserted1 ,john vi4 #fd3 8,but  
there are some of you  that believe not2
 for ,jesus knew from the beginning who 
they were that  believed not1 and who   
should betray him40 ,when ,christ       
assured them1  from the knowledge of the
 hearts of his followers1 that some of  

them  were void of that faith they      
professed1 the ,evangelist1 to stop     
their  amazement that ,christ should    
have such a power and virtue1 adds1 that
  he 8knew from the beginning20 that he 
had not only a present knowledge1  but a
 foreknowledge1 of every one's          
inclination2 he knew1 not only  now and 
then what was in the hearts of his      
disciples1 but from the  beginning1 of  
any one's giving up their names to him2 
he knew whether  it were a pretence or  
sincere2 he knew who should betray him2 
and  there was no man's inward affection
 but was foreseen by him4#gdc  8,from   
the beginning10 whether we understand it
 from the beginning  of the world1 as   
when ,christ saith1 concerning divorces1
 8,from the  beginning it was not so10  
that is1 from the beginning of the      
world1  from the beginning of the law of
 nature2 or1 from the beginning of      
their attending him1 as it is taken1    
,luke i4 #b2 he had a certain           
prescience of the inward dispositions   

a#dfi of men's hearts1 and  their       
succeeding sentiments2 he foreknew the  
treacherous heart of  ,judas in the     
midst of his splendid profession1 and   
discerned his  resolution in the root1  
and his thought in the confused chaos of
  his natural corruption2 he knew how it
 would spring up before it did  spring  
up1 before ,judas had any distinct and  
formal conception of  it himself1 or    
before there was any actual preparation 
to a resolve4  ,peter's denial was not  
unknown to him1 when ,peter had a       
present  resolution1 and no question    
spake it in the present sincerity of his
  soul1 8never to forsake him20 he      
foreknew what would be the result  of   
that poison which lurked in ,peter's    
nature1 before ,peter himself  imagined 
anything of it2 he discerned ,peter's   
apostatizing heart1 when  ,peter        
resolved the contrary3 our ,saviour's   
prediction was accomplished1  and       
,peter's valiant resolution languished  
into cowardice4 ,shall we  then conclude

 our blessed ,saviour a creature1 who   
perfectly and only  knew the ,father1   
who knew all creatures2 who had all the 
treasures  of wisdom and knowledge who  
knew the inward motions of men's hearts 
by his own virtue1 and had1 not only a  
present knowledge1 but a  prescience of 
them8    ,instruct4 #b4 ,the second     
instruction from this position1 ,that   
,god hath an infinite knowledge and     
understanding4 ,then there is a         
providence exercised by ,god in the     
world1 and that about everything4  ,as  
providence infers omniscience as the    
guide of it1 so omniscience  infers     
providence as the end of it4 ,what      
exercise would there be of  this        
attribute1 but in the government of the 
world8 ,to this1 this  infinite         
perfection refers 7,jer4 xvii4 #aj71 8,i
 the ,lord search the  heart1 ,i try the
 reins1 to give every man according to  
his ways1 and  according to the fruit of
 his doings40 ,he searches the heart to 
reward1  he rewards every man according 

to the rewardableness of his actions2   
his government1 therefore1 extends to   
every man in the world2 there  is no    
heart but he searches1 therefore no     
heart but he governs2 to  what purpose1 
else1 would be this knowledge of all his
 creatures8  for a mere contemplation of
 them8 ,no4 ,what pleasure can that be  
to  ,god1 who knows himself1 who is     
infinitely more excellent than all his  
creatures8 ,doth he know them to neglect
 all care of them8 this must  be either 
out of sloth2 but how incompatible is   
laziness to a pure and  infinite        
activity6 or out of majesty2 but it is  
no less for the glory  of his majesty to
 conduct them1 than it was for the glory
 of his power  to erect them into being4
 ,he that counts nothing unworthy of his
 arms  to make1 nothing unworthy of his 
understanding to know1 why should he    
count anything unworthy of his wisdom to
 govern8 ,if he knows them to  neglect  
them1 it must be because he hath no will
 to it1 or no goodness  for it2 either  

of these would be a stain upon ,god2 to 
want goodness  is to be evil1 and to    
want will is to be negligent and        
scornful1 which  are inconsistent with  
an infinite1 active goodness4 ,doth a   
father  neglect providing for the wants 
of the family which he knows8 or a      
physician1 the cure of that disease he  
understands8 ,god is omniscient1  he    
therefore sees all things2 he is good1  
he doth not therefore  neglect anything1
 but conducts it to the end he appointed
 it4 ,there is  nothing so little that  
can escape his knowledge1 and therefore 
nothing  so little but falls under his  
providence2 nothing so sublime as to be 
a#dgj above his understanding1 and      
therefore nothing can be without  the   
compass of his conduct2 nothing can     
escape his eye1 and therefore  nothing  
can escape his care2 nothing is known to
 him in vain1 as  nothing was made by   
him in vain2 there must be acknowledged1
 therefore1  some end of this knowledge 
of all his creatures4    ,instruct4 #c4 

,hence1 then1 will follow the certainty 
of a day of  judgment4 ,to what purpose 
can we imagine this attribute of        
omniscience1  so often declared and     
urged in ,scripture to our              
consideration1 but  in order to a       
government of our practice1 and a future
 trial8 ,every  perfection of the       
,divine nature hath sent out brighter   
rays in the  world than this of his     
infinite knowledge4 ,his power hath been
 seen in  the being of the world1 and   
his wisdom in the order and harmony of  
the  creatures2 his grace and mercy hath
 been plentifully poured out in his     
mission of a ,redeemer1 and his justice 
hath been elevated by the dying  groans 
of the ,son of ,god upon the cross4 ,but
 hath his omniscience yet  met with a   
glory proportionable to that of his     
other perfections8 ,all  the attributes 
of ,god that have appeared in some      
beautiful glimmerings  in the world1    
wait for a more full manifestation in   
glory1 as  the creatures do for the     

8manifestation of the sons of ,god0     
7,rom4  viii4 #ai72 but especially this1
 since it hath been less evidenced than 
others1 and as much1 or more1 abused    
than any2 it expects1 therefore1  a     
public righting in the eye of the world4
 ,there have been1 indeed1  some few    
sparks of this perfection sensibly      
struck out now and then  in the world in
 some horrors of conscience1 which have 
made men  become their own accusers of  
unknown crimes1 in bringing out hidden  
wickedness to a public view by various  
providences4 ,this hath also  been the  
design of sprinklings of judgments upon 
several generations1  as 7,ps4 xc4 #h71 
8,we are consumed by thy anger1 and by  
thy wrath we are  troubled2 thou hast   
set our iniquities before thee1 and our 
secret  sins in the light of thy        
countenance40 ,the word  signifies      
youth1  as well as secret1 i4 e41 sins  
committed long ago1 and that with       
secrecy4 ,by this he hath manifested    
that secret sins are not hid from  his  

eye4 ,though inward terrors and outward 
judgments have been let  loose to worry 
men into a belief of this1 yet the      
corruptions of men  would still keep a  
contrary notion in their minds1 that    
8,god hath  forgotten1 that he hides his
 face from transgression1 and will not  
regard their impiety0 7,ps4 x4 #aa74    
,there must1 therefore1 be a time  of   
trial for the public demonstration of   
this excellency1 that it may  receive   
its due honor1 by a full testimony that 
no secrecy can be a  shelter from it4   
,as his justice1 which consists in      
giving every one  his due1 could not be 
glorified1 unless men were called to an 
account  for their actions1 so neither  
would his omniscience appear in its     
illustrious colors1 without such a      
manifestation of the secret motions  of 
men's hearts1 and of villanies done     
under lock and key1 when none  were     
conscious to them1 but the committers of
 them4 ,now the last  judgment is the   
time appointed for the 8opening of the  

books0 7,dan4  vii4 #aj74 ,the book of  
,god's records1 and conscience the      
counterpart1  were never fully opened   
and read before1 only now and then some 
pages  turned to1 in particular         
judgments2 and out of those 8books shall
 men  be judged according to their      
works0 a#dga 7,rev4 xx4 #ab74 ,then     
shall  the defaced sins be brought1 with
 all their circumstances1 to every      
man's memory2 the counsels of men's     
hearts fled far from their present      
remembrance1 all the habitual knowledge 
they had of their own actions1  shall1  
by ,god's knowledge of them1 be excited 
to an actual review2  and their works   
not only made manifest to themselves1   
but notorious  to the world3 all the    
words1 thoughts1 deeds of men1 shall be 
brought  forth into the light of their  
own minds by the infinite light of      
,god's understanding reflecting on them4
 ,his knowledge renders him an  unerring
 witness1 as well as his justice 8a     
swift witness0 7,mal4 iii4  #e72 a swift

 witness1 because he shall1 without any 
circuit1 or length  of speech1 convince 
their consciences1 by an inward         
illumination of  them1 to take notice of
 the blackness and deformity of their   
hearts  and works4 ,in all judgments    
,god is somewhat known to be the        
searcher  of hearts2 the time of        
judgment is the time of his remembrance 
7,hos4  viii4 #ac73 8,now will he       
remember their iniquity1 and visit their
  sins20 but the great instant1 or now1 
of the full glorifying it1 is  the grand
 day of account4 ,this attribute must   
have a time for its  full discovery2 and
 no time can be fit for it but a time of
 a general  reckoning4 ,justice cannot  
be exercised without omniscience2 for as
  justice is a giving to every one his  
due1 so there must be knowledge  to     
discern what is due to every man2 the   
searching the heart is in  order to the 
rewarding the works4    ,instruct4 #d4  
,this perfection in ,god gives us ground
 to believe a  resurrection4 ,who can   

think this too hard for his power1 since
 not  the least atom of the dust of our 
bodies can escape his knowledge8 ,an    
infinite understanding comprehends every
 mite of a departed carcase2  this will 
not appear impossible1 nor irrational1  
to any1 upon a  serious consideration1  
of this excellency in ,god4 ,the body is
 perished1  the matter of it hath been  
since clothed with different forms and  
figures2 part of it hath been made the  
body of a worm1 part of it  returned to 
the dust that hath been blown away by   
the wind2 part of it  hath been         
concocted in the bodies of canibals1    
fish1 ravenous beasts2  the spirits have
 evaporated into air1 part of the blood 
melted into  water2 what1 then1 is the  
matter of the body annihilated8 is that 
wholly perished8 no2 the foundation     
remains1 though it hath put on  a       
variety of forms2 the body of ,abel1 the
 first man that died1 nor  the body of  
,adam1 are not1 to this day1 reduced to 
nothing2 indeed1  the quantity and the  

quality of those bodies have been lost  
by various  changes they have past      
through since their dissolution2 but the
  matter1 or substance of them1 remains 
entire1 and is not capable  to be       
destroyed by all those transforming     
alterations1 in so long  a revolution of
 time4 ,the body of a man in his infancy
 and his old  age1 if it were           
,methuselah's1 is the same in the       
foundation in those  multitude of years2
 though the quantity of it be altered1  
the quality  different2 though the color
 and other things be changed in it1 the 
matter of this body remains the same    
among all the alterations after  death4 
,and can it be so mixed with other      
natures and creatures1 as  that it is   
past finding out by an infinite         
understanding8 ,can any  particle of    
this matter escape the eye of ,him that 
makes and beholds  all those various    
a#dgb alterations1 and where every mite 
of the  substance of those bodies is    
particularly lodged1 so as that he      

cannot compact it together again for a  
habitation of that soul1 that  many a   
year before fled from it8#gdd ,since the
 knowledge of ,god is  infinite1 and his
 providence extensive over the least as 
well as the  greatest parts of the      
world1 he must needs know the least as  
well  as the greatest of his creatures  
in their beginning1 progress1 and       
dissolution2 all the forms through which
 the bodies of all creatures  roll1 the 
particular instants of time1 and the    
particular place when  and where those  
changes are made1 they are all present  
with him2 and1  therefore1 when the     
revolution of time allotted by him for  
the reunion  of souls and deceased      
bodies is come1 it cannot be doubted    
but1 out  of the treasures of his       
knowledge1 he can call forth every part 
of  the matter of the bodies of men1    
from the first to the last man that     
expired1 and strip it of all those forms
 and figures which it shall  then have1 
to compact it to be a lodging for that  

soul which before  it entertained2 and  
though the bodies of men have been      
devoured by  wild beasts in the earth1  
and fish in the sea1 and been lodged in 
the  stomachs of barbarous meneaters1   
the matter is not lost4 ,there is but   
little of the food we take that is      
turned into the substance of our  own   
bodies2 that which is not proper for    
nourishment1 which is the  greatest     
part1 is separated1 and concocted1 and  
rejected2 whatsoever  objections are    
made1 are answered by this attribute4   
,nothing hinders a  ,god of infinite    
knowledge from discerning every particle
 of the matter1  wheresoever it is      
disposed2 and since he hath an eye to   
discern1 and  a hand to recollect and   
unite1 what difficulty is there in      
believing  this article of the christian
 faith8 he that questions this revealed 
truth of the resurrection of the body1  
must question ,god's omniscience  as    
well as his omnipotence and power4      
,instruct4 #e4 ,what semblance of reason

 is there to expect a  justification in 
the sight of ,god by anything in        
ourselves8 ,is there  any action done by
 any of us1 but upon a scrutiny we may  
find flaws  and deficiency in it8 ,what 
then8 shall not this perfection of ,god 
discern them8 the motes that escape our 
eyes cannot escape his 7#a ,john  iii4  
#bj73 8,god is greater than our hearts1 
and knows all things20 so  that it is in
 vain for any man to flatter himself    
with the rectitude  of any work1 or     
enter into any debate with him who can  
bring a  thousand articles against us1  
out of his own infinite records1 unknown
  to us1 and unanswerable by us4 ,if    
conscience1 a representative or         
counterpart of ,god's omniscience in our
 own bosoms1 find nothing done  by us1  
but in a copy short of the original1 and
 beholds1 if not blurs1  yet            
imperfections in the best actions1 ,god 
must much more discern  them2 we never  
knew a copy equally exact with the      
original4 ,if our  own conscience be as 

a thousand witnesses1 the knowledge of  
,god is as  millions of witnesses       
against us2 if our corruption be so     
great1 and  our holiness so low1 in our 
own eyes1 how much greater must the one1
  and how much meaner must the other1   
appear in the eyes of ,god8 ,god  hath  
an unerring eye to see1 as well as an   
unspotted holiness to hate1  and an     
unbribable justice to punish2 he wants  
no more understanding  to know the      
shortness of our actions1 a#dgc than he 
doth holiness  to enact1 and power to   
execute1 his laws2 nay1 suppose we could
  recollect many actions1 wherein there 
were no spot visible to us1 the         
consideration of this attribute should  
scare us from resting upon any  or all  
of them1 since it is the ,lord that1 by 
a piercing eye1 sees and  judges        
according to the heart1 and not         
according to appearance4 ,the  least    
crookedness of a stick1 not sensible to 
an acute eye1 yet will  appear when laid
 to the line2 and the impurity of a     

counterfeit metal  be manifest when     
applied to the touchstone2 so will the  
best action  of any mere man in the     
world1 when it comes to be measured in  
,god's  knowledge by the straight line  
of his law4 ,let every man1 therefore1  
as ,paul1 though he should know nothing 
by himself1 think not himself  therefore
 justified2 since it is the ,lord1 who  
is of an infinite  understanding1 that  
judgeth 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #d74 ,a man may be
 justified in  his own sight1 8but not  
any living man can be justified in the  
sight  of ,god0 7,ps4 cxliii4 #b72 in   
his sight1 whose eye pierceth into our  
unknown secrets and frames3 it was1     
therefore1 well answered of a good  man 
upon his death bed1 being asked 8,what  
he was afraid of80 8,i have  labored10  
saith he1 8with all my strength to      
observe the commands  of ,god2 but since
 ,i am a man1 ,i am ignorant whether my 
works are  acceptable to ,god1 since    
,god judges in one manner1 and ,i in    
another  manner40 ,let the consideration

 therefore of this attribute1 make us   
join with ,job in his resolution 7,job  
ix4 #ba73 8,though we were perfect1  yet
 would we not know our own souls40 ,i   
would not stand up to plead  any of my  
virtues before ,god4 ,let us1 therefore1
 look after another  righteousness1     
wherein the exact eye of the ,divine    
omniscience1 we are  sure1 can discern  
no stain or crookedness4    ,instruct4  
#f4 ,what honorable and adoring thoughts
 ought we to  have of ,god for this     
perfection6 ,do we not honor a man that 
is able  to predict8 do we not think it 
a great part of wisdom8 ,have not all   
nations regarded such a faculty as a    
character and a mark of divinity8       
,there is something more ravishing in   
the knowledge of future things1  both to
 the person that knows them1 and the    
person that hears them1  than there is  
in any other kind of knowledge2 whence  
the greatest  prophets have been        
accounted in the greatest veneration1   
and men  have thought it a way to glory1

 to divine and predict4 ,hence it was   
that the devils and pagan oracles gained
 so much credit2 upon this  foundation  
were they established1 and the enemies  
of mankind owned  for a true ,god2,i    
say1 from the prediction of future      
things1 though  their oracles were often
 ambiguous1 many times false2 yet those 
poor  heathens framed many ingenious    
excuses to free their adored gods  from 
the charge of falsity and imposture3 and
 shall we not adore  the true ,god1 the 
,god of ,israel1 the ,god blessed for   
ever1 for this  incommunicable property1
 whereby he flies above the wings of the
 wind1  the understandings of men and   
cherubims8#gde ,consider how great it   
is to know the thoughts and intentions1 
and works of one man1 from  the         
beginning to the end of his life2 to    
foreknow all these before  the being of 
this man1 when he was lodged afar off in
 the loins of his  ancestors1 yea1 of   
,adam2 how much greater is it to        
foreknow and know  the thoughts and     

a#dgd works of three or four men1 of a  
whole village  or neighborhood6 ,it is  
greater still to know the imaginations  
and  actions of such a multitude of men 
as are contained in ,london1 ,paris1  or
 ,constantinople2 how much greater still
 to know the intentions  and practices1 
the clandestine contrivances of so many 
millions that  have1 do1 or shall swarm 
in all quarters of the world1 every     
person  of them having millions of      
thoughts1 desires1 designs1 affections1 
and actions6 ,let this attribute1 then1 
make the blessed ,god honorable  in our 
eyes1 and adorable in all our           
affections2 especially since it  is an  
excellency which hath so lately         
discovered itself1 in bringing  to light
 the hidden things of darkness1 in      
opening1 and in part  confounding1 the  
wicked devices of bloody men4           
,especially let us  adore ,god for it1  
and admire it in ,god1 since it is so   
necessary a  perfection1 that without it
 the goodness of ,god had been impotent1

  and could not have relieved us2 for   
what help can a distressed person       
expect from a man of the sweetest       
disposition and the strongest arm1  if  
the eyes which should discover the      
danger1 and direct the defence  and     
rescue1 were closed up by blindness and 
darkness8 ,adore ,god for  this         
wonderful perfection4    ,instruct4 #g4 
,in the consideration of this excellent 
attribute1 what  low thoughts should we 
have of our own knowledge1 and how      
humble ought  we to be before ,god6     
,there is nothing man is more apt to be 
proud of  than his knowledge2 it is a   
perfection he glories in2 but if our own
  knowledge of the little outside and   
barks of things puffs us up1 the        
consideration of the infiniteness of    
,god's knowledge should abate the       
tumor3 as our beings are nothing in     
regard to the infiniteness of his       
essence1 so our knowledge is nothing in 
regard of the vastness of his           
understanding4 ,we have a spark of      

being1 but nothing to the heat of  the  
sun2 we have a drop of knowledge1 but   
nothing to the ,divine ocean4  ,what a  
vain thing is it for a shallow brook to 
boast of its streams  before a sea1     
whose depths are unfathomable6 ,as it is
 a vanity to  brag of our strength1 when
 we remember the power of ,god1 and of  
our  prudence1 when we glance upon the  
wisdom of ,god1 so it is no less a      
vanity to boast of our knowledge1 when  
we think of the understanding  and      
knowledge of ,god4 ,how hard is it for  
us to know anything6#gdf  ,too much     
noise deafens us1 and too much light    
dazzles us2 too much  distance alienates
 the object from us1 and too much       
nearness bars up  our sight from        
beholding it4 ,when we think ourselves  
to be near the  knowledge of a thing1 as
 a ship to the haven1 a puff of wind    
blows  us away1 and the object which we 
desired to know eternally flies from    
us2 we burn with a desire of knowledge1 
and yet are oppressed with  the darkness

 of ignorance2 we spend our days more in
 dark ,egypt1 than  in enlightened      
,goshen4 ,in what narrow bounds is all  
the knowledge of  the most intelligent  
persons included6#gdg ,how few          
understand the  exact harmony of their  
own bodies1 the nature of the life they 
have  in common with other animals6 ,who
 understands the nature of his own      
faculties1 how he knows1 and how he     
wills2 how the understanding  proposeth1
 and how the will embraceth2 how his    
spiritual soul is  united to his        
material body2 what the nature is of the
 operation of  a#dge our spirits8 ,nay1 
who understands the nature of his own   
body1  the offices of his senses1 the   
motion of his members1 how they come to 
obey the command of the will1 and a     
thousand other things8 ,what a vain1    
weak1 and ignorant thing is man1 when   
compared with ,god6 yet there is  not a 
greater pride to be found among devils1 
than among ignorant men1  with a little1
 very little1 flashy knowledge4         

,ignorant man is as proud  as if he knew
 as ,god4 ,as the consideration of      
,god's omniscience should  render him   
honorable in our eyes1 so it should     
render us vile in our  own4 ,god1       
because of his knowledge1 is so far from
 disdaining his  creatures1 that his    
omniscience is a minister to his        
goodness4 ,no  knowledge that we are    
possessed of should make us swell with  
too high  a conceit of ourselves1 and a 
disdain of others4 ,we have infinitely  
more of ignorance than knowledge4 ,let  
us therefore remember1 in all  our      
thoughts of ,god1 that he is ,god1 and  
we are men2 and therefore  ought to be  
humble1 as becomes men1 and ignorant and
 foolish men1  to be2 as weak creatures 
should lie low before an ,almighty ,god1
 and  impure creatures before a holy    
,god1 false creatures before a faithful 
,god1 finite creatures before an        
infinite ,god1 so should ignorant       
creatures before an allknowing ,god4    
,all ,god's attributes teach  admiring  

thoughts of ,god1 and low thoughts of   
ourselves4    ,instruct4 #h4 ,it may    
inform us how much this attribute is    
injured  in the world4 ,the first error 
after ,adam's eating the forbidden      
fruit was the denial of this1 as well as
 the omnipresence of ,god1  7,gen4 iii4 
#aj17 8,i heard thy voice in the garden1
 and ,i hid myself20  as if the         
thickness of the trees could screen him 
from the eye of  his ,creator4 ,and     
after ,cain's murder1 this is the first 
perfection he  affronts1 7,gen4 iv4 #i71
 8,where is ,abel1 thy brother80 saith  
,god4 ,how  roundly doth he answer1 8,i 
know not60 as if ,god were as weak as   
man1  to be put off with a lie4 ,man    
doth as naturally hate this perfection  
as much as he cannot naturally but      
acknowledge it2 he wishes ,god  stripped
 of this eminency1 that he might be     
incapable to be an  inspector of his    
crimes1 and a searcher of the closets of
 his heart4  ,in wishing him deprived of
 this1 there is a hatred of ,god        

himself2 for  it is a loathing an       
essential property of ,god1 without     
which he would  be a pitiful ,governor  
of the world4 ,what a kind of ,god      
should that  be1 of a sinner's wishing1 
that had wanted eyes to see a crime1 and
  righteousness to punish it6 ,the want 
of the consideration of this  attribute1
 is the cause of all sin in the world   
7,hos4 vii4 #b71 8,they  consider not in
 their hearts that ,i remember all their
 wickedness20  they speak not to their  
hearts1 or make any reflection upon the 
infiniteness of my knowledge2 it is a   
high contempt of ,god1 as if he  were an
 idol1 a senseless stock or stone2 in   
all evil practices this  is denied4 ,we 
know ,god sees all things1 yet we live  
and walk as if he  knew nothing4 ,we    
call him omniscient1 and live as if he  
were ignorant2  we say he is all eye1   
yet act as if he were wholly blind4     
,in particular1 this attribute is       
injured1 by invading the peculiar       
rights of it1 by presuming on it1 and by

 a practical denial of it4  ,first1 ,by 
invading the peculiar rights of it4 #a4 
,by invocation of  creatures4 ,praying  
to saints1 by the ,romanists1 is a      
disparagement  a#dgf to this divine     
excellency2 he that knows all things1 is
 only  fit to have the petitions of men 
presented to him2 prayer supposeth  an  
omniscient ,being1 as the object of it2 
no other being but ,god  ought to have  
that honor acknowledged to it2 no       
understanding but  his is infinite2 no  
other presence but his is everywhere2 to
 implore  any deceased creature for a   
supply of our wants1 is to own in them a
  property of the ,deity1 and make them 
deities that were but men2 and  increase
 their glory by a diminution of ,god's  
honor1 in ascribing  that perfection to 
creatures which belongs only to ,god4   
,alas6 they  are so far from            
understanding the desires of our souls1 
that they  know not the words of our    
lips3 it is against reason to address   
our  supplications to them that neither 

understand us nor discern us 7,isa4     
lxiii4 #af71 8,abraham is ignorant of   
us1 and ,israel acknowledges us  not40  
,the ,jews never called upon ,abraham1  
though the covenant was made  with him  
for the whole seed2 not one departed    
saint for the whole four  thousand      
years1 between the creation of the      
world1 and the coming of  ,christ1 was  
ever prayed to by the ,israelites1 or   
ever imagined to have  a share in ,god's
 omniscience3 so that to pray to ,st4   
,peter1 ,st4 ,paul1  much less to ,st4  
,roch1 ,st4 ,swithin1 ,st4 ,martin1 ,st4
 ,francis1 c4 is  such a superstition1  
that hath no footing in the ,scripture4 
,to desire  the prayers of the living1  
with whom we have a communion1 who can  
understand and grant our desires1 is    
founded upon a mutual charity2  but to  
implore persons that are absent1 at a   
great distance from us1  with whom we   
have not1 nor know how to have1 any     
commerce1 supposeth  them1 in their     
departure1 to have put off humanity1 and

 commenced gods1  and endued with some  
part of the ,divinity to understand our 
petitions2  we are1 indeed1 to cherish  
their memories1 consider their examples1
  imitate their graces1 and observe     
their doctrines2 we are to follow  them 
as saints1 but not elevate them as gods1
 in ascribing to them  such a knowledge1
 which is the only necessary right of   
their and our  common ,creator4#gdh ,as 
the invocation of saints mingles them   
with  ,christ1 in the exercise of his   
office1 so it sets them equal with  ,god
 in the throne of his omniscience1 as if
 they had as much credit  with ,god as  
,christ1 by way of mediation1 and as    
much knowledge of  men's affairs as ,god
 himself4 ,omniscience is peculiar to   
,god1 and  incommunicable to any        
creature2 it is the foundation of all   
religion1  and therefore one of the     
choicest acts of it2 viz4 prayer and    
invocation4 ,to direct our vows and     
petitions to any one else1 is to  invade
 the peculiarity of this perfection in  

,god1 and to rank some  creatures in a  
partnership with him in it4    #b4 ,this
 attribute is injured by curiosity of   
knowledge2 especially  of future things1
 which ,god hath not discovered in      
natural causes1  or supernatural        
revelation4 ,it is a common error of    
men's spirits  to aspire to know what   
,god would have hidden1 and to pry into 
,divine  secrets2 and many men are more 
willing to remain without the knowledge 
of those things which may1 with a little
 industry1 be attained1  than be        
divested of the curiosity of inquiring  
into those things  which are above their
 reach2 it is hence that some have laid 
aside  the study of the common remedies 
of nature to find out the a#dgg         
philosopher's stone1 which scarce any   
ever yet attempted but sunk in  the     
enterprise4#gdi ,from this inclination  
to know the most abstruse  and difficult
 things1 it is that the horrors of magic
 and vanities of  astrology have sprung1
 whereby men have thought to find1 in a 

commerce  with devils and the           
jurisdiction of the stars1 the events of
 their  lives1 and the disposal of      
states and kingdoms4 ,hence1 also1 arose
  those multitudes of ways of           
divination1 invented among the heathen1 
and practised too commonly in these ages
 of the world4 ,this is an  invasion of 
,god's prerogative1 to whom secret      
things belong 7,deut4  xxix4 #bi72      
8,secret things belong unto the ,lord   
our ,god1 but revealed  things belong to
 us and our children40 ,it is an        
intolerable boldness  to attempt to     
fathom those1 the knowledge whereof ,god
 hath reserved  to himself1 and to      
search that which ,god will have to     
surpass our  understandings1 whereby we 
more truly envy ,god a knowledge        
superior  to our own1 than we1 in ,adam1
 imagined that he envied us4 ,ambition  
is  the greatest cause of this2 ambition
 to be accounted some great thing  among
 men1 by reason of a knowledge estranged
 from the common mass of  mankind1 but  

more especially that soaring pride to be
 equal with ,god1  which lurks in our   
nature ever since the fall of our first 
parents3  this is not yet laid aside by 
men1 though it was the first thing that 
embroiled the world with the wrath of   
,god4 ,some think a curiosity  of       
knowledge was the cause of the fall of  
devils2 ,i am sure it was  the fall of  
,adam1 and is yet the crime of his      
posterity2 had he been  contented to    
know what ,god had furnished him with1  
neither he nor his  posterity had       
smarted under the venom of the serpent's
 breath4 ,all  curious and bold         
inquiries into things not revealed are  
an attempt  upon the throne of ,god1 and
 are both sinful and pernicious1 like   
to glaring upon the sun1 where1 instead 
of a greater acuteness1 we  meet with   
blindness1 and too dearly buy our       
ignorance in attempting  a superfluous  
knowledge4 ,as ,god's knowledge is      
destined to the  government of the      
world1 so should ours be to the         

advantage of the  world1 and not        
degenerate into vain speculations4      
#c4 ,this attribute is injured by       
swearing by creatures4 ,to swear  by the
 name of ,god1 in a righteous cause1#gej
 when we are lawfully  called to it by a
 superior power1 or for the necessary   
decision of  some controversy1 for the  
ends of charity and justice1 is an act  
of religion1 and a part of worship1     
founded upon1 and directed to1  the     
honor of this attribute2 by it we       
acknowledge the glory of his  infallible
 knowledge of all things2 but to swear  
by false gods1 or by  any creature1 is  
blasphemous2 it sets the creature in the
 place of ,god1  and invests it in that 
which is the peculiar honor of the      
,divinity2  for when any swear truly1   
they intend the invocation of an        
infallible  ,witness1 and the bringing  
an undoubted testimony for what they do 
assert3 while1 any1 therefore1 swear by 
a creature1 or a false god1  they       
profess that that creature1 or that     

which they esteem to be a god1  is an   
infallible witness1 which to be is only 
the right of ,god2 they  attribute to   
the creature that which is the property 
of ,god alone1 to  know the heart1 and  
to be a witness whether they speak true 
or no3 and  this was accounted1 by all  
nations1 the true design a#dgh of an    
oath4  ,as to swear falsely is a plain  
denial of the allknowledge of ,god1 so  
to swear by any creature is to set the  
creature upon the throne of ,god1  in   
ascribing that perfection to the        
creature which sovereignly belongs  to  
the ,creator2 for it is not in the power
 of any to witness to the  truth of the 
heart1 but of him that is the searcher  
of hearts4    #d4 ,we sin against this  
attribute by censuring the hearts of    
others4  ,an open crime1 indeed1 falls  
under our cognizance1 and therefore     
under  our judgment2 for whatsoever     
falls under the authority of man to be  
punished1 falls under the judgment of   
man to be censured1 as an act  contrary 

to the law of ,god2 yet1 when a censure 
is built upon the evil  of the act which
 is obvious to the view1 if we take a   
step farther to  judge the heart and    
state1 we leave the revealed rule of the
 law1 and  ambitiously erect a tribunal 
equal with ,god's1 and usurp a judicial 
power1 pertaining only to the ,supreme  
,governor of the world1 and             
consequently pretend to be possessed of 
the perfection of omniscience1  which is
 necessary to render him capable of the 
exercise of that  sovereign authority3  
for it is in respect of his dominion    
that ,god  hath the supreme right to    
judge2 and in respect of his knowledge  
that he hath an incommunicable capacity 
to judge4 ,in an action  that is        
doubtful1 the good or evil whereof      
depends only upon ,god's  determination1
 and wherein much of the judgment       
depends upon the  discerning the        
intention of the agent1 we cannot judge 
any man without  a manifest invasion of 
,god's peculiar right3 such actions are 

to be  tried by ,god's knowledge1 not by
 our surmises2 ,god only is the master  
in such cases1 to whom a person stands  
or falls 7,rom4 xiv4 #d74 ',till  the   
true principle and ends of an action be 
known by the confession  of the party   
acting it1 a true judgment of it is not 
in our power4  ,principles and ends lie 
deep and hid from us2 and it is         
intolerable  pride to pretend to have a 
joint key with ,god to open that cabinet
  which he hath reserved to himself4    
,besides the violation of the rule  of  
charity in misconstruing actions which  
may be great and generous in  their root
 and principle1 we invade ,god's right1 
as if our ungrounded  imaginations and  
conjectures were in joint commission    
with this  sovereign perfection2 and    
thereby we become usurping judges of    
evil thoughts 7,james ii4 #d74 ,it is1  
therefore1 a boldness worthy to  be     
punished by the judge1 to assume to     
ourselves the capacity and  authority of
 him who is the only ,judge3 for as the 

execution of the  ,divine law1 for the  
inward violation of it1 belongs only to 
,god1 so is  the right of judging a     
prerogative belonging only to his       
omniscience2  his right is1 therefore1  
invaded1 if we pretend to a knowledge of
 it4  ,this humor of men the apostle    
checks1 when he saith 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #e71
  8,he that judgeth me is the ,lord2    
therefore judge nothing before the      
time1 until the ,lord come1 who will    
manifest the counsels of all  hearts40  
,it is not the time yet for ,god to     
erect the tribunal for the  trial of    
men's hearts1 and the principles of     
their actions2 he hath  reserved the    
glorious discovery of this attribute for
 another season3  we must not1          
therefore1 presume to judge of the      
counsels of men's  hearts till ,god hath
 revealed them by opening the treasures 
of his  own knowledge2 much less are we 
to judge any man's final condition4     
,manasseh may sacrifice to devils1 a#dgi
 and unconverted ,paul tear  the church 

in pieces2 but ,god had mercy on them1  
and called them4 ,the  actions may be   
censured1 not the state1 for we know not
 whom ,god may  call4 ,in censuring men1
 we may doubly imitate the devil1 in a  
false  accusation of the brethren1 as   
well as in an ambitious usurpation of   
the rights of ,god4    ,secondly1 ,this 
perfection is injured by presuming upon 
it1 or  making an ill use of it4 ,as in 
the neglect of prayer for the supply of 
men's wants1 because ,god knows them    
already1 so that that which is an       
encouragement to prayer1 they make the  
reason of restraining it before  ,god4  
,prayer is not to administer knowledge  
to ,god1 but to acknowledge  this       
admirable perfection of the ,divine     
nature4 ,if ,god did not know1  there   
were indeed no use of prayer2 it would  
be as vain a thing to  send up our      
prayers to heaven1 as to implore the    
senseless statue1  or picture of a      
prince1 for a protection4 ,we pray      
because ,god knows3  for though he knows

 our wants with a knowledge of vision1  
yet he  will not know them with a       
knowledge of supply1 till he be sought  
unto  7,matt4 vi4 #cb1 #cc2 vii4 #aa47  
,all the excellencies of ,god are ground
 of  adoration2 and this excellency is  
the ground of that part of worship  we  
call prayer4 ,if ,god be to be          
worshipped1 he is to be called upon3    
invocations of his name in our          
necessities is a chief act of worship2  
whence the temple1 the place of solemn  
worship1 was not called the  house of   
sacrifice1 but the house of prayer4     
,prayer was not appointed  for ,god's   
information1 as if he were ignorant1 but
 for the expression  of our desires2 not
 to furnish him with a knowledge of what
 we want1  but to manifest to him1 by   
some rational sign convenient to our    
nature1  our sense of that want1 which  
he knows by himself4 ,so that prayer is 
not designed to acquaint ,god with our  
wants1 but to express the desire  of a  
remedy of our wants4 ,god knows our     

wants1 but hath not made  promises      
barely to our wants1 but to our asking1 
that his omniscience  in hearing1 as    
well as his sufficiency in supplying1   
may have a  sensible honor in our       
acknowledgments and receipts4 ,it is    
therefore an  ill use of this excellency
 of ,god to neglect prayer to him as    
needless1  because he knows already4    
,thirdly4 ,this perfection of ,god is   
wronged by a practical denial  of it4   
,it is the language of every sin1 and so
 ,god takes it when he  comes to reckon 
with men for their impieties4 ,upon this
 he charges  the greatness of the       
iniquity of ,israel1 the overflowing of 
blood in  the land1 and the perverseness
 of the city3 8,they say1 the ,lord hath
  forsaken the earth1 and the ,lord sees
 not0 7,ezek4 ix4 #i73 they deny  his   
eyes to see1 and his resolution to      
punish4    #a4 ,it will appear1 in      
forbearing sin from a sense of man's    
knowledge1  not of ,god's4 ,open        
impieties are refrained because of the  

eye of man1  but secret sins are not    
checked because of the eye of ,god4     
,wickedness  is committed in darkness1  
that is restrained in light1 as if      
darkness  were as great a clog to ,god's
 eyes as it is to ours2 as though his   
eyes were muffled with the curtains of  
the night 7,job xxii4 #ad47 ,this1  it  
is likely1 was at the root of ,jonah's  
flight2 he might have some  secret      
thought that his ,master's eye could not
 follow him1 as though  the close       
hatches of a ship could secure him from 
the knowledge of  ,god1 as well as the  
sides of a ship a#dhj could from the    
dashing of  the waves4 ,what lies most  
upon the conscience when it is          
graciously  wounded1 is least regarded  
or contemned when it is basely inclined4
  ,david's heart smote him not only for 
his sin in the gross1 but as            
particularly cirumstantiated by the     
commission of it in the sight of  ,god  
7,ps4 li4 #d73 8,against thee1 thee only
 have ,i sinned1 and done this  evil in 

thy sight40 ,none knew the reason of    
,uriah's death but myself1  and because 
others knew it not1 ,i neglected any    
regard to this ,divine  eye4 ,when      
,jacob's sons used their brother ,joseph
 so barbarously1 they  took care to hide
 it from their father1 but cast away all
 thoughts  of ,god1 from whom it could  
not be concealed4 ,doth not the presence
 of  a child bridle a man from the act  
of a longedfor sin1 when the eye  of    
,god is of no force to restrain him1 as 
if ,god's knowledge were of  less value 
than the sight of a little boy or girl1 
as if a child only  could see1 and ,god 
were blind8 ,he that will forbear an    
unworthy action  for fear of an         
informer1 will not forbear it for ,god2 
as if ,god's  omniscience were not as   
full an intelligencer to him1 as man can
 be  an informer to a magistrate4 ,as we
 acknowledge the power of men seeing  us
 when we are ashamed to commit a filthy 
action in their view1 so  we discover   
the power of ,god seeing us1 when we    

regard not what we do  before the light 
of his eyes4 ,secret sins are more      
against ,god than  open3 open sins are  
against the law2 secret sins are against
 the law1  and this prime perfection of 
his nature4 ,the majesty of ,god is not 
only violated1 but the omniscience of   
,god disowned1 who is the only  witness2
 we must1 in all of them1 either imagine
 him to be without  eyes to behold us1  
or without an arm of justice to punish  
us4 ,and  often it is1 ,i believe1 in   
such cases1 that if any thoughts of     
,god's  knowledge strike upon men1 they 
quickly damp them1 lest they should     
begin to know what they fear1 and fear  
that they might not eat their  pleasant 
sinful morsels4    #b4 ,it appears in   
partial confessions of sin before ,god4 
,as by a free1  full1 and ingenious     
confession1 we offer a due glory to this
 attribute1  so by a feigned and        
curtailed confession1 we deny him the   
honor of  it3 for1 though by any        
confession we in part own him to be a   

,sovereign  and ,judge1 yet by a half   
and pared acknowledgment1 we own him to 
be  no more than a humane and ignorant  
one4 ,achan's full confession gave  ,god
 the glory of his omniscience1          
manifested in the discovery of his      
secret crime4 8,and ,joshua said unto   
,achan1 ,my son1 give1 ,i pray thee1    
glory to the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 and 
make confession unto him0 7,joshua  vii4
 #ai74 ,and so 7,ps4 l4 #bc73 8,whoso   
offereth praise glorifieth me10  or     
confession1 as the word signifieth1 in  
which sense ,i would rather  take it1   
referring to this attribute1 which ,god 
seems to tax sinners  with the denial of
 7ver4 #ba71 telling them that he would 
open the  records of their sins before  
them1 and indict them particularly for  
every one4 ,if1 therefore1 you would    
glorify this attribute1 which  shall one
 day break open your consciences1 offer 
to me a sincere  confession4 ,when      
,david speaks of the happiness of a     
pardoned man1  he adds1 8in whose spirit

 there is no guile10#gea not meaning a  
sincerity in general1 but an ingenuity  
in confessing4 ,to excuse1 or  extenuate
 sin1 is to deny ,god the a#dha         
knowledge of the depths of  our         
deceitful hearts3 when we will mince it 
rather than aggravate it2  lay it upon  
the inducements of others1 when it was  
the free act of our  own wills1 study   
shifts to deceive our ,judge2 this is to
 speak lies of  him1 as the expression  
is 7,hos4 vii4 #ac71 as though he were a
 ,god easy  to be cheated1 and knew no  
more than we were willing to declare4   
,what  did ,saul's transferring his sin 
from himself to the people 7#a ,sam4 xv4
  #ae71 but charge ,god with a defect in
 this attribute8 ,when man could  not be
 like ,god1 in his knowledge1 he would  
fancy a ,god like to him  in his        
ignorance1 and imagine a possibility of 
hiding himself from his  knowledge4 ,and
 all men tread1 more or less1 in their  
father's steps1  and are fruitful to    
devise distinctions to disguise errors  

in doctrine1  and excuses to palliate   
errors in practice3 this crime ,job     
removes  from himself1 when he speaks of
 several acts of his sincerity 7,job    
xxxi4 #cc73 8,if ,i covered my          
transgressions as ,adam1 by hiding my   
iniquity in my bosom30 ,i hid not any of
 my sins in my own conscience1  but     
acknowledged ,god a witness to them1 and
 gave him the glory of his  knowledge by
 a free confession4 ,i did not conceal  
it from ,god as ,adam  did1 or as men   
ordinarily do2 as if ,god could         
understand no more of  their secret     
crimes than they will let him1 and had  
no more sense of  their faults than they
 would furnish him with4 ,as the first  
rise of  confession is the owning of    
this attribute 7for the justice of ,god 
would not scare men1 nor the holiness of
 ,god awe them1 without a sense  of his 
knowledge of their iniquities71 so to   
drop out some fragments  of confession1 
discover some sins1 and conceal others1 
is a plain  denial of the extensiveness 

of the ,divine knowledge4    #c4 ,it is 
discovered by putting ,god off with an  
outside worship4 ,men  are often        
flatterers of ,god1 and think to bend   
him by formal glavering  devotions1     
without the concurrence of their hearts2
 as though he could  not pierce into the
 darkness of the mind1 but did as little
 know us  as one man knows another4     
,there are such things as feigned lips  
7,ps4  xvii4 #a71 a contradiction       
between the heart and the tongue1 a     
clamor  in the voice1 and scoffing in   
the soul2 a crying out to ,god1 thou art
  my ,father1 the guide of my youth1 and
 yet speaking and doing evil to  the    
utmost of our power 7,jer4 iii4 #d1 #e74
 ,as if ,god could be imposed  upon by  
fawning pretences2 and like old ,isaac1 
take ,jacob for ,esau1  and be cozened  
by the smell of his garments3 as if he  
could not  discern the negro heart under
 an angel's garb4 ,thus ,ephraim1 the   
ten tribes1 apostatized from the true   
religion1 would go with their  flocks   

and their herds to seek the ,lord 7,hos4
 v4 #f71 would sacrifice  multitudes of 
sheep and heifers1 which was the main   
outside of the  ,jewish religion2 only  
with their flocks and their herds1 not  
with  their hearts1 with those inward   
qualifications of deep humiliation  and 
repentance for sin2 as though outside   
appearances limited ,god's  observation1
 whereas ,god had told them before 7ver4
 #c71 that he 8knew  ,ephraim1 and      
,israel was not hid from him40 ,thus to 
do is to put a  cheat upon ,god1 and    
think to blind his allseeing eye1 and   
therefore  it is called deceit 7,ps4    
lxxviii4 #cf74 ,they did flatter him    
with their  mouths4 ,the word  signifies
 to deceive1 as well as to flatter2 not 
that they1 or any else1 can deceive     
a#dhb ,god1 but it implies an  endeavor 
to deceive him1 by a few dissembling    
words and gestures1 or  an imagination  
that ,god was satisfied with bare       
professions1 and would  not concern     
himself in a further inquisition4 ,this 

is an unworthy  conceit of ,god1 to     
fancy that we can satisfy for inward    
sins1 and  avert approaching judgments1 
by external offerings1 by a loud voice  
with a false heart1 as if ,god 7like    
children7 would be pleased with  the    
glittering of an empty shell1 or the    
rattling of stones1 the  chinkling of   
money1 a mere voice and crying1 without 
inward frames  and intentions of        
service4    #d4 ,in cherishing          
multitudes of evil thoughts4 ,no man but
 would blush  for shame1 if the base1   
impure1 slovenly thoughts1 either in or 
out  of duties of worship1 were visible 
to the understanding of man2 how        
diligent would he be to curb his        
luxuriant and unworthy fancies1 as  well
 as bite in his words6 but when we give 
the reins to the motions  of our hearts1
 and suffer them to run at random       
without a curb1 it is  an evidence we   
are not concerned for their falling     
under the notice of  the eye of ,god2   
and it argues a very weak belief of this

 perfection1  or scarce any belief at   
all4 ,who can think any man's heart1    
possessed  with a sense of this infinite
 excellency1 that suffers his mind1 in  
his meditations on ,god1 to wander into 
every sty1 and be picking up  stones    
upon a dunghill8 ,what doth it intimate1
 but that those thoughts  are as        
invisible1 or unaudible to ,god1 as they
 are to men without the  garments of    
words8#geb ,when a man thinks of obscene
 things1 his own  natural notions1 if   
revived1 would tell him that ,god       
discerns what he  thinks1 that the      
depths of his heart are open to him3 and
 the voice of  those notions aredeface  
those vain imaginations out of your     
minds4  ,but what is done8 ,men cast    
away rational light1 muster up conceits 
that ,god sees them not1 knows them not1
 and so sink into the puddle  of their  
sordid imaginations1 as though they     
remained in darkness to  ,god4 ,i might 
further instance4 ,in omissions of      
prayer1 which arise  sometimes from a   

flat atheism3 who will call upon a ,god1
 that believes  no such ,being8 or from 
partial atheism1 either a denial of     
,god's  sufficiency to help1 or of his  
omniscience to know1 as if ,god were    
like the statue of ,jupiter in ,crete1  
framed without ears4 ,in the            
hypocritical pretences of men1 to exempt
 them from the service ,god  calls them 
to4 ,when men pretend one thing and     
intend another3 this  lurks in the veins
 sometimes of the best men2 sometimes it
 ariseth  from the fear of man2 when men
 are more afraid of the power of man1   
than of dissembling with the ,almighty1 
it will pretend a virtue  to cover a    
secret wile1 and choose the tongue of   
the crafty as the  expression in ,job   
7ch4 xv4 #e74 ,the case is plain in     
,moses1 who1 when  ordered to undertake 
an eminent service1 pretends a want of  
eloquence1  and an ungrateful 8slowness 
of speech0 7,exod4 iv4 #aj74 ,this      
generous  soul1 that before was not     
afraid to discover himself in the midst 

of  ,egypt for his countrymen1 answers  
sneakingly to ,god1 and would veil  his 
carnal fear with a pretence of          
insufficiency and humility2 8,who  am   
,i1 that ,i should go unto ,pharaoh0    
7,exod4 iii4 #aa78 ,he could not well   
allege an inability to go to ,pharaoh1  
since he had had an education  in the   
,egyptian learning1 which rendered him  
capable to appear  a#dhc at court4 ,god 
at last uncaseth him1 and shews it all  
to be  a dissimulation1 and whatsoever  
was the pretence1 fear lay at the       
bottom4 ,he was afraid of his life upon 
his appearance before ,pharaoh1  from   
whose face he had fled upon the slaying 
the ,egyptians2 which ,god  intimates to
 him 7,exod4 iv4 #ai71 8,go1 and return 
into ,egypt1 for all  the men are dead  
which sought thy life40 ,what doth this 
carriage speak1  but as if ,god's eye   
were not upon our inward parts1 as      
though we could  lock him out of our    
hearts1 that cannot be shut out from any
 creek of  the hearts of men and angels8

    ,use ,,ii4 is of comfort4 ,it is a  
ground of great comfort under  the      
present dispensation wherein we are2 we 
have heard the doctrinal  part1 and ,god
 hath given us the experimental part of 
it in his special  providence this day1 
upon the stage of the world4#gec ,and1  
blessed be  ,god1 that he hath given us 
a ground of comfort1 without going out  
of  our ordinary course to fetch it1    
whereby it seems to be peculiarly of    
,god's ordering for us4    #a4 ,it is a 
comfort in all the clandestine          
contrivances of men  against the church4
 ,his eyes pierce as far as the depths  
of hell4 ,not  one of his church's      
adversaries lies in a mist2 all are as  
plain as  the stars which he numbers3   
8,mine adversaries are all before thee0 
7,ps4  lxix4 #ai71 more exactly known to
 thee than ,i can recount them4 ,it is  
a prophecy of ,christ1 wherein ,christ  
is brought in speaking to ,god of  his  
own and the church's enemies3 he        
comforts himself with this1 that  ,god  

hath his eye upon every particular      
person among his adversaries3  he knows 
where they repose themselves1 when they 
go out to consult1  and when they come  
in with their resolves4 ,he discerns all
 the rage  that spirits their hearts1 in
 what corner it lurks1 how it acts2  all
 the disorders1 motions of it1 and every
 object of that rage2 he  cannot be     
deceived by the closest and subtlest    
person4 ,thus ,god speaks  concerning   
,sennacherib and his host against       
,jerusalem 7,isa4 xxxvii4 #bh1  #bi74   
,after he had spoke of the forming of   
his church1 and the weakness  of it1 he 
adds1 8,but ,i know thy abode1 and thy  
going out1 and thy  coming in1 and thy  
rage against me4 ,because thy rage      
against me1 and  thy tumult1 is come up 
into mine ears1 therefore will ,i put my
 hook in  thy nose1 and my bridle in thy
 lips1 and ,i will turn thee back10 c4  
,he knows all the methods of the        
counsels1 the stages they had laid1  the
 manner of the execution of their       

designs1 all the ways whither  they     
turned themselves1 and would use them no
 better than men do  devouring fish and 
untamed beasts1 with a hook in the nose1
 and a  bridle in the mouth4 ,those     
statesmen 7in ,isa4 xxix4 #ae7 thought  
their  contrivances too deep for ,god to
 fathom1 and too close for ,god to      
frustrate2 8they seek deep to hide their
 counsels from the ,lord2  surely your  
turning of things upside down shall be  
esteemed as the  potter's clay10 of no  
more force and understanding than a     
potter's  vessel1 which understands not 
its own form wrought by the artificer1  
nor the use it is put to by the buyer   
and possessor2 or shall be  esteemed as 
a potter's vessel1 that can be as easily
 flung back into  the mass from whence  
it was taken1 as preserved in the figure
 it is  now endued with4 ,no secret     
designer is shrouded from ,god's sight1 
or  a#dhd can be sheltered from ,god's  
arm2 he understands the venom of  their 
hearts better than we can feel it1 and  

discovers their inward  fury more       
plainly than we can see the sting or    
teeth of a viper when  they are opened  
for mischief2 and to what purpose doth  
,god know and  see them1 but in order to
 deliver his people from them in his own
 due  time8 8,i know their sorrow1 and  
am come down to deliver them0 7,exod4   
iii4 #g1 #h74 ,the walls of ,jerusalem  
are continually before him2 he  knows1  
therefore1 all that would undermine and 
demolish them2 none can  hurt ,zion by  
any ignorance or inadvertency in ,god4  
,it is observable1  that our ,saviour1  
assuming to himself a different title in
 every  epistle to the seven churches1  
doth particularly ascribe to himself    
this of knowledge and wrath in that to  
,thyatira1 an emblem or  description of 
the ,romish state 7,rev4 ii4 #ah73 8,and
 unto the angel of  the church of       
,thyatira write1 ,these things1 saith   
the ,son of ,god1 who  hath his eyes    
like a flame of fire1 and his feet like 
fine brass40  ,his eyes1 like a flame of

 fire1 are of a piercing nature1        
insinuating  themselves into all the    
pores and parts of the body they        
encounter  with1 and his feet like      
brass1 to crush them with1 is explained 
7ver4  #bc71 8,i will kill her children 
with death1 and all the churches shall  
know that ,i am he which searches the   
reins and the heart1 and ,i will  give  
to every one of you according to your   
works40 ,he knows every  design of the  
,romish party1 designed by that church  
of ,thyatira4#ged  ,jezebel1 there1     
signifies a whorish church2 such a      
church as shall  act as ,jezebel1       
,ahab's wife1 who was not only a        
worshipper of idols1  but propagated    
idolatry in ,israel1 slew the prophets1 
persecuted  ,elijah1 murdered ,naboth1  
the name whereof signifies prophecy1    
seized  upon his possession4 ,and if it 
be said that 7ver4 #ai7 this church was 
commended for her works1 faith1         
patience1 it is true ,rome did at first 
strongly profess ,christianity1 and     

maintained the interest of it1 but      
afterwards fell into the practice of    
,jezebel1 and committed spiritual       
adultery3 and is she to be owned for a  
wife1 that now plays the harlot1        
because she was honest and modest at her
 first marriage8 ,and though  she shall 
be destroyed1 yet not speedily 7ver4    
#bb72 8,i will cast her  into a bed10   
seems to intimate the destruction of    
,jezebel1 not to  be at once and        
speedily1 but in a lingering way1 and by
 degrees1 as  sickness consumes a       
body4#gee    #b4 ,this perfection of    
,god fits him to be a special object of 
trust4  ,if he were forgetful1 what     
comfort could we have in any promise8   
,how could we depend upon him1 if he    
were ignorant of our state8 ,his        
compassion to pity us1 his readiness to 
relieve us1 his power to  protect and   
assist us1 would be insignificant1      
without his omniscience  to inform his  
goodness1 and direct the arm of his     
power4 ,this  perfection is1 as it were1

 ,god's office of intelligence3 as you  
go to  your memorandumbook to know what 
you are to do1 so doth ,god to his      
omniscience2 this perfection is ,god's  
eye1 to acquaint him with the           
necessities of his church1 and directs  
all his other attributes in  their      
exercise for and about his people4 ,you 
may depend upon his mercy  a#dhe that   
hath promised1 and upon his truth to    
perform2 upon his  sufficiency to supply
 you1 and his goodness to relieve you1  
and his  righteousness to reward you2   
because he hath an infinite             
understanding  to know you and your     
wants1 you and your services4 ,and      
without this  knowledge of his1 no      
comfort could be drawn from any other   
perfection2  none of them could be a    
sure nail to hang our hopes and         
confidence  upon4 ,this is that the     
church alway celebrated 7,ps4 cv4 #g73  
8,he hath  remembered his covenant      
forever1 and the word which he hath     
commanded  to a thousand generations20  

and 7ver4 #db71 8,he remembered his holy
  promise20 8,and he remembered for them
 his covenant0 7,ps4 cvi4 #de74  ,he    
remembers and understands his covenant1 
therefore his promise to  perform it1   
and therefore our wants to supply them4 
#c4 ,and the rather1 because ,god knows 
the persons of all his own4  ,he hath in
 his infinite understanding1 the exact  
number of all the  individual persons   
that belong to him 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #ai73  
8,the ,lord  knows them that are his40  
,he knows all things1 because he hath   
created  them2 and he knows his people  
because he hath not only made them1  but
 also chose them2 he could no more      
choose he knew not what1 than  he could 
create he knew not what2 and he knows   
them under a double  title2 of creation 
as creatures1 in the common mass of     
creation2 as  new creatures by a        
particular act of separation4 ,he cannot
 be ignorant  of them in time1 whom he  
foreknew from eternity2 his knowledge in
 time  is the same he had from eternity2

 he foreknew them that he intended  to  
give the grace of faith unto2 and he    
knows them after they believe1  because 
he knows his own act1 in bestowing grace
 upon them1 and his  own mark and seal  
wherewith he hath stamped them4 ,no     
doubt but he  that 8calls the stars of  
heaven by their names0 7,ps4 clxvii4    
#d71 knows  the number of those living  
stars that sparkle in the firmament of  
his  church4 ,he cannot be ignorant of  
their persons1 when he numbers the      
hairs of their heads1 and hath          
registered their names in the book of   
life4 ,as he only had an infinite mercy 
to make the choice1 so he only  hath an 
infinite understanding to comprehend    
their persons4 ,we only  know the elect 
of ,god by a moral assurance in the     
judgment of charity1  when the          
conversation of men is according to the 
doctrine of ,god4 ,we  have not an      
infallible knowledge of them1 we may be 
often mistaken2  ,judas1 a devil1 may be
 judged by man for a saint1 till he be  

stripped  of his disguise4 ,god only    
hath an infallible knowledge of them1 he
  knows his own records1 and the        
counterparts in the hearts of his       
people2 none can counterfeit his seal1  
nor can any rase it out4 ,when  the     
church is either scattered like dust by 
persecution1 or overgrown  with         
superstition and idolatry1 that there is
 scarce any grain of true  religion     
appearing1 as in the time of ,elijah1   
who complained that he  was left alone1 
as if the church had been rooted out of 
that corner of  the world 7#a ,kings    
xix4 #ad1 #ah72 yet ,god knew that he   
had a number fed  in a cave1 and had    
reserved seven thousand men that had    
preserved the  purity of his worship1   
and not bowed their knee to ,baal4#gef  
,christ  knew his sheep1 as well as he  
is known of them2 yea1 better than  they
 can know him 7,john x4 #ad74 ,history  
acquaints us1 that ,cyrus had  so a#dhf 
vast a memory1 that he knew the name of 
every particular  soldier in his army1  

which consisted of divers nations2 shall
 it be  too hard for an infinite        
understanding to know every one of that 
host  that march under his banners8 may 
he not as well know them1 as know  the  
number1 qualities1 influences1 of those 
stars which lie concealed  from our eye1
 as well as those that are visible to   
our sense8 ,yes1  he knows them1 as a   
general to employ them1 as a shepherd to
 preserve  them2 he knows them in the   
world to guard them1 and he knows them  
when  they are out of the world to      
gather them1 and cull out their bodies1 
though wrapped up in a cloud of the     
putrified carcases of the wicked4  ,as  
he knew them from all eternity to elect 
them1 so he knows them  in time to      
clothe their persons with righteousness1
 to protect their  persons in calamity1 
according to his good pleasure1 and at  
last to  raise and reward them according
 to his promise4    #d4 ,we may take    
comfort from hence1 that our sincerity  
cannot be  unknown to an infinite       

understanding4 ,not a way of the        
righteous is  concealed from him1 and1  
therefore1 8they shall stand in judgment
  before him0 7,ps4 i4 #f73 8,the ,lord 
knows the way of the righteous20  he    
knows them to observe them1 and he knows
 them to reward them4 ,how  comfortable 
is it to appeal to this attribute of    
,god for our integrity1  with ,hezekiah 
7#b ,kings xx4 #c76 8,remember1 ,lord1  
how ,i have walked  before thee in      
truth1 and with a perfect heart40       
,christ himself is  brought in in this  
prophetical psalm1 drawing out the      
comfort of this  attribute 7,ps4 xl4    
#i73 8,i have not restrained my lips1 ,o
 ,lord1 thou  knowest20 meaning his     
faithfulness in declaring the           
righteousness of  ,god4 ,job follows the
 same steps1 8,also now behold1 my      
record is in  heaven1 and my witness is 
on high0 7,job xvi4 #ai72 my innocence  
hath  the testimony of men1 but my      
greatest support is in the records of   
,god4  ,also now1 or1 besides the       

testimony of my own heart1 ,i have      
another  witness in heaven1 that knows  
the heart1 and can only judge of the    
principles of my actions1 and clear me  
from the scorns of my friends  and the  
accusations of men1 with a justification
 of my innocence2 he  repeats it twice1 
to take the greater comfort in it4 ,god 
knows that  we do that in the simplicity
 of our hearts1 which may be judged by  
men  to be done for unworthy and sordid 
ends3 he knows not only the outward     
action1 but the inward affection1 and   
praises that which men often  dispraise1
 and writes down that with an ,euge6    
8,well done1 good and  faithful         
servant10 which men daub with their     
severest censures 7,rom4  ii4 #bi74 ,how
 refreshing is it to consider1 that ,god
 never mistakes  the appearance for     
reality1 nor is led by the judgment of  
man6  ,he sits in heaven1 and laughs at 
their follies and censures4 ,if  ,god   
had no sounder and no more piercing a   
judgment than man1 woe  be to the       

sincerest souls that are often judged   
hypocrites by some4  ,what a happiness  
is it for integrity to have a judge of  
infinite  understanding1 who will one   
day wipe off the dirt of worldly        
reproaches6 ,again1 ,god knows the least
 dram of grace and righteousness  in the
 hearts of his people1 though but as a  
smoking flax1 or the  least bruise of a 
saving conviction 7,matt4 xii4 #bj71 and
 knows it so  as to cherish it2 he knows
 that work he hath begun1 and never hath
  his eye off from it to abandon it4    
a#dhg #e4 ,the consideration of this    
excellent perfection in ,god may        
comfort us in our secret prayers1 sighs1
 and works4 ,if ,god were not  of       
infinite understanding to pierce into   
the heart1 what comfort hath  a poor    
creature that hath a scantiness of      
expressions but a heart in  a flame8 ,if
 ,god did not understand the heart1     
faith and prayer1 which  are eternal    
works1 would be in vain4 ,how could he  
give that mercy  our hearts plead for if

 he were ignorant of our inward         
affections8  ,hypocrites might scale    
heaven by lofty expressions1 and a      
sincere  soul come short of the         
happiness he is prepared for1 for want  
of  flourishing gifts4 ,prayer is an    
eternal work2 words are but the  garment
 of prayer2 meditation is the body1 and 
affection the soul and  life of prayer2 
8,give ear to my words1 ,o ,lord1       
consider my meditation0  7,ps4 v4 #a74  
,prayer is a rational act2 an act of the
 mind1 not the act  of a parrot3 prayer 
is an act of the heart1 though the      
speaking prayer  is the work of the     
tongue2 now ,god gives ear to the words1
 but he  considers the meditation of the
 frame of the heart4 ,consideration is  
a more exact notice than hearing2 the   
act only of the ear4 ,were not  ,god of 
an infinite understanding1 and          
omniscient1 he might take fine  clothes1
 a heap of garments1 for the man        
himself1 and be put off by  glittering  
words1 without a spiritual frame4 ,what 

matter of rejoicing  is it that we call 
not upon a deaf and ignorant idol1 but  
on one that  listens to our secret      
petitions1 to give them a dispatch1 that
 knows  our desires afar off1 and from  
the infiniteness of his mercy1 joined   
with his omniscience1 stands ready to   
give us a return8 ,hath he not  a book  
of remembrance for them that fear him1  
and for their sighs and  ejaculations to
 him1 as well as their discourses of    
him1 7,mal4 iii4  #af72 and not only    
what prayers they utter1 but what       
gracious and holy  thoughts they have of
 him that thought upon his name8 ,though
 millions  of supplications be put up at
 the same time1 yet they have all a     
distinct file 7as ,i may say7 in an     
infinite understanding1 which  perceives
 and comprehends them all4 ,as he       
observes millions of sins  committed at 
the same time1 by a vast number of      
persons1 to record  them in order to    
punishment1 so he distinctly discerns an
 infinite  number of cries1 at the same 

moment1 to register them in order to an 
answer4 ,a sigh cannot escape an        
infinite understanding1 though crowded  
among a mighty multitude of cries from  
others1 or covered with many  unwelcome 
distractions in ourselves1 no more than 
a believing touch  from the woman that  
had the bloody issue could be concealed 
from  ,christ1 and be undiscerned from  
the press of the thronging multitudes3  
our groans are as audible and           
intelligible to him as our words1 and   
he knows what is the mind of his own    
,spirit1 though expressed in no  plainer
 language than sobs and heavings 7,rom4 
viii4 #bg74 ,thus ,david  cheers up     
himself under the neglects of his       
friends 7,ps4 xxxviii4 #i72  8,lord1 my 
desire is before thee1 and my groaning  
is not hid from thee40  ,not a groan of 
a panting spirit shall be lost1 till    
,god hath lost  his knowledge2 not a    
petition forgotten while ,god hath a    
record1 nor a  tear dried while ,god    
hath a bottle to reserve it in 7,ps4    

lvi4 #h74 ,our  secret works are also   
known and observed by him2 not only our 
outward  labor1 but our inward love in  
it 7,heb4 vi4 #aj74 ,if1 with ,isaac1 we
  go privately into the field to        
meditate1 or secretly 8cast a#dhh our   
bread upon the waters10 he keeps his eye
 upon us to reward us1 and  returns the 
fruit into our own bosoms 7,matt4 vi4   
#d1 #f72 yea1 though  it be but a cup of
 cold water1 from an inward spring of   
love1 given  to a disciple1 8,he sees   
your works1 and your labor1 and faith1  
and  patience0 in working them 7,rev4   
ii4 #b72 all the marks of your industry1
  and strength of your intentions1 and  
will be as exact at last1 in  order to a
 due praise1 as to open sins1 in order  
to a just recompense  7#a ,cor4 iv4 #e74
    #f4 ,the consideration of this      
excellent attribute affords comfort  in 
the afflictions of good men4 ,he knows  
their pressures1 as well  as hears their
 cries 7,exod4 iii4 #g74 ,his knowledge 
comes not by  information from us2 but  

his compassionate listening to our cries
  springs from his own inspection into  
our sorrows2 he is affected with  them1 
before we make any discovery of them2 he
 is not ignorant of the  best season1   
when they may be usefully inflicted1 and
 when they may be  profitably removed4  
,the tribulation and poverty of his     
church is not  unknown to him 7,rev4 ii4
 #h1 #i72 8,i know thy works and        
tribulation10  c4 ,he knows their works1
 and what tribulation they meet with for
  him2 he sees their extremities1 when  
they are toiling against the wind  and  
tide of the world 7,mark vi4 #dh72 yea1 
the natural exigencies of  the multitude
 are not neglected by him2 he discerns  
to take care of  them4 ,our ,saviour    
considered the three days' fasting of   
his followers1  and miraculously        
provides a dish for them in the         
wilderness4 ,no  good man is ever out of
 ,god's mind1 and therefore never out of
 his  compassionate care3 his eye       
pierceth into their dungeons1 and pities

  their miseries4 ,joseph may forget his
 brethren1 and the disciples  not know  
,christ1 when he walks upon the midnight
 waves and turbulent  sea1#geg but a    
lion's den cannot obscure a ,daniel from
 his sight1  nor the depths of the      
whale's belly bury ,jonah from the      
,divine  understanding3 he discerns     
,peter in his chains1 and ,stephen under
 the  stones of martyrdom2 he knows     
,lazarus under his tattered rags1 and   
,abel wallowing in his blood2 his eye   
and knowledge goes along with his       
people1 when they are transplanted into 
foreign countries1 and sold  for slaves 
into the islands of the ,grecians1 8for 
he will raise them  out of the place0   
7,joel iii4 #f1 #g74 ,he would defeat   
the hopes of the  persecutors1 and      
applaud the patience of his people4 ,he 
knows his  people in the tabernacle of  
life1 and in the valley of the shadow of
  death 7,ps4 xxiii74 ,he knows all     
penal evils1 because he commissions  and
 directs them4 ,he knows the            

instruments1 because they are his sword 
7,ps4 xvii4 #ac72 and he knows his      
gracious sufferer because he hath his   
mark4 ,he discerns ,job in his anguish1 
and the devil in his malice4 ,by  the   
direction of this attribute he orders   
calamities1 and rescues from  them4     
8,thou hast seen it1 for thou beholdest 
mischief and spite0 7,ps4  x4 #ad74     
,that is the comfort of the psalmist1   
and the comfort of every  believer1 and 
the ground of committing themselves to  
,god under all the  injustice of men4   
#g4 ,it is a comfort in all our         
infirmities4 ,as he knows our sins to   
charge them1 so he knows the weakness of
 our nature to pity us4 ,as  his        
infinite understanding may scare us1    
because he knows our a#dhi              
transgressions1 so it may relieve us1   
because he knows our natural  mutability
 in our first creation2 8he knows our   
frame1 he remembers  that we are dust0  
7,ps4 ciii4 #ad74 ',tis the reason of   
the precedent  verses why he removes our

 transgression from us1 why he is so    
backward  in punishing1 so patient in   
waiting1 so forward in pitying2 ,why8   
,he  doth not only remember our sins1   
but remember our frame of forming2  what
 brittle1 though clear glasses we were  
by creation1 how easy to be  cracked6   
,he remembers our impotent and weak     
condition by corruption2  what a sink we
 have of vain imaginations that remain  
in us after  regeneration2 he doth not  
only consider that we were made         
according  to his image1 and therefore  
able to stand1 but that we were made  of
 dust and weak matter1 and had a        
sensitive soul1 like that of  beasts1 as
 well as an intellectual nature1 like   
that of angels1 and  therefore liable to
 follow the dictates of it1 without     
exact care  and watchfulness4 ,if he    
remembered only the first1 there would  
be no  issue but indignation2 but the   
consideration of the latter moves his   
compassion4 ,how miserable should we be 
for want of this perfection in  the     

,divine nature1 whereby ,god remembers  
and reflects upon his past  act in our  
first frame1 and the mindfulness of our 
condition excites  the motion of his    
bowels to us6 ,had he lost the knowledge
 how he first  framed us1 did he not    
still remember the mutability of our    
nature1 as  we were formed and stamped  
in his mint1 how much more wretched     
would  our condition be than it is6 ,if 
his remembrance of our original be one  
ground of his pity1 the sense of his    
omniscience should be a ground of  our  
comfort in the stirring of our          
infirmities3 he remembers we were  but  
dust when he made us1 and yet remembers 
we are but dust while he  preserves and 
forbears us4    #h4 ,it is some comfort 
in the fears of some lurking corruption 
in our  hearts4 ,we know by this whither
 to address ourselves for the search    
and discovery of it3 perhaps some       
blessings we want are retarded2 some    
calamities we understand not the        
particular cause of1 are inflicted2     

some petitions we have put up1 hang too 
long for an answer2 and the  chariot    
wheels of ,divine goodness move slow1   
and are long in coming4  ,let us beg the
 aid of this attribute to open to us the
 remoras1 to  discover what base        
affection there is that retards the     
mercies we  want1 or attracts the       
affliction we feel1 or bars the door    
against the  return of our              
supplications4 ,what our dim sight      
cannot discover1 the  clear eye of ,god 
can make visible to us 7,job x4 #b73    
8,show me wherefore  thou contendest    
with me40 ,as in want of pardon1 we     
particularly plead  his mercy1 and in   
our desires for the performance of his  
promise1  we argue with him from his    
faithfulness1 so in the fear of any     
insincerity or hidden corruption we     
should implore his omniscience3  for as 
,god is a ,god in covenant1 our ,god1   
our ,god in the whole of his  nature1 so
 the perfections of his nature are      
employed in their several  stations1 as 

assistances of his creatures4 ,this was 
,david's practice  and comfort1 after   
that large meditation1 on the           
omniscience and  omnipresence of ,god1  
he turns his thoughts of it into        
petitions for  the employment of it in  
the concerns of his soul1 and begs a    
mercy  suitable to the glory of this    
perfection 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #bc73 8,search 
me1  ,o ,god1 and try my heart1 a#dij   
try me1 and know my thoughts20 dive  to 
the bottom 7ver4 #bd71 8and see if there
 be any wicked way in me1  and lead me  
in the way everlasting40 ,his desire is 
not barely that  ,god should know him1  
for it would be senseless to beg of ,god
 that  he should have mercy1 or         
faithfulness1 or power1 or knowledge in 
his nature2 but he desires the exercise 
of this attribute1 in the  discovery of 
himself to himself1 in order to his     
sight of any wicked  way1 and           
humiliation for it1 and reformation of  
it1 in order to his  conduct to         
everlasting life4 ,as we may appeal to  

this perfection to  judge us when the   
sincerity of our actions is censured by 
others1  so we may implore it to search 
us when our sincerity is questioned  by 
ourselves1 that our minds may be        
enlightened by a beam from his          
knowledge1 and the little thieves may be
 pulled out of their dens in  our hearts
 by the hand of his power4 ,in          
particular1 it is our comfort  that we  
can1 and our necessity that we must     
address particularly to  this1 when we  
engage solemnly in a work of            
selfexamination2 that  we may have a    
clearer eye to direct us than our own1  
that we may not  mistake brass for gold1
 or counterfeit graces for true2 that   
nothing  that is filthy and fit to be   
cast out1 may escape our sight1 and     
preserve its station4 ,and we need not  
question the laying at the  door of this
 neglect 7viz4 not calling in this      
attribute to our aid1  whose proper     
office it is1 as ,i may so say1 to      
search and inquire7  all the mistakes1  

ill success1 and fruitlessness of our   
endeavors  in selfexamination1 because  
we would engage in it in the pitiful    
strength of our own dimness1 and not in 
the light of ,god's countenance1  and   
the assistance of his eye1 which can    
discern what we cannot see1  and        
discover that to us which we cannot     
manifest to ourselves4 ,it is  a comfort
 to a learner of an art to have a       
skilful eye to overlook his  work1 and  
inform him of the defects4 ,beg the help
 of the eye of ,god in  all your        
searches and selfexaminations4    #i4   
,the consideration of this attribute is 
comfortable in our  assurances of1 and  
reflections upon1 the pardon of sin1 or 
seeking  of it4 ,as ,god punishes men   
for sin according to his knowledge of   
them1  which is greater than the        
knowledge their own consciences have of 
them1 so he pardons according to his    
knowledge3 he pardons not only          
according to our knowledge1 but         
according to his own2 he is greater     

than any man's heart1 to condemn for    
that which a man is at present  ignorant
 of2 and greater than our hearts1 to    
pardon that which is  not at present    
visible to us2 he knows that which the  
most watchful  conscience cannot take a 
survey of3 if ,god had not an infinite  
understanding of us1 how could we have a
 perfect and full pardon from  him8 ,it 
would not stand with his honor to pardon
 he knew not what4 ,he  knows what      
crimes we have to be pardoned1 when we  
know not all of them  ourselves1 that   
stand in need of a gracious remission2  
his omniscience  beholds every sin to   
charge it upon our ,saviour4 ,if he     
knows our sins  that are black1 he knows
 every mite of ,christ's righteousness  
which  is pure1 and the utmost extent of
 his merits1 as well as the demerit  of 
our iniquities4 ,as he knows the filth  
of our sin1 he also knows  the covering 
of our ,saviour3 he knows the value of  
the ,redeemer's  sufferings1 and exactly
 understands every plea in the          

intercession of  our ,advocate4 a#dia   
,though ,god knows our sins oculo       
indice1 yet he  doth not see them oculo 
judice1 with a judicial eye3 his        
omniscience  stirs not up his justice to
 revenge1 but his mercy to pity4 ,his   
infinite understanding of what ,christ  
hath done1 directs him to disarm  his   
justice1 and sound an alarm to his      
bowels4 ,as he understands  better than 
we what we have committed1 so he        
understands better than  we what our    
,saviour hath merited2 and his eye      
directs his hand in the  blotting out   
guilt1 and applying the remedy4    ,use 
,,iii4 shall be to sinners1 to humble   
them1 and put them upon  serious        
consideration4 ,this attribute speaks   
terrible things to a  profligate sinner4
 ,basil thinks that the ripping open the
 sins of the  damned to their faces by  
this perfection of ,god1 is more        
terrible than  their other torments in  
hell4 ,god knows the persons of wicked  
men1 not  one is exempted from his eye2 

he sees all the actions of men1 as well 
as he knows their persons 7,job xi4     
#aa73 8,he knows vain men1 he sees      
wickedness also0 7,job xxxiv4 #ba73     
8,his eye is upon all their goings40    
,he hears the most private whispers     
7,ps4 cxxxix4 #d71 the scope1 manner1   
circumstance of speaking1 he knows it   
altogether3 he understands all  our     
thoughts1 the first bubblings of that   
bitter spring 7,ps4 cxxxix4  #b72 the   
quickest glances of the fancy1 the      
closest musings of the mind1  and the   
abortive wouldings or wishes of the     
will1 the language of the  heart1 as    
well as the language of the tongue2 not 
a foolish thought1  or an idle word1 not
 a wanton glance1 or a dishonest action1
 not a  negligent service1 or a         
distracting fancy1 but is more visible  
to him1  than the filth of a dunghill   
can be to any man by the help of a sun  
beam4 ,how much better would it be for  
desperate sinners to have their  crimes 
known to all the angels in heaven1 and  

men upon earth1 and  devils in hell1    
than that they should be known to their 
,sovereign1  whose laws they have       
violated1 and to their ,judge1 whose    
righteousness  obligeth him to revenge  
the injury6    #a4 ,consider what a poor
 refuge is secrecy to a sinner4 ,not the
  mists of a foggy day1 nor the         
obscurity of the darkest night1 not  the
 closest curtains1 nor the deepest      
dungeon1 can hide any sin  from the eye 
of ,god4 ,adam is known in his thickets1
 and ,jonah in his  cabin4 ,achan's     
wedge of gold is discerned by him1      
though buried in the  earth1 and hooded 
with a tent4 ,shall ,sarah be unseen by 
him1 when she  mockingly laughs behind  
the door8 ,shall ,gehazi tell a lie1 and
 comfort  himself with an imagination of
 his master's ignorance1 as long as ,god
  knows it8 ,whatsoever works men do1   
are not hid from ,god1 whether done  in 
the darkness or daylight1 in the        
midnight darkness1 or the noonday  sun3 
he is all eye to see1 and he hath a     

great wrath to punish4 ,the  wheels of  
,ezekiel are full of eyes3 a piercing   
eye to behold the  sinner1 and a swift  
wheel of wrath to overtake him4 ,god is 
light1 and  of all things light is most 
difficultly kept out4 ,the secretest    
sins  are set in the light of his       
countenance 7,ps4 xc4 #h71 as legible to
 him1  as if written with a sunbeam2    
more visible to him than the greatest   
print to the sharpest eye4 ,the         
fornications of the ,samaritan woman1   
perhaps known only to her own           
conscience1 were manifest to ,christ    
7,john iv4 #af47 ,there is nothing so   
secretly done1 but there is an          
infallible witness to prepare a#dib a   
charge4 ,though ,god be invisible  to   
us1 we must not imagine we are so to    
him2 it is a vanity1 therefore1  to     
think that we can conceal ourselves from
 ,god1 by concealing the  notions of    
,god from our sense and practice4 ,if   
men be as close from  the eyes of all   
men1 as from those of the sun1 yea1 if  

they could  separate themselves from    
their own shadow1 they could not draw   
themselves from ,god's understanding3   
how1 then1 can darkness shelter  us1 or 
crafty artifices defend us8 ,with what  
shame will sinners be  filled1 when     
,god1 who hath traced their steps1 and  
writ their sins in  a book1 shall make a
 repetition of their ways1 and unveil   
the web of  their wickedness6    #b4    
,what a dreadful consideration is this  
to the juggling  hypocrite1 that masks  
himself with an appearance of piety8 ,an
 infinite  understanding judges not     
according to veils and shadows1 but     
according  to truth2 8,he judges not    
according to appearance0 7#a ,sam4 xvi4 
#g74 ,the  outward comeliness of a work 
imposeth not on him1 his knowledge1 and 
therefore his estimations are quite of  
another nature than those of  men4 ,by  
this perfection ,god looks through the  
veil1 and beholds the  litter of        
abominations in the secrets of the soul2
 the true quality  and principle of     

every work1 and judges of them as they  
are1 and not  as they appear4 ,disguised
 pretexts cannot deceive him2 the       
disguises  are known afar off1 before   
they are weaved2 he pierceth into the   
depths of the most abstruse wills2 all  
secret ends are dissected  before him2  
every action is naked in its outside1   
and open in its  inside2 all are as     
clear to him as if their bodies were of 
crystal2  so that if there be any secret
 reserves1 he will certainly reprove us 
7,job xiii4 #aj74 ,we are often         
deceived2 we may take wolves for sheep1 
and hypocrites for believers2 for the   
eyes of men are no better  than flesh1  
and dive no further than appearance2 but
 an infinite  understanding1 that       
fathoms the secret depths of the heart1 
is too  knowing to let a dream pass for 
a truth1 or mistake a shadow for  a     
body4 ,though we call ,god ,father all  
our days1 speak the language  of angels1
 or be endowed with the gifts of        
miracles1 he can discern  whether we    

have his mark upon us2 he can espy the  
treason of ,judas  in a kiss2 ,herod's  
intent of murdering under a specious    
pretence of  worship2 a ,pharisee's     
fraud under a broad phylactery2 a       
ravenous wolf  under the softness of a  
sheep's skin2 and the devil in ,samuel's
 mantle1  or when he would shroud       
himself among the sons of ,god 7,job i4 
#f1 #g74  ,all the rooms of the heart1  
and every atom of dust in the least     
chink  of it1 is clear to his eye2 he   
can strip sin from the fairest excuses1 
pierce into the heart with more ease    
than the sun can through the  thinnest  
cloud or vapor2 and look through all    
,ephraim's ingenuous  inventions to     
excuse his idolatry 7,hos4 v4 #c74      
,hypocrisy1 then1  is a senseless thing1
 since it cannot escape unmasking1 by an
  infinite understanding4 ,as all our   
force cannot stop his arm1 when  he is  
resolved to punish1 so all our sophistry
 cannot blind his  understanding1 when  
he comes to judge4 ,woe to the          

hypocrite1 for ,god  sees him2 all his  
juggling is open and naked to infinite  
understanding4    #c4 ,is it not also a 
senseless thing to be careless of sins  
committed  long ago8 ,the old sins      
forgotten by men1 stick fast in an      
infinite  a#dic understanding3 time     
cannot rase out that which hath been    
known  from eternity4 ,why should they  
be forgotten many years after they  were
 acted1 since they were foreknown in an 
eternity before they were  committed1 or
 the criminal capable to practise them8 
,amalek must pay  their arrears of their
 ancient unkindness to ,israel in the   
time of  ,saul1 though the generation   
that committed them were rotten in their
  graves 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #b74 ,old sins   
are written in a book1 which lies       
always before ,god2 and not only our own
 sins1 but the sins of our  fathers1 to 
be requited upon their posterity4#geh   
,what a vanity  is it then to be        
regardless of the sins of an age that   
went before  us6 because they are in    

some measure out of our knowledge1 are  
they  therefore blotted out of ,god's   
remembrance8 ,sins are bound up with    
him1  as men do bonds1 till they resolve
 to sue for the debt2 the iniquity  of  
,ephraim is bound up 7,hos4 xiii4 #ab74 
,as his foreknowledge extends  to all   
acts that shall be done1 so his         
remembrance extends to all acts  that   
have been done4 ,we may as well say1    
,god foreknows nothing that  shall be   
done to the end of the world1 as that he
 forgets anything  that hath been done  
from the beginning of the world4 ,the   
former ages  of the world are no further
 distant from him than the latter4 ,god 
hath  a calendar 7as it were7 or an     
account book of men's sins ever since   
the beginning of the world1 what they   
did in their childhood1 what in  their  
youth1 what in their manhood1 and what  
in their old age3 he hath  them in store
 among his treasures 7,deut4 xxxii4     
#cd73 he hath neither  lost his         
understanding to know them1 nor his     

resolution to revenge  them3 as it      
follows1 8to me vengeance belongs0 7ver4
 #ce74 ,he intends  to enrich his       
justice with a glorious manifestation1  
by rendering  a due recompense4 ,and it 
is to be observed1 that ,god doth not   
only  necessarily remember them1 but    
sometimes binds himself by an oath to   
do it 7,amos viii4 #g72 8,the ,lord hath
 sworn by the excellency of ,jacob1     
,surely ,i will never forget any of     
their works40 ,or1 in the ,hebrew1 8,if 
,i ever forget any of their works20 that
 is1 let me not be accounted  a ,god    
forever1 if ,i do forget2 let me lose my
 godhead1 if ,i lose  my remembrance4   
,it is not less a misery to the wicked1 
than it is  a comfort to the godly1 that
 their record is in heaven4    #d4 ,let 
it be observed1 that this infinite      
understanding doth exactly  know the    
sins of men2 he knows so as to consider4
 ,he doth not only  know them1 but      
intently behold them 7,ps4 xi4 #d73     
8,his eyelids try the  children of men10

 a metaphor taken from men that contract
 the eyelids1  when they would wistly   
and accurately behold a thing2 it is not
 a  transient and careless look 7,ps4 x4
 #ad73 8,thou hast seen it20 thou  hast 
intently beheld it1 as the word properly
 signifies3 he beholds  and knows the   
actions of every particular man1 as if  
there were none  but he in the world2   
and doth not only know1 but ponder      
7,prov4 v4 #ba71  and consider their    
works 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #ae72 he is not a   
bare spectator1  but a diligent observer
 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #c72 8,by him actions are
 weighed30  to see what degree of good  
or evil there is in them1 what there is 
to  blemish them1 what to advantage     
them1 what the quality and quantity of  
every action is4 ,consideration takes in
 every a#did circumstance of  the       
considered object3 notice is taken of   
the place where1 the minute  when1 the  
mercy against which it is committed2 the
 number of them is  exact in ,god's     
book3 8,they have tempted me now these  

ten times0 7,numb4  xiv4 #bb71 against  
the demonstrations of my glory in ,egypt
 and the  wilderness4 ,the whole guilt  
in every circumstance is spread before  
him3  his knowledge of men's sins is not
 confused2 such an imperfection an      
infinite understanding cannot be subject
 to3 it is exact1 for iniquity  is      
marked before him 7,jer4 ii4 #bb74      
#e4 ,god knows men's miscarriage so as  
to judge4 ,this use his  omniscience is 
put to1 to maintain his sovereign       
authority in the  exercise of his       
justice4 ,his notice of the sins of men 
is in order to  a just retribution 7,ps4
 x4 #ad73 8,thou hast seen mischief to  
requite  it with thy hand40 ,the eye of 
his knowledge directs the hand of his   
justice2 and no sinful action that falls
 under his cognizance1 but  will fall   
under his revenge2 they can as little   
escape his censure as  they can his     
knowledge3 he is a witness in his       
omniscience1 that he  may be a judge in 
his righteousness2 he knows the hearts  

of the wicked1  so as to hate their     
works1 and testify his abhorrency of    
that which  is of high value with men   
7,luke xvi4 #ae74 ,sin is not preserved 
in  his understanding1 or written down  
in his book to be motheaten as  an old  
manuscript1 but to be opened one day1   
and copied out in the  consciences of   
men3 he writes them to publish them1 and
 sets them  in the light of his         
countenance1 to bring them to the light 
of their  consciences4 ,what a terrible 
consideration is it1 to think that the  
sins of a day are upon record in an     
infallible understanding1 much  more the
 sins of a week2 what a number1 then1 do
 the sins of a month1  a year1 ten or   
forty years1 arise to6 ,how many actions
 against charity1  against sincerity6   
what an infinite number is there of     
them1 all bound  up in the court rolls  
of ,god's omniscience1 in order to a    
trial1 to  be brought out before the    
eyes of men6 ,who can seriously consider
 all  those bonds1 reserved in the      

cabinet of ,god's knowledge1 to be sued 
out against the sinner in due time1     
without an inexpressible horror8    ,use
 ,,iv4 is of exhortation4 ,let us have a
 sense of ,god's knowledge  upon our    
hearts4 ,all wickedness hath a spring   
from a want of due  consideration and   
sense of it4 ,david concludes it so     
7,ps4 lxxxvi4 #ad71  8the proud rose    
against him1 and violent men sought     
after his soul1  because they did not   
set ,god before them40 ,they think ,god 
doth not  know1 and therefore care not  
what1 nor how they act4 ,when the fear  
of this attribute is removed1 a door is 
opened to all impiety4  ,what is there  
so villanous1 but the minds of men will 
attempt to  act8 ,what reverence of a   
,deity can be left1 when the sense of   
his  infinite understanding is          
extinguished8 ,what faith could there be
 in  judgments in witnesses8 ,how would 
the foundations of human society be     
overturned2 the pillars upon which      
commerce stands1 be utterly broken  and 

dissolved6 ,what society can be         
preserved1 if this be not truly         
believed1 and faithfully stuck to6 ,but 
how easily would oaths be  swallowed and
 quickly violated1 if the sense of this 
perfection were  rooted out of the minds
 of men6 ,what fear could they have of  
calling  to witness a ,being they       
imagine blind and ignorant8 a#die ,men  
secretly imagine1 that ,god knows not1  
or soon forgets1 and then make  bold to 
sin against him 7,ezek4 viii4 #ab74 ,how
 much does it therefore  concern us to  
cherish and keep alive the sense of     
this8 8,if ,god writes  us upon the     
palms of his hands10 as the expression  
is1 to remember us1  let us engrave him 
upon the tables of our hearts to        
remember him4 ,it  would be a good motto
 to write upon our minds1 ,god knows    
all1 he is of  infinite understanding4  
#a4 ,this would give check to much      
iniquity4 ,can a man's conscience       
easily and delightfully swallow that    
which he is sensible falls under  the   

cognizance of ,god1 when it is hateful  
to the eyes of his holiness1  and       
renders the actor odious to him8 8,doth 
he not see my ways1 and  count all my   
steps10 saith ,job 7xxxi4 #d78 ,to what 
end doth he fix  this consideration8 ,to
 keep him from wanton glances2          
temptations have  no encouragement to   
come near him1 that is constantly armed 
with the  thoughts that his sin is      
booked in ,god's omniscience4 ,if any   
impudent  devil hath the face to tempt  
us1 we should not have the impudence to 
join issue with him under the sense of  
an infinite understanding4 ,how         
fruitless would his wiles be against    
this consideration6 ,how easily  would  
his snares be cracked by one sensible   
thought of this6 ,this doth  ,solomon   
prescribe to allay the heat of carnal   
imaginations 7,prov4 v4  #bj1 #ba74 ,it 
were a useful question to ask1 at the   
appearance of every  temptation1 at the 
entrance upon every action1 as the      
church did in  temptations to idolatry  

7,ps4 xliv4 #ba73 8,shall not ,god      
search this out1  for he knows the      
secrets of the heart80 ,his             
understanding comprehends  us more than 
our consciences can our acts1 or our    
understanding our  thoughts4 ,who durst 
speak treason against a prince1 if he   
were sure  he heard him1 or that it     
would come to his knowledge8 ,a sense of
 ,god's  knowledge of wickedness in the 
first motion1 and inward contrivance1   
would bar the accomplishment and        
execution4 ,the consideration of ,god's 
infinite understanding would cry stand  
to the first glances of the  heart to   
sin4    #b4 ,it would make us watchful  
over our hearts and thoughts4 ,should we
  harbor any unworthy thoughts in our   
cabinet1 if our heads and hearts  were  
possessed with this useful truth1 that  
,god knows everything which  comes into 
our minds 7,ezek4 xi4 #e78 ,we should as
 much blush at the  rising of impure    
thoughts before the understanding of    
,god1 as at the  discovery of unworthy  

actions to the knowledge of men1 if we  
lived  under a sense1 that not a thought
 of all those millions1 which flutter   
about our minds1 can be concealed from  
him4 ,how watchful and careful  should  
we be of our hearts and thoughts6    #c4
 ,it would be a good preparation to     
every duty4 ,this consideration  should 
be the preface to every service2 the    
,divine understanding  knows how ,i now 
act4 ,this would engage us to serious   
intention1 and  quell wandering and     
distracting fancies4 ,who would come    
before ,god1  with a careless and       
ignorant soul1 under a sense of his     
infinite  understanding1 and prerogative
 of searching the heart8 8,o thou that  
sittest in heaven60 was a consideration 
the psalmist had at the  beginning of   
his prayer 7,ps4 cxxiii4 #a73 whereby he
 testifies not only  an apprehension of 
the majesty and power of ,god1 but of   
his a#dif  omniscience2 as one sitting  
above1 beholds all that is below2 would 
we  offer to ,god such raw and          

undigested petitions8 would there be so 
much  flatness in our services8 should  
our hearts so often give us the slip8   
would any hang down their heads like a  
bulrush1 by an affected or  counterfeit 
humility1 while the heart is filled with
 pride1 if we did  actuate faith in this
 attribute8 ,no2 our prayers would be   
more sound1  our devotions more         
vigorous1 our hearts more close1 our    
spirits like  the chariots of ,aminadab1
 more swift in their motions3 everything
  would be done by us with all our      
might1 which would be very feeble  and  
faint1 if we conceived ,god to be of a  
finite understanding like  ourselves4   
,let us therefore1 before every duty1   
not draw1 but open the  curtains between
 ,god and our souls1 and think that we  
are going before  him that sees us1     
before him that knows us 7,gen4 xvi4    
#ab74 ,and the  stronger impressions of 
the ,divine knowledge are upon our      
minds1 the  better would our preparation
 be for1 and the more active our frames 

in  every service3 and certainly we may 
judge of the suitableness of our        
preparations1 by the strength of such   
impressions upon us4    #d4 ,this would 
tend to make us sincere in our whole    
course4 ,this  prescription ,david gave 
to ,solomon1 to maintain a soundness and
  health of spirit in his walk before   
,god 7#a ,chron4 xxviii4 #i73 8,and     
thou1 ,solomon1 my son1 know the ,god of
 thy fathers1 and serve him  with a     
perfect heart1 for the ,lord understands
 all the imaginations  of the thoughts40
 ,josephus gives this reason for ,abel's
 holiness1  that he believed ,god was   
ignorant of nothing4#gei ,as the        
doctrine of  omniscience is the         
foundation of all religion1 so the      
impression of  it would promote the     
practice of all religion4 ,when all our 
ways are  imagined by us to be before   
the ,lord1 we shall then keep his       
precepts  7,ps4 cxix4 #afh74 ,and we can
 never be perfect or sincere till we    
8walk  before ,god0 7,gen4 xvii4 #a72 as

 under the eye of ,god's knowledge4     
,what  we speak1 what we think1 what we 
act1 is in his sight2 he knows every    
place where we are1 everything that we  
do1 as well as ,christ knew  ,nathaniel 
under the figtree4 ,as he is too        
powerful to be vanquished1  so he is too
 understanding to be deceived2 the sense
 of this would  make us walk with as    
much care1 as if the understanding of   
all men did  comprehend us and our      
actions4    #e4 ,the consideration of   
this attribute would make us humble4    
,how  dejected would a person be if he  
were sure all the angels in heaven  and 
men upon earth1 did perfectly know his  
crimes1 with all their  aggravations6   
,but what is created knowledge to an    
infinite and just  censuring            
understanding6 ,when we consider that he
 knows our actions1  whereof there are  
multitudes1 and our thoughts1 whereof   
there are  millions2 that he views all  
the blessings bestowed upon us2 all the 
injuries we have returned to him2 that  

he exactly knows his own bounty1  and   
our ingratitude2 all the idolatry1      
blasphemy1 and secret enmity  in every  
man's heart against him2 all tyrannical 
oppressions1 hidden  lusts1 omissions of
 necessary duties1 violations of plain  
precepts1  every foolish imagination1   
with all the circumstances of them1 and 
that perfectly in their full anatomy1   
every mite of unworthiness and          
wickedness in every circumstance2 and   
a#dig add to this his knowledge1  the   
wonders of his patience1 which are      
miraculous upon the score of  his       
omniscience1 that he is not as quick in 
his revenge as he is in  his            
understanding1 but is so far from       
inflicting punishment1 that  he         
continues his former benefits1 arms not 
his justice against us1  but solicits   
our repentance1 and waits to be gracious
 with all this  knowledge of our crimes2
 should not the consideration of this   
melt  our hearts into humiliation before
 him1 and make us earnest in begging    

pardon and forgiveness of him8 ,again1  
do we not all find a worm in  our best  
fruit1 a flaw in our soundest duties8   
,shall any of us vaunt1  as if ,god     
beheld only the gold1 and not any dross2
 as if he knew one  thing only1 and not 
another8 ,if we knew something by       
ourselves to  cheer us1 do we not also  
know something1 yea1 many things1 to    
condemn  us1 and therefore to humble us8
 ,let the sense of ,god's infinite      
knowledge1 therefore1 be an incentive   
and argument for more  humiliation in   
us4 ,if we know enough to render        
ourselves vile in our  own eyes1 how    
much more doth ,god know to render us   
vile in his6    #f4 ,the consideration  
of this excellent perfection should make
 us to  acquiesce in ,god1 and rely upon
 him in every strait4 ,in public1 in    
private2 he knows all cases1 and he     
knows all remedies2 he knows the        
seasons of bringing them1 and he knows  
the seasons of removing them1  for his  
own glory4 ,what is contingent in       

respect of us1 and of our               
foreknowledge1 and in respect of second 
causes1 is not so in regard  of ,god's1 
who hath the knowledge of the futurition
 of all things2  he knows all causes in 
themselves1 and1 therefore1 knows what  
every  cause will produce1 what will be 
the event of every counsel and of  every
 action4 ,how should we commit ourselves
 to this ,god of infinite               
understanding1 who knows all things1 and
 foreknows everything2  that cannot be  
forced through ignorance to take new    
counsel1 or be  surprised with anything 
that can happen to us6 ,this use the    
,psalmist  makes of it 7,ps4 x4 #ad73   
8,thou hast seen it1 the poor committeth
  himself unto thee40 ,though 8some     
trust in chariots and horses0 7,ps4  xx4
 #g71 some in counsels and counsellors1 
some in their arms and  courage1 and    
some in mere vanity and nothing2 yet1   
let us remember  the name and nature of 
the ,lord our ,god1 his divine          
perfections1 of  which this of his      

infinite understanding and omniscience  
is none of  the least1 but so necessary1
 that without it he could not be ,god1  
and  the whole world would be a mere    
chaos and confusion4          a#dih     
,,discourse ,,ix4                       
,,on ,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,god4         
,,romans xvi4 #bg4,to ,god only wise be 
glory1 through ,jesus ,christ1      for 
ever4 ,amen4      ,,this chapter being  
the last of this ,epistle1 is chiefly   
made up of  charitable and friendly     
salutations and commendations of        
particular  persons1 according to the   
earliness and strength of their several 
graces1 and their labor of love for the 
interest of ,god and his people4  ,in   
verse #ag1 he warns them not to be drawn
 aside from the gospel  doctrine1 which 
had been taught them1 by the plausible  
pretences and  insinuations which the   
corrupters of the doctrine and rule of  
,christ  never want from the suggestions
 of their carnal wisdom4 ,the brats of  
souldestroying errors may walk about the

 world in a garb and disguise  of good  
words and fair speeches1 as it is in the
 #ahth verse2 by 8good  words and fair  
speeches deceive the hearts of the      
simple40 ,and for  their encouragement  
to a constancy in the gospel doctrine1  
he assures  them1 that all those that   
would dispossess them of truth1 to      
possess  them with vanity1 are but      
,satan's instruments1 and will fall     
under the  same captivity and yoke with 
their principal 7ver4 #ah72 8,the ,god  
of  peace shall bruise ,satan under your
 feet shortly40 ,whence1 observe1    #a4
 ,all corrupters of divine truth1 and   
troublers of the church's  peace1 are no
 better than devils4 ,our ,saviour      
thought the name1 ,satan1  a title      
merited by ,peter1 when he breathed out 
an advice1 as an axe  at the root of the
 gospel1 the death of ,christ1 the      
foundation of all  gospel truth2 and the
 apostle concludes them under the same  
character1  which hinder the            
superstructure1 and would mix their     

chaff with his  wheat 7,matt4 xvi4 #bc71
 8,get thee behind me1 ,satan40 ,it is  
not1 ,get  thee behind me1 ,simon1 or1  
,get thee behind me1 ,peter2 but 8,get  
thee  behind me1 ,satan2 thou art an    
offence to me40 ,thou dost oppose       
thyself  to the wisdom1 and grace1 and  
authority of ,god1 to the redemption of 
man1 and to the good of the world4 ,as  
the ,holy ,ghost is the ,spirit of      
truth1 so is ,satan the spirit of       
falsehood3 as the ,holy ,ghost inspires 
believers with truth1 so doth the devil 
corrupt unbelievers with error4  ,let us
 cleave to the truth of the gospel1 that
 we may not be counted  by ,god as part 
of the corporation of fallen angels1 and
 not be barely  reckoned as enemies of  
,god1 but in league with the greatest   
enemy to  his glory in the world4    #b4
 ,the ,reconciler of the world will be  
the ,subduer of ,satan4 ,the ,god  of   
peace sent the ,prince of peace to be   
the restorer of his rights1  and the    
hammer to beat in pieces the usurper of 

them4 ,as a a#dii ,god  of truth1 he    
will make good his promise2 as a ,god of
 peace1 he will  perfect the design his 
wisdom hath laid1 and begun to act4 ,in 
the  subduing ,satan1 he will be the    
conqueror of his instruments3 he saith  
not1 ,god shall bruise your troublers   
and heretics1 but ,satan3 the fall  of a
 general proves the rout of the army4   
,since ,god1 as a ,god of peace1  hath  
delivered his own1 he will perfect the  
victory1 and make them  cease from      
bruising the heel of his spiritual seed4
    #c4 ,divine evangelical truth shall 
be victorious4 ,no weapon formed        
against it shall prosper3 the head of   
the wicked shall fall as low  as the    
feet of the godly4 ,the devil never yet 
blustered in the world1  but he met at  
last with a disappointment3 his fall    
hath been like  lightning1 sudden1      
certain1 vanishing4    #d4 ,faith must  
look back as far as the foundation      
promise4 8,the ,god  of peace shall     
bruise10 c4 ,the apostle seems to allude

 to the first  promise 7,gen4 ii4       
#ae71;a promise that hath vigor to      
nourish the  church in all ages of the  
world3 it is the standing cordial2 out  
of the womb of this promise all the rest
 have taken their birth4  ,the promises 
of the ,old ,testament were designed for
 those under the  ,new1 and the full    
performance of them is to be expected1  
and will be  enjoyed by them4 ,it is a  
mighty strengthening to faith1 to trace 
the  footsteps of ,god's truth and      
wisdom1 from the threatening against the
  serpent in ,eden1 to the bruise he    
received in ,calvary1 and the triumph   
over him upon ,mount ,olivet4    #e4 ,we
 are to confide in the promise of ,god1 
but leave the season of  its            
accomplishment to his wisdom4 ,he will  
8bruise ,satan under your  feet10       
therefore do not doubt it2 and shortly1 
therefore1 wait for it4  ,shortly it    
will be done1 that is1 quickly1 when you
 think it may be a  great way off2 or   
shortly1 that is1 seasonably1 when      

,satan's rage is  hottest4 ,god is the  
best judge of the seasons of            
distributing his own  mercies1 and      
darting out his own glory3 it is enough 
to encourage our  waiting1 that it will 
be1 and that it will be shortly2 but we 
must not  measure ,god's shortly by our 
minutes4    ,the apostle after this1    
concludes with a comfortable prayer1    
that  since they were liable to many    
temptations to turn their backs upon    
the doctrine which they had learned2 yet
 he desires ,god1 who had  brought them 
to the knowledge of his truth1 would    
confirm them in the  belief of it1 since
 it was the gospel of ,christ1 his dear 
,son1 and  a mystery he had been chary  
of and kept in his own cabinet1 and now 
brought forth to the world in pursuance 
of the ancient prophesies1 and  now had 
published to all nations for that end   
that it might be obeyed2  and concludes 
with a doxology1 a voice of praise1 to  
,him1 who was only  wise to effect his  
own purposes 7ver4 #be1 #bf1 #bg71 8,now

 to him that  is of power to establish  
you according to my gospel1 and the     
preaching  of ,jesus ,christ1 according 
to the revelation of the mystery1 which 
was  kept secret since the world began1 
but now is made manifest1 and by  the   
,scriptures of the prophets1 according  
to the commandment of the  everlasting  
,god1 made known to all nations for the 
obedience of faith4  0 ,this doxology is
 interlaced with many comforts for the  
,romans4 ,he  explains the causes of    
this glory to ,god1 power1 and wisdom2  
power to  establish the ,romans in      
grace1 which includes his will4 ,this he
 proves  from a a#ejj divine testimony1 
viz41 the gospel2 the gospel committed  
to him1 and preached by him1 which he   
commends1 by calling it the  preaching  
of ,christ2 and describes it1 for the   
instruction and comfort  of the church  
from the adjuncts1 the obscurity of it  
under the ,old  ,testament1 and the     
clearness of it under the ,new4 ,it was 
hid from  the former ages1 and kept in  

silence2 not simply and absolutely1 but 
comparatively and in part2 because in   
the ,old ,testament1 the doctrine  of   
salvation by ,christ was confined to the
 limits of ,judea1 preached  only to the
 inhabitants of that country3 to them he
 gave 8his statutes  and his judgments1 
and dealt not so magnificently with any 
nation0 7,ps4  cxlvii4 #ai1 #bj72 but   
now he causes it to spring with greater 
majesty  out of those narrow bounds1 and
 spread its wings about the world4      
,this manifestation of the gospel he    
declares1 #a4 from the subject1 ,all    
nations4 #b4 ,from the principal        
efficient cause of it1 ,the commandment 
and order of ,god4 #c4 ,the instrumental
 cause1 ,the prophetic ,scriptures4  #d4
 ,from the end of it1 ,the obedience of 
faith4#gfj    ,observ4 #a4 ,the glorious
 attributes of ,god bear a comfortable  
respect to believers4 ,power and wisdom 
are here mentioned as two props  of     
their faith2 his power here includes his
 goodness4 ,power to help1  without will

 to assist1 is a dry chip4 ,the apostle 
mentions not ,god's  power simply and   
absolutely considered1 for that of      
itself is no more  comfort to men1 then 
it is to devils2 but1 as considered in  
the gospel  covenant1 his power1 as well
 as his other perfections1 are          
ingredients  in that cordial of ,god's  
being our ,god4 ,we should never think  
of the  excellencies of the ,divine     
nature1 without considering the duties  
they  demand1 and gathering the honey   
they present4    ,observ4 #b4 ,the      
stability of a gracious soul depends    
upon the  wisdom as well as the power of
 ,god4 ,it would be a disrepute to  the 
,almightiness of ,god if that should be 
totally vanquished which  was introduced
 by his mighty arm1 and rooted in the   
soul by an  irresistible grace4 ,it     
would speak a want of strength to       
maintain  it1 or a change of resolution1
 and so would be no honor to the wisdom 
of his first design4 ,it is no part of  
the wisdom of an artificer1 to  let a   

work wherein he determined to shew the  
greatness of his skill1  be dashed in   
pieces1 when he hath power to preserve  
it4 ,god designed  every gracious soul  
for a piece of his workmanship 7,eph4   
ii4 #aj74 ,what1  to have the skill of  
his grace defeated8 ,if any soul which  
he hath  graciously conquered should be 
wrested from him1 what could be thought 
but that his power is enfeebled8 ,if    
deserted by him1 what could be          
imagined1 but that he repented of his   
labor1 and altered his counsel1  as if  
rashly undertaken8 ,these ,romans were  
rugged pieces1 and lay in a  filthy     
quarry1 when ,god came first to smooth  
them2 for so the apostle  represents    
them with the rest of the heathen 7,rom4
 i4 #ai72 and would  he throw them away1
 or leave them to the power of his      
enemy1 after  all his pains he had taken
 with them to fit them for his building8
 ,did  he not foresee the designs of    
,satan against them1 what stratagems he 
would use to defeat his purposes and    

strip him of the honor of his  work2 and
 would ,god so gratify his enemy1 and   
disgrace his own wisdom8  ,the a#eja    
deserting of what hath been acted is a  
real repentance1 and  argues an         
imprudence in the first resolve and     
attempt4 ,the gospel is  called the     
manifold wisdom of ,god 7,eph4 iii4     
#aj72 the fruit of it1 in  the heart of 
any person1 which is a main design of   
it1 hath a title to  the same character2
 and shall this grace1 which is the     
product of this  gospel1 and therefore  
the birth of manifold wisdom1 be        
suppressed8 ,it  is at ,god's hand we   
must seek our fixedness and             
establishment1 and act  faith upon these
 two attributes of ,god4 ,power is no   
ground to expect  stability1 without    
wisdom interesting the agent in it1 and 
finding  out and applying the means for 
it4 ,wisdom is naked without power to   
act1 and power is useless without wisdom
 to direct4 ,they are these two         
excellencies of the ,deity the apostle  

here pitches the hope and faith  of the 
converted ,romans upon for their        
stability4    ,observ4 #c4 ,perseverance
 of believers in grace is a gospel      
doctrine4 8,according to my gospel10 my 
gospel ministerially1 according  to that
 gospel doctrine ,i have taught you in  
this epistle 7for1 as  the prophets were
 comments upon the law1 so are the      
epistles upon the  gospel71 this very   
doctrine he had discoursed of 7,rom4    
viii4 #ch1 #ci71  where he tells them1  
that neither death nor life1 the terrors
 of a  cruel death1 or the allurements  
of an honorable and pleasant life1 nor  
principalities and powers1 with all     
their subtelty and strength1 nor  the   
things we have before us1 nor the       
promises of a future felicity1  by      
either angels in heaven or devils in    
hell1 not the highest angel1  nor the   
deepest devil1 is able to separate us1  
us ,romans1 8from the  love of ,god     
which is in ,christ ,jesus40 ,so that1  
according to my gospel1  may be         

according to that declaration of the    
gospel1 which ,i have made  in this     
epistle1 which doth not only promise the
 first creating grace1  but the         
perfecting and crowning grace2 for not  
only the being of grace1  but the       
health1 liveness1 and perpetuity of     
grace is the fruit of the  new covenant 
7,jer4 xxxii4 #dj47    ,observ4 #d4     
,that the gospel is the sole means of a 
,christian's  establishment2 8,according
 to my gospel10 that is1 by my gospel4  
,the  gospel is the instrumental cause  
of our spiritual life2 it is the  cause 
also of the continuance of it2 it is the
 seed whereby we were  born1 and the    
milk whereby we are nourished 7#a ,pet4 
i4 #bc72 it is  the 8power of ,god to   
salvation0 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #b71 and       
therefore to all  the degrees of it     
7,john xvii4 #ag72 8,sanctify them by   
thy truth10 or  through thy truth2 by or
 through his truth he sanctifies us1 and
 by  the same truth he establisheth us4 
,the first sanctification1 and the      

progress of it1 the first lineaments1   
and the last colors1 are wrought  by the
 gospel4 ,the gospel1 therefore1 ought  
to be known1 studied1  and considered by
 us4 ,it is the charter of our          
inheritance1 and the  security for our  
standing4 ,the law acquaints us with our
 duty1 but  contributes nothing to our  
strength and settlement4    ,observ4 #e4
 ,the gospel is nothing else but the    
revelation of ,christ  7ver4 #be72      
8,according to my gospel and the        
preaching of ,jesus ,christ20  the      
discovery of the mystery of redemption  
and salvation in and by him4  ,it is    
genitivus objecti1 that preaching       
wherein ,christ is declared  and set    
out1 with the benefits accruing by him4 
,this is the privilege1  the wisdom of  
,god reserved for the latter times1     
which the ,old  ,testament church had   
only under a veil4    a#ejb ,observ4 #f4
 ,it is a part of the excellency of the 
gospel  that it had the ,son of ,god for
 its publisher3 8,the preaching of      

,jesus  ,christ40 ,it was first preached
 to ,adam1 in ,paradise1 by ,god2 and   
afterwards published by ,christ in      
person1 to the inhabitants of ,judea4   
,it was not the invention of man1 but   
copied from the bosom of the  ,father by
 him that lay in his bosom4 ,the gospel 
we have1 is the  same which our ,saviour
 himself preached when he was in the    
world3  he preached it not to the       
,romans1 but the same gospel he preached
  is transmitted to the ,romans4 ,it1   
therefore1 commands our respect2        
whoever slights it1 it is as much as if 
he slighted ,jesus ,christ  himself1    
were he in person to sound it from his  
own lips4 ,the validity  of a           
proclamation is derived from the        
authority of the prince that  dictates  
it and orders it2 yet the greater the   
person that publisheth  it1 the more    
dishonor is cast upon the authority of  
the prince that  enjoins it1 if it be   
contemned4 ,the everlasting ,god        
ordained it1 and  the eternal ,son      

published it4    ,observ4 #g4 ,the      
gospel was of an eternal resolution1    
though of  a temporary revelation 7ver4 
#be72 8,according to the revelation of  
the mystery1 which was kept secret since
 the world began40 ,it is an            
everlasting gospel2 it was a promise    
8before the world began0 7,titus  i4    
#b74 ,it was not a new invention1 but   
only kept secret among the  arcana1 in  
the breast of the ,almighty4 ,it was    
hidden from angels1 for  the depths of  
it are not yet fully made known to them2
 their desire  to look into it1 speaks  
yet a deficiency in their knowledge of  
it  7#a ,peter1 i4 #ab74 ,it was        
published in paradise1 but in such words
 as  ,adam did not fully understand3 it 
was both discovered and clouded in  the 
smoke of sacrifices3 it was wrapped up  
in a veil under the law1  but not opened
 till the death of the ,redeemer3 it was
 then plainly  said to the cities of    
,judah1 8,behold6 your ,god comes60 ,the
 whole  transaction of it between the   

,father and the ,son1 which is the      
spirit  of the gospel1 was from         
eternity2 the creation of the world was 
in order to the manifestation of it4    
,let us not1 then1 regard the  gospel as
 a novelty2 the consideration of it1 as 
one of ,god's cabinet  rarities1 should 
enhance our estimation of it4 ,no       
traditions of men1  no inventions of    
vain wits1 that pretend to be wiser than
 ,god1 should  have the same credit with
 that which bears date from eternity4   
,observ4 #h4 ,that divine truth is      
mysterious2 8,according to the          
revelation of the mystery1 ,christ      
manifested in the flesh40 ,the whole    
scheme of godliness is a mystery4 ,no   
man or angel could imagine how two      
natures so distant as the ,divine and   
human should be united2 how the  same   
person should be criminal and righteous2
 how a just ,god should  have a         
satisfaction1 and sinful man a          
justification2 how the sin should  be   
punished1 and the sinner saved4 ,none   

could imagine such a way of             
justification as the apostle in this    
epistle declares3 it was a mystery  when
 hid under the shadows of the law1 and a
 mystery to the prophets  when it       
sounded from their mouths2 they searched
 it1 without being able  to comprehend  
it 7#a ,peter1 i4 #aj1 #aa47 ,if it be a
 mystery1 it is humbly  to be submitted 
to3 mysteries surmount human reason4    
,the study of  the gospel must not be   
with a yawning and careless frame4      
,trades1 you  a#ejc call mysteries1 are 
not learned sleeping and nodding3       
diligence  is required2 we must be      
disciples at ,god's feet4 ,as it had    
,god for  the author1 so we must have   
,god for the teacher of it2 the         
contrivance  was his1 and the           
illumination of our minds must be from  
him4 ,as ,god  only manifested the      
gospel1 so he can only open our eyes to 
see the  mysteries of ,christ in it4 ,in
 verse #bf we may observe1    #a4 ,the  
,scriptures of the ,old ,testament      

verify the substance of the ,new1  and  
the ,new doth evidence the authority of 
the ,old1 by the ,scriptures  of the    
prophets made known4 ,the ,old          
,testament credits the ,new1 and  the   
,new illustrates the ,old4 ,the ,new    
,testament is a comment upon the        
prophetic part of the ,old4 ,the ,old   
shews the promises and predictions  of  
,god1 and the ,new shews the            
performance4 ,what was foretold in the  
,old1  is fulfilled in the ,new2 the    
predictions are cleared by the events4  
,the  predictions of the ,old are       
divine1 because they are above the      
reason  of man to foreknow2 none but an 
infinite knowledge could foretel  them1 
because none but an infinite wisdom     
could order all things for  the         
accomplishment of them4 ,the ,christian 
religion hath1 then1 the  surest        
foundation1 since the ,scriptures of the
 prophets1 wherein it  is foretold1 are 
of undoubted antiquity1 and owned by the
 ,jews and  many heathens1 which are and

 were the great enemies of ,christ4 ,the
 ,old  ,testament is therefore to be    
read for the strengthening of our faith4
  ,our blessed ,saviour himself draws   
the streams of his doctrine from  the   
,old ,testament3 he clears up the       
promise of eternal life1 and the        
doctrine of the resurrection1 from the  
words of the covenant1 8,i am  the ,god 
of ,abraham10 c4 7,matt4 xxii4 #cb47    
,and our apostle clears up  the doctrine
 of justification by faith from ,god's  
covenant with ,abraham  7,rom4 iv47 ,it 
must be read1 and it must be read as it 
is writ3 it was  writ to a gospel end1  
it must be studied with a gospel spirit4
 ,the  ,old ,testament was writ to give 
credit to the ,new1 when it should be   
manifested in the world4 ,it must be    
read by us to give strength to  our     
faith1 and establish us in the doctrine 
of ,christianity4 ,how many  view it as 
a bare story1 an almanack out of date1  
and regard it as a  dry bone1 without   
sucking from it the evangelical marrow6 

,christ is1  in ,genesis1 ,abraham's    
seed2 in ,david's psalms and the        
prophets1 the  ,messiah and ,redeemer of
 the world4    #b4 ,observe1 ,the       
antiquity of the gospel is made manifest
 by the  ,scriptures of the prophets4   
,it was of as ancient a date as any     
prophecy3  the first prophecy was       
nothing else but a gospel charter2 it   
was not  made at the incarnation of     
,christ1 but made manifest4 ,it then    
rose  up to its meridian lustre1 and    
sprung out of the clouds1 wherewith  it 
was before obscured4 ,the gospel was    
preached to the ancients by  the        
prophets1 as well as to the ,gentiles by
 the apostles 7,heb4 iv4 #b72  8,unto us
 was the gospel preached1 as well as    
unto them40 ,to them first1  to us      
after2 to them indeed more cloudy1 to us
 more clear2 but they  as well as we1   
were evangelized1 as the word signifies4
 ,the covenant  of grace was the same in
 the writings of the prophets1 and the  
declarations of the evangelists and     

apostles4 ,though by our ,saviour's     
incarnation1 the gospel light was       
clearer1 and by his ascension1 the      
effusions of the ,spirit a#ejd fuller   
and stronger2 yet the believers  under  
the ,old ,testament1 saw ,christ in the 
swaddling bands of legal  ceremonies1   
and the lattice of prophetical writings2
 they could not  else offer one         
sacrifice1 or read one prophecy with a  
faith of the  right stamp4 ,abraham's   
justifying faith had ,christ for its    
object1  though it was not so explicit  
as ours1 because the manifestation was  
not so clear as ours4    #c4 ,all truth 
is to be drawn from ,scripture4 ,the    
apostle refers them  here to the gospel 
and the prophets3 the ,scripture is the 
source of  divine knowledge2 not the    
traditions of men1 nor reason separate  
from  ,scripture4 ,whosoever brings     
another doctrine1 coins another ,christ2
  nothing is to be added to what is     
written1 nothing detracted from it4  ,he
 doth not send us for truth1 to the     

puddles of human inventions1 to  the    
enthusiasms of our brain2 not to the    
,see of ,rome1 no1 nor to the           
instructions of angels2 but the writings
 of the prophets1 as they clear  up the 
declarations of the apostles4 ,the      
church of ,rome is not made  here the   
standard of truth3 but the ,scriptures  
of the prophets are to  be the          
touchstone to the ,romans1 for the trial
 of the truth of the  gospel4    #d4    
,how great is the goodness of ,god6 ,the
 borders of grace are  enlarged to the  
,gentiles1 and not hid under the skirts 
of the ,jews4  ,he that was so long the 
,god of the ,jews1 is now also manifest 
to be  the ,god of the ,gentiles3 the   
gospel is now made known to all nations1
  according to the commandment of the   
everlasting ,god4 ,not only in a  way of
 common providence1 but special grace2  
in calling them to the  knowledge of    
himself1 and a justification of them by 
faith1 he hath  brought strangers to    
him1 to the adoption of children1 and   

lodged them  under the wings of the     
covenant1 that were before alienated    
from him  through the universal         
corruption of nature4 ,now he hath      
manifested  himself a ,god of truth1    
mindful of his promise in blessing all  
nations  in the seed of ,abraham4 ,the  
fury of devils1 and the violence of men 
could not hinder the propagation of the 
gospel3 its light hath been  dispersed  
as far as that of the sun2 and that     
grace that founded in the  ,gentile's   
ears1 hath bent many of their hearts to 
the obedience of it4    #e4 ,observe    
that libertinism and licentiousness find
 no encouragement  in the gospel4 ,it   
was made known to all nations for the   
obedience of  faith4 ,the goodness of   
,god is published1 that our enmity to   
him may  be parted with4 ,christ's      
righteousness is not offered to us to be
 put  on1 that we may roll more warmly  
in our lusts4 ,the doctrine of grace    
commands us to give up ourselves to     
,christ1 to be accepted through him1    

and to be ruled by him4 ,obedience is   
due to ,god1 as a sovereign lord in  his
 law2 and it is due out of gratitude1 as
 he is a ,god of grace in the  gospel4  
,the discovery of a further perfection  
in ,god weakens not the  right of       
another1 nor the obligation of the duty 
the former attribute  claims at our     
hands4 ,the gospel frees us from the    
curse1 but not from  the duty and       
service3 8,we are delivered from the    
hands of our enemies1  that we might    
serve ,god in holiness and              
righteousness0 7,luke i4 #gd74  8,this  
is the will of ,god0 in the gospel1     
8even our sanctification40  ,when a     
prince strikes off a malefactor's       
chains1 though he deliver  him from the 
punishment of his crime1 he frees him   
not from the duty  of a#eje a subject3  
his pardon adds a greater obligation    
than his  protection did before1 while  
he was loyal4 ,christ's righteousness   
gives  us a title to heaven2 but there  
must be a holiness to give us a fitness 

for heaven4    #f4 ,observe1 that       
evangelical obedience1 or the obedience 
of ,faith1 is  only acceptable to ,god4 
,obedience of faith2 genitivus speciei1 
noting  the kind of obedience ,god      
requires2 an obedience springing from   
faith1  animated and influenced by      
faith4 ,not obedience of faith1 as      
though  faith were the rule1 and the law
 were abrogated2 but to the law as a    
rule1 and from faith as a principle4    
,there is no true obedience before      
faith 7,heb4 xi4 #f47 8,without faith it
 is impossible to please ,god20  and    
therefore without faith impossible to   
obey him4 ,a good work cannot  proceed  
from a defiled mind and conscience2 and 
without faith every  man's mind is      
darkened1 and his conscience polluted   
7,tit4 i4 #ae74 ,faith  is the band of  
union to ,christ1 and obedience is the  
fruit of union2  we cannot bring forth  
fruit without being branches 7,john xv4 
#d1 #e71  and we cannot be branches     
without believing4 ,legitimate fruit    

follows  upon marriage to ,christ1 not  
before it 7,rom4 vii4 #d74 8,that you   
should  be married to another1 even to  
him that is raised from the dead1 that  
you should bring forth fruit unto ,god40
 ,all fruit before marriage is  bastard1
 and bastards were excluded from the    
sanctuary4 ,our persons  must be first  
accepted in ,christ1 before our services
 can be acceptable2  those works are not
 acceptable where the person is not     
pardoned4 ,good  works flow from a pure 
heart2 but the heart cannot be pure     
before faith4  ,all the good works      
reckoned up in the eleventh chapter of  
the ,hebrews  were from this spring2    
those heroes first believed and then    
obeyed4 ,by  faith ,abel was righteous  
before ,god1 without it his sacrifice   
had been  no better than ,cain's3 by    
faith ,enoch pleased ,god1 and had a    
divine  testimony to his obedience      
before his translation2 by faith        
,abraham  offered up ,isaac1 without    
which he had been no better than a      

murderer4  ,all obedience hath its root 
in faith1 and is not done in our own    
strength1 but in the strength and virtue
 of another1 of ,christ1 whom  ,god hath
 set forth as our head and root4    #g4 
,observe1 faith and obedience are       
distinct1 though inseparable3  8,the    
obedience of faith40 ,faith1 indeed1 is 
obedience to a gospel  command1 which   
enjoins us to believe2 but it is not all
 our  obedience4 ,justification and     
sanctification are distinct acts of     
,god2 justification respects the person1
 sanctification the nature2             
justification is first in order of      
nature1 and sanctification follows3     
they are distinct1 but inseparable2     
every justified person hath a           
sanctified nature1 and every sanctified 
nature supposeth a justified  person4   
,so faith and obedience are distinct3   
faith as the principle1  obedience as   
the product2 faith as the cause1        
obedience as the effect2  the cause and 
the effect are not the same4 ,by faith  

we own ,christ as  our ,lord3 by        
obedience we regulate ourselves         
according to his command4  ,the         
acceptance of the relation to him as a  
subject1 precedes the  performance of   
our duty3 by faith we receive his law1  
and by obedience  we fulfil it4 ,faith  
makes us ,god's children 7,gal4 iii4    
#bf74 ,obedience  manifests us to be    
,christ's disciples 7,john xv4 #h74     
,faith is a#ejf  the touchstone of      
obedience2 the touchstone1 and that     
which is tried  by it1 are not the same4
 ,but though they are distinct1 yet they
 are  inseparable4 ,faith and obedience 
are joined together2 obedience follows  
faith at the heels4 ,faith purifies the 
heart1 and a pure heart cannot  be      
without pure actions4 ,faith unites us  
to ,christ1 whereby we partake  of his  
life2 and a living branch cannot be     
without fruit in its season1  and 8much 
fruit0 7,john xv4 #e71 and that         
naturally from a 8newness of  spirit0   
7,rom4 vii4 #i72 not constrained by the 

rigors of the law1 but  drawn forth from
 a sweetness of love2 for faith works by
 love4 ,the  love of ,god is the strong 
motive1 and love to ,god is the         
quickening  principle2 as there can be  
no obedience without faith1 so no  faith
 without obedience4 ,after all this1 the
 apostle ends with the  celebration of  
the wisdom of ,god2 8,to ,god only wise1
 be glory1 through  ,jesus ,christ      
forever40 ,the rich discovery of the    
gospel cannot be  thought of1 by a      
gracious soul1 without a return of      
praise to ,god1 and  admiration of his  
singular wisdom4    ,wise ,god4 ,his    
power before1 and his wisdom here1 are  
mentioned in  conjunction 7in which his 
goodness is included1 as interested in  
his  establishing power7 as the ground  
of all the glory and praise ,god hath   
from his creatures4    ,only wise4 ,as  
,christ saith 7,matt4 xix4 #ag71 8,none 
is good1 but ,god20  so the apostle     
saith1 ,none wise1 but ,god4 ,as all    
creatures are unclean  in regard of his 

purity1 so they are all fools in regard 
of his wisdom2  yea1 the glorious angels
 themselves 7,job iv4 #ah74 ,wisdom is  
the royalty  of ,god2 the proper dialect
 of all his ways and works4 ,no creature
 can  lay claim to it2 he is so wise1   
that he is wisdom itself4    ,be glory1 
through ,jesus ,christ4 ,as ,god is only
 known in and by  ,christ1 so he must be
 only worshipped and celebrated in and  
through  ,christ4 ,in him we must pray  
to him1 and in him we must praise him4  
,as  all mercies flow from ,god through 
,christ to us1 so all our duties are  to
 be presented to ,god through ,christ4  
,in the ,greek1 verbatim1 it  runs thus3
 8,to the alone wise ,god1 through      
,jesus ,christ1 to him be  glory        
forever40 ,but we must not understand   
it1 as if ,god were wise by  ,jesus     
,christ1 but that thanks is to be given 
to ,god through ,christ2  because in and
 by ,christ ,god hath revealed his      
wisdom to the world4  ,the ,greek hath a
 repetition of the article 1 and        

expressed in the  translation1 8,to him 
be glory40 ,beza expungeth this article1
 but  without reason1 for  is as much as
 1 8to him20 and joining  this1 8the    
only wise ,god0 with ver4 #be1 8to him  
that is of power to  establish you20    
reading it thus1 8,to him that is of    
power to establish  you1 the only wise  
,god10 leaving the rest in a            
parenthesis1 it runs  smoothly1 8to him 
be glory1 through ,jesus ,christ10 ,and 
,crellius1 the  ,socinian1 observes1    
that this article 1 which some leave    
out1 might  be industriously inserted by
 the apostle1 to shew that the glory we 
ascribe to ,god is also given to        
,christ4 ,we may observe1 that neither  
in  this place1 nor any where in        
,scripture1 is the ,virgin ,mary1 or any
 of  the saints1 associated with ,god or
 ,christ in the glory ascribed to them4 
,in the words there is1 #a4 ,an         
appropriation of wisdom to ,god1 and    
a#ejg a remotion of it from all         
creatures2 8only wise ,god40 #b4 ,a     

glorifying him for it4 ,the point ,i    
shall insist upon is1 ,that wisdom is  a
 transcendant excellency of the ,divine 
nature4 ,we have before spoken  of the  
knowledge of ,god1 and the infiniteness 
of it2 the next attribute  is the wisdom
 of ,god4 ,most confound the knowledge  
and wisdom of ,god  together2 but there 
is a manifest distinction between them  
in our  conception4 ,i shall handle it  
thus3 ,i4 ,shew what wisdom is4 ,then   
lay down1 ,,ii4 ,some propositions about
 the wisdom of ,god4 ,and shew1  ,,iii4 
,that ,god is wise1 and only wise4 ,,iv4
 ,wherein his wisdom appears4  ,v4 ,the 
,use4    ,i4 ,what wisdom is4 ,wisdom1  
among the ,greeks1 first signified an   
eminent perfection in any art or        
mystery2 so a good statuary1 engraver1  
or limner1 was called wise1 as having an
 excellent knowledge in his  particular 
art4 ,but afterwards the title of wise  
was appropriated  to those that devoted 
themselves to the contemplation of the  
highest  things that served for a       

foundation to speculative sciences4#gfa 
,but  ordinarily we count a man a wise  
man1 when he conducts his affairs  with 
discretion1 and governs his passions    
with moderation1 and carries  himself   
with a due proportion and harmony in all
 his concerns4 ,but in  particular1     
wisdom consists1    #a4 ,in acting for a
 right end4 ,the chiefest part of       
prudence is in  fixing a right end1 and 
in choosing fit means1 and directing    
them to  that scope2 to shoot at random 
is a mark of folly4 ,as he is the wisest
  man that hath the noblest end and     
fittest means1 so ,god is infinitely    
wise2 as he is the most excellent being1
 so he hath the most excellent  end4 ,as
 there is none more excellent than      
himself1 nothing can be his  end but    
himself2 as he is the cause of all1 so  
he is the end of all2  and he puts a    
true bias into all the means he useth to
 hit the mark  he aims at3 8,of him1 and
 through him1 and to him1 are all       
things0  7,rom4 xi4 #cf74    #b4 ,wisdom

 consists in observing all circumstances
 for action4 ,he is  counted a wise man 
that lays hold of the fittest           
opportunities to bring  his designs     
about1 that hath the fullest foresight  
of all the little  intrigues which may  
happen in a business he is to manage1   
and times  every part of his action in  
an exact harmony with the proper minutes
 of  it4 ,god hath all the circumstances
 of things in one entire image before   
him2 he hath a prospect of every little 
creek in any design4 ,he sees  what     
second causes will act1 and when they   
will act this or that2 yea1  he         
determines them to such and such acts2  
so that it is impossible he  should be  
mistaken1 or miss of the due season of  
bringing about his own  purposes4 ,as he
 hath more goodness than to deceive any1
 so he hath more  understanding than to 
be mistaken in any thing4 ,hence the    
time of the  incarnation of our blessed 
,saviour is called the fulness of time1 
the  proper season for his coming4      

,every circumstance about ,christ was   
timed  according to the predictions of  
,god2 even so little a thing as not     
parting his garment1 and the giving him 
gall and vinegar to drink2  and all the 
blessings he showers down upon his      
people1 according to  the covenant of   
grace1 are said to come 8in his season0 
7,ezek4 xxxiv4  #be1 #bf74    a#ejh #c4 
,wisdom consists in willing and acting  
according to the  right reason1         
according to a right judgment of things4
 ,we can never  count a wilful man a    
wise man2 but him only that acts        
according to  a right rule1 when right  
counsels are taken and vigorously       
executed4  ,the resolves and ways of    
,god are not mere will1 but will guided 
by the  reason and counsel of his own   
infinite understanding 7,eph4 i4 #aa72  
8,who  works all things according to the
 counsel of his own will40 ,the motions 
of the ,divine will are not rash1 but   
follow the proposals of the ,divine     
mind2 he chooses that which is fittest  

to be done1 so that all his  works are  
graceful1 and all his ways have a       
comeliness and decorum in  them4 ,hence 
all his ways are said to be 8judgment0  
7,deut4 xxxii4 #d71  not mere will4     
,hence it appears1 that wisdom and      
knowledge are two  distinct perfections4
 ,knowledge hath its seat in the        
speculative  understanding1 wisdom in   
the practical4 ,wisdom and knowledge are
  evidently distinguished as two several
 gifts of the ,spirit in man  7#a ,cor4 
xii4 #h72 8,to one is given1 by the     
,spirit1 the word of wisdom2  to        
another1 the word of knowledge1 by the  
same ,spirit40 ,knowledge is  an        
understanding of general rules1 and     
wisdom is a drawing conclusions  from   
those rules in order to particular      
cases4 ,a man may have the  knowledge of
 the whole ,scripture1 and have all     
learning in the treasury  of his memory1
 and yet be destitute of skill to make  
use of them  upon particular occasions1 
and untie those knotty questions which  

may be proposed to him1 by a ready      
application of those rules4 ,again1     
knowledge and wisdom may be             
distinguished1 in our conception1 as two
  distinct perfections in ,god3 the     
knowledge of ,god is his understanding  
of all things2 his wisdom is the skilful
 resolving and acting of  all things4   
,and the apostle1 in his admiration of  
him1 owns them as  distinct2 8,o the    
depths of the riches1 both of the wisdom
 and knowledge  of ,god0 7,rom4 xi4     
#cc76 ,knowledge is the foundation of   
wisdom1 and  antecedent to it2 wisdom   
the superstructure upon knowledge3 men  
may  have knowledge without wisdom1 but 
not wisdom without knowledge2  according
 to our common proverb1 8,the greatest  
clerks are not the  wisest men40 ,all   
practical knowledge is founded in       
speculation1 either  secundum rem1 as in
 a man2 or1 secundum rationem1 as in    
,god4  ,they agree in this1 that they   
are both acts of the understanding2 but 
knowledge is the apprehension of a      

thing1 and wisdom is the appointing  and
 ordering of things4 ,wisdom is the     
splendor and lustre of knowledge        
shining forth in operations1 and is an  
act both of understanding and  will2    
understanding in counselling and        
contriving1 will in resolving  and      
executing3 counsel and will are linked  
together 7,eph4 i4 #aa74    ,,ii4 ,the  
second thing is to lay down some        
propositions in general1  concerning the
 wisdom of ,god4    ,first1 ,there is an
 essential and a personal wisdom of     
,god4 ,the  essential wisdom1 is the    
essence of ,god2 the personal wisdom is 
the ,son  of ,god4 ,christ is called    
,wisdom by himself 7,luke vii4 #ce74    
,the wisdom  of ,god by the apostle 7#a 
,cor4 i4 #bd74 ,the wisdom ,i speak of  
belongs  to the nature of ,god1 and is  
considered a necessary perfection4 ,the 
personal wisdom is called so1 because he
 opens to us the secrets of ,god4  ,if  
the ,son were that wisdom whereby the   
a#eji ,father is wise1 the ,son  would  

be also the essence whereby the ,father 
is ,god4 ,if the ,son were  the wisdom  
of the ,father1 whereby he is           
essentially wise1 the ,son would  be the
 essence of the ,father1 and the ,father
 would have his essence  from the ,son1 
since the wisdom of ,god is the essence 
of ,god2 and so  the ,son would be the  
,father1 if the wisdom and power of the 
,father were  originally in the ,son4   
,secondly1 ,therefore the wisdom of ,god
 is the same with the essence  of ,god4 
,wisdom in ,god is not a habit added to 
his essence1 as it is  in man1 but it is
 his essence4 ,it is like the splendor  
of the sun1  the same with the sun      
itself2 or like the brightness of       
crystal1 which  is not communicated to  
it by anything else1 as the brightness  
of a  mountain is by the beam of the    
sun1 but it is one with the crystal     
itself4 ,it is not a habit superadded to
 the ,divine essence2 that  would be    
repugnant to the simplicity of ,god1 and
 speak him compounded  of divers        

principles2 it would be contrary to the 
eternity of his  perfections3 if he be  
eternally wise1 his wisdom is his       
essence2 for  there is nothing eternal  
but the essence of ,god4 ,as the sun    
melts some  things1 and hardens others2 
blackens some things1 and whitens       
others1  and produceth contrary         
qualities in different subjects1 yet it 
is  but one and the same quality in the 
sun1 which is the cause of those        
contrary operations2 so the perfections 
of ,god seem to be diverse in  our      
conceptions1 yet they are but one and   
the same in ,god4#gfb ,the  wisdom of   
,god1 is ,god acting prudently2 as the  
power of ,god1 is ,god  acting          
powerfully2 and the justice of ,god1 is 
,god acting righteously2  and therefore 
it is more truly said1 that ,god is     
wisdom1 justice1 truth1  power1 than    
that he is wise1 just1 true1 c4 as if he
 were compounded  of substance and      
qualities4 ,all the operations of ,god  
proceed from  one simple essence2 as all

 the operations of the mind of man1     
though  various1 proceed from one       
faculty of understanding4    ,thirdly1  
,wisdom is the property of ,god alone3  
,he is 8only wise40 ,it  is an honor    
peculiar to him4 ,upon the account that 
no man deserved  the title of wise1 but 
that it was a royalty belonging to      
,god1#gfc  ,pythagoras would not be     
called 1 a title given to their learned 
men1 but 4 ,the name philosopher arose  
out of a respect to this  transcendent  
perfection of ,god4    #a4 ,god is 8only
 wise0 necessarily4 ,as he is           
necessarily ,god1 so he  is necessarily 
wise2 for the notion of wisdom is       
inseparable from the  notion of a       
,deity4 ,when we say1 ,god is a ,spirit1
 is true1 righteous1  wise2 we          
understand that he is transcendently    
these1 by an intrinsic  and absolute    
necessity1 by virtue of his own essence1
 without the  efficiency of any other1  
or any efficiency in and by himself4    
,god doth  not make himself wise1 no    

more than he makes himself ,god4 ,as he 
is a  necessary ,being in regard of his 
life1 so he is necessarily wise in      
regard of his understanding4 ,synesius  
saith1 that ,god is essentiated1  1 by  
his understanding4 ,he places the       
substance of ,god in  understanding and 
wisdom3 wisdom is the first vital       
operation of ,god4  ,he can no more be  
unwise than he can be untrue2 for folly 
in the mind  is much the same with      
falsity in speech4 ,wisdom among men is 
gained  by age and experience1 furthered
 by instructions and exercise2 but the  
wisdom of a#eaj ,god is his nature4 ,as 
the sun cannot be without light1  while 
it remains a sun1 and as eternity cannot
 be without immortality1  so neither can
 ,god be without wisdom4 ,as he only    
hath immortality  7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af71   
not arbitrarily1 but necessarily2 so he 
only hath  wisdom3 not because he will  
be wise1 but because he cannot but be   
wise4  ,he cannot but contrive counsels1
 and exert operations1 becoming the     

greatness and majesty of his nature4    
#b4 ,therefore 8only wise0 originally4  
,god is  4  ,men acquire wisdom by the  
loss of their fairest years2 but his    
wisdom  is the perfection of the ,divine
 nature1 not the birth of study1 or the 
growth of experience1 but as necessary1 
as eternal1 as his essence4 ,he  goes   
not out of himself to search wisdom3 he 
needs no more the brains  of creatures  
in the contrivance of his purposes1 than
 he doth their arm  in the execution of 
them4 ,he needs no counsel1 he receives 
no counsel  from any 7,rom4 xi4 #cd73   
8,who hath been his counsellor80 and    
7,isa4 xl4  #ad7 8,with whom took he    
counsel1 and who instructed him1 or     
taught him  in the path of judgment1 and
 taught him knowledge1 and showed to him
  the path of understanding80 ,he is the
 only ,fountain of wisdom to others2    
angels and men have what wisdom they    
have1 by communication from him4  ,all  
created wisdom is a spark of the ,divine
 light1 like that of the  stars borrowed

 from the sun4 ,he that borrows wisdom  
from another1 and  doth not originally  
possess it in his own nature1 cannot    
properly be  called wise4 ,as ,god is   
the only ,being1 in regard that all     
other beings  are derived from him1 so  
he is only wise1 because all other      
wisdom  flows from him4 ,he is the      
spring of wisdom to all2 none the       
original  of wisdom to him4    #c4      
,therefore 8only wise0 perfectly4 ,there
 is no cloud upon his  understanding4   
,he hath a distinct and certain         
knowledge of all things  that can fall  
under action2 as he hath a perfect      
knowledge without  ignorance1 so he hath
 a beautiful wisdom without mole or     
wart4 ,men are  wise1 yet have not an   
understanding so vast as to grasp all   
things1  nor a perspicacity so clear1 as
 to penetrate into the depths of all    
being4 ,angels have more delightful and 
lively sparks of wisdom1 yet so         
imperfect1 that in regard of the wisdom 
of ,god they are charged with  folly    

7,job iv4 #ah74 ,their wisdom as well as
 their holiness is veiled in  the       
presence of ,god4 ,it vanisheth1 as the 
glowing of a fire doth before  the      
beauty of the sun1 or as the light of a 
candle in the midst of a  sunshine      
contracts itself1 and none of its rays  
are seen1 but in the  body of the flame4
 ,the angels are not perfectly wise1    
because they are  not perfectly knowing3
 the gospel1 the great discovery of     
,god's wisdom1  was hid from them for   
ages4    #d4 ,therefore 8only wise0     
universally4 ,wisdom in one man is of   
one  sort1 in another of another sort2  
one is a wise tradesman1 another  a wise
 statesman1 and another a wise          
philosopher3 one is wise in the         
business of the world1 another is wise  
in divine concerns4 ,one hath not  so   
much of plenty of one sort1 but he may  
have a scantiness in another2  one may  
be wise for invention1 and foolish in   
execution2 an artificer  may have skill 
to frame an engine1 and not skill to use

 it4 ,the ground  that is fit for olives
 may not be fit a#eaa for vines2 that   
will  bear one sort of grain and not    
another4 ,but ,god hath an universal    
wisdom1 because his nature is wise2 it  
is not limited1 but hovers over         
everything1 shines in every being4 ,his 
executions are as wise as his           
contrivances3 he is wise in his         
resolves1 and wise in his ways3 wise  in
 all the varieties of his works of      
creation1 government1 redemption4  ,as  
his will wills all things1 and his power
 effects all things1 so  his wisdom is  
the universal director of the motions of
 his will1 and  the executions of his   
power3 as his righteousness is the      
measure of  the matter of his actions1  
so his wisdom is the rule that directs  
the  manner of his actions4 ,the        
absolute power of ,god is not an unruly 
power3  his wisdom orders all things1 so
 that nothing is done but what is fit   
and convenient1 and agreeable to so     
excellent a ,being3 as he cannot do  an 

unjust thing because of his             
righteousness1 so he cannot do an unwise
  act1 because of his infinite wisdom4  
,though ,god be not necessitated  to any
 operation without himself1 as to the   
creation of anything1 yet  supposing he 
will act1 his wisdom necessitates him to
 do that which is  congruous1 as his    
righteousness necessitates him to do    
that which is  just3 so that though the 
will of ,god be the principle1 yet his  
wisdom  is the rule of his actions4 ,we 
must1 in our conceiving of the order1   
suppose wisdom antecedent to will3 none 
that acknowledges a ,god can  have such 
an impious thought as to affix temerity 
and rashness to  any of his proceedings4
 ,all his decrees are drawn out of the  
infinite  treasury of wisdom in         
himself4#gfd ,he resolves nothing about 
any of  his creatures without reason2   
but the reason of his purposes is in    
himself1 and springs from himself1 and  
not from the creatures3 there  is not   
one thing that he wills but 8he wills by

 counsel1 and works by  counsel0 7,eph4 
i4 #aa74 ,counsel writ down every line1 
every letter1 in  his eternal ,book2 and
 all the orders are drawn out from      
thence by his  wisdom and will3 what was
 illustrious in the contrivance1        
glitters  in the execution4 ,his        
understanding and will are infinite2    
what is  therefore the act of his will1 
is the result of his understanding1 and 
therefore rational4 ,his understanding  
and will join hands2 there is no        
contest in ,god1 will against mind1 and 
mind against will2 they are one  in     
,god1 one in his resolves1 and one in   
all his works4    #e4 ,therefore he is  
8only wise0 perpetually4 ,as the wisdom 
of man  is got by ripeness of age1 so it
 is lost by decay of years2 it is  got  
by instruction1 and lost by dotage4 ,the
 perfectest minds1 when  in the wane1   
have been darkened with folly3          
,nebuchadnezzar1 that was  wise for a   
man1 became as foolish as a brute4 ,but 
the ,ancient of ,days  is an            

unchangeable possessor of prudence2 his 
wisdom is a mirror of  brightness1      
without a defacing spot4 ,it was        
8possessed by him in the  beginning of  
his ways1 before his works of old0      
7,prov4 viii4 #bb71  and he can never be
 dispossessed of it in the end of his   
works4 ,it  is inseparable from him3 the
 being of his ,godhead may as soon cease
  as the beauty of his mind2 8with him  
is wisdom0 7,job xii4 #ac72 it is       
inseparable from him2 therefore1 as     
durable as his essence4 ,it is a  wisdom
 infinite1 and therefore without        
increase or decrease in itself4  ,the   
experience of so many ages in the       
government a#eab of the world  hath     
added nothing to the immensity of it1 as
 the shining of the sun  since the      
creation of the world hath added nothing
 to the light of that  glorious body4   
,as ignorance never darkens his         
knowledge1 so folly never  disgraces his
 prudence4 ,god infatuates men1 but     
neither men nor devils  can infatuate   

,god2 he is unerringly wise2 his counsel
 doth not vary and  flatter2 it is not  
one day one counsel1 and another day    
another1 but  it stands like an         
immovable rock1 or a mountain of brass4 
8,the counsel  of the ,lord stands      
forever1 and the thoughts of his heart  
to all  generations0 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #aa74
    #f4 ,he is only wise                
incomprehensibly4 8,his thoughts are    
deep0  7,ps4 xcii4 #e72 8,his judgments 
unsearchable1 his ways past finding out0
  7,rom4 xi4 #cc73 depths that cannot be
 fathomed2 a splendor more dazzling  to 
our dim minds than the light of the sun 
to our weak eyes4 ,the wisdom  of one   
man may be comprehended by another1 and 
overcomprehended2 and  often men are    
understood by others to be wiser in     
their actions than  they understand     
themselves to be2 and the wisdom of one 
angel may be  measured by another angel 
of the same perfection4 ,but as the     
essence1  so the wisdom of ,god is      
incomprehensible to any creature2 ,god  

is  only comprehended by ,god4 ,the     
secrets of wisdom in ,god are double to 
the expressions of it in his works 7,job
 xi4 #f1 #g73 8,canst thou1 by          
searching1 find out ,god80 ,there is an 
unfathomable depth in all his  decrees1 
in all his works2 we cannot comprehend  
the reason of his works1  much less that
 of his decrees1 much less that in his  
nature2 because  his wisdom1 being      
infinite as well as his power1 can no   
more act to the  highest pitch than his 
power4 ,as his power is not terminated  
by what he  hath wrought1 but he could  
give further testimonies of it1 so      
neither  is his wisdom1 but he could    
furnish us with infinite expressions and
  pieces of his skill4 ,as in regard of 
his immensity he is not bounded  by the 
limits of place2 in regard of his       
eternity1 not measured by the  minutes  
of time2 in regard of his power1 not    
terminated with this or  that number of 
objects2 so1 in regard of his wisdom1 he
 is not confined  to this or that       

particular mode of working2 so that in  
regard of the  reason of his actions1 as
 well as the glory and majesty of his   
nature1  he dwells in unapproachable    
light 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af72 and whatsoever
 we  understand of his wisdom in        
creation and providence1 is infinitely  
less  than what is in himself and his   
own unbounded nature4 ,many things in   
,scripture are declared chiefly to be   
the acts of the ,divine will1 yet  we   
must not think that they were acts of   
mere will without wisdom1  but they are 
represented so to us1 because we are not
 capable of  understanding the infinite 
reason of its acts3 his sovereignty is  
more  intelligible to us than his       
wisdom4 ,we can better know the commands
 of  a superior1 and the laws of a      
prince1 than understand the reason that 
gave birth to those laws4 ,we may know  
the orders of the ,divine will1  as they
 are published1 but not the sublime     
reason of his will4 ,though  election be
 an act of ,god's sovereignty1 and he   

hath no cause from  without to determine
 him1 yet his infinite wisdom stood not 
silent  while mere dominion acted4      
,whatsoever ,god doth1 he doth wisely1  
as well  as sovereignly2 though that    
wisdom which lies in the secret places  
of  the ,divine ,being be as            
incomprehensible to us as the effects of
 his  a#eac sovereignty and power in the
 world are visible1 ,god can give  a    
reason of his proceeding1 and that drawn
 from himself1 though we  understand it 
not4 ,the causes of things visible lie  
hid from us4 ,doth  any man know how to 
distinguish the seminal virtue of a     
small seed from  the body of it1 and in 
what nook and corner that lies1 and what
 that  is that spreads itself in so fair
 a plant1 and so many flowers8 ,can we  
comprehend the justice of ,god's        
proceedings in the prosperity of the    
wicked1 and the afflictions of the      
godly8 ,yet as we must conclude them    
the fruits of an unerring righteousness1
 so we must conclude all his  actions   

the fruits of an unspotted wisdom1      
though the concatenation of  all his    
counsels is not intelligible to us2 for 
he is as essentially  and necessarily   
wise1 as he is essentially and          
necessarily good and  righteous4 ,god is
 not only so wise that nothing more wise
 can be  conceived1 but he is more wise 
than can be imagined2 something greater 
in all his perfections than can be      
comprehended by any creature4 ,it is  a 
foolish thing1 therefore1 to question   
that which we cannot comprehend2  we    
should adore it instead of disputing    
against it2 and take it for  granted1   
that ,god would not order anything1 were
 it not agreeable to  the sovereignty of
 his wisdom1 as well as that of his     
will4 ,though  the reason of man proceed
 from the wisdom of ,god1 yet there is  
more  difference between the reason of  
man1 and the wisdom of ,god1 than       
between the light of the sun1 and the   
feeble shining of the glowworm2  yet we 
presume to censure the ways of ,god1 as 

if our purblind reason  had a reach     
above him4    #g4 ,god is 8only wise0   
infallibly4 ,the wisest men meet with   
rubs  in the way1 that make them fall   
short of what they aim at2 they often   
design1 and fail2 then begin again2 and 
yet all their counsels end in  smoke1   
and none of them arrive at perfection4  
,if the wisest angels lay  a plot1 they 
may be disappointed2 for though they are
 higher and wiser  than man1 yet there  
is ,one higher and wiser than they1 that
 can check  their projects4 ,god always 
compasseth his end1 never fails of      
anything  he designs and aims at2 all   
his undertakings are counsel and will2  
as  nothing can resist the efficacy of  
his will1 so nothing can countermine    
the skill of his counsel3 8,there is no 
wisdom1 nor understanding1  nor counsel 
against the ,lord0 7,prov4 xxi4 #cj74   
,he compasseth his ends  by those       
actions of men and devils1 wherein they 
think to cross him2  they shoot at their
 own mark1 and hit his4 ,lucifer's plot1

 by divine  wisdom1 fulfilled ,god's    
purpose against ,lucifer's mind4 ,the   
counsel of  redemption by ,christ1 the  
end of the creation of the world1 rode  
into  the world upon the back of the    
serpent's temptation4 ,god never        
mistakes  the means1 nor can there be   
any disappointments to make him vary his
  counsels1 and pitch upon other means  
than what before he had ordained4  ,his 
8word that goeth forth of his mouth     
shall not return to him void1  but it   
shall accomplish that which he pleases1 
and it shall prosper in  the thing      
whereto he sent it0 7,isa4 lv4 #aa74    
,what is said of his word1  is true of  
his counsel2 it shall prosper in the    
thing for which it is  appointed2 it    
cannot be defeated by all the legions of
 men and devils2  for 8as he thinks1 so 
shall it come to pass2 and as he hath   
purposed1  so shall it stand2 the ,lord 
hath purposed1 and who shall a#ead      
disannul it0 7,isa4 xiv4 #bd1 #bg78 ,the
 wisdom of the creature is a drop  from 

the wisdom of ,god1 and is like a drop  
to the ocean1 and a shadow  to the sun2 
and1 therefore1 is not able to meet the 
wisdom of ,god1  which is infinite and  
boundless4 ,no wisdom is exempted from  
mistakes1  but the ,divine3 he is wise  
in all his resolves1 and never 8calls   
back  his words0 and purposes 7,isa4    
xxxi4 #b74    ,,iii4 ,the third general 
is to prove that ,god is wise4 ,this is 
ascribed  to ,god in ,scripture 7,dan4  
ii4 #bj72 8,wisdom and might are his20  
wisdom  to contrive1 and power to       
effect4 ,where should wisdom dwell1 but 
in  the head of a ,deity8 and where     
should power triumph1 but in the arm of 
,omnipotency8#gfe ,all that ,god doth1  
he doth artificially1 skilfully2  whence
 he is called the 8,builder of the      
heavens0 7,heb4 xi4 #aj71   an artifical
 and curious builder1 a builder by art3 
and  that word 7,prov4 viii4 #cj7 meant 
of ,christ2 8,then ,i was by him as one 
brought up with him20 some render it1   
,then ,i was the curious artificer2  and

 the same word1 is translated1 a cunning
 workman 7,cant4 vii4 #e74 ,for  this   
cause1 counsel is ascribed to ,god2#gff 
not properly1 for counsel  implies      
something of ignorance1 or irresolution1
 antecedent to the  consultation1 and a 
posture of will afterwards1 which was   
not before4  ,counsel is1 properly1 a   
laborious deliberation1 and a reasoning 
of  things2 an invention of means for   
the attainment of the end1 after a      
discussing and reasoning of all the     
doubts which arise1 pro re nat1  about  
the matter in counsel4 ,but ,god hath no
 need to deliberate in  himself what are
 the best means to accomplish his ends3 
he is never  ignorant or undetermined   
what course he should take1 as men are  
before  they consult4 ,but it is an     
expression1 in condescension to our     
capacity1  to signify that ,god doth    
nothing but with reason and             
understanding1  with the highest        
prudence and for the most glorious ends1
 as men do  after consultation and the  

weighing of every foreseen circumstance4
  ,though he acts all things sovereignly
 by his will1 yet he acts all  things   
wisely by his understanding2 and there  
is not a decree of his  will but he can 
render a satisfactory reason for1 in the
 face of men  and angels4 ,as he is the 
cause of all things1 so he hath the     
highest  wisdom for the ordering of all 
things4 ,if wisdom among men be the     
knowledge of divine and human things1   
,god must be infinitely wise1  since    
knowledge is most radiant in him2 he    
knows what angels and men do  and       
infinitely more2 what is known by them  
obscurely1 is known by him  clearly2    
what is known by man after it is done1  
was known by ,god before  it was        
wrought4 ,by his wisdom1 as much as by  
anything1 he infinitely  differs from   
all his creatures1 as by wisdom man     
differs from a brute4  ,we cannot frame 
a notion of ,god1 without conceiving him
 infinitely wise4  ,we should render him
 very inconsiderable1 to imagine him    

furnished  with an infinite knowledge1  
and not have an infinite wisdom to make 
use of that knowledge1 or to fancy him  
with a mighty power destitute  of       
prudence4 ,knowledge without prudence1  
is an eye without motion2  and power    
without discretion1 is an arm without a 
head2 a hand to act1  without a#eae     
understanding to contrive and model2 a  
strength to act1  without reason to know
 how to act3 it would be a miserable    
notion of  a ,god1 to fancy him with a  
brutish and unguided power4 ,the        
heathens1  therefore1 had1 and could not
 but have1 this natural notion of ,god4 
,plato1 therefore1 calls him ,mens2#gfg 
and ,cleanthes used to call ,god        
,reason2 and ,socrates thought the title
 of  too magnificent to be  attributed  
to anything else but ,god alone4        
,arguments to prove that ,god is        
wise4,reason #a4 ,god could not be      
infinitely perfect without wisdom4 ,a   
rational nature is better than an       
irrational nature4 ,a man is not a      

perfect man without reason2 how can     
,god without it be an infinitely perfect
 ,god8 ,wisdom is the most eminent  of  
all virtues2 all the other perfections  
of ,god without this1 would be  as a    
body without an eye1 a soul without     
understanding4 ,a ,christian's  graces  
want their lustre1 when they are        
destitute of the guidance  of wisdom3   
mercy is a feebleness1 and justice a    
cruelty2 patience a  timorousness1 and  
courage a madness1 without the conduct  
of wisdom2 so  the patience of ,god     
would be cowardice1 his power an        
oppression1 his  justice a tyranny1     
without wisdom as the spring and        
holiness as the  rule4 ,no attribute of 
,god could shine with a due lustre and  
brightness  without it4 ,power is a     
great perfection1 but wisdom a          
greater4#gfh  ,wisdom may be without    
much power1 as in bees and ants2 but    
power is a  tyrranical thing without    
wisdom and righteousness4 ,the pilot is 
more  valuable because of his skill1    

than the galley slave because of his    
strength2 and the conduct of a general  
more estimable than the might  of a     
private soldier4 ,generals are chosen   
more by their skill to guide1  than     
their strength to act2 what a clod is a 
man without prudence2  what a nothing   
would ,god be without it6 ,this is the  
salt that gives  relish to all other    
perfections in a creature2 this is the  
jewel in  the ring of all the           
excellencies of the ,divine nature1 and 
holiness is  the splendor of that jewel4
 ,now ,god being the first ,being1      
possesses  whatsoever is most noble in  
any being4 ,if therefore wisdom1 which  
is the most noble perfection in any     
creature1 were wanting to ,god1  he     
would be deficient in that which is the 
highest excellency4 ,god  being the     
living ,god1 as he is frequently termed 
in ,scripture1 he hath  therefore the   
most perfect manner of living1 and that 
must be a pure  and intellectual life2  
being essentially living1 he is         

essentially in  the highest degree of   
living4 ,as he hath an infinite life    
above all  creatures1 so he hath an     
infinite intellectual life1 and         
therefore  an infinite wisdom2 whence   
some have called ,god1 not sapientem1   
but  super sapientem1#gfi not only wise1
 but above all wisdom4    ,reason #b4   
,without infinite wisdom he could not   
govern the world4  ,without wisdom in   
forming the matter1 which was made by   
,divine power1  the world could have    
been no other than a chaos2 and without 
wisdom  in government1 it could have    
been no other than a heap of confusion2 
without wisdom the world could not have 
been created in the posture it  is4     
,creation supposeth a determination of  
the will putting power upon  acting2 the
 determination of the will supposeth    
a#eaf the counsel  of the understanding1
 determining the will3 no work1 but     
supposeth  understanding as well as will
 in a rational agent4 ,as without skill 
things could not be created1 so without 

it things cannot be governed4  ,reason  
is a necessary perfection to him that   
presides over all things3  without      
knowledge there could not be in ,god a  
foundation for government1  and without 
wisdom there could not be an exercise of
 government2 and  without the most      
excellent wisdom1 he could not be the   
most excellent  governor4 ,he could not 
be an universal governor1 without a     
universal  wisdom2 nor the sole governor
 without an unimitable wisdom2 nor an   
independent governor without an original
 and independent wisdom2 nor a          
perpetual governor without an           
incorruptible wisdom4 ,he would not be  
the  ,lord of the world in all points1  
without skill to order the affairs of   
it4 ,power and wisdom are foundations of
 all authority and government2  wisdom  
to know how to rule and command2 power  
to make those commands  obeyed3 no      
regular order could issue out without   
the first1 nor could  any order be      
enforced without the second4 ,a feeble  

wisdom1 and a  brutish power1 seldom or 
never produce any good effect4          
,magistracy  without wisdom1 would be a 
frantic power1 a rash conduct2 like a   
strong  arm when the eye is out1 it     
strikes it knows not what1 and leads it 
knows not whither4 ,wisdom without      
power1 would be like a great body       
without feet1#ggj like the knowledge of 
a pilot that hath lost his arm1  who1   
though he knows the rule of navigation1 
and what course to follow  in his       
voyage1 yet cannot manage the helm3 but 
when those two1 wisdom  and power1 are  
linked together1 there ariseth from both
 a fitness for  government4 ,there is   
wisdom to propose an end1 and both      
wisdom and  power employ means that     
conduct to that end4 ,and therefore when
 ,god  demonstrates to ,job his right of
 government1 and the unreasonableness   
of ,job's quarrelling with his          
proceedings1 he chiefly urgeth upon him 
the consideration of those two          
excellencies of his nature1 power and   

wisdom1 which are expressed in his works
 7chap4 xxxviii4xli47 ,a prince  without
 wisdom1 is but a title without a       
capacity to perform the office2  no man 
without it is fit for government2 nor   
could ,god without wisdom  exercise a   
just dominion in the world4 ,he hath1   
therefore1 the highest  wisdom1 since he
 is the universal governor4 ,that wisdom
 which is able  to govern a family1 may 
not be able to govern a city2 and that  
wisdom  which governs a city1 may not be
 able to govern a nation or kingdom1    
much less a world4 ,the bounds of ,god's
 government being greater than  any1 his
 wisdom for government must needs       
surmount the wisdom of  all4 ,and though
 the creatures be not in number actually
 infinite1  yet they cannot be well     
governed1 but by ,one endowed with      
infinite  discretion4#gga ,providential 
government can be no more without       
infinite wisdom1 than infinite wisdom   
can be without ,providence4    ,reason  
#c4 ,the creatures working for an end1  

without their own  knowledge1           
demonstrate the wisdom of ,god that     
guides them4 ,all things  in the world  
work for some end2 the ends are unknown 
to them1 though  many of their ends are 
visible to us4 ,as there was some prime 
cause1  which by his power inspired them
 with their several a#eag instincts2  so
 there must be some supreme wisdom1     
which moves and guides them to  their   
end4 ,as their being manifests his power
 that endowed them1 so the  acting      
according to the rules of their nature1 
which they themselves  understand not1  
manifests his wisdom in directing them4 
,everything  that acts for an end1 must 
know that end1 or be directed by another
 to  attain that end4 ,the arrow doth   
not know who shoots it1 or to what end  
it is shot1 or what mark is aimed at2   
but the archer that puts it in1  and    
darts it out of the bow1 knows4 ,a watch
 hath a regular motion1 but  neither the
 spring1 nor the wheels that move1 know 
the end of their  motion2 no man will   

judge a wisdom to be in the watch1 but  
in the  artificer that disposed the     
wheels and spring1 by a joint           
combination  to produce such a motion   
for such an end4 ,doth either the sun   
that  enlivens the earth1 or the earth  
that travels with the plant1 know  what 
plant it produceth in such a soil1 what 
temper it should be of1  what fruit it  
should bear1 and of what color8 ,what   
plant knows its  own medicinal          
qualities1 its own beautiful flowers1   
and for what use  they are ordained8    
,when it strikes up its head from the   
earth1 doth it  know what proportion of 
them there will be8 yet it produceth all
 these  things in a state of ignorance4 
,the sun warms the earth1 concocts the  
humors1 excites the virtue of it1 and   
cherishes the seeds which are  cast into
 her lap1 yet all unknown to the sun or 
the earth4 ,since1  therefore1 that     
nature1 that is the immediate cause of  
those things  doth not understand its   
own quality1 nor operation1 nor the end 

of  its action1 that which thus directs 
them must be conceived to have an       
infinite wisdom4 ,when things act by a  
rule they know not1 and move for  an end
 they understand not1 and yet work      
harmoniously together for an  end1 that 
all of them1 we are sure1 are ignorant  
of1 it mounts up our  minds to          
acknowledge the wisdom of that ,supreme 
,cause that hath ranged  all these      
inferior causes in their order1 and     
imprinted upon them  the laws of their  
motions according to the ideas in his   
own mind1 who  orders the rule by which 
they act1 and the end for which they    
act1 and  directs every motion according
 to their several natures1 and therefore
  possessed with infinite wisdom in his 
own nature4    ,reason #d4 ,god is the  
fountain of all wisdom in the creatures1
 and1  therefore1 is infinitely wise    
himself4 ,as he hath a fulness of being 
in  himself1 because the streams of     
being are derived to other things from  
him1 so he hath a fulness of wisdom1    

because he is the spring of wisdom  to  
angels and men4 ,that being must be     
infinitely wise from whence all  other  
wisdom derives its original2 for nothing
 can be in the effect1  which is not    
eminently in the cause2 the cause is    
alway more perfect  than the effect4    
,if1 therefore1 the creatures are wise1 
the ,creator  must be much more wise4   
,if the ,creator were destitute of      
wisdom1 the  creature would be much more
 perfect than the ,creator4 ,if you     
consider  the wisdom of the spider in   
her web1 which is both her house and    
net2 the artifice of the bee in her     
comb1 which is both her chamber  and    
granary2 the provision of the pismire in
 her repositories for  corn1the wisdom  
of the ,creator is illustrated by them3 
whatsoever  excellency you see in any   
creature1 is an image of some excellency
 in  ,god4 ,the skill of the artificer  
is visible in a#eah the fruits of his   
art2 a workman transcribes his spirit in
 the work of his hands4 ,but  the wisdom

 of rational creatures1 as men1 doth    
more illustrate it2 all  arts among men 
are the rays of ,divine wisdom shining  
upon them1 and1  by a common gift of the
 ,spirit1 enlightening their minds to   
curious  inventions1 as 7,prov4 viii4   
#ab73 8,i1 wisdom1 find out the         
knowledge of  witty inventions20 that   
is1 ,i give a faculty to men to find    
them out2  without my wisdom all things 
would be buried in darkness and         
ignorance3  whatsoever wisdom there is  
in the world1 it is but a shadow of the 
wisdom of ,god1 a small rivulet derived 
from him1 a spark leaping  out from     
uncreated wisdom 7,isa4 liv4 #af73 8,he 
created the smith that  bloweth the     
coals in the fire1 and makes the        
instruments40 ,the skill to  use those  
weapons in warlike enterprises is from  
him3 8,i have created  the waster to    
destroy20 it is not meant of creating   
their persons1 but  communicating to    
them their art2 he speaks it there to   
expel fear from  the church of all      

warlike preparations against them2 he   
had given men  the skill to form and use
 weapons1 and could as well strip them  
of it1  and defeat their purposes4 ,the 
art of husbandry is a fruit of divine   
teaching 7,isa4 xxviii4 #bd1 #be74 ,if  
those lower kinds of knowledge1 that    
are common to all nations1 and easily   
learned by all1 are discoveries  of     
,divine wisdom1 much more the nobler    
sciences1 intellectual and  political   
wisdom 7,dan4 ii4 #ba73 8,he gives      
wisdom to the wise1 and  knowledge to   
them that know understanding20 speaking 
of the more  abstruse parts of          
knowledge1 8,the inspiration of the     
,almighty gives  understanding0 7,job   
xxxii4 #h74 ,hence the wisdom which     
,solomon expressed  in the harlot's case
 7#a ,kings iii4 #bh71 was1 in the      
judgment of all  ,israel1 the wisdom of 
,god2 that is1 a fruit of ,divine       
wisdom1 a beam  communicated to him from
 ,god4 ,every man's soul is endowed1    
more or  less1 with those noble         

qualities2 the soul of every man exceeds
 that  of a brute2 if the streams be so 
excellent1 the fountain must be fuller  
and clearer4 ,the first ,spirit must    
infinitely more possess what other      
spirits derive from him by creation2    
were the wisdom of all the angels  in   
heaven1 and men on earth1 collected in  
one spirit1 it must be  infinitely less 
than what is in the spring2 for no      
creature can be  equal to the ,creator4 
,as the highest creature already made1  
or that we  can conceive may be made by 
infinite power1 would be infinitely     
below  ,god in the notion of a creature1
 so it would be infinitely below ,god in
  the notion of wise4    ,,iv4 ,the     
fourth thing is1 wherein the wisdom of  
,god appears4 ,it appears1  #ast1 ,in   
creation4 #b;dly1 ,in government4       
#c;dly1 ,in redemption4    ,first1 ,in  
creation4 ,as in a musical instrument   
there is first the  skill of the workman
 in the frame1 then the skill of the    
musician in  stringing it proper for    

such musical notes as he will express   
upon  it1 and after that the tempering  
of the strings1 by various stops1  to a 
delightful harmony1 so is the wisdom of 
,god seen in framing  the world1 then in
 tuning it1 and afterwards in the motion
 of the  several creatures4 ,the fabric 
of the world is called the wisdom of    
,god  7#a ,cor4 i4 #ba73 8,after that1  
in the wisdom of ,god1 the world by     
wisdom  knew not ,god20 i4 e41 by the   
creation the world knew not ,god4 ,the  
framing cause is there put for the      
effect and the work framed2 because     
a#eai the ,divine wisdom stepped forth  
in the creatures1 to a public           
appearance1 as if it had presented      
itself in a visible shape to  man1      
giving instructions in and by the       
creatures1 to know and adore  him4 ,what
 we translate 7,gen4 i4 #a7 8,in the    
beginning ,god created the  heaven and  
the earth10 the ,targum expresseth1 8,in
 wisdom ,god created  the heaven and the
 earth40 ,both bear a stamp of this     

perfection on  them2#ggb and when the   
apostle tells the ,romans 7,rom4 i4 #bj7
 8,the  invisible things of ,god were   
clearly understood by the things that   
are  made10 the word he uses is  not 2  
this signifies a work  of labor1 but  a 
work of skill1 or a poem4 ,the whole    
creation is  a poem1 every species a    
stanza1 and every individual creature a 
verse  in it4 ,the creation presents us 
with a prospect of the wisdom of ,god1  
as a poem doth the reader with the wit  
and fancy of the composer3 8,by  wisdom 
he created the earth0 7,prov4 iii4 #ai71
 8and stretched out the  heavens by     
discretion0 7,jer4 x4 #ab74 ,there is   
not anything so mean1 so  small1 but    
glitters with a beam of ,divine skill2  
and the consideration  of them would    
justly make every man subscribe to that 
of the psalmist1  8,o ,lord1 how        
manifold are thy works6 in wisdom hast  
thou made them  all0 7,ps4 civ4 #bd74   
,all1 the least as well as the greatest1
 and the  meanest as well as the        

noblest2 even those creatures which seem
 ugly  and deformed to us1 as toads1 c41
 because they fall short of those       
perfections which are the dowry of other
 animals3 in these there is  a footstep 
of ,divine wisdom1 since they were not  
produced by him at  random1 but         
determined to some particular end1 and  
designed to some  usefulness1 as parts  
of the world in their several natures   
and stations4  ,god could never have had
 a satisfaction in the review of his    
works1 and  pronounced them good or     
comely1 as he did 7,gen4 i4 #ca71 had   
they not  been agreeable to that eternal
 original copy in his own mind4 ,it is  
said he was refreshed1 viz4 with that   
review 7,exod4 xxxi4 #ag71 which  could 
not have been1 if his piercing eye had  
found any defect in any  thing which had
 sprung out of his hand1 or an          
unsuitableness to that  end for which he
 created them4 ,he seems to do as a man 
that hath made  a curious and polite    
work1 with exact care to peer about     

every part  and line1 if he could       
perceive any imperfection in it1 to     
rectify the  mistake3 but no defect was 
found by the infinitely wise ,god upon  
this  second examination4 ,this wisdom  
of the creation appears1 #a4 ,in the    
variety4 #b4 ,in the beauty4 #c4 ,the   
fitness of every creature for its  use4 
#d4 ,the subordination of one creature  
to another1 and the joint  concurrence  
of all to one common end4    #a4 ,in the
 variety 7,ps4 civ4 #bd73 8,o ,lord1 how
 manifold are thy works60  ,how great a 
variety is there of animals and plants1 
with a great  variety of forms1 shapes1 
figurations1 colors1 various smells1    
virtues1  and qualities6 and this rarity
 is produced from one and the same      
matter1  as beasts and plants from the  
earth 7,gen4 i4 #aa1 #bd73 8,let the    
earth  bring forth living creatures2 and
 the earth brought forth grass1 and  the
 herb yielding seed after his kind30    
such diversity of fowl and fish  from   
the water 7,gen4 i4 #bj73 8,let the     

waters bring forth abundantly  the      
moving creature that hath life1 and fowl
 that may fly20 such a  beautiful and   
active variety from so dull a matter    
a#ebj as the earth2  so solid a variety 
from so fluid a matter as the water2 so 
noble a  piece as the body of man1 with 
such variety of members fit to entertain
  a more excellent soul as a guest1 from
 so mean a matter as the dust of  the   
ground 7,gen4 ii4 #g74 ,this extraction 
of such variety of forms out  of one    
single and dull matter1 is the chemistry
 of ,divine wisdom4 ,it is  a greater   
skill to frame noble bodies of vile     
matter1 as varieties of  precious       
vessels of clay and earth1 than of a    
nobler matter1 as gold  and silver4     
,again1 all those varieties propagate   
their kind in every  particular and     
quality of their nature1 and uniformly  
bring forth exact  copies according to  
the first pattern ,god made of the kind 
7,gen4 i4 #aa1  #ab1 #bd74 ,consider1   
also1 how the same piece of ground is   

garnished with  plants and flowers of   
several virtues1 fruits1 colors1 scents1
 without  our being able to perceive any
 variety in the earth that breeds them1 
and not so great a difference in the    
roots that bear them4 ,add to this  the 
diversities of birds of different       
colors1 shapes1 notes1 consisting  of   
various parts1 wings like oars1 to cut  
the air1 and tails as the  rudder of a  
ship1 to guide their motion4 ,how       
various1 also1 are the  endowments of   
the creatures6 some have vegetation1 and
 the power of  growth2 others have the  
addition of sense1 and others the       
excellency of  reason2 something wherein
 all agree1 and something wherein all   
differ2  variety in unity1 and unity in 
variety3 the wisdom of the workman had  
not been so conspicuous had there been  
only one degree of goodness3 the        
greatest skill is seen in the greatest  
variety4 ,the comeliness of the  body is
 visible in the variety of members1 and 
their usefulness to  one another4 ,what 

an inform thing had man been had he been
 all ear1  or all eye6 ,if ,god had made
 all the stars to be suns1 it would have
  been a demonstration of his power1    
but1 perhaps1 less of his wisdom3  no   
creatures1 with the natures they now    
have1 could have continued in  being    
under so much heat3 there was no less   
wisdom went to the frame  of the least1 
than to the greatest creature4 ,it      
speaks more art in a  limner to paint a 
landscape exactly1 than to draw the sun1
 though the  sun be a more glorious     
body4 ,i might instance also1 in the    
different  characters and features      
imprinted upon the countenances of men  
and  women1 the differences of voices   
and statures1 whereby they are          
distinguished from one another3 these   
are the foundations of order and  of    
human society1 and administration of    
justice4 ,what confusion would  have    
been1 if a grownup son could not be     
known from his father1 the  magistrate  
from the subject1 the creditor from the 

debtor1 the innocent  from the criminal6
 ,the laws ,god hath given to mankind   
could not have  been put in execution3  
this variety speaks the wisdom of ,god4 
#b4 ,the wisdom of the creation appears 
in the beauty1 and order1 and  situation
 of the several creatures 7,eccles4 iii4
 #aa73 8,he hath made  everything       
beautiful in his time40 ,as their being 
was a fruit of ,divine  power1 so their 
order is a fruit of ,divine wisdom4 ,all
 creatures are  as members in the great 
body of the world1 proportioned to one  
another1  and contributing to the beauty
 of the whole2 so that if the particular
  forms of everything1 the union of all 
for the composition of the  world1 and  
the laws which are established in the   
order of nature  for its conservation1  
be considered1 it would ravish us a#eba 
with  an admiration of ,god4#ggc ,all   
the creatures are so many pictures  or  
statues1 exactly framed by line 7,ps4   
xix4 #d73 8,their line is  gone through 
all the earth20 their 8line10 a         

measuring line1 or a  carpenter's rule1 
whereby he proportions several pieces to
 be exactly  linked and coupled         
together4 8,their line10 that is1 their 
harmonious  proportion1 and the         
instruction from it1 is gone forth      
through all the  earth4 ,upon the       
account of this harmony1 some of the    
ancient heathens  framed the images of  
their gods with musical instruments in  
their hands1  signifying that ,god      
wrought all things in a due             
proportion4#ggd ,the  heavens speak this
 wisdom in their order4 ,the revolutions
 of the sun  and moon determine the     
seasons of the year1 and make day and   
night in  orderly succession4 ,the stars
 beautify the heavens1 and influence the
  earth1 and keep their courses 7,judges
 v4 #bj74 ,they keep their stations     
without interfering with one another2   
and though they have rolled about  for  
so many ages1 they observe their        
distinct laws1 and in the variety  of   
their motions have not disturbed one    

another's functions4 ,the sun is  set as
 the heart in the midst of this great   
body1 to afford warmth to  all3 and had 
it been set lower1 it had long since    
turned the earth into  flame and ashes3 
had it been placed higher1 the earth    
would have wanted  the nourishment and  
refreshment necessary for it4 ,too much 
nearness  had ruined the earth by       
parching heat1 and too great a distance 
had  destroyed the earth by starving it 
with cold4#gge ,the sun hath also  its  
appointed motion2 had it been fixed     
without motion1 half of the  earth had  
been unprofitable2 there had been a     
perpetual darkness in  a moiety of it2  
nothing had been produced for           
nourishment1 and so it  had been        
rendered uninhabitable3 but now1 by its 
motion1 it visits all  the climates of  
the world1 runs its circuit1 so that    
8nothing is hid  from the heat thereof10
 7,ps4 xix4 #f74 ,it imparts its virtue 
to every  corner of the world in its    
daily and yearly visits4 ,had it been   

fixed1  the fruits of the earth under it
 had been parched and destroyed before  
their maturity2 but all those           
inconveniences are provided against by  
the perpetual motion of the sun4 ,this  
motion is orderly2 it makes its  daily  
course from east to west1 its yearly    
motion from north to south3  it goes to 
the north1 till it comes to the point   
,god hath set it1 and  then turns back  
to the south1 and gains some point every
 day3 it never  riseth nor sets in the  
same place one day1 where it did the day
 before4  ,the world is never without   
its light2 some see it rising the same  
moment we see it setting4#ggf ,the earth
 also speaks the ,divine wisdom2  it is 
the pavement of the world1 as the heaven
 is the ceiling of  fretwork4 ,it is    
placed lowermost1 as being the heaviest 
body1 and fit  to receive the weightiest
 matter1 and provided as an habitation  
proper  for those creatures which derive
 the matter of their bodies from it1    
and partake of its earthly nature2 and  

garnished with other creatures  for the 
profit or pleasure of man4#ggg ,the sea 
also speaks the same  ,divine wisdom4   
8,he strengthened the fountains of the  
deep1 and gave the  sea a decree that it
 should not pass his a#ebb command0     
7,prov4 viii4  #bh1 #bi74 ,he hath given
 it certain bounds that it should not   
overflow  the earth 7,job xxviii4 #aa74 
,it contains itself in the situation    
wherein ,god hath placed it1 and doth   
not transgress its bounds4 ,what  if    
some part of a country1 a little spot1  
hath been overflowed by it1  and groaned
 under its waves8 yet for the main1 it  
retains the same  channels wherein it   
was at first lodged4 ,all creatures are 
clothed  with an outward beauty1 and    
endowed with an inward harmony2 there is
 an  agreement in all parts of this     
great body2 every one is beautiful and  
orderly2 but the beauty of the world    
results from all of them disposed  and  
linked together4    #c4 ,this wisdom is 
seen in the fitness of everything for   

its end1 and  the usefulness of it4     
,divine wisdom is more illustrious in   
the fitness  and usefulness of this     
great variety1 than in the composure of 
their  distinct parts3 as the           
artificer's skill is more eminent in    
fitting  the wheels1 and setting them in
 order for their due motion1 than in    
the external fabric of the materials    
which compose the clock4 ,after the     
most diligent inspection1 there can be  
found nothing in the creation           
unprofitable2 nothing but is capable of 
some service1 either for the  support of
 our bodies1 recreation of our senses1  
or moral instruction  of our minds3 not 
the least creature but is formed1 and   
shaped1 and  furnished with members and 
parts1 in a due proportion for its end  
and service in the world2 nothing is    
superfluous1 nothing defective4  ,the   
earth is fitted in its parts2#ggh the   
valleys are appointed for  granaries1   
the mountains to shadow them from the   
scorching heat of the  sun2 the rivers1 

like veins1 carry refreshment to every  
member of this  body2 plants and trees  
thrive on the face of the earth1 and    
metals are  engendered in the bowels of 
it1 for materials for building1 and     
other  uses for the service of man4     
8,there he causes the grass to grow for 
the  cattle and herb for the service of 
man1 that he may bring forth food  out  
of the earth0 7,ps4 civ4 #ad74 ,the sea 
is fitted for use2 it is a  fish pond   
for the nourishment of man2 a boundary  
for the dividing of  lands and several  
dominions3 it joins together nations far
 distant3  a great vessel for commerce  
7,ps4 civ4 #bf71 8there go the ships40  
,it  affords vapors to the clouds1      
wherewith to water the earth1 which the 
sun draws up1 separating the finer from 
the salter parts1 that the  earth may be
 fruitful without being burdened with   
barrenness by the  salt4 ,the sea hath  
also its salt1 its ebbs1 and floods2 the
 one as  brine1 the other as motion1 to 
preserve it from putrefaction1 that it  

may not be contagious to the rest of the
 world4 ,showers are appointed  to      
refresh the bodies of living creatures1 
to open the womb of the  earth1 and     
8water the ground to make it fruitful0  
7,ps4 civ4 #c74 ,the  clouds1 therefore1
 are called the chariots of ,god2 he    
rides in them  in the manifestation of  
his goodness and wisdom4 ,winds are     
fitted to  purify the air1 to preserve  
it from putrefaction1 to carry the      
clouds  to several parts1 to refresh the
 parched earth1 and assist her fruits3  
and also to serve for the commerce of   
one nation with another by              
navigation4#ggi ,god1 in his wisdom and 
goodness1 8walks upon the  wings of the 
wind0 7,ps4 civ4 #c74 ,rivers#ghj are   
appointed to bathe the  ground1 and     
render it fresh and lively2 a#ebc they  
fortify cities1 are  the limits of      
countries1 serve for commerce2 they are 
the wateringpots  of the earth1 and the 
vessels for drink for the living        
creatures that  dwell upon the earth4   

,god cut those channels for the wild    
asses1 the  beasts of the desert1 which 
are his creatures as well as the rest   
7,ps4  civ4 #aj1 #ab1 #ac74 ,trees are  
appointed for the habitations of birds1 
shadows for the earth1 nourishment for  
the creatures1 materials for  building1 
and fuel for the relief of man against  
cold4 ,the seasons of  the year have    
their use2 the winter makes the juice   
retire into the  earth1 fortifies       
plants1 and fixes their roots3 it       
moistens the earth  that was dried      
before by the heat of summer1 and       
cleanseth and prepares  it for a new    
fruitfulness4 ,the spring calls out the 
sap in new leaves  and fruit4 ,the      
summer consumes the superfluous         
moisture1 and produceth  nourishment for
 the inhabitants of the world4#gha ,the 
day and night  have also their          
usefulness3 the day gives life to labor1
 and is a guide  to motion and action   
7,ps4 civ4 #bd71 8,the sun ariseth1 man 
goeth forth  to his labor until the     

evening40 ,it warms the air1 and        
quickens nature2  without day the world 
would be a chaos1 an unseen beauty4 ,the
 night  indeed casts a veil upon the    
bravery of the earth1 but it draws the  
curtains from that of heaven2 though it 
darkens below1 it makes us see  the     
beauty of the world above1 and discovers
 to us a glorious part of  the creation 
of ,god1 the tapestry of heaven1 and the
 motions of the  stars1 hid from us by  
the eminent light of the day4 ,it       
procures a truce  from labor1 and       
refresheth the bodies of creatures1 by  
recruiting the  spirits which are       
scattered by watching4 ,it prevents the 
ruin of life1  by a reparation of what  
was wasted in the day4 ,it takes from us
 the  sight of flowers and plants1 but  
it washeth their face with dews for  a  
new appearance next morning4 ,the length
 of the day and night is not  without a 
mark of wisdom2 were they of a greater  
length1 as the length  of a week or     
month1 the one would too much dry1 and  

the other too  much moisten2 and for    
want of action1 the members would be    
stupified4  ,the perpetual succession of
 day and night is an evidence of the    
,divine  wisdom in tempering the travel 
and rest of creatures4 ,hence1 the      
psalmist tells us 7,ps4 lxxxiv4 #af1    
#ag71 8,the day is thine1 and the  night
 is thine2 thou hast prepared the light 
of the sun1 and made  summer and        
winter20 i4 e4 they are of ,god's       
framing1 not without  a wise counsel and
 end4 ,hence1 let us ascend to the      
bodies of living  creatures1 and we     
shall find every member fitted for use4 
,what a  curiosity is there in every    
member6 ,every one fitted to a          
particular  use in their situation1     
form1 temper1 and mutual agreement for  
the good  of the whole3 the eye to      
direct2 the ear to receive directions   
from  others2 the hands to act2 the feet
 to move4 ,every creature hath members  
fitted for that element wherein it      
resides2 and in the body1 some parts    

are appointed to change the food into   
blood1 others to refine it1 and  others 
to distribute and convey it to several  
parts for the maintenance  of the whole3
 the heart to mint vital spirits for    
preserving life1  and the brain to coin 
animal spirits for life and motion2 the 
lungs  to serve for the cooling the     
heart1 which else would be parched as   
the  ground in summer4 ,the motion of   
the members of the body by one act of   
the will1 and also without the will by a
 a#ebd natural instinct1 is  an         
admirable evidence of ,divine skill in  
the structure of the body2 so  that well
 might the psalmist cry out 7,ps4       
cxxxix4 #ad71 8,i am fearfully  and     
wonderfully made60 ,but how much more of
 this ,divine perfection is  seen in the
 soul6 ,a nature1 furnished with a      
faculty of understanding  to judge of   
things1 to gather in things that are    
distant1 and to  reason and draw        
conclusions from one thing to another1  
with a memory  to treasure up things    

that are past1 with a will to apply     
itself so  readily to what the mind     
judges fit and comely1 and fly so       
speedily  from what it judges ill and   
hurtful4 ,the whole world is a stage2   
every  creature in it hath a part to    
act1 and a nature suited to that part   
and  end it is designed for2 and all    
concur in a joint language to publish   
the glory of ,divine wisdom2 they have a
 voice to proclaim the 8glory  of ,god0 
7,ps4 xix4 #a1 #c74 ,and it is not the  
least part of ,god's skill1  in framing 
the creatures so1 that upon man's       
obedience1 they are the  channels of his
 goodness2 and upon man's disobedience1 
they can1 in  their natures1 be the     
ministers of his justice for the        
punishing of  offending creatures4      
#d4 ,this wisdom is apparent in the     
linking of all these useful parts       
together1 so that one is subordinate to 
the other for a common end4 ,all  parts 
are exactly suited to one another1 and  
every part to the whole1  though they   

are of different natures1 as lines      
distant in themselves1  yet they meet in
 one common centre1 the good and the    
preservation of  the universe2 they are 
all jointed together1 as the word       
translated  framed 7,heb4 xi4 #b7       
signifies2 knit by fit hands and        
ligaments to  contribute mutual beauty1 
strength1 and assistance to one another2
  like so many links of a chain coupled 
together1 that though there be  a       
distance in place1 there is a unity in  
regard of connection and end1  there is 
a consent in the whole 7,hos4 ii4 #ba1  
#bb74 8,the heavens hear  the earth2 and
 the earth hears the corn1 and the wine1
 and the oil40  ,the heavens communicate
 their qualities to the earth1 and the  
earth  conveys them to the fruits she   
bears4#ghb ,the air distributes light1  
wind and rain to the earth2 the earth   
and the sea render to the  air          
exhalations and vapors1 and altogether  
charitably give to the  plants and      
animals that which is necessary for     

their nourishment and  refreshment4 ,the
 influences of the heavens animate the  
earth2 and the  earth affords matter1 in
 part1 for the influences it receives   
from  the regions above4 ,living        
creatures are maintained by nourishment2
  nourishment is conveyed to them by the
 fruits of the earth2 the fruits  of the
 earth are produced by means of rain and
 heat2 matter for rain  and dew is      
raised by the heat of the sun2 and the  
sun by its motion  distributes heat and 
quickening virtue to all parts of the   
earth4 ,so  colors are made for the     
pleasure of the eye1 sounds for the     
delight  of the ear2 light is formed1   
whereby the eye may see the one1 and air
  to convey the species of colors to the
 eye1 and sound to the ear2 all  things 
are like the wheels of a watch          
compacted3 and though many of  the      
creatures be endowed with contrary      
qualities1 yet they are joined  in a    
marriageknot for the public security1   
and subserviency to the  preservation   

and order of the universe2 as the       
variety of strings upon  an instrument1 
sending forth various and distinct      
sounds1 are tempered  together1 for the 
framing excellent and a#ebe delightful  
airs4 ,in  this universal conspiring of 
the creatures together to one end1 is   
the  wisdom of the ,creator apparent2 in
 tuning so many contraries as the       
elements are1 and preserving them in    
their order1 which if once broken1  the 
whole frame of nature would crack1 and  
fall in pieces2 all are so  interwoven  
and inlaid together1 by the ,divine     
workmanship1 as to make  up one entire  
beauty in the whole fabric3 as every    
part in the body of  man hath a distinct
 comeliness1 yet there is besides1 the  
beauty of the  whole1 that results from 
the union of divers parts exactly       
fashioned to  one another1 and linked   
together4    ,by the way1 ,use4 ,how    
much may we see of the perfection of    
,god in  everything that presents itself
 to our eyes6 ,and how should we be     

convinced of our unworthy neglect of    
ascending to him with reverend  and     
admiring thoughts1 upon the prospect of 
the creatures6 ,what dull  scholars are 
we1 when every creature is our teacher1 
every part of the  creature a lively    
instruction6 ,those things that we tread
 under our  feet1 if used by us         
according to the full design of their   
creation1  would afford rich matter1 not
 only for our heads1 but our hearts4 ,as
  grace doth not destroy nature1 but    
elevate it1 so neither should the       
fresher and fuller discoveries of       
,divine wisdom in redemption deface  all
 our thoughts of his wisdom in creation4
 ,though the greater light  of the sun  
obscures the lesser sparkling of the    
stars1 yet it gives  way in the night to
 the discovery of them1 that ,god may be
 seen1 known1  and considered1 in all   
his works of wonder1 and miracles of    
nature4 ,no  part of ,scripture is more 
spiritual than the ,psalms2 none filled 
with  clearer discoveries of ,christ in 

the ,old ,testament2 yet how often do   
the penmen consider the creation of     
,god1 and find their meditations  on him
 to be sweet1 as considered in his works
 7,ps4 civ4 #cd76 8,my  meditation of   
him shall be sweet40 ,when8 why1 after a
 short history  of the goodness and     
wisdom of ,god in the frame of the      
world1 and the  species of the          
creatures4    ,secondly4 ,the wisdom of 
,god appears in his government of his   
creatures4 ,the regular motion of the   
creatures speaks for this  perfection1  
as well as the exact composition of     
them4 ,if the  exquisiteness of the     
frame conducts us to the skill of the   
,contriver1  the exactness of their     
order1 according to his will and law1   
speaks  no less the wisdom of the       
,governor4 ,it cannot be thought that a 
rash  and irrational power presides over
 a world so well disposed3 the          
disposition of things hath no less      
characters of skill1 than the  creation 
of them4 ,no man can hear an excellent  

lesson upon a lute1  but must presently 
reflect upon the art of the person that 
touches it4  ,the prudence of man       
appears in wrapping up the concerns of a
 kingdom  in his mind1 for the          
wellordering of it2 and shall not the   
wisdom of  ,god shine forth1 as he is   
the director of the world8 ,i shall omit
 his  government of inanimate creatures1
 and confine the discourse to his       
government of man1 as rational1 as      
sinful1 as restored4    #ast4 ,in his   
government of man as a rational         
creature4    #a4 ,in the law he gives to
 man4 ,wisdom framed it1 though will    
enacted it4 ,the will of ,god is the    
rule of righteousness to us1 but  the   
wisdom of ,god is the foundation of that
 rule of righteousness which  he        
prescribes us4 ,the composure of a      
musician is the rule a#ebf of  singing  
to his scholars2 yet the consent and    
harmony in that composure  derives not  
itself from his will1 but from his      
understanding2 he would  not be a       

musician if his composures were contrary
 to the rules of true  harmony3 so the  
laws of men are composed by wisdom1     
though they are  enforced by will and   
authority4#ghc ,the moral law1 which was
 the law  of nature1 the law imprinted  
upon ,adam1 is so framed as to secure   
the  rights of ,god as supreme1 and the 
rights of men in their distinctions  of 
superiority and equality3 it is         
therefore called 8holy and good0  7,rom4
 vii4 #ab72 holy1 as it prescribes our  
duty to ,god in his worship2  good1 as  
it regulates the offices of human life1 
and preserves the  common interest of   
mankind4    7#a47 ,it is suited to the  
nature of man4 ,as ,god hath given a law
 of  nature1 a fixed order to inanimate 
creatures1 so he hath given a law of    
reason to rational creatures3 other     
creatures are not capable of a law      
differencing good and evil1 because they
 are destitute of faculties and         
capacities to make distinction between  
them4 ,it had not been agreeable  to the

 wisdom of ,god to propose any moral law
 to them1 who had neither  understanding
 to discern1 nor will to choose4 ,it is 
therefore to be  observed1 that whilst  
,christ exhorted others to the embracing
 his  doctrine1 yet he exhorted not     
little children1 though he took them in 
his arms1 because1 though they had      
faculties1 yet they were not come to    
such a maturity as to be capable of a   
rational instruction4 ,but there  was a 
necessity for some command for the      
government of man2 since ,god  had made 
him a rational creature1 it was not     
agreeable to his wisdom to  govern him  
as a brute1 but as a rational creature1 
capable of knowing  his precepts1 and   
voluntarily walking in them2 and without
 a law1  he had not been capable of any 
exercise of his reason in services      
respecting ,god4 ,he therefore gives him
 a law1 with a covenant annexed  to it1 
whereby man is obliged to obedience1 and
 secured of a reward4  ,this was        
enforced with severe penalties1 death1  

with all the horrors  attending it1 to  
deter him from transgression 7,gen4 ii4 
#ag72 wherein  is implied a promise of  
continuance of life1 and all its        
felicities1  to allure him to a         
mindfulness of his obligation4 ,so      
perfect a hedge  did ,divine wisdom set 
about him1 to keep him within the bounds
 of that  obedience1 which was both his 
debt and security1 that wheresoever he  
looked1 he saw either something to      
invite him1 or something to drive  him  
to the payment of his duty1 and         
perseverance in it4 ,thus the law  was  
exactly framed to the nature of man2 man
 had twisted in him a  desire of        
happiness2 the promise was suited to    
cherish this natural  desire4 ,he had   
also the passion of fear2 the proper    
object of this  was any thing           
destructive to his being1 nature1 and   
felicity2 this  the threatening met     
with4 ,in the whole it was accommodated 
to man as  rational2 precepts to the law
 in his mind1 promises to the natural   

appetite1 threatenings to the most      
prevailing affection1 and to the        
implanted desires of preserving both his
 being and happiness in that  being4    
,these were rational motives1 fitted to 
the nature of ,adam1 which  was above   
the life ,god had given plants1 and the 
sense he had given  animals4 ,the       
command given man in innocence was      
suited to his strength  and power4 ,god 
gave him not a#ebg any command but what 
he had ability  to observe3 and since we
 want not power to forbear an apple in  
our  corrupted and impotent state1 he   
wanted not strength in his state of     
integrity4 ,the wisdom of ,god commanded
 nothing but what was very easy  to be  
observed by him1 and inferior to his    
natural ability4 ,it had  been both     
unjust and unwise to have commanded him 
to fly up to the sun1  when he had not  
wings2 or stop the course of the sea1   
when he had not  strength4    7#b47 ,it 
is suited to the happiness and benefit  
of man4 ,god's laws  are not an act of  

mere authority respecting his own glory1
 but of  wisdom and goodness respecting 
man's benefit4 ,they are perfective  of 
man's nature1 conferring a wisdom upon  
him1 8rejoicing his heart1  enlightening
 his eyes0 7,ps4 xix4 #g1 #h71 affording
 him both a knowledge  of ,god and of   
himself4 ,to be without a law1 is for   
men to be as beasts1  without justice   
and without religion3 other things are  
for the good  of the body1 but the laws 
of ,god for the good of the soul2 the   
more  perfect the law1 the greater the  
benefit4 ,the laws given to the ,jews   
were the honor and excellency of that   
nation 7,deut4 i4 #h72 8,what nation  is
 there so great1 that hath statutes and 
judgments so righteous80  ,they were    
made statesmen in the judicial law1     
ecclesiastics in the  ceremonial1 honest
 men in the second table1 and divine in 
the first4  ,all his laws are suited to 
the true satisfaction of man1 and the   
good  of human society4 ,had ,god framed
 a law only for one nation1 there would 

have been the characters of a particular
 wisdom2 but now an universal  wisdom   
appears1 in accommodating his law1 not  
only to this or that  particular society
 or corporation of men1 but to the      
benefit of all  mankind1 in the variety 
of climates and countries wherein they  
live2  everything that is disturbing to 
human society is provided against2      
nothing is enjoined but what is sweet1  
rational1 and useful3 it orders  us not 
to attempt anything against the life of 
our neighbor1 the honor  of his bed1    
propriety in his goods1 and the         
clearness of his reputation2  and1 if   
well observed1 would alter the face of  
the world1 and make it  look with       
another hue4 ,the world would be altered
 from a brutish to  a human world2 it   
would change lions and wolves1 men of   
lionlike and  wolfish disposition1 into 
reason and sweetness4 ,and because the  
whole  law is summed up in love1 it     
obligeth us to endeavor the preservation
  of one another's beings1 the favoring 

of one another's interests1 and         
increasing the goods1 as much as justice
 will permit1 and keeping up  one       
another's credits1 because love1 which  
is the soul of the law1  is not shown by
 a cessation from action1 but signifies 
an ardor1 upon  all occasions1 in doing 
good4 ,i say1 were this law well        
observed1 the  world would be another   
thing than it is3 it would become a     
religious  fraternity2 the voice of     
enmity1 and the noise of groans and     
cursings1  would not be heard in our    
streets2 peace would be in all borders2 
plenty of charity in the midst of cities
 and countries2 joy and singing  would  
sound in all habitations4 ,man's        
advantage was designed in ,god's  laws1 
and doth naturally result from the      
observance of them4 ,god so  ordered    
them1 by his wisdom1 that the obedience 
of man should draw  forth his goodness1 
and prevent those smarting judgments    
which were  necessary a#ebh to reduce   
the creature to order that would not    

voluntarily continue in the order ,god  
had appointed4 ,the laws of men  are    
often unjust1 oppressive1 cruel1        
sometimes against the law of  nature2   
but an universal wisdom and             
righteousness glitters in the  ,divine  
law2 there is nothing in it but is      
worthy of ,god1 and useful for  the     
creature2 so that we may well say1 with 
,job1 8,who teaches like ,god0  7,job   
xxxvi4 #bb78 or as some render it1 8,who
 is a lawgiver like ,god80  ,who can say
 to him1 ,thou hast wrought iniquity or 
folly among men8  ,his precepts were    
framed for the preservation of man in   
that rectitude  wherein he was created1 
in that likeness to ,god wherein he was 
first  made1 that there might be a      
correspondence between the integrity of 
the creature and the goodness of his    
,creator1 by the obedience of man2  that
 man might exercise his faculties in    
operation worthy of him1 and  beneficial
 to the world4    7#c47 ,the wisdom of  
,god is seen in suiting his laws to the 

consciences  as well as the interests of
 all mankind 7,rom4 ii4 #ad72 8,the     
,gentiles  do1 by nature1 the things    
contained in the law20 so great an      
affinity  there is between the wise law 
and the reason of man4 ,there is a      
natural  beauty emerging from them1 and 
darting upon the reasons and consciences
  of men1 which dictates to them that   
this law is worthy to be observed  in   
itself4 ,the two main principles of the 
law1 the love and worship  of ,god1 and 
doing as we would be done by1 have an   
indelible impression  in the consciences
 of all men1 in regard of the principle1
 though they  are not suitably expressed
 in the practice4 ,were there no law    
outwardly  published1 yet every man's   
conscience would dictate to him that    
,god was  to be acknowledged1           
worshipped1 loved1 as naturally as his  
reason would  acquaint him that there   
was such a being as ,god4 ,this         
suitableness of  them to the consciences
 of men is manifest1 in that the laws of

 the  best governed nations among the   
heathen have had an agreement with them4
  ,nothing can be more exactly composed1
 according to the rules of right  and   
exact reason1 than this2 no man but     
approves of something in it1  yea1 of   
the whole1 when he exerciseth that dim  
reason which he hath4  ,suppose any man1
 not an absolute atheist1 he cannot but 
acknowledge  the reasonableness of      
worshipping ,god4 ,grant him to be a    
spirit1 and it  will presently appear   
absurd to represent him by any corporeal
 image1  and derogate from his          
excellency by so mean a resemblance2    
with the  same easiness he will grant a 
reverence due to the name of ,god2 that 
we must not serve our turn of him1 by   
calling him to witness to a lie  in a   
solemn oath2 that as worship is due to  
him1 so is some stated time  a          
circumstance necessary to the           
performance of that worship4 ,and as  to
 the second table1 will any man1 in his 
right reason1 quarrel with  that command

 that engageth his inferiors to honor   
him1 that secures  his being from a     
violent murder1 and his goods from      
unjust rapine8 and  though1 by the fury 
of his lusts1 he break the laws of      
wedlock himself1  yet he cannot but     
approve of that law1 as it prohibits    
every man  from doing him the like      
injury and disgrace4 ,the suitableness  
of the  law to the consciences of men is
 further evidenced by those furious     
reflections1 and strong alarms of       
conscience1 upon a transgression  of it1
 a#ebi and that in all parts of the     
world1 more or less1 in all  men2 so    
exactly hath ,divine wisdom fitted the  
law to the reason and  consciences of   
men1 as one tally to another3 indeed1   
without such an  agreement1 no man's    
conscience could have any ground for a  
hue and cry2  nor need any man be       
startled with the records of it4 ,this  
manifests the  wisdom of ,god in framing
 his laws so that the reasons and       
consciences  of all men do1 one time or 

other1 subscribe to it4 ,what governor  
in the  world is able to make any law   
distinct from this revealed by ,god1    
that  shall reach all places1 all       
persons1 all hearts8 ,we may add to this
 the  extent of his commands1 in        
ordering goodness at the root1 not only 
in  action1 but affection2 not only in  
the motion of the members1 but the      
disposition of the soul2 which suiting a
 law to the inward frame of man1  is    
quite out of the compass of the wisdom  
of any creature4    7#d47 ,his wisdom is
 seen in the encouragements he gives for
 the  studying and observing his will   
7,ps4 xix4 #aa72 8,in keeping thy       
commandments there is great reward40    
,the variety of them2 there is  not any 
particular genius in man but may find   
something suitable to  win upon him in  
the revealed will of ,god4 ,there is a  
strain of reason  to satisfy the        
rational2 of eloquence1 to gratify the  
fanciful2 of  interest1 to allure the   
selfish2 of terror1 to startle the      

obstinate4  ,as a skilful angler stores 
himself with baits1 according to the    
appetites of the sorts of fish he       
intends to catch1 so in the word  of    
,god there are varieties of baits1      
according to the varieties of  the      
inclinations of men2 threatenings to    
work upon fear2 promises to  work upon  
love2 examples of holy men set out for  
imitation2 and those  plainly2 neither  
his threatenings nor his promises are   
dark1 as the  heathen oracles2 but      
peremptory1 as becomes a sovereign      
lawgiver2  and plain1 as was necessary  
for the understanding of a creature4    
,as he deals graciously with men in     
exhorting and encouraging them1  so he  
deals wisely herein1 by taking away all 
excuse from them if  they ruin the      
interest of their souls1 by denying     
obedience to their  ,sovereign4 ,again1 
the rewards ,god proposeth are          
accommodated1 not to  the brutish parts 
of man1 his carnal sense and fleshly    
appetite1 but  to the capacity of a     

spiritual soul1 which admits only of    
spiritual  gratifications2 and cannot1  
in its own nature1 without a sordid     
subjection to the humors of the body1 be
 moved by sensual proposals4  ,god backs
 his precepts with that which the nature
 of man longed for1  and with spiritual 
delights1 which can only satisfy a      
rational appetite2  and thereby did as  
well gratify the noblest desires in man1
 as oblige  him to the noblest service  
and work4#ghd ,indeed1 virtue and       
holiness  being perfectly amiable1 ought
 chiefly to affect our understandings1  
and by them draw our wills to the esteem
 and pursuit of them4 ,but  since the   
desire of happiness is inseparable from 
the nature of man1  as impossible to be 
disjoined as an inclination to descend  
to be  severed from heavy bodies1 or an 
instinct to ascend from light and  airy 
substances2 ,god serves himself of the  
inclination of our natures  to          
happiness1 to enjender in us an esteem  
and affection to the holiness  he doth  

require4 ,he proposeth the enjoyment of 
a supernatural good  and everlasting    
glory1 as a bait to that insatiable     
a#ecj longing  our natures have for     
happiness1 to receive the impression of 
holiness  into our souls4 ,and1 besides1
 he doth proportion rewards according   
the  degrees of men's industry1 labor1  
and zeal for him2 and weighs out a      
recompense1 not only suited to1 but     
above the service4 ,he that improves    
five talents1 is to be ruler over five  
cities2 that is1 a greater  proportion  
of honor and glory than another 7,luke  
xix4 #ag1 #ah72 as a  wise father       
excites the affection of his children to
 things worthy of  praise1 by varieties 
of recompenses according to their       
several actions4  ,and it was the wisdom
 of the steward1 in the judgment of our 
,saviour1  to give every one the        
8portion that belonged to him0 7,luke   
xii4 #db74  ,there is no part of the    
word wherein we meet not with the will  
and  wisdom of ,god1 varieties of       

duties1 and varieties of encouragement1 
mingled together4    7#e47 ,the wisdom  
of ,god is seen in fitting the          
revelations of his will  to aftertimes1 
and for the preventing of the foreseen  
corruptions of  men4 ,the whole         
revelation of the mind of ,god is stored
 with wisdom in  the words1 connexion1  
sense2 it looks backwards to past1 and  
forwards  to ages to come3 a hidden     
wisdom lies in the bowels of it1 like   
gold  in a mine4 ,the ,old ,testament   
was so composed1 as to fortify the ,new1
  when ,god should bring it to light4   
,the foundations of the gospel were     
laid in the law3 the predictions of the 
,prophets1 and figures of the  law1 were
 so wisely framed1 and laid down in such
 clear expressions1  as to be proofs of 
the authority of the ,new ,testament1   
and convictions  of ,jesus' being the   
,messiah 7,luke xxiv4 #ad74 ,things     
concerning ,christ  were written in     
,moses1 the ,prophets1 and ,psalms2 and 
do1 to this day1  stare the ,jews so in 

the face1 that they are fain to invent  
absurd  and nonsensical interpretations 
to excuse their unbelief1 and continue  
themselves in their obstinate blindness4
 ,and in pursuance of the  efficacy of  
those predictions1 it was a part of the 
wisdom of ,god to  bring forth the      
translation of the ,old ,testament1 7by 
the means of  ,ptolomy1 king of ,egypt1 
some hundreds of years before the coming
 of  ,christ7 into the ,greek language1 
the tongue then most known in the       
world2 and why8 to prepare the          
,gentiles1 by the reading of it1 for    
that  gracious call he intended them1   
and for the entertainment of the gospel1
  which some few years after was to be  
published among them2 that1 by  reading 
the predictions so long before made1    
they might more readily  receive the    
accomplishment of them in their due     
time4 ,the ,scripture is  written in    
such a manner1 as to obviate errors     
foreseen by ,god to enter  into the     
church4 ,it may be wondered1 why the    

universal particle should  be inserted  
by ,christ1 in the giving the cup in the
 supper1 which  was not in the          
distributing the bread 7,matt4 xxvi4    
#bg73 8,drink ye all  of it20 not at the
 distributing the bread1 8,eat you all  
of it20 and  ,mark1 in his relation1    
tells us1 8,they all drank of it0 7,mark
 xi4 #bc74  ,the church of ,rome hath   
been the occasion of discovering to us  
the  wisdom of our ,saviour1 in         
inserting that particle all1 since they 
were so bold to exclude the communicants
 from the cup by a trick  of            
concomitancy4 ,christ foresaw the error1
 and therefore put in a  little word to 
obviate a great invasion3 and the       
,spirit of ,god hath  particularly left 
upon record that particle1 as we may    
reasonably  suppose to such a purpose4  
,and so1 in the description a#eca of    
the 8blessed ,virgin0 7,luke i4 #bg71   
there is nothing of her holiness        
mentioned1 which is with much diligence 
recorded of ,elizabeth 7ver4 #f73       

8,righteous1 walking in all the         
commandments of ,god1 blameless20       
probably to prevent the superstition    
which ,god foresaw would arise in  the  
world4 ,and we do not find more         
undervaluing speeches uttered by        
,christ to any of his disciples1 in the 
exercise of his office1 than to  her1   
except to ,peter4 ,as when she          
acquainted him with the want of wine  at
 the marriage in ,cana1 she receives a  
slighting answer3 8,woman1 what  have ,i
 to do with thee0 7,john ii4 #d78 ,and  
when one was admiring the  blessedness  
of her that bare him1 he turns the      
discourse another way1  to pronounce a  
blessedness rather belonging to them    
that 8hear the word  of ,god1 and keep  
it0 7,luke xi4 #bg1 #bh72 in a mighty   
wisdom to antidote  his people against  
any conceit of the prevalency of the    
,virgin over him  in heaven1 in the     
exercise of his mediatory office4    #b4
 ,as his wisdom appears in his          
government by his laws1 so it  appears  

in the various inclinations and         
conditions of men4 ,as there  is a      
distinction of several creatures1 and   
several qualities in them1  for the     
common good of the world1 so among men  
there are several  inclinations and     
several abilities1 as donatives from    
,god1 for the  common advantage of human
 society2 as several channels cut out   
from  the same river run several ways1  
and refresh several soils1 one man is   
qualified for one employment1 another   
marked out by ,god for a different      
work1 yet all of them fruitful to bring 
in a revenue of glory to ,god1  and a   
harvest of profit to the rest of        
mankind4 ,how unuseful would the  body  
be1 if it had but 8one member0 7#a ,cor4
 xii4 #ai76 ,how unprovided  would a    
house be1 if it had not vessels of      
dishonor as well as of  honor6 ,the     
corporation of mankind would be as much 
a chaos1 as the  matter of the heavens  
and the earth was1 before it was        
distinguished by  several forms breathed

 into it at the creation4 ,some are     
inspired with  a particular genius for  
one art1 some for another2 every man    
hath a  distinct talent4 ,if all were   
husbandmen1 where would be the          
instruments  to plough and reap8 ,if all
 were artificers1 where would they have 
corn to nourish themselves8 ,all men are
 like vessels1 and parts in  the body1  
designed for distinct offices and       
functions for the good  of the whole1   
and mutually return an advantage to one 
another4 ,as the  variety of gifts in   
the church is a fruit of the wisdom of  
,god1 for the  preservation and increase
 of the church1 so the variety of       
inclinations  and employments in the    
world is a fruit of the wisdom of ,god1 
for the  preservation and subsistence of
 the world by mutual commerce4 ,what    
the apostle largely discourseth of the  
former1 in #a ,cor4 xii4 may be  applied
 to the other4 ,the various conditions  
of men is also a fruit  of ,divine      
wisdom4 ,some are rich1 and some poor2  

the rich have as much  need of the poor1
 as the poor have of the rich2 if the   
poor depend upon  the rich for their    
livelihood1 the rich depend upon the    
poor for their  conveniences4 ,many arts
 would not be learned by men1 if poverty
 did  not oblige them to it2 and many   
would faint in the learning of them1 if 
they were not thereunto encouraged by   
the rich4 ,the poor labor for the  rich1
 as the earth sends vapors into the     
vaster and fuller air2 and the  rich    
return advantages again to the poor1 as 
the clouds a#ecb do the  vapors in rain 
upon the earth4 ,as meat would not      
afford a nourishing  juice without      
bread1 and bread without other food     
would immoderately  fill the stomach1   
and not be well digested1 so the rich   
would be  unprofitable in the           
commonwealth without the poor1 and the  
poor would  be burdensome to a          
commonwealth without the rich4 ,the poor
 could not  be easily governed without  
the rich1 nor the rich sufficiently and 

conveniently provided for without the   
poor4 ,if all were rich1 there  would be
 no objects for the exercise of a noble 
part of charity3 if all  were poor1     
there were no matter for the exercise of
 it4 ,thus the ,divine  wisdom planted  
various inclinations1 and diversified   
the conditions of  men for the public   
advantages of the world4    #b;dly4     
,god's wisdom appears1 in the government
 of men1 as fallen and  sinful2 or1 in  
the government of sin4 ,after the law of
 ,god was broke1  and sin invaded and   
conquered the world1 divine wisdom had  
another  scene to act in1 and other     
methods of government were necessary4   
,the  wisdom of ,god is then seen in    
ordering those jarring discords1 drawing
  good out of evil1 and honour to       
himself out of that which in its own    
nature tended to the supplanting of his 
glory4 ,god being a sovereign  good1    
would not suffer so great an evil to    
enter1 but to serve himself  of it for  
some greater end1 for all his thoughts  

are full of goodness  and wisdom4 ,now1 
though the permission of sin be an act  
of his  sovereignty1 and the punishment 
of sin be an act of his justice1 yet    
the ordination of sin to good1 is an act
 of his wisdom1 whereby he doth  dispose
 the evil1 overrules the malice1 and    
orders the events of it to  his own     
purposes4 ,sin in itself is a disorder1 
and therefore ,god doth  not permit sin 
for itself2 for in its own nature it    
hath nothing of  amiableness1 but he    
wills it for some righteous end1 which  
belongs to  the manifestation of his    
glory1 which is his aim in all the acts 
of his  will2 he wills it not as sin1   
but as his wisdom can order it to some  
greater good than was before in the     
world1 and make it contribute to  the   
beauty of the order he intends4 ,as a   
dark shadow is not delightful  and      
pleasant in itself1 nor is drawn by a   
painter for any amiableness  there is in
 the shadow itself1 but as it serves to 
set forth that  beauty which is the main

 design of his art1 so the glorious     
effects  which arise from the entrance  
of sin into the world1 are not from the 
creatures evil1 but the depths of divine
 wisdom4 ,particularly1    #a4 ,god's   
wisdom is seen in the bounding of sin2  
as it is said of the  wrath of man1 it  
shall praise him1 and the remainder of  
wrath ,god doth  restrain 7,ps4 lxxvi4  
#aj74 ,he sets limits to the boiling    
corruption of  the heart1 as he doth to 
the boisterous waves of the sea2        
8,hitherto  shalt thou go1 and no       
further40 ,as ,god is the rector of the 
world1 he  doth so restrain sin1 so     
temper and direct it1 as that human     
society is  preserved1 which else would 
be overflown with a deluge of           
wickedness1  and ruin would be brought  
upon all communities4 ,the world would  
be a  shambles1 a brothelhouse1 if ,god1
 by his wisdom and goodness1 did not    
set bars to that wickedness which is in 
the hearts of men3 the whole  earth     
would be as bad as hell4 ,since the     

heart of man is a hell of  corruption1  
by that the souls of all men would be   
excited to the acting  the worst        
villanies2 since a#ecc 8every thought of
 the heart of man  is only evil1 and    
that continually0 7,gen4 vi4 #e74 ,if   
the wisdom of ,god  did not stop these  
floodgates of evil in the hearts of men1
 it would  overflow the world1 and      
frustrate all the gracious designs he   
carries  on among the sons of men4 ,were
 it not for this wisdom1 every house    
would be filled with violence1 as well  
as every nature is with sin4  ,what harm
 would not strong and furious beasts do1
 did not the skill of  man tame and     
bridle them8 ,how often hath ,divine    
wisdom restrained the  viciousness of   
human nature1 and let it run1 not to    
that point they  designed1 but to the   
end he purposed6 ,laban's fury1 and     
,esau's enmity  against ,jacob1 were    
pent in within bounds for ,jacob's      
safety1 and their  hearts overruled from
 an intended destruction of the good    

man1 to a  perfect amity 7,gen4 xxxi4   
#bi1 and xxxii47    #b4 ,god's wisdom is
 seen in the bringing glory to himself  
out of sin4    7#a47 ,out of sin itself4
 ,god erects the trophies of honor upon 
that which is a natural means to hinder 
and deface it4 ,his glorious  attributes
 are drawn out to our view1 upon the    
occasion of sin1 which  otherwise had   
lain hid in his own ,being4 ,sin is     
altogether black and  abominable2 but by
 the admirable wisdom of ,god1 he hath  
drawn out  of the dreadful darkness of  
sin the saving beams of his mercy1 and  
displayed his grace in the incarnation  
and passion of his ,son for the         
atonement of sin4 ,thus he permitted    
,adam's fall1 and wisely ordered  it1   
for a fuller discovery of his own       
nature1 and a higher elevation  of man's
 good1 that 8as sin reigned to death1 so
 might grace reign  through             
righteousness to eternal life1 by ,jesus
 ,christ0 7,rom4 v4 #ba74  ,the         
unbounded goodness of ,god could not    

have appeared without it4 ,his  goodness
 in rewarding innocent obedience would  
have been manifested2  but not his      
mercy1 in pardoning rebellious crimes4  
,an innocent creature  is the object of 
the rewards of grace1 as the standing   
angels are under  the beams of grace2   
but not under the beams of mercy1       
because they  were never sinful1 and1   
consequently1 never miserable4 ,without 
sin  the creature had not been          
miserable3 had man remained innocent1 he
  had not been the subject of           
punishment2 and without the creature's  
misery1 ,god's mercy in sending his ,son
 to save his enemies1 could not  have   
appeared4 ,the abundance of sin is a    
passive occasion for ,god to  manifest  
the abundance of his grace4 ,the power  
of ,god in the changing  the heart of a 
rebellious creature1 had not appeared1  
had not sin  infected our nature4 ,we   
had not clearly known the vindictive    
justice  of ,god1 had no crime been     
committed2 for that is the proper object

 of  ,divine wrath4 ,the goodness of    
,god could never have permitted justice 
to  exercise itself upon an innocent    
creature1 that was not guilty either    
personally or by imputation 7,ps4 xi4   
#g71 8,the righteous ,lord loveth       
righteousness1 his countenance doth     
uphold the upright40 ,wisdom is         
illustrious hereby4 ,god suffered man to
 fall into a mortal disease1 to  shew   
the virtue of his own restoratives to   
cure sin1 which in itself  is incurable 
by the art of any creature4 ,and        
otherwise this perfection1  whereby ,god
 draws good out of evil1 had been       
utterly useless1 and would  have been   
destitute of an object wherein to       
discover itself4 ,again1  wisdom1 in    
ordering a rebellious headstrong world  
to its own ends1 is  greater than the   
ordering an a#ecd innocent world1       
exactly observant  of his precepts1 and 
complying with the end of the creation4 
,now1  without the entrance of sin1 this
 wisdom had wanted a stage to act  upon4

 ,thus ,god raised the honor of this    
wisdom1 while man ruined the  integrity 
of his nature2 and made use of the      
creature's breach of his  divine law1 to
 establish the honor of it in a more    
signal and stable  manner1 by the active
 and passive obedience of the ,son of   
his bosom4  ,nothing serves ,god so     
much1 as an occasion of glorifying      
himself1 as  the entrance of sin into   
the world2 by this occasion ,god        
communicates  to us the knowledge of    
those perfections of his nature1 which  
had else  been folded up from us in an  
eternal night2 his justice had lain in  
the dark1 as having nothing to punish2  
his mercy had been obscure1 as  having  
none to pardon2 a great part of his     
wisdom had been silent1 as  having no   
such object to order4    7#b47 ,his     
wisdom appears1 in making use of sinful 
instruments4 ,he uses  the malice and   
enmity of the devil to bring about his  
own purposes1 and  makes the sworn enemy
 of his honor contribute to the         

illustrating of it  against his will4   
,this great craftsmaster he took in his 
own net1 and  defeated the devil by the 
devil's malice2 by turning the          
contrivances  he had hatched and        
accomplished against man1 against       
himself4 ,he  used him as a tempter1 to 
grapple with our ,saviour in the        
wilderness1  whereby to make him fit to 
succor us2 and as the god of this world1
 to  conspire the wicked ,jews to       
crucify him1 whereby to render him      
actually  the ,redeemer of the world1   
and so make him an ignorant instrument  
of  that divine glory he designed to    
ruin4 ,it is more skill to make a       
curious piece of workmanship with       
illconditioned tools1 than with         
instruments naturally fitted for the    
work3 it is no such great wonder  for a 
limner to draw an exact piece with a fit
 pencil and suitable  colors1 as to     
begin and perfect a beautiful work with 
a straw and  water1 things improper for 
such a design4#ghe ,this wisdom of ,god 

is  more admirable and astonishing than 
if a man were able to rear a vast       
palace by fire1 whose nature is to      
consume combustible matter not to  erect
 a building4 ,to make things serviceable
 contrary to their own  nature1 is a    
wisdom peculiar to the ,creator of      
,nature4 ,god's making use  of devils1  
for the glory of his name1 and the good 
of his people1 is a  more amazing piece 
of wisdom than his goodness in employing
 the blessed  angels in his work4 ,to   
promise1 that the world1 7which includes
 the god  of the world71 and death1 and 
things present1 let them be as evil as  
they will1 should be ours1 that is1 for 
our good1 and for his glory1  is an act 
of goodness2 but to make them           
serviceable to the honor of  ,christ1   
and the good of his people1 is a wisdom 
that may well raise our  highest        
admirations3 they are for believers1 as 
they are for the glory  of ,christ1 and 
as ,christ is for the glory of ,god 7#a 
,cor4 iii4 #bb74 ,to  chain up ,satan   

wholly1 and frustrate his wiles1 would  
be an argument  of ,divine goodness2 but
 to suffer him to run his risk1 and then
 improve  all his contrivances for his  
own glorious and gracious ends and      
purposes1 manifests1 besides his power  
and goodness1 his wisdom also4  ,he uses
 the sins of evil instruments for the   
glory of his justice 7,isa4  x4 #eg74   
,thus he served a#ece himself of the    
ambition and covetousness  of the       
,assyrians1 ,chaldeans1 and ,romans1 for
 the correction of his  people1 and     
punishment of his rebels1 just as the   
,roman magistrates  used the fury of    
lions and other wild beasts1 in their   
theatres1 for  the punishment of        
criminals3 the lions acted their natural
 temper in  tearing those that were     
exposed to them for a prey2 but the     
intent of  the magistrates was to punish
 their crimes4 the lions with their     
rage1  that they had from their natures2
 but served themselves of that natural  
rage to execute justice4    7#c47 ,god's

 wisdom is seen in bringing good to the 
creature out of sin4  ,he hath ordered  
sin to such an end as man never dreamt  
of1 the devil  never imagined1 and sin  
in its own nature could never attain4   
,sin in  its own nature tends to no     
good1 but that of punishment1 whereby   
the  creature is brought into order4 ,it
 hath no relation to the creature's     
good in itself1 but to the creature's   
mischief3 but ,god1 by an act  of       
infinite wisdom1 brings good out of it  
to the creature1 as well as  glory to   
his name1 contrary to the nature of the 
crime1 the intention  of the criminal1  
and the design of the tempter4 ,god     
willed sin1 that  is1 he willed to      
permit it1 that he might communicate    
himself to the  creature in the most    
excellent manner4 ,he willed the        
permission of  sin1 as an occasion to   
bring forth the mystery of the          
incarnation and  passion of our         
,saviour2 as he permitted the sin of    
,joseph's brethren1  that he might use  

their evil to a good end4 ,he never1    
because of his  holiness1 wills sin as  
an end2 but in regard of his wisdom he  
wills to  permit it as a means and      
occasion2 and thus1 to draw good out of 
those  things which are in their own    
nature most contrary to good1 is the    
highest pitch of wisdom4    #a4 ,the    
redemption of man in so excellent a way1
 was drawn from  the occasion of sin4   
,the greatest blessing that ever the    
world was  blessed with1 was ushered in 
by contraieties1 by the lust and        
irregular  affection of man2 the first  
promise of the ,redeemer by the fall of 
,adam  7,gen4 iii4 #ae71 and the        
bruising the heel of that promised      
,seed1 by the  blackest tragedy acted by
 wicked rebels1 the treachery of ,judas1
 and  the rage of the ,jews2 the highest
 good hath been brought forth by the    
greatest wickedness4 ,as ,god out of the
 chaos of rude and indigested  matter   
framed the first creation2 so from the  
sins of men1 and malice  of ,satan1 he  

hath erected the everlasting scheme of  
honor in a new  creation of all things  
by ,jesus ,christ4 ,the devil inspired  
man1 to  content his own fury in the    
death of ,christ2 and ,god ordered it to
  accomplish his own design of          
redemption in the passion of the        
,redeemer2  the devil had his diabolical
 ends1 and ,god overpowers his actions  
to  serve his own divine ends4 ,the     
person that betrayed him was admitted   
to be a spectator of the most private   
actions of our ,saviour1 that  his      
innocence might be justified2 to shew1  
that he was not afraid to  have his     
enemies judges of his most retired      
privacies4 ,while they all  thought to  
do their own wills1 ,divine wisdom      
orders them to do ,god's  will 7,acts   
ii4 #bc73 8,him1 being delivered by the 
determinate counsel  and foreknowledge  
of ,god1 you have taken1 and by wicked  
hands have  crucified and slain40 ,and  
wherein the crucifiers of a#ecf ,christ 
sinned1 in shedding the richest blood1  

upon their repentance they found  the   
expiation of their crimes1 and the      
discovery of a superabundant  mercy4    
,nothing but the blood was aimed at by  
them3 the best blood was  shed by them2 
but infinite ,wisdom makes the cross the
 scene of his own  righteousness1 and   
the womb of man's recovery4 ,by the     
occasion of man's  lapsed state1 there  
was a way open to raise man to a more   
excellent  condition than that whereinto
 he was put by creation3 and the        
depriving  man of the happiness of an   
earthly paradise1 in a way of justice1  
was  an occasion of advancing him to a  
heavenly felicity1 in a way of grace4   
,the violation of the old covenant      
occasionally introduced a better3 the   
loss of the first integrity ushered in a
 more stable righteousness1 an          
everlasting righteousness 7,dan4 ix4    
#bd74 ,and the falling of the first     
head was succeeded by one whose standing
 could not but be eternal4 ,the  fall of
 the devil was ordered by infinite      

,wisdom1 for the good of that  body from
 which he fell4 ,it is supposed by some1
 that the devil was the  chief angel in 
heaven1 the head of all the rest2 and   
that he falling1  the angels were left  
as a body without a head2 and after he  
had  politically beheaded the angels1 he
 endeavored to destroy man1 and rout    
him out of paradise2 but ,god takes the 
opportunity to set up his ,son1  as the 
head of angels and men4 ,and thus whilst
 the devil endeavored to  spoil the     
corporation of angels1 and make them a  
body contrary to ,god1  ,god makes      
angels and men one body under one head1 
for his service4  ,the angels in losing 
a defectible head1 attained a more      
excellent and  glorious ,head in another
 nature1 which they had not before2     
though of  a lower nature in his        
humanity1 yet of a more glorious nature 
in his  divinity3 from whence many      
suppose they derive their confirming    
grace1  and the stability of their      
standing4 8,all things in heaven and    

earth  are gathered together in ,christ0
 7,eph i4 #aj71 1 all  united in him1   
and reduced under one head3 that though 
our ,saviour be  not properly their     
,redeemer1 for redemption supposeth     
captivity1 yet in  some sense he is     
their ,head and ,mediator3 so that now  
the inhabitants  of heaven and earth are
 but one family 7,eph4 iii4 #ae74 ,and  
the  innumerable company of angels are  
parts of that heavenly and triumphant   
,jerusalem1 and that general assembly1  
whereof ,jesus ,christ is ,mediator     
7,heb4 xii4 #bb1 #bi74    #b4 ,the good 
of a nation often1 by the skill of      
,divine wisdom1 is  promoted by the sins
 of some men4 ,the patriarchs' selling  
,joseph to the  ,midianites 7,gen4      
xxxvii4 #bh71 was without question a    
sin1 and a breach  of natural affection2
 yet1 by ,god's wise ordination1 it     
proved the  safety of the whole church  
of ,god in the world1 as well as the    
,egyptian  nation 7,gen4 xlv4 #e1 #h2 l4
 #bj74 ,the ,jews' unbelief was a step  

whereby  the ,gentiles arose to the     
knowledge of the gospel2 as the setting 
of  the sun in one place is the rising  
of it in another 7,matt4 xxii4 #i74  ,he
 uses the corruptions of men            
instrumentally to propogate his gospel3 
he built up the true church by the      
preaching of some out of envy  7,phil4  
i4 #ae71 as he blessed ,israel out of   
the mouth of a false prophet  7,numb4   
xxiii47 ,how often have the heresies of 
men been the occasion of  clearing up   
the truth of ,god1 and fixing the more  
lively impressions  of it on a#ecg the  
hearts of believers6 ,neither ,judah nor
 ,tamar1 in  their lust1 dreamt of a    
stock for the ,redeemer2 yet ,god gave a
 son  from that unlawful bed1 whereof   
8,christ came according to the flesh0   
7,gen4 xxxviii4 #bi1 compared with      
,matt4 i4 #c74 ,jonah's sin was probably
  the first and remote occasion of the  
,ninevites giving credit to his         
prophecy2 his sin was the cause of his  
punishment1 and his being flung  into   

the sea might facilitate the reception  
of his message1 and excite  the         
,ninevites' repentance1 whereby a cloud 
of severe judgment was blown  away from 
them4 ,it is thought by some1 that when 
,jonah passed through  the streets of   
,nineveh1 with his proclamation of      
destruction1 he might  be known by some 
of the mariners of that ship1 from      
whence he was cast  overboard into the  
sea1 and might1 after their voyage1 be  
occasionally  in that city1 the         
metropolis of the nation1 and the place 
of some  of their births2 and might     
acquaint the people1 that this was the  
same person they had cast into the sea1 
by his own consent1 for his             
acknowledged running from the presence  
of the ,lord3 for that he had  told them
 7,jonah i4 #aj72 and the mariner's     
prayer 7ver4 #ad7 evidenced  it2        
whereupon they might conclude his       
message worthy of belief1 since  they   
knew from such evidences1 that he had   
sunk into the bowels of the  waters1 and

 now saw him safe in their streets1 by a
 deliverence unknown  to them2 and that 
therefore that power that delivered him1
 could  easily verify his word in the   
threatened judgment4 ,had ,jonah gone at
  first1 without committing that sin1   
and receiving that punishment1 his      
message had not been judged a divine    
prediction1 but a fruit of some         
enthusiastic madness2 his sin upon this 
account was the first occasion  of      
averting a judgment from so great a     
city4    #c4 ,the good of the sinner    
himself is sometimes promoted by ,divine
  wisdom ordering the sin4 ,as ,god had 
not permitted sin to enter upon  the    
world1 unless to bring glory to himself 
by it2 so he would not let  sin remain  
in the little world of a believer's     
heart1 if he did not  intend to order it
 for his good4 ,what is done by man1 to 
his damage  and disparagement1 is       
directed by ,divine wisdom to his       
advantage2 not  that it is the intent of
 the sin1 or the sinner2 but it is the  

event of  the sin1 by the ordination of 
,divine wisdom and grace4 ,as without   
the  wisdom of ,god permitting sin to   
enter into the world1 some attributes   
of ,god had not been experimentally     
known1 so some graces could not have    
been exercised2 for where had there been
 an object for that noble zeal1  in     
vindicating the glory of ,god1 had it   
not been invaded by an enemy8  ,the     
intenseness of love to him could not    
have been so strong1 had  we not an     
enemy to hate for his sake4 ,where had  
there been any place  for that noble    
part of charity in holy admonitions and 
compassion  to the souls of our         
neighbors1 and endeavors to reduce them 
out of  a destructive1 to a happy path8 
,humility would not have had so many    
grounds for its growth and exercise1 and
 holy sorrow had no fuel4 ,and  as      
without the appearance of sin there had 
been no exercise of the  patience of    
,god1 so without afflictions1 the fruits
 of sin1 there had  been no ground for  

the exercise of the patience of a       
christian1 one  of the noblest parts of 
valor4 ,now sin being evil1 and such as 
cannot  but be evil1 hath no respect in 
itself to any a#ech good1 and cannot    
work a gracious end1 or anything        
profitable to the creature2 nay it is  a
 hindrance to any good1 and1 therefore1 
what good comes from it1 is  accidental2
 occasioned1 indeed1 by sin1 but        
efficiently caused by the  overruling   
wisdom of ,god1 taking occasion thereby 
to display itself  and the ,divine      
goodness4    #a4 ,the sins and          
corruptions remaining in the heart of   
man1 ,god orders  for good2 and there   
are good effects by the direction of his
 wisdom and  grace1 as the soul respects
 ,god4    7#a47 ,god often brings forth 
a sensibleness of the necessity of      
dependence on him4 ,the nurse often lets
 the child slip1 that it may the  better
 know who supports it1 and may not be   
too venturous and confident  of its own 
strength4 ,peter would trust in habitual

 grace1 and ,god  suffers him to fall1  
that he might trust more in assisting   
grace 7,matt4  xxvi4 #ce73 8,though ,i  
should die with thee1 yet ,i will not   
deny thee40  ,god leaves sometimes the  
brightest souls in eclipse1 to manifest 
that  their holiness1 and the           
preservation of it1 depend upon the     
darting  out his beams upon them4 ,as   
the falls of men are the effects of     
their  coldness and remissness in acts  
of faith and repentance1 so the fruit   
of these falls is often a running to him
 for refuge1 and a deeper  sensibleness 
where their security lies4 ,it makes us 
lower our swelling  sails1 and come     
under the lee and protection of ,divine 
grace4 ,when the  pleasures of sin      
answer not the expectations of a        
revolted creature1  he reflects upon his
 former state1 and sticks more close to 
,god1 when  before ,god had little of   
his company 7,hos4 ii4 #g73 8,i will    
return to  my first husband1 for then it
 was better with me than now40 ,as ,god 

makes the sins of men sometimes an      
occasion of their conversion1 so he     
sometimes makes them an occasion of a   
further conversion4 ,onesimus run  from 
,philemon1 and was met with by ,paul1   
who proved an instrument of  his        
conversion 7,philem4 #aj73 8,my son1    
,onesimus1 whom ,i have begotten  in my 
bonds40 ,his flight from his master was 
the occasion of his  regeneration by    
,paul1 a prisoner4 ,the falls of        
believers ,god orders to  their further 
stability2 he that is fallen for want of
 using his staff1  will lean more upon  
it to preserve himself from the like    
disaster4 ,god1  by permitting the      
lapses of men1 doth often make them     
despair of their  own strength to subdue
 their enemies1 and rely upon the       
strength of  ,christ1 wherein ,god hath 
laid up power for us1 and so becomes    
stronger  in that strength which ,god   
hath ordained for them4 ,we are very apt
 to  trust in ourselves1 and have       
confidence in our own worth and         

strength2  and ,god lets loose          
corruptions to abate this swelling      
humor4 ,this was  the reason of the     
apostle ,paul's 8thorn in the flesh0 7#b
 ,cor4 xii4 #g72  whether it were a     
temptation1 or corruption1 or sickness1 
that he might  be sensible of his own   
inability1 and where the sufficiency of 
grace  for him was placed4 ,he that is  
in danger of drowning1 and hath the     
waves come over his head1 will1 with all
 the might he hath1 lay hold  upon      
anything near him1 which is capable to  
save him4 ,god lets his  people         
sometimes sink into such a condition1   
that they may lay the  faster hold on   
him who is near to all that call upon   
him4    7#b47 ,god hereby raiseth higher
 estimations of the value and virtue of 
the blood of ,christ4 ,as the great     
reason why ,god permitted sin a#eci  to 
enter into the world1 was to honor      
himself in the ,redeemer1 so the        
continuance of sin1 and the conquests it
 sometimes makes in renewed  men1 are to

 honor the infinite value and virtue of 
the ,redeemer's merit1  which ,god1 from
 the beginning1 intended to magnify3 the
 value of it1 in  taking off so much    
successive guilt2 and the virtue of it1 
in washing  away so much daily filth4   
,the wisdom of ,god hereby keeps up the 
credit  of imputed righteousness1 and   
manifests the immense treasure of the   
,redeemer's merit to pay such daily     
debts4 ,were we perfectly sanctified1   
we should stand upon our own bottom1 and
 imagine no need of the  continual and  
repeated imputation of the righteousness
 of ,christ for  our justification3 we  
should confide in inherent              
righteousness1 and  slight imputed4 ,if 
,god should take off all remainders of  
sin1 as well  as the guilt of it1 we    
should be apt to forget that we are     
fallen  creatures1 and that we had a    
,redeemer2 but the relics of sin in us  
mind  us of the necessity of some higher
 strength to set us right3 they mind  us
 both of our own misery1 and the        

,redeemer's perpetual benefit4 ,god1  by
 this1 keeps up the dignity and honor of
 our ,saviour's blood to the  height1   
and therefore sometimes lets us see1 to 
our own cost1 what  filth yet remains in
 us for the employment of that blood1   
which we  should else but little think  
of1 and less admire4 ,our gratitude is  
so  small to ,god as well as man1 that  
the first obligations are soon forgot   
if we stand not in need of fresh ones   
successively to second them2 we  should 
lose our thankful remembrance of the    
first virtue of ,christ's  blood in     
washing us1 if our infirmities did not  
mind us of fresh  reiterations and      
applications of it4 ,our ,saviour's     
office of advocacy  was erected         
especially for sins committed after a   
justified and renewed  state 7#a ,john  
ii4 #a74 ,we should scarce remember we  
had an ,advocate1  and scarce make use  
of him without some sensible necessity2 
but our  remainders of sin discover our 
impotency1 and an impossibility for us  

either to expiate our sin1 or conform to
 the law1 which necessitates  us to have
 recourse to that person whom ,god hath 
appointed to make up  the breaches      
between ,god and us4 ,so the apostle    
wraps up himself in the  covenant of    
grace and his interest in ,christ1 after
 his conflict with  sin 7,rom4 vii4     
ult471 8,i thank ,god1 through ,jesus   
,christ40 ,now1 after  such a body of   
death1 a principle within me that sends 
up daily steams1  yet as long as ,i     
serve ,god with my mind1 as long as ,i  
keep the main  condition of the         
covenant1 8there is no condemnation0    
7,rom4 viii4 #a73  ,christ takes my     
part1 procures my acceptance1 and holds 
the band  of salvation firm in his      
hands4 ,the brightness of ,christ's     
grace  is set off by the darkness of our
 sin4 ,we should not understand the     
sovereignty of his medicines1 if there  
were no relics of sin for him to        
exercise his skill upon3 the physician's
 art is most experimented1 and          

therefore most valued in relapses1 as   
dangerous as the former disease4  ,as   
the wisdom of ,god brought our ,saviour 
into temptation1 that he might  have    
compassion to us1 so it permits us to be
 overcome by temptation1  that we might 
have due valuations of him4    7#c47    
,god hereby often engageth the soul to a
 greater industry for his  glory4 ,the  
highest persecutors1 when they have     
become converts have  been the greatest 
champions for that cause they both hated
 and a#edj  oppressed4 ,the apostle     
,paul is such an instance of this1 that 
it needs  no enlargement4 ,by how much  
they have failed of answering the end of
  their creation in glorifying ,god1 by 
so much the more they summon up  all    
their force for such an end1 after their
 conversion2 to restore  as much as they
 can of that glory to ,god1 which they1 
by their sin1  had robbed him of4 ,their
 sins1 by the order of ,divine wisdom1  
prove  whetstones to sharpen the edge of
 their spirits for ,god4 ,paul never    

remembered his persecuting fury1 but he 
doubled his industry for the  service of
 ,god1 which before he trampled under   
his feet4 ,the further  we go back1 the 
greater leap many times we take forward4
 ,our ,saviour1  after his resurrection1
 put ,peter upon the exercise of that   
love to him1  which had so lately shrunk
 his head out of suffering 7,john xxi4  
#aeag72  and no doubt1 but the          
consideration of his base denial1       
together with  a reflection upon a      
gracious pardon1 engaged his ingenuous  
soul to  stronger and fiercer flames of 
affection4 ,a believer's courage for    
,god  is more sharpened oftentimes by   
the shame of his fall3 he endeavors to  
repair the faults of his ingratitude and
 his disingenuity by larger and         
stronger steps of obedience2 as a man in
 a fight1 having been foiled by  his    
enemy1 reassumes new courage by his     
fall1 and is many times obliged  to his 
foil1 both for his spirit and his       
victory4 ,a gracious heart will1  upon  

the very motions to sin1 double its     
vigor1 as well as by good ones3  it is  
usually more quickened1 both in its     
motion to ,god and for ,god1 by  the    
temptations and motions to sin which run
 upon it4 ,this is another  good the    
wisdom of ,god brings forth from sin4   
7#d47 ,again1 humility towards ,god is  
another good ,divine wisdom brings      
forth from the occasion of sin4 ,by this
 ,god beats down all good opinion  of   
ourselves4 ,hezekiah was more humbled by
 his fall into pride1 than by  all the  
distress he had been in by              
,sennacherib's army 7#b ,chron4 xxxii4  
#bf74 ,peter's confidence before his    
fall1 gave way to an humble modesty     
after it2 you see his confidence 7,mark 
xiv4 #bd74 8,though all should be       
offended in thee1 yet will not ,i20 and 
you have the mark of his modesty  7,john
 xxi4 #ag74 ,it is not then1 ,lord1 ,i  
will love thee to the death1  ,i will   
not start from thee2 but1 8,lord1 thou  
knowest that ,i love thee30  ,i cannot  

assure myself of anything after this    
miscarriage2 but1 ,lord1  thou knowest  
there is a principle of love in me to   
thy name4 ,he was  ashamed1 that himself
 who appeared such a pillar1 should bend
 as meanly  as a shrub to a temptation4 
,the reflection upon sin lays a man as  
low  as hell in his humiliation1 as the 
commission of sin did in the merit4     
,when ,david comes to exercise          
repentance for his sin1 he begins it    
from  the wellhead of sin 7,ps4 li4 #e71
 his original corruption1 and draws     
down the streams of it to the last      
commission2 perhaps he did not so       
seriously humble himself for the sin of 
his nature all his days1 so  much as at 
that time2 at least1 we have not such   
evidences of it4 ,and  ,hezekiah humbled
 himself for the pride of his heart2 not
 only for the  pride of his act 7#b     
,chron4 xxxii4 #bf71 but for the pride  
in the heart1  which was the spring of  
that pride in act1 in showing his       
treasures to  the ,babylonish           

ambassadors4 ,god lets sin continue in  
the hearts of the  best in this world1  
and sometimes gives the reins to ,satan1
 and a#eda  a man's own corruption1 to  
keep up a sense of the ancient sale we  
made  of ourselves to both4    #b4 ,in  
regard of ourselves4 ,herein is the     
wonder of ,divine wisdom1 that  ,god    
many times makes a sin1 which           
meritoriously fits us for hell1 a       
providential occasion to fit us for     
heaven2 when it is an occasion of a     
more humble faith and believing         
humility1 and an occasion of a thorough 
sanctification and growth in grace1     
which prepares us for a state of  glory4
    7#a47 ,he makes use of one sin's    
breaking out to discover more2 and so   
brings us to a selfabhorrency and       
indignation against sin1 the first  step
 towards heaven4 ,perhaps ,david1 before
 his gross fall1 thought he  had no     
hypocrisy in him4 ,we often find him    
appealing to ,god for his  integrity1   
and desiring ,god to try him1 if any    

guile could be found in  his heart1 as  
if he could find none himself2 but his  
lapse into that  great wickedness makes 
him discern much falseness in his soul1 
when  he desires ,god to renew a right  
spirit within him1 and speaks of truth  
in the inward parts 7,ps4 li4 #f1 #aj74 
,the stirring of corruption makes  all  
the mud at the bottom appear1 which     
before a soul did not suspect4  ,no man 
would think there were so great a cloud 
of smoke contained in  a little stick of
 wood1 were it not for the powerful     
operation of the  fire1 that both       
discovers and separates it4 ,job1 that  
cursed the day of  his birth1 and       
uttered many impatient expressions      
against ,god upon the  account of his   
own integrity2 upon his recovery from   
his affliction1  and ,god's close       
application of himself1 was wrought to a
 greater  abhorrency of himself than    
ever we read he was exercised in before 
7,job  xlii4 #f74 ,the hostile acts of  
sin increase the soul's hatred of it2   

and  the deeper our humiliations are for
 it1 the stronger impressions of        
abhorrency are made upon us4    7#b47   
,he often orders it1 to make conscience 
more tender1 and the soul  more         
watchful4 ,he that finds by his calamity
 his enemy to have more  strength       
against him than he suspected1 will     
double his guards1 and  quicken his     
diligence against him4 ,a being         
overtaken by some sin1 is1  by the      
wisdom of ,god1 disposed to make us more
 fearful of cherishing  any occasion to 
inflame it1 and watchful against every  
motion and start  of it4 ,by a fall1 the
 soul hath more experience of the       
deceitfulness  of the heart2 and by     
observing its methods1 is rendered      
better able to  watch against them4 ,it 
is our ignorance of the devices of      
,satan1 and  our own hearts1 that makes 
us obnoxious to their surprises4 ,a fall
  into one sin is often a prevention of 
more which lay in wait for us2  as the  
fall of a small body into an ambush     

prevents the design of the  enemy upon a
 greater3 as ,god suffers heresies in   
the church1 to try  our faith1 so he    
suffers sins to remain1 and sometimes to
 break out1 to  try our watchfulness4   
,this advantage he brings from them1 to 
steel our  resolutions against the same 
sins1 and quicken our circumspection for
  the future against new surprises by a 
temptation4 ,david's sin was ever       
before him 7,ps4 li4 #c71 and made his  
conscience cry1 ,blood1 blood6 upon     
every occasion3 he refused the water of 
the well of ,bethlehem 7#b ,sam4  xxiii4
 #af1 #ag71 because it was gained with  
the hazard of lives3 he  could endure   
nothing that had the taste of blood     
a#edb in it4 ,our  fear of a thing      
depends much upon a trial of it3 a child
 will not  fear too near approaches to  
the fire till he feels the smart of it4 
,mortification doth not wholly suppress 
the motions of sin1 though it  doth the 
resolutions to commit it2 but that there
 will be a proneness  in the relics of  

it1 to entice a man into those faults1  
which1 upon  sight of their blemishes1  
cost him so many tears2 as great        
sicknesses1  after the cure1 are more   
watched1 and the body humored1 that a   
man  might not fall from the craziness  
they have left in him1 which he is  apt 
to do if relapses are not provided      
against4 ,a man becomes more  careful of
 anything that may contribute to the    
resurrection of an  expired disease4    
7#c47 ,god makes it an occasion of the  
mortification of that sin which  was the
 matter of the fall4 ,the liveliness of 
one sin1 in a renewed  man1 many times  
is the occasion of the death of it4 ,a  
wild beast1 while  kept close in a den1 
is secure in its life1 but when it      
breaks out to  rapine1 it makes the     
master resolve to prevent any further   
mischief by  the death of it4 ,the      
impetuous stirring of a humor1 in a     
disease1 is  sometimes critical1 and a  
prognostic of the strength of nature    
against  it1 whereby the disease loses  

its strength1 by its struggling1 and    
makes room for health to take place by  
degrees4 ,one sin is used by  ,god for  
the destruction both of itself and      
others1 as the flesh of a  scorpion     
cures the biting of it4 ,it sometimes1  
by wounding us1 loseth  its sting1 and1 
like the bee1 renders itself incapable  
of a second  revenge4 ,peter1 after his 
gross denial1 never denied his ,master  
afterwards4 ,the sin that lay           
undiscovered1 is1 by a fall1 become     
visible1 and so more obvious to a       
mortifying stroke4 ,the soul lays the   
faster hold on ,christ and the promise1 
and goes out against that enemy1  in the
 name of that ,lord of ,hosts1 of which 
he was too negligent before2  and1      
therefore1 as he proves more strong1 so 
more successful3 he hath  more strength1
 because he hath less confidence in     
himself1 and more in  ,god1 the prime   
strength of his soul4 ,as it was with   
,christ1 so it is  with us2 while the   
devil was bruising his heel1 he was     

bruising his  head2 and while the devil 
is bruising our heel1 the ,god of peace 
and  wisdom is sometimes bruising his   
head1 both in us and for us1 so that    
the strugglings of sin are often as the 
faint groans or bitings of a  beast that
 is ready to expire4 ,it is just with a 
man1 sometimes1 as  with a running      
fountain that hath mud at the bottom1   
when it is stirred  the mud tinctures   
and defiles it all over2 yet some of    
that mud hath a  vent with the streams  
which run from it1 so that1 when it is  
resettled  at the bottom1 it is not so  
much in quantity as it was before4 ,god1
 by  his wisdom1 weakens the sin by     
permitting it to stir and defile4       
7#d47 ,sometimes ,divine wisdom makes it
 an occasion to promote a               
sanctification in all parts of the soul4
 ,as the working of one  illhumor in the
 body is an occasion of cashiering1 not 
only that1 but  the rest1 by a sound    
purge2 as a man1 that is a little cold1 
doth not  think of the fire1 but if he  

slips with one foot into an icy puddle1 
he hastens to the fire1 whereby not only
 that part1 but all the rest  receive a 
warmth and strength upon that occasion2 
or1 as if a person  fall into the mire1 
his clothes are washed1 and by that     
means cleansed1  not only from the filth
 at present contracted1 but from the    
a#edc  former spots that were before    
unregarded4 ,god1 by his wisdom1 brings 
secret sins to a discovery1 and thereby 
cleanseth the soul of them4  ,david's   
fall might be ordered as an answer to   
his former petition  7,ps4 xix4 #ab73   
8,cleanse thou me from my secret sins20 
and as he did  earnestly pray after his 
fall1 so no doubt but he endeavored a   
thorough  sanctification 7,ps4 li4 #g72 
8,purge me1 wash me20 and that he meant 
not only a sanctification from that     
single sin1 but from all1 root and      
branch1 is evident by that complaint of 
the flaw in his nature 7ver4 #e73  the  
dross and chaff which lies in the heart 
is hereby discovered1 and  an           

opportunity administered of throwing it 
out1 and searching all the  corners of  
the heart to discover where it lay4 ,as 
,god sometimes takes  occasion from one 
sin to reckon with men1 in a way of     
justice1 for  others1 so he sometimes   
takes occasion1 from the commission of  
one sin1  to bring out all the actions  
against the sinner1 to make him1 in a   
way  of gracious wisdom1 set more       
cordially upon the work of              
sanctification4  ,a great fall sometimes
 hath been the occasion of a man's      
conversion4  ,the fall of mankind       
occasioned a more blessed restoration2  
and the  falls of particular believers  
ofttimes occasion a more extensive      
sanctification4 ,thus the only wise ,god
 makes poisons in nature to  become     
medicines in a way of grace and wisdom4 
7#e47 ,hereby the growth in grace is    
furthered4 ,it is a wonder of ,divine   
wisdom1 to subtract sometimes grace from
 a person1 and let him fall  into sin1  
thereby to occasion the increase of     

habitual grace in him1  and to augment  
it by those ways that seemed to depress 
it4 ,by making  sins an occasion of a   
more vigorous acting1 the contrary      
grace1 the  wisdom of ,god1 makes our   
corruptions1 in their own nature        
destructive1  to become profitable to   
us4 ,grace often breaks out more        
strongly  afterwards1 as the sun doth   
with its heat1 after it hath been masked
  and interrupted with a mist3 they     
often1 through the mighty working of    
the ,spirit1 make us more humble1 and   
8humility fits us to receive more  grace
 from ,god0 7,james iv4 #f74 ,how doth  
faith1 that sunk under the  waves1 lift 
up its head again1 and carry the soul   
out with a greater  liveliness6 ,what   
ardors of love1 what floods of repenting
 tears1 what  severity of revenge1 what 
horrors at the remembrance of the sin1  
what  tremblings at the appearance of a 
second temptation6 so that grace  seems 
to be awakened to a new and more        
vigorous life 7#b ,cor4 vii4 #aa74  ,the

 broken joint is many times stronger in 
the rupture than it was  before4 ,the   
luxuriancy of the branches of corruption
 is an occasion  of purging1 and purging
 is with a design to make grace more    
fruitful  7,john xv4 #b72 8,he purgeth  
it1 that it may bring forth more fruit40
 ,thus  ,divine wisdom doth both sharpen
 and brighten us by the dust of sin1    
and ripen and mellow the fruits of grace
 by the dung of corruption4  ,grace     
grows the stronger by opposition1 as the
 fire burns hottest and  clearest when  
it is most surrounded by a cold air2 and
 our natural heat  reassumes a new      
strength by the coldness of the winter4 
,the foil under  a diamond1 though an   
imperfection in itself1 increaseth the  
beauty and  lustre of the stone4 ,the   
enmity of man was a commendation of the 
grace  of ,god3 it occasioned the a#edd 
breaking out of the grace of ,god upon  
us2 and is an occasion1 by the wisdom   
and grace of ,god1 of the increase  of  
grace many times in us4 ,how should the 

consideration of ,god's                 
incomprehensible wisdom1 in the         
management of evil1 swallow us up in    
admiration6 who brings forth such       
beauty1 such eminent discoveries  of    
himself1 such excellent good to the     
creature1 out of the bowels of  the     
greatest contrarieties1 making dark     
shadows serve to display and  beautify1 
to our apprehensions1 the ,divine glory6
 ,if evil were not in  the world1 men   
would not know what good is2 they would 
not behold the  lustre of ,divine       
wisdom1 as without night we could not   
understand the  beauty of the day4      
,though ,god is not the author of sin1  
because of  his holiness1 yet he is the 
administrator of sin by his wisdom1 and 
accomplisheth his own purposes1 by the  
iniquities of his enemies1 and  the     
lapses and infirmities of his friends4  
,thus much for the second1  the         
government of man in his lapsed state1  
and the government of sin1  wherein the 
wisdom of ,god doth wonderfully appear4 

#c;dly4 ,the wisdom of ,god appears in  
the government of man in his  conversion
 and return to him4 ,if there be a      
counsel in framing the  lowest creature1
 and in the minutest passages of        
providence1 there  must needs be a      
higher wisdom in the government of the  
creature to a  supernatural end1 and    
framing the soul to be a monument of his
 glory4  ,the wisdom of ,god is seen    
with more admirations1 and in more      
varieties1  by the angels1 in the church
 than in the creation 7,eph4 iii4 #aj72 
that is1 in forming a church out of the 
rubbish of the world1 out of            
contrarieties and contradictions to him1
 which is greater than the  framing a   
celestial and elementary world out of a 
rude chaos4 ,the most  glorious bodies  
in the world1 even those of the sun1    
moon1 and stars1  have not such stamps  
of ,divine skill upon them as the soul  
of man2 nor  is there so much of wisdom 
in the fabric and faculties of that1 as 
in  the reduction of a blind1 wilful1   

rebellious soul1 to its own happiness1  
and ,god's glory 7,eph4 i4 #aa1 #ab72   
8,he worketh all things according to    
the counsel of his own will1 that we    
should be for the praise of his  glory40
 ,if all things1 then this1 which is    
none of the least of his  works2 to the 
praise of the glory of his goodness in  
his work1 and to  the praise of the rule
 of his work1 his counsel1 in both the  
act of  his will1 and the act of his    
wisdom4 ,the restoring of the beauty of 
the  soul1 and its fitness for its true 
end1 speaks no less wisdom than the     
first draught of it in creation3 and the
 application of redemption1 and         
bringing forth the fruits of it1 is as  
well an act of his prudence1 as  the    
contrivance was of his counsel4 ,divine 
wisdom appears1    #a4 ,in the subjects 
of conversion4 ,his goodness reigns in  
the very dust1  and he erects the walls 
and ornaments of his temple from the    
clay and  mud of the world4 ,he passes  
over the wise1 and noble1 and mighty1   

that  may pretend some grounds of       
boasting in their own natural or        
acquired  endowments2 and pitches upon  
the most contemptible materials1        
wherewith  to build a spiritual         
tabernacle for himself 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bf1
 #bg71 8the  foolish1 and weak things of
 the world20 those that are naturally   
most  unfit for it1 and most refractory 
to it4 ,herein lies the skill of an     
architect1 to render the most knotty1   
a#ede crooked1 and inform pieces1  by   
his art1 subservient to his main purpose
 and design4 ,thus ,god hath  ordered1  
from the beginning of the world1        
contrary tempers1 various  humors1      
diverse nations1 as stones of several   
natures1 to be a building  for himself1 
fitly framed together1 and to be his own
 family 7#a ,cor4  iii4 #i74 ,who will  
question the skill that alters a black  
jet into a  clear crystal1 a glowworm   
into a star1 a lion into a lamb1 and a  
swine  into a dove8 ,the more intricate 
and knotty any business is1 the more    

eminent is any man's ability and        
prudence1 in untying the knots and      
bringing it to a good issue4 ,the more  
desperate the disease1 the more         
admirable is the physician's skill in   
the cure4 ,he pitches upon men for  his 
service1 who have natural dispositions  
to serve him in such ways as  he        
disposeth of them1 after their          
conversion3 so ,paul was naturally a    
conscientious man2 what he did against  
,christ was from the dictates of  an    
erroneous conscience1 soaked in the     
,pharisaical interpretations of  the    
,jewish law3 he had a strain of zeal to 
prosecute what his depraved  reason and 
conscience did inform him in4 ,god      
pitches upon this man1  and works him in
 the fire for his service4 ,he alters   
not his natural  disposition1 to make   
him of a constitution and temper        
contrary to  what he was before2 but    
directs it to another object1 claps in  
another  bias into the bowl1 and makes  
his illgoverned dispositions move in  a 

new way of his own appointment1 and     
guides that natural heat to the  service
 of that interest which he was before   
ambitious to extirpate2  as a           
highmettled horse1 when left to himself1
 creates both disturbance  and danger1  
but under the conduct of a wise rider1  
moves regularly2 not  by a change of his
 natural fierceness1 but a skilful      
management of the  beast to the rider's 
purpose4    #b4 ,in the means of        
conversion4 ,the prudence of man        
consists in the  timing the executions  
of his counsels2 and no less doth the   
wisdom of  ,god consist in this4 ,as he 
is a ,god of judgment or wisdom1 he     
waits to  introduce his grace into the  
soul in the fittest season4 ,this       
attribute1  ,paul1 in the story of his  
own conversion1 puts a particular remark
  upon1 which he doth not upon any      
other2 in that catalogue he reckons  up 
7#a ,tim4 i4 #ag71 8,now1 unto the ,king
 eternal1 immortal1 invisible1  the only
 wise ,god1 be honor and glory1 for ever

 and ever4 ,amen40 ,a most  solemn      
doxology1 wherein wisdom sits upon the  
throne above all the rest1  with a      
special ,amen to the glory of it1 which 
refers to the timing  of his mercy so to
 ,paul1 as made most for the glory of   
his grace1 and  the encouragement of    
others from him as the pattern4 ,god    
took him at  a time when he was upon the
 brink of hell2 when he was ready to    
devour  the newborn infant church at    
,damascus2 when he was armed with all   
the  authority from without1 and fired  
with all the zeal from within1 for  the 
prosecution of his design3 then ,god    
seizeth upon him1 and runs him  in a    
channel for his own honor1 and his      
creatures' happiness4 ,it is            
observable#ghf how ,god set his eye upon
 ,paul all along in his furious  course1
 and lets him have the reins1 without   
putting out his hand  to bridle him2 yet
 no motion he could take1 but the eye of
 ,god runs  along with him3 he suffered 
him to kick against the pricks of       

miracles1  and the convincing discourse 
of ,stephen at his martyrdom4 a#edf     
,there were many that voted for         
,stephen's death1 as the witnesses that 
flung the stones first at him2 but they 
are not named1 only ,saul1 who          
testified his approbation as well as the
 rest1 and that by watching  the        
witnesses' clothes while they were about
 that bloody work 7,acts  vii4 #eh72    
8the witnesses laid their clothes at a  
young man's feet1  named ,saul40 ,again1
 though multitudes were consenting to   
his death1  yet 7,acts viii4 #a7 ,saul  
only is mentioned4 ,god's eye is upon   
him1 yet  he would not at that time stop
 his fury4 ,he goes on further1 and     
makes  8havoc of the church0 7,acts     
viii4 #c74 ,he had surely many more     
complices1  but none are named 7as if   
none regarded with any design of grace7 
but  ,saul3 yet ,god would not reach out
 his hand to change him1 but eyes him1  
waiting for a fitter opportunity1 which 
in his wisdom he did foresee4  ,and1    

therefore 7,acts ix4 #a7 the ,spirit of 
,god adds a yet2 8,saul yet  breathing  
out threatenings40 ,it was not ,god's   
time yet1 but it would  be shortly4     
,but1 when ,saul was putting in         
execution his design against  the church
 of ,damascus1 when the devil was at the
 top of his hopes1 and  ,saul in the    
height of his fury1 and the ,christians 
sunk into the depth  of their fears1 the
 wisdom of ,god lays hold of the        
opportunity1 and by  ,paul's conversion 
at this season1 defeats the devil1      
disappoints the  high priests1 shields  
his people1 discharges their fears1 by  
pulling  ,saul out of the devil's hands1
 and forming ,satan's instruments to a  
holy activity against him4    #c4 ,the  
wisdom of ,god appears in the manner of 
conversion4 ,so great  a change ,god    
makes1 not by a destruction1 but with a 
preservation of1  and suitableness to   
nature4 ,as the devil tempts us1 not by 
offering  violence to our natures1 but  
by proposing things convenient to our   

corrupt natures1 so doth ,god solicit us
 to a return by proposals suited  to our
 faculties4 ,as he doth in nature convey
 nourishment to men1 by  means of the   
fruits of the earth1 and produceth the  
fruits of the earth  by the influences  
of heaven2 the influences of heaven do  
not force the  earth1 but excite that   
natural virtue and strength which is in 
it4 ,so  ,god produceth grace in the    
soul by the means of the word1 fitted to
 the  capacity of man1 as man1 and      
proportioned to his rational faculties1 
as rational4 ,it would be contrary to   
the wisdom of ,god to move man  like a  
stone1 to invert the order and privilege
 of that nature which  he settled in    
creation2 for then ,god would in vain   
have given man  understanding and will3 
because1 without moving man according to
 those  faculties1 they would remain    
unprofitable and unuseful in man4#ghg   
,god doth not reduce us to himself1 as  
logs1 by a mere force1 or as  slaves    
forced by a cudgel1 to go forth to that 

place1 and do that  work which they have
 no stomach to3 but he doth accommodate 
himself  to those foundations he hath   
laid in our nature1 and guides us in a  
way agreeable thereunto1 by an action as
 sweet as powerful2 clearing  our       
understandings of dark principles1      
whereby we may see his truth1  our own  
misery1 and the seat of our happiness2  
and bending our wills  according to this
 light1 to desire and move conveniently 
to this  end of our calling2            
efficaciously1 yet agreeably2           
powerfully1 yet  without imposing on our
 natural faculties2 sweetly1 without    
violence1  in ordering the a#edg means2 
but effectually1 without failing1 in    
accomplishing the end4#ghh ,and         
therefore the ,scripture calleth it1    
teaching 7,john vi4 #de71 alluring      
7,hos4 ii4 #ae71 calling us to seek the 
,lord 7,ps4 xxvii4 #h74 ,teaching is an 
act of wisdom2 alluring1 an act of      
love2 calling1 an act of authority3 but 
none of them argue a violent            

constraint4 ,the principle that moves   
the will is supernatural2 but the  will1
 as a natural faculty1 concurs in the   
act or motion4 ,god doth not  act in    
this in a way of absolute power1 without
 an infinite wisdom1  suiting himself to
 the nature of the things he acts upon3 
he doth  not change the physical nature1
 though he doth the moral4 ,as in the   
government of the world1 he doth not    
make heavy things ascend1 nor  light    
things descend1 ordinarily1 but guides  
their motions according  to their       
natural qualities3 so ,god doth not     
strain the faculties  beyond their due  
pitch4 ,he lets the nature of the       
faculty remain1 but  changes the        
principle in it3 the understanding      
remains understanding1  and the will    
remains will4 ,but where there was      
before folly in the  understanding1 he  
puts in a spirit of wisdom2 and where   
there was  before a stoutness in the    
will1 he forms it to a pliableness to   
his  offers4 ,he hath a key to fit every

 ward in the lock1 and opens the will   
without injuring the nature of the will4
 ,he doth not change the soul  by an    
alteration of the faculties1 but by an  
alteration of something  in them3 not by
 an inroad upon them1 or by mere power1 
or a blind  instinct1 but by proposing  
to the understanding something to be    
known1  and informing it of the         
reasonableness of his precepts1 and the 
innate  goodness and excellency of his  
offers1 and by inclining the will to    
love and embrace what is proposed4 ,and 
things are proposed under those         
notions1 which usually move our wills   
and affections4 ,we are moved by  things
 as they are good1 pleasant1 profitable2
 we entertain things as  they make for  
us1 and detest things as they are       
contrary to us4 ,nothing  affects us but
 under such qualities1 and ,god suits   
his encouragements  to these natural    
affections which are in us3 his power   
and wisdom go  hand in hand together2   
his power to act what his wisdom orders1

 and his  wisdom to conduct what his    
power executes4 ,he brings men to him in
 ways  suited to their natural          
dispositions4 ,the stubborn he tears    
like a lion1  the gentle he wins like a 
turtle1 by sweetness2 he hath a hammer  
to  break the stout1 and a cord of love 
to draw the more pliable tempers3  he   
works upon the more rational in a way of
 gospel reason2 upon the  more ingenuous
 in a way of kindness1 and draws them by
 the cords of  love4 ,the wise men were 
led to ,christ by a star1 and means     
suited to  the knowledge and study that 
those eastern nations used1 which was   
much  in astronomy3 he worketh upon     
others by miracles accommodated to every
  one's sense1 and so proportions the   
means according to the nature of  the   
subjects he works upon4    #d4 ,the     
wisdom of ,god is apparent in his       
discipline and penal evils4 ,the  wisdom
 of human governments is seen in the    
matter of their laws1 and in  the       
penalties of their laws1 and in the     

proportion of the punishment to  the    
offence1 and in the good that redounds  
from the punishment either  to the      
offender1 or to the community4 ,the     
wisdom of ,god is seen in the  penalty  
of death upon the transgression a#edh of
 his law2 both in that  it was the      
greatest evil that man might fear1 and  
so was a convenient  means to keep him  
in his due bound1 and also in the       
proportion of it  to the transgression4 
,nothing less could be in a wise justice
 inflicted  upon an offender for a crime
 against the highest ,being and the     
,supreme  ,excellency3 but this hath    
been spoken of before in the wisdom of  
his  laws4 ,i shall only mention some   
few2 it would be too tedious to run     
into all4    7#a47 ,his wisdom appears  
in judgments1 in the suiting them to the
  qualities of persons1 and nature of   
sins4 ,he deviseth evil 7,jer4 xviii4   
#aa72 his judgments are fruits of       
counsel4 8,he also is wise1 and will    
bring evil0 7,isa4 xxxi4 #b71;evil      

suitable to the person offending1  and  
evil suitable to the offence committed3 
as the husbandman doth  his threshing   
instruments to the grain3 he hath a rod 
for the cummin1  a tenderer seed1 and a 
flail for the harder2 so hath ,god      
greater  judgments for the obdurate     
sinner1 and lighter for those that have 
something of tenderness in their        
wickedness 7,isa4 xxviii4 #bg1 #bi73    
8,because he is wonderful in counsel and
 excellent in working20 so some         
understand the place1 8,with the        
froward1 he will show himself froward40 
,he proportions punishment to the sin1  
and writes the cause of the  judgment in
 the forehead of the judgment itself4   
,sodom burned in lust1  and was consumed
 by fire from heaven4 ,the ,jews sold   
,christ for thirty  pence2 and at the   
taking of ,jerusalem1 thirty of them    
were sold  for a penny4 ,so ,adonibezek 
cut off the thumbs and great toes of    
others1 and he is served in the same    
kind 7,judges i4 #g74 ,the ,babel       

builders designed an indissoluble union1
 and ,god brings upon them an           
unintelligible confusion4 ,and in ,exod4
 ix4 #i1 the ashes of the furnace  where
 the ,israelites burnt the ,egyptian    
bricks1 sprinkled towards  heaven1      
brought boils upon the ,egyptian bodies1
 that they might feel in  their own1    
what pain they had caused in the        
,israelites' flesh2 and find1  by the   
smart of the inflamed scab1 what they   
had made the ,israelites  endure4 ,the  
waters of the river ,nilus are turned   
into blood1 wherein  they had stifled   
the breath of the ,israelites' infants3 
and at last the  prince1 and the flower 
of their nobility1 are drowned in the   
,red ,sea4  ,it is part of the wisdom of
 justice to proportion punishment to the
  crime1 and the degrees of wrath to the
 degrees of malice in the sin4          
,afflictions also are wisely            
proportioned3 ,god1 as a wise physician1
  considers the nature of the humor and 
strength of the patient1 and  suits his 

medicines both to the one and the other 
7#a ,cor4 x4 #ac74    7#b47 ,in the     
seasons of punishments and afflictions4 
,he stays till sin  be ripe1 that his   
justice may appear more equitable1 and  
the offender  more inexcusable 7,dan4   
ix4 #ad72 he watches upon the evil to   
bring it  upon men2 to bring it in the  
just season and order for his righteous 
and gracious purpose2 his righteous     
purpose on the enemies1 and his         
gracious purpose on his people4         
,jerusalem's calamity came upon them1   
when the city was full of people at the 
solemnity of the passover1  that he     
might mow down his enemies at once1 and 
time their destruction  to such a moment
 wherein they had timed the crucifixion 
of his ,son4 ,he  watched over the      
clouds of his judgments1 and kept them  
from pouring  down1 till his people1 the
 ,christians1 were provided for1 and had
  departed out of the city to the a#edi 
chambers and retiring places  ,god had  
provided for them4 ,he made not         

,jerusalem the shambles of his  enemies1
 till he had made ,pella1 and other     
places1 the arks of his  friends4 ,as   
,pliny tells us1 8,the providence of    
,god holds the sea in a  calm for       
fifteen days1 that the halcyons1 little 
birds that frequent  the shore1 may     
build their nests1 and hatch up their   
young40 ,the  judgment upon ,sodom was  
suspended for some hours1 till ,lot was 
secured4  ,god suffered not the church  
to be invaded by violent persecutions1  
till  she was established in the faith3 
he would not expose her to so great     
combats1 while she was weak and feeble1 
but gave her time to fortify  herself1  
to be rendered more capable of bearing  
up under them4#ghi ,he  stifled all the 
motions of passion the idolaters might  
have for their  superstition1 till      
religion was in such a condition1 as    
rather to  be increased and purified1   
than extinguished by opposition4 ,paul  
was  secured from ,nero's chains1 and   
the nets of his enemies1 till he had    

broke off the chain of the devil from   
many cities of the ,gentiles1 and       
catched them by the net of the gospel   
out of the sea of the world4 ,thus  the 
wisdom of ,god is seen in the seasons of
 judgments and afflictions4    7#c47 ,it
 is apparent in the gracious issue of   
afflictions and penal  evils4 ,it is a  
part of wisdom to bring good out of evil
 of punishment1  as well as to bring    
good out of sin4 ,the church never was  
so like  to heaven1 as when it was most 
persecuted by hell3 the storms often    
cleansed it and the lance often made it 
more healthful4 ,job's integrity  had   
not been so clear1 nor his patience so  
illustrious1 had not the  devil been    
permitted to afflict him4 ,god1 by his  
wisdom1 outwits ,satan2  when he by his 
temptations intends to pollute us and   
buffet us1 ,god  orders it to purify us2
 he often brings the clearest light out 
of the  thickest darkness1 makes poisons
 to become medicines4 ,death itself1 the
  greatest punishment in this life1 and 

the entrance into hell in its own       
nature1 he hath by his wise contrivance1
 made to his people the gate of  heaven1
 and the passage into immortality4#gij  
,penal evils in a nation  often end in a
 public advantage3 troubles and wars    
among a people  are many times not      
destroying1 but medicinal1 and cure them
 of that  degeneracy1 luxury1 and       
effeminateness1 they contracted by a    
long peace4    7#d47 ,this wisdom is    
evident in the various ends which ,god  
brings about  by afflictions4 ,the      
attainment of various ends by one and   
the same  means1 is the fruit of the    
agent's prudence4 ,by the same          
affliction1  the wise ,god corrects     
sometimes for some base affection1      
excites some  sleepy grace1 drives out  
some lurking corruption1 refines the    
soul1 and  ruins the lust2 discovers the
 greatness of a crime1 the vanity of the
  creature1 and the sufficiency in      
himself4 ,the ,jews bind ,paul1 and by  
the judge he is sent to ,rome2 while his

 mouth is stopped in ,judea1 it  is     
opened in one of the greatest cities of 
the world1 and his enemies  unwittingly 
contribute to the increase of the       
knowledge of ,christ  by those chains1  
in that city 7,acts xxviii4 #ca7 that   
triumphed over  the earth4 ,and his     
afflictive bonds added courage and      
resolution to  others 7,phil4 i4 #ad73  
8,many waxing confident by my bonds20   
which could  not in their own nature    
produce such an effect1 but by the order
 and  contrivance of ,divine wisdom3    
a#eej in their own nature1 they would   
rather make them disgust the doctrine he
 suffered for1 and cool their  zeal in  
the propagating of it1 for fear of the  
same disgrace and  hardship they saw him
 suffer4#gia ,but the wisdom of ,god    
changed the  nature of these fetters1   
and conducted them to the glory of his  
name1  the encouragement of others1 the 
increase of the gospel1 and the  comfort
 of the apostle himself 7,phil4 i4 #ab1 
#ac1 #ah74 ,the sufferings  of ,paul at 

,rome confirmed the ,philippians1 a     
people at a distance from  thence1 in   
the doctrine they had already received  
at his hands4 ,thus  ,god makes         
sufferings sometimes1 which appear like 
judgments1 to be  like the viper on     
,paul's hand 7,acts xxviii4 #f71 a means
 to clear up  innocence1 and procure    
favor to the doctrine among those       
barbarians4  ,how often hath he         
multiplied the church by death and      
massacres1 and  increased it by those   
means used to annihilate it6    7#e47   
,the ,divine wisdom is apparent in the  
deliverances he affords to  other parts 
of the world1 as well as to his church4 
,there are delicate  composures1 curious
 threads in his webs1 and he works them 
like an  artificer3 a goodness wrought  
for them1 curiously wrought 7,ps4 xxxi4 
#ai71 #a4 ,in making the creatures      
subservient in their natural order  to  
his gracious ends and purposes4 ,he     
orders things in such a manner1  as not 
to be necessitated to put forth an      

extraordinary power in  things1 which   
some part of the creation might         
accomplish4 ,miraculous  productions    
would speak his power2 but the ordering 
the natural course  of things1 to       
occasion such effects they were never   
intended for1 is  one part of the glory 
of his wisdom4 ,and that his wisdom may 
be seen  in the course of nature1 he    
conducts the motions of creatures1 and  
acts them in their own strength2 and    
doth that by various windings and       
turnings of them1 which he might do in  
an instant by his power1 in a           
supernatural way4 ,indeed1 sometimes he 
hath made invasions on nature1  and     
suspended the order of their natural    
laws for a season1 to show  himself the 
absolute ,lord and ,governor of nature3 
yet if frequent  alterations of this    
nature were made1 they would impede the 
knowledge  of the nature of things1 and 
be some bar to the discovery and glory  
of his wisdom1 which is best seen by    
moving the wheels of inferior  creatures

 in an exact regularity to his own ends4
 ,he might1 when his  little church in  
,jacob's family was like to starve in   
,canaan1 have1 for  their preservation1 
turned the stones of the country into   
bread2 but  he sends them down to ,egypt
 to procure corn1 that a way might be   
opened  for their removal into that     
country2 the truth of his prediction in 
their captivity accomplished1 and a way 
made after the declaration  of his great
 name1 ,jehovah1 both in the fidelity of
 his word and  the greatness of his     
power1 in their deliverance from that   
furnace  of affliction4 ,he might have  
struck ,goliath1 the captain of the     
,philistine's army1 with a thunderbolt  
from heaven1 when he blasphemed  his    
name1 and scared his people2 but he     
useth the natural strength of  a stone1 
and the artificial motion of a sling1 by
 the arm of ,david1  to confront the    
giant1 and thereby to free ,judea from  
the ravage of  a potent enemy4 ,he might
 have delivered the ,jews from ,babylon 

by as  strange miracles as he used in   
their deliverance from ,egypt3 he a#eea 
might have plagued their enemies1       
gathered his people into a body1 and    
protected them by the bulwark of a cloud
 and a pillar of fire1 against  the     
assaults of their enemies4 ,but he uses 
the differences between the  ,persians  
and those of ,babylon1 to accomplish his
 ends4 ,how sometimes  hath the veering 
about of the wind on a sudden been the  
loss of a navy1  when it hath been put  
upon the point of victory1 and driven   
back the  destruction upon those which  
intended it for others6 and the         
accidental  stumbling1 or the natural   
fierceness of a horse1 flung down a     
general  in the midst of a battle1 where
 he hath lost his life by the throng1   
and his death hath brought a defeat to  
his army1 and deliverance to the  other 
party1 that were upon the brink of ruin6
 ,thus doth the wisdom of  ,god link    
things together according to natural    
order1 to work out his  intended        

preservation of a people4 #b4 ,in the   
season of deliverance4  ,the timing of  
affairs is a part of the wisdom of man1 
and an eminent  part of the wisdom of   
,god4 ,it is in due season he sends the 
former  and the latter rain1 when the   
earth is in the greatest indigence1  and
 when his influences may most contribute
 to the bringing forth and  ripening the
 fruit4 ,the dumb creatures have their  
meat from him in due  season 7,ps4 civ4 
#bg73 and in his due season have his    
darling people  their deliverance4 ,when
 ,paul was upon his journey to ,damascus
 with  a persecuting commission1 he is  
struck down for the security of the     
church in that city4 ,the nature of the 
lion is changed in due season1  for the 
preservation of the lambs from worrying4
 ,the ,israelites are  miraculously     
rescued from ,egypt1 when their wits    
were at a loss1 when  their danger to   
human understanding was unavoidable2    
when earth and  sea refused protection1 
then the wisdom and power of heaven     

stepped  in to effect that which was    
past the skill of the conductors of that
  multitude4 ,and when the lives of the 
,jews lay at the stake1 and their  necks
 were upon the block at the mercy of    
their enemies' swords by  an order from 
,shushan1 not only a reprieve1 but a    
triumph1 arrives to  the ,jews1 by the  
wisdom of ,god guiding the affair1      
whereby of persons  designed to         
execution1 they are made conquerors1 and
 have opportunity  to exercise their    
revenge instead of their patience1      
proving triumphers  where they expected 
to be sufferers 7,esth4 viii4 #i74 ,how 
strangely doth  ,god1 by secret ways1   
bow the hearts of men and the nature of 
things  to the execution of that which  
he designs1 notwithstanding all the     
resistance of that which would traverse 
the security of his people6  ,how often 
doth he trap the wicked in the work of  
their own hands1 make  their confidence 
to become their ruin1 and ensnare them  
in those nets  they wrought and laid for

 others 7,ps4 ix4 #af76 8,the wicked is 
snared in  the work of his own hands4   
,he scatters the proud in the           
imagination of  their hearts0 7,luke i4 
#ea71 in the height of their hopes1 when
 their  designs have been laid so deep  
in the foundation1 and knit and cemented
  so close in their superstructure1 that
 no human power or wisdom could  rase   
them down3 he hath then disappointed    
their projects1 and befooled  their     
craft4 ,how often hath he kept back the 
fire1 when it hath been  ready to       
devour2 broke the arrows when they have 
been prepared in the  bow2 turned the   
spear into the bowels of the bearers1   
and wounded them  at the very instant   
they were ready to wound a#eeb others6  
#c4 ,in  suiting instruments to his     
purpose4 ,he either finds them fit1 or  
makes  them on a sudden fit for his     
gracious ends4 ,if he hath a tabernacle 
to  build1 he will fit a ,bezaleel and  
an ,aholiab with the spirit of wisdom   
and understanding in all cunning        

workmanship 7,exod4 xxxi4 #c1 #f74 ,if  
he finds them crooked pieces1 he can1   
like a wise architect1 make them        
straight beams for the rearing his      
house1 and for the honor of his  name4  
,he sometimes picks out men according to
 their natural tempers1  and employs    
them in his work4 ,jehu1 a man of a     
furious temper1 and  ambitious spirit1  
is called out for the destruction of    
,ahab's house4  ,moses1 a man furnished 
with all ,egyptian wisdom1 fitted by a  
generous  education1 prepared also by   
the affliction he met with in his       
flight1  and one who had had the benefit
 of conversation with ,jethro1 a man of 
more than an ordinary wisdom and        
goodness1 as appears by his prudent  and
 religious counsel2 this man is called  
out to be the head and  captain of an   
oppressed people1 and to rescue them    
from their bondage1  and settle the     
first national church in the world4 ,so 
,elijah1 a  highspirited man1 of a hot  
and angry temper1 one that slighted the 

frowns1 and undervalued the favor of    
princes1 is set up to stem the  torrent 
of ,israelitish idolatry4 ,so ,luther1 a
 man of the same temper1  is drawn out  
by the same wisdom to encounter the     
corruptions in the  church1 against such
 opposition1 which a milder temper would
 have sunk  under4 ,the earth1 in ,rev4 
xii4 #af1 is made an instrument to help 
the  woman3 when the grandees of that   
age transferred the imperial power  upon
 ,constantine1 who became afterwards a  
protecting and nursing father  to the   
church1 an end which many of his        
favorers never designed1 nor  ever      
dreamt of3 but ,god1 by his infinite    
wisdom1 made these several  designs1    
like several arrows shot at rovers1 meet
 in one mark to which  he directed them1
 viz41 in bringing forth an instrument  
to render peace  to the world and       
security and increase to his church4    
,,iii4 ,the wisdom of ,god doth         
wonderfully appear in redemption4 ,his  
wisdom in creature ravisheth the eye and

 understanding2 his wisdom  in          
government doth no less affect a curious
 observer of the links and              
concatenation of the means2 but his     
wisdom in redemption mounts the  mind to
 a greater astonishment4 ,the works of  
creation are the footsteps  of his      
wisdom2 the work of redemption is the   
face of his wisdom4 ,a man  is better   
known by the features of his face1 than 
by the prints of his  feet4 ,we1 with   
8open face10 or a revealed face1        
8beholding the glory of  the ,lord0 7#b 
,cor4 iii4 #ah74 ,face1 there1 refers to
 ,god1 not to us2 the  glory of ,god's  
wisdom is now open1 and no longer       
covered and veiled by  the shadows of   
the law4 ,as we behold the light        
glorious as scattered  in the air before
 the appearance of the sun1 but more    
gloriously in the  face of the sun when 
it begins its race in our horizon4 ,all 
the wisdom  of ,god in creation1 and    
government in his variety of laws1 was  
like  the light the three first days of 

the creation1 dispersed about the       
world2 but the fourth day it was more   
glorious1 when all gathered into  the   
body of the sun 7,gen4 i4 #d1 #af74 ,so 
the light of ,divine wisdom  and glory  
was scattered about the world1 and so   
more obscure1 till the  fourth divine   
day of the world1 about the four        
thousandth year1 it was  gathered into  
one body1 the ,sun of ,righteousness1   
and so shone a#eec  out more gloriously 
to men and angels4 ,all things are      
weaker the  thinner they are extended1  
but stronger the more they are united   
and  compacted in one body and          
appearance4 ,in ,christ1 in the         
dispensation  by him1 as well as his    
person1 were 8hid all the treasures of  
wisdom  and knowledge0 7,coloss4 ii4    
#c74 ,some doles of wisdom were given   
out  in creation1 but the treasures of  
it opened in redemption1 the highest    
degrees of it that ever ,god did exert  
in the world4 ,christ is therefore      
called the 8wisdom of ,god10 as well as 

the 8power of ,god0 7#a ,cor4  i4 #bd72 
and the gospel is called the 8wisdom of 
,god40 ,christ is the  wisdom of ,god   
principally1 and the gospel             
instrumentally1 as it is the  power of  
,god instrumentally to subdue the heart 
to himself4 ,this is  wrapped up in the 
appointing ,christ as ,redeemer1 and    
opened to us in  the revelation of it by
 the gospel4    #a4 ,it is a hidden     
wisdom4 ,in this regard ,god is said1 in
 the text1 to  be only wise3 and it is  
said to be a 8hidden wisdom0 7#a ,tim4  
i4 #ag71  and 8wisdom in a mystery0 7#a 
,cor4 ii4 #g71 incomprehensible to the  
ordinary capacity of an angel1 more than
 the obstruse qualities of the          
creatures are to the understanding of   
man4 ,no wisdom of men or angels  is    
able to search the veins of this mine1  
to tell all the threads of  this web1 or
 to understand all the lustre of it2    
they are as far from  an ability fully  
to comprehend it1 as they were at first 
to contrive it4  ,that wisdom that      

invented it can only comprehend it4 ,in 
the uncreated  understanding only there 
is a clearness of light without any     
shadow of  darkness4 ,we come as short  
of full apprehensions of it1 as a child 
doth  of the counsel of the wisest      
prince4 ,it is so hidden from us1 that1 
without revelation1 we could not have   
the least imagination of it2 and  though
 it be revealed to us1 yet1 without the 
help of an infiniteness  of             
understanding1 we cannot fully fathom   
it3 it is such a tractate of  divine    
wisdom1 that the angels never before had
 seen the edition of it1  till it was   
published to the world 7,eph4 iii4 #aj73
 8to the intent that  now unto          
principalities and powers in heavenly   
places might be known  by the church the
 manifold wisdom of ,god40 ,now made    
known to them1  not before2 and now made
 known to them 8in the heavenly places40
 ,they  had not the knowledge of all    
heavenly mysteries1 though they had the 
possession of heavenly glory3 they knew 

the prophecies of it in the  word1 but  
attained not a clear interpretation of  
those prophecies till  the things that  
were prophesied of came upon the stage4 
#b4 ,manifold wisdom3 so it is called4  
,as manifold as mysterious3 variety  in 
the mystery1 and mystery in every part  
of the variety4 ,it was not  one single 
act1 but a variety of counsels met in   
it2 a conjunction of  excellent ends and
 excellent means4 ,the glory of ,god1   
the salvation of  man1 the defeat of the
 apostate angels1 the discovery of the  
blessed  ,trinity in their nature1      
operations1 their combined and distinct 
acts  and expressions of goodness4 ,the 
means are the conjunction of two        
natures1 infinitely distinct from one   
another2 the union of eternity  and     
time1 of mortality and immortality3     
death is made the way to  life1 and     
shame the path to glory4 ,the weakness  
of the cross is the  reparation of man1 
and the creature is made wise by the    
8foolishness of  preaching20 fallen man 

grows rich by a#eed the poverty of the  
,redeemer1  and man is filled by the    
emptiness of ,god2 the heir of hell made
 a son  of ,god1 by ,god's taking upon  
him the 8form of a servant20 the son of 
man advanced to the highest degree of   
honor1 by the ,son of ,god becoming  of 
8no reputation40 ,it is called 7,eph4 i4
 #h7 8abundance of wisdom and           
prudence40 ,wisdom1 in the eternal      
counsel1 contriving a way2 prudence1  in
 the temporary revelation1 ordering all 
affairs and occurrences  in the world   
for the attaining the end of his        
counsel4 ,wisdom refers  to the mystery2
 prudence1 to the manifestation of it in
 fit ways and  convenient seasons4      
,wisdom1 to the contrivance and order2  
prudence1  to the execution and         
accomplishment4 ,in all things ,god     
acted as became  him1 as a wise and just
 ,governor of the world 7,heb4 ii4 #aj74
 ,whether  the wisdom of ,god might not 
have found out some other way1 or       
whether  he were1 in regard of the      

necessity and naturalness of his        
justice1  limited to this1 is not the   
question2 but that it is the best and   
wisest way for the manifestation of his 
glory1 is out of question4    ,this     
wisdom will appear in the different     
interests reconciled by it3  in the     
subject1 the second person in the       
,trinity1 wherein they were  reconciled3
 in the two natures1 wherein he         
accomplished it2 whereby  ,god is made  
known to man in his glory1 sin eternally
 condemned1 and  the repenting and      
believing sinner eternally rescued3 the 
honor and  righteousness of the law     
vindicated both in the precept and      
penalty3  the devil's empire overthrown 
by the same nature he had overturned1   
and the subtilty of hell defeated by    
that nature he had spoiled3  the        
creature engaged in the very act to the 
highest obedience and  humility1 that1  
as ,god appears as a ,god upon his      
throne1 the creature  might appear in   
the lowest posture of a creature1 in the

 depths of  resignation and dependence3 
the publication of this made in the     
gospel1  by ways congruous to the wisdom
 which appeared in the execution of his 
counsel1 and the conditions of enjoying 
the fruit of it1 most wise and          
reasonable4    #a4 ,the greatest        
different interests are reconciled1     
justice in  punishing1 and mercy in     
pardoning4 ,for man had broken the law1 
and  plunged himself into a gulf of     
misery3 the sword of vengeance was      
unsheathed by justice1 for the          
punishment of the criminal2 the bowels  
of compassion were stirred by mercy1 for
 the rescue of the miserable4  ,justice 
severely beholds the sin1 and mercy     
compassionately reflects  upon the      
misery4 ,two different claims are       
entered by those concerned  attributes3 
justice votes for destruction1 and mercy
 votes for  salvation4 ,justice would   
draw the sword1 and drench it in the    
blood of  the offender2 mercy would stop
 the sword1 and turn it from the breast 

of the sinner4 ,justice would edge it1  
and mercy would blunt it4 ,the          
arguments are strong on both sides4     
7#a47 ,justice pleads4 ,i arraign1      
before thy tribunal1 a rebel1 who was   
the glorious work of thy hands1 the     
centre of thy rich goodness1 and a      
counterpart of thy own image2 he is     
indeed miserable1 whereby to excite  thy
 compassion2 but he is not miserable1   
without being criminal4 ,thou  didst    
create him in a state1 and with ability 
to be otherwise3 the  riches of thy     
bounty aggravate the blackness a#eee of 
his crime4 ,he  is a rebel1 not by      
necessity1 but will4 ,what constraint   
was there upon  him to listen to the    
counsels of the enemy of ,god8 ,what    
force could  there be upon him1 since it
 is without the compass of any creature 
to  work upon1 or constrain the will8   
,nothing of ignorance can excuse him2   
the law was not ambiguously expressed1  
but in plain words1 both as to  precept 
and penalty2 it was writ in his nature  

in legible characters3  had he received 
any disgust from thee after his         
creation1 it would not  excuse his      
apostasy1 since1 as a ,sovereign1 thou  
wert not obliged to  thy creature4 ,thou
 hadst provided all things richly for   
him2 he was  crowned with glory and     
honor3 thy infinite power had bestowed  
upon him  an habitation richly          
furnished1 and varieties of servants to 
attend  him4 ,whatever he viewed        
without1 and whatever he viewed within  
himself1  were several marks of thy     
,divine bounty1 to engage him to        
obedience3  had there been some reason  
of any disgust1 it could not have       
balanced  that kindness which had so    
much reason to oblige him3 however1 he  
had received no courtesy from the fallen
 angel1 to oblige him to turn  into his 
camp4 ,was it not enough1 that one of   
thy creatures would have  stripped thee 
of the glory of heaven1 but this also   
must deprive thee  of thy glory upon    
earth1 which was due from him to thee as

 his ,creator8  ,can he charge the      
difficulty of the command8 ,no3 it was  
rather below1  than above his strength4 
,he might rather complain that it was no
 higher1  whereby his obedience and     
gratitude might have a larger scope1 and
 a  more spacious field to move in than 
a precept so light2 so easy1 as  to     
abstain from one fruit in the garden4   
,what excuse can he have1 that  would   
prefer the liquorishness of his sense   
before the dictates of his  reason1 and 
the obligations of his creation8 ,the   
law thou didst set  him was righteous   
and reasonable2 and shall righteousness 
and reason be  rejected by the supreme  
and infallible reason1 because the      
rebellious  creature hath trampled upon 
it8 ,what6 must ,god abrogate his holy  
law1  because the creature hath slighted
 it8 ,what reflection will this be  upon
 the wisdom that enacted it1 and upon   
the equity of the command  and sanction 
of it8 ,either man must suffer1 or the  
holy law be  expunged1 and forever out  

of date4 ,and is it not better man      
should  eternally smart under his crime1
 than any dishonorable reflections  of  
unrighteousness be cast upon the law1   
and of folly1 and want  of foresight    
upon the ,lawgiver8 ,not to punish1     
would be to approve  the devil's lie1   
and justify the creature's revolt4 ,it  
would be a  condemnation of thy own law 
as unrighteous1 and a sentencing thy own
  wisdom as imprudent4 ,better man      
should forever bear the punishment of   
his offence1 than ,god bear the dishonor
 of his attributes3 better man  should  
be miserable than ,god should be        
unrighteous1 unwise1 false1  and tamely 
bear the denial of his sovereignty4 ,but
 what advantage  would it be to gratify 
mercy by pardoning the malefactor8      
,besides the  irreparable dishonor to   
the law1 the falsifying thy veracity in 
not  executing the denounced            
threatenings1 he would receive          
encouragement by  such a grace to spurn 
more at thy sovereignty1 and oppose thy 

holiness  by running on in a course of  
sin with hopes of impunity4 ,if the     
creature be restored1 it cannot be      
expected that he that hath fared so     
well1 after the a#eef breach of it1     
should be very careful of a future      
observance3 his easy readmission would  
abet him in the repetition of  his      
offence1 and thou shalt soon find him   
cast off all moral dependence  on thee4 
,shall he be restored without any       
condition1 or covenant8 ,he  is a       
creature not to be governed without a   
law1 and a law is not to  be enacted    
without a penalty4 ,what future regard  
will he have to thy  precept1 or what   
fear will he have of thy threatening1 if
 his crime be  so lightly past over8 ,is
 it the stability of thy word8 ,what    
reason will  he have to give credit to  
that1 which he hath found already       
disregarded  by thyself8 ,thy truth in  
future threatenings will be of no force 
with  him1 who hath experienced thy     
laying it aside in the former4 ,it is   

necessary1 therefore1 that the          
rebellious creature should be punished  
for the preservation of the honor of the
 law1 and the honor of the  ,lawgiver1  
with all those perfections that are     
united in the composure  of it4    7#b47
 ,mercy doth not want a plea4 ,it is    
true1 indeed1 the sin of man  wants not 
its aggravations3 he hath slighted thy  
goodness1 and accepted  thy enemy as his
 counsellor2 but it was not a pure act  
of his own1 as  the devil's revolt was3 
he had a tempter1 and the devil had     
none3 he  had1 ,i acknowledge1 an       
understanding to know thy will1 and a   
power  to obey it2 yet he was mutable1  
and had a capacity to fall4 ,it was no  
difficult task that was set him1 nor a  
hard yoke that was laid upon him2  yet  
he had a brutish part1 as well as a     
rational1 and sense as well as  soul2   
whereas the fallen angel was a pure     
intellectual spirit4 ,did ,god  create  
the world to suffer an eternal dishonor1
 in letting himself be  outwitted by    

,satan1 and his work wrested out of his 
hands8 ,shall the  work of eternal      
counsel presently sink into irreparable 
destruction1  and the honor of an       
almighty and wise work be lost in the   
ruin of the  creature8 ,this would seem 
contrary to the nature of thy goodness1 
to  make man only to render him         
miserable3 to design him in his creation
  for the service of the devil1 and not 
for the service of his ,creator4  ,what 
else could be the issue1 if the chief   
work of thy hand1 defaced  presently    
after the erecting1 should forever      
remain in this marred  condition8 ,what 
can be expected upon the continuance of 
his misery1 but  a perpetual hatred1 and
 enmity of thy creature against thee8   
,did ,god  in creation design his being 
hated1 or his being loved by his        
creature8  ,shall ,god make a holy law1 
and have no obedience to that law from  
that  creature whom it was made to      
govern8 ,shall the curious workmanship  
of  ,god1 and the excellent engravings  

of the law of nature in his heart1  be  
so soon defaced1 and remain in that     
blotted condition forever8 ,this  fall  
thou couldst not but in the treasures of
 thy infinite knowledge  foresee4 ,why  
hadst thou goodness then to create him  
in an integrity1  if thou wouldst not   
have mercy to pity him in misery8 ,shall
 thy enemy  forever trample upon the    
honor of thy work1 and triumph over the 
glory  of ,god1 and applaud himself in  
the success of his subtilty8 ,shall thy 
creature only passively glorify thee as 
an avenger1 and not actively  as a      
compassionater8 ,am not ,i a perfection 
of thy nature as well as  justice8      
,shall justice engross all1 and ,i never
 come into view8 ,it is  resolved       
already1 that the fallen angels shall be
 no subjects for me  to exercise myself 
upon2 a#eeg and ,i have now less reason 
than before  to plead for them3 they    
fell with a full consent of will1       
without any  motion from another2 and   
not content with their own apostasy they

 envy  thee1 and thy glory upon earth1  
as well as in heaven1 and have drawn    
into their party the best part of the   
creation below4 ,shall ,satan  plunge   
the whole creation in the same          
irreparable ruin with himself8  ,if the 
creature be restored1 will he contract a
 boldness in sin by  impurity8 ,hast    
thou not a grace to render him ingenuous
 in obedience1  as well as a compassion 
to recover him from misery8 ,what will  
hinder1  but that such a grace1 which   
hath established the standing angels1   
may establish this recovered creature8  
,if ,i am utterly excluded from         
exercising myself on men1 as ,i have    
been from devils1 a whole species  is   
lost2 nay1 ,i can never expect to appear
 upon the stage3 if thou wilt  quite    
ruin him by justice1 and create another 
world1 and another man1  if he stand1   
thy bounty will be eminent1 yet there is
 no room for mercy  to act1 unless by   
the commission of sin1 he exposeth      
himself to misery2  and if sin enter    

into another world1 ,i have little hopes
 to be heard  then1 if ,i am rejected   
now4 ,worlds will be perpetually created
 by  goodness1 wisdom1 and power2 sin   
entering into these worlds1 will be     
perpetually punished by justice2 and    
mercy1 which is a perfection of  thy    
nature1 will forever be commanded       
silence1 and lie wrapt up in an  eternal
 darkness4 ,take occasion now1          
therefore1 to expose me to the          
knowledge of thy creature1 since without
 misery1 mercy can never set  foot into 
the world4 ,mercy pleads1 if man be     
ruined1 the creation is  in vain2       
justice pleads1 if man be not sentenced1
 the law is in vain2  truth backs       
justice1 and grace abets mercy4 ,what   
shall be done in this  seeming          
contradiction8 ,mercy is not manifested1
 if man be not pardoned2  justice will  
complain1 if man be not punished4       
7#c47 ,an expedient is found out1 by the
 wisdom of ,god1 to answer  these       
demands1 and adjust the differences     

between them4 ,the wisdom of  ,god      
answers1 ,i will satisfy your pleas4    
,the pleas of justice shall be          
satisfied in punishing1 and the pleas of
 mercy shall be received in  pardoning4 
,justice shall not complain for want of 
punishment1 nor mercy  for want of      
compassion4 ,i will have an infinite    
sacrifice to content  justice2 and the  
virtue and fruit of that sacrifice shall
 delight mercy4  ,here shall justice    
have punishment to accept1 and mercy    
shall have  pardon to bestow4 ,the      
rights of both are preserved1 and the   
demands of  both amicably accorded in   
punishment and pardon1 by transferring  
the  punishment of our crimes upon a    
surety1 exacting a recompense from his  
blood by justice1 and conferring life   
and salvation upon us by mercy  without 
the expense of one drop of our own4     
,thus is justice satisfied  in its      
severities1 and mercy in its            
indulgences4 ,the riches of grace  are  
twisted with the terrors of wrath4 ,the 

bowels of mercy are wound  about the    
flaming sword of justice1 and the sword 
of justice protects  and secures the    
bowels of mercy4 ,thus is ,god righteous
 without being  cruel1 and merciful     
without being unjust2 his righteousness 
inviolable1  and the world recoverable4 
,thus is a resplendent mercy brought    
forth  in the midst of all the curses1  
confusions1 and wrath threatened to  the
 offender4 ,this is the admirable       
temperament found out by the wisdom     
a#eeh of ,god3 his justice is honored in
 the sufferings of man's surety2  and   
his mercy is honored in the application 
of the propitiation to  the offender    
7,rom4 iii4 #bd1 #be73 8,being justified
 freely by his grace1  through the      
redemption that is in ,jesus ,christ3   
whom ,god hath set  forth to be a       
propitiation through faith in his blood1
 to declare his  righteousness for the  
remission of sins that are past1 through
 the  forbearance of ,god40 ,had we in  
our persons been sacrifices to justice1 

mercy had forever been unknown2 had we  
been solely fostered by mercy1  justice 
had forever been secluded2 had we1 being
 guilty1 been absolved1  mercy might    
have rejoiced1 and justice might have   
complained2 had we  been solely         
punished1 justice would have triumphed1 
and mercy grieved4  ,but by this medium 
of redemption1 neither hath ground of   
complaint2  justice hath nothing to     
charge1 when the punishment is          
inflicted2 mercy  hath whereof to boast 
when the surety is accepted4 ,the debt  
of the  sinner is transferred upon the  
surety1 that the merit of the surety may
  be conferred upon the sinner2 so that 
,god now deals with our sins in  a way  
of consuming justice1 and with our      
persons in a way of relieving  mercy4   
,it is highly better1 and more glorious1
 than if the claim of one  had been     
granted1 with the exclusion of the      
demand of the other2 it had  then been  
either an unrighteous mercy1 or a       
merciless justice2 it is  now a         

righteous mercy1 and a merciful justice4
    #b4 ,the wisdom of ,god appears in  
the subject or person wherein these     
were accorded2 the ,second ,person is   
the blessed ,trinity4 ,there was a      
congruity in the ,son's undertaking and 
effecting it rather than any  other     
person1 according to the order of the   
persons1 and the several  functions of  
the persons1 as represented in          
,scripture4 ,the ,father1  after        
creation1 is the lawgiver1 and presents 
man with the image  of his own holiness 
and the way to his creatures' happiness2
 but  after the fall1 man was too       
impotent to perform the law1 and too    
polluted to enjoy a felicity4           
,redemption was then necessary2 not     
that it was necessary for ,god to redeem
 man1 but it was necessary  for man's   
happiness that he should be recovered4  
,to this the ,second  ,person is        
appointed1 that by communion with him1  
man might derive  a happiness1 and be   
brought again to ,god4 ,but since man   

was blind  in his understanding1 and an 
enemy in his will to ,god1 there must be
  the exerting of a virtue to enlighten 
his mind1 and bend his will to          
understand1 and accept of this          
redemption2 and this work is assigned   
to the ,third ,person1 the ,holy ,ghost4
    7#a47 ,it was not congruous that the
 ,father should assume human nature1    
and suffer in it for the redemption of  
man4 ,he was first in order2 he  was the
 lawgiver1 and therefore to be the      
judge4 ,as lawgiver1 it was  not        
convenient he should stand in the stead 
of the lawbreaker2 and as  judge1 it was
 as little convenient he should be      
reputed a malefactor4  ,that he who had 
made a law against sin denounced a      
penalty upon the  commission of sin1 and
 whose part it was actually to punish   
the sinner1  should become sin for the  
wilful transgressor of his law4 ,he     
being the  rector1 how could he be an   
advocate and intercessor to himself8    
,how  could he be the judge and the     

sacrifice8 a judge1 and yet a mediator  
to himself8 ,if he had been the         
sacrifice1 there must be some person  to
 examine the validity a#eei of it1 and  
pronounce the sentence of  acceptance4  
,was it agreeable that the ,son should  
sit upon a throne of  judgment1 and the 
,father stand at the bar1 and be        
responsible to the  ,son8 ,that the ,son
 should be in the place of a governor1  
and the ,father  in the place of the    
criminal8 ,that the ,father should be   
bruised 7,isa4  liii4 #aj7 by the ,son1 
as the ,son was by the ,father 7,zech4  
xiii4 #gj78  that the ,son should awaken
 a sword against the ,father1 as the    
,father  did against the ,son8 ,that the
 ,father should be sent by the ,son1 as 
the  ,son was by the ,father 7,gal4 iv4 
#d78 ,the order of the persons in the   
blessed ,trinity had been inverted and  
disturbed4 ,had the ,father been  sent1 
he had not been first in order2 the     
sender is before the person  sent3 as   
the ,father begets1 and the son is      

begotten 7,john i4 #ad71 so  the ,father
 sends1 and the son is sent4 ,he whose  
orders is to send1  cannot properly send
 himself4    7#b47 ,nor was it congruous
 that the ,spirit should be sent upon   
this  affair4 ,if the ,holy ,ghost had  
been sent to redeem us1 and the ,son to 
apply that redemption to us1 the order  
of the ,persons had also been  inverted2
 the ,spirit1 then1 who was third in    
order1 had been second  in operation4   
,the ,son would then have received of   
the ,spirit1 as the  ,spirit doth now of
 ,christ1 8and shew it unto us0 7,john  
i4 #ae74 ,as the  ,spirit proceeded from
 the ,father and the ,son1 so the proper
 function  and operation of it was in   
order after the operations of the       
,father  and the ,son4 ,had the ,spirit 
been sent to redeem us1 and the ,son    
sent by  the ,father1 and the ,spirit to
 apply that redemption to us1 the ,son  
in  his acts had proceeded from the     
,father and the ,spirit2 the ,spirit1 as
  sender1 had been in order before the  

