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It is only the regenerate that do become wise. A "spirit of wisdom and revelation is given to them, that they may know the hope of that better calling, and what are the riches of that glorious inheritance which God makes common among his saints," Eph. i. 17, 18. And so, indeed, do the regenerate seed justify that wisdom that is their parent; "Wisdom is justified of her children;" so that it may be known even to the world, that these are the children of it. They are not a generation of fools. See how wisely they do design, and how wisely they pursue their design, to wit, by patient continuance in well doing, seeking for honour, and glory, and immortality, to the actual enjoying of eternal life. No lower things do they design, nor a less suitable course do they take in pursuance of it, than by patient continuance in well doing to seek it. Their design is high and great, and their pursuit apt and suitable. This shows the only wise God is their Parent; they discover of what seed and offspring they are. It is true, the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light; with reference to the things that their generation can reach, they are wiserwiser for this world. In reference to worldly matters and designing, they pursue them with more constancy, because they have no other. But the children of light show themselves to be so in their higher and more excellent end, and in their more regular course which they take in order thereunto. But now I add, in the next place,

end, than are generally to be found (though not taken | all one, God calls when he creates; when he creates, he notice of because they are common) in the generality of regenerates. His calling that which was not to exist and the unconverted world. They that in so clear light spend be. And this is but another name for the regenerating their strength for trifles, will not get understanding of what work, in which respect any are said to be born of God. is their best good. They that throw away their souls for Now inasmuch "as he which hath called you (that is as nought, that rush upon armed vengeance and are not much as to say, as he that hath begotten you, he of whom afraid to perish; they continually run counter to princi-ye are born) is holy, so be ye also holy in all manner of ples, that are secretly conscious of the immortality of the conversation;" which is but to make your conversation soul, profess to believe there is a heaven and a hell, yet correspond to the very principles of your birth; for you they run away from the one, and run into the other in cannot be his offspring if you be not a holy seed. Because sight. Greater instances of madness and folly are not he is holy, so you must be supposed to be holy in your conceivable than these. very constitution and frame. And therefore see you to it, that you express what is correspondent hereunto in all your walkings, that in all manner of conversation you discover yourselves to be the children of such a Father, holy ones as he is. It is upon this account, that they that are born of him are said to be "children of light." When I told you last time, that according to our notion of light it meaneth divine knowledge, taken in the borrowed and metaphorical sense, (for every one knows what it is taken in the proper and literal sense,) I then hinted, that taken in the metaphorical sense too, it hath a further notion, to wit, to signify holiness as well as knowledge; and indeed knowledge is no further to be called and counted divine light, than as it tends to holiness, and is productive of it; and from thence it comes to be denominated light. It is light, as it terminates in that which is itself so splendid and illustrious a thing, holiness; a bright, a shining, a glorious thing. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works;" that is, not knowledge, that they may hear you talk fine notions; but that they may see your good works. That is the light, the divine peculiar light, that distinguisheth the children of God from another seed. See how light is taken principally in that, 1 Epistle John i. 5, 6. How is the solemnity of a message sent unto the children of men on purpose to make discovery to them of the nature and excellency of God. And, saith the apostle, "This is the message which we have heard, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." The words that follow do plainly enough show what is meant by light and by darkness here. By light is meant purity and holiness, as we cannot conceive any thing more pure and simple than light; and therefore not any thing more expressive of holiness than light. "God is light;" as if he should have said of himself, I would have all to conceive so of me; and therefore I send this message unto men, to instruct them how to form their notions and conceptions of me. I am light, and with me there is no darkness at all. And now, saith the apostle, "If any say they have fellowship with God, and walk in darkness, they lie, and do not the truth." If any say they have a participation with God, that they partake and communicate with him in any thing divine, and walk in darkness, they tell a most gross and insolent and absurd lie; they lie, and do not the truth." It is a practical lying, their practice gives themselves the lie; they do (as it were) proclaim themselves liars. And what is the meaning of all this, but to show that light is holiness. If any say they have fellowship with God, and live wickedly, show themselves to be impure and unholy creatures, that is a great lie, a gross lie, a lie most injuri ous to God, and no ways advantageous to themselves; they can gain nothing by it, but they wrong him by it infinitely, to make it to be thought as if he were an impure one, like them that pretend to him, to be acquainted with him, to be conversant with him. It is to make a wrong and false representation of him to the world, so that they gain nothing by it but shame retorted into their own faces; for at the same time when they do so, they (as it were) virtually call themselves liars before the world. Because they who know any thing at all of God, know that he cannot be such a one; "He is light, and with him is no darkness at all."

