,transcribed from the #ahaj ,ann        
,kemmish edition by ,david ,price1 email
  ccx#jgdpglaf4org                      
,,spiritual ,,victories1                
,,through ,,the                         
,light of ,salvation4                   
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,being ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,a       
,,sermon1                    ,preached  
on ,,sunday1 ,march the #aath1 #ahaj1   
,,at ,,the                              
,,obelisk ,,chapel1                     
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,by ,j4 ,,church1                      
,minster of the ,gospel4                
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,published ,,by ,,request4             
99 99 99 99 99          8,o ,house of   
,jacob1 come ye1 let us walk in the     
,light of the ,lord40                   
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,southwark3                ,printed by 
,,ann ,,kemmish1 ,king-,street1         
,borough4                               
99 99 99 99 99                          

#ahaj4                                  
99 99 99 99 99          ,,preface4      
,,to those ,friends who requested the   
,publication of this ,sermon--,i have   
only to say1 ,i have endeavored to      
recollect a considerable part of it2    
many ideas ,i have omitted1 and others  
,i have introduced1 as ,i had  not the  
least intention of making this public1  
nor should ,i but for  your very        
pressing solicitation4  ,i would remark 
by way of ,preface1  that the success of
 ,sermons1 in point of usefulness1      
depends upon  the operations of ,god the
 divine ,spirit2 and these influences   
are  entirely sovereign4  ,that although
 this ,sermon was blest to you in the   
hearing1 it may not be so to you in the 
reading--nevertheless1 as  the friends  
of immortal truth--you being in the     
possession of that love  7which         
rejoiceth in the truth7 will also       
rejoice in every attempt to  exalt the  
,person of ,jesus as the truth2 to      
comfort and establish  ,believers in the

 truth1 and to encourage all the heralds
 of truth1 to  be faithful unto death4  
,i have sent forth the truth in a very  
plain  style2 to you who know her       
excellencies she will shine with        
unfading  charms2 while you adore the   
,god of all grace--and ,i subscribe     
myself1                                 
,your willing ,servant in the cause of  
truth1                                  
,j4 ,,church4          ,a ,,sermon4     
,,judges viith ,chap4 #bjth ,verse4     
8,and the three companies blew the      
trumpets1 and brake the      pitchers1  
and held the lamps in their left hands1 
and their      trumpets in their right1 
to blow withal2 and they cried1 ,the    
,sword of the ,lord and of ,gideon60    
,,the history of the church of ,god1 in 
all ages past1 as recorded in the       
,scriptures1 is intended by the ,spirit 
to exhibit many things of vast          
importance to us1 on whom the ends of   
the world are come4    ,,first4--,the   
rebellion1 ingratitude1 and idolatry of 

the ,israelites1 give  us an awful proof
 of human depravity1 and teach an       
humbling lesson to the  spiritual       
,israel1 who have the same sinful       
nature1 are prone to the same  sins1 and
 would often fall into them and their   
consequences1 but for the  grace of     
,god4    ,,secondly4--,the patience and 
long-suffering of ,god1 particularly    
marked out  in this history--he bare    
long with them2 his mercy was extended1 
prolonged1 and manifested to them1      
notwithstanding all their  provocations1
 in forgetting his deliverances of them 
in times past1 and  practising the same 
sins he had before resented4            
,,thirdly4--,his disapprobation of their
 conduct1 and the means he took to      
testify it1 are set before us4  ,our    
,god is never at a loss for means to    
accomplish his wise and holy purposes of
 justice or mercy1 as is evident  from  
the history before us4  ,the blessed    
,spirit operating upon the souls  of his
 people1 often by his influence reproves

 their consciences of sin1  as it is so 
opposite to the purity of that divine   
nature1 or holy  principle he has       
blessed them with4  ,sin1 committed by a
 believer1 is a  transgression of the   
law1 or dictates of faith2 for there is 
no sin1  condemned under the first      
covenant1 but what1 under the covenant  
of  grace1 is pointed out in more odious
 colours4--,hence the idolatry1         
rebellion1 and ingratitude of the       
believer1 are seen and lamented by him  
as a child of ,god2 and as ,god the     
,spirit communicates light to his       
understanding1 to discover it as sinful1
 he perpetually testifies that  his sins
 are more sinful than those who know not
 ,god4    ,,fourthly4--,the inseparable 
connection between sin and sorrow1 is   
felt by  all1 both elect and non-elect4 
,by nations1 families1 and individuals1 
the moral and penal evils of the ,fall1 
will be1 must be1 and are felt by  all4 
,the non-elect feel it in many awful    
forms1 as transgressors1 in the  curse  

of the ground1 in the calamities of war1
 in all the dreadful  horrors of a      
guilty conscience1 and in the wrath of a
 sin-avenging ,god4  ,nations feel it   
universally2 this is evident by the     
calamities which  befell the land of    
,canaan--so the #fth ,chapter begins3   
8,and the children of  ,israel did evil 
in the sight of the ,lord2 and the ,lord
 delivered them  into the hand of       
,midian40  ,their sin was resented in   
this form1 by the  ,lord--the prevailing
 of their enemies1 which forced them to 
hide in dens1  caves1 mountains1 and    
strong holds--their enemies destroyed   
the increase  of their country1 and     
reduced them almost to a famine2 8and   
,israel was  greatly impoverished       
because of the ,midianites0 and people  
of ,arabia4    ,,fifthly4--,the tender  
mercy of ,god the ,saviour appears as   
remarkable in  their deliverance2 in the
 remembrance of his covenant of old1    
with their  fore-fathers2 his good hand 
was seen in bringing them out of        

trouble1  although they had brought     
these troubles on themselves--what a    
solemn1 but  gracious proof2 8,o6       
,israel1 thou hast destroyed thyself6   
but in me is  thine help40  ,and what   
encouragement does this give to poor    
backsliders  to return to ,jesus1 their 
first husband2 for although they have   
brought  these troubles on themselves1  
yet ,jesus is ready to deliver them6    
,what a  striking account does the pious
 ,nehemiah give of the conduct of the   
,israelites1 and the goodness of ,god to
 man--#ith chap4 #bhth verse2 8,but     
after they had rest1 they did evil again
 before thee1 therefore thou  leftest   
them in the hands of their enemies1 so  
that they had dominion  over them2 yet  
when they cried unto thee thou heardest 
them from heaven2  and many times thou  
didst deliver them1 according to thy    
tender mercies40    ,,sixthly4--,i      
remark again1 that our ,god has ever    
manifested himself a ,god1  hearing     
prayer3 the children of ,israel cried   

unto the ,lord1 and the ,lord  sent a   
prophet to them2 and after reproving    
them1 we have an account of a           
deliverer1 raised up by the ,lord       
himself4  ,what encouragement does this 
give to us in all our trials1 without   
and within1 whether in body1 soul1      
circumstances1 family1 or nation4  ,god 
has even condescended to hear the  cries
 of many who had no grace1 yet1 led by  
the light of nature to call  on him in  
trouble2 and will he turn a deaf ear to 
his saints in trouble8  surely not4     
,believer1 the remedy's before          
thee--,,pray4    ,in taking one more    
view of this history1 we must admire the
 conduct of  ,god in over-turning all   
the schemes of men1 their wisdom1       
counsel1 and  power3 that in providence 
as well as in grace1 his wisdom1 power1 
and  faithfulness1 might be clearly seen
 and adored by his people4  ,his wisdom 
in the permission of the ,fall1 and its 
awful consequences1 seems to go  before1
 and make way for the displays of his   

love1 mercy1 power1 and  faithfulness4  
,this is seen in his dispensations1     
generally1 and  particularly in grace   
providence4  ,how often has infinite    
wisdom  permitted heavy troubles to come
 on the ,church1 to wean her from the   
creature--to shew her the value of      
,jesus1 as a deliverer--and to lead her 
to him by many intreaties2 that while we
 feel our strength perfect  weakness1 we
 may the more clearly discover the good 
hand of our ,god1 in  our support and   
deliverance1 and give him the glory due 
to his name for  it4  ,the principal end
 ,god has in view in all his            
dispensations1 is his  own glory--this  
is the first cause and last grand end of
 all things--8for  of him1 and through  
him1 and to him1 are all things40  ,had 
the victory we  are considering been    
gained by well disciplined men1 led on  
by wise1  noble1 valiant generals1 who  
had often been successful in war--had   
this  been the case1 the creature would 
have been extolled1 and ,god nearly     