,son2 whereas1 the ,spirit is called    
8the ,spirit of ,christ10 as sent by    
,christ from the 8,father0 7,gal4  iv4  
#f2 ,john xv4 #bg74 ,but as the order of
 the works1 so the order of  the        
,persons is preserved in their several  
operations4 ,creation1 and a  law to    
govern the creature1 precedes           
redemption4 ,nothing1 or that which     
hath no being1 is not capable of a      
redeemed being4 ,redemption supposeth   
the existence and the misery of a person
 redeemed4 ,as creation precedes        
redemption1 so redemption precedes the  
application of it4 ,as redemption       
supposeth the being of the creature1 so 
application of redemption  supposeth the
 efficacy of redemption4 ,according to  
the order of these  works1 is the order 
of the operations of the ,three         
,persons4 ,creation  belongs to the     
,father1 the first person2 redemption1  
the second work1  is the function of the
 ,son1 the second person2 application1  
the third  work1 is the office of the   

,holy ,ghost1 the third person4 ,the    
,father  orders it1 the ,son acts it1   
the ,holy ,ghost applies it4 ,he        
purifies our  souls to understand1      
believe1 and love these mysteries4 ,he  
forms ,christ  in the womb of the soul1 
as he did the body of ,christ in the    
womb of  the ,virgin4 ,as the ,spirit of
 ,god moved upon the waters1 to garnish 
and adorn the world1 after the matter of
 it was formed 7,gen4 i4 #b71  so he    
moves upon the heart1 to supple it to a 
compliance with ,christ1  and draws the 
lineaments of the new creation in the   
soul1 after the  foundation is laid4    
,the ,son pays the price that was due   
from us to  ,god1 and the ,spirit is the
 earnest of the promises of life and    
glory  purchased by the merit of that   
a#efj death4#gib ,it is to be observed1 
that the ,father1 under the dispensation
 of the law1 proposed the  commands1    
with the promises and threatenings1 to  
the understandings of  men2 and ,christ1
 under the dispensation of grace1 when  

he was upon the  earth1 proposeth the   
gospel as the means of salvation1       
exhorts to faith  as the condition of   
salvation2 but it was neither the       
functions of the  one or the other to   
display such an efficacy in the         
understanding and  will to make men     
believe and obey2 and1 therefore1 there 
were such few  conversions in the time  
of ,christ1 by his miracles4 ,but this  
work was  reserved for the fuller and   
brighter appearance of the ,spirit1     
whose  office it was to convince the    
world of the necessity of a ,redeemer1  
because of their lost condition2 of the 
person of the ,redeemer1 the ,son  of   
,god2 of the sufficiency and efficacy of
 redemption1 because of his             
righteousness and acceptation by the    
,father4 ,the wisdom of ,god is seen  in
 preparing and presenting the objects1  
and then in making impression  of them  
upon the subject he intends4 ,and thus  
is the order of the ,three  ,persons    
preserved4    7#c47 ,the ,second ,person

 had the greatest congruity in this     
work4 ,he by  whom ,god created the     
world was most conveniently employed in 
restoring  the defaced world 7,john i4  
#d73 who more fit to recover it from its
  lapsed state than he that had erected 
it in its primitive state 7,heb4  i4    
#b78 ,he was the light of men in        
creation1 and therefore it was most     
reasonable he should be the light of men
 in redemption4 ,who fitter to  reform  
the ,divine image than he that first    
formed it8 ,who fitter to  speak for us 
to ,god than he who was the ,word 7,john
 i4 #a78 ,who could  better intercede   
with the ,father than he who was the    
only begotten and  beloved ,son8 ,who so
 fit to redeem the forfeited inheritance
 as the  ,heir of all things8 ,who      
fitter and better to prevail for us to  
have  the right of children than he that
 possessed it by nature8 ,we fell from  
being the sons of ,god1 and who fitter  
to introduce us into an adopted  state  
than the ,son of ,god8 ,herein was an   

expression of the richer grace1  because
 the first sin was immediately against  
the wisdom of ,god1 by an  ambitious    
affectation of a wisdom equal to ,god1  
that that person1 who  was the wisdom of
 ,god1 should be made a sacrifice for   
the expiation of  the sin against       
wisdom4    #c4 ,the wisdom of ,god is   
seen in the two natures of ,christ1     
whereby  this redemption was            
accomplished4 ,the union of the two     
natures was the  foundation of the union
 of ,god and the fallen creature4       
#ast4 ,the union itself is admirable3   
8,the ,word is made flesh0 7,john  i4   
#ad71 one 8equal with ,god in the form  
of a servant0 7,phil4 ii4 #g74  ,when   
the apostle speaks of 8,god manifested  
in the flesh10 he speaks  8the wisdom of
 ,god in a mystery0 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #af72
 that which is  incomprehensible to the 
angels1 which they never imagined before
 it  was revealed1 which perhaps they   
never knew till they beheld it4 ,i am   
sure1 under the law1 the figures of the 

cherubims were placed in the  sanctuary1
 with their 8faces looking towards the  
propitiatory10 in a  perpetual posture  
of contemplation and admiration 7,exod4 
xxxvii4 #i71  to which the apostle      
alludes 7#a ,pet4 i4 #ab74 ,mysterious  
a#efa is the  wisdom of ,god to unite   
finite and infinite1 almightiness and   
weakness1  immortality and mortality1   
immutability1 with a thing subject to   
change2 to have a nature from eternity1 
and yet a nature subject to  the        
revolutions of time2 a nature to make a 
law1 and a nature to be  subjected to   
the law2 to be ,god blessed forever1 in 
the bosom of his  ,father1 and an infant
 exposed to calamities from the womb of 
his mother3  terms seeming most distant 
from union1 most uncapable of           
conjunction1  to shake hands together1  
to be most intimately conjoined2 glory  
and  vileness1 fulness and emptiness1   
heaven and earth2 the creature with  the
 ,creator2 he that made all things1 in  
one person with a nature that  is made2 

,immanuel1 ,god1 and man in one2 that   
which is most spiritual to  partake of  
that which is carnal flesh and blood    
7,heb4 ii4 #ad72 one with  the ,father  
in his ,godhead1 one with us in his     
manhood2 the ,godhead to  be in him in  
the fullest perfection1 and the manhood 
in the greatest  purity2 the creature   
one with the ,creator1 and the ,creator 
one with the  creature4 ,thus is the    
incomprehensible wisdom of ,god declared
 in the  8,word being made flesh40      
#b;d4 ,in the manner of this union4 ,a  
union of two natures1 yet  no natural   
union4 ,it transcends all the unions    
visible among  creatures3#gic it is not 
like the union of stones in a building1 
or  two pieces of timber fastened       
together1 which touch one another only  
in  their superficies and outside1      
without any intimacy with one another4  
,by such a kind of union ,god would not 
be a man3 the ,word could not so  be    
made flesh4 ,nor is it a union of parts 
to the whole1 as the members  and the   

body2 the members are parts1 the body is
 the whole2 for the  whole results from 
the parts1 and depends upon the parts3  
but ,christ1  being ,god1 is independent
 upon anything4 ,the parts are in order 
of  nature before the whole1 but nothing
 can be in order of nature before  ,god4
 ,nor is it as the union of two liquors1
 as when wine and water are  mixed      
together1 for they are so incorporated  
as not to be distinguished  from one    
another2 no man can tell which particle 
is wine1 and which is  water4 ,but the  
properties of the ,divine nature are    
distinguishable from  the properties of 
the human4 ,nor is it as the union of   
the soul and  body1 so as that the      
,deity is the form of the humanity1 as  
the soul is  the form of the body3 for  
as the soul is but a part of the man1 so
 the  ,divinity would be then but a part
 of the humanity2 and as a form1 or  the
 soul1 is in a state of imperfection1   
without that which it is to  inform1 so 
the ,divinity of ,christ would have been

 imperfect till it  had assumed the     
humanity1 and so the perfection of an   
eternal ,deity  would have depended on a
 creature of time4 ,this union of two   
natures  in ,christ is incomprehensible3
 and it is a mystery we cannot arrive   
to the top of1 how the ,divine nature1  
which is the same with that of  the     
,father and the ,holy ,ghost1 should be 
united to the human nature1  without its
 being said that the ,father and the    
,holy ,ghost were united  to the flesh2 
but the ,scripture doth not encourage   
any such notion2 it  speaks only of the 
,word1 the person of the ,word being    
made flesh1 and  in his being made      
flesh1 distinguisheth him from the      
,father1 as 8the  a#efb only begotten of
 the ,father0 7,john i4 #ad74 ,the      
person of the ,son  was the term of this
 union4    7#a47 ,this union doth not   
confound the properties of the ,deity   
and  those of the humanity4 ,they remain
 distinct and entire in each other4     
,the ,deity is not changed into flesh1  

nor the flesh transformed into ,god3    
they are distinct1 and yet united2 they 
are conjoined1 and yet unmixed3  the    
dues of either nature are preserved4 ,it
 is impossible that the  majesty of the 
,divinity can receive an alteration4 ,it
 is as impossible  that the meanness of 
the humanity can receive the impressions
 of the  ,deity1 so as to be changed    
into it1 and a creature be metamorphosed
  into the ,creator1 and temporary flesh
 become eternal1 and finite mount  up   
into infinity3 as the soul and body are 
united1 and make one person1  yet the   
soul is not changed into the perfections
 of the body1 nor the  body into the    
perfections of the soul4 ,there is a    
change made in the  humanity1 by being  
advanced to a more excellent union1 but 
not in the  ,deity1 as a change is made 
in the air1 when it is enlightened by   
the  sun1 not in the sun1 which         
communicates that brightness to the air4
  ,athanasius makes the burning bush to 
be a type of ,christ's incarnation      

7,exod4 iii4 #b73 the fire signifying   
the ,divine nature1 and the bush the    
human4 ,the bush is a branch springing  
up from the earth1 and the fire         
descends from heaven2 as the bush was   
united to the fire1 yet was not  hurt by
 the flame1 nor converted into fire1    
there remained a difference  between the
 bush and the fire1 yet the properties  
of the fire shined  in the bush1 so that
 the whole bush seemed to be on fire4   
,so in the  incarnation of ,christ1 the 
human nature is not swallowed up by the 
,divine1 nor changed into it1 nor       
confounded with it1 but so united1  that
 the properties of both remain firm3 two
 are so become one1 that  they remain   
two still3 one person in two natures1   
containing the  glorious perfections of 
the ,divine1 and the weaknesses of the  
human4  ,the 8fulness of the ,deity     
dwells bodily in ,christ0 7,col4 ii4    
#i74    7#b47 ,the ,divine nature is    
united to every part of the humanity4   
,the whole ,divinity to the whole       

humanity2 so that no part but may  be   
said to be the member of ,god1 as well  
as the blood is said to be  the 8blood  
of ,god0 7,acts xx4 #bh74 ,by the same  
reason1 it may be said1  the hand of    
,god1 the eye of ,god1 the arm of ,god4 
,as ,god is infinitely  present         
everywhere1 so as to be excluded from no
 place1 so is the ,deity  hypostatically
 everywhere in the humanity1 not        
excluded from any part  of it2 as the   
light of the sun in every part of the   
air2 as a sparkling  splendor in every  
part of the diamond4 ,therefore1 it is  
concluded1  by all that acknowledge the 
,deity of ,christ1 that when his soul   
was  separated from the body1 the ,deity
 remained united both to soul and  body1
 as light doth in every part of a broken
 crystal4    7#c47 ,therefore1          
perpetually united 7,col4 ii4 #i74 ,the 
8fulness of  the ,godhead dwells in him 
bodily40 ,it dwells in him1 not lodges  
in  him1 as a traveller in an inn3 it   
resides in him as a fixed habitation4   

,as ,god describes the perpetuity of his
 presence in the ark by his  habitation 
or dwelling in it 7,exod4 xxix4 #dd71 so
 doth the apostle the  inseparable      
duration of the ,deity in the humanity1 
and the indissoluble  union of the      
humanity with the ,deity4 ,it was united
 on earth2 a#efc  it remains united in  
heaven4 ,it was not an image or an      
apparition1 as  the tongues wherein the 
,spirit came upon the apostles1 were a  
temporary  representation1 not a thing  
united perpetually to the person of the 
,holy ,ghost4    7#d47 ,it was a        
personal union4 ,it was not an union of 
persons1 though  it was a personal      
union2 so ,davenant expounds 7,col4 ii4 
#i71 ,christ did  not take the person of
 man1 but the nature of man into        
subsistence with  himself4 ,the body and
 soul of ,christ were not united in     
themselves1 had  no subsistence in      
themselves1 till they were united to the
 person of  the ,son of ,god4 ,if the   
person of a man were united to him1 the 

human  nature would have been the nature
 of the person so united to him1 and    
not the nature of the ,son of ,god      
7,heb4 ii4 #ad1 #af71 8,forasmuch then  
as  the children are partakers of flesh 
and blood1 he also himself likewise     
took part of the same2 that through     
death he might destroy him that had  the
 power of death1 that is1 the devil4    
,for verily he took not on him  the     
nature of angels2 but he took on him the
 seed of ,abraham40 ,he took  flesh and 
blood to be his own nature1 perpetually 
to subsist in the  person of the 1 which
 must be by a personal union1 or no way3
 the  ,deity united to the humanity1 and
 both natures to be one person4 ,this   
is the mysterious and manifold wisdom of
 ,god4    #c;d4 ,the end of this union4 
7#a47 ,he was hereby fitted to be a     
,mediator4 ,he hath something like to   
man1 and something like to ,god4 ,if he 
were in all things only like to  man1 he
 would be at a distance from ,god3 if he
 were in all things only  like to ,god1 

he would be at a distance from man4 ,he 
is a true ,mediator  between mortal     
sinners and the immortal righteous ,one4
 ,he was near to  us by the infirmities 
of our nature1 and near to ,god by the  
perfections  of the ,divine2 as near to 
,god in his nature1 as to us in ours2 as
  near to us in our nature1 as he is to 
,god in the ,divine4 ,nothing that      
belongs to the ,deity1 but he possesses2
 nothing that belongs to the  human     
nature1 but he is clothed with4 ,he had 
both the nature which had  offended1 and
 that nature which was offended3 a      
nature to please ,god1  and a nature to 
pleasure us3 a nature1 whereby he       
experimentally knew  the excellency of  
,god1 which was injured1 and understood 
the glory due  to him1 and consequently 
the greatness of the offence1 which was 
to be  measured by the dignity of his   
person3 and a nature whereby he might be
  sensible of the miseries contracted   
by1 and endure the calamities due  to   
the offender1 that he might both have   

compassion on him1 and make  due        
satisfaction for him4 ,he had two       
distinct natures capable of the         
affections and sentiments of the two    
persons he was to accord2 he was a  just
 judge of the rights of the one1 and the
 demerit of the other4#gid  ,he could   
not have this full and perfect          
understanding if he did not  possess the
 perfections of the one1 and the        
qualities of the other2  the one fitted 
him for 8things appertaining to ,god0   
7,heb4 v4 #a71  and the other furnished 
him with a sense of the 8infirmities of 
man0  7,heb4 iv4 #ae74    7#b47 ,he was 
hereby fitted for the working out the   
happiness of man4  ,a ,divine nature to 
communicate to man1 and a human nature  
a#efd to  carry up to ,god4 #a4 ,he had 
a nature whereby to suffer for us1 and a
  nature whereby to be meritorious in   
those sufferings4 ,a nature to make  him
 capable to bear the penalty1 and a     
nature to make his sufferings           
sufficient for all that embraced him4 ,a

 nature1 capable to be exposed  to the  
flames of ,divine wrath1 and another    
nature1 incapable to be  crushed by the 
weight1 or consumed by the heat of it3 a
 human nature  to suffer1 and stand a   
sacrifice in the stead of man2 a ,divine
 nature  to sanctify these sufferings1  
and fill the nostrils of ,god with a    
sweet  savor1 and thereby atone his     
wrath3 the one to bear the stroke due to
  us1 and the other to add merit to his 
sufferings for us4 ,had he not  been    
man1 he could not have filled our place 
in suffering2 and could  he otherwise   
have suffered1 his sufferings had not   
been applicable to  us2 and had he not  
been ,god1 his sufferings had not been  
meritoriously  and fruitfully           
applicable4 ,had not his blood been the 
blood of ,god1  it had been of as little
 advantage as the blood of an ordinary  
man1  or the blood of the legal         
sacrifices 7,heb4 ix4 #ab74 ,nothing    
less than  ,god could have satisfied    
,god for the injury done by man4        

,nothing less  than ,god could have     
countervailed the torments due to the   
offending  creature4 ,nothing less than 
,god could have rescued us out of the   
hands  of the jailor1 too powerful for  
us4 #b4 ,he had1 therefore1 a nature  to
 be compassionate to us1 and victorious 
for us4 ,a nature sensibly  to          
compassionate us1 and another nature1 to
 render those compassions  effectual for
 our relief2 he had the compassions of  
our nature to pity  us1 and the patience
 of the ,divine nature to bear with us4 
,he hath the  affections of a man to us1
 and the power of a ,god for us3 a      
nature to  disarm the devil for us1 and 
another nature to be insensible of the  
working of the devil in us1 and against 
us4 ,if he had been only ,god1 he  would
 not have had an experimental sense of  
our misery2 and if he had  been only    
man1 he could not have vanquished our   
enemies2 had he been  only ,god1 he     
could not have died2 and had he been    
only man1 he could  not have conquered  

death4 #c4 ,a nature efficaciously to   
instruct us4  ,as man1 he was to        
instruct us sensibly2 as ,god1 he was to
 instruct us  infallibly4 ,a nature1    
whereby he might converse with us1 and a
 nature1  whereby he might influence us 
in those converses4 ,a human mouth to   
minister instruction to man1 and a      
,divine power to imprint it with        
efficacy4 #d4 ,a nature to be a pattern 
to us4 ,a pattern of grace as  man1 as  
,adam was to have been to his           
posterity3#gie a ,divine nature  shining
 in the human1 the image of the         
invisible ,god in the glass  of our     
flesh1 that he might be a perfect copy  
for our imitation 7,col4  i4 #ae71 8,the
 image of the invisible ,god1 and the   
firstborn of every  creature0 in        
conjunction4 ,the virtues of the ,deity 
are sweetened and  tempered by the union
 with the humanity1 as the beams of the 
son are by  shining through a colored   
glass1 which condescends more to the    
weakness  of our eye4 ,thus the         

perfections of the invisible ,god1      
breaking through  the firstborn of every
 creature1 glittering in ,christ's      
created state1  became more sensible for
 contemplation by our mind1 and more    
imitiable  for conformity in our        
practice4 #e4 ,a nature to be a ground  
of  confidence in our approach to ,god4 
,a nature wherein we may behold him1    
and wherein we may approach a#efe to    
him4 ,a nature for our comfort1  and a  
nature for our confidence4 ,had he been 
only man1 he had been too  feeble to    
assure us2 and had he been only ,god1 he
 had been too high  to attract us3 but  
now we are allured by his human nature1 
and assured  by his ,divine1 in our     
drawing near to heaven4 ,communion with 
,god  was desired by us1 but our guilt  
stifled our hopes1 and the infinite     
excellency of the ,divine nature would  
have damped our hopes of speeding2  but 
since these two natures1 so far distant1
 are met in a marriageknot1  we have a  
ground of hope1 nay1 an earnest1 that   

the ,creator and  believing creature    
shall meet and converse together4 ,and  
since our sins  are expatiated by the   
death of the human nature in conjunction
 with  the ,divine1 our guilt1 upon     
believing1 shall not hinder us from this
  comfortable approach4 ,had he been    
only man1 he could not have assured  us 
an approach to ,god3 had he been only   
,god1 his justice would not have        
admitted us to approach to him2 he had  
been too terrible for guilty  persons1  
and too holy for polluted persons to    
come near to him3 but by  being made    
man1 his justice is tempered1 and by his
 being ,god and man1  his mercy is      
ensured4 ,a human nature he had1 one    
with us1 that we  might be related to   
,god1 as one with him4 #f4 ,a nature to 
derive all  good to us4 ,had he not been
 man1 we had had no share or part in    
him3  a satisfaction by him had not been
 imputed to us4 ,if he were not ,god1   
he could not communicate to us divine   
graces and eternal happiness2  he could 

not have had power to convey so great a 
good to us1 had he  been only man2 and  
he could not have done it1 according to 
the rule of  inflexible righteousness1  
had he been only ,god4 ,as man1 he is   
the way  of conveyance2 as ,god1 he is  
the spring of conveyance4 ,from this    
grace  of union1 and the grace of       
unction1 we find rivers of waters       
flowing  to make glad the city of ,god4 
,believers are his branches1 and draw   
sap  from him1 as he is their root in   
his human nature1 and have an endless   
duration of it from his ,divine4 ,had he
 not been man1 he had not been  in a    
state to obey the law2 had he not been  
,god as well as man1 his  obedience     
could not have been valuable to be      
imputed to us4 ,how should  this mystery
 be studied by us1 which would afford us
 both admiration  and content6          
,admiration1 in the incomprehensibleness
 of it2 contentment1  in the fitness of 
the ,mediator4 ,by this wisdom of ,god  
we receive the  props of our faith1 and 

the fruits of joy and peace4 ,wisdom    
consists  in choosing fit means1 and    
conducting them in such a method1 as may
  reach with good success the variety of
 marks which are aimed at4 ,thus  hath  
the wisdom of ,god set forth a          
,mediator1 suited to our wants1  fitted 
for our supplies1 and ordered so the    
whole affair by the union  of these two 
natures in the person of the ,redeemer1 
that there could be  no disappointment1 
by all the bustle hell and hellish      
instruments could  raise against it4    
#d4 ,the wisdom of ,god is seen in this 
way of redemption1 in vindicating  the  
honor and righteousness of the law1 both
 as to precept and penalty4  ,the first 
and irreversible design of the law was  
obedience4 ,the penalty  of the law had 
only entrance upon transgression4       
,obedience was the  design1 and the     
penalty was added to enforce the        
observance of the  precept 7,gen4 ii4   
#ag73 8,thou shalt not eat20 there is   
the precept3  8,in the day thou eatest  

thereof thou shalt die20 a#eff there is 
the  penalty4 ,obedience was our debt to
 the law1 as creatures2 punishment  was 
due from the law to us1 as sinners3 we  
are bound to endure the  penalty for our
 first transgression1 but the penalty   
did not cancel  the bond of future      
obedience2 the penalty had not been     
incurred  without transgressing the     
precept2 yet the precept was not        
abrogated  by enduring the penalty4     
,since man so soon revolted1 and by this
 revolt  fell under the threatening1 the
 justice of the law had been honored  by
 man's sufferings1 but the holiness and 
equity of the law had been  honored by  
man's obedience4 ,the wisdom of ,god    
finds out a medium to  satisfy both3 the
 justice of the law is preserved in the 
execution of  the penalty2 and the      
holiness of the law is honored in the   
observance  of the precept4 ,the life of
 our ,saviour is a conformity to the    
precept1  and his death is a conformity 
to the penalty2 the precepts are exactly

  performed1 and the curse punctually   
executed1 by a voluntary observing  the 
one1 and a voluntary undergoing the     
other4 ,it is obeyed1 as if it  had not 
been transgressed1 and executed as if it
 had not been obeyed4  ,it became the   
wisdom1 justice1 and holiness of ,god1  
as the ,rector of  the world1 to exact  
it 7,heb4 ii4 #aj71 and it became the   
holiness of the  ,mediator to 8fulfil   
all the righteousness of the law0 7,rom4
 viii4 #c2  ,matt4 iii4 #ae74 ,and thus 
the honor of the law was vindicated in  
all  the parts of it4 ,the transgression
 of the law was condemned in the  flesh 
of the ,redeemer1 and the righteousness 
of the law was fulfilled  in his person3
 and both these acts of obedience1 being
 counted as  one righteousness1 and     
imputed to the believing sinner1 render 
him a  subject to the law1 both in its  
perceptive and minatory part4 ,by       
,adam's  sinful acting we were made     
sinners1 and by ,christ's righteous     
acting  we are made righteous 7,rom4 v4 

#ai73 8,as by one man's disobedience    
many were made sinners1 so by the       
obedience of one shall many be made     
righteous40 ,the law was obeyed by him1 
that the righteousness of it  might be  
fulfilled in us 7,rom4 viii4 #d74 ,it is
 not fulfilled in us1 or  in our        
actions1 by inherency1 but fulfilled in 
us by imputation of that  righteousness 
which was exactly fulfilled by another4 
,as he died for us1  and rose again for 
us1 so he lived for us4 ,the commands of
 the law were  as well observed for us1 
as the threatenings of the law were     
endured  for us4 ,this justification of 
a sinner1 with the preservation of the  
holiness of the law in truth1 in the    
inward parts1 in sincerity of           
intention1 as well as conformity in     
action1 is the wisdom of ,god1 the      
gospel wisdom which ,david desires to   
know 7,ps4 li4 #f73 8,thou desirest     
truth in the inward parts1 and in the   
hidden part thou shalt make me  to know 
wisdom20 or1 as some render it1 8the    

hidden things of wisdom40  ,not an      
inherent wisdom in the acknowledgments  
of his sin1 which he had  confessed     
before1 but the wisdom of ,god in       
providing a medicine1 so as  to keep up 
the holiness of the law in the          
observance of it in truth1  and the     
averting the judgment due to the sinner4
 ,in and by this way  methodized by the 
wisdom of ,god1 all doubts and troubles 
are discharged4  ,naturally1 if we take 
a view of the law to behold its holiness
 and  justice1 and then of our hearts1  
to see the contrariety in them to the   
command1 and the pollution repugnant to 
its holiness2 and after this1  cast our 
eyes upward1 and beholding a flaming    
sword1 edged with curses  and wrath2    
a#efg is there any matter1 but that of  
terror1 afforded by  any of these8 ,but 
when we behold1 in the life of ,christ1 
a conformity  to the mandatory part of  
the law1 and in the cross of ,christ1 a 
sustaining the minatory part of the law1
 this wisdom of ,god gives a            

wellgrounded and rational dismiss to all
 the horrors that can seize  upon us4   
#e4 ,the wisdom of ,god in redemption is
 visible in manifesting two  contrary   
affections at the same time1 and in one 
act3 the greatest  hatred of sin1 and   
the greatest love to the sinner4 ,in    
this way he  punishes the sin without   
ruining the sinner1 and repairs the     
ruins of  the sinner without indulging  
the sin4 ,here is eternal love and      
eternal  hatred2 a condemning the sin to
 what it merited1 and an advancing the  
sinner to what he could not expect4     
,herein is the choicest love and  the   
deepest hatred manifested3 an           
implacableness against the sin1 and  a  
placableness to the sinner4 ,his hatred 
of sin hath been discovered  in other   
ways3 in punishing the devil without    
remedy2 sentencing man  to an expulsion 
from paradise1 though seduced by        
another2 in accursing  the serpent1 an  
irrational creature1 though but a       
misguided instrument4  ,the whole tenor 

of his threatenings declare his loathing
 of sin1  and the sprinklings of his    
judgments in the world1 and the horrible
  expectations of terrified consciences 
confirm it4 ,but what are all  these    
testimonies to the highest evidence that
 can possibly be given  in the sheathing
 the sword of his wrath in the heart of 
his ,son8 ,if  a father should order his
 son to take a mean garb below his      
dignity1  order him to be dragged to    
prison1 seem to throw off all affection 
of  a father for the severity of a      
judge1 condemn his son to a horrible    
death1 be a spectator of his bleeding   
condition1 withhold his hand from       
assuaging his misery1 regard it rather  
with joy than sorrow1 give him a  bitter
 cup to drink1 and stand by to see him  
drink it off to the bottom1  dregs and  
all1 and flash frowns in his face all   
the while2 and this  not for any fault  
of his own1 but the rebellion of some   
subjects he  undertook for1 and that the
 offenders might have a pardon sealed by

 the  blood of the son1 the sufferer3   
all this would evidence his detestation 
of the rebellion1 and his affection to  
the rebels2 his hatred to their  crime1 
and his love to their welfare4 ,this did
 ,god do4 ,he 8delivered  ,christ up for
 our offences0 7,rom4 viii4 #cb72 the   
,father gave him the  cup 7,john xviii4 
#ah72 the ,lord bruised him with        
pleasure 7,isa4 liii4  #aj71 and that   
for sin4 ,he transferred upon the       
shoulders of his ,son  the pain we had  
merited1 that the criminal might be     
restored to the  place he had forfeited4
 ,he hates the sin so as to condemn it  
forever1  and wrap it up in the curse he
 had threatened2 and loves the sinner1  
believing and repenting1 so as to mount 
him to an expectation of a  happiness   
exceeding the first estate1 both in     
glory and perpetuity4  ,instead of an   
earthly paradise1 lays the foundation of
 an heavenly  mansion1 brings forth a   
weight of glory from a weight of misery1
  separates the comfortable light of the

 sun from the scorching heat  we had    
deserved at his hands4 ,thus hath ,god's
 hatred of sin been  manifested4 ,he is 
at eternal defiance with sin1 yet nearer
 in alliance  with the sinner than he   
was before the revolt2 as if man's      
miserable  fall had endeared him to the 
,judge4 ,this is the wisdom a#efh and   
prudence of 8grace wherein ,god hath    
abounded0 7,eph4 i4 #i73 a wisdom in    
twisting the happy restoration of the   
broken amity1 with an everlasting  curse
 upon that which made the breach1 both  
upon sin the cause1 and  upon ,satan the
 seducer to it4 ,thus is hatred and     
love1 in their highest  glory1          
manifested together3 hatred to sin1 in  
the death of ,christ1 more  than if the 
torments of hell had been undergone by  
the sinner2 and love  to the sinner1    
more than if he had1 by an absolute and 
simple bounty1  bestowed upon him the   
possession of heaven2 because the gift  
of his  ,son1 for such an end1 is a     
greater token of his boundless          

affections1  than a reinstating man in  
paradise4 ,thus is the wisdom of ,god   
seen in  redemption1 consuming the sin1 
and recovering the sinner4    #f4 ,the  
wisdom of ,god is evident in overturning
 the devil's empire by  the nature he   
had vanquished1 and by ways quite       
contrary to what that  malicious spirit 
could imagine4 ,the devil1 indeed1 read 
his own doom  in the first promise1 and 
found his ruin resolved upon1 by the    
means  of the 8,seed of the woman20 but 
by what seed was not so easily known  to
 him4#gif ,and the methods whereby it   
was to be brought about was  a mystery  
kept secret from the malicious devils1  
since it was not  discovered to the     
obedient angels4 ,he might know1 from   
,isa4 liii41  that the ,redeemer was    
assured to divide the spoil with the    
strong1 and  rescue a part of the lost  
creation out of his hands2 and that this
 was  to be effected by making his soul 
an offering for sin3 but could he       
imagine which way his soul was to be    

made such an offering8 ,he shrewdly     
suspected ,christ1 just after his       
inauguration into his office by         
baptism1 to be the ,son of ,god3 but did
 he ever dream that the ,messiah1  by   
dying as a reputed malefactor1 should be
 a sacrifice for the  expiation of the  
sin the devil had introduced by his     
subtilty8 ,did he  ever imagine a cross 
should dispossess him of his crown1 and 
that dying  groans should wrest the     
victory out of his hands8 ,he was       
conquered by  that nature he had cast   
headlong into ruin3 a woman1 by his     
subtilty1  was the occasion of our      
death2 and a woman1 by the conduct of   
the only  wise ,god1 brings forth the   
,author of our life1 and the ,conqueror 
of our  enemies4 ,the flesh of the old  
,adam had infected us1 and the flesh of 
the new ,adam cures us 7#a ,cor4 xv4    
#ba73 8,by man came death2 by man also  
came the resurrection from the dead40   
,we are killed by the old ,adam1  and   
raised by the new2 as among the         

,israelites1 a fiery serpent gave  the  
wound1 and a brazen serpent administers 
the cure4 ,the nature that  was deceived
 bruiseth the deceiver1 and raiseth up  
the foundations of  his kingdom4 ,satan 
is defeated by the counsels he took to  
secure his  possession1 and loses the   
victory by the same means whereby he    
thought  to preserve it4 ,his tempting  
the ,jews to the sin of crucifying the  
,son of ,god1 had a contrary success to 
his tempting ,adam to eat of the  tree4 
,the first death he brought upon ,adam1 
ruined us1 and the death he  brought by 
his instruments upon the second ,adam1  
restored us4 ,by a tree1  if one may so 
say1 he had triumphed over the world1   
and by the fruit of  a tree1 one hanging
 upon a tree1 he is discharged of his   
a#efi power  over us 7,heb4 ii4 #ad73   
8,through death he destroyed ,him that  
had the  power of death40 ,and thus the 
devil ruins his own kingdom while he    
thinks to confirm and enlarge it2 and is
 defeated by his own policy1  whereby he

 thought to continue the world under his
 chains1 and deprive  the ,creator of   
the world of his purposed honor4 ,what  
deeper counsel  could he resolve upon   
for his own security1 than to be        
instrumental in  the death of him1 who  
was ,god1 the terror of the devil       
himself1 and to  bring the ,redeemer of 
the world to expire with disgrace in the
 sight of  a multitude of men8 ,thus did
 the wisdom of ,god shine forth in      
restoring  us by methods seemingly      
repugnant to the end he aimed at1 and   
above  the suspicion of a subtle devil1 
whom he intended to baffle4 ,could  he  
imagine that we should be healed by     
stripes1 quickened by death1  purified  
by blood1 crowned by a cross1 advanced  
to the highest honor  by the lowest     
humility1 comforted by sorrows1         
glorified by disgrace1  absolved by     
condemnation1 and made rich by poverty8 
,that the sweetest  honey should at once
 spring out of the belly of a dead lion1
 the lion  of the tribe of ,judah1 and  

out of the bosom of the living ,god8    
,how  wonderful is this wisdom of ,god6 
that the ,seed of the woman1 born of a  
mean virgin1 brought forth in a stable1 
spending his days in affliction1        
misery1 and poverty1 without any pomp   
and splendor1 passing some  time in a   
carpenter's shop1 with carpenter's tools
 7,mark vi4 #f71 and  afterwards exposed
 to a horrible and disgraceful death1   
should1 by  this way1 pull down the     
gates of hell1 subvert the kingdom of   
the  devil1 and be the hammer to break  
in pieces that power1 which he had so   
long exercised over the world6 ,thus    
became he the author of our life1  by   
being bound for a while in the chains of
 death1 and arrived to a  principality  
over the most malicious powers1 by being
 a prisoner for  us1 and the anvil of   
their rage and fury4    #g4 ,the wisdom 
of ,god appears1 in giving us this way  
the surest ground  of comfort1 and the  
strongest incentive to obedience4 ,the  
rebel is  reconciled1 and the rebellion 

shamed2 ,god is propitiated1 and the    
sinner sanctified1 by the same blood4   
,what can more contribute to our        
comfort and confidence1 than ,god's     
richest gift to us8 ,what can more      
enflame our love to him1 than our       
recovery from death by the oblation  of 
his ,son to misery and death for us8 ,it
 doth as much engage our duty  as secure
 our happiness4 ,it presents ,god       
glorious and gracious1 and  therefore   
every way fit to be trusted in regard of
 the interest of his  own glory in it1  
and in regard of the effusions of his   
grace by it4 ,it  renders the creature  
obliged in the highest manner1 and so   
awakens his  industry to the strictest  
and noblest obedience4 ,nothing so      
effectual  as a crucified ,christ to    
wean us from sin1 and stifle all motions
 of  despair2 a means1 in regard of the 
justice signalized in it1 to make  man  
to hate the sin which had ruined him2   
and a means1 in regard of the  love     
expressed to make him delight in that   

law he had violated 7#b ,cor4  v4 #ad1  
#ae74 ,the love of ,christ1 and         
therefore the love of ,god expressed  in
 it1 constrains us no longer to live to 
ourselves4    7#a47 ,it is a ground of  
the highest comfort and confidence in   
,god4  a#egj ,since he hath given such  
an evidence of his impartial truth to   
his threatening for the honor of his    
justice1 we need not question but  he   
will be as punctual to his promise for  
the honor of his mercy4 ,it is  a ground
 of confidence in ,god1 since he hath   
redeemed us in such a way  as glorifies 
the steadiness of his veracity1 as well 
as the severity of  his justice2 we may 
well trust him for the performance of   
his promise1  since we have experience  
of the execution of his threatening2 his
  merciful truth will as much engage him
 to accomplish the one1 as his  just    
truth did to inflict the other4 ,the    
goodness which shone forth  in weaker   
rays in the creation1 breaks out with   
stronger beams in  redemption4 ,and the 

mercy which before the appearance of    
,christ was  manifested in some small   
rivulets1 diffuseth itself like a       
boundless  ocean4 ,that ,god1 that was  
our ,creator1 is our ,redeemer1 the     
repairer  of our breaches1 and the      
restorer of our paths to dwell in4 ,and 
the  plenteous redemption from all      
iniquity1 manifested in the incarnation 
and passion of the ,son of ,god1 is much
 more a ground of hope in the  ,lord    
than it was in past ages1 when it could 
not be said1 8,the ,lord  hath1 but the 
,lord shall1 redeem ,israel from all his
 iniquities0 7,ps4  cxxx4 #h74 ,it is a 
full warrant to cast ourselves into his 
arms4    7#b47 ,an incentive to         
obedience4    #a4 ,the commands of the  
gospel require the obedience of the     
creature4  ,there is not one precept in 
the gospel which interferes with any    
rule  in the law1 but strengthens it1   
and represents it in its true exactness3
  the heat to scorch us is allayed1 but 
the light to direct us is not           

extinguished4 ,not the least allowance  
to any sin is granted2 not the  least   
affection to any sin is indulged4 ,the  
law is tempered by the  gospel1 but not 
nulled and cast out of doors by it3 it  
enacts that  none but those that are    
sanctified1 shall be glorified2 that    
there must  be grace here1 if we expect 
glory hereafter2 that we must not       
presume  to expect an admittance to the 
vision of ,god's face unless our souls  
be clothed with a robe of holiness      
7,heb4 xii4 #ad74 ,it requires an       
obedience to the whole law in our       
intention and purpose1 and an  endeavor 
to observe it in our actions2 it        
promotes the honor of ,god1  and ordains
 a universal charity among men2 it      
reveals the whole counsel  of ,god1 and 
furnisheth men with the holiest laws4   
#b4 ,it presents to us the exactest     
pattern for our obedience4 ,the         
redeeming person is not only a          
propitiation for the sin1 but a pattern 
to the sinner 7#a ,pet4 ii4 #ba74 ,the  

conscience of man1 after the fall  of   
,adam1 approved of the reason of the    
law1 but by the corruption  of nature   
man had no strength to perform the law4 
,the possibility of  keeping the law1 by
 human nature1 is evidenced by the      
appearance and  life of the ,redeemer1  
and an assurance given that it shall be 
advanced  to such a state as to be able 
to observe it3 we aspire to it in this  
life1 and have hopes to attain it in a  
future2 and1 while we are here1  the    
actor of our redemption is the copy for 
our imitation4 ,the pattern  to imitate 
is greater than the law to be ruled by4 
,what a lustre did  his virtues cast    
about the world6 ,how attractive are his
 graces6 ,with  what high examples for  
all duties has he furnished us out of   
the copy  of his life6    #c4 ,it       
presents us with the strongest motives  
to obedience 7,tit4 ii4  #aa1 #ab73     
a#ega 8,the grace of ,god teaches us to 
deny ungodliness40  ,what chains bind us
 faster and closer than love8 ,here is  

love to our  nature in his incarnation2 
love to us1 though enemies1 in his death
  and passion2 encouragements to        
obedience by the proffers of pardon  for
 former rebellions4 ,by the disobedience
 of man1 ,god introduceth  his redeeming
 grace1 and engageth his creature to    
more ingenuous and  excellent returns   
than his innocent state could oblige him
 to4 ,in his  created state he had      
goodness to move him1 he hath the same  
goodness  now to oblige him as a        
creature1 and a greater love and mercy  
to oblige  him as a repaired creature2  
and the terror of justice is taken off1 
which might envenom his heart as a      
criminal4 ,in his revolted state  he had
 misery to discourage him2 in his       
redeemed state he hath love  to attract 
him4 ,without such a way1 black despair 
had seized upon the  creature exposed to
 a remediless misery1 and ,god would    
have had no  returns of love from the   
best of his earthly works2 but if any   
sparks  of ingenuity be left1 they will 

be excited by the efficacy of this      
argument4 ,the willingness of ,god to   
receive returning sinners1 is           
manifested in the highest degree2 and   
the willingness of a sinner to  return  
to him in duty hath the strongest       
engagements4 ,he hath done as  much to  
encourage our obedience1 as to          
illustrate his glory4 ,we cannot        
conceive what could be done greater for 
the salvation of our souls1 and         
consequently what could have been done1 
more to enforce our observance4  ,we    
have a ,redeemer1 as man1 to copy it to 
us1 and as ,god1 to perfect us  in it4  
,it would make the heart of any to      
tremble to wound him that hath  provided
 such a salve for our sores1 and to make
 grace a warrant for  rebellionmotives  
capable to form rocks into a            
flexibleness4 ,thus is  the wisdom of   
,god seen in giving us a ground to the  
surest confidence1  and furnishing us   
with incentives to the greatest         
obedience1 by the  horrors of wrath1    

death and sufferings of our ,saviour4   
#h4 ,the wisdom of ,god is apparent in  
the condition he hath settled for  the  
enjoying the fruits of redemption3 and  
this is faith1 a wise and  reasonable   
condition and the concomitants of it    
7#a47 ,in that it is suited to man's    
lapsed state and ,god's glory4          
,innocence is not required here2 that   
had been a condition impossible  in its 
own nature after the fall4 ,the         
rejecting of mercy is now only          
condemning1 where mercy is proposed4    
,had the condition of perfection in     
works been required1 it had rather been 
a condemnation than redemption4  ,works 
are not demanded1 whereby the creature  
might ascribe anything  to himself1 but 
a condition1 which continues in man a   
sense of his  apostasy1 abates all      
aspiring pride1 and makes the reward of 
grace1  not of debt2 a condition1       
whereby mercy is owned1 and the creature
  emptied2 flesh silenced in the dust1  
and ,god set upon his throne of  grace  

and authority2 the creature brought to  
the lowest debasement1  and ,divine     
glory raised to the highest pitch4 ,the 
creature is brought  to acknowledge     
mercy1 and seal to justice2 to own the  
holiness of ,god1  in the hatred of sin2
 the justice of ,god1 in the punishment 
of sin2 and  the mercy of ,god1 in the  
pardoning of sin3 a condition that      
despoils  nature of all its pretended   
excellency2 beats down the glory of man 
at  the foot of ,god 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bi1  
#ca74 ,it subjects the reason and will  
of  man to the wisdom and authority     
a#egb of ,god2 it brings the creature   
to an unreserved submission and entire  
resignation4 ,god is made the  sovereign
 cause of all2 the creature continued in
 his emptiness1 and  reduced to a       
greater dependence upon ,god than by a  
creation2 depending  upon him for a     
constant influx1 for an entire          
happiness3 a condition  that renders    
,god glorious in the creature1 and the  
fallen creature  happy in ,god2 ,god    

glorious in his condescension to man1   
and man happy  in his emptiness before  
,god4 ,faith is made the condition of   
man's  recovery1 that 8the lofty looks  
of man might be humbled1 and the        
haughtiness of man be pulled down0      
7,isa4 ii4 #aa72 that every towering    
imagination might be levelled 7#b ,cor4 
x4 #e74 ,man must have all from  without
 doors2 he must not live upon himself1  
but upon another's  allowance4 ,he must 
stand to the provision of ,god1 and be a
 perpetual  suitor at his gates4        
7#b47 ,a condition opposite to that     
which was the cause of the fall4  ,we   
fell from ,god by an unbelief of the    
threatening2 he recovers us by  a belief
 of the promise2 by unbelief we laid the
 foundation of ,god's  dishonor2 by     
faith1 therefore1 ,god exalts the glory 
of his free grace4  ,we lost ourselves  
by a desire of selfdependence1 and our  
return  is ordered by way of            
selfemptiness4 ,it is reasonable we     
should be  restored in a way contrary to

 that whereby we fell2 we sinned by a   
refusal of cleaving to ,god2 it is a    
part of ,divine wisdom to restore  us in
 a denial of our own righteousness and  
strength4#gig ,man having  sinned by    
pride1 the wisdom of ,god humbles him   
7saith one7 at the very  root of the    
tree of knowledge1 and makes him deny   
his own understanding1  and submit to   
faith1 or else1 forever to lose his     
desired felicity4    7#c47 ,it is a     
condition suited to the common sentiment
 and custom  of the world4 ,there is    
more of belief than reason in the world4
 ,all  instructors and masters in       
sciences and arts1 require1 first a     
belief  in their disciples1 and a       
resignation of their understandings and 
wills  to them4 ,and it is the wisdom of
 ,god to require that of man1 which his 
own reason makes him submit to another  
which is his fellowcreature4 ,he1       
therefore1 that quarrels with the       
condition of faith1 must quarrel with   
all the world1 since belief is the      

beginning of all knowledge2#gih  yea1   
and most of the knowledge in the world1 
may rather come under the  title of     
belief1 than of knowledge2 for what we  
think we know this day1  we may find    
from others such arguments as may       
stagger our knowledge1  and make us     
doubt of that we thought ourselves      
certain of before3 nay1  sometimes we   
change our opinions ourselves without   
any instructor1  and see a reason to    
entertain an opinion quite contrary to  
what we  had before4 ,and if we found a 
general judgment of others to vote      
against what we think we know1 it would 
make us give the less credit  to        
ourselves and our own sentiments4 ,all  
knowledge in the world is  only a       
belief1 depending upon the testimony or 
arguings of others2 for1  indeed1 it may
 be said of all men1 as in ,job 7viii4  
#i71 8,we are but of  yesterday1 and    
know nothing40 ,since1 therefore1 belief
 is so universal  a thing in the world1 
the wisdom of ,god requires that of us  

which  every man must count reasonable1 
or render himself utterly ignorant of   
anything4 ,it is a condition that is    
common to all religions4 ,all a#egc     
religions are founded upon a belief3    
unless men did believe future  things1  
they would not hope nor fear4 ,a belief 
and resignation was  required in all the
 idolatries in the world2 so that ,god  
requires  nothing but what a universal  
custom of the world gives its suffrage  
to  the reasonableness of3 indeed1      
justifying faith is not suited to the   
sentiments of men2 but that faith which 
must precede justifying1 a  belief of   
the doctrine1 though not comprehended by
 reason1 is common to  the custom of the
 world4#gii ,it is no less madness not  
to submit our  reason to faith1 than not
 to regulate our fancies by reason4     
7#d47 ,this condition of faith and      
repentance is suited to the  conscience 
of men4 ,the law of nature teaches us1  
that we are bound to  believe every     
revelation from ,god1 when it is made   

known to us3 and  not only to assent to 
it as true1 but embrace it as good4     
,this nature  dictates1 that we are as  
much obliged to believe ,god1 because of
 his  truth1 as to love him1 because of 
his goodness4 ,every man's reason  tells
 him1 he cannot obey a precept1 nor     
depend upon a promise1 unless  he       
believes both the one and the other4 ,no
 man's conscience but will  inform him1 
upon hearing the revelation of ,god     
concerning his excellent  contrivance of
 redemption1 and the way to enjoy it1   
that it is very  reasonable he should   
strip off all affections to sin1 lie    
down in  sorrow1 and bewail what he hath
 done amiss against so tender a ,god4   
,can you expect that any man that       
promises you a great honor or a rich    
donative1 should demand less of you than
 to trust his word1 bear an  affection  
to him1 and return him kindness8 ,can   
any less be expected  by a prince than  
obedience from a pardoned subject1 and a
 redeemed  captive8 ,if you have injured

 any man in his body1 estate1           
reputation1  would you not count it a   
reasonable condition for the partaking  
of  his clemency and forgiveness1 to    
express a hearty sorrow for it1  and a  
resolution not to fall into the like    
crime again8 ,such are the  conditions  
of the gospel1 suited to the consciences
 of men4    7#e47 ,the wisdom of ,god   
appears1 in that this condition was only
  likely to attain the end4 ,there are  
but two common heads appointed by       
,god1,adam and ,christ3 by one we are   
made a living soul1 by the other  a     
quickening spirit3 by the one we are    
made sinners1 by the other we  are made 
righteous4 ,adam fell as a head1 and all
 his members1 his whole  issue and      
posterity1 fell with him1 because they  
proceeded from him  by natural          
generation4 ,but since the second ,adam 
cannot be our head  by natural          
generation1 there must be some other way
 of engrafting us  in him1 and uniting  
us to him as our ,head1 which must be   

moral and  spiritual2 this cannot       
rationally be conceived to be by any    
other way  than what is suitable to a   
reasonable creature1 and1 therefore1    
must  be by an act of the will1 consent 
and acceptance1 and owning the terms    
settled for an admission to that union4 
,and this is that we properly  call     
faith1 and1 therefore1 called a         
receiving of him 7,john i4 #ab74    #a4 
,now this condition of enjoying the     
fruits of redemption could not  be a    
bare knowledge2 for that is but only an 
act of the understanding1  and doth not 
in itself include the act of the will1  
and so would have  united only one      
faculty to him1 not the whole soul3 but 
a#egd faith  is an act both of the      
understanding and will too2 and         
principally of  the will1 which doth    
presuppose an act of the understanding3 
for there  cannot be a persuasion in the
 will1 without a proposition from the   
understanding4 ,the understanding must  
be convinced of the truth and  goodness 

of a thing1 before the will can be      
persuaded to make any  motion towards   
it2 and1 therefore1 all the promises1   
invitations1  and proffers1 are suited  
to the understanding and will2 to the   
understanding in regard of knowledge1 to
 the will in regard of appetite2  to the
 understanding as true1 to the will as  
good2 to the understanding  as          
practical1 and influencing the will4    
#b4 ,nor could it be an entire          
obedience4 ,that1 as was said before1   
would have made the creature have some  
matter of boasting1 and this  was not   
suitable to the condition he was sunk   
into by the fall4  ,besides1 man's      
nature being corrupted1 was rendered    
incapable to obey1  and unable to have  
one thought of a due obedience 7#b ,cor4
 iii4 #e74  ,when man turned from ,god1 
and upon that was turned out of         
paradise1  his return was impossible by 
any strength of his own2 his nature was 
as much corrupted as his reentrance into
 paradise was prohibited4  ,that        

covenant1 whereby he stood in the       
garden1 required a perfection of  action
 and intention in the observance of all 
the commands of ,god3 but  his fall had 
cracked his ability to recover happiness
 by the terms and  condition of an      
entire obedience2 yet man being a person
 governable by  a law1 and capable of   
happiness by a covenant1 if ,god would  
restore him1  and enter into a covenant 
with him1 we must suppose it to have    
some  condition1 as all covenants have4 
,that condition could not be works1     
because man's nature was polluted4      
,indeed1 had ,god reduced man's  body to
 the dust1 and his soul to nothing1 and 
framed another man1  he might have      
governed him by a covenant of works3 but
 that had not  been the same man that   
had revolted1 and upon his revolt was   
stained  and disabled4 ,but suppose ,god
 had1 by any transcendent grace1 wholly 
purified him from the stain of his      
former transgression1 and restored  to  
him the strength and ability he had     

lost1 might he not as easily  have      
rebelled again8 ,and so the condition   
would never have been  accomplished1 the
 covenant never have been performed1 and
 happiness  never have been enjoyed4    
,there must be some other condition then
 in  the covenant ,god would make for   
man's security4 ,now faith is the most  
proper for receiving the promise of     
pardon of sin3 belief of those  promises
 is the first natural reflection that a 
malefactor can make  upon a pardon      
offered him1 and acceptance of it is the
 first consequent  from that belief4    
,hence is faith entitled a persuasion   
of1 and  embracing the promises 7,heb4  
xi4 #ac71 and a receiving the atonement 
7,rom4 v4 #aa74 ,thus the wisdom of ,god
 is apparent in annexing such a         
condition to the covenant1 whereby man  
is restored1 as answers the end  of ,god
 for his glory1 the state1 conscience1  
and necessity of man1 and  had the      
greatest congruity to his recovery4     
#i4 ,this wisdom of ,god is manifest in 

the manner of the publishing and        
propagating this doctrine of redemption4
    7#a47 ,in the gradual discoveries of
 it4 ,flashing a great light in the     
face of a sudden is amazing2 should the 
sun glare in our eye in all  its        
brightness on a sudden1 after we have   
been in a thick darkness1  a#ege it     
would blind us1 instead of comforting   
us3 so great a work  as this must have  
several digestions4 ,god first reveals  
of what seed  the ,redeeming ,person    
should be1 8the ,seed of the woman0     
7,gen4 iii4 #ae72  then of what nation  
7,gen4 xxvi4 #d72 then of what tribe    
7,gen4 xlix4  #ab71of the tribe of      
,judah2 then of what family1the family  
of ,david2  then what works he was to   
do1 what sufferings to undergo4 ,the    
first  predictions of our ,saviour were 
obscure4 ,adam could not well see the   
redemption in the promise for the       
punishment of death which succeeded  in 
the threatening2 the promise exercised  
his faith1 and the obscurity  and bodily

 death1 his humility4 ,the promise made 
to ,abraham was  clearer than the       
revelations made before1 yet he could   
not tell how  to reconcile his          
redemption with his exile4 ,god         
supported his faith  by the promise1 and
 exercised his humility by making him a 
pilgrim1  and keeping him in a perpetual
 dependence upon him in all his motions4
  ,the declarations to ,moses are       
brighter than those to ,abraham3 the    
delineations of ,christ by ,david1 in   
the ,psalms1 more illustrious  than the 
former3 and all those exceeded by the   
revelations made to  the prophet        
,isaiah1 and the other prophets1        
according as the age did  approach      
wherein the ,redeemer was to enter into 
his office4 ,god wrapped  up this gospel
 in a multitude of types and ceremonies 
fitted to the  infant state of the      
church 7,gal4 iv4 #c74 ,an infant state 
is usually  affected with sensible      
things2 yet all those ceremonies were   
fitted  to that great end of the gospel1

 which he would bring forth in time to  
the world4 ,and the wisdom of ,god in   
them would be amazing1 if we could      
understand the analogy between every    
ceremony in the law and the thing       
signified by it3 as it cannot but affect
 a diligent reader to observe  that     
little account of them we have by the   
apostle ,paul1 sprinkled in  his        
epistles1 and more largely in that to   
the ,hebrews4 ,as the political  laws of
 the ,jews flowed from the depth of the 
moral law1 so their  ceremonial did from
 the depth of evangelical counsels1 and 
all of  them had a special relation to  
the honor of ,god1 and the debasing  the
 creature4 ,though ,god formed the mass 
and matter of the world at  the first   
creation at once1 yet his wisdom took   
six days time for the  disposing and    
adorning it4 ,the more illustrious      
truths of ,god are not  to be           
comprehended on a sudden by the weakness
 of men4 ,christ did not  declare all   
truths to his disciples in the time of  

his life1 because  they were not able at
 that present to bear them 7,john xvi4  
#ab73 8,ye  cannot bear them now20 some 
were reserved for his resurrection1     
others  for the coming of the ,spirit1  
and the full discovery of all kept back 
for another world4 ,this doctrine ,god  
figured out in the law1 oracled  by the 
prophets1 and unveiled by ,christ and   
his apostles4    7#b47 ,the wisdom of   
,god appeared in using all proper means 
to render the  belief of it easy4    #a4
 ,the most minute things that were to be
 transacted were predicted  in the      
ancient foregoing age1 long before the  
coming of the ,redeemer4  ,the vinegar  
and gall offered to him upon the cross1 
the parting his  garments1 the not      
breaking of his bones1 the piercing of  
his hands and  feet1 the betraying of   
him1 the slighting of him by the        
multitude1 all  were exactly painted and
 represented in variety of figures4     
,there was  light enough to good men not
 to mistake a#egf him1 and yet not so   

plain as to hinder bad men from being   
serviceable to the counsels of  ,god in 
the crucifying of him when he came4     
#b4 ,the translation of the ,old        
,testament from the private language of 
the ,jews1 into the most public language
 of the world2 that translation  which  
we call ,septuagint1 from ,hebrew into  
,greek1 some years before  the coming of
 ,christ1 that tongue being most        
diffused at that time1  by reason of the
 ,macedonian empire1 raised by          
,alexander1 and the  university of      
,athens1 to which other nations resorted
 for learning  and education4 ,this was 
a preparation for the sons of ,japhet to
 8dwell  in the tents of ,shem40 ,by    
this was the entertainment of the gospel
  facilitated2 when they compared the   
prophesies of the ,old ,testament  with 
the declarations of the ,new1 and found 
things so long predicted  before they   
were transacted in the public view4     
#c4 ,by ordering concurrent testimonies1
 as to matter of fact1 that  the matter 

of fact was not deniable4 ,that there   
was such a person as  ,christ1 that his 
miracles were stupendous1 that his      
doctrine did not  incline to sedition1  
that he affected not worldly applause1  
that he  did suffer at ,jerusalem1 was  
acknowledged by all2 not a man among the
  greatest enemies of ,christians was   
found that denied the matter of fact4   
,and this great truth1 that ,christ is  
the ,messiah and ,redeemer1 hath  been  
with universal consent owned by all the 
professors of ,christianity  throughout 
the world3 whatever bickerings there    
have been among them  about some        
particular doctrines1 they all centred  
in that truth of  ,christ's being the   
,redeemer4 ,the first publication of    
this doctrine was  sealed by a thousand 
miracles1 and so illustrious1 that he   
was an utter  stranger to the world that
 was ignorant of them4    #d4 ,in       
keeping up some principles and opinions 
in the world to  facilitate the belief  
of this1 or render men inexcusable for  

rejecting  of it4 ,the incarnation of   
the son of ,god could not be so strange 
to  the world1 if we consider the       
general belief of the appearances#hjj   
of their gods among them2 that the      
,epicureans and others1 that denied  any
 such appearances1 were counted         
atheists4#hja ,and ,pythagoras was      
esteemed to be one1 not of the inferior 
genii and lunar demons1 but one  of the 
higher gods1 who appeared in a human    
body1 for the curing and  rectifying    
mortal life2#hjb and himself tells      
,abaris1 the ,scythian1  that he was 1  
that he 8took the flesh of man10 that   
men might not be astonished at him1 and 
in a fright fly from his  instructions4 
,it was not therefore accounted an      
irrational thing  among them1 that ,god 
should be incarnate3 but1 indeed1 the   
great  stumblingblock was a crucified   
,god4 ,but had they known the holy and  
righteous nature of ,god1 the malice of 
sin1 the universal corruption of  human 
nature1 the first threatening1 and the  

necessity of vindicating  the honor of  
the law1 and clearing the justice of    
,god1 the notion of  his crucifixion    
would not have appeared so incredible1  
since they  believed the possibility of 
an incarnation4    ,another principle   
was that universal one of sacrifices for
  expiation1 and rendering ,god         
propitious to man1 and was practised    
among  a#egg all nations4 ,i remember   
not any wherein this custom did not     
prevail2 for it did even among those    
people where the ,jews1 as being  no    
trading nation1 had not any commerce2   
and also in ,america1 found out  in     
these latter ages4 ,it was not a law of 
nature2 no man can find any  such thing 
written in his own heart1 but a         
tradition from ,adam4 ,now  that among  
the loss of so many other doctrines that
 were handed down  from ,adam to his    
immediate posterity1 as1 in particular1 
that of the  8,seed of the woman10 which
 one would think a necessary appendix to
 that  of sacrificing1 this latter      

should be preserved as a fragment of an 
ancient tradition1 seems to be an act of
 ,divine wisdom1 to prepare  men for the
 entertainment of the doctrine of the   
great ,sacrifice for  the expiation of  
the sin of the world4 ,and as the       
apostle forms his  argument from the    
,jewish sacrifices1 in the epistle to   
the ,hebrews1  for the convincing them  
of the end of the death of ,christ1 so  
did the  ancient fathers make use of    
this practice of the heathen to convince
  them of the same doctrine4    #e4 ,the
 wisdom of ,god appeared in the time and
 circumstances of the  first solemn     
publication of the gospel by the        
apostles at ,jerusalem4  ,the relation  
you may read in ,acts ii4 #aab4 ,the    
,spirit was given to the  apostles on   
the day of ,pentecost2 a time wherein   
there were multitudes  of ,jews from all
 nations1 not only near1 but remote1    
that heard the  great things of ,god    
spoken in the several languages of those
 nations  where their habitations were  

fixed1 and that by twelve illiterate    
men1 that two or three hours before knew
 no language but that of  their native  
country4 ,it was the custom of the      
,jews1 that dwelt among  other nations1 
at a distance from ,jerusalem1 to       
assemble together at  ,jerusalem at the 
feast of ,pentecost3 and ,god pitched   
upon this season1  that there might be  
witnesses of this miracle in many parts 
of the  world3 there were some of every 
nation under heaven 7ver4 #e72 that is1 
of that known part of the world1 so     
saith the text4 ,fourteen several       
nations are mentioned2 and proselytes as
 well as ,jews by birth4 ,they  are     
called 8devout men10 men of conscience1 
whose testimony would carry  weight with
 it among their neighbors at their      
return1 because of their  reputation by 
their religious carriage4 ,again1 this  
was not heard and  seen by some of them 
at one time1 and some at another1 by    
some one  hour1 by others the next      
successively1#hjc but altogether1 in a  

solemn  assembly1 that the testimony of 
so many witnesses at a time1 might be   
more valid1 and the truth of the        
doctrine appear more illustrious and    
undeniable4 ,and it must needs be       
astonishing to them1 to hear that       
person magnified in so miraculous a     
manner1 who had so lately been          
condemned by their countrymen as a      
malefactor4 ,wisdom consists in  the    
timing of things4 ,and in this          
circumstance doth the wisdom of ,god    
appear1 in furnishing the apostles with 
the ,spirit at such a time1 and         
bringing forth such a miracle1 as the   
gift of tongues1 on a sudden1  that     
every nation might hear in their own    
language the wonder of  redemption1 and 
as witnesses at their returns into their
 own countries1  report it to others2   
that the credit they had1 in their      
several places1  might facilitate the   
belief and entertainment of the gospel1 
when  the apostles1 or others1 should   
arrive to those several charges  and    

dioceses a#egh appointed for them to    
preach the gospel in4 ,had  this miracle
 been wrought in the presence only of   
the inhabitants of  ,judea1 that        
understood only their own language1 or  
one or two of the  neighboring tongues1 
it had been counted by them rather a    
madness than  a miracle4 ,or had they   
understood all the tongues which they   
spoke1  the news of it had spread no    
further than the limits of their own    
habitations1 and had been confined      
within the narrow bounds of the land  of
 ,judea4 ,but now it is carried to      
several remote nations1 where any  of   
those auditors then assembled had their 
residence4 ,as ,god chose the  time of  
the ,passover for the death of ,christ1 
that there might be the  greatest number
 of the inhabitants of the country1 as  
witnesses of the  matter of fact1 the   
innocence and sufferings of ,christ1 so 
he chose the  time of ,pentecost for the
 first publishing the value and end of  
this  blood to the world4 ,thus the     

evangelical law was given in a          
confluence  of people from all parts and
 nations1 because it was a covenant with
  all nations3 and the variety of       
languages spoken by a company of poor   
,galileans1 bred up at the lake of      
,tiberias1 and in poor corners of       
,canaan1 without the instructions of men
 for so great a skill1 might  well      
evidence to the hearers1 that ,god that 
brought the confusion of  languages     
first at ,babel1 did only work that cure
 of them1 and combine  all together at  
,jerusalem4    7#c47 ,the wisdom of ,god
 is seen in the instruments he employed 
in the  publishing the gospel4 ,he did  
not employ philosophers1 but fishermen2 
used not acquired arts1 but infused     
wisdom and courage4 ,this treasure  was 
put into1 and preserved in earthen      
vessels1 that the wisdom1 as  well as   
the power of ,god1 might be magnified4  
,the weaker the means are  which attain 
the end1 the greater is the skill of the
 conductor of them4  ,wise princes      

choose men of most credit1 interest1    
wisdom1 and ability1  to be ministers of
 their affairs1 and ambassadors to      
others4 ,but what  were these that ,god 
chose for so great a work1 as the       
publishing a new  doctrine to the world8
 ,what was their quality but mean1 what 
was their  authority without interest8  
,what was their ability1 without eminent
  parts for so great a work1 but what   
,divine grace in a special manner       
endowed them with8 ,nay1 what was their 
disposition to it8 as dull and          
unwieldy4 ,witness the frequent rebukes 
for their slowheartedness1  from their  
,master1 when he conversed in the flesh 
with them4 ,and one of  the greatest of 
them1 so fond of the ,jewish ceremonies 
and ,pharisaical  principles1 wherein he
 had been more than ordinarily          
principled1 that  he hated the          
,christian religion to extirpation1 and 
the professors of  it to death2 by those
 ways which were out of the road of     
human wisdom1  and would be accounted   

the greatest absurdity to be practised  
by men  that have a repute for          
discretion1 did ,god advance his wisdom 
7#a ,cor4  i4 #be73 8,the foolishness of
 ,god is wiser than man40 ,by this means
 it  was indisputably evidenced to      
unbiassed minds1 that the doctrine was  
divine4 ,it could not rationally be     
imagined1 that instruments destitute  of
 all human advantages1 should be able to
 vanquish the world1 confound  ,judaism1
 overturn heathenism1 chase away the    
devils1 strip them of  their temples1   
alienate the minds of men from their    
several religions1  which had been      
rooted in them by education1 and        
established by a long  succession4 ,it  
could not1 ,i a#egi say1 reasonably be  
imagined to be  without a supernatural  
assistance1 an heavenly and efficacious 
working3  whereas1 had ,god taken a     
course agreeable to the prudence of man1
 and  used those that had been furnished
 with learning1 tipped with eloquence1  
and armed with human authority1 the     

doctrines would have been thought  to   
have been of a human invention1 and to  
be some subtle contrivance  for some    
unworthy and ambitious end3 the         
nothingness and weakness  of the        
instruments manifest them to be         
conducted by a ,divine power1  and      
declare the doctrine itself to be from  
heaven4 ,when we see such  feeble       
instruments proclaiming a doctrine      
repugnant to flesh and blood1  sounding 
forth a crucified ,christ to be believed
 in1 and trusted on1  and declaiming    
against the religion and worship under  
which the ,roman  empire had long       
flourished2 exhorting them to the       
contempt of the  world1 preparation for 
afflictions1 denying themselves1 and    
their own  honors1 by the hopes of an   
unseen reward1 things so repugnant to   
flesh  and blood2 and these instruments 
concurring in the same story1 with  an  
admirable harmony in all parts1 and     
sealing this doctrine with  their blood2
 can we upon all this1 ascribe this     

doctrine to a human  contrivance1 or fix
 any lower author of it than the wisdom 
of heaven8  ,it is the wisdom of ,god   
that carries on his own designs in      
methods most  suitable to his own       
greatness1 and different from the       
customs and modes  of men1 that less of 
humanity1 and more of divinity might    
appear4    7#d47 ,the wisdom of ,god    
appears in the ways and manner1 as well 
as in  the instruments of its           
propagation1 by ways seemingly contrary4
 ,you  know how ,god had sent the ,jews 
into captivity in ,babylon1 and though  
he  struck off their chains1 and        
restored them to their country1 yet many
  of them had no mind to leave a country
 wherein they had been born and  bred4  
,the distance from the place of the     
original of their ancestors1  and their 
affection to the country wherein they   
were born1 might  have occasioned their 
embracing the idolatrous worship of the 
place4  ,afterwards the persecutions of 
,antiochus scattered many of the ,jews  

for  their security into other nations2 
yet a great part1 and perhaps the       
greatest1 preserved their religion1 and 
by that were obliged to come  every year
 to ,jerusalem to offer1 and so were    
present at the effusion  of the ,spirit 
on the day of ,pentecost1 and were      
witnesses of the  miraculous effects of 
it4 ,had they not been dispersed by     
persecution1  had they not resided in   
several countries1 and been acquainted  
with  their languages1 the gospel had   
not so easily been diffused into        
several countries of the world4 ,the    
first persecutions also raised  against 
the church1 propagated the gospel2 the  
scattering of the  disciples enflamed   
their courage1 and dispersed the        
doctrine 7,acts viii4  #c71 according to
 the prophecy of ,daniel 7xii4 #d73     
8,many should run to  and fro1 and      
knowledge should be increased40 ,the    
flights and hurryings  of men should    
enlarge the territories of the gospel4  
,there was not a  tribunal1 but the     

primitive ,christians were cited to2 not
 a horrible  punishment1 but was        
inflicted upon them4 ,treated they were1
 as the  dregs and offals of mankind1 as
 the common enemies of the world2 yet   
the flames of the martyrs brightened the
 doctrine1 and the captivity of  its    
professors made way for the throne of   
its empire4 ,the imprisonment  of a#ehj 
the ark was the downfall of ,dagon4     
,religion grew stronger  by sufferings1 
and ,christianity taller by injuries4   
,what can this be  ascribed to1 but the 
conduct of a wisdom superior to that of 
men and  devils1 defeating the methods  
of human and hellish policy2 thereby    
making the 8wisdom of this world        
foolishness with ,god0 7#a ,cor4 iii4   
#ai78    ,v4 ,the ,use #a4 ,of          
,information4 ,if wisdom be an          
excellency of the  ,divine nature2 then1
    #a4 ,christ's ,deity may hence be   
asserted4 ,wisdom is the emphatical     
title of ,christ in ,scripture 7,prov4  
viii4 #ab1 #ac1 #ca71 where wisdom  is  

brought in speaking as a distinct       
person2 ascribing counsel1 and          
understanding1 and the knowledge of     
witty inventions to itself4 ,he is      
called also the power of ,god1 and the  
wisdom of ,god 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bd74  ,and 
the ancients generally understood that  
place 7,col4 ii4 #c71 8,in him  are hid 
all the treasures of wisdom and         
knowledge10 as an assertion of  the     
,godhead of ,christ1 in regard of the   
infiniteness of his knowledge2          
referring wisdom to his knowledge of    
divine things2 and knowledge to  his    
understanding of all human things4 ,but 
the natural sense of the  place seems to
 be this1 that all wisdom and knowledge 
is displayed by  ,christ in the gospel2 
and the words1  1 refer either to       
,christ1  or the mystery of ,god spoken 
of1 7ver4 #b74 ,but the ,deity of       
,christ1  in regard of infinite wisdom1 
may be deduced from his creation of     
things1 and his government of things2   
both which are ascribed to him in       

,scripture4 ,the first ascribed to him  
7,john i4 #c73 8,all things were made   
by him20 and 7ver4 #bg71 8,without him  
was not any thing made1 that was  made40
 ,the second 7,john v4 #bb73 8,the      
,father hath committed all judgment  to 
the ,son20 and both put together 7,col4 
ii4 #af1 #ag74 ,now since he hath  the  
government of the world1 he hath the    
perfections necessary to so  great a    
work4 ,as the creation of the world1    
which is ascribed to him1  requires an  
infinite power1 so the government of the
 world requires an  infinite wisdom4    
,that he hath the knowledge of the      
hearts of men1 was  proved in handling  
the omniscience of ,god4 ,that knowledge
 would be to  little purpose without    
wisdom to order the motions of men's    
hearts1  and conduct all the qualities  
and actions of creatures1 to such an    
end as is answerable to a wise          
government2 we cannot think so great an 
employment can be without an ability    
necessary for it4 ,the government  of   

men and angels is a great part of the   
glory of ,god2 and if ,god  should      
entrust the greatest part of his glory  
in hands unfit for so  great a trust1 it
 would be an argument of weakness in    
,god1 as it is in  men1 to pitch upon   
unfit instruments for particular        
charges2 since ,god  hath therefore     
committed to him his greatest glory1 the
 conduct of all  things for the highest 
end1 he hath a wisdom requisite for so  
great an  end1 which can be no less than
 infinite4 ,if then ,christ were a      
finite  person1 he would not be capable 
of an infinite communication2 he could  
not be a subject wherein infinite wisdom
 could be lodged2 for the  terms finite 
and infinite are so distant1 that they  
cannot commence  one another2 finite can
 never be changed into infinite1 no more
 than  infinite can into finite4    #b4 
,hence we may assert the right and      
fitness of ,god for the  government     
a#eha of the world1 as he is the wisest 
,being4 ,among men1  those who are      

excellent in judgment1 are accounted    
fittest to preside  over1 and give      
orders to others2 the wisest in a city  
are most capable  to govern a city2 or  
at least1 though ignorant men may bear  
the title1  yet the advice of the       
soundest and skilfullest heads should   
prevail  in all public affairs3 we see  
in nature1 that the eye guides the body1
  and the mind directs the eye4 ,power  
and wisdom are the two arms of          
authority2 wisdom knows the end1 and    
directs the means2 power executes  the  
means designed for such an end4#hjd ,the
 more splendid and strong  those are in 
any1 the more authority results from    
thence1 for the  conduct of others that 
are of an inferior orb2 now ,god being  
infinitely  excellent in both1 his      
ability and right to the management of  
the world  cannot be suspected2 the     
whole world is but one commonwealth1    
whereof  ,god is the monarch4 ,did the  
government of the world depend upon the 
election of men and angels1 where could 

they pitch1 or where would they  find   
perfections capable of so great a work1 
but in the ,supreme ,wisdom8  ,his      
wisdom hath already been apparent in    
those laws1 whereby he formed  the world
 into a civil society1 and the          
,israelites into a commonwealth4  ,the  
one suited to the consciences and       
reasons of all his subjects1 and  the   
other suited to the genius of that      
particular nation1 drawn out of  the    
righteousness of the moral law1 and     
applicable to all cases that  might     
arise among them in their government2 so
 that ,moses asserts1  that the wisdom  
apparent in their laws enacted by ,god1 
as their chief  magistrate1 would render
 them famous among other nations1 in    
regard of  their wisdom1 as well as     
their righteousness 7,deut4 iv4 #f1 #g1 
#i74 ,also1  this perfection doth       
evidence1 that ,god doth actually govern
 the world4  ,it would not be a         
commendable thing for a man to make a   
curious piece  of clockwork1 and take no

 care for the orderly motion of it4     
,would ,god  display so much of his     
skill in framing the heaven and earth1  
and none  in actual guidance of them to 
their particular and universal ends8    
,did  he lay the foundation in order1   
and fit every stone in the building1    
make all things in weight and measure1  
to let them afterwards run at           
haphazard8 ,would he bring forth his    
power to view in the creation1  and let 
a more glorious perfection lie idle1    
when it had so large a  field to move   
in8 ,infinite wisdom is inconsistent    
with inactivity4  ,all prudence doth    
illustrate itself in untying the hardest
 knots1 and  disposing the most         
difficult affairs to a happy and        
successful issue4  ,all those various   
arts and inventions among men which lend
 their  assisting hand to one another1  
and those various employments their     
several geniuses lead them to1 whereby  
they support one another's  welfare1 are
 beams and instincts of ,divine wisdom  

in the government  of the world4 ,he    
that 8made all things in wisdom0 7,ps4  
civ4 #bd71 would  not leave his works to
 act and move only according to their   
own folly1  and idly behold them jumble 
together1 and run counter to that end he
  designed them for2 we must not fancy  
,divine wisdom to be destitute of       
activity4    #c4 ,here we may see a     
ground of ,god's patience4 ,the most    
impotent  persons are the most          
impatient1 when unforeseen emergencies  
a#ehb  arise2 or at events expected by  
them1 when their feeble prudence was    
not a sufficient match to contest with  
them1 or prevent them4 ,but the  wiser  
any man is1 the more he bears with those
 things which seem to  cross his        
intentions1 because he knows he grasps  
the whole affair1 and  is sure of       
attaining the end he proposeth to       
himself2 yet1 as a finite  wisdom can   
have but a finite patience1 so an       
infinite wisdom possesses  an infinite  
patience4 ,the wise ,god intends to     

bring glory to himself1  and good to    
some of his creatures1 out of the       
greatest evils that can  happen in the  
world1 he beholds no exorbitant         
afflictions and monstrous  actions1 but 
what he can dispose to a good and       
glorious end1 even to  8work together   
for good to them that love ,god0 7,rom4 
viii4 #bh72 and1  therefore1 doth not   
presently fall foul upon the actors1    
till he hath  wrought out that temporary
 glory to himself1 and good to his      
people  which he designs4 ,the times of 
ignorance ,god winked at1 till he had   
brought his ,son into the world1 and    
manifested his wisdom in redemption1    
and when this was done he presseth men  
to a 8speedy repentance0 7,acts  xvii4  
#cj72 that1 as he forbore punishing     
their crimes1 in order to  the          
displaying his wisdom in the designed   
redemption2 so when he had  effected it1
 they must forbear any longer abusing   
his patience4    #d4 ,hence appears the 
immutability of ,god in his decrees4 ,he

 is not  destitute of a power and       
strength to change his own purposes1 but
 his  infinite perfection of wisdom is a
 bar to his laying aside his eternal    
resolves and forming new ones 7,isa4    
xlvi4 #aj72 he resolves the end from    
the beginning1 and his counsel stands2  
stands immovable1 because it  is his    
counsel4 ,it is an impotent counsel1    
that is subject to a daily  thwarting   
itself4 ,inconstant persons are         
accounted1 by men1 destitute  of a due  
measure of prudence4 ,if ,god change his
 mind it is either for  the better or   
the worse2 if for the better1 he was not
 wise in his  former purpose2 if for the
 worse1 he is not wise in his present   
resolve4  ,no alteration can be without 
a reflection of weakness upon the former
  or present determination4 ,god must   
either cease to be as wise as he was    
before1 or begin to be wiser than he was
 before the change1 which to  think or  
imagine is to deny a ,deity4 ,if any man
 change his resolution1  he is          

apprehensive of a flaw in his former    
purpose1 and finds an  inconvenience in 
it1 which moves him to such a change1   
which must be  either for want of       
foresight in himself1 or want of a due  
consideration  of the object of his     
counsel1 neither of which can be        
imagined of ,god  without a denial of   
the ,deity4 ,no1 there are no blots and 
blemishes in  his purposes and promises4
 ,repentance1 indeed1 is an act of      
wisdom in  the creature1 but it         
presupposeth folly in his former        
actions1 which  is inconsistent with    
infinite perfection4 ,men are often too 
rash in  promising2 and1 therefore1 what
 they promise in haste1 they perform at 
leisure1 or not at all3 they consider   
not before they vow1 and make           
afterinquiries1 whether they had best   
stand to it4 ,the only wise ,god  needs 
not any aftergame3 as he is sovereignly 
wise1 he sees no cause  of reversing    
anything1 and wants not expedients for  
his own purpose2  and as he is          

infinitely powerful1 he hath no superior
 to hinder him  from executing his will1
 and making his people enjoy the effects
 of his  wisdom4 ,if he had a           
recollection of thoughts1 as man hath1  
and a#ehc  and saw a necessity to mend  
them1 he were not infinitely wise in his
  first decrees3 as in creation he      
looked back upon the several pieces of  
that goodly frame he had erected1 and   
saw them so exact that he did not  take 
up his pencil again to mend any particle
 of the first draught1 so  his promises 
are made with such infinite wisdom and  
judgment1 that what  he writes is       
irreversible and forever1 as the decrees
 of the ,medes and  ,persians4 ,all the 
words of ,god are eternal because they  
are the births  of righteousness and    
judgment 7,hos4 ii4 #ai72 8,i will      
betroth thee to  me forever1 in         
righteousness and judgment40 ,he is not 
of a wavering  and flitting discretion3 
if he threatens1 he wisely considers    
what he  threatens2 if he promises1 he  

wisely considers what he promises2 and  
therefore is immutable in both4    #e4  
,hence it follows that ,god is a fit    
object for our trust and  confidence3   
for ,god being infinitely wise1 when he 
promises anything1  he sees everything  
which may hinder1 and everything which  
may promote  the execution of it1 so    
that he cannot discover anything        
afterwards  that may move him to take up
 afterthoughts3 he hath more wisdom than
  to promise anything hand over head1 or
 anything which he knows he  cannot     
accomplish4 ,though ,god1 as true1 be   
the object of our trust1  yet ,god1 as  
wise1 is the foundation of our trust4   
,we trust him in his  promise2 the      
promise was made by mercy1 and it is    
performed by truth2  but wisdom conducts
 all means to the accomplishment of it4 
,there are  many men1 whose honesty we  
can confide in1 but whose discretion we 
are  diffident of3 but there is no      
defect1 either of the one or the other1 
which may scare us from a depending upon

 ,god in our concerns4 ,the words  of   
man's wisdom the apostle entitles       
8enticing0 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #d71 in        
opposition to the words of ,god's       
wisdom1 which are firm1 stable1 and     
undeniable demonstrations4 ,as the power
 of ,god is an encouragement  of trust1 
because he is able to effect1 so the    
wisdom of ,god comes  into the rank of  
those attributes which support our      
faith4 ,to put a  confidence in him1 we 
must be persuaded1 not only that he is  
ignorant  of nothing in the world1 but  
that he is wise to manage the whole     
course  of nature1 and dispose of all   
his creatures1 for the bringing his     
purposes and his promises to their      
designed perfection4    #f4 ,hence      
appears the necessity of a public review
 of the management  of the world1 and of
 a day of judgment4 ,as a day of        
judgment may be  inferred from many     
attributes of ,god1 as his sovereignty1 
justice1  omniscience1 c41 so1 among the
 rest1 from this of wisdom4 ,how much   

of this perfection will lie unveiled and
 obscure1 if the sins of men  be not    
brought to view1 whereby the ordering   
the unrighteous actions  of men1 by his 
directing and overruling hand of        
providence1 in  subserviency to his own 
purposes and his people's good1 may     
appear in  all its glory6 ,without such 
a public review1 this part of wisdom    
will  not be clearly visible2 how those 
actions1 which had a vile foundation  in
 the hearts and designs of men1 and were
 formed there to gratify some  base     
lust1 ambition1 and covetousness1 c4    
were1 by a secret wisdom  presiding over
 them1 conducted to amazing ends4 ,it is
 a part of ,divine  wisdom to right     
itself1 and convince men of the         
reasonableness of its  laws1 and the    
unreasonableness of their contradictions
 a#ehd to it4  ,the execution of the    
sentence is an act of justice1 but the  
conviction  of the reasonableness of the
 sentence is an act of wisdom1 clearing 
up  the righteousness of the proceeding2

 and this precedes1 and the other       
follows 7,jude #ae72 8,to convince all  
that are ungodly of all their  ungodly  
deeds40 ,that wisdom which contrived    
satisfaction1 as well as  that justice  
which required it1 is concerned in      
righting the law which  was enacted by  
it4 ,the wisdom of a sovereign ,lawgiver
 is engaged not  to see his law vilified
 and trampled on1 and exposed to the    
lusts and  affronts of men1 without     
being concerned in vindicating the honor
 of  it4 ,it would appear a folly to    
enact and publish it1 if there were  not
 a resolution to right and execute it4  
,the wisdom of ,god can no  more        
associate iniquity and happiness        
together1 than the justice of  ,god can 
separate iniquity from punishment4 ,it  
would be defective1  if it did always   
tamely bear the insolences of offenders1
 without a  time of remark of their     
crimes1 and a justification of the      
precept1  rebelliously spurned at4 ,he  
would be unwise1 if he were unjust2     

unrighteousness hath no better a title  
in ,scripture than that of  folly4 ,it  
is no part of ,wisdom to give birth to  
those laws which he  will always behold 
ineffectual1 and neither vindicate his  
law by a due  execution of the penalty1 
nor right his own authority1 contemned  
in  the violation of his law1 by a just 
revenge3 besides1 what wisdom would  it 
be for the ,sovereign ,judge to lodge   
such a spokesman for himself as         
conscience in the soul of man1 if it    
should be alway found speaking1  and at 
length be found false in all that it    
speaks8 ,there is1 therefore1  an       
apparent prospect of the day of account1
 from the consideration of  this        
perfection of the ,divine nature4    #g4
 ,hence we have a ground for a mighty   
reverence and veneration of the  ,divine
 ,majesty4 ,who can contemplate the     
sparklings of this perfection  in the   
variety of the works of his hands1 and  
the exact government of  all his        
creatures1 without a raised admiration  

of the excellency of his  ,being1 and a 
falling flat before him1 in a posture of
 reverence to so  great a ,being8 ,can  
we behold so great a mass of matter1    
digested into  several forms1 so exact a
 harmony and temperament in all the     
creatures1  the proportions of numbers  
and measures1 and one creature answering
  the ends and designs of another1 the  
distinct beauties of all1 the  perpetual
 motion of all things without checking  
one another2 the  variety of the nature 
of things1 and all acting according to  
their  nature with an admirable         
agreement1 and all together1 like       
different  strings upon an instrument1  
emitting divers sounds1 but all reduced 
to  order in one delightful lesson2,i   
say1 can we behold all this without     
admiring and adoring the ,divine wisdom1
 which appears in all8 ,and  from the   
consideration of this1 let us pass to   
the consideration of  his wisdom in     
redemption1 in reconciling divided      
interests1 untying  hard knots1 drawing 

one contrary out of another2 and we must
 needs  acknowledge that the wisdom of  
all the men on earth1 and angels in     
heaven1 is worse than nothing and vanity
 in comparison of this vast  ,ocean4    
,and as we have a greater esteem for    
those that invent some  excellent       
artificial engines1 what reverence ought
 we to have for  him that hath stamped  
an unimitable wisdom upon all his works6
 ,nature  orders a#ehe us to give honor 
to our superiors in knowledge1 and      
confide in their counsels2 but none     
ought to be reverenced as much  as ,god1
 since none equals him in wisdom4    #h4
 ,if ,god be infinitely wise1 it shows  
us the necessity of our address  to him1
 and invocation of his ,name4 ,we are   
subject to mistakes1 and  often         
overseen2 we are not able rightly to    
counsel ourselves4 ,in some  cases1 all 
creatures are too shortsighted to       
apprehend them1 and too  ignorant to    
give advice proper for them1 and to     
contrive remedies for  their ease2 but  

with the ,lord there is counsel 7,jer4  
xxxii4 #ai71 8,he is  great in counsel1 
and mighty in working20 great in counsel
 to advise us1  mighty in working to    
assist us4 ,we know not how to effect a 
design1 or  prevent an expected evil4   
,we have an infinite ,wisdom to go to1  
that is  every way skilful to manage any
 business we desire1 to avert any evil  
we fear1 to accomplish anything we      
commit into his hands4 ,when we know    
not what to resolve1 he hath a counsel  
to 8guide us0 7,ps4 lxxiii4 #bd74  ,he  
is not more powerful to effect what is  
needful1 than wise to direct  what is   
fitting4 ,all men stand in need of the  
help of ,god1 as one man  stands in need
 of the assistance of other men1 and    
will not do anything  without advice2   
and he that takes advice1 deserves the  
title of a wise  man1 as well as he that
 gives advice4 ,but no man needs so much
 the  advice of another man1 as all men 
need the counsel and assistance  of     
,god3 neither is any man's wit and      

wisdom so far inferior to the  prudence 
and ability of an angel1 as the wisdom  
of the wisest man and  the most         
sharpsighted angel1 is inferior to the  
infinite wisdom of ,god4  ,we see1      
therefore1 that it is best for us to go 
to the fountain1 and  not content       
ourselves with the streams2 to beg      
advice from a wisdom  that is infinite  
and infallible1 rather than from that   
which is finite  and fallible4    ,use  
#b4 ,if wisdom be the perfection of the 
,divine ,majesty1 how  prodigious is the
 contempt of it in the world8 ,in       
general1 all sin  strikes at this       
attribute1 and is in one part or other a
 degrading  of it3 the first sin        
directed its venom against this4 ,as the
 devils  endeavored to equal their      
,creator in power1 so man endeavored to 
equal  him in wisdom3 both indeed       
scorned to be ruled by his order2 but   
man  evidently exalted himself against  
the wisdom of ,god1 and aspired to be  a
 sharer with him in his infinite        

knowledge2 would not let him be the     
only wise ,god1 but cherished an        
ambition to be his partner4 ,just as  if
 a beam were able to imagine it might be
 as bright as the sun2 or a  spark fancy
 it could be as full fraught with heat  
as the whole element  of fire4 ,man     
would not submit to the infinite wisdom 
of ,god in the  prohibition of one      
single fruit in the garden1 when by the 
right of  his sovereign authority1 he   
might have granted him only the use of  
one4 ,all presumptuous sins are of this 
nature2 they are1 therefore1  called    
reproaches of ,god 7,num4 xv4 #cj71 8the
 soul that doth ought  presumptuously1  
reproacheth the ,lord40 ,all reproaches 
are either for  natural1 moral1 or      
intellectual defects4 ,all reproaches of
 ,god must  imply either a weakness or  
unrighteousness in ,god3 if             
unrighteousness1  his holiness is       
denied2 if weakness1 his wisdom is      
blemished4 ,in  general1 all sin strikes
 at this perfection two ways4    a#ehf  

#a4 ,as it defaceth the wise workmanship
 of ,god4 ,every sin is a  deforming and
 blemishing our own souls1 which1 as    
they are the prime  creatures in the    
lower world1 so they have greater       
characters of ,divine  wisdom in the    
fabric of them3 but this image of ,god  
is ruined and  broken by sin4 ,though   
the spoiling of it be a scorn of his    
holiness1 it  is also an affront to his 
wisdom2 for though his power was the    
cause of  the production of so fair a   
piece1 yet his wisdom was the guide of  
his  power1 and his holiness the pattern
 whereby he wrought it4 ,his power      
effected it1 and his holiness was       
exemplified in it2 but his wisdom       
contrived it4 ,if a man had a curious   
clock or watch1 which had cost him  many
 years pains and the strength of his    
skill to frame it2 for another1  after  
he had seen and considered it1 to       
trample upon it1 and crush it  in       
pieces1 would argue a contempt of the   
artificer's skill4 ,god hath  shown     

infinite art in the creation of man2 but
 sin unbeautifies man1  and ravisheth   
his excellency4 ,it cuts and slasheth   
the image of ,god  stamped by divine    
wisdom1 as though it were an object only
 of scorn  and contempt4 ,the sinner in 
every sin acts1 as if he intended to put
  himself in a better posture1 and in a 
fairer dress1 than the wisdom of  ,god  
hath put him in by creation4    #b4 ,in 
the slighting his laws4 ,the laws of    
,god are highly  rational2 they are     
drawn from the depths of the ,divine    
understanding1  wherein there is no     
unclearness1 and no defect4 ,as his     
understanding  apprehends all things in 
their true reason1 so his will enjoins  
all  things for worthy and wise ends4   
,his laws are contrived by his wisdom   
for the happiness of man1 whose         
happiness1 and the methods to it1 he    
understands better than men or angels   
can do4 ,his laws being the orders  of  
the wisest understanding1 every breach  
of his law is a flying in  the face of  

his wisdom4 ,all human laws1 though they
 are enforced by  sovereign authority1  
yet they are1 or ought to be1 in the    
composing of  them1 founded upon reason1
 and should be particular applications  
of the  law of nature to this or that   
particular emergency4 ,the laws of ,god1
  then1 who is summa ratio1 are the     
birth of the truest reason2 though  the 
reason of every one of them may not be  
so clear to us4 ,every law1  though it  
consists in an act of the will1 yet doth
 presuppose an act  of the              
understanding4 ,the act of the ,divine  
understanding in framing  the law1 must 
be supposed to precede the act of his   
will in commanding  the observance of   
that law4 ,so every sin against the law1
 is not only  against the will of ,god  
commanding1 but the reason of ,god      
contriving1  and a cleaving to our own  
reason1 rather than the understanding or
  mind of ,god3 as if ,god had mistaken 
in making his law1 and we had more      
understanding to frame a better1 and    

more conducing to our happiness3  as if 
,god were not wise enough to govern us1 
and prescribe what we  should do1 and   
what we should avoid2 as if he designed 
not our welfare  but our misfortune4    
,whereas1 the precepts of ,god are not  
tyrannical  edicts1 or acts of mere     
will1 but the fruits of counsel2 and1   
therefore1  every breach of them is a   
real declamation against his discretion 
and  judgment1 and preferring our own   
imaginations1 or the suggestions of  the
 devil1 as our rule1 before the results 
of ,divine counsel4 ,while we           
acknowledge a#ehg him wise in our       
opinion1 we speak him foolish by our    
practice2 when1 instead of being guided 
by him1 we will guide ourselves4  ,no   
man will question1 but it is a          
controlling ,divine wisdom1 to make     
alterations in his precepts2            
dogmatically1 either to add some of     
their own1 or expunge any of his3 and is
 it not a crime of the like  reflection 
to alter them practically8 ,when we will

 observe one part  of the law1 and not  
another part2 but pick and choose where 
we please  ourselves1 as our humors and 
carnal interest prompt us2 it is to     
charge  that part of the law with folly1
 which we refuse to conform unto4 ,the  
more cunning any man is in sin1 the more
 his sin is against ,divine  wisdom1 as 
if he thought to outwit ,god4 ,he that  
receives the promises  of ,god1 and the 
8testimony of ,christ1 sets to his seal1
 that ,god  is true0 7,john iii4 #cc74  
,by the like strength of argument1 it   
will  undeniably follow1 that he that   
refuseth obedience to his precepts1     
sets to his seal that ,god is foolish4  
,were they not rational1 ,god would  not
 enjoin them2 and if they are rational1 
we are enemies to infinite  wisdom1 by  
not complying with them4 ,if infinite   
prudence hath made the  law1 why is not 
every part of it observed2 if it were   
not made with  the best wisdom1 why is  
any part of it observed8 ,if the        
defacing of  his image be any sin1 as   

being a defaming his wisdom in creation1
 the  breaking his law is no less a sin1
 as being a disgracing his wisdom in    
his administration4 ',tis upon this     
account1 likely1 that the ,scripture  so
 often counts sinners fools1 since it is
 certainly inexcusable folly  to        
contradict undeniable and infallible    
,wisdom2 yet this is done in the  least 
sin3 and as he that breaks one tittle of
 the law1 is deservedly  accounted      
guilty of the breach of the whole       
7,james ii4 #aj71 so he that  despiseth 
the least stamp of wisdom in the        
minutest part of the law1  is deservedly
 counted as a contemner of it1 in the   
frame of the whole  statutebook4 ,but1  
in particular1 the wisdom of ,god is    
affronted and  invaded4    7#a47 ,by    
introducing new rules and modes of      
worship1 different  from ,divine        
institutions4 ,is not this a manifest   
reflection on this  perfection of ,god1 
as though he had not been wise enough to
 provide  for his own honor1 and model  

his own service1 but stood in need of   
our  directions1 and the caprichios of  
our brains8 ,some have observed1  that  
it is a greater sin in worship to do    
that we should not1 than to  omit what  
we should perform4#hje ,the one seems to
 be out of weakness1  because of the    
high exactness of the law2 and the other
 out of  impudence1 accusing the wisdom 
of ,god of imperfection1 and controlling
  it in its institutions4 ,at best1 it  
seems to be an imputation of  human     
bashfulness to the ,supreme ,sovereign2 
as if he had been ashamed  to prescribe 
all that was necessary to his own honor1
 but had left  something to the         
ingenuity and gratitude of men4 ,man    
has1 ever since  the foolish conceit of 
his old ancestor ,adam1 presumed he     
could be  as wise as ,god2 and if he who
 was created upright entertained such   
conceits1 much more doth man now1 under 
a mass of corruption1 so  capable to    
foment them4 ,this hath been the        
continual practice of men2  not so much 

to reject what once they had received as
 ,divine1 but add  something of their   
own inventions to it4 ,the a#ehh        
heathens renounced  not the sacrificing 
of beasts for the expiation of their    
offences  7which the old world had      
received by tradition from ,adam1 and   
the  new world1 after the deluge1 from  
,noah74 ,but they had blended that      
tradition with rites of their own1 and  
offered creatures unclean in            
themselves1 and not fit to be offered to
 an infinitely pure ,being2 for  the    
distinction of clean and unclean was as 
ancient as ,noah 7,gen4 viii4  #bj71    
yea1 before 7,gen4 vii4 #b74 ,so the    
,jews did not discard what they  had    
received from ,god1 as circumcision1 the
 ,passover1 and sacrifices2  but they   
would mix a heap of heathenish rites    
with the ceremonies of  ,divine         
ordination1 and practise things which he
 had not commanded1  as well as things  
which he had enjoined them4 ,and1       
therefore1 it is  observable1 that when 

,god taxeth them with sin1 he doth not  
say1 they  brought in those things which
 he had forbidden into his worship2 but 
those things which he had not commanded1
 and had given no order for1 to         
intimate1 that they were not to move a  
step without his rule 7,jer4 vii4  #ca73
 8,they have built the high palaces of  
,tophet1 which ,i commanded  them not1  
neither came it into my heart20 and     
7,levit4 x4 #a72 ,nadab's  and ,abihu's 
strange fire was not commanded2 so      
charging them with  impudence and       
rashness in adding something of their   
own1 after he  had revealed to them the 
manner of his service1 as if they were  
as  wise as ,god4 ,so loth is man to    
acknowledge the supremacy of ,divine    
understanding1 and be sensible of his   
own ignorance4 ,so after the  divulging 
of the gospel1 the corruptors of        
religion did not fling off1  but        
preserved the institutions of ,god1 but 
painted and patched them up  with pagan 
ceremonies2 imposed their own dreams    

with as much force as  the revelations  
of ,god4 ,thus hath the papacy turned   
the simplicity of  the gospel into pagan
 pomp1 and religion into politics2 and  
revived  the ceremonial law1 and raked  
some limbs of it out of the grave1 after
  the wisdom of ,god had rung her knell1
 and honorably interred her2 and        
sheltered the heathenish superstitions  
in christian temples1 after the  power  
of the gospel had chased the devils1    
with all their trumpery1  from their    
ancient habitations4 ,whence should this
 proceed1 but from a  partial atheism1  
and a mean deceit of the ,divine wisdom8
 ,as though ,god  had not understanding 
enough to prescribe the form of his own 
worship2  and not wisdom enough to      
support it1 without the crutches of     
human  prudence4 ,human prudence is too 
low to parallel ,divine wisdom2 it is   
an incompetent judge of what is fit for 
an infinite ,majesty4 ,it is            
sufficiently seen in the ridiculous and 
senseless rights among the  heathens2   

and the cruel and devilish ones fetched 
from them by the  ,jews4 ,what work will
 human wisdom make with divine worship1 
when it  will presume to be the director
 of it1 as a mate with the wisdom of    
,god6 ,whence will it take its measures1
 but from sense1 humor and fancy8  as   
though what is grateful and comely to a 
depraved reason1 were as  beautiful to  
an unspotted and ,infinite ,mind4 ,do   
not such tell the world1  that they were
 of ,god's cabinet council1 since they  
will take upon them  to judge1 as well  
as ,god1 what is wellpleasing to him8   
,where will it  have the humility to    
stop1 if it hath the presumption to add 
any one  thing to revealed modes of     
worship8 ,how did ,god tax the          
,israelites with  making idols          
8according to their own understanding0  
a#ehi 7,hos4 xiii4  #b76 imagining their
 own understandings to be of a finer    
make1 and a  perfecter mould than their 
,creator's2 and that they had fetched   
more  light from the chaos of their own 

brains1 than ,god had from eternity in  
his own nature4 ,how slight will the    
excuse be1 ,god hath not forbidden      
this1 or that1 when ,god shall silence  
men with the question1 ,where1  or when 
did ,i command this1 or that8 ,there was
 no addition to be  made under the law  
to the meanest instrument ,god had      
appointed in  his service4 ,the sacred  
perfume was not to have one ingredient  
more  put into it1 than what ,god had   
prescribed in the composition2 nor was  
any man upon pain of death to imitate   
it2 nor would ,god endure that          
sacrifices should be consumed with any  
other fire than that which came  down   
from heaven4 ,so tender is ,god of any  
invasions of his wisdom and  authority4 
,in all things of this nature1          
whatsoever voluntary humility  and      
respect to ,god they may be disguised   
with1 there is a swelling  of the       
fleshly mind against infinite           
understanding1 which the apostle        
nauseates 7,col4 ii4 #ah74 ,such        

mixtures have not been blessed by ,god3 
as  ,god never prospered the mixtures of
 several kinds of creatures1 to form    
and multiply a new species1 as being a  
dissatisfaction with his wisdom  as     
,creator2 so he doth not prosper        
mixtures in worship1 as being a         
conspiracy against his wisdom as a      
,lawgiver4 ,the destruction of the      
,jews was judged by some of their       
doctors to be1 for preferring human     
traditions before the written word2     
which they ground on 7,isaiah  xxix4    
#cc73 8,their fear for me was taught by 
the precepts of men40  ,the injunctions 
of men were the rule of their worship1  
and not the  prescripts of my law4#hjf  
,to conclude1 such as make alterations  
in  religion1 different from the first  
institution1 are intolerable busy       
bodies1 that will not let ,god alone    
with his own affairs4 ,vain man  would  
be wiser than his ,maker1 and be        
dabbling in that which is ,his  sole    
prerogative4    #b4 ,in neglecting means

 instituted by ,god4 ,when men have     
risings of  heart against ,god's        
ordinances1 8they reject the counsel of 
the ,lord  against themselves10 or1 in  
themselves 7,luke vii4 #cj71 4  ,they   
disannulled the wisdom of ,god1 the     
spring of his ordinances4 ,all  neglects
 are disregards of ,divine              
prescriptions1 as impertinent and       
unavailable to that end for which they  
were appointed1 as not being  suited to 
the common dictates of reason2 sometimes
 out of a voluntary  humility1 such as  
,peter's was1 when he denied ,christ's  
condescension  to wash his feet 7,john  
xiii4 #h71 and thereby judged of the    
comeliness  of his ,master's intention  
and action4 ,such as continually neglect
 the  great institution of the ,lord's  
supper1 out of a sense of unworthiness1 
are in the same rank with ,peter1 and   
do1 as well as he1 fall under the  blame
 and reproof of ,christ4 ,men would be  
saved1 and use the means1  but either   
means of their own appointment1 or not  

at all the means of  ,god's             
ordering4#hjg ,they would have ,god's   
wisdom and will condescend  to theirs1  
and not theirs conformed to ,god's2 as  
if our blind judgments  were fittest to 
make the election of the paths to       
happiness4 ,like  ,naaman1 who1 when he 
was ordered a#eij by the prophet1 for   
the cure  of his leprosy1 to 8wash seven
 times in ,jordan10 would be the        
prophet's  director1 and have him touch 
him with his hand2 as if a patient1 sick
  of a desperate disease1 should        
prescribe to his skilful physician what 
remedies he should order for his cure1  
and make his own infirm reason1  or his 
gust and palate1 the rule1 rather than  
the physician's skill4  ,men's inquiries
 are1 8,who will show us any good80     
,they rather fasten  upon any means than
 that which ,god hath ordained4#hjh ,we 
invert the  order ,divine wisdom hath   
established1 when we would have ,god    
save us in  our own way1 not in his4 ,it
 is the same thing as if we would have  

,god  nourish us without bread1 and cure
 our disease without medicines1 and     
increase our wealth without our         
industry1 and cherish our souls without 
his word and ordinances4 ,it is to      
demand of him an alteration of his      
methods1 and a separation of that which 
he hath by his eternal judgment  joined 
together4 ,therefore for a man to pray  
to ,god to save him when he  will not   
use the means he hath appointed for     
salvation1 when he slights  the word1   
which is the instrument of salvation1 is
 a contempt of the  wisdom of ,divine   
institutions4 ,also in omissions of     
prayer4 ,when we  consult not with ,god 
upon emergent occasions1 we trust more  
to our  own wisdom than ,god's1 and     
imply that we stand not in need of his  
conduct1 but have ability to direct     
ourselves1 and accomplish our ends      
without his guidance4 ,not seeking ,god 
is1 by the prophet1 taxed to be  a      
reflection upon this perfection of ,god 
7,isa4 xxxi4 #a1 #b73 8,they look  not  

to the ,holy ,one of ,israel1 neither   
seek the ,lord0 c4 ,and the like  charge
 he brings against them 7,hos4 viii4    
#i73 8,they are gone up to  ,assyria1 a 
wild ass alone by himself1 not          
consulting ,god40    #c4 ,in censuring  
,god's revelations and actions1 if they 
be not  according to our schemes3 when  
we will not submit to his plain will    
without penetrating into the unrevealed 
reason of it1 nor adore his  counsels   
without controlling them1 as if we could
 correct both law  and gospel1 and frame
 a better method of redemption than that
 of ,god's  contriving4 ,thus men       
slighted the wisdom of ,god in the      
gospel1 because  it did not agree with  
that philosophical wisdom and reason    
they had  sucked in by education from   
their masters 7#a ,cor4 i4 #ba1 #bb71   
contrary  to their practice in their    
superstitious worship1 where the oracles
  they thought divine were entertained  
with reverence1 not with dispute1  and  
though ambiguous1 were not counted      

ridiculous by the worshipper4  ,how     
foolish is man in this wherein he would 
be accounted wise6 ,adam1  in innocence1
 was unfit to control the doctrine of   
,god when the eye of  his reason was    
clear2 and much more are we1 since the  
depravation of  our natures4 ,the       
revelations of ,god tower above reason  
in its purity1  much more above reason  
in its mud and earthiness4 ,the rays of 
,divine  wisdom are too bright for our  
human understandings1 much more for our 
sinful understandings4 ,it is base to   
set up reason1 a finite principle1      
against an infinite wisdom2 much baser  
to set up a depraved and  purblind      
reason against an allseeing and holy    
wisdom4 ,if we would have  a reason for 
all that ,god speaks1 and all that ,god 
acts1 our wisdom  must become infinite  
as his1 or his wisdom become finite as  
a#eia  ours4 ,all the censures of ,god's
 revelations arise from some prejudicate
  opinions1 or traditional maxims1 that 
have enthroned themselves in  our minds1

 which are made the standard whereby to 
judge the things of  ,god1 and receive  
or reject them as they agree with1 or   
dissent from1  those principles 7,col4  
ii4 #h74 ,hence it was that the         
philosophers1  in the primitive times1  
were the greatest enemies to the gospel3
 and  the contempt of ,divine wisdom1 in
 making reason the supreme judge of     
,divine revelation1 was the fruitful    
mother of the heresies in all ages      
springing up in the church1 and         
especially of that ,socinianism1 that   
daily insinuates itself into the minds  
of men4 ,this is a wrong to  the wisdom 
of ,god4 ,he that censures the words or 
actions of another1  implies that he is1
 in his censure1 wiser than the person  
censured  by him4 ,it is as             
insupportable to determine the truth of 
,god's plain  dictates by our reason1 as
 it is to measure the suitableness or   
unsuitableness of his actions by the    
humor of our will4 ,we may sooner  think
 to span the sun1 or grasp a star1 or   

see a gnat swallow a  ,leviathan1 than  
fully understand the debates of         
eternity4 ,to this we  may refer too    
curious inquiries into ,divine methods1 
and 8intruding  into those things which 
are not revealed0 7,col4 ii4 #ah74 ,it  
is to  affect a wisdom equal with ,god1 
and an ambition to be of his cabinet    
council4 ,we are not content to be      
creatures1 that is1 to be every way     
below ,god2 below him in wisdom1 as well
 as power4    #d4 ,in prescribing ,god's
 method of acting4 ,when we pray for a  
thing  without a due submission to      
,god's will2 as if we were his          
counsellors1  yea his tutors1 and not   
his subjects1 and ,god were bound to    
follow our  humors1 and be swayed       
according to the judgment of our        
ignorance2 when  we would have such a   
mercy which ,god thinks not fit to give1
 or have  it in this method1 which ,god 
designs to convey through another       
channel4  ,thus we would have the only  
wise ,god take his measures from our    

passions2 such a controlling of ,god was
 ,jonah's anger about a gourd  7chap4   
iv4 #a73 8,it displeased ,jonah         
exceedingly1 and he was very angry40    
,we would direct ,him how to dispose of 
us2 as though he1 that had  infinite    
wisdom to contrive and rear the         
excellent fabric of the world1  had not 
wisdom enough1 without our discretions1 
to place us in a sphere  proper for his 
own ends1 and the use he intends us in  
the universe4  ,all the speeches of men 
7would ,i had been in such an office1   
had  such a charge2 would ,i had such a 
mercy1 in such a method1 or by such     
instruments17 are entrenchments upon    
,god's wise disposal of affairs4  ,this 
imposing upon ,god is a hellish         
disposition1 and in hell we find  it4   
,the rich man in hell1 that pretends    
some charity for his brethren  on earth1
 would direct ,god a way to prevent     
their ruin1 by sending one  from the    
dead to school them1 as a more effectual
 means than 8,moses  and the prophets0  

7,luke xvi4 #bi1 #cj74 ,it is a temper  
also to be found  on earth2 what else   
was the language of ,saul's saving the  
,amalekites'  cattle against the plain  
command of ,god 7#a ,sam4 xv4 #ae78 ,as 
if ,god in  his fury had overshot       
himself and overlooked his altar1 in    
depriving it  of so great a booty for   
its service2 as if it were an unwise    
thing in  ,god1 to lose the prey of so  
many stately cattle1 that might make the
  altar smoke with their entrails1 and  
serve to expiate the sins of the        
people2 and therefore he would rectify  
that which he a#eib thought  to be an   
oversight in ,god1 and so magnifies his 
own prudence and  discretion above the  
,divine4 ,we will not let ,god act as he
 thinks fit1  but will be directing him1
 and 8teaching him knowledge0 7,job4    
xxi4 #bb74  ,as if ,god were a statue1  
an idol1 that had eyes and saw not1     
hands1  but acted not2 and could be     
turned as an image may be1 to what      
quarter  of the heaven we please        

ourselves4 ,the wisdom of ,god is       
unbiassed2 he  orders nothing but what  
is fittest for his end1 and we would    
have our  shallow brains the bias of    
,god's acting4 ,and will not ,god resent
 such  an indignity1 as a reflection    
upon his wisdom as well as authority1   
when we intimate that we have better    
heads than he1 and that he comes  short 
of us in understanding8    #e4 ,in      
murmuring and impatience4 ,one demands a
 reason1 why he hath  this or that      
cross8 ,why he hath been deprived of    
such a comfort1 lost  such a venture1   
languisheth under such a sickness1 is   
tormented with  such pains1 oppressed by
 tyrannical neighbors1 is unsuccessful  
in such  designs8 ,in these1 and such   
like1 the wisdom of ,god is questioned  
and  defamed4 ,all impatience is a      
suspicion1 if not a condemnation of the 
prudence of ,god's methods1 and would   
make human feebleness and folly  the    
rule of ,god's dealing with his         
creatures4 ,this is a presuming  to     

instruct ,god1 and a reproving him for  
unreasonableness in his  proceedings1   
when his dealings with us do not exactly
 answer our  fancies and wishes2 as if  
,god1 who made the world in wisdom1     
wanted  skill for the management of his 
creatures in it 7,job xl4 #b73 8,shall  
he  that contends with the ,almighty1   
instruct him8 he that reproveth ,god1   
let him answer it40 ,we that are not    
wise enough to know ourselves1  and what
 is needful for us2 presume to have wit 
enough to guide ,god in  his dealing    
with us4 ,the wisdom of ,god rendered   
,job more useful to the  world by his   
afflictions1 in making him a pattern of 
patience1 than if  he had continued him 
in a confluence of all worldly comforts1
 wherein  he had been beneficial only in
 communicating his morsels to his poor  
neighbors4 ,all murmuring is a fastening
 error upon unerring ,wisdom4    #f4 ,in
 pride and haughtiness of spirit4 ,no   
proud man1 but sets his  heart 8as the  
heart of ,god0 7,ezek4 xxviii4 #b1 #c74 

,the wisdom of ,god  hath given to men  
divers offices1 set them in divers      
places2 some have  more honorable       
charges1 some meaner4 ,not to give that 
respect their  offices and places call  
for1 is to quarrel with the wisdom of   
,god1 and  overturn the rank and order  
wherein he hath placed things4 ,it is   
unfit  we should affront ,god in the    
disposal of his creatures1 and intimate 
to  him by our carriage1 that he had    
done more wisely in placing another1    
and that he hath done foolishly in      
placing this or that man in such  a     
charge4 ,sometimes men are unworthy the 
place they fill2 they may be  set there 
in judgment to themselves and others3   
but the wisdom of ,god  in his          
management of things1 is to be honored  
and regarded4 ,it is an  infringing the 
wisdom of ,god1 when we have a vain     
opinion of ourselves1  and are blind to 
others4 ,when we think ourselves        
monarchs1 and treat  others as worms or 
flies in comparison of us4 ,he who would

 reduce all  things to his own honor1   
perverts the order of the world1 and    
would  constitute another a#eic order   
than what the wisdom of ,god hath       
established2 and move them to an end    
contrary to the intention of ,god1  and 
charges ,god with want of discretion and
 skill4    #g4 ,distrust of ,god's      
promise is an impeachment of his wisdom4
    ,a secret reviling of it1 as if he  
had not taken due consideration  before 
he past his word2 or a suspicion of his 
power1 as if he could  not accomplish   
his word4 ,we trust the physician's     
skill with our bodies1  and the lawyer's
 counsel with our estates2 but are loath
 to rely upon  ,god for the concerns of 
our lives4 ,if he be wise to dispose of 
us1 why  do we distrust him8 ,if we     
distrust him1 why do we embrace an      
opinion  of wisdom8 ,unbelief also is a 
contradiction to the wisdom of ,god in  
the gospel1 c41 but that ,i have already
 handled in a discourse of the  nature  
of unbelief4    ,use #c4 ,of comfort4   

,god hath an infinite wisdom1 to conduct
 us in  our affairs1 rectify us in our  
mistakes1 and assist us in our straits4 
,it is an inestimable privilege to have 
a ,god in covenant with us2 so  wise1 to
 communicate all good1 to prevent all   
evil2 who hath infinite  ways to bring  
to pass his gracious intentions towards 
us4 8,how  unsearchable are his         
judgments1 and his ways past finding    
out0 7,rom4  xi4 #cc76 ,his judgments or
 decrees are incomprehensibly wise1 and 
the  ways of effecting them are as wise 
as his resolves effected by them4  ,we  
can as little search into his methods of
 acting1 as we can into his  wisdom of  
resolving2 both his judgments and ways  
are unsearchable4    #a4 ,comfort in all
 straits and afflictions4 ,there is a   
wisdom in  inflicting them1 and a wisdom
 in removing them4 ,he is wise to suit  
his medicines to the humor of our       
disease1 though he doth not to the      
humor of our wills3 he cannot mistake   
the nature of our distemper1 or  the    

virtue of his own physic4 ,like a       
skilful physician1 he sometimes         
prescribes bitter potions1 and sometimes
 cheering cordials1 according  to the   
strength of the malady1 and necessity of
 the patient1 to reduce  him to health4 
,as nothing comes from him1 but what is 
for our good1 so  nothing is acted by   
him in a rash and temerarious way4 ,his 
wisdom is as  infinite as his goodness2 
and as exact in managing1 as his        
goodness is  plentiful in streaming out 
to us4 ,he understands our griefs1      
weighs our  necessities1 and no remedies
 are beyond the reach of his            
contrivance4  ,when our feeble wits are 
bewildered in a maze1 and at the end of 
their  line for a rescue1 the remedies  
unknown to us are not unknown to ,god4  
,when we know not how to prevent a      
danger1 the wise ,god hath a thousand   
blocks to lay in the way2 when we know  
not how to free ourselves from  an      
oppressive evil1 he hath a thousand ways
 of relief4 ,he knows how  to time our  

crosses1 and his own blessings4 ,the    
heart of a wise ,god1  as well as the   
heart of a wise man1 discerns both time 
and judgment  7,eccles4 viii4 #e74      
,there is as much judgment in sending   
them1 as  judgment in removing them4    
,how comfortable is it to think1 that   
our  distresses1 as well as our         
deliverances1 are the fruits of infinite
  wisdom6 ,nothing is done by him too   
soon or too slow2 but in the true  point
 of time1 with all its due              
circumstances1 most conveniently for    
his glory and our good4 ,how wise is    
,god to bring the glory of our          
salvation out of the depths of a seeming
 ruin4 a#eid and make the  evils of     
affliction subservient to the good of   
the afflicted4    #b4 ,in temptations1  
his wisdom is no less employed in       
permitting  them1 than in bringing them 
to a good issue4 ,his wisdom in leading 
our ,saviour to be tempted of the devil1
 was to fit him for our succor2  and his
 wisdom in suffering us to be tempted1  

is to fit us for his  own service1 and  
our salvation4 ,he makes a thorn in the 
flesh to be an  occasion of a refreshing
 grace to the spirit1 and brings forth  
cordial  grapes from those pricking     
brambles1 and magnifies his grace by his
  wisdom1 from the deepest subtilties of
 hell4 ,let ,satan's intentions be  what
 they will1 he can be for him at every  
turn1 to outwit him in his  stratagems1 
to baffle him in his enterprises2 to    
make him instrumental  for our good1    
where he designs nothing but our hurt4  
,the ,lord hath his  methods of         
deliverance from him 7#b ,pet4 ii4 #i74 
8,the ,lord knows how to  deliver the   
godly out of temptation40    #c4 ,in    
denials1 or delays of answers of prayer4
 ,he is gracious to hear2  but he is    
wise to answer in an acceptable time1   
and succor us in a day  proper for our  
salvation 7#b ,cor4 vi4 #b74 ,we have   
partial affections to  ourselves1       
ignorance is natural to us 7,rom4 viii4 
#bf74 ,we ask we know  not what1 because

 we ask out of ignorance4 ,god grants   
what he knows1  what is fit for him to  
do1 and fit for us to receive2 and the  
exact  season wherein it is fittest for 
him to bestow a mercy4 ,as ,god would   
have us bring forth our fruit in season1
 so he will send forth his  mercies in  
season4 ,he is wise to suit his remedy  
to our condition1 to  time it so1 as    
that we shall have an evident prospect  
of his wisdom  in it2 that more of      
,divine skill1 and less of human1 may   
appear in the  issue4 ,he is ready at   
our call2 but he will not answer1 till  
he see  the season fit to reach out his 
hand4 ,he is wise to prove our faith1   
to humble us under the sense of our own 
unworthiness1 to wet our  affections1 to
 set a better estimate on the blessings 
prayed for1 and  that he may double the 
blessing1 as we do our devotion3 but    
when his  wisdom sees us fit to receive 
his goodness1 he grants what we stand in
  need of4 ,he is wise to choose the    
fittest time1 and faithful to give  the 

best covenant mercy4    #d4 ,in all     
evils threatened to the church by her   
enemies4 ,he hath  knowledge to foresee 
them1 and wisdom to disappoint them     
7,job4 v4 #ac72  8,he taketh the wise in
 their own craftiness1 and the counsel  
of the  froward is carried headlong40   
,the church hath the wisdom of ,god1 to 
enter the lists with the policy of hell4
 ,he defeated the serpent in  the first 
net he laid1 and brought a glorious     
salvation out of hell's  rubbish1 and is
 yet as skilful to disappoint the       
aftergame of the  serpentine brood4 ,the
 policy of hell1 and the subtilty of the
 world1  are no better than folly with  
,god 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ai74 ,all creatures
 are  fools1 as creatures1 in comparison
 with the ,creator4 ,the angels he      
chargeth with folly1 much more us       
sinners4 ,depraved understandings are   
not fit mates for a pure and unblemished
 mind4 ,pharaoh1 with his wisdom1  finds
 a grave in the sea2 and ,ahitophel's   
plots are finished in his  own murder4  

,he breaks the enemies by his power1 and
 orders them by his  skill to be a feast
 to his people 7,ps4 lxxiv4 #ad72 8,thou
 breakest the  head of the leviathan1   
and gavest a#eie him to be meat to the  
people  in the wilderness40 ,the spoils 
of the ,egyptians' carcasses1 cast upon 
the shore1 served the ,israelites'      
necessities 7or were as meat to them72  
as being a deliverance the church might 
feed upon in all ages1 in a  wilderness 
condition1 to maintain their faith1 the 
vital principle of  the soul4 ,there is 
a wisdom superior to the subtilties of  
men1 which  laughs at their follies1 and
 8hath them in derision0 7,ps4 ii4 #d74 
8,there is no wisdom or counsel against 
the ,lord0 7,prov4 xxi4 #cj74 ,you      
never question the wisdom of an artist  
to use his file1 when he takes  it into 
his hand4 ,wicked instruments are ,god's
 axes and files2 let him  alone1 he hath
 skill enough to manage them3 ,god hath 
too much affection  to destroy his      
people1 and wisdom enough to beautify   

them by the worst  tools he uses4 ,he   
can make all things conspire to a       
perfect harmony for  his own ends1 and  
his people's good1 when they see no way 
to escape a  danger feared1 or attain a 
blessing wanted4    ,use #d4 ,for       
,exhortation4 #a4 ,meditate on the      
wisdom of ,god in creation  and         
government4 ,how little do we think of  
,god when we behold his works6  ,our    
sense dwells upon the surface of plants 
and animals1 beholds the  variety of    
their colors1 and the progress in their 
motion2 our reason  studies the         
qualities of them2 our spirits seldom   
take a flight to the  ,divine wisdom    
which framed them4 ,our senses engross  
our minds from ,god1  that we scarce    
have a thought free to bestow upon the  
,maker of them1  but only on the by4    
,the constancy of seeing things that are
 common  stifles our admiration of ,god1
 due upon the sight of them4 ,how seldom
  do we raise our souls as far as       
heaven1 in our views of the order of    

the world1 the revolutions of the       
seasons1 the nature of the creatures    
that are common among us1 and the mutual
 assistance they give to  each other6   
,since ,god hath manifested himself in  
them1 to neglect the  consideration of  
them is to neglect the manifestation of 
,god1 and the  way whereby he hath      
transmitted something of his perfections
 to our  understanding4 ,it renders men 
inexcusably guilty of not glorifying  of
 ,god 7,rom4 i4 #ai1 #bj74 ,we can never
 neglect the meditation of the          
creatures1 without a blemish cast upon  
the ,creator's wisdom4 ,as every  river 
can conduct us to the sea1 so every     
creature points us to an  ocean of      
infinite wisdom4 ,not the minutest of   
them1 but rich tracts of  this may be   
observed in them1 and a due sense of    
,god result from them4  ,they are       
exposed to our view1 that something of  
,god may be lodged  in our minds2 that1 
as our bodies extract their quintessence
 for our  nourishment1 so our minds may 

extract a quintessence for the ,maker's 
praise4 ,though ,god is principally to  
be praised1 in and for ,christ1  yet1 as
 grace doth not rase out the law of     
nature1 so the operations  of grace put 
not the dictates of nature to silence1  
nor suspend the  homage due to ,god upon
 our inspection of his works4 ,god hath 
given full  testimonies of this         
perfection in the heavenly bodies1      
dispersing their  light1 and            
distributing their influences to every  
part of the world2  in framing men into 
societies1 giving them various          
dispositions for  the preservation of   
governments2 making some wise for       
counsel1 others  martial for action2    
changing old empires1 and raising new4  
,which way  soever we cast our eyes1 we 
shall find frequent occasions to cry    
out1  8,o the depth a#eif of the riches1
 both of the wisdom and knowledge  of   
,god0 7,rom4 xi4 #cc76 ,to this purpose1
 we must not only look upon  the bulk   
and outside of his works1 but consider  

from what principles  they were raised1 
in what order disposed1 and the exact   
symmetry and  proportion of their parts4
 ,when a man comes into a city or       
temple1 and  only considers the surface 
of the buildings1 they will amaze his   
sense1  but not better his              
understanding1 unless he considers the  
methods of  the work1 and the art       
whereby it was erected4    7#a47 ,this  
was an end for which they were created4 
,god did not make the  world for man's  
use only1 but chiefly for his own glory2
 for man's use  to enjoy his creatures1 
and for his own glory to be acknowledged
 in his  creatures1 that we may consider
 his art in framing them1 and his skill 
in disposing them1 and not only gaze    
upon the glass without considering  the 
image it represents1 and acquainting    
ourselves whose image it is4  ,the      
creatures were not made for themselves1 
but for the service of the  ,creator1   
and the service of man4 ,man was not    
made for himself1 but for  the service  

of the ,lord that created him4 ,he is to
 consider the beauty  of the creation1  
that he may thereby glorify the         
,creator4 ,he knows in  part their      
excellency2 the creatures themselves do 
not4 ,if1 therefore1  man be idle and   
unobservant of them1 he deprives ,god of
 the glory  of his wisdom1 which he     
should have by his creatures4 ,the      
inferior  creatures themselves cannot   
observe it4 ,if man regard it not1 what 
becomes of it8 his glory can only be    
handed to him by man4 ,the other        
creatures cannot be active instruments  
of his glory1 because they  know not    
themselves1 and therefore cannot render 
him an active praise4  ,man is1         
therefore1 bound to praise ,god for     
himself1 and for all his  creatures1    
because he only knows himself1 and the  
perfections of the  creatures1 and the  
,author both of himself and them4 ,god  
created such  variety1 to make a report 
of himself to us2 we are to receive the 
report1 and to reflect it back to him4  

,to what purpose did he make so  many   
things1 not necessary1 for the support  
and pleasure of our lives1  but that we 
should behold him in them1 as well as in
 the other8 ,we  cannot behold the      
wisdom of ,god in his own essence1 and  
eternal ideas1  but by the reflection of
 it in the creatures3 as we cannot      
steadily  behold the sun with our eye1  
but either through a glass1 or by       
reflection of the image of it in the    
water4 ,god would have us meditate  on  
his perfections2 he therefore chose the 
same day wherein he  reviewed his work  
and rested from it1 to be celebrated by 
man for the  contemplation of him 7,gen4
 ii4 #b1 #c71 that we should follow his 
example1  and rejoice1 as himself did1  
in the frequent reviews of his wisdom   
and goodness in them4 ,in vain would the
 creatures afford matter for  this      
study1 if they were wholly neglected4   
,god offers something to our            
consideration in every creature4 ,shall 
the beams of ,god shine round  about us1

 and strike our eyes1 and not affect our
 minds8 ,shall we be  like ignorant     
children1 that view the pictures1 or    
point to the letters  in a book1 without
 any sense and meaning8 ,how shall ,god 
have the homage  due to him from his    
works1 if man hath no care to observe   
them8 ,the  #adhth ,psalm is an         
exhortation to this4 ,the view of them  
should often  extract from us a wonder  
of the like nature of a#eig that of     
,david's  7,ps4 civ4 #bd73 8,o ,lord1   
how wonderful are thy works1 in wisdom  
hast  thou made them all60 ,the world   
was not created to be forgotten1 nor man
  created to be unobservant of it4      
7#b47 ,if we observe not the wisdom of  
,god in the views of the creatures1  we 
do no more than brutes4 ,to look upon   
the works of ,god in the world1  is no  
higher an act than mere animals perform4
 ,the glories of heaven1  and beauties  
of the earth1 are visible to the sense  
of beasts and  birds4 ,a brute beholds  
the motion of a man1 as it may see the  

wheels  of a clock1 but understands not 
the inward springs of motion2 the end   
for which we move1 or the soul that acts
 us in our motion2 much less  that      
,invisible ,power which presides over   
the creatures1 and conducts  their      
motion4 ,if a man do no more than this1 
he goes not a step beyond  a brutish    
nature1 and may very well acknowledge   
himself with ,asaph1 a  foolish and     
ignorant beast before ,god 7,ps4 lxxiii4
 #bb74 ,the world is  viewed by beasts1 
but the ,author of it to be contemplated
 by man4 ,since  we are in a higher rank
 than beasts1 we owe a greater debt than
 beasts2  not only to enjoy the         
creatures1 as they do1 but behold ,god  
in the  creatures1 which they cannot do4
 ,the contemplation of the reason of    
,god in his works1 is a noble and       
suitable employment for a rational      
creature3 we have not only sense to     
perceive them1 but souls to mind  them4 
,the soul is not to be without its      
operation3 where the operation  of sense

 ends1 the work of the soul ought to    
begin4 ,we travel over  them by our     
senses1 as brutes2 but we must pierce   
further by our  understandings1 as men1 
and perceive and praise ,him that lies  
invisible  in his visible manufactures4 
,our senses are given us as servants to 
the  soul1 and our souls bestowed upon  
us for the knowledge and praise of      
their and our common ,creator4    7#c47 
,this would be a means to increase our  
humility4 ,we should then  flag our     
wings1 and vail our sails1 and          
acknowledge our own wisdom  to be as a  
drop to the ocean1 and a shadow to the  
sun4 ,we should have  mean thoughts of  
the nothingness of our reason1 when we  
consider the  sublimity of the ,divine  
wisdom4 ,who can seriously consider the 
sparks  of infinite skill in the        
creature1 without falling down at the   
feet of  the ,divine ,majesty1 and      
acknowledge himself a dark and foolish  
creature  7,ps4 viii4 #d1 #e78 ,when the
 ,psalmist considered the heavens1 the  

moon1  and stars1 and ,god's ordination 
and disposal of them1 the use that      
results from it is1 8,what is man1 that 
thou art mindful of him80 ,we  should no
 more think to mate him in prudence1 or 
set up the spark of  our reason to vie  
with the sun4 ,our reason would more    
willingly submit  to the revelation1    
when the characters of ,divine wisdom   
are stamped  upon it1 when we find his  
wisdom in creation incomprehensible to  
us4    7#d47 ,it would help us in our   
acknowledgments of ,god1 for his        
goodness  to us4 ,when we behold the    
wisdom of ,god in creatures below us1   
and how  ignorant they are of what they 
possess1 it will cause us to reflect    
upon the deeper impressions of wisdom in
 the frame of our own bodies  and souls1
 an excellency far superior to theirs2  
this would make us  admire the          
magnificence of his wisdom and goodness1
 sound forth his  praise for advancing  
us in dignity above other works of his  
hands1  and stamping on us1 by infinite 

art1 a#eih a nobler image of himself4   
,and by such a comparison of ourselves  
with the creatures below us1 we  should 
be induced to act excellently1 according
 to the nature of our  souls2 not       
brutishly1 according to the nature of   
the creatures ,god hath  put under our  
feet4    7#e47 ,by the contemplation of 
the creatures1 we may receive some      
assistance in clearing our knowledge in 
the wisdom of redemption4  ,though they 
cannot of themselves inform us of it1   
yet since ,god hath  revealed his       
redeeming grace1 they can illustrate    
some particulars of  it to us4 ,hence   
the ,scripture makes use of the         
creatures1 to set forth  things of a    
higher orb to us3 our ,saviour is called
 a ,sun1 a ,vine1 and  a ,lion2 the     
,spirit likened to a dove1 fire1 and    
water4 ,the union of  ,christ and his   
church1 is set forth by the marriage    
union of ,adam and  ,eve4 ,god hath     
placed in corporeal things the images of
 spiritual1 and  wrapped up in his      

creating wisdom the representations of  
his redeeming  grace3 whence some call  
the creatures1 natural types of what was
 to be  transacted in a new formation of
 the world1 and allusions to what ,god  
intended in and by ,christ4    7#f47    
,the meditation of ,god's wisdom in the 
creatures is1 in part1 a  beginning of  
heaven upon earth4 ,no doubt but there  
will be a perfect  opening of the model 
of ,divine wisdom4 ,heaven is for       
clearing what is  now obscure1 and a    
full discovering of what seems at       
present intricate  7,ps4 xxxvi4 #i73    
#8,in his light shall we see light3' all
 the light in  creation1 government1 and
 redemption4 ,the wisdom of ,god in the 
new  heavens1 and the new earth1 would  
be to little purpose1 if that also  were
 not to be regarded by the inhabitants  
of them4 ,as the saints are  to be      
restored to the state of ,adam1 and     
higher2 so they are to be  restored to  
the employment of ,adam1 and higher3 but
 his employment  was1 to behold ,god in 

the creatures4 ,the world was so soon   
depraved1  that ,god had but little joy 
in1 and man but little knowledge of his 
works4 ,and since the wisdom of ,god in 
creation is so little seen by  our      
ignorance here1 would not ,god lose much
 of the glory of it1 if the  glorified  
souls should lose the understanding of  
it above8 ,when their  darkness shall be
 expelled1 and their advantages         
improved2 when the eye  that ,adam lost 
shall be fully restored1 and with a     
greater clearness2  when the creature   
shall be restored to its true end1 and  
reason to its  true perfection 7,rom4   
viii4 #ba1 #bb72 when the fountains of  
the depths  of nature and government    
shall be opened1 knowledge shall        
increase1  and according to the increase
 of our knowledge1 shall the admiration 
of ,divine wisdom increase also4 ,the   
wisdom of ,god in creation was  not     
surely intended to lie wholly unobserved
 in the greatest part  of it2 but since 
there was so little time for the full   

observation  of it1 there will be a time
 wherein the wisdom of ,god shall enjoy 
a resurrection1 and be fully            
contemplated by his understanding and   
glorified creature4    ,exhort4 #b4     
,study and admire the wisdom of ,god in 
redemption4 ,this is  the duty of all   
,christians4 ,we are not called to      
understand the great  depth of          
philosophy2 we are not called to a skill
 in the intricacies of  civil           
government1 or understand all the       
methods of physic2 but we are  called to
 be ,christians1 that is1 studiers of   
,divine a#eii evangelical  wisdom4      
,there are first principles to be       
learned2 but not those  principles to be
 rested in without a further progress   
7,heb4 vi4 #a73  8,therefore1 leaving   
the principles of the doctrine of       
,christ1 let us go  on to perfection40  
,duties must be practised1 but knowledge
 is not to be  neglected4 ,the study of 
,gospel mysteries1 the harmony of       
,divine truths1  the sparkling of       

,divine wisdom1 in their mutual         
combination to the  great ends of ,god's
 glory and man's salvation1 is an       
incentive to duty1  a spur to worship1  
and particularly to the greatest and    
highest part  of worship1 that part     
which shall remain in heaven2 the       
admiration and  praise of ,god1 and     
delight in him4 ,if we acquaint not     
ourselves with  the impressions of the  
glory of ,divine wisdom in it1 we shall 
not much  regard it as worthy our       
observance in regard of that duty4 ,the 
gospel  is a mystery2 and1 as a mystery1
 hath something great and magnificent   
in it worthy of our daily inspection2 we
 shall find fresh springs  of new       
wonders1 which we shall be invited to   
adore with a religious  astonishment4   
,it will both raise and satisfy our     
longings4 ,who can come  to the depths  
of 8,god manifested in the flesh80 ,how 
amazing is it1 and  unworthy of a slight
 thought1 that the death of the ,son of 
,god should  purchase the happy         

immortality of a sinful creature1 and   
the glory  of a rebel be wrought by the 
ignominy of so great a person6 that our 
,mediator should have a nature whereby  
to covenant with his ,father1 and  a    
nature whereby to be a ,surety for the  
creature6 ,how admirable is it1  that   
the fallen creature should receive an   
advantage by the forfeiture  of his     
happiness6 ,how mysterious is it1 that  
the ,son of ,god should  bow down to    
death upon a cross for the satisfaction 
of justice2 and  rise triumphantly out  
of the grave1 as a declaration1 that    
justice  was contented and satisfied6   
that he should be exalted to heaven to  
intercede for us2 and at last return    
into the world to receive us1 and       
invest us with a glory forever with     
himself6 ,are these things worthy  of a 
careless regard1 or a blockish          
amazement8 ,what understanding  can     
pierce into the depths of the divine    
doctrine of the incarnation  and birth  
of ,christ2 the indissoluble union of   

the two natures8 ,what  capacity is able
 to measure the miracles of that wisdom1
 found in the  whole draught and scheme 
of the gospel8 ,doth it not merit1 then1
 to be  the object of our daily         
meditation8 ,how comes it to pass1 then1
 that  we are so little curious to      
concern our thoughts in those wonders1  
that we scarce taste or sip of these    
delicacies8 that we busy ourselves  in  
trifles1 and consider what we shall eat1
 and in what fashion we  shall be       
dressed2 please ourselves with the      
ingeniousness of a lace  or feather2    
admire a motheaten manuscript1 or some  
halfworn piece  of antiquity1 and think 
our time illspent in the contemplating  
and celebrating that wherein ,god hath  
busied himself1 and eternity  is        
designed for the perpetual expressions  
of8 ,how inquisitive  are the blessed   
angels6 with what vigor do they renew   
their daily  contemplations of it1 and  
receive a fresh contentment from it2    
still  learning1 and still inquiring 7#a

 ,pet4 i4 #ab76 ,their eye is never off 
the mercyseat2 they strive to see the   
bottom of it1 and employ all the        
understanding they have to conceive the 
wonders of it4 ,shall the angels  be    
ravished with it1 and bend themselves   
a#fjj down to study it1 who  have but   
little interest in it in comparison of  
us1 for whom it was  both contrived and 
dispensed2and shall not our pains be    
greater  for this hidden treasure8 ,is  
not that worthy the study of a rational 
creature1 that is worthy the study of   
the angelical8 ,there must indeed  be   
pains2 it is expressed by 8digging0     
7,prov4 ii4 #d74 ,a lazy arm will  not  
sink to the depth of a mine4 ,the       
neglect of meditating on it is          
inexcusable1 since it hath the title and
 character of the wisdom of ,god4  ,the 
ancient prophets searched into it1 when 
it was folded up in shadows1  when they 
saw only the fringes of ,wisdom's       
garment 7#a ,pet4 i4 #aj72  and shall   
not we1 since the sun hath mounted up in

 our horizon1 and  sensibly scattered   
the light of the knowledge of this and  
the other  perfections of ,god8 ,as the 
,jewish sabbath was appointed to        
celebrate  the perfections of ,god1     
discovered in creation1 so is the       
,christian  sabbath appointed to        
meditate on1 and bless ,god1 for the    
discovery of  his perfections in        
redemption4 ,let us1 therefore1 receive 
it according  to its worth3 let it be   
our only rule to walk by4 ,it is worthy 
to  be valued above all other counsels2 
and we should never think of it  without
 the doxology of the apostle1 8,to the  
only wise ,god be glory  through ,jesus 
,christ1 for ever60 that our            
speculations may end in  affectionate   
admirations1 and thanksgivings1 for that
 which is so full  of wonders4 ,what a  
little prospect should we have had of   
,god1 and the  happiness of man1 had not
 his wisdom and goodness revealed these 
things  to us6 ,the gospel is a         
marvellous light1 and should not be     

regarded  with a stupid ignorance1 and  
pursued with a duller practice4         
,exhort4 #c4 ,let none of us be proud   
of1 or trust in our own wisdom4  ,man1  
by affecting wisdom out of the way of   
,god1 got a crack in his  head1 which   
hath continued five thousand years and  
upwards1 and ever  since our own wisdom 
and 8knowledge hath perverted us0 7,isa4
 xlvii4 #aj74  ,to be guided by this1 is
 to be under the conduct of a blind     
leader1  and follow a traitor and enemy 
to ,god and ourselves4 ,man's prudence  
often proves hurtful to him3 he often   
accomplisheth his ruin1 while  he       
designs his establishment2 and finds his
 fall1 where he thought to  settle his  
fortune3 such bad eyes hath human wisdom
 often in its own  affairs4 ,those that 
have been heightened with a conceit of  
their own  cunning1 have at last proved 
the greatest fools4 ,god delights to    
make  8foolish the wisdom of this world0
 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bj74 ,thus ,god writ     
folly  upon the crafty brains of        

,ahithophel1 and simplicity upon the    
subtle  projects of ,herod against our  
,saviour2 and the devil1 the prince of  
carnal wisdom1 was befooled into a      
furthering our redemption by his own    
projects to hinder it4 ,carnal policy1  
against the prescripts of ,divine       
wisdom1 never prospers3 it is like an   
ignis fatuus1 which leads men  out of   
the way of duty1 and out of the way of  
security1 and perverts  them into the   
mire and dangerous precipices4 ,when    
,jeroboam would coin  a religion to     
serve his interest of state1 he tore up 
the foundations  both of his kingdom and
 family4 ,the way the ,jews took to     
prevent a  fresh invasion of the        
,romans1 by the crucifying ,christ1     
brought the  judgment more swift upon   
them 7,john xi4 #dh74 ,there is no man  
ruined  here1 or damned hereafter1 but  
by his own wisdom and will4 7,prov4 iii4
  #e1 #g71 8,the fear of the ,lord1 and 
departure from evil1 are inconsistent   
with an a#fja overweening conceit of our

 own wisdom20 and leaning to  our own   
understanding1 is inconsistent with a   
trusting in the ,lord with  all our     
hearts4 ,it is as much a deifying       
ourselves1 to trust to our  own wit1 as 
it is a deifying the creature to affect 
or confide in it1  superior to ,god or  
equally with him4 ,the true way to      
wisdom is to be  sensible of our own    
folly 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ah71 8,if any man 
be wise1 let  him become a fool40 ,he   
that distrusts his own guidance1 will   
more  securely and successfully follow  
the counsel of another in whom he       
confides4 ,the more water1 or any other 
liquor1 is poured out of a  vessel1 the 
more air enters4 ,the more we distrust  
our own wisdom1 the  more capable we are
 of the conduct of ,god's4 ,had         
,jehoshaphat relied  upon his own       
policy1 he might have found a defeat    
when he met with a  deliverance2 but he 
disowned his own skill and strength in  
telling ,god1  8,we know not what to do1
 but our eyes are upon thee0 7#b ,chron4

 xx4 #ab74  ,let us1 therefore1 with    
,agur1 disesteem our own understanding  
to esteem  ,divine4 ,human prudence is  
like a spider's web1 easily blown away1 
and  swept down by the besom of some    
unexpected revolution4 ,god1 by his     
infinite wisdom1 can cross the wisdom of
 man1 and make a man's own  prudence    
hang in his own light4 7,isa4 xxix4     
#ad71 8,the understanding  of their     
prudent men shall be hid40    ,exhort4  
#d4 ,seek to ,god for wisdom4 ,the      
wisdom we have by nature1  is like the  
weeds the earth brings forth without    
tillage4 ,our wisdom  since the fall1 is
 the wisdom of the serpent1 without the 
innocency of  the dove3 it flows from   
selflove1 runs into selfinterest4 ,it is
 the  wisdom of the flesh1 and a        
prudence to manage means for the        
contending  our lusts4 ,our best wisdom 
is imperfect1 a mere nothing and vanity1
  in comparison of the ,divine1 as our  
beings are in comparison of his         
essence4 ,we must go to ,god for a holy 

and innocent wisdom1 and fill  our      
cisterns from a pure fountain4 ,the     
wisdom that was the glory of  ,solomon1 
was the donation of the ,most ,high4    
7,james i4 #e71 8,if any  man want      
wisdom1 let him ask of ,god1 that giveth
 to all men liberally1  and upbraideth  
not2 and it shall be given him40 ,the   
faculty of  understanding is from ,god  
by nature2 but a heavenly light to      
direct  the understanding is from ,god  
by grace4 ,children have an             
understanding1  but stand in need of    
wise masters to rectify it1 and form    
judicious  notions in it4 8,there is a  
spirit in man1 but the inspiration of   
the  ,almighty gives him understanding0 
7,job xxxii4 #h74 ,we must beg of ,god1 
wisdom4 ,the gospel is the wisdom of    
,god2 the concerns of it great  and     
mysterious1 not to be known without a   
8new understanding0 7#a ,john  v4 #bj74 
,a new understanding is not to be had   
but from the ,creator of  the first4    
,the ,spirit of ,god is the 8searcher of

 the deep things of  ,god20 the revealer
 of them to us1 and the enlightener of  
our minds  to apprehend them2 and1      
therefore1 called a 8,spirit of wisdom  
and  revelation0 7,eph4 i4 #ag74 ,christ
 is made wisdom to us1 as well as       
righteousness2 not only by imputation1  
but effusion4#hji ,seek to ,god1        
therefore1 for that wisdom which is like
 the sun1 and not that worldly  wisdom  
which is like a shadow3 for that wisdom 
whose effects are not so  outwardly     
glorious1 but inwardly sweet1 seek it   
from him1 and seek it  in a#fjb his     
word1 that is1 the transcript of ,divine
 wisdom2 8through  his precepts         
understanding is to be had0 7,ps4 cxix4 
#ajd74 ,as the wisdom  of men appears in
 their laws1 so doth the wisdom of ,god 
in his statutes4  ,by this means we     
arrive to a heavenly sagacity4 ,if these
 be rejected1  what wisdom can there be 
in us8 a dream and conceit only 7,jer4  
viii73  8,they have rejected the word of
 the ,lord1 and what wisdom is in them80

  ,who knows how to order any concerns  
as he ought1 or any one faculty  of his 
soul8 ,therefore1 desire ,god's         
direction in outward concerns1 in       
personal1 family1 in private and public4
 ,he hath not only a wisdom for  our    
salvation1 but for our outward          
direction4 ,he doth not only guide  us  
in the one1 and leave ,satan to manage  
us in the other4 ,those that  go with   
,saul to a witch of ,endor1 go to hell  
for craft1 and prefer the  wisdom of the
 hostile serpent before the holy counsel
 of a faithful  ,creator4 ,if you want  
health in your body1 you advise with a  
physician2  if direction for your       
estate1 you resort to a lawyer2 if      
passage for a  voyage1 you address to a 
pilot2 why not much more yourselves1    
your all1  to a wise ,god8 ,as ,pliny   
said1 concerning a wise man1 8,o1 ,sir1 
how many  ,catos are there in that wise 
person60 how much more wisdom than men  
or  angels possess1 is infinitely       
centered in the wise ,god6    ,exhort4  

#e4 ,submit to the wisdom of ,god in all
 cases4 ,what else was  inculcated in   
the first precept1 forbidding man to eat
 of the fruit of  the 8tree of knowledge
 of good and evil10 but that he should  
take heed  of the swelling of his mind  
against the wisdom of ,god8 ,it is a    
wisdom  incomprehensible to flesh and   
blood2 we should adore it in our minds1 
and resign up ourselves to it in our    
practice4 ,how unreasonable are         
repinings against ,god1 whereby a       
creature's ignorance indicts and  judges
 a ,creator's prudence6 ,were ,god weak 
in wisdom1 and only mighty  in power1 we
 might suspect his conduct4 ,power      
without wisdom and  goodness is an      
unruly and ruinous thing in the world4  
,but ,god being  infinite in one1 as    
well as the other1 we have no reason to 
be jealous  of him1 and repine against  
his methods2 why should we quarrel with 
him that we are not as high1 or as      
wealthy as others2 that we have not     
presently the mercy we want8 ,if he be  

wise1 we ought to stay his time1  and   
wait his leisure1 because 8he is a ,god 
of judgment0 7,isa4 xxx4 #ah74  ,presume
 not to shorten the time which his      
discretion hath fixed2 it  is a folly to
 think to do it4 ,by impatience we      
cannot hasten relief2  we alienate him  
from us by debasing him to stand at our 
bar1 disturb  ourselves1 lose the       
comfort of our lives1 and the sweetness 
of his  mercy4 ,submission to ,god we   
are in no case exempted from1 because   
there is no case wherein ,god doth not  
direct all the acts of his will  by     
counsel4 ,whatsoever is drawn by a      
straight rule must be right and         
straight2 the rule that is right in     
itself1 is the measure of the           
straightness of everything else2        
whatsoever is wrought in the world by   
,god1 must be wise1 good1 righteous2    
because ,god is essentially wisdom1     
goodness1 and righteousness4    7#a47   
,submit to ,god1 in his revelations4 #a4
 ,measure them not by reason3  the      

truths of the gospel must be received   
with a selfemptiness and  annihilation  
of the creature4 ,if our reason seems to
 lift up itself  against revelation1    
because it finds no testimony for it in 
its a#fjc  own light1 consider how crazy
 it is in natural and obvious things1   
and therefore sure it is not strong     
enough to enter into the depths  of     
,divine wisdom3 the wisdom of ,god in   
the gospel is too great an ocean  to be 
contained or laved out by a cockleshell4
 ,it were not infinite1  if it were not 
beyond our finite reach2 our reason must
 as well stoop  to his wisdom1 as our   
wills to his sovereignty4 ,how great a  
vanity is  it for a glowworm to boast   
that it is as full of light as the sun  
in  the firmament6 for reason to leave  
its proper sphere1 is to fall into      
confusion1 and thicken its own darkness4
 ,we should settle ourselves  in the    
belief of the ,scripture1 and confirm   
ourselves by a meditation  on those many
 undeniable arguments for its ,divine   

authority1the  fulfilling of its        
predictions1 the antiquity of the       
writing1 the  holiness of the precepts1 
the heavenliness of the doctrine1 the   
glorious effects it hath produced1 and  
doth yet produce1 different  from human 
methods of success2 and submit our      
reason to the voice of so  high a       
majesty4 #b4 ,not to be too curiously   
inquisitive into what is not  revealed4 
,there is something hid in whatsoever is
 revealed4 ,we know the  ,son of ,god   
was begotten from eternity1 but how he  
was begotten1 we are  ignorant4 ,we know
 there is a union of the ,divine nature 
with the human1  and that the fulness of
 the ,godhead dwells in him bodily2 but 
the  manner of its inhabitation we are  
in a great part ignorant of4 ,we know   
that ,god hath chosen some and refused  
others1 and that he did it with         
counsel2 but the reason why he chose    
this man and not that1 we know not2  we 
can refer it to nothing but ,god's      
sovereign pleasure4 ,it is revealed     

that there will be a day wherein ,god   
shall judge the world2 but the          
particular time is not revealed4 ,we    
know that ,god created the world in     
time2 but why he did not create the     
world millions of years before1 we  are 
ignorant of1 and our reasons would be   
bewildered in their too much  curiosity4
 ,if we ask why he did not create it    
before1 we may as well  ask why he did  
create it then8 ,and may not the same   
question be asked1  if the world had    
been created millions of years before it
 was8 ,that he  created it in six days1 
and not in an instant1 is revealed2 but 
why he  did not do it in a moment1 since
 we are sure he was able to do it1 is   
not revealed4 ,are the reasons of a wise
 man's proceedings hid from us8  and    
shall we presume to dive into the reason
 of the proceedings of an  only wise    
,god1 which he hath judged not expedient
 to discover to us8  ,some sparks of his
 wisdom he hath caused to issue out1 to 
exercise and  delight our minds2 others 

he keeps within the centre of his own   
breast2  we must not go about to unlock 
his cabinet4 ,as we cannot reach to the 
utmost lines of his power1 so we cannot 
grasp the intimate reasons  of his      
wisdom4 ,we must still remember1 that   
which is finite can never  be able to   
comprehend the reasons1 motives1 and    
methods of that which  is infinite4 ,it 
doth not become us to be resty1 because 
,god hath  not admitted us into the     
debates of eternity4 ,we are as little  
to  be curious at what ,god hath hid1 as
 to be careless of what ,god hath       
manifested4 ,too great an               
inquisitiveness beyond our line1 is as  
much a  provoking arrogance1 as a       
blockish negligence of what is revealed1
 is  a slighting ingratitude4    7#b47  
,submit to ,god in his precepts and     
methods4 ,since they are a#fjd  the     
results of infinite wisdom1 disputes    
against them are not tolerable2  what   
orders are given out by infallible      
,wisdom are to be entertained  with     

respect and reverence1 though the reason
 of them be not visible  to our purblind
 minds4 ,shall ,god have less respect   
from us than earthly  princes1 whose    
laws we observe without being able to   
pierce into the  exact reason of them   
all8 ,since we know he hath not a will  
without an  understanding1 our          
observance of him must be without       
repining2 we must  not think to mend our
 ,creator's laws1 and presume to judge  
and condemn  his righteous statutes4 ,if
 the flesh rise up in opposition1 we    
must  cross its motions1 and silence its
 murmurings2 his will should be an      
acceptable will to us1 because it is a  
wise will in itself4 ,god hath no  need 
to impose upon us and deceive us2 he    
hath just and righteous ways  to attain 
his glory and his creatures's good4 ,to 
deceive us1 would be  to dishonor       
himself1 and contradict his own nature4 
,he cannot impose  false injurious      
precepts1 or unavailable to his         
subjects' happiness2  not false1 because

 of his truth2 not injurious1 because of
 his  goodness2 not vain1 because of his
 wisdom4 ,submit1 therefore1 to him  in 
his precepts1 and in his methods too4   
,the honor of his wisdom1 and  the      
interest of our happiness1 call for it4 
,had ,noah disputed with  ,god about    
building an ark1 and listened to the    
scoffs of the senseless  world1 he had  
perished under the same fate1 and lost  
the honor of a  preacher and worker of  
righteousness4 ,had not the ,israelites 
been their  own enemies1 if they had    
been permitted to be their own guides1  
and  returned to the ,egyptian bondage  
and furnaces1 instead of a liberty  and 
earthly felicity in ,canaan8 ,had our   
,saviour gratified the ,jews by         
descending from the cross1 and freeing  
himself from the power of his           
adversaries1 he might have had that     
faith from them which they promised     
him2 but it had been a faith to no      
purpose1 because without ground2  they  
might have believed him to be the ,son  

of ,god1 but he could not  have been the
 ,saviour of the world4 ,his death1 the 
great ground and  object of faith1 had  
been unaccomplished2 they had believed a
 ,god  pardoning without a consent to   
his justice1 and such a faith could not 
have rescued them from falling into     
eternal misery4 ,the precepts and       
methods of ,divine wisdom must be       
submitted to4    7#c47 ,submit to ,god  
in all crosses and revolutions4         
,infinite ,wisdom  cannot err in any of 
his paths1 or step the least hair's     
breadth from  the way of righteousness3 
there is the understanding of ,god in   
every  motion2 an eye in every wheel1   
the wheel that goes over us and crusheth
  us4 ,we are led by fancy more than    
reason3 we know no more what we ask1  or
 what is fit for us1 than the mother of 
,zebedee's children did1 when  she      
petitioned ,christ for her sons'        
advancement1 when he came into his      
temporal kingdom 7,matt4 xx4 #bb73 the  
things we desire might pleasure  our    

fancy or appetite1 but impair our       
health3 one man complains for  want of  
children1 but knows not whether they may
 prove comforts or  crosses3 another for
 want of health1 but knows not whether  
the health  of his body may not prove   
the disease of his soul4 ,we might lose 
in  heavenly things1 if we possess in   
earthly things what we long for4 ,god1  
in regard of his infinite wisdom1 is    
fitter to carve out a condition  than we
 ourselves2 our shallow reason and      
selflove1 would wish for  those things  
that a#fje are injurious to ,god1 to    
ourselves1 to the  world2 but ,god      
always chooses what is best for his     
glory1 and what  is best for his        
creatures1 either in regard to          
themselves1 or as they  stand in        
relation to him1 or to others1 as parts 
of the world4 ,we are  in danger from   
our selflove1 in no danger in complying 
with ,god's  wisdom3 when ,rachel would 
die1 if she had no children1 she had    
children1  but death with one of them   

7,gen4 xxx4 #a74 ,good men may conclude1
  that whatsoever is done by ,god in    
them1 or with them1 is best and  fittest
 for them2 because by the covenant which
 makes over ,god to them1  as their     
,god1 the conduct of his wisdom is      
assured to them as well  as any other   
attribute3 and1 therefore1 as ,god in   
every transaction  appears as their     
,god1 so he appears as their wise       
,director1 and by  this wisdom he       
extracts good out of evil1 makes the    
affliction which  destroys our outward  
comforts consume our inward defilements2
 and the  waves which threatened to     
swallow up the vessel1 to cast it upon  
the  shore3 and when he hath occasion to
 manifest his anger against his  people1
 his wisdom directs his wrath4 ,in      
judgment he hath 8a work to  do upon    
,zion20 and when that work is done1 he  
punishes the fruit of the  8stout heart 
of the king of ,assyria0 7,isa4 x4 #ab72
 as in the answers of  prayer he doth   
give oftentimes 8above what we ask or   

think0 7,eph4 iii4  #bj71 so in outward 
concerns he doth above what we can      
expect1 or by  our shortsightedness1    
conclude will be done4 ,let us1         
therefore1 in all  things1 frame our    
minds to the ,divine ,wisdom1 and say   
with the ,psalmist  7,ps4 xlvii4 #d73   
8,the ,lord shall choose our inheritance
 and condition  for us40    ,exhort4 #f4
 ,censure not ,god in any of his ways4  
,can we understand the  full scope of   
,divine wisdom in creation1 which is    
perfected before our  eyes8 ,can we1 by 
a rational knowledge1 walk over the     
whole surface of  the earth1 and wade   
through the sea8 ,can we understand the 
nature of  the heavens8 ,are all1 or    
most1 or the thousandth part of the     
particles  of ,divine skill1 known by   
us1 yea1 or any of them thoroughly      
known8 ,how  can we1 then1 understand   
his deeper methods in things that are   
but of  yesterday1 that we have not had 
a time to view8 ,we should not be too   
quick1 or too rash1 in our judgments of 

him3 the best that we attain to1  is but
 feeble conjectures at the designs of   
,god4 ,as there is something  hid in    
whatsoever is revealed in his word1 so  
there is something  inaccessible to us  
in his works1 as well as in his nature  
and ,majesty4  ,in our ,saviour's act in
 washing his disciples' feet1 he checked
 ,peter's  contradiction 7,john xiii4   
#g73 8,what ,i do1 thou knowest not now1
 but  thou shalt know hereafter40 ,god  
were not infinitely wise if the reason  
of all his acts were obvious to our     
shallowness4 ,he is no profound         
statesman1 whose inward intention can be
 sounded by vulgar heads at  the first  
act he starts in his designed method4   
,the wise ,god is1 in  this1 like wise  
men1 that have not breasts like glasses 
of crystal1 to  discover all that they  
intend4 ,there are 8secrets of wisdom   
above our  reach0 7,job xi4 #f72 nay1   
when we see all his acts1 we cannot see 
all  the draughts of his skill in them4 
,an unskilful hearer of a musical       

lesson may receive the melody with his  
ear1 and understand not the  rarities of
 the composition as it was wrought by   
the musician's mind4  ,under the ,old   
,testament there was more of ,divine    
power1 a#fjf and  less of his wisdom    
apparent in his acts3 as his laws1 so   
his acts1 were  more fitted to their    
sense4 ,under the ,new ,testament there 
is more of  wisdom1 and less of power2  
as his laws1 so his acts1 are more      
fitted  to a spiritual mind2 wisdom is  
less discernible than power4 ,our       
wisdom1  therefore1 in this case1 as it 
doth other things1 consists in silence  
and expectation of the end and event of 
a work4 ,we owe that honor to  ,god that
 we do to men wiser than ourselves1 to  
imagine he hath reason  to do what he   
doth1 though our shallowness cannot     
comprehend it4 ,we  must suffer ,god to 
be wiser than ourselves1 and acknowledge
 that there  is something sovereign in  
his ways not to be measured by the      
feeble  reed of our weak understandings4

 ,and1 therefore1 we should acquiesce   
in his proceedings2 take heed we be not 
found slanderers of ,god1 but  be       
adorers instead of censurers2 and lift  
up our heads in admiration of  him and  
his ways1 instead of citing him to      
answer it at our bar4 ,many  things in  
the first appearance may seem to be rash
 and unjust1 which1  in the issue1      
appear comely and regular4 ,if it had   
been plainly spoke  before that the ,son
 of ,god should die1 that a most holy   
person should  be crucified1 it would   
have seemed cruel to expose a son to    
misery2  unjust to inflict punishment   
upon one that was no criminal2 to join  
together exact goodness and physical    
evil2 that the sovereign should  die for
 the malefactor1 and the observer of the
 law for the violators  of it4 ,but when
 the whole design is unravelled1 what an
 admirable  connexion is there of       
justice and mercy1 love and wisdom1     
which before  would have appeared absurd
 to the muddied reason of man6 ,we see  

the  gardener pulling up some delightful
 flowers by the roots1 digging up  the  
earth1 overwhelming it with dung2 an    
ignorant person would imagine  him wild1
 out of his wits1 and charge him with   
spoiling his garden3 but  when the      
spring is arrived1 the spectator will   
acknowledge his skill  in his former    
operations4 ,the truth is1 the whole    
design and methods  of ,god are not to  
be judged by us in this world2 the full 
declaration  of the whole contexture is 
reserved for the other world1 to make up
 a  part of good men's happiness in the 
amazing views of ,divine wisdom1 as     
well as the other perfections of his    
nature4 ,we can no more perfectly       
understand his wisdom than we can his   
mercy and justice1 till we see  the last
 lines of all drawn1 and the full       
expressions of them2 we  should         
therefore be sober and modest in the    
consideration of ,god's  ways2 8his     
judgments are unsearchable1 and his ways
 past finding out40  ,the riches of his 

wisdom are past our counting1 his depths
 not to  be fathomed1 yet they are      
depths of righteousness and equity2     
though  the full manifestation of that  
equity1 the grounds and methods of his  
proceedings are unknown to us4 ,as we   
are too short fully to know ,god1  so we
 are too ignorant fully to comprehend   
the acts of ,god3 since he  is a ,god of
 judgment1 we should wait till we see   
the issue of his works  7,isa4 xxx4     
#ah74 ,and in the meantime1 with the    
apostle in the text1 give  him the glory
 of all1 in the same expressions1 8,to  
the only wise ,god be  glory1 through   
,jesus ,christ for ever4 ,amen40        
b#a              ,,the ,,existence ,,and
 ,,attributes ,,of ,,god                
,,stephen ,,charnock                    
,,two ,,volumes ,,in ,,one              
,volume #b    b#b          b#c          
,,contents ,,of ,,vol4 ,,ii4            
,,discourse ,x4                         
,,on ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,god4          
,,job xxvi4 #ad4,lo6 these are parts of 

his ways3 but how little      a portion 
is heard of him8 but the thunder of his 
power who      can understand8          
b#e                                     
,,discourse ,,xi4                       
,,on ,,the ,,holiness ,,of ,,god4       
,,exodus xv4 #aa4,who is like unto thee1
 ,o ,lord1 among the gods8      ,who is 
like thee1 glorious in holiness1 fearful
 in praises1      doing wonders8        
b#ajh                                   
,,discourse ,,xii4                      
,,on ,,the ,,goodness ,,of ,,god4       
,,mark x4 #ah4;,and ,jesus said unto    
him1 ,why callest thou me good8         
,there is none good but one1 that is1   
,god4                  b#bji            
,,discourse ,,xiii4                     
,,on ,,god',s ,,dominion4      ,,psalm  
ciii4 #ai4,the ,lord hath prepared his  
throne in the heavens3      and his     
kingdom ruleth over all4                
b#cef                                   
,,discourse ,,xiv4                      
,,on ,,god',s ,,patience4      ,,nahum  

i4 #c4,the ,lord is slow to anger1 and  
great in power1 and      will not at all
 acquit the wicked3 the ,lord hath his  
way in the      whirlwind and in the    
storm1 and the clouds are the dust of   
his      feet4                          
b#dgb        ,,index4                   
b#ebe        ,,of ,,texts4              
b#eda    b#d          b#e               
,,discourse ,x4                         
,,on ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,god4          
,,job xxvi4 #ad4,lo6 these are parts of 
his ways3 but how little a      portion 
is heard of him8 but the thunder of his 
power who can      understand8          
,,bildad had1 in the foregoing chapter1 
entertained ,job with a  discourse of   
the dominion and power of ,god1 and the 
purity of his  righteousness1 whence he 
argues an impossibility of the          
justification  of man in his presence1  
who is no better than a worm4 ,job1 in  
this  chapter1 acknowledges the         
greatness of ,god's power1 and descants 
more  largely upon it than ,bildad had  

done2 but doth preface it with a kind   
of ironical speech1 as if he had not    
acted a friendly part1 or spake  little 
to the purpose1 or the matter in hand3  
the subject of ,job's  discourse was the
 worldly happiness of the wicked1 and   
the calamities  of the godly3 and       
,bildad reads him a lecture1 of the     
extent of ,god's  dominion1 the number  
of his armies1 and the unspotted        
rectitude of  his nature1 in comparison 
of which the purest creatures are foul  
and crooked4 ,job1 therefore1 from ver4 
#ad1 taxeth him in a kind of  scoffing  
manner1 that he had not touched the     
point1 but rambled from  the subject in 
hand1 and had not applied a salve proper
 to this sore  7ver4 #b73 8,how hast    
thou helped him that is without power8  
how savest  thou the arm of him that    
hath no strength80 c42 your discourse is
  so impertinent1 that it will neither  
strengthen a weak person1 nor  instruct 
a simple one4#haj ,but since ,bildad    
would take up the argument  of ,god's   

power1 and discourse so short of it1    
,job would show that he  wanted not his 
instructions in that kind1 and that he  
had more distinct  conceptions of it    
than his antagonist had uttered3 and    
therefore  from ver4 #e to the end of   
the chapter1 he doth magnificently treat
  of the power of ,god in several       
branches4 ,and 7ver4 #e7 he begins with 
the lowest4 8,dead things are formed    
from under the waters1 and the          
inhabitants thereof30 ,you read me a    
lecture of the power of ,god in  the    
heavenly host3 indeed it is visible     
there1 yet of a larger extent2  and     
monuments of it are found in the lower  
parts4 ,what do you think of  those dead
 things under the earth and waters1 of  
the corn that dies1  and by the         
moistening influences of the clouds1    
springs up again with  a numerous       
progeny and increase for the nourishment
 of man8 ,what do you  think of those   
varieties of metals and minerals        
conceived in the bowels  of the earth2  

those pearls and riches in the depths of
 the waters1  midwifed by this power of 
,god8 ,add to these those more          
prodigious  creatures in the b#f sea1   
the inhabitants of the waters1 with     
their  vastness and variety1 which are  
all the births of ,god's power2 both in 
their first creation by his mighty      
voice1 and their propagation by his     
cherishing providence4 ,stop not here1  
but consider also that his power        
extends to hell2 either the graves the  
repositories of all the crumbled  dust  
that hath yet been in the world 7for so 
hell is sometimes taken  in ,scripture3 
ver4 #f1 8,hell is naked before him1 and
 destruction hath  no covering407 ,the  
several lodgings of deceased men are    
known to him3  no screen can obscure    
them from his sight1 nor their          
dissolution be  any bar to his power1   
when the time is come to compact those  
mouldered  bodies to entertain again    
their departed souls1 either for weal or
 woe4  ,the grave1 or hell1 the place of

 punishment1 is naked before him2 as    
distinctly discerned by him1 as a naked 
body in all its lineaments by  us1 or a 
dissected body is in all its parts by a 
skilful eye4    ,destruction hath no    
covering2 none can free himself from the
 power of  his hand4 ,every person in   
the bowels of hell2 every person        
punished  there is known to him1 and    
feels the power of his wrath4 ,from the 
lower  parts of the world he ascends to 
the consideration of the power of ,god  
in the creation of heaven and earth2    
8,he stretches out the north over  the  
empty places0 7ver4 #g74 ,the north1 or 
the north pole1 over the air1  which1 by
 the ,greeks1 was called void or empty1 
because of the tenuity  and thinness of 
that element2 and he mentions here the  
north1 or north  pole1 for the whole    
heaven1 because it is more known and    
apparent than  the southern pole4 8,and 
hangs the earth upon nothing30 the massy
 and  weighty earth hangs like a thick  
globe in the midst of a thin air1  that 

there is as much air on the one side of 
it1 as on the other4 ,the  heavens have 
no prop to sustain them in their height1
 and the earth  hath no basis to support
 it in its place4 ,the heavens are as if
 you saw  a curtain stretched smooth in 
the air without any hand to hold it2 and
  the earth is as if you saw a ball     
hanging in the air without any solid    
body to underprop it1 or any line to    
hinder it from falling2 both  standing  
monuments of the omnipotence of ,god4   
,he then takes notice of  his daily     
power in the clouds2 8,he binds up the  
waters in his thick  clouds1 and the    
cloud is not rent under them0 7ver4 #h74
 ,he compacts  the waters together in   
clouds1 and keeps them by his power in  
the air  against the force of their     
natural gravity and heaviness1 till they
 are  fit to flow down upon the earth1  
and perform his pleasure in the places  
for which he designs them4 8,the cloud  
is not rent under them20 the thin  air  
is not split asunder by the weight of   

the waters contained in the  cloud above
 it4 ,he causes them to distil by drops1
 and strains them1  as it were1 through 
a thin lawn1 for the refreshment of the 
earth2 and  suffers them not to fall in 
the whole lump1 with a violent torrent1 
to waste the industry of man1 and bring 
famine upon the world1 by  destroying   
the fruits of the earth4 ,what a wonder 
it would be to see  but one entire drop 
of water hang itself but one inch above 
the ground1  unless it be a bubble which
 is preserved by the air enclosed within
 it6  ,what a wonder would it be to see 
a gallon of water contained in a thin   
cobweb as strongly as in a vessel b#g of
 brass6 ,greater is the wonder  of      
,divine power in those thin bottles of  
heaven1 as they are called  7,job       
xxxviii4 #cg72 and therefore called his 
clouds here1 as being daily  instances  
of his omnipotence3 that the air should 
sustain those rolling  vessels1 as it   
should seem1 weightier than itself2 that
 the force of  this mass of waters      

should not break so thin a prison1 and  
hasten to  its proper place1 which is   
below the air3 that they should be daily
  confined against their natural        
inclination1 and held by so slight  a   
chain2 that there should be such a      
gradual and successive falling  of them1
 as if the air were pierced with holes  
like a gardener's  wateringpot1 and not 
fall in one entire body to drown or     
drench  some parts of the earth4 ,these 
are hourly miracles of ,divine power1   
as little regarded as clearly visible4  
,he proceeds 7ver4 #i71 8,he  holds back
 the face of his throne1 and spreads the
 clouds upon it40  ,the clouds are      
designed as curtains to cover the       
heavens1 as well  as vessels to water   
the earth 7,ps4 cxlvii4 #h74 ,as a      
tapestry curtain  between the heavens1  
the throne of ,god 7,isa4 lxvi4 #a71 and
 the earth  his footstool3 the heavens  
are called his throne1 because his power
  doth most shine forth there1 and      
magnificently declare the glory of ,god2

  and the clouds are as a screen between
 the scorching heat of the sun1  and the
 tender plants of the earth1 and the    
weak bodies of men4 ,from  hence he     
descends to the sea1 and considers the  
,divine power apparent  in the bounding 
of it 7ver4 #aj72 8,he hath compassed   
the waters with  bounds1 till the day   
and night come to an end40 ,this is     
several times  mentioned in ,scripture  
as a signal mark of ,divine strength    
7,job xxxviii4  #h2 ,prov4 viii4 #bg74  
,he hath measured a place for the sea1  
and struck  the limits of it as with a  
compass1 that it might not mount above  
the surface of the land1 and ruin the   
ends of the earth's creation2  and this1
 while day and night have their mutual  
turns1 till he shall  make an end of    
time by removing the measures of it4    
,the bounds of the  tumultuous sea are1 
in many places1 as weak as the bottles  
of the upper  waters2 the one is        
contained in thin air1 and the other    
restrained by  weak sands1 in many      

places1 as well as by stubborn rocks in 
others2  that1 though it swells1 foams1 
roars1 and the waves1 encouraged and    
egged on by strong winds1 come like     
mountains against the shore2 they       
overflow it not1 but humble themselves  
when they come near to those  sands1    
which are set as their lists and limits1
 and retire back to the  womb that      
brought them forth1 as if they were     
ashamed and repented of  their proud    
invasion3 or else it may be meant of the
 tides of the sea1  and the stated time 
,god hath set it for its ebbing and     
flowing1 till  night and day come to an 
end2#haa both that the fluid waters     
should  contain themselves within due   
bounds1 and keep their perpetually      
orderly motion1 are amazing arguments of
 ,divine power4 ,he passes on to  the   
consideration of the commotions in the  
air and earth1 raised and  stilled by   
the power of ,god2 8,the pillars of     
heaven tremble1 and are  astonished at  
his reproof40 ,by pillars of heaven are 

not meant angels1  as some think1 but   
either the air1 called the pillars of   
heaven in  regard of place1 as it       
continues and knits together the parts  
of the  world1 as pillars do the upper  
and nether parts of a building3 as  the 
lowest parts of the earth are b#h called
 the foundations of the  earth1 so the  
lowest parts of the heaven may be called
 the pillars of  heaven3#hab or else by 
that phrase may be meant mountains1     
which seem1  at a distance1 to touch the
 sky1 as pillars do the top of a        
structure2  and so it may be spoken1    
according to vulgar capacity1 which     
imagines  the heavens to be sustained by
 the two extreme parts of the earth1  as
 a convex body1 or to be arched by      
pillars2 whence the ,scripture1         
according to common apprehensions1      
mentions the ends of the earth1 and  the
 utmost parts of the heavens1 though    
they have properly no end1 as  being    
round4 ,the power of ,god is seen in    
those commotions in the air  and earth1 

by thunders1 lightnings1 storms1        
earthquakes1 which rack  the air1 and   
make the mountains and hills tremble as 
servants before a  frowning and rebuking
 master4 ,and as he makes motions in the
 earth and  air1 so is his power seen in
 their influences upon the sea2 8,he    
judges  the sea with his power1 and by  
his understanding he smites through  the
 proud0 7ver4 #ab74 ,at the creation he 
put the waters into several  channels1  
and caused the dry land to appear       
barefaced for a habitation  for man and 
beasts2 or rather1 he splits the sea by 
storms1 as though  he would make the    
bottom of the deep visible1 and rakes up
 the sands  to the surface of the       
waters1 and marshals the waves into     
mountains  and valleys4 ,after that1 8he
 smites through the proud10 that is1    
humbles the proud waves1 and1 by        
allaying the storm1 reduceth them to    
their former level3 the power of ,god is
 visible1 as well in rebuking1  as in   
awakening the winds2 he makes them      

sensible of his voice1 and1  according  
to his pleasure1 exasperates or calms   
them4 ,the 8striking  through the proud0
 here1 is not1 probably1 meant of the   
destruction  of the ,egyptian army1 for 
some guess that ,job died that year1#hac
  or about the time of the ,israelites  
coming out of ,egypt2 so that this      
discourse here1 being in the time of his
 affliction1 could not point at  that   
which was done after his restoration to 
his temporal prosperity4  ,and now1 at  
last1 he sums up the power of ,god1 in  
the chiefest of his  works above1 and   
the greatest wonder of his works below  
7ver4 #ac72  8,by his ,spirit he hath   
garnished the heavens2 his hand hath    
formed  the crooked serpent10 c4 ,the   
greater and lesser lights1 sun1 moon1   
and stars1 the ornaments and furniture  
of heaven2 and the whale1 a  prodigious 
monument of ,god's power1 often         
mentioned in ,scripture to  this        
purpose1 and1 in particular1 in this    
book of ,job 7ch4 xli472 and  called by 

the same name of crooked serpent 7,isa4 
xxvii4 #a71 where it  is applied1 by way
 of metaphor1 to the king of ,assyria or
 ,egypt1 or  all oppressors of the      
church4 ,various interpretations there  
are of this  crooked serpent3 some      
understanding that constellation in     
heaven which  astronomers call the      
dragon2 some that combination of weaker 
stars1  which they call the galaxia1    
which winds about the heavens3 but it is
  most probable that ,job1 drawing near 
to a conclusion of his discourse1  joins
 the two greatest testimonies of ,god's 
power in the world1 the  highest        
heavens1 and the lowest leviathan1 which
 is here called a bar  serpent1#had in  
regard of his strength and hardness1 as 
mighty men are  called bars in          
,scripture 7,jer4 li4 #cj72 8,her bars  
are broken things40  ,and in regard of  
this power of ,god b#i in the creation  
of this  creature1 it is particularly   
mentioned in the catalogue of ,god's    
works  7,gen4 i4 #ba72 8,and ,god       

created great whales20 all the other    
creatures  being put into one sum1 and  
not particularly expressed4 ,and now he 
makes use of this lecture in the text1  
8,lo1 these are parts of his ways2  but 
how little a portion is heard of him8   
but the thunder of his power  who can   
understand80 ,this is but a small       
landscape of some of his works  of      
power2 the outsides and extremities of  
it2 more glorious things are  within his
 palaces3 though those things argue a   
stupendous power of the  ,creator1 in   
his works of creation and providence1   
yet they are nothing  to what may be    
declared of his power4 ,and what may be 
declared1 is  nothing to what may be    
conceived2 and what may be conceived1 is
 nothing  to what is above the          
conceptions of any creature4 ,these are 
but little  crumbs and fragments of that
 ,infinite ,power1 which is1 in his     
nature1  like a drop in comparison of   
the mighty ocean2 a hiss or whisper in  
comparison of a mighty voice of         

thunder4#hae ,this1 which ,i have       
spoken1  is but like a spark to the     
fiery region1 a few lines1 by the by1 a 
drop  of speech4    ,the thunder of his 
power4 ,some understand it of thunder   
literally1  for material thunder in the 
air3 8,the thunder of his power10 that  
is1  according to the ,hebrew dialect1  
8his powerful thunder40 ,this is not    
the sense2 the nature of thunder in the 
air doth not so much exceed  the        
capacity of human understanding2 it is1 
therefore1 rather to be  understood     
metaphorically1 8the thunder of his     
power10 that is1 the  greatness and     
immensity of his power1 manifested in   
the magnificent  miracles of nature1 in 
the consideration whereof men are       
astonished1  as if they had heard an    
unusual clap of thunder4 ,so thunder is 
used  7,job xxxix4 #be71 8,the thunder  
of the captains20 that is1 strength and 
force of the captains of an army3 and   
7ver4 #ai71 ,god1 speaking to ,job  of a
 horse1 saith1 8,hast thou clothed his  

neck with thunder80 that is1  strength3 
and thunder being a mark of the power of
 ,god1 some of the  heathen have called 
,god by the name of a ,thunderer4#haf   
,as thunder  pierceth the lowest places1
 and alters the state of things1 so doth
  the power of ,god penetrate into all  
things whatsoever2 the thunder of  his  
power1 that is1 the greatness of his    
power2 as 8the strength of  salvation0  
7,ps4 xx4 #f71 that is1 a mighty        
salvation4    ,who can understand8 ,who 
is able to count all the monuments of   
his power8 ,how doth this little1 which 
,i have spoken of1 exceed  the capacity 
of our understanding1 and is rather the 
matter of our  astonishment1 than the   
object of our comprehensive knowledge4  
,the power  of the greatest potentate1  
or the mightiest creature1 is but of    
small  extent3 none but have their      
limits2 it may be understood how far    
they  can act1 in what sphere their     
activity is bounded3 but when ,i have   
spoken all of ,divine power that ,i can1

 when you have thought all that  you can
 think of it1 your souls will prompt you
 to b#aj conceive  something more beyond
 what ,i have spoken1 and what you have 
thought4  ,his power shines in          
everything1 and is beyond everything4   
,there is  infinitely more power lodged 
in his nature1 not expressed to the     
world4  ,the understanding of men and   
angels1 centred in one creature1 would  
fall short of the perception of the     
infiniteness of it4 ,all that can  be   
comprehended of it1 are but little      
fringes of it1 a small portion4  ,no man
 ever discoursed1 or can1 of ,god's     
power1 according to the  magnificence of
 it4 ,no creature can conceive it2 ,god 
himself only  comprehends it2 ,god      
himself is only able to express it4     
,man's power  being limited1 his line is
 too short to measure the               
incomprehensible  omnipotence of ,god4  
8,the thunder of his power who can      
understand80  that is1 none can4 ,the   
text is a lofty declaration of the      

,divine power1  with a particular note  
of attention1 ,lo6 ,i4 ,in the          
expressions of  it1 in the works of     
creation and providence1 ,lo1 these are 
his ways2  ways and works excelling any 
created strength1 referring to the      
little  summary of them he had made     
before4 ,,ii4 ,in the insufficiency of  
these  ways to measure his power1 ,but  
how little a portion is heard of him4   
,,iii4 ,in the incomprehensibleness of  
it1 ,the thunder of his power1  who can 
understand8 ,doctrine4 ,infinite and    
incomprehensible power  pertains to the 
nature of ,god1 and is expressed1 in    
part1 in his works2  or1 though there be
 a mighty expression of ,divine power in
 his works1  yet an incomprehensible    
power pertains to his nature4 8,the     
thunder of  his power1 who can          
understand80    ,his power glitters in  
all his works1 as well as his wisdom    
7,ps4 lxii4  #aa73 8,twice have ,i heard
 this1 that power belongs unto ,god40   
,in the  law and in the prophets1 say   

some2 but why power twice1 and not      
mercy1  which he speaks of in the       
following verse8 he had heard of power  
twice1  from the voice of creation1 and 
from the voice of government4 ,mercy was
  heard in government after man's fall1 
not creation2 innocent man was  an      
object of ,god's goodness1 not of his   
mercy1 till he made himself  miserable2 
power was expressed in both2 or1 twice  
have ,i heard that  power belongs to    
,god1 that is1 it is a certain and      
undoubted truth1  that power is         
essential to the ,divine nature4 ,it is 
true1 mercy is  essential1 justice is   
essential2 but power more apparently    
essential1  because no acts of mercy1 or
 justice1 or wisdom1 can be exercised by
  him without power2 the repetition of a
 thing confirms the certainty  of it4   
,some observe1 that ,god is called      
,almighty seventy times in              
,scripture4#hag ,though his power be    
evident in all his works1 yet he  hath a
 power beyond the expression of it in   

his works1 which1 as it is  the glory of
 his nature1 so it is the comfort of a  
believer4 ,to which  purpose the apostle
 expresseth it by an excellent          
paraphrasis for the  honor of the       
,divine nature 7,eph4 iii4 #bj73 8,now  
unto him that is able  to do exceeding  
abundantly above all that we can ask or 
think1 unto him  be glory in the        
churches40 ,we have reason to           
acknowledge him ,almighty1  who hath a  
power of acting above our power of      
understanding4 ,who could  have imagined
 such a powerful operation in the       
propagation of the  gospel1 and the     
conversion of the ,gentiles1 which the  
apostle seems to  hint at in that place8
 ,his power is expressed by 8horns in   
his hands0  7,hab4 iii4 #d72 b#aa       
because all the works of his hands are  
wrought  with ,almighty strength4 ,power
 is also used as a name of ,god 7,mark  
xiv4  #fb73 8,the ,son of ,man sitting  
on the right hand of power10 that is1 at
  the right hand of ,god2 ,god and power

 are so inseparable1 that they are      
reciprocated4 ,as his essence is        
immense1 not to be confined in place2   
as it is eternal1 not to be measured by 
time2 so it is ,almighty1 not  to be    
limited in regard of action4    #a4 ,it 
is ingenuously illustrated by some by a 
unit2#hah all  numbers depend upon it2  
it makes numbers by addition1 multiplies
 them  unexpressibly2 when one unit is  
removed from a number1 how vastly doth  
it diminish it6 ,it gives perfection to 
all other numbers1 it receives          
perfection from none4 ,if you add a unit
 before #ajj1 how doth it  multiply it  
to #a1ajj6 ,if you set a unit before    
#bj1jjj1jjj1 it presently  makes the    
number swell up to #abj1jjj1jjj2 and so 
powerful is a unit1  by adding it to    
numbers1 that it will infinitely enlarge
 them to such  a vastness1 that shall   
transcend the capacity of the best      
arithmetician  to count them4 ,by such a
 meditation as this1 you may have some  
prospect  of the power of that ,god who 

is only unity2 the beginning of all     
things1  as a unit is the beginning of  
all numbers2 and can perform as many    
things really1 as a unit can            
numerically2 that is1 can do as much  in
 the making of creatures1 as a unit can 
do in the multiplying of  numbers4 ,the 
omnipotence of ,god was scarce denied by
 any heathen that  did not deny the     
being of a ,god2 and that was ,pliny1   
and that upon weak  arguments4    #b4   
,indeed we cannot have a conception of  
,god1 if we conceive him  not most      
powerful1 as well as most wise2 he is   
not a ,god that cannot  do what he will1
 and perform all his pleasure4 ,if we   
imagine him  restrained in his power1 we
 imagine him limited in his essence2 as 
he hath an infinite knowledge to know   
what is possible1 he cannot be  without 
an infinite power to do what is         
possible2 as he hath a will to  resolve 
what he sees good1 so he cannot want a  
power to effect what he  sees good to   
decree2 as the essence of a creature    

cannot be conceived  without that       
activity that belongs to his nature2 as 
when you conceive  fire1 you cannot     
conceive it without a power of burning  
and warming2  and when you conceive     
water1 you cannot conceive it without a 
power of  moistening and cleansing3 so  
you cannot conceive an infinite essence 
without an infinite power of activity2  
and therefore a heathen could  say1 8,if
 you know ,god1 you know he can do all  
things20 and therefore1  saith ,austin1 
8,give me not only a ,christian1 but a  
,jew2 not only a ,jew1  but a heathen1  
that will deny ,god to be ,almighty40 ,a
 ,jew1 a heathen1  may deny ,christ to  
be omnipotent1 but no heathen will deny 
,god to  be omnipotent1 and no devil    
will deny either to be so3 ,god cannot  
be  conceived without some power1 for   
then he must be conceived without       
action4 ,whose1 then1 are those products
 and effects of power1 which are        
visible to us in the world8 to whom do  
they belong8 who is the ,father  of     

them8 ,god cannot be conceived without a
 power suitable to his nature  and      
essence4 ,if we imagine him to be of an 
infinite essence1 we must  imagine him  
to be of an infinite power and strength4
    b#ab ,in particular1 ,i shall       
show,i4 ,the nature of ,god's power4    
,,ii4 ,reasons to prove that ,god must  
needs be powerful4 ,,iii4 ,how his      
power appears in creation1 in           
government1 in redemption4 ,,iv4 ,the   
,use4    ,i4 ,what this power is2 or the
 nature of it4    #a4 ,power sometimes  
signifies authority3 and a man is said  
to be  mighty and powerful in regard of 
his dominion1 and the right he hath  to 
command multitudes of other persons to  
take his part2 but power  taken for     
strength1 and power taken for authority1
 are distinct things1  and may be       
separated from one another4 ,power may  
be without authority2  as in successful 
invasions1 that have no just foundation4
 ,authority  may be without power2 as in
 a just prince1 expelled by an unjust   

rebellion1 the authority resides in him1
 though he be overpowered1 and  is      
destitute of strength to support and    
exercise that authority4 ,the  power of 
,god is not to be understood of his     
authority and dominion1  but his        
strength to act2 and the word in the    
text properly signifies  strength4#hai  
#b4 ,this power is divided ordinarily   
into absolute and ordinate4  ,absolute1 
is that power whereby ,god is able to do
 that which he will  not do1 but is     
possible to be done2 ordinate1 is that  
power whereby ,god  doth that which he  
hath decreed to do1 that is1 which he   
hath ordained  or appointed to be       
exercised2#hbj which are not distinct   
powers1 but  one and the same power4    
,his ordinate power is a part of his    
absolute2  for if he had not a power to 
do every thing that he could will1 he   
might not have the power to do          
everything that he doth will4 ,the      
object  of his absolute power is all    
things possible2 such things that imply 

not a contradiction1 such that are not  
repugnant in their own nature to  be    
done1 and such as are not contrary to   
the nature and perfections of  ,god to  
be done4 ,those things that are         
repugnant in their own nature to  be    
done are several1 as to make a thing    
which is past not to be past4  ,as1 for 
example1 the world is created2 ,god     
could have chose whether  he would      
create the world1 and after it is       
created he hath power to  dissolve it2  
but after it was created1 and when it is
 dissolved1 it  will be eternally true1 
that the world was created1 and that it 
was  dissolved2 for it is impossible1   
that that which was once true1 should   
ever be false3 if it be true that the   
world was created1 it will  forever be  
true that it was created1 and cannot be 
otherwise4 ,and also1  if it be once    
true that ,god hath decreed1 it is      
impossible in its own  nature to be true
 that ,god hath not decreed4 ,some      
things are repugnant  to the nature and 

perfections of ,god2 as it is impossible
 for his  nature to die and perish2     
impossible for him1 in regard of truth1 
to  lie and deceive4 ,but of this       
hereafter2 only at present to understand
  the object of ,god's absolute power to
 be things possible1 that is1  possible 
in nature2 not by any strength in       
themselves1 or of themselves2  for      
nothing hath no strength1 and everything
 is nothing before it comes  into       
being2#hba so ,god1 by his absolute     
power1 might have prevented  the sin of 
the fallen angels1 and so have preserved
 them in their first  habitation4 ,he   
might1 by his absolute power1 have      
restrained the devil  from tempting of  
,eve1 or restrained her and ,adam from  
swallowing b#ac  the bait1 and joining  
hands with the temptation4 ,by his      
absolute power1  ,god might have given  
the reins to ,peter to betray his       
,master1 as well  as to deny him2 and   
employed ,judas in the same glorious and
 successful  service1 wherein he        

employed ,paul4 ,by his absolute power1 
he might have  created the world        
millions of years before he did create  
it1 and can  reduce it into its empty   
nothing this moment4 ,this the ,baptist 
affirms1  when he tells us1 8,that ,god 
is able of these stones 7meaning the    
stones  in the wilderness1 and not the  
people which came out to him out of     
,judea1 which were children of ,abraham7
 to raise up children to ,abraham0      
7,matt4 iii4 #i72 that is1 there is a   
possibility of such a thing there  is no
 contradiction in it1 but that ,god is  
able to do it if he please4  ,but now   
the object of his ordinate power1 is all
 things ordained by  him to be done1 all
 things decreed by him2 and because of  
the ,divine  ordination of things1 this 
power is called ordinate2 and what is   
thus  ordained by him he cannot but do1 
because of his unchangeableness4 ,both  
those powers are expressed 7,matt4 xxvi4
 #ec1 #ed71 8,my ,father can send       
twelve legions of angels10 there is his 

absolute power2 8but how then  shall the
 ,scriptures be fulfilled1 that thus it 
must be80 there is his  ordinate power4 
,as his power is free from any act of   
his will1 it is  called absolute2 as it 
is joined with an act of his will1 it is
 called  ordinate4 ,his absolute power  
is necessary1 and belongs to his nature2
  his ordinate power is free1 and       
belongs to his will2a power guided  by  
his will1not1 as ,i said before1 that   
they are two distinct powers1  both     
belonging to his nature1 but the latter 
is the same with the  former1 only it is
 guided by his will and wisdom4    #c4  
,it follows1 then1 that the power of    
,god is that ability and  strength1     
whereby he can bring to pass whatsoever 
he please2 whatsoever  his infinite     
wisdom can direct1 and whatsoever the   
infinite purity  of his will can        
resolve4 ,power1 in the primary notion  
of it1 doth not  signify an act1 but an 
ability to bring a thing into act2 it is
 power1  as able to act before it doth  

actually produce a thing3 as ,god had an
  ability to create before he did       
create1 he had power before he acted    
that power without4 ,power notes the    
principle of the action1 and1           
therefore1 is greater than the act      
itself4 ,power exercised and diffused1  
in bringing forth and nursing in its    
particular objects without1 is          
inconceivably less than that strength   
which is infinite in himself1 the  same 
with his essence1 and is indeed himself3
 by his power exercised  he doth        
whatsoever he actually wills2 but by the
 power in his nature1  he is able to do 
whatsoever he is able to will4 ,the will
 of creatures  may be1 and is more      
extensive than their power2 and their   
power more  contracted and shortened    
than their will3 but1 as the prophet    
saith1  8,his counsel shall stand1 and  
he will do all his pleasure0 7,isa4     
xlvi4  #aj74 ,his power is as great as  
his will1 that is1 whatsoever can fall  
within the verge of his will1 falls     

within the compass of his power4        
,though he will never actually will this
 or that1 yet supposing he  should will 
it1 he is able to perform it3 so that   
you must1 in your  notion of ,divine    
power1 enlarge it further than to think 
,god can only  do what he hath resolved 
to do2 but that he hath as infinite a   
capacity  of power to act1 as he hath an
 infinite capacity of will to resolve4  
,besides1 this power is of that b#ad    
nature1 that he can do whatsoever  he   
pleases without difficulty1 without     
resistance2 it cannot be checked1       
restrained1 frustrated4#hbb ,as he can  
do all things possible in regard  of the
 object1 he can do all things easily in 
regard of the manner of  acting3 what in
 human artificers is knowledge1 labor1  
industry1 that in  ,god is his will2 his
 will works without labor2 his works    
stand forth as  he wills them4 ,hands   
and arms are ascribed to him for our    
conceptions1  because our power of      
acting is distinct from our will2 but   

,god's power  of acting is not really   
distinct from his will2 it is sufficient
 to  the existence of a thing that ,god 
wills it to exist2 he can act what he   
will only by his will1 without any      
instruments4 ,he needs no matter to     
work upon1 because he can make something
 from nothing2 all matter owes  itself  
to his creative power3 he needs no time 
to work in1 for he can  make time when  
he pleases to begin to work3 he needs no
 copy to work by2  himself is his own   
pattern and copy in his works4 ,all     
created agents  want matter to work     
upon1 instruments to work with1 copies  
to work by2  time to bring either the   
births of their minds1 or the works of  
their  hands1 to perfection3 but the    
power of ,god needs none of these       
things1  but is of a vast and           
incomprehensible nature1 beyond all     
these4 ,as  nothing can be done without 
the compass of it1 so itself is without 
the compass of every created            
understanding4    #d4 ,this power is of 

a distinct conception from the wisdom   
and will of  ,god4 ,they are not really 
distinct1 but according to our          
conceptions4  ,we cannot discourse of   
,divine things1 without observing some  
proportion  of them with human1         
ascribing unto ,god the perfections1    
sifted from  the imperfections of our   
nature4 ,in us there are three ordersof 
understanding1 will1 power2 and1        
accordingly1 three acts1 counsel1       
resolution1 execution2 which1 though    
they are distinct in us1 are not  really
 distinct in ,god4 ,in our conceptions1 
the apprehension of a thing  belongs to 
the understanding of ,god2              
determination1 to the will of ,god2     
direction1 to the wisdom of ,god2       
execution1 to the power of ,god4 ,the   
knowledge of ,god regards a thing as    
possible1 and as it may be done2  the   
wisdom of ,god regards a thing as fit1  
and convenient to be done2  the will of 
,god resolves that it shall be done2 the
 power of ,god is  the application of   

his will to effect what it hath         
resolved4 ,wisdom  is a fixing the being
 of things1 the measures and perfections
 of their  several beings2 power is a   
conferring those perfections and beings 
upon them4 ,his power is his ability to 
act1 and his wisdom is the  director of 
his action3 his will orders1 his wisdom 
guides1 and his  power effects4 ,his    
will as the spring1 and his power as the
 worker1  are expressed 7,ps4 cxv4 #c74 
8,he hath done whatsoever he pleased4   
,he  commanded1 and they were created0  
7,ps4 cxl4 #e72 and all three expressed 
7,eph4 i4 #aa71 8,who works all things  
according to the counsel of his  own    
will30 so that the power of ,god is a   
perfection1 as it were1  subordinate to 
his understanding and will1 to execute  
the results of  his wisdom1 and the     
orders of his will2 to his wisdom as    
directing1  because he works skilfully2 
to his will as moving and applying1     
because  he works voluntarily and       
freely4 ,the exercise of his power      

depends upon  his will3 his will is the 
supreme cause of everything b#ae that   
stands  up in time1 and all things      
receive a being as he wills them4 ,his  
power  is but will perpetually working1 
and diffusing itself in the season his  
will hath fixed from eternity2 it is his
 eternal will in perpetual and          
successive springs and streams in the   
creatures2 it is nothing else but  the  
constant efficacy of his omnipotent     
will4 ,this must be understood  of his  
ordinate power2 but his absolute power  
is larger than his  resolving will3 for 
though the ,scripture tells us1 8,he    
hath done  whatsoever he will10 yet it  
tells us not1 that he hath done         
whatsoever  he could3 he can do things  
that he will never do4 ,again1 his power
 is  distinguished from his will in     
regard of the exercise of it1 which is  
after the act of his will3 his will was 
conversant about objects1 when  his     
power was not exercised about them4     
,creatures were the objects of  his will

 from eternity1 but they were not from  
eternity the effects of  his power4 ,his
 purpose to create was from eternity1   
but the execution  of his purpose was in
 time4 ,now this execution of his will  
we call  his ordinate power3 his wisdom 
and his will are supposed antecedent  to
 his power1 as the counsel and resolve2 
as the cause precedes the  performance  
of the purpose as the effect4 ,some#hbc 
distinguish his  power from his         
understanding and will1 in regard that  
his understanding  and will are larger  
than his absolute power2 for ,god       
understands sins1  and wills to permit  
them1 but he cannot himself do any evil 
or unjust  action1 nor have a power of  
doing it4 ,but this is not to           
distinguish  that ,divine power1 but    
impotence2 for to be unable to do evil  
is the  perfection of power2 and to be  
able to do things unjust and evil1 is  a
 weakness1 imperfection1 and inability4 
,man indeed wills many things  that he  
is not able to perform1 and understands 

many things that he is  not able to     
effect2 he understands much of the      
creatures1 something of  sun1 moon1 and 
stars2 he can conceive many suns1 many  
moons1 yet is not  able to create the   
least atom3 but there is nothing that   
belongs to  power but ,god understands1 
and is able to effect4 ,to sum this up1 
the  will of ,god is the root of all1   
the wisdom of ,god is the copy of all1  
and the power of ,god is the framer of  
all4    #e4 ,the power of ,god gives    
activity to all the other perfections of
  his nature1 and is of a larger extent 
and efficacy1 in regard of its  objects1
 than some perfections of his nature4 ,i
 put them both together4    7#a47 ,it   
contributes life and activity to all the
 other perfections of  his nature4 ,how 
vain would be his eternal counsels1 if  
power did not  step in to execute them6 
,his mercy would be a feeble pity1 if he
 were  destitute of power to relieve2   
and his justice a slighted scarecrow1   
without power to punish2 his promises an

 empty sound1 without power  to         
accomplish them4 ,as holiness is the    
beauty1 so power is the life  of all his
 attributes in their exercise2 and as   
holiness1 so power1 is  an adjunct      
belonging to all1 a term that may be    
given to all4 ,god hath  a powerful     
wisdom to attain his ends without       
interruption3 he hath  a powerful mercy 
to remove our misery2 a powerful justice
 to lay all  misery upon offenders3 he  
hath a powerful truth to perform his    
promises2  an infinite power to bestow  
rewards1 and inflict penalties4 ,it is  
to this purpose power is first put b#af 
in the two things which the  ,psalmist  
had heard 7,ps4 lxii4 #aa1 #ab74 8,twice
 have ,i heard10 or two  things have ,i 
heard2 first power1 then mercy and      
justice1 included in  that expression1  
8,thou renderest to every man according 
to his work30  in every perfection of   
,god he heard of power4 ,this is the    
arm1 the  hand of the ,deity1 which all 
his other attributes lay hold on1 when  

they would appear in their glory2 this  
hands them to the world3 by  this they  
act1 in this they triumph4 ,power framed
 every stage for their  appearance in   
creation1 providence1 redemption4       
7#b47 ,it is of a larger extent1 in     
regard of its objects1 than  some other 
attributes4 ,power doth not alway       
suppose an object1  but constitutes an  
object4 ,it supposeth an object in the  
act of  preservation1 but it makes an   
object in the act of creation2 but      
mercy supposeth an object miserable1 yet
 doth not make it so4 ,justice          
supposeth an object criminal1 but doth  
not constitute it so3 mercy  supposeth  
him miserable1 to relieve him2 justice  
supposeth him criminal1  to punish him3 
but power supposeth not a thing in real 
existence1  but as possible2 or rather1 
it is from power that any thing hath a  
possibility1 if there be no repugnancy  
in the nature of the thing4  ,again1    
power extends further than either mercy 
or justice4 ,mercy hath  particular     

objects1 which justice shall not at last
 be willing to  punish2 and justice hath
 particular objects1 which mercy at last
 shall  not be willing to refresh3 but  
power doth1 and alway will1 extend to   
the objects of both mercy and justice4  
,a creature1 as a creature1 is  neither 
the object of mercy nor justice1 nor of 
rewarding goodness3 a  creature1 as     
innocent1 is the object of rewarding    
goodness2 a creature1  as miserable1 is 
the object of compassionate mercy2 a    
creature1 as  criminal1 is the object of
 revenging justice3 but all of them the 
objects of power1 in conjunction with   
those attributes of goodness1  mercy1   
and justice1 to which they belong4 ,all 
the objects that mercy1  and justice1   
and truth1 and wisdom1 exercise         
themselves about1 hath a  possibility   
and an actual being from this perfection
 of ,divine power4  ,it is power first  
frames a creature in a capacity of      
nature for mercy  or justice1 though it 
doth not give an immediate qualification

 for the  exercise of either4 ,power    
makes man a rational creature1 and so   
confers  upon him a nature mutable1     
which may be miserable by its own fault1
  and punishable by ,god's justice2 or  
pitiable by ,god's compassion1 and      
relievable by ,god's mercy3 but it doth 
not make him sinful1 whereby  he becomes
 miserable and punishable4 ,again1 power
 runs through all the  degrees of the   
states of a creature4 ,as a thing is    
possible1 or may  be made1 it is the    
object of absolute power2 as it is      
factibile1 or  ordered to be made1 it is
 the object of ordinate power3 as a     
thing is  actually made1 and brought    
into being1 it is the object of         
preserving  power4 ,so that power doth  
stretch out its arms to all the works of
 ,god1  in all their circumstances1 and 
at all times4 ,when mercy ceaseth to    
relieve a creature1 when justice ceaseth
 to punish a creature1 power  ceaseth   
not to preserve a creature4 ,the blessed
 in heaven1 that are  out of the reach  

of punishing justice1 are forever       
maintained by power  in that blessed    
condition3 the damned in hell1 that are 
cast out of  the b#ag bosom of          
entreating mercy1 are forever sustained 
in those  remediless torments by the    
,arm of ,power4    #f4 ,this power is   
originally and essentially in the nature
 of ,god1 and  not distinct from his    
essence4 ,it is originally and          
essentially in ,god4  ,the strength and 
power of great kings is originally in   
their people1  and managed and ordered  
by the authority of the prince for the  
common  good4 ,though a prince hath     
authority in his person to command1 yet 
he hath not sufficient strength in his  
person1 without the assistance  of      
others1 to make his commands to be      
obeyed4 ,he hath not a single  strength 
in his own person to conquer countries  
and kingdoms1 and  increase the number  
of his subjects3 he must make use of the
 arms of  his own subjects1 to overrun  
other places1 and yoke them under his   

dominion3 but the power of all things   
that ever were1 are1 or shall be1  is   
originally and essentially in ,god4 ,it 
is not derived from any thing  without  
him1 as the power of the greatest       
potentates in the world is3  therefore  
7,ps4 lxii4 #aa7 it is said1 8,power    
belongs unto ,god10 that is1  solely and
 to none else4 ,he hath a power to make 
his subjects1 and as  many as he        
pleases2 to create worlds1 to enjoin    
precepts1 to execute  penalties1 without
 calling in the strength of his         
creatures to his aid4  ,the strength    
that the subjects of a mortal prince    
have1 is not derived  to them from the  
prince1 though the exercise of it for   
this or that  end1 is ordered and       
directed by the authority of the prince3
 but what  strength soever any thing    
hath to act as a means1 it hath from the
  power of ,god as ,creator1 as well as 
whatsoever authority it hath to act  is 
from ,god1 as a ,rector and ,governor of
 the world4 ,god hath a strength  to act

 without means1 and no means can act any
 thing without his power  and strength  
communicated to them4 ,as the clouds1 in
 ver4 #h1 before  the text1 are called  
,god's clouds1 8his clouds30 so all the 
strength  of creatures may be called1   
and truly is1 ,god's strength and power 
in  them3 a drop of power shot down from
 heaven1 originally only in ,god4       
,creatures have but a little mite of    
power2 somewhat communicated to  them1  
somewhat kept and reserved from them1 of
 what they are capable  to possess4     
,they have limited natures1 and         
therefore a limited sphere  of activity4
 ,clothes can warm us1 but not feed us2 
bread can nourish  us1 but not clothe   
us4 ,one plant hath a medicinal quality 
against  one disease1 another against   
another2 but ,god is the possessor of   
universal power1 the common exchequer of
 this mighty treasure4 ,he acts  by     
creatures1 as not needing their power1  
but deriving power to them3  what he    
acts by them1 he could act himself      

without them3 and what they  act as from
 themselves1 is derived to them from him
 through invisible  channels4 ,and hence
 it will follow1 that because power is  
essentially  in ,god1 more operations of
 ,god are possible than are exerted4    
,and as  power is essentially in ,god1  
so it is not distinct from his essence4 
,it  belongs to ,god in regard of the   
inconceivable excellency and activity   
of his essence4#hbd ,and omnipotent is  
nothing but the ,divine essence         
efficacious ad extra4 ,it is his essence
 as operative1 and the  immediate       
principle of operation3 as the power of 
enlightening in the  sun1 and the power 
of heating in the fire1 are not things  
distinct b#ah  from the nature of them2 
but the nature of the sun bringing forth
 light1  and the nature of the fire     
bringeth forth heat4 ,the power of      
acting is  the same with the substance  
of ,god1 though the action from that    
power  be terminated in the creature4   
,if the power of ,god were distinct from

  his essence1 he were then compounded  
of substance and power1 and would  not  
be the most simple being4 ,as when the  
understanding is informed  in several   
parts of knowledge1 it is skilled in the
 government of  cities and countries1 it
 knows this or that art3 it learns      
mathematics1  philosophy2 this1 or that 
science4 ,the understanding hath a power
 to  do this2 but this power1 whereby it
 learns those excellent things1  and    
brings forth excellent births1 is not a 
thing distinct from  the understanding  
itself2 we may rather call it the       
understanding  powerful1 than the power 
of the understanding2 and so we may     
rather  say1 ,god powerful1 than say1   
the power of ,god2 because his power is 
not distinct from his essence4 ,from    
both these1 it will follow1 that  this  
omnipotence is incommunicable to any    
creature2 no creature can  inherit it1  
because it is a contradiction for any   
creature to have the  essence of ,god4  
,this omnipotence is a peculiar right of

 ,god1 wherein no  creature can share   
with him4 ,to be omnipotent is to be    
essentially ,god4  ,and for a creature  
to be omnipotent1 is for a creature to  
be its own  ,creator4 ,it being         
therefore the same with the essence of  
the ,godhead1  it cannot be communicated
 to the humanity of ,christ1 as the     
,lutherans  say it is1 without the      
communication of the essence of the     
,godhead2  for then the humanity of     
,christ would not be humanity1 but      
,deity4 ,if  omnipotence were           
communicated to the humanity of ,christ1
 the essence of  ,god were also         
communicated to his humanity1 and then  
eternity would be  communicated4 ,his   
humanity then was not given him in time2
 his humanity  would be uncompounded1   
that is1 his body would be no body1 his 
soul no  soul4 ,omnipotence is          
essentially in ,god2 it is not distinct 
from the  essence of ,god1 it is his    
essence1 omnipotent1 able to do all     
things4    #g4 ,hence it follows1 that  

this power is infinite 7,eph4 i4 #ai72  
8,what is the exceeding greatness of his
 power10 c4 8according to the  working  
of his mighty power40 ,god were not     
omnipotent1 unless his power  were      
infinite2 for a finite power is a       
limited power1 and a limited  power     
cannot effect everything that is        
possible4 ,nothing can be too  difficult
 for the ,divine power to effect2 he    
hath a fullness of power1  an exceeding 
strength1 above all human capacities2 it
 is a 8mighty  power0 7,eph4 i4 #ai71   
8able to do above all that we can ask or
 think0  7,eph4 iii4 #bj73 that which he
 acts1 is above the power of any        
creature  to act4 ,infinite power       
consists in the bringing things forth   
from  nothing4 ,no creature can imitate 
,god in this prerogative of power4 ,man 
indeed can carve various forms1 and     
erect various pieces of art1 but  from  
preexistent matter4 ,every artificer    
hath the matter brought to  his hand1 he
 only brings it forth in a new figure4  

,chemists separate  one thing from      
another1 but create nothing1 but sever  
those things  which were before         
compacted and crudled together3 but when
 ,god speaks a  powerful word1 nothing  
begins to be something3 things stand    
forth from  the womb of nothing1 and    
obey his mighty command1 and take what  
forms  he b#ai is pleased to give them4 
,the creating one thing1 though never   
so small and minute1 as the least fly1  
cannot be but by an infinite  power2    
much less can the producing of such     
variety we see in the world4  ,his power
 is infinite1 in regard it cannot be    
resisted by anything that  he hath made2
 nor can it be confined by anything he  
can will to make4  8,his greatness is   
unsearchable0 7,ps4 cxlv4 #c74 ,it is a 
greatness1 not  of quantity1 but        
quality4 ,the greatness of his power    
hath no end3 it  is a vanity to imagine 
any limits can be affixed to it1 or that
 any  creature can say1 8,hitherto it   
can go1 and no further40 ,it is above   

all  conception1 all inquisition of any 
created understanding4 ,no creature     
ever had1 nor ever can have1 that       
strength of wit and understanding1 to   
conceive the extent of his power1 and   
how magnificently he can work4          
,first1 ,his essence is infinite4 ,as in
 a finite subject there is a  finite    
virtue1 so in an infinite subject there 
must be an infinite  virtue4 ,where the 
essence is limited1 the power is so3#hbe
 where the  essence is unlimited1 the   
power knows no bounds4#hbf ,among       
creatures1  the more excellency of being
 and form anything hath1 the more       
activity1  vigor1 and power it hath1 to 
work according to its nature4 ,the sun  
hath  a mighty power to warm1 enlighten1
 and fructify1 above what the stars     
have2 because it hath a vaster body1    
more intense degrees of light1  heat1   
and vigor4 ,now1 if you conceive the sun
 made much greater than it  is1 it would
 proportionably have greater degrees of 
power to heat and  enlighten than it    

hath now3 and were it possible to have  
an infinite  heat and light1 it would   
infinitely heat and enlighten other     
things2  for everything is able to act  
according to the measures of its being3 
therefore1 since the essence of ,god is 
unquestionably infinite1 his  power of  
acting must be so also4 ,his power 7as  
was said before7 is one  and the same   
with his essence3 and though the        
knowledge of ,god extends  to more      
objects than his power1 because he knows
 all evils of sin1  which because of his
 holiness he cannot commit1 yet it is as
 infinite  as his knowledge1 because it 
is as much one with his essence1 as his 
knowledge and wisdom is3 for as the     
wisdom or knowledge of ,god is  nothing 
but the essence of ,god1 knowing1 so the
 power of ,god is  nothing but the      
essence of ,god1 able4    ,the objects  
of ,divine power are innumerable4 ,the  
objects of ,divine  power are not       
essentially infinite2 and therefore we  
must not measure  the infiniteness of   

,divine power by an ability to make an  
infinite  being2 because there is an    
incapacity in any created thing to be   
infinite2 for to be a creature and to be
 infinite2 to be infinite  and yet made1
 is a contradiction4 ,to be infinite1   
and to be ,god1 is  one and the same    
thing4 ,nothing can be infinite but     
,god2 nothing but  ,god is infinite4    
,but the power of ,god is infinite1     
because it can  produce infinite        
effects1 or innumerable things1 such as 
surpass the  arithmetic of a creature2  
nor yet doth the infiniteness consist   
simply  in producing innumerable        
effects2 for that a finite cause can    
produce4  ,fire can1 by its finite and  
limited heat1 burn numberless           
combustible  things and parcels2 and the
 understanding of man hath an infinite  
number of thoughts and acts of          
intellection1 b#bj and thoughts         
different from one another4 ,who can    
number the imaginations of his  fancy1  
and thoughts of his mind1 the space of  

one month or year8 much  less of forty  
or an hundred years2 yet all these      
thoughts are about  things that are in  
being1 or have a foundation in things   
that are  in being4 ,but the            
infiniteness of ,god's power consists in
 an ability  to produce infinite        
effects1 formally distinct1 and diverse 
from  one another2 such as never had    
being1 such as the mind of man cannot   
conceive3 8,able to do above what we can
 think0 7,eph4 iii4 #bj74 ,and          
whatsoever ,god hath made1 or is able to
 make1 he is able to make in  an        
infinite manner1 by calling them to     
stand forth from nothing4 ,to  produce  
innumerable effects of distinct natures1
 and from so distant  a term as nothing1
 is an argument of infinite power4 ,now1
 that the  objects of ,divine power are 
innumerable1 appears1 because ,god can  
do  infinitely more than he hath done1  
or will do4 ,nothing that ,god hath     
done can enfeeble or dull his power2    
there still resides in him an  ability  

beyond all the settled contrivances of  
his understanding and  resolves of his  
will1 which no effects which he hath    
wrought can drain  and put to a stand4  
,as he can raise stones to be children  
to ,abraham  7,matt4 iii4 #i72 so with  
the same mighty word1 whereby he made   
one world1  he can make infinite numbers
 of worlds to be the monuments of his   
glory4  ,after the prophet ,jeremiah    
7ch4 xxxii4 #ag71 had spoke of ,god's   
power  in creation1 he adds1 8,and there
 is nothing too hard for thee40 ,for    
one world that he hath made1 he can     
create millions3 for one star which  he 
hath beautified the heavens with1 he    
could have garnished it with  a         
thousand1 and multiplied1 if he had     
pleased1 every one of those into        
millions1 8for he can call things that  
are not0 7,rom4 iv4 #ag72 not  some     
things1 but all things possible4 ,the   
barren womb of nothing can  no more     
resist his power now to educe a world   
from it1 than it could  at first3 no    

doubt1 but for one angel which he hath  
made1 he could  make many worlds of     
angels4 ,he that made one with so much  
ease1 as  by a word1 cannot want power  
to make many more1 till he wants a word4
  ,the word that was not too weak to    
make one1 cannot be too weak to make    
multitudes4 ,if from one man he hath1 in
 a way of nature1 multiplied  so many in
 all ages of the world1 and covered with
 them the whole face  of the earth2 he  
could1 in a supernatural way1 by one    
word1 multiply  as many more4 8,it is   
the breath of the ,almighty that gives  
life0  7,job4 xxxiii4 #d74 ,he can      
create infinite species and kinds of    
creatures  more than he hath created1   
more variety of forms3 for since there  
is  no searching of his greatness1 there
 is no conceiving the numberless        
possible effects of his power4 ,the     
understanding of man can conceive       
numberless things possible to be1 more  
than have been or shall be4  ,and shall 
we imagine1 that a finite understanding 

of a creature hath  a greater           
omnipotency to conceive things possible1
 than ,god hath to  produce things      
possible8 ,when the understanding of man
 is tired in  its conceptions1 it must  
still be concluded1 that the power of   
,god  extends1 not only to what can be  
conceived1 but infinitely beyond the    
measures of a finite faculty4 8,touching
 the ,almighty1 we cannot find  him out2
 he is excellent in power and in        
judgment0 7,job xxxvi4 #bc74  ,for the  
understanding of man1 b#ba in its       
conceptions of more kind of  creatures1 
is limited to those creatures which are3
 it cannot1 in its  own imagination1    
conceive anything but what hath some    
foundation in and  from something       
already in being4 ,it may frame a new   
kind of creature1  made up of a lion1 a 
horse1 an ox2 but all those parts       
whereof its  conception is made1 have   
distinct beings in the world1 though not
 in  that composition as his mind mixes 
and joins them2 but no question  but    

,god can create creatures that have no  
resemblance with any kind  of creatures 
yet in being4 ,it is certain that if    
,god only knows those  things which he  
hath done1 and will do1 and not all     
things possible to  be done by him1 his 
knowledge were finite2 so if he could do
 no more  than what he hath done1 his   
power would be finite4    7#a47         
,creatures have a power to act about    
more objects than they  do4 ,the        
understanding of man can frame from one 
principle of truth1  many conclusions   
and inferences more than it doth4 ,why  
cannot1 then1  the power of ,god frame  
from one first matter1 an infinite      
number of  creatures more than have been
 created8 ,the ,almightiness of ,god in 
producing real effects1 is not inferior 
to the understanding of man  in drawing 
out real truths4 ,an artificer that     
makes a watch1 supposing  his life and  
health1 can make many more of a         
different form and motion2  and a limner
 can draw many draughts1 and frame many 

pictures with a new  variety of colors1 
according to the richness of his fancy4 
,if these can  do so1 that require a    
preexistent matter framed to their      
hands1 ,god  can much more1 who can     
raise beautiful structures from nothing4
 ,as long  as men have matter1 they can 
diversify the matter1 and make new      
figures  from it2 so long as there is   
nothing1 ,god can produce out of that   
nothing whatsoever he pleases4 ,we see  
the same in inanimate creatures4  ,a    
spark of fire hath a vast power in it3  
it will kindle other things1  increase  
and enlarge itself2 nothing can be      
exempt from the active  force of it4 ,it
 will alter1 by consuming or refining1  
whatsoever you  offer to it4 ,it will   
reach all1 and refuse none2 and by the  
efficacious  power of it1 all those new 
figures which we see in metals1 are     
brought  forth2 when you have exposed to
 it a multitude of things1 still add    
more1 it will exert the same strength2  
yea1 the vigor is increased  rather than

 diminished4 ,the more it catcheth1 the 
more fiercely and  irresistibly it will 
act2 you cannot suppose an end of its   
operation1  or a decrease of its        
strength1 as long as you can conceive   
its duration  and continuance3 this must
 be but a weak shadow of that infinite  
power  which is in ,god4 ,take another  
instance1 in the sun3 it hath power     
every  year to produce flowers and      
plants from the earth2 and is as able to
  produce them now1 as it was at the    
first lighting it and rearing it in     
that sphere wherein it moves4 ,and if   
there were no kind of flowers and       
plants now created1 the sun hath a power
 residing in it1 ever since its  first  
creation1 to afford the same warmth to  
them for the nourishing  and bringing   
them forth4 ,whatsoever you can conceive
 the sun to be able  to do in regard of 
plants1 that can ,god do in regard of   
worlds2 produce  more worlds than the   
sun doth plants every year1 without     
weariness1  without languishment4 ,the  

sun is able to influence more things    
than  it doth1 and produce b#bb         
numberless effects2 but it doth not do  
so  much as it is able to do1 because it
 wants matter to work upon4 ,god1       
therefore1 who wants no matter1 can do  
much more than he doth2 he can  either  
act by second causes if there were more1
 or make more second  causes if he      
pleased4    7#b47 ,god is the most free 
agent4 ,every free agent can do more    
than he  will do4 ,man being a free     
creature1 can do more than ordinarily he
 doth  will to do4 ,god is most free1 as
 being the spring of liberty in other   
creatures2 he acts not by a necessity of
 nature1 as the waves of the  sea1 or   
the motions of the wind2 and1 therefore1
 is not determined to  those things     
which he hath already called forth into 
the world4 ,if ,god  be infinitely wise 
in contrivance1 he could contrive more  
than he hath1  and therefore1 can effect
 more than he hath effected4 ,he doth   
not act  to the extent of his power upon

 all occasions4 ,it is according to his 
will that he works 7,eph4 i474 ,it is   
not according to his work that  he      
wills2 his work is an evidence of his   
will1 but not the rule of  his will4    
,his power is not the rule of his will1 
but his will is the  disposer of his    
power1 according to the light of his    
infinite wisdom1  and other attributes  
that direct his will2 and therefore his 
power  is not to be measured by his     
actual will4 ,no doubt1 but he could in 
a  moment have produced that world which
 he took six days' time to frame2  he   
could have drowned the old world at     
once1 without prolonging the  time till 
the revolution of forty days2 he was not
 limited to such  a term of time by any 
weakness1 but by the determination of   
his own  will4 ,god doth not do the     
hundred thousandth part of what he is   
able  to do1 but what is convenient to  
do1 according to the end which he hath  
proposed to himself4 ,jesus ,christ1 as 
man1 could have asked legions of        

angels2 and ,god1 as a sovereign1 could 
have sent them 7,matt4 xxvi4 #ec74  ,god
 could raise the dead every day if he   
pleased1 but he doth not3  he could heal
 every diseased person in a moment1 but 
he doth not4 ,as  ,god can will more    
than he doth actually will1 so he can do
 more than  he hath actually done2 he   
can do whatsoever he can will2 he can   
will  more worlds1 and therefore can    
create more worlds4 ,if ,god hath not   
ability to do more than he will do1 he  
then can do no more than what he        
actually hath done2 and then it will    
follow1 that he is not a free1 but  a   
natural and necessary agent1 which      
cannot be supposed of ,god4    ,second4 
,this power is infinite in regard of    
action4 ,as he can produce  numberless  
objects above what he hath produced1 so 
he could produce  them more             
magnificently than he hath made them4   
,as he never works to  the extent of his
 power in regard of things1 so neither  
in regard of  the manner of acting2 for 

he never acts so but he could act in a  
higher  and perfecter manner4    7#a47  
,his power is infinite in regard of the 
independency of action3  he wants no    
instrument to act4 ,when there was      
nothing but ,god1 there  was no cause of
 action but ,god2 when there was nothing
 in being but  ,god1 there could be no  
instrumental cause of the being of      
anything4  ,god can perfect his action  
without dependence on any thing2#hbg and
 to  be simply independent1 is to be    
simply infinite4 ,in b#bc this respect  
it is a power incommunicable to any     
creature1 though you conceive a         
creature in higher degrees of perfection
 than it is4 ,a creature cannot  cease  
to be dependent1 but it must cease to be
 a creature2 to be a  creature and      
independent1 are terms repugnant to one 
another4    7#b47 ,but the infiniteness 
of ,divine power consists in an ability 
to  give higher degrees of perfection to
 everything which he hath made4 ,as  his
 power is infinite extensive1 in regard 

of the multitude of objects  he can     
bring into being1 so it is infinite     
intensive1 in regard of the  manner of  
operation1 and the endowments he can    
bestow upon them4#hbh  ,some things1    
indeed1 ,god doth so perfect1 that      
higher degrees of  perfection cannot be 
imagined to be added to them4#hbi ,as   
the humanity  of ,christ cannot be      
united more gloriously than to the      
person of the  ,son of ,god1 a greater  
degree of perfection cannot be conferred
 upon  it4 ,nor can the souls of the    
blessed have a nobler object of vision  
and fruition than ,god himself1 the     
infinite ,being3 no higher than  the    
enjoyment of himself can be conferred   
upon a creature1 respectu  termini4     
,this is not want of power2 he cannot be
 greater1 because he  is greatest2 not  
better1 because he is best2 nothing can 
be more than  infinite4 ,but as to the  
things which ,god hath made in the      
world1 he  could have given them other  
manner of being than they have4 ,a human

  understanding may improve a thought or
 conclusion2 strengthen it with  more   
and more force of reason2 and adorn it  
with richer and richer  elegancy of     
language3 why1 then1 may not the ,divine
 providence produce  a world more       
perfect and excellent than this8 ,he    
that makes a plain  vessel1 can         
embellish it more1 engrave more figures 
upon it1 according  to the capacity of  
the subject3 and cannot ,god do so much 
more with  his works8 ,could not ,god   
have made this world of a larger        
quantity1  and the sun of a greater bulk
 and proportionable strength1 to        
influence  a bigger world8 so that this 
world would have been to another that   
,god  might have made1 as a ball or a   
mount1 this sun as a star to another    
sun that he might have kindled4 ,he     
could have made every star a sun1  every
 spire of grass a star1 every grain of  
dust a flower1 every soul  an angel4    
,and though the angels be perfect       
creatures1 and inexpressibly  more      

glorious than a visible creature1 yet   
who can imagine ,god so  confined1 that 
he cannot create a more excellent kind1 
and endow those  which he hath made with
 excellency of a higher rank than he    
invested  them with at the first moment 
of their creation8 ,without question    
,god  might have given the meaner       
creatures more excellent endowments1 put
  them into another order of nature for 
their own good and more diffusive       
usefulness in the world4 ,what is made  
use of by the prophet 7,mal4 ii4  #ae7  
in another case1 may be used in this3   
8,yet had he a residue of  ,spirit40    
,the capacity of every creature might   
have been enlarged by  ,god2 for no work
 of his in the world doth equal his     
power1 as nothing  that he hath framed  
doth equal his wisdom4 ,the same matter 
which is the  matter of the body of a   
beast1 is the matter of a plant and     
flower2 is  the matter of the body of a 
man2 and so was capable of a higher form
  and higher perfections1 than ,god hath

 been pleased b#bd to bestow upon  it4  
,and he had power to bestow that        
perfection on one part of matter  which 
he denied to it1 and bestowed on another
 part4 ,if ,god cannot make  things in a
 greater perfection1 there must be some 
limitation of him3  he cannot be limited
 by another1 because nothing is superior
 to ,god4 ,if  limited by himself1 that 
limitation is not from a want of power1 
but a  want of will4 ,he can1 by his own
 power1 raise stones to be children to  
,abraham 7,matt4 iii4 #i73 he could     
alter the nature of the stones1 form    
them into human bodies1 dignify them    
with rational souls1 inspire those      
souls with such graces that may render  
them the children of ,abraham4  ,but for
 the more fully understanding the nature
 of this power1 we may  observe1    #a4 
,that though ,god can make everything   
with a higher degree of  perfection1 yet
 still within the limits of a finite    
being4 ,no creature  can be made        
infinite1 because no creature can be    

made ,god4 ,no creature  can be so      
improved as to equal the goodness and   
perfection of ,god2#hcj  yet there is no
 creature but we may conceive a         
possibility of its being  made more     
perfect in that rank of a creature than 
it is3 as we may  imagine a flower or   
plant to have greater beauty and richer 
qualities  imparted to it by ,divine    
power1 without rearing it so high as to 
the  dignity of a rational or sensitive 
creature4 ,whatsoever perfections  may  
be added by ,god to a creature1 are     
still finite perfections2 and a         
multitude of finite excellences can     
never amount to the value and honor  of 
infinite3 as if you add one number to   
another as high as you can1  as much as 
a large piece of paper can contain1 you 
can never make  the numbers really      
infinite1 though they may be infinite in
 regard  of the inability of any human  
understanding to count them4 ,the finite
  condition of the creature suffers it  
not to be capable of an infinite        

perfection4 ,god is so great1 so        
excellent1 that it is his perfection    
not to have any equal2 the defect is in 
the creature1 which cannot be  elevated 
to such a pitch2 as you can never make a
 gallon measure to  hold the quantity of
 a butt1 or a butt the quantity of a    
river1 or a  river the fulness of the   
sea4    #b4 ,though ,god hath a power to
 furnish every creature with greater    
and nobler perfections than he hath     
bestowed upon it1 yet he hath  framed   
all things in the perfectest manner1 and
 most convenient to  that end for which 
he intended them4 ,everything is endowed
 with the  best nature and quality      
suitable to ,god's end in creation1     
though not  in the best manner for      
itself4#hca ,in regard of the universal 
end1  there cannot be a better2 for ,god
 himself is the end of all things1  who 
is the ,supreme ,goodness4 ,nothing can 
be better than ,god1 who could  not be  
,god if he were not superlatively best1 
or optimus2 and he  hath ordered all    

things for the declaration of his       
goodness or justice1  according to the  
behaviors of his creatures4 ,man doth   
not consider what  strength or power he 
can put forth in the means he useth to  
attain such  an end1 but the            
suitableness of them to his main design1
 and so fits  and marshals them to his  
grand purpose4 ,had ,god only created   
things  that are most excellent1 he had 
created only angels and men2 how1 then1 
would his wisdom have b#be been         
conspicuous in other works in the       
subordination and subserviency of them  
to one another8 ,god therefore          
determined his power by his wisdom3 and 
though his absolute power could  have   
made every creature better1 yet his     
ordinate power1 which in every  step was
 regulated by his wisdom1 made          
everything best for his designed        
intention4#hcb ,a musician hath a power 
to wind up a string on a lute  to a     
higher and more perfect note in itself1 
but in wisdom he will not  do it1       

because the intended melody would be    
disturbed thereby if it  were not suited
 to the other strings on the instrument2
 a discord would  mar and taint the     
harmony which the lutenist designed4    
,god1 in creation1  observed the        
proportions of nature3 he can make a    
spider as strong as  a lion2 but        
according to the order of nature which  
he hath settled1  it is not convenient  
that a creature of so small a compass   
should be  as strong as one of a greater
 bulk4 ,the absolute power of ,god could
  have prepared a body for ,christ as   
glorious as that he had after his       
resurrection2 but that had not been     
agreeable to the end designed  in his   
humiliation3 and1 therefore1 ,god acted 
most perfectly by his  ordinate power1  
in giving him a body that wore the      
livery of our  infirmities4 ,god's power
 is alway regulated by his wisdom and   
will2  and though it produceth not what 
is most perfect in itself1 yet what  is 
most perfect and decent in relation to  

the end he fixed4 ,and so in  his       
providence1 though he could rack the    
whole frame of nature to bring  about   
his ends in a more miraculous way and   
astonishment to mortals1  yet his power 
is usually and ordinarily confined by   
his will to act in  concurrence with the
 nature of the creatures1 and direct    
them according  to the laws of their    
being1 to such ends which he aims at in 
their  conduct1 without violencing their
 nature4    #c4 ,though ,god hath an    
absolute power to make more worlds1 and 
infinite numbers of other creatures1 and
 to render every creature a  higher mark
 of his power1 yet in regard of his     
decree to the contrary1  he cannot do   
it4 ,he hath a physical power1 but after
 his resolve to the  contrary1 not a    
moral power3 the exercise of his power  
is subordinate  to his decree1 but not  
the essence of his power4 ,the decree of
 ,god  takes not away any power from    
,god1 because the power of ,god is his  
own essence1 and incapable of change2   

and is as great physically and          
essentially after his decree1 as it was 
before2 only his will hath put  in a bar
 to the demonstration of all that power 
which he is able to  exercise4#hcc ,as a
 prince that can raise #ajj1jjj men for 
an invasion1  raises only #bj or        
#cj1jjj2 he here1 by his order1 limits  
his power1 but  doth not divest himself 
of his authority and power to raise the 
whole  number of the forces of his      
dominions if he pleases3 the power of   
,god  hath more objects than his decree 
hath2 but since it is his perfection  to
 be immutable1 and not to change his    
decree1 he cannot morally put  forth his
 power upon all those objects1 which1 as
 it is essentially in  him1 he hath     
ability to do4 ,god hath decreed to save
 those that believe  in ,christ1 and to 
judge unbelievers to everlasting        
perdition3 he cannot  morally damn the  
first1 or save the latter2 yet he hath  
not divested  himself of his absolute   
power to b#bf save all or damn all4#hcd 

,or  suppose ,god hath decreed not to   
create more worlds than this we are now 
in1 doth his decree weaken his strength 
to create more if he pleased8  ,his not 
creating more is not a want of strength1
 but a want of will3 it  is an act of   
liberty1 not an act of impotency4 ,as   
when a man solemnly  resolves not to    
walk in such a way1 or come at such a   
place1 his  resolution deprives him not 
of his natural strength to walk thither1
  but fortifies his will against using  
his strength in any such motion  to that
 place4 ,the will of ,god hath set      
bounds to the exercise of his  power1   
but doth not infringe that absolute     
power which still resides  in his       
nature3 he is girded about with more    
power than he puts forth  7,ps4 lxv4    
#f74    #d4 ,as the power of ,god is    
infinite in regard of his essence1 in   
regard of the objects1 in regard of     
action1 so1 fourthly1 in regard  of     
duration4 ,the apostle calls it 8an     
eternal power0 7,rom4 i4 #bj74 ,his     

eternal power is collected and concluded
 from the things that are made3  they   
must needs be the products of some      
,being which contains truly in  itself  
all power1 who wrought them without     
engines1 without instruments2  and1     
therefore1 this power must be infinite1 
and possessed of an  unalterable virtue 
of acting4 ,if it be eternal1 it must be
 infinite1  and hath neither beginning  
nor end2 what is eternal hath no bounds4
 ,if  it be eternal1 and not limited by 
time1 it must be infinite1 and not  to  
be restrained by any finite object3 his 
power never begun to be1  nor ever      
ceaseth to be2 it cannot languish2 men  
are fain to unbend  themselves1 and must
 have some time to recruit their tired  
spirits3  but the power of ,god is      
perpetually vigorous1 without any       
interrupting  qualm 7,isa4 xl4 #bh73    
8,hast thou not known1 hast thou not    
heard1  that the everlasting ,god1 the  
,lord1 the ,creator of the ends of the  
earth1 fainteth not1 neither is weary80 

,that might which suffered no           
diminution from eternity1 but hatched so
 great a world by brooding  upon        
nothing1 will not suffer any dimness or 
decrease to eternity4 ,this  power being
 the same with his essence1 is as       
durable as his essence1  and resides for
 ever in his nature4    #h4 ,the eighth 
consideration1 for the right            
understanding of this  attribute1 the   
impossibility of ,god's doing some      
things1 is no  infringing of his        
almightiness1 but rather a strengthening
 of it4 ,it  is granted that some things
 ,god cannot do2 or1 rather1 as ,aquinas
 and  others1 it is better to say1 such 
things cannot be done1 than to say  that
 ,god cannot do them2 to remove all kind
 of imputation or reflection  of        
weakness on ,god1#hce and because the   
reason of the impossibility of  those   
things is in the nature of the things   
themselves4    #a4 ,some things are     
impossible in their own nature4 ,such   
are all  those things which imply a     

contradiction2 as for a thing to be1 and
 not  to be at the same time2 for the   
sun to shine1 and not to shine at the   
same moment of time2 for a creature to  
act1 and not to act at the same         
instant3 one of those parts must be     
false2 for if it be true that the  sun  
shines this moment1 it must be false to 
say it doth not shine4 ,so  it is       
impossible that a rational creature can 
be without reason3 ',tis  a             
contradiction to be a rational creature1
 and yet want that which is  essential  
to a rational creature4 ,so it is       
impossible that the will of  man can be 
compelled1 because liberty is the       
essence of the b#bg will2  while it is  
will it cannot be constrained2 and if it
 be constrained1  it ceaseth to be will4
 ,god cannot at one time act as the     
author of the  will and the destroyer of
 the will4#hcf ,it is impossible that   
vice  and virtue1 light and darkness1   
life and death1 should be the same      
thing4 ,those things admit not of a     

conception in any understanding4  ,some 
things are impossible to be done1       
because of the incapability of  the     
subject2 as for a creature to be made   
infinite1 independent1 to  preserve     
itself without the ,divine concourse and
 assistance4 ,so a brute  cannot be     
taken into communion with ,god1 and to  
everlasting spiritual  blessedness1     
because the nature of a brute is        
incapable of such an  elevation3 a      
rational creature only can understand   
and relish spiritual  delights1 and is  
capable to enjoy ,god1 and have         
communion with him4  ,indeed1 ,god may  
change the nature of a brute1 and bestow
 such faculties  of understanding and   
will upon it1 as to render it capable of
 such a  blessedness2 but then it is no 
more a brute1 but a rational creature3  
but1 while it remains a brute1 the      
excellency of the nature of ,god doth   
not admit of communion with such a      
subject2 so that this is not for  want  
of power in ,god1 but because of a      

deficiency in the creature3 to  suppose 
that ,god could make a contradiction    
true1 is to make himself  false1 and to 
do just nothing4    #b4 ,some things are
 impossible to the nature and being of  
,god4 ,as  to die1 implies a flat       
repugnance to the nature of ,god2 to be 
able to  die1 is to be able to be       
cashiered out of being4 ,if ,god were   
able to  deprive himself of life1 he    
might then cease to be3 he were not then
  a necessary1 but an uncertain1        
contingent being1 and could not be said 
only to have immortality1 as he is 7#a  
,tim4 vi4 #af74 ,he cannot die who  is  
life itself1 and necessarily existent2  
he cannot grow old or decay1  because he
 cannot be measured by time3 and this is
 no part of weakness1  but the          
perfection of power4 ,his power is that 
whereby he remains  forever fixed in his
 own everlasting being4 ,that cannot be 
reckoned as  necessary to the           
omnipotence of ,god which all mankind   
count a part of  weakness in themselves3

 ,god is omnipotent1 because he is not  
impotent2  and if he could die1 he would
 be impotent1 not omnipotent3 death is  
the  feebleness of nature4 ,it is       
undoubtedly the greatest impotence to   
cease  to be3 who would count it a part 
of omnipotency to disenable himself1    
and sink into nothing and not being8    
,the impossibility for ,god to  die is  
not a fit article to impeach his        
omnipotence2 this would be  a strange   
way of arguing3 a thing is not powerful1
 because it is not  feeble1 and cannot  
cease to be powerful1 for death is a    
cessation of  all power4 ,god is        
almighty in doing what he will1 not in  
suffering  what he will not4#hcg ,to die
 is not an active1 but a passive power2 
a  defect of a power3 ,god is of too    
noble a nature to perish4 ,some things  
are impossible to that eminency of      
nature which he hath above all          
creatures2 as to walk1 sleep1 feed1     
these are imperfections belonging  to   
bodies and compounded natures4 ,if he   

could walk1 he were not  everywhere     
present3 motion speaks succession4 ,if  
he could increase1  he would not have   
been perfect before4    #c4 ,some things
 are impossible to the glorious         
perfections of ,god4  ,god cannot do    
anything unbecoming his holiness and    
goodness2 b#bh any  thing unworthy of   
himself1 and against the perfections of 
his nature4  ,god can do whatsoever he  
can will4 ,as he doth actually do       
whatsoever  he doth actually will1 so it
 is possible for him to do whatsoever it
  is possible for him to will4 ,he doth 
whatsoever he will1 and can do          
whatsoever he can will2 but he cannot do
 what he cannot will3 he cannot  will   
any unrighteous thing1 and therefore    
cannot do any unrighteous  thing4 ,god  
cannot love sin1 this is contrary to his
 holiness2 he cannot  violate his word1 
this is a denial of his truth2 he cannot
 punish  an innocent1 this is contrary  
to his goodness2 he cannot cherish an   
impenitent sinner1 this is an injury to 

his justice2 he cannot forget  what is  
done in the world1 this is a disgrace to
 his omniscience2 he  cannot deceive his
 creature1 this is contrary to his      
faithfulness3 none  of these things can 
be done by him1 because of the          
perfection of his  nature4 ,would it not
 be an imperfection in ,god to absolve  
the guilty1  and condemn the innocent8  
,is it congruous to the righteous and   
holy  nature of ,god1 to command murder 
and adultery2 to command men not  to    
worship him1 but to be base and         
unthankful8 ,these things would be      
against the rules of righteousness2 as1 
when we say of a good man1 he  cannot   
rob or fight a duel1 we do not mean that
 he wants a courage for  such an act1 or
 that he hath not a natural strength and
 knowledge to  manage his weapon as well
 as another1 but he hath a righteous    
principle  strong in him which will not 
suffer him to do it2 his will is settled
  against it3 no power can pass into act
 unless applied by the will2 but  the   

will of ,god cannot will anything but   
what is worthy of him1 and  decent for  
his goodness4    7#a47 ,the ,scripture  
saith it is impossible for ,god to lie  
7,heb4 vi4 #ah72 and ,god cannot deny   
himself because of his faithfulness  7#b
 ,tim4 ii4 #ac74 ,as he cannot die1     
because he is life itself2 as he  cannot
 deceive1 because he is goodness itself2
 as he cannot do an  unwise action1     
because he is wisdom itself1 so he      
cannot speak a false  word1 because he  
is truth itself4 ,if he should speak    
anything as true1  and not know it1     
where is his infinite knowledge and     
comprehensiveness  of understanding8 ,if
 he should speak anything as true1 which
 he  knows to be false1 where is his    
infinite righteousness8 ,if he should   
deceive any creature1 there is an end of
 his perfection of fidelity  and        
veracity4 ,if he should be deceived     
himself1 there is an end of his         
omniscience2 we must then fancy him to  
be a deceitful ,god1 an ignorant  ,god1 

that is1 no ,god at all4 ,if he should  
lie1 he would be ,god and no  ,god2 ,god
 upon supposition1 and no ,god1 because 
not the first truth4#hch  ,all          
unrighteousness is weakness1 not power2 
it is a defection from  right reason1 a 
deviation from moral principles1 and the
 rule of  perfect action1 and ariseth   
from a defect of goodness and power3 it 
is a weakness1 and not omnipotence1 to  
lose goodness3 ,god is light2 it  is the
 perfection of light not to become      
darkness1 and a want of power  in light1
 if it should become darkness3#hci his  
power is infinitely  strong1 so is his  
wisdom infinitely clear1 and his will   
infinitely pure3  would it not be a part
 of weakness to have a disorder in      
himself1 and  these perfections shock   
one against another8 ,since all         
perfections are  in ,god1 in the most   
sovereign b#bi height of perfection1    
nothing can  be done by the infiniteness
 of one against the infiniteness of the 
other4 ,he would then be unstable in his

 own perfections1 and depart  from the  
infinite rectitude of his own will1 if  
he should do an evil  action4           
,again1#hdj what is an argument of      
greater strength1 than to  be utterly   
ignorant of infirmity8 ,god is          
omnipotent because he cannot  do evil1  
and would not be omnipotent if he could2
 those things would  be marks of        
weakness1 and not characters of majesty4
 ,would you count  a sweet fountain     
impotent because it cannot send forth   
bitter streams8  or the sun weak1       
because it cannot diffuse darkness as   
well as light  in the air8 ,there is an 
inability arising from weakness1 and an 
ability  arising from perfection3 it is 
the perfection of angels and blessed    
spirits1 that they cannot sin2 and it   
would be the imperfection of ,god1  if  
he could do evil4    7#b47 ,hence it    
follows1 that it is impossible that a   
thing past should  not be past4 ,if we  
ascribe a power to ,god1 to make a thing
 that is past  not to be past1 we do not

 truly ascribe power to him1 but a      
weakness2  for it is to make ,god to    
lie1 as though ,god might not have      
created man1  yet1 after he had created 
,adam1 though he should presently have  
reduced  ,adam to his first nothing1 yet
 it would be forever true that ,adam was
  created1 and it would forever be false
 that ,adam never was created3 so1      
though ,god may prevent sin1 yet when   
sin hath been committed1 it will  alway 
be true that sin was committed2 it will 
never be true to say  such a creature   
that did sin1 did not sin2 his sin      
cannot be recalled3  though ,god1 by    
pardon1 take off the guilt of ,peter's  
denying our  ,saviour1 yet it will be   
eternally true that ,peter did deny him4
 ,it is  repugnant to the righteousness 
and truth of ,god to make that which was
  once true to become false1 and not    
true2 that is1 to make a truth to       
become a lie1 and a lie to become a     
truth4 ,this is well argued from ,heb4  
vi4 #ah3 8,it is impossible for ,god to 

lie40 ,the apostle argues1 that  what   
,god had promised and sworn will come to
 pass1 and cannot but come  to pass4#hda
 ,now1 if ,god could make a thing past  
not to be past1 this  consequence would 
not be good1 for then he might make     
himself not to  have promised1 not to   
have sworn1 after he hath promised and  
sworn2 and  so1 if there were a power to
 undo that which is past1 there would be
 no  foundation for faith1 no certainty 
of revelation4 ,it cannot be asserted1  
that ,god hath created the world2 that  
,god hath sent his ,son to die2  that   
,god hath accepted his death for man4   
,these might not be true1 if  it were   
possible1 that that which hath been     
done1 might be said never  to have been 
done3 so that what any may imagine to be
 a want of power  in ,god1 is the       
highest perfection of ,god1 and the     
greatest security to  a believing       
creature that hath to do with ,god4     
#d4 ,some things are impossible to be   
done1 because of ,god's ordination4     

,some things are impossible1 not in     
their own nature1 but in regard  of the 
determined will of ,god3 so ,god might  
have destroyed the world  after ,adam's 
fall1 but it was impossible2 not that   
,god wanted power to  do it1 but because
 he did not only decree from eternity to
 create the  world1 but did also decree 
to redeem the world b#cj by ,jesus      
,christ1  and erected the world in order
 to the manifestation of his 8glory in  
,christ0 7,eph4 i4 #d1 #e74 ,the choice 
of some in ,christ was 8before the      
foundation of the world40 ,supposing    
that there was no hindrance in the      
justice of ,god to pardon the sin of    
,adam after his fall1 and to execute  no
 punishment on him1 yet in regard of    
,god's threatening1 that in the  day he 
eat of the forbidden fruit he should    
die1 it was impossible3  so1 though it  
was possible that the cup should pass   
from our blessed  ,saviour1 that is1    
possible in its own nature1 yet it was  
not possible  in regard of the          

determination of ,god's will1 since he  
had both decreed  and published his will
 to redeem man by the passion and blood 
of his  ,son4 ,these things ,god1 by his
 absolute power1 might have done2 but   
upon the account of his decree1 they    
were impossible1 because it is          
repugnant to the nature of ,god to be   
mutable3 it is to deny his own  wisdom  
which contrived them1 and his own will  
which resolved them1 not  to do that    
which he had decreed to do4 ,this would 
be a diffidence in  his wisdom1 and a   
change of his will4 ,the impossibility  
of them is no  result of a want of      
power1 no mark of an imperfection1 of   
feebleness  and impotence2 but the      
perfection of immutability and          
unchangeableness4  ,thus have ,i        
endeavored to give you a right notion of
 this excellent  attribute of the power 
of ,god1 in as plain terms as ,i could1 
which may  serve us for a matter of     
meditation1 admiration1 fear of him1    
trust  in him1 which are the proper uses

 we should make of this doctrine of     
,divine power4 ,the want of a right     
understanding of this doctrine of the   
,divine power hath caused many to run   
into mighty absurdities2 ,i have1       
therefore1 taken the more pains to      
explain it4    ,,ii4 ,the second thing  
,i proposed1 is the reasons to prove    
,god to be  omnipotent4 ,the ,scripture 
describes ,god by this attribute of     
power  7,ps4 cxv4 #c73 8,he hath done   
whatsoever he pleased40 ,it sometimes   
sets  forth his power in a way of       
derision of those that seem to doubt of 
it4  ,when ,sarah doubted of his ability
 to give her a child in her old age     
7,gen4 xviii4 #ad71 8,is anything too   
hard for the ,lord80 ,they deserve  to  
be scoffed1 that will despoil ,god of   
his strength1 and measure him  by their 
shallow models4 ,and when ,moses uttered
 something of unbelief  of this         
attribute1 as if ,god were not able to  
feed #fjj1jjj ,israelites1  besides     
women and children1 which he aggravates 

by a kind of imperious  scoff2 8,shall  
the flocks and the herds be slain for   
them to suffice  them8 ,or1 shall all   
the fish of the sea be gathered together
 for them80  c4 7,numb4 xi4 #bb74 ,god  
takes him up short 7ver4 #bc73 8,is the 
,lord's  hand waxed short80 ,what6 can  
any weakness seize upon my hand8 ,can ,i
  draw out of my own treasures what is  
needful for a supply8 ,the hand  of ,god
 is not at one time strong1 and another 
time feeble4 ,hence it is  that we read 
of the hand and arm of ,god1 an         
outstretched arm2 because  the strength 
of a man is exerted by his hand and arm2
 the power of ,god  is called the arm of
 his power1 and the right hand of his   
strength4  ,sometimes1 according to the 
different manifestation of it1 it is    
expressed by finger1 when a less power  
is evidenced2 by hand1 when  something  
greater2 by arm1 when more mighty than  
the former4 ,since ,god  is eternal1    
without limits of time1 he is also      
,almighty1 b#ca without  limits of      

strength4 ,as he cannot be said to be   
more in being now than  he was before1  
so he is neither more nor less in       
strength than he was  before3 as he     
cannot cease to be so1 so he cannot     
cease to be powerful1  because he is    
eternal4 ,his eternity and power are    
linked together as  equally demonstrable
 7,rom4 i4 #bj72 ,god is called the ,god
 of gods ,el  ,elohim 7,dan4 xi4 #cf72  
the ,mighty of mighties1 whence all     
mighty  persons have their activity and 
vigor3 he is called the ,lord of ,hosts1
  as being the ,creator and ,conductor  
of the heavenly militia4    ,reason #a4 
,the power that is in creatures         
demonstrates a greater and  an          
unconceivable power in ,god4 ,nothing in
 the world is without a power  of       
activity according to its nature3 no    
creature but can act something4  ,the   
sun warms and enlightens everything3 it 
sends its influences  upon the earth1   
into the bowels of the earth1 into the  
depths of the  sea3 all generations owe 

themselves to its instrumental virtue4  
,how  powerful is a small seed to rise  
into a mighty tree with a lofty top1    
and extensive branches1 and send forth  
other seeds1 which can still  multiply  
into numberless plants6 ,how wonderful  
is the power of the  ,creator1 who hath 
endowed so small a creature as a seed1  
with so  fruitful an activity6 ,yet this
 is but the virtue of a limited nature4 
,god is both the producing and          
preserving cause of all the virtue in   
any  creature1 in every creature4 ,the  
power of every creature belongs to him  
as the ,fountain1 and is truly his power
 in the creature4 ,as he is the  first  
,being1 he is the original of all being2
 as he is the first ,good1  he is the   
spring of all goodness2 as he is the    
first ,truth1 he is the  source of all  
truth2 so1 as he is the first ,power1 he
 is the fountain  of all power4    #a4  
,he1 therefore1 that communicates to the
 creature what power it hath1  contains 
eminently much more power in himself4   

7,ps4 xciv4 #aj71 8,he that  teaches man
 knowledge1 shall not he know80 ,so he  
that gives created  beings power1 shall 
not he be powerful8 ,the first ,being   
must have as  much power as he hath     
given to others3 he could not transfer  
that upon  another1 which he did not    
transcendently possess himself4 ,the    
sole  cause of created power cannot be  
destitute of any power in himself4  ,we 
see that the power of one creature      
transcends the power of another4        
,beasts can do the things that plants   
cannot do2 besides the power of  growth1
 they have a power of sense and         
progressive motion4 ,men can do  more   
than beasts2 they have rational souls to
 measure the earth and  heavens1 and to 
be repositories of multitudes of things1
 notions1 and  conclusions4 ,we may well
 imagine angels to be far superior to   
man3 the  power of the ,creator must far
 surmount the power of the creature1 and
  must needs be infinite3 for if it be  
limited1 it is limited by himself  or by

 some other2 if by some other1 he is no 
longer a ,creator1 but  a creature2 for 
that which limits him in his nature1 did
 communicate  that nature to him2 not by
 himself1 for he would not deny himself 
any  necessary perfection3 we must still
 conclude a reserve of power in him1    
that he that made these can make many   
more of the same kind4    #b4 ,all the  
power which is distinct in the          
creatures1 must be united in  ,god4 ,one
 creature hath a strength to do this1   
another to do that2 every  creature is  
as a cistern filled with a particular   
and limited b#cb  power1 according to   
the capacity of its nature1 from this   
fountain2  all are distinct streams from
 ,god4 ,but the strength of every       
creature1  though distinct in the rank  
of creatures1 is united in ,god the     
centre1  whence those lines were drawn1 
the fountain whence those streams  were 
derived4 ,if the power of one creature  
be admirable1 as the power  of an angel1
 which the ,psalmist saith 7,ps4 ciii4  

#bj71 8excelleth in  strength20 how much
 greater must the power of a legion of  
angels be6  ,how inconceivably superior 
the power of all those numbers of       
spiritual  natures1 which are the       
excellent works of ,god6 ,now1 if all   
this  particular power1 which is in     
every angel distinct1 were compacted  in
 one angel1 how would it exceed our     
understanding1 and be above our  power  
to form a distinct conception of it6    
,what is thus divided in  every angel1  
must be thought united in the ,creator  
of angels1 and far  more excellent in   
him4 ,everything is in a more noble     
manner in the  fountain1 than in the    
streams which distil and descend from   
it4 ,he that  is the ,original of all   
those distinct powers1 must be the seat 
of all  power without distinction3 in   
him is the union of all without         
division2  what is in them as a quality1
 is in him as his essence4 ,again1 if   
all  the powers of several creatures1   
with all their principal qualities and  

vigors1 both of beasts1 plants1 and     
rational creatures1 were united in  one 
subject2 as if one lion had the strength
 of all the lions that ever  were2 or1  
if one elephant had the strength of all 
the elephants that  ever were2 nay1 if  
one bee had all the power of motion and 
stinging  that all bees ever had1 it    
would have a vast strength2 but if the  
strength of all those thus gathered into
 one of every kind should be  lodged in 
one sole creature1 one man1 would it not
 be a strength too  big for our         
conception8 ,or1 suppose one cannon had 
all the force of all  the cannons that  
ever were in the world1 what a battery  
would it make1  and1 as it were1 shake  
the whole frame of heaven and earth6    
,all this  strength must be much more   
incomprehensible in ,god2 all is united 
in  him4 ,if it were in one individual  
created nature1 it would still be  but a
 finite power in a finite nature3 but in
 ,god it is infinite and  immense4      
,reason #b4 ,if there were not an       

incomprehensible power in ,god1 he      
would not be infinitely perfect4 ,god is
 the first ,being2 it can only  be said 
of him1 ,est1 he is4 ,all other things  
are nothing to him2  8less than nothing 
and vanity0 7,isa4 xl4 #ag71 and        
8reputed as nothing0  7,dan4 iv4 #ce74  
,all the inhabitants of the earth1 with 
all their wit and  strength1 are counted
 as if they were not2 just in comparison
 with ,him  and his being1 as a little  
mote in the sunbeams3 ,god1 therefore1  
is  a pure ,being4 ,any kind of weakness
 whatsoever is a defect1 a degree of    
not being2 so far as anything wants this
 or that power1 it may be said  not to  
be4 ,were there anything of weakness in 
,god1 any want of strength  which       
belonged to the perfection of a nature1 
it might be said of ,god1  ,he is not   
this or that1 he wants this or that     
perfection of ,being1 and  so he would  
not be a pure ,being1 there would be    
something of not being  in him4 ,but    
,god being the first ,being1 the only   

original ,being1 he is  infinitely      
distant from not being1 and therefore   
infinitely distant  from anything of    
weakness4 ,again1 if ,god can know      
whatsoever is  possible to be done by   
him1 and cannot do it1 there would be   
something  more in his knowledge b#cc   
than in his power4#hdb ,what would then 
follow8 ,that the essence of ,god would 
be in some regard greater than  itself1 
and less than itself1 because his       
knowledge and his power  are his        
essence2 his power as much his essence  
as his knowledge3 and  therefore1 in    
regard of his knowledge1 his essence    
would be greater2  in regard of his     
power1 his essence would be less2 which 
is a thing  impossible to be conceived  
in a most perfect ,being4 ,we must      
understand  this of those things which  
are properly and in their own nature    
subjected to the ,divine knowledge2 for 
otherwise ,god knows more than he  can  
do1 for he knows sin1 but he cannot act 
it1 because sin belongs not  to power   

but weakness2 and sin comes under the   
knowledge of ,god1 not in  itself and   
its own nature1 but as it is a defect   
from ,god1 and contrary  to good1 which 
is the proper object of ,divine         
knowledge4 ,he knows it  also not as    
possible to be done by himself1 but as  
possible to be done  by the creature4   
,again1 if ,god were not omnipotent1 we 
might imagine  something more perfect   
than ,god3#hdc for if we bar ,god from  
any  one thing which in its own nature  
is possible1 we may imagine a being     
that can do that thing1 one that is able
 to effect it2 and so imagine  an agent 
greater than ,god1 a being able to do   
more than ,god is able  to do1 and      
consequently a being more perfect than  
,god3 but no being  more perfect than   
,god can be imagined by any creature4   
,nothing can be  called most perfect1 if
 anything of activity be wanting to it4 
,active  power follows the perfection of
 a thing1 and all things are counted    
more noble by how much more of efficacy 

and virtue they possess4 ,we  count     
those the best and most perfect plants1 
that have the greatest  medicinal virtue
 in them1 and power of working upon the 
body for the  cure of distempers4 ,god  
is perfect of himself1 and therefore    
most  powerful of himself4 ,if his      
perfection in wisdom and goodness be    
unsearchable1 his power1 which belongs  
to perfection1 and without which  all   
the other excellencies of his nature    
were insignificant1 and could  not show 
themselves1 7as was before evidenced17  
must be unsearchable  also4 ,it is by   
the title of ,almighty he is            
denominated1 when declared  to be       
unsearchable to perfection 7,job xi4    
#g73 8,canst thou by searching  find out
 ,god1 canst thou find out the ,almighty
 to perfection80 ,this  would be limited
 and searched out1 if he were destitute 
of an active  ability to do whatsoever  
he pleased to do1 whatsoever was        
possible to  be done4 ,as he hath not a 
perfect liberty of will1 if he could not

 will  what he pleased2 so he would not 
have a perfect activity1 if he could    
not do what he willed4    ,reason #c4   
,the simplicity of ,god manifests it4   
,every substance1 the  more spiritual it
 is1 the more powerful it is4 ,all      
perfections are more  united in a       
simple1 than in a compounded being4     
,angels1 being spirits1  are more       
powerful than bodies4 ,where there is   
the greatest simplicity1  there is the  
greatest unity2 and where there is the  
greatest unity1  there is the greatest  
power4 ,where there is a composition of 
a faculty  and a member1 the member or  
organ may be weakened and rendered      
unable  to act1 though the power doth   
still reside in the faculty4 ,as a man1 
when his arm or hand is cut off or      
broke1 he hath the faculty of motion    
still2 but he hath lost b#cd that       
instrument that part whereby he  did    
manifest and put forth that motion3 but 
,god being a pure spiritual  nature1    
hath no members1 no organs to be defaced

 or impaired4 ,all  impediments of      
actions arise either from the nature of 
the thing that  acts1 or from something 
without it4 ,there can be no hindrance  
to ,god to  do whatsoever he pleases2   
not in himself1 because he is the most  
simple  being1 hath no contrariety in   
himself1 is not composed of divers      
things2  and it cannot be from anything 
without himself1 because nothing is     
equal to him1 much less superior4 ,he is
 the greatest1 the ,supreme3 all  things
 were made by him1 depend upon him1     
nothing can disappoint his  intentions4 
,reason #d4 ,the miracles that have been
 in the world evidence the  power of    
,god4 ,extraordinary productions have   
awakened men from their  stupidity1 to  
the acknowledgment of the immensity of  
,divine power4  ,miracles are such      
effects as have been wrought without the
 assistance  and cooperation of natural 
causes1 yea1 contrary and besides the   
ordinary course of nature1 above the    
reach of any created power4  ,miracles  

have been2 and saith ,bradwardine1#hdd  
to deny that ever  such things were1 is 
uncivil3 it is inhuman to deny all the  
histories  of ,jews and ,christians2    
whosoever denies miracles1 must deny all
  possibility of miracles1 and so must  
imagine himself fully skilled in  the   
extent of ,divine power4 ,how was the   
sun suspended from its motion  for some 
hours 7,josh4 x4 #ac72 8the dead raised 
from the grave20 those  reduced from the
 brink of it1 that had been brought near
 to it by  prevailing diseases2 and this
 by a word speaking8 ,how were the      
famished  lions bridled from exercising 
their rage upon ,daniel1 exposed to them
  for a prey 7,dan4 vi4 #bb78 the       
activity of the fire curbed for the     
preservation of the three children      
7,dan4 iii4 #ae78 which proves a ,deity 
more powerful than all creatures4 ,no   
power upon earth can hinder the         
operation of the fire upon combustible  
matter1 when they are united1  unless by
 quenching the fire1 or removing the    

matter3 but no created  power can       
restrain the fire1 so long as it remains
 so1 from acting  according to its      
nature4 ,this was done by ,god in the   
case of the three  children1 and that of
 the burning bush 7,exod4 iii4 #b74 ,it 
was as much  miraculous that the bush   
should not consume1 as it was natural   
that  it should burn by the efficacy of 
the fire upon it4 ,no element is so     
obstinate and deaf1 but it hears and    
obeys his voice1 and performs  his      
orders1 though contrary to its own      
nature3 all the violence of the         
creature is suspended as soon as it     
receives his command4 ,he that gave  the
 original to nature1 can take away the  
necessity of nature2#hde  he presides   
over creatures1 but is not confined to  
those laws he hath  prescribed to       
creatures4 ,he framed nature1 and can   
turn the channels  of nature according  
to his own pleasure4 ,men dig into the  
bowels of  nature1 search into all the  
treasures of it1 to find medicines to   

cure  a disease1 and after all their    
attempts it may prove labor in vain3    
but ,god1 by one act of his will1 one   
word of his mouth1 overturns the        
victory of death1 and rescues from the  
most desperate diseases4#hdf  ,all the  
miracles which were wrought by the      
apostles1 either speaking  some words or
 touching with the hand1 b#ce were not  
effected by any  virtue inherent in     
their words or in their touches2 for    
such virtue  inherent in any created    
finite subject would be created and     
finite  itself1 and consequently were   
incapable to produce effects which      
required an infinite virtue1 as miracles
 do which are above the power  of       
nature4 ,so when our ,saviour wrought   
miracles1 it was not by any  quality    
resident in his human nature1 but by the
 sole power of his  ,divinity4 ,the     
flesh could only do what was proper to  
the flesh2 but the  ,deity did what was 
proper to the ,deity4 8,god alone doth  
wonders0 7,ps4  cxxxvi4 #d73 excluding  

every other cause from producing those  
things4 ,he  only doth those things     
which are above the power of nature1 and
 cannot  be wrought by any natural      
causes whatsoever4 ,he doth not hereby  
put his  omnipotence to any stress3 it  
is as easy with him to turn nature out  
of its settled course1 as it was to     
place it in that station it holds1  and 
appoint it that course it runs4 ,all the
 works of nature are indeed  miracles   
and testimonies of the power of ,god    
producing them1 and  sustaining them3   
but works above the power of nature1    
being novelties  and unusual1 strike men
 with a greater admiration upon their   
appearance1  because they are not the   
products of nature1 but the convulsions 
of  it4 ,i might also add as an         
argument1 the power of the mind of man  
to  conceive more than hath been wrought
 by ,god in the world4 ,and ,god can    
work whatsoever perfection the mind of  
man can conceive3 otherwise  the reaches
 of a created imagination and fancy     

would be more extensive  than the power 
of ,god4 ,his power1 therefore1 is far  
greater than the  conception of any     
intellectual creature2 else the creature
 would be  of a greater capacity to     
conceive than ,god is to effect4 ,the   
creature  would have a power of         
conception above ,god's power of        
activity2 and  consequently a creature1 
in some respect greater than himself4   
,now  whatsoever a creature can conceive
 possible to be done1 is but finite  in 
its own nature2 and if ,god could not   
produce what being a created            
understanding can conceive possible to  
be done1 he would be less than  infinite
 in power1 nay1 he could not go to the  
extent of what is finite4  ,but ,i have 
touched this before2 that ,god can      
create more than he hath  created1 and  
in a more perfect way of being1 as      
considered simply in  themselves4       
,,iii4 ,the third general thing is to   
declare1 how the power of ,god  appears 
in ,creation1 in ,government1 in        

,redemption4    ,,first1 ,in ,,creation4
 ,with what majestic lines doth ,god set
 for his power1  in the giving being and
 endowments to all the creatures in the 
world  7,job xxxviii476 ,all that is in 
heaven and earth is his1 and shows the  
greatness of his power1 glory1 victory1 
and majesty 7#a ,chron4 xxix4 #aa74     
,the heaven being so magnificent a piece
 of work1 is called emphatically1  8the 
firmament of his power0 7,ps4 cl4 #a72  
his power being more  conspicuous and   
unavailed in that glorious arch of the  
world4 ,indeed1  8,god exalts by his    
power0 7,job xxxvi4 #bb71 that is1      
exalts himself  by his power in all the 
works of his hands2 in the smallest     
shrub1  as well as the most glorious    
sun4 ,all his works of nature are truly 
miracles1 though we consider them not1  
being blinded with two frequent  and    
customary a sight of them2 yet1 in the  
neglect of all the rest1 the  view b#cf 
of the heavens doth more affect us with 
astonishment at the  might of ,god's    

arm3 these declare his glory1 and 8the  
firmament showeth  his handy work0 7,ps4
 xix4 #a74 ,and the ,psalmist peculiarly
 calls them  his heavens1 and the work  
of his fingers 7,ps4 viii4 #c73 these   
were  immediately created by ,god1      
whereas many other things in the world  
were brought into being by the power of 
,god1 yet by the means of the  influence
 of the heavens4    #a4 ,his power is   
the first thing evident in the story of 
the creation4  8,in the beginning ,god  
created the heavens and the earth0      
7,gen4 i4 #a74  ,there is no appearance 
of anything in this declaratory preface1
 but of  power3 the characters of wisdom
 march after in the distinct formation  
of things1 and animating them with      
suitable qualities for an universal     
good4 ,by heaven and earth1 is meant the
 whole mass of the creatures3  by       
heaven1 all the airy region1 with all   
the host of it2 by the earth1  is meant1
 all that which makes the entire        
inferior globe4#hdg ,the ,jews  observe1

 that in the first of ,genesis1 in the  
whole chapter1 unto the  finishing the  
work in six days1 ,god is called 1 which
 is a name  of ,power1 and that         
thirtytwo times in that chapter2 but    
after the  finishing the six days' work1
 he is called 1 which1 according to     
their notion1 is a name of goodness and 
kindness3 his power is first  visible in
 framing the world1 before his goodness 
is visible in the  sustaining and       
preserving it4 ,it was by this name of  
,power and ,almighty  that he was known 
in the first ages of the world1 not by  
his name1  ,jehovah 7,exod4 vi4 #c73    
8,and ,i appeared unto ,abraham1 ,isaac1
 and ,jacob1  by the name of ,god       
,almighty2 but by my name ,jehovah was  
,i not known  to them40 ,not but that   
they were acquainted with the name1 but 
did not  experience the intent of the   
name1 which signified his truth in the  
performance of his promises2 they knew  
him by that name as promising1  but they
 knew him not by that name1 as          

performing4 ,he would be known  by his  
name ,jehovah1 true to his word1 when he
 was about to effect  the deliverance   
from ,egypt2 a type of the eternal      
redemption1 wherein  the truth of ,god1 
in performing of his first promise1 is  
gloriously  magnified4 ,and hence it is 
that ,god is called ,almighty more in   
the  book of ,job than in all the       
,scripture besides1 ,i think about      
thirtytwo  times1 and ,jehovah but once1
 which is ,job xii4 #i1 unless in ,job  
xxxviii4  when ,god is introduced       
speaking himself2 which is an argument  
of ,job's  living before the deliverance
 from ,egypt1 when ,god was known more  
by  his works of creation than by the   
performance of his promises1 before  the
 name ,jehovah was formally published4  
,indeed1 this attribute of his  eternal 
power1 is the first thing visible and   
intelligible upon the  first glance of  
the eye upon the creatures 7,rom4 i4    
#bj74 ,bring a man  out of the cave     
where he hath been nursed1 without      

seeing anything out  of the confines of 
it1 and let him lift up his eyes to the 
heavens1  and take a prospect of that   
glorious body1 the sun1 then cast them  
down  to the earth1 and behold the      
surface of it1 with its green clothing2 
the first notion which will start up in 
his mind from that spring  of wonders1  
is that of power1 which he will at first
 adore with a  religious astonishment4  
,the wisdom of ,god in them is not so   
presently  apparent1 till after a more  
b#cg exquisite consideration of his     
works  and knowledge of the properties  
of their natures1 the conveniency of    
their situations1 and the usefulness of 
their functions1 and the order  wherein 
they are linked together for the good of
 the universe4    #b4 ,by this creative 
power ,god is often distinguished from  
all the idols  and false gods in the    
world4 ,and by this title he sets forth 
himself  when he would act any great and
 wonderful work in the world 7,ps4      
cxxxv4  #e1 #f73 8,he is great above all

 gods10 for 8he hath done whatsoever he 
pleased in heaven and in earth40 ,upon  
this is founded all the worship  he     
challengeth in the world1 as his        
peculiar1 glory 7,rev4 iv4 #aa73  8,thou
 art worthy1 ,o ,lord1 to receive glory1
 honor1 and power1 for thou  hast       
created all things40 ,and 7,rev4 x4 #f7 
8,i have made the earth1 and  created   
man upon it40 8,i1 even my hands1 have  
stretched out the heavens1  and all     
their host have ,i commanded0 7,isa4    
xlv4 #ab74 ,what is the issue  7ver4    
#af78 8,they shall be ashamed and       
confounded1 all of them1 that are       
makers of idols40 ,and the weakness of  
idols is expressed by this title4  8,the
 gods that have not made the heavens and
 the earth0 7,jer4 x4 #aa74  8,the      
portion of ,jacob is not like them1 for 
he is the former of all  things0 7ver4  
#af74 ,what is not that ,god able to do1
 that hath created  so great a world8   
,how doth the power of ,god appear in   
creation8    #ast4 ,in making the world 

of nothing4 ,when we say1 the world was 
made  of nothing1 we mean1 that there   
was no matter existent for ,god to work 
upon1 but what he raised himself in the 
first act of creation4 ,in this  regard1
 the power of ,god in creation surmounts
 his power in providence4  ,creation    
supposeth nothing1 providence supposeth 
something in being4  ,creation intimates
 a creature making1 providence speaks a 
thing already  made1 and capable of     
government1 and in government4 ,god uses
 second  causes to bring about his      
purposes4    #a4 ,the world was made of 
nothing4 ,the earth which is described  
as the  first matter1 without any form  
or ornament1 without any distinction or 
figures1 was of ,god's forming in the   
bulk1 before he did adorn it with  his  
pencil 7,gen4 i4 #a1 #b74 ,god1 in the  
beginning1 creating the heaven  and the 
earth1 includes two things3 ,first4     
,that those were created  in the        
beginning of time1 and before all other 
things4 ,secondly4 ,that  ,god begun the

 creation of the world from those       
things4#hdh ,therefore  before the      
heavens and the earth there was nothing 
absolutely created1  and therefore no   
matter in being before an act of        
creation passed upon  it4 ,it could not 
be eternal1 because nothing can be      
eternal but ,god2  it must therefore    
have a beginning4 ,if it had a beginning
 from itself1  then it was before it    
was4 ,if it acted in the making itself  
before it  was made1 then it had a being
 before it had a being2 for that which  
is nothing1 can act nothing3 the action 
of anything supposeth the  existence of 
the thing which acts4 ,it being made1 it
 was not before  it was made2 for to be 
made is to be brought into being4 ,it   
was made1  then1 by another1 and that   
,maker is ,god4 ,it is necessary that   
the ,first  ,original of things was from
 nothing3 when we see one thing to arise
  from another1 we must suppose an      
original of the first of each kind2 as1 
when we see b#ch a tree spring up from a

 seed1 we know that seed came  out of   
the bowels of another tree2 it had a    
parent1 it had a master2 we  must come  
to some first1 or else we run into an   
endless maze3 we must  come to some     
first tree1 some first seed that had no 
cause of the same  kind1 no matter of   
it1 but was mere nothing4 ,creation doth
 suppose a  production from nothing2    
because1 if you suppose a thing without 
any  real or actual existence1 it is not
 capable of any other production  than  
from nothing3 nothing must be supposed  
before the world1 or we  must suppose it
 eternal1 and that is to deny it to be a
 creature1 and  make it ,god4#hdi ,the  
creation of spiritual substances1 such  
as angels  and souls1 evince this2 those
 things that are purely spiritual1 and  
consist not of matter1 cannot pretend to
 any original from matter1 and          
therefore they rose up from nothing4 ,if
 spiritual things arose from  nothing1  
much more may corporeal1 because they   
are of a lower nature  than spiritual2  

and he that can create a higher nature  
of nothing1  can create an inferior     
nature of nothing4 ,as bodily things are
 more  imperfect than spiritual1 so     
their creation may be supposed easier   
than  that of spiritual4 ,there was as  
little need of any matter to be wrought 
to his hands1 to contrive into this     
visible fabric1 as there was to  erect  
such an excellent order as the glorious 
cherubims4    #b4 ,this creation of     
things from nothing speaks an infinite  
power4  ,the distance between nothing   
and being hath been alway counted so    
great1 that nothing but an ,infinite    
,power can make such distances meet     
together1 either for nothing to pass    
into being1 or being to return to       
nothing4 ,to have a thing arise from    
nothing1 was so difficult a text  to    
those that were ignorant of the         
,scripture1 that they knew not how  to  
fathom it1 and therefore laid it down as
 a certain rule1 that of  nothing1      
nothing is made2 which is true of a     

created power1 but not of  an uncreated 
and ,almighty ,power4 ,a greater        
distance cannot be imagined  than that  
which is between nothing and something2 
that which hath no  being1 and that     
which hath2 and a greater power cannot  
be imagined than  that which brings     
something out of nothing4 ,we know not  
how to conceive  a nothing1 and         
afterwards a being from that nothing2   
but we must  remain swallowed up in     
admiration of the ,cause that gives it  
being1 and  acknowledge it to be without
 any bounds and measures of greatness   
and  power4#hej ,the further anything is
 from being1 the more immense must  that
 power be which brings it into being3 it
 is not conceivable that  the power of  
all the angels in one can give being to 
the smallest spire  of grass4 ,to       
imagine1 therefore1 so small a thing as 
a bee1 a fly1  a grain of corn1 or an   
atom of dust1 to be made of nothing1    
would  stupefy any creature in the      
consideration of it1 much more to behold

  the heavens1 with all the troop of    
stars2 the earth1 with all its          
embroidery2 and the sea1 with all her   
inhabitants of fish2 and man1 the       
noblest creature of all1 to arise out of
 the womb of mere emptiness4  ,indeed1  
,god had not acted as an almighty       
,creator1 if he had stood in  need of   
any materials but of his own framing3 it
 had been as much as  his ,deity was    
worth1 if he had not had all within the 
compass of his  own power that was      
necessary to operation2 if he must have 
been b#ci  beholden to something without
 himself1 and above himself1 for matter 
to  work upon3 had there been such a    
necessity1 we could not have imagined   
him to be omnipotent1 and1 consequently1
 not ,god4    #c4 ,in this the power of 
,god exceeds the power of all natural   
and  rational agents4 ,nature1 or the   
order of second causes1 hath a vast     
power2 the sun generates flies and other
 insects1 but of some matter1  the slime
 of the earth or a dunghill2 the sun and

 the earth bring  forth harvests of     
corn1 but from seed first sown in the   
earth2 fruits  are brought forth1 but   
from the sap of the plant2 were there no
 seed  or plants in the earth1 the power
 of the earth would be idle1 and  the   
influence of the sun insignificant2     
whatsoever strength either  of them had 
in their nature1 must be useless without
 matter to work  upon4 ,all the united  
strength of nature cannot produce the   
least thing  out of nothing2 it may     
multiply and increase things1 by the    
powerful  blessing ,god gave it at the  
first erecting of the world1 but it     
cannot  create4 ,the word which         
signifies creation1 used in ,gen4 i4 #a1
 is not  ascribed to any second cause1  
but only to ,god2 a word1 in that sense1
  as incommunicable to anything else as 
the action it signifies4 ,rational      
creatures can produce admirable pieces  
of art from small things1 yet  still out
 of matter created to their hands4      
,excellent garments may  be woven1 but  

from the entrails of a small silkworm4  
,delightful and  medicinal spirits and  
essences may be extracted1 by ingenious 
chemists1  but out of the bodies of     
plants and minerals4 ,no picture can be 
drawn  without colors2 no statue        
engraven without stone2 no building     
erected  without timber1 stones1 and    
other materials3 nor can any man raise  
a thought without some matter framed to 
his hands1 or cast into him4  ,matter   
is1 by nature1 formed to the hands of   
all artificers2 they  bestow a new      
figure upon it1 by the help of          
instruments1 and the  product of their  
own wit and skill1 but they create not  
the least  particle of matter2 when they
 want it1 they must be supplied or else 
stand still1 as well as nature1 for none
 of them1 or all together1 can  make the
 least mite or atom3 and when they have 
wrought all that they  can1 they will   
not want some to find a flaw and defect 
in their work4  ,god1 as a ,creator1    
hath the only prerogative to draw what  

he pleases  from nothing1 without any   
defect1 without any imperfection3 he can
  raise what matter he please2 ennoble  
it with what form he pleases4 ,of       
nothing1 nothing can be made1 by any    
created agent3 but the omnipotent       
,architect of the world is not under the
 same necessity1 nor is limited  to the 
same rule1 and tied by so short a tedder
 as created nature1 or  an ingenious1   
yet feeble artificer4    #b;d4 ,it      
appears1 in raising such variety of     
creatures from this  barren womb of     
nothing1 or from the matter which he    
first commanded to  appear out of       
nothing4 ,had there been any preexistent
 matter1 yet the  bringing forth such   
varieties and diversities of excellent  
creatures1  some with life1 some with   
sense1 and others with reason superadded
  to the rest1 and those out of         
indisposed and undigested matter1 would 
argue an infinite power resident in the 
first ,author of this variegated        
fabric4 ,from this matter he formed that

 glorious sun1 which every day  displays
 its glory1 scatters its beams1 clears  
the air1 ripens our  fruits1 and        
maintains the propagation of creatures  
in b#dj the world4  ,from this matter he
 lighted those torches which he set in  
the heaven to  qualify the darkness of  
the night3 from this he compacted those 
bodies  of light1 which1 though they    
seem to us as little sparks1 as if they 
were the glowworms of heaven1 yet some  
of them exceed in greatness  this globe 
of the earth on which we live3 and the  
highest of them hath  so quick a motion1
 that some tell us they run1 in the     
space of every  hour1 #db1jjj1jjj of    
leagues4 ,from the same matter he drew  
the earth  on which we walk2 from thence
 he extracted the flowers to adorn it1  
the hills to secure the valleys1 and the
 rocks to fortify it against  the       
inundations of the sea2 and on this dull
 and sluggish element he  bestowed so   
great a fruitfulness1 to maintain1 feed1
 and multiply so  many seeds of         

different kinds1 and conferred upon     
those little bodies  of seeds a power to
 multiply their kinds1 in conjunction   
with the  fruitfulness of the earth1 to 
many thousands4 ,from this rude matter1 
the slime or dust of the earth1 he      
kneaded the body of man1 and wrought  so
 curious a fabric1 fit to entertain a   
soul of a heavenly extraction1  formed  
by the breath of ,god 7,gen4 ii4 #g74   
,he brought light out of thick          
darkness1 and living creatures1 fish and
 fowl1 out of inanimate waters  7,gen4  
i4 #bj71 and gave a power of spontaneous
 motion to things arising  from that    
matter which had no living motion4 ,to  
convert one thing into  another1 is an  
evidence of infinite power1 as well as  
creating things  of nothing2 for the    
distance between life and not life is   
next to  that which is between being and
 not being4 ,god first forms matter  out
 of nothing1 and then draws upon1 and   
from this indisposed chaos1  many       
excellent portraitures4 ,neither earth  

nor sea were capable of  producing      
living creatures without an infinite    
power working upon it1  and bringing    
into it such variety and multitude of   
forms2 and this is  called1 by some1    
mediate creation1 as the producing the  
chaos1 which  was without form and void1
 is called immediate creation4 ,is not  
the  power of the potter admirable in   
forming1 out of tempered clay1 such     
varieties of neat and curious vessels1  
that1 after they are fashioned  and past
 the furnace1 look as if they were not  
of any kin to the matter  they are      
formed of8 and is it not the same with  
the glassmaker1 that1  from a little    
melted jelly of sand and ashes1 or the  
dust of flint1 can  blow up so pure a   
body as glass1 and in such varieties of 
shapes8 and  is not the power of ,god   
more admirable1 because infinite in     
speaking  out so beautiful a world out  
of nothing1 and such varieties of living
  creatures from matter utterly         
indisposed1 in its own nature1 for such 

forms8    #c;d4 ,and this conducts to a 
third thing1 wherein the power of ,god  
appears1 in that he did all this with   
the greatest ease and facility4    #a4  
,without instruments4 ,as ,god made the 
world without the advice1 so  without   
the assistance1 of any other3 8,he      
stretched forth the heavens  alone1 and 
spread abroad the earth by himself0     
7,isa4 xliv4 #bd74 ,he had  no engine1  
but his word2 no pattern or model1 but  
himself4 ,what need  can he have of     
instruments1 that is able to create what
 instruments  he pleases8 ,where there  
is no resistance in the object1 where no
  need of preparation or instrumental   
advantage in the agent2 there the       
actual determination of the will is     
sufficient to a production4 ,what       
instrument need b#da we to the thinking 
of a thought1 or an act of  our will8   
,men1 indeed1 cannot act anything       
without tools2 the best  artificer must 
be beholden to something else for his   
noblest works  of art4 ,the carpenter   

cannot work without his rule1 and axe1  
and saw1  and other instruments2 the    
watchmaker cannot act without his file  
and pliers2 but in creation1 there is   
nothing necessary to ,god's  bringing   
forth a world1 but a simple act of his  
will1 which is both  the principal      
cause1 and instrumental4 ,he had no     
scaffolds to rear it1  no engines to    
polish it1 no hammers or mattocks to    
clod and work it  together4 ,it is a    
miserable error to measure the actions  
of an ,infinite  ,cause by the imperfect
 model of a finite1 since1 by his own   
8power and  outstretched arm1 he made   
the heaven and the earth0 7,jer4 xxxii4 
#ag74  ,what excellency would ,god have 
in his work above others1 if he needed  
instruments1 as feeble men do8#hea      
,every artificer is counted more        
admirable1 that can frame curious works 
with the less matter1 fewer  tools1 and 
assistances4 ,god uses instruments in   
his works of providence1  not for       
necessity1 but for the display of his   

wisdom in the management  of them2 yet  
those instruments were originally framed
 by him without  instruments4 ,indeed1  
some of the ,jews thought the angels    
were the  instruments of ,god in        
creating man1 and that those words1     
8,let us  make man in our own image0    
7,gen4 i4 #bf71 were spoken to angels4  
,but  certainly the ,scripture1 which   
denies ,god any counsellor in the model 
of creation 7,isa4 xl4 #abad71 doth not 
join any instrument with him in  the    
operation1 which is everywhere ascribed 
to himself 8without created  assistance0
 7,isa4 xlv4 #ah74 ,it was not to angels
 ,god spake in that  affair2 if so1 man 
was made after the image of angels1 if  
they were  companions with ,god in that 
work2 but it is everywhere said1 that   
8,man  was made after the image of ,god0
 7,gen4 i4 #bg74 ,again1 the image      
wherein  man was created1 was that of   
dominion over the lower creatures1 as   
appears ver4 #bf1 which we find not     
conferred upon angels2 and it is not    

likely that ,moses should introduce the 
angels1 as ,god's privy counsel1  of    
whose creation he had not mentioned one 
syllable4 8,let us make man10  rather   
signifies the ,trinity1 and not spoken  
in a royal style1 as some  think4 ,which
 of the ,jewish kings wrote in the      
style1 ,we8 ,that was  the custom of    
later times2 and we must not measure the
 language of  ,scripture by the style of
 ,europe1 of a far later date than the  
penning  the history of the creation4   
,if angels were his counsellors in the  
creation of the material world1 what    
instrument had he in the creation  of   
angels8 ,if his own wisdom were the     
director1 and his own will the  producer
 of the one2 why should we not think1   
that he acted by his sole  power in the 
other8 ,it is concluded by most1 that   
the power of creation  cannot be derived
 to any creature1 it being a work of    
omnipotency2  the drawing something out 
from nothing1 cannot be communicated    
without  a communication of the ,deity  

itself4 ,the educing things from nothing
  exceeds the capacity of any creature1 
and the creature is of too feeble  a    
nature to be elevated to so high a      
degree4 ,it is very unreasonable  to    
think1 that ,god needed any such aid4   
,if an instrument were necessary  for   
,god to create the world1 then he could 
b#db not do it without  that instrument3
 if he could not1 he were not then      
allsufficient  in himself1 if he        
depended upon anything without himself1 
for the  production or consummation of  
his works4 ,and it might be inquired1   
how  that instrument came into being2 if
 it begun to be1 and there was a  time  
when it was not1 it must have its being 
from the power of ,god2 and  then1 why  
could not ,god as well create all things
 without an instrument1  as create that 
instrument without an instrument8 ,for  
there was no more  power necessary to a 
producing the whole without instruments1
 than to  produce one creature without  
an instrument4 ,no creature can1 in its 

own  nature1 be an instrument of        
creation4 ,if any such instrument were  
used  by ,god1 it must be elevated in a 
miraculous and supernatural way2 and    
what is so an instrument1 is1 in effect1
 no instrument2 for it works  nothing by
 its own nature1 but from an elevation  
by a superior nature1  and beyond its   
own nature4 ,all that power in the      
instrument is truly  the power of ,god1 
and not the power of the instrument2    
and1 therefore1  what ,god doth by an   
instrument1 he could do as well without4
 ,if you  should see one apply straw to 
iron1 for the cutting of it1 and effect 
it1 you would not call the straw an     
instrument in that action1 because      
there was nothing in the nature of the  
straw to do it4 ,it was done  wholly by 
some other force1 which might have done 
it as well without  the straw as with   
it4 ,the narrative of the creation in   
,genesis1 removes  any instrument from  
,god4 ,the plants which are preserved   
and propagated  by the influence of the 

sun1 were created the day before the    
sun1 viz4  on the 8third day10 whereas1 
the light was collected into the body of
  the sun on the 8fourth day0 7,gen4 i4 
#aa1 #af72 to show1 that though the     
plants do instrumentally owe their      
yearly beauty and preservation to  the  
sun1 yet they did not in any manner owe 
their creation to the  instrumental heat
 and vigor of it4    #b4 ,god created   
the world by a word1 by a simple act of 
his will4 ,the  whole creation is       
wrought by a word2 8,god said1 ,let     
there be light20  and 8,god said1 ,let  
there be a firmament40#heb ,not that we 
should  understand it of a sensible     
word1 but understand it of a powerful   
order  of his own will1 which is        
expressed by the ,psalmist in the nature
 of  a command 7,ps4 xxxiii4 #i73 8,he  
spake1 and it was done2 he commanded1   
and it stood fast20 and 7,ps4 cxlviii4  
#e71 8,he commanded1 and they  were     
created40 ,at the same instant that he  
willed them to stand forth1  they did   

stand forth4 ,the efficacious command of
 the ,creator was the  original of all  
things3 the insensibility of nothing    
obeyed the act  of his will4 ,creation  
is therefore entitled a calling 7,rom4  
iv4 #ag73  8,he calls those things which
 are not1 as if they were40 ,to create  
is  no more with ,god1 than to call2 and
 what he calls1 presents itself  before 
him in the same posture that he calls   
it4 ,he did with more ease  make a      
world1 than we can form a thought4 ,it  
is the same ease to him to  create      
worlds1 as to decree them2 there needs  
no more than a resolve to  have things  
wrought at such a time1 and they will   
be1 according to his  pleasure4 ,this   
will is his power2 8,let there be       
light10 is the precept  of his will2    
b#dc and 8there was light10 is the      
effect of his precept4  ,by a word1 was 
the matter of the heavens and the earth 
framed2 by a  word1 things separate     
themselves from the rude mass into their
 proper  forms2 by a word1 light        

associates itself into one body1 and    
forms a  sun2 by a word1 are the        
heavens1 as it were1 bespangled with    
stars1  and the earth dressed with      
flowers2 by a word1 is the world both   
ceiled  and floored3 one act of his     
will1 formed the world1 and perfected   
its  beauty4 ,all the variety and       
several exploits of his power were not  
caused by distinct words or acts of     
power4 ,god uttered not distinct  words 
for distinct species2 as1 let there be  
an elephant1 and let there  be a lion2  
but as he produced those various        
creatures out of one matter1  so by one 
word4 ,by one single command1 those     
varieties of creatures1  with their     
clothing1 ornaments1 distinct notes1    
qualities1 functions1  were brought     
forth 7,gen4 i4 #aa73 by one word1 all  
the seeds of the  earth1 with their     
various virtues3 by one word1 all the   
fish of the sea1  and fowls of the air1 
in their distinct natures1 instincts1   
colors 7,gen4  i4 #bj73 by one word1 all

 the beasts of the field1 with their    
varieties  7,gen4 i4 #bd74 ,heaven and  
earth1 spiritual and corporeal          
creatures1  mortal and immortal1 the    
greater and the less1 visible and       
invisible1  were formed with the same   
ease3#hec a word made the least1 and a  
word  made the greatest4 ,it is as      
little difficulty to him to produce the 
highest angel1 as the lightest atom4 ,it
 is enough for the existence  of the    
stateliest cherubim1 for ,god only to   
will his being4 ,it was  enough for the 
forming and fixing the sun1 to will the 
compacting  of light into one body4 ,the
 creation of the soul of man is         
expressed  by inspiration 7,gen4 ii4    
#g72 to show1 that it is as easy with   
,god  to create a rational soul1 as for 
man to breathe4#hed ,breathing is       
natural to man1 by a communication of   
,god's goodness2 and the creation  of   
the soul is as easy to ,god1 by virtue  
of his ,almighty word4 ,as there  was no
 proportion between nothing and being1  

so there was as little  proportion      
between a word and such glorious        
effects4 ,a mere voice1  coming from an 
,omnipotent will1 was capable to produce
 such varieties1  which angels and men  
have seen in all ages of the world1 and 
this  without weariness4 ,what labor is 
there in willing8 what pain could  there
 be in speaking a word8 7,isa4 xl4 #bh71
 8,the ,creator of the  ends of the     
earth is not weary40 ,and though he be  
said to rest after  the creation1 it is 
to be meant a rest from work1 not a     
repose from  weariness4 ,so great is the
 power of ,god1 that without any matter1
  without any instruments1 he could     
create many worlds1 and with the  same  
ease as he made this4    #dth4 ,i might 
add also1 the appearance of this power  
in the  instantaneous production of     
things4 ,the ending of his word was not 
only  the beginning1 but the perfection 
of every thing he spake into being2  not
 several words to several parts and     
members1 but one word1 one  breath of   

his mouth1 one act of his will1 to the  
whole species of the  creatures1 and to 
every member in each individual4 ,heaven
 and earth  were created in a moment2   
six days went to their disposal2 and    
that  comely order we observe in the    
world was the work of a week3 the matter
  was formed as soon as ,god had spoken 
the word2 and in every part of  the     
creation1 as soon as ,god spake the     
word1 b#dd 8,let it be so0 7,gen4  i471 
the answer immediately is1 8,it was so20
 which notes the present  standing up of
 the creature according to the act of   
his will3 and1  therefore1#hee one      
observes1 that 8,let there be light1 and
 there was  light20 in the ,hebrew are  
the same words1 without any alteration  
of  letter or point1 only the           
conjunctive particle added1    1 8,let  
there be light1 and let there be light10
 to show1 that the same instant  of the 
speaking the ,divine word1 was the      
appearance of the creature3 so  great   
was the authority of his will4          