Sixthly, The great resemblance wherein this creature appears to be a divine production, is the divine holiness stampt upon it, and imparted to it. It is a holy creature. It doth most eminently bear the image of him from whom it is, upon that account. And that makes it a glorious creature, as he himself is glorious in and by his holiness. "Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness," Ex. xv. 11. They are changed into the same image, and thereby become glorious creatures, as he is their glorious Creator and Father. "We all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of God, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord," 2 Cor. iii. 18. Here is this work in its inchoation and in its progress; that work by which souls are at first made Godlike creatures; and then promoted and carried on towards a state of maturity, and made ripe for the regions of glory into which they are to be translated at length. This impression of holiness upon them is by the regenerating Spirit which is therefore called the Spirit of holiness, and the Holy Ghost, as you know nothing is to be more frequently noted in the Book of God. This is a creature, born spirit of Spirit; that Spirit of which it is born is the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost, even as such. And therefore, such must this production be. You find (1 Pet. i. 3.) that God is adored upon this account, as having begotten such as are truly appertaining to him upon this special account, unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. Nothing could be more agreeable than that they who are born of him, should inherit from him; that they who are his children should be his heirs also. But having once made mention of them, and of him, upon this relative account, as they are begotten of him, and as he is their great Parent, and the author of this spiritual and new divine being to them. Thereupon it follows, (as you may see in the same chapter,) "As obedient children ye are no longer to fashion yourselves according to your former lusts, in your ignorance; but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of holy conversation and godliness." And by the way, vou must know that efficacious calling and regeneration is

The same notion we have of light as it signifies holiness, in that Eph. v. 8. "Ye were darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord;" speaking of that mighty turn and change wrought upon the soul in the work of regeneration. Ye were darkness in your unregenerate state, now are ye light in the Lord. You not only have it, but are light; as before ye not only had darkness in you, but ye were