forgotten4  ,but this victory was a     
display of the power of ,jehovah--his   
hand clearly seen1 his mercy displayed1 
and all the honor given to him to  whom 
it is due4  ,the means1 the feeble means
 the ,lord made use of were  simply1 a  
weak un-armed man1 with only three      
hundred men1 led by him1  with lamps1   
trumpets1 and pitchers--to carnal reason
 a very unlikely  method to conquer two 
hundred thousand ,midianites1 well      
skilled in the  art of war4  ,but this  
was ,god's method1 and we have a right  
to submit our  wisdom to ,god's plan2   
8for my thoughts are not as your        
thoughts1 nor my  ways as your ways1    
saith the ,lord2 for as the heavens are 
high above the  earth1 so are my ways   
above your ways40  ,and this victory1   
through such  feeble means1 is a        
confirmation of this truth--the angel   
,jehovah ,jesus1  appeared to ,gideon as
 he was threshing wheat1 in a secret    
place1 to hide  it from the enemy2 and  
assured him1 that however mean himself  

and family  were1 he should deliver     
,israel from their present servitude4   
,gideon1  astonished at such an         
appearance1 such a salutation1 and such 
a  declaration1 began to ask1 8,how this
 could be80  ,the blessed ,jesus tells  
him1 8,surely ,i will be with thee40    
,gideon1 like the rest of ,god's        
people1 could not give ,god the credit  
of ,god1 nor take him at his word--he   
could not honor him by believing on him1
 and prays1 8,if ,i have found  grace in
 thy sight1 shew me a sign that thou    
talkest with me40--,as  believers in    
,jesus1 we are called to walk by faith1 
and not by sight1 as  seeing him who is 
invisible1 or out of sight--depending on
 his word1 oath1  and faithfulness1 as  
the word of a covenant ,god1 who cannot 
lie3 this is  honoring ,jesus--yet ,god 
condescended to give ,gideon the request
 of his  lips2 and to confirm his faith1
 he1 with a rod1 touched the rock1 and  
caused fire to come out of it1 and1     
consume the slain ,kid and unleavened   

cakes1 all moistened with the broth1    
which ,gideon1 at his command1 had  put 
thereon4  ,gideon was fearful and       
apprehensive of immediate death1 as  he 
had seen an angel2 but the ,lord kindly 
assured him that he was in no           
danger4--,how strange and groundless the
 fears of ,god's people--frequently     
they take covenant-love dispensations as
 tokens of wrath2 forgetting it  is     
written1 8,i will no more be wroth with 
thee1 nor forsake thee40--,we are       
seldom satisfied with the wise and      
gracious conduct of our ,god2 when we   
have no sign or clear evidences we      
murmur--when we have we often fear they 
are not of a right kind4  ,well may     
saints be called children1 seeing they  
possess the weakness of them4    ,after 
this1 ,gideon built an altar1 and called
 it ,jehovah ,shalom--believing  what   
the ,lord had declared1 8that he would  
send peace to ,israel40  ,it is  worthy 
of observation1 that the people of ,god 
only rear up altars to the  ,lord1 as   

they believe in him--there is no praying
 or praising but by faith  in ,jesus2   
this leads the soul out to ,god1 and    
8without faith it is  impossible to     
please ,god40  ,gideon then testified   
his zeal for the  service of ,god1 and  
in ,god's strength he threw down the    
altar of ,baal1  and cut down the grove 
that was by it4  ,this shews the effect 
of faith in  ,jesus2 it is a faith which
 worketh by love to ,god's service1 and 
produces  a zeal for his glory4  ,this  
alarms ,satan1 who stirs up persecution 
against all who love the ,redeemer's    
cause1 as in the instance of            
,gideon--his fellow-citizens sought his 
life1 for opposing their idolatry2  but 
,joash1 his father1 remonstrated with   
them1 that it did not become the  people
 of ,god to plead for ,baal2 and that if
 ,baal was truly ,god1 he ought  to     
exert his power in punishing those who  
had broken down his altar2 and  he      
called his son ,jerubbaal1 that is1 let 
,baal contend with himself 7if  he can74

    ,understanding the ,midianites had  
crossed ,jordan1 ,westward1 and were    
encamped in the valley of ,jezreel1 at  
no great distance--filled with the      
,spirit of ,god1 as a spirit of courage1
 ,gideon sounded a trumpet1 and         
assembled his friends1 to the number of 
thirty-two thousand men4  ,but1  alas6  
what was this little army to meet and   
encounter with two hundred  thousand6   
,perhaps his heart might fail him once  
more--he begs another1  even a double   
sign4  ,we must never forget that ,god  
has said 8,open thy  mouth wide2 ask    
great things20--the ,lord graciously    
answers him1 and by  bedewing a fleece  
of wool1 while the adjacent ground was  
dry--and again  bedewing the ground1    
while the fleece of wool was dry1 the   
,lord confirmed  his doubtful mind4     
,thus assured of victory ,gideon marched
 his forces  directly towards the       
,midianites4  ,what the army thought we 
know not1 in  their march1 knowing their
 fewness and the vast army of the       

other--but  every natural gift is of the
 ,holy-,ghost1 as the ,god of nature and
  providence1 as well as every spiritual
 one2 and all the wisdom and  courage of
 warriors are the work of ,god the      
,spirit1 and no man has any of  these   
gifts inherent in himself1 they are the 
peculiar gifts of ,god1 to  answer his  
holy purposes4  ,and now ,gideon's faith
 is put to a double  trial4  ,if ,god   
gives his people grace1 he tries that   
grace1 especially  the grace of faith4  
,at the well of ,harod ,god ordered him 
to warn his  army1 that every one who   
was timorous should return home1 and    
there  returned home twenty-two         
thousand6 so that ,gideon was left but  
with ten  thousand4  ,god was wisely    
securing the honor of this victory to   
himself--hence he assigns this reason1  
8lest ,israel vaunt themselves and  say1
 ,not the ,lord1 but mine hand hath done
 this30 and so it is in our             
salvation--,god has wisely permitted man
 to become as weak as he was  wicked1   

that he might take occasion to honor the
 riches of his grace1 in  saving those  
who could not save themselves3 and how  
often is this seen in  his providential 
dealings1 when brought into             
circumstances of sore trial1  and every 
door shut up8 then it is that the       
,lord's hand is more clearly  seen1 and 
the glory redounds to him4  ,his glory  
is great in our  salvation--this made   
the ancients say1 8,when the bricks are 
doubled1 then  comes ,moses20 that is1  
8,man's greatest extremity is ,god's    
opportunity40    ,gideon's faith is     
tried again3 8,the people are yet too   
many for me10  saith the ,lord4--,he was
 then ordered to cause all of his people
 to drink  out of the river1 without    
using any vessel4  ,on this trial only  
three  hundred lapped the water1 putting
 their hands to their mouths2 the rest  
bowed on their knees to drink water4    
,this was emblematic of their  spirits  
and minds--some1 apparently careless of 
their country1 took their  ease at the  

water-side--the three hundred1 set upon 
the battle1 7which  they saw ,god's hand
 was in71 they only lapped the little   
out of their  hands they had hastily    
caught up4  ,what an emblem of the      
different  characters that compose the  
visible church of ,jesus--some who only 
have a  name to live1 and are dead6 who 
are taking their ease in ,zion1 and     
resting beside the waters of creature   
comforts2 while the humble and  zealous 
believer is using the world as a        
traveller at an ,inn1 knowing  that he  
is but a stranger and a pilgrim here    
below2 and that as he is  engaged in a  
warfare1 it will not be for ,god's glory
 to load himself with  thick clay4  ,the
 ,lord then says1 8,by the three hundred
 men that lapped  will ,i save          
,israel40--,these three hundred were    
ordered to provide victuals  for some   
days2 and each a trumpet1 a lamp1 and a 
pitcher4  ,we hear  nothing of arms2    
but1 just before the victory1 ,gideon   
and ,phurah his  servant1 went into the 