,,secondly1 ,we are to show ,god's power
 in the ,,government of the world4 ,as  
,god decreed from eternity the creation 
of things in time1 so he decreed  from  
eternity the particular ends of         
creatures1 and their operation          
respecting those ends4 ,now1 as there   
was need of his power to execute  his   
decree of creation1 there is also need  
of his power to execute his  decree     
about the manner of government4#hef ,all
 government is an act of  the           
understanding1 will1 and power4         
,prudence to design belongs to the      
understanding2 the election of the means
 belongs to the will2 and the           
accomplishment of the whole is an act of
 power4 ,it is a hard matter  to        
determine which is most necessary3      
wisdom stands in as much need  of power 
to perfect1 as power doth of wisdom1 to 
model and draw out  a scheme2 though    
wisdom directs1 power must effect4      
,wisdom and power  are distinct things  
among men3 a poor man in a cottage may  

have more  prudence to advise1 than a   
privy counsellor2 and a prince more     
power  to act1 than wisdom to conduct4  
,a pilot may direct though he be lame1  
and cannot climb the masts1 and spread  
the sails3 but ,god is wanting in       
nothing2 neither in wisdom to design1   
nor in will to determine1 nor in  power 
to accomplish4 ,his wisdom is not       
feeble1 nor his power foolish3  a feeble
 wisdom could not act what it would1 and
 a foolish power would  act more than it
 should4 ,the power expressed in his    
government is  shadowed forth in the    
living creatures1 which are ,god's      
instruments in  it4 ,it is said1 8,every
 one of them had four faces0 7,ezek4 i4 
#aj72 that  of a man to signify wisdom2 
of a lion1 eagle1 the strongest among   
birds1  to signify their courage and    
strength to perform their offices4 ,this
  power is evident in the natural1      
moral1 gracious government4  ,there is a
 natural providence1 which consists in  
the preservation of  all things1        

propagation of them by corruptions and  
generations1 and in  a cooperation with 
them in their motions to attain their   
ends4 ,moral  government is of the      
hearts and actions of men4 ,gracious    
government1 as  respecting the ,church4 
,first1 ,his power is evident in natural
 government4    #a4 ,in preservation4   
,god is the great ,father of the world1 
to nourish  it as well as create it4#heg
 ,man and beast would perish if there   
were  not herbs for their food2 and     
herbs would wither and perish1 if the   
earth were not watered with fruitful    
showers4 ,this some of the heathens     
acknowledged1 in their worshipping ,god 
under the image of an ox1 a  useful     
creature1 by reason of its strength1 to 
which we owe so much of  our food in    
corn4 ,hence1 ,god is styled the        
8,preserver of man and beast0  7,ps4    
xxxvi4 #f74 ,hence1 the ,jews called    
,god1#heh ,place2 because he is  the    
subsistence of all things4 ,by b#de the 
same word whereby he gave  being to     

things1 he gives to them continuance and
 duration in being  so much a term of   
time4 ,as they were 8created by his     
word10 they are  supported by his word  
7,heb4 i4 #c74 ,the same powerful fiat1 
8,let the  earth bring forth grass0     
7,gen4 i4 #aa71 when the plants peeped  
upon man  out of nothing1 is expressed  
every spring1 when they begin to lift up
  their heads from their naked roots and
 winter graves4 ,the resurrection  of   
light every morning1 the reviving the   
pleasure of all things to the  eye2 the 
watering the valleys from the mountain  
springs2 the curbing  the natural       
appetite of the waters from covering the
 earth2 every  draught that the beasts  
drink1 every lodging the fowls have1    
every  bit of food for the sustenance of
 man and beast1 is ascribed to the      
8opening of his hand10 the diffusing of 
his power 7,ps4 civ4 #bg1 c471  as much 
as the first creation of things1 and    
endowing them with their  particular    
nature3 whence the plants1 which are so 

serviceable1 are  called 8the trees of  
the ,lord0 7ver4 #af71 of ,jehovah1 that
 hath only  being and power in himself4 
,the whole ,psalm is but the description
 of  his preserving1 as the first of    
,genesis is of his creating power4 ,it  
is  by this power angels have so many   
thousand years remained in the power  of
 understanding and willing4 ,by this    
power things distant in their  natures  
have been joined together2 a spiritual  
soul and a dusty body  knit in a        
marriage knot4 ,by this power the       
heavenly bodies have for  so many ages  
rolled in their spheres1 and the        
tumultuous elements have  persisted in  
their order3 by this hath the matter of 
the world been to  this day continued1  
and as capable of entertaining forms as 
it was at  the first creation4 ,what an 
amazing sight would it be to see a man  
hold  a pillar of the ,exchange upon one
 of his fingers8 ,what is this to the   
power of ,god1 8who holds the waters in 
the hollow of his hand1 metes  out the  

heaven with a span1 and weighs the      
mountains in scales1 and the  hills in a
 balance0 7,isa4 xl4 #ab78 ,the         
preserving the earth from the  violence 
of the sea is a plain instance of this  
power4#hei ,how is that  raging element 
kept pent within those lists where he   
first lodged it2  continues its course  
in its channel without overflowing the  
earth1 and  dashing in pieces the lower 
part of the creation8 ,the natural      
situation  of the water is to be above  
the earth1 because it is lighter2 and to
  be immediately under the air1 because 
it is heavier than that thinner         
element4 ,who restrains this natural    
quality of it1 but that ,god that  first
 formed it8 ,the word of command at     
first1 8,hitherto shalt thou go1  and no
 further10 keeps those waters linked    
together in their den1 that  they may   
not ravage the earth1 but be useful to  
the inhabitants of it4  ,and when once  
it finds a gap to enter1 what power of  
earth can hinder  its passage8 ,how     

fruitless sometimes is all the art of   
man to send it  to its proper channel1  
when once it hath spread its mighty     
waves over  some countries1 and trampled
 part of the inhabited earth under its  
feet8 ,it hath triumphed in its victory1
 and withstood all the power of  man to 
conquer its force4 ,it is only the power
 of ,god that doth bridle  it from      
spreading itself over the whole earth4  
,and that his power might  be more      
manifest1 he hath set but a weak and    
small bank against it4  ,though he hath 
bounded it in some places by b#df mighty
 rocks1 which  lift up their heads above
 it1 yet in most places by feeble sand4 
,how  often is it seen in every stormy  
motion1 when the waves boil high and    
roll furiously1 as if they would swallow
 up all the neighboring houses  upon the
 shore2 when they come to touch those   
sandy limits1 they bow  their heads1    
fall flat1 and sink into the lap whence 
they were raised1  and seem to foam with
 anger that they can march no further1  

but must  split themselves at so weak an
 obstacle6 ,can the sand be thought to  
be the cause of this8 ,the weakness of  
it gives no footing to such a  thought4 
,who can apprehend1 that an enraged army
 should retire upon  the opposition of a
 straw in an infant's hand8 ,is it the  
nature of the  water8 ,its retirement is
 against the natural quality of it2 pour
 but a  little upon the ground1 and you 
always see it spread itself4 ,no cause  
can be rendered in nature2 it is a      
standing monument of the power of  ,god 
in the preservation of the world1 and   
ought to be more taken notice  of by us 
in this island1 surrounded with it1 than
 by some other  countries in the world4 
7#a47 ,we find nothing hath power to    
preserve itself4 ,doth not every        
creature upon earth require the         
assistance of some other for its        
maintenance8 8,can the rush grow up     
without mire8 can the flag grow up      
without water0 7,job viii4 #aa78 ,can   
man or beast maintain itself without    

grain from the bowels of the earth8     
,would not every man tumble into  the   
grave1 without the aid of other         
creatures to nourish him8 ,whence  do   
these creatures receive that virtue of  
supplying him nourishment1  but from the
 sun and earth8 and whence do they      
derive that virtue1 but  from the       
,creator of all things8 ,and should he  
but slack his hand1 how  soon would they
 and all their qualities perish1 and the
 links of the  world fall in pieces1 and
 dash one another into their first chaos
 and  confusion6 ,all creatures indeed  
have an appetite to preserve themselves2
  they have some knowledge of the       
outward means for their preservation2   
so have irrational animals a natural    
instinct1 as well as men have  some     
skill to avoid things that are hurtful1 
and apply things that are  helpful4 ,but
 what thing in the world can preserve   
itself by an inward  influx into its own
 being8 ,all things want such a power   
without ,god's  fiat1 8,let it be so30  

nothing but is destitute of such a power
 for  its own preservation1 as much as  
it is of a power for its own creation4  
,were there any true power for such a   
work1 what need of so many  external    
helps from things of an inferior nature 
to that which is  preserved by them8 ,no
 created thing hath a power to preserve 
any  decayed being4 ,who can lay claim  
to such a virtue1 as to recall a        
withering flower to its former beauty1  
to raise the head of a drooping  plant1 
or put life into a gasping worm when it 
is expiring2 or put  impaired vitals    
into their former posture8 ,not a man   
upon earth1 nor an  angel in heaven1 can
 pretend to such a virtue2 they may be  
spectators1  but not assisters1 and are1
 in this case1 physicians of no value4  
7#b47 ,it is1 therefore1 the same ,power
 preserves things which at first        
created them4 ,the creature doth as much
 depend upon ,god1 in the first  instant
 of its being1 for its preservation1 as 
it did1 when it was  nothing1 for its   

production and creation into being3 as  
the continuance  of a thought of our    
mind depends upon the power of our mind1
 b#dg  as well as the first framing of  
that thought4#hfj ,there is a little    
difference between creating and         
preserving power1 as there is between   
the power of mine eye to begin an act of
 vision and continue that act  of       
vision1 as to cast my eye upon an object
 and continue it upon that  object3 as  
the first act is caused by the eye1 so  
the duration of  the act is preserved by
 the eye2 shut the eye1 and the act of  
vision  perishes2 divert the eye from   
that object1 and that act of vision is  
exchanged for another4 ,and1 therefore1 
the preservation of things is  commonly 
called a continual creation3 and        
certainly it is no less1  if we         
understand it of a preservation by an   
inward influence into the  being of     
things4 ,it is one and the same action  
invariably continued1  and obtaining its
 force every moment2 the same action    

whereby he  created them of nothing1 and
 which every moment hath a virtue to    
produce a thing out of nothing1 if it   
were not yet extant in the world3  it   
remains the same without any diminution 
throughout the whole time  wherein      
anything doth remain in the world4#hfa  
,for all things would  return to        
nothing1 if ,god did not keep them up in
 the elevation and  state to which he at
 first raised them by his creative power
 7,acts  xvii4 #bh73 8,in him we live1  
and move1 and have our being40 ,by him1 
or  by the same ,power whence we derived
 our being1 are our lives maintained3   
as it was his ,almighty ,power whereby  
we were1 after we had been nothing1  so 
it is the same power whereby we now are1
 after he hath made us  something4      
,certainly all things have no less a    
dependence on ,god  than light upon the 
sun1 which vanisheth and hides its head 
upon the  withdrawing of the sun4 ,and  
should ,god suspend that powerful ,word1
  whereby he erected the frame of the   

world1 it would sink down to what  it   
was1 before he commanded it to stand up4
 ,there needs no new act of  power to   
reduce things to nothing1 but the       
cessation of that ,omnipotent  influx4  
,when the appointed time set them for   
their being comes to a  period1 they    
faint and bend down their heads to their
 dissolution2 they  return to their     
elements1 and perish 7,ps4 civ4 #bi73   
8,thou hidest thy  face1 and they are   
troubled3 thou takest away their breath1
 they die1  and return to their dust40  
,that which was nothing cannot remain on
  this side nothing1 but by the same    
,power that first called it out of      
nothing4 ,as when ,god withdrew his     
concurring power from the fire1 its     
quality ceased to act upon the three    
children3 so if he withdraws his        
sustaining power from the creature1 its 
nature will cease to be4    #b4 ,it     
appears in propagation4 ,that powerful  
word 7,gen4 i4 #bb1 #bc71  8,increase   
and multiply10 pronounced at the first  

creation1 hath spread  itself over every
 part of the world2 every animal in the 
world1 in  the formation of every one of
 them4 ,from two of a kind1 how great a 
number of individuals and single        
creatures have been multiplied1 to      
cover the face of the earth in their    
continued successions6 ,what a  world of
 plants spring up from the womb of a dry
 earth1 moistened by  the influence of a
 cloud1 and hatched by the beams of the 
sun6 ,how  admirable an instance of his 
propagating power is it1 that from a    
little seed a massy root should strike  
into the bowels of the earth1 a  tall   
body and thick branches1 with leaves    
b#dh and flowers of various  colors1    
should break through the surface of the 
earth1 and mount up  towards heaven1    
when in the seed you neither smell the  
scent1 nor see  any firmness of a tree1 
nor behold any of those colors which you
 view  in the flowers that the ears     
produce6 ,a power not to be imitated by 
any  creature4 ,how astonishing is it1  

that a small seed1 whereof many will    
not amount to the weight of a grain1    
should spread itself into leaves1  bark1
 fruit of a vast weight1 and multiply   
itself into millions of  seeds6 ,what   
power is that1 that from one man and    
woman hath multiplied  families1 and    
from families1 stocked the world with   
people6 ,consider  the living creatures1
 as formed in the womb of their several 
kinds2  every one is a wonder of power4 
,the ,psalmist instanceth in the        
forming and propagation of man 7,ps4    
cxxxix4 #ad73 8,i am fearfully  and     
wonderfully made2 marvellous are thy    
works40 ,the forming of the  parts      
distinctly in the womb1 the bringing    
forth into the world every  particular  
member1 is a roll of wonders1 of power4 
,that so fine a  structure as the body  
of man should be polished in 8the lower 
parts  of the earth10 as he calls the   
womb 7ver4 #ae71 in so short a time1    
with members of a various form and      
usefulness1 each laboring in their      

several functions6 ,can any man give an 
exact account of the manner  8how the   
bones do grow in the womb0 7,eccles4 xi4
 #e78 ,it is unknown  to the father1 and
 no less hid from the mother1 and the   
wisest men  cannot search out the depth 
of it4 ,it is one of the secret works of
 an  ,omnipotent ,power1 secret in the  
manner1 though open in the effect4 ,so  
that we must ascribe it to ,god1 as ,job
 doth1 8,thine hands have made  me and  
fashioned me together round about0 7,job
 x4 #h74 ,thy hands which  formed       
heaven1 have formed every part1 every   
member1 and wrought me  like a mighty   
workman4 ,the heavens are said to be the
 8work of ,god's  hands10 and man is    
here said to be no less4 ,the forming   
and propagation  of man from that earthy
 matter1 is no less a wonder of power   
than the  structure of the world from a 
rude and indisposed matter4 ,a heathen  
philosopher descants elegantly upon it3 
8,dost thou understand 7my son7  the    
forming of man in the womb2 who erected 

that noble fabric8 who  carved the eyes1
 the crystal windows of light1 and the  
conductors of  the body2 who bored the  
nostrils and ears1 those loopholes of   
scents  and sounds2 who stretched out   
and knit the sinews and ligaments for   
the fastening of every member2 who cast 
the hollow veins1 the channels  of      
blood2 set and strengthened the bones1  
the pillars and rafters of  the body2   
who digged the pores1 the sinks to expel
 the filth2 who made  the heart1 the    
repository of the soul1 and formed the  
lungs like a  pipe8 ,what mother1 what  
father1 wrought these things8 ,no1 none 
but the  ,almighty ,god1 who made all   
things according to his pleasure2 it is 
,he  who propagates this noble piece    
from a pile of dust4 ,who is born by his
  own advice2 who gives stature1        
features1 sense1 wit1 strength1 speech1 
but ,god80#hfb ,it is no less a wonder1 
that a little infant can live so  long  
in a dark sink1 in the midst of filth1  
without breathing2 and the  eduction of 

it out of the womb is no less a wonder  
than the forming1  increase1 nourishment
 of it in that cell4 ,a wonder1 that the
 life of  the infant b#di is not the    
death of the mother1 or the life of the 
mother the death of the infant4 ,this   
little creature when it springs  up from
 such small beginnings by the power of  
,god1 grows up to be  one of the lords  
of the world1 to have a dominion over   
the creatures1  and propagates its kind 
in the same manner3 all this is         
unaccountable  without having recourse  
to the power of ,god in the government  
of the  creatures4 ,and to add to this  
wonder1 consider also what multitudes   
of formations and births there are at   
one time all over the world1  in every  
of which the finger of ,god is at work2 
and it will speak an  unwearied power4  
,it is admirable in one man1 more in a  
town of men1  still more in a greater   
and larger kingdom1 a vaster world2     
there is a  birth for every hour in this
 city1 were but #afh born in a week1    

though  the weekly bills mention more3  
what is this city to three kingdoms8    
what three kingdoms to a populous world8
 ,eleven thousand and eighty  will make 
one for every minute in the week2 what  
is this to the weekly  propagation in   
all the nations of the universe1 besides
 the generation  of all the living      
creatures in that space1 which are the  
works of ,god's  fingers as well as man8
 ,what will be the result of this1 but  
the notion  of an unconceivable1        
unwearied ,almightiness1 always active1 
always  operating8    #c4 ,it appears in
 the motions of all creatures4 8,all    
things live and  move in him0 7,acts    
xvii4 #bh72 by the same power that      
creatures have  their beings1 they have 
their motions3 they have not only a     
being  by his powerful command1 but they
 have their minutely motion by his      
powerful concurrence4 ,nothing can act  
without the almighty influx of  ,god1 no
 more than it can exist without the     
creative word of ,god4 ,it is  true     

indeed1 the ordering of all motions to  
his holy ends1 is an act  of wisdom2 but
 the motion itself1 whereby those ends  
are attained1 is  a work of his power4  
7#a47 ,god1 as the first cause1 hath an 
influence into the motions of  all      
second causes4 ,as all the wheels in a  
clock are moved in their  different     
motions by the force and strength of the
 principal and  primary wheel2 if there 
be any defect in that1 or if that stand 
still1  all the rest languish and stand 
idle the same moment4 ,all creatures    
are his instruments1 his engines1 and   
have no spirit1 but what he  gives1 and 
what he assists4 ,whatsoever nature     
works1 ,god works in  nature2 nature is 
the instrument1 ,god is the supporter1  
director1  mover of nature2 that which  
the prophet saith in another case1 may  
be  the language of universal nature3   
8,lord1 thou hast wrought all our work  
in us0 7,isa4 xxvi4 #ab74 ,they are     
works subjectively1 efficiently1 as     
second causes2 ,god's works originally1 

concurrently4 ,the sun moved not  in the
 valley of ,ajalon for the space of many
 hours1 in the time of  ,joshua 7,josh4 
x4 #ac72 nor did the fire exercise its  
consuming quality  upon the three       
children1 in ,nebuchadnezzar's furnace  
7,dan4 iii4 #be73 he  withdrew not his  
supporting power from their being1 for  
then they had  vanished1 but his        
influencing power from their qualities1 
whereby their  motion ceased1 till he   
returned his influential concurrence to 
them2  which evidenceth1 that without a 
perpetual derivation of ,divine power1  
the sun could not run one stride or inch
 of its race1 nor the fire  devour one  
grain of light chaff1 or an inch of     
straw4 ,nothing without  his sustaining 
power can continue b#ej in being2       
nothing without  his coworking power can
 exercise one mite of those qualities it
  is possessed of4 ,all creatures are   
wound up by him1 and his hand is        
constantly upon them1 to keep them in   
perpetual motion4    7#b47 ,consider the

 variety of motions in a single         
creature4 ,how many  motions are there  
in the vital parts of a man1 or in any  
other animal1  which a man knows not1   
and is unable to number6 ,the renewed   
motion of  the lungs1 the systoles and  
diastoles of the heart2 the contractions
  and dilations of the heart1 whereby it
 spouts out and takes in blood2  the    
power of concoction in the stomach2 the 
motion of the blood in the  veins1 c41  
all which were not only settled by the  
powerful hand of ,god1  but are upheld  
by the same1 preserved and influenced in
 every distinct  motion by that power   
that stamped them with that nature4 ,to 
every one  of those there is not only   
the sustaining power of ,god holding up 
their  natures1 but the motive power of 
,god concurring to every motion2 for  if
 we move in him as well as we live in   
him1 then every particle of our  motion 
is exercised by his concurring power1 as
 well as every moment of  our life      
supported by his preserving power4 ,what

 an infinite variety of  motions is     
there in the whole world in universal   
nature1 to all which  ,god concurs1 all 
which he conducts1 even the motions of  
the meanest  as well as the greatest    
creatures1 which demonstrate the        
indefatigable  power of the governor6   
,it is an ,infinite ,power which doth   
act in so  many varieties1 whereby the  
soul forms every thought1 the tongue    
speaks  every word1 the body exerts     
every action4 ,what an ,infinite ,power 
is  that which presides over the birth  
of all things1 concurs with the  motion 
of the sap in the tree1 rivers on the   
earth1 clouds in the air1  every drop of
 rain1 fleece of snow1 crack of thunder6
 ,not the least  motion in the world1   
but is under an actual influence of this
 ,almighty  ,mover4 ,and lest any should
 scruple the concurrence of ,god to so  
many  varieties of the creature's       
motion1 as a thing utterly              
inconceivable1  let them consider the   
sun1 a natural image and shadow of the  

perfections of ,god2 doth not the power 
of that finite creature extend  itself  
to various objects at the same moment of
 time8 ,how many insects  doth it       
animate1 as flies1 c41 at the same      
moment throughout the  world6 ,how many 
several plants doth it erect at its     
appearance in the  spring1 whose roots  
lay mourning in the earth all the       
foregoing winter6  ,what multitudes of  
spires of grass1 and nobler flowers1    
doth it midwife  in the same hour6 ,it  
warms the air1 melts the blood1         
cherishes living  creatures of various  
kinds1 in distinct places1 without      
tiring3 and  shall the ,god of this sun 
be less than his creature8    7#c47 ,and
 since ,i speak of the sun1 consider the
 power of ,god in the  motion of it4    
,the vastness of the sun is computed to 
be1 at the least1  #aff times bigger    
than the earth1 and its distance from   
the earth1 some  tell us1 to be about   
#d1jjj1jjj of miles2#hfc whence it      
follows1 that  it is whirled about the  

world with that swiftness1 that in the  
space  of an hour it runs #a1jjj1jjj of 
miles1 which is as much as if it should 
move round about the surface of the     
earth fifty times in one hour2  which   
vastness exceeds the swiftness of a     
bullet shot out b#ea of a  cannon1 which
 is computed to fly not above three     
miles in a minute3#hfd  so that the sun 
runs further in one hour's space1 than a
 bullet can in  #e1jjj1 if it were kept 
in motion2 so that if it were near the  
earth1  the swiftness of its motion     
would shatter the whole frame of the    
world1  and dash it in pieces2 so that  
the ,psalmist may well say1 8,it runs a 
race like a strong man0 7,ps4 xix4 #e74 
,what an incomprehensible ,power  is    
that which hath communicated such a     
strength and swiftness to the  sun1 and 
doth daily influence its motion2        
especially since after all  those years 
of its motion1 wherein one would think  
it should have spent  itself1 we behold 
it every day as vigorous as ,adam did in

 ,paradise1  without limping1 without   
shattering itself1 or losing any thing  
of  its natural spirits in its unwearied
 motion4 ,how great must that power  be1
 which hath kept this great body so     
entire1 and thus swiftly moves  it every
 day6 ,is it not now an argument of     
omnipotency1 to keep all  the strings of
 nature in tune2 to wind them up to a   
due pitch for the  harmony he intended  
by them2 to keep things that are        
contrary from that  confusion they would
 naturally fall into2 to prevent those  
jarrings  which would naturally result  
from their various and snarling         
qualities2  to preserve every being in  
its true nature2 to propagate every kind
  of creature2 order all the operations1
 even the meanest of them1  when there  
are such innumerable varieties8 ,but let
 us consider1 that  this power of       
preserving things in their station and  
motion1 and the  renewing of them1 is   
more stupendous than that which we      
commonly call  miraculous4 ,we call     

those miracles1 which are wrought out of
 the track  of nature1 and contrary to  
the usual stream and current of it2     
which  men wonder at1 because they      
seldom see them1 and hear of them as    
things  rarely brought forth in the     
world2 when the truth is1 there is more 
of  power expressed in the ordinary     
station and motion of natural causes    
than in those extraordinary exertings of
 power4 ,is not more power  signalized  
in that whirling motion of the sun every
 hour for so many  ages1 than in the    
suspending of its motion one day1 as it 
was in the  days of ,joshua8 ,that fire 
should continually ravage and consume1  
and  greedily swallow up every thing    
that is offered to it1 seems to be  the 
effect of as admirable a power1 as the  
stopping of its appetite  a few moments1
 as in the case of the three children4  
,is not the rising  of some small seeds 
from the ground1 with a multiplication  
of their  numerous posterity1 an effect 
of as great a power1 as our ,saviour's  

feeding many thousands with a few       
loaves1 by a secret augmentation of     
them8#hfe ,is not the chemical producing
 so pleasant and delicious a  fruit as  
the grape1 from a dry earth1 insipid    
rain1 and a sour vine1  as admirable a  
token of ,divine power1 as our          
,saviour's turning water  into wine8 ,is
 not the cure of diseases by the        
application of a simple  inconsiderable 
weed1 or a slight infusion1 as wonderful
 in itself1 as  the cure of it by a     
powerful weed8 ,what if it be naturally 
designed  to heal2 what is that nature1 
who gave that nature1 who maintains that
  nature1 who conducts it1 cooperates   
with it8 ,doth it work of itself1  and  
by its own strength8 why not then       
equally in all1 in one as well as       
another8 b#eb ,miracles1 indeed1 affect 
more1 because they testify the          
immediate operation of ,god1 without the
 concurrence of second causes2  not that
 there is more of the power of ,god     
shining in them than in the  other4     

,secondly1 ,this power is evident in    
moral government4    #a4 ,in the        
restraint of the malicious nature of the
 devil4 ,since  ,satan hath the power of
 an angel1 and the malice of a devil1   
what  safety would there be for our     
persons from destruction1 what security 
for our goods from rifling1 by this     
invisible1 potent1 and envious  spirit1 
if his power were not restrained1 and   
his malice curbed1 by  ,one more mighty 
than himself8 ,how much doth he envy    
,god the glory of  his creation2 and    
man1 the use and benefit of it6 ,how    
desirous would  he be1 in regard of his 
passion1 how able in regard of his      
strength and  subtlety1 to overthrow or 
infect all worship1 but what was        
directed to  himself2 to manage all     
things according to his lusts1 turn all 
things  topsyturvy1 plague the world1   
burn cities1 houses1 plunder us of  the 
supports of nature1 waste kingdoms1 c42 
if he were not held in a  chain1 as a   
ravenous lion1 or a furious wild horse1 

by the ,creator and  ,governor of the   
world6 ,what remedy could be used by man
 against the  activity of this unseen   
and swift spirit8 ,the world could not  
subsist  under his malice2 he would     
practise the same things upon all as he 
did  upon ,job1 when he had got leave   
from his ,governor2 turn the swords of  
men into one another's bowels2 send fire
 from heaven upon the fruits  of the    
earth and the cattle intended for the   
use of man2 raise winds1  to shake and  
tear our houses upon our heads2 daub our
 bodies with  scalbs and boils1 and let 
all the humors in our blood loose upon  
us4  ,he that envied ,adam a paradise1  
doth envy us the pleasure of enjoying   
its outworks4 ,if we were not destroyed 
by him1 we should live in a  continued  
vexation by spectrums and apparitions1  
affrighting sounds and  noise1 as some  
think the ,egyptians did in that three  
days' darkness3 he  would be alway      
winnowing us1 as he desired to winnow   
,peter 7,luke xxii4  #ca74 ,but ,god    

overmasters his strength1 that he cannot
 move a hair's  breadth beyond his      
tedder2 not only is he unable to touch  
an upright  ,job1 but to lay his fingers
 upon one of the unbelieving ,gadarenes 
forbidden and filthy swine without      
special license 7,matt4 viii4 #ca74     
,when he is cast out of one place1 he   
walks 8through dry places seeking  rest0
 7,luke xi4 #bd71 new objects for his   
malicious designs1but  finding none1    
till ,god lets loose the reins upon him 
for a new  employment4 ,though ,satan's 
power be great1 yet ,god suffers him not
 to  tempt as much as his diabolical    
appetite would1 but as much as ,divine  
wisdom thinks fit2 and the ,divine power
 tempers the other's active  malice1 and
 gives the creature victory1 where the  
enemy intended  spoil and captivity4    
,how much stronger is ,god1 than all the
 legions of  hell2 as he that holds a   
8strong man0 7,luke xi4 #bb7 from       
effecting his  purpose1 testifies more  
ability than his adversary6 ,how doth he

 lock  him up for a 8thousand years0    
7,rev4 xx4 #c7 in a pound1 which he     
cannot  leap over6 and this restraint is
 wrought partly by blinding the devil   
in his designs1 partly by denying him   
concourse to his motion2 as he  hindered
 the active quality of the fire upon the
 three children1 by  withdrawing b#ec   
his power1 which was necessary to the   
motion of it2  and his power is as      
necessary for the motion of the devil1  
as for that  of any other creature3     
sometimes he makes him to confess him   
against  his own interest1 as ,apollo's 
oracle confessed4#hff ,and though  when 
the devil was cast out of the possessed 
person1 he publicly  owned ,christ to be
 the 8,holy one of ,god0 7,mark i4 #bd71
 to render him  suspected by the people 
of having commerce with the unclean     
spirits2  yet this he could not do      
without the leave and permission of     
,god1 that  the power of ,christ1 in    
stopping his mouth and imposing silence 
upon  him1 might be evidenced2 and that 

it reaches to the gates of hell1  as    
well as to the quieting of winds and    
waves4 ,this is a part of  the strength1
 as well as the wisdom of ,god1 that    
8the deceived and  the deceiver are his0
 7,job xii4 #af73 wisdom to defeat1 and 
power to  overrule his most malicious   
designs1 to his own glory4    #b4 ,in   
the restraint of the natural corruption 
of men4 ,since the  impetus of original 
corruption runs in the blood1 conveyed  
down from  ,adam to the veins of all his
 posterity1 and universally diffused in 
all  mankind2 what wreck and havoc would
 it make in the world1 if it were  not  
suppressed by this ,divine power which  
presides over the hearts of  men6 ,man  
is so wretched by nature1 that nothing  
but what is vile and  pernicious can    
drop from him4 ,man 8drinks iniquity    
like water10 being1  by nature1         
8abominable and filthy0 7,job xv4 #af74 
,he greedily swallows  all matter for   
iniquity1 everything suitable to the    
mire and poison in  his nature1 and     

would sprout it out with all fierceness 
and insolence4  ,god himself gives us   
the description of man's nature 7,gen4  
vi4 #e71  that he hath not one good     
imagination at any time2 and the apostle
 from  the ,psalmist dilates and        
comments upon it 7,rom4 iii4 #aj1 c47   
8,there  is none righteous2 no1 not one2
 their mouth is full of cursing and     
bitterness1 their feet are swift to shed
 blood10 c4 ,this corruption is  equal  
in all1 natural in all2 it is not more  
poisonous or more fierce  in one man1   
than in another4 ,the root of all men is
 the same2 all the  branches therefore  
do equally possess the villanous nature 
of the root4  ,no child of ,adam can1 by
 natural descent1 be better than ,adam1 
or have  less of baseness1 and vileness1
 and venom1 than ,adam4 ,how fruitful   
would this loathsome lake be in all kind
 of streams6 ,what unbridled            
licentiousness and headstrong fury would
 triumph in the world1 if the  power of 
,god did not interpose itself to lock   

down the floodgates  of it6 ,what       
rooting up of human society would there 
be6 how would the  world be drenched in 
blood1 the number of malefactors be     
greater than  that of apprehenders and  
punishers6 ,how would the prints of     
natural  laws be rased out of the heart1
 if ,god should leave human nature to   
itself6 ,who can read the first chapter 
of ,romans1 7verses #bd to #bi71        
without acknowledging this truth8 where 
there is a catalogue of those  villanies
 which followed upon ,god's pulling up  
the sluices1 and letting  the malignity 
of their inward corruption have its     
natural course6 ,if  ,god did not hold  
back the fury of man1 his garden would  
be overrun1 his  vine rooted up2 the    
inclinations of men would hurry them to 
the worst  of wickedness4 ,how great is 
that ,power that curbs1 bridles1 or     
changes  b#ed as many headstrong horses 
at once1 and every minute1 as there are 
sons of ,adam upon the earth8 ,the      
8floods lift up their waves2 the ,lord  

on high is mightier than the noise of   
many waters1 yea1 than the mighty  waves
 of the sea0 7,ps4 xciii4 #c1 #d72 that 
doth hush and pen in the  turbulent     
passions of men4    #c4 ,in the ordering
 and framing the hearts of men to his   
own ends4 ,that  must be an ,omnipotent 
hand that grasps and contains the hearts
 of all  men2 the heart of the meanest  
person1 as well as of the most towering 
angel1 and turns them as he pleases1 and
 makes them sometime ignorantly1        
sometime knowingly1 concur to the       
accomplishment of his own purposes6     
,when the hearts of men are so numerous1
 their thoughts so various  and         
different from one another1 yet he hath 
a key to those millions  of hearts1 and 
with infinite power1 guided by as       
infinite wisdom1 he  draws them into    
what channels he pleases1 for the       
gaining his own ends4  ,though the ,jews
 had imbrued their hands in the blood of
 our ,saviour1  and their rage was yet  
reekinghot against his followers1 ,god  

bridled  their fury in the church's     
infancy1 till it had got some strength1 
and  cast a terror upon them by the     
wonders wrought by the apostles 7,acts  
ii4  #dc73 8,and fear came upon every   
soul1 and many wonders and signs were   
done by the apostles40 ,was there not   
the same reason in the nature of  the   
works our ,saviour wrought1 to point    
them to the finger of ,god1 and  calm   
their rage8 ,yet did not the power of   
,god work upon their passions  in those 
miracles1 nor stop the impetuousness of 
the corruption  resident in their       
hearts4 ,yet now those who had the      
boldness to attack  the ,son of ,god and
 nail him to the cross1 are frighted at 
the  appearance of twelve unarmed       
apostles2 as the sea seems to be afraid 
when it approacheth the bounds of the   
feeble sand4 ,how did ,god bend the     
hearts of the ,egyptians to the         
,israelites1 and turn them to that      
point1  as to lend their most costly    
vessels1 their precious jewels1 and rich

  garments1 to supply those whom they   
had just before tyranically loaded  with
 their chains 7,exod4 iii4 #ba1 #bb76   
,when a great part of an army  came upon
 ,jehoshaphat1 to dispatch him into     
another world1 how doth ,god1  in a     
trice1 touch their hearts1 and move     
them1 by a secret instinct1  at once to 
depart from him 7#a ,chron4 xviii4 #ca76
 as if you should  see a numerous sight 
of birds in a moment turn wing another  
way1 by a  sudden and joint consent4    
,when he gave ,saul a kingdom1 he gave  
him a  spirit fit for government1 8and  
gave him another heart0 7#a ,sam4 x4    
#i72  and brought the people to submit  
to his yoke1 who1 a little before1      
wandered about the land upon no nobler  
employment than the seeking  of asses4  
,it is no small remark of the power of  
,god1 to make a number  of strong and   
discontented persons1 and desirous      
enough of liberty1  to bend their necks 
under the yoke of government1 and submit
 to the  authority of one1 and that of  

their own nature1 often weaker and      
unwiser than the most of them1 and many 
times an oppressor and invader  of their
 rights4 ,upon this account ,david calls
 ,god 8his fortress1 tower1  shield0    
7,ps4 cxliv4 #b72 all terms of strength 
in subduing the people  under him4 ,it  
is the mighty hand of ,god that links   
princes and people  together in the     
bands of government4 ,the same hand that
 assuageth the  waves of the sea1       
suppresseth the tumults of the people4  
b#ee ,thirdly1 ,it appears in his       
gracious and judicial government4    #a4
 ,in his gracious government4 ,in the   
deliverance of his church3 he  is the   
8strength of ,israel0 7#a ,sam4 xv4     
#bi71 and hath protected his  little    
flock in the midst of wolves2 and       
maintained their standing1  when the    
strongest kingdoms have sunk1 and the   
best jointed states have  been broken in
 pieces2 when judgments have ravaged    
countries1 and torn  up the mighty1 as a
 tempestuous wind hath often done the   

tallest trees1  which seemed to threaten
 heaven with their tops1 and dare the   
storm  with the depth of their roots1   
when yet the vine and rosebushes have   
stood firm1 and been seen in their      
beauty next morning4 ,the state of  the 
church hath outlived the most           
flourishing monarchies1 when there  hath
 been a mighty knot of adversaries      
against her2 when the bulls  of ,bashan 
have pushed her1 and the whole tribe of 
the dragon have  sharpened their        
weapons1 and edged their malice2 when   
the voice was  strong1 and the hopes    
high to rase her foundation even with   
the ground2  when hell hath roared2 when
 the wit of the world hath contrived1   
and  the strength of the world hath     
attempted her ruin2 when decrees have   
been passed against her1 and the powers 
of the world armed for the  execution of
 them2 when her friends have drooped and
 skulked in corners2  when there was no 
eye to pity1 and no hand to assist1 help
 hath come  from heaven2 her enemies    

have been defeated2 kings have brought  
gifts  to her1 and reared her2 tears    
have been wiped off her cheeks1 and her 
very enemies1 by an unseen power1 have  
been forced to court her whom  before   
they would have devoured quick4 ,the    
devil and his armies have  sneaked into 
their den1 and the church hath triumphed
 when she hath  been upon the brink of  
the grave4 ,thus did ,god send a mighty 
angel  to be the executioner of         
,sennacherib's army1 and the protector  
of  ,jerusalem1 who run his sword into  
the hearts of eighty thousand  7#b      
,kings xix4 #ce71 when they were ready  
to swallow up his beloved  city4 ,when  
the knife was at the throats of the     
,jews1 in ,shushan 7,esther  viii471 by 
a powerful hand it was turned into the  
hearts of their  enemies4 ,with what an 
outstretched arm were the ,israelites   
freed from  the ,egyptian yoke 7,deut4  
iv4 #cd76 ,when ,pharaoh had mustered a 
great  army to pursue them1 assisted    
with six hundred chariots of war1 the   

,red  ,sea obstructed their passage     
before1 and an enraged enemy trod on    
their  rear2 when the fearful           
,israelites despaired of deliverance1   
and the  insolent ,egyptian assured     
himself of his revenge1 ,god stretches  
out his  irresistible arm to defeat the 
enemy1 and assist his people2 he strikes
  down the wolves1 and preserves the    
flock4 ,god restrained the ,egyptian    
enmity against the ,israelites till they
 were at the brink of the ,red  ,sea1   
and then lets them follow their humor1  
and pursue the fugitives1  that his     
power might more gloriously shine forth 
in the deliverance  of the one1 and the 
destruction of the other4 ,god might    
have brought  ,israel out of ,egypt in  
the time of those kings that had        
remembered the  good service of ,joseph 
to their country1 but he leaves them    
till the  reign of a cruel tyrant1      
suffers them to be slaves1 that they    
might by  his sole power1 be conquerors1
 which had had no appearance had there  

been a willing dismission of them at the
 first summons 7,exod4 ix4 #af72  8,in  
very deed for this cause have ,i raised 
thee up1 for to b#ef shew  my power1 and
 that my name might be declared         
throughout all the earth40  ,i have     
permitted thee to rise up against my    
people1 and keep them in  captivity1    
that thou mightest be an occasion for   
the manifestation of  my power in their 
rescue2 and whilst thou art obstinate to
 enslave them1  ,i will stretch out my  
arm to deliver them1 and make my name   
famous  among the ,gentiles1 in the     
wreck of thee and thy host in the ,red  
,sea4  ,the deliverance of the church   
hath not been in one age1 or in one part
  of the world1 but ,god hath signalized
 his power in all kingdoms where  she   
hath had a footing3 as he hath guided   
her in all places by one rule1  animated
 her by one spirit1 so he hath protected
 her by the same arm of  power4 ,when   
the ,roman emperors bandied all their   
force against her1 for  about three     

hundred years1 they were further from   
effecting her ruin at  the end than when
 they first attempted it2 the church    
grew under their  sword1 and was hatched
 under the wings of the ,roman eagle1   
which were  spread to destroy her4 ,the 
ark was elevated by the deluge1 and the 
waters the devil poured out to drown her
 did but slime the earth for  a new     
increase of her4 ,she hath sometimes    
been beaten down1 and1 like  ,lazarus1  
hath seemed to be in the grave for some 
days1 that the power  of ,god might be  
more visible in her sudden resurrection1
 and lifting up  her head above the     
throne of her persecutors4    #b4 ,in   
his judicial proceedings4 ,the deluge   
was no small testimony  of his power1 in
 opening the cisterns of heaven1 and    
pulling up the  sluices of the sea4 ,he 
doth but call for the waters of the sea1
 and  they 8pour themselves upon the    
face of the earth0 7,amos ix4 #f47 ,in  
forty days' time the waters overtopped  
the highest mountains fifteen  cubits   

7,gen4 vii4 #agbj72 and by the same     
power he afterwards reduced  the sea to 
its proper channel1 as a roaring lion   
into his den4 ,a shower  of fire from   
heaven1 upon ,sodom1 and the cities of  
the plain1 was a  signal display of his 
power1 either in creating it on the     
sudden1 for  the execution of his       
righteous sentence1 or sending down the 
element of  fire1 contrary to its       
nature1 which affects ascent1 for the   
punishment  of rebels against the light 
of nature4 ,how often hath he ruined the
  most flourishing monarchies1 led      
princes away spoiled1 and overthrown    
the mighty1 which ,job makes an argument
 of his strength 7,job xii4 #ac1  #ad74 
,troops of unknown people1 the ,goths   
and ,vandals1 broke the ,romans1  a     
warlike people1 and hurled down all     
before them4 ,they could not have  had  
the thought to succeed in such an       
attempt1 unless ,god had given  them    
strength and motion for the executing   
his judicial vengeance upon  the people 

of his wrath4 ,how did he evidence his  
power1 by daubing the  throne of        
,pharaoh1 and his chamber of presence1  
as well as the houses  of his subjects1 
with the slime of frogs 7,exod4 viii4   
#c72 turning their  waters into blood1  
and their dust into biting lice 7,exod4 
vii4 #bj72  raising his militia of      
locusts against them2 causing a three   
days'  darkness without stopping the    
motion of the sun2 taking off their     
firstborn1 the excellency of their      
strength1 in a night1 by the stroke  of 
the angel's sword6 ,he takes off the    
chariot wheels of ,pharaoh1 and         
presents him with a destruction where he
 expected a victory2 brings  those waves
 over the heads of him and his host1    
which stood b#eg  firm as marble walls  
for the safety of his people2 the sea is
 made to  swallow them up1 that durst   
not1 by the order of their ,governor1   
touch  the ,israelites3 it only         
sprinkled the one as a type of baptism1 
and  drowned the other as an image of   

hell4 ,thus he made it both a deliverer 
and a revenger1 the instrument of an    
offensive and defensive war 7,isa4  xl4 
#bc1 #bd72 8,he brings princes to       
nothing1 and makes the judges of the    
earth as vanity40 ,great monarchs have1 
by his power1 been hurled from  their   
thrones and their sceptres1 like        
,veniceglasses1 broken before  their    
faces1 and they been advanced that have 
had the least hopes  of grandeur4 ,he   
hath plucked up cedars by the roots1    
lopped off the  branches1 and set a     
shrub to grow up in the place2 dissolved
 rocks1  and established bubbles 7,luke 
i4 #eb73 8,he hath showed strength with 
his  arm2 he hath scattered the proud in
 the imagination of their hearts2  he   
hath put down the mighty from their     
seat1 and exalted them of low           
degree40,and these things he doth       
magnify his power in3    7#a47 ,by      
ordering the nature of creatures as he  
pleases4 ,by restraining  their force1  
or guiding their motions4 ,the restraint

 of the destructive  qualities of the   
creatures argues as great a power as the
 change of  their natures1 yea1 and a   
greater4 ,the qualities of creatures may
 be  changed by art and composition1 as 
in the preparing of medicines2 but  what
 but a ,divine ,power could restrain the
 operation of the fire from  the three  
children1 while it retained its heat and
 burning quality in  ,nebuchadnezzar's  
furnace8 ,the operation was curbed while
 its nature was  preserved4 ,all        
creatures are called his host1 because  
he marshals and  ranks them as an army  
to serve his purposes4 ,the whole scheme
 of nature  is ready to favor men when  
,god orders it1 and ready to punish men 
when  ,god commissions it4 ,he gave the 
,red ,sea but a check1 and it obeyed his
  voice 7,ps4 cvi4 #i73 8,he rebuked the
 ,red ,sea also1 and it was dried up20  
the motion of it ceased1 and the waters 
of it were ranged as defensive  walls1  
to secure the march of his people3 and  
at the motion of the hand  of ,moses1   

the servant of the ,lord1 the sea       
recovered its violence1 and  the walls  
that were framed came tumbling down upon
 the ,egyptian's heads  7,exod4 xiv4    
#bg74 ,the ,creator of nature is not led
 by the necessity of  nature3 he that   
settled the order of nature1 can change 
or restrain the  order of nature        
according to his sovereign pleasure4    
,the most necessary  and useful         
creatures he can use as instruments of  
his vengeance3 water  is necessary to   
cleanse1 and by that he can deface a    
world2 fire is  necessary to warm1 and  
by that he can burn a ,sodom3 from the  
water  he formed the fowl 7,gen4 i4     
#ba71 and by that he dissolves them in  
the  deluge2 fire or heat is necessary  
to the generation of creatures1 and  by 
that he ruins the cities of the plain4  
,he orders all as he pleases1  to       
perform every tittle and punctilio of   
his purpose4 ,the sea observed  him so  
exactly1 that it drowned not one        
,israelite1 nor saved one  ,egyptian    

7,ps4 cvi4 #aa74 ,there was not one of  
them left4 ,and to perfect  the         
,israelites' deliverance1 he followed   
them with testimonies of his  power     
above the strength of nature4 ,when they
 wanted drink1 he orders  ,moses to     
strike a rock1 and the rock spouts a    
river1 and a channel is  formed for it  
to attend them in their journey4 ,when  
they wanted bread1  he b#eh dressed     
manna for them in the heavens1 and sent 
it to their  tables in the desert4 ,when
 he would declare his strength1 he calls
  to the heavens to pour down           
righteousness1 and to the earth to bring
  forth salvation 7,isa4 xlv4 #h74      
,though ,god had created righteousness  
or  deliverance for the ,jews in        
,babylon1 yet he calls to the heavens   
and  the earth to be assistant to the   
design of ,cyrus1 whom he had raised    
for that purpose1 as he speaks in the   
beginning of the chapter 7verses  #ad74 
,as ,god created man for a supernatural 
end1 and all creatures  for man as their

 immediate end1 so he makes them1       
according to  opportunities1 subservient
 to that supernatural end of man1 for   
which  he created him4 ,he that spans   
the heavens with his fist1 can shoot all
  creatures like an arrow1 to hit what  
mark he pleases4 ,he that spread  the   
heavens and the earth by a word1 and can
 by a word fold them  up more easily    
than a man can a garment 7,heb4 i4 #ab71
 can order the  streams of nature2      
cannot he work without nature as well as
 with it1  beyond nature1 contrary to   
nature1 that can1 as it were1 fillip    
nature  with his finger into that       
nothing whence he drew it2 who can cast 
down  the sun from his throne1 clap the 
distinguished parts of the world        
together1 and make them march in the    
same order to their confusion1 as  they 
did in their creation3 who can jumble   
the whole frame together1  and1 by a    
word1 dissolve the pillars of the world1
 and make the fabric  lie in a ruinous  
heap8    7#b47 ,in effecting his        

purposes by small means3 in making use  
of the  meanest creatures4 ,as the power
 of ,god is seen in the creation of the 
smallest creatures1 and assembling so   
many perfections in the little  body of 
an insect1 as an ant1 or spider1 so his 
power is not less  magnified in the use 
he makes of them4 ,as he magnifies his  
wisdom1  by using ignorant instruments1 
so he exalts his power1 by employing    
weak instruments in his service3 the    
meanness and imperfection of the  matter
 sets off the excellency of the workman2
 so the weakness of the  instrument is  
no foil to the power of the principal   
,agent4 ,when ,god  hath effected things
 by means in the ,scripture1 he hath    
usually brought  about his purposes by  
weak instruments4 ,moses1 a fugitive    
from ,egypt1  and ,aaron a captive in   
it1 are the instruments of the          
,israelites'  deliverance4 ,by the      
motion of ,moses' rod1 he works wonders 
in the  court of ,pharaoh1 and summons  
up his judgments against him4 ,he       

brought  down ,pharaoh's stomach for a  
while1 by a squadron of lice and        
locusts1  wherein ,divine power was more
 seen1 than if ,moses had brought him to
  his own articles by a multitude of    
warlike troops4 ,the fall of the  walls 
of ,jericho by the sound of rams' horns1
 was a more glorious  character of      
,god's power1 than if ,joshua had       
battered it down with a  hundred of     
warlike engines 7,josh vi4 #bj74 ,thus  
the great army of the  ,midianites1     
which lay as grasshoppers upon the      
ground1 were routed by  ,gideon in the  
head of three hundred men2 and ,goliath1
 a giant1 laid  level with the ground by
 ,david1 a stripling1 by the force of a 
sling3  a thousand ,philistines         
dispatched out of the world by the      
jawbone of  an ass in the hand of       
,samson4 ,he can master a stout nation  
by an army  of locusts1 and render the  
teeth of those little insects as        
destructive  as the teeth1 yea1 the     
strongest teeth1 the cheekteeth1 of a   

great  lion 7,joel i4 #f1 #g74 ,the     
thunderbolt1 which produces sometimes   
b#ei  dreadful effects1 is compacted of 
little atoms which fly in the air1      
small vapors drawn up by the sun1 and   
mixed with other sulphurous  matter and 
petrifying juice4 ,nothing is so weak1  
but his strength can  make victorious2  
nothing so small1 but by his power he   
can accomplish  his great ends by it2   
nothing so vile1 but his might can      
conduct to his  glory2 and no nation so 
mighty1 but he can waste and enfeeble by
 the  meanest creatures4 ,god is great  
in power in the greatest things1 and    
not little in the smallest2 his power in
 the minutest creatures which  he uses  
for his service1 surmounts the force of 
our understanding4    ,,thirdly4 ,the   
power of ,god appears in ,,redemption4  
,as our ,saviour  is called the ,wisdom 
of ,god1 so he is called the ,power of  
,god 7#a ,cor4  i4 #bd74 ,the arm of    
,power was lifted up as high as the     
designs of ,wisdom  were laid deep3 as  

this way of redemption could not be     
contrived but by  an ,infinite ,wisdom1 
so it could not be accomplished but by  
an ,infinite  ,power4 ,none but ,god    
could shape such a design1 and none but 
,god could  effect it4 ,the ,divine     
,power in temporal deliverances1 and    
freedom  from the slavery of human      
oppressors1 vails to that which glitters
 in  redemption2 whereby the devil is   
defeated in his designs1 stripped of    
his spoils1 and yoked in his strength4  
,the power of ,god in creation  requires
 not those degrees of admiration1 as in 
redemption4 ,in creation1  the world was
 erected from nothing2 as there was     
nothing to act1 so  there was nothing to
 oppose2 no victorious devil was in that
 to be  subdued2 no thundering law to be
 silenced2 no death to be conquered2  no
 transgression to be pardoned and rooted
 out2 no hell to be shut2 no            
ignominious death upon the cross to be  
suffered4 ,it had been1 in the  nature  
of the thing1 an easier thing to ,divine

 ,power to have created  a new world    
than repaired a broken1 and purified a  
polluted one4 ,this  is the most        
admirable work that ever ,god brought   
forth in the world1  greater than all   
the marks of his power in the first     
creation4    ,and this will appear1 ,i4 
,in the ,person redeeming4 ,,ii4 ,in the
  publication and propagation of the    
doctrine of redemption4 ,,iii4 ,in the  
application of redemption4    ,i4 ,in   
the ,person redeeming4 ,first1 ,in his  
conception4    #a4 ,he was conceived by 
the ,holy ,ghost in the womb of the     
,virgin  7,luke i4 #ce73 8,the ,holy    
,ghost shall come upon thee1 and the    
power of  the ,highest shall overshadow 
thee30 which act is expressed to be the 
effect of the infinite power of ,god2   
and it expresses the supernatural       
manner of the forming the humanity of   
our ,saviour1 and signifies  not the    
,divine nature of ,christ infusing      
itself into the womb of the  virgin2 for
 the angel refers it to the manner of   

the operation of the  ,holy ,ghost in   
the producing the human nature of       
,christ1 and not to the  nature assuming
 that humanity into union with itself4  
,the ,holy ,ghost1  or the ,third       
,person in the ,trinity1 overshadowed   
the virgin1 and by  a creative act      
framed the humanity of ,christ1 and     
united it to the  ,divinity4 ,it is1    
therefore1 expressed by a word of the   
same import with  that used in ,gen4 i4 
#b1 8,the ,spirit moved upon the face of
 the waters10  which signifies 7as it   
were7 a brooding upon the chaos1        
shadowing it  with his wings1 as hens   
sit upon their eggs1 to form them and   
hatch  them b#fj into animals2 or else  
it is an allusion to the 8cloud which   
covered the tent of the congregation1   
when the glory of the ,lord filled  the 
tabernacle0 7,exod4 xl4 #cd74 ,it was   
not such a creative act as we  call     
immediate1 which is a production out of 
nothing2 but a mediate  creation1 such  
as ,god's bringing things into form out 

of the first  matter1 which had nothing 
but an obediential or passive           
disposition  to whatsoever stamp the    
powerful wisdom of ,god should imprint  
upon  it4 ,so the substance of the      
,virgin had no active1 but only a       
passive  disposition to this work3 the  
matter of the body was earthy1 the      
substance of the virgin2 the forming of 
it was heavenly1 the ,holy  ,ghost      
working upon that matter4 ,and therefore
 when it is said1 that  8she was found  
with child of the ,holy ,ghost0 7,matt4 
i4 #ah71 it is to be  understood of the 
efficacy of the ,holy ,ghost1 not of the
 substance of  the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the   
matter was natural1 but the manner of   
conceiving  was in a supernatural way1  
above the methods of nature4 ,in        
reference  to the active principle the  
,redeemer is called in the prophecy     
7,isa4  iv4 #b71 8,the branch of the    
,lord10 in regard of the ,divine hand   
that  planted him3 in respect to the    
passive principle1 the fruit of the     

earth1 in regard of the womb that bare  
him2 and therefore said to be  8made of 
a woman0 7,gal4 iv4 #d74 ,that part of  
the flesh of the virgin  whereof the    
human nature of ,christ was made1 was   
refined and purified  from corruption by
 the overshadowing of the ,holy ,ghost1 
as a skilful  workman separates the     
dross from the gold3 our ,saviour is    
therefore  called1 8that holy thing0    
7,luke i4 #ce71 though born of the      
virgin3 he  was necessarily some way to 
descend from ,adam4 ,god1 indeed1 might 
have  created his body out of nothing1  
or have formed it 7as he did ,adam's7   
out of the dust of the ground3 but had  
he been thus extraordinarily  formed1   
and not propagated from ,adam1 though he
 had been a man like  one of us1 yet he 
would not have been of kin to us1       
because it would  not have been a nature
 derived from ,adam1 the common parent  
of us all4  ,it was therefore necessary 
to an affinity with us1 not only that he
  should have the same human nature1 but

 that it should flow from the  same     
principle1 and be propagated to him4#hfg
 ,but now1 by this way of  producing the
 humanity of ,christ of the substance of
 the virgin1 he was  in ,adam 7say some7
 corporally1 but not seminally2 of the  
substance of  ,adam1 or a daughter of   
,adam1 but not of the seed of ,adam3 and
 so he  is of the same nature that had  
sinned1 and so what he did and suffered 
may be imputed to us2 which1 had he been
 created as ,adam1 could not be  claimed
 in a legal and judicial way4    #b4 ,it
 was not convenient he should be born in
 the common order of  nature1 of father 
and mother3 for whosoever is so born is 
polluted4  8,a clean thing cannot be    
brought out of an unclean0 7,job xiv4   
#d74 ,and  our ,saviour had been        
incapable of being a redeemer1 had he   
been tainted  with the least spot of our
 nature1 but would have stood in need of
  redemption himself4 ,besides1 it had  
been inconsistent with the holiness  of 
the ,divine nature1 to have assumed a   

tainted and defiled body4 ,he  that was 
the fountain of blessedness to all      
nations1 was not to be  subject to the  
curse of the law for himself2 which he  
would have been1  had he been conceived 
in an ordinary b#fa way4 ,he that was to
 overturn  the devil's empire1 was not  
to be any way captive under the devil's 
power1 as a creature under the curse2   
nor could he be able to break the       
serpent's head1 had he been tainted with
 the serpent's breath4 ,again1          
supposing that ,almighty ,god by his    
divine power had so ordered the  matter1
 and so perfectly sanctified an earthly 
father and mother from  all original    
spot1 that the human nature might have  
been transmitted  immaculate to him1 as 
well as the ,holy ,ghost did purge that 
part of the  flesh of the virgin of     
which the body of ,christ was made1 yet 
it was  not convenient that that person1
 that was ,god blessed for ever as well 
as man1 partaking of our nature1 should 
have a conception in the same  manner as

 ours1 but different1 and in some       
measure conformable to the  infinite    
dignity of his person3 which could not  
have been1 had not  a supernatural power
 and a ,divine person been concerned as 
an active  principle in it2 besides1    
such a birth had not been agreeable to  
the  first promise1 which calls him 8the
 ,seed of the woman0 7,gen4 i4 #ae71    
not of the man2 and so the veracity of  
,god had suffered some detriment3  the  
,seed of the woman only is set in       
opposition to the seed of the  serpent4 
#c4 ,by this manner of conception the   
holiness of his nature is secured1  and 
his fitness for his office is assured to
 us4 ,it is now a pure and  unpolluted  
humanity that is the temple and         
tabernacle of the ,divinity3  the       
fulness of the ,godhead dwells in him   
bodily1 and dwells in him  holily4 ,his 
humanity is supernaturalized and        
elevated by the activity  of the ,holy  
,ghost1 hatching the flesh of the virgin
 into man1 as the  chaos into a world4  

,though we read of some sanctified from 
the womb1  it was not a pure and perfect
 holiness2 it was like the light of fire
  mixed with smoke1 an infused holiness 
accompanied with a natural taint3  but  
the holiness of the ,redeemer by this   
conception1 is like the light  of the   
sun1 pure1 and without spot4 ,the       
,spirit of holiness supplying  the place
 of a father in the way of creation4    
,his fitness for his  office is also    
assured to us2 for being born of the    
virgin1 one of our  nature1 but         
conceived by the ,spirit of a ,divine   
person1 the guilt of  our sins may be   
imputed to him because of our nature1   
without the stain  of sin inherent in   
him2 because of his supernatural        
conception he is  capable1 as one of kin
 to us1 to bear our curse without being 
touched  by our taint4 ,by this means   
our sinful nature is assumed without sin
  in that nature which was assumed by   
him3 8flesh he hath1 but not sinful     
flesh0 7,rom4 viii4 #c74 ,real flesh1   

but not really sinful1 only by way  of  
imputation4 ,nothing but the power of   
,god is evident in this whole  work3 by 
ordinary laws and the course of nature a
 virgin could not bear  a son3 nothing  
but a supernatural and almighty grace   
could intervene to  make so holy and    
perfect a conjunction4 ,the generation  
of others1 in an  ordinary way1 is by   
male and female3 but the virgin is      
overshadowed by  the ,spirit and power  
of the ,highest4#hfh ,man only is the   
product of  natural generation2 this    
which is born of the virgin is the holy 
thing1  the ,son of ,god4 ,in other     
generations1 a rational soul is only    
united  to a material body3 but in this1
 the ,divine nature is united with the  
human in one person by an indissoluble  
union4    b#fb ,the ,second act of power
 in the person redeeming1 is the union  
of the two natures1 the ,divine and     
human4 ,the designing indeed of this    
was an act of wisdom2 but the           
accomplishing it was an act of power4   

#a4 ,there is in this redeeming person a
 union of two natures4 ,he is  ,god and 
man in one person 7,heb4 i4 #h1 #i74    
8,thy throne1 ,o ,god1 is for  ever and 
ever3 ,god1 even thy ,god1 hath anointed
 thee with the oil of  gladness10 c4    
,the ,son is called ,god1 having a      
throne for ever and ever1  and the      
unction speaks him man3 the ,godhead    
cannot be anointed1 nor  hath any       
fellows4 ,humanity and ,divinity are    
ascribed to him 7,rom4 i4 #c1  #d74 8,he
 was of the seed of ,david according to 
the flesh1 and declared  to be the ,son 
of ,god1 by his resurrection from the   
dead40 ,the ,divinity  and humanity are 
both prophetically joined 7,zech4 xii4  
#aj71 8,i will  pour out my ,spirit20   
the pouring forth the ,spirit is an act 
only of  ,divine grace and power4 8,and 
they shall look upon me whom they have  
pierced20 the same person pours forth   
the ,spirit as ,god1 and is pierced  as 
man4 8,the ,word was made flesh0 7,john 
i4 #ad74 ,word from eternity was  made  

flesh in time2 ,word and flesh in one   
person2 a great ,god1 and a  little     
infant4    #b4 ,the terms of this union 
were infinitely distant4 ,what greater  
distance can there be than between the  
,deity and humanity1 between  the       
,creator and a creature8 ,can you       
imagine the distance between  eternity  
and time1 ,infinite ,power and miserable
 infirmity1 an immortal  spirit and     
dying flesh1 the highest ,being and     
nothing8 yet these are  espoused4 ,a    
,god of unmixed blessedness is linked   
personally with a  man of perpetual     
sorrows3 life incapable to die1 joined  
to a body  in that economy incapable to 
live without dying first2 infinite      
purity1 and a reputed sinner2 eternal   
blessedness with a cursed nature1       
,almightiness and weakness1 omniscience 
and ignorance1 immutability  and        
changeableness1 incomprehensibleness and
 comprehensibility2 that  which cannot  
be comprehended1 and that which can be  
comprehended2 that  which is entirely   

independent1 and that which is totally  
dependent2  the ,creator forming all    
things1 and the creature made1 met      
together to  a personal union2 8,the    
word made flesh0 7,john i4 #ad71 the    
eternal ,son1  the 8,seed of ,abraham0  
7,heb4 ii4 #af74 ,what more miraculous1 
than for ,god  to become man1 and man to
 become ,god8 ,that a person possessed  
of all  the perfections of the ,godhead1
 should inherit all the imperfections of
  the manhood in one person1 sin only   
excepted3 a holiness incapable of       
sinning to be made sin2 ,god blessed    
forever1 taking the properties of  human
 nature1 and human nature admitted to a 
union with the properties  of the       
,creator3 the fulness of the ,deity1 and
 the emptiness of man  united together  
7,col4 ii4 #i72 not by a shining of the 
,deity upon  the humanity1 as the light 
of the sun upon the earth1 but by an    
inhabitation or indwelling of the ,deity
 in the humanity4 ,was there not  need  
of an ,infinite ,power to bring together

 terms so far asunder1 to  elevate the  
humanity to be capable of1 and disposed 
for1 a conjunction  with the ,deity8 ,if
 a clod of earth should be advanced to1 
and united  with the body of the sun1   
such an advance would evidence itself to
 be  a work of ,almighty power3 the clod
 hath nothing in its b#fc own nature  to
 render it so glorious1 no power to     
climb up to so high a dignity3  how     
little would such a union be1 to that we
 are speaking of6 ,nothing  less than an
 ,incomprehensible ,power could effect  
what an  ,incomprehensible ,wisdom did  
project in this affair4    #c4          
,especially since the union is so       
strait4 ,it is not such a union  as is  
between a man and his house he dwells   
in1 whence he goes out and  to which he 
returns1 without any alteration of      
himself or his house2  nor such a union 
as is between a man and his garment1    
which both  communicate and receive     
warmth from one another2 nor such as is 
between  an artificer and his instrument

 wherewith he works2 nor such a union   
as one friend hath with another3 all    
these are distant things1 not one  in   
nature1 but have distinct substances4   
,two friends1 though united by  love1   
are distinct persons2 a man and his     
clothes1 an artificer and his           
instruments1 have distinct              
subsistencies2 but the humanity of      
,christ  hath no subsistence1 but in the
 person of ,christ4 ,the straitness of  
this union is expressed1 and may be     
somewhat conceived1 by the union of     
fire with iron2 8fire pierceth through  
all the parts of iron1 it unites  itself
 with every particle1 bestows a light1  
heat1 purity1 upon all  of it2 you      
cannot distinguish the iron from the    
fire1 or the fire from  the iron1 yet   
they are distinct natures2 so the ,deity
 is united to the  whole humanity1      
seasons it1 and bestows an excellency   
upon it1 yet the  natures still remain  
distinct4 ,and as during that union of  
fire with  iron1 the iron is incapable  

of rust or blackness1 so is the humanity
  incapable of sin3 and as the operation
 of fire is attributed to the  redhot   
iron 7as the iron may be said to heat1  
burn1 and the fire may  be said to cut  
and pierce71 yet the imperfections of   
the iron do not  affect the fire2 so in 
this mystery1 those things which belong 
to the  ,divinity are ascribed to the   
humanity1 and those things which belong 
to  the humanity1 are ascribed to the   
,divinity1 in regard of the person in   
whom those natures are united3 yet the  
imperfections of the humanity  do not   
hurt the ,divinity40#hfi ,the ,divinity 
of ,christ is as really  united with the
 humanity1 as the soul with the body2   
the person was  one1 though the natures 
were two2 so united1 that the sufferings
 of  the human nature were the          
sufferings of that person1 and the      
dignity  of the ,divine was imputed to  
the human1 by reason of that unity of   
both  in one person2 hence the blood of 
the human nature is said to be the      

8blood of ,god0 7,acts xx4 #bh74 ,all   
things ascribed to the ,son of ,god1    
may be ascribed to this man2 and the    
things ascribed to this man1 may  be    
ascribed to the ,son of ,god1 as this   
man is the ,son of ,god1 eternal1       
,almighty2 and it may be said1 8,god    
suffered1 was crucified10 c41 for  the  
person of ,christ is but one1 most      
simple2 the person suffered1 that  was  
,god and ,man united1 making one        
person4#hgj    #d4 ,and though the union
 be so strait1 yet without confusion of 
the  natures1 or change of them into one
 another4 ,the two natures of ,christ   
are not mixed1 as liquors that          
incorporate with one another when they  
are poured into a vessel2 the ,divine   
nature is not turned into the  human1   
nor the human into the ,divine2 one     
nature doth not swallow up  another1 and
 make a third nature distinct from each 
b#fd of them4#hga  ,the ,deity is not   
turned into the humanity1 as air 7which 
is next to  a spirit7 may be thickened  

and turned into water1 and water may be 
rarified into air by the power of heat  
boiling it4 ,the ,deity cannot  be      
changed1 because the nature of it is to 
be unchangeable2 it would  not be       
,deity1 if it were mortal and capable of
 suffering4 ,the humanity  is not       
changed into the ,deity1 for then       
,christ could not have been a  sufferer2
 if the humanity had been swallowed up  
into the ,deity1 it had  lost its own   
distinct nature1 and put on the nature  
of the ,deity1 and1  consequently1 been 
incapable of suffering2 finite can      
never1 by any  mixture1 be changed into 
infinite1 nor infinite into finite4     
,this union1  in this regard1 may be    
resembled to the union of light and air1
 which  are strictly joined2 for the    
light passes through all parts of the   
air1  but they are not confounded1 but  
remain in their distinct essences as    
before the union1 without the least     
confusion with one another4 ,the        
,divine nature remains as it was before 

the union1 entire in itself2  only the  
,divine person assumes another nature to
 himself4#hgb ,the  human nature        
remains1 as it would have done1 had it  
existed separately  from the 1 except   
that then it would have had a proper    
subsistence  by itself1 which now it    
borrows from its union with the 1 or1   
word2  but that doth not belong to the  
constitution of its nature4 ,now let us 
consider1 what a wonder of power is all 
this3 the knitting a noble soul  to a   
body of clay1 was not so great an       
exploit of ,almightiness1 as the        
espousing infinite and finite together4 
,man is further distant from ,god1  than
 man from nothing4 ,what a wonder is it1
 that two natures infinitely  distant1  
should be more intimately united than   
anything in the world2  and yet without 
any confusion6 that the same person     
should have both a  glory and a grief2  
an infinite joy in the ,deity1 and an   
inexpressible  sorrow in the humanity6  
,that a ,god upon a throne should be an 

infant in  a cradle2 the thundering     
,creator be a weeping babe and a        
suffering man1  are such expressions of 
mighty power1 as well as condescending  
love1  that they astonish men upon      
earth1 and angels in heaven4            
,thirdly1 ,power was evident in the     
progress of his life2 in the  miracles  
he wrought4 ,how often did he expel     
malicious and powerful  devils from     
their habitations2 hurl them from their 
thrones1 and make  them fall from heaven
 like lightning6 ,how many wonders were 
wrought  by his bare word1 or a single  
touch6 ,sight restored to the blind1    
and hearing to the deaf2 palsy members  
restored to the exercise of  their      
functions2 a dismiss given to many      
deplorable maladies2 impure  leprosies  
chased from the persons they had        
infected1 and bodies  beginning to      
putrefy raised from the grave4 ,but the 
mightiest argument  of power was his    
patience2 that ,he who was1 in his      
,divine nature1  elevated above the     

world1 should so long continue upon a   
dunghill1  endure the contradiction of  
sinners against himself1 be patiently   
subject to the reproaches and           
indignities of men1 without displaying  
that justice which was essential to the 
,deity2 and1 in especial manner1  daily 
merited by their provoking crimes4 ,the 
patience of man under  great affronts1  
is a greater argument of power1 than the
 brawniness  of his arm2 a strength     
employed b#fe in the revenge of every   
injury1  signifies a greater infirmity  
in the soul1 than there can be ability  
in the body4    ,fourthly1 ,divine power
 was apparent in his resurrection4 ,the 
unlocking the belly of the whale for the
 deliverance of ,jonas2 the  rescue of  
,daniel from the den of lions2 and the  
restraining the fire  from burning the  
three children1 were signal declarations
 of his power1  and types of the        
resurrection of our ,saviour4 ,but what 
are those to  that which was represented
 by them8 ,that was a power over natural

  causes1 a curbing of beasts1 and      
restraining of elements2 but in  the    
resurrection of ,christ1 ,god exercised 
a power over himself1  and quenched the 
flames of his own wrath1 hotter than    
millions of  ,nebuchadnezzar's furnaces2
 unlocked the prison doors1 wherein the 
curses of the law had lodged our        
,saviour1 stronger than the belly and   
ribs of a leviathan4 ,in the rescue of  
,daniel and ,jonas1 ,god overpowered    
beasts2 and in this tore up the strength
 of the old serpent1 and  plucked the   
sceptre from the hand of the enemy of   
mankind4 ,the work  of resurrection1    
indeed1 considered in itself1 requires  
the efficacy  of an ,almighty power2    
neither man nor angel can create new    
dispositions  in a dead body1 to render 
it capable of lodging a spiritual soul2 
nor  can they restore a dislodged soul1 
by their own power1 to such a body4     
,the restoring a dead body to life      
requires an infinite power1 as well  as 
the creation of the world2 but there was

 in the resurrection of  ,christ1       
something more difficult than this2     
while he lay in the grave  he was under 
the curse of the law1 under the         
execution of that dreadful  sentence1   
8,thou shalt die the death40 ,his       
resurrection was not only the  retying  
the marriage knot between his soul and  
body1 or the rolling  the stone from the
 grave2 but a taking off an infinite    
weight1 the sin  of mankind1 which lay  
upon him4 ,so vast a weight could not be
 removed  without the strength of an    
,almighty arm4 ,it is1 therefore1 not to
 an  ordinary operation1 but an         
operation with power 7,rom4 i4 #d71 and 
such a  power wherein the glory of the  
,father did appear 7,rom4 vi4 #d72      
8,raised  up from the dead by the glory 
of the ,father10 that is1 the glorious  
power of ,god4 ,as the ,eternal         
generation is stupendous1 so is his     
resurrection1 which is called1 a new    
begetting of him 7,acts xiii4 #cc74  ,it
 is a wonder of power1 that the ,divine 

and human nature should be  joined2 and 
no less wonder that his person should   
surmount and rise up  from the curse of 
,god1 under which he lay4 ,the apostle1 
therefore1 adds  one expression to      
another1 and heaps up a variety1        
signifying thereby  that one was not    
enough to represent it 7,eph4 i4 #ai72  
8,exceeding  greatness of power1 and    
working of mighty power1 which he       
wrought in  ,christ when he raised him  
from the dead40 ,it was an hyperbole of 
power1  the excellency of the mightiness
 of his strength3 the loftiness of the  
expressions seems to come short of the  
apprehension he had of it in his  soul4 
,,ii4 ,this power appears in the        
publication and propagation of the      
doctrine of redemption4 ,the ,divine    
power will appear1 if you consider1  #a4
 ,the nature of the doctrine4 #b4 ,the  
instruments employed in it4  #c4 ,the   
means they used to propagate it4 #d4    
,the success they had4    #a4 ,the      
nature of the doctrine4 7#a47 ,it was   

contrary to the common  b#ff received   
reason of the world4 ,the philosophers1 
the masters of  knowledge among the     
,gentiles1 had maxims of a different    
stamp from  it4 ,though they agreed in  
the being of a ,god1 yet their notions  
of his  nature were confused and        
embroiled with many errors2 the unity of
 ,god  was not commonly assented unto2  
they had multiplied deities according   
to the fancies they had received from   
some of a more elevated wit and  refined
 brain than others4 ,though they had    
some notion of mediators1  yet they     
placed in those seats their public      
benefactors1 men that had  been useful  
to the world1 or their particular       
countries1 in imparting  to them some   
profitable invention4 ,to discard those1
 was to charge  themselves with         
ingratitude to them1 from whom they had 
received signal  benefits1 and to whose 
mediation1 conduct1 or protection1 they 
ascribed  all the success they had been 
blessed with in their several provinces1

  and to charge themselves with folly   
for rendering an honor and worship  to  
them so long4 ,could the doctrine of a  
crucified ,mediator1 whom they  had     
never seen1 that had conquered no       
country for them1 never enlarged  their 
territories1 brought to light no new    
profitable invention for  the increase  
of their earthly welfare1 as the rest   
had done1 be thought  sufficient to     
balance so many of their reputed heroes8
 ,how ignorant  were they in the        
foundations of the true religion6 ,the  
belief of a  ,providence was staggering2
 nor had they a true prospect of the    
nature  of virtue and vice2 yet they had
 a fond opinion of the strength of      
their own reason1 and the maxims that   
had been handed down to them by  their  
predecessors1 which ,paul 7#a ,tim4 vi4 
#bj7 entitles1 a 8science  falsely so   
called10 either meant of the            
philosophers or the ,gnostics4  ,they   
presumed that they were able to measure 
all things by their own  reason2 whence1

 when the apostle came to preach the    
doctrine of the  ,gospel at ,athens1 the
 great school of reason in that age1    
they gave him  no better a title than   
that of a babbler 7,acts xvii4 #ah71 and
 openly  mocked him 7ver4 #cb72 a seed  
gatherer1#hgc one that hath no more     
brain or sense than a fellow that       
gathers up seeds that are spilled  in a 
market1 or one that hath a vain and     
empty sound1 without sense or  reason1  
like a foolish mountebank2 so slightly  
did those rationalists  of the world    
think of the wisdom of heaven4 ,that the
 ,son of ,god should  veil himself in a 
mortal body1 and suffer a disgraceful   
death in  it1 were things above the ken 
of reason4 ,besides1 the world had a    
general disesteem of the religion of the
 ,jews1 and were prejudiced  against    
anything that came from them2 whence the
 ,romans1 that used to  incorporate the 
gods of other conquered nations in their
 capital1 never  moved to have the ,god 
of ,israel worshipped among them4       

,again1 they  might argue against it    
with much fleshly reason3 here is a     
crucified  ,god1 preached by a company  
of mean and ignorant persons1 what      
reason  can we have to entertain this   
doctrine1 since the ,jews1 who1 as they 
tell us1 had the prophecies of him1 did 
not acknowledge him8 ,surely1  had there
 been such predictions1 they would not  
have crucified1 but  crowned their      
,king1 and expected from him the        
conquest of the earth  under their      
power4 ,what reason have we to entertain
 him1 whom his  own nation1 among whom  
he lived1 with whom he conversed b#fg so
  unanimously1 by the vote of the rulers
 as well as the rout1 rejected8  ,it was
 impossible to conquer minds possessed  
with so many errors1 and  applauding    
themselves in their own reason1 and to  
render them capable  of receiving       
revealed truths without the influence of
 a ,divine power4    7#b47 ,it was      
contrary to the customs of the world4   
,the strength of  custom in most men1   

surmounts the strength of reason1 and   
men commonly  are so wedded to it1 that 
they will be sooner divorced from       
anything  than the modes and patterns   
received from their ancestors4 ,the     
endeavoring to change customs of an     
ancient standing1 hath begotten  tumults
 and furious mutinies among nations1    
though the change would  have been much 
for their advantage4 ,this doctrine     
struck at the root  of the religion of  
the world1 and the ceremonies1 wherein  
they had been  educated from their      
infancy1 delivered to them from their   
ancestors1  confirmed by the customary  
observance of many ages1 rooted in their
  minds and established by their laws   
7,acts xviii4 #ac72 8,this fellow       
persuadeth us to worship ,god contrary  
to the law20 against customs1 to  which 
they ascribed the happiness of their    
states1 and the prosperity  of their    
people1 and would put1 in the place of  
this religion they  would abolish1 a new
 one instituted by a man1 whom the ,jews

 had  condemned1 and put to death upon a
 cross1 as an impostor1 blasphemer1  and
 seditious person4 ,it was a doctrine   
that would change the customs  of the   
,jews1 who were intrusted with the      
oracles of ,god4 ,it would  bury forever
 their ceremonial rites1 delivered to   
them by ,moses1 from  that ,god1 who    
had1 with a mighty hand1 brought them   
out of ,egypt1  consecrated their law   
with thunders and lightnings from ,mount
 ,sinai1 at  the time of its            
publication1 backed it with severe      
sanctions1 confirmed  it by many        
miracles1 both in the wilderness and    
their ,canaan1 and had  continued it for
 so many hundred years4 ,they could not 
but remember  how they had been ravaged 
by other nations1 and judgments sent    
upon  them when they neglected and      
slighted it2 and with what great success
  they were followed when they valued   
and observed it2 and how they had       
abhorred the ,author of this new        
religion1 who had spoken slightly of    

their traditions1 till they put him to  
death with infamy4 ,was it an  easy     
matter to divorce them from that        
worship1 upon which were entailed1  as  
they imagined1 their peace1 plenty1 and 
glory1 things of the dearest  regard    
with mankind8 ,the ,jews were no less   
devoted to their ceremonial  traditions 
than the heathen were to their vain     
superstitions4 ,this  doctrine of the   
gospel was of that nature1 that the     
state of religion1  all over the earth1 
must be overturned by it2 the wisdom of 
the ,greeks  must vail to it1 the       
idolatry of the people must stoop to it1
 and the  profane customs of men must   
moulder under the weight of it4 ,was it 
an easy matter for the pride of nature  
to deny a customary wisdom1 to          
entertain a new doctrine against the    
authority of their ancestors1 to        
inscribe folly upon that which hath made
 them admired by the rest of  the world8
 ,nothing can be of greater esteem with 
men1 than the credit  of their lawgivers

 and founders1 the religion of their    
fathers1 and  prosperity of themselves3 
hence the minds of men were sharpened   
against  it4 ,the ,greeks1 the b#fh     
wisest nation1 slighted it as foolish2  
the  ,jews1 the religious nation1       
stumbled at it1 as contrary to the      
received  interpretations of ancient    
prophecies and carnal conceits of an    
earthly  glory4 ,the dimmest eye may    
behold the difficulty to change custom1 
a  second nature3 it is as hard as to   
change a wolf into a lamb1 to level  a  
mountain1 stop the course of the sun1 or
 change the inhabitants of  ,africa into
 the color of ,europe4 ,custom dips men 
in as durable a dye as  nature4 ,the    
difficulties of carrying it on against  
the ,divine religion  of the ,jew1 and  
rooted custom of the ,gentiles1 were    
unconquerable by  any but an ,almighty  
power4 ,and in this the power of ,god   
hath appeared  wonderfully4    7#c47 ,it
 was contrary to the sensuality of the  
world1 and the lusts of  the flesh4 ,how

 much the ,gentiles were overgrown with 
base and unworthy  lusts at the time of 
the publication of the gospel1 needs no 
other  memento than the apostle's       
discourse 7,rom4 i474 ,as there was no  
error  but prevailed upon their minds1  
so there was no brutish affection  but  
was wedded to their hearts4 ,the        
doctrine proposed to them was not  easy2
 it flattered not the sense1 but checked
 the stream of nature4 ,it  thundered   
down those three great engines whereby  
the devil had subdued  the world to     
himself3 8the lust of the flesh1 the    
lust of the eye1 and  the pride of      
life30 not only the most sordid         
affections of the flesh1  but the more  
refined gratifications of the mind3 it  
stripped nature  both of devil and man2 
of what was commonly esteemed great and 
virtuous4  ,that which was the root of  
their fame1 and the satisfaction of     
their  ambition1 was struck at by this  
axe of the gospel4 ,the first article of
  it ordered them to deny themselves1   

not to presume upon their own worth2  to
 lay their understandings and wills at  
the foot of the cross1 and  resign them 
up to one newly crucified at ,jerusalem3
 honors and wealth  were to be despised1
 flesh to be tamed1 the cross to be     
borne1 enemies  to be loved1 revenge not
 to be satisfied1 blood to be spilled1  
and  torments to be endured for the     
honor of ,one they never saw1 nor ever  
before heard of2 who was preached with  
the circumstances of a shameful  death1 
enough to affright them from the        
entertainment3 and the report  of a     
resurrection and glorious ascension were
 things never heard of  by them before1 
and unknown in the world1 that would not
 easily enter  into the belief of men3  
the cross1 disgrace1 selfdenial1 were   
only  discoursed of in order to the     
attainment of an invisible world1 and   
an unseen reward1 which none of their   
predecessors ever returned to  acquaint 
them with2 a patient death1 contrary to 
the pride of nature1  was published as  

the way to happiness and a blessed      
immortality3 the  dearest lusts were to 
be pierced to death for the honor of    
this new  ,lord4 ,other religions       
brought wealth and honor2 this struck   
them  off from such expectations1 and   
presented them with no promise of       
anything in this life1 but a prospect of
 misery2 except those inward            
consolations to which before they had   
been utter strangers1 and had  never    
experimented4 ,it made them to depend   
not upon themselves1 but  upon the sole 
grace of ,god4 ,it decried all natural1 
all moral idolatry1  things as dear to  
men as the apple of their eyes4 ,it     
despoiled them of  whatsoever the mind1 
will1 and affections of men1 naturally  
lay claim  to1 and glory in4 ,it pulled 
b#fi self up by the roots1 unmanned     
carnal  man1 and debased the principle  
of honor and selfsatisfaction1 which    
the world counted at that time noble and
 brave4 ,in a word1 it took them  off   
from themselves1 to act like creatures  

of ,god's framing2 to know no  more than
 he would admit them1 and do no more    
than he did command them4  ,how         
difficult must it needs be to reduce    
men1 that placed all their  happiness in
 the pleasures of this life1 from their 
pompous idolatry  and brutish           
affections1 to this mortifying religion6
 ,what might the  world say8 ,here is a 
doctrine will render us a company of    
puling  animals3 farewell generosity1   
bravery1 sense of honor1 courage in     
enlarging the bounds of our country1 for
 an ardent charity to the  bitterest of 
our enemies4 ,here is a religion will   
rust our swords1  canker our arms1      
dispirit what we have hitherto called   
virtue1 and  annihilate what hath been  
esteemed worthy and comely among        
mankind4  ,must we change conquest for  
suffering1 the increase of our          
reputation  for selfdenial1 the natural 
sentiment of selfpreservation for       
affecting a dreadful death8 ,how        
impossible was it that a crucified      

,lord1 and a crucifying doctrine should 
be received in the world without  the   
mighty operation of a divine power upon 
the hearts of men6 ,and in  this also   
the almighty power of ,god did notably  
shine forth4    #b4 ,divine power       
appeared in the instruments employed for
 the  publishing and propagating the    
gospel2 who were 7#a47 ,mean and        
worthless in themselves3 not noble and  
dignified with an earthly  grandeur1 but
 of a low condition1 meanly bred3 so far
 from any splendid  estates1 that they  
possessed nothing but their nets2       
without any credit  and reputation in   
the world2 without comeliness and       
strength2 as unfit  to subdue the world 
by preaching1 as an army of hares were  
to conquer  it by war3 not learned      
doctors1 bred up at the feet of the     
famous  ,rabbins at ,jerusalem1 whom    
,paul calls 8the princes of the world0  
7#a ,cor4  ii4 #h72 nor nursed up in the
 school of ,athens1 under the           
philosophers  and orators of the time3  

not the wise men of ,greece1 but the    
fishermen  of ,galilee2 naturally       
skilled in no language but their own1   
and no more  exact in that than those of
 the same condition in any other nation3
  ignorant of everything but the        
language of their lakes1 and their      
fishing trade2 except ,paul1 called some
 time after the rest to that            
employment3 and after the descent of the
 ,spirit1 they were ignorant and        
unlearned in everything but the doctrine
 they were commanded to publish2  for   
the council1 before whom they were      
summoned1 proved them to be  so1 which  
increased their wonder at them 7,acts   
iv4 #ac74 ,had it been  published by a  
voice from heaven1 that twelve poor men1
 taken out of  boats and creeks1 without
 any help of learning1 should conquer   
the  world to the cross1 it might have  
been thought an illusion against all    
the reason of men2 yet we know it was   
undertaken and accomplished by  them4   
,they published this doctrine in        

,jerusalem1 and quickly spread  it over 
the greatest part of the world4 ,folly  
outwitted wisdom1 and  weakness         
overpowered strength4 ,the conquest of  
the east by ,alexander  was not so      
admirable as the enterprise of these    
poor men4 ,he attempted  his conquest   
with the hands of a warlike nation1     
though1 indeed1 but a  small number of  
thirty thousand b#gj against multitudes1
 many hundred  thousands of the enemies2
 yet an effeminate enemy2 a people      
inured to  slaughter and victory        
attacked great numbers1 but enfeebled by
 luxury  and voluptuousness4 ,besides1  
he was bred up to such enterprises1 had 
a  learned education under the best     
philosopher1 and a military education   
under the best commander1 and a natural 
courage to animate him4 ,these          
instruments had no such advantage from  
nature2 the heavenly treasure  was      
placed in those earthen vessels1 as     
,gideon's lamps in empty  pitchers      
7,judges vii4 #af71 that the excellency1

 or hyperbole1 of the  power1 might be  
of ,god 7#b ,cor4 iv4 #g71 and the      
strength of his arm be  displayed in the
 infirmity of the instruments4 ,they    
were destitute of  earthly wisdom1 and  
therefore despised by the ,jews1 and    
derided by the  ,gentiles2 the          
publishers were accounted madmen1 and   
the embracers fools4  ,had they been men
 of known natural endowments1 the power 
of ,god had  been veiled under the gifts
 of the creature4    7#b47 ,therefore a 
,divine power suddenly spirited them1   
and fitted  them for so great a work4   
,instead of ignorance1 they had the     
knowledge  of the tongues2 and they that
 were scarce well skilled in their own  
dialect1 were instructed on the sudden  
to speak the most flourishing  languages
 in the world1 and discourse to the     
people of several nations  the great    
things of ,god 7,acts ii4 #aa74 ,though 
they were not enriched  with any worldly
 wealth1 and possessed nothing1 yet they
 were so  sustained that they wanted    

nothing in any place where they came2 a 
table was spread for them in the midst  
of their bitterest enemies4  ,their     
fearfulness was changed into courage1   
and they that a few days  before skulked
 in corners for fear of the ,jews 7,john
 xx4 #ai71 speak  boldly in the name of 
that ,jesus1 whom they had seen put to  
death by  the power of the rulers and   
the fury of the people3 they reproach   
them  with the murder of their ,master1 
and outbrave that great people in the   
midst of their temple1 with the glory of
 that person they had so lately         
crucified 7,acts ii4 #bc2 iii4 #ac74    
,peter1 that was not long before        
qualmed at the presence of a maid1 was  
not daunted at the presence of  the     
council1 that had their hands yet       
reeking with the blood of his  ,master2 
but being filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 
seems to dare the power  of the priests 
and ,jewish governors1 and is as        
confident in the council  chamber1 as he
 had been cowardly in the highpriest's  

hall 7,acts iv4 #i71  c41 the efficacy  
of grace triumphing over the fearfulness
 of nature4  ,whence should this ardor  
and zeal1 to propagate a doctrine that  
had  already borne the scars of the     
peoples' fury be1 but from a mighty     
,power1 which changed those hares into  
lions1 and stripped them of  their      
natural cowardice to clothe them with a 
,divine courage2 making  them in a      
moment both wise and magnanimous1       
alienating them from any  consultations 
with flesh and blood8 ,as soon as ever  
the ,holy ,ghost  came upon them as a   
mighty rushing wind1 they move up and   
down for the  interest of ,god2 as fish1
 after a great clap of thunder1 are     
roused1  and move more nimbly on the top
 of the water2 therefore1 that which did
  so fit them for this undertaking1 is  
called by the title of 8power from  on  
high0 7,luke xxiv4 #di74    #c4 ,the    
,divine power appears in the means      
whereby it was propagated4    b#ga 7#a47
 ,by means different from the methods of

 the world4 ,not  by force of arms1 as  
some religions have taken root in the   
world4  ,mahomet's horse hath trampled  
upon the heads of men1 to imprint an    
,alcoran in their brains1 and robbed men
 of their goods to plant their          
religion4 ,but the apostles bore not    
this doctrine through the world  upon   
the points of their swords2 they        
presented a bodily death where  they    
would bestow an immortal life4 ,they    
employed not troops of men in  a warlike
 posture1 which had been possible for   
them after the gospel  was once spread2 
they had no ambition to subdue men unto 
themselves1  but to ,god2 they coveted  
not the possessions of others2 designed 
not to  enrich themselves2 invaded not  
the rights of princes1 nor the liberties
  and properties of the people3 they    
rifled them not of their estates1  nor  
scared them into this religion by a fear
 of losing their worldly  happiness4    
,the arguments they used would naturally
 drive them from  an entertainment of   

this doctrine1 rather than allure them  
to be  proselytes to it3 their design   
was to change their hearts1 not their   
government2 to wean them from the love  
of the world1 to a love of a  ,redeemer2
 to remove that which would ruin their  
souls4 ,it was not to  enslave them1 but
 ransom them2 they had a warfare1 but   
not with carnal  weapons1 but such as   
were 8mighty through ,god for the       
pulling down  strongholds0 7#b ,cor4 x4 
#d72 they used no weapons but the       
doctrine they  preached4 ,others that   
have not gained conquests by the edge of
 the  sword and the stratagems of war1  
have extended their opinions to others  
by the strength of human reason1 and the
 insinuations of eloquence4  ,but the   
apostles had as little flourish in their
 tongues1 as edge upon  their swords3   
their preaching was 8not with the       
enticing words of man's  wisdom0 7#a    
,cor4 ii4 #d72 their presence was mean1 
and their discourses  without varnish2  
their doctrine was plain1 a 8crucified  

,christ20 a  doctrine unlaced1          
ungarnished1 untoothsome to the world2  
but they had  the demonstration of the  
,spirit1 and a mighty power for their   
companion  in the work4 ,the doctrine   
they preached1 viz4 the death1          
resurrection  and ascension of ,christ1 
are called the powers1 not of this      
world1 but  8of the world to come0      
7,heb4 vi4 #e74 ,no less than a         
supernatural power  could conduct them  
in this attempt1 with such weak methods 
in human  appearance4    7#b47 ,against 
all the force1 power1 and wit of the    
world4 ,the  division in the eastern    
empire1 and the feeble and consuming    
state of  the western1 contributed to   
,mahomet's success4#hgd ,but never was  
,rome  in a more flourishing condition3 
learning1 eloquence1 wisdom1 strength1  
were at the highest pitch4 ,never was   
there a more diligent watch  against any
 innovations2 never was that state      
governed by more severe  and suspicious 
princes1 than at the time when ,tiberius

 and ,nero held  the reins4 ,no time    
seemed to be more unfit for the entrance
 of a new  doctrine than that age1      
wherein it begun to be first published2 
never  did any religion meet with that  
opposition from men4 ,idolatry hath been
  often settled without any contest2 but
 this hath suffered the same fate  with 
the institutor of it1 and endured the   
contradictions of sinners  against      
itself3 and those that published it1    
were not only without any  worldly prop1
 but exposed b#gb themselves to the     
hatred and fury1 to  the racks and      
tortures1 of the strongest powers on    
earth4 ,it never set  foot in any place1
 but the country was in an uproar 7,acts
 xix4 #bh72  swords were drawn to       
destroy it2 laws made to suppress it2   
prisons  provided for the professors of 
it2 fires kindled to consume them1 and  
executioners had a perpetual employment 
to stifle the progress of it4  ,rome1 in
 its conquest of countries1 changed not 
the religion1 rites1  and modes of their

 worship3 they altered their civil      
government1 but  left them to the       
liberty of their religion1 and many     
times joined with  them in the worship  
of their peculiar gods2 and sometime    
imitated them  at ,rome1 instead of     
abolishing them in the cities they had  
subdued4  ,but all their councils were  
assembled1 and their force was bandied  
8against the ,lord1 and against his     
,christ20 and that city that kindly     
received all manner of superstitions1   
hated this doctrine with an             
irreconcileable hatred4 ,it met with    
reproaches from the wise1 and fury  from
 the potentates2 it was derided by the  
one as the greatest folly1  and         
persecuted by the other as contrary to  
,god and mankind2 the one  were afraid  
to lose their esteems by the doctrine1  
and the other to  lose their authority  
by a sedition they thought a change of  
religion  would introduce4 ,the ,romans1
 that had been conquerors of the earth1 
feared intestine commotions1 and the    

falling asunder the links of their      
empire3 scarce any of their first       
emperors1 but had their swords dyed  red
 in the blood of the ,christians4 ,the  
flesh with all its lusts1 the  world    
with all its flatteries1 the statesmen  
with all their craft1 and  the mighty   
with all their strength1 joined together
 to extirpate it3  though many members  
were taken off by the fires1 yet the    
church not  only lived1 but flourished1 
in the furnace4 ,converts were made by  
the  death of martyrs2 and the flames   
which consumed their bodies1 were the   
occasion of firing men's hearts with a  
zeal for the profession of it4  ,instead
 of being extinguished1 the doctrine    
shone more bright1 and  multiplied under
 the sickles that were employed to cut  
it down4 ,god  ordered every            
circumstance so1 both in the persons    
that published it1  the means whereby1  
and the time when1 that nothing but his 
power might  appear in it1 without      
anything to dim and darken it4    #d4   

,the ,divine power was conspicuous in   
the great success it had under  all     
these difficulties4 ,multitudes were    
prophesied of to embrace it2  whence the
 prophet ,isaiah1 after the prophecy of 
the death of ,christ  7,isa4 liii471    
calls upon the church to enlarge her    
tents1 and 8lengthen  out her cords0 to 
receive those multitudes of children    
that should call  her mother 7,isa4 liv4
 #b1 #c72 for she should 8break forth on
 the right  hand and on the left1 and   
her seed should inherit the ,gentiles60 
the  idolaters and persecutors should   
list their names in the musterroll of   
the church4 ,presently1 after the       
descent of the ,holy ,ghost from heaven 
upon the apostles1 you find the hearts  
of three thousand melted by a  plain    
declaration of this doctrine2 who were a
 little before so far  from having a    
favorable thought of it1 that some of   
them at least1  if not all1 had         
expressed their rage against it1 in     
voting for the  condemning and          

crucifying the ,author of it 7,acts ii4 
#da1 #db73 but in a  moment they were so
 altered1 that they breathe out         
affections instead  of fury2 neither the
 b#gc respect they had to their rulers1 
nor the  honor they bore to their       
priests2 not the derisions of the       
people1  nor the threatening of         
punishment1 could stop them from owning 
it in  the face of multitudes of        
discouragements4 ,how wonderful is it   
that  they should so soon1 and by such  
small means1 pay a reverence to the     
servants1 who had none for the ,master6 
that they should hear them  with        
patience1 without the same clamor       
against them as against ,christ1        
8,crucify them1 crucify them60 but1 that
 their hearts should so suddenly  be    
inflamed with devotion to him dead1 whom
 they so much abhorred when  living4 ,it
 had gained footing not in a corner of  
the world1 but in the  most famous      
cities2 in ,jerusalem1 where ,christ had
 been crucified2 in  ,antioch1 where the

 name of ,christians first began2 in    
,corinth1 a place  of ingenious arts2   
and ,ephesus1 the seat of a noted idol4 
,in less  than twenty years1 there was  
never a province of the ,roman empire1  
and  scarce any part of the known world1
 but was stored with the professors  of 
it4 ,rome1 that was the metropolis of   
the idolatrous world1 had  multitudes of
 them sprinkled in every corner1 whose  
8faith was spoken  of throughout the    
world0 7,rom4 i4 #h74 ,the court of     
,nero1 that monster  of mankind1 and the
 cruelest and sordidest tyrant that ever
 breathed1  was not empty of sincere    
votaries to it2 there were 8saints in   
,csar's  house0 while ,paul was under   
,nero's chain 7,phil4 iv473 and it      
maintained  its standing1 and flourished
 in spite of all the force of hell1 two 
hundred and fifty years before any      
sovereign prince espoused it4 ,the      
potentates of the earth had conquered   
the lands of men1 and subdued  their    
bodies2 these vanquished hearts and     

wills1 and brought the most  beloved    
thoughts under the yoke of ,christ3 so  
much did this doctrine  overmaster the  
consciences of its followers1 that they 
rejoiced more  at their yoke1 than      
others at their liberty2 and counted it 
more a  glory to die for the honor of   
it1 than to live in the profession of   
it4 ,thus did our ,saviour reign and    
gather subjects in the midst of his     
enemies2 in which respect1 in the first 
discovery of the gospel1 he is          
described as 8a mighty ,conqueror0      
7,rev4 vi4 #b71 and still conquering  in
 the greatness of his strength4 ,how    
great a testimony of his power  is it1  
that from so small a cloud should rise  
so glorious a sun1  that should chase   
before it the darkness and power of     
hell2 triumph  over the idolatry1       
superstition1 and profaneness of the    
world6 ,this  plain doctrine vanquished 
the obstinacy of the ,jews1 baffled the 
understanding of the ,greeks1 humbled   
the pride of the grandees1 threw  the   

devil not only out of bodies1 but       
hearts2 tore up the foundation  of his  
empire1 and planted the cross1 where the
 devil had for many  ages before        
established his standard4 ,how much more
 than a human force  is illustrious in  
this whole conduct6 ,nothing in any age 
of the world  can parallel it3 it being 
so much against the methods of nature1  
the  disposition of the world1 and      
7considering the resistance against it7 
seems to surmount even the works of     
creation4 ,never were there1 in  any    
profession1 such multitudes1 not of     
bedlams1 but men of sobriety1           
acuteness1 and wisdom1 that exposed     
themselves to the fury of the  flames1  
and challenged death in the most        
terrifying shapes for the  honor of this
 doctrine4 ,to conclude1 this should be 
often meditated  upon to form our       
understandings to a b#gd full assent to 
the gospel1  and the truth of it2 the   
want of which consideration of power1   
and  the customariness of an education  

in the outward profession of it1 is  the
 ground of all the profaneness under it1
 and apostasy from it2 the  disesteem of
 the truth it declares1 and the neglect 
of the duties it  enjoins4 ,the more we 
have a prospect and sense of the        
impressions of  ,divine power in it1 the
 more we shall have a reverence of the  
,divine  precepts4    ,,iii4 ,the third 
thing is1 the power of ,god appears in  
the application  of redemption1 as well 
as in the ,person redeeming1 and the    
publication  and propagation of the     
doctrine of redemption3 #a4 ,in the     
planting grace4  #b4 ,in the pardon of  
sin4 #c4 ,in the preserving grace4      
,first1 ,in the planting grace4 ,there  
is no expression which the  ,spirit of  
,god hath thought fit in ,scripture to  
resemble this work  to1 but argues the  
exerting of a ,divine power for the     
effecting of it4  ,when it is expressed 
by light1 it is as much as the power of 
,god in the  creating the sun2 when by  
regeneration1 it is as much as the power

 of  ,god in forming an infant1 and     
fashioning all the parts of a man2 when 
it is called resurrection1 it is as much
 as the rearing of a body again  out of 
putrified matter2 when it is called     
creation1 it is as much as  erecting a  
comely world out of mere nothing1 or an 
inform and uncomely  mass4 ,as we could 
not contrive the death of ,christ for   
our redemption1  so we cannot form our  
souls to the acceptation of it2 the     
infinite  efficacy of grace is as       
necessary for the one1 as the infinite  
wisdom  of ,god was for laying the      
platform of the other4 ,it is by his    
power we  have whatsoever pertains to   
godliness as well as life 7#b ,pet4 i4  
#c72  he puts his fingers upon the      
handle of the lock1 and turns the heart 
to what point he pleases2 the action    
whereby he performs this1 is  expressed 
by a word of force2 8,he hath snatched  
us from the power of  darkness30#hge the
 action whereby it is performed         
manifests it4 ,in  reference to this    

power1 it is called creation1 which is a
 production  from nothing2 and          
conversion is a production from         
something more  incapable of that state1
 than mere nothing is of being4 ,there  
is  greater distance between the terms  
of sin and righteousness1 corruption    
and grace1 than between the terms of    
nothing and being2 the greater  the     
distance is1 the more power is required 
to the producing any thing4  ,as in     
miracles1 the miracle is the greater1   
where the change is the  greater2 and   
the change is the greater1 where the    
distance is the  greater4 ,as it was a  
more signal mark of power to change a   
dead man  to life1 than to change a sick
 man to health2 so that the change here 
being from a term of a greater distance1
 is more powerful than the  creation of 
heaven and earth4 ,therefore1 whereas   
creation is said to  be wrought by his  
hands1 and the heavens by his fingers1  
or his word2  conversion is said to be  
wrought by his arm 7,isa4 liii4 #a74 ,in

 creation1  we had an earthly2 by       
conversion1 a heavenly state3 in        
creation1  nothing is changed into      
something2 in conversion1 hell is       
transformed  into heaven1 which is more 
than the turning nothing into a glorious
  angel4 ,in that thanksgiving of our   
,saviour1 for the revelation of the     
knowledge of himself to babes1 the      
simple of the world1 he gives b#ge  the 
title to his ,father1 of 8,lord of      
heaven and earth0 7,matt4 xi4 #e72      
intimating it to be an act of his       
creative and preserving power2 that     
power whereby he formed heaven and      
earth1 hath preserved the standing1  and
 governed the motions of all creatures  
from the beginning of the  world4 ,it is
 resembled to the most magnificent act  
of divine power that  ,god ever put     
forth1 viz4 that 8in the resurrection of
 our ,saviour0 7,eph4  i4 #ai72 wherein 
there was more than an ordinary         
impression of might4  ,it is not so     
small a power as that whereby we speak  

with tongues1 or  whereby ,christ opened
 the mouths of the dumb1 and the ears of
 the deaf1  or unloosed the cords of    
death from a person4 ,it is not that    
power  whereby our ,saviour wrought     
those stupendous miracles when he was in
  the world3 but that power which       
wrought a miracle that amazed the most  
knowing angels1 as well as ignorant man2
 the taking off the weight of  the sin  
of the world from our ,saviour1 and     
advancing him in his human  nature to   
rule over the angelic host1 making him  
head of principalities  and powers2 as  
much as to say1 as great as all that    
power which is  displayed in our        
redemption1 from the first foundation to
 the last  line in the superstructure4  
,it is1 therefore1 often set forth with 
an  emphasis1 as 8,excellency of power0 
7#b ,cor4 iv4 #g71 and 8,glorious power0
  7#b ,pet4 i4 #c73 8to glory and       
virtue10 we translate it1 but it is   1 
through glory and virtue1 that is1 by a 
glorious virtue or  strength4    ,the   

instrument whereby it is wrought1 is    
dignified with the title of  power4 ,the
 gospel which ,god useth in this great  
affair is called 8,the  power of ,god to
 salvation0 7,rom4 i4 #af71 and the     
8,rod of his strength0  7,ps4 cx4 #b72  
and the day of the gospel's appearance  
in the heart is  emphatically called1   
8,the day of power0 7ver4 #c72 wherein  
he brings  down strongholds and towering
 imaginations4 ,and1 therefore1 the     
angel  ,gabriel1 which name signifies   
the power of ,god1 was always sent upon 
those messages which concerned the      
gospel1 as to ,daniel1 ,zacharias1      
,mary4#hgf ,the gospel is the power of  
,god in a way of instrumentality1  but  
the almightiness of ,god is the         
principal in a way of efficiency4  ,the 
gospel is the sceptre of ,christ2 but   
the power of ,christ is the  mover of   
that sceptre4 ,the gospel is not as a   
bare word spoken1 and  proposing the    
thing2 but as backed with a higher      
efficacy of grace2  as the sword doth   

instrumentally cut1 but the arm that    
wields it gives  the blow1 and makes it 
successful in the stroke4 ,but this     
gospel is the  power of ,god1 because he
 edgeth this by his own power1 to       
surmount all  resistance1 and vanquish  
the greatest malice of that man he      
designs to  work upon4 ,the power of    
,god is conspicuous1    #a4 ,in turning 
the heart of man against the strength of
 the  inclinations of nature4 ,in the   
forming of man of the dust of the       
ground2 as the matter contributed       
nothing to the action whereby  ,god     
formed it1 so it had no principle of    
resistance contrary to the  design of   
,god2 but in converting the heart1 there
 is not only wanting  a principle of    
assistance from him in this work1 but   
the whole strength  of corrupt nature is
 alarmed to combat against the power of 
his grace4  ,when the gospel is         
presented1 the understanding is not only
 ignorant of  it1 but the will perverse 
against it2 the one doth not relish1 and

 the  b#gf other doth not esteem1 the   
excellency of the object4 ,the carnal   
wisdom in the mind contrives against it1
 and the rebellious will puts  the      
orders in execution against the counsel 
of ,god1 which requires the  invincible 
power of ,god to enlighten the dark     
mind1 to know what it  slights2 and the 
fierce will1 to embrace what it loathes4
 ,the stream of  nature cannot be       
turned1 but by a power above nature2 it 
is not all the  created power in heaven 
and earth can change a swine into a man1
 or a  venomous toad into an holy and   
illustrious angel4 ,yet this work is not
  so great1 in some respect1 as the     
stilling the fierceness of nature1  the 
silencing the swelling waves in the     
heart1 and the casting out  those       
brutish affections which are born and   
grow up with us4 ,there  would be no1 or
 far less1 resistance in a mere animal1 
to be changed  into a creature of a     
higher rank1 than there is in a natural 
man to  be turned into a serious        

,christian4 ,there is in every natural  
man a  stoutness of heart1 a stiff neck1
 unwillingness to good1 forwardness  to 
evil2 ,infinite ,power quells this      
stoutness1 demolisheth these            
strongholds1 turns this wild ass in her 
course1 and routs those armies  of      
turbulent nature against the grace of   
,god4 ,to stop the floods of the  sea is
 not such an act of power1 as to turn   
the tide of the heart4 ,this  power hath
 been employed upon every convert in the
 world2 what would  you say1 then1 if   
you knew all the channels in which it   
hath run since  the days of ,adam8 ,if  
the alteration of one rocky heart into a
 pool of  water be a wonder of power1   
what then is the calming and sweetening 
by his word those #add1jjj of the tribes
 of ,israel1 and that numberless        
multitude of all nations and people that
 shall stand 8before the  throne0 7,rev4
 vii4 #i71 which were all naturally so  
many raging seas8  ,not one converted   
soul from ,adam to the last that shall  

be in the end  of the world1 but is a   
trophy of the ,divine conquest4 ,none   
were pure  volunteers1 nor listed       
themselves in his service1 till he put  
forth his  strong arm to draw them to   
him4 ,no man's understanding1 but was   
chained  with darkness1 and fond of it2 
no man but had corruption in his will1  
which was dearer to him than anything   
else which could be proposed  for his   
true happiness4 ,these things are most  
evident in ,scripture and  experience4  
#b4 ,as it is wrought against the       
inclinations of nature1 so  against a   
multitude of corrupt habits rooted in   
the souls of men4 ,a  distemper in its  
first invasion may more easily be cured1
 than when  it becomes chronical and    
inveterate4 ,the strength of a disease1 
or  the complication of many1 magnifies 
the power of the physician1 and         
efficacy of the medicine that tames and 
expels it4 ,what power is that  which   
hath made men stoop1 when natural habits
 have been grown giants  by custom2 when

 the putrefaction of nature hath        
engendered a multitude  of worms2 when  
the ulcers are many and deplorable2 when
 many cords1  wherewith ,god would have 
bound the sinner1 have been broken1 and 
7like  ,sampson7 the wicked heart hath  
gloried in its strength1 and grown more 
proud1 that it hath stood like a strong 
fort against those batteries1  under    
which others have fallen flat2 every    
proud thought1 every evil  habit        
captivated1 serves for matter of triumph
 to the 8power of ,god0  7#b ,cor4 x4   
#e74 ,what resistance will a multitude  
of them make1 when  one of them is      
enough b#gg to hold the faculty under   
its dominion1  and intercept its        
operations8 ,so many customary habits1  
so many old  natures1 so many different 
strengths added to nature1 every one of 
them standing as a barricado against the
 way of grace2 all the errors  the      
understanding is possessed with1 think  
the gospel folly2 all the  vices the    
will is filled with1 count it the fetter

 and band4 ,nothing so  contrary to man1
 as to be thought a fool2 nothing so    
contrary to man1  as to enter into      
slavery4 ,it is no easy matter to plant 
the cross of  ,christ upon a heart      
guided by many principles against the   
truth of it1  and biased by a world of  
wickedness against the holiness of it4  
,nature  renders a man too feeble and   
indisposed1 and custom renders a man    
more  weak and unwilling to change his  
hue 7,jer4 xiii4 #bc74 ,to dispossess   
man  then of his selfesteem and         
selfexcellency2 to make room for ,god in
  the heart1 where there was none but   
for sin1 as dear to him as himself2  to 
hurl down the pride of nature2 to make  
stout imaginations stoop to  the cross2 
to make desires of selfadvancement sink 
into a zeal for the  glorifying of ,god1
 and an overruling design for his honor1
 is not to  be ascribed to any but an   
outstretched arm wielding the sword of  
the  ,spirit4 ,to have a heart full of  
the fear of ,god1 that was just before  

filled with a contempt of him2 to have a
 sense of his power1 an eye to  his     
glory1 admiring thoughts of his wisdom1 
a faith in his truth1 that  had lower   
thoughts of him and all his perfections1
 than he had of a  creature2 to have a  
hatred of his habitual lusts1 that had  
brought him  in much sensitive pleasure2
 to loath them as much as he loved them2
  to cherish the duties he hated2 to    
live by faith in1 and obedience to1  the
 ,redeemer1 who was before so heartily  
under the conduct of ,satan  and self2  
to chase the acts of sin from his       
members1 and the pleasing  thoughts of  
sin from his mind2 to make a stout      
wretch willingly fall  down1 crawl upon 
the ground1 and adore that ,saviour whom
 before he  outdared1 is a triumphant   
act of ,infinite ,power that can subdue 
all  things to itself1 and break those  
multitudes of locks and bolts that  were
 upon us4    #c4 ,against a multitude of
 temptations and interests4 ,the        
temptations  rich men have in this world

 are so numerous and strong1 that the   
entrance of one of them into the kingdom
 of heaven1 that is1 the  entertainment 
of the gospel1 is made by our ,saviour  
an impossible thing  with men1 and      
procurable only by the power of ,god    
7,luke xviii4 #bdbf74  ,the ,divine     
strength only can separate the world    
from the heart1 and the  heart from the 
world4 ,there must be an                
incomprehensible power to chase  away   
the devil1 that had so long1 so strong a
 footing in the affections2  to render  
the soil he had sown with so many tares 
and weeds1 capable  of good grain2 to   
make spirits1 that had found the        
sweetness of worldly  prosperity1 wrapt 
up all their happiness in it1 and not   
only bent down1  butas it wereburied in 
earth and mud1 to be loosened from those
  beloved cords1 to disrelish the earth 
for a crucified ,christ2 ,i say1  this  
must be the effect of an almighty power4
    #d4 ,the manner of conversion shews 
no less the power of ,god4 ,there is    

not only an irresistible force used in  
it1 but an agreeable sweetness4  ,the   
power is so efficacious1 that nothing   
can vanquish it2 and so sweet1  that    
none did ever complain of it4 ,the      
,almighty b#gh virtue displays  itself  
invincibly1 yet without constraint2     
compelling the will without  offering   
violence to it1 and making it cease to  
be will3 not forcing it1  but changing  
it3 not dragging it1 but drawing it2    
making it will where  before it nilled2 
removing the corrupt nature of the will1
 without  invading the created nature   
and rights of the faculty2 not working  
in  us against the physical nature of   
the will1 but working it 8to will0      
7,phil4 ii4 #ac74 ,this work is         
therefore called creation1 resurrection1
  to shew its irresistible power2 it is 
called illumination1 persuasion1        
drawing1 to shew the suitableness of its
 efficacy to the nature of  the human   
faculties3 it is a drawing with cords1  
which testifies  an invincible strength2

 but1 with cords of love1 which         
testifies  a delightful conquest4 ,it is
 hard to determine whether it be more   
powerful than sweet1 or more sweet than 
powerful4 ,it is no mean part  of the   
power of ,god to twist together victory 
and pleasure2 to give  a blow as        
delightful as strong1 as pleasing to the
 sufferer1 as it is  sharp to the       
sinner4    ,secondly1 ,the power of     
,god1 in the application of redemption1 
is  evident in the pardoning a sinner4  
#a4 ,in the pardon itself4 ,the power of
 ,god is made the ground of  his        
patience2 or the reason why he is       
patient1 is1 because he would  8shew his
 power0 7,rom4 ix4 #bb74 ,it is a part  
of magnanimity to pass by  injuries3 as 
weaker stomachs cannot concoct the      
tougher food1 so weak  minds cannot     
digest the harder injuries3 he that     
passes over a wrong is  superior to his 
adversary that does it4 ,when ,god      
speaks of his own name  as merciful1 he 
speaks first of himself as powerful     

7,exod4 xxxiv4 #f71  8,the ,lord1 ,the  
,lord ,god10 that is1 ,the ,lord1 the   
strong ,lord1 ,jehovah1  the strong     
,jehovah4 ,let the power of my ,lord be 
great1 saith ,moses1  when he prays for 
the forgiveness of the people3#hgg the  
word jigdal  is written with a great    
jod1 or a jod above the other letters4  
,the power of ,god in pardoning is      
advanced beyond an ordinary strain1     
beyond the creative strength4 ,in the   
creation1 he had power over the         
creatures2 in this1 power over himself3 
in creation1 not himself1 but  the      
creatures were the object of his power2 
in that1 no attribute of  his nature    
could article against his design4 ,in   
the pardon of a sinner1  after many     
overtures made to him and refused by    
him1 ,god exerciseth a  power over      
himself2 for the sinner hath dishonored 
,god1 provoked his  justice1 abused his 
goodness1 done injury to all those      
attributes which  are necessary to his  
relief3 it was not so in creation1      

nothing was  incapable of disobliging   
,god from bringing it into being4 ,the  
dust1  which was the matter of ,adam's  
body1 needed only the extrinsic power   
of ,god to form it into a man1 and      
inspire it with a living soul3 it  had  
not rendered itself obnoxious to ,divine
 justice1 nor was capable to  excite any
 disputes between his perfections4 ,but 
after the entrance of  sin1 and the     
merit of death1 thereby there was a     
resistance in justice  to the free      
remission of man3 ,god was to exercise a
 power over himself1  to answer his     
justice1 and pardon the sinner2 as well 
as a power over  the creature1 to reduce
 the run away and rebel4 ,unless we have
 recourse  to the infiniteness of ,god's
 power1 the infiniteness of our guilt   
will  weigh us down3 we must consider   
not only that we b#gi have a mighty     
guilt to press us1 but a mighty ,god to 
relieve us4 ,in the same act of  his    
being our righteousness1 he is our      
strength3 8,in the ,lord have ,i        

righteousness and strength0 7,isa4 xlv4 
#bd74    #b4 ,in the sense of pardon4   
,when the soul hath been wounded with   
the  sense of sin1 and its iniquities   
have stared it in the face1 the  raising
 the soul from a despairing condition1  
and lifting it above  those waters which
 terrified it1 to cast the light of     
comfort1 as well  as the light of grace1
 into a heart covered with more than an 
,egyptian  darkness1 is an act of his   
infinite and creating power 7,isa4 lvii4
 #ai72  8,i create the fruit of the     
lips2 ,peace40 ,men may wear out their  
lips  with numbering up the promises of 
grace and arguments of peace1 but  all  
will signify no more1 without a creative
 power1 than if all men and  angels     
should call to that white upon the wall 
to shine as splendidly  as the sun4 ,god
 only can create ,jerusalem1 and every  
child of ,jerusalem  a rejoicing 7,isa4 
xlv4 #ah74 ,a man is no more able to    
apply to himself  any word of comfort1  
under the sense of sin1 than he is able 

to convert  himself1 and turn the       
proposals of the word into gracious     
affections in  his heart4 ,to restore   
the joy of salvation1 is1 in ,david's   
judgment1 an  act of sovereign power1   
equal to that of creating a clean heart 
7,ps4 li4  #aj1 #ab74 ,alas6 it is a    
state like to that of death2 as infinite
 power  can only raise from natural     
death1 so from a spiritual death2 also  
from  a comfortless death3 8,in his     
favor there is life20 in the want of his
  favor there is death4 ,the power of   
,god hath so placed light in the sun1   
that all creatures in the world1 all the
 torches upon earth1 kindled  together1 
cannot make it day1 if that doth not    
rise2 so all the angels  in heaven1 and 
men upon earth1 are not competent       
chirurgeons for a  wounded spirit4 ,the 
cure of our spiritual ulcers1 and the   
pouring in  balm1 is an act of sovereign
 creative power3 it is more visible in  
silencing a tempestuous conscience than 
the power of our ,saviour was  in the   

stilling the stormy winds and the       
roaring waves4 ,as none but  infinite   
power can remove the guilt of sin1 so   
none but infinite power  can remove the 
despairing sense of it4    ,thirdly1    
,this power is evident in the preserving
 grace4 ,as the  providence of ,god is a
 manifestation of his power in a        
continued  creation1 so the preservation
 of grace is a manifestation of his     
power  in a continued regeneration4 ,to 
keep a nation under the yoke1 is an act 
of the same power that subdued it4 ,it  
is this that strengthens men in         
suffering against the fury of hell      
7,col4 i4 #ac72 it is this that keeps   
them from falling against the force of  
hellthe ,father's hand 7,john x4  #bi74 
,his strength abates and moderates the  
violence of temptations2 his  staff     
sustains his people under them2 his     
might defeats the power of  ,satan1 and 
bruiseth him under a believer's feet4   
,the counterworkings  of indwelling     
corruption1 the reluctances of the flesh

 against the  breathings of the spirit1 
the fallacy of the senses1 and the      
rovings  of the mind1 have ability      
quickly to stifle and extinguish grace1 
if  it were not maintained by that      
powerful blast that first imbreathed it4
  ,no less power is seen in perfecting  
it1 than was in planting it 7#b ,pet4   
i4 #c72 no less in fulfilling the work  
of faith1 than in engrafting  the word  
of faith 7#b ,thess4 i4 #aa74 ,the      
apostle well understood the  necessity  
and efficacy of it in the preservation  
of faith1 b#hj as  well as in the first 
infusion1 when he expresses himself in  
those terms  of a greatness or hyperbole
 of power1 8,his mighty power10 or the  
power  of his might 7,eph4 i4 #ai74 ,the
 salvation he bestows1 and the strength 
whereby he effects it1 are joined       
together in the prophet's song 7,isa4   
xii4 #b73 8,the ,lord is my strength and
 my salvation40 ,and indeed1 ,god  doth 
more magnify his power in continuing a  
believer in the world1 a  weak and      

halfrigged vessel1 in the midst of so   
many sands whereon it  might split1 so  
many rocks whereon it might dash1 so    
many corruptions  within1 and so many   
temptations without1 than if he did     
immediately  transport him into heaven1 
and clothe him with a perfect sanctified
  nature4,to conclude1 what is there1   
then1 in the world which is  destitute  
of notices of ,divine power8 ,every     
creature affords us the  lesson2 all    
acts of ,divine government are the marks
 of it4 ,look into  the word1 and the   
manner of its propagation instructs us  
in it2 your  changed natures1 your      
pardoned guilt1 your shining comfort1   
your  quelled corruptions1 the standing 
of your staggering graces1 are          
sufficient to preserve a sense1 and to  
prevent a forgetfulness1 of  this great 
attribute1 so necessary for your        
support1 and conducing so  much to your 
comfort4    ,use ,i4 ,of information and
 instruction4    ,instruct4 #a4 ,if     
incomprehensible and infinite power     

belongs to  the nature of ,god1 then    
,jesus ,christ hath a divine nature1    
because  the acts of power proper to    
,god are ascribed to him4 ,this         
perfection  of omnipotence doth         
unquestionably pertain to the ,deity1   
and is an  incommunicable property1 and 
the same with the essence of ,god3 he1  
therefore1 to whom this attribute is    
ascribed1 is essentially ,god4 ,this  is
 challenged by ,christ1 in conjunction  
with eternity 7,rev4 i4 #h72 8,i  am    
,alpha and ,omega1 the beginning and the
 ending1 saith the ,lord1 which  is1 and
 which was1 and which is to come1 the   
,almighty40 ,this the ,lord  ,christ    
speaks of himself4 ,he who was equal    
with ,god1 proclaims himself  by the    
essential title of the ,godhead1 part of
 which he repeats again  7ver4 #aa71 and
 this is the person which 8walks in the 
midst of the  seven golden              
candlesticks10 the person that 8was dead
 and now lives0  7ver4 #ag1 #ah71 which 
cannot possibly be meant of the ,father1

 the ,first  ,person1 who can never come
 under the denomination of having been  
dead4  ,being1 therefore1 adorned with  
the same title1 he hath the same ,deity2
  and though his omnipotence be only    
positively asserted 7ver4 #h71 yet1  his
 eternity being asserted 7ver4 #aa1     
#ag71 it inferreth his immense  power2  
for he that is eternal1 without limits  
of time1 must needs be  conceived       
powerful1 without any dash of infirmity4
 ,again1 when he is  said to be a child 
born1 and a son given1 in the same      
breath he is  called the ,mighty ,god   
7,isa4 ix4 #f74 ,it is introduced as a  
ground of  comfort to the church1 to    
preserve their hopes in the             
accomplishment of  the promises made to 
them before4 ,they should not imagine   
him to have  only the infirmity of a    
man1 though he was veiled in the        
appearance of  a man4 ,no1 they should  
look through the disguise of his flesh1 
to the  might of his ,godhead4 ,the     
attribute of mighty is added to the     

title of  ,god1 because the             
consideration of power is most capable  
to sustain the  drooping church in such 
a condition1 and to prop up her hopes4  
,it is  upon this account he saith of   
himself1 8,whatsoever things the b#ha   
,father doth1 those also doth the ,son  
likewise0 7,john v4 #ai74 ,in the       
creation of heaven1 earth1 sea1 and the 
preservation of all creatures1  the ,son
 works with the same will1 wisdom1      
virtue1 power1 as the ,father  works3   
not as two may concur in an action in a 
different manner1 as  an agent and an   
instrument1 a carpenter and his tools1  
but in the same  manner of operation1 1 
which we translate likeness1 which doth 
not express so well the emphasis of the 
word4 ,there is no diversity of  action 
between us2 what the ,father doth1 that 
,i do by the same power1  with the same 
easiness in every respect2 there is the 
same creative1  productive1 conservative
 power in both of us2 and that not in   
one work  that is done1 ad extra1 but in

 all1 in whatsoever the ,father doth4   
,in  the same manner1 not by a          
delegated1 but natural and essential    
power1  by one undivided operation and  
manner of working4    #ast4 ,the        
creation1 which is a work of            
,omnipotence1 is more than once         
ascribed to him4 ,this he doth own      
himself2 the creation of the earth1  and
 of man upon it2 the stretching out the 
heavens by his hands1 and  the forming  
of 8all the hosts of them by his        
command0 7,isa4 xlv4 #ab74  ,he is not  
only the ,creator of ,israel1 the church
 7ver4 #ab71 but of the  whole world1   
and every creature on the face of the   
earth1 and in the  glories of the       
heavens2 which is repeated also ver4    
#ah1 where1 in this  act of creation1 he
 is called ,god himself1 and speaks of  
himself in  the term ,jehovah2 and      
swears by himself 7ver4 #bc74 ,what doth
 he swear8  8,that unto me every knee   
shall bow1 and every tongue shall       
swear40  ,is this ,christ8 ,yes1 if the 

apostle may be believed1 who applies  it
 to him 7,rom4 xiv4 #aa7 to prove the   
appearance of all men before  the       
judgmentseat of ,christ1 whom the       
prophet calls 7ver4 #ae7 8a ,god  that  
hides himself20 and so he was a hidden  
,god when obscured in our  fleshly      
infirmities4 ,he was in conjunction with
 the ,father when the sea  received his 
decree1 and the foundations of the earth
 were appointed2  not as a spectator1   
but as an artificer1 for so the word in 
,prov4  viii4 #cj1 signifies1 8as one   
brought up with him20 it signifies also1
  8a cunning workman0 7,cant4 vii4 #a74 
,he was the east1 or the sun1 from      
whence sprang all the light of life and 
being to the creature2 so the  word     
7ver4 #bb71 which is translated1 8before
 his works of old10 is  rendered by     
some1 and signifies the east as well as 
before3 but if it  notes only his       
existence before1 it is enough to prove 
his ,deity4 ,the  ,scripture doth not   
only allow him an existence before the  

world1 but  exalts him as the cause of  
the world3 a thing may precede another  
that  is not the cause of that which    
follows2 a precedency in age doth not   
entitle one brother1 or thing1 the cause
 of another3 but our ,saviour is  not   
only ancienter than the world1 but is   
the ,creator of the world 7,heb4  i4    
#aj1 #aa74 8,who laid the foundations of
 the earth1 and the heavens  are the    
work of his hands40 ,so great an eulogy 
cannot be given to one  destitute of    
omnipotence2 since the distance between 
being and not  being is so vast a gulf  
that cannot be surmounted and stepped   
over1  but by an ,infinite ,power3 he is
 the first and the last1 that called    
the 8generations from the beginning0    
7,isa4 xli4 #d71 and had an almighty    
voice to call them out of nothing4 ,in  
which regard he is called the           
8everlasting ,father0 7,isa4 ix4 #f71 as
 being the efficient b#hb of  creation2 
as ,god is called the ,father of the    
rain1 or as father is  taken for the    

inventor of an art2 as ,jubal1 the first
 framer and  inventor of music1 is      
called 8the father of such as handle the
 harp0  7,gen4 iv4 #ba74 ,and that      
,person is said to 8make the sea1 and   
form the  dry land by his hands0 7,ps4  
xcv4 #e1 #f7 against whom we are        
exhorted not  to harden our hearts1     
which is applied to ,christ by the      
apostle 7,heb4  iii4 #h72 in ver4 #f1 he
 is called 8a great ,king10 and 8a great
 ,god our  ,maker40 ,the places wherein 
the creation is attributed to ,christ1  
those  that are the antagonists of his  
,deity1 would evade by understanding    
them of the new1 or evangelical1 not of 
the first1 old material  creation3 but  
what appearance is there for such a     
sense8 ,consider1    7#a47 ,that of     
,heb4 i4 #aj1 #aa1 it is spoken of that 
earth and heavens  which were in the    
beginning of time2 it is that earth     
shall perish1  that heaven that shall be
 folded up1 that creation that shall    
grow old  towards a decay2 that is1 only

 the visible and material creation3 the 
spiritual shall endure forever2 it grows
 not old to decay1 but grows up  to a   
perfection2 it sprouts up to its        
happiness1 not to its detriment4  ,the  
same ,person creates that shall destroy1
 and the same world is  created by him  
that shall be destroyed by him1 as well 
as it subsisted  by virtue of his       
omnipotency4    7#b47 ,can that also    
7,heb4 i4 #b71 8,by whom also he made   
the worlds10  speaking of ,christ1 bear 
the same plea8 ,it was the same ,person 
by whom  8,god spake to us in these last
 times10 the same ,person which he hath 
constituted 8,heir of all things1 by    
whom also he made the worlds30  and the 
particle also1 intimates it to be a     
distinct act from his  speaking or      
prophetical office1 whereby he restored 
and new created  the world1 as well as  
the rightful foundation ,god had to make
 him  8,heir of all things40 ,it refers 
likewise1 not to the time of ,christ's  
speaking upon earth1 but to something   

past1 and something different  from the 
publication of the gospel3 it is not    
8doth make10 which had  been more likely
 if the apostle had meant only the new  
creation2 but  8hath made10#hgh         
referring to time long since past1      
something done  before his appearance   
upon earth as a ,prophet3 8,by whom also
 he made  the worlds10 or ages1 all     
things subjected to1 or measured by     
time2  which must be meant according to 
the ,jewish phrase of this material     
visible world3 so they entitle ,god in  
their ,liturgy1 the 8,lord of ,ages10   
that is1 the ,lord of the world1 and all
 ages and revolutions of the  world1    
from the creation to the last period of 
time4 ,if anything were  in being before
 this frame of heaven and earth1 and    
within the compass  of time1 it received
 being and duration from the ,son of    
,god4 ,the  apostle would give an       
argument to prove the equity of making  
him ,heir  of all things as ,mediator1  
because he was the framer of all things 

as ,god4 ,he may well be the ,heir or   
,lord of angels as well as men1 who     
created angels as well as men3 all      
things were justly under his power  as  
,mediator1 since they derived their     
existence from him as ,creator4    7#c47
 ,but what evasion can there be for that
 7,col4 i4 #af78 8,by him were  all     
things created that are in heaven and   
that are in earth1 whether  they be     
thrones1 or dominions1 or               
principalities1 or powers1 b#hc all     
things were created by him and for him40
 ,he is said to be the ,creator  of     
material and visible things1 as well as 
spiritual and invisible2  of things in  
heaven1 which needed no restoration1 as 
well as things on  earth1 which were    
polluted by sin1 and stood in need of a 
new creation4  ,how could the angels    
belong to the new creation1 who had     
never put off  the honor and purity of  
the first8 ,since they never divested   
themselves  of their original integrity1
 they could not be reinvested with that 

which they never lost4 ,besides1 suppose
 the holy angels be one way  or other   
reduced as parts of the new creation1 as
 being under the  mediatory government  
of our ,saviour1 as their ,head1 and in 
regard of  their confirmation by him in 
that happy state4 ,in what manner shall 
the  devils be ranked among new         
creatures8 ,they are called             
principalities  and powers as well as   
the angels1 and may come under the title
 of  things invisible3 that they are    
called principalities and powers is     
plain 7,eph4 vi4 #ab73 8,for we wrestle 
not against flesh and blood1 but        
against principalities and powers1 and  
the rulers of the darkness of  this     
world2 against spiritual wickedness in  
high places40 ,good angels  are not     
there meant1 for what war have believers
 with them1 or they  with believers8    
,they are the guardians of them1 since  
,christ hath taken  away the enmity     
between our ,lord and theirs1 in whose  
quarrel they  were engaged against us3  

and since the apostle1 speaking of 8all 
things  created by him10 expresseth it  
so1 that it cannot be conceived he      
should except anything2 how come the    
finally impenitent and unbelievers1     
which are things in earth1 and visible1 
to be listed here in the roll  of new   
creatures8 ,none of these can be called 
new creatures1 because  they are        
subjected to the government of ,christ2 
no more than the earth  and sea1 and the
 animals in it1 are made new creatures1 
because they  are all under the dominion
 of ,christ and his providential        
government4  ,again1 the apostle        
manifestly makes the creation he here   
speaks of1  to be the material1 and not 
the new creation2 for that he speaks of 
afterwards as a distinct act of our     
,lord ,jesus1 under the title of        
,reconciliation 7,col4 i4 #bj1 #ba71    
which was the restoration of the world1 
and the satisfying for that curse that  
lay upon it4 ,his intent is here  to    
show that not an angel in heaven1 nor a 

creature upon earth1 but was  placed in 
their several degrees of excellency by  
the power of the ,son  of ,god1 who1    
after that act of creation1 and the     
entrance of sin1 was  the 8reconciler0  
of the world through the blood of his   
cross4    7#d47 ,there is another place 
as clear 7,john i4 #c73 8,all things    
were  made by him1 and without him was  
nothing made that was made40 ,the       
creation is here ascribed to him2       
affirmatively1 8,all things were made   
by him20 negatively1 there was nothing  
made without him3 and the words  are    
emphatical1  1 not one thing2 excepting 
nothing2 including  invisible things1 as
 well as things conspicuous to sense    
only1  mentioned in the story of the    
creation 7,gen4 i472 not only the entire
  mass1 but the distinct parcels1 the   
smallest worm and the highest angel1    
owe their original to him4 ,and if not  
one thing1 then the matter  was not     
created to his hands2 and his work      
consisted not only in the  forming      

things from that matter3 if that one    
thing of matter were  excepted1 a chief 
thing were excepted2 if #jhd not one    
thing were  excepted1 then he created   
something of nothing1 because spirits1  
as  angels and souls1 are not made of   
any preexisting or forecreated  matter4 
,how could the evangelist phrase it more
 extensively and  comprehensively8 ,this
 is a character of ,omnipotency2 to     
create the  world1 and everything in it1
 of nothing1 requires an infinite virtue
  and power4 ,if all things were created
 by ,him1 they were not created  by him 
as man1 because himself1 as man1 was not
 in being before the  creation2 if all  
things were made by him1 then himself   
was not made1  himself was not created2 
and to be existent without being made1  
without  being created1 is to be        
unboundedly omnipotent4 ,and if we      
understand it  of the new creation1 as  
they do that will not allow him an      
existence in  his ,deity before his     
humanity1 it cannot be true of that2 for

 how could  he regenerate ,abraham1 make
 ,simeon and ,anna new creatures1 who   
8waited  for the salvation of ,israel10 
and form ,john ,baptist1 and fill him   
with  the ,holy ,ghost1 even from the   
womb 7,luke i4 #ae71 who belonged to the
  new creation1 and was to prepare the  
way1 if ,christ had not a being  before 
him8 ,the evangelist alludes to1 and    
explains the history of  the creation1  
in the beginning1 and acquaints us what 
was meant by  ,god1 said so often1 viz4 
the eternal ,word1 and describes him in 
his creative power1 manifested in the   
framing the world1 before he  describes 
him in his incarnation1 when he came to 
lay the foundation of  the restoration  
of the world 7,john i4 #ad71 8,the ,word
 was made flesh20  this ,word who was   
8with ,god1 who was ,god1 who made all  
things10 and  gave being to the most    
glorious angels and the meanest creature
 without  exception2 this ,word1 in     
time1 8was made flesh40    7#e47 ,the   
creation of things mentioned in these   

,scriptures cannot be  attributed to him
 as an instrument4 ,as if when it is    
said1 8,god created  all things by him1 
and by him made the worlds10 we were to 
understand  the ,father to be the agent1
 and the ,son to be a tool in his       
,father's  hand1 as an axe in the hand  
of a carpenter1 or a file in the hand of
  a smith1 or a servant acting by       
command as the organ of his master4     
,the preposition per1 or 1 doth not     
always signify an instrumental  cause3  
when it is said1 that the apostle gave  
the ,thessalonians a  command 8by ,jesus
 ,christ0 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #b71 was      
,christ the instrument1  and not the    
,lord of that command the apostle gave8 
,the immediate  operation of ,christ    
dwelling in the apostles1 was that      
whereby they  gave the commands to their
 disciples4 ,when we are called 8by     
,god0  7#a ,cor4 i4 #i71 is he the      
instrumental1 or principal cause of our 
effectual vocation8 ,and can the will of
 ,god be the instrument of  putting     

,paul into the apostleship1 or the      
sovereign cause of investing  him with  
that dignity1 when he calls himself an  
8,apostle by the will  of ,god0 7,eph4  
i4 #c78 ,and when all things are said to
 be through ,god1  as well as of him1   
must he be counted the instrumental     
cause of his  own creation1 counsels1   
and judgments 7,rom4 xi4 #cf78 ,when we 
8mortify  the deeds of the body through 
the ,spirit0 7,rom4 viii4 #ac71 or keep 
the  8treasure of the word by the ,holy 
,ghost0 7#b ,tim4 i4 #ad71 is the ,holy 
,ghost of no more dignity in such acts  
than an instrument8 ,nor doth the       
gaining a thing by a person make him a  
mere instrument or inferior2 as  when a 
man gains his right in a way of justice 
against his adversary  by the           
magistrate1 b#he is the judge inferior  
to the suppliant8 ,if the  ,word were an
 instrument in creation1 it must be a   
created or uncreated  instrument3 if    
created1 it could not be true what the  
,evangelist saith1  that 8all things    

were made by him10 since himself1 the   
principal thing1  could not be made by  
himself3 if uncreated1 he was ,god1 and 
so acted  by a ,divine omnipotency1     
which surmounts an instrumental cause4  
,but1  indeed1 an instrument is         
impossible in creation1 since it is     
wrought  only by an act of the ,divine  
will4 ,do we need any organ to an act   
of volition8 ,the efficacious will of   
the ,creator is the cause of the        
original of the body of the world1 with 
its particular members and  exact       
harmony4 ,it was formed 8by a word1 and 
established by a command0  7,ps4 xxxiii4
 #i72 the beauty of the creation stood  
up at the precept  of his will4 ,nor was
 the ,son a partial cause2 as when many 
are said to  build a house1 one works   
one part1 and another frames another    
part3 ,god  created all things by the   
immediate operation of the ,son1 in the 
unity  of essence1 goodness1 power1     
wisdom2 not an extrinsic1 but a         
connatural  instrument4 ,as the sun doth

 illustrate all things by his light1 and
  quickens all things by his heat1 so   
,god created the worlds by ,christ1  as 
he was the 8brightness or splendor of   
his glory1 the exact image of  his      
person20 which follows the declaration  
of his making the worlds by  him 7,heb4 
i4 #c1 #d71 to show1 that he acted not  
as an instrument1 but  one in essential 
conjunction with him1 as light and      
brightness with  the sun4 ,but suppose  
he did make the world as a kind of      
instrument1  he was then before the     
world1 not bounded by time2 and eternity
 cannot  well be conceived belonging to 
a ,being without omnipotency4 ,he is the
  ,end1 as well as the ,author1 of the  
creatures 7,col4 i4 #af72 not only  the 
principle which gave them being1 but the
 sea1 into whose glory they  run and    
dissolve themselves1 which consists not 
with the meanness of an  instrument4    
#b;d4 ,as creation1 so preservation1 is 
ascribed to ,him 7,col4 i4 #ag74 8,by   
him all things consist40 ,as he preceded

 all things in his eternity1 so  he     
establishes all things by his           
omnipotency1 and fixes them in their    
several centres1 that they sink not into
 that nothing from whence  he fetched   
them4 ,by him they flourish in their    
several beings1 and  observe the laws   
and orders he first appointed3 that     
power of his which  extracted them from 
insensible nothing1 upholds them in     
their several  beings with the same     
facility as he spake being into them1   
even 8by the  word of his power0 7,heb4 
i4 #c71 and by one creative continued   
voice1  called all generations1 from the
 beginning to the period of the world   
7,isa4 xli4 #d71 and causes them to     
flourish in their several seasons4  ,it 
is 8by him kings reign1 and princes     
decree justice10 and all things  are    
confined within the limits of           
government4 ,all which are acts of an   
,infinite ,power4    #c;d4 ,resurrection
 is also ascribed to ,him4 ,the body    
crumbled to  dust1 and that dust blown  

to several quarters of the world1 cannot
 be  gathered in its distinct parts1 and
 new formed for the entertainment  of   
the soul1 without the strength of an    
infinite arm4 ,this he will do1  and    
more2 change the vileness of an earthly 
body into the glory of an  heavenly one2
 a dusty flesh into a spiritual body1   
which is an argument  of a power        
invincible1 to which all things cannot  
but stoop2 b#hf for  it is by such an   
operation1 which testifies an ability   
8to subdue all  things to himself0      
7,phil4 iii4 #ba71 especially when he   
works it with  the same ease as he did  
the creation1 by the power of his voice4
 7,john  v4 #bh71 8,all that are in the 
graves shall hear his voice1 and shall  
come forth30 speaking them into a       
restored life from insensible dust1  as 
he did into being from an empty nothing4
 ,the greatest acts of  power are owned 
to belong to creation1 preservation1    
resurrection4  ,omnipotence1 therefore1 
is his right2 and1 therefore1 a ,deity  

cannot be  denied to him that inherits a
 perfection essential to none but ,god1 
and  impossible to be entrusted in1 or  
managed by the hands of any creatures4  
,and this is no mean comfort to those   
that believe in him3 he is1 in  regard  
of his power1 8the horn of salvation20  
so ,zacharias sings of him  7,luke i4   
#fi74 ,nor could there be any more      
mighty found out upon whom  ,god could  
have 8laid our help0 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #ai74
 ,no reason1 therefore1  to doubt his   
ability to save to the utmost1 who hath 
the power of  creation1 preservation1   
and resurrection in his hands4 ,his     
promises  must be accomplished1 since   
nothing can resist him3 he hath power to
  fulfil his word1 and bring all things 
to a final issue1 because he is         
,almighty3 by his outstretched arm in   
the deliverance of his ,israel from     
,egypt1 7for it was his arm1 #a ,cor4   
x47 he showed that he was able to       
deliver us from spiritual ,egypt4 ,the  
charge of ,mediator to expiate  sin1    

vanquish hell1 form a church1 conduct   
and perfect it1 are not  to be effected 
by a person of less ability than        
infinite4 ,let this  almightiness of    
,his be the bottom1 wherein to cast and 
fix the anchor  of our hopes4           
,instruct4 #b4 ,hence may be inferred   
the ,deity of the ,holy ,ghost4  ,works 
of omnipotency are ascribed to the      
,spirit of ,god3 by the motion  of the  
wings of this ,spirit1 as a bird over   
her eggs1 was that rude and  unshapen   
mass hatched into a comely world4#hgi   
,the stars1or perhaps  the angels1 are  
meant by the 8garnishing of the heavens0
 in the verse  before the text1were     
brought forth in their comeliness and   
dignity1  as the ornaments of the upper 
world1 by this ,spirit2 8,by his ,spirit
 he  hath garnished the heavens40 ,to   
this ,spirit ,job ascribes the formation
  both of the body and soul1 under the  
title of ,almighty 7,job xxxiii4 #d71   
8,the ,spirit of ,god hath made me1 and 
the breath of the ,almighty  hath given 

me life40 ,resurrection1 another work of
 omnipotency1 is  attributed to him     
7,rom4 viii4 #aa74 ,the conception of   
our ,saviour in  the womb2 the miracles 
that he wrought1 were by the power of   
the ,spirit  in him4 ,power is a title  
belonging to him1 and sometimes both are
 put  together 7#a ,thess4 i4 #e1 and   
other places74 ,and that great power of 
changing the heart1 and sanctifying a   
polluted nature1 a work greater  than   
creation1 is frequently acknowledged in 
the ,scripture to be  the peculiar act  
of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,father1 ,son1
 ,spirit1 are one  principle in         
creation1 resurrection1 and all the     
works of omnipotence4    ,instruct4 #c4 
,inference from the doctrine4 ,the      
blessedness of ,god  is hence evidenced4
 ,if ,god be ,almighty1 he can want     
nothing2 all want  speaks weakness4 ,if 
he doth what he will1 he cannot be      
miserable2  all misery consists in those
 things which happen contrary to our    
will4 ,there is nothing can hinder his  

happiness1 because nothing b#hg  can    
resist his power4 ,since he is          
omnipotent1 nothing can hurt him1       
nothing can strip him of what he hath1  
of what he is4#hhj ,if he can  do       
whatsoever he will1 he cannot want      
anything that he wills4 ,he is as       
happy1 as great1 as glorious1 as he     
will2 for he hath a perfect liberty  of 
will to will1 and a perfect power to    
attain what he will2 his will  cannot be
 restrained1 nor his power meted4 ,it   
would be a defect in  blessedness1 to   
will what he were not able to do3 sorrow
 is the result  of a want of power1 with
 a presence of will4 ,if he could will  
anything  which he could not effect1 he 
would be miserable1 and no longer ,god3 
he can do whatsoever he pleases1 and    
therefore can want nothing that  pleases
 him4#hha ,he cannot be happy1 the      
original of whose happiness  is not in  
himself3 nothing can be infinitely      
happy1 that is limited and  bounded4    
,instruct4 #d4 ,hence is the ground for 

the immutability of ,god4 ,as he  is    
incapable of changing his resolves1     
because of his infinite wisdom1  so he  
is incapable of being forced to any     
change1 because of his  infinite power4 
,being almighty1 he can be no more      
changed from power to  weakness2 than1  
being allwise1 he can be changed from   
wisdom to folly2  or1 being omniscient1 
from knowledge to ignorance4 ,he cannot 
be altered  in his purposes1 because of 
his wisdom2 nor in the manner and method
 of  his actions1 because of his        
infinite strength4 ,men1 indeed1 when   
their  designs are laid deepest1 and    
their purposes stand firmest1 yet are   
forced to stand still1 or change the    
manner of the execution of their        
resolves1 by reason of some outward     
accidents that obstruct them in  their  
course2 for1 having not wisdom to       
foresee future hindrances1 they  have   
not power to prevent them1 or strength  
to remove them1 when they  unexpectedly 
interpose themselves between their      

desire and performance2  but no created 
power has strength enough to be a bar   
against ,god4 ,by  the same act of his  
will that he resolves a thing1 he can   
puff away any  impediments that seem to 
rise up against him4 ,he that wants no  
means  to effect his purposes1 cannot be
 checked by anything that riseth up to  
stand in his way2 heaven1 earth1 sea1   
the deepest places1 are too weak  to    
resist his will 7,ps4 cxxxv4 #f74 ,the  
purity of the angels will not1  and the 
devil's malice cannot1 frustrate his    
will2 the one voluntarily  obeys the    
beck of his hand1 and the other is      
vanquished by the power  of it4 ,what   
can make him change his purposes2 who   
7if he please7 can  dash the earth      
against the heavens in the twinkling of 
an eye1 untying  the world from its     
centre1 clap the stars and elements     
together into  one mass1 and blow the   
whole creation of men and devils into   
nothing8  ,because he is almighty1      
therefore he is immutable4    ,instruct4

 #e4 ,hence is inferred the providence  
of ,god1 and his  government of the     
world4 ,his power1 as well as his       
wisdom1 gives him  a right to govern3   
nothing can equal him1 therefore nothing
 can share  the command with him2 since 
all things are his works1 it is fittest 
they should be under his order3 he that 
frames a work1 is fittest to  guide and 
govern it4 ,god hath the most right to  
govern1 because he hath  knowledge to   
direct his power1 and power to execute  
the results of his  wisdom3 he knows    
what is convenient to order1 b#hh and   
hath strength  to effect what he orders4
 ,as his power would be oppressive      
without  goodness and wisdom1 so his    
goodness and wisdom would be fruitless  
without power4 ,an artificer that hath  
lost his hands may direct1 but  cannot  
make an engine3 a pilot that hath lost  
his arms may advise the  way of         
steerage1 but cannot hold the helm2     
something is wanting in  him to be a    
complete governor3 but since both       

counsel and power are  infinite in ,god1
 hence results an infinite right to     
govern1 and an  infinite fitness1       
because his will cannot be resisted1 his
 power cannot  be enfeebled or          
diminished2 he can quicken and increase 
the strength of  all means as he        
pleases4 ,he can hold all things in the 
world together1  and preserve them in   
those functions wherein he settled them1
 and  conduct them to those ends for    
which he designed them4 ,every          
artificer1  the more excellent he is1   
and the more excellency of power appears
 in  his work1 is the more careful to   
maintain and cherish it4 ,those that    
deny ,providence1 do not only ravish    
from him the bowels of his goodness1    
but strip him of a main exercise of his 
power1 and engender in men a  suspicion 
of weariness and feebleness in him2 as  
though his strength  had been spent in  
making them1 that none is left to guide 
them4 ,they  would make him headless in 
regard of his wisdom1 and bowelless in  

regard of his goodness1 and armless in  
regard of his strength4 ,if he  did not1
 or were not able to preserve and       
provide for his creatures1  his power in
 making them would be1 in a great part1 
an invisible power2  if he did not      
preserve what he made1 and govern what  
he preserves1 it  would be a kind of    
strange and rude power1 to make1 and    
suffer it to be  dashed in pieces at the
 pleasure of others4 ,if the power of   
,god should  relinquish the world1 the  
life of things would be extinguished1   
the  fabric would be confounded1 and    
fall into a deplorable chaos4 ,that     
which is composed of so many various    
pieces1 could not maintain its  union1  
if there were not a secret virtue       
binding them together and  maintaining  
those varieties of links4 ,well1 then1  
since ,god is not only  so good1 that he
 cannot will anything but what is good2 
so wise1 that  he cannot err or mistake2
 but also so able1 that he cannot be    
defeated  or mated2 he hath every way a 

full ability to govern the world3 where 
those three are infinite1 the right and 
fitness resulting from thence  is       
unquestionable3 and1 indeed1 to deny    
,god this active part of his  power1 is 
to render him weak1 foolish1 cruel1 or  
all4    ,instruct4 #f4 ,here is a ground
 for the worship of ,god4 ,wisdom and   
power are the grounds of the respect we 
give to men2 they being both  infinite  
in ,god1 are the foundation of a solemn 
honor to be returned  to him by his     
creatures4 ,if a man makes a curious    
engine1 we honor him  for his skill2 if 
another vanquish a vigorous enemy1 we   
admire him for  his strength3 and shall 
not the efficacy of ,god's power in     
creation1  government1 redemption1      
enflame us with a sense of the honor of 
his  name and perfections8 ,we admire   
those princes that have vast empires1   
numerous armies1 that have a power to   
conquer their enemies1 and  preserve    
their own people in peace4 ,how much    
more ground have we to pay  a mighty    

reverence to ,god1 who1 without trouble 
and weariness1 made and  manages this   
vast empire of the world by a word and  
beck6 ,what sensible  b#hi thoughts have
 we of the noise of thunder1 the power  
of the sun1  the storms of the sea6     
,these things that have no understanding
 have  struck men with such a reverence1
 that many have adored them as gods4    
,what reverence and adoration doth this 
mighty power1 joined with an  infinite  
wisdom in ,god1 demand at our hands6    
,all religion and worship  stands       
especially upon two pillars1 goodness1  
and power in ,god2 if  either of these  
were defective1 all religion would faint
 away4 ,we can  expect no entertainment 
with him without goodness1 nor any      
benefit  from him without power4 ,this  
,god prefaceth to the command to worship
  him1 the benefit his goodness had     
conferred upon them1 and the  powerful  
manner of conveyance of it to them 7#b  
,kings xvii4 #cf73 8,the  ,lord brought 
you up from the land of ,egypt with     

great power1 and an  outstretched arm2  
him shall you fear1 and him shall you   
worship1  and to him shall you do       
sacrifice40 ,because this attribute is a
 main  foundation of prayer1 the ,lord's
 ,prayer is concluded with a doxology of
  it1 8,for thine is the kingdom1 the   
power1 and the glory40 ,as he is rich1  
possessing all blessings2 so he is      
powerful1 to confer all blessings  on   
us1 and make them efficacious to us4    
,the ,jews repeat many times  in their  
prayers1 some say an hundred times1  1  
8,the ,king of  the world20 it is both  
an awe and an encouragement4#hhb ,we    
could not1  without consideration of it1
 pray in faith of success2 nay1 we could
  not pray at all1 if his power were    
defective to help us1 and his  mercy too
 weak to relieve us4 ,who would solicit 
a lifeless1 or lie  a prostrate         
suppliant1 to a feeble arm8 ,upon this  
ability of ,god1 our  ,saviour built his
 petitions 7,heb4 v4 #g73 8,he offered  
up strong cries  unto ,him that was able

 to save him from death40 ,abraham's    
faith hung  upon the same string 7,rom4 
iv4 #ba71 and the captived church       
supplicates  ,god to act according to   
the greatness of his power 7,ps4 lxxix4 
#aa74  ,in all our addresses this is to 
be eyed and considered2 ,god is able to 
help1 to relieve1 to ease me1 let my    
misery be never so great1 and my        
strength never so weak 7,matt4 viii4    
#b73 8,if thou wilt1 thou canst make  me
 clean10 was the consideration the leper
 had when he came to worship  ,christ2  
he was clear in his power1 and therefore
 worshipped him1 though  he was not     
equally clear in his will4 ,all worship 
is shot wrong that  is not directed to1 
and conducted by1 the thoughts of this  
attribute1  whose assistance we need4   
,when we beg the pardon of our sins1 we 
should  eye mercy and power2 when we beg
 his righting us in any case where  we  
are unjustly oppressed1 we do not eye   
righteousness without power2  when we   
plead the performance of his promise1 we

 do not regard his  faithfulness only   
without the prop of his power4 ,as power
 ushers in all  the attributes of ,god  
in their exercise and manifestation in  
the world1  so should it be the butt our
 eyes should be fixed upon in all our   
acts of worship3 as without his power   
his other attributes would be  useless1 
so without due apprehensions of his     
power our prayers will be  faithless and
 comfortless4 ,the title in the ,lord's 
prayer directs us  to a prospect both of
 his goodness and power2 his goodness in
 the word  ,father1 his greatness1      
excellency1 and power1 in the word      
,heaven4 ,the  heedless consideration of
 the infiniteness of this perfection    
b#ij  roots up piety in the midst of us1
 and makes us so careless in worship4   
,did we more think of that ,power that  
raised the world out of nothing1  that  
orders all creatures by an act of his   
will1 that performed so  great an       
exploit as that of our redemption1 when 
masterless sin had  triumphed over the  

world1 we should give ,god the honor and
 adoration  which so great an excellency
 challengeth and deserves at our hands1 
though we ourselves had not been the    
work of his hands1 or the  monuments of 
his strength2 how could any creature    
engross to itself  that reverence from  
us which is due to the powerful         
,creator1 of whom  it comes infinitely  
short in strength as well as wisdom8    
,instruct4 #g4 ,from this we have a     
ground for the belief of the            
resurrection4 ,god aims at the glory of 
his power1 as well as the glory  of any 
other attribute4 ,moses else would not  
have culled out this as  the main       
argument1 in his pleading with ,god1 for
 the sheathing the  sword which he began
 to draw out against them in the        
wilderness 7,numb4  xiv4 #af73 8,the    
nations will say1 ,because the ,lord was
 not able to bring  these people into   
the land which he sware to them10 c4 ,as
 the finding  out the particulars of the
 dust of our bodies discovers the       

vastness  of his knowledge1 so to raise 
them will manifest the glory of his     
power  as much as creation2 bodies that 
have mouldered away into multitudes  of 
atoms1 been resolved into the elements1 
passed through varieties  of changes1   
been sometimes the matter to lodge the  
form of a plant1 or  been turned into   
the substance of a fish or fowl1 or     
vapored up into a  cloud1 and been part 
of that matter which hath compacted a   
thunderbolt1  disposed of in places far 
distant1 scattered by the winds1        
swallowed  and concocted by beasts2 for 
these to be called out from their       
different places of abode1 to meet in   
one body1 and be restored to  their     
former consistency1 in a marriage union1
 in the 8twinkling of an  eye0 7#a ,cor4
 xv4 #bb71 it is a consideration that   
may justly amaze us1  and our shallow   
understandings are too feeble to        
comprehend it4 ,but  is it not credible1
 since all the disputes against it may  
be silenced  by reflections on ,infinite

 ,power1 which nothing can oppose1 for  
which  nothing can be esteemed too      
difficult to effect1 which doth not     
imply  a contradiction in itself8 ,it   
was no less amazing to the blessed      
virgin  to hear a message that she      
should conceive a ,son without knowing a
  man2 but she is quickly answered1 by  
the angel1 with a 8,nothing is          
impossible to ,god0 7,luke i4 #cd1 #cg74
 ,the distinct parts off our bodies     
cannot be hid from his allseeing eye1   
wherever they are lodged1  and in all   
the changes they pass through1 as was   
discoursed when the  ,omniscience of    
,god was handled2 shall1 then1 the      
collection of them  together be too hard
 for his invincible power and strength1 
and the  uniting all those parts into a 
body1 with new dispositions to receive  
their several souls1 be too big and     
bulky for that ,power which never  yet  
was acquainted with any bar8 ,was not   
the miracle of our ,saviour's           
multiplying the loaves1 suppose it had  

not been by a new creation1 but  a      
collection of grain from several parts1 
very near as stupendous as  this8 ,had  
any one of us been the only creatures   
made just before the  matter of the     
world1 and beheld that inform chaos     
covered with a thick  darkness1         
mentioned ,gen4 i4 #b1 would not b#ia   
the report1 that from  this dark deep1  
next to nothing1 should be raised such a
 multitude of  comely creatures1 with   
such innumerable varieties of members1  
voices1  colors1 motions1 and such      
numbers of shining stars1 a bright sun1 
one  uniform body of light from this    
darkness1 that should1 like a giant1    
rejoice to run a race1 for many         
thousands of years together1 without    
stop or weariness2 would not all these  
have seemed as incredible as the        
collection of scattered dust8 ,what was 
it that erected the innumerable  host of
 heaven1 the glorious angels1 and       
glittering stars1 for aught  we know    
more numerous than the bodies of men1   

but an act of the ,divine  will8 and    
shall the power that wrought this sink  
under the charge of  gathering some     
dispersed atoms1 and compacting them    
into a human body8  ,can you tell how   
the dust of the ground was kneaded by   
,god into the  body of man1 and changed 
into flesh1 skin1 hair1 bones1 sinews1  
veins1  arteries1 and blood1 and fitted 
for so many several activities1 when a  
human soul was breathed into it8#hhc    
,can you imagine how a rib1 taken  from 
,adam's side1 a lifeless bone1 was      
formed into head1 hands1 feet1  eyes8   
,why may not the matter of men1 which   
have been1 be restored1 as  well as that
 which was not1 be first erected8 ,is it
 harder to repair  those things which   
were1 than to create those things which 
were not8 ,is  there not the same       
,artificer8 ,hath any disease or        
sickliness abated his  power8 ,is the   
,ancient of ,days grown feeble8 or shall
 the elements1 and  other creatures1    
that alway yet obeyed his command1      

ruffle against his  raising voice1 and  
refuse to disgorge those remains of     
human bodies  they have swallowed up in 
their several bowels8 ,did the whole    
world1  and all the parts of it1 rise at
 his word8 and shall not some parts of  
the world1 the dust of the dead1 stand  
up out of the graves at a word  of the  
same mighty efficacy8 ,do we not        
annually see those marks of  power which
 may stun our incredulity in this       
concern8 ,do you see in  a small acorn1 
or little seed1 any such sights1 as a   
tree with body1  bark1 branches1 leaves1
 flowers1 fruitwhere can you find them8 
,do you  know the invisible corners     
where they lurk in that little body8    
,and yet  these you afterwards view     
rising up from this little body1 when   
sown  in the ground1 that you could not 
possibly have any prospect of when  you 
rolled it in your hand1 or opened its   
bowels4 ,and why may not all  the       
particulars of our bodies1 however      
disposed as to their distinct  natures  

invisibly to us1 remain distinct1 as    
well as if you mingle a  thousand seeds 
together8 they will come up in their    
distinct kinds1 and  preserve their     
distinct virtues4 ,again1 is not the    
making heaven and  earth1 the union of  
the ,divine and human nature1 eternity  
and infirmity1  to make a virgin        
conceive a ,son1 bear the ,creator1 and 
bring forth the  ,redeemer1 to form the 
blood of ,god of the flesh of a virgin1 
a greater  work than the calling        
together and uniting the scattered parts
 of our  bodies1 which are all of one   
nature and matter8 ,and since the power 
of  ,god is manifested in pardoning     
innumerable sins1 is not the scattering 
our transgressions1 as far as the east  
is from the west1 as the  expression is1
 ,ps4 ciii4 #ab1 and casting such       
numbers into the depths  of the sea1    
which is ,god's power over himself1 a   
greater argument of  b#ib might than the
 recalling and repairing the atoms of   
our bodies  from their various          

receptacles8 ,it is not hard for them to
 believe this  of the resurrection1 that
 have been sensible of the weight and   
force  of their sins1 and the power of  
,god in pardoning and vanquishing that  
mighty resistance which was made in     
their hearts against the power of  his  
renewing and sanctifying grace4 ,the    
consideration of the infinite  power of 
,god is a good ground of the belief of  
the resurrection4    ,instruct4 #h4     
,since the power of ,god is so great and
 incomprehensible1  how strange is it   
that it should be contemned and abused  
by the  creatures as it is6 ,the power  
of ,god is beaten down by some1 outraged
  by others1 blasphemed by many1 under  
their sufferings4 ,the stripping  ,god  
of the honor of his creation1 and the   
glory of his preservation of  the world1
 falls under this charge3 thus do they  
that deny his framing  the world alone1 
or thought the first matter was not of  
,god's creation1  and such as fancied an
 evil principle1 the author of all evil1

 as ,god  is the author of all good1 and
 so exempt from the power of ,god1 that 
it could not be vanquished by him4      
,these things have formerly found       
defenders in the world2 but they are1 in
 themselves1 ridiculous and  vain1 and  
have no footing in common reason1 and   
are not worthy of  debate in a christian
 auditory4    ,in general1 all idolatry 
in the world did arise from the want of 
a due notion of this ,infinite ,power4  
,the heathen thought one ,god was  not  
sufficient for the managing all things  
in the world1 and therefore  they       
feigned several gods1 that had several  
charges2 as ,ceres presided  over the   
fruits of the earth2 ,esculapius over   
the cure of distempers2  ,mercury for   
merchandise and trade2 ,mars for war and
 battles2 ,apollo and  ,minerva for     
learning and ingenious arts2 and        
,fortune for casual things4  ,whence    
doth the other sort of idolatry1 the    
adoring our bags and gold1  our         
dependencies on1 and trusting in1       

creatures for help arise1 but  from     
ignorance of ,god's power1 or mean and  
slender apprehensions of it8  ,first1   
there is a contempt of it4 ,secondly1   
,an abuse of it4    #a4 ,it is contemned
 in every sin1 especially in obstinacy  
in sin4 ,all  sin whatsoever is built   
upon some false notion or monstrous     
conception  of one or other of ,god's   
perfections1 and in particular of this4 
,it  includes a secret and lurking      
imagination1 that we are able to grapple
  with ,omnipotence1 and enter the lists
 with ,almightiness2 what else can  be  
judged of the apostle's expression 7#a  
,cor4 x4 #bb71 8,do we provoke  the     
,lord to jealousy2 are we stronger than 
he80 ,do we think we have  an arm too   
powerful for that justice we provoke1   
and can repel that  vengeance we        
exasperate8 ,do we think we are an even 
match for ,god1 and  are able to despoil
 him of his ,divinity8 ,to despise his  
will1 violate  his order1 practise what 
he forbids with a severe threatening1   

and  pawns his power to make it good1 is
 to pretend to have an arm like ,god1   
and be able to thunder with a voice     
equal or superior to him1 as the        
expression is 7,job xl4 #i74 ,all       
security in sin is of this strain2 when 
men are not concerned at ,divine        
threatenings1 nor staggered in their    
sinful race1 they intimate1 that the    
declarations of ,divine ,power are  but 
vainglorious boastings2 that ,god is not
 so strong and able as he  b#ic reports 
himself to be2 and therefore they will  
venture it1 and  dare him to try1       
whether the strength of his arm be as   
forcible as  the words of his mouth are 
terrible in his threats2 this is to     
believe  themselves ,creators1 not      
creatures4 ,we magnify ,god's power in  
our wants1  and debase it in our        
rebellions2 as though ,omnipotence were 
only able  to supply our necessities1   
and unable to revenge the injuries we   
offer  him4    #b4 ,this power is       
contemned in distrust of ,god4 ,all     

distrust is founded  in a doubting of   
his truth1 as if he would not be as good
 as his word2  or of his omniscience1 as
 if he had not a memory to retain his   
word2  or of his power1 as if he could  
not be as great as his word4 ,we measure
  the infinite power of ,god by the     
short line of our understandings1  as if
 infinite strength were bounded within  
the narrow compass of our  finite       
reason2 as if he could do no more than  
we were able to do4 ,how  soon did those
 ,israelites lose the remembrance of    
,god's outstretched  arm1 when they     
uttered that atheistical speech 7,ps4   
lxxviii4 #ai71 8,can  ,god furnish a    
table in the wilderness80 ,as if he that
 turned the dust  of ,egypt into lice1  
for the punishment of their oppressors1 
could not  turn the dust of the         
wilderness into corn1 for the support of
 their  bodies6 ,as if he that had      
miraculously rebuked the ,red ,sea1 for 
their  safety1 could not provide bread1 
for their nourishment6 ,though they had 

seen the ,egyptians with lost lives in  
the morning1 in the same place  where   
their lives had been miraculously       
preserved in the evening1 yet  they     
disgrace that experimental power1 by    
opposing to it the stature  of the      
,anakims1 the strength of their cities1 
and the height of their  walls 7,numb4  
xiii4 #cb74 ,and 7,numb4 xiv4 #c74      
8,wherefore hath the ,lord  brought us  
into this land to fall by the sword80   
,as though the giants  of ,canaan were  
too strong for ,him1 for whom they had  
seen the armies of  ,egypt too weak4    
,how did they contract the almightiness 
of ,god into the  littleness of a little
 man1 as if he must needs sink under the
 sword  of a ,canaanite8 ,this distrust 
must arise either from a flat atheism1 a
  denial of the being of ,god1 or his   
government of the world2 or unworthy    
conceits of a weakness in him1 that he  
had made creatures too hard for         
himself2 that he were not strong enough 
to grapple with those mighty  ,anakims1 

and give them the possession of ,canaan 
against so great a  force4 ,distrust of 
him implies either that he was always   
destitute of  power1 or that his power  
is exhausted by his former works1 or    
that it  is limited1 and near a period3 
it is to deny him to be the ,creator    
that  moulded heaven and earth4 ,why    
should we1 by distrust1 put a slight    
upon  that power which he hath so often 
expressed1 and which1 in the minutest   
works of his hands1 surmount the force  
of the sharpest understanding8    #c4   
,it is contemned in too great a fear of 
man1 which ariseth from a  distrust of  
,divine power4 ,fear of man is a        
crediting the might of man  with a      
disrepute of the arm of ,god1 it takes  
away the glory of his  might1 and       
renders the creature stronger than ,god2
 and ,god more feeble  than a mortal2 as
 if the arm of man were a rod of iron1  
and the arm  of ,god a brittle reed4    
,how often do men tremble at the        
threatenings  and hectorings of         

ruffians1 yet will stand as stakes b#id 
against  the precepts and threatenings  
of ,god1 as though he had less power to 
preserve us1 than enemies had to        
destroy8 ,with what disdain doth ,god   
speak to men infected with this humor   
7,isa4 li4 #ab1 #ac78 8,who art  thou1  
that art afraid of a man that shall die1
 and the ,son of man that  shall be made
 as grass2 and forgettest the ,lord thy 
,maker1 that hath  stretched forth the  
heavens1 and laid the foundation of the 
earth2  and hast feared continually     
every day1 because of the fury of the   
oppressor80 ,to fear man that is as     
grass1 that cannot think a thought      
without a ,divine concourse1 that cannot
 breathe1 but by a ,divine power1  nor  
touch a hair without license first      
granted from heaven2 this is            
forgetfulness1 and consequently a slight
 of that ,infinite ,power1 which  hath  
been manifested in founding the earth   
and garnishing the heavens4  ,all fear  
of man1 in the way of our duty1 doth in 

some sort thrust out  the remembrance1  
and discredit the great actions of the  
,creator4 ,would  not a mighty prince   
think it a disparagement to him1 if his 
servant  should decline his command for 
fear of one of his subjects8 and hath   
not the great ,god just cause to think  
himself disgraced by us1 when  we deny  
him obedience for fear of a creature3 as
 though he had but  an infant ability   
too feeble to bear us out in duty1 and  
incapable to  balance the strength of an
 arm of flesh8    #d4 ,it is contemned  
by trusting in ourselves1 in means1 in  
man1 more  than in ,god4 ,when in any   
distress we will try every creature     
refuge1  before we have recourse to     
,god2 and when we apply ourselves to    
him1  we do it with such slight and     
perfunctory frames1 and with so much    
despondency1 as if we despaired either  
of his ability or will to help  us2 and 
implore him with cooler affections than 
we solicit creatures3  or1 when in a    
disease we depend upon the virtue of the

 medicine1 the  ability of the          
physician1 and reflect not upon that    
power that endued  the medicine with    
that virtue1 and supports the quality in
 it1 and  concurs to the operation of   
it4 ,when we depend upon the activity of
  the means1 as if they had power       
originally in themselves1 and not       
derivatively2 and do not eye the power  
of ,god animating and assisting  them4  
,we cannot expect relief from anything  
with a neglect of ,god1 but  we render  
it in our thoughts more powerful than   
,god3 we acknowledge  a greater fulness 
in a shallow stream1 than in an eternal 
spring2 we  do1 in effect1 depose the   
true ,god1 and create to ourselves a new
 one2  we assert1 by such a kind of     
acting1 the creature1 if not superior1  
yet equal with ,god1 and independent on 
him4 ,when we trust in our own          
strength1 without begging his           
assistance2 or boast of our own         
strength1  without acknowledging his    
concurrence1 as the ,assyrian2 8,by the 

strength of my hand have ,i done this2  
,i have put down the inhabitants  like a
 valiant man0 7,isa4 x4 #ac74 ,it is1 as
 if the axe should boast  itself against
 him that hews therewith1 and thinks    
itself more mighty  than the arm that   
wields it 7ver4 #ae71 when we trust in  
others more  than in ,god4 ,thus ,god   
upbraids those by the prophet1 that     
sought help  from ,egypt1 telling them  
7,isa4 xxxi4 #c71 8,the ,egyptians were 
men1 and  not gods20 intimating1 that by
 their dependence on them1 they rendered
  them gods and not men1 and advanced   
them from the state of creatures  to    
that of almighty b#ie deities4 ,it is to
 set a pile of dust1 a heap  of ashes1  
above ,him that created and preserves   
the world4 ,to trust  in a creature1 is 
to make it as infinite as ,god2 to do   
that which is  impossible in itself to  
be done4 ,god himself cannot make a     
creature  infinite1 for that were to    
make him ,god4 ,it is also contemned    
when we  ascribe what we receive to the 

power of instruments1 and not to the    
power of ,god4 ,men1 in whatsoever they 
do for us1 are but the tools  whereby   
the ,creator works4 ,is it not a        
disgrace to the limner to admire  his   
pencil1 and not himself2 to the         
artificer1 to admire his file and       
engines1 and not his power8 8,it is not 
,i10 saith ,paul1 8that labor1 but  the 
grace1 the efficacious grace of ,god1   
which is in me40 ,whatsoever  good we do
 is from him1 not from ourselves2 to    
ascribe it to ourselves1  or to         
instruments1 is to overlook and contemn 
his power4    #e4 ,unbelief of the      
gospel is a contempt and disowning      
,divine power4  ,this perfection hath   
been discovered in the conception of    
,christ1  the union of the two natures1 
his resurrection from the grave1 the    
restoration of the world1 and the       
conversion of men1 more than in the     
creation of the world3 then what a      
disgrace is unbelief to all that  power 
that so severely punished the ,jews for 

the rejecting the gospel3  turned so    
many nations from their beloved         
superstitions2 humbled the  power of    
princes and the wisdom of philosophers2 
chased devils from  their temples by the
 weakness of fishermen2 planted the     
standard of  the gospel against the     
common notions and inveterate customs of
 the  world6 ,what a disgrace is        
unbelief to this power which hath       
preserved  ,christianity from being     
extinguished by the force of men and    
devils1  and kept it flourishing in the 
midst of sword1 fire1 and executioners2 
that hath made the simplicity of the    
gospel overpower the eloquence  of      
orators1 and multiplied it from the     
ashes of martyrs1 when it was  destitute
 of all human assistances6 ,not heartily
 to believe and embrace  that doctrine1 
which hath been attended with such marks
 of power1 is  a high reflection upon   
this ,divine perfection1 so highly      
manifested in  the first publication1   
propagation1 and preservation of it4    

,secondly1 ,the power of ,god is abused1
 as well as contemned4  #a4 ,when we    
make use of it to justify               
contradictions4 ,the doctrine of        
transubstantiation is an abuse of this  
power4 ,when the maintainers of  it     
cannot answer the absurdities alleged   
against it1 they have recourse  to the  
power of ,god4 ,it implies a            
contradiction1 that the same body       
should be on earth and in heaven at the 
same instant of time2 that it  should be
 at the right hand of ,god1 and in the  
mouth and stomach of a  man2 that it    
should be a body of flesh1 and yet bread
 to the eye and  to the taste2 that it  
should be visible and invisible1 a      
glorious body1  and yet gnawn by the    
teeth of a creature2 that it should be  
multiplied  in a thousand places1 and   
yet an entire body in every one1 where  
there  is no member to be seen1 no flesh
 to be tasted2 that it should be above  
us in the highest heavens1 and yet      
within us in our lower bowels2 such     

contradictions as these are an abuse of 
the power of ,god4 ,again1 we  abuse    
this power when we believe every idle   
story that is reported1  because ,god is
 able to make it so if he pleased4 ,we  
may as well believe  sop's ,fables to be
 true1 that birds spake1 and beasts     
reasoned1  because the power of b#if    
,god can enable such creatures to such  
acts4 ,god's power is not the rule of   
our belief of a thing without  the      
exercise of it in matter of fact1 and   
the declaration of it upon  sufficient  
evidence4    #b4 ,the power of ,god is  
abused by presuming on it1 without using
  the means he hath appointed4 ,when men
 sit with folded arms1 and make  a      
confidence in his power a glorious title
 to their idleness and  disobedience1   
they would have his strength do all1 and
 his precept  should move them to do    
nothing2 this is a trust of his power   
against  his command1 a pretended       
glorifying his power with a slight of   
his  sovereignty4 ,though ,god be       

almighty1 yet1 for the most part1 he    
exerciseth his might in giving life and 
success to second causes and  lawful    
endeavors4 ,when we stay in the mouth of
 danger1 without any call  ordering us  
to continue1 and against a door of      
providence opened for  our rescue1 and  
sanctuary ourselves in the power of ,god
 without any  promise1 without any      
providence conducting us2 this is not to
 glorify  the ,divine might1 but to     
neglect it1 in neglecting the means     
which his  power affords to us for our  
escape2 to condemn it to our humors1 to 
work miracles for us according to our   
wills1 and against his own4#hhd  ,god   
could have sent a worm to be ,herod's   
executioner when he sought the  life of 
our ,saviour1 or employed an angel from 
heaven to have tied his  hands or       
stopped his breath1 and not put ,joseph 
upon a flight to ,egypt  with our       
,saviour2 yet had it not been an abuse  
of the power of ,god1  for ,joseph to   
have neglected the precept1 and slighted

 the means ,god  gave him for the       
preserving his own life and that of the 
child's8  ,christ himself1 when the     
,jews consulted to destroy him1 presumed
 not  upon the power of ,god to secure  
him1 but used ordinary means for his    
preservation1 by walking no more openly1
 but retiring himself into a  city near 
the wilderness till the hour was come1  
and the call of his  ,father manifest   
7,john xi4 #ec1 #ed74 ,a rash running   
upon danger1 though  for the truth      
itself1 is a presuming upon1 and        
consequently an abuse  of1 this power2 a
 proud challenging it to serve our turns
 against the  authority of his will1 and
 the force of his precept2 a not resting
 in  his ordinate power1 but demanding  
his absolute power to pleasure our      
follies and presumptions2 concluding and
 expecting more from it than  what is   
authorized by his will4    ,instruct4   
#i4 ,if infinite power be a peculiar    
property of ,god1 how  miserable will   
all wicked rebels be under this power of

 ,god6 ,men may  break his laws1 but not
 impair his arm2 they may slight his    
word1 but  cannot resist his power4 ,if 
he swear that he will sweep a place with
  the besom of destruction1 8as he hath 
thought1 so shall it come to pass2  and 
as he hath purposed1 so shall it stand10
 7,isa4 xiv4 #bc1 #bd74 ,rebels  against
 an earthly prince may exceed him in    
strength1 and be more  powerful than    
their sovereign2 none can equal ,god1   
much less exceed  him4 ,as none can     
exercise an act of hostility against him
 without his  permissive will1 so none  
can struggle from under his hand without
 his  positive will4 ,he hath an arm not
 to be moved1 a hand not to be wrung    
aside4 ,god is represented on his throne
 like a 8jasper stone0 7,rev4 iv4  #c71 
as one of invincible power when he comes
 to judge2 the jasper is a  stone which 
withstands the b#ig greatest force4#hhe 
,though men resist  the order of his    
laws1 they cannot the sentence of their 
punishment1  nor the execution of it4   

,none can any more exempt themselves    
from the  arm of his strength1 than they
 can from the authority of his dominion4
  ,as they must bow to his sovereignty1 
so must they sink under his force4  ,a  
prisoner in this world may make his     
escape1 but a prisoner in the  world to 
come cannot 7,job x4 #g74 8,there is    
none that can deliver out of  thine     
hand40 8,there is none to deliver when  
he tears in pieces0 7,ps4 l4  #bb74 ,his
 strength is uncontrollable2 hence his  
throne is represented as  a 8fiery      
flame0 7,dan4 vii4 #i74 ,as a spark of  
fire hath power to kindle  one thing    
after another1 and increase till it     
consumes a forest1 a city1  swallow up  
all combustible matter till it consumes 
a world1 and many  worlds1 if they were 
in being1 what power hath the tree to   
resist the  fire1 though it seems       
mighty1 when it outbraves the winds8    
,what man1  to this day1 hath been able 
to free himself from that chain of death
  ,god clapped upon him for his revolt8 

,and if he be too feeble to rescue      
himself from a temporal1 much less from 
an eternal death4 ,the devils  have1 to 
this minute1 groaned under the pile of  
wrath1 without any  success in          
delivering themselves by all their      
strength1 which much  surmounts all the 
strength of mankind1 nor have they any  
hopes to work  their rescue to eternity4
 ,how foolish is every sinner6 ,can we  
poor  worms strut it out against        
,infinite ,power8 ,we cannot resist the 
meanest  creatures when ,god commissions
 them1 and puts a sword into their      
hands4  ,they will not1 no1 not the     
worms1 be startled at the glory of a    
king1  when they have the ,creator's    
warrant to be his executioners 7,acts   
xii4  #bc74 ,who can withstand him1 when
 he commands the waves and inundations  
of the sea to leap over the shore2 when 
he divides the ground in  earthquakes1  
and makes it gape wide to swallow the   
inhabitants of it2  when the air is     
corrupted to breed pestilences2 when    

storms and showers1  unseasonably       
falling1 putrify the fruits of the      
earth2 what created  power can mend the 
matter1 and1 with a prevailing voice1   
say to him1  ,what dost thou8 ,there are
 two attributes ,god will make glister  
in  hell to the full2 his wrath and his 
power 7,rom4 ix4 #bb73 8,what if ,god1  
willing to show his wrath1 and to make  
his power known1 endured with  much long
 suffering the vessels of wrath fitted  
for destruction80 ,if  it were mere     
wrath1 and no power to second it1 it    
were not so terrible2  but it is wrath  
and power3 both are joined together4 ,it
 is not only a  sharp sword1 but a      
powerful arm2 and not only that1 for    
then it were  well for the damned       
creature4 ,to have many sharp blows1 and
 from a  strong arm1 this may be without
 putting forth the highest strength a   
man hath2 but in this ,god makes it his 
design to make his power known  and     
conspicuous2 he takes the sword1 as it  
were1 in both hands1 that  he may show  

the strength of his arm in striking the 
harder blow2 and  therefore the apostle 
calls it 7#b ,thess4 i4 #i7 8the glory  
of his power10  which puts a sting into 
his wrath2 and it is called 7,rev4 xix4 
#ae7  8the fierceness of the wrath of   
the ,almighty40 ,god will do it in  such
 a manner as to make men sensible of his
 almightiness in every  stroke4 b#ih    
,how great must that vengeance be1 that 
is backed by all  the strength of ,god6 
,when there will be a powerful wrath1   
without a  powerful compassion2 when all
 his power shall be exercised in        
punishing1  and not the least mite of it
 exercised in pitying2 how irresistible 
will be the load of such a weighty hand6
 ,how can the dust of the  balance break
 the mighty bars1 or get out of the     
lists of a powerful  vengeance1 or hope 
for any grain of comfort8 ,o1 that every
 obstinate  sinner would think of this1 
and consider his unmeasurable boldness  
in thinking himself able to grapple with
 ,omnipotence6 ,what force can  any have

 to resist the presence of ,him1 before 
whom rocks melt1 and  the heavens1 at   
length1 shall be shrivelled up as a     
parchment by the  last fire6 ,as the    
light of ,god's face is too dazzling to 
be beheld  by us1 so the arm of his     
power is too mighty to be opposed by us4
  ,his almightiness is above the reach  
of our potsherd strength1 as his        
infiniteness is above the capacity of   
our purblind understanding4 ,god  were  
not omnipotent1 if his power could be   
rendered ineffectual by any4    ,use    
,,ii4 ,a second use of this point1 from 
the consideration of the  infinite power
 of ,god1 is of comfort4 ,as            
,omnipotence is an ocean that  cannot be
 fathomed1 so the comforts from it are  
streams that cannot  be exhausted4 ,what
 joy can be wanting to him that finds   
himself folded  in the arms of          
,omnipotence8 ,this perfection is made  
over to believers  in the covenant1 as  
well as any other attribute2 8,i am the 
,lord1 your  ,god20 therefore1 that     

power1 which is as essential to the     
,godhead as  any other perfection of his
 nature1 is1 in the rights and extent of
 it1  assured unto you4 ,nay1 may we not
 say1 it is made over more than any     
other1 because it is that which animates
 every other perfection2 and is  the    
,spirit that gives them motion and      
appearance in the world4 ,if ,god  had  
expressed himself in particular1 as1 8,i
 am a true ,god1 a wise ,god1  a loving 
,god1 a righteous ,god1 ,i am yours20   
what would all1 or any  of those1 have  
signified1 unless the other also had    
been implied1 as1  8,i am an almighty   
,god1 ,i am your ,god80 ,in ,god's      
making over himself  in any particular  
attribute1 this of his power is included
 in every  one1 without which1 all his  
other grants would be insignificant4 ,it
  is a comfort that power is in the     
hands of ,god2 it can never be better   
placed1 for he can never use his power  
to injure his confiding creature2  if it
 were in our own hands1 we might use it 

to injure ourselves4 ,it is  a power in 
the hands of an indulgent ,father1 not a
 hardhearted tyrant2  it is a just      
power2 8,his right hand is full of      
righteousness0 7,ps4  xlviii4 #aj72     
because of his righteousness he can     
never use it ill1 and  because of his   
wisdom he can never use it unseasonably4
 ,men that have  strength1 often        
misplace the actings of it1 because of  
their folly2  and sometimes employ it to
 base ends1 because of their wickedness2
  but this power in ,god is always      
awakened by goodness1 and conducted by  
wisdom2 it is never exercised by        
selfwill and passion1 but according  to 
the immutable rule of his own nature1   
which is righteousness4 ,how            
comfortable is it to think1 that you    
have a ,god that can do what he         
pleases2 nothing so difficult but he can
 effect1 nothing so strong but  he can  
overrule6 ,you need not dread men1 since
 you have ,one to restrain  them2 nor   
fear devils1 b#ii since you have ,one to

 chain them2 no  creature but is acted  
by this power2 no creature but must fall
 upon the  withdrawing of this power4   
,it was not all laid out in creation2 it
 is  not weakened by his preservation of
 things2 he yet hath a fullness of      
power1 and a residue of ,spirit2 for    
whom should that eternal arm of the     
,lord be displayed1 and that            
incomprehensible thunder of his power be
  shot out1 but for those for whose sake
 and for whose comfort it is  revealed  
in his word8 ,in particular1    #a4     
,here is comfort in all afflictions and 
distresses4 ,our evils can  never be so 
great to oppress us1 as his power is    
great to deliver us4  ,the same power   
that brought a world out of a chaos1 and
 constituted1  and hath hitherto        
preserved1 the regular motion of the    
stars1 can bring  order out of our      
confusions1 and light out of our        
darkness4 ,when our  ,saviour was in the
 greatest distress1 and beheld the face 
of his ,father  frowning1 while he was  

upon the cross1 in his complaint to him1
 he  exerciseth faith upon his power    
7,matt4 xxvii4 #df73 8,eli1 ,eli3 ,my   
,god1  my ,god1 why hast thou forsaken  
me80 that this1 ,my strong1 my strong2  
,el1  is a name of power1 belonging to  
,god2 he comforts himself in his power1 
while he complains of his frowns4       
,follow his pattern1 and forget not     
that power that can scatter the clouds1 
as well as gather them together4  ,the  
,psalmist's support in his distress1 was
 in the creative power of  ,god 7,ps4   
cxxi4 #b73 8,my help comes from the     
,lord1 which made heaven and  earth40   
#b4 ,it is comfort in all strong and    
stirring corruptions and  mighty        
temptations4 ,it is by this we may arm  
ourselves1 and 8be strong  in the power 
of his might0 7,eph4 vi4 #aj72 by this  
we may conquer  principalities and      
powers1 as dreadful as hell1 but not so 
mighty as  heaven2 by this we may       
triumph over lusts within1 too strong   
for an  arm of flesh2 by this the devils

 that have possessed us may be cast     
out2 the battered walls of our souls may
 be repaired2 and the sons  of ,anak    
laid flat4 ,that power that brought     
light out of darkness1 and  overmastered
 the deformity of the chaos1 and set    
bounds to the ocean1  and dried up the  
,red ,sea by a rebuke1 can quell the    
tumults in our  spirits1 and level      
spiritual ,goliahs by his word4 ,when   
the disciples  heard that terrifying    
speech of our ,saviour1 concerning rich 
men1 that  it was 8easier for a camel to
 go through the eye of a needle1 than   
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom
 of ,god0 7,matt4 xix4 #bd71 to         
entertain the gospel1 which commanded   
selfdenial2 and that1 because  of the   
allurements of the world1 and the strong
 habits in their soul2  ,christ refers  
them to the power of ,god 7ver4 #bf71   
who could expel those  ill habits1 and  
plant good ones3 8,with men this is     
impossible1 but  with ,god all things   
are possible40 ,there is no resistance1 

but he can  surmount2 no stronghold1 but
 he can demolish2 no tower1 but he can  
level4    #c4 ,it is comfort from hence1
 that all promises shall be performed4  
,goodness is sufficient to make a       
promise1 but power is necessary to      
perform a promise4 ,men that are honest1
 cannot often make good their  words1   
because something may intervene that may
 shorten their ability3  but nothing can
 disable ,god1 without diminishing his  
godhead4 ,he  hath an infiniteness of   
power to accomplish his word1 as well as
 an  infiniteness of goodness to make   
and utter his word4 b#ajj ,that might   
whereby he made heaven and earth1 and   
his keeping truth forever1 are  joined  
together 7,ps4 cxlvi4 #e1 #f72 his      
,father's faithfulness1 and  his        
creative power are linked together4 ,it 
is upon this basis the  covenant1 and   
every part of it1 is established1 and   
stands as firm as  the almightiness of  
,god1 whereby he sprung up the earth1   
and reared  the heavens4 8,no power can 

resist his will0 7,rom4 ix4 #ai72 8,who 
can  disannul his purpose1 and turn back
 his hand when it is stretched out0     
7,isa4 xiv4 #bg78 ,his word is          
unalterable1 and his power is           
invincible4  ,he could not deceive      
himself1 for he knew his own strength   
when he  promised3 no unexpected event  
can change his resolution1 because      
nothing can happen without the compass  
of his foresight4 ,no created  strength 
can stop him in his action1 because all 
creatures are ready  to serve him at his
 command2 not the devils in hell1 nor   
all the wicked  men on earth1 since he  
hath strength to restrain them1 and an  
arm  to punish them4 ,what can be too   
hard for ,him that created heaven and   
earth8 ,hence it was1 that when ,god    
promised anything anciently to his      
people1 he used often the name of the   
,almighty1 the ,lord that created       
heaven and earth1 as that which was an  
undeniable answer to any  objection1    
against anything that might be made     

against the greatness  and              
stupendousness of any promise2 by that  
name1 in all his works of  grace1 was he
 known to them 7,exod4 vi4 #c74 ,when we
 are sure of his  will1 we need not     
question his strength1 since he never   
overengaged  himself above his ability4 
,he that could not be resisted by       
anything in  creation1 nor vanquished by
 devils in redemption1 can never want   
power  to glorify his faithfulness in   
his accomplishment of whatsoever he hath
  promised4    #d4 ,from this           
infiniteness of power in ,god1 we have  
ground of  assurance for perseverance4  
,since conversion is resembled to the   
works  of creation and resurrection1 two
 great marks of his strength1 he doth   
not surely employ himself in the first  
of changing the heart1 to let  any      
created strength baffle that power which
 he began and intends to  glorify4 ,it  
was this might that struck off the      
chain1 and expelled  that strong one    
that possessed you4 ,what1 if you are   

too weak to keep  him out of his lost   
possession1 will ,god lose the glory of 
his first  strength1 by suffering his   
foiled adversary to make a reentry1 and 
regain his former usurpation8 ,his      
outstretched arm will not do less  by   
his spiritual1 than it did by his       
national ,israel3 it guarded them  all  
the way to ,canaan1 and left them not to
 shift for themselves after  he had     
struck off the fetters of ,egypt1 and   
buried their enemies in  the ,red ,sea  
7,deut4 i4 #ca74 ,this greatness of the 
,father1 above all1  our ,saviour makes 
the ground of believers' continuance    
forever1 against  the blasts of hell and
 engines of the world 7,john x4 #bi74   
8,my ,father  is greater than all1 and  
none is able to pluck them out of my    
,father's  hands40 ,our keeping is not  
in our own weak hands1 but in the hands 
of  ,him who is mighty to save4 ,that   
power of ,god keeps us which intends    
our salvation4 ,in all fears of falling 
away1 shelter yourselves in  the power  

of ,god3 8,he shall be holden up10 saith
 the apostle1 speaking  concerning one  
weak in faith2 and no other reason is   
rendered by him  but this1 8,for ,god is
 able to make him to stand0 7,rom4 xiv4 
#d74    b#aja #e4 ,from this attribute  
of the infinite power of ,god1 we have  
a ground of comfort in the lowest estate
 of the church4 ,let the state  of the  
church be never so deplorable1 the      
condition never so desperate1  that     
,power that created the world1 and shall
 raise the bodies of  men1 can create a 
happy state for the church1 and raise   
her from an  overwhelming grave2 though 
the enemies trample upon her1 they      
cannot  upon the arm that holds her1    
which by the least motion of it1 can    
lift her up above the heads of her      
adversaries1 and make them feel the     
thunder of that ,power that none can    
understand3 by the 8blast of ,god  they 
perish1 and by the breath of his        
nostrils they are consumed0 7,job  iv4  
#i72 they 8shall be scattered as chaff  

before the wind40 ,if once  he 8draw his
 hand out of his bosom10 all must fly   
before him1 or sink  under him 7,ps4    
lxxiv4 #aa73 and when there is 8none to 
help1 his own arm  sustains him1 and    
brings salvation1 and his fury doth     
uphold him0 7,isa4  lxiii4 #e74 ,what if
 the church totter under the            
underminings of hell8  ,what if it hath 
a sad heart and wet eyes8 ,in what a    
little moment can  he make the night    
turn into day1 and make the ,jews1 that 
were preparing  for death in ,shushan1  
triumph over the necks of their enemies1
 and  march in one hour with swords in  
their hands1 that expected the last     
hour 8ropes about their necks0 7,esth4  
ix4 #a1 #e78 ,if ,israel be pursued  by 
,pharaoh1 the sea shall open its arms to
 protect them3 if they  be thirsty1 a   
rock shall spout out water to refresh   
them3 if they  be hungry1 heaven shall  
be their granary for manna3 if          
,jerusalem be  besieged1 and hath not   
force enough to encounter ,sennacherib1 

an angel  shall turn the camp into an   
,aceldema1 a field of blood4 ,his people
  shall not want deliverances1 till ,god
 want a power of working miracles  for  
their security3 he is more jealous of   
his power1 than the church  can be of   
her safety4 ,and if we should want other
 arguments to press  him1 we may implore
 him by virtue of his power3 for when   
there is  nothing in the church as a    
motive to him to save it1 there is      
enough  in his own name1 and 8the       
illustration of his power0 7,ps4 cvi4   
#h74 ,who  can grapple with the         
omnipotency of that ,god1 who is jealous
 of1 and  zealous for1 the honor of it8 
,and therefore ,god1 for the most part1 
takes such opportunities to deliver1    
wherein his almightiness may be  most   
conspicuous1 and his counsels most      
admirable4 ,he awakened not  himself to 
deliver ,israel1 till they were upon the
 brink of the ,red ,sea2  nor to rescue 
the three children1 till they were in   
the fiery furnace2  nor ,daniel1 till he

 was in the lion's den4 ,it is in the   
weakness of his  creature that his      
strength is perfected1 not in a way of  
addition of  perfectness to it1 but in a
 way of manifestation of the perfection 
of  it2 as it is the perfection of the  
sun to shine and enlighten the world1   
not that the sun receives an increase of
 light by the darting of his  beams1 but
 discovers his glory to the admiration  
of men1 and pleasure  of the world4 ,if 
it were not for such occasions1 the     
world would not  regard the mightiness  
of ,god1 nor know what power were in    
him4 ,it  traverses the stage in its    
fulness and liveliness upon such        
occasions1  when the enemies are strong1
 and their strength edged with an       
intense  hatred1 and but little time    
between the contrivance and execution4  
,it  is a great comfort that the lowest 
distresses of the church are a fit      
scene for the discovery of this         
attribute1 and that the b#ajb glory  of 
,god's omnipotence1 and the church's    

security1 are so straitly linked        
together4 ,it is a promise that will    
never be forgotten by ,god1 and  ought  
never to be forgotten by us1 that 8in   
this mountain the hand of  the ,lord    
shall rest0 7,isa4 xxv4 #aj72 that is1  
the power of the ,lord  shall abide2 and
 ,moab 8shall be trodden under him1 even
 as straw is  trodden down for the      
dunghill40 ,and the 8plagues of ,babylon
 shall come  in one day1 death1 and     
mourning1 and famine2 for strong is the 
,lord  who judgeth her0 7,rev4 xviii4   
#h74    ,use ,,iii4 ,the third use is   
for exhortation4    #a4 ,meditate on    
this power of ,god1 and press it often  
upon your minds4  ,we conclude many     
things of ,god that we do not           
practically suck the  comfort of1 for   
want of deep thoughts of it1 and        
frequent inspection  into it4 ,we       
believe ,god to be true1 yet distrust   
him2 we acknowledge  him powerful1 yet  
fear the motion of every straw4 ,many   
truths1 though  assented to in our      

understandings1 are kept under hatches  
by corrupt  affections1 and have not    
their due influence1 because they are   
not  brought forth into the open air of 
our souls by meditation4 ,if we  will   
but search our hearts1 we shall find it 
is the power of ,god we  often doubt of4
 ,when the heart of ,ahaz and his       
subjects trembled at  the combination of
 the ,syrian and ,israelitish kings     
against him1 for  want of a confidence  
in the power of ,god1 ,god sends his    
prophet with  commission to work a      
miraculous sign at his own choice1 to   
rear up his  fainting heart2 and when he
 refused to ask a sign out of diffidence
  of that almighty ,power1 the prophet  
complains of it as an affront to  his   
,master 7,isa4 vii4 #ab1 #ac74 ,moses1  
so great a friend of ,god1 was          
overtaken with this kind of unbelief1   
after all the experiments of  ,god's    
miraculous acts in ,egypt2 the answer   
,god gives him manifests this  to be at 
the core3 8,is the ,lord's hand waxed   

short0 7,numb4 xi4 #bc78 ,for  want of  
actuated thoughts of this1 we are many  
times turned from our  known duty by the
 blast of a creature2 as though man had 
more power to  dismay us1 than ,god hath
 to support us in his commanded way4    
,the belief  of ,god's power is one of  
the first steps to all religion2 without
  settled thoughts of it1 we cannot pray
 lively and believingly for the         
obtaining the mercies we want1 or the   
averting the evils we fear2 we  should  
not love him1 unless we are persuaded he
 hath a power to bless  us2 nor fear    
him1 unless we were persuaded of his    
power to punish  us4 ,the frequent      
thoughts of this would render our faith 
more stable1  and our hopes more        
stedfast2 it would make us more feeble  
to sin1  and more careful to obey4 ,when
 the virgin staggered at the message of 
the angel1 that she should 8bear a      
,son10 he1 in his answer1 turns her  to 
the creative power of ,god 7,luke i4    
#ce71 8,the power of the ,highest  shall

 overshadow thee20 which seems to be in 
allusion to the ,spirit's  moving upon  
the face of the deep1 and bringing a    
comely world out of  a confused mass4   
,is it harder for ,god to make a virgin 
conceive a ,son  by the power of his    
,spirit1 than to make a world8 ,why doth
 he reveal  himself so often under the  
title of ,almighty1 and press it upon   
us1  but that we should press it upon   
ourselves8 ,and shall we be forgetful   
of that which everything about us1      
everything within us1 is a mark of8     
,how come we by a power of seeing and   
hearing1 a faculty1 and act of          
understanding b#ajc and will1 but by    
this power framing us1 this power       
assisting us8 ,what though the thunder  
of his power cannot be understood1  no  
more can any other perfection of his    
nature2 shall we1 therefore1  seldom    
think of it8 ,the sea cannot be         
fathomed1 yet the merchant  excuseth not
 himself from sailing upon the surface  
of it4 ,we cannot  glorify ,god without 

due consideration of this attribute2 for
 his power  is his glory as much as any 
other1 and called both by the name of   
glory  7,rom4 vi4 #d71 speaking of      
,christ's resurrection by the glory of  
the  ,father2 and also 8the riches of   
his glory0 7,eph4 iii4 #af74 ,those that
  have strong temptations in their      
course and overpressing corruptions  in 
their hearts1 have need to think of it  
out of interest1 since  nothing but this
 can relieve them4 ,those that have     
experimented the  working of it in their
 new creation1 are obliged to think of  
it out of  gratitude4 ,it was this      
mighty power over himself that gave rise
 to all  that pardoning grace already   
conferred1 or hereafter expected2       
without  it our souls had been consumed1
 the world overturned2 we could not     
have expected a happy heaven1 but have  
lain yelling in an eternal hell1  had   
not the power of his mercy exceeded that
 of his justice1 and his  infinite power
 executed what his infinite wisdom had  

contrived for our  redemption4 ,how much
 also should we be raised in our        
admirations of  ,god1 and ravish        
ourselves in contemplating that might   
that can raise  innumerable worlds in   
those infinite imaginary spaces without 
this  globe of heaven and earth1 and    
exceed inconceivably what he hath done  
in the creation of this8    #b4 ,from   
the pressing the consideration of this  
upon ourselves1 let us  be induced to   
trust ,god upon the account of his      
power4 ,the main end of  the revelation 
of his power to the patriarchs1 and of  
the miraculous  operations of it in     
,egypt1 was to induce them to an entire 
reposing  themselves in ,god3 and the   
,psalmist doth scarce speak of the      
,divine  ,omnipotence without making    
this inference from it2 and scarce      
exhorts  to a trust in ,god1 but backs  
it with a consideration of his power in 
creation1 it being the chief support of 
the soul 7,ps4 cxlvi4 #a73 8,happy  is  
he whose hope is in the ,lord his ,god1 

which made heaven and earth1  the sea1  
and all that therein is40 ,that ,power  
is invincible that drew  the world out  
of nothing3 nothing can happen to us    
harder than the  making the world       
without the concurrence of instruments3 
no difficulty  can nonplus that         
strength1 that hath drawn all things out
 of nothing1  or out of a confused      
matter next to nothing3 no power can    
rifle what we  commit to him 7#b ,tim4  
i4 #ab74 ,he is all power1 above the    
reach of all  power2 all other powers in
 the world flowing from him1 or         
depending on  him1 he is worthy to be   
trusted1 since we know him true1 without
 ever  breaking his word2 and           
,omnipotent1 never failing of his       
purpose2 and  a confidence in it is the 
chief act whereby we can glorify this   
power1  and credit his arm4 ,a strong   
,god1 and a weak faith in omnipotence1  
do not suit well together4 ,indeed1 we  
are more engaged to a trust in  ,divine 
power than the ancient patriarchs were2 

they had the verbal  declaration of his 
power1 and many of them little other    
evidence of  it1 than in the creation of
 the world2 and their faith in ,god     
being  established in this first        
discovery of his omnipotence1 drew out  
itself further to believe1 that         
whatsoever ,god promised by his word1 he
  b#ajd was able to perform1 as well as 
the creation of the world out of        
nothing2 which seems to be the          
intendment of the apostle 7,heb4 xi4    
#c72  not barely to speak of the        
creation of the world by ,god1 which was
 a  thing the ,hebrews understood well  
enough from their ancient oracles2  but 
to show the foundation of the           
patriarch's faith1 viz4 ,god making  the
 world by his ,word1 and what use they  
made of the discovery of his  power in  
that1 to lead them to believe the       
promise of ,god concerning  the ,seed of
 the woman to be brought into the world4
 ,but we have  not only the same        
foundation1 but superadded              

demonstrations of this  attribute in the
 conception of our ,saviour1 the union  
of the two  natures1 the glorious       
redemption1 the propagation of the      
gospel1 and  the new creation of the    
world4 ,they relied upon the naked power
 of ,god1  without those more           
illustrious appearances of it1 which    
have been in  the ages since1 and       
arrived to their notice2 we have the    
wonderful  effects of that which they   
had but obscure expectations of4        
7#a47 ,consider1 trust in ,god can never
 be without taking in ,god's power  as a
 concurrent foundation with his truth4  
,it is the main ground of  trust1 and so
 set forth in the prophet 7,isa4 xxvi4  
#d72 8,trust ye in the  ,lord for ever1 
for in the ,lord ,jehovah is everlasting
 strength40 ,and  the faith of the      
ancients so recommended 7,heb4 xi471 had
 this chiefly  for its ground2 and the  
faith in gospel times is called a       
8trusting  on his arm0 7,isa4 li4 #e47  
,all the attributes of ,god are the     

objects  of our veneration1 but they do 
not equally contribute to the producing 
trust in our hearts2 his eternity1      
simplicity1 infiniteness1 ravish  and   
astonish our minds when we consider     
them2 but there is no immediate         
tendency in their nature to allure us to
 a confidence in him1 no1 not  in an    
innocent state1 much less in a lapsed   
and revolted condition3 but  the other  
perfections of his nature1 as his       
holiness1 righteousness1  mercy1 are    
amiable to us in regard of the immediate
 operations of them  upon and about the 
creature1 and so have something in their
 own nature  to allure us to repose     
ourselves in him2 but yet those cannot  
engage  to an entire trust in him       
without reflecting upon his ability1    
which  can only render those useful and 
successful to the creature4#hhf ,for    
whatsoever bars stand in the way of his 
holy1 righteous1 and merciful           
proceedings towards his creatures1 are  
not overmastered by those  perfections1 

but by that strength of his which can   
only relieve us  in concurrence with the
 other attributes4 ,how could his mercy 
succor  us without his arm1 or his      
wisdom guide us without his hand1 or his
  truth perform promises to us without  
his strength8 ,as no attribute  can act 
without it1 so in our addresses to him  
upon the account of  any particular     
perfection in the ,godhead according to 
our indigency1  our eye must be         
perpetually fixed upon this of his      
power1 and our  faith would be feeble   
and dispirited without eyeing this3     
without this1  his holiness1 which hates
 sin1 would not be regarded2 and his    
mercy1  pitying a grieving sinner1 would
 not be valued4 ,as this power is the   
ground of a wicked man's fear1 so it is 
the ground of a good man's  trust4 ,this
 was that which was the principal       
support of ,abraham1 not  barely his    
promise1 but his ability to make it good
 7,rom4 iv4 #ba72  b#aje and when he was
 commanded to sacrifice ,isaac1 the     

ability of  ,god to raise him up again  
7,heb4 xi4 #ai74 ,all faith would droop1
 and be  in the mire1 without leaning   
upon this2 all those attributes which we
  consider as moral in ,god1 would have 
no influence upon us without this1      
which we consider physically in ,god4   
,though we value the kindness men  may  
express to us in our distresses1 yet we 
make them not the objects  of our       
confidence1 unless they have an ability 
to act what they express4  ,there can be
 no trust in ,god without an eye to his 
power4    7#b47 ,sometimes the power of 
,god is the sole object of trust4 ,as   
when  we have no promise to assure us of
 his will1 we have nothing else to      
pitch upon but his ability2 and that not
 his absolute power1 but his  ordinate1 
in the way of his providence2 we must   
not trust in it so  as to expect he     
should please our humor with fresh      
miracles1 but rest  upon his power1 and 
leave the manner to his will4 ,asa1 when
 ready to  conflict with the vast       

,ethiopian army1 pleaded nothing else   
but this  power of ,god 7#b ,chron4 xiv4
 #aa74 ,and the three children1 who had 
no  particular promise of deliverance   
7that we read of7 stuck to ,god's       
ability to preserve them against the    
king's threatening1 and owned  it in the
 face of the king1 yet with some kind of
 inward intimations  in their own       
spirits1 that he would also deliver them
 7,dan4 iii4 #ag74  8,our ,god1 whom we 
serve1 is able to deliver us from the   
burning fiery  furnace40 ,and           
accordingly the fire burnt the cords    
that tied them1  without singeing any   
thing else about them4 ,but when this   
power  hath been exercised upon like    
occasions1 it is a precedent he hath    
given us to rest upon4 ,precedents in   
law are good pleas1 and strong          
encouragements to the client to expect  
success in his suit4 8,our  fathers     
trusted in thee1 and thou didst deliver 
them10 saith ,david 7,ps4  xxii4 #d74   
,and ,jehoshaphat1 in a case of distress

 7#b ,chron4 xx4 #g71 8,art  not thou   
our ,god1 that didst drive out the      
inhabitants of this land  before thy    
people ,israel80 ,when we have not any  
statute law and promise  to plead1 we   
may plead his power1 together with the  
former precedents  and act of it4 ,the  
centurion had nothing else to act his   
faith upon but  the power of ,christ1   
and some evidences of it in the miracles
 reported  of him2 but he is silent in  
the latter1 and casts himself only upon 
the  former1 acknowledging that ,christ 
had the same command over diseases1  as 
himself had over his soldiers 7,matt4   
viii4 #aj74 ,and our ,saviour1  when he 
receives the petition of the blind men1 
requires no more of  them in order to a 
cure1 but a belief of his ability to    
perform it  7,matt4 ix4 #bh74 8,believe 
you that ,i am able to do this80 ,his   
will is  not known but by revelation1   
but his power is apprehended by reason1 
as essentially and eternally linked with
 the notion of a ,god4 ,god also  is    

jealous of the honor of this attribute2 
and since it is so much  virtually      
discredited1 he is pleased when any do  
cordially own it1 and  entirely resign  
themselves to the assistance of it4     
,well1 then1 in all  duties where faith 
is particularly to be acted1 forget not 
this as the  main prop of it3 do you    
pray for a flourishing and triumphing   
grace8  ,consider him 8as able to make  
all grace to abound in you0 7#b ,cor4   
ix4  #h74 ,do you want comfort and      
reviving under your contritions and     
godly  sorrow8 ,consider him1 as he     
declares himself1 b#ajf 8the high and   
lofty ,one0 7,isa4 lvii4 #ae74 ,are you 
under pressing distresses8 take         
,eliphaz's advice to ,job1 when he tells
 him what he himself would do if  he    
were in his case 7,job v4 #h71 8,i would
 seek unto ,god1 and unto ,god  would ,i
 commit my cause30 but observe under    
what consideration 7ver4 #i7  as to one 
8that doth great things1 and            
unsearchable2 marvellous things  without

 number40 ,when you beg of him the      
melting your rocky hearts1 the  dashing 
in pieces your strong corruptions1 the  
drawing his beautiful  image in your    
soul1 the quickening your dead hearts1  
and reviving your  drooping spirits1 and
 supplying your spiritual wants1        
consider him as  one 8able to do        
abundantly10 not only 8above what you   
can ask10 but  8above what you can      
think0 7,eph4 iii4 #bj74 ,faith will be 
spiritless1  and prayer will be         
lifeless1 if power be not eyed by us in 
those things  which cannot be done      
without an arm of ,omnipotence4    #c4  
,this doctrine teacheth us humility and 
submission4 ,the vast  disproportion    
between the mightiness of ,god1 and the 
meanness of  a creature1 inculcates the 
lesson of humility in his presence4 ,how
  becoming is humility under a mighty   
hand 7#a ,pet4 v4 #f76 ,what is an      
infant in a giant's hand1 or a lamb in a
 lion's paw8 ,submission to             
irresistible power is the best policy1  

and the best security2 this  gratifies  
and draws out goodness1 whereas         
murmuring and resistance  exasperates   
and sharpens power4 ,we sanctify his    
name1 and glorify his  strength1 by     
falling down before it2 it is an        
acknowledgment of his  invisible        
strength1 and our inability to match it4
 ,how low should we  therefore lie      
before him1 against whose power our     
pride and murmuring  can do no good1 who
 can outwrestle us in our contests1 and 
alway  overcome when he judges 7,rom4   
iii4 #d76    #d4 ,this doctrine teacheth
 us not to fear the pride and force of  
man4  ,how unreasonable is it to fear a 
limited1 above an unbounded power6  ,how
 unbecoming is the fear of man in him1  
who hath an interest in a  strength able
 to curb the strongest devils6 ,who     
would tremble at the  threats of a      
dwarf1 that hath a mighty and watchful  
giant for his  guard8 ,if ,god doth but 
arise1 his enemies are scattered 7,ps4  
lxviii4  #a73 the least motion makes    

them fly before him3 it is no difficult 
thing for ,him1 that made them by a     
word1 to unmake their designs1 and      
shiver them in pieces by the breath of  
his mouth3 8,he brings princes to       
nothing1 and makes the judges of the    
earth vanity2 they wither when he  blows
 upon them1 and their stock shall not   
take root in the earth4 ,he  can command
 a whirlwind to take them away as       
stubble0 7,isa4 xl4 #bc1 #bd72  yea1    
with the 8shaking of his hand he makes  
servants to become rulers  of those that
 were their masters0 7,zech4 ii4 #i74   
,whole nations are no  more in his hands
 than a 8morning cloud10 or the 8dew    
upon the ground10  or 8the chaff before 
the wind10 or the smoke against the     
motion of the  air1 which1 though it    
appear out of a chimney like a black    
invincible  cloud1 is quickly dispersed1
 and becomes invisible 7,hos4 xiii4 #c74
 ,how  inconsiderable are the most      
mighty to this strength1 which can puff 
away a whole world of proud             

grasshoppers1 and a whole sky of daring 
clouds6 ,he that by his word masters the
 rage of the sea1 can overrule  the     
pride and power of men4 ,where is the   
fury of the oppressor8 ,it  cannot      
overleap the bounds he hath set it1 nor 
march an inch b#ajg  beyond the point he
 hath prescribed it4 ,fear not the      
confederacies of  man1 but 8sanctify the
 ,lord of hosts2 let him be your fear1  
and let him  be your dread0 7,isa4 viii4
 #ac74 ,to fear men is to dishonor the  
name of  ,god1 and regard him as a      
feeble ,lord1 and not as the ,lord of   
hosts1 who  is mighty in strength1 so   
that they that harden themselves against
 him  shall not prosper4    #e4         
,therefore this doctrine teacheth us the
 fear of ,god4 ,the prophet  ,jeremiah  
counts it as an impossible thing for men
 to be destitute of  the fear of ,god1  
when they seriously consider his name to
 be great and  mighty 7,jer4 x4 #f1 #g73
 8,thou art great1 and thy name is great
 in might3  who would not fear thee1 ,o 

thou ,king of nations80 ,shall we not   
tremble  at his presence1 who hath      
placed the 8sand for the bound of the   
sea by  a perpetual decree20 that though
 the waves thereof toss themselves1 yet 
they cannot prevail 7,jer4 v4 #bb74 ,he 
can arm the weakest creature for  our   
destruction1 and disarm the strongest   
creatures which appear for  our         
preservation4 ,he can command a hair1 a 
crumb1 a kernel1 to go awry1  and       
strangle us4 ,he can make the heavens   
brass over our head1 stop  close the    
bottles of the clouds1 and make the     
fruit of the fields droop1  when there  
is a small distance to the harvest2 he  
can arm men's wit1  wealth1 hands1      
against themselves2 he can turn our     
sweet morsels into  bitter1 and our own 
consciences into devouring lions2 he can
 root  up cities by moles1 and conquer  
the proudest by lice and worms4 ,the    
omnipotence of ,god is not only the     
object of a believer's trust1 but  a    
believer's fear4 ,it is from the        

consideration of this power only1  that 
our ,saviour presses his disciples1 whom
 he entitles his friends1  to fear ,god2
 which lesson he presses by a double    
repetition1 and with  a kind of         
asseveration1 without rendering any     
other reason than this of  the ability  
of ,god to cast into hell 7,luke xii4   
#e74 ,we are to fear ,him  because he   
can2 but bless his goodness because he  
will not4 ,in regard  of his            
omnipotence1 he is to be reverenced1 not
 only by mortal men1  but by the blessed
 angels1 who are past the fear of any   
danger by his  power1 being confirmed in
 a happy state by his unalterable grace3
 when  they adore him for his holiness1 
they reverence him for his power with   
covered faces3 the title of the 8,lord  
of hosts0 is joined in their            
reverential praise with that of his     
holiness 7,isa4 vi4 #c71 8,holy1 holy1  
holy is the ,lord of hosts40 ,how should
 we adore that ,power which can         
preserve us1 when devils and men        

conspire to destroy us6 ,how should  we 
stand in awe of that ,power which can   
destroy us1 though angels  and men      
should combine to preserve us6 ,the     
parts of his ways which  are discovered1
 are sufficient motives to an humble and
 reverential  adoration3 but who can    
fear and adore him according to the     
vastness of  his power1 and his         
excellent greatness1 since 8the thunder 
of his power  who can understand80      
b#ajh                       ,,discourse 
,,xi4                            ,,on   
,,the ,,holiness ,,of ,,god4            
,,exodus xv4 #aa4,who is like unto thee1
 ,o ,lord1 among the gods8      ,who is 
like thee1 glorious in holiness1 fearful
 in praises1      doing wonders8        
,,this verse is one of the loftiest     
descriptions of the majesty and         
excellency of ,god in the whole         
,scripture4#hhg ,it is a part of ,moses'
  1 or 8triumphant song10 after a great 
and real1 and a typical  victory2 in the
 womb of which all the deliverances of  

the church were  couched4 ,it is the    
first song upon holy record1 and it     
consists of  gratulatory and prophetic  
matter2 it casts a look backward to what
 ,god  did for them in their deliverance
 from ,egypt2 and a look forward to     
what ,god shall do for the church in    
future ages4 ,that deliverance was  but 
a rough draught of something more       
excellent to be wrought towards  the    
closing up of the world2 when his       
plagues shall be poured out  upon the   
antichristian powers1 which should      
revive the same song of  ,moses in the  
church1 as fitted so many ages before   
for such a scene  of affairs 7,rev4 xv4 
#b1 #c74 ,it is observed1 therefore1    
that many words  in this song are put in
 the future tense1 noting a time to     
come2 and  the very first word1 ver4 #a1
 8,then sang ,moses and the children of 
,israel this song20 1 shall sing2       
implying1 that it was composed and      
calculated for the celebrating some     
greater action of ,god's1 which was  to 

be wrought in the world4#hhh ,upon this 
account1 some of the ,jewish  rabbins1  
from the consideration of this remark1  
asserted the doctrine  of the           
resurrection to be meant in this place2 
that ,moses and those  ,israelites      
should rise again to sing the same song1
 for some greater  miracles ,god should 
work1 and greater triumphs he should    
bring forth1  exceeding those wonders at
 their deliverance from ,egypt4    ,it  
consists of1 #a4 ,a preface 7ver4 #a72  
8,i will sing unto the  ,lord40#hhi #b4 
,an historical narration of matter of   
fact 7ver4 #c1 #d71  8,pharaoh's        
chariots and his host hath he cast into 
the ,red ,sea20 which  he solely        
ascribes to ,god 7ver4 #f71 8,thy right 
hand1 ,o ,lord1 is become  glorious in  
power3 thy right hand1 ,o ,lord1 hath   
dashed in pieces the  enemy20 which he  
doth prophetically1 as respecting       
something to be done  in aftertimes2 or 
further for the completing of that      
deliverance2 or1  as others think1      

respecting their entering into ,canaan2 
for the words1  in these two verses1 are
 put in the future tense4 ,the manner of
 the  deliverance is described 7ver4    
#h72 8,the floods stood upright b#aji as
  an heap1 and the depths were congealed
 in the heart of the sea40 ,in the  #ith
 verse1 he magnifies the victory from   
the vain glory and security  of the     
enemy2 8,the enemy said1 ,i will pursue1
 ,i will overtake1 ,i will  divide the  
spoil10 c4 ,and ver4 #af1 #ag1 ,he      
prophetically describes  the fruit of   
this victory1 in the influence it shall 
have upon those  nations1 by whose      
confines they were to travel to the     
promised land2  8,fear and dread shall  
fall upon them2 by the greatness of thy 
arm they  shall be as still as a stone1 
till thy people pass over which thou    
hast  purchased40 ,the phrase of this   
and the #agth and #ahth verses1 seems to
  be more magnificent than to design    
only the bringing the ,israelites  to   
the earthly ,canaan2 but seems to       

respect the gathering his redeemed  ones
 together1 to place them in the         
spiritual sanctuary which he had        
established1 wherein the ,lord should   
reign forever and ever1 without  any    
enemies to disturb his royalty2 8,the   
,lord shall reign forever and  ever0    
7ver4 #ah74 ,the prophet1 in the midst  
of his historical narrative1  seems to  
be in an ecstasy1 and breaks out in a   
stately exaltation of  ,god in the text4
    ,who is like unto thee1 ,o ,lord1   
among the gods8 c4 ,interrogations  are1
 in ,scripture1 the strongest           
affirmations or negations2 it is  here a
 strong affirmation of the              
incomparableness of ,god1 and a strong  
denial of the worthiness of all         
creatures to be partners with him in    
the degrees of his excellency2 it is a  
preference of ,god before all  creatures
 in holiness1 to which the purity of    
creatures is but a shadow  in desert of 
reverence and veneration1 he being      
8fearful in praises40  ,the angels cover

 their faces when they adore him in his 
particular  perfections4    ,amongst the
 gods4 ,among the idols of the nations1 
say some2  others say1#hij it is not to 
be found that the ,heathen idols are    
ever  dignified with the title of       
8strong or mighty10 as the word         
translated  gods1 doth import2 and      
therefore understand it of the angels1  
or other  potentates of the world2 or   
rather inclusively1 of all that are     
noted  for1 or can lay claim to1 the    
title of strength and might upon the    
earth or in heaven4 ,god is so great and
 majestic1 that no creature can  share  
with him in his praise4    ,fearful in  
praises4 ,various are the               
interpretations of this  passage3 to be 
8reverenced in praises20 his praise     
ought to be  celebrated with a religious
 fear4 ,fear is the product of his mercy
  as well as his justice2 8,he hath     
forgiveness that he may be feared0      
7,ps4 cxxx4 #d74 ,or1 8fearful in       
praises20 whom none can praise without  

amazement at the considerations of his  
works4 ,none can truly praise  him      
without being affected with astonishment
 at his greatness4#hia  ,or1 8fearful in
 praises20 whom no mortal can           
sufficiently praise1  since he is above 
all praise4#hib ,whatsoever a human     
tongue can speak1  or an angelical      
understanding think of the excellency of
 his nature  and the greatness of his   
works1 falls short of the vastness of   
the  ,divine perfection4 ,a creature's  
praises of ,god are as much below the   
transcendent eminency of ,god1 as the   
meanness of a creature's being  is below
 the eternal fulness of the ,creator4   
,or1 rather1 8fearful10 or  terrible1   
8in praises20 that is1 in the matter of 
thy praise3 and the  learned ,rivet     
concurs with me in b#aaj this sense4    
,the works of ,god1  celebrated in this 
song1 were terrible2 it was the         
miraculous overthrow  of the strength   
and flower of a mighty nation2 his      
judgments were  severe1 as well as his  

mercy was seasonable4 ,the word         
signifies  glorious and illustrious1 as 
well as terrible and fearful4 ,no man   
can  hear the praise of thy name1 for   
those great judicial acts1 without  some
 astonishment at thy justice1 the       
stream1 and thy holiness1  the spring of
 those mighty works4 ,this seems to be  
the sense of the  following words1      
8doing wonders30 fearful in the matter  
of thy praise2  they being wonders which
 thou hast done among us and for us4    
,doing wonders4 ,congealing the waters  
by a wind1 to make them stand  like     
walls for the rescue of the ,israelites2
 and melting them by a  wind1 for the   
overthrow of the ,egyptians1 are        
prodigies that challenge  the greatest  
adorations of that mercy which delivered
 the one1 and that  justice which       
punished the other2 and of the arm of   
that power whereby  he effected both his
 gracious and righteous purposes4       
,whence observe1 that the judgments of  
,god upon his enemies1 as well  as his  

mercies to his people1 are matters of   
praise4 ,the perfections  of ,god appear
 in both4 ,justice and mercy are so     
linked together in his  acts of         
providence1 that the one cannot be      
forgotten whilst the other  is          
acknowledged4 ,he is never so terrible  
as in the assemblies of his  saints1 and
 the deliverance of them 7,ps4 lxxxix4  
#g74 ,as the creation  was erected by   
him for his glory2 so all the acts of   
his government  are designed for the    
same end3 and his creatures deny him his
 due1 if  they acknowledge not his      
excellency in whatsoever dreadful1 as   
well  as pleasing garbs1 it appears in  
the world4 ,his terror as well as his   
righteousness appears1 when he is a ,god
 of salvation 7,ps4 lxv4 #e74  8,by     
terrible things in righteousness wilt   
thou answer us1 ,o ,god of our          
salvation40 ,but the expression ,i pitch
 upon in the text to handle1 is         
glorious in holiness4 ,he is magnified  
or honorable in holiness2 so  the word  

is translated 7,isa4 xlii4 #ba74 8,he   
will magnify the law1  and make it      
honorable40 ,thy holiness hath shone    
forth admirably in  this last exploit1  
against the enemies and oppressors of   
thy people4  ,the holiness of ,god is   
his glory1 as his grace is his riches3  
holiness  is his crown1 and his mercy is
 his treasure4 ,this is the blessedness 
and nobleness of his nature2 it renders 
him glorious in himself1 and  glorious  
to his creatures1 that understand any   
thing of this lovely  perfection4       
,holiness is a glorious perfection      
belonging to the nature  of ,god4 ,hence
 he is in ,scripture styled often the   
,holy ,one1 the ,holy  ,one of ,jacob1  
the ,holy ,one of ,israel2 and oftener  
entitled ,holy1 than  ,almighty1 and set
 forth by this part of his dignity more 
than by any  other4 ,this is more       
affixed as an epithet to his name than  
any other3  you never find it expressed1
 ,his mighty name1 or ,his wise name2   
but ,his  great name1 and most of all1  

,his holy name4 ,this is his greatest   
title  of honor2 in this doth the       
majesty and venerableness of his name   
appear4  ,when the sinfulness of        
,sennacherib is aggravated1 the ,holy   
,ghost takes  the rise from this        
attribute 7#b ,kings xix4 #bb74 8,thou  
hast lift up  thine eyes on high1 even  
against the ,holy ,one of ,israel20 not 
against  the wise1 mighty1 c41 but      
against the ,holy ,one of ,israel1 as   
that  wherein the majesty of ,god was   
most illustrious4 ,it b#aaa is upon this
  account he is called light1 as        
impurity is called darkness2 both in    
this sense are opposed to one another3  
he is a pure and unmixed light1  free   
from all blemish in his essence1 nature1
 and operations4    #a4 ,heathens have  
owned it4 ,proclus calls him1 the       
undefiled ,governor of  the world4#hic  
,the poetical transformations of their  
false gods1 and  the extravagancies     
committed by them1 wasin the account of 
the wisest  of theman unholy thing to   

report and hear4#hid ,and some vindicate
  ,epicurus from the atheism wherewith  
he was commonly charged2 that he  did   
not deny the being of ,god1 but those   
adulterous and contentious  deities the 
people worshipped1 which were practices 
unworthy and  unbecoming the nature of  
,god4#hie ,hence they asserted1 that    
virtue was  an imitation of ,god1 and a 
virtuous man bore a resemblance to ,god3
 if  virtue were a copy from ,god1 a    
greater holiness must be owned in the   
original4 ,and when some of them were at
 a loss how to free ,god from  being the
 author of sin in the world1 they       
ascribe the birth of sin to  matter1 and
 run into an absurd opinion1 fancying it
 to be uncreated1  that thereby they    
might exempt ,god from all mixture of   
evil2 so sacred  with them was the      
conception of ,god1 as a ,holy ,god4    
#b4 ,the absurdest heretics have owned  
it4 ,the ,maniches and ,marchionites1   
that thought evil came by necessity1 yet
 would salve ,god's being the  author of

 it1 by asserting two distinct eternal  
principles1 one the  original of evil1  
as ,god was the fountain of good3 so    
rooted was the  notion of this ,divine  
purity1 that none would ever slander    
goodness  itself with that which was so 
disparaging to it4#hif    #c4 ,the      
nature of ,god cannot rationally be     
conceived without it4  ,though the power
 of ,god be the first rational          
conclusion1 drawn from  the sight of his
 works1 wisdom the next1 from the order 
and connexion  of his works1 purity must
 result from the beauty of his works3   
that ,god  cannot be deformed by evil1  
who hath made every thing so beautiful  
in  its time4 ,the notion of a ,god     
cannot be entertained without separating
  from him whatsoever is impure and     
bespotting both in his essence  and     
actions4 ,though we conceive him        
infinite in ,majesty1 infinite in       
essence1 eternal in duration1 mighty in 
power1 and wise and immutable  in his   
counsels2 merciful in his proceedings   

with men1 and whatsoever  other         
perfections may dignify so sovereign a  
,being1 yet if we conceive  him         
destitute of this excellent perfection1 
and imagine him possessed  with the     
least contagion of evil1 we make him but
 an infinite monster1  and sully all    
those perfections we ascribed to him    
before2 we rather  own him a devil than 
a ,god4 ,it is a contradiction to be    
,god and to  be darkness1 or to have one
 mote of darkness mixed with his light4 
,it  is a less injury to him to deny his
 being1 than to deny the purity of  it2 
the one makes him no god1 the other a   
deformed1 unlovely1 and a  detestable   
god4 ,plutarch said not amiss1 ,that he 
should count himself  less injured by   
that man1 that should deny that there   
was such a man as  ,plutarch1 than by   
him that should affirm that there was   
such b#aab a  one indeed1 but he was a  
debauched fellow1 a loose and vicious   
person4  ,it is a less wrong to ,god to 
discard any acknowledgments of his      

being1  and to count him nothing1 than  
to believe him to exist1 but imagine  a 
base and unholy ,deity3 he that saith1  
,god is not holy1 speaks much  worse    
than he that saith1 ,there is no ,god at
 all4 ,let these two things  be         
considered4    ,i4 ,if any1 this        
attribute hath an excellency above his  
other  perfections4 ,there are some     
attributes of ,god we prefer1 because of
 our  interest in them1 and the relation
 they bear to us3 as we esteem his      
goodness before his power1 and his mercy
 whereby he relieves us1 before  his    
justice whereby he punisheth us2 as     
there are some we more delight  in1     
because of the goodness we receive by   
them2 so there are some that  ,god      
delights to honor1 because of their     
excellency4    #a4 ,none is sounded out 
so loftily1 with such solemnity1 and so 
frequently by angels that stand before  
his throne1 as this4 ,where do  you find
 any other attribute trebled in the     
praises of it1 as this  7,isa4 vi4 #c78 

8,holy1 holy1 holy is the ,lord of      
hosts1 the whole earth  is full of his  
glory20 and 7,rev4 iv4 #h71 8,the four  
beasts rest not day  and night1 saying1 
,holy1 holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god           
,almighty10 c4 ,his power  or           
sovereignty1 as ,lord of hosts1 is but  
once mentioned1 but with a  ternal      
repetition of his holiness4 ,do you     
hear1 in any angelical song1  any other 
perfection of the ,divine ,nature thrice
 repeated8 ,where do  we read of the    
crying out ,eternal1 eternal1 eternal2  
or1 ,faithful1  faithful1 faithful1     
,lord ,god of ,hosts8 ,whatsoever other 
attribute is  left out1 this ,god would 
have to fill the mouths of angels and   
blessed  spirits for ever in heaven4    
#b4 ,he singles it out to swear by 7,ps4
 lxxxix4 #ce73 8,once have ,i sworn  by 
my holiness1 that ,i will not lie unto  
,david30 and 7,amos iv4 #b71 8,the      
,lord will swear by his holiness30 he   
twice swears by his holiness2 once  by  
his power 7,isa4 lxii4 #h72 once by all1

 when he swears by his name  7,jer4     
xliv4 #bf74 ,he lays here his holiness  
to pledge for the assurance  of his     
promise1 as the attribute most dear to  
him1 most valued by  him1 as though no  
other could give an assurance parallel  
to it in this  concern of an everlasting
 redemption which is there spoken of3 he
 that  swears1 swears by a greater than 
himself2 ,god having no greater than    
himself1 swears by himself3 and swearing
 here by his holiness1 seems  to equal  
that single one to all his other        
attributes1 as if he were  more         
concerned in the honor of it1 than of   
all the rest4 ,it is as if he  should   
have said1 ,since ,i have not a more    
excellent perfection to swear  by1 than 
that of my holiness1 ,i lay this to pawn
 for your security1 and  bind myself by 
that which ,i will never part with1 were
 it possible for  me to be stripped of  
all the rest4 ,it is a tacit imprecation
 of himself1  ,if ,i lie unto ,david1   
let me never be counted holy1 or thought

 righteous  enough to be trusted by     
angels or men4 ,this attribute he makes 
most of4    #c4 ,it is his glory and    
beauty4 ,holiness is the honor of the   
creature2  sanctification and honor are 
linked together 7#a ,thess4 iv4 #d72    
much  more is it the honor of ,god2 it  
is the image of ,god in the creature    
7,eph4 iv4 #bd74 ,when we take the      
picture of a man1 we draw the most      
beautiful part1 the face1 which is a    
member of the greatest excellency4      
,when ,god would be drawn to the life1  
as much b#aac as can be1 in the  spirit 
of his creatures1 he is drawn in this   
attribute1 as being the  most beautiful 
perfection of ,god1 and most valuable   
with him4 ,power  is his hand and arm2  
omniscience1 his eye2 mercy1 his bowels2
 eternity1  his duration2 his holiness  
is his beauty 7#b ,chron4 xx4           
#ba728should  praise the beauty of      
holiness40 ,in ,ps4 xxvii4 #d1 ,david   
desires 8to  behold the beauty of the   
,lord1 and inquire in his holy temple20 

that  is1 the holiness of ,god          
manifested in his hatred of sin in the  
daily  sacrifices4 ,holiness was the    
beauty of the temple 7,isa4 xlvi4 #aa72 
holy and beautiful house are joined     
together2 much more the beauty of  ,god 
that dwelt in the sanctuary4 ,this      
renders him lovely to all his  innocent 
creatures1 though formidable to the     
guilty ones4 ,a heathen  philosopher    
could call it the beauty of the ,divine 
essence1 and say1  that ,god was not so 
happy by an eternity of life1 as by an  
excellency  of virtue4#hig ,and the     
angels' song intimate it to be his glory
  7,isa4 vi4 #c72 8,the whole earth is  
full of thy glory20 that is1 of his     
holiness in his laws1 and in his        
judgments against sin1 that being the   
attribute applauded by them before4     
#d4 ,it is his very life4 ,so it is     
called 7,eph4 iv4 #ah71 8,alienated     
from the life of ,god10 that is1 from   
the holiness of ,god3 speaking of  the  
opposite to it1 the uncleanness and     

profaneness of the ,gentiles4 ,we  are  
only alienated from that which we are   
bound to imitate2 but this is  the      
perfection alway set out as the pattern 
of our actions1 8,be ye holy1  as ,i am 
holy20 no other is proposed as our copy2
 alienated from that  purity of ,god1   
which is as much as his life1 without   
which he could not  live4 ,if he were   
stripped of this1 he would be a dead    
,god1 more than by  the want of any     
other perfection4 ,his swearing by it   
intimates as much2  he swears often by  
his own life2 8,as ,i live1 saith the   
,lord30 so he  swears by his holiness1  
as if it were his life1 and more his    
life than  any other4 ,let me not live1 
or let me not be holy1 are all one in   
his  oath4 ,his ,deity could not outlive
 the life of his purity4    ,,ii4 ,as it
 seems to challenge an excellency above 
all his other  perfections1 so it is the
 glory of all the rest4 ,as it is the   
glory  of the ,godhead1 so it is the    
glory of every perfection in the        

,godhead4  ,as his power is the strength
 of them1 so his holiness is the beauty 
of them4 ,as all would be weak1 without 
almightiness to back them1 so  all would
 be uncomely without holiness to adorn  
them4 ,should this be  sullied1 all the 
rest would lose their honor and their   
comfortable  efficacy3 as1 at the same  
instant that the sun should lose its    
light1  it would lose its heat1 its     
strength1 its generative and quickening 
virtue4 ,as sincerity is the lustre of  
every grace in a ,christian1 so is      
purity the splendor of every attribute  
in the ,godhead4 ,his justice is  a holy
 justice2 his wisdom a holy wisdom2 his 
arm of power a holy arm  7,ps4 xcviii4  
#a72 his truth or promise a holy promise
 7,ps4 cv4 #db74  ,holy and true go hand
 in hand 7,rev4 vi4 #aj74 ,his name1    
which signifies  all his attributes in  
conjunction1 is holy 7,ps4 ciii4 #a72   
yea1 he is  8righteous in all his ways1 
and holy in all his works0 7,ps4 cxlv4  
#ag73  it is the rule of all his acts1  

the source of all his punishments4 ,if  
every attribute of the ,deity were a    
distinct member1 purity would be  the   
form1 the soul1 the spirit to animate   
them4 ,without it1 his b#aad  patience  
would be an indulgence to sin1 his mercy
 a fondness1 his wrath  a madness1 his  
power a tyranny1 his wisdom an unworthy 
subtilty4 ,it  is this gives a decorum  
to all4 ,his mercy is not exercised     
without it1  since he pardons none but  
those that have an interest1 by union1  
in the  obedience of a ,mediator1 which 
was so delightful to his infinite       
purity4  ,his justice1 which guilty man 
is apt to tax with cruelty and violence 
in the exercise of it1 is not acted out 
of the compass of this rule4  ,in acts  
of man's vindictive justice there is    
something of impurity1  perturbation1   
passion1 some mixture of cruelty2 but   
none of these fall  upon ,god in the    
severest acts of wrath4 ,when ,god      
appears to ,ezekiel1  in the resemblance
 of fire1 to signify his anger against  

the house  of ,judah for their idolatry1
 8from his loins downward0 there was    
8the  appearance of fire20 but1 from the
 loins upward1 8the appearance of       
brightness1 as the color of amber0      
7,ezek4 viii4 #b74 ,his heart is clear  
in his most terrible acts of vengeance2 
it is a pure flame1 wherewith  he       
scorcheth and burns his enemies3 he is  
holy in the most fiery  appearance4     
,this attribute1 therefore1 is never so 
much applauded1 as  when his sword hath 
been drawn1 and he hath manifested the  
greatest  fierceness against his        
enemies4 ,the magnificent and triumphant
  expression of it in the text1 follows 
just upon ,god's miraculous defeat  and 
ruin of the ,egyptian army3 8,the sea   
covered them2 they sank as lead  in the 
mighty waters30 then it follows1 8,who  
is like unto thee1 ,o ,lord1  glorious  
in holiness80 ,and when it was so       
celebrated by the seraphims  7,isa4 vi4 
#c71 it was when the 8posts moved1 and  
the house was filled  with smoke0 7ver4 

#d71 which are signs of anger 7,ps4     
xviii4 #g1 #h74  ,and when he was about 
to send ,isaiah upon a message of       
spiritual and  temporal judgments1 that 
he would make the 8heart of that people 
fat1  and their ears heavy1 and their   
eyes shut2 waste their cities without   
inhabitant1 and their houses without    
man1 and make the land desolate0  7ver4 
#iab73 and the angels which here applaud
 him for his holiness1  are the         
executioners of his justice1 and here   
called seraphims1 from  burning or fiery
 spirits1 as being the ministers of his 
wrath4 ,his  justice is part of his     
holiness1 whereby he doth reduce into   
order  those things that are out of     
order4 ,when he is consuming men by his 
fury1 he doth not diminish1 but manifest
 purity 7,zeph4 iii4 #e72 8,the  just   
,lord is in the midst of her2 he will do
 no iniquity40 ,every action  of his is 
free from all tincture of evil4 ,it is  
also celebrated with  praise1 by the    
four beasts about his throne1 when he   

appears in a  covenant garb with a      
rainbow about his throne1 and yet with  
thunderings  and lightnings shot against
 his enemies 7,rev4 iv4 #h1 compared    
with  ver4 #c1 #e71 to show that all his
 acts of mercy1 as well as justice1  are
 clear from any stain4 ,this is the     
crown of all his attributes1 the  life  
of all his decrees1 the brightness of   
all his actions3 nothing  is decreed by 
him1 nothing is acted by him1 but what  
is worthy of the  dignity1 and becoming 
the honor1 of this attribute4    ,for   
the better understanding this attribute1
 observe1 ,i4 ,the nature  of this      
holiness4 ,,ii4 ,the demonstration of   
it4 ,,iii4 ,the purity of his  nature in
 all his acts about sin4 ,,iv4 ,the use 
of all to ourselves4    ,i4 ,the nature 
of ,divine holiness in general4 ,the    
holiness of  ,god negatively1 is a      
perfect and unpolluted freedom from all 
evil4  ,as we b#aae call gold pure that 
is not embased by any dross1 and  that  
garment clean that is free from any     

spot1 so the nature of  ,god is         
estranged from all shadow of evil1 all  
imaginable contagion4  ,positively1 ,it 
is the rectitude or integrity of the    
,divine nature1  or that conformity of  
it1 in affection and action1 to the     
,divine will1  as to his eternal law1   
whereby he works with a becomingness to 
his own  excellency1 and whereby he hath
 a delight and complacency in everything
  agreeable to his will1 and an         
abhorrency of everything contrary       
thereunto4 ,as there is no darkness in  
his understanding1 so there is no  spot 
in his will3 as his mind is possessed   
with all truth1 so there is  no         
deviation in his will from it4 ,he loves
 all truth and goodness2 he  hates all  
falsity and evil4 ,in regard of his     
righteousness1 he loves  righteousness  
7,ps4 xi4 #g72 8,the righteous ,lord    
loveth righteousness10  and 8hath no    
pleasure in wickedness0 7,ps4 v4 #d74   
,he values purity in  his creatures1 and
 detests all impurity1 whether inward or

 outward4 ,we  may1 indeed1 distinguish 
the holiness of ,god from his           
righteousness in  our conceptions3      
holiness is a perfection absolutely     
considered in the  nature of ,god2      
righteousness1 a perfection1 as referred
 to others1 in  his actions towards them
 and upon them4#hih    ,in particular1  
this property of the ,divine nature is1 
#a4 ,an essential  and necessary        
perfection3 he is essentially and       
necessarily holy4 ,it  is the essential 
glory of his nature3 his holiness is as 
necessary as  his being2 as necessary as
 his omniscience3 as he cannot but know 
what  is right1 so he cannot but do what
 is just4 ,his understanding is not  as 
created understanding1 capable of       
ignorance as well as knowledge2  so his 
will is not as created wills1 capable of
 unrighteousness1 as  well as           
righteousness4 ,there can be no         
contradiction or contrariety in  the    
,divine nature1 to know what is right1  
and to do what is wrong2 if  so1 there  

would be a diminution of his            
blessedness1 he would not be  a ,god    
alway blessed1 8blessed forever10 as he 
is 7,rom4 ix4 #e74 ,he is  as           
necessarily holy1 as he is necessarily  
,god2 as necessarily without  sin1 as   
without change4 ,as he was ,god from    
eternity1 so he was holy  from eternity4
 ,he was gracious1 merciful1 just in his
 own nature1 and  also holy2 though no  
creature had been framed by him to      
exercise his  grace1 mercy1 justice1 or 
holiness upon4#hii ,if ,god had not     
created  a world1 he had1 in his own    
nature1 been ,almighty1 and able to     
create  a world4 ,if there never had    
been anything but himself1 yet he had   
been  omniscient1 knowing everything    
that was within the verge and compass of
  his infinite power2 so he was pure in 
his own nature1 though he never  had    
brought forth any rational creature     
whereby to manifest this purity4  ,these
 perfections are so necessary1 that the 
nature of ,god could not  subsist       

without them4 ,and the acts of those1 ad
 intra1 or within  himself1 are         
necessary2 for being omniscient in      
nature1 there must be  an act of        
knowledge of himself and his own nature4
 ,being infinitely  holy1 an act of     
holiness in infinitely loving himself1  
must necessarily  flow from this        
perfection4#ijj ,as the ,divine will    
cannot but be  perfect1 so it cannot be 
wanting to render the highest love to   
itself1  to its goodness1 to the ,divine
 nature1 which is due to him4 ,indeed1  
the acts of those1 ad extra1 b#aaf are  
not necessary1 but upon a  condition4   
,to love righteousness1 without himself1
 or to detect sin1 or  inflict          
punishment for the committing of it1    
could not have been1 had  there been no 
righteous creature for him to love1 no  
sinning creature  for him to loathe1 and
 to exercise his justice upon1 as the   
object of  punishment4 ,some attributes 
require a condition to make the acts of 
them necessary2 as it is at ,god's      

liberty1 whether he will create a       
rational creature1 or no2 but when he   
decrees to make either angel or  man1 it
 is necessary1 from the perfection of   
his nature1 to make them  righteous4 ,it
 is at ,god's liberty whether he will   
speak to man1 or no2  but if he doth1 it
 is impossible for him to speak that    
which is false1  because of his infinite
 perfection of veracity4 ,it is at his  
liberty  whether he will permit a       
creature to sin2 but if he sees good to 
suffer  it1 it is impossible but that he
 should detest that creature that  goes 
cross to his righteous nature4 ,his     
holiness is not solely an act  of his   
will1 for then he might be unholy as    
well as holy2 he might  love iniquity   
and hate righteousness2 he might then   
command that which  is good1 and        
afterwards command that which is bad and
 unworthy2 for  what is only an act of  
his will1 and not belonging to his      
nature1 is  indifferent to him4 ,as the 
positive law he gave to ,adam1 of not   

eating  the forbidden fruit1 was a pure 
act of his will1 he might have given    
him liberty to eat of it1 if he had     
pleased1 as well as prohibited him4     
,but what is moral and good in its own  
nature1 is necessarily willed by  ,god1 
and cannot be changed by him1 because of
 the transcendent eminency  of his      
nature1 and righteousness of his will4  
,as it is impossible for  ,god to       
command his creature to hate him1 or to 
dispense with a creature  for not loving
 him1for this would be to command a     
thing intrinsically  evil1 the highest  
ingratitude1 the very spirit of all     
wickedness1 which  consists in the      
hating ,god1yet1 though ,god be thus    
necessarily holy1  he is not so by a    
bare and simple necessity1 as the sun   
shines1 or  the fire burns2 but by a    
free necessity1 not compelled thereunto1
 but  inclined from the fulness of the  
perfection of his own nature and will2  
so as by no means he can be unholy1     
because he will not be unholy2 it  is   

against his nature to be so4    #b4 ,god
 is only absolutely holy2 8,there is    
none holy as the ,lord0  7#a ,sam4 ii4  
#b72 it is the peculiar glory of his    
nature2 as there is  none good but ,god1
 so none holy but ,god4 ,no creature can
 be essentially  holy1 because mutable2 
holiness is the substance of ,god1 but a
 quality  and accident in a creature4   
,god is infinitely holy1 creatures      
finitely  holy4 ,he is holy from        
himself1 creatures are holy by          
derivation from  him4 ,he is not only   
holy1 but holiness2 holiness in the     
highest degree1  is his sole            
prerogative4 ,as the highest heaven is  
called the heaven  of heavens1 because  
it embraceth in its circle all the      
heavens1 and  contains the magnitude of 
them1 and hath a greater vastness above 
all that it encloseth1 so is ,god the   
,holy of holies2 he contains the        
holiness of all creatures put together1 
and infinitely more4 ,as all  the       
wisdom1 excellency1 and power of the    

creatures if compared with  the wisdom1 
excellency1 and power of ,god1 is but   
folly1 vileness1 and  weakness2 so the  
highest created purity1 if set in       
parallel with ,god1  is but impurity and
 uncleanness 7,rev4 xv4 #d73 8,thou only
 art holy40 ,it  is like the light b#aag
 of a glowworm to that of the sun 7,job 
xiii4  #ae72 8,the heavens are not pure 
in his sight1 and his angels he charged 
with folly0 7,job iv4 #ah74 ,though ,god
 hath crowned the angels with an        
unspotted sanctity1 and placed them in a
 habitation of glory1 yet1 as           
illustrious as they are1 they have an   
unworthiness in their own nature  to    
appear before the throne of so holy a   
,god2 their holiness grows dim  and pale
 in his presence4 ,it is but a weak     
shadow of that ,divine purity1  whose   
light is so glorious1 that it makes them
 cover their faces out of  weakness to  
behold it1 and cover their feet out of  
shame in themselves4  ,they are not pure
 in his sight1 because1 though they love

 ,god 7which  is a principle of         
holiness7 as much as they can1 yet1 not 
so much as  he deserves2 they love him  
with the intensest degree1 according to 
their power2 but not with the intensest 
degree1 according to his own            
amiableness2 for they cannot infinitely 
love ,god1 unless they were as  infinite
 as ,god1 and had an understanding of   
his perfections equal with  himself1 and
 as immense as his own knowledge4 ,god1 
having an infinite  knowledge of        
himself1 can only have an infinite love 
to himself1 and1  consequently1 an      
infinite holiness without any defect2   
because he  loves himself according to  
the vastness of his own amiableness1    
which  no finite being can4 ,therefore1 
though the angels be exempt from        
corruption and soil1 they cannot enter  
into comparison with the purity  of     
,god1 without acknowledgment of a       
dimness in themselves4 ,besides1  he    
charges them with folly1 and puts no    
trust in them2 because they  have the   

power of sinning1 though not the act of 
sinning2 they have a  possible folly in 
their own nature to be charged with4    
,holiness is a  quality separable from  
them1 but it is inseparable from ,god4  
,had they  not at first a mutability in 
their nature1 none of them could have   
sinned1 there had been no devils2 but   
because some of them sinned1 the  rest  
might have sinned4 ,and though the      
standing angels shall never be  changed1
 yet they are still changeable in their 
own nature1 and their  standing is due  
to grace1 not to nature2 and though they
 shall be for  ever preserved1 yet they 
are not1 nor ever can be1 immutable by  
nature1  for then they should stand upon
 the same bottom with ,god himself2 but 
they are supported by grace against that
 changeableness of nature which  is     
essential to a creature2 the ,creator   
only hath immortality1 that  is1        
immutability 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #af74 ,it is
 as certain a truth1 that no  creature  
can be naturally immutable and          

impeccable1 as that ,god cannot  create 
anything actually polluted and          
imperfect4 ,it is as possible  that the 
highest creature may sin1 as it is      
possible that it may be  annihilated2 it
 may become not holy1 as it may become  
not a creature1  but nothing4 ,the      
holiness of a creature may be reduced   
into nothing1  as well as his substance2
 but the holiness of the ,creator cannot
 be  diminished1 dimmed1 or overshadowed
 7,james i4 #ag73 8,he is the ,father   
of lights1 with whom is no variableness 
or shadow of turning40 ,it is  as       
impossible his holiness should be       
blotted1 as that his ,deity should  be  
extinguished3 for whatsoever creature   
hath essentially such or such           
qualities1 cannot be stripped of them1  
without being turned out of  its        
essence4 ,as a man is essentially       
rational2 and if he ceaseth to be       
rational1 he ceaseth to be b#aah man4   
,the sun is essentially luminous2  if it
 should become dark in its own body1 it 

would cease to be the  sun4 ,in regard  
to this absolute and only holiness of   
,god1 it is thrice  repeated by the     
seraphims 7,isa4 vi4 #c74 ,the threefold
 repetition  of a word notes the        
certainty or absoluteness of the thing1 
or the  irreversibleness of the resolve2
 as 7,ezek4 xxi4 #bg71 8,i will         
overturn1  overturn1 overturn10 notes   
the certainty of the judgment2 also1    
7,rev4  viii4 #h71 8,woe1 woe1 woe20    
three times repeated1 signifies the     
same4  ,the holiness of ,god is so      
absolutely peculiar to him1 that it can 
no  more be expressed in creatures1 than
 his omnipotence1 whereby they  may be  
able to create a world2 or his          
omniscience1 whereby they may be        
capable of knowing all things1 and      
knowing ,god as he knows himself4    #c4
 ,god is so holy1 that he cannot        
possibly approve of any evil done by    
another1 but doth perfectly abhor it2 it
 would not else be a glorious  holiness 
7,ps4 v4 #c74 8,he hath no pleasure in  

wickedness40 ,he doth not  only love    
that which is just1 but abhor1 with a   
perfect hatred1 all  things contrary to 
the rule of righteousness4 ,holiness can
 no more  approve of sin than it can    
commit it3 to be delighted with the evil
 in  another's act1 contracts a guilt1  
as well as the commission of it2 for    
approbation of a thing is a consent to  
it4 ,sometimes the approbation  of an   
evil in another is a more grievous crime
 than the act itself1 as  appears in    
,rom4 i4 #cb1 who knowing the judgment  
of ,god1 8not only do  the same1 but    
have pleasure in them that do it20 where
 the 8not only0  manifests it to be a   
greater guilt to take pleasure in them4 
,every sin  is aggravated by the delight
 in it2 to take pleasure in the evil of 
another's action1 shows a more ardent   
affection and love to sin1 than  the    
committer himself may have4 ,this1      
therefore1 can as little fall  upon     
,god1 as to do an evil act himself2 yet1
 as a man may be delighted  with the    

consequences of another's sin1 as it may
 occasion some public  good1 or private 
good to the guilty person1 as sometimes 
it may be an  occasion of his           
repentance1 when the horridness of a    
fact stares him in  the face1 and       
occasions a selfreflection for that1 and
 other crimes1  which is attended with  
an indignation against them1 and sincere
 remorse  for them2 so ,god is pleased  
with those good things his goodness and 
wisdom bring forth upon the occasion of 
sin4 ,but in regard of his  holiness1 he
 cannot approve of the evil1 whence his 
infinite wisdom  drew forth his own     
glory1 and his creature's good4 ,his    
pleasure is not  in the sinful act of   
the creature1 but in the act of his own 
goodness  and skill1 turning it to      
another end than what the creature aimed
 at4    7#a47 ,he abhors it necessarily4
 ,holiness is the glory of the ,deity1  
therefore necessary4 ,the nature of ,god
 is so holy1 that he cannot but  hate it
 7,hab4 i4 #ac73 8,thou art of purer    

eyes than to behold evil1 and  canst not
 look on iniquity30 he is more opposite 
to it than light to  darkness1 and1     
therefore1 it can expect no countenance 
from him4 ,a love  of holiness cannot be
 without a hatred of everything that is 
contrary  to it4 ,as ,god necessarily   
loves himself1 so he must necessarily   
hate  everything that is against        
himself3 and as he loves himself for his
  own excellency and holiness1 he must  
necessarily detest whatsoever  is       
repugnant to his holiness1 because of   
the evil of it4 ,since he  is infinitely
 good1 he cannot but love goodness1 as  
it is b#aai a  resemblance to himself1  
and cannot but abhor unrighteousness1 as
 being  most distant from him1 and      
contrary to him4 ,if he have any esteem 
for  his own perfections1 he must needs 
have an implacable aversion to all  that
 is so repugnant to him1 that would1 if 
it were possible1 destroy  him1 and is a
 point directed1 not only against his   
glory1 but against  his life4 ,if he did

 not hate it1 he would hate himself3 for
 since  righteousness is his image1 and 
sin would deface his image2 if he did   
not love his image1 and loathe what is  
against his image1 he would  loathe     
himself1 he would be an enemy to his own
 nature4 ,nay1 if it were  possible for 
him to love it1 it were possible for him
 not to be holy1  it were possible then 
for him to deny himself1 and will that  
he were no  ,god1 which is a palpable   
contradiction4#ija ,yet this necessity  
in ,god  of hating sin1 is not a brutish
 necessity1 such as is in mere animals1 
that avoid1 by a natural instinct1 not  
of choice1 what is prejudicial  to them2
 but most free1 as well as necessary1   
arising from an infinite  knowledge of  
his own nature1 and of the evil nature  
of sin1 and the  contrariety of it to   
his own excellency1 and the order of his
 works4    7#b47 ,therefore intensely4  
,nothing do men act for more than their 
glory4  ,as he doth infinitely1 and     
therefore perfectly know himself1 so he 

infinitely1 and therefore perfectly     
knows what is contrary to himself1  and1
 as according to the manner and measure 
of his knowledge of himself1  is his    
love to himself1 as infinite as his     
knowledge1 and therefore  inexpressible 
and unconceivable by us3 so1 from the   
perfection of  his knowledge of the evil
 of sin1 which is infinitely above what 
any  creature can have1 doth arise a    
displeasure against it suitable to that 
knowledge4 ,in creatures the degrees of 
affection to1 or aversion from  a thing1
 are suited to the strength of their    
apprehensions of the good  or evil in   
them4 ,god knows not only the workers of
 wickedness1 but the  wickedness of     
their works 7,job xi4 #aa71 for 8he     
knows vain men1 he sees  wickedness     
also40 ,the vehemency of this hatred is 
expressed variously  in ,scripture2 he  
loathes it so1 that he is impatient of  
beholding it2  the very sight of it     
affects him with detestation 7,hab4 i4  
#ac72 he  hates the first spark of it in

 the imagination 7,zech4 viii4 #ag72    
with  what variety of expressions doth  
he repeat his indignation at their      
polluted services 7,amos v4 #ba1 #bb72  
8,i hate1 ,i detest1 ,i despise1 ,i     
will not smell1 ,i will not regard2 take
 away from me the noise of thy  songs1  
,i will not hear60 ,so1 7,isa4 i4 #ad71 
8,my soul hates1 they are a  trouble to 
me1 ,i am weary to bear them40 ,it is   
the abominable thing  that he hates     
7,jer4 xliv4 #d72 he is vexed and       
fretted at it 7,isa4 lxiii4  #aj2 ,ezek4
 xvi4 #cc74 ,he abhors it so1 that his  
hatred redounds upon the  person that   
commits it4 7,ps4 v4 #e71 8,he hates all
 workers of iniquity40  ,sin is the only
 primary object of his displeasure3 he  
is not displeased  with the nature of   
man as man1 for that was derived from   
him2 but with  the nature of man as     
sinful1 which is from the sinner        
himself4 ,when  a man hath but one      
object for the exercise of all his      
anger1 it is  stronger than when        

diverted to many objects3 a mighty      
torrent1 when  diverted into many       
streams1 is weaker than when it comes in
 a full body  upon one place only4 ,the 
infinite anger and hatred of b#abj ,god1
 which  is as infinite as his love and  
mercy1 has no other object1 against     
which he directs the mighty force of it1
 but only unrighteousness4 ,he  hates no
 person for all the penal evils upon    
him1 though they were more  by ten      
thousand times than ,job was struck     
with1 but only for his sin4  ,again1 sin
 being only evil1 and an unmixed evil1  
there is nothing in  it that can abate  
the detestation of ,god1 or balance his 
hatred of it2  there is not the least   
grain of goodness in it1 to incline him 
to the  least affection to any part of  
it4 ,this hatred cannot but be intense2 
for as the more any creature is         
sanctified1 the more is he advanced in  
the abhorrence of that which is contrary
 to holiness2 therefore1 ,god  being the
 highest1 most absolute and infinite    

holiness1 doth infinitely1  and         
therefore intensely1 hate unholiness2   
being infinitely righteous1  doth       
infinitely abhor unrighteousness2 being 
infinitely true1 doth  infinitely abhor 
falsity1 as it is the greatest and most 
deformed evil4  ,as it is from the      
righteousness of his nature that he hath
 a content  and satisfaction in         
righteousness 7,ps4 xi4 #g71 8,the      
righteous ,lord  loveth righteousness20 
so it is from the same righteousness of 
his  nature1 that he detests whatsoever 
is morally evil3 as his nature          
therefore is infinite1 so must his      
abhorrence be4    7#c47 ,therefore      
universally1 because necessarily and    
intensely4 ,he doth  not hate it in one1
 and indulge it in another1 but loathes 
it wherever  he finds it2 not one worker
 of iniquity is exempt from it 7,ps4 v4 
#e73  8,thou hatest all workers of      
iniquity40 ,for it is not sin1 as in    
this  or that person1 or as great or    
little2 but sin1 as sin is the object   

of his hatred2 and1 therefore1 let the  
person be never so great1 and  have     
particular characters of his image upon 
him1 it secures him not  from ,god's    
hatred of any evil action he shall      
commit4 ,he is a jealous  ,god1 jealous 
of his glory 7,exod4 xx4 #e72 a         
metaphor1 taken from jealous  husbands1 
who will not endure the least adultery  
in their wives1 nor  ,god the least     
defection of man from his law4 ,every   
act of sin is a  spiritual adultery1    
denying ,god to be the chief good1 and  
giving that  prerogative by that act to 
some vile thing4 ,he loves it no more in
 his  own people than he doth in his    
enemies2 he frees them not from his rod1
  the testimony of his loathing their   
crimes3 whosoever sows iniquity1  shall 
reap affliction4 ,it might be thought   
that he affected their dross1  if he did
 not refine them1 and loved their filth1
 if he did not cleanse  them2 because of
 his detestation of their sin1 he will  
not spare them  from the furnace1 though

 because of love to their persons in    
,christ1  he will exempt them from      
,tophet4 ,how did the sword ever and    
anon drop  down upon ,david's family1   
after his unworthy dealing in ,uriah's  
case1  and cut off ever and anon some of
 the branches of it8 ,he doth sometimes 
punish it more severely in this life in 
his own people1 than in others4  ,upon  
,jonah's disobedience a storm pursues   
him1 and a whale devours him1  while the
 profane world lived in their lusts     
without control4 ,moses1  for one act of
 unbelief1 is excluded from ,canaan1    
when greater sinners  attained that     
happiness4 ,it is not a light           
punishment1 but a vengeance  he takes on
 their inventions 7,ps4 xcix4 #h71 to   
manifest that he hates  sin as sin1 and 
not because the worst persons commit it4
 ,perhaps1 had a  profane man touched   
the ark1 the hand of ,god had b#aba not 
so suddenly  reached him2 but when      
,uzzah1 a man zealous for him1 as may be
 supposed  by his care for the support  

of the tottering ark1 would step out of 
his place1 he strikes him down for his  
disobedient action1 by the side  of the 
ark1 which he would indirectly 7as not  
being a ,levite7 sustain  7#b ,sam4 vi4 
#g74 ,nor did our ,saviour so sharply   
reprove the ,pharisees1  and turn so    
short from them as he did from ,peter1  
when he gave a  carnal advice1 and      
contrary to that wherein was to be the  
greatest  manifestation of ,god's       
holiness1 viz4 the death of ,christ     
7,matt4 xvi4  #bc74 ,he calls him       
,satan1 a name sharper than the title of
 the devil's  children wherewith he     
marked the ,pharisees1 and given        
7besides him7 to  none but ,judas1 who  
made a profession of love to him1 and   
was outwardly  ranked in the number of  
his disciples4 ,a gardener hates a weed 
the more  for being in the bed with the 
most precious flowers4 ,god's hatred is 
universally fixed against sin1 and he   
hates it as much in those whose  persons
 shall not fall under his eternal anger1

 as being secured in  the arms of a     
,redeemer1 by whom the guilt is wiped   
off1 and the filth  shall be totally    
washed away3 though he hates their sin1 
and cannot but  hate it1 yet he loves   
their persons1 as being united as       
members to the  ,mediator and mystical  
,head4 ,a man may love a gangrened      
member1 because  it is a member of his  
own body1 or a member of a dear         
relation1 but  he loathes the gangrene  
in it more than in those wherein he is  
not so  much concerned4 ,though ,god's  
hatred of believers' persons is removed 
by faith in the satisfactory death of   
,jesus ,christ1 yet his antipathy       
against sin was not taken away by that  
blood2 nay1 it was impossible  it       
should4 ,it was never designed1 nor had 
it any capacity to alter the            
unchangeable nature of ,god1 but to     
manifest the unspottedness of his  will1
 and his eternal aversion to anything   
that was contrary to the  purity of his 
,being1 and the righteousness of his    

laws4    7#d47 ,perpetually3 this must  
necessarily follow upon the others4 ,he 
can no more cease to hate impurity than 
he can cease to love holiness3  if he   
should in the least instant approve of  
anything that is filthy1  in that moment
 he would disapprove of his own nature  
and being2 there  would be an           
interruption in his love of himself1    
which is as eternal as  it is infinite4 
,how can he love any sin which is       
contrary to his nature1  but for one    
moment1 without hating his own nature1  
which is essentially  contrary to sin8  
,two contraries cannot be loved at the  
same time2 ,god  must first begin to    
hate himself before he can approve of   
any evil  which is directly opposite to 
himself4 ,we1 indeed1 are changed with a
  temptation1 sometimes bear an         
affection to it1 and sometimes testify  
an  indignation against it2 but ,god is 
always the same without any shadow  of  
change1 and 8is angry with the wicked   
every day0 7,ps4 vii4 #aa71  that is1   

uninterruptedly in the nature of his    
anger1 though not in the  effects of it4
 ,god indeed may be reconciled to the   
sinner1 but never to  the sin2 for then 
he should renounce himself1 deny his own
 essence and  his own divinity1 if his  
inclinations to the love of goodness1   
and his  aversion from evil1 could be   
changed1 if he suffered the contempt of 
the one1 and encouraged the practice of 
the other4    #d4 ,god is so holy1 that 
he cannot but love holiness in others4  
b#abb  ,not that he owes anything to his
 creature1 but from the unspeakable     
holiness of his nature1 whence          
affections to all things that bear a    
resemblance of him do flow2 as light    
shoots out from the sun1 or any         
glittering body3 it is essential to the 
infinite righteousness of his  nature to
 love righteousness wherever he beholds 
it 7,ps4 xi4 #g73 8,the  righteous ,lord
 loveth righteousness40 ,he cannot1     
because of his nature1  but love that   
which bears some agreement with his     

nature1 that which  is the curious      
draught of his own wisdom and purity3 he
 cannot but  be delighted with a copy of
 himself3 he would not have a holy      
nature1  if he did not love holiness in 
every nature3 his own nature would be   
denied by him1 if he did not affect     
everything that had a stamp of his  own 
nature upon it4 ,there was indeed       
nothing without ,god1 that could  invite
 him to manifest such goodness to man1  
as he did in creation3  but after he had
 stamped that rational nature with a    
righteousness  convenient for it1 it was
 impossible but that he should ardently 
love that impression of himself1 because
 he loves his own ,deity1 and           
consequently all things which are any   
sparks and images of it3 and  were the  
devils capable of an act of             
righteousness1 the holiness of his      
nature would incline him to love it1    
even in those dark and revolted         
spirits4    #e4 ,god is so holy1 that he
 cannot positively will or encourage    

sin in any4 ,how can he give any        
encouragement to that which he cannot   
in the least approve of1 or look upon   
without loathing1 not only the  crime1  
but the criminal8 ,light may sooner be  
the cause of darkness than  holiness    
itself be the cause of unholiness1      
absolutely contrary to it3  it is a     
contradiction1 that he that is the      
,fountain of good should be  the source 
of evil2 as if the same fountain should 
bubble up both sweet  and bitter        
streams1 salt and fresh 7,james iii4    
#aa72 since whatsoever  good is in man  
acknowledges ,god for its author1 it    
follows that men are  evil by their own 
fault4 ,there is no need for men to be  
incited to that  to which the corruption
 of their own nature doth so powerfully 
bend  them4 ,water hath a forcible      
principle in its own nature to carry it 
downward2 it needs no force to hasten   
the motion3 8,god tempts no man1  but   
every man is drawn away by his own lust0
 7,james i4 #ac1 #ad74 ,all  the        

preparations for glory are from ,god    
7,rom4 ix4 #bc72 but men are said  to   
8be fitted to destruction0 7ver4 #bb72  
but ,god is not said to fit  them2 they1
 by their iniquities1 fit themselves for
 ruin1 and he1 by  his longsuffering1   
keeps the destruction from them for     
awhile4    7#a47 ,god cannot command any
 unrighteousness4 ,as all virtue is     
summed  up in a love to ,god1 so all    
iniquity is summed up in an enmity to   
,god3  every wicked work declares a man 
an enemy to ,god 7,col4 i4 #ba73        
8enemies  in your minds by wicked       
works40 ,if he could command his        
creature  anything which bears an enmity
 in its nature to himself1 he would then
  implicitly command the hatred of      
himself1 and he would be1 in some       
measure1 a hater of himself3 he that    
commands another to deprive him  of his 
life1 cannot be said to bear any love to
 his own life4 ,god  can never hate     
himself1 and therefore cannot command   
anything that is  hateful to him and    

tends to a hating of him1 and driving   
the creature  further from him2 in that 
very moment that ,god should command    
such a  thing1 he would cease to be     
b#abc good4 ,what can be more absurd to 
imagine1 than that ,infinite ,goodness  
should enjoin a thing contrary to       
itself1 and contrary to the essential   
duty of a creature1 and order him  to do
 anything that bespeaks an enmity to the
 nature of the ,creator1  or a          
deflouring and disparaging his works8   
,god cannot but love himself1  and his  
own goodness2 he were not otherwise     
good2 and1 therefore1  cannot order the 
creature to do anything opposite to this
 goodness1  or anything hurtful to the  
creature itself1 as unrighteousness is4 
7#b47 ,nor can ,god secretly inspire any
 evil into us4 ,it is as much  against  
his nature to incline the heart to sin  
as it is to command  it3 as it is       
impossible but that he should love      
himself1 and therefore  impossible to   
enjoin anything that tends to a hatred  

of himself2 by the  same reason it is as
 impossible that he should infuse such a
 principle  in the heart1 that might    
carry a man out to any act of enmity    
against  him4 ,to enjoin one thing1 and 
incline to another1 would be an argument
  of such insincerity1 unfaithfulness1  
contradiction to itself1 that it  cannot
 be conceived to fall within the compass
 of the ,divine nature  7,deut4 xxxii4  
#d71 who is a 8,god without iniquity10  
because 8a ,god  of truth0 and          
sincerity1 8just and right is he40 ,to  
bestow excellent  faculties upon man in 
creation1 and incline him1 by a sudden  
impulsion1  to things contrary to the   
true end of him1 and induce an          
inevitable  ruin upon that work which he
 had composed with so much wisdom and   
goodness1 and pronounced good with so   
much delight and pleasure1 is           
inconsistent with that love which ,god  
bears to the creature of his own        
framing3 to incline his will to that    
which would render him the object  of   

his hatred1 the fuel for his justice1   
and sink him into deplorable  misery1 it
 is most absurd1 and unchristianlike to 
imagine4    7#c47 ,nor can ,god         
necessitate man to sin4 ,indeed sin     
cannot be  committed by force2 there is 
no sin but is in some sort voluntary2   
voluntary in the root1 or voluntary in  
the branch2 voluntary by  an immediate  
act of the will1 or voluntary by a      
general or natural  inclination of the  
will4 ,that is not a crime to which a   
man is  violenced1 without any          
concurrence of the faculties of the soul
 to that  act2 it is indeed not an act1 
but a passion2 a man that is forced is  
not an agent1 but a patient under the   
force3 but what necessity can  there be 
upon man from ,god1 since he hath       
implanted such a principle  in him1 that
 he cannot desire anything but what is  
good1 either really  or apparently2 and 
if a man mistakes the object1 it is his 
own fault2  for ,god hath endowed him   
with reason to discern1 and liberty of  

will  to choose upon that judgment4 ,and
 though it is to be acknowledged that   
,god hath an absolute sovereign dominion
 over his creature1 without any         
limitation1 and may do what he pleases1 
and dispose of it according  to his own 
will1 as a 8potter doth with his vessel0
 7,rom4 ix4 #ba72  according as the     
church speaks 7,isa4 lxiv4 #h71 8,we are
 the clay1 and  thou our potter2 and we 
all are the work of thy hand20 yet he   
cannot  pollute any undefiled creature  
by virtue of that sovereign power1      
which he hath to do what he will with   
it2 because such an act would be        
contrary to the foundation and right of 
his dominion1 which consists in  the    
excellency of his nature1 his immense   
wisdom1 and unspotted purity2  if ,god  
should therefore do b#abd any such act1 
he would expunge the  right of his      
dominion by blotting out that nature    
which renders him fit  for that         
dominion1 and the exercise of it4#ijb   
,any dominion which is  exercised       

without the rules of goodness1 is not a 
true sovereignty1 but  an insupportable 
tyranny4 ,god would cease to be a       
rightful ,sovereign if  he ceased to be 
good2 and he would cease to be good1 if 
he did command1  necessitate1 or by any 
positive operation1 incline inwardly the
 heart  of a creature directly to that  
which were morally evil1 and contrary to
  the eminency of his own nature4 ,but  
that we may the better conceive of      
this1 let us trace man in his first     
fall1 whereby he subjected himself  and 
all his posterity to the curse of the   
law and hatred of ,god2 we  shall find  
no footsteps1 either of precept1 outward
 force1 or inward  impulsion4#ijc ,the  
plain story of man's apostasy           
dischargeth ,god  from any interest in  
the crime as an encouragement1 and      
excuseth  him from any appearance of    
suspicion1 when he showed him the tree  
he had reserved1 as a mark of his       
sovereignty1 and forbad him to eat  of  
the fruit of it2 he backed the          

prohibition with the threatening  the   
greatest evil1 viz4 death2 which could  
be understood to imply  nothing less    
than the loss of all his happiness2 and 
in that couched  an assurance of the    
perpetuity of his felicity1 if he did   
not1  rebelliously1 reach forth his hand
 to take and 8eat of the fruit0 7,gen4  
ii4 #af1 #ag74 ,it is true ,god had     
given that fruit an excellency1 8a      
goodness for food1 and a pleasantness to
 the eye0 7,gen4 iii4 #f74 ,he had      
given man an appetite1 whereby he was   
capable of desiring so pleasant  a      
fruit2 but ,god had1 by creation1       
arranged it under the command of        
reason1 if man would have kept it in its
 due obedience2 he had fixed a  severe  
threatening to bar the unlawful         
excursions of it2 he had allowed  him a 
multitude of other fruits in the garden1
 and given him liberty  enough to       
satisfy his curiosity in all1 except    
this only4 ,could there  be anything    
more obliging to man1 to let ,god have  

his reserve of that  one tree1 than the 
grant of all the rest2 and more         
deterring from any  disobedient attempt 
than so strict a command1 spirited with 
so dreadful  a penalty8 ,god did not    
solicit him to rebel against him2 a     
solicitation  to it1 and a command      
against it1 were inconsistent4 ,the     
devil assaults  him1 and ,god permitted 
it1 and stands1 as it were1 a spectator 
of the  issue of the combat4 ,there     
could be no necessity upon man to listen
 to1  and entertain the suggestions of  
the serpent2 he had a power to resist   
him1 and he had an answer ready for all 
the devil's arguments1 had  they been   
multiplied to more than they were2 the  
opposing the order  of ,god had been a  
sufficient confutation of all the       
devil's plausible  reasonings2 that     
,creator1 who hath given me my being1   
hath ordered me  not to eat of it4      
,though the pleasure of the fruit might 
allure him1  yet the force of his reason
 might have quelled the liquorishness of

  his sense2 the perpetual thinking of1 
and sounding out1 the command  of ,god1 
had silenced both ,satan and his own    
appetite2 had disarmed the  tempter1 and
 preserved his sensitive part in its due
 subjection4 ,what  inclination can we  
suppose there could be from the         
,creator1 when1 upon  the very first    
offer of the temptation1 ,eve opposes to
 the tempter  the prohibition and       
threatening of ,god1 and strains it to a
 higher peg  than we find ,god had b#abe
 delivered it in8 ,for in ,gen4 ii4 #ag1
 it is1  8,you shall not eat of it20 but
 she adds 7,gen4 iii4 #c71 8,neither    
shall  you touch it20 which was a remark
 that might have had more influence  to 
restrain her4 ,had our first parents    
kept this fixed upon their              
understandings and thoughts1 that ,god  
had forbidden any such act as the       
eating of the fruit1 and that he was    
true to execute the threatening  he had 
uttered1 of which truth of ,god they    
could not but have a natural  notion1   

with what ease might they have withstood
 the devil's attack1  and defeated his  
design6 ,and it had been easy with them1
 to have kept  their understandings by  
the force of such a thought1 from       
entertaining  any contrary imagination4 
,there is no ground for any jealousy of 
any  encouragements1 inward impulsions1 
or necessity from ,god in this affair4  
,a discharge of ,god from this first sin
 will easily induce a freedom  of him   
from all other sins which follow upon   
it4 ,god doth not then  encourage1 or   
excite1 or incline to sin4 ,how can he  
excite to that  which1 when it is done1 
he will be sure to condemn8 ,how can he 
be a  righteous ,judge to sentence a    
sinner to misery for a crime acted by  a
 secret inspiration from himself8       
,iniquity would deserve no reproof  from
 him1 if he were any way positively the 
author of it4 ,were ,god  the author of 
it in us1 what is the reason our own    
consciences accuse  us for it1 and      
convince us of it8 that1 being ,god's   

deputy1 would not  accuse us of it1 if  
the sovereign power by which it acts1   
did incline  us to it4 ,how can he be   
thought to excite to that which he hath 
enacted  such severe laws to restrain1  
or incline man to that which he hath  so
 dreadfully punished in his ,son1 and   
which it is impossible but the          
excellency of his nature must incline   
him eternally to hate8 ,we may  sooner  
imagine1 that a pure flame shall        
engender cold1 and darkness  be the     
offspring of a sunbeam1 as imagine such 
a thing as this4 8,what  shall we say1  
is there unrighteousness with ,god8 ,god
 forbid40 ,the  apostle execrates such a
 thought 7,rom4 ix4 #ad74    #f4 ,god   
cannot act any evil1 in or by himself4  
,if he cannot approve  of sin in others1
 nor excite any to iniquity1 which is   
less1 he cannot  commit evil himself1   
which is greater2 what he cannot        
positively will  in another1 can never  
be willed in himself2 he cannot do evil 
through  ignorance1 because of his      

infinite knowledge2 nor through         
weakness1  because of his infinite      
power2 nor through malice1 because of   
his  infinite rectitude4 ,he cannot will
 any unjust thing1 because1 having an   
infinitely perfect understanding1 he    
cannot judge that to be true which  is  
false2 or that to be good which is evil3
 his will is regulated by  his wisdom4  
,if he could will any unjust and        
irrational thing1 his will  would be    
repugnant to his understanding2 there   
would be a disagreement  in ,god1 will  
against mind1 and will against wisdom2  
he being the  highest reason1 the first 
truth1 cannot do an unreasonable1 false1
  defective action4 ,it is not a defect 
in ,god that he cannot do evil1 but  a  
fulness and excellency of power2 as it  
is not a weakness in the light1  but the
 perfection of it1 that it is unable to 
produce darkness2 8,god  is the ,father 
of lights1 with whom is no variableness0
 7,james i4 #ag74  ,nothing pleases him1
 nothing is acted by him1 but what is   

beseeming  the infinite excellency of   
his own nature2 the voluntary necessity 
whereby ,god cannot be unjust1 b#abf    
renders him a ,god blessed forever2  he 
would hate himself for the chief good1  
if1 in any of his actions1  he should   
disagree with his goodness4 ,he cannot  
do any unworthy thing1  not because he  
wants an infinite power1 but because he 
is possessed  of an infinite wisdom1 and
 adorned with an infinite purity2 and   
being  infinitely pure1 cannot have the 
least mixture of impurity4 ,as if you   
can suppose fire infinitely hot1 you    
cannot suppose it to have the  least    
mixture of coldness2 the better anything
 is1 the more unable it  is to do evil2 
,god being the only goodness1 can as    
little be changed  in his goodness as in
 his essence4    ,,ii4 ,the next inquiry
 is1 ,the proof that ,god is holy1 or   
the  manifestation of it4 ,purity is as 
requisite to the blessedness of ,god1   
as to the being of ,god2 as he could not
 be ,god without being blessed1  so he  

could not be blessed without being holy4
 ,he is called by the  title of         
,blessed1 as well as by that of holy    
7,mark xiv4 #fa72 8,art thou  the       
,christ1 the son of the ,blessed80      
,unrighteousness is a misery and        
turbulency in any spirit wherein it is2 
for it is a privation of an  excellency 
which ought to be in every intellectual 
being1 and what can  follow upon the    
privation of an excellency but          
unquietness and grief1  the moth of     
happiness8 ,an unrighteous man1 as an   
unrighteous man1 can  never be blessed1 
though he were in a local heaven4 ,had  
,god the least  spot upon his purity1 it
 would render him as miserable in the   
midst of  his infinite sufficiency1 as  
iniquity renders a man in the confluence
  of his earthly enjoyments4 ,the       
holiness and felicity of ,god are       
inseparable in him4 ,the apostle        
intimates that the heathen made  an     
attempt to sully his blessedness1 when  
they would liken him to  corruptible1   

mutable1 impure man 7,rom4 i4 #bc1 #be73
 8,they changed the  glory of the       
incorruptible ,god into an image1 made  
like to corruptible  man20 and after1 he
 entitles ,god a 8,god blessed forever40
 ,the gospel  is therefore called1 8,the
 glorious gospel of the blessed ,god0   
7#a ,tim4  i4 #aa71 in regard of the    
holiness of the gospel precepts1 and in 
regard of the declaration of the        
holiness of ,god in all the streams  and
 branches1 wherein his purity1 in which 
his blessedness consists1  is as        
illustrious as any other perfection of  
the ,divine ,being4 ,god hath  highly   
manifested this attribute in the state  
of nature2 in the legal  administration2
 in the dispensation of the gospel4 ,his
 wisdom1 goodness1  and power1 are      
declared in creation2 his sovereign     
authority in his  law2 his grace and    
mercy in the gospel1 and his            
righteousness in all4  ,suitable to this
 threefold state1 may be that eternal   
repetition of his  holiness in the      

prophecy 7,isa4 vi4 #c72 holy1 as       
,creator and ,benefactor2  holy1 as     
,lawgiver and ,judge2 holy1 as ,restorer
 and ,redeemer4    ,first1 ,his holiness
 appears1 as he is ,creator1 in framing 
man in a  perfect uprightness4 ,angels1 
as made by ,god1 could not be evil2 for 
,god beheld his own works with pleasure1
 and could not have pronounced  them all
 good1 had some been created pure1 and  
others impure2 two moral  contrarieties 
could not be good4 ,the angels had a    
first estate1 wherein  they were happy  
7,jude #f72 and had they not left their 
own habitation  and state1 they could   
not have been miserable4 ,but1 because  
the  ,scripture speaks only of the      
creation of man1 we will consider1 that 
the human nature was well strung and    
b#abg tuned by ,god1 according  to the  
note of his own holiness 7,eccles4 vii4 
#bi72 8,god hath made  man upright30 he 
had declared his power in other         
creatures1 but would  declare in his    
rational creature1 what he most valued  

in himself2 and1  therefore1 created him
 upright1 with a wisdom which is the    
rectitude  of the mind1 with a purity   
which is the rectitude of the will and  
affections4 ,he had declared a purity in
 other creatures1 as much as  they were 
capable of1 viz4 in the exact tuning    
them to answer one  another4 ,and that  
,god1 who so well tuned and composed    
other creatures1  would not make man a  
jarring instrument1 and place a cracked 
creature  to be ,lord of the rest of his
 earthly fabric4 ,god1 being holy1 could
  not set his seal upon any rational    
creature1 but the impression would  be  
like himself1 pure and holy also2 he    
could not be created with  an error in  
his understanding2 that had been        
inconsistent with the  goodness of ,god 
to his rational creature2 if so1 the    
erroneous motion  of the will1 which was
 to follow the dictates of the          
understanding1  could not have been     
imputed to him as his crime1 because it 
would  have been1 not a voluntary1 but a

 necessary effect of his nature2 had    
there been an error in the first wheel1 
the error of the next could  not have   
been imputed to the nature of that1 but 
to the irregular  motion of the first   
wheel in the engine4 ,the sin of men and
 angels1  proceeded not from any natural
 defect in their understandings1 but    
from inconsideration2 he that was the   
author of harmony in his other          
creatures1 could not be the author of   
disorder in the chief of his  works4    
,other creatures were his footsteps1 but
 man was his image 7,gen4  i4 #bf1 #bg73
 8,let us make man in our image1 after  
our likeness20 which1  though it seems  
to imply no more in that place1 than an 
image of his  dominion over the         
creatures1 yet the apostle raises it a  
peg higher1  and gives us a larger      
interpretation of it 7,col4 iii4 #aj73  
8,and have  put on the new man1 which is
 renewed in knowledge after the image of
  ,him that created him20 making it to  
consist in a resemblance to his         

righteousness4 ,image1 say some1 notes  
the form1 as man was a spirit  in regard
 of his soul2 likeness1 notes the       
quality implanted in his  spiritual     
nature2 the image of ,god was drawn in  
him1 both as he was a  rational1 and as 
he was a holy creature4 ,the creatures  
manifested the  being of a superior     
power1 as their cause1 but the          
righteousness of  the first man         
evidenced1 not only a sovereign power1  
as the donor of  his being1 but a holy  
power1 as the pattern of his work4 ,god 
appeared  to be a holy ,god in the      
righteousness of his creature1 as well  
as an  understanding ,god in the reason 
of his creature1 while he formed him    
with all necessary knowledge in his mind
 and all necessary uprightness  in his  
will4 ,the law of love to ,god1 with his
 whole soul1 his whole  mind1 his whole 
heart and strength1 was originally      
written upon his  nature2 all the parts 
of his nature were framed in a moral    
conformity  with ,god1 to answer this   

law1 and imitate ,god in his purity1    
which  consists in a love of himself1   
and his own goodness and excellency4    
,thus doth the clearness of the stream  
point us to the purer fountain1  and the
 brightness of the beam evidence a      
greater splendor in the sun  which shot 
it out4    ,secondly1 ,his holiness     
appears in his laws1 as he is a         
,lawgiver and a  ,judge4 ,since man was 
bound to be subject to ,god1 as a       
creature1 b#abh  and had a capacity to  
be ruled by the law1 as an understanding
 and  willing creature2 ,god gave him a 
law1 taken from the depths of his holy  
nature1 and suited to the original      
faculties of man4 ,the rules which  ,god
 hath fixed in the world1 are not the   
resolves of bare will1 but  result      
particularly from the goodness of his   
nature2 they are nothing  else but the  
transcripts of his infinite detestation 
of sin1 as he is  the unblemished       
governor of the world4 ,this being the  
most adorable  property of his nature1  

he hath impressed it upon that law which
 he  would have inviolably observed as a
 perpetual rule for our actions1  that  
we may every moment think of this       
beautiful perfection4 ,god can  command 
nothing but what hath some similitude   
with the rectitude of his  own nature2  
all his laws1 every paragraph of them1  
therefore1 scent of  this1 and glitter  
with it 7,deut4 iv4 #h73 8,what nation  
hath statutes and  judgments so         
righteous as all this law ,i set before 
you this day80 and1  therefore1 they are
 compared to fine gold1 that hath no    
speck or dross  7,ps4 xix4 #aj74        
,this purity is evident#a4 ,in the moral
 law1 or law of nature4 #b4 ,in  the    
ceremonial law4 #c4 ,in the allurements 
annexed to it1 for keeping  it1 and the 
affrightments to restrain from the      
breaking of it4 #d4 ,in  the judgments  
inflicted for the violation of it4      
#a4 ,in the moral law3 which is         
therefore dignified with the title of   
,holy1 twice in one verse 7,rom4 vii4   

#ab73 8,wherefore1 the law is holy1  and
 the commandment is holy1 just1 and     
good20 it being the express  image of   
,god's will1 as our ,saviour was of his 
person1 and bearing a  resemblance to   
the purity of his nature4 ,the tables of
 this law were  put into the ark1 that1 
as the mercy seat was to represent the  
grace  of ,god1 so the law was to       
represent the holiness of ,god 7,ps4    
xix4 #a74  ,the ,psalmist1 after he had 
spoken of the glory of ,god in the      
heavens1  wherein the power of ,god is  
exposed to our view1 introduceth the    
law1  wherein the purity of ,god is     
evidenced to our minds 7ver4 #g1 #h1    
c473  8,perfect1 pure1 clean1           
righteous10 are the titles given to it4 
,it is  clearer in holiness than the sun
 is in brightness2 and more mighty in   
itself1 to command the conscience1 than 
the sun is to run its race4 ,as  the    
holiness of the ,scripture demonstrates 
the divinity of its ,author2  so the    
holiness of the law doth the purity of  

the ,lawgiver4    7#a47 ,the purity of  
this law is seen in the matter of it4   
,it prescribes  all that becomes a      
creature towards ,god1 and all that     
becomes one  creature towards another of
 his own rank and kind4 ,the image of   
,god is  complete in the holiness of the
 first table1 and the righteousness of  
the second2 which is intimated by the   
apostle 7,eph4 iv4 #bd71 the one  being 
the rule of what we owe to ,god1 the    
other being the rule of what  we owe to 
man3 there is no good but it enjoins1   
and no evil but it  disowns4 ,it is not 
sickly and lame in any part of it2 not a
 good action1  but it gives it its due  
praise2 and not an evil action1 but it  
sets a  condemning mark upon4 ,the      
commands of it are frequently in        
,scripture  called judgments1 because   
they rightly judge of good and evil2 and
 are  a clear light to inform the       
judgment of man in the knowledge of     
both4  ,by this was the understanding of
 ,david enlightened to know every false 

way1 and to 8hate it0 7,ps4 cxix4 #ajd74
 ,there is no case can happen1  but may 
meet with a determination from it2 it   
teaches men the noblest  manner of      
living a b#abi life like ,god himself2  
honorably for the  ,lawgiver1 and       
joyfully for the subject4 ,it directs us
 to the highest  end2 sets us at a      
distance from all base and sordid       
practices2 it  proposeth light to the   
understanding1 and goodness to the will4
 ,it  would tune all the strings1 set   
right all the orders of mankind3 it     
censures the least mote1 countenanceth  
not any stain in the life4 ,not  a      
wanton glance can meet with any         
justification from it 7,matt4 v4 #bh72  
not a rash anger but it frowns upon     
7ver4 #bb74 ,as the ,lawgiver wants     
nothing as an addition to his           
blessedness1 so his law wants nothing as
  a supplement to its perfection 7,deut4
 iv4 #b74 ,what our ,saviour seems  to  
add1 is not an addition to mend any     
defects1 but a restoration of  it from  

the corrupt glosses1 wherewith the      
,scribes and ,pharisees had  eclipsed   
the brightness of it3 they had curtailed
 it1 and diminished  part of its        
authority1 cutting off its empire over  
the least evil1 and  left its power only
 to check the grosser practices4 ,but   
,christ restores  it to the due extent  
of its sovereignty1 and shows it those  
dimensions  in which the holy men of    
,god considered it as 8exceeding broad0 
7,ps4  cxix4 #if71 reaching to all      
actions1 all motions1 all circumstances 
attending them2 full of inexhaustible   
treasures of righteousness4  ,and though
 this law1 since the fall1 doth irritate
 sin1 it is no  disparagement1 but a    
testimony to the righteousness of it2   
which  the apostle manifests by his     
8,wherefore0 7,rom4 vii4 #h71 8sin1     
taking  occasion by the commandment1    
wrought in me all manner of             
concupiscence20  and repeating the same 
sense 7ver4 #aa71 subjoins a            
8,wherefore0 7ver4  #ab71 8,wherefore   

the law is holy40 ,the rising of men's  
sinful hearts  against the law of ,god1 
when it strikes with its preceptive and 
minatory parts upon their consciences1  
evidenceth the holiness of the  law and 
the ,lawgiver4 ,in its own nature it is 
a directing rule1 but  the malignant    
nature of sin is exasperated by it2 as  
an hostile quality  in a creature will  
awaken itself at the appearance of its  
enemy4 ,the  purity of this beam1 and   
transcript of ,god1 bears witness to a  
greater  clearness and beauty in the sun
 and original4 ,undefiled streams       
manifest an untainted fountain4    7#b47
 ,it is seen in the manner of its       
precepts4 ,as it prescribes all  good1  
and forbids all evil1 so it doth enjoin 
the one1 and banish the  other as such4 
,the laws of men command virtuous       
things2 not as virtuous  in themselves1 
but as useful for human society2 which  
the magistrate  is the conservator of1  
and the guardian of justice4#ijd ,the   
laws  of men contain not all the        

precepts of virtue1 but only such as are
  accommodated to their customs1 and are
 useful to preserve the ligaments  of   
their government4 ,the design of them is
 not so much to render the  subjects    
good men1 as good citizens3 they order  
the practice of those  virtues that may 
strengthen civil society1 and           
discountenance those  vices only which  
weaken the sinews of it3 but ,god1 being
 the guardian  of universal             
righteousness1 doth not only enact the  
observance of all  righteousness1 but   
the observance of it as righteousness4  
,he commands  that which is just in     
itself1 enjoins virtues as virtues1 and 
prohibits  vices as vices3 as they are  
profitable or injurious to ourselves1 as
  well as to others4 ,men command       
temperance and justice2 not as virtues  
in themselves1 but as they prevent b#acj
 disorder and confusion in a            
commonwealth2 and forbid adultery and   
theft1 not as vices in themselves1  but 
as they are intrenchments upon property2

 not as hurtful to the  person that     
commits them1 but as hurtful to the     
person against whose  right they are    
committed4 ,upon this account1 perhaps1 
,paul applauds the  holiness of the law 
of ,god in regard of its own nature1 as 
considered  in itself1 more than he doth
 the justice of it in regard of man1 and
  the goodness and conveniency of it to 
the world 7,rom4 vii4 #ab72 the law  is 
holy twice1 and just and good but once4 
7#c47 ,in the spiritual extent of it4   
,the most righteous powers of the  world
 do not so much regard in their laws    
what the inward affections  of their    
subjects are3 the external acts are only
 the objects of their  decrees1 either  
to encourage them if they be useful1 or 
discourage  them if they be hurtful to  
the community4 ,and1 indeed1 they can do
 no  other1 for they have no power      
proportioned to inward affections1 since
  the inward disposition falls not under
 their censure2 and it would  be foolish
 for any legislative power to make such 

laws1 which it is  impossible for it to 
put in execution4 ,they can prohibit the
 outward  acts of theft and murder1 but 
they cannot command the love of ,god1   
the  hatred of sin1 the contempt of the 
world2 they cannot prohibit unclean     
thoughts1 and the atheism of the heart4 
,but the law of ,god surmounts in       
righteousness all the laws of the       
bestregulated commonwealths in the      
world3 it restrains the licentious      
heart1 as well as the violent hand2  it 
damps the very first bubblings of       
corrupt nature1 orders a purity in  the 
spring1 commands a clean fountain1 clean
 streams1 clean vessels4 ,it  would     
frame the heart to an inward1 as well as
 the life to an outward  righteousness1 
and make the inside purer than the      
outside4 ,it forbids  the first         
belchings of a murderous or adulterous  
intention3 it obligeth  a man as a      
rational creature1 and therefore exacts 
a conformity of  every rational faculty1
 and of whatsoever is under the command 

of them4  ,it commands the private      
closet to be free from the least cobweb1
 as  well as the outward porch to be    
clean from mire and dirt4 ,it frowns    
upon all stains and pollutions of the   
most retired thoughts3 hence the        
apostle calls it a 8spiritual law0      
7,rom4 vii4 #ad71 as not political1  but
 extending its force further than the   
frontiers of the man2 placing  its      
ensigns in the metropolis of the heart  
and mind1 and curbing with  its sceptre 
the inward motions of the spirit1 and   
commanding over the  secrets of every   
man's breast4    7#d47 ,in regard of the
 perpetuity of it4 ,the purity and      
perpetuity of  it are linked together by
 the ,psalmist 7,ps4 xix4 #i73 8,the    
fear of the  ,lord is clean1 enduring   
for ever20 the fear of the ,lord1 that  
is1 that  law which commands the fear   
and worship of ,god1 and is the rule of 
it4 ,and1 indeed1 ,god values it at such
 a rate1 that rather than part  with a  
tittle1 or let the honor of it lie in   

the dust1 he would not  only let 8heaven
 and earth pass away10 but expose his   
,son to death  for the reparation of the
 wrong it had sustained4 ,so holy it is1
 that  the holiness and righteousness of
 ,god cannot dispense with it1 cannot   
abrogate it1 without despoiling himself 
of his own being3 it is a  copy of the  
eternal law4 ,can he ever abrogate the  
command of love to  himself1 without    
showing some contempt b#aca of his own  
excellency and  very being8 ,before he  
can enjoin a creature not to love him1  
he must  make himself unworthy of love1 
and worthy of hatred2 this would be the 
highest unrighteousness1 to order us to 
hate that which is only worthy  of our  
highest affections4 ,so ,god cannot     
change the first command1 and  order us 
to worship many gods2 this would be     
against the excellency and  unity of    
,god3 for ,god cannot constitute another
 ,god1 or make anything  worthy of an   
honor equal with himself4#ije ,those    
things that are good1  only because they

 are commanded1 are alterable by ,god3  
those things  that are intrinsically and
 essentially good1 and therefore        
commanded1  are unalterable as long as  
the holiness and righteousness of ,god  
stand  firm4 ,the intrinsic goodness of 
the moral law1 the concern ,god hath    
for it2 the perpetuity of the precepts  
of the first table1 and the care  he    
hath had to imprint the precepts of the 
second upon the minds and  consciences  
of men1 as the ,author of nature for the
 preservation of the  world1 manifests  
the holiness of the ,lawmaker and       
,governor4    #b4 ,his holiness appears 
in the ceremonial law3 in the variety of
  sacrifices for sin1 wherein he writ   
his detestation of unrighteousness  in  
bloody characters4 ,his holiness was    
more constantly expressed in  the       
continual sacrifices1 than in those     
rarer sprinklings of judgments  now and 
then upon the world2 which often        
reached1 not the worst1 but  the most   
moderate sinners1 and were the occasions

 of the questioning  of the             
righteousness of his providence both by 
,jews and ,gentiles4  ,in judgments his 
purity was only now and then manifest3  
by his long  patience1 he might be      
imagined by some reconciled to their    
crimes1 or  not much concerned in them2 
but by the morning and evening sacrifice
  he witnessed a perpetual and          
uninterrupted abhorrence of whatsoever  
was evil4 ,besides those1 the occasional
 washings and sprinklings upon          
ceremonial defilements1 which polluted  
only the body1 gave an evidence1  that  
everything that had a resemblance to    
evil1 was loathsome to him4  ,add1 also1
 the prohibitions of eating such and    
such creatures that were  filthy2 as the
 swine that wallowed in the mire1 a fit 
emblem for the  profane and brutish     
sinner2 which had a moral signification1
 both of  the loathsomeness of sin to   
,god1 and the aversion themselves ought 
to  have to everything that was filthy4 
#c4 ,this holiness appears in the       

allurements annexed to the law for      
keeping it1 and the affrightments to    
restrain from the breaking of  it4 ,both
 promises and threatenings have their   
fundamental root in the  holiness of    
,god1 and are both branches of this     
peculiar perfection4 ,as  they respect  
the nature of ,god1 they are            
declarations of his hatred of  sin1 and 
his love of righteousness2 the one      
belong to his threatenings1  the other  
to his promises2 both join together to  
represent this divine  perfection to the
 creature1 and to excite to an imitation
 in the  creature4 ,in the one1 ,god    
would render sin odious1 because        
dangerous1  and curb the practice of    
evil1 which would otherwise be          
licentious2  in the other1 he would     
commend righteousness1 and excite a love
 of  it1 which would otherwise be cold4 
,by there ,god suits the two great      
affections of men1 fear and hope2 b#acb 
both the branches of selflove  in man3  
the promises and threatenings are both  

the branches of holiness  in ,god4 ,the 
end of the promises is the same with the
 exhortation the  apostle concludes from
 them 7#b ,cor4 vii4 #a72 8,having these
 promises1  let us cleanse ourselves    
from all filthiness of flesh and spirit1
  perfecting holiness in the fear of    
,god40 ,as the end of precept is to     
direct1 the end of threatenings is to   
deter from iniquity1 so that the        
promises is to allure to obedience4     
,thus ,god breathes out his love to     
righteousness in every promise2 his     
hatred of sin in every threatening4     
,the rewards offered in the one1 are the
 smiles of pleased holiness2  and the   
curses thundered in the other1 are the  
sparklings of enraged  righteousness4   
#d4 ,his holiness appears in the        
judgment inflicted for the violation  of
 this law4 ,divine holiness is the root 
of ,divine justice1 and ,divine  justice
 is the triumph of ,divine holiness4    
,hence both are expressed in  ,scripture
 by one word of righteousness1 which    

sometimes signifies the  rectitude of   
the ,divine nature1 and sometimes the   
vindicative stroke of  his arm 7,ps4    
ciii4 #f72 8,the ,lord executeth        
righteousness and judgment  for all that
 are oppressed40 ,so 7,dan4 ix4 #g7     
8,righteousness 7that is1  justice7     
belongs to thee40 ,the vials of his     
wrath are filled from his  implacable   
aversion to iniquity4 ,all penal evils  
shower down upon the  heads of wicked   
men1 spread their root in1 and branch   
out from1 this  perfection4 ,all the    
dreadful storms and tempests in the     
world are blown  up by it4 ,why doth he 
8rain snares1 fire and brimstone1 and a 
horrible  tempest60 ,because 8the       
righteous ,lord loveth righteousness0   
7,ps4 xi4  #f1 #g74 ,and1 as was        
observed before1 when he was going about
 the  dreadfulest work that ever was in 
the world1 the overturning the ,jewish  
state1 hardening the hearts of that     
unbelieving people1 and cashiering  a   
nation1 once dear to him1 from the honor

 of his protection2 his  holiness1 as   
the spring of all this1 is applauded by 
the seraphims 7,isa4  vi4 #c1 compared  
with ver4 #iaa71 c4 ,impunity argues the
 approbation  of a crime1 and punishment
 the abhorrency of it4 ,the greatness of
  the crime1 and the righteousness of   
the ,judge1 are the first natural       
sentiments that arise in the minds of   
men upon the appearance of ,divine      
judgments in the world1 by those that   
are near them2#ijf as1 when  men see    
gibbets erected1 scaffolds prepared1    
instruments of death  and torture       
provided1 and grievous punishments      
inflicted1 the first  reflection in the 
spectator is the malignity of the crime1
 and the  detestation the governors are 
possessed with4    7#a47 ,how severely  
hath he punished his most noble         
creatures for it6  ,the once glorious   
angels1 upon whom he had been at greater
 cost than  upon any other creatures1   
and drawn more lively lineaments of his 
own  excellency1 upon the transgression 

of his law1 are thrown into the  furnace
 of justice1 without any mercy to pity  
them 7,jude #f74 ,and though  there were
 but one sort of creatures upon the     
earth that bore his image1  and were    
only fit to publish and keep up his     
honor below the heavens1  yet1 upon     
their apostasy1 though upon a temptation
 from a subtle and  insinuating spirit1 
the man1 with all his posterity1 is     
sentenced to  misery in life1 and death 
at b#acc last2 and the woman1 with all  
her  sex1 have standing punishments     
inflicted on them1 which1 as they begun 
in their persons1 were to reach as far  
as the last member of their  successive 
generations4 ,so holy is ,god1 that he  
will not endure a  spot in his choicest 
work4 ,men1 indeed1 when there is a     
crack in an  excellent piece of work1 or
 a stain upon a rich garment1 do not    
cast it  away2 they value it for the    
remaining excellency1 more than hate it 
for  the contracted spot2 but ,god saw  
no excellency in his creature worthy    

regarding1 after the image of that which
 he most esteemed in himself  was       
defaced4    7#b47 ,how detestable to him
 are the very instruments of sin6 ,for  
the  ill use the serpent1 an irrational 
creature1 was put to by the devil1  as  
an instrument in the fall of man1 the   
whole brood of those animals  are cursed
 7,gen4 iii4 #ad71 8cursed above all    
cattle1 and above every  beast of the   
field40 ,not only the devil's head is   
threatened to be  for ever bruised1 and1
 as some think1 rendered irrecoverable  
upon this  further testimony of his     
malice in the seduction of man1 who1    
perhaps1  without this new act1 might   
have been admitted into the arms of     
mercy1  notwithstanding his first sin2  
8though the ,scripture gives us no      
account of this1 only this is the only  
sentence we read of pronounced  against 
the devil1 which puts him into an       
irrecoverable state by a  mortal        
bruising of his head40 ,but1 ,i say1 he 
is not only punished1  but the organ1   

whereby he blew in his temptation1 is   
put into a worse  condition than it was 
before4 ,thus ,god hated the sponge1    
whereby  the devil deformed his         
beautiful image3 thus ,god1 to manifest 
his  detestation of sin1 ordered the    
beast1 whereby any man was slain1 to  be
 slain as well as the malefactor 7,lev4 
xx4 #ae74 ,the gold and silver  that had
 been abused to idolatry1 and were the  
ornaments of images1  though good in    
themselves1 and incapable of a criminal 
nature1 were  not to be brought into    
their houses1 but detested and abhorred 
by them1  because they were cursed1 and 
an abomination to the ,lord4 ,see with  
what  loathing expressions this law is  
enjoined to them 7,deut4 vii4 #be1 #bf74
  ,so contrary is the holy nature of    
,god to every sin1 that it curseth      
everything that is instrumental in it4  
7#c47 ,how detestable is everything to  
him that is in the sinner's  possession6
 ,the very earth1 which ,god had made   
,adam the proprietor of1  was cursed for

 his sake 7,gen4 iii4 #ag1 #ah74 ,it    
lost its beauty1 and  lies languishing  
to this day2 and1 notwithstanding the   
redemption by  ,christ1 hath not        
recovered its health1 nor is it like to 
do1 till the  completing the fruits of  
it upon the children of ,god 7,rom4     
viii4 #bjbb74  ,the whole lower creation
 was made subject to vanity1 and put    
into pangs1  upon the sin of man1 by the
 righteousness of ,god detesting his    
offence4  ,how often hath his implacable
 aversion from sin been shown1 not only 
in his judgments upon the offender's    
person1 but by wrapping up1 in  the same
 judgment1 those which stood in a near  
relation to them6 ,achan1  with his     
children and cattle1 are overwhelmed    
with stones1 and burned  together       
7,josh4 vii4 #bd1 #be74 ,in the         
destruction of ,sodom1 not only  the    
grown malefactors1 but the young spawn1 
the infants1 at present  incapable of   
the same wickedness1 and their cattle1  
were burned up  by the same fire from   

heaven2 and the place where their       
habitations  stood1 is1 at this day1    
b#acd partly a heap of ashes1 and partly
 an  infectious lake1 that chokes any   
fish that swims into it from ,jordan1   
and stifles1 as is related1 by its      
vapor1 any bird that attempts to  fly   
over it4 ,o1 how detestable is sin to   
,god1 that causes him to turn  a        
pleasant land1 as the 8garden of the    
,lord0 7as it is styled ,gen4  xiii4    
#aj71 into a lake of sulphur2 to make   
it1 both in his word and  works1 as a   
lasting monument of his abhorrence of   
evil6    7#d47 ,what design hath ,god in
 all these acts of severity and         
vindictive justice1 but to set off the  
lustre of his holiness8 ,he  testifies  
himself concerned for those laws1 which 
he hath set as hedges  and limits to the
 lusts of men2 and1 therefore1 when he  
breathes forth  his fiery indignation   
against a people1 he is said to get     
himself  honor3 as when he intended the 
,red ,sea should swallow up the         

,egyptian  army 7,exod4 xiv4 #ag1 #ah71 
which ,moses1 in his triumphant song1   
echoes  back again 7,exod4 xv4 #a73     
8,thou hast triumphed gloriously20      
gloriously  in his holiness1 which is   
the glory of his nature1 as ,moses      
himself  interprets it in the text4     
,when men will not own the holiness of  
,god1 in a way of duty1 ,god will       
vindicate it in a way of justice  and   
punishment4 ,in the destruction of      
,aaron's sons1 that were                
willworshippers1 and would take strange 
fire1 8sanctified0 and  8glorified0 are 
coupled 7,lev4 x4 #c73 he glorified     
himself in that act1  in vindicating his
 holiness before all the people1        
declaring that he  will not endure sin  
and disobedience4 ,he doth therefore1 in
 this life1  more severely punish the   
sins of his people1 when they presume   
upon  any act of disobedience1 for a    
testimony that the nearness and dearness
  of any person to him shall not make   
him unconcerned in his holiness1  or be 

a plea for impurity4 ,the end of all his
 judgments is to witness  to the world  
his abominating of sin4 ,to punish and  
witness against  men1 are one and the   
same thing 7,micah i4 #b73 8,the ,lord  
shall witness  against you20 and it is  
the witness of ,god's holiness 7,hos4 v4
 #e73  8,and the pride of ,israel doth  
testify to his face30 one renders it the
  excellency of ,israel1 and understands
 it of ,god3 the word 1 which is  here  
in our translation1 8pride10 is rendered
 8excellency0 7,amos viii4  #g73 8,the  
,lord ,god hath sworn by his            
excellency20 which is interpreted       
8holiness0 7,amos iv4 #b73 8,the ,lord  
,god hath sworn by his holiness40  ,what
 is the issue or end of this swearing by
 8holiness10 and of his  8excellency0   
testifying against them8 ,in all those  
places you will find  them to be        
sweeping judgments3 in one1 ,israel and 
,ephraim shall 8fall  in their          
iniquity20 in another1 he will 8take    
them away with hooks10  and 8their      

posterity with fishhooks20 and in       
another1 he would 8never  forget any of 
their works40 ,he that punisheth        
wickedness in those he  before used with
 the greatest tenderness1 furnisheth the
 world with  an undeniable evidence of  
the detestableness of it to him4 ,were  
not  judgments sometimes poured out upon
 the world1 it would be believed  that  
,god were rather an approver than an    
enemy to sin4 ,to conclude1  since ,god 
hath made a stricter law to guide men1  
annexed promises above  the merit of    
obedience to allure them1 and           
threatenings dreadful enough  to        
affright men from disobedience1 he      
cannot be the cause of sin1 nor  a lover
 of it4 ,how can he be the author of    
that which he so severely  forbids2 or  
love that which he delights to punish2  
or be fondly  indulgent to any evil1    
when he b#ace hates the ignorant        
instruments  in the offences of his     
reasonable creatures8    ,thirdly4 ,the 
holiness of ,god appears in our         

restoration4 ,it is in the  glass of the
 gospel we behold the 8glory of the     
,lord0 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #ah72  that is1   
the glory of the ,lord1 into whose image
 we are changed2 but  we are changed    
into nothing1 as the image of ,god1 but 
into holiness3  we bore not upon us by  
creation1 nor by regeneration1 the image
 of  any other perfection3 we cannot be 
changed into his omnipotence1           
omniscience1 c41 but into the image of  
his righteousness4 ,this is the         
pleasing and glorious sight the gospel  
mirror darts in our eyes4 ,the  whole   
scene of redemption is nothing else but 
a discovery of judgment  and            
righteousness 7,isa4 i4 #bg73 8,zion    
shall be redeemed with judgment1  and   
her converts with righteousness40    #a4
 ,this holiness of ,god appears in the  
manner of our restoration1 viz4  by the 
death of ,christ4 ,not all the vials of 
judgments1 that have1 or  shall be      
poured out upon the wicked world1 nor   
the flaming furnace of  a sinner's      

conscience1 nor the irreversible        
sentence pronounced against  the        
rebellious devils1 nor the groans of the
 damned creatures1 give  such a         
demonstration of ,god's hatred of sin1  
as the wrath of ,god let  loose upon his
 ,son4 ,never did ,divine holiness      
appear more beautiful  and lovely1 than 
at the time our ,saviour's countenance  
was most marred  in the midst of his    
dying groans4 ,this himself acknowledges
 in that  prophetical psalm 7xxii4 #a1  
#b71 when ,god had turned his smiling   
face  from him1 and thrust his sharp    
knife into his heart1 which forced that 
terrible cry from him1 8,my ,god1 my    
,god1 why hast thou forsaken me80  ,he  
adores this perfection of holiness 7ver4
 #c71 8,but thou art holy20  thy        
holiness is the spring of all this sharp
 agony1 and for this thou  inhabitest1  
and shalt forever inhabit1 the praises  
of all thy ,israel4  ,holiness drew the 
veil between ,god's countenance and our 
,saviour's  soul4 ,justice indeed gave  

the stroke1 but holiness ordered it4 ,in
 this  his purity did sparkle1 and his  
irreversible justice manifested that    
all those that commit sin are worthy of 
death2 this was the perfect  index of   
his 8righteousness0 7,rom4 iii4 #be71   
that is1 of his holiness  and truth2    
then it was that ,god that is holy1 was 
8sanctified in  righteousness0 7,isa4 v4
 #af74 ,it appears the more1 if you     
consider1    7#a47 ,the dignity of the  
,redeemer's person4 ,one that had been  
from  eternity2 had laid the foundations
 of the world2 had been the object of   
the ,divine delight3 he that was ,god   
blessed forever1 become a curse2 he  who
 was blessed by angels1 and by whom ,god
 blessed the world1 must be  seized with
 horror2 the ,son of eternity must bleed
 to death6 ,when did  ever sin appear so
 irreconcileable to ,god8 ,where did    
,god ever break out  so furiously in his
 detestation of iniquity8 ,the ,father  
would have the  most excellent person1  
one next in order to himself1 and equal 

to him  in all the glorious perfections 
of his nature 7,phil4 ii4 #f71 die on a 
disgraceful cross1 and be exposed to the
 flames of ,divine wrath1 rather  than  
sin should live1 and his holiness remain
 forever disparaged by the  violations  
of his law4    7#b47 ,the near relation 
he stood in to the ,father4 ,he was his 
8own ,son  that he delivered up0 7,rom4 
viii4 #cb72 his essential image1 as     
dearly  beloved by him as himself2 yet  
he would abate nothing of his hatred of 
those sins imputed to one so dear to    
him1 and who b#acf never had done       
anything contrary to his will4 ,the     
strong cries uttered by him could  not  
cause him to cut off the least fringe of
 this royal garment1 nor  part with a   
thread the robe of his holiness was     
woven with4 ,the torrent  of wrath is   
opened upon him1 and the ,father's heart
 beats not in the  least notice of      
tenderness to sin1 in the midst of his  
,son's agonies4  ,god seems to lay aside
 the bowels of a father1 and put on the 

garb  of an irreconcileable enemy1#ijg  
upon which account1 probably1 our       
,saviour in the midst of his passion    
gives him the title of ,god2 not  of    
,father1 the title he usually before    
addressed to him with1 7,matt4  xxvii4  
#df71 8,my ,god1 my ,god20 not1 ,my     
,father1 my ,father2 8why hast  thou    
forsaken me80 ,he seems to hang upon the
 cross like a disinherited  son1 while  
he appeared in the garb and rank of a   
sinner4 ,then was his  head loaded with 
curses1 when he stood under that        
sentence of 8,cursed  is every one that 
hangs upon a tree0 7,gal4 iii4 #ac71 and
 looked as one  forlorn and rejected by 
the ,divine purity and tenderness4 ,god 
dealt  not with him as if he had been   
one in so near a relation to him4 ,he   
left him not to the will only of the    
instruments of his death2 he would  have
 the chiefest blow himself of bruising  
of him 7,isa4 liii4 #aj73  8,it pleased 
the ,lord to bruise him30 the ,lord1    
because the power of  creatures could   

not strike a blow strong enough to      
satisfy and secure  the rights of       
infinite holiness4 ,it was therefore a  
cup tempered and  put into his hands by 
his ,father2 a cup given him to drink4  
,in other  judgments he lets out his    
wrath against his creatures2 in this he 
lets  out his wrath1 as it were1 against
 himself1 against his ,son1 one as  dear
 to him as himself4 ,as in his making   
creatures1 his power over  nothing to   
bring it into being appeared2 but in    
pardoning sin he hath  power over       
himself2 so in punishing creatures1 his 
holiness appears  in his wrath against  
creatures1 against sinners by inherency2
 but by  punishing sin in his ,son1 his 
holiness sharpens his wrath against him 
who was his equal1 and only a reputed   
sinner2 as if his affection to  his own 
holiness surmounted his affection to his
 ,son3 for he chose  to suspend the     
breakings out of his affections to his  
,son1 and see  him plunged in a sharp   
and ignominious misery1 without giving  

him any  visible token of his love1     
rather than see his holiness lie        
groaning  under the injuries of a       
transgressing world4    7#c47 ,the value
 he puts upon his holiness appears      
further1 in the  advancement of this    
redeeming person1 after his death4 ,our 
,saviour  was advanced1 not barely for  
his dying1 but for the respect he had   
in his death to this attribute of ,god  
7,heb4 i4 #i73 8,thou hast loved        
righteousness1 and hated iniquity3      
therefore ,god1 even thy ,god1 hath     
anointed thee with the oil of gladness10
 c4 ,by righteousness is meant  this    
perfection1 because of the opposition of
 it to iniquity4 ,some  think           
8therefore0 to be the final cause2 as if
 this were the sense1  8,thou art       
anointed with the oil of gladness1 that 
thou mightest love  righteousness and   
hate iniquity40 ,but the ,holy ,ghost   
seeming to speak  in this chapter not   
only of the ,godhead of ,christ but of  
his exaltation2  the doctrine whereof he

 had begun in ver4 #c1 and prosecutes in
 the  following verses1 ,i would rather 
understand 8therefore10 for 8this       
cause1 or reason1 hath ,god anointed    
thee20 not 8to b#acg this end40  ,christ
 indeed had an unction of grace1 whereby
 he was fitted for  his mediatory work2 
he had also an unction of glory1 whereby
 he was  rewarded for it4 ,in the first 
regard1 it was a qualifying him for his 
office2 in the second regard1 it was a  
solemn inaugurating him in his  royal   
authority4 ,and the reason of his being 
settled upon a 8throne  for ever and    
ever10 is1 8because he loved            
righteousness40 ,he suffered  himself to
 be pierced to death1 that sin1 the     
enemy of ,god's purity1  might be       
destroyed1 and the honor of the law1 the
 image of ,god's  holiness1 might be    
repaired and fulfilled in the fallen    
creature4 ,he  restored the credit of   
,divine holiness in the world1 in       
manifesting1  by his death1 ,god an     
irreconcileable enemy to all sin2 in    

abolishing  the empire of sin1 so       
hateful to ,god1 and restoring the      
rectitude of  nature1 and new framing   
the image of ,god in his chosen ones4   
,and ,god  so valued this vindication of
 his holiness1 that he confers upon him1
  in his human nature1 an eternal       
royalty and empire over angels and men4 
,holiness was the great attribute       
respected by ,christ in his dying1 and  
manifested in his death2 and for his    
love to this1 ,god would bestow  an     
honor upon his person1 in that nature   
wherein he did vindicate the  honor of  
so dear a perfection4 ,in the death of  
,christ1 he showed his  resolution to   
preserve its rights2 in the exaltation  
of ,christ1 he  evinced his mighty      
pleasure for the vindication of it2 in  
both1 the  infinite value he had for it1
 as dear to him as his life and glory4  
7#d47 ,it may be farther considered1    
that in this way of redemption1  his    
holiness in the hatred of sin seems to  
be valued above any other  attribute4   