darkness, as it were so many lumps and masses of impure, | instances throughout of the faithfulness of God; all things gross, and consistent darkness. But now you are light. being conserved through this vast and spacious universe Indeed there may be light in an unregenerate mind; but according to the tenor of his word, and those ordinances though such a one may be said to have it, he is not said to that he hath settled in this great creation of his. And so be it. And that light, though it may have a tendency to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the substantial, consubstantial some suitable disposition in the heart, yet it prevails not to image of God, and the brightness of his glory, this is his effect, to bring it about. Though there be a weak tendency great character too, the Amen, the faithful and true witness. thitherward, the thing is not done. And therefore that It is a peculiar name that belongs to the Son of God, light doth forfeit its name, and is still called "darkness;" "he that is faithful and true." Often he is spoken of by those (as our Lord saith ;) and you may take his judgment in the distinguishing titles; and well they belong to him, as he case without wavering: "If the light that is in thee be was the original, substantial image of God. The image of darkness, how great is that darkness!" The very light God in the regenerate, those that are born of him, it is that is an unregenerate person, is rather to be called true, is much inferior in them, (as we have heard about the darkness. As in the natural world there is no such thing generation of the only begotten-Son,) to what it is in him; as puræ tenebre, no pure darkness, no darkness without a but it is not contrary, it is a true image, though it be not mixture of light; but the denomination is taken from that so perfect an image. It doth not make a false representation which prevails; otherwise, we should never say it is night, of God: it represents him truly, though not so perfectly as never say it is darkness. We can never say so, as supposing in the first and original impression of it in his only eternally no admixture of light at all; but when darkness prevails, begotten-Son; of whom it is said, Isa. xi. 5. "That faiththen we say, concerning the region and horizon, it is dark. fulness is the girdle of his loins:" they are girt about with And so it is with the unregenerate soul: till the Day-spring truth. And observe, after the same manner, and under the from on high doth visit, and till the Sun of righteousness same notion, is that truth which is said to be found in the arise, that soul is a region of darkness, impure darkness, children of God in this world spoken of too. "Take unto such a darkness as wherein men work all manner of wick-you the whole armour of God, having your loins girt about edness, living still under the power and dominion of the with truth," Eph. vi. 14. This keeps men steady, keeps prince of darkness: for he governs in that region. And them in an equal temper, so as they do not vary from themtherefore the work of regeneration too is elsewhere express- selves. Being once made like God, then they are to be ed by "being translated out of darkness into the kingdom of continually in a uniformity and agreeableness to themGod's dear Son," our Lord Jesus Christ; and "out of the selves; their course equal, and the temper of their spirits power of darkness into his marvellous light;" to signify steady, true, and not apt to swerve or prevaricate this way that we were under other government, other power, before. or that, but like his children. Therefore, inasmuch as he They that are born of God therefore (as he is the Father of always counts it the glory of his own being, his own nature, lights) are children of light; that is, holy ones. There is that falsehood is incompetent, incompatible, yea, impossithat frame of holiness that invests them, and is put upon ble to him, a God "that cannot lie;" so if he hath any them, which carries a lustre, a glory in it, as you have children in this world, see how he speaks of them, "They heard, and this must still shine brighter and brighter, in are my people, children that will not lie: therefore he was those that are truly righteous, unto the perfect day. And as their Saviour," Isa. Ixiii. 8. Put away lying, (saith the aposthey gradually approach nearer and nearer the land of light, tle,) and let every man speak truth with his neighbour. Pat and thereby are made more and more meet to partake at away lying in reference to narrations, and lying reference length of "the inheritance of the saints in light," Col. i. 12. to promises. It hath the same distinction that oaths are But, wont to have, which are usually different by those terms, of Seventhly, Another divine character of those that are born assertory and promissory. If one should be guilty of perof God, wherein they resemble him, is Truth. He is the jury, it may be either of these two ways; and if one be God of truth, who is their Parent and Begetter; and they guilty of lying, it is one of these two ways too; either by are accordingly the children of truth. Understand me here representing a thing otherwise than it is, or by promising to mean truth in the moral sense: I speak not now of the to do that which was never intended, and therefore, accordtruth of propositions, or of the truth of things in their ingly is never done. But the one way or the other, there nature, logical or metaphysical truth; but that which is is that which is contrary to sincerity, and to that_truth in the spirit and proper sense moral, and that lies in two which is the divine glory, the glory of the Divine Being, things; 1. In speaking as we think, and, 2. In doing as we and wherein he doth exalt himself so infinitely, the God speak: these two make up the notion of moral truth."that cannot lie." And if I have a people in this world, if Herein God is himself a great exemplar and pattern to us; and his image is most eminently conspicuous in all that are born of him in this also. He glories to be called the God of truth. Moses in that dying song of his, Deut. xxxii. 3, 4. when he tells us he will now publish the name of the Lord, he therefore exhorts all to ascribe greatness unto God. "Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." It is the same thing that is spoken of him so often in Scripture under the name of faithfulness: the divine faithfulness, that takes in part of the meaning, though not all of what is carried in the notion of truth; for faithfulness doth particularly refer to the promises he hath made, or the covenants that he hath promulgated and entered into. It is, generally speaking, the same thing with sincerity; that is another comprehensive expression, that takes in the full of what is signified by the name of truth. They that are born of God are true, the children of truth, sincere, upright, without deceit or guile; when they speak, speaking the truth from the heart; when they act, acting according to what they have spoken, especially wherein they have obliged themselves by promise. And that is the proper notion of fidelity, one great branch of this truth. That is a glorious attribute of God, wherein he is pleased frequently to represent his excellency to the children of men; his faithfulness that reacheth to the clouds. Look as high as heaven, look all the way between this earth and up to the heavens, and you have continual

I have a seed, a race, a progeny, though it cannot be said of them, they are those that cannot lie, (that is the divine prerogative,) yet it may be said of them, they will not lie, "children that will not lie, so he was their Saviour."