,midianitish camp1 at night1 as directed
 of ,god4  ,here1 for the confirmation  
of his faith1 and once more1 to assure  
him of  success1 he heard a soldier in  
the host tell his comrade of a strange  
dream he had1 of a barley cake rolling  
from the hill1 and over-turning  his    
tent4  ,the other explained the dream1  
and said1 8,this is no other  than the  
,sword of ,gideon1 the son of ,joash1 a 
man of ,israel1 for into his  hand hath 
,god delivered the                      
,midianites40--,doubtless the           
,midianites had  heard before that the  
,god of ,israel had raised up one to    
oppose them2 but  they were not         
intimidated with that1 perhaps only     
laughed at the weakness  of the         
,israelites1 in placing any dependence  
on their ,god--as ,satan and  the world1
 pharisees1 and hypocrites1 laughing at 
believers1 walking by  faith1 and not by
 sight2 it will be the believer's turn  
to laugh another  day1 when their       
enemies shall gnaw their tongues in     

anguish1 and say1 ,we  fools counted    
their lives madness1 and their end      
without honor4    ,gideon was now       
encouraged1 divided his army into three 
companies1 and  ordered them to imitate 
him in all he did--#afth verse2 8,and he
 divided the  three hundred into        
companies10 one hundred in each company1
 partly to  make the better figure2 a   
shew of an army1 with right and left    
wing1 and  partly that they might fall  
upon the camp of ,midian in different   
parts--and he put a trumpet in every    
man's hand--they that returned of the   
trumpeters having left their trumpets   
behind1 so that there was a  sufficient 
number of trumpets for three hundred    
men2 and these were put  into their     
hands1 that when they blew together the 
noise would be very  great1 and it would
 seem1 by the noise1 like a great army1 
and so terrify  their enemies4  8,with  
empty pitchers1 and lamps within the    
pitchers30 the  pitchers were of earth1 
and so very easily broken1 and made a   

great noise  in clashing together one   
against another2 and these were empty of
 water1  or otherwise would not have    
been fit to put lamps into--and the     
lamps put  into them were not of oil1   
for then when the pitchers were broken  
the oil  would have run out--but were a 
kind of torches1 made of rosin1 wax1    
pitch1  and such like things2 and these 
were put in the pitchers to preserve    
them  from the wind1 and conceal them   
from the enemy till just as they came   
upon them1 and then they held them      
out--which1 in a dark night1 would make 
a terrible blaze1 as before this they   
were of use to light them down the  hill
 to the camp4  ,gideon stood forward    
first1 and as he acted so were  they to 
act2 and as they were acting so they    
were to exclaim1 8,the ,sword  of the   
,lord and of ,gideon60 or1 for the ,lord
 and for ,gideon4  ,the name  ,jehovah1 
these heathens might often have heard as
 the ,god of ,israel1 and  would now    
sound dreadful to them2 and the name of 

,gideon also3--this was  the reason why 
,gideon is added1 and not out of        
arrogance and vanity1 but  put after the
 name of the ,lord1 as being only an    
instrument the ,lord  thought fit to    
make use of2 but all the glory belonged 
to the ,lord4    ,verse #ai4--,so       
,gideon1 and the three hundred men that 
were with him1 which  was one of the    
three companies his army was divided    
into1 came unto the  out-side of the    
camp1 in the beginning of the middle    
watch1 7the second  watch74  ,in early  
times the ,jews divided their nights    
into three watches2  ,gideon choose the 
middle--had he come the first1 all might
 not have been  in bed--had he come the 
last1 some might have been rising2 but  
he took  this time1 a little after      
midnight in the dead of the night1 when 
the  whole army was fast asleep--and the
 three companies blew the trumpets1 and 
brake the pitchers1 and held the lamps  
in their left hands1 and the  trumpets  
in their right hands1 to blow           

withal--and they cried1 ,the ,sword  of 
the ,lord1 and of ,gideon6  ,the noise1 
and the blaze of light were very        
surprising to the host of ,midian1 just 
awaking out of their sleep1  perhaps--an
 awful emblem of the surprise a soul    
experiences1 when it  leaves the body   
without a hope1 and without a ,god6--a  
greater emblem of  that period1 when the
 midnight cry shall be made--when the   
arch-angels  trumpet shall wake the     
dead6--shake the vast creation when the 
blaze of a  burning world1 and the sword
 of vindictive justice shall be         
seen4--8,the  host of ,midian ran1 and  
cried1 and fled40--,such shall the      
terror be in  that dread moment4  ,see  
this finely represented by the excellent
 ,admiral  ,kempenfelt1 who was drowned 
in the ,royal ,george1 and who composed 
some  excellent verses on the ,last     
,day4  ,i will only mention these two   
verses1  as suitable to this subject1   
and will be acceptable to the believer1 
while it is a terror to those           

,midianites who will experience the     
horrors  of that day4--        ,hark6   
'tis the trump of ,god      ,sounds     
thro' the worlds abroad--               
,time is no more6      ,horrors invest  
the skies6      ,graves burst and       
myriads rise6      ,nature1 in agonies1 
,yields up her store4        ,chang'd in
 a moment's space6      ,see the        
affrighted race            ,shrink and  
despair6      ,now they attempt to      
flee--      ,curse immortality8         
,and view their misery                  
,dreadfully near6    ,but while the     
,midianites fled1 the ,israelites stood 
every man in his  place2--so it will be 
at the final consummation of all things4
  ,clothed in  the righteousness of     
,jesus1 we shall stand in our lot1 and  
see a burning  world1 and the misery of 
the damned4  ,but while ,jesus descends 
as our  salvation we shall glorify1 and 
for ever admire him4--,this will surely 
be  thy experience and thy privilege1 ,o
 believer1 as sure as ever the ,holy    

,spirit has brought you1 in time1 to    
believe on him1 to seek him1 rejoice  in
 him1 and live to his praise4    ,to    
close the history of ,gideon--we find1  
that the ,midianites in the dark1  and  
in their terror1 took their friends for 
their foes1 and killed one  another--one
 hundred and twenty thousand ,midianites
 were slain2 fifteen  thousand got over 
,jordan with ,zebah and ,zalmunna1 their
 kings4--,gideon  pursued them at their 
heels4  ,his men being faint he desired 
the elders  of ,penuel and ,succoth1 as 
he passed1 to give them victuals2 but   
they1  accounting him a fool to pursue  
such an army with such an handful of    
men1  refused his troops refreshment1   
which he1 afterwards1 justly            
resented4--,after his victories the     
,israelites offered him the government  
of their country1 which he as piously   
declined1 and told them the ,lord1      
alone1 was their rightful               
sovereign4--,thus was ,midian conquered 
in such a  manner that they lifted up   

their heads no more1 to threaten or     
overcome  the ,israelites4--,after      
judging ,israel seventy years1 ,gideon  
dies1 leaving  behind him seventy sons1 
all of whom were basely murdered by     
,abimelech4    ,we cannot close this    
history of pious1 valiant1 honored      
,gideon1 without  taking a view of the  
grand design of ,god the ,holy ,ghost1  
in this1 as well  as in many more       
instances of renowned warriors1 pious   
judges1 and noble  deliverers4--,i      
humbly conceive in the history of       
,gideon is sweetly  exhibited the       
adorable ,redeemer1 as the ,christ of   
,god1 as the ,deliverer  of his saints1 
as the ,saviour of sinners1 as the      
,judge of ,israel1 and the  glorious    
leader of his people4  ,his poverty and 
meanness1 set forth the  abasement and  
humiliation of him who was rich1 yet1   
for our sakes1 became  poor1 in every   
sense of the word4  ,gideon's call to   
his work1 sets forth  ,christ's call to 
save sinners1 which he willingly        

accepted for the sake  of his ,israel4  
,hence the ,father1 in the ,covenant1 is
 represented as  saying1 8,i have called
 thee in righteousness2 thou art my     
servant1 in  whom ,i will be glorified40
  ,so the ,redeemer says1 8,now the     
,lord ,god1 and  his ,spirit hath sent  
me--the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon me1
 because he  hath anointed me to preach 
the ,gospel40  ,the miraculous          
confirmation of  ,gideon's call1 leads  
us to remark the miracles of our blessed
 ,jesus1 as  proofs of his ,divinity1   
and to confirm his ,messiahship as the  
sent of the  ,father2 not forgetting the
 ,father's testimony at his baptism and 
transfiguration4  ,the zeal ,gideon     
shewed for the service of ,god1 reminds 
us of him who once said1 8,the zeal of  
thy house hath eaten me up20 and  who   
drove the buyers and sellers out of his 
,father's house4--,by a few  weak1      
unarmed men1 ,gideon did wonders4  ,what
 a type of him who1 by a few  poor      
illiterate preachers1 sounding the      