,he proclaims the value of it above the 
person of his ,son2  since the ,divine  
nature of the ,redeemer is disguised1   
obscured1 and  vailed1 in order to the  
restoring the honor of it4 ,and ,christ 
seems  to value it above his own person1
 since he submitted himself to the      
reproaches of men1 to clear this        
perfection of the ,divine nature1 and   
make it illustrious in the eyes of the  
world4 ,you heard before1 at the        
beginning of the handling this argument1
 it was the beauty of the ,deity1  the  
lustre of his nature1 the link of all   
his attributes1 his very life2  he      
values it equal with himself1 since he  
swears by it1 as well as by  his life2  
and none of his attributes would have a 
due decorum without  it2 it is the glory
 of power1 mercy1 justice1 and wisdom1  
that they are  all holy2 so that though 
,god had an infinite tenderness and     
compassion  to the fallen creature1 yet 
it should not extend itself in his      
relief  to the prejudice of the rights  

of his purity3 he would have this       
triumph in the tenderness of his mercy1 
as well as the severities  of his       
justice4 ,his mercy had not appeared in 
its true colors1 nor  attained a regular
 end1 without vengeance on sin4 ,it     
would have been  a compassion that      
would1 in sparing the sinner1 have      
encouraged the  sin1 and affronted      
holiness in the issues of it3 had he    
dispersed his  compassions about the    
world1 without the regard to his hatred 
of sin1  his mercy had been too cheap1  
and his holiness had been contemned2 his
  mercy would not have triumphed in his 
own nature1 whilst his holiness  had    
suffered2 he had exercised a mercy with 
the impairing his own glory2  but now1  
in this way of redemption1 the rights of
 both are secured1  both have their due 
lustre3 the odiousness of sin is equally
 b#ach  discovered with the greatest of 
his compassions2 an infinite abhorrence 
of sin1 and an infinite love to the     
world1 march hand in hand together4     

,never was so much of the               
irreconcileableness of sin to him set   
forth1  as in the moment he was opening 
his bowels in the reconciliation of  the
 sinner4 ,sin is made the chiefest mark 
of his displeasure1 while  the poor     
creature is made the highest object of  
,divine pity4 ,there  could have been no
 motion of mercy1 with the least injury 
to purity  and holiness4 ,in this way   
mercy and truth1 mercy to the misery of 
the  creature1 and truth to the purity  
of the law1 8have met together20 the    
righteousness of ,god1 and the peace of 
the sinner1 8have kissed each  other0   
7,ps4 lxxxv4 #aj74    #b4 ,the holiness 
of ,god in his hatred of sin appears in 
our  justification1 and the conditions  
he requires of all that would  enjoy the
 benefit of redemption4 ,his wisdom hath
 so tempered all the  conditions of it1 
that the honor of his holiness is as    
much preserved1  as the sweetness of his
 mercy is experimented by us2 all the   
conditions  are records of his exact    

purity1 as well as of his condescending 
grace4  ,our justification is not by the
 imperfect works of creatures1 but by   
an exact and infinite righteousness1 as 
great as that of the ,deity  which had  
been offended3 it being the             
righteousness of a ,divine person1  upon
 which account it is called the         
righteousness of ,god2 not only in      
regard of ,god's appointing it1 and     
,god's accepting it1 but as it is  a    
righteousness of that person that was   
,god1 and is ,god4 ,faith is the        
condition ,god requires to              
justification2 but not a dead1 but an   
active  faith1 such a 8faith as purifies
 the heart0 7,james ii4 #bj2 ,acts xv4  
#i74  ,he calls for repentance1 which is
 a moral retracting our offences1  and  
an approbation of contemned             
righteousness and a violated law2  an   
endeavor to gain what is lost1 and to   
pluck out the heart of that  sin we have
 committed4 ,he requires mortification1 
which is called  crucifying2 whereby a  

man would strike as full and deadly a   
blow at  his lusts1 as was struck at    
,christ upon the cross1 and make them as
  certainly die1 as the ,redeemer did4  
,our own righteousness must be          
condemned by us1 as impure and          
imperfect3 we must disown everything    
that is our own1 as to righteousness1 in
 reverence to the holiness of  ,god1 and
 the valuation of the righteousness of  
,christ4 ,he hath resolved  not to      
bestow the inheritance of glory without 
the root of grace4 ,none  are partakers 
of the ,divine blessedness that are not 
partakers of the  ,divine nature3 there 
must be a renewing of his image before  
there be  a vision of his face 7,heb4   
xii4 #ad74 ,he will not have men brought
 only  into a relative state of         
happiness by justification1 without a   
real  state of grace by sanctification2 
and so resolved he is in it1 that  there
 is no admittance into heaven of a      
starting1 but a persevering  holiness   
7,rom4 ii4 #g71 8a patient continuance  

in welldoing30 patient1  under the      
sharpness of affliction1 and continuing1
 under the pleasures  of prosperity4    
,hence it is that the gospel1 the       
restoring doctrine1  hath not only the  
motives of rewards to allure to good1   
and the danger  of punishments to scare 
us from evil1 as the law had2 but they  
are set  forth in a higher strain1 in a 
way of stronger engagement2 the rewards 
are heavenly1 and the punishments       
eternal3 and more powerful motives      
besides1 from the choicer expressions of
 ,god's love in the death of his  ,son4 
,the whole design of b#aci it is to     
reinstate us in a resemblance  to this  
,divine perfection2 whereby he shows    
what an affection he hath  to this      
excellency of his nature1 and what a    
detestation he hath of  evil1 which is  
contrary to it4    #c4 ,it appears in   
the actual regeneration of the redeemed 
souls1 and a  carrying it on to a full  
perfection4 ,as election is the effect  
of ,god's  sovereignty1 our pardon the  

fruit of his mercy1 our knowledge a     
stream  from his wisdom1 our strength an
 impression of his power2 so our purity 
is a beam from his holiness4 ,the whole 
work of sanctification1 and the         
preservation of it1 our ,saviour begs   
for his disciples of his ,father1  under
 this title 7,john xvii4 #aa1 #ag73     
8,holy ,father1 keep them through  thy  
own name10 and 8sanctify them through   
thy truth20 as the proper  source whence
 holiness was to flow to the creature3  
as the sun is  the proper fountain      
whence light is derived1 both to the    
stars above1  and the bodies here below4
 ,whence ,he is not only called ,holy1  
but the  ,holy ,one of ,israel 7,isa4   
xliii4 #ae71 8,i am the ,lord your ,holy
 ,one1 the  ,creator of ,israel30       
displaying his holiness in them1 by a   
new creation  of them as his ,israel4   
,as the rectitude of the creature at the
 first  creation was the effect of his  
holiness1 so the purity of the creature1
  by a new creation1 is a draught of the

 same perfection4 ,he is called  the    
,holy ,one of ,israel more in ,isaiah1  
that evangelical prophet1 in  erecting  
,zion1 and forming a people for himself1
 than in the whole  ,scripture besides4 
,as he sent ,jesus ,christ to satisfy   
his justice  for the expiation of the   
guilt of sin1 so he sends the ,holy     
,ghost for  the cleansing of the filth  
of sin1 and overmastering the power of  
it3  ,himself is the fountain1 the ,son 
is the pattern1 and the ,holy ,ghost the
  immediate imprinter of this stamp of  
holiness upon the creature4 ,god  hath  
such a value for this attribute1 that he
 designs the glory of this  in the      
renewing the creature1 more than the    
happiness of the creature2  though the  
one doth necessarily follow upon the    
other1 yet the one  is the principal    
design1 and the other the consequent of 
the former3  whence our salvation is    
more frequently set forth1 in           
,scripture1  by a redemption from sin1  
and sanctification of the soul1 than by 

a  possession of heaven4#ijh ,indeed1 as
 ,god could not create a rational       
creature1 without interesting this      
attribute in a special manner1  so he   
cannot restore the fallen creature      
without it4 ,as in creating  a rational 
creature1 there must be holiness to     
adorn it1 as well  as wisdom to form the
 design1 and power to effect it2 so in  
the  restoration of the creature1 as he 
could not make a reasonable creature    
unholy1 so he cannot restore a fallen   
creature1 and put him in a  meet posture
 to take pleasure in him1 without       
communicating to him a  resemblance of  
himself4 ,as ,god cannot be blessed in  
himself without  this perfection of     
purity1 so neither can a creature be    
blessed without  it4 ,as ,god would be  
unlovely to himself without this        
attribute1 so  would the creature be    
unlovely to ,god1 without a stamp and   
mark of it  upon his nature4 ,so much is
 this perfection one with ,god1 valued  
by him1  and interested in all his works

 and ways6    ,,iii4 ,the third thing ,i
 am to do1 is to lay down some          
proposition in  the defence of ,god's   
holiness in all his acts1 about1 or     
concerning  b#adj sin4 ,it was a prudent
 and pious advice of ,camero1 not to be 
too  busy and rash in inquiries and     
conclusions about the reason of ,god's  
providence in the matter of sin4 ,the   
,scripture hath put a bar in the  way of
 such curiosity1 by telling us1 that the
 ways of ,god's wisdom and              
righteousness in his judgments are      
8unsearchable0 7,rom4 xi4 #cc73 much    
more the ways of ,god's holiness1 as he 
stands in relation to sin1 as a         
,governor of the world2 we cannot       
consider those things without danger  of
 slipping3 our eyes are too weak to look
 upon the sun without being  dazzled3   
too much curiosity met with a just check
 in our first parent4  ,to be desirous  
to know the reason of all ,god's        
proceedings in the  matter of sin1 is to
 second the ambition of ,adam1 to be as 

wise as ,god1  and know the reason of   
his actings equally with himself4 ,it is
 more  easy1 as the same author saith1  
to give an account of ,god's providence 
since the revolt of man1 and the poison 
that hath universally seized  upon human
 nature1 than to make guesses at the    
manner of the fall  of the first man4   
,the ,scripture hath given us but a     
short account of  the manner of it1 to  
discourage too curious inquiries into   
it4 ,it is  certain that ,god made man  
upright2 and when man sinned in         
paradise1 ,god  was active in sustaining
 the substantial nature and act of the  
sinner  while he was sinning1 though not
 in supporting the sinfulness of the    
act3 he was permissive in suffering it3 
he was negative in withholding  that    
grace which might certainly have        
prevented his crime1 and  consequently  
his ruin2 though he withheld nothing    
that was sufficient  for his resistance 
of that temptation wherewith he was     
assaulted4 ,and  since the fall of man1 

,god1 as a wise governor1 is directive  
of the  events of the transgression1 and
 draws the choicest good out of the     
blackest evil1 and limits the sins of   
men1 that they creep not so far  as the 
evil nature of men would urge them to2  
and as a righteous ,judge1  he takes    
away the talent from idle servants1 and 
the light from wicked  ones1 whereby    
they stumble and fall into crimes1 by   
the inclinations  and proneness of their
 own corrupt natures1 leaves them to the
 bias of  their own vicious habits1     
denies that grace which they have       
forfeited1  and have no right to        
challenge1 and turns their sinful       
actions into  punishments1 both to the  
committers of them and others4    ,prop4
 ,i4 ,god's holiness is not chargeable  
with any blemish for  his creating man  
in a mutable state4 ,it is true1 angels 
and men were  created with a changeable 
nature2 as though there was a rich and  
glorious stamp upon them by the hand of 
,god1 yet their natures were not        

incapable of a base and vile stamp from 
some other principle3 as the  silver    
which bears upon it the image of a great
 prince1 is capable of  being melted    
down1 and imprinted with no better an   
image than that of  some vile and       
monstrous beast4 ,though ,god made man  
upright1 yet he was  capable of seeking 
8many inventions0 7,eccl4 vii4 #bi72 yet
 the hand of  ,god was not defiled by   
forming man with such a nature4 ,it was 
suitable  to the wisdom of ,god to give 
the rational creature1 whom he had      
furnished with a power of acting        
righteously1 the liberty of choice1  and
 not fix him in an unchangeable state   
without a trial of him in his  natural2 
that if he did obey1 his obedience might
 be the more valuable2  and if he did   
freely offend1 his offence might be more
 inexcusable4    b#ada #a4 ,no creature 
can be capable of immutability by       
nature4  ,mutability is so essential to 
a creature1 that a creature cannot be   
supposed without it2 you must suppose it

 a ,creator1 not a creature1 if  you    
allow it to be of an immutable nature4  
,immutability is the property  of the   
,supreme ,being4 ,god 8only hath        
immortality0 7#a ,tim4 vi4 #af72        
immortality1 as opposed not only to a   
natural1 but to a sinful death2  the    
word only appropriates every sort of    
immortality to ,god1 and  excludes every
 creature1 whether angel or man1 from a 
partnership with  ,god in this by       
nature4 ,every creature1 therefore1 is  
capable of a death  in sin4 8,none is   
good but ,god10 and none is naturally   
free from change  but ,god1 which       
excludes every creature from the same   
prerogative2  and certainly1 if one     
angel sinned1 all might have sinned1    
because  there was the same root of     
mutability in one as well as another4   
,it  is as possible for a creature to be
 a ,creator1 as for a creature to  have 
naturally an incommunicable property of 
the ,creator4 ,all things1  whether     
angels or men1 are made of nothing1 and 

therefore1 capable of  defection2#iji   
because a creature being made of        
nothing1 cannot be  good1 per essentiam1
 or essentially good1 but by            
participation from  another4 ,again1    
every rational creature1 being made of  
nothing1 hath a  superior which created 
him and governs him1 and is capable of a
 precept2  and1 consequently1 capable of
 disobedience as well as obedience to   
the  precept1 to transgress it1 as well 
as obey it4 ,god cannot sin1 because  he
 can have no superior to impose a       
precept on him4 ,a rational creature1   
with a liberty of will and power of     
choice1 cannot be made by nature  of    
such a mould and temper1 but he must be 
as well capable of choosing  wrong1 as  
of choosing right2 and1 therefore1 the  
standing angels1 and  glorified saints1 
though they are immutable1 it is not by 
nature that  they are so1 but by grace1 
and the good pleasure of ,god2 for      
though  they are in heaven1 they have   
still in their nature a remote power  of

 sinning1 but it shall never be brought 
into act1 because ,god will  always     
incline their wills to love him1 and    
never concur with their  wills to any   
evil act4 ,since1 therefore1 mutability 
is essential to a  creature as a        
creature1 this changeableness cannot    
properly be charged  upon ,god as the   
author of it2 for it was not the term of
 ,god's creating  act1 but did          
necessarily result from the nature of   
the creature1 as  unchangeableness doth 
result from the essence of ,god4 ,the   
brittleness  of a glass is no blame to  
the art of him that blew up the glass   
into  such a fashion2 that imperfection 
of brittleness is not from the  workman1
 but the matter2 so1 though             
unchangeableness be an imperfection1    
yet it is so necessary a one1 that no   
creature can be naturally without  it2  
besides1 though angels and men were     
mutable by creation1 and  capable to    
exercise their wills1 yet they were not 
necessitated to evil1  and this         

mutability did not infer a necessity    
that they should fall1  because some    
angels1 which had the same root of      
changeableness in their  natures with   
those that fell1 did not fall1 which    
they would have done1  if capableness of
 changing1 and necessity of changing1   
were one and the  same thing4    #b4    
,though ,god made the creature mutable1 
yet he made him not b#adb  evil4 ,there 
could be nothing of evil in him that    
,god created after  his own image1 and  
pronounced 8good0 7,gen4 i4 #bg1 #ca74  
,man had an  ability to stand1 as well  
as a capacity to fall3 he was created   
with  a principal of acting freely1     
whereby he was capable of loving ,god as
  his chief good1 and moving to him as  
his last end2 there was a beam  of light
 in man's understanding to know the rule
 he was to conform  to1 a harmony       
between his reason and his affections1  
an original  righteousness3 so that it  
seemed more easy for him to determine   
his  will to continue in obedience to   

the precept1 than to swerve from it2  to
 adhere to ,god as his chief good1 than 
to listen to the charms of  ,satan4 ,god
 created him with those advantages1 that
 he might with more  facility have kept 
his eyes fixed upon the ,divine beauty1 
than turn  his back upon it1 and with   
greater ease have kept the precept ,god 
gave  him1 than have broken it4 ,the    
very first thought darted1 or impression
  made1 by ,god1 upon the angelical or  
human nature1 was the knowledge of      
himself as their ,author1 and could be  
no more than such whereby both  angels  
and men might be excited to a love of   
that adorable ,being1 that  had framed  
them so gloriously out of nothing2 and  
if they turned their  wills and         
affections to another object it was not 
by the direction  of ,god1 but contrary 
to the impression ,god had made upon    
them1 or  the first thought he flashed  
into them4 ,they turned themselves to   
the  admiring their own excellency1 or  
affecting an advantage distinct from    

that which they were to look for only   
from ,god 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #f74 ,pride    
was the cause of the condemnation of the
 devil4 ,though the wills of  angels and
 men were created mutable1 and so were  
imperfect1 yet they  were not created   
evil4 ,though they might sin1 yet they  
might not sin1  and1 therefore1 were not
 evil in their own nature4 ,what        
reflection1  then1 could this mutability
 of their nature be upon ,god8 ,so far  
is it  from any1 that he is fully       
cleared1 by storing up in the nature of 
man  sufficient provision against his   
departure from him4 ,god was so far     
from creating him evil1 that he         
fortified him with a knowledge in his   
understanding1 and a strength in his    
nature to withstand any invasion4  ,the 
knowledge was exercised by ,eve1 in the 
very moment of the serpent's  assaulting
 her 7,gen4 iii4 #c72 ,eve said to the  
serpent1 8,god hath said1  ye shall not 
eat of it30 and had her thoughts been   
intent upon this1  8,god hath said10 and

 not diverted to the motions of the     
sensitive  appetite and liquorish       
palate1 it had been sufficient to put by
 all  the passes the devil did1 or could
 have made at her4 ,so that you see1    
though ,god made the creature mutable1  
yet he made him not evil4 ,this  clears 
the holiness of ,god4    #c4 ,therefore 
it follows1 ,that though ,god created   
man changeable1 yet  he was not the     
cause of his change by his fall4 ,though
 man was created  defectible1 yet he was
 not determined by ,god influencing his 
will by  any positive act to that change
 and apostasy4 ,god placed him in a free
  posture1 set life and happiness before
 him on the one hand1 misery and  death 
on the other2 as he did not draw him    
into the arms of perpetual  blessedness1
 so he did not drive him into the gulf  
of his misery4#iaj  ,he did not incline 
him to evil4 ,it was repugnant b#adc to 
the goodness  of ,god to corrupt the    
righteousness of those faculties he had 
so lately  beautified him with4 ,it was 

not likely he should deface the beauty  
of  that work he had composed with so   
much wisdom and skill4 ,would he1 by    
any act of his own1 make that bad1      
which1 but a little before1 he had      
acquiesced in as good8 ,angels and men  
were left to their liberty and  conduct 
of their natural faculties2 and if ,god 
inspired them with any  motions1 they   
could not but be motions to good1 and   
suited to that  righteous nature he had 
endued them with4 ,but it is most       
probable  that ,god did not1 in a       
supernatural way1 act inwardly upon the 
mind  of man1 but left him wholly to    
that power1 which he had1 in creation1  
furnished him with4 ,the ,scripture     
frees ,god fully from any blame in      
this1 and lays it wholly upon ,satan1 as
 the tempter1 and upon man1 as  the     
determiner of his own will 7,gen4 iii4  
#f72 ,eve 8took of the fruit1  and did  
eat20 and ,adam took from her of the    
fruit1 8and did eat40 ,and  ,solomon    
7,eccles4 vii4 #bi7 distinguisheth      

,god's work in the creation of  man     
8upright10 from man's work in seeking   
out those ruining inventions4  ,god     
created man in a righteous state1 and   
man cast himself into a  forlorn state4 
,as he was a mutable creature1 he was   
from ,god2 as he was  a changed and     
corrupted creature1 it was from the     
devil seducing1 and  his own pliableness
 in admitting4 ,as silver1 and gold1 and
 other metals1  were created by ,god in 
such a form and figure1 yet capable of  
receiving  other forms by the           
industrious art of man2 when the image  
of a man is  put upon a piece of metal1 
,god is not said to create that image1  
though  he created the substance with   
such a property1 that it was capable of 
receiving it2 this capacity is from the 
nature of the metal by ,god's  creation 
of it1 but the carving the figure of    
this or that man is not  the act of     
,god1 but the act of man4 ,as images1 in
 ,scripture1 are called  the work of    
men's hands1 in regard of the imagery1  

though the matter1  wood or stone1 upon 
which the image was carved1 was a work  
of ,god's  creative power4 ,when an     
artificer frames an excellent           
instrument1 and  a musician exactly     
tunes it1 and it comes out of their     
hands without  a blemish1 but capable to
 be untuned by some rude hand1 or       
receive  a crack by a sudden fall1 if it
 meet with a disaster1 is either the    
workman or musician to be blamed8 ,the  
ruin of a house1 caused by the          
wastefulness or carelessness of the     
tenant1 is not to be imputed to the     
workman that built it strong1 and left  
it in a good posture4    ,prop4 ,,ii4   
,god's holiness is not blemished by     
enjoining man a law1  which he knew he  
would not observe4    #a4 ,the law was  
not above his strength4 ,had the law    
been impossible to  be observed1 no     
crime could have been imputed to the    
subject1 the fault  had lain wholly upon
 the ,governor2 the nonobservance of it 
had been  from a want of strength1 and  

not from a want of will4 ,had ,god      
commanded  ,adam to fly up to the sun1  
when he had not given him wings1 ,adam  
might  have a will to obey it1 but his  
power would be too short to perform it4 
,but the law set him for a rule1 had    
nothing of impossibility in it2 it  was 
easy to be observed2 the command was    
rather below1 than above his  strength2 
and the sanction of it was more apt to  
restrain and scare him  from the breach 
of it1 than encourage any daring        
attempts against it2  he had as much    
b#add power1 or rather more1 to conform 
to it1 than  to warp from it2 and       
greater arguments and interest to be    
observant  of it1 than to violate it2   
his all was secured by the one1 and his 
ruin  ascertained by the other4 ,the    
commands of ,god are not grievous 7#a   
,john  v4 #c72 from the first to the    
last command1 there is nothing          
impossible1  nothing hard to the        
original and created nature of man1     
which were all  summed up in a love to  

,god1 which was the pleasure and delight
 of man1  as well as his duty1 if he had
 not1 by inconsiderateness1 neglected   
the  dictates and resolves of his own   
understanding4 ,the law was suited to   
the strength of man1 and fitted for the 
improvement and perfection of  his      
nature2 in which respect1 the apostle   
calls it 8good10 as it refers  to man1  
as well as 8holy10 as it refers to ,god 
7,rom4 vii4 #ab74 ,now1  since ,god     
created man a creature capable to be    
governed by a law1 and  as a rational   
creature endued with understanding and  
will1 not to be  governed1 according to 
his nature1 without a law2 was it       
congruous to  the wisdom of ,god to     
respect only the future state of man1   
which1 from  the depth of his infinite  
knowledge1 he did infallibly foresee    
would  be miserable1 by the wilful      
defection of man from the rule8 ,had it 
been  agreeable to the wisdom of ,god1  
to respect only this future state1 and  
not the present state of the creature2  

and therefore leave him lawless1        
because he knew he would violate the    
law8 ,should ,god forbear to act  like a
 wise governor1 because he saw that man 
would cease to act like  an obedient    
subject8 ,shall a righteous magistrate  
forbear to make just  and good laws1    
because he foresees1 either from the    
dispositions of his  subjects1 their    
illhumor1 or some circumstances which   
will intervene1  that multitudes of them
 will incline to break those laws1 and  
fall  under the penalty of them8 ,no    
blame can be upon that magistrate  who  
minds the rule of righteousness1 and the
 necessary duty of his  government1     
since he is not the cause of those      
turbulent affections of  men1 which he  
wisely foresees will rise up against his
 just edicts4    #b4 ,though the law now
 be above the strength of man1 yet is   
not the  holiness of ,god blemished by  
keeping it up4 ,it is true1 ,god hath   
been  graciously pleased to mitigate the
 severity and rigor of the law1  by the 

entrance of the gospel2 yet where men   
refuse the terms of the  gospel1 they   
continue themselves under the           
condemnation of the law1  and are justly
 guilty of the breach of it1 though they
 have no strength  to observe it4 ,the  
law1 as ,i said before1 was not above   
man's strength1  when he was possessed  
of original righteousness1 though it be 
above  man's strength1 since he was     
stripped of original righteousness4 ,the
  command was dated before man had      
contracted his impotency1 when he  had a
 power to keep it as well as to break   
it4 ,had it been enjoined  to man only  
after the fall1 and not before1 he might
 have had a better  pretence to excuse  
himself1 because of the impossibility of
 it2 yet he  would not have had         
sufficient excuse1 since the            
impossibility did not  result from the  
nature of the law1 but from the         
corrupted nature of the  creature4 ,it  
was 8weak through the flesh0 7,rom4     
viii4 #c71 but it was  promulged when   

man had a strength proportioned to the  
commands of it4  ,and now1 since man    
hath unhappily made himself incapable of
 obeying it1  must ,god's holiness in   
his law be blemished for enjoining it8  
,must he  abrogate those commands1 and  
prohibit b#ade what before he enjoined1 
for the satisfaction of the corrupted   
creature8 ,would not this be  his       
8ceasing to be holy10 that his creature 
might be unblameably  unrighteous8 ,must
 ,god strip himself of his holiness1    
because man will  not discharge his     
iniquity8 ,he cannot be the cause of    
sin1 by keeping  up the law1 who would  
be the cause of all the unrighteousness 
of  men1 by removing the authority of   
it4 ,some things in the law that  are   
intrinsically good in their own nature1 
are indispensable1 and  it is repugnant 
to the nature of ,god not to command    
them4 ,if he were  not the guardian of  
his indispensable law1 he would be the  
cause and  countenancer of the          
creatures' iniquity4 ,so little reason  

have men to  charge ,god with being the 
cause of their sin1 by not repealing his
 law  to gratify their impotence1 that  
he would be unholy if he did4 ,god must 
not lose his purity1 because man hath   
lost his1 and cast away the right  of   
his sovereignty1 because man hath cast  
away his power of obedience4    #c4     
,god's foreknowledge that his law would 
not be observed1 lays no  blame upon    
him4 ,though the foreknowledge of ,god  
be infallible1 yet  it doth not         
necessitate the creature in acting4 ,it 
was certain from  eternity1 that ,adam  
would fall1 that men would do such and  
such actions1  that ,judas would betray 
our ,saviour2 ,god foreknew all those   
things  from eternity2 but1 it is as    
certain that this foreknowledge did not 
necessitate the will of ,adam1 or any   
other branch of his posterity1 in  the  
doing those actions that were so        
foreseen by ,god2 they voluntarily  run 
into such courses1 not by any impulsion4
 ,god's knowledge was not  suspended    

between certainty and uncertainty2 he   
certainly foreknew that  his law would  
be broken by ,adam2 he foreknew it in   
his own decree of  not hindering him1 by
 giving ,adam the efficacious grace     
which would  infallibly have prevented  
it2 yet ,adam did freely break this law1
 and  never imagined that the           
foreknowledge of ,god did necessitate   
him to it2  he could find no cause of   
his own sin1 but the liberty of his own 
will2  he charges the occasion of his   
sin upon the woman1 and consequently    
upon ,god in giving the woman to him    
7,gen4 iii4 #ab74 ,he could not be so   
ignorant of the nature of ,god1 as to   
imagine him without a foresight  of     
future things3 since his knowledge of   
what was to be known of ,god  by        
creation1 was greater than any man's    
since1 in all probability4  ,but1       
however1 if he were not acquainted with 
the notion of ,god's  foreknowledge1 he 
could not be ignorant of his own act2   
there could  not have been any necessity

 upon him1 any kind of constraint of him
  in his action1 that could have been   
unknown to him2 and he would not  have  
omitted a plea of so strong a nature1   
when he was upon his trial  for life or 
death2 especially when he urgeth so weak
 an argument1 to  impute his crime to   
,god1 as the gift of the woman2 as if   
that which  was designed him for a help1
 were intended for his ruin4 ,if ,god's 
prescience takes away the liberty of the
 creature1 there is no such  thing as a 
free action in the world 7for there is  
nothing done but  is foreknown by ,god1 
else we render ,god of a limited        
understanding71  nor ever was1 no1 not  
by ,god himself1 ad extra2 for          
whatsoever he  hath done in creation1   
whatsoever he hath done since the       
creation1  was foreknown by him3 he     
resolved to do it1 and1 therefore1      
foreknew  that he would do it4 ,did ,god
 do it1 b#adf therefore1 necessarily1   
as necessity is opposed to liberty8 ,as 
he freely decrees what he will  do1 so  

he effects what he freely decreed4      
,foreknowledge is so far from           
intrenching upon the liberty of the     
will1 that predetermination1 which  in  
the notion of it speaks something more1 
doth not dissolve it2 ,god  did not only
 foreknow1 but determine the suffering  
of ,christ 7,acts iv4  #bg1 #bh74 ,it   
was necessary1 therefore1 that ,christ  
should suffer1 that  ,god might not be  
mistaken in his foreknowledge1 or come  
short of his  determinate decree2 but   
did this take away the liberty of       
,christ in  suffering8 7,eph4 v4 #b73   
8,who offered himself up to ,god20 that 
is1 by a  voluntary act1 as well as     
designed to do it by a determinate      
counsel4  ,it did infallibly secure the 
event1 but did not annihilate the       
liberty  of the action1 either in       
,christ's willingness to suffer1 or the 
crime  of the ,jews that made him       
suffer4 ,god's prescience is ,god's     
provision  of things arising from their 
proper causes2 as a gardener foresees   

in his plants the leaves and the flowers
 that will arise from them in  the      
spring1 because he knows the strength   
and nature of their several  roots which
 lie under ground2 but his foresight of 
these things is not  the cause of the   
rise and appearance of those flowers4   
,if any of us  see a ship moving towards
 such a rock or quicksand1 and know it  
to be  governed by a negligent pilot1 we
 shall certainly foresee that the ship  
will be torn in pieces by the rock1 or  
swallowed up by the sands2 but  is this 
foresight of ours from the causes1 any  
cause of the effect2 or  can we from    
hence be said to be the authors of the  
miscarriage of the  ship1 and the loss  
of the passengers and goods8 ,the fall  
of ,adam was  foreseen by ,god to come  
to pass by the consent of his free will1
 in  the choice of the proposed         
temptation4 ,god foreknew ,adam would   
sin1  and if ,adam would not have       
sinned1 ,god would have foreknown that  
he  would not sin4 ,adam might easily   

have detected the serpent's fraud1  and 
made a better election2 ,god foresaw    
that he would not do it2 ,god's         
foreknowledge did not make ,adam guilty 
or innocent3 whether ,god had  foreknown
 it or no1 he was guilty by a free      
choice1 and a willing  neglect of his   
own duty4 ,adam knew that ,god foreknew 
that he might  eat of the fruit1 and    
fall and die1 because ,god had forbidden
 him2 the  foreknowledge that he would  
do it1 was no more a cause of his       
action1  than the foreknowledge that he 
might do it4 ,judas certainly knew  that
 his ,master foreknew that he would     
betray him1 for ,christ had  acquainted 
him with it 7,john xiii4 #ba1 #bf72 yet 
he never charged this  foreknowledge of 
,christ with any guilt of his treachery4
    ,prop4 ,,iii4 ,the holiness of ,god 
is not blemished by decreeing the       
eternal rejection of some men4          
,reprobation1 in its first notion1 is   
an act of preterition1 or passing by4 ,a
 man is not made wicked by the  act of  

,god2 but it supposeth him wicked2 and  
so it is nothing else but  ,god's       
leaving a man in that guilt and filth   
wherein he beholds him4  ,in its second 
notion1 it is an ordination1 not to a   
crime1 but to a  punishment 7,jude #d73 
8an ordaining to condemnation40 ,and    
though it be  an eternal act of ,god1   
yet1 in order of nature1 it follows upon
 the  foresight of the transgression of 
man1 and supposeth the crime4 ,god      
considers ,adam's revolt1 and views the 
whole mass of his corrupted  posterity1 
and chooses some to reduce to himself by
 b#adg his grace1  and leaves others to 
lie sinking in their ruins4 ,since all  
mankind fell  by the fall of ,adam1 and 
have corruption conveyed to them        
successively  by that root1 whereof they
 are branches2 all men might justly be  
left  wallowing in that miserable       
condition to which they are reduced by  
the  apostasy of their common head2 and 
,god might have passed by the whole     
race of man1 as well as he did the      

fallen angels1 without any hope of      
redemption4 ,he was no more bound to    
restore man1 than to restore devils1    
nor bound to repair the nature of any   
one son of ,adam2 and had he dealt  with
 men as he dealt with the devils1 they  
had had1 all of them1 as  little just   
ground to complain of ,god2 for all men 
deserved to be left  to themselves1 for 
all were concluded under sin2 but ,god  
calls out some  to make monuments of his
 grace1 which is an act of the sovereign
 mercy  of that dominion1 whereby 8he   
hath mercy on whom he will have mercy0  
7,rom4 ix4 #ah72 others he passes by1   
and leaves them remaining in that       
corruption of nature wherein they were  
born4 ,if men have a power to  dispose  
of their own goods1 without any         
unrighteousness1 why should not  ,god   
dispose of his own grace1 and bestow it 
upon whom he pleases2 since  it is a    
debt to none1 but a free gift to any    
that enjoy it8 ,god is not  the cause of
 sin in this1 because his operation     

about this is negative2  it is not an   
action1 but a denial of action1 and     
therefore cannot  be the cause of the   
evil actions of men4#iaa ,god acts      
nothing1 but  withholds his power2 he   
doth not enlighten their minds1 nor     
incline  their wills so powerfully1 as  
to expel their darkness1 and root out   
those evil habits which possess them by 
nature4 ,god could1 if he would1        
savingly enlighten the minds of all men 
in the world1 and quicken their  hearts 
with a new life by an invincible grace2 
but in not doing it1  there is no       
positive act of ,god1 but a cessation of
 action4 ,we may with  as much reason   
say1 that ,god is the cause of all the  
sinful actions  that are committed by   
the corporation of devils1 since their  
first  rebellion1 because he leaves them
 to themselves1 and bestows not a new   
grace upon them1as say1 ,god is the     
cause of the sins of those that he      
overlooks and leaves in that state of   
guilt wherein he found them4 ,god  did  

not pass by any without the             
consideration of sin2 so that this act  
of ,god is not repugnant to his         
holiness1 but conformable to his        
justice4    ,prop4 ,,iv4 ,the holiness  
of ,god is not blemished by his secret  
will  to suffer sin to enter into the   
world4 ,god never willed sin by his     
preceptive will4 ,it was never founded  
upon1 or produced by any word  of his1  
as the creation was4 ,he never said1    
,let there be sin under the  heaven1 as 
he said1 8,let there be water under the 
heaven40 ,nor doth  he will it by       
infusing any habit of it1 or stirring up
 inclinations to  it2 no1 8,god tempts  
no man0 7,james i4 #ac74 ,nor doth he   
will it by his  approving will2 it is   
detestable to him1 nor ever can he be   
otherwise2  he cannot approve it either 
before commission or after4    #a4 ,the 
will of ,god is in some sort concurrent 
with sin4 ,he doth not  properly will   
it1 but he wills not to hinder it1 to   
which1 by his  omnipotence1 he could put

 a bar4 ,if he did positively will it1  
it might  be wrought by himself1 and so 
could not be evil4 ,if he did b#adh in  
no sort will it1 it would not be        
committed by his creature2 sin entered  
into the world1 either ,god willing the 
permission of it1 or not willing  the   
permission of it4 ,the latter cannot be 
said2 for then the creature  is more    
powerful than ,god1 and can do that     
which ,god will not permit4  ,god can1  
if he be pleased1 banish all sin in a   
moment out of the world3  he could have 
prevented the revolt of angels1 and the 
fall of man2  they did not sin whether  
he would or no3 he might1 by his grace1 
have  stepped in the first moment1 and  
made a special impression upon them of  
the happiness they already possessed1   
and the misery they would incur  by any 
wicked attempt4 ,he could as well have  
prevented the sin of the  fallen angels1
 and confirmed them in grace1 as of     
those that continued  in their happy    
state3 he might have appeared to man1   

informed him of  the issue of his       
design1 and made secret impressions upon
 his heart1  since he was acquainted    
with every avenue to his will4 ,god     
could have  kept all sin out of the     
world1 as well as all creatures from    
breathing  in it2 he was as well able to
 bar sin forever out of the world1 as   
to let creatures lie in the womb of     
nothing1 wherein they were first        
wrapped4 ,to say ,god doth will sin as  
he doth other things1 is to deny  his   
holiness2 to say it entered without     
anything of his will1 is to  deny his   
omnipotence4 ,if he did necessitate     
,adam to fall1 what shall  we think of  
his purity8 ,if ,adam did fall without  
any concern of ,god's  will in it1 what 
shall we say of his sovereignty8 ,the   
one taints his  holiness1 and the other 
clips his power4 ,if it came without    
anything  of his will in it1 and he did 
not foresee it1 where is his            
omniscience8  ,if it entered whether he 
would or no1 where is his omnipotence   

7,rom4  ix4 #ai78 8,who hath resisted   
his will80 ,there cannot be a lustful   
act  in ,abimelech1 if ,god will        
withhold his power 7,gen4 xx4 #f72 8,i  
withheld  thee30 nor a cursing word in  
,balaam's mouth1 unless ,god give power 
to speak it 7,numb4 xxii4 #ch73 8,have  
,i now any power at all to say          
anything8 ,the word that ,god puts in my
 mouth1 that shall ,i speak40 ,as  no   
action could be sinful1 if ,god had not 
forbidden it2 so no sin could  be       
committed1 if ,god did not will to give 
way to it4    #b4 ,god doth not will    
directly1 and by an efficacious will4   
,he doth not  directly will it1 because 
he hath prohibited it by his law1 which 
is  a discovery of his will3 so that if 
he should directly will sin1 and        
directly prohibit it1 he would will good
 and evil in the same manner1  and there
 would be contradictions in ,god's will3
 to will sin absolutely1  is to work it 
7,ps4 cxv4 #c73 8,god hath done         
whatsoever he pleased40 ,god  cannot    

absolutely will it1 because he cannot   
work it4 ,god wills good by  a positive 
decree1 because he hath decreed to      
effect it4#iab ,he wills  evil by a     
private decree1 because he hath decreed 
not to give that  grace which would     
certainly prevent it4 ,god doth not will
 sin simply1  for that were to approve  
it1 but he wills it1 in order to that   
good  his wisdom will bring forth from  
it4#iac ,he wills not sin for itself1   
but for the event4 ,to will sin as sin1 
or as purely evil1 is not in  the       
capacity of a creature1 neither of man  
nor devil4 ,the will of a  rational     
creature cannot will anything but under 
the appearance of good1  of some good in
 the sin itself1 or some good in the    
issue of it4 b#adi  ,much more is this  
far from ,god1 who1 being infinitely    
good1 cannot will  evil as evil2 and    
being infinitely knowing1 cannot will   
that for good  which is evil4#iad       
,infinite wisdom can be under no error  
or mistake3  to will sin as sin1 would  

be an unanswerable blemish on ,god2 but 
to  will to suffer it in order to good1 
is the glory of his wisdom2 it  could   
never have peeped up its head1 unless   
there had been some decree  of ,god     
concerning it4 ,and there had been no   
decree of ,god concerning  it1 had he   
not intended to bring good and glory out
 of it4 ,if ,god did  directly will the 
discovery of his grace and mercy to the 
world1 he did  in some sort will sin1 as
 that without which there could not have
 been  any appearance of mercy in the   
world2 for an innocent creature is not  
the object of mercy1 but a miserable    
creature3 and no rational creature  but 
must be sinful before it be miserable4  
#c4 ,god wills the permission of sin4   
,he doth not positively will sin1  but  
he positively wills to permit it4 ,and  
though he doth not approve  of sin1 yet 
he approves of that act of his will1    
whereby he permits it4  ,for since that 
sin could not enter into the world      
without some concern  of ,god's will    

about it1 that act of his will that gave
 way to it1 could  not be displeasing to
 him3 ,god could never be displeased    
with his own  act3 8,he is not as man1  
that he should repent0 7#a ,sam4 xv4    
#bi74 ,what  ,god cannot repent of1 he  
cannot but approve of3 it is contrary to
 the  blessedness of ,god to disapprove 
of1 and be displeased with any act  of  
his own will4 ,if he hated any act of   
his own will1 he would hate  himself1 he
 would be under a torture3 every one    
that hates his own acts1  is under some 
disturbance and torment for them4 ,that 
which is permitted  by him1 is in       
itself1 and in regard of the evil of it1
 hateful to him3  but as the prospect of
 that good which he aims at in the      
permission  of it is pleasing to him1 so
 that act of his will1 whereby he       
permits  it1 is ushered in by an        
approving act of his understanding4     
,either ,god  approved of the           
permission1 or not2 if he did not       
approve his own act  of permission1 he  

could not have decreed an act of        
permission4 ,it is  inconceivable that  
,god should decree such an act which he 
detested1  and positively will that     
which he hated4 ,though ,god hated sin1 
as being  against his holiness1 yet he  
did not hate the permission of sin1 as  
being subservient by the immensity of   
his wisdom to his own glory4 ,he  could 
never be displeased with that which was 
the result of his eternal  counsel1 as  
this decree of permitting sin was1 as   
well as any other  decree1 resolved upon
 in his own breast4 ,for as ,god acts   
nothing in  time1 but what he decreed   
from eternity1 so he permits nothing in 
time but what he decreed from eternity  
to permit4 ,to speak properly1          
therefore1 ,god doth not will sin1 but  
he wills the permission of it1  and this
 will to permit is active and positive  
in ,god4    #d4 ,this act of permission 
is not a mere and naked permission1 but 
such an one as is attended with a       
certainty of the event4 ,the decrees  of

 ,god to make use of the sin of man for 
the glory of his grace in the  mission  
and passion of his ,son1 hung upon this 
entrance of sin4 ,would  it consist with
 the wisdom of ,god to decree such great
 and stupendous  things1 the event      
whereof should depend upon an uncertain 
foundation  which he might be mistaken  
in8 ,god would have b#aej sat in counsel
  from eternity to no purpose1 if he had
 only permitted those things to  be     
done1 without any knowledge of the event
 of this permission4 ,god  would not    
have made such provision for redemption 
to no purpose1 or an  uncertain purpose1
 which would have been1 if man had not  
fallen2 or if  it had been an           
uncertainty with ,god whether he would  
fall or no4 ,though  the will of ,god   
about sin was permissive1 yet the will  
of ,god about  that glory he would      
promote by the defect of the creature1  
was positive2  and1 therefore1 he would 
not suffer so many positive acts of his 
will  to hang upon an uncertain event2  

and1 therefore1 he did wisely and       
righteously order all things to the     
accomplishment of his great and         
gracious purposes4    #e4 ,this act of  
permission doth not taint the holiness  
of ,god4  ,that there is such an act as 
permission1 is clear in ,scripture      
7,acts  xiv4 #af73 8,who in times past  
suffered all nations to walk in their   
own  ways40 ,but that it doth not       
blemish the holiness of ,god1 will      
appear1    #ast4 ,from the nature of    
this permission4    #a4 ,it is not a    
moral permission1 a giving liberty of   
toleration by any  law to commit sin    
with impunity2 when1 what one law did   
forbid1 another  law doth leave         
indifferent to be done or not1 as a man 
sees good in  himself4 ,as when there is
 a law made among men1 that no man shall
  go out of such a city or country      
without license2 to go out without      
license is a crime by the law2 but when 
that law is repealed by another1  that  
gives liberty for men to go and come at 

their pleasure1 it doth  not make their 
going or coming necessary1 but leaves   
those which were  before bound1 to do as
 they see good in themselves4 ,such a   
permission  makes a fact lawful1 though 
not necessary2 a man is not obliged to  
do  it1 but he is left to his own       
discretion to do as he pleases1 without 
being chargeable with a crime for doing 
it4 ,such a permission there  was       
granted by ,god to ,adam of eating of   
the fruits of the garden1 to  choose any
 of them for food1 except the tree of   
8knowledge of good and  evil40 ,it was a
 precept to him1 not to 8eat of the     
fruit of the tree  of knowledge of good 
and evil20 but the other was a          
permission1 whereby  it was lawful for  
him to feed upon any other that was most
 agreeable  to his appetite3 but there  
is not such a permission in the case of 
sin2  this had been an indulgence of it1
 which had freed man from any crime1    
and1 consequently1 from punishment2     
because1 by such a permission by  law1  

he would have had authority to sin if he
 pleased4 ,god did not  remove the law1 
which he had before placed as a bar     
against evil1 nor  ceased that moral    
impediment of his threatening3 such a   
permission as  this1 to make sin lawful 
or indifferent1 had been a blot upon    
,god's  holiness4    #b4 ,but this      
permission of ,god1 in the case of sin1 
is no more than the  not hindering a    
sinful action1 which he could have      
prevented4 ,it is not  so much an action
 of ,god1 as a suspension of his        
influence1 which might  have hindered an
 evil act1 and a forbearing to restrain 
the faculties  of man from sin2 it is1  
properly1 the not exerting that efficacy
  which might change the counsels that  
are taken1 and prevent the action       
intended2 as when one man sees another  
ready to fall1 and can preserve  him    
from falling by reaching out his hand1  
he permits b#aea him  to fall1 that is1 
he hinders him not from falling4 ,so    
,god describes  his act about ,abimelech

 7,gen4 xx4 #f72 8,i withheld thee from 
sinning  against me1 therefore suffered 
,i thee not to touch her40 ,if          
,abimelech  had sinned1 he had sinned by
 ,god's permission2 that is1 by ,god's  
not  hindering1 or not restraining him  
by making any impressions upon him4  ,so
 that permission is only a withholding  
that help and grace1 which1 if          
bestowed1 would have been an effectual  
remedy to prevent a crime2 and  it is   
rather a suspension1 or cessation1 than 
properly a permission1  and sin may be  
said to be committed1 not without ,god's
 permission1  rather than by his        
permission4 ,thus1 in the fall of man1  
,god did not  hold the reins strict upon
 ,satan1 to restrain him from laying the
 bait1  nor restrain ,adam from         
swallowing the bait3 he kept to himself 
that  efficacious grace which he might  
have darted out upon man to prevent  his
 fall4 ,god left ,satan to his malice of
 tempting1 and ,adam to his  liberty of 
resisting1 and his own strength1 to use 

that sufficient  grace he had furnished 
him with1 whereby he might have resisted
 and  overcome the temptation4 ,as he   
did not drive man to it1 so he did not  
secretly restrain him from it4 ,so1 in  
the ,jews crucifying our ,saviour1  ,god
 did not imprint upon their minds1 by   
his ,spirit1 a consideration  of the    
greatness of the crime1 and the horror  
of his justice due to it2  and1 being   
without those impediments1 they run     
furiously1 of their own  accord1 to the 
commission of that evil2 as1 when a man 
lets a wolf or  dog out upon his prey1  
he takes off the chain which held them1 
and they  presently act according to    
their natures4#iae ,in the fall of      
angels  and men1 ,god's act was leaving 
them to their own strength2 in sins     
after the fall1 it is ,god's giving them
 up to their own corruption2  the first 
is a pure suspension of grace2 the other
 hath the nature of  a punishment 7,ps4 
lxxxi4 #ab73 8,so ,i gave them up to    
their own hearts'  lusts40 ,the first   

object of this permissive will of ,god  
was to leave  angels and men to their   
liberty1 and the use of their free will1
 which  was natural to them1#iaf not    
adding that supernatural grace which was
  necessary1 not that they should not at
 all sin1 but that they should          
infallibly not sin3 they had a strength 
sufficient to avoid sin1 but  not       
sufficient infallibly to avoid sin2 a   
grace sufficient to preserve  them1 but 
not sufficient to confirm them4    #c4  
,now this permission is not the cause of
 sin1 nor doth blemish the  holiness of 
,god4 ,it doth not intrench upon the    
freedom of men1 but  supposeth it1      
establisheth it1 and leaves man to it4  
,god acted nothing1  but only ceased to 
act2 and therefore could not be the     
efficient cause  of man's sin4 ,as ,god 
is not the author of good1 but by       
willing and  effecting it1 so he is not 
the author of evil1 but by willing and  
effecting it3 but he doth not positively
 will evil1 nor effect it by  any       

efficacy of his own4 ,permission is no  
action1 nor the cause of that  action   
which is permitted2 but the will of that
 person who is permitted  to do such an 
action is the cause4#iag ,god can no    
more be said to  be the cause of sin1 by
 suffering a creature to act as it will1
 than  he can be said to be the cause of
 the not being of any creature1 by      
denying it being1 and letting it remain 
nothing2 it is not from ,god  that it is
 nothing1 it is nothing in itself4      
,though ,god be said b#aeb  to be the   
cause of creation1 yet he is never by   
any said to be the  cause of that       
nothing which was before creation4 ,this
 permission of ,god  is not the cause of
 sin1 but the cause of not hindering    
sin4 ,man and  angels had a physical    
power of sinning from ,god1 as they were
 created  with freewill1 and supported  
in their natural strength2 but the moral
  power to sin was not from ,god2 he    
counselled them not to it1 laid no      
obligation upon them to use their       

natural power for such an end2 he  only 
left them to their freedom1 and not     
hindered them in their acting  what he  
was resolved to permit4    #b;d4 ,the   
holiness of ,god is not tainted by this1
 because he was under no  obligation to 
hinder their commission of sin4 ,ceasing
 to act1 whereby  to prevent a crime or 
mischief1 brings not a person permitting
 it under  guilt1 unless where he is    
under an obligation to prevent it2 but  
,god1  in regard of his absolute        
dominion1 cannot be charged with any    
such  obligation4 ,one man1 that doth   
not hinder the murder of another1 when  
it is in his power1 is guilty of the    
murder in part2 but1 it is to be        
considered1 that he is under a tie by   
nature1 as being of the same kind1  and 
being the other's brother1 by a         
communion of blood1 also under  an      
obligation of the law of charity1       
enacted by the common ,sovereign  of the
 world3 but what tie was there upon     
,god1 since the infinite  transcendancy 

of his nature1 and his sovereign        
dominion1 frees him from  any such      
obligation 7,job ix4 #ab78 8,if he takes
 away1 who shall say1  ,what dost thou80
 ,god might have prevented the fall of  
men and angels2  he might have confirmed
 them all in a state of perpetual       
innocency2 but  where is the obligation8
 ,he had made the creature a debtor to  
himself1  but he owed nothing to the    
creature4 ,before ,god can be charged   
with  any guilt in this case1 it must be
 proved1 not only that he could1 but    
that he was bound to hinder it4 ,no     
person can be justly charged with       
another's fault1 merely for not         
preventing it1 unless he be bound to    
prevent it2 else1 not only the first sin
 of angels and man would be  imputed to 
,god1 as the ,author1 but all the sins  
of men4 ,he could not  be obliged by any
 law1 because he had no superior to     
impose any law  upon him2 and it will be
 hard to prove that he was obliged1 from
 his  own nature1 to prevent the        

entrance of sin1 which he would use as  
an  occasion to declare his own         
holiness1 so transcendent a perfection  
of  his nature1 more than ever it could 
have been manifested by a total         
exclusion of it1 viz4 in the death of   
,christ4 ,he is no more bound1  in his  
own nature1 to preserve1 by supernatural
 grace1 his creature  from falling1     
after he had framed him with a          
sufficient strength to  stand1 than he  
was obliged1 in his own nature1 to bring
 his creature  into being when it was   
nothing4 ,he is not bound to create a   
rational  creature1 much less bound to  
create him with supernatural gifts2     
though1  since ,god would make a        
rational creature1 he could not but make
 him  with a natural uprightness and    
rectitude4 ,god did as much for angels  
and men as became a wise governor3 he   
had published his law1 backed it  with  
severe penalties1 and the creature      
wanted not a natural strength  to       
observe and obey it4 ,had not man power 

to obey all the precepts  of the law1 as
 well as one8 ,how was ,god bound to    
give him more grace1  since what he had 
already was enough to shield him1 and   
keep up his  resistance b#aec against   
all the power of hell8 ,it had been     
enough to  have pointed his will against
 the temptation1 and he had kept off the
  force of it4 ,was there any promise   
past to ,adam of any further grace      
which he could plead as a tie upon ,god8
 ,no such voluntary limit upon  ,god's  
supreme dominion appears upon record4   
,was anything due to man  which he had  
not8 anything promised him which was not
 performed8  ,what action of debt1 then1
 can the creature bring against ,god8   
,indeed1 when man began to neglect the  
light of his own reason1 and  became    
inconsiderate of the precept1 ,god might
 have enlightened his  understanding by 
a special flash1 a supernatural beam1   
and imprinted  upon him a particular    
consideration of the necessity of his   
obedience1  the misery he was           

approaching to by his sin1 the folly of 
any  apprehension of an equality in     
knowledge2 he might have convinced  him 
of the falsity of the serpent's         
arguments1 and uncased to him the  venom
 that lay under those baits4 ,but how   
doth it appear that ,god was  bound to  
those additional acts when he had       
already lighted up in him a  8spirit1   
which was the candle of the ,lord0      
7,prov4 xx4 #bg71 whereby he  was able  
to discern all1 if he had attended to   
it4 ,it was enough that  ,god did not   
necessitate man to sin1 did not counsel 
him to it2 that  he had given him       
sufficient warning in the threatening1  
and sufficient  strength in his         
faculties1 to fortify him against       
temptation4 ,he gave  him what was due  
to him as a creature of his own framing2
 he withdrew  no help from him1 that was
 due to him as a creature1 and what was 
not  due he was not bound to impart4    
,man did not beg preserving grace of    
,god1 and ,god was not bound to offer   

it1 when he was not petitioned for  it  
especially3 yet if he had begged it1    
,god having before furnished  him       
sufficiently1 might1 by the right of his
 sovereign dominion1 have  denied it    
without any impeachment of his holiness 
and righteousness4  ,though he would not
 in such a case have dealt so           
bountifully with his  creature as he    
might have done1 yet he could not have  
been impleaded1  as dealing             
unrighteously with his creature4 ,the   
single word that ,god  had already      
uttered1 when he gave him his precept1  
was enough to oppose  against all the   
devil's wiles1 which tended to          
invalidate that word3  the understanding
 of man could not imagine that the word 
of ,god was  vainly spoken2 and the very
 suggestion of the devil1 as if the     
,creator  should envy his creature1     
would have appeared ridiculous1 if he   
had  attended to the voice of his own   
reason4 ,god had done enough for him1   
and was obliged to do no more1 and dealt

 not unrighteously in leaving  him to   
act according to the principles of his  
nature4 ,to conclude1 if  ,god's        
permission of sin were enough to charge 
it upon ,god1 or if ,god  had been      
obliged to give ,adam supernatural      
grace1 ,adam1 that had so  capacious a  
brain1 could not be without that plea in
 his mouth1 8,lord  thou mightest have  
prevented it2 the commission of it by me
 could not  have been without thy       
permission of it30 or1 8,thou hast been 
wanting  to me1 as the author of my     
nature40 ,no such plea is brought by    
,adam  into the court1 when ,god tried  
and cast him2 no such pleas can have    
any strength in them4 ,adam had reason  
enough to know1 that there was          
sufficient reason to overrule such a    
plea4    ,since the permission of sin   
casts no dirt upon the holiness of ,god1
  b#aed as ,i think hath been cleared1  
we may under this head consider  two    
things more4    #a4 ,that ,god's        
permission of sin is not so much as his 

restraint or  limitation of it4 ,since  
the entrance of the first sin into the  
world  by ,adam1 ,god is more a hinderer
 than a permitter of it4 ,if he hath    
permitted that which he could have      
prevented1 he prevents a world more1    
that he might1 if he pleased1 permit3   
the hedges about sin are larger  than   
the outlets2 they are but a few streams 
that glide about the world1  in         
comparison of that mighty torrent he    
dams up both in men and devils4  ,he    
that understands what a lake of ,sodom  
is in every man's nature1  since the    
universal infection of human nature1 as 
the apostle describes  it 7,rom4 iii4   
#i1 #aj1 c471 must acknowledge1 that if 
,god should cast  the reins upon the    
necks of sinful men1 they would run into
 thousands  of abominable crimes1 more  
than they do3 the impression of all     
natural  laws would be rased out1 the   
world would be a public stew1 and a more
  bloody slaughter house2 human society 
would sink into a chaos2 no  starlight  

of commendable morality would be seen in
 it2 the world would  be no longer an   
earth1 but an hell1 and have lain deeper
 in wickedness  than it doth4 ,if ,god  
did not limit sin1 as he doth the sea1  
and put  bars to the waves of the heart1
 as well as those of the waters1 and    
say of them1 8,hitherto you shall go1   
and no further20 man hath such a        
furious ocean in him1 as would overflow 
the banks2 and where it makes a  breach 
in one place1 it would in a thousand1 if
 ,god should suffer it to  act according
 to its impetuous current4 ,as the devil
 hath lust enough  to destroy all       
mankind1 if ,god did not bridle him2    
deal with every man  as he did with     
,job1 ruin their comforts1 and deform   
their bodies with  scabs2 infect        
religion with a thousand more errors2   
fling disorders  into commonwealths1 and
 make them as a fiery furnace1 full of  
nothing  but flame2 if he were not      
chained by that powerful arm1 that might
 let  him loose to fulfil his malicious 

fury2 what rapines1 murders1 thefts1    
would be committed1 if he did not stint 
him6 ,abimelech would not only  lust    
after ,sarah1 but deflour her2 ,laban   
not only pursue ,jacob1 but  rifle him2 
,saul not only hate ,david1 but murder  
him2 ,david not only  threaten ,nabal1  
but root him up1 and his family1 did not
 ,god girdle in  the wrath of man3#iah a
 greater remainder of wrath is pent in1 
than  flames out1 which yet swells for  
an outlet4 ,god may be concluded more   
holy in preventing men's sins1 than the 
author of sin in permitting  some2      
since1 were it not for his restraints by
 the pullback of  conscience1 and       
infused motions and outward impediments1
 the world  would swarm more with this  
cursed brood4    #b4 ,his permission of 
sin is in order to his own glory1 and a 
greater  good4 ,it is no reflection upon
 the ,divine goodness to leave man to   
his  own conduct1 whereby such a        
deformity as sin sets foot in the world2
  since he makes his wisdom illustrious 

in bringing good out of evil1  and a    
good greater than that evil he suffered 
to spring up4#iai ,god  did not permit  
sin1 as sin1 or permit it barely for    
itself4 ,as sin  is not lovely in its   
own nature1 so neither is the permission
 of sin  intrinsically good or amiable  
for itself1 but for those ends aimed at 
in b#aee the permission of it4 ,god     
permitted sin1 but approved not  of the 
object of that permission1 sin2 because 
that1 considered in its  own nature1 is 
solely evil3 nor can we think that ,god 
could approve  of the act of permission1
 considered only in itself as an act2   
but as  it respected that event which   
his wisdom would order by it4 ,we cannot
  suppose that ,god should permit sin1  
but for some great and glorious  end3   
for it is the manifestation of his own  
glorious perfections he  intends in all 
the acts of his will 7,prov4 xvi4 #d71  
8,the ,lord hath  made all things for   
himself0 hath wrought all things2 which 
is not  only his act of creation1 but   

ordination3 8for himself10 that is1 for 
the discovery of the excellency of his  
nature1 and the communication  of       
himself to his creature4 ,sin indeed1 in
 its own nature1 hath no  tendency to a 
good end2 the womb of it teems with     
nothing but monsters2  it is a spurn at 
,god's sovereignty1 and a slight of his 
goodness3 it  both deforms and torments 
the person that acts it2 it is black and
  abominable1 and hath not a mite of    
goodness in the nature of it4 ,if it    
ends in any good1 it is only from that  
,infinite transcendency of skill1  that 
can bring good out of evil1 as well as  
light out of darkness4  ,therefore ,god 
did not permit it as sin1 but as it was 
an occasion for  the manifestation of   
his own glory4 ,though the goodness of  
,god would  have appeared in the        
preservation of the world1 as well as it
 did in  the creation of it1 yet his    
mercy could not have appeared without   
the  entrance of sin1 because the object
 of mercy is a miserable creature2  but 

man could not be miserable as long as he
 remained innocent4 ,the  reign of sin  
opened a door for the reign and triumph 
of grace 7,rom4  v4 #ba71 8,as sin hath 
reigned unto death1 so might grace reign
 through  righteousness to eternal      
life20 without it1 the bowels of mercy  
had  never sounded1 and the ravishing   
music of ,divine grace could never  have
 been heard by the creature4 ,mercy1    
which renders ,god so amiable1  could   
never else have beamed out to the world4
 ,angels and men upon this  occasion    
beheld the stirrings of ,divine grace1  
and the tenderness of  ,divine nature1  
and the glory of the ,divine persons in 
their several  functions about the      
redemption of man1 which had else been a
 spring  shut up1 and a fountain sealed2
 the song of glory to ,god1 and good    
will  to men in a way of redemption had 
never been sung by them4 ,it appears  in
 his dealing with ,adam1 that he        
permitted his fall1 not only to show    
his justice in punishing1 but           

principally his mercy in rescuing2 since
  he proclaims to him first the promise 
of a ,redeemer to 8bruise the  serpent's
 head10 before he settled the punishment
 he should smart under  in the world    
7,gen4 iii4 #aeag74 ,and what fairer    
prospect could the  creature have of the
 holiness of ,god1 and his hatred of    
sin1 than in  the edge of that sword of 
justice1 which punished it in the       
sinner2  but glittered more in the      
punishment of a ,surety so near allied  
to  him8 ,had not man been criminal1 he 
could not have been punishable1 nor  any
 been punishable for him3 and the pulse 
of ,divine holiness could  not have     
beaten so quick1 and been so visible1   
without an exercise of  his vindicative 
justice4 ,he left man's mutable nature1 
to fall under  righteousness1 that      
thereby he might commend the            
righteousness of his  own nature 7,rom4 
iii4 #g74 ,adam's sin in its nature     
tended to the ruin  of the world1 and   
,god takes an occasion b#aef from it for

 the glory of  his grace in the         
redemption of the world2 he brings forth
 thereby a new  scene of wonders from   
heaven1 and a surprising knowledge on   
earth2 as  the sun breaks out more      
strongly after a night of darkness and  
tempest4  ,as ,god in creation framed a 
chaos by his power1 to manifest his     
wisdom  in bringing order out of        
disorder1 light out of darkness1 beauty 
out  of confusion and deformity1 when he
 was able by a word to have made  all   
creatures stand up in their beauty1     
without the precedency of a  chaos2 so  
,god permitted a moral chaos to manifest
 a greater wisdom  in the repairing a   
broken image1 and restoring a deplorable
 creature1  and bringing out those      
perfections of his nature1 which had    
else been  wrapt up in a perpetual      
silence in his own bosom4 ,it was       
therefore very  congruous to the        
holiness of ,god to permit that which he
 could make  subservient for his own    
glory1 and particularly for the         

manifestation  of this attribute of     
holiness1 which seems to be in          
opposition to such  a permission4#ibj   
,prop4 ,v4 ,the holiness of ,god is not 
blemished by his concurrence  with the  
creature in the material part of a      
sinful act4 ,some to free  ,god from    
having any hand in sin1 deny his        
concurrence to the actions of  the      
creature2 because1 if he concurs to a   
sinful action1 he concurs to  the sin   
also3 not understanding how there can be
 a distinction between  the act1 and the
 sinfulness or viciousness of it2 and   
how ,god can  concur to a natural       
action1 without being stained by that   
moral evil  which cleaves to it4 ,for   
the understanding of this1 observe1     
#a4 ,there is a concurrence of ,god to  
all the acts of the creature 7,acts     
xvii4 #bh72 8in him we live1 and move1  
and have our being40 ,we depend  upon   
,god in our acting as well as in our    
being3 there is as much an  efficacy of 
,god in our motion as in our production2

 as none have life  without his power in
 producing it1 so none have any         
operation without  his providence       
concurring with it4 ,in him1 or by him1 
that is1 by his  virtue preserving and  
governing our motions1 as well as by his
 power  bringing us into being4 ,hence  
man is compared to an axe 7,isa4 x4     
#ae71  an instrument that hath no       
action1 without the cooperation of a    
superior agent handling it3 and the     
actions of the second causes are        
ascribed to ,god2 the grass1 that is1   
the product of the sun1 rain1 and       
earth1 he is said to make to grow upon  
the mountains 7,ps4 cxlvii4 #h72  and   
the skin and flesh1 which is by natural 
generation1 he is said  to clothe us    
with 7,job x4 #e71 in regard of his     
coworking with second  causes1 according
 to their natures4 ,as nothing can      
exist1 so nothing  can operate without  
him2 let his concurrence be removed1 and
 the being  and action of the creature  
cease2 remove the sun from the horizon1 

or  a candle from a room1 and the light 
which flowed from either of them        
ceaseth4 ,without ,god's preserving and 
concurring power1 the course  of nature 
would sink1 and the creation be in vain4
 ,all created things  depend upon ,god  
as agents1 as well as beings1 and are   
subordinate to  him in a way of action1 
as well as in a way of existing4#iba ,if
 ,god  suspend his influence from their 
action1 they would cease to act1 as  the
 fire did from b#aeg burning the three  
children1 as well as if ,god  suspend   
his influence from their being1 they    
would cease to be4 ,god  supports the   
nature whereby actions are wrought1 the 
mind where actions  are consulted1 and  
the will where actions are determined1  
and the  motivepower whereby actions are
 produced4 ,the mind could not contrive1
  nor the hand act1 a wickedness1 if    
,god did not support the power of the   
one in designing1 and the strength of   
the other in executing a wicked         
intention4 ,every faculty in its being1 

and every faculty in its motion1  hath a
 dependence upon the influence of ,god4 
,to make the creature  independent upon 
,god in anything which speaks           
perfection1 as action  considered as    
action is1 is to make the creature a    
sovereign being4  ,indeed1 we cannot    
imagine the concurrence of ,god to the  
good actions  of men since the fall1    
without granting a concurrence of ,god  
to evil  actions2 because there is no   
action so purely good but hath a mixture
  of evil in it1 though it takes its    
denomination of good from the better    
part 7,eccles4 vii4 #bj71 8,there is no 
man that doth good1 and sins not40      
#b4 ,though the natural virtue of doing 
a sinful action be from ,god1 and       
supported by him1 yet this doth not     
blemish the holiness of ,god2 while     
,god concurs with them in the act1 he   
instils no evil into men4    7#a47 ,no  
act1 in regard of the substance of it1  
is evil4 ,most of the  actions of our   
faculties1 as they are actions1 might   

have been in the  state of innocency4   
,eating is an act ,adam would have used 
if he had  stood firm1 but not eating to
 excess4 ,worship was an act that should
  have been performed to ,god in        
innocence1 but not hypocritically4      
,every  action is good by a physical    
goodness1 as it is an act of the mind or
  hand1 which have a natural goodness by
 creation2 but every action is  not     
morally good3 the physical goodness of  
the action depends on ,god1  the moral  
evil on the creature4 ,there is no      
action1 as a corporeal  action1 is      
prohibited by the law of ,god2 but as it
 springs from an evil  disposition1 and 
is tainted by a venomous temper of      
mind4#ibb ,there  is no action so bad1  
as attended with such objects and       
circumstances2  but if the objects and  
circumstances were changed1 might be a  
brave  and commendable action3 so that  
the moral goodness or badness of an  act
 is not to be esteemed from the         
substance of the act1 which hath  always

 a physical goodness2 but from the      
objects1 circumstances1 and             
constitution of the mind in the doing of
 it4 ,worship is an act good  in itself2
 but the worship of an image is bad in  
regard of the object4  ,were that act of
 worship directed to ,god that is paid  
to a statue1 and  offered up to him with
 a sincere frame of mind1 it would be   
morally  good4 ,the act1 in regard of   
its substance1 is the same in both1  and
 considered as separated from the object
 to which the worship is  directed1 hath
 the same real goodness in regard of the
 substance2 but  when you consider this 
action in relation to the different     
objects1 the  one hath a moral goodness1
 and the other a moral evil4 ,so in     
speaking3  speaking being a motion of   
the tongue in the forming of words1 is  
an  excellency belonging to a reasonable
 creature2 an endowment bestowed1       
continued1 and supported by ,god4 ,now1 
if the same tongue b#aeh forms  words   
whereby it curseth ,god this minute1 and

 forms words whereby it  blesses and    
praises ,god the next minute1 the       
faculty of speaking is the  same1 the   
motion of the tongue is the same in     
pronouncing the name of  ,god either in 
a way of cursing or blessing 7,james    
iii4 #i1 #aj72 it is  the 8same mouth   
that blesseth and curseth20 and the     
motion of it is  naturally good in      
regard of the substance of the act in   
both2 it is the  use of an excellent    
power ,god hath given1 and which ,god   
preserves1 in  the use of it4 ,but the  
estimation of the moral goodness or evil
 is not  from the act itself1 but from  
the disposition of the mind4 ,once more3
  killing1 as an act is good2 nor is it 
unlawful as an act2 for if so1  ,god    
would never have commanded his people   
,israel to wage any war1 and  justice   
could not be done upon malefactors by   
the magistrate4 ,a man  were bound to   
sacrifice his life to the fury of an    
invader1 rather than  secure it by      
dispatching that of an enemy2 but       

killing an innocent1  or killing without
 authority1 or out of revenge1 is bad4  
,it is not the  material part of the    
act1 but the object1 manner1 and        
circumstance1  that makes it good or    
evil4 ,it is no blemish to ,god's       
holiness to  concur to the substance of 
an action1 without having any hand in   
the  immorality of it2 because1         
whatsoever is real in the substance of  
the  action might be done without evil4 
,it is not evil as it is an act1  as it 
is a motion of the tongue or hand1 for  
then every motion of the  tongue or hand
 would be evil4    7#b47 ,hence it      
follows1 that an act1 as an act1 is one 
thing1 and  the viciousness another4    
,the action is the efficacy of the      
faculty1  extending itself to some      
outward object2 but the sinfulness of an
 act  consists in a privation of that   
comeliness and righteousness which      
ought to be in an action2 in a want of  
conformity of the act with the  law of  
,god1 either written in nature1 or      

revealed in the ,word4#ibc ,now1  the   
sinfulness of an action is not the act  
itself1 but is considered in  it as it  
is related to the law1 and is a         
deviation from it2 and so it  is        
something cleaving to the action1 and   
therefore to be distinguished  from the 
act itself1 which is the subject of the 
sinfulness4 ,when  we say such an action
 is sinful1 the action is the subject1  
and the  sinfulness of the action is    
that which adheres to it4 ,the action is
 not  the sinfulness1 nor the sinfulness
 the action2 they are distinguished  as 
the member1 and a disease in the member1
 the arm and the palsy in  it3 the arm  
is not the palsy1 nor is the palsy the  
arm2 but the palsy  is a disease that   
cleaves to the arm3 so sinfulness is a  
deformity that  cleaves to an action4   
,the evil of an action is not the effect
 of an  action1 nor attends it as it is 
an action1 but as it is an action so    
circumstantiated1 and conversant about  
this or that object2 for the  same      

action done by two several persons1 may 
be good in one1 and bad  in the other2  
as when two judges are in joint         
commission for the trial  of a          
malefactor1 both upon the appearance of 
his guilt condemn him4  ,this action in 
both1 considered as an action1 is good2 
for it is an  adjudging a man to death1 
whose crime deserves such a punishment4 
,but  this same act1 which is but one   
joint act of both1 may be morally good  
in one judge1 and morally evil in the   
other3 morally good in him that         
condemns him out of an unbiassed        
consideration b#aei of the demerit  of  
his fact1 obedience to the law1 and     
conscious of the duty of his  place2 and
 morally evil in the other1 who hath no 
respect to those  considerations1 but   
joins in the act of condemnation1       
principally moved  by some private      
animosity against the prisoner1 and     
desire of revenge  for some injury he   
hath really received1 or imagines that  
he hath  received from him4 ,the act in 

itself is the same materially in both2  
but in one it is an act of justice1 and 
in the other an act of murder1  as it   
respects the principles and motives of  
it in the two judges2 take  away the    
respect of private revenge1 and the     
action in the ill judge  had been as    
laudable as the action of the other4    
,the substance of an  act1 and the      
sinfulness of an act1 are separable and 
distinguishable2  and ,god may concur   
with the substance of an act1 without   
concurring  with the sinfulness of the  
act3 as the good judge1 that condemned  
the prisoner out of conscience1         
concurred with the evil judge1 who      
condemned the prisoner out of private   
revenge2 not in the principle and       
motive of condemnation1 but in the      
material part of condemnation4 ,so  ,god
 assists in that action of a man wherein
 sin is placed1 but not in  that which  
is the formal reason of sin1 which is a 
privation of some  perfection the action
 ought morally to have4    7#c47 ,it    

will appear further in this1 that hence 
it follows that the  action1 and the    
viciousness of the action1 may have two 
distinct causes4  ,that may be a cause  
of the one that is not the cause of the 
other1  and hath no hand in the         
producing of it4 ,god concurs to the act
 of the  mind as it counsels1 and to the
 external action upon that counsel1 as  
he preserves the faculty1 and gives     
strength to the mind to consult1  and   
the other parts to execute2 yet he is   
not in the least tainted  with the      
viciousness of the action4 ,though the  
action be from ,god as  a concurrent    
cause1 yet the ill quality of the action
 is solely from  the creature with whom 
,god concurs4 ,the sun and the earth    
concur to the  production of all the    
plants that are formed in the womb of   
the one1  and midwifed by the other4    
,the sun distributes heat1 and the earth
  communicates sap2 it is the same heat 
dispersed by the one1 and the  same     
juice bestowed by the other3 it hath not

 a sweet juice for one1  and a sour     
juice for another4 ,this general influx 
of the sun and earth  is not the        
immediate cause that one plant is       
poisonous1 and another  wholesome2 but  
the sap of the earth is turned by the   
nature and quality  of each plant3 if   
there were not such an influx of the sun
 and earth1  no plant could exert that  
poison which is in its nature2 but yet  
the  sun and earth are not the cause of 
that poison which is in the nature  of  
the plant4 ,if ,god did not concur to   
the motions of men1 there could  be no  
sinful action1 because there could be no
 action at all2 yet this  concurrence is
 not the cause of that venom that is in 
the action1 which  ariseth from the     
corrupt nature of the creature1 no more 
than the sun  and earth are the cause of
 the poison of the plant1 which is      
purely the  effect of its own nature    
upon that general influx of the sun and 
earth4  ,the influence of ,god pierceth 
through all subjects2 but the action of 

man done by that influence is vitiated  
according to the nature of its  own     
corruption4 ,as the sun equally shines  
through all the quarrels in  the window2
 if the glass be bright and clear1 there
 is a b#afj pure  splendor2 if it be red
 or green1 the splendor is from the sun2
 but the  discoloring of that light upon
 the wall1 is from the quality of the   
glass4 ,but to be yet plainer3 the soul 
is the image of ,god1 and by the  acts  
of the soul1 we may come to the         
knowledge of the acts of ,god2 the  soul
 gives motion to the body and every     
member of it1 and no member  could move 
without a concurrent virtue of the soul2
 if a member be  paralytic or gouty1    
whatsoever motion that gouty member     
hath1 is  derived to it from the soul2  
but the goutiness of the member was not 
the act of the soul1 but the fruit of   
ill humors in the body2 the  lameness of
 the member1 and the motion of the      
member1 have two distinct  causes2 the  
motion is from one cause1 and ill motion

 from another4#ibd  ,as the member could
 not move irregularly without some ill  
humor or  cause of that distemper1 so it
 could not move at all without the      
activity of the soul3 so1 though ,god   
concur to the act of understanding1     
willing1 and execution1 why can he not  
be as free from the irregularity  in all
 those1 as the soul is free from the    
irregularity of the motion  of the body1
 while it is the cause of the motion    
itself8 ,there are  two illustrations   
generally used in this case1 that are   
not unfit2 the  motion of the pen in    
writing is from the hand that holds it1 
but the  blurs by the pen are from some 
fault in the pen itself3 and the music  
of the instrument is from the hand that 
touches it1 but the jarring  from the   
faultiness of the strings2 both are the 
causes of the motion  of the pen and    
strings1 but not the blurs or jarrings4 
7#d47 ,it is very congruous to the      
wisdom of ,god1 to move his creatures   
according to their particular natures2  

but this motion makes him not  the cause
 of sin4 ,had our innocent nature       
continued1 ,god had moved us  according 
to that innocent nature2 but when the   
state was changed for  a corrupt one1   
,god must either forbear all concourse1 
and so annihilate  the world1 or move us
 according to that nature he finds in   
us4 ,if he  had overthrown the world    
upon the entrance of sin1 and created   
another  upon the same terms1 sin might 
have as soon defaced his second work1   
as it did the first2 and then it would  
follow1 that ,god would have been  alway
 building and demolishing4 ,it was not  
fit for ,god to cease from  acting as a 
wise governor of his creature1 because  
man did cease from  his loyalty as a    
subject4 ,is it not more agreeable to   
,god's wisdom as  a governor1 to concur 
with his creature according to his      
nature1 than  to deny his concurrence   
upon every evil determination of the    
creature8  ,god concurred with ,adam's  
mutable nature in his first act of sin2 

he  concurred to the act1 and left him  
to his mutability4 ,if ,adam had put    
out his hand to eat of any other        
unforbidden fruit1 ,god would have      
supported his natural faculty then1 and 
concurred with him in his  motion4 ,when
 ,adam would put out his hand to take   
the forbidden fruit1  ,god concurred to 
that natural action1 but left him to the
 choice of  the object1 and to the use  
of his mutable nature3 and when man     
became  apostate1 ,god concurs with him 
according to that condition wherein he  
found him1 and cannot move him          
otherwise1 unless he should alter that  
nature man had contracted4 ,god moving  
the creature as he found him1 is  no    
cause of the ill b#afa motion of the    
creature3 as when a wheel is  broken the
 space of a foot1 it cannot but move ill
 in that part till  it be mended4 ,he   
that moves it1 uses the same motion 7as 
it is his act7  which he would have done
 had the wheel been sound2 the motion is
 good  in the mover1 but bad in the     

subject3 it is not the fault of him that
  moves it1 but the fault of that wheel 
that is moved1 whose breaches  came by  
some other cause4 ,a man doth not use to
 lay aside his watch  for some          
irregularity1 as long as it is capable  
of motion1 but winds it  up3 why should 
,god cease from concurring with his     
creature in its vital  operations and   
other actions of his will1 because there
 was a flaw  contracted in that nature1 
that came right and true out of his     
hand8  ,and as he that winds up his     
disordered watch1 is in the same manner 
the  cause of its motion then1 as he was
 when it was regular1 yet1 by that  act 
of his1 he is not the cause of the false
 motion of it1 but that is  from the    
deficiency of some part of the watch    
itself3 so1 though ,god  concurs to that
 action of the creature1 whereby the    
wickedness of the  heart is drawn out1  
yet is not ,god therefore as unholy as  
the heart4    7#e47 ,god hath one end in
 his concurrence1 and man another in his

  action3 so that there is a righteous1 
and often a gracious end in  ,god1 when 
there is a base and unworthy end in man4
 ,god concurs to  the substance of the  
act2 man produceth the circumstance of  
the act1  whereby it is evil4 ,god      
orders both the action wherein he       
concurs1 and  the sinfulness over which 
he presides1 as a governor1 to his own  
ends4  ,in ,joseph's case1 man was      
sinful1 and ,god merciful2 his brethren 
acted  8envy10 and ,god designed 8mercy0
 7,gen4 xlv4 #d1 #e74 ,they would be rid
  of him as an eyesore1 and ,god        
concurred with their action to make  him
 their preserver 7,gen4 l4 #bj71 8,ye   
thought evil against me1 but ,god  meant
 it unto good40 ,god concurred to ,judas
 his action of betraying our  ,saviour2 
he supported his nature while he        
contracted with the priests1  and       
supported his members while he was their
 guide to apprehend him2  ,god's end was
 the manifestation of his choicest love 
to man1 and ,judas'  end was the        

gratification of his own covetousness4  
,the ,assyrian did a  divine work       
against ,jerusalem1 but not with a      
,divine end 7,isa4 x4 #eg74  ,he had a  
mind to enlarge his empire1 enrich his  
coffers with the  spoil1 and gain the   
title of a conqueror2 he is desirous to 
invade his  neighbors1 and ,god employs 
him to punish his rebels2 but he means  
not  so1 nor doth his heart think so2 he
 intended not as ,god intended4 ,the    
axe doth not think what the carpenter   
intends to do with it4 ,but ,god  used  
the rapine of ambitious nature as an    
instrument of his justice2  as the      
exposing malefactors to wild beasts was 
an ancient punishment1  whereby the     
magistrates intended the execution of   
justice1 and to that  purpose used the  
natural fierceness of the beasts to an  
end different  from what those ravaging 
creatures aimed at4 ,god concurred with 
,satan  in spoiling ,job of his goods1  
and scarifying his body2 ,god gave      
,satan  licence to do it1 and ,job      

acknowledges it to be ,god's act 7,job  
i4  #abba72 but their ends were         
different2 ,god concurred with ,satan   
for the  clearing the integrity of his  
servant1 when ,satan aimed at nothing   
but  the provoking him to curse his     
,creator4 ,the physician applies leeches
  b#afb to suck the superfluous blood1  
but the leeches suck to glut            
themselves1 without any regard to the   
intention of the physician1 and  the    
welfare of the patient4 ,in the same act
 where men intend to hurt1  ,god intends
 to correct2 so that his concurrence is 
in a holy manner1  while men commit     
unrighteous actions4 ,a judge commands  
the executioner  to execute the sentence
 of death1 which he hath justly         
pronounced  against a malefactor1 and   
admonisheth him to do it out of love to 
justice2 the executioner hath the       
authority of the judge for his          
commission1 and the protection of the   
judge for his security2 the judge       
stands by to countenance and secure him 

in the doing of it2 but if the          
executioner hath not the same intention 
as the judge1 viz4 a love to  justice in
 the performance of his office1 but a   
private hatred to the  offender1 the    
judge1 though he commanded the fact of  
the executioner1  yet did not command   
this error of his in it2 and though he  
protects him  in the fact1 yet he owns  
not this corrupt disposition in him in  
the  doing what was enjoined him1 as any
 act of his own4    ,to conclude this4  
,since the creature cannot act without  
,god1  cannot lift up a hand1 or move   
his tongue1 without ,god's preserving   
and upholding the faculty1 and          
preserving the power of action1 and     
preserving every member of the body in  
its actual motion1 and in every         
circumstance of its motion1 we must     
necessarily suppose ,god to have  such a
 way of concurrence as doth not intrench
 upon his holiness4 ,we  must not equal 
the creature to ,god1 by denying his    
dependence on him2  nor must we imagine 

such a concurrence to the sinfulness of 
an act1  as stains the ,divine purity1  
which is1 ,i think1 sufficiently salved 
by  distinguishing the matter of the act
 from the evil adhering to it2 for      
since all evil is founded in some good1 
the evil is distinguishable  from the   
good1 and the deformity of the action   
from the action itself2  which1 as it is
 a created act1 hath a dependence on the
 will and  influence of ,god2 and as it 
is a sinful act1 is the product of the  
will of the creature4    ,prop4 ,,vi4   
,the holiness of ,god is not blemished  
by proposing objects  to a man1 which he
 makes use of to sin4 ,there is no      
object proposed  to man1 but is directed
 by the providence of ,god1 which       
influenceth  all the motions in the     
world2 and there is no object proposed  
to man1  but his active nature may1     
according to the goodness or badness of 
his disposition1 make a good or an ill  
use of4 ,that two men1 one of  a        
charitable1 the other of a hardhearted  

disposition1 meet with an  indigent and 
necessitous object1 is from the         
providence of ,god2 yet  this indigent  
person is relieved by the one1 and      
neglected by the other4  ,there could be
 no action in the world1 but about some 
object2 there  could be no object       
offered to us but by ,divine            
,providence2 the active  nature of man  
would be in vain1 if there were not     
objects about which  it might be        
exercised4 ,nothing could present itself
 to man as an object1  either to excite 
his grace1 or awaken his corruption1 but
 by the  conduct of the ,governor of the
 world4 ,that ,david should walk upon   
the  battlements of his palace1 and     
,bathsheba be in the bath at the same   
time1 was from the ,divine ,providence  
which orders all the affairs of  the    
world 7#b ,sam4 xi4 #g72 and so some    
understand 7,jer4 vi4 #ba73 8,thus      
saith the ,lord1 ,i will lay b#afc      
stumblingblocks before this people1  and
 the fathers and sons together shall    

fall upon them40 ,since they  have      
offered sacrifices without those due    
qualifications in their  hearts1 which  
were necessary to render them acceptable
 to me1 ,i will  lay in their way such  
objects1 which their corruption will use
 ill to  their farther sin and ruin2 so 
7,ps4 cv4 #be71 8,he turned their heart 
to hate his people20 that is1 by the    
multiplying his people1 he gave         
occasion to the ,egyptians of hating    
them1 instead of caressing them1  as    
they had formerly done4 ,but ,god's     
holiness is not blemished by this2  for1
    #a4 ,this proposing or presenting of
 objects invades not the liberty of  any
 man4 ,the tree of the knowledge of good
 and evil1 set in the midst  of the     
garden of ,eden1 had no violent         
influence on man to force him  to eat of
 it2 his liberty to eat of it1 or not1  
was reserved entire to  himself2 no such
 charge can be brought against any      
object whatsoever4  ,if a man meet      
accidentally at a table with meat that  

is grateful to  his palate1 but hurtful 
to the present temper of his body1 doth 
the  presenting this sort of food to him
 strip him of his liberty to decline    
it1 as well as to feed of it8 ,can the  
food have any internal influence  upon  
his will1 and lay the freedom of it     
asleep whether he will or no8  ,is there
 any charm in that1 more than in other  
sorts of diet8 ,no2 but  it is the habit
 of love which he hath to that          
particular dish1 the  curiosity of his  
fancy1 and the strength of his own      
appetite1 whereby  he is brought into a 
kind of slavery to that particular meat1
 and not  anything in the food itself4  
,when the word is proposed to two       
persons1  it is embraced by the one1    
rejected by the other2 is it from the   
word  itself1 which is the object1 that 
these two persons perform different     
acts8 ,the object is the same to both1  
but the manner of acting about  the     
object is not the same2 is there any    
invasion of their liberty by  it8 ,is   

the one forced by the word to receive   
it1 and the other forced  by the word to
 reject it8 ,two such contrary effects  
cannot proceed  from one and the same   
cause2 outward things have only an      
objective  influence1 not an inward2 if 
the mere proposal of things did suspend 
or  strike down the liberty of man1 no  
angels in heaven1 no man upon earth1    
no1 not our ,saviour himself1 could do  
anything freely1 but by force2  objects 
that are ill used are of ,god's         
creation1 and though they  have         
allurements in them1 yet they have no   
compulsive power over the  will4#ibe    
,the fruit of the tree of knowledge of  
good and evil was  pleasing to the      
sight2 it had a quality to allure2 there
 had not else  needed a prohibition to  
bar the eating of it2 but it could not  
have so  much power to allure1 as the   
,divine threatening to deter4    #b4    
,the objects are good in themselves1 but
 the ill use of them is  from man's     
corruption4 ,bathsheba was1 by ,god's   

providence1 presented to  ,david's      
sight1 but it was ,david's disposition  
moved him to so evil an  act2 what if   
,god knew that he would use that object 
ill8 yet he knew  he had given him a    
power to refrain from any ill use of it2
 the objects  are innocent1 but our     
corruption poisons them4 ,the same      
object hath  been used by one to holy   
purposes and holy improvements1 that    
hath been  used by another to sinful    
ends2 when a charitable object is       
presented  to a good man1 and a cruel   
man1 one b#afd relieves him1 the other  
reviles him2 the object was rather an   
occasion to draw out the charity  of    
one1 as well as the other2 but the      
refusing to reach out a helping  hand1  
was not from the person in calamity1 but
 the disposition of the  refuser to whom
 he was presented2 it is not from the   
nature of the  object that men do good  
or evil1 but from the disposition of the
 person2  what is good in itself1 is    
made bad by our corruption4 ,as the same

  meat which nourishes and strengthens a
 sound constitution1 cherisheth  the    
disease of another that eats at the same
 table1 not from any  unwholesome       
quality in the food1 but the vicious    
quality of the humors  lodging in the   
stomach1 which turn the diet into fuel  
for themselves1  which in its own nature
 was apt to engender a wholesome juice4 
,some  are perfected by the same things 
whereby others are ruined4 ,riches  are 
used by some1 not only for their own1   
but the advantage of others  in the     
world2 by others only for themselves1   
and scarcely so much  as their          
necessities require4 ,is this the fault 
of the wealth1 or  the dispositions of  
the persons1 who are covetous instead of
 being  generous8 ,it is a calumny1     
therefore1 upon ,god to charge him with 
the  sin of man upon this account4 ,the 
rain that drops from the clouds upon    
the plants is sweet in itself1 but when 
it moistens the root of any  venomous   
plant1 it is turned into the juice of   

the plant1 and becomes  venomous with   
it4 ,the miracles that our ,saviour     
wrought1 were applauded  by some1 and   
envied by the ,pharisees2 the sin arose 
not from the nature  of the miracles1   
but the malice of their spirits4 ,the   
miracles were  fitter in their own      
nature to have induced them to an       
adoration of our  ,saviour1 than to     
excite so vile a passion against one    
that had so many  marks from heaven to  
dignify him1 and proclaim him worthy of 
their  respect4 ,the person of ,christ  
was an object proposed to the ,jews2    
some  worship him1 others condemn and   
crucify him1 and according to their     
several vices and base ends they use    
this object4 ,judas to content  his     
covetousness1 the ,pharisees to glut    
their revenge1 ,pilate for his          
ambition1 to preserve himself in his    
government1 and avoid the articles  the 
people might charge him with of         
countenancing an enemy to ,csar4  ,god  
at that time put into their minds a     

rational and true proposition  which    
they apply to ill purposes4#ibf         
,caiaphas said1 that 8it was  expedient 
for one man to die for the people10     
which 8he spake not of  himself0 7,john 
xi4 #ej1 #ea74 ,god put it into his     
mind2 but he might have  applied it     
better than he did1 and considered1     
though the maxim was  commendable1      
whether it might justly be applied to   
,christ1 or whether  there was such a   
necessity that he must die1 or the      
nation be destroyed  by the ,romans4    
,the maxim was sound and holy1 decreed  
by ,god2 but what  an ill use did the   
highpriest make of it to put ,christ to 
death as a  seditious person1 to save   
the nation from the ,roman fury6    #c4 
,since the natural corruption of men    
will use such objects ill1  may not     
,god1 without tainting himself1 present 
such objects to them in  subserviency to
 his gracious decrees8 ,whatsoever ,god 
should present to  men in that state1   
they would make an ill use of2 hath not 

,god1 then1  the sovereign prerogative  
to present what he pleases1 and suppress
  others8 ,to offer that to them which  
may serve his b#afe holy purpose1  and  
hide other things from them which are   
not so conducing to his  gracious ends1 
which would be as much the occasions of 
exciting their  sin1 as the others which
 he doth bring forth to their view8 ,the
 ,jews1  at the time of ,christ1 were of
 a turbulent and seditious humor2 they  
expected a ,messiah1 a temporal king1   
and would readily have embraced  any    
occasion to have been up in arms to have
 delivered themselves from  the ,roman  
yoke2 to this purpose the people        
attempted once to make him  king3 and   
probably the expectation they had that  
he had such a design  to head them1     
might be one reason of their 8hosannas20
 because without  some such conceit it  
was not probable they should so soon    
change  their note1 and vote him to the 
cross in so short a time1 after they    
had applauded him as if he had been upon

 a throne2 but their being  defeated of 
strong expectations1 usually ended in a 
more ardent fury4  ,this turbulent and  
seditious humor ,god directs in another 
channel1  suppresseth all occurrences   
that might excite them to a rebellion   
against the ,romans1 which1 if he had   
given way to1 the crucifying  ,christ1  
which was ,god's design to bring about  
at that time1 had not  probably been    
effected1 and the salvation of mankind  
been hindered or  stood at a stay for a 
time4 ,god1 therefore1 orders such      
objects and  occasions1 that might      
direct this seditious humor to another  
channel1  which would else have run out 
in other actions1 which had not been    
conducing to the great design he had    
then in the world4 ,is it not the  right
 of ,god1 and without any blemish to his
 holiness1 to use those  corruptions    
which he finds sown in the nature of his
 creature by the  hand of ,satan1 and to
 propose such objects as may excite the 
exercise  of them for his own service8  

,sure ,god hath as much right to serve  
himself of the creature of his own      
framing1 and what natures soever  they  
are possessed with1 and to present      
objects to that purpose1 as a  falconer 
hath to offer this or that bird to his  
hawk to exercise his  courage1 and      
excite his ravenousness1 without being  
termed the author  of that ravenousness 
in the creature4 ,god planted not those 
corruptions  in the ,jews1 but finds    
them in those persons over whom he hath 
an  absolute sovereignty in the right of
 a ,creator1 and that of a ,judge  for  
their sins3 and by the right of that    
sovereignty may offer such  objects and 
occasions1 which1 though innocent in    
themselves1 he knows  they will make use
 of to ill purposes1 but which by the   
same decree  that he resolves to present
 such occasions to them1 he also        
resolves  to make use of them for his   
own glory4 ,it is not conceivable by us 
what way that death of ,christ1 which   
was necessary for the satisfaction  of  

,divine justice1 could be brought about 
without ordering the evil  of some men's
 hearts by special occasions to effect  
his purpose2 we  cannot suppose that    
,christ can be guilty of any crime that 
deserved  death by the ,jewish law2 had 
he been so a criminal1 he could not     
have been a ,redeemer3 a perfect        
innocence was necessary to the design   
of his coming4#ibg ,had ,god himself put
 him to that death1 without  using      
instruments of wickedness in it1 by some
 remarkable hand from  heaven1 the      
innocence of his nature had been forever
 eclipsed1 and  the voluntariness of his
 sacrifice had been obscured3 the       
strangeness  of such a judgment would   
have made his b#aff innocence           
incredible2  he could not reasonably    
have been proposed as an object of      
faith4  ,what1 to believe in one that   
was struck dead by a hand from heaven8  
,the  propagation of the doctrine of    
redemption had wanted a foundation2 and 
though ,god might have raised him again1

 the certainty of his death had  been as
 questionable as his innocence in dying1
 had he not been raised4  ,but ,god     
orders everything so as to answer his   
own most wise and holy  ends1 and       
maintain his truth1 and the fulfilling  
the predictions of  the minutest        
concerns about them1 and all this by    
presenting occasions  innocent in       
themselves1 which the corruptions of the
 ,jews took hold of1  and whereby ,god1 
unknown to them1 brought about his own  
decrees3 and  may not this be conceived 
without any taint upon ,god's holiness8 
for  when there are seeds of all sin in 
man's nature1 why may not ,god hinder   
the sprouting up of this or that kind of
 seed1 and leave liberty to the  growth 
of the other1 and shut up other ways of 
sinning1 and restrain  men from them1   
and let them loose to that temptation   
which he intends  to serve himself of1  
hiding from them those objects which    
were not  so serviceable to his purpose1
 wherein they would have sinned1 and    

offer others1 which he knew their       
corruption would use ill1 and were      
serviceable to his ends2 since the      
depravation of their natures would      
necessarily hurry them to evil without  
restraining grace1 as a scale  will     
necessarily rise up when the weight in  
it1 which kept it down1 is  taken away8 
,prop4 ,,vii4 ,the holiness of ,god is  
not blemished by withdrawing his  grace 
from a sinful creature1 whereby he falls
 into more sin4 ,that ,god  withdraws   
his grace from men1 and gives them up   
sometimes to the fury  of their lusts1  
is as clear in ,scripture1 as anything  
7,deut4 xxix4 #d73  8,yet the ,lord hath
 not given you a heart to perceive1 and 
eyes to see1  and ears to hear10 c4     
,judas was delivered to ,satan after the
 sop1  and put into his power1 for      
despising former admonitions4 ,he often 
leaves the reins to the devil1 that he  
may use what efficacy he can  in those  
that have offended the ,majesty of ,god2
 he withholds further  influences of    

grace1 or withdraws what before he had  
granted them4 ,thus  he withheld that   
grace from the sons of ,eli1 that might 
have made their  father's pious         
admonitions effectual to them 7#a ,sam4 
ii4 #be73 8,they  hearkened not to the  
voice of their father1 because the ,lord
 would  slay them40 ,he gave grace to   
,eli to reprove them1 and withheld that 
grace from them1 which might have       
enabled them against their natural      
corruption and obstinacy to receive that
 reproof4 ,but the holiness of  ,god is 
not blemished by this4    #a4 ,because  
the act of ,god in this is only         
negative4#ibh ,thus ,god is  said to    
8harden0 men3 not by positive hardening1
 or working anything  in the creature1  
but by not working1 not softening1      
leaving a man  to the hardness of his   
own heart1 whereby it is unavoidable by 
the  depravation of man's nature1 and   
the fury of his passions1 but that he   
should be further hardened1 and         
8increase unto more ungodliness10 as    

the expression is 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #ai74   
,as a man is said to give another his   
life1 when he doth not take it away when
 it lay at his mercy2 so ,god  is said  
to 8harden0 a man1 when he doth not     
b#afg mollify him when it  was in his   
power1 and inwardly quicken him with    
that grace whereby he  might infallibly 
avoid any further provoking of him4 ,god
 is said to  harden men when he removes 
not from them the incentives to sin1    
curbs  not those principles which are   
ready to comply with those incentives1  
withdraws the common assistances of his 
grace1 concurs not with  counsels and   
admonitions to make them effectual2     
flasheth not in the  convincing light   
which he darted upon them before4 ,if   
hardness follows  upon ,god's           
withholding his softening grace1 it is  
not by any positive  act of ,god1 but   
from the natural hardness of man4 ,if   
you put fire  near to wax or rosin1 both
 will melt2 but when that fire is       
removed1  they return to their natural  

quality of hardness and brittleness2 the
  positive act of the fire is to melt   
and soften1 and the softness of  the    
rosin is to be ascribed to that2 but the
 hardness is from the rosin  itself1    
wherein the fire hath no influence1 but 
only a negative act  by a removal of it3
 so1 when ,god hardens a man1 he only   
leaves him to  that stony heart which he
 derived from ,adam1 and brought with   
him into  the world4 ,all men's         
understandings being blinded1 and their 
wills  perverted in ,adam1 ,god's       
withdrawing his grace is but a leaving  
them  to their natural pravity1 which is
 the cause of their further sinning1    
and not ,god's removal of that special  
light he before afforded them1 or       
restraint he held over them4 ,as when   
,god withdraws his preserving power     
from the creature1 he is not the        
efficient1 but deficient cause of the   
creature's destruction2 so1 in this     
case1 ,god only ceaseth to bind and  dam
 up that sin which else would break out4

    #b4 ,the whole positive cause of his
 hardness is from man's corruption4     
,god infuseth not any sin into his      
creatures1 but forbears to infuse  his  
grace1 and restrain their lusts1 which1 
upon the removal of his  grace1 work    
impetuously3 ,god only gives them up to 
that which he knows  will work strongly 
in their hearts4 ,and1 therefore1 the   
apostle wipes  off from ,god any        
positive act in that uncleanness the    
heathens were  given up to 7,rom4 i4    
#bd1 8,wherefore ,god gave them up to   
uncleanness1  through the lusts of their
 own hearts40 ,and1 ver4 #bf1 ,god gave 
them up  to 8vile affections20 but they 
were their own affections1 none of      
,god's  inspiring17 by adding1 8through 
the lusts of their own hearts40 ,god's  
giving them up was the logical cause1 or
 a cause by way of argument2  their own 
lusts were the true and natural cause2  
their own they were1  before they were  
given up to them1 and belonging to none1
 as the author1  but themselves1 after  

they were given up to them4 ,the lust in
 the heart1  and the temptation without1
 easily close and mix interests with one
  another3 as the fire in a coal pit    
will with the fuel1 if the streams      
derived into it for the quenching it be 
dammed up3 the natural passions  will   
run to a temptation1 as the waters of a 
river tumble towards the  sea4 ,when a  
man that hath bridled in a highmettled  
horse from running  out1 gives him the  
reins2 or a huntsman takes off the      
string that  held the dog1 and lets him 
run after the hare1are they the         
immediate  cause of the motion of the   
one1 or the other8no1 but the mettle    
and strength of the horse1 and the      
natural inclination of the hound1  both 
which are left to their own motions to  
pursue their own natural  instincts4    
,man doth as naturally tend to sin as a 
stone to b#afh  the centre1 or as a     
weighty thing inclines to a motion to   
the earth3  it is from the propension of
 man's nature that he 8drinks up        

iniquity  like water30 and ,god doth no 
more when he leaves a man to sin1 by    
taking away the hedge which stopped him1
 but leave him to his natural           
inclination4 ,as a man that breaks up a 
dam he hath placed1 leaves  the stream  
to run in their natural channel2 or one 
that takes away a  prop from a stone to 
let it fall1 leaves it only to that     
nature which  inclines it to a descent2 
both have their motion from their own   
nature1  and man is sin from his own    
corruption4 ,the withdrawing the        
sunbeams  is not the cause of darkness1 
but the shadiness of the earth2 nor is  
the departure of the sun the cause of   
winter1 but the coldness of the  air and
 earth1 which was tempered and beaten   
back into the bowels of  the earth by   
the vigor of the sun1 upon whose        
departure they return to  their natural 
state3 the sun only leaves the earth and
 air as it found  them at the beginning 
of the spring or the beginning of the   
day4#ibi  ,if ,god do not give a man    

grace to melt him1 yet he cannot be said
 to  communicate to him that nature     
which hardens him1 which man hath from  
himself4 ,as ,god was not the cause of  
the first sin of ,adam1 which was  the  
root of all other1 so he is not the     
cause of the following sins1  which1 as 
branches1 spring from that root2 man's  
freewill was the  cause of the first    
sin1 and the corruption of his nature by
 it the  cause of all succeeding sins4  
,god doth not immediately harden any    
man1  but doth propose those things1    
from whence the natural vice of man     
takes an occasion to strengthen and     
nourish itself4 ,hence1 ,god is said  to
 8harden ,pharaoh's heart0 7,exod4 vii4 
#ac71 by concurring with the  magicians 
in turning their rods into serpents1    
which stiffened his  heart against      
,moses1 conceiving him by reason of     
that1 to have no more  power than other 
men1 and was an occasion of his farther 
hardening3  and ,pharaoh is said to     
8harden himself0 7,exod4 viii4 #cb72    

that is1 in  regard of his own natural  
passion4    #c4 ,god is holy and        
righteous1 because he doth not withdraw 
from man1  till man deserts him4 ,to    
say1 that ,god withdrew that grace from 
,adam1  which he had afforded him in    
creation1 or anything that was due to   
him1  till he had abused the gifts of   
,god1 and turned them to an end contrary
  to that of creation1 would be a       
reflection upon the ,divine holiness4   
,god was first deserted by man before   
man was deserted by ,god2 and man  doth 
first contemn and abuse the common grace
 of ,god1 and those relics  of natural  
light1 that 8enlighten every man that   
comes into the world0  7,john i4 #i72   
before ,god leaves him to the hurry of  
his own passions4  ,ephraim was first   
joined to idols1 before ,god pronounced 
the fatal  sentence1 8,let him alone0   
7,hos4 iv4 #ag73 and the heathens first 
changed  the glory of the incorruptible 
,god1 before ,god withdrew his common   
grace from the corrupted creature 7,rom4

 i4 #bc1 #bd72 and they first  8served  
the creature more than the ,creator10   
before the ,creator gave  them up to the
 slavish chains of their vile affections
 7ver4 #be1 #bf74  ,israel first cast   
off ,god before ,god cast off them2 but 
then 8he  gave them up to their own     
hearts' lusts1 and they walked in their 
own  counsels0 b#afi 7,ps4 lxxxi4 #aa1  
#ab74 ,since sin entered into the world 
by the fall of ,adam1 and the blood of  
all his posterity was tainted1  man     
cannot do anything that is formally     
good2 not for want of faculties1  but   
for the want of a righteous habit in    
those faculties1 especially in  the     
will2 yet ,god discovers himself to man 
in the works of his hands2  he hath left
 in him footsteps of natural reason2 he 
doth attend him  with common motions of 
his ,spirit2 corrects him for his faults
 with  gentle chastisements4 ,he is near
 unto all in some kind of instructions3 
he puts many times providential bars in 
their way of sinning2 but when  they    

will rush into it as the horse into the 
battle1 when they will  rebel against   
the light1 ,god doth often leave them to
 their own course1  sentence him that is
 8filthy to be filthy still0 7,rev4     
xxii4 #aa71 which  is a righteous act of
 ,god1 as he is rector and governor of  
the world4  ,man's not receiving1 or not
 improving what ,god gives1 is the cause
  of ,god's not giving further1 or      
taking away his own1 which before  he   
had bestowed2 this is so far from being 
repugnant to the holiness  and          
righteousness of ,god1 that it is rather
 a commendable act of his  holiness and 
righteousness1 as the rector of the     
world1 not to let  those gifts continue 
in the hand of a man who abuses them    
contrary to  his glory4 ,who will blame 
a father1 that1 after all the good      
counsels  he hath given to his son to   
reclaim him1 all the corrections he     
hath inflicted on him for his irregular 
practice1 leaves him to his  own        
courses1 and withdraws those assistances

 which he scoffed at1  and turned the   
deaf ear unto8 ,or1 who will blame the  
physician for  deserting the patient1   
who rejects his counsel1 will not follow
 his  prescriptions1 but dasheth his    
physic against the wall8 ,no man will   
blame him1 no man will say that he is   
the cause of the patient's death1  but  
the true cause is the fury of the       
distemper1 and the obstinacy  of the    
diseased person1 to which the physician 
left him4 ,and who can  justly blame    
,god in this case1 who yet never denied 
supplies of grace  to any that sincerely
 sought it at his hands2 and what man is
 there  that lies under a hardness1 but 
first was guilty of very provoking      
sins8 ,what unholiness is it to deprive 
men of those assistances1  because of   
their sin1 and afterwards to direct     
those counsels and  practices of theirs1
 which he hath justly given them up     
unto1 to  serve the ends of his own     
glory in his own methods8    #d4 ,which 
will appear further by considering1 that

 ,god is not obliged to  continue his   
grace to them4 ,it was at his liberty   
whether he could give  any renewing     
grace to ,adam after his fall1 or to any
 of his posterity3  he was at his own   
liberty to withhold it or communicate   
it3 but1 if he  were under any          
obligation then1 surely he must be under
 less now1 since  the multiplication of 
sin by his creatures3 but1 if the       
obligation  were none just after the    
fall1 there is no pretence now to fasten
 any  such obligation on ,god4 ,that    
,god had no obligation at first1 hath   
been  spoken to before2 he is less      
obliged to continue his grace after a   
repeated refusal1 and a peremptory      
abuse1 than he was bound to proffer  it 
after the first apostasy4 ,god cannot be
 charged with unholiness in  withdrawing
 his grace after we have received it1   
unless we can make it  appear that his  
grace was a thing due to us1 as we are  
his creatures1  and as he is governor of
 the world4 ,what prince looks upon     

himself as  obliged to reside in any    
particular b#agj place of his kingdom8  
,but  suppose he be bound to inhabit in 
one particular city1 yet after the  city
 rebels against him1 is he bound to     
continue his court there1 spend  his    
revenue among rebels1 endanger his own  
honor and security1 enlarge  their      
charter1 or maintain their ancient      
privileges8 ,is it not most  just and   
righteous for him to withdraw himself1  
and leave them to their  own            
tumultuousness and sedition1 whereby    
they should eat the fruit of  their own 
doings8 ,if there be an obligation on   
,god as a governor1 it  would rather lie
 on the side of justice to leave man to 
the power of  the devil whom he courted1
 and the prevalency of those lusts he   
hath  so often caressed2 and wrap up in 
a cloud all his common illuminations1   
and leave him destitute of all common   
workings of his ,spirit4    ,prop4      
,,viii4 ,god's holiness is not blemished
 by his commanding those  things        

sometimes which seem to be against      
nature1 or thwart some other  of his    
precepts2 as when ,god commanded        
,abraham with his own hand to  sacrifice
 his son 7,gen4 xxii4 #b71 there was    
nothing of unrighteousness  in it4 ,god 
hath a sovereign dominion over the lives
 and beings of his  creatures1 whereby  
as he creates one day1 he might         
annihilate the next2  and by the same   
right that he might demand the life of  
,isaac1 as being  his creature1 he might
 demand the obedience of ,abraham1 in a 
ready  return of that to him1 which he  
had so long enjoyed by his grant4 ,it is
  true1 killing is unjust when it is    
done without cause1 and by a private    
authority2 but the authority of ,god    
surmounts all private and public        
authority whatsoever4 ,our lives are due
 to him when he calls for them2  and    
they are more than once forfeit to him  
by reason of transgression4  ,but1      
howsoever the case is1 ,god commanded   
him to do it for the trial  of his      

grace1 but suffered him not to do it in 
favor to his ready  obedience2 but had  
,isaac been actually slain and offered1 
how had it  been unrighteous in ,god1   
who enacts laws for the regulation of   
his  creature1 but never intended them  
to the prejudice of the rights of his   
sovereignty8 ,another case is that of   
the ,israelites borrowing jewels  of the
 ,egyptians1 by the order of ,god       
7,exod4 xi4 #b1 #c2 xii4 #cf74 ,is not  
,god ,lord of men's goods1 as well as   
their lives8 ,what have any1 they  have 
not received8 and that not as           
proprietors independent on ,god1 but    
his stewards2 and may not he demand a   
portion of his steward to bestow  upon  
his favorite8 ,he that had power to     
dispose of the ,egyptians' goods1  had  
power to order the ,israelites to ask   
them4 ,besides1 ,god acted the  part of 
a just judge in ordering them their     
wages for their service in  this method1
 and making their taskmasters give them 
some recompense  for their unjust       

oppression so many years2 it was a      
command from ,god1  therefore1 rather   
for the preservation of justice 7the    
basis of all  those laws which link     
human society71 than any infringement of
 it4  ,it was a material recompense in  
part1 though not a formal one in the    
intention of the ,egyptians2 it was but 
in part a recompense2 it must  needs    
come short of the damage the poor       
captives had sustained by the  tyranny  
of their masters1 who had enslaved them 
contrary to the rules  of hospitality2  
and could not make amends for the lives 
of the poor  infants of ,israel1 whom   
they had drowned in the river4 ,he that 
might  for the unjust oppression of his 
people have taken away all their lives1 
destroyed b#aga the whole nation1 and   
put the ,israelites into the  possession
 of their lands1 could1 without any     
unrighteousness1 dispose  of part of    
their goods2 and it was rather an act of
 clemency to leave  them some part1 who 
had doubly forfeited all4 ,again1 the   

,egyptians were  as ready to lend by    
,god's influence1 as the ,israelites    
were to ask by  ,god's order3 and though
 it was a loan1 ,god1 as ,sovereign of  
the world1  and ,lord of the earth1 and 
the fulness thereof1 alienated the      
property  by assuming them to the use of
 the tabernacle1 to which service1 most1
  if not all of them1 were afterwards   
dedicated4 ,god1 who is lawgiver1  hath 
power to dispense with his own law1 and 
make use of his own  goods1 and dispose 
of them as he pleases2 it is no         
unholiness in ,god to  dispose of that  
which he hath a right unto4 ,indeed1    
,god cannot command  that which is in   
its own nature intrinsically evil2 as to
 command a  rational creature not to    
love him1 not to worship him1 to call   
,god to  witness to a lie2 these are    
intrinsically evil2 but for the         
disposing  of the lives and goods of his
 creatures1 which they have from him in 
right1 and not in absolute propriety1 is
 not evil in him1 because there  is no  

repugnancy in his own nature to such    
acts1 nor is it anything  inconsistent  
with the natural duty of a creature1 and
 in such cases  he may use what         
instruments he please4 ,the point was1  
that holiness is  a glorious perfection 
of the nature of ,god4 ,we have showed  
the nature  of this holiness in ,god2   
what it is2 and we have demonstrated it1
 and  proved that ,god is holy1 and must
 needs be so2 and also the purity of    
his nature in all his acts about sin3   
let us now improve it by way of  use4   
,,iv4 ,is holiness a transcendent       
perfection belonging to the nature of   
,god8 ,the first use shall be of        
instruction and information4    ,inform4
 #a4 ,how great and how frequent is the 
contempt of this eminent  perfection in 
the ,deity6 ,since the fall1 this       
attribute1 which renders  ,god most     
amiable in himself1 renders him most    
hateful to his apostate  creature4 ,it  
is impossible that he that loves        
iniquity1 can affect that  which is     

irreconcileably contrary to the iniquity
 he loves4 ,nothing so  contrary to the 
sinfulness of man as the holiness of    
,god1 and nothing  is thought of by the 
sinner with so much detestation4 ,how do
 men  account that which is the most    
glorious perfection of the ,divinity1   
unworthy to be regarded as an           
accomplishment of their own souls6 and  
when they are pressed to an imitation of
 it1 and a detestation of what  is      
contrary to it1 have the same sentiment 
in their heart which the  devil had in  
his language to ,christ1 ,why art thou  
come to torment  us before our time8    
,what an enmity the world naturally hath
 to this  perfection1 ,i think is       
visible in the practice of the heathen1 
who  among all their heroes which they  
deified1 elevated none to that  dignity 
among them for this or that moral virtue
 that came nearest to  it1 but for their
 valor or some usefulness in the        
concerns of this life4  sculapius was   
deified for his skill in the cure of    

diseases2 ,bacchus1  for the use of the 
grape2 ,vulcan1 for his operations by   
fire2 ,hercules1  for his destroying of 
tyrants and monsters2 but none for their
 mere  virtue2 as if anything of purity 
were unworthy their consideration in    
the frame of a ,deity1 when it is the   
glory of all other perfections2  so     
essential it is1 that when men reject   
the imitation of this1 ,god  regards it 
as a total rejection of himself1 b#agb  
though they own all  the other          
attributes of his nature 7,ps4 lxxxi4   
#aa73 8,israel would none  of me30 why8 
because 8they walked not in his ways0   
7ver4 #ac72 those  ways wherein the     
purity of the ,divine nature was most   
conspicuous2 they  would own him in his 
power1 when they stood in need of a     
deliverance2  they would own him in his 
mercy1 when they were plunged in        
distress2  but they would not imitate   
him in his holiness4 ,this being the    
lustre  of the ,divine nature1 the      
contempt of it is an obscuring all his  

other  perfections1 and a dashing a blot
 upon his whole escutcheon4 ,to own  all
 the rest1 and deny him this1 is to     
frame him as an unbeautiful  monster1a  
deformed power4 ,indeed1 all sin is     
against this attribute2  all sin aims in
 general at the being of ,god1 but in   
particular at the  holiness of his      
,being4 ,all sin is a violence to this  
perfection2 there  is not an iniquity in
 the world1 but directs its venomous    
sting against  the ,divine purity2 some 
sins are directed against his           
omniscience1  as secret wickedness2 some
 against his providence1 as distrust2   
some  against his mercy1 as unbelief2   
some against his wisdom1 as neglecting  
the means instituted by him1 censuring  
his ways and actings2 some  against his 
power1 as trusting in means more than in
 ,god1 and the  immoderate fear of men  
more than of ,god2 some against his     
truth1 as  distrusting his promise1 or  
not fearing his threatening2 but all    
agree  together in their enmity against 

this1 which is the peculiar glory of    
the ,deity3 every one of them is a      
receding from the ,divine image2 and    
the blackness of every one is the       
deeper1 by how much the distance of  it 
from the holiness of ,god is the        
greater4 ,this contrariety to the       
holiness of ,god1 is the cause of all   
the absolute atheism 7if there be  any  
such7 in the world2 what was the reason 
8the fool hath said in his  heart1      
,there is no ,god10 but because the fool
 is 8corrupt1 and hath  done abominable 
work0 7,ps4 xiv4 #a78 ,if they believe  
the being of a  ,god1 their own reason  
will enforce them to imagine him holy2  
therefore1  rather than fancy a holy    
,god1 they would fain fancy none at     
all4,in  particular1    #a4 ,the        
holiness of ,god is injured1 in unworthy
 representations of  ,god1 and          
imaginations of him in our own minds4   
,the heathen fell under  this guilt1 and
 ascribed to their idols those vices    
which their own  sensuality inclined    

them to1 unworthy of a man1 much more   
unworthy of a  ,god1 that they might    
find a protection of their crimes in the
 practice  of their idols4 ,but is this 
only the notion of the heathens8 may    
there  not be many among us whose love  
to their lusts1 and desires of sinning  
without control1 move them to slander   
,god in their thoughts1 rather  than    
reform their lives1 and are ready to    
frame1 by the power of their            
imaginative faculty1 a ,god1 not only   
winking1 but smiling1 at their          
impurities8 ,i am sure ,god charges the 
impieties of men upon this score1  in   
that ,psalm 7l4 #ba7 which seems to be a
 representation of the day of  judgment1
 as some gather from ver4 #f1 when ,god 
sums up all together3  8,these things   
hast thou done1 and ,i kept silence2    
thou thoughtest that  ,i was altogether 
such an one as thyself20 not a detester1
 but approver  of thy crimes3 and the   
,psalmist seems to express ,god's       
loathing of  sin in such a manner1 as   

intimates it to be contrary to the ideas
  and resemblances men make of him in   
their minds 7,ps4 v4 #d72 8,for thou    
art not a ,god that hast b#agc pleasure 
in wickedness20 as we say1 in           
vindication of a man1 he is not such a  
man as you imagine him to be2  thou art 
not such a ,god as the world commonly   
imagines thee to be1 a  ,god taking     
pleasure in iniquity4 ,it is too common 
for men to fancy ,god  not as he is1 but
 as they would have him2 strip him of   
his excellency  for their own security4 
,as ,god made man after his image1 man  
would  dress ,god after his own modes1  
as may best suit the content of his     
lusts1 and encourage him in a course of 
sinning2 for1 when they can  frame such 
a notion of ,god1 as if he were a       
countenancer of sin1 they  will derive  
from thence a reputation to their       
crimes1 commit wickedness  with an      
unbounded licentiousness1 and crown     
their vices with the name  of virtues1  
because they are so like to the         

sentiments of that ,god  they fancy3    
from hence 7as the ,psalmist1 in the    
,psalm before mentioned7  ariseth that  
mass of vice in the world2 such         
conceptions are the  mother and nurse of
 all impiety4 ,i question not but the   
first spring is  some wrong notion of   
,god1 in regard of his holiness3 we are 
as apt to  imagine ,god as we would have
 him1 as the black ,ethiopians were to  
draw  the image of their gods after     
their own dark hue1 and paint him with  
their own color3 as a philosopher in    
,theodoret speaks2 ,if oxen and  lions  
had hands1 and could paint as men do1   
they would frame the images  of their   
gods according to their own likeness and
 complexion4 ,such  notions of ,god     
render him a swinish being1 and worse   
than the vilest  idols adored by the    
,egyptians1 when men fancy a ,god       
indulgent to their  appetites and most  
sordid lusts4    #b4 ,in defacing the   
image of ,god in our own souls4 ,god1 in
 the  first draught of man1 conformed   

him to his own image1 or made him  an   
image of himself2 because we find that  
in regeneration this image  is renewed  
7,eph4 iv4 #bd72 8,the new man1 which1  
after ,god1 is created  in righteousness
 and true holiness40 ,he did not take   
angels for his  pattern1 in the first   
polishing the soul1 but himself4 ,in    
defacing this  image we cast dirt upon  
the holiness of ,god1 which was his     
pattern in  the framing of us1 and      
rather choose to be conformed to ,satan1
 who is  ,god's grand enemy1 to have    
,god's image wiped out of us1 and the   
devil's  pictured in us3 therefore1     
natural men1 in an unregenerate state1  
may justly be called devils1 since our  
,saviour called the worst man1  ,judas1 
so 7,john vi4 #a71 and ,peter1 one of   
the best 7,matt4 xvi4 #bc73  and if this
 title be given1 by an infallible       
,judge1 to one of the  worst1 and one of
 the best1 it may1 without wrong to any1
 be ascribed  to all men that wallow in 
their sin1 which is directly contrary to

  that illustrious image ,god did       
imprint upon them4 ,how often is it seen
  that men control the light of their   
own nature1 and stain the clearest      
beams of that candle of the ,lord in    
their own spirits1 that fly in the  face
 of their own consciences1 and say to   
them1 as ,ahab to ,micaiah1  ,thou didst
 8never prophesy good to me20 thou didst
 never encourage  me in those things    
that are pleasing to the flesh2 and use 
it at  the same rate as the wicked king 
did the prophet1 8imprison it in        
unrighteousness0 7,rom4 i4 #ah71 because
 it starts up in them sometimes         
sentiments of the holiness of ,god1     
which it represents in the soul of  man6
 ,how jolly are many men when the       
exhalations of their sensitive  part    
rise up to cloud the exactest principle 
of moral nature in  their minds1 and    
render the monstrous b#agd principles of
 the law of  corruption more lively6    
,whence ariseth the wickedness which    
hath been  committed with an open face  

in the world1 and the applause that hath
  been often given to the worst of      
villanies8 ,have we not known1 among    
ourselves1 men to glory in their shame1 
and esteem that a most gentle           
accomplishment of man1 which is the     
greatest blot upon his nature1  and     
which1 if it were upon ,god1 would      
render him no ,god1 but an impure       
devil2 so that to be a gentleman among  
us hath been the same as to be  an      
incarnate devil2 and to be a man1 was to
 be no better1 but worse1  than a brute8
 ,vile wretches6 is not this a contempt 
of ,divine holiness1  to kill that      
,divine seed which lies languishing in  
the midst of  corrupted nature2 to cut  
up any sprouts of it as weeds unworthy  
to grow  in their gardens1 and cultivate
 what is the seed of hell2 prefer the   
rotten fruits of ,sodom1 marked with a  
,divine curse1 before those relics  of  
the fruits of ,eden1 of ,god's own      
planting8    #c4 ,the holiness of ,god  
is injured in charging our sin upon     

,god4  ,nothing is more natural to men1 
than to seek excuses for their sin1  and
 transfer it from themselves to the next
 at hand1 and rather than  fail1 shift  
it upon ,god himself2 and if they can   
bring ,god into a  society with them in 
sin1 they will hug themselves in a      
security that  ,god cannot punish that  
guilt wherein he is a partner4 ,adam's  
children  are not of a different        
disposition from ,adam himself1 who1    
after he was  arraigned and brought to  
his trial1 boggles not at flinging his  
dirt  in the face of ,god1 his ,creator1
 and accuseth him as if he had given    
him the woman1 not to be his help1 but  
his ruin 7,gen4 iii4 #ab72 8,and  the   
man said1 ,the woman whom thou gavest to
 be with me1 she gave me of  the tree1  
and ,i did eat40 ,he never supplicates  
for pardon1 nor seeks  a remedy1 but    
reflects his crime upon ,god3 ,had ,i   
been alone1 as ,i was  first created1 ,i
 had not eaten2 but the woman1 whom ,i  
received as a  special gift from thee1  

hath proved my tempter and my bane4     
,when man  could not be like ,god in    
knowledge1 he endeavored to make ,god   
like him  in his crime2 and when his    
ambition failed of equalizing himself   
with  ,god1 he did1 with an insolence   
too common to corrupted nature1 attempt1
  by the imputation of his sin1 to equal
 the ,divinity with himself4 ,some      
think ,cain had the same sentiment in   
his answer to ,god's demand where  his  
brother was 7,gen4 ii4 #i72 8,am ,i my  
brother's keeper80 ,art not thou  the   
,keeper and ,governor of the world8 why 
didst not thou take care of  him1 and   
hinder my killing him1 and drawing this 
guilt upon myself1 and  terror upon my  
conscience8 ,david was not behind1 when1
 after the murder  of ,uriah1 he sweeps 
the dirt from his own door to ,god's 7#b
 ,sam4 xi4 #be72  8,the sword devoureth 
one as well as another20 fathering that 
solely  upon ,divine ,providence which  
was his own wicked contrivance3 though  
afterwards he is more ingenuous in      

clearing ,god1 and charging himself     
7,ps4 li4 #d73 8,against thee1 thee only
 have ,i sinned20 and he clears ,god  in
 his judgment too4 ,it is too common for
 the 8foolishness of man to  pervert his
 way20 and then 8his heart frets against
 the ,lord0 7,prov4  xix4 #c74 ,he      
studies mischief1 runs in a way of sin1 
and when he hath  conjured up troubles  
to himself1 by his own folly1 he        
excuseth himself1  and1 with            
indignation1 charges ,god as the author 
both of his sin and  misery1 b#age and  
sets his mouth against the heavens4 ,it 
is a more  horrible thing to accuse ,god
 as a principal or accessary in our     
guilt1  than to conceive him to be a    
favorer of our iniquity2 yet both are   
bad  enough4    #d4 ,the holiness of    
,god is injured when men will study     
arguments from  the holy word of ,god to
 color and shelter their crimes4 ,when  
men will  seek for a shelter for their  
lies1 in that of the midwives to        
preserve  the children1 or in that of   

,rahab to save the spies1 as if1 because
  ,god rewarded their fidelity1 he      
countenanced their sin4 ,how often is   
,scripture wrested to be a plea for     
unbecoming practices1 that ,god1  in his
 word1 may be imagined a patron for     
their iniquity8 ,it is not  unknown that
 some have maintained their quaffing and
 carousing 7from  ,eccles4 viii4 #aa71  
8,that a man hath no better thing under 
the sun than  to eat1 drink1 and be     
merry30 and their gluttony 7from ,matt4 
v4 #aa71  8,that which goes into the    
belly defiles not a man40 ,the ,jesuits'
 morals  are a transcript of this4 ,how 
often hath the ,passion of our ,saviour1
  the highest expression of ,god's      
holiness1 been employed to stain it1    
and encourage the most debauched        
practices6 ,grace hath been turned  into
 wantonness1 and the abundance of grace 
been used as a blast to  increase the   
flames of sin1 as if ,god had no other  
aim in that work  of redemption1 but to 
discover himself more indulgent to our  

sensual  appetites1 and by his severity 
with his ,son1 become more gracious  to 
our lusts2 this is to feed the roots of 
hell with the dews of  heaven1 to make  
grace a pander for the abuse of it1 and 
to employ  the expressions of his       
holiness in his word to be a sword      
against the  essential holiness of his  
nature3 as if a man should draw an      
apology  for his treason out of that law
 that was made to forbid1 not to        
protect1  his rebellion4 ,not the       
meanest instrument in the temple was to 
be  alienated from the use it was by    
,divine order appointed to1 nor was it  
to be employed in any common use2 and   
shall the word of ,god1 which is  the   
image of his holiness1 be transferred by
 base interpretations to  be an advocate
 for iniquity8 ,such an ill use of his  
word reflects upon  that hand which     
imprinted those characters of purity and
 righteousness  upon it3 as the         
misinterpretation of the wholesome laws 
of a prince1  made to discourage        

debauchery1 reflects upon his           
righteousness and  sincerity in enacting
 them4    #e4 ,the holiness of ,god is  
injured1 when men will put up petitions 
to ,god to favor them in a wicked       
design4 ,such there are1 and taxed by   
the apostle 7,james iv4 #c71 8,ye ask   
amiss1 that you may consume it upon     
your lusts10 who desired mercies from   
,god1 with an intent to make them       
instruments of sin1 and weapons of      
unrighteousness2 as it is reported  of a
 thief1 that he always prayed for the   
success of his robbery4  ,it hath not   
been rare in the world to appoint fasts 
and prayers for  success in wars        
manifestly unjust1 and commenced upon   
breaches of faith4  ,many covetous men  
petition ,god to prosper them in their  
unjust gain2 as  if the blessed ,god sat
 in his pure majesty upon a throne of   
grace1 to  espouse unjust practices1 and
 make iniquity prosperous4 ,there are   
such  as 8offer sacrifice with an evil  
mind0 7,prov4 xxi4 #bg71 to barter with 

,god for a divine blessing to spirit a  
wicked contrivance4 ,how great a        
contempt of the holiness of ,god is     
this6 ,how inexcusable would it be  for 
a favorite to address himself b#agf to a
 just prince with this  language3 ,sir1 
,i desire a boon of such lands that lie 
near me1 for an  addition to my estate1 
that ,i may have supports for my        
debauchery1 and  be able to play the    
villain more powerfully among my        
neighbors6 ,hereby  he implies that his 
prince is a friend to such crimes and   
wickedness  he intends his petition for4
 ,is not this the language of many men's
  hearts in the immediate presence of   
,god8 ,the order of prayer runs thus1   
8,hallowed be thy name20 first to have a
 deep sense of the holiness of  the     
,divine nature1 and an ardent desire for
 the glory of it4 ,this order  is       
inverted by asking those things which   
are not agreeable to the will  of ,god1 
not meet for us to ask1 and not meet for
 ,god to give2 or asking  things        

agreeable to the will of ,god1 but with 
a wicked intention4 ,this  is1 in       
effect1 to desire ,god to strip himself 
of his holiness1 and  commit sacrilege  
upon his own nature to gratify our      
lusts4    #f4 ,the purity of ,god is    
contemned1 in hating and scoffing at the
  holiness which is in a creature4      
,whoever looks upon the holiness  of a  
creature as an unlovely thing1 can have 
no good opinion of the  amiableness of  
,divine purity4 ,whosoever hates those  
qualities and  graces that resemble ,god
 in any person1 must needs contemn the  
original  pattern1 which is more eminent
 in ,god4 ,if there be no comeliness in 
a creature's holiness1 to render it     
grateful to us1 we should say  of ,god  
himself1 were he visible among us1 with 
those in the prophet  7,isa4 liii471    
8,there is no beauty in him1 that we    
should desire him40  ,holiness is       
beautiful in itself4 ,if ,god be the    
most lovely ,being1 that  which is a    
likeness to him1 so far as it doth      

resemble him1 must needs  be amiable1   
because it partakes of ,god2 and1       
therefore1 those that  see no beauty in 
an inferior holiness1 but contemn it    
because it is a  purity above them1     
contemn ,god much more4 ,he that hates  
that which is  imperfect merely for that
 excellency which is in it1 doth much   
more  hate that which is perfect1       
without any mixture or stain4 ,holiness 
being the glory of ,god1 the peculiar   
title of the ,deity1 and from him       
derived unto the nature of a creature1  
he that mocks this in a person1  derides
 ,god himself2 and1 when he cannot abuse
 the purity in the ,deity1  he will do  
it in his image2 as rebels that cannot  
wrong the king in his  person1 will do  
it in his picture1 and his subjects that
 are loyal to  him4 ,he that hates the  
picture of a man1 hates the person      
represented  by it much more2 he that   
hates the beams1 hates the sun2 the     
holiness  of a creature is but a beam   
from that infinite ,sun1 a stream from  

that eternal ,fountain4 ,where there is 
a derision of the purity of any         
creature1 there is a greater reflection 
upon ,god in that derision1 as  he is   
the ,author of it4 ,if a mixed and      
stained holiness be more the  subject of
 any man's scoffs than a great deal of  
sin1 that person hath  a disposition    
more roundly to scoff at ,god himself1  
should he appear  in that unblemished   
and unspotted purity which infinitely   
shines in his  nature4 ,o6 it is a      
dangerous thing to scoff and deride     
holiness in any  person1 though never so
 mean2 such do deride and scoff at the  
most holy  ,god4    #g4 ,the holiness of
 ,god is injured by our unprepared      
addresses to him1  when1 like swine1 we 
come into the presence of ,god with all 
our mire  reeking and steaming upon us4 
,a holy ,god requires a holy worship2   
and  if our best duties1 having filth in
 every part1 as b#agg performed  by us1 
are unmeet for ,god1 how much more      
unsuitable are dead and dirty  duties to

 a living and immense holiness6 ,slight 
approaches and drossy  frames speak us  
to have imaginations of ,god as of a    
slight and sottish  being4 ,this is     
worse than the heathens practised1 who  
would purge their  flesh before they    
sacrificed1 and make some preparations  
in a seeming  purity1 before they would 
enter into their temples4 ,god is so    
holy1  that were our services as refined
 as those of angels1 we could not       
present him with a service meet for his 
holy nature 7,josh4 xxiv4 #ai74  ,we    
contemn1 then1 this perfection1 when we 
come before him without  due            
preparation2 as if ,god himself were of 
an impure nature1 and did  not deserve  
our purest thoughts in our applications 
to him2 as if any  blemished and        
polluted sacrifice were good enough for 
him1 and his  nature deserved no better4
 ,when we excite not those elevated     
frames  of spirit which are due to such 
a being1 when we think to put him off   
with a lame and imperfect service1 we   

worship him not according to the        
excellency of his nature1 but put a     
slight upon his majestic sanctity4      
,when we nourish in our duties those    
foolish imaginations which  creep upon  
us2 when we bring into1 and continue our
 worldly1 carnal1  debauched fancies in 
his presence1 worse than the nasty      
servants1 or  bemired dogs1 a man would 
blush to be attended with in his visits 
to a  neat person4 ,to be conversing    
with sordid sensualities1 when we are at
  the feet of an infinite ,god1 sitting 
upon the throne of his holiness1  is as 
much a contempt of him1 as it would be  
of a prince1 to bring a  vessel full of 
nasty dung with us1 when we come to     
present a petition  to him in his royal 
robes2 or as it would have been to ,god1
 if the high  priest should have swept  
all the blood and excrements of the     
sacrifices  from the foot of the altar  
into the ,holy of holies1 and heaped it 
up  before the mercyseat1 where the     
presence of ,god dwelt between the      

cherubims1 and afterwards shovelled it  
up into the ark1 to be lodged  with     
,aaron's rod and the pot of manna4      
#h4 ,god's holiness is slighted in      
depending upon our imperfect  services  
to bear us out before the tribunal of   
,god4 ,this is too  ordinary4 ,the ,jews
 were often infected with it 7,rom4 iii4
 #aj71 who1  not well understanding the 
enormity of their transgressions1 the   
interweaving of sin with their services1
 and the unspottedness of the  ,divine  
purity1 mingled an opinion of merit with
 their sacrifices1 and  thought1 by the 
cutting the throat of a beast1 and      
offering it upon  ,god's altar1 they had
 made a sufficient compensation to that 
holiness  they had offended4 ,not to    
speak of many among the ,romanists who  
have  the same notion1 thinking to make 
satisfaction to ,god by erecting an     
hospital1 or endowing a church1 as if   
this injured perfection could be        
contented with the dregs of their       
purses1 and the offering of an unjust   

mammon1 more likely to mind ,god of the 
injury they have done him1 than         
contribute to the appeasing of him4 ,but
 is it not too ordinary with  miserable 
men1 whose consciences accuse them of   
their crimes1 to rely  upon the mumbling
 of a few formal prayers1 and in the    
strength of  them1 to think to stand    
before the tremendous tribunal of ,god1 
and  meet with a discharge upon this    
account from any accusation this ,divine
  perfection can present against them8  
,nay1 do not the best ,christians       
sometimes b#agh find a principle in     
them1 that makes them stumble  in their 
goings forth to ,christ1 and glorifying 
the holiness of ,god  in that method    
which he hath appointed8 ,sometimes     
casting an eye at  their grace1 and     
sticking awhile to this or that duty1   
and gazing at  the glory of the         
templebuilding1 while they should more  
admire the  glorious ,presence that     
fills it4 ,what is all this but a       
vilifying of  the holiness of the       

,divine nature1 as though it would be   
well enough  contented with our         
impurities and imperfections1 because   
they look  like a righteousness in our  
estimation8 ,as though dross and dung1  
which are the titles the apostles gives 
to all the righteousness of a  fallen   
creature 7,phil4 iii4 #h71 were valuable
 in the sight of ,god1 and  sufficient  
to render us comely before him4 ,it is a
 blasphemy against  this attribute1 to  
pretend that anything so imperfect1 so  
daubed1 as  the best of our services    
are1 can answer to that which is        
infinitely  perfect1 and be a ground of 
demanding eternal life3 it is at best1  
to  set up a gilded ,dagon1 as a fit    
companion for the ark of his ,holiness2 
our own righteousness as a suitable mate
 for the righteousness of  ,god3 as if  
he had repented of the claim he made by 
the law to an exact  conformity1 and    
thrown off the holiness of his nature   
for the fondling  of a corrupted        
creature4 ,rude and foolish notions of  

the ,divine purity  are clearly         
evidenced by any confidence in any      
righteousness of our own1  though never 
so splendid4 ,it is a rendering the     
righteousness of ,god  as dull and      
obscure as that of men2 a mere outside1 
as their own2 as  blind as the heathens 
pictured their ,fortune1 that knew as   
little how  to discern the nature and   
value of the offerings made to her1 as  
to  distribute her gifts1 as if it were 
all one to them1 to have a dog or  a    
lamb presented in sacrifice4 ,as if ,god
 did not well understand his  own       
nature1 when he enacted so holy a law1  
and strengthened it with so  severe a   
threatening2 which must follow upon our 
conceit1 that he will  accept a         
righteousness lower than that which     
bears some suitableness to  the holiness
 of his own nature1 and that of his law2
 and that he could  easily be put off   
with a pretended and counterfeit        
service4 ,what are  the services of the 
generality of men1 but suppositions1    

that they  can bribe ,god to an         
indulgence of them in their sins1 and by
 an oral  sacrifice1 cause him to divest
 himself of his hatred of their former  
iniquities1 and countenance their       
following practices4 ,as the harlot1    
that would return fresh to her          
uncleanness1 upon the confidence that   
her peace offering had contented the    
righteousness of ,god 7,prov4 vii4      
#ad73 as though a small service could   
make him wink at our sins1 and  lay     
aside the glory of his nature2 when1    
alas6 the best duties in the  most      
gracious persons in this life1 are but  
as the steams of a spiced  dunghill1 a  
composition of myrrh and froth1 since   
there are swarms of  corruptions in     
their nature1 and secret sins that they 
need a cleansing  from4    #i4 ,it is a 
contemning the holiness of ,god1 when we
 charge the law  of ,god with rigidness4
 ,we cast dirt upon the holiness of ,god
 when we  blame the law of ,god1 because
 it shackles us1 and prohibit our       

desired  pleasures2 and hate the law of 
,god1 as they did the prophets1 because 
they did not prophesy smooth things2 but
 called to them1 to 8get0 them  8out of 
the way1 and turn aside out b#agi of the
 path1 and cause the  ,holy ,one of     
,israel to cease from before them0      
7,isa4 xxx4 #aj1 #aa74 ,put  us no more 
in mind of the holiness of ,god1 and the
 holiness of his law2  it is a          
troublesome thing for us to hear of it3 
let him be gone from  us1 since he will 
not countenance our vices1 and indulge  
our crimes2  we would rather hear there 
is a ,god1 than you would tell us of a  
holy  one4 ,we are contrary to the law1 
when we wish it were not so exact2  and1
 therefore1 contrary to the holiness of 
,god1 which set the stamp  of exactness 
and righteousness upon it4 ,we think him
 injurious to  our liberty1 when1 by his
 precept he thwarts our pleasure2 we    
wish  it of another frame1 more mild1   
more suitable to our minds3 it is the   
same1 as if we should openly blame ,god 

for consulting with his own             
righteousness1 and not with our humors1 
before he settled his law2 that  he     
should not have drawn from the depths of
 his righteous nature1 but  squared it  
to accommodate our corruption4 ,this    
being the language of  such complaints1 
is a reproving ,god1 because he would   
not be unholy1  that we might be        
unrighteous with impunity4 ,had the     
,divine law been  suited to our corrupt 
state1 ,god must have been unholy to    
have complied  with his rebellious      
creature4 ,to charge the law with       
rigidness1 either  in language or       
practice1 is the highest contempt of    
,god's holiness2 for  it is an implicit 
wish1 that ,god were as defiled1        
polluted1 disorderly1  as our corrupted 
selves4    #aj4 ,the holiness of ,god is
 injured opinionatively4 7#a47 ,in the  
opinion  of venial sins4 ,the ,romanists
 divide sins into venial and mortal3    
mortal1 are those which deserve eternal 
death2 venial1 the lighter  sort of     

sins1 which rather deserve to be        
pardoned than punished2 or if  punished1
 not with an eternal1 but temporal      
punishment4 ,this opinion  hath no      
foundation in1 but is contrary to1      
,scripture4 ,how can any sin  be in its 
own nature venial1 when the due 8wages  
of every sin is death0  7,rom4 vi4 #bc78
 and he who 8continues not in every     
thing that the law  commands10 falls    
under a 8curse0 7,gal4 iii4 #aj74 ,it is
 a mean thought  of the holiness and    
majesty of ,god to imagine1 that any sin
 which  is against an infinite majesty1 
and as infinite a purity both in  the   
nature of ,god and the law of ,god1     
should not be considered as  infinitely 
heinous4 ,all sins are transgressions of
 the eternal law1 and  in every one the 
infinite holiness of ,god is some way   
slighted4 7#b47 ,in  the opinion of     
works of supererogation4 ,that is1 such 
works as are not  commanded by ,god1    
which yet have such a dignity and worth 
in their own  nature1 that the          

performers of them do not only merit at 
,god's hands  for themselves1 but fill  
up a treasure of merits for others1 that
 come  short of fulfilling the precepts 
,god hath enjoined4 ,it is such a mean  
thought of ,god's holiness1 that the    
,jews1 in all the charges brought       
against them in ,scripture1 were never  
guilty of4 ,and if you consider  what   
pitiful things they are1 which are      
within the compass of such  works1 you  
have sufficient reason to bewail the    
ignorance of man1  and the low esteem he
 hath of so glorious a perfection4 ,the 
whipping  themselves often in a week1   
extraordinary watchings1 fastings1      
macerating their bodies1 wearing a      
capuchin's habit1 c4 are pitiful  things
 to give content to an ,infinite        
,purity4 ,as if the precept b#ahj  of   
,god required only the inferior degrees 
of virtue1 and the counsels  the more   
high and excellent2 as if the law of    
,god1 which the ,psalmist  counts       
8perfect0 7,ps4 xix4 #g71 did not       

command all good1 and forbid  all evil2 
as if the holiness of ,god had forgotten
 itself in the framing  the law1 and    
made it a scanty and defective rule2 and
 the righteousness  of a creature were  
not only able to make an eternal        
righteousness1 but  surmount it4 ,as man
 would be at first as knowing as ,god1  
so some of  his posterity would be more 
holy than ,god2 set up a wisdom against 
the  wisdom of ,god1 and a purity above 
the ,divine purity4 ,adam was not so    
presumptuous2 he intended no more than  
an equalling ,god in knowledge2  but    
those would exceed him in righteousness1
 and not only presume to  render a      
satisfaction for themselves to the      
holiness they have injured1  but to make
 a purse for the supply of others that  
are indigent1 that  they may stand      
before the tribunal of ,god with a      
confidence in the  imaginary            
righteousness of a creature4 ,how       
horrible is it for those  that come     
short of the law of ,god themselves1 to 

think that they can  have enough for a  
loan to their neighbors6 ,an unworthy   
opinion4    ,inform4 #b4 ,it may inform 
us1 how great is our fall from ,god1 and
 how  distant we are from him4 ,view the
 holiness of ,god1 and take a prospect  
of the nature of man1 and be astonished 
to see a person created in the  ,divine 
image1 degenerated into the image of the
 devil4 ,we are as far  fallen from the 
holiness of ,god1 which consists in a   
hatred of sin1 as  the lowest point of  
the earth is from the highest point of  
the heavens4  ,the devil is not more    
fallen from the rectitude of his nature 
and  likeness to ,god1 than we are2 and 
that we are not in the same condition   
with those apostate spirits1 is not from
 anything in our nature1 but  from the  
mediation of ,christ1 upon which account
 ,god hath indulged  in us a continuance
 of some remainders of that which ,satan
 is wholly  deprived of4 ,we are        
departed from our original pattern2 we  
were created  to live the 8life of      

,god10 that is1 a life of 8holiness20   
but now we  are 8alienated from the life
 of ,god0 7,eph4 iv4 #ah71 and of a     
beautiful  piece we are become deformed1
 daubed over with the most defiling mud3
  we 8work uncleanness with greediness10
 according to our ability1 as           
creatures2 as ,god doth work 8holiness0 
with affection and ardency1  according  
to his infiniteness1 as ,creator4 ,more 
distant we are from  ,god by reason of  
sin1 than the vilest creature1 the most 
deformed toad1  or poisonous serpent1 is
 from the highest and most glorious     
angel4 ,by  forsaking our innocence1 we 
departed from ,god as our original copy4
  ,the apostle might well say 7,rom4    
iii4 #bc71 that by sin 8we are come     
short of the glory of ,god40            
,interpreters trouble themselves much   
about  that place1 8,man is come short  
of the glory of ,god10 that is1 of the  
holiness of ,god1 which is the glory of 
the ,divine nature1 and was  pictured in
 the rational1 innocent creature4 ,by   

the 8glory of ,god10  is meant the      
holiness of ,god2 7as #a ,cor4 iii4     
#ah71 8,beholding1 as in  a glass1 the  
glory of the ,lord1 we are changed into 
the same image from  glory to glory20   
that is the glory of ,god in the text1  
into the image  of which we are changed2
 but the ,scripture speaks of no other  
image of  ,god1 but that of holiness2   
8we are come short of the glory of      
,god20 of  the holiness of ,god1 which  
is the glory of ,god2 and b#aha the     
image  of it1 which was the glory of    
man4 ,by sin1 which is particular in    
opposition to the purity of ,god1 man   
was left many leagues behind any        
resemblance to ,god2 he stripped off    
that which was the glory of his  nature1
 and was the only means of glorifying   
,god as his ,creator4 ,the  word 1 the  
apostle uses1 is very                   
significant1postponed  by sin an        
infinite distance from any imitation of 
,god's holiness1 or  any appearance     
before him in a garb of nature pleasing 

to him4 ,let us  lament our fall and    
distance from ,god4    ,inform4 #c4 ,all
 unholiness is vile1 and opposite to the
 nature of ,god4  ,it is such a         
loathsome thing1 that the 8purity of    
,god's eye is averse  from beholding0   
7,hab4 i4 #c74 ,it is not said there1   
that he will not1  but he cannot1 look  
on evil2 there cannot be any            
amicableness between  ,god and sin1 the 
natures of both are so directly and     
unchangeably  contrary to one another4  
,holiness is the life of ,god2 it       
endures as  long as his life2 he must be
 eternally averse from sin1 he can live 
no  longer than he lives in the hatred  
and loathing of it4 ,if he should for   
one instant cease to hate it1 he would  
cease to live4 ,to be a holy ,god1  is  
as essential to him1 as to be a living  
,god2 and he would not be a  living     
,god1 but a dead ,god1 if he were in the
 least point of time an  unholy ,god4   
,he cannot look on sin without loathing 
it2 he cannot look  on sin but his heart

 riseth against it2 it must needs be    
most odious  to him1 as that which is   
against the glory of his nature1 and    
directly  opposite to that which is the 
lustre and varnish of all his other     
perfections4 ,it is the 8abominable     
thing which his soul hates0 7,jer4      
xliv4 #d72 the vilest terms imaginable  
are used to signify it4 ,do you         
understand the loathsomeness of a miry  
swine1 or the nauseousness of  the vomit
 of a dog8 these are emblems of sin 7#b 
,peter ii4 #bb74 ,can you  endure the   
steams of putrefied carcasses from an   
open sepulchre 7,rom4  iii4 #bc78 is the
 smell of the stinking sweat or         
excrements of a body  delightful8 the   
word  in ,james i4 #ba1 signifies as    
much4 ,or is  the sight of a body       
overgrown with scabs and leprosy        
grateful to you8  ,so vile1 so odious is
 sin1 in the sight of ,god4 ,it is no   
light thing1  then1 to fly in the face  
of ,god2 to break his eternal law2 to   
dash both  the tables in pieces3 to     

trample the transcript of ,god's own    
nature  under our feet2 to cherish that 
which was inconsistent with his honor2  
to lift up our heels against the glory  
of his nature2 to join issue  with the  
devil in stabbing his heart1 and        
depriving him of his life4  ,sin1 in    
every part of it1 is an opposition to   
the holiness of ,god1 and  consequently 
an envying him a being and life1 as well
 as a glory4 ,if  sin be such a thing1  
8ye that love the ,lord1 hate evil40    
,inform4 #d4 ,sin cannot escape a due   
punishment4 ,a hatred of                
unrighteousness1 and consequently a will
 to punish it1 is as essential  to ,god 
as a love of righteousness4 ,since he is
 not as an heathen idol1  but hath eyes 
to see1 and purity to hate every        
iniquity1 he will have  an infinite     
justice to punish whatsoever is against 
infinite holiness4  ,as he loves        
everything that is amiable1 so he       
loathes everything that  is filthy1 and 
that constantly1 without any change2 his

 whole nature  is set against it2 he    
abhors nothing but this4 ,it is not the 
devil's  knowledge or activity that his 
hatred is terminated in1 but the malice 
and unholiness of his nature2 it is this
 only is the object of his  severity2   
b#ahb it is in the recompense of this   
only that there can  be a manifestation 
of his justice4 ,sin must be punished2  
for1    #a4 ,this detestation of sin    
must be manifested4 ,how should we      
certainly  know his loathing of it1 if  
he did not manifest1 by some act1 how   
ungrateful it is to him8 ,as his love to
 righteousness would not appear1        
without rewarding it2 so his hatred of  
iniquity would be as little  evidenced1 
without punishing it2 his justice is the
 great witness  to his purity4 ,the     
punishment1 therefore1 inflicted on the 
wicked1  shall be1 in some respect1 as  
great as the rewards bestowed upon the  
righteous4 ,since the hatred of sin is  
natural to ,god1 it is as natural  to   
him to show1 one time or other1 his     

hatred of it4 ,and since men  have a    
conceit that ,god is like them in       
impurity1 there is a necessity  of some 
manifestation of himself to be          
infinitely distant from those  conceits 
they have of him 7,ps4 l4 #ba72 8,i will
 reprove thee1 and set  them in order   
before thine eyes40 ,he would else      
encourage the injuries  done to his     
holiness1 favor the extravagances of the
 creature1 and  condemn1 or at least    
slight1 the righteousness both of his   
own nature1  and his sovereign law4     
,what way is there for ,god to manifest 
his hatred1  but by threatening the     
sinner8 and what would this be but a    
vain  affrightment1 and ridiculous to   
the sinner1 if it were never to be put  
in execution8 ,there is an indissoluble 
connection between his hatred  of sin1  
and punishment of the offender 7,ps4 xi4
 #e1 #f72 8,the wicked1 his  soul hates4
 ,upon the wicked he shall rain snares1 
fire1 and brimstone10  c4 ,he cannot    
approve of it without denying himself2  

and a total  impunity would be a degree 
of approbation4 ,the displeasure of ,god
  is eternal and irreconcileable against
 sin2 for sin being absolutely  contrary
 to his holy nature1 he is eternally    
contrary to it2 if there  be not1       
therefore1 a way to separate the sin    
from the sinner1 the  sinner must lie   
under the displeasure of ,god2 no       
displeasure can be  manifested without  
some marks of it upon the person that   
lies under  that displeasure4 ,the      
holiness of ,god will right itself of   
the wrongs  done to it1 and scatter the 
profaners of it at the greatest distance
  from him1 which is the greatest       
punishment that can be inflicted2 to be 
removed far from the ,fountain of ,life 
is the worst of deaths2 ,god can  as    
soon lay aside his purity1 as always    
forbear his displeasure against  an     
impure person2 it is all one not to hate
 it1 and not to manifest his  hatred of 
it4    #b4 ,as his holiness is natural  
and necessary1 so is the punishment  of 

unholiness necessary to him4 ,it is     
necessary that he should  abominate sin1
 and therefore necessary he should      
discountenance it4 ,the  severities of  
,god against sin are not vain           
scarecrows2 they have their  foundation 
in the righteousness of his nature2 it  
is because he is a  righteous and holy  
,god1 that he 8will not forgive our     
transgressions  and sins0 7,josh4 xxiv4 
#ai71 that is1 that he will punish them4
 ,the  throne of his 8holiness is a     
fiery flame0 7,dan4 vii4 #i72 there is  
both  a pure light and a scorching heat4
 ,whatsoever is contrary to the nature  
of ,god1 will fall under the justice of 
,god2 he would else violate his  own    
nature1 deny his own perfection1 seem to
 be out of love with his  own glory and 
life4 ,he doth not hate it out of       
choice1 but from the  immutable         
propension of his nature2 it is not so  
free an act of his  will1 as the        
creation of man and angels1 which he    
might b#ahc have  forborne as well as   

effected4 ,as the detestation of sin    
results from  the universal rectitude of
 his nature1 so the punishment of sin   
follows  upon that1 as he is the        
righteous ,governor of the world3 it is 
as much  against his nature not to      
punish it1 as it is against his nature  
not  to loathe it2 he would cease to be 
holy if he ceased to hate it1 and he    
would cease to hate it if he ceased to  
punish it4 ,neither the obedience  of   
our ,saviour's life1 nor the strength of
 his cries1 could put a  bar to the cup 
of his passion2 ,god so hated sin1 that 
when it was but  imputed to his ,son1   
without any commission of it1 he would  
bring a hell  upon his soul4 ,certainly 
if ,god could have hated sin without    
punishing  it1 his ,son had never felt  
the smart of his wrath2 his love to his 
,son had been strong enough to have     
caused him to forbear1 had not  the     
holiness of his nature been stronger to 
move him to inflict a  punishment       
according to the demerit of his sin4    

,god cannot but be  holy1 and therefore 
cannot but be just1 because injustice is
 a part  of unholiness4    #c4          
,therefore there can be no communion    
between ,god and unholy spirits4  ,how  
is it conceivable1 that ,god should hate
 the sin1 and cherish the  sinner1 with 
all his filth in his bosom8 that he     
should eternally  detest the crime1 and 
eternally fold the sinner in his arms8  
,can less  be expected from the purity  
of his nature1 than to separate an      
impure  soul1 as long as it remains so8 
,can there be any delightful communion  
between those whose natures are         
contrary8 ,darkness and light may as    
soon kiss each other1 and become one    
nature3 ,god and the devil may as  soon 
enter into an eternal league and        
covenant together4 ,for ,god to  have   
pleasure in wickedness1 and to admit    
evil to dwell with him1 are  equally    
impossible to his nature 7,ps4 v4 #d73  
while he hates impurity1  he cannot have
 communion with an impure person4 ,it   

may as soon be  expected1 that ,god     
should hate himself1 offer violence to  
his own  nature1 lay aside his purity as
 an abominable thing1 and blot his own  
glory1 as love an impure person1        
entertain him as his delight1 and set   
him in the same heaven and happiness    
with himself1 and his holy angels4  ,he 
must needs loathe him1 he must needs    
banish him from his presence1  which is 
the greatest punishment4 ,god's holiness
 and hatred of sin  necessarily infer   
the punishment of it4    ,inform4 #e4   
,there is1 therefore1 a necessity of the
 satisfaction of  the holiness of ,god  
by some sufficient mediator4 ,the       
,divine purity  could not meet with any 
acquiescence in all mankind after the   
fall3  sin was hated2 the sinner would  
be ruined1 unless some way were found   
out to repair the wrongs done to the    
holiness of ,god2 either the sinner     
must be condemned for ever1 or some     
satisfaction must be made1 that the     
holiness of the ,divine nature might    

eternally appear in its full lustre4    
,that it is essential to the nature of  
,god to hate all unrighteousness1  as   
that which is absolutely repugnant to   
his nature1 none do question4  ,that the
 justice of ,god is so essential to him1
 as that sin could not  be pardoned     
without satisfaction1 some do question2 
though this latter  seems rationally to 
follow upon the former4#icj ,that       
holiness is  essential to the nature of 
,god1 is evident2 because1 else1 ,god   
may  as much be conceived without       
purity1 as he might be b#ahd conceived  
without the creating the sun or stars4  
,no man can1 in his right wits1  frame a
 right notion of a ,deity without       
purity4 ,it would be less  blasphemy    
against the excellency of ,god1 to      
conceit him not knowing1  than to       
imagine him not holy3 and1 for the      
essentialness of his justice1  ,joshua  
joins both his holiness and his jealousy
 as going hand in hand  together 7,josh4
 xxiv4 #ai72 8,he is a holy ,god1 he is 

a jealous ,god1 he  will not forgive    
your sin40 ,but consider only the purity
 of ,god1 since  it is contrary to sin1 
and1 consequently1 hating the sinner2   
the guilty  person cannot be reduced to 
,god1 nor can the holiness of ,god have 
any  complacency in a filthy person1 but
 as fire hath in stubble1 to consume    
it4 ,how the holy ,god should be brought
 to delight in man without a  salvo for 
the rights of his holiness1 is not to be
 conceived without  an impeachment of   
the nature of ,god4 ,the law could not  
be abolished2  that would reflect1      
indeed1 upon the righteousness of the   
,lawgiver3 to  abolish it1 because of   
sin1 would imply a change of the        
rectitude of  his nature4 ,must he      
change his holiness for the sake of that
 which was  against his holiness1 in a  
compliance with a profane and           
unrighteous  creature8 ,this should     
engage him rather to maintain his law1  
than to  null it2 and to abrogate his   
law as soon as he had enacted it1 since 

sin stepped into the world presently    
after it1 would be no credit  to his    
wisdom4 ,there must be a reparation made
 of the honor of ,god's  holiness2 by   
ourselves it could not be without       
condemnation2 by another  it could not  
be without a sufficiency in the person3 
no creature could  do it4 ,all the      
creatures being of a finite nature1     
could not make  a compensation for the  
disparagements of ,infinite ,holiness4  
,he must  have despicable and vile      
thoughts of this excellent perfection1  
that  imagines that a few tears1 and the
 glavering fawnings at the death of  a  
creature1 can be sufficient to repair   
the wrongs1 and restore the  rights of  
this attribute4 ,it must1 therefore1 be 
such a compensation  as might be        
commensurate to the holiness of the     
,divine nature and  the ,divine law1    
which could not be wrought by any1 but  
,him that was  possessed of a ,godhead  
to give efficacy and exact congruity to 
it4 ,the  ,person designed and appointed

 by ,god for so great an affair1 was    
8one  in the form of ,god1 one equal    
with ,god10 7,phil4 ii4 #f71 who could  
not  be termed by such a title of       
dignity1 if he had not been equal to    
,god  in the universal rectitude of the 
,divine nature1 and therefore in his    
holiness4 ,the punishment due to sin is 
translated to that person for  the      
righting ,divine holiness1 and the      
righteousness of that ,person is        
communicated to the sinner for the      
pardon of the offending creature4  ,if  
the sinner had been eternally damned1   
,god's hatred of sin had been  evidenced
 by the strokes of his justice2 but his 
mercy to a sinner had  lain in          
obscurity4 ,if the sinner had been      
pardoned and saved without  such a      
reparation1 mercy had been evident2 but 
his holiness had hid its  head for ever 
in his own bosom4 ,there was therefore a
 necessity of such  a way to manifest   
his purity1 and yet to bring forth his  
mercy3 that  mercy might not alway sigh 

for the destruction of the creature1 and
  that holiness might not mourn for the 
neglect of its honor4    ,inform4 #f4   
,hence it will follow1 there is no      
justification of a  sinner by any thing 
in himself4 ,after sin had set foot in  
the world1  b#ahe man could present     
nothing to ,god acceptable to him1 or   
bearing  any proportion to the holiness 
of his law1 till ,god set forth a       
,person1  upon whose account the        
acceptation of our persons and services 
is  founded 7,eph4 i4 #f71 8,who hath   
made us accepted in the ,beloved40 ,the 
,infinite purity of ,god is so glorious1
 that it shames the holiness  of angels1
 as the light of the sun dims the light 
of the fire2 much  more will the        
righteousness of fallen man1 who is     
vile1 and 8drinks  up iniquity like     
water10 vanish into nothing in his      
presence4 ,with  what selfabasement and 
abhorrence ought he to be possessed that
 comes  as short of the angels in       
purity1 as a dunghill doth of a star6   

,the  highest obedience that ever was   
performed by any mere man1 since lapsed 
nature1 cannot challenge any acceptance 
with ,god1 or stand before so  exact an 
inquisition4 ,what person hath such a   
clear innocence1 and  unspotted         
obedience in such a perfection1 as in   
any degree to suit  the holiness of the 
,divine nature8 7,ps4 cxliii4 #b73      
8,enter not into  judgment with thy     
servant1 for in thy sight shall no man  
living be  justified40 ,if ,god should  
debate the case simply with a man in his
 own  person1 without respecting the    
,mediator1 he were not able to 8answer  
one of a thousand40 ,though we are his  
servants1 as ,david was1 and  perform a 
sincere service1 yet there are many     
little motes and dust of  sin in the    
best works1 that cannot lie undiscovered
 from the eye of his  holiness2 and if  
we come short in the least of what the  
law requires1  we are 8guilty of all0   
7,james ii4 #aj74 ,so that 8,in thy     
sight shall no  man living be           

justified20 in the sight of thy infinite
 holiness1 which  hates the least spot2 
in the sight of thy infinite justice1   
which  punishes the least transgression4
 ,god would descend below his own       
nature1 and vilify both his knowledge   
and his purity1 should he accept  that  
for a righteousness and holiness which  
is not so in itself2 and  nothing is so1
 which hath the least stain upon it     
contrary to the  nature of ,god4 ,the   
most holy saints in ,scripture1 upon a  
prospect of  his purity1 have cast away 
all confidence in themselves2 every     
flash  of the ,divine purity has struck 
them into a deep sense of their own     
impurity and shame for it 7,job xlii4   
#f71 8,wherefore ,i abhor myself in     
dust and ashes40 ,what can the language 
of any man be that lies under  a sense  
of infinite holiness and his own        
defilement in the least1 but  that of   
the prophet 7,isa4 vi4 #e71 8,woe is me1
 ,i am undone80 ,and what is  there in  
the world can administer any other      

thought than this1 unless  ,god be      
considered in ,christ1 8reconciling the 
world to himself80 ,as  a holy ,god1 so 
righted1 as that he can dispense with   
the condemnation  of a sinner1 without  
dispensing with his hatred of sin2      
pardoning the  sin in the criminal1     
because it hath been punished in the    
,surety4 ,that  righteousness which ,god
 hath 8set forth0 for justification1 is 
not  our own1 but a 8righteousness which
 is of ,god0 7,phil4 iii4 #i1 #aj71 of  
,god's appointing1 and of ,god's        
performing2 appointed by the ,father1   
who is ,god1 and performed by the ,son1 
who is one with the ,father2 a          
righteousness surmounting that of all   
the glorious angels1 since it is  an    
immutable one which can never fail1 an  
8everlasting righteousness0  7,dan4 ix4 
#bd72 a righteousness wherein the       
holiness of ,god can  acquiesce1 as     
considered in itself1 because it is a   
righteousness of  one equal with ,god4  
,as we b#ahf therefore dishonor the     

,divine ,majesty  when we insist upon   
our own bemired righteousness for our   
justification  as if 8mortal man were as
 just as ,god10 and a 8man as pure as   
his  ,maker0 7,job iv4 #ag71 so we      
highly honor the purity of his nature1  
when we charge ourselves with folly1    
acknowledge ourselves unclean1  and     
accept of that righteousness which gives
 a full content to his  infinite purity4
 ,there can be no justification of a    
sinner by anything  in himself4         
,inform4 #g4 ,if holiness be a glorious 
perfection of the ,divine nature1  then 
the ,deity of ,christ might be argued   
from hence4 ,he is indeed  dignified    
with the title of the 8,holy ,one0      
7,acts iii4 #ad1 #af71 a title  often   
given to ,god in the ,old ,testament2   
and he is called the 8,holy of  holies0 
7,dan4 ix4 #bd72 but because the angels 
seemed to be termed 8,holy  ones0 7,dan4
 iv4 #ac1 #ag71 and the most sacred     
place in the temple was  also called the
 8,holy of holies10 ,i shall not insist 

upon that4 ,but you  find our ,saviour  
particularly applauded by the angels1 as
 8holy10 when  this perfection of the   
,divine nature1 together with the       
incommunicable  name of ,god1 are linked
 together1 and ascribed to him 7,isa4   
vi4 #c73  8,holy1 holy1 holy is the     
,lord of ,hosts2 and the whole earth is 
full of  his glory20 which the apostle  
interprets of 8,christ0 7,john xii4 #ci1
 #da74  ,isaiah1 again3 8,he hath       
blinded their eyes1 and hardened their  
hearts1  that they should not see with  
their eyes1 nor understand with their   
hearts1 and be converted1 and ,i should 
heal them40 ,these things said  ,isaiah1
 when he saw his glory1 and spake of    
him4 ,he that ,isaiah saw  environed    
with the seraphims1 in a reverential    
posture before his face1  and praised as
 most holy by them1 was the true and    
eternal ,god2 such  acclamations belong 
to none but the great ,jehovah1 ,god1   
blessed forever2  but1 saith ,john1 it  
was the 8glory of ,christ0 that ,isaiah 

saw in this  vision2 ,christ1 therefore1
 is 8,god blessed forever10 of whom it  
was  said1 8,holy1 holy1 holy ,lord of  
,hosts40#ica ,the evangelist had been   
speaking of ,christ1 the miracles which 
he wrought1 the obstinacy of the  ,jews 
against believing on him2 his glory1    
therefore1 is to be referred  to the    
subject he had been speaking of4 ,the   
evangelist was not speaking  of the     
,father1 but of the ,son1 and cites     
those words out of ,isaiah2 not  to     
teach anything of the ,father1 but to   
show that the ,jews could not  believe  
in ,christ4 ,he speaks of him that had  
wrought so many miracles2  but ,christ  
wrought those miracles3 he speaks of him
 whom the ,jews  refused to believe on2 
but ,christ was the person they would   
not believe  on1 while they acknowledged
 ,god4 ,it was the glory of this person 
,isaiah  saw1 and this person ,isaiah   
spake of1 if the words of the evangelist
 be  of any credit4 ,the angels are too 
holy to give acclamations belonging  to 

,god1 to any but him that is ,god4      
,inform4 #h4 ,god is fully fit for the  
government of the world4 ,the           
righteousness of ,god's nature qualifies
 him to be ,judge of the world2  if he  
were not perfectly righteous and holy1  
he were incapable to  govern and judge  
the world 7,rom4 iii4 #e73 8,if there be
 unrighteousness  with ,god1 how shall  
he judge the world80 8,god will not do  
wickedly1  neither will the ,almighty   
pervert judgment0 7,job xxxiv4 #ab74    
b#ahg ,how  despicable is a judge that  
wants innocence6 ,as omniscience fits   
,god to  be a judge1 so holiness fits   
him to be a righteous judge 7,ps4 i4    
#f73  8,the ,lord knows10 that is1      
loves1 8the way of the righteous2 but   
the  way of the ungodly shall perish40  
,inform4 #i4 ,if holiness be an eminent 
perfection of the ,divine  nature1 the  
,christian religion is of a ,divine     
extraction3 it discovers  the holiness  
of ,god1 and forms the creature to a    
conformity to him4  ,it gives us a      

prospect of his nature1 represents him  
in the 8beauty of  holiness0 7,ps4 cx4  
#c71 more than the whole glass of the   
creation4 ,it is  in this evangelical   
glass the glory of the ,lord is beheld1 
and rendered  amiable and imitable 7#b  
,cor4 iii4 #ah74 ,it is a doctrine      
8according to  godliness0 7#a ,tim4 vi4 
#c71 directing us to live the life of   
,god2 a life  worthy of ,god1 and worthy
 of our first creation by his hand4 ,it 
takes  us off from ourselves1 fixeth us 
upon a noble end1 points our actions1   
and the scope of our lives to ,god4 ,it 
quells the monsters of sin1             
discountenanceth the motes of           
wickedness2 and it is no mean argument  
for the divinity of it1 that it sets us 
no lower a pattern for our  imitation1  
than the holiness of the ,divine        
,majesty4 ,god is exalted upon  the     
throne of his holiness in it1 and the   
creature advanced to an image  and      
resemblance of it 7#a ,pet4 i4 #af73    
8,be ye holy1 for ,i am holy40    ,use  

#b4 ,the second use is for comfort4     
,this attribute frowns upon  lapsed     
nature1 but smiles in the restorations  
made by the gospel4 ,god's  holiness1 in
 conjunction with his justice1 is       
terrible to a guilty  sinner2 but now1  
in conjunction with his mercy1 by the   
satisfaction of  ,christ1 it is sweet to
 a believing penitent4 ,in the 8first   
covenant10  the purity of his nature was
 joined with the rigors of his justice2 
in the 8second covenant10 the purity of 
his nature is joined with the  sweetness
 and tenderness of his mercy4 ,in the   
one1 justice flames  against the sinner 
in the right of injured holiness2 in the
 other1  mercy yearns towards a         
believer1 with the consent of righted   
holiness4  ,to rejoice in the holiness  
of ,god is the true and genuine spirit  
of a  renewed man3 8,my heart rejoiceth 
in the ,lord20what follows88,there  is  
none holy as the ,lord0 7#a ,sam4 ii4   
#a1 #b74 ,some perfections of the       
,divine nature are astonishing1 some    

affrighting2 but this may fill us  both 
with astonishment at it1 and a joy in   
it4    #a4 ,by covenant1 we have an     
interest in this attribute1 as well as  
any  other4 ,in that clause of 8,god's  
being our ,god10 entire ,god with all   
his  glory1 all his perfections are     
passed over as a portion1 and a gracious
  soul is brought into union with ,god1 
as his ,god2 not with a part of  ,god1  
but with ,god in the simplicity1 extent1
 integrity of his nature2  and therefore
 in this attribute4 ,and1 upon some     
account1 it may seem  more in this      
attribute than in any other2 for if he  
be our ,god1 he is  our ,god in his life
 and glory1 and therefore in his purity 
especially1  without which he could not 
live2 he could not be happy and blessed4
  ,little comfort will it be to have a  
dead ,god1 or a vile ,god1 made over  to
 us2 and as1 by this covenant1 he is our
 ,father1 so he gives us his  nature1   
and communicates his holiness in all his
 dispensations2 and in  those that are  

severest1 as well as those that are     
sweetest 7,heb4 xii4  #aj73 8,but he    
corrects us for our profit1 that we     
might be partakers of  his holiness40   
,not simply 8partakers b#ahh of         
holiness10 but of 8his  holiness20 to   
have a portraiture of it in our nature1 
a medal of it in  our hearts1 a spark of
 the same nature with that immense      
splendor and  flame in himself4 ,the    
holiness of a covenant soul is a        
resemblance of  the holiness of ,god1   
and formed by it2 as the picture of the 
sun in a  cloud is a fruit of his beams1
 and an image of its author4 ,the       
fulness  of the perfection of holiness  
remains in the nature of ,god1 as the   
fulness of the light doth in the sun2   
yet there are transmissions of  light   
from the sun to the moon1 and it is a   
light of the same nature  both in the   
one and in the other4 ,the holiness of a
 creature is nothing  else but a        
reflection of the ,divine holiness upon 
it2 and to make the  creature capable of

 it1 ,god takes various methods1        
according to his  covenant grace4    #b4
 ,this attribute renders ,god a fit     
object for trust and dependence4  ,the  
notion of an unholy and unrighteous     
,god1 is an uncomfortable idea  of him1 
and beats off our hands from laying any 
hold of him4 ,it is upon  this attribute
 the reputation and honor of ,god in the
 world is built2  what encouragement can
 we have to believe him1 or what        
incentives  could we have to serve him1 
without the lustre of this in his       
nature8  ,the very thought of an        
unrighteous ,god is enough to drive men 
at the  greatest distance from him2 as  
the honesty of a man gives a reputation 
to his word1 so doth the holiness of    
,god give credit to his promise4 ,it  is
 by this he would have us stifle our    
fears and fortify our trust 7,isa4  xli4
 #ad73 8,fear not1 thou worm ,jacob1 and
 ye men of ,israel2 ,i will help  thee1 
saith the ,lord1 and thy ,redeemer1 the 
,holy ,one of ,israel30 he  will be in  

his actions what he is in his nature4   
,nothing shall make him  defile his own 
excellency2 unrighteousness is the      
ground of mutability2  but the promise  
of ,god doth never fail1 because the    
rectitude of his  nature doth never     
languish3 were his attributes without   
the conduct  of this1 they would be     
altogether formidable4 ,as this is the  
glory of  all his other perfections1 so 
this only renders him comfortable to a  
believing soul4 ,might we not fear his  
power to crush us1 his mercy to         
overlook us1 his wisdom to design       
against us1 if this did not influence   
them8 ,what an oppression is power      
without righteousness in the hand of  a 
creature2 destructive1 instead of       
protecting6 ,the devil is a mighty      
spirit1 but not fit to be trusted1      
because he is an impure spirit4  ,when  
,god would give us the highest security 
of the sincerity of his  intentions1 he 
swears by this attribute 7,ps4 viii4    
#ce73 his holiness1  as well as his     

truth1 is laid to pawn for the security 
of his promise4  ,as we make ,god the   
judge between us and others1 when we    
swear by him1  so he makes his holiness 
the judge between himself and his       
people1 when  he swears by it4    7#a47 
,it is this renders him fit to be       
confided in for the answer  of our      
prayers4 ,this is the ground of his     
readiness to give4 8,if you1  being     
evil1 know how to give good gifts1 how  
much more shall your  ,father which is  
in heaven give good gifts to them that  
ask him0 7,matt4  vii4 #aa76 ,though the
 holiness of ,god be not mentioned1 yet 
it is to  be understood2 the emphasis   
lies on these words1 8if you1 being     
evil30  ,god is then considered in a    
disposition contrary to this1 which can 
be nothing but his righteousness4 ,if   
you that are unholy1 and have so  much  
corruption in you1 to render you cruel1 
can bestow b#ahi upon  your children the
 good things they want1 how much more   
shall ,god1  who is holy1 and hath      

nothing in him to check his mercifulness
 to  his creatures1 grant the petitions 
of his supplicants6 ,it was this        
attribute edged the fiduciary           
importunity of the souls under the      
altar1  for the revenging their blood   
unjustly shed upon the earth3 8,how     
long1  ,o ,lord1 holy and true1 dost    
thou not avenge our blood on them that  
dwell on the earth0 7,rev4 vi4 #aj78    
,let not thy holiness stand with  folded
 arms1 as careless of the eminent       
sufferings of those that fear  thee2 we 
implore thee by the holiness of thy     
nature1 and the truth of  thy word4     
7#b47 ,this renders him fit to be       
confided in for the comfort of our      
souls in a broken condition4 ,the       
reviving the hearts of the spiritually  
afflicted1 is a part of the holiness of 
his nature2 8,thus saith the  high and  
lofty ,one that inhabits eternity1 whose
 name is ,holy2 ,i dwell  in the high   
and holy place1 with him also that is of
 a contrite and  humble spirit1 to      

revive the spirit of the humble0 7,isa4 
lvii4 #ae74  ,he acknowledgeth himself  
the lofty ,one2 they might therefore    
fear  he would not revive them2 but he  
is also the holy ,one1 and therefore  he
 will refresh them2 he is not more lofty
 than he is holy2 besides1  the argument
 of the immutability of his promise1 and
 the might of  his power1 here is the   
holiness of his nature moving him to    
pity his  drooping creature3 his promise
 is ushered in with the name of power1  
8high and lofty ,one10 to bar their     
distrust of his strength1 and with a    
declaration of his holiness1 to check   
any despair of his will3 there is  no   
ground to think ,i should be false to my
 word1 or misemploy my power1  since    
that cannot be1 because of the holiness 
of my name and nature4    7#c47 ,this   
renders him fit to be confided in for   
the maintenance of  grace1 and          
protection of us against our spiritual  
enemies4 ,what our  ,saviour thought an 
argument in prayer1 we may well take as 

a ground of  our confidence4 ,in the    
strength of this he puts up his suit1   
when in  his mediatory capacity he      
intercedes for the preservation of his  
people  7,john xvii4 #aa72 8,holy       
,father1 keep through thy own name those
 that  thou hast given me1 that they may
 be one as we are40 8,holy ,father10 not
  merciful ,father1 or powerful1 or wise
 ,father1 but 8holy20 and 7ver4 #be71   
8righteous ,father40 ,christ pleads that
 attribute for the performance of       
,god's word1 which was laid to pawn when
 he passed his word3 for it was  by his 
holiness that he swore1 that 8his seed  
should endure forever1  and his throne  
as the sun before him0 7,ps4 lxxxix4    
#cf72 which is meant  of the perpetuity 
of the covenant which he made with      
,christ1 and is  also meant of the      
preservation of the mystical seed of    
,david1 and the  perpetuating his       
lovingkindness to them 7ver4 #cb1 #cc74 
,grace is an  image of ,god's holiness1 
and1 therefore1 the holiness of ,god is 

most  proper to be used as an argument  
to interest and engage him in the       
preservation of it4 ,in the midst of    
churchprovocations1 he will not  utterly
 extinguish1 because he is the 8,holy   
,one0 in the midst of her  7,hos4 xi4   
#i73 nor in the midst of judgments will 
he condemn his people  to death1 because
 he is 8their ,holy ,one0 7,hab4 i4     
#ab72 but their  enemies shall be       
ordained for judgment1 and established  
for correction4  ,one prophet assures   
them in the name of the ,lord1 b#aij    
upon the  strength of this perfection2  
and the other1 upon the same ground1 is 
confident of the protection of the      
church1 because of ,god's holiness      
engaged in an inviolable covenant4      
#c4 ,comfort4 ,since holiness is a      
glorious perfection of the nature  of   
,god1 8he will certainly value every    
holy soul40 ,it is of a greater  value  
with him than the souls of all men in   
the world1 that are  destitute of it3   
8wicked men are the worst of            

vilenesses10 mere dross  and            
dunghill4#icb ,purity1 then1 which is   
contrary to wickedness1  must be the    
most precious thing in his esteem2 he   
must needs love  that quality which he  
is most pleased with in himself1 as a   
father  looks with most delight upon the
 child which is possessed with those    
dispositions he most values in his own  
nature4 8,his countenance doth  behold  
the upright0 7,ps4 xi4 #g74 ,he looks   
upon them with a full and  open face of 
favor1 with a countenance clear1        
unmasked1 and smiling  with a face full 
of delight4 ,heaven itself is not such a
 pleasing  object to him as the image of
 his own uncreated holiness in the      
created  holiness of men and angels3 as 
a man esteems that most which is most   
like him1 of his own generation1 more   
than a piece of art1 which is  merely   
the product of his wit or strength4 ,and
 he must love holiness in  the creature1
 he would not else love his own image1  
and1 consequently1  would undervalue    

himself4 ,he despiseth the image the    
wicked bears 7,ps4  lxxiii4 #bj71 but he
 cannot disesteem his own stamp on the  
godly2 he  cannot but delight in his own
 work1 his choice work1 the masterpiece 
of all his works1 the new creation of   
things2 that which is next to  himself1 
as being a ,divine nature like himself  
7#b ,pet4 i4 #d74 ,when he  overlooks   
strength1 parts1 knowledge1 he cannot   
overlook this3 he 8sets  apart him that 
is godly for himself0 7,ps4 iv4 #c71 as 
a peculiar object  to take pleasure in2 
he reserves such for his own            
complacency1 when  he leaves the rest of
 the world to the devil's power2 he is  
choice  of them above all his other     
works1 and will not let any have so     
great  a propriety in them as himself4  
,if it be so dear to him here in its    
imperfect and mixed condition1 that he  
appropriates it as a peculiar  object   
for his own delight1 how much more will 
the unspotted purity of  glorified      
saints be infinitely pleasing to him6   

so1 that he will take  less pleasure in 
the material heavens than in such a     
soul4 ,sin only  is detestable to ,god2 
and when this is done away1 the soul    
becomes as  lovely in his account1 as   
before it was loathsome4    #d4 ,it is  
comfort1 upon this account1 that 8,god  
will perfect holiness  in every upright 
soul40 ,we many times distrust ,god1 and
 despond in  ourselves1 because of the  
infinite holiness of the ,divine nature1
 and  the dunghill corruption in our    
own2 but the holiness of ,god engageth  
him to the preservation of it1 and1     
consequently1 to the perfection  of it1 
as appears by our ,saviour's argument   
7,john xvii4 #aa71 8,holy  ,father1 keep
 through thy own name1 those whom thou  
hast given me20to  what end88that they  
may be one as we are20 one with us1 in  
the  resemblances of purity4 ,and the   
holiness of the soul is used as an      
argument by the ,psalmist 7,ps4 lxxxvi4 
#b71 8,preserve my soul1 for  ,i am     
holy20 that is1 ,i have an ardent desire

 to holiness3 thou hast  separated me   
from the mass of the corrupted b#aia    
world1 preserve  and perfect me with the
 assembly of the glorified choir4 ,the  
more holy  any are1 the more            
communicative they are2 ,god being most 
holy1 is most  communicative of that    
which he most esteems in himself1 and   
delights  to see in his creature3 he is1
 therefore1 more ready to impart his    
holiness to them that beg for it1 than  
to communicate his knowledge  or his    
power4 ,though he were holy1 yet he let 
,adam fall1 who never  petitioned his   
holiness to preserve him2 he let him    
fall1 to declare  the holiness of his   
own nature1 which had wanted its due    
manifestation  without it3 but since    
that cannot be declared in a higher     
manner than  it hath been already in the
 death of the ,surety1 that bore our    
guilt1  there is no fear he should cast 
the work out of his hands1 since the    
design of the permission of man's       
apostasy1 in the discovery of the       

perfections of his nature1 has been     
fully answered4 ,the 8finishing the     
good work he hath begun10 hath a        
relation to the glory of ,christ2 and   
his own glory in ,christ to be          
manifested in the day of his appearing  
7,phil4 i4 #f71 wherein the glory1 both 
of his own holiness1 and the  holiness  
of the ,mediator1 are to receive their  
full manifestation4 ,as  it is a part of
 the holiness of ,christ to 8sanctify   
his church0 7,eph4  v4 #bf1 #bg7 till   
not a wrinkle or spot be left1 so it is 
the part of  ,god not to leave that work
 imperfect which his holiness hath      
attempted  a second time to beautify his
 creature with4 ,he will not cease      
exalting  this attribute1 which is the  
believers' by the new covenant1 till he 
utters that applauding speech of his own
 work 7,cant4 iv4 #g71 8,thou art  all  
fair1 my love2 there is no spot in      
thee40    ,use #c1 is for ,exhortation4 
,is holiness an eminent perfection of   
the  ,divine nature8 then    ,exhort4   

#a4 ,let us get and preserve right and  
strong apprehensions of  this ,divine   
perfection4 ,without a due sense of it1 
we can never exalt  ,god in our hearts2 
and the more distinct conceptions we    
have of this1  and the rest of his      
attributes1 the more we glorify him4    
,when ,moses  considered ,god as 8his   
strength and salvation10 he would exalt 
him  7,exod4 xv4 #b72 and he could never
 break out in so admirable a doxology   
as that in the text1 without a deep     
sense of the glory of his purity1  which
 he speaks of with so much admiration4  
,such a sense will be of use  to us4    
#a4 ,in promoting genuine convictions4  
,a deep consideration of the  holiness  
of ,god cannot but be followed with a   
deep consideration of our  impure and   
miserable condition by reason of sin3 we
 cannot glance upon  it without         
reflections upon our own vileness4 ,adam
 no sooner heard the  voice of a holy   
,god in the garden1 but he considered   
his own nakedness  with shame and fear  

7,gen4 iii4 #aj72 much less can we fix  
our minds  upon it1 but we must be      
touched with a sense of our own         
uncleanness4  ,the clear beams of the   
sun discover that filthiness in our     
garments  and members1 which was not    
visible in the darkness of the night4   
,impure metals are discerned by         
comparing them with that which is  pure 
and perfect in its kind4 ,the sense of  
guilt is the first natural  result upon 
a sense of this excellent perfection2   
and the sense of the  imperfection of   
our own righteousness is the next4 ,who 
can think of  it1 and reflect upon b#aib
 himself as an object fit for ,divine   
love8  ,who can have a due thought of   
it1 without regarding himself as stubble
  before a consuming fire8 ,who can1    
without a confusion of heart and face1  
glance upon that pure eye which beholds 
with detestation the foul motes1  as    
well as the filthier and bigger spots8  
,when ,isaiah saw his glory1  and heard 
how highly the angels exalted ,god for  

this perfection1 he was  in a cold      
sweat1 ready to swoon1 till a seraphim1 
with a coal from the  altar1 both purged
 and revived him 7,isa4 vi4 #e1 #g74    
,they are sound and  genuine            
convictions1 which have the prospect of 
,divine purity for their  immediate     
spring1 and not a foresight of our own  
misery2 when it is  not the punishment  
we have deserved1 but the holiness we   
have offended1  most grates our hearts4 
,such convictions are the first rude    
draughts of  the ,divine image in our   
spirits1 and grateful to ,god1 because  
they are  an acknowledgment of the glory
 of this attribute1 and the first mark  
of honor given to it by the creature4   
,those that never had a sense of  their 
own vileness1 were always destitute of a
 sense of ,god's holiness4  ,and1 by the
 way1 we may observe1 that those that   
scoff at any for  hanging down the head 
under the consideration and conviction  
of sin  7as is too usual with the       
world71 scoff at them for having deeper 

apprehensions of the purity of ,god than
 themselves1 and consequently  make a   
mock of the holiness of ,god which is   
the ground of those  convictions2 a     
sense of this would prevent such a      
damnable reproaching4    #b4 ,a sense of
 this will render us humble in the      
possession of the  greatest holiness a  
creature were capable of4 ,we are apt to
 be proud1  with the ,pharisee1 when we 
look upon others wallowing in the mire  
of  base and unnatural lusts3 but let   
any clap their wings1 if they can1  in a
 vain boasting and exaltation1 when they
 view the holiness of ,god4  ,what      
torch1 if it had reason1 would be proud1
 and swagger in its own  light1 if it   
compared itself with the sun8 8,who can 
stand before this  holy ,lord ,god80 is 
the just reflection of the holiest      
person1 as it  was of those 7#a ,sam4   
vi4 #bj7 that had felt the marks of his 
jealousy  after their looking into the  
ark1 though likely out of affection to  
it1 and triumphant joy at its return4   

,when did the angels testify1 by  the   
covering of their faces1 their weakness 
to bear the lustre of his  majesty1 but 
when they beheld his glory8 ,when did   
they signify1 by  their covering their  
feet1 the shame of their own vileness1  
but when  their hearts were fullest of  
the applaudings of this perfection      
7,isa4  vi4 #b1 #c78 ,though they found 
themselves without spot1 yet not with   
such a holiness that they could appear  
either with their faces or feet         
unvailed and unmasked in the presence of
 ,god4 ,doth the immense splendor  of   
this attribute engender shaming         
reflections in those pure spirits8      
,what will it1 what should it1 do in us1
 that dwell in houses of clay1  and     
creep up and down with that clay upon   
our backs1 and too much of  it in our   
hearts8 ,the stars themselves1 which    
appear beautiful in the  night1 are     
masked at the awaking of the sun4 ,what 
a dim light is that  of a glowworm to   
that of the sun6 ,the apprehensions of  

this made the  elders humble themselves 
in the midst of their glory1 by 8casting
 down  their crowns before his throne0  
7,rev4 iv4 #h1 #aj72 a metaphor b#aic   
taken from the triumphing generals among
 the ,romans1 who hung up their         
victorious laurels in the ,capitol1     
dedicating them to their gods1          
acknowledging them their superiors in   
strength1 and authors of their  victory4
 ,this selfemptiness at the             
consideration of ,divine purity1 is  the
 note of the true church1 represented by
 the twentyfour elders1 and  a note of a
 true member of the church2 whereas     
boasting of perfection  and merit is the
 property of the antichristian tribe1   
that have  mean thoughts of this        
adorable perfection1 and think          
themselves more  righteous than the     
unspotted angels4 ,what a               
selfannihilation is there  in a good    
man1 when the sense of ,divine purity is
 most lively in him6  yea1 how          
detestable is he to himself6 ,there is  

as little proportion  between the       
holiness of the ,divine ,majesty1 and   
that of the most  righteous creature1 as
 there is between a nearness of a person
 that  stands upon a mountain1 to the   
sun1 and of him that beholds him in a   
vale2 one is nearer than the other1 but 
it is an advantage not to be  boasted   
of1 in regard of the vast distance that 
is between the sun and  the elevated    
spectator4    #c4 ,this would make us   
full of an affectionate reverence in all
 our  approaches to ,god4 ,by this      
perfection ,god is rendered venerable1  
and  fit to be reverenced by his        
creature2 and magnificent thoughts of it
  in the creature would awaken him to an
 actual reverence of the ,divine        
majesty 7,ps4 iii4 #i73 8,holy and      
reverend is his name20 a good opinion   
of this would engender in us a sincere  
respect towards him2 we should  then    
8serve the ,lord with fear10 as the     
expression is 7,ps4 ii4 #aa71  that is1 
be afraid to cast anything before him   

that may offend the eyes  of his purity4
 ,who would venture rashly and garishly 
into the presence  of an eminent        
moralist1 or of a righteous king upon   
his throne8 ,the  fixedness of the      
angels arose from the continual prospect
 of this4 ,what  if we had been with    
,isaiah when he saw the vision1 and     
beheld him in  the same glory1 and the  
heavenly choir in their reverential     
posture  in the service of ,god2 would  
it not have barred our wanderings1 and  
staked us down to our duty8 ,would not  
the fortifying an idea of it  in our    
minds produce the same effect8 ,it is   
for want of this we carry  ourselves so 
loosely and unbecomingly in the ,divine 
presence1 with the  same1 or meaner1    
affections than those wherewith we stand
 before some  vile creature that is our 
superior in the world2 as though a piece
 of  filthy flesh were more valuable    
than this perfection of the ,divinity4  
,how doth the ,psalmist double his      
exhortation to men to sing praise to    

,god 7,ps4 xlvii4 #f73 8,sing praises to
 ,god1 sing praises2 sing praises  unto 
our ,king1 sing praises20 because of his
 majesty1 and the purity  of his        
dominion6 and 7ver4 #h71 8,god reigneth 
over the heathen1 ,god  sitteth upon the
 throne of his holiness40 ,how would    
this elevate us  in praise1 and         
prostrate us in prayer1 when we praise  
and pray with  an understanding and     
insight of that nature we bless or      
implore2 as he  speaks 7ver4 #g71 8,sing
 ye praises with understanding40 ,the   
holiness of  ,god in his government and 
dominion1 the holiness of his nature1   
and the  holiness of his precepts1      
should beget in us an humble respect in 
our  approaches4 ,the more we grow in a 
sense of this1 the more shall we        
advance in the true performance of all  
our duties4 ,those nations which  adored
 the sun1 had they at first seen his    
brightness wrapped b#aid  and masked in 
a cloud1 and paid a veneration to it1   
how would their  adorations have mounted

 to a greater point1 after they had seen
 it  in its full brightness1 shaking off
 those vails1 and chasing away the      
mists before it6 what a profound        
reverence would they have paid it1  when
 they beheld it in its glory and        
meridian brightness6#icc ,our  reverence
 to ,god in all our addresses to him    
will arrive to greater  degrees1 if     
every act of duty be ushered in1 and    
seasoned with the  thoughts of ,god as  
sitting upon a throne of holiness2 we   
shall have a  more becoming sense of our
 own vileness1 a greater ardor to his   
service1  a deeper respect in his       
presence1 if our understanding be more  
cleared1  and possessed with notions of 
this perfection4 ,thus take a view of   
,god  in this part of his glory1 before 
you fall down before his throne1 and    
assure yourselves you will find your    
hearts and services quickened with  a   
new and lively spirit4    #d4 ,a due    
sense of this perfection in ,god would  
produce in us a fear  of ,god1 and arm  

us against temptation and sin4 ,what    
made the heathen  so wanton and loose1  
but the representations of their gods as
 vicious8  ,who would stick at          
adulteries1 and more prodigious lusts1  
that can  take a pattern for them from  
the person he adores for a deity8 ,upon 
which account ,plato would have poets   
banished from his commonwealth1         
because1 by dressing up their gods in   
wanton garbs in their poems1  they      
encouraged wickedness in the people4    
,but if the thoughts of ,god's  holiness
 were impressed upon us1 we should      
regard sin with the same  eye1 mark it  
with the same detestation in our        
measures1 as ,god himself  doth4 ,so far
 as we are sensible of the ,divine      
purity1 we should account  sin vile as  
it deserves2 we should hate it entirely1
 without a grain  of love to it1 and    
hate it perpetually 7,ps4 cxix4 #ajd73  
8,through thy  precepts ,i get          
understanding1 therefore ,i hate every  
false way40 ,he  looks into ,god's      

statutebook1 and thereby arrives to an  
understanding  of the purity of his     
nature1 whence his hatred of iniquity   
commenced4  ,this would govern our      
motion1 check our vices2 it would make  
us tremble  at the hissing of a         
temptation3 when a corruption did but   
peep out1 and  put forth its head1 a    
look to the ,divine ,purity would be    
attended with  a fresh convoy of        
strength to resist it4 ,there is no such
 fortification1  as to be wrapped up in 
the sense of this3 this would fill us   
with an  awe of ,god2 we should be      
ashamed to admit any filthy thing into  
us1  which we know is detestable to his 
pure eye4 ,as the approach of a grave   
and serious man makes children hasten   
their trifles out of the way2 so  would 
a consideration of this attribute make  
us cast away our idols1  and fling away 
our ridiculous thoughts and designs4    
#e4 ,a due sense of this perfection     
would inflame us with a vehement  desire
 to be conformed to ,him4 ,all our      

desires would be ardent to  regulate    
ourselves according to this pattern of  
holiness and goodness1  which is not to 
be equalled2 the contemplating it as it 
shines forth  in the face of ,christ1   
will 8transform us into the same image0 
7#b ,cor4  iii4 #ai74 ,since our lapsed 
state1 we cannot behold the holiness of 
,god  in itself without affrightment2   
nor is it an object of imitation1 but   
as tempered in ,christ to our view4     
,when we cannot1 without blinding       
ourselves1 look upon the sun in its     
brightness1 we b#aie may behold it      
through a colored glass1 whereby the    
lustre of it is moderated1 without      
dazzling our eyes4 ,the sense of it will
 furnish us with a greatness of  mind1  
that little things will be contemned by 
us2 motives of a greater  alloy would   
have little influence upon us2 we should
 have the highest  motives to every     
duty1 and motives of the same strain    
which influence  the angels above4 ,it  
would change us1 not only into an       

angelical nature1  but a divine nature3 
we should act like men of another       
sphere2 as if  we had received our      
original in another world1 and seen with
 angels the  ravishing beauties of      
heaven4 ,how little would the mean      
employments of  the world sink us into  
dirt and mud6 ,how often hath the       
meditation of  the courage of a valiant 
man1 or acuteness and industry of a     
learned  person1 spurred on some men to 
an imitation of them1 and transformed   
them into the same nature6 as the       
looking upon the sun imprints an  image 
of the sun upon our eye1 that we seem to
 behold nothing but the  sun a while    
after4 ,the view of the ,divine purity  
would fill us with  a holy generosity to
 imitate him1 more than the examples of 
the best  men upon earth4 ,it was a     
saying of a heathen1 that 8if virtue    
were  visible1 it would kindle a noble  
flame of love to it in the heart1 by    
its ravishing beauty40 ,shall the       
infinite purity of the ,author of all   

virtue come short of the strength of a  
creature8 ,can we not render that       
visible to us by frequent meditation1   
which1 though it be invisible  in his   
nature1 is made visible in his law1 in  
his ways1 in his ,son8  ,it would make  
us ready to obey him1 since we know he  
cannot command  anything that is sinful1
 but what is holy1 just1 and good3 it   
would put  all our affections in their  
due place1 elevate them above the       
creature1  and subject them to the      
,creator4    #f4 ,it would make us      
patient and contented under all ,god's  
dispensations4 ,all penal evils are the 
fruits of his holiness1 as  he is ,judge
 and ,governor of the world3 he is not  
an arbitrary ,judge1  nor doth any      
sentence pronounced1 nor warrant for    
execution issue  from him1 but what     
bears upon it a stamp of the            
righteousness of his  nature2 he doth   
nothing by passion or unrighteousness1  
but according  to the eternal law of his
 own unstained nature1 which is the rule

 to  him in his works1 the basis and    
foundation of his throne and sovereign  
dominion 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #ad73 8,justice10
 or righteousness1 8and judgment  are   
the habitation of thy throne20 upon     
these his sovereign power  is           
established3 so that there can be no    
just complaint or indictment  brought   
against any of his proceedings with men4
 ,how doth our ,saviour1  who had the   
highest apprehensions of ,god's         
holiness1 justify ,god in  his deepest  
distresses1 when he cried1 and was not  
answered in the  particular he desired1 
in that prophetic ,psalm of him 7,ps4   
xxii4 #b1 #c71  8,i cry day and night1  
but thou hearest not60 ,thou seemest to 
be deaf  to all my petitions1 afar off  
8from the words of my roaring2 but thou 
art holy20 ,i cast no blame upon thee3  
all thy dealings are squared  by thy    
holiness3 this is the only law to thee2 
in this ,i acquiesce4  ,it is part of   
thy holiness to hide thy face from me1  
to show thereby  thy detestation of sin4

 ,our ,saviour adores the ,divine purity
 in his  sharpest agony1 and a like     
sense of it would guide us in the same  
steps to acknowledge and glorify it1 in 
our greatest desertions and             
afflictions2 especially since as they   
are the b#aif fruit of the  holiness of 
his nature1 so they are the means to    
impart to us clearer  stamps of         
holiness1 according to that in himself1 
which is the original  copy 7,heb4 xii4 
#aj74 ,he melts us down as gold1 to fit 
us for the  receiving a new impression1 
to mortify the affections of the flesh1 
and  clothe us with the graces of his   
,spirit4 ,the due sense of this would   
make us to submit to his stroke1 and to 
wait upon him for a good issue  of his  
dealings4    ,exhort4 #b4 ,is holiness a
 perfection of the ,divine nature8 ,is  
it the  glory of the ,deity8 ,then let  
us glorify this holiness of ,god4 ,moses
  glorifies it in the text1 and         
glorifies it in a song1 which was a copy
  for all ages4 ,the whole corporation  

of seraphims have their mouths  filled  
with the praises of it4 ,the saints1    
whether militant on earth1  or          
triumphant in heaven1 are to continue   
the same acclamation1 8,holy1  holy1    
holy1 ,lord ,god of hosts0 7,rev4 iv4   
#h74 ,neither angels nor  glorified     
spirits exalt at the same rate the power
 which formed them  creatures1 nor      
goodness which preserves them in a      
blessed immortality1  as they do        
holiness1 which they bear some beams of 
in their own nature1  and whereby they  
are capacitated to stand before ,his    
throne4 ,upon the  account of this1 a   
debt of praise is demanded of all       
rational creatures  by the ,psalmist    
7,ps4 xcix4 #c71 8,let them praise thy  
great and terrible  name1 for it is     
holy40 ,not so much for the greatness of
 his ,majesty1 or  the treasures of his 
justice2 but as they are considered in  
conjunction  with his holiness1 which   
renders them beautiful2 8for it is      
holy40  ,grandeur and majesty1 simply in

 themselves1 are not objects of  praise1
 nor do they merit the acclamations of  
men1 when destitute of  righteousness3  
this only renders everything else       
adorable2 and this  adorns the ,divine  
greatness with an amiableness 7,isa4    
xii4 #f73 8,great  is the ,holy ,one of 
,israel in the midst of thee20 and makes
 his might  worthy of praise 7,luke i4  
#di74 ,in honoring this1 which is the   
soul and  spirit of all the rest1 we    
give a glory to all the perfections     
which  constitute and beautify his      
nature3 and without the glorifying this 
we glorify nothing of them1 though we   
should extol every other single         
attribute a thousand times4 ,he values  
no other adoration of his  creatures1   
unless this be interested1 nor accepts  
anything as a glory  from them 7,lev4 x4
 #c7 8,i will be sanctified in them that
 come near me1  and ,i will be          
glorified30 as if he had said1 ,in      
manifesting my name  to be holy1 you    
truly1 you only honor me4 ,and as the   

,scripture seldom  speaks of this       
perfection without a particular         
emphasis1 it teaches us  not to think of
 it without a special elevation of      
heart3 by this act  only1 while we are  
on earth1 can we join consort with the  
angels in  heaven2 he that doth not     
honor it1 delight in it1 and in the     
meditation  of it1 hath no resemblance  
of it2 he hath none of the image1 that  
delights not in the original4           
,everything of ,god is glorious1 but    
this  most of all4 ,if he built the     
world principally for anything1 it was  
for the communication of his goodness1  
and display of his holiness4  ,he formed
 the rational creature to manifest his  
holiness in that law  whereby he was to 
be governed3 then deprive not ,god of   
the design of  his own glory4 ,we honor 
this attribute1    #a4 ,when we make it 
the ground of our love to ,god4 ,not    
because he is  gracious to us1 but holy 
in himself4 ,as ,god honors it1 b#aig in
 loving  himself for it1 we should honor

 it1 by pitching our affections upon him
  chiefly for it4 ,what renders ,god    
amiable to himself1 should render him   
lovely to all his creatures 7,isa4 xlii4
 #ba73 8,the ,lord is well pleased  for 
his righteousness' sake40 ,if the hatred
 of evil be the immediate  result of a  
love to ,god1 then the peculiar object  
or term of our love  to ,god1 must be   
that perfection which stands in direct  
opposition to  the hatred of evil 7,ps4 
xcvii4 #aj73 8,ye that love the ,lord1  
hate evil40  ,when we honor his holiness
 in every stamp and impression of it3   
his law1  not principally because of its
 usefulness to us1 its accommodateness  
to the order of the world1 but for its  
innate purity2 and his people1  not for 
our interest in them1 so much as for    
bearing upon them this  glittering mark 
of the ,deity1 we honor then the purity 
of the ,lawgiver1  and the excellency of
 the ,sanctifier4    #b4 ,we honor it1  
when we regard chiefly the illustrious  
appearance of  this in his judgments in 

the world4 ,in a case of temporal       
judgment1  ,moses celebrates it in the  
text2 in a case of spiritual judgments1 
the  angels applaud it in ,isaiah4 ,all 
his severe proceedings are nothing  but 
the strong breathings of this attribute4
 ,purity is the flash of his  revenging 
sword4 ,if he did not hate evil1 his    
vengeance would not reach  the          
committers of it4 ,he is a 8refiner's   
fire0 in the day of his anger  7,mal4   
iii4 #b74 ,by his separating judgments1 
8he takes away the wicked  of the earth 
like dross0 7,ps4 cxix4 #aai74 ,how is  
his holiness honored1  when we take     
notice of his sweeping out the rubbish  
of the world2 how  he suits punishment  
to sin1 and discovers his hatred of the 
matter  and circumstances of the evil1  
in the matter and circumstances of the  
judgment4 ,this perfection is legible in
 every stroke of his sword2 we  honor it
 when we read the syllables of it1 and  
not by standing amazed  only at the     
greatness and severity of the blow1 when

 we read how holy  he is in his most    
terrible dispensations3 for as in them  
,god magnifies  the greatness of his    
power1 so he sanctifies himself2 that   
is1 declares  the purity of his nature  
as a revenger of all impiety 7,ezek4    
xxxviii4  #bb1 #bc72 8,and ,i will plead
 against him with pestilence1 and with  
blood3  and ,i will rain upon him1 and  
upon his bands1 and upon the people     
that are with him1 an overflowing rain  
and great hailstones2 fire1 and         
brimstone4 ,thus will ,i magnify myself1
 and sanctify myself40    #c4 ,we honor 
this attribute1 when we take notice of  
it in every  accomplishment of his      
promise1 and every grant of a mercy4    
,his truth  is but a branch of his      
righteousness1 a slip from this root4   
,he is  glorious in holiness in the     
account of ,moses1 because he 8led forth
 his  people whom he had redeemed0      
7,exod4 xv4 #ac72 his people by a       
covenant  with their fathers1 being the 
,god of ,moses1 the ,god of ,israel1 and

  the ,god of their fathers 7ver4 #b74  
8,my ,god1 and my father's ,god1 ,i     
will exalt thee40 ,for what8 for his    
faithfulness to his promise4 ,the       
holiness of ,god1 which ,mary 7,luke i4 
#di7 magnifies1 is summed up in  this1  
the help he afforded his servant ,israel
 in the 8remembrance of  his mercy1 as  
he spake to our fathers1 to ,abraham and
 his seed forever0  7ver4 #ed1 #ee74    
,the certainty of his covenant mercy    
depends upon an  unchangeableness of his
 holiness4 ,what are 8sure mercies10    
7,isa4 lv4 #c71  are holy mercies in the
 ,septuagint1 b#aih and in ,acts xiii4  
#cd1 which  makes that translation      
canonical4 ,his nearness to answer us1  
when we  call upon him for such mercies1
 is a fruit of the holiness of his name 
and nature 7,ps4 clxv4 #ag74 8,the ,lord
 is holy in all his works2 the ,lord  is
 nigh to all them that call upon him40  
,hannah1 after a return of  prayer1 sets
 a particular mark upon this1 in her    
song 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #b72  8,there is none

 holy as the ,lord20 separated from all 
dross1 firm to  his covenant1 and       
righteous in it to his suppliants1 that 
confide  in him1 and plead his word4    
,when we observe the workings of this in
  every return of prayer1 we honor it2  
it is a sign the mercy is really  a     
return of prayer1 and not a mercy of    
course1 bearing upon it only the        
characters of a common providence4 ,this
 was the perfection ,david would  bless1
 for the catalogue of mercies in ,ps4   
ciii4 #a1 c42 8,bless his  holy name40  
,certainly1 one reason why sincere      
prayer is so delightful  to him1 is     
because it puts him upon the exercise of
 this his beloved  perfection1 which he 
so much delighteth to honor4 ,since ,god
 acts in all  those as the governor of  
the world1 we honor him not1 unless we  
take  notice of that righteousness which
 fits him for a governor1 and is  the   
inward spring of all his motions 7,gen4 
xviii4 #be74 8,shall not the  ,judge of 
all the earth do right80 ,it was his    

design in his pity to  ,israel1 as well 
as the calamities he intended against   
the heathens1 to  be 8sanctified in     
them20 that is1 declared holy in his    
merciful as well  as his judicial       
procedure 7,ezek4 xxxvi4 #ba1 #bc74     
,hereby ,god credits his  righteousness1
 which seemed to be forgotten by the    
one1 and contemned  by the other2#icd he
 removes1 by this1 all suspicion of     
unfaithfulness  in him4    #d4 ,we honor
 this attribute1 when we trust his      
covenant1 and promise  against outward  
appearances4 ,thus our ,saviour1 in the 
prophecy of him  7,ps4 xxii4 #bd71 when 
,god seemed to bar up the gates of his  
palace  against the entry of any more   
petitions1 this attribute proves the    
support of the ,redeemer's soul2 8,but  
thou art holy1 ,o thou that  inhabitest 
the praises of ,israel30 as it refers to
 what goes before1  it has been twice   
explained2 as it refers to what follows1
 it is a  ground of trust2 8,thou       
inhabitest the praises of ,israel30 thou

 hast  had the praises of ,israel for   
many ages1 for thy holiness4 ,how8 8,our
  fathers trusted in thee1 and thou     
didst deliver them20 they honored  thy  
holiness by their trust1 and thou didst 
honor their faith by  a deliverance2    
thou always hadst a purity that would   
not shame nor  confound them4 ,i will   
trust in thee as thou art holy1 and     
expect the  breaking out of this        
attribute for my good as well as my     
predecessors2  8,our fathers trusted in 
thee10 c4    #e4 ,we honor this         
attribute1 when we show a greater       
affection to the  marks of his holiness 
in times of the greatest contempt of it4
 ,as the  ,psalmist 7,ps4 cxix4 #abf1   
#abg72 8,they have made void thy law1   
therefore  ,i love thy commandments     
above gold20 while they spurn at the    
purity  of thy law1 ,i will value it    
above the gold they possess2 ,i will    
esteem  it as gold1 because others count
 it as dross2 by their scorn of it1  my 
love to it shall be the warmer2 and my  

hatred of iniquity shall be  the        
sharper3 the disdain of others should   
inflame us with a zeal and  fortitude to
 appear in behalf of his despised honor4
 b#aii ,we honor  this holiness many    
other ways2 by preparation for our      
addresses to him1  out of a sense of his
 purity2 when we imitate it3 as ,he     
honors us by  8teaching us his statutes0
 7,ps4 cxix4 #ace71 so we honor him by  
learning  and observing them4 ,when we  
beg of him to show himself a refiner of 
us1 to make us more conformable to him  
in holiness1 and bless him for  any     
communication of it to us1 it renders us
 beautiful and lovely in  his sight4 ,to
 conclude3 to honor it1 is the way to   
engage it for us2  to give it the glory 
of what it hath done1 by the arm of     
power for  our rescue from sin1 and     
beating down our corruptions at his     
feet1  is the way to see more of its    
marvellous works1 and behold a clearer  
brightness4 ,as unthankfulness makes him
 withdraw his grace 7,rom4 i4 #ba1      

#bd71 so glorifying him causes him to   
impart it4 ,god honors men in the  same 
way they honor him2 when we honor him by
 acknowledging his purity1  he will     
honor us by communicating of it to us4  
,this is the way to  derive a greater   
excellency to our souls4    ,exhort4 #c4
 ,since holiness is an eminent          
perfection of the ,divine  nature1 let  
us labor after a conformity to ,god in  
this perfection4 ,the  nature of ,god is
 presented to us in the ,scripture1 both
 as a pattern to  imitate1 and a motive 
to persuade the creature to holiness 7#a
 ,john iii4  #c2 ,matt4 v4 #dh2 ,lev4   
xi4 #dd2 #a ,pet4 i4 #ae1 #af74 ,since  
it is1 therefore1  the nature of ,god1  
the more our natures are beautified with
 it1 the  more like we are to the       
,divine nature4 ,it is not the pattern  
of angels1  or archangels1 that our     
,saviour1 or his apostle1 proposeth for 
our  imitation2 but the original of all 
purity1 ,god himself2 the same that     
created us1 to be imitated by us4 ,nor  

is an equal degree of purity  enjoined  
us2 though we are to be pure1 and       
perfect1 and merciful  as ,god is1 yet  
not essentially so2 for that would be to
 command us  an impossibility in itself2
 as much as to order us to cease to be  
creatures1 and commence gods4 ,no       
creature can be essentially holy but  by
 participation from the chief ,fountain 
of ,holiness2 but we must have  the same
 kind of holiness1 the same truth of    
holiness4 ,as a short line  may be as   
straight as another1 though it parallel 
it not in the immense  length of it2 a  
copy may have the likeness of the       
original1 though not  the same          
perfection2 we cannot be good1 without  
eyeing some exemplar  of goodness as the
 pattern4 ,no pattern is so suitable as 
that which is  the highest goodness and 
purity4 ,that limner that would draw the
 most  excellent piece1 fixes his eyes  
upon the most perfect pattern4 ,he that 
would be a good orator1 or poet1 or     
artificer1 considers some person  most  

excellent in each kind1 as the object of
 his imitation4 ,who so  fit as ,god to 
be viewed as the pattern of holiness1 in
 our intendment  of1 and endeavor after 
holiness8 ,the ,stoics1 one of the best 
sects  of philosophers1 advised their   
disciples to pitch upon some eminent    
example of virtue1 according to which to
 form their lives2 as ,socrates1  c4    
,but true holiness doth not only        
endeavor to live the life of a  good    
man1 but chooses to live a divine life2 
as before the man was  8alienated from  
the life of ,god0 7,eph4 iv4 #ai71 so1  
upon his return1 he  aspires after the  
life of ,god4 ,to endeavor to be like a 
good man is to  make one image like     
another2 to set our clocks by other     
clocks1 without  regarding the sun3 but 
true holiness consists in a likeness to 
the most  exact sampler4 ,god b#bjj     
being the first purity1 is the rule as  
well  as the spring of all purity in the
 creature1 the chief and first object   
of imitation4 ,we disown ourselves to be

 his creatures1 if we breathe  not after
 a resemblance to him in what he is     
imitable4 ,there was in man1  as created
 according to ,god's image1 a natural   
appetite to resemble ,god3  it was at   
first planted in him by the ,author of  
his nature4 ,the devil's  temptation of 
him by that motive to transgress the    
law1 had been as  an arrow shot against 
a brazen wall1 had there not been a     
desire of  some likeness to his ,creator
 engraven upon him 7,gen4 iii4 #e73 it  
would  have had no more influence upon  
him1 than it could have had upon a  mere
 animal4 ,but man mistook the term2 he  
would have been like ,god in  knowledge1
 whereas1 he should have affected a     
greater resemblance of  him in purity4  
,o that we could exemplify ,god in our  
nature6 ,precepts  may instruct us more1
 but examples affect us more2 one       
directs us1 but  the other attracts us4 
,what can be more attractive of our     
imitation1  than that which is the      
original of all purity1 both in men and 

angels8  ,this conformity to him        
consists in an imitation of him1    #a4 
,in his law4 ,the purity of his nature  
was first visible in this  glass2 hence1
 it is called a 8holy0 law 7,rom4 vii4  
#ab72 a 8pure0  law 7,ps4 xix4 #h74     
,holy and pure1 as it is a ray of the   
pure nature  of the ,lawgiver4 ,when our
 lives are a comment upon his law1 they 
are  expressive of his holiness3 we     
conform to his holiness when we regulate
  ourselves by his law1 as it is a      
transcript of his holiness3 we do not   
imitate it1 when we do a thing in the   
matter of it agreeable to that  holy    
rule1 but when we do it with respect to 
the purity of the ,lawgiver  beaming in 
it4 ,if it be agreeable to ,god's will1 
and convenient for  some design of our  
own1 and we do anything only with a     
respect to that  design1 we make not    
,god's holiness discovered in the law   
our rule1 but  our own conveniency3 it  
is not a conformity to ,god1 but a      
conformity  of our actions to self4 ,as 

in abstinence from intemperate courses1 
not because the holiness of ,god in his 
law hath prescribed it1 but  because the
 health of our bodies1 or some noble    
contentments of life1  require it2 then 
it is not ,god's holiness that is our   
rule1 but our  own security1            
conveniency1 or something else which we 
make a ,god to  ourselves4 ,it must be a
 real conformity to the law3 our        
holiness should  shine as really in the 
practice1 as ,god's purity doth in the  
precept4  ,god hath not a pretence of   
purity in his nature1 but a reality3 it 
is  not only a sudden boiling up of an  
admiration of him1 or a starting  wish  
to be like him1 from some sudden        
impression upon the fancy1  which is a  
mere temporary blaze1 but a settled     
temper of soul1 loving  everything that 
is like him1 doing things out of a firm 
desire to  resemble his purity in the   
copy he hath set2 not a resting in      
negatives1  but aspiring to positives2  
holy and harmless are distinct things3  

they  were distinct qualifications in   
our ,high ,priest in his obedience to   
the  law 7,heb4 vii4 #bf71 so they must 
be in us4    #b4 ,in his ,christ4 ,as   
the law is the transcript1 so ,christ is
 the  image of his holiness3 the glory  
of ,god is too dazzling to be beheld  by
 us3 the acute eye of an angel is too   
weak to look upon that bright  sun      
without covering his face3 we are much  
too weak to take b#bja our  measures    
from that purity which is infinite in   
his nature4 ,but he hath  made his ,son 
like us1 that by the imitation of him in
 that temper1 and  shadow of human      
flesh1 we may arrive to a resemblance of
 him 7#b ,cor4  iii4 #ah74 ,then there  
is a conformity to him1 when that which 
,christ did  is drawn in lively colors  
in the soul of a ,christian2 when1 as he
 died  upon the cross1 we die to our    
sins2 as he rose from the grave1 we rise
  from our lusts2 as he ascended on     
high1 we mount our souls thither2  when 
we express in our lives what shined in  

his1 and exemplify in our  hearts what  
he acted in the world1 and become one   
with him1 as he was  separate from      
sinners4 ,the holiness of ,god in       
,christ is our ultimate  pattern3 as we 
are not only to believe in ,christ1 but 
8by ,christ in  ,god0 7,john xiv4 #a71  
so we are not only to imitate ,christ1  
but the  holiness of ,god as discovered 
in ,christ4 ,and1 to enforce this upon  
us1  let us consider1    7#a47 ,it is   
this only wherein he commands our       
imitation of him4 ,we  are not commanded
 to be mighty and wise1 as ,god is      
mighty and wise3 but  8be holy1 as ,i am
 holy40 ,the declarations of his power  
are to enforce  our subjection2 those of
 his wisdom1 to encourage our direction 
by him2  but this only to attract our   
imitation4 ,when he saith1 8,i am holy10
  the immediate inference he makes1 is1 
8,be ye so too10 which is not  the      
proper instruction from any other       
perfection4#ice ,man was created  by    
,divine power1 and harmonized by ,divine

 wisdom1 but not after them1  or        
according to them1 as the true image2   
this was the prerogative  of ,divine    
holiness1 to be the pattern of his      
rational creature3#icf  wisdom and power
 were subservient to this1 the one as   
the pencil1  the other as the hand that 
moved it4 ,the condition of a creature  
is  too mean to have the communications 
of the ,divine essence2 the true        
impressions of his righteousness and    
goodness we are only capable of4  ,it is
 only in those moral perfections we are 
said to resemble ,god4  ,the devils1    
those impure and ruined spirits1 are    
nearer to him in  strength and knowledge
 than we are2 yet in regard of that     
natural and  intellectual perfection1   
never counted like him1 but at the      
greatest  distance from him1 because at 
the greatest distance from his purity4  
,god values not a natural might1 nor an 
acute understanding1 nor  vouchsafes    
such perfections the glorious title of  
that of his image4  ,plutarch saith1    

,god is angry with those that imitate   
his thunder or  lightning1 his works of 
majesty1 but delighted with those that  
imitate  his virtue4#icg ,in this only  
we can never incur any reproof from him1
  but for falling short of him and his  
glory4 ,had ,adam endeavored after  an  
imitation of this1 instead of that of   
,divine knowledge1 he had  escaped his  
fall1 and preserved his standing2 and   
had ,lucifer wished  himself like ,god  
in this1 as well as his dominion1 he had
 still been  a glorious angel1 instead  
of being now a ghastly devil3 to reach  
after  a union with the ,supreme ,being1
 in regard of holiness1 is the only     
generous and commendable ambition4      
7#b47 ,this is the prime way of honoring
 ,god4 ,we do not so glorify ,god by    
elevated admirations1 or eloquent       
expressions1 or pompous services of     
him1 as when we aspire to a conversing  
with him with unstained spirits1  and   
live to him in living like him4 ,the    
angels are b#bjb not called  holy for   

applauding his purity1 but conforming to
 it4 ,the more perfect  any creature is 
in the rank of beings1 the more is the  
,creator honored2  as it is more for the
 honor of ,god to create an angel or    
man1 than a  mere animal2 because there 
are in such clearer characters of       
,divine  power and goodness1 than in    
those that are inferior4 ,the more      
perfect  any creature is morally1 the   
more is ,god glorified by that creature2
  it is a real declaration1 that ,god is
 the best and most amiable ,being2  that
 nothing besides him is valuable1 and   
worthy to be object of our  imitation4  
,it is a greater honoring of him1 than  
the highest acts of  devotion1 and the  
most religious bodily exercise1 or the  
singing this  song of ,moses in the     
text1 with a triumphant spirit2 as it is
 more the  honor of a father to be      
imitated in his virtues by his son1 than
 to  have all the glavering             
commendations by the tongue or pen of a 
vicious  and debauched child4 ,by this  

we honor him in that perfection which is
  dearest to him1 and counted by him as 
the chiefest glory of his nature4  ,god 
seems to accept the glorifying this     
attribute1 as if it were a real         
addition to that holiness which is      
infinite in his nature1 and because     
infinite1 cannot admit of any increase3 
and1 therefore1 the word  sanctified is 
used instead of glorified4 7,isa4 viii4 
#ac71 8,sanctify the  ,lord of ,hosts   
himself1 and let him be your fear1 and  
let him be your  dread40 ,and 7,isa4    
xxix4 #bc71 8,they shall sanctify the   
holy ,one of ,jacob1  and fear the ,god 
of ,israel40 ,this sanctification of    
,god is by the  fear of him1 which      
signifies in the language of the ,old   
,testament1 a  reverence of him1 and a  
righteousness before him4 ,he doth not  
say1 when  he would have his power or   
wisdom glorified1 ,empower me or make me
 wise2  but when he would have his      
holiness glorified by the creature1 it  
is1  ,sanctify me2 that is1 manifest the

 purity of my nature by the holiness  of
 your lives3 but he expresseth it in    
such a term1 as if it were an  addition 
to this infinite perfection2 so         
acceptable it is to him1 as if  it were 
a contribution from his creature for the
 enlarging an attribute  so pleasing to 
him1 and so glorious in his eye4 ,it is1
 as much as in  the creature lies1 a    
preserving the life of ,god1 since this 
perfection  is his life2 and that he    
would as soon part with his life as part
  with his purity4 ,it keeps up the     
reputation of ,god in the world1 and    
attracts others to a love of him2       
whereas1 unworthy carriages defame  ,god
 in the eyes of men1 and bring up an ill
 report of him1 as if he  were such an  
one as those that profess him1 and walk 
unsuitably to  their profession1 appear 
to be4    7#c47 ,this is the excellency 
and beauty of a creature4 ,the title of 
8beauty0 is given to it in ,ps4 cx4 #c2 
8beauties10 in the plural number1  as   
comprehending it in all other beauties  

whatsoever4 ,what is a ,divine          
excellency cannot be a creature's       
deformity3 the natural beauty of it  is 
a representation of the ,divinity2 and a
 holy man ought to esteem  himself      
excellent in being such in his measure  
as his ,god is1 and puts  his principal 
felicity in the possession of the same  
purity in truth4  ,this is the refined  
complexion of the angels that stand     
before his  throne4 ,the devils lost    
their comeliness when they fell from it4
 ,it  was the honor of the human nature 
of our ,saviour1 not only to be united  
to the ,deity1 but to be sanctified by  
it4 ,he was 8fairer than all the        
children of men10 because he had a      
holiness above the children b#bjc  of   
men3 8grace was poured into his lips0   
7,ps4 xlv4 #b74 ,it was the  jewel of   
the reasonable nature in paradise3      
conformity to ,god was  man's original  
happiness in his created state2 and what
 was naturally  so1 cannot but be       
immutably so in its own nature4 ,the    

beauty of every  copied thing consists  
in its likeness to the original2        
everything hath  more of loveliness1 as 
it hath greater impressions of its first
 pattern3  in this regard holiness hath 
more of beauty on it than the whole     
creation1 because it partakes of a      
greater excellency of ,god than the     
sun1 moon1 and stars4 ,no greater glory 
can be1 than to be a conspicuous  and   
visible image of the invisible1 and     
holy1 and blessed ,god4 ,as this  is the
 splendor of all the ,divine attributes1
 so it is the flower of  all a          
christian's graces1 the crown of all    
religion3 it is the glory  of the       
,spirit4 ,in this regard the king's     
daughter is said to be 8all  glorious   
within0 7,ps4 xlv4 #ac74 ,it is more    
excellent than the soul  itself1 since  
the greatest soul is but a deformed     
piece without it3 a  8diamond without   
lustre40#ich ,what are the noble        
faculties of the soul  without it1 but  
as a curious rusty watch1 a delicate    

heap of disorder  and confusion8 ,it is 
impossible there can be beauty where    
there are  a multitude of 8spots and    
wrinkles0 that blemish a countenance    
7,eph4  v4 #bg74 ,it can never be in its
 true brightness but when it is perfect 
in purity2 when it regains what it was  
possessed of by creation1 and           
dispossessed of by the fall1 and        
recovers its primitive temper4 ,we  are 
not so beautiful by being the work of   
,god1 as by having a stamp of  ,god upon
 us4 ,worldly greatness may make men    
honorable in the sight of  creeping     
worms4 ,soft lives1 ambitious reaches1  
luxurious pleasures1 and  a pompous     
religion1 render no man excellent and   
noble in the sight of  ,god3 this is not
 the excellency and nobility of the     
,deity which we are  bound to resemble2 
other lines of a ,divine image must be  
drawn in us to  render us truly         
excellent4    7#d47 ,it is our life4    
,what is the life of ,god is truly the  
life of  a rational creature4#ici ,the  

life of the body consists not in the    
perfection of its members1 and the      
integrity of its organs2 these  remain  
when the body becomes a carcass2 but in 
the presence of the  soul1 and its      
vigorous animation of every part to     
perform the distinct  offices belonging 
to each of them4 ,the life of the soul  
consists not in  its being1 or spiritual
 substance1 or the excellency of its    
faculties  of understanding and will1   
but in the moral and becoming operations
 of  them4 ,the spirit is only 8life    
because of righteousness0 7,rom4 viii4  
#aj74 ,the faculties are turned by it1  
to acquit themselves in their           
functions1 according to the will of     
,god2 the absence of this doth not  only
 deform the soul1 but1 in a sort1       
annihilate it1 in regard of its  true   
essence and end4 ,grace gives a         
,christian being1 and a want of  it is  
the want of a true being 7#a ,cor4 xv4  
#aj74 ,when ,adam divested  himself of  
his original righteousness1 he came     

under the force of the  threatening1 in 
regard of a spiritual death2 every      
person is 8morally  dead while he lives0
 an unholy life 7#a ,tim4 v4 #f74 ,what 
life is to the  body1 that is           
righteousness to the spirit2 and the    
greater measure of  holiness it hath1   
the more of life it hath1 because it is 
in a b#bjd  greater nearness1 and       
partakes more fully of the fountain of  
life4  ,is not that the most worthy     
life1 which ,god makes most account of1 
without which his life could not be a   
pleasant and blessed life1 but a  life  
worse than death8 ,what a miserable life
 is that of the men of the  world1 that 
are carried1 with greedy inclinations1  
to all manner of  unrighteousness1      
whither their interests or their lusts  
invite them6  ,the most beautiful body  
is a carcass1 and the most honorable    
person  hath but a brutish life 7,ps4   
xlix4 #bj72 miserable creatures when    
their  life shall be extinct without a  
,divine rectitude1 when all other things

  will vanish as the shadows of the     
night at the appearance of the sun6     
,holiness is our life4    7#e47 ,it is  
this only fits us for communion with    
,god4 ,since it is  our beauty and our  
life1 without it what communion can an  
excellent  ,god have with deformed      
creatures2 a living ,god with dead      
creatures8  8,without holiness none     
shall see ,god0 7,heb4 xii4 #ad74 ,the  
creature must  be stripped of his       
unrighteousness1 or ,god of his purity1 
before they  can come together4         
,likeness is the ground of communion1   
and of delight  in it3 the opposition   
between ,god and unholy souls is as     
great as that  between 8light and       
darkness0 7#a ,john i4 #f74 ,divine     
fruition is not so  much by a union of  
presence as a union of nature4 ,heaven  
is not so much  an outward as an inward 
life2 the foundation of glory is laid in
 grace2  a resemblance to ,god is our   
vital happiness1 without which the      
vision  of ,god would not be so much as 

a cloudy and shadowy happiness1 but     
rather a torment than a felicity2 unless
 we be of a like nature to ,god1  we    
cannot have a pleasing fruition of him4 
,some philosophers think that  if our   
bodies were of the same nature with the 
heavens1 of an ethereal  substance1 the 
nearness to the sun would cherish1 not  
scorch us4 ,were  we partakers of a     
,divine nature1 we might enjoy ,god with
 delight2  whereas1 remaining in our    
unlikeness to him1 we cannot think of   
him1  and approach to him without       
terror4 ,as soon as sin had stripped man
  of the image of ,god1 he was an exile 
from the comfortable presence of  ,god1 
unworthy for ,god to hold any           
correspondence with3 he can no more     
delight in a defiled person than a man  
can take a toad into intimate  converse 
with him2 he would hereby discredit his 
own nature1 and  justify our impurity4  
,the holiness of a creature only        
prepares him for  an eternal conjunction
 with ,god in glory4 ,enoch's walking   

with ,god was  the cause of his being so
 soon wafted to the place of a full     
fruition  of him2 he hath as much       
delight in such as in heaven itself2 one
 is his  habitation as well as the      
other2 the one is his habitation of     
glory1  and the other is the house of   
his pleasure3 if he dwell in ,zion1 it  
must be a 8holy mountain0 7,joel iii4   
#ag71 and the members of ,zion must  be 
upheld in their rectitude and integrity 
before they be 8set before  the face of 
,god forever0 7,ps4 xli4 #ab74 ,such are
 styled his jewels1 his  portion1 as if 
he lived upon them1 as a man upon his   
inheritance4 ,as  ,god cannot delight in
 us1 so neither can we delight in ,god  
without  it4 ,we must purify ourselves  
8as he is pure10 if we expect to 8see   
him  as he is10 in the comfortable glory
 and beauty of his nature 7#a ,john     
iii4 #b1 #c71 else the sight of ,god    
would be terrible and troublesome3  we  
cannot be satisfied with the likeness of
 ,god at the resurrection1  unless we   

have a righteousness b#bje wherewith to 
8behold his face0  7,ps4 xvii4 #ae74 ,it
 is a vain imagination in any to think  
that heaven  can be a place of happiness
 to him1 in whose eye the beauty of     
holiness  which fills and adorns it1 is 
an unlovely thing2 or that any can have 
a satisfaction in that ,divine purity   
which is loathsome to him in the        
imitations of it4 ,we cannot enjoy him1 
unless we resemble him2 nor take  any   
pleasure in him1 if we were with him1   
without something of likeness  to him4  
,holiness fits us for communion with    
,god4    7#f47 ,we can have no evidence 
of our election and adoption without it4
  ,conformity to ,god1 in purity1 is the
 fruit of electing love 7,eph4 i4 #d72  
8,he hath chosen us that we should be   
holy40 ,the goodness of the fruit       
evidenceth the nature of the root3 this 
is the seal that assures us the  patent 
is the authentic grant of the ,prince4  
,whatsoever is holy1 speaks  itself to  
be from ,god2 and whosoever is holy1    

speaks himself to belong  to ,god4 ,this
 is the only evidence that 8we are born 
of ,god0 7#a ,john ii4  #bi74 ,the      
subduing our souls to him1 the forming  
us into a resemblance  to himself1 is a 
more certain sign we belong to him1 than
 if we had1  with ,isaiah1 seen his     
glory in the vision1 with all his train 
of angels  about him4 ,this justifies us
 to be the seed of ,god1 when he hath1  
as it  were1 taken a slip from his own  
purity1 and engrafted it in our spirits3
  he can never own us for his children  
without his mark1 the stamp of          
holiness4 ,the devil's stamp is none of 
,god's badge4 ,our spiritual  extraction
 from him is but pretended1 unless we do
 things worthy of  so illustrious a     
birth1 and becoming the honor of so     
great a ,father3  what evidence can we  
else have of any childlike love to ,god1
 since the  proper act of love is to    
imitate the object of our affections8   
,and that  we may be in some measure    
like to ,god in this excellent          

perfection4    #ast4 ,let us be often   
viewing and ruminating on the holiness  
of ,god1  especially as discovered in   
,christ4 ,it is by a believing          
meditation  on him1 that we are 8changed
 into the same image0 7#b ,cor4 iii4    
#ah74  ,we can think often of nothing   
that is excellent in the world1 but  it 
draws our faculties to some kind of     
suitable operation2 and why  should not 
such an excellent idea of the holiness  
of ,god in ,christ  perfect our         
understandings1 and awaken all the      
powers of our souls to  be formed to    
actions worthy of him8 ,a painter       
employed in the limning  some excellent 
piece1 has not only his pattern before  
his eyes1 but his  eye frequently upon  
the pattern1 to possess his fancy to    
draw forth an  exact resemblance4 ,he   
that would express the image of ,god1   
must imprint  upon his mind the purity  
of his nature2 cherish it in his        
thoughts1  that the excellent beauty of 
it may pass from his understanding to   

his  affections1 and from his affections
 to his practice4 ,how can we arise  to 
a conformity to ,god in ,christ1 whose  
most holy nature we seldom  glance upon1
 and more rarely sink our souls into the
 depths of it by  meditation6 ,be       
frequent in the meditation of the       
holiness of ,god4    #b;d4 ,let us often
 exercise ourselves in acts of love to  
,god1 because  of this perfection4 ,the 
more adoring thoughts we have of ,god1  
the more  delightfully we shall aspire  
to1 and more ravishingly catch after1   
anything that may promote the more full 
draught of his ,divine image in  our    
hearts4 ,what we intensely affect1 we   
desire to b#bjf be as near  to as we    
can1 and to be that very thing1 rather  
than ourselves4 ,all  imitations of     
others arise from an intense love to    
their persons or  excellency4 ,when the 
soul is ravished with this perfection of
 ,god1 it  will desire to be united with
 it2 to have it drawn in it1 more than  
to have its own being continued to it3  

it will desire and delight  in its own  
being1 in order to this heavenly and    
spiritual work4 ,the  impressions of the
 nature of ,god upon it1 and the        
imitations of the  nature of ,god by it1
 will be more desirable than any natural
 perfection  whatsoever4 ,the will in   
loving is rendered like the object      
beloved2  is turned into its nature1#idj
 and imbibes its qualities4 ,the soul1  
by loving ,god1 will find itself more   
and more transformed into the  ,divine  
image2 whereas1 slighted ensamples are  
never thought worthy of  imitation4     
#c;d4 ,let us make ,god our end4 ,every 
man's mind forms itself to a  likeness  
to that which it makes its chief end4   
,an earthly soul is as  drossy as the   
earth he gapes for2 an ambitious soul is
 as elevated  as the honor he reaches   
at2 the same characters that are upon   
the  thing aimed at1 will be imprinted  
upon the spirit of him that aims at  it4
 ,when ,god and his glory are made our  
end1 we shall find a silent  likeness   

pass in upon us2 the beauty of ,god will
 by degrees enter upon  our souls4      
#dth4 ,in every deliberate action1 let  
us reflect upon the ,divine  purity as a
 pattern4 ,let us examine whether       
anything we are prompted  unto bear an  
impression of ,god upon it2 whether it  
looks like a thing  that ,god himself   
would do in that case1 were he in our   
natures and  in our circumstances4 ,see 
whether it hath the livery of ,god upon 
it1  how congruous it is to his nature2 
whether1 and in what manner1 the        
holiness of ,god can be glorified       
thereby2 and let us be industrious  in  
all this2 for can such an imitation be  
easy which is resisted by  the constant 
assaults of the flesh1 which is         
discouraged by our own  ignorance1 and  
depressed by our faint and languishing  
desires after  it8 ,o6 happy we1 if     
there were such a heart in us6          
,exhort4 #d4 ,if holiness be a          
perfection belonging to the nature of   
,god2 then1 where there is some weak    

conformity to the holiness of ,god1  let
 us labor to grow up in it1 and breathe 
after fuller measures of it4  ,the more 
likeness we have to him1 the more love  
we shall have from him4  ,communion will
 be suitable to our imitation2 his love 
to himself in  his essence1 will cast   
out beams of love to himself in his     
image4 ,if  ,god loves holiness in a    
lower measure1 much more will he love it
 in a  higher degree1 because then his  
image is more illustrious and beautiful1
  and comes nearer to the lively        
lineaments of his own infinite purity4  
,perfection in anything is more lovely  
and amiable than imperfection in  any   
state2 and the nearer anything arrives  
to perfection1 the further  are those   
things separated from it which might    
cool an affection to it4  ,an increase  
in holiness is attended with a          
manifestation of his love  7,john xiv4  
#ba73 8,he that hath my commandments1   
and keeps them1 he it is  that loves me1
 and he shall be loved of my ,father1   

and ,i will love him1  and ,i will      
manifest myself to him40 ,it is a       
testimony of love to ,god1  and ,god    
will not be behindhand with the creature
 in kindness2 b#bjg  he loves a holy man
 for some resemblance to him in his     
nature2 but when  there is an abounding 
in sanctified dispositions suitable to  
it1 there  is an increase of favor2 the 
more we resemble the original1 the more 
shall we enjoy the blessedness of that  
original3 as any partake more of  the   
,divine likeness1 they partake more of  
the ,divine happiness4    ,exhort4 #e4  
,let us carry ourselves holily1 in a    
spiritual manner1 in  all our religious 
approaches to ,god 7,ps4 xciii4 #e72    
8,holiness becomes  thy house1 ,o ,lord1
 for ever40 ,this attribute should work 
in us a deep  and reverential respect to
 ,god4 ,this is the reason rendered why 
we  should 8worship at his footstool10  
in the lowest posture of humility       
prostrate before him1 because 8he is    
holy0 7,ps4 xcix4 #e74 ,shoes must  be  

put off from our feet 7,exod4 iii4 #e71 
that is1 lusts from our  affections1    
everything that our souls are clogged   
and bemired with1  as the shoe is with  
dirt4 ,he is not willing we should offer
 to him an  impure soul1 mired hearts1  
rotten carcasses1 putrefied in vice1    
rotten  in iniquity2 our services are to
 be as free from profaneness1 as the    
sacrifices of the law were to be free   
from sickliness or any blemish4         
,whatsoever is contrary to his purity1  
is abhorred by him1 and unlovely  in his
 sight2 and can meet with no other      
success at his hands1 but a  disdainful 
turning away both of his eye and ear    
7,isa4 i4 #ae74 ,since he  is an immense
 purity1 he will reject from his        
presence1 and from having  any communion
 with him1 all that which is not        
conformable to him2 as  light chases    
away the darkness of the night1 and will
 not mix with it4  ,if we 8stretch out0 
our 8hands towards him10 we must 8put   
iniquity far  away from us0 7,job xi4   

#ac1 #ad72 the fruits of all service    
will else  drop off to nothing4 8,then  
shall the offering of ,judah and        
,jerusalem be  pleasant to the ,lord30  
when8 when the heart is purged by       
,christ sitting  as a 8purifier of      
silver0 7,mal4 iii4 #c1 #d74 ,not all   
the incense of the  ,indies yield him so
 sweet a savor1 as one spiritual act of 
worship from  a heart estranged from the
 vileness of the world1 and ravished    
with an  affection to1 and a desire of  
imitating1 the purity of his nature4    
,exhort4 #f4 ,let us address for        
holiness to ,god1 the fountain of it4   
,as  he is the author of bodily life in 
the creature1 so he is the author of    
his own life1 the life of ,god in the   
soul4 ,by his holiness he makes men     
holy1 as the sun by his light enlightens
 the air4 ,he is not only the  ,holy    
,one1 but our ,holy ,one 7,isa4 xliii4  
#ae72 8,the ,lord that sanctifies  us0  
7,levit4 xx4 #h74 ,as he hath mercy to  
pardon us1 so he hath holiness  to      

purify us1 the excellency of being a sun
 to comfort us1 and a shield  to protect
 us1 giving 8grace and glory0 7,ps4     
lxxiv4 #aa74 ,grace whereby  we may have
 communion with him to our comfort1 and 
strength against our  spiritual enemies 
for our defence2 grace as our           
preparatory to glory1  and grace growing
 up till it ripen in glory4 ,he only can
 mould us into  a ,divine frame2 the    
great original can only derive the      
excellency of  his own nature to us4 ,we
 are too low1 too lame1 to lift up      
ourselves  to it2 too much in love with 
our own deformity1 to admit of this     
beauty  without a heavenly power        
inclining our desires for it1 our       
affections  to it1 our willingness to be
 partakers of it4 ,he can as soon set   
the  beauty of holiness in b#bjh a      
deformed heart1 as the beauty of harmony
  in a confused mass1 when he made the  
world4 ,he can as soon cause the  light 
of purity to rise out of the darkness of
 corruption1 as frame  glorious spirits 

out of the insufficiency of nothing4    
,his beauty doth  not decay2 he hath as 
much in himself now as he had in his    
eternity2  he is as ready to impart it1 
as he was at the creation2 only we must 
wait upon him for it1 and be content to 
have it by small measures and  degrees4 
,there is no fear of our sanctification1
 if we come to him as  a ,god of        
holiness1 since he is a ,god of peace1  
and the breach made by  ,adam is        
repaired by ,christ 7#a ,thess4 v4 #bc73
 8,and the very ,god of peace  sanctify 
you wholly10 c4 ,he restores the        
sanctifying ,spirit which  was withdrawn
 by the fall1 as he is a ,god pacified1 
and his holiness  righted by the        
,redeemer4 ,the beauty of it appears in 
its smiles upon  a man in ,christ1 and  
is as ready to impart itself to the     
reconciled  creature1 as before justice 
was to punish the rebellious one4 ,he   
loves  to send forth the streams of this
 perfection into created channels1  more
 than any else4 ,he did not design the  

making the creature so  powerful as he  
might1 because power is not such an     
excellency in his  own nature1 but as it
 is conducted and managed by some other 
excellency4  ,power is indifferent1 and 
may be used well or ill1 according as   
the  possessor of it is righteous or    
unrighteous4 ,god makes not the creature
  so powerful as he might1 but he       
delights to make the creature that      
waits upon him as holy as it can be2    
beginning it in this world1 and         
ripening it in the other4 ,it is from   
him we must expect it1 and from  him    
that we must beg it1 and draw arguments 
from the holiness of his  nature1 to    
move him to work holiness in our        
spirits2 we cannot have a  stronger     
plea4 ,purity is the favorite of his own
 nature1 and delights  itself in the    
resemblances of it in the creature4 ,let
 us also go to ,god1  to preserve what  
he hath already wrought and imparted4   
,as we cannot  attain it1 so we cannot  
maintain it without him4 ,god gave it   

,adam1  and he lost it2 when ,god gives 
it us1 we shall lose it without his     
influencing and preserving grace2 the   
channel will be without a stream1  if   
the fountain do not bubble it forth2 and
 the streams will vanish1 if  the       
fountain doth not constantly supply     
them4 ,let us apply ourselves to  him   
for holiness1 as he is a ,god glorious  
in holiness2 by this we honor  ,god1 and
 advantage ourselves4          b#bji    
,,discourse ,,xii4                      
,,on ,,the ,,goodness ,,of ,,god4       
,,mark x4 #ah4;,and ,jesus said unto    
him1 ,why callest thou me good8         
,there is none good but one1 that is1   
,god4      ,,the words are part of a    
reply of our ,saviour to the young man's
  petition to him3 a certain person came
 in haste1 8running0 as being  eager for
 satisfaction1 to entreat his           
directions1 what he should do to        
inherit everlasting life2 the person is 
described only in general 7ver4  #ag71  
8,there came one10 a certain man3 but   

,luke describes him by his  dignity     
7,luke xviii4 #ah71 8,a certain ruler20 
one of authority among the  ,jews4 ,he  
desires of him an answer to a legal     
question1 8,what he should  do80 or1 as 
,matthew hath it1 8,what good thing     
shall ,i do1 that ,i may  have eternal  
life0 7,matt4 xix4 #af78 ,he imagined   
everlasting felicity  was to be         
purchased by the works of the law2 he   
had not the least  sentiments of faith3 
,christ's answer implies1 there was no  
hopes of the  happiness of another world
 by the works of the law1 unless they   
were  perfect1 and answerable to every  
divine precept4 ,he doth not seem to    
have any ill1 or hypocritical intent in 
his address to ,christ2 not to  tempt   
him1 but to be instructed by him4 ,he   
seems to come with an ardent  desire1 to
 be satisfied in his demand2 he         
performed a solemn act of  respect to   
him1 he kneeled to him1 1 prostrated    
himself  upon the ground2 besides1      
,christ is said 7ver4 #ba7 to love him1 

which  had been inconsistent with the   
knowledge ,christ had of the hearts and 
thoughts of men1 and the abhorrence he  
had of hypocrites1 had he been  only a  
counterfeit in this question4 ,but the  
first reply ,christ makes  to him1      
respects the title of 8,good ,master10  
which this ruler gave him  in his       
salutation4    #ast4 ,some think1 that  
,christ hereby would draw him to an     
acknowledgment of him as ,god2 you      
acknowledge me 8good20 how come you  to 
salute me with so great a title1 since  
you do not afford it to your  greatest  
doctors8 ,lightfoot1 in loc4 observes1  
that the title of  ,rabbi bone is not in
 all the ,talmud4 ,you must own me to be
 ,god1 since  you own me to be 8good30  
goodness being a title only due1 and    
properly  belonging1 to the ,supreme    
,being4 ,if you take me for a common    
man1 with  what conscience can you      
salute me in a manner proper to ,god8   
since no  man is 8good10 no1 not one1   
but the heart of man is evil            

continually4  ,the ,arians used this    
place1 to back their denying the ,deity 
of ,christ3  because1 say they1 he did  
not acknowledge himself 8good10         
therefore he  did not acknowledge       
himself ,god4 ,but he doth not here deny
 his ,deity1  but reproves b#baj him for
 calling him good1 when he had not yet  
confessed him to be more than a man4#ida
 ,you behold my flesh1 but  you consider
 not the fulness of my ,deity2 if you   
account me 8good10  account me ,god1 and
 imagine me not to be a simple and a    
mere man4#idb  ,he disowns not his own  
,deity1 but allures the young man to a  
confession  of it4 ,why callest thou me 
good1 since thou dost not discover any  
apprehensions of my being more than a   
man8 ,though thou comest with a  greater
 esteem to me than is commonly          
entertained of the doctors of the       
chair1 why dost thou own me to be       
8good10 unless thou own me to be ,god8  
,if ,christ had denied himself in this  
speech to be 8good10 he had rather      

entertained this person with a frown and
 a sharp reproof for giving him  a title
 due to ,god alone1 than have received  
him with that courtesy and  complaisance
 as he did4#idc ,had he said1 there is  
none 8good0 but the  ,father1 he had    
excluded himself2 but in saying1 there  
is none 8good0  but ,god1 he comprehends
 himself4    #b;d4 ,others say1 that    
,christ had no intention to draw him to 
an  acknowledgment of his ,deity1 but   
only asserts his divine authority  or   
mission from ,god4 ,for which           
interpretation ,maldonat calls ,calvin  
an ,arianizer4#idd ,he doth not here    
assert the essence of his ,deity1  but  
the authority of his doctrine2 as if he 
should have said1 ,you do  without      
ground give me the title of 8good10     
unless you believe ,i have  a ,divine   
commission for what ,i declare and act4 
,many do think me an  impostor1 an enemy
 of ,god1 and a friend to devils2 you   
must firmly  believe that ,i am not so1 
as your rulers report me1 but that ,i am

 sent  of ,god1 and authorized by him2  
you cannot else give me the title of    
good1 but of wicked4 ,and the reason    
they give for this interpretation1  is1 
because it is a question1 whether any of
 the apostles understood  him1 at this  
time1 to be ,god1 which seems to have no
 great strength in  it2 since not only  
the devil had publicly owned him to be  
the 8,holy ,one  of ,god0 7,luke iv4    
#cd71 but ,john the ,baptist had borne  
record1 that he  was the 8,son of ,god0 
7,john i4 #cb1 #cd72 and before this    
time ,peter had  confessed him openly1  
in the hearing of the rest of the       
disciples1 that  he was 8the ,christ1   
the ,son of the living ,god0 7,matt4    
xvi4 #af74 ,but ,i  think ,parus'       
interpretation is best1 which takes in  
both those2 either  you are serious or  
deceitful in this address2 if you are   
serious1 why  do you call me 8good10 and
 make bold to fix so great a title upon 
one  you have no higher thoughts of than
 a mere man8 ,christ takes occasion     

from hence1 to assert ,god to be only   
and sovereignly 8good30 8,there is  none
 good but ,god40#ide ,god only hath the 
honor of absolute goodness1  and none   
but ,god merits the name of 8good40 ,a  
heathen could say much  after the same  
manner2 ,all other things are far from  
the nature of good2  call none else good
 but ,god1 for this would be a profane  
error3 other  things are only good in   
opinion1 but have not the true substance
 of  goodness3 he is 8good0 in a more   
excellent way than any creature can be  
denominated 8good40#idf    #a4 ,god is  
only originally good1 good of himself4  
,all created goodness  is a rivulet from
 this fountain1 but ,divine goodness    
hath b#baa no  spring2 ,god depends upon
 no other for his goodness2 he hath it  
in1 and  of1 himself3 man hath no       
goodness from himself1 ,god hath no     
goodness  from without himself3 his     
goodness is no more derived from another
 than  his being3 if we were good by any
 external thing1 that thing must be in  

being before him1 or after him2 if      
before him1 he was not then himself     
from eternity2 if after him1 he was not 
good in himself from eternity4  ,the end
 of his creating things1 then1 was not  
to confer a goodness upon  his          
creatures1 but to partake of a goodness 
from his creatures4 ,god is  good by and
 in himself1 since all things are only  
good by him2 and all  that goodness     
which is in creatures1 is but the       
breathing of his own  goodness upon     
them3 they have all their loveliness    
from the same hand  they have their     
being from4 ,though by creation ,god was
 declared good1  yet he was not made    
good by any1 or by all the creatures4   
,he partakes  of none1 but all things   
partake of him4 ,he is so good1 that he 
gives  all1 and receives nothing2 only  
good1 because nothing is good but by    
him3 nothing hath a goodness but from   
him4    #b4 ,god only is infinitely     
good4 ,a boundless goodness that knows  
no  limits1 a goodness as infinite as   

his essence1 not only good1 but best2   
not only good1 but goodness itself1 the 
supreme inconceivable goodness4  ,all   
things else are but little particles of 
,god1 small sparks from this  immense   
flame1 sips of goodness to this         
fountain4 ,nothing that is good  by his 
influence can equal him who is good by  
himself3 derived goodness  can never    
equal primitive goodness4 ,divine       
goodness communicates itself  to a vast 
number of creatures in various degrees2 
to angels1 glorified  spirits1 men on   
earth1 to every creature2 and when it   
hath communicated  all that the present 
world is capable of1 there is still less
 displayed1  than left to enrich another
 world4 ,all possible creatures are not 
capable of exhausting the wealth1 the   
treasures1 that ,divine bounty is       
filled with4    #c4 ,god is only        
perfectly good1 because only infinitely 
good4 ,he is  good without indigence1   
because he hath the whole nature of     
goodness1  not only some beams that may 

admit of increase of degree4 ,as in him 
is  the whole nature of entity1 so in   
him is the whole nature of excellency4  
,as nothing hath an absolute perfect    
being but ,god1 so nothing hath an      
absolutely perfect goodness but ,god2 as
 the sun hath a perfection of  heat in  
it1 but what is warmed by the sun is but
 imperfectly hot1 and  equals not the   
sun in that perfection of heat wherewith
 it is naturally  endued4 ,the goodness 
of ,god is the measure and rule of      
goodness in  everything else4    #d4    
,god only is immutably good4 ,other     
things may be perpetually good by       
supernatural power1 but not immutably   
good in their own nature4 ,other  things
 are not so good1 but they may be bad2  
,god is so good1 that he  cannot be bad4
 ,it was the speech of a philosopher1   
that it was a hard  thing to find a good
 man1 yea1 impossible2 but though it    
were possible  to find a good man1 he   
would be good but for some moment1 or a 
short  time3 for though he should be    

good at this instant1 it was above the  
nature of man to continue in a habit of 
goodness1 without going awry  and       
warping4#idg ,but 8the goodness of ,god 
endureth forever0 7,ps4  lii4 #a74 ,god 
always glitters in goodness1 b#bab as   
the sun1 which  the heathens called the 
visible image of the ,divinity1 doth    
with light4  ,there is not such a       
perpetual light in the sun as there is a
 fulness  of goodness in ,god2 8no      
variableness0 in him1 as he is the      
8,father of  ,lights0 7,james i4 #ag74  
,before ,i come to the doctrine1 that   
is1 the chief scope of the words1  some 
remarks may be made upon the young man's
 question and carriage3  8,what must ,i 
do to inherit eternal life80    #a4 ,the
 opinion of gaining eternal life by the 
outward observation of  the law1 will   
appear very unsatisfactory to an        
inquisitive conscience4  ,this ruler    
affirmed1 and certainly did confidently 
believe1 that he had  fulfilled the law 
7ver4 #bj73 8,all this have ,i observed 

from my youth20  yet he had not any full
 satisfaction in his own conscience2 his
 heart  misgave1 and started upon some  
sentiments in him1 that something else  
was required1 and what he had done might
 be too weak1 too short to  shoot       
heaven's lock for him4 ,and to that     
purpose he comes to ,christ1  to receive
 instructions for the piecing up        
whatsoever was defective4  ,whosoever   
will consider the nature of ,god1 and   
the relation of a  creature1 cannot with
 reason think1 that eternal life was of 
itself  due from ,god as a recompense to
 ,adam1 had he persisted in a state of  
innocence4 ,who can think so great a    
reward due1 for having performed  that  
which a creature in that relation was   
obliged to do8 ,can any man  think      
another obliged to convey an inheritance
 of a thousand pounds per  annum upon   
his payment of a few farthings1 unless  
any compact appears  to support such a  
conceit8 ,and if it were not to be      
expected in the  integrity of nature1   

but only from the goodness of ,god1 how 
can it be  expected since the revolt of 
man1 and the universal deluge of natural
  corruption8 ,god owes nothing to the  
holiest creature2 what he gives is  a   
present from his bounty1 not the reward 
of the creature's merit4 ,and  the      
apostle defies all creatures1 from the  
greatest to the least1 from  the tallest
 angel to the lowest shrub1 to bring out
 any one creature  that hath first given
 to ,god 7,rom4 xi4 #ce72 8,who hath    
first given  to him1 and it shall be    
recompensed to him again80 ,the duty of 
the  creature1 and ,god's gift of       
eternal life1 is not a bargain and sale4
  ,god gives to the creature1 he doth   
not properly repay2 for he that  repays 
hath received something of an equal     
value and worth before4  ,when ,god     
crowns angels and men1 he bestows upon  
them purely what is  his own1 not what  
is theirs by merit and and natural      
obligation3 though  indeed1 what ,god   
gives by virtue of a promise made       

before1 is1 upon the  performance of the
 condition1 due by gracious obligation4 
,god was not  indebted to man in        
innocence1 but every man's conscience   
may now mind  him that he is not upon   
the same level as in the state of       
integrity2  and that he cannot expect   
anything from ,god1 as the salary of his
 merit1  but the free gift of ,divine   
liberality4 ,man is obliged to the      
practice  of what is good1 both from the
 excellency of the ,divine precepts1 and
  the duty he owes to ,god2 and cannot1 
without some declaration from  ,god1    
hope for any other reward1 than the     
satisfaction of having well  acquitted  
himself4#idh    #b4 ,it is the disease  
of human nature1 since its corruption1  
to hope  for eternal life by the tenor  
of the covenant of works4 ,though this  
b#bac ruler's conscience was not        
thoroughly satisfied with what he had   
done1 but imagined he might1 for all    
that1 fall short of eternal life1  yet  
he still hugs the imagination of        

obtaining it by doing 7ver4 #ag72       
8,what shall ,i do1 that ,i may inherit 
eternal life80 ,this is natural  to     
corrupted man4 ,cain thought to be      
accepted for the sake of his  sacrifice2
 and1 when he found his mistake1 he was 
so weary of seeking  happiness by doing1
 that he would court misery by          
murdering4 ,all men  set too high a     
value upon their own services4 ,sinful  
creatures would  fain make ,god a debtor
 to them1 and be purchasers of felicity3
 they  would not have it conveyed to    
them by ,god's sovereign bounty1 but by 
an obligation of justice upon the value 
of their works4 ,the heathens  thought  
,god would treat men according to the   
merit of their services2  and it is no  
wonder they should have this sentiment1 
when the ,jews1  educated by ,god in a  
wiser school1 were wedded to that       
notion4 ,the  ,pharisees were highly    
fond of it3 it was the only argument    
they used  in prayer for ,divine        
blessing4 ,you have one of them boasting

 of his  frequency in fasting1 and his  
exactness in paying his tithes 7,luke   
xix4 #ab72 as if ,god had been beholden 
to him1 and could not1 without  manifest
 wrong1 deny him his demand4 ,and ,paul 
confesseth it to be his  own sentiment  
before his conversion2 he accounted this
 8righteousness  of the law gain to him0
 7,phil4 iii4 #g72 he thought1 by this1 
to make  his market with ,god4 ,the     
whole nation of the ,jews affected      
it1#idi  compassing sea and land to make
 out a righteousness of their own1 as   
the ,pharisees did to make proselytes4  
,the ,papists follow their steps1  and  
dispute for justification by the merit  
of works1 and find out  another key of  
works of supererogation1 to unlock      
heaven's gate1 than  whatever the       
,scripture informed us of4 ,it is from  
hence1 also1 that men  are so ready to  
make faith1 as a work1 the cause of our 
justification4  ,man foolishly thinks he
 hath enough to set up himself after he 
hath  proved bankrupt1 and lost all his 

estate4 ,this imagination is born with  
us1 and the best ,christians may find   
some sparks of it in themselves1  when  
there are springings up of joy in their 
hearts1 upon the more  close performance
 of one duty than of another2 as if they
 had wiped off  their scores1 and given 
,god a satisfaction for their former    
neglects4  8,we have forsaken all1 and  
followed thee10 was the boast of his    
disciples3 8,what shall we have1        
therefore80 was a branch of this root   
7,matt4 xix4 #bg74 ,eternal life is a   
gift1 not by any obligation of  right1  
but an abundance of goodness2 it is     
owing1 not to the dignity  of our works1
 but the magnificent bounty of the      
,divine nature1 and  must be sued for by
 the title of ,god's promise1 not by the
 title of  the creature's services4 ,we 
may observe1    #c4 ,how insufficient   
are some assents to ,divine truth1 and  
some expressions of affection to        
,christ1 without the practice of        
christian precepts4 ,this man addressed 

,christ with a profound respect1        
acknowledging him more than an ordinary 
person1 with a more reverential         
carriage than we read any of his        
disciples paid to him in the days of    
his flesh2 he fell down at his feet1    
kissed his knees1 as the custom  was1   
when they would testify the great       
respect they had to any eminent  person1
 especially to their rabbins4 ,all this 
some think to be b#bad  included in the 
word 4#iej ,he seems to acknowledge him 
the  ,messiah by giving him the title of
 8,good10 a title they did not give  to 
their doctors of the chair2 he breathes 
out his opinion1 that he was  able to   
instruct him beyond the ability of the  
law2 he came with a more  than ordinary 
affection to him1 and expectation of    
advantage from him1  evident by his     
departing sad1 when his expectations    
were frustrated by  his own perversity2 
it was a sign he had a high esteem of   
him from whom  he could not part without
 marks of his grief4 ,what was the cause

 of his  refusing the instructions he   
pretended such an affection to receive8 
,he had possessions in the world4 ,how  
soon do a few drops of worldly          
advantages quench the first sparks of an
 illgrounded love to ,christ6  ,how vain
 is a complimental and cringing         
devotion1 without a supreme  preference 
of ,god1 and valuation of ,christ above 
every outward  allurement4 ,we may      
observe this1    #d4 ,we should never   
admit anything to be ascribed to us1    
which is  proper to ,god4 8,why callest 
thou me good8 ,there is none good but   
one1  that is1 ,god40 ,if you do not    
acknowledge me ,god1 ascribe not to me  
the  title of ,good4 ,it takes off all  
those titles which fawning flatterers   
give to men1 8mighty10 8invincible0 to  
princes1 8holiness0 to the  pope4 ,we   
call one another good1 without          
considering how evil2 and wise1  without
 considering how foolish2 mighty1       
without considering how weak1  and      
knowing1 without considering how        

ignorant4 ,no man1 but hath more of     
wickedness than goodness2 of ignorance  
than knowledge2 of weakness than        
strength4 ,god is a jealous ,god of his 
own honor2 he will not have the         
creature share with him in his royal    
titles4 ,it is a part of idolatry  to   
give men the titles which are due to    
,god2 a kind of a worship of  the       
creature together with the ,creator4    
,worms will not stand out1 but  assault 
,herod in his purple1 when he usurps the
 prerogative of ,god1 and  prove stiff  
and invincible vindicators of their     
,creator's honor1 when  summoned to arms
 by the ,creator's word 7,acts xii4 #bb1
 #bc74    ,doctrine4 ,the observation   
which ,i intend to prosecute1 is        
this3,pure  and perfect goodness is only
 the royal prerogative of ,god2 goodness
 is  a choice perfection of the ,divine 
nature4 ,this is the true and genuine   
character of ,god2 he is good1 he is    
goodness1 good in himself1 good  in his 
essence1 good in the highest degree1    

possessing whatsoever is  comely1       
excellent1 desirable2 the highest good1 
because first good3  whatsoever is      
perfect goodness1 is ,god2 whatsoever is
 truly goodness  in any creature1 is a  
resemblance of ,god4#iea ,all the names 
of ,god are  comprehended in this one of
 good4 ,all gifts1 all variety of       
goodness1  are contained in him as one  
common good4 ,he is the efficient cause 
of all good1 by an overflowing goodness 
of his nature2 he refers  all things to 
himself1 as the end1 for the            
representation of his own  goodness2    
8,truly ,god is good0 7,ps4 lxxiii4 #a74
 ,certainly1 it is an  undoubted truth2 
it is written in his works of nature1   
and his acts of  grace 7,exod4 xxxiv4   
#f74 8,he is abundant in goodness40 ,and
 every thing  is a memorial1 not of some
 few sparks1 but of his greater goodness
 7,ps4  cxlv4 #g74 ,this is often       
celebrated in the ,psalms1 and men      
invited more  than once1 to sing forth  
the praises of it 7,ps4 cvii4 #h1 #ae1  

#ba1 #ca74  ,it may better be admired   
than b#bae sufficiently spoken of1 or   
thought  of1 as it merits4 ,it is       
discovered in all his works1 as the     
goodness of  a tree in all its fruits2  
it is easy to be seen1 and more pleasant
 to  be contemplated4 ,in general1      
#a4 ,all nations in the world have      
acknowledged ,god good2   was  one of   
the names the ,platonists expressed him 
by2 and good and ,god1 are  almost the  
same words in our language4 ,all as     
readily consented in the  notion of his 
goodness1 as in that of his ,deity4     
,whatsoever divisions  or disputes there
 were among them in the other           
perfections of ,god1  they all agreed in
 this without dispute1 saith ,synesius4 
,one calls him  ,venus1 in regard of his
 loveliness4#ieb ,another calls him     
love1  as being the band which ties all 
things together4#iec ,no perfection  of 
the ,divine nature is more eminently1   
nor more speedily visible in  the whole 
book of the creation1 than this4 ,his   

greatness shines not  in any part of it1
 where his goodness doth not as         
gloriously glister3  whatsoever is the  
instrument of his work1 as his power2   
whatsoever is  the orderer of his work1 
as his wisdom2 yet nothing can be adored
 as  the motive of his work1 but the    
goodness of his nature4 ,this only could
  induce him to resolve to create3 his  
wisdom then steps in1 to dispose  the   
methods of what he resolved2 and his    
power follows to execute1  what his     
wisdom hath disposed1 and his goodness  
designed4 ,his power in  making1 and his
 wisdom in ordering1 are subservient to 
his goodness2  and this goodness1 which 
is the end of the creation1 is as       
visible to  the eyes of men1 as legible 
to the understanding of men1 as his     
power  in forming them1 and his wisdom  
in tuning them4 ,and as the book of     
creation1 so the records of his         
government must needs acquaint them     
with a great part of it1 when they have 
often beheld him1 stretching  out his   

hand1 to supply the indigent1 relieve   
the oppressed1 and punish  the          
oppressors1 and give them1 in their     
distresses1 what might 8fill  their     
hearts with food and gladness40 ,it is  
this the apostle 7,rom4 i4  #bj1 #ba71  
means by his ,godhead1 which he links   
with his eternity and  power1 as clearly
 seen in the things that are made1 as in
 a pure glass1  8,for the invisible     
things of him from the creation of the  
world1 are  clearly seen1 being         
understood by the things that are made1 
even his  eternal power and ,godhead40  
,the ,godhead which comprehends the     
whole  nature of ,god as discoverable to
 his creatures1 was not known1 yea1  was
 impossible to be known1 by the works of
 creation4 ,there had been  nothing then
 reserved to be manifested in ,christ3  
but his goodness1  which is properly    
meant there by his ,godhead1 was as     
clearly visible  as his power4 ,the     
apostle upbraids them with their        
unthankfulness1 and  argues their       

inexcusableness1 because the arm of his 
power in creation  made no due          
impression of fear upon their spirits1  
nor the beams of  his goodness wrought  
in them sufficient sentiments of        
gratitude4 ,their  not glorifying ,god1 
was a contempt of the former2 and their 
not being  thankful1 was a slight of the
 latter4 ,god is the object of honor1   
as he is powerful1 and the object of    
thankfulness properly as he is          
bountiful4 ,all the idolatry of the     
heathens1 is a clear testimony of  their
 common sentiment of the goodness of    
,god3 since the more eminently  useful  
any person was in some advantageous     
invention for the benefit  of mankind1  
they thought he b#baf merited a rank in 
the number of  their deities4 ,the      
,italians esteemed ,pythagoras a god1   
because he  was 3#ied to be good and    
useful1 was an approximation  to the    
,divine nature4 ,hence it was1 that when
 the ,lystrians saw a  resemblance of   
the ,divine goodness in the charitable  

and miraculous  cure of one of their    
crippled citizens1 presently they       
mistook ,paul  and ,barnabas for gods1  
and inferred from thence their right to 
divine  worship1 inquiring into nothing 
else but the visible character of  their
 goodness and usefulness1 to capacitate 
them for the honor of  a sacrifice      
7,acts xiv4 #haa74 ,hence it was1 that  
they adored those  creatures that were a
 common benefit1 as the sun and moon1   
which must  be founded upon a           
preexistent notion1 not only of a       
,being1 but of  the bounty and goodness 
of ,god1 which was naturally implanted  
in them1  and legible in all ,god's     
works4 ,and the more beneficial anything
 was  to them1 and the more sensible    
advantages they received from it1 the   
higher station they gave it in the rank 
of their idols1 and bestowed  upon it a 
more solemn worship3 an absurd mistake  
to think everything  that was sensibly  
good to them1 to be ,god1 clothing      
himself in such  a form to be adored by 

them4 ,and upon this account the        
,egyptians  worshipped ,god under the   
figure of an ox2 and the ,east ,indians1
 in some  parts of their country1 deify 
a heifer1 intimating the goodness of    
,god1  as their nourisher and preserver1
 in giving them corn1 whereof the ox  is
 an instrument in serving for ploughing1
 and preparing the ground4    #b4 ,the  
notion of goodness is inseparable from  
the notion of a ,god4 ,we  cannot own   
the existence of ,god1 but we must      
confess also the goodness  of his       
nature4 ,hence1 the apostle gives to his
 goodness the title of  his ,godhead1 as
 if goodness and godhead were           
convertible terms 7,rom4  i4 #bj74 ,as  
it is indissolubly linked with the being
 of a ,deity1 so  it cannot be severed  
from the notion of it3 we as soon       
undeify him  by denying him good1 as by 
denying him great3 ,optimus1 ,maximus1  
the best1 greatest1 was the name whereby
 the ,romans entitled ,him4 ,his  nature
 is as good1 as it is majestic2 so doth 

the ,psalmist join them  7,ps4 cxlv4 #f1
 #g71 8,i will declare my greatness2    
they shall abundantly  utter the memory 
of thy great goodness40 ,they considered
 his goodness  before his greatness1 in 
putting ,optimus before ,maximus2       
greatness  without sweetness1 is an     
unruly and affrighting monster in the   
world2  like a vast turbulent sea1      
always casting out mire and dirt4       
,goodness  is the brightness and        
loveliness of our majestical ,creator4  
,to fancy  a ,god without it1 is to     
fancy a miserable1 scanty1              
narrowhearted1  savage ,god1 and so an  
unlovely1 and horrible being3 for he is 
not a  ,god that is not good2 he is not 
a ,god that is not the highest good3    
infinite goodness is more necessary to1 
and more straitly joined with  an       
infinite ,deity1 than infinite power and
 infinite wisdom3 we cannot  conceive   
him ,god1 unless we conceive him the    
highest good1 having  nothing superior  
to himself in goodness1 as he hath      

nothing superior to  himself in         
excellency and perfection4 ,no man can  
possibly form a notion  of ,god in his  
mind1 and yet form a notion of something
 better than ,god2  for whoever thinks  
anything better than ,god1 fancieth a   
,god b#bag with  some defect3 by how    
much the better he thinks that thing to 
be1 by so  much the more imperfect he   
makes ,god in his thoughts4 ,this notion
 of  the goodness of ,god was so        
natural1 that some philosophers and     
others1  being startled at the evil they
 saw in the world1 fancied1 besides  a  
good ,god1 an evil principle1 the author
 of all punishments in the  world4 ,this
 was ridiculous2 for those two must be  
of equal power1 or  one inferior to the 
other2 if equal1 the good could do      
nothing1 but the  evil one would        
restrain him2 and the evil one could do 
nothing1 but the  good one would        
contradict him2 so they would be always 
contending1 and  never conquering3 if   
one were inferior to the other1 then    

there would  be nothing but what that   
superior ordered4 ,good1 if the good one
 were  superior2 and nothing but evil1  
if the bad one were superior4 ,in the   
prosecution of this1 let us see4    ,i4 
,what this goodness is4 ,,ii4 ,some     
propositions concerning the nature  of  
it4 ,,iii4 ,that ,god is good4 ,,iv4    
,the manifestation of it in creation1   
providence1 and redemption4 ,v4 ,the    
use4    ,i4 ,what this goodness is4     
,there is a goodness of being1 which is 
the  natural perfection of a thing2     
there is the goodness of will1 which  is
 the holiness1 and righteousness of a   
person2 there is the goodness  of the   
hand1 which we call liberality1 or      
beneficence1 a doing good to  others4   
#a4 ,we mean not by this1 the goodness  
of his essence1 or the  perfection of   
his nature4 ,god is thus good1 because  
his nature is  infinitely perfect2 he   
hath all things requisite to the        
completing of a  most perfect and       
sovereign ,being4 ,all good meets in his

 essence1 as all  water meets in the    
ocean4 ,under this notion all the       
attributes of ,god1  which are requisite
 to so illustrious a ,being1 are        
comprehended4 ,all  things that are1    
have a goodness of being in them1       
derived to them by  the power of ,god1  
as they are creatures2 so the devil is  
good1 as he is  a creature of ,god's    
making3 he hath a natural goodness1 but 
not a moral  goodness3 when he fell from
 ,god1 he retained his natural goodness 
as  a creature2 because he did not cease
 to be1 he was not reduced to that      
nothing1 from whence he was drawn2 but  
he ceased to be morally good1  being    
stripped of his righteousness by his    
apostasy2 as a creature1  he was ,god's 
work2 as a creature1 he remains still   
,god's work2 and1  therefore1 as a      
creature1 remains still good1 in regard 
of his created  being4 ,the more of     
being anything hath1 the more of this   
sort of  natural goodness it hath2 and  
so the devil hath more of this natural  

goodness than men have2 because he hath 
more marks of the excellency  of ,god   
upon him1 in regard of the greatness of 
his knowledge1 and the  extent of his   
power1 the largeness of his capacity1   
and the acuteness  of his understanding1
 which are natural perfections belonging
 to the  nature of an angel1 though he  
hath lost his moral perfections4 ,god   
is sovereignly and infinitely good in   
this sort of goodness4 ,he is           
unsearchably perfect 7,job xi4 #g72     
nothing is wanting to his essence1  that
 is necessary to the perfection of it2  
yet this is not that which  the         
,scripture expresseth under the term of 
goodness1 but a perfection  of ,god's   
nature as related to us1 and which he   
poureth forth upon all  his creatures1  
as goodness which flows from this       
natural perfection of  the ,deity4      
b#bah #b4 ,nor is it the same with the  
blessedness of ,god1 but something      
flowing from his blessedness4 ,were he  
not first infinitely blessed1 and  full 

in himself1 he could not be infinitely  
good and diffusive to us2  had he not an
 infinite abundance in his own nature1  
he could not be  overflowing to his     
creatures2 had not the sun a fulness of 
light in  itself1 and the sea a vastness
 of water1 the one could not enrich the 
world with its beams1 nor the other fill
 every creek with its waters4    #c4    
,nor is it the same with the holiness of
 ,god4 ,the holiness of ,god  is the    
rectitude of his nature1 whereby he is  
pure1 and without spot  in himself2 the 
goodness of ,god is the efflux of his   
will1 whereby he  is beneficial to his  
creatures3 the holiness of ,god is      
manifest in his  rational creatures2 but
 the goodness of ,god extends to all the
 works of  his hands4 ,his holiness     
beams most in his law2 his goodness     
reacheth to  everything that had a being
 from him 7,ps4 cxlv4 #i73 8,the ,lord  
is good  to all40 ,and though he be said
 in the same ,psalm 7ver4 #ag7 to be    
8holy  in all his works10 it is to be   

understood of his bounty1 bountiful in  
all his works2 the ,hebrew word         
signifying both holy and liberal1 and   
the margin of the ,bible reads it       
8merciful0 or 8bountiful40    #d4 ,nor  
is this goodness of ,god the same with  
the mercy of ,god4 ,goodness  extends to
 more objects than mercy2 goodness      
stretcheth itself out to  all the works 
of his hands2 mercy extends only to a   
miserable object2  for it is joined with
 a sentiment of pity1 occasioned by the 
calamity  of another4 ,the mercy of ,god
 is exercised about those that merit    
punishment2 the goodness of ,god is     
exercised upon objects that have  not   
merited anything contrary to the acts of
 his bounty4 ,creation is  an act of    
goodness1 not of mercy2 providence in   
governing some part of  the world1 is an
 act of goodness1 not of mercy4#iee ,the
 heavens1 saith  ,austin1 need the      
goodness of ,god to govern them1 but not
 the mercy of  ,god to relieve them2 the
 earth is full of the misery of man1 and

 the  compassions of ,god2 but the      
heavens need not the mercy of ,god to   
pity  them1 because they are not        
miserable2 though they need the goodness
 and  power of ,god to sustain them2    
because1 as creatures1 they are impotent
  without him4 ,god's goodness extends  
to the angels1 that kept their          
standing1 and to man in innocence1 who  
in that state stood not in need  of     
mercy4 ,goodness and mercy are distinct1
 though mercy be a branch  of goodness2 
there may be a manifestation of         
goodness1 though none of  mercy4 ,some  
think ,christ had been incarnate1 had   
not man fallen3 had  it been so1 there  
had been a manifestation of goodness to 
our nature1  but not of mercy1 because  
sin had not made our natures miserable4 
,the devils are monuments of ,god's     
creating goodness1 but not of his       
pardoning compassions4 ,the grace of    
,god respects the rational creature2    
mercy the miserable creature2 goodness  
all his creatures1 brutes1 and  the     

senseless plants1 as well as reasonable 
man4    #e4 ,by goodness1 is meant the  
bounty of ,god4 ,this is the notion of  
goodness in the world2 when we say a    
good man1 we mean either a holy  man in 
his life1 or a charitable and liberal   
man in the management  b#bai of his     
goods4 ,a righteous man1 and a good man1
 are distinguished  7,rom4 v4 #g74 8,for
 scarcely for a righteous man will one  
die2 yet for  a good man one would even 
dare to die20 for an innocent man1 one  
as  innocent of the crime as himself    
would scarce venture his life2 but for  
a good man1 a liberal1 tenderhearted    
man1 that had been a common good  in the
 place where he lived1 or had done      
another as great a benefit  as life     
itself amounts to1 a man out of         
gratitude might dare to die4  8,the     
goodness of ,god is his inclination to  
deal well and bountifully  with his     
creatures40#ief ,it is that whereby he  
wills there should be  something besides
 himself for his own glory4 ,god is good

 himself1 and  to himself1 i4 e4 highly 
amiable to himself2 and1 therefore1 some
  define it a perfection of ,god1       
whereby he loves himself and his own    
excellency2 but as it stands in relation
 to his creatures1 it is that           
perfection of ,god whereby he delights  
in his works1 and is beneficial  to     
them4 ,god is the highest goodness1     
because he doth not act for  his own    
profit1 but for his creatures' welfare1 
and the manifestation  of his own       
goodness4 ,he sends out his beams1      
without receiving any  addition to      
himself1 or substantial advantage from  
his creatures4 ,it  is from this        
perfection that he loves whatsoever is  
good1 and that is  whatsoever he hath   
made1 8for every creature of ,god is    
good0 7#a ,tim4  iv4 #d72 every creature
 hath some communications from him1     
which cannot  be without some affection 
to them2 every creature hath a footstep 
of  ,divine goodness upon it2 ,god1     
therefore1 loves that goodness in the   

creature1 else he would not love        
himself4 ,god hates no creature1 no1    
not the devils and damned1 as creatures2
 he is not an enemy to them1  as they   
are the works of his hands2 he is       
properly an enemy1 that doth  simply and
 absolutely wish evil to another2 but   
,god doth not absolutely  wish evil to  
the damned2 that justice that he        
inflicts upon them1 the  deserved       
punishment of their sin1 is part of his 
goodness1 as shall  afterwards be       
shown4#ieg ,this is the most pleasant   
perfection of the  ,divine nature2 his  
creating power amazes us2 his conducting
 wisdom  astonisheth us2 his goodness1  
as furnishing us with all conveniences1 
delights us2 and renders both his       
amazing power1 and astonishing wisdom1  
delightful to us4 ,as the sun1 by       
effecting things1 is an emblem of       
,god's power2 by discovering things to  
us1 is an emblem of his wisdom2  but by 
refreshing and comforting us1 is an     
emblem of his goodness2  and without    

this refreshing virtue it communicates  
to us1 we should  take no pleasure in   
the creatures it produceth1 nor in the  
beauties  it discovers4 ,as ,god is     
great and powerful1 he is the object of 
our  understanding2 but as good and     
bountiful1 he is the object of our love 
and desire4    #f4 ,the goodness of ,god
 comprehends all his attributes4 ,all   
the acts of  ,god are nothing else but  
the effluxes of his goodness1           
distinguished by  several names1        
according to the objects it is exercised
 about4 ,as the  sea1 though it be one  
mass of water1 yet we distinguish it by 
several  names1 according to the shores 
it washeth1 and beats upon2 as the      
,british and ,german ,ocean1 though all 
be one sea4 ,when ,moses longed  to see 
his glory1 ,god tells him1 he would give
 him a prospect of his  goodness 7,ex4  
xxxiii4 #ai73 8,i will make b#bbj all my
 goodness to pass  before thee40 ,his   
goodness is his glory and ,godhead1 as  
much as is  delightfully visible to his 

creatures1 and whereby he doth benefit  
man3 8,i will cause my goodness10 or    
8comeliness10 as ,calvin renders it1    
8to pass before thee20 what is this1 but
 the train of all his lovely            
perfections springing from his goodness8
 the whole catalogue of mercy1  grace1  
longsuffering1 abundance of truth1      
summed up in this one word  7,ex4 xxxiv4
 #f74 ,all are streams from this        
fountain2 he could be none of  this1    
were he not first good4 ,when it confers
 happiness without merit1  it is grace2 
when it bestows happiness against merit1
 it is mercy2 when  he bears with       
provoking rebels1 it is longsuffering2  
when he performs  his promise1 it is    
truth2 when it meets with a person to   
whom it is  not obliged1 it is grace2   
when he meets with a person in the      
world1  to which he hath obliged himself
 by promise1 it is truth2#ieh when  it  
commiserates a distressed person1 it is 
pity2 when it supplies an  indigent     
person1 it is bounty2 when it succors an

 innocent person1 it  is righteousness2 
and when it pardons a penitent person1  
it is mercy2  all summed up in this one 
name of goodness2 and the ,psalmist     
expresseth  the same sentiment in the   
same words 7,ps4 cxlv4 #g1 #h73 8,they  
shall  abundantly utter the memory of   
thy great goodness1 and shall sing of   
thy righteousness4 ,the ,lord is        
gracious and full of compassion1 slow   
to anger1 and of great mercy2 the ,lord 
is good to all1 and his tender  mercies 
are over his works40 ,he is first good1 
and then compassionate4  ,righteousness 
is often in ,scripture taken1 not for   
justice1 but  charitableness2 this      
attribute1 saith one1#iei is so full of 
,god1  that it doth deify all the rest1 
and verify the adorableness of him4     
,his wisdom might contrive against us1  
his power bear too hard upon us2  one   
might be too hard for an ignorant1 and  
the other too mighty for  an impotent   
creature2 his holiness would scare an   
impure and guilty  creature1 but his    

goodness conducts them all for us1 and  
makes them all  amiable to us2 whatever 
comeliness they have in the eye of a    
creature1  whatever comfort they afford 
to the heart of a creature1 we are      
obliged  for all to his goodness4 ,this 
puts all the rest upon a delightful     
exercise2 this makes his wisdom design  
for us1 and this makes his power  to act
 for us2 this veils his holiness from   
affrighting us1 and this  spirits his   
mercy to relieve us3 all his acts       
towards man1 are but the  workmanship of
 this4#ifj ,what moved him at first to  
create the world  out of nothing1 and   
erect so noble a creature as man1       
endowed with such  excellent gifts2 was 
it not his goodness8 what made him      
separate his  ,son to be a sacrifice for
 us1 after we had endeavored to rase out
 the  first marks of his favor2 was it  
not a strong bubbling of goodness8      
,what moves him to reduce a fallen      
creature to the due sense of his  duty1 
and at last bring him to an eternal     

felicity2 is it not1 only  his goodness8
 ,this is the captain attribute that    
leads the rest to  act4 ,this attends   
them1 and spirits them in all his ways  
of acting4  ,this is the complement and 
perfection of all his works2 had it not 
been for this1 which set all the rest on
 work1 nothing of his wonders  had been 
seen in creation1 nothing of his        
compassions had been seen in            
redemption4    b#bba ,,ii4 ,the second  
thing is1 some propositions to explain  
the nature  of this goodness4    #a4 ,he
 is good by his own essence4 ,god is not
 only good in his essence1  but good by 
his essence2 the essence of 8every      
created being is good20  so the unerring
 ,god pronounced everything which he had
 made 7,gen4 i4  #ca74 ,the essence of  
the worst creatures1 yea1 of the impure 
and savage  devils1 is good2 but they   
are not good per essentiam1 for then    
they  could not be bad1 malicious1 and  
oppressive4 ,god is good1 as he is ,god2
  and therefore good by himself1 and    

from himself1 not by participation  from
 another2 he made everything good1 but  
none made him good2 since  his goodness 
was not received from another1 he is    
good by his own  nature4 ,he could not  
receive it from the things he created1  
they are  later than he2 since they     
received all from him1 they could bestow
  nothing on him2 and no ,god preceded  
him1 in whose inheritance and  treasures
 of goodness1 he could be a successor2  
he is absolutely his  own goodness1 he  
needed none to make him good2 but all   
things needed  him1 to be good by him4  
,creatures are good by being made so by 
him1 and  cleaving to him2 he is good   
without cleaving to any goodness without
  him4 ,goodness is not a quality in    
him1 but a nature2 not a habit added  to
 his essence1 but his essence itself2 he
 is not first ,god1 and then  afterwards
 good2 but he is good as he is ,god2 his
 essence1 being one  and the same1 is   
formally and equally ,god and good4#ifa 
1  8good of himself10 was one of the    

names the ,platonists gave him4 ,he  is 
essentially good in his own nature1 and 
not by any outward action  which follows
 his essence4 ,he is an independent     
,being1 and hath nothing  of goodness or
 happiness from anything without him1 or
 anything he  doth act about4 ,if he    
were not good by his essence1 he could  
not be  eternally good1 he could not be 
the first good2 he would have something 
before him1 from whence he derived that 
goodness wherewith he is  possessed2 nor
 could he be perfectly good1 for he     
could not be equally  good to that from 
whom he derived his goodness2 no star1  
no splendid  body1 that derives light   
from the sun1 doth equal that sun by    
which it  is enlightened4 ,hence his    
goodness must be infinite1 and          
circumscribed  by no limits2 the        
exercise of his goodness may be limited 
by himself2  but his goodness1 the      
principle1 cannot2 for since his essence
 is  infinite1 and his goodness is not  
distinguished from his essence1 it is   

infinite also2 if it were limited1 it   
were finite2 he cannot be bounded  by   
anything without him2 if so1 then he    
were not ,god1 because he would  have   
something superior to him1 to put bars  
in his way2 if there were  anything to  
fix him1 it must be a good or evil      
being2 good it cannot  be1 for it is the
 property of goodness to encourage      
goodness1 not to  bound it2 evil it     
cannot be1 for then it would extinguish 
goodness1  as well as limit it2 it would
 not be content with the circumscribing 
it1 without destroying it2 for it is the
 nature of every contrary1 to  endeavor 
the destruction of its opposite4 ,he is 
essentially good by his  own essence2   
therefore1 good of himself2 therefore1  
eternally good2 and  therefore1         
abundantly good4    #b4 ,god is the     
prime and chief goodness4 ,being good   
per se1 and  b#bbb by his own essence1  
he must needs be the chief goodness1 in 
whom there can be nothing but good1 from
 whom there can proceed nothing  but    

good1 to whom all good whatsoever must  
be referred1 as the final  cause of all 
good4 ,as he is the chief ,being1 so he 
is the chief good2  and as we rise by   
steps from the existence of created     
things1 to  acknowledge one ,supreme    
,being1 which is ,god1 so we mount by   
steps from  the consideration of the    
goodness of created things1 to          
acknowledge  one ,infinite ,ocean of    
sovereign goodness1 whence the streams  
of  created goodness are derived4 ,when 
we behold things that partake of        
goodness from another1 we must acquiesce
 in one that hath goodness by           
participation from no other1 but        
originally from himself1 and therefore  
supremely in himself above all other    
things3 so that1 as nothing  greater and
 more majestic can be imagined1 so also 
nothing better and  more excellent can  
be conceived than ,god4 ,nothing can add
 to him1 or  make him better than he is2
 nothing can detract from him1 to make  
him  worse2 nothing can be added to him1

 nothing can be severed from him2 no    
created good can render him more        
excellent2 no evil1 from any creature1  
can render him less excellent2 8our     
goodness extends not to him0 7,ps4  xvi4
 #b72 8wickedness may hurt a man1 as we 
are1 and our righteousness  may profit  
the son of man2 but1 if we be righteous1
 what give we to  ,him1 or what receives
 he at our hands0 7,job xxxv4 #g1 #h78  
as he hath no  superior in place above  
him1 so1 being chief of all1 he cannot  
be made  better by any inferior to him4 
,how can he be made better by any that  
hath from himself all that he hath8 ,the
 goodness of a creature may be  changed1
 but the goodness of the ,creator is    
immutable2 he is always  like himself1  
so good that he cannot be evil1 as he is
 so blessed that  he cannot be          
miserable4 ,nothing is good but ,god1   
because nothing is  of itself but ,god2 
as all things1 being from nothing1 are  
nothing  in comparison of ,god1 so all  
things1 being from nothing1 are scanty  

and evil in comparison of ,god4 ,if     
anything had been1 ex ,deo1 ,god  being 
the matter of it1 it had been as good as
 ,god is2 but since  the principle1     
whence all things were drawn1 was       
nothing1 though the  efficient cause by 
which they were extracted from nothing  
was ,god1 they  are as nothing in       
goodness1 and not estimable in          
comparison of ,god 7,ps4  lxxiii4 #be73 
8,whom have ,i in heaven but thee80 c4  
,god is all good2  every creature hath a
 distinct variety of goodness3 ,god     
distinctly  pronounced every day's work 
in the creation 8good40 ,food           
communicates  the goodness of its       
nourishing virtue to our bodies2 flowers
 the  goodness of their odors to our    
smell2 every creature a goodness of     
comeliness to our sight2 plants the     
goodness of healing qualities  for our  
cure2 and all derive from themselves a  
goodness of knowledge1  objectively to  
our understandings4 ,the sun1 by one    
sort of goodness1  warms us2 metals     

enrich us2 living creatures sustain us1 
and delight  us by another2 all those   
have distinct kinds of goodness1 which  
are  eminently summed up in ,god1 and   
are all but parts of his immense        
goodness4 ,it is he that enlightens us  
by his sun1 nourisheth us by  bread     
7,matt4 iv4 #d73 8,it is not by bread   
alone that we live1 but by  the word of 
,god40 ,it is all but his own supreme   
goodness1 conveyed to  us through those 
varieties of conduitpipes4 8,god is all 
good20 other  things are good in b#bbc  
their kind2 as1 a good man1 a good      
angel1  a good tree1 a good plant2 but  
,god hath a good of all kinds eminently 
in his nature4 ,he is no less allgood1  
than he is almighty1 and  allknowing2 as
 the sun contains in it all the light1  
and more light  than is in all the      
clearest bodies in the world1 so doth   
,god contain in  himself all the good1  
and more good than is in the richest    
creatures4  ,nothing is good1 but as it 
resembles him2 as nothing is hot1 but as

 it  resembles fire1 the prime subject  
of heat4 ,god is omnipotent1 therefore  
no good can be wanting to him4 ,if he   
were destitute of any which he  could   
not have1 he were not almighty3 he is so
 good1 that there is no  mixture of     
anything which can be called not good in
 him2 everything  besides him wants some
 good1 which others have4 ,nothing can  
be so  evil as ,god is good4 ,there can 
be no evil but there is some mixture of 
good with it2 no nature so evil but     
there is some spark of goodness in  it3 
but ,god is a good which hath no taint  
of evil2 nothing can be so  supreme an  
evil as ,god is supreme goodness4 ,he is
 only good1 without  capacity of        
increase2 he is all good1 and unmixedly 
good2 none good but  ,god3 a goodness1  
like the sun1 that hath all light1 and  
no darkness4  ,that is the second thing2
 he is the supreme and chief goodness4  
#c4 ,this goodness is communicative4    
,none so communicatively good as  ,god4 
,as the notion of ,god includes         

goodness1 so the notion of goodness     
includes diffusiveness2 without goodness
 he would cease to be a ,deity1  and    
without diffusiveness he would cease to 
be good4 ,the being good is  necessary  
to the being ,god2 for goodness is      
nothing else1 in the notion  of it1 but 
a strong inclination to do good2 either 
to find or make an  object1 wherein to  
exercise itself1 according to the       
propension of its  own nature2 and it is
 an inclination of communicating itself1
 not for  its own interest1 but the good
 of the object it pitcheth upon4 ,thus  
,god is good by nature2 and his nature  
is not without activity2 he acts        
conveniently to his own nature 7,ps4    
cxix4 #fh73 8,thou art good1 and dost   
good40 ,and nothing accrues to him1 by  
the communications of himself  to       
others1 since his blessedness was as    
great before the frame of any  creature 
as ever it was since the erecting of the
 world2 so that the  goodness of ,christ
 himself increaseth not the lustre of   

his happiness  7,ps4 xvi4 #b73 8,my     
goodness extends not to thee40 ,he is   
not of a  niggardly and envious nature2 
he is too rich to have any cause to     
envy1  and too good to have any will to 
envy2 he is as liberal as he is rich1   
according to the capacity of the object 
about which his goodness is  exercised4 
,the ,divine goodness1 being the supreme
 goodness1 is goodness  in the highest  
degree of activity2 not an idle1        
enclosed1 pent up  goodness1 as a spring
 shut up1 or a fountain sealed1 bubbling
 up within  itself1 but bubbling out of 
itself3 a fountain of gardens to water  
every part of his creation2 8,he is an  
ointment poured forth0 7,cant4 i4  #c73 
nothing spreads itself more than oil1   
and takes up a larger space  wheresoever
 it drops4 ,it may be no less said of   
the goodness of ,god1  as it is of the  
fulness of ,christ 7,eph4 i4 #bc72 8,he 
fills all in all30  he fills rational   
creatures with understanding1 sensitive 
nature with  vigor and motion1 the whole

 world with beauty and sweetness4 ,every
  taste1 every touch of a creature1 is a
 taste and b#bbd touch of ,divine       
goodness4 ,divine goodness offers itself
 in one spark in this creature1  in     
another spark in the other creature1 and
 altogether make up a  goodness         
inconceivable by any creature4 ,the     
whole mass1 and extracted  spirit of it1
 is infinitely short of the goodness of 
the ,divine nature1  imperfect shadows  
of that goodness which is in himself4   
,indeed1 the  more excellent anything   
is1 the more nobly it acts2 how remotely
 doth  light1 that excellent brightness 
of the creation1 disperse itself6 ,how  
doth that glorious creature1 which ,god 
hath set in the heavens1 spread  its    
wings over heaven and earth1 roll itself
 about the world1 cast  its beams upward
 and downward1 insinuate into all       
corners1 pierce the  depths1 and shoot  
up its rays into the heights1 encircle  
the higher and  lower creatures in its  
arms1 reach out its communications to   

influence  everything under the earth1  
as well as dart its beams of light and  
heat on things above1 or upon the earth6
 8,nothing is hid from it0 7,ps4  xix4  
#f72 not from its power1 nor from its   
sweetness4 ,how communicative  also is  
water1 a necessary and excellent        
creature6 ,how active is it  in a river1
 to nourish the living creatures        
engendered in its womb6  refresheth     
every shore it runs by2 promotes the    
propagation of fruits  for the          
nourishment1 and bestows a verdure upon 
the ground1 for the  delight of man2 and
 where it cannot reach the higher ground
 in its  substance1 it doth by its      
vapors1 mounted up and concocted by the 
sun1  and gently distilled upon the     
earth1 for the opening its womb to bring
  forth its fruits4 ,god is more prone  
to communicate himself1 than the  sun to
 spread its wings1 or the earth to mount
 up its fruits1 or the  water to        
multiply living creatures4#ifb ,goodness
 is his nature4 ,hence  were there      

internal communications of himself from 
eternity2 diffusions  of himself1       
without himself1 in time1 in the        
creation of the world1  like a full     
vessel running over4 ,he created the    
world that he might  impart his goodness
 to something without him1 and diffuse  
larger  measures of his goodness1 after 
he had laid the first foundation of  it 
in his being2 and therefore he created  
several sorts of creatures1  that they  
might be capable of various and distinct
 measures of his  liberality1 according 
to the distinct capacities of their     
nature1 but  imparted most to the       
rational creature1 because that is only 
capable  of an understanding to know    
him1 and will to embrace him4 ,he is the
  highest goodness1 and therefore a     
communicative goodness1 and acts        
excellently according to his nature4    
#d4 ,god is necessarily good4 ,none is  
necessarily good but ,god2 he  is as    
necessarily good1 as he is necessarily  
,god4 ,his goodness is as  inseparable  

from his nature as his holiness4 ,he is 
good by nature1 not  only by will2 as he
 is holy by nature1 not only by will1 he
 is good  in his nature1 and good in his
 actions2 and as he cannot be bad in his
  nature1 so he cannot be bad in his    
communications2 he can no more act      
contrary to this goodness in any of his 
actions1 than he can un,god  himself4   
,it is not necessary that ,god should   
create a world2 he was at  his own      
choice whether he would create or no2   
but when he resolves to  make a world1  
it is necessary that he should make it  
good1 because he  is goodness itself1   
and cannot act against his own nature4  
,he could not  create anything without  
goodness in the very b#bbe act2 the very
 act  of creation1 or communicating     
being to anything without himself1 is in
  itself an act of goodness1 as well as 
an act of power2 had he not been  good  
in himself1 nothing could have been     
endued with any goodness by  him4 ,in   
the act of giving being1 he is liberal2 

the being he bestows is  a displaying   
his own liberality2 he could not confer 
what he needs not1  and which could not 
be deserved1 without being bountiful2   
since what  was nothing1 could not merit
 to be brought into being1 the very act 
of giving to nothing a being1 was an act
 of choice goodness4 ,he could  not     
create anything without goodness as the 
motive1 and the necessary  motive2 his  
goodness could not necessitate him to   
make the world1 but  his goodness could 
only move him to resolve to make a      
world2 he was not  bound to erect and   
fashion it because of his goodness1 but 
he could not  frame it without his      
goodness as the moving cause4 ,he could 
not create  anything1 but he must create
 it good4 ,it had been inconsistent with
  the supreme goodness of his nature1 to
 have created only murderous1  ravenous1
 injurious creatures2 to have created a 
bedlam rather than  a world3 a mere heap
 of confusion would have been as        
inconsistent  with his ,divine goodness1

 as with his ,divine wisdom4 ,again1    
when  his goodness had moved him to make
 a creature1 his goodness would         
necessarily move him to be beneficial to
 his creature2 not that this  necessity 
results from any merit in the creature1 
which he had framed2  but from the      
excellency and diffusiveness of his own 
nature1 and  his own glory2 the end for 
which he formed it1 which would have    
been obscure1 yea1 nothing1 without some
 degrees of his bounty4 ,what  occasion 
of acknowledgments and praise could the 
creature have for  its being1 if ,god   
had given him only a miserable being1   
while it was  innocent in action8 ,the  
goodness of ,god would not suffer him to
 make a  creature1 without providing    
conveniences for it1 so long as he      
thought  good to maintain its being1 and
 furnishing it with that which was      
necessary to answer that end for which  
he created it2 and his own  nature would
 not suffer him to be unkind to his     
rational creature1  while it was        

innocent4 ,it had been injustice to     
inflict evil upon the  creature1 that   
had not offended1 and had no relation to
 an offending  creature2 the nature of  
,god could not have brought forth such  
an act3  and1 therefore1 some say1 that 
,god1 after he had created man1 could   
not presently annihilate him1 and take  
away his life and being4#ifc  ,as a     
sovereign1 he might do it2 as ,almighty1
 he was able to do it1 as  well as      
create him2 but in regard of his        
goodness1 he could not morally  do it3  
for had he annihilated man as soon as   
ever he had made him1  he had not made  
man for himself1 and for his own glory2 
to be loved1  worshipped1 sought1 and   
acknowledged by him4 ,he would not then 
have  been the end of man2 he had       
created him in vain1 and the world in   
vain1  which he assures us he did not   
7,isa4 xlv4 #ah1 #ai74 ,and1 certainly1 
if the gifts of ,god be without         
repentance1 man could not have been     
annihilated after his creation1 without 

repentance in ,god1 without any  cause1 
had not sin entered into the world4 ,if 
,god did not say to man1  after sin had 
made its entrance into the world1 8,seek
 ye me in vain10  he could not1 because 
of his goodness1 have said so to man in 
his  innocence4 b#bbf ,as ,god is       
necessarily mind1 so he is necessarily  
will2  as he is necessarily knowing1 so 
he is necessarily loving4 ,he could  not
 be blessed1 if he did not know himself1
 and his own perfection2  nor good1 if  
he did not delight in himself1 and his  
own perfections4  ,and this goodness    
whereby he delights in himself1 is the  
source of his  delight in his creatures1
 wherein he sees the footsteps of       
himself4  ,if he loves himself1 he      
cannot but love the resemblance of      
himself1  and the image of his own      
goodness4 ,he loves himself1 because he 
is the  highest goodness and excellency2
 and loves everything as it resembles   
himself1 because it is an efflux of his 
own goodness2 and as he  doth           

necessarily love himself1 and his own   
excellency1 so he doth  necessarily love
 anything that resembles that           
excellency1 which is the  primary object
 of his esteem4 ,but1    #e4 ,though he 
be necessarily good1 yet he is also     
freely good4 ,the  necessity of the     
goodness of his nature hinders not the  
liberty of  his actions2 the matter of  
his acting is not at all necessary1 but 
the  manner of his acting in a good and 
bountiful way1 is necessary1 as well  as
 free4#ifd ,he created the world and man
 freely1 because he might  choose       
whether he would create it1 but he      
created them good necessarily1  because 
he was first necessarily good in his    
nature1 before he  was freely a         
,creator4 ,when he created man1 he      
freely gave him a  positive law1 but    
necessarily a wise and righteous law2   
because he was  necessarily wise1 and   
righteous1 before he was freely a       
,lawgiver4 ,when  he makes a promise1 he
 freely lets the word go out of his     

lips1 but  when he hath made it1 he is  
necessarily a faithful performer2       
because  he was necessarily true and    
righteous in his nature1 before he was  
freely a promiser4 ,god is necessarily  
good in his nature1 but free in  his    
communications of it2 to make him       
necessarily to communicate his  goodness
 in the first creation of the creature1 
would render him but  impotent1 good    
without liberty and without will2 if the
 communications  of it be not free1 the 
eternity of the world must necessarily  
be  concluded1 which some anciently     
asserted from the naturalness of ,god's 
goodness1 making the world flow from    
,god as light from the sun4 ,god1       
indeed1 is necessarily good1 affectiv in
 regard of his nature1  but freely good1
 affectiv1 in regard of the effluxes of 
it to this  or that particular subject  
he pitcheth on4 ,he is not so           
necessarily  communicative of his       
goodness as the sun of his light1 or a  
tree of  its cooling shade1 that        

chooseth not its objects1 but enlightens
 all  indifferently1 without any        
variation or distinction2 this were to  
make ,god of no more understanding than 
the sun1 to shine not where it          
pleaseth1 but where it must4 ,he is an  
understanding agent1 and hath a         
sovereign right to choose his own       
subjects2 it would not be a supreme     
goodness1 if it were not a voluntary    
goodness4 ,it is agreeable to the       
nature of the highest good1 to be       
absolutely free1 to dispense his        
goodness in what methods and measures he
 pleaseth1 according to the  free       
determinations of his own will1 guided  
by the wisdom of his mind1  and         
regulated by the holiness of his nature4
 ,he is not to 8give an  account of any 
of his matters0 7,job xxxiii4 #ac72 8,he
 will have mercy  on whom he will have  
mercy1 and he will have compassion on   
whom he  will have compassion0 7,rom4   
ix4 #ae72 b#bbg and he will be good1 to 
whom he will be good2 when he doth act1 

he cannot but act well1 so it  is       
necessary2 yet he may act this good or  
that good1 to this or that  degree1 so  
it is free4 ,as it is the perfection of 
his nature1 it is  necessary2 as it is  
the communication of his bounty1 it is  
voluntary4  ,the eye cannot but see if  
it be open1 yet it may glance upon this 
or  that color1 fix upon this or that   
object1 as it is conducted by the  will4
 ,god necessarily loves himself1 because
 he is good1 yet not by  constraint1 but
 freedom2 because his affection to      
himself is from a  knowledge of himself4
 ,he necessarily loves his own image1   
because it  is his image2 yet freely1   
because not blindly1 but from motions of
  understanding and will4 ,what         
necessity could there be upon him1 to   
resolve to communicate his goodness8 ,it
 could not be to make himself  better by
 it1 for he had a goodness incapable of 
any addition2 he  confers a goodness on 
his creatures1 but reaps not a harvest  
of  goodness to his own essence from his

 creatures4 ,what obligation could      
there be from the creature1 to confer a 
goodness on him to this or that  degree1
 for this or that duration8 ,if he had  
not created a man1 nor  angel1 he had   
done them no wrong2 if he had given them
 only a simple  being1 he had manifested
 a part of his goodness1 without giving 
them a  right to challenge any more of  
him2 if he had taken away their beings  
after a time when he had answered his   
end1 he had done them no injury3  for   
what law obliged him to enrich them1 and
 leave them in that being  wherein he   
had invested them1 but his sole         
goodness8 ,whatever sparks  of goodness 
any creature hath1 are the free         
effusions of ,god's bounty1  the        
offspring of his own inclination to do  
well1 the simple favor  of the donor2   
not purchased1 not merited by the       
creature4 ,god is as  unconstrained in  
his liberty1 in all his communications1 
as infinite  in his goodness1 the       
fountain of them4    #f4 ,this goodness 

is communicative with the greatest      
pleasure4 ,moses  desired to see his    
glory1 ,god assures him he should see   
his goodness  7,exod4 xxxiii4 #ah1 #ai72
 intimating that his goodness is his    
glory1 and  his glory his delight also4 
,he sends not forth his blessings with  
an  ill will2 he doth not stay till they
 are squeezed from him2 he prevents  men
 with his blessings of goodness 7,ps4   
xxi4 #c72 he is most delighted  when he 
is most diffusive2 and his pleasure in  
bestowing1 is larger  than his          
creature's in possessing4 ,he is not    
covetous of his own  treasures4 ,he lays
 up his goodness in order to laying it  
out with a  complacency wholly divine4  
,the jealousy princes have of their     
subjects  makes them sparing of their   
gifts1 for fear of giving them materials
  for rebellion3 ,god's foresight of the
 ill use men would make of his  benefits
 damped him not in bestowing his        
largesses4 ,he is incapable  of envy2   
his own happiness can no more be        

diminished1 than it can be  increased4  
,none can overtop him in goodness1      
because nothing hath any  good but what 
is derived from him2 his gifts are      
without repentance3  sorrow hath no     
footing in him1 who is infinitely happy1
 as well as  infinitely good4 ,goodness 
and envy are inconsistent4 ,how         
unjustly1 then1  did the devil accuse   
,god6 ,what ,god gives out of goodness1 
he gives with  joy and gladness4 ,he did
 not only will that we should be1 but   
rejoice  that he had brought us into    
being2 he rejoiced in his works 7,ps4   
civ4  #ca71 b#bbh and his wisdom stood  
by him1 8delighting in the habitable    
parts of the earth0 7,prov4 viii4 #ca74 
,he beheld the world after  its creation
 with a complacency1 and still governs  
it with the same  pleasure wherewith he 
reviewed it4 ,infinite cheerfulness     
attends  infinite goodness4 ,he would   
not give1 if he had not a pleasure that 
others should enjoy his goodness2 since 
he is better than anything1  and more   

communicative than anything2 he is more 
joyful in giving out1  than the sun can 
be to run its race1 in pouring forth    
light4 ,he is said  only to repent1 and 
grieve1 when men answer not the         
obligations and  ends of his goodness2  
which would be their own felicity1 as   
well as his  glory4 ,though he doth not 
force greater degrees of his goodness   
upon  those that neglect it1 yet he     
denies them not to those that solicit   
him for it3 it is always greater        
pleasure to him to impart upon the      
importunities of the creatures1 than it 
is to a mother to reach out  her breast 
to her crying and longing infant4 ,he is
 not wearied by the  solicitations of   
men2 he is pleased with their prayers1  
because he  is pleased with the         
imparting of his own goodness3 he seems 
to be in  travail with it1 longing to be
 delivered of it into the lap of his    
creature4 ,he is as much delighted with 
petitions for his liberality  in        
bestowing his best goodness1 as princes 

are weary of the craving  of their      
subjects4 ,none can be so desirous to   
squeeze those that are  under them1 as  
,god is delighted to enlarge his hand   
towards them4  ,it is the nature of his 
goodness to be glad of men's            
solicitations  for it1 because they are 
significant valuations of it1 and       
therefore  fit occasions for him to     
bestow it4 ,since he doth not delight in
 the  unhappiness of any of his         
creatures1 he certainly delights in what
 may  conduce unto their felicity4 ,he  
doth with the same delight multiply  the
 effects of his goodness where his      
wisdom sees it convenient1 as he  beheld
 the firstfruits of his goodness with a 
complacency upon laying  the topstone of
 the creation4    #g4 ,the displaying of
 this goodness was the motive and end of
 all  his works of creation and         
providence4#ife ,god being infinitely   
wise1  would not act without the highest
 reason1 and for the highest end4 ,the  
reason that induced him to create1 must 

be of as great an eminency as  himself3 
the motive could not be taken without   
him1 because there was  nothing but     
himself in being2 it must be taken1     
therefore1 from within  himself1 and    
from some one of those most excellent   
perfections whereby  we conceive him4   
,but1 upon the exact consideration of   
all of them1  none can seem to challenge
 that honor of being the motive of them1
 to  resolve the setting forth any work1
 but his own goodness2 this being  the  
first thing manifest in his creation1   
seems to be the first thing  moving him 
to a resolution to create4 ,wisdom may  
be considered as  directing1 power      
considered as acting1 but it is natural 
to reflect  upon goodness as moving the 
one to direct1 and the other to act4    
,power was the principle of his action1 
wisdom the rule of his action1  goodness
 the motive of his action2 principle and
 rule are awakened by  the motive1 and  
subservient to the end4 ,that which is  
the most amiable  perfection in the     