It is said concerning the inhabitants of Sion, (which Sion represents, in a borrowed, transferred sense, the church on earth first, and then the church in heaven in the highest sense,) the inhabitants of Sion, (into which none come but by the divine birth, they are come into it whoever are of it,) that they are such as speak the truth from their hearts. And never doth any man come into the forgiving state, till he come into the regenerate state. Then it is that Gol pardons, when he receives and regenerates. He gives righteousness and the Spirit of his Son both at once. By the one of which he doth one work, by the other of them he doth the other. They are never separated. When any are forgiven, it is a blessed state they come into. Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin 18 covered. But then observe the character of that person that is the subject of forgiveness, he in whose spirit there is "no guile." What? a forgiven man, a regenerate man, one born of God; and a false man, a deceitful man, a guileful, a fraudulent man? He that shall talk at this rate speaketh inconsistencies; he compounds impossible things. A regenerate man, and one made up of falsehood, deceit, and guile; this cannot be. He that is born of the God of truth, there is the image of him as such upon such a man. He is born of the Spirit; and "the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth," Eph. v. 9.

the truth, but for the truth, (according to another larger
notion of the truth,) I must not, I may not.
This I reckoned of great necessity to be stood upon, fear-

And while I urge faithfulness and truth as the character of the regenerate, those that are born of God, give me leave myself to be so far faithful to you as to declare, and testify in the Lord, that whoever they are that can allowing that too many may very much misunderstand the nothemselves in falsehood, insincerity, deceitfulness, and guilefulness any way, let their profession be never so splendid, they do but belie themselves in it. They the children of God, they born of God, they who are the sons of the God of faith, and yet children of falsehood, is a thing that I will not only say is not, but cannot be. It is an impossibility. God hath no such children; they that are born of him, carry this image of him upon them, they are children of truth, sincere and upright; so that if they speak they speak the truth in their hearts, just as they apprehend things to be; if they promise, they promise what they intend to perform. They are as they speak: if they have spoken to their hurt, they will not change. Their word is a sacred thing with them, as God's word is with him.

It is true, indeed, there may be much of this seen in the unregenerate world: truth hath been highly magnified among many of the more refined pagans; and it may have place with many among us, (oh, that it had more,) in whom the divine nature hath no place. But here is the distinction, when men are true to one another for God's sake and for conscience sake; not for reputation's sake, but for God's sake, and because of their devotedness to him, and because they must truly represent him to the world; this is that which is distinguishing; and, indeed, if men be true to one another, and untrue to God, leave out him as the centre in whom they unite, and upon whose account and for whose sake they are true to one another; all their truth to one another is but such a combination as that of several conspirators against their lawful and rightful prince, who may be true to one another, while they are all false to him. But there is no such thing as truth in the right sense, and that which will turn to their true advantage at last in whom it is found, but when God is made the centre, and they are true to God; if they be true to one another, and not true to God, it is a casualty; they have a disposition in their minds to be false to one another if there be occasion; if they be not true to God, if they be not steadfast in his covenant, if they be towards him "as a deceitful bow," (as it is said of Ephraim,) they will not be always true to one another.