,gospel trumpet1 and displaying  the    
light and fire from their earthen       
vessels1 foiled sin and ,satan1 and  the
 lying and delusive systems of ,scribes1
 ,pharisees1 and idolatrous  ,priests1  
in the ,jewish and ,gentile world4--,as 
,gideon invited others to  share in his 
victories1 so does our glorious         
,immanuel1 ,christ2 having  obtained    
peace by the blood of his cross1 and    
wrought out a complete  obedience1 he   
invites his friends1 and bids them an   
hearty welcome1 with  an 8,eat1 ,o      
friends40--,gideon mildly pacified the  
unreasonable  ,ephraimites--and how     
mildly does our ,jesus often pacify our 
rebellious  spirits1 when he overcomes  
us with sweet discoveries of his        
covenant  love1 tender mercy1 covenant  
faithfulness1 and finished              
work4--,gideon  resented the cruelty of 
the men of ,penuel1 for refusing his men
  refreshment--he1 tore flesh1 killed   
their chief men1 and destroyed their    
tower--a striking emblem how ,christ    

will deal with mystical ,babylon1 and   
with all who deny his poor people help  
in time of need--7see the #beth         
,matthew7 8,when ,i was hungry ye gave  
me no meat--and these shall go away     
into everlasting punishment1 but the    
righteous into life eternal40--,after   
his victories he arrives to great honor2
 and our ,jesus is highly exalted4      
,gideon judges ,israel2 and all judgment
 is committed to ,jesus4--,gideon asks  
a present of those for whom he had done 
so much2 and ,jesus says1 8,my son1     
give me thine heart60--and by ,paul1 8,i
 beseech you by the mercies you have    
received1 to dedicate yourselves to     
,god1 which is your reasonable          
service40    ,i cannot pass by this     
history without enlarging a little more1
 which ,i  shall do1 ,god leading me1   
only to make a few remarks1 in a        
spiritual way1  upon that part which ,i 
first read as a text2 and ,i hope1      
without any  injustice to the subject1  
or straining it1 or putting a sense on  

it1 that  was never intended1 there can 
be no impropriety in my leading the     
minds  of my hearers from the lesser to 
a greater subject2 and ,i must give it  
as  my most decided opinion1 that the   
greatest part of the ,old ,testament    
circumstances were really designed to   
hold forth something of ,jesus1 and  the
 salvation of the ,gospel4  ,to exhibit 
from the text the ,person and  ,work of 
the ,son of ,god--to point out the      
qualifications and work of ,gospel      
ministers1 with an application of the   
text to the whole body of ,god's  elect1
 in the present state of things1 is my  
design4  ,the ,person of  ,jesus1 as    
,god-,man ,mediator1 and the ,redemption
 of men1 by him1 was  exhibited to the  
,old ,testament saints1 by many figures2
 these1 the  excellent ,milton stiles   
,religious ,rights of ,sacrifices2      
informing men1 by  types and shadows1 of
 that destined ,seed to bruise the      
,serpent--by what  means he shall       
atchieve deliverance4--,our blessed     

,lord owns many of the  shadows3 the    
,apostle1 or rather the ,holy-,ghost by 
the ,apostle1 applies  many others2 the 
,brazen ,serpent1 ,solomon's ,temple1   
the ,prophet ,jonah in  the ,whale's    
belly1 the ,smitten ,rock1 the ,vail of 
the ,temple1 the divided  ,waves of the 
,sea1 the ,cloud by ,day and the ,pillar
 of ,fire by ,night1 with  a vast many  
other emblems4  ,nor can ,i see why our 
blessed ,jesus should  not be pointed   
out to the faith and hope of ,god's     
saints1 by the lamp and  pitcher1 while 
he1 at the same time sounded the trumpet
 of free grace and  eternal mercy1 which
 was 8a savour of life unto some1 and of
 death unto  others40  ,may not the     
pitcher be an emblem of his earthen     
nature1 and the  lamp within1 of his    
divinity--and by virtue of union of the 
two natures1  our ,god is manifest in   
the flesh--married our nature1 conferred
 an honor  upon poor sinners that he    
never conferred on the angels4  ,this   
was ,job's  triumph1 8in my flesh shall 

,i see ,god40  ,he took part of the     
children's  flesh and blood2 he was     
truly human--bone of our bone and flesh 
of our  flesh4  ,god sent forth his     
,son1 made of a woman1 without the      
intervention  of a human father1 but by 
the miraculous impregnation of the      
,holy-,ghost2  so that his human nature 
appears to be the joint work of the     
,trinity--the  ,father provides it--8a  
body hast thou prepared me10--the ,son  
assumed it--8he  took on him the form of
 a servant20--the ,spirit formed        
it--8that holy thing  that shall be born
 of thee shall be called the ,son of    
,god--thus the word  was made flesh and 
dwelt among us40  ,the lamp within the  
pitcher may be  an emblem of his        
,godhead1 as the light of life--he      
wrapped up his divinity  in his         
manhood--here it was he concealed his   
glory3 well may the ,prophet  exclaim1  
8,verily thou art a ,god that hidest    
thyself1 ,o ,god of ,israel the         
,saviour40  ,what a mystery6 a child    

born--8the everlasting ,father1 the     
mighty ,god40  ,how great is the mystery
 of godliness6  ,angels are amazed1     
saints admire1 and sinners triumph--a   
,god in every perfection1 a ,man in     
every faculty--,god-,man--the fderal    
head--the representative of his         
,church--the second ,adam--a public     
person--that as ,adam the first1 was the
  head of all1 as sinners1 so ,jesus    
should be the head of all his elect4    
,how striking is the language of        
,milton1 when he represents the         
,almighty  ,father thus addressing his  
eternal ,son--        ,be thou1 in      
,adam's room1 the head of all mankind1  
,tho' ,adam's son2 as in him perish all 
men1      ,so1 in thee1 as from a second
 root shall be restor'd      ,as many as
 are restor'd--without thee none4       
,this divinity often blazed through his 
humanity1 in the miracles he  wrought1  
which were done by his own eternal power
 and ,godhead--the words  he spoke1 the 
tidings he foretold1 but particularly   

his transfiguration  on the ,mount1 when
 the light of his divinity shone so     
luminous1 that his  whole body1 and even
 his raiment appeared like the sun in a 
case of  chrystal4  ,peter calls it an  
excellent glory--,st4 ,john says we     
beheld his  glory--the ,evangelists say 
of those with him on ,mount ,tabor--and 
when they  were awake1 they saw his     
glory4  ,the lamp may be a fine emblem  
of ,jesus1  as the light of life2 this  
is peculiar to him as ,god1 and as      
,god-,man4  ,the light is the most      
striking emblem of ,god ,jesus2 it is   
the life and  beauty of every thing     
else--it hath a kind of omnipotency in  
it--a peculiar  brightness and purity4  
,he is the light of reason to all--he is
 the light  of grace in the             
covenant--the light of truth in the     
word--the light of life  in the souls of
 the elect1 and the light of heaven in  
glory--the ,lamb is  the light thereof2 
the ,lord is thine everlasting light1   
and thy ,god thy  glory3 this is the    

lamp of salvation1 the light of the     
,gentiles and the  glory of his true    
,israel--such ,jesus is1 and such his   
grace4  ,o6 may he  shine on you6--this 
will engage your hearts to love1 admire1
 adore1 and  praise his name for ever   
and ever4--,as all the fulness of the   
,godhead  dwells in ,jesus1 so all the  
blessings of an everlasting covenant is 
treasured up in him--all that we can    
possibly stand in need of1 for time  and
 eternity--blessed with all spiritual   
blessings in heavenly places in  ,christ
 ,jesus2 for ,god giveth not the ,spirit
 by measure to him--all the  fulness of 
blessings are in him1 for his dear      
people's use2 hence1 says  one1 8,out of
 his fulness have we all received1 and  
grace for grace40  ,these gifts could   
only flow to us through his obedience   
and death--the  gift of the             
,spirit--access to ,god--spiritual      
knowledge and eternal glory4  ,not that 
the ,redeemer is to be considered as    
purchasing these blessings2  they were  

all given as the free1 unmerited gift1  
of ,god--but it was  necessary that     
,jesus should obey and suffer1 that     
these gifts should flow  to us in a way 
of justice and holiness1 while the mercy
 and compassion of  ,god was displayed4 
,hence he says1 8,if ,i go not away the 
,comforter will  not come unto you2 but 
if ,i depart ,i will send him unto      
you--it is  therefore expedient for you 
that ,i go away20 as it was necessary   
that the  pitchers should be broken1    
that the blaze of light might           
appear--,first1 to  overturn the enemies
 of ,israel--,secondly1 to deliver the  
people from their  oppression--so1 by   
the sufferings and death of the human   
nature of ,christ1  he overturned the   
kingdom of ,satan1 took away his power1 
and delivered  his people from the law1 
the guilt of sin1 and the powers of     
darkness--he1  by his death1 slew death1
 and him who had the power of death2 and
 who  hoped he should be the executioner
 of the penal sentence of the law1 was  

disappointed--in seeing the great       
,deliverance that was brought about in  
such a wonderful way1 he was foiled and 
spoiled1 the curse of the law  falling  
on ,christ--enduring the curse which we 
had deserved--standing in  our place1 he
 fulfilled the law for us1 by his holy  
life--made an  atonement by his awful1  
though glorious death--sanctified the   
grave by his  burial--and rose for the  
justification of all that believe in    
him4  ,here  was the overcoming the     
sharpness of death1 and the opening the 
kingdom of  heaven to all believers2 and
 upon his ascension to heaven1 and      
sitting on  the right hand of the       
,father1 he obtained the gift of the    
,holy-,ghost1  which was shed abroad on 
the ,apostles2 and all spiritual good   
for poor  sinners4  ,thus1 through the  
breaking the earthen pitcher1 a light is
 made  manifest2 all covenant blessings 
flow to us1 in a way honorable to ,god1 
and safe to man--and now we rejoice1    
that by him all that believe are        