,divine nature1 and that which he first 
took notice  of1 as the footsteps of    
them1 in the distinct view of every     
day's work1  and the general view b#bbi 
of the whole frame1 seems to claim the  
best right to be entitled the motive and
 end of his creation of things4  ,god   
could have no end but himself1 because  
there was nothing besides  himself4     
,again1 the end of every agent is that  
which he esteems good1  and the best    
good for that kind of action3 since     
nothing is to be  esteemed good but     
,god1 nothing can be the ultimate end of
 ,god but  himself1 and his own         
goodness4 ,what a man wills chiefly is  
his end2 but  ,god cannot will any other
 thing but himself as his end1 because  
there  is nothing superior to himself in
 goodness4 ,he cannot will anything     
that supremely serves himself and his   
own goodness as his end2 for1 if  he    
did1 that which he wills must be        
superior to himself in goodness1  and   
then he is not ,god2 or inferior to him 

in goodness1 and then he  would not be  
righteous1 in willing that which is a   
lower good before  a higher4 ,god cannot
 will anything as his end of acting1 but
 himself1  without undeifying himself4  
,god's will being infinitely good1      
cannot  move for anything but what is   
infinitely good2 and1 therefore1        
whatsoever ,god made1 he made for       
himself 7,prov4 xvi4 #d71 that          
whatsoever he made might bear a badge of
 this perfection upon it1 and  be a     
discovery of his wonderful goodness3 for
 the making things for  himself doth not
 signify any indigence in ,god1 that he 
made anything  to increase his          
excellency 7for that is capable of no   
addition71 but to  manifest his         
excellency4 ,god possessing everything  
eminently in himself1  did not create   
the world for any need he had of it2    
finite things were  unable to make any  
accession to that which is infinite4    
,man1 indeed1  builds a house to be a   
shelter to him against wind and weather1

 and  makes clothes to secure him from  
cold1 and plants gardens for his        
recreation and health4 ,god is above all
 those little helps2 he did not  make   
the world for himself in such a kind1   
but for himself1 i4 e4  the             
manifestation of himself and the riches 
of his nature2 not to make  himself     
blessed1 but to discover his own        
blessedness to his creatures1  and to   
communicate something of it to them4 ,he
 did not garnish the  world with so much
 bounty1 that he might live more happily
 than he did  before1 but that his      
rational creatures might have fit       
conveniences4  ,as the end for which    
,god demands the performance of our duty
 is not for  his own advantage1 but for 
our good 7,deut4 x4 #ac71 so the end why
 he  conferred upon us the excellency of
 such a being was for our good1 and  the
 discovery of his goodness to us2 for   
had not ,god created the world1  he had 
been wholly unknown to any but himself2 
he produced creatures1  that he might be

 known3 as the sun shines not only to   
discover other  things1 but to be seen  
itself in its beauty and brightness4    
,god would  create things1 because he   
would be known in his glory and         
liberality2  hence is it that he created
 intellectual creatures1 because without
  them the rest of the creation could   
not be taken notice of3 it had been  in 
some sort in vain2 for no nature lower  
than an understanding nature1  was able 
to know the marks of ,god in the        
creation1 and acknowledge him  as ,god4 
,in this regard1 ,god is good above all 
creatures1 because he  intends only to  
communicate his goodness in creation1   
not to acquire  any goodness1 or        
excellency from them1 as men do in their
 framing  of things4 ,god is all1 and is
 destitute of nothing1 and1 therefore1  
nothing accrues to b#bcj him by the     
creation1 but the acknowledgment  of his
 goodness4 ,this goodness1 therefore1   
must be the motive and end  of all his  
works4    ,,iii4 ,the third thing1 that 

,god is good4    #a4 ,the more excellent
 anything is in nature1 the more of     
goodness and  kindness it hath4 ,for we 
see more of love and kindness in        
creatures  that are endued with sense1  
to their descendants1 than in plants1   
that  have only a principle of growth4  
,plants preserve their seeds whole that 
are enclosed in them2 animals look to   
their young only after they are  dropped
 from them2 yet1 after some time1 take  
no more notice of them  than of a       
stranger that never had any birth from  
them4 ,but man1 that  hath a higher     
principle of reason1 cherisheth his     
offspring1 and gives  them marks of his 
goodness while he lives1 and leaves not 
the world at  the time of his death     
without some testimonies of it3 much    
more must  ,god1 who is a higher        
principle than sense or reason1 be      
8good0 and  bountiful to all his        
offspring4 ,the more perfect anything   
is1 the more  it doth communicate       
itself4 ,the sun is more excellent than 

the stars1  and1 therefore1 doth more   
sensibly1 more extensively1 disperse its
  liberal beams than the stars do4 ,and 
the better any man is1 the more         
charitable he is2 ,god being the most   
excellent nature1 having nothing  more  
excellent than himself1 because nothing 
more ancient than himself1  who is the  
,ancient of ,days3 there is nothing1    
therefore1 better and  more bountiful   
than himself4    #b4 ,he is the cause of
 all created goodness2 he must therefore
  himself be the ,supreme ,good4 ,what  
good is in the heavens1 is the  product 
of some ,being above the earth2 and     
those varieties of goodness  in the     
earth1 and several creatures1 are       
somewhere in their fulness and  union3  
that1 therefore1 which possesses all    
those scattered goodnesses  in their    
fulness1 must be all good1 all that good
 which is displayed  in creatures2      
therefore sovereignly best4 ,whatsoever 
natural or  moral goodness there is in  
the world1 in angels1 or men1 or        

inferior  creatures1 is a line drawn    
from that centre1 the bubblings of that 
fountain4 ,god cannot but be better than
 all1 since the goodness that  is in    
creatures is the fruit of his own4 ,if  
he were not good1 he could  produce no  
good3 he could not bestow what he had   
not4 ,if the creature  be 8good10 as the
 apostle says 8every creature is0 7#a   
,tim4 iv4 #d71 he  must needs be better 
than all1 because they have nothing but 
what is  derived to them from him2 and  
much more goodness than all1 because    
finite beings are not capable of        
receiving into them1 and containing  in 
themselves1 all that goodness which is  
in an ,infinite ,being2 when  we search 
for good in creatures1 they come short  
of that satisfaction  which is in ,god  
7,ps4 iv4 #f74 ,as the certainty of a   
first principle of  all things1 is      
necessarily concluded from the being of 
creatures1 and  the upholding and       
sustaining power and virtue of ,god is  
concluded from  the mutability of those 

things in the world2 whence we infer1   
that  there must be some stable         
foundation of those tottering things1   
some  firm hinge upon which those       
changeable things do move1 without which
  there would be no stability in the    
kinds of things1 no order1 no           
agreement1 or union among them3 so from 
the goodness of everything1 and  their  
usefulness to us1 we must conclude b#bca
 him good1 who made all  those things4  
,and since we find distinct goodnesses  
in the creature1  we must conclude that 
one principle whence they did flow1     
excels in the  glory of goodness3 all   
those little glimmerings of goodness    
which are  scattered in the creatures1  
as the image in the glass1 represent the
  face1 posture1 motion of him whose    
image it is1 but not in the fulness  of 
life and spirit1 as in the original2 it 
is but a shadow at the  best1 and speaks
 something more excellent in the copy4  
,as ,god hath an  infiniteness of being 
above them1 so he hath a supremacy of   

goodness  beyond them3 what they have1  
is but a participation from him2 what he
  hath1 must be infinitely supereminent 
above them4 ,if anything be good  by    
itself1 it must be infinitely good1 it  
would set itself no bounds2  we must    
make as many gods1 as particulars of    
goodness in the world3 but  being good  
by the bounty of another1 that from     
whence they flow must be  the chief     
goodness4 ,it is ,god's excellency and  
goodness1 which1 like a  beam1 pierceth 
all things3 he decks spirits with       
reason1 endues matter  with form1       
furnisheth everything with useful       
qualities4#iff ,as one  beam of the sun 
illustrates fire1 water1 earth2 so one  
beam of ,god  enlightens and endows     
minds1 souls1 and universal nature3     
nothing in  the world had its goodness  
from itself1 any more than it had its   
being  from itself4 ,the cause must be  
richer than the effect4    ,but that    
which ,i intend is the defence of this  
goodness4    ,first1 ,the goodness of   

,god is not impaired by suffering sin to
 enter  into the world1 and man to fall 
thereby4 ,it is rather a testimony  of  
,god's goodness1 that he gave man an    
ability to be happy1 than any  charge   
against his goodness1 that he settled   
man in a capacity to be  evil4 ,god was 
first a benefactor to man1 before man   
could be a rebel  against ,god4 ,may it 
not be inquired1 whether it had not been
 against  the wisdom of ,god1 to have   
made a rational creature with liberty1  
and  not suffer him to act according to 
the nature he was endowed with1 and  to 
follow his own choice for some time8    
,had it been wisdom to frame a  free    
creature1 and totally to restrain that  
creature from following its  liberty8   
,had it been goodness1 as it were1 to   
force the creature to be  happy against 
its will8 ,god's goodness furnished     
,adam with a power to  stand2 was it    
contrary to his goodness1 to leave ,adam
 to a free use of  that power8 ,to make 
a creature1 and not let that creature   

act according  to the freedom of his    
nature1 might have been thought to have 
been  a blot upon his wisdom1 and a     
constraint upon the creature1 not to    
make use of that freedom of his nature1 
which the ,divine goodness had  bestowed
 upon him4 ,to what purpose did ,god    
make a law1 to govern his  rational     
creature1 and yet resolve that creature 
should not have his  choice1 whether he 
would obey it or no8 ,had he been really
 constrained  to observe it1 his        
observation of it could no more have    
been called  obedience1 than the acts of
 brutes that have a kind of natural     
constraint upon them by the instinct of 
their nature1 can be called  obedience3 
in vain had ,god endowed a creature with
 so great and noble a  principle as     
liberty4 ,had it been goodness in ,god1 
after he had b#bcb  made a reasonable   
creature1 to govern him in the same     
manner as he  does brutes by a necessary
 instinct8 ,it was the goodness of ,god 
to the  nature of men and angels1 to    

leave them in such a condition1 to be   
able  to give him a voluntary obedience1
 a nobler offering than the whole       
creation could present him with2 and    
shall this goodness be undervalued1  and
 accounted mean1 because man made an ill
 use of it1 and turned it  into         
wantonness8 ,as the unbelief of man doth
 not diminish the redeeming  grace of   
,god 7,rom4 iii4 #c71 so neither doth   
the fall of man lessen the  creating    
goodness of ,god4 ,besides1 why should  
the permission of sin  be thought more a
 blemish to his goodness1 than the      
providing a way  of redemption for the  
destroying the works of sin and the     
devil1 be  judged the glory of it1      
whereby he discovered a goodness of     
grace that  surpassed the bounds of     
nature8 ,if this were a thing that might
 seem to  obscure or deface the goodness
 of ,god1 in the permission of the fall 
of  angels and ,adam1 it was in order to
 bring forth a greater goodness in  a   
more illustrious pomp1 to the view of   

the world 7,rom4 xi4 #cb73 8,god  hath  
concluded them all in unbelief1 that he 
might have mercy upon all40  ,but if    
nothing could be alleged for the defence
 of his goodness in  this1 it were most 
comely for an ignorant creature not to  
impeach his  goodness1 but adore him in 
his proceedings1 in the same language   
the  apostle doth 7ver4 #cc73 8,o the   
depth of the riches both of the wisdom  
and knowledge of ,god6 ,how unsearchable
 are his judgments1 and his ways  past  
finding out60    ,secondly1 ,nor is his 
goodness prejudiced1 by not making all  
things the  equal subjects of it4    #a4
 ,it is true all things are not subjects
 of an equal goodness4 ,the  goodness of
 ,god is not so illustriously manifested
 in one thing as  another4 ,in the      
creation he hath dropped goodness upon  
some1 in giving  them beings and sense1 
and poured it upon others in endowing   
them with  understanding and reason4    
,the sun is full of light1 but it hath a
 want  of sense2 brutes excel in the    

vigor of sense1 but they are destitute  
of the light of reason2 man hath a mind 
and reason conferred on him1  but he    
hath neither the acuteness of mind1 nor 
the quickness of motion  equal with an  
angel4 ,in providence also he doth give 
abundance1 and  opens his hand to some2 
to others he is more sparing3 he gives  
greater  gifts of knowledge to some1    
while he lets others remain in          
ignorance2  he strikes down some1 and   
raiseth others2 he afflicts some with a 
continual pain1 while he blesseth others
 with an uninterrupted health2  he hath 
chosen one nation wherein to set up his 
gospel sun1 and leaves  another         
benighted in their own ignorance4       
8,known was ,god in ,judea2 they  were a
 peculiar people alone of all the       
nations of the earth0 7,deut4  xiv4 #b74
 ,he was not equally good to the angels3
 he held forth his  hand to support some
 in their happy habitation1 while he    
suffered  others to sink in irreparable 
ruin2 and he is not so diffusive here   

of his goodness to his own as he will be
 in heaven4 ,here their sun is          
sometimes clouded1 but there all clouds 
and shades will be blown away1  and     
melted into nothing3 instead of drops   
here1 there will be above  rivers of    
life4 ,is any creature destitute of the 
open marks of his  goodness1 though all 
are not enriched with those signal      
characters  which he vouchsafes to b#bcc
 others8 ,he that is unerring1          
pronounced  everything good distinctly  
in its production1 and the whole good in
  its universal perfection 7,gen4 i4 #d1
 #aj1 #ab1 #ah1 #ba1 #be1 #ca74 ,though 
he  made not all things equally good1   
yet he made nothing evil2 and though    
one creature in regard of its nature may
 be better than another1 yet  an        
inferior creature1 in regard of its     
usefulness in the order of the          
creation1 may be better than a superior4
 ,the earth hath a goodness  in bringing
 forth fruits1 and the waters in the sea
 a goodness in  multiplying food4 ,that 

any of us have a being is goodness2 that
 we have  not so healthful a being as   
others is unequal1 but not unjust       
goodness4  ,he is good to all1 though   
not in the same degree3 8,the whole     
earth is  full of his mercy0 7,ps4 cxix4
 #fd74 ,a good man is good to his       
cattle1  to his servants2 he makes a    
provision for all1 but he bestows not   
those  floods of bounty upon them that  
he doth upon his children4 ,as there    
are various gifts1 but one ,spirit 7#a  
,cor4 xii4 #d71 so there are various    
distributions1 but from one goodness2   
the drops1 as well as the fuller        
streams1 are of the same fountain1 and  
relish of the nature of it2 and  though 
he do not make all men partake of the   
riches of his grace after  the          
corruption of their nature1 is his      
goodness disgraced hereby8 or  doth he  
merit the title of cruelty8 ,will any   
diminish the goodness of  a father for  
his not setting up his son after he hath
 foolishly and  wilfully proved         

bankrupt2 or not rather admire his      
liberality in giving  him so large a    
stock to trade with when he first set   
him up in the  world8    #b4 ,the       
goodness of ,god to creatures1 is to be 
measured by their  distinct usefulness  
to the common end4 ,it were better for a
 toad or  serpent to be a man1 i4 e4    
better for the creature itself1 as it   
were  advanced to a higher degree of    
being1 but not better for the universe3 
he could have made every pebble a living
 creature1 and every living  creature a 
rational one2 but that he made          
everything as we see1 it was  a goodness
 to the creature itself2 but that he did
 not make it of a  higher elevation in  
nature1 was a part of his goodness to   
the rational  creature4 ,if all were    
rational creatures1 there would have    
been wanting  creatures of an inferior  
nature for their conveniency2 there     
would have  wanted the manifestation of 
the variety and 8fulness of his         
goodness40  ,had all things in the world

 been rational creatures1 much of that  
goodness which he hath communicated to  
rational creatures would not  have      
appeared3 how could man have showed his 
skill in taming and  managing creatures 
more mighty than himself8 ,what         
materials would there  have been to     
manifest the goodness of ,god1 bestowed 
upon the reasonable  creatures for      
framing excellent works and inventions8 
,much of the  goodness of ,god had lain 
wrapt up from sense and understanding4  
,all  other things partake not of so    
great a goodness as man2 yet they are   
so subservient to that goodness poured  
forth on man1 that little of it  could  
have been seen without them4 ,consider  
man1 every member in his  body hath a   
goodness in itself2 but a greater       
goodness as referred to  the whole1     
without which the goodness of the more  
noble part would not  be manifested4    
,the head is the most excellent member1 
and hath greater  impressions of ,divine
 goodness upon it1 in regard that it is 

the organ  of understanding3 b#bcd were 
every member of the body a head1 what a 
deformed monster would man be6 ,if he   
were all head1 where would be feet  for 
motion1 and arms for action8 ,man would 
be fit only for thought1 and  not for   
exercise4 ,the goodness of ,god in      
giving man so noble a part as  the head1
 could not be known without a tongue1   
whereby to express the  conception of   
his mind2 and without feet and hands    
whereby to act much  of what he         
conceives1 and determines1 and execute  
the resolves of his  will2 all those    
have a goodness in themselves1 an honor1
 a comeliness  from the goodness of ,god
 7#a ,cor4 xii4 #bb1 #bc71 but not so   
great  a goodness as the nobler part3   
yet1 if you consider them in their      
functions1 and refer them to that       
excellent member which they serve1      
their inferior goodness is absolutely   
necessary to the goodness of the  other2
 without which1 the goodness of the head
 and understanding would  lie in        

obscurity1 be insignificant to the whole
 world1 and1 in a great  measure1 to the
 person himself that wants such members4
    #c4 8,the goodness of ,god is more  
seen in this inequality40 ,if ,god  were
 equally good to all1 it would destroy  
commerce1 unity1 the  links of human    
society1 damp charity1 and render that  
useless which  is one of the noblest and
 delightfulest duties to be exercised   
here2  it would cool prayer1 which is   
excited by wants1 and is a necessary    
demonstration of the creature's         
dependence on ,god4 ,but in this        
inequality every man hath enough in his 
enjoyments for praise1 and  in his      
wants1 matter for his prayer4 ,besides  
the inequality of the  creature is the  
ornament of the world2 what pleasure    
could a garden  afford if there were but
 one sort of flowers1 or one sort of    
plants8  far less than when there is    
variety to please the sight1 and every  
other sense4 ,again1 the freedom of     
,divine goodness1 which is the glory  of

 it1 is evident hereby2 had he been     
alike good to all1 it would have  looked
 like a necessary1 not a free act2 but  
by the inequality1 it  is manifest that 
he doth not do it by a natural necessity
 as the sun  shines1 but by a voluntary 
liberty1 as being the entire ,lord1 and 
free  disposer of his own goods2 and    
that is the gift of the pleasure of his 
will1 as well as the efflux of his      
nature1 that he hath not a goodness     
without wisdom1 but a wisdom as rich as 
his bounty4    #d4 ,the goodness of ,god
 could not be equally communicated to   
all1  after their settlement in their   
several beings1because they have not  a 
capacity in their natures for it3 he    
doth bestow the marks of his  goodness  
according to that natural capacity of   
fitness he perceives in  his creatures2 
as the water of the sea fills every     
creek and gulf with  different measures1
 according to the compass each have to  
contain it2  and as the sun doth        
disperse light to the stars above1 and  

the places  below1 to some more1 to some
 less1 according to the measures of     
their  reception4 ,god doth not do good 
to all creatures according to the       
greatness of his own power1 and the     
extent of his own wealth1 but  according
 to the capacity of the subject2 not so 
much good as he can do1  but so much    
good as the creature can receive4 ,the  
creature would sink1  if ,god would pour
 out all his goodness upon it2 as ,moses
 would have  perished1 if ,god should   
have shown him all his glory 7,exod4    
xxxiii4  #ah1 #bj74 ,he doth b#bce      
manifest more good to his reasonable    
creatures1  because they are more       
capable of acknowledging1 and setting   
forth his  goodness4    #e4 ,god ought  
to be allowed the free disposal of his  
own goodness4  ,is not ,god the ,lord of
 his own gifts2 and will you not allow  
him the  privilege of having some more  
peculiar objects of his love and        
pleasure1  which you allow without blame
 to man1 and use yourself without any   

sense of a crime8 ,is a prince esteemed 
good1 though he be not equally          
bountiful to all his servants1 nor      
equally gracious in pardoning  all his  
rebels2 and shall the goodness of the   
great ,sovereign of the  world be       
impeached1 notwithstanding those mighty 
distributions of it1  because he will   
act according to his own wisdom and     
pleasure1 and not  according to men's   
fancies and humors8 ,must purblind      
reason be the  judge and director how   
,god shall dispose of his own1 rather   
than his  own infinite wisdom and       
sovereign will8 ,is ,god less good1     
because there  are numberless nothings1 
which he is able to bring into being8   
,he could  create a world of more       
creatures than he hath done3 doth he1   
therefore1  wish evil to them1 by       
letting them remain in that nothing from
 whence  he could draw them8 ,no2 but he
 denies that good to them1 which he is  
able1 if he pleased1 to confer upon     
them4 ,if ,god doth not give that  good 

to a creature which it wants by its own 
demerit1 can he be said to  wish evil to
 it2 or1 only to deny that goodness     
which the creature hath  forfeited1 and 
which is at ,god's liberty to retain or 
disperse8#ifg  ,though ,god cannot but  
love his own image where he finds it1   
yet when  this image is lost1 and the   
devil's image voluntary received1 he may
  choose whether he will manifest his   
goodness to such a one or no4 ,will  you
 not account that man liberal1 that     
distributes his alms to a great         
company1 though he rejects some8 ,much  
more will you account him good1  if he  
rejects none that implore him1 but      
dispenseth his doles to every  one upon 
their petition3 and is he not good1     
because he will not bestow  a farthing  
upon those that address not themselves  
to him8 ,god is so  good1 that he denies
 not the best good to those that seek   
him3 he  hath promised life and         
happiness to them that do so4 ,is he    
less good1  because he will not         

distribute his goodness to those that   
despise  him8 ,though he be good1 yet   
his wisdom is the rule of dispensing his
  goodness4    #f4 ,the severe          
punishment of offenders1 and the        
afflictions he inflicts  upon his       
servants1 are no violations of his      
goodness4 ,the notion of  ,god's        
vindictive justice is as naturally      
inbred1 and implanted in the  mind of   
man1 as that of his goodness1 and those 
two sentiments never  shocked one       
another4 ,the heathen never thought him 
bad1 because he was  just2 nor          
unrighteous1 because he was good4 ,god  
being infinitely good1  cannot possibly 
intend or act anything but what is good3
 8,thou art good1  and thou doest good20
 i4 e4 whatsoever thou dost is good1    
whatsoever  it be1 pleasant or painful  
to the creature 7,ps4 cxix4 #fh73       
punishments  themselves are not a moral 
evil in the person that inflicts1 though
  they are a natural evil in the person 
that suffers them4#ifh ,in  ordering    

punishment to the wicked1 good is added 
to evil2 in ordering  impunity b#bcf to 
the wicked1 evil is added to evil4 ,to  
punish  wickedness is right1 therefore  
good3 to leave men uncontrolled in their
  wickedness1 is unrighteous1 and       
therefore bad4 ,but1 again1 shall his   
justice in some few judgments in the    
world1 impeach his goodness1 more  than 
his wonderful patience to sinners is    
able to silence the calumnies  against  
him8 ,is not his hand fuller of gracious
 doles1 than of dreadful  thunderbolts8 
,doth he not oftener seem forgetful of  
his justice1 when  he pours out upon the
 guilty the streams of his mercy1 than  
to be  forgetful of his goodness1 when  
he sprinkles in the world some drops  of
 his wrath8    ,first1 ,god's judgments 
in the world1 do not infringe his       
goodness2 for1    #a4 ,the justice of   
,god is a part of the goodness of his   
nature4  ,god himself thought so1 when  
he told ,moses he would make all his    
goodness pass before him 7,exod4 xxxiii4

 #ai73 he leaves not out in  that       
enumeration of the parts of it1 his     
resolution1 by no means to  clear the   
guilty1 but to visit the iniquity of the
 fathers upon the  children 7,exod4     
xxxiv4 #g74 ,it is a property of        
goodness to hate evil1  and1 therefore1 
a property of goodness to punish it3 it 
is no less  righteousness to give       
according to the deserts of a person in 
a way  of punishment1 than to reward a  
person that obeys his precepts in a  way
 of recompense4 ,whatsoever is righteous
 is good2 sin is evil2 and1  therefore1 
whatsoever doth witness against it1 is  
good2 his goodness1  therefore1 shines  
in his justice1 for without being just  
he could not  be good4 ,sin is a moral  
disorder in the world3 every sin is     
injustice3  injustice breaks ,god's     
order in the world2 there is a necessity
  therefore of justice to put the world 
in order4 ,punishment orders the  person
 committing the injury1 who1 when he    
will not be in the order  of obedience1 

must be in the order of suffering for   
,god's honor4 ,the  goodness of all     
things which ,god pronounced so1        
consisted in their  order and beneficial
 helpfulness to one another3 when this  
order is  inverted1 the goodness of the 
creature ceaseth3 if it be a bad thing  
to spoil this order1 is it not a part of
 ,divine goodness to reduce them  into  
order1 that they may be reduced in some 
measure to their goodness8  ,do we ever 
account a governor less in goodness1    
because he is exact in  justice1 and    
punisheth that which makes a disorder in
 his government8  and is it a diminution
 of the ,divine goodness1 to punish that
 which  makes a disorder in the world8  
,as wisdom without goodness would be a  
serpentine craft1 and issue in          
destruction2 so goodness without justice
  would be impotent indulgence1 and cast
 things into confusion4 ,when  ,abel's  
blood cried out for vengeance against   
,cain1 it spake a good  thing2 ,christ's
 blood speaking better things than the  

blood of ,abel1  implies that ,abel's   
blood spake a good thing2 the           
comparative implies  a positive 7,heb4  
xii4 #bd74 ,if it were the goodness of  
that innocent  blood to demand justice1 
it could not be a badness in the        
,sovereign  of the world to execute it4 
,how can ,god sustain the part of a good
  and righteous judge1 if he did not    
preserve human society8 and how  would  
it be preserved1 without manifesting    
himself by public judgments  against    
public wrongs8 ,is there not as great a 
necessity that goodness  should have    
instruments of judgment1 as that there  
should be b#bcg  prisons1 bridewells1   
and gibbets1 in a good commonwealth8    
,did not the  thunderbolts of ,god      
sometimes roar in the ears of men1 they 
would sin  with a higher hand than they 
do1 fly more in the face of ,god1 make  
the world as much a moral1 as it was at 
first a natural chaos3 the  ingenuity of
 men would be damped1 if there were not 
something to work  upon their fears1 to 

keep them in their due order4 ,impunity 
of the  innocent person is worse than   
any punishment4 ,it is a misery to want 
medicines for the cure of a sharp       
disease2 and a mark of goodness in  a   
prince to consult for the security of   
the political body1 by cutting  off a   
gangrened and corrupting member3 and    
what prince would deserve  the noble    
title of good1 if he did not restrain1  
by punishment1 those  evils which impair
 the public welfare8 ,is it not         
necessary that the  examples of sin1    
whereby others have been encouraged to  
wickedness1  should be made examples of 
justice1 whereby the same persons and   
others  may be discouraged from what    
before they were greedily inclined unto8
  ,is not a hatred of what is bad and   
unworthy1 as much a part of ,divine     
goodness1 as a love to what is          
excellent1 and bears a resemblance to   
himself8 ,could he possibly be accounted
 good1 that should bear the same  degree
 of affection to a prodigious vice1 as  

to a sublime virtue8 and  should behave 
himself in the same manner of carriage  
to the innocent  and culpable8 could you
 account him good1 if he did always with
  pleasure behold evil1 and perpetually 
suffer the oppressions of the  innocent 
under unpunished wickedness8 ,how should
 we know the goodness  of the ,divine   
nature1 and his affection to the        
goodness of his creature1  if he did not
 by some acts of severity witness his   
implacable aversion  against sin1 and   
his care to preserve the good government
 of the world8  ,if corrupted creatures 
should always be exempt from the effects
 of  his indignation1 he would declare  
himself not to be infinitely good1      
because he would not be really          
righteous4 ,no man thinks it a natural  
vice in the sun1 by the power of its    
scorching heat1 to dry up and  consume  
the unwholesome vapors of the air2 nor  
are the demonstrations  of ,divine      
justice any blots upon his goodness1    
since they are both for  the defence and

 glory of his holiness1 and for the     
preservation of the  beauty and order of
 the world4    #b4 ,is it not part of   
the goodness of ,god to make laws1 and  
annex  threatenings2 and shall it be an 
impeachment of his goodness to support  
them8 ,the more severe laws are made for
 deterring evil1 the better is  that    
prince accounted in making such         
provision for the welfare of the        
community4 ,the design of laws1 and the 
design of upholding the honor of  those 
laws by the punishment of offenders1 is 
to promote goodness and  restrain evil2 
the execution of those laws must be     
therefore pursuant  to the same design  
of goodness which first settled them4   
,would it not  be contrary to goodness1 
to suffer that which was designed for   
the  support of goodness1 to be scorned 
and slighted8 ,it would neither be      
prudence nor goodness1 but folly and    
vice1 to let laws1 which were  made to  
promote virtue1 be broken with impunity4
 ,would not this be  to weaken virtue1  

and give a new life and vigor to vice8  
,not only  the righteousness of the law 
itself1 but the wisdom of the ,lawgiver 
would be exposed b#bch to contempt1 if  
the violations of it remained           
uncontrolled1 and the violence offered  
by men passed unpunished4  ,none but    
will acknowledge the ,divine precepts to
 be the image of the  righteousness of  
,god1 and beneficial for the common good
 of the world  7,rom4 vii4 #ab73 8,the  
law is holy1 just1 and good10 and so is 
every  precept of it2 the law is for no 
other end1 but to keep the creature  in 
subjection to1 and dependence on ,god2  
this dependence could not be  preserved 
without a law1 nor that law be kept in  
reputation1 without  a penalty2 nor     
would that penalty be significant       
without an execution4  ,every law loseth
 the nature of a law1 without a penalty2
 and the  penalty loseth its vigor1     
without the infliction of it3 how can   
those  laws attain their end1 if the    
transgressions of them be not punished8 

,would not the wickedness of the men's  
hearts be encouraged by such a  kind of 
uncomely goodness8 and all the          
threatenings be to no other end1  than  
to engender vain and fruitless fears in 
the minds of men8 ,is it  good for the  
majesty of ,god to suffer itself to be  
trampled on by his  vassals8 to suffer  
men1 by their rebellion1 to level his   
law with the  wickedness of their own   
hearts2 and by impunity slight his own  
glory1  and encourage their             
disobedience8 ,who would give any man1  
any prince1  any father1 that should do 
so1 the name of a good governor8 ,if it 
were  a fruit of ,divine goodness to    
make laws1 is it contrary to goodness   
to support the honor of them8 ,it is    
every whit as rational and as good  to  
vindicate the honor of his laws by      
justice1 as at first to settle  them by 
authority2 as much goodness to vindicate
 it from contempt1 as  at first to enact
 it2 as it is as much wisdom to preserve
 a law1 as  at first to frame it3 shall 

his precepts be thought by him unworthy 
of a support1 that were not thought by  
him unworthy to be made8 ,the  same     
reason of goodness that led him to      
enjoin them1 will lead him  to revenge  
them4 ,did evil appear odious to him1   
while he enacted this  law2 and would   
not his goodness1 as well as his wisdom1
 appear odious  to him1 if he did never 
execute it8 ,would it not be a denial of
 his  own goodness1 to be led by the    
foolish and corrupt judgment of his     
creatures1 and slight his own law1      
because his rebels spurn at it8  ,since 
he valued it before they could actually 
contemn it1 would he not  misjudge his  
own law and his own wisdom1 discount    
from the true value  of them1 condemn   
his own acts1 censure his precepts as   
unrighteous1  and therefore evil and    
injurious8 remove the differences       
between good  and evil1 look upon vice  
as virtue1 and wickedness as            
righteousness1  if he thought his       
commands unworthy a vindication8 ,how   

can there be any  support to the honor  
of his precepts1 without sometimes      
executing the  severity of his          
threatenings8 ,and as to his            
threatenings of punishment  for the     
breach of his laws1 are they not        
designed to discourage  wickedness1 as  
the promises of reward were designed to 
encourage  goodness8 ,hath he not       
multiplied the one1 to scare men from   
sin1 as  well as the other1 to allure   
men to obedience8 ,is not the same truth
  engaged to support the one1 as well as
 the other2 and how could he  be        
abundant in goodness1 if he were not    
abundant in truth 7,exod4 xxxiv4  #f78  
both are linked together2 if he         
neglected his truth1 he would  be out of
 love with his own goodness2 since it   
cannot be manifested  in performing the 
promises to the obedient1 if b#bci it be
 not also  manifested in executing his  
threatenings upon the rebellious4 ,had  
not  ,god annexed threatenings to his   
laws1 he would have had no care of  his 

own goodness4 ,the order between ,god   
and the creature1 wherein the           
declaration of his goodness consisted1  
might have been easily broken by  his   
creature2 man would have freed himself  
from subjection to ,god2 been           
unaccountable to him1 had this consisted
 with that infinite goodness  whereby he
 loves himself1 and loves his creatures4
 ,as therefore the  annexing            
threatenings to his law1 was a part of  
his goodness2 the  execution of them is 
so far from being a blemish1 that it is 
the  honor of his goodness4 ,the rewards
 of obedience1 and the punishment of    
disobedience1 refer to the same end1    
viz4 the due manifestation of  the      
valuation of his own law1 the glorifying
 his own goodness1 which  enjoined so   
beneficial a law for man1 and the       
support of that goodness  in the        
creatures1 which by that law he demands 
righteously and kindly  of them4    #c4 
,hence it follows1 ,that not to punish  
evil1 would be a want of  goodness to   

himself4 ,the goodness of ,god is an    
indulgent goodness1 in a  way of wisdom 
and reason2 not a fond goodness1 in a   
way of weakness and  folly3 would it not
 be a weakness1 always to bear with the 
impenitent8  a want of expressing a     
goodness to goodness itself8 ,would not 
goodness  have more reason to complain1 
for a want of justice to rescue it1     
than men have reason to complain1 for   
the exercise of justice in  the         
vindication of it8 ,if ,god established 
all things in order1 with  infinite     
wisdom and goodness1 and ,god silently  
beheld1 forever1 this  order broken1    
would he not either charge himself with 
a want of power1  or a want of will1 to 
preserve the marks of his own goodness8 
,would  it be a kindness to himself to  
be careless of the breaches of his own  
orders8 ,his throne would shake1 yea1   
sink from under him1 if justice1        
whereby he sentenceth1 and judgment1    
whereby he executes his sentence1  were 
not the supports of it 7,ps4 lxxxix4    

#ad74 8,justice and judgment  are the   
habitation of thy throne10 1 the        
stability or foundation of  thy throne4 
,so1 ,ps4 xciii4 #b4 ,man would forget  
his relation to ,god2  ,god would be    
unknown to be sovereign of the world1   
were he careless  of the breaches of his
 own order 7,ps4 ix4 #af74 8,the ,lord  
is known by  the judgments which he     
executes20 is it not a part of his      
goodness1 to  preserve the indispensable
 order between himself and his          
creatures8 ,his  own sovereignty1 which 
is good1 and the subjection of the      
creature to  him as sovereign1 which is 
also good2 the one would not be         
maintained  in its due place1 nor the   
other restrained in due limits1 without 
punishment4 ,would it be a goodness in  
him to see goodness itself  trampled    
upon constantly1 without some time or   
other appearing for  the relief of it8  
,is it not a goodness to secure his own 
honor1  to prevent further evil8 ,is it 
not a goodness to discourage men by     

judgments1 sometimes1 from a contempt   
and ill use of his bounty2 as  well as  
sometimes patiently to bear with them1  
and wait upon them for a  reformation8  
,must ,god be bad to himself1 to be kind
 to his enemies8 ,and  shall it be      
accounted an unkindness1 and a mark of  
evil in him1 not to  suffer himself to  
be always outraged and defied8 ,the     
world is wronged  by sin1 as well as    
,god is injured by it4 ,how could ,god  
be good to  himself1 if he righted not  
his b#bdj own honor8 or be a good       
governor  of the world1 if he did not   
sometimes witness against the injuries  
it  receives sometimes from the works of
 his hands8 ,would he be good to        
himself1 as a ,god1 to be careless of   
his own honor8 or good1 as the  ,rector 
of the world1 and be regardless of the  
world's confusion8 ,that  ,god should   
give an eternal good to that creature   
that declines its duty1  and despiseth  
his sovereignty1 is not agreeable to the
 goodness of his  wisdom1 or that of his

 righteousness4 ,it is a part of ,god's 
goodness  to love himself4 ,would he    
love his sovereignty1 if he saw it daily
  slighted1 without sometimes           
discovering how much he values the honor
  of it8 ,would he have any esteem for  
his own goodness1 if he beheld it       
trampled upon1 without any will to      
vindicate it8 ,doth mercy deserve  the  
name of cruelty1 because it pleads      
against a creature that hath so  often  
abused it1 and hath refused to have any 
pity exercised towards it  in a         
righteous and regular way8 ,is          
sovereignty destitute of goodness1      
because it preserves its honor against  
one that would not have it reign  over  
him8 ,would he not seem1 by such a      
regardlessness1 to renounce his  own    
essence1 undervalue and undermine his   
own goodness1 if he had not  an         
implacable aversion to whatsoever is    
contrary to it8 ,if men turn  grace into
 wantonness1 is it not more reasonable  
he should turn his  grace into justice8 

,all his attributes1 which are parts of 
his goodness1  engage him to punish sin2
 without it1 his authority would be     
vilified1  his purity stained1 his power
 derided1 his truth disgraced1 his      
justice  scorned1 his wisdom slighted2  
he would be thought to have dissembled  
in  his laws2 and be judged1 according  
to the rules of reason1 to be void  of  
true goodness4    #d4 ,punishment is not
 the primary intention of ,god4 ,it is  
his goodness  that he hath no mind to   
punish2 and therefore he hath put a bar 
to  evil1 by his prohibitions and       
threatenings1 that he might prevent sin1
  and1 consequently1 any occasions of   
severity against his creature4#ifi  ,the
 principal intention of ,god1 in his    
law1 was to encourage goodness1  that he
 might reward it2 and when1 by the      
commission of evil1 ,god is  provoked to
 punish1 and takes the sword into his   
hand1 he doth not act  against the      
nature of his goodness1 but against the 
first intention  of his goodness in his 

precepts1 which was to reward2 as a good
 judge  principally intends1 in the     
exercise of his office1 to protect good 
men  from violence1 and maintain the    
honor of the laws1 yet1 consequently1   
to punish bad men1 without which the    
protection of the good would not  be    
secured1 nor the honor of the law be    
supported2 and a good judge1 in  the    
exercise of his office1 doth principally
 intend the encouragement  of the good1 
and wisheth there were no wickedness    
that might occasion  punishment2 and1   
when he doth sentence a malefactor1 in  
order to the  execution of him1 he doth 
not act against the goodness of his     
nature1  but pursuant to the duty of his
 place1 but wisheth he had no occasion  
for such severity4 ,thus ,god seems to  
speak of himself 7,isa4 xxviii4 #ba72   
he calls the act of his wrath his       
8strange work1 his strange act20 a      
work1 not against his nature1 as the    
,governor of the world1 but against  his
 first intention1 as ,creator1 which was

 to manifest his goodness2  therefore he
 moves with a slow pace in those acts1  
b#bda brings out  his judgments with    
relentings of heart1 and seems to cast  
out his  thunderbolts with a trembling  
hand3 8,he doth not afflict willingly1  
nor  grieve the children of men0 7,lam4 
iii4 #cc72 and therefore he 8delights   
not in the death of a sinner0 7,ezek4   
xxxiii4 #aa72 not in death1 as  death2  
in punishment1 as punishment2 but as it 
reduceth the suffering  creature to the 
order of his precept1 or reduceth him   
into order under  his power1 or reforms 
others who are spectators of the        
punishment upon  a criminal of their own
 nature2 ,god only hates the sin1 not   
the sinner2  he desires only the        
destruction of the one1 not the misery  
of the other2  the nature of a man doth 
not displease him1 because it is a work 
of  his own goodness1 but the nature of 
the sinner displeaseth him1 because  it 
is a work of the sinner's own           
extravagance4#igj ,divine goodness      

pitcheth not its hatred primarily upon  
the sinner1 but upon the sin3  but since
 he cannot punish the sin without       
punishing the subject to  which it      
cleaves1 the sinner falls under his     
lash4 ,whoever regards a  good judge as 
an enemy to the malefactor1 but as an   
enemy to his crime1  when he doth       
sentence and execute him8    #e4        
,judgments in the world have a goodness 
in them1 therefore they are  no         
impeachments of the goodness of ,god4   
7#a47 ,a goodness in their preparations4
 ,he sends not judgments without  giving
 warnings2 his justice is so far from   
extinguishing his goodness1  that his   
goodness rather shines out in the       
preparations of his justice2  he gives  
men time1 and sends them messengers1 to 
persuade them to  another temper of     
mind1 that he may change his hand1 and  
exercise  his liberality where he       
threatened his severity4 ,when the      
heathen had  presages of some evil upon 
their persons or countries1 they took   

them  for invitations to repentance1    
excited themselves to many acts of      
devotion1 implored his favor1 and often 
experimented it4 ,the ,ninevites1  upon 
the proclamation of the destruction of  
their city by ,jonah1 fell  to          
petitioning him1 whereby they signified1
 that they thought him good1  though he 
were just1 and more prone to pity than  
severity2 and their  humble carriage    
caused the arrows he had ready against  
them to drop  out of his hands 7,jonah  
iii4 #i1 #aj74 ,when he brandisheth his 
sword1  he wishes for some to stand in  
that gap1 to mollify his anger1 that  he
 might not strike the fatal blow 7,ezek4
 xxxii4 #cj72 8,i sought for  a man     
among them that should make up the      
hedge1 and stand in the gap  before me  
in the land1 that ,i should not destroy 
it40 ,he was desirous  that his         
creatures might be in a capacity to     
receive the marks of  his bounty4#iga   
,this he signified1 not obscurely1 to   
,moses 7,exod4  xxxii4 #aj71 when he    

spoke to him to let him alone1 that his 
anger  might wax hot against the people1
 after they had made a golden calf and  
worshipped it4 8,let me alone10 said    
,god3 not that ,moses restrained him1   
saith ,chrysostom1 who spake nothing to 
him1 but stood silent before him1  and  
knew nothing of the people's idolatry2  
but ,god would give him an  occasion of 
praying for them1 that he might exercise
 his mercy towards  them2 yet in such a 
manner1 that the people1 being struck   
with a sense  of their crime1 and the   
horror of ,divine justice1 they might be
 amended  for the future1 when they     
should understand that their death was  
not  averted by their b#bdb own merit or
 intercession1 but by ,moses1 his       
patronage of them1 and pleading for     
them2 as we see sometimes masters  and  
fathers angry with their servants and   
children1 and preparing  themselves to  
punish them1 but secretly wish some     
friend to intercede  for them1 and take 
them out of their hands3 there is a     

goodness shining  in the preparations of
 his judgments4    #b4 ,a goodness in   
the execution of them4 ,they are good1  
as they shew  ,god disaffected to evil1 
and conduce to the glory of his         
holiness1 and  deter others from        
presumptuous sins 7,deut4 x4 #c73 8,i   
will be glorified  in all that draw near
 unto me20in his judgment upon ,nadab   
and ,abihu1  the sons of ,aaron1 for    
offering strange fire4 ,by them ,god    
preserves  the excellent footsteps of   
his own goodness in his creation and his
  law1 and curbs the licentiousness of  
men1 and contains them within the       
bounds of their duty4 8,thy judgments   
are good10 saith the ,psalmist 7,ps4    
cxix4 xxxix472 i4 e4 thy judicial       
proceedings upon the wicked2 for  he    
desires ,god there to turn away1 by some
 signal act1 the reproach  the wicked   
cast upon him4 ,can there be any thing  
more miserable than  to live in a world 
full of wickedness1 and void of the     
marks of ,divine  goodness and justice  

to repress it8 ,were there not judgments
 in the  world1 men would forget ,god1  
be insensible of his government of the  
world1 neglect the exercises of natural 
and christian duties2 religion  would be
 at its last gasp1 and expire among     
them1 and men would pretend  to break   
,god's precepts by ,god's authority4    
,are they not good1 then1  as they      
restrain the creature from further      
evils2 affright others from  the same   
crimes which they were inclinable to    
commit8 ,he strikes some1  to reform    
others that are spectators2 as          
,apollonius tamed pigeons by  beating   
dogs before them4 ,punishments are      
,god's gracious warnings to  others1 not
 to venture upon the crimes which they  
see attended with  such judgments4 ,the 
censers of ,corah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram1
 were to be  wrought into plates for a  
covering of the altar1 to abide there as
  a memento to others1 not to approach  
to the exercise of the priestly  office 
without an authoritative call from ,god 

7,numb4 xvi4 #ch1 #dj72  and those      
judgments exercised in the former ages  
of the world1 were  intended by ,divine 
goodness for warnings1 even in          
evangelical times4  ,lot's wife was     
turned into a pillar of salt1 to prevent
 men from  apostasy2 that use ,christ   
himself makes of it1 in the exhortation 
against 8turning back0 7,luke xvii4 #cb1
 #cc74 ,and 7,ps4 lviii4 #aj73 8,the    
righteous shall wash his feet in the    
blood of the wicked40 ,when ,god  shall 
drench his sword in the blood of the    
wicked1 the righteous shall  take       
occasion from thence1 to purify         
themselves1 and reform their ways1  and 
look to the paths of their feet4 ,would 
not impunity be hurtful  to the world1  
and men receive encouragement to sin1 if
 severities  sometimes did not bridle   
them from the practice of their         
inclinations8  ,sometimes the sinner    
himself is reformed1 and sometimes      
removed from  being an example to       
others4 ,though thunder be an           

affrightening noise1  and lightning a   
scaring flash1 yet they have a liberal  
goodness in them1  in shattering and    
consuming those contagious vapors which 
burden and  infect the air1 and thereby 
render it more clear and healthful4     
,again1  there are few acts of ,divine  
justice upon a people1 but are in b#bdc 
the very execution of them attended with
 demonstrations of his goodness  to     
others2 he is a protector of his own1   
while he is a revenger on  his enemies2 
when he rides upon his horses in anger  
against some1 his  chariots are         
8chariots of salvation0 to others 7,hab4
 iii4 #h74 ,terror  makes way for       
salvation2 the overthrow of ,pharaoh and
 the strength of  his nation1 completed 
the deliverance of the ,israelites4 ,had
 not the  ,egyptians met with their     
destruction1 the ,israelites had        
unavoidably  met with their ruin1       
against all the promises ,god had made  
to them1  and to the defamation of his  
former justice1 in the former plagues   

upon  their oppressors4 ,the death of   
,herod was the security of ,peter1 and  
the  rest of the maliced christians4    
,the gracious deliverance of good men   
is often occasioned by some severe      
stroke upon some eminent persecutor2    
the destruction of the oppressor is the 
rescue of the innocent4 ,again1  where  
is there a judgment but leaves more     
criminals behind than it  sweeps away1  
that deserved to be involved in the same
 fate with the  rest8 ,more ,egyptians  
were left behind to possess and enjoy   
the goodness  of their fruitful land1   
than they were that were hurried into   
another  world by the overflowing waves2
 is not this a mark of goodness as  well
 as severity8 ,again1 is it not a       
goodness in ,him not to pour out        
judgments according to the greatness of 
his power8 to go gradually to  work with
 those whom he might in a moment blow to
 destruction with one  breath of his    
mouth8 ,again1 he sometimes exerciseth  
judgments upon some1  to form a new     

generation for himself2 he destroyed an 
old world1 to  raise a new one more     
righteous1 as a man pulls down his old  
buildings  to erect a sounder and more  
stately fabric4 ,to sum up what hath    
been  said in this particular2 how could
 ,god be a friend to goodness1 if  he   
were not an enemy to evil8 how could he 
shew his enmity to evil1  without       
revenging the abuse and contempt of his 
goodness8 ,god would  rather have the   
repentance of a sinner than his         
punishment2 but the  sinner would rather
 expose himself to the severest frowns  
of ,god1 than  pursue those methods     
wherein he hath settled the conveyances 
of his  kindness2 8,you will not come to
 me that you might have life10 saith    
,christ4 ,how is eternity of punishment 
inconsistent with the goodness of  ,god8
 nay1 how can ,god be good without it8  
,if wickedness always remain  in the    
nature of man1 is it not fit the rod    
should always remain on  the back of    
men8 ,is it a want of goodness that     

keeps an incorrigible  offender in      
chains in a bridewell8 ,while sin       
remains1 it is fit it  should be        
punished2 would not ,god else be an     
enemy to his own goodness1  and shew    
favor to that which doth abuse it1 and  
is contrary to it8  ,he hath threatened 
eternal flames to sinners1 that he might
 the more  strongly excite them to a    
reformation of their ways1 and a        
practice of  his precepts4 ,in those    
threatenings he hath manifested his     
goodness2  and can it be bad in him to  
defend what his goodness hath commanded1
  and execute what his goodness hath    
threatened8 ,his truth is also a part   
of his goodness2 for it is nothing but  
his goodness performing that  which it  
obliged him to do4 ,that is the first   
thing2 severe judgments  in the world   
are no impeachments of his goodness4    
,secondly1 ,the afflictions ,god        
inflicts upon his servants1 are no      
b#bdd violations of his goodness4       
,sometimes ,god afflicts men for their  

temporal and eternal good2 for the good 
of their grace1 in order to the  good of
 their glory2 which is a more excellent 
good1 than afflictions  can be an evil4 
,the heathens reflected upon ,ulysses'  
hardship1 as  a mark of ,jupiter's      
goodness and love to him1 that his      
virtue might  be more conspicuous4 ,by  
strong persecutions brought upon the    
church1  her lethargy is cured1 her     
chaff purged1 the glorious fruit of the 
gospel brought forth in the lives of her
 children2 the number of her  proselytes
 multiply1 and the strength of her weak 
ones is increased1  by the testimonies  
of courage and constancy which the      
stronger present  to them in their      
sufferings4 ,do these good effects speak
 a want of  goodness in ,god1 who brings
 them into this condition8 ,by those he 
cures  his people of their corruptions1 
and promotes their glory1 by giving     
them the honor of suffering for the     
truth1 and raiseth their spirits  to a  
divine pitch4 ,the epistles of ,paul to 

the ,ephesians1 ,philippians1  and      
,colossians1 wrote by him while he was  
in ,nero's chains1 seem to  have a      
higher strain than some of those he     
wrote when he was at liberty4  ,as for  
afflictions1 they are marks of a greater
 measure of fatherly  goodness than he  
discovers to those that live in an      
uninterrupted  prosperity1 who are not  
dignified with that glorious title of   
sons1 as  those are that 8he chasteneth0
 7,heb4 xii4 #f1 #g74 ,can any question 
the  goodness of the father that        
corrects his child to prevent his vice  
and  ruin1 and breed him up to virtue   
and honor8 ,it would be a cruelty in  a 
father leaving his child without        
chastisement1 to leave him to that      
misery an ill education would reduce him
 to3 8,god judges us that we  might not 
be condemned with the world0 7#a ,cor4  
xi4 #cb74 ,is it not a  greater goodness
 to separate us from the world to       
happiness by his  scourge1 than to leave
 us to the condemnation of the world for

 our  sins8 ,is it not a greater        
goodness to make us smart here1 than to 
see  us scorched hereafter8 ,as he is   
our ,shepherd1 it is no part of his     
enmity or illwill to us1 to make us feel
 sometimes the weight of his  shepherd's
 crook1 to reduce us from our           
struggling4 ,the visiting our           
transgressions with rods1 and our       
iniquities with stripes1 is one of  the 
articles of the covenant of grace1      
wherein the greatest lustre  of his     
goodness appears 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #cc74    
,the advantage and gain of  our         
afflictions is a greater testimony of   
his goodness to us1 than the  pain can  
be of his unkindness2 the smart is well 
recompensed by the  accession of clearer
 graces4 ,it is rather a high mark of   
goodness1 than  an argument for the want
 of it1 that he treats us as his        
children1 and  will not suffer us to run
 into that destruction we are more      
ambitious  of1 than the happiness he    
hath prepared for us1 and by afflictions

 he  fits us for the partaking of1 by   
8imparting his holiness10 together  with
 the inflicting his rod 7,heb4 xii4     
#aj74 ,that is the third thing1  ,god is
 good4    ,,iv4 ,the fourth thing is the
 manifestation of this goodness in      
,creation1 ,redemption1 and ,providence4
    ,first1 ,in ,creation4 ,this is     
apparent from what hath been said       
before1 that no other attribute could be
 the motive of his creating1  but his   
goodness2 his goodness was the cause    
that he made any thing1  and his wisdom 
was the cause that he made every thing  
in b#bde order  and harmony4 ,he        
pronounced 8every thing good10 i4 e4    
such as became  his goodness to bring   
forth into being1 and rested in them    
more1 as  they were stamps of his       
goodness1 than as they were marks of his
 power1  or beams of his wisdom4 ,and if
 all creatures were able to answer to   
this question1 ,what that was which     
created them8 the answer would be1      
,almighty power1 but employed by the    

motion of infinite goodness4#igb  ,all  
the varieties of creatures are so many  
apparitions of this goodness4  ,though  
,god be one1 yet he cannot appear as a  
,god but in variety4 ,as  the greatness 
of power is not manifest but in variety 
of works1 and an  acute understanding   
not discovered but in variety of        
reasonings1 so an  infinite goodness is 
not so apparent as in variety of        
communications4    #a4 ,the creation    
proceeds from goodness4 ,it is the      
goodness of ,god to  extract such       
multitudes of things from the depths of 
nothing4 ,because  ,god is good1 things 
have a being2 if he had not been good1  
nothing  could have been good2 nothing  
could have imparted that which it       
possessed not2 nothing but goodness     
could have communicated to things  an   
excellency1 which before they wanted4   
,being is much more excellent  than     
nothing4 ,by this goodness1 therefore1  
the whole creation was  brought out of  
the dark womb of nothing2 this formed   

their natures1  this beautified them    
with their several ornaments and        
perfections1  whereby everything was    
enabled to act for the good of the      
common world4  ,god did not create      
things because he was a living ,being1  
but because  he was a good ,being4 ,no  
creature brought forth anything in the  
world  merely because it is1 but because
 it is good1 and by a communicated      
goodness fitted for such a production4  
,if ,god had been the creating          
principle of things only as he was a    
living ,being1 or as he was an          
understanding ,being1 then all things   
should have partaken of life and        
understanding1 because all things were  
to bear some characters of the  ,deity  
upon them4 ,if by understanding1 solely1
 ,god were the ,creator of  all things1 
all things should have borne the mark of
 the ,deity upon  them1 and should have 
been more or less understanding2 but he 
created  things as he was good1 and by  
goodness he renders all things more  or 

less like himself3 hence everything is  
accounted more noble1 not  in regard of 
its being1 but in regard of the         
beneficialness of its  nature4 ,the     
being of things was not the end of ,god 
in creating1 but the  goodness of their 
being4 ,god did not rest from his works 
because they  were his works1 i4 e4     
because they had a being2 but because   
they  had a good being 7,gen4 i472      
because they were naturally useful to   
the universe3 nothing was more pleasing 
to him1 than to behold those  shadows   
and copies of his own goodness in his   
works4    #b4 ,creation was the first   
act of goodness without himself4 ,when  
he was alone from eternity1 he contented
 himself with himself1  abounding in his
 own blessedness1 delighting in that    
abundance2 he was  incomprehensively    
rich in the possession of an unstained  
felicity4#igc  ,this creation was the   
first efflux of his goodness without    
himself3  for the work of creation      
cannot be called a work of mercy4#igd   

,mercy  supposeth a creature miserable1 
but that which hath no being is subject 
b#bdf to no misery2 for to be miserable 
supposeth a nature in being1  and       
deprived of that good which belongs to  
the pleasure and felicity  of nature2   
but since there was no being1 there     
could be no misery4  ,the creation1     
therefore1 was not an act of mercy1 but 
an act of sole  goodness2 and1          
therefore1 it was the speech of an      
heathen1 that when  ,god first set upon 
the creation of the world1 he           
transformed himself  into love and      
goodness1        4#ige ,this led forth1 
and animated his power1 the first       
moment it drew the universe out of the  
womb of nothing4 ,and1    #c4 ,there is 
not one creature but hath a character of
 his goodness4  ,the whole world is a   
map to represent1 and a herald to       
proclaim this  perfection4 ,it is as    
difficult not to see something of it in 
every  creature with the eye of our     
minds1 as it is not to see the beams of 

the shining sun with those off our      
bodies4 8,he is good to all0 7,ps4      
cxlv4 #i72 he is1 therefore1 good in    
all2 not a drop of the creation1  but is
 a drop of his goodness4 ,these are the 
colors worn upon the  heads of every    
creature4 ,as in every spark the light  
of the fire is  manifested1 so doth     
every grain of the creation wear the    
visible badges  of this perfection4 ,in 
all the lights1 the ,father of ,lights  
hath made  the riches of goodness       
apparent2 no creature is silent in it2  
it is  legible to all nations in every  
work of his hands4 ,that1 as it is said 
of ,christ 7,ps4 xl4 #g71 8,in the      
volume of thy book it is written of me30
  ,in the volume of the book of the     
,scripture it is written of me1 and my  
goodness in redemption3 so it may be    
said of ,god1 ,in the volume of the     
book of the creature it is written of   
me1 and my goodness in creation4  ,every
 creature is a page in this book1 whose 
8line is gone through  all the earth1   

and their words to the end of the world0
 7,ps4 xix4 #d72  though1 indeed1 the   
less goodness in some is obscured by the
 more  resplendent goodness he hath     
imparted unto others4 ,what an admirable
  piece of goodness is it to communicate
 life to a fly6 ,how should we  stand   
gazing upon it1 till we turn our eye    
inwards1 and view our own  frame1 which 
is much more ravishing6    ,but let us  
see the goodness of ,god in the creation
 of man1in the  being and nature of man4
 ,god hath1 with a liberal hand1        
conferred upon  every creature the best 
being it was capable of in that station 
and  order1 and conducing to that end   
and use in the world he intended it     
for4 ,but when you have run over all the
 measures of goodness ,god hath  poured 
forth upon other creatures1 you will    
find a greater fulness  of it in the    
nature of man1 whom he hath placed in a 
more sublime  condition1 and endued with
 choicer prerogatives1 than other       
creatures3  he was made but little lower

 than the angels1 and much more loftily 
crowned with glory and honor than other 
creatures 7,ps4 viii4 #e74 ,had it  not 
been for ,divine goodness1 that         
excellent creature had lain wrapt up  in
 the abyss of nothing2 or if he had     
called it out of nothing1 there  might  
have been less of skill and less of     
goodness displayed in the  forming of   
it1 and a lesser kind of being imparted 
to it1 than what he  hath conferred4    
#a4 ,how much of goodness is visible in 
his body6 ,god drew out some part  of   
the dust of the ground1 and copied out  
this perfection1 as well as  that of his
 power1 on that mean matter1 by erecting
 it into b#bdg the  form of a man1      
quickening that earth by the inspiration
 of a 8living  soul0 7,gen4 ii4 #g73 of 
this matter he composed an excellent    
body1 in  regard of the majesty of the  
face1 erectness of its stature1 and     
grace  of every part4 ,how neatly hath  
he wrought this 8tabernacle of clay1    
this earthly house10 as the apostle     

calls it 7#b ,cor4 v4 #a76 a curious    
wrought piece of needlework1 a comely   
artifice 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #ae71 an         
embroidered case for an harmonious lute4
 ,what variety of members1 with  a due  
proportion1 without confusion1 beautiful
 to sight1 excellent  for use1 powerful 
for strength6 ,it hath eyes to conduct  
its motion1 to  serve in matter for the 
food1 and delight of the understanding2 
ears to  let in the pleasure of sound1  
to convey intelligence of the affairs of
  the world1 and the counsels of heaven1
 to a more noble mind4 ,it hath  a      
tongue to express and sound forth what  
the learned inhabitant in it  thinks2   
and hands to act what the inward        
counsellor directs2 and feet  to support
 the fabric4 ,it is tempered with a     
kindly heat1 and an oily  moisture for  
motion1 and endued with conveyances for 
air1 to qualify  the fury of the heat1  
and nourishment to supply the decays of 
moisture4  ,it is a cabinet fitted by   
,divine goodness for the enclosing a    

rich  jewel2 a palace made of dust1 to  
lodge in it the viceroy of the world2   
an instrument disposed for the          
operations of the nobler soul which  he 
intended to unite to that refined       
matter4 ,what is there in the  situation
 of every part1 in the proportion of    
every member1 in the  usefulness of     
every limb and string to the offices of 
the body1 and  service of the soul2 what
 is there in the whole structure that   
doth  not inform us of the goodness of  
,god8    #b4 ,but what is this to that  
goodness which shines in the nature of  
the  soul8 ,who can express the wonders 
of that comeliness that is wrapped up   
in this mask of clay8 ,a soul endued    
with a clearness of understanding  and  
freedom of will3 faculties no sooner    
framed1 but they were able  to produce  
the operation they were intended for2 a 
soul that excelled  the whole world1    
that comprehended the whole creation2 a 
soul that  evidenced the extent of its  
skill in giving names to all that       

variety  of creatures which had issued  
out of the hand of ,divine ,power 7,gen4
  ii4 #ai72 a soul able to discover the 
nature of other creatures1 and  manage  
and conduct their motions4 ,in the ruins
 of a palace we may see  the curiosity  
displayed1 and the cost expended in the 
building of it2  in the ruins of this   
fallen structure1 we still find it      
capable of a  mighty knowledge2 a reason
 able to regulate affairs1 govern       
states1  order more mighty and massy    
creatures1 find out witty inventions2   
there  is still an understanding to     
irradiate the other faculties1 a mind   
to contemplate its own ,creator1 a      
judgment to discern the differences     
between good and evil1 vice and virtue1 
which the goodness of ,god hath  not    
granted to any lower creature4 ,these   
excellent faculties1 together  with the 
power of selfreflection1 and the        
swiftness of the mind in  running over  
the things of the creation1 are         
astonishing gleams of the  vast goodness

 of that ,divine ,hand which ennobled   
this frame4 ,to the  other creatures of 
this world1 ,god had given out some     
small mites from  his treasury2 but in  
the perfections of man1 he hath opened  
the more  secret parts b#bdh of his     
exchequer1 and liberally bestowed those 
doles1 which he hath not expended upon  
the other creatures on earth4    #c4    
,besides this1 he did not only make man 
so noble a creature in his  frame1 but  
8he made him after his own image in     
holiness40 ,he imparted  to him a spark 
of his own comeliness1 in order to a    
communion with  himself in happiness1   
had man stood his ground in his trial1  
and used  those faculties well1 which   
had been the gift of his ,bountiful     
,creator3  he 8made man after his       
image10 after his own image 7,gen4 i4   
#bf1 #bg72  that as a coin bears the    
image of the prince1 so did the soul of 
man  the 8image of ,god30 not the image 
of angels1 though the speech be in  the 
plural number3 8,let us make man40 ,it  

is not to a creature1 but to  a         
,creator2 let 8us10 that are his makers1
 make him in the image of his  makers4  
,god created man1 angels did not create 
him2 ,god created man  in his 8own0     
image1 not1 therefore1 in the image of  
angels3 the nature  of ,god1 and the    
nature of angels1 are not the same4     
,where1 in the  whole ,scripture1 is man
 said to be made after the image of     
angels8 ,god  made man not in the image 
of angels1 to be conformed to them as   
his  prototype1 but in the image of the 
blessed ,god1 to be conformed to the    
,divine nature3 that as he was conformed
 to the image of his holiness1  he might
 also partake of the image of his       
blessedness1 which1 without  it1 could  
not be attained3 for as the felicity of 
,god could not be  clear without an     
unspotted holiness1 so neither can there
 be a glorious  happiness without purity
 in the creature2 this ,god provided for
 in his  creation of man1 giving him    
such accomplishments in those two       

excellent  pieces of soul and body1 that
 nothing was wanting to him but his own 
will1 to instate him in an invariable   
felicity4 ,he was possessed with  such a
 nature by the hand of ,divine          
,goodness1 such a loftiness of          
understanding1 and purity of faculties1 
that he might have been for  ever happy 
as well as the standing angels3 and he  
was placed in such a  condition1 that   
moved the envy of fallen spirits2 he had
 as much grace  bestowed upon him1 as   
was proportionable to that covenant ,god
 then made  with him3 the tenor of which
 was1 that his life should continue so  
long  as his obedience1 and his         
happiness endure so long as his         
integrity3  and as ,god1 by creation1   
had given him an integrity of nature1 so
 he  had given him a power to persist in
 it1 if he would4 ,herein is the        
goodness of ,god displayed1 that he made
 man after his own image4    #d4 ,as to 
the life of man in this world1 ,god1 by 
an immense goodness1  copied out in him 

the whole creation1 and made him an     
abridgment of  the higher and lower     
world1a little world in a greater one4  
,the link  of the two worlds1 of heaven 
and earth1 as the spiritual and         
corporeal  natures are united in him1   
the earth in the dust of his body1 and  
the  heavens in the crystal of his soul3
 he hath the upper springs of the  life 
of angels in his reason1 and the nether 
springs of the life of  animals in his  
sense4 ,god displayed those virtues in  
man1 which he  had discovered in the    
rest of the lower creation2 but1 besides
 the  communication which he had with   
earth in his nature1 ,god gave him a    
participation with heaven in his spirit4
 ,a mere bodily being he hath  given to 
the heavens1 earth1 elements2 a         
vegetative life1 or a life of  growth1  
he hath vouchsafed to the plants of the 
ground3 he b#bdi hath  stretched out his
 liberality more to animals and beasts1 
by giving  them sense4 ,all these hath  
his goodness linked in man1 being1 life1

  sense1 with a richer dole than any of 
those creatures have received in  a     
rational1 intellectual life1 whereby he 
approacheth to the nature of  angels4   
,this some of the ,jews understood      
7,gen4 ii4 #g73 8,god breathed  into his
 nostrils the breath of life1 and man   
became a living soul10  1 breath of     
lives1 in the ,hebrew2 not one sort of  
life1 but that  variety of lives which  
he had imparted to other creatures3 all 
the  perfections scattered in other     
creatures do unitedly meet in man3 so   
that ,philo might well call him 8every  
creature1 the model of the whole        
creation30 his soul is heaven1 and his  
body is earth4#igf ,so that the         
immensity of his goodness to man1 is as 
great as all that goodness you  behold  
in sensitive and intelligible things4   
#e4 ,all this was free goodness4 ,god   
eternally possessed his own  felicity in
 himself1 and had no need of the        
existence of anything  without himself  
for his satisfaction4 ,man1 before his  

being1 could  have no good qualities to 
invite ,god to make him so excellent a  
fabric3  for1 being nothing1 he was as  
unable to allure and merit1 as to bring 
himself into being2 nay1 he created a   
multitude of men1 who1 he foresaw  would
 behave themselves in as ungrateful a   
manner1 as if they had not  been his    
creatures1 but had bestowed that rich   
variety upon themselves  without the    
hand of a superior ,benefactor4 ,how    
great is this goodness1  that hath made 
us models of the whole creation1 tied   
together heaven  and earth in our       
nature1 when he might have ranked us    
among the lower  creatures of the earth1
 made us mere bodies as the stones1 or  
mere  animals as the brutes1 and denied 
us those capacious souls1 whereby  we   
might both know him and enjoy him6 ,what
 could man have been more1  unless he   
had been the original1 which was        
impossible8 ,he could not  be greater   
than to be an image of the ,deity1 an   
epitome of the whole4  ,well may we cry 

out with the ,psalmist 7,ps4 viii4 #a1  
#d71 8,o ,lord1 our  ,lord1 how         
excellent is thy name10 the name of thy 
goodness1 8in all  the earth60 ,how1    
more particularly in man6 8,what is man 
that thou art  mindful of him80 ,what is
 a little clod of earth and dust1 that  
thou  shouldst ennoble him with so rich 
a nature1 and engrave upon him such     
characters of thy immense ,being8    #f4
 ,the goodness of ,god appears in the   
conveniences he provided for1  and gave 
to man4 ,as ,god gave him a being       
morally perfect in regard of            
righteousness1 so he gave him a being   
naturally perfect in regard of          
delightful conveniences1 which was the  
fruit of excellent goodness2  since     
there was no quality in man1 to invite  
,god to provide him so  rich a world1   
nor to bestow upon him so comely a      
being4    7#a47 ,the world was made for 
man4 ,since angels have not need of     
anything  in this world1 and are above  
the conveniences of earth and air1 it   

will  follow1 that man1 being the       
noblest creature on the earth1 was the  
more  immediate end of the visible      
creation4 ,all inferior things are made 
to be subservient to those that have a  
more excellent prerogative of  nature2  
and1 therefore1 all things for man1 who 
exceeds all the rest  in dignity3 as man
 was made for the honor of ,god1 so the 
world was made  for the support and     
delight of man1 b#bej in order to his   
performing  the service due from him to 
,god4 ,the empire ,god settled man in as
 his  lieutenant over the works of his  
hands1 when he gave him possession of   
paradise1 is a clear manifestation of   
it3 ,god put all things under his  feet1
 and gave him a deputed dominion over   
the rest of the creatures  under        
himself1 as the absolute sovereign 7,ps4
 viii4 #fh72 8,thou madest  him to have 
dominion over the works of thy hands2   
thou hast put all  things under his     
feet1 all sheep and oxen2 yea1 and the  
beasts of  the field1 the fowl of the   

air1 and the fish of the sea2 yea1 and  
whatsoever passeth over the paths of the
 sea40 ,what less is witnessed  to by   
the calamity all creatures were         
subjected to by the corruption  of man's
 nature8 ,then was the earth cursed1 and
 a black cloud flung  upon the beauty of
 the creation1 and the strength and     
vigor of it  languisheth to this day    
under the curse of ,god 7,gen4 ii4 #ag1 
#ah71 and  groans under that vanity the 
sin of man subjected it to 7,rom4 viii4 
#bj1  #bb74 ,the treasons of man against
 ,god brought misery upon that which was
  framed for the use of man3 as when the
 majesty of a prince is violated  by the
 treason and rebellion of his subjects1 
all that which belongs to  them1 and    
was1 before the free gift of the prince 
to them1 is forfeit2  their habitations1
 palaces1 cattle1 all that belongs to   
them bear the  marks of his sovereign   
fury3 had not the delicacies of the     
earth been  made for the use of man1    
they had not fallen under the           

indignation  of ,god upon the sin of    
man4 ,god crowned the earth with his    
goodness  to gratify man2 gave man a    
right to serve himself of the delightful
  creatures he had provided 7,gen4 i4   
#bhcj72 yea1 and after man had          
forfeited all by sin1 and ,god had      
washed again the creature in a  deluge1 
he renews the creation1 and delivers it 
again into the hand of  man1 binding all
 creatures to pay a respect to him1 and 
recognise him  as their ,lord1 either   
spontaneously1 or by force2 and         
commissions them  all to fill the heart 
of man with 8food and gladness0 7,gen4  
ix4 #b1 #c73  and he loves all creatures
 as they conduce to the good of1 and are
  serviceable to1 his prime creature1   
which he set up for his own glory3  and 
therefore1 when he loves a person1 he   
loves what belongs to him3  he takes    
care of ,jacob and his cattle3 of       
penitent ,nineveh and their  cattle     
7,jonah iv4 #aa73 as when he sends      
judgments upon men he destroys  their   

goods4    7#b47 ,god richly furnished   
the world for man4 ,he did not only     
erect a  stately palace for his         
habitation1 but provided all kind of    
furniture  as a mark of his goodness1   
for the entertainment of his creature1  
man3  he arched over his habitation with
 a bespangled heaven1 and floored  it   
with a solid earth1 and spread a curious
 wrought tapestry upon the  ground where
 he was to tread1 and seemed to sweep   
all the rubbish of  the chaos to the two
 uninhabitable poles4 ,when at the first
 creation of  the matter the waters     
covered the earth1 and rendered it      
uninhabitable  for man1 ,god drained    
them into the proper channels he had    
founded for  them1 and set a bound that 
they might not pass over1 that they turn
 not  again to 8cover the earth0 7,gen4 
i4 #i74 ,they fled and hasted away to   
their proper stations 7,ps4 civ4 #gi71  
as if they were ambitious to deny  their
 own nature1 and content themselves with
 an imprisonment for the  convenient    

habitation of ,him who was to be        
appointed ,lord of the world4  ,he hath 
set up standing b#bea lights in the     
heaven1 to direct our  motion1 and to   
regulate the seasons3 the sun was       
created1 that man  might see to 8go     
forth to his labor0 7,ps4 civ4 #bb1     
#bc73 both sun and  moon1 though set in 
the heaven1 were formed to 8give light0 
on the  earth 7,gen4 i4 #ae1 #ag74 ,the 
air is his aviary1 the sea and rivers   
his fishponds1 the valleys his granary1 
the mountains his magazine2  the first  
afford man creatures for nourishment1   
the other metals for  perfection3 the   
animals were created for the support of 
the life of  man2 the herbs of the      
ground were provided for the maintenance
 of their  lives2 and gentle dews1 and  
moistening showers1 and1 in some places1
  slimy floods appointed to render the  
earth fruitful1 and capable to  offer   
man and beast what was fit for their    
nourishment4 ,he hath peopled  every    
element with a variety of creatures both

 for necessity and  delight2 all        
furnished with useful qualities for the 
service of man4  ,there is not the most 
despicable thing in the whole creation  
but it is  endued with a nature to      
contribute something for our welfare3   
either  as food to nourish us when we   
are healthful2 or as medicine to cure us
  when we are distempered2 or as a      
garment to clothe us when we are naked1 
and arm us against the cold of the      
season2 or as a refreshment when we  are
 weary2 or as a delight when we are sad3
 all serve for necessity or  ornament1  
either to spread our table1 beautify our
 dwellings1 furnish  our closets1 or    
store our wardrobes 7,ps4 civ4 #bd73    
8,the whole earth  is full of his       
riches40 ,nothing but by the rich       
goodness of ,god is  exquisitely        
accommodated1 in the numerous brood of  
things1 immediately  or mediately for   
the use of man2 all1 in the issue1      
conspire together  to render the world a
 delightful residence for man2 and1     

therefore1  all the living creatures    
were brought by ,god to attend upon man 
after  his creation1 to receive a mark  
of his dominion over them1 by the       
8imposition of their names0 7,gen4 ii4  
#ai1 #bj74 ,he did not only give        
variety of senses to man1 but provided  
variety of delightful objects  in the   
world for every sense2 the beauties of  
light and colors for  our eye1 the      
harmony of sounds for our ear1 the      
fragrancy of odors  for our nostrils1   
and a delicious sweetness for our       
palates3 some have  qualities to        
pleasure2 all1 everything1 a quality to 
pleasure1 one or  other3 he doth not    
only present those things to our view1  
as rich men  do in ostentation their    
goods1 he makes us the enjoyers as well 
as the  spectators1 and gives us the use
 as well as the sight2 and1 therefore1  
he hath not only given us the sight1 but
 the knowledge of them3 he  hath set up 
a sun in the heavens1 to expose their   
outward beauty  and conveniences to our 

sight2 and the candle of the ,lord is in
 us1  to expose their inward qualities  
and conveniences to our knowledge1  that
 we might serve ourselves of1 and       
rejoice in1 all this furniture          
wherewith he hath garnished the world1  
and have wherewithal to employ  the     
inquisitiveness of our reason1 as well  
as gratify the pleasures  of our sense2 
and1 particularly1 ,god provided for    
innocent man a  delightful mansionhouse1
 a place of more special beauty and     
curiosity1  the garden of ,eden1 a      
delightful paradise1 a model of the     
beauties  and pleasures of another      
world1 wherein he had placed whatsoever 
might  contribute to the felicity of a  
rational and animal life1 the life of  a
 creature composed of mire and dust1 of 
sense and reason 7,gen4 ii4 #i74        
,besides the other delicacies b#beb     
consigned1 in that place1 to the  use of
 man1 there was a tree of life provided 
to maintain his being1  and nothing     
denied1 in the whole compass of that    

territory1 but one  tree1 that of the   
knowledge of good and evil1 which was no
 mark of  an illwill in his ,creator to 
him1 but a reserve of ,god's absolute   
sovereignty1 and a trial of man's       
voluntary obedience4 ,what blur was it  
to the goodness of ,god1 to reserve one 
tree for his own propriety1 when  he had
 given to man1 in all the rest1 such    
numerous marks of his rich  bounty and  
goodness8 ,what ,israel1 after man's    
fall1 enjoyed sensibly1  ,nehemiah calls
 8great goodness0 7,neh4 ix4 #be74 ,how 
inexpressible1 then1  was that goodness 
manifested to innocent man1 when so     
small a part  of it1 indulged to the    
,israelites after the curse upon the    
ground1  is called1 as truly it merits1 
such great goodness6 ,how can we pass   
through any part of this great city1 and
 cast our eyes upon the  wellfurnished  
shops1 stored with all kinds of         
commodities1 without  reflections upon  
this goodness of ,god starting up before
 our eyes in  such varieties1 and       

plainly telling us that he hath         
accommodated all  things for our use1   
suited things1 both to supply our need1 
content a  reasonable curiosity1 and    
delight us in our aims at1 and passage  
to1  our supreme end6    7#c47 ,the     
goodness of ,god appears in the laws he 
hath given to man1  the covenant he hath
 made with him4 ,it had not been        
agreeable to the  goodness of ,god to   
let a creature1 governable by a law1 be 
without a  law to regulate him2 his     
goodness then which had broke forth in  
the  creation1 had suffered an eclipse  
and obscurity in his government4 ,as    
infinite goodness was the motive to     
create1 so infinite goodness was  the   
motive of his government4 ,and this     
appears1    #a4 ,in the fitting the law 
to the nature of man4 ,it was rather    
below  than above his strength2 he had  
an integrity in his nature to answer    
the righteousness of the precept4 ,god  
created 8man upright0 7,eccles4  vii4   
#bi72 his nature was suited to the law1 

and the law to his nature2  it was not  
above his understanding to know it1 nor 
his will to embrace  it1 nor his        
passions to be regulated by it4 ,the law
 and his nature were  like to exact     
straight lines1 touching one another in 
every part when  joined together4 ,god  
exacted no more by his law than what was
 written  by nature in his heart3 he had
 a knowledge by creation to observe the 
law of his creation1 and he fell not for
 want of a righteousness in his  nature3
 he was enabled for more than was       
commanded him1 but wilfully  indisposed 
to less than he was able to perform4    
,the precepts were  easy1 not only      
becoming the authority of a sovereign to
 exact1 but  the goodness of a father to
 demand1 and the ingenuity of a creature
  and a son to pay4 8,his commands are  
not grievous0 7#a ,john v4 #c72 the     
observance of them had filled the spirit
 of man with an extraordinary           
contentment4 ,it had been no less a     
pleasure and a delightful  satisfaction 

to have kept the law in a created state1
 than it is to  keep it in some measure 
in a renewed state4 ,the renewed nature 
finds a  suitableness in the law to     
kindle a 8delight0 7,ps4 i4 #b73 it     
could not  then have anywise shook the  
nature of an upright creature1 nor have 
been a burden too heavy for his         
shoulders to bear4 ,though he had not  a
 grace b#bec given him above nature1 yet
 he had not a law given him  that       
surmounted his nature3 it did not exceed
 his created strength1  and was suited  
to the dignity and nobility of a        
rational nature4 ,it was  a 8just law0  
7,rom4 vii4 #ab71 and1 therefore1 not   
above the nature of  the subject that   
was bound to obey it4 ,and had it been  
impossible to  be observed1 it had been 
unrighteous to be enacted3 it had not   
been a  matter of ,divine praise1 and   
that seven times a day2 as it is1       
8,seven  times a day do ,i praise thee1 
because of thy righteous judgments0     
7,ps4  cxix4 #afd74 ,the law was so     

righteous1 that ,adam had every whit as 
much  reason to bless ,god in his       
innocence for the righteousness of it1  
as  ,david had with the relics of enmity
 against it3 his goodness shines  so    
much in his law1 as merits our praise of
 him1 as he is a sovereign  ,lawgiver1  
as well as a gracious ,benefactor1 in   
the imparting to us a  being4    #b4 ,in
 fitting it for the happiness of man4   
,for the satisfaction  of his soul1     
which finds a reward in the very act of 
keeping it1 7,ps4  cxix4 #afe71 8,great 
peace in the loving it20 for the        
preservation of  human society1 wherein 
consists the external felicity of man4  
,it had  been inconsistent with the     
,divine goodness to enjoin man anything 
that  should be oppressive and          
uncomfortable4 ,bitterness cannot come  
from  that which is altogether sweet3   
goodness would not have obliged the     
creature to anything1 but what is not   
only free from damaging him1 but  wholly
 conducing to his welfare1 and          

perfective of his nature4 ,infinite     
wisdom could not order anything but what
 was agreeable to infinite  goodness4   
,as his laws are the most rational1 as  
being the contrivance  of infinite      
wisdom2 so they are the best1 as being  
the fruit of  infinite goodness4 ,his   
laws are not only the acts of his       
sovereign  authority1 but the effluxes  
of his lovingkindness1 and the          
conductors  of man to an enjoyment of a 
greater bounty3 he minds as well the    
promotion of his creatures' felicity1 as
 the asserting his own  authority2 as   
good princes make laws for their        
subjects' benefit  as well as their own 
honor4 ,what was said of a more         
difficult and  burdensome law long after
 man's fall1 may much more be said of   
the easy  law of nature in the state of 
man's innocence1 that it was 8for our   
good0 7,deut4 x4 #ab1 #ac74 ,he never   
pleaded with the ,israelites for the    
observation of his commands upon the    
account of his authority1 so much  as   

upon the score of their benefit by them 
7,deut4 iv4 #dj2 xii4 #bh74 ,and  when  
his precepts were broken1 he seems      
sometimes to be more grieved  for men's 
impairing their own felicity by it1 than
 for their violating  his authority3    
8,o1 that thou hadst hearkened to my    
commandments1 then  had thy peace been  
as a river60 7,isa4 xlviii4 #ah74       
,goodness cannot  prescribe a thing     
prejudicial3 whatsoever it enjoins1 is  
beneficial to  the spiritual and eternal
 happiness of the rational creature3    
this was  both the design of the law    
given1 and the end of the law4 ,christ1 
in  his answer to the young man's       
question1 refers him to the moral law1  
which was the law of nature in ,adam1 as
 that whereby eternal life was  to be   
gained3 which evidenceth1 that when the 
law was first given as  the covenant of 
works1 it was for the happiness of man2 
and the end of  giving it was1 that man 
might have eternal life by it3 there    
would else  be no strength or truth in  

that answer of ,christ b#bed to that    
,ruler4  ,and1 therefore1 ,stephen calls
 the law given by ,moses1 which was the 
same with the law of nature in ,adam1   
8the living oracles0 7,acts vii4  #ch74 
,he enjoined men's services to them not 
simply for his own glory1  but his glory
 in men's welfare3 as if there were any 
being better than  himself1 his goodness
 and righteousness would guide him to   
love that  better than himself2 because 
it is good and righteous to love that   
best which is most amiable3 so1 if there
 were any that could do us  more good1  
and shower down more happiness upon us  
than himself1 he  would be content we   
should obey that as sovereign1 and steer
 our course  according to his laws3 8,if
 ,god be ,god1 follow him2 but if ,baal1
 then  follow him0 7#a ,kings xviii4    
#ba74 ,if the observance of the precepts
 of  ,baal be more beneficial to you2 if
 you can advance your nature by his     
service1 and gain a more mighty crown of
 happiness than by mine1 follow  him    

with all my heart3 ,i never intended to 
enjoin you anything to  impair1 but     
increase your happiness4 ,the chief     
design of ,god in his law  is the       
happiness of the subject2 and obedience 
is intended by him as  a means for the  
attaining of happiness1 as well as      
preserving his own  sovereignty3 this is
 the reason why he wished that ,israel  
had walked in  his ways1 8that their    
time might have endured forever0 7,ps4  
lxxxi4 #ac1  #ae1 #af74 ,and by the same
 reason1 this was his intendment in his 
law  given to man1 and his covenant made
 with man at the creation1 that he      
might be fed with the finest part of his
 bounty1 and be satisfied with  honey   
out of the eternal ,rock of ,ages4 ,to  
paraphrase his expression  there3,the   
goodness of ,god appears further1    #c4
 ,in engaging man to obedience by       
promises and threatenings4 ,a           
threatening is only mentioned 7,gen4 ii4
 #ag71 but a promise is implied3  if    
eternal death were fixed for            

transgression1 eternal life was thereby 
designed for obedience3 and that it was 
so1 the answer of ,christ to  the ,ruler
 evidenceth1 that the first intendment  
of the precept was the  eternal life of 
the subject1 ordered to obey it4        
#ast4 ,god might have acted1 in settling
 his law1 only as a sovereign4  ,though 
he might have dealt with man upon the   
score of his absolute  dominion over him
 as his creature1 and signified his     
pleasure upon  the right of his         
sovereignty1 threatening only a penalty 
if man  transgressed1 without the       
promising a bountiful acknowledgment of 
his obedience by a reward as a          
benefactor3 yet he would treat with  man
 in gentle methods1 and rule him in a   
track of sweetness as well  as          
sovereignty3 he would preserve the      
rights of his dominion in the  authority
 of his commands1 and honor the         
condescensions of his goodness  in the  
allurements of a promise4 ,he that might
 have solely demanded a  compliance with

 his will1 would kindly article with    
him1 to oblige him  to observe him out  
of love to himself as well as duty to   
his ,creator2  that he might have both  
the interest of avoiding the threatened 
evil  to affright him1 and the interest 
of attaining the promised good to       
allure him to obedience4 ,how doth he   
value the title of ,benefactor  above   
that of a ,lord1 when he so kindly      
solicits1 as well as commands2  and     
engageth to reward that obedience which 
he might have absolutely  claimed as his
 due1 by enforcing fears of the severest
 penalty6 b#bee  ,his sovereignty seems 
to stoop below itself for the elevation 
of his  goodness2 and he is pleased to  
have his kindness more taken notice  of 
than his authority4 ,nothing imported   
more condescension than his  bringing   
forth his law in the nature of a        
covenant1 whereby he seems  to humble   
himself1 and veil his superiority to    
treat with man as his  equal1 that the  
very manner of his treatment might      

oblige him in the  richest promises he  
made to draw him1 and the startling     
threatenings  he pronounced to link him 
to his obedience3 and1 therefore1 is it 
observable1 that when after the         
transgression of ,adam ,god comes to    
deal  with him1 he doth not do it in    
that thundering rigor1 which might have 
been expected from an enraged sovereign1
 but in a gentle examination  7,gen4    
iii4 #aa1 #ac73 8,hast thou eaten of the
 tree whereof ,i commanded  thee that   
thou shouldst not eat80 ,to the woman1  
he said no more than1  8,what is this   
that thou hast done80 ,and in the       
,scripture we find1 when  he cites the  
,israelites before him for their sin1 he
 expostulates with  them not so much    
upon the absolute right he had to       
challenge their  obedience1 as upon the 
equity and reasonableness of his law    
which they  had transgressed2 that by   
the same argument of sweetness1         
wherewith  he would attract them to     
their duty1 he might shame them after   

their  offence 7,isa4 i4 #b2 ,ezek4     
xviii4 #be74    #b;d4 ,by the           
threatenings he manifests his goodness  
as well as by his  promises4 ,he        
promises that he might be a rewarder1   
and threatens that  he might not be a   
punisher2 the one is to elevate our     
hope1 and the  other to excite our fear1
 the two passions whereby the nature of 
man  is managed in the world4 ,he       
imprints upon man sentiments of a misery
 by  sin1 in his thundering commination1
 that he might engage him the more  to  
embrace and be guided by the motives of 
sweetness in his gracious  promises4    
,the design of them was to preserve man 
in his due bounds1  that ,god might not 
have occasion to blow upon him the      
flames of his  justice2 to suppress     
those irregular passions1 which the     
nature of man  7though created without  
any disorder7 was capable of            
entertaining upon  the appearance of    
suitable objects2 and to keep the waves 
from swelling  upon any turning wind1   

that so man1 being modest in the use of 
the  goodness ,god had allowed him1     
might still be capable of fresh streams 
of ,divine bounty1 without ever falling 
under his righteous wrath for  any      
transgression4 ,what a prospect of      
goodness is in this proceeding1  to     
disclose man's happiness to be as       
durable as his innocence2 and set       
before a rational creature the extremest
 misery due to his crime1 to  affright  
him from neglecting his ,creator1 and   
making unworthy returns  to his         
goodness6 ,what could be done more by   
goodness to suit that  passion of fear  
which was implanted in the nature of    
man1 than to  assure him he should not  
degenerate from the righteousness of his
  nature1 and violate the authority of  
his ,creator1 without falling from  his 
own happiness1 and sinking into the most
 deplorable calamity6    #c;d4 ,the     
reward he promised manifests yet further
 his goodness to man4  ,it was his      
goodness to intend a reward to man2 no  

necessity could  oblige ,god to reward  
man1 had he continued obedient in his   
created  state3 for in all rewards which
 are truly merited1 beside b#bef some   
kind of equality to be considered       
between the person doing service and    
the person rewarding1 and also between  
the act performed and the reward        
bestowed1 there must also be considered 
the condition of the person  doing the  
service1 that he is not obliged to do it
 as a duty1 but is  at his own choice   
whether to offer it or no4 ,but man1    
being wholly  dependent on ,god in his  
being and preservation1 having nothing  
of his  own1 but what he had received   
from the hands of ,divine bounty1 his   
service was due by the strongest        
obligation to ,god 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #g74   
,but  there was no natural engagement on
 ,god to return a reward to him2 for    
man could return nothing of his own but 
that only which he had received  from   
his ,creator4 ,it must be pure goodness 
that gives a gracious reward  for a due 

debt1 to receive his own from man1 and  
return more than he  had received4 ,a   
,divine reward doth far surmount the    
value of a rational  service4 ,it was1  
therefore1 a mighty goodness to         
stipulate with man1  that upon his      
obedience he should enjoy an immortality
 in that nature4  ,the article on man's 
part was obedience1 which was           
necessarily just1  and founded in the   
nature of man2 he had been unjust1      
ungrateful1 and  violated all laws of   
righteousness1 had he committed any act 
unworthy  of one that had been so great 
a subject of ,divine liberality4#igg    
,but the article on ,god's part1 of     
giving a perpetual blessedness  to      
innocent man1 was not founded upon rules
 of strict justice and  righteousness1  
for that would have argued ,god to be a 
debtor to man2  but that ,god cannot be 
to the work of his hands1 that had      
received the  materials of his being and
 acting from him1 as the vessel doth    
from  the potter4 ,but this was founded 

only on the goodness of the ,divine     
nature1 whereby he cannot but be kind to
 an innocent and holy creature4  ,the   
nature of ,god inclined him to it by the
 rules of goodness1 but  the service of 
man could not claim it by the rules of  
justice without  a stipulation2 so that 
the covenant whereby ,god obliged       
himself to  continue the happiness of   
man upon the continuance of his         
obedience1 in  the original of it1      
springs from pure goodness2 though the  
performance  of it1 upon the fulfilling 
condition required in the creature1 was 
founded upon the rules of righteousness 
and truth1 after ,divine  goodness had  
brought it forth4 ,god did create man   
for a reward and  happiness2 now ,god's 
implanting in the nature of man a desire
 after  happiness1 and some higher      
happiness than he had in creation       
invested  him in1 doth evidence that    
,god did not create man only for his own
  service1 but for his attaining a      
greater happiness4 ,all rational        

creatures are possessed with a principle
 of seeking after good1 the  highest    
good1 and ,god did not plant in man this
 principle in vain2 it  had not been    
goodness to put this principle in man1  
if he had designed  never to bestow a   
happiness on man for his obedience3 this
 had been  repugnant to the goodness and
 wisdom of ,god2 and the ,scripture doth
  very emphatically express the felicity
 of man to be the design of  ,god in the
 first forming him and moulding him a   
creature1 as well as  working him a new 
creature2 8,he that hath wrought us for 
the selfsame  thing is ,god0 7#b ,cor4  
v4 #a1 #e73 he framed this earthly      
tabernacle for  a residence in an       
eternal habitation1 b#beg and a better  
habitation  than an earthly paradise4   
,what we expect in the resurrection1    
that very  same thing ,god did in       
creation intend us for2 but since the   
corruption  of our natures1 we must     
undergo a dissolution of our bodies1 and
 may  have just reason of a despondency1

 since sin hath seemed to change the    
course of ,god's bounty1 and brought us 
under a curse4 ,he hath given  us the   
earnest of his ,spirit1 as an assurance 
that he will perform  that very selfsame
 thing1 the conferring that happiness   
upon renewed  creatures for which he    
first formed man in creation1 when he   
compacted  his earthly tabernacle of the
 dust of the ground1 and reared it up   
before him4    #dth4 ,it was a mighty   
goodness that ,god should give man an   
eternal  reward4 ,that an eternity of   
reward was promised1 is implied in the  
death that was threatened upon          
transgression3 whatsoever you conceive  
the threatened death to be1 either for  
nature1 or duration upon  transgression2
 of the same nature and duration you    
must suppose the  life to be1 which is  
implied upon his constancy in his       
integrity4  ,as sin would render him an 
eternal object of ,god's hatred1 so his 
obedience would render him an eternally 
amiable object to his ,creator1  as the 

standing angels are preserved and       
confirmed in an entire  felicity and    
glory4 ,though the threatening be only  
expressed by ,god  7,gen4 ii4 #ag71 yet 
the other is implied1 and might easily  
be concluded  from it by ,adam4 ,and one
 reason why ,god only expressed the     
threatening1  and not the promise1 was1 
because man might collect some hopes and
  expectations of a perpetual happiness 
from that image of ,god which he  beheld
 in himself1 and from the large         
provision he had made for him in  the   
world1 and the commission given him to  
increase and multiply1 and  to rule as a
 lord over his other works2 whereas he  
could not so easily  have imagined      
himself capable of being exposed to such
 an extraordinary  calamity as an       
eternal death1 without some             
signification of it from ,god4  ,it is  
easily concludable1 that eternal life   
was supposed to be promised1  to be     
conferred upon him if he stood1 as well 
as eternal death to be  inflicted on him

 if he rebelled4#igh ,now this eternal  
life was not  due to his nature1 but it 
was a pure beam1 and gift of ,divine    
goodness2  for there was no proportion  
between man's service in his innocent   
estate1 and a reward so great both for  
nature and duration3 it was a  higher   
reward than can be imagined either due  
to the nature of man1  or upon any      
natural right claimable by his          
obedience4 ,all that could  be expected 
by him was but a natural happiness1 not 
a supernatural3  as there was no        
necessity upon the account of natural   
righteousness1  so there was no         
necessity upon the account of the       
goodness of ,god to  elevate the nature 
of man to a supernatural happiness1     
merely because  he created him3 for     
though it be necessary for ,god1 when he
 would  create1 in regard of his wisdom1
 to create for some end1 yet it was  not
 necessary that end should be a         
supernatural end and happiness1  since a
 natural blessedness had been sufficient

 for man4 ,and though  ,god1 in creating
 angels and men intellectual and        
rational creatures1  did make them      
necessary for himself and his own glory1
 yet it was  not necessarily for him to 
b#beh order either angels or men to such
  a felicity as consists in a clear     
vision1 and so high a fruition1  of     
himself3 for all other things are made  
by him for himself1 and  yet not for the
 vision of himself1 ,god might have     
created man only  for a natural         
happiness1 according to the perfection  
of his natural  faculties1 and had dealt
 bountifully with him1 if he had never  
intended  him a supernatural blessedness
 and an eternal recompense3 but what a  
largeness of goodness is here1 to design
 man1 in his creation1 for so  rich a   
blessedness as an eternal life1 with the
 fruition of himself6 ,he  hath not only
 given to man all things which are      
necessary1 but designed  for man that   
which the poor creature could not       
imagine3 he garnished  the earth for    

him1 and garnished him for an eternal   
felicity1 had he  not1 by slighting the 
goodness of ,god1 stripped himself of   
the present1  and forfeited his future  
blessedness4    ,secondly1 ,the         
manifestation of this goodness in       
,redemption4 ,the  whole gospel is      
nothing but one entire mirror of ,divine
 goodness3 the  whole of redemption is  
wrapped up in that one expression of the
 angels'  song 7,luke ii4 #ad71         
8,goodwill towards men40 ,the angels    
sang but one  song before1 which is upon
 record1 but the matter of it seems to  
be  the wisdom of ,god chiefly in       
creation 7,job xxxviii4 #g2 compare     
chap4  ix4 #e1 #f1 #h1 #i74 ,the angels 
are there meant by the 8morning stars20 
the  visible stars of heaven were not   
distinctly formed when the foundations  
of the earth were laid3 and the title of
 the sons of ,god verifies it1  since   
none but creatures of understanding are 
dignified in ,scripture  with that      
title4 ,there they celebrate his wisdom 

in creation2 here his  goodness in      
redemption1 which is the entire matter  
of the song4    i4 ,goodness was the    
spring of redemption4 ,all and every    
part of it owes  only to this perfection
 the appearance of it in the world4     
,this only  excited wisdom to bring     
forth from so great an evil as the      
apostasy  of man1 so great a good as the
 recovery of him4 ,when man fell from   
his created goodness1 ,god would        
evidence that he could not fall from    
his infinite goodness3 that the greatest
 evil could not surmount  the ability of
 his wisdom to contrive1 nor the riches 
of his bounty  to present us a remedy   
for it4 ,divine ,goodness would not     
stand by  a spectator1 without being    
reliever of that misery man had plunged 
himself into2 but by astonishing methods
 it would recover him to  happiness1 who
 had wrested himself out of his hands1  
to fling himself  into the most         
deplorable calamity3 and it was the     
greater1 since it  surmounted those     

natural inclinations1 and those strong  
provocations  which he had to shower    
down the power of his wrath4 ,what could
 be the  source of such a procedure1 but
 this excellency of ,divine nature1     
since  no violence could force him1 nor 
was there any merit to persuade to  such
 a restoration8 ,this1 under the name of
 his 8love10 is rendered  the sole cause
 of the redeeming death of the ,son3 it 
was to commend his  love with the       
highest gloss1 and in so singular a     
manner that had not  its parallel in    
nature1 nor in all his other works1 and 
reaches in the  brightness of it beyond 
the manifested extent of any other      
attribute  7,rom4 v4 #h74 ,it must be   
only a miraculous goodness that induced 
him  to expose the life of his ,son to  
those difficulties in the world1 and    
death upon the cross1 b#bei for the     
freedom of sordid rebels3 his  great end
 was to give such a demonstration of the
 liberality of his  nature1 as might be 
attractive to his creature1 remove its  

shakings and  tremblings1 and encourage 
its approaches to him4 ,it is in this he
 would  not only manifest his love1 but 
assume the name of 8,love40 ,by this    
name  the ,holy ,ghost calls him1 in    
relation to this good will manifested in
  his ,son 7#a ,john iv4 #h1 #i71 8,god 
is love40 ,in this is manifested the    
love of ,god towards us1 because that   
,god sent his onlybegotten ,son  into   
the world1 that we might 8live through  
him40 ,he would take the  name he never 
expressed himself in before4 ,he was    
,jehovah1 in regard of  the truth of his
 promise2 so he would be known of old3  
he is ,goodness1  in regard of the      
grandeur of his affection in the mission
 of his ,son3  and1 therefore1 he would 
be known by the name of ,love now1 in   
the days  of the gospel4    ii4 ,it was 
a pure goodness4 ,he was under no       
obligation to pity our  misery1 and     
repair our ruins3 he might have stood to
 the terms of the  first covenant1 and  
exacted our eternal death1 since we had 

committed  an infinite transgression3 he
 was under no tie to put off the robes  
of a judge for the bowels of a father1  
and erect a mercyseat above  his        
tribunal of justice4#igi ,the reparation
 of man had no necessary  connexion with
 his creation2 it follows not1 that     
because ,goodness  had extracted us from
 nothing by a mighty power1 that it must
 lift us  out of wilful misery by a     
mighty grace4 ,certainly that ,god who  
had no  need of creating us1 had far    
less need of redeeming us3 for1 since he
  created one world1 he could have as   
easily destroyed it1 and reared         
another4 ,it had not been unbecoming the
 ,divine ,goodness or ,wisdom1 to  have 
let man perpetually wallow in that sink 
wherein he had plunged  himself1 since  
he was criminal by his own will1 and1   
therefore1  miserable by his own fault3 
nothing could necessitate this          
reparation4  ,if ,divine ,goodness could
 not be obliged by the angelical dignity
 to  repair that nature1 he is further  

from any obligation by the meanness  of 
man to repair human nature4 ,there was  
less necessity to restore man  than to  
restore the fallen angels4 ,what could  
man do to oblige ,god to  a reparation  
of him1 since he could not render him a 
recompense for his  goodness manifested 
in his creation8 ,he must be much more  
impotent to  render him a debtor for the
 redemption of him from misery4 ,could  
it be  a salary for anything we had     
done8 ,alas6 we are so far from meriting
  it1 that by our daily demerits1 we    
seem ambitious to put a stop to any     
further effusions of it3 we could not   
have complained of him1 if he had  left 
us in the misery we had courted1 since  
he was bound by no law to  bestow upon  
us the recovery we wanted4 ,when the    
apostle speaks of the  gospel of        
8redemption10 he giveth it the title of 
the 8gospel of the  blessed ,god0 7#b   
,tim4 i4 #aa74 ,it was the gospel of a  
,god abounding in  his own blessedness1 
which received no addition by man's     

redemption2  if he had been blessed by  
it1 it had been a goodness to himself1  
as  well as to the creature3 it was not 
an indigent goodness needing the        
receiving anything from us2 but it was a
 pure goodness1 streaming out  of       
itself1 without bringing anything into  
itself for the perfection of  it3 there 
was no goodness in b#bfj us to be the   
motive of his love1  but his goodness   
was the fountain of our benefit4    iii4
 ,it was a distinct goodness of the     
whole ,trinity4 ,in the creation  of man
 we find a general consultation 7,gen4  
i4 #bf71 without those  distinct labors 
and offices of each person1 and without 
those raised  expressions and marks of  
joy and triumph as at man's restoration4
 ,in  this there are distinct functions2
 the grace of the ,father1 the merit  of
 the ,son1 and the efficacy of the      
,spirit4 ,the ,father makes the  promise
 of redemption1 the ,son seals it with  
his blood1 and the ,spirit  applies it4 
,the ,father adopts us to be his        

children1 the ,son redeems us  to be his
 members1 and the ,spirit renews us to  
be his temples4 ,in this  the ,father   
testifies himself wellpleased in a      
voice2 the ,son proclaims  his own      
delight to do the will of ,god1 and the 
,spirit hastens1 with  the wing of a    
dove1 to fit him for his work1 and      
afterwards1 in his  apparition in the   
likeness of fiery tongues1 manifests his
 zeal for  the propagation of the       
redeeming gospel4    iv4 ,the effects of
 it proclaim ,his great goodness4 ,it is
 by this we are  delivered from the     
corruption of our nature1 the ruin of   
our happiness1  the deformity of our    
sins1 and the punishment of our         
transgressions2  he frees us from the   
ignorance wherewith we were darkened and
 from the  slavery wherein we were      
fettered4 ,when he came to make ,adam's 
process  after his crime1 instead of    
pronouncing the sentence of death he had
  merited1 he utters a promise that man 
could not have expected2 his  kindness  

swells above his provoked justice1 and1 
while he chaseth  him out of paradise1  
he gives him hopes of regaining the     
same1 or a  better habitation2 and is1  
in the whole1 more ready to prevent him 
with the blessings of his goodness1 than
 charge him with the horror  of his     
crimes 7,gen4 iii4 #ae74 ,it is a       
goodness that pardons us more           
transgressions than there are moments in
 our lives1 and overlooks  as many      
follies as there are thoughts in our    
heart3 he doth not only  relieve our    
wants1 but restores us to our dignity4  
,it is a greater  testimony of goodness 
to instate a person in the highest      
honors1 than  barely to supply his      
present necessity3 it is an admirable   
pity whereby  he was inclined to redeem 
us1 and an incomparable affection       
whereby  he was resolved to exalt us4   
,what can be desired more of him than   
his  goodness hath granted8 ,he hath    
sought us out when we were lost1 and    
ransomed us when we were captives2 he   

hath pardoned us when we were           
condemned1 and raised us when we were   
dead4 ,in creation he reared  us from   
nothing1 in redemption he delivers our  
understanding from  ignorance and       
vanity1 and our wills from impotence and
 obstinacy1 and  our whole man from a   
death worse than that nothing he drew us
 from by  creation4    v4 ,hence we may 
consider the height of this goodness in 
redemption to  exceed that in creation4 
,he gave man a being in creation1 but   
did not  draw him from inexpressible    
misery by that act4 ,his liberality in  
the  gospel doth infinitely surpass what
 we admire in the works of nature2  his 
goodness in the latter is more          
astonishing to our belief1 than  his    
goodness in creation is visible to our  
eye4 ,there is more of his  bounty      
expressed in that one verse1 8,so ,god  
loved the world1 that he  gave his only 
begotten ,son0 7,john iii4 #af71 than   
b#bfa there is in  the whole volume of  
the world3 it is an incomprehensible so2

 a so  that all the angels in heaven    
cannot analyse2 and few comment upon1   
or understand1 the dimensions of this   
so4 ,in creation he formed an  innocent 
creature of the dust of the ground2 in  
redemption he restores  a rebellious    
creature by the blood of his ,son3 it is
 greater than that  goodness manifested 
in creation4    #ast4 ,in regard of the 
difficulty in effecting it4 ,in         
creation1 mere  nothing was vanquished  
to bring us into being2 in redemption1  
sullen  enmity was conquered for the    
enjoyment of our restoration2 in        
creation1  he subdued a nullity to make 
us creatures2 in redemption1 his        
goodness  overcomes his omnipotent      
justice to restore us to felicity4 ,a   
word from  the mouth of ,goodness       
inspired the dust of men's bodies with a
 living  soul2 but the blood of his ,son
 must be shed1 and the laws of natural  
affection seems to be overturned1 to lay
 the foundation of our renewed          
happiness4 ,in the first1 heaven did but

 speak1 and the earth was formed2  in   
the second1 heaven itself must sink to  
earth1 and be clothed with  dusty earth1
 to reduce man's dust to its original   
state4    #b;d4 ,this goodness is       
greater than that manifested in         
creation1 in  regard of its cost4 ,this 
was a more expensive goodness than what 
was  laid out in creation4 8,the        
redemption of one soul is precious0     
7,ps4  xlix4 #h71 much more costly than 
the whole fabric of the world1 or as    
many worlds as the understandings of    
angels in their utmost extent can       
conceive to be created4 ,for the        
effecting of this1 ,god parts with his  
dearest treasure1 and his ,son eclipses 
his choicest glory4 ,for this1  ,god    
must be made man1 ,eternity must suffer 
death1 the ,lord of angels  must weep in
 a cradle1 and the ,creator of the world
 must hang like a  slave2 he must be in 
a manger in ,bethlehem1 and die upon a  
cross on  ,calvary2 unspotted           
righteousness must be made sin1 and     

unblemished  blessedness be made a      
curse4 ,he was at no other expense than 
the breath  of his mouth to form man2   
the fruits of the earth could have      
maintained  innocent man without any    
other cost2 but his broken nature cannot
 be  healed without the invaluable      
medicine of the blood of ,god4 ,view    
,christ  in the womb and in the manger1 
in his weary steps and hungry bowels1   
in his prostrations in the garden1 and  
in his clodded drops of bloody  sweat2  
view his head pierced with a crown of   
thorns1 and his face  besmeared with the
 soldiers' slabber2 view him in his     
march to ,calvary1  and his elevation on
 the painful cross1 with his head hanged
 down1  and his side streaming blood2   
view him pelted with the scoffs of the  
governors1 and the derisions of the     
rabble2 and see1 in all this1 what  cost
 ,goodness was at for man's redemption6 
,in creation1 his power made  the sun to
 shine upon us1 and1 in redemption1 his 
bowels sent a ,son to  die for us4      

#c;d4 ,this goodness of ,god in         
redemption is greater than that         
manifested in creation1 in regard of    
man's desert of the contrary4  ,in the  
creation1 as there was nothing without  
him to allure him to  the expressions of
 his bounty1 so there was nothing that  
did damp the  inclinations of his       
goodness3 the nothing from whence the   
world was  drawn1 could never merit1 nor
 demerit a being1 because it was        
nothing2  as there was nothing to engage
 him1 so there was nothing b#bfb to     
disoblige him2 as his favor could not be
 merited1 so neither could his  anger be
 deserved4 ,but in this he finds        
ingratitude against the former  marks of
 his goodness1 and rebellion against the
 sweetness of his  sovereignty1crimes   
unworthy of the dews of goodness1 and   
worthy  of the sharpest strokes of      
vengeance2 and therefore the ,scripture 
advanceth the honor of it above the     
title of mere goodness1 to that of      
8grace0 7,rom4 i4 #b2 ,titus ii4 #aa72  

because men were not only unworthy  of a
 blessing1 but worthy of a curse4 ,an   
innocent nothing more  deserves         
creation1 than a culpable creature      
deserves an exemption from  destruction4
 ,when man fell1 and gave occasion to   
,god to repent of his  created work1 his
 ravishing goodness surmounted the      
occasions he had of  repenting1 and the 
provocations he had to the destruction  
of his frame4    #dth4 ,it was a greater
 goodness than was expressed towards the
 angels4    #a4 ,a greater goodness than
 was expressed towards the standing     
angels4  ,the ,son of ,god did no more  
expose his life for the confirmation of 
those that stood1 than for the          
restoration of those that fell2 the     
death of ,christ was not for the holy   
angels1 but for simple man2 they  needed
 the grace of ,god to confirm them1 but 
not the death of ,christ to  restore or 
preserve them2 they had a beloved       
holiness to be established  by the      
powerful grace of ,god1 but not any     

abominable sin to be blotted  out by the
 blood of ,god2 they had no debt to pay 
but that of obedience2  but we had both 
a debt of obedience to the precepts1 and
 a debt of  suffering to the penalty1   
after the fall4 ,whether the holy angels
 were  confirmed by ,christ1 or no1 is a
 question3 some think they were1 from   
,colos4 i4 #bj1 where 8things in heaven0
 are said to be 8reconciled20  but some 
think1 that place signifies no more than
 the reconciliation  of things in       
heaven1 if meant of the angels1 to      
things on earth1  with whom they were at
 enmity in the cause of their           
,sovereign2 or  the reconciliation of   
things in heaven to ,god1 is meant the  
glorified  saints1 who were once in a   
state of sin1 and whom the death of     
,christ  upon the cross reached1 though 
dead long before4 ,but if angels were   
confirmed by ,christ1 it was by him not 
as a slain sacrifice1 but as a          
sovereign ,head of the whole creation1  
appointed by ,god to gather all  things 

into one2 which some think to be the    
intendment of ,eph4 i4 #aj1  where all  
things1 as well those in heaven1 as     
those in earth1 are said  to be         
8gathered together in one1 in ,christ40 
,where is a syllable in  ,scripture of  
his being crucified for angels1 but only
 for sinners8 ,not  for the confirmation
 of the one1 but the reconciliation of  
the other2  so that the goodness whereby
 ,god continued those blessed spirits in
  heaven1 through the effusions of his  
grace1 is a small thing to the          
restoring us to our forfeited happiness1
 through the streams of ,divine  blood4 
,the preserving a man in life is a      
little thing1 and a smaller  benefit    
than the raising a man from death4 ,the 
rescuing a man from  an ignominious     
punishment1 lays a greater obligation   
than barely to  prevent him from        
committing a capital crime4 ,the        
preserving a man  standing upon the top 
of a steep hill1 is more easy than to   
bring  a crippled and phthisical man1   

from the bottom to the top4 ,the        
continuance ,god gave to the angels1 is 
not so signal a mark of b#bfc  his      
goodness as the deliverance he gave to  
us2 since they were not sunk  into sin1 
nor by any crime fallen into misery4    
#b4 ,his goodness in redemption is      
greater than any goodness expressed to  
the fallen angels4 ,it is the wonder of 
his goodness to us1 that he was  mindful
 of fallen man1 and careless of fallen  
angels2 that he should  visit man1      
wallowing in death and blood1 with the  
dayspring from on  high1 and never turn 
the ,egyptian darkness of devils into   
cheerful day2  when they sinned1 ,divine
 thunder dashed them into hell2 when man
 sinned1  ,divine blood wafts the fallen
 creature from his misery3 the angels   
wallow in their own blood forever1 while
 ,christ is made partaker of  our blood1
 and wallows in his blood1 that we might
 not forever corrupt  in ours2 they     
tumbled down from heaven1 and ,divine   
goodness would not  vouchsafe to catch  

them2 man tumbles down1 and ,divine     
goodness holds  out a hand drenched in  
the blood of ,him1 that was from the    
foundations  of the world1 to lift us up
 7,heb4 ii4 #af74 ,he spared not those  
dignified spirits1 when they revolted2  
and spared not punishing his  ,son for  
dusty man1 when he offended2 when he    
might as well forever have  let man lie 
in the chains wherein he had entangled  
himself1 as them4  ,we were as fit      
objects of justice as they1 and they as 
fit objects of  goodness as we2 they    
were not more wretched by their fall    
than we2 and  the poverty of our nature 
rendered us more unable to recover      
ourselves1  than the dignity of theirs  
did them2 they were his ,reuben1 his    
firstborn2 they were his might1 and the 
beginning of his strength2  yet those   
elder sons he neglected1 to prefer the  
younger2 they were the  prime and golden
 pieces of creation1 not laden with     
gross matter1 yet  they lie under the   
ruins of their fall1 while man1 lead in 

comparison  of them1 is refined for     
another world4 ,they seemed to be fitter
 objects  of ,divine goodness1 in regard
 of the eminency of their nature above  
the  human2 one angel excelled in       
endowments of mind and spirit1 vastness 
of  understanding1 greatness of power1  
all the sons of men2 they were more     
capable to praise him1 more capable to  
serve him2 and because of the  acuteness
 of their comprehension1 more able to   
have a due estimate of  such a          
redemption1 had it been afforded them2  
yet that goodness which  had created    
them so comely1 would not lay itself out
 in restoring the  beauty they had      
defaced4 ,the promise was of bruising   
the serpent's  head for us1 not of      
lifting up the serpent's head with us2  
their nature  was not assumed1 nor any  
command given them to believe or repent2
 not  one devil spared1 not one apostate
 spirit recovered1 not one of those     
eminent creatures restored2 every one of
 them hath only a prospect of  misery1  

without any glimpse of recovery2 they   
were ruined under one sin1  and we      
repaired under many4 ,all ,his redeeming
 goodness was laid out  upon man 7,ps4  
cxliv4 #c72 8,what is man that thou     
takest knowledge of him2  and the ,son  
of man1 that thou makest account of     
him80 ,making account of  him above     
angels2 as they fell without any        
tempting them1 so ,god would  leave them
 to rise1 without any assisting them4 ,i
 know the schools  trouble themselves to
 find out the reasons of this           
peculiarity of grace  to man1 and not to
 them2 because the whole human nature   
fell1 but only  a part of the angelical2
 the one sinned by a seduction1 and the 
other  b#bfd by a sullenness1 without   
any tempter2 every angel sinned by his  
own proper will1 whereas ,adam's        
posterity sinned by the will of the     
first man1 the common root of all4 ,god 
would deprive the devil of any  glory in
 the satisfaction of his envious desire 
to hinder man from  attainment and      

possession of that happiness which      
himself had lost4  ,the weakness of man 
below the angelical nature might excite 
the ,divine  mercy2 and since all the   
things of the lower world were created  
for man1  ,god would not lose the honor 
of his works1 by losing the immediate   
end  for which he framed them4 ,and     
finally1 because in the restoration of  
angels1 there would have been only a    
restoration of one nature1 that  was not
 comprehensive of the nature of inferior
 things2 but after all  such            
conjectures1 man must sit down1 and     
acknowledge ,divine goodness  to be the 
only spring1 without any other motive4  
,since ,infinite ,wisdom  could have    
contrived a way for redemption for      
fallen angels1 as well as  for fallen   
man1 and restored both the one and the  
other2 why might not  ,christ have      
assumed their nature as well as ours1   
into the unity of the  ,divine person1  
and suffered the wrath of ,god in their 
nature for them1  as well as in his     

human soul for us8 ,it is as conceivable
 that two  natures might have been      
assumed by the ,son of ,god1 as well as 
three  souls be in man distinct1 as some
 think there are4    #c4 ,to enhance    
this goodness yet higher2 it was a      
greater goodness to us1  than was for a 
time manifested to ,christ himself4 ,to 
demonstrate his  goodness to man1 in    
preventing his eternal ruin1 he would   
for a while  withhold his goodness from 
his ,son1 by exposing his life as the   
price  of our ransom2 not only          
subjecting him to the derisions of      
enemies1  desertions of friends1 and    
malice of devils1 but to the            
inexpressible  bitterness of his own    
wrath in his soul1 as made an offering  
for sin4  ,the particle so 7,john iii4  
#af71 seems to intimate this supremacy  
of  goodness2 ,he 8so loved the world1  
that he gave his only begotten ,son40   
,he so loved the world1 that he seemed  
for a time not to love his ,son in      
comparison of it1 or equal with it4 ,the

 person to whom a gift is given  is1 in 
that regard1 accounted more valuable    
than the gift or present  made to him3  
thus ,god valued our redemption above   
the worldly happiness  of the ,redeemer1
 and sentenceth him to an humiliation on
 earth1 in  order to our exaltation in  
heaven2 he was desirous to hear him     
groaning1  and see him bleeding1 that we
 might not groan under his frowns1 and  
bleed under his wrath2 he spared not    
him1 that he might spare us2  refused   
not to strike him1 that he might be well
 pleased with us2  drenched his sword in
 the blood of his ,son1 that it might   
not forever  be wet with ours1 but that 
his goodness might forever triumph in   
our  salvation2 he was willing to have  
his ,son made man1 and die1 rather  than
 man should perish1 who had delighted to
 ruin himself2 he seemed to  degrade him
 for a time from what he was4#ihj ,but  
since he could not be  united to any but
 to an intellectual creature1 he could  
not be united  to any viler and more    

sordid creature than the earthly nature 
of  man3 and when this ,son1 in our     
nature1 prayed that the cup might pass  
from him1 ,goodness would not suffer it1
 to show how it valued b#bfe  the       
manifestation of itself1 in the         
salvation of man1 above the             
preservation of the life of so dear a   
person4    ,in particular1 wherein this 
goodness appears3    #ast4 ,the first   
resolution to redeem1 and the means     
appointed for  redemption1 could have no
 other inducement but ,divine goodness4 
,we  cannot too highly value the merit  
of ,christ2 but we must not so much     
extend the merit of ,christ1 as to draw 
a value to eclipse the goodness  of     
,god2 though we owe our redemption and  
the fruits of it to the death  of       
,christ1 yet we owe not the first       
resolutions of redemption1 and          
assumption of our nature1 the means of  
redemption1 to the merit of  ,christ4   
,divine goodness only1 without the      
association of any merit1 not  only of  

man1 but of the ,redeemer himself1 begat
 the first purpose of  our recovery2 he 
was singled out1 and predestinated to be
 our ,redeemer1  before he took our     
nature to merit our redemption4 8,god   
sent his ,son10  is a frequent          
expression in the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john 
7,john iii4 #cd2 v4 #bd2  xvii4 #c74 ,to
 what end did ,god send ,christ1 but to 
redeem8 ,the purpose  of redemption1    
therefore1 preceded the pitching upon   
,christ as the  means and procuring     
cause of it1 i4 e4 of our actual        
redemption1 but  not of the redeeming   
purpose2 the end is always in intention 
before  the means4#iha 8,god so loved   
the world1 that he gave his only        
begotten  ,son20 the love of ,god to the
 world was first in intention1 and the  
order of nature1 before the will of     
giving his ,son to the world4 ,his      
intention of saving was before the      
mission of a ,saviour2 so that this     
affection rose1 not from the merit of   
,christ1 but the merit of ,christ  was  

directed by this affection4 ,it was the 
effect of it1 not the  cause4 ,nor was  
the union of our nature with his merited
 by him2 all his  meritorious acts were 
performed in our nature2 the nature1    
therefore1  wherein he performed it1 was
 not merited2 that grace which was not1 
could not merit what it was2 he could   
not merit that humanity1 which  must be 
assumed before he could merit anything  
for us1 because all  merit for us must  
be offered in the nature which had      
offended4 ,it is  true 8,christ gave    
himself10 but by the order of ,divine   
goodness2 he  that begat him1 pitched   
upon him1 and called him to this great  
work  7,heb4 v4 #e72 he is therefore    
called 8the ,lamb of ,god10 as being set
  apart by ,god to be a propitiating and
 appeasing sacrifice4 ,he is the        
8,wisdom of ,god10 since from the       
,father he reveals the counsel and order
  of redemption4 ,in this regard he     
calls ,god 8his ,god0 in the prophet    
7,isa4 xlix4 #d71 and in the evangelist 

7,john xx4 #ag72 though he was big  with
 affection for the accomplishment1 yet  
he came not to do his 8own  will10 but  
the will of ,divine goodness2 his own   
will it was1 too1 but  not principally1 
as being the first wheel in motion1 but 
subordinate  to the eternal will of     
,divine bounty4 ,it was by the will of  
,god that  he came1 and by his will he  
drank the dreggy cup of bitterness4     
,divine  justice laid 8upon him the     
iniquity of us all10 but ,divine        
goodness  intended it for our rescue2   
,divine goodness singled him out1 and   
set  him apart2 ,divine goodness invited
 him to it2 ,divine goodness commanded  
him to effect it1 and put a law into his
 heart1 to bias him in the  performing  
of it2 ,divine goodness sent him1 and   
,divine goodness moved  justice to      
bruise him2 and1 after b#bff his        
sacrifice1 ,divine goodness  accepted   
him1 and caressed him for it4 ,so       
earnest was it for our  redemption1 as  
to give out special and irreversible    

orders3 death  was commanded to be      
endured by him for us1 and life         
commanded to be  imparted by him to us  
7,john x4 #af1 #ah74 ,if ,god had not   
been the mover1  but had received the   
proposal from another1 he might have    
heard it1 but  was not bound to grant   
it2 his sovereign authority1 was not    
under any  obligation to receive        
another's sponsion for the miserable    
criminal4  ,as ,christ is the head of   
man1 so 8,god is the head of ,christ0   
7#a ,cor4  xi4 #c72 he did nothing but  
by his directions1 as he was not a      
,mediator1  but by the constitution of  
,divine goodness4 ,as a 8liberal man    
deviseth  liberal things0 7,isa4 ii4    
#h71 so did a bountiful ,god devise a   
bountiful  act1 wherein his kindness and
 love as a ,saviour appeared3 he was    
possessed with the resolutions to       
manifest his goodness in ,christ1 8in   
the beginning of his way0 7,prov4 viii4 
#bb1 #bc71 before he descended  to the  
act of creation4 ,this intention of     

goodness preceded his making  that      
creature man1 who1 he foresaw1 would    
fall1 and1 by his fall1  disjoint and   
entangle the whole frame of the world1  
without such a  provision4    #b;d4 ,in 
,god's giving ,christ to be our         
,redeemer1 he gave the highest gift     
that it was possible for ,divine        
goodness to bestow4 ,as there is not a  
greater ,god than himself to be         
conceived1 so there is not a greater    
gift for this great ,god to present to  
his creatures3 never did ,god go        
farther1 in any of his excellent        
perfections1 than this4 ,it is such a   
dole that cannot be transcended with a  
choicer2 he is1 as it were1 come  to the
 last mite of his treasure2 and though  
he could create millions  of worlds for 
us1 he cannot give a greater ,son to us4
 ,he could abound  in the expressions of
 his power1 in new creations of worlds1 
which  have not yet been seen1 and in   
the lustre of his wisdom in more stately
  structures2 but if he should frame as 

many worlds as there are mites  of dust 
and matter in this1 and make every one  
of them as bright  and glorious as the  
sun1 though his power and wisdom would  
be more  signalized1 yet his goodness   
could not1 since he hath not a choicer  
gift to bless those brighter worlds     
withal1 than he hath conferred upon     
this3 nor can immense goodness contrive 
a richer means to conduct those  worlds 
to happiness1 than he hath both invented
 for this world1 and  presented it with4
 ,it cannot be imagined1 that it can    
extend itself  farther than to give a   
gift equal with himself2 a gift as dear 
to him  as himself4 ,his wisdom1 had it 
studied millions of eternities 7excuse  
the expression1 since eternity admits of
 no millions1 it being an  interminable 
duration71 it could have found out no   
more to give2 this  goodness could have 
bestowed no more1 and our necessity     
could not  have required a greater      
offering for our relief4 ,when ,god     
intended1 in  redemption1 the           

manifestation of his highest goodness1  
it could not be  without the donation of
 the choicest gift2 as1 when he would   
insure our  comfort1 he swears 8by      
himself10 because he cannot swear 8by a 
greater0  7,heb4 vi4 #ac73 so1 when we  
would insure our happiness1 he gives us 
his  ,son1 because he cannot give a     
greater1 being equal with himself4 ,had 
the ,father given himself in person1 he 
had given one first in order1  but not  
greater in essence and glorious         
perfections3 it could have been  no more
 than the life of ,god1 and should then 
have been b#bfg laid  down for us2 and  
so it was now1 since the human nature   
did not subsist  but in his ,divine     
person4    #a4 ,it is a greater gift    
than worlds1 or all things purchased by 
him4  ,what was this gift but 8the image
 of his person1 and the brightness of   
his glory0 7,heb4 i4 #c78 ,what was this
 gift but one as rich as eternal        
blessedness could make him8 ,what was   
this gift1 but one that possessed  the  

fulness of earth1 and the more immense  
riches of heaven8 ,it is a  more        
valuable present1 than if he presented  
us with thousands of worlds  of angels  
and inferior creatures1 because his     
person is incomparably  greater1 not    
only than all conceivable1 but          
inconceivable1 creations2  we are more  
obliged to him for it1 than if he had   
made us angels of  the highest rank in  
heaven1 because it is a gift of more    
value than the  whole angelical nature1 
because he is an infinite person1 and   
therefore  infinitely transcends        
whatsoever is finite1 though of the     
highest  dignity4 ,the wounds of an     
,almighty ,god for us are a greater     
testimony  of goodness1 than if we had  
all the other riches of heaven and      
earth4  ,this perfection had not        
appeared in such an astonishing         
grandeur1 had  it pardoned us without so
 rich a satisfaction2 that had been     
pardon  to our sin1 not a ,god of our   
nature4 8,god so loved the world0 that  

he  pardoned it1 had not sounded so     
great and so good1 as ,god so loved the 
world1 that he 8gave his onlybegotten   
,son40 ,est aliquid in ,christo         
formosius ,servatore4 ,there is         
something in ,christ more excellent and 
comely than the office of a ,saviour2   
the greatness of his person is  more    
excellent1 than the salvation procured  
by his death3 it was a  greater gift    
than was bestowed upon innocent ,adam1  
or the holy angels4  ,in the creation1  
his goodness gave us creatures for our  
use3 in our  redemption1 his goodness   
gives us what was dearest to him for our
  service1 our ,sovereign in office to  
benefit us1 as well as in a royalty  to 
govern us4    #b4 ,it was a greater     
gift1 because it was his own ,son1 not  
an angel4 ,it  had been a mighty        
goodness to have given one of the lofty 
seraphims2 a  greater goodness to have  
given the whole corporation of those    
glorious  spirits for us1 those children
 of the ,most ,high3 but he gave that   

,son1  whom he commands 8all the angels 
to worship0 7,heb4 i4 #f71 and all men  
to adore1 and pay the 8lowest homage to0
 7,ps4 ii4 #ab72 that ,son that  is to  
be honored by us1 as we 8honor the      
,father0 7,john v4 #bc72 that ,son      
which was his 8delight0 7,prov4 viii4   
#cj72 his delights in the ,hebrew1      
wherein all the delights of the ,father 
were gathered in one1 as well as  of the
 whole creation2 and not simply a ,son1 
but an onlybegotten ,son1  upon which   
,christ lays the stress with an emphasis
 7#a ,john iii4 #af74  ,he had but one  
,son in heaven or earth1 one ,son from  
an unviewable  eternity1 and that one   
,son he gave for a degenerate world2    
this son  he consecrated for 8evermore a
 ,priest0 7,heb4 vii4 #bh74 8,the word  
of  the oath makes the ,son20 the       
peculiarity of his ,sonship heightens   
the  goodness of the ,donor4 ,it was no 
meaner a person that he gave to empty   
himself of his glory1 to fulfil an      
obedience for us1 that we might  be     

rendered happy partakers of the ,divine 
nature4 ,those that know  the natural   
affection of a father to a son1 must    
judge the affection  of ,god the ,father
 to the ,son infinitely greater1 than   
the affection  of an earthly b#bfh      
father to the son of his bowels4 ,it    
must be an  unparalleled goodness1 to   
give up a ,son that he loved with so    
ardent  an affection1 for the redemption
 of rebels3 abandon a glorious ,son to  
a dishonorable death1 for the security  
of those that had violated the  laws of 
righteousness1 and endeavored to pull   
the sovereign crown from  his head4     
,besides1 being an only ,son1 all those 
affections centered  in him1 which in   
parents would have been divided among a 
multitude  of children3 so1 then1 as it 
was a testimony of the highest faith and
  obedience in 8,abraham to offer up his
 onlybegotten son to ,god0 7,heb4  xi4  
#ag72 so it was the triumph of ,divine  
goodness1 to give so great1  so dear a  
person1 for so little a thing as man2   

and for such a piece  of nothing and    
vanity1 as a sinful world4    #c4 ,and  
this ,son given to rescue us by his     
death4 ,it was a gift to us2  for our   
sakes he descended from his throne1 and 
dwelt on earth2 for our  sakes he was   
8made flesh10 and infirm flesh2 for our 
sakes he was 8made  a curse10 and       
scorched in the furnace of his ,father's
 wrath2 for our  sakes he went naked1   
armed only with his own strength1 into  
the lists  of that combat with the      
devils1 that led us captive4 ,had he    
given  him to be a leader for the       
conquest of some earthly enemies1 it had
  been a great goodness to display his  
banners1 and bring us under his         
conduct2 but he sent him to lay down his
 life in the bitterest and most         
inglorious manner1 and exposed him to a 
cursed death for our redemption  from   
that dreadful curse1 which would have   
broken us to pieces1 and  irreparably   
have crushed us4 ,he gave him to us1 to 
suffer for us as  a man1 and redeem us  

as a ,god2 to be a sacrifice to expiate 
our sin  by translating the punishment  
upon himself1 which was merited by us4  
,thus was he made low to exalt us1 and  
debased to advance us1 8made  poor to   
enrich us0 7#b ,cor4 viii4 #i72 and     
eclipsed to brighten our  sullied       
natures1 and wounded1 that he might be a
 physician for our  languishments4 ,he  
was ordered to taste the bitter cup of  
death1 that we  might drink of the      
rivers of immortal life and pleasures3  
to submit to  the frailties of the human
 nature1 that we might possess the      
glories  of the divine3 he was ordered  
to be a sufferer1 that we might be no   
longer captives2 and to pass through the
 fire of ,divine wrath1 that  he might  
purge our nature from the dross it had  
contracted4 ,thus was  the righteous    
given for sin1 the innocent for         
criminals1 the glory  of heaven for the 
dregs of earth1 and the immense riches  
of a ,deity  expended to restock man4   
#d4 ,and a ,son that was exalted for    

what he had done for us by the order  of
 ,divine goodness4 ,the exaltation of   
,christ was no less a signal mark  of   
his miraculous goodness to us1 than of  
his affection to him3 since  he was     
obedient by ,divine goodness to die for 
us1 his advancement was  for his        
obedience to those orders4 ,the name    
given to him 8above every  name0 7,phil4
 ii4 #h1 #i71 was a repeated triumph of 
this perfection2  since his passion was 
not for himself1 he was wholly innocent1
 but  for us who were criminal4 ,his    
advancement was not only for himself as 
,redeemer1 but for us as redeemed3      
,divine goodness centered in him1 both  
in his cross and in his crown2 for it   
was for the 8purging our sins1  he sat  
down on the right hand of the ,majesty  
on high0 7,heb4 i4 #c73 and  the whole  
blessed society b#bfi of principalities 
and powers in heaven  admire this       
goodness of ,god1 and ascribe to him    
8honor1 glory1 and  power0 for advancing
 the 8,lamb slain0 7,rev4 v4 #aaac74    

,divine goodness  did not only give him 
to us1 but gave him power1 riches1      
strength1 and  honor1 for manifesting   
this goodness to us1 and opening the    
passages  for its fuller conveyances to 
the sons of men4 ,had not ,god had      
thoughts  of a perpetual goodness1 he   
would not have settled him so near him1 
to  manage our cause1 and testified so  
much affection to him on our behalf4    
,this goodness gave him to be debased   
for us1 and ordered him to be  enthroned
 for us3 as it gave him to us bleeding1 
so it would give him  to us triumphing2 
that as we have a share by grace in the 
merits of his  humiliation1 we might    
partake also of the glories of his      
coronation2  that1 from first to last1  
we may behold nothing but the triumphs  
of  ,divine goodness to fallen man4     
#e4 ,in bestowing this gift on us1      
,divine goodness gives whole ,god to    
us4 ,whatsoever is great and excellent  
in the ,godhead1 the ,father gives  us1 
by giving us his ,son3 the ,creator     

gives himself to us in his ,son         
,christ4 ,in giving creatures to us1 he 
gives the riches of earth2 in  giving   
himself to us1 he gives the riches of   
heaven1 which surmount  all             
understanding3 it is in this gift he    
becomes our ,god1 and passeth  over the 
title of all that he is for our use and 
benefit1 that every  attribute in the   
,divine nature may be claimed by us2 not
 to be imparted  to us whereby we may be
 deified1 but employed for our welfare1 
whereby  we may be blessed4 ,he gave    
himself in creation to us in the image  
of  his holiness2 but1 in redemption1 he
 gave himself in the image of his       
person3 he would not only communicate   
the goodness without him1 but  bestow   
upon us the infinite goodness of his own
 nature2 that that which  was his own   
end and happiness might be our end and  
happiness1 viz4  himself4 ,by giving his
 ,son1 he hath given himself2 and in    
both gifts  he hath given all things to 
us4 ,the ,creator of all things is      

eminently  all things3 8,he hath given  
all things into the hands of his ,son0  
7,john  iii4 #ce72 and1 by consequence1 
given all things into the hands of his  
redeemed creatures1 by giving them ,him 
to whom he gave all things2  whatsoever 
we were invested in by creation1        
whatsoever we were deprived  of by      
corruption1 and more1 he hath deposited 
in safe hands for our  enjoyment3 and   
what can ,divine goodness do more for   
us8 ,what further  can it give unto us1 
than what it hath given1 and in that    
gift designed  for us8    #c;d4 ,this   
goodness is enhanced by considering the 
state of man in the  first              
transgression1 and since4    #a4 ,man's 
first transgression4 ,if we should rip  
up every vein of that  first sin1 should
 we find any want of wickedness to      
excite a just  indignation8 ,what was   
there but ingratitude to ,divine bounty1
 and  rebellion against ,divine         
sovereignty8 ,the royalty of ,god was   
attempted2  the supremacy of ,divine    

knowledge above man's own knowledge     
envied2 the  riches of goodness1 whereby
 he lived and breathed1 slighted4 ,there
 is a  discontent with ,god upon an     
unreasonable sentiment1 that ,god had   
denied  a knowledge to him which was his
 right and due1 when there should have  
been an humble acknowledgment of that   
unmerited goodness1 which had not  only 
b#bgj given him a being above other     
creatures1 but placed him the  governor 
and lord of those that were inferior to 
him4 ,what alienation  of his           
understanding was there from knowing    
,god1 and of his will from  loving him6 
,a debauch of all his faculties2 a      
spiritual adultery1 in  preferring1 not 
only one of ,god's creatures1 but one of
 his desperate  enemies1 before him2    
thinking him a wiser counsellor than    
,infinite  ,wisdom1 and imagining him   
possessed with kinder affections to him 
than  that ,god who had newly created   
him4 ,thus he joins in league with hell 
against heaven1 with a fallen spirit    

against his bountiful ,benefactor1  and 
enters into society with rebels that    
just before commenced a war  against his
 and their common ,sovereign3 he did not
 only falter in1 but  cast off1 the     
obedience due to his ,creator2          
endeavored to purloin his  glory1 and   
actually murdered all those that were   
virtually in his loins4  8,sin entered  
into the world0 by him1 8and death by   
sin1 and passed  upon all men0 7,rom4 v4
 #ab71 taking them off from their       
subjection to  ,god1 to be slaves to the
 damned spirits1 and heirs of their     
misery3  and1 after all this1 he adds a 
foul imputation on ,god1 taxing him as  
the author of his sin1 and thereby      
stains the beauty of his holiness4      
,but1 notwithstanding all this1 ,god    
stops not up the floodgates of  his     
goodness1 nor doth he entertain fiery   
resolutions against man1 but  brings    
forth a healing promise2 and sends not  
an angel upon commission  to reveal it  
to him1 but preaches it himself to this 

forlorn and  rebellious creature 7,gen4 
iii4 #ae74    #b4 ,could there be       
anything in this fallen creature to     
allure ,god  to the expression of his   
goodness8 ,was there any good action in 
all  his carriage that could plead for a
 readmission of him to his former       
state8 ,was there one good quality left1
 that could be an orator to  persuade   
,divine goodness to such a gracious     
procedure8 ,was there any  moral        
goodness in man1 after this debauch1    
that might be an object of  ,divine     
love8 ,what was there in him1 that was  
not rather a provocation  than an       
allurement8 ,could you expect that any  
perfection in ,god should  find a motive
 in this ungrateful apostate to open a  
mouth for him1 and  be an advocate to   
support him1 and bring him off from a   
just tribunal8  or1 after ,divine       
goodness had begun to pity and plead for
 man1 is  it not wonderful that it      
should not discontinue the plea1 after  
it  found man's excuse to be as black as

 his crime 7,gen4 iii4 #ab71 and  his   
carriage1 upon his examination1 to be as
 disobliging as his first  revolt8 ,it  
might well be expected1 that all the    
perfections in the  ,divine nature would
 have entered into an association       
eternally to  treat this rebel according
 to his deserts4 ,what attractives were 
there  in a silly worm1 much less in    
such complete wickedness1 inexcusable   
enmity1 infamous rebellion1 to design a 
,redeemer for him1 and such a  person as
 the ,son of ,god to a fleshy body1 an  
eclipse of glory1 and an  ignominious   
cross8 ,the meanness of man was further 
from alluring ,god to  it1 than the     
dignity of angels4    #c4 ,was there not
 a world of demerit in man1 to animate  
grace as well  as wrath against him8 ,we
 were so far from deserving the opening 
any  streams of goodness1 that we had   
merited floods of devouring wrath4      
,what were all men but enemies to ,god  
in a high b#bga manner8 ,every  offence 
was infinite1 as being committed against

 a being of infinite  dignity2 it was a 
stroke at the very being of ,god1 a     
resistance of all  his attributes2 it   
would degrade him from the height and   
perfection of  his nature2 it would not1
 by its good will1 suffer ,god to be    
,god4 ,if he  that hates his brother is 
a murderer of his brother 7#a ,john iii4
 #ae71  he that hates his ,creator is a 
murderer of the ,deity1 and every       
8carnal mind is enmity to ,god0 7,rom4  
viii4 #g73 every sin envies him  his    
authority1 by breaking his precept2 and 
envies him his goodness1 by  defacing   
the marks of it3 every sin comprehends  
in it more than men or  angels can      
conceive3 that ,god who only hath the   
clear apprehensions of  his own dignity1
 hath the sole clear apprehensions of   
sin's malignity4  ,all men were thus by 
nature3 those that sinned before the    
coming of the  ,redeemer had been in a  
state of sin2 those that were to come   
after him  would be in a state of sin by
 their birth1 and be criminals as soon  

as  ever they were creatures4 ,all men1 
as well the glorified1 as those in  the 
flesh at the coming of the ,redeemer1   
and those that were to be born  after1  
were considered in a state of sin by    
,god1 when he bruised the  ,redeemer for
 them2 all were filthy and unworthy of  
the eye of ,god2 all  had employed the  
faculties of their souls1 and the       
members of their  bodies1 which they    
enjoyed by his goodness1 against the    
interest of  his glory4 ,every rational 
creature had made himself a slave to    
those  creatures over whom he had been  
appointed a lord1 subjected himself  as 
a servant to his inferior1 and strutted 
as a superior against his  liberal      
,sovereign1 and by every sin rendered   
himself more a child of  ,satan1 and    
enemy of ,god1 and more worthy of the   
curses of the law1 and  the torments of 
hell4 ,was it not1 now1 a mighty        
goodness that would  surmount those high
 mountains of demerit1 and elevate such 
creatures  by the depression of his     

,son8 ,had we been possessed of the     
highest  holiness1 a reward had been the
 natural effect of goodness4 ,it was not
  possible that ,god should be unkind to
 a righteous and innocent creature2  his
 grace would have crowned that which had
 been so agreeable to him4  ,he had been
 a denier of himself1 had he numbered   
innocent creatures in  the rank of the  
miserable2 but to be kind to an enemy1  
to run counter  to the vastness of      
demerit in man1 was a superlative       
goodness1 a  goodness triumphing above  
all the provocations of men1 and pleas  
of  justice3 it was an abounding        
goodness of grace2 8where sin abounded1 
grace did much more abound0 7,rom4 v4   
#bj71 2 it swelled  above the heights of
 sin1 and triumphed more than all his   
other  attributes4    #d4 ,man was      
reduced to the lowest condition4 ,our   
crimes had brought us  to the lowest    
calamity2 we were brought to the dust1  
and prepared for  hell4 ,adam had not   
the boldness to request1 and therefore  

we may judge  he had not the least hopes
 of pardon2 he was sunk under wrath1 and
  could have expected no better an      
entertainment than the tempter1 whose   
solicitations he submitted to4 ,we had  
cast the diadem from our heads1  and    
lost all our original excellency2 we    
were lost to our own happiness1  and    
lost to our ,creator's service1 when he 
was so kind as to send his  ,son to seek
 us 7,matt4 xviii4 #aa71 and so liberal 
as to expend his blood  for our cure and
 preservation4 ,how great was that      
goodness that would  not abandon us in  
our misery1 b#bgb but remit our crimes1 
and rescue  our persons1 and ransom our 
souls by so great a price from the      
rights  of justice1 and horrors of hell1
 we were so fitted for8    #e4 ,every   
age multiplied provocations2 every age  
of the world proved  more degenerate4   
,the traditions1 which were purer and   
more lively  among ,adam's immediate    
posterity1 were more dark among his     
further  descendants2 idolatry1 whereof 

we have no marks in the old world       
before the deluge1 was frequent         
afterwards in every nation3 not only    
the knowledge of the true ,god was lost1
 but the natural reverential  thoughts  
of a ,deity were expelled4 ,hence gods  
were dubbed according to  men's humors2 
and not only human passions1 but brutish
 vices1 ascribed  to them3 as by the    
fall we were become less than men1 so we
 would fancy  ,god no better than a     
beast1 since beasts were worshipped as  
gods 7,rom4  i4 #ba72 yea1 fancied ,god 
no better than a devil1 since that      
destroyer  was worshipped instead of the
 ,creator1 and a homage paid to the     
powers  of hell that had ruined them1   
which was due to the goodness of that   
,benefactor1 who had made them and      
preserved them in the world4 ,the       
vilest creatures were deified2 reason   
was debased below common sense2  and men
 adored one end of a 8log10 while they  
8warmed themselves with  the other0     
7,isa4 xliv4 #ad1 #af1 #ag72 as if that 

which was ordained for  the kitchen were
 a fit representation for ,god in the   
temple4 ,thus were  the natural notions 
of a ,deity depraved2 the whole world   
drenched in  idolatry2 and though the   
,jews were free from that gross abuse of
 ,god1  yet they were sunk also into    
loathsome superstitions1 when the       
goodness  of ,god brought in his        
designed ,redeemer and redemption into  
the world4    #f4 ,the impotence of man 
enhanceth this goodness4 ,our own eye   
did scarce  pity us1 and it was         
impossible for our own hands to relieve 
us2 we were  insensible of our misery1  
in love with our death2 we courted our  
chains1  and the noise of our fettering 
lusts were our music1 8serving divers   
lusts and pleasures0 7,tit4 iii4 #c74   
,our lusts were our pleasures2  ,satan's
 yoke was as delightful to us to bear1  
as to him to impose3  instead of being  
his opposers in his attempts against us1
 we were his  voluntary seconds1 and    
every whit as willing to embrace1 as he 

was to  propose1 his ruining            
temptations4 ,as no man can recover     
himself from  death1 so no man can      
recover himself from wrath2 he is as    
unable to  redeem1 as to create himself2
 he might as soon have stripped himself 
of his being1 as put an end to his      
misery2 his captivity would have  been  
endless1 and his chains remediless1 for 
anything he could do  to knock them off1
 and deliver himself2 he was too much in
 love with  the sink of sin1 to leave   
wallowing in it1 and under too powerful 
a  hand1 to cease frying in the flames  
of wrath4 ,as the law could not  be     
obeyed by man1 after a corrupt principle
 had entered into him1 so  neither could
 justice be satisfied by him after his  
transgression4  ,the sinner was         
indebted1 but bankrupt2 as he was unable
 to pay a mite  of that obedience he    
owed to the precept1 because of his     
enmity1 so  he was unable to satisfy    
what he owed to the penalty1 because of 
his  feebleness3 he was as much without 

love to observe the one1 as 8without    
strength0 to bear the other3 he could   
not1 because of his 8enmity1 be  subject
 to b#bgc the law0 7,rom4 viii4 #g71 or 
compensate for his sin1  because he was 
8without strength0 7,rom4 v4 #f74 ,his  
strength to offend  was great2 but to   
deliver himself a mere nothing4         
,repentance was not a  thing known by   
man after the fall1 till he had hopes of
 redemption2 and  if he had known and   
exercised it1 what compensation are the 
tears of a  malefactor for an injury    
done to the crown1 and attempting the   
life of  his prince8 ,how great was     
,divine goodness1 not only to pity men  
in this  state1 but to provide a strong 
,redeemer for them6 8,o ,lord1 my       
strength1  and my ,redeemer60 said the  
,psalmist 7,ps4 xix4 #ad73 when he found
 out  a ,redeemer for our misery1 he    
found out a strength for our impotency4 
,to conclude this3 behold the 8goodness 
of ,god10 when we had thus  unhandsomely
 dealt with him2 had nothing to allure  

his goodness1  multitudes of            
provocations to incense him1 were       
reduced to a condition  as low as could 
be1 fit to be the matter of his scoffs1 
and the sport  of ,divine justice1 and  
so weak that we could not repair our own
 ruins2  then did he open a fountain of 
fresh goodness in the death of his ,son1
  and sent forth such delightful        
streams1 as in our original creation  we
 could never have tasted2 not only      
overcame the resentments of a  provoked 
justice1 but magnified itself by our    
lowness1 and strengthened  itself by our
 weakness4 ,his goodness had before     
created an innocent1  but here it saves 
a malefactor2 and sends his ,son to die 
for us1 as if  the ,holy of holies were 
the criminal1 and the rebel the         
innocent4 ,it  had been a pompous       
goodness to have given him as a king2   
but a goodness  of greater grandeur to  
expose him as a sacrifice for slaves and
 enemies4  ,had ,adam remained innocent1
 and proved thankful for what he had    

received1 it had been great goodness to 
have brought him to glory2 but  to bring
 filthy and rebellious ,adam to it1     
surmounts1 by inexpressible  degrees1   
that sort of goodness he had            
experimented before2 since it was  not  
from a light evil1 a tolerable curse    
unawares brought upon us1 but  from the 
yoke we had willingly submitted to1 from
 the power of darkness  we had courted1 
and the furnace of wrath we had kindled 
for ourselves4  ,what are we dead dogs1 
that he should behold us with so        
gracious an  eye8 ,this goodness is thus
 enhanced1 if you consider the state of 
man  in his first transgression1 and    
after4    #dth4 ,this goodness further  
appears in the high advancement of our  
nature1 after it had so highly offended4
 ,by creation1 we had an  affinity with 
animals in our bodies1 with angels in   
our spirits1 with  ,god in his image2   
but not with ,god in our nature1 till   
the incarnation  of the ,redeemer4      
,adam1 by creation1 was the son of ,god 

7,luke iii4 #ch71  but his nature was   
not one with the person of ,god3 he was 
his son1 as  created by him1 but had no 
affinity to him by virtue of union with 
him3  but now man doth not only see his 
nature in multitudes of men on earth1   
but1 by an astonishing goodness1 beholds
 his nature united to the ,deity  in    
heaven3 that as he was the son of ,god  
by creation1 he is now the  brother of  
,god by redemption2 for with such a     
title doth that ,person1  who was the   
,son of ,god as well as the ,son of man1
 honor his disciples  7,john xx4 #ag73  
and because he is of the same nature    
with them1 he 8is  not ashamed to call  
them brethren0 7,heb4 ii4 #aa74 ,our    
nature1 which  was infinitely b#bgd     
distant from1 and below the ,deity1 now 
makes  one person with the ,son of ,god4
 ,what man sinfully aspired to1 ,god    
hath  graciously granted1 and more3 man 
aspired to a likeness in knowledge1  and
 ,god hath granted him an affinity in   
union4 ,it had been astonishing         

goodness to angelize our natures2 but in
 redemption ,divine goodness  hath acted
 higher1 in a sort to deify our natures4
 ,in creation1 our  nature was exalted  
above other creatures on earth2 in our  
redemption1  our nature is exalted above
 all the host of heaven3 we were higher 
than  the beasts1 as creatures1 but     
8lower than the angels0 7,ps4 viii4 #e72
  but1 by the incarnation of the ,son of
 ,god1 our nature is elevated  many     
steps above them4 ,after it had sunk    
itself by corruption below  the bestial 
nature1 and as low as the diabolical1   
the 8fulness of the  ,godhead dwells in 
our nature bodily0 7,col4 ii4 #i71 but  
never in the  angels1 angelically4 ,the 
,son of ,god descended to dignify our   
nature1  by assuming it2 and ascended   
with our nature to have it crowned above
  those standing monuments of ,divine   
power and goodness 7,eph4 i4 #bj1 #ba74 
,that ,person that descended in our     
nature into the grave1 and in the  same 
nature was raised up again1 is1 in that 

same nature1 set at the  right hand of  
,god in heaven1 8far above all          
principality1 and power1  and might1 and
 dominion1 and every name that is       
named40 ,our refined  clay1 by an       
indissoluble union with this ,divine    
,person1 is honored  to sit forever upon
 a throne above all the tribes of       
seraphims and  cherubims2 and the       
,person that wears it1 is the head of   
the good angels1  and the conqueror of  
the bad2 the one are put under his feet1
 and the  other commanded to adore him1 
8that purged our sins in our nature0    
7,heb4 i4 #c1 #f73 that ,divine ,person 
in our nature receives adoration  from  
the angels2 but the nature of man is not
 ordered to pay any homage  and         
adorations to the angels4 ,how could    
,divine goodness1 to man1 more  magnify 
itself8 ,as we could not have a lower   
descent than we had by sin1  how could  
we have a higher ascent than by a       
substantial participation  of a divine  
life1 in our nature1 in the unity of a  

,divine ,person8 ,our  earthly nature is
 joined to a heavenly ,person2 our      
undone nature united  to 8one equal with
 ,god0 7,phil4 ii4 #f74 ,it may truly be
 said1 that man  is ,god1 which is      
infinitely more glorious for us1 than if
 it could  be said1 man is an angel4 ,if
 it were goodness to advance our        
innocent  nature above other creatures1 
the advancement of our degenerate nature
  above angels deserves a higher title  
than mere goodness4 ,it is a  more      
gracious act1 than if all men had been  
transformed into the pure  spiritual    
nature of the loftiest cherubims4       
#eth4 ,this goodness is manifest in the 
covenant of grace made with us1  whereby
 we are freed from the rigor of that of 
works4 ,god might have  insisted upon   
the terms of the old covenant1 and      
required of man the  improvement of his 
original stock2 but ,god hath           
condescended to lower  terms1 and       
offered man more gracious methods1 and  
mitigated the rigor  of the first1 by   

the sweetness of the second4    #a4 ,it 
is goodness1 that he should condescend  
to make another covenant  with man4 ,to 
stipulate with innocent and righteous   
b#bge ,adam for his  obedience1 was a   
stoop of his sovereignty2 though he gave
 the precept  as a sovereign ,lord1 yet 
in his covenanting1 he seems to descend 
to  some kind of equality with that dust
 and ashes with whom the treated4       
,absolute sovereigns do not usually     
covenant with their people1 but  exact  
obedience and duty1 without binding     
themselves to bestow a reward2  and if  
they intend any1 they reserve the       
purpose in their own breasts1  without  
treating their subjects with a solemn   
declaration of it4 ,there  was no       
obligation on ,god to enter into the    
first covenant1 much less1  after the   
violation of the first1 to the          
settlement of a new4 ,if ,god  seemed in
 some sort to equal himself to man in   
the first1 he seemed to  descend below  
himself in treating with a rebel upon   

more condescending  terms in the second4
 ,if his covenant with innocent ,adam   
was a stoop  of his sovereignty1 this   
with rebellious ,adam seems to be a     
stripping  himself of his majesty in    
favor of his goodness2 as if his        
happiness  depended upon us1 and not    
ours upon him4 ,it is a humiliation of  
himself  to behold the things in heaven1
 the glorious angels1 as well as things 
on earth1 mortal men 7,ps4 cxiii4 #f72  
much more to bind himself in  gracious  
bonds to the glorious angels2 and much  
more if to rebel man4  ,in the first    
covenant there was much of sovereignty  
as well as goodness2  in the second     
there is less of sovereignty1 and more  
of grace3 in  the first there was a     
righteous man for a holy ,god2 in the   
second a  polluted creature for a pure  
and provoked ,god3 in the first he holds
  his sceptre in his hand1 to rule his  
subjects2 in the second he seems  to lay
 by his sceptre1 to court and espouse a 
beggar 7,hosea ii4 #ahbj73  in the first

 he is a ,lord2 in the second a husband2
 and binds himself  upon gracious       
conditions to become a debtor4 ,how     
should this goodness  fill us with an   
humble astonishment1 as it did ,abraham1
 when he 8fell  on his face10 when he   
heard ,god speaking of making a covenant
 with him6  7,gen4 xvii4 #b1 #c74 ,and  
if ,god speaking to ,israel out of the  
fire1 and  making them to hear his voice
 out of heaven1 that he might instruct  
them1 was a consideration whereby ,moses
 would heighten their admiration  of    
,divine goodness1 and engage their      
affectionate obedience to him  7,deut4  
iv4 #cb1 #cf1 #dj71 how much more       
admirable is it for ,god to speak  so   
kindly to us through the pacifying blood
 of the covenant1 that  silenced the    
terrors of the old1 and settled the     
tenderness of the new6    #b4 ,his      
goodness is seen in the nature and tenor
 of the new covenant4  ,there are in    
this richer streams of love and pity4   
,the language of one  was1 ,die1 if thou

 sin2 that of the other1 ,live1 if thou 
believest3#ihb  the old covenant was    
founded upon the obedience of man2 the  
new one  is not founded upon the        
inconstancy of man's will1 but the      
firmness of  ,divine love1 and the      
valuable merit of ,christ4 ,the head of 
the first  covenant was human and       
mutable2 the ,head of the second is     
divine and  immutable4 ,the curse due to
 us by the breach of the first1 is taken
  off by the indulgence of the second3  
we are by it snatched from the  jaws of 
the law1 to be wrapped up in the bosom  
of grace 7,rom4 viii4 #a74  8,for you   
are not under the law1 but under grace0 
7,rom4 vi4 #ad72 from  the curse b#bgf  
and condemnation of the law1 to the     
sweetness and  forgiveness of grace4    
,christ bore the one1 being 8made a     
curse for us0  7,gal4 iii4 #ac71 that we
 might enjoy the sweetness of the other2
 by this  we are brought from ,mount    
,sinai1 the mount of terror1 to ,mount  
,sion1  the mount of sacrifice1 the type

 of the great ,sacrifice 7,heb4 xii4    
#ah1  #bb74 ,that covenant brought in   
death upon one offence1 this covenant   
offers life after many offences 7,rom4  
v4 #af1 #ag73 that involves us in  a    
curse1 and this enricheth us with a     
blessing2 the breaches of that  expelled
 us out of ,paradise1 and the embracing 
of this admits us into  heaven4 ,this   
covenant demands1 and admits of that    
repentance whereof  there was no mention
 in the first2 that demanded obedience1 
not  repentance upon a failure2 and     
though the exercise of it had been never
  so deep in the fallen creature1       
nothing of the law's severity had been  
remitted by any virtue of it4 ,again1   
the first covenant demanded exact       
righteousness1 but conveyed no cleansing
 virtue1 upon the contracting  any      
filth4 ,the first demands a continuance 
in the righteousness  conferred in      
creation2 the second imprints a gracious
 heart in  regeneration4 8,i will pour  
clean water upon you2 ,i will put a new 

spirit within you10 was the voice of the
 second covenant1 not of the  first4    
,again1 as to pardon3 ,adam's covenant  
was to punish him1 not to  pardon him1  
if he fell2 that threatened death upon  
transgression1 this  remits it2 that was
 an act of ,divine sovereignty1         
declaring the will  of ,god2 this is an 
act of ,divine grace1 passing an act of 
oblivion on  the crimes of the creature3
 that1 as it demanded no repentance upon
 a  failure1 so it promised no mercy    
upon guilt2 that convened our sin1 and  
condemned us for it2 this clears our    
guilt1 and comforts us under it4  ,the  
first covenant related us to ,god as a  
,judge2 every transgression  against it 
forfeited his indulgence as a ,father3  
the second delivers  us from ,god as a  
condemning ,judge1 to bring us under his
 wing1 as an  affectionate ,father2 in  
the one there was a dreadful frown to   
scare us2  in the other1 a healing wing 
to cover and relieve us4 ,again1 in     
regard  of righteousness3 that demanded 

our performance of a righteousness in   
and by ourselves1 and our own strength2 
this demands our acceptance  of a       
righteousness higher than ever the      
standing angels had2 the  righteousness 
of the first covenant was the           
righteousness of a man1  the            
righteousness of the second is the      
righteousness of a ,god 7#b ,cor4  v4   
#ba74 ,again1 in regard of that         
obedience it demands3 it exacts not  of 
us1 as a necessary condition1 the       
perfection of obedience1 but  the       
sincerity of obedience2 an uprightness  
in our intention1 not an  unspottedness 
in our action2 an integrity in our aims1
 and an industry  in our compliance with
 divine precepts3 8,walk before me1 and 
be thou  perfect0 7,gen4 xvii4 #a72 i4  
e4 sincere4 ,what is hearty in our      
actions1  is accepted2 and what is      
defective1 is overlooked1 and not       
charged upon  us1 because of the        
obedience and righteousness of our      
,surety4 ,the first  covenant rejected  

all our services after sin2 the services
 of a person  under the sentence of     
death1 are but dead services3 this      
accepts our  imperfect services1 after  
faith in it2 that administered no       
strength  to obey1 but supposed it2 this
 supposeth our inability to obey1 and   
confers some strength for it3 8,i will  
put my spirit b#bgg within you1  and    
cause you to walk in my statutes0       
7,ezek4 xxxvi4 #bg74 ,again1 in  regard 
of the promises3 the old covenant had   
good1 but the new hath  8better         
promises0 7,heb4 viii4 #f71 of          
justification after guilt and           
sanctification after filth1 and         
glorification at last of the whole  man4
 ,in the first1 there was provision     
against guilt1 but none for the  removal
 of it3 provision against filth1 but    
none for the cleansing of  it2 promise  
of happiness implied1 but not so great a
 one as that 8life  and immortality0 in 
heaven1 8brought to light by the gospel0
 7#b ,tim4  i4 #aj74 ,why said to be    

8brought to light by the gospel80       
because it  was not only buried1 upon   
the fall of man under the curses of the 
law1  but it was not so obvious to the  
conceptions of man in his innocent      
state4 ,life indeed was implied to be   
promised upon his standing1 but  not so 
glorious an immortality disclosed1 to be
 reserved for him1 if  he stood3 as it  
is a covenant of better promises1 so a  
covenant of  sweeter comforts2 comforts 
more choice1 and comforts more durable2 
an  8everlasting consolation1 and a good
 hope0 are the fruits of 8grace10  i4 e4
 the covenant of grace 7#b ,thess4 ii4  
#af74 ,in the whole there is  such a    
love disclosed1 as cannot be expressed2 
the apostle leaves it to  every man's   
mind to conceive it1 if he could1 8,what
 manner of love the  ,father hath       
bestowed upon us1 that we should be     
called the sons of ,god0  7#a ,john iii4
 #a74 ,it instates us in such a manner  
of the love of ,god as  he bears to his 
,son1 the image of his person 7,john    

xvii4 #bc73 8,that the  world may know  
that thou hast loved them1 as thou hast 
loved me40    #c4 ,this goodness appears
 in the choice gift of himself which he 
hath  made over in this covenant 7,gen4 
xvii4 #g74 ,you know how it runs in     
,scripture3 8,i will be their ,god1 and 
they shall be my people0 7,jer4  xxxii4 
#ch73 a propriety in the ,deity is made 
over by it4 ,as he gave  the blood of   
his ,son to seal the covenant1 so he    
gave himself as the  blessing of the    
covenant2 8,he is not ashamed to be     
called their ,god0  7,heb4 xi4 #af74    
,though he be environed with millions of
 angels1 and  presides over them in an  
inexpressible glory1 he is not ashamed  
of his  condescensions to man1 and to   
pass over himself as the propriety of   
his  people1 as well as to take them to 
be his4 ,it is a diminution of the      
sense of the place1 to understand it of 
,god1 as ,creator2 what reason  was     
there for ,god to be ashamed of the     
expressions of his power1 wisdom1       

goodness1 in the works of his hands8    
,but we might have reason to think      
there might be some ground in ,god to be
 ashamed of making himself over  in a   
deed of gift to a mean worm and filthy  
rebel2 this might seem a  disparagement 
to his majesty2 but ,god is not ashamed 
of a title so mean1  as the ,god of his 
despised people2 a title below those    
others1 of the  8,lord of hosts1        
glorious in holiness1 fearful in        
praises1 doing wonders1  riding on the  
wings of the wind1 walking in the       
circuits of heaven40 ,he  is no more    
ashamed of this title of being our ,god1
 than he is of those  other that sound  
more glorious2 he would rather have his 
greatness  veil to his goodness1 than   
his goodness be confined by his majesty2
  he is not only our ,god1 but our ,god 
as he is the ,god of ,christ3 he is  not
 ashamed to be our propriety1 and       
,christ is not ashamed to own his       
people in a partnership with him in this
 propriety 7,john xx4 #ag73 b#bgh  8,i  

ascend to my ,god1 and your ,god40 ,this
 of ,god's being our ,god1 is the       
quintessence of the covenant1 the soul  
of all the promises3 in this he  hath   
promised whatsoever is infinite in him1 
whatsoever is the glory  and ornament of
 his nature1 for our use2 not a part of 
him1 or one  single perfection1 but the 
whole vigor and strength of all4 ,as he 
is  not a ,god without infinite wisdom1 
and infinite power1 and infinite        
goodness1 and infinite blessedness1 c41 
so he passes over1 in this  covenant1   
all that which presents him as the most 
adorable ,being to  his creatures2 he   
will be to them as great1 as wise1 as   
powerful1 as  good as he is in himself2 
and the assuring us1 in this covenant1  
to  be our ,god1 imports also that he   
will do as much for us1 as we would  do 
for ourselves1 were we furnished with   
the same goodness1 power1 and  wisdom3  
in being our ,god1 he testifies it is   
all one1 as if we had the  same         
perfections in our own power to employ  

for our use2 for he being  possessed    
with them1 it is as much as if we       
ourselves were possessed  with them1 for
 our own advantage1 according to the    
rules of wisdom1  and the several       
conditions we pass through for his      
glory4 ,but this  must be taken with a  
relation to that wisdom1 which he       
observes in  his proceedings with us as 
creatures1 and according to the several 
conditions we pass through for his      
glory4 ,thus ,god's being ours is more  
than if all heaven and earth were ours  
besides2 it is more than if we  were    
fully our own1 and at our own dispose2  
it makes 8all things that  ,god hath    
ours0 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #bb72 and          
therefore1 not only all things he  hath 
created1 but all things that he can     
create2 not only all things  that he    
hath contrived1 but all things that he  
can contrive3 for in  being ours1 his   
power is ours1 his possible power as    
well as his active  power2 his power1   
whereby he can effect more than he hath 

done1 and  his wisdom1 whereby he can   
contrive more than he hath done2 so that
 if  there were need of employing his   
power to create many worlds for our     
good1 he would not stick at it2 for if  
he did1 he would not be our  ,god1 in   
the extent of his nature1 as the promise
 intimates4 ,what a rich  goodness1 and 
a fulness of bounty1 is there in this   
short expression1  as full as the       
expression of a ,god can make it1 to be 
intelligible1 to  such creatures as we  
are6    #d4 ,this goodness is further   
manifest in the confirmation of the     
covenant4 ,his goodness did not only    
condescend to make it for our           
happiness1 after we had made ourselves  
miserable1 but further  condescended to 
ratify it in the solemnest manner for   
our assurance1  to overrule all the     
despondencies unbelief could raise up in
 our souls4  ,the reason why he         
confirmed it by an oath1 was to show the
 immutability  of his glorious counsel1 
not to tie himself to keep it1 for his  

word  and promise is in itself as       
immutable as his oath2 they were 8two   
immutable things1 his word and his      
oath10 one as unchangeable as the       
other2 but for the strength of our      
consolation1 that it might have  no     
reason to shake and totter 7,heb4 vi4   
#ag1 #ah73 he would condescend  as low  
as was possible for a ,god to do for the
 satisfaction of the  dejected creature4
 ,when the first covenant was broken1   
and it was  impossible for man to fulfil
 the terms of it1 and mount to happiness
  thereby1 he makes another2 and1 as if 
we had reason to distrust him in  the   
first1 he solemnly ratifies it in a     
higher manner than b#bgi he  had done   
the other1 and swears by himself that he
 will be true to it1  not so much out of
 an election of himself1 as the object  
of the oath  7,heb4 vi4 #ac73 8,because 
he could not swear by a greater1 he     
swears by  himself20 whereby the apostle
 clearly intimates1 that ,divine        
goodness  was raised to such a height   

for us1 that if there had been anything 
else more sacred than himself1 or that  
could have punished him if he  had      
broken it1 that he would have sworn by1 
to silence any diffidence  in us1 and   
confirm us in the reality of his        
intentions4 ,now if it were  a mighty   
mark of goodness for ,god to stoop to a 
covenanting with us1 it  was more for a 
sovereign to bind himself so solemnly to
 be our debtor  in a promise1 as well as
 he was our sovereign in the precept1   
and stoop  so low in it to satisfy the  
distrust of that creature1 that deserved
  for ever to lie soaking in his own    
ruins1 for not believing his bare  word4
 ,what absolute prince would ever stoop 
so low as to article with  rebellious   
subjects1 whom he could in a moment set 
his foot upon and  crush2 much less     
countenance a causeless distrust of his 
goodness by  the addition of his oath1  
and thereby bind his own hands1 which   
were  unconfined before1 and free to do 
what he pleased with them8    #e4 ,this 

goodness of ,god is remarkable also in  
the condition of this  covenant which is
 faith4 ,this was the easiest condition1
 in its own  nature1 that could be      
imagined2 no difficulty in it but what  
proceeds  from the pride of man's       
nature1 and the obstinacy of his will4  
,it  was not impossible in itself2 it   
was not the old condition of perfect    
obedience4 ,it had been mighty goodness 
to set us up again upon our old  stock1 
and restore us to the tenor and         
condition of the covenant of  works1 or 
to have required the burdensome         
ceremonies of the law4 ,nor is  it an   
exact knowledge he requires of us2 all  
men's understandings being  of a        
different size1 they had not been       
capable of this4 ,it was the  most      
reasonable condition1 in regard of the  
excellency of the things  proposed1 and 
the effects following upon it2 nay1 it  
was necessary4 ,it  had been a want of  
goodness to himself and his own honor2  
he had cast  that off1 had he not       

insisted on this condition of faith1 it 
being the  lowest he could condescend to
 with a salvo for his glory4 ,and it was
  a goodness to us2 it is nothing else  
he requires1 but a willingness  to      
accept what he hath contrived and acted 
for us3 and no man can be  happy against
 his will2 without this belief1 at      
least1 man could never  voluntarily have
 arrived to his happiness4 ,the goodness
 of ,god is  evidenced in that4    #ast4
 ,it is an easy condition1 not          
impossible4 #a4 ,it was not the         
condition of the old covenant4 ,the     
condition of that was an entire         
obedience to every precept with a man's 
whole strength1 and without  any flaw or
 crack4 ,but the condition of the       
evangelical covenant is a  sincere1     
though weak1 faith2 ,he hath suited this
 covenant to the misery  of man's fallen
 condition2 he considers our weakness1  
and that we are  but dust1 and therefore
 exacts not of us an entire1 but a      
sincere1  obedience4 ,had ,god sent     

,christ to expiate the crime of ,adam1  
restore  him to his paradise estate1 and
 repair in man the ruined image of      
holiness1 and after this to have renewed
 the covenant of works for  the future1 
and settled the same condition in       
exacting a complete  obedience for the  
time to come2 ,divine goodness had b#bhj
 been above  any accusation1 and had    
deserved our highest admiration in the  
pardon  of former transgressions1 and   
giving out to us our first stock4 ,but  
,divine goodness took larger strides3 he
 had tried our first condition1  and    
found his mutable creature quickly to   
violate it3 had he demanded  the same   
now1 it is likely it had met with the   
same issue as before1  in man's         
disobedience and fall2 we should have   
been as men1 as ,adam  7,hos4 vi4 #g71  
8transgressing the covenant20 and then  
we must have  lain groaning under our   
disease1 and wallowing in our blood1    
unless  ,christ had come to die for the 
expiation of our new crimes2 for every  

transgression had been a violation of   
that covenant1 and a forfeiture  of our 
right to the benefits of it4 ,if we had 
broke it but in one  tittle1 we had     
rendered ourselves incapable to fulfil  
it for the  future2 that one            
transgression had stood as a bar against
 the pleas of  afterobedience4 ,but ,god
 hath wholly laid that condition aside  
as to us1  and settled that of faith1   
more easy to be performed1 and to be    
renewed  by us4 ,it is infinite grace in
 him1 that he will accept of faith in   
us1 instead of that perfect obedience he
 required of us in the covenant  of     
works4 #b4 ,it is easy1 not like the    
burdensome ceremonies appointed  under  
the law4 ,he exacts not now the legal   
obedience1 expensive  sacrifices1       
troublesome purifications1 and          
abstinences1 that 8yoke of  bondage0    
7,gal4 v4 #a7 which they were 8not able 
to bear0 7,acts xv4 #aj74  ,he treats us
 not as servants1 or children1 in their 
nonage1 under the  elements of the      

world1 nor requires those innumerable   
bodily exercises  that he exacted of    
them3 he demands not 8a thousand of     
lambs10 and  8rivers of oil20 but he    
requires a sincere confession and       
repentance1  in order to our absolution2
 an 8unfeigned faith10 in order to our  
blessedness1 and elevation to a glorious
 life4 ,he requires only that  we should
 believe what he saith1 and have so good
 an opinion of his  goodness and        
veracity1 as to persuade ourselves of   
the reality of his  intentions1 confide 
in his word1 and rely upon his promise1 
cordially  embrace his crucified ,son1  
whom he hath set forth as the means of  
our  happiness1 and have a sincere      
respect to all the discoveries of his   
will4 ,what can be more easy than this8 
,though some in the days of the         
apostles1 and others since have         
endeavored to introduce a multitude of  
legal burdens1 as if they envied ,god   
the expressions of his goodness1  or    
thought him guilty of too much          

remissness1 in taking off the yoke1  and
 treating man too favorably4 #c4 ,nor is
 it a clear knowledge of every          
revelation1 that is the condition of    
this covenant4 ,god in his kindness  to 
man hath made revelations of himself1   
but his goodness is manifested  in      
obliging us to believe him1 not fully to
 understand him4 ,he hath  made them1 by
 sufficient testimonies1 as clear to our
 faith1 as they  are incomprehensible to
 our reason3 he hath revealed a ,trinity
 of  ,persons1 in their distinct        
offices1 in the business of redemption1 
without which revelation of a ,trinity  
we could not have a right  notion and   
scheme of redeeming grace4 ,but since   
the clearness of men's  understanding is
 sullied by the fall1 and hath lost its 
wings to fly up  to a knowledge of such 
sublime things as that of the ,trinity1 
and other  mysteries of the ,christian  
religion1 ,god hath manifested his      
goodness  in not obliging us to         
understand them but to believe them2 and

 hath  given us reason enough b#bha to  
believe it to be his revelation1  7both 
from the nature of the revelation       
itself1 and the way and manner  of      
propagating it1 which is wholly divine1 
exceeding all the methods  of human     
art17 though he hath not extended our   
understandings to a  capacity to know   
them1 and render a reason of every      
mystery4 ,he did not  require of every  
,israelite1 or of any of them that were 
stung by the  fiery serpents1 that they 
should understand1 or be able to        
discourse  of the nature and qualities  
of that brass of which the serpent upon 
the pole was made1 or by what art that  
serpent was formed1 or in what  manner  
the sight of it did operate in them for 
their cure2 it was  enough that they did
 believe the institution and precept of 
,god1 and  that their own cure was      
assured by it3 it was enough if they    
cast their  eyes upon it according to   
the direction4 ,the understandings of   
men  are of several sizes and           

elevations1 one higher than another3 if 
the  condition of this covenant had been
 a greatness of knowledge1 the  most    
acute men had only enjoyed the benefits 
of it4 ,but it is 8faith10  which is as 
easy to be performed by the ignorant and
 simple1 as by  the strongest and most  
towering mind3 it is that which is      
within the  compass of every man's      
understanding4 ,god did not require that
 every  one within the verge of the     
covenant should be able to discourse of 
it to the reasons of men2 he required   
not that every man should be a          
philosopher1 or an orator1 but a        
believer4 ,what could be more easy than 
to lift up the eye to the brazen        
serpent1 to be cured of a fiery sting8  
,what could be more facile than a       
glance1 which is done without any pain1 
and in a moment8 ,it is a condition may 
be performed by the weakest as  well as 
the strongest3 could those that were    
bitten in the most vital  part cast up  
their eyes1 though at the last gasp1    

they would arise to  health by the      
expulsion of the venom4    #b;d4 ,as it 
is easy1 so it is reasonable4 ,repent   
and believe1 is  that which is required 
by ,christ and the apostles for the     
enjoyment of  the kingdom of heaven4 ,it
 is very reasonable that things so great
 and  glorious1 so beneficial to men1   
and revealed to them by so sound an     
authority1 and an unerring truth1 should
 be believed4 ,the excellency  of the   
thing disclosed could admit of no lower 
a condition than to  be believed and    
embraced4 ,there is a sort of faith1    
that is a natural  condition in         
everything3 all religion in the world1  
though never  so false1 depends upon a  
sort of it2 for unless there be a belief
  of future things1 there would never be
 a hope of good1 or a fear of  evil1 the
 two great hinges upon which religion   
moves4 ,in all kinds of  learning1 many 
things must be believed before a        
progress can be made4  ,belief of one   
another is necessary in all acts of     

human life2 without  which human society
 would be unlinked and dissolved4 ,what 
is that faith  that ,god requires of us 
in this covenant1 but a willingness of  
soul  to take ,god for our ,god1 ,christ
 for our ,mediator1 and the procurer  of
 our happiness 7,rev4 xxii4 #ag78 ,what 
prince could require less upon  any     
promise he makes his subjects1 than to  
be believed as true1 and  depended on as
 good2 that they should accept his      
pardon1 and other  gracious offers1 and 
be sincere in their allegiance to him1  
avoiding  all things that may offend    
him1 and pursuing all things that may   
please  him8 ,thus ,god1 by so b#bhb    
small and reasonable a condition as     
faith1  lets in the fruits of ,christ's 
death into our soul1 and wraps us up  in
 the fruition of all the privileges     
purchased by it4 ,so much he hath       
condescended in his goodness1 that upon 
so slight a condition we may  plead his 
promise1 and humbly challenge1 by virtue
 of the covenant1  those good things he 

hath promised in his word4 ,it is so    
reasonable a  condition1 that if ,god   
did not require it in the covenant of   
grace1 the  creature were obliged to    
perform it3 for the publishing any truth
 from  ,god1 naturally calls for credit 
to be given it by the creature1 and  an 
entertainment of it in practice4 ,could 
you offer a more reasonable  condition  
yourselves1 had it been left to your    
choice8 ,should a prince  proclaim a    
pardon to a profligate wretch1 would not
 all the world cry  shame of him1 if he 
did not believe it upon the highest     
assurances8 and  if ingenuity did not   
make him sorry for his crimes1 and      
careful in the  duty of a subject1      
surely the world would cry shame of such
 a person4    #c;d4 ,it is a necessary  
condition4 #a4 ,necessary for the honor 
of  ,god4 ,a prince is disparaged if his
 authority in his law1 and if his       
graciousness in his promises1 be not    
accepted and believed4 ,what  physician 
would undertake a cure1 if his precepts 

may not be credited8  ,it is the first  
thing in the order of nature1 that the  
revelation of  ,god should be believed1 
that the reality of his intentions in   
inviting  man to the acceptance of those
 methods he hath prescribed for their   
attaining their chief happiness1 should 
be acknowledged4 ,it is a  debasing     
notion of ,god1 that he should give a   
happiness1 purchased by  ,divine blood1 
to a person that hath no value for it1  
nor any abhorrency  of those sins that  
occasioned so great a suffering1 nor any
 will to  avoid them3 should he not     
vilify himself1 to bestow a heaven upon 
that  man that will not believe the     
offers of it1 nor walk in those ways    
that lead to it8 that walks so1 as if he
 would declare there was no  truth in   
his word1 nor holiness in his nature8   
,would not ,god by such  an act verify a
 truth in the language of their         
practice1 viz4 that he  were both false 
and impure1 careless of his word1 and   
negligent of his  holiness8 ,as ,god was

 so desirous to ensure the consolation  
of believers1  that if there had been a 
greater ,being than himself to attest1  
and for  him to be responsible to1 for  
the confirmation of his promise1 he     
would  willingly have submitted to him1 
and have made him the umpire1 8,he      
swore by himself1 because he could not  
swear by a greater0 7,heb4 vi4  #ai72 by
 the same reason1 had it stood with the 
majesty and wisdom of  ,god to stoop to 
lower conditions in this covenant1 for  
the reducing of  man to his duty and    
happiness1 he would have done it2 but   
his goodness  could not take lower      
steps1 with the preservation of the     
rights of his  majesty1 and the honor of
 his wisdom4 ,would you have had him    
wholly  submitted to the obstinate will 
of a rebellious creature1 and be ruled  
only by his terms8 ,would you have had  
him received men to happiness1  after   
they had heightened their crimes by a   
contempt of his grace1  as well as of   
his creating goodness1 and have made    

them blessed under  the guilt of their  
crimes without an acknowledgment8       
,should he glorify  one that will not   
believe what he hath revealed1 nor      
repent of what  himself hath committed2 
and so save a man after b#bhc a repeated
  unthankfulness to the most immense    
grace that ever was1 or can be1         
discovered and offered1 without a       
detestation of his ingratitude1 and  a  
voluntary acceptance of his offers8 ,it 
is necessary1 for the honor  of ,god1   
that man should accept of his terms1 and
 not give laws to him  to whom he is    
obnoxious as a guilty person1 as well as
 subject as a  creature4 ,again1 it was 
very equitable and necessary for the    
honor of  ,god1 that since man fell by  
an unbelief of his precept and          
threatening1  he should not rise again  
without a belief of his promise1 and    
casting  himself upon his truth in that3
 since he had vilified the honor of his 
truth in the threatening2 since man in  
his fall would lean to his own          

understanding against ,god1 it is fit   
that1 in his recovery1 the highest      
powers of his soul1 his understanding   
and will1 should be subjected to  him in
 an entire resignation4 ,now1 whereas   
knowledge seems to have a  power over   
its object1 faith is a full submission  
to that which is the  object of it4     
,since man intended a glorying in       
himself1 the evangelical  covenant      
directs its whole battery against it1   
that men may 8glory  in nothing but     
,divine goodness0 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bica74  
,had man performed  exact obedience by  
his own strength1 he had had something  
in himself  as the matter of his glory4 
,and though1 after the fall1 grace had  
made  itself illustrious in setting him 
up upon a new stock1 yet had the same   
condition of exact obedience been       
settled in the same manner1 man would   
have had something to glory in1 which is
 struck off wholly by faith2  whereby   
man in every act must go out of himself 
for a supply1 to that  ,mediator which  

,divine goodness and grace hath         
appointed4 #b4 ,it is  necessary for the
 happiness of man4 ,that can be no      
contenting condition  wherein the will  
of man doth not concur4 ,he that is     
forced to the  most delicious diet1 or  
to wear the bravest apparel1 or to be   
stored  with abundance of treasure1     
cannot be happy in those things without 
an esteem of them1 and delight in them3 
if they be nauseous to him1  the        
indisposition of his mind is a dead fly 
in those boxes of precious  ointment4   
,now1 faith being a sincere willingness 
to accept of ,christ1  and to come to   
,god by him1 and repentance being a     
detestation of  that which made man's   
separation from ,god1 it is impossible  
he  could be voluntarily happy without  
it3 man cannot attain and enjoy  a true 
happiness without an operation of his   
understanding about  the object         
proposed1 and the means appointed to    
enjoy it4 ,there must  be a knowledge of
 what is offered1 and of the way of it1 

and such a  knowledge as may determine  
the will to affect that end1 and embrace
  those means2 which the will can never 
do1 till the understanding be  fully    
persuaded of the truth of the offerer1  
and the goodness of the  proposal       
itself1 and the conveniency of the means
 for the attaining of  it4 ,it is       
necessary1 in the nature of the thing1  
that what is revealed  should be        
believed to be a ,divine revelation4    
,god must be judged  true in the        
promising justification and             
sanctification1 the means of  happiness2
 and if any man desires to be partaker  
of those promises1 he  must desire to be
 sanctified2 and how can he desire that 
which is the  matter of those promises1 
if he wallow in his own lusts1 and      
desire  to do so1 a thing repugnant to  
the promise itself8 ,would you have ,god
  force man to be happy against his     
will8 ,is it not very reasonable he     
should demand the consent b#bhd of his  
reasonable creature to that  blessedness

 he offers him8 ,the new covenant is a  
8marriage covenant0  7,hos4 ii4 #af1    
#ai1 #bj71 which implies a consent on   
our parts1 as well as  a consent on     
,god's part2 that is no marriage that   
hath not the consent  of both parties4  
,now faith is our actual consent1 and   
repentance and  sincere obedience are   
the testimonies of the truth and reality
 of this  consent4    #fth4 ,divine     
goodness is eminent in his methods of   
treating with men  to embrace this      
covenant4 ,they are methods of          
gentleness and sweetness3  it is a      
wooing goodness1 and a bewailing        
goodness2 his expressions  are with     
strong motions of affection3 he carrieth
 not on the gospel  by force of arms3 he
 doth not solely menace men into it1 as 
worldly  conquerors have done2 he doth  
not1 as ,mahomet1 plunder men's estates1
  and wound their bodies1 to imprint a  
religion on their souls3 he doth  not   
erect gibbets1 and kindle faggots1 to   
scare men to an entering into  covenant 

with him4 ,what multitudes might he have
 raised by his power1  as well as       
others6 ,what legions of angels might he
 have rendezvoused  from heaven1 to have
 beaten men into a profession of the    
gospel6 ,nor  doth he only interpose his
 sovereign authority in the precept of  
faith1  but useth rational              
expostulations1 to move men voluntarily 
to comply  with his proposals 7,isa4 i4 
#ah71 8,come now1 and let us reason     
together10  saith the ,lord4 ,he seems  
to call heaven and earth to be judge1   
whether he had been wanting in any      
reasonable ways of goodness1 to         
overcome the perversity of the creature2
 7,isa4 i4 #b71 8,hear1 ,o heavens1  and
 give ear1 ,o earth1 ,i have nourished  
and brought up children40 ,what  various
 encouragements doth he use agreeable to
 the nature of men1  endeavoring to     
persuade them with all tenderness1 not  
to despise their  own mercies1 and be   
enemies to their own happiness6 ,he     
would allure  us by his beauty1 and win 

us by his mercy4 ,he uses the arms of   
his own  excellency and our necessity to
 prevail upon us1 and this after the    
highest provocations4 ,when ,adam had   
trampled upon his creating goodness1  it
 was not crushed2 and when man had cast 
it from him1 it took the  higher        
rebound3 when the rebel's provocation   
was fresh in his mind1  he sought him   
out with a promise in his hand1 though  
,adam fled from  him out of enmity as   
well as fear 7,gen4 iii74 ,and when the 
,jews had  outraged his ,son1 whom he   
loved from eternity1 and made the ,lord 
of  heaven and earth bow down his head  
like a slave on the cross1 yet in  that 
place1 where the most horrible          
wickedness had been committed1 must  the
 gospel be preached3 the law must go    
forth out of that ,sion1 and the        
apostles must not stir from thence till 
they had received the promise  of the   
,spirit1 and published the word of grace
 in that ungrateful city1  whose        
inhabitants yet swelled with indignation

 against the ,lord of ,life1  and the   
doctrine he had preached among them     
7,luke xxiv4 #dg2 ,acts i4  #d1 #e74 ,he
 would overlook their indignities out of
 tenderness to their  souls1 and expose 
the apostles to the peril of their      
lives1 rather than  expose his enemies  
to the fury of the devil4    #a4 ,how   
affectionately doth he invite men6 ,what
 multitudes of alluring  promises and   
pressing exhortations are there         
everywhere sprinkled in  the ,scripture1
 and in such a passionate manner1 as if 
,god were solely  concerned in our good1
 without a glance on his own b#bhe      
glory6 ,how  tenderly doth he woo flinty
 hearts1 and express more pity to them  
than they do to themselves6 ,with what  
affection do his bowels rise  up to his 
lips in his speech in the prophet1 ,isa4
 li4 #d1 8,hearken to  me1 ,o my people1
 and give ear unto me1 ,o my nation60   
8,my people10 8my  nation60melting      
expressions of a tender ,god soliciting 
a rebellious  people to make their      

retreat to him4 ,he never emptied his   
hand of  his bounty1 nor divested his   
lips of those charitable expressions4   
,he  sent ,noah to move the wicked of   
the old world to an embracing of his    
goodness1 and frequent prophets to the  
provoking ,jews2 and as the world       
continued1 and grew up to a taller      
stature in sin1 he stoops more in  the  
manner of his expressions4 ,never was   
the world at a higher pitch  of idolatry
 than at the first publishing the       
gospel2 yet1 when we  should have       
expected him to be a punishing1 he is a 
beseeching ,god4  ,the apostle fears not
 to use the expression for the glory of 
,divine  goodness2 8,we are ambassadors 
for ,christ1 as though ,god did beseech 
you  by us0 7#b ,cor4 v4 #bj74 ,the     
beseeching voice of ,god is in the voice
 of  the ministry1 as the voice of the  
prince is in that of the herald3 it  is 
as if ,divine goodness did kneel down to
 a sinner with ringed hands  and        
blubbered cheeks1 entreating him not to 

force him to reassume a  tribunal of    
justice in the nature of a ,judge1 since
 he would treat with  man upon a throne 
of grace in the nature of a ,father2    
yea1 he seems  to put himself into the  
posture of the criminal1 that the       
offending  creature might not feel the  
punishment due to a rebel4 ,it is not   
the  condescension1 but the interest1 of
 a traitor to creep upon his knees  in  
sackcloth to his sovereign1 to beg his  
life2 but it is a miraculous  goodness  
in the sovereign to creep in the lowest 
posture to the rebel1  to importune him1
 not only for an amity to him1 but a    
love for his own  life and happiness3   
this ,he doth1 not only in his general  
proclamations1  but in his particular   
wooings1 those inward courtings of his  
,spirits1  soliciting them with more    
diligence 7if they would observe it7 to 
their  happiness1 than the devil tempts 
them to the ways of their misery3 as  he
 was first in ,christ1 reconciling the  
world1 when the world looked  not after 

him1 so he is first in his ,spirit1     
wooing the world to accept  of that     
reconciliation1 when the world will not 
listen to him4 ,how  often doth he flash
 up the light of nature and the light of
 the word  in men's hearts1 to move them
 not to lie down in sparks of their own 
kindling1 but to aspire to a better     
happiness1 and prepare them to be       
subject to a higher mercy1 if they would
 improve his present entreaties  to such
 an end6 ,and what are his threatenings 
designed for1 but to move  the wheel of 
our fears1 that the wheel of our desire 
and love might  be set on motion for the
 embracing his promise8 ,they are not so
 much  the thunders of his justice1 as  
the loud rhetoric of his good will1 to  
prevent men's misery under the vials of 
wrath3 it is his kindness to  scare men 
by threatenings1 that justice might not 
strike them with the  sword3 it is not  
the destruction1 but the preserving     
reformation1 that  he aims at3 he hath  
no pleasure in the death of the wicked2 

this he  confirms by his oath4 ,his     
threatenings are gracious expostulations
 with  them3 8,why will ye die1 ,o house
 of ,israel0 7,ezek4 xxxiii4 #aa78 ,they
  are like the noise a favorable officer
 makes in the street1 b#bhf to  warn the
 criminal he comes to seize upon1 to    
make his escape3 he never  used his     
justice to crush men1 till he had used  
his kindness to allure  them4 ,all the  
dreadful descriptions of a future wrath1
 as well as the  lively descriptions of 
the happiness of another world1 are     
designed  to persuade men2 the honey of 
his goodness is in the bowels of those  
roaring lions3 such pains doth ,goodness
 take with men1 to make them  candidates
 for heaven4    #b4 ,how readily doth he
 receive men when they do return6 ,we   
have  ,david's experience for it 7,ps4  
xxxii4 #e72 8,i said1 ,i will confess my
  transgressions unto the ,lord2 and    
thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin4  
,selah40 ,a sincere look from the       
creature draws out his arms1 and opens  

his bosom2 he is ready with his physic  
to heal us1 upon a resolution  to       
acquaint him with our disease1 and by   
his medicines prevents the  putting our 
resolution into a petition4 ,the        
,psalmist adds a 8,selah0 to  it1 as a  
special note of thankfulness for ,divine
 goodness4 ,he doth not  only stand     
ready to receive our petitions while we 
are speaking1 but  answers us before we 
call 7,isa4 lxv4 #bd72 listening to the 
motions of  our heart1 as well as to the
 supplications of our lips4 ,he is the  
true  ,father1 that hath a quicker pace 
in meeting1 than the prodigal hath  in  
returning2 who would not have his       
embraces and caresses interrupted  by   
his confession 7,luke xv4 #bjbb72 the   
confession follows1 doth not  precede1  
the ,father's compassion4 ,how doth he  
rejoice in having an  opportunity to    
express his grace1 when he hath         
prevailed with a rebel  to throw down   
his arms1 and lie at his feet2 and this 
because 8he  delights in mercy0 7,micah 

vii4 #ah76 ,he delights in the          
expressions of  it from himself1 and the
 acceptance of it by his creature4      
#c4 ,how meltingly doth he bewail man's 
wilful refusal of his goodness6  ,it is 
a mighty goodness to offer grace to a   
rebel2 a mighty goodness  to give it him
 after he hath a while stood off from   
the terms2 an  astonishing goodness to  
regret and lament his wilful perdition4 
,he  seems to utter those words in a    
sigh1 8,o that my people had hearkened  
unto me1 and ,israel had walked in my   
way0 7,ps4 lxxxi4 #ac76 ,it is true1    
,god hath not human passions1 but his   
affections cannot be expressed          
otherwise in a way intelligible to us2  
the excellency of his nature  is above  
the passions of men2 but such           
expressions of himself manifest  to us  
the sincerity of his goodness3 and that1
 were he capable of our  passions1 he   
would express himself in such a manner  
as we do3 and we  find incarnate        
,goodness bewailing with tears and sighs

 the ruin of  ,jerusalem 7,luke xix4    
#db74 ,by the same reason that when a   
sinner returns  there is joy in heaven1 
upon his obstinacy there is sorrow in   
earth4  ,the one is1 as if a prince     
should clothe all his court in          
triumphant  scarlet1 upon a rebel's     
repentance2 and the other1 as if a      
prince put  himself and his court in    
mourning for a rebel's obstinate refusal
 of  a pardon1 when he lies at his      
mercy4 ,are not now these affectionate  
invitations1 and deep bewailings of     
their perversity1 high testimonies  of  
,divine goodness8 ,do not the unwearied 
repetitions of gracious  encouragements 
deserve a higher name than that of mere 
goodness8 ,what  can be a stronger      
evidence of the sincerity of it1 than   
the sound  of his saving voice in our   
enjoyments1 the motion of his ,spirit in
  our hearts1 and his grief b#bhg for   
the neglect of all8 ,these are  not     
testimonies of any want of goodness in  
his nature to answer us1  or            

unwillingness to express it to his      
creature4 ,hath he any mind to  deceive 
us1 that thus intreats us8 ,the majesty 
of his nature is too  great for such    
shifts2 or1 if it were not1 the         
despicableness of our  condition would  
render him above the using any4 ,who    
would charge that  physician with want  
of kindness1 that freely offers his     
sovereign  medicine1 importunes men1 by 
the love they have to their health1  to 
take it1 and is dissolved into tears and
 sorrow when he finds it  rejected by   
their peevish and conceited humor8      
#gth4 ,divine goodness is eminent in the
 sacraments he hath affixed to  this    
covenant1 especially the ,lord's supper4
 ,as he gave himself in his  ,son1 so he
 gives his ,son in the sacrament2 he    
doth not only give him  as a sacrifice  
upon the cross for the expiation of our 
crimes1 but as  a feast upon the table  
for the nourishment of our souls3 in the
 one he  was given to be offered2 in    
this he gives him to be partaken of1    

with  all the fruits of his death2 under
 the image of the sacramental signs1    
every believer doth eat the flesh1 and  
drink the blood of the great  ,mediator 
of the covenant4 ,the words of ,christ1 
8,this is my body1 and  this is my      
blood10 are true to the end of the world
 7,matt4 xxvi4 #bf1  #bh74 ,this is the 
most delicious viand of heaven1 the most
 exquisite  dainty food ,god can feed us
 with3 the delight of the ,deity1 the   
admiration of angels2 a feast with ,god 
is great1 but a feast on ,god  is       
greater4 ,under those signs that body is
 presented2 that which was  conceived by
 the ,spirit1 inhabited by the ,godhead1
 bruised by the  ,father to be our food1
 as well as our propitiation1 is        
presented to us  on the table4 ,that    
blood which satisfied justice1 washed   
away our guilt  on the cross1 and pleads
 for our persons at the throne of grace2
 that  blood which silenced the curse1  
pacified heaven1 and purged earth1 is   
given to us for our refreshment4 ,this  

is the bread sent from heaven1  the true
 manna2 the cup is 8the cup of          
blessing10 and1 therefore1 a  cup of    
goodness 7#a ,cor4 x4 #ae74 ,it is true1
 bread doth not cease to  be bread1 nor 
the wine cease to be wine2 neither of   
them lose their  substance1 but both    
acquire a sanctification1 by the        
relation they have  to that which they  
represent1 and give a nourishment to    
that faith that  receives them4 ,in     
those ,god offers us a remedy for the   
sting of sin1  and troubles of          
conscience2 he gives us not the blood of
 a mere man1  or the blood of an        
incarnate angel1 but of ,god blessed    
forever2 a blood  that can secure us    
against the wrath of heaven1 and the    
tumults of  our consciences2 a blood    
that can wash away our sins1 and        
beautify  our souls2 a blood that hath  
more strength than our filth1 and more  
prevalency than our accuser2 a blood    
that secures us against the  terrors of 
death1 and purifies us for the          

blessedness of heaven4  ,the goodness of
 ,god complies with our senses1 and     
condescends to our  weakness2 he        
instructs us by the eye1 as well as by  
the ear2 he lets us  see1 and taste1 and
 feel him1 as well as hear him2 he veils
 his glory  under earthly elements1 and 
informs our understanding in the        
mysteries  of salvation by signs        
familiar to our senses2 and because we  
cannot  with our bodily eyes behold him 
in his glory1 he presents him to the    
eyes of our minds in elements1 to affect
 our understandings in the  b#bhh       
representations of his death4 ,the body 
of ,christ crucified is  more visible to
 our spiritual sense1 than the invisible
 ,deity could be  visible in his flesh  
upon earth2 and the power of his body   
and blood  is as well experimented in   
our souls1 as the power of his ,divinity
 was  seen by the ,jews in his          
miraculous actions in his body in the   
world4  ,it is the goodness of ,god1 to 
mind us frequently of the great things  

,christ hath purchased2 that as himself 
would not let them be out of his  mind1 
to communicate them to us1 so he would  
give us means to preserve  them in our  
minds1 to adore him for them1 and       
request them of him2  whereby he doth   
evidence his own solicitousness1 that we
 should not be  deprived by our own     
forgetfulness of that grace ,christ hath
 purchased  for us2 it was to remember  
the ,redeemer1 8and show his death till 
he  came0 7#a ,cor4 xi4 #be1 #bf74      
#a4 ,his goodness is seen in the end of 
it1 which is a sealing the  covenant of 
grace4 ,the common nature and end of    
sacraments is to seal  the covenant they
 belong to1 and the truths of the       
promises of it4#ihc  ,the legal         
sacraments of circumcision and the      
passover sealed the legal  promises and 
the covenant in the ,judicial           
administration of it2 and  the          
evangelical sacraments seal the         
evangelical promises1 as a ring         
confirms a contract of marriage1 and a  

seal the articles of a compact2  by the 
same reason1 circumcision is called a   
8seal of the righteousness  of faith0   
7,rom4 iv4 #aa72 other sacraments may   
have the same title2 ,god  doth attest1 
that he will remain firm in his promise1
 and the receiver  attests he will      
remain firm in his faith4 ,in all       
reciprocal covenants1  there are mutual 
engagements1 and that which serves for a
 seal on the  part of the one1 serves   
for a seal also on the part of the      
other2 ,god  obligeth himself to the    
performance of the promise1 and man     
engageth  himself to the performance of 
his duty4 ,the thing confirmed by this  
sacrament is the perpetuity of this     
covenant in the blood of ,christ1       
whence it is called 8the ,new           
,testament10 or covenant 8in the blood  
of  ,christ0 7,luke xxii4 #bj74 ,in     
every repetition of it1 ,god1 by        
presenting1  confirms his resolution to 
us1 of sticking to this covenant for the
  merit of ,christ's blood2 and the     

receiver1 by eating the body and        
drinking the blood1 engageth himself to 
keep close to the condition  of faith1  
expecting a full salvation and a blessed
 immortality upon  the merit of the same
 blood alone4 ,this sacrament could not 
be called  the 8,new ,testament1 or     
,covenant10 if it had not some relation 
to  the covenant2 and what it can be but
 this1 ,i do not understand4 ,the       
covenant itself was confirmed 8by the   
death of ,christ0 7,heb4 ix4 #ae71  and 
thereby made unchangeable both in the   
benefits to us1 and the  condition      
required of us2 but he seals it to our  
sense in a sacrament1  to give us strong
 consolation2 or1 rather1 the articles  
of the covenant  of redemption between  
the ,father and the ,son1 agreed on from
 eternity1  were accomplished on        
,christ's part by his death1 on the     
,father's part  by his resurrection2    
,christ performed what he promised in   
the one1 and  ,god acknowledgeth the    
validity of it1 and performs what he had

 promised  in the other4 ,the covenant  
of grace1 founded upon this covenant of 
redemption1 is sealed in the sacrament2 
,god owns his standing to the  terms of 
it1 as sealed by the blood of the       
,mediator1 by presenting  b#bhi him to  
us under those signs1 and gives us a    
right upon faith to  the enjoyment of   
the fruits of it4 ,as the right of a    
house is made over  by the delivery of  
the key1 and the right of land          
translated by the  delivery of a turf2  
whereby he gives us assurance of his    
reality1 and  a strong support to our   
confidence in him2 not that there is any
 virtue  and power of sealing in the    
elements themselves1 no more than there 
is  in a turf to give an enfeoffment in 
a parcel of land2 but as the power  of  
one is derived from the order of the    
law1 so the confirming power  of the    
sacrament is derived from the           
institution of ,god2 as the oil         
wherewith kings were anointed1 did not  
of itself confer upon them that  royal  

dignity1 but it was a sign of their     
investiture into office1  ordered by    
,divine institution4 ,we can with no    
reason imagine1 that  ,god intended them
 as naked signs or pictures1 to please  
our eyes with  the image of them1 to    
represent their own figures to our eyes1
 but to  confirm something to our       
understanding by the efficacy of the    
,spirit  accompanying them3#ihd they    
convey to the believing receiver what   
they represent1 as the great seal of a  
prince1 fixed to the parchment1  doth   
the pardon of a rebel as well as its own
 figure4 ,christ's death1  and the grace
 of the covenant is not only signified1 
but the fruits  and merit of that death 
communicated also4 ,thus doth ,divine   
goodness  evidence itself1 not only in  
making a gracious covenant with us1 but 
fixing seals to it2 not to strengthen   
his own obligation1 which stood         
stronger than the foundations of heaven 
and earth1 upon the credit of  his word1
 but to strengthen our weakness1 and    

support our security1 by  something     
which might appear more formal and      
solemn than a bare word4  ,by this1 the 
,divine goodness provides against our   
spiritual faintings1  and shows us by   
real signs as well as verbal            
declarations1 that the  covenant sealed 
by the blood of ,christ1 is unalterable2
 and thereby  would fortify and mount   
our hopes to degrees in some measure    
suitable  to the kindness of the        
covenant1 and the dignity of the        
,redeemer's  blood4 ,and it is yet a    
further degree of this goodness1 that he
 hath  appointed us so often to         
celebrate it1 whereby he shows how      
careful  he is to keep up our tottering 
faith1 and preserve us constant in our  
obedience2 obliging himself to the      
performance of his promise1 and         
obliging us to the payment of our duty4 
#b4 ,his goodness is seen in the        
sacrament in giving us in it an  union  
and communion with ,christ4 ,there is   
not only a commemoration  of ,christ    

dying1 but a communication of ,christ   
living4 ,the apostle  strongly asserts  
it by way of interrogation 7#a ,cor4 x4 
#af71 8,the cup  of blessing which we   
bless1 is it not the communion of the   
blood of  ,christ8 the bread which we   
break1 is it not the communion of the   
body  of ,christ80 ,in the cup there is 
a communication of the blood of ,christ1
  a conveyance of a right to the merits 
of his death1 and the blessedness  of   
his life3 we are not less by this made  
one body with ,christ than we  are by   
baptism 7#a ,cor4 xii4 #ac73 and 8put on
 ,christ0 living in this1 as  well as in
 baptism 7,gal4 iii4 #bg72 that as his  
taking our infirm flesh  was a real     
incarnation1 so the giving us his flesh 
to eat is a mystical  incarnation in    
believers1 whereby they become one body 
with him as  crucified1 and one body    
with b#bij him as risen2 for if ,christ 
himself  be received by faith in the    
word 7,col4 ii4 #f71 he is no less      
received  by faith in the sacrament4    

,when the ,holy ,ghost is said to be    
received1  the graces or gifts of the   
,holy ,ghost are received2 so when      
,christ  is received1 the fruits of his 
death are really partaken of4 ,the      
,israelites that ate of the sacrifices1 
did 8partake of the altar0  7#a ,cor4 x4
 #ah71 i4 e4 had a communion with the   
,god of ,israel1 to  whom they had been 
sacrificed2 and those that 8ate of the  
sacrifices0  offered to idols1 had a    
8fellowship with devils10 to whom those 
sacrifices were offered 7ver4 #bj74     
,those that partake of the sacraments   
in a due manner1 have a communion with  
that ,god to whom it was  sacrificed1   
and a communion with that body which was
 sacrificed to  ,god2 not that the      
substance of that body and blood is     
wrapped up in  the elements1 or that the
 bread and wine are transformed into the
 body  and blood of ,christ1 but as they
 represent him1 and by virtue of the    
institution are1 in estimation himself1 
his own body and blood2 by the  same    

reason as he is called 8,christ our     
passover10 he may be called  8,christ   
our supper0 7#a ,cor4 v4 #g73 for as    
they are so reckoned to an  unworthy    
receiver1 as if they were the real body 
and blood of ,christ1  because by his   
not discerning the ,lord's body in it1  
or making light  of it as common bread1 
he is judged 8guilty of the body and    
blood of  ,christ10 guilty of treating  
him in as base a manner as the ,jews did
  when they crowned him with thorns 7#a 
,cor4 xi4 #bg1 #bi73 by the same  reason
 they must be reckoned to a worthy      
receiver1 as the very body  and blood of
 ,christ3 so that as the unworthy       
receiver 8eats and drinks  damnation10  
the worthy receiver 8eats and drinks0   
salvation4 ,it would  be an empty       
mystery1 and unworthy of an institution 
by ,divine goodness1  if there were not 
some communion with ,christ in it3 there
 would be  some kind of deceit in the   
precept1 8,take1 eat1 and drink1 this is
  my body and blood10 if there were not 

a conveyance of spiritual vital         
influences to our souls3 for the natural
 end of eating and drinking is  the     
nourishment and increase of the body1   
and preservation of life1 by  that which
 we eat and drink4 ,the infinite wise1  
gracious1 and true ,god1  would never   
give us empty figures without           
accomplishing that which is  signified  
by them1 and suitable to them4 ,how     
great is this goodness of  ,god6 he     
would have his ,son in us1 one with us1 
straitly joined to us1  as if we were   
his proper flesh and blood3 in the      
incarnation ,divine  goodness united him
 to our nature2 in the sacrament1 it    
doth in a sort  unite him with his      
purchased privileges to our persons2 we 
have not a  communion with a part or a  
member of his body1 or a drop of his    
blood1  but with his whole body and     
blood1 represented in every part of the 
elements4 ,the angels in the heaven     
enjoy not so great a privilege2 they    
have the honor to be under him as their 

,head1 but not that of having  him for  
their food2 they behold him1 but they do
 not taste him4 ,and1  certainly1 that  
goodness that hath condescended so much 
to our weakness1  would impart it to us 
in a very glorious manner1 were we      
capable of  it4 ,but1 because a man     
cannot behold the light of the sun in   
its full  splendor by reason of the     
infirmities of his eyes1 he must behold 
it  by the help of a glass1 and such a  
communication through a colored and     
opaque glass1 is as real from the sun   
itself1 though not so glorious1  but    
more shrouded b#bia and obscure2 it is  
the same light that shines  through that
 medium1 as spreads itself gloriously in
 the open air1  though the one be       
masked1 and the other openfaced4 ,to    
conclude this1  by the way1 we may take 
notice of the neglect of this ordinance3
  if it be a token of ,divine goodness  
to appoint it1 it is no sign of  our    
estimation of ,divine goodness to       
neglect it4 ,he that values the         

kindness of his friend1 will accept of  
his invitation1 if there be not  some   
strong impediments in the way1 or so    
much familiarity with him  that his     
refusal upon a light occasion would not 
be unkindly taken4 ,but  though ,god put
 on the disposition of a friend to us1  
yet he looseth not  the authority of a  
sovereign2 and the humble familiarity he
 invites us  to1 doth not diminish the  
condition and duty of a subject4 ,a     
sovereign  prince would not take it     
well1 if a favorite should refuse the   
offered  honor of his table4 ,the viands
 of ,god are not to be slighted4 ,can   
we live better upon our poor pittance   
than upon his dainties8 ,did  not       
,divine goodness condescend in it to the
 weakness of our faith1  and shall we   
conceit our faith stronger than ,god    
thinks it8 ,if he  thought fit by those 
seals to make a deed of gift to us1     
shall we be so  unmannerly to him1 and  
such enemies to the security he offers  
us over  and above his word1 as not to  

accept it8 ,are we unwilling to have our
  souls inflamed with love1 our hearts  
filled with comfort1 and armed  against 
the attempts of our enemies8 ,it is     
true1 there is a guilt of  the body and 
blood of ,christ contracted by a        
slightness in the manner  of attending2 
is it not also contracted by a refusal  
and neglect8 ,what  is the language of  
it8 ,if it speaks not the death of      
,christ in vain1 it  speaks the         
institution of this ordinance as a      
remembrance of his death1  to be a      
vanity1 and no mark of ,divine goodness4
 ,let us1 therefore1 put  such a value  
upon ,divine goodness in this affair1 as
 to be willing to  receive the          
conveyances of his love1 and fresh      
engagements of our duty2  the one is due
 from us to the kindness of our friend1 
and the other  belongs to our duty as   
his subjects4    vi4 ,by this redemption
 ,god restores us to a more excellent   
condition  than ,adam had in innocence4 
,christ was sent by ,divine goodness1   

not  only to restore the life ,adam's   
sin had stripped us of1 but to give  it 
more abundantly than ,adam's standing   
could have conveyed it to us  7,john x4 
#aj71 8,i am come that they might have  
life1 and that they might  have it more 
abundantly40 ,more abundantly for       
strength1 more abundantly  for duration1
 a life abounding with greater felicity 
and glory3 the  substance of those      
better promises of the new covenant than
 what  attended the old4 ,there are     
fuller streams of grace by ,christ than 
flowed to ,adam1 or could flow from     
,adam4 ,as ,christ never restored any   
to health and strength while he was in  
the world1 but he gave them  a greater  
measure of both than they had before2 so
 there is the same  kindness1 no        
question1 manifested in our spiritual   
condition4 ,adam's  life might have     
preserved us1 but ,adam's death could   
not have rescued  either himself or his 
posterity2 but1 in our redemption1 we   
have a  ,redeemer1 who hath 8died to    

expiate our sins10 and so crowned with  
life to save1 and forever preserve our  
persons 7,rom4 v4 #aj71 8,because  ,i   
live1 ye shall live also30 so that by   
redeeming goodness the life  of a       
believer b#bib is as perpetual as the   
life of the ,redeemer  ,christ 7,john   
xiv4 #ai74 ,adam1 though innocent1 was  
under the danger  of perishing2 a       
believer1 though culpable1 is above the 
fears of  mutability4 ,adam had a       
holiness in his nature1 but capable of  
being  lost2 by ,christ believers have a
 holiness bestowed1 not capable of      
being rifled1 but which will remain till
 it be at last fully perfected3  though 
they have a power to change in their    
nature1 yet they are above  an actual   
final change by the indulgence of       
,divine grace4 ,adam stood  by himself2 
believers stand in a root1 impossible to
 be shaken or  corrupted3 by this means 
the 8promise is sure to all the seed0   
7,rom4  iv4 #af74 ,christ is a stronger 
person than ,adam1 who can never break  

covenant with ,god1 and the truth of    
,god will never break covenant with     
him4 ,we are united to a more excellent 
,head than ,adam3 instead of a  root    
merely human1 we have a root ,divine as 
well as human4 ,in him we  had the      
righteousness of a creature merely      
human2 in this we have a  righteousness 
divine1 the righteousness of ,godman2   
the stock is no  longer in our own      
hands1 but in the hands of ,one that    
cannot embezzle  it1 or forfeit it3     
,divine goodness hath deposited it      
strongly for our  security4 ,the stamp  
we receive1 by the ,divine goodness1    
from the second  ,adam1 is more noble   
than that we should have received from  
the first1  had he remained in his      
created state3 ,adam was formed of the  
dust of  the earth1 and the new man is  
formed by the incorruptible seed of the 
word2 and at the resurrection1 the body 
of man shall be endued with  better     
qualities than ,adam had at creation3   
they shall be like that  glorious ,body 

which is in heaven1 in union with the   
person of the 8,son  of ,god0 7,phil4   
iii4 #ba74 ,adam1 at the best1 had but  
an earthly body1  but the ,lord from    
heaven hath a 8heavenly body10 the image
 of which  shall be borne by the        
redeemed ones1 as they have borne the   
image  of the earthly 7#a ,cor4 xv4     
#dgdi74 ,adam had the society of beasts2
  redeemed ones expect1 by ,divine      
goodness in redemption1 a commerce  with
 angels2 as they are reconciled to them 
by his death1 they shall  certainly come
 to converse with them at the           
consummation of their  happiness2 as    
they are made of one family1 so they    
will have a peculiar  intimacy3 ,adam   
had a paradise1 and redeemed ones a     
heaven provided for  them2 a happier    
place with a richer furniture4 ,it is   
much to give so  complete a paradise to 
innocent ,adam2 but more to give heaven 
to an  ungrateful ,adam1 and his        
rebellious posterity3 it had been       
abundant  goodness to have restored us  

to the same condition in that paradise  
from whence we were ejected2 but a      
superabundant goodness to bestow  upon  
us a better habitation in heaven1 which 
we could never have  expected4 ,how     
great is that goodness1 when by sin we  
were fallen to  be worse than nothing1  
that ,he should raise us to be more than
 what we  were2 that restored us1 not to
 the first step of our creation1 but to 
many degrees of elevation beyond it6 not
 only restores us1 but prefers  us2 not 
only striking off our chains1 to set us 
free1 but clothing  us with a robe of   
righteousness1 to render us honorable2  
not only  quenching our hell1 but       
preparing a heaven2 not regarnishing an 
earthly1 but providing a richer palace3 
his goodness was so great1  that1 after 
it had rescued us1 it would not content 
itself with the  old furniture1 but     
makes all new for us in another b#bic   
world2 a new  wine to drink2 a new      
heaven to dwell in2 a more magnificent  
structure  for our habitation3 thus hath

 ,goodness prepared for us a straiter   
union1 a stronger life1 a purer         
righteousness1 an unshaken standing1    
and a fuller glory2 all more excellent  
than was within the compass of  innocent
 ,adam's possession4    vii4 ,this      
goodness in redemption extends itself to
 the lower creation4  ,it takes in1 not 
only man1 but the whole creation1 except
 the fallen  angels1 and gives a        
participation of it to insensible       
creatures2 upon  the account of this    
redemption the sun1 and all kind of     
creatures1 were  preserved1 which       
otherwise had sunk into destruction upon
 the sin of  man1 and ceased from their 
being1 as man had utterly ceased from   
his  happiness 7,colos4 i4 #ag73 8,by   
him all things consist40 ,the fall of   
man  brought1 not only a misery upon    
himself1 but a vanity upon the creature2
  the earth groaned under a curse for   
his sake4 ,they were all created for    
the glory of ,god1 and the support of   
man in the performance of his duty1  who

 was obliged to use them for the honor  
of ,him that created them both4  ,had   
man been true to his obligations1 and   
used the creatures for that  end to     
which they were dedicated by the        
,creator2 as ,god would have then       
rejoiced in his works1 so his works     
would have rejoiced in the honor  of    
answering so excellent an end3 but when 
man lost his integrity1  the creatures  
lost their perfection2 the honor of them
 was stained  when they were debased to 
serve the lusts of a traitor1 instead   
of supporting the duty of a subject1 and
 employed in the defence  of the vices  
of men against the precepts and         
authority of their  common ,sovereign4  
,this was a vilifying the creature1 as  
it would be  a vilifying the sword of a 
prince1 which is1 for the maintenance of
  justice1 to be used for the murder of 
an innocent2 and a dishonoring a  royal 
mansion1 to make it a storehouse for a  
dunghill4 ,had those things  the benefit
 of sense1 they would groan under this  

disgrace1 and rise up  in indignation   
against them that offered them this     
affront1 and turned  them from their    
proper end4 ,when sin entered1 the      
heavens that were  made to shine upon   
man1 and the earth that was made to bear
 and nourish  an innocent creature1 were
 now subjected to serve a rebellious    
creature2  and as man turned against    
,god1 so he made those instruments      
against  ,god1 to serve his enmity1     
luxury1 sensuality4 ,hence the creatures
  are said to groan 7,rom4 viii4 #bb72  
8,the whole creation groans and         
travails in pain together until now40   
,they would really groan1 had  they     
understanding to be sensible of the     
outrage done them4 8,the whole          
creation40,it is the pang of universal  
nature1 the agony of the whole          
creation1 to be alienated from the      
original use for which they were        
intended1 and be disjointed from their  
end to serve the disloyalty of  a rebel4
 ,the drunkard's cup1 and the glutton's 

table1 the adulterer's  bed1 and the    
proud man's purple1 would groan against 
the abuser of them4  ,but when all the  
fruits of redemption shall be completed1
 the goodness  of ,god shall pour itself
 upon the creatures1 deliver them from  
the  8bondage of corruption into the    
glorious liberty of the children of     
,god0 7,rom4 viii4 #ba72 they shall be  
reduced to their true end1 and  returned
 in their original harmony4 ,as the     
creation doth passionately  groan under 
its vanity1 so it doth 8earnestly expect
 and wait for its  deliverance b#bid at 
the time of the manifestation of the    
sons of ,god0  7ver4 #ai74 ,the         
manifestation of the sons of ,god is the
 attainment of  the liberty of the      
creature4 ,they shall be freed from the 
vanity under  which they are enslaved2  
as it entered by sin1 it shall vanish   
upon the  total removal of sin4 ,what   
use they were designed for in paradise  
they  will have afterwards1 except that 
of the nourishment of men1 who shall  be

 as 8angels1 neither eating nor         
drinking30 the glory of ,god shall be   
seen and contemplated in them4 ,it can  
hardly be thought that ,god made  the   
world to be little a moment after he had
 reared it1 sullied by the  sin of man1 
and turned from its original end1       
without thoughts of a  restoration of it
 to its true end1 as well as man to his 
lost happiness4  ,the world was made for
 man3 man hath not yet enjoyed the      
creature in  the first intention of     
them2 sin made an interruption in that  
fruition4  ,as redemption restores man  
to his true end1 so it restores the     
creatures to their true use4 ,the       
restoration of the world to its beauty  
and order was the design of the ,divine 
goodness in the coming of ,christ1  as  
it is intimated in ,isa4 xi4 #fi2 as he 
8came not to destroy the  law1 but to   
fulfil it10 so he came not to destroy   
the creatures1 but to  repair them3 to  
restore to ,god the honor and pleasure  
of the creation1  and restore to the    

creatures their felicity in restoring   
their order3  the fall corrupted it1 and
 the full redemption of men restores it4
  ,the last time is called1 not a time  
of destruction1 but a 8time of          
restitution10 and that 8of all things0  
7,acts iii4 #ba7 of universal  nature1  
the main part of the creation at least4 
,all those things which  were the       
effects of sin will be abolished2 the   
removal of the cause  beats down the    
effect4 ,the disorder and unruliness of 
the creature1  arising from the venom of
 man's transgression1 all the fierceness
 of  one creature against another shall 
vanish4 ,the world shall be nothing  but
 an universal smile2 nature shall put on
 triumphant vestments3 there  shall be  
no affrighting thunders1 choking mists1 
venomous vapors1 or  poisonous plants4  
,it would not else be a restitution of  
all things4  ,they are now subject to be
 wasted by judgments for the sin of     
their  possessor1 but the perfection of 
man's redemptions shall free them  from 

every misery4 ,they have an advancement 
at the present1 for they  are under a   
more glorious ,head1 as being the       
possession of ,christ1  the heavenly    
,adam1 much superior to the first3 as it
 is the glory  of a person to be a      
servant to a prince1 rather than a      
peasant4 ,and  afterwards1 they shall be
 elevated to a better state1 sharing in 
man's happiness1 as well as they did in 
his misery3 as servants are  interested 
in the good fortune of their master1 and
 bettered by his  advance in his        
prince's favor4 ,as man in his first    
creation was mutable  and liable to sin1
 so the creatures were liable to vanity2
 but as man  by grace shall be freed    
from the mutability1 so shall the       
creatures be  freed from the fears of an
 invasion1 by the vanity that sullied   
them  before4 ,the condition of the     
servants shall be suited to that of     
their  ,lord1 for whom they were        
designed3 hence1 all creatures are      
called  upon to rejoice upon the        

perfection of salvation1 and the        
appearance  of ,christ's royal authority
 in the world4 ,if they were to be      
destroyed1  there would be no ground to 
invite them to triumph 7,ps4 xcvi4 #aa1 
#ab2  cxviii4 #g1 #h74 ,thus doth       
,divine goodness spread its kind arms   
over the  whole creation4    b#bie      
,thirdly4 ,the third thing is the       
goodness of ,god in his  ,government4   
,that goodness that despised not their  
creation1 doth not  despise their       
conduct4 ,the same goodness that was the
 head that framed  them1 is the helm    
that guides them2 his goodness hovers   
over the whole  frame1 either to prevent
 any wild disorders unsuitable to his   
creating  end1 or to conduct them to    
those ends which might illustrate his   
wisdom  and goodness to his creatures4  
,his goodness doth no less incline him  
to provide for them1 than to frame them4
 ,it is the natural inclination  of man 
to love what is purely the birth of his 
own strength or skill4  ,he is fond of  

preserving his own inventions1 as well  
as laborious in  inventing them4 ,it is 
the glory of a man to preserve them1 as 
well as  to produce them4 ,god loves    
everything which he hath made1 which    
love  could not be without a continued  
diffusiveness to them1 suitable to the  
end for which he made them4 ,it would be
 a vain goodness1 if it did not         
interest itself in managing the world1  
as well as erecting it3 without  his    
government everything in the world would
 jostle against one another3  the beauty
 of it would be more defaced1 it would  
be an unruly mass1 a  confused chaos    
rather than a 1 a comely world4 ,if     
,divine goodness  respected it when it  
was nothing1 it would much more respect 
it when  it was something1 by the sole  
virtue of his power and goodwill to it1 
without any motive from anything else   
than himself1 because there was  nothing
 else but himself4 ,but since he sees   
his own stamp in things  without himself
 in the creature1 which is a kind of    

motive or moving  object to ,divine     
goodness to preserve it1 when there was 
nothing  without himself that could be  
any motive to ,him to create it3 as when
  ,god hath created a creature1 and it  
falls into misery1 that misery of  the  
creature1 though it doth not necessitate
 his mercy1 yet meeting  with such an   
affection as mercy in his nature1 is a  
moving object to  excite it2 as the     
repentance of ,nineveh drew forth the   
exercise of  his pity and preserving    
goodness4 ,certainly1 since ,god is     
good1 he is  bountiful2 and if          
bountiful1 he is provident4 ,he would   
seem to envy and  malign his creatures1 
if he did not provide for them1 while he
 intends  to use them3 but infinite     
goodness cannot be effected with envy2  
for  all envy implies a want of that    
good in ourselves1 which we regard with 
so evil an eye in another4 ,but ,god1   
being infinitely blessed1 hath not  the 
want of any good that can be a rise to  
such an uncomely disposition4  ,the     

,jews thought that ,divine goodness     
extended only to them in an  immediate  
and particular care1 and left all other 
nations and things to  the guidance of  
angels4 ,but the ,psalmist 7,ps4 cvii4 a
 psalm calculated  for the celebration  
of this perfection1 in the continued    
course of  his providence throughout all
 ages of the world7 ascribes to ,divine 
goodness immediately all the advantages 
men meet with4 ,he helps them  in their 
actions1 presides over their motions1   
inspects their several  conditions1     
labors day and night in a perpetual care
 of them4 ,the whole  life of the world 
is linked together by ,divine goodness4 
,everything  is ordered by him in the   
place where he hath set it1 without     
which the  world would be stripped of   
that excellency it hath by creation4    
#ast4 ,this goodness is evident in the  
care he hath of all creatures4  ,there  
is a peculiar goodness to his people2   
but this takes not away  b#bif his      
general goodness to the world3 though a 

master of a family  hath a choicer      
affection to those that have an affinity
 to him in  nature1 and stand in a      
nearer relation1 as his wife1 children1 
servants2  yet he hath a regard to his  
cattle1 and other creatures he          
nourisheth  in his house4 ,all things   
are not only before his eyes1 but in his
 bosom2  he is the nurse of all         
creatures1 supplying their wants1 and   
sustaining  them from that nothing they 
tend to4 ,the 8earth is full of his     
riches0  7,ps4 civ4 #bd72 not a creek or
 cranny but partakes of it4 ,abundant   
goodness daily hovers over it1 as well  
as hatched it4 ,the whole world  swims  
in the rich bounty of the ,creator1 as  
the fish do in the  largeness of the    
sea1 and birds in the spaciousness of   
the air4#ihe  ,the goodness of ,god is  
the river that waters the whole earth4  
,as a  lifeless picture casts its eye   
upon every one in the room1 so doth a   
living ,god upon everything in the      
world4 ,and as the sun illuminates all  

things which are capable of partaking of
 its light1 and diffuseth its  beams to 
all things which are capable of         
receiving them1 so doth ,god  spread his
 wings over the whole creation1 and     
neglects nothing1 wherein  he sees a    
mark of his first creating goodness4    
#a4 ,his goodness is seen1 in preserving
 all things4 8,o ,lord1 thou  preservest
 man and beast0 7,ps4 xxxvi4 #f74 ,not  
only man1 but beasts1 and  beasts as    
well as men2 man1 as the most excellent 
creature1 and beasts  as being          
serviceable to man1 and instruments of  
his worldly happiness4  ,he continues   
the species of all things1 concurs with 
them in their  distinct offices1 and    
quickens the womb of nature4 ,he visits 
man  every day1 and makes him feel the  
effects of his providence1 in giving    
him 8fruitful seasons1 and filling his  
heart with food and gladness0  7,acts   
xiv4 #ag71 as witnesses of his          
liberality and kindness to man4  8,the  
earth is visited and watered by the     

river of ,god4 ,he settles the  furrows 
of the earth1 and makes it soft with    
showers10 that the corn  may be         
nourished in its womb1 and spring up to 
maturity4 8,he crowns the  year with his
 goodness1 and his paths drop fatness4  
,the little hills  rejoice on every     
side2 the pastures are clothed with     
flocks1 and the  valleys are covered    
over with corn10 as the ,psalmist       
elegantly says  7,ps4 lxv4 #i1 #aj2     
cvii4 #ce1 #cf74 ,he waters the ground  
by his showers1  and preserves the      
little seed from the rapine of animals4 
8,he draws  not out the evil arrows of  
famine10 as the expression is 7,ezek4 v4
 #af74  ,every day shines with new beams
 of his ,divine goodness4 ,the vastness 
of  this city1 and the multitudes of    
living souls in it1 is an astonishing   
argument4 ,what streams of nourishing   
necessaries are daily conveyed  to it6  
,every mouth hath bread to sustain it2  
and among all the number  of poor in the
 bowels and skirts of it1 how rare is it

 to hear of any  starved to death for   
want of it6 ,every day he 8spreads a    
table0 for  us1 and that with varieties1
 and 8fills our cups0 7,ps4 xxiii4 #e74 
,he  shortens not his hand1 nor         
withdraws his bounty3 the increase of   
one  year by his blessing1 restores what
 was spent by the former4 ,he is  the   
8strength of our life0 7,ps4 xxvii4 #a71
 continuing the vigor of  our limbs1 and
 the health of our bodies2 secures us   
from 8terrors by  night1 and the arrows 
of diseases that fly by day0 7,ps4 xci4 
#e72 b#big  8sets a hedge about our     
estates0 7,job i4 #aj71 and defends them
 against  the attempts of violence2     
preserves our houses from flames that   
might  consume them1 and our persons    
from the dangers that lie in wait for   
them2 watcheth over us 8in our goings   
out1 and our comings in0 7,ps4  cxxi4   
#h71 and waylays a thousand dangers we  
know not of3 and employs  the most      
glorious creatures in heaven in the     
service of mean 8men upon  earth0 7,ps4 

xci4 #aa73 not by a faint order1 but a  
pressing charge over  them1 to 8keep    
them in all his ways40 ,those that are  
his immediate  servants before his      
throne1 he sends to minister to them    
that were  once his rebels4 ,by an angel
 he conducted the affairs of ,abraham   
7,gen4  xxiv4 #g73 and by an angel      
secured the life of ,ishmael 7,gen4 xxi4
 #ag73  glorious angels for mean man1   
holy angels for impure man1 powerful    
angels for weak man4 ,how in the midst  
of great dangers1 doth his sudden  light
 dissipate our great darkness1 and      
create a deliverance out of  nothing6   
,how often is he found a present help in
 time of trouble6  ,when all other      
assistance seems to stand at a distance1
 he flies to us  beyond our             
expectations1 and raises us up on the   
sudden from the pit of  our             
dejectedness1 as well as that of our    
danger1 exceeding our wishes1  and      
shooting beyond our desires as well as  
our deserts4 ,how often1  in the time of

 confusion1 doth he preserve an         
indefensible place from  the attacks of 
enemies1 like a bark in the midst of a  
tempestuous  sea6 the rage falls upon   
other places round about them1 and1 by a
  secret efficacy of ,divine goodness1  
is not able to touch them4 ,he hath     
peculiar preservations for his ,israel  
in ,egypt1 and his ,lots in ,sodom1  his
 ,daniels in the lions' dens1 and his   
children in a fiery furnace4 ,he  hath a
 tenderness for all1 but a peculiar     
affection to those that are  in covenant
 with him4    #b4 ,the goodness of ,god 
is seen in taking care of the animals   
and  inanimate things4 ,divine goodness 
embraceth in its arms the lowest  worm  
as well as the loftiest cherubim3 he    
provides food for the 8crying  ravens0  
7,ps4 cxlvii4 #i71 and a prey for the   
appetite of the 8hungry  lion0 7,ps4    
civ4 #ba73 8,he opens his hand1 and     
fills with good those  innumerable      
creeping things1 both small and great   
beasts2 they are all  waiters upon him1 

and all are satisfied by their bountiful
 ,master0 7,ps4  civ4 #bebh74 ,they are 
better provided for by the hand of      
heaven1 than  the best favorite is by an
 earthly prince3 for 8they are filled   
with  good40 ,he hath made channels in  
the wildest deserts1 for the watering   
of beasts1 and trees for the nests and  
8habitation of birds0 7,ps4 civ4  #aj1  
#ab1 #ag74 ,as a ,lawgiver to the ,jews1
 he took care that the poor  beast      
should not be abused by the cruelty of  
man3 he provided for the  ease of the   
laboring beast in that command of the   
,sabbath1 wherein  he provided for his  
own service3 the cattle was to do 8no   
work0 on  it 7,exod4 xx4 #aj74 ,he      
ordered that the mouth of the ox should 
not be  muzzled while it trod out the   
corn 7,deut4 xxv4 #d1 it being the      
manner  of those countries to separate  
the corn from the stalk by that means1  
as we do in this by thrashing71         
regarding it as a part of cruelty to    
deprive the poor beast of tasting1 and  

satisfying itself with that  which he   
was so officious by his labor to prepare
 for the use of man4  ,and when any met 
with a nest of young birds1 though b#bih
 they might  take the young to their    
use1 they were forbidden to seize upon  
the  dam1 that she might not lose the   
objects of her affection and her own    
liberty in one day 7,deut4 xxii4 #f74   
,and see how ,god enforceth this precept
 with a threatening of a  shortness of  
life1 if they transgressed it 7,deut4   
xxii4 #g76 8,thou shalt  let the dam go1
 that it may be well with thee1 and that
 thou mayest  prolong thy days40 ,he    
would revenge the cruelty to dumb       
creatures with  the shortness of the    
oppressor's life3 nor would he have     
cruelty used  to creatures that were    
separated for his worship3 he therefore 
provides  that a cow1 or an ewe1 and    
their young ones1 should 8not be killed 
for  sacrifice in one day0 7,lev4 xxii4 
#bh74 ,all which precepts1 say the      
,jews1  are to teach men mercifulness to

 their beasts2 so much doth ,divine     
goodness bow down itself1 to take notice
 of those mean creatures1 which  men    
have so little regard to1 but for their 
own advantage2 yea1 he is  so good1 that
 he would have worship declined for a   
time in favor of  a distressed beast2   
the 8helping a sheep1 or an ox1 or an   
ass1 out  of a pit10 was indulged them  
even 8on the ,sabbathday10 a day ,god   
had  peculiarly sanctified and ordered  
for his service 7,matt4 xii4 #aa2 ,luke 
xiv4 #e73 in this case he seems to remit
 for a time the rights of the  ,deity   
for the rescue of a mere animal4 ,his   
goodness extends not only to  those kind
 of creatures that have life1 but to the
 insensible ones2 he  clothes the grass1
 and 8arrays the lilies of the field0   
with a greater  glory than ,solomon had 
upon his throne 7,matt4 vi4 #bh1 #bi72  
and such  care he had of those trees    
which bore fruit for the maintenance of 
man  or beast1 that he forbids any      
injury to be offered to them1 and bars  

the rapine and violence1 which by       
soldiers used to be practised 7,deut4   
xx4 #ai71 though it were to promote the 
conquest of their enemy4 ,how  much     
goodness is it1 that he should think of 
so small a thing as man6  ,how much more
 that he should concern himself in      
things that seem so  petty as beasts and
 trees6 ,persons seated in a sovereign  
throne1 think  it a debasing of their   
dignity to regard little things3 but    
,god1 who  is infinitely greater in     
majesty above the mightiest potentate1  
and  the highest angel1 yet is so       
infinitely good1 as to employ his divine
  thoughts about the meanest things4 ,he
 who possesses the praises of  angels1  
leaves not off the care of the meanest  
creatures3 and that  majesty that dwells
 in a pure heaven1 and an inconceivable 
light1  stoops to provide for the ease  
of those creatures that lie and lodge   
in the dirt and dung of the earth4 ,how 
should we be careful not to use  those  
unmercifully1 which ,god takes such care

 of in his law1 and not to  distrust    
that goodness1 that opens his hand so   
liberally to creatures  of another rank6
    #c4 ,the goodness of ,god is seen in
 taking care of the meanest  rational   
creatures2 as servants and criminals4   
,he provided for the  liberty of slaves1
 and would not have their chains        
continue longer  than the seventh year1 
unless they would voluntarily continue  
under  the power of their masters2 and  
that upon pain of his displeasure1 and  
the withdrawing his blessing 7,deut4 xv4
 #ah74 ,and though1 by the laws  of many
 nations1 masters had an absolute power 
of life and death over  their servants1 
yet ,god provided that no member should 
be lamed1 not an  eye1 no1 nor a tooth1 
struck out1 but the master was b#bii to 
pay for  his folly and fury the price of
 the 8liberty of his servant0 7,exod4   
xxi4  #bf1 #bg73 he would not suffer the
 abused servant to be any longer under  
the power of that man that had not      
humanity to use him as one of the  same 

kindred and blood with himself4 ,and    
though those servants might  be never so
 wicked1 yet1 when unjustly afflicted1  
,god would interest  himself as their   
guardian in their protection and        
delivery4 ,and when a  poor slave had   
been provoked1 by the severity of his   
master's fury1 to  turn fugitive from   
him1 he was1 by ,divine order1 not to be
 delivered  up again to his master's    
fury1 but dwell in that city1 and with  
that  person1 to whom he had 8fled for  
refuge0 7,deut4 xxiii4 #ae1 #af74 ,and  
when public justice was to be           
administered upon the lesser sort of    
criminals1 the goodness of ,god ordered 
the 8number of blows0 not  to exceed    
forty1 and left not the fury of man to  
measure out the  punishment to excess   
7,deut4 xxv4 #c74 ,and in any just      
quarrel against  a provoking and        
injuring enemy1 he ordered them not to  
ravage with the  sword till they had    
summoned a rendition of the place       
7,deut4 xx4 #aj74  ,and as great a care 

he took of the poor1 that they should   
have the  gleanings both of the vineyard
 and field 7,lev4 xix4 #aj2 xxiii4 #bb71
 and  not be forced to pay 8usury for   
the money lent them0 7,exod4 xxii4 #be74
    #d4 ,his goodness is seen in taking 
care of the wickedest persons4 8,the    
earth is full of his goodness0 7,ps4    
xxxvii4 #e74 ,the wicked as well as  the
 good enjoy it2 they that dare lift up  
their hands against heaven  in the      
posture of rebels1 as well as those that
 lift up their eyes in  the condition of
 suppliants4 ,to do good to a criminal1 
far surmounts  that goodness that flows 
down upon an innocent object3 now ,god  
is  not only good to those that have    
some degrees of goodness1 but to  those 
that have the greatest degrees of       
wickedness1 to men that turn  his       
liberality into affronts of him1 and    
have scarce an appetite to  anything but
 the violation of his authority and     
goodness4 ,though1 upon  the fall of    
,adam1 we have lost the pleasant        

habitation of paradise1  and the        
creatures made for our use are fallen   
from their original  excellency and     
sweetness2 yet he hath not left the     
world utterly  incommodious for us1 but 
yet stores it with things not only for  
the preservation1 but delight of those  
that make their whole lives  invectives 
against this good ,god4 ,manna fell from
 heaven for the  rebellious as well as  
for the obedient ,israelites4 ,cain as  
well as  ,abel1 and ,esau as well as    
,jacob1 had the influences of his sun1  
and  the benefits of his showers4 ,the  
world is yet a kind of paradise to the  
veriest beasts among mankind2 the earth 
affords its riches1 the heavens  its    
showers1 and the sun its light1 to those
 that injure and blaspheme  him3 8,he   
makes his sun to rise on the evil and on
 the good1 and sends  rain on the just  
and on the unjust0 7,matt4 v4 #de74 ,the
 wickedest  breathe in his air1 walk    
upon his earth1 and drink of his water1 
as  well as the best4 ,the sun looks    

with as pleasant and bright an eye  upon
 a rebellious ,absalom1 as a righteous  
,david2 the earth yields its  plants and
 medicines to one as well as to the     
other2 it is seldom that  ,he deprives  
any of the faculties of their souls1 or 
any members of  their bodies4 ,god      
distributes his blessings where he might
 shoot his  thunders2 and darts his     
light on those who deserve an eternal   
darkness2  and presents the good things 
of the earth to those b#cjj that merit  
the miseries of hell2 for 8the earth1   
and the fulness thereof1 is the         
,lord's0 7,ps4 xxiv4 #a72 everything in 
it is his in propriety1 ours in  trust2 
it is his corn1 his wine 7,hos4 ii4 #h72
 he never divested himself  of the      
propriety1 though he grants us the use2 
and by those good things  he supports   
multitudes of wicked men1 not one or    
two1 but the whole  shoal of them in the
 world2 for he is 8the ,saviour of all  
men10 i4 e4  is the preserver of all men
 7#a ,tim4 iv4 #aj74 ,and as he created 

them1  when he foresaw they would be    
wicked2 so he provides for them1 when   
he beholds them in their ungodliness4   
,the ingratitude of men stops  not the  
current of his bounty1 nor tires his    
liberal hand2 howsoever  unprofitable   
and injurious men are to him1 he is     
liberal to them2  and his goodness is   
the more admirable1 by how much the more
 the  unthankfulness of men is          
provoking3 he sometimes affords to the  
worst a  greater portion of these       
earthly goods2 they often swim in       
wealth1 when  others pine away their    
lives in poverty4 ,and the silkworm     
yields its  bowels to make purple for   
tyrants1 while the oppressed scarce have
 from  the sheep wool enough to cover   
their nakedness2 and though he furnish  
men with those good things1 upon no     
other account than what princes  do1    
when they nourish criminals in a prison 
till the time of their  execution1 it is
 a mark of his goodness4 ,is it not the 
kindness of a  prince to treat his      

rebels deliciously8 to give them the    
liberty of the  prison1 and the         
enjoyments of the delights of the place1
 rather than  to load their legs with   
fetters1 and lodge them in a dark and   
loathsome  dungeon1 till he orders them1
 for their crime1 to be conducted to the
  scaffold or gibbet8 ,since ,god is    
thus kind to the vilest men1 whose      
meanness1 by reason of sin1 is beyond   
that of any other creature1 as  to shoot
 such rays of goodness upon them2 how   
inexpressible would be  the expressions 
of his goodness1 if the ,divine image   
were as pure and  bright upon them as it
 was upon innocent ,adam6    #b;d4 ,his 
goodness is evident in the preservation 
of human society4 ,it  belongs to his   
power that he is able to do it1 but to  
his goodness that  he is willing to do  
it4    #a4 ,this goodness appears in    
prescribing rules for it4 ,the moral law
  consists but of ten precepts1 and     
there are more of them ordered for  the 
support of human society1 than for the  

adoration and honor of  himself 7,exod4 
xx4 #a1 #b72 four for the rights of     
,god1 and six for  the rights of man1   
and his security in his authority1      
relations1 life1  goods1 and reputation2
 superiors not to be dishonored1 life   
not to  be invaded1 chastity not to be  
stained1 goods not to be filched1 good  
name not to be cracked by false witness1
 nor anything belonging to our  neighbor
 to be coveted2 and in the whole        
,scripture1 not only that which  was    
calculated for the ,jews1 but compiled  
for the whole world2 he hath  fixed     
rules for the ordering all relations1   
magistrates1 and subjects2  parents and 
children2 husbands and wives2 masters   
and servants2 rich  and poor1 find their
 distinct qualifications and duties4    
,there would  be a paradisiacal state1  
if men had a goodness to observe what   
,god  hath had a goodness to order for  
the strengthening the sinews of  human  
society2 the world would not groan under
 oppressing tyrants1  nor princes       

tremble under discontented subjects1 or 
mighty rebels2  children would not be   
provoked to anger by the                
unreasonableness b#cja  of their        
parents1 nor parents sink under grief by
 the rebellion of  their children2      
masters would not tyrannize over the    
meanest of their  servants1 nor servants
 invade the authority of their masters4 
#b4 ,the goodness of ,god in the        
preserving human society1 is seen in    
setting a magistracy to preserve it4    
,magistracy is from ,god in its         
original2 the charter was drawn up in   
paradise2 civil subordination  must have
 been had man remained in innocence2 but
 the charter was more  explicitly       
renewed and enlarged at the restoration 
of the world after  the deluge1 and     
given out to man under the broad seal of
 heaven2 8,whoso  sheds man's blood1 by 
man shall his blood be shed0 7,gen4 ix4 
#f74 ,the  command of shedding the blood
 of a murderer was a part of his        
goodness1  to secure the lives of those 

that bore his image4 ,magistrates are   
8the  shields of the earth10 but they   
8belong to ,god0 7,ps4 xlvii4 #i74 ,they
  are fruits of his goodness in their   
original1 and authority2 were  there no 
magistracy1 there would be no           
government1 no security to any  man     
under his own vine and fig tree2 the    
world would be a den of wild  beasts    
preying upon one another2 every one     
would do what seems good in  his eyes2  
the loss of government is a judgment    
,god brings upon a nation  when men     
become 8as the fishes of the sea10 to   
devour one another1  because they 8have 
no ruler over them0 7,hab4 i4 #ad74     
,private  dissensions will break out    
into public disorders and combustions4  
#c4 ,the goodness of ,god in the        
preservation of human society1 is seen  
in  the restraints of the passions of   
men4 ,he sets bounds to the passions  of
 men as well as to the rollings of the  
sea2 8,he stilleth the noise  of the    
waves1 and the tumults of the people0   

7,ps4 lxv4 #g74 ,though ,god  hath      
erected a magistracy to stop the        
breaking out of those floods of         
licentiousness1 which swell in the      
hearts of men2 yet1 if ,god should  not 
hold stiff reins on the necks of those  
tumultuous and foaming  passions1 the   
world would be a place of unruly        
confusion1 and hell  triumph upon earth2
 a crazy state would be quickly broke in
 pieces by  boisterous nature4 ,the     
tumults of a people could no more be    
quelled by  the force of man1 than the  
rage of the sea by a puff of breath2    
without  ,divine goodness1 neither the  
wisdom nor watchfulness of the          
magistrates1  nor the industry of       
officers1 could preserve a state4 ,the  
laws of men  would be too slight to curb
 the lusts of men1 if the goodness of   
,god  did not restrain them by a secret 
hand1 and interweave their temporal     
security with observance of those laws4 
,the sons of ,belial did murmur  when   
,saul was chosen king2 and that they did

 no more was the goodness  of ,god1 for 
the preservation of human society4 ,if  
,god did not restrain  the impetuousness
 of men's lusts1 they would be the      
entire ruin of  human society2 their    
lusts would render them as bad as       
beasts1 and  change the world into a    
savage wilderness4    #d4 ,the goodness 
of ,god is seen in the preservation of  
human society1  in giving various       
inclinations to men for public          
advantage4 ,if all men  had an          
inclination to one science or art1 they 
would all stand idle  spectators of one 
another2 but ,god hath bestowed various 
dispositions  and gifts upon men1 for   
the promoting the common good1 that they
  may not only be useful to themselves1 
but to society4 ,he b#cjb will  have    
none idle1 none unuseful1 but every one 
acting in a due place1  according to    
their measures1 for the good of others4 
#e4 ,the goodness of ,god is seen in the
 witness he bears against those  sins   
that disturb human society4 ,in those   

cases he is pleased to  interest himself
 in a more signal manner1 to cool those 
that make it  their business to overturn
 the order he hath established for the  
good  of the earth4 ,he doth not so     
often in this world punish those faults 
committed immediately against his own   
honor1 as those that put the  world into
 a hurry and confusion3 as a good       
governor is more merciful  to crimes    
against himself1 than those against his 
community4 ,it is  observed that the    
most turbulent seditious persons in a   
state come to  most violent ends1 as    
,corah1 ,adonijah1 ,zimri3 ,ahithopel   
draws ,absalom's  sword against ,david  
and ,israel1 and the next is1 he twists 
a halter  for himself3 ,absalom heads a 
party against his father1 and ,god1 by  
a goodness to ,israel1 hangs him up1 and
 prevents not its safety by  ,david's   
indulgence1 and a future rebellion1 had 
life been spared  by the fondness of his
 father4 ,his providence is more evident
 in  discovering disturbers1 and the    

causes that move them1 in defeating     
their enterprises1 and digging the      
contrivers out of their caverns and     
lurking holes3 in such cases1 ,god doth 
so act1 and use such methods1  that he  
silenceth any creature from challenging 
any partnership with  him in the        
discovery4 ,he doth more severely in    
this world correct those  actions that  
unlink the mutual assistance between man
 and man1 and the  charitable and kind  
correspondence he would have kept up4   
,the sins for  which the 8wrath of ,god 
comes upon the children of disobedience0
 7,col4  iii4 #e1 #f7 in this world are 
of this sort2 and when princes will be  
oppressing the people1 ,god will be     
8pouring contempt on the princes1  and  
set the poor on high from affliction0   
7,ps4 cvii4 #dj1 #da74 ,an  evidence of 
,god's care and kindness in the         
preserving human society1 is  those     
strange discoveries of murders1 though  
never so clandestine and  subtilly      
committed1 more than of any other crime 

among men3 ,divine care  never appears  
more than in bringing those hidden and  
injurious works of  darkness to light1  
and a due punishment4    #f4 ,his       
goodness is seen in ordering mutual     
offices to one another  against the     
current of men's passions4 ,upon this   
account he ordered1 in  his laws for the
 government of the ,israelites1 that a  
man should reduce  the wandering beast  
of his enemy to the hand of his rightful
 proprietor1  though he were a provoking
 enemy2 and also 8help the poor beast   
that  belonged to one that hated him1   
when he saw him sink under his burden0  
7,exod4 xxiii4 #d1 #e74 ,when mutual    
assistance was necessary1 he would not  
have men considered as enemies1 or      
considered as wicked1 but as of the     
same blood with ourselves1 that we might
 be serviceable to one another  for the 
preservation of life and goods4    #g4  
,his goodness is seen in remitting      
something of his own right1 for  the    
preserving a due dependence and         

subjection4 ,he declines the right  he  
had to the vows of a minor1 or one under
 the power of another1  waving what he  
might challenge by the voluntary        
obligation of his  creature1 to keep up 
the due order between parents and       
children1  husbands and wives1 superiors
 and inferiors2 those that b#cjc were   
under the power of another1 as a child  
under his parents1 or a wife  under her 
husband1 if they had 8vowed a vow unto  
the ,lord10 which  concerned his honor  
and worship1 it was void without the    
approbation of  that person under whose 
charge they were 7,num4 xxx4 #c1 #d1    
c474 ,though  ,god was the ,lord of     
every man's goods1 and men but his      
stewards2 and  though he might have     
taken to himself what another had       
offered by a vow1  since whatsoever     
could be offered was ,god's own1 though 
it was not the  parties' own who offered
 it2 yet ,god would not have himself    
adored by  his creature to the prejudice
 of the necessary ties of human society2

  he lays aside what he might challenge 
by his sovereign dominion1 that  there  
might not be any breach of that regular 
order which was necessary  for the      
preservation of the world4 ,if ,divine  
goodness did not thus  order things1 he 
would not do the part of a ,rector of   
the world2 the  beauty of the world     
would be much defaced1 it would be a    
confused mass  of men and women1 or     
rather1 beasts and bedlams4 ,order      
renders every  city1 every nation1 yea1 
the whole earth1 beautiful3 this is an  
effect  of ,divine goodness4    #c;d4   
,his goodness is evident in encouraging 
anything of moral goodness  in the      
world4 ,though moral goodness cannot    
claim an eternal reward1  yet it hath   
been many times rewarded with a temporal
 happiness2 he  hath often signally     
rewarded acts of honesty1 justice1 and  
fidelity1  and punished the contrary by 
his judgments1 to deter man from such an
  unworthy practice1 and encourage      
others to what was comely1 and of a     

general good report in the world4       
,ahab's humiliation put a demurrer  to  
,god's judgments intended against him2  
and some ascribe the great  victories   
and success of the ,romans to that      
justice which was observed  among       
themselves4 ,baruch was but an          
amanuensis to the ,prophet ,jeremy to   
write his prophecy1 and very despondent 
of his own welfare 7,jer4 xlv4  #ac72   
,god upon that account provides for his 
safety1 and rewards the  industry of his
 service with the security of his       
person2 he was not a  statesman1 to     
declare against the corrupt counsels of 
them that sat at  the helm1 nor a       
prophet1 to declare against their       
profane practices1  but the prophet's   
scribe2 and as he writes in ,god's      
service the  prophecies revealed to the 
prophet1 ,god writes his name in the    
roll of  those that were designed for   
preservation in that deluge of judgments
  which were to come upon that nation4  
,epicurus complained of the             

administration of ,god1 that the        
virtuous moralist had not sufficient    
smiles of ,divine favor1 nor the swinish
 sensualist frowns of ,divine           
indignation4 ,but what if they have not 
always that confluence of  outward      
wealth and pleasures1 but remain in the 
common level8 yet they  have the        
happiness and satisfaction of a clear   
reputation1 the esteem  of men1 and the 
secret applauses of their very enemies1 
besides the  inward ravishments upon an 
exercise of virtue1 and the commendatory
  subscription of their own hearts1 a   
dainty the vicious man knows not of2    
they have an inward applause from ,god  
as a reward of ,divine goodness1        
instead of those racks of conscience    
upon which the profane are  sometimes   
stretched4 ,he will not let the worst   
men do him any service  7though they    
never intended in the act of service    
him1 but themselves7  without giving    
them their wages3 he will not let b#cjd 
them hit him  in the teeth as if he were

 beholden to them4 ,if ,nebuchadnezzar  
be the  instrument of ,god's judgments  
against ,tyrus and ,israel1 he will not 
only give him that rich city1 but a     
richer country1 ,egypt1 the granary  for
 her neighbors1 a wages above his work4 
,in this is ,divine goodness  eminent1  
since1 in the most moral actions1 as    
there is something  beautiful1 so there 
is something mixed1 hateful to the      
infinitely  exact holiness of the       
,divine nature2 yet he will not let that
 which is  pleasing to him go           
unrewarded1 and defeat the expectations 
of men1 as  men do with those they      
employ1 when1 for one flaw in an action1
 they  deny them the reward due for the 
other part4 ,god encouraged and kept  up
 morality in the cities of the ,gentiles
 for the entertainment of  a further    
goodness in the doctrine of the gospel  
when it should be  published among them4
    #dth4 ,divine goodness is eminent in
 providing a ,scripture as a rule to    
guide us1 and continuing it in the      

world4 ,if man be a rational creature1  
governable by a law1 can it be imagined 
there should be no revelation  of that  
law to him8 ,man1 by the light of       
reason1 must needs confess  himself to  
be in another condition than he was by  
creation1 when he  came first out of the
 hands of ,god2 and can it be thought1  
that ,god  should keep up the world     
under so many sins against the light of 
nature1  and bestow so many providential
 influences1 to invite men to return to 
him1 and acquaint no men in the world   
with the means of that return8  ,would  
he exact an obedience of men1 as their  
consciences witness he  doth1 and       
furnish them with no rules to guide them
 in the darkness they  cannot but       
acknowledge that they have contracted8  
,no2 ,divine goodness  hath otherwise   
provided3 this ,bible we have is his    
word and rule4 ,had  it been a falsity  
and imposture1 would that goodness1 that
 watches over  the world1 have continued
 it so long8 ,that goodness that        

overthrew the  burdensome rites of      
,moses1 and expelled the foolish        
idolatry of the  ,pagans1 would have    
discovered the imposture of this1 had it
 not been  a transcript of his own will4
 ,whatever mistakes he suffers to remain
  in the world1 what goodness had there 
been to suffer this anciently  amongst  
the ,jews1 and afterwards to open it to 
the whole world1 to  abuse men in       
religion and worship1 which so nearly   
concerned himself  and his own honor1   
that the world should be deceived by the
 devil  without a remedy in the morning 
of its appearance8 ,it hath been honored
  and admired by some heathens1 when    
they have cast their eyes upon it1  and 
their natural light made them behold    
some footsteps of a ,divinity  in it4   
,if this1 therefore1 be not a ,divine   
prescript1 let any that deny  it1 bring 
as good arguments for any book else1 as 
can be brought for  this4 ,now1 the     
publishing this is an argument of       
,divine goodness3 it is  designed to win

 the affections of beggarly man1 to be  
espoused to a ,god  of eternal          
blessedness and immense riches4 ,it     
speaks words in season3  no doubts but  
it resolves2 no spiritual distemper but 
it cures2 no  condition but it hath a   
comfort to suit it4 ,it is a garden     
which the  hand of ,divine bounty hath  
planted for us2 in it he condescends to 
shadow himself in those expressions that
 render him in some manner  intelligible
 to us4 ,had ,god wrote in a loftiness  
of style suitable to  the greatness of  
his majesty1 his writing had been as    
little understood  by us1 as the b#cje  
brightness of his glory can be beheld by
 us4  ,but he draws phrases from our    
affairs1 to express his mind to us2  he 
incarnates himself in his word to our   
minds1 before his ,son was  incarnate in
 the flesh to the eyes of men3 he       
ascribes to himself eyes1  ears1 hands1 
that we might have1 from the            
consideration of ourselves1  and the    
whole human nature1 a conception of his 

perfections3 he assumes  to himself the 
members of our bodies1 to direct our    
understandings in  the knowledge of his 
,deity2 this is his goodness4 ,again1   
though the  ,scripture was written upon 
several occasions1 yet in the dictating 
of  it1 the goodness of ,god cast his   
eye upon the last ages of the world  7#a
 ,cor4 x4 #aa73 8,they are written for  
our admonition1 upon whom the  ends of  
the world are come40 ,it was given to   
the ,israelites1 but ,divine  goodness  
intended it for the future ,gentiles4   
,the old writings of  the prophets were 
thus designed1 much more the later      
writings of the  apostles4 ,thus did    
,divine goodness think of us1 and       
prepare his records  for us1 before we  
were in the world3 these he hath written
 plain for  our instruction1 and wrapped
 up in them what is necessary for our   
salvation3 it is clear to inform our    
understanding1 and rich to comfort  us  
in our misery2 it is a light to guide   
us1 and a cordial to refresh  us2 it is 

a lamp to our feet1 and a medicine for  
our diseases2 a  purifier of our filth1 
and a restorer of us in our faintings4  
,he hath  by his goodness sealed the    
truth of it1 by his efficacy on         
multitudes  of men3 he hath made it the 
8word of regeneration0 7,james i4 #ah74 
,men1  wilder and more monstrous than   
beasts1 have been tamed and changed by  
the power of it3 it hath raised         
multitudes of dead men from a grave     
fuller of horror than any earthly one4  
,again1 ,goodness was in all ages       
sending his letters of advice and       
counsel from heaven1 till the canon  of 
the ,scripture was closed2 sometimes he 
wrote to chide a froward  people1       
sometimes to cheer up an oppressed and  
disconsolate people1  according to the  
state wherein they were2 as we may      
observe by the  several seasons wherein 
parts of ,scripture were written4 ,it   
was ,his  goodness that he first        
revealed anything of his will after the 
fall2 it  was a further degree of       

goodness1 that he would add more cubits 
to its  stature2 before he would lay    
aside his pencil1 it grew up to that    
bulk  wherein we have it4 ,and his      
goodness is further seen in the         
preserving  it2 he hath triumphed over  
the powers that opposed it1 and showed  
himself good to the instruments that    
propagated it3 he hath maintained  it   
against the blasts of hell1 and spread  
it in all languages against  the        
obstructions of men and devils4 ,the sun
 of his word is by his  kindness        
preserved in our horizon1 as well as the
 sun in the heavens4  ,how admirable is 
,divine goodness6 ,he hath sent his ,son
 to die for us1  and his written word to
 instruct us1 and his ,spirit to edge it
 for  an entrance into our souls3 he    
hath opened the womb of the earth to    
nourish us1 and sent down the records of
 heaven to direct us in our  pilgrimage3
 he hath provided the earth for our     
habitation1 while we are  travellers1   
and sent his word to acquaint us with a 

felicity at the end  of our journey1 and
 the way to attain in another world what
 we want in  this1 viz4 a happy         
immortality4    #eth4 ,his goodness in  
his government is evident1 in           
conversions of  men4 ,though this work  
be wrought by his power1 yet his power  
b#cjf  was first solicited by his       
goodness4 ,it was his rich goodness that
 he  would employ his power to pierce   
the scales of a heart as hard as those  
of the 8leviathan40 ,it was this that   
opened the ears of men to hear  him1 and
 draws them from the hurry of worldly   
cares1 and the charms  of sensual       
pleasures1 and1 which is the top of all1
 the impostures and  cheats of their own
 hearts4 ,it is this that sends a spark 
of his wrath  into men's consciences1 to
 put them to a stand in sin1 that he    
might  not send down a shower of        
brimstone eternally to consume their    
persons4  ,this it was that first showed
 you the excellency of the ,redeemer1   
and  brought you to taste the sweetness 

of his blood1 and find your security  in
 the agonies of his death4 ,it is his   
goodness to call one man and not        
another1 to turn ,paul in his course1   
and lay hold of no other of his         
companions4 ,it is his goodness to call 
any1 when he is not bound to  call one4 
#a4 ,it is his goodness to pitch upon   
mean and despicable men in the  eye of  
the world2 to call this poor publican1  
and overlook that proud  ,pharisee1 this
 man that sits upon a dunghill1 and     
neglect him that  glisters in his       
purple4 ,his majesty is not enticed by  
the lofty titles  of men1 nor1 which is 
more worth1 by the learning and         
knowledge of men4  8,not many wise1 not 
many mighty10 not many doctors1 not many
 lords1  though some of them2 but his   
goodness condescends to the 8base       
things0  of the world1 and things which 
are 8despised0 7#a ,cor4 i4 #bfbh74     
8,the  poor receive the gospel0 7,matt4 
xi4 #e71 when those that are more acute1
  and furnished with a more apprehensive

 reason1 are not touched by it4    #b4  
,the worst men4 ,he seizeth sometimes   
upon men most soiled1 and  neglects     
others that seem more clean and less    
polluted4 ,he turns  men in their course
 in sin1 that1 by their infernal        
practices1 have  seemed to have gone to 
school to hell1 and to have sucked in   
the sole  instructions of the devil4 ,he
 lays hold upon some when they are most 
under actual demerit1 and snatches them 
as firebrands out of the fire1  as upon 
,paul when fullest of rage against him2 
and shoots a beam of  grace1 where      
nothing could be justly expected but a  
thunderbolt of  wrath4 ,it is his       
goodness to visit any1 when they lie    
putrefying in  their loathsome lusts2 to
 draw near to them who have been guilty 
of  the greatest contempt of ,god1 and  
the light of nature2 the murdering      
,manassehs1 the persecuting ,sauls1 the 
,christcrucifying ,jews1persons  in whom
 lusts had had a peaceable possession   
and empire for many years4    #c4 ,his  

goodness appears in converting men      
possessed with the greatest  enmity     
against him1 while he was dealing with  
them4 ,all were in such  a state1 and   
framing contrivances against him1 when  
,divine goodness  knocked at the door   
7,col4 i4 #ba74 ,he looked after us when
 our backs  were turned upon him1 and   
sought us when we slighted him1 and were
  a 8gainsaying people0 7,rom4 x4 #ba72 
when we had shaken off his  convictions1
 and contended with our ,maker1 and     
mustered up the powers  of nature       
against the alarms of conscience2       
struggled like wild bulls  in a net1 and
 blunted those darts that stuck in our  
souls4 ,not a man  that is turned to    
him1 but had lifted up the heel against 
his gospel  grace1 as well as made light
 of his creating goodness4 ,yet it hath 
employed itself about such ungrateful   
b#cjg wretches1 to polish those  knotty 
and rugged pieces for heaven2 and so    
invincibly1 that he would  not have his 
goodness defeated by the fierceness and 

rebellion of the  flesh4 ,though the    
thing was more difficult in itself 7if  
anything may  be said to have a         
difficulty to omnipotency7 than to make 
a stone live1  or to turn a straw into a
 marble pillar4 ,the malice of the flesh
 makes  a man more unfit for the one1   
than the nature of the straw unfits it  
for the other4    #d4 ,his goodness     
appears in turning men1 when they were  
pleased with  their own misery1 and     
unable to deliver themselves2 when they 
preferred  a hell before him1 and were  
in love with their own vileness2 when   
his  call was our torment1 and his      
neglect of us had been accounted our    
felicity4 ,was it not a mighty goodness 
to keep the light close to our  eyes1   
when we endeavored to blow it out2 and  
the corrosive near to  our hearts1 when 
we endeavored to tear it off1 being more
 fond of our  disease than the remedy8  
,we should have been scalded to death   
with the  ,sodomite1 had not ,god laid  
his good hand upon us1 and drawn us from

  the approaching ruin we affected1 and 
were loath to be freed from4  ,and had  
we been displeased with our state1 yet  
we had been as unable  spiritually to   
raise ourselves from sin to grace1 as to
 raise ourselves  naturally from nothing
 to being4 ,in this state we were when  
his  goodness triumphed over us2 when he
 put a hook into our nostrils1 to  turn 
us in order to our salvation2 and drew  
us out of the pit which we  had digged1 
when he might have left us to sink under
 the rigors of his  justice we had      
merited4 ,now this goodness in          
conversion is greater than  that in     
creation2 as in creation there is       
nothing to oppose him1 so  there was    
nothing to disoblige him2 creation was  
terminated to the  good of a mutable    
nature1 and conversion tends to a       
supernatural good4  ,god pronounced all 
creatures good at first1 and man among  
the rest1  but did not pronounce any of 
them1 or man himself1 his 8portion10 his
  8inheritance10 his 8segullah10 his    

8house10 his 8diadem40 ,he speaks       
slightly of all those things which he   
made1 the noblest heavens1 as  well as  
the lowest earth1 in comparison of a    
true convert3 8,all those  things hath  
mine hand made1 and all those things    
have been3 but to this  man will ,i     
look1 to him that is of a contrite      
spirit0 7,isa4 lxvi4 #a1 #b74  ,it is   
more goodness to give the espousing     
grace of the covenant1 than  the        
completing glory of heaven2 as it is    
more for a prince to marry a  beggar1   
than only to bring her to live          
deliciously in his courts4 ,all  other  
benefits are of a meaner strain1 if     
compared with this2 there is  little    
less of goodness in imparting the       
holiness of his nature1 than  imputing  
the righteousness of his ,son4    #fth4 
,the ,divine goodness doth appear in    
answering prayers4 ,he  delights to be  
familiarly acquainted with his people1  
and to hear them  call upon him4 ,he    
indulgeth them a free access to him1 and

 delights  in every address of an       
8upright man0 7,prov4 xv4 #h74 ,the     
wonderful  efficacy of prayer depends   
not upon the nature of our petitions or 
the  temper of our soul1 but the        
goodness of ,god to whom we address4    
,christ  establisheth it upon this      
bottom3 when he exhorts to ask in his   
name1  he tells them the spring of all  
their grants is the ,father's love3 8,i 
say not1 ,i will pray the ,father for   
you1 for b#cjh the ,father himself      
loves you0 7,john xvi4 #bf1 #bg74 ,and  
since it is of itself incredible1  that 
a ,majesty1 exalted above the cherubims1
 should stoop so low as to  give a      
miserable and rebellious creature       
admittance to him1 and afford  him a    
gracious hearing1 and a quick supply1   
,christ ushers in the  promise of       
answering prayer with a note of great   
assurance3 8,i say unto  you1 ,ask1 and 
it shall be given you0 7,luke xi4 #i1   
#aj74 ,i1 that know  the mind of my     
,father1 and his good disposition1      

assure you your prayer  shall not be in 
vain4 ,perhaps you will not be so ready 
of yourselves  to imagine so great a    
liberality2 but take it upon my word1 it
 is  true1 and so you will find it4 ,and
 his bounty travels1 as it were1 in     
birth1 to give the greatest blessings1  
upon our asking1 rather than the        
smallest3 8your heavenly ,father shall  
give his ,holy ,spirit to them that  ask
 him0 7ver4 #ac73 which in ,matt4 vii4  
#aa1 is called1 8good things40  ,of all 
the good and rich things ,divine        
goodness hath in his treasury1  he      
delights to give the best upon asking1  
because ,god doth act so as  to manifest
 the greatness of his bounty and        
magnificence to men2 and1  therefore1 is
 delighted when men1 by their           
petitioning him1 own such  a liberal    
disposition in him1 and put him upon the
 manifesting it4  ,he would rather you  
should ask the greatest things heaven   
can afford1  than the trifles of this   
world2 because his bounty is not        

discovered in  meaner gifts3 he loves to
 have an opportunity to manifest his    
affection  above the liberality and     
tenderness of worldly fathers4 ,he doth 
more  wait to give in a way of grace1   
than we to beg2 and1 8therefore1 will   
the ,lord wait1 that he may be gracious 
unto you0 7,isa4 xxx4 #ah74 ,he  stands 
expecting your suits1 and employs his   
wisdom in pitching upon  the fittest    
seasons1 when the manifestation of his  
goodness may be  most gracious in       
itself1 and the mercy you want most     
welcome to you2  as it follows1 8for the
 ,lord is a ,god of judgment40 ,he      
chooseth the  time wherein his doles may
 be most acceptable to his suppliants2  
8,in  an acceptable time have ,i heard  
thee0 7,isa4 xlix4 #h74 ,he often opens 
his hand while we are opening our lips1 
and his blessings meet our  petitions at
 the first setting out upon their       
journey to heaven3 8,while  they are yet
 speaking1 ,i will hear0 7,isa4 lxv4    
#bd74 ,how often do we  hear a secret   

voice within us1 while we are praying1  
saying1 8,your  prayer is granted20 as  
well as hear a voice behind us1 while we
 are  erring1 saying1 8,this is the way1
 walk in it60 ,and his liberality       
exceeds often our desires1 as well as   
our deserts2 and gives out more  than we
 had the wisdom or confidence to ask4   
,the apostle intimates  it in that      
doxology1 8,unto ,him who is able to do 
abundantly above all  that we ask or    
think0 7,eph4 iii4 #bj74 ,this power    
would not have been so  strong an       
argument of comfort1 if it were never   
put in practice2 he is  more liberal    
than his creatures are craving4 ,abraham
 petitioned for the  life of ,ishmael1  
and ,god promiseth him the 8birth of    
,isaac0 7,gen4 xvii4  #ah1 #ai74 ,isaac 
asks for a 8child10 and ,god gives him  
8two0 7,gen4 xxv4  #ba1 #bb74 ,jacob    
desires 8food0 to eat1 and 8raiment0 to 
put on2 ,god  confines not his bounty   
within the narrow limits of his         
petition1 but  instead of a 8staff10    

wherewith he passed ,jordan1 makes him  
repass  it with 8two bands0 7,gen4      
xxviii4 #bj74 ,david asked life of ,god1
 and  he gave him 8life10 and a 8crown0 
to boot 7,ps4 xxi4 #be74 ,the b#cji     
,israelites would have been contented   
with a free life in ,egypt2 they  only  
cried to have their chains struck off2  
,god gave them that1 and  adopts them to
 be his 8peculiar people10 and raises   
them into a famous  state4 ,it is a     
wonder that ,god should condescend so   
much1 that he  should hear prayers so   
weak1 so cold1 so wandering1 and gather 
up our  sincere petitions from the dung 
of our distractions and diffidence4     
,david vents his astonishment at it2    
8,blessed be ,god1 for he hath shown  me
 marvellous kindness4 ,i said in my     
haste1 ,i am cut off from before  thine 
eyes3 nevertheless1 thou heardest the   
voice of my supplication0  7,ps4 xxxi4  
#ba1 #bb74 ,how do we wonder at the     
goodness of a petty man1  in granting   
our desires2 how much more should we at 

the humility and  goodness of the most  
sovereign ,majesty of heaven and earth6 
#gth4 ,the goodness of ,god is seen in  
bearing with the infirmities of his     
people1 and accepting imperfect         
obedience4 ,though ,asa had many blots  
in  his escutcheon1 yet they are        
overlooked1 and this note set upon      
record  by ,divine goodness1 that his   
heart was perfect towards the ,lord all 
his  days2 8,but the high places were   
not removed3 nevertheless1 ,asa's heart 
was perfect with the ,lord all his days0
 7#a ,kings1 xv4 #ad74 ,he takes  notice
 of a sincere1 though chequered         
obedience1 to reward it1 which  could   
claim nothing but a slight from him1 if 
he were extreme to mark  what is done   
amiss4 ,when there is not an opportunity
 to work1 but only  to will1 he accepts 
the will1 as if it had passed into work 
and act4 ,he  sees no iniquity in ,jacob
 7,numb4 xxiii4 #ba71 i4 e4 ,he sees it 
not so  as to cast off a respect to     
their persons1 and the acceptance of    

their  services3 his omniscience knows  
their sins1 but his goodness doth not   
reject their persons4 ,he is of so good 
a disposition1 that he delights  in a   
weak obedience of his servants1 not in  
the imperfection1 but in  the obedience 
7,ps4 xxxvii4 #bc72 8,he delights in the
 way of a good man10  though he         
sometimes slips in it3 he accepts a poor
 man's pigeon1 as  well as a rich man's 
ox3 he hath a bottle for the tears1 and 
a book  for the 8services of the        
upright10 as well as for the most       
perfect  obedience of angels 7,ps4 lvi4 
#h73 he preserves their tears1 as if    
they  were a rich and generous wine1 as 
the vinedresser doth the expressions  of
 the grape4    #hth4 ,the goodness of   
,god is seen in afflictions and         
persecutions4 ,if it  be 8good for us to
 be afflicted10 for which we have the   
psalmist's vote  7,ps4 cxix4 #ga71 then 
goodness in ,god is the principal cause 
and orderer  of the afflictions4 ,it is 
his goodness to snatch away that whence 

we  fetch supports for our security1 and
 encouragements for our insolence       
against him3 he takes away the thing    
which we have some value for1 but  such 
as his infinite wisdom sees inconsistent
 with our true happiness4  ,it is no    
illwill in the physician to take away   
the hurtful matter the  patient loves1  
and prescribe bitter potions1 to advance
 that health  which the other impaired2 
nor any mark of unkindness in a friend1 
to wrest a sword out of a madman's hand1
 wherewith he was about to  stab        
himself1 though it were beset with the  
most orient pearls4 ,to  prevent what is
 evil1 is to do us the greatest good4   
,it is a kindness  to prevent a man from
 falling down a precipice1 though it be 
with  a violent blow1 that lays him flat
 upon b#caj the ground at some  distance
 from the edge of it4 ,by afflictions he
 often snaps asunder  those chains which
 fettered us1 and quells those passions 
which ravaged  us3 he sharpens our      
faith1 and quickens our prayers2 he     

brings us in  the secret chamber of our 
own heart1 which we had little mind     
before  to visit by a selfexamination4  
,it is such a goodness that he will     
vouchsafe to correct man in order to his
 eternal happiness1 that ,job  makes it 
one part of his astonishment 7,job4 vii4
 #ag72 8,what is man1  that thou        
shouldest magnify him8 that thou        
shouldest set thy heart upon  him8 and  
that thou shouldest visit him every     
morning1 and try him every  moment80    
,his strokes are often the magnifyings  
and exaltings of man4  ,he sets his     
heart upon man1 while he inflicts the   
smart of his rod3 he  shows thereby1    
what a high account he makes of him1 and
 what a special  affection he bears to  
him4 ,when he might treat us with more  
severity  after the breach of his       
covenant1 and make his jealousy flame   
out  against us in furious methods1 he  
will not destroy his relation to  us1   
and leave us to our own inclinations1   
but deal with us as a father  with his  

children2 and when he takes this course 
with us1 it is when  it cannot be       
avoided without our ruin3 his goodness  
would not suffer  him to do it1 if our  
badness did not force him to it 7,jer4  
ix4 #g71 8,i  will melt them and try    
them1 for how shall ,i do for the       
daughter of my  people80 ,what other    
course can ,i take but this1 according  
to the nature  of man8 ,the goldsmith   
hath no other way to separate the dross 
from the  metal1 but by melting it down4
 ,and when the impurities of his people 
necessitate him to this proceeding1 8he 
sits as a refiner0 7,mal4 iii4  #c73 he 
watches for the purifying the silver1   
not for his own profit  as the          
goldsmith1 but out of a care of them1   
and good will to them2 as  himself      
speaks 7,isa4 xlviii4 #aj71 8,i have    
refined thee1 but not with  silver20 or1
 as some read it1 8not for silver40 ,as 
when he scatters  his people abroad for 
their sin1 he will not leave them       
without his  presence for their         

8sanctuary0 7,ezek4 xi4 #af73 he would  
by his presence  with them supply the   
place of ordinances1 or be an ark to    
them in the  midst of the deluge3 his   
hand that struck them1 is never without 
a  goodness to comfort them and pity    
them4 ,when ,jacob was to go into       
,egypt1 which was to prove a furnace of 
affliction to his offspring1 ,god       
promises to go down with him1 and to    
8bring him up again0 7,gen4 xlvi4  #d73 
a promise not only made to ,jacob in his
 person1 but to ,jacob in  his          
posterity4 ,he returned not out of      
,egypt in his person1 but as the  father
 of a numerous posterity4 ,he that would
 go down with their root1  and          
afterwards bring up the branches1 was   
certainly with them in all  their       
oppressions3 8,i will go down with      
thee40 8,down10 saith one2 what  a word 
is that for a ,deity6 into ,egypt1      
idolatrous ,egypt2 what a place  is that
 for his holiness6#ihf ,yet ,o1 the     
goodness of ,god6 ,he never  thinks     

himself low enough to do his people     
good1 nor any place too bad  for his    
society with them4 ,so when he had sent 
away into captivity the  people of      
,israel by the hand of the ,assyrian1   
his bowels yearn after  them in their   
affliction 7,isa4 lii4 #d1 #e72 the     
,assyrian 8oppressed  them without      
cause10 i4 e4 without a just cause in   
the conqueror  to inflict so great an   
evil upon them1 but not without b#caa   
cause  from ,god1 whom they had         
provoked4 8,now1 therefore1 what have ,i
 here1  saith the ,lord80 ,what do ,i   
here8 ,i will not stay behind them4     
,what  do ,i longer here8 for ,i will   
redeem again those jewels the enemy hath
  carried away4 ,that chapter is a      
prophecy of redemption3 ,god shows      
himself so good to his people in their  
persecutions1 that he gives  them       
occasion to glorify him in the very     
fires1 as the ,divine order is  7,isa4  
xxiv4 #ae71 8,wherefore glorify the     
,lord in the fires40    #ith4 ,the      

goodness of ,god is seen in temptations4
 ,in those he takes  occasion to show   
his care and watchfulness1 as a father  
uses the  distress of a child as an     
opportunity for manifesting the         
tenderness  of his affection4 ,god is at
 the beginning and end of every         
temptation2  he measures out both the   
quality and quantity3 he exposeth them  
not to  temptation beyond the ability he
 had already granted them1 or will at   
the time1 or afterwards multiply in     
them4 ,he hath promised his people  that
 8the gate of hell shall not prevail    
against them0 7#a ,cor4 x4 #ac73  that  
8in all things0 they shall be 8more than
 conquerors through ,him  that loved    
them30 that the most raging malice of   
hell shall not wrest  them out of his   
hands4 ,his goodness is not less in     
performing than  it was in promising3   
and as the care of his providence       
extends to the  least as well as the    
greatest1 so the watchfulness of his    
goodness  extends to us in the least as 

well as in the greatest temptations4    
#a4 ,the goodness of ,god appears in    
shortening temptations4 ,none of them   
can go beyond their 8appointed times0   
7,dan4 xi4 #ce73 the strong blast       
,satan breathes cannot blow1 nor the    
waves he raises rage one minute  beyond 
the time ,god allows them2 when they    
have done their work1 and  come to the  
period of their time1 ,god speaks the   
word1 and the wind and  sea of hell must
 obey him1 and retire into their dens4  
,the more violent  temptations are1 the 
shorter time doth ,god allot to them4   
,the assaults  ,christ had at the time  
of his death were of the most pressing  
and  urging nature3 the powers of       
darkness were all in arms against him2  
the reproaches and scorns put upon him1 
questioning his sonship1 were  very     
sharp2 yet a little before his suffering
 he calls it but an hour  7,luke xxii4  
#ec71 8,this is your hour1 and the power
 of darkness40 ,a  short time that men  
and devils were combined against him2   

and the  time of temptation that is to  
come upon all the world for their trial1
  is called but an 8hour0 7,rev4 iii4   
#aj74 ,in all such attempts1 the        
greatness of the rage is a certain      
prognostic of the shortness of the      
season 7,rev4 xii4 #ab74    #b4 ,the    
goodness of ,god appears in             
strengthening his people under          
temptations4 ,if he doth not restrain   
the arm of ,satan from striking1  he    
gives us a sword to manage the combat1  
and a shield to bear off the  blow      
7,eph4 vi4 #af1 #ag74 ,if he obscures   
his goodness in one part1 he  clears and
 brightens it in another3 he either     
binds the strong man that  he shall not 
stir1 or gives us armor to render us    
victorious4 ,if we  fall1 it is not for 
want of provision from him1 but for want
 of our  8putting on the armor of ,god0 
7,eph4 vi4 #aa1 #ac74 ,when we have not 
a  strength by nature1 he gives it us by
 grace3 he often quells those  passions 
within which would join hands with1 and 

second the temptation  without4 ,he     
either qualifies the temptation b#cab   
suitably to the  force we have1 or else 
supplies us with a new strength to mate 
the  temptation he intends to let loose 
against us2 he knows we are but dust1   
and his goodness will not have us       
unequally matched4 ,the ,jews that  in  
,antiochus' time were under great       
temptation to apostasy by reason  of the
 violence of their persecutions1 were1  
8out of weakness1 made  strong0 for the 
combat 7,heb4 xi4 #cd74 ,the ,spirit    
came more strongly  upon ,sampson when  
the ,philistines most furiously and     
confidently  assaulted him4 ,his ,spirit
 is sent to strengthen his people before
 the  devil is permitted to tempt them  
7,matt4 iv4 #b72 8,then was ,jesus led  
up of the ,spirit40 ,then2 ,when8 ,when 
the ,spirit had in an extraordinary     
manner descended upon him 7,matt4 iii4  
#af71 8then10 and not before4 ,as  the  
angels appeared to ,christ1 after his   
temptation1 to minister to him1  so they

 appeared to him before his passion1 the
 time of the strongest  powers of       
darkness1 to strengthen him for it3 he  
is so good1 that when  he knows our     
potsherd strength too weak1 he          
furnisheth our recruits  from his own   
omnipotence 7,eph4 vi4 #aj72 8,be strong
 in the ,lord1 and  in the power of his 
might40 ,he doth1 as it were1 breathe in
 something  of his own almightiness1 to 
assist us in our wrestling against      
principalities and powers1 and make us  
capable to sustain the violent  storms  
of the enemies4    #c4 ,the goodness of 
,god is seen in temptations1 in giving  
great comforts  in or after them4 ,the  
,israelites had a more immediate        
provision of  manna from heaven when    
they were in the wilderness4 ,we read   
not that  the ,father spake audibly to  
the ,son1 and gave him so loud a        
testimony1  that he was his 8beloved    
,son1 in whom he was well pleased10 till
 he was  upon the brink of strong       
temptations 7,matt4 iii4 #ag73 nor sent 

angels  to minister immediately to his  
person1 till after his success 7,matt4  
iv4 #aa74 ,job never had such evidences 
of ,divine love till after he had  felt 
the sharp strokes of ,satan's malice2 he
 had heard of ,god before1  by the      
8hearing of the ear10 but afterwards is 
admitted into greater  familiarity      
7,job4 xlii4 #e73 he had more choice    
appearances1 clearer  illuminations1 and
 more lively instructions4 ,and1 though 
his people  fall into temptation1 yet1  
after their rising1 they have more      
signal  marks of his favor than others  
have1 or themselves1 before they fell4  
,peter had been the butt of ,satan's    
rage1 in tempting him to deny  ,christ1 
and he had shamefully complied with the 
temptation2 yet1 to  him particularly1  
must the first news of the ,redeemer's  
resurrection  be carried1 by ,god's     
order1 in the mouth of an angel 7,mark  
xvi4 #g72  8,go your ways1 tell his     
disciples1 and ,peter40 ,we have the    
greatest  communion with ,god after a   

victory2 the most refreshing truths     
after  the devil hath done his worst4   
,god is ready to furnish us with        
strength  in a combat1 and cordials     
after it4    #d4 ,the goodness of ,god  
is seen in temptations1 in discovering  
and  advancing inward grace by this     
means4 ,the issue of a temptation of  a 
,christian is often like that of        
,christ's1 the manifesting a greater    
vigor of the ,divine nature1 in         
affections to ,god1 and enmity to sin4  
,spices perfume not the air with their  
scent till they are invaded by  the     
fire3 the truth of grace is evidenced by
 them4 ,the assault of an  enemy        
revives1 and actuates that strength and 
courage which is b#cac  in a man1       
perhaps unknown to himself1 as well as  
others1 till he meets  with an          
adversary3 many seem good1 not that they
 are so in themselves1  but for want of 
a temptation3 this many times verifies a
 virtue1 which  was owned upon trust    
before1 and discovers that we had more  

grace than  we thought we had4 ,the     
solicitations of ,joseph's mistress     
cleared up  his chastity3 we are many   
times under temptation1 as a candle     
under  the snuffer2 it seems to be out1 
but presently burns the clearer4        
,afflictions are like those clouds which
 look black1 and eclipse the sun  from  
the earth1 but yet1 when they drop1     
refresh that ground they seem  to       
threaten1 and multiply the grain on the 
earth1 to serve for our food2  and so   
our troubles1 while they wet us to the  
skin1 wash much of that  dust from our  
graces which in a clearer day had been  
blown upon us4  ,too much rest corrupts2
 exercise teacheth us to manage our     
weapons3 the  spiritual armor would grow
 rusty1 without opportunity to furbish  
it up2  faith receives a new heart by   
every combat1 and by every victory2 like
  a fire1 it spreads itself further1 and
 gathers strength by the blowing  of the
 wind4 ,while the gardener commands his 
servant to shake the tree1  he intends  

to fasten its roots1 and settle it      
firmer in its place2 and  is this an    
illwill to the plant8    #e4 ,his       
goodness is seen in temptations1 in     
preventing sin which we  were likely to 
fall into4 ,paul's thorn in the flesh   
was to prevent the  pride of his spirit1
 and let out the windiness of his heart 
7#b ,cor4  xii4 #g71 lest it should be  
exalted above measure4 ,the goodness of 
,god makes the devil a polisher1 while  
he intends to be a destroyer4  ,the     
devil never works1 but suitably to some 
corruption lurking in  us3 ,divine      
goodness makes his fiery darts a means  
to discover1 and  so to prevent the     
treachery of that perfidious inmate in  
our hearts2  humility is a greater      
benefit than a putrefying pride2 if ,god
 brings  us into a wilderness to be     
tempted of the devil1 it is to bring    
down  our loftiness1 to starve our      
carnal confidence1 and expel our rusting
  8security0 7,deut4 viii4 #b72 we many 
times fly under a temptation to  ,god1  

from whom we sat too loose before4 ,is  
it not goodness to use those  means that
 may drive us into his own arms8 ,it is 
not a want of goodness  to soap the     
garment1 in order to take away the      
spots2 we have reason  to bless ,god for
 the assaults from hell1 as well as pure
 mercies from  heaven2 and it is a sin  
to overlook the one as well as the      
other1 since  ,divine goodness shines in
 both4    #f4 ,the goodness of ,god is  
seen in temptations1 in fitting us more 
for  his service4 ,those whom ,god      
intends to make choice instruments in   
his  service1 are first seasoned with   
strong temptations1 as timber reserved  
for the strong beams of a building is   
first exposed to sun and wind1  to make 
it more compact for its proper use4 ,by 
this men are brought to  answer the end 
of their creation1 the service of ,god1 
which is their  proper goodness4 ,peter 
was1 after his foil by a temptation1    
more  courageous in his ,master's cause 
than before1 and the more fitted to     

strengthen his brethren4    ,thus the   
goodness of ,god appears in all parts of
 his government4    ,v4 ,i shall now    
come to the ,use4 ,first1 ,of           
instruction4    #a4 ,if ,god be so good1
 how unworthy is the contempt or abuse  
of his  goodness6 7#a47 ,the contempt   
and abuse of ,divine goodness is b#cad  
frequent and common2 it began in the    
first ages of the world1 and  commenced 
a few moments after the creation2 it    
hath not to this day  diminished its    
affronts2 ,adam began the dance1 and his
 posterity have  followed him2 the      
injury was directed against this1 when  
he entertained  the seducer's notion of 
,god's being an envious ,deity1 in not  
indulging  such a knowledge as he might 
have afforded him 7,gen4 iii4 #e73 8,god
 doth  know1 that you shall be as gods1 
knowing good and evil40 ,the charge of  
envy is utterly inconsistent with pure  
goodness4 ,what was the language  of    
this notion1 so easily entertained by   
,adam1 but that the tempter  was better 

than ,god1 and the nature of ,god as    
base and sordid as the  nature of a     
devil8 ,satan paints ,god with his own  
colors1 represents  him as envious and  
malicious as himself2 ,adam admires1 and
 believes  the picture to be true1 and  
hangs it up as a beloved one in the     
closet  of his heart4 ,the devil still  
drives on the same game1 fills men's    
hearts with the same sentiments1 and by 
the same means he murdered our  first   
parents1 he redoubles the stabs to his  
posterity4 ,every violation  of the     
,divine law is a contempt of ,god's     
goodness1 as well as his  sovereignty1  
because his laws are the products both  
of the one and  the other4 ,goodness    
animates them1 while sovereignty enjoys 
them3 ,god  hath commanded nothing but  
what doth conduce to our happiness4 ,all
  disobedience implies1 that his law is 
a snare to entrap us1 and make  us      
miserable1 and not an act of kindness1  
to render us happy1 which  is a         
disparagement to this perfection1 as if 

he had commanded what  would promote our
 misery1 and prohibited what would      
conduce to our  blessedness3 to go far  
from him1 and walk after vanity1 is to  
charge  him with our iniquity1 and      
unrighteousness1 baseness1 and cruelty1 
in  his commands3 ,god implies it by his
 speech 7,jer4 ii4 #e71 8,what iniquity 
have your fathers found in me1 that they
 are gone far from me1 and  walked after
 vanity80 as if1 like a tyrant1 he had  
consulted cruelty in  the composure of  
them1 and designed to feast himself with
 the blood and  misery of his creatures4
 ,every sin is1 in its own nature1 a    
denial of  ,god to be the chiefest good 
and happiness1 and implies that it is no
  great matter to lose him3 it is a     
forsaking him as the ,fountain of ,life1
  and a preferring a cracked and 8empty 
cistern0 as the chief happiness  before 
him 7,jer4 ii4 #ac74 ,though sin is not 
so evil as ,god is good1  yet it is the 
greatest evil1 and stands in opposition 
to ,god as the  greatest good4 ,sin     

disorders the frame of the world2 it    
endeavored to  frustrate all the        
communications of ,divine goodness in   
creation1 and to  stop up the way of any
 further streams of it to his creatures4
    7#b47 ,the abuse and contempt of the
 ,divine goodness is base and           
disingenious4 ,it is the highest        
wickedness1 because ,god is the highest 
goodness1 pure goodness that cannot have
 anything in him worthy of our          
contempt4 ,let men injure ,god under    
what notion they will1 they injure  his 
goodness2 because all his attributes are
 summed up in this one1 and  all1 as it 
were1 deified by it4 ,for whatsoever    
power or wisdom he might  have1 if he   
were destitute of this he were not ,god3
 the contempt of  his goodness implies  
him to be the greatest evil1 and worst  
of beings4  ,badness1 not goodness1 is  
the proper object of contempt3 as       
respect  is a propension of mind to     
b#cae something that is good1 so        
contempt  is an alienation of the mind  

from something as evil1 either simply   
or supposedly evil in its nature1 or    
base or unworthy in its action  towards 
that person that contemns it4 ,as men   
desire nothing but  what they apprehend 
to be good1 so they slight nothing but  
what they  apprehend to be evil3 since  
nothing1 therefore1 is more contemned by
 us  than ,god1 nothing more spurned at 
by us than ,god1 it will follow that  we
 regard him as the most loathsome and   
despicable being1 which is the  greatest
 baseness4 ,and our contempt of him is  
worse than that of the  devils2 they    
injure him under the inevitable strokes 
of his justice1  and we slight him when 
we are surrounded with the expressions  
of his  bounty2 they abuse him under    
vials of wrath1 and we under a plenteous
  liberality3 they malice him1 because  
he inflicts on them what is  hurtful2   
and we despise him1 because he commands 
what is profitable1  holy1 and          
honorable1 in its own nature1 though not
 in our esteem4 ,they  are not under    

those high obligations as we2 they abuse
 his creating1  and we his redeeming    
goodness3 he never sent his ,son to shed
 a drop of  blood for their recovery2   
they can expect nothing but the torment 
of  their persons1 and the destruction  
of their works2 but we abuse that       
goodness that would rescue us since we  
are miserable1 as well as that          
righteousness which created us innocent4
 ,how base is it to use him so  ill1    
that is not once or twice1 but a daily1 
hourly ,benefactor to us2  whose rain   
drops upon the earth for our food1 and  
whose sun shines  upon the earth for our
 pleasure as well as profit3 such a     
,benefactor  as is the true ,proprietor 
of what we have1 and thinks nothing too 
good  for them that think everything too
 much for his service6 ,how unworthy  is
 it to be guilty of such base carriage  
towards him1 whose benefits  we cannot  
want1 nor live without6 ,how            
disingenious both to ,god and           
ourselves1 to 8despise the riches of his

 goodness1 that are designed to  lead us
 to repentance0 7,rom4 ii4 #d71 and by  
that to happiness6 ,and more  heinous   
are the sins of renewed men upon this   
account1 because they are  against his  
8goodness0 not only offered to them1 but
 tasted by them2  not only against the  
notion of goodness1 but the experience  
of goodness1  and the relished sweetness
 of choicest bounty4    7#c47 ,god takes
 this contempt of his goodness          
heinously4 ,he never  upbraids men with 
anything in the ,scripture1 but with the
 abuse of  the good things he hath      
vouchsafed them1 and the unmindfulness  
of the  obligations arising from them4  
,this he bears with the greatest regret 
and indignation4 ,thus he upbraids ,eli 
with the preference of him to  the      
priesthood above other families 7#a     
,sam4 ii4 #bh73 and ,david with his     
exaltation to the crown of ,israel 7#b  
,sam4 xii4 #gi71 when they abused  those
 honors to carelessness and             
licentiousness4 ,all sins offend ,god1  

but sins against his goodness do more   
disparage him2 and1 therefore1  his fury
 is the greater1 by how much the more   
liberally his benefits  have been       
dispensed4 ,it was for abuse of ,divine 
goodness1 as soon as it  was tasted1    
that some angels were hurled from their 
blessed habitation  and more happy      
nature3 it was for this ,adam lost his  
present enjoyments1  and future         
happiness1 for the abuse of ,god's      
goodness in creation4 ,for  the abuse of
 ,god's goodness the old world fell     
under the fury b#caf of  the flood2 and 
for the contempt of the ,divine goodness
 in redemption1  ,jerusalem1 once the   
darling city of the infinite ,monarch of
 the  world1 was made an ,aceldema1 a   
field of blood4 ,for this cause it is1  
that candlesticks have been removed1    
great lights put out1 nations           
overturned1 and ignorance hath triumphed
 in places bright before with  the beams
 of heaven4 ,god would have little care 
of his own goodness1 if  he always      

prostituted the fruits of it to our     
contempt4 ,why should we  expect he     
should always continue that to us which 
he sees we will never  use to his       
service8 ,when the ,israelites would    
dedicate the gifts of ,god  to the      
service of ,baal1 then he would return1 
and take away his corn1  and his wine1  
and make them know by the loss1 that    
those things were  his in dominion1     
which they abused1 as if they had been  
sovereign lords  of them 7,hos4 ii4 #h1 
#i74 ,benefits are entailed upon us no  
longer than  we obey 7,josh4 xxiv4 #bj73
 8,if you forsake the ,lord1 he will do 
you hurt1  after he hath done you good40
 ,while we obey1 his bounty shall shower
  upon us3 and when we revolt1 his      
justice shall consume us4 ,present      
mercies abused1 are no bulwarks against 
independent judgments4 ,god hath  curses
 as well as blessings2 and they shall   
light more heavy when his  blessings    
have been more weighty3 justice is never
 so severe as when  it comes to right   

goodness1 and revenge its quarrel for   
the injuries  received4    ,a convenient
 inquiry may be here1 ,how ,god's       
goodness is contemned or  abused8       
#ast4 ,by a forgetfulness of his        
benefits4 ,we enjoy the mercies1 and    
forget the ,donor2 we take what he      
gives1 and pay not the tribute he       
deserves2 the 8,israelites forgot ,god  
their ,saviour1 which had done  great   
things in ,egypt0 7,ps4 cvi4 #ba74 ,we  
send ,god's mercies where we  would have
 ,god send our sins1 into the land of   
forgetfulness1 and write  his benefits  
where himself will write the names of   
the wicked1 in the  dust1 which every   
wind defaceth3 the remembrance soon     
wears out of  our minds1 and we are so  
far from remembering what we had before1
 that  we scarce think of that hand that
 gives1 the very instant wherein his    
benefits drop upon us4 ,adam basely     
forgot his ,benefactor1 presently  after
 he had been made capable to remember   
him1 and reflect upon  him2 the first   

remark we hear of him1 is of his        
forgetfulness1 not  a syllable of his   
thankfulness4 ,we forget those souls he 
hath lodged  in us1 to acknowledge his  
favors to our bodies2 we forget that    
image  wherewith he beautified us1 and  
that ,christ he exposed as a criminal   
to death for our rescue1 which is such  
an act of goodness as cannot be         
expressed by the eloquence of the       
tongue1 or conceived by the acuteness   
of the mind4 ,those things which are so 
common1 that they cannot be  invisible  
to our eyes1 are unregarded by our      
minds2 our sense prompts  our           
understanding1 and our understanding is 
deaf to the plain dictates  of our      
sense4 ,we forget his goodness in the   
sun1 while it warms us1 and  his showers
 while they enrich us2 in the corn1     
while it nourisheth us1  and the wine   
while it refresheth us2 8,she did not   
know that ,i gave her  corn1 and wine1  
and oil0 7,hos4 ii4 #h73 she that might 
have read my hand  in every bit of      

bread1 and every drop of drink1 did not 
consider this4  ,it is an injustice     
b#cag to forget the benefits we receive 
from man2  it is a crime of a higher    
nature to forget those dispensed to us  
by  the hand of ,god1 who gives us those
 things that all the world cannot       
furnish us with1 without him4 ,the      
inhabitants of ,troas will condemn  us1 
who worshipped mice1 in a grateful      
remembrance of the victory they  had    
made easy for them1 by gnawing their    
enemies' bowstrings4 ,they  were mindful
 of the courtesy of animals1 though     
unintended by those  creatures2 and we  
are regardless of the foremeditated     
bounty of ,god4  ,it is in ,god's       
judgment a brutishness beyond that of a 
stupid ox1 or a  duller ass2 8,the ox   
knows his owner1 and the ass his        
master's crib3 but  ,israel doth not    
know1 my people do not consider0 7,isa4 
i4 #c74 ,the ox  knows his owner that   
pastures him1 and the ass his master    
that feeds  him2 but man is not so good 

as to be like to them1 but so bad as to 
be  inferior to them3 he forgets ,him   
that sustains him1 and spurns at him1   
instead of valuing him for the benefits 
conferred by him4 ,how horrible  is it1 
that ,god should lose more by his       
bounty1 than he would do by his         
parsimony6 ,if we had blessings more    
sparingly1 we should remember him  more 
gratefully4 ,if he had sent us a bit of 
bread in a distress by a  miracle1 as he
 did to ,elijah by the ravens1 it would 
have stuck longer  in our memories2 but 
the sense of daily favors soonest wears 
out of our  minds1 which are as great   
miracles as any in their own nature1 and
 the  products of the same power2 but   
the wonder they should beget in us1 is  
obscured by their frequency4    #b;d4   
,the goodness of ,god is contemned by an
 impatient murmuring4 ,our  repinings   
proceed from an inconsideration of      
,god's free liberality1  and an         
ungrateful temper of spirit4 ,most men  
are guilty of this4 ,it is  implied in  

the commendation of ,job under his      
pressures 7,job i4 #bb73 8,in  all this 
,job sinned not1 nor charged ,god       
foolishly10 as if it were a  character  
peculiar to him1 whereby he verified the
 eulogy ,god had given  of him before   
7ver4 #h71 that there was 8none like him
 in the earth1  a perfect and an upright
 man40 ,what is implied by the          
expression8 but  that scarce a man is to
 be found without unjust complaints of  
,god1 and  charging him under their     
crosses with cruelty2 when in the       
greatest  they have much more reason to 
bless him for his bounty in the         
remainder4  ,good men have not been     
innocent4 ,baruch complains of ,god for 
adding  grief to his sorrow1 not        
furnishing him with those 8great things0
 he  expected 7,jer4 xlv4 #c1 #d72      
whereas1 he had matter of thankfulness  
in  ,god's gift of his life as a prey4  
,but his master chargeth ,god in a      
higher strain3 8,o ,lord1 thou hast     
deceived me1 and ,i was deceived3 ,i am 

in derision daily0 7,jer4 xx4 #g74 ,when
 he met with reproach instead of        
success in the execution of his         
function1 he quarrels with ,god1 as if  
he had a mind to cheat him into a       
mischief1 when he had more reason  to   
bless him for the honor of being        
employed in his service4 ,because  we   
have not what we expect1 we slight his  
goodness in what we enjoy4  ,if he cross
 us in one thing1 he might have made us 
successless in  more3 if he take away   
some things1 he might as well have taken
 away  all4 ,the unmerited remainder1   
though never so little1 deserves our    
acknowledgements more than the deserved 
loss can justify our repining4  ,and for
 that b#cah which is snatched from us1  
there is more cause  to be thankful1    
that we have enjoyed it so long1 than to
 murmur that  we possess it no longer4  
,adam's sin implies a repining3 he      
imagined  ,god had been short in his    
goodness1 in not giving him a knowledge 
he  foolishly conceived himself capable 

of1 and would venture a forfeiture  of  
what already had been bountifully       
bestowed upon him4 ,man thought  ,god   
had envied him1 and ever since man      
studies to be even with ,god1 and       
envies him the free disposal of his own 
doles3 all murmuring1 either in  our own
 cause or others1 charges ,god with a   
want of goodness1 because  there is a   
want of that which he foolishly thinks  
would make himself  or others happy4    
,the language of this sin is1 that man  
thinks himself  better than ,god2 and if
 it were in his power1 would express a  
more  plentiful goodness than his       
,maker4 ,as man is apt to think himself 
8more pure than ,god0 7,job iv4 #ag71 so
 of a kinder nature also than  an       
infinite goodness4 ,the ,israelites are 
a wonderful example of this  contempt of
 ,divine goodness2 they had been        
spectators of the greatest  miracles1   
and partakers of the choicest           
deliverance3 he had solicited  their    
redemption from captivity2 and when     

words would not do1 he came  to blows   
for them1 musters up his judgments      
against their enemies1  and1 at last1 as
 the ,lord of hosts and ,god of battles1
 totally defeats  their pursuers1 and   
drowns them and their proud hopes of    
victory in  the ,red ,sea4 ,little      
account was made of all this by the     
redeemed ones2  8they lightly esteemed  
the rock of their salvation10 and launch
 into  greater unworthiness1 instead of 
being thankful for the breaking their   
yoke3 they are angry with him1 that he  
had done so much for them3  they        
repented that ever they had complied    
with him1 for their own  deliverance1   
and had a regret that they had been     
brought out of ,egypt3  they were angry 
that they were freemen1 and that their  
chains had been  knocked off3 they were 
more desirous to return to the          
oppression of  their ,egyptian tyrants1 
than have ,god for their governor and   
caterer1  and be fed with his manna4    
8,it was well with us in ,egypt3 ,why   

came  we forth out of ,egypt80 which is 
called a 8despising the ,lord0 7,numb4  
xi4 #ah1 #bj74 ,they were so far from   
rejoicing in the expectation of the     
future benefits promised them1 that they
 murmured that they had not  enjoyed    
less2 they were so sottish1 as to be    
desirous to put themselves  into the    
irons whence ,god had delivered them3   
they would seek a remedy  in that       
,egypt1 which had been the prison of    
their nation1 and under  the successors 
of that ,pharaoh1 who had been the      
invader of their  liberties2 they would 
snatch ,moses from the place where the  
,lord1 by an  extraordinary providence1 
hath established him2 they would stone  
those  that minded them of the goodness 
of ,god to them1 and thereupon of their 
crime and their duty 7,numb4 xvi4 #c1   
#iaa72 they rose against their          
benefactors1 and 8murmured against      
,god10 that had strengthened the  hands 
of their deliverers2 they 8despised the 
manna0 he had sent them1  and 8despised 

the pleasant land0 he intended them     
7,ps4 cvi4 #bd73 all  which was a high  
contempt of ,god and his unparalleled   
goodness and care  of them4 ,all        
murmuring is an accusation of ,divine   
goodness4    b#cai #c;d4 ,by unbelief   
and impenitency4 ,what is the reason we 
come not  to ,him when he calls us2 but 
some secret imagination that he is of an
  ill nature1 means not as he speaks1   
but intends to mock us1 instead of      
welcoming us8 ,when we neglect his call1
 spurn at his bowels1 slight the  riches
 of his grace2 as it is a disparagement 
to his wisdom to despise  his counsel1  
so it is to his goodness to slight his  
offers1 as though  you could make better
 provision for yourselves than he is    
able or  willing to do4 ,it disgraceth  
that which is designed to the praise of 
the glory of his grace1 and renders ,god
 cruel to his own ,son1 as being  an    
unnecessary shedder of his blood4 ,as   
the devil by his temptation of  ,adam1  
envied ,god the glory of his creating   

goodness1 so unbelief envies  ,god the  
glory of his redeeming grace3 it is a   
bidding defiance to him1  and           
challenging him to muster up the legions
 of his judgments1 rather  than have    
sent his ,son to suffer for us1 or his  
,spirit to solicit us4  ,since the      
sending his ,son was the greatest act of
 goodness that ,god  could express1 the 
refusal of him must be the highest      
reproach of that  liberality ,god       
designed to commend to the world in so  
rare a gift3 the  ingratitude in this   
refusal must be as high in the rank of  
sins1 as the  person slighted is in the 
rank of beings1 or rank of gifts4       
,christ is  a gift 7,rom4 v4 #af71 the  
royalest gift1 an unparalleled gift1    
springing  from inconceivable treasures 
of goodness 7,john iii4 #af74 ,what is  
our  turning our backs upon this gift   
but a low opinion of it8 as though the  
richest jewel of heaven were not so     
valuable as a swinish pleasure on       
earth1 and deserved to be treated at no 

other rate than if mere offals  had been
 presented to us4 ,the plain language of
 it is1 that there were  no gracious    
intentions for our welfare in this      
present2 and that he  is not as good1 in
 the mission of his ,son1 as he would   
induce us to  imagine4 ,impenitence is  
also an abuse of this goodness1 either  
by  presumption1 as if ,god would       
entertain rebels that bid defiance      
against  him with the same respect that 
he doth his prostrate and weeping       
suppliants2 that he will have the same  
regard to the swine as to  the children1
 and lodge them in the same habitation2 
or it speaks a  suspicion of ,god as a  
deceitful ,master1 one of a pretended1  
not a real  goodness1 that makes        
promises to mock men1 and invitations to
 delude  them3 that he is an implacable 
tyrant1 rather than a good ,father2  a  
rigid1 not a kind ,being1 delightful    
only to mark our faults1 and  overlook  
our services4    #dth4 ,the goodness of 
,god is contemned by a distrust of his  

providence4 ,as all trust in him        
supposeth him good1 so all distrust  of 
him supposeth him evil2 either without  
goodness to exert his power1  or without
 power to display his goodness4 ,job    
seems to have a spice of  this in his   
complaint 7,job xxx4 #bj71 8,i cry unto 
thee1 and thou dost  not hear me2 ,i    
stand up1 and thou regardest me not40   
,it is a fume of  the serpent's venom1  
first breathed into man1 to suspect him 
of cruelty1  severity1 regardlessness1  
even under the daily evidences of his   
good  disposition3 and it is ordinary   
not to believe him when he speaks1 nor  
credit him when he acts2 to question the
 goodness of his precepts1 and          
misinterpret the kindness of his        
providence2 as if they were designed    
for the supports of a tyranny1 and the  
deceit of the miserable4 ,thus  the     
,israelites thought their miraculous    
deliverance b#cbj from ,egypt1  and the 
placing them in security in the         
wilderness1 was intended only  to pound 

them up for a slaughter 7,numb4 xiv4    
#c73 thus they defiled  the lustre of   
,divine goodness which they had so      
highly experimented1  and placed not    
that confidence in him which was due to 
so frequent  a ,benefactor1 and thereby 
crucified the rich kindness of ,god1 as 
,genebrard translates the word 8limited0
 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #da74 ,it is also  a    
jealousy of ,divine goodness1 when we   
seek to deliver ourselves from  our     
straits by unlawful ways1 as though ,god
 had not kindness enough  to deliver us 
without committing evil4 ,what6 did ,god
 make a world1 and  all creatures in it1
 to think of them no more1 not to       
concern himself  in their affairs8 ,if  
he be good1 he is diffusive1 and        
delights to  communicate himself2 and   
what subjects should there be for it1   
but  those that seek him1 and implore   
his assistance8 ,it is an indignity  to 
,divine bounty to have such mean        
thoughts of it1 that it should be  of a 
nature contrary to that of his works1   

which1 the better they are1  the more   
diffusive they are4 ,doth a man distrust
 that the sun will  not shine any more1 
or the earth not bring forth its fruit8 
,doth he  distrust the goodness of an   
approved medicine for the expelling his 
distemper8 ,if we distrust those things1
 should we not render ourselves         
ridiculous and sottish8 and if we       
distrust the ,creator of those things1  
do we not make ourselves contemners of  
his goodness8 ,if his caring for  us be 
a principal argument to move us to cast 
our care upon him1 as  it is #a ,pet4 v4
 #g1 8,casting your care upon him1 for  
he cares for you20  then1 if we cast not
 our care upon him1 it is a denial of   
his gracious  care of us1 as if he      
regarded not what becomes of us4        
#eth4 ,we do contemn or abuse his       
goodness by omissions of duty4 ,these   
sometimes spring from injurious conceits
 of ,god1 which end in desperate        
resolutions4 ,it was the crime of a good
 prophet in his passion 7#b ,kings  vi4 