tion of religion, while they limit and confine it to the first table only, without letting it have a governing influence upon the affairs that relate to the second. But we are to take both in conjunction. And the error would be the same if men should again confine all their regularity to the rules of the second table too, and think very well of themselves, because they do not transgress those rules. Here is the same danger, and the same fatal error and mistake. But if we will deal safely and righteously, safely for ourselves, and righteously with God, then, Í say, we must take the connexion of both together; and take all the rules of duty which belong to the second table, as they have their foundation in the first, to wit, in "the love of God, with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our might, and our neighbour as ourselves." These two make up the law and the prophets, and this is nothing else but the work that is abridged and epitomized in regeneration, when the law of God is written in the heart, and transcribed in the inner man, put into "fleshly tables (as the apostle speaks) not by ink and paper, but by the Spirit of the living God," 2 Corinth. iii. 3. That is it which is done by regeneration; when God doth beget out of an impure apostate world a holy seed, a divine offspring for himself. Whereas their defection and apostacy lay in the violation of the whole entire law of their creation, their regeneration lies in the renewing the impression of it, turning it into a living law within, not into an audible law or a visible law, that they can hear with ears or read with eyes, but a living law, which they feel and relish with their hearts; their hearts being contempered to it. And the Spirit of God makes no maimed impres sion, it makes the impression entire and full, so as that all the several parts of that law are expressed together. There are characters that signify each several part, and these are but the several lineaments of the new creature, or the new man, portrayed in the soul by the regenerating Spirit of God.

It greatly concerns us when we consider that the Gospel (under the dispensation whereof we live) is the Spirit's instrument in regeneration; and that is part of which we now hear. It is greatly, I say, to be considered, what And pray let this be deeply considered; supposing that there is done to this purpose by this Gospel upon our souls. truth have its primary reference to God, I am devoted to If we never be regenerated by the Gospel, we are very him, and I must be true and faithful; this is then the cha- unreasonable to expect that God should use any other racter of them that are born of him; they that are with methods with us. This is the word of the kingdom into the Lamb are chosen and faithful and true; and he saith, which all they that have a real place in it are regenerated; "Be thou faithful unto the death, and thou shalt receive they are born into it, in regno nati sumus, as that moralist a crown of life." Here is their character, they must be speaks upon another account. We are born members of faithful to him first, and then by consequence to one ano- this kingdom; and by what means hath he begotten us ther in all their dealings, transactions, conversation, and again? even hereby, by the word of truth. I beseech you affairs. Take this for an invariable character of an un- let this be seriously and deeply considered. If there be regenerate person, he is one that can be false, if it will any such thing as regeneration, that is, if there be any consist with his interest; if it will serve his other pur- such thing as the raising up a divine offspring to God out poses, he can allow himself to be so. If he be true, it is of this world, that shall not perish when the rest of the (as was said) a contingency. But take this for the cha-world do, it is by this means that the things is to be done; racter of a regenerate person, he is true to God first; and "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorbecause he is so, he dares to be faise to no man. And it ruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth hath been a method observed by some of the wiser and for ever." "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man more refined pagans, Qui deus non timet, non curat homi- as the flower of the grass. The grass withereth, and the nes. (Cicero.) They are liable, one time or another, to flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord enprove false to man, that do not fear God. But if the dureth for ever; and this is the word which by the Gospel matter do begin there, then is truth a derivation from the is preached unto you," 1 Pet. i. 23, 24, 25. Is the Gospel Divine nature upon such a one; that as God is the God of preached to us for this purpose, and is the proper design truth, from whom it comes, and by whom it is inwrought of it to regenerate at first, and nourish afterwards unto into man, so the children of God, who are born of him, eternal life? For ex iis nutrimur ex quibus constamur; the it may be consistently said of them they are children of same Gospel is to both. Methinks it should beget in us truth, they are such as have a reverence for truth; it is the most deeply serious and solicitous thoughts imaginawith them a venerable thing. I would not speak other- ble. What is done upon us to this blessed purpose? Hath wise than I think, or do otherwise than I have said, not- any thing heretofore been done? Or do I find any thing withstanding the lie might be rewarded with the gain of yet a-doing? Was nothing done the last year? May it be the world. Truth is with them a sacred thing. They hoped that any thing shall be done this year? Was nothat find no such restraint upon their spirits, have nothing thing done the last Lord's day? Is it not yet to be hoped of the divine nature in them. I cannot say or do so or that somewhat may be done to-day? Do I find my spirit so, say otherwise than I think, do otherwise than I have altered? There are great previous dispositions in natural spoken; I find there is a nature in me that withholds me, productions, before there is a complete product: What that prompts me quite otherwise; I can do nothing against disposition do I find? What tendency towards such a