justified from all things2 and that the 
blood of ,jesus cleanseth us from  all  
sin4  ,but can we forget the trumpet of 
his voice of love and mercy1  which he  
so often sounded during his public      
ministry8  ,with what  declarations of  
blessedness did he begin his sermon on  
the ,mount--what  sweet invitations did 
he give to poor condemned1 sin-burthened
 souls1 in  these words1 8,come unto me1
 all ye that labour and are heavy       
laden4--,if  any man thirst1 let him    
come unto me and drink4--,behold the    
man--look unto  me--,come ye to the     
waters4--,all things are ready1 come    
unto the  marriage4--,behold the ,lamb  
of ,god40  ,this is the inviting voice  
of the  trumpet of the ,gospel1 as      
preached by the ,lord ,jesus--and though
 so  melodious to a poor sinner2 what   
solemn awful sounds were sometimes heard
  from his gracious and holy lips6--and 
how great the truth afterwards          
declared1 that the ministry of ,jesus is
 a savour of life unto life1 or of      

death unto death4  ,hence1 he said1 8,wo
 unto you1 ,scribes1 ,pharisees1        
,hypocrites6  ,except your righteousness
 exceed the ,pharisees1 ye cannot be    
saved6--,except you repent1 you shall   
likewise perish6--and because you say1  
we see1 your sin remaineth4--,for       
judgment am ,i come into this world1    
that  those who see not might see2 and  
those who boast of their light might be 
made blind40    ,the victory1 of ,gideon
 was a display of the sublime           
perfections of ,deity2  and surely we   
see them more clear1 and more glorified 
in the work of a  sinner's salvation3   
eternal love is the spring--infinite    
wisdom lays the  plan--almighty power   
executes it--while mercy1 grace1 and    
compassion1  justice and holiness1      
sovereignty and truth1 appear glorious4 
,yes1        ,here the whole ,deity is  
known1         ,nor dares a creature    
guess      ,which of the ,glories       
brightest shone1         ,the ,justice  
or the ,grace6    ,secondly4--,may not  

the pitcher1 lamp1 and trumpet1 be an   
emblem of ,gospel  ministers1 and their 
office in the ,church of ,jesus ,christ8
  ,we have this  treasure in earthen    
vessels--the ,gospel is a treasure1     
because it exhibits  the riches of ,god 
and of ,christ1 in mercy1 love1 grace1  
wisdom1 and  power2 which are           
unsearchable1 substantial1 and          
satisfying--the  repository1 cabinet1 or
 pitcher in which this treasure is1 are 
earthen  vessels4  ,most ,divines are of
 opinion that the ,apostle refers to the
  circumstance we are considering4  ,it 
is our mercy the ,gospel is put into    
such vessels--an ,angel1 commissioned   
from the high throne of ,god1 however   
lofty his language1 however kind his    
message1 yet would not be a proper      
person to preach to the ,church of      
,god--,ministers must be men of like    
passions with the ,church2 have the same
 depraved nature2 be taught by the  same
 ,spirit2 have the same trials in body1 
soul1 and circumstances2 or  how could  

they sympathize with the ,church8  ,now1
 that all the excellency  of the power  
of the word might be of the             
,holy-,ghost1 7which is the grand       
design of ,god7 he has kindly put this  
treasure of the ,gospel in earthen      
vessels1 brittle shells1 baked earth--to
 shew the frailty of the bodies of  the 
best of men--8,your fathers6 where are  
they80 and 8,do the ,prophets live  for 
ever80  ,this is to shew the outward    
meanness of those instruments the  ,lord
 makes use of2 but few rich1 honorable1 
or noble1 are called to the  work2 and  
frequently the most useful have been    
poor illiterate common  mechanics4  ,god
 is determined to stain the pride of    
human glory--to this  end he has chosen 
the base1 the foolish1 the weak1 to     
accomplish the most  noble              
purposes--earthen vessels1 that they    
might not be too much exalted1  least1  
if they fall they should get the more   
injury4  ,god will have all  the glory  
of a man's salvation1 and the power is  

to be attributed to him  alone1 and not 
to the eloquence or oratory1 learning or
 piety1 gift1 or  even grace of the     
speaker2 they1 as earthen vessels1 are  
not to be put  too low1 least they      
should be spurned and kicked4  ,god has 
put an honor  on them1 and they are to  
be honored and esteemed for their work's
 sake3  in the pulpit they are to know  
none2 but aim at the glory of ,christ   
and  the good of his people--to keep    
back nothing that is profitable--to     
conceal  no doctrine--to be ashamed of  
no ordinance--to connive at no error--to
 have  no man's person in admiration1   
but aim at the exaltation of free1 rich 
grace1 in the plan of salvation4  ,they 
are called earthen vessels1 to  shew the
 mighty power of ,god in their support1 
being so weak in  themselves2 and the   
protection and wonderful deliverances of
 them in  times of trouble4  ,hence the 
,apostle1 personating them1 says1 8,we  
are  troubled on every side20 that is1  
by every one1 saint and sinner2 yet not 

so distressed as to be without hope or  
comfort--,we are perplexed and know  not
 what to do1 nor which way to take2 but 
not in despair of the ,lord  appearing  
and working salvation for               
us4--,persecuted1 but not forsaken by   
our ,god--,cast down we sometimes are as
 an earthen vessel which may be cast    
out of man's hand1 in order to be dashed
 to pieces2 but not destroyed--we  are  
still safe in the hands of ,christ1 and 
kept by the power of ,god--and1  indeed 
to what else can all this be ascribed8  
',tis surprising that  earthen vessels  
should bear so much1 and not fall or be 
dashed to pieces2  for ,i think that    
,ministers have greater trials1 greater 
enemies1 greater  sins1 and of course1  
greater sorrows1 than any other         
believers4  ,the lamp  in the pitcher1  
may be an emblem of that light which is 
peculiar to ,god's  ,ministers--not only
 the common operations of the ,spirit   
upon them1 to  constitute them believers
 in ,jesus1 but the light given them for

 the use  of others--a greater degree of
 internal knowledge4  ,hence the        
exhortation1  8,let your light so shine 
before men1 that they may see your good 
works--,ye  are the light of the world40
  ,there is a knowledge essential to    
them as  ,ministers1 and this is not    
human learning1 though that is not to be
  despised1 but it is the influence of  
the ,spirit upon the mind1 giving  them 
to see1 clearer than others1 the plan of
 salvation1 the depravity of  human     
nature1 the exceeding sinfulness of sin1
 the nature of the law1 the  glories of 
the ,saviour1 the danger of a form of   
godliness1 without the  power2 the      
temptation1 subtilty1 and art of the    
,devil2 the vanity of the  world2 and   
the dangerous tendency of all errors4   
,these things ought to  be well known by
 us as ,ministers1 that we may contend  
earnestly for the  faith once delivered 
to the saints4  ,what the ,lord has     
taught us1  experimentally1 that we are 
to declare--as we have heard1 so have we

  seen--of sin1 the law1 the ,saviour1  
the world1 ,satan1 and error4  ,hence   
the ,apostle ,john says1 8that which we 
have heard1 which we have seen1 and  our
 hands have handled of the word of life2
 for the life was manifested1  and we   
have seen it1 and bear witness1 and shew
 unto you that eternal  life which was  
with the ,father1 and was manifested    
unto us4--,that which we  have heard and
 seen declare we unto you1 that ye also 
may have fellowship  with us40--,this   
lamp1 or light1 is manifest by an       
ability to speak forth  what they see   
and have been taught4  ,it is given them
 for the use of the  ,church4  ,hence   
the ,apostle says1 8,a measure of the   
,spirit is given to  every man to profit
 withal20 every ,minister of the        
,gospel1 for some  purpose in the       
,church2 and it is a sad pity for good  
men to fall out by  the way1 seeing ,god
 has allotted every man his peculiar    
work2 and one  ,minister never can do   
the work of another2 yet ,satan is      

always setting  brother against         
brother4--,some are calculated to alarm1
 some to warn1 some  to comfort1 some to
 open dark mysteries1 some to           
establish4--,paul was  raised up to     
plant churches1 where the ,gospel had   
never been  before--,apollos to water1  
comfort1 establish1 and build up those  
who had  been planted4  ,ministers      
differ in their abilities--some have    
greater and  some less2 but these all   
worketh that self same ,spirit1 who     
divideth to  his ,ministers severally as
 he will1 for the perfecting of the     
saints1 for  the edifying of the body of
 ,christ1 till we all come in the unity 
of the  faith1 and of the knowledge of  
the ,son of ,god4--,this is the design  
of the  ,gospel ,ministry4  ,the        
breaking of these pitchers1 that the    
light might  appear1 may be emblematic  
of the various trials and heart-breaking
  circumstances they meet with here     
below2 and the more they are broken the 
clearer they shine--this is true of all 