#cc73 8,this evil is of the ,lord1 why  
should ,i wait on the ,lord any         
longer80 ,god designs nothing but       
mischief to us1 and we will seek him  no
 longer4 ,and the complaint of those in 
,malachi 7,mal4 iii4 #ad7 is  of the    
same nature2 8,ye have said1 ,it is vain
 to serve ,god2 and what  profit is it  
that we have kept his ordinances80 ,we  
have all this while  served a hard      
,master1 not a ,benefactor1 and have not
 been answered with  advantages         
proportionable to our services2 we have 
met with a hand too  niggardly to       
dispense that reward which is due to the
 largeness of our  offerings4 ,when men 
will not lift up their eyes to heaven1  
and solicit  nothing but the contrivance
 of their own brain1 and the industry of
  their own heads1 they disown ,divine  
goodness1 and approve themselves  as    
their own gods1 and the spring of their 
own prosperity4 ,those that  run not to 
,god in their necessity1 to crave his   
support1 deny either  the arm of his    

power1 or the disposition of his will1  
to sustain and  deliver them3 they must 
have very mean sentiments1 or none at   
all1 of  this perfection1 or think him  
either too empty to fill them1 or too   
churlish to relieve them2 that he is of 
a narrow and contracted temper1  and    
that they may sooner expect to be made  
better and happier by  anything else    
than by him3 and as we contemn his      
goodness by a total  omission of those  
duties which respect our own advantage  
and supply1 as  prayer2 so we contemn   
him as the chiefest good1 by an omission
 of b#cba  the due manner of any act of 
worship which is designed purely for the
  acknowledgment of him4 ,as every      
omission of the material part of a duty 
is a denial of his sovereignty as       
commanding it1 so every omission of  the
 manner of it1 not performing it with   
due esteem and valuation of  him1 a     
surrender of all the powers of our soul 
to him1 is a denial of  him as the most 
amiable object4 ,but certainly to omit  

those addresses  to ,god which his      
precept enjoins1 and his excellency     
deserves1 speaks  this language1 that   
they can be well enough1 and do well    
enough1  without ,god1 and stand in no  
need of his goodness to maintain them4  
,the  neglect or refusal in a malefactor
 to supplicate for his pardon1 is a     
wrong to1 and contempt of1 the prince's 
goodness3 either implying that  he hath 
not a goodness in his nature worthy of  
an address1 or that he  scorns to be    
obliged to him for any exercise of it4  
#fth4 ,the goodness of ,god is          
contemned1 or abused1 in relying upon   
our  services to procure ,god's good    
will to us4 ,as1 when we stand in need  
either of some particular mercy1 or     
special assistance2 when pressures  are 
heavy1 and we have little hopes of ease 
in an ordinary way2 when  the devotions 
in course have not prevailed for what we
 want2 we engage  ourselves by          
extraordinary vows and promises to ,god1
 hereby to open  that goodness which    

seems to be locked up from us4#ihg      
,sometimes1  indeed1 vows may proceed   
from a sole desire to engage ourselves  
to ,god1 from a sense of the levity and 
inconstancy of our spirits2  binding    
ourselves to ,god by something more     
sacred and inviolable than a  common    
resolution4 ,but many times the vowing  
the building of a temple1  endowing a   
hospital1 giving so much in alms if ,god
 will free them from  a fit of sickness1
 and spin out the thread of their lives 
a little  longer 7as hath been frequent 
among the ,romanists71 arises from an   
opinion of laziness and a selfishness in
 the ,divine goodness2 that it  must be 
squeezed out by some solemn promises of 
returns to him1 before  it will exercise
 itself to take their parts4 ,popular   
vows are often  the effects of an       
ignorance of the free and bubbling      
nature of this  perfection of the       
generousness and royalty of ,divine     
goodness3 as  if ,god were of a mean and
 mechanic temper1 not to part with      

anything  unless he were in some measure
 paid for it2 and of so bad a nature as 
not to give passage to any kindness to  
his creature without a bribe4 ,it       
implies also that he is of an ignorant  
as well as contracted goodness2  that he
 hath so little understanding1 and so   
much weakness of judgment1  as to be    
taken with such trifles1 and ceremonial 
courtships1 and little  promises2 and   
meditated only low designs1 in imparting
 his bounty3  it is just as if a        
malefactor should speak to a            
prince1,sir1 if you  will but bestow a  
pardon upon me1 and prevent the death ,i
 have merited  for this crime1 ,i will  
give you this rattle4 ,all vows made    
with such a  temper of spirit to ,god1  
are as injurious and abusive to his     
goodness1  as any man will judge such an
 offer to be to a majestic and gracious 
prince2 as if it were a trading1 not a  
free and royal goodness4    #gth4 ,the  
goodness of ,god is abused when we give 
up our souls and  affections to those   

benefits we have from ,god2 when we make
 b#cbb  those things ,god's rivals1     
which were sent to woo us for him1 and  
offer  those affections to the presents 
themselves1 which they were sent to     
solicit for the ,master4 ,this is done1 
when either we place our trust in  them1
 or glue our choicest affections to     
them4 ,this charge ,god brings  against 
,jerusalem1 the trusting in her own     
beauty1 glory1 and strength1  though it 
was a comeliness put upon her by ,god   
7,ezek4 xvi4 #ad1 #ae74  ,when a little 
sunshine of prosperity breaks out upon  
us1 we are apt  to grasp it with so much
 eagerness and closeness1 as if we had  
no  other foundation to settle ourselves
 upon1 no other being that might        
challenge from us our sole dependence4  
,and the love of ourselves1 and  of     
creatures above ,god1 is very natural to
 us3 8,lovers of themselves1  and lovers
 of pleasure more than of ,god0 7#b     
,tim4 iii4 #b1 #d74 ,selflove  is the   
root1 and the love of pleasures the top 

branch1 that mounts its  head highest   
against heaven4 ,it is for the love of  
the world that the  dangers of the sea  
are passed over1 that men descend into  
the bowels  of the earth1 pass nights   
without sleep1 undertake suits without  
intermission1 wade through many         
inconveniences1 venture their souls1    
and contemn ,god2 in those things men   
glory1 and foolishly grow proud  by     
them1 and think themselves safe and     
happy in them4#ihh ,now to love         
ourselves above ,god1 is to own         
ourselves better than ,god1 and that  we
 transcend him in an amiable goodness2  
or1 if we love ourselves  equal with    
,god1 it at least manifests that we     
think ,god no better than  ourselves2   
and think ourselves our own chief good1 
and deny anything  above us to outstrip 
us in goodness1 whereby to deserve to be
 the  centre of our affections and      
actions1 and to love any other creature 
above him1 is to conclude some defect in
 ,god2 that he hath not so  much        

goodness in his own nature as that      
creature hath1 to complete  our         
felicity2 that ,god is a slighter thing 
than that creature4 ,it is  to account  
,god1 what all the things in the world  
are1an imaginary  happiness1 a goodness 
of clay2 and them what ,god is1a        
,supreme  ,goodness4 ,it is to value the
 goodness of a drop above that of the   
spring1 and the goodness of the spark   
above that of the sun4 ,as if the       
bounty of ,god were of a less alloy than
 the advantages we immediately  receive 
from the hands of a silly worm4 ,by how 
much the better we  think a creature to 
be1 and place our affections chiefly    
upon it1 by so  much the more deficient 
and indigent we conclude ,god2 for ,god 
wants so  much in our conception1 as the
 other thing hath goodness above him in 
our thoughts4 ,thus is ,god lessened    
below the creature1 as if he had a      
mixture of evil in him1 and were capable
 of an imperfect goodness4 ,he  that    
esteems the sun that shines upon him1   

the clothes that warm him1  the food    
that nourisheth him1 or any other       
benefit above the ,donor1  regards them 
as more comely and useful than ,god     
himself2 and behaves  himself as if he  
were more obliged to them than to ,god1 
who bestowed  those advantageous        
qualities upon them4    #hth4 ,the      
,divine goodness is contemned1 in       
sinning more freely upon  the account of
 that goodness1 and employing ,god's    
benefits in a  drudgery for our lusts4  
,this is a treachery to his goodness1 to
 make  his benefits serve for an end    
quite contrary to that for which b#cbc  
he sent them4 ,as if ,god had been      
plentiful in his blessings1 to hire     
them to be more fierce in their         
rebellions1 and fed them to no other    
purpose1 but that they might more       
strongly kick against him2 this is  the 
fruit which corrupt nature produceth4   
,thus the ,egyptians1 who had  so       
fertile a country1 prove unthankful to  
the ,creator1 by adoring the  meanest   

creatures1 and putting the sceptre of   
the ,monarch of the world  into the     
hands of the sottishest and cruellest   
beasts4 ,and the ,romans  multiply their
 idols1 as ,god multiplied their        
victories4 ,this is also  the complaint 
of ,god concerning ,israel3 8,she did   
not know that ,i gave  her corn1 and    
wine1 and oil1 and multiplied her silver
 and gold1 which  they prepared for     
,baal0 7,hos4 ii4 #h74 ,they            
ungratefully employed the  blessings of 
,god in the worship of an idol against  
the will of the  ,donor4 ,so in ,hos4 x4
 #a2 8,according to the multitude of his
 fruit1  he hath increased the altars2  
according to the goodness of his land1  
they have made goodly images40 ,they    
followed their own inventions  with the 
strength of my outward blessings2 as    
their wealth increased1  they increased 
the ornaments of their images2 so that  
what were before  of wood and stone1    
they advanced to gold and silver4 ,and  
the like  complaint you may see ,ezek4  

#af1 #ag4 ,thus1    #a4 ,the benefits of
 ,god are abused to pride1 when men     
standing upon  a higher ground of       
outward prosperity1 vaunt it loftily    
above their  neighbors2 the common fault
 of those that enjoy a worldly sunshine1
  which the apostle observes in his     
direction to ,timothy2 8,charge them    
that are rich in this world1 that they  
be not highminded0 7#a ,tim4 vi4  #ag74 
,it is an ill use of ,divine blessings  
to be filled by them with  pride and    
wind4 ,also1    #b4 ,when men abuse     
plenty to ease2 because they have       
abundance1 spend  their time in         
idleness1 and make no other use of      
,divine benefits than  to trifle away   
their time1 and be utterly useless to   
the world4    #c4 ,when they also abuse 
peace and other blessing to security2 as
  they which would not believe the      
threatenings of judgment1 and the  storm
 coming from a far country1 because the 
,lord was in ,sion1 and her  ,king in   
her2 8,is not the ,lord in ,sion1 is not

 her ,king in her0 7,jer4  viii4 #ai78  
thinking they might continue their      
progress in their sin1  because they had
 the temple1 the seat of the ,divine    
glory1 ,sion1 and  the promise of an    
everlasting kingdom to ,david2 abusing  
the promise  of ,god to presumption and 
security1 and turning the grace of ,god 
into  wantonness4    #d4 ,again1 when   
they abuse the bounty of ,god to        
sensuality and  luxury1 misemploying the
 provisions ,god gives them1 in         
resolving to  live like beasts1 when by 
a good improvement of them1 they might  
attain  the life of angels4 ,thus is the
 light of the sun abused to conduct     
them1  and the fruits of the earth      
abused to enable them to their          
prodigious  debauchery3 as we do1 saith 
one1 with the ,thames1 which brings us  
in  provision1 and we soil it with our  
rubbish4#ihi ,the more ,god sows his    
gifts1 the more we sow our cockle and   
darnel4 ,thus we make our outward       
happiness the most unhappy part of our  

lives1 and by the strength  of ,divine  
blessings1 exceed all laws of reason and
 religion too4 ,how  unworthy a carriage
 is this1 to use the expressions b#cbd  
of ,divine  goodness as occasions of a  
greater outrage and affront of him2 when
 we  stab his honor by those instruments
 he puts into our hands to glorify  him6
 as if a favorite should turn that sword
 into the bowels of his  prince1        
wherewith he knighted him2 and a        
servant1 enriched by a lord1  should    
hire by that wealth1 murderers to take  
away his life6 ,how  brutish is it1 the 
more ,god courts us with his blessings1 
the more  to spurn at him with our feet2
 like the mule that lifts up his heel   
against the dam1 as soon as ever it hath
 sucked her6 ,we never beat ,god  out of
 our hearts1 but by his own gifts2 he   
receives no blows from men1  but by     
those instruments he gave them to       
promote their happiness4 ,while  man is 
an enjoyer1 he makes ,god a loser1 by   
his own blessings2 inflames  his        

rebellion by those benefits which should
 kindle his love2 and runs  from him by 
the strength of those favors which      
should endear the donor  to him3 8,do   
you thus requite the ,lord1 ,o foolish  
people1 and unwise80  is the            
expostulation 7,deut4 xxxii4 #f74       
,divine goodness appears in the         
complaint of the abuse of it1 in giving 
them titles below their crime1  and     
complaining more of their being         
unfaithful to their own interest1  than 
enemies to his glory3 8foolish and      
unwise0 in neglecting their own         
happiness2 a charge below the crime1    
which deserved to be 8abominable1       
ungrateful people to a prodigy40 ,all   
this carriage towards ,god1 is as  if a 
man should knock the chirurgeon on the  
head1 as soon as he hath  set and bound 
up his dislocated members4 ,so ,god     
compares the ungrateful  behavior of the
 ,israelites against him3 8,though ,i   
have bound and  strengthened their arms1
 yet do they imagine mischief against   

me0 7,hos4  vii4 #ae73 a metaphor taken 
from a chirurgeon that applies          
corroborating  plasters to a broken     
limb4    #ith4 ,we contemn the goodness 
of ,god1 in ascribing our benefits to   
other  causes than ,divine goodness4    
,thus ,israel ascribed her felicity1    
plenty1  and success1 to her idols1 as  
8rewards which her lovers had given her0
  7,hos4 ii4 #e1 #ab74 ,and this charge 
,daniel brought home upon ,belshazzar3  
8,thou hast praised the gods of silver1 
and gold1 and brass1 and iron2  and the 
,god in whose hand is thy breath1 and   
whose are all thy ways1  hast thou not  
glorified0 7,dan4 v4 #bc74 ,the ,god who
 hath given success  to the arms of thy 
ancestors1 and conveyed by their hands  
so large  a dominion to thee1 thou hast 
not honored in the same rank with the   
sordidest of thy idols4 ,it is the same 
case1 when we own him not as  the author
 of any success in our affairs1 but by  
an overweaning conceit  of our own      
sagacity1 applaud and admire ourselves1 

and overlook the  hand that conducted   
us1 and brought our endeavors to a good 
issue4  ,we eclipse the glory of ,divine
 goodness1 by setting the crown that is 
due to it upon the head of our own      
industry2 a sacrilege worse than        
,belshazzar's drinking of wine with his 
lords and concubines in the  sacred     
vessels pilfered from the temple2 as in 
that place of ,daniel4  ,this was the   
proud vaunt of the ,assyrian conqueror1 
for which ,god  threatens to punish the 
fruit of his stout heart3 8,by the      
strength of  my hand1 ,i have done it1  
and by my wisdom2 for ,i am prudent20   
and1 8,i  have removed the bounds of the
 people1 and have robbed their          
treasures20  and1 8,i have put down the 
inhabitants like a valiant man0 7,isa4  
x4  #abad74 ,not a word of ,divine      
goodness and assistance in all this1 but
  applauding b#cbe his own courage and  
conduct4 ,this is a robbing of  ,god1 to
 set up ourselves1 and making ,divine   
goodness a footstool1 to  ascend into   

his throne4 ,and as it is unjust1 so it 
is ridiculous1 to  ascribe to ourselves1
 or instruments1 the chief honor of any 
work2 as  ridiculous as if a soldier1   
after a victory1 should erect an altar  
to  the honor of his sword2 or an       
artificer offer sacrifices to the tools 
whereby he completed some excellent and 
useful invention3 a practice  that every
 rational man would disdain1 where he   
should see it4 ,it is  a discarding any 
thoughts of the goodness of ,god1 when  
we imagine1  that we chiefly owe        
anything in this world to our own       
industry or wit1  to friends or means1  
as though ,divine goodness did not open 
its hand  to interest itself in our     
affairs1 support our ability1 direct our
  counsels1 and mingle itself with      
anything we do4 ,god is the principal   
author of any advantage that accrues to 
us1 of any wise resolution we  fix upon1
 or any proper way we take to compass   
it2 no man can be wise  in opposition to
 ,god1 act wisely1 or well without him2 

his goodness  inspires men with generous
 and magnificent counsels1 and          
furnisheth  them with fit and           
proportionable means2 when he withdraws 
his hand1  men's heads grow foolish1 and
 their hands feeble2 folly and weakness 
drop upon them1 as darkness upon the    
world upon the removal of the sun2  it  
is an abuse of ,divine goodness not to  
own it1 but erect an idol in  its place4
 ,ezra was of another mind when he      
ascribed to the good hand  of ,god the  
8providing ministers for the temple10   
and not to his own  care and diligence  
7chap4 viii4 #ah72 and ,nehemiah1 the   
8success he had  with the king0 in the  
behalf of his nation1 and not solely to 
his favor  with the prince1 or the arts 
he used to please him 7chap4 ii4 #h74   
#b4 ,the second information is this3 ,if
 ,god be so good1 it is a  certain      
argument that man is fallen from his    
original state4 ,it is the  complaint of
 man1 sometimes1 that other creatures   
have more of earthly  happiness than men

 have2 live freer from cares and        
trouble1 and are not  racked with that  
solicitousness and anxiety as man is3   
have not such  distempers to embitter   
their lives4 ,it is a good ground for   
man to look  into himself1 and consider 
whether he hath not1 some ways or other1
  disobliged ,god more than other       
creatures can possibly do4 ,we often    
find that the creatures men have need of
 in this state1 do not answer  the      
expectation of man3 8,cursed be the     
ground for thy sake0 7,gen4 iii4  #ag74 
,a fruitful land is made barren2 thorns 
and thistles triumph upon  the face of  
the earth1 instead of good fruit4 ,is it
 likely that that  goodness1 which is as
 infinite as his power1 and knows no    
more limits  than his ,almightiness1    
should imprint so many scars upon the   
world1 if  he had not been heinously    
provoked by some miscarriage of his     
creature8  ,infinite ,goodness could    
never move ,infinite ,justice to inflict
  punishment upon creatures1 if they had

 not highly merited it2 we cannot  think
 that any creature was blemished with a 
principle of disturbance1  as it came   
first out of the hand of ,god4 ,all     
things were certainly  settled in a due 
order and dependence upon one another2  
nothing could  be ungrateful and        
unuseful to man by the original law of  
their creation2  if there had1 it had   
not been goodness1 but evil and         
baseness1 that  had created the world4  
,when we see1 therefore1 the course of  
nature  overturned1 the order b#cbf     
,divine goodness had placed1 disturbed2 
and the creatures pronounced good and   
useful to man1 employed as  instruments 
of vengeance against him2 we must       
conclude some horrible  blot upon human 
nature1 and very odious to a ,god of    
infinite goodness2  and that this blot  
was dashed upon man by himself1 and his 
own fault2  for it is repugnant to the  
infinite goodness of ,god to put into   
the  creature a sinning nature1 to hurry
 him into sin1 and then punish him  for 

that which he had impressed upon him4   
,the goodness of ,god inclines  him to  
love goodness wherever he finds it2 and 
not to punish any that  have not        
deserved it by their own crimes4 ,the   
curse we therefore see  the creatures   
groan under1 the disorders in nature1   
the frustrating the  expectations of man
 in the fruits of the earth and         
plentiful harvests1  the trouble he is  
continually exposed to in the world1    
which tedders  down his spirit from more
 generous employments1 shows that man is
 not  what he was when ,divine goodness 
first erected him2 but hath admitted    
into his nature something more uncomely 
in the eye of ,god2 and so  heinous1    
that it puts his goodness sometimes to a
 stand1 and makes him  lay aside the    
blessings his hand was filled with1 to  
take up the arms  of vengeance1         
wherewith to fight against the world4   
,divine goodness  would have secured his
 creatures from any such invasions1 and 
never  used those things against man1   

which he designed in the first frame    
for man's service1 were there not some  
detestable disorder risen in  the nature
 of man which makes ,god withhold his   
liberality and change  the dispensation 
of his numerous benefits into legions of
 judgments4  ,the consideration of the  
,divine goodness1 which is a notion that
 man  naturally concludes to be         
inseparable from the ,deity1 would1 to  
an  unbiassed reason1 verify the history
 of those punishments settled  upon man 
in the third chapter of ,genesis1 and   
make the whole seem more  probable to   
reason at the first relation4 ,this     
instruction naturally  flows from the   
doctrine of ,divine goodness3 if ,god be
 so good1 it is  a certain argument that
 man is fallen from his original state4 
#c4 ,the third information is this3 ,if 
,god be infinitely good1 there  can be  
no just complaint against ,god1 if men  
be punished for abusing  his goodness4  
,man had nothing1 nay1 it was impossible
 he could have  anything1 from ,infinite

 ,goodness to disoblige him1 but to     
engage him4  ,god never did1 nay1 never 
could1 draw his sword against man1 till 
man  had slighted him and affronted him 
by the strength of his own bounty4  ,it 
is by this ,god doth justify his        
severest proceedings against men1  and  
very seldom charges them with any else  
as the matter of their  provocations    
7,hos4 ii4 #i73 8,therefore will ,i     
return1 and take away my  corn in the   
time thereof1 and my wine in the season 
thereof1 and will  recover my wool and  
my flax40 ,and in ,ezek4 xvi41 after he 
had drawn out  a bill of complaint      
against them1 and inserted only the     
abuse of his  benefits1 as a            
justification of what he intended to do2
 he concludes  7ver4 #bg71 8,behold1    
therefore1 ,i have stretched out my hand
 over thee1  and diminished thy ordinary
 food1 and delivered thee unto the will 
of them that hate thee40 ,when men      
suffer1 they suffer justly2 they  were  
not constrained by any violence1 or     

forced by any necessity1 nor  provoked  
by any ill usage1 to turn head against  
,god1 but broke the  bands of b#cbg the 
strongest obligations and most tender   
allurements4  ,what man1 what devil1 can
 justly blame ,god for punishing them1  
after  they had been so intolerably     
bold1 as to fly in the face of that     
goodness that had obliged them1 by      
giving them beings of a higher          
elevation than to inferior creatures1   
and furnishing them with  sufficient    
strength to continue in their first     
habitation8 ,man seems to  have less    
reason to accuse ,god of rigor than     
devils2 since1 after his  unreasonable  
revolt1 a more express goodness than    
that which created  him hath solicited  
him to repentance1 courted him by       
melting promises  and expostulations1   
added undeniable arguments of bounty1   
and drawn  out the choicest treasures of
 heaven1 in the gift of his ,son1 to    
prevail over men's perversity4 ,and yet 
man1 after he might arrive to  the      

height and happiness of an angel1 will  
be fond of continuing in  the meanness  
and misery of a devil2 and more strongly
 link himself to  the society of the    
damned spirits1 wherein1 by his first   
rebellion1  he had incorporated himself4
 ,who can blame ,god for vindicating his
 own  goodness from such desperate      
contempts1 and the extreme ingratitude  
of  man8 ,if ,god be good1 it is our    
happiness to adhere to him2 if we depart
  from him1 we depart from goodness2 and
 if evil happen to us1 we cannot  blame 
,god1 but ourselves1 for our            
departure4#iij ,why are men happy8      
because they cleave to ,god4 ,why are   
men miserable8 because they recede  from
 ,god4 ,it is then our own fault that we
 are miserable2 ,god cannot be  charged 
with any injustice if we be miserable1  
since his goodness gave  means to       
prevent it1 and afterwards added means  
to recover us from it1  but all despised
 by us4 ,the doctrine of ,divine        
goodness justifies every  stone laid in 

the foundation of hell1 and every spark 
in that burning  furnace1 since it is   
for the abuse of infinite goodness that 
it was  kindled4    #d4 ,the fourth     
information3 ,here is a certain         
argument1 both for ,god's  fitness to   
govern the world1 and his actual        
government of it4    7#a47 ,this renders
 him fit for the government of the      
world1 and gives  him a full title to   
it4 ,this perfection doth the ,psalmist 
celebrate  throughout the #ajgth ,psalm1
 where he declares ,god's works of      
providence  7ver4 #h1 #ae1 #ba1 #cb74   
,power without goodness would deface1   
instead  of preserving2 ruin is the     
fruit of rigor without kindness2 but    
,god1  because of his infinite and      
immutable goodness1 cannot do anything  
unworthy of himself1 and uncomely in    
itself1 or destructive to  any moral    
goodness in the creature4 ,it is        
impossible he should do  anything that  
is base1 or act anything but for the    
best1 because he is  essentially and    

naturally1 and1 therefore1 necessarily  
good4 ,as a good  tree cannot bring     
forth bad fruit1 so a good ,god cannot  
produce evil  acts1 no more than a pure 
beam of the sun can engender so much as 
a  mite of darkness1 or infinite heat   
produce any particle of cold4 ,as ,god  
is so much light1 that he can be no     
darkness1 so he is so much good1  that  
he can have no evil2 and because there  
is no evil in him1 nothing  simply evil 
can be produced by him4 ,since he is    
good by nature1 all  evil is against his
 nature1 and ,god can do nothing against
 his nature2  it would be a part of     
impotence in him to will that which is  
evil2 and1  therefore1 the misery man   
b#cbh feels1 as well as the sin whereby 
he  deserves that misery1 are said to be
 from himself 7,hos4 xiii4 #i73 8,o     
,israel1 thou hast destroyed thyself60  
,and though ,god sends judgments  upon  
the world1 we have shown these to be    
intended for the support and            
vindication of his goodness4 ,and       

,hezekiah judged no otherwise1 when1    
after the threatening of the devastation
 of his house1 the plundering  his      
treasures1 and captivity of his         
posterity1 he replies1 8,good is  the   
word of the ,lord1 which thou hast      
spoken0 7,isa4 xxxix4 #h74 ,god  cannot 
act anything that is base and cruel1    
because his goodness is  as infinite as 
his power1 and his power acts nothing   
but what his  wisdom directs1 and his   
goodness moves him to4 ,wisdom is the   
head in  government1 omniscience the    
eye1 power the arm1 and goodness the    
heart  and spirit in them1 that animates
 all4    7#b47 ,as goodness renders ,him
 fit to govern the world1 so ,god doth  
actually govern the world4 ,can we      
understand this perfection aright1  and 
yet imagine that he is of so morose a   
disposition as to neglect  the care of  
his creatures8 that his excellency1     
which was displayed  in framing the     
world1 should withdraw and wrap up      
itself in his own  bosom1 without       

looking out1 and darting itself out in  
the disposal  of them8 ,can that which  
moved him first to erect a world1 suffer
 him  to be unmindful of his own work8  
,would he design first to display it  in
 creation1 and afterwards obscure the   
honor of it8 ,that cannot be  entitled  
an infinite permanent goodness1 which   
should be so indifferent  as to let the 
creatures tumble together as they       
please1 without any  order1 after he had
 moulded them in his hand4 ,if goodness 
be diffusive  and communicative of      
itself1 can it consist with the nature  
of it1 to  extend itself to the giving  
the creatures being1 and then withdraw  
and  contract itself1 not caring what   
becomes of them8 ,it is the nature of   
goodness1 after it hath communicated    
itself1 to enlarge its channels2  that  
fountain that springs up in a little    
hollow part of the earth1  doth in a    
short progress increase its streams1 and
 widen the passages  through which it   
runs2 it would be a blemish to ,divine  

goodness1 if  it did desert what it     
made1 and leave things to wild          
confusions1 which  would be1 if a good  
hand did not manage them1 and a good    
mind preside  over them4 ,this is the   
lesson intended to us by all his        
judgments  7,dan4 iv4 #ag71 8,that the  
living may know that the ,most ,high    
rules in  the kingdoms of men40 ,if he  
doth not actually govern the world1 he  
must  have devolved it somewhere1 either
 to men or angels2 not to men1 who      
naturally want a goodness and wisdom to 
govern themselves1 much more to  govern 
others exactly4 ,and1 besides the       
misinterpretations of actions1  they are
 liable to the want of patience1 to bear
 with the provocations  of the world2   
since some of the best at one time in   
the world1 and1 in  the greatest example
 of meekness and sweetness1 would have  
kindled a  fire in heaven to have       
consumed the ,samaritans1 for no other  
affront  than a nonentertainment of     
their ,master and themselves 7,luke ix4 

#ed74  ,nor hath he committed the       
disposal of things to angels1 either    
good or  bad2 though he useth them as   
instruments in his government1 yet they 
are not the principal pilots to steer   
the world4 ,bad angels certainly  are   
not2 they would make continual ravages1 
meditate ruin1 never defeat  their own  
counsels1 which they manage by the b#cbi
 wicked as the  instruments in the      
world1 nor fill their spirits with      
disquiet and  restlessness when they are
 engaged in some ruinous design1 as     
often  is experienced3 nor hath he      
committed it to the good angels1 who1   
for aught we know1 are not more numerous
 than the evil ones are2  but besides1  
we can scarcely think their finite      
nature capable of so  much goodness1 as 
to bear the innumerable debaucheries1   
villanies1  blasphemies1 vented in one  
year1 one week1 one day1 one hour1      
throughout the world2 their zeal for    
their ,creator might well be  supposed  
to move them to testify their affection 

to him in a constant  and speedy        
righting of his injured honor upon the  
heads of the  offenders4 ,the evil      
angels have too much cruelty1 and would 
have no  care of justice1 but take      
pleasure in the blood of the most       
innocent1  as well as the most criminal2
 and the good angels have too little    
tenderness to suffer so many crimes3    
since the world1 therefore1  continues  
without those floods of judgments1 which
 it daily merits2  since1               
notwithstanding all the provocations1   
the order of it is  preserved2 it is a  
testimony that an ,infinite ,goodness   
holds the helm  in his hands1 and       
spreads its warm wings over it4    #e4  
,the fifth information is this3 ,hence  
we may infer the ground of all          
religion2 it is this perfection of      
goodness4 ,as the goodness of ,god is   
the lustre of all his attributes1 so it 
is the foundation and link of  all true 
religious worship3 the natural religion 
of the heathens was  introduced by the  

consideration of ,divine goodness1 in   
the being he had  bestowed upon them1   
and the provisions that were made for   
them4 ,divine  bounty was the motive to 
erect altars1 and present sacrifices1   
though  they mistook the object of their
 worship1 and offered the dues of the   
,creator to the instruments whereby he  
conveyed his benefits to them3  and you 
find1 that the religion instituted by   
him among the ,jews1  was enforced upon 
them by the consideration of their      
miraculous  deliverance from ,egypt1 the
 preservation of them in the wilderness1
 and  the enfeoffing them in a land     
flowing with milk and honey4 ,every act 
of bounty and success the heathens      
received1 moved them to appoint new     
feasts1 and repeat their adorations of  
those deities they thought the  authors 
and promoters of their victories and    
welfare4 ,the devil did not  mistake the
 common sentiment of the world in       
,divine service1 when he  alleged to    
,god1 that 8,job did not fear him for   

nought10 i4 e4 worship  him for nothing 
7,job i4 #i74 ,all acts of devotion take
 their rise from  ,god's liberality1    
either from what they have or from what 
they hope2  praise speaks the           
possession1 and prayer the expectation1 
of some  benefit from his hand3 though  
some of the heathens made fear to be the
  prime cause of the acknowledgment and 
worship of a deity1 yet surely          
something else besides and beyond this  
established so great a thing as         
religion in the world2 an ingenuous     
religion could never have been born     
into the world without a notion of      
goodness1 and would have gaped its  last
 as soon as this notion should have     
expired in the minds of men4  ,what     
encouragement can fear of power give1   
without sense of goodness8  just as much
 as thunder hath1 to invite a man to the
 place where it is  like to fall1 and   
crush him4 ,the nature of 8fear0 is to  
drive from1 and  the nature of          
8goodness0 to allure to1 the object3 the

 ,divine thunders1  prodigies1 and other
 armies b#ccj of his justice in the     
world1 which  are the marks of his      
power1 could conclude in nothing but a  
slavish  worship3 fear alone would have 
made men blaspheme the ,deity2 instead  
of serving him1 they would have fretted 
against him2 they might  have offered   
him a trembling worship2 but they could 
never have1 in  their minds1 thought him
 worthy of an adoration2 they would     
rather  have secretly complained of him1
 and cursed him in their heart1 than    
inwardly have admired him3 the issue    
would have been the same1 which  ,job's 
wife advised him to1 when ,god withdrew 
his protection from his  goods and body3
 8,curse ,god1 and die0 7,job ii4 #i74  
,it is certainly the  common sentiment  
of men1 that he that acts cruelly and   
tyrannically1 is  not worthy of an      
integrity to be retained towards him in 
the hearts of  his subjects2 but ,job   
fortifies himself against this          
temptation from  his bosom friend1 by   

the consideration of the good he had    
received from  ,god1 which did more     
deserve a worship from him than the     
present evil  had reason to discourage  
it4 ,alas6 what is only feared1 is      
hated1 not  adored4 ,would any seek to  
an irreconcileable enemy8 would any     
person  affectionately list himself in  
the service of a man void of all good   
disposition8 would any distressed person
 put up a petition to that  prince1 who 
never gave any experiment of the        
sweetness of his nature1  but always    
satiated himself with the blood of the  
meanest criminals8  ,all affection to   
service is rooted up when hopes of      
receiving good are  extinguished3 there 
could not be a spark of that in the     
world1 which is  properly called        
religion1 without a notion of goodness2 
the existence  of ,god is the first     
pillar1 and the goodness of ,god in     
rewarding the  next1 upon which coming  
to him 7which includes all acts of      
devotion7  is established 7,heb4 xi4    

#f72 8,he that comes unto ,god1 must    
believe that  he is1 and that he is a   
rewarder of them that diligently seek   
him30  if either of those pillars be not
 thought to stand firm1 all religion    
falls to the ground4 ,it is this1 as the
 most agreeable motive1 that  the       
apostle ,james uses1 to encourage men's 
approach to ,god1 because  8he gives    
liberally1 and upbraideth not0 7,james  
i4 #e74 ,a man of a kind  heart and a   
bountiful hand shall have his gate      
thronged with suppliants1  who sometimes
 would be willing to lay down their     
lives2 8for a good  man one would even  
dare to die30 when one of a niggardly or
 tyrannical  temper shall be destitute  
of all free and affectionate            
applications4  ,what eyes would be      
lifted up to heaven8 what hands         
stretched out1 if  there were not a     
knowledge of goodness there to enliven  
their hopes of  speeding in their       
petitions8 ,therefore ,christ orders our
 prayers to be  directed to ,god as a   

,father1 which is a title of tenderness1
 as well as  a 8,father in heaven10 a   
mark of his greatness2 the one to       
support our  confidence1 as well as the 
other to preserve our distance4 ,god    
could  not be ingenuously adored and    
acknowledged1 if he were not liberal  as
 well as powerful2 the goodness of ,god 
is the foundation of all  ingenuous     
religion1 devotion and worship4    #f4  
,the sixth instruction3 ,the goodness of
 ,god renders ,god amiable4 ,his        
goodness renders him beautiful1 and his 
beauty renders him lovely2 both  are    
linked together 7,zech4 ix4 #ag73 8,how 
great is his goodness6 and how  great is
 his beauty60 ,this is the most powerful
 attractive1 and masters  the affections
 of the soul3 it b#cca is goodness only 
supposed1 or  real1 that is thought     
worthy to demerit our affections to     
anything4 ,if  there be not a reality of
 this1 or at least an opinion and       
estimation  of it in an object1 it would
 want a force and vigor to allure our   

will4  ,this perfection of ,god is the  
loadstone to draw us1 and the centre for
  our spirits to rest in4    #a4 ,this  
renders ,god amiable to himself4 ,his   
goodness is his 8,godhead0  7,rom4 i4   
#bj73 by his ,godhead is meant his      
goodness2 if he loves his  ,godhead for 
itself1 he loves his goodness for       
itself2 he would not  be good1 if he did
 not love himself2 and if there were    
anything more  excellent1 and had a     
greater goodness than himself1 he would 
not be  good if he did not love that    
greater goodness above himself2 for not 
only a hatred of goodness is evil1 but  
an indifferent or cold affection  to    
goodness hath a tincture of evil in it4 
,if ,god were not good1 and  yet should 
love himself in the highest manner1 he  
would be the greatest  evil1 and do the 
greatest evil in that act2 for he would 
set his love  upon that which is not the
 proper object of such an affection1 but
 the  object of aversion3 his own       
infinite excellency1 and goodness of his

  nature1 renders him lovely and        
delightful to himself2 without this he  
could not love himself in a commendable 
and worthy way1 and becoming  the purity
 of a ,deity2 and he cannot but love    
himself for this2 for1  as creatures1 by
 not loving him as the supreme good1    
deny him to be  the choicest good1 so   
,god would deny himself1 and his own    
goodness1  if he did not love himself1  
and that for his goodness4 ,but the     
apostle  tells us1 that 8,god cannot    
deny himself0 7#b ,tim4 ii4 #ac74       
,selflove1  upon this account1 is the   
only prerogative of ,god1 because there 
is  not anything better than himself    
that can lay any just claim to his      
affections3 he only ought to love       
himself1 and it would be an injustice   
in him to himself1 if he did not4 ,he   
only can love himself for this3  an     
infinite goodness ought to be infinitely
 loved1 but he only being  infinite1 can
 only love himself according to the due 
merit of his own  goodness4 ,he cannot  

be so amiable to any man1 to any angel1 
to the  highest seraphim1 as he is to   
himself2 because he is only capable in  
regard of his infinite wisdom1 to know  
the infiniteness of his own  goodness4  
,and no creature can love him as he     
ought to be loved1 unless  it had the   
same infinite capacity of understanding 
to know him1 and of  affection to       
embrace him4 ,this first renders ,god   
amiable to himself4    #b4 ,it ought    
therefore to render him amiable to us4  
,what renders him  lovely to his own    
eye1 ought to render him so to ours2 and
 since1 by  the shortness of our        
understandings1 we cannot love him as he
 merits1  yet we should be induced by   
the measures of his bounty1 to love him 
as we can4 ,if this do not present him  
lovely to us1 we own him rather  a devil
 than a ,god3 if his goodness moved him 
to frame creatures1 his  goodness moved 
him also to frame creatures for himself 
and his own  glory4 ,it is a mighty     
wrong to him not to look with a         

delightful eye  upon the marks of it1   
and return an affection to ,god in some 
measure  suitable to his liberality to  
us2 we are descended as low as brutes1  
if we understand him not to be the      
perfect good2 and we are descended  as  
low as devils1 if our affections are not
 attracted by it4    b#ccb 7#a47 ,if    
,god were not infinitely good1 he could 
not be the  object of supreme love4 ,if 
he were finitely good1 there might be   
other  things as good as ,god1 and then 
,god in justice could not challenge our 
choicest affections to him above        
anything else3 it would be a defect of  
goodness in him to demand it1 because he
 would despoil that which were  equally 
good with him1 of its due and right to  
our affections1 which  it might claim   
from us upon the account of its         
goodness3 ,god would be  unjust to      
challenge more than was due to him2 for 
he would claim that  chiefly to himself 
which another had a lawful share in4    
,nothing can be  supremely loved that   

hath not a triumphant excellency above  
all other  things2 where is an equality 
of goodness1 neither can justly         
challenge  a supremacy1 but only an     
equality of affection4    7#b47 ,this   
attribute of goodness renders him more  
lovely than any other  attribute4 ,he   
never requires our adoration of him so  
much as the  strongest or wisest1 but as
 the best of beings3 he uses this       
chiefly  to constrain and allure us4    
,why would he be feared or worshipped1  
but  because 8there is forgiveness with 
him0 7,ps4 cxxx4 #d78 it is for his     
goodness' sake that he is sued to by his
 people in distress 7,ps4 xxv4  #g71    
8,for thy goodness' sake1 ,o ,lord40    
,men may be admired because of  their   
knowledge1 but they are affected because
 of their goodness3 the  will1 in all   
the variety of objects it pursues1      
centres in this one  thing of good as   
the term of its appetite4 ,all things   
are beloved  by men1 because they have  
been bettered by them4 ,severity can    

never  conquer enmity1 and kindle love3 
were there nothing but wrath in the     
,deity1 it would make him be feared1 but
 render him odious1 and that to  an     
innocent nature4 ,as the spouse speaks  
of ,christ 7,cant4 v4 #aj1 #aa71  so we 
may of ,god3 though she commends him for
 his head1 the excellency  of his       
wisdom2 his eyes1 the extent of his     
omniscience2 his hands1 the  greatness  
of his power2 and his legs1 the         
swiftness of his motions and  ways to   
and for his people2 yet the 8sweetness  
of his mouth10 in his  gracious words   
and promises1 closes all1 and is        
followed with nothing  but an           
exclamation1 that 8he is altogether     
lovely0 7ver4 #af74 ,his mouth1  in     
pronouncing pardon of sin1 and          
justification of the person1 presents   
him most lovely4 ,his power to do good  
is admirable1 but his will to  do good  
is amiable3 this puts a gloss upon all  
his other attributes4  ,though he had   
knowledge to understand the depth of our

 necessities1 and  power to prevent     
them1 or rescue us from them1 yet his   
knowledge would  be fruitless1 and his  
power useless1 if he were of a rigid    
nature1 and  not touched with any       
sentiments of kindness4    7#c47 ,this  
goodness therefore lays a strong        
obligation upon us4 ,it is  true he is  
lovely in regard of his absolute        
goodness1 or the goodness  of his       
nature1 but we should hardly be         
persuaded to return him an  affection   
without his relative goodness1 his      
benefits to his creatures2  we are      
obliged by both to love him4    #a4 ,by 
his absolute goodness1 or the goodness  
of his nature4 ,suppose a  creature had 
drawn its original from something else  
wherein ,god had no  influx1 and had    
never received the least b#ccc mite of a
 benefit from  him1 but from some other 
hand1 yet the infinite excellency and   
goodness  of his nature would merit the 
love of that creature1 and it would act 
sordidly and disingenuously if it did   

not discover a mighty respect  for ,god3
 for what ingenuity could there be in a 
rational creature1  that were possessed 
with no esteem for any nature filled    
with unbounded  goodness and excellency1
 though he had never been obliged to him
 for  any favor8 ,that man is accounted 
odious1 and justly despicable by man1   
that reproaches and disesteems1 nay1    
that doth not value a person of a  high 
virtue in himself1 and an universal     
goodness and charity to others1  though 
himself never stood in need of his      
charity1 and never had any  benefit     
conveyed from his hands1 nor ever saw   
his face1 or had any  commerce with him3
 a value of such a person is but a just 
due to the  natural claim of virtue4    
,and1 indeed1 the first object of love  
is ,god  in the excellency of his own   
nature1 as the first object of love in  
marriage is the person2 the portion is a
 thing consequent upon it4 ,to  love    
,god only for his benefits1 is to love  
ourselves first1 and him  secondarily3  

to love ,god for his own goodness and   
excellency1 is a true  love of ,god2 a  
love of him for himself4 ,that flaming  
fire in his own  breast1 though we have 
not a spark of it1 hath a right to      
kindle one  in ours to him4    #b4 ,by  
his relative goodness1 or that of his   
benefits4 ,though the  excellency of his
 own nature1 wherein there is a         
combination of  goodness1 must needs    
ravish an apprehensive mind2 yet a      
reflection  upon his imparted kindness1 
both in the beings we have from him1 and
  the support we have by him1 must      
enhance his estimation4 ,when the       
excellency of his nature1 and the       
expressions of his bounty are in        
conjunction1 the excellency of his own  
nature renders him estimable  in a way  
of justice1 and the greatness of his    
benefits renders him  valuable in a way 
of gratitude3 the first ravisheth1 and  
the other  allures and melts3 he hath   
enough in his nature to attract1 and    
sufficient in his bounty to engage our  

affections4 ,the excellency of  his     
nature is strong enough of itself to    
blow up our affections to  him1 were    
there not a malignity in our hearts that
 represents him under  the notion of an 
enemy2 therefore in regard of our       
corrupt state1 the  consideration of    
,divine largesses comes in for a share  
in the elevation  of our affections4    
,for1 indeed1 it is a very hard thing   
for a man to  love another1 though never
 so well qualified1 and of an eminent   
virtue1  while he believes him to be his
 enemy1 and one that will severely      
handle him1 though he hath before       
received many good turns from him2  the 
virtue1 valor1 and courtesy of a prince1
 will hardly make him  affected by those
 against whom he is in arms1 and that   
are daily  pilfered by his soldiers1    
unless they have hopes of a reparation  
from  him1 and future security from     
injuries4 ,christ1 in the repetition of 
the command to 8love ,god with all our  
mind1 with all our heart1 and  with all 

our soul10 i4 e4 with such an ardency   
above all things which  glitter in our  
eye1 or can be created by him1 considers
 him as 8our  ,god0 7,matt4 xxii4 #cg74 
,and the ,psalmist considers him as one 
that  had kindly employed his power for 
him1 in the eruption of his love  7,ps4 
xviii4 #a71 8,i will love thee1 ,o      
,lord1 my strength20 and so in  ,ps4    
cxvi4 #a1 8,i love the ,lord1 because he
 hath heard the voice b#ccd  of my      
supplications40 ,an esteem of the       
benefactor is inseparable  from         
gratitude for the received benefits3 and
 should not then the  unparalleled      
kindness of ,god advance him in our     
thoughts1 much more  than slighter      
courtesies do a created benefactor in   
ours8 ,it is an  obligation on every    
man's nature to answer bounty with      
gratitude1 and  goodness with love4     
,hence you never knew any man1 nor can  
the records  of eternity produce any    
man1 or devil1 that ever hated any      
person1 or  anything as good in itself3 

it is a thing absolutely repugnant to   
the  nature of any rational creature4   
,the devils hate not ,god because he  is
 good1 but because he is not so good to 
them as they would have him2  because he
 will not unlock their chains1 turn them
 into liberty1 and  restore them to     
happiness2 i4 e4 because he will not    
desert the  rights of abused goodness4  
,but how should we send up flames of    
love to  that ,god1 since we are under  
his direct beams1 and enjoy such        
plentiful  influences6 ,if the sun is   
comely in itself1 yet it is more amiable
 to  us1 by the light we see1 and the   
warmth we feel4    #ast4 ,the greatness 
of his benefits have reason to affect us
 with a love  to him4 ,the impress he   
made upon our souls when he extracted us
 from  the darkness of nothing2 the     
comeliness he hath put upon us by his   
own  breath2 the care he took of our    
recovery1 when we had lost ourselves2   
the expense he was at for our regaining 
our defaced beauty2 the gift  he made of

 his ,son2 the affectionate calls we    
have heard to overmaster  our corrupt   
appetites1 move us to repentance1 and   
make us disaffect our  beloved misery2  
the loud sound of his word in our ears1 
and the more  inward knockings of his   
,spirit in our heart2 the offering us   
the gift  of himself1 and the           
everlasting happiness he courts us to1  
besides  those common favors we enjoy in
 the world1 which are all the streams of
  his rich bounty3 the voice of all is  
loud enough to solicit our love1  and   
the merit of all ought to be strong     
enough to engage our love3  8there is   
none like the ,god of ,jeshurun1 who    
rides upon the heaven in  thy help1 and 
in his excellency on the sky0 7,deut4   
xxxiii4 #bf74    #b;d4 ,the             
unmeritedness of them doth enhance this4
 ,it is but reason to  love him who hath
 loved us first 7#a ,john iv4 #ai74     
,hath he placed his  delight upon any   
when they were nothing1 and after they  
were sinful2  and shall he set his      

delight upon such vile persons1 and     
shall not we  set our love upon so      
excellent an object as himself8 ,how    
base are we1  if his goodness doth not  
constrain us to affect him who hath been
 so  free in his favor to us1 who have  
merited the quite contrary at his       
hands8 ,if 8his tender mercies are over 
all his works0 7,ps4 cxlv4 #i71  he     
ought for it to be esteemed by all his  
works that are capable of  a rational   
estimation4    #c;d4 ,goodness in       
creatures makes them estimable1 much    
more should the  goodness of ,god render
 him lovely to us4 ,if we love a little 
spark of  goodness in this or that      
creature1 if a drop be so delicious to  
us1  shall not the immense ,sun of      
goodness1 the everflowing ,fountain of  
all1  be much more delightful8 ,the     
original excellency always outstrips    
what  is derived from it2 if so mean and
 contracted an object as a little       
creature deserves estimation for a      
little mite communicated to it1 so      

great and extended a goodness as is in  
the ,creator b#cce much more  merits it 
at our hands3 he is good after the      
infinite methods of a  ,deity3 a weak   
resemblance is lovely2 much more        
amiable1 then1 must be  the             
incomprehensible original of that       
beauty4 ,we love creatures for  what we 
think to be good in them1 though it may 
be hurtful2 and shall  we not love ,god1
 who is a real and unblemished goodness1
 and from whose  hand are poured out all
 those blessings that are conveyed to us
 by  second causes8 ,the object that    
delights us1 the capacity we have to    
delight in it1 are both from him2 our   
love1 therefore1 to him should          
transcend the affection we bear to any  
instruments he moves for our  welfare4  
8,among the gods1 there is none like    
thee1 ,o ,lord1 neither  are there any  
works like unto thy works0 7,ps4 lxxxvi4
 #h73 among the  pleasantest creatures  
there is none like the ,creator1 nor any
 goodness  like unto his goodness4      

,shall we love the food that nourisheth 
us1  and the medicine that cures us1 and
 the silver whereby we furnish          
ourselves with useful commodities8      
,shall we love a horse1 or dog1 for  the
 benefits we have by them8 and shall not
 the spring of all those  draw our souls
 after it1 and make us aspire to the    
honor of loving  and embracing ,him who 
hath stored every creature with that    
which may  pleasure us8 ,but1 instead of
 endeavoring to parallel our affection  
with  his kindness1 we endeavor to make 
our disingenuity as extensive and       
towering as his ,divine goodness4       
#dth4 ,this is the true end of the      
manifestation of his goodness1 that he  
might appear amiable1 and have a return 
of affection4 ,did ,god display  his    
goodness only to be thought of1 or to be
 loved8 ,it is the want of  such a      
return1 that he hath usually aggravated1
 from the benefits he  hath bestowed    
upon men4 ,every thought of him should  
be attended with a  motion suitable to  

the excellency of his nature and works4 
,can we think  those nobler spirits1 the
 angels1 look upon themselves1 or those 
frames  of things in the heavens and    
earth1 without starting some practical  
affection to him for them8 ,their       
knowledge of his excellency and  works  
cannot be a lazy contemplation3 it is   
impossible their wills and  affections  
should be a thousand miles distant from 
their understandings  in their          
operations4 ,it is not the least part of
 his condescending  goodness to court in
 such methods the affections of us      
worms1 and  manifest his desire to be   
beloved by us4 ,let us give him1 then1  
that  affection he deserves1 as well as 
demands1 and which cannot be withheld   
from him without horrible sacrilege4    
,there is nothing worthy of love        
besides him2 let no fire be kindled in  
our hearts1 but what may ascend         
directly to him4    #g4 ,the seventh    
instruction is this3 ,this renders ,god 
a fit object of  trust and confidence4  

,since none is good but ,god1 none can  
be a full  and satisfactory ground or   
object of confidence but ,god3 as all   
things  derive their beings1 so they    
derive their helpfulness to us from     
,god2  they are not1 therefore1 the     
principal objects of trust1 but that    
goodness alone that renders them fit    
instruments of our support2 they  can no
 more challenge from us a stable        
confidence1 than they can a  supreme    
affection4 ,it is by this the ,psalmist 
allures men to a trust  in him2 8,taste 
and see how good the ,lord is30 what is 
the consequence8  8,blessed is the man  
that trusts in thee0 7,ps4 xxxiv4 #h74  
,the voice of  ,divine goodness sounds  
nothing more intelligibly1 b#ccf and a  
taste  of it produceth nothing more     
effectually1 than this4 ,as the vials of
  his justice are to make us fear him1  
so the streams of his goodness  are to  
make us rely on him3 as his patience is 
designed to broach our  repentance1 so  
his goodness is most proper to          

strengthen our assurance  in him3 that  
goodness which surmounted so many       
difficulties1 and  conquered so many    
motions that might be made against any  
repeated  exercise of it1 after it had  
been abused by the first rebellion of   
man2 that goodness that after so much   
contempt of it1 appeared in such  a     
majestic tenderness1 and threw aside    
those impediments which men had  cast in
 the way of ,divine inclinations3 this  
goodness is the foundation  of all      
reliance upon ,god4 ,who is better than 
,god8 and1 therefore1 who  more to be   
trusted than ,god8 ,as his power cannot 
act anything weakly1  so his goodness   
cannot act anything unbecomingly1 and   
unworthy of his  infinite majesty4 ,and 
here consider1    7#a47 ,goodness is the
 first motive of trust4 ,nothing but    
this could  be the encouragement to man1
 had he stood in a state of innocence1  
to  present himself before ,god2 the    
majesty of ,god would have constrained  
him to keep his due distance1 but the   

goodness of ,god could only  hearten his
 confidence3 it is nothing else now that
 can preserve the  same temper in us in 
our lapsed condition4 ,to regard him    
only as the  ,judge of our crimes1 will 
drive us from him2 but only the regard  
of  him as the ,donor of our blessings1 
will allure us to him4 ,the principal   
foundation of faith is not the word of  
,god1 but ,god himself1 and  ,god as    
considered in this perfection4 ,as the  
goodness of ,god in his  invitations and
 providential blessings 8leads us to    
repentance0 7,rom4  ii4 #d71 so1 by the 
same reason1 the goodness of ,god by his
 promises  leads us to reliance4 ,if    
,god be not first believed to be good1  
he would  not be believed at all in     
anything that he speaks or swears3 if   
you  were not satisfied in the goodness 
of a man1 though he should swear  a     
thousand times1 you would value neither 
his word nor oath as any  security4     
,many times1 where we are certain of the
 goodness of a man1  we are willing to  

trust him without his promise4 ,this    
,divine perfection  gives credit to the 
,divine promises2 they of themselves    
would not be  a sufficient ground of    
trust1 without an apprehension of his   
truth2  nor would his truth be very     
comfortable without a belief of his good
  will1 whereby we are assured that what
 he promises to give1 he gives          
liberally1 free1 and without regret4    
,the truth of the promiser makes  the   
promise credible1 but the goodness of   
the promiser makes it  cheerfully relied
 on4 ,in ,ps4 lxxiii4 7,asaph's         
penitential psalm for  his distrust of  
,god17 he begins the first verse with an
 assertion of  this attribute 7ver4 #a71
 8,truly ,god is good to ,israel20 and  
ends with  this fruit of it 7ver4 #bh71 
8,i will put my trust in the ,lord      
,god40 ,it  is a mighty ill nature that 
receives not with assurance the dictates
  of ,infinite ,goodness1 7that cannot  
deceive or frustrate the hopes we       
conceive of him7 that is inconceivably  

more abundant in the breast  and        
inclinations of the promiser1 than      
expressible in the words of his         
promise1 8,all true faith works by love0
 7,gal4 v4 #f71 and1 therefore1         
necessarily includes a particular eyeing
 of this excellency in the  ,divine     
nature1 which renders him amiable1 and  
is the motive and  encouragement of     
b#ccg a love to him4 ,his power indeed  
is a foundation  of trust1 but his      
goodness is the principal motive of it4 
,his power  without goodwill would be   
dangerous1 and could not allure         
affection2  and his goodwill without    
power would be useless2 and though it   
might  merit a love1 yet could not      
create a confidence2 both in conjunction
  are strong grounds of hope1 especially
 since his goodness is of the  same     
infinity with his wisdom and power2 and 
that he can be no more  wanting in the  
effusions of this upon them that seek   
him1 than in his  wisdom to contrive1 or
 his power to effect1 his designs and   

works4    7#b47 ,this goodness is more  
the foundation and motive of trust under
  the gospel1 than under the law4 ,they 
under the law had more evidences  of    
,divine power1 and their trust eyed that
 much2 though there was an  eminency of 
goodness in the frequent deliverances   
they had1 yet the  power of ,god had a  
more glorious dress than his goodness1  
because  of the extraordinary and       
miraculous ways whereby he brought those
  deliverances about4 ,therefore1 in the
 catalogue of believers in ,heb4  xi4   
you shall find the power of ,god to be  
the centre of their rest and  trust2 and
 their faith was built upon the         
extraordinary marks of ,divine  power1  
which were frequently visible to them4  
,but under the gospel1  goodness and    
love was intended by ,god to be the     
chief object of trust2  suitable to the 
excellency of that dispensation1 he     
would have an  exercise of more         
ingenuity in the creatures3 therefore1  
it is said  7,hos4 iii4 #e71 a promise  

of gospeltimes1 8,they shall fear ,god  
and his  goodness in the latter days10  
when they shall return to 8seek the     
,lord1  and ,david their king40 ,it is  
not said1 they shall fear ,god1 and his 
power1 but the ,lord and his goodness1  
or the ,lord for his goodness3  fear is 
often in the ,old ,testament taken for  
faith1 or trust4 ,this  ,divine         
goodness1 the object of faith1 is that  
goodness discovered in  ,david their    
king2 the ,messiah1 our ,jesus4 ,god1 in
 this dispensation1  recommends his     
goodness and love1 and reveals it more  
clearly than  other attributes1 that the
 soul might have more prevailing and    
sweeter  attractives to confide in him4 
7#c47 ,a confidence in him gives him the
 glory of his goodness4 ,most  nations  
that had nothing but the light of       
nature1 thought it a great  part of the 
honor that was due to ,god1 to implore  
his goodness1 and  cast their cares upon
 it4 ,to do good1 is the most honorable 
thing in  the world1 and to acknowledge 

a goodness in a way of confidence1 is   
as high an honor as we can give to it1  
and a great part of gratitude  for what 
it hath already expressed4 ,therefore we
 find often1 that  an acknowledgment of 
one benefit received1 was attended with 
a trust  in him for what they should in 
the future need 7,ps4 lvi4 #ac73 8,thou 
hast delivered my soul from death1 wilt 
thou not deliver my feet from  falling80
 ,so1 #b ,cor4 i4 #aj3 and they who have
 been most eminent for  their trust in  
him1 have had the greatest eulogies and 
commendations  from him4 ,as a          
diffidence doth disparage this          
perfection1 thinking  it meaner and     
shallower than it is1 so confidence     
highly honors it4  ,we never please him 
more1 than when we trust in him2 8,the  
,lord takes  pleasure in them that fear 
him1 in them that hope in his mercy0    
7,ps4  cxlvii4 #aa74 ,he takes it for an
 honor to have this attribute exalted by
  such a carriage of his b#cch creature4
 ,he is no less offended when we  think 

his heart straitened1 as if he were a   
parsimonious ,god2 than when  we think  
his arm shortened1 as if he were an     
impotent and feeble ,god4  ,let us1     
therefore1 make this use of his         
goodness1 to hearten our faith4  ,when  
we are scared by the terrors of his     
justice1 when we are dazzled  by the    
arts of his wisdom1 and confounded by   
the splendor of his  majesty1 we may    
take refuge in the sanctuary of his     
goodness2 this will  encourage us1 as   
well as astonish us2 whereas1 the       
consideration of  his other attributes  
would only amaze us1 but can never      
refresh us1 but  when they are          
considered marching under the conduct   
and banners of this4  ,when all the     
other perfections of the ,divine nature 
are looked upon in  conjunction with    
this excellency1 each of them send forth
 ravishing and  benign influences upon  
the applying creature4 ,it is more      
advantageous  to depend upon ,divine    
bounty1 than our own cares2 we may have 

better  assurance upon this account in  
his cares for us1 than in ours for      
ourselves4 ,our goodness for ourselves  
is finite2 and besides1 we are  too     
ignorant3 his goodness is infinite1 and 
attended with an infinite  wisdom2 we   
have reason to distrust ourselves1 not  
,god4 ,we have reason  to be at rest1   
under that kind influence we have so    
often experimented2  he hath so much    
goodness1 that he can have no deceit3   
his goodness in  making the promise1 and
 his goodness in working the heart to a 
reliance  on it1 are grounds of trust in
 him2 8,remember thy word to thy        
servant1  upon which thou hast caused me
 to hope0 7,ps4 cxix4 #di74 ,if his     
promise  did not please him1 why did he 
make it8 ,if reliance on the promise did
  not please him1 why did his goodness  
work it8 ,it would be inconsistent  with
 his goodness to mock his creature1 and 
it would be the highest  mockery to     
publish his word1 and create a temper in
 the heart of his  supplicant1 suited to

 his promise which he never intended to 
satisfy4  ,he can as little wrong his   
creature1 as wrong himself2 and1        
therefore1  can never disappoint that   
faith which in his own methods casts    
itself  into the arms of his kindness1  
and is his own workmanship1 and calls   
him ,author4 ,that goodness that        
imparted itself so freely in creation1  
will not neglect those nobler creatures 
that put their trust in him4  ,this     
renders ,god a fit object for trust and 
confidence4    #h4 ,the eighth          
instruction3 ,this renders ,god worthy  
to be obeyed  and honored4 ,there is an 
excellency in ,god to allure1 as well as
  sovereignty to enjoin obedience3 the  
infinite excellency of his nature  is so
 great1 that if his goodness had        
promised us nothing to encourage  our   
obedience1 we ought to prefer him before
 ourselves1 devote  ourselves to serve  
him1 and make his glory our greatest    
content2  but much more when he hath    
given such admirable expressions of his 

liberality1 and stored us with hopes of 
richer and fuller streams of  it4 ,when 
,david considered the absolute goodness 
of his nature1 and the  relative        
goodness of his benefits1 he presently  
expresseth an ardent  desire to be      
acquainted with the ,divine statutes1   
that he might make  ingenious returns in
 a dutiful observance2 8,thou art good1 
and thou  dost good2 teach me thy       
statutes0 7,ps4 cxix4 #fh74 ,as his     
goodness is  the original1 so the       
acknowledgment of it is the end of all1 
which  cannot be without an observance  
b#cci of his will4 ,his goodness        
requires of us an ingenuous1 not a      
servile obedience4 ,and this is         
established upon two foundations4    #a4
 ,because the bounty of ,god hath laid  
upon us the strongest  obligations4 ,the
 strength of an obligation depends upon 
the greatness  and numerousness of the  
benefits received4 ,the more excellent  
the  favors are which are conferred upon
 any person1 the more right hath the    

benefactor to claim an observance from  
the person bettered by him4 ,much  of   
the rule and empire which hath been in  
several ages conferred by  communities  
upon princes1 hath had its first spring 
from a sense of the  advantages they    
have received by them1 either in        
protecting them from  their enemies1 or 
rescuing them from an ignoble captivity2
 in enlarging  their territories1 or    
increasing their wealth4 ,conquest hath 
been the  original of a constrained1 but
 beneficence always the original of a   
voluntary and free subjection4#iia      
,obedience to parents is founded  upon  
their right1 because they are           
instrumental in bestowing upon  us being
 and life2 and because this of life is  
so great a benefit1  the law of nature  
never dissolves this obligation of      
obeying and  honoring parents2 it is as 
longlived as the law of nature1 and hath
  an universal practice1 by the strength
 of that law1 in all parts of the       
world3 and those rightful chains are not

 unlocked1 but by that which  unties the
 knot between soul and body3 much more  
hath ,god a right to be  obeyed and     
reverenced1 who is the principal        
,benefactor1 and moved all  those second
 causes to impart to us1 what conduced  
to our advantage4  ,the just authority  
of ,god over us results from the        
superlativeness of  his blessings he    
hath poured down upon us1 which cannot  
be equalled1  much less exceeded1 by any
 other4 ,as therefore upon this account 
he  hath a claim to our choicest        
affections1 so he hath also to most     
exact  obedience2 and neither one nor   
other can be denied him1 without a      
sordid and disingenuous ingratitude2    
,god therefore aggravates the  rebellion
 of the ,jews from the cares he had in  
the bringing them up  7,isa4 ii4 #b71   
and the miraculous deliverance from     
,egypt 7,jer4 xi4  #g1 #h72 implying    
that those benefits were strong         
obligations to an  ingenuous observance 
of him4    #b4 ,it is established upon  

this1 that ,god can enjoin the          
observance of  nothing but what is good4
 ,he may by the right of his sovereign  
dominion1  command that which is        
indifferent in its own nature3 as in    
positive  laws1 the not eating the fruit
 of the tree of the knowledge of good   
and  evil1 which had not been evil in   
itself1 set aside the command of ,god   
to the contrary2 and likewise in those  
ceremonial laws he gave the ,jews3  but 
in regard to the transcendent goodness  
and righteousness of his  nature1 he    
will not1 he cannot command anything    
that is evil in itself1  or repugnant to
 the true interest of his creature2 and 
,god never  obliged the creature to     
anything but what was so free from      
damaging it1  that it highly conduced to
 its good and welfare3 and therefore it 
is  said1 that 8his commands are not    
grievous0 7#a ,john v4 #c73 not grievous
  in their own nature1 nor grievous to  
one possessed with a true reason4  ,the 
command given to ,adam in ,paradise was 

not grievous in itself1  nor could he   
ever have thought it so1 but upon a     
false supposition  instilled into him by
 the tempter4 ,there is a pleasure      
results from the  law of ,god b#cdj to a
 holy rational nature1 a sweetness      
tasted both  by the understanding and by
 the will1 for they both 8rejoice the   
heart  and enlighten the eyes0 of the   
mind 7,ps4 xix4 #h74 ,god being         
essentially  wisdom and goodness1 cannot
 deviate from that goodness in any      
orders  he gives the creature2          
whatsoever he enacts must be agreeable  
to that  rule1 and therefore he can will
 nothing but what is good and excellent1
  and what is good for the creature2 for
 since he hath put originally  into man 
a natural instinct to desire that which 
is good1 he would  never enact any thing
 for the creature's observance1#iib that
 might  control that desire imprinted by
 himself1 but what might countenance    
that impression of his own hand2 for if 
,god did otherwise1 he would  contradict

 his own natural law1 and be a deluder  
of his creatures1 if  he impressed upon 
them desires one way1 and ordered       
directions another4  ,the truth is1 all 
his moral precepts are comely in        
themselves1 and  they receive not their 
goodness from ,god's positive command1  
but that  command supposeth their       
goodness2 if everything were good       
because ,god  loves it1 or because ,god 
wills it1 i4 e4 that ,god's loving it or
  willing it made that good which was   
not good before1 then1 as ,camero  well 
argues somewhere1 ,god's goodness would 
depend upon his loving  himself2 he was 
good because he loved himself1 and was  
not good till he  loved himself2        
whereas1 indeed1 ,god's loving himself1 
doth not make him  good1 but supposeth  
him good3 he was good in the order of   
nature before  he loved himself2 and his
 being good was the ground of his loving
  himself1 because1 as was said before1 
if there were anything better  than     
,god1 ,god would love that2 for it is   

inconsistent with the nature  of ,god   
and infinite goodness not to love that  
which is good1 and not  to love that    
supremely which is the supreme good4    
,further to understand  it1 you may     
consider1 if the question be asked1 why 
,god loves himself8  you would think it 
a reasonable answer to say1 because he  
is good4  ,but if the question be asked1
 why ,god is good8 you would think that 
answer1 because he loves himself1 would 
be destitute of reason2 but  the true   
answer would be1 because his nature is  
so1 and he could not  be ,god if he were
 not good3 therefore ,god's goodness is 
in order of  our conception before his  
selflove1 and not his selflove before   
his  goodness2 so the moral things ,god 
commands1 are good in themselves  before
 ,god commands them2 and such1 that if  
,god should command the  contrary1 it   
would openly speak him evil and         
unrighteous4 ,abstract  from ,scripture1
 and weigh things in your own reason2   
could you conceive  ,god good1 if he    

should command a creature not to love   
him8 could you  preserve the notion of a
 good nature in him1 if he did command  
murder1  adultery1 tyranny1 and cutting 
of throats8 ,you would wonder to what   
purpose he made the world1 and framed it
 for society1 if such things  were      
ordered1 that should deface all         
comeliness of society3 the moral        
commands given in the word1 appeared of 
themselves very beautiful to  mere      
reason1 that had no knowledge of the    
written law2 they are good1  and because
 they are so1 his goodness had moved his
 sovereign authority  strictly to enjoin
 them4 ,now this goodness1 whereby he   
cannot oblige  a b#cda creature to      
anything that is evil1 speaks him highly
 worthy  of our observance1 and our     
disobedience to his law to be full of   
inconceivable malignity3 that is the    
last thing4    ,second ,use is of       
comfort4 ,he is a good without mixture1 
good  without wearinessnone good but    
,god1 none good purely1 none good       

inexhaustibly1 but ,god2 because he is  
good1 we may1 upon our speaking1  expect
 his instruction2 8,good is the ,lord1  
therefore will he teach  sinners in his 
way0 7,ps4 xxv4 #h74 ,his goodness makes
 him stoop to be  the tutor to those    
worms that lie prostrate before him2 and
 though  they are sinners full of filth1
 he drives them not from his school1    
nor denies them his medicines1 if they  
apply themselves to him as a  physician4
 ,he is good in removing the punishment 
due to our crimes1 and  good in         
bestowing benefits not due to our       
merits2 because he is good1  penitent   
believers may expect forgiveness2       
8,thou1 ,lord1 art good1 and  ready to  
forgive0 7,ps4 lxxxvi4 #e74 ,he acts not
 according to the rigor  of the law1 but
 willingly grants his pardon to those   
that fly into the  arms of the          
,mediator2 his goodness makes him more  
ready to forgive1  than our necessities 
make us desirous to enjoy2 he charged   
not upon ,job  his impatient expressions

 in cursing the day of his birth2 his   
goodness  passed that over in silence1  
and extols him for speaking the thing   
that is right1 right in the main1 when  
he charges his friends for  not speaking
 of him the thing that is right1 as his 
servant ,job had  done 7,job xlii4 #g74 
,he is so good1 that if we offer the    
least thing  sincerely1 he will         
graciously receive it2 if we have not a 
lamb  to offer1 a pigeon or turtle shall
 be accepted upon his altar2 he  stands 
not upon costly presents1 but sincerely 
tendered services4 ,all  conditions are 
sweetened by it2 whatsoever any in the  
world enjoy1 is  from a redundancy of   
this goodness2 but whatsoever a good man
 enjoys1  is from a propriety in this   
goodness4    #a4 ,here is comfort in our
 addresses to him4 ,if he be a fountain 
and sea of goodness1 he cannot be weary 
of doing good1 no more than a  fountain 
or sea are of flowing4 ,all goodness    
delights to communicate  itself2        
infinite goodness hath then an infinite 

delight in expressing  itself2 it is a  
part of his goodness not to be weary of 
showing it2 he  can never1 then1 be     
weary of being solicited for the        
effusions of it2  if he rejoices over   
his people to do them good1 he will     
rejoice in any  opportunities offered to
 him to honor his goodness1 and gladly  
meet  with a fit subject for it2 he     
therefore delights in prayer4 ,never can
  we so delight in addressing1 as he    
doth in imparting2 he delights more  in 
our prayers than we can ourselves2      
goodness is not pleased with  shyness4  
,to what purpose did his immense bounty 
bestow his ,son upon us1  but that we   
should be 8accepted0 both in our persons
 and petitions 7,eph4  i4 #f78 8,his    
eyes are upon the righteous1 and his    
ears are open to their  cry0 7,ps4      
xxxiv4 #ae72 he fixes the eye of his    
goodness upon them1 and  opens the ears 
of his goodness for them2 he is pleased 
to behold them1  and pleased to listen  
to them1 as if he had no pleasure in    

anything  else2 he loves to be sought   
to1 to give a vent to his bounty2       
8,acquaint  thyself with ,god1 and      
thereby good shall come unto thee0 7,job
 xxii4 #ba74  ,the word signifies1 to   
accustom ourselves to ,god2 the more we 
accustom  ourselves in speaking1 the    
more he will accustom himself in giving2
 he  loves not b#cdb to keep his        
goodness close under lock and key1 as   
men  do their treasures4 ,if we knock1  
he opens his exchequer 7,matt4 vii4 #g72
  his goodness is as flexible to our    
importunities1 as his power is          
invincible by the arm of a silly worm2  
he thinks his liberality honored  by    
being applied to1 and your address to be
 a recompense for his  expense4 ,there  
is no reason to fear1 since he hath so  
kindly invited  us1 but he will as      
heartily welcome us2 the nature of      
goodness is to  compassionate and       
communicate1 to pity and relieve1 and   
that with a  heartiness and             
cheerfulness2 man is weary of being     

often solicited1  because he hath a     
finite1 not a bottomless1 goodness3 he  
gives  sometimes to be rid of his       
suppliant1 not to encourage him to a    
second  approach4 ,but every experience 
,god gives us of his bounty1 is a motive
  to solicit him afresh1 and a kind of  
obligation he hath laid upon  himself to
 8renew it0 7#a ,sam4 xvii4 #cg73 it is 
one part of his goodness  that it is    
boundless and bottomless2 we need not   
fear the wasting of  it1 nor any        
weariness in him to bestow it4 ,the     
stock cannot be spent1  and infinite    
kindness can never become niggardly2    
when we have enjoyed  it1 there is still
 an infinite ocean in ,him to refresh   
us1 and as full  streams as ever to     
supply us4 ,what an encouragement have  
we to draw  near to ,god6 ,we run in our
 straits to those that we think have    
most  good will1 as well as power to    
relieve and protect us4 ,the oftener  we
 come to him1 and the nearer we approach
 to him1 the more of his  influences we 

shall feel3 as the nearer the sun1 the  
more of its  heat insinuates itself into
 us4 ,the greatness of ,god1 joined with
 his  goodness1 hath more reason to     
encourage our approach to him1 than our 
flight from him1 because his greatness  
never goes unattended with his          
goodness2 and if we were not so good1 he
 would not be so great in the           
apprehensions of any creature4 ,how may 
his goodness1 in the great gift  of his 
,son1 encourage us to apply to him3     
since he hath set him as  a day'sman    
between himself and us1 and appointed   
him an ,advocate to  present our        
requests for us1 and speed them at the  
throne of grace2  and he never leaves   
till ,divine goodness subscribes a fiat 
to our  believing and just petitions6   
#b4 ,here is comfort in afflictions4    
,what can we fear from the conduct  of  
,infinite ,goodness8 ,can his hand be   
heavy upon those that are humble  before
 him8 ,they are the hands of ,infinite  
,power indeed1 but there is  not any    

motion of it upon his people1 but is    
ordered by a goodness as  infinite as   
his power1 which will not suffer any    
affliction to be too  sharp or too long4
 ,by what ways soever he conveys grace  
to us here1 and  prepares us for glory  
hereafter1 they are good1 and those are 
the good  things he hath chiefly obliged
 himself to give 7,ps4 lxxxiv4 #aa73    
8,grace  and glory0 will he 8give1 and  
no good thing will he withhold from them
  that walk uprightly40 ,this ,david    
comforted himself with1 in that which   
his devout soul accounted the greatest  
calamity1 his absence from  the courts  
and house of ,god 7ver4 #b74 ,not an ill
 will1 but a good  will1 directs his    
scourges2 he is not an idle spectator of
 our combats2  his thoughts are fuller  
of kindness than ours1 in any case1 can 
be of  trouble3 and because he is good1 
he wills the best good in everything  he
 acts2 in exercising virtue1 or         
correcting vice4 ,there is no           
affliction without some apparent        

mixtures of goodness2 when he speaks    
how he had smitten b#cdc ,israel 7,jer4 
ii4 #cj71 he presently adds 7ver4  #ca71
 8,have ,i been a wilderness to ,israel1
 a land of darkness80 ,though  he led   
them through a desert1 yet he was not a 
desert to them2 he  was no land of      
darkness to them2 while they marched    
through a land of  barrenness1 he was a 
caterer to provide them 8manna10 and a  
place of  8broad rivers0 and streams4   
,how often hath ,divine goodness made   
our  afflictions our consolations2 our  
diseases1 our medicines1 and his  gentle
 strokes1 reviving cordials6 ,how doth  
he provide for us above  our deserts1   
even while he doth punish us beneath our
 merits6 ,divine  goodness can no more  
mean ill1 than ,divine wisdom can be    
mistaken in  its end1 or ,divine power  
overruled in its actions4 8,charity     
thinks  no evil0 7#a ,cor4 xiii4 #e72   
charity in the stream doth not1 much    
less  doth charity in the fountain4 ,to 
be afflicted by a hand of goodness  hath

 something comfortable in it1 when to be
 afflicted by an evil  hand is very     
odious4 ,elijah1 who was loth to die by 
the hand of a  whorish idolatrous       
,jezebel1 was very desirous to die by   
the hand of ,god  7#a ,kings1 xix4 #bd74
 ,he accounted it a misery to have died 
by her hand1  who hated him1 and had    
nothing but cruelty2 and1 therefore1    
fled from  her1 when he wished for      
death1 as a desirable thing by the hand 
of that  ,god who had been good to him1 
and could not but be good in whatsoever 
he acted4    #c4 ,the third comfort     
flowing from this doctrine of the       
goodness of  ,god1 is1 it is a ground of
 assurance of happiness4 ,if ,god be so 
good1  that nothing is better1 and loves
 himself1 as he is good1 he cannot  be  
wanting in love to those that resemble  
his nature1 and imitate his  goodness3  
he cannot but love his own image of     
goodness2 wherever he  finds it1 he     
cannot but be bountiful to it2 for it is
 impossible there  can be any love to   

any object1 without wishing well to it1 
and doing  well for it4 ,if the soul    
loves ,god as its chiefest good1 ,god   
will love  the soul as his pious        
servant3 as he hath offered to them the 
highest  allurements1 so he will not    
withhold the choicest communications4   
,goodness cannot be a deluding thing2 it
 cannot consist with the  nobleness and 
largeness of this perfection to invite  
the creature  to him1 and leave the     
creature empty of him when it comes4 ,it
 is  inconsistent with this perfection  
to give the creature a knowledge of     
himself1 and a desire of enjoyment      
larger than that knowledge2 a desire  to
 know1 and enjoy him perpetually1 yet   
never intend to bestow an  eternal      
communication of himself upon it4 ,the  
nature of man was erected  by the       
goodness of ,god1 but with an enlarged  
desire for the highest  good1 and a     
capacity of enjoying it4 ,can goodness  
be thought to be  deceitful1 to         
frustrate its own work1 be tired with   

its own effusions1  to let a gracious   
soul groan under its burden1 and never  
resolve to  ease him of it2 to see      
delightfully the aspirings of the       
creature to  another state1 and resolve 
never to admit him to a happy issue of  
those  desires8 ,it is not agreeable to 
this inconceivable perfection to be     
unconcerned in the longings of his      
creature1 since their first longings    
were placed in them by that goodness    
which is so free from mocking the       
creature1 or falling short of its       
wellgrounded expectations or desires1   
that it infinitely exceeds them4 ,if man
 had continued in innocence1  the       
goodness of ,god1 without question1     
would have continued him in  happiness3 
and1 b#cdd since he hath had so much    
goodness to restore  man1 would it not  
be dishonorable to that goodness to     
break his own  conditions1 and defeat   
the believing creature of happiness1    
after it  hath complied with his terms8 
,he is a believer's ,god in covenant1   

and  is a ,god in the utmost extent of  
this attribute1 as well as of any       
other2 and1 therefore1 will not         
communicate mean and shallow benefits1  
but according to the grandeur of it1    
sovereign and divine1 such as the  gift 
of a happy immortality4 ,since he had no
 obligation upon him1 to  make any      
promise1 but the sweetness of his own   
nature1 the same is as  strong upon him 
to make all the words of his grace good2
 they cannot  be invalid in any one     
tittle of them as long as his nature    
remains the  same2 and his goodness     
cannot be diminished without the        
impairing of  his ,godhead1 since it is 
inseparable from it4 ,divine goodness   
will not  let any man serve ,god for    
nought2 he hath promised our weak       
obedience  more than any man in his     
right wits can say it merits 7,matt4 x4 
#db73  8,a cup of cold water shall not  
lose its reward40 ,he will manifest our 
good actions as he gave so high a       
testimony to ,job1 in the face of the   

devil1 his accuser3 it will not only be 
the happiness of the soul1 but  of the  
body1 the whole man1 since soul and body
 were in conjunction  in the acts of    
righteousness2 it consists not with the 
goodness of ,god  to reward the one1 and
 to let the other lie in the ruins of   
its first  nothing3 to bestow joy upon  
the one for its being principal1 and    
leave  the other without any sentiments 
of joy1 that was instrumental in  those 
good works1 both commanded and approved 
by ,god3 he that had the  goodness to   
pity our original dust1 will not want a 
goodness to advance  it3 and if we put  
off our bodies1 it is but afterwards to 
put them on  repaired and fresher4 ,from
 this goodness1 the upright may expect  
all  the happiness their nature is      
capable of4    #d4 ,it is a ground of   
comfort in the midst of public dangers4 
,this hath  more sweetness in it to     
support us1 than the malice of enemies  
hath  to deject us2 because he is       
8good10 he is 8a stronghold in the day  

of  trouble0 7,nah4 i4 #g74 ,if his     
goodness extends to all his creatures1  
it  will much more extend to those that 
honor him3 if the earth be full of  his 
goodness1 that part of heaven which he  
hath upon earth shall not be  empty of  
it4 ,he hath a goodness often to deliver
 the righteous1 and a  justice to put   
the wicked in his stead 7,prov4 xi4 #h74
 ,when his people  have been under the  
power of their enemies1 he hath changed 
the scene1  and put the enemies under   
the power of his people3 he hath clapped
 upon  them the same bolts which they   
did upon his servants4 ,how comfortable 
is this goodness that hath yet          
maintained us in the midst of dangers1  
preserved us in the mouth of lions1     
quenched kindled fire2 hitherto  rescued
 us from designed ruin subtilly hatched1
 and supported us in  the midst of men  
very passionate for our destruction2 how
 hath this  watchful goodness been a    
sanctuary to us in the midst of an upper
 hell6    ,third ,use is of exhortation4

    #a4 ,how should we endeavor after   
the enjoyment of ,god as good6 ,how     
earnestly should we desire him6 ,as     
there is no other goodness worthy of    
our supreme love1 so there is no other  
goodness worthy our most ardent  thirst4
 ,nothing deserves the name of a        
desirable b#cde good1 but as it  tends  
to the attainment of this3 here we must 
pitch our desires1 which  otherwise will
 terminate in nullities or inconceivable
 disturbances4    7#a47 ,consider1      
nothing but good can be the object of a 
rational  appetite4 ,the will cannot    
direct its motion to anything under the 
notion of evil1 evil in itself1 or evil 
to it2 whatsoever courts it  must       
present itself in the quality of a good 
in its own nature1 or  in its present   
circumstances to the present state and  
condition of  the desire2 it will not   
else touch or affect the will4 ,this is 
the  language of that faculty3 8,who    
will show me any good80 7,ps4 iv4 #f71  
and good is as inseparably the object of

 the will's motion1 as truth is  of the 
understanding's inquiry4 ,whatsoever a  
man would allure another  to comply     
with1 he must propose to the person     
under the notion of some  beneficialness
 to him in point of honor1 profit1 or   
pleasure4 ,to act  after this manner is 
the proper character of a rational      
creature2 and  though that which is evil
 is often embraced instead of that which
 is  good1 and what we entertain as     
conducing to our felicity proves our    
misfortune1 yet that is from our        
ignorance1 and not from a formal  choice
 of it as evil2 for what evil is chosen 
it is not possible to  choose under the 
conception of evil1 but under the       
appearance of a good1  though it be not 
so in reality4 ,it is inseparable from  
the wills of all  men to propose to     
themselves that which in the opinion and
 judgment of  their understandings or   
imagination is good1 though they often  
mistake  and cheat themselves4    7#b47 
,since that good is the object of a     

rational appetite1 the purest1  best1   
and most universal good1 such as ,god   
is1 ought to be most sought  after4     
,since good only is the object of a     
rational appetite1 all the  motions of  
our souls should be carried to the first
 and best good3 a  real good is most    
desirable2 the greatest excellency of   
the creatures  cannot speak them so1    
since1 by the corruption of man1 they   
are  8subjected to vanity0 7,rom4 viii4 
#bj74 ,god is the most excellent good   
without any shadow2 a real something    
without that nothing which every        
creature hath in its nature 7,isa4 xl4  
#ag74 ,a perfect good can only  give us 
content3 the best goodness in the       
creature is but slender and  imperfect2 
had not the venom of corruption infused 
a vanity into it1  the make of it speaks
 it finite1 and the best qualities in it
 are  bounded1 and cannot give          
satisfaction to a rational appetite     
which  bears in its nature an imitation 
of ,divine infiniteness1 and therefore  

can never find an eternal rest in mean  
trifles4 ,god is above the  imperfection
 of all creatures2 creatures are but    
drops of goodness1 at  best but shallow 
streams2 ,god is like a teeming ocean1  
that can fill  the largest as well as   
the narrowest creek4 ,he hath an        
accumulative  goodness2 several         
creatures answer several necessities1   
but one ,god  can answer all our wants3 
he hath an universal fulness1 to overtop
  our universal emptiness3 he contains  
in himself the sweetness of all  other  
goods1 and holds in his bosom           
plentifully what creatures have in      
their natures sparingly4 ,creatures are 
uncertain goods2 as they begin  to      
exist1 so they may cease to be2 they may
 be gone with a breath1 they  will      
certainly languish if ,god blows upon   
them 7,isa4 xl4 #bd73 the same  breath  
that raised them can blast them2 but who
 can rifle ,god of the  least part b#cdf
 of his excellency8 ,mutability is      
inherent in the  nature of every        

creature1 as a creature4 ,all sublunary 
things are as  gourds1 that refresh us  
one moment with their presence1 and the 
next  fret us with their absence2 like  
fading flowers1 strutting today1 and    
drooping tomorrow 7,isa4 xl4 #f73 while 
we possess them1 we cannot clip  their  
wings1 that may carry them away from us1
 and may make us vainly  seek what we   
thought we firmly held4 ,but ,god is as 
permanent a good as  he is a real one3  
he hath wings to fly to them that seek  
him1 but no  wings to fly from them     
forever1 and leave them4 ,god is an     
universal  good2 that which is good to  
one may be evil to another2 what is     
desirable by one maybe refused as       
inconvenient for another3 but ,god      
being an universal1 unstained good1 is  
useful for all1 convenient to  the      
natures of all but such as will continue
 in enmity against him4  ,there is      
nothing in ,god can displease a soul    
that desires to please him2  when we are
 in darkness1 he is a light to scatter  

it2 when we are in  want1 he hath riches
 to relieve us2 when we are in spiritual
 death1 he  is a ,prince of life to     
deliver us2 when we are defiled1 he is  
holiness  to purify us3 it is in vain to
 fix our hearts anywhere but on him1 in 
the desire of whom there is a delight1  
and in the enjoyment of whom  there is  
an inconceivable pleasure4    7#c47 ,he 
is most to be sought after1 since all   
things else that are  desirable had     
their goodness from him4 ,if anything be
 desirable because  of its goodness1    
,god is much more desirable because of  
his1 since all  things are good by a    
participation1 and nothing good but by  
his print  upon it3 as what being       
creatures have was derived to them by   
,god1 so  what goodness they are        
possessed with they were furnished with 
it by  ,god2 all goodness flowed from   
him1 and all created goodness is summed 
up in him4 ,the streams should not      
terminate our appetite without  aspiring
 to the fountain4 ,if the waters in the 

channel1 which receive  mixture1        
communicate a pleasure1 the taste of the
 fountain must be  much more delicious2 
that original ,perfection of all things 
hath an  inconceivable beauty above     
those things it hath framed4 ,since     
those  things live not by their own     
strength1 nor nourish us by their own   
liberality1 but by the 8word of ,god0   
7,matt4 iv4 #d71 that ,god that  speaks 
them into life1 and speaks them into    
usefulness1 should be most  ardently    
desired as the best4 ,if the sparkling  
glory of the visible  heavens delight   
us1 and the beauty and bounty of the    
earth please and  refresh us1 what      
should be the language of our souls upon
 those views  and tastes but that of the
 ,psalmist1 8,whom have ,i in heaven but
 thee8  and there is none upon earth    
that ,i can desire beside thee0 7,ps4   
lxxiii4  #be74 ,no greater good can     
possibly be desired1 and no less good   
should  be ardently desired4 ,as he is  
the supreme good1 so we should bear that

  regard to him as supremely1 and above 
all1 to thirst for him3 as he is  good1 
he is the object of desire2 as the      
choicest and first goodness1  he is     
desirable with the greatest vehemency4  
8,give me children1 or  else ,i die0    
7,gen4 xxx4 #a71 was an uncomely speech2
 the one was granted1  and the other    
inflicted2 she had children1 but the    
last cost her her  life3 but1 ,give me  
,god1 or ,i will not be content1 is a   
gracious speech1  wherein we cannot     
miscarry2 all that ,god demands of us   
is1 that we  should long for him1 and   
look for our happiness only in b#cdg    
him4  ,that is the first thing1 endeavor
 after the enjoyment of ,god as good4   
#b4 ,often meditate on the goodness of  
,god4 ,what was man produced for1  but  
to settle his thoughts upon this8 ,what 
should have been ,adam's  employment in 
innocence1 but to read over all the     
lines of nature1  and fix his           
contemplations on that good hand that   
drew them8 ,what  is man endued with    

reason for1 above all other animals1 but
 to take  notice of this goodness spread
 over all the creatures1 which they     
themselves1 though they felt it1 could  
not have such a sense of as to  make    
answerable returns to their ,benefactor8
 ,can we satisfy ourselves  in being    
spectators of it1 and enjoyers of it1   
only in such a manner as  the brutes    
are8 ,the beasts behold things as well  
as we1 they feel the  warm beams of this
 goodness as well as we1 but without any
 reflection  upon the ,author of them4  
,shall ,divine blessings meet with no   
more from  us but a brutish view and    
beholding of them8 ,what is more just1  
than to  spend a thought upon ,him who  
hath enlarged his hand in so many       
benefits  to us8 ,are we indebted to any
 more than we are to him8 ,why should we
  send our souls to visit anything more 
than him in his works8 ,that we  are    
able to meditate on him is a part of his
 goodness to us1 who hath  bestowed that
 capacity upon us2 and1 if we will not1 

it is a great part  of our ingratitude4 
,can anything more delightful enter into
 us1 than  that of the kind and gracious
 disposition of that ,god who first     
brought  us out of the abyss of an      
unhappy nothing1 and hath hitherto      
spread  his wings over us8 ,where can we
 meet with a nobler object than ,divine 
goodness8 and what nobler work can be   
practised by us than to consider  it8   
,what is more sensible in all the       
operations of his hands than his  skill1
 as they are considered in themselves1  
and his goodness1 as they  are          
considered in relation to us8 ,it is    
strange that we should miss  the        
thoughts of it2 that we should look upon
 this earth1 and everything  in it1 and 
yet overlook that which it is most full 
of1 viz4 ,divine  goodness 7,ps4 xxxiii4
 #e72 it runs through the whole web of  
the world2  all is framed and           
diversified by goodness2 it is one      
entire single  goodness1 which appears  
in various garbs and dresses in every   

part of  the creation4 ,can we turn our 
eyes inward1 and send our eyes outward1 
and see nothing of a ,divinity in both  
worthy of our deepest and  seriousest   
thoughts8 ,is there anything in the     
world we can behold1  but we see his    
bounty1 since nothing was made but is   
one way or other  beneficial to us8 ,can
 we think of our daily food1 but we must
 have  some reflecting thoughts on our  
great ,caterer8 ,can the sweetness of   
the creature to our palate obscure the  
sweetness of the ,provider to our       
minds8 ,it is strange that we should be 
regardless of that wherein every        
creature without us1 and every sense    
within us and about us1 is a tutor  to  
instruct us6 ,is it not reason we should
 think of the times wherein  we were    
nothing1 and from thence run back to a  
neverbegun eternity1  and view ourselves
 in the thoughts of that goodness1 to be
 in time  brought forth upon this stage1
 as we are at present8 ,can we consider 
but one act of our understandings1 but  

one thought1 one blossom1 one  spark of 
our souls mounting upwards1 and not     
reflect upon the goodness  of ,god to   
us1 who1 in that faculty that b#cdh     
sparkles out rational  thoughts1 has    
advanced us to a nobler state1 and      
endued us with a  nobler principle1 than
 all the creatures we see on earth1     
except those  of our own rank and kind8 
,can we consider but one foolish        
thought1 one  sinful act1 and reflect   
upon the guilt and filth of it1 and not 
behold  goodness in sparing us1 and     
miracles of goodness in sending his ,son
  to die for us1 for the expiation of   
it8 ,this perfection cannot well be  out
 of our thoughts1 or at least it is     
horrible it should1 when it is  writ in 
every line of the creation1 and in a    
legible rubric1 in bloody  letters1 in  
the cross of his ,son4 ,let us think    
with ourselves1 how  often he hath      
multiplied his blessings1 when we did   
deserve his wrath6  how he hath sent one
 unexpected benefit upon the heel of    

another1 to  bring us with a swift pace 
the tidings of goodwill to us6 how often
  hath he delivered us from a disease   
that had the arrows of death in its     
hand ready to pierce us6 how often hath 
he turned our fears into joys1  and our 
distempers into promoters of our        
felicity6 how often hath he  mated a    
temptation1 sent seasonable supplies in 
the midst of a sore  distress1 and      
prevented many dangers which we could   
not be so sensible  of1 because we were1
 in a great measure1 ignorant of them6  
,how should  we meditate upon his       
goodness to our souls1 in preventing    
some sins1  in pardoning others1 in     
darting upon us the knowledge of his    
gospel1  and of himself1 in the face of 
his ,son ,christ6 ,this seems to stick  
much  upon the spirit of ,paul1 since he
 doth so often sprinkle his epistles    
with the titles of the 8grace of ,god1  
riches of grace1 unsearchable  riches of
 ,god1 riches of glory10 and cannot     
satisfy himself1 with the  extolling of 

it4 ,certainly1 we should bear upon our 
heart a deep and  quick sense of this   
perfection2 as it was the design of ,god
 to manifest  it1 so it would be        
acceptable to ,god for us to have a     
sense of it3 a  dull receiver of his    
blessings is no less nauseous to him    
than a dull  dispenser of his alms2 he  
loves a 8cheerful giver0 7#b ,cor4 ix4  
#g72 he  doth himself what he loves in  
others2 he is cheerful in giving1 and   
he loves we should be serious in        
thinking of him1 and have a right       
apprehension and sense of his goodness4 
7#a47 ,a right sense of his goodness    
would dispose us to an ingenuous        
worship of ,god4 ,it would damp our     
averseness to any act of religion2  what
 made ,david so resolute and ready to   
8worship towards his holy  temple0 but  
the sense of his 8loving kindness80     
7,ps4 cxxxviii4 #b74 ,this  would render
 him always in our mind a worthy object 
of our devotion1  a stable prop of our  
confidence4 ,we should then adore him1  

when we  consider him as 8our ,god10 and
 ourselves as 8the people of his        
pasture1  and the sheep of his hand0    
7,ps4 xcv4 #g73 we should send up       
prayers with  strong faith and feeling1 
and praises with great joy and pleasure4
 ,the  sense of his goodness would make 
us love him1 and our love to him would  
quicken our adoration of him2 but if we 
regard not this1 we shall have  no mind 
to think of him1 no mind to act anything
 towards him2 we may  tremble at his    
presence1 but not heartily worship him2 
we shall rather  look upon him as a     
tyrant1 and think no other affection due
 to him than  what we reserve for an    
oppressor1 viz4 hatred and illwill4     
7#b47 ,a sense of it will keep us       
humble4 ,a sense of it would effect     
b#cdi that for which itself was         
intended2 viz4 bring us to a  repentance
 for our crimes1 and not suffer us to   
harden ourselves  against him4 ,when we 
should deeply consider how he hath made 
the sun  to shine upon us1 and his rain 

to fall upon the earth for our support2 
the one to supple the earth1 and the    
other to assist the juice of it  to     
bring forth fruits2 how would it reflect
 upon us our ill requitals1  and make us
 hang down our heads before him in a low
 posture1 pleasing  to him1 and         
advantageous to ourselves6 ,what would  
the first charge be  upon ourselves1 but
 what ,moses brings in his expostulation
 against the  ,israelites 7,deut4 xxxii4
 #f73 8,do ,i thus requite the ,lord80  
,what is this  goodness for me1 who am  
so much below him2 for me1 who have so  
much  incensed him2 for me1 who have so 
much abused what he hath allowed8  ,it  
would bring to remembrance the horror of
 our crimes1 and set  us a blushing     
before him1 when we should consider the 
multitude of  his benefits1 and our     
unworthy behaviour1 that hath not       
constrained  him even against the       
inclination of his goodness1 to punish  
us3 how  little should we plead for a   
further liberty in sin1 or palliate our 

former faults6 ,when we set ,divine     
goodness in one column1 and our         
transgressions in another1 and compare  
together their several items1  it would 
fill us with a deep consciousness of our
 own guilt1 and divest  us of any worth 
of our own in our approaches to him2 it 
would humble  us1 that we cannot love so
 obliging a ,god as much as he deserves 
to be  loved by us2 it would make us    
humble before men4 ,who would be proud  
of  a mere gift which he knows he hath  
not merited8 ,how ridiculous would  that
 servant be1 that should be proud of a  
rich livery1 which is a  badge of his   
service1 not a token of his merit1 but  
of his master's  magnificence and       
bounty1 which1 though he wear this day1 
he may be  stripped of tomorrow1 and be 
turned out of his master's family6      
7#c47 ,a sense of the ,divine goodness  
would make us faithful to  him4 ,the    
goodness of ,god obligeth us to serve   
him1 not to offend him2  the freeness of
 his goodness should make us more ready 

to contribute  to the advancement of his
 glory4 ,when we consider the benefits  
of a  friend proceed out of kindness to 
us1 and not out of self ends and vain   
applause1 it works more upon us1 and    
makes us more careful of the honor  of  
such a person4 ,it is a pure bounty ,god
 hath manifested in creation  and       
providence1 which could not be for      
himself1 who1 being blessed  forever1   
wanted nothing from us3 it was not to   
draw a profit from us1  but to impart an
 advantage to us2 8,our goodness extends
 not to him0 7,ps4  xvi4 #b74 ,the      
service of the benefactor is but a      
rational return for  benefits2 whence   
,nehemiah aggravates the sins of the    
,jews 7,neh4 ix4 #ce73  8,they have not 
served thee in thy great goodness that  
thou gavest them20  i4 e4 which thou    
didst freely bestow upon them4 ,how     
should we dare  to spend upon our lusts 
that which we possess1 if we considered 
by  whose liberality we came by it8 how 
should we dare to be unfaithful in  the 

goods he hath made us trustees of8 ,a   
deep sense of ,divine goodness  will    
ennoble the creature1 and make it act   
for the most glorious and  noble end2 it
 would strike ,satan's temptation dead  
at a blow2 it would  pull off the false 
mask and vizor from what he presents to 
us1 to draw  us from the service of our 
,benefactor2 we could not1 with a b#cej 
sense of this1 think him kinder to us   
than ,god hath1 and will be1 which  is  
the great motive of men to join hands   
with him1 and turn their backs  upon    
,god4    7#d47 ,a sense of the ,divine  
goodness would make us patient under our
  miseries4 ,a deep sense of this would 
make us give ,god the honor of his      
goodness in whatsoever he doth1 though  
the reason of his actions be  not       
apparent to us1 nor the event and issue 
of his proceedings foreseen  by us4 ,it 
is a stated case1 that goodness can     
never intend ill1 but  designs good in  
all its acts 8to them that love ,god0   
7,rom4 viii4 #bh73  nay1 he always      

designs the best2 when he bestows       
anything upon his  people1 he sees it   
best they should have it2 and when he   
removes  anything from them1 he sees it 
best they should lose it4 ,when we have 
lost a thing we loved1 and refuse to be 
comforted1 a sense of this  perfection1 
which acts ,god in all1 would keep us   
from misjudging our  sufferings1 and    
measuring the intention of the hand that
 sent them1  by the sharpness of what we
 feel4 ,what patient1 fully persuaded of
 the  affection of the physician1 would 
not value him1 though that which is     
given to purge out the humors1 racks his
 bowels8 ,when we lose what we  love1   
perhaps it was some outward lustre      
tickled our apprehensions1  and we did  
not see the viper we would have harmed  
ourselves by2 but ,god  seeing it1      
snatched it from us1 and we mutter as if
 he had been cruel1  and deprived us of 
the good we imagined1 when he was kind  
to us1 and  freed us from the hurt we   
should certainly have felt4 ,we should  

regard  that which in goodness he takes 
from us1 at no other rate than some     
gilded poison and lurking venom2 the    
sufferings of men1 though upon  high    
provocations1 are often followed with   
rich mercies1 and many times  are       
intended as preparations for greater    
goodness4 ,when ,god utters that        
rhetoric of his bowels1 8,how shall ,i  
give thee up1 ,o ,ephraim1 ,i will  not 
execute the fierceness of my anger60    
7,hos4 xi4 #h71 he intended them  mercy 
in their captivity1 and would prepare   
them by it1 to walk after  the ,lord4   
,and it is likely the posterity of those
 ten tribes were the  first that ran to 
,god1 upon the publishing the gospel in 
the places  where they lived2 he doth   
not take away himself when he takes away
  outward comforts2 while he snatcheth  
away the rattles we play with1  he hath 
a breast in himself for us to suck4 ,the
 consideration of his  goodness would   
dispose us to a composed frame of       
spirit4 ,if we are sick1  it is         

goodness1 it is a disease1 and not a    
hell4 ,it is goodness1 that  it is a    
cloud1 and not a total darkness4 ,what  
if he transfers from us  what we have8  
he takes no more than what his goodness 
first imparted  to us2 and never takes  
so much from his people as his goodness 
leaves  them3 if he strips them of their
 lives1 he leaves them their souls1 with
  those faculties he furnished them with
 at first1 and removes them from  those 
houses of clay to a richer mansion4 ,the
 time of our sufferings  here1 were it  
the whole course of our life1 bears not 
the proportion of  a moment to that     
endless eternity wherein he hath        
designed to manifest  his goodness to   
us4 ,the consideration of ,divine       
goodness would teach  us to draw a calm 
even from storms1 and distil balsam from
 rods4 ,if the  reproofs of the         
righteous be an excellent oil 7,ps4     
cxlv4 #e71 b#cea we  should not think   
the corrections of a good ,god to have a
 less virtue4    7#e47 ,a sense of the  

,divine goodness would mount us above   
the world4 ,it  would damp our appetites
 after meaner things2 we should look    
upon the  world not as a ,god1 but a    
gift from ,god1 and never think the     
present  better than the ,donor4 ,we    
should never lie soaking in muddy       
puddles  were we always filled with a   
sense of the richness and clearness of  
this ,fountain1 wherein we might bathe  
ourselves2 little petty particles  of   
good would give us no content1 when we  
were sensible of such an  unbounded     
ocean4 ,infinite goodness1 rightly      
apprehended1 would dull our  desires    
after other things1 and sharpen them    
with a keener edge after  that which is 
best of all4 ,how earnestly do we long  
for the presence of  a friend1 of whose 
good will towards us we have full       
experience4    7#f47 ,it would check any
 motions of envy3 it would make us joy  
in the  prosperity of good men1 and     
hinder us from envying the outward      
felicity  of the wicked4 ,we should not 

dare with an evil eye to censure his    
good  hand 7,matt4 xx4 #ae71 but approve
 of what he thinks fit to do1 both  in  
the matter of his liberality and the    
subjects he chooseth for it4  ,though if
 the disposal were in our hands1 we     
should not imitate him1  as not thinking
 them subjects fit for our bounty2 yet  
since it is in  his hands1 we be to     
approve of his actions and not have an  
ill will  towards him for his goodness1 
or towards those he is pleased to make  
the subject of it4 ,since all his doles 
are given to 8invite man to  repentance0
 7,rom4 ii4 #d71 to envy them those     
goods ,god hath bestowed  upon them1 is 
to envy ,god the glory of his own       
goodness1 and them the  felicity those  
things might move them to aspire to2 it 
is to wish ,god  more contracted1 and   
thy neighbor more miserable3 but a deep 
sense of  his sovereign goodness would  
make us rejoice in any marks of it upon 
others1 and move us to bless him instead
 of censuring him4    7#g47 ,it would   

make us thankful4 ,what can be the most 
proper1 the most  natural reflection1   
when we behold the most magnificent     
characters he  hath imprinted upon our  
souls2 the conveniency of the members he
 hath  compacted in our bodies1 but a   
praise of him8 ,such motion had ,david  
upon the first consideration3 8,i will  
praise thee1 for ,i am fearfully  and   
wonderfully made0 7,ps4 cxxxix4 #ad74   
,what could be the most natural         
reflection1 when we behold the rich     
prerogatives of our natures above  other
 creatures1 the provision he hath made  
for us for our delight in  the beauties 
of heaven1 for our support in the       
creatures on earth8 ,what  can          
reasonably be expected from uncorrupted 
man1 to be the first motion  of his     
soul1 but an extolling the bountiful    
hand of the invisible  donor1 whoever he
 be8 ,this would make us venture at some
 endeavors  of a grateful               
acknowledgment1 though we should despair
 of rendering  anything proportionable  

to the greatness of the benefit2 and    
such an  acknowledgment of our own      
weakness would be an acceptable part of 
our  gratitude4 ,without a due and deep 
sense of ,divine goodness1 our praise   
of it1 and thankfulness for it1 will be 
but cold1 formal1 and customary2  our   
tongues may bless him1 and our heart    
slight him3 and this will lead  us to   
the third exhortation3    b#ceb #c4     
,which is that of thankfulness for      
,divine goodness4 ,the  absolute        
goodness of ,god1 as it is the          
excellency of his nature1  is the object
 of praise3 the relative goodness of    
,god1 as he is our  benefactor1 is the  
object of thankfulness4 ,this was always
 a debt  due from man to ,god2 he had   
obligations in the time of his          
integrity1  and was then to render it2  
he is not less1 but more obliged to it  
in  the state of corruption2 the        
benefits being the greater1 by how much 
the more unworthy he is of them by      
reason of his revolt4 ,the bounty       

bestowed upon an enemy that merits the  
contrary1 ought to be received  with a  
greater resentment than that bestowed on
 a friend1 who is not  unworthy of      
testimonies of respect4 ,gratitude to   
,god is the duty of  every creature that
 hath a sense of itself2 the more       
excellent being  any enjoy the more     
devout ought to be the acknowledgment4  
,how often  doth ,david stir up1 not    
only himself1 but summon all creatures1 
even  the insensible ones1 to join in   
the concert6 ,he calls to the 8deeps1   
fire1 hail1 snow1 mountains and hills10 
to bear a part in this work of  praise  
7,ps4 cxlviii472 not that they are able 
to do it actively1 but to  show that man
 is to call in the whole creation to    
assist him passively1  and should have  
so much charity to all creatures1 as to 
receive what  they offer1 and so much   
affection to ,god1 as to present to him 
what  he receives from him4 ,snow and   
hail cannot bless and praise ,god1 but  
man ought to praise ,god for those      

things wherein there is a mixture of    
trouble and inconvenience1 something to 
molest our sense1 as well as  something 
that improves the earth for fruit4 ,this
 ,god requires of us3  for this he      
instituted several offerings1 and       
required a little portion  of fruits to 
be presented to him1 as an              
acknowledgment they held the  whole from
 his bounty4 ,and the end of the        
festival days among the ,jews  was to   
revive the memory of those signal acts  
wherein his power for  them1 and his    
goodness to them1 had been              
extraordinarily evident2 it  is no more 
but our mouths to praise him1 and our   
hand to obey him1 that  he exacts at our
 hands4 ,he commands us not to expend   
what he allows us  in the erecting      
stately temples to his honor2 all the   
coin he requires  to be paid with for   
his expense is the 8offering of         
thanksgiving0  7,ps4 l4 #ad73 and this  
we ought to do as much as we can1 since 
we cannot  do it as much as he merits1  

for 8who can show forth all his praise80
  7,ps4 cvi4 #b47 ,if we have the fruit 
of his goodness1 it is fit he  should   
have the 8fruit of our lips0 7,heb4     
xiii4 #ae73 the least kindness  should  
inflame our souls with a kindly         
resentment4 ,though some of his         
benefits have a brighter1 some a darker1
 aspect towards us1 yet they  all come  
from this common spring2 his goodness   
shines in all2 there  are the footsteps 
of goodness in the least1 as well as the
 smiles of  goodness in the greatest2   
the meanest therefore is not to pass    
without  a regard of the ,author4 ,as   
the glory of ,god is more illustrious in
  some creatures than in others1 yet it 
glitters in all1 and the lowest  as well
 as the highest administers matter of   
praise2 but they are not  only little   
things1 but the choicer favors he has   
bestowed upon us4 ,how  much doth it    
deserve our acknowledgment1 that he     
should contrive our  recovery1 when we  
had plotted our ruin6 that when he did  

from eternity  behold the crimes        
wherewith we would incense him1 he      
should not1  according to the rights of 
justice1 cast us into hell1 but prize us
 at  b#cec the rate of the blood and    
life of his only ,son1 in value above   
the blood of men and lives of angels6   
,how should we bless that ,god1  that we
 have yet a gospel among us1 that we are
 not driven into the  utmost regions1   
that we can attend upon him in the face 
of the sun1 and  not forced to the      
secret obscurities of the night6        
,whatsoever we enjoy1  whatsoever we    
receive1 we must own him as the ,donor1 
and read his hand  in it4 ,rob him not  
of any praise to give to an instrument4 
,no man hath  wherewithal to do us good1
 nor a heart to do us good1 nor         
opportunities  of benefitting us without
 him4 ,when the cripple received the    
soundness  of his limbs from ,peter1 he 
praised the hand that sent it1 not the  
hand  that brought it 7,acts iii4 #f73  
he 8praised ,god0 7ver4 #h74 ,when we   

want  anything that is good1 let the    
goodness of ,divine nature move us to   
,david's practice1 to 8thirst after     
,god0 7,ps4 xlii4 #a73 and when we feel 
the motions of his goodness to us1 let  
us imitate the temper of the  same holy 
man 7,ps4 ciii4 #b73 8,bless the ,lord1 
,o my soul1 and forget  not all his     
benefits40 ,it is an unworthy carriage  
to deal with him as  a traveller doth   
with a fountain1 kneel down to drink of 
it when he is  thirsty1 and turn his    
back upon it1 and perhaps never think of
 it more  after he is satisfied4 #d4    
,and1 lastly1 ,imitate this goodness of 
,god4  ,if his goodness hath such an    
influence upon us as to make us love    
him1  it will also move us with an      
ardent zeal to imitate him in it4       
,christ  makes this use from the        
doctrine of ,divine goodness 7,matt4 v4 
#dd1 #de73  8,do good to them that hate 
you1 that you may be the children of    
your  ,father which is in heaven2 for he
 makes his sun to rise on the evil  and 

on the good40 ,as holiness is a         
resemblance of ,god's purity1 so        
charity is a resemblance of ,god's      
goodness2 and this our ,saviour calls   
perfection 7ver4 #dh73 8,be ye therefore
 perfect1 even as your ,father1  which  
is in heaven1 is perfect40 ,as ,god     
would not be a perfect ,god  without    
goodness1 so neither can any be a       
perfect ,christian without  kindness2   
charity and love being the splendor and 
loveliness of all  ,christian graces1 as
 goodness is the splendor and loveliness
 of all  ,divine attributes4 ,this and  
holiness are ordered in the ,scripture  
to be  the grand patterns of our        
imitation4 ,imitate the goodness of ,god
 in two  things4    7#a47 ,in relieving 
and assisting others in distress4 ,let  
our heart be  as large in the capacity  
of creatures1 as ,god's is in the       
capacity of  a ,creator4 ,a large heart 
from him to us1 and a strait heart from 
us to  others1 will not suit3 let us not
 think any so far below us as to be     

unworthy of our care1 since ,god thinks 
none that are infinitely distant  from  
him too mean for his4 ,his infinite     
glory mounts him above the  creature1   
but his infinite goodness stoops him to 
the meanest works of  his hands4 ,as he 
lets not the transgressions of          
prosperity pass without  punishment1 so 
he lets not the distress of his         
afflicted people pass  him without      
support4 ,shall ,god provide for the    
ease of beasts1 and  shall not we have  
some tenderness towards those that are  
of the same  blood with ourselves1 and  
have as good blood to boast of as runs  
in  the veins of the mightiest monarch  
on earth2 and as mean1 and as little  as
 they are1 can lay claim to as ancient a
 pedigree as the stateliest  prince in  
the world1 who cannot ascend to b#ced   
ancestors beyond  ,adam8 ,shall we glut 
ourselves with ,divine beneficence to   
us1 and wear  his livery only on our own
 backs1 forgetting the afflictions of   
some  dear ,joseph2 when ,god1 who hath 

an unblemished felicity in his own      
nature1 looks out of himself to view and
 relieve the miseries of poor           
creatures8 ,why hath ,god increased the 
doles of his treasures to some  more    
than others8 ,was it merely for         
themselves1 or rather that they  might  
have a bottom to attain the honor of    
imitating him8 ,shall we  embezzle his  
goods to our own use1 as if we were     
absolute proprietors1  and not stewards 
entrusted for others8 ,shall we make a  
difficulty to  part with something to   
others1 out of that abundance he hath   
bestowed  upon any of us8 ,did not his  
goodness strip his ,son of the glory of 
heaven for a time to enrich us8 and     
shall we shrug when we are to part  with
 a little to pleasure him8 ,it is not   
very becoming for any to be  backward in
 supplying the necessities of others    
with a few morsels1 who  have had the   
happiness to have had their greatest    
necessities supplied  with his ,son's   
blood4 ,he demands not that we should   

strip ourselves of  all for others1 but 
of a pittance1 something of superfluity1
 which will  turn more to our account   
than what is vainly and unprofitably    
consumed  on our backs and bellies4 ,if 
he hath given much to any of us1 it is  
rather to lay aside part of the income  
for his service2 else we would          
monopolize ,divine goodness to          
ourselves1 and seem to distrust under   
our  present experiments his future     
kindness1 as though the last thing he   
gave us was attended with this language1
 ,hoard up this1 and expect no  more    
from me2 use it only to the glutting    
your avarice1 and feeding  your         
ambition3 which would be against the    
whole scope of ,divine  goodness4 ,if we
 do not endeavor to write after the     
comely copy he hath  set us1 we may     
provoke him to harden himself against   
us1 and in wrath  bestow that on the    
fire1 or on our enemies1 which his      
goodness hath  imparted to us for his   
glory1 and the supplying the necessities

 of poor  creatures4 ,and1 on the       
contrary1 he is so delighted with this  
kind of  imitation of him1 that a cup of
 cold water1 when there is no more to be
  done1 shall not be unrewarded4        
7#b47 ,imitate ,god in his goodness1 in 
a kindness to our worst  enemies4 ,the  
best man is more unworthy to receive    
anything from ,god  than the worst can  
be to receive from us4 ,how kind is ,god
 to those  that blaspheme him1 and gives
 them the same sun1 and the same        
showers1  that he doth to the best men  
in the world6 ,is it not more our glory 
to imitate ,god in 8doing good to those 
that hate us10 than to imitate  the men 
of the world in requiting evil1 by a    
return of a sevenfold  mischief8 ,this  
would be a goodness which would vanquish
 the hearts of  men1 and render us      
greater than ,alexanders and ,csars1 who
 did only  triumph over miserable       
carcasses2 yea1 it is to triumph over   
ourselves  in being good against the    
sentiments of corrupt nature4 ,revenge  

makes  us slaves to our passions1 as    
much as the offenders1 and good returns 
render us victorious over our           
adversaries 7,rom4 xii4 #ba73 8,be not  
overcome of evil1 but overcome evil with
 good40 ,when we took up our  arms      
against ,god1 his goodness contrived not
 our ruin1 but our recovery4  ,this is  
such a goodness of ,god as could not be 
discovered in an  innocent state2 while 
man b#cee had continued in his duty1 he 
could  not have been guilty of an       
enmity2 and ,god could not but affect   
him1  unless he had denied himself3 so  
this of being good to our enemies  could
 never have been practised in a state of
 rectitude2 since1 where  was a perfect 
innocence1 there could be no spark of   
enmity to one  another4 ,it can be no   
disparagement to any man's dignity to   
cast his  influences on his greatest    
opposers1 since ,god1 who acts for his  
own  glory1 thinks not himself          
disparaged by sending forth the streams 
of  his bounty on the wickedest persons1

 who are far meaner to him than  those  
of the same blood can be to us4 ,who    
hath the worse thoughts of  the sun1 for
 shining upon the earth1 that sends up  
vapors to cloud it8  it can be no       
disgrace to resemble ,god2 if his hand  
and bowels be open  to us1 let not ours 
be shut to any4          b#cef          
,,discourse ,,xiii4                     
,,on ,,god',s ,,dominion4      ,,psalm  
ciii4 #ai4,the ,lord hath prepared his  
throne in the heavens3      and his     
kingdom ruleth over all4      ,,the     
,psalm begins with the praise of ,god1  
wherein the penman excites his  soul to 
a right and elevated management of so   
great a duty 7ver4 #a73  8,bless the    
,lord1 ,o my soul3 and all that is      
within me1 bless his holy  name30 and   
because himself and all men were        
insufficient to offer up a  praise to   
,god answerable to the greatness of his 
benefits1 he summons  in the end of the 
psalm the angels1 and all creatures1 to 
join in  concert with him4 ,observe1    

#a4 ,as man is too shallow a creature to
 comprehend the excellency of  ,god1 so 
he is too dull and scanty a creature to 
offer up a due praise  to ,god1 both in 
regard of the excellency of his nature1 
and the  multitude and greatness of his 
benefits4    #b4 ,we are apt to forget  
,divine benefits3 our souls must        
therefore be  often jogged1 and roused  
up4 8,all that is within me10 every     
power of my  rational1 and every        
affection of my sensitive part3 all his 
faculties1  all his thoughts4 ,our souls
 will hang back from ,god in every duty1
 much  more in this1 if we lay not a    
strict charge upon them4 ,we are so void
  of a pure and entire love to ,god1    
that we have no mind to those duties4   
,wants will spur us on to prayer1 but a 
pure love to ,god can only  spirit us to
 praise4 ,we are more ready to reach out
 a hand to receive  his mercies1 than to
 lift up our hearts to recognize them   
after the  receipt4 ,after the ,psalmist
 had summoned his own soul to this task1

  he enumerates the ,divine blessings   
received by him1 to awaken his  soul by 
a sense of them to so noble a work4 ,he 
begins at the first and  foundation     
mercy to himself1 the pardon of his sin 
and justification of  his person1 the   
renewing of his sickly and languishing  
nature 7ver4 #c73  8,who forgives all   
thy iniquities1 and heals all thy       
diseases40  ,his redemption from death1 
or eternal destruction2 his expected    
glorification thereupon1 which he speaks
 of with that certainty1 as  if it were 
present 7ver4 #d73 8,who redeems thy    
life from destruction1  who crowns thee 
with lovingkindness and tender mercies40
 ,he makes his  progress to the mercy   
manifested to the church in the         
protection of  it against1 or delivery  
of it from1 oppressions 7ver4 #f73 8,the
 ,lord  executeth righteousness and     
judgment for all that are oppressed40   
,in  the discovery of his will and law1 
and the glory of his merciful name  to  
it 7ver4 #g1 #h73 8,he made known his   

ways unto ,moses1 and his acts  unto the
 children of ,israel4 ,the ,lord is     
merciful and gracious1 slow  to anger1  
and plenteous in mercy30 b#ceg which    
latter words may refer  also to the free
 and unmerited spring of the benefits he
 had reckoned  up3 viz41 the mercy of   
,god1 which he mentions also 7ver4 #aj73
 8,he  hath not dealt with us after our 
sins1 nor rewarded us according to  our 
iniquities20 and then extols the        
perfection of ,divine mercy1 in  the    
pardoning of sin 7ver4 #aa1 #ab72 the   
paternal tenderness of ,god  7ver4 #ac72
 the eternity of his mercy 7ver4 #ag72  
but restrains it to the  proper object  
7ver4 #aa1 #ag71 8to them that fear     
him20 i4 e4 to them  that believe in    
him4 ,fear being the word commonly used 
for faith in  the ,old ,testament1 under
 the legal dispensation1 wherein the    
spirit of  bondage was more eminent than
 the spirit of adoption1 and their fear 
more than their confidence4 ,observe1   
#a4 ,all true blessings grow up from the

 pardon of sin 7ver4 #c73 8,who         
forgives all thine iniquities40 ,that is
 the first blessing1 the top  and crown 
of all other favors1 which draws all    
other blessings after  it1 and sweetens 
all other blessings with it4 ,the       
principal intent of  ,christ was        
expiation of sin1 redemption from       
iniquity2 the purchase of  other        
blessings was consequent upon it4       
,pardon of sin is every blessing        
virtually1 and in the root and spring it
 flows from the favor of ,god1  and is  
such a gift as cannot be tainted with a 
curse1 as outward things  may4    #b4   
,where sin is pardoned1 the soul is     
renewed 7ver4 #c73 8,who heals all  thy 
diseases40 ,where guilt is remitted1 the
 deformity and sickness of  the soul is 
cured4 ,forgiveness is a teeming mercy2 
it never goes single2  when we have an  
interest in ,christ1 as bearing the     
chastisement of our  peace1 we receive  
also a balsam from his blood1 to heal   
the wounds we  feel in our nature4      

7,isa4 liii4 #e73 8,the chastisement of 
our peace was  upon him1 and with his   
stripes we are healed40 ,as there is a  
guilt in  sin1 which binds us over to   
punishment1 so there is a contagion in  
sin1  which fills us with pestilent     
diseases2 when the one is removed1 the  
other is cured4 ,we should not know how 
to love the one without the  other4 ,the
 renewing the soul is necessary for a   
delightful relish of  the other         
blessings of ,god4 ,a condemned         
malefactor1 infected with a  leprosy1 or
 any other loathsome distemper1 if      
pardoned1 could take  little comfort in 
his freedom from the gibbet without a   
cure of his  plague4    #c4 ,god is the 
sole and sovereign ,author of all       
spiritual blessings3  8,who forgives all
 thy iniquities1 and heals all thy      
diseases40 ,he  refers all to ,god1     
nothing to himself in his own merit and 
strength4  ,all1 not the pardon of one  
sin merited by me1 not the cure of one  
disease can ,i owe to my own power1 and 

the strength of my freewill1  and the   
operations of nature4 ,he1 and he alone 
is the ,prince of pardon1  the          
,physician that restores me1 the        
,redeemer that delivers me2 it is a     
sacrilege to divide the praise between  
,god and ourselves4 ,god only can  knock
 off our fetters1 expel our distempers1 
and restore a deformed  soul to its     
decayed beauty4    #d4 ,gracious souls  
will bless ,god as much for             
sanctification as for  justification4   
,the initials of sanctification 7and    
there are no more  in this life7 are    
worthy of solemn acknowledgment4 ,it is 
a sign of  growth in grace when our     
hymns are made up of acknowledgments of 
,god's  sanctifying1 as well as         
pardoning grace4 ,in blessing ,god b#ceh
 for the  one1 we rather show a love to 
ourselves2 in blessing ,god for the     
other1  we cast out a pure beam of love 
to ,god3 because1 by purifying grace1   
we are fitted to the service of our     
,maker1 prepared to every good work     

which is delightful to him2 by the      
other1 we are eased in ourselves4       
,pardon fills us with inward peace1 but 
sanctification fills us with  an        
activity for ,god4 ,nothing is so       
capable of setting the soul in  a       
heavenly tune1 as the consideration of  
,god as a pardoner and as a  healer4    
#e4 ,where sin is pardoned1 the         
punishment is remitted 7ver4 #c1 #d73   
8,who  forgives all thy iniquities1 and 
redeems thy life from destruction40  ,a 
malefactor's pardon puts an end to his  
chains1 frees him from the  stench of   
the dungeon1 and fear of the gibbet4    
,pardon is nothing else  but the        
remitting of guilt1 and guilt is nothing
 else but an obligation  to punishment  
as a penal debt for sin4 ,a creditor's  
tearing a bond  frees the debtor from   
payment and rigor4    #f4 ,growth in    
grace is always annexed to true         
sanctification4 ,so that  8thy youth is 
renewed like the eagle's0 7ver4 #e74    
,interpreters trouble  themselves much  

about the manner of the eagle's renewing
 its youth1  and regaining its vigor3 he
 speaks best that saith1 the ,psalmist  
speaks  only according to the opinion of
 the vulgar1 and his design was not  to 
write a natural history4#iic ,growth    
always accompanies grace1 as  well as it
 doth nature in the body2 not that it is
 without its qualms  and languishing    
fits1 as children are not1 but still    
their distempers  make them grow4 ,grace
 is not an idle1 but an active          
principle4 ,it is  not like the         
,psalmist means it of the strength of   
the body1 or the  prosperity and        
stability of his government1 but the    
vigor of his grace  and comfort1 since  
they are spiritual blessings here that  
are the  matter of his song4 ,the       
healing the disease conduceth to the    
sprouting  up and flourishing of the    
body4 ,it is the nature of grace to go  
from  strength to strength4    #g4 ,when
 sin is pardoned1 it is perfectly       
pardoned4 8,as far as the  east is from 

the west1 so far hath ,he removed our   
transgressions from  us0 7ver4 #aa1     
#ab74 ,the east and west are the        
greatest distance in the  world2 the    
terms can never meet together4 ,when sin
 is pardoned1 it is  never charged      
again2 the guilt of it can no more      
return1 than east can  become west1 or  
west become east4    #h4 ,obedience is  
necessary to an interest in the mercy of
 ,god4 8,the  mercy of the ,lord is to  
them that fear him1 to them that        
remember his  commandments1 to do them0 
7ver4 #ag74 ,commands are to be         
remembered  in order to practice2 a vain
 speculation is not the intent of the   
publication of them4    ,after the      
,psalmist had enumerated the benefits of
 ,god1 he reflects upon  the greatness  
of ,god1 and considers him on his throne
 encompassed with  the angels1 the      
ministers of his providence4 8,the ,lord
 hath prepared  his throne in the       
heavens and his kingdom rules over all0 
7ver4 #ai74 ,he  brings in this of his  

dominion just after he had largely      
treated of his  mercy4 ,either1    #a4  
,to signify1 ,that ,god is not only to  
be praised for his mercy1 but  for his  
majesty1 both for the height and extent 
of his authority4    #b4 ,to extol the  
greatness of his mercy and pity4 ,what  
,i have  b#cei said now1 ,o my soul1 of 
the mercy of ,god1 and his paternal     
pity1  is commended by his majesty2 his 
grandeur hinders not his clemency3      
though his throne be high1 his bowels   
are tender4 ,he looks down upon  his    
meanest servants from the height of his 
glory4 ,since his majesty  is infinite1 
his mercy must be as great as his       
majesty4 ,it must be a  greater pity    
lodging in his breast1 than what is in  
any creature1 since  it is not damped by
 the greatness of his sovereignty4      
#c4 ,to render his mercy more           
comfortable4 ,the mercy ,i have spoken  
of1 ,o my soul1 is not the mercy of a   
subject1 but of a sovereign4  ,an       
executioner may torture a criminal1 and 

strip him of his life1 and  a vulgar    
pity cannot relieve him1 but the        
clemency of the prince can  perfectly   
pardon him4 ,it is that ,god who hath   
none above him to control  him1 none    
below him to resist him1 that hath      
performed all the acts  of grace to     
thee4 ,if ,god by his supreme authority 
pardons us1 who can  reverse it8 ,if all
 the subjects of ,god in the world      
should pardon us1  and ,god withhold his
 grant1 what will it profit us8 ,take   
comfort1 ,o my  soul1 since ,god from   
his throne in the highest1 and that ,god
 who rules  over every particular of the
 creation1 hath granted and sealed thy  
pardon to thee4 ,what would his grace   
signify1 if he were not a monarch1      
extending his royal empire over         
everything1 and swaying all by his      
sceptre8    #d4 ,to render the          
,psalmist's confidence more firm in any 
pressures4  ,ver4 #ae1 #af4 ,he had     
considered the misery of man in the     
shortness of  his life2 his place should

 know him no more2 he should never      
return to  his authority1 employments1  
opportunities1 that death would take    
from  him2 but1 howsoever1 the mercy and
 majesty of ,god were the ground of  his
 confidence4 ,he draws himself from     
poring upon any calamities which  may   
assault him1 to heaven1 the place where 
,god orders all things that  are done on
 the earth4 ,he is able to protect us   
from our dangers1 and  to deliver us    
from our distresses2 whatsoever miseries
 thou mayest lie  under1 ,o my soul1    
cast thy eye up to heaven1 and see a    
pitying ,god in a  majestic authority3 a
 ,god who can perform what he hath      
promised to them  that fear him1 since  
he hath a throne above the heavens1 and 
bears sway  over all that envy thy      
happiness1 and would stain thy felicity3
 a ,god  whose authority cannot be      
curtailed and dismembered by any4 ,when 
the  prophet solicits the sounding of   
the ,divine bowels1 he urgeth him by    
his dwelling in heaven1 the habitation  

of his holiness 7,isa4 lxiii4 #ae74     
,his kingdom ruleth over all3 there is  
none therefore hath any authority  to   
make him break his covenant1 or violate 
his promise4    #e4 ,as an incentive to 
obedience4 ,the ,lord is merciful1 saith
 he1 to  them 8that remember his        
commandments to do them0 7ver4 #ag1     
#ah73 and  then brings in the text as an
 encouragement to observe his precepts4 
,he hath a majesty that deserves it from
 us1 and an authority to protect  us in 
it4 ,if a king in a small spot of earth 
is to be obeyed by his  subjects1 how   
much more is ,god1 who is more majestic 
than all the  angels in heaven1 and     
monarchs on earth2 who hath a majesty to
 exact  our obedience1 and a mercy to   
allure it6 ,we should not set upon the  
performance of any duty1 without an eye 
lifted up to ,god as a great  king4 ,it 
would make us willing to serve him2 the 
more noble the person1  the more        
honorable and b#cfj powerful the prince1
 the more glorious  is his service4 ,a  

view of ,god upon his throne will make  
us think his  service our privilege1 his
 precepts our ornaments1 and obedience  
to him  the greatest honor and nobility4
 ,it will make us weighty and serious in
  our performances3 it would stake us   
down to any duty4 ,the reason we are  so
 loose and unmannerly in the carriage of
 our souls before ,god1 is  because we  
consider him not as a 8great ,king0     
7,mal4 i4 #ad74 8,our ,father1  which   
art in heaven10 in regard of his        
majesty1 is the preface to  prayer4     
,let us now consider the words in       
themselves4 8,the ,lord hath prepared   
his throne in the heavens1 and his      
kingdom rules over all40    ,the ,lord  
hath prepared4,the word signifies       
8established10 as well  as 8prepared10  
and might so be rendered4 ,due          
preparation is a natural  way to the    
establishment of a thing3 hasty resolves
 break and moulder4  ,this notes1 #a4   
,the infiniteness of his authority4 ,he 
prepares it1 none  else for him4 ,it is 

a dominion that originally resides in   
his nature1  not derived from any by    
birth or commission2 he alone prepared  
it4  ,he is the sole cause of his own   
kingdom2 his authority therefore is     
unbounded1 as infinite as his nature3   
none can set laws to him1 because  none 
but himself prepared his throne for him4
 ,as he will not impair  his own        
happiness1 so he will not abridge       
himself of his own authority4  #b4      
,readiness to exercise it upon due      
occasions4 ,he hath prepared  his       
throne3 he is not at a loss2 he needs   
not stay for a commission  or           
instructions from any how to act4 ,he   
hath all things ready for  the          
assistance of his people2 he hath       
rewards and punishments2 his  treasures 
and axes1 the great marks of authority  
lying by him1 the  one for the good1 the
 other for the wicked4 ,his 8mercy he   
keeps by him  for thousands0 7,exod4    
xxxiv4 #g74 ,his 8arrows0 he hath       
prepared by him  for rebels 7,ps4 vii4  

#ac74 #c4 ,wise management of it4 ,it is
 prepared2  preparations imply prudence2
 the government of ,god is not a rash   
and  heady authority4 ,a prince upon his
 throne1 a judge upon the bench1        
manages things with the greatest        
discretion1 or should be supposed  so to
 do4 #d4 ,successfulness and duration of
 it4 ,he hath prepared or  established4 
,it is fixed1 not tottering2 it is an   
immovable dominion2  all the strugglings
 of men and devils cannot overturn it1  
nor so much  as shake it4 ,it is        
established above the reach of obstinate
 rebels2 he  cannot be deposed from it1 
he cannot be mated in it4 ,his dominion1
 as  himself1 abides forever4 ,and as   
his counsel1 so his authority1 shall    
stand1 and 8he will do all his pleasure0
 7,isa4 xlvi4 #aj74    ,his throne in   
the heavens4,this is an expression to   
signify the  authority of ,god2 for as  
,god hath no member properly1 though he 
be  so represented to us1 so he hath    
properly no throne4 ,it signifies his   

power of reigning and judging4 ,a throne
 is proper to royalty1 the seat  of     
majesty in its excellency1 and the place
 where the deepest respect  and homage  
of subjects is paid1 and their petitions
 presented4 ,that the  throne of ,god is
 in the heavens1 that there he sits as  
,sovereign1 is  the opinion of all that 
acknowledge a ,god2 when they stand in  
need of  his authority to assist them1  
their eyes are lifted up1 and their     
heads  stretched out to heaven2 so his  
,son ,christ prayed2 he 8lifted up his  
eyes to heaven10 as the place where his 
,father sat b#cfa in majesty1  as the   
most adorable object 7,john xvii4 #a74  
,heaven hath the title of  his 8throne10
 as the earth hath that of his          
8footstool0 7,isa4 lxvi4 #a74  ,and1    
therefore1 heaven is sometimes put for  
the authority of ,god 7,dan4  iv4 #bf74 
8,after that thou shalt have known that 
the heavens do rule10  i4 e4 that ,god1 
who hath his throne in the heavens1     
orders earthly  princes and sceptres as 

he pleases1 and rules over the kingdoms 
of the  world4 ,his throne in the       
heavens notes1 #a4 ,the glory of his    
dominion4  ,the heavens are the most    
stately and comely pieces of the        
creation4 ,his  majesty is there most   
visible1 his glory most splendid 7,ps4  
xix4 #a74  ,the heavens speak out with a
 full mouth his glory4 ,it is therefore 
called 8the habitation0 of his 8holiness
 and of his glory0 7,isa4 lxiii4  #ae74 
,there is the greater glister and       
brightness of his glory4 ,the  whole    
earth1 indeed1 is full of his glory1    
full of the beams of it2  the heaven is 
full of the body of it2 as the rays of  
the sun reach  the earth1 but the full  
glory of it is in the firmament4 ,in    
heaven  his dominion is more            
acknowledged by the angels standing at  
his beck1  and by their readiness and   
swiftness obeying his commands1 going   
and  returning as a flash of lightning  
7,ezek4 i4 #ad74 ,his throne may well be
  said to be in the heavens1 since his  

dominion is not disputed there by  the  
angels that attend him1 as it is on     
earth by the rebels that arm  themselves
 against him4 #b4 ,the supremacy of his 
empire4 ,the heavens are  the loftiest  
part of the creation1 and the only fit  
palace for him2 it  is in the heavens   
his majesty and dignity are so sublime1 
that they are  elevated above all       
earthly empires4 #c4 ,peculiarity of    
this dominion4 ,he  rules in the heavens
 alone4 ,there is some shadow of empire 
in the world4  ,royalty is communicated 
to men as his substitutes4 ,he hath     
disposed a  vicarious dominion to men in
 his footstool1 the earth2 he gives them
  some share in his authority2 and1     
therefore1 the title of his name 7,ps4  
lxxxii4 #f73 8,i have said1 ye are      
gods20 but in heaven he reigns alone    
without any substitutes2 his throne is  
there4 ,he gives out his orders  to the 
angels himself2 the marks of his        
immediate sovereignty are there  most   
visible4 ,he hath no vicarsgeneral of   

that empire4 ,his authority  is not     
delegated to any creature2 he rules the 
blessed spirits by  himself2 but he     
rules men that are on his footstool by  
others of the  same kind1 men of their  
own nature4 #d4 ,the vastness of his    
empire4 ,the  earth is but a spot to the
 heavens2 what is ,england in a map to  
the  whole earth1 but a spot you may    
cover with your finger8 much less must  
the whole earth be to the extended      
heavens2 it is but a little point or    
atom to what is visible2 the sun is     
vastly bigger than it1 and several      
stars are supposed to be of a greater   
bulk than the earth2 and how many1  and 
what heavens are beyond1 the ignorance  
of man cannot understand4 ,if  the      
8throne0 of ,god be there1 it is a      
larger circuit he rules in than  can    
well be conceived4 ,you cannot conceive 
the many millions of little  particles  
there are in the earth2 and if all put  
together be but as  one point to that   
place where the throne of ,god is       

seated1 how vast  must his empire be6   
,he rules there over the angels1 which  
8excel in  strength0 those 8hosts0 of   
his 8which do his pleasure10 in         
comparison  of whom all the men in the  
world1 and the power of the greatest    
potentates1 is no more than the strength
 b#cfb of an ant or fly2  multitudes of 
them encircle his throne1 and listen to 
his orders  without roving1 and execute 
them without disputing4 ,and since his  
throne is in the heavens1 it will       
follow1 that all things under the       
heaven are parts of his dominion2 his   
throne being in the highest  place1 the 
inferior things of earth cannot but be  
subject to him2 and  it necessarily     
includes his influence on all things    
below3 because the  heavens are the     
cause of all the motion in the world1   
the immediate  thing the earth doth     
naturally address to for corn1 wine1 and
 oil1  above which there is no superior 
but the ,lord 7,hos4 ii4 #ba1 #bb73     
8,the earth hears the corn1 wine1 and   

oil2 the heavens hear the earth1  and   
the ,lord hears the heavens40 #e4 ,the  
easiness of managing this  government4  
,his throne being placed on high1 he    
cannot but behold all  things that are  
done below2 the height of a place gives 
advantage to  a pure and clear eye to   
behold things below it4 ,had the sun an 
eye1  nothing could be done in the open 
air out of its ken4 ,the 8throne0 of    
,god being in heaven1 he easily looks   
from thence upon all the children  of   
men 7,ps4 xiv4 #b73 8,the ,lord looked  
down from heaven upon the  children of  
men1 to see if there were any that did  
understand40 ,he  looks not down from   
heaven as if he were in regard of his   
presence  confined there3 but he looks  
down majestically1 and by way of        
authority1  not as the look of a bare   
spectator1 but the look of a governor1  
to  pass a sentence upon them as a      
judge4 ,his being in the heavens renders
  him capable of doing 8whatsoever he   
pleases0 7,ps4 cxv4 #c74 ,his 8throne0  

being there1 he can by a word1 in       
stopping the motions of the heavens1    
turn the whole earth into confusion4 ,in
 this respect1 it is said1 8,he  rides  
upon the heaven in thy help0 7,deut4    
xxxiii4 #bf72 discharges his  thunders  
upon men1 and makes the influences of it
 serve his people's  interest4 ,by one  
turn of a cock1 as you see in grottoes1 
he can cause  streams from several parts
 of the heavens to refresh1 or ruin the 
world4  #f4 ,duration of it4 ,the       
heavens are incorruptible2 his throne is
 placed  there in an incorruptible      
state4 ,earthly empires have their      
decays and  dissolutions4 ,the throne of
 ,god outlives the dissolution of the   
world4    ,his kingdom rules over       
all4,he hath an absolute right over all 
things within the circuit of heaven and 
earth2 though his throne be  in heaven1 
as the place where his glory is most    
eminent and visible1  his authority most
 exactly obeyed1 yet his kingdom extends
 itself to  the lower parts of the      

earth4 ,he doth not muffle and cloud up 
himself  in heaven1 or confine his      
sovereignty to that place1 his royal    
power  extends to all visible1 as well  
as invisible things3 he is proprietor   
and possessor of all 7,deut4 x4 #ad73   
8,the heaven and the heaven of  heavens 
is the ,lord's thy ,god1 the earth also1
 with all that is there40  ,he hath     
right to dispose of all as he pleases4  
,he doth not say1 his  kingdom rules all
 that fear him1 but1 8over all20 so that
 it is not the  kingdom of grace he here
 speaks of1 but his natural and         
universal  kingdom4 ,over angels and    
men2 ,jews and ,gentiles2 animate and   
inanimate  things4    ,the ,psalmist    
considers ,god here as a great monarch  
and general1 and  all creatures as his  
hosts and regiments under him1 and takes
 notice  principally of two things4 #a4 
,the establishment of his throne b#cfc  
together with the seat of it4 ,he hath  
prepared his throne in the  heavens4 #b4
 ,the extent of his empire4,his kingdom 

rules over all4  ,this text1 in all the 
parts of it1 is a fit basis for a       
discourse upon  the dominion of ,god1   
and the observation will be this4       
,doctrine4,god is sovereign ,lord and   
,king1 and exerciseth a dominion  over  
the whole world1 both heaven and earth4 
,this is so clear1 that  nothing is more
 spoken of in ,scripture4 ,the very     
name1 8,lord10 imports  it2 a name      
originally belonging to gods1 and from  
them translated to  others4 ,and he is  
frequently called 8the ,lord of ,hosts10
 because all  the troops and armies of  
spiritual and corporeal creatures are in
 his  hands1 and at his service3 this is
 one of his principal titles4 ,and the  
angels are called his 8hosts0 7ver4 #ba1
 following the text7 his camp  and      
militia3 but more plainly 7#a ,kings1   
xxii4 #ai71 ,god is presented  upon his 
throne1 encompassed with all the 8hosts 
of heaven0 standing  on his right hand  
and on his left1 which can be understood
 of no other  than the angels1 that wait

 for the commands of their ,sovereign1  
and  stand about1 not to counsel him1   
but to receive his orders4 ,the sun1    
moon1 and stars1 are called his 8hosts0 
7,deut4 iv4 #ai72 appointed  by him for 
the government of inferior things3 he   
hath an absolute  authority over the    
greatest and the least creatures2 over  
those that  are most dreadful1 and those
 that are most beneficial2 over the good
  angels that willingly obey him1 over  
the evil angels that seem most          
incapable of government4 ,and as he is  
thus 8,lord of hosts10 he is the  8,king
 of glory10 or a glorious ,king 7,ps4   
xxiv4 #aj74 ,you find him called  a     
8great ,king10 the 8,most ,high0 7,ps4  
xcii4 #a71 the ,supreme ,monarch1  there
 being no dignity in heaven or earth but
 what is dim before him1  and infinitely
 inferior to him2 yea1 he hath the title
 of 8,only ,king0  7#a ,tim4 vi4 #ae74  
,the title of royalty truly and properly
 only belongs  to him3 you may see it   
described very magnificently by ,david1 

at the  freewill offering for the       
building of the temple 7#a ,chron4 xxix4
 #aa1  #ab73 8,thine1 ,o ,lord1 is the  
greatness1 and the power1 and the glory1
  and the victory1 and the majesty2     
thine is the kingdom1 ,o ,god1 and  thou
 art exalted as ,head above all3 both   
riches and honor come of thee1  and thou
 reignest over all2 and in thy hand is  
power and might2 and in  thy hand it is 
to make great1 and to give strength to  
all40 ,he hath an  eminency of power or 
authority above all3 all earthly princes
 received  their diadems from him1 yea1 
even those that will not acknowledge    
him1  and he hath a more absolute power 
over them than they can challenge  over 
their meanest vassals3 as ,god hath a   
knowledge infinitely above  our         
knowledge1 so he hath a dominion        
incomprehensibly above any  dominion of 
man2 and1 by all the shadows drawn from 
the authority of  one man over another1 
we can have but weak glimmerings of the 
authority  and dominion of ,god4        

,there is a threefold dominion of ,god4 
#a4 ,natural1 which is absolute  over   
all creatures1 and is founded in the    
nature of ,god as ,creator4  #b4        
,spiritual1 or gracious1 which is a     
dominion over his church as  redeemed1  
and founded in the covenant of grace4   
#c4 ,a glorious kingdom1  at the winding
 up of all1 wherein he shall reign over 
all1 either in  the glory of his mercy1 
as over the glorified saints1 or in the 
glory  of his justice1 in the condemned 
devils and men4 ,the first b#cfd        
dominion is founded in nature2 the      
second in grace2 the third in regard  of
 the blessed in grace2 in regard of the 
damned1 in demerit in them1  and justice
 in him4 ,he is ,lord of all things1 and
 always in regard  of propriety 7,ps4   
xxiv4 #a73 8,the earth is the ,lord's1  
and the fulness  thereof2 the world1 and
 all that dwell therein40 ,the earth1   
with the  riches and treasures in the   
bowels of it2 the habitable world1 with 
everything that moves upon it1 are his2 

he hath the sole right1 and  what right 
soever any others have is derived from  
him4 ,in regard  also of possession     
7,gen4 xiv4 #bb73 8,the ,most ,high     
,god1 possessor of  heaven and earth30  
in respect of whom1 man is not the      
proprietary nor  possessor1 but         
usufructuary at the will of this grand  
,lord4    ,in the prosecution of this1  
,i4 ,i shall lay down some general      
propositions for the clearing and       
confirming it4 ,,ii4 ,i shall show      
wherein this right of dominion is       
founded4 ,,iii4 ,what the nature of it  
is4 ,,iv4 ,wherein it consists2 and how 
it is manifested4    ,i4 ,some general  
propositions for the clearing and       
confirming of it4    #a4 ,we must know  
the difference between the might or     
power of ,god and  his authority4 ,we   
commonly mean by the power of ,god the  
strength of  ,god1 whereby he is able to
 effect all his purposes2 by the        
authority  of ,god1 we mean the right he
 hath to act what he pleases3           

omnipotence  is his physical power1     
whereby he is able to do what he will2  
dominion  is his moral power1 whereby it
 is lawful for him to do what he will4  
,among men1 strength and authority are  
two distinct things2 a subject  may be a
 giant1 and be stronger than his prince1
 but he hath not the  same authority as 
his prince3 worldly dominion may be     
seated1 not in a  brawny arm1 but a     
sickly and infirm body4 ,as knowledge   
and wisdom are  distinguished2 knowledge
 respects the matter1 being1 and nature 
of a  thing2 wisdom respects the        
harmony1 order1 and actual usefulness of
 a  thing2 knowledge searcheth the      
nature of a thing1 and wisdom employs   
that thing to its proper use3 a man may 
have much knowledge1 and little  wisdom2
 so a man may have much strength1 and   
little or no authority2 a  greater      
strength may be settled in the servant1 
but a greater authority  resides in the 
master2 strength is the natural vigor of
 a man3 ,god hath  an infinite strength1

 he hath a strength to bring to pass    
whatsoever  he decrees2 he acts without 
fainting and weakness 7,isa4 xl4 #bh71  
and  impairs not his strength by the    
exercise of it3 as ,god is ,lord1 he    
hath  a right to enact2 as he is        
almighty1 he hath a power to execute2   
his  strength is the executive power    
belonging to his dominion3 in regard  of
 his sovereignty1 he hath a right to    
command all creatures2 in regard  of his
 almightiness1 he hath power to make his
 commands be obeyed1 or  to punish men  
for the violation of them3 his power is 
that whereby he  subdues all creatures  
under him2 his dominion is that whereby 
he hath  a right to subdue all creatures
 under him4 ,this dominion is a right   
of making what he pleases1 of possessing
 what he made1 of disposing of  what he 
doth possess2 whereas his power is an   
ability to make what he  hath a right to
 create1 to hold what he doth possess1  
and to execute  the manner wherein he   
resolves to dispose of his creatures4   

#b4 ,all the other attributes of ,god   
refer to this perfection of  dominion4  
b#cfe ,they all bespeak him fit for it1 
and are discovered  in the exercise of  
it 7which hath been manifested in the   
discourses of  those attributes we have 
passed through hitherto74 ,his goodness 
fits  him for it1 because he can never  
use his authority but for the good  of  
the creatures1 and conducting them to   
their true end3 his wisdom  can never be
 mistaken in the exercise of it2 his    
power can accomplish  the decrees that  
flow from his absolute authority4 ,what 
can be more  rightful than the placing  
authority in such an infinite ,goodness1
 that  hath bowels to pity1 as well as a
 sceptre to sway his subjects8 that     
hath a mind to contrive1 and a will to  
regulate his contrivances for  his own  
glory and his creatures' good1 and an   
arm of power to bring  to pass what he  
orders8 ,without this dominion1 some    
perfections1 as  justice and mercy1     
would lie in obscurity1 and much of his 

wisdom would  be shrouded from our sight
 and knowledge4    #c4 ,this of         
dominion1 as well as that of power1 hath
 been acknowledged  by all4 ,the high   
priest was to 8waive the offering10 or  
shake it to  and fro 7,exod4 xxix4 #bd71
 which the ,jews say was customarily    
from east  to west1 and from north to   
south1 the four quarters of the world1  
to  signify ,god's sovereignty over all 
the parts of the world2 and some of  the
 heathens1 in their adorations1 turned  
their bodies to all quarters1  to       
signify the extensive dominion of ,god  
throughout the whole earth4  ,that      
dominion did of right pertain to the    
,deity1 was confessed by the  heathen in
 the name 8,baal10 given to their idols1
 which signifies ,lord2  and was not a  
name of one idol1 adored for a god1 but 
common to all  the eastern idols4 ,god  
hath interwoven the notion of his       
sovereignty  in the nature and          
constitution of man1 in the noblest and 
most inward  acts of his soul1 in that  

faculty or act which is most necessary  
for  him1 in his converse in this world1
 either with ,god or man3 it is  stamped
 upon the conscience of man1 and flashes
 in his face in every  act of           
selfjudgment conscience passes upon a   
man3 every reflection  of conscience    
implies an obligation of man to some law
 8written in  his heart0 7,rom4 ii4     
#ae74 ,this law cannot be without a     
legislator1 nor  this legislator without
 a sovereign dominion2 these are but    
natural and  easy consequences in the   
mind of man from every act of           
conscience4 ,the  indelible authority of
 conscience in man1 in the whole        
exercise of it1  bears a respect to the 
sovereignty of ,god1 clearly proclaims  
not only  a supreme ,being1 but a       
supreme ,governor1 and points man       
directly to  it1 that a man may as soon 
deny his having such a reflecting       
principle  within him1 as deny ,god's   
dominion over him1 and consequently over
 the  whole world of rational creatures4

    #d4 ,this notion of sovereignty is  
inseparable from the notion of a  ,god4 
,to acknowledge the existence of a ,god1
 and to acknowledge him  a rewarder1 are
 linked together 7,heb4 xi4 #f74 ,to    
acknowledge him a  rewarder1 is to      
acknowledge him a governor2 rewards     
being the marks of  dominion4 ,the very 
name of ,god includes in it a supremacy 
and an actual  rule4 ,he cannot be      
conceived as ,god1 but he must be       
conceived as the  highest authority in  
the world4 ,it is as possible for him   
not to be ,god  as not to be supreme4   
,wherein can the exercise of his        
excellencies be  apparent1 but in his   
sovereign rule8 b#cff ,to fancy an      
infinite power  without a supreme       
dominion1 is to fancy a mighty senseless
 statue1 fit  to be beheld1 but not fit 
to be obeyed2 as not being able or      
having  no right to give out orders1 or 
not caring for the exercise of it4  ,god
 cannot be supposed to be the chief     
being1 but he must be supposed  to give 

laws to all1 and receive laws from none4
 ,and if we suppose  him with a         
perfection of justice and righteousness 
7which we must do1  unless we would make
 a lame and imperfect ,god7 we must     
suppose him  to have an entire dominion1
 without which he could never be able to
  manifest his justice4 ,and without a  
supreme dominion he could not  manifest 
the supremacy and infiniteness of his   
righteousness4    7#a47 ,we cannot      
suppose ,god a ,creator1 without        
supposing a sovereign  dominion in him4 
,no creature can be made without some   
law in its  nature2 if it had not law1  
it would be created to no purpose1 to no
  regular end4 ,it would be utterly     
unbecoming an infinite wisdom to  create
 a lawless creature1 a creature wholly  
vain2 much less can a  rational creature
 be made without a law3 if it had no    
law1 it were not  rational3 for the very
 notion of a rational creature implies  
reason to  be a law to it1 and implies  
an acting by rule4 ,if you could suppose

  rational creatures without a law1 you 
might suppose that they might  blaspheme
 their ,creator1 and murder their       
fellowcreatures1 and commit  the most   
abominable villanies destructive to     
human society1 without sin2  for 8where 
there is no law1 there is no            
transgression40#iid ,but those  things  
are accounted sins by all mankind1 and  
sins against the ,supreme  ,being3 so   
that a dominion1 and the exercise of it1
 is so fast linked to  ,god1 so entirely
 in him1 so intrinsic in his nature1    
that it cannot be  imagined that a      
rational creature can be made by him1   
without a stamp  and mark of that       
dominion in his very nature and frame2  
it is so  inseparable from ,god in his  
very act of creation4    7#b47 ,it is   
such a dominion as cannot be renounced  
by ,god himself4 ,it  is so intrinsic   
and connatural to him1 so inlaid in the 
nature of ,god1  that he cannot strip   
himself of it1 nor of the exercise of   
it1 while  any creature remains4 ,it is 

preserved by him1 for it could not      
subsist  of itself2 it is governed by   
him1 it could not else answer its end4  
,it  is impossible there can be a       
creature1 which hath not ,god for its   
,lord4  ,christ himself1 though in      
regard of his ,deity equal with ,god1   
yet in  regard of his created state1 and
 assuming our nature1 was ,god's        
servant1  was governed by him in the    
whole of his office1 acted according to 
his  command and directions2 ,god calls 
him his servant 7,isa4 xlii4 #a73 and   
,christ1 in that prophetic psalm of him1
 calls ,god his ,lord 7,ps4 xvi4 #b73   
8,o my soul1 thou hast said unto the    
,lord1 ,thou art my ,lord40 ,it was     
impossible it should be otherwise2      
justice had been so far from being      
satisfied1 that it had been highly      
incensed if the order of things in  the 
due subjection to ,god had been broke1  
and his terms had not been  complied    
with4 ,it would be a judgment upon the  
world if ,god should give  up the       

government to any else1 as it is when he
 gives 8children to be  princes0 7,isa4 
iii4 #d72 i4 e4 children in             
understanding4    7#c47 ,it is so       
inseparable1 that it cannot be          
communicated to any b#cfg  creature4 ,no
 creature is able to exercise it2 every 
creature is unable  to perform all the  
offices that belong to this dominion4   
,no creature  can impose laws upon the  
consciences of men3 man knows not the   
inlets  into the soul1 his pen cannot   
reach the inwards of man4 ,what laws he 
hath power to propose to conscience1 he 
cannot see executed2 because  every     
creature wants omniscience2 he is not   
able to perceive all those  breaches of 
the law which may be committed at the   
same time in so many  cities1 so many   
chambers4 ,or1 suppose an angel1 in     
regard to the height  of his standing1  
and the insufficiency of walls1 and     
darkness1 and  distance to obstruct his 
view1 can behold men's actions1 yet he  
cannot  know the internal acts of men's 

minds and wills1 without some outward   
eruption and appearance of them4 ,and if
 he be ignorant of them1 how  can he    
execute his laws8 ,if he only understand
 the outward fact without  the inward   
thought1 how can he dispense a justice  
proportionable to  the crime8 he must   
needs be ignorant of that which adds the
 greatest  aggravation sometimes to a   
sin1 and inflicts a lighter punishment  
upon  that which receives a deeper      
tincture from the inward posture of the 
mind1 than another fact may do1 which in
 the outward act may appear  more base  
and unjust2 and so while he intends     
righteousness1 may act a  degree of     
injustice4 ,besides1 no creature can    
inflict a due punishment  for sin2 that 
which is due to sin1 is a loss of the   
vision and sight  of ,god2 but none can 
deprive any of that but ,god himself2   
nor can a  creature reward another with 
eternal life1 which consists in         
communion  with ,god1 which none but    
,god can bestow4#iie    ,,ii4 ,wherein  

the dominion of ,god is founded4    #a4 
,on the excellency of his nature4       
,indeed1 a bare excellency of  nature   
bespeaks a fitness for government1 but  
doth not properly  convey a right of    
government4 ,excellency speaks aptitude1
 not title3 a  subject may have more    
wisdom than the prince1 and be fitter to
 hold the  reins of government1 but he  
hath not a title to royalty4 ,a man of  
large  capacity and strong virtue is fit
 to serve his country in parliament1    
but the election of the people conveys a
 title to him4 ,yet a strain  of        
intellectual and moral abilities beyond 
others1 is a foundation for  dominion4  
,and it is commonly seen that such      
eminences in men1 though  they do not   
invest them with a civil authority1 or  
an authority of  jurisdiction1 yet they 
create a veneration in the minds of men2
 their  virtue attracts reverence1 and  
their advice is regarded as an oracle4  
,old men by their age1 when stored with 
more wisdom and knowledge by  reason of 

their long experience1 acquire a kind of
 power over the  younger in their       
dictates and councils1 so that they     
gain1 by the  strength of that          
excellency1 a real authority in the     
minds of those  men they converse with1 
and possess themselves of a deep respect
 for  them4 ,god therefore being an     
incomprehensible ocean of all           
perfection1  and possessing infinitely  
all those virtues that may lay a claim  
to dominion1 hath the first foundation  
of it in his own nature4 ,his           
incomparable and unparalleled           
excellency1 as well as the greatness of 
his work1 attracts the voluntary worship
 of him as a sovereign ,lord  7,ps4     
lxxxvi4 #h73 8,among the gods1 there is 
none like unto thee2 neither  are there 
any works b#cfh like unto thy work4 ,all
 nations shall come  and worship before 
thee40 ,though his benefits are great   
engagements to  our obedience and       
affection1 yet his infinite majesty and 
perfection  requires the first place in 

our acknowledgements and adorations4    
,upon  this account ,god claims it      
7,isa4 xlvi4 #i73 8,i am ,god1 and there
 is none  like me2 ,i will do all my    
pleasure30 and the prophet ,jeremiah    
upon the  same account acknowledgeth it 
7,jer4 x4 #f1 #g73 8,forasmuch as there 
is  none like unto thee1 ,o ,lord1 thou 
art great1 and thy name is great in     
might3 who would not fear thee1 ,o ,king
 of nations8 for to thee doth  it       
appertain3 forasmuch as there is none   
like unto thee40 ,and this is  a more   
noble title of dominion1 it being an    
uncreated title1 and more  eminent than 
that of creation or preservation4 ,this 
is the natural  order ,god hath placed  
in his creatures1 that the more         
excellent should  rule the inferior4#iif
 ,he committed not the government of    
lower  creatures to lions and tigers1   
that have a delight in blood1 but no    
knowledge of virtue2 but to man1 who had
 an eminence in his nature  above other 
creatures1 and was formed with a perfect

 rectitude1 and a  height of reason to  
guide the reins over them4 ,in man1 the 
soul being  of a more sublime nature1 is
 set of right to rule over the body2 the
  mind1 the most excellent faculty of   
the soul1 to rule over the other  powers
 of it3 and wisdom1 the most excellent  
habit of the mind1 to  guide and        
regulate that in its determinations2 and
 when the body and  sensitive appetite  
control the soul and mind1 it is an     
usurpation  against nature1 not a rule  
according to nature4 ,the excellency1   
thereof1  of the ,divine nature is the  
natural foundation for his dominion4    
,he hath wisdom to know what is fit for 
him to do1 and an immutable             
righteousness whereby he cannot do any  
thing base and unworthy3 he hath  a     
foreknowledge whereby he is able to     
order all things to answer his  own     
glorious designs and the end of his     
government1 that nothing can  go awry1  
nothing put him to a stand1 and         
constrain him to meditate  new counsels4

 ,so that if it could be supposed that  
the world had not  been created by him1 
that the parts of it had met together by
 chance1  and been compacted into such a
 body1 none but ,god1 the supreme and   
most excellent ,being in the world1     
could have merited1 and deservedly      
challenged the government of it2 because
 nothing had an excellency of  nature to
 capacitate it for it1 as he hath1 or to
 enter into a contest  with him for a   
sufficiency to govern4#iig    #b4 ,it is
 founded in his act of creation4 ,he is 
the sovereign ,lord1 as  he is the      
almighty ,creator4 ,the relation of an  
entire ,creator induceth  the relation  
of an absolute ,lord2 he that gives     
being1 motion1 that is  the sole cause  
of the being of a thing1 which was      
before nothing1 that  hath nothing to   
concur with him1 nothing to assist him1 
but by his  sole power commands it to   
stand up into being1 is the             
unquestionable  ,lord and proprietor of 
that thing that hath no dependence but  

upon  him2 and by this act of creation1 
which extended to all things1 he  became
 universal ,sovereign over all things3  
and those that waive  the excellency of 
his nature as the foundation of his     
government1  easily acknowledge the     
sufficiency of it upon his actual       
creation4 ,his  dominion of jurisdiction
 results from creation4 b#cfi ,when ,god
 himself  makes an oration in defence of
 his sovereignty 7,job xxxviii471 his   
chief arguments are drawn from creation2
 and 7,ps4 xcv4 #c1 #e71 8,the ,lord  is
 a great ,king above all gods2 the sea  
is his1 and he made it30 and  so the    
apostle1 in his sermon to the           
,athenians4 ,as he 8made the world1  and
 all things therein10 he is styled1     
8,lord of heaven and earth0 7,acts      
xvii4 #bd74 ,his dominion1 also1 of     
property stands upon this basis3  8,the 
heavens are thine1 the earth also is    
thine3 as for the world1 and  the       
fulness thereof1 thou hast founded them0
 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #aa74 ,upon  this title  

of forming ,israel as a creature1 or    
rather as a church1 he  demands their   
service to him as their ,sovereign3 8,o 
,jacob and ,israel1  thou art my        
servant1 ,i have formed thee3 thou art  
my servant1 ,o ,israel0  7,isa4 xliv4   
#ba74 ,the sovereignty of ,god naturally
 ariseth from the  relation of all      
things to himself as their entire       
,creator1 and their  natural and        
inseparable dependence upon him in      
regard of their being  and wellbeing4   
,it depends not upon the election of    
men2 ,god hath a  natural dominion over 
us as creatures1 before he hath a       
dominion by  consent over us as         
converts3 as soon as ever anything began
 to be a  creature1 it was a vassal to  
,god1 as a ,lord4 ,every man is         
acknowledged  to have a right of        
possessing what he hath made1 and a     
power of  dominion over what he hath    
framed3 he may either cherish his own   
work1  or dash it in pieces2 he may     
either add a greater comeliness to it1  

or  deface what he hath already         
imparted4 ,he hath a right of property  
in  it3 no other man can1 without       
injury1 pilfer his own work from him4   
,the  work hath no propriety in itself2 
the right must lie in the immediate     
framer1 or in the person that employed  
him4 ,the first cause of  everything    
hath an unquestionable dominion of      
propriety in it upon the  score of      
justice4 ,by the law of nations1 the    
first finder of a country  is esteemed  
the rightful possessor and lord of that 
country1 and the  first inventor of an  
art hath a right of exercising it4 ,if a
 man hath  a just claim of dominion over
 that thing whose materials were not of 
his framing1 but from only the addition 
of a new figure from his skill2  as a   
limner over his picture1 the cloth      
whereof he never made1 nor  the colors  
wherewith he draws it were never endued 
by him with their  distinct qualities1  
but only he applies them by his art1 to 
compose  such a figure2 much more hath  

,god a rightful claim of dominion over  
his creatures1 whose entire being1 both 
in matter and form1 and every  particle 
of their excellency1 was breathed out by
 the word of his mouth4  ,he did not    
only give the matter a form1 but        
bestowed upon the matter  itself a      
being2 it was formed by none to his     
hand1 as the matter is on  which an     
artist works4 ,he had the being of all  
things in his own power1  and it was at 
his choice whether he would impart it or
 no2 there can  be no juster and        
stronger ground of a claim than this4 ,a
 man hath a  right to a piece of brass  
or gold by his purchase1 but when by his
  engraving he hath formed it into an   
excellent statue1 there results an      
increase of his right upon the account  
of his artifice4 ,god's creation  of the
 matter of man gave him a right over    
man2 but his creation of  him in so     
eminent an excellency1 with reason to   
guide him1 a clear  eye of understanding
 to discern light from darkness1 and    

truth from  falsehood1 a freedom of will
 to act accordingly1 and b#cgj an       
original  righteousness as the varnish  
and beauty of all2 here is the strongest
  foundation for a claim of authority   
over man1 and the strongest  obligation 
on man for subjection to ,god4 ,if all  
those things had been  past over to ,god
 by another hand1 he could not be the   
supreme ,lord1 nor  could have an       
absolute right to dispose of them at his
 pleasure3 that  would have been the    
invasion of another's right4 ,besides1  
creation is  the only first discovery of
 his dominion4 ,before the world was    
framed  there was nothing but ,god      
himself1 and1 properly1 nothing is said 
to  have dominion over itself2 this is a
 relative attribute1 reflecting on  the 
works of ,god4#iih ,he had a right of   
dominion in his nature from  eternity1  
but before creation he was actually     
,lord only of a nullity2  where there is
 nothing it can have no relation2       
nothing is not the  subject of          

possession nor of dominion4 ,there could
 be no exercise of  this dominion       
without creation3 what exercise can a   
sovereign have  without subjects8       
,sovereignty speaks a relation to       
subjects1 and none  is properly a       
sovereign without subjects4 ,to         
conclude3 from hence doth  result ,god's
 universal dominion2 for being ,maker of
 all1 he is the  ruler of all1 and his  
perpetual dominion2 for as long as ,god 
continues  in the relation of ,creator1 
the right of his sovereignty as ,creator
  cannot be abolished4    #c4 ,as ,god  
is the final cause1 or end of all1 he is
 ,lord of all4 ,the  end hath a greater 
sovereignty in actions than the actor   
itself3 the  actor hath a sovereignty   
over others in action1 but the end for  
which  any one works hath a sovereignty 
over the agent himself3 a limner hath  a
 sovereignty over the picture he is     
framing1 or hath framed1 but the  end   
for which he framed it1 either his      
profit he designed from it1 or  the     

honor and credit of skill he aimed at in
 it1 hath a dominion over  the limner   
himself3 the end moves and excites the  
artist to work2 it  spirits him in it1  
conducts him in his whole business1     
possesses his  mind1 and sits triumphant
 in him in all the progress of his work2
 it  is the first cause for which the   
whole work is wrought4#iii ,now ,god1   
in his actual creation of all1 is the   
sovereign end of all2 8for thy  pleasure
 they are and were created0 7,rev4 iv4  
#aa72 8,the ,lord hath made  all things 
for himself0 7,prov4 xvi4 #d74 ,man1    
indeed1 is the subordinate  and         
immediate end of the lower creation1 and
 therefore had the dominion  over other 
creatures granted to him3 but ,god being
 the ultimate and  principal end1 hath  
the sovereign and principal dominion2   
all things as  much refer to him1 as the
 last end1 as they flow from him as the 
first  cause4 ,so that1 as ,i said      
before1 if the world had been compacted 
together by a jumbling chance1 without a

 wise hand1 as some have  foolishly     
imagined1 none could have been an       
antagonist with ,god for the  government
 of the world2 but ,god1 in regard of   
the excellency of his  nature1 would    
have been the ,rector of it1 unless     
those atoms that had  composed the world
 had had an ability to govern it4 ,since
 there could  be no universal end of all
 things but ,god1 ,god only can claim an
 entire  right to the government of it2 
for though man be the end of the lower  
creation1 yet man is not the end of     
himself and his own being2 he is  not   
the end of the creation of the supreme  
b#cga heavens2 he is not  able to govern
 them2 they are out of his ken1 and out 
of his reach4  ,none fit in regard of   
the excellency of nature1 to be the     
chief end  of the whole world but ,god2 
and therefore none can have a right to  
the  dominion of it but ,god3 in this   
regard ,god's dominion differs from the 
dominion of all earthly potentates4 ,all
 the subjects in creation were  made for

 ,god as their end1 so are not people   
for rulers1 but rulers  made for people 
for their protection1 and the           
preservation of order  in societies4    
#d4 ,the dominion of ,god is founded    
upon his preservation of things4 7,ps4  
xcv4 #c1 #d72 8,the ,lord is a great    
,king above all gods30 why8 8,in his    
hand are all the deep places of the     
earth40 ,while his hand holds things1   
his hand hath a dominion over them4 ,he 
that holds a stone in the air1          
exerciseth a dominion over its natural  
inclination in hindering it from        
falling4 ,the creature depends wholly   
upon ,god in its preservation2 as  soon 
as that ,divine hand which sustains     
everything were withdrawn1 a            
languishment and swooning would be the  
next turn in the creature4 ,he is       
called ,lord1 ,adonai1 in regard of his 
sustentation of all things by  his      
continual influx2 the word coming of 1  
which signifies a basis  or pillar1 that
 supports a building4 ,god is the ,lord 

of all1 as he is  the sustainer of all  
by his power1 as well as the ,creator of
 all by  his word4 ,the sun hath a      
sovereign dominion over its own beams1  
which  depend upon it1 so that if he    
withdraws himself1 they all attend him1 
and the world is left in darkness4 ,god 
maintains the vigor of all  things1     
conducts them in their operations2 so   
that nothing that they  are1 nothing    
that they have1 but is owing to his     
preserving power4  ,the ,master of this 
great family may as well be called the  
,lord of it1  since every member of it  
depends upon him for the support of that
 being  he first gave them1 and holds of
 his empire4 ,as the right to govern    
resulted from creation1 so it is        
perpetuated by the preservation of      
things4    #e4 ,the dominion of ,god is 
strengthened by the innumerable benefits
  he bestows upon his creatures3 the    
benefits he confers upon us after       
creation1 are not the original ground of
 his dominion4 ,a man hath not          

authority over his servant from the     
kindness he shows to him1 but his       
authority commenceth before any act of  
kindness1 and is founded upon a  right  
of purchase1 conquest1 or compact4      
,dominion doth not depend upon  mere    
benefits2 then inferiors might have     
dominions over superiors4 ,a  peasant   
may save the life of a prince to whom he
 was not subject2 he  hath not therefore
 a right to step up into his throne and 
give laws to  him3 and children that    
maintain their parents in their poverty1
 might  then acquire an authority over  
them which they can never climb to2     
because the benefits they confer cannot 
parallel the benefits they have         
received from the authors of their      
lives4 ,the bounties of ,god to us add  
nothing to the intrinsic right of his   
natural dominion2 they being the        
effects of that sovereignty1 as he is a 
rewarder and governor2 as the  benefits 
a prince bestows upon his favorite      
increases not that right of  authority  

which is inherent in the crown1 but     
strengthens that dominion  as it stands 
in relation to the receiver1 by         
increasing the obligation  of the       
favorite to an observance of him1 not   
only as b#cgb his natural  prince1 but  
his gracious benefactor4 ,the           
beneficence of ,god adds1  though not an
 original right of power1 yet a         
foundation of a stronger  upbraiding the
 creature1 if he walks in a violation   
and forgetfulness  of those benefits1   
and pull in pieces the links of that    
ingenuous duty  they call for2 and an   
occasion of exercising of justice in    
punishing  the delinquent1 which is a   
part of his empire 7,isa4 i4 #b73       
8,hear1 ,o  heavens1 and give ear1 ,o   
earth1 the ,lord hath spoken2 ,i have   
nourished  children1 and they have      
rebelled against me40 ,thus the         
fundamental  right as ,creator is made  
more indisputable by his relation as a  
benefactor1 and more as being so after a
 forfeiture of what was enjoyed  by     

creation4 ,the benefits of ,god are     
innumerable1 and so magnificent  that   
they cannot meet with any compensation  
from the creature2 and1  therefore1 do  
necessarily require a submission from   
the creature1 and  an acknowledgment of 
,divine authority4 ,but that benefit of 
redemption  doth add a stronger right of
 dominion to ,god2 since he hath not    
only as  a ,creator given them being and
 life as his creatures1 but paid a      
price1  the price of his ,son's blood1  
for their rescue from captivity2 so that
  he hath a sovereignty of grace as well
 as nature1 and the ransomed  ones      
belong to him as ,redeemer as well as   
,creator 7#a ,cor4 vi4 #ai1 #bj73  8,ye 
are not your own1 for ye are bought with
 a price20 therefore your  body and your
 spirit are ,god's4 ,by this he acquired
 a right of another  kind1 and bought us
 from that uncontrollable lordship we   
affected over  ourselves by the sin of  
,adam1 that he might use us as his own  
peculiar  for his own glory and service4

 ,by this redemption there results to   
,god  a right over our bodies1 over our 
spirits1 over our services1 as well  as 
by creation2 and to show the strength of
 this right1 the apostle  repeats it1   
8you are bought20 a purchase cannot be  
without a price  paid2 but he adds price
 also1 8bought with a price40 ,to       
strengthen the  title1 purchase gave him
 a new right1 and the greatness of the  
price  established that right4 ,the more
 a man pays for a thing1 the more       
usually we say1 he deserves to have it1 
he hath paid enough for it2 it  was1    
indeed1 price enough1 and too much for  
such vile creatures as we  are4         
,,iii4 ,the third thing is1 ,the nature 
of this dominion4    #a4 ,this dominion 
is independent4 ,his throne is in the   
heavens2 the  heavens depend not upon   
the earth1 nor ,god upon his creatures4 
,since  he is independent in regard of  
his essence1 he is so in his dominion1  
which flows from the excellency and     
fulness of his essence2 as he  receives 

his essence from none1 so he derives his
 dominion from none2  all other dominion
 except paternal authority is rooted    
originally in  the wills of men4 ,the   
first title was the consent of the      
people1 or the  conquest of others by   
the help of those people that first     
consented2  and in the exercise of it1  
earthly dominion depends upon assistance
  of the subjects1 and the members being
 joined with the head carry on  the work
 of government1 and prevent civil       
dissensions2 in the support  of it1 it  
depends upon the subjects' contributions
 and taxes2 the  subjects in their      
strength are the arms1 and in their     
purses the sinews  of government2 but   
,god depends upon none in the foundation
 of his  government2 he is not a ,lord  
by the votes b#cgc of his vassals4#ajjj 
,nor is it successively handed to him by
 any predecessor1 nor  constituted by   
the power of a superior2 nor forced he  
his way by war  and conquest1 nor       
precariously attained it by suit or     

flattery1 or  bribing promises4 ,he     
holds not the right of his empire from  
any other2  he hath no superior to hand 
him to his throne1 and settle him by    
commission2 he is therefore called      
8,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords10   
having none above him2 8,a great ,king  
above all gods0 7,ps4 xcv4 #c73  needing
 no license from any when to act1 nor   
direction how to act1  or assistance in 
his action2 he owes not any of those to 
any person2  he was not ordered by any  
other to create1 and therefore received 
not  orders from any other to rule over 
what he hath created4 ,he received  not 
his power and wisdom from another1 and  
therefore is not subject  to any for the
 rule of his government4 ,he only made  
his own subjects1  and from himself hath
 the sole authority2 his own will was   
the cause  of their beings1 and his own 
will is the director of their actions4  
,he is not determined by his creatures  
in any of his motions1 but  determines  
the creatures in all2 his actions are   

not regulated by any  law without him1  
but by a law within him1 the law of his 
own nature4  ,it is impossible he can   
have any rule without himself1 because  
there  is nothing superior to himself1  
nor doth he depend upon any in the      
exercise of his government2 he needs no 
servants in it1 when he  uses creatures3
 it is not out of want of their help1   
but for the  manifestation of his wisdom
 and power4 ,what he doth by his        
subjects1 he  can do by himself3 8,the  
government is upon his shoulder0 7,isa4 
ix4 #f71  to show that he needs not any 
supporters4 ,all other governments flow 
from him1 all other authorities depend  
upon him2 ,dei ,grati1 or ,dei          
,providenti1 is in the style of princes4
 ,as their being is derived  from his   
power1 so their authority is but a      
branch of his dominion4  ,they are      
governors by ,divine providence2 ,god is
 governor by his sole  nature4 ,all     
motions depend upon the first heaven1   
which moves all2 but  that depends upon 

nothing4 ,the government of ,christ     
depends upon ,god's  uncreated dominion1
 and is by commission from him2 ,christ 
assumed not  this honor to himself1     
8,but he that said unto him1 ,thou art  
my ,son10  bestowed it upon him4 8,he   
put all things under his feet10 but not 
himself 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #bg74 8,when he   
saith1 ,all things are put under him1   
he is excepted1 which did put all things
 under him40 ,he sits still as  an      
independent governor upon his throne4   
#b4 ,this dominion is absolute4 ,if his 
throne be in the heavens1  there is     
nothing to control him4 ,if he be       
independent1 he must needs  be absolute2
 since he hath no cause in conjunction  
with him as ,creator1  that can share   
with him in his right1 or restrain him  
in the disposal  of his creature4 ,his  
authority is unlimited2 in this regard  
the title  of 8,lord0 becomes not any   
but ,god properly4 ,tiberius1 though    
none of  the best1 though one of the    
subtilest princes1 accounted the title  

of  8,lord0 a reproach to him3 since he 
was not absolute4#ajja    #ast4         
,absolute in regard of freedom and      
liberty4 7#a47 ,thus creation is  a work
 of his mere sovereignty2 he created1   
because it was his pleasure  b#cgd to   
create 7,rev4 iv4 #aa74 ,he is not      
necessitated to do this or  that4 ,he   
might have chosen whether he would have 
framed an earth and  heavens1 and laid  
the foundations of his chambers in the  
waters4 ,he  was under no obligation to 
reduce things from nullity to existence4
  7#b47 ,preservation is the fruit of   
his sovereignty4 ,when he had called    
the world to stand out1 he might have   
ordered it to return into its  dark den 
of nothingness1 ripped up every part of 
its foundation1 or  have given being to 
many more creatures then he did4 ,if you
 consider  his absolute sovereignty1 why
 might he not have divested ,adam       
presently  of those rational perfections
 wherewith he had endowed him8 ,and     
might  he not have metamorphosed him    

into some beast1 and elevated some beast
  into a rational nature8 ,why might he 
not have degraded an angel to a  worm1  
and advanced a worm to the nature and   
condition of an angel8 ,why  might he   
not have revoked that grant of dominion1
 which he had passed  to man over all   
creatures8 ,it was free to him to permit
 sin to enter  into the earth1 or to    
have excluded it out of the earth1 as he
 doth  out of heaven4 7#c47 ,redemption 
is a fruit of his sovereignty4 ,by his  
absolute sovereignty he might have      
confirmed all the angels in their       
standing by grace1 and prevented the    
revolt of any of their members  from    
him2 and when there was a revolt both in
 heaven and earth1 it was  free to him  
to have called out his ,son to assume   
the angelical1 as well  as the human1   
nature1 or have exercised his dominion  
in the destruction  of men and devils1  
rather than in the redemption of any2 he
 was under  no obligation to restore    
either the one or the other4 7#d47 ,may 

he not  impose what terms he pleases8   
,may he not impose what laws he pleases1
  and exact what he will of his creature
 without promising any rewards8  ,may he
 not use his own for his own honor1 as  
well as men use for their  credit what  
they do possess by his indulgence8 7#e47
 ,affliction is an  act of his          
sovereignty4 ,by this right of          
sovereignty1 may not ,god take  away any
 man's goods1 since they were his doles8
 ,as he was not indebted  to us when he 
bestowed them1 so he cannot wrong us    
when he removes  them4 ,he takes from us
 what is more his own than it is ours1  
and was  never ours but by his gift1 and
 that for a time only1 not forever4 ,by 
this right he may determine our times1  
put a period to our days when he        
pleases1 strip us of one member1 and lop
 off another4 ,man's being was  from    
him1 and why should he not have a       
sovereignty to take what he had  a      
sovereignty to give8 ,why should this   
seem strange to any of us1 since  we    

ourselves exercise an absolute dominion 
over those things in our  possession1   
which have sense and feeling1 as well as
 over those that  want it8 ,doth not    
every man think he hath an absolute     
authority over  the utensils of his     
house1 over his horse1 his dog1 to      
preserve or kill  him1 to do what he    
please with him1 without rendering any  
other reason  than1 ,it is my own8 ,may 
not ,god do much more8 ,doth not his    
dominion  over the work of his hands    
transcend that which a man can claim    
over  his beast that he never gave life 
unto8 ,he that dares dispute against    
,god's absolute right1 fancies himself  
as much a god as his ,creator3          
understands not the vast difference     
between the ,divine nature and his  own2
 between the sovereignty of ,god and his
 own1 which is all the theme  b#cge ,god
 himself discourseth upon in those      
stately chapters 7,job4  xxxviii41      
xxxix4 c472 not mentioning a word of    
,job's sin1 but only  vindicating the   

rights of his own authority4 ,nor doth  
,job1 in his  reply 7,job xl4 #d71 speak
 of his sin1 but of his natural vileness
 as a  creature in the presence of his  
,creator4 ,by this right1 ,god unstops  
the  bottles of heaven in one place1 and
 stops them in another1 causing it  8to 
rain upon one city1 and not upon        
another0 7,amos iv4 #g72 ordering  the  
clouds to move to this or that quarter  
where he hath a mind to be  a benefactor
 or a judge4 7#f47 ,unequal             
dispensations are acts of his           
sovereignty4 ,by this right he is       
patient toward those whose sins1 by  the
 common voice of men1 deserve speedy    
judgments1 and pours out pain  upon     
those that are patterns of virtue to the
 world4 ,by this he gives  sometimes the
 worst of men an ocean of wealth and    
honor to swim in1  and reduceth an      
useful and exemplary grace to a scanty  
poverty4 ,by  this he 8rules the        
kingdoms of men10 and sets a crown upon 
the head of  the basest of men 7,dan4   

iv4 #ag71 while he deposeth another that
 seemed  to deserve a weightier diadem4 
,this is1 as he is the ,lord of the     
ammunition of his thunders1 and the     
treasures of his bounty4 7#g47 ,he  may 
inflict what torments he pleases4 ,some 
say1 by this right of  sovereignty he   
may inflict what torments he pleaseth   
upon an innocent  person2 which1 indeed1
 will not bear the nature of a          
punishment as  an effect of justice1    
without the supposal of a crime2 but a  
torment1  as an effect of that sovereign
 right he hath over his creature1 which 
is as absolute over his work as the     
8potter's0 power is 8over his  own clay0
 7,jer4 xviii4 #f2 ,rom4 ix4 #ba74 ,may 
not the potter1 after his  labor1 either
 set his 8vessel0 up to adorn his house1
 or knock it in  pieces1 and fling it   
upon the dunghill2 separate it to some  
noble use1  or condemn it to some sordid
 service8#ajjb ,is the right of ,god    
over  his creatures less than that of   
the potter over his vessel1 since ,god  

contributed all to his creature1 but the
 potter never made the clay1  which is  
the substance of the vessel1 nor the    
water which was necessary  to make it   
tractable1 but only moulded the         
substance of it into such a  shape8 ,the
 vessel that is framed1 and the potter  
that frames it1 differ  only in life3   
the body of the potter1 whereby he      
executes his authority1  is of no better
 a mould than the clay1 the matter of   
his vessel4 ,shall  he have so absolute 
a power over that which is so near him1 
and shall  not ,god over that which is  
so infinitely distant from him8 ,the    
8vessel10  perhaps1 might plead for     
itself that it was once part of the body
 of  a man1 and as good as the 8potter0 
himself2 whereas no creature can  plead 
it was part of ,god1 and as good as ,god
 himself4 ,though there  be no man in   
the world but deserves affliction1 yet  
the ,scripture  sometimes lays          
affliction upon the score of ,god's     
dominion1 without any  respect to the   

sin of the afflicted person4 ,speaking  
of a sick person  7,james v4 #ae71 8,if 
he have committed sins1 they shall be   
forgiven  him20 whereby is implied1 that
 he might be struck into sickness by    
,god1  without any respect to a         
particular sin1 but in a way of trial2  
and  that his affliction sprung not from
 any exercise of ,divine justice1 but   
from his absolute sovereignty2 and so1  
in the case of the blind man1  when the 
disciples asked for what sin it was1    
b#cgf whether for his  8own10 or his    
8parents sin10 he was born blind8 7,john
 ix4 #c71 8,neither  hath this man      
sinned1 nor his parents20 which speaks1 
in itself1 not  against the whole       
current of ,scripture2 but the words    
import thus much1  that ,god1 in this   
blindness from the birth1 neither       
respected any sin  of the man's own1 nor
 of his parents1 but he did it as an    
absolute  sovereign1 to manifest his own
 glory in that miraculous cure which    
was wrought by ,christ4 ,though         

afflictions do not happen without the   
desert of the creature1 yet some        
afflictions may be sent without any     
particular respect to that desert1      
merely for the manifestation of  ,god's 
glory1 since the creature was made for  
,god himself1 and his honor1  and       
therefore may be used in a              
serviceableness to the glory of the     
,creator4    #b;d4 ,his dominion is     
absolute in regard of unlimitedness by  
any  law without him4 ,he is an absolute
 monarch that makes laws for his        
subjects1 but is not bound by any       
himself1 nor receives any rules and     
laws from his subjects1 for the         
management of his government4 ,but most 
governments in the world are bounded by 
laws made by common consent4  ,but when 
kings are not limited by the laws of    
their kingdoms1 yet they  are bounded by
 the law of nature1 and by the          
providence of ,god4 ,but ,god  is under 
no law without himself2 his rule is     
within him1 the rectitude  and          

righteousness of his own nature2 he is  
not under that law he hath  prescribed  
to man4 ,the law was not made for a     
8righteous man0 7#a ,tim4  i4 #i71 much 
less for a righteous ,god4 ,god is his  
own law2 his own  nature is his rule1 as
 his own glory is his end2 himself is   
his end1  and himself is his law4 ,he is
 moved by nothing without himself2      
nothing  hath the dominion of a motive  
over him but his own will1 which is his 
rule for all his actions in heaven and  
earth4 7,dan4 iv4 #cb71 8,he rules  in  
the kingdom of men1 and gives it to     
whomsoever he will40 ,and1 7,rom4  ix4  
#ah71 8,he hath mercy on whom he will   
have mercy20 as all things are  wrought 
by him according to his own eternal     
ideas in his own mind1 so  all is       
wrought by him according to the inward  
motive in his own will1  which was the  
manifestation of his own honor4 ,the    
greatest motives1  therefore1 that the  
best persons have used1 when they have  
pleaded for  any grant from ,god1 was   

his own glory1 which would be advanced  
by an  answer of their petition4        
#c;d4 ,his dominion is absolute in      
regard of supremacy and                 
uncontrollableness4 ,none can implead   
him1 and cause him to render a  reason  
of his actions4 ,he is the sovereign    
,king1 8,who may say unto him1  ,what   
dost thou80 7,eccles4 viii4 #d47 ,it is 
an absurd thing for any to  dispute with
 ,god4 7,rom4 xi4 #bj71 8,who art thou1 
,o man1 that repliest  against ,god80   
,thou1 a man1 a piece of dust1 to argue 
with a ,god  incomprehensibly above thy 
reason1 about the reason of his works6  
,let  the potsherds strive with the     
potsherds of the earth1 but 8not with   
,him  that fashioned them0 7,isa4 xlv4  
#i74 ,in all the desolations he works1  
he asserts his own supremacy to silence 
men4 7,ps4 xlvi4 #aj71 8,be still1  and 
know that ,i am ,god60 ,beware of any   
quarrelling motions in your  minds2 it  
is sufficient than ,i am ,god1 that is  
supreme1 and will not  be impleaded1 and

 censured1 or worded with by any        
creature about what ,i  do4 ,he is not  
bound to render a b#cgg reason of any of
 his proceedings4  ,subjects are        
accountable to their princes1 and       
princes to ,god1 ,god  to none2 since he
 is not limited by any superior1 his    
prerogative is  supreme4    #dth4 ,his  
dominion is absolute in regard of       
irresistibleness4 ,other  governments   
are bounded by law2 so that what a      
governor hath strength  to do1 he hath  
not a right to do2 other governors have 
a limited  ability1 that what they have 
a right to do1 they have not always a   
strength to do2 they may want a power to
 execute their own counsels4  ,but ,god 
is destitute of neither2 he hath an     
infinite right1 and an  infinite        
strength2 his word is a law2 he commands
 things to stand out  of nothing1 and   
they do so4 8,he commanded10 or spake1  
1 8light  to shine out of darkness0 7#b 
,cor4 iv4 #f74 ,there is no distance of 
time  between his word3 8,let there be  

light2 and there was light0 7,gen4 i4   
#c74  ,magistrates often use not their  
authority1 for fear of giving occasion  
to insurrections1 which may overturn    
their empire4 ,but if the ,lord will    
work1 8who shall let it80 7,isa4 xliii4 
#ai73 and if ,god will not work1  who   
shall force him8 ,he can check and      
overturn all other powers2 his  decrees 
cannot be stopped1 nor his hand held    
back by any3 if he wills  to dash the   
whole world in pieces1 no creature can  
maintain its being  against his order4  
,he sets the ordinances of the heavens1 
and the  dominion thereof in the earth2 
and sends lightnings1 that they may go1 
and say unto him1 8,here we are0 7,job4 
xxxviii4 #cc1 #cd74    #c4 ,yet this    
dominion1 though it be absolute1 is not 
tyrannical1 but  it is managed by the   
rules of wisdom1 righteousness1 and     
goodness4  ,if his throne be in the     
heavens1 it is pure and good3 because   
the  heavens are the purest parts of the
 creation1 and influence by their       

goodness the lower earth4 ,since he is  
his own rule1 and his nature is         
infinitely wise1 holy1 and righteous1 he
 cannot do a thing but what is          
unquestionably agreeable with wisdom1   
justice1 and purity4 ,in all the        
exercises of his sovereign right1 he is 
never unattended with those  perfections
 of his nature4 ,might not ,god1 by his 
absolute power1 have  pardoned men's    
guilt1 and thrown the invading sin out  
of his creatures8  but in regard of his 
truth pawned in his threatening1 and in 
regard  of his justice1 which demanded  
satisfaction1 he would not4 ,might not  
,god1 by his absolute sovereignty1 admit
 a man into his friendship1  without    
giving him any grace8 but in regard of  
the incongruity of such  an act to his  
wisdom and holiness1 he will not4 ,may  
he not1 by his  absolute power1 refuse  
to accept a man that desires to please  
him1  and reject a purely innocent      
creature8 but in regard of his goodness 
and righteousness1 he will not4 ,though 

innocence be amiable in its own  nature1
 yet it is not necessary in regard of   
,god's sovereignty1 that he  should love
 it2 but in regard of his goodness it is
 necessary1 and he  will never do       
otherwise4 ,as ,god never acts to the   
utmost of his power1  so he never exerts
 the utmost of his sovereignty3 because 
it would be  inconsistent with those    
other properties which render him       
perfectly  adorable to the creature4 ,as
 no intelligent creature1 neither angel 
nor  man1 can be framed without a law in
 his nature1 so we cannot imagine  ,god 
without a law in his own nature1 unless 
we would fancy him a  rude1 tyrannical1 
foolish being1 that hath nothing of     
holiness1 b#cgh  goodness1              
righteousness1 wisdom4 ,if he 8made the 
heavens in wisdom0 7,ps4  cxxxvi4 #e71  
he made them by some rule1 not by a mere
 will1 but a rule  within himself1 not  
without4 ,a wise work is never the      
result of an  absolute unguided will4   
7#a47 ,this dominion is managed by the  

rule of wisdom4 ,what may appear  to us 
to have no other spring than absolute   
sovereignty1 would be  found to have a  
depth of amazing wisdom1 and accountable
 reason1 were  our short capacities long
 enough to fathom it4 ,when the apostle 
had  been discoursing of the eternal    
counsels of ,god1 in seizing upon one   
man1 and letting go another1 in         
neglecting the ,jews1 and gathering in  
the ,gentiles1 which appears to us to be
 results only of an absolute  dominion1 
yet he resolves not those amazing acts  
into that1 without  taking it for       
granted that they were governed by exact
 wisdom1 though  beyond his ken to see  
and his line to sound4 8,o1 the depth of
 the  riches1 both of the wisdom and    
knowledge of ,god2 how unsearchable are 
his judgments1 and his ways past finding
 out0 7,rom4 ii4 #cc76 ,there are  some 
things in matters of state1 that may    
seem to be acts of mere will1  but if we
 were acquainted with the arcana        
imperii1 the inward engines  which moved

 them1 and the ends aimed at in those   
undertakings1 we might  find a rich vein
 of prudence in them1 to incline us to  
judge otherwise  than bare arbitrary    
proceedings4 ,the other attributes of   
power and  goodness are more easily     
perceptible in the works of ,god than   
his  wisdom4 ,the first view of the     
creation strikes us with this sentiment1
  that the ,author of this great fabric 
was mighty and beneficial2 but his      
wisdom lies deeper than to be discerned 
at the first glance1 without  a diligent
 inquiry2 as at the first casting our   
eyes upon the sea1 we  behold its       
motion1 color1 and something of its     
vastness1 but we cannot  presently      
fathom the depth of it1 and understand  
those lower fountains  that supply that 
great ocean of waters4 ,it is part of   
,god's sovereignty1  as it is of the    
wisest princes1 that he hath a wisdom   
beyond the  reach of his subjects2 it is
 not for a finite nature to understand  
an ,infinite ,wisdom1 nor for a foolish 

creature that hath lost his             
understanding by the fall1 to judge of  
the reason of the methods of  a wise    
,counsellor4 ,yet those actions that    
savor most of sovereignty1  present men 
with some glances of his wisdom4 ,was it
 mere will1 that  he suffered some      
angels to fall8 ,but his wisdom was in  
it for the  manifestation of his        
justice1 as it was also in the case of  
,pharaoh4  ,was it mere will1 that he   
suffered sin to be committed by man8    
,was not  his wisdom in this for the    
discovery of his mercy1 which never had 
been  known without that1 which should  
render a creature miserable8 8,he hath  
concluded them all in unbelief1 that he 
might have mercy upon all0 7,rom4  xi4  
#cb74 ,though ,god had such an absolute 
right1 to have annihilated the  world as
 soon as ever he had made it1 yet how   
had this consisted with  his wisdom1 to 
have erected a creature after his own   
image one day1 and  despised it so much 
the next1 as to cashier it from being8  

,what wisdom  had it been to make a     
thing only to destroy it2 to repent of  
his work  as soon as ever it came out of
 his hands1 without any occasion offered
  by the creature8 ,if ,god be supposed 
to be ,creator1 he must be supposed  to 
have an end in creation2 what end can   
that be b#cgi but himself  and his own  
glory1 the manifestation of the         
perfections of his nature8  ,what       
perfection could have been discovered in
 so quick an annihilation1  but that of 
his power in creating1 and of his       
sovereignty in snatching  away the being
 of his rational creature1 before it had
 laid the methods  of acting8 ,what     
wisdom to make a world1 and a reasonable
 creature for  no use2 not to praise and
 honor him1 but to be broken in pieces1 
and  destroyed by him8    7#b47 ,his    
sovereignty is managed according to the 
rule of righteousness4  ,worldly princes
 often fancy tyranny and oppression to  
be the chief  marks of sovereignty1 and 
think their sceptres not beautiful till 

died  in blood1 nor the throne secure   
till established upon slain carcasses4  
,but 8justice and judgment0 are the     
foundation of the throne of ,god 7,ps4  
lxxxix4 #ad72 alluding perhaps to the   
supporters of arms and thrones1  which  
among princes are the figures of lions1 
emblems of courage1 as  ,solomon had 7#a
 ,kings1 x4 #ai74 ,but ,god makes not so
 much might1 as right1  the support of  
his4 ,he sits on a 8throne of holiness0 
7,ps4 xlvii4 #h74  ,as he reigns over   
the heathens1 referring to the calling  
of the  ,gentiles after the rejecting of
 the ,jews2 the ,psalmist here praising 
the righteousness of it1 as the ,apostle
 had the unsearchable wisdom  of it     
7,rom4 xi4 #cc74 8,in all his ways he is
 righteous0 7,ps4 cxlv4 #ag73  in his   
ways of terror as well as those of      
sweetness2 in those works  wherein      
little else but that of his sovereignty 
appears to us4 ,it is  always linked    
with his holiness1 that he will not do  
by his absolute  right anything but what

 is conformable to it3 since his        
dominion is  founded upon the excellency
 of his nature1 he will not do anything 
but  what is agreeable to it1 and       
becoming his other perfections4 ,though 
he be an absolute sovereign1 he is not  
an arbitrary governor2 8,shall  not the 
,judge of all the earth do right0 7,gen4
 xviii4 #be78 i4 e4 it  is impossible   
but he should act righteously in every  
punctilio of his  government1 since his 
righteousness capacitates him to be a   
judge1 not  a tyrant1 of all the earth4 
,the heathen poets represented their    
chief  god ,jupiter with ,themis1 or    
,right1 sitting by him upon his throne  
in  all his orders4 ,god cannot by his  
absolute sovereignty command some       
things1 because they are directly       
against unchangeable righteousness2  as 
to command a creature to hate or        
blaspheme the ,creator1 not to own  him 
nor praise him4 ,it would be a manifest 
unrighteousness to order  the creature  
not to own him1 upon whom he depends    

both in its being  and wellbeing2 this  
would be against that natural duty which
 is  indispensably due from every       
rational creature to ,god4 ,this would  
be to  order him to lay aside his       
reason1 while he retains it2 to disown  
him  to be the ,creator1 while man      
remains his creature4 ,this is repugnant
  to the nature of ,god1 and the true   
nature of the creature2 or to exact     
anything of man1 but what he had given  
him a capacity1 in his original  nature1
 to perform4 ,if any command were above 
our natural power1 it  would be         
unrighteous2 as to command a man to     
grasp the globe of the  earth1 to stride
 over the sea1 to lave out the waters of
 the ocean2  these things are           
impossible1 and become not the          
righteousness and  wisdom of ,god to    
enjoin4 ,there can be no obligation on  
man to an  impossibility4 ,god had a    
free dominion over nullity before the   
creation2  he could call it out into the
 being b#chj of man and beast1 but he   

could not do anything in creation       
foolishly1 because of his infinite      
wisdom2 nor could he by the right of his
 absolute sovereignty make man  sinful1 
because of his infinite purity4 ,as it  
is impossible for him  not to be        
sovereign1 it is impossible for him to  
deny his ,deity and  his purity4 ,it is 
lawful for ,god to do what he will1 but 
his will being  ordered by the          
righteousness of his nature1 as infinite
 as his will1 he  cannot do anything but
 what is just2 and therefore in his     
dealing with  men1 you find him in      
,scripture submitting the reasonableness
 and equity  of his proceedings to the  
judgment of his depraved creatures1 and 
the inward dictates of their own        
conscience4 8,and now1 ,o inhabitants   
of ,jerusalem1 and men of ,judah1 judge1
 ,i pray you1 between me and my         
vineyard0 7,isa4 v4 #c74 ,though ,god be
 the great ,sovereign of the world1  yet
 he acts not in a way of absolute       
sovereignty4 ,he rules by law2  he is a 

8,lawgiver0 as well as a 8,king0 7,isa4 
xxxiii4 #bb74 ,it had been  repugnant to
 the nature of a rational creature to be
 ruled otherwise2  to be governed as a  
beast1 this had been to frustrate those 
faculties  of will and understanding    
which had been given him4 ,to conclude  
this3  when we say1 ,god can do this or 
that1 or command this or that1 his      
authority is not bounded and limited    
properly4 ,who can reasonably  detract  
from his almightiness1 because he cannot
 do anything which  savors of weakness2 
and what detracting is it from his      
authority1 that  he cannot do anything  
unseemly for the dignity of his nature8 
,it is  rather from the infiniteness of 
his righteousness than the straitness   
of his authority2 at most it is but a   
voluntary bounding his dominion  by the 
law of his own holiness4    7#c47 ,his  
sovereignty is managed according to the 
rule of goodness4 ,some  potentates     
there have been in the world1 that have 
loved to suck the  blood1 and drink the 

tears1 of their subjects2 that would    
rule more by  fear than love2 like      
,clearchus1 the tyrant of ,heraclea1 who
 bore the  figure of a thunderbolt      
instead of a sceptre1 and named his son 
,thunder1  thereby to tutor him to      
terrify his subjects4#ajjc ,but as      
,god's throne  is a throne of holiness1 
so it is a 8throne of grace0 7,heb4 iv4 
#af71  a throne encircled with a        
rainbow3 8,in sight like to an emerald0 
7,rev4  iv4 #bc73 an emblem of the      
covenant1 that hath the pleasantness of 
a  green color1 delightful to the eye1  
betokening mercy4 ,though his nature  be
 infinitely excellent above us1 and his 
power infinitely transcendent  over us1 
yet the majesty of his government is    
tempered with an  unspeakable goodness4 
,he acts not so much as an absolute     
,lord1 as a  gracious ,sovereign and    
obliging ,benefactor4 ,he delights not  
to make  his subjects slaves2 exacts not
 from them any servile and fearful1 but 
a generous and cheerful1 obedience4 ,he 

requires them not to fear1 or  worship  
him so much for his power1 as his       
goodness4 ,he requires not  of a        
rational creature anything repugnant to 
the honor1 dignity1 and  principles of  
such a nature2 not anything that may    
shame1 disgrace  it1 and make it weary  
of its own being1 and the service it    
owes to its  ,sovereign4 ,he draws by   
the cords of a man2 his goodness renders
 his  laws as sweet as honey or the     
honeycomb to an unvitiated palate and  a
 renewed mind4 ,and though it be granted
 he hath a full dispose of his          
creature1 as the b#cha potter of his    
vessel1 and might by his absolute       
sovereignty inflict upon an innocent an 
eternal torment1 yet his  goodness will 
never permit him to use this sovereign  
right to the hurt  of a creature that   
deserves it not4 ,if ,god should cast an
 innocent  creature into the furnace of 
his wrath1 who can question him8 ,but   
who  can think that his goodness will do
 so1 since that is as infinite as  his  

authority8 ,as not to punish the sinner 
would be a denial of his  justice1 so to
 torment an innocent would be a denial  
of his goodness4  ,a man hath an        
absolute power over his beast1 and may  
take away his  life1 and put him to a   
great deal of pain2 but that moral      
virtue of  pity and tenderness would not
 permit him to use this right1 but when 
it conduceth to some greater good than  
that can be evil2 either for the  good  
of man1 which is the end of the         
creature1 or for the good of the  poor  
beast itself1 to rid him of a greater   
misery2 none but a savage  nature1 a    
disposition to be abhorred1 would       
torture a poor beast merely  for his    
pleasure4 ,it is as much against the    
nature of ,god to punish  one eternally1
 that hath not deserved it1 as it is to 
deny himself1  and act anything         
foolishly and unbeseeming his other     
perfections1 which  render him          
majestical and adorable4 ,to afflict an 
innocent creature  for his own good1 or 

for the good of the world1 as in the    
case of the  ,redeemer1 is so far from  
being against goodness1 that it is the  
highest  testimony of his tender bowels 
to the sons of men4 ,god1 though he be  
mighty1 8withdraws not his eyes10 i4 e4 
his tender respect1 8from  the          
righteous0 7,job1 xxxvi4 #e1 #gaj74 ,and
 if he 8bind them in fetters10  it is to
 8show them their transgressions10 and  
8open their ear to  discipline10 and    
renewing commands1 in a more sensible   
strain1 8to  depart from iniquity40     
,what was said of ,fabritius1 8,you may 
as soon  remove the sun from its course1
 as ,fabritius from his honesty10 may   
be of ,god3 you may as soon dash in     
pieces his throne1 as separate his      
goodness from his sovereignty4    #d4   
,this sovereignty is extensive over all 
creatures4 ,he rules all1 as  the       
heavens do over the earth4 ,he is 8,king
 of worlds1 ,king of ages10 as  the word
 translated 8eternal0 signifies 7#a     
,tim4 i4 #ag71      3 and the same word 

is so translated 7,heb4 i4 #b71 8,by    
whom  also he made the worlds40 ,the    
same word is rendered 8worlds0 7,heb4   
xi4  #c73 8,the worlds were framed by   
the ,word of ,god40 ,god is ,king of    
ages  or worlds1 of the invisible world 
and the sensible2 of all from the       
beginning of their creation1 of         
whatsoever is measured by a time4 ,it   
extends over angels and devils1 over    
wicked and good1 over rational and      
irrational creatures2 all things bow    
down under his hand2 nothing can  be    
exempted from him3 because there is     
nothing but was extracted by  him from  
nothing into being4 ,all things         
essentially depend upon him2  and1      
therefore1 must be essentially subject  
to him2 the extent of his  dominion     
flows from the perfection of his        
essence2 since his essence is           
unlimited1 his royalty cannot be        
restrained4 ,his authority is as void   
of any imperfection as his essence is2  
it reaches out to all points of  the    

heaven above1 and the earth below4      
,other princes reign in a spot of       
ground4 ,every worldly potentate hath   
the confines of his dominions4 ,the     
,pyrenean mountains divide ,france from 
,spain1 and the ,alps1 ,italy from      
,france4 ,none are called kings         
absolutely1 but kings of this or b#chb  
that place4 ,but ,god is the ,king2 the 
spacious firmament limits not his       
dominion2 if we could suppose him       
bounded by any place1 in regard of  his 
presence1 yet he could never be out of  
his own dominion2 whatsoever  he looks  
upon1 wheresoever he were1 would be     
under his rule4 ,earthly  kings may step
 out of their own country into the      
territory of a  neighbor prince2 and as 
one leaves his country1 so he leaves his
  dominion behind him2 but heaven and   
earth1 and every particle of both1  is  
the territory of ,god4 8,he hath        
prepared his throne in the heavens1  and
 his kingdom rules over all40    7#a47  
,the heaven of angels1 and other        

excellent creatures1 belong to his      
authority4 ,he is principally called    
8,the ,lord of ,hosts10 in relation  to 
his entire command over the angelical   
legions3 therefore1 ver4 #ba1  following
 the text1 they are called his 8hosts10 
and 8ministers that  do his pleasure40  
,jacob called him so before 7,gen4      
xxxii4 #a1 #b74 ,when  he met the angels
 of ,god1 he calls them 8the host of    
,god20 and the  ,evangelist1 long after1
 calls them so 7,luke1 ii4 #ac73 8,a    
multitude  of the heavenly host1        
praising ,god20 and all this host he    
commands  7,isa4 xlv4 #ab73 8,my hands  
have stretched out the heavens1 and all 
their host have ,i commanded40 ,he      
employs them all in his service2 and    
when he issues out his orders to them to
 do this or that1 he finds no           
resistance of his will4 ,and the        
inanimate creatures in heaven are at    
his beck2 they are his armies in heaven1
 disposed in an excellent order  in     
their several ranks 7,ps4 cxlvii4 #d73  

8,he calls the stars by name20  they    
render a due obedience to him as        
servants to their master1 when he       
singles them out1 8and calls them by    
name10 to do some special service2  he  
calls them out to their several offices1
 as the general of an army  appoints the
 station of every regiment in a         
battalia4 ,or 8he calls them  by name10 
i4 e4 he imposeth names upon them1 a    
sign of dominion3 the  giving names to  
the inferior creatures being the first  
act of ,adam's  derivative dominion over
 them4 ,these are under the sovereignty 
of ,god4  ,the stars1 by their          
influences1 fight against ,sisera       
7,judges v4 #bj74  ,and the sun holds in
 its reins1 and stands stone still1 to  
light ,joshua  to a complete victory    
7,josh4 x4 #ab74 ,they are all          
marshalled in their  ranks to receive   
his word of command1 and fight in close 
order1 as  being desirous to have a     
share in the ruin of the enemies of     
their  ,sovereign4 ,and those creatures 

which mount up from the earth1 and take 
their place in the lower heavens1       
vapors1 whereof hail and snow are       
formed1 are part of the army1 and do not
 only receive1 but fulfil1 his  word of 
command 7,ps4 cxlviii4 #h74 ,these are  
his stores and magazines  of judgment   
against a time of trouble1 and 8a day of
 battle and war0  7,job xxxviii4 #bb1   
#bc74 ,the sovereignty of ,god is       
visible in all their  motions1 in their 
going and returning4 ,if he says1 ,go1  
they go2 if he  say1 ,come1 they come2  
if he say1 do this1 they gird up their  
loins1 and  stand stiff to their duty4  
7#b47 ,the hell of devils belong to his 
authority4 ,they have cast  themselves  
out of the arms of his grace into the   
furnace of his justice2  they have1 by  
their revolt1 forfeited the treasure of 
his goodness1  but cannot exempt        
themselves from the sceptre of his      
dominion2 when  they would not own him  
as a ,lord ,father1 they are under him  
as a ,lord  ,judge2 they are cast out of

 his affection1 but not b#chc freed from
  his yoke4 ,he rules over the good     
angels as his subjects1 over the  evil  
ones as his rebels4 ,in whatsoever      
relation he stands1 either as  a friend 
or enemy1 he never loses that of a      
,lord4 ,a prince is the lord  of his    
criminals as well as of his loyalest    
subjects4 ,by this right  of his        
sovereignty1 he uses them to punish     
some1 and be the occasion  of benefit to
 others3 on the wicked he employs them  
as instruments of  vengeance2 towards   
the godly1 as in the case of ,job1 as an
 instrument  of kindness for the        
manifestation of his sincerity against  
the  intention of that malicious        
executioner4 ,though the devils are  the
 executioners of his justice1 it is not 
by their own authority1  but ,god's2 as 
those that are employed either to rack  
or execute a  malefactor1 are subjects  
to the prince not only in the quality of
  men1 but in the execution of their    
function4 ,the devil1 by drawing men  to

 sin1 acquires no right to himself over 
the sinner3 for man by sin  offends not 
the devil1 but ,god1 and becomes guilty 
of punishment under  ,god4#ajjd ,when1  
therefore1 the devil is used by ,god for
 the punishment  of any1 it is an act of
 his sovereignty for the manifestation  
of the  order of his justice4 ,and as   
most nations use the vilest persons in  
offices of execution1 so doth ,god those
 vile spirits4 ,he doth not  ordinarily 
use the good angels in those offices of 
vengeance1 but in  the preservation of  
his people4 ,when he would solely       
punish1 he employs  8evil angels0 7,ps4 
lxxviii4 #di71 a troop of devils4 ,his  
sovereignty is  extended over the       
8deceiver and the deceived0 7,job xii4  
#af72 over both  the malefactor and the 
executioner1 the devil and his prisoner4
 ,he  useth the natural malice of the   
devils for his own just ends1 and  by   
his sovereign authority orders them to  
be the executioners of his  judgments   
upon their own vassals1 as well as      

sometimes inflicters of  punishments    
upon his own servants4    7#c47 ,the    
earth of men and other creatures belongs
 to his authority  7,ps4 xlvii4 #g74    
,god is ,king of 8all the earth10 and   
rules to the 8ends0  of it 7,ps4 lix4   
#ac74 ,ancient atheists confined ,god's 
dominion to the  heavenly orbs1 and     
bounded it within the circuit of the    
celestial  sphere 7,job1 xxii4 #ad73    
8,he walks in the circuit of heaven10 i4
 e4 he  exerciseth his dominion only    
there4 ,pedum positio was the sign of   
the  possession of a piece of land1 and 
the dominion of the possessor of it2    
and land was resigned by such a         
ceremony1 as now1 by the delivery of a  
twig or turf4#ajje ,but his dominion    
extends1    #ast4 ,over the least       
creatures4 ,all the creatures of the    
earth are  listed in ,christ's          
musterroll1 and make up the number of   
his regiments4  ,he hath an host on     
earth as well as in heaven 7,gen4 ii4   
#a73 8,the  heavens and earth were      

finished1 and all the host of them40    
,and they  are 8all his servants0 7,ps4 
cxiv4 #ia71 and move at his pleasure4   
,and he  vouchsafes the title of his    
army to the locust1 caterpillar1 and    
palmer  worm 7,joel ii4 #be72 and       
describes their motions by military     
words1  8climbing the walls1 marching1  
not breaking their ranks0 7ver4 #g74 ,he
  hath the command1 as a great general1 
over the highest angel and the  meanest 
worm2 all the kinds of the smallest     
insects he presseth for  his service4   
,by this sovereignty he muzzled the     
devouring nature of the  fire to        
preserve the three children1 and let it 
loose to consume their  adversaries2 and
 if he speaks the word1 b#chd the stormy
 waves are  hushed1 as if they had no   
principle of rage within them 7,ps4     
lxxxix4 #i74  ,since the meanest        
creature attains its end1 and no arrow  
that ,god hath  by his power shot into  
the world but hits the mark he aimed at1
 we must  conclude1 that there is a     

sovereign hand that governs all3 not a  
spot  of earth1 or air1 or water in the 
world1 but is his possession2 not a     
creature in any element but is his      
subject4    #b;d4 ,his dominion extends 
over men4 ,it extends over the highest  
potentate1 as well as the meanest       
peasant2 the proudest monarch is  no    
more exempt than the most languishing   
beggar4 ,he lays not aside  his         
authority to please the prince1 nor     
strains it up to terrify the  indigent4 
8,he accepts not the persons of princes1
 nor regards the rich  more than the    
poor2 for they are all the work of his  
hand0 7,job xxxiv4  #ai74 ,both the     
powers and weaknesses1 the gallantry and
 peasantry of the  earth1 stand and fall
 at his pleasure4 ,man1 in innocence1   
was under his  authority as his         
creature2 and man1 in his revolt1 is    
further under his  authority as a       
criminal3 as a person is under the      
authority of a prince1  as a governor1  
while he obeys his laws2 and further    

under the authority  of the prince1 as a
 judge1 when he violates his laws4 ,man 
is under  ,god's dominion in everything1
 in his settlement1 in his calling1 in  
the  ordering his very habitation 7,acts
 xvii4 #bf73 8,he determines the bounds 
of their habitations40 ,he never yet    
permitted any to be universal  monarch  
in the world1 nor over the fourth part  
of it1 though several1  in the pride of 
their heart1 have designed and attempted
 it3 the pope1  who hath bid the fairest
 for it in spirituals1 never attained   
it2 and  when his power was most        
flourishing1 there were multitudes that 
would  never acknowledge his authority4 
#c;d4 ,but especially this dominion1 in 
the peculiarity of its extent1 is  seen 
in the exercise of it over the spirits  
and hearts of men4 ,earthly  governors  
have1 by his indulgence1 a share with   
him in a dominion over  men's bodies1   
upon which account he graceth princes   
and judges with the  title of 8gods0    
7,ps4 lxxxii4 #f72 but the highest      

prince is but a prince  8according to   
the flesh10 as the apostle calls masters
 in relation to  their servants 7,col4  
iii4 #bb74    ,god is the sovereign2 man
 rules over the beast in man1 the body2 
and  ,god rules over the man in man1 the
 soul4 ,it sticks not in the outward    
surface1 but pierceth to the inward     
marrow4 ,it is impossible ,god should   
be without this2 if our wills were      
independent of him1 we were in some     
sort equal with himself1 in part gods1  
as well as creatures4 ,it is  impossible
 a creature1 either in whole or in part1
 can be exempted from  it2 since he is  
the fashioner of hearts as well as of   
bodies4 ,he is the  ,father of spirits1 
and therefore hath the right of a       
paternal dominion  over them4 ,when he  
established man lord of the other       
creatures1 he did  not strip himself of 
the propriety2 and when he made man a   
free agent1  and lord of the acts of his
 will1 he did not divest himself of the 
sovereignty4 ,his sovereignty is seen1  

#a4 ,in gifting the spirits of men4     
,earthly magistrates have hands too     
short to inspire the hearts of their    
subjects with worthy sentiments3  when  
they confer an employment1 they are not 
able to convey an ability  with it fit  
for the station3 they may as soon frame 
a statue b#che  of liquid water1 and    
gild1 or paint it over with the         
costliest colors1  as impart to any a   
statehead for a stateministry4 ,but when
 ,god  chooseth a ,saul from so mean an 
employment as seeking of asses1 he can  
treasure up in him a spirit fit for     
government2 and fire ,david1 in age  a  
stripling1 and by education a shepherd1 
with courage to encounter1  and skill to
 defeat1 a massy ,goliath4 ,and when he 
designs a person for  glory1 to stand   
before his throne1 he can put a new and 
a royal spirit  into him 7,ezek4 xxxvi4 
#bf74 ,god only can infuse habits into  
the soul1  to capacitate it to act nobly
 and generously4    #b4 ,his sovereignty
 is seen in regard of the inclinations  

of men's  wills4 ,no creature can       
immediately work upon the will1 to guide
 it to  what point he pleaseth1 though  
mediately it may1 by proposing reasons  
which may master the understanding1 and 
thereby determine the will4 ,but  ,god  
bows the hearts of men1 by the efficacy 
of his dominion1 to what  centre he     
pleaseth4 ,when the more overweaning    
sort of men1 that thought  their own    
heads as fit for a crown as ,saul's1    
scornfully despised him2  yet ,god      
touched the hearts of a band of men to  
follow and adhere to  him 7#a ,sam4 x4  
#bf1 #bg74 ,when the antichristian whore
 shall be ripe  for destruction1 ,god   
shall 8put it into the heart0 of the ten
 horns  or kings1 8to hate the whore1   
burn her with fire1 and fulfil his will0
  7,rev4 xvii4 #af1 #ag74 ,he 8fashions 
the hearts0 alike1 and tunes one  string
 to answer another1 and both to answer  
his own design 7,ps4 xxxiii4  #ae74 ,and
 while men seem to gratify their own    
ambition and malice1  they execute the  

will of ,god1 by his secret touch upon  
their spirits1  guiding their           
inclinations to serve the glorious      
manifestation of truth4  ,while the     
,jews would1 in a reproachful disgrace  
to ,christ1 crucify two  thieves with   
him1 to render him more incapable to    
have any followers1  they accomplished a
 prophecy1 and brought to light a mark  
of the  ,messiah1 whereby he had been   
charactered in one of their prophets1   
that  he should be 8numbered among      
transgressors0 7,isa4 liii4 #ab74 ,he   
can  make a man of not willing1 willing2
 the wills of all men are in his  hand2 
i4 e4 under the power of his sceptre1 to
 retain or let go upon  this or that    
errand1 to bend this or that way2 as    
water is carried by  pipes to what house
 or place the owner of it is pleased to 
order4 8,the  king's heart is in the    
hand of the ,lord1 as the rivers of     
waters2 he  turns it whithersoever he   
will0 7,prov4 xxi4 #a7 without any      
limitation4  ,he speaks of the heart of 

princes2 because1 in regard of their    
height1  they seem to be more absolute1 
and impetuous as waters2 yet ,god holds 
them in his hand1 under his dominion2   
turns them to acts of clemency  or      
severity1 like waters1 either to        
overflow and damage1 or to refresh  and 
fructify4 ,he can convey a spirit to    
them1 or 8cut it off0 from  them 7,ps4  
lxxvi4 #ab74 ,it is with reference to   
his efficacious power1  in graciously   
turning the heart of ,paul1 that the    
apostle breaks off  his discourse of the
 story of his conversion1 and breaks out
 into  a magnifying and glorifying of   
,god's dominion4 8,now unto the ,king   
eternal10 c4 8be honor and glory forever
 and ever0 7#a ,tim4 i4 #ag74 ,our      
hearts are more subject to the ,divine  
sovereignty than our members in  their  
motions are subject to our own wills4   
,as we can move our hand  east or west  
to any quarter of the world1 so can ,god
 bend our wills to  what mark he        
pleases4 ,the second cause in every     

b#chf motion depends  upon the first2   
and that will1 being a second cause1 may
 be furthered  or hindered in its       
inclinations or executions by ,god2 he  
can bend or  unbend it1 and change it   
from one actual inclination to another4 
,it is  as much under his authority and 
power to move1 or hinder1 as the vast   
engine of the heavens is in its motion  
or standing still1 which he can  affect 
by a word4 ,the work depends upon the   
workman2 the clock upon the  artificer  
for the motions of it4    #c4 ,his      
dominion is seen in regard of terror or 
comfort4 ,the heart or  conscience is   
,god's special throne on earth1 which he
 hath reserved to  himself1 and never   
indulged human authority to sit upon it4
 ,he solely  orders this in ways of     
conviction or comfort4 ,he can flash    
terror into  men's spirits in the midst 
of their earthly jollities1 and put     
death  into the pot of conscience1 when 
they are boiling up themselves in a     
high pitch of worldly delights1 and can 

raise men's spirits above the  sense of 
torment under racks and flames4 ,he can 
draw a handwriting not  only in the     
outward chamber1 but the inward closet2 
bring the rack into  the inwards of a   
man4 ,none can infuse comfort when he   
writes bitter  things1 nor can any fill 
the heart with gall1 when he drops in   
honey4  ,men may order outward duties1  
but they cannot unlock the conscience1  
and constrain men to think them duties  
which they are forced1 by human  laws1  
outwardly to act3 and as the laws of    
earthly princes are bounded  by the     
outward man1 so do their executions and 
punishments reach no  further than the  
case of the body3 but ,god can run upon 
the inward man1  as a giant1 and inflict
 wounds and gashes there4    #e4 ,it is 
an eternal dominion4 ,in regard of the  
exercise of it1 it was  not from        
eternity1 because there was not from    
eternity any creature  under the        
government of it2 but in regard of the  
foundation of it1  his essence1 his     

excellency1 it is eternal2 as ,god was  
from eternity  almighty1 but there was  
no exercise or manifestation of it till 
he  began to create4 ,men are kings only
 for a time2 their lives expire like  a 
lamp1 and their dominion is extinguished
 with their lives2 they hand  their     
empire by succession to others1 but many
 times it is snapped off  before they   
are cold in their graves4 ,how are the  
famous empires of the  ,chaldeans1      
,medes1 ,persians1 and ,greeks1         
mouldered away1 and their place  knows  
them no more6 and how are the wings of  
the ,roman eagle cut1 and  that empire  
which overspread a great part of the    
world1 hath lost most  of its feathers1 
and is confined to a narrower compass6  
,the dominion  of ,god flourisheth from 
one generation to another3 8,he sits    
,king  forever0 7,ps4 xxix4 #aj74 ,his  
8session0 signifies the establishment1  
and 8forever0 the duration2 and he 8sits
 now10 his sovereignty is as  absolute1 
as powerful as ever4 ,how many lords and

 princes hath this or  that kingdom had6
 in how many families hath the sceptre  
lodged6 when  as ,god hath had an       
uninterrupted dominion2 as he hath been 
always the  same in his essence1 he hath
 been always glorious in his            
sovereignty3  among men1 he that is lord
 today1 may be stripped of it tomorrow2 
the  dominions in the world vary2 he    
that is a prince may see his royalty    
upon the wings1 and feel himself laden  
with fetters2 and a prisoner  may be    
8lifted from his dungeon0 to a throne4  
,but there can be no  diminution of     
,god's government2 8,his throne is from 
generation b#chg  to generation0 7,lam4 
v4 #ai72 it cannot be shaken3 his       
sceptre1 like  ,aaron's rod1 is always  
green2 it cannot be wrested out of his  
hands2  none raised him to it1 none     
therefore can depose him from it2 it    
bears  the same splendor in all human   
affairs2 he is an eternal1 an 8immortal 
,king0 7#a ,tim4 i4 #ag72 as he is      
eternally mighty1 so he is eternally    

sovereign2 and1 being an eternal ,king1 
he is a ,king that gives not a          
momentary and perishing1 but a durable  
and everlasting life1 to them  that obey
 him3 a durable and eternal punishment  
to them that resist him4    ,,iv4       
,wherein this dominion and sovereign    
consists1 and how it is  manifested4    
,first4 ,the first act of sovereignty is
 the making laws4 ,this is  essential to
 ,god2 no creature's will can be the    
first rule to the  creature1 but only   
the will of ,god3 he only can prescribe 
man his  duty1 and establish the rule of
 it2 hence the law is called 8the royal 
law0 7,james ii4 #h73 it being the first
 and clearest manifestation  of         
sovereignty1 as the power of legislation
 is of the authority of  a prince4 ,both
 are joined together in ,isa4 liii4 #bb3
 8,the ,lord is our  ,lawgiver2 the     
,lord is our ,king20 legislative power  
being the great mark  of royalty4 ,god1 
as ,king1 enacts his laws by his own    
proper authority1  and his law is a     

declaration of his own sovereignty1 and 
of men's moral  subjection to him1 and  
dependence on him4 ,his sovereignty doth
 not  appear so much in his promises as 
in his precepts3 a man's power over     
another is not discovered by promising1 
for a promise doth not suppose  the     
promiser either superior or inferior to 
the person to whom the  promise is      
made4#ajjf ,it is not an exercising     
authority over another1  but over a     
man's self2 no man forceth another to   
the acceptance of  his promise1 but only
 proposeth and encourageth to an        
embracing of  it4 ,but commanding       
supposeth always an authority in the    
person giving  the precept2 it obligeth 
the person to whom the command is       
directed2  a promise obligeth the person
 by whom the promise is made4 ,god1 by  
his  command1 binds the creature2 by his
 promise he binds himself2 he stoops    
below his sovereignty1 to lay           
obligations upon his own majesty2 by a  
precept he binds the creature1 by a     

promise he encourageth the creature  to 
an observance of his precept3 what laws 
,god makes1 man is bound1  by virtue of 
his creation1 to observe2 that respects 
the sovereignty  of ,god3 what promises 
,god makes1 man is bound to believe2 but
 that  respects the faithfulness of     
,god4 ,god manifested his dominion more 
to  the ,jews than to any other people  
in the world2 he was their ,lawgiver1   
both as they were a church and a        
commonwealth3 as a church1 he gave  them
 ceremonial laws for the regulating     
their worship2 as a state1 he  gave them
 judicial laws for the ordering their   
civil affairs2 and as  both1 he gave    
them moral laws1 upon which both the    
laws of the church  and state were      
founded4 ,this dominion of ,god1 in this
 regard1 will be  manifest1    7#a47 ,in
 the supremacy of it4 ,the sole power of
 making laws doth  originally reside in 
him 7,james iv4 #ab72 8,there is one    
,lawgiver1 who is  able to save1 and to 
destroy40 ,by his own law he judges of  

the eternal  states of men1 and no law  
of man is obligatory1 but as it b#chh is
  agreeable to the laws of this supreme 
,lawgiver1 and pursuant to his          
righteous rules for the government of   
the world4 ,the power that the          
potentates of the world have to make    
laws is but derivative from ,god4  ,if  
their dominion be from him1 as it is1   
for 8by him kings reign0 7,prov4  viii4 
#ae71 their legislative power1 which is 
a prime flower of their  sovereignty1 is
 derived from him also3 and the apostle 
resolves it into  this original when he 
orders us to be 8subject to the higher  
powers1  not only for wrath1 but for    
conscience sake0 7,rom4 xiii4 #e74      
,conscience1  in its operations1 solely 
respects ,god2 and therefore1 when it is
  exercised as the principle of         
obedience to the laws of men1 it is not 
with respect to them1 singly considered1
 but as the majesty of ,god  appears in 
their station and in their decrees4     
,this power of giving  laws was         

acknowledged by the heathen to be solely
 in ,god by way of  original2 and       
therefore the greatest lawgivers among  
the heathen  pretended their laws to be 
received from some deity or supernatural
  power1 by special revelation3 now1    
whether they did this seriously1        
acknowledging themselves this part of   
the dominion of ,god1for it is  certain 
that whatsoever just orders were issued 
out by princes in the  world1 was by the
 secret influence of ,god upon their    
spirits 7,prov4  viii4 #ae73 8,by me    
princes decree justice20 by the secret  
conduct of  ,divine wisdom1or whether   
they pretended it only as a public      
engine1  to enforce upon people the     
observance of their decrees1 and gain a 
greater credit to their edicts1 yet this
 will result from it1 that  the people  
in general entertained this common      
notion1 that ,god was  the great        
,lawgiver of the world4 ,the first      
founders of their societies  could never
 else have so absolutely gained upon    

them by such a pretence4  ,there was    
always a revelation of a law from the   
mouth of ,god in every  age3 the        
exhortation of ,eliphaz to ,job 7,job   
xxii4 #bb71 of receiving  a 8law from   
the mouth0 of ,god1 at the time before  
the moral law was  published1 had been a
 vain exhortation had there been no     
revelation of  the mind of ,god in all  
ages4    7#b47 ,the dominion of ,god is 
manifest in the extent of his laws4 ,as 
he is the ,governor and ,sovereign of   
the whole world1 so he enacts laws  for 
the whole world4 ,one prince cannot make
 laws for another1 unless he  makes him 
his subject by right of conquest2 ,spain
 cannot make laws for  ,england1 or     
,england for ,spain2 but ,god having the
 supreme government1  as ,king over all1
 is a ,lawgiver to all1 to irrational1  
as well as  rational creatures4 ,the    
8heavens have their ordinances0 7,job   
xxxviii4  #cc72 all creatures have a law
 imprinted on their beings2 rational    
creatures have ,divine statutes copied  

in their heart3 for men1 it is  clear   
7,rom4 ii4 #ad71 every son of ,adam1 at 
his coming into the world1  brings with 
him a law in his nature1 and when reason
 clears itself  up from the clouds of   
sense1 he can make some difference      
between good  and evil2 discern         
something of fit and just4 ,every man   
finds a law  within him that checks him 
if he offends it3 none are without a    
legal  indictment and a legal           
executioner within them2 ,god or none   
was the  ,author of this as a sovereign 
,lord1 in establishing a law in man at  
the  same time1 wherein1 as an ,almighty
 ,creator1 he imparted a being4 ,this   
law proceeds from ,god's general power  
of governing1 as he is the ,author      
b#chi of nature1 and binds not barely as
 it is the reason of man1 but  by the   
authority of ,god1 as it is a law       
engraven on his conscience3 and  no     
doubt but a law was given to the angels2
 ,god did not govern those  intellectual
 creatures as he doth brutes1 and in a  

way inferior to  his rule of man4 ,some 
sinned2 all might have sinned in regard 
to the  changeableness of their nature4 
,sin cannot be but against some rule2   
8where there is no law1 there is no     
transgression20 what that law was  is   
not revealed2 but certainly it must be  
the same in part with the  moral law1 so
 far as it agreed with their spiritual  
natures2 a love to  ,god1 a worship of  
him1 and a love to one another in their 
societies and  persons4    7#c47 ,the   
dominion of ,god is manifest in the     
reason of some laws1 which  seem to be  
nothing else than purely his own will4  
,some laws there  are for which a reason
 may be rendered from the nature of the 
thing  enjoined1 as to love1 honor1 and 
worship ,god3 for others1 none but      
this1 ,god will have it so3 such was    
that positive law to ,adam of 8not      
eating of the tree of knowledge of good 
and evil0 7,gen4 ii4 #ag71 which  was   
merely an asserting his own dominion1   
and was different from that  law of     

nature ,god had written in his heart4   
,no other reason of this  seems to us1  
but a resolve to try man's obedience in 
a way of absolute  sovereignty1 and to  
manifest his right over all creatures1  
to reserve  what he pleased to himself1 
and permit the use of what he pleased to
  man1 and to signify to man that he was
 to depend on him1 who was his  ,lord1  
and not on his own will4 ,there was no  
more hurt in itself1 for  ,adam to have 
eaten of that1 than of any other in the 
garden2 the fruit  was pleasant to the  
eye1 and good for food2 but ,god would  
show the  right he had over his own     
goods1 and his authority over man1 to   
reserve  what he pleases of his own     
creation from his touch2 and since man  
could  not claim a propriety in         
anything1 he was to meddle with nothing 
but by  the leave of his ,sovereign1    
either discovered by a special or       
general  license4 ,thus ,god showed     
himself the ,lord of man1 and that man  
was but  his steward1 to act by his     

orders4 ,if ,god had forbidden man the  
use  of more trees in the garden1 his   
command had been just2 since1 as a      
sovereign ,lord1 he might dispose of his
 own goods2 and when he had  granted him
 the whole compass of that pleasant     
garden1 and the whole  world round about
 for him and his posterity1 it was a    
more tolerable  exercise of his dominion
 to reserve this 8one tree10 as a mark  
of  his sovereignty1 when he had left   
8all others0 to the use of ,adam4 ,he   
reserved nothing to himself1 as ,lord of
 the manor1 but this2 and ,adam  was    
prohibited nothing else but this one1 as
 a sign of his subjection4  ,now for    
this no reason can be rendered by any   
man but merely the will  of ,god2 this  
was merely a fruit of his dominion4 ,for
 the moral laws a  reason may be        
rendered2 to love ,god hath reason to   
enforce it besides  ,god's will2 viz41  
the excellency of his nature1 and the   
greatness and  multitudes of his        
benefits4 ,to love our neighbor hath    

enforcing reasons2  viz41 the           
conjunction in blood1 the preservation  
of human society1  and the need we may  
stand in of their love ourselves3 but no
 reason  can be assigned of this        
positive command about the tree of      
knowledge  of good and evil1 but the    
pleasure of ,god4 ,it was a branch of   
his pure  dominion to b#cij but merely  
the pleasure of ,god4 ,it was a branch  
of  his pure dominion to try man's      
obedience1 and a mark of his goodness   
to try it by so and light a precept1    
when he might have extended  his        
authority further4 ,had not ,god given  
this or the like order1 his  absolute   
dominion had not been so conspicuous4   
,it is true1 ,adam had a  law of nature 
in him1 whereby he was obliged to       
perpetual obedience2  and though it was 
a part of ,god's dominion to implant it 
in him1 yet  his supreme dominion over  
the creatures had not been so visible to
  man but by this1 or a precept of the  
same kind4 ,what was commanded or       

prohibited by the law of nature1 did    
bespeak a comeliness in itself1 it      
appeared good or evil to the reason of  
man2 but this was neither good  nor evil
 in itself1 it received its sole        
authority from the absolute  will of    
,god1 and nothing could result from the 
fruit itself1 as a  reason why man      
should not taste it1 but only the sole  
will of ,god4  ,and as ,god's dominion  
was most conspicuous in this precept1 so
 man's  obedience had been most eminent 
in observing it3 for in his obedience   
to it1 nothing but the sole power and   
authority of ,god1 which is the  proper 
rule of obedience1 could have been      
respected1 not any reason  from the     
thing itself4 ,to this we may refer some
 other commands1 as  that of appointing 
the time of solemn and public worship1  
the seventh  day2 though the worship of 
,god be a part of the law of nature1 yet
  the appointing a particular day1      
wherein he would be more formally  and  
solemnly acknowledged than on other     

days1 was grounded upon his  absolute   
right of legislation3 for there was     
nothing in the time itself  that could  
render that day more holy than another1 
though ,god respected  his 8finishing   
the work of creation0 in his institution
 of that day  7,gen4 ii4 #c74 ,such were
 the ceremonial commands of sacrifices  
and  washings under the law1 and the    
commands of sacraments under the gospel3
  the one to last till the first coming 
of ,christ and his passion2 the  other  
to last till the second coming of       
,christ and his triumph4 ,thus he  made 
natural and unavoidable uncleannesses to
 be sins1 and the touching  a dead body 
to be pollution1 which in their own     
nature were not so4    7#d47 ,the       
dominion of ,god appears in the moral   
law1 and his majesty in  publishing it4 
,as the law of nature was writ by his   
own fingers in the  nature of man1 so it
 was engraven by his own finger in the  
8tables of  stone0 7,exod4 xxxi4 #ah71  
which is very emphatically expressed to 

be a  mark of ,god's dominion4 8,and the
 tables were the work of ,god1 and the  
writing was the writing of ,god engraven
 upon the tables0 7,exod4 xxxii4  #af72 
and when the first tables were broken1  
though he orders ,moses to  frame the   
tables1 yet the writing of the law he   
reserves to himself  7,exod4 xxxiv4 #a74
 ,it is not said of any part of the     
,scripture1 that  it was writ by the    
finger of ,god1 but only of the         
,decalogue3 herein he  would have his   
sovereignty eminently appear2 it was    
published by ,god in  state1 with a     
numerous attendance of his heavenly     
militia 7,deut4 xxxii4  #b72 and the    
artillery of heaven was shot off at the 
solemnity2 and  therefore it is called a
 fiery law1 coming from his right hand1 
i4 e4  his sovereign power4 ,it was     
published with all the marks of supreme 
majesty4    7#e47 ,the dominion of ,god 
appears in the obligation of the law1   
which  reacheth the conscience4 ,the    
laws of every prince are framed b#cia   

for the outward conditions of men2 they 
do not by their authority  bind the     
conscience2 and what obligations do     
result from them upon the  conscience1  
is either from their being the same     
immediately with ,divine  laws1 or as   
they are according to the just power of 
the magistrate1  founded on the law of  
,god4 ,conscience hath a protection from
 the ,king  of kings1 and cannot be     
arrested by any human power4 ,god hath  
given man  but an authority over half   
the man1 and the worst half too1 that   
which  is of an earthly original2 but   
reserved the authority over the better  
and more heavenly half to himself4 ,the 
dominion of earthly princes  extends    
only to the bodies of men2 they have no 
authority over the soul1  their         
punishment and rewards cannot reach it3 
and therefore their laws1  by their     
single authority1 cannot bind it1 but as
 they are coincident  with the law of   
,god1 or as the equity of them is       
subservient to the  preservation of     

human society1 a regular and righteous  
thing1 which is  the divine end in      
government2 and so they bind1 as they   
have relation  to ,god as the supreme   
magistrate4 ,the conscience is only     
intelligible  to ,god in its secret     
motions1 and therefore only guidable by 
,god2 ,god  only pierceth into the      
conscience by his eye1 and therefore    
only can  conduct it by his rule4 ,man  
cannot tell whether we embrace this law 
in our heart and consciences1 or only in
 appearance2 8,he only can  judge it0   
7,luke xii4 #c1 #d71 and therefore he   
only can impose laws  upon it2 it is out
 of the reach of human penal authority1 
if their  laws be transgressed inwardly 
by it4 ,conscience is a book in some    
sort as sacred as the ,scripture2 no    
addition can be lawfully made to  it1 no
 subtraction from it4 ,men cannot       
diminish the duty of conscience1  or    
raze out the law ,god hath stamped upon 
it4 ,they cannot put a  supersedeas to  
the writ of conscience1 or stop its     

mouth with a noli  prosequi4 ,they can  
make no addition by their authority to  
bind it2 it  is a flower in the crown of
 ,divine sovereignty only4    #b4 ,his  
sovereignty appears in a power of       
dispensing with his own  laws4 ,it is as
 much a part of his dominion to dispense
 with his laws1  as to enjoin them2 he  
only hath the power of relaxing his own 
right1 no  creature hath power to do it2
 that would be to usurp a superiority   
over  him1 and order above ,god himself4
 ,repealing or dispensing with the law  
is a branch of royal authority4 ,it is  
true1 ,god will never dispense  with    
those moral laws which have an eternal  
reason in themselves and  their own     
nature2 as for a creature to fear1 love1
 and honor ,god2 this  would be to      
dispense with his own holiness1 and the 
righteousness of  his nature1 to sully  
the purity of his own dominion2 it would
 write  folly upon the first creation of
 man after the image of ,god1 by writing
  mutability upon himself1 in framing   

himself after the corrupted image  of   
man2 it would null and frustrate the    
excellency of the creature1  wherein the
 image of ,god mostly shines2 nay1 it   
would be to dispense  with a creature's 
being a ,creator1 and make him          
independent upon the  ,sovereign of the 
world in moral obedience4 ,but ,god hath
 a right to  dispense with the ordinary 
laws of nature in the inferior          
creatures2 he  hath a power to alter    
their course by an arrest of miracles1  
and make  them come short1 or go beyond 
his ordinances established for them4 ,he
  hath a right to make the sun stand    
still1 or move backward2 to b#cib  bind 
up the womb of the earth1 and bar the   
influences of the clouds2  bridle in the
 rage of the fire1 and the fury of      
lions2 make the liquid  waters stand    
like a wall1 or pull up the dam1 which  
he hath set to  the sea1 and command it 
to overflow the neighboring countries3  
he  can dispense with the natural laws  
of the whole creation1 and strain       

everything beyond its ordinary pitch4   
,positive laws he hath reversed2  as the
 ceremonial law given to the ,jews4 ,the
 very nature1 indeed1 of  that law      
required a repeal1 and fell of course2  
when that which was  intended by it was 
come1 it was of no longer significancy2 
as before  it was a useful shadow1 it   
would afterwards have been an empty one3
 had  not ,god took away this1          
,christianity had not1 in all           
likelihood1 been  propagated among the  
,gentiles4 ,this was the 8partition wall
 between  ,jews and ,gentiles0 7,eph4   
xii4 #ad72 which made them a distinct   
family  from all the world1 and was the 
occasion of the enmity of the ,gentiles 
against the ,jews4 ,when ,god had1 by   
bringing in what was signified by  those
 rites1 declared his decree for the     
ceasing of them2 and when the  ,jews1   
fond of those ,divine institutions1     
would not allow him the right  of       
repealing what he had the authority of  
enacting2 he resolved1 for  the         

asserting his dominion1 to bury them in 
the ruins of the temple  and city1 and  
make them forever incapable of          
practising the main and  essential parts
 of them2 for the temple being the      
pillar of the legal  service1 by        
demolishing that1 ,god hath taken away  
their rights of  sacrificing1 it being  
peculiarly annexed to that place2 they  
have no  altar dignified with a fire    
from heaven to consume their sacrifices1
  no legal highpriest to offer them4    
,god hath by his providence changed  his
 own law as well as by his precept2 yea1
 he hath gone higher1 by  virtue of his 
sovereignty1 and changed the whole scene
 and methods of  his government after   
the fall1 from ,king ,creator to ,king  
,redeemer4 ,he  hath revoked the law of 
works as a covenant2 released the       
penalty of  it from the believing       
sinner1 by transferring it upon the     
,surety1 who  interposed himself by his 
own will and ,divine designation4 ,he   
hath  established another covenant upon 

other promises in a higher root1 with   
greater privileges1 and easier terms4   
,had not ,god had this right of         
sovereignty1 not a man of ,adam's       
posterity could have been blessed2 he   
and they must have lain groaning under  
the misery of the fall1 which  had      
rendered both himself and all in his    
loins unable to observe the  terms of   
the first covenant4 ,he hath1 as some   
speak1 dispensed with his  own moral law
 in some cases2 in commanding ,abraham  
to sacrifice his son1  his only son1 a  
righteous son1 a son whereof he had the 
promise1 that  8in ,isaac should his    
seed be called20 yet he was commanded to
 sacrifice  him by the right of his     
absolute sovereignty as the supreme     
,lord of  the lives of his creatures1   
from the highest angel to the lowest    
worm1  whereby he bound his subjects to 
this law1 not himself4 ,our lives are   
due to him when he calls for them1 and  
they are a just forfeit to him1  at the 
very moment we sin1 at the very moment  

we come into the world1  by reason of   
the venom of our nature against him1 and
 the disturbance  the first sin of man  
7whereof we are inheritors7 gave to his 
glory4  ,had ,abraham sacrificed his son
 of his own head1 he had sinned1 yea1   
in attempting it2 but being authorized  
b#cic from heaven1 his act was          
obedience to the ,sovereign of the      
world1 who had a power to dispense  with
 his own law2 and with this law he had  
before dispensed1 in the  case of       
,cain's murder of ,abel1 as to the      
immediate punishment of it  with death1 
which1 indeed1 was settled afterwards by
 his authority1  but then omitted       
because of the paucity of men1 and for  
the peopling  the world2 but settled    
afterwards1 when there was almost1      
though not  altogether1 the like        
occasion of omitting it for a time4     
#c4 ,his sovereignty appears in         
punishing the transgression of his law4 
7#a47 ,this is a branch of ,god's       
dominion as lawgiver4 ,so was the       

vengeance ,god would take upon the      
,amalekites 7,exod4 xvii4 #af73 8,the   
,lord hath sworn1 that the ,lord will   
have war20 the ,hebrew is1 8,the  hand  
upon the throne of the ,lord10 as in the
 margin3 as a 8lawgiver0  he 8saves or  
destroys0 7,james iv4 #ab74 ,he acts    
according to his own  law1 in a         
congruity to the sanction of his own    
precepts2 though he be  an arbitrary    
lawgiver1 appointing what laws he       
pleases1 yet he is not  an arbitrary    
judge4 ,as he commands nothing but what 
he hath a right to  command1 so he      
punisheth none but whom he hath a right 
to punish1 and  with such punishment as 
the law hath denounced4 ,all his acts of
 justice  and inflictions of curses are 
the effects of this sovereign dominion  
7,ps4 xxix4 #aj73 8,he sits ,king upon  
the floods20 upon the deluge  of waters 
wherewith he drowned the world1 say     
some4 ,it is a right  belonging to the  
authority of magistrates to pull up the 
infectious  weeds that corrupt a        

commonwealth2 it is no less the right of
 ,god1 as  the lawgiver and judge of all
 the earth1 to subject criminals to his 
vengeance1 after they have rendered     
themselves abominable in his eyes1  and 
carried themselves unworthy subjects of 
so great and glorious a  ,king4 ,the    
first name whereby ,god is made known in
 ,scripture1 is ,elohim  7,gen4 i4 #a73 
8,in the beginning ,god created the     
heaven and earth20  a name which        
signifies his power of judging1 in the  
opinion of some  critics2 from him it is
 derived to earthly magistrates2 their  
judgment  is said1 therefore1 to be the 
8judgment of ,god0 7,deut4 i4 #ag74     
,when  ,christ came1 he proposed this   
great motive of repentance from the     
8kingdom of heaven being at hand20 the  
kingdom of his grace1 whereby  to invite
 men2 the kingdom of his justice in the 
punishment of the  neglecters of it1    
whereby to terrify men4 ,punishments as 
well as  rewards belong to royalty2 it  
issued accordingly2 those that believed 

and repented came under his gracious    
sceptre1 those that neglected  and      
rejected it fell under his iron rod2    
,jerusalem was destroyed1 the  temple   
demolished1 the inhabitants lost their  
lives by the edge of the  sword1 or     
lingered them out in the chains of a    
miserable captivity4  ,this term of     
8judge10 which signifies a sovereign    
right to govern  and punish delinquents1
 ,abraham gives him1 when he came to    
root out  the people of ,sodom1 and make
 them the examples of his vengeance     
7,gen4 xviii4 #be74    7#b47 ,punishing 
the transgressions of his law4 ,this is 
a necessary  branch of dominion4 ,his   
sovereignty in making laws would be a   
trifle1  if there were not also an      
authority to vindicate those laws from  
contempt and injury2 he would be a ,lord
 only spurned at by b#cid  rebels4      
,sovereignty is not preserved without   
justice4 ,when the  ,psalmist speaks of 
the majesty of ,god's kingdom1 he tells 
us1 that  8righteousness and judgment   

are the habitation of his throne0 7,ps4 
xcvii4 #a1 #b74 ,these are the engines  
of ,divine dignity which render him     
glorious and majestic4 ,a legislative   
power would be trampled on without      
executive2 by this the reverential      
apprehensions of ,god are preserved  in 
the world4 ,he is known to be ,lord of  
the world 8by the judgments  which he   
executes0 7,ps4 ix4 #af74 ,when he seems
 to have lost his  dominion1 or given it
 up in the world1 he recovers it by     
punishment4  ,when he takes some away   
8with a whirlwind1 and in his wrath10   
the  natural consequence men make of it1
 is this3 8,surely there is a ,god  that
 judgeth the earth0 7,ps4 lviii4 #i1    
#aa74 ,he reduceth the creature1  by the
 lash of his judgments1 that would not  
acknowledge his authority  in his       
precepts4 ,those sins which disown his  
government in the heart  and conscience1
 as pride1 inward blasphemy1 c41 he hath
 reserved a  time hereafter to reckon   
for4 ,he doth not presently shoot his   

arrows  into the marrow of every        
delinquent1 but those sins which traduce
 his  government of the world1 and tear 
up the foundations of human converse1   
and a public respect to him1 he reckons 
with particularly here1 as well  as     
hereafter1 that the life of his         
sovereignty might not always faint  in  
the world4    7#c47 ,this of punishing  
was the second discovery of his dominion
 in the  world4 ,his first act of       
sovereignty was the giving a law2 the   
next1 his  appearance in the state of a 
judge4 ,when his orders were violated1  
he  rescues the honor of them by an     
execution of justice4 ,he first judged  
the angels1 punishing the evil ones for 
their crime3 the first court  he kept   
among them as a governor1 was to give   
them a law2 the second  court he kept   
was as a judge trying the delinquents1  
and adjudging  the offenders to be      
8reserved in chains of darkness0 till   
the final  execution 7,jude #f72 and1 at
 the same time probably1 he confirmed   

the good ones in their obedience by     
grace4 ,so the first discovery of  his  
dominion to man1 was the giving him a   
precept1 the next was the  inflicting a 
punishment for the breach of it4 ,he    
summons ,adam to the  bar1 indicts him  
for his crime1 finds him guilty by his  
own confession1  and passeth sentence on
 him1 according to the rule he had      
before  acquainted him with4    7#d47   
,the means whereby he punisheth shows   
his dominion4 ,sometimes he  musters up 
hail and mildew2 sometimes he sends     
regiments of wild beasts2  so he        
threatens ,israel 7,lev4 xxvi4 #bb74    
,sometimes he sends out a party  of     
angels to beat up the quarters of men1  
and make a carnage among  them 7#b      
,kings xix4 #ce74 ,sometimes he mounts  
his thundering battery1 and  shoots     
forth his ammunition from the clouds1 as
 against the ,philistines  7#a ,sam4    
vii4 #aj74 ,sometimes he sends the      
slightest creatures to shame  the pride 
and punish the sin of man1 as 8lice1    

frogs1 locusts10 as upon  the ,egyptians
 7,exod4 viii4x474    ,secondly4 ,this  
dominion it manifested by ,god as a     
proprietor and ,lord  of his creatures  
and his own goods4 ,and this is evident1
    #a4 ,in the choice of some persons  
from eternity4 ,he hath set apart some  
from eternity1 wherein he will display  
the invincible efficacy of his  grace1  
and thereby infallibly bring them to the
 fruition b#cie of  glory 7,eph4 i4 #d1 
#e73 8,according as he hath chosen us in
 him before  the foundation of the      
world1 that we should be holy and       
without blame  before him in love1      
having predestinated us to the adoption 
of children  by ,jesus ,christ to       
himself1 according to the good pleasure 
of his will4  0 ,why doth he write some 
names in the 8book of life10 and leave  
out  others8 ,why doth he enrol some1   
whom he intends to make denizens of     
heaven1 and refuse to put others in his 
register8 ,the apostle tells  us1 it is 
the pleasure of his will4 ,you may      

render a reason for many  of ,god's     
actions1 till you come to this1 the top 
and foundation of all2  and under what  
head of reason can man reduce this act  
but to that of  his royal prerogative8  
,why doth ,god save some1 and condemn   
others at  last8 because of the faith of
 the one1 and unbelief of the other4    
,why  do some men believe8 because ,god 
hath not only given them the means of   
grace1 but accompanied those means with 
the efficacy of his ,spirit4 ,why  did  
,god accompany those means with the     
efficacy of his ,spirit in some1  and   
not in others8 because he had decreed by
 grace to prepare them  for glory4 ,but 
why did he decree1 or choose some1 and  
not others8 ,into  what will you resolve
 this but into his sovereign pleasure8  
,salvation  and condemnation at the last
 upshot1 are acts of ,god as the ,judge1
  conformable to his own law of giving  
life to believers1 and inflicting  death
 upon unbelievers2 for those a reason   
may be rendered2 but the  choice of     

some1 and preterition of others1 is an  
act of ,god as he is  a sovereign       
monarch1 before any law was actually    
transgressed1 because  not actually     
given4 ,when a prince redeems a rebel1  
he acts as a judge  according to law2   
but when he calls some out to pardon1 he
 acts as a  sovereign by a prerogative  
above law2 into this the apostle        
resolves it  7,rom4 ix4 #ac1 #ae74 ,when
 he speaks of ,god's loving ,jacob and  
hating ,esau1  and that before they had 
done either good or evil1 it is1        
8because ,god  will have mercy on whom  
he will have mercy1 and compassion on   
whom he  will have compassion40 ,though 
the first scope of the apostle1 in the  
beginning of the chapter1 was to declare
 the reason of ,god's rejecting  the    
,jews1 and calling in the ,gentiles2 had
 he only intended to demolish  the pride
 of the ,jews1 and flat their opinion of
 merit1 and aimed no  higher than that  
providential act of ,god2 he might1     
convincingly enough  to the reason of   

men1 have argued from the justice of    
,god1 provoked by  the obstinacy of the 
,jews1 and not have had recourse to his 
absolute  will2 but1 since he asserts   
this latter1 the strength of his        
argument  seems to lie thus3 if ,god by 
his absolute sovereignty may resolve1   
and  fix his love upon ,jacob and       
estrange it from ,esau1 or any other of 
his  creatures1 before they have done   
good or evil1 and man have no ground  to
 call his infinite majesty to account1  
may he not deal thus with  the ,jews1   
when their demerit would be a bar to any
 complaints of the  creature against    
him8#ajjg ,if ,god were considered here 
in the quality  of a judge1 it had been 
fit to have considered the matter of    
fact in  the criminal2 but he is        
considered as a sovereign1 rendering no 
other  reason of his action but his own 
will2 8whom he will he hardens0  7ver4  
#ah74 ,and then the apostle concludes   
7ver4 #bj71 8,who art thou1  ,o man1    
that repliest against ,god80 ,if the    

reason drawn b#cif from  ,god's         
sovereignty doth not satisfy in this    
inquiry1 no other reason can  be found  
wherein to acquiesce3 for the last      
condemnation there will be  sufficient  
reason to clear the justice of his      
proceedings4 ,but1 in this  case of     
election1 no other reason but what is   
alleged1 viz41 the will  of ,god1 can be
 thought of1 but what is liable to such 
knotty exceptions  that cannot well be  
untied4    7#a47 ,it could not be any   
merit in the creature that might        
determine  ,god to choose him4 ,if the  
decree of election falls not under the  
merit  of ,christ's passion1 as the     
procuring cause1 it cannot fall under   
the  merit of any part of the corrupted 
mass4 ,the decree of sending ,christ    
did not precede1 but followed1 in order 
of nature1 the determination of         
choosing some4 ,when men were chosen as 
the subjects for glory1 ,christ  was    
chosen as the means for the bringing    
them to glory 7,eph4 i4 #d73  8,chosen  

us in him1 and predestinated us to the  
adoption of children by  ,jesus         
,christ40 ,the choice was not merely in 
,christ as the moving cause2  that the  
apostle asserts to be 8the good pleasure
 of his will20 but  in ,christ1 as the  
means of conveying to the chosen ones   
the fruits of  their election4 ,what    
could there be in any man that could    
invite ,god  to this act1 or be a cause 
of distinction of one branch of ,adam   
from  another8 ,were they not all hewed 
out of the same rock1 and tainted with  
the same corruption in blood8 ,had it   
been possible to invest them with  a    
power of merit at the first1 had not    
that venom1 contracted in their  nature1
 degraded all of power for the future8  
,what merit was there  in any but of    
wrathful punishment1 since they were all
 considered as  criminals1 and the      
cursed brood of an ungrateful rebel8    
,what dignity  can there be in the      
nature of the purest part of clay1 to be
 made a  vessel of honor1 more than in  

another part of clay1 as pure as that   
which was formed into a vessel for mean 
and sordid use8 ,what had any  one to   
move his mercy more than another1 since 
they were all children  of wrath1 and   
equally daubed with original guilt and  
filth8 ,had not all  an equal proportion
 of it to provoke his justice8 ,what    
merit is there  in one dry bone more    
than another1 to be inspired with the   
breath of  a spiritual life8 ,did not   
all lie wallowing in their own filthy   
blood8  and what could the steam and    
noisomeness of that deserve at the hands
  of a pure ,majesty1 but to be cast    
into a sink furthest from his sight8    
,were they not all considered in this   
deplorable posture1 with an equal       
proportion of poison in their nature1   
when ,god first took his pen1 and       
singled out some names to write in the  
book of life8 ,it could not be  merit in
 any one piece of this abominable mass1 
that should stir up  that resolution in 
,god to set apart this person for a     

vessel of glory1  while he permitted    
another to putrefy in his own gore4 ,he 
loved ,jacob1  and hated ,esau1 though  
they were both parts of the common mass1
 the  seed of the same loins1 and lodged
 in the same womb4    7#b47 ,nor could  
it be any foresight of works to be done 
in time by them1  or of faith1 that     
might determine ,god to choose them4    
,what good could  he foresee resulting  
from extreme corruption1 and a nature   
alienated  from him8 ,what could he     
foresee of good to be done by them1 but 
what  he resolved in his own will1 to   
bestow an ability upon them to bring    
forth8 ,his choice of them was to a     
b#cig holiness1 not for a holiness      
preceding his determination 7,eph4 i4   
#d74 ,he hath chosen us1 8that we  might
 be holy0 before him2 he ordained us 8to
 good works10 not for them  7,eph4 ii4  
#aj74 ,what is a fruit cannot be a      
moving cause of that whereof  it is a   
fruit3 grace is a stream from the spring
 of electing love2  the branch is not   

the cause of the root1 but the root of  
the branch2  nor the stream the cause of
 the spring1 but the spring the cause of
  the stream4 ,good works suppose grace1
 and a good and right habit in  the     
person1 as rational acts suppose reason4
 ,can any man say that the  rational    
acts man performs after his creation    
were a cause why ,god  created him8     
,this would make creation1 and          
everything else1 not so  much an act of 
his will1 as an act of his              
understanding4 ,god foresaw no  rational
 act in man1 before the act of his will 
to give him reason2 nor  foresees faith 
in any1 before the act of his will      
determining to give  him faith3 8,faith 
is the gift of ,god0 7,eph4 ii4 #h74 ,in
 the salvation  which grows up from this
 first purpose of ,god1 he regards not  
the works  we have done1 as a principal 
motive to settle the topstone of our    
happiness1 but his own purpose1 and the 
grace given in ,christ2 8who  hath saved
 us1 and called us with a holy calling1 

not according to our  own works1 but    
according to his own purpose and grace1 
which was given  to us in ,christ1      
before the world began0 7#b ,tim4 i4    
#i74 ,the honor of  our salvation cannot
 be challenged by our works1 much less  
the honor of  the foundation of it4 ,it 
was a pure gift of grace1 without any   
respect  to any spiritual1 much less    
natural1 perfection4 ,why should the    
apostle  mention that circumstance1 when
 he speaks of ,god's loving ,jacob1 and 
hating ,esau1 8when neither of them had 
done good or evil0 7,rom4 ix4 #aa71  if 
there were any foresight of men's works 
as the moving cause of his  love or     
hatred8 ,god regarded not the works of  
either as the first cause  of his       
choice1 but acted by his own liberty1   
without respect to any  of their actions
 which were to be done by them in time4 
,if faith be  the fruit of election1 the
 prescience of faith doth not influence 
the  electing act of ,god4 ,it is called
 8the faith of ,god's elect0 7,tit4 i4  

#a73 8,paul1 an apostle of ,jesus       
,christ1 according to the faith of      
,god's  elect20 i4 e4 settled in this   
office to bring the elect of ,god to    
faith4 ,if men be chosen by ,god upon   
the foresight of faith1 or not  chosen  
till they have faith1 they are not so   
much ,god's elect1 as ,god  their elect2
 they choose ,god by faith1 before ,god 
chooseth them by love3  it had not been 
the faith of ,god's elect1 i4 e4 of     
those already  chosen1 but the faith of 
those that were to be chosen by ,god    
afterwards4  ,election is the cause of  
faith1 and not faith the cause of       
election2  fire is the cause of heat1   
and not the heat of fire2 the sun is the
  cause of the day1 and not the day the 
cause of the rising of the sun4  ,men   
are not chosen because they believe1 but
 they believe because they  are chosen3 
the apostle did ill1 else1 to           
appropriate that to the elect  which    
they had no more interest in1 by virtue 
of their election1 than  the veriest    

reprobate in the world4#ajjh ,if the    
foresight of what  works might be done  
by his creatures was the motive of his  
choosing  them1 why did he not choose   
the devils to redemption1 who could     
have done him better service1 by the    
strength of their nature1 than  the     
b#cih whole mass of ,adam's posterity8  
,well1 then1 there is no  possible way  
to lay the original foundation of this  
act of election and  preterition in     
anything but the absolute sovereignty of
 ,god4 ,justice or  injustice comes not 
into consideration in this case4 ,there 
is no debt  which justice or injustice  
always respects in its acting3 if he had
  pleased1 he might have chosen all2 if 
he had pleased1 he might have  chosen   
none4 ,it was in his supreme power to   
have resolved to have left  all ,adam's 
posterity under the rack of his justice2
 if he determined to  snatch out any1 it
 was a part of his dominion1 but without
 any injury  to the creatures he leaves 
under their own guilt4 ,did he not pass 

by  the angels1 and take man8 and1 by   
the same right of dominion1 may he  pick
 out some men from the common mass1 and 
lay aside others to bear  the punishment
 of their crimes4 ,are they not all his 
subjects8 all are  his criminals1 and   
may be dealt with at the pleasure of    
their undoubted  ,lord and ,sovereign4  
,this is a work of arbitrary power2     
since he might  have chosen none1 or    
chosen all1 as he saw good himself4 ,it 
is at  the liberty of the artificer to  
determine his wood or stone to such a   
figure1 that of a prince1 or that of a  
toad2 and his materials have no  right  
to complain of him1 since it lies wholly
 upon his own liberty4  ,they must have 
little sense of their own vileness1 and 
,god's infinite  excellency above them  
by right of creation1 that will contend 
that ,god  hath a lesser right over his 
creatures than an artificer over his    
wood  or stone4 ,if it were at his      
liberty whether to redeem man1 or send  
,christ upon such an undertaking1 it is 

as much at his liberty1 and the         
prerogative is to be allowed him1 what  
person he will resolve to make  capable 
of enjoying the fruits of that          
redemption4 ,one man was as fit a       
subject for mercy as another1 as they   
all lay in their original guilt3  why   
would not ,divine mercy cast its eye    
upon this man1 as well as upon  his     
neighbor8 ,there was no cause in the    
creature1 but all in ,god2 it  must be  
resolved into his own will3 yet not into
 a will without wisdom4  ,god did not   
choose hand over head1 and act by mere  
will1 without  reason and understanding2
 an ,infinite ,wisdom is far from such a
 kind of  procedure2 but the reason of  
,god is inscrutable to us1 unless we    
could  understand ,god as well as he    
understands himself2 the whole ground   
lies  in ,god himself1 no part of it in 
the creature2 8not in him that wills1   
nor in him that runs1 but in ,god that  
shows mercy0 7,rom4 ix4 #ae1 #af74      
,since ,god hath revealed no other cause

 than his will1 we can resolve  it into 
no other than his sovereign empire over 
all creatures4 ,it is  not without a    
stop to our curiosity1 that in the same 
place where ,god  asserts the absolute  
sovereignty of his mercy to ,moses1 he  
tells him he  could not see his face3   
8,i will be gracious to whom ,i will be 
gracious20  and he said1 8,thou canst   
not see my face0 7,exod4 xxxiii4 #ai1   
#bj73  the rays of his infinite wisdom  
are too bright and dazzling for our     
weakness4 ,the apostle acknowledged not 
only a wisdom in this proceeding1  but a
 riches and treasure of wisdom2 not only
 that1 but a depth and  vastness of     
those riches of wisdom2 but was unable  
to give us an  inventory and scheme of  
it 7,rom4 xi4 #cc74 ,the secrets of his 
counsels  are too deep for us to wade   
into2 in attempting to know the reason  
of  those acts1 we should find ourselves
 swallowed up into a bottomless  gulf3  
though b#cii the understanding be above 
our capacity1 yet the  admiration of his

 authority and submission to it are not4
 8,we should  cast ourselves down at his
 feet1 with a full resignation of       
ourselves  to his sovereign             
pleasure40#ajji ,this is a more comely  
carriage in a  ,christian than all the  
contentious endeavors to measure ,god by
 our line4    #b4 ,in bestowing grace   
where he pleases4 ,god in conversion and
 pardon  works not as a natural agent1  
putting forth strength to the utmost1   
which ,god must do1 if he did renew man 
naturally1 as the sun shines1  and the  
fire burns1 which always act1 ad        
extremum virium1 unless  a cloud        
interpose to eclipse the one1 and water 
to extinguish the  other4 ,but ,god acts
 as a voluntary agent1 which can freely 
exert  his power when he please1 and    
suspend it when he please4 ,though ,god 
be necessarily good1 yet he is not      
necessitated to manifest all the        
treasures of his goodness to every      
subject2 he hath power to distil his    
dews upon one part1 and not upon        

another4 ,if he were necessitated to    
express his goodness without a liberty1 
no thanks were due to him4  ,who thanks 
the sun for shining on him1 or the fire 
for warming him8  ,none2 because they   
are necessary agents1 and can do no     
other4 ,what is  the reason he did not  
reach out his hand to keep all the      
angels from  sinking1 as well as some1  
or recover them when they were sunk8    
,what is  the reason he engrafts one man
 into the true ,vine1 and lets the other
  remain a wild olive8 ,why is not the  
efficacy of the ,spirit always  linked  
with the motions of the ,spirit8 ,why   
does he not mould the heart  into a     
gospel frame when he fills the ear with 
a gospel sound8 ,why  doth he strike off
 the chains from some1 and tear the veil
 from the  heart1 while he leaves others
 under their natural slavery and        
,egyptian  darkness8 ,why do some lie   
under the bands of death1 while another 
is  raised to a spiritual life8 ,what   
reason is there for all this but his    

absolute will8 ,the apostle resolves the
 question1 if the question be  asked1   
why he begets one and not another8 ,not 
from the will of the  creature1 but 8his
 own will10 is the determination of one 
7,james i4  #ah74 ,why doth he work in  
one 8to will and to do10 and not in     
another8  ,because of 8his good         
pleasure10 is the answer of another     
7,phil4 ii4 #ac74  ,he could as well new
 create every one1 as he at first       
created them1  and make grace as        
universal as nature and reason1 but it  
is not his  pleasure so to do4    7#a47 
,it is not from want of strength in     
himself4 ,the power of ,god is          
unquestionably able to strike off the   
chains of unbelief from all2 he  could  
surmount the obstinacy of every child of
 wrath1 and inspire every  son of ,adam 
with faith as well as ,adam himself4 ,he
 wants not a virtue  superior to the    
greatest resistance of his creature2 a  
victorious  beam of light might be shot 
into their understandings1 and a flood  

of  grace might overspread their wills  
with one word of his mouth1 without     
putting forth the utmost of his power4  
,what hindrance could there be in  any  
created spirit1 which cannot be easily  
pierced into and new moulded  by the    
,father of spirits8 ,yet he only        
breathes this efficacious virtue  into  
some1 and leaves others under that      
insensibility and hardness  which they  
love1 and suffer them to continue in    
their benighting  ignorance1 and consume
 themselves b#djj in the embraces of    
their  dear1 though deceitful ,delilahs4
 ,he could have conquered the resistance
  of the ,jews1 as well as chased away  
the darkness and ignorance of  the      
,gentiles4 ,no doubt but he could       
overpower the heart of the most         
malicious devil1 as well as that of the 
simplest and weakest man4  ,but the     
breath of the ,almighty ,spirit is in   
his own power1 to breathe  8where he    
lists0 7,john iii4 #h74 ,it is at his   
liberty whether he will  give to any the

 feelings of the invincible efficacy of 
his grace2 he  did not want strength to 
have kept man as firm as a rock against 
the  temptation of ,satan1 and poured in
 such fortifying grace1 as to have  made
 him impregnable against the powers of  
hell1 as well as he did  secure the     
standing of the angels against the      
sedition of their fellows3  but it was  
his will to permit it to be otherwise4  
7#b47 ,nor is it from any prerogative in
 the creature4 ,he converts not  any for
 their natural perfection1 because he   
seizeth upon the most  ignorant2 nor for
 their moral perfection1 because he     
converts the most  sinful2 nor for their
 civil perfection1 because he turns the 
most  despicable4    #a4 ,not for their 
natural perfection of knowledge4 ,he    
opened the  minds and hearts of the more
 ignorant4 ,were the nature of the      
,gentiles  better manured than that of  
the ,jews1 or did the tapers of their   
understandings burn clearer8 ,no2 the   
one were skilled in the prophecies  of  

the ,messiah1 and might have compared   
the predictions they owned with  the    
actions and sufferings of ,christ1 which
 they were spectators of4 ,he  let alone
 those that had expectations of the     
,messiah1 and expectations  about the   
time of ,christ's appearance1 both      
grounded upon the oracles  wherewith he 
had entrusted them4 ,the ,gentiles were 
unacquainted  with the prophets1 and    
therefore destitute of the expectations 
of  the ,messiah 7,eph4 ii4 #ab73 they  
were 8without ,christ20 without any     
revelation of ,christ1 because 8aliens  
from the commonwealth of ,israel1  and  
strangers to the covenant of promise1   
having no hope1 and without  ,god in the
 world10 without any knowledge of ,god1 
or promises of ,christ4  ,the ,jews     
might sooner1 in a way of reason1 have  
been wrought upon than  the ,gentiles1  
who were ignorant of the prophets1 by   
whose writings they  might have examined
 the truth of the apostles'             
declarations4 ,thus are  they refused   

that were the kindred of ,christ1       
according to the flesh1  and the        
,gentiles1 that were at a greater       
distance from him1 brought  in by ,god2 
thus he catcheth not at the subtle and  
mighty devils1 who  had an original in  
spiritual nature more like to him1 but  
at weak and  simple man4    #b4 ,not for
 any moral perfection1 because he       
converts the most  sinful3 the          
,gentiles1 steeped in idolatry and      
superstition4 ,he sowed  more faith     
among the ,romans than in ,jerusalem2   
more faith in a city  that was the      
common sewer of all the idolatry of the 
nations conquered  by them1 than in that
 city which had so signally been owned  
by him1  and had not practised any      
idolatry since the ,babylonish          
captivity4  ,he planted saintship at    
,corinth1 a place notorious for the     
infamous  worship of ,venus1 a          
superstition attended with the grossest 
uncleanness2  at ,ephesus1 that         
presented the whole world with a cup of 

fornication in  their temple of ,diana2 
among the ,colossians1 b#dja votaries to
 ,cybele  in a manner of worship        
attended with beastly and lascivious    
ceremonies4  ,and what character had the
 ,cretians from one of their own poets1 
mentioned by the apostle to ,titus1 whom
 he had placed among them to  further   
the progress of the gospel1 but the     
vilest and most abominable8  7,titus i4 
#ab73 8liars10 not to be credited2 8evil
 beasts10 not to be  associated with2   
8slow bellies10 fit for no service4     
,what prerogative  was there in the     
nature of such putrefaction8 as much as 
in that of a  toad to be elevated to the
 dignity of an angel4 ,what steam from  
such  dunghills could be welcome to him1
 and move him to cast his eye on them1  
and sweeten them from heaven8 ,what     
treasures of worth were here to open    
the treasures of his grace6 ,were such  
filthy snuffs fit of themselves  to be  
kindled by1 and become a lodging for1 a 
gospel beam8 ,what  invitements could he

 have from lying1 beastliness1 gluttony1
 but only  from his own sovereignty8 ,by
 this he plucked firebrands out of the  
fire1  while he left straighter and more
 comely sticks to consume to ashes4     
#c4 ,not for any civil perfection1      
because he turns the most despicable4   
,he elevates not nature to grace upon   
the account of wealth1 honor1 or  any   
civil station in the world3 he          
dispenseth not ordinarily those         
treasures to those that the mistaken    
world foolishly admire and dote  upon   
7#a ,cor4 i4 #bf72 8,not many mighty1   
not many noble30 a purple robe  is not  
usually decked with this jewel2 he takes
 more of mouldy clay  than refined dust 
to cast into his image1 and lodges his  
treasures more  in the earthly vessels  
than in the world's golden ones2 he     
gives out  his richest doles to those   
that are the scorn and reproach of the  
world4  ,should he impart his grace most
 to those that abound in wealth or      
honor1  it had been some foundation for 

a conception that he had been moved by  
those vulgarly esteemed excellencies to 
indulge them more than others4  ,but    
such a conceit languisheth when we      
behold the subjects of his grace  as    
void originally of any allurements1 as  
they are full of provocations4  ,hereby 
he declares himself free from all       
created engagements1 and that  he is not
 led by any external motives in the     
object4    #d4 ,it is not from any      
obligation which lies upon him4 ,he is  
indebted  to none3 disobliged by all4   
,no man deserves from him any act of    
grace1  but every man deserves what the 
most deplorable are left to suffer4  ,he
 is obliged by the children of wrath to 
nothing else but showers of  wrath2 owes
 no more a debt to fallen man1 than to  
fallen devils1 to  restore them to their
 first station by a superlative grace4  
,how was he  more bound to restore them1
 than he was to preserve them2 to catch 
them  after they fell1 than to put a bar
 in the way of their falling8 ,god1  as 

a sovereign1 gave laws to men1 and a    
strength sufficient to keep  those laws4
 ,what obligation is there upon ,god to 
repair that strength  man wilfully lost1
 and extract him out of that condition  
into which he  voluntarily plunged      
himself8 ,what if man sinned by         
temptation1 which  is a reason alleged  
by some1 might not many of the devils do
 so too8  ,though there was a first of  
them that sinned without a temptation1  
yet many of them might be seduced into  
rebellion by the ringleader4  ,upon that
 account he is no more bound to give    
grace to all men1 than  to devils4 b#djb
 ,if he promised life upon obedience1 he
 threatened  death upon transgression4  
,by man's disobedience ,god is quit of  
his  promise1 and owes nothing but      
punishment upon the violation of his    
law4  ,indeed man may pretend to a claim
 of sufficient strength from him by     
creation1 as ,god is the author of      
nature1 and he had it2 but since he     
hath extinguished it by his sin1 he     

cannot in the least pretend any         
obligation on ,god for a new strength4  
,if it be a 8peradventure0 whether  he  
will 8give repentance10 as it is #b     
,tim4 ii4 #be1 there is no tie  in the  
case2 a tie would put it beyond a       
peradventure with a ,god that  never    
forfeited his obligation4 ,no husbandman
 thinks himself obliged  to bestow cost 
and pains1 manure and tillage1 upon one 
field more than  another2 though the    
nature of the ground may require more1  
yet he is at  his liberty whether he    
will expend more upon one than          
another4#ajaj ,he  may let it lie fallow
 as long as he please4 ,god is less     
obliged to till  and prune his          
creatures1 than man is obliged to his   
field or trees4  ,if a king proclaim a  
pardon to a company of rebels1 upon the 
condition  of each of them paying such a
 sum of money2 their estates before were
  capable of satisfying the condition1  
but their rebellion hath reduced  them  
to an indigent condition2 the           

proclamation itself is an act of  grace1
 the condition required is not          
impossible in itself3 the prince1  out  
of a tenderness to some1 sends them that
 sum of money1 he hath  by his          
proclamation obliged them to pay1 and   
thereby enabled them to  answer the     
condition he requires2 the first he doth
 by a sovereign  authority1 the second  
he doth by a sovereign bounty4 ,he was  
obliged to  neither of them2 punishment 
was a debt due to all of them2 if he    
would  remit it upon condition1 he did  
relax his sovereign right2 and if he    
would by his largess make any of them   
capable to fulfil the condition1  by    
sending them presently a sufficient sum 
to pay the fine1 he acted as  proprietor
 of his own goods1 to dispose of them in
 such a quantity to  those to whom he   
was not obliged to bestow a mite4    #e4
 ,it must therefore be an act of his    
mere sovereignty4 ,this can only  sit   
arbitrator in every gracious act4 ,why  
did he give grace to ,abel and  not to  

,cain1 since they both lay in the same  
womb1 and equally derived  from their   
parents a taint in their nature2 but    
that he would show a  standing example  
of his sovereignty to the future ages of
 the world  in the first posterity of   
man8 ,why did he give grace to ,abraham1
 and  separate him from his idolatrous  
kindred1 to dignify him to be the  root 
of the ,messiah8 ,why did he confine his
 promise to ,isaac1 and not  extend it  
to ,ishmael1 the seed of the same       
,abraham by ,hagar1 or to  the children 
he had by ,keturah after ,sarah's death8
 ,what reason can be  alleged for this  
but his sovereign will8 ,why did he not 
give the fallen  angels a moment of     
repentance after their sin1 but         
condemned them to  irrevocable pains8   
,is it not as free for him to give grace
 to whom he  please1 as create what     
worlds he please2 to form this corrupted
 clay  into his own image1 as to take   
such a parcel of dust from all the rest 
of the creation whereof to compact      

,adam's body8 ,hath he not as much      
jurisdiction over the sinful mass of his
 creatures in a new creation1  as he had
 over the chaos in the old8 ,and what   
reason can be rendered1  b#djc of his   
advancing this part of matter to the    
nobler dignity of a  star1 and leaving  
that other part to make up the dark body
 of the earth2  to compact one part into
 a glorious sun1 and another part into a
 hard  rock1 but his royal prerogative8 
,what is the reason a prince subjects   
one malefactor to punishment1 and lifts 
up another to a place of trust  and     
profit8 that ,pharaoh honored the butler
 with an attendance on his  person1 and 
remitted the baker to the hands of the  
executioner8 ,it was  his pleasure4 ,and
 is not as great right due to ,god1 as  
is allowed to  the worms of the earth8  
,what is the reason he hardens a        
,pharaoh1 by  a denying him that grace  
which should mollify him1 and allows it 
to  another8 ,it is because he will4    
8,whom he will he hardens0 7,rom4 ix4   

#ah74  ,hath not man the liberty to pull
 up the sluice1 and let the water run   
into what part of the ground he pleases8
 ,what is the reason some have  not a   
heart to understand the beauty of his   
ways8 ,because the ,lord doth  not give 
it them 7,deut4 xxix4 #d74 ,why doth he 
not give all his converts  an equal     
measure of his sanctifying grace8 some  
have mites and some  have treasures4    
,why doth he give his grace to some     
sooner1 to some  later8 some are        
inspired in their infancy1 others not   
till a full age1  and after2 some not   
till they have fallen into some gross   
sin1 as ,paul2  some betimes1 that they 
may do him service3 others later1 as the
 thief  upon the cross1 and presently   
snatcheth them out of the world8 ,some  
are  weaker1 some stronger in nature1   
some more beautiful and lovely1 others  
more uncomely and sluggish4 ,it is so in
 supernaturals4 ,what reason is  there  
for this1 but his own will8 ,this is    
instead of all that can be  assigned on 

the part of ,god4 ,he is the free       
disposer of his own goods1  and as a    
,father may give a greater portion to   
one child than to another4  ,and what   
reason of complaint is there against    
,god8 may not a toad  complain that ,god
 did not make it a man1 and give it a   
portion of  reason8 or a fly complain   
that ,god did not make it an angel1 and 
give  it a garment of light2 had they   
but any spark of understanding2 as well 
as man complain that ,god did not give  
him grace as well as another8  ,unless  
he sincerely desired it1 and then was   
denied it1 he might  complain of ,god1  
though not as a sovereign1 yet as a     
promiser of grace  to them that ask it4 
,god doth not render his sovereignty    
formidable2 he  shuts not up his throne 
of grace from any that seek him2 he     
invites man2  his arms are open1 and the
 sceptre stretched out2 and no man      
continues  under the arrest of his      
lusts1 but he that is unwilling to be   
otherwise1  and such a one hath no      

reason to complain of ,god4    #c4 ,his 
sovereignty is manifest in disposing the
 means of grace to some1  not to all4   
,he hath caused the sun to shine bright 
in one place1 while  he hath left others
 benighted and deluded by the devil's   
oracles4 ,why  do the evangelical dews  
fall in this or that place1 and not in  
another8  ,why was the gospel published 
in ,rome so soon1 and not in ,tartary8  
,why  hath it been extinguished in some 
places1 as soon almost as it had been   
kindled in them8 ,why hath one place    
been honored with the beams of it  in   
one age1 and been covered with darkness 
the next8 ,one country hath  been made a
 sphere for this star1 that directs to  
,christ1 to move  in2 and afterwards it 
hath been taken away1 and placed in     
another2  sometimes b#djd more clearly  
it hath shone1 sometimes more darkly1 in
  the same place2 what is the reason of 
this8 ,it is true something of it  may  
be referred to the justice of ,god1 but 
much more to the sovereignty  of ,god4  

,that the gospel is published later1 and
 not sooner1 the apostle  tell us is    
8according to the commandment of the    
everlasting ,god0 7,rom4  xvi4 #bf74    
7#a47 ,the means of grace1 after the    
families from ,adam became distinct1    
were never granted to all the world4    
,after that fatal breach in ,adam's     
family by the death of ,abel1 and       
,cain's separation1 we read not of  the 
means of grace continued among ,cain's  
posterity2 it seems to be  continued in 
,adam's sole family1 and not published  
in societies till  the time of ,seth4   
8,then began men to call upon the name  
of the ,lord0  7,gen4 iv4 #bf74 ,it was 
continued in that family till the       
deluge1 which  was #aebc years after the
 creation1 according to some1 or #afef  
years1  according to others4 ,after     
that1 when the world degenerated1 it was
  communicated to ,abraham1 and settled 
in the posterity that descended  from   
,jacob2 though he left not the world    
without a witness of himself1  and some 

sprinklings of revelations in other     
parts1 as appears by the  ,book of ,job1
 and the discourses of his friends4     
7#b47 ,the ,jews had this privilege     
granted them above other nations1  to   
have a clearer revelation of ,god4 ,god 
separated them from all the  world to   
honor them with the depositum of his    
oracles 7,rom4 iii4 #b73  8,to them were
 committed the oracles of ,god40 ,in    
which regard all other  nations are said
 to be 8without ,god0 7,eph4 ii4 #ab71  
as being destitute  of so great a       
privilege4 ,the ,spirit blew in ,canaan 
when the lands about  it felt not the   
saving breath of it4 8,he hath not dealt
 so with any  nation2 and as for his    
judgments1 they have not known them0    
7,ps4 cxlvii4  #bj74 ,the rest had no   
warnings from the prophets1 no dictates 
from  heaven1 but what they had by the  
light of nature1 the view of the works  
of creation1 and the administration of  
,providence1 and what remained  among   
them of some ancient traditions derived 

from ,noah1 which1 in  tract of time1   
were much defaced4 ,we read but of one  
,jonah sent to  ,nineveh1 but frequent  
alarms to the ,israelites by a multitude
 of  prophets commissioned by ,god4 ,it 
is true1 the door of the ,jewish church 
was open to what proselytes would enter 
themselves1 and embrace their  religion 
and worship2 but there was no public    
proclamation made in the  world2 only   
,god1 by his miracles in their          
deliverance from ,egypt 7which  could   
not but be famous among all the neighbor
 nations71 declared  them to be a people
 favored by heaven3 but the tradition   
from ,adam and  ,noah was not publicly  
revived by ,god in other parts1 and     
raised from  that grave of forgetfulness
 wherein it had lain so long buried4    
,was  there any reason in them for this 
indulgence8 ,god might have been as     
liberal to any other nation1 yea1 to all
 the nations in the world1 if  it had   
been his sovereign pleasure3 any other  
people were as fit to be  entrusted with

 his oracles1 and be subjects for his   
worship1 as that  people2 yet all other 
nations1 till the rejection of the      
,jews1 because  of their rejection of   
,christ1 were strangers from the        
covenant of  promise4 ,these people were
 part of the common mass of the world3  
they  had no prerogative in nature above
 ,adam's posterity4 ,were b#dje they    
the extract of an innocent part of his  
loins1 and all the other nations        
drained out of his putrefaction8 ,had   
the blood of ,abraham1 from whom  they  
were more immediately descended1 any    
more precious tincture than  the rest of
 mankind8 ,they1 as well as other       
nations1 were made of  8one blood0      
7,acts xvii4 #bf72 and that corrupted   
both in the spring and  in the rivulets4
 ,were they better than other nations1  
when ,god first  drew them out of their 
slavery8 ,we have ,joshua's authority   
for it1  that they had complied with the
 ,egyptian idolatry1 8and served other  
gods10 in that place of their servitude 