birth? What strivings, what agonies, what pangs are in my soul? Do I reckon I am to be born again, born of God, born from heaven, and never feel it? Can so mighty a change pass upon my soul as amounts to another birth, to a divine birth, and I never be sensible of it? If such a day as this pass with us, and we feel no such thoughts in our spirits, and are unconcerned, what have we to justify our unconcernedness? Wherewith shall we justify our being unconcerned? We can have nothing as a ground on which rationally to justify us, unless we could tear the whole Gospel constitution, unless we could ascertain ourselves there is no such thing as a heaven or hell; for if there be, and there will be so vast differences in the final states of men, certainly those eternal differences must have their foundation here: as men are distinguished by being regenerate and unregenerate, so they will be for heaven or hell. Sure if there be such two distinct states into which men are to be disposed of by the Supreme and Universal Judge, who cannot but do wisely, and righteously, and holily, it cannot be that men should be disposed of into those states promiscuously, whether they are his children or not his children, as if he would make no difference between those that are born of him, and those that are not born of him, but have lived and died in perpetual rebellion against him, full of enmity and perpetual malignity towards him, whereby they testify themselves never to have begotten of him, and that they are not like him; as the following words after the text, "Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth them also that are begotten of him." If he begat us, we shall be sure to love him. They that have all their days chosen distance from him, is it a supposable thing God should have begotten any according to his own nature, and they should not love him? Not love to converse with him, love not to be in his presence, to open their hearts to him, to unbosom and pour out their souls before him. Hath God begotten any such unnatural children that can live without him all the day, never come near him, never look towards him, never think of him, that know not what belongs to prayer to him? What can men have to preserve peace and quiet in their souls, but the apprehension-that sure there are no such things as heaven and hell, of which we have heard

so much?

But who would run the danger of it? If men do but apprehend the possibility, if they have allowed themselves to attend to that light that makes so clear and bright a discovery of another world, and of those distinct states in it; if, I say, they have not allowed themselves to attend to the light, so as thereby to be ascertained in their own hearts, there is as surely a heaven and a hell as there is an earth, (and we have as much reason to be ascertained of the one by believing what is plainly testified, and what the reason of the thing doth evince to us to be true, as we have to be certain of the other from our eye-sight,) then

all is vain that we say to them.

SERMON XLVI.*

1 John v. 1.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.
But now I might add in the next place,
Eighthly, It is a creature endowed with a most generous
liberty, that disdains, that cannot be patient of servitude;
the sons of God must be free born. This is evident, and
hath been elsewhere spoken to and opened. But then,
Ninthly, It is a creature of a very peculiar benignity
and goodness. Who would expect it to be otherwise?
When you hear of a God-like creature born into this
world, what would you look to find it, but a creature made
up of goodness? The Spirit is the immediate regenerator,
the great agent in this work. "That which is born of the
Spirit is spirit," John iii. 6. And we are told, Ephes. v. 9.
"That the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness." It lies
in a universal goodness; here is the product, this is that
God-like thing that is now produced. When one is said
to be born of God, he is a creature made up of goodness;
it is the production of the Holy Ghost, the Divine Spirit;
"and the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness." And it is
added, "righteousness and truth too," which we have
spoken of before. Every one that doth righteousness is
born of God, and the children of God are children that
will not lie, but abhor falsehood. But they are also an
offspring of great benignity, of most extensive and diffu-
sive goodness.

I apprehend it may be worth the while to insist upon this, because that there is not another thing wherein the divine nature and likeness are more expressed and held forth in the work of regeneration than in this thing; in no other respect rather or more than this is God said to be the Father of such, or they to be born of God. And, oh! that we may, I for my part speak, and you hear, as those that apprehend the weight and importance of what is now to be spoken; we are in all these things distinguishing the divine seed and offspring from the children of the worst of