believers1 as well as ,ministers in     
general4--,may not the trumpets be an   
emblem of their message to ,god's       
saints1 which must give a certain sound8
  ,how necessary a ,minister should  be 
at a point about his own state4  ,only  
observe the preaching of those  who are 
not--what legality--what ifs and        
buts--what a mixture of felt ,law  and  
unfelt ,gospel--what dealing in terrors 
of death1 hell1 and damnation6  ,how    
dismal the sound--how gloomy the        
countenance--how awful and tremendous   
the language in prayer1 while in such   
legal bondage4  ,hence they  sometimes  
begin with1 ,most dreadful ,god6--,most 
terrible ,jehovah6  ,how  different the 
ideas and language of a soul in ,gospel 
liberty--,blessed  ,lord--,gracious     
,father--,precious ,immanuel--,friend of
 ,sinners--,lord ,jesus--,my            
,father--,my reconciled covenant1       
indulgent ,god4  ,this is very different
  from the terrific language of those   
who are under the ,law1 for the ,law    

always genders to bondage4  ,such men   
cannot give a certain sound--it is a    
sound of pardon1 of life1 of peace1 of  
holiness1 of good-will1 and             
covenant-love1 and mercy4  ,we are to   
preach1 and proclaim pardon to  rebels1 
mercy to the miserable1 deliverance to  
captives1 peace to those  who are       
convinced of their enmity--the trumpet  
of ,god is sounding abroad  the language
 of mercy--salvation through blood2 and 
while this comforts  the saints it      
starves the hypocrite1 confounds the    
,pharisee1 and becomes  the savor of    
death to all that hate it4--,as the lamp
 gave light to the  ,israelites1 and the
 trumpet was understood by them at the  
same time1 it  confused and over-turned 
the host of ,midian2 and sure ,i am that
 a  faithful testimony for ,god and his 
truth1 will never be out of the         
consciences of men1 whether saints or   
enemies1 in heaven and hell4  ,men      
cannot endure sound doctrine2 they hate 
the light--they oppose those who  preach

 it2 and the worst term of reproach they
 can now load them with1 or  cast on    
them1 is that of ,antinomian1 although  
those very characters know  in their own
 souls they are not so4--,but those     
,ministers that dare to be  faithful to 
,god and truth1 are the only men who    
handle the ,law1 lawfully1  hold it     
forth in its true spirituality1 and     
point the sinner to look to  ,jesus as  
the end of it2 and who can look further 
than the end8--,fear not1  ,o ye        
,ministers of my ,god2 arise6 shine     
on6--set the trumpet to the             
mouth--proclaim a free-grace ,gospel1   
and leave all consequences to ,god4     
,shine on1 ye stars in the hands of your
 ,god6  ,ye are the light of the        
world--take no notice of the slanders of
 ,legalists1 moderate ,divines1         
,arminians1 ,baxterians1 ,arians1       
,deists1 and ,socinians4  ,by your      
preaching1  praying1 and living1 shew   
that one is your master1 even           
,jesus6--,permit me  to introduce an    

,eastern ,fable1 as it is calculated to 
illustrate this  point3 8,the ,owls and 
,bats once joined in a petition to      
,jupiter1 against  the ,sun2 humbly     
shewing1 that his beams were so         
troublesome that they  could not fly    
abroad1 for at least twelve hours out of
 the twenty-four4  ,jupiter seeing      
,phbus shortly after1 informed him of   
the petition he had  received1 adding1  
,i shall1 however1 take no notice of the
 petition2 and  be it your business to  
revenge yourself1 by shining40  ,you    
that preach  the ,gospel1 8go1 and do   
thou likewise30  ,suppress no           
truth--keep back no  part of the price1 
through the fear of men1 or to procure  
the favor of  men4  ,be bold for        
truth--the blood of souls stains deep6  
,remember the  ,apostle's language1     
8,woe is me1 if ,i preach not the       
,gospel--yea1 woe is  me1 if ,i preach  
not the ,gospel40    ,lastly4--,may not 
the pitcher1 lamp1 and trumpet1 be an   
emblem of ,god's  saints1 the teachings 

of the ,spirit1 and the happy           
consequence of the  same8--,the earthen 
pitcher may be figurative of our        
bodies--although1  through grace1 they  
are the temples of the ,holy-,ghost1 yet
 they are of  the earth1 earthy3 the    
body is called an earthly house1 because
 it is  from the earth1 is supported by 
earthly things1 has its present abode on
  the earth1 and will quickly return to 
it--the first man was of the earth1     
earthy--so are all his descendents--this
 shews how frail we are1 and how  little
 reason to be proud of ourselves1 seeing
 we came from the dust1 and  must return
 to it4  ,man was formed out of the     
earth--8,the ,lord ,god formed  man of  
the dust of the ground20--the word there
 used signifies ,red  earth4--,josephus 
says1 that the first man was called     
,adam1 which in the  ,hebrew tongue     
signifies ,red2 because he was made out 
of ,red earth--for  such1 he says1 is   
the true and virgin earth4  ,man1 in    
consequence of the  ,fall1 was doomed to

 return to it again--his sin and fall   
had such an awful  influence1 as to make
 himself and posterity sensual1 earthly1
 and  devilish--to mind1 affect1 and    
cleave to earthly things--this is       
bearing  the image of the earthy4  ,but 
it hath pleased ,god our ,saviour to    
confer  an honor upon our nature1 by    
taking it into personal union with his  
,godhead2 and his mysterious assumption 
of human nature is1 indeed1 the  wonder 
of heaven4  ,here was heaven and earth  
joined together--,god and  ,man--but how
 this was done we cannot form any idea2 
even ,solomon1 with all  the wisdom ,god
 gave him1 declares of ,four things1    
they were too wonderful  for him2 and   
this subject was one of them1 8,the way 
of a man with a  maid20 or1 as ,mr4     
,romaine says1 it is in the original1   
8,the way of the  ,almighty in the      
virgin1 when he took part of the        
children's flesh and  blood40  ,by earth
 is meant the people of ,god1 as        
creatures2 hence the  promise1 8,he     

shall smite earth with his rod30 this is
 done when the word  comes home with    
power to the heart4--,again1 8,o earth1 
earth1 earth1 hear  the word of the     
,lord--,give ear1 ,o heavens1 hear1 ,o  
earth the words of my  mouth--,i will   
hear the heavens2 they shall hear the   
earth2 and the earth  shall hear the    
corn1 the wine1 and the oil20--which is 
a gracious promise  of assurance1 taken 
in these threes declarations1 8,yea ,i  
have loved thee1  ,i have redeemed thee1
 ,i have called thee40  ,the idea of    
these bodies  being so brittle1 makes   
,infidels1 ,pharisees1 and ,hypocrites  
tremble--but  the believer rejoices in  
the sweet thought1 that this house      
cannot last  very long1 that it will    
soon be dissolved or taken down by      
death2 then he  will bid a lasting adieu
 to sin1 his greatest grief4  ,what a   
contrast  between the child of ,god and 
the man of the world6--while the latter 
mournfully exclaims on his dying bed1   
with a wretched old ,cardinal1          