7,josh4 xxiv4 #ad74 ,had they  had an   
abhorrency of the superstition of       
,egypt1 while they remained  there1 they
 could not so soon have erected a golden
 calf for worship1  in imitation of the 
,egyptian idols4 ,all the rest of       
mankind had  as inviting reasons to     
present ,god with1 as those people had4 
,god  might have granted the same       
privilege to all the world1 as well as  
to them1 or denied it them1 and endowed 
all the rest of the world  with his     
statutes3 but the enriching such a small
 company of people  with his ,divine    
showers1 and leaving the rest of the    
world as a  barren wilderness in        
spirituals1 can be placed upon no other 
account  originally than that of his    
unaccountable sovereignty1 of his love  
to them3 there was nothing in them to   
merit such high titles from ,god  as his
 firstborn1 his peculiar treasure1 the  
apple of his eye4 ,he  disclaims any    
righteousness in them1 and speaks a word
 sufficient to  damp such thoughts in   

them1 by charging them with their       
wickedness1  while he 8loaded them with 
his benefits0 7,deut4 ix4 #d1 #f74 ,the 
,lord  8gives thee not0 this land for   
8thy righteousness20 for thou art a     
stiffnecked people4 ,it was an act of   
,god's free pleasure to 8choose  them to
 be a people to himself0 7,deut4 vii4   
#f74    7#c47 ,god afterwards rejected  
the ,jews1 gave them up to the hardness 
of  their hearts1 and spread the gospel 
among the ,gentiles4 ,he hath cast  off 
the children of the kingdom1 those that 
had been enrolled for his  subjects for 
many ages1 who seemed1 by their descent 
from ,abraham1 to  have a right to the  
privileges of ,abraham2 and called men  
from the east  and from the west1 from  
the darkest corners in the world1 to    
8sit down  with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and   
,jacob1 in the kingdom of heaven10 i4 e4
  to partake with them of the promises  
of the gospel 7,matt4 viii4 #aa74  ,the 
people that were accounted accursed by  
the ,jews enjoy the means  of grace1    

which have been hid from those that were
 once dignified this  #afjj years2 that 
they have neither ephod1 nor teraphim1  
nor sacrifice1  nor any true worship of 
,god among them 7,hos4 iii4 #d74 ,why he
 should not  give them grace to         
acknowledge and own the person of the   
,messiah1 to  whom he had made the      
promises of him for so many successive  
ages1 but  let their 8heart be fat10 and
 8their ears heavy0 7,isa4 vi4 #aj78why 
the gospel at length1 after the         
resurrection of ,christ1 should  be     
presented to the ,gentiles1 not by      
chance1 but pursuant to the  resolution 
and prediction of ,god1 declared by the 
prophets that it  should be so in       
time8why he should let so many hundreds 
of years pass  over1 after the world was
 peopled1 and let the nations all that  
while  soak in their idolatrous         
customs8why he should not call the      
,gentiles  without rejecting the ,jews1 
and bind them both up together in the   
bundle of b#djf life8why he should      

acquaint some people with it  a little  
after the publishing it in ,jerusalem1  
by the descent of the  ,spirit1 and     
others not a long time after8some in the
 first ages  of ,christianity enjoyed   
it2 others have it not1 as those in     
,america1  till the last age of the     
world2can be referred to nothing but his
  sovereign pleasure4 ,what merit can be
 discovered in the ,gentiles8 ,there  is
 something of justice in the case of the
 ,jews' rejection1 nothing  but         
sovereignty in the ,gentiles' reception 
into the church4 ,if the ,jews  were    
bad1 the ,gentiles were in some sort    
worse3 the ,jews owned the one  true    
,god1 without mixture of idols1 though  
they owned not the ,messiah  in his     
appearance1 which they did in a promise2
 but the ,gentiles owned  neither the   
one nor the other4 ,some tell us1 it was
 for the merit  of some of their        
ancestors4 ,how comes the means of      
grace1 then1 to  be taken from the ,jew1
 who had 7if any people ever had7       

meritorious  ancestors for a plea8 ,if  
the merit of some of their former       
progenitors  were the cause1 what was   
the reason the debt due to their merit  
was not  paid to their immediate        
progeny1 or to themselves1 but to a     
posterity  so distant from them1 and so 
abominably depraved as the ,gentile     
world  was at the day of the gospelsun  
striking into their horizon8 ,what      
merit might be in their ancestors 7if   
any could be supposed in the most       
refined rubbish71 it was so little for  
themselves1 that no oil could  be spared
 out of their lamps for others4 ,what   
merit their ancestors  might have1 might
 be forfeited by the succeeding         
generations4 ,it is  ordinarily seen1   
that what honor a father deserves in a  
state for  public service1 may be lost  
by the son1 forfeited by treason1 and   
himself attainted4 ,or was it out of a  
foresight that the ,gentiles would      
embrace it1 and the ,jews reject it2    
that the ,gentiles would embrace it  in 

one place1 and not in another8 ,how did 
,god foresee it1 but in his  own grace1 
which he was resolved to display in one1
 not in another8  ,it must be then still
 resolved into his sovereign pleasure4  
,or did  he foresee it in their wills   
and nature8 ,what1 were they not all one
  common dross8 ,was any part of ,adam1 
by nature1 better than another8 ,how    
did ,god foresee that which was not1 nor
 could be1 without his pleasure  to give
 ability1 and grace to receive8 ,well1  
then1 what reason but  the sovereign    
pleasure of ,god can be alleged1 why    
,christ forbade the  apostles1 at their 
first commission1 to preach to the      
,gentiles 7,matt4  x4 #ae71 but1 at the 
second and standing commission1 orders  
them to  preach to 8every creature80    
,why did he put a demur to the          
resolutions  of ,paul and ,timothy1 to  
impart light to ,bithynia1 or order them
 to go  into ,macedonia8 ,was that      
country more worthy upon whom lay a     
great part  of the blood of the world   

shed in ,alexander's time 7,acts xvi4   
#f1 #g1 #i1  #aj78 ,why should ,corazin 
and ,bethsaida enjoy those means that   
were not  granted to the ,tyrians and   
,sidonians1 who might probably have     
sooner  reached out their arms to       
welcome it 7,matt4 xi4 #ba78 ,why should
 ,god  send the gospel into our island1 
and cause it to flourish so long  here1 
and not send it1 or continue it1 in the 
furthest eastern parts  of the world8   
,why should the very profession of      
,christianity possess  so small a       
compass of ground in the world1 but five
 parts in thirty1  the ,mahometans      
holding six parts1 and the other        
nineteen overgrown with  ,paganism1     
where either the gospel was b#djg never 
planted1 or else  since rooted up8 ,to  
whom will you refer this1 but to the    
same cause  our ,saviour doth the       
revelation of the gospel to babes1 and  
not to the  wiseeven to his ,father8    
8,for so it seemed good in thy sight0   
7,matt4  xi4 #be1 #bf72 8,for so was thy

 good pleasure before thee0 7as in the  
original72 it is at his pleasure whether
 he will give any a clear  revelation of
 his gospel1 or leave them only to the  
light of nature4 ,he  could have kept up
 the first beam of the gospel in the    
promise in all  nations among the       
apostasies of ,adam's posterity1 or     
renewed it in all  nations when it began
 to be darkened1 as well as he first    
published it  to ,adam after his fall2  
but it was his sovereign pleasure to    
permit it  to be obscured in one place1 
and to keep it lighted in another4      
#d4 ,his sovereignty is manifest in the 
various influences of the means  of     
grace4 ,he saith to these waters of the 
sanctuary1 as to the floods  of the sea1
 8,hitherto you shall go1 and no        
further40 ,sometimes they  wash away the
 filth of the flesh and outward man1 but
 not that of the  spirit2 the gospel    
spiritualizeth some1 and only moralizeth
 others2  some are by the power of it   
struck down to conviction1 but not      

raised  up to conversion2 some have only
 the gleams of it in their consciences1 
and others more powerful flashes2 some  
remain in their thick darkness  under   
the beaming of the gospel every day in  
their face1 and after  a long           
insensibleness are roused by its light  
and warmth2 sometimes  there is such a  
powerful breath in it1 that it levels   
the haughty  imaginations of men1 and   
lays them at its feet that before       
strutted  against it in the pride of    
their heart4 ,the foundation of this is 
not  in the gospel itself1 which is     
always the same1 nor in the ordinances1 
which are channels as sound at one time 
as at another1 but ,divine  sovereignty 
that spirits them as he pleaseth1 and   
8blows when and where  it lists40 ,it   
has sometimes conquered its thousands   
7,acts ii4 #da72 at  another time scarce
 its tens2 sometimes the harvest hath   
been great1  when the laborers have been
 but few2 at another time it hath been  
small1  when the laborers have been     

many2 sometimes whole sheaves2 at       
another  time scarce gleanings4 ,the    
evangelical net hath been sometimes full
 at  a cast1 and at every cast2 at      
another time many have labored all      
night1  and day too1 and catched nothing
 7,acts1 ii4 #dg73 8,the ,lord added to 
the  church daily40 ,the gospel chariot 
doth not always return with captives    
chained to the sides of it1 but         
sometimes blurred and reproached1       
wearing the marks of hell's spite1      
instead of imprinting the marks of  its 
own beauty4 ,in ,corinth it triumphed   
over many people 7,acts xviii4  #aj72 in
 ,athens it is mocked1 and gathers but a
 few clusters 7,acts xvii4  #cb1 #cd74  
,god keeps the key of the heart1 as well
 as of the womb4 ,the  apostles had a   
power of publishing the gospel1 and     
working miracles1  but under the ,divine
 conduct2 it was an instrumentality     
durante  bene placito1 and as ,god saw  
it convenient4 ,miracles were not upon  
every occasion allowed to them to be    

wrought1 nor success upon every         
administration granted to them2 ,god    
sometimes lent them the key1 but to     
take out no more treasure than was      
allotted to them4 ,there is a variety   
in the time of gospel operation2 some   
rise out of their graves of sin1  and   
beds of sluggishness1 at the first      
appearance of this sun2 others  lie     
snorting b#djh longer4 ,why doth not    
,god spirit it at one season as  well as
 at another1 but set his distinct       
periods of time1 but because  he will   
show his absolute freedom8 ,and do we   
not sometimes experiment  that after the
 most solemn preparations of the heart1 
we are frustrated  of those incomes we  
expected8 ,perhaps it was because we    
thought ,divine  returns were due to our
 preparations1 and ,god stops up the    
channel1 and  we return drier than we   
came1 that ,god may confute our false   
opinion1  and preserve the honor of his 
own sovereignty4 ,sometimes we leap with
  ,john ,baptist in the womb at the     

appearance of ,christ2 sometimes we lie 
upon a lazy bed when he knocks from     
heaven2 sometimes the fleece is  dry1   
and sometimes wet1 and ,god withholds to
 drop down his dew of the  morning upon 
it4 ,the dews of his word1 as well as   
the droppings of the  clouds1 belong to 
his royalty2 light will not shine into  
the heart1  though it shine round about 
us1 without the sovereign order of that 
,god  8who commanded light to shine out 
of the darkness0 of the chaos 7#b ,cor4 
iv4 #f74 ,and is it not seen also in    
regard of the refreshing influences  of 
the word8 sometimes the strongest       
arguments1 and clearest promises1       
prevail nothing towards the quelling    
black and despairing imaginations2      
when1 afterwards1 we have found them    
frighted away by an unexpected  word1   
that seemed to have less virtue in it   
itself than any that passed  in vain    
before it4 ,the reasonings of wisdom    
have dropped down like  arrows against a
 brazen wall1 when the speech of a      

weaker person hath  found an efficacy4  
,it is ,god by his sovereignty spirits  
one word and  not another2 sometimes a  
secret word comes in1 which was not     
thought of  before1 as dropped from     
heaven1 and gives a refreshing1 when    
emptiness  was found in all the rest4   
,one word from the lips of a sovereign  
prince  is a greater cordial than all   
the harangues of subjects without it2   
what is the reason of this variety1 but 
that ,god would increase the  proofs of 
his own sovereignty8 that as it was a   
part of his dominion to  create the     
beauty of a world1 so it is no less to  
create the peace as  well as the grace  
of the heart 7,isa4 lvii4 #ai73 8,i     
create the fruit of  the lips1 peace40  
,let us learn from hence to have adoring
 thoughts of1  not murmuring fancies    
against1 the sovereignty of ,god2 to    
acknowledge  it with thankfulness in    
what we have2 to implore it with a holy 
submission in what we want4 ,to own ,god
 as a sovereign in a way of  dependence1

 is the way to be owned by him as       
subjects in a way of favor4    #e4 ,his 
sovereignty is manifested in giving a   
greater measure of  knowledge to some   
than to others4 ,what parts1 gifts1     
excellency of  nature1 any have above   
others1 are ,god's donative2 8,he gives 
wisdom to  the wise1 and knowledge to   
them that know understanding0 7,dan4 ii4
 #ba72  wisdom1 the habit1 and          
knowledge1 the right use of it1 in      
discerning  the right nature of objects1
 and the fitness of means conducing to  
the  end2 all is but a beam of ,divine  
light2 and the different degrees of     
knowledge in one man above another1 are 
the effects of his sovereign  pleasure4 
,he enlightens not the minds of all men 
to know every part of  his will2 one    
8eats with a doubtful conscience10      
another in 8faith10  without any        
staggering 7,rom4 xiv4 #b74 ,peter had a
 desire to keep up  circumcision1 not   
fully understanding the mind of ,god in 
the abolition  of the ,jewish           

ceremonies2 b#dji while ,paul was clear 
in the truth  of that doctrine4 ,a      
thought comes into our mind that1 like a
 sunbeam1  makes a ,scripture truth     
visible in a moment1 which before we    
were  poring upon without any success2  
this is from his pleasure4 ,one in the  
primitive times had the gift of         
knowledge1 another of wisdom1 one the   
gift of prophecy1 another of tongues1   
one the gift of healing1 another  that  
of discerning spirits2 why this gift to 
one man1 and not to  another8 ,why such 
a distribution in several subjects8     
,because it is his  sovereign pleasure4 
8,the ,spirit divides to every man      
severally as he  will0 7#a ,cor4 xii4   
#aa74 ,why doth he give ,bezaleel and   
,aholiab the gift  of engraving1 and    
making curious works for the tabernacle 
7,exod4 xxxi4  #c71 and not others8 ,why
 doth he bestow the treasures of        
evangelical  knowledge upon the meanest 
of earthen vessels1 the poor ,galileans1
  and neglect the ,pharisees1 stored    

with the knowledge both of naturals  and
 morals8 ,why did he give to some1 and  
not to others1 8to know the  mysteries  
of the kingdom of heaven80 7,matt4 xiii4
 #aa47 ,the reason is  implied in the   
words1 8,because it was the mystery of  
his kingdom10 and  therefore was the act
 of his sovereignty4 ,how would it be a 
kingdom and  monarchy if the governor of
 it were bound to do what he did8 ,it is
 to  be resolved only into the sovereign
 right of propriety of his own goods1   
that he furnisheth babes with a stock of
 knowledge1 and leaves the  wise and    
prudent empty of it 7,matt4 xi4 #bf73   
8,even so1 ,father3 for so  it seemed   
good in thy sight40 ,why did he not     
reveal his mind to ,eli1 a  grown man1  
and in the highest office in the ,jewish
 church1 but open it  to ,samuel1 a     
stripling8 why did the ,lord go from the
 one to the other8  ,because his motion 
depends upon his own will4 ,some are of 
so dull a  constitution1 that they are  
incapable of any impression1 like rocks 

too  hard for a stamp2 others like      
water2 you may stamp what you please1   
but  it vanisheth as soon as the seal is
 removed4 ,it is ,god forms men as he   
pleaseth3 some have parts to govern a   
kingdom1 others scarce brains to        
conduct their own affairs2 one is fit to
 rule men1 and another scarce  fit to   
keep swine2 some have capacious souls in
 crazy and deformed  bodies1 others     
contracted spirits and heavier minds in 
a richer and  more beautiful case4 ,why 
are not all stones alike8 some have a   
more  sparkling light1 as gems1 more    
orient than pebbles2some are stars of   
first1 and others of a less magnitude2  
others as mean as glowworms1  a slimy   
lustre3it is because he is the sovereign
 ,disposer of what  belongs to him2 and 
gives here1 as well as at the           
resurrection1 to one  8a glory of the   
sun20 to another that of the 8moon20 and
 to a third  a less1 resembling that of 
a 8star0 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #dj74 ,and this  
,god  may do by the same right of       

dominion1 as he exercised when he       
endowed  some kinds of creatures with a 
greater perfection than others in  their
 nature4 ,why may he not as well garnish
 one man with a greater  proportion of  
gifts1 as make a man differ in          
excellency from the nature  of a beast8 
or frame angels to a more purely        
spiritual nature than a  man8 or make   
one angel a cherubim or seraphim1 with a
 greater measure  of light than another8
 ,though the foundation of this is his  
dominion1  yet his wisdom is not        
uninterested in his sovereign disposal2 
he  garnisheth those with a greater     
ability whom he b#daj intends for       
greater service1 than those that he     
intends for less1 or none at all2  as an
 artificer bestows more labor1 and      
carves a more excellent figure  upon    
those stones that he designs for a more 
honorable place in the  building4 ,but  
though the intending this or that man   
for service be  the motive of laying in 
a greater provision in him than in      

others1 yet  still it is to be referred 
to his sovereignty1 since that first act
 of  culling him out for such an end was
 the fruit solely of his sovereign      
pleasure3 as when he resolved to make a 
creature actively to glorify  him1 in   
wisdom he must give him reason2 yet the 
making such a creature  was an act of   
his absolute dominion4    #f4 ,his      
sovereignty is manifest in the calling  
some to a more special  service in their
 generation4 ,god settles some in       
immediate offices  of his service1 and  
perpetuates them in those offices1 with 
a neglect  of others1 who seem to have a
 greater pretence to them4 ,moses was a 
great sufferer for ,israel1 the         
solicitor for them in ,egypt1 and the   
conductor of them from ,egypt to        
,canaan2 yet he was not chosen to the   
high priesthood1 but that was an office 
settled upon ,aaron1 and his  posterity 
after him1 in a lineal descent2 ,moses  
was only pitched  upon for the present  
rescue of the captived ,israelites1 and 

to be the  instrument of ,divine        
miracles2 but notwithstanding all the   
success  he had in his conduct1 his     
faithfulness in his employment1 and the 
transcendent familiarity he had with the
 great ,ruler of the world1 his         
posterity were left in the common level 
of the tribe of ,levi1 without  any     
special mark of dignity upon them above 
the rest for all the  services of that  
great man4 ,why ,moses for a temporary  
magistrate1 ,aaron  for a perpetual     
priesthood1 above all the rest of the   
,israelites8 hath  little reason but the
 absolute pleasure of ,god1 who         
distributes his  employments as he      
pleaseth2 and as a master orders his    
servant to do  the noblest work1 and    
another to labor in baser offices1      
according  to his pleasure4 ,why doth he
 call out ,david1 a shepherd1 to sway   
the  ,jewish sceptre1 above the rest of 
the brothers1 that had a fairer         
appearance1 and had been bred in arms1  
and inured to the toils and  watchings  

of a camp8 ,why should ,mary be the     
mother of ,christ1 and not  some other  
of the same family of ,david1 of a more 
splendid birth1 and  a nobler education8
 ,though some other reasons may be      
rendered1 yet  that which affords the   
greatest acquiescence1 is the sovereign 
will of  ,god4 ,why did ,christ choose  
out of the meanest of the people the    
twelve  apostles1 to be heralds of his  
grace in ,judea1 and other parts of the 
world2 and afterwards select ,paul      
before ,gamaliel1 his instructor1 and   
others of the ,jews1 as learned as      
himself1 and advance him to be the  most
 eminent apostle1 above the heads of    
those who had ministered to  ,christ in 
the days of his flesh8 ,why should he   
preserve eleven of those  he first      
called to propagate and enlarge his     
kingdom1 and leave the  other to the    
employment of shedding his blood8 ,why1 
in the times of our  reformation1 he    
should choose a ,luther out of a        
monastery1 and leave  others in their   

superstitious nastiness1 to perish in   
the traditions of  their fathers8 ,why  
set up ,calvin1 as a bulwark of the     
gospel1 and let  others as learned as   
himself wallow in the sink of popery8   
,it is his  pleasure to do so4 ,the     
potter hath power to separate this part 
of the  clay to form a vessel b#daa for 
a more public use1 and another part of  
the clay to form a vessel for a more    
private one4 ,god takes the meanest     
clay to form the most excellent and     
honorable vessels in his house4 ,as  he 
formed man1 that was to govern the      
creatures of the same clay and  earth   
whereof the beasts were formed1 and not 
of that nobler element  of water1 which 
gave birth to the fish and birds3 so he 
forms some1  that are to do him the     
greatest service1 of the meanest        
materials1 to  manifest the absolute    
right of his dominion4    #g4 ,his      
sovereignty is manifest in the bestowing
 much wealth and honor  upon some1 and  
not vouchsafing it to the more          

industrious labors and  attempts of     
others4 ,some are abased1 and others are
 elevated2 some  are enriched1 and      
others impoverished2 some scarce feel   
any cross1 and  others scarce feel any  
comfort in their whole lives2 some sweat
 and  toil1 and what they labor for runs
 out of their reach2 others sit still1  
and what they wish for falls into their 
lap4 ,one of the same clay hath  a      
diadem to beautify his head1 and another
 wants a covering to protect  him from  
the weather4 ,one hath a stately palace 
to lodge in1 and  another is scarce     
master of a cottage where to lay his    
head4 ,a sceptre  is put into one man's 
hand1 and a spade into another's2 a rich
 purple  garnisheth one man's body1     
while another wraps himself in dunghill 
rags4 ,the poverty of some1 and the     
wealth of others1 is an effect of  the  
,divine sovereignty1 whence ,god is said
 to be the ,maker of the 8poor  as well 
as the rich0 7,prov4 xxii4 #b71 not only
 of their persons1 but of  their        

conditions4 ,the earth1 and the fulness 
thereof1 is his propriety2  and he hath 
as much a right as ,joseph had to bestow
 changes of raiment  upon what          
,benjamins he please4 ,there is an      
election to a greater degree  of worldly
 felicity1 as there is an election of   
some to a greater  degree of            
supernatural grace and glory3 as he     
makes it 8rain upon one  city1 and not  
upon another0 7,amos iv4 #g71 so he     
causeth prosperity to  distil upon the  
head of one and not upon another2       
crowning some with  earthly blessings1  
while he crosseth others with continual 
afflictions3  for he speaks of himself  
as a great proprietor of the corn that  
nourisheth us1 and the wine that cheers 
us1 and the wood that warm us  7,hos4   
ii4 #h1 #i73 8,i will take away10 not   
your corn and wine1 but 8my  corn1 my   
wine1 my wool40 ,his right to dispose of
 the goods of every  particular person  
is unquestionable4 ,he can take away    
from one1 and  pass over the propriety  

to another4 ,thus he devolved the right 
of the  ,egyptian jewels to the         
,israelites1 and bestowed upon the      
captives what  before he had vouchsafed 
to the oppressors2 as every sovereign   
state  demands the goods of their       
subjects for the public advantage in a  
case  of exigency1 though none of that  
wealth was gained by any public office1 
but by their private industry1 and      
gained in a country not subject to  the 
dominion of those that require a portion
 of them4 ,by this right  he changes    
strangely the scene of the world2       
sometimes those that are  high are      
reduced to a mean and ignominious       
condition1 those that are  mean are     
advanced to a state of plenty and glory4
 ,the counter1 which  in accounting     
signifies now but a penny1 is presently 
raised up to  signify a pound4 ,the     
proud ladies of ,israel1 instead of a   
girdle of  curious needlework1 are      
brought to make use b#dab of a cord2 as 
the  vulgar translates rent1 a rag1 or  

list of cloth 7,isa4 iii4 #bd71 and     
sackcloth for a stomacher instead of    
silk4 ,this is the sovereign act  of    
,god1 as he is ,lord of the world 7,ps4 
lxxv4 #f1 #g73 8,promotion cometh       
neither from the east1 nor from the     
west1 nor from the south1 but ,god  is  
the ,judge3 he putteth down one1 and    
setteth up another40 ,he doth no  wrong 
to any man1 if he lets him languish out 
his days in poverty and  disgrace3 if he
 gives or takes away1 he meddles with   
nothing but what  is his own more than  
ours3 if he did dispense his benefits   
equally  to all1 men would soon think it
 their due4 ,the inequality and changes 
preserve the notion of ,god's           
sovereignty1 and correct our natural    
unmindfulness of it4 ,if there were no  
changes1 ,god would not be feared  as   
the 8,king of all the earth0 7,ps4 lv4  
#ai73 to this might also be  referred   
his investing some countries with       
greater riches in their  bowels1 and on 
the surface2 the disposing some of the  

fruitful and  pleasant regions of       
,canaan or ,italy1 while he settles     
others in the  icy and barren parts of  
the northern climates4    #h4 ,his      
sovereignty is manifest in the times and
 seasons of dispensing  his goods4 ,he  
is ,lord of the times when1 as well as  
of the goods which1  he doth dispose of 
to any person2 these 8the ,father hath  
put in his  own power0 7,acts i4 #g74   
,as it was his sovereign pleasure to    
restore  the kingdom to ,israel1 so he  
would pitch upon the time when to do it1
  and would not have his right invaded1 
so much as by a question out  of        
curiosity4 ,this disposing of           
opportunities1 in many things1 can be   
referred to nothing else but his        
sovereign pleasure4 ,why should ,christ 
come at the twilight and evening of the 
world8 at the fulness1 and not  at the  
beginning1 of time8 ,why should he be   
from the infancy of the  world so long  
wrapt up in a promise1 and not appear in
 the flesh till  the last times and gray

 hairs of the world1 when so many       
persons1 in  all nations1 had been      
hurried out of the world without any    
notice of  such a ,redeemer8 ,what was  
this but his sovereign will8 ,why the   
,gentiles  should be left so long in the
 devil's chains1 wallowing in the sink  
of  their abominable superstitions1     
since ,god had declared his intention   
by the prophets to call multitudes of   
them1 and reject the ,jews2why  he      
should defer it so long1 can be referred
 to nothing but the same  cause4 ,what  
is the reason the veil continues so long
 upon the heart  of the ,jews1 that is  
promised1 one time or other1 to be taken
 off8  ,why doth ,god delay the         
accomplishment of those glorious        
predictions of  the happiness and       
interest of that people8 ,is it because 
of the sin of  their ancestors1a reason 
that cannot bear much weight8 ,if we    
cast it  upon that account1 their       
conversion can never be expected1 can   
never  be effected2 if for the sins of  

their ancestors1 is it not also for     
their own sins8 ,do their sins grow less
 in number1 or less venomous1 or        
provoking in quality1 by this delay8 ,is
 not their blasphemy of ,christ  as     
malicious1 their hatred of him as strong
 and rooted1 as ever8 ,do  they not as  
much approve of the bloody act of their 
ancestors1 since  so many ages are past1
 as their ancestors did applaud it at   
the time of  the execution8 ,have they  
not the same disposition and will1      
discovered  sufficiently by the scorn of
 ,christ1 and of those that profess his 
name1 to act the b#dac same thing over  
again1 were ,christ now in  the same    
state in the world1 and they invested   
with the same power  of government8 ,if 
their conversion were deferred one age  
after the  death of ,christ for the sins
 of their preceding ancestors1 is it to 
be  expected now2 since the present     
generation of the ,jews in all countries
  have the sins of those remote1 the    
succeeding1 and their more immediate    

ancestors1 lying upon them8 ,this1      
therefore1 cannot be the reason2 but  as
 it was the sovereign pleasure of ,god  
to foretell his intention to  overcome  
the stoutness of their hearts1 so it is 
his sovereign pleasure  that it shall   
not be performed till the 8fulness of   
the ,gentiles be  come in0 7,rom4 xi4   
#be74 ,as he is the ,lord of his own    
grace1 so he is  the ,lord of the time  
when to dispense it4 ,why did ,god      
create the world  in six days1 which he 
could have erected and beautified in a  
moment8  ,because it was his pleasure so
 to do4 ,why did he frame the world when
  he did1 and not many ages before8     
,because he is ,master of his own work4 
,why did he not resolve to bring ,israel
 to the fruition of ,canaan till  after 
four hundred years8 ,why did he draw out
 their deliverance to so  long time     
after he began to attempt it8 ,why such 
a multitude of plagues  upon ,pharaoh to
 work it1 when he could have cut short  
the work by one  mortal blow upon the   

tyrant and his accomplices8 ,it was his 
sovereign  pleasure to act so1 though   
not without other reasons intelligible  
enough by looking into the story4 ,why  
doth he not bring man to a  perfection  
of stature in a moment after his birth1 
but let him continue  in a tedious      
infancy1 in a semblance to beasts1 for  
the want of an  exercise of reason8 ,why
 doth he not bring this or that man1    
whom he  intends for service1 to a      
fitness in an instant1 but by long      
tracts of  study1 and through many      
meanders and labyrinths8 ,why doth he   
transplant  a hopeful person in his     
youth to the pleasures of another world1
 and  let another1 of an eminent        
holiness1 continue in the misery of     
this1  and wade through many floods of  
afflictions8 ,what can we chiefly  refer
 all these things to but his sovereign  
pleasure8 ,the 8times are  determined by
 ,god0 7,acts xvii4 #bf74    ,thirdly4  
,the dominion of ,god is manifested as a
 governor1 as well as  a lawgiver and   

proprietor4    #a4 ,in disposing of     
states and kingdoms4 7,ps4 lxxv4 #g73   
8,god is ,judge2  he puts down one1 and 
sets up another40 8,judge0 is to be     
taken not in  the same sense that we    
commonly use the word1 for a judicial   
minister  in a way of trial1 but for a  
governor2 as you know the extraordinary 
governors raised up among the ,jews were
 called judges1 whence one  entire book 
in the ,old ,testament is so            
denominated1 the ,book of ,judges4  ,god
 hath a prerogative to 8change times and
 seasons0 7,dan4 ii4 #ba71  i4 e4 the   
revolutions of government1 whereby times
 are altered4 ,how  many empires1 that  
have spread their wings over a great    
part of the  world1 have had their      
carcasses torn in pieces2 and unheardof 
nations  plucked off the wings of the   
,roman eagle1 after it had preyed upon  
many  nations of the world2 and the     
,macedonian empire was as the dew that  
is dried up a short time after it       
falls4#ajaa ,he erected the ,chaldean   

monarchy1 used ,nebuchadnezzar to       
overthrow and punish the ungrateful     
,jews1 and1 by a b#dad sovereign act1   
gave a great parcel of land  into his   
hands2 and what he thought was his right
 by conquest1 was  ,god's donative to   
him4 ,you may read the charter to       
,nebuchadnezzar1  whom he terms his     
servant 7,jer4 xxvii4 #f73 8,and now ,i 
have given all  those lands0 7the lands 
are mentioned ver4 #c71 8into the hands 
of  ,nebuchadnezzar1 the king of        
,babylon1 my servant30 which decree he  
pronounceth after his asserting his     
right of sovereignty over the whole     
earth 7ver4 #e74 ,after that1 he puts a 
period to the ,chaldean empire1  and by 
the same sovereign authority decrees    
,babylon to be a spoil to  the nations  
of the north country1 and delivers her  
up as a spoil to  the ,persian 7,jer4 l4
 #i1 #aj73 and this for the             
manifestation of his  sovereign         
dominion1 that he was the ,lord1 that   
made peace1 and created  evil 7,isa4    

xlv4 #f1 #g74 ,god afterwards overthrows
 that by the ,grecian  ,alexander1      
prophesied of under the figure of a     
goat1 with 8one horn  between his eyes0 
7,dan4 viii473 the swift current of his 
victories1  as swift as his motion1     
showed it to be from an extraordinary   
hand of  heaven1 and not either from the
 policy or strength of the ,macedonian4 
,his strength1 in the prophet1 is       
described to be less1 being but one     
horn running against the ,persian1      
described under the figure of a ram     
with two horns3#ajab and himself        
acknowledged a ,divine motion exciting  
him to that great attempt1 when he saw  
,joddus1 the highpriest1 coming  out in 
his priestly robes1 to meet him at his  
approach to ,jerusalem1  whom he was    
about to worship1 acknowledging that the
 vision which put  him upon the ,persian
 war appeared to him in such a garb4    
,what was the  reason ,israel was rent  
from ,judah1 and both split into two    
distinct  kingdoms8 ,because ,rehoboam  

would not hearken to sober and sound    
counsels1 but follow the advice of      
upstarts4 ,what was the reason he did   
not hearken to sound advice1 since he   
had so advantageous an education  under 
his father ,solomon1 the wisest prince  
of the world8 8,the cause  was from the 
,lord0 7#a ,kings1 xii4 #ae71 that he   
might perform what he  had before spoke4
 ,in this he acted according to his     
royal word2 but1 in  the first resolve1 
he acted as a sovereign lord1 that had  
the disposal  of all nations in the     
world4 ,and though ,ahab had a numerous 
posterity1  seventy sons to inherit the 
throne after him1 yet ,god by his       
sovereign  authority gives them up into 
the hands of ,jehu1 who strips them of  
their lives and hopes together3 not a   
man of them succeeded in the  throne1   
but the crown is transferred to ,jehu by
 ,god's disposal4 ,in wars1  whereby    
flourishing kingdoms are overthrown1    
,god hath the chief hand2  in reference 
to which it is observed that1 in the two

 prophets1 ,isaiah  and ,jeremiah1 ,god 
is called 8the ,lord of ,hosts0 one     
hundred and thirty  times4 ,it is not   
the sword of the captain1 but the sword 
of the ,lord1  bears the first rank2    
8the sword of the ,lord and of ,gideon0 
7,judges vii4  #ah74 ,the sword of a    
conqueror is the sword of the ,lord1 and
 receives  its charge and commission    
from the great ,sovereign 7,jer4 xlvii4 
#f1 #g74  ,we are apt to confine our    
thoughts to second causes1 lay the fault
  upon the miscarriages of persons1 the 
ambition of the one1 and the            
covetousness of another1 and regard them
 not as the effects of ,god's  sovereign
 authority1 linking second causes       
together to serve his  own purpose4 ,the
 skill of one man may lay open the b#dae
 folly of a  counsellor2 an earthly     
force may break in pieces the power of a
 mighty  prince3 but ,job1 in his       
consideration of those things1 refers   
the  matter higher3 8,he looseth the    
bond of kings1 and girdeth their loins  

with a girdle0 7,job xii4 #ah74 8,he    
looseth the bonds of kings10 i4 e4      
takes off the yokes they lay upon their 
subjects1 8and girds their  loins with a
 girdle0 7a cord1 as the vulgar72 he    
lays upon them those  fetters they      
framed for others2 such a girdle1 or    
band1 as is the mark  of captivity1 as  
the words1 ver4 #ai1 confirm it3 8,he   
leads princes  away spoiled1 and        
overthrows the mighty40 ,god lifts up   
some to a great  height1 and casts down 
others to a disgraceful ruin4 ,all those
 changes  in the face of the world1 the 
revolutions of empires1 the desolating  
and ravaging wars1 which are often      
immediately the birth of the vice1      
ambition1 and fury of princes1 are the  
royal acts of ,god as ,governor of  the 
world4 ,all government belongs to him2  
he is the ,fountain of all the  great   
and the petty dominions in the world2   
and1 therefore1 may place  in them what 
substitutes and vicegerents he pleaseth1
 as a prince may  remove his officers at

 pleasure1 and take their commissions   
from them4  ,the highest are settled by 
,god durante bene placito1 and not      
quamdiu  bene se gesserint4 ,those      
princes that have been the glory of     
their  country have swayed the sceptre  
but a short time1 when the more wolvish 
ones have remained longer in commission1
 as ,god hath seen fit for  the ends of 
his own sovereign government4 ,now1 by  
the revolutions in  the world1 and      
changes in governors and government1    
,god keeps up the  acknowledgment of his
 sovereignty1 when he doth arrest grand 
and public  offenders that wear a crown 
by his providence1 and employ it1 by    
their  pride1 against him that placed it
 there4 ,when he arraigns such by  a    
signal hand from heaven1 he makes them  
the public examples of the  rights of   
his sovereignty1 declaring thereby1 that
 the cedars of  ,lebanon are as much at 
his foot1 as the shrubs of the valley2  
that he  hath as sovereign an authority 
over the throne in the palace1 as over  

the stool in the cottage4    #b4 ,the   
dominion of ,god is manifested in       
raising up and ordering the  spirits of 
men according to his pleasure4 ,he doth1
 as the ,father of  spirits1 communicate
 an influence to the spirits of men1 as 
well as an  existence2 he puts what     
inclinations he pleaseth into the will1 
stores  it with what habits he please1  
whether natural or supernatural1 whereby
  it may be rendered more ready to act  
according to the ,divine purpose4  ,the 
will of man is a finite principle1 and  
therefore subject to ,him  who hath an  
infinite sovereignty over all things2   
and ,god1 having a  sovereignty over the
 will1 in the manner of its acting1     
causeth it to  will what he wills1 as to
 the outward act1 and the outward manner
 of  performing it4 ,there are many     
examples of this part of his            
sovereignty4  ,god1 by his sovereign    
conduct1 ordered ,moses a protectoress  
as soon  as his parents had formed an   
8ark of bulrushes10 wherein to set him  

floating on the river 7,exod4 ii4 #cf73 
they expose him to the waves1  and the  
waves expose him to the view of         
,pharaoh's daughter1 whom ,god1  by his 
secret ordering her motion1 had posted  
in that place2 and though  she was the  
daughter of a prince that inveterately  
hated the whole  nation1 and had1 by    
various arts1 endeavored to extirpate   
them1 yet  ,god inspires the royal lady 
b#daf with sentiments of compassion to  
the  forlorn infant1 though she knew him
 to be one of the ,hebrews' children    
7ver4 #f71 i4 e4 one of that race whom  
her father had devoted to  the hands of 
the executioner2 yet ,god1 that doth by 
his sovereignty  rule over the spirits  
of all men1 moves her to take that      
infant into  her protection1 and nourish
 him at her own charge1 give him a      
liberal  education1 adopt him as her    
son1 who1 in time1 was to be the ruin of
  her race1 and the saviour of his      
nation4 ,thus he appointed ,cyrus to be 
his shepherd1 and gave him a pastoral   

spirit for the restoration of the  city 
and temple of ,jerusalem 7,isa4 xliv4   
#bh73 and ,isaiah 7chap4 xlv4 #e7  tells
 them1 in the prophecy1 that he had     
girded him1 though ,cyrus had  not known
 him1 i4 e4 ,god had given him a        
military spirit and strength  for so    
great an attempt1 though he did not know
 that he was acted by  ,god for those   
divine purposes4 ,and when the time came
 for the house of  the ,lord to be      
rebuilt1 the spirits of the people were 
raised up1 not  by themselves1 but by   
,god 7,ezra i4 #e71 8,whose spirit ,god 
had raised to  go up20 and not only the 
spirit of ,zerubbabel1 the magistrate1  
and of  ,joshua1 the priest1 but the    
spirit of all the people1 from the      
highest  to the meanest that attended   
him1 were acted by ,god to strengthen   
their  hands1 and promote the work      
7,hag4 i4 #ad74 ,the spirits of men1    
even in  those works which are naturally
 desirable to them1 as the restoration  
of the city and rebuilding of the       

,temple was to those ,jews1 are acted   
by ,god1 as the ,sovereign over them1   
much more when the wheels of men's      
spirits are lifted up above their       
ordinary temper and motion4 ,it was     
this empire of ,god good ,nehemiah      
regarded1 as that whence he was to  hope
 for success2 he did not assure himself 
so much of it1 from the  favor he had   
with the king1 nor the reasonableness of
 his intended  petition1 but the        
absolute power ,god had over the heart  
of that  great monarch2 and1 therefore1 
he supplicates the heavenly1 before he  
petitioned the earthly1 throne 7,neh4   
ii4 #d73 8,so ,i prayed to the ,god of  
heaven40 ,the heathens had some glance  
of this2 it is an expression that       
,cicero hath somewhere1 8,that the      
,roman commonwealth was rather governed 
by the assistance of the ,supreme       
,divinity over the hearts of men1  than 
by their own counsels and management40  
,how often hath the feeble  courage of  
men been heightened to such a pitch as  

to stare death in the  face1 which      
before were damped with the least       
thought or glance of it6  ,this is a    
fruit of ,god's sovereign dominion4     
#c4 ,the dominion of ,god is manifest in
 restraining the furious  passions of   
men1 and putting a block in their way4  
,sometimes ,god doth  it by a remarkable
 hand1 as the ,babel builders were      
diverted from their  proud design by a  
sudden confusion of their language1 and 
rendering it  unintelligible to one     
another2 sometimes by ordinary1 though  
unexpected1  means2 as when ,saul1 like 
a hawk1 was ready to prey upon ,david1  
whom  he had hunted as a partridge upon 
the mountains1 he had another object    
presented for his arms and fury by the  
,philistines' sudden invasion of  a part
 of his territory 7#a ,sam4 xxiii4      
#bfbh74 ,but it is chiefly seen  by an  
inward curbing mutinous affections1 when
 there is no visible  cause4 ,what      
reason but this can be rendered1 why the
 nations bordering  on ,canaan1 who bore

 no good will to the ,jews1 but rather  
wished the  whole race of b#dag them    
rooted out from the face of the earth1  
should  not invade their country1       
pillage their houses1 and plunder their 
cattle1 while they were left naked of   
any human defence1 the males  being     
annually employed at one time at        
,jerusalem in worship2 what  reason can 
be rendered1 but an invisible curb ,god 
put into their  spirits8 ,what was the  
reason not a man1 of all the buyers and 
sellers  in the ,temple1 should rise    
against our ,saviour1 when1 with a high 
hand1  he began to whip them out1 but a 
,divine bridle upon them8 though it     
appears1 by the questioning his         
authority1 that there were ,jews enough 
to have chased out him and his company  
7,john ii4 #ae1 #ah74 ,what was the     
reason that1 at the publishing the      
gospel by the apostles at the first     
descent of the ,spirit1 those that had  
used the ,master so barbarously  a few  
days before1 were not all in a foam     

against the servants1 that1  by         
preaching that doctrine1 upbraided them 
with the late murder8 ,had  they better 
sentiments of the ,lord1 whom they had  
put to death8 ,were  their natures grown
 tamer1 and their malignity expelled8   
,no2 but that  ,sovereign who had loosed
 the reins of their malicious           
corruption1  to execute the ,master for 
the purchase of redemption1 curbed it   
from  breaking out against the servants1
 to further the propagation of the      
doctrine of redemption4 ,he that        
restrains the roaring lion of hell1     
restrains also his whelps on earth2 he  
and they must have a commission  before 
they can put forth a finger to hurt1 how
 malicious soever their  nature and will
 be4 ,his empire reaches over the       
malignity of devils1  as well as the    
nature of beasts4 ,the lions out of the 
den1 as well  as those in the den1 are  
bridled by him in favor of his ,daniels4
 ,his  dominion is above that of        
principalities and powers2 their decrees

 are  at his mercy1 whether they shall  
stand or fall2 he hath a vote above     
their stiffest resolves3 his single     
word1 ,i will1 or1 ,i forbid1  outweighs
 the most resolute purposes of all the  
mighty ,nimrods of  the earth in their  
rendezvouses and cabals1 in their       
associations and  counsels 7,isa4 viii4 
#i1 #aj73 8,associate yourselves1 ,o ye 
people1 and  ye shall be broken in      
pieces2 take counsel together1 and it   
shall come  to nought40 8,when the enemy
 shall come in like a flood10 with a    
violent  and irresistible force1        
intending nothing but ravage and        
desolation1  8the ,spirit of the ,lord  
shall lift up a standard against them0  
7,isa4  lix4 #ai71 shall give a sudden  
check1 and damp their spirits1 and put  
them to a stand4 ,when ,laban furiously 
pursued ,jacob1 with an intent to  do   
him an ill turn1 ,god gave him a command
 to do otherwise 7,gen4 xxxi4  #bd74    
,would ,laban have respected that       
command any more than he did the  light 

of nature when he worshipped idols1 had 
not ,god exercised his  authority in    
inclining his will to observe it1 or    
laying restraints  upon his natural     
inclinations1 or denying his concourse  
to the acting  those ill intentions he  
had entertained8 ,the stilling the      
principles of  commotion in men1 and the
 noise of the sea1 are arguments of the 
,divine  dominion2 neither the one nor  
the other is in the power of the most   
sovereign prince without ,divine        
assistance3 as no prince can command a  
calm to a raging sea1 so no prince can  
order stillness to a tumultuous  people2
 they are both put together as equally  
parts of the ,divine  prerogative 7,ps4 
lxv4 #g71 which 8stills the noise of the
 sea1 and  tumult of the people30 and   
,david owns ,god's sovereignty b#dah    
more  than his own1 8in subduing the    
people under him0 7,ps4 xviii4 #dg74 ,in
  this his empire is illustrious 7,ps4  
xxix4 #aj73 8,the ,lord sitteth upon    
the floods1 yea1 the ,lord sitteth ,king

 for ever20 a ,king impossible  to be   
deposed1 not only on the natural floods 
of the sea1 that would  naturally       
overflow the world1 but the metaphorical
 floods or tumults  of the people1 the  
sea in every wicked man's heart1 more   
apt to  rage morally than the sea to    
foam naturally4 ,if you will take the   
interpretation of an angel1 waters and  
floods1 in the prophetic style1  signify
 the inconstant and mutable people      
7,rev4 xvii4 #a1 #e73 8,the  waters     
where the whore sits are people1 and    
multitudes1 and nations1  and tongues30 
so the angel expounds to ,john the      
vision which he saw  7ver4 #a74 ,the    
heathens acknowledged this part of      
,god's sovereignty  in the inward       
restraints of men3 those apparitions of 
the gods and  goddesses in ,homer1 to   
several of the great men when they were 
in a  fury1 were nothing else1 in the   
judgment of the wisest philosophers1    
than an exercise of ,god's sovereignty  
in quelling their passions1  checking   

their uncomely intentions1 and          
controlling them in that which  their   
rage prompted them to4 ,and1 indeed1 did
 not ,god set bounds to  the storms in  
men's hearts1 we should soon see the    
funeral1 not only  of religion1 but     
civility2 the one would be blown out1   
and the other  torn up by the roots4    
#d4 ,the dominion of ,god is manifest in
 defeating the purposes and  devices of 
men4 ,god often makes a mock of human   
projects1 and doth  as well accomplish  
that which they never dreamt of1 as     
disappoint  that which they confidently 
designed4 ,he is present at all cabals1 
laughs at men's formal and studied      
counsels1 bears a hand over every  egg  
they hatch1 thwarts their best compacted
 designs1 supplants their  contrivances1
 breaks the engines they have been many 
years rearing1  diverts the intentions  
of men1 as a mighty wind blows an arrow 
from  the mark which the archer         
intended4 7,job v4 #ab73 8,he           
disappointeth  the devices of the       

crafty1 so that their hands cannot      
perform their  enterprise2 he taketh the
 wise in their own craftiness1 and the  
counsel  of the froward is carried      
headlong40 ,enemies often draw an exact 
scheme  of their intended proceedings1  
marshal their companies1 appoint their  
rendezvous1 think to make but one morsel
 of those they hate2 ,god1 by  his      
sovereign dominion1 turns the scale1    
changeth the gloominess of  the         
oppressed into a sunshine1 and the      
enemies' sunshine into darkness4  ,when 
the nations were gathered together      
against ,sion1 and said1 8,let  her be  
defiled1 and let our eye look upon      
,sion0 7,micah iv4 #aa71 what  doth ,god
 do in this case8 7ver4 #ab71 8,he shall
 gather them10 i4 e4  those conspiring  
nations1 as 8sheaves into the floor40   
,then he sounds  a trumpet to ,sion3    
8,arise1 and thresh1 ,o daughter of     
,sion1 for ,i will  make thy horn iron1 
and thy hoofs brass1 and thou shalt beat
 in pieces  many people2 and ,i will    

consecrate their gain unto the ,lord1   
and their  substance unto the ,lord of  
the whole earth40 ,i will make them and 
their  counsels1 them and their         
strength1 the monuments and signal marks
 of  my empire over the whole earth4    
,when you see the cunningest designs    
baffled by some small thing intervening2
 when you see men of profound  wisdom   
infatuated1 mistake their way1 and      
8grope in the noonday as  in the night0 
7,job v4 #ad71 bewildered in b#dai a    
plain way2 when you  see the hopes of   
mighty attempters dashed into despair1  
their triumphs  turned into funerals1   
and their joyful expectations into      
sorrowful  disappointments2 when you see
 the weak1 devoted to destruction1      
victorious1 and the most presumptuous   
defeated in their purposes1 then  read  
the ,divine dominion in the desolation  
of such devices4 ,how often  doth ,god  
take away the heart and spirit of grand 
designs1 and burst  a mighty wheel1 by  
snatching but one man out of the world6 

,how often  doth he 8cut off the spirits
 of princes0 7,ps4 lxxvi4 #ab71 either  
from the world by death1 or from the    
execution of their projects by  some    
unforeseen interruption1 or from        
favoring those contrivances1  which     
before they cherished by a change of    
their minds6 ,how often  hath confidence
 in ,god1 and religious prayer1 edged   
the weakest and  smallest number of     
weapons to make a carnage of the        
carnally confident6  ,how often hath    
presumption been disappointed1 and the  
contemned enemy  rejoiced in the spoils 
of the proud expectant of victory6      
,phidias made  the image of ,nemesis1 or
 ,revenge1 at ,marathon1 of that marble 
which  the haughty ,persians1 despising 
the weakness of the ,athenian forces1   
brought with them1 to erect a trophy for
 an expected1 but an ungained1          
victory4#ajac ,haman's neck1 by a sudden
 turn1 was in the halter1  when the     
,jews' necks were designed to the block2
 ,julian designed the  overthrow of all 

the ,christians1 just before his breast 
was pierced by  an unexpected arrow2 the
 ,powdertraitors were all ready to give 
fire  to the mine1 when the sovereign   
hand of ,heaven snatched away the match4
  ,thus the great ,lord of the world    
cuts off men on the pinnacle of their   
designs1 when they seem to threaten     
heaven and earth2 puts out the  candle  
of the wicked1 which they thought to use
 to light them to the  execution of     
their purposes2 turns their own counsels
 into a curse to  themselves1 and a     
blessing to their adversaries1 and makes
 his greatest  enemies contribute to the
 effecting his purposes4 ,how may we    
take  notice of ,god's absolute disposal
 of things in private affairs1 when  we 
see one man1 with a small measure of    
prudence and little industry1  have     
great success1 and others1 with a       
greater measure of wisdom1 and  a       
greater toil and labor1 find their      
enterprises melt between their  fingers6
 ,it was ,solomon's observation1 8,that 

the race was not to the  swift1 nor the 
battle to the strong1 neither bread to  
the wise1 nor  riches to men of         
understanding1 nor yet favor to men of  
skill0 7,eccles4  ix4 #aa74 ,many things
 might interpose to stop the swift in   
his race1 and  damp the courage of the  
most valiant3 things do not happen      
according  to men's abilities1 but      
according to the overruling authority of
 ,god3  ,god never yet granted man the  
dominion of his own way1 no more than to
  be lord of his own time3 8,the way of 
man is not in himself1 it is not  in him
 that walketh to direct his steps0      
7,jer4 x4 #bc74 ,he hath given  man a   
power of acting1 but not the sovereignty
 to command success4 ,he  makes even    
those things which men intended for     
their security to turn  to their ruin2  
,pilate delivered up ,christ to be      
accounted a friend to  ,csar1 and ,csar 
soon after proves an enemy to him1      
removes him from  his government1 and   
sends him into banishment4 ,the ,jews   

imagined by the  crucifying ,christ to  
keep the ,roman ensigns at a b#dbj      
distance from  them1 and this hasted    
their march1 by ,god's sovereign        
disposal1 which  ended in a total       
desolation4 8,he makes the judges fools0
 7,job xxii4 #ag71  by taking away his  
light from their understanding1 and     
suffering them  to go on in the vanity  
of their own spirits1 that his          
sovereignty in  the management of things
 may be more apparent2 for then he is   
known to  be ,lord1 when he 8snares the 
wicked in the work of his own hands0    
7,ps4  ix4 #af74 ,you have seen much of 
this doctrine in your experience1 and1  
if my judgment fail me not1 you will yet
 see much more4    #e4 ,the dominion of 
,god is manifest in sending his         
judgments upon  whom he please4 8,he    
kills and makes alive2 he wounds and    
heals0 whom  he pleaseth3 his thunders  
are his own1 and he may cast them upon  
what subjects he thinks good3 he hath a 
right1 in a way of justice1  to punish  

all men2 he hath his choice1 in a way of
 sovereignty1 to  pick out whom he      
please1 to make the examples of it4     
,might not some  nations be as wicked as
 those of ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 yet have
 not been  scorched with the like       
dreadful flames8 ,zoar was untouched1   
while the  other cities1 her neighbors1 
were burnt to ashes4 ,were there never  
any places and persons successors in    
,sodom's guilt8 ,yet those only by  his 
sovereign authority are separated by him
 to be the examples of his  8eternal    
vengeance0 7,jude #g74 ,why are not     
sinners as ,sodom1 like as  those       
ancient ones1 scalded to death by the   
like fiery drops8 ,it is  because it is 
his pleasure2 and the same reason is to 
be rendered1  why he would in a way of  
justice cut off the ,jews for their     
sins1 and  leave the ,gentiles untouched
 in the midst of their idolatries4 ,when
 the  church was consumed because of her
 iniquities1 they acknowledged ,god's   
sovereignty in this4 8,we are the clay1 

and thou art our ,potter1 and we  all   
the work of thy hands0 7,isa4 lxiv4 #g1 
#h72 thou hast a liberty to  break or   
preserve us4 ,judgments move according  
to ,god's order4 ,when the  sword hath a
 charge against ,ashkelon and the       
seashore1 thither it must  march1 and   
touch not any other place or person as  
it goes1 though there  may be demerit   
enough for it to punish4 ,when the      
prophet had spake  to the sword1 8,o    
thou sword of the ,lord1 how long will  
it be ere thou  be quiet8 put up thyself
 into thy scabbard1 rest and be still20 
the  prophet answers for the sword1     
8,how can it be quiet1 seeing the ,lord 
hath given it a charge against          
,ashkelon8 there hath he appointed it0  
7,jer4 xlvii4 #f1 #g74 ,if he hath      
appointed a judgment against ,london  or
 ,westminster1 or any other place1 there
 it shall drop1 there it  shall pierce1 
and in no other place without a like    
charge4 ,god1 as a  sovereign1 gives    
instructions to every judgment1 when1   

and against whom1  it shall march1 and  
what cities1 what persons1 it shall     
arrest2 and  he is punctually obeyed by 
them1 as a sovereign ,lord4 ,all        
creatures  stand ready for his call1 and
 are prepared to be executioners of his 
vengeance1 when he speaks the word2 they
 are his hosts by creation1 and  in     
array for his service3 at the sound of  
his trumpet1 or beat of his  drum1 they 
troop together with arms in their hands1
 to put his orders  exactly in          
execution4    #f4 ,the dominion of ,god 
is manifest in appointing to every man  
his  calling and station in the world4  
,if the hairs of every man's head  fall 
under his sovereign care1 the calling of
 every man1 wherein b#dba  he is to     
glorify ,god and serve his generation1  
which is of a greater  concern than the 
hairs of the head1 falls under his      
dominion4 ,he is  the master of the     
great family1 and divides to every one  
his work as he  pleaseth4 ,the whole    
work of the ,messiah1 the time of every 

action1 as  well as the hour of his     
passion1 was ordered and appointed by   
,god4 ,the  separation of ,paul to the  
preaching of the gospel1 was by the     
sovereign  disposal of ,god 7,rom4 i4   
#a74 ,by the same exercise of his       
authority1  that he 8sets every man the 
bounds of his habitation0 7,acts xvii4  
#bf71  he prescribes also to him the    
nature of his work4 ,he that ordered    
,adam1  the father of mankind1 his work1
 and the place of it1 the 8dressing  the
 garden0 7,gen4 ii4 #ae71 doth not let  
any of his posterity be their  own      
choosers1 without an influence of his   
sovereign direction on them4  ,though   
our callings are our work1 yet they are 
by ,god's order1 wherein  we are to be  
faithful to our great ,master and       
,ruler4    #g4 ,the dominion of ,god is 
manifest in the means and occasions of  
men's conversion4 ,sometimes one        
occasion1 sometimes another2 one word   
lets a man go1 another arrests him1 and 
brings him before ,god and his  own     

conscience2 it is as ,god gives out the 
order4 ,he lets ,paul be a  prisoner at 
,jerusalem1 that his cause should not be
 determined there2  moves him to appeal 
to ,csar1 not only to make him a        
prisoner1 but  a preacher1 in ,csar's   
court1 and render his chains an occasion
 to  bring in a harvest of converts in  
,nero's palace4 ,his bonds in or for    
,christ are 8manifest in all the palace0
 7,phil4 i4 #ab1 #ac72 not the bare     
knowledge of his bonds1 but the         
sovereign design of ,god in those bonds1
  and the success of them2 the bare     
knowledge of them would not make  others
 more confident for the gospel1 as it   
follows1 ver4 #ad1 without  a           
providential design of them4 ,onesimus1 
running from his master1  is guided by  
,god's sovereign order into ,paul's     
company1 and thereby  into ,christ's    
arms2 and he who came a fugitive1       
returns a ,christian  7,philem4 #aj1    
#ae74 ,some1 by a strong affliction1    
have had by the ,divine  sovereignty    

their understandings awakened to        
consider1 and their wills  spirited to  
conversion4 ,monica being called        
,meribibula1 or tosspot1  was brought to
 consider her way1 and reform her life4 
,a word hath done  that at one time1    
which hath often before fallen without  
any fruit4  ,many have come to suck in  
the eloquence of the minister1 and have 
found  in the honey for their ears a    
sting for their consciences4 ,austin had
  no other intent in going to hear      
,ambrose but to have a taste of his     
famous oratory4 ,but while ,ambrose     
spake a language to his ear1 ,god  spake
 a heavenly dialect to his heart4 ,no   
reason can be rendered of  the order1   
and timing1 and influence of those      
things1 but the sovereign  pleasure of  
,god1 who will attend one occasion and  
season with his  blessing1 and not      
another4    #h4 ,the dominion of ,god is
 manifest in disposing of the lives of  
men4  ,he keeps the key of death1 as    
well as that of the womb1 in his own    

hand2 he hath given man a life1 but not 
power to dispose of it1 or  lay it down 
at his pleasure2 and therefore he hath  
ordered man not to  murder1 not another1
 not himself2 man must expect his call  
and grant1  to dispose of the life of   
his body4 ,why doth he cut the thread of
 this  man's life1 and spin another's   
out to a longer term8 b#dbb ,why doth   
one die an inglorious death1 and another
 more honorable8 ,one silently  drops   
away in the multitude1 while another is 
made a sacrifice for the  honor of ,god1
 or the safety of his country4 ,this is 
a mark of honor he  gives to one and not
 to another4 8,to you it is given0      
7,phil4 i4 #bi74  ,the manner of        
,peter's death was appointed 7,john xxi4
 #ai74 ,why doth a  small and slight    
disease against the rules of physic1 and
 the judgment  of the best              
practitioners1 dislodge one man's soul  
out of his body1  while a greater       
disease is mastered in another1 and     
discharges the  patient1 to enjoy       

himself a longer time in the land of the
 living8  ,is it the effect of means so 
much as of the ,sovereign ,disposer of  
all  things8 ,if means only did it1 the 
same means would always work the same   
effect1 and sooner master a dwarfish    
than a giantlike distemper4 8,our  times
 are only in ,god's hands0 7,ps4 xxxi4  
#ae72 either to cut short or  continue  
long4 ,as his sovereignty made the first
 marriage knot1 so he  reserves the sole
 authority to himself to make the       
divorce4    ,fourthly4 ,the dominion of 
,god is manifest in his being a         
,redeemer1  as well as ,lawgiver1       
,proprietor1 and ,governor4 ,his        
sovereignty was  manifest in the        
creation1 in bestowing upon this or that
 part of matter  a form more excellent  
than upon another4 ,he was a ,lawgiver  
to men and  angels1 and prescribed them 
rules according to the counsel of his   
own  will4 ,these were his creatures1   
and perfectly at his disposal4 ,but in  
redemption a sovereignty is exercised   

over the ,son1 the ,second person  in   
the ,trinity1 one equal with the ,father
 in essence and works1 by whom  the     
worlds were created1 and by whom they do
 consist4 ,the whole gospel  is nothing 
else but a declaration of his sovereign 
pleasure concerning  ,christ1 and       
concerning us in him2 it is therefore   
called 8the mystery  of his will0 7,eph4
 i4 #i72 the will of ,god is distinct   
from the will  of ,christ1 a purpose in 
himself1 not moved thereunto by any2 the
  whole design was framed in the ,deity1
 and as much the purpose of his         
sovereign will as the contrivance of his
 immense wisdom4 ,he decreed1  in his   
own pleasure1 to have the ,second       
,person assume our nature for  to       
deliver mankind from that misery        
whereinto it was fallen4 ,the whole  of 
the gospel1 and the privileges of it1   
are in that chapter resolved  into the  
will and pleasure of ,god4 ,god is      
therefore called 8the head  of ,christ0 
7#a ,cor4 xi4 #c74 ,as ,christ is       

superior to all men1 and the  man       
superior to the woman1 so is ,god       
superior to ,christ1 and of a more      
eminent dignity2 in regard of the       
constituting him mediator1 ,christ  is  
subject to ,god1 as the body to the     
head4 8,head0 is a title of  government 
and sovereignty1 and magistrates were   
called the 8heads0  of the people4 ,as  
,christ is the head of man1 so is ,god  
the head of  ,christ2 and as man is     
subject to ,christ1 so is ,christ       
subject to ,god2  not in regard of the  
,divine nature1 wherein there is an     
equality1 and  consequently no dominion 
of jurisdiction2 nor only in his human  
nature1  but in the economy of a        
,redeemer1 considered as one designed1  
and  consenting to be incarnate1 and    
take our flesh2 so that after this      
agreement1 ,god had a sovereign right to
 dispose of him according to the        
articles consented to4 ,in regard of his
 undertaking1 and the advantage  he was 
to bring to the elect of ,god upon the  

earth1 he calls ,god by the  b#dbc      
solemn title of 8his ,lord0 in that     
prophetic psalm of him 7,ps4  xvi4 #b73 
8,o my soul1 thou hast said unto the    
,lord1 ,thou art my ,lord3  my goodness 
extends not unto thee1 but unto the     
saints that are in  the earth40 ,it     
seems to be the speech of ,christ in    
heaven1 mentioning  the saints on earth 
as at a distance from him4 ,i can add   
nothing to  the glory of thy majesty1   
but the whole fruit of my meditation and
  sufferings will redound to the saints 
on earth4 ,and it may be observed1  that
 ,god is called the ,lord of ,hosts in  
the evangelical prophets1  ,isaiah1     
,haggai1 ,zachariah1 and ,malachi1 more 
in reference to this  affair of         
redemption1 and the deliverance of the  
church1 than for any  other works of his
 providence in the world4    #a4 ,this  
sovereignty of ,god appears1 in         
requiring satisfaction for  the sin of  
man4 ,had he indulged man after his     
fall1 and remitted his  offence without 

a just compensation for the injury he   
had received  by his rebellion1 his     
authority had been vilified1 man would  
always  have been attempting against his
 jurisdiction1 there would have been  a 
continual succession of rebellions on   
man's part2 and if a continual          
succession of indulgences on ,god's     
part1 he had quite disowned his         
authority over man1 and stripped himself
 of the flower of his crown2            
satisfaction must have been required    
some time or other from the person  thus
 rebelling1 or some other in his stead2 
and to require it after  the first act  
of sin1 was more preservative to the    
right of the ,divine  sovereignty1 than 
to do it after a multitude of repeated  
revolts4 ,god  must have laid aside his 
authority if he had laid aside wholly   
the  exacting punishment for the offence
 of man4    #b4 ,this sovereignty of    
,god appears1 in appointing ,christ to  
this work  of redemption4 ,his          
sovereignty was before manifest over    

angels and  men by the right of         
creation2 there was nothing wanting to  
declare the  highest charge of it1 but  
his ordering his own ,son to become a   
mortal  creature2 the ,lord of all      
things to become lower than those angels
  that had1 as well as all other things1
 received their being and beauty  from  
him1 and to be reckoned in his death    
among the dust and refuse of  the world3
 he by whom ,god created all things1 not
 only became a man1  but a crucified    
man1 by the will of his ,father 7,gal4  
i4 #d71 8who gave  himself for our sins 
according to the will of ,god20 to which
 may refer  that expression 7,prov4     
viii4 #bb71 of his being 8possessed by  
,god in the  beginning of his way40     
,possession is the dominion of a thing  
invested  in the possessor2 he was      
possessed1 indeed1 as a ,son by eternal 
generation2 he was possessed also in the
 beginning of his way or  works of      
creation1 as a ,mediator by special     
constitution3 to this  the expression   

seems to refer1 if you read on to the   
end of ver4 #ca1  wherein ,christ speaks
 of his 8rejoicing in the habitable part
 of his  earth10 the earth of the great 
,god1 who hath designed him to this     
special work of redemption4 ,he was a   
,son by nature1 but a ,mediator by      
,divine will2 in regard of which ,christ
 is often called ,god's servant1  which 
is a relation to ,god as a ,lord4 ,god  
being the ,lord of all things1  the     
dominion of all things inferior to him  
is inseparable from him2 and  in this   
regard1 the whole of what ,christ was to
 do1 and did actually  do1 was acted by 
him as the will of ,god1 and is         
expressed so by himself  in the prophecy
 7,ps4 xl4 #g71 8,lo1 ,i come20 7ver4   
#h71 8,i delight to do  b#dbd thy will20
 which are put together 7,heb4 x4 #g71  
8,lo1 ,i come to  do thy will1 ,o ,god40
 ,the designing ,christ to this work was
 an act of  mercy1 but founded on his   
sovereignty4 ,his compassionate bowels  
might  have pitied us without his being 

sovereign1 but without it could not     
have relieved us4 ,it was the council of
 his own will1 as well as of his        
bowels3 none was his counsellor or      
persuader to that mercy he showed3      
7,rom4 xi4 #cd71 8,who hath been his    
counsellor80 for it refers to that      
mercy in 8sending the ,deliverer out of 
,sion0 7ver4 #bf71 as well as to  other 
things the apostle had been discoursing 
of4 ,as ,god was at liberty  to create1 
or not to create1 so he was at liberty  
to redeem or not  to redeem1 and at his 
liberty whether to appoint ,christ to   
this work1  or not to call him out to   
it4 ,in giving this order to his ,son1  
his  sovereignty was exercised in a     
higher manner than in all the orders    
and instructions he hath given out to   
men or angels1 and all the  employments 
he ever sent them upon4 ,christ hath    
names which signify an  authority over  
him3 he is called 8an ,angel10 and a    
8,messenger0 7,mal4  iii4 #a72 an       
8,apostle0 7,heb4 iii4 #a73 declaring   

thereby1 that ,god hath  as much        
authority over him as over the angels   
sent upon his messages1  or over the    
apostles commissioned by his authority1 
as he was  considered in the quality of 
,mediator4    #c4 ,this sovereignty of  
,god appears in transferring our sins   
upon  ,christ4 ,the supreme power in a  
nation can only appoint or allow of a   
commutation of punishment2 it is a part 
of sovereignty to transfer the  penalty 
due to the crime of one upon another1   
and substitute a sufferer1  with the    
sufferer's own consent1 in the place of 
a criminal1 whom he  had a mind to      
deliver from a deserved punishment4 ,god
 transferred the  sins of men upon      
,christ1 and inflicted on him a         
punishment for them4  ,he summed up the 
debts of man1 charged them upon the     
score of ,christ1  imputing to him the  
guilt1 and inflicting upon him the      
penalty4 7,isa4  liii4 #f73 8,the ,lord 
hath laid upon him the iniquity of us   
all20 he  made them all to meet upon his

 back3 8,he hath made him to be sin  for
 us0 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba72 he was made so  
by the sovereign pleasure of  ,god3 a   
punishment for sin1 as most understand  
it1 which could not be  righteously     
inflicted1 had not sin been first       
righteously imputed1 by  the consent of 
,christ1 and the order of the ,judge of 
the world4 ,this  imputation could be   
the immediate act of none but ,god1     
because he  was the sole creditor4 ,a   
creditor is not bound to accept of      
another's  suretyship1 but it is at his 
liberty whether he will or no2 and when 
he  doth accept of him1 he may challenge
 the debt of him1 as if he were the     
principal debtor himself4 ,christ made  
himself sin for us by a voluntary       
submission2 and ,god made him sin for us
 by a full imputation1 and  treated him 
penally1 as he would have done those    
sinners in whose stead  he suffered4    
,without this act of sovereignty in     
,god1 we had forever  perished3 for if  
we could suppose ,christ laying down his

 life for us  without the pleasure and  
order of ,god1 he could not have been   
said to  have borne our punishment4     
,what could he have undergone in his    
humanity  but a temporal death8 ,but    
more than this was due to us1 even the  
wrath  of ,god1 which far exceeds the   
calamity of a mere bodily death4 ,the   
soul being principal in the crime1 was  
to b#dbe be principal in the            
punishment4 ,the wrath of ,god could not
 have dropped upon his soul1 and        
rendered it so full of agonies1 without 
the hand of ,god3 a creature  is not    
capable to reach the soul1 neither as to
 comfort nor terror2  and the justice of
 ,god could not have made him a         
sufferer1 if it had  not first          
considered him a sinner by imputation1  
or by inherency1 and  actual commission 
of a crime in his own person4 ,the      
latter was far from  ,christ1 who was   
holy1 harmless1 and undefiled4 ,he must 
be considered  then in the other state  
of imputation1 which could not be       

without  a sovereign appointment1 or at 
least concession of ,god3 for without   
it1 he could have no more authority to  
lay down his life for us1 than  ,abraham
 could have had to have sacrificed his  
son1 or any man to expose  himself to   
death without a call2 nor could any plea
 have been entered  in the court of     
heaven1 either by ,christ for us1 or by 
us for ourselves4  ,and though the death
 of so great a person had been          
meritorious in  itself1 it had not been 
meritorious for us1 or accepted for us2 
,christ is 8delivered up by him0 7,rom4 
viii4 #cb71 in every part of  that      
condition wherein he was1 and suffered2 
and to that end1 that  8we might become 
the righteousness of ,god in him0 7#b   
,cor4 v4 #ba73 that  we might have the  
righteousness of him that was ,god      
imputed to us1  or that we might have a 
righteousness as great and proportioned 
to  the righteousness of ,god1 as ,god  
required4 ,it was an act of ,divine     
sovereignty to account him that was     

righteous a sinner in our stead1  and to
 account us1 who were sinners1 righteous
 upon the merit of his  death4    #d4   
,this was done by the command of ,god2  
by ,god as a ,lawgiver1 having  the     
supreme legislative and preceptive      
authority3 in which respect1 the  whole 
work of ,christ is said to be an answer 
to a law1 not one given  him1 but put   
into his heart1 as the law of nature was
 in the heart of  man at first4 7,ps4   
xl4 #g1 #h73 8,thy law is within my     
heart40 ,this law  was not the law of   
nature or moral law1 though that was    
also in the  heart of ,christ1 but the  
command of doing those things which were
  necessary for our salvation1 and not a
 command so much of doing1 as  of dying4
 ,the moral law in the heart of ,christ 
would have done us no  good without the 
mediatory law2 we had been where we were
 by the sole  observance of the precepts
 of the moral law1 without his suffering
  the penalty of it3 the law in the     
heart of ,christ was the law of         

suffering1 or dying1 the doing that for 
us by his death which the blood  of     
sacrifices was unable to effect4 ,legal 
8sacrifices thou wouldest  not2 thy law 
is within my heart20 i4 e4 thy law      
ordered me to be  a sacrifice2 it was   
that law1 his obedience to which was    
principally  accepted and esteemed1 and 
that was principally his passive1 his   
obedience to death 7,phil4 ii4 #h72 this
 was the special command received  from 
,god1 that he should die 7,john x4 #ah74
 ,it is not so clearly  manifested when 
this command was given1 whether after   
the incarnation  of ,christ1 or at the  
point of his constitution as ,mediator1 
upon the  transaction between the       
,father and the ,son concerning the     
affair of  redemption3 the promise was  
given 8before the world began0 7,tit4 i4
 #b74  ,might not the precept be given1 
before the world began1 to ,christ1  as 
considered in the quality of ,mediator  
and ,redeemer8 ,precepts and  promises  
usually attend one another2 every       

covenant is made up of both4  ,christ1  
considered b#dbf here as the ,son of    
,god in the ,divine nature1  was not    
capable of a command or promise2 but    
considered in the relation  of ,mediator
 between ,god and man1 he was capable of
 both4 ,promises  of assistance were    
made before his actual incarnation1 of  
which the  ,prophets are full3 why not  
precepts for his obedience1 since long  
before his incarnation this was his     
speech in the ,prophet1 8,thy law is    
within my heart60 however1 a command1 a 
law it was1 which is a fruit  of the    
,divine sovereignty2 that as the        
sovereignty of ,god was impeached  and  
violated by the disobedience of ,adam1  
it might be owned and  vindicated by the
 obedience of ,christ2 that as we fell  
by disloyalty  to it1 we might rise by  
the highest submission to it in another 
head1  infinitely superior in his person
 to ,adam1 by whom we fell4    #e4 ,this
 sovereignty of ,god appears in exalting
 ,christ to such a  sovereign dignity as

 our ,redeemer4 ,some1 indeed1 say1 that
 this  sovereignty of ,christ's human   
nature was natural1 and the right of it 
resulted from its union with the        
,divine2 as a lady of mean condition1   
when espoused and married to a prince1  
hath1 by virtue of that1 a  natural     
right to some kind of jurisdiction over 
the whole kingdom1  because she is one  
with the king4#ajad ,but to waive this2 
the  ,scripture placeth wholly the      
conferring such an authority upon the   
pleasure and will of ,god4 ,as ,christ  
was a gift of ,god's sovereign will  to 
us1 so this was a gift of ,god's        
sovereign will to ,christ 7,matt4       
xxviii4 #bh73 8,all power is given me40 
,and he 8gave him to be head over  all  
things to the church0 7,eph4 i4 #bb72   
8,god gave him a name above  every name0
 7,phil4 ii4 #i72 and1 therefore1 his   
throne he sits upon is  called 8,the    
throne of his ,father0 7,rev4 iii4 #ba74
 ,and he 8committed all  judgment to the
 ,son10 i4 e4 all government and        

dominion2 an empire  in heaven and earth
 7,john v4 #bb72 and that because he is 
8the ,son of  ,man0 7ver4 #bg72 which   
may understood1 that the ,father hath   
given him  authority to exercise that   
judgment and government as the ,son of  
,man1  which he originally had as the   
,son of ,god2 or rather1 because he     
became  a servant1 and humbled himself  
to death1 he gives him this authority as
  the reward of his obedience and       
humility1 conformable to ,phil4 ii4 #i4 
,this is an act of the high sovereignty 
of ,god1 to obscure his own  authority  
in a sense1 and take into association   
with him1 or vicarious  subordination to
 him1 the human nature of ,christ as    
united to the  ,divine2 not only lifting
 it above the heads of all the angels1  
but  giving that person in our nature an
 empire over them1 whose nature was     
more excellent than ours3 yea1 the      
sovereignty of ,god appears in the      
whole management of this kingly office  
of ,christ2 for it is managed  in every 

part of it according to ,god's order    
7,ezek4 xxxvii4 #bd1 #be73  8,david1 my 
servant1 shall be king over them10 and  
8my servant ,david  shall be their      
prince forever30 he shall be a prince   
over them1 but  my servant in that      
principality1 in the exercise and       
duration of it4  ,the sovereignty of    
,god is paramount in all that ,christ   
hath done as  a priest1 or shall do as a
 king4    ,use ,i4 ,for instruction4    
#a4 ,how great is the contempt of this  
sovereignty of ,god6 ,man b#dbg         
naturally would be free from ,god's     
empire1 to be a slave under the         
dominion of his own lust2 the           
sovereignty of ,god1 as a ,lawgiver1 is 
most abhorred by man 7,lev4 xxvi4 #dc74 
,the ,israelites1 the best people  in   
the world1 were apt1 by nature1 not only
 to despise1 but abhor1  his statutes2  
there is not a law of ,god but the      
corrupt heart of man  hath an abhorrency
 of3 how often do men wish that ,god had
 not enacted  this or that law that goes

 against the grain6 and1 in wishing so1 
wish  that he were no sovereign1 or not 
such a sovereign as he is in his own    
nature1 but one according to their      
corrupt model4 ,this is the great       
quarrel between ,god and man1 whether he
 or they shall be the ,sovereign        
,ruler4 ,he should not1 by the will of  
man1 rule in any one village in  the    
world2 ,god's vote should not be        
predominant in any one thing4 ,there  is
 not a law of his but is exposed to     
contempt by the perverseness of  man    
7,prov4 i4 #ba73 8,ye have set at nought
 all my counsel1 and would  have none of
 my reproof30 ,septuag4 8,ye have made  
all my counsels  without authority40    
,the nature of man cannot endure one    
precept of  ,god1 nor one rebuke from   
him2 and for this cause ,god is at the  
expense  of judgments in the world1 to  
assert his own empire to the teeth and  
consciences of men 7,ps4 lix4 #ac73     
8,lord1 consume them in wrath1 and  let 
them know that ,god rules in ,jacob1 to 

the ends of the earth40 ,the  dominion  
of ,god is not slighted by any creature 
of this world but man2  all others      
observe it by observing his order1      
whether in their natural  motions or    
preternatural irruptions2 they          
punctually act according to  their      
commission4 ,man only speaks a dialect  
against the strain of the  whole        
creation1 and hath none to imitate him  
among all the creatures  in heaven and  
earth1 but only among those in hell3 man
 is more  impatient of the yoke of ,god 
than of the yoke of man4 ,there are not 
so many rebellions committed by         
inferiors against their superiors and   
fellowcreatures1 as are committed       
against ,god4 ,a willing and easy       
sinning is an equalling the authority of
 ,god to that of man 7,hos4 vi4  #g73   
8,they1 like men1 have transgressed my  
covenant20 they have made  no more      
account of breaking my covenant than if 
they had broken some  league or compact 
made with a mere man2 so slightly do    

they esteem the  authority of ,god2 such
 a disesteem of the ,divine authority is
 a virtual  undeifying of him4#ajae ,to 
slight his sovereignty is to stab his   
,deity2  since the one cannot be        
preserved without the support of the    
other1 his  life would expire with his  
authority4 ,how base and brutish is it  
for  vile dust and mouldering clay to   
lift up itself against the majesty  of  
,god1 whose throne is in the heavens1   
who sways his sceptre over all  parts of
 the worlda ,majesty before whom the    
devils shake1 and the  highest cherubims
 tremble6 ,it is as if the thistle1 that
 can presently  be trod down by the foot
 of a wild beast1 should think itself a 
match  for the cedar of ,lebanon1 as the
 phrase is1 #b ,kings xiv4 #i4    ,let  
us consider this in general2 and1 also1 
in the ordinary practice of  men4       
,first1 ,in general4    7#a47 ,all sin  
in its nature is a contempt of the      
,divine dominion4 ,as  every act of     
obedience is a confirmation of the law1 

and consequently a  subscription of the 
authority of the ,lawgiver 7,deut4      
xxvii4 #bf71 b#dbh  so every breach to  
it is a conspiracy against the          
sovereignty of the  ,lawgiver2 setting  
up our will against the will of ,god is 
an articling  against his authority1 as 
setting up our reason against the       
methods  of ,god is an articling against
 his wisdom2 the intendment of every act
  of sin is to wrest the sceptre out of 
,god's hand4 ,the authority of ,god  is 
the first attribute in the ,deity which 
it directs its edge against2  it is     
called1 therefore1 a 8transgression of  
his law0 7#a ,john iii4 #d71  and1      
therefore1 a slight1 or neglect1 of the 
majesty of ,god2 and the  not keeping   
his commands is called a 8forgetting    
,god0 7,deut4 viii4 #aa71  i4 e4 a      
forgetting him to be our absolute ,lord4
 ,as the first notion  we have of ,god  
as a ,creator is that of his            
sovereignty1 so the first  perfection   
that sin struck at1 in the violation of 

the law1 was his  sovereignty as a      
,lawgiver4 8,breaking the law is a      
dishonoring ,god0  7,rom4 ii4 #bc71 a   
snatching off his crown2 to obey our own
 wills before  the will of ,god1 is to  
prefer ourselves as our own sovereigns  
before  him4 ,sin is a wrong1 and injury
 to ,god1 not in his essence1 that is   
above the reach of a creature1 nor in   
anything profitable to him1 or          
pertaining to his own intrinsic         
advantage2 not an injury to ,god in     
himself1 but in his authority1 in those 
things which pertain to his  glory2 a   
disowning his due right1 and not using  
his goods according to  his will4 ,thus 
the whole world may be called1 as ,god  
calls ,chaldea1 8a  land of rebels0     
7,jer4 l4 #ba73 8,go up against the land
 of ,merathaim10  or rebels3 rebels1 not
 against the ,jews1 but against ,god4   
,the mighty  opposition in the heart of 
man to the supremacy of ,god is         
discovered  emphatically by the apostle 
7,rom4 viii4 #g7 in that expression1    

8,the  carnal mind is enmity against    
,god10 i4 e4 against the authority of   
,god1 because 8it is not subject to the 
law of ,god1 neither indeed can  be40   
,it refuseth not subjection to this or  
that part1 but to the whole2  to every  
mark of ,divine authority in it2 it will
 not lay down its arms  against it1 nay1
 it cannot but stand upon its terms     
against it2 the law  can no more be     
fulfilled by a carnal mind1 than it can 
be disowned by  a sovereign ,god4 ,god  
is so holy1 that he cannot alter a      
righteous law1  and man is so averse1   
that he cares not for1 nay1 cannot      
fulfil1 one  title2 so much doth the    
nature of man swell against the majesty 
of ,god4  ,now an enmity to the law1    
which is in every sin1 implies a        
perversity  against the authority of    
,god that enacted it4    7#b47 ,all sin1
 in its nature1 is the despoiling ,god  
of his sole  sovereignty1 which was     
probably the first thing the devil aimed
 at4  ,that pride was the sin of the    

devil1 the ,scripture gives us some     
account of1 when the apostle adviseth   
not a novice1 or one that hath  but     
lately embraced the faith1 to be chosen 
a bishop 7#a ,tim4 iii4 #f71  8,lest1   
being lifted up with pride1 he fall into
 the condemnation of  the devil20 lest  
he fall into the same sin for which the 
devil was  condemned4 ,but in what      
particular thing this pride was         
manifest1 is  not so easily discernible2
 the ancients generally conceived it to 
be  an affecting the throne of ,god1    
grounding it on ,isa4 xiv4 #ab3 8,how   
art thou fallen1 ,o ,lucifer1 son of the
 morning6 for thou hast said in  thy    
heart1 ,i will ascend into heaven1 ,i   
will exalt my throne above the  stars of
 ,god40 ,it is certain the prophet      
speaks there of the king of  ,babylon1  
and taxeth him for his pride1 and gives 
to him the title b#dbi  of 8,lucifer10  
perhaps likening him in his pride to the
 devil1 and then  it notes plainly the  
particular sin of the devil1 attempting 

a share in  the sovereignty of ,god2 and
 some strengthen their conjecture from  
the  name of the archangel who contended
 against ,satan 7,jude #i71 which is    
,michael1 which signifies1 8,who as     
,god80 or1 8,who like ,god80 the name   
of the angel giving the superiority to  
,god1 intimating the contrary           
disposition in the devil1 against whom  
he contended4 ,it is likely his  sin was
 an affecting equality with ,god in     
empire1 or a freedom from  the sovereign
 authority of ,god2 because he imprinted
 such a kind of  persuasion on man at   
his first temptation3 8,ye shall be as  
gods0 7,gen4  iii4 #e72 and though it be
 restrained to the matter of knowledge1 
yet  that being a fitness for           
government1 it may be extended to that  
also4  ,but it is plainly a persuading  
them1 that they might be1 in some sort1 
equal with ,god1 and independent on him 
as their superior4 ,what he had  found  
so fatal to himself1 he imagined would  
have the same success in  the ruin of   

man4 ,and since the devil hath1 in all  
ages of the world1  usurped a worship to
 himself which is only due to ,god1 and 
would  be served by man1 as if he were  
the ,god of the world2 since all his    
endeavor was to be worshipped as the    
,supreme ,god on earth1 it is not       
unreasonable to think1 that he invaded  
the supremacy of ,god in heaven1  and   
endeavored to be like the ,most ,high   
before his banishment1 as he  hath      
attempted to be like the ,most ,high    
since4 ,and since the devil and         
antichrist are reputed by ,john1 in the 
,revelation1 to be so near of  kin1 and 
so like in disposition1 why might not   
that1 which is the sin  of antichrist1  
the image of him1 be also the sin of    
,satan1 8to exalt  himself above all    
that is called ,god0 7#b ,thess4 ii4    
#d71 and 8sit as  ,god in his temple10  
affecting a partnership in his throne   
and worship8  ,whether it was this1 or  
attempting an unaccountable dominion    
over  created things1 or because he was 

the prime angel1 and the most           
illustrious of that magnificent         
corporation1 he might think himself  fit
 to reign with ,god over all things     
else8 ,or if his sin were envy1  as some
 think1 at the felicity of man in       
paradise1 it was still a  quarrelling   
with ,god's dominion1 and right of      
disposing his own goods  and favors2 he 
is1 therefore1 called 8,belial0 7#b     
,cor4 vi4 #ad1 #ae73  8,what concord    
hath ,christ with ,belial80 i4 e4 with  
the devil1 one  8without yoke10 as the  
word 8,belial0 signifies4    7#c47 ,it  
is more plain1 that this was the sin of 
,adam4 ,the first act  of ,adam was to  
exercise a lordship over the lower      
creatures1 in giving  names to them1a   
token of dominion 7,gen4 ii4 #ai74 ,the 
next was to  affect a lordship over     
,god1 in rebelling against him4 ,after  
he had  writ the first mark of his own  
delegated dominion1 in the names he gave
  the creatures1 and owned their        
dependence on him as their governor1 he 

would not acknowledge his own dependence
 on ,god4 ,as soon as the ,lord  of the 
world had put him into possession of the
 power he had allotted  him1 he         
attempted to strip his ,lord of that    
which he had reserved to  himself2 he   
was not content to lay a yoke upon the  
other creatures1  but desirous to shake 
off the ,divine yoke from himself1 and  
be subject  to none but his own will2   
hence ,adam's sin is more particularly  
called  8disobedience0 7,rom4 v4 #ai73  
for1 in the eating the apple1 there was 
no moral evil in itself1 but a b#dcj    
contradiction to the positive  command  
and order of ,god1 whereby he did disown
 ,god's right of  commanding him1 or    
reserving anything from him to his own  
use4 ,the  language all his posterity   
speaks1 8,let us break his bands1 and   
cast  away his cords from us0 7,ps4 ii4 
#c71 was learned from ,adam in that act 
of his4 ,the next act we read of1 was   
that of ,cain's murdering ,abel1  which 
was an invading ,god's right1 in        

assuming an authority to dispose  of the
 life of his brother1a life which ,god  
had given him1 and  reserved the period 
of it in his own hands4 ,and he persists
 in the same  usurpation when ,god came 
to examine him1 and ask him where his   
brother  was2 how scornful was his      
answer6 7,gen4 iv4 #i73 8,am ,i my      
brother's  keeper80 as much as if he had
 said1 ,what have you to do to examine  
me8 or1 ,what obligation is there upon  
me to render an account of him8  or1 as 
one saith1 it is as much as if he had   
said1 8,go1 look for him                
yourself40#ajaf ,the sovereignty of ,god
 did not remain undisturbed as  soon as 
ever it appeared in creation2 the devils
 rebelled against it in  heaven1 and man
 would have banished it from the earth4 
7#d47 ,the sovereignty of ,god hath not 
been less invaded by the  usurpations of
 men4 ,one single order of the ,roman   
episcopacy hath  endeavored to usurp the
 prerogatives of ,god2 the ,pope will   
prohibit  what ,god hath allowed2 the   

marriage of priests2 the receiving of   
the  cup1 as well as of the bread1 in   
the sacrament2 the eating of this or    
that sort of meat at special times1     
meats which ,god hath sanctified2  and  
forbid them1 too1 upon pain of          
damnation4 ,it is an invasion of  ,god's
 right to forbid the use of what ,god   
hath granted1 as though the  earth1 and 
the fulness thereof1 were no longer the 
,lord's1 but the  ,pope's2 much more to 
forbid what ,god hath commanded1 as if  
,christ  overreached his own authority1 
when he enjoined all to drink of the    
sacramental wine1 as well as eat of the 
sacramental bread4 ,no lord but  will   
think his right usurped by that steward 
who shall permit to others  what his    
lord forbids1 and forbid that which his 
master allows1 and  act the lord instead
 of the servant4 ,add to this the       
pardons of many  sins1 as if he had the 
sole key to the treasures of ,divine    
mercy2  the disposing of crowns and     
dominions at his pleasure1 as if ,god   

had  divested himself of the title of   
,king of kings1 and transferred it upon 
the see of ,rome4 ,the allowing public  
stews1 dispensing with incestuous       
marriages1 as if ,god had acted more the
 part of a tyrant than of a  righteous  
,sovereign in forbidding them1 depriving
 the ,jews of the  propriety in their   
estates upon their conversion to        
,christianity1 as  if the pilfering     
men's goods were the way to teach them  
selfdenial1  the first doctrine of      
,christian religion2 and ,god shall have
 no honor  from the ,jew without a      
breach of his law by theft from the     
,christian4  ,granting many years'      
indulgences upon slight performances1   
the  repeating so many ,ave,marias and  
,pater,nosters in a day1 canonizing     
saints1 claiming the keys of heaven1 and
 disposing of the honors and  glory of  
it1 and proposing creatures as objects  
of religious worship1  wherein he       
answers the character of the apostle 7#b
 ,thess4 ii4 #d71  8showing himself that

 he is ,god10 in challenging that power 
which is  only the right of ,divine     
sovereignty2 exalting himself above     
,god1 in  indulging b#dca those things  
which the law of ,god never allowed1 but
  hath severely prohibited4 ,this       
controlling the sovereignty of ,god1 not
  allowing him the rights of his crown1 
is the soul and spirit of many  errors4 
,why are the decrees of election and    
preterition denied8 ,because  men will  
not acknowledge ,god the ,sovereign     
,disposer of his creature4  ,why is     
effectual calling and efficacious grace 
denied8 ,because they  will not allow   
,god the proprietor and distributer of  
his own goods4 ,why  is the satisfaction
 of ,christ denied8 ,because they will  
not allow ,god  a power to vindicate his
 own law in what way he pleaseth4 ,most 
of the  errors of men may be resolved   
into a denial of ,god's sovereignty2 all
  have a tincture of the first evil     
sentiment of ,adam4    ,secondly4 ,the  
sovereignty of ,god is contemned in the 

practices of  men7#a47 ,as he is a      
,lawgiver4    #a4 ,when laws are made1  
and urged in any state contrary to the  
law of  ,god4 ,it is part of ,god's     
sovereignty to be a ,lawgiver2 not to   
obey his  law is a breach made upon his 
right of government2 but it is treason  
in any against the crown of ,god1 to    
mint laws with a stamp contrary  to that
 of heaven1 whereby they renounce their 
due subjection1 and  vie with ,god for  
dominion1 snatch the supremacy from him1
 and account  themselves more lords than
 the ,sovereign ,monarch of the world4  
,when  men will not let ,god be the     
judge of good and evil1 but put in their
  own vote1 controlling his to establish
 their own2 such are not content  to be 
as gods1 subordinate to the supreme     
,god1 to sit at his feet2  nor          
coordinate with him1 to sit equal upon  
his throne2 but paramount  to him1 to   
overtop and shadow his crown2a boldness 
that leaves  the serpent1 in the first  
temptation1 under the character of a    

more  commendable modesty2 who advised  
our first parents to attempt to be  as  
gods1 but not above him1 and would      
enervate a law of ,god1 but not  enact a
 contrary one to be observed by them4   
,such was the usurpation  of            
,nebuchadnezzar1 to set up a golden     
image to be adored 7,dan4 iii471  as if 
he had power to mint gods1 as well as to
 conquer men2 to set the  stamp of a    
,deity upon a piece of gold1 as well as 
his own effigies upon  his current coin4
 ,much of the same nature was that of   
,darius1 by the  motion of his          
flatterers1 to prohibit any petition to 
be made to ,god  for the space of thirty
 days1 as though ,god was not to have a 
worship  without a license from a doting
 piece of clay 7,dan4 vi4 #g74 ,so      
,henry  the ,third of ,france1 by his   
edict1 silenced masters of families from
  praying with their households4#ajag   
,and it is a farther contempt of  ,god's
 authority1 when good men are oppressed 
by the sole weight of  power1 for not   

observing such laws1 as if they had a   
real sovereignty  over the consciences  
of men1 more than ,god himself4#ajah    
,when the  apostles were commanded by an
 angel from ,god1 to preach in the      
,temple  the doctrine of ,christ 7,acts 
v4 #ai1 #bj71 they were fetched from    
thence  with a guard before the council 
7ver4 #f74 ,and what is the language  of
 those statesmen to them8 as absolute as
 ,god himself could speak to  any       
transgressors of his law4 8,did not we  
straitly command you1 that  you should  
not teach in this name80 7ver4 #bh74 ,it
 is sufficient that  we gave you a      
command to be silent1 and publish b#dcb 
no more this  doctrine of ,jesus2 it is 
not for you to examine our decrees1 but 
rest  in our order as loyal subjects1   
and comply with your rulers2 they  might
 have added1though it be with the       
damnation of your souls4 ,how  would    
those overrule the apostles by no other 
reason but their absolute  pleasure6    
,and though ,god had espoused their     

cause1 by delivering them  out of the   
prison1 wherein they had locked them the
 day before1 yet not  one of all this   
council had the wit or honesty to       
entitle it a fighting  against ,god1 but
 ,gamaliel 7ver4 #bi74 ,so foolishly    
fond are men to put  themselves in the  
place of ,god1 and usurp a jurisdiction 
over men's  consciences3 and to presume 
that laws made against the interest and 
command of ,god1 must be of more force  
than the laws of ,god's enacting4    #b4
 ,the sovereignty of ,god is contemned  
in making additions to the  laws of     
,god4 ,the authority of a sovereign     
,lawgiver is invaded and  vilified when 
an inferior presumes to make orders     
equivalent to his  edicts4 ,it is a     
prmunire against heaven to set up an    
authority  distinct from that of ,god1  
or to enjoin anything as necessary in   
matter of worship for which a ,divine   
commission cannot be shown4 ,god  was   
always so tender of this part of his    
prerogative1 that he would  not have    

anything wrought in the tabernacle1 not 
a vessel1 not an  instrument1 but what  
himself had prescribed4 8,according to  
all that  ,i show thee1 after the       
pattern of the tabernacle1 and the      
pattern of  all the instruments thereof1
 even so shall ye make it0 7,exod4 xxv4 
#i72  which is strictly urged again1    
ver4 #dj3 8,look that thou make them    
after  their pattern20 look to it1      
beware of doing anything of thine own   
head1  and justling with my authority4  
,it was so afterwards in the matter of  
the temple1 which succeeded the         
tabernacle2 ,god gave the model of it   
to ,david1 and made him 8understand in  
writing by his hand upon him1  even all 
the works of this pattern0 7#a ,chron4  
xxviii4 #ai74 ,neither the  royal       
authority in ,moses1 who was king in    
,jesurun2 nor in ,david1 who  was a man 
after ,god's own heart1 and called to   
the crown by a special  and             
extraordinary providence2 nor ,aaron1   
and the high priests his  successors1   

invested in the sacerdotal office1 had  
any authority from  ,god1 to do anything
 in the framing the tabernacle or temple
 of their  own heads4 ,god barred them  
from anything of that nature1 by giving 
them  an exact pattern1 so dear to him  
was always this flower of his crown4    
,and afterwards1 the power of appointing
 officers and ordinances in  the church 
was delegated to ,christ1 and was among 
the rest of those  royalties given to   
him1 which he fully completed 8for the  
edifying  of the body0 7,eph4 iv4 #aa1  
#ab72 and he hath the eulogy by the     
,spirit  of ,god1 to be 8faithful as    
,moses was in all his house1 to ,him    
that  appointed him0 7,heb4 iii4 #b74   
,faithfulness in a trust implies a      
punctual observing directions2 ,god was 
still so tender of this1 that  even     
,christ1 the ,son1 should no more do    
anything in this concern  without       
appointment and pattern1 than 8,moses1 a
 servant0 7ver4 #e1 #f74  ,it seems to  
be a vote of nature to refer the        

original of the modes of  all worship to
 ,god2 and therefore in all those       
varieties of ceremonies  among the      
heathens1 there was scarce any but were 
imagined by them  to be the dictates and
 orders of some of their pretended      
deities1 and  not the resolves of mere  
human authority4 ,what intrusion upon   
,god's  right hath the papacy b#dcc made
 in regard of officers1 cardinals1      
patriarchs1 c41 not known in any ,divine
 order8 ,in regard of ceremonies  in    
worship1 pressed as necessary to obtain 
the favor of ,god1 holy water1          
crucifixes1 altars1 images1 cringings1  
reviving many of the ,jewish  and ,pagan
 ceremonies1 and adopting them into the 
family of ,christian  ordinances2 as if 
,god had been too absolute and arbitrary
 in repealing  the one1 and dashing in  
pieces the other4 ,when ,god had by his 
sovereign  order framed a religion for  
the heart1 men are ready to usurp an    
authority to frame one for the sense1 to
 dress the ordinances of ,god  in new   

and gaudy habits1 to take the eye by a  
vain pomp2 thus affecting  a ,divine    
royalty1 and acting a silly             
childishness2 and after this1 to  impose
 the observation of those upon the      
consciences of men1 is a bold  ascent   
into the throne of ,god2 to impose laws 
upon the conscience1  which ,christ hath
 not imposed1 hath deservedly been      
thought the very  spirit of antichrist2 
it may be called also the spirit of     
antigod4 ,god  hath reserved to himself 
the sole sovereignty over the           
conscience1 and  never indulged men any 
part of it2 he hath not given man a     
power over  his own conscience1 much    
less one man a power over another's     
conscience4  ,men have a power over     
outward things to do this or that1 where
 it is  determined by the law of ,god1  
but not the least authority to control  
any dictate or determination of         
conscience3 the sole empire of that  is 
appropriate to ,god1 as one of the great
 marks of his royalty4  ,what an        

usurpation is it of ,god's right to make
 conscience a slave  to man1 which ,god 
hath solely1 as the ,father of spirits1 
subjected to  himself6an usurpation     
which1 though the apostles1 those       
extraordinary  officers1 might better   
have claimed1 yet they utterly disowned 
any  imperious dominion over the faith  
of others 7#b ,cor4 i4 #bd74 ,though in 
this they do not seem to climb up above 
,god1 yet they set themselves in  the   
throne of ,god1 envy him an absolute    
monarchy1 would be sharers with  him in 
his legislative power1 and grasp one end
 of his sceptre in their  own hands4    
,they do not pretend to take the crown  
from ,god's head1 but  discover a bold  
ambition to shuffle their hairy scalps  
under it1 and  wear part of it upon     
their own1 that they may rule with him1 
not under  him2 and would be joint lords
 of his manor with him1 who hath1 by the
  apostle1 forbidden any to be 8lords of
 his heritage0 7#a ,pet4 v4 #c73 and    
therefore they cannot assume such an    

authority to themselves till they  can  
show where ,god hath resigned this part 
of his authority to them4  ,if their    
exposition of that place 7,matt4 xvi4   
#ah71 8,upon this rock ,i  will build my
 church10 be granted to be true1 and    
that the person and  successors of      
,peter are meant by that rock1 it could 
be no apology for  their usurpations2 it
 is not ,peter and his successors shall 
build1 but  8,i will build20 others are 
instruments in building1 but they are to
  observe the directions of the grand   
,architect4    #c4 ,the sovereignty of  
,god is contemned when men prefer       
obedience to  men's laws before         
obedience to ,god4 ,as ,god hath an     
undoubted right1 as  the ,lawgiver and  
,ruler of the world1 to enact laws      
without consulting  the pleasure of men1
 or requiring their consent to the      
verifying and  establishing his edicts1 
so are men obliged1 by their allegiance 
as  subjects1 to observe the laws of    
their ,creator1 without consulting      

whether they be agreeable to the laws of
 his revolted b#dcd creatures4  ,to     
consult with flesh and blood whether we 
should obey1 is to authorize  flesh and 
blood above the purest and most         
sovereign ,spirit4 ,when men  will obey 
their superiors1 without taking in the  
condition the apostle  prescribes to    
servants 7,col4 iii4 #bb71 8,in         
singleness of heart fearing  ,god10 and 
postpone the fear of ,god to the fear of
 man1 it is to render  ,god of less     
power with them than the drop of a      
bucket1 or dust of the  balance4 ,when  
we1 out of fear of punishment1 will     
observe the laws of  men against the    
laws of ,god1 it is like the ,egyptians1
 to worship a  ravenous crocodile       
instead of a ,deity2 when we submit to  
human laws1  and stagger at ,divine1 it 
is to set man upon the throne of ,god1  
and  ,god at the footstool of man2 to   
set man above1 and ,god beneath2 to     
make him the tail1 and not the head1 as 
,god speaks in another case of  ,israel 

7,deut4 xxviii4 #ac74 ,when we pay an   
outward observation to ,divine  laws1   
because they are backed by the laws of  
man1 and human authority  is the motive 
of our observance1 we subject ,god's    
sovereignty to  man's authority2 what he
 hath from us1 is more owing to the     
pleasure  of men than any value we have 
for the empire of ,god3 when men shall  
commit murders1 and imbrue their hands  
in blood by the order of a  grandee2    
when the worst sins shall be committed  
by the order of papal  dispensations2   
when the use of his creatures1 which    
,god hath granted  and sanctified1 shall
 be abstained from for so many days in  
the week1  and so many weeks in the     
year1 because of a ,roman edict1 the    
authority  of man is acknowledged1 not  
only equal1 but superior1 to that of    
,god2  the dominion of dust and clay is 
preferred before the undoubted right  of
 the ,sovereign of the world2 the       
commands of ,god are made less than     
human1 and the orders of men more       

authoritative than ,divine1 and a  grand
 rebel's usurpation of ,god's right is  
countenanced4 ,when men  are more devout
 in observance of uncertain traditions1 
or mere human  inventions1 than at the  
hearing of the unquestionable oracles of
 ,god2  when men shall squeeze their    
countenances into a more serious figure1
  and demean themselves in a more       
religious posture1 at the appearance  of
 some mock ceremony1 clothed in a       
,jewish or ,pagan garb1 which  hath     
unhappily made a rent in the coat of    
,christ1 and pay a more  exact reverence
 to that which hath no ,divine1 but only
 a human stamp  upon it1 than to the    
clear and plain word of ,god1 which is  
perhaps  neglected with sleepy nods1 or 
which is worse1 entertained with profane
  scoffs2this is to prefer the authority
 of man employed in trifles1  before the
 authority of the wise ,lawgiver of the 
world3 besides1 the  ridiculousness of  
it is as great as to adore a glowworm1  
and laugh at  the sun2 or for a courtier

 to be more exact in his cringes and    
starched  postures before a puppet than 
before his sovereign prince4 ,in all    
this  we make not the will and authority
 of ,god our rule1 but the will of  man2
 disclaim our dependence on ,god1 to    
hang upon the uncertain breath  of a    
creature4 ,in all this ,god is made less
 than man1 and man more  than ,god2 ,god
 is deposed1 and man enthroned2 ,god    
made a slave1 and man  a sovereign above
 him4 ,to this we may refer the solemn  
addresses of  some for the maintenance  
of the ,protestant religion according to
 law1  the law of man2 not so much      
minding the law of ,god1 resolving to   
make  the law1 the church1 the state1   
the rule of their religion1 and b#dce   
change that if the laws be changed1     
steering their opinions by the  compass 
of the magistrate's judgment and        
interest4    7#b47 ,the dominion of     
,god1 as a ,proprietor1 is practically  
contemned4    #a4 ,by envy4 ,when we are
 not flush and gay1 as well spread and  

sparkling as others1 this passion gnaws 
our souls1 and we become the            
executioners to rack ourselves1 because 
,god is the executor of his own         
pleasure4 ,the foundation of this       
passion is a quarrel with ,god2 to envy 
others the enjoyment of their propriety 
is to envy ,god his right of  disposal1 
and1 consequently1 the propriety of his 
own goods2 it is a  mental theft        
committed against ,god2 we rob him of   
his right in our will  and wish2 it is a
 robbery to make ourselves equal with   
,god when it is  not our due1 which is  
implied 7,phil4 ii4 #f71 when ,christ is
 said 8to  think it no robbery to be    
equal with ,god40 ,we would wrest the   
sceptre  out of his hand1 wish he were  
not the conductor of the world1 and that
  he would resign his sovereignty1 and  
the right of the distribution  of his   
own goods1 to the capricios of our      
humor1 and ask our leave  to what       
subjects he should dispense his favors4 
,all envy is either a  tacit accusation 

of ,god as an usurper1 and assuming a   
right to dispose  of that which doth not
 belong to him1 and so it is a denial of
 his  propriety1 or else charges him    
with a blind or unjust distribution1    
and so it is a bespattering his wisdom  
and righteousness4 ,when ,god doth      
punish envy1 he vindicates his own      
sovereignty1 as though this passion     
chiefly endeavored to blast this        
perfection 7,ezek4 xxv4 #aa1 #ab73 8,as 
,i  live1 saith the ,lord1 ,i will do   
according to thy anger1 and according   
to thy envy1 and thou shall know that ,i
 am the ,lord40 ,the sin of envy  in the
 devils was immediately against the     
crown of ,god1 and so was  the sin of   
envy in the first man1 envying ,god the 
sole prerogative in  knowledge above    
himself4 ,this base humor in ,cain1 at  
the preference of  ,abel's sacrifice    
before his1 was the cause that he       
deprived him of his  life3 denying ,god1
 first his right of choice and what he  
should accept1  and then invading ,god's

 right of propriety1 in usurping a power
 over  the life and being of his        
brother1 which solely belonged to ,god4 
#b4 ,the dominion of ,god1 as a         
proprietor1 is practically contemned  by
 a violent or surreptitious taking away 
from any what ,god hath given  him the  
possession of4 ,since ,god is the ,lord 
of all1 and may give  the possession and
 dominion of things to whom he pleaseth1
 all theft  and purloining1 all cheating
 and cozening another of his right1 is  
not only a crime against the true       
possessor1 depriving him of what  he is 
entrusted with1 but against ,god1 as the
 absolute and universal  proprietor1    
having a right thereby to confer his own
 goods upon whom  he pleaseth1 as well  
as against ,god as a ,lawgiver1         
forbidding such a  violence3 the        
snatching away what is another's1 denies
 man the right  of possession1 and ,god 
the right of donation3 the ,israelites  
taking  the ,egyptians' jewels had been 
theft had it not been by a ,divine      

license and order1 but cannot be        
slandered with such a term1 after  the  
,proprietor of the whole world had      
altered the title1 and alienated  them  
by his positive grant from the          
,egyptians1 to confer them upon the     
,israelites4    #c4 ,the dominion of    
,god1 as a proprietor1 is practically   
contemned  b#dcf by not using what ,god 
hath given us for those ends for which  
he  gave them to us4 ,god passeth things
 over to us with a condition to use     
that for his glory which he hath        
bestowed upon us by his bounty3 he is   
,lord of the end for which he gives1 as 
well as ,lord of what he gives2  the    
donor's right of propriety is infringed 
when the lands and legacies  he leaves  
to a particular use are not employed to 
those ends to which  he bequeathed them3
 the right of the lord of a manor is    
violated when  the copyhold is not used 
according to the condition of the       
conveyance4  ,so it is an invasion of   
,god's sovereignty not to use the       

creatures for  those ends for which we  
are entrusted with them3 when we deny   
ourselves  a due and lawful support from
 them2 hence covetousness is an invasion
  of his right3 or when we unnecessarily
 waste them2 hence prodigality  disowns 
his propriety3 or when we bestow not    
anything upon the  relief of others2    
hence uncharitableness comes under the  
same title1  appropriating that to      
ourselves1 as if we were the lords1 when
 we were  but the usufructuaries for    
ourselves1 and stewards for others2 this
  is to be 8rich to ourselves1 not to   
,god0 7,luke xii4 #ba71 for so are  they
 who employ not their wealth for the    
service1 and according to  the intent1  
of the donor4 ,thus the ,israelites did 
not own ,god the true  proprietor of    
their corn1 wine1 and oil1 which ,god   
had given them for  his worship1 when   
they prepared offerings for ,baal out of
 his stock3  8,for she did not know that
 ,i gave her corn1 and wine1 and oil1   
and  multiplied her gold and silver1    

which they prepared for ,baal0 7,hos4   
ii4  #h72 as if they had been sole      
proprietors1 and not factors by         
commission1  to improve the goods for   
the true owner4 ,it is the same invasion
 of  ,god's right to use the parts and  
gifts that ,god hath given us1 either   
as fuel for our pride1 or advancing     
self1 or a witty scoffing at ,god  and  
religion2 when we use not religion for  
the honor of our ,sovereign1  but a     
stool to rise by1 and observe his       
precepts outwardly1 not out of  regard  
to his authority1 but as a stale to our 
interest1 and furnishing  self with a   
little concern and trifle2 when men will
 wrest his word  for the favor of their 
lusts1 which ,god intended for the      
checking of  them1 and make             
interpretations of it according to their
 humors1 and not  according to his will 
discovered in the ,scripture1 this is to
 pervert  the use of the best goods and 
depositum he hath put into our hands1   
even ,divine revelations4 ,thus         

hypocrisy makes the sovereignty of ,god 
a  nullity4    7#c47 ,the dominion of   
,god1 as a ,governor1 is practically    
contemned4    #a4 ,in idolatry4 ,since  
worship is an acknowledgment of ,god's  
sovereignty1 to adore any creature      
instead of ,god1 or to pay to  anything 
that homage of trust and confidence     
which is due to ,god1  though it be the 
highest creature in heaven or earth1 is 
to acknowledge  that sovereignty to     
pertain to a creature1 which is         
challenged by ,god2  as to set up the   
greatest lord in a kingdom in the       
government1 instead  of the lawful      
prince1 is rebellion and usurpation2 and
 that woman  incurs the crime of        
adultery1 who commits it with a person  
of great  port and honor1 as well as    
with one of a mean condition4 ,while men
  create anything a god1 they own       
themselves supreme above the true ,god1 
yea1 and above that which they account a
 god2 for1 by the right of  creation1   
they have a superiority1 b#dcg as it is 

a deity blown up by  the breath of their
 own imagination4 ,the authority of ,god
 is in this  sin acknowledged to belong 
to an idol2 it is called loathing of    
,god as  a husband 7,ezek4 xvi4 #de71   
all the authority of ,god as a husband  
and  ,lord over them3 so when we make   
anything or any person in the world the 
chief object and prop of our trust and  
confidence1 we act the same part4       
,trust in an idol is the formal part of 
idolatry2 8so is every one that  trusts 
in them0 7,ps4 cxv4 #h71 i4 e4 in idols3
 whatsoever thing we  make the object of
 our trust1 we rear as an idol4 ,it is  
not unlawful to  have the image of a    
creature1 but to bestow divine adoration
 upon it2  it was not unlawful for the  
,egyptians to possess and use oxen1 but 
to  dub them gods to be adored1 it was3 
it is not unlawful to have wealth  and  
honor1 nor to have gifts and parts1 they
 are the presents of ,god2  but to love 
them above ,god1 to fix our reliance    
upon them more than  upon ,god1 is to   

rob ,god of his due1 who1 being our     
,creator1 ought to  be our confidence4  
,what we want we are to desire of him1  
and expect  from him4 ,when we confide  
in anything else we deny ,god the glory 
of his  creation2 we disown him to be   
,lord of the world2 imply that our      
welfare  is in the hands of1 and depends
 upon1 that thing wherein we confide2 it
  is not only to 8equal it to ,god0 in  
sovereign power1 which is his own       
phrase 7,isa4 xl4 #be71 but to prefer it
 before him in a reproach of him4  ,when
 the hosts of heaven shall be served    
instead of the ,lord of those  hosts2   
when we shall lackey after the stars1   
depend barely upon their  influences1   
without looking up to the great         
,director of the sun1 it  is to pay an  
adoration unto a captain in a regiment  
which is due to  the general4 ,when we  
shall 8make gold our hope1 and say to   
the fine  gold1 ,thou art my            
confidence10 it is to deny the supremacy
 of that ,god  that is above2 as well as

 if we kiss our hands1 in a way of      
adoration1  to the sun in its splendor1 
or 8the moon walking in its brightness10
  for ,job couples them together 7ch4   
xxxi4 #bebh72 it is to prefer the       
authority of earth before that of       
heaven1 and honor clay above the        
,sovereign of the world3 as if a soldier
 should confide more in the rag  of an  
ensign1 or the fragment of a drum1 for  
his safety1 than in the  orders and     
conduct of his general2 it were as much 
as is in his power  to uncommission him1
 and snatch from him his commander's    
staff4 ,when  we advance the creature in
 our love above ,god1 and the altar of  
our  soul smokes with more thoughts and 
affections to a petty interest than  to 
,god1 we lift up that which was given us
 as a servant in the place  of the      
,sovereign1 and bestow that throne upon 
it which is to be kept  undefiled for   
the rightful ,lord1 and subject the     
interest of ,god to  the demands of the 
creature4 ,so much respect is due to    

,god1 that none  should be placed in the
 throne of our affections equal with    
him1 much  less anything to perk above  
him4    #b4 ,impatience is a contempt of
 ,god as a governor4 ,when we meet with 
rubs in the way of any design1 when our 
expectations are crossed1 we  will break
 through all obstacles to accomplish our
 projects1 whether  ,god will or no4    
,when we are too much dejected at some  
unexpected  providence1 and murmur at   
the instruments of it1 as if ,god       
divested  himself of his prerogative of 
conducting human b#dch affairs2 when  a 
little cross blows us into a mutiny1 and
 swells us into a sauciness  to implead 
,god1 or make us fret against him 7as   
the expression is1 ,isa4  viii4 #ba71   
wishing him out of his throne2 no sin is
 so devilish as this2  there is not any 
strikes more at all the attributes of   
,god than this1  against his goodness1  
righteousness1 holiness1 wisdom1 and    
doth as  little spare his sovereignty as
 any of the rest3 what can it be else1  

but an impious invasion of his dominion1
 to quarrel with him for what  he doth1 
and to say1 ,what reason hast thou to   
deal thus with me8 ,this  language is in
 the nature of all impatience1 whereby  
we question his  sovereignty1 and       
parallel our dominion with his4 ,when   
men have not  that confluence of wealth 
or honor they greedily desired1 they    
bark  at ,god1 and revile his           
government3 they are angry ,god doth not
 more  respectfully observe them1 as    
though he had nothing to do in their    
matters1 and were wanting in that       
becoming reverence which they think  him
 bound to pay to such great ones as they
 are2 they would have  ,god obedient to 
their minds1 and act nothing but what he
 receives a  commission for from their  
wills4 ,when we murmur1 it is as if we  
would  command his will1 and wear his   
crown2 a wresting the sceptre out of his
  hands to sway it ourselves2 we deny   
him the right of government1 disown  his
 power over us1 and would be our own    

sovereigns3 you may find the  character 
of it in the language of ,jehoram 7as   
many understand it71  8,behold1 this    
evil is of the ,lord2 what should ,i    
wait for the ,lord any  longer80 7#b    
,kings vi4 #cc74 ,this is an evil of    
such a nature1 that it  could come from 
none but the hand of ,god2 why should ,i
 attend upon him1  as my ,sovereign1    
that delights to do me so much mischief1
 that throws  curses upon me when ,i    
expected blessings8 ,i will no more     
observe his  directions1 but follow my  
own sentiments1 and regard not his      
authority  in the lips of his doting    
prophet4 ,the same you find in the      
,jews1  when they were under ,god's     
lash2 8,and they said1 ,there is no     
hope3  but we will walk after our own   
devices1 and we will every one do the   
imagination of his evil heart0 7,jer4   
xviii4 #ab73 we can expect no good  from
 him1 and therefore we will be our own  
sovereigns1 and prefer the  authority of
 our own imaginations before that of his

 precepts4 ,men  would be their own     
carvers1 and not suffer ,god to use his 
right2 as if  a stone should order the  
mason in what manner to hew it1 and in  
what  part of the building to place it4 
,we are not ordinarily concerned so     
much at the calamities of our neighbors1
 but swell against heaven at a  light   
drop upon ourselves4 ,we are content    
,god should be the sovereign  of others1
 so that he will be a servant to us3 let
 him deal as he will  himself with      
others1 so he will treat us1 and what   
relates to us1 as we  will ourselves4   
,we would have ,god resign his authority
 to our humors1  and our humors should  
be in the place of a ,god to him1 to    
direct him  what was fit to do in our   
cause4 ,when things go not according to 
our  vote1 our impatience is a wish that
 ,god was deposed from his throne1  that
 he would surrender his seat to some    
that would deal more favorably1  and be 
more punctual observers of our          
directions4 ,let us look to  ourselves  

in regard of this sin1 which is too     
common1 and the root of  much mischief4 
,this seems to be the first bubbling of 
,adam's will2 he  was not content b#dci 
with the condition wherein ,god had     
placed him1  but affected another1 which
 ended in the ruin of himself1 and of   
mankind4    #c4 ,limiting ,god in his   
way of working to our methods1 is       
another  part of the contempt of his    
dominion4 ,when we will prescribe him   
methods of acting1 that he should       
deliver us in this or that way1 we      
would not suffer him to be the ,lord of 
his own favors1 and have the  privilege 
to be his own director4 ,when we will   
limit him to such a  time1 wherein to   
work our deliverance1 we would rob him  
of the power of  times and seasons1     
which are solely in his hand4 ,we would 
regulate his  conduct according to our  
imaginations1 and assume a power to give
 laws  to our ,sovereign4 ,thus the     
,israelites 8limited the ,holy ,one of  
,israel0  7,ps4 lxxviii4 #da73 they     

would control his absolute dominion1    
and1 of  a sovereign1 make him their    
slave4 ,man1 that is ,god's vassal1     
would  set bounds to his ,lord1 and     
cease to be a servant1 and commence     
master1  when he would give1 not take1  
directions from him4 ,when ,god had     
given  them manna1 and their fancies    
were weary of that delicious food1 they 
would prescribe heaven to rain down some
 other sort of food for them4  ,when    
they wanted no sufficient provision in  
the wilderness1 they  quarrelled with   
,god for bringing them out of ,egypt1   
and not presently  giving them a place  
of seed1 of figs1 vines1 and            
pomegranates 7,numb4 xx4  #e71 which is 
called a 8striving with the ,lord0 7ver4
 #ac71 a contending  with him for his   
,lordship4 ,when we tempt ,god1 and     
require a sign of him  as a mark of his 
favor1 we circumscribe his dominion2    
when we will not  use the means he hath 
appointed1 but father our laziness upon 
a trust  in his providence1 as if we    

expected he should work a miracle for   
our  relief2 when we censure him for    
what he hath done in the course of his  
providence2 when we capitulate with him1
 and promise such a service1  if he will
 do us such a good turn according to our
 platform1 we would  bring down his     
sovereign pleasure to our will1 we      
invade his throne1  and expect a        
submissive obedience from him4 ,man that
 hath not wit  enough to govern himself1
 would be governing ,god1 and those that
 cannot  be their own sovereigns1 affect
 a sovereignty over heaven4    #d4      
,pride and presumption is another       
invasion of his dominion4 ,when  men    
will resolve to go tomorrow to such a   
city1 to such a fair and  market1 to    
traffic1 and get gain1 without thinking 
of the necessity  of a ,divine license1 
as if ourselves were the lords of our   
time and  of our lives1 and ,god were to
 lackey after us 7,james iv4 #ac1 #ae73 
8,ye that say1 ,today we will go into   
such a city1 and buy and sell1  whereas 

ye ought to say1 ,if the ,lord will1 we 
shall live20 as if they  had a freehold1
 and were not tenants at will to the    
,lord of the manor4  ,when we presume   
upon our own strength or wit to get the 
better of our  adversaries2 as the      
,germans 7as ,tacitus relates7 assured  
themselves1  by the numerousness of     
their army1 of a victory against the    
,romans1  and prepared chains to fetter 
the captives before the conquest1 which 
were found in their camp after their    
defeat2when we are peremptory in        
expectations of success according to our
 will2 as ,pharaoh 7,exod4 xv4 #i71  8,i
 will pursue1 ,i will overtake1 ,i will 
divide the spoil1 my lust shall  be     
satisfied upon them1 ,i will draw my    
sword1 my hand shall destroy  them30 he 
speaks more like a b#ddj god than a man1
 as if he were the  sovereign power1 and
 ,god only his vicar and lieutenant2 how
 he struts1  without thinking of a      
superior power to curb him6when men     
ascribe to  themselves what is the sole 

fruit of ,god's sovereign pleasure2 as  
the  king of ,assyria speaks a language 
fit only to be spoken by ,god 7,isa4  x4
 #ac1 #ad1 c471 8,i have removed the    
bounds of the people2 my hand  hath     
found as a nest the riches of the       
people2 ,i have gathered all  the       
earth20 which ,god declares to be a     
wrong to his sovereignty by the  title  
wherewith he prefaceth his threatening  
against him 7ver4 #af73  8,therefore    
shall the ,lord1 the ,lord of hosts1    
send among his fat ones  leanness10 c4  
,it is indeed a rifling1 if not of his  
crown1 yet of  the most glittering jewel
 of it1 his glory4 8,he that mocks the  
poor  reproacheth his ,maker0 7,prov4   
xvii4 #e74 ,he never thinks that ,god   
made  them poor1 and himself rich2 he   
owns not his riches to be dropped upon  
him by the ,divine hand4 ,self is the   
great invader of ,god's sovereignty2    
doth not only spurn at it1 but usurp it1
 and assume divine honors1  payable only
 to the universal ,sovereign4 ,the      

,assyrian was not so  modest as the     
,chaldean1 who would impute his power   
and victories to his  idol 7,hab4 i4    
#aa71 whom he thought to be ,god1 though
 yet robbing the  true ,god of his      
authority2 and so much was signified by 
their names1  ,nebuchadnezzar1          
,evil,merodach1 ,belshazzar1 ,nebo1     
,merodach1 ,bel1 being  the ,chaldean   
idols1 and the names signifying1 ,lord  
of wealth1 ,giver of  riches1 and the   
like4,when we behave ourselves proudly  
towards others1  and imagine ourselves  
greater than our ,maker ever meant      
us2when we  would give laws to others1  
and expect the most submissive          
observances  from them1 as if ,god had  
resigned his authority to us1 and made  
us1  in his stead1 the rightful monarchs
 of the world4 ,to disdain that any     
creature should be above us1 is to      
disdain ,god's sovereign disposition  of
 men1 and consequently1 his own         
superiority over us4 ,a proud man  would
 govern all1 and would not have ,god his

 ,sovereign1 but his subject2  to       
overvalue ourselves1 is to undervalue   
,god4    #e4 ,slight and careless       
worship of ,god is another contempt of  
his  sovereignty4 ,a prince is          
contemned1 not only by a neglect of     
those  reverential postures which are   
due to him1 but in a reproachful and    
scornful way of paying them4 ,to behave 
ourselves uncomely or immodestly  before
 a prince1 is a disesteem of majesty4   
,sovereignty requires awe in  every     
address1 where this is wanting there is 
a disrespect of authority4  ,we contemn 
,god's dominion when we give him the    
service of the lip1  the hand1 the knee1
 and deny him that of the heart2 as they
 in ,ezekiel  xxxiii4 #ca1 as though he 
were the ,sovereign only of the body1   
and not  of the soul4 ,to have devout   
figures of the face1 and uncomely       
postures  of the soul1 is to exclude his
 dominion from our spirits1 while we own
  it only over our outward man2 we      
render him an insignificant ,lord1 not  

worthy of any higher adorations from us 
than a senseless statue2 we  demean not 
ourselves according to his majestical   
authority over us1  when we present him 
not with the cream and quintessence of  
our souls4  ,the greatness of ,god      
required a great house1 and a costly    
palace  7#a ,chron4 xxix4 #aa1 #af72    
,david speaks it in order to the        
building ,god  a house and a temple2    
,god being a great ,king expects b#dda a
 male  the best of our flock 7,mal4 i4  
#ad71 a masculine and vigorous service4 
,when we present him with a sleepy1     
sickly rheumatic service1 we betray  our
 conceptions of him to be as mean as if 
he were some petty lord1  whose dominion
 were of no larger extent than a        
molehill1 or some  inconsiderable       
village4    #f4 ,omission of the service
 he hath appointed is another contempt  
of his sovereignty4 ,this is a contempt 
of his dominion1 whereby he  hath a     
right to appoint what means and         
conditions he pleaseth1 for the         

enjoyment of his proffered and promised 
benefits4 ,it is an enmity to  his      
sceptre not to accept of his terms after
 a long series of precepts  and         
invitations made for the restoring us to
 that happiness we had lost1  and       
providing all means necessary thereunto1
 nothing being wanting but  our own     
concurrence with it1 and acceptance of  
it1 by rendering that  easy homage he   
requires4 ,by withholding from him the  
service he enjoins1  we deny that we    
hold anything of him2 as he that pays   
not the quit rent1  though it be never  
so small1 disowns the sovereignty of the
 lord of the  manor2 it implies1 that he
 is a miserable poor lord1 having no    
right1  or destitute of any power1 to   
dispose of anything in the world to our 
advantage 7,job xxii4 #ag73 8,they say  
unto ,god1 ,depart from us1 what  can   
the ,almighty do for them80 ,they will  
have no commerce with him  in a way of  
duty1 because they imagine him to have  
no sovereign power  to do anything for  

them in way of benefit1 as if his       
dominion were  an empty title1 and as   
much destitute of any authority to      
command a  favor for them as any idol4  
,they think themselves to have as       
absolute  a disposal of things1 as ,god 
himself4 ,what can he do for us8 what   
can he confer upon us1 that we cannot   
invest ourselves in8 as though  they    
were sovereigns in an equality with     
,god4 ,thus men live 8without  ,god in  
the world0 7,eph4 ii4 #ab71 as if there 
were no ,supreme ,being  to pay a       
respect to1 or none fit to receive any  
homage at their hands2  withholding from
 ,god the right of his time and the     
right of his service1  which is the just
 claim of his sovereignty4    #g4       
,censuring others is a contempt of his  
sovereignty4 ,when we  censure men's    
persons or actions by a rash judgment2  
when we will be  judges of the good and 
evil of men's actions1 where the law of 
,god is  utterly silent1 we usurp ,god's
 place1 and invade his right2 we claim a

  superiority over the law1 and judge   
,god defective1 as the ,rector of the   
world1 in his prescriptions of good and 
evil4 7,james iv4 #aa1 #ab71 8,he  that 
speaks evil of his brother1 and judgeth 
his brother1 speaks evil  of the law1   
and judgeth the law2 there is one       
,lawgiver who is able  to save1 and to  
destroy3 who art thou that judgest      
another80 ,do you  know what you do in  
judging another8 ,you take upon you the 
garb of a  sovereign1 as if he were more
 your servant than ,god's1 and more     
under  your authority than the authority
 of ,god2 it is a setting thyself in    
,god's tribunal1 and assuming his       
rightful power of judging2 thy brother  
is not to be governed by thy fancy1 but 
by ,god's law1 and his own  conscience4 
#b4 ,information4 ,hence it follows1    
that ,god doth actually govern the      
world4 ,he hath not only a right to     
rule1 but 8he rules over all10 so  saith
 the text4 ,he is 8,king of kings1 and  
,lord of lords10what1 b#ddb  to let them

 do what they please1 and all that their
 lusts prompt them  to8 hath ,god an    
absolute dominion8 ,is it good1 and is  
it wise8 ,is it  then a useless         
prerogative of the ,divine nature8      
,shall so excellent  a power lie idle1  
as if ,god were a lifeless image8 ,shall
 we fancy ,god  like some lazy monarch1 
that solaceth himself in the gardens of 
his  palace1 or steeps himself in some  
charming pleasures1 and leaves his      
lieutenants to govern the several       
provinces1 which are all members of  his
 empire1 according to their own humor8  
,not to exercise this dominion  is all  
one as not to have it2 to what purpose  
is he invested with this  sovereignty1  
if he were careless of what were done in
 the world1 and  regarded not the       
oppressions of men8 ,god keeps no       
useless excellency by  him2 he actually 
reigns over the heathen 7,ps4 xlvii4    
#h71 and those as  bad1 or worse than   
heathens4 ,it had been a vanity in      
,david to call upon  the heavens to be  

glad1 and the earth to rejoice1 under   
the rule of  a 8sleepy ,deity0 7#a      
,chron4 xvi4 #ca74 ,no2 his sceptre is  
full of eyes1  as it was painted by the 
,egyptians2 he is always waking1 and    
always  more than ,ahasuerus1 reading   
over the records of human actions4 ,not 
to exercise his authority1 is all one as
 not to regard whether he keep  the     
crown upon his head1 or continue the    
sceptre in his hand4 ,if his            
sovereignty were exempt from care1 it   
would be destitute of justice2  ,god is 
more righteous than to resign the       
ensigns of his authority to  blind and  
oppressive man2 to think that ,god hath 
a power1 and doth not  use it for just  
and righteous ends1 is to imagine him an
 unrighteous  as well as a careless     
,sovereign2 such a thing in a man       
renders him a  base man1 and a worse    
governor2 it is a vice that disturbs the
 world1  and overthrows the ends of     
authority1 as to have a power1 and use  
it  well1 is the greatest virtue of an  

earthly sovereign4 ,what an unworthy    
conception is it of ,god1 to acknowledge
 him to be possessed of a  greater      
authority than the greatest monarch1 and
 yet to think that he  useth it less    
than a petty lord2 that his crown is of 
no more value  with him than a feather8 
,this represents ,god impotent1 that he 
cannot1  or unrighteous and base1 that  
he will not administer the authority he 
hath for the noblest and justest end4   
,but can we say1 that he neglects  the  
government of the world8 ,how come      
things then to remain in their  due     
order8 ,how comes the law of nature yet 
to be preserved in every  man's soul8   
,how comes conscience to check1 and     
cite1 and judge8 ,if ,god  did not      
exercise his authority1 what authority  
could conscience have to  disturb man in
 unlawful practices1 and to make his    
sports and sweetness  so unpleasant and 
sour to him8 ,hath he not given frequent
 notices and  memorials1 that he holds a
 curb over corrupt inclinations1 puts   

rubs in  the way of malicious           
attempters1 and often oversets the      
disturbers of  the peace of the world8  
#c4 ,information4 ,god can do no wrong1 
since he is absolute ,sovereign4  ,man  
may do wrong1 princes may oppress and   
rifle1 but it is a crime in  them so to 
do3 because their power is a power of   
government1 and not of  propriety1 in   
the goods or lives of their subjects2   
but ,god cannot do  any wrong1          
whatsoever the clamors of creatures are1
 because he can do  nothing but what he 
hath a sovereign right to do4 ,if he    
takes away your  goods1 he takes not    
b#ddc away anything that is yours more  
than his  own1 since though he entrusted
 you with them1 he divested not himself 
of the propriety4 ,when he takes away   
our lives1 he takes what he gave  us by 
a temporary donation1 to be surrendered 
at his call3 we can claim  no right in  
anything but by his will4 ,he is no     
debtor to us3 and since  he owes us     
nothing1 he can wrong us in nothing that

 he takes away4  ,his own sovereignty   
excuseth him in all those acts which are
 most  distasteful to the creature4 ,if 
we crop a medicinal plant for our  use1 
or a flower for our pleasure1 or kill a 
lamb for our food1 we do  neither of    
them any wrong3 because the original of 
them was for our use1  and they had     
their life1 and nourishment1 and        
pleasing qualities for  our delight and 
support4 ,and are not we much more made 
for the pleasure  and use of ,god1 than 
any of those can be for us8 8,of him and
 to him  are all things0 7,rom4 xi4     
#cf73 hath not ,god as much right over  
any one  of us1 as over the meanest     
worm8 ,though there be a vast difference
 in  nature between the angels in heaven
 and the worms on earth1 yet they  are  
all one in regard of subjection to ,god2
 he is as much the ,lord of  the one as 
the other2 as much the ,proprietor of   
the one as the other2  as much the      
,governor of one as the other2not a     
cranny in the world is  exempt from his 

jurisdiction2not a mite or grain of a   
creature exempt  from his propriety4 ,he
 is not our ,lord by election2 he was a 
,lord  before we were in being2 he had  
no terms put upon him who capitulated   
with him1 and set him in his throne by  
covenant4 ,what oath did he take  to any
 subject at his first investiture in his
 authority8 ,his right is  as natural1  
as eternal as himself3 as natural as his
 existence1 and as  necessary as his    
,deity4 ,hath he any law but his own    
will8 ,what wrong  can he do that breaks
 no law1 that fulfils his law in        
everything he  doth1 by fulfilling his  
own will1 which as it is absolutely     
sovereign1  so it is infinitely         
righteous8 ,in whatsoever he takes from 
us1 then1 he  cannot injure us2 it is no
 crime in any man to seize upon his own 
goods  to vindicate his own honor2 and  
shall it be thought a wrong in ,god to  
do such things1 besides the occasion he 
hath from every man1 and that  every day
 provoking him to do it8 ,he seems      

rather to wrong himself by  forbearing  
such a seizure1 than wrong us by        
executing it4    #d4 ,information4 ,if  
,god have a sovereignty over the whole  
world1 then  merit is totally excluded4 
,his right is so absolute over all      
creatures1  that he neither is1 nor can 
be1 a debtor to any2 not to the         
undefiled  holiness of the blessed      
angels1 much less to poor earthly worms2
  those blessed spirits enjoy their     
glory by the title of his sovereign     
pleasure1 not by virtue of any          
obligation devolving from them upon     
,god4  ,are not the faculties1 whereby  
they and we perform any act of          
obedience1  his grant to us8 ,is not the
 strength1 whereby they and we are      
enabled  to do anything pleasing to him1
 a gift from him8 ,can a vassal merit of
  his lord1 or a slave of his master1 by
 using his tools1 and employing  his    
strength in his service1 though it was a
 strength he had naturally1  not by     
donation from the man in whose service  

it is employed8 ,god is  ,lord of allall
 is due to him2 how can we oblige him by
 giving him  what b#ddd is his own1 more
 his to whom it is presented1 than ours 
by  whom it is offered8 ,he becomes not 
a debtor by receiving anything from  us1
 but by promising something to us4#ajai 
#e4 ,information4 ,if ,god hath a       
sovereign dominion over the whole       
world1 then hence it follows1 that all  
magistrates are but sovereigns  under   
,god4 ,he is ,king of kings1 and ,lord  
of lords2 all the potentates  of the    
world are no other than his lieutenants1
 movable at his pleasure1  and more at  
his disposal than their subjects are at 
theirs4 ,though  they are dignified with
 the title of 8gods10 yet still they are
 at  an infinite distance from the      
supreme ,lord2 gods under ,god1 not to  
be  above him1 not to be against him4   
,the want of the due sense of their     
subordination to ,god hath made many in 
the world act as sovereigns  above him  
more than sovereigns under him4 ,had    

they all bore a deep  conviction of this
 upon their spirits1 such audacious     
language had  never dropped from the    
mouth of ,pharaoh3 8,who is the ,lord1  
that ,i  should obey his voice1 to let  
,israel go80 7,exod4 v4 #b71 presuming  
that  there was no superior to control  
him1 nor any in heaven able to be  a    
match for him2 ,darius had never        
published such a doting edict1 as  to   
prohibit any petition to ,god2 ,nero had
 never fired ,rome1 and sung  at the    
sight of the devouring flames2 nor ever 
had he ripped up his  mother's belly1 to
 see the womb where he first lodged1 and
 received  a life so hateful to his     
country4 ,nor would ,abner and ,joab1   
the two  generals1 have accounted the   
death of men but a sport and interlude4 
8,let the young men arise and play      
before us0 7#b ,sam4 ii4 #ad72 what     
play it was1 the next verse acquaints   
you with2 thrusting their swords  into  
one another's sides4 ,they were no more 
troubled at the death of  thousands1    

than a man is to kill a fly1 or a flea4 
,had a sense of this  but hovered over  
their souls1 people in many countries   
had not been  made their footballs1 and 
used worse than their dogs6 ,nor had the
  lives of millions1 worth more than a  
world1 been exposed to fire and  sword1 
to support some sordid lust1 or breach  
of faith upon an idle  quarrel1 and for 
the depredation of their neighbors'     
estates2 the  flames of cities had not  
been so bright1 nor the streams of blood
 so  deep1 nor the cries of innocents so
 loud4 ,in particular1    7#a47 ,if ,god
 be ,sovereign1 all undersovereigns are 
not to rule against  him1 but to be     
obedient to his orders4 ,if they 8rule  
by his authority0  7,prov4 viii4 #ae71  
they are not to rule against his        
interest2 they are  not to imagine      
themselves as absolute as ,god1 and that
 their laws must  be of as sovereign    
authority against his honor1 as the     
,divine are for  it4 ,if they are his   
lieutenants on earth1 they ought to act 

according  to his orders4 ,no man but   
will account a governor of a province a 
rebel1  if he disobeys the orders sent  
to him by the sovereign prince that     
commissioned him4 ,rebellion against    
,god is a crime of princes1 as well  as 
rebellion against princes a crime of    
subjects4 ,saul is charged with  it by  
,samuel in a high manner for an act of  
simple disobedience1 though  intended   
for the service of ,god1 and the        
enriching his country with  the spoils  
of the ,amalekites4 8,rebellion is as   
the sin of witchcraft0  7#a ,sam4 xv4   
#bc72 like witchcraft or covenanting    
with the devil1 acting  as if he had    
b#dde received his commission not from  
,god1 but from  ,satan4 ,magistrates1 as
 commissioned by ,god1 ought to act for 
him4 ,doth  human authority ever give a 
commission to any to rebel against      
itself8  did ,god ever depute any       
earthly sovereignty against his glory1  
and give  them leave to outlaw his laws1
 to introduce their own8 ,no2 when he   

gave  the vicarious dominion to ,christ1
 he calls upon the kings of the earth   
to be instructed1 and be wise1 and 8kiss
 the ,son0 7,ps4 ii4 #aj1 #ab71  i4 e4  
to observe his orders1 and pay him      
homage as their ,governor4  ,what a     
silly doltish thing is it to resist that
 ,supreme ,authority1 to  which the     
archangels submit themselves1 and       
regulate their employments  punctually  
by their instructions6 ,those excellent 
creatures exactly  obey him in all the  
acts of their subordinate government in 
the world2  those in whose hand the     
greatest monarch is no more than a silly
 fly  between the fingers of a giant4 ,a
 contradiction to the interest of  ,god 
hath been fatal to kings4 ,the four     
monarchies have had their wings         
clipped1 and most of them have been     
buried in their own ashes2 they  have   
all1 like the imitators of ,lucifer's   
pride1 fallen from the heaven  of their 
glory to the depth of their shame and   
misery4 ,all governors  are bound to be 

as much obedient to ,god1 as their      
subjects are bound  to be submissive to 
them4 ,their authority over men is      
limited2 ,god's  authority over them is 
absolute and unbounded4 ,though every   
soul ought  to be subject to the higher 
powers1 yet there is a higher ,power of 
all1 to which those higher powers are to
 subject themselves2 they are  to be    
keepers of both the tables of the law of
 ,god1 and are then most  sovereigns    
when they set in their own practice an  
example of obedience  to ,god1 for their
 subjects to write after4    7#b47 ,they
 ought to imitate ,god in the exercise  
of their sovereignty in  ways of justice
 and righteousness4 ,though ,god be an  
absolute sovereign1  yet his government 
is not tyrannical1 but managed according
 to the  rules of righteousness1 wisdom1
 and goodness4 ,if ,god1 that created   
them as well as their subjects1 doth so 
exercise his government1 it  is a duty  
incumbent upon them to do the same2     
since they are not the  creators of     

their people1 but the conductors4 ,as   
,god's government  tends to the good of 
the world1 so ought theirs to the good  
of their  countries4 ,god committed not 
the government of the world to the      
,mediator in an unlimited way1 but for  
the good of the church1 in order  to the
 eternal salvation of his people4 8,he  
gave him to be head over  all things to 
the church0 7,eph4 i4 #bb74 ,he had     
power over the devils  to restrain them 
in their temptation and malice2 power   
over the angels  to order their ministry
 for the heirs of salvation4 ,so power  
is given  to magistrates for the civil  
preservation of the world and of human  
society2 they ought therefore to        
consider for what ends they were  placed
 over the rest of mankind1 and not      
exercise their authority in  a          
licentious way1 but conformable to that 
justice and righteousness  wherein ,god 
doth administer his government1 and for 
the preservation of  those who are      
committed to them4    7#c47 ,magistrates

 must then be obeyed when they act      
according to ,god's  order1 and within  
the bounds of the ,divine commission4   
,they are no  friends to the sovereignty
 of ,god1 that are enemies to           
magistracy1 his  ordinance4 ,saul was a 
good governor1 though none of the b#ddf 
best  men1 and the despisers of his     
government after ,god's choice1 were the
  sons of ,belial 7#a ,sam4 x4 #bg74    
,christ was no enemy to ,csar4 ,to pull 
down a faithful magistrate1 such an one 
as ,zerubbabel1 is to pluck a  signet   
from the hand of ,god2 for in that      
capacity he accounts him 7,hag4  ii4    
#bc74 ,god's servants stand or fall to  
their own ,master2 how doth he  check   
,aaron and ,miriam for speaking against 
,moses1 his servant8 8,were  you not    
afraid to speak against my servant      
,moses80 7,numb4 xii4 #h72  against     
,moses as related to you in the capacity
 of a governor2 against  ,moses as      
related to you in the capacity of my    
servant8 ,to speak  anything against    

them1 as they act by ,god's order1 is an
 invasion of  ,god's sovereign right1   
who gave them their commission4 ,to act 
against  just power1 or the justice of  
an earthly power1 is to act against     
,god's  ordinance1 who ordained them in 
the world1 but not any abuse1 or ill    
use of their power4    ,use ,,ii4 ,how  
dreadful is the consideration of this   
doctrine to all  rebels against ,god6   
,can any man that hath brains in his    
head1 imagine  it an inconsiderable     
thing to despise the ,sovereign of the  
world8 ,it  was the sole crime of       
disobedience to that positive law1      
whereby ,god  would have a visible      
memorial of his sovereignty preserved in
 the eye  of man1 that showered down    
that deluge of misery1 under which the  
world  groans to this day4 ,god had     
given ,adam a soul1 whereby he might    
live  as a rational creature2 and then  
gives him a law1 whereby he might live  
as a dutiful subject3 for ,god          
forbidding him to eat of the fruit of   

the tree of knowledge of good and evil1 
declared his own supremacy over  ,adam1 
and his propriety in the pleasant world 
he had given him by his  bounty2 he let 
him know hereby1 that man was not his   
own lord1 nor was  to live after his own
 sentiments1 but the directions of a    
superior4 ,as  when a great lord builds 
a magnificent palace1 and brings in     
another to  inhabit it1 he reserves a   
small duty to himself1 not of an equal  
value  with the house1 but for an       
acknowledgment of his own right1 that   
the  tenant may know he is not the lord 
of it1 but hath this grant by the       
liberality of another4#ajbj ,god hereby 
gave ,adam matter for a pure  obedience1
 that had no foundation in his own      
nature by any implanted  law2 he was    
only in it to respect the will of his   
,sovereign1 and to  understand that he  
was to live under the power of a higher 
than himself4  ,there was no more moral 
evil in the eating of this fruit1 as    
considered  distinct from the command1  

than in eating of any other fruit in the
  garden3 had there been no prohibition1
 he might with as much safety  have fed 
upon it as upon any other4 ,no law of   
nature was transgressed  in the act of  
eating of it1 but the sovereignty of    
,god over him was  denied by him2 and   
for this the death threatened was       
inflicted on his  posterity3 for though 
divines take notice of other sins in the
 fall of  ,adam1 yet ,god1 in his trial1
 chargeth him with none but this1 and   
doth  put upon his question an emphasis 
of his own authority3 8,hast thou  eaten
 of the tree whereof ,i commanded ye    
that thou shouldest not eat80  7,gen4   
iii4 #aa74 ,this ,i am pleased with1    
that thou shouldest disown my  dominion 
over thyself1 and this garden4 ,this was
 the inlet to all the  other sins3 as   
the acknowledgment of ,god's sovereignty
 is the first  step to the practice of  
all the b#ddg duties of a creature1 so  
the  disowning his sovereignty is the   
first spring of all the extravagances   

of a creature4 ,every sin against the   
sovereign ,lawgiver is worthy of  death3
 the transgression of this command      
deserved death1 and procured  it to     
spread itself over the face of the      
world4 ,god's dominion cannot  be       
despised without meriting the greatest  
punishment4    #a4 ,punishment          
necessarily follows upon the doctrine of
 sovereignty4  ,it is a faint and a     
feeble sovereignty that cannot preserve 
itself1  and vindicate its own wrongs   
against rebellious subjects2 the height 
of  ,god's dominion infers a vengeance  
on the contemners of it3 if ,god be an  
eternal ,king1 he is an eternal ,judge4 
,since sin unlinks the dependence       
between ,god the ,sovereign1 and man the
 subject1 if ,god did not  vindicate the
 rights of his sovereignty1 and the     
authority of his law1  he would seem to 
despise his own dominion1 be weary of   
it1 and not act  the part of a good     
governor4 ,but ,god is tender of his    
prerogative1 and  doth most bestir      

himself when men exalt themselves       
proudly against him3  8,in the thing    
wherein they dealt proudly1 he will be  
above them0 7,exod4  xviii4 #aa74 ,when 
,pharaoh thought himself a mate for     
,god1 and proudly  rejected his         
commands1 as if they had been the       
messages of some petty  ,arabian lord1  
,god rights his own authority upon the  
life of his enemy  by the ministry of   
the ,red ,sea4 ,he turned a great king  
into a beast1  to make him know that the
 ,most ,high ruled in the kingdoms of   
men3 8,the  demand is by the word of the
 holy ones1 to the intent that the      
living  may know that the ,most ,high   
ruleth in the kingdoms of men0 7,dan4   
iv4 #af1  #ag72 and that by the         
petitions of the angels1 who cannot     
endure that  the empire of ,god should  
be obscured and diminished by the pride 
of man4  ,besides the tender respect he 
hath to his own glory1 he is constantly 
presented with the solicitations of the 
angels to punish the proud ones  of the 

earth1 that darken the glory of his     
majesty3 it is necessary  for the rescue
 of his honor1 and necessary for the    
satisfaction of his  illustrious        
attendants1 who would think it a shame  
to them to serve a  ,lord that were     
always unconcerned in the rebellions of 
his creatures1  and tamely suffer their 
spurns at his throne2 and therefore     
there is  a day wherein the haughtiness 
of man shall be bowed down1 the cedars  
of ,lebanon overthrown1 and high        
mountains levelled1 that 8,god may  be  
exalted in that day0 7,isa4 ii4 #aa1    
#ab71 c4 ,pride is a sin that           
immediately swells against ,god's       
authority2 this shall be brought down   
that ,god may be exalted2 not that he   
should have a real exaltation1  as if he
 were actually deposed from his         
government1 but that he shall  be       
manifested to be the ,sovereign of the  
whole world4 ,it is necessary  there    
should be a day to chase away those     
clouds that are upon his  throne1 that  

the lustre of his majesty may break     
forth to the confusion  of all the      
children of pride that vaunt against    
him4 ,god hath a  dominion over us as a 
,lawgiver1 as we are his creatures2 and 
a dominion  over us in a way of justice1
 as we are his criminals4    #b4 ,this  
punishment is unavoidable4    7#a47     
,none can escape him4 ,he hath the sole 
authority over hell and  death1 the keys
 of both are in his hand3 the greatest  
,csar can no  more escape him than the  
meanest peasant3 8,who art thou1 b#ddh  
,o great  mountain1 before ,zerubbabel80
 7,zech4 iv4 #g74 ,the height of angels 
is  no match for him1 much less that of 
the mortal grandees of the world2  they 
can no more resist him than the meanest 
person2 but are rather1 as  the highest 
steeples1 the fittest marks for his     
crushing thunder4 ,if he  speaks the    
word1 the principalities of men come    
down1 and 8the crown of  their glory0   
7,jer4 xiii4 #ah74 ,he can 8take the    
mighty away in a moment10  and that     

8without hands10 i4 e4 without          
instruments 7,job xxxiv4 #bj74  ,the    
strongest are like the feet of          
,nebuchadnezzar's image1 iron and  clay2
 iron to man1 but clay to ,god1 to be   
crumbled to nothing4    7#b47 ,what     
comfort can be reaped from a creature1  
when the ,sovereign  of the world arms  
himself with terrors1 and begins his    
visitation8  8,what will you do in the  
day of visitation1 to whom will you flee
 for  help1 and where will you leave    
your glory80 7,isa4 x4 #c74 ,the        
torments  from a subject may be relieved
 by the prince1 but where can there be  
an appeal from the ,sovereign of the    
world8 ,where is there any above him  to
 control him1 if he will overthrow us8  
,who is there to call him to  account1  
and say to him1 ,what dost thou8 ,he    
works by an uncontrollable  authority2  
he needs not ask leave of any2 8he      
works1 and none can  let it0 7,isa4     
xliii4 #ac73 as when he will relieve1   
none can afflict2  so when he will      

wound1 none can relieve4 ,if a king     
appoint the  punishment of a rebel1 the 
greatest favorite in the court cannot   
speak  a comfortable word to him3 the   
most beloved angel in heaven cannot     
sweeten and ease the spirit of a man    
that the ,sovereign ,power is  set      
against to make the butt of his wrath4  
,the devils lie under his  sentence1 and
 wear their chains as marks of their    
condemnation1 without  hope of ever     
having them filed off1 since they are   
laid upon them by  the authority of an  
unaccountable ,sovereign4    7#c47 ,by  
his sovereign authority ,god can make   
any creature the  instrument of his     
vengeance4 ,he hath all the creatures at
 his beck1  and can commission any of   
them to be a dreadful scourge4 ,strong  
winds  and tempests fulfil his word     
7,ps4 cxlviii4 #h72 the lightnings      
answer  him at his call1 and cry aloud1 
8,here are we0 7,job xxxviii4 #ce74 ,by 
his sovereign authority he can render   
locusts as mischievous as lions1  forge 

the meanest creatures into swords and   
arrows1 and commission the  most        
despicable to be his executioners4 ,he  
can cut off joy from our  spirits1 and  
make our own hearts be our tormentors1  
our most confident  friends our         
persecutors1 our nearest relations to be
 his avengers2  they are more his1 who  
is their ,sovereign1 than ours1 who     
place a vain  confidence in them4       
,rather than ,abraham shall want        
children1 he can  raise up stones1 and  
adopt them into his family2 and rather  
than not  execute his vengeance1 he can 
array the stones in the streets1 and    
make  them his armed subjects against   
us4 ,if he speak the word1 a hair shall 
drop from our heads to choke us1 or a   
vapor1 congealed into rheum in  our     
heads1 shall drop down and putrefy our  
vitals4 ,he can never want  weapons1 who
 is ,sovereign over the thunders of     
heaven and stones of  the earth1 over   
every creature2 and can1 by a sovereign 
word1 turn our  greatest comforts into  

curses4    #c4 ,this punishment must be 
terrible4 ,how doth ,david1 a great     
b#ddi  king1 sound in his body1         
prosperous in his crown1 and successful 
in  his conquests1 settled in all his   
royal conveniences1 groan under the     
wrathful touch of a greater ,king than  
himself 7,ps4 vi4 xxxviii41 and  his    
other penitential ,psalms71 not being   
able to give himself a writ  of ease by 
all the delights of his palace and      
kingdom6 8,if the wrath of  a king be as
 the roaring of a lion0 7,prov4 xix4    
#aj7 to a poor subject1  how great is   
the wrath of the ,king of kings1 that   
cannot be set forth  by the terror of   
all the amazing volleys of thunder that 
have been  since the creation1 if the   
noise of all were gathered into one     
single  crack6 ,as there is an          
inconceivable ground of joy in the      
special favor  of so mighty a ,king1 so 
is there of terror in his severe        
displeasure3  he is 8terrible to the    
kings of the earth2 with ,god is        

terrible  majesty0 7,ps4 lxxvi4 #ab74   
,what a folly is it1 then1 to rebel     
against  so mighty a ,sovereign6    ,use
 ,,iii4 ,of comfort4 ,the throne of ,god
 drops honey and sweetness1 as  well as 
dread and terror2 all his other         
attributes afford little relief  without
 this of his dominion and universal     
command4 ,when1 therefore1  he speaks of
 his being the ,god of his people1 he   
doth often preface it  with 8the ,lord  
thy ,god20 his sovereignty1 as a ,lord1 
being the ground  of all the comfort we 
can take in his federal relation as our 
,god2  thy ,god1 but superior to thee2  
thy ,god1 not as thy cattle and goods   
are thine1 in a way of sole propriety1  
but a ,lord too1 in a way of            
sovereignty1 not only over thee1 but    
over all things else for thee4 ,as  the 
end of ,god's settling earthly          
governments was for the good of the     
communities over which the governors    
preside1 so ,god exerciseth his         
government for the good of the world1   

and more particularly for the  good of  
the church1 over which he is a peculiar 
,governor4    #a4 ,his love to his      
people is as great as his sovereignty   
over them4  ,he stands not upon his     
dominion with his people so much as upon
 his  affection to them2 he would not be
 called 8,baali1 my ,lord10 i4 e4  he   
would not be known only by the name of  
sovereignty1 but 8,ishi1 my  husband10 a
 name of authority and sweetness        
together 7,hos4 ii4 #af1  #ai1 c473 he  
signifies that he is not only the ,lord 
of our spirits and  bodies1 but a       
husband by a marriage knot1 admitting us
 to a nearness to  him1 and communion of
 goods with him4 ,though he majestically
 sits upon  a high throne1 yet it is a  
throne 8encircled with a rainbow0       
7,ezek4 i4  #bh71 to show that his      
government of his people is not only in 
a way of  absolute dominion1 but also in
 a way of federal relation2 he seems to 
own himself their subject rather than   
their ,sovereign1 when he gives  them a 

charter to command him in the affairs of
 his church 7,isa4 xlv4  #aa72 8,ask of 
me things to come concerning my sons1   
and concerning the  work of my hands    
command you me40 ,some read it by way of
 question1 as  a corrective of a        
sauciness3 ,do you ask me of things to  
come1 and seem  to command me concerning
 the works of my hands1 as if you were  
more  careful of my interest among my   
people than ,i am1 who have formed them8
  ,but if this were the sense1 it would 
seem to discourage an importunity  of   
prayer for public deliverance2 and      
therefore1 to take it according  to our 
translation1 it is an exhortation to    
prayer1 and a mighty  encouragement in  
the management and exercise of it4 ,urge
 b#dej me  with my promise1 in a way of 
humble importunity1 and you shall find  
me as willing to perform my word1 and   
gratify your desires1 as if ,i  were    
rather under your authority1 than you   
under mine3 as much as to  say1 ,if ,i  
be not as good as my word1 to satisfy   

those desires that  are according to my 
promise1 implead me at my own throne1   
and1 if  ,i be failing in it1 ,i will   
give judgment against myself3 almost    
like  princes' charters1 and gracious   
grants1 8,we grant such a thing against 
us and our heirs10 giving the subject   
power to implead them if they  be not   
punctually observed by them4 ,how is the
 love of ,god seen in  his condescension
 below the majesty of earthy governors6 
,he that might  command1 by the         
absoluteness of his authority1 doth not 
only do that1  but entreats1 in the     
quality of a subject1 as if he had not a
 fulness  to supply us1 but needed      
something from us for a supply of       
himself  7#b ,cor4 v4 #bj73 8,as though 
,god did beseech you by us40 ,and when  
he may  challenge1 as a due by the right
 of his propriety1 what we bestow upon  
his poor1 which are his subjects as well
 as ours1 he reckons it as a  loan to   
him1 as if what we had were more our own
 than his 7,prov4 xix4  #ag74 ,he stands

 not upon his dominion so much with us1 
when he finds us  conscientious in      
paying the duty we owe to him2 he rules 
as a ,father1  by love as well as by    
authority2 he enters into a peculiar    
communion  with poor earthly worms1     
plants his gracious tabernacle among the
  troops of sinners1 instructs us by his
 word1 invites us by his benefits1      
admits us into his presence1 is more    
desirous to bestow his smiles than  we  
to receive them1 and acts in such a     
manner as if he were willing to  resign 
his sceptre into the hands of any that  
were possessed with more  love and      
kindness to us than himself3 this is the
 comfort of believers4    #b4 ,in his   
being ,sovereign1 his pardons carry in  
them a full security4  ,he that hath the
 keys of hell and death1 pardons the    
crime1 and wipes  off the guilt4 ,who   
can repeal the act of the chief         
,governor8 what  tribunal can null the  
decrees of an absolute throne8 7,isa4   
xliii4 #be71  8,i1 even ,i1 am he that  

blots out thy transgressions1 for my    
name's  sake40 ,his sovereign dominion  
renders his mercy comfortable4 ,the     
clemency of a subject1 though never so  
great1 cannot pardon2 people may  pity a
 criminal1 while the executioner        
tortures him1 and strips him of  his    
life2 but the clemency of the ,supreme  
,prince establisheth a pardon4  ,since  
we are under the dominion of ,god1 if he
 pardons1 who can reverse  it8 if he    
doth not1 what will the pardons of men  
profit us in regard of  an eternal      
state8 ,if ,god be a ,king forever1 then
 he whom ,god forgives1  he in whom ,god
 reigns1 shall live forever2 else he    
would want subjects  on earth1 and have 
none of his lower creatures1 which he   
formed upon  the earth1 to reign over   
after the dissolution of the world2 if  
his  pardons did not stand secure1 he   
would1 after this life1 have no         
voluntary subjects that had formerly a  
being upon the earth2 he would  be a    
,king only over the damned creatures4   

#c4 ,corruptions will certainly be      
subdued in his voluntary subjects4  ,the
 covenant1 8,i will be your ,god10      
implies protection1 government1  and    
relief1 which are all grounded upon     
sovereignty2 that1 therefore1  which is 
our greatest burden1 will be removed by 
his sovereign power  7,mic4 vii4 #ai73  
8,he will subdue our iniquities40 ,if   
the b#dea outward  enemies of the church
 shall not bear up against his dominion1
 and  perpetuate their rebellions       
unpunished1 those within1 his people1   
shall  as little bear up against his    
throne1 without being destroyed by him2 
the billows of our own hearts1 and the  
raging waves within us1 are  as much at 
his beck as those without us2 and his   
sovereignty is more  eminent in quelling
 the corruptions of the heart1 than the 
commotions  of the world in reigning    
over men's spirits1 by changing them1 or
  curbing them1 more than over men's    
bodies1 by pinching and punishing  them4
 ,the remainders of ,satan's empire will

 moulder away before him1  since ,he    
that is in us is a greater ,sovereign   
8than he that is in the  world0 7#a     
,john iv4 #d74 ,his enemies will be laid
 at his feet1 and so  never shall       
prevail against him1 when his kingdom   
shall come4 ,he could  not be ,lord of  
any man1 as a happy creature1 if he did 
not1 by his  power1 make them happy2 and
 he could not make them happy1 unless1  
by  his grace1 he made them holy3 he    
could not be praised1 as a ,lord of     
glory1 if he did not make some creatures
 glorious to praise him2 and  an earthly
 creature could not praise him          
perfectly1 unless he had every  grain of
 enmity to his glory taken out of his   
heart4 ,since ,god is the  only         
,sovereign1 he only can still the       
commotions in our spirits1 and  pull    
down all the ensigns of the devil's     
royalty2 he can waste him by  the       
powerful word of his lips4    #d4 ,hence
 is a strong encouragement for prayer4  
8,my ,king10 was the  strong            

compellation ,david used in prayer1 as  
an argument of comfort  and confidence1 
as well as that of 8my ,god0 7,ps4 v4   
#b73 8,hearken to the  voice of my cry1 
my ,king and my ,god40 ,to be a king is 
to have an office  of government and    
protection3 he gives us liberty to      
approach to him  as the 8,judge of all0 
7,heb4 xii4 #bc71 i4 e4 as the ,governor
 of the  world2 we pray to one that hath
 the whole globe of heaven and earth in 
his hand1 and can do whatsoever he will3
 though he be higher than the           
cherubims1 and transcendently above all 
in majesty1 yet we may soar  up to him  
with the wings of our soul1 faith and   
love1 and lay open our  cause1 and find 
him as gracious as if he were the       
meanest subject on  earth1 rather than  
the most sovereign ,god in heaven4 ,he  
hath as much  of tenderness as he hath  
of authority1 and is pleased with       
prayer1  which is an acknowledgment of  
his dominion1 an honoring of that which 
he delights to honor2 for prayer1 in the

 notion of it1 imports thus  muchthat   
,god is the ,rector of the world1 that  
he takes notice of  human affairs1 that 
he is a careful1 just1 wise ,governor1 a
 storehouse  of blessing1 a fountain of 
goodness to the indigent1 and a relief  
to the oppressed4 ,what have we reason  
to fear when the ,sovereign of  the     
world gives us liberty to approach to   
him and lay open our case8  that ,god1  
who is ,king of the whole earth1 not    
only of a few villages  or cities in the
 earth1 but the whole earth2 and not    
only ,king of  this dreggy place of our 
dross1 but of heaven1 having prepared1  
or  established1 his throne in the most 
glorious place of the creation4    #e4  
,here is comfort in affliction4 ,as a   
sovereign1 he is the author  of         
afflictions2 as a sovereign1 he can be  
the remover of them2 he can  command the
 waters of affliction to go so far and  
no farther4 ,if he  speaks the word1 a  
disease shall depart as soon as a       
servant shall  b#deb from your presence 

with a nod2 if we are banished from one 
place1  he can command a shelter for us 
in another2 if he orders ,moab1 a nation
  that had no great kindness for his    
people1 to let 8his outcasts dwell  with
 them10 they shall entertain them1 and  
afford them sanctuary 7,isa4  xvi4 #d74 
,again1 ,god chasteneth as a            
8,sovereign10 but teacheth as a         
8,father0 7,ps4 xcix4 #ab72 the exercise
 of his authority is not without  an    
exercise of his goodness2 he doth not   
correct for his own pleasure1  or the   
creature's torment1 but for the         
creature's instruction2 though  the rod 
be in the hand of a sovereign1 yet it is
 tinctured with the  kindness of ,divine
 bowels3 he can order them as a         
sovereign to mortify  our flesh1 and try
 our faith4 ,in the severest tempest1   
the ,lord that  raised the wind against 
us1 which shattered the ship1 and tore  
its  rigging1 can change that contrary  
wind for a more happy one1 to drive  us 
into the port4    #f4 ,it is a comfort  

against the projects of the church's    
adversaries in  times of public         
commotions4 ,the consideration of the   
,divine sovereignty  may arm us against 
the threatenings of mighty ones1 and the
 menaces  of persecutors4 ,god hath     
authority above the crowns of men1 and a
  wisdom superior to the cabals of men2 
none can have a step without  him2 he   
hath a negative voice upon their        
counsels1 a negative hand upon  their   
motions2 their politic resolves must    
stop at the point he hath  prescribed   
them2 their formidable strength cannot  
exceed the limits he  hath set them2    
their overreaching wisdom expires at the
 breath of ,god3  8,there is no wisdom  
nor understanding nor counsel against   
the ,lord0  7,prov4 xxi4 #cj72 not a    
bullet can be discharged1 nor a sword   
drawn1  a wall battered1 nor a person   
despatched out of the world1 without the
  leave of ,god1 by the mightiest in the
 world4 ,the instruments of ,satan  are 
no more free from his sovereign         

restraint than their inspirer2 they     
cannot pull the hook out of their       
nostrils1 nor cast the bridle out  of   
their mouths2 this ,sovereign can shake 
the earth1 rend the heavens1  overthrow 
mountains1 the most mountainous opposers
 of his interest4  ,though the nations  
rush in against his people like the     
rushing of many  waters1 8,god shall    
rebuke them1 they shall be chased as the
 chaff of  the mountains before the     
wind1 and like a rolling thing before   
the  whirlwind0 7,isa4 xvii4 #ac72 so   
doth he often burst in pieces the most  
mischievous designs1 and conducts the   
oppressed to a happy port3 he  often    
turns the severest tempests into a calm1
 as well as the most  peaceful calm into
 a horrible storm4 ,how often hath a    
wellrigged ship1  that seemed to spurn  
the sea under her feet1 and beat the    
waves before  her to a foam1 been       
swallowed up into the bowels of that    
element1  over whose back she rode a    
little before6 ,god never comes to      

deliver  his church as a governor1 but  
in a wrathful posture 7,ezek4 xx4 #cc73 
8,surely1 saith the ,lord1 with a mighty
 hand1 and with an outstretched  arm1   
and with fury poured out1 will ,i rule  
over you20 not with fury  poured out    
upon the church1 but fury poured out    
upon her enemies1 as  the words         
following evidence3 the church he would 
bring out from the  countries where she 
was scattered1 and bring the people into
 the bond  of the covenant4 ,he         
sometimes 8cuts off the spirits of      
princes0 7,ps4  lxxvi4 #ab71 i4 e4 cuts 
off their designs as men do the pipes of
 a  watercourse4 ,the hearts of all are 
as open to him b#dec as the riches  of  
heaven1 where he resides2 he can slip an
 inclination into the heart  of the     
mighty1 which they dreamed not of       
before2 and if he doth not  change their
 projects1 he can make them abortive1   
and waylay them in  their attempts4     
,laban marched with fury1 but ,god put a
 padlock on his  passion against ,jacob 

7,gen4 xxxi4 #bd1 #bi72 the devils1     
which ravage  men's minds1 must be still
 when he gives out his sovereign orders4
  ,this ,sovereign can make his people  
find favor in the eyes of the cruel     
,egyptians1 which had so long oppressed 
them 7,exod4 xi4 #c72 and speak a  good 
word in the heart of ,nebuchadnezzar for
 the prophet ,jeremiah1 that  he should 
order his captain to take him into his  
special protection1  when he took       
,zedekiah away prisoner in chains1 and  
8put out his eyes0  7,jer4 xxxix4 #aa74 
,his people cannot want deliverance from
 ,him who hath  all the world at his    
command1 when he is pleased to bestow   
it2 he hath  as many instruments of     
deliverance as he hath creatures at his 
beck in  heaven or earth1 from the      
meanest to the highest4 ,as he is the   
,lord of  hosts1 the church hath not    
only an interest in the strength he     
himself  is possessed with1 but in the  
strength of all the creatures that are  
under his command1 in the elements      

below1 and angels above4 ,in those      
armies of heaven1 and in the inhabitants
 of the earth1 he doth 8what  he will0  
7,dan4 iv4 #ce72 they are all in order  
and array at his command4  ,there are   
angels to employ in a fatal stroke1 lice
 and frogs to quell  the stubborn hearts
 of his enemies2 he can range his       
thunders and  lightnings1 the cannon and
 granadoes of heaven1 and the worms of  
the  earth in his service2 he can muzzle
 lions1 calm the fury of the fire1  turn
 his enemies' swords into their own     
bowels1 and their artillery  on their   
own breasts2 set the wind in their      
teeth1 and make their  chariotwheels    
languish2 make the sea enter a quarrel  
with them1 and  wrap them in its waves  
till it hath stifled them in its lap4   
,the angels  have storms1 and tempests1 
and wars in their hands1 but at the     
disposal  of ,god2 when they shall cast 
them out against the empire of          
antichrist  7,rev4 vii4 #a1 #b71 then   
shall ,satan be discharged from his     

throne1 and  no more seduce the nations2
 the everlasting gospel shall be        
preached1  and ,god shall reign         
gloriously in ,sion4 ,let us1 therefore1
 shelter  ourselves in the ,divine      
sovereignty1 regard ,god as the most    
high in our  dangers and in our         
petitions4 ,this was ,david's resolution
 7,ps4 lvii4 #a1  #b73 8,i will cry unto
 ,god most high20 this dominion of ,god 
is the true  8tower of ,david1 wherein  
there are a thousand shields0 for       
defence and  encouragement 7,cant4 iv4  
#d74    ,use ,,iv4 ,if ,god hath an     
extensive dominion over the whole world1
  this ought to be often meditated on1  
and acknowledged by us4 ,this is  the   
universal duty of mankind4 ,if he be the
 ,sovereign of all1 we should           
frequently think of our great ,prince1  
and acknowledge ourselves his  subjects1
 and him our ,lord4 ,god will be        
acknowledged the ,lord of the  whole    
earth2 the neglect of this is the cause 
of the judgments which  are sent upon   

the world4 ,all the prodigies were to   
this end1 that they  might know1 or     
acknowledge1 that 8,god was the ,lord0  
7,exod4 x4 #b72 as  ,god was proprietor1
 he demanded the firstborn of every     
,jew1 and the  firstborn of every beast2
 the one was to be redeemed1 and the    
other  sacrificed2 this was the quit    
rent they were to pay to him for their  
fruitful land4 ,the firstfruits of b#ded
 the earth were ordered to  be paid to  
him1 as a homage due to the landlord1   
and an acknowledgment  they held all in 
chief of him4 ,the practice of offering 
firstfruits  for an acknowledgment of   
,god's sovereignty1 was among many of   
the  heathens1 and very ancient2 hence  
they dedicated some of the chief of     
their spoils1 owning thereby the        
dominion and goodness of ,god1 whereby  
they had gained the victory2 ,cain owned
 this in offering the fruits  of the    
earth1 and it was his sin he owned no   
more1 viz41 his being  a sinner1 and    
meriting the justice of ,god1 as his    

brother ,abel did  in his bloody        
sacrifice4 ,god was a sovereign         
,proprietor and ,governor  while man was
 in a state of innocence2 but when man  
proved a rebel1 the  sovereignty of ,god
 bore another relation towards him1 that
 of a ,judge1  added to the other4 ,the 
firstfruits might have been offered to  
,god in  a state of innocence1 as a     
homage to him as ,lord of the manor of  
the  world2 the design of them was to   
own ,god's propriety in all things1 and 
men's dependence on him for the         
influences of heaven in producing the   
fruits of the earth1 which he had       
ordered for their use4 ,the design  of  
sacrifices1 and placing beasts instead  
of the criminal1 was to  acknowledge    
their own guilt1 and ,god as a sovereign
 ,judge2 ,cain owned  the first1 but not
 the second2 he acknowledged his        
dependence on ,god  as a ,proprietor1   
but not his obnoxiousness to ,god as a  
,judge2 which may  be probably gathered 
from his own speech1 when ,god came to  

examine him1  and ask him for his       
brother 7,gen4 iv4 #i73 8,am ,i my      
brother's keeper80  ,why do you ask me8 
though ,i own thee as the ,lord of my   
land and goods1  yet ,i do not think    
myself accountable to thee for all my   
actions4 ,this  sovereignty of ,god     
ought to be acknowledged in all the     
parts of it1 in  all the manifestations 
of it to the creature2 we should bear a 
sense  of this always upon our spirits1 
and be often in the thoughts of it in   
our retirements2 we should fancy that we
 saw ,god upon his throne in his  royal 
garb1 and great attendants about him1   
and take a view of it1 to  imprint an   
awe upon our spirits4 ,the meditation of
 this would1    #a4 ,fix us on him as an
 object of trust4 ,it is upon his       
sovereign  dominion as much as upon     
anything1 that safe and secure          
confidence  is built2 for if he had any 
superior above him to control him in    
his designs and promises1 his veracity  
and power would be of little  efficacy  

to form our souls to a close adherency  
to him4 ,it were not fit  to make him   
the object of our trust that can be     
gainsayed by a higher  than himself1 and
 had not a full authority to answer our 
expectations2  if we were possessed with
 this notion fully and believingly1 that
 ,god  were high above all1 that 8his   
kingdom rules over all10 we should not  
catch at every broken reed1 and stand   
gaping for comforts from a pebble       
stone4 ,he that understands the         
authority of a king1 would not waive  a 
reliance on his promise to depend upon  
the breath of a changeling  favorite4   
,none but an ignorant man would change  
the security he may  have upon the      
height of a rock1 to expect it from the 
dwarfishness of  a molehill4 ,to put    
confidence in any inferior lord more    
than in the  prince1 is a folly in civil
 converse1 but a rebellion in divine2   
,god  only being above all1 can only    
rule all2 can command things to help us1
  and check other things which we depend

 on1 and make them fall short of  our   
expectations4 b#dee ,the due            
consideration of this doctrine would    
make us pierce through second causes to 
the first1 and look further  than to the
 smaller sort of sailors1 that climb the
 ropes1 and dress  the sails1 to the    
pilot that sits at the helm1 the master1
 that1 by  an indisputable authority1   
orders all their notions4 ,we should not
  depend upon second causes for our     
support1 but look beyond them to the    
authority of the ,deity1 and the        
dominion he hath over all the works  of 
his hands 7,zech4 x4 #a73 8,ask ye of   
the ,lord rain in the time of the       
latter rain20 when the seasons of the   
year conspire for the producing  such an
 effect1 when the usual time of rain is 
wheeled about in the  year1 stop not    
your thoughts at the point of the       
heavens whence you  expect it1 but      
pierce the heavens1 and solicit ,god1   
who must give order  for it before it   
comes4 ,the due meditation of all things

 depending on  the ,divine dominion     
would strike off our hands from all     
other holds1 so  that no creature would 
engross the dependence and trust which  
is due to  the ,first ,cause2 as we do  
not thank the heavens when they pour out
 rain1  so we are not to depend upon    
them when we want it2 ,god is to be     
sought  to when the womb of second      
causes is opened to relieve us1 as well 
as when the womb of second causes is    
barren1 and brings not forth its  wonted
 progeny4    #b4 ,it would make us      
diligent in worship4 ,the consideration 
of ,god1 as  the ,supreme ,lord1 is the 
foundation of all religion3 8,our       
,father1 which  art in heaven10         
prefaceth the ,lord's prayer2 8,father0 
is a name of  authority2 8in heaven10   
the place where he hath fixed his       
throne1 notes  his government2 not 8my  
,father10 but 8our ,father10 notes the  
extent of  this authority4 ,in all      
worship we acknowledge the object of our
 worship  our ,lord1 and ourselves his  

vassals2 if we bear a sense that he is  
our  ,sovereign ,king1 it would draw us 
to him in every exigence1 and keep us   
with him in a reverential posture1 in   
every address2 when we come1 we  should 
be careful not to violate his right1 but
 render him the homage  due to his      
royalty4 ,we should not appear before   
him with empty souls1  but filled with  
holy thoughts3 we should bring him the  
best of our  flock1 and present him with
 the prime of our strength2 were we     
sensible  we hold all of him1 we should 
not withhold anything from him which  is
 more worthy than another4 ,our hearts  
would be framed into an awful  regard of
 him1 when we consider that glorious and
 8fearful name1 the  ,lord our ,god0    
7,deut4 xxviii4 #eh74 ,we should look to
 our feet when  we enter into his house2
 if we considered him in heaven upon his
  throne1 and ourselves on earth at his 
footstool 7,eccles4 v4 #b71 lower       
before him than a worm before an angel1 
it would hinder garnishness  and        

lightness4 ,the ,jews1 saith ,capel1 on 
#a ,tim4 i4 #ag1 repeat this            
expression1  1 ,king of worlds1 or      
,eternal ,king2 probably the  first     
original of it might be to stake them   
down from wandering4 ,when  we consider 
the majesty of ,god1 clothed with a robe
 of light1 sitting  upon his high       
throne1 adorned with his royal ensigns1 
we should not  enter into the presence  
of so great a ,majesty with the         
sacrifice of  fools1 with light motions 
and foolish thoughts1 as if he were one 
of  our companions to be drolled with4  
,we should not hear his word as if it   
were the voice of some ordinary peasant4
 ,the consideration of majesty  would   
engender reverence in our service2 b#def
 it would also make us  speak of ,god   
with honor and respect1 as of a great   
and glorious king1  and not use defaming
 expressions of him1 as if he were an   
infamous  being4 ,and were he considered
 as a terrible majesty1 he would not be 
frequently solicited by some to         

pronounce a damnation upon them upon    
every occasion4    #c4 ,it would make us
 charitable to others4 ,since he is our 
,lord1 the  great ,proprietor of the    
world1 it is fit he should have a part  
of our  goods1 as well as our time3 he  
being the ,lord both of our goods and   
time4 ,the ,lord is to be honored with  
our substance 7,prov4 iii4 #i72  kings  
were not to be approached to without a  
present2 tribute is due to  kings3 but  
because he hath no need of any from us  
to bear up his state1  maintain the     
charge of his wars1 or pay his military 
officers and hosts1  it is a debt due to
 him to acknowledge him in his poor1 to 
sustain  those that are a part of his   
substance2 though he stands in no need  
of  it himself1 yet the poor1 that we   
have always with us1 do2 as a seventh   
part of our weekly time1 so some part of
 our weekly gains1 are due to  him4     
,there was to be a weekly laying by in  
store somewhat of what ,god  had        
prospered them1 for the relief of others

 7#a ,cor4 xvi4 #a1 #b72 the  quantity  
is not determined1 that is left to every
 man's conscience1  8according as ,god  
hath prospered him0 that week4 ,if we   
did consider ,god  as the ,donor and    
,proprietor1 we should dispose of his   
gifts according  to the design of the   
true owner1 and act in our places as    
stewards  entrusted by him1 and not     
purse up his part1 as well as our own1  
in our coffers4 ,we should not deny him 
a small quit rent1 as an                
acknowledgement that we have a greater  
income from him2 we should be  ready to 
give the inconsiderable pittance he doth
 require of us1 as an  acknowledgment of
 his propriety1 as well as liberality4  
#d4 ,it would make us watchful1 and arm 
us against all temptations4  ,had ,eve  
stuck to her first argument against the 
serpent1 she had not  been instrumental 
to that destruction which mankind yet   
feel the smart  of 7,gen4 iii4 #c73     
8,god hath said1 ,ye shall not eat of   
it20 the great  ,governor of the world  

hath laid his sovereign command upon us 
in this  point4 ,the temptation gained  
no ground till her heart let go the     
sense  of this for the pleasure of her  
eye and palate4 ,the repetition of this1
  the great ,lord of the world hath said
 or ordered1 had both unargumented  and 
disarmed the tempter4 ,a sense of ,god's
 dominion over us would  discourage a   
temptation1 and put it out of           
countenance2 it would bring  us with a  
vigorous strength to beat it back to a  
retreat4 ,if this were  as strongly     
urged as the temptation1 it would make  
the heart of the  tempted strong1 and   
the motion of the tempter feeble4    #e4
 ,it would make us entertain afflictions
 as they ought to be  entertained1 viz41
 with a respect to ,god4 ,when men make 
light of any  affliction from ,god1 it  
is a contempt of his sovereignty1 as to 
contemn  the frown1 displeasure1 and    
check of a prince1 is an affront to     
majesty3  it is as if they did not care 
a straw what ,god did with them1 but    

dare him to do his worst4 ,there is a   
8despising the chastening of the        
,almighty0 7,job v4 #ag74 ,to be        
unhumbled under his hand1 is as much1 or
  more1 affront to him1 than to be      
impatient under it4 ,afflictions must   
be entertained as a check from heaven1  
b#deg as a frown from the great         
,monarch of the world2 under the feeling
 of every stroke1 we are to  acknowledge
 his sovereignty and bounty2 to despise 
it1 is to make light  of his authority  
over us2 as to despise his favors is to 
make light  of his kindness to us4 ,a   
sense of ,god's dominion would make us  
observe  every check from him1 and not  
diminish his authority by casting off a 
due sense of his correction4    #f4     
,this dominion of ,god would make us    
resign up ourselves to ,god in          
everything4 ,he that considers himself a
 thing made by ,god1 a vassal  under his
 authority1 would not expostulate with  
him1 and call him to an  account why he 
hath dealt so or so with him4 ,it would 

stab the vitals  of all pleas against   
him4 ,we should not then contest with   
him1 but  humbly lay our cause at his   
feet1 and say with ,eli1 7#a ,sam4 iii4 
#ah71  8,it is the ,lord1 let him do    
what seems good40 ,we should not        
commence a  suit against ,god1 when he  
doth not answer our prayers presently1  
and  send the mercy we want upon the    
wings of the wind2 he is the ,lord1 the 
,sovereign4 ,the consideration of this  
would put an end to our quarrels  with  
,god2 should ,i expect that the ,monarch
 of the world should wait  upon me2 or  
,i1 a poor worm1 wait upon him8 ,must ,i
 take state upon me  before the throne  
of heaven1 and expect the ,king of kings
 should lay by  his sceptre1 to gratify 
my humor8 ,surely ,jonah thought ,god no
 more than  his fellow1 or his vassal1  
at that time when he told him to his    
face he  did well to be angry1 as though
 ,god might not do what he pleased with 
so small a thing as a gourd2 he speaks  
as if he would have sealed a  lease of  

ejectment1 to exclude him from any      
propriety in anything in  the world4    
#g4 ,this dominion of ,god would stop   
our vain curiosity4 ,when ,peter  was   
desirous to know the fate of ,john1 the 
beloved disciple1 ,christ  answereth no 
more than this3 7,john xxi4 #bb71 8,if  
,i will that he tarry  till ,i come1    
what is that to thee8 follow thou me40  
,consider your duty1  and lay aside your
 curiosity1 since it is my pleasure not 
to reveal it4  ,the sense of ,god's     
absolute dominion would silence many    
vain disputes  in the world4 ,what if   
,god will not reveal this or that8 the  
manner  and method of his resolves      
should humble the creature under        
intruding  inquiries4    ,use ,v4 ,of   
exhortation4    #a4 ,the doctrine of the
 dominion of ,god may teach us humility4
 ,we  are never truly abased1 but by the
 consideration of the eminence and      
excellency of the ,deity4 ,job never    
thought himself so pitiful a thing1  so 
despicable a creature1 as after ,god's  

magnificent declamation upon  the theme 
of his own sovereignty 7,job xlii4 #e1  
#f74 ,when ,god's name is  regarded as  
the most excellent and sovereign name in
 all the earth1  then is the soul in the
 fittest temper to lie low1 and cry out1
 ,what  is man1 that so great a ,majesty
 should be mindful of him8 ,when        
,abraham  considers ,god as the supreme 
,judge of all the earth1 he then owns   
8himself but dust and ashes0 7,gen4     
xviii4 #be1 #bg74 ,indeed1 how can  vile
 and dusty man vaunt before ,god1 when  
angels1 far more excellent  creatures1  
cannot stand before him1 but with a veil
 on their faces8  ,how little a thing is
 man in regard of all the earth6 ,how   
mean a thing  is the earth in regard of 
the vaster heavens6 ,how poor a thing is
 the  whole b#deh world in comparison of
 ,god6 ,how pitiful a thing is man1  if 
compared with so excellent a ,majesty6  
,there is as great a distance  between  
,god and man1 as between being and not  
being2 and the more  man considers the  

,divine royalty1 the more disesteem he  
will have of  himself2 it would make him
 stoop and disrobe himself1 and fall low
  before the throne of the ,king of     
kings1 throwing down before his throne  
any crown he gloried in 7,rev4 iv4 #aj74
    7#a47 ,in regard of authority4 ,how 
unreasonable is pride in the presence   
of majesty6 ,how foolish is it for a    
country justice of peace to think       
himself as great as his prince that     
commissioned him6 ,how unreasonable  is 
pride in the presence of the greatest   
sovereignty6 ,what1 is human  greatness 
before ,divine8 ,the stars discover no  
light when the sun  appears1 but in a   
humble posture withdraw in their lesser 
beams1 to  give the sole glory of       
enlightening the world to the sun1 who  
is1 as  it were1 the sovereign of those 
stars1 and imparts a light unto them4   
,the greatest prince is infinitely less1
 if compared with ,god1 than  the       
meanest scullion in his kitchen can be  
before him4 ,as the wisdom1  goodness1  

and holiness of a man is a mere mote    
compared to the goodness  and holiness  
of ,god1 so is the authority of a man a 
mere trifle in  regard of the           
sovereignty of ,god3 and who but a      
simple child would be  proud of a mote  
or trifle8 ,let man be as great as he   
can1 and command  others1 he is still a 
subject to ,one greater than himself4   
,pride would  then vanish like smoke at 
the serious consideration of this       
sovereignty4  ,one of the kings of this 
country did very handsomely shame the   
flattery  of his courtiers1 that cried  
him up as lord of sea and land1 by      
ordering his chair to be set on the sand
 of the sea shore1 when the  tide was   
coming in1 and commanding the waters not
 to touch his feet1  which when they did
 without any regard to his authority1 he
 took  occasion thereby to put his      
flatterers out of countenance1 and      
instruct  himself in a lesson of        
humility4 8,see10 saith he1 8how ,i rule
 all  things1 when so mean a thing as   

the water will not obey me60 ,it is a   
ridiculous pride that the ,turk and     
,persian discover in their swelling     
titles4 ,what poor sovereigns are they1 
that cannot command a cloud1  give out  
an effectual order for a drop of rain1  
in a time of drought1  or cause the     
bottles of heaven to turn their mouth   
another way in  a time of too much      
moisture6 ,yet their own prerogatives   
are so much  in their minds1 that they  
jostle out all thoughts of the supreme  
prerogative of ,god1 and give thereby   
occasion to frequent rebellions  against
 him4    7#b47 ,in regard of propriety4 
,and this doctrine is no less an        
abatement  of pride in the highest1 as  
well as in the meanest2 it lowers pride 
in  point of propriety1 as well as in   
point of authority4 ,is any proud of    
his possessions8 how many lords of those
 possessions have gone before  you6 how 
many are to follow you6#ajba ,your      
dominion lasts but a short  time1 too   
short to be a cause of any pride and    

glory in it4 ,god by  a sovereign power 
can take you from them1 or them from    
you1 when he  pleaseth4 ,the traveller  
refresheth himself in the heat of summer
 under  a shady tree2 how many have done
 so before him the same day he knows    
not1 and b#dei how many will have the   
benefit after before night comes1  he is
 as much ignorant of2 he1 and the others
 that went before him and  follow after 
him1 use it for their refreshment1 but  
none of them can  say1 that they are the
 lords of it2 the property is invested  
in some  other person1 whom perhaps they
 know not4 ,the propriety of all you    
have  is in ,god1 not truly in          
yourselves4 ,doth not that man deserve  
scorn  from you1 who will play the proud
 fool in gay clothes and attire1 which  
are known to be none of his own1 but    
borrowed8 ,is it not the same case  with
 every proud man1 though he hath a      
property in his goods by the law  of the
 land8 ,is anything you have your own   
truly8 ,is it not lent you  by the great

 ,lord8 ,is it not the same vanity in   
any of you1 to be proud  of what you    
have as ,god's loan to you1 as for such 
a one to be proud  of what he hath      
borrowed of man8 ,and do you not make   
yourselves as  ridiculous to angels and 
good men1 who know that though it is    
yours in  opposition to man1 yet it is  
not yours in opposition to ,god8 they   
are  granted you only for your use1 as  
the collar of esses and sword1 and      
other ensigns of the chief magistrate in
 the city1 pass through many  hands in  
regard of the use of them1 but the      
propriety remains in the  community and 
body of the city3 or as the silver plate
 of a person  that invites you to a     
feast is for your use during the time of
 the  invitation4 ,what ground is there 
to be proud of those things you are  not
 the absolute lords and proprietors of1 
but only have the use of  them granted  
to you during the pleasure of the       
,sovereign of the world6    #b4 ,praise 
and thankfulness result from this       

doctrine of the sovereignty  of ,god4   
7#a47 ,he is to be praised for his      
royalty4 7,ps4 cxlv4 #a71 8,i will      
extoll thee1 my ,god1 ,o ,king40 ,the   
,psalmist calls upon men five times  to 
sing praise to him as ,king of all the  
earth4 7,ps4 xlvii4 #f1 #g71  8,sing    
praises to ,god1 sing praises3 sing     
praises to our king1 sing  praises3 for 
,god is the ,king of all the earth2 sing
 ye praises with  understanding40 ,all  
creatures1 even the inanimate ones1 are 
called  upon to praise him because of   
the excellency of his name and the      
supremacy of his glory1 in the #adhth   
,psalm throughout1 and ver4 #ac4  ,that 
,sovereign ,power that gave us hearts   
and tongues1 deserves to have  them     
employed in his praises1 especially     
since he hath by the same  hand given us
 so great matter for it4 ,as he is a    
,sovereign we owe him  thankfulness2 he 
doth not deal with us in a way of       
absolute dominion2  he might then have  
annihilated us1 since he hath as full a 

dominion to  reduce us to nothing4      
,consider the absoluteness of his       
sovereignty in  itself1 and you must    
needs acknowledge that he might have    
multiplied  precepts1 enjoined us the   
observance of more than he hath done2 he
  might have made our tether much       
shorter2 he might exact obedience1  and 
promise no reward for it2 he might dash 
us against the walls1 as  a potter doth 
his vessel1 and no man have any just    
reason to say1 ,what  dost thou8 or1    
,why dost thou use me so8 ,a greater    
right is in him to  use us in such a    
manner as we do sensible as well as     
insensible things4  ,and if you consider
 his dominion as it is capable to be    
exercised in a  way of unquestionable   
justice1 and submitted to the b#dfj     
reason and  judgments of creatures1 he  
might have dealt with us in a smarter   
way  than he hath hitherto done2 instead
 of one affliction1 we might have  had a
 thousand3 he might have shut his own   
hands from pouring out any  good upon   

us1 and ordered innumerable scourges to 
be prepared for us2  but he deals not   
with us according to the rights of his  
dominion4 ,he  doth not oppress us by   
the greatness of his majesty2 he enters 
into  covenant with us1 and allures us  
by the chords of a man1 and shows       
himself as much a merciful as an        
absolute ,sovereign4    7#b47 ,as he is 
a ,proprietor1 we owe him thankfulness4 
,he is at his own  choice whether he    
will bestow upon us any blessings or no2
 the more  value1 therefore1 his        
benefits deserve from us1 and the ,donor
 the more  sincere returns4 ,if we have 
anything from the creature to serve our 
turn1 it is by the order of the chief   
,proprietor4 ,he is the spring  of      
honor1 and the fountain of supplies3 all
 creatures are but as the  conduit pipes
 in a great city1 which serve several   
houses with water1  but from the great  
spring4 ,all things are conveyed        
originally from his  own hand1 and are  
dispensed from his exchequer4 ,if this  

great ,sovereign  did not order them1   
you would have no more supplies from a  
creature  than you could have           
nourishment from a chip3 it is the      
,divine will in  everything that doth us
 good2 every favor from creatures is but
 a smile  from ,god1 an evidence of his 
royalty to move us to pay a respect to  
him as the great ,lord4 ,some heathens  
had so much respect for ,god1 as to     
conclude that his will1 and not their   
prudence1 was the chief conductor  of   
their affairs4 ,his goodness to us calls
 for our thankfulness1 but  his         
sovereignty calls for a higher elevation
 of it3 a smile from a  prince is more  
valued1 and thought worthy of more      
gratitude1 than  a present from a       
peasant2 a small gift from a great      
person is more  gratefully to be        
received than a larger from an inferior 
person3 the  condescension of royalty   
magnifies the gift4 ,what is man1 that  
thou1  so great a ,majesty1 art mindful 
of him1 to bestow this or that favor    

upon him8is but a due reflection upon   
every blessing we receive4  ,upon every 
fresh blessing we should acknowledge the
 ,donor and true  ,proprietor1 and give 
him the honor of his dominion3 his      
property ought  to be thankfully owned  
in everything we are capable of         
consecrating  to him2 as ,david1 after  
the liberal collection he had made for  
the  building of the temple1 owns in his
 dedication of it to that use the       
propriety of ,god3 8,who am ,i1 and what
 is my people1 that we should be  able  
to offer so willingly after this sort8  
for all things come of  thee1 and of    
thine own have we given thee0 7#a       
,chron4 xxix4 #ad73 it was  but a return
 of ,god's own to him1 as the waters of 
the river are no  other than the return 
to the sea of what was taken from it4   
,praise and  thankfulness is a rent due 
from all mankind1 and from every        
creature1  to the great ,landlord1 since
 all are tenants1 and hold by him at his
  will4 8,every creature in heaven and  

earth1 and under the earth1 and in  the 
sea10 were heard1 by ,john1 to ascribe  
8blessing1 honor1 glory1 and  power1 to 
,him that sits on the throne0 7,rev4 v4 
#ac74 ,we are as much  bound to the     
sovereignty of ,god for his preservation
 of us1 as for his  creation of us2 we  
are no less obliged to him that         
preserves our beings  when exposed to   
dangers1 than we are for b#dfa bestowing
 a being upon  us when we were not      
capable of danger4 ,thankfulness is due 
to this  ,sovereign for public concerns4
 ,hath he not preserved the ship of his 
church in the midst of whistling winds  
and roaring waves2 in the midst  of the 
combats of men and devils2 and rescued  
it often when it hath  been near        
shipwrecked8    #c4 ,how should we be   
induced from hence to promote the honor 
of  this ,sovereign6 ,we should advance 
him as supreme1 and all our actions     
should concur in his honor3 we should   
return to his glory what we have        
received from his sovereignty1 and enjoy

 by his mercy3 he that is the  superior 
of all1 ought to be the end of all4     
,this is the harmony of the  creation2  
that which is of an inferior nature is  
ordered to the service  of that which is
 of a more excellent nature2 thus water 
and earth1 that  have a lower being1 are
 employed for the honor and beauty of   
the plants  of the earth1 who are more  
excellent in having a principle of a    
growing  life3 these plants are again   
subservient to the beasts and birds1    
which exceed them in a principle of     
sense1 which the others want3 those     
beasts and birds are ordered for the    
good of man1 who is superior to  them in
 a principle of reason1 and is invested 
with a dominion over  them4 ,man having 
,god for his superior1 ought as much to 
serve the  glory of ,god1 as other      
things are designed to be useful to man4
 ,other  governments are intended for   
the good of the community1 the chief    
end is not the good of the governors    
themselves3 but ,god being every  way   

sovereign1 the sovereign ,being1 giving 
being to all things1 the  sovereign     
,ruler1 giving order and preservation to
 all things1 is  also the end of all    
things1 to whose glory and honor all    
things1 all  creatures1 are to be       
subservient2 8for of him1 and through   
him1 and  to him1 are all things1 to    
whom be glory for ever0 7,rom4 xi4 #cf73
 of  him1 as the efficient cause2       
through him1 as the preserving cause2   
to him1 as the final cause4 ,all our    
actions and thoughts ought to  be       
addressed to his glory2 our whole beings
 ought to be consecrated to  his honor1 
though we should have no reward but the 
honor of having been  subservient to the
 end of our creation3 so much doth the  
excellency and  majesty of ,god1        
infinitely elevated above us1 challenge 
of us4 ,subjects  use to value the      
safety1 honor1 and satisfaction of a    
good prince above  their own3 ,david is 
accounted worth ten thousand of the     
people2 and  some of his courtiers      

thought themselves obliged to venture   
their lives  for his satisfaction in so 
mean a thing as a little water from the 
well  of ,bethlehem4 ,doth not so great1
 so good a ,sovereign as ,god1 deserve  
the same affection from us8 8,do we     
swear10 saith a heathen1 8to prefer     
none before ,csar1 and have we not      
greater reason to prefer none before    
,god80#ajbb ,it is a justice due from us
 to ,god to maintain his glory1  as it  
is a justice to preserve the right and  
property of another4 ,as  ,god would lay
 aside his ,deity if he did deny        
himself1 so a creature  acts            
irregularly1 and out of the rank of a   
creature1 if it doth not  deny itself   
for ,god4 ,he that makes himself his own
 end1 makes himself  his own sovereign4 
,to napkin up a gift he hath bestowed   
upon us1 or to  employ what we possess  
solely to our own glory1 to use anything
 barely  for ourselves1 without respect 
to ,god1 is to apply it to a wrong use1 
and to injure b#dfb ,god in his         

propriety1 and the end of his donation4 
,what we have ought to be used for the  
honor of ,god3 he retains the  dominion 
and lordship1 though he grants us the   
use3 we are but stewards1  not          
proprietors1 in regard to ,god1 who     
expects an account from us1 how  we have
 employed his goods to his honor4 ,the  
kingdom of ,god is to be  advanced by   
us3 we are to pray that his kingdom may 
come3 we are to  endeavor that his      
kingdom may come1 that is1 that ,god may
 be known to  be the chief ,sovereign2  
that his dominion1 which was obscured by
 ,adam's  fall1 may be more manifested2 
that his subjects1 which are suppressed 
in the world1 may be supported2 his     
laws1 which are violated by the         
rebellions of men1 may be more obeyed2  
and his enemies be fully subdued  by his
 final judgment1 the last evidence of   
his dominion in this state  of the      
world2 that the empire of sin and the   
devil may be abolished1  and the kingdom
 of ,god perfected1 that none may rule  

but the great and  rightful ,sovereign4 
,thus while we endeavor to advance the  
honor of his  throne1 we shall not want 
an honor to ourselves4 ,he is too       
gracious a  ,sovereign to neglect them  
that are mindful of his glory2 8those   
that  honor him1 he will honor0 7#a     
,sam4 ii4 #cj74    #d4 ,fear and        
reverence of ,god in himself1 and in his
 actions1 is a duty  incumbent on us    
from this doctrine 7,jer4 x4 #g73 8,who 
would not fear  thee1 ,o ,king of       
nations80 ,the ingratitude of the world 
is taxed in not  reverencing ,god as a  
great king1 who had given so many marks 
of his  royal government among them4    
,the prophet wonders there was no fear  
of  so great a ,king in the world1      
since1 8among all the wise men of the   
nations1 and among all their kings1     
there is none like unto this20 no  more 
reverence of him1 since none ruled so   
wisely1 nor any ruled so  graciously4   
,the dominion of ,god is one of the     
first sparks that gives  fire to        

religion and worship1 considered with   
the goodness of this  ,sovereign 7,ps4  
xii4 #bg1 #bh73 8,all the nations shall 
worship before thee1  for the kingdom is
 the ,lord's1 and he is ,governor among 
the nations40  ,epicurus1 who thought   
,god careless of human affairs1 leaving 
them at  haphazard1 to the conduct of   
men's wisdom and mutability of fortune1 
yet acknowledged that ,god ought to be  
worshipped by man for the  excellency of
 his nature1 and the greatness of his   
majesty4 ,how  should we reverence that 
,god1 that hath a throne encompassed    
with such  glorious creatures as angels1
 whose faces we are not able to behold1 
though shadowed in assumed bodies6 how  
should we fear the ,lord of ,hosts1     
that hath so many armies at his command 
in the heavens above1 and in  the earth 
below1 whom he can dispose to the exact 
obedience of his  will6 how should men  
be afraid to censure any of his actions1
 to sit  judge of their ,judge1 and call
 him to an account at their bar6 how    

should such an earthworm1 a mean animal 
as man1 be afraid to speak  irreverently
 of so great a ,king among his pots and 
strumpets6 ,not to  fear him1 not to    
reverence him1 is to pull his throne    
from under him1  and make him of a lower
 authority than ourselves1 or any       
creature that  we reverence more4    #e4
 ,prayer to ,god1 and trust in him1 is  
inferred from his sovereignty4  ,if he  
be the supreme ,sovereign1 holding      
heaven and earth in his hand1  disposing
 all things here below1 not committing  
everything b#dfc to  the influence of   
the stars or the humors of men1 we      
ought1 then1 to  apply ourselves to him 
in every case1 implore the exercise of  
his  authority2 we hereby own his       
peculiar right over all things and      
persons4  ,he only is the supreme ,head 
in all causes1 and over all persons3    
8,thine  is the kingdom0 7,matt4 vi4    
#ac71 concludes the ,lord's prayer1 both
 as a  motive to pray1 and a ground to  
expect what we want4 ,he that believes  

not ,god's government will think it     
needless to call upon him1 will  expect 
no refuge under him in a strait1 but    
make some creaturereed his  support4 ,if
 we do not seek to him1 but rely upon   
the dominion we have  over our own      
possessions1 or upon the authority of   
anything else1 we  disown his supremacy 
and dominion over all things2 we have as
 good an  opinion of ourselves1 or of   
some creatures1 as we ought to have of  
,god2  we think ourselves1 or some      
natural cause we seek to or depend upon1
 as  much sovereigns as he1 and that all
 things which concern us are as much  at
 the dispose of an inferior1 as of the  
great ,lord4 ,it is1 indeed1  to make a 
god of ourselves1 or of the creature2   
when we seek to him1  upon all          
occasions1 we own this ,divine eminency1
 we acknowledge that  it is by him men's
 hearts are ordered1 the world governed1
 all things  disposed2 and ,god1 that is
 jealous of his glory1 is best pleased  
with any duty in the creature that doth 

acknowledge and desire the              
glorification of it1 which prayer and   
dependence on him doth in a  special    
manner1 desiring the exercise of his    
authority1 and the  preservation of it  
in ordering the affairs of the world4   
#f4 ,obedience naturally results from   
this doctrine4 ,as his justice  requires
 fear1 his goodness thankfulness1 his   
faithfulness trust1  his truth belief1  
so his sovereignty1 in the nature of it1
 demands  obedience3 as it is most fit  
he should rule1 in regard of his        
excellency1 so it is most fit we should 
obey him in regard of his  authority3 he
 is our ,lord1 and we his subjects2 he  
is our ,master1 and  we his servants2 it
 is righteous we should observe him1 and
 conform to  his will3 he is everything 
that speaks an authority to command us1 
and  that can challenge an humility in  
us to obey4 ,as that is the truest      
doctrine that subjects us most to ,god1 
so he is the truest ,christian  that    
doth1 in his practice1 most acknowledge 

this subjection2 and  as sovereignty is 
the first notion a creature can have of 
,god1 so  obedience is the first and    
chief thing conscience reflects upon the
  creature4 ,man holds all of ,god2 and 
therefore owes all the operations       
capable to be produced by those         
faculties to that ,sovereign ,power that
  endowed him with them4 ,man had no    
being but from him2 he hath no motion   
without him2 he should1 therefore1 have 
no being but for him2 and  no motion but
 according to him3 to call him ,lord1   
and not to act in  subjection to him1 is
 to mock and put a scorn upon him 7,luke
 vi4 #df73  8,why call you me ,lord1    
,lord1 and do not the things that ,i    
say80 ,it  is like the crucifying       
,christ under the title of a ,king4 ,it 
is not  by professions1 but by          
observance of the laws of a prince1 that
 we  manifest a due respect to him3 by  
that we reverence that authority  that  
enacted them1 and the prudence that     
framed them4    ,this doctrine affords  

us motives to obey1 and directs us to   
the manner  of obedience4    b#dfd #ast4
 ,motives to obey1    7#a47 ,it is      
comely and orderly4 ,is it not a more   
becoming thing to  be ruled by the will 
of our ,sovereign than by that of our   
lusts8to  observe a wise and gracious   
,authority1 than to set up inordinate   
appetites in the room of his law8 ,would
 not all men account it a  disorder to  
be abominated1 to see a slave or vassal 
control the just  orders of his lord1   
and endeavor to subject his master's    
will to his  own8 much more to expect   
,god should serve our humor rather than 
we be  regulated by his will4 ,it is    
more orderly that subjects should obey  
their governors1 than governors their   
subjects2 that passion should  obey     
reason1 than reason obey passion4 ,when 
good governors are to  conform to       
subjects1 and reason veil to passion1 it
 is monstrous6  the one disturbs the    
order of a community1 and the other     
defaceth  the beauty of the soul4 ,is it

 a comely thing for ,god to stoop to our
  meanness1 or for us to stoop to his   
greatness8    7#b47 ,in regard of the   
,divine sovereignty1 it is both         
honorable and  advantageous to obey     
,god4 ,it is1 indeed1 the glory of a    
superior to  be obeyed by his inferior2 
but where the sovereign is of           
transcendent  excellency and dignity1 it
 is an honor to a mean person to be     
under his  immediate commands1 and      
enrolled in his service4 ,it is more    
honor to be  ,god's subject than to be  
the greatest worldly monarch2 his very  
service  is an empire1 and disobedience 
to him is a slavery4 ,it is a part of   
his sovereignty to reward any service   
done him4#ajbc ,other lords may  be     
willing to recompense the service of    
their subjects1 but are often  rendered 
unable2 but nothing can stand in the way
 of ,god to hinder your  reward1 if     
nothing stand in your way to hinder your
 obedience 7,lev4  xviii4 #e73 8,if you 
keep my statutes1 you shall live in     

them2 ,i am the  ,lord40 ,is there      
anything in the world can recompense you
 for rebellion  against ,god1 and       
obedience to a lust8 ,saul cools the    
hearts of his  servants from running    
after ,david1 by ,david's inability to  
give  them fields and vineyards 7#a     
,sam4 xxii4 #g73 8,will the son of      
,jesse  give every one of you fields and
 vineyards1 and make you captains of    
thousands1 and captains of hundreds1    
that you have conspired against  me80   
,but ,god hath a dominion to requite1 as
 well as an authority to  command your  
obedience2 he is a great ,sovereign1 to 
bear you out in  your observance of his 
precepts against all reproaches and     
violence of  men1 and at last to crown  
you with eternal honor4 ,if he should   
neglect  vindicating1 one time or other1
 your loyalty to him1 he will neglect   
the maintaining and vindicating his own 
sovereignty and greatness4    7#c47     
,god1 in all his dispensations to man1  
was careful to preserve the  rights of  

his sovereignty in exacting obedience of
 his creature4 ,the  second thing he    
manifested his sovereignty in was that  
of a ,lawgiver  to ,adam1 after that of 
a ,proprietor in giving him the         
possession of the  garden2 one followed 
immediately the other 7,gen4 ii4 #ae1   
#af73 8,the ,lord  ,god took the man1   
and put him into the garden of ,eden1 to
 dress it2  and the ,lord ,god commanded
 the man1 saying1 ,of every tree of the 
garden  thou mayest freely eat1 but of  
the tree of the knowledge of good and   
evil thou shalt not eat of it10 c4 b#dfe
 ,nothing was to be enjoyed by  man but 
upon the condition of obedience to his  
,lord2 and it is observed  that in the  
description of the creation1 ,god is not
 called 8,lord0 till  the finishing of  
the creation1 and particularly in the   
forming of man4  8,and the ,lord ,god   
formed man0 7,gen4 ii4 #g74 ,though he  
was ,lord of all  creatures1 yet it was 
in man he would have his sovereignty    
particularly  manifested1 and by man    

have his authority specially            
acknowledged4 ,the  law is prefaced with
 this title3 8,i am the ,lord thy ,god0 
7,exod4 xx4 #b73  authority in ,lord1   
sweetness in ,god1 the one to enjoin1   
the other to  allure obedience2 and ,god
 enforceth several of the commands with 
the  same title4 ,and as he begins many 
precepts with it1 so he concludes  them 
with the same title1 8,i am the ,lord10 
,lev4 xix4 #cg1 and in other  places4   
,in all his communications of his       
goodness to man in ways of  blessing    
them1 he stands upon the preservation of
 the rights of his  sovereignty1 and    
manifests his graciousness in favor of  
his authority4  8,i am the ,lord your   
,god10 your ,god in all my perfections  
for your  advantage1 but yet your       
,sovereign for your obedience4 ,in all  
his  condescension he will have the     
rights of this untouched and unviolated 
by us4 ,when ,christ would give the most
 pregnant instance of his  condescending
 and humble kindness1 he urgeth his     

authority to ballast  their spirits from
 any presumptuous eruptions because of  
his humility4  8,you call me ,master1   
and ,lord2 and you say well3 for so ,i  
am0 7,john  xiii4 #ac74 ,he asserts his 
authority1 and presseth them to their   
duty1  when he had seemed to lay it by  
for the demeanor of a servant1 and had1 
below the dignity of a master1 put on   
the humility of a mean underling1  to   
wash the disciples feet2 all which was  
to oblige them to perform the  command  
he then gave them 7ver4 #ad71 and in    
obedience to his authority1  and        
imitation of his example4    7#d47 ,all 
creatures obey him4 ,all creatures      
punctually observe  the law he hath     
imprinted on their nature1 and in their 
several  capacities acknowledge him     
their ,sovereign2 they move according to
  the inclinations he imprinted on them4
 ,the sea contains itself in its        
bounds1 and the sun steps out of its    
sphere2 the stars march in their  order1
 8they continue this day according to   

thy ordinance1 for all are  thy         
servants0 7,ps4 cxix4 #ia74 ,if he      
orders things contrary to their         
primitive nature1 they obey him4 ,when  
he speaks the word1 the devouring  fire 
becomes gentle1 and toucheth not a hair 
of the children he will  preserve2 the  
hungerstarved lions suspend their       
ravenous nature1 when  so good a morsel 
as ,daniel is set before them2 and the  
sun1 which had  been in perpetual motion
 since its creation1 obeys the writ of  
ease  ,god sent it in ,joshua's time1   
and stands still4 ,shall insensible and 
sensible creatures be punctual to his   
orders1 passively acknowledge  his      
authority8 shall lions and serpents obey
 ,god in their places8and  shall not    
man1 who can1 by reason1 argue out the  
sovereignty of ,god1  and understand the
 sense and goodness of his laws1 and    
actively obey  ,god with that will he   
hath enriched him with above other      
creatures8 ,yet  the truth is1 every    
sensitive1 yea1 every senseless         

creature1 obeys ,god  more than his     
rational1 more than his gracious        
creatures in this world4  ,the rational 
creatures since the fall have a         
prevailing principle of  corruption4    
,let the obedience b#dff of other       
creatures incite us more  to imitate    
them1 and shame our remissness in not   
acknowledging the  dominion of ,god1 in 
the just way he prescribes us to walk   
in4 ,well  then1 let us not pretend to  
own ,god as our ,lord1 and yet act the  
part  of rebels2 let us give him the    
reverence1 and pay him that obedience1  
which of right belongs to so great a    
,king4 ,whatsoever he speaks as a  true 
,god1 ought to be believed2 whatsoever  
he orders as a sovereign ,god1  ought to
 be obeyed2 let not ,god have less than 
man1 nor man have more  than ,god4 ,it  
is a common principle writ upon the     
reason of all men1  that respect and    
observance is due to the majesty of a   
man1 much more  to the ,majesty of ,god 
as a ,lawgiver4    #b;d4 ,as this       

doctrine presents us motives1 so it     
directs us to the  manner and kind of   
our obedience to ,god4    7#a47 ,it must
 be with a respect to his authority4 ,as
 the veracity of ,god  is the formal    
object of faith1 and the reason why we  
believe the things  he hath revealed2 so
 the authority of ,god is the formal    
object of our  obedience1 or the reason 
why we observe the things he hath       
commanded4  ,there must be a respect to 
his will as the rule1 as well as to his 
glory as the end4 ,it is not formally   
obedience that is not done with  regard 
to the order of ,god1 though it may be  
materially obedience1 as  it answers the
 matter of the precept4 ,as when men    
will abstain from  excess and rioting1  
because it is ruinous to their health1  
not because  it is forbidden by the     
great ,lawgiver2 this is to pay a       
respect to  our own conveniency and     
interest1 not a conscientious observance
  to ,god2 a regard to our health1 not  
to our ,sovereign2 a kindness to        

ourselves1 not a justice due to the     
rights of ,god4 ,there must not only  be
 a consideration of the matter of the   
precept as convenient1 but a            
consideration of the authority of the   
,lawgiver as obligatory4 8,thus  saith  
the ,lord10 ushers in every order of    
his1 directing our eye to the  authority
 enacting it2 ,jeroboam did ,god's will 
of prophecy in taking  the kingdom of   
,israel2 and the devils may be          
subservient in ,god's  will or          
providence2 but neither of them are put 
upon the account of  obedience1 because 
not done intentionally with any         
conscience of the  sovereignty of ,god4 
,god will have this owned by a regular  
respect to it2  so much he insists upon 
the honor of it1 that the sacrifice of  
,christ1  ,godman1 was most agreeable to
 him1 not only as it was great and      
admirable in itself1 but also for that  
ravishing obedience to his will1  which 
was the life and glory of his sacrifice1
 whereby the justice of  ,god was not   

only owned in the offering1 but the     
sovereignty of ,god  owned in the       
obedience4 8,he became obedient unto    
death2 wherefore ,god  highly exalted   
him0 7,phil4 ii4 #h74    7#b47 ,it must 
be the best and most exact obedience4   
,the most sovereign  authority calls for
 the exactest and lowest observance2 the
 highest  ,lord for the deepest homage2 
being1 he is1 a 8great ,king1 he must   
have  the best in our flock0 7,mal4 i4  
#ad74 ,obedience is due to ,god1 as     
,king1  and the choicest obedience is   
due to him1 as he is the most excellent 
,king4 ,the more majestic and noble any 
man is1 the more careful we are  in our 
manner of service to him4 ,we are bound 
to obey ,god1 not only  under the title 
of a 8,lord0 in regard of jurisdiction  
and political  subjection1 but under the
 title of a true b#dfg 8,lord and       
,master10  in regard of propriety2 since
 we are not only his subjects but his   
servants1 the exactest obedience is due 
to ,god1 jure servitutis2  8,when you   

have done all1 say you are unprofitable 
servants0 7,luke  xvii4 #aj71 because we
 can do nothing which we owe not to     
,god4    7#c47 ,sincere and inward      
obedience4 ,as it is a part of his      
sovereignty  to prescribe laws not only 
to man in his outward state1 but to his 
conscience1 so it is a part of our      
subjection to receive his laws into  our
 will and heart4 ,the authority of his  
laws exceeds human laws in the  extent  
and riches of them1 and our             
acknowledgment of his sovereignty       
cannot be right1 but by subjecting the  
faculties of our soul to the  ,lawgiver 
of our souls2 we else acknowledge his   
authority to be as  limited as the      
empire of man2 when his will not only   
sways the outward  action1 but the      
inward motion1 it is a giving him the   
honor of his  high throne above the     
throne of mortals4 ,the right of ,god   
ought to be  preserved undamaged in     
affection1 as well as action4    7#d47  
,it must be sole obedience4 ,we are     

ordered to serve him only2  8,him only  
shalt thou serve0 7,matt4 iv4 #aj73 as  
the only ,supreme ,lord1  as being the  
highest ,sovereign1 it is fit he should 
have the highest  obedience before all  
earthly sovereigns1 and as being        
unparalleled by  any among all the      
nations1 so none must have an obedience 
equal to him4  ,when ,god commands1 if  
the highest power on earth countermands 
it1 the  precept of ,god must be        
preferred before the countermand of the 
creature4  8,whether it be right in the 
sight of ,god1 to hearken unto you more 
than  unto ,god1 judge ye0 7,acts iv4   
#ah1 #ai74 ,we must never give place to 
the  authority of all the monarchs in   
the world1 to the prejudice of that     
obedience we owe to the ,supreme        
,monarch of heaven and earth2 this would
  be to place the throne of ,god at the 
footstool of man1 and debase him  below 
the rank of a creature4 ,loyalty to man 
can never recompense for  the mischief  
accruing from disloyalty to ,god4 ,all  

the obedience we are  to give to man1 is
 to be paid in obedience to ,god1 and   
with an eye to  his precept3 therefore1 
what servants do for their masters1 they
 must  do 8as to the ,lord0 7,col4 iii4 
#bc72 and children are to obey their    
parents 8in the ,lord0 7,eph4 vi4 #a74  
,the authority of ,god is to be eyed  in
 all the services payable to man2 proper
 and true obedience hath ,god  solely   
for its principal and primary object2   
all obedience to man that  interferes   
with that1 and would justle out         
obedience to ,god1 is to be  refused4   
,what obedience is due to man1 is but   
rendered as a part of  obedience to     
,god1 and a stooping of his authority4  
7#e47 ,it must be universal obedience4  
,the laws of man are not to be          
universally obeyed2 some may be         
oppressing and unjust3 no man hath      
authority to make an unjust law1 and no 
subject is bound to obey an  unrighteous
 law2 but ,god being a righteous        
,sovereign1 there is not one  of his    

laws but doth necessarily oblige us to  
obedience4 ,whatsoever  this ,supreme   
,power declares to be his will1 it must 
be our care to  observe2 man1 being his 
creature1 is bound to be subject to     
whatsoever  laws he doth impose to the  
meanest as well as to the greatest3 they
  having equally a stamp of ,divine     
authority b#dfh upon them4 ,we are  not 
to pick and choose among his precepts3  
this is to pare away part  of his       
authority1 and render him a half        
sovereign4 ,it must be universal  in all
 places4 ,an ,englishman in ,spain is   
bound to obey the laws of that  country 
wherein he resides3 and so not          
responsible there for the breach  of the
 laws of his native country4 ,in the    
same condition is a ,spaniard  in       
,england4 ,but the laws of ,god are to  
be obeyed in every part of the  world2  
wheresoever ,divine ,providence doth    
cast us1 it casts us not  out of the    
places where he commands1 nor out of the
 compass of his  own empire4 ,he is     

,lord of the world1 and his laws oblige 
in every part  of the world2 they were  
ordered for a world1 and not for a      
particular  climate and territory4      
7#f47 ,it must be indisputable          
obedience4 ,all authority requires      
readiness in the subject2 the centurion 
had it from his soldiers2 they  went    
when he ordered them1 and came when he  
beckoned to them 7,matt4  viii4 #i74 ,it
 is more fit ,god should have the same  
promptness from his  subjects4 ,we are  
to obey his orders1 though our purblind 
understanding  may not apprehend the    
reason of every one of them4 ,it is     
without  dispute that he is sovereign1  
and therefore it is without dispute that
  we are bound to obey him1 without     
controlling his conduct4 ,a master  will
 not bear it from his slave1 why should 
,god from his creature8  ,though ,god   
admits his creatures sometimes to treat 
with him about the  equality of his     
justice1 and also about the reason of   
some commands1  yet sometimes he gives  

no other reason but his own sovereignty1
 8,thus  saith the ,lord20 to correct   
the malapertness of men1 and exact from 
them an entire obedience to his         
unlimited and absolute authority4 ,when 
,abraham was commanded to offer ,isaac1 
,god acquaints him not with the  reason 
of his demand till after 7,gen4 xxii4   
#b1 #ab71 nor did ,abraham  enter any   
demur to the order1 or expostulate with 
,god1 either from his  own natural      
affection to ,isaac1 the hardness of the
 command1 it being1  as it were1 a      
ripping up of his own bowels1 nor the   
quickness of it  after he had been a    
child of the promise1 and a ,divine     
donation above  the course of nature4   
,nor did ,paul confer with flesh and    
blood1 and  study arguments from nature 
and interest to oppose the ,divine      
command1  when he was sent upon his     
apostolical employment 7,gal4 i4 #af74  
,the more  indisputable his right is to 
command1 the stronger is our obligation 
to  obey1 without questioning the reason

 of his orders4    7#g47 ,it must be    
joyful obedience4 ,men are commonly more
 cheerful  in their obedience to a great
 prince than to a mean peasant2 because 
the quality of the master renders the   
service more honorable4 ,it is  a       
discredit to a prince's government1 when
 his subjects obey him with  discontent 
and dejectedness1 as though he were a   
hard master1 and  his laws tyrannical   
and unrighteous4 ,when we pay obedience 
but with  a dull and feeble pace1 and a 
sour and sad temper1 we blemish our     
great ,sovereign1 imply his commands to 
be grievous1 void of that peace  and    
pleasure he proclaims to be in them2    
that he deserves no respect  from us1 if
 we obey him because we must1 and not   
because we will4  ,involuntary obedience
 deserves not the title3 it is rather   
submission  than obedience1 an act of   
the body1 not of the mind3 a mite of    
obedience with cheerfulness1 is better  
b#dfi than a talent without  it4 ,in the
 little ,paul did1 he comforts himself  

in this1 that with  the 8mind he served 
the law of ,god0 7,rom4 vii4 #be72 the  
testimonies of  ,god were ,david's      
delight 7,ps4 cxix4 #bd74 ,our          
understandings must take  pleasure in   
knowing him1 our wills delightfully     
embrace him1 and our  actions be        
cheerfully squared to him4 ,this credits
 the sovereignty of  ,god in the world1 
makes others believe him to be a        
gracious ,lord1 and  move them to have  
some veneration for his authority4      
7#h47 ,it must be a perpetual obedience4
 ,as man is a subject as soon  as he is 
a creature1 so he is a subject as long  
as he is a creature4  ,god's sovereignty
 is of perpetual duration1 as long as he
 is ,god2 man's  obedience must be      
perpetual1 while he is a man4 ,god      
cannot part with  his sovereignty1 and a
 creature cannot be exempted from       
subjection2 we  must not only serve him1
 but cleave to him 7,deut4 xiii4 #d74   
,obedience  is continued in heaven1 his 
throne is established in heaven1 it must

 be  bowed to in heaven1 as well as in  
earth4 ,the angels continually fulfil   
his pleasure4    #g4 ,exhortation4      
,patience is a duty flowing from this   
doctrine4 ,in  all strokes upon         
ourselves1 or thick showers upon the    
church1 8the  ,lord reigns10 is a       
consideration to prevent muttering      
against him1 and  make us quietly wait  
to see what the issue of his ,divine    
pleasure will  be4 ,it is too great an  
insolence against the ,divine ,majesty  
to censure  what he acts1 or quarrel    
with him for what he inflicts4 ,proud   
clay doth  very unbecomingly swell      
against an infinite superior4 ,if ,god  
be our  ,sovereign1 we ought to         
subscribe to his afflicting will without
 debates1  as well as to his liberal    
will with affectionate applauses4 ,we   
should  be as full of patience under his
 sharper1 as of praise under his more   
grateful1 dispensations1 and be without 
reluctancy against his penal1  as well  
as his preceptive1 pleasure4 ,it is     

,god's part to inflict1 and  the        
creature's part to submit4    ,this     
doctrine affords us motives1 and shows  
us the nature of patience4  #a4 ,motives
 to it4    7#a47 ,god1 being ,sovereign1
 hath an absolute right to dispose of   
all  things4 ,his title to our persons  
and possessions is1 upon this account1  
stronger than our own can be2 we have as
 much reason to be angry with           
ourselves1 when we assert our worldly   
right against others1 as to be  angry   
with ,god for asserting the right of his
 dominion over us4 ,why  should we enter
 a charge against him1 because he hath  
not tempered us  so strong in our       
bodies1 drawn us with as fair colors1   
embellished our  spirits with as rich   
gifts as others8 ,is he not the         
,sovereign of his  own goods1 to impart 
what1 and in what measure1 he pleaseth8 
,would  you be content your servants    
should check your pleasure in dispensing
  your own favors8 ,it is an            
unreasonable thing not to leave ,god to 

the  exercise of his own dominion4      
,though ,job were a pattern of patience1
  yet he had deep tinctures of          
impatience2 he often complains of ,god's
  usage of him as too hard1 and stands  
much upon his own integrity2 but  when  
,god comes1 in the latter chapters of   
that book1 to justify his  carriage     
towards him1 he chargeth him not as a   
criminal1 but considers  him only as his
 vassal4 ,he might have found flaws     
enough in ,job's  carriage1 b#dgj and   
corruption enough in ,job's nature1 to  
clear the  equity of his proceeding as a
 judge2 but he useth no other medium to 
convince him1 but the greatness of his  
,majesty1 the unlimitedness of  his     
sovereignty1 which so appals the good   
man1 that he puts his finger  on his    
mouth and stands mute with a            
selfabhorrency before him1 as a         
,sovereign1 rather than as a ,judge4    
,when he doth pinch us1 and deprive  us 
of what we most affect1 his right to do 
it should silence our lips  and calm our

 hearts from any boisterous uproars     
against him4    7#b47 ,the property of  
all still remains in ,god1 since he is  
sovereign4  ,he did not divest himself  
of the property when he granted us the  
use2  the earth is his1 not ours2 the   
fulness any of us have1 as well as the  
fulness others have4 ,after he had given
 the ,israelites corn1 wine1 and  oil1  
he calls them all his1 and emphatically 
adds my1 to every one  of them 7,hos4   
ii4 #i74 ,his right is universal over   
every mite we have1  and perpetual too2 
he may1 therefore1 take from us what he 
please4 ,he  did but deposit in our     
hands for awhile the benefits we enjoy1 
either  children1 friends1 estate1 or   
lives2 he did not make a total          
conveyance  of them1 and alienate his   
own property1 when he put them into our 
hands2  we can show no patent for them1 
wherein the full right is passed over   
to us1 to hold them against his will and
 pleasure1 and implead him if  he offer 
to reassume them3 he reserved a power to

 dispossess us upon  a forfeiture1 as he
 is the ,lord and ,governor4 ,did any of
 us yet answer  the condition of his    
grant8 it was his indulgence to allow   
them so long2  there is reason to submit
 to him1 when he reassumes what he lent 
us1  and rather to thank him that he    
lent it so long1 and did not seize upon 
it sooner4    7#c47 ,other things have  
more reason to complain of our          
sovereignty over  them1 than we of      
,god's exercise of his sovereignty over 
us4 ,do we not  exercise an authority   
over our beasts1 as to strike them when 
we please1  and merely for our pleasure2
 and think we merit no reproof for it1  
because they are our own1 and of a      
nature inferior to ours8 ,and shall  not
 ,god1 who is absolute1 do as much with 
us1 who are more below him  than the    
meanest creatures are below us8 ,they   
are creatures as well as  we1 and we no 
more creatures than they2 they were     
framed by ,omnipotence  as well as we2  
there is no more difference between them

 and us in the  notion of creatures4 ,as
 there is no difference between the     
greatest  monarch on earth1 and the     
meanest beggar on the dunghill1 in the  
notion  of a man2 the beggar is a man1  
as well as the monarch1 and as much a   
man2 the difference consists in the     
special endowments we have above  them  
by the bounty of their and our common   
,creator4 ,we are less1 if  compared    
with ,god1 than the worst1 meanest1 and 
most sordid creature  can be1 if        
compared with us4 ,hath not a bird or a 
hare 7if they had a  capacity7 more     
reason to complain of men's persecuting 
them by their  hawks and their dogs8 but
 would their complaints appear          
reasonable1  since both were made for   
the use of man1 and man doth but use the
  nature of the one to attain a benefit 
by the other8 ,have we any reason  to   
complain of ,god if he lets loose other 
creatures1 the devouring  hounds of the 
world1 to bite and afflict us8 ,we must 
not open our lips  against him1 nor     

b#dga let our heart swell against his   
scourge1 since  both they and we were   
made for his use1 as well as other      
creatures for  our2 this is a reason to 
stifle all complaints against ,god1 but 
not  to make us careless of preventing  
afflictions1 or emerging out of them  by
 all just ways4 ,the hare hath a nature 
to shift for itself by its  winding and 
turning1 and the bird by its flight2 and
 neither of them  could be blamed1 if   
they were able1 should the one scratch  
out the eyes  of the hounds1 and the    
other sacrifice the hawk to its own     
fury4    7#d47 ,it is a folly not to    
submit to him4 ,why should we strive    
against  him1 since he is an            
unaccountable ,sovereign1 and 8gives no 
account of  any of his matters80 7,job  
xxxiii4 #ac47 ,who can disannul the     
judgment  ,god gives8 ,there is no      
appeal from the supreme court2 a higher 
court  can repeal or null the sentence  
of an inferior court1 but the sentence  
of the highest stands irreversible1 but 

by itself and its own authority4  ,it is
 better to lower our sails1 than to     
grapple with one that can  shoot us     
under water2 to submit to that          
,sovereign whom we cannot subdue4    #b4
 ,it shows us the true nature of        
patience in regard of ,god3 it is a     
submission to ,god's sovereignty4 ,as   
the formal object of obedience is  the  
authority of ,god enacting the law1 so  
the formal object of patience  is the   
authority of ,god inflicting the        
punishment3 as his right of  commanding 
is to be eyed in the one1 so his right  
of punishing is  to be considered in the
 other4 ,this was ,eli's condition1 when
 he had  received a message that might  
put flesh and blood into a mutiny1 the  
rending the priesthood from his family1 
and the ruin of his house3 yet  this    
consideration1 8,it is the ,lord10 calms
 him into submission1 and  a willing    
compliance with the ,divine pleasure 7#a
 ,sam4 iii4 #ah73 8,it  is the ,lord1   
let him do what seems good in his       

sight40 ,job was of the  same strain    
7,job i4 #ba73 8,the ,lord gives1 and   
the ,lord hath taken away1  blessed be  
the name of the ,lord20 he considers    
,god as a sovereign1 who  was not to be 
reproached1 or have anything uncomely   
uttered of him1 for  what he had done4  
,to be patient because we cannot avoid  
it1 or resist  it1 is a violent1 not a  
loyal patience2 but to submit because it
 is the  will of ,god to inflict2 to be 
silent1 because the sovereignty of ,god 
doth order it1 is a patience of a true  
complexion4 ,the other kind of  patience
 is no other than that of an enemy that 
will free himself as  soon as he can1   
and by any way1 though never so violent1
 that offers  itself4 ,this sort of     
patience is that of a subject           
acknowledging the  supreme authority    
over him1 and that he ought to be       
ordered by the will1  and to the glory  
of ,god1 more than by his own will1 and 
for his own  ease2 8,i was dumb1 ,i     
opened not my mouth0 7,ps4 xxxix4 #aj72 

not because  ,i could not help it1 but  
8because thou didst it10 thou who art my
  sovereign ,lord4 ,the greatness of    
,god claims an awful and inviolable     
respect from his creatures in what way  
soever he doth dispose of them2  this is
 due to him2 since his kingdom ruleth   
over all1 his kingdom  should be        
acknowledged by all1 and his royal      
authority submitted to  in all that he  
doth4          b#dgb                    
,,discourse ,,xiv4                      
,,on ,,god',s ,,patience4      ,,nahum  
,i4 #c4,the ,lord is slow to anger1 and 
great in power1 and      will not at all
 acquit the wicked3 the ,lord hath his  
way in the      whirlwind and in the    
storm1 and the clouds are the dust of   
his      feet4      ,,the subject of    
this prophecy is ,god's sentence against
 ,nineveh1 the  head and metropolis of  
the ,assyrian empire3 a city famous for 
its  strength1 and thickness of its     
walls1 and the multitude of its towers  
for defence against an enemy4 ,the      

forces of this empire did ,god use as  a
 scourge against the ,israelites1 and by
 their hands ruined ,samaria1  the chief
 city of the ten tribes1 and            
transplanted them as captives  into     
another country 7#b ,kings xvii4 #e1    
#f71 about six years after  ,hezekiah   
came to the crown of ,judah 7#b ,kings  
xviii4 compared with chap4  xvii4 #f71  
in whose time1 or1 as some think1 later1
 ,nahum uttered this  prophecy4 ,the    
name1 ,nahum1 signifies ,comforter2     
though the matter  of his prophecy be   
dreadful to ,nineveh1 it was comfortable
 to the  people of ,god3 for a promise  
is made1 7ver4 #g71 8,the ,lord is good1
  a stronghold in the day of trouble2   
and he knoweth them that trust  in him40
 ,and an encouragement to ,judah1 to    
keep their solemn feasts1  7ver4 #ae3   
and also in chap4 ii4 #c71 with a       
declaration of the misery  of ,nineveh1 
and the destruction of it4 ,observe1    
#a4 ,in all the fears of ,god's people1 
,god will have a ,comforter for  them4  

,judah might well be dejected with the  
calamity of their brethren1  not knowing
 but it might be their own turn shortly 
after4 ,they knew not  where the        
ambition of the ,assyrian would stop2   
but ,god by his prophets  calms their   
fears of their furious neighbor1 by     
predicting to them the  ruin of their   
feared adversary4    #b4 ,the           
destruction of the church's enemies is  
the comfort of the church4  ,by that    
,god is glorified in his justice1 and   
the church secured in its  worship4     
#c4 ,the victories of persecutors secure
 them not from being the  triumphs of   
others4 ,the ,assyrians that conquered  
and captived ,israel1  were themselves  
to be conquered and captived by the     
,medes4 ,the whole  oppressing empire is
 threatened with destruction in the ruin
 of  their chief city2 accordingly it   
was accomplished1 and the empire        
extinguished by a greater power4 ,god   
burns the rod when it hath done  the    
work he appointed it for2 and the wisp  

of straw wherewith the  vessels are     
scoured1 is flung into the fire1 or upon
 the dunghill4    ,nahum begins his     
prophecy majestically1 with a           
description of the  b#dgc wrath and fury
 of ,god4 7,ver4 #b71 8,god is jealous1 
and the ,lord  revengeth2 the ,lord     
revengeth1 and is furious3 the ,lord    
will take  vengeance on his adversaries1
 and reserveth wrath for his enemies40  
,and therefore the whole of it is called
 7ver4 #a71 8,the burden of  ,nineveh10 
as those prophecies are1 which are      
composed of threatenings  of judgments1 
which lie as a mighty weight upon the   
heads and backs of  sinners4    ,god is 
jealousjealous of his glory and worship1
 and jealous for  his people1 and their 
security4 ,he cannot long bear the      
oppressions of  his people1 and the     
boasts of his enemies4 ,he is jealous   
for himself1  and is jealous for you of 
,judah1 who retain his worship4 ,he is  
not  forgetful of those that remember   
him1 nor of the danger of those  that   

are desirous to maintain his honor in   
the world4 ,in this first  expression1  
the prophet uses the covenant name1     
,god2 the covenant  runs1 8,i am your   
,god10 or 8the ,lord your ,god20 mostly 
,god without ,lord1  never ,lord without
 ,god3 and1 therefore1 his jealousy here
 is meant of  the care of his people1   
and the relation that his actions       
against his  enemies have to his        
servants4 ,he is a lover of his own1 and
 a revenger  on his enemies4    ,the    
,lord revengeth1 and is furious4,he now 
describes ,god by a name  of sovereignty
 and power1 when he describes him in his
 wrath and fury1  and is furious4 ,heb4 
1 ,lord of hot anger4 ,god will         
vindicate  his own glory1 and have his  
right on his enemies in a way of        
punishment1  if they will not give it   
him in a way of obedience4 ,it is three 
times  repeated1 to show the certainty  
of the judgment2#ajbd and the name of   
8,lord0 added to every one1 to intimate 
the power wherewith the judgment  should

 be executed4 ,it is not a fatherly     
correction of children in a  way of     
mercy1 but an offended ,sovereign's     
destruction of his enemies in  a way of 
vengeance4 ,there is an anger of ,god   
with his own people1 which  hath more of
 mercy than wrath2 in this his rod is   
guided by his bowels4  ,there is a fury 
of ,god against his enemies1 where there
 is sole wrath  without any tincture of 
mercy2 when his sword is all edge1      
without  any balsam drops upon it4 ,such
 a fury as ,david deprecates 7,ps4 vi4  
#a73  8,o ,lord1 rebuke me not in thy   
anger1 nor chasten me in thy sore       
displeasure10 with a fury untempered    
with grace1 and insupportable  wrath4   
,he reserves wrath for his enemies4,he  
lays it up in his treasury1 to  be      
brought out and expended in a due       
season4 8,wrath0 is supplied by our     
translators1 and is not in the ,hebrew4 
,he reserves1 what8that which  is too   
sharp to be expressed1 too great to be  
conceived3 a vengeance  it is4 ,and  1  

,he reserves it4 ,he that hath an       
infinite wrath1 he  reserves it2 that   
hath a strength and power to execute it4
    7,ver4 #c47 ,the ,lord is slow to   
anger1 ,heb4  1 of broad  nostrils4 ,the
 anger of ,god is expressed by this     
word1 which signifies  8nostrils30 as1  
,job ix4 #ac1 8,if ,god will not        
withdraw his anger10  ,heb4 8his        
nostrils40 ,and the anger whereby the   
wicked are consumed1  is called the     
8breath of nostrils0 7,job iv4 #i72 and 
when he is angry1  smoke and fire are   
said to go out of his nostrils 7#b ,sam4
 ii4 #i72 and  in ,psalm lxxiv4 #a1     
8,why doth thy anger smoke80 ,heb4 8,why
 do b#dgd  thy nostrils smoke80 ,so the 
rage of a horse1 when he is provoked  in
 battle1 is called the glory of his     
nostrils 7,job xxxix4 #bj74 ,he         
breathes quick fumes1 and neighs with   
fury4 ,and slowness to anger is  here   
expressed by the phrase of 8long or wide
 nostrils30 because in  a vehement      
anger1 the blood boiling about the      

heart1 exhales men's  spirit1 which fume
 up1 and break out in dilated nostrils4 
,but where  the passages are straighter 
the spirits have not so quick a vent1   
and  therefore raise more motions       
within2 or1 because the wider the       
nostrils  are1 the more cool air is     
drawn in to temper the heat of the      
heart1  where the angry spirits are     
gathered2 and so the passion is allayed1
  and sooner calmed4 ,god speaks of     
himself in ,scripture often after the   
rate of men2 ,jeremiah prays 7ch4 xv4   
#ae7 that ,god would not take him  away 
in his longsuffering1 ,heb4 8in the     
length of his nostrils10  i4 e4 ,be not 
slow and backward in thy anger against  
my persecutors1  as to give them time   
and opportunity to destroy me4 ,the     
nostrils1  as well as other members of a
 human body1 are ascribed to ,god4 ,he  
is  slow to anger2 he hath anger in his 
nature1 but is not always in the        
execution of it4    ,and great in       
power4,this may refer to his patience as

 the cause of  it1 or as a bar to the   
abuse of it4    #a4 8,he is slow to     
anger1 and great in power10 i4 e4 his   
power  moderates his anger2 he is not so
 impotent as to be at the command  of   
his passions1 as men are2 he can        
restrain his anger under just           
provocations to exercise it4 ,his power 
over himself is the cause of  his       
slowness to wrath1 as ,numb4 xiv4 #ag3  
8,let the power of my ,lord be  great10 
saith ,moses1 when he pleads for the    
,israelites' pardon4 ,men  that are     
great in the world are quick in         
passions1 and are not so ready  to      
forgive an injury1 or bear with an      
offender1 as one of a meaner rank4  ,it 
is a want of a power over a man's self  
that makes him do unbecoming  things    
upon a provocation4 ,a prince that can  
bridle his passion1 is a  king over     
himself1 as well as over his subjects4  
,god is slow to anger1  because great in
 power3 he hath no less power over      
himself than over  his creatures3 he can

 sustain great injuries without an      
immediate and  quick revenge3 he hath a 
power of patience1 as well as a power of
  justice4    #b4 ,or thus3 8,he is slow
 to anger and great in power40 ,he is   
slow  to anger1 but not for want of     
power to revenge himself2 his power  is 
as great to punish1 as his patience to  
spare4 ,it seems thus1 that  slowness to
 anger is brought in as an objection    
against the revenge  proclaimed4 ,what  
do you tell us of vengeance1 vengeance1 
nothing but  such repetitions of        
vengeance8as though we were ignorant    
that ,god is  slow to anger4 ,it is     
true1 saith the prophet1 ,i acknowledge 
it as much  as you1 that ,god is slow to
 anger2 but withal1 great in power4 ,his
  anger certainly succeeds his abused   
patience2 he will not always bridle  in 
his wrath1 but one time or other let it 
march out in fury against  his          
adversaries4 ,the ,assyrians1 who had   
captived the ten tribes1 and  been      
victorious a little against the ,jews1  

might think that the ,god  of ,israel   
had been conquered by their gods1 as    
well as the people  professing him had  
been subdued by their arms2 that ,god   
had lost all  his power2 and the ,jews  
might argue1 from ,god's patience to his
 enemies1  against the credit b#dge of  
the prophet's denouncing revenge4 ,the  
prophet answers1 to the terror of the   
one1 and the comfort of the other1  that
 this indulgence to his enemies1 and not
 accounting with them for  their crimes1
 proceeded from the greatness of his    
patience1 and not  from any debility in 
his power4 ,as it refers to the         
,assyrian1 it may  be rendered thus3    
,you ,ninevites1 upon your repentance   
after ,jonah's  thundering of judgments1
 are witnesses of the slowness of ,god  
to anger1  and had your punishments     
deferred2 but1 falling to your old sins1
 you  shall find a real punishment1 and 
that he hath as much power to execute   
his ancient threatenings1 as he had then
 compassion to recall them2 his         

patience to you then was not for want of
 power to ruin you1 but was the  effect 
of his goodness towards you4 ,as it     
refers to the ,jews1 it may be  thus    
paraphrased3 ,do not despise this       
threatening against your enemies        
because of the greatness of their might1
 the seeming stability of  their empire1
 and the terror they possess all the    
nations with round  about them3 it may  
be long before it comes1 but assure     
yourselves the  threatening ,i denounce 
shall certainly be executed2 though he  
hath  patience to endure them a hundred 
and thirtyfive years 7for so long as  it
 was before ,nineveh was destroyed after
 this threatening1 as ,ribera1  in      
loc4#ajbe computes from the years of the
 reign of the kings of  ,judah71 yet he 
hath also power to verify his word1 and 
accomplish his  will3 assure yourselves1
 he will not at all acquit the wicked4  
,he will not acquit the wicked4,he will 
not always account the  criminal an     
innocent1 as he seems to do by a present

 sparing of them1  and dealing with them
 as if they were destitute of any       
provoking  carriage towards him1 and he 
void of any resentment of it4 ,he will  
8not acquit the wicked20 how is this8   
,who then can be saved8 ,is there  no   
place for remission8 ,he will 8not      
acquit the wicked40 i4 e4 he  will not  
acquit obstinate sinners4 ,as he hath   
patience for the wicked1  so he hath    
mercy for the penitent4 ,the wicked are 
the subjects of his  longsuffering1 but 
not of his acquitting grace2 he doth not
 presently  punish their sins1 because  
he is slow to anger2 but without their  
repentance he will not blot out their   
sins1 because he is righteous in        
judgment3 if ,god should acquit them    
without repentance for their crimes1  he
 must himself repent of his own law and 
righteous sanction of it4 8,he  will not
 acquit10 i4 e4 he will not go back from
 the thing he hath  spoken1 and forbear1
 at long run1 the punishment he hath    
threatened4    ,the ,lord hath his way  

in the whirlwind4,the way of ,god       
signifies  sometimes the law of ,god1   
sometimes the providential operations of
 ,god3  8,is not my way equal80 7,ezek4 
xviii4 #be74 ,it seems there to take in 
both4    ,and in the storm1 and the     
clouds are the dust of his feet4,the    
prophet describes here the fight of ,god
 with the ,assyrians1 as if  he rushed  
upon them with a mighty noise of an     
army1 raising the dust  with the feet of
 their horses1 and motion of their      
chariots4#ajbf  ,symbolically1 it       
signifies the multitude of the ,chaldean
 and ,median  forces1 invading1         
besieging1 and storming the city4 ,it   
signifies1    #a4 ,the rule of          
providence4 ,the way of ,god is in every
 motion b#dgf of  the creature2 he rules
 all things1 whirlwinds1 storms1 and    
clouds2 his  way is in all their walks1 
in the whirlings and blusterings of the 
one1  in the raising and dissolving the 
other4 ,he blows up the winds1 and      
compacts the clouds1 to make them       

serviceable to his designs4    #b4 ,the 
management of wars by ,god4 ,his way is 
in the storm3 as he was  the ,captain of
 the ,assyrians against ,samaria1 so he 
will be the ,captain  of the ,medes     
against ,nineveh3 as ,israel was not so 
much wasted by the  ,assyrians as by the
 ,lord1 who levied and armed their      
forces2 so ,nineveh  shall be subverted1
 rather by ,god1 than by the arms of the
 ,medes4 ,their  force is described not 
to be so much from human power as       
,divine4 ,god is  ,president in all the 
commotions of the world1 his way is in  
every  whirlwind4    #c4 ,the easiness  
of executing the judgment4 ,he is of so 
great power that  he can excite tempests
 in the air1 and overthrow them with the
 clouds1  which are the dust of his     
feet3 he can blind his enemies1 and     
avenge  himself on them3 he is ,lord of 
clouds1 and can fill their womb with    
hail1 lightnings1 and thunders1 to burst
 out upon those he kindles  his anger   
against3 he is of so great force1 that  

he needs not use the  strength of his   
arm1 but the dust of his feet1 to effect
 his destroying  purpose4    #d4 ,the   
suddenness of the judgment4 ,whirlwinds 
come suddenly1 without  any harbingers  
to give notice of their approach3 clouds
 are swift  in their motion2 8,who are  
those that fly as a cloud80 7,isa4 lx4  
#h71   i4 e4 with a mighty nimbleness4  
,what ,god doth1 he shall do on the     
sudden1 come upon them before they are  
aware1 be too quick for them in  his    
motion to overrun and overreach them4   
,the winds are described with  wings1 in
 regard of the quickness of their       
motion4    #e4 ,the terror of judgments4
 8,the ,lord hath his way in the        
whirlwind10  i4 e4 in great displeasure4
 ,the anger of the ,lord is often       
compared  to a storm2 he shall bring    
clouds of judgments upon them1 many and 
thick1 as terrible as when a day is     
turned into night1 by the mustering  of 
the darkest clouds that interpose       
between the sun and the earth4  8,clouds

 and darkness are round about him1 and a
 fire goes before him10  when he 8burns 
up his enemies0 7,ps4 xcvii4 #b1 #c74   
,the judgments shall  have terror       
without mercy1 as clouds obscure the    
light1 and are dark  masks before the   
face and glory of the sun1 and cut off  
its refreshing  beams from the earth4   
,clouds note multitude and obscurity2   
,god could  crush them without a        
whirlwind1 beat them to powder with one 
touch1 but  he will bring his judgments 
in the most surprising and amazing      
manner  to flesh and blood1 so that all 
their glory shall be changed into       
nothing but terror1 by the noise of the 
bellowing winds1 and the clouds1  like  
ink1 blacking the heavens4    #f4 ,the  
confusion of the offenders upon ,god's  
proceeding4 ,a whirlwind  is not only a 
boisterous wind1 that hurls and rolls   
everything out of  its place1 but1 by   
its circular motion1 by its winding to  
all points of  the compass1 it confounds
 things1 and jumbles them together4 ,it 

keeps  not one point1 but1 by a         
circumgyration1 toucheth upon all4      
,clouds1  like dust1 shall be blown in  
their face1 and gum up their eyes3 they 
shall be in a posture of confusion1 not 
know what counsels to take1  what       
motions to resolve upon4 ,let them look 
b#dgg to every point of  heaven and     
earth1 they shall meet with a whirlwind 
to confound them1  and cloudy dust to   
blind them4    #g4 ,the irresistibleness
 of the judgment4 ,winds have more than 
a  giantlike force1 a torrent of        
compacted air1 that1 with an invincible 
wifulness1 bears all before it1         
displaceth the firmest trees1 and       
levels the tallest towers1 and pulls up 
bodies from their natural place4        
,clouds also are over our heads1 and    
above our reach2 when ,god places  them 
upon his people for defence they are an 
invincible security 7,isa4  iv4 #e72 and
 when he moves them1 as his chariot1    
against a people1 they  end in an       
irresistible destruction4 ,thus the ruin

 of the wicked is  described 7,prov4 x4 
#be73 8,as the whirlwind passes1 so is  
the wicked no  more30 it blows them     
down1 sweeps them away1 they            
irrecoverably fall  before the force of 
it4 ,what heart can endure1 and what    
hands can be  strong1 in the days       
wherein ,god doth deal with them6       
7,ezek4 xxii4 #ad74  ,thus is the       
judgment against ,nineveh described3    
,god hath his way in the  whirlwind1 to 
thunder down their strongest walls1     
which were so thick  that chariots could
 march abreast upon them2 and batter    
down their  mighty towers1 which that   
city had in multitudes upon their walls4
    ,they are the first words ,i intend 
to insist upon1 to treat of the         
,patience of ,god described in those    
words1 8,the ,lord is slow to anger40   
,doctrine4 ,slowness to anger1 or       
admirable patience1 is the property  of 
the ,divine nature4 ,as patience        
signifies suffering1 so it is not  in   
,god4 ,the ,divine nature is impassible1

 incapable of any impair1 it  cannot be 
touched by the violences of men1 nor the
 essential glory  of it be diminished by
 the injuries of men2 but as it         
signifies a  willingness to defer1 and  
an unwillingness to pour forth his wrath
 upon  sinful creatures1 he moderates   
his provoked justice1 and forbears to   
revenge the injuries he daily meets with
 in the world4 ,he suffers no  grief by 
men's wronging him1 but he restrains his
 arm from punishing  them according to  
their merits2 and thus there is patience
 in every  cross a man meets with in the
 world1 because1 though it be a         
punishment1  it is less than is merited 
by the unrighteous rebel1 and less than 
may  be inflicted by a righteous and    
powerful ,god4 ,this patience is seen in
  his providential works in the world3  
8,he suffered the nations to walk  in   
their own way10 and the witness of his  
providence to them was his  8giving them
 rain and fruitful seasons1 filling     
their heart with food  and gladness0    

7,acts xvi4 #ag74 ,the heathens took    
notice of it1 and  signified it by      
feigning their god ,saturn1 to be bound 
a whole year  in a soft cord1 a cord of 
wool1 and expressed it by this proverb3 
8,the mills of the gods grind slowly20  
i4 e4 ,god doth not use men  with that  
severity that they deserve2 the mills   
being usually turned  by criminals      
condemned to that work4#ajbg ,this1 in  
,scripture1 is  frequently expressed by 
a slowness to anger 7,ps4 ciii4 #h71    
sometimes  by longsuffering1 which is a 
patience with duration 7,ps4 cxlv4 #h2  
,joel  ii4 #ac74 ,he is slow to anger1  
he takes not the first occasions of a   
provocation2 he is longsuffering 7,rom4 
ix4 #bb71 and 7,ps4 lxxxvi4 #ae7  he    
forbears punishment upon many occasions 
offered him4 ,it is long  before he     
consents to give fire to his wrath1     
b#dgh and shoot out his  thunderbolts4  
,sin hath a loud cry1 but ,god seems to 
stop his ears1 not  to hear the clamor  
it raises and the charge it presents4   

,he keeps his  sword a long time in the 
sheath2 one calls the patience of ,god  
the  sheath of his sword1 upon those    
words 7,ezek4 xxi4 #c71 8,i will draw   
forth my sword out of his sheath40 ,this
 is one remarkable letter in the  name  
of ,god2 he himself proclaims it 7,exod4
 xxxiv4 #f73 8,the ,lord1 the  ,lord    
,god1 merciful1 gracious1 and           
longsuffering40 ,and ,moses pleads  it  
in the behalf of the people 7,numb4 xiv4
 #ah71 where he placeth it  in the first
 rank2 the ,lord is 8longsuffering and  
of great mercy30  it is the first spark 
of mercy1 and ushers it to its exercises
 in the  world4#ajbh ,in the ,lord's    
proclamation1 it is put in the middle   
link1  mercy and truth together2 mercy  
could have no room to act if patience   
did not prepare the way2 and his truth  
and goodness1 in his promise  of the    
,redeemer1 would not have been manifest 
to the world if he had  shot his arrows 
as soon as men committed their sins1 and
 deserved his  punishment4 ,this        

perfection is expressed by other        
phrases1 as 8keeping  silence0 7,ps4 l4 
#ba73 8,these things hast thou done1 and
 ,i kept silence10    2 it signifies to 
behave one's self as a deaf or dumb man4
  ,i did not fly in thy face1 as some   
do1 with a great noise upon a light     
provocation1 as if their life1 honor1   
estates1 were at the stake2 ,i  did not 
presently call thee to the bar1 and     
pronounce judicial sentence  upon thee  
according to the law1 but demeaned      
myself as if ,i had been  ignorant of   
thy crimes1 and had not been invested   
with the power of  judging thee for     
them4 ,chald4 8,i waited for thy        
conversion40 ,god's  patience is the    
silence of his justice1 and the first   
whisper of his  mercy4 ,it is also      
expressed by not laying folly to men    
7,job xxiv4 #ab72  men groan under the  
oppressions of others1 yet ,god lays not
 folly  to them1 i4 e4 to the           
oppressors2 ,god suffers them to go on  
with  impunity4 ,he doth not deliver his

 people because he would try them1  and 
takes not revenge upon the unrighteous1 
because in patience he doth  bear with  
them3 patience is the life of his       
providence in this world4  ,he chargeth 
not men with their crimes here1 but     
reserves them1 upon  impenitency1 for   
another trial4 ,this attribute is so    
great a one1 that  it is signally called
 by the name of 8,perfection0 7,matt4 v4
 #de1 #dh74  ,he had been speaking of   
,divine goodness1 and patience to evil  
men1  and he concludes1 8,be you        
perfect10 c41 implying it to be an      
amazing  perfection of the ,divine      
nature1 and worthy of imitation4    ,in 
the prosecution of this1 ,i4 ,let us    
consider the nature of this  patience4  
,,ii4 ,wherein it is manifested4 ,,iii4 
,why ,god doth exercise so  much        
patience4 ,,iv4 ,the ,use4    ,i4 ,the  
nature of this patience4    #a4 ,it is  
part of the ,divine goodness and mercy1 
yet differs from both4  ,god being the  
greatest goodness1 hath the greatest    

mildness4 ,mildness  is always the      
companion of true goodness1 and the     
greater the goodness  the greater the   
mildness4 ,who so holy as ,christ1 and  
who so meek8 ,god's  slowness to anger  
is a branch or slip from his mercy 7,ps4
 cxlv4 #h73  8,the ,lord is full of     
compassion1 slow to anger40 b#dgi ,it   
differs  from mercy in the formal       
consideration of the object2 mercy      
respects  the creature as miserable1    
patience respects the creature as       
criminal2  mercy pities him in his      
misery1 and patience bears with the sin 
which  engendered that misery1 and is   
giving birth to more4 ,again1 mercy is  
one end of patience2 his longsuffering  
is partly to glorify his grace3  so it  
was in ,paul 7#a ,tim4 i4 #af74 ,as     
slowness to anger springs from          
goodness1 so it makes mercy the butt and
 mark of its operations 7,isa4  xxx4    
#ah73 8,he waits that he may be         
gracious40 ,goodness sets ,god upon  the
 exercise of patience1 and patience sets

 many a sinner on running  into the arms
 of mercy4 ,that mercy which makes ,god 
ready to embrace  returning sinners1    
makes him willing to bear with them in  
their sins1  and wait their return4 ,it 
differs also from goodness1 in regard of
  the object4 ,the object of goodness is
 every creature1 angels1 men1 all       
inferior creatures1 to the lowest worm  
that crawls upon the ground4 ,the       
object of patience is1 primarily1 man1  
and secondarily1 those creatures  that  
respect men's support1 conveniency1 and 
delight2 but they are not  the objects  
of patience1 as considered in           
themselves1 but in relation  to man1 for
 whose use they were created2 and       
therefore ,god's patience  to them is   
properly his patience with man4 ,the    
lower creatures do not  injure ,god1 and
 therefore are not the objects of his   
patience1 but as  they are forfeited by 
man1 and man deserves to be deprived of 
them2  as man in this regard falls under
 the patience of ,god1 so do those      

creatures which are designed for man's  
good4 ,that patience which spares  man1 
spares other creatures for him1 which   
were all forfeited by man's  sin1 as    
well as his own life1 and are rather the
 testimonies of ,god's  patience1 than  
the proper objects of it4 ,the object of
 ,god's goodness1  then1 is the whole   
creation2 not a devil in hell1 but as a 
creature1  is a mark of his goodness1   
but not of his patience4 ,there is a    
kind of  sparing exercised to the       
devils1 in deferring their complete     
punishment1  and hitherto keeping off   
the day wherein their final sentence is 
to  be pronounced2 yet the ,scripture   
never mentions this by the name of      
slowness to anger1 or longsuffering4 ,it
 can no more be called patience1  than a
 prince's keeping a malefactor in       
chains1 and not pronouncing a           
condemning sentence1 or not executing a 
sentence already pronounced1  can be    
called a patience with him1 when it is  
not out of kindness to  the offender1   

but for some reasons of state4 ,god's   
sparing the devils  from their total    
punishmentwhich they have not yet1 but  
are 8reserved  in chains1 under darkness
 for it0 7,jude #f7;is not in order to  
repentance1 or attended with any        
invitations from ,god1 or hopes in them2
  and1 therefore1 cannot come under the 
same title as ,god's sparing man3  where
 there is no proposal of mercy1 there is
 no exercise of patience4  ,the fallen  
angels had no mercy reserved for them1  
nor any sacrifices  prepared for them2  
,god 8spared not the angels0 7#b ,pet4  
ii4 #d71 8but  delivered them into      
chains of darkness1 to be reserved unto 
judgment10  i4 e4 he had no patience for
 them2 for patience is properly a       
temporary sparing a person1 with a      
waiting of his relenting1 and a  change 
of his injurious demeanor4 ,the object  
of goodness is more  extensive than that
 of patience3 nor do they both consider 
the object  under the same relation4    
,goodness respects things in a capacity1

 or in  a state of creation1 and b#dhj  
brings them forth into creation1 and    
nurseth and supports them as creatures4 
,patience considers them already        
created1 and fallen short of the duty of
 creatures2 it considers them  as       
sinners1 or in relation to sinners4 ,had
 not sin entered1 patience  had never   
been exercised2 but goodness had been   
exercised1 had the  creature stood firm 
in its created state without any        
transgression2 nay1  creation could not 
have been without goodness1 because it  
was goodness  to create2 but patience   
had never been known without an object1 
which  could not have been without an   
injury4 ,where there is no wrong1 no    
suffering1 nor like to be any1 patience 
hath no prospect of any  operation4 ,so1
 then1 goodness respects persons as     
creatures1 patience  as transgressors2  
mercy eyes men as miserable and         
obnoxious to  punishment2 patience      
considers men as sinful1 and provoking  
to  punishment4    #b4 ,since it is a   

part of goodness and mercy1 it is not an
 insensible  patience4 ,what is the     
fruit of pure goodness cannot be from a 
weakness  of resentment2 he is 8slow to 
anger20 the prophet doth not say1 he is 
incapable of anger1 or cannot discern   
what is a real object of anger2  it     
implies1 that he doth consider every    
provocation1 but he is not  hasty to    
discharge his arrows upon the offenders2
 he sees all1 while he  bears with them2
 his omniscience excludes any ignorance2
 he cannot but  see every wrong2 every  
aggravation in that wrong1 every step   
and motion  from the beginning to the   
completing it2 for he knows all our     
thoughts2  he sees the sin and the      
sinner at the same time2 the sin with an
 eye of  abhorrency1 and the sinner with
 an eye of pity4 ,his eye is upon their 
iniquities1 and his hatred edged against
 them2 while he stands with  arms open1 
waiting a penitent return4 ,when he     
publisheth his patience  in his keeping 
silence1 he publisheth also his         

resolution1 to set sin  in order before 
their eyes 7,ps4 l4 #ba73 8,i will      
reprove thee1 and set  them in order    
before thy eyes40 ,think me not such a  
piece of phlegm1  and so dull as not to 
resent your insolences2 you shall see1  
in my  final charge1 when ,i come to    
judge1 that not a wry look escaped my   
knowledge1 that ,i had an eye to behold1
 and a heart to loathe every  one of    
your transgressions4 ,the church was    
ready to think that ,god's  slowness to 
deliver her1 and his bearing with her   
oppressors1 was not  from any patience  
in his nature1 but a drowsy             
carelessness1 a senseless  lethargy     
7,ps4 xliv4 #bc73 8,awake1 why sleepest 
thou1 ,o ,lord80 ,we must  conclude him 
an inapprehensive ,god1 before we can   
conclude him an  insensible ,god4 ,as   
his delaying his promise is not         
slackness to his  people 7#b ,pet4 iii4 
#i71 so his deferring of punishment is  
not from a  stupidity under the affronts
 offered him4    #c4 ,since it is a part

 of his mercy and goodness1 it is not a 
constrained or fainthearted patience4   
,it is not a slowness to anger1  arising
 from a despondency of his own power to 
revenge4 ,he hath as  much power to     
punish as he hath to forbear punishment4
 ,he that created  a world in six days1 
and that by a word1 wants not a strength
 to crush  all mankind in one minute2   
and with as much ease as a word imports1
  can give satisfaction to his justice  
in the blood of the offender4  ,patience
 in man is many times interpreted1 and  
truly too1 a cowardice1  a feebleness of
 spirit1 and a want of strength4 ,but it
 is b#dha not  from the shortness of the
 ,divine arm1 that he cannot reach us1  
nor from  the feebleness of his hand1   
that he cannot strike us4 ,it is not    
because  he cannot level us with the    
dust1 dash us in pieces like a potter's 
vessel1 or consume us as a moth4 ,he can
 make the mightiest to fall  before him1
 and lay the strongest at his feet the  
first moment of  their crime4 ,he that  

did not want a powerful word to create a
 world1  cannot want a powerful word to 
dissolve the whole frame of it1 and     
raze it out of being4 ,it is not1       
therefore1 out of a distrust of his  own
 power1 that he hath supported a sinful 
world for so many ages1 and  patiently  
borne the blasphemies of some1 the      
neglects of others1 and  the ingratitude
 of all1 without inflicting that severe 
justice which  righteously he might have
 done2 he wants no thunder to crush the 
whole  generation of men1 nor waters to 
drown them1 nor earth to swallow them   
up4 ,how easy is it for him to single   
out this or that particular person  to  
be the object of his wrath1 and not of  
his patience6 ,what he hath  done to    
one1 he may to another2 any signal      
judgment he hath sent upon  one1 is an  
evidence that he wants not power to     
inflict it upon all4  ,could he not make
 the motes in the air to choke us at    
every breath1  rain thunderbolts instead
 of drops of water1 fill the clouds with

 a  consuming lightning1 take off the   
reverence and fear of man1 which he     
hath imprinted upon the creature1 spirit
 our domestic beasts to be our          
executioners1 unloose the tiles from the
 housetop to brain us1 or make  the fall
 of a house to crush us8 ,it is but     
taking out the pins1 and  giving a      
blast1 and the work is done4 ,and doth  
he want a power to do  any of those     
things8 ,it is not then a fainthearted1 
or feeble patience1  that he exerciseth 
towards man4    #d4 ,since it is not for
 want of power over the creature1 it is 
from  a fulness of power over himself4  
,this is in the text1 8,the ,lord is    
slow to anger1 and great in power20 it  
is a part of his dominion  over himself1
 whereby he can moderate1 and rule his  
own affections  according to the        
holiness of his own will4 ,as it is the 
effect of his  power1 so it is an       
argument of his power2 the greatness of 
the effect  demonstrates the fulness and
 sufficiency of the cause4 ,the more    

feeble  any man is in reason the less   
command he hath over his passions1 and  
he  is the more heady to revenge4       
,revenge is a sign of a childish mind2  
the  stronger any man is in reason1 the 
more command he hath over himself4  8,he
 that is slow to anger is better than   
the mighty2 and he that rules  his own  
spirit1 than he that takes a city0      
7,prov4 xvi4 #cb72 he that  can restrain
 his anger1 is stronger than the ,csars 
and ,alexanders of  the world1 that have
 filled the earth with slain carcasses  
and ruined  cities4 ,by the same reason1
 ,god's slowness to anger is a greater  
argument of his power than the creating 
a world1 or the power of  dissolving it 
by a word2 in this he hath a dominion   
over creatures1  in the other over      
himself2 this is the reason he will not 
return to  destroy2 because 8,i am ,god1
 and not man0 7,hos4 xi4 #i72 ,i am not 
so  weak and impotent as man1 that      
cannot restrain his anger4 ,this is a   
strength possessed only by a ,god1      

wherein a creature is no more able to   
parallel him1 than in any other2 so that
 he may be said to be the ,lord  of     
himself2 as it is in the verse before   
the text1 that he is the ,lord  of      
anger1 in the ,hebrew1 instead of b#dhb 
8furious10 as we translate  it2 so he is
 the ,lord of patience4 ,the end why    
,god is patient1 is  to show his power4 
8,what if ,god1 willing to show his     
wrath1 and to  make his power known1    
endured with much longsuffering the     
vessels of  wrath fitted to             
destruction80 7,rom4 ix4 #bb74 ,to show 
his wrath upon  sinners1 and his power  
over himself in bearing such            
indignities1 and  forbearing punishment 
so long1 when men were vessels of wrath 
fitted  for destruction1 of whom there  
was no hopes of amendment4 ,had he      
immediately broken in pieces those      
vessels1 his power had not so  eminently
 appeared as it hath done1 in tolerating
 them so long1 that  had provoked him to
 take them off so often2 there is indeed

 the power  of his anger1 and there is  
the power of his patience2 and his power
  is more seen in his patience than in  
his wrath3 it is no wonder that  ,he    
that is above all1 is able to crush all2
 but it is a wonder1 that  he that is   
provoked by all1 doth not1 upon the     
first provocation1 rid  his hands of    
all4 ,this is the reason why he did bear
 such a weight of  provocations from    
vessels of wrath1 prepared for ruin1    
that he might     1 show what he was    
able to do1 the lordship  and royalty he
 had over himself4 ,the power of ,god is
 more manifest in  his patience to a    
multitude of sinners1 than it would be  
in creating  millions of worlds out of  
nothing2 this was the  1 a power  over  
himself4    #e4 ,this patience being a  
branch of mercy1 the exercise of it is  
founded in the death of ,christ4        
,without the consideration of this1 we  
can give no account why ,divine patience
 should extend itself to us1 and  not to
 the fallen angels4 ,the threatening    

extends itself to us as well  as to the 
fallen angels2 the threatening must     
necessarily have sunk man1  as well as  
those glorious creatures1 had not       
,christ stepped in to our  relief4 ,had 
not ,christ interposed to satisfy the   
justice of ,god1 man  upon his sin had  
been actually bound over to punishment1 
as well as the  fallen angels were upon 
theirs1 and been fettered in chains as  
strong  as those spirits feel4#ajbi ,the
 reason why man was not hurled into  the
 same deplorable condition upon his sin1
 as they were1 is ,christ's  promise of 
taking our nature1 and not theirs4 ,had 
,god designed ,christ's  taking their   
nature1 the same patience had been      
exercised towards  them1 and the same   
offers would have been made to them1 as 
are made to  us4 ,in regard to these    
fruits of this patience1 ,christ is said
 to buy  the wickedest apostates from   
him3 8,denying the ,lord that bought    
them0  7#a ,pet4 ii4 #a74 ,such were    
bought by him1 as 8bring upon themselves

 just  destruction1 and whose damnation 
slumbers not0 7ver4 #c72 he purchased   
the continuance of their lives1 and the 
stay of their execution1 that  offers of
 grace might be made to them4 ,this     
patience must be either  upon the       
account of the law1 or the gospel2 for  
there are no other  rules1 whereby ,god 
governs the world4 ,a fruit of the law  
it was not2  that spake nothing but     
curses after disobedience2 not a letter 
of mercy  was writ upon that1 and       
therefore nothing of patience2 death and
 wrath  were denounced2 no slowness to  
anger intimated4 ,it must be therefore  
upon account of the gospel1 and a fruit 
of the covenant of grace1  whereof      
,christ was ,mediator4 ,besides this    
perfection b#dhc being ,god's  8waiting 
that he might be gracious0 7,isa4 xxx4  
#ah71 that which made way  for ,god's   
grace made way for his waiting to       
manifest it4 ,god discovered  not his   
grace1 but in ,christ2 and therefore    
discovered not his patience  but in     

,christ2 it is in him he met with the   
satisfaction of his justice1  that he   
might have a ground for the             
manifestation of his patience4 ,and  the
 sacrifices of the law1 wherein the life
 of a beast was accepted  for the sin of
 man1 discovered the ground of his      
forbearance of them  to be the          
expectation of the great ,sacrifice1    
whereby sin was to be  completely       
expiated 7,gen4 viii4 #ba74 ,the        
publication of his patience  to the end 
of the world is presently after the     
sweet savor he found  in ,noah's        
sacrifice4 ,the promised and designed   
coming of ,christ1 was  the cause of    
that patience ,god exercised before in  
the world2 and his  gathering the elect 
together1 is the reason of his patience 
since his  death4    #f4 ,the           
naturalness of his veracity and         
holiness1 and the strictness of  his    
justice1 are no bars to the exercise of 
his patience4    7#a47 ,his veracity4   
,in those threatenings where the        

punishment is  expressed1 but not the   
time of inflicting it prefixed and      
determined  in the threatening1 his     
veracity suffers no damage by the       
delaying  execution2 so it be once done1
 though a long time after1 the credit of
  his truth stands unshaken3 as when    
,god promises a thing without fixing    
the time1 he is at liberty to pitch upon
 what time he pleases for the           
performance of it1 without staining his 
faithfulness to his word1 by  not giving
 the thing promised presently4 ,why     
should the deferring of  justice upon an
 offender be any more against his       
veracity than his  delaying an answer to
 the petitions of a suppliant8 ,but the 
difference  will lie in the threatening4
 8,in the day thou eatest thereof1 thou 
shalt die the death0 7,gen4 ii4 #ag74   
,the time was there settled2 8in  that  
day thou shalt die20 some refer 8day0 to
 eating1 not to dying2  and render the  
sentence thus3 ,i do not prohibit thee  
the eating this  fruit for a day or two1

 but continually4 ,in whatsoever day    
thou eatest  thereof1 thou shalt die2   
but not understanding his dying that    
very  day he should eat of it2 referring
 8day0 to the extensiveness of the      
prohibition1 as to time4 ,but to leave  
this as uncertain1 it may be  answered1 
that as in some threatenings a condition
 is implied1 though  not expressed1 as  
in that positive denouncing of the      
destruction of  ,ninevah3 8,yet forty   
days1 and ,ninevah shall be destroyed0  
7,jonah iii4  #d71 the condition is     
implied2 unless they humble themselves1 
and repent2  for upon their repentance1 
the sentence was deferred4 ,so here1 8in
  the day thou eatest thereof1 thou     
shalt die the death10 or certainly  die1
 unless there be a way found for the    
expiation of thy crime1  and the        
righting my honor4 ,this condition1 in  
regard of the event1  may as well be    
asserted to be implied in this          
threatening1 as that of  repentance was 
in the other2 or rather1 8thou shalt    

die10 thou shalt  die spiritually1 thou 
shalt lose that image of mine in thy    
nature1 that  righteousness which is as 
much the life of thy soul as thy soul is
 the  life of thy body2 that            
righteousness whereby thou art enabled  
to live  to me and thy own happiness4   
,what the soul is to the body1 a        
quickening  soul1 that the image of ,god
 is to the soul1 a quickening image4 ,or
  8thou shalt die the death10 or        
certainly die2 thou shalt be liable to  
death4 b#dhd ,and so it is to be        
understood1 not of an actual death  of  
the body1 but the merit of death1 and   
the necessity of death2 thou  wilt be   
obnoxious to death1 which will be       
avoided1 if thou dost forbear  to eat of
 the forbidden fruit2 thou shalt be a   
guilty person1 and so  under a sentence 
of death1 that ,i may1 when ,i please1  
inflict it on  thee4#ajcj ,death did    
come upon ,adam that day1 because his   
nature  was vitiated2 he was then also  
under an expectation of death1 he was   

obnoxious to it1 though that day it was 
not poured out upon him in the  full    
bitterness and gall of it3 as when the  
apostle saith1 8,the body  is dead      
because of sin0 7,rom4 viii4 #aj71 he   
speaks to the living1 and  yet tells    
them the body was dead because of sin2  
he means no more than  that it was under
 a sentence1 and so a necessity of      
dying1 though not  actually dead2 so    
thou shalt be under the sentence of     
death that day1  as certainly as if that
 day thou shouldst sink into the dust3  
and as by  his patience towards man1 not
 sending forth death upon him in all the
  bitter ingredients of it1 his justice 
afterwards was more eminent upon  man's 
surety1 than it would have been if it   
had been then employed in  all its      
severe operations upon man4 ,so was his 
veracity eminent also in  making good   
this threatening1 in inflicting the     
punishment included in  it upon our     
nature assumed by a mighty ,person1 and 
upon that ,person in  our nature1 who   

was infinitely higher than our nature4  
7#b47 ,his justice and righteousness are
 not prejudiced by his patience4  ,there
 is a hatred of the sin in his holiness1
 and a sentence past  against the sin in
 his justice1 though the execution of   
that sentence  be suspended1 and the    
person reprieved by patience1 which is  
implied  7,eccles4 viii4 #aa73 8,because
 sentence against an evil work is not   
executed speedily2 therefore1 the heart 
of the sons of men is fully  set in them
 to do evil20 sentence is past1 but a   
speedy execution is  stopped4 ,some of  
the heathens1 who would not imagine ,god
 unjust1 and  yet1 seeing the villanies 
and oppressions of men in the world     
remain  unpunished1 and frequently      
beholding prosperous wickedness1 to free
  him from the charge of injustice1     
denied his providence and actual        
government of the world2 for if he did  
take notice of human affairs1  and      
concern himself in what was done upon   
the earth1 they could not  think an     

,infinite ,goodness and ,justice could  
be so slow to punish  oppressors1 and   
relieve the miserable1 and leave the    
world in that  disorder under the       
injustice of men3 they judged such a    
patience as  was exercised by him1 if he
 did govern the world1 was drawn out    
beyond  the line of fit and just4 ,is it
 not a presumption in men to prescribe  
a rule of righteousness and conveniency 
to their ,creator8 ,it might be         
demanded of such1 whether they never    
injured any in their lives2 and  when   
certainly they have one way or another1 
would they not think it  a very         
unworthy1 if not unjust1 thing1 that a  
person so injured by  them should take a
 speedy and severe revenge on them8and  
if every  man should do the like1 would 
there not be a speedy despatch made  of 
mankind8 ,would not the world be a      
shambles1 and men rush forwards  to one 
another's destructions1 for the wrongs  
they have mutually  received8 ,if it be 
accounted a virtue in man1 and no       

unrighteousness1  not presently b#dhe to
 be all on fire against an offence2 by  
what  right should any question the     
inconsistency of ,god's patience with   
his justice8 ,do we praise the lenity of
 parents to children1 and shall  we     
disparage the longsuffering of ,god to  
men8 ,we do not censure the             
righteousness of physicians and         
chirurgeons1 because they cut not off a 
corrupt member this day as well as      
tomorrow8 ,and is it just to asperse    
,god1 because he doth defer his         
vengeance which man assumes to himself a
  right to do8 ,we never account him a  
bad governor that defers the trial1  and
 consequently the condemnation and      
execution of a notorious offender  for  
important reasons1 and beneficial to the
 public1 either to make  the nature of  
his crime more evident1 or to find out  
the rest of his  complices by his       
discovery4 ,a governor1 indeed1 were    
unjust1 if he  commanded that which were
 unrighteous1 and forbade that which    

were  worthy and commendable2 but if he 
delays the execution of a convict       
offender for weighty reasons1 either for
 the benefit of the state  whereof he is
 the ruler1 or for some advantage to the
 offender himself1  to make him have a  
sense of1 and a regret for his offence1 
we account  him not unjust for this4    
,god doth not by his patience dispense  
with  the holiness of his law1 nor cut  
off anything from its due authority4    
,if men do strengthen themselves by his 
longsuffering against his  law1 it is   
their fault1 not any unrighteousness in 
him2 he will take  a time to vindicate  
the righteousness of his own commands1  
if men will  wholly neglect the time of 
his patience1 in forbearing to pay a    
dutiful  observance to his precept4 ,if 
justice be natural to him1 and he cannot
  but punish sin1 yet he is not         
necessitated to consume sinners1 as  the
 fire doth stubble put into it1 which   
hath no command over its own  qualities 
to restrain them from acting2 but ,god  

is a free agent1 and  may choose his own
 time for the distribution of that      
punishment his  nature leads him to4    
,though he be naturally just1 yet it is 
not so  natural to him1 as to deprive   
him of a dominion over his own acts1 and
  a freedom in the exerting them what   
time he judgeth most convenient  in his 
wisdom4 ,god is necessarily holy1 and is
 necessarily angry with  sin2 his nature
 can never like it1 and cannot but be   
displeased with  it2 yet he hath a      
liberty to restrain the effects of this 
anger for  a time1 without disgracing   
his holiness1 or being interpreted to   
act  unrighteously2 as well as a prince 
or state may suspend the execution  of a
 law1 which they will never break1 only 
for a time and for a public  benefit4   
,if ,god should presently execute his   
justice1 this perfection  of patience1  
which is a part of his goodness1 would  
never have an  opportunity of discovery2
 part of his glory1 for which he created
 the  world1 would lie in obscurity from

 the knowledge of his creature2 his     
justice would be signal in the          
destruction of sinners1 but this stream 
of his goodness would be stopped up from
 any motion4 ,one perfection  must not  
cloud another2 ,god hath his seasons to 
discover all1 one after  another3 8,the 
times and seasons are in his own power0 
7,acts i4 #g73 the  seasons of          
manifesting his own perfections as well 
as other things2  succession of them1 in
 their distinct appearance1 makes no    
invasion  upon the rights of any4 ,if   
justice should complain of an injury    
from  patience1 because it is delayed1  
patience hath more reason to complain   
b#dhf of an injury from justice1 that by
 such a plea it would be  wholly        
obscured and inactive3 for this         
perfection hath the shortest  time to   
act its part of any1 it hath no stage   
but this world to move in2  mercy hath a
 heaven1 and justice a hell1 to display 
itself to eternity1  but longsuffering  
hath only a shortlived earth for the    

compass of  its operation4 ,again1      
justice is so far from being wronged by 
patience1  that it rather is made more  
illustrious1 and hath the fuller scope  
to  exercise itself2 it is the more     
righted for being deferred1 and will    
have stronger grounds than before for   
its activity2 the equity of  it will be 
more apparent to every reason1 the      
objections more fully  answered against 
it1 when the way of dealing with sinners
 by patience  hath been slighted4 ,when 
this dam of longsuffering is removed1   
the floods of fiery justice will rush   
down with more force and  violence2     
justice will be fully recompensed for   
the delay1 when1 after  patience is     
abused1 it can spread itself over the   
offender with a more  unquestionable    
authority2 it will have more arguments  
to hit the sinner  in the teeth with1   
and silence him2 there will be a sharper
 edge for  every stroke2 the sinner must
 not only pay for the score of his      
former  sins1 but the score of abused   

patience1 so that justice hath no reason
  to commence a suit against ,god's     
slowness to anger3 what it shall want   
by the fulness of mercy upon the truly  
penitent1 it will gain by the  contempt 
of patience on the impenitent abusers4  
,when men1 by such a  carriage1 are     
ripened for the stroke of justice1      
justice may strike  without any regret  
in itself1 or pullback from mercy2 the  
contempt  of longsuffering will silence 
the pleas of the one1 and spirit the    
severity of the other4 ,to conclude3    
since ,god hath glorified his  justice  
on ,christ1 as a surety for sinners1 his
 patience is so far  from interfering   
with the rights of his justice1 that it 
promotes it2  it is dispensed to this   
end1 that ,god might pardon with honor1 
both  upon the score of purchased mercy 
and contented justice2 that by a        
penitent sinner's return his mercy might
 be acknowledged free1 and the          
satisfaction of his justice by ,christ  
be glorified in believing3 for  he is   

longsuffering from an unwillingness     
8that any should perish1  but that all  
should come to repentance0 7#b ,pet4    
iii4 #i72 i4 e4 all  to whom the promise
 is made1 for to such the apostle       
speaks1 and calls  it 8longsuffering to 
usward20 and repentance being an        
acknowledgment  of the demerit of sin1  
and a breaking off unrighteousness1     
gives a  particular glory to the        
freeness of mercy1 and the equity of    
justice4    ,,ii4 ,the second thing1    
,how this patience or slowness to anger 
is  manifested4    #a4 ,to our first    
parents4 ,his slowness to anger was     
evidenced in not  directing his         
artillery against them1 when they first 
attempted to  rebel4 ,he might have     
struck them dead when they began to bite
 at the  temptation1 and were inclinable
 to a surrender2 for it was a degree  of
 sinning1 and a breach of loyalty as    
well1 though not so much as the         
consummating act4 ,god might have given 
way to the floods of his wrath  at the  

first spring of man's aspiring thoughts1
 when the monstrous  motion of being as 
,god began to be curdled in his heart2  
but he took  no notice of any of their  
embryo sins till they came to a         
ripeness1 and  started out of the womb  
of their minds into the open b#dhg air3 
and  after he had brought his sin to    
perfection1 ,god did not presently send 
that death upon him1 which he had       
merited1 but continued his life to  the 
space of #icj years 7,gen4 v4 #e74 ,the 
sun and stars were not arrested  from   
doing their office for him4 ,creatures  
were continued for his use1  the earth  
did not swallow him up1 nor a           
thunderbolt from heaven raze  out the   
memory of him4 ,though he had deserved  
to be treated with such  a severity for 
his ungrateful demeanor to his ,creator 
and ,benefactor1  and affecting an      
equality with him1 yet ,god continued   
him with a  sufficiency for his content1
 after he turned rebel1 though not with 
such a liberality as when he remained a 

loyal subject2 and though he  foresaw   
that he would not make an end of        
sinning1 but with an end of  living1 he 
used him not in the same manner as he   
had used the devils4  ,he added days and
 years to him1 after he had deserved    
death1 and hath  for this #e1jjj years  
continued the propagation of mankind1   
and derived  from his loins an          
innumerable posterity1 and hath crowned 
multitudes  of them with hoary heads4   
,he might have extinguished human race  
at  the first2 but since he hath        
preserved it till this day1 it must be  
interpreted nothing else but the effect 
of an admirable patience4    #b4 ,his   
slowness to anger is manifest to the    
,gentiles4 ,what they were1  we need no 
other witness than the apostle ,paul1   
who sums up many of  their crimes 7,rom4
 i4 #bicb74 ,he doth preface the        
catalogue with a  comprehensive         
expression1 8,being filled with all     
unrighteousness20  and concludes it with
 a dreadful aggravation1 8,they not only

 do the  same1 but have pleasure in them
 that do them40 ,they were so soaked    
and naturalized in wickedness1 that they
 had no delight1 and found no  sweetness
 in anything else but what was in itself
 abominable2 all of  them were plunged  
in idolatry and superstition2 none of   
them but either  set up their great men1
 or creatures1 beneficial to the world1 
and some  the damned spirits in his     
stead1 and paid an adoration to         
insensible  creatures or devils1 which  
was due to ,god4 ,some were so depraved 
in  their lives and actions1 that it    
seemed to be the interest of the  rest  
of the world1 that they should have been
 extinguished for the  instruction of   
their contemporaries and posterity4 ,the
 best of them  had turned all religion  
into a fable1 coined a world of rites1  
some  unnatural in themselves1 and most 
of them unbecoming a rational  creature 
to offer1 and a ,deity to accept3 yet he
 did not presently arm  himself against 
them with fire and sword1 nor stopped   

the course of  their generations1 nor   
tear out all those relics of natural    
light which  were left in their minds4  
,he did not do what he might have done1 
but he  winked at the 8times of that    
ignorance0 7,acts xvii4 #cj71 their     
ignorant  idolatry2 for that it refers  
to 7ver4 #bi73 8,they thought the       
,godhead  was like to gold or silver1 or
 stone graven by art1 and men's device20
  1 overlooking them4 ,he demeaned      
himself so1 as if he did not  take      
notice of them4 ,he winked as if he did 
not see them1 and would not  deal so    
severely with them3 the eye of his      
justice seemed to wink1 in  not calling 
them to an account for their sin4    #c4
 ,his slowness to anger is manifest to  
the ,israelites4 ,you know  how often   
they are called a 8stiffnecked people20 
they are said to  do evil 8from their   
youth20 i4 e4 from the time wherein they
 were  b#dhh erected a nation and       
commonwealth2 and that 8the city had    
been a  provocation of his anger1 and of

 his fury1 from the day that they built 
it1 even to this day20 i4 e4 the day of 
,jeremiah's prophecy1 8that he  should  
remove it from before his face0 7,jer4  
xxxii4 #ca73 from the days  of ,solomon1
 say some1 which is too much a          
curtailing of the text1 as  though their
 provocations had taken date no higher  
than from the time  of ,solomon's       
rearing the temple1 and beautifying the 
city1 whereby  it seemed to be a new    
building4 ,they began more early2 they  
scarce  discontinued their revolting    
from ,god2 they were a 8grief to him    
forty  years together in the wilderness0
 7,ps4 xcv4 #aj71 8yet he suffered      
their manners0 7,acts xiii4 #ah74 ,he   
bore with their illbehaviour and        
sauciness towards him2 and no sooner was
 ,joshua's head laid1 and the  elders1  
that were their conductors1 gathered to 
their fathers1 but the  next generation 
forsook ,god1 and smutted themselves    
with the idolatry  of the nations       
7,judges ii4 #g1 #aj1 #aa73 and when he 

punished them by  prospering the arms of
 their enemies against them1 they were  
no sooner  delivered upon their cry and 
humiliation1 but they began a new scene 
of  idolatry2 and though he brought upon
 them the power of the ,babylonian      
empire1 and laid chains upon them to    
bring them to their right mind4  ,and at
 seventy years' end he struck off their 
chains1 by altering the  whole posture  
of affairs in that part of the world for
 their sakes3  overturning one empire1  
and settling another for their          
restoration to  their ancient city4 ,and
 though they did not after disown him   
for their  ,god1 and set up 8,baal in   
his throne10 yet they multiplied foolish
  traditions1 whereby they impaired the 
authority of the law2 yet he  sustained 
them with a wonderful patience1 and     
preferred them before  all other people 
in the first offers of the gospel2 and  
after they had  outraged not only his   
servants1 the prophets1 but his ,son1   
the ,redeemer1  yet he did not forsake  

them1 but employed his apostles to      
solicit them1  and publish among them   
the doctrine of salvation3 so that his  
treating  this people might well be     
called 8much longsuffering10 it being   
above  #aejj years1 wherein he bore with
 them1 or mildly punished them1 far     
less than their deserts2 their coming   
out of ,egypt being about the year  of  
the world #bdej1 and their final        
destruction as a commonwealth1 not  till
 about forty years after the death of   
,christ2 and all this while  his        
patience did sometimes wholly restrain  
his justice1 and sometimes  let it fall 
upon them in some few drops1 but made no
 total devastation  of their country1   
nor wrote his revenge in extraordinary  
bloody  characters1 till the ,roman     
conquest1 wherein he put a period to    
them  both as a church and state4 ,in   
particular this patience is manifest1   
#ast4 ,in his giving warnings of        
judgments1 before he orders them to  go 
forth4 ,he doth not punish in a passion1

 and hastily2 he speaks  before he      
strikes1 and speaks that he may not     
strike4 ,wrath is  published before it  
is executed1 and that a long time2 an   
hundred and  twenty years' advertisement
 was given to a debauched world before  
the  heavens were opened1 to spout down 
a deluge upon them4 ,he will not  be    
accused of coming unawares upon a       
people2 he inflicts nothing but  what he
 foretold either immediately to the     
people that provoke him1  or anciently  
to them that have been their forerunners
 b#dhi in the  same provocation 7,hos4  
vii4 #ab71 8,i will chastise them1 as   
their  congregation hath heard40 ,many  
of the leaves of the ,old ,testament are
  full of those presages and warnings of
 approaching judgment4 ,these make  up a
 great part of the volume of it in      
various editions1 according to  the     
state of the several provoking times4   
,warnings are given to those  people    
that are most abominable in his sight   
7,zeph4 ii4 #a1 #b72 8,gather           

yourselves together1 yea1 gather        
together1 ,o nation not desired10it  is 
a ,meiosis1 ,o nation abhorred18before  
the decree bring forth40  ,he sends his 
heralds before he sends his armies2 he  
summons them by  the voice of his       
prophets1 before he confounds them by   
the voice of his  thunders4 ,when a     
parley is beaten1 a white flag of peace 
is hung out1  before a black flag of    
fury is set up4 ,he seldom cuts down men
 by his  judgments1 before he hath      
8hewed them by his prophets0 7,hos4 vi4 
#e74  ,not a remarkable judgment but was
 foretold3 the flood to the old world   
by ,noah2 the famine to ,egypt by       
,joseph2 the earthquake by ,amos 7ch4 i4
  #a72 the storm from ,chaldea by       
,jeremiah2 the captivity of the ten     
tribes  by ,hosea2 the total destruction
 of ,jerusalem and the ,temple by       
,christ  himself4 ,he hath chosen the   
best persons in the world to give those 
intimations2 ,noah1 the most righteous  
person on the earth1 for the old  world2

 and his ,son1 the most beloved person  
in heaven1 for the ,jews  in the later  
time3 and in other parts of the world1  
and in the later  times1 where he hath  
not warned by prophets1 he hath supplied
 it by  prodigies in the air and earth2 
histories are full of such items from   
heaven4 ,lesser judgments are           
forewarners of greater1 as lightnings   
before thunder are messengers to tell us
 of a succeeding clap4    7#a47 ,he doth
 often give warning of judgments4 ,he   
comes not to  extremity1 till he hath   
often shaken the rod over men2 he       
thunders  often1 before he crusheth them
 with his thunderbolt2 he doth not till 
after the first and second admonition   
punish a rebel1 as he would have  us    
reject a heretic4 8,he speaks once1 yea1
 twice0 7,job xxxiii4 #ad71  8and man   
perceives it not20 he sends one message 
after another1 and  waits the success of
 many messages before he strikes4 ,eight
 prophets  were ordered to acquaint the 
whole world with approaching judgment   

7#b ,pet4 ii4 #e73 he saved 8,noah1 the 
eighth person1 a preacher of            
righteousness1 bringing in the flood    
upon the world of the ungodly10  called 
8the eighth0 in respect of his          
preaching1 not in regard of his         
preservation2 he was the eighth preacher
 in order1 from the beginning  of the   
world1 that endeavored to restore the   
world to the way of  righteousness4     
,most1 indeed1 consider him here as the 
eighth person  saved1 so do our         
translators2 and1 therefore1 add person1
 which  is not in the ,greek4 ,some     
others consider him here as the eighth  
preacher of righteousness1 reckoning    
,enoch1 the son of ,seth1 the first1    
grounding it upon ,gen4 iv4 #bf3 8,then 
began men to call upon the name of  the 
,lord10 ,heb4 8,then it was began to    
call in the name of the ,lord10      4  
,sept4 8,he began to call in the name of
 the  ,lord10 which others render1 8,he 
began to preach1 or call upon men in    
the name of the ,lord40 ,the word       

signifies to preach1 or to call  upon   
men by preaching 7,prov4 i4 #ba73       
8,wisdom crieth10 or 8preaches20  and if
 this be so1 as it is very probable1 it 
is easy to reckon him  the eighth b#dij 
preacher1 by numbering the successive   
heads of  the generations 7,gen4 v471   
beginning at ,enoch1 the first preacher 
of  righteousness4 ,so many there were  
before ,god choked the old world with   
water1 and swept them away4 ,it is clear
 he often did admonish1 by his          
prophets1 the ,jews of their sin1 and   
the wrath which should come upon        
them4#ajca ,one prophet1 ,hosea1        
prophesied seventy years2 for he        
prophesied in the days of four kings of 
,judah1 and one of ,israel1  ,jeroboam1 
the son of ,joash 7,hos4 i4 #a71 or     
,jeroboam1 the second of that  name4    
,uzziah1 king of ,judah1 in whose reign 
,hosea prophesied1 lived  thirtyeight   
years after the death of ,jeroboam4 ,the
 second ,jotham1  ,uzziah's successor1  
reigned sixteen years2 ,ahaz sixteen2   

,hezekiah  twentynine years4 ,now1 take 
nothing of ,hezekiah's time1 and date   
the beginning of his prophecy from the  
last year of ,jeroboam's reign1  and the
 time of ,hosea's prophecy will be      
seventy years complete2  wherein ,god   
warned those people1 and waited the     
return particularly  of ,israel2#ajcb   
and not less than five of those we call 
the ,lesser  ,prophets1 were sent to    
foretell the destruction of the ten     
tribes1  and to call them to            
repentance1,hosea1 ,joel1 ,amos1 ,micah1
 ,jonah2 and  though we have nothing of 
,jonah's prophecy in this concern of    
,israel1  yet that he lived in the time 
of the same ,jeroboam1 and prophesied   
things which are not upon record in the 
book of ,jonah1 is clear  7#b ,kings    
xiv4 #be74 ,and besides those1 ,isaiah  
prophesied also in the  reign of the    
same kings as ,hosea did 7,isa4 i4 #a72 
and it is ,god's  usual method to send  
forth his servants1 and when their      
admonitions  are slighted he commissions

 others1 before he sends out his        
destroying  armies 7,matt4 xxii4 #c1 #d1
 #g74    7#b47 ,he doth often give      
warning of judgments1 that he might not 
pour  out his wrath4 ,he summons them to
 a surrender of themselves1 and a       
return from their rebellion1 that they  
might not feel the force of his  arms4  
,he offers peace before he shakes off   
the dust of his feet1 that  his despised
 peace might not return in vain to him  
to solicit a revenge  from his anger4   
,he hath a right to punish upon the     
first commission  of a crime1 but he    
warns men of what they have deserved1 of
 what his  justice moves him to inflict1
 that by having recourse to his mercy he
  might not exercise the rights of his  
justice4 ,god sought to kill ,moses  for
 not circumcising his son 7,exod4 iv4   
#bd74 ,could ,god1 that sought it1  miss
 a way to do it8 ,could a creature      
lurch1 or fly from him8 ,god put  on the
 garb of an enemy1 that ,moses might be 
discouraged from being an  instrument of

 his own ruin3 ,god manifested an anger 
against ,moses for  his neglect1 as if  
he would then have destroyed him1 that  
,moses might  prevent it by casting off 
his carelessness1 and doing his duty4   
,he  sought to kill him by some evident 
sign1 that ,moses might escape the      
judgment by his obedience4 ,he threatens
 ,nineveh1 by the prophet1 with         
destruction1 that ,nineveh's repentance 
might make void the prophecy4  ,he      
fights with men by the sword of his     
mouth1 that he might not pierce  them by
 the sword of his wrath4 ,he threatens1 
that men might prevent  the execution of
 his threatening2 he terrifies1 that he 
might not  destroy1 but that men by     
humiliation b#dia may lie prostrate     
before  him1 and move the bowels of his 
mercy to a louder sound than the  voice 
of his anger4 ,he takes time to whet his
 sword1 that men may turn  themselves   
from the edge of it4 ,he roars like a   
lion1 that men1 by  hearing his voice1  
may shelter themselves from being torn  

by his wrath4  ,there is patience in the
 sharpest threatening1 that we may avoid
 the  scourge4 ,who can charge ,god with
 an eagerness to revenge1 that sends  so
 many heralds1 and so often before he   
strikes1 that he might be  prevented    
from striking8 ,his threatenings have   
not so much of a black  flag as of an   
olive branch4 ,he lifts up his hand     
before he strikes1  that men might see  
and avert the stroke 7,isa4 xxvi4 #aa74 
#b;d4 ,his patience is manifest in long 
delaying his threatened judgments1      
though he finds no repentance in the    
rebels4 ,he doth sometimes delay  his   
lighter punishments1 because he doth not
 delight in torturing  his creatures2   
but he doth longer delay his destroying 
punishments1  such as put an end to     
men's happiness1 and remit them to their
 final  and unchangeable state2 because 
he 8doth not delight in the death  of a 
sinner40 ,while he is preparing his     
arrows1 he is waiting for an  occasion  
to lay them aside1 and dull their       

points1 that he may with  honor march   
back again1 and disband his armies4 ,he 
brings lighter  smarts sooner1 that men 
might not think him asleep1 but he      
suspends  the more terrible judgments   
that men might be led to repentance4 ,he
  scatters not his consuming fires at   
the first1 but brings on ruining        
vengeance with a 8slow pace2 sentence   
against an evil work is not  speedily   
executed0 7,eccles4 viii4 #aa74 ,the    
,jews therefore say1 that  ,michael1 the
 minister of justice1 flies with one    
wing1 but ,gabriel1 the  minister of    
mercy1 with two4 ,an hundred and twenty 
years did ,god wait  upon the old world1
 and delay their punishment all the time
 the 8ark  was preparing0 7#a ,pet4 iii4
 #bj72 wherein that wicked generation   
did  not enjoy only a bare patience1 but
 a striving patience 7,gen4 vi4 #c73    
8,my ,spirit shall not always strive    
with man1 yet his days shall be one     
hundred and twenty years10 the days     
wherein ,i will strive with him2  that  

his longsuffering might not lose all its
 fruit1 and remit the  objects of it    
into the hands of consuming justice4 ,it
 was the tenth  generation of the world 
from ,adam1 when the deluge overflowed  
it1 so  long did ,god bear with them3   
and the tenth generation from ,noah     
wherein  ,sodom was consumed4 ,god did  
not come to keep his assizes in ,sodom1 
till  8the cry of their sins was very   
strong10 that it had been a wrong to    
his justice to have restrained it any   
longer4 ,the cry was so loud that  he   
could not be at quiet1 as it were1 on   
his throne of glory for the  disturbing 
noise 7,gen4 xviii4 #bj1 #ba74 ,sin     
transgresseth the law2 the  law being   
violated1 solicits justice2 justice1    
being urged1 pleads  for punishment2 the
 cry of their sins did1 as it were1     
force him from  heaven to come down1 and
 examine what cause there was for that  
clamor4  ,sin cries loud and long before
 he takes his sword in hand4 ,four      
hundred  years he kept off deserved     

destruction from the ,amorites1 and     
deferred  making good his promise to    
,abraham1 of giving ,canaan to his      
posterity1  out of his longsuffering to 
the ,amorites 7,gen4 xv4 #af74 ,in the  
fourth  generation they shall come      
hither again1 8for the iniquity of the  
,amorites b#dib is not yet full40 ,their
 measure was filling then1  but not so  
full as to put a stop to any further    
patience till four  hundred years after4
 ,the usual time in succeeding          
generations1 from  the denouncing of    
judgments to the execution1 is forty    
years2 this some  ground upon ,ezek4 iv4
 #f1 8,thou shalt bear the iniquity of  
the house  of ,judah forty days10 taking
 each day for a year4 ,though ,hosea    
lived  seventy years1 yet from the      
beginning of his prophesying judgments  
against ,israel to the pouring them out 
upon that idolatrous people1  it was    
forty years4 ,hosea1 as was mentioned   
before1 prophesied  against them in the 
days of ,jeroboam the ,second1 in whose 

time ,god did  wonderfully deliver      
,israel 7#b ,kings xiv4 #bf1 #bg74 ,from
 that time1 till  the total destruction 
of the ten tribes1 it was forty years1  
as may  easily be computed from the     
story 7#b ,kings xv4xvi471 by the reign 
of  the succeeding kings4 ,so forty     
years after the most horrid villany that
  ever was committed in the face of the 
sun1 viz41 the crucifying the  ,son of  
,god1 was ,jerusalem destroyed1 and the 
inhabitants captived2 so  long did ,god 
delay a visible punishment for such an  
outrage4 ,sometimes  he prolongs sending
 a threatened judgment upon a mere      
shadow of  humiliation2 so he did that  
denounced against ,ahab4 ,he turned it  
over to his posterity1 and adjourned it 
to another season 7#a ,kings  xxi4 #bi74
 ,he doth not issue out an arrest upon  
one transgression2  you often find him  
not commencing a suit against men till  
8three and  four transgressions40 ,the  
first of ,amos1 all along that chapter  
and  the second chapter1 for 8three and 

four10 i4 e4 8seven20 a certain  number 
for an uncertain4 ,he gives not orders  
to his judgments to march  till men be  
obstinate1 and refuse any commerce with 
him2 he stops  them till 8there be no   
remedy0 7#b ,chron4 xxxvi4 #af74 ,it    
must be a  great wickedness that gives  
vent to them 7,hos4 x4 #ae72 ,heb4      
8,your  wickedness of wickedness40 ,he  
is so 8slow to anger10 and stays the    
punishment his enemies deserve1 that he 
may seem to have forgot his  8kindness  
to his friends0 7,ps4 xliv4 #bd73       
8,wherefore hidest thou  thy face1 and  
forgettest our affliction and           
oppression80 ,he lets his  people groan 
under the yoke of their enemies1 as if  
he were made up of  kindness to his     
enemies1 and anger against his friends4 
,this delaying  of punishment to evil   
men is visible in his suspending the    
terrifying  acts of conscience1 and     
supporting it only in its checking1     
admonishing1  and controlling acts4 ,the
 patience of a governor is seen in the  

patient  mildness of his deputy3        
,david's conscience did not terrify him 
till  nine months after his sin of      
murder4 ,should ,god set open the mouth 
of this power within us1 not only the   
earth1 but our own bodies and  spirits1 
would be a burden to us3 it is long     
before ,god puts scorpions  into the    
hands of men's consciences to scourge   
them3 he holds back  the rod1 waiting   
for the hour of our return1 as if that  
would be a  recompense for our offences 
and his forbearance4    #c;d4 ,his      
patience is manifest in his             
unwillingness to execute his  judgments 
when he can delay no longer4 8,he doth  
not afflict willingly1  nor grieve the  
children of men40 7,lam4 iii4 #cc73     
,heb4 8,he doth not  afflict from his   
heart30 he takes no pleasure in it1 as  
he is ,creator4  ,the height of men's   
provocations1 and the necessity of the  
b#dic  preserving his rights1 and       
vindicating his laws1 obligeth him to   
it1  as he is the ,governor of the      

world2 as a judge may willingly condemn 
a malefactor to death out of affection  
to the laws1 and desire to  preserve the
 order of government1 but unwillingly1  
out of compassion  to the offender      
himself4 ,when he resolved upon the     
destruction of the  old world1 he spake 
it as a ,god grieved with an occasion of
 punishment  7,gen4 vi4 #f1 #g1 compared
 together74 ,when he came to reckon with
 ,adam1  8he walked10 he did not run    
with his sword in his hand upon him1 as 
a  mighty man with an eagerness to      
destroy him 7,gen4 iii4 #h71 and that   
8in  the cool of the day10 a time when  
men1 tired in the day1 are unwilling  to
 engage in a hard employment4 ,his      
exercising judgment is a 8coming  out of
 his place0 7,isa4 xxvi4 #ba2 ,mic4 i4  
#c73 he comes out of his  station to    
exercise judgment2 a throne is more his 
place than a  tribunal4 ,every prophecy1
 loaded with threatenings1 is called the
  8burden of the ,lord20 a burden to him
 to execute it1 as well as to men  to   

suffer it4 ,though three angels came to 
,abraham about the punishment  of       
,sodom1 whereof one ,abraham speaks to  
as to ,god1 yet but two appeared  at the
 destruction of ,sodom1 as if the       
,governor of the world were  unwilling  
to be present at such dreadful work     
7,gen4 xix4 #a73 and when  the man1 that
 had the inkhorn by his side1 that was  
appointed to mark  those that were to be
 preserved in the common destruction1   
returned  to give an account of the     
performing his commission 7,ezek4 ix4   
#aj71 we  read not of the return of     
those that were to kill1 as if ,god     
delighted  only to hear again of his    
works of mercy1 and had no mind to hear 
again  of his severe proceedings4 ,the  
,jews1 to show ,god's unwillingness to  
punish1 imagine that hell was created   
the second day1 because that  day's work
 is not pronounced good by ,god as all  
the other days' works  are#ajcc 7,gen4  
i4 #h74    7#a47 ,when ,god doth punish 
he doth it with some regret4 ,when he   

hurls  down his thunders1 he seems to do
 it with a backward hand1 because with  
an unwilling heart4#ajcd ,he created1   
saith ,chrysostom1 the world in  six    
days1 but was seven days in destroying  
one city1 ,jericho1 which  he had before
 devoted to be razed to the ground4     
,what is the reason1  saith he1 that    
,god is so quick to build up1 but slow  
to pull down8 ,his  goodness excites his
 power to the one1 but is not earnest to
 persuade  him to the other3 when he    
comes to strike1 he doth it with a sigh 
or  groan 7,isa4 i4 #bd73 8,ah6 ,i will 
ease me of my adversaries1 and avenge   
me on my enemies10 1 ,ah6 a note of     
grief4 ,so ,hos4 vi4 #d1 8,o ,ephraim6  
what shall ,i do unto thee8 ,o ,judah6  
what shall ,i do unto thee80 ,it is  an 
addubitatio1 a figure in rhetoric1 as if
 ,god were troubled that he  must deal  
so sharply with them1 and give them up  
to their enemies3,i  have tried all     
means to reclaim you2 ,i have used all  
ways of kindness1  and nothing prevails2

 what shall ,i do8 my mercy invites me  
to spare  them1 and their ingratitude   
provokes me to ruin them4 ,god had borne
  with that people of ,israel almost    
three hundred years1 from the setting   
up of the calves at ,dan and ,bethel2   
sent many a prophet to warn them1  and  
spent many a rod to reform them3 and    
when he comes to execute his            
threatenings1 he doth with a conflict in
 himself 7,hos4 xi4 #h73 8,how  b#did   
shall ,i give thee up1 ,o ,ephraim8 how 
shall ,i deliver thee1  ,israel80 as if 
there were a pullback in his own bowels4
 ,he solemnizeth  their approaching     
funeral with a hearty groan1 and takes  
his farewell  of the dying malefactor   
with a pang in himself4 ,how often1 in  
former  times1 when he had signed a     
warrant for their execution1 did he call
 it  back8 7,ps4 lxxviii4 #ch73 8,many a
 time turned he his anger away40 ,many  
a time he recalled or ordered his anger 
to return again1 as the word  signifies1
 as if he were irresolute what to do3 he

 recalled it1 as a  man doth his        
servant1 several times1 when he is      
sending him upon an  unwelcome message2 
or as a tenderhearted prince wavers and 
trembles  when he is to sign a writ for 
the death of a rebel that hath been     
before his favorite1 as if1 when he had 
signed the writ1 he blotted out  his    
name again1 and flung away the pen4 ,and
 his method is remarkable  when he came 
to punish ,sodom2 though the cry of     
their sin had been  fierce in his ears1 
yet when he comes to make inquisition1  
he declares  his intention to ,abraham1 
as if he were desirous that ,abraham    
should  have helped him to some         
arguments to stop the outgoings of his  
judgment4  ,he gave liberty to the best 
person in the world to stand in the gap1
  and enter into a treaty with him1 to  
show1 saith one1#ajce how  willingly his
 mercy would have compounded with his   
justice for their  redemption2 and      
,abraham interceded so long1 till he was
 ashamed for  pleading the cause of     

patience and mercy to the wrong of the  
rights  of ,divine justice4 ,perhaps1   
had ,abraham had the courage to ask1    
,god  would have had the compassion to  
grant a reprieve just at the time of    
execution4    7#b47 ,his patience is    
manifest in that when he begins to send 
out his  judgments1 he doth it by       
degrees4 ,his judgments are 8as the     
morning  light10 which goes forth by    
degrees in the hemisphere 7,hos4 vi4    
#e74  ,he doth not shoot all his        
thunders at once1 and bring his sharpest
  judgments in array at one time1 but   
gradually1 that a people may have  time 
to turn to him 7,joel i4 #d74 ,first the
 palmerworm1 then the locust1  then the 
cankerworm1 then the caterpillar2 what  
one left1 the other  was to eat1 if     
there were not a timely return4 ,a      
,jewish writer#ajcf  saith1 these       
judgments came not all in one year1 but 
one year after  another4 ,the palmerworm
 and locust might have eaten all1 but   
,divine  patience set bounds to the     

devouring creatures4 ,god had been first
 as  a moth to ,israel 7,hos4 v4 #ab73  
8,therefore will ,i be to the house of  
,ephraim as a moth20 ,rivet translates  
it1 8,i have been20 in the ,hebrew  it  
is 8,i10 without adding 8,i have been10 
or 8,i will be10 and more  probably 8,i 
have been20 ,i was as a moth1 which     
makes little holes in  a garment1 and   
consumes it not all at once2 and as     
8rottenness to the  house of ,judah10 or
 a worm that eats into wood by degrees4 
,indeed1 this  people had consumed      
insensibly1 partly by civil combustions1
 change  of governors1 foreign          
invasions1 yet they were as obstinate in
 their  idolatry as ever2 at last ,god  
would be no longer to them as a moth1   
but  as a lion1 tear and go away 7ver4  
#ad73 so ,hos4 ii41 ,god had disowned   
,israel for his spouse 7ver4 #b71 8,she 
is not my wife1 neither am ,i her       
husband20 yet he had not taken away her 
ornaments1 which by the right  of       
divorce he might have done1 but still   

expected her reformation1 for  b#die    
that the threatening intimates 7ver4    
#c72 let her put away her  whoredom1    
8lest ,i strip her naked1 and set her as
 in the day when she  was born40 ,if she
 returned1 she might recover what she   
had lost2 if not1  she might be stripped
 of what remained3 thus ,god dealt with 
,judah 7,ezek4  ix4 #c74 ,the glory of  
,god goes first from the cherub to the  
threshold  of the house1 and stays      
there1 as if he had a mind to be invited
 back  again2 then it goes from the     
threshold of the house1 and stands over 
the cherubims1 as if upon a penitent    
call it would drop down again to  its   
ancient station and seat1 over which it 
hovered 7,ezek4 x4 #ah72 and  when he   
was not solicited to return1 he departs 
out of the city1 and  stood upon the    
mountain1 which is on the east part of  
the city 7,ezek4  xi4 #bc71 looking     
still towards1 and hovering about the   
temple1 which  was on the east of       
,jerusalem1 as if loth to depart1 and   

abandon the  place and people4 ,he walks
 so leisurely1 with his rod in his hand1
  as if he had a mind rather to fling it
 away than use it2 his patience  in not 
pouring out all his vials1 is more      
remarkable than his wrath  in pouring   
out one or two4 ,thus hath ,god made his
 slowness to anger  visible to us in the
 gradual punishment of us2 first1 the   
pestilence on  this city1 then firing   
our houses1 consumption of trade2 these 
have not  been answered with such a     
carriage as ,god expects1 therefore a   
greater  is reserved4 ,i dare           
prognosticate1 upon reasons you may     
gather from  what hath been spoke       
before1 if ,i be not much mistaken1 the 
forty years  of his usual patience are  
very near expired2 he hath inflicted    
some1  that he might be met with in a   
way of repentance1 and omit with honor  
the inflicting the remainder4    #dth4  
,his patience is manifest1 in moderating
 his judgments1 when he  sends them4    
,doth he empty his quiver of his arrows1

 or exhaust his  magazines of thunder8  
,no2 he could roll one thunderbolt      
successively  upon all mankind2 it is as
 easy with him to create a perpetual    
motion  of lightning and thunder1 as of 
the sun and stars1 and make the world   
as terrible by the one1 as it is        
delightful by the other4 ,he opens not  
all his store1 he sends out a light     
party to skirmish with men1 and  puts   
not in array his whole army2 8,he stirs 
not up all his wrath0 7,ps4  lxxviii4   
#ch72 he doth but pinch1 where he might 
have torn asunder2 when  he takes away  
much1 he leaves enough to support us2 if
 he had stirred  up all his anger1 he   
had taken away all1 and our lives to    
boot4 ,he  rakes up but a few sparks1   
takes but one firebrand to fling upon   
men1  when he might discharge the whole 
furnace upon them2 he sends but a  few  
drops out of the cloud1 which he might  
make to break in the gross1  and fall   
down upon our heads to overwhelm us2 he 
abates much of what he  might do4 ,when 

he might sweep away a whole nation by   
deluges of water1  corruption of the    
air1 or convulsions of the earth1 or by 
other ways  that are not wanting at his 
order2 he picks out only some persons1  
some families1 some cities2 sends a     
plague into one house1 and not into     
another2 here is patience to the stock  
of a nation1 while he inflicts          
punishment upon some of the most        
notorious sinners in it4 ,herod is      
suddenly snatched away1 being willingly 
flattered into the thoughts  of his     
being a god2 ,god singled out the chief 
in the herd for whose  sake he had been 
affronted by the rabble 7,acts xii4 #bb1
 #bc74 b#dif  ,some find him sparing    
them1 while others feel him destroying  
them2 he  arrests some1 when he might   
seize all1 all being his debtors2 and   
often  in great desolations brought upon
 a people for their sin1 he hath left  a
 stump in the earth1 as ,daniel speaks  
7,dan4 iv4 #ae71 for a nation  to grow  
upon it again1 and arise to a stronger  

constitution4 ,he doth  punish 8less    
than our iniquities deserve0 7,ezra ix4 
#ac71 and rewards us  8not according to 
our iniquities0 7,ps4 ciii4 #aj74 ,the  
greatness of any  punishment in this    
life1 answers not the greatness of the  
crime4 ,though  there be an equity in   
whatsoever he doth1 yet there is not an 
equality  to what we deserve2 our       
iniquities would justify a severer      
treating of  us2 his justice goes not   
here to the end of its line1 it is      
stopped in  its progress1 and the blows 
of it weakened by his patience2 he did  
not  curse the earth after ,adam's fall1
 that it should bring forth no fruit1   
but that it should not bring forth fruit
 without the wearisome toil  of man1 and
 subjected him to distempers presently1 
but inflicted not  death immediately2   
while he punished him1 he supported him2
 and while  he expelled him from        
paradise1 he did not order him not to   
cast his eye  towards it1 and conceive  
some hopes of regaining that happy      

place4    #eth4 ,his patience is seen in
 giving great mercies after             
provocations4  ,he is so slow to anger1 
that he heaps many kindnesses upon a    
rebel1  instead of punishment4 ,there is
 a prosperous wickedness1 wherein the   
provoker's strength continues firm2 the 
troubles1 which like clouds  drop upon  
others1 are blown away from them1 and   
they are 8not plagued  like other men10 
that have a more worthy demeanor towards
 ,god 7,ps4  lxxiii4 #ce74 ,he doth not 
only continue their lives1 but sends out
  fresh beams of his goodness upon them1
 and calls them by his blessings1  that 
they may acknowledge their own fault and
 his bounty1 which he is  not obliged to
 by any gratitude he meets with from    
them1 but by the  richness of his own   
patient nature3 for he finds the        
unthankfulness  of men as great as his  
benefits to them4 ,he doth not only     
continue his  outward mercies1 while we 
continue our sins1 but sometimes gives  
fresh  benefits after new provocations1 

that if possible he might excite an     
ingenuity in men4 ,when ,israel at the  
,red ,sea flung dirt in the face  of    
,god1 by quarrelling with his servant   
,moses for bringing them out of  ,egypt1
 and misjudging ,god in his design of   
deliverance1 and were ready  to submit  
themselves to their former oppressors   
7,exod4 xiv4 #aa1 #ab71  which might    
justly have urged ,god to say to them1  
,take your own course2  yet he is not   
only patient under their unjust charge1 
but 8makes bare  his arm in a           
deliverance at the ,red ,sea10 that was 
to be an amazing  monument to the world 
in all ages2 and afterwards1 when they  
repiningly  quarrelled with him in their
 wants in the wilderness1 he did not    
only  not revenge himself upon them1 or 
cast off the conduct of them1 but  bore 
with them by a miraculous longsuffering1
 and supplied them with  miraculous     
provision1manna from heaven1 and water  
from a rock4 ,food  is given to support 
us1 and clothes to cover us1 and ,divine

 patience  makes the creature which we  
turn to another use than what they were 
at first intended for1 serve us contrary
 to their own genius3 for had  they     
reason1 no question but they would      
complain to be subjected to the  service
 of man1 who b#dig hath been so         
ungrateful to their ,creator1  and groan
 at the abuse of ,god's patience1 in the
 abuse they themselves  suffer from the 
hands of man4    #fth4 ,all this is more
 manifest1 if we consider the           
provocations he hath4  ,wherein his     
slowness to anger infinitely transcends 
the patience of any  creature2 nay1 the 
spirits of all the angels and glorified 
saints in  heaven1 would be too narrow  
to bear the sins of the world for one   
day1  nay1 not so much as the sins of   
churches1 which is a little spot in  the
 whole world2 it is because he is the   
,lord1 one of an infinite power  over   
himself1 that not only the whole mass of
 the rebellious world1  but of the sons 
of ,jacob 7either considered as a church

 and nation  springing from the loins of
 ,jacob1 or considered as the regenerate
 part  of the world1 sometimes called   
the seed of ,jacob71 8are not consumed0 
7,mal4 iii4 #f74 ,a ,jonah was angry    
with ,god1 for recalling his anger from 
a sinful people2 had ,god committed the 
government of the world to the          
glorified saints1 who are perfect in    
love and holiness1 the world would  have
 had an end long ago2 they would have   
acted that which they sue for  at the   
hands of ,god1 and is not granted them4 
8,how long1 ,lord1 holy and  true1 dost 
thou not avenge our blood on them that  
dwell on the earth80  7,rev4 vi4 #aj74  
,god hath designs of patience above the 
world1 above the  unsinning angels1 and 
perfectly renewed spirits in glory4 ,the
 greatest  created longsuffering is     
infinitely disproportioned to the       
,divine3  fire from heaven would have   
been showered down before the greatest  
part of a day were spent1 if a created  
patience had the conduct of the  world1 

though that creature were possessed with
 the spirit of patience1  extracted from
 all the creatures which are in heaven1 
or are1 or ever  were upon the earth4   
,methinks ,moses intimates this2 for as 
soon as ,god  had passed by1 proclaiming
 his name gracious and long suffering1  
as  soon as ever ,moses had paid his    
adoration1 he falls to praying that ,god
  would go with the ,israelites2 8,for  
it is a stiffnecked people0 7,exod4     
xxxiv4 #h1 #i74 ,what an argument is    
here for ,god to go along with them6  he
 might rather1 since he had heard him   
but just before say 8he would  by no    
means clear the guilty10 desire ,god to 
stand further off from  them1 for fear  
the fire of his wrath should burst out  
from him1 to burn  them as he did the   
,sodomites4 ,but he considers1 that as  
none but ,god  had such anger to destroy
 them1 so none but ,god had such a      
patience  to bear with them2 it is as   
much as if he should have said1 ,lord6  
if  thou shouldest send the most        

tenderhearted angel in heaven to have   
the guidance of this people1 they would 
be a lost people2 a period will  quickly
 be set to their lives1 no created      
strength can restrain its  power from   
crushing such a stiffnecked people2     
flesh and blood cannot  bear them1 nor  
any created spirit of a greater might4  
7#a47 ,consider the greatness of the    
provocations4 ,no light matter1  but    
actions of a great defiance3 what is the
 practical language of  most in the     
world1 but that of ,pharaoh8 8,who is   
the ,lord1 that ,i should  obey him80   
,how many questions his being1 and more 
his authority8 ,what  blasphemies of    
him1 what reproaches of his ,majesty6   
,men 8drinking up  iniquity like water10
 and with a haste and ardency 8rushing  
into sin1  as the horse into the        
battle40 ,what b#dih is there in the    
reasonable  creature1 that hath the     
quickest capacity1 and the deepest      
obligation  to serve him1 but opposition
 and enmity1 a slight of him in         

everything1  yea1 the services most     
seriously performed1 unsuited to the    
royalty and  purity of so great a       
,being8 such provocations as dare him to
 his face1  that are a burden to so     
righteous a ,judge1 and so great a lover
 of the  authority and majesty of his   
laws2 that were there but a spark of    
anger  in him1 it is a wonder it doth   
not show itself4 ,when he is invaded in 
all his attributes1 it is astonishing   
that this single one of patience  and   
meekness should withstand the assault of
 all the rest of his  perfections2 his  
being1 which is attacked by sin1 speaks 
for vengeance2  his justice cannot be   
imagined to stand silent without        
charging the  sinner4 ,his holiness     
cannot but encourage his justice to urge
 its pleas1  and be an advocate for it4 
,his omniscience proves the truth of all
  the charge1 and his abused mercy hath 
little encouragement to make  opposition
 to the indictment2 nothing but patience
 stands in the gap to  keep off the     

arrest of judgment from the sinner4     
7#b47 ,his patience is manifest1 if you 
consider the multitudes of these        
provocations4 ,every man hath sin enough
 in a day to make him stand  amazed at  
,divine patience1 and to call it1 as    
well as the apostle did1  8all          
longsuffering0 7#a ,tim4 i4 #af74 ,how  
few duties of a perfectly  right stamp  
are performed6 ,what unworthy           
considerations mix themselves1  like    
dross1 with our purest and sincerest    
gold6 ,how more numerous are  the       
respects of the worshippers of him to   
themselves1 than unto him6  ,how many   
services are paid him1 not out of love  
to him1 but because he  should do us no 
hurt1 and some service2 when we do not  
so much design  to please him1 as to    
please ourselves by expectations of a   
reward from  him6 ,what master would    
endure a servant that endeavored to     
please him1  only because he should not 
kill him8 ,is that former charge of ,god
 upon  the old world yet out of date1   