8,farewell1 a long farewell to all my   
greatness60 the believer can look on    
this world1 and say1 ,farewell1 a long  
farewell to all my littleness4--,but    
this earthen pitcher1 these bodies1 are 
the vessels of mercy1 afore  prepared   
unto glory1 and ordained for it4  ,these
 earthen pitchers were  redeemed from   
actual as well as original guilt1 by our
 ,redeemer1 our  kinsman4  ,these       
vessels1 although broke to pieces by    
death1 will be  raised glorious bodies1 
fit to hold all the glory our ,god has  
in  reversion for it--when they will be 
formed like the glorious body of        
,jesus--from the loins upward1 to the   
loins downward1 of the colour of  amber1
 and be for ever with the ,lord4  ,the  
body will be now for the ,lord1  and the
 ,lord for the body--the ,apostle calls 
them the temples of the  ,holy-,ghost1  
because he has taken possession of their
 souls--by his  gracious inhabitation he
 has made them new creatures1 a new     
creation1 a  new1 a hidden man of the   

heart4  ,this was shadowed forth by the 
light1 or  lamp in the pitcher4  ,god is
 light2 and this new man is the seed1 or
  child of light3 this was not formed by
 piece-meal1 but done at once4  ,when   
,god comes to his temple his train is   
sure to fill it--his train of  divine   
excellencies--so that when the ,spirit  
takes the sinner's heart1 he  brings all
 his graces with him2 and these are     
called light1 marvellous  light--,christ
 formed in the heart the hope of glory1 
and the salvation of  the soul in the   
pardon of sin1 is called a lamp2 this is
 the lamp the  wise virgins took1 while 
the foolish ones took the ,law--the one 
went out  in obscure darkness1 and left 
them under the curse6 while the other   
shone  brighter to perfect day4--,the   
word of ,god is compared to light--this 
makes  us wise to salvation1 as it opens
 to us what we1 as poor sinners         
want--the  knowledge of ,god reconciled 
and well pleased with us in             
,christ--,thus 8the  entrance of thy    

word giveth light1 it giveth            
understanding to the  simple40  ,the    
light of ,god's countenance upon the    
soul is a precious lamp  in this        
pitcher1 which is nothing more than the 
,spirit of ,god operating  as a         
,comforter1 and sweetly assuring the    
heart of its pardon2 while peace  is    
enjoyed1 and we can look ,god in the    
face with pleasure1 and say1 ,my        
,father6--,may not the trumpet be a     
figure of the testimony that all the    
saints bear to the freeness of divine   
grace--to the sovereignty1 power and    
faithfulness of a covenant ,god1 in a   
gracious experience of these things1    
8,come hither1 all ye that fear ,god1 ,i
 will tell you what he hath done for  my
 soul40--,this is proclaiming the glory 
of ,god--they shall abundantly  utter   
the memory of thy great goodness2 they  
shall speak of the glory of  thy        
kingdom1 and talk of thy power4  ,thus  
when we are called out of  darkness1 and
 experience the light of the ,son of    

,god--we plead our  master's cause--when
 we are helped to walk consistently with
 our holy  profession1 this is the      
trumpet we sound--,god is faithful--,by 
grace are we  saved--,he hath1 from the 
beginning1 chosen us to salvation--,we  
are bought  with a price--,he hath      
remembered us when in our low           
estate--,he brought me  out of the      
horrible pit4  ,we likewise give        
invitations to others--they  took       
knowledge of the men1 that they had been
 with ,jesus--8,come1 see a man  that   
told me all that ever ,i did40  ,if we  
meet with a soul in trouble1 we  sound  
the trumpet1 as those did1 of old1 to   
the blind man--8,and they call  the     
blind man1 saying unto him1 ,be of good 
comfort2 rise6 he calleth  thee40  ,we  
relate what great things he has done to 
us2 and like the  ,gadarene1 8,go1 and  
proclaim how ,jesus met with us--cast   
out the  ,devil--clothed us and made us 
wise40  ,here ,jesus gets the glory of  
our  salvation2 so by a close adherence 

to his ,gospel1 we bear our testimony   
against a form of godliness without the 
power4--,nor can we be easy without     
letting others know what state they are 
in that are cleaving to the ,law4  ,we  
must be faithful if we fall into company
 with the enemies of ,jesus1  the       
,deist1 the ,arian1 the ,socinian1 or   
any other characters that oppose  his   
,person and ,work4  ,we must openly     
profess his name and salvation--and     
having a gracious experience of the     
truth1 we are not easy moved by those   
adversaries1 who are ripening themselves
 for damnation1 by opposing the  dear   
,redeemer--this is the case with some   
thousands this day in ,great  ,britain4 
,what a mercy to have the truth in the  
heart2 for though a child  of ,god may  
not be able to answer all the           
sophisticated arguments of the  ,arian  
or ,socinian1 yet he has got the truth  
in his soul1 which none can  dispute him
 out of2 and it is for want of this that
 many1 who have for a  time appeared to 

run well1 have got into company with    
such characters1  who first stumbled at 
the ,gospel1 then fell into the ditch1  
from whence  they very seldom come      
out4--,here we must sound the trumpet1  
and tell all  such that if they die in  
that state1 where ,god is they never can
  come4--,what a mercy to have the light
 of life--to be taught of ,god--to know 
the plague of the heart--the vanity of  
the world--the weakness of our own      
arm--the value of the atonement--to be  
built up and established in our         
souls--and to long for the glorious     
appearing of the great ,god our         
,saviour4  ,whatsoever maketh manifest  
is light--,god is the ,lord1 who hath   
shewed us the light4  ,this is not mere 
head knowledge2 but what is  written in 
the ,scriptures of truth is written in  
our hearts1 by the  ,spirit--8,i will   
put my law in their hearts--they shall  
all know me1 from  the least to the     
greatest1 for ,i will be merciful to    
their  unrighteousness1 and their sins  

will ,i remember no more40  ,a light to 
see  this truth in the ,bible1 and the  
,spirit bearing witness to our souls    
that  this is our privilege and         
blessing1 is an unspeakable mercy2 'tis 
this  disarms death of its sting--'tis  
this smooths the rugged path of         
life--sweetens every sorrow--lightens   
every burthen1 and gives a rest to  the 
soul--makes our faces to shine1 and     
comforts the soul in every              
tribulation--'tis this makes a sick bed 
easy1 and bows the will to              
,god's--removes the fears of death1 and 
gives an easy passage to glory4  ,oh1   
its a blessed thing to have true light  
to see the ,person and ,work of  ,jesus1
 as our atoning sacrifice1 and end of   
the ,law for righteousness3  this fills 
the soul with joy--this inspires the    
mind with a song of praise  through     
life1 and in a dying hour will swell    
louder1 ,salvation to ,god and  the     
,lamb4    ,but there is one part of this
 history must not be overlooked--the    

pitchers  were broken before the light  
could well be seen1 or any victory      
gained4  ,every man1 by nature1 is      
represented as whole2 but when the ,holy
 ,spirit  operates upon the soul1 it is 
broken to pieces1 that the light may    
appear4  ,the language and complaint of 
,job1 is doubtless the experience  of   
every one taught of ,god--8,i was at    
ease1 but he hath taken me by the  neck1
 shaken me to pieces1 and set me up for 
his mark20 and surely if the  ,prodigal 
,son had never been broken in pieces1 by
 a sense of want1 he  would not have    
longed for his father's house4--,by the 
light the ,israelites  got the victory2 
and it is only by the light of the      
,spirit we get a  victory over the      
blindness of our hearts--by a discovery 
of the obedience  of ,jesus1 we get the 
victory over the ,law--the ,spirit      
demonstrating to our  hearts1 that by   
him1 all that believe are justified from
 all things from  which they could not  
be justified by the ,law of ,moses4--,by

 a discovery of  the sufferings and     
death of ,jesus1 we overcome all our    
guilt1 original  and actual--while faith
 receives the atonement1 and hears the  
glad  tidings1 8,i1 even ,i1 am he that 
blotteth out all thy transgression40    
,this received1 embraced1 and relied    
upon1 will overcome all guilt1          
depravity1 and misery--8,they overcame  
by the blood of the ,lamb20--this is a  
receipt in full of all demands2 so that 
whatever the ,law or conscience  says1  
our advocate steps in1 and shews his    
hands and his side--this is  enough for 
us4--,by this same light we see in      
,god's word1 the wonderous  plan of     
salvation--the stability of the         
covenant--the eternity of ,god's        
love--the ,person of ,jesus1 as our     
representative in heaven for us--with   
many precious promises1 and ,god's      
faithfulness to them4  ,this brings     
comfort into the mind1 overcomes our    
fear1 and bears us up in trouble4  ,when
 ,satan is permitted to harrass the     

mind1 by insinuating the  probability of
 our fall into awful errors1 we can     
answer1 it is written1  8,he shall guide
 into all truth40  ,thus we overcome by 
the word of our  testimony4--,but as it 
was necessary the pitchers should be    
broken1 that  the light appear1 and our 
,lord ,jesus is called the breaker--so1 
by his  ,spirit's gracious teaching we  
are broke off from the world--8,come out
 from  among them40--,we are broke from 
a form of ,godliness--from false views  
of  ,god1 and often from the esteem of  
the world--from trusting in the         
,law--from  our own righteousness--and  
from carnal professors1 who have only a 
name to  live1 while they are dead6  ,so
 we are broke in pieces with a sense of 
guilt1 with groaning under the wrath of 
,god1 the fears of death1 the  curse of 
the ,law1 and the bondage we feel4  ,god
 approves of this1 as the  effect of the
 work of his own ,spirit--8a broken and 
a contrite heart1 ,o  ,god thou wilt not
 despise20--thou hast sore broken us in 

the place of  ,dragons4--,when peace is 
proclaimed to the soul1 and we are led  
to see  ,jesus as a man of sorrows1 and 
acquainted with grief4  ,when the matter
  becomes personal1 and we can say1     
8',twere you my sins1 my cruel sins1 his
  chief tormentors were60--this lays the
 sinner low1 while his heart is         
dissolved in tears1 and love1 and       
blood--8,they shall look on him whom    
they  have pierced1 and mourn40--,when  
our souls are led to reflect on our sins
  and daily infirmities1 with the       
long-suffering of ,god to us1 the mercy 
and truth he hath shewn us1 the way he  
hath led us1 the great things he  has   
done for us1 the deliverances he has    
wrought1 the prayers he has  answered1  
the appearances we have had of his      
faithfulness and love--these  things    
melt the heart1 overcome the soul1 lay  
us in the dust1 and create  the most    
delightful thoughts of ,jesus1 so that  
we can give him the glory  due to his   
name4--,here the ,lord overcomes all our

 evil with good1 and  fulfils this      
promise1 8,they shall loathe themselves 
in their own sight1  for their          
iniquities1 when ,i am pacified towards 
them1 saith the  ,lord40--,thus the     
light the ,lord has given us appears in 
the above  manner--life1 faith1 hope1   
love1 repentance1 godly sorrow1 the fear
 of  ,god1 and ,bible humility--these   
implanted in the mind by the ,spirit's  
gracious inhabitation1 are clearly seen 
by us at times1 and1 perhaps1  always by
 others4  ,this light appears           
conspicuous in ministers and saints  in 
general1 by the various trials with     
which they are exercised4  ,whatever    
graces or light the ,holy ,ghost is     
pleased to communicate to us  is sure to
 be tried--8the ,lord trieth the        
righteous20 hence ,job says1  8,when he 
hath tried me1 ,i shall come forth as   
gold40  ,those very  afflictions and    
trials that drive the hypocrite from his
 profession1 make  the saint shine      
brighter4  ,st4 ,peter encourages       

believers under their  trials1 with     
this--8,beloved1 think it not strange   
concerning the fiery  trials which are  
to try you20--remember they were all    
ordered in the  ,covenant1 in number1   
weight1 and measure2 and while they     
break you off  from an arm of flesh1    
from the world and self1 they try your  
graces1 and  make them appear clear to  
yourself--thus ,god promises1 8,and     
thine age 7or  spiritual birth7 shall be
 clearer than the noon day2 thou shalt  
shine  forth and be as the morning40    
,afflictions are not to destroy but to  
try  us1 just as silver and gold are    
tried in the fire1 lose their dross1 and
  become purer and brighter4  ,faith is 
tried1 and becomes more precious  than  
gold which perisheth4  ,hope of eternal 
life is tried1 and grows more  strong   
and lively1 sure and stedfast1 amidst   
the greatest storms4  ,love  to ,jesus1 
his word1 ministers1 and people1 is     
often tried--by the trial it  appears   
that nothing can separate the saint and 

his beloved4  ,patience is  tried in    
afflictions--humility1 meekness1 and    
every other grace4  ,but in  all times  
of tribulation1 though the outward man1 
or pitcher decays1 yet  the inward man  
is renewed1 day by day4--,how needful   
the cross1 to keep us                   
humble--dependent--wean us from the     
world--furnish us with many petitions to
  ,god1 and make us long for glory4     
,how sweet are those lines of the       
excellent ,watts--        ,had but the  
prison wall been strong         ,and    
firm1 without a flaw1      ,my soul had 
long in darkness dwelt1         ,and    
less of glory saw4    ,reproach from the
 world1 or church1 though it breaks the 
heart1 makes us  prize a name and a     
place in the covenant of redemption4    
,persecution1 for  imputed              
righteousness' sake1 tries our          
profession and principles1 and  gives an
 occasion to rejoice in the honor of    
suffering for ,christ's  sake4--,a body 
of sin and death1 called the plague of  

the heart1 tries our  hope1 and helps us
 to prize the blood of ,jesus more and  
more4--,pain of  body--delays of answer 
to prayer1 try our patience4--,false    
doctrines in the  world1 try our love2  
while the devil's fiery darts of        
blasphemous  thoughts1 often try our    
faith--thus as our earthen vessels      
break1 the  light appears2 and we often 
shout victory1 through the atonement and
  righteousness of ,jesus1 and by the   
faithfulness of ,god4--,this light      
appears in the whole of their conduct1  
as external evidences of an  internal   
work--in their love to1 and zeal for the
 truth as it is in  ,jesus--in their    
unfeigned love to the brethren1 as they 
stand manifest in  each other's         
consciences that they are called by     
grace--in their just  dealings with each
 other1 and the world at large--8the    
,lord bless thee1 ,o  habitation of     
justice1 ,o mountain of holiness40--,in 
their integrity1  uprightness1          
affection1 and sincerity1 at home and   

abroad1 they are to  shine as lights1 in
 the midst of a crooked and perverse    
generation4--,in  allegiance and        
obedience to the higher powers--knowing 
the powers that be1  are ordained of    
,god4  ,a christian may and ought to be 
a good subject1  under any              
government--8,fear ,god1 honor the      
king10 is the command of the            
,holy-,ghost--that whereas the world    
speaks against you1 as evil doers1 they 
may1 by your conversation which they    
shall behold1 glorify ,god1 in the  day 
of visitation4  ,the grace of ,god makes
 men good fathers1 good  masters1 good  
subjects1 and honest                    
tradesmen4--,believer1 take care that   
you show to the world and the church1   
what great things ,god has done for     
you1 by having your conduct squared     
according to the precepts of the ,new   
,testament1 which is to be the rule of  
your actions2 and as many as walk       
according to this rule1 peace be on     
them1 and mercy4  ,thus the light       

appears1 and you proclaim to all around1
 that you have been with ,jesus1  and   
learned of him4  ,and while the         
,pharisees condemn you as an ,antinomian
  in principle1 shew them that your high
 principles are heavenly ones1 by  the  
effects produced--take the ,new         
,testament for your rule of conduct1 and
  then fear not4--,this light appears in
 a steady1 uniform1 constant  attendance
 on all the ordinances of ,god's        
appointment--prayer1 private and        
public--hearing those ministers that    
exalt the ,saviour in every sermon--a   
submission to the ordinance of baptism1 
by immersion1 as soon as it  appears to 
them right--an attention to the ,lord's 
supper1 from a principle  of love to    
,jesus--godly conversation with the most
 experimental  christians4  ,here the   
light is seen3 ,i mention these things  
because many  of my adversaries have    
circulated it1 far and near1 that ,i am 
an  ,antinomian1 and deny all practical 
religion6--,when will mankind forbear   

lying against each other2 and those who 
contend for the ,law1 keep the  ninth   
commandment as they ought to do8  8,thou
 shalt not bear false  witness against  
thy neighbour40    ,finally4--,soon will
 the earthen pitcher be broke by death6 
then the soul  enlightened1 will enter  
into perfect day--see as it is          
seen--know as it is  known4  ,the       
blessed ,spirit1 in the article of      
death1 will be poured out  upon the     
soul1 to fit her for her passage4       
,hence he is promised1 as the  early and
 as the latter rain--a greater light    
comes into the soul1 as it  is about to 
depart into the regions of endless      
light--in the light of  faith the       
departing soul sees the pardon of sin1  
the obedience of ,jesus  its own--sees  
heaven open--angels ready waiting1 and  
whispering to the  saint1 ,the master is
 come1 and calleth for thee6 while the  
saint  exclaims1 ,come1 ,lord ,jesus6   
come quickly6--thus he enters into rest1
 while  ,jesus is his everlasting light1

 his god and glory4--,i close this      
,sermon1  in the language of ,dr4       
,watts' ,description of a ,saint's ,life
 and ,death1  under the fine emblem of a
 ,summer's ,day and ,setting ,sun4      
,just so the ,christian1 his race he    
begins--      ,he melts into tears when 
he mourns for his sins2            ,and 
travels his heavenly way4      ,but as  
he draws nearer to finish his race1     
,like a fine setting sun1 he looks      
richer in grace1      ,and gives a sure 
hope at the end of his days1            
,of rising in brighter array4    ,which 
may ,god grant to us all4--,,amen4      
,picture3 ,decorative graphic of cherub 
carrying a banner saying ,finis         
,shortly will be published1 7,price #as7
         ,a ,series of ,letters on same 
important ,texts of ,scripture4         
,addressed to several of the ,author's  
,friends4                               
99 99 99 99 99            ,also may be  
had of the ,author1 the ,four following 
,sermons                     7lately    

published74  ,price #f;d4 each4    #a4  
,the ,patience of ,god1 and the ,sin of 
,man4    #b4  ,the ,goodness of ,god and
 ,man contrasted4    #c4  ,the          
,believer's ,perseverance founded on the
 ,atonement4    #d4  ,the ,believer's   
,estimation of the ,name of ,jesus4