8,that the imagination of the thoughts  
of the heart of man was only evil1 and  
that continually80 7,gen4 vi4 #e47  ,was
 not the new world as chargeable with it
 as the old8 ,certainly it  was 7,gen4  
viii4 #ba72 and is of as much force this
 very minute as it  was then4 ,how many 
are the sins against knowledge1 as well 
as those  of ignorance2 presumptuous    
sins1 as well as those of infirmity6    
,how  numerous those of omission and    
commission6 ,it is above the reach of   
any man's understanding to conceive all 
the blasphemies1 oaths1 thefts1         
adulteries1 murders1 oppressions1       
contempt of religion1 the open          
idolatries of ,turks and heathens1 the  
more spiritual and refined  idolatries  
of others4#ajcg ,add to those1 the      
ingratitude of those that  profess his  
name1 their pride1 earthliness1         
carelessness1 sluggishness  to ,divine  
duties1 and in every one of those a     
multitude of provocations2  the whole   
man being engaged in every sin1 the     

understanding contriving  it1 the will  
embracing it1 the affections complying  
with it1 and all  the members of the    
body instruments in the acting the      
unrighteousness  of it2 every one of    
these faculties bestowed upon men by    
him1 are  armed against him in every    
act3 and in every employment of them    
there  is a distinct provocation1 though
 centred in one sinful end and object4  
,what are the offences all the b#dii men
 of the world receive from  their       
fellowcreatures1 to the injuries ,god   
receives from men1 but  as a small dust 
of earth to the whole mass of earth and 
heaven too8  ,what multitudes of sins is
 one profane wretch guilty of in the    
space  of twenty1 forty1 fifty years8   
,who can compute the vast number of  his
 transgressions1 from the first use of  
reason to the time of the  separation of
 his soul from his body1 from his       
entrance into the  world to his exit8   
,what are those1 to those of a whole    
village of the  like inhabitants8 ,what 

are those1 to those of a great city8    
,who can  number up all the foulmouthed 
oaths1 the beastly excess1 the goatish  
uncleanness1 committed in the space of a
 day1 year1 twenty years in  this city1 
much less in the whole nation1 least of 
all1 in the whole  world8 ,were it no   
more than the common idolatry of former 
ages1 when  the whole world turned their
 backs upon their ,creator1 and passed  
him by to sue to a creature1 a stock or 
stone1 or a degraded spirit8  ,how      
provoking would it be to a prince to see
 a whole city under his  dominion deny  
him a respect1 and pay it to his        
scullion1 or the common  executioner he 
employs6 ,add to this the unjust        
invasion of kings1 the  oppressions     
exercised upon men1 all the private and 
public sins that  have been in the world
 ever since it began4 ,the ,gentiles    
were described  by the apostle 7,rom4 i4
 #bica71 in a black character1 8,they   
were haters  of ,god20 yet how did the  
8riches of his patience0 preserve       

multitudes  of such disingenuous        
persons1 and how 8many millions of such 
haters of  him0 breathe every day in his
 air1 and are maintained by his bounty1 
have their tables spread1 and their cups
 filled to the brim1 and that1  too1 in 
the midst of reiterated belchings of    
their enmity against him8  ,all are     
under sufficient provocations of him to 
the highest indignation4  ,the presiding
 angels over nations could not forbear1 
in love and  honor to their governor1 to
 arm themselves to the destruction of   
their several charges1 if ,divine       
patience did not set them a pattern1    
and their obedience incline them to     
expect his orders1 before they act  what
 their zeal would prompt them to4 ,the  
devils would be glad of a  commission to
 destroy the world1 but that his        
patience puts a stop to  their fury1 as 
well as his own justice4    7#c47       
,consider the long time of this         
patience4 ,he spread out his hands  8all
 the day0 to a rebellious world 7,isa4  

lxv4 #b74 ,all men's day1 all  ,god's   
day1 which is a 8thousand years10 he    
hath borne with the gross of  mankind1  
with all the nations of the world in a  
long succession of ages1  for five      
thousand years and upwards already1 and 
will bear with them  till the time comes
 for the world's dissolution4 ,he hath  
suffered the  monstrous acts of men1 and
 endured the contradictions of a sinful 
world  against himself1 from the first  
sin of ,adam1 to the last committed this
  minute4 ,the line of his patience hath
 run along with the duration of  the    
world to this day2 and there is not any 
one of ,adam's posterity but  hath been 
expensive to him1 and partaken of the   
riches of it4    7#d47 ,all these he    
bears when he hath a sense of them4 ,he 
sees  every day the roll and catalogue  
of sin increasing2 he hath a distinct   
view of every one1 from the sin of ,adam
 to the last filled up in his           
omniscience2 and yet gives no order for 
the arrest of the world4 ,he  b#ejj     

knows men fitted for destruction2 all   
the instants he exerciseth              
longsuffering towards them1 which makes 
the apostle call it not simply          
longsuffering1 without the addition of 1
 8much longsuffering0  7,rom4 ix4 #bc74 
,there is not a grain in the whole mass 
of sin1 that  he hath not a distinct    
knowledge of1 and of the quality of it4 
,he perfectly understands the greatness 
of his own majesty that is  vilified1   
and the nature of the offence that doth 
disparage him4 ,he is  solicited by his 
justice1 directed by his omniscience1   
and armed with  judgments to vindicate  
himself1 but his arm is restrained by   
patience4  ,to conclude3 no indignity is
 hid from him1 no iniquity is beloved by
  him2 the hatred of their sinfulness is
 infinite1 and the knowledge of  the    
malice is exact4 ,the subsisting of the 
world under such weighty  provocations1 
so numerous1 so long time1 and with his 
full sense  of every one of them1 is an 
evidence of such a 8forbearance and     

longsuffering10 that the addition of    
riches which the apostle puts to  it    
7,rom4 ii4 #d71 labors with an          
insufficiency clearly to display it4    
,,iii4 ,why ,god doth exercise so much  
patience4    #a4 ,to show himself       
appeasable4 ,god did not declare by his 
patience  to former ages1 or any age1   
that he was appeased with them1 or that 
they were in his favor2 but that he was 
appeasable1 that he was not an          
implacable enemy1 but that they might   
find him favorable to them1 if  they did
 seek after him4 ,the continuance of the
 world by patience1 and  the bestowing  
many mercies by goodness1 were not a    
natural revelation  of the manner how he
 would be appeased3 that was made known 
only by  the prophets1 and after the    
coming of ,christ by the apostles2 and  
had  indeed been intelligible in some   
sort to the whole world1 had there  been
 a faithfulness in ,adam's posterity1 to
 transmit the tradition of  the first   
promise to succeeding generations4 ,had 

not the knowledge of  that died by their
 carelessness and neglect1 it had been  
easy to tell  the reason of ,god's      
patience to be in order to the          
exhibition of the  8,seed of the woman  
to bruise the serpent's head40 ,they    
could not but  naturally know themselves
 sinners1 and worthy of death2 they     
might1 by  easy reflections upon        
themselves1 collect that they were not  
in that  comely and harmonious posture  
now1 as they were when ,god first       
wrought  them with his own finger1 and  
placed them as his lieutenants in the   
world2 they knew they did grievously    
offend him2 this they were taught  by   
the sprinklings of his judgments among  
them sometimes4 ,and since he  did not  
utterly root up mankind1 his sparing    
patience was a prologue of  some further
 favors1 or pardoning grace to be       
displayed to the world by  some methods 
of ,god yet unknown to them4 ,though the
 earth was something  impaired by the   
curse after the fall1 yet the main      

pillars of it stood2  the state of the  
natural motions of the creature was not 
changed2 the  heavens remained in the   
same posture wherein they were created2 
the  sun1 and moon1 and other heavenly  
bodies1 continued their usefulness  and 
refreshing influences to man4    ,the   
heavens did still 8declare the glory of 
,god1 day unto day0 did  8utter speech2 
their line is gone throughout all the   
earth1 and their  words to the end of   
the world0 7,ps4 xix4 #ad73 which       
declared ,god to be  willing to do good 
to his creatures1 and were as so many   
b#eja legible  letters or rudiments1    
whereby they might read his patience1   
and that  a further design of favor to  
the world lay hid in that patience4     
,paul  applies this to the preaching of 
the gospel 7,rom4 x4 #ah73 8,have they  
not heard the word of ,god8 yes1 verily1
 their sound went into all the  earth1  
and their words unto the end of the     
world40 ,redeeming grace  could not be  
spelled out by them in a clear notion1  

but yet they did  declare that which is 
the foundation of gospel mercy4 ,were   
not ,god  patient1 there were no room   
for a gospel mercy1 so that the heavens 
declare the gospel1 not formally1 but   
fundamentally1 in declaring  the        
longsuffering of ,god1 without which no 
gospel had been framed1  or could have  
been expected4 ,they could not but read 
in those things  favorable inclinations 
towards them3 and though they could not 
be  ignorant that they deserved a mark  
of justice1 yet seeing themselves       
supported by ,god1 and beholding the    
regular motions of the heavens from  day
 to day1 and the revolutions of the     
seasons of the year1 the natural        
conclusions they might draw from thence 
was1 that ,god was placable2  since he  
behaved himself more as a tender friend1
 that had no mind to  be at war with    
them1 than an enraged enemy4 ,the good  
things which he  gave them1 and the     
patience whereby he spared them1 were no
 arguments  of an implacable            

disposition2 and1 therefore1 of a       
disposition willing  to be appeased4    
,this is clearly the design of the      
apostle's arguing  with the ,lystrians1 
when they would have offered sacrifices 
to ,paul  7,acts xiv4 #ag74 ,when ,god  
8suffered all nations to walk in their  
own  ways1 he did not leave himself     
without witness1 giving rain from       
heaven1  and fruitful seasons40 ,what   
were those witnesses of8 not only of the
  being of a ,god1 by their readiness to
 sacrifice to those that were  not gods1
 only supposed to be so in their false  
imaginations2 but  witnesses to the     
tenderness of ,god1 that he had no mind 
to be severe  with his creatures1 but   
would allure them by ways of goodness4  
,had not  ,god's patience tended to this
 end1 to bring the world under another  
dispensation1 the apostle's arguing from
 it had not been suitable to  his       
design1 which seems to be a hindering   
the sacrifices they intended  for them1 
and a drawing them to embrace the       

gospel1 and therefore  preparing the way
 to it1 by speaking of the patience and 
goodness of  ,god to them1 as an        
unquestionable testimony of the         
reconcilableness of  good to them1 by   
some sacrifice which was represented    
under the common  notion of             
sacrifices4#ajch ,these things were not 
witnesses of ,christ1  or syllables     
whereby they could spell out the        
redeeming person2 but  witnesses that   
,god was placable in his own nature4    
,when man abused  those noble faculties 
,god had given him1 and diverted them   
from the  use and service ,god intended 
them for1 ,god might have stripped man  
of  them the first time that he         
misemployed them2 and it would have     
seemed  most agreeable to his wisdom and
 justice1 not to suffer himself to be   
abused1 and the world to go contrary to 
its natural end4 ,but since he  did not 
level the world with its first nothing1 
but healed the world  so favorably1 it  
was evident that his patience pointed   

the world to a  further design of mercy 
and goodness in him4 ,to imagine that   
,god had  no other design in his        
longsuffering b#ejb but that of         
vengeance1 had  been a notion unsuitable
 to the goodness and wisdom of ,god4 ,he
 would  never have pretended himself to 
be a friend1 if he had harbored nothing 
but enmity in his heart against them4   
,it had been far from his goodness  to  
give them a cause to suspect such a     
design in him1 as his patience          
certainly did1 had he not intended it4  
,had he preserved men only  for         
punishment1 it is more like he would    
have treated men as princes  do those   
they reserve for the axe or halter1 give
 them only things  necessary to uphold  
their lives till the day of execution1  
and not have  bestowed upon them so many
 good things to make their lives        
delightful  to them1 nor have furnished 
them with so many excellent means to    
please  their senses1 and recreate their
 minds2 it had been a mocking of them   

to treat them at that rate1 if nothing  
but punishment had been intended        
towards them4 ,if the end of it1 to lead
 men to repentance1 were easily         
intelligible by them1 as the apostle    
intimates 7,rom4 ii4 #d7which is  to be 
linked with the former chapter1 a       
discourse of the ,gentiles3 8,not       
knowing10 saith he1 8that the riches of 
his forbearance and goodness  leads thee
 to repentance0it also gives them some  
ground to hope for  pardon4 ,for what   
other argument can more induce to       
repentance than an  expectation of mercy
 upon a relenting1 and acknowledging the
 crime8  ,without a design of pardoning 
grace1 his patience would have been in  
a great measure exercised in vain3 for  
by mere patience ,god is not  reconciled
 to a sinner1 no more than a prince to a
 rebel1 by bearing  with him4 ,nor can a
 sinner conclude himself in the favor of
 ,god1 no  more than a rebel can        
conclude himself in the favor of his    
prince2 only1  this he may conclude1    

that there is some hopes he may have the
 grant  of a pardon1 since he hath time 
to sue it out4 ,and so much did the     
patience of ,god naturally signify that 
he was of a reconcilable temper1  and   
was willing men should sue out their    
pardon upon repentance2  otherwise1 he  
might have magnified his justice1 and   
condemned men by  the law of works4     
7#b47 ,he therefore exercised so much   
patience to wait for men's  repentance4 
,all the notices and warnings that ,god 
gives men1 of  either public or personal
 calamities1 is a continual invitation  
to  repentance4 ,this was the common    
interpretation the heathens made of     
extraordinary presages and prodigies1   
which showed as well the delays  as the 
approaches of judgments4 ,what other    
notion but this1 that those  warnings of
 judgments witness a slowness to anger1 
and a willingness to  turn his arrows   
another way1 should move them to        
multiply sacrifices1  go weeping to     
their temples1 sound out prayers to     

their gods1 and  show all those other   
testimonies of a repentance which their 
blind  understandings hit upon8 ,if a   
prince should sometimes in a light and  
gentle manner punish a criminal1 and    
then relax it1 and show him much        
kindness1 and afterwards inflict upon   
him another kind of punishment as  light
 as the former1 and less than was due to
 his crime1 what could the  malefactor  
suspect by such a way of proceeding1 but
 that the prince1 by  those             
gentlyrepeated chastisements1 had a mind
 to move him to a regret  for his       
crime8#ajci ,and what other thoughts    
could men naturally have  of ,god's     
conduct1 b#ejc that he should warn them 
of great judgments1  send light         
afflictions1 which are testimonies      
rather of a patience than  of a severe  
wrath1 but that it was intended to move 
them to a relenting1  and a breaking off
 their sins by working righteousness8   
,though ,divine  patience does not1 in  
the event1 induce men to repentance1 yet

 the  natural tendency of such a        
treatment is to mollify men's hearts1 to
  overcome their obstinacy2 and no man  
hath any reason to judge otherwise  of  
such a proceeding4 ,the 8longsuffering  
of ,god is salvation10 saith  ,peter 7#b
 ,pet4 iii4 #ae71 i4 e4 hath a tendency 
to salvation1 in its  being a           
solicitation of men to the means of it2 
for the apostle cites  ,paul for the    
confirmation of it18,even as our beloved
 brother1 ,paul1  hath written unto     
you10 which must refer to ,rom4 ii4 #d3 
8it leads to  repentance10 1 it         
conducts1 which is more than barely to  
invite2 it  doth1 as it were1 take us by
 the hand1 and point us to the way      
wherein  we should go2 and for this end 
it was exercised1 not only towards the  
,jews1 but towards the ,gentiles1 not   
only towards those that are within  the 
pale of the church1 and under the dews  
of the gospel1 but to those  that are in
 darkness1 and in the shadow of death2  
for this discourse  of the apostle was  

but an inference from what he had       
treated of in the  first chapter        
concerning the idolatry and ingratitude 
of the ,gentiles2  since the ,gentiles  
were to be punished for the abuse of it 
as well as  the ,jews1 as he intimates1 
ver4 #i4 ,it is plain that his patience1
 which  is exercised towards the        
idolatrous ,gentiles1 was to allure them
 to  repentance as well as others2 and  
it was a sufficient motive in itself  to
 persuade them to a change of their vile
 and gross acts1 to such as  were       
morally good3 and there was enough in   
,god's dealing with them1 and  in that  
light they had to engage them to a      
better course than what they  usually   
walked in2 and though men do abuse      
,god's longsuffering1 to  encourage     
their impenitence1 and persisting in    
their crimes1 yet that  they cannot     
reasonably imagine that to be the end of
 ,god is evident2  their own gripes of  
conscience would acquaint them that it  
is otherwise4  ,they know that          

conscience is a principle that ,god hath
 given them1 as  well as understanding1 
and will1 and other faculties2 that ,god
 doth not  approve of that which the    
voice of their own consciences1 and of  
the  consciences of all men under       
natural light1 are utterly against3 and 
if  there were really1 in this          
forbearance of ,god1 an approbation of  
men's  crimes1 conscience could not1    
frequently and universally in all men1  
check them for them4 ,what authority    
could conscience have to do it8  ,but   
this it doth in all men3 as the apostle 
7,rom4 i4 #bb71 8,they know  the        
judgment of ,god1 that those that do    
such things10 which he had  mentioned   
before1 8are worthy of death40 ,in this 
thing the consciences  of all men cannot
 err3 they could not1 therefore1        
conclude from hence  ,god's approbation 
of their iniquities1 but his desire that
 their hearts  should be touched with a 
repentance for them4 ,the 8sin of       
,ephraim is  hid0 7,hos4 xiii4 #ab1     

#ac72 i4 e4 ,god doth not presently take
 notice of  it1 to order punishment2 he 
lays it in a secret place from the eye  
of  his justice1 that ,ephraim might not
 be his unwise son1 and 8stay long  in  
the place of the breaking forth of      
children20 i4 e4 that he should         
speedily reclaim himself1 and not       
continue in the way of destruction4     
,god hath no b#ejd need to abuse any2 he
 doth not lie to the sons of  men2 if he
 would have men perish1 he could easily 
destroy them1 and  have done it long    
ago3 he did not leave the woman ,jezebel
 in being1  nor lengthened out her time1
 but as a space to repent 7,rev4 ii4    
#ba71  that she might reflect upon her  
ways1 and devote herself seriously to   
his service1 and her own happiness4 ,his
 patience stands between the  offending 
creature and eternal misery a long time1
 that men might not  foolishly throw    
away their souls1 and be damned for     
their impenitency2  by this he shows    
himself ready to receive men to mercy   

upon their  return4 ,to what purpose    
doth he invite men to repentance1 if he 
intended to deceive them1 and damn them 
after they repent8    #c4 ,he doth      
exercise patience for the propagation of
 mankind4 ,if ,god  punished every sin  
presently1 there would not only be a    
period put  to churches1 but to the     
world2 without patience1 ,adam had sunk 
into  eternal anguish the first moment  
of his provocation1 and the whole  world
 of mankind1 in his loins1 had perished 
with him1 and never seen  the light4 ,if
 this perfection had not interposed     
after the first sin1  ,god had lost his 
end in the creation of the world1 which 
he 8created  not in vain1 but formed it 
to be inhabited0 7,isa4 xlv4 #ah74 ,it  
had been  inconsistent with the wisdom  
of ,god to make a world to be inhabited1
  and destroy it upon sin1 when it had  
but two principal inhabitants  in it2   
the reason of his making this earth had 
been insignificant2 he  had not had any 
upon earth to glorify him1 without      

erecting another  world1 which might    
have proved as sinful and as quickly    
wicked as this2  ,god should have always
 been pulling down and rearing up1      
creating and  annihilating2 one world   
would have come after another1 as wave  
after  wave in the sea4 ,his patience   
stepped in to support the honor of ,god1
  and the continuance of men1 without   
which one had been in part impaired1    
and the other totally lost4    #d4 ,he  
doth exercise patience for the          
continuance of the church4 ,if he  be   
not patient toward sinners1 what stock  
would there be for believers  to spring 
up from8 ,he bears with the provoking   
carriage of men1 evil  men1 because out 
of their loins he intends to extract    
others1 which he  will form for the     
glory of his grace4 ,he hath some unborn
 that belong  to the election of grace1 
which are to be the seed of the worst of
  men2 ,jeroboam1 the chief incendiary  
of the ,israelites to idolatry1  had an 
,abijah1 in whom was found 8some good   

thing towards the ,lord  ,god of        
,israel0 7#a ,kings xiv4 #ac74 ,had     
,ahaz been snapped in the first  act of 
his wickedness1 the ,israelites had     
wanted so good a prince and  so good a  
man as ,hezekiah1 a branch of that      
wicked predecessor4 ,what  gardener cuts
 off the thorns from the rosebrush till 
he hath gathered  the roses8 and men do 
not use to burn all the crabtree1 but   
preserve  a stock to engraft some sweet 
fruit upon4 ,there could not have been a
  saint in the earth1 nor1 consequently1
 in heaven1 had it not been for  this   
perfection3 he did not destroy the      
,israelites in the wilderness1  that he 
might keep up a church among them1 and  
not extinguish the whole  seed that were
 heirs of the promises and covenant made
 with ,abraham4  ,had ,god punished men 
for their sins as soon as they had been 
committed1  b#eje none would have lived 
to have been better1 none could have    
continued in the world to honor him by  
their virtues4 ,manasseh had  never been

 a convert1 and many brutish men had    
never been changed from  beasts to      
angels1 to praise and acknowledge their 
,creator4 ,had ,peter  received his due 
recompense upon the denial of his       
,master1 he had never  been a martyr for
 him2 nor had ,paul been a preacher of  
the gospel2 nor  any else3 and so the   
gospel had not shined in any part of the
 world4  ,no seed would have been       
brought into ,christ2 ,christ is        
beholding  immediately to this attribute
 for all the seed he hath in the world3 
it  is for his name's sake that he doth 
defer his anger2 and for his praise     
that he doth refrain from 8cutting us   
off0 7,isa4 xlviii4 #i73 and in  the    
next chapter follows a prophecy of      
,christ4 ,to overthrow mankind for  sin1
 were to prevent the spreading a church 
in the world3 a woman that  is guilty of
 a capital crime1 and lies under a      
condemning sentence1  is reprieved from 
execution for her being with child2 it  
is for the  child's sake the woman is   

respited1 not for her own3 it is for the
  elect's sake1 in the loins of         
transgressors1 that they are a long time
  spared1 and not for their own 7 ,isa4 
lxv4 #h73 8,as the new wine is found  in
 a cluster1 and one saith1 ,destroy it  
not1 for a blessing is in it1  so will  
,i do for my servants' sakes1 that ,i   
may not destroy them all20  as a        
husbandman spares a vine for some good  
clusters in it4 ,he had  spoke of       
vengeance before1 yet he would reserve  
some from whom he would  bring forth    
those that should be 8inheritors of his 
mountains10 that he  might make up his  
church of ,judea2 ,jerusalem being a    
mountainous place1  and the type of the 
church in all ages4 ,what is the reason 
he doth  not level his thunder at the   
heads of those for whose destruction he 
receives so many petitions from the     
8souls under the altar80 7,rev4 vi4  #i1
 #aj74 ,because ,god had others to write
 a testimony for him in their  own      
blood1 and perhaps out of the loins of  

those for whom vengeance  was so        
earnestly supplicated2 and ,god1 as the 
master of a vessel1  lies patiently at  
anchor1 till the last passenger he      
expects be taken  in4#ajdj    #e4 ,for  
the sake of his church he is patient to 
wicked men4 ,the tares  are patiently   
endured till the harvest1 for fear in   
the plucking up  the one1 there might be
 some prejudice done to the other4 ,upon
 this  account he spares some1 who are  
worse than others whom he crusheth by   
signal judgments3 the ,jews had         
committed sins worse than ,sodom1 for   
the  confirmation of which we have      
,god's oath 7,ezek4 xvi4 #dh72 and more 
by  half than ,samaria1 or the ten      
tribes had done 7ver4 #ea73 yet ,god    
spared  the ,jews1 though he destroyed  
the ,sodomites4 ,what was the reason1   
but a  larger remnant of righteous      
persons1 more clusters of good grapes1  
were  found among them than grew in     
,sodom8 7,isa4 i4 #i74 ,a few more      
righteous  in ,sodom had damped the fire

 and brimstone designed for that place1 
and a 8remnant of such in ,judea0 was a 
bar to that fierceness of  anger1 which 
otherwise would have quickly consumed   
them4 ,had there  been but 8ten         
righteous in ,sodom10 ,divine patience  
had still bound  the arms of ,justice1  
that it should not have prepared its    
brimstone1  notwithstanding the clamor  
of the sins of the multitude4 ,judea was
 ripe  for the sickle1 but ,god would   
put a lock upon the torrent of his b#ejf
  judgments1 that they should not flow  
down upon that wicked place1 to  make   
them a desolation and a curse1 as long  
as tenderhearted ,josiah  lived1 8who   
had humbled himself0 at the threatening1
 and wept before  the ,lord 7#b ,kings  
xxii4 #ai1 #bj74 ,sometimes he bears    
with wicked men1  that they might       
exercise the patience of the saints     
7,rev4 xiv4 #ab73  the whole time of the
 8forbearance of antichrist0 in all his 
intrusions  into the temple of ,god1    
invasions of the rights of ,god1        

usurpations  of the office of ,christ1  
and besmearing himself with the blood of
 the  saints1 was to give them an       
opportunity of patience4 ,god is patient
  towards the wicked1 that by their     
means he might try the righteous4  ,he  
burns not the wisp till he hath scoured 
his vessels2 nor lays by  the hammer1   
till he hath formed some of his matter  
into an excellent  fashion4 ,he useth   
the worst men as rods to correct his    
people1 before  he sweeps the twigs out 
of his house4 ,god sometimes uses the   
thorns of  the world1 as a hedge to     
secure his church1 sometimes as         
instruments to  try and exercise it4    
,howsoever he useth them1 whether for   
security or  trial1 he is patient to    
them for his church's advantage4    #f4 
,when men are not brought to repentance 
by his patience1 he doth  longer        
exercise it1 to manifest the equity of  
his future justice upon  them4 ,as      
wisdom is justified by her obedient     
children1 so is justice  justified by   

the rebels against patience2 the        
contempt of the latter  is the          
justification of the former4 ,the       
8apostles were unto ,god a sweet  savor 
of ,christ in them that perish10 as well
 as in them that were  saved by the     
acceptation of their message 7#b ,cor4  
ii4 #ae74 ,both are  fragrant to ,god2  
his mercy is glorified by the one's     
acceptance of it1  and his justice freed
 from any charge against it by the      
other's refusal4  ,the cause of men's   
ruin cannot be laid upon ,god1 who      
provided means  for their salvation1 and
 solicited their compliance with him4   
,what  reason can they have to charge   
the ,judge with any wrong to them1 who  
reject the tenders he makes1 and who    
hath forborne them with so much         
patience1 when he might have censured   
them by his righteous justice1  upon the
 first crime they committed1 or the     
first refusal of his  gracious offers8  
8,quanto ,dei magis judicium tardum est 
tanto magis  justum40#ajda ,after the   

despising of patience1 there can be no  
suspicion of an irregularity in the acts
 of justice4 ,man hath no reason  to    
fall foul in his charge upon ,god1 if he
 were punished for his own  sin1        
considering the dignity of the injured  
person1 and the meanness  of himself1   
the offender2 but his wrath is more     
justified when it is  poured out upon   
those whom he hath endured with much    
longsuffering4  ,there is no plea       
against the shooting of his arrows into 
those1 for  whom this voice hath been   
loud1 and his arms open for their       
return4 ,as  patience1 while it is      
exercised1 is the silence of his        
justice1 so when  it is abused1 it      
silenceth men's complaints against his  
justice4 ,the  8riches of his           
forbearance0 made way for the           
manifesting the 8treasures  of his      
wrath40 ,if ,god did but a little bear  
with the insolencies of men1  and cut   
them off after two or three sins1 he    
would not have opportunity  to show     

either the power of his patience1 or    
that of his wrath2 but  when he hath a  
right to punish for one sin1 and yet    
bears with them  for many1 b#ejg and    
they will not be reclaimed1 the sinner  
is more  inexcusable1 ,divine justice   
less chargeable1 and his wrath more     
powerful4 7,rom4 ix4 #bb71 8,what if    
,god1 willing to show his wrath1 and  to
 make his power known1 endured with much
 longsuffering the vessels  of wrath    
fitted for destruction80 ,the proper and
 immediate end of his  longsuffering is 
to lead men to repentance2 but after    
they have by  their obstinacy fitted    
themselves for destruction1 he bears    
longer  with them1 to 8magnify his      
wrath0 more upon them2 and if it is not 
the  finis operantis1 it is at least the
 finis operis1 where patience  is       
abused4 ,men are apt to complain of     
,god1 that he deals hardly with  them2  
the ,israelites seem to charge ,god with
 too much severity1 to  cast them off1  
when so many promises were made to the  

fathers for their  perpetuity and       
preservation1 which is intimated1 ,hos4 
ii4 #b4 8,plead  with your mother1      
plead30 by the double repetition of the 
word 8plead20  do not accuse me of being
 false or too rigorous1 but accuse your 
mother1  your church1 your magistracy1  
your ministry1 for their spiritual      
fornications which have provoked me2 for
 their 1 intimating the  greatness of   
their sins by the reduplication of the  
word1 8lest ,i strip  her naked40 ,i    
have borne with her under many          
provocations1 and ,i have  not yet taken
 away all her ornaments1 or said to her1
 according to the  rule of divorce1 ,res
 tuas tibi habeto4 ,god answers their   
impudent  charge3 8,she is not my wife1 
nor am ,i her husband20 he doth not say 
first1 ,i am not her husband1 but she is
 not my wife2 she first withdrew  from  
her duty by breaking the marriage       
covenant1 and then ,i ceased to  be her 
husband4 ,no man shall be condemned1 but
 he shall be convinced  of the due      

desert of his sin1 and the justice of   
,god's proceeding4 ,god  will lay open  
men's guilt1 and repeat the measures of 
his patience to  justify the severity of
 his wrath 7,hos4 vii4 #aj71 8,sins will
 testify to  their face40 ,what is in   
its own nature a preparation for glory1 
men by  their obstinacy make a          
preparation for a more indisputable     
punishment4  ,we see many evidences of  
,god's forbearance here1 in sparing men 
under  those blasphemies which are      
audible1 and those profane carriages    
which  are visible1 which would         
sufficiently justify an act of severity2
  yet when men's secret sins1 both in   
heart and action1 and the vast          
multitude of them1 far surmounting what 
can arrive to our knowledge  here1 shall
 be discovered1 how great a lustre will 
it add to ,god's  bearing with them1 and
 make his justice triumph without any   
reasonable  demur from the sinner       
himself6 ,he is longsuffering here1 that
 his  justice may be more public        

hereafter4    ,use ,,iv4 ,for           
instruction4 ,how is this patience of   
,god abused6 ,the  ,gentiles abused     
those testimonies of it1 which were     
written in showers  and fruitful        
seasons4 ,no nation was ever stripped of
 it1 under the most  provoking          
idolatries1 till after multiplied spurns
 at it3 not a person  among us but hath 
been guilty of the abuse of it4 ,how    
have we contemned  that which demands a 
reverence from us6 ,how have we requited
 ,god's  waitings with rebellions1 while
 he hath continued urging and expecting 
our return6 ,saul relented at ,david's  
forbearing to revenge himself1  when he 
had his prosecuting and industrious     
enemy in his power4 7#a ,sam4  xxiv4    
#ag71 8,thou art more righteous than ,i2
 thou hast rewarded me good1  whereas ,i
 have rewarded b#ejh thee evil30 and    
shall we not relent at  ,god's wonderful
 longsuffering1 and silencing his anger 
so much8 ,he  could puff away our lives1
 but he will not1 and yet we endeavor to

  strip him of his being1 though we     
cannot4    #a4 ,let us consider the     
ways1 how slowness to anger is abused4  
7#a47 ,it is abused by                  
misinterpretations of it1 when men      
slander his  patience to be only a      
carelessness and neglect of his         
providence2 as  ,averroes argued from   
his slowness to anger1 a total neglect  
of the  government of the lower world3  
or when men from his longsuffering      
charge him with impurity1 as if his     
patience were a consent to their        
crimes2 and because he suffered them1   
without calling them to account1  he    
were one of their partisans1 and as     
wicked as themselves 7,ps4 l4 #ba73     
8,because ,i kept silence1 thou         
thoughtest ,i was altogether such a one 
as  thyself40 ,his silence makes them   
conclude him to be an abettor of1 and  a
 consort in their sins2 and think him   
more pleased with their iniquity  than  
their obedience4 ,or when they will     
infer from his forbearance a  want of   

his omniscience2 because he suffers     
their sins1 they imagine  he forgets    
them 7,ps4 x4 #aa73 8,he hath said in   
his heart1 ,god hath  forgotten30       
thinking his patience proceeds not from 
the sweetness of  his nature1 but a     
weakness of his mind4 ,how base is it1  
instead of  admitting him1 to disparage 
him for it2 and because he stands in so 
advantageous a posture towards us1 not  
to own the choicest prerogatives  of his
 ,deity6 ,this is to make a perfection1 
so useful to us1 to shadow  and         
extinguish those others1 which are the  
prime flowers of his crown4    7#b47    
,his patience is abused by continuing in
 a course of sin under  the influences  
of it4 ,how much is it the practical    
language of men1  ,come1 let us commit  
this or that iniquity2 since ,divine    
patience hath  suffered worse than this 
at our hands6 ,nothing is remitted to   
their  sensual pleasures1 and eagerness 
in them4 ,how often did the ,israelites 
repeat their murmurings against him1 as 

if they would put his patience  to the  
utmost proof1 and see how far the line  
of it could extend6 ,they  were no      
sooner satisfied in one thing1 but they 
quarrelled with him  about another1 as  
if he had no other attribute to put in  
motion against  them4 ,they tempted him 
as often as he relieved them1 as though 
the  declaration of his name to ,moses  
7,exod4 xxxiv471 8to be a ,god gracious1
  and longsuffering10 had been intended 
for no other purpose but a  protection  
of them in their rebellions4 ,such a    
sort of men the prophet  speaks of1 that
 were 8settled in their lees10 or dregs 
7,zeph4 i4 #ab73  they were congealed1  
and frozen in their successful          
wickedness4 ,such  an abuse of ,divine  
patience is the very dregs of sin2 ,god 
chargeth it  highly upon the ,jews      
7,isa4 lvii4 #aa73 8,i have held my     
peace1 even of  old1 and thou fearest me
 not20 my silence made thee confident1  
yea1  impudent in thy sin4    7#c47 ,his
 patience is abused by repeating sin1   

after ,god hath1 by  an act of his      
patience1 taken off some affliction from
 men4 ,as metals  melted in the fire    
remain fluid under the operations of the
 flames1  yet when removed from the     
fire1 they quickly return to their      
former  hardness1 and sometimes grow    
harder than they were before2 so men    
who1  in their afflictions1 seem to be  
melted1 like ,ahab confess their sins1  
lie prostrate before ,god1 and seek him 
early2 yet1 if they be b#eji  brought   
from under the power of their           
afflictions1 they return to their  old  
nature1 and are as stiff against ,god1  
and resist the blows of the  ,spirit as 
much as they did before4 ,they think    
they have a new stock of  patience to   
sin upon4 ,pharaoh was somewhat thawed  
under judgments1 and  frozen again under
 forbearance 7,exod4 ix4 #bg1 #cd74     
,many will howl when  ,god strikes them1
 and laugh at him when he forbears them4
 ,thus that  patience which should melt 
us1 doth often harden us1 which is not  

an  effect natural to his patience1 but 
natural to our abusing corruption4      
7#d47 ,his patience is abused1 by taking
 encouragement from it to  mount to     
greater degrees of sin4 ,because ,god is
 slow to anger1 men  are more fierce in 
sin1 and not only continue in their old 
rebellions1  but heap new upon them4 ,if
 he spare them for three transgressions1
  they will commit four1 as is intimated
 in the first and second of  ,amos2     
8,men's hearts are fully set in them to 
do evil1 because sentence  against an   
evil work is not speedily executed0     
7,eccles4 viii4 #aa74  ,their hearts are
 more desperately bent2 before they had 
some waverings1  and pullbacks1 but     
after a fair sunshine of ,divine        
patience1 they  entertain more unbridled
 resolutions1 and pass forward with more
  liberty and licentiousness4 ,they make
 his longsuffering subservient to  turn 
out all those little relentings and     
regrets they had before1 and  banish all
 thoughts of barring out a temptation4  

,no encouragement is  given to men by   
,god's patience1 but they force it by   
their presumption4  ,they invert ,god's 
order1 and bind themselves stronger to  
iniquity by  that which should bind them
 faster to their duty4 ,a happy escape  
at sea  makes men go more confidently   
into the deeps afterward4 ,thus we deal 
with ,god as debtors do with goodnatured
 creditors3 because they do not  dun    
them for what they owe1 they take       
encouragement to run more upon  the     
score1 till the sum amounts above their 
ability of payment4    ,but let it be   
considered1 #ast4 ,that this abuse of   
patience is a high  sin4 ,as every act  
of forbearance obligeth us to duty1 so  
every act of  it abused1 increaseth our 
guilt4 ,the more frequent its           
solicitations  of us have been1 the     
deeper aggravations our sin receives by 
it4 ,every  sin1 after an act of ,divine
 patience1 contracts a blacker guilt4   
,the  sparing us after the last sin we  
committed1 was a superadded act of      

longsuffering1 and a laying out more of 
his riches upon us3 and1  therefore1    
every new act committed is a despite    
against greater riches  expended1 and   
greater cost upon us1 and against his   
preserving us from  the hand of justice 
for the last transgression4 ,it is      
disingenuous  not to have a due         
resentment of so much goodness1 and base
 to injure  him the more1 because he    
doth not right himself4 ,shall he       
receive  the more wrongs from us1 by how
 much the sweeter he is to us8 ,no man's
  conscience but will tell him it is    
vile to prefer the satisfaction of a    
sordid lust1 before the counsel of a    
,god of so gracious a disposition4  ,the
 sweeter the nature1 the fouler is the  
injury that is done unto it4  #b;d4 ,it 
is dangerous to abuse his patience4     
,contempt of kindness is most  irksome  
to an ingenuous spirit2 and he is worthy
 to have the arrows of  ,god's          
indignation lodged in his heart1 who    
despiseth the riches of his             

longsuffering4 ,for1    #a4 ,the time of
 patience will have an end4 ,though his 
,spirit b#eaj  strives with man1 yet it 
shall 8not always strive0 7,gen4 vi4    
#c74 ,though  there be a time wherein   
,jerusalem might 8know the things that  
concerned  her peace10 yet there is     
another period wherein they should be   
8hid  from her eyes0 7,luke xix4 #dc73  
8,o that thou hadst known in this thy   
day60 ,nations have their day1 and      
persons have their day2 and the day  of 
most persons is shorter than the day of 
nations4 ,jerusalem had her  day of     
forty years2 but how many particular    
persons were taken off  before the last 
or middle hours of that day were        
arrived6 8,forty years  was ,god        
grieved0 with the generation of the     
,israelites 7,heb4 iii4 #aa74  ,one     
carcass dropped after another in that   
limited time1 and at the end  not a man 
but fell under the judicial stroke1     
except ,caleb and ,joshua4  ,one hundred
 and twenty years was the term set to   

the mass of the old  world1 but not to  
every man in the old world2 some fell   
while the ark  was preparing1 as well as
 the whole stock when the ark was       
completed4  ,though he be patient with  
most1 yet he is not in the same degree  
with  all2 every sinner hath his time of
 sinning1 beyond which he shall  proceed
 no further1 be his lusts never so      
impetuous1 and his affections  never so 
imperious4 ,the time of his patience is1
 in ,scripture1 set  forth sometimes by 
years2 three years he came to find fruit
 on the  figtree3 sometimes by days2    
some men's sins are sooner ripe1 and    
fall4 ,there is a measure of sin 7,jer4 
ii4 #ac71 which is set forth by  the    
ephah 7,zech4 v4 #h71 which1 when it is 
filled1 is sealed up1 and a  weight of  
lead cast upon the mouth of it4 ,when   
judgments are preparing1  once and twice
 the ,lord is prevailed with by the     
intercession of the  prophet3 the       
prepared grasshoppers are not sent to   
devour1 and the  kindled fire is not    

blown up to consume 7,amos vii4 #ah74   
,but at last  ,god takes the plumbline1 
to suit and measure punishment to their 
sin1 and would not pass by them any     
more2 and when their sin was ripe1      
represented by a 8basket of             
summerfruit10 ,god would withhold his   
hand  no longer1 but brought such a day 
upon them1 wherein 8the songs of the    
,temple should be howlings1 and dead    
bodies be in every place0 7,amos  viii4 
#b1 #c74 ,he lays by any further        
thoughts of patience to speed their     
ruin4 ,god had borne long with the      
,israelites1 and long it was before  he 
gave them up4 ,he would first brake the 
8bow in ,jezreel0 7,hos4 i4 #e72  take  
away the strength of the nation by the  
death of ,zechariah1 the  last of       
,jehu's race1 which introduced civil    
dissentions and ambitious  murders1 for 
the throne1 whereby in weakening one    
part they weakened  the whole2 or1 as   
some think1 alluding to ,tiglah         
,pilezar1 who carried  captive two      

tribes and a half4 ,if this would not   
reclaim them1 then  follows 8,loruhamah1
 ,i will not have mercy10 ,i will sweep 
them out of  the land 7ver4 #f74 ,if    
they did not repent1 they should be     
8,loammi0  7ver4 #i71 8,you are not my  
people10 and 8,i will not be your ,god40
 ,they  should be discovenanted1 and    
stripped of all federal relation4 ,here 
patience forever withdrew from them1 and
 wrathful anger took its place4  ,and1  
for particular persons1 the time of     
life1 whether shorter or  longer1 is the
 only time of longsuffering4 ,it hath no
 other stage  than the present state of 
things to act upon2 there is none else  
to be  expected after but giving account
 of what hath been done in the body1    
not of anything done after the soul is  
fled from the body3 b#eaa the  time of  
patience ends with the first moment of  
the soul's departure  from the body4    
,this time only is the 8day of          
salvation20 i4 e4  the day wherein ,god 
offers it1 and the day wherein ,god     

waits for our  acceptance of it3 it is  
at his pleasure to shorten or lengthen  
our day1  not at ours2 it is not our    
longsuffering1 but his2 he hath the     
command  of it4    #b4 ,god hath wrath  
to punish1 as well as patience to bear4 
,he hath a  fury to revenge the outrages
 done to his meekness3 when his messages
 of  peace1 sent to reclaim men1 are    
slighted1 his sword shall be whetted1   
and his instruments of war prepared     
7,hos4 v4 #c73 8,blow ye the cornet in  
,gibeah1 and the trumpet in ,ramah40 ,as
 he deals gently1 like a father1  so he 
can punish capitally as a judge3 though 
he holds his peace for a  long time1 yet
 at last he will go forth like a mighty 
man1 and stir up  jealousy1 as a man of 
war1 to cut in pieces his enemies4 ,it  
is not said  he hath no anger1 but that 
he is 8slow to anger10 but sharp in it3 
he  hath a sword to cut1 and a bow to   
shoot1 and arrows to pierce 7,ps4 xii4  
#ac73 though he be long drawing the one 
out of its scabbard1 and long  fitting  

the other to his bow1 yet1 when they are
 ready1 he strikes home1  and hits the  
mark3 though he hath a time of patience1
 yet he hath also  a 8day of rebuke0    
7,hos4 v4 #i72 though patience overrules
 justice1 by  suspending it1 yet justice
 will at last overrule patience1 by an  
utter  silencing it4 ,god is ,judge of  
the whole earth to right men1 yet he is 
no less ,judge of the injuries he       
receives to right himself4 ,though ,god 
awhile was pressed with the murmurings  
of the ,israelites1 after their  coming 
out of ,egypt1 and seemed desirous to   
give them all satisfaction  upon their  
unworthy complaints1 yet1 when they came
 to open hostility1  in setting a golden
 calf in his throne1 he commissions the 
8,levites  to kill every man his brother
 and companion in the camp0 7,exod4     
xxxii4  #bg73 and how desirous soever he
 was to content them before1 they never 
murmured afterwards but they severely   
smarted for it4 ,when once he hath      
begun to use his sword1 he sticks it up 

naked1 that it might be ready  for use  
upon every occasion4 ,though he hath    
feet of lead1 yet he hath  hands of     
iron4 ,it was long that he supported the
 peevishness of the  ,jews1 but at last 
he captived them by the arms of the     
,babylonians1 and  laid them waste by   
the power of the ,romans4 ,he planted1  
by the apostles1  churches in the east2 
and when his goodness and longsuffering 
prevailed not with them1 he tore them up
 by the roots4 ,what ,christians  are to
 be found in those once famous parts of 
,asia but what are  overgrown with much 
error and ignorance8    #c4 ,the more   
his patience is abused1 the sharper will
 be the wrath  he inflicts4 ,as his     
wrath restrained makes his patience     
long1 so his  compassions restrained    
will make his wrath severe2 as he doth  
transcend  all creatures in the measures
 of the one1 so he doth transcend all   
creatures in the sharpness of the other4
 ,christ is described with 8feet  of    
brass10 as if they burned in a furnace  

7,rev4 i4 #ae71 slow to move1  but heavy
 to crush1 and hot to burn4 ,his wrath  
loseth nothing by delay2  it grows the  
fresher by sleeping1 and strikes with   
greater strength  when it awakes3 all   
the time men are abusing his patience1  
,god is  whetting his sword1 and the    
longer it is whetting the sharper will  
be  the edge2 the longer he is fetching 
his blow1 the smarter it b#eab  will be4
 ,the heavier the cannons are1 the more 
difficultly are they  drawn to the      
besieged town2 but1 when arrived1 they  
recompense the  slowness of their march 
by the fierceness of their battery4     
8,because ,i  have purged thee10 i4 e4  
used means for thy reformation1 and     
waited  for it1 8and thou wast not      
purged1 thou shalt not be purged from   
thy  filthiness any more1 till ,i have  
caused my fury to rest upon thee3  ,i   
will not go back1 neither will ,i spare2
 according to thy ways1 and  according  
to thy doings1 shall they judge thee0   
7,ezek4 xxiv4 #ac1 #ad74  ,god will     

spare as little then as he spared much  
before2 his wrath shall  be as raging   
upon them as the sea of their wickedness
 was within them4  ,when there is a bank
 to forbid the irruption of the streams1
 the waters  swell2 but when the bank is
 broke1 or the lock taken away1 they    
rush  with the greater violence1 and    
ravage more than they would have done   
had they not met with a stop3 the longer
 a stone is in falling1 the  more it    
bruiseth and grinds to powder4 ,there is
 a greater treasure  of wrath laid up by
 the abuses of patience3 every sin must 
have a  just recompense of reward2 and  
therefore every sin1 in regard of its   
aggravations1 must be more punished than
 a sin in the singleness and  simplicity
 of its own nature4 ,as treasures of    
mercy are kept by ,god for  us1 8he     
keeps mercy for thousands20 so are      
treasures of wrath kept by  him to be   
expended1 and a time of expense there   
must be3 patience will  account to      
justice all the good offices it hath    

done the sinner1 and  demand to be      
righted by justice2 justice will take   
the account from  the hands of patience1
 and exact a recompense for every       
disingenuous  injury offered to it4     
,when justice comes to arrest men for   
their debts1  patience1 mercy1 and      
goodness1 will step in as creditors1 and
 clap  their actions upon them1 which   
will make the condition so much more    
deplorable4    #d4 ,when he puts an end 
to his abused patience1 his wrath will  
make quick and sure work4 ,he that is   
8slow to anger0 will be swift in  the   
execution of it4 ,the departure of ,god 
from ,jerusalem is described  with      
8wings and wheels0 7,ezek4 xi4 #bc74    
,one stroke of his hand is              
irresistible2 he that hath spent so much
 time in waiting needs but  one minute  
to ruin2 though it be long ere he draws 
his sword out of  his scabbard1 yet1    
when once he doth it1 he despatcheth men
 at a blow4  ,ephraim1 or the ten       
tribes1 had a long time of patience and 

prosperity1  but now shall a 8month     
devour him with his portion0 7,hos4 v4  
#g74 ,one  fatal month puts a period to 
the many years' peace and security of a 
sinful nation2 his arrows wound suddenly
 7,ps4 lxiv4 #g72 and while men  are    
about to fill their bellies1 he casts   
the fruits of his wrath upon  them 7,job
 xx4 #bc71 like thunder out of a cloud1 
or a bullet out of a  cannon1 that      
strikes dead before it is heard4 ,god   
deals with sinners  as enemies do with a
 town1 batter it not by planted guns1   
but secretly  undermines and blows up   
the walls1 whereby they involve the     
garrison  in a sudden ruin1 and carry   
the town4 ,god spared the ,amalekites a 
long time after the injury committed    
against the ,israelites1 in their       
passage out of ,egypt to ,canaan2 but   
when he came to reckon with them1  he   
would waste them in a trice1 and make an
 utter consumption of them  7#a ,sam4   
xv4 #b1 #c74 ,he describes himself by a 
8travailing woman0 7,isa4  xxiv4 #ad71  

that b#eac hath borne long in her womb1 
and at last sends  forth her birth with 
strong cries4 ,though he hath held his  
peace1  been still1 and refrained       
himself1 yet1 at last1 he will destroy  
and  devour at once3 the ,ninevites1    
spared in the time of ,jonah for their  
repentance1 are1 in nature1 threatened  
with a certain and total ruin1  when    
,god should come to bring them to an    
account for his length and  patience1 so
 much abused by them4 ,though ,god      
endured the murmuring  ,israelites so   
long in the wilderness1 yet he paid them
 off at last1  and took away the rebels 
in his wrath3 he uttered their sentence 
with  an irreversible oath1 that 8none  
of them should enter into his rest20    
and he did as surely execute it as he   
had solemnly sworn it4    #e4 ,though he
 doth defer his visible wrath1 yet that 
very delay may  be more dreadful than a 
quick punishment4 ,he may forbear       
striking1 and  give the reins to the    
hardness and corruption of men's hearts2

 he may  suffer them to walk in their   
own counsels1 without any more striving 
with them1 whereby they make themselves 
fitter fuel for his vengeance4  ,this   
was the fate of ,israel when they would 
not hearken to his voice2  he 8gave them
 up to their own hearts' lusts1 and they
 walked in their  own counsels0 7,ps4   
lxxxi4 #ab74 ,though his sparing them   
had the outward  aspect of patience1 it 
was a wrathful one1 and attended with   
spiritual  judgments2 thus many abusers 
of patience may still have their line   
lengthened1 and the candle of prosperity
 to shine upon their heads1  that they  
may increase their sins1 and be the     
fitter mark at last for  his arrows2    
they swim down the stream of their own  
sensuality with a  deplorable security1 
till they fall into an unavoidable gulf1
 where1  at last1 it will be a great    
part of their hell to reflect on the    
length  of ,divine patience on earth1   
and their inexcusable abuse of it4      
#b4 ,it informs us of the reason why he 

lets the enemies of his church  oppress 
it1 and defers his promise of the       
deliverance of it4 ,if he did  punish   
them presently1 his holiness and justice
 would be glorified1  but his power over
 himself in his patience would be       
obscured4 ,well  may the church be      
content to have a perfection of ,god    
glorified1 that  is not like to receive 
any honor in another world by any       
exercise of  itself4 ,if it were not for
 this patience1 he were incapable to be 
the  ,governor of a sinful world2 he    
might1 without it1 be the ,governor of  
an innocent world1 but not of a criminal
 one2 he would be the destroyer  of the 
world1 but not the orderer and disposer 
of the extravagancies  and sinfulness of
 the world4 ,the interest of his wisdom1
 in drawing  good out of evil1 would not
 be served1 if he were not clothed with 
this perfection as well as with others4 
,if he did presently destroy  the       
enemies of his church upon the first    
oppression1 his wisdom in  contriving1  

and his power in accomplishing          
deliverance against the  united powers  
of hell and earth1 would not be visible1
 no1 nor that  power in preserving his  
people unconsumed in the furnace of     
affliction4  ,he had not got so great a 
name in the rescue of his ,israel from  
,pharaoh1  had he thundered the tyrant  
into destruction upon his first edicts  
against the innocent4 ,if he were not   
patient to the most violent of men1  he 
might seem to be cruel4 ,but when he    
offers peace to them under their        
rebellions1 waits that they may be      
members of his church1 b#ead rather     
than enemies to it1 he frees himself    
from any such imputation1 even  in the  
judgment of those that shall feel most  
of his wrath2 it is this  renders the   
equity of his justice unquestionable1   
and the deliverance  of his people      
righteous in the judgment of those from 
whose fetters  they are delivered4      
,christ reigns in the midst of his      
enemies1 to  show his power over        

himself1 as well as over the heads of   
his enemies1  to show his power over his
 rebels4 ,and though he retards his     
promise1  and suffers a great interval  
of time between the publication and     
performance1 sometimes years1 sometimes 
ages to pass away1 and little           
appearance of any preparation1 to show  
himself a ,god of truth2 it is  not that
 he hath forgotten his word1 or repents 
that ever he passed  it1 or sleeps in a 
supine neglect of it3 but that men might
 not perish1  but bethink themselves1   
and come as friends into his bosom1     
rather than  be crushed as enemies under
 his feet 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #i73 8,the     
,lord is not  slack concerning his      
promise1 but is longsuffering to usward1
 not  willing that any should perish1   
but that all should come to repentance40
  ,hereby he shows1 that he would be    
rather pleased with the conversion1     
than the destruction1 of men4    #c4 ,we
 see the reason why sin is suffered to  
remain in the regenerate2  to show his  

patience towards his own2 for since this
 attribute hath  no other place of      
appearance but in this world1 ,god takes
 opportunity  to manifest it2 because1  
at the close of the world1 it will      
remain  closed up in the ,deity1 without
 any further operation4 ,as ,god suffers
 a  multitude of sins in the world1 to  
evidence his patience to the wicked1  so
 he suffers great remainders of sin in  
his people1 to show his  patience to the
 godly4 ,his sparing mercy is admirable1
 before their  conversion1 but more     
admirable in bearing with them after so 
high an  obligation as the conferring   
upon them special converting grace4     
,use #b4 ,of comfort4 ,it is a vast     
comfort to any when ,god is  pacified   
towards them2 but it is some comfort to 
all1 that ,god is yet  patient towards  
them1 though but very little to a       
refractory sinner4  ,his continued      
patience to all1 speaks a possibility of
 the care of all1  would they not stand 
against the way of their recovery4 ,it  

is a terror  that ,god hath anger1 but  
it is a mitigation of that terror that  
,god  is slow to it2 while his sword is 
in his sheath there is some hopes to    
prevent the drawing of it3 alas6 if he  
were all fire and sword upon sin1  what 
would become of us8 ,we should find     
nothing else but overflowing  deluges1  
or sweeping pestilences1 or perpetual   
flashes of ,sodom's fire  and brimstone 
from heaven4 ,he dooms us not presently 
to execution1 but  gives us a long      
breathing time after the crime1 that by 
retiring from  our iniquities1 and      
having recourse to his mercy1 he may be 
withheld  forever from signing a warrant
 against us1 and change his legal       
sentence into an evangelical pardon4 ,it
 is a special comfort to his  people1   
that he is a 8sanctuary to them0 7,ezek4
 xi4 #af72 a place of  refuge1 a place  
of spiritual communications2 but it is  
some refreshment  to all in this life1  
that he is a defence to them3 for so is 
his  patience called 7,numb4 xiv4 #i73  

8,their defence is departed from them20 
speaking to the ,israelites1 that they  
should not be afraid of the             
,canaanites1 for b#eae their defence is 
departed from them4 ,god is no  longer  
patient to them1 since their sins be    
full and ripe4 ,patience1  as long as it
 lasts1 is a temporary defence to those 
that are under the  wing of it2 but to  
the believer it is a singular comfort2  
and ,god is  called the 8,god of        
patience and consolation0 in one breath 
7,rom4 xv4 #e73  8,the ,god of patience 
and consolation grant you to be         
likeminded20 all  interpreters          
understand it effectively4 ,the ,god    
that inspires you with  patience1 and   
cheers you with comfort1 grant this to  
you4 ,why may it  not be understood     
formally1 of the patience belonging to  
the nature of  ,god8 and though it be   
expressed in the way of petition1 yet it
 might  also be proposed as a pattern   
for imitation1 and so suits very well   
to the exhortation laid down 7ver4 #a71 

which was to 8bear with the  infirmities
 of the weak10 which he presseth them to
 7ver4 #c7 by the  example of ,christ2  
and 7ver4 #e7 by the patience of ,god to
 them1 and so  they are very well linked
 together4 8,god of patience and        
consolation0  may well be joined1 since 
patience is the first step of comfort to
 the  poor creature4 ,if it did not     
administer some comfortable hopes to    
,adam1  in the interval between his fall
 and ,god's coming to examine him1 ,i am
  sure it was the first discovery of any
 comfort to the creature1 after  the    
sweeping the destroying deluge out of   
the world 7,gen4 ix4 #ba72  after the   
8savor of ,noah's sacrifice10           
representing the great ,sacrifice  which
 was to be in the world1 had ascended up
 to ,god1 the return from  him is a     
publication of his forbearing to punish 
any more in such a  manner3 and though  
he found man no better than he was      
before1 and the  imaginations of men's  
hearts as evil as before the deluge1    

that he  would not again smite every    
living thing1 as he had done4 ,this was 
the  first expression of comfort to     
,noah1 after his exit from the ark2 and 
declares nothing else but the           
continuance of patience to the new world
  above what he had shown to the old4   
#a4 ,it is a comfort1 in that it is an  
argument of his grace to his  people4   
,if he hath so rich a patience to       
exercise towards his enemies1  he hath a
 greater treasure to bestow upon his    
friends4 ,patience is the  first        
attribute which steps in for our        
salvation1 and therefore called         
8salvation0 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #ae74        
,something else is therefore built upon 
it1 and intended by it1 to those that   
believe4 ,those two letters of  his     
name1 8a ,god keeping mercy for         
thousands1 and forgiving iniquity1      
transgressions and sin10 follow the     
other letter of his longsuffering  in   
the proclamation 7,exod4 xxxiv4 #f1 #g74
 ,he is 8slow to anger10 that  he may be

 merciful1 that men may seek1 and       
receive their pardon4 ,if  he be        
longsuffering1 in order to be a         
pardoning ,god1 he will not be  wanting 
in pardoning those who answer the design
 of his forbearance  of them4 ,you would
 not have had sparing mercy to improve1 
if ,god  would have denied you saving   
mercy upon the improvement of his       
sparing  goodness4 ,if he hath so much  
respect to his enemies that provoke him1
  as to endure them with much           
longsuffering1 he will surely be very   
kind to those that obey him1 and conform
 to his will4 ,if he hath much          
longsuffering to those that are 8fitted 
for destruction0 7,rom4 ix4  #bb71 he   
will have a muchness of mercy for those 
that are prepared for  glory by faith   
and repentance4 b#eaf ,it is but a      
natural conclusion a  gracious soul may 
make1,if ,god had not a mind to be      
appeased towards  me1 he would not have 
had a mind to forbear me2 but since he  
hath  forborne me1 and given me a heart 

to see1 and answer the true end of  that
 forbearance1 ,i need not question1 but 
that sparing mercy will end  in saving1 
since it finds that repentance springing
 up in me1 which  that patience         
conducted me to4    #b4 ,his patience is
 a ground to trust in his promise4 ,if  
his slowness to  anger be so great when 
his precept is slighted1 his readiness  
to give  what he hath promised will be  
as great when his promise is believed4  
,if  the provocations of them meet with 
such an unwillingness to punish them1   
faith in him will meet with the choicest
 embraces from him4 ,he was more  ready 
to make the promise of redemption after 
man's apostasy1 than to  execute the    
threatening of the law4 ,he doth still  
witness a greater  willingness to give  
forth the fruits of the promise1 than to
 pour out  the vials of his curses4 ,his
 slowness to anger is an evidence still1
  that he hath the same disposition1    
which is no slight cordial to faith  in 
his word4    #c4 ,it is a comfort in    

infirmities4 ,if he were not patient1 he
 could not  bear with so many           
peevishnesses and weaknesses in the     
hearts of his own4  ,if he be patient to
 the grosser sins of his enemies1 he    
will be no less  to the lighter         
infirmities of his people4 ,when the    
soul is a bruised  reed1 that can emit  
no sound at all1 or one very harsh and  
ungrateful1  he doth not break it in    
pieces1 and fling it away in disdain1   
but waits  to see whether it will fully 
answer his pains1 and be brought to a   
better frame and sweeter note4 ,he      
brings them not to account for every    
slip1 but1 8as a father1 spares his son 
that serves him0 7,mal4 iii4 #ag74  ,it 
is a comfort to us in our distracted    
services2 for were it not for  this     
slowness to anger1 he would stifle us in
 the midst of our prayers1  wherein     
there are as many foolish thoughts to   
disgust him1 as there are  petitions to 
implore him4 ,the patientest angels     
would hardly be able to  bear with the  

follies of good men in acts of worship4 
,use #c4 ,for exhortation4    #a4       
,meditate often on the patience of ,god4
 ,the devil labors for  nothing more    
than to deface in us the consideration  
and memory of this  perfection4 ,he is  
an envious creature2 and since it hath  
reached out  itself to us and not to    
him1 he envies ,god the glory of it1 and
 man the  advantage of it3 but ,god     
loves to have the volumes of it studied1
 and  daily turned over by us4 ,we      
cannot without an inexcusable wilfulness
  miss the thoughts of it1 since it is  
visible in every bit of bread1 and      
breath of air in ourselves1 and all     
about us4    7#a47 ,the frequent        
consideration of his patience would     
render ,god  highly amiable to us4 ,it  
is a more endearing argument than his   
mere  goodness2 his goodness to us as   
creatures1 endowing us with such        
excellent faculties1 furnishing us with 
such a commodious world1 and  bestowing 
upon us so many attendants for our      

pleasure and service1  and giving us a  
lordship over his other works1 deserves 
our affection3  but his patience to us  
as sinners1 after we have merited the   
greatest  wrath1 shows him to be of a   
sweeter disposition than creating       
goodness  to unoffending creatures2 and1
 consequently1 speaks a greater b#eag   
love in him1 and bespeaks a greater     
affection from us4 ,his creating        
goodness discovered the majesty of his  
,being1 and the greatness of  his mind1 
but this the sweetness and tenderness of
 his nature4 ,in this  patience he      
exceeds the mildness of all creatures to
 us2 and therefore  should be enthroned 
in our affections above all other       
creatures4 ,the  consideration of this  
would make us affect him for his nature 
as well  as for his benefits4    7#b47  
,the consideration of his patience would
 make us frequent and  serious in the   
exercise of repentance4 ,in its nature  
it leads to it1  and the consideration  
of it would engage us to it1 and melt us

 in the  exercise of it4 ,could we      
deeply think of it without being touched
 with  a sense of the kindness of our   
forbearing ,creditor and ,governor8     
,could  we gaze upon it1 nay1 could we  
glance upon it1 without relenting at    
our offending one of so mild a nature1  
without being sensibly affected1  that  
he hath preserved us so long from being 
loaded with those chains  of darkness1  
under which the devils groan8 ,this     
forbearance hath  good reason to make   
sin and sinners ashamed4 ,that you are  
in being1  is not for want of advantages
 enough in his hand against you2 many a 
forfeiture you have made1 and many an   
engagement you have broke2 he  hath     
scarce met with any other dealing from  
us1 than what had treachery  in it4     
,whatsoever our sincerity is1 we have no
 reason to boast of it1  when we        
consider what mixtures there are in it1 
and what swarms of base  motions taint  
it4 ,hath he not lain pressed and       
groaning under our sins1  as a 8cart is 

pressed with sheaves0 7,amos ii4 #ac71  
when one shake of  himself1 as ,sampson1
 might have rid him of the burden1 and  
dismissed us  in his fury into hell8 ,if
 we should often ask our consciences why
 have  we done thus and thus against so 
mild a ,god1 would not the reflection   
on it put us to the blush8 ,if men would
 consider1 that such a time they        
provoked ,god to his face1 and yet not  
have felt his sword2 such a time  they  
blasphemed him1 and made a reproach of  
his name1 and his thunder  did not stop 
their motion2 such a time they fell into
 an abominable  brutishness1 yet he kept
 the punishment of devils1 the unclean  
spirits1  from reaching them2 such a    
time he bore an open affront from them1 
when  they scoffed at his word1 and he  
did not send a destruction1 and laugh   
at it3 would not such a meditation work 
some strange kind of relentings  in men8
 ,what if we should consider1 that we   
cannot do a sinful act  without the     
support of his concurring ,providence8  

,we cannot see1 hear1  move1 without his
 concourse4 ,all creatures we use for   
our necessity or  pleasure1 are         
supported by him in the very act of     
assisting to pleasure  us2 and when we  
abuse those creatures against him1 which
 he supports  for our use1 how great is 
his patience to bear with us1 that he   
doth  not annihilate those creatures1 or
 at least embitter their use6 ,what     
issue could reasonably be expected from 
this consideration1 but1 8,o  wretched  
man that ,i am1 to serve myself of      
,god's power to affront him1  and of his
 longsuffering to abuse him80 ,o        
infinite patience to employ  that power 
to preserve me1 that might have been    
used to punish me6 ,he  is my ,creator1 
,i could not have a being without him1  
and yet ,i offend  him6 ,he is my       
,preserver1 ,i cannot maintain my being 
without him1 and  yet ,i affront him6   
,is this a b#eah worthy requital of ,god
 7,deut4  xxxii4 #f71 8,do you thus     
requite the ,lord80 would be the        

heartbreaking  reflection4 ,how would it
 give men a fuller prospect of the      
depravation  of their nature than       
anything else2 that their corruption    
should be so  deep and strong1 that so  
much patience could not overcome it6 ,it
 would  certainly make a man ashamed of 
his nature as well as his actions4      
7#c47 ,the consideration of his patience
 would make us resent more the  injuries
 done by others to ,god4 ,a patient     
sufferer1 though a deserving  sufferer1 
attracts the pity of men1 that have a   
value for any virtue1  though clouded   
with a heap of vice4 ,how much more     
should we have a  concern of ,god1 who  
suffers so many abuses from others6 and 
be grieved1  that so admirable a        
patience should be slighted by men1 who 
solely live  by and under the daily     
influence of it6 ,the impression of this
 would  make us take ,god's part1 as it 
is usual with men to take the part of   
good dispositions that lie under        
oppression4    7#d47 ,it would make us  

patient under ,god's hand4 ,his slowness
 to anger  and his forbearance is       
visible1 in the very strokes we feel in 
this  life4 ,we have no reason to murmur
 against him1 who gives us so little    
cause1 and in the greatest afflictions  
gives us more occasion of  thankfulness 
than of repining4 ,did not slowness to  
the extremest anger  moderate every     
affliction1 it had been a scorpion      
instead of a rod4 ,we  have reason to   
bless ,him1 who1 from his longsuffering1
 sends temporal  sufferings1 where      
eternal are justly due4 7,ezra ix4 #ac71
 8,thou hast  punished us less than our 
iniquities do deserve40 ,his indulgences
  towards us have been more than our    
corrections1 and the length of his      
patience hath exceeded the sharpness of 
his rod4 ,upon the account of  his      
longsuffering1 our mutinies against ,god
 have as little to excuse  them1 as our 
sins against him have to deserve his    
forbearance4 ,the  consideration of this
 would show us more reason to repine at 

our own  repinings1 than at any of his  
smarter dealings2 and the consideration 
of this would make us submissive under  
the judgments we expect4 ,his           
undeserved patience hath been more than 
our merited judgments can  possibly be  
thought to be4 ,if we fear the removal  
of the gospel for a  season1 as we have 
reason to do1 we should rather bless    
him1 that by  his waiting patience1 he  
hath continued it so long1 than murmur1 
that  he threatens to take it away so   
late4 ,he hath borne with us many a     
year1  since the light of it was        
rekindled1 when our ancestors had but   
six  years' of patience between the rise
 of ,edward the ,sixth1 and the ascent  
of ,queen ,mary1 to the crown4    #b4   
,exhortation is to admire and stand     
astonished at his patience1 8and  bless 
him for it40 ,if you should have defiled
 your neighbor's bed1 or  sullied his   
reputation1 or rifled his goods1 would  
he have withheld  his vengeance1 unless 
he had been too weak to execute it8 ,we 

have done  worse to ,god than we can do 
to man1 and yet he draws not that sword 
of  wrath out of the scabbard of his    
patience1 to sheath it in our hearts4   
,it is not so much a wonder that any    
judgments are sent1 as that there  are  
no more1 and sharper4 ,that the world   
shall be fired at last1 is  not a thing 
so strange1 as that fire doth not come  
down every day upon  some part of it4   
,had the disciples1 that saw such       
excellent patterns of  mildness from    
their b#eai ,master1 and were so often  
urged to learn of  him that was lowly   
and meek1 the government of the world1  
it had been  long since turned into     
ashes1 since they were too forward to   
desire  him to open his magazine of     
judgments1 and kindle a fire to consume 
a ,samaritan village1 for a slight      
affront in comparison of what he        
received from others1 and afterwards    
from themselves in their forsaking  of  
him 7,luke ix4 #ebed74 ,we should admire
 and praise that here which  shall be   

praised in heaven2 though patience shall
 cease as to its  exercise after the    
consummation of the world1 it shall not 
cease from  receiving the               
acknowledgments of what it did1 when it 
traversed the  stage of this earth4 ,if 
the name of ,god be glorified1 and      
acknowledged  in heaven1 no question but
 this will also2 since longsuffering is 
one  of his ,divine titles1 a letter in 
his name1 as well as 8merciful1 and     
gracious1 abundant in goodness and      
truth40 ,and there is good reason to    
think that the patience exercised       
towards some1 before converting grace   
was ordered to seize upon them1 will    
bear a great part in the anthems  of    
heaven4 ,the greater his longsuffering  
hath been to men1 that lay  covered with
 their own dung1 a long time before they
 were freed by  grace from their filth2 
the more admiringly and loudly they will
 cry up  his mercy to them1 after they  
have passed the gulf1 and see a deserved
  hell at a distance from them1 and many

 in that place of torment who  never had
 the tastes of so much forbearance4 ,if 
mercy will be praised  there1 that which
 began the alphabet of it1 cannot be    
forgot4 ,if ,paul  speak so highly of it
 in a damping world1 and under the      
pullbacks  of a 8body of death10 as he  
doth #a ,tim4 i4 #af1 #ag3 8,for this   
cause ,i  obtained mercy2 that ,christ  
might show forth all longsuffering4 ,now
  unto the ,king eternal1 immortal1     
invisible1 the only wise ,god1 be       
honor1 and glory1 for ever and ever4    
,amen40 ,no doubt1 but he will have  a  
higher note for it1 when he is          
surrounded with a heavenly flame1 and   
freed from all remains of dulness4      
,shall it be praised above1 and have  we
 no notes for it here below8 ,admire    
,christ1 too1 who sued out your         
reprieve upon the account of his merit4 
,as mercy acts not upon any  but in     
,christ1 so neither had patience borne  
with any but in ,christ4  ,the          
pronouncing the arrest of judgment      

7,gen4 viii4 #ba7 was when 8,god        
smelled a sweet savor from ,noah's      
sacrifice10 not from the beasts         
offered1 but the antitypical sacrifice  
represented4 ,that we may be  raised to 
bless ,god for it1 let us consider1     
7#a47 ,the multitude of our             
provocations4 ,though some have blacker 
guilt than others1 and deeper stains1   
yet let none wipe his mouth1  but rather
 imagine himself to have but little     
reason to bless it4 ,are  not all our   
offences as many as there have been     
minutes in our lives8  ,all the moments 
of our continuance in the world have    
been moments of  his patience and our   
ingratitude4 ,adam was punished for one 
sin1 ,moses  excluded ,canaan for a     
passionate unbelieving word4 ,ananias   
and ,sapphira  lost their lives for one 
sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,one sin  
sullied  the beauty of the world1       
defaced the works of ,god1 and cracked  
heaven  and earth in pieces1 had not    
infinite satisfaction been proposed to  

the provoked ,justice by the ,redeemer2 
and not one sin committed1 but  is of   
the same b#ebj venomous nature4 ,how    
many of those contradictions  against   
himself hath he borne with6 ,had we been
 only unprofitable to  him1 his         
forbearance of us had been miraculous2  
but how much doth it  exceed a miracle1 
and lift itself above the meanness of a 
conjunction  with such an epithet1 since
 we have been provoking6 ,had there been
  no more than our impudent or careless 
rushings into his presence in  worship2 
had they been only sins of omission1 and
 sins of ignorance1  it had been enough 
to have put a stand to any further      
operations of  this perfection towards  
us4 ,but add to those1 sins of          
commission1  sins against knowledge1    
sins against spiritual motions1 sins    
against  repeated resolutions1 and      
pressing admonitions1 the neglects of   
all  the opportunities of repentance2   
put them all together1 and we can  as   
little recount them1 as the sands on the

 seashore4 ,but what1 do  ,i only speak 
of particular men8 ,view the whole      
world1 and if our own  iniquities render
 it an amazing patience1 what a mighty  
supply will be  made to it in all the   
numerous and weighty provocations1 under
 which  he hath continued the world for 
so many revolutions of years and ages6  
,have not all those pressed into his    
presence with a loud cry1 and  demanded 
a sentence from justice8 yet hath not   
the ,judge been overcome  by the        
importunity of our sins8 ,were the      
devils punished for one sin1  a proud   
thought1 and that not committed against 
the blood of ,christ1  as we have done  
numberless times2 yet hath not ,god made
 us partakers in  their punishment1     
though we have exceeded them in the     
quality of their  sin4 ,o admirable     
patience6 that would bear with me under 
so many1 while  he would not bear with  
the sinning angels for one4#ajdb        
7#b47 ,consider how mean things we are1 
who have provoked him4 ,what is  man but

 a vile thing1 that a ,god1 abounding   
with all riches1 should  take care of so
 abject a thing1 much more to bear so   
many affronts  from such a drop of      
matter1 such a nothing creature6 ,that  
he that hath  anger at his command1 as  
well as pity1 should endure such a      
detestable1  deformed creature by sin1  
to fly in his face6 8,what is man1 that 
thou  art mindful of him80 7,ps4 viii47 
1 miserable1 incurable man1 derived     
from a word1 that signifies to be       
incurably sick4 ,man is 8,adam10 earth  
from his earthly original1 and 8,enoch10
 incurable from his corruption4  ,is it 
not worthy to be admired1 that a ,god of
 infinite glory should  wait on such    
,adams1 worms of earth1 and be1 as it   
were1 a servant1 and  attendant to such 
,enochs1 sickly and peevish creatures8  
7#c47 ,consider who it is that is thus  
patient4 ,he it is that1 with  one      
breath1 could turn heaven and earth1 and
 all the inhabitants of  both1 into     
nothing2 that could1 by one thunderbolt1

 have razed up the  foundations of a    
cursed world4 ,he that wants not        
instruments without  to ruin us1 that   
can arm our own consciences against us1 
and can drown  us in our own phlegm2    
and1 by taking out one pin from our     
bodies1  cause the whole frame to fall  
asunder4 ,besides1 it is a ,god that1   
while  he suffers the sinner1 hates the 
sin more than all the holy men upon     
earth1 or angels in heaven1 can do2 so  
that his patience for a minute          
transcends the patience of all          
creatures1 from the creation to the     
dissolution of the world3 because it is 
the patience of a b#eba ,god1           
infinitely more sensible to the cursed  
quality of sin1 and infinitely  more    
detesting it4    7#d47 ,consider how    
long he hath forborne his anger4 ,a     
reprieve for a  week or a month is      
accounted a great favor in civil states2
 the civil  law enacts1 8,that if the   
emperor commanded a man to be condemned1
 the  execution was to be deferred      

thirty days3 because in that time the   
prince's anger might be appeased40#ajdc 
,but how great a favor is it  to be     
reprieved thirty years for many         
offences1 every one of which  deserves  
death more at the hands of ,god than any
 offence can at the  hands of man6 ,paul
 was1 according to the common account1  
but about  thirty years old at his      
conversion2 and how much doth he elevate
  ,divine longsuffering6 ,certainly     
there are many who have more reason1  as
 having larger quantities of patience   
cut out to them1 who have  lived to see 
their own gray hairs in a rebellious    
posture against ,god1  before grace     
brought them to a surrender4 ,we were   
all condemned in  the womb2 our lives   
were forfeited the first moment of our  
breath1 but  patience hath stopped the  
arrest2 the merciful ,creditor deserves 
to  have acknowledgment from us1 who    
hath laid by his bond so many years     
without putting it in suit against us4  
,many of your companions in sin  have   

perhaps been surprised long ago1 and    
haled to an eternal prison2  nothing is 
remaining of them but their dust1 and   
the time is not yet  come for your      
funeral4 ,let it be considered1 that    
that ,god that would  not wait upon the 
fallen angels one instant after their   
sin1 nor give  them a moment's space of 
repentance1 hath prolonged the life of  
many a  sinner in the world to          
innumerable moments1 to #dbj1jjj minutes
 in the  space of a year1 to #h1djj1jjj 
minutes in the space of twenty years4   
,the  damned in hell would think it a   
great kindness to have but a year's1    
month's1 nay1 day's respite1 as a space 
to repent in4    7#e47 ,consider also1  
how many have been taken away under     
shorter  measures of patience3 some have
 been struck into a hell of misery1     
while thou remainest upon an earth of   
forbearance4 ,in a plague1 the          
destroying angel hath hewed down others1
 and passed by us2 the arrows  have flew
 about our heads1 passed over us1 and   

stuck in the heart of  a neighbor4 ,how 
many rich men1 how many of our friends  
and familiars1  have been seized by     
death since the beginning of the year1  
when they  least thought of it1 and     
imagined it far from them6 ,have you not
 known  some of your acquaintance       
snatched away in the height of a crime8 
,was  not the same wrath due to you as  
well as to them6 ,and had it not been   
as dreadful for you to be so surprised  
by ,him as it was for them8 ,why  should
 he take a less sturdy sinner out of thy
 company1 and let thee  remain still    
upon the earth8 ,if ,god had dealt so   
with you1 how had  you been cut off1 not
 only from the enjoyment of this life1  
but the  hopes of a better6 ,and if ,god
 had made such a providence beneficial  
for  reclaiming you1 how much reason    
have you to acknowledge him6 ,he that   
hath had least patience1 hath cause to  
admire2 but those that have  more1 ought
 to exceed others in blessing him for   
it4 ,if ,god had put  an end to your    

natural life before you had made        
provision for eternal1  how deplorable  
would your condition have been6 b#ebb   
,consider also1  whoever have been      
sinners formerly of a deeper note2 might
 not ,god  have struck a man in the     
embraces of his harlots1 and choked him 
in the  moment of his excessive and     
intemperate healths1 or on the sudden   
have  spurted fire and brimstone into a 
blasphemer's mouth8 ,what if ,god had   
snatched you away1 when you had been    
sleeping in some great iniquity1  or    
sent you while burning in lust to the   
fire it merited8 ,might he not  have    
cracked the string that linked your     
souls to your bodies1 in the  last      
sickness you had8 ,and what then had    
become of you8 ,what could  have been   
expected to succeed your impenitent     
state in this world1 but  howlings in   
another8 but he reprieved you upon your 
petitions1 or the  solicitations of your
 friends2 and have you not broke your   
word with  him8 ,have your hearts been  

steadfast2 hath he not yet waited1      
expecting  when you would put your vows 
and resolutions into execution8 ,what   
need  had he to cry out to any so loud  
and so long1 ,o you fools1 8how long    
will you love foolishness80 7,prov4 i4  
#bb71 when he might have ceased  his    
crying to you1 and have by your death   
prevented your many neglects  of him8   
,did he do all this that any of us might
 add new sins to our old2  or rather1   
that we should bless him for his        
forbearance1 comply with  the end of it 
in reforming our lives1 and having      
recourse to his mercy8    #c4           
,exhortion2 therefore presume not upon  
his patience4 ,the exercise of  it is   
not eternal2 you are at present under   
his patience2 yet1 while  you are       
unconverted1 you are also under his     
anger 7,ps4 vii4 #aa71 8,god  is angry  
with the wicked every day40 ,you know   
not how soon his anger  may turn his    
patience aside1 and step before it4 ,it 
may be his sword  is drawn out of his   

scabbard1 his arrows may be settled in  
his bow2 and  perhaps there is but a    
little time before you may feel the edge
 of the  one or the point of the other3 
and then there will be no more time for 
patience in ,god to us1 or petition from
 us to him4 ,if we repent here  he will 
pardon us4 ,if we defer repentance1 and 
die without it1 he will  have no longer 
mercy to pardon1 nor patience to bear4  
,what is there in  our power but the    
present8 the future time we cannot      
command1 the past  time we cannot       
recall2 squander not then the present   
away4 ,the time  will come when 8time   
shall be no more10 and then             
longsuffering shall  be no more4 ,will  
you neglect the time1 wherein patience  
acts1 and  vainly hope for a time beyond
 the resolves of patience8 ,will you    
spend  that in vain1 which goodness hath
 allotted you for other purposes8 ,what 
an estimate will you make of a little   
forbearance to respite death1  when you 
are gasping under the stroke of its     

arrows6 ,how much would you  value some 
few days of those many years you now    
trifle away6 ,can any  think ,god will  
be always at an expense with them in    
vain1 that he will  have such riches    
trampled under their feet1 and so many  
editions of  his patience be made waste 
paper8 ,do you know how few sands are   
yet to  run in your glass8 ,are you sure
 that ,he that waits today1 will wait   
as well tomorrow8 ,how can you tell1 but
 that ,god that is slow to anger  today1
 may be swift to it the next8 ,jerusalem
 had but a day of peace1  and the most  
careless sinner hath no more4 ,when     
their day was done1  they were destroyed
 by famine1 pestilence1 or sword1 or led
 into a  doleful b#ebc captivity4 ,did  
,god make our lives so uncertain1 and   
the duration of his forbearance unknown 
to us1 that we should live  in a lazy   
neglect of his glory1 and our own       
happiness8 ,if you should  have more    
patience in regard of your lives1 do you
 know whether you  shall have the       

effectual offers of grace8 ,as your     
lives depend upon his  will1 so your    
conversion depends solely upon his      
grace4 ,there have been  many examples  
of those miserable wretches1 that have  
been left to a  reprobate sense1 after  
they have a long time abused ,divine    
forbearance4  ,though he waits1 yet he  
8binds up sin40 7,hos4 xiii4 #ab71 8,the
 sin of  ,ephraim is bound up10 as bonds
 are bound up by a creditor till a fit  
opportunity3 when ,god comes to put the 
bond in suit1 it will be too  late to   
wish for that patience we have so       
scornfully despised4 ,consider          
therefore the end of patience4 ,the     
patience of ,god considered in itself1  
without that which it tends to1 affords 
very little comfort2 it is but  a step  
to pardoning mercy1 and it may be       
without it1 and often is4 ,many  have   
been reprieved that were never forgiven2
 hell is full of those  that had        
patience as well as we1 but not one that
 accepted pardoning  grace went within  

the gates of it4 ,patience leaves men1  
when their sins  have ripened them for  
hell2 but pardoning grace never leaves  
men till  it hath conducted them to     
heaven4 ,his patience speaks him        
placable1  but doth not assure us that  
he is actually appeased4 ,men may hope  
that a longsuffering tends to a pardon1 
but cannot be assured of  a pardon1 but 
by something else above mere            
longsuffering4 ,rest not  then upon bare
 patience1 but consider the end of it2  
it is not that  any should sin more     
freely1 but repent more meltingly2 it is
 not to  spirit rebellion1 but give a   
merciful stop to it4 ,why should any be 
so  ambitious of their ruin1 as to      
constrain ,god to ruin them against the 
inclinations of his sweet disposition8  
#d4 ,the fourth exhortation is1 ,let us 
imitate ,god's patience in  our own to  
others4 ,he is unlike ,god that is      
hurried1 with an unruly  impetus1 to    
punish others for wronging him4 ,the    
consideration of ,divine  patience      

should make us square ourselves         
according to that pattern4 ,god  hath   
exercised a longsuffering from the fall 
of ,adam to this minute  on innumerable 
subjects1 and shall we be transported   
with desire of  revenge upon a single   
injury8 ,if ,god were not 8slow to      
wrath10 a sinful  world had been long   
ago torn up from the foundation4 ,and if
 revenge  should be exercised by all men
 against their enemies1 what man should 
have been alive1 since there is not a   
man without an enemy8 ,if every  man    
were like ,saul1 breathing out          
threatenings1 the world would not  only 
be an aceldema1 but a desert4 ,how      
distant are they from the nature  of    
,god1 who are in a flame upon every     
slight provocation from a sense  of some
 feeble and imaginary honor1 that must  
bloody their sword for  a trifle1 and   
write their revenge in wounds and death6
 ,when ,god hath  his glory every day   
bespattered1 yet he keeps his sword in  
his sheath2  what a woe would it be to  

the world1 if he drew it upon every     
affront6  ,this is to be like brutes1   
dogs1 or tigers1 that snarl1 bite1 and  
devour1 upon every slight occasion3 but 
to be patient is to be divine1  and to  
show ourselves acquainted with the      
disposition of ,god4 8,be you  therefore
 perfect1 as your heavenly ,father is   
perfect0 7,matt4 v4 #dh73  b#ebd i4 e4  
,be you perfect and good2 for he had    
been exhorting  them to bless them that 
cursed them1 and to do good to them that
 hated  them1 and that from the example 
,god had set them1 in causing his sun to
  rise upon the evil as well as the     
good4 8,be you therefore perfect40 ,to  
conclude3 as patience is ,god's         
perfection1 so it is the accomplishment 
of the soul3 and as his 8slowness to    
anger0 argues the greatness of his      
power over himself1 so an unwillingness 
to revenge is a sign of a power  over   
ourselves which is more noble than to be
 a monarch over others4          b#ebe  
,,index4                                

,a4      ,acquaintance with ,god4       
,men are unwilling to have any1 i4 #aeh4
      ,see ,communion4      ,actions4   
,a greater proof of principles than     
words1 i4 #ib4      ,all are known by   
,god1 i4 #dbd4      ,activity4          
,required in spiritual worship1 i4 #bbg1
 #bbh      ,adam4      ,the greatness of
 his sin1 ii4 #bfi1 #dbi4      ,see     
,man1 and ,fall of ,man4                
,additions4      ,in matters of religion
 an invasion of ,god's sovereignty1     
ii4 #dcb1 #dcc4      ,see ,worship1 and 
,ceremonies4      ,admiration4          
,ought to be exercised in spiritual     
worship1 i4 #bcc4      ,affections1     
human4      ,in what sense ascribed to  
,god1 i4 #cdjcdc4      ,afflictions1    
sharp4      ,make ,atheists fear there  
is a ,god1 i4 #ha4      ,make us        
impatient 7see ,impatience74      ,we   
should be patient under them 7see       
,patience74      ,many call on ,god only
 under them1 i4 #aea4      ,fill us with
 distraction in the worship of ,god1 i4 

#beh4      ,the presence of ,god a      
comfort in them1 i4 #cii2        and his
 knowledge1 i4 #dhh4      ,the wisdom of
 ,god apparent in them1 i4 #edgeej4     
,the wisdom of ,god a comfort in them1  
i4 #eic2        and his power1 ii4 #ih1 
#ii2        and his sovereignty1 ii4    
#dea4      ,do not impeach his goodness1
 ii4 #bdc1 #bdd4      ,the goodness of  
,god seen in them1 ii4 #cjicaa4         
,his goodness a comfort in them1 ii4    
#cdb4      ,acts of ,god's sovereignty1 
ii4 #cgccgf2        the consideration of
 which would make us entertain them     
as we ought1 ii4 #def4      ,age4       
,many neglect the serving of ,god till  
old1 i4 #aac4      ,air4      ,how      
useful a creature1 i4 #ed4              
,almighty4      ,how often ,god is so   
called in ,scripture1 ii4 #aj4      ,how
 often in ,job1 ii4 #cf4      ,angels4  
,good1 what benefit they have by        
,christ1 i4 #ecf1 ii4 #bfc1 #bfd4       
,not instruments in the creation of man1
 ii4 #da4      ,evil1 not redeemed1 ii4 

#bfc1 #bfd4      ,angels4      ,not     
governors of the world1 ii4 #cbh1 #cbi4 
,subject to ,god1 ii4 #cha1 #chb4       
,apostasy4      ,men apostatize from    
,god when his will crosses theirs1 i4   
#ace4      ,in times of persecution1 i4 
#adi1 #aej4      ,by reason of practical
 atheism1 i4 #afg4      ,apostles1 the  
first preachers of the gospel4          
,mean and worthless men1 ii4 #figa4     
,spirited by ,divine power for spreading
 of it1 ii4 #gbgd4      ,the wisdom of  
,god seen in using such instruments1 i4 
#egh1 #egi4      ,applauding ourselves4 
,see ,pride4      ,atheism4      ,opens 
a door to all manner of wickedness1 i4  
#bd4      ,some spice of it in all men1 
i4 #bebg4      ,the greatest folly1 i4  
#bdgg4      ,common in our days1 i4 #bf1
 #gi1 #hj4      ,strikes at the         
foundation of all religion1 i4 #bf4     
,we should establish ourselves against  
it1 ib4      ,it is against the light of
 natural reason1 i4 #b4      ,against   
the universal consent of all nations1 i4

 #bi1 #cj4      ,but few1 if any1       
professed it in former ages1 i4 #cbcd1  
#hj4      ,would root up the foundations
 of all government1 i4 #gg4             
,introduce all evil into the world1 i4  
#gh4      ,pernicious to the atheist    
himself1 i4 #gi4      ,the cause of     
public judgments1 i4 #hj4      ,men's   
lusts the cause of it1 i4 #hb4          
,promoted by the devil most since the   
destruction of            idolatry1 i4  
#hd4      ,uncomfortable1 i4 #he4       
,directions against it1 i4 #hg4         
,all sin founded in a secret atheism1 i4
 #ic4      ,atheism1 practical4         
,natural to man1 i4 #hi4      ,natural  
since the fall1 i4 #ij4      ,to all    
men1 ib4      ,proved by arguments1 i4  
#iiafa4      ,we ought to be humbled for
 it1 both in ourselves and              
others1 i4 #afg4      ,how great a sin  
it is1 i4 #afiaga4      ,misery will    
attend it1 i4 #aga1 #agb4      ,we      
should watch against it1 ib4            
,directions against it1 i4 #agb1 #agc4  

,atheist4      ,can never prove there is
 no ,god1 i4 #ha4      ,all the         
creatures fight against him1 ib4        
,in afflictions1 suspects and fears     
there is a ,god1 i4 #hb4      ,how much 
pains he takes to blot out the notion1  
ib4      ,suppose it were an even lay   
that there were no ,god1 yet he         
is very imprudent1 i4 #hc4      ,uses   
not means to inform himself1 ib4        
b#ebf;,atoms4      ,the world not made  
by a casual concourse of them1 i4 #ej4  
,attributes of ,god4      ,bear a       
comfortable respect to believers1 i4    
#eac4      ,authority4      ,how        
distinguished from power1 ii4 #cfd4     
,b4      ,best we have4      ,ought to  
be given to ,god1 i4 #bdbbdd4           
,blessings4      ,spiritual1 ,god only  
the author of1 ii4 #ceg4      ,temporal1
 ,god uses a sovereignty in bestowing   
them1            ii4 #dab1 #dac4        
,see ,riches4      ,body of man4        
,how curiously wrought1 i4 #fcfg1 #ebc4 
,every human one hath different         

features1 i4 #ff4      ,god hath none   
7see ,spirit74      ,we must worship    
,god with our bodies1 i4 #baibbb2       
yet not with our bodies only4      ,see 
,soul1 and ,worship4      ,bodily shape4
      ,we must not conceive of ,god     
under a1 i4 #aig1 #aih4      ,bodily    
members4      ,ascribed to him 7see     
,members47      ,brain4      ,how       
curious a workmanship1 i4 #fe4          
,c4      ,calf1 golden4      ,the       
,israelites worshipped the true ,god    
under1 i4 #aie4      ,callings4         
,god fits and inclines men to several1  
i4 #eca1 #ecb2 i4 #eih4      ,appoints  
every man's calling1 ii4 #dba4          
,cause1 a first4      ,of all things1 i4
 #ej1 #ea2        which doth necessarily
 exist1 and is infinitely               
perfect1 i4 #ea4      ,censure4         
,god not to be censured in his counsels1
 actions1 or            revelations1 i4 
#bie4      ,or in his ways1 i4 #fje1    
#fjf4      ,censuring the hearts of     
others4      ,is an injury to ,god's    

omniscience1 i4 #dgh4      ,men1 is a   
contempt of ,god's sovereignty1 ii4     
#dda4      ,ceremonial ,law4            
,abolished to promote spiritual worship1
 i4 #bac4      ,called flesh1 ib4       
,not a fit means to bring the heart into
 a spiritual frame1            i4 #bad4 
,rather hindered than furthered         
spiritual worship1 i4 #bae1 #baf4       
,god never testified himself wellpleased
 with it1 nor intended            it    
should always last1 i4 #bafbah4         
,the abrogation of it doth not argue any
 change in ,god1 i4 #cdf4      ,the     
holiness of ,god appears in it1 ii4     
#aca1 #acb4      ,ceremonies4      ,men 
are prone to bring their own into ,god's
 worship1            i4 #acc1 #acd4     
,see ,worship1 and ,additions1 c4       
,chance4      ,the world not made nor   
governed by it1 i4 #ei4      ,charity4  
,men have bad ends in it1 i4 #aec4      
,we should exercise it1 ii4 #cec1 #ced4 
,the consideration of ,god's sovereignty
 would promote it1            ii4 #def4 

,cheerful1 in ,god's worship4      ,we  
should be1 i4 #bce4      ,christ4       
,his ,godhead proved from his eternity1 
i4 #biabic4      ,from his omnipresence1
 i4 #cib1 #cic4      ,from his          
immutability1 i4 #cdfcdh4      ,from his
 knowledge of ,god1 all creatures1 the  
hearts of men1            and his       
prescience of their inclinations1 i4    
#dfedfi4      ,from his omnipotence1    
manifest in creation1 preservation and  
resurrection1 ii4 #hjhf4      ,from his 
holiness1 ii4 #aij4      ,from his      
wisdom1 i4 #eeh4      ,christ4      ,is 
,god man1 ii4 #fb4      ,spiritual      
worship offered to ,god through him1 i4 
#bda1 #bdb4      ,the imperfectness of  
our services should make us prize his   
mediation1 i4 #bfa4      ,the only fit  
,person in the ,trinity to assume our   
nature1            i4 #eehefj4          
,fitted to be our ,mediator and ,saviour
 by his two natures1            i4      
#efcefe4      ,should be imitated in his
 holiness1 and often viewed by us       

to that end1 ii4 #bjjbjg4      ,the     
greatest gift1 ii4 #bffbfi4             
,appointed by the ,father to be our     
,redeemer1 ii4 #dbddbf4      ,christian 
religion4      ,its excellency1 i4 #afg4
      ,of ,divine extraction1 i4 #ehj4  
,most opposed in the world1 i4 #aaa4    
,see ,gospel4      ,church4      ,god's 
eternity a comfort to her in all her    
distresses and            threatenings  
of her enemies1 i4 #bii1 #cjj4          
,under ,god's special providence1 i4    
#djf4      ,his infinite knowledge a    
comfort in all subtile contrivances     
of men against her1 i4 #dhc1 #dhd4      
,troublers of her peace by corrupt      
doctrines no better than                
devils1 i4 #dih4      ,god's wisdom a   
comfort to her in her greatest dangers1 
i4 #eid4      ,hath shown his power in  
her deliverance in all ages1 i4 #bgg1   
ii4 #ee2        and in the destruction  
of her enemies1 ii4 #efei4      ,ought  
to take comfort in his power in her     
lowest estate1            ii4 #aja4     

,should not fear her enemies 7see       
,fear74      ,his goodness a comfort in 
dangers1 ii4 #cdd4      ,how great is   
,god's love to her1 ii4 #ddieae4        
,his sovereignty a comfort to her1 ii4  
#deb1 #dec4      ,he will comfort her in
 her fears1 and destroy her enemies1    
ii4 #dgb1 #dgc4      ,god exercises     
patience towards her1 ii4 #ejd1 #eje2   
for her sake to the wicked also1 ii4    
#ejf4      ,why her enemies are not     
immediately destroyed1 ii4 #eac4        
,commands of ,god4      ,see ,laws4     
,comfort4      ,the holiness of ,god to 
be relied on for1 ii4 #aij1 #aia4       
,comfort us4      ,creatures cannot1 if 
,god be angry1 ii4 #ddh4      ,comforts4
      ,god gives great1 in or after     
temptations1 ii4 #caacac4               
,communion with ,god4      ,man         
naturally no desire of1 i4 #afa4        
,the advantage of1 i4 #agb4      ,can   
only be in our spirits1 i4 #bjb4        
,we should desire it1 i4 #cjh4          
,cannot be between ,god and sinners1 ii4

 #ahc4      ,holiness only fits us for  
it1 ii4 #bjd1 #bje4      ,conceptions4  
,we cannot have adequate ones of ,god1  
i4 #aif1 #aig4      ,we ought to labor  
after as high ones as we can1 ib4       
,they must b#ebg not be of him in a     
corporeal shape1            i4 #aig1    
#aih4      ,there will be in them a     
similitude of some corporeal thing      
in our fancy1 i4 #aih1 #aii4      ,we   
ought to refine and spiritualize them1  
i4 #bjj4      ,conceptions1 right4      
,of him1 a great help to spiritual      
worship1 i4 #bgb1 #bgc4                 
,concurrence of ,god4      ,to all the  
actions of his creatures1 ii4 #aef1     
#aeg4      ,concurring to sinful        
actions4      ,no blemish to ,god's     
holiness1 ii4 #aegafc4      ,conditions1
 various4      ,of men1 a fruit of      
,divine wisdom1 i4 #eca1 #ecb4          
,conditions of the covenant4      ,see  
,covenant1 ,faith1 and ,repentance4     
,confession of sin4      ,men may have  
bad ends in it1 i4 #aec4      ,partial  

ones a practical denial of ,god's       
omniscience1            i4 #dhj1 #dha4  
,conscience4      ,proves a ,deity1 i4  
#figc4      ,fears and stings of it in  
all men upon the commission             
of sin1 i4 #gjgb2        though never so
 secret1 i4 #ga1 #gb4      ,cannot be   
totally shaken off1 i4 #gb4             
,comforts a man in welldoing1 i4 #gb1   
#gc4      ,necessary for the good of the
 world1 i4 #gc4      ,terrified ones    
wish there were no ,god1 i4 #ig4        
,men naturally displeased with it1 when 
it contradicts the            desires of
 self1 i4 #abc4      ,obey carnal self  
against the light of it1 i4 #adj1 #ada4 
,accusations of it evidence ,god's      
knowledge of all things1            i4  
#dfc4      ,god1 and he only1 can speak 
peace to it when troubled1              
ii4 #gi1 #chf4      ,his laws only reach
 it1 ii4 #cij1 #cia1 #dcb1 #dcc4        
,constancy in that which is good4       
,we should labor after1 and why1 i4     
#cfj1 #cfa4      ,content the soul4     

,nothing but an infinite good can1 i4   
#gc1 #gd4      ,see ,satisfaction1 and  
,soul4      ,contingents all foreknown  
by ,god4      ,see ,knowledge of ,god4  
,contradictions4      ,cannot be made   
true by ,god1 ii4 #bfcj2        yet this
 doth not overthrow ,god's omnipotence1 
ib4      ,it is an abuse of ,god's power
 to endeavor to justify them            
by it1 ii4 #ie4      ,contrary4         
,qualities linked together in the       
creatures1 i4 #eb1 #ec1 #ebd4           
,conversion4      ,carnal selflove a    
great hindrance to it1 i4 #acg4         
,there may be a conversion from sin     
which is not good1 i4 #aej4      ,men   
are enemies to it1 i4 #afj1 #afa4       
,the necessity of it1 i4 #afc1 #afd4    
,god only can be the ,author of it1 i4  
#afe1 #aff1 ii4 #cif4      ,the wisdom  
of ,god appears in it1 in the subjects1 
seasons1            and manner of it1 i4
 #eddedg2        and his power1 ii4     
#gbgh2        and his holiness1 ii4     
#aci2        and his goodness1 ii4 #cjf1

 #cjg2        and his sovereignty1 ii4  
#cifdjd4      ,he could convert all1 ii4
 #cii4      ,not bound to convert any1  
ii4 #dja1 #djb4      ,the various means 
and occasions of it1 ii4 #dba4          
,convictions1 genuine4      ,would be   
promoted by right and strong            
apprehensions of            ,god's      
holiness1 ii4 #aia4      ,corruptions4  
,the knowledge of ,god a comfort under  
fears of them lurking            in the 
heart1 i4 #dhi1 #dij4      ,the power of
 ,god a comfort when they are strong and
 stirring1            ii4 #ii4      ,in 
,god's people shall be subdued1 ii4     
#dej1 #dea2        the remainders of    
them ,god orders for their good1 i4     
#ech1 #edd4      ,covenant of ,god4     
,with his people eternal1 i4 #big1 #bih2
        and unchangeable1 i4 #ced4      
,covenant1 ,god in4      ,an eternal    
good to his people1 i4 #big4            
,covenant of grace4      ,conditions of1
 evidence the wisdom of ,god1 i4 #ega4  
,suited to man's lapsed state1 and      

,god's glory1 ib4      ,opposite to that
 which was the cause of the fall1 i4    
#egb4      ,suited to the common        
sentiments and customs of the world     
and consciences of men1 i4 #egb1 #egc4  
,only likely to attain the end1 i4 #egc4
        ,evidence ,god's holiness1 ii4  
#ach4      ,the wisdom of ,god made over
 to believers in it1 i4 #eic1 #eid2     
and power1 ii4 #ih2        and holiness1
 ii4 #aij1 #aia4      ,a promise of life
 implied in the covenant of works1      
ii4 #bec1 #bed2        why not          
expressed1 ii4 #ebg4      ,the goodness 
of ,god manifest in making a covenant of
 grace            after man had broken  
the first1 ii4 #bgd1 #bge4      ,in the 
nature and tenor of it1 ii4 #bgebgg4    
,in the choice gift of himself made over
 in it1 ii4 #bgg1 #bgh4      ,in its    
confirmation1 ii4 #bgh1 #bgi4      ,its 
conditions easy1 reasonable1 necessary1 
ii4 #bgibhd4      ,it promises a more   
excellent reward than the life in       
paradise1            ii4 #biabic4       

,covetousness4      ,see ,riches1 and   
,world4      ,creation4      ,the wisdom
 of ,god appears in it1 i4 #eahebe2     
and should be meditated upon1 i4 #ebe2  
motives to it1 ii4 #ei2        his      
power1 ii4 #cedd2        his holiness1  
ii4 #abf1 #abg2        his goodness1 ii4
 #bddbeh4      ,goodness the end and    
motive of it1 ii4 #bbh1 #bbi4           
,ascribed to ,christ1 ii4 #hahe4        
,the foundation of ,god's dominion1 ii4 
#cfhcgj4      ,creatures4      ,evidence
 the being of ,god1 i4 #bh1 #dbfd2      
in their production1 i4 #dcea2        in
 their harmony1 i4 #ebfj2        in     
pursuing their several ends1 i4 #fjfb2  
in their preservation1 i4 #fb1 #fc4     
,were not1 and cannot be1 from eternity1
 i4 #de1 #df1 #bib4      ,none of them  
can make themselves1 i4 #dgdi2        or
 the world1 i4 #di1 #ej4                
,subservient to one another1 i4 #ec1    
#cgh4      ,regular1 uniform1 and       
constant in it1 i4 #ef1 #eg4      ,are  
various1 i4 #eh1 #eai1 #ebj4      ,have 

several natures1 i4 #fj4      ,all fight
 against the atheist1 i4 #hb4      ,god 
ought to be studied in them1 i4 #hf4    
,all manifest something of ,god's       
perfections1 ib4      ,setting them up  
as our end 7see ,end74      ,must not be
 worshipped 7see ,idolatry74      ,used 
by man to a contrary end than ,god      
appointed1 i4 #adh4      ,all are       
changeable1 i4 #cee4      ,therefore an 
immutable ,god to be preferred b#ebh    
before            them1 i4 #ceh4        
,are nothing to ,god1 i4 #cie4      ,are
 all known by ,god1 i4 #dbb1 #dbc4      
,shall be restored to their primitive   
end1 i4 #cac1 ii4 #bic4      ,their     
beautiful order and situation1 i4 #ebj1 
#eba4      ,are fitted for their several
 ends1 i4 #ebbebd4      ,none of them   
can be omnipresent1 i4 #cgh2        or  
omnipotent1 ii4 #ah2        or          
infinitely perfect1 ii4 #bd4      ,god  
could have made more than he hath1 ii4  
#ba1 #bb4      ,made them all more      
perfect than they are1 ii4 #bc1 #bd4    

,yet all are made in the best manner1   
ii4 #bd1 #be4      ,the power that is in
 them demonstrates a greater to be      
in ,god1 ii4 #ca4      ,ordered by ,god 
as he pleases1 ii4 #eg4      ,the       
meanest of them can destroy us by ,god's
 order1            ii4 #ajg1 #ddh4      
,making different ranks of them1 doth   
not impeach ,god's            goodness1 
ii4 #bcbbce4      ,cursed for the sin of
 man1 ii4 #bej1 #bic4      ,what benefit
 they have by the redemption of man1 ii4
 #bic1 #bid4      ,cannot comfort us if 
,god be angry1 ii4 #ddh4      ,all      
subject to ,god1 ii4 #chachg4      ,all 
obey ,god1 ii4 #dfe1 #dff4              
,curiosity in inquiries about ,god's    
counsels and actions4      ,a great     
folly1 i4 #bie4      ,it is an injuring 
,god's knowledge1 i4 #dgedgg4      ,it  
is a contempt of ,divine wisdom1 i4     
#eij4      ,should not be employed about
 what ,god hath not revealed1           
i4 #fjc1 #fjd4      ,the consideration  
of ,god's sovereignty would check it1   

ii4 #deg4                               
,d4      ,day4      ,how necessary1 i4  
#ebc4      ,death of ,christ4      ,its 
value is from his ,divine ,nature1 i4   
#efd4      ,vindicated the honor of the 
law1 both as to precept and             
penalty1 i4 #eff4      ,overturned the  
,devil's empire1 i4 #efh4      ,he      
suffered to rescue us by it1 ii4 #bfh4  
,by the command of the ,father1 ii4     
#dbe1 #dbf4      ,debauched persons4    
,wish there were no ,god1 i4 #ig4       
,decrees of ,god4      ,no succession in
 them1 i4 #bhe4      ,unchangeable1 i4  
#ehb1 #ehc1 ii4 #dea1 #deb4      ,see   
,immutability4      ,defilement4        
,god not capable of it from any         
corporeal thing1 i4 #bja1               
#cij1 #cib4      ,delight4      ,holy   
duties should be performed with1 i4     
#bcdbcf4      ,all delight in worship   
doth not prove it to be spiritual1      
i4 #bce4      ,we should examine        
ourselves after worship1 what delight we
            had in it1 i4 #beb4         

,deliverances4      ,chiefly to be      
ascribed to ,god1 i4 #djf4      ,the    
wisdom of ,god seen in them1 i4 #eejeeb4
      ,desires1 of man4      ,naturally 
after an infinite good1 i4 #gc1 #gd2    
which evidences the being of a ,god1 i4 
#gd4      ,men naturally have no desire 
of remembrance of ,god1 converse        
with him1 thorough return to him1 or    
imitation of him1            i4 #aeiafa4
      ,devil4      ,man naturally under 
his dominion1 i4 #aah1 #aai4      ,god's
 restraining him1 how great a mercy 7see
 ,restraint74      ,shall be totally    
subdued by ,god1 i4 #dih4               
,outwitted by ,god1 i4 #efh4      ,his  
first sin1 what it was1 ii4 #dbgdbi4    
,see ,angel4      ,direction4      ,men 
neglect to ask it of ,god 7see ,trusting
 in ourselves74      ,should seek it of 
him1 i4 #ehe4      ,not to do it1 how   
sinful1 i4 #ehi1 #eij4      ,should not 
presume to give it to him1 i4 #eia4     
,disappointments4      ,make many cast  
off their obedience to ,god1 i4 #aae1   

#aaf4      ,god disappoints the devices 
of men1 ii4 #dahdbj4                    
,dispensations4      ,of ,god with his  
own law1 ii4 #ciacic4      ,distance    
from ,god4      ,naturally affected by  
men1 i4 #aeh1 #aei4      ,how great it  
is1 ii4 #ahj4      ,distractions in the 
service of ,god4      ,how natural1 i4  
#aad1 #bef4      ,will be so while we   
have natural corruption within1         
i4 #bef1 #beg2        while we are in   
the ,devil's precinct1 i4 #beg4         
,most frequent in time of affliction1 i4
 #beh4      ,may be improved to make us 
more spiritual1 i4 #behbfa2        when 
we are humbled for them in worship1 i4  
#beh1 #bei2        and for the baseness 
of our natures1 the cause of them1      
i4 #bei4      ,make us prize duties of  
worship the more1 ib4      ,fill us with
 admirations of the graciousness of     
,god1 i4 #bfj4      ,prize the          
meditation of ,christ1 i4 #bfa4         
,they should not discourage us1 if we   
resist them1 ib42        and if we      

narrowly watch against them1 i4 #bfb4   
,should be speedily cast out1 i4 #bgd4  
,thoughts of ,god's presence a remedy   
against them1 i4 #djd4      ,distresses4
      ,see ,afflictions4      ,distrust 
of ,god4      ,a contempt of ,god's     
wisdom1 i4 #eic2        and his power1  
ii4 #ic2        and of his goodness1 ii4
 #cai1 #cbj4      ,too great fear of man
 arises from it1 ii4 #id4      ,see     
,trusting in ,god1 and in ourselves4    
,divinity4      ,of ,christ 7see        
,christ74      ,of the ,holy ,ghost 7see
 ,holy ,ghost74      ,doctrines4        
,that are selfpleasing desired by men1  
i4 #aci4      ,see ,truths4             
,dominion of ,god4      ,distinguished  
from his power1 ii4 #cfd4      ,all his 
other attributes fit him for it1 ii4    
#cfd1 #cfe4      ,acknowledged by all1  
ib4      ,inseparable from the notion of
 ,god1 ii4 #cfe1 #cff4      ,we cannot  
suppose ,god a creator without it1 ii4  
#cff4      ,cannot be renounced by ,god 
himself1 ib42        nor communicated to

 any creature1 ii4 #cff1 #cfg4      ,its
 foundation1 ii4 #cfgcgb4      ,it is   
independent1 ii4 #cgb1 #cgc2            
absolute1 ii4 #cgccgg2        yet not   
tyrannical1 ii4 #cgg1 #cgh2             
managed with wisdom1 righteousness1 and 
goodness1              ii4 #cghchj4     
,it is eternal1 ii4 #chf1 #chg4      ,it
 is manifested as he is a lawgiver1 ii4 
#chgcid2        as a proprietor1 ii4    
#ciddac2        as a governor1 ii4      
#dacdbb2        as a redeemer1 ii4      
#dbbdbf4      ,the contempt of it1 how  
great1 ii4 #dbf1 #dbg4      b#ebi ,all  
sin is a contempt of it1 ii4 #dbg1 #dbh4
      ,the first thing the devil aimed  
against1 ii4 #dbh1 #dbi2        and     
,adam1 ii4 #dbi4      ,invaded by the   
usurpations of men1 ii4 #dcj1 #dca4     
,wherein it is contemned as he is a     
lawgiver1 ii4 #dcadce2        as a      
proprietor1 ii4 #dce1 #dcf2        as a 
governor1 ii4 #dcfdda4      ,it is      
terrible to the wicked1 ii4 #ddfddh4    
,comfortable to the righteous1 ii4      

#ddidec4      ,should be often meditated
 upon by us1 ii4 #dec1 #ded4      ,the  
advantages of so doing1 ii4 #deddeg4    
,it should teach us humility1 ii4 #deh4 
,calls for our praise and thanks1 ii4   
#dei1 #dfj4      ,should make us promote
 his honor1 ii4 #dfa1 #dfb4      ,calls 
for fear1 prayer1 and obedience1 ii4    
#dfb1 #dfc4      ,affords motives to    
obedience1 ii4 #dfcdff2        and shows
 the manner of it1 ii4 #dffdfi4         
,calls for patience1 ii4 #dfi4          
,affords motives to it1 ii4 #dfidga4    
,shows us the true nature of it1 ii4    
#dga4      ,duties of religion4         
,performed often merely for             
selfinterest1 i4 #aejaed4      ,men     
unwieldy to them1 i4 #aea4      ,perform
 them only in affliction1 i4 #aea1 #aeb4
      ,see ,service of ,god1 and        
,worship4      ,dwelling in heaven1 and 
in the ark4      ,how to be understood  
of ,god1 i4 #che1 #chf4                 
,e4      ,ear of man4      ,how curious 
an organ1 i4 #fe4      ,earth4      ,how

 useful1 i4 #ed1 #ee4      ,the wisdom  
of ,god seen in it1 i4 #ebb4            
,earthly things4      ,see ,world4      
,ejaculations4      ,how useful1 i4     
#bgb4      ,elect4      ,god knows all  
their persons1 i4 #dhe1 #dhf4           
,election4      ,evidenced by holiness1 
ii4 #bje4      ,the sovereignty of ,god 
appears in it1 ii4 #cidcif4      ,not   
grounded on merit in the creature1 ii4  
#cif4      ,nor on foresight of faith   
and good works1 ii4 #cifcii4            
,elements4      ,though contrary1 yet   
linked together1 i4 #eb1 #ec4      ,end4
      ,all creatures conspire to one    
common end1 i4 #ecfj2        pursue     
their several ends1 though they know    
them not1              i4 #fjfb4        
,men have corrupt ends in religious     
duties1 i4 #acb1 #aejaed2        for    
evil ends1 i4 #aje1 #ajf2        desire 
the knowledge of ,god's law1 for by     
ends1 i4 #ajd4      ,man naturally would
 make himself his own end1 i4 #aceada2  
how sinful this is1 i4 #ada1 #adb2      

would make anything his end rather than 
,god1 i4 #adbadd2        a creature1 or 
a lust1 i4 #addadf2        how sinful   
this is1 ib42        would make himself 
the end of all creatures1 i4 #adg1 #adi2
        how sinful this is1 i4 #adi2    
would make himself the end of ,god1 i4  
#adhaed2        how sinful this is1 i4  
#aed1 #aee2        cannot make ,god his 
end1 till converted1 i4 #afc1 #afd4     
,spiritual ones required in spiritual   
worship1 i4 #bcibda2        many have   
other ends in it1 ib4      ,god orders  
the hearts of all men to his own1 ii4   
#ed4      ,god hath one1 and man another
 in sin1 i4 #afa1 #afb4      ,we should 
make ,god our end1 ii4 #bjf4      ,god  
makes himself his own end1 how to be    
understood1            ii4 #bbhbcj4     
,his being the end of all things is one 
foundation of his            dominion1  
ii4 #cgj1 #cga4      ,not using ,god's  
gifts for the end for which he gave     
them1            how great a sin1 ii4   
#dce1 #dcf4      ,enemies4      ,of the 

church 7see ,church74      ,we should be
 kind to our worst enemies1 ii4 #ced1   
#cee4      ,enjoyment of ,god4      ,in 
heaven always fresh and glorious1 i4    
#bih1 #bii4      ,we should endeavor    
after it here1 ii4 #cddcdf4      ,envy4 
,men envy the gifts and prosperities of 
others1 i4 #aca1 #acb4      ,an         
imitation of the devil1 ib4      ,a     
sense of ,god's goodness would check it1
 ii4 #cea4      ,a contempt of ,god's   
dominion1 ii4 #dce4      ,essence of    
,god4      ,cannot be seen1 i4 #ahd1    
#ahe4      ,is unchangeable1 i4 #cai4   
,eternity4      ,a property of ,god and 
,christ1 i4 #bgh1 #bgi1 #bic1 #bid4     
,what it is1 i4 #bhj4      ,in what     
respects ,god is eternal1 i4 #bhjbhf4   
,that he is so1 proved1 i4 #bhfbia4     
,god's incommunicable property1 i4      
#dddf1 #biabic4      ,dreadful to       
sinners1 i4 #bie1 #bif4                 
,comfortable to the righteous1 i4       
#bigcja4      ,the thoughts of it should
 abate our pride1 i4 #cjbcjd2           

take off our love and confidence from   
the world1 i4 #cjdcjf4      ,we should  
provide for a happy interest in it1 i4  
#cjf2        often meditate on it1 i4   
#cjg1 #cjh4      ,renders him worthy of 
our choicest affections1 i4 #cjh2       
and our best service1 i4 #cjh1 #cji4    
,exaltation of ,christ4      ,the       
holiness of ,god appears in it1 ii4     
#acf1 #acg4      ,his goodness to us as 
well as to ,christ1 ii4 #bfh1 #bfi2     
and his sovereignty1 ii4 #dbf4          
,examination of ourselves4      ,before 
and after worship1 and wherein our duty1
            i4 #bebbef1 #bge4           
,experience of ,god's goodness4      ,a 
preservative against atheism1 i4 #hf1   
#hg4      ,extremity4      ,then ,god   
usually delivers his church1 ii4 #aja4  
,f4      ,faith4      ,the same thing   
may be the object of it1 and of reason  
too1 i4 #bgbi4      ,must be exercised  
in spiritual worship1 i4 #bcj1 #bca4    
,the wisdom1 holiness1 and goodness of  
,god in prescribing it            as a  

condition of the covenant of grace 7see 
,covenant74      ,must look back as far 
as the foundation promise1 i4 #dii4     
,only the obedience flowing from it     
acceptable to ,god1            i4 #ejd1 
#eje4      ,distinct1 but inseparable   
from obedience1 i4 #eje1 #ejf4          
,foresight of it not the ground of      
election1 ii4 #cifcii4      ,fall of    
man4      ,god no way the author of it1 
b#ecj ii4 #abcabe1 #adb1 #adc4      ,how
 great it is1 ii4 #dhj1 #dha4      ,doth
 not impeach ,god's goodness1 ii4 #bca1 
#bcb4      ,it is evident1 ii4 #cbe1    
#cbf2        brought a curse on the     
creatures 7see ,creatures74      ,falls 
of ,god's children4      ,turned to     
their good1 i4 #ecgedg4      ,fear4     
,not the cause of the belief of a ,god1 
i4 #da4      ,men that are under a      
slavish fear of him wish there were     
no ,god1 i4 #ih1 #ii4      ,of man1 a   
contempt of ,god's power1 ii4 #ic1 #id4 
,should be of ,god1 and not of the pride
 or force of man1            ii4 #ajf1  

#ajg4      ,god's sovereignty should    
cause it1 ii4 #dfb4      ,features4     
,different in every man1 and how        
necessary it should be            so1 i4
 #ff1 #fg1 #ebj4      ,fervency4        
,see ,activity4      ,flesh4      ,the  
legal services so called1 i4 #bac1 #bad4
      ,fools4      ,wicked men are so1  
i4 #bc1 #ehf1 #ehg4      ,folly4        
,sin is so 7see ,sin74                  
,forgetfulness of ,god4      ,men       
naturally are prone to it1 i4 #aei1     
#afj4      ,of his mercies a great sin  
7see ,mercies74      ,how attributed to 
,god1 i4 #dba4      ,foreknowledge in   
,god of sin4      ,no blemish to his    
holiness1 ii4 #ade1 #adf4      ,see     
,knowledge of ,god4      ,future things4
      ,men desirous to know them1 i4    
#dgf1 #dgg4      ,known by ,god1 7see   
,knowledge of ,god74                    
,g4      ,gabriel4      ,on what        
messages he was sent1 ii4 #ge4          
,generation4      ,could not be from    
eternity1 i4 #dddf4      ,gifts4        

,god can bestow them on men1 ii4 #chd1  
#che4      ,his sovereignty seen in     
giving greater measures to one          
than another1 ii4 #djhdaj4      ,glory  
of all they do or have4      ,men are   
apt to ascribe to themselves1 i4 #aci4  
,of ,god little minded in many seemingly
 good actions1            i4 #abdabg4   
,men are more concerned for their own   
reputation than ,god's            glory1
 i4 #adj4      ,should be aimed at in   
spiritual worship1 i4 #bcibda4          
,god's permission of sin is in order to 
it1 ii4 #aedaef4      ,should be        
advanced by us1 ii4 #dfa1 #dfb4         
,god4      ,his existence known by the  
light of nature1 i4 #hf2        by the  
creatures1 i4 #bh1 #bi1 #dbfd4          
,miracles not wrought to prove it1 i4   
#bi4      ,owned by the universal       
consent of all nations1 i4 #cj1 #ca4    
,never disputed of old1 i4 #ca1 #cb4    
,denied by very few1 if any1 i4 #cb1    
#cc4      ,constantly owned in all      
changes of the world1 i4 #cd2           

under anxieties of conscience1 ib4      
,the devil not able to root out the     
belief of it1 i4 #ce4      ,natural and 
innate1 i4 #ce1 #cf4      ,not          
introduced merely by tradition1 i4 #cg1 
#ch2        nor policy1 i4 #ch1 #ci2    
nor fear1 i4 #da4      ,witnessed to by 
the very nature of man1 i4 #fcge2       
and by extraordinary occurrences1 i4    
#gf1 #gg2        impossible to          
demonstrate there is none1 i4 #ha4      
,motives to endeavor to be settled in   
the belief of it1            i4 #hd1    
#he4      ,directions1 i4 #hf1 #hg4     
,men wish there were none1 and who they 
are1 i4 #ifii4      ,two ways of        
describing him1 negation and            
affirmation1            i4 #aha1 #ahb4  
,is active and communicative1 i4 #bja4  
,propriety in him a great blessedness   
7see ,covenant74      ,infinitely happy1
 ii4 #hf1 #hg4      ,good4      ,that   
which is materially so may be done1 and 
not formally1            i4 #abj1       
#abdabf4      ,actions cannot be        

performed before conversion1 i4 #afc1   
#afd4      ,the thoughts of ,god's      
presence a spur to them1 i4 #djd1 #dje4 
,god only is so1 ii4 #baj1 #baa4        
,goodness4      ,pure and perfect1 the  
royal prerogative of ,god only1 ii4     
#bad4      ,owned by all nations1 ii4   
#bae1 #bai4      ,inseparable from the  
notion of ,god1 ii4 #baf1 #bag4         
,what is meant by it1 ii4 #bag4         
,how distinguished from mercy1 ii4 #bah1
 #bai4      ,comprehends all his        
attributes1 ii4 #bai1 #bbj4      ,is so 
by his essence1 ii4 #bba1 #bbb4         
,the chief1 ib4      ,it is             
communicative1 ii4 #bbc1 #bbd2          
necessary to him1 ii4 #bbdbbf2          
voluntary1 ii4 #bbf1 #bbg2              
communicative with the greatest         
pleasure1 ii4 #bbg1 #bbh2        the    
displaying of it1 the motive and end of 
all his works1              ii4 #bbhbcj4
      ,arguments to prove it a property 
of ,god1 ii4 #bcj1 #bca2                
vindicated from the objections made     

against it1 ii4 #bcabdd2        appears 
in creation1 ii4 #bddbeh2        in     
redemption1 ii4 #behbid2        in his  
government1 ii4 #biecac2                
frequently contemned and abused1 ii4    
#cac1 #cad2        the abuse and        
contempt of it1 base and disingenuous1  
ii4 #cad1 #cae2        highly resented  
by ,god1 ii4 #cae1 #caf4      ,how it is
 contemned and abused1 ii4 #cafcbe4     
,men justly punished for it1 ii4 #cbf1  
#cbg4      ,fits ,god for the government
 of the world1 and engages him          
actually to govern it1 ii4 #cbg1 #cbh4  
,the ground of all religion1 ii4 #cbi1  
#ccj4      ,renders ,god amiable to     
himself1 ii4 #cca4      ,should do so to
 us1 and why1 ii4 #ccbcce4      ,renders
 him a fit object of trust1 with motives
 to it1            drawn hence1 ii4     
#ccecch2        and worthy to be obeyed 
and honored1 ii4 #cchcda4               
,comfortable to the righteous1 and      
wherein1 ii4 #cdacdd4      ,should      
engage us to endeavor after the         

enjoyment of him1            with       
motives1 ii4 #cddcdg4      ,should be   
often meditated on1 and the advantages  
of so            doing1 ii4 #cdgcea4    
,we should be thankful for it1 ii4      
#ceacec2        and imitate it1 and     
wherein1 ii4 #ceccee4      ,gospel4     
,men greater enemies to1 than to the    
law1 i4 #afe4      ,its excellency1 i4  
#afg1 #eja1 #ejb4      ,called spirit1  
i4 #bac4      ,the only means of        
establishment1 i4 #eja4      ,of an     
eternal resolution1 though of a         
temporary revelation1            i4     
#ejb4      ,mysterious1 ib4      ,the   
first preachers of it 7see ,apostles74  
b#eca ,its antiquity1 i4 #ejc1 #ejd4    
,the goodness of ,god in spreading it   
among the ,gentiles1            i4 #ejd4
      ,gives no encouragement to        
licentiousness1 ib4      ,the wisdom of 
,god in its propagation1 i4 #egdehj2    
and power1 ii4 #fegc4      ,see         
,christian ,religion4      ,government  
of the ,world4      ,god could not      

manage it without immutability1 i4 #cid2
        and knowledge1 i4 #dfd1 #dfe2   
and wisdom1 i4 #ege1 #egf4      ,the    
wisdom of ,god appears in his government
 of man1            as rational1 i4     
#ebeecb2        as sinful1 i4 #ecbedd2  
as restored1 i4 #eddedg4      ,the power
 of ,god appears in natural government1 
ii4 #ddeb2        moral1 ii4 #ebed2     
gracious and judicial1 ii4 #eeeh4       
,the goodness of ,god in it1 ii4        
#biecac4      ,god only fit for it1 i4  
#ehj1 #eha1 #edd2 ii4 #ahf1 #cbg2       
doth actually manage it1 i4 #ehj1 #eha2 
ii4 #cbh1 #cbi4      ,is contemned1 ii4 
#dcfdda4      ,see ,laws4               
,governor4      ,god's dominion as such1
 ii4 #dacdbb4      ,grace4      ,the    
power of ,god in planting it1 ii4 #gdgh 
7see ,conversion72        and preserving
 it1 ii4 #gi1 #hj 7see ,perseverance74  
,god's withdrawing it no blemish to his 
holiness1 i4 #affagj4      ,shall be    
perfected in the upright1 ii4 #aij1     
#aia4      ,god exercises a sovereignty 

in bestowing and denying it1            
ii4 #djjdjd4      ,means of grace 7see  
,means74      ,graces4      ,must be    
acted in worship1 ii4 #bbibcd4      ,we 
should examine how we acted them after  
it1 i4 #bec1 #bed4      ,growth in      
grace4      ,annexed to true            
sanctification1 ii4 #ceh4      ,should  
be labored after1 ii4 #bjf1 #bjg4       
,h4      ,habits4      ,spiritual1 to be
 acted in spiritual worship1 i4 #bbi1   
#bcj4      ,the rooting up evil ones    
shows the power of ,god1 ii4 #gf1 #gg4  
,hand4      ,christ's sitting at ,god's 
right hand doth not prove the           
ubiquity of his human nature1 ii4 #cgh4 
,hardness4      ,how ,god1 and how man1 
is the cause of it1 ii4 #affafh4        
,harmony of the creatures4      ,show   
the being and wisdom of ,god1 i4 #ebfj4 
,heart of man4      ,how curiously      
contrived1 i4 #fe4      ,we should      
examine ourselves1 how our hearts are   
prepared            for worship1 i4     
#beb1 #bec2        how they are fixed in

 it1 and how they are after it1         
i4 #becbef4      ,god orders all men's  
to his own ends1 ii4 #ed4      ,heaven4 
,the enjoyment of ,god there will be    
always fresh and            glorious1 i4
 #bih1 #bii4      ,why called ,god's    
throne1 i4 #che1 #chf4      ,heavenly   
bodies4      ,subservient to the good of
 the world1 i4 #ec1 #ed4      ,hosea4   
,when he prophesied1 ii4 #dij4          
,holiness4      ,a necessary ingredient 
in spiritual worship1 i4 #bch1 #bci4    
,a glorious perfection of ,god1 ii4     
#aaj1 #aaa4      ,owned to be so both by
 heathens and heretics1 ii4 #aaa4       
,god cannot be conceived without it1 ii4
 #aaa1 #aab4      ,it hath an excellency
 above all his other perfections1       
ii4 #aab4      ,most loftily and        
frequently sounded forth by the         
angels1 ib4      ,he swears by it1 ib4  
,it is his glory and life1 ii4 #aab1    
#aac4      ,the glory of all the rest1  
ii4 #aac1 #aad4      ,what it is1 and   
how distinguished from righteousness1   

ii4 #aad1 #aae4      ,his essential and 
necessary perfection1 ii4 #aae1 #aaf4   
,god only absolutely holy1 ii4 #aafaah4 
,causes him to abhor all sin            
necessarily1 intensely1                 
universally1 and perpetually1 ii4       
#aahabb4      ,inclines him to love it  
in others1 ii4 #aba1 #aij1 #aia4        
,so great that he cannot positively will
 and encourage sin            in others1
 or do it himself1 ii4 #abbabf4         
,appears in his creation1 ii4 #abf1     
#abg2        in his government1 ii4     
#abgace2        in redemption1 ii4      
#aceach2        in justification1 ii4   
#ach2        in regeneration1 ii4 #aci4 
,defended in all his acts about sin1 ii4
 #aciaga4      ,how much it is contemned
 in the world1 and wherein1             
ii4 #agaahj4      ,to hate and scoff at 
it in others1 how great a sin1 ii4 #agf4
      ,necessarily obliges him to punish
 sin1 ii4 #ahaahc2        and exact     
satisfaction for it1 ii4 #ahc1 #ahd4    
,fits him for the government of the     

world1 ii4 #ahf1 #ahg4      ,comfortable
 to holy men1 ii4 #aij1 #aia4           
,shall be perfected in the upright1 ib4 
,we should get1 and preserve right and  
strong apprehensions            of it1  
and the advantage of so doing1 ii4      
#aiaaif4      ,we should glorify ,god   
for it1 and how1 ii4 #aifaii2        and
 labor after a conformity to it1 and    
wherein1              ii4 #aiibja2      
motives to do so1 ii4 #bjcbje2          
and directions1 ii4 #bjebjg4      ,we   
should labor to grow in it1 ii4 #bjf1   
#bjg4      ,exert it in our approaches  
to ,god1 ii4 #bjg4      ,seek it at his 
hands1 ii4 #bjg1 #bjh4      ,holy       
,ghost4      ,his ,deity proved1 ii4    
#hf4      ,humility4      ,a necessary  
ingredient in spiritual worship1 i4     
#bcg1 #bch4      ,we should examine     
ourselves about it after worship1 i4    
#bef4      ,a consideration of ,god's   
eternity would promote it1 i4 #cjb2     
and of his knowledge1 i4 #dif1 #dig2    
and of his wisdom1 i4 #eig2        and  

of his power1 ii4 #ajf2        and of   
his holiness1 ii4 #aib1 #aic2        and
 of his goodness1 ii4 #cbc2        and  
his sovereignty1 ii4 #deg1 #deh4        
,hypocrites4      ,their false pretences
 a virtual denial of ,god's knowledge1  
i4 #dha1 #dhc2        it is terrible to 
them1 i4 #dib4                          
,i4      ,idleness4      ,it is an abuse
 of ,god's mercies to make them an      
occasion            of it1 ii4 #cbc4    
,idolatry4      ,of the heathens proves 
the belief of a ,god to be universal1   
i4 #cj1 #ca4      ,the first object of  
it was the heavenly bodies1 i4 #dc4     
,springs from unworthy imaginations of  
,god1 i4 #aeg4      ,not countenanced   
b#ecb by ,god's omnipresence1 i4 #chi1  
#cij4      ,springs from a want of due  
notion of ,god's infinite power1        
ii4 #ib4      ,a contempt of ,god's     
dominion1 ii4 #dcf1 #dcg4      ,image of
 ,god4      ,in man consists not in     
external form and figure1 i4 #aib1 #aib4
      ,unreasonable to make any of him1 

i4 #aicaie2        it is idolatry so to 
do1 i4 #aie1 #aif4      ,the defacing it
 an injury to ,god's holiness1 ii4 #agc1
 #agd4      ,man1 at first1 made after  
it1 ii4 #bdh4      ,imaginations4       
,men naturally have unworthy ones of    
,god1 i4 #aee1 #aef4      ,vain ones the
 cause of idolatry1 and superstition1   
and            presumption1 i4 #aef1    
#aeg2        worse than idolatry or     
atheism1 i4 #aeh2        an injury to   
,god's holiness1 ii4 #agb1 #agc4        
,imitation of ,god4      ,man naturally 
hath no desire of it1 i4 #afa4      ,we 
should strive to imitate his            
immutability in that which            is
 good1 i4 #cfj1 #cfa4      ,in holiness1
 wherein1 and why1 and how1 ii4 #aiibjg2
        and in goodness1 ii4 #ceccee4   
,immortal4      ,god is so1 i4 #bjb4    
,see ,eternity of ,god4                 
,immutability4      ,a property of ,god1
 i4 #caf1 #cag2        a perfection1 i4 
#cag1 #cah2        a glory belonging to 
all his attributes1 i4 #cah2            

necessary to him1 i4 #cah1 #cai4        
,god is immutable in his essence1 i4    
#caicba2        in knowledge1 i4        
#cbacbe2        in his will1 though the 
things willed by him are not1           
i4 #cbecbh4      ,this doth not infringe
 his liberty1 i4 #cbh4      ,immutable  
in regard of place1 i4 #cbh1 #cbi4      
,proved by arguments1 i4 #cbjccd1 #ehb1 
#ehc2 ii4 #hg4      ,incommunicable to  
any creature1 i4 #ccd1 #cce1 ii4 #ada4  
,objections against it answered1 i4     
#ccgcdf4      ,ascribed to ,christ1 i4  
#cdfcdh4      ,a ground and             
encouragement to worship him1 i4        
#cdhcej4      ,how contrary to ,god in  
it man is1 i4 #cej1 #cec4      ,terrible
 to sinners1 i4 #cec1 #ced4             
,comfortable to the righteous1 and      
wherein1 i4 #cedcef4      ,an argument  
for patience1 i4 #cei4      ,should make
 us prefer ,god before all creatures1 i4
 #ceh4      ,we should imitate this his 
immutability in goodness1               
motives to it1 i4 #cfj1 #cfa4           

,impatience of men4      ,is great when 
,god crosses them1 i4 #acj1 #aca4       
,a contempt of ,god's wisdom1 i4 #eib2  
and of his goodness1 ii4 #cag1 #cah2    
and of his dominion1 ii4 #dcg1 #dch4    
,impenitence4      ,an abuse of ,god's  
goodness1 ii4 #cai4      ,it will clear 
the equity of ,god's justice1 ii4 #ejf1 
#ejg4      ,an abuse of patience1 ii4   
#ejh1 #eji4      ,imperfections4        
,in holy duties we should be sensible   
of1 i4 #bcb4      ,should make us prize 
,christ's meditation1 i4 #bfa4          
,impossible4      ,some things are in   
their own nature1 ii4 #bf1 #bg4         
,some things so to the nature and being 
of ,god1 and his            perfections1
 ii4#bgbi4      ,some things so1 because
 of ,god's ordination1 ii4 #bi1 #cj4    
,do not infringe the almightiness of    
,god's power1 ii4 #bicj4                
,incarnation of ,christ4      ,the power
 of ,god seen in it1 ii4 #eife4         
,incomprehensible4      ,god is so1 i4  
#cid1 #cie4      ,inconstancy4          

,natural to man1 i4 #cejcec4 ,in the    
knowledge of the truth1            i4   
#cej1 #cea2        in will and          
affections1 i4 #cea2        in practice1
 i4 #cebced2        is the root of much 
evil1 ib4      ,infirmities4      ,the  
knowledge of ,god a comfort to his      
people under them1            i4 #dhh1  
#dhi4      ,the goodness of ,god in     
bearing with them1 ii4 #cji4      ,his  
patience a comfort under them1 ii4 #eaf4
      ,injuries4      ,men highly       
concerned for those that are done to    
themselves1            little for those 
that are done to ,god1 i4 #adj4         
,god's patience under them should make  
us resent them1            ii4 #eag1    
#eah4      ,injustice4      ,a contempt 
of ,god's dominion1 ii4 #dce4           
,innocent person4      ,whether ,god may
 inflict eternal torments upon him1     
ii4 #cge1 #chj1 #cha4      ,instruments4
      ,men are apt to pay a service to  
them rather than to ,god1            i4 
#add2        which is a contempt of     

divine power1 ii4 #id1 #ie2        and  
of his goodness1 ii4 #cbd1 #cbe4        
,deliverances not to be chiefly ascribed
 to them1 i4 #djg4      ,god makes use  
of sinful ones1 i4 #ecd1 #ece4          
,none in creation1 ii4 #djdb4      ,the 
power of ,god seen in effecting his     
purposes by weak            ones1 ii4   
#eh1 #ei4      ,inventions of men4      
,see ,addition and ,worship4            
,j4      ,jehovah4      ,signifies      
,god's eternity1 i4 #bij2        and his
 immutability1 i4 #ccj4      ,god called
 so but once in the book of ,job1 ii4   
#cf4      ,job4      ,when he lived1 ii4
 #h4      ,jonah4      ,how he came to  
be believed by the ,ninevites1 i4 #ecg4 
,joy4      ,a necessary ingredient in   
spiritual worship1 i4 #bcdbcf4          
,should accompany all our duties1 ii4   
#dfh1 #dfi4      ,judging the hearts of 
others4      ,a great sin1 i4 #dgh1     
#dgi4      ,their eternal state a       
greater1 ib4      ,judgmentday4         
,necessity of it1 i4 #dgj1 #dga1 #ehc1  

#ehd4      ,judgments1 extraordinary4   
,prove the being of ,god1 i4 #gd1 #ge4  
,men are apt to put bold interpretations
 on them1 i4 #acc4      ,god is just in 
them1 i4 #afb1 #afc2        especially  
after the abuse of his goodness and     
patience1              ii4 #cbf1 #cbg1  
#ejf1 #ejg4      ,on ,god's enemies1    
matter of praise1 ii4 #aaj4             
,declare ,god's holiness1 ii4 #acbace2  
which should be observed in them1 ii4   
#aig4      ,not sent without warning1   
ii4 #bda1 #bdb1 #dhhdia4      ,mercy    
mixed with them1 ii4 #bdb1 #bdc4        
,god sends them on whom he pleases1 ii4 
#dbj4      ,delayed a long time b#ecc   
where there is no repentance1           
ii4 #dia1 #dib4      ,god unwilling to  
pour them out when he cannot delay them 
any            longer1 ii4 #dib1 #dic4  
,poured out with regret1 ii4 #dic1 #did2
        by degrees1 ii4 #did1 #die2     
moderated1 ii4 #die1 #dif4      ,see    
,punishments4      ,justice of ,god4    
,a motive to worship1 i4 #bjg4      ,its

 plea against man1 i4 #eedeef4          
,reconciled with mercy in ,christ1 i4   
#eef1 #eeg4      ,vindictive1 natural to
 ,god1 ii4 #ahaahc4      ,requires      
satisfaction1 ii4 #ahe1 #ahf4           
,justification4      ,cannot be by the  
best and strongest works of nature1     
i4 #aff1 #dgc1 #dgd2 ii4 #agg1 #agh1    
#ahe1 #ahf4      ,the holiness of ,god  
appears in that of the gospel1 ii4 #ach4
      ,the expectations of it by the    
outward observance of the law           
cannot satisfy an inquisitive           
conscience1 ii4 #bab4      ,men         
naturally look for it by works1 ii4     
#bab1 #bac4                             
,k4      ,kingdoms4      ,are disposed  
of by ,god1 ii4 #dac1 #dad4             
,knowledge4      ,in ,god hath no       
succession1 i4 #bhd1 #bhe1 #bid1 #bie1  
#deddef4      ,immutable1 i4 #cbacbd1   
#dfj4      ,arguments to prove it1 i4   
#ciccie1 #dfadfe4      ,the manner of it
 incomprehensible1 i4 #cbd1 #cbe1 #dbh1 
#dbi1 #dch4      ,god is infinite in it1

 i4 #dji4      ,owned by all1 i4 #dji1  
#daj4      ,he hath a knowledge of      
vision and intelligence1 speculative    
and practical1 i4 #daa1 #dab2        of 
apprehension and approbation1 i4 #dab1  
#dac4      ,hath a knowledge of himself1
 i4 #daddag4      ,of all things        
possible1 i4 #dagdbj2        of all     
things past and present1 i4 #dbjdbb4    
,of all creatures1 their actions and    
thoughts1 i4 #dbbdbg4      ,of all sins1
 and how1 i4 #dbgdbi4      ,of all      
future things1 he alone1 and how1 i4    
#dbidci4      ,of all future            
contingencies1 i4 #dciddf4      ,doth   
not necessitate the will of man1 i4     
#ddfdea4      ,it is by his essence1 i4 
#deb1 #dec4      ,intuitive1 i4 #decdef4
      ,independent1 i4 #def1 #deg4      
,distinct1 i4 #deh1 #dei4               
,infallible1 i4 #dei4      ,no blemish  
to his holiness1 i4 #dfadfe4            
,infinite1 attributed to ,christ1 i4    
#dfedfi4      ,infers his providence1 i4
 #dfi1 #dgj2        and a day of        

judgment1 i4 #dgj1 #dga2        and the 
resurrection1 i4 #dga1 #dgb4            
,destroys all hopes of justification by 
anything in            ourselves1 i4    
#dgb1 #dgc4      ,calls for our adoring 
thoughts of him1 i4 #dgc1 #dgd2         
and humility1 i4 #dgd1 #dge4      ,how  
injured in the world1 and wherein1 i4   
#dgedhc4      ,comfortable to the       
righteous1 and wherein1 i4 #dhcdia4     
,terrible to sinners1 i4 #dia1 #dib4    
,we should have a sense of it on our    
hearts1 and the            advantages of
 it1 i4 #dibdig4      ,knowledge of     
,god's will4      ,men negligent in     
using the means to attain it1 i4 #ajj1  
#aja4      ,enemies to it1 and have no  
delight in it1 i4 #ajaajc4      ,seek it
 for byends1 i4 #ajd4      ,admit it    
with wavering affections1 ib4      ,seek
 it1 to improve some lust by it1 i4     
#aje1 #ajf4      ,a sense of man's1 hath
 a greater influence on us than that    
of ,god1 i4 #add1 #ade1 #dgi1 #dhj4     
,sins against it should be avoided1 i4  

#agc4      ,distinct from wisdom1 i4    
#ejh4      ,of all creatures1 is derived
 from ,god1 i4 #dfb1 #dfc4      ,ours1  
how imperfect1 i4 #dgd1 #dge4           
,l4      ,law of ,god4      ,how        
opposite man naturally is to it 7see    
,man74      ,there is one in the minds  
of men1 which is the rule of good       
and evil1 i4 #fi1 #gj4      ,a change of
 them doth not infer a change in ,god1  
i4 #cdf4      ,vindicated1 both as to   
the precept and penalty1 in the death   
of ,christ1 i4 #efeefg4      ,suited to 
our natures1 happiness1 and conscience1 
i4 #ebgebi2 ii4 #bec4      ,we should   
submit to them1 i4 #fjc1 #fjd4      ,the
 transgression of them punished by ,god1
 ii4 #acb1 #acc1            #cic1 #cid4 
,god's enjoining one which he knew man  
would not observe1 no            blemish
 to his holiness1 ii4 #adc4      ,to    
charge them with rigidness1 how great a 
sin1 ii4 #agh1 #agi4      ,we should    
imitate the holiness of them1 ii4       
#aiibja4      ,the goodness of ,god in  

that of innocence1 ii4 #bebbed4         
,cannot but be good1 ii4 #cci1 #cdj4    
,he gives laws to all1 ii4 #chh1 #chi4  
,positive ones1 ib4      ,his only reach
 the conscience1 ii4 #cij1 #cia4        
,dispensed with by him1 but cannot by   
man1 ii4 #ciacic1            #dcj1 #dca4
      ,to make any1 contrary to ,god's1 
how great a sin1            ii4 #dca1   
#dcb2        or make additions to them1 
ii4 #dcb1 #dcc2        or obey those of 
men before them1 ii4 #dccdce1 #dfg1     
#dfh4      ,see ,governor and           
,magistrates4      ,licentiousness4     
,the gospel no friend to1 i4 #ejd4      
,life1 eternal4      ,expected by men   
from something of their own 7see        
,justification74      ,assured to the   
people of ,god1 i4 #cef4      ,light4   
,a glorious creature1 ii4 #cdc1 #cdd4   
,light of nature4      ,shows the being 
of a ,god1 i4 #bgbi4      ,limiting     
,god4      ,a contempt of his dominion1 
ii4 #dci4      ,lives of men4      ,at  
,god's disposal1 ii4 #dba1 #dbb4        

,love to ,god4      ,sometimes arises   
merely from some selfpleasing benefits1 
i4 #adiaea4      ,a necessary ingredient
 in spiritual worship1 i4 #bca1 #bcb4   
,a great help to it1 i4 #bgb4      ,god 
is highly worthy of it1 i4 #cjh2 ii4    
#aif1 #aig1 #ccbcce4      ,outward      
expressions of it insignificant without 
obedience1            ii4 #bac1 #bad4   
,god's gospel name1 ii4 #beg1 #bei4     
,of ,god to his people1 great1 ii4 #ddi1
 #dej4      ,lusts of men4      ,make   
them atheists1 i4 #bd1 #be4        b#ecd
                          ,m4           
,magistracy4      ,the goodness of ,god 
in settling it1 ii4 #cjj1 #cja4         
,magistrates are inferior to ,god4      
,to be obedient to him1 ii4 #ddd1 #dde4 
,ought to govern justly and righteously1
 ii4 #dde4      ,to be obeyed1 ii4 #dde1
 #ddf4      ,man4      ,could not make  
himself1 i4 #dedi4      ,the world      
subservient to him1 i4 #ecee4      ,the 
abridgment of the universe1 i4 #fd2 ii4 
#bdh1 #bdi4      ,naturally disowns the 

rule ,god hath set him1 i4 #iiaag4      
,owns any rule rather than ,god's1 i4   
#aagaba4      ,would set himself up as  
his own rule1 i4 #abaabg4      ,would   
give laws to ,god1 i4 #abgace4          
,would make himself his own end4 7see   
,end74      ,his natural corruption how 
great1 ii4 #ec1 #ed4      ,made holy at 
first1 ii4 #abf1 #abg1 #bdh2        yet 
mutable1 which was no blemish to ,god's 
holiness1              ii4 #adjadc4     
,made after ,god's image1 ii4 #bdh4     
,the world made and furnished for him1  
ii4 #bdibeb4      ,in his corrupt       
estate1 without any motives to excite   
,god's            redeeming love1 ii4   
#bfhbgc4      ,restored to a more       
excellent state than his first1         
ii4 #biabic4      ,under ,god's         
dominion1 ii4 #chdchf4      ,means4     
,see ,instrument4      ,to depend on the
 power of ,god1 and neglect them1 is an 
abuse of it1 ii4 #if4      ,of grace1 to
 neglect them an affront of ,god's      
wisdom1            i4 #ehi1 #eij4       

,given to some1 and not to others1 ii4  
#djcdjg4      ,have various influences1 
ii4 #djg1 #djh4      ,meditation on the 
law of ,god4      ,men have no delight  
in1 i4 #aja1 #ajb4      ,members1       
bodily4      ,attributed to ,god do not 
prove him a body1 i4 #ahhaij4      ,what
 sort of them attributed to him1 i4     
#ahi2        with a respect to the      
incarnation of ,christ1 i4 #ahi1 #aij4  
,mercies of ,god to sinners4      ,how  
wonderful1 i4 #afa1 #afb4      ,a motive
 to worship1 i4 #bjfbjh4      ,former   
ones should be remembered when we come  
to beg new            ones1 i4 #bgg1    
#bgh4      ,its plea for fallen man1 i4 
#eef1 #eeg4      ,it and justice        
reconciled in ,christ1 i4 #eeg1 #eeh4   
,holiness of ,god in them to be         
observed1 ii4 #aig1 #aih4      ,contempt
 and abuse of them 7see ,goodness74     
,one foundation of ,god's dominion1 ii4 
#cga1 #cgb4      ,call for our love of  
him1 ii4 #bcbbce2        and obedience  
to him1 ii4 #cch1 #cci4      ,given     

after great provocations1 ii4 #dif1     
#dig4      ,merit of ,christ4      ,not 
the cause of the first resolution of    
,god to redeem1            ii4 #bfe1    
#bff4      ,not the cause of election1  
ii4 #cif4      ,man incapable of1 ii4   
#cdc1 #cdd4      ,miracles4      ,prove 
the being of a ,god1 though not wrought 
to that end1            i4 #bi1 #gf4    
,wrought by ,god but seldom1 i4 #eej4   
,the power of ,god1 ii4 #cd1 #ce2       
seen no more in them than in the        
ordinary works of nature1               
ii4 #ea1 #fb4      ,many wrought by     
,christ1 ii4 #fd4      ,moral goodness4 
,encouraged by ,god1 ii4 #cjc1 #cjd4    
,moral law4      ,commands things good  
in their own nature1 i4 #id1 #ie2 ii4   
#chi4      ,the holiness of ,god appears
 in it1 ii4 #abh4      ,holy in the     
matter and manner of his precepts1 ii4  
#abhacj4      ,reaches the inward man1  
ii4 #acj4      ,perpetual1 ii4 #acj1    
#aca4      ,see ,law of ,god4           
,published with majesty1 ii4 #cij4      

,mortification4      ,how difficult1 i4 
#afd1 #afe4      ,motions of all        
creatures4      ,in ,god1 ii4 #di4      
,variety of them in a single creature1  
ii4 #ej4      ,mountains4      ,how     
useful1 i4 #ed4      ,before the deluge1
 i4 #bgh4      ,mouth4      ,how        
curiously contrived1 i4 #fe4            
,n4      ,nature of man4      ,must be  
sanctified before it can perform        
spiritual worship1            i4 #bbc1  
#bbd4      ,human1 highly advanced by   
its union with the ,son of ,god1        
ii4 #bgc1 #bgd4      ,human and divine  
in ,christ 7see ,union74      ,night4   
,how necessary1 i4 #ebc4                
,o4      ,obedience to ,god4      ,not  
true unless it be universal1 i4 #ajh1   
#aji4      ,due to him upon the account 
of his eternity1 i4 #cjh1 #cji4      ,to
 him should be preferred before         
obedience to men 7see            ,laws74
      ,of faith only acceptable to ,god1
 i4 #eje4      ,distinct1 but           
inseparable from faith1 i4 #eje1 #ejf4  

,shall be rewarded1 i4 #ebi1 #ecj4      
,redemption a strong incentive to it1 i4
 #ega4      ,without it nothing will    
avail us1 ii4 #bac1 #bad4      ,the     
goodness of ,god in accepting it1 though
 imperfect1            ii4 #cji4        
,due to ,god for his goodness1 ii4      
#cchcda4      ,due to him as a          
sovereign1 ii4 #dfbdff4      ,what kind 
of it due to him1 ii4 #dffdfi4          
,objects4      ,the proposing them to   
man which ,god knows he will use to     
sin1 no blemish to ,god's holiness1 ii4 
#afaaff4      ,obstinacy in sin4      ,a
 contempt of ,divine power1 ii4 #ib1    
#ic4      ,omissions4      ,of prayer1 a
 practical denial of ,god's knowledge1  
i4 #dha2        of duty1 a contempt of  
his goodness1 ii4 #cbj1 #cba4           
,omnipresence4      ,an attribute of    
,god1 i4 #cff1 #cfg4      ,denied by    
some ,jews and heathens1 but            
acknowledged by the            wisest   
amongst them1 i4 #cfh4      ,to be      
understood negatively1 i4 #cfi4         

,influential on all creatures1 i4 #cfi1 
#cgj4      ,limited to subjects         
capacitated for this or that kind of    
it1 i4 #cgj4      ,essential1 i4 #cga4  
,in all places1 i4 #cga1 #cgb4          
,with all creatures1 i4 #cgc1 #cgd2     
without mixture with them1 or division  
of himself1 i4 #cgd4      ,not by       
multiplication or extension1 i4 #cge2   
but totally1 ib4      b#ece ,in         
imaginary spaces beyond the world1 i4   
#cgecgg4      ,god's incommunicable     
property1 i4 #cgh4      ,arguments to   
prove his omnipresence1 i4 #cghche4     
,objections against it answered1 i4     
#checib4      ,ascribed to ,christ1 i4  
#cib1 #cic4      ,proves ,god a ,spirit1
 i4 #cic2        and his providence1    
ib42        and omniscient and          
incomprehensible1 i4 #cid1 #cie4        
,calls for admiration of him1 i4 #cie1  
#cif4      ,forgotten and contemned1 i4 
#cif1 #cig4      ,terrible to sinners1  
i4 #cig1 #cih4      ,comfortable to the 
righteous1 and wherein1 i4 #cihdjb4     

,should be often thought of1 and the    
advantages of so doing1            i4   
#djbdje4      ,opposition4      ,in the 
hearts of men naturally against the will
 of ,god1            i4 #ajb1 #ajc4     
,p4      ,pardon4      ,god's infinite  
knowledge a comfort when we reflect on  
it1 or            seek it1 i4 #dij1     
#dia4      ,the power of ,god in        
granting it1 and giving a sense of it1  
ii4 #ghhj4      ,the spring of all other
 blessings1 ii4 #ceg4      ,always      
accompanied with regeneration1 ib4      
,punishment remitted upon it1 ii4 #ceh4 
,it is perfect1 ib4      ,of ,god1 and  
his alone1 gives a full security1 ii4   
#dej4      ,patience4      ,under       
afflictions a duty1 i4 #fjd1 #fje4      
,god's immutability should teach us it  
i4 #cei4      ,a sense of ,god's        
holiness would promote it1 ii4 #aie1    
#aif2        and his goodness1 ii4 #cej4
      ,motives to it1 ii4 #dfi1 #dgj4   
,the true nature of it1 ii4 #dga4       
,consideration of ,god's patience to us 

would promote it1            ii4 #eah4  
,patience4      ,of ,god how admirable1 
i4 #afa1 #cie1 #cif2 ii4 #digejj4       
,his wisdom the ground of it1 i4 #eha1  
#ehb4      ,evidences his power1 ii4    
#fd1 #dgd4      ,is a property of the   
,divine nature1 ii4 #dgg1 #dgh4      ,a 
part of goodness and mercy1 but differs 
from both1            ii4 #dghdhj4      
,not insensible1 constrained1 or        
fainthearted1 ii4 #dhj1 #dha4           
,flows from his fulness of power over   
himself1 ii4 #dha1 #dhb4      ,founded  
in the death of ,christ1 ii4 #dhb1 #dhc4
      ,his veracity1 holiness1 and      
justice no bars to it1            ii4   
#dhcdhf4      ,exercised towards our    
first parents1 ,gentiles1 and           
,israelites1 ii4 #dhfdhh4      ,wherein 
it is evidenced1 ii4 #dhhejj4      ,the 
reason of its exercise1 ii4 #ejjejg4    
,it is abused1 and how1 ii4 #ejgeji4    
,the abuse of it sinful and dangerous1  
ii4 #ejieac4      ,exercised towards    
sinners and saints1 ii4 #eac1 #ead4     

,comfortable to all1 ii4 #eadeaf2       
especially to the righteous1 ib4        
,should be meditated on1 and the        
advantage of so doing1            ii4   
#eafeah4      ,we should admire and     
bless ,god for it1 with motives so to   
do1 ii4 #eahebb4      ,should not be    
presumed on1 ii4 #ebb1 #ebc4            
,should be imitated1 ii4 #ebc1 #ebd4    
,peace4      ,god only can speak it to  
troubled souls1 ii4 #gi4                
,permission of sin4      ,what it is1   
and that it is no blemish to ,god's     
holiness1            ii4 #adfaef4       
,persecutions4      ,the goodness of    
,god seen in them1 ii4 #cjicaa4         
,see ,apostasy4      ,perseverance of   
the saints4      ,a gospel doctrine1 i4 
#eja4      ,certain1 i4 #cee1 #cef2 ii4 
#ajj1 #ahi4      ,motives to labor after
 it1 i4 #cfj1 #cfa4      ,depends on    
,god's power and wisdom1 i4 #ejj1 #eja2 
ii4 #gi1 #hj4      ,pleasures4          
,sensual men strangely addicted to1 i4  
#add4      ,we ought to take heed of    

them1 i4 #agc4      ,poems4      ,fewer 
sacred ones good1 than of any other     
kind1 i4 #adc4      ,poor4      ,the    
wisdom of ,god in making some so1 i4    
#eca1 #ecb4      ,power4      ,infinite1
 belongs to ,god1 ii4 #aj4      ,the    
meaning of the word1 ii4 #ab4           
,absolute and ordinate1 ii4 #ab1 #ac4   
,distinct from will and wisdom1 ii4 #ad1
 #ae4      ,gives life and activity to  
his other perfections1            ii4   
#ae1 #af4      ,of a larger extent than 
some others1 ii4 #af4      ,originally  
and essentially1 in the nature of ,god1 
and the      same with his essence1 ii4 
#ag1 #ah4      ,incommunicable to the   
creature1 ii4 #ah1 #bd4      ,infinite  
and eternal1 ii4 #ahbf4      ,bounded by
 his decree1 ii4 #be1 #bf4      ,not    
infringed by the impossibility of doing 
some things1            ii4 #bfcj4      
,arguments to prove it is in ,god1 ii4  
#cjce4      ,appears in creation1 ii4   
#cedd2        in the government of the  
world1 ii4 #ddei2        in redemption1 

ii4 #eife2        in the publication and
 propagation of the gospel1             
ii4 #fegd2        in planting and       
preserving grace1 and pardoning sin1    
ii4 #gdhj4      ,ascribed to ,christ1   
ii4 #hjhf2        and to the ,holy      
,ghost1 ii4 #hf4      ,infers his       
blessedness1 immutability1 and          
providence1            ii4 #hfhh4       
,a ground of worship1 ii4 #hhij2        
and for the belief of the resurrection1 
ii4 #ijib4      ,contemned and abused1  
and wherein1 ii4 #ibif4      ,terrible  
to the wicked1 ii4 #ifih4               
,comfortable to the righteous1 and      
wherein1 ii4 #ihajb4      ,should be    
meditated on1 ii4 #ajb1 #ajc2        and
 trusted in1 and why1 ii4 #ajcajf4      
,should teach us humility and           
submission1 ii4 #ajf2        and the    
fear of him1 and not of man1 ii4 #ajf1  
#ajg4      ,praise4      ,consideration 
of ,god's wisdom and goodness would help
 us to            give it to him1 i4    
#eig1 #eih2 ii4 #cea4      ,men backward

 to it1 ii4 #cef1 #ceg4      ,due to    
him1 ii4 #dei1 #dfj4      ,prayer4      
,men impatient if ,god do not answer it1
 i4 #aeb1 #aec4      ,we should take the
 most melting opportunities for secret  
prayer1 i4 #bge4      ,not unnecessary  
because of ,god's immutability and      
knowledge1            i4 #cdhcej1 #dgi4 
,to creatures a wrong to ,god's         
omniscience1 i4 #dge1 #dgf4             
,omission of it a practical denial of   
,god's knowledge1            i4 #dha4   
,it is a comfort that the most secret   
ones are understood by            ,god1 
i4 #dhfdhh4      ,god's wisdom a comfort
 b#ecf in delaying or denying an        
answer to them1 i4 #eic4      ,for      
success on wicked designs how sinful1   
ii4 #age1 #agf4      ,god fit to be     
trusted in for an answer of them1 ii4   
#ahh1 #ahi4      ,the goodness of ,god  
in answering them1 ii4 #cjgcji4         
,his goodness a comfort in them1 ii4    
#cda1 #cdb4      ,god's dominion an     
encouragement to1 and ground of it1     

ii4 #dea1 #dfb1 #dfc4      ,preparation4
      ,we should examine ourselves      
concerning it before worship1           
i4 #beb1 #bec4      ,consideration of   
,god's knowledge would promote it1      
i4 #die1 #dif4      ,how great a sin to 
come into ,god's presence without it1   
ii4 #agf1 #agg4      ,presence of men4  
,more regarded than ,god's1 i4 #add4    
,we should seek for ,god's special and  
influential presence1            i4     
#dje4      ,see ,omnipresence4          
,preserve himself4      ,no creature    
can1 i4 #dh1 #di2 ii4 #df1 #dg4         
,god only can the world1 i4 #fb1 #fc4   
,the power of ,god seen in it1 ii4      
#dddg4      ,one foundation of ,god's   
dominion1 ii4 #cga4      ,presumption4  
,springs from vain imaginations of ,god1
 i4 #aeg4      ,a contempt of ,god's    
dominion1 ii4 #ddj1 #dda4      ,pride4  
,how common1 i4 #aci4      ,an exalting 
ourselves above ,god1 i4 #adg1 #adh4    
,the thoughts of ,god's eternity should 
abate it1 i4 #cjc4      ,an affront to  

,god's wisdom1 i4 #eib4      ,of our own
 wisdom1 foolish1 i4 #fjj1 #fja4        
,god's mercies abused to it1 ii4 #cbc4  
,a contempt of his dominion1 ii4 #dci1  
#ddj4      ,principles4      ,better    
known by actions than words1 i4 #ib1    
#ic4      ,some kept up by ,god to      
facilitate the reception of the         
gospel1 i4 #egf1 #egg4      ,promises4  
,men break them with ,god1 i4 #aaf1     
#aag1 #cea1 #cec4      ,of ,god shall be
 performed1 i4 #cjj1 #cja2 ii4 #ii1     
#ajj1 #eaf4      ,we should believe     
them1 and leave ,god to his own season  
of            accomplishing them1 i4    
#dii4      ,distrust of them a contempt 
of ,god's wisdom1 i4 #eic4      ,the    
holiness of ,god in the performance of  
them to be            observed1 ii4     
#aig1 #aih4      ,propagation of        
creatures4      ,the power of ,god seen 
in it1 ii4 #dgdi4      ,of mankind one  
end of ,god's patience1 ii4 #ejd4       
,prophesies4      ,prove the being of   
,god1 i4 #gf1 #gg4      ,providence4    

,of ,god proved1 i4 #cic1 #cid1 #dfi1   
#dgj2 ii4 #hg1 #hh4      ,see           
,government of the world4               
,especially to his church1 and the      
meanest in it1 i4 #djfdjh4      ,extends
 to all creatures1 ii4 #bifcjj4         
,distrust of it1 a contempt of ,god's   
goodness1 ii4 #cai1 #cbj4               
,punishments4      ,see ,judgments4     
,god always just in them1 i4 #afb1 #afc2
 ii4 #cbf1 #cbg4      ,of sinners       
eternal1 i4 #bif1 #big4      ,the wisdom
 of ,god seen in them1 i4 #edh4         
,necessarily follow sins1 ii4 #ahaahc4  
,do not impeach ,god's goodness1 ii4    
#bcfbdd4      ,not ,god's primary       
intention1 ii4 #bdj1 #bda4              
,inflicting them a branch of ,god's     
dominion1 ii4 #cic1 #cid2               
necessarily follow upon it1 ii4 #ddg4   
,of the wicked unavoidable and terrible1
 ii4 #ddgddi4      ,purgatory4          
,held by the ,jews1 i4 #abf4            
,r4      ,rain4      ,an instance of    
,god's wisdom and power1 i4 #ebb4       

,reason4      ,should not be the measure
 of ,god's revelations1 i4 #fjb1 #fjc4  
,repentance4      ,how ascribed to ,god1
 i4 #cda1 #cdb4      ,a reasonable      
condition1 i4 #egc4      ,the end of    
,god's patience1 ii4 #ejbejd4      ,the 
consideration of ,god's patience would  
make us frequent            and serious 
in the practice of it1 ii4 #eag1 #eah4  
,reprobation4      ,consistent with     
,god's holiness and justice1 ii4 #adf1  
#adg4      ,reproof4      ,may be for   
evil ends1 i4 #aed4      ,reputation4   
,men more concerned for their own1 than 
,god's glory1 i4 #adj4      ,resignation
 of ourselves4      ,would flow from    
consideration of ,god's wisdom1 i4 #fjd1
 #fje2        should from that of his   
sovereignty1 ii4 #deg4                  
,resolutions1 good4      ,how soon      
broken1 i4 #cea4      ,restraint4       
,of men and devils by ,god in mercy to  
man1 i4 #ecb1 #ecc1            ii4      
#ebed1 #aed1 #cja1 #dafdah4             
,resurrection4      ,of the body no     

incredible doctrine1 i4 #dga1 #dgb1 ii4 
#ijib4      ,the power of ,god in that  
of ,christ1 ii4 #fe4      ,of men1      
ascribed to ,christ1 ii4 #hd1 #he4      
,reverence4      ,necessary in the      
worship of ,god1 i4 #bcf1 #bcg4         
,revelations4      ,of ,god are not to  
be censured1 i4 #eij1 #eia4             
,riches4      ,inordinate desire after  
them a hindrance to spiritual           
worship1 i4 #bgc4      ,god exercises a 
sovereignty in bestowing them1 ii4 #daa1
 #dab4      ,rivers4      ,how useful1  
i4 #ebb1 #ebc4      ,rome4      ,why    
called ,babylon1 i4 #ci4                
,s4      ,sacraments4      ,the goodness
 of ,god in appointing them4 ii4 #bhg1  
#bhh4      ,salvation of men4      ,how 
desirous ,god is of it1 ii4 #bhdbhg1    
#ejjejb4      ,sanctification4          
,deserves our thanks as much as         
justification1 ii4 #ceg1 #ceh4      ,see
 ,holiness4      ,satisfaction4      ,of
 the soul only in ,god1 i4 #gd1 #bjb1   
#bjc1 #cje1 #cjf4      ,necessary for   

sin1 ii4 #ahc1 #ahd4      ,sceptics4    
,must own a ,first ,cause1 i4 #ea4      
,scoffing4      ,at holiness a great    
sin1 ii4 #agj2        and at convictions
 in others1 ii4 #aia1 #aib4             
,scriptures4      ,are wrested and      
abused1 i4 #aje1 #ajf1 #acd1 #ace4      
,ought to be prized and studied1 i4     
#agc4      ,the not fulfilling some     
predictions in them1 doth not prove     
,god to be changeable1 i4 #cdbcde4      
,of the b#ecg ,old ,testament give      
credit to the ,new1 and of              
the ,new illustrate those of the ,old1  
i4 #ejc4      ,all truth to be drawn    
thence1 ib4      ,of the ,old ,testament
 to be studied1 ib4      ,something in  
them suitable to all sorts of men1 i4   
#ebhecj4      ,written so as to prevent 
foreseen corruptions1 i4 #ecj1 #eca4    
,to study arguments from them to defend 
sin1 a contempt of      ,god's holiness1
 ii4 #age4      ,the goodness of ,god in
 giving them as a rule1 ii4 #cjd1 #cje4 
,sea4      ,how useful1 i4 #ed1 #ee4    

,the wisdom of ,god seen in it1 i4 #ebb2
        and his power1 ii4 #g1 #de1 #df4
      ,searching the hearts of men4     
,how to be understood of ,god1 i4 #dbg1 
#dbh4      ,seasons4      ,the variety  
of them necessary1 i4 #ebc4             
,secresy4      ,a poor refuge to        
sinners1 i4 #dia1 #dib4      ,secret    
sins4      ,cause stings of conscience1 
i4 #ga1 #gb1 #dfc2        known to ,god1
 i4 #cid1 #cig1 #cih1 #dij1 #dia2       
shall be revealed in the day of         
judgment1 i4 #dgj1 #dga2        prayers 
and works known to ,god1 i4 #dhfdhh4    
,security4      ,men abuse ,god's       
blessings to it1 ii4 #cbc4      ,self4  
,man most opposite to those truths that 
are most contrary to            it1 i4  
#ajg4      ,man sets up as his own rule1
 i4 #aba4      ,dissatisfied with       
conscience when it contradicts its      
desires1            i4 #abc1 #abd4      
,merely the agreeableness to it the     
springs of many materially              
good actions1 i4 #abdabf1 #adiaed1 #bdj1

 #bda4      ,would make it the rule of  
,god1 i4 #abgace2        and his own    
end1 and the end of all creatures1 and  
of ,god              7see ,end74        
,applauding thoughts of it how common1  
i4 #ach1 #aci4      ,men ascribe the    
glory of what they have or do to it1    
i4 #aci1 #adj2        desire doctrines  
pleasing to it1 ib42        highly      
concerned for any injury done to it1 i4 
#adj2        obey it against the light  
of conscience1 i4 #adj1 #ada2        how
 great a sin this is1 i4 #ada1 #adb4    
,the giving mercies pleasing to it1 the 
only cause of many            men's love
 to ,god1 i4 #adi1 #aej4      ,men      
unwieldy to their duty where it is not  
concerned1            i4 #aea1 #aeb2    
how sinful this is1 i4 #aed1 #aee4      
,the great enemy to the gospel and      
conversion1 i4 #afe4      ,selflove4    
,threefold1 i4 #acf4      ,the cause of 
all sin1 and hindrance of conversion1   
i4 #aceach4      ,service of ,god4      
,how unwilling men are to it1 i4        

#aabaad2        slight in the           
performance of it1 i4 #aac1 #aad2       
show not that natural vigor in it as    
they do in their              worldly   
business1 i4 #aacaae2        quickly    
weary of it1 i4 #aad1 #aae2             
desert it1 i4 #aaeaag4      ,the        
presence of ,god a comfort in it1 i4    
#dja1 #djb4      ,hypocritical pretences
 for avoiding it1 a denial of ,god's    
knowledge1 i4 #dha1 #dhb4      ,a sense 
of ,god's goodness would make us        
faithful in it1            ii4 #ccicda4 
,some called to1 and fitted for more    
eminent ones in their                   
generation1 ii4 #dajdaf4      ,omissions
 of it a contempt of ,god's sovereignty1
 ii4 #dda4      ,sin4      ,founded in a
 secret atheism and selflove1 i4 #ic1   
#acfach4      ,reflects a dishonor on   
all the attributes of ,god1 i4 #ic1 #id4
      ,implies ,god is unworthy of a    
being1 ib4      ,would make him a       
foolish1 impure and miserable being1    
i4 #id1 #ie4      ,more troublesome than

 holiness1 i4 #aaa1 #aab4      ,to make 
it our end1 a great debasing of ,god1 i4
 #addadf4      ,no excuse1 but an       
aggravation1 that we serve but one1     
i4 #ade1 #adf4      ,abstinence from it 
proceeds many times from an evil cause1 
i4 #aej1 #dgi1 #dhj4      ,god's name1  
word1 and mercies1 made use of to       
countenance            it1 i4 #aed2 ii4 
#agb1 #agc1 #cbacbd1 #ejh1 #eji4        
,spiritual to be avoided1 i4 #bjc1 #bjd4
      ,it is folly1 i4 #bie1 #bif4      
,past ones we should be humbled for1 i4 
#cja1 #cjb1 #dib1 #dic4      ,hath      
brought a curse on the creation1 i4     
#cae4      ,see ,creatures4      ,past  
known to ,god1 i4 #dbj1 #dba2        all
 known to him1 and how1 i4 #dbgdca1     
#dic1 #did4      ,a sense of ,god's     
knowledge and holiness would check it1  
i4 #did1 #die2 ii4 #aid4      ,bounded  
by ,god1 i4 #ecb1 #ecc4      ,god brings
 glory to himself1 and good to the      
creature out of            it1 i4       
#eccedd4      ,god hath shown the       

greatest hatred of it in redemption1    
i4 #efg1 #efh4      ,a contempt of      
,god's power1 ii4 #ib4      ,abhorred by
 ,god1 ii4 #aahabb1 #aha1 #ahb4      ,in
 ,god's people more severely punished in
 this world than in            others1  
ii4 #abj1 #aba4      ,god cannot be the 
author of it in others1 or do it        
himself1            ii4 #abbabg4        
,god punishes it1 and cannot but do so1 
ii4 #acb1 #acc1 #ahb1 #ahc4      ,the   
instruments of it detestable to ,god1   
ii4 #acc1 #acd4      ,opposite to the   
holiness of ,god1 ii4 #aga1 #agb4       
,to charge it on ,god1 or defend it by  
his word1 a great sin1            ii4   
#agd1 #age4      ,entrance of it into   
the world doth not impeach ,god's       
goodness1 ii4 #bca1 #bcb4      ,those   
that disturb societies most signally    
punished in this            life1 ii4   
#cja1 #cjb4      ,a contempt of ,god's  
dominion1 ii4 #dbgdca4      ,how much   
,god is daily provoked by it1 ii4       
#digdii1 #eai1 #ebj4      ,an abuse of  

,god's patience1 ii4 #ejh1 #eji4        
,sincerity4      ,required in spiritual 
worship1 i4 #bbe1 #bbf4      ,cannot be 
unknown to ,god1 i4 #dhf4               
,consideration of ,god's knowledge would
 promote it1 i4 #dif4      ,sinful      
times4      ,in them we should be most  
holy1 ii4 #aih1 #aii4      ,sinners4    
,god hath shown the greatest love to    
them1 and hatred to            their    
sins1 i4 #efg1 #efh4      ,everything in
 their possession detestable to ,god1   
ii4 #acc1 #acd4      ,society4      ,the
 goodness of ,god seen in the           
preservation of it1            ii4      
#cjjcjb4      ,could b#ech not exist    
without restraining grace               
7see ,restraint74      ,soul4      ,the 
vastness of its capacity1 and quickness 
of its motion1            i4 #fg1 #fh4  
,its union to the body wonderful1 i4    
#fi4      ,god only can satisfy it 7see 
,satisfaction74      ,they only can     
converse with ,god1 i4 #bjb4            
,should be the objects of our chiefest  

care1 i4 #bjc4      ,we should worship  
,god with them1 i4 #bjibaa4      ,the   
wisdom and goodness of ,god seen in     
them1 ii4 #di1            #bdg1 #bdh4   
,spaces4      ,imaginary beyond the     
world1 ,god is present with1 i4 #cgecgg4
      ,spirit1 that ,god is so4         
,plainly asserted but once in scripture1
 i4 #ahj4      ,various acceptations of 
the word1 i4 #aha1 #ahb4      ,that ,god
 is so1 how to be understood1 ib4       
,god the only pure one1 i4 #ahb1 #ahc4  
,arguments to prove ,god is one1 i4     
#ahcahh4      ,objection against it     
answered1 i4 #ahhaij4      ,spirit of   
,god4      ,his assistance necessary to 
spiritual worship1 i4 #bbd1 #bbe4       
,spirits of men4      ,raised up1 and   
ordered by ,god as he pleases1 ii4 #dae1
 #daf4      ,subjection to our          
superiors4      ,god remits of his own  
right for preserving it1 ii4 #cja1 #cjb4
      ,success4      ,men apt to ascribe
 to themselves1 i4 #aci4      ,not to be
 ascribed to ourselves1 ii4 #cbd1 #cbe4 

,denied by ,god to some1 ii4 #daa1 #dab4
      ,summer4      ,how necessary1 i4  
#ebc4      ,sun4      ,conveniently     
placed1 i4 #ec4      ,its motion useful1
 i4 #ec1 #eg4      ,the power of ,god   
seen in it1 i4 #aie1 #aif4      ,supper1
 ,lord's4      ,the goodness of ,god in 
appointing it1 ii4 #bhg1 #bhh4          
,seals the covenant of grace1 ii4 #bhh1 
#bhi4      ,in it we have union and     
communion with ,christ1 ii4 #bhibia4    
,the neglect of it reproved1 ii4 #bia4  
,supererogation4      ,an opinion that  
injures the holiness of ,god1 ii4 #agi1 
#ahj4      ,superstition4      ,proceeds
 from vain imaginations of ,god1 i4     
#aef1 #aeg4      ,swearing by any       
creature4      ,an injury to ,god's     
omniscience1 i4 #dgg1 #dgh4             
,t4      ,temptations4      ,the        
presence of ,god a comfort in them1 i4  
#cii2        the thoughts of it would be
 a shield against them1 i4 #djc4        
,the wisdom and power of ,god a comfort 
under them1 i4 #eid2            ii4 #ii4

      ,the goodness manifested to his   
people under them1            ii4       
#caacac4      ,the would arm and make us
 watchful against them1 ii4 #def4       
,thankfulness4      ,a necessary        
ingredient in spiritual worship1 i4     
#bcc1 #bcd4      ,due to ,god1 ii4 #cea1
 #ceb1 #dfj1 #eahebb2        a sense of 
his goodness would promote it1 i4 #cea4 
,theft4      ,an invasion of ,god's     
dominion1 ii4 #dce4      ,thoughts4     
,should be often upon ,god1 i4 #hg1 #hh2
        seldom are on him1 i4 #adc1     
#aei1 #afj4      ,all known by ,god     
only1 i4 #dbddbg2        and by ,christ1
 i4 #dfgdfi4      ,cherishing evil ones 
a practical denial of ,god's knowledge1 
i4 #dhb1 #dhc4      ,thoughts of ,god's 
knowledge would make us watchful over   
them1 i4 #die4      ,threatenings4      
,the not fulfilling them sometimes1     
argue no change in ,god1            i4  
#cdbcde4      ,are conditional1 ib4     
,the goodness of ,god in them1 ii4 #bee4
      ,go before judgments 7see         

,judgments74      ,time4      ,cannot be
 infinite1 i4 #dd1 #de4      ,times of  
bestowing mercy4      ,god orders as a  
sovereign1 ii4 #dab1 #dac4      ,tongue4
      ,how curious a workmanship i4 #ff4
      ,traditions4      ,old ones       
generally lost1 i4 #cg1 #ch4            
,belief of a ,god not owing merely to   
them1 ib4      ,transubstantiation4     
,an absurd doctrine1 ii4 #ie4           
,trees4      ,how useful1 i4 #ed1 #ebc4 
,trust in themselves4      ,men do1 and 
not in ,god1 i4 #aej4      ,we should   
not in the world1 i4 #cjdcjg1 #ceg1     
#ceh4      ,god the fit object of it1 i4
 #dhd1 #dhe1 #efi1 #egj1 #ehc2          
ii4 #ajc1 #ajd1 #ahh1 #cceccg1 #dfb1    
#dfc2        means to promote it1 i4    
#dig2 ii4 #ded1 #dee4      ,should not  
in our own wisdom1 i4 #fjj1 #fja4       
,in ourselves1 a contempt of ,god's     
power and dominion1            ii4 #id1 
#ie1 #dcf1 #dcg4      ,god's power the  
main ground of trusting him1 ii4 #ajd1  
#aje2        and sometimes the only one1

 ii4 #aje1 #ajf4      ,should be placed 
in ,god against outward appearances1    
ii4 #aih4      ,goodness the first      
motive of it1 ii4 #ccf4      ,more      
foundations of it1 and motives to it    
under the gospel            than under  
the law1 ii4 #ccg4      ,gives ,god the 
glory of his goodness1 ii4 #ccg1 #cch4  
,god's patience to the wicked1 a ground 
for the righteous to            trust in
 his promise1 ii4 #eaf4      ,truths of 
,god4      ,most contrary to self1 man  
most opposite to2 and to those          
that are most holy1 spiritual1 lead most
 to ,god1 and            relate most to 
him1 i4 #ajg4      ,men inconstant in   
the belief of them1 i4 #cej1 #cea4      
,u4      ,ubiquity4      ,of ,christ's  
human nature confuted1 i4 #cgh4         
,unbelief4      ,the reason of it1 i4   
#afe4      ,a contempt of ,divine power1
 ii4 #ie2        and goodness1 ii4 #cai4
      ,union of soul and body4      ,an 
effect of ,almighty power1 i4 #fi4      
,union of two natures in ,christ4       

,made no b#eci change in his ,divine    
nature1 i4 #cci1 #cdj4      ,shows the  
wisdom of ,god1 i4 #eebefh4      ,how   
necessary for us1 i4 #efceff4           
,shows the power of ,god1 ii4 #fb4      
,explained1 ii4 #fb1 #fc4      ,see     
,incarnation4      ,usurpations4        
,of men an invasion of ,god's           
sovereignty1 ii4 #dcj1 #dca4            
,v4    ,venial sins4      ,an opinion   
that reproaches ,god's holiness1 ii4    
#agi4      ,virtue and vice4      ,not  
arbitrary things1 i4 #ic1 #id4          
,w4      ,water4      ,an excellent     
creature1 ii4 #bbd4      ,weakness4     
,sensibleness of a necessary ingredient 
in spiritual worship1            i4     
#bcb4      ,will of ,god4      ,cannot  
be defeated1 i4 #ie1 #if4      ,man     
averse to it 7see ,man74      ,the same 
with his essence1 i4 #cbe1 #cbf4        
,always accompanied with his            
understanding1 i4 #cbf4                 
,unchangeable1 i4 #cbfcbh4      ,the    
unchangeableness of it doth not make    

things willed by            him so1 i4  
#cbg1 #cbh4      ,free1 ib4      ,how   
concurrent about sin1 ii4 #adg1 #adh4   
,will of man4      ,not necessitated by 
,god's foreknowledge1 i4 #ddfdea2       
subject to ,god1 ii4 #che1 #chf4        
,winds4      ,how useful1 i4 #ebb4      
,winter4      ,how useful1 i4 #ebc4     
,wisdom4      ,an attribute of ,god1 i4 
#ejg4      ,what it is1 and wherein it  
consists1 ib4      ,distinct from       
knowledge1 i4 #ejh4      ,essential1    
which is the same with his essence2 and 
personal1            ib4      ,in what  
sense ,god is only wise1 i4 #ejiead4    
,proved to be in ,god1 i4 #eaeeah4      
,appears in creation1 i4 #eahebe4       
,in the government of man as rational1  
i4 #ebeecb2        as fallen and sinful1
 i4 #ecbedd2        as restored1 i4     
#eddeeb4      ,in redemption1 i4        
#eebega4      ,in the condition of the  
covenant of grace1 i4 #egaegd4      ,in 
the propagation of the gospel1 i4       
#egdehj4      ,ascribed to ,christ1 i4  

#ehj4      ,renders ,god fit to govern  
the world1 and inclines him             
actually to govern it1 i4 #ehjehb4      
,a ground of his patience and           
immutability in his decrees1            
i4 #ehb1 #ehc4      ,makes him a fit    
object of our trust1 i4 #ehc4           
,infers a day of judgment1 i4 #ehc1     
#ehd4      ,calls for a veneration of   
him1 i4 #ehd4      ,a ground of prayer  
to him1 i4 #ehe4      ,prodigiously     
contemned1 and wherein1 i4 #eheeic4     
,comfortable to the righteous1 i4       
#eiceie4      ,in creation and          
government should be meditated on1 and  
motives to it1 i4 #eieeih4      ,in     
redemption to be studied and admired1 i4
 #eihfjj4      ,to be submitted to in   
his revelations1 precepts1              
providences1 i4 #fjbfje4      ,not to be
 censured in any of his ways1 i4 #fje1  
#fjf4      ,wisdom4      ,no man should 
be proud of1 or trust in1 i4 #fjj1 #fja4
      ,should be sought from ,god1 i4   
#fja1 #fjb4      ,world4      ,was not1 

and could not be from eternity1 i4      
#dddf4      ,could not make itself1 i4  
#dgdi4      ,no creature could make it1 
i4 #di1 #ej4      ,its harmony1 i4      
#ebfj4      ,greedily pursued by men1 i4
 #adc1 #add4      ,inordinate desires   
after it a great hindrance to spiritual 
worship1 i4 #bgc4      ,our love and    
confidence not to be placed in it1 i4   
#cjd1            #cae1 #caf4      ,shall
 not be annihilated1 but refined1 i4    
#caacad4      ,see ,creatures4      ,we 
should be sensible of the inconstancy of
 all things in            it1 i4 #cef1  
#ceg2        our thoughts should not    
dwell much on them1 i4 #ceg2        we  
should not trust or rejoice in them1 i4 
#ceg1 #ceh4      ,not to be preferred   
before ,god1 i4 #ceh1 #cei4      ,made  
in the best manner1 ii4 #bd1 #be4       
,made and richly furnished for man1 ii4 
#bdibea4      ,a sense of ,god's        
goodness would lift us up above it1 ii4 
#cea4      ,worship of ,god4      ,a    
folly to neglect it1 i4 #hg1 #hh4       

,if not according to his rule1 no better
 than a worshipping            the      
devil1 i4 #aah1 #aai4      ,men prone to
 corrupt it with their own rites and    
inventions1            i4 #acc1 #acd4   
,spiritual1 men naturally have no heart 
to1 i4 #afj4      ,cannot be right      
without a true notion of ,god1 i4 #aih4 
,should be spiritual1 and spiritually   
performed1 i4 #bje1 #bjf4      ,god's   
spirituality the rule1 though his       
attributes be the            foundation 
of it1 i4 #bjfbjh2 ii4 #hhij4           
,spiritual1 to be due to him1 manifest  
by the light of            nature1      
though not the outward means and matter 
of an            acceptable worship     
discoverable by it1 i4 #bjhbaa4         
,spiritual1 owned to be due to ,god by  
heathens1 i4 #bji1 #baj4      ,always   
required by ,god1 i4 #baa1 #bab4        
,men as much obliged to it as to worship
 him at all1            i4 #bab1 #bac4  
,ceremonial law abolished to promote it1
 i4 #bacbai4      ,legal ceremonies did 

not promote1 but rather hinder it1      
i4 #badbaf4      ,by them ,god was never
 wellpleased with1 nor intended it      
should be durable1 i4 #bafbai4          
,under the gospel it is more spiritual  
than under the law1            i4 #bai4 
,yet doth not exclude bodily worship1 i4
 #baibbb4      ,in societies1 due to    
,god1 i4 #bba4      ,spiritual1 what it 
is1 and wherein it consists1 i4 #bbbbdb4
      ,due to ,god1 proved1 i4 #bdbbdi4 
,those reproved that render him none at 
all1 i4 #bdi4      ,a duty incumbent on 
all1 i4 #bdi1 #bej4      ,wholly to     
neglect it a great degree of atheism1 i4
 #bej4      ,to a false ,god1 or in a   
false manner1 better than a total       
neglect of it1 i4 #bej1 #bea4           
,outward1 not to be rested in1 i4 #bea1 
#beb4      ,we should examine ourselves 
of the manner of it1 and in what        
particulars1 i4 #bebbef4                
,spiritual1 it is a comfort that ,god   
requires it1 i4 #bef4      ,not to give 
it to ,god1 is to affront all his       

attributes1            i4 #bfcbga1 #dha4
      ,to give it him1 and not that of  
our spirits1 is a bad sign1             
i4 #bfh1 #bfi4      ,merely carnal1     
uncomfortable1 unacceptable1 abominable1
            i4 #bfibga4      ,directions
 b#edj for spiritual1 i4 #bgabge4       
,immutability of ,god1 a ground of      
worship1 and encouragement            to
 it1 i4 #cdhcej4      ,bringing human   
inventions into it an affront to ,god's 
wisdom1            i4 #ehgehi4      ,see
 ,ceremonies4      ,a strong sense of   
,god's holiness would make us reverent  
in            it1 ii4 #aid4      ,we    
should carry it holily in it1 ii4 #bjg4 
,ingenuous1 would be promoted by a sense
 of ,god's goodness1            ii4     
#cdh4      ,slight and careless1 a      
contempt of ,god's sovereignty1         
ii4 #ddj1 #dda2        and so is        
omission of it1 ii4 #dda4      ,thoughts
 of ,god's sovereignty would make us    
diligent in it1            ii4 #dee1    
#def4      ,worship of creatures4       

,is idolatry1 i4 #aidaif4      ,not     
countenanced by ,god's omnipresence1 i4 
#cij1 #cia4      ,wrong4      ,god can  
do none1 i4 #aga2 ii4 #ddb1 #ddc4       
,z4      ,zeal4      ,sometimes a base  
end in it1 i4 #aed4          b#eda      
,a ,,table ,,of ,,the                   
,,places ,,of ,,scripture ,,explained   
,,in ,,this ,,book4                     
,,genesis4      ,gen4 i4 #a4      i4    
#eai2 ii4 #cf4      ,gen4 i4 #bf4       
ii4 #db4      ,gen4 ii4 #g4      i4 #fd2
 ii4 #bdi4      ,gen4 ii4 #ag4      ii4 
#dhc4      ,gen4 iii4 #h4      ii4 #dic4
      ,gen4 iii4 #ae4      ii4 #fa4     
,gen4 iv4 #bf4      i4 #bba2 ii4 #dhi4  
,gen4 vi4 #f4      i4 #cdc4      ,gen4  
xviii4 #ai4      i4 #dbg4      ,gen4    
xxii4 #ab4      ib4      ,gen4 xxxii4   
#cj4      i4 #aaa4      ,gen4 xlvi4 #d4 
i4 #caj4      ,gen4 xlvii4 #ca4      i4 
#bbb4                                   
,,exodus4      ,exod4 iii4 #aa4      i4 
#dhb4      ,exod4 iii4 #ad4      i4     
#bhg4      ,exod4 iv4 #bd4      ii4     

#dij4      ,exod4 vi4 #c4      ii4 #cf4 
,exod4 ix4 #af4      ii4 #ee4           
,exod4 xv4 #aa4      ii4 #ajh4          
,exod4 xxxii4 #aj4      ii4 #bda4       
,exod4 xxxiii4 #ai4      ii4 #bai4      
,exod4 xxxiv4 #i4      ii4 #dig4        
,,numbers4      ,numb4 xiv4 #ad4      i4
 #aij4                                  
,,deuteronomy4      ,deut4 xxxii4 #cc1  
#cd4      i4 #dde4      ,deut4 xxxiv4   
#aj4      i4 #ahe4                      
#a ,,kings4      #a,ki4 viii4 #bg4      
i4 #cge4      #a,ki4 viii4 #ci4      i4 
#dfg4                                   
#b ,,kings4      #b,ki4 xx4 #c4      i4 
#aab4      #b,ki4 xx4 #a1 #d1 #e4       
i4 #cdb1 #cdd4                          
#b ,,chronicles4      #b;,chr4 xi4 #ae4 
i4 #aah4                                
,,job4      ,job iv4 #ah4      ii4 #aag4
      ,job ix4 #ba4      i4 #dgc4       
,job xii4 #ah4      ii4 #dae4      ,job 
xiv4 #e4      i4 #dce4      ,job xiv4   
#ag4      i4 #dbj4      ,job xvi4 #ai4  
i4 #dhf4      ,job xxii4 #ad4      ii4  

#chc4      ,job xxiv4 #ab4      ii4     
#dgh4      ,job xxvi4 #ead4      ii4    
#eaj4      ,job xxxi4 #bfbh4      i4    
#adf4      ,job xxxiv4 #ba4      i4     
#dbc4      ,job xxxviii4 #g4      ii4   
#beh4                                   
,,psalms4      ,psal4 i4 #d4      i4    
#cec4      ,psal4 ii4 #d4      i4 #che4 
,psal4 viii4 #d4      ii4 #ebj4         
,psal4 x4 #aa1 #ac4      i4 #bc4        
,psal4 xiv4 #a4      ib4      ,psal4    
xvi4 #b4      ii4 #dbc4      ,psal4 xix4
 #ad4      ii4 #ejj4      ,psal4 xix4   
#d4      i4 #ebj4      ,psal4 xix4 #i4  
ii4 #acj4      ,psal4 xix4 #ab4      i4 
#dbg4      ,psal4 xxii4 #bd4      ii4   
#aih4      ,psal4 xxvi4 #h4      i4     
#chf4      ,psal4 xxvii4 #d4      ii4   
#aac4      ,psal4 xxvii4 #aj4      i4   
#djj4      ,psal4 xxix4 #aj4      ii4   
#cic4      ,psal4 xxxii4 #a1 #b4      i4
 #dhj4      ,psal4 l4 #ba4      ii4     
#dgh1 #dhj4      ,psal4 l4 #bc4      i4 
#dhj4      ,psal4 li4 #d4      i4 #ddi4 
,psal4 li4 #f4      i4 #eff4      ,psal4

 lviii4 #c4      i4 #ij4      ,psal4    
lviii4 #d4      i4 #ia4      ,psal4     
lviii4 #aj4      ii4 #bdb4      ,psal4  
lxii4 #aa4      ii4 #aj4      ,psal4    
lxix4 #ai4      i4 #dhc4      ,psal4    
lxxiv4 #ad4      i4 #eid4      ,psal4   
lxxvi4 #ab4      ii4 #deb4      ,psal4  
lxxviii4 #cf4      i4 #dha4      ,psal4 
lxxviii4 #ch4      ii4 #did4      ,psal4
 xc4 #a4      i4 #bgf4      b#edb ,psal4
 xc4 #b4      i4 #bgg1 #bgh4      ,psal4
 xc4 #h4      i4 #dgj4      ,psal4 cii4 
#bebg4      i4 #cajcad4      ,psal4 cii4
 #ch4      i4 #cdg1 #cdh4      ,psal4   
ciii4 #e4      ii4 #ceh4      ,psal4    
ciii4 #ad4      i4 #dhi4      ,psal4    
ciii4 #ai4      ii4 #ceh1 #cei4         
,psal4 civ4 #b4      i4 #db4      ,psal4
 civ4 #ca4      i4 #cae4      ,psal4 cv4
 #be4      ii4 #afc4      ,psal4 cvi4   
#ai4      i4 #aie4      ,psal4 cxi4 #bj4
      i4 #da4      ,psal4 cxiii4 #e4    
i4 #che4      ,psal4 cxxx4 #d4      i4  
#bjf4      ,psal4 cxxxix4 #b4      i4   
#dde4      ,psal4 cxxxix4 #gi4      i4  

#cgb4      ,psal4 cxxxix4 #ae1 #af4     
i4 #fd4      ,psal4 cxxxix4 #af4      i4
 #dce4      ,psal4 cxxxix4 #bc1 #bd4    
i4 #dij4      ,psal4 cxlv4 #ag4      ii4
 #bah4      ,psal4 cxlvii4 #ac4      i4 
#djf1 #djg4      ,psal4 cxlvii4 #d4     
i4 #djg2 ii4 #chb4      ,psal4 cxlvii4  
#e4      i4 #djh4                       
,,proverbs4      ,prov4 viii4 #ab4      
i4 #eah4      ,prov4 viii4 #bb4      i4 
#bid2 ii4 #dbc4      ,prov4 viii4 #cj4  
i4 #dae4      ,prov4 ix4 #aj4      i4   
#da4      ,prov4 xv4 #aa4      i4 #dbe4 
,prov4 xvi4 #d4      ii4 #aee4          
,,ecclesiastes4      ,eccl4 viii4 #aa4  
i4 #ij4                                 
,,isaiah4      ,isa4 i4 #aj1 #aa1 #ad4  
i4 #bag4      ,isa4 iv4 #b4      ii4    
#fj4      ,isa4 ix4 #f4      i4 #dfe4   
,isa4 xxix4 #ae4      i4 #dhc4          
,isa4 xxxiv4 #d4      i4 #cab4          
,isa4 xxxviii4 #a1 #e4      i4 #cdb4    
,isa4 xl4 #ae1 #ag4      i4 #cgi4       
,isa4 xli4 #ba1 #bb4      i4 #dca4      
,isa4 xliii4 #bj1 #ba4      i4 #aae4    

,isa4 xlv4 #e4      ii4 #daf4      ,isa4
 xlv4 #aa4      ii4 #ddi4      ,isa4    
xlviii4 #aj4      ii4 #caj4      ,isa4  
lii4 #d1 #e4      ib4      ,isa4 liv4   
#af4      i4 #eah4      ,isa4 lxvi4 #a4 
i4 #cgg4                                
,,jeremiah4      ,jer4 vi4 #ba4      ii4
 #afb4      ,jer4 vii4 #ba4      i4     
#bag4      ,jer4 xii4 #i4      i4 #ceb4 
,jer4 xv4 #ae4      ii4 #dgd4      ,jer4
 xvi4 #ag4      i4 #dbg4      ,jer4 xxi4
 #ce1 #cf4      i4 #cac4      ,jer4     
xxiii4 #afbd4      i4 #cfccff4          
,jer4 xxxii4 #ca4      ii4 #dhh4        
,,lamentations4      ,lam4 ii4 #cc4     
ii4 #dib4                               
,,ezekiel4      ,ezek4 iv4 #f4      ii4 
#dib4      ,ezek4 viii4 #b4      ii4    
#aad4      ,ezek4 ix4 #aj4      ii4     
#dic4      ,ezek4 xi4 #af4      ii4     
#caj4      ,ezek4 xviii4 #be4      ii4  
#dge4      ,ezek4 xx4 #cc4      ii4     
#deb4                                   
,,daniel4      ,dan4 vii4 #i4      i4   
#aig4                                   

,,hosea4      ,hos4 i4 #e4      ii4     
#eaj4      ,hos4 ii4 #b1 #c4      ii4   
#did1 #ejg4      ,hos4 ii4 #af4      i4 
#bcj4      ,hos4 ii4 #ai4      ii4 #ddi4
      ,hos4 v4 #e4      ii4 #acd4       
,hos4 v4 #ab4      ii4 #did4      ,hos4 
vi4 #d4      ib4      ,hos4 vi4 #g4     
ii4 #dbg4      ,hos4 vii4 #c4      i4   
#aba4      ,hos4 vii4 #ae4      ii4     
#cbd4      ,hos4 viii4 #ab4      i4     
#ajj4      ,hos4 x4 #ae4      i4 #aid4  
,hos4 xi4 #aj4      i4 #bcf4      ,hos4 
xi4 #h4      ii4 #dic4      ,hos4 xiii4 
#ab1 #ac4      i4 #did2 ii4 #ejc1 #ebc4 
,hos4 xiv4 #b4      i4 #bcc4            
,,joel4      ,joel i4 #d4      ii4 #did4
                                        
,,amos4      ,amos ii4 #f4      i4 #ade1
 #adf4      ,amos iii4 #b4      i4 #dah4
                                        
,,jonah4      ,jon4 iii4 #d1 #aj4       
i4 #cdb4                                
,,micah4      ,mic4 v4 #b4      i4 #bid4
                                        
,,nahum4      ,nah4 i4 #a1 #b4      ii4 

#dgb1 #dgc4      ,nah4 i4 #c4      ii4  
#dgcdgg4                                
,,habakkuk4      ,hab4 i4 #af4      i4  
#add4                                   
,,zephaniah4      ,zeph4 ii4 #a1 #b4    
ii4 #dhi4                               
,,zechariah4      ,zech4 vi4 #a4      i4
 #cbe4      ,zech4 viii4 #c4      i4    
#chf4      ,zech4 xiv4 #af4      i4     
#bcd4                                   
,,malachi4      ,mal4 i4 #ca1 #ad4      
i4 #aac4      ,mal4 iii4 #e4      i4    
#dga4      ,mal4 iii4 #f4      ii4 #dig4
      b#edc                             
,,matthew4      ,matt4 i4 #ah4      ii4 
#fj4      ,matt4 iii4 #i4      ii4 #ac4 
,matt4 v4 #dh4      ii4 #dgh1 #ebc4     
,matt4 vii4 #aa4      ii4 #ahh4         
,matt4 vii4 #bc4      i4 #dac4          
,matt4 xv4 #f4      i4 #aaj4      ,matt4
 xviii4 #aj4      i4 #dad4      ,matt4  
xxv4 #ab4      i4 #dac4                 
,,mark4      ,mark x4 #ah4      ii4     
#bjibaa4                                
,,luke4      ,luke i4 #ce4      ii4 #ei4

      ,luke x4 #bj4      i4 #cee4       
,,john4      ,john i4 #c4      ii4 #hc4 
,john iv4 #ajbd4      i4 #agfagh4       
,john iv4 #bd4      i4 #aggagi1 #bje4   
,john v4 #ai4      ii4 #ha4      ,john  
vi4 #fd4      i4 #dfh4      ,john vii4  
#cg4      i4 #bcd4      ,john ix4 #c4   
ii4 #cgf4      ,john x4 #cj4      i4    
#cic4      ,john xii4 #ch4      i4 #ddi4
      ,john xii4 #ci1 #da4      ii4     
#ahf4      ,john xvii4 #e4      i4 #bic1
 #cdj4                                  
,,acts4      ,acts vii4 #ea4      i4    
#ajc4      ,acts xvii4 #ah4      ii4    
#ff4      ,acts xvii4 #bh4      i4 #cfg1
 #cgc4      ,acts xvii4 #cj4      ii4   
#dhg4                                   
,,romans4      ,rom4 i4 #i4      i4     
#bbe4      ,rom4 i4 #aiba4      i4 #bg1 
#bh1 #db1 #eai2 ii4 #baf4      ,rom4 i4 
#bc4      i4 #chf4      ,rom4 i4 #be4   
i4 #hj4      ,rom4 ii4 #d4      ii4     
#ejb4      ,rom4 iii4 #iab4      i4 #ij4
      ,rom4 iii4 #bc4      ii4 #ahj4    
,rom4 v4 #g4      ii4 #bai4      ,rom4  

vii4 #f4      i4 #bad4      ,rom4 vii4  
#h4      i4 #ajb4      ,rom4 viii4 #d4  
i4 #eff4      ,rom4 viii4 #aj4      ii4 
#dhd4      ,rom4 viii4 #ba4      i4     
#cac4      ,rom4 viii4 #ch1 #ci4      i4
 #eji4      ,rom4 ix4 #ch1 #ci4      i4 
#cie4      ,rom4 ix4 #f4      i4 #bad4  
,rom4 ix4 #bb4      ii4 #dhb1 #ejg4     
,rom4 x4 #ah4      ii4 #eja4      ,rom4 
xii4 #a4      ii4 #bbj4      ,rom4 xv4  
#e4      ii4 #eae4      ,rom4 xvi4      
#bebg4      i4 #dihejg4                 
#a ,,corinthians4      #a;,cor4 i #ba4  
i4 #eah4      #a;,cor4 ii4 #b4      i4  
#dbg4      #a;,cor4 ii4 #aj1 #aa4       
i4 #dad4      #a;,cor4 x4 #bj1 #ba4     
i4 #aah4                                
#b ,,corinthians4      #b;,cor4 iii4    
#ah4      i4 #eeb4                      
,,galatians4      ,gal4 iii4 #c4      i4
 #bad4                                  
,,ephesians4      ,eph4 i4 #aj4      ii4
 #bfb4      ,eph4 i4 #ah4      i4 #eed4 
,eph4 ii4 #c4      i4 #aff4      ,eph4  
ii4 #ab4      i4 #hi1 #aeh4      ,eph4  

iii4 #aj4      i4 #eec4      ,eph4 iv4  
#f4      i4 #cgj4                       
,,philippians4      ,phil4 ii4 #f4      
i4 #abb4                                
,,colossians4      ,col4 i4 #af4        
ii4 #hb4      ,col4 i4 #bj4      ii4    
#bfb4      ,col4 ii4 #c4      i4 #ehj4  
#b ,,timothy4      #b,tim4 i4 #aj4      
ii4 #bgg4      #b,tim4 ii4 #ai4      i4 
#cee4                                   
,,titus4      ,tit4 i4 #af4      i4 #be1
 #ib4                                   
,,hebrews4      ,heb4 i4 #a1 #b1 #aj1   
#aa4      i4 #cdg2 ii4 #hb4      ,heb4  
i4 #i4      ii4 #acf4      ,heb4 iv4    
#ab4      i4 #dbd4      ,heb4 xi4 #c4   
i4 #dd2 ii4 #ajd4      ,heb4 xi4 #f4    
i4 #bg4      ,heb4 xi4 #af4      ii4    
#bgg4      ,heb4 xi4 #ba4      i4 #bbb4 
,,james4      ,jam4 ii4 #aj1 #aa4       
i4 #ajh4      ,jam4 iii4 #ae4      i4   
#ia4                                    
#b ,,peter4      #b,pet4 ii4 #a4        
ii4 #dhb4      #b,pet4 ii4 #e4      ii4 
#dhi4      #b,pet4 iii4 #i4      ii4    

#dhh4      #b,pet4 iii4 #ab1 #ac4       
i4 #cab4                                
,,revelation4      ,rev4 i4 #aj4      i4
 #bgj4      ,rev4 ii4 #ah1 #ai1 #bb4    
ii4 #dhd4      ,rev4 vi4 #aj4      i4   
#dig4      ,rev4 vi4 #ad4      i4 #cab4 
,,footnotes4           #a - ,the        
,society which met in ,crosby ,hall has 
been represented           as a         
congregational church2 but ,wilson1 in  
his ,history           of ,dissenting   
,churches1 repeatedly speaks of it as   
,presbyterian4,vide v4 i4 p4 #ccj4      
#b - ,robert ,hall4         #c -        
,toplady4         #d - ,mr4 ,j4         
,wickens1 and ,mr4 ,ashton4         #e -
 ,treatise of ,providence and of        
,thoughts4         #f - ,isaiah xl4 #g4 
8the flower fadeth40 ,isaiah xxviii4 #a4
         #g - ,mais  and   put together4
 ,deut4 xxxii4 #f4 8,o foolish          
people and unwise40         #h -   8,no 
,god40 ,muis4         #i - ,cocceius4   
#aj - ,not owning him as the ,egyptians 
called1  4           ,eugubin in cloc4  

#aa - ,atheism absolute is not in all   
men's judgments1 but           practical
 is in all men's actions4 ,the ,apostle 
in the           ,romans applying the   
latter part of it to all mankind1 but   
not the former2 as the word translated  
corrupt signifies4        #ab - ,rom4 i4
 #bd4        #ac - ,heb4 xi4 #f4        
#ad - ,coccei ,sum4 ,theol4 c4 #h4  #a4 
#ae - ,aquin4        #af - ,heb4 xi4 #f4
        #ag - ,voet4 ,theol4 ,natural4  
cap4 #c4  #a4 p4 #bb4        #ah -      
,ibid4        #ai - ,job xxviii4 #ci1   
#dj1 c4 ,it is but one truth in         
philosophy           and divinity2 that 
which is false in one1 cannot be true   
in another2 truth1 in what appearance   
soever1 doth never           contradict 
itself4        #bj - ,isaiah xliv4 #ag4 
#ba - ,charron de la ,sagesse1 ,liv4 i4 
ch4 #g4 p4 #dc1 #dd4        #bb -       
,gassend4 ,phys4  #a1 lib4 iv4 c4 #b4 p4
 #bia4        #bc - ,amyrant des        
,religion1 p4 #ej4        #bd -         
,gassend4 ,phys4  #a1 lib4 iv4 c4 #b4 p4

 #bia4        #be - ,gassend4 ,phys4    
#a1 lib4 iv4 c4 #g4 p4 #bhb4        #bf 
- ,gassend4 ibid4 p4 #bij4        #bg - 
,cicero4        #bh - ,gen4 iii4 #e4    
#bi - ,gen4 iii4 #i4        #cj - ,pink4
 ,eph4 #f1 p4 #aj1 #aa4        #ca -    
,king on ,jonah1 p4 #af4        #cb -   
,amyrant des ,relgious1 p #fi4          
#cc - ,charleton4        #cd - ,gen4 x4 
#i4 8,nimrod was a mighty hunter before 
the ,lord40        #ce - ,or if we      
understand it as some think1 that he    
defended           his invasions under a
 pretext of the preserving religion1    
it assures us that there was a notion of
 an object of           religion before1
 since no religion can be without an    
object of worship4        #cf -         
,fotherby de ,theomastix1 p4 #fd4       
#cg - ,and there is not a ,richlieu but 
leaves his axioms to a                  
,mazarine4        #ch - 4        #ci -  
,gassend4 ,phys4  #a4 lib4 iv4 c4 #b4 p4
 #bia1 #bib4        #dj - ,prov4 ix4    
#aj4 ,psalm4 cxi4 #aj4        #da -     

,rom4 i4 #ai4        #db - ,jupiter est 
quodcunque vides1 c4        #dc - ,psalm
 viii4 #a4        #dd - ,banes in       
,aquin4 ,par4 #b4 ,qu4 #b4 ,artic4 #b4  
p4 #gh4 col4 #b4        #de - ,psalm    
civ4 #b4        #df - 8,for their voice 
goeth to the end of the earth10 ,psalm  
xix4 #a1 #b4        #dg - ,job xxxi4    
#bf1 #bg4        #dh - ,philo4 ex       
,petav4 ,theolo4 ,dog4 ,tom4 ,i4 lib4 i4
 c4 #a1 p4 #d1           somewhat       
changed4        #di - ,rom4 i4 #bj4     
#ej - ,gen4 i4 8,by faith we understand 
that the worlds were           framed by
 the word of ,god10 c4 ,heb4 xi4 #c4    
#ea - ,daille #bj4 ,serm4 ,psalm cii4   
#bf4 p4 #ac1 #ad4        #eb - ,daille1 
ut supra4        #ec - ,petar4 ,theo4   
,dogmat4 ,tom4 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #b4 p4    
#ae4        #ed - ,wolseley1 on         
,atheism1 p4 #dg4        #ee - ,petav4  
ut supra1 p4 #aj4        #ef - ,damason4
        #eg - ,petav4 ,theo4 ,dog4 ,tom4
 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #b4 p4 #ad4        #eh -
 ,gen4 ii4 #ag4 ,psalm xlix4 #h4        

#ei - ,therefore the heathens called    
,god  1 the only ,being4                
,other things were not beings1 because  
they had not all           degrees of   
being4        #fj - ,job xxxviii4 #aa4  
#fa - ,isaiah xxxviii4 #ab4        #fb -
 ,job4 vii4 #fi4        #fc - ,isaiah   
xlv4 #f1 #g4 ,deut4 iv4 #ce4        #fd 
- ,psalm cxxxix4 #af4        #fe -      
,coccei sum4 ,theol4 c4 #h4  #cc1 c4    
#ff - ,petav4 ,theol4 ,dog4 ,tom4 ,i4   
lib4 i4 c4 #b4 p4 #aj1 #aa4        #fg -
 ,philo4 ,jud4 ,petav4 ,theo4 ,dog4     
,tom4 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #a4 p4 #i4         
#fh - ,athanasius ,petav4 ,theol4 ,dog4 
,tom4 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #a4 p4 #d1 #e4     
#fi - ,gassend4 ,physic  #a4 lib4 iv4 c4
 #b4 p4 #cae4        #gj - ,lessius4    
#ga - ,ps4 viii4 #c4        #gb - ,job  
xxxviii4 #be1 #bg4        #gc - ,job    
xxxviii4 #bh4        #gd - ,job xxxviii4
 #cg1 #ch4        #ge - ,psalm civ4 #f1 
#i4        #gf - ,job xxxviii4 #h1 #i1  
#aa4        #gg - ,amirald4 de          
,trinitate1 pp4 #ac1 #ah4        #gh -  

,jer4 x4 #ac4        #gi - ,morn4 de    
,verit4 c4 #a4 p4 #g4        #hj -      
,amirant4        #ha - ,coccei4 sum4    
,theol4 c4 #h4  #gg4        #hb -       
,petav4 ex ,athanas4 ,theol4 ,dog4 ,tom4
 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #a4  #d4        #hc -   
,whether it be the sun or the earth that
 moves1 it is all           one4 ,whence
 have either of them this constant and  
uniform           motion8        #hd -  
,josh4 x4 #ac        #he - ,matt4 v4    
#de4        #hf - ,psalm civ4 #e4       
#hg - ,job xxxviii4 #cc4        #hh -   
,jer4 xxxiii4 #bj4        #hi -         
,amirald4 de ,trinitate1 p4 #ba4        
#ij - ,gen4 i4 #ca4        #ia -        
,lactant4        #ib - ,coccei4 sum4    
,theol4 c4 #h4  #fc1 #fd4        #ic -  
,matt4 vi4 #bh4        #id - ,coccei4   
sum4 ,theolog4 c4 #h4  #fg1 c4          
#ie - ,peirson on the ,creed1 p4 #ce4   
#if - ,gen4 xxxvii4        #ig -        
,lessius de ,providen4 lib4 i4 p4 #feb4 
#ih - ,job xxxvii4 #ab4        #ii -    
,gassend4 ,phys4  #f4 lib4 iv4 c4 #b4 p4

 #aja4       #ajj - ,psalm xxxvi4 #f4   
#aja - ,gen4 ii4 #g4       #ajb - ,lib4 
iii4 de ,usu4 ,partium4 ,petav4 ,theol4 
,dog4 ,tom4 ,i4           lib4 i4 c4 #a4
 p4 #f4       #ajc - ,job xxvi4 #g4     
#ajd - ,theod4 de ,providen4 ,orat4 #c4 
#aje - ,eccles4 xii4 #d4       #ajf -   
,coccei4 sum4 ,theol4 c4 #h4  #di4      
#ajg - ,ibid4 c4 #h4  #ej1 #ea4         
#ajh - ,more4       #aji - ,culverwell4 
#aaj - ,theodoret4       #aaa - ,coccei4
 sum4 ,theolog4 c4 #h4  #ea1 #eb4       
#aab - ,i do not dispute whether the    
soul were generated or no4              
,suppose the substance of it was        
generated by the parents1           yet 
those more excellent qualities were not 
the result of           them4       #aac
 - ,deut4 xxix4 #ai4       #aad - ,heb4 
xi4 #f4       #aae - ,lib4 xix4 ,antiq4 
,acts xii4 #babc4       #aaf - ,lessius 
de ,provid4 p4 #ffe4       #aag - ,psalm
 cxi4 #aj4       #aah - ,lessius de     
,provid4 p4 #ffd4       #aai - ,lessius 
de ,provid4 p4 #ffe4       #abj - ,psalm

 xix4 #e4       #aba - ,job xviii4 #g1  
#h1 c4 to the end4       #abb - ,ver4   
#bd4       #abc - ,as ,justin informs   
us4       #abd - ,james ii4 #ai4        
#abe - ,psalm xciv4 #f1 #g4       #abf -
 ,heb4 xi4 #bg4       #abg - ,heb4 vi4  
#aj4       #abh - ,heb4 xi4 #f4         
#abi - ,mal4 i4 #ac1 #ad4       #acj -  
,maimon4 ,funda4 ,legis4 cap4 #a4       
#aca - ,psalm civ4 #bd4       #acb - #a 
,pet4 iv4 #ai4       #acc - ,acts xvii4 
#bd4       #acd - ,psalm viii4 #i4      
#ace - ,psalm xxxiv4 #h4       #acf -   
,eccl4 xii4 #ac4       #acg - ,heb4     
#ach - ,rom4 i4 #ba4       #aci - ,prov4
 iv4 #bc4       #adj - ,job i4 #e4      
#ada - ,so the ,chaldee reads   ,non    
potestas1 denying the                   
authority of ,god in the world4         
#adb - ,augustin de ,civit4 ,dei4       
#adc - ,rom4 iii4 #iab4       #add -    
,coccei4       #ade - ,james iii4 #ae4  
#adf - ,psalm lviii4 #d4       #adg -   
,illyric4       #adh - ,tit4 iii4 #c4   
#adi - ,gen4 xx4 #aa4       #aej - ,job 

i4 #e4       #aea - ,jer4 xxxii4 #cc4   
#aeb - ,deut4 xxxii4 #ae4       #aec -  
,numb4 xv4 #cj4 ,ezek4 xx4 #bg4         
#aed - ,psalm xciv4 #ab4       #aee -   
,job xxi4 #ad4       #aef - ,psalm #a4  
#ag4       #aeg - ,heb4 v4 #aa1 #ab4    
#aeh - ,jer4 iv4 #bb4       #aei -      
,hosea viii4 #ab4       #afj - ,prov4   
xvii4 #af4       #afa - ,rom4 i4 #ba4   
#afb - ,mark ix4 #cc1 #ch4       #afc - 
,psalm civ4 #cd4       #afd - ,thes4    
,salmur4 ,de ,spiritu4 ,servitutis      
,thes4 xix4       #afe - ,acts xix4 #bd1
 #bh1 #bi4       #aff - #a ,thess4 ii4  
#ac4       #afg - ,james ii4 #b4        
#afh - ,gen xlix4 #d4 ,james i4 #h4     
#afi - ,john v4 #ce4       #agj - #b    
,peter iii4 #af4       #aga - ,psalm    
xciv4 #a4       #agb - ,matt4 iv4 #df4  
#agc - ,psalm #a4 #ag4       #agd - #b  
,sam4 xii4 #i1 #aj4       #age - ,claud4
       #agf - ,rom4 xiii4 #aj4          
#agg - ,jer4 ii4 #bd4       #agh - ,heb4
 xii4 #bj4       #agi - ,ver4 #be4      
#ahj - ,ver4 #bh4       #aha - ,num4    

xxi4 #d1 #e1 and ,daill1 ,serm4 #a ,cor4
 x4 ,ser4 #i1           pp4 #bcd1 #bce1 
#dj4       #ahb - ,ps4 cxix4 #abf4      
#ahc - ,psalm l1 #f1 #ag1 #ai4          
#ahd - ,micah vii4 #c4       #ahe - ,job
 xv4 #af4       #ahf - #a ,sam4 xv4 #c1 
#i1 #ae1 #ba4       #ahg - ,mal4 i4 #ac1
 #ad4       #ahh - ,mal4 i4 #ad4        
#ahi - #a ,sam4 v4 #d4       #aij -     
,amos viii4 #e4       #aia - ,psalm     
cxxiii4 #b4       #aib - ,reyn4         
#aic - ,amos iv4 #faa4       #aid - #b  
,tim4 iii4 #d4       #aie - #a ,cor4 x4 
#bj1 #ba4       #aif - #b ,chron4 xi4   
#ae4       #aig - ,john xvi4 #b4        
#aih - ,rom4 xii4 #a1 #b4       #aii -  
,hos4 v4 #aa4       #bjj - ,hos4 vii4   
#c4       #bja - ,dan4 vi4       #bjb - 
,dr4 ,jackson4       #bjc - ,eph4 ii4   
#c4       #bjd - ,prov4 iii4 #e4        
#bje - ,eccl4 xi4 #i4       #bjf - ,rom4
 i4 #bh4       #bjg - ,job xxiv4 #ac4   
#bjh - #a ,thess4 ii4 #ac4       #bji - 
,rom4 vii4 #h1 #i4       #baj - ,matt4  
xxiii4 #ad3 8,you devour widows' houses1

 and for a           pretence make long 
prayers40       #baa - ,gerrard in loc4 
#bab - ,eccles4 ix4 #a4       #bac -    
,job xxii4 #bh4       #bad - ,decay of  
,christian ,piety1 p4 #afi1 somewhat    
changed4       #bae - ,job xxi4 #bb4    
#baf - ,isa4 xxii4 #ab1 #ac4       #bag 
- ,rom4 xi4 #cd4       #bah - ,mal4 ii4 
#ag4       #bai - ,numb4 xvi4 #da1      
compared with xvii4 #aj4       #bbj -   
,clum suspiciens vitam1 c4 ,vita ,titi4 
c4 #aj4       #bba - ,because wicked men
 flourish in the world4 ,solicitor      
nullos           esse putare ,deos4     
#bbb - ,gen4 iv4 #e4       #bbc - ,jonah
 iv4 #b4       #bbd - ,luke iv4 #f4     
#bbe - ,job xviii4 #d4       #bbf -     
,prov4 vii4 #ad4       #bbg - #b ,sam4  
xvi4 #e4       #bbh - #b ,cor4 xi4 #c4  
#bbi - ,matt4 xiii4 #f4       #bcj -    
,hos4 viii4 #ab4       #bca - #a ,kings 
xii4 #bg4       #bcb - #a ,kings xi4 #g4
       #bcc - ,amos vii4 #aj4       #bcd
 - ,mark x4 #ag1 #bb4       #bce - ,mark
 vi4 #bj1 #bg4       #bcf - ,eph4 i4    

#aj4       #bcg - ,more1 ,dial4 #b4     
#ag4 p4 #bgd4       #bch - ,rom4 vi4    
#bci - #a ,cor4 v4 #ae4       #bdj -    
,psalm xiv4 #a4       #bda - #a ,cor4 v4
 #ae4       #bdb - ,heb4 i4 #e4         
#bdc - ,john xvii4 #d4       #bdd -     
,luke xviii4 #aa4       #bde - ,mark    
xiv4 #gb4       #bdf - ,matt4 xxvi4 #ge4
 ,luke xxii4 #fb4       #bdg -          
,sanderson's ,sermons4       #bdh -     
,acts xii4 #bb1 #bc4       #bdi - ,mark 
vi4 #ah1 #ai1 #bh4       #bej - #a ,sam4
 xv4 #ba4       #bea - ,sabunde1 ,tit4  
#adj4       #beb - ,prov4 xvi4 #d4      
#bec - ,rom4 i4 #bc4       #bed - ,psalm
 x4 #d4       #bee - ,jackson1 ,book ,i4
 c4 #ad1 p4 #dh4       #bef - ,hos4 ii4 
#h4       #beg - ,quod quisque pr cteris
 petit1 summum judicat bonum4           
,boet4 lib4 iii4 p4 #bd4       #beh -   
,job xxxi4 #bd1 #be4       #bei - ,col4 
iii4 #e4 ,eph4 v4 #e4       #bfj - ,hab4
 i4 #af4       #bfa - ,neremberg de     
,adorat4 p4 #cj4       #bfb - ,ezek4    
viii4 #e1 #f1 #aj4       #bfc - ,heb4   

xii4 #af4       #bfd - ,sabunde1 ,tit4  
#bjj4 p4 #ceb4       #bfe - ,matt4 iv4  
#i4       #bff - ,pascal1 ,pens4  #cj1  
p4 #bid4       #bfg - ,psalm viii4 #f4  
#bfh - ,trap1 on ,gen4 p4 #adh4         
#bfi - ,hos4 x4 #a4       #bgj - ,ezek4 
xxxiii4 #ca4       #bga - ,jonah iv4 #b4
       #bgb - ,gurnall1 ,part ,,iii4 p4 
#ccg4       #bgc - ,matt4 vi4 #a4       
#bgd - ,dei injuri ,deo cur4       #bge 
- ,sanderson's ,sermons4 ,part ,,ii4 p4 
#aeh4       #bgf - ,hosea viii4 #ac4    
,vid4 ,cocc4 in locum4       #bgg -     
,psalm x4 #d4       #bgh - ,prov4 xxx4  
#b1 #c4       #bgi - ,rom4 i4 #babc4    
#bhj - 4       #bha - #a ,sam4 vi4 #c1  
#d4       #bhb - ,gurnall1 ,part ,,ii4  
pp4 #bde1 #bdf4       #bhc - ,tertul4   
cont4 ,maxim4 lib4 i4 cap4 #b4          
#bhd - ,exod4 xxxiv4 #cj4       #bhe -  
,isa4 xxvi4 #h4       #bhf - ,job xxii4 
#ag4       #bhg - ,job xv4 #d4          
#bhh - ,hos4 vii4 #aj4       #bhi -     
,hos4 xi4 #b4       #bij - ,hos4 ii4 #f1
 #g4       #bia - ,gen4 iii4 #ae4       

#bib - ,psalm cvi4 #g4       #bic -     
,rom4 ii4 #d4       #bid - ,eph4 ii4 #c4
       #bie - ,john iii4 #ai1 #bj4      
#bif - ,gen4 vi4 #e4       #big - ,job  
i4       #bih - ,rom4 vii4 #iab4        
#bii - ,job xxxi4 #cc4 8,if ,i cover my 
transgressions1 as ,adam40       #cjj - 
#b ,cor4 x4 #e4       #cja - #b ,cor4 v4
 #ae4       #cjb - ,psalm cx4 #c4       
#cjc - ,eph4 iv4 #ag1 #ah4       #cjd - 
,lawson's ,body of ,divinity1 pp4 #aec1 
#aed4       #cje - ,psalm cxix4 #acf4   
#cjf - ,exod4 xxxii4 #c18;,all the      
people brake off the golden             
earrings40       #cjg - ,reynolds4      
#cjh - ,gen4 iii4 #ad4       #cji -     
,ezek4 xiv4 #d4       #caj - #a ,john   
iv4 #ah4       #caa - ,job i4 #d4       
#cab - ,amarant4 ,paraph4 sur ,jean4    
#cac - ,ver4 #aj2 or 8living water40    
#cad - ,ver4 #aa4       #cae - ,ver4    
#ac1 #ad4       #caf - ,ver4 #ae4       
#cag - ,ver4 #af4       #cah - ,ver4    
#ag4       #cai - ,ver4 #ah4       #cbj 
- ,ver4 #ai4       #cba - ,ver4 #bj4    

#cbb - ,ver4 #ba4       #cbc - ,ver4    
#bb4       #cbd - ,ver4 #bc4       #cbe 
- ,vulgar ,lat4 ,illyre4 ,clav4         
#cbf - ,episcop4 ,institut4 lib4 iv4 c4 
#c4       #cbg - ,melancthon4       #cbh
 - ,ver4 #bc4       #cbi - ,heb4 ix4    
#aj4       #ccj - ,terniti4       #cca -
 ,amirald1 in loc4       #ccb -         
,amirald1 in loc4       #ccc - ,muscul4 
#ccd - ,chemnit4       #cce - ,muscul4  
#ccf - #b ,cor4 iii4 #h2 ,rom4 vii4 #f4 
#ccg - ,episcop4 ,institut4 lib4 iv4 c4 
#c4       #cch - ,amirald1 in loc4      
#cci - ,suarez4 de ,deo1 vol4 i4 p4 #i1 
col4 #b4       #cdj - ,heb4 i4 #ad4     
#cda - ,gerhard4 4       #cdb -         
,gamacheus1 ,tom4 ,i4 ,q4 #c4 c4 i4 p4  
#db4       #cdc - ,coccei1 ,sum4 ,theol4
 c4 #h4       #cdd - ,thes4 ,sedan4     
,part ,,ii4 p4 #ajjj4       #cde -      
,vossius ,idolol4 lib4 ii4 c4 #a4       
,forbes1 ,instrument4 lib4 i4           
c4 #cf4       #cdf -  4       #cdg -    
,plutarch1 incorporalis ratio divinus   
spiritus4 ,seneca4       #cdh - ,rom4 i4

 #bc4       #cdi - ,calov4 ,socin4      
,proflig4 pp4 #abi1 #acj4       #cej -  
,amirald4 ,sup4 ,heb4 ix4 p4 #adf1 c4   
#cea - ,amyrant1 ,morale4 ,tom4 ,i4 p4  
#bhb4       #ceb - ,job xxxviii4 #cf4   
#cec - ,daille1 in ,tim4       #ced -   
,rom4 i4 #bj4       #cee - ,john v4 #cg4
       #cef - ,goulart4 de ,dieu1 p4    
#id4       #ceg - #a ,kings xxii4 #ai4  
#ceh - ,goulart4 de ,dieu1 p4 #ie1 #if4 
#cei - ,deut4 iv4 #ci4       #cfj -     
,jer4 xxiii4 #bd4       #cfa - ,job xi4 
#h4       #cfb - ,gamacheus1 ,theol4    
,tom4 ,i4 ,quos #c4 c4 i4       #cfc -  
#a ,john i4 #e4       #cfd - ,dan4 vii4 
#i4       #cfe - ,psalm xi4 #d4         
#cff - 8,loquitur lex secund4 ling4     
filiorum hominum10 was the              
,heathen saying4       #cfg - ,amirald  
de ,trin4 pp4 #bah1 #bai4       #cfh -  
,psalm xxxiv4 #ae4       #cfi - ,isa4   
li4 #i4       #cgj - ,episcop4 institut4
 lib iv4  #c4 c4 #c4       #cga - ,it is
 ,zanchie's observation1 ,tom4 ,,ii4 ,de
 ,natura ,dei1           lib4 i4 c4 #d4 

,thes4 #i4       #cgb - ,amyraut1       
,morale4 ,tom4 ,i4 pp4 #bic1 #bid4      
#cgc - ,gen4 iii4 #h4       #cgd -      
,amirald4       #cge - ,job x4 #d4 #b   
,chron4 xxxii4 #h4       #cgf - ,psalm  
xxxvi4 #g4       #cgg - ,hos4 xiii4 #g1 
#h4       #cgh - ,maimon4 ,more ,nevoc4 
par4 #a4 c4 #bg4       #cgi - ,more's   
,conjectura ,cabalistica1 p4 #abb4      
#chj - ,col4 iii4 #aj4       #cha -     
,petav4 ,theol4 ,dog4 ,tom4 ,i4 lib4 ii4
 c4 #a4 p4 #ajd4       #chb - ,gen4 i4  
#bf4       #chc - ,iamblic4 ,protrept4  
cap4 #ba4 ,symb4 #bd4       #chd -      
,austin de ,civitat4 ,dei1 lib4 iv4 cap4
 #ca4 out of ,varro4       #che -       
,tacitus4       #chf - ,gerhard1 loc4   
,comun4 ,vol4 ,,iv4 ,exegesis de ,natura
 ,dei1           cap4 #h4  #a4          
#chg - ,amyraut4 ,morale ,chrtienne1    
,tom4 ,i4 p4 #bid4       #chh -         
,cocceius ,sum4 ,theol4 c4 #i4 p4 #dg4  
#ce4       #chi - ,rom4 i4 #be4         
#cij - ,rom4 i4 #bb4       #cia - ,hos4 
x4 #ae4       #cib - ,daill1 super ,cor4

 i4 #aj1 ,ser4 ,,iii4       #cic - ,gen4
 xxxi4 #cjcd4       #cid - ,gen4 iii4   
#af1 #ag4       #cie - ,job xxxi4 #bfbh4
 ,chin4 ,predict4 ,part ,,ii4 p4 #beb4  
#cif - ,lawson1 ,body ,divin4 p4 #afa4  
#cig - ,acts xvii4 #bi4       #cih -    
,amyraut4 ,morale4 ,tom4 ,i4 p4#bhi4    
#cii - ,episco4 ,institut4 lib4 iv4  #b4
 c4 #aj4       #djj - ,exod4 xx4 #d4    
#dja - ,nazianzen4       #djb -         
,amyraut1 ,morale1 ,tom4 ,i4 p4 #ahj1 c4
       #djc - ,lessius4       #djd -    
,towerson on the ,commandments1 p4 #aab4
       #dje - ,heb4 i4 #ac4       #djf -
 ,isa4 xxxi4 #c4       #djg - ,eph4 i4  
#c4       #djh - #a ,tim4 i4 #ag4       
#dji - ,james i4 #ag4       #daj -      
,psalm li4 #ag4       #daa - ,eph4 iv4  
#bc4       #dab - ,psalm xc4 #a4        
#dac - ,psalm lxiii4 #a4       #dad -   
,heb4 xii4 #i4       #dae - #b ,cor4    
vii4 #a4       #daf - ,eph4 ii4 #b1 #c4 
#dag - ,lingend4 ,tom4 ,,ii4 p4 #ggg4   
#dah - ,taylor's ,exemplar1 ,preface1   
#cj4       #dai - ,ames ,medul4 lib4 ii4

 c4 #d4  #bj4       #dbj - ,so #b ,kings
 xvii4 #cb1 #cc4       #dba - ,amirald1 
,dissert4 #f1 disp4 i4 p4 #aa4          
#dbb - ,amyraut1 de ,relig4       #dbc -
 ,king1 on ,jonah1 p4 #fc4       #dbd - 
,amos v4 #bf4       #dbe - ,menander4   
,grot4 de ,veritat ,relig4 lib4 iv4     
#ab4       #dbf - ,iamblic4       #dbg -
 ,amyraut4 ,mor4 ,tom4 ,i4 pp4 #cji1    
#caj4       #dbh - ,rom4 i4 #ba4        
#dbi - ,bias4       #dcj - ,amyraut1 ib4
       #dca - ,heb4 i4 #aa1 #ab4        
#dcb - ,heb4 xi4 #d4       #dcc - ,gen4 
iv4 #e4       #dcd - ,eccles4 xii4 #g4  
#dce - ,rom4 xii4 #a4       #dcf - ,heb4
 ix4 #aj4       #dcg - ,heb4 vii4 #af4  
#dch - #b ,cor4 iii #h4       #dci -    
,gal4 iii4 #c4       #ddj - ,rom4 vii4  
#ad4       #dda - ,rom4 vii4 #f4        
#ddb - #a ,cor4 x4 #ah4       #ddc -    
,rom4 ix4 #f4       #ddd - #a ,cor4 x4  
#c1 #d4       #dde - ,gal4 iv4 #i4      
#ddf - ,heb4 x4 #a2 ix4 #i4       #ddg -
 ,heb4 ix4 #ad4       #ddh - ,burges'   
,vind4 p4 #bef4       #ddi - ,gal4 v4   

#b4       #dej - ,gal4 iv4 #bd4         
#dea - ,psalm cxxx4 #d4       #deb - #b 
,cor4 iii4 #ac1 #ad4       #dec -       
,illyric de ,velam4 ,mosis1 p4 #bba c4  
#ded - #b ,cor4 xi4 #c4       #dee -    
,exod4 xxxii4 #a4       #def - ,isai4 i4
 #aj4       #deg - ,isai4 lxvi4 #c4     
#deh - ,heb4 vii4 #ah4       #dei -     
,gal4 iv4 #b4       #dfj - ,mal4 i4 #aa4
       #dfa - ,pascal4 ,pen4 #adb4      
#dfb - ,isai4 xliii4 #ah1 #ai4          
#dfc - ,jer4 iii4 #af4       #dfd -     
,psalm cx4       #dfe - ,hos4 iii4 #d4  
#dff - ,rom4 xii4 #a4       #dfg - ,vide
 ,hammond1 in loc4       #dfh - ,john i4
 #ag4       #dfi - ,rom4 xii4 #a4       
#dgj - ,sherman's ,greek in the ,temple1
 pp4 #fa1 #fb4       #dga -             
,stillingfleet's ,irenicum1 c4 #a4  ,i4 
p4 #bc4       #dgb - ,psalm lxxiv4 #h4  
#dgc - ,luke ii4 #ac4       #dgd - ,luke
 xxii4 #da1 #db4       #dge - ,matt4 xi4
 #bf4       #dgf - ,john xi4 #da2 xii4  
#a4       #dgg - ,heb4 xi4 #ba4         
#dgh - ,gen4 xlvii4 #ca4       #dgi -   

,gen4 xiv4 #a1 #b4       #dhj - #b ,cor4
 iv4 #ac4       #dha - ,eph4 ii4 #aj4   
#dhb - ,col4 iii4 #d4       #dhc - ,gal4
 ii4 #bj4       #dhd - ,rom4 viii4 #ac4 
#dhe - ,rom4 viii4 #aa4       #dhf -    
,rom4 viii4 #bf4       #dhg - ,eph4 vi4 
#ah4       #dhh - ,jude #bj4       #dhi 
- ,cant4 iv4 #af4       #dij - ,prov4   
xxiii4 #bf4       #dia - ,moulin4       
,sermons1 ,decad4 #d4 ,sermon ,,iv4 p4  
#hj4       #dib - ,exod4 xxv4 #g4       
#dic - ,rom4 x4 #aj4       #did - ,hos4 
xi4 #ab4       #die - ,rev4 ii4 #i4     
#dif - ,psalm lxxxvi4 #aa4       #dig - 
,ezek4 xxxiii4 #ca4       #dih - ,psalm 
xxxix4 #ah4       #dii - ,matt4 vi4 #f4 
#ejj - ,psalm cxix4 #aj4       #eja -   
4 ,iamblic4 lib4 i4           c4 #eah4  
p4 #hg4       #ejb - ,rom4 xii4 #aa1 4  
#ejc - ,luke xxiv4 #cb4       #ejd -    
,lady ,falkland's ,life1 p4 #acj4       
#eje - ,rom4 vi4 #aa4       #ejf - ,rev4
 i4 #f4       #ejg - ,exod4 xiii4 #ac4  
#ejh - ,isaiah xix4 #a4       #eji -    
,col4 i4 #bi4       #eaj - 4       #eaa 

- ,heb4 i4 #g4       #eab - #a ,tim4 v4 
#f4       #eac - ,psalm cxxvi4 #a4      
#ead - ,psalm ciii4 #a4       #eae -    
,cant4 iv4 #af4       #eaf - ,heb4 xi4  
#f4       #eag - ,daille1 sur #c ,jean4 
p4 #aej4       #eah - ,plutarch1 ,moral4
 p4 #cdd4       #eai - ,rev4 iv4 #aj1   
compared with v4#aj4       #ebj -       
,caudam aculeatam vel linguam nigram1   
,alexand4 ab ,alex4           l4 #c4 c4 
#ab4       #eba - ,isa4 vi4 #c4 ,rev4   
iv4 #h4       #ebb - ,as the ,jewish    
doctors observe on ,lev4 i4 #i4         
#ebc - ,psalm cxxxiv4 #c4 8,the ,lord   
bless thee out of ,sion40       #ebd -  
,exod4 xxix4 #ac4 ,the inward fat1 not  
the offal4       #ebe - ,amyraut1 ,mor4 
,tom4 ,,ii4 p4 #caa4       #ebf -       
,daille1 ,melange des ,sermons4 ,ser4   
ii4       #ebg -                      4 
,porphyr4 de ,abstinentia4       #ebh - 
8,non valet protestatio contra factum10 
is a rule in the           civil law4   
#ebi - ,fitzherbert1 ,pol4 in ,relig4   
,part ,,ii4 c4 #ai1  #ab4       #ecj -  

,guliel4 ,paris4 ,rhetor4 ,divin4 c4    
#bf1 p4 #cej1 col4 #a4       #eca -     
,reynolds4       #ecb - ,coccei in loc4 
#ecc - ,austin in loc4       #ecd -     
,pareus in loc4       #ece - ,theodoret 
in loc4       #ecf - 1 strong4          
#ecg - ,amyrald1 in loc4       #ech -   
1 ,theodoret in loc4       #eci - ,calv4
 in loc4       #edj - ,confes4 lib4 ii4 
,confes4 #ad4       #eda - ,moulin4     
,cod4 #a1 ,ser4 #b1 p4 #eb4       #edb -
 ,gassend4       #edc - ,crellius de    
,deo1 c4 #ah4 p4 #da4       #edd -      
,lingend4 ,tom4 ,,ii4 p4 #dif4          
#ede -  4       #edf - ,coccei ,sum4 p4 
#dh4 ,theol4 ,gerhard ,exeges4 c4 #hf4  
#d4 p4 #bff4       #edg - ,crellius de  
,deo1 c4 #ah1 p4 #da4       #edh - #a   
,tim4 vi4 #af4 ,daille1 in loc4         
#edi - ,lessius de ,perfect4 ,divin4    
lib4 iv4 c4 #a4       #eej - ,gamacheus 
in ,aquin4 ,part ,i4 ,qu4 #aj4 c4 #a4   
#eea - ,gassend4 ,tom4 ,i4 ,physic4  #a4
 lib4 ii4 c4 #g4 p4 #bbc4       #eeb -  
,daille1 ,melange de ,sermon1 p4 #beb4  

#eec - ,parisiensis4       #eed -       
,calov4 ,socinian4       #eee -         
,existentia durans4       #eef -        
,gassend4       #eeg - ,ps4 xc4 #d4     
,amyrald1 ,trin4 p4 #dd4       #eeh -   
,daille1 ,vent4 ,sermons1 ,serm4 ,i4 sur
 #ajb1 ,ps4 #bg1 p4 #ba4       #eei -   
,crellius weakens this argument1 ,de    
,deo1 c4 #ah1 p4 #db4       #efj -      
,thes4 ,salmur4 p4 #a4 p4 #ade1 ,thes4  
#ad4       #efa - ,plutarch de 1 ,i4 p4 
#cib4       #efb - ,perer4 in ,exo4 #c4 
,disput4 #ac4       #efc - ,petav4      
,theol4 ,dogm4 ,tom4 ,i4 lib4 i4 c4 #f1 
#f1 #g4       #efd - ,amyrald1 de       
,trinit4 p4 #dh4       #efe - ,voet4    
,natural4 ,theol4 p4 #caj4       #eff - 
,rev4 i4 #h4 ,ficin4 de ,immort4 lib4   
ii4 c4 #e4       #efg - ,coccei ,sum4   
,theol4 c4 #h4       #efh - ,crellius de
 ,deo1 c4 #ah4 p4 #dc4       #efi -     
,petav4 ,theol4 ,dogmat4 ,tom4 ,i4 lib4 
i4 c4 #aj1 #aa4       #egj - ,bapt4     
#ega - ,lessius de ,perfect1 lib4 iv4 c4
 #b4       #egb - ,ibid4       #egc -   

,crellius de ,deo1 c4 #ah4 p4 #dc4      
#egd - ,heb4 xiii4 #h4 ,rev4 i4 #h4 8,he
 which is1 and which was1 and           
which is to come40       #ege -         
,mestrzat4 in loc4       #egf - ,petav4 
#egg - ,job xxxvi4 #bf1 compared with   
ver4 #bc4       #egh - ,crellius de     
,deo1 c4 #ah1 p4 #dd1 #de4       #egi - 
,charrontrois4 ,vent4 liv4 i4 c4 #e1 p4 
#ag1 c4       #ehj - ,pareus4       #eha
 - ,plin4 ,hist4 lib4 ii4 c4 #c4        
#ehb - ,coccei4 in loc4       #ehc -    
,septuag4       #ehd - ,estius in ,heb4 
i4       #ehe - ,hyper4 in ,heb4 #a4    
#ehf - ,mestrzat sur4 ,heb4 i4          
#ehg - ,mestrzat sur4 ,heb4 i4          
#ehh - ,estius in ,heb4 i4       #ehi - 
,chrysostom1  4       #eij -   above all
 change4 ,theodor4       #eia -         
,gamacheus4       #eib - ,amyrant sur   
,heb4 ix4 p4 #aec4       #eic -         
,archbold1 ,serm4       #eid - ,hugo    
,victorin4 in ,petavio4       #eie -    
,ibid4       #eif - ,austin4 ,fulgen in 
,petavio4       #eig - ,petav4 ,tom4 ,i4

 p4 #agc4       #eih - ,suarez4 ,vol4   
,i4 p4 #acg4       #eii - ,psalm cxlv4  
#e4 8,his understanding is infinite40   
#fjj - ,austin4 ,bradwardine4       #fja
 - ,gamch4 p4 #a4 ,acquin4 ,qu4 #i4 c4  
i4 p4 #gc4       #fjb - ,maxim4 ,tyrius 
dissert4 #c1 #cj4       #fjc -          
,turrentin de ,satisfac4 p4 #bff4       
#fjd - ,gamacheus ut supra4       #fje -
 ,the ancients1 as ,dionysius1 expressed
 it by this           similitude4       
#fjf - ,plato calls ,god   1 lib4 i4 de 
,be4       #fjg - ,stabilisque manens   
dat cuncta moveri4 ,boet4 ,consolat4    
lib4 iii4       #fjh - ,trap4 on ,exod4 
#fji - ,amyrald1 de ,trinitat4 p4 #dcc4 
#faj - ,spanhe4 ,synta4 ,part4 ,i4 p4   
#ci4       #faa - ,petav4 ,theol4       
,dogmat4 ,tom4 ,i4 c4 #f4  #fh4         
#fab - ,gamach4 in prim4 part4 ,aquin4  
qu4 #i4 c4 #a4 part4 #gb4       #fac -  
,ficinus ,zachar4 mitylen in ,peta4     
,tom4 ,i4 p4 #afi4       #fad - ,austin 
in ,pet4 ,tom4 ,i4 p4 #bja4       #fae -
 ,ps4 cxlv4 #c1   no end1 no term4      

#faf - ,fotherby ,atheomastix1 p4 #cjh4 
,gerhard loc4 com4       #fag - ,gamach4
 in ,part ,i4 ,aquin4 ,q4 #i4 c4 i4 p4  
#gb4       #fah - ,petav4 ,theol4       
,dogmat4 ,tom4 ,i4       #fai - ,zanch4 
de ,immutab4 ,dei4       #fbj - ,goulart
 de ,immutab4 de ,dieu4       #fba -    
,gamach in ,part ,i4 ,aquin4 ,qu4 #i4 c4
 i4       #fbb - ,mercer in loc4        
#fbc - ,petavius ,theol4 ,dogmat4       
#fbd - ,daille1 in ,sermon on #b ,pet4  
iii4 #i4 p4 #cj4       #fbe - ,rivet in 
,genes4 exercita4 #ea4 p4 #bac4         
#fbf - ,sanderson's ,sermon1 ,part ,,ii4
 p4 #aeg1 #aeh4       #fbg - ,placeus de
 ,deitate ,christi4       #fbh -        
,daille1 ,melang4 des ,sermons1 ,part   
,,ii4  #a4 p4 #haj1 c4       #fbi -     
,sedgwick ,christ's ,counsel1 p4 #bcj4  
#fcj - ,lawrence1 of ,faith1 p4 #bfb4   
#fca - ,turretin4 ,ser4 p4 #cbb4        
#fcb - ,cocceius4       #fcc - ,munster1
 ,vatablus1 ,castalio ,oecolamp4        
#fcd - ,tum perspicacia1 tum efficacia1 
,grot4       #fce - ,suarez4       #fcf 

- ,amirald4 de ,trinitate1 p4 #eg4      
#fcg - ,seneca de ,benefic4 lib4 #d4 c4 
#h4 ,ipse opus suum implet4       #fch -
 ,chrysostom4       #fci - ,hierom4 on  
,isa4 lxvi4 #a4       #fdj - ,hammond on
 ,matt4 vi4 #g4       #fda - ,med4      
,diatrib4 ,vol4 ,i4 pp4 #ga1 #gb4       
#fdb - ,dought ,analec4 excurs4 #fa1    
#aac4       #fdc -  ,grot4 upon ,matt4  
v4 #af4 ,mares4 contra ,volk4 lib4 i4   
cap4 #bg4 p4 #did4       #fdd - ,vide   
,minut4 ,fel4 p4 #bj4       #fde -      
,plotin4 ,enead4 #f4 lib4 #e4 cap4 #d4  
#fdf - ,zanch4       #fdg - ,matt4 vii4 
#bb4 8,in thy name we have done many    
wonderful           works40       #fdh -
 ,cajetan in ,aquin4 ,par4 i4 ,qu4 #h4  
,art4 #c4       #fdi - ,ficin4          
#fej - ,maimonid4       #fea - ,ficin4  
#feb - ,hornbeck ,soun4 ,part ,i4 p4    
#cjc4       #fec - ,amyrald1 de ,trinit4
       #fed - ,ps4 civ4 #b4 ,john i4 #e4
 8,god is light1 and in him is no       
darkness at all40       #fee - ,bernard4
       #fef - ,petar4       #feg -      

,maccor4 loc4 commun4 cap4 #ai1 p4 #aec4
       #feh - ,rivet4 ,ps4 cx4 p4 #cja1 
col4 #b4       #fei - ,amyrald1 de      
,trinitat4 p4 #hi4       #ffj - ,deus   
est actus purus et nullam habet         
potentiam passivam4       #ffa - ,pont4 
#ffb - ,amyrald1 de ,trinitat1 p4 #ajf1 
#ajg4       #ffc - ,amyrald1 de         
,trinitat1 p4 #gd1 #ge4       #ffd -    
,gassend4       #ffe - ,amyrald1 de     
,trinit4 pp4 #ii1 #ajj4       #fff -    
,rom4 vi4 #a1 #b1 #ae4 8,shall we sin1  
because we are not           under the  
law but under grace80       #ffg -      
,shelford on the ,attributes1 p4 #agj4  
#ffh - ,dr4 ,more4       #ffi - ,cyril4 
#fgj - 1 ,dionysius called ,god4        
#fga - ,drexel4 ,nicet4 lib4 ii4 cap4   
#b4       #fgb - ,drexel1 ,nicet4 lib4  
ii4 cap4 #aj4       #fgc - ,quo fugis   
,encelade quascunque accesseris oras1   
sub ,jove           semper eris4        
#fgd - ,ps4 cxxxix4 #ab4 8,the darkness 
and light are both alike           to   
him40       #fge - ,chrysostome4        

#fgf - ,musculus4       #fgg - ,drexel4 
#fgh - ,omnia diis plena4       #fgi -  
,agamemnon1 7,homer ,,ii4 #c4 v4 #h47   
making a ,covenant with                 
,priam1 invocates the ,sun1             
4       #fhj - ,gamach in #a ,pa4 ,aqui4
 ,q4 #ad4 cap4 #a2 p4 #aai4 ,clem4      
,alexander ,strom4 lib4 #f4       #fha -
 ,suarez de ,deo1 lib4 #c4 cap4 #d4 p4  
#acj4       #fhb - ,suarez de ,deo1 lib4
 #c4 cap4 #d4 p4 #ach4       #fhc -     
,ibid4 p4 #adj4       #fhd - ,moulin4   
#fhe - ,magalaneus4       #fhf - ,petar4
 ,theol4 ,dogm4 lib4 p4 #beg4       #fhg
 - ,ficin de ,immort4 lib4 #b4 cap4 #aj4
       #fhh - ,gamach4       #fhi -     
,ficin de ,immort4 lib4 #b4 cap4 #aj4   
#fij - ,bradward4       #fia - ,daille1 
,serm4 ,part #a4 p4 #bcj4       #fib -  
,fotherby ,atheoma1 p4 #acb4       #fic 
-    ,cross4 ,anthol4 ,dec4 #a4 cap4    
#cie4 p4 #aja4       #fid - ,cusan1 p4  
#bdf4       #fie - ,petavius changed4   
#fif - ,bradward1 lib4 #c cap4 #ad4     
#fig - ,pacuvius said1 ,siqui qu        

eventura sunt provident1 qui            
parent1 ,gell4 lib4 #ad4 c4 #a4         
#fih - ,cusanus4       #fii - ,fuller's 
,pisgah1 l4 #b4 p4 #bha4       #gjj -   
,chequell4       #gja - ,coccei sum4    
,theol4 p4 #ej4       #gjb - ,ibid4     
#gjc - ,gamach in ,aquin1 ,part ,i4 ,q4 
#ad4 cap4 #c4 p4 #abd4       #gjd -     
,maimonid4 ,more ,nevoch1 ,part #c4 cap4
 #ba4 pp4 #cic1 #cid4       #gje -      
,gamach4 in ,aquin4 ,part ,i4 ,q4 #ad4  
cap4 #c4 p4 #abd4       #gjf - ,eph4 i4 
#e4 and in other places4       #gjg -   
,gerhard ,exeges1 ch4 #h4 de ,deo sect4 
#ac4 p4 #cjc4       #gjh - ,bradward1   
lib4 #c4 cap4 #ad4       #gji -         
,hornbeck4       #gaj - ,pugio ,fidei1  
,part ,i4 ch4 #ai4       #gaa - ,boet4  
consolat lib4 #e4 pros4 #f4       #gab -
 ,ficinus in ,procl4 cap4 #ia4          
#gac - ,zanch4       #gad - ,scrivener4 
#gae - ,the ,stoics1 that thought their 
souls to be some particle           of  
,god1 1 pieces pulled off from him1 did 
conclude from thence that he knew all   

the motions of           their souls as 
his own mover1 as things coherent with  
him4 ,arrian ,epictet4 lib4 #a4 cap4    
#ad4 p4 #fj4       #gaf - ,vid4 ,rivet4 
in loc4 exerci4 #hf4 p4 #cbi4       #gag
 - ,mare4 cont4 ,volkel4 lib4 #a4 cap4  
#bd4 p4 #cdc4       #gah - ,amyrald1 de 
,prdestin4 cap4 #f4       #gai - ,rawley
 of the ,world1 lib4 i4 cap4 #a1 sec4   
#ab4       #gbj - ,rivet1 in ,isa4 liii4
 #a4 p4 #af4       #gba - ,daille1      
,melang4 ,part ,,ii4 pp4 #gab1 #gbe4    
#gbb - ,maxim4 ,tyrius4 ,dissert4 #a4   
pp4 #i1 #aj4       #gbc - ,maimonides   
,more ,nevochim4 ,part ,,iii4 c4 #bj4   
pp4 #biabic4       #gbd - ,dionys4      
#gbe - ,kendall against ,goodwin of     
,foreknowledge4       #gbf - ,suarez4   
,vol4 ,i4 de ,deo1 lib4 #c4 cap4 #b4 pp4
 #acc1 #acd4       #gbg - ,gamach in    
,aquin ,q4 #ad4 cap4 #a4 p4 #aac4       
#gbh - ,epiphanius4       #gbi -        
,amyrant1 ,morale ,chrti4 ,tom4 ,,iii4  
p4 #acg4       #gcj - ,cusan4 p4 #fdf4  
#gca - ,bradward1 lib4 #a4 cap4 #ae4    

#gcb - ,suarez4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #bbh4    
#gcc - ,tileni ,syntagma1 ,part ,i4     
,disp4 #ac4 ,thes4 #ad4       #gcd -    
,plato1  4       #gce - ,damianus4      
#gcf - ,gerhard4       #gcg - ,gamach in
 ,aquin4 ,part #a4 ,q4 #ad1 cap4 #a4 pp4
 #aah1 #aai4       #gch - ,bradwardin1  
p4 #f4       #gci - ,sabund4 ,tit4 #hd  
much changed4       #gdj - ,petav4      
,theo4 ,dogmat4 ,i4 p4 #dfg1 c4         
#gda - ,petav4 ,theol4 ,dogmat4 ,tom4   
,i4 p4 #dfg4       #gdb - ,placus de    
,deitate ,christi4       #gdc -  4      
#gdd - ,daille1 ,serm4 #ae4 pp4 #babd4  
#gde - ,sabund4 ,theol4 ,natural4 ,tit4 
#hd4 somewhat changed4       #gdf -     
,pascall1 p4 #agj4       #gdg -         
,amyrant1 de ,prdest4 pp4 #aaf1 #aag4   
somewhat changed4       #gdh - ,daille1 
,melang4 ,part ,,ii41 pp4 #efj1 #efa4   
#gdi - ,amyrant4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,,iii4 p4
 #ge1 c4       #gej - ,cajetan1 ,sum4 p4
 #aij4       #gea - ,ps4 xxxii4 #a1 #b1 
,camero1 p4 #hi1 col4 #a4       #geb -  
,drexel4 ,nicetas1 lib4 ii4 cap4 #aj1 p4

 #ceg4       #gec - ,nov4 #afgh1 when   
the ,popish ,plot was discovered4       
#ged - ,for the evidence of it ,i refer 
you to ,dr4 ,more's                     
,exposition of the ,seven ,churches1    
worthy every learned           and      
understanding man's reading1 and of     
every sober           ,romanist4        
#gee - ,coc4 in loc4       #gef -       
,turretin's ,sermons1 p4 #cfb4          
#geg - ,barlow's ,man's ,refuge1 pp4    
#bi1 #cj4       #geh - ,isai4 lxv4 #f4  
8,behold it is written40       #gei -   
,antiquit4 lib4 i4 cap4 #c4       #gfj -
 ,gomarus1 in loc4       #gfa -         
,amyraut4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,,iii4 p4 #abc4 
#gfb - ,maimon4 ,mor4 ,part ,i4 cap4    
#ec4       #gfc - ,laert4 lib4 i4       
,proem4       #gfd - ,polhill against   
,sherlock1 p4 #cgg4       #gfe -        
,culverwell1 ,light of ,nature1 p4 #cj4 
#gff - ,isa4 xlvi4 #aj4 ,jer4 xxxii4    
#ai4 8,great in counsel40           ,job
 xii4 #ac4 8,he hath counsel and        
understanding40       #gfg - ,eugub4 per

 ,philosoph4 lib4 i4 cap4 #e4       #gfh
 - ,licet magnum sit posse1 majus tamen 
est sapere4       #gfi - ,suarez1 ,vol4 
,i4 lib4 i4 cap4 #c4 p4 #aj4       #ggj 
- ,amiraut4 ,moral4       #gga -        
,amyrald1 ,desart4 ,theol4 p4 #aaa4     
#ggb - ,omne opus natur est opus        
intelligenti4       #ggc - ,amyraut4    
,moral1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #beg4       #ggd - 
,mountag4 against ,selden1 p4 #bha4     
,plutarch calls ,god             2 he   
saith nothing was made without          
music4       #gge - ,charlton1 ,light of
 ,nature1 p4 #eg4       #ggf - ,daille1 
,mel4 ,part ,i4 p4 #dhc4       #ggg -   
,amyraut4 ,predestin4 p4 #i4       #ggh 
- ,amyraut4 sur diverses ,text4 p4 #abg4
       #ggi - ,lessius4       #ghj -    
,daille1 ,melan4 ,part ,,ii1 pp4 #dgb1  
#dgc4       #gha - ,daille1 ,melan4     
,,ii4 p4 #dgg1 c4       #ghb - ,daille  
,sermon ,,xv4 p4 #agj4       #ghc -     
,castellio1 ,dialog4 l4 #d1 p4 #df4     
#ghd - ,amyraut4       #ghe - ,moulin's 
,serm4 decad4 #aj4 p4 #bca1 #bcb4       

#ghf - ,which ,i have upon another      
occasion noted4       #ghg - ,daille sur
 ,philip4 ,part ,i4 pp4 #ede1 #fdf4     
#ghh - ,sanderson1 ,part ,,ii4 p4 #bje4 
#ghi - ,daille sur #a ,cor4 x4 p4 #cij4 
#gij - ,turretin1 ,serm4 p4 #ec4        
#gia - ,daille sur ,philip4 ,part ,i4   
pp4 #aaf1 #aag4       #gib - ,amyraut4  
,moral4 ,tom4 ,v4 pp4 #dghdhj4          
#gic - ,savana ,triump4 ,crucis1 lib4   
iii1 cap4 #g4 p4 #baa4       #gid -     
,gomb4 de ,relig4 p4 #db4       #gie -  
,amyraut4 ,morals4 ,tom4 ,v4 pp4 #dfh1  
#dfi4       #gif - ,and indeed the      
,heathen oracles1 managed by the devils1
           declared that they were not  
long to hold their sceptre           in 
the world1 but the ,hebrew child should 
vanquish them4       #gig - ,laud       
against ,fisher1 p4 #e4       #gih -    
,bradward1 p4 #bh4       #gii -         
,janeway4 p4 #hh4       #hjj - 4        
#hja - ,dionys4 ,halicar1 ,antiq4 l4 #b1
 p4 #abh4       #hjb - ,iamblych4 ,vit4 
,pythag41 lib4 i4 cap4 #f1 p4 #dd1 and  

lib4 ii4 c4 #ai1 p4 #id4       #hjc -   
,faucheur4 in loc4 pp4 #bid1 #bie4      
#hjd - ,amyraut1 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,i4 pp4  
#beh1 #bei4       #hje - ,strong1 of    
,the ,will4       #hjf - ,vaisin4 ,the  
,talmud takes notice1 that the court of 
,bethany was wasted three years before  
,jerusalem1 because           they      
preferred their own words before the    
words of the ,law4       #hjg - ,pont4  
,medit4 ,part ,,iii4 p4 #cff4       #hjh
 - ,durant de ,tent1 pp4 #djc1 #djd4    
#hji - ,seaman's ,sermon before the     
,parliament4       #haj - ,munster4     
#haa - ,coccei in loc4       #hab -     
,coccei4       #hac - ,drusius in loc4  
#had - ,as the word signifies in the    
,hebrew4       #hae - ,oecolamp4        
#haf - ,the ancient ,gauls worshipped   
him under the name of                   
,taranis4 ,the ,greeks called ,jupiter 1
 and ,thor2           whence our        
,thursday is derived1 signifieth        
,thunderer1           a title the       
,germans gave their ,god4 ,and ,toran1  

in the           ,british language1     
signifies thunder4 ,voss4 ,idolo4       
lib4 ii4 cap4 #cc4 ,camb4 ,britan4 p4   
#ag4       #hag - ,lessius1 de ,perfect4
 ,divin4 lib4 v4 cap4 #a4       #hah -  
,fotherby1 ,atheomastic1 pp4 #cjf1 #cjg4
       #hai -  ,sept4 4       #hbj -    
,scaliger1 ,publ4 ,exercit4 #cfe1  #h4  
#hba - ,estius in ,sent4 lib4 i4 dist4  
#dc4  #b4       #hbb - ,cra4 ,syntag4   
lib4 iii4 cap4 #ag4 p4 #faa4       #hbc 
- ,gamacheus4       #hbd - ,ratione summ
 actualitatis essenti4 ,suarez1 ,vol4   
,i4           pp4 #aej1 #aea4       #hbe
 - ,operationes sequuntur essentiam4    
#hbf - ,aquin4 ,part #a4 ,qu4 #be4      
,artic4       #hbg - ,suarez1 ,vol4 ,i4 
de ,deo4 p4 #aea4       #hbh - ,becan4  
,sum4 ,theol4 p4 #hb4       #hbi -      
,ibid4 p4 #hd4       #hcj - ,gamach in  
,aquin4 ,tom4 ,i4 ,qu4 #be4       #hca -
 ,best1 ex parte facientis et modi3 but 
not ex parte           rei4 ,esti4 in   
,senten4 lib4 i4 distin4 #dd4  #b4      
#hcb - ,aquin4 ,part ,i4 ,qu4 #be4 art4 

#f4       #hcc - ,gamach4 in ,aquin4    
,tom4 ,i4 ,qu4 #be4       #hcd - ,crell4
 de ,deo4 cap4 #bb4       #hce -        
,robins4 ,observ4 p4 #ad4       #hcf -  
,magalano4 de ,scientia ,dei1 ,part     
,,ii4 c4 #f4  #c4       #hcg - ,augus4  
#hch - ,becan4 ,sum4 ,theolog4 p4 #hc4  
#hci - ,maximus ,tyrius4       #hdj -   
,ambrose4       #hda - ,becan4 ,sum4    
,theol4 p4 #hd4 ,crel4 de ,deo1 cap4    
#bb4       #hdb - ,victorin4 in ,petar4 
,tom4 ,i4 p4 #ccc4       #hdc - ,ibid4  
p4 #bcc4       #hdd - ,lib4 i4 cap4 #a4 
p4 #ch4       #hde - ,damianus1 in      
,petar4       #hdf - ,fauch4 in ,acts4  
,vol4 ,,ii4  #ef4       #hdg - ,mercer1 
p4 #g4 col4 #a1 #b4       #hdh -        
,suarez1 ,vol4 ,,iii4 p4 #cc4       #hdi
 - ,suarez1 ,vol4 ,,iii4 p4 #f4         
#hej - ,amyrald1 ,morale4 ,tom4 ,i4 p4  
#beb4       #hea - ,gassend4       #heb 
- ,gen4 i4 #c1 #e1 c4 throughout the    
whole chapter4       #hec - ,augus4     
#hed - ,theodoret4       #hee - ,peirs4 
p4 #aaa4       #hef - ,suarez1 ,vol4 ,i4

 lib4 iii4 cap4 #aj4       #heg -       
,daille1 in #a ,cor4 x4 p4 #ajb4        
#heh - 4       #hei - ,daille1 ,melange1
 ,part ,,ii4 p4 #deg4       #hfj -      
,lessius1 de ,perfect4 ,divin4 p4 #fi4  
#hfa - ,lessius1 de ,sum4 ,bon4 pp4     
#ehjehb4       #hfb - ,trismegist1 in   
,serm4 ,greek1 in the ,temple1 p4 #eg4  
#hfc - ,a ,lapide1 in #a cap4 ,gen4 xvi4
 ,lessius1 de ,perfect4 ,divin4         
pp4 #ij1 #ia4       #hfd - ,lessius1 de 
,providen1 p4 #fcc4 ,voss4 de ,idol4    
lib4 ii4           cap4 #b4       #hfe -
 ,faucher1 sur ,act4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #dg4
       #hff - ,cteros deos reos esse1 c4
 ,grot4 ,verit4 ,rel4 lib4 #d4          
#hfg - ,amyrald4 in ,symbol4 p4 #ajc1 c4
       #hfh - ,amyrant4 sur ,timole1 p4 
#bib4       #hfi - ,lessius1 de ,perf4  
,divin4 lib4 xii4 cap4 #d4 p4 #ajd4     
#hgj - ,lessius1 pp4 #ajc1 #ajd4        
#hga - ,lessius1 pp4 #ajc1 #ajd4        
,amyrald4 ,irenic4 p4 #bhd4       #hgb -
 ,amyrald4 ,irenic4 p4 #bhb4       #hgc 
- 4       #hgd - ,daille4 ,serm4 ,,xv4  

p4 #eg4       #hge - ,colos4 i4 #ac4 4  
#hgf - ,grotius in ,luke i4 #ai4        
#hgg - ,numb4 xiv4 #ag4 1 be exalted4   
,sept4 ,strength1 c4       #hgh - 4     
#hgi - ,gen4 i4 #b4 ,so the word 8moved0
 properly signifies4       #hhj -       
,sabunde1 ,tit4 #ci4       #hha - ,pont4
 ,part ,,vi4 med4 #af4 p4 #eca4         
#hhb - ,capel4 in #a ,tim4 i4 #ag4      
#hhc - ,lingend4 ,tom4 ,,iii4 pp4 #ggi1 
#ghj4       #hhd - ,harwood1 p4 #ac4    
#hhe - ,grot4 in loc4       #hhf -      
,amyrant4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,v4 p4 #agj4    
#hhg - ,trap4 in loc4       #hhh -      
,manass4 ben ,israel1 de ,resurr4 lib4  
#a1 cap4 #a1 p4 #g4       #hhi - ,pareus
 in ,exod4 xv4       #hij - ,rivet4     
#hia - ,calvin4       #hib - ,munster4  
#hic -  4       #hid -   4 ,ammon4 in   
,plut4 de  apud ,delphos1           p4  
#cic4       #hie - ,gassend4 ,tom4 ,i4  
,phys4  #a1 lib4 #d1 cap4 #b1 p4 #bhi4  
#hif - ,petav4 ,theol4 ,dogmat4 ,tom4   
,i4 lib4 #f1 cap4 #e1 p4 #dae4          
#hig - ,plutarch ,eugubin4 de ,perenni  

,phil4 lib4 #f1 cap4 #f4       #hih -   
,martin4 de ,deo1 p4 #hf4       #hii -  
,turretin4 de ,satisfact4 p4 #bh4       
#ijj - ,ochino1 ,predic4 ,part ,,iii4   
,bodic4 #ea1 pp4 #cdg1 #cdh4       #ija 
- ,turretin4 de ,satisfact4 pp4 #ce1    
#cf4       #ijb - ,amyrald4 ,disert4 pp4
 #ajc1 #ajd4       #ijc - ,amyrald4     
,defens4 de ,calvin4 pp4 #aea1 #aeb4    
#ijd - ,ames de ,consc4 lib4 v4 cap4 #a4
 quest4 #g4       #ije - ,suarez4       
#ijf - ,amirant4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,v4 p4   
#chh4       #ijg - ,lingend4 ,tom4      
,,iii4 pp4 #fii1 #gjj4       #ijh -     
,tit4 ii4 #aaad1 and many other places4 
#iji - ,suarez1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #edh4    
#iaj - ,amyr4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,i4 pp4     
#fae1 #faf4       #iaa - ,amyral4       
,defence de ,calv4 p4 #ade4       #iab -
 ,rispolis4       #iac - ,bradward4 lib4
 i4 cap4 #cd4 8,god wills it secundum   
quid40       #iad - ,aquin4 cont4 ,gent4
 lib4 i4 cap4 #ie4       #iae - ,lawson1
 p4 #fd4       #iaf - ,suarez1 ,vol4    
,,iv4 p4 #dad4       #iag - ,suarez1 de 

,legib4 p4 #dc4       #iah - ,ps4 lxxvi4
 #aj1 as the word 8restrain0 signifies4 
#iai - ,majus bonum1 saith ,bradward4   
#ibj - ,but of the wisdom of ,god in the
 permitting sin in order to             
redemption1 ,i have handled in the      
attribute of 8,wisdom40       #iba -    
,suarez1 ,metaph4 ,part ,i4 p4 #eeb4    
#ibb - ,amyrald4 de ,libero arbit4 pp4  
#ih1 #ii4       #ibc - ,amyrald1 pp4    
#cba1 #ccb4       #ibd - ,zanch4 ,tom4  
,,ii4 lib4 iii4 cap4 #d1 quest4 iv4 p4  
#bbf4       #ibe - ,amyral4 de ,libero  
arbit4 p4 #bbd4       #ibf - ,amyrald1  
,irenic4 p4 #ccg4       #ibg - ,this ,i 
have spoken of before1 but it is        
necessary now4       #ibh - ,testard1 de
 ,natur1 et ,grat4 ,thes4 #aej1 #aea4   
,amy on ,divers           ,texts1 p4    
#caa4       #ibi - ,amyrald1 de         
,predest4 p4 #ajg4       #icj -         
,turretin4 de ,satisfac4 p4 #h4         
#ica - ,placeus1 de ,deitat4 ,christi1  
in loc4       #icb - ,ps4 xii4 #h4 ,the 
vilest men4       #icc - ,amyrald4      

,moral4 ,tom4 ,v4 p4 #dfb4       #icd - 
,sanct4 in loc4       #ice - 8,in this10
 saith ,plato1 8,god is   40       #icf 
- ,eph4 iv4 #bd4 ,col4 iii4 #aj4        
#icg - ,eugubin4 de ,perenni ,philoso4  
lib4 vi4 cap4 #f4       #ich - ,vaughan 
pp4 #d1 #e4       #ici - ,amirald4 in   
,heb4 pp4 #aja1 #ajb4       #idj - ,amor
 naturam induit1 et mores imbibit rei   
amat4       #ida - ,erasm4 in loc4      
#idb - ,augustin4       #idc - ,hensius 
in ,matt4       #idd - ,calvin in loc4  
#ide - ,trismegist4 ,pmnd4 cap4 #b4     
#idf - ,eugubin4 de ,peren4 ,philos4    
lib4 v4 cap4 #i4       #idg - ,eugubin4 
de ,peren4 ,philos4 lib4 v4 cap4 #i4 p4 
#ig4 col4       #idh - ,amyrant1        
,morale4       #idi - ,rom4 x4 #c4      
8,going about to establish their own    
righteousness40       #iej - ,ver4 #ag4 
,lightfoot in loc4       #iea - ,ficin4 
in ,dionys4 de ,divin4 ,nom4 cap4 #eaa4 
#ieb - ,empedocles4       #iec -        
,hesiod4       #ied - ,iamblych4 ,vit4  
,pythag4 lib4 i4 col4 #f4 p4 #dc4       

#iee - ,lombard lib4 iv4 distinct4 #df4 
p4 #bhf4       #ief - ,coccei4 sum4 p4  
#ej4       #ieg - ,cajetan in secund4   
secunda4 ,qu4 #cd4 ,ar4 #c4       #ieh -
 ,herle upon ,wisdom1 cap4 #e4 pp4 #da1 
#db4       #iei - ,ingelo ,bentivolio1  
and ,uran4 ,book ,,iv4 pp4 #bfj1 #bfa4  
#ifj - ,daille1 ,melang4 ,part ,,ii4 pp4
 #gjd1 #gje4       #ifa - ,ficini4      
,epist4 lib4 xi4 epist4 #cj4       #ifb 
- ,tom4 ,,ii4 p4 #ibf4       #ifc -     
,cocceii sum ,theolog4 p4 #ia4          
#ifd - ,gilbert de ,dei ,dominio1 p4 #f4
       #ife - ,amyr4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,i4  
p4 #bfj4       #iff - ,ficinus in ,con4 
,amor4 ,orat4 #b4 cap4 p4 #acbf4        
#ifg - ,camero1 p4 #cj4       #ifh -    
,boetius4       #ifi - ,zarnovecius1 de 
,satisfact4 ,part ,i4 cap4 i4 pp4 #c1   
#d4       #igj - ,suarez1 ,vol4 ,i4 de  
,deo1 lib4 iii4 cap4 #g4 p4 #adf4       
#iga - ,cressol4 ,anthol4 ,decad4 ,,ii4 
p4 #afb4       #igb - ,cusan1 p4 #bbh4  
#igc - ,petav4 ,theolog4 ,dogmat4 ,tom4 
i4 p4 #djb4       #igd - ,lessius1 de   

,perfect4 ,div4 p4 #ajj4       #ige -   
,pherecydes4       #igf - ,eugubin1 lib4
 v4 cap4 #i4       #igg - ,amyral4      
,dissertat4 pp4 #fcg1 #fch4       #igh -
 ,suarez4 de ,gratia1 ,vol4 ,i4 pp4     
#abf1 #abg4       #igi - ,rada4         
,controvers4 ,part ,,iii4 p4 #cfc4      
#ihj - ,lingend4 de ,eucharist1 pp4 #hd1
 #he4       #iha - ,lessius4       #ihb 
- ,turreti1 ,ser4 p4 #cc4       #ihc -  
,amyral4 ,irenicum4 pp4 #af1 #ag4       
#ihd - ,daille1 ,melang4 ,part ,i4 p4   
#bec4       #ihe - ,gulielmus ,parisien4
 p4 #ahd4       #ihf - ,harwood's       
,sermon at ,oxford1 p4 #e4       #ihg - 
,amyral4 ,moral4 ,tom4 ,,iv4 p4 #bia4   
#ihh - ,cressol4 ,antholog4 ,part ,,ii4 
p4 #bi4       #ihi - ,young1 of         
,affliction1 p4 #cd4       #iij -       
,petav4 ,theolog4 ,dogmat4 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 
#djg4       #iia - ,amyrald4 ,dissert4  
p4 #fe4       #iib - 8,as a heathen10   
,maximus ,tyrius1 ,dissert4 #bb1 p4     
#bbj4                    4       #iic - 
,amyrald4 in loc4       #iid - ,maccov4 

,colleg4 ,theolog4 #aj ,disput4 #ah1 pp4
 #f1 #g1 or           thereabout4       
#iie - ,maccov4 ,colleg4 ,theolog4      
,disput4 #ah1 pp4 #ab1 #ac4       #iif -
 ,raynaud1 ,theolog4 ,nat4 p4 #geg4     
#iig - ,camero4 p4 #cga4 ,amyrald1      
,dissert4 pp4 #gb1 #gc4       #iih -    
,stoughton's 8,righteous ,man's ,plea10 
,serm4 ,,vi4 p4 #bh4       #iii - ,vid4 
,lessium de ,perfect4 ,divin4 pp4 #gg1  
#gh4      #ajjj - ,raynaud1 ,theolog4   
,natural1 pp4 #gfjgfb4      #ajja -     
,sueton4 de ,tiberio1 cap4 #bg4         
#ajjb - ,lessius de ,perfect4 ,divin4   
pp4 #ff1 #fg4      #ajjc - ,causin1     
,poly,histor4 lib4 iv4 cap4 #bb4        
#ajjd - ,suarez4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 lib4 viii4 
cap4 #bj4 p4 #gcf4      #ajje - ,bolduc4
 in loc4      #ajjf - ,suarez4 de       
,legib4 p4 #bc4      #ajjg - ,amyrald1  
,dissert4 pp4 #aja1 #ajb4      #ajjh -  
,daille1 in loc4      #ajji - ,this was 
,dr4 ,goodwin's speech when he was in   
trouble4      #ajaj - ,claude1 sur la   
,parabole des ,noces1 p4 #bi4      #ajaa

 - ,mr4 ,mede1 in one of his letters4   
#ajab - ,josephus4      #ajac - ,causin4
 ,symb4 lib4 ii4 cap4 #fe4      #ajad - 
,lessius1 de ,perfect4 ,divin4 lib4 x4  
p4 #fe4      #ajae - ,munster4          
#ajaf - ,trap4 in loc4      #ajag -     
,trap4 in loc4      #ajah - ,faucheur1  
,vol4 ,,ii4 pp4 #ffc1 #ffd4      #ajai -
 ,austin4      #ajbj - ,chrysost4 in    
,gen4 ,hom4 #af4      #ajba - ,raynard1 
de ,deo1 p4 #gff4      #ajbb - ,arrian  
in ,epictet4      #ajbc - ,servire ,deo 
regnare est4      #ajbd - ,ribera1 in   
loc4      #ajbe - ,page #cei1 col4 #a4  
#ajbf - ,tirinus1 in loc4      #ajbg -  
,rhodigi4 lib4 vi4 c4 #ad4      #ajbh - 
1                    4                  
,theodoret1 in loc4      #ajbi -        
,testard4 de ,natur4 et ,grat4 ,thess4  
#aai4      #ajcj - ,perer1 in loc4      
#ajca - ,vid4 ,gell's 4      #ajcb -    
,sanctius4 ,prolegom4 in ,hosea1        
,prolog4 ,,iii4      #ajcc - ,mercer in 
,gen4      #ajcd - ,cressol4 ,decad4    
,,ii4 p4 #afc4      #ajce - ,pierce1    

,sinner ,implead4 p4 #bbg4      #ajcf - 
,kimchi4      #ajcg - ,lessius1 p4 #aeb4
      #ajch - ,amyrald1 ,dissert4 pp4   
#aia1 #aib4      #ajci - ,amyraldus1    
,moral4 ,tom4 ,,ii4 p4 #ahf4      #ajdj 
- ,smith on the ,creed4 p4 #djd4        
#ajda - ,minuc4 ,felix1 p4 #da4         
#ajdb - ,pont4 ,part ,i4 p4 #db4        
#ajdc - ,cod4 lib4 ix4 ,titul4 #dgf1 p4 
#bj4                                    
,,transcriber',s ,,notes4          ,the 
following corrections have been made in 
the text3      ,page a#ed3              
,sentence starting3 ,every year are the 
fields4444        - #8baren' replaced   
with #8barren'          7creatures2 no  
part is barren17      ,page a#fd3       
,sentence starting3 ,the ,lord breathed 
into his4444        - #8' replaced with 
#8'          78444 and man10#aja c43 1  
of lives47      ,page a#ge3             
,sentence starting3 ,tully ,hostilius1 a
 ,roman4444        - #8whe' replaced    
with #8who'          7a ,roman king1 who
 counted it7      ,sentence starting3   

,the strange revelations of             
murderers1444        - #8vengeanee'     
replaced with #8vengeance'              
7instruments of vengeance on a sinful7  
,page a#ajg3      ,sentence starting3   
,the rule of ,god is burthensome4444    
- #8' replaced with #8'          7the   
word  signifies17      ,page a#aag3     
,sentence starting3 ,there is not the   
basest thing4444        - #8dispicable' 
replaced with #8despicable'          7of
 a poor despicable beggar47      ,page  
a#aed3      ,sentence starting3 ,it were
 more excusable to serve4444        -   
#8' replaced with #8'          7they    
sacrificed the 7      ,page a#afb3      
,sentence starting3 ,has he not         
promised4444        - #8or' replaced    
with #8of'          7strip him of his   
crown7      ,page a#agb3      ,sentence 
starting3 ,in every action we should4444
        - #8shold' replaced with        
#8should'          7we should make the  
inquiry17      ,page a#bcj3             
,sentence starting3 ,if any one         

spiritual4444        - #8spirital'      
replaced with #8spiritual'          7any
 one spiritual string7      ,page a#bgj3
      ,sentence starting3 ,as our       
gracious ,god4444        - #8#aah'      
replaced with #8#ah'          7,ps4     
lxvi4 #ah7      ,page a#cjj3            
,sentence starting3    4444        - #8 
' replaced with #8   '          7   7   
,page a#chb3      ,sentence starting3   
,to act by a virtue1444        -        
#8kindoms' replaced with #8kingdoms'    
7in their kingdoms by ministers7        
,page a#cib3      ,sentence starting3   
,let us therefore conclude4444        - 
#8expresssion' replaced with            
#8expression'          7the expression  
of a learned man7      ,page a#djh3     
,sentence starting3 ,much power1        
plenteous in power2444        - #8'     
replaced with #8 '          77,ps4 v4   
#ae71  1 a multitude of power7          
,sentence starting3 ,he knows           
universals1444        - #8' replaced    
with #8'          71 in the             

consideration of them17      ,page      
a#daj3      ,sentence starting3 ,the    
heathens did acknowledge4444        -   
#8selemnized' replaced with             
#8solemnized'          7solemnized with 
oaths and7      ,page a#dad3            
,sentence starting3 ,as ,god is the most
 perfect being1444        - #8he'       
replaced with #8be'          7he would  
be ignorant of7      ,page a#dag3       
,sentence starting3 4444        -       
#8knowedge' replaced with #8knowledge'  
7so is his knowledge infinite17         
,page a#deg3      ,sentence starting3   
,is it to be imagined4444        -      
#8notiou' replaced with #8notion'       
7by the notion of things so mean87      
,page a#dgj3      ,sentence starting3   
,the word  signifies4444        - #8'   
replaced with #8'          7,the word   
signifies youth17      ,sentence        
starting3 ,as his justice1 which        
consists4444        - #8manfestation'   
replaced with #8manifestation'          
7a manifestation of the secret motions7 

,page a#dhj3      ,sentence starting3   
,david's heart smote him4444        -   
#8cirumstantiated' replaced with        
#8cirumstantiated'          7as         
particularly cirumstantiated by the 7   
,page a#dhh3      ,sentence starting3   
,his knowledge comes not4444        -   
#8profitaby' replaced with #8profitably'
          7they may be profitably       
removed47      ,page a#dia3             
,sentence starting3 ,his infinite       
understanding4444        - #8unstanding'
 replaced with #8understanding'         
7,his infinite understanding of what7   
,page a#eaj3      ,sentence starting3   
#b4 ,therefore 8only wise04444        - 
#8' replaced with #8'          7,god is 
47      ,page a#eaa3      ,sentence     
starting3 ,the absolute power of        
,god4444        - #8righteousnesness'   
replaced with #8righteousness'          
7because of his righteousness17         
,page a#eaf3      ,sentence starting3   
,he could not be an universal4444       
- #8wihout' replaced with #8without'    

7without an incorruptible wisdom47      
,page a#ebc3      ,sentence starting3   
,the summer consumes4444        -       
#8inhabtants' replaced with             
#8inhabitants'          7the inhabitants
 of the world47      ,page a#ece3       
,sentence starting3 ,the magistrate     
inspired not4444        - #8magistate'  
replaced with #8magistrate'             
7,the magistrate inspired not7          
,page a#ega3      ,sentence starting3   
,the grace of ,god teaches4444        - 
#8ungodlinsss' replaced with            
#8ungodliness'          7teaches us to  
deny ungodliness47      ,page a#eic3    
,sentence starting3 ,like a skilful     
physician1444        - #8und' replaced  
with #8and'          7bitter potions1   
and sometimes cheering7      ,page      
a#eid3      ,sentence starting3 ,he     
defeated the serpent4444        -       
#8surpentine' replaced with             
#8serpentine'          7the aftergame of
 the serpentine brood47      ,page b#bd3
      ,sentence starting3 ,if limited by

 himself1444        - #8limition'       
replaced with #8limitation'             
7that limitation is not from7      ,page
 b#cf3      ,sentence starting3 ,the    
,jews observe1 that4444        - #8'    
replaced with #8'          7he is called
 17      ,page b#db3      ,sentence     
starting3 ,and it might be inquired1    
how4444        - #8instrment' replaced  
with #8instrument'          7create all 
things without an instrument17          
,page b#dc3      ,sentence starting3 ,it
 is as little difficulty4444        -   
#8lighest' replaced with #8lightest'    
7as the lightest atom47      ,page b#dd3
      ,sentence starting3 ,there is a   
natural providence1444        -         
#8propogation' replaced with            
#8propagation'          7propagation of 
them by corruptions7      ,page b#ej3   
,sentence starting3 ,it is an ,infinite 
,power which4444        - #8souls'      
replaced with #8soul'          7the soul
 forms every thought17      ,page b#fa3 
,sentence starting3 ,by this manner of  

conception4444        - #8atsured'      
replaced with #8assured'          7his  
fitness for his office is assured7      
,page b#fe3      ,sentence starting3    
7#a47 ,it was contrary4444        -     
#8contary' replaced with #8contrary'    
7,it was contrary to the common7        
,page b#ff3      ,sentence starting3    
,the philosophers1 the masters4444      
- #8philosphers' replaced with          
#8philosophers'          7,the          
philosophers1 the masters7      ,page   
b#ga3      ,sentence starting3 ,they    
employed not troops4444        -        
#8themselve' replaced with #8themselves'
          7subdue men unto themselves17 
,page b#gc3      ,sentence starting3    
,the court of ,nero1444        -        
duplicated word removed #8and'          
7its standing1 and flourished7          
,page b#gf3      ,sentence starting3    
,the stream of nature cannot4444        
- #8venemous' replaced with #8venomous' 
7or a venomous toad into an7      ,page 
b#gg3      ,sentence starting3 ,to      

dispossess man then of his4444        - 
#8makes' replaced with #8make'          
7make desires of selfadvancement7       
,page b#hj3      ,sentence starting3    
,and indeed1 ,god doth4444        -     
#8wheron' replaced with #8whereon'      
7sands whereon it might split17         
,page b#ha3      ,sentence starting3 ,so
 great an eulogy cannot4444        -    
#8surmounded' replaced with             
#8surmounted'          7cannot be       
surmounted and stepped over17      ,page
 b#ig3      ,sentence starting3 ,his    
strength is uncontrollable2444        - 
#8his' replaced with #8is'          7his
 throne is represented7      ,sentence  
starting3 ,to have many sharp blows1444 
- #8apostles' replaced with #8apostle'  
7therefore the apostle calls it7        
,page b#ajf3      ,sentence starting3   
,when you beg of him the melting4444    
- #8liveless' replaced with #8lifeless' 
7and prayer will be lifeless17          
,page b#aaj3      ,sentence starting3   
,this is more affixed4444        -      

duplicated word removed #8his'          
7or ,his wise name27      ,page b#aab3  
,sentence starting3 ,his power or       
sovereignty1444        - #8sovreignty'  
replaced with #8sovereignty'            
7,his power or sovereignty17      ,page 
b#aag3      ,sentence starting3 ,it is  
as certain a truth1444        -         
duplicated word removed #8any'          
7cannot create anything actually7       
,page b#acd3      ,sentence starting3   
,o1 how detestable is sin4444        -  
#8abhorence' replaced with #8abhorrence'
          7of his abhorrence of evil67  
,sentence starting3 ,to punish and      
witness against4444        - #8'        
replaced with #8'          7the word 1  
which is here7      ,page b#adj3        
,sentence starting3 ,it is certain that 
,god made4444        - #8witholding'    
replaced with #8withholding'            
7negative in withholding that grace7    
,page b#adf3      ,sentence starting3   
,reprobation1 in its first notion1444   
- duplicated word removed #8the'        

7wicked by the act of ,god27      ,page 
b#afh3      ,sentence starting3 ,hence1 
,god is said to4444        - #8father'  
replaced with #8farther'                
7occasion of his farther hardening37    
,page b#agj3      ,sentence starting3   
4444        - #8,israelities' replaced  
with #8,israelites'          7of the    
,israelites borrowing jewels7      ,page
 b#aga3      ,sentence starting3 4444   
- #8intrinsisically' replaced with      
#8intrinsically'          7its own      
nature intrinsically evil27      ,page  
b#agg3      ,sentence starting3 ,the    
,jews were often infected4444        -  
#8taansgressions' replaced with         
#8transgressions'          7the enormity
 of their transgressions17      ,page   
b#agh3      ,sentence starting3         
,sometimes casting an eye4444        -  
#8villifying' replaced with #8vilifying'
          7but a vilifying of the       
holiness7      ,sentence starting3 ,what
 are the services of4444        -       
#8practises' replaced with #8practices' 

7their following practices47      ,page 
b#ahj3      ,sentence starting3 ,we are 
departed from our4444        -          
duplicated word removed #8that'         
7that is1 a life of 8holiness207        
,page b#aha3      ,sentence starting3   
,all unholiness is vile1444        -    
#8unholinesss' replaced with            
#8unholiness'          7,all unholiness 
is vile17      ,page b#ahf3             
,sentence starting3 ,as we therefore    
dishonor4444        - duplicated word   
removed #8a'          7as if a 8mortal  
man were as just as ,god107      ,page  
b#aij3      ,sentence starting3 ,when he
 overlooks strength1444        -        
#8complaceny' replaced with             
#8complacency'          7such for his   
own complacency17      ,page b#aih3     
,sentence starting3 ,it was his design  
in his pity4444        - #8,ezra'       
replaced with #8,ezek'                  
7judicial procedure 7,ezek4 xxxvi4 #ba1 
#bc77      ,page b#bjd3      ,sentence  
starting3 ,as soon as sin had           

stripped4444        - #8that' replaced  
with #8than'          7a defiled person 
than a man7      ,page b#bje3           
,sentence starting3 ,let us often       
exercise ourselves4444        -         
#8exericse' replaced with #8exercise'   
7,let us often exercise ourselves7      
,page b#bad3      ,sentence starting3   
,it is a part of idolatry4444        -  
#8idolatary' replaced with #8idolatry'  
7part of idolatry to give men7        - 
#8creatnre' replaced with #8creature'   
7a worship of the creature together     
with7      ,page b#bae3      ,sentence  
starting3 ,all the idolatry of the      
heathens1444        - #8idolary'        
replaced with #8idolatry'          7,all
 the idolatry of the heathens17         
,page b#baf3      ,sentence starting3   
,the ,italians esteemed ,pythagoras4444 
- #8,pithagoras' replaced with          
#8,pythagoras'          7esteemed       
,pythagoras a god17      ,page b#bah3   
,sentence starting3 ,were he not first  
infinitely4444        - #8itseif'       

replaced with #8itself'                 
7fulness of light in itself17           
,sentence starting3 ,the mercy of ,god  
is exercised4444        - #8pnnishment' 
replaced with #8punishment'             
7those that merit punishment27          
,page b#bbj3      ,sentence starting3   
,he is first good1 and then4444        -
 #8compasssionate' replaced with        
#8compassionate'          7and then     
compassionate47      ,page b#bci3       
,sentence starting3 ,justice and        
judgment are4444        - #8' replaced  
with #8'          78444 habitation of   
thy throne10 17      ,sentence starting3
 ,so1 ,ps4 xciii4 #b4444        -       
#8xcii4' replaced with #8xciii4'        
7,so1 ,ps4 xciii4 #b47      ,sentence   
starting3 ,and shall it be accounted4444
        - #8acounted' replaced with     
#8accounted'          7be accounted an  
unkindness17      ,page b#bde3          
,sentence starting3 ,it is the goodness 
of ,god4444        - #8multitutes'      
replaced with #8multitudes'             

7extract such multitudes of things7     
,page b#bdg3      ,sentence starting3   
,it hath a tongue to express4444        
- #8counseller' replaced with           
#8counsellor'          7what the inward 
counsellor directs27      ,page b#bdi3  
,sentence starting3 ,this some of the   
,jews understood4444        - #8'       
replaced with #8'          71 breath of 
lives1 in the ,hebrew27      ,page      
b#beh3      ,sentence starting3 ,this   
only excited wisdom to bring4444        
- #8apostacy' replaced with #8apostasy' 
7as the apostasy of man17      ,page    
b#bhi3      ,sentence starting3 ,as the 
right of a house4444        -           
#8annointed' replaced with #8anointed'  
7wherewith kings were anointed17        
,page b#big3      ,sentence starting3   
,the goodness of ,god is seen4444       
- duplicated word removed #8and'        
7the animals and inanimate things47     
,page b#bii3      ,sentence starting3   
,and when public justice was4444        
- #8admininistered' replaced with       

#8administered'          7was to be     
administered upon7      ,page b#cja3    
,sentence starting3 ,they are fruits of 
his goodness4444        - missing word  
added #8no'          7there would be no 
government17      ,page b#cjc3          
,sentence starting3 ,though moral       
goodness cannot4444        - #8siganlly'
 replaced with #8signally'              
7hath often signally rewarded7          
,page b#caa3      ,sentence starting3   
,the goodness of ,god appears4444       
- #8geople' replaced with #8people'     
7strengthening his people under7        
,page b#cae3      ,sentence starting3   
,how disingenuous both to ,god4444      
- #8disingenious' replaced with         
#8disingenuous'          7,how          
disingenuous both to ,god7      ,page   
b#caf3      ,sentence starting3 ,god    
hath curses as well as blessings24444   
- #8,got' replaced with #8,god'         
7,god hath curses as well as blessings27
      ,page b#ccj3      ,sentence       
starting3 ,the nature of 8fear0 is      

to4444        - #8inwarly' replaced with
 #8inwardly'          7than inwardly    
have admired him37      ,page b#ccf3    
,sentence starting3 ,as the goodness of 
,god4444        - #8repentence' replaced
 with #8repentance'          78leads us 
to repentance07      ,page b#cej3       
,sentence starting3 ,a deep sense of    
this would4444        - #8whatsover'    
replaced with #8whatsoever'             
7goodness in whatsoever he doth17       
,page b#ced3      ,sentence starting3   
,revenge makes us slaves'4444        -  
#8adverlsaries' replaced with           
#8adversaries'          7victorious over
 our adversaries7        - #8evi'       
replaced with #8evil'          7but     
overcome evil with good47      ,page    
b#cfd3      ,sentence starting3 ,as     
knowledge and wisdom are4444        -   
#8whatsover' replaced with #8whatsoever'
          7to pass whatsoever he        
decrees27      ,page b#cgc3             
,sentence starting3 ,the government of  
,christ4444        - #8commision'       

replaced with #8commission'          7by
 commission from him27      ,page b#cgh3
      ,sentence starting3 ,it is part of
 ,god's sovereignty1444        -        
#8sovereignity' replaced with           
#8sovereignty'          7,it is part of 
,god's sovereignty17      ,page b#dad3  
,sentence starting3 ,the sword of a     
conqueror4444        - #8conquerer'     
replaced with #8conqueror'              
7,the sword of a conqueror7      ,page  
b#dae3      ,sentence starting3 ,god1 by
 his sovereign conduct1444        -     
8,pharoah's0 replaced with 8,pharaoh's0 
7to the view of ,pharaoh's daughter17   
,page b#dca3      ,sentence starting3   
,it is sufficient that we gave4444      
- #8yuo' replaced with #8you'           
7we gave you a command7      ,page      
b#dcd3      ,sentence starting3 ,when we
 pay an outward4444        -            
#8,soverign' replaced with #8,sovereign'
          7the ,sovereign of the world27
      ,page b#ddj3      ,sentence       
starting3 ,sovereignty requires awe     

in4444        - #8disrepect' replaced   
with #8disrespect'          7is a       
disrespect of authority7      ,page     
b#dhj3      ,sentence starting3 ,think  
me not such a piece4444        -        
#8hehold' replaced with #8behold'       
7,i had an eye to behold7      ,page    
b#dhc3      ,sentence starting3 ,in     
those threatenings where4444        -   
duplicated word removed #8the'          
7without fixing the time17      ,page   
b#dig3      ,sentence starting3 ,no     
light matter1 but4444        -          
#8,pharoah' replaced with #8,pharaoh'   
7but that of ,pharaoh87      ,page      
b#ejd3      ,sentence starting3 ,it had 
been inconsistent with4444        -     
duplicated word removed #8down'         
7been pulling down and rearing7         
,page b#ejf3      ,sentence starting3   
,divine patience had still bound4444    
- #8#a ,kings' replaced with #8#b       
,kings'          7#b ,kings xxii4 #ai1  
#bj7      ,index ,christ3        -      
#8medtation' replaced with #8mediation' 

7make us prize his mediation7           
,index ,conceptions3        -           
#8similtude' replaced with #8similitude'
          7will be in them a similitude7
      ,index ,dominion3        -        
duplicated word removed #8as'           
7contemned as he is a7      ,index      
,temptations3        - #8soveignty'     
replaced with #8sovereignty'            
7thoughts of ,god's sovereignty7        
,footnote #f3        - #8' replaced with
 #8'          7,isaiah xl4 #g4   8the   
flower fadeth407      ,footnote #g3     
- #8' replaced with #8 '          7,mais
  and   put together47      ,footnote   
#h3        - #8' replaced with #8'      
7  8,no ,god40 ,muis47      ,footnote   
#ace3        - #8#ih' replaced with     
#8#h'          7,psalm xxxiv4 #h47      
,footnote #bhb3        - #8,gurnal'     
replaced with #8,gurnall'               
7,gurnall1 ,part ,,ii47      ,footnote  
#ede3        - #8 ' replaced with #8 '  
7 47      ,footnote #eec3        -      
#8,parsiensis' replaced with            

#8,parisiensis'      ,footnote #fae3    
- #8 ' replaced with #8 '          7  no
 end1 no term47      ,footnote #fdc3    
- #8' replaced with #8'          7      
,grot4 upon ,matt4 v4 #af47             
,footnote #hai3        - #8' replaced   
with #8'          7 ,sept4 47           
,footnote #hge3        - #8,colos4 i4   
#ai4' replaced with #8,colos4 i4 #ac4'  
#8' replaced with #8'          7,colos4 
i4 #ac4 47      ,footnote #ajca3        
- #8' replaced with #8'          7,vid4 
,gell's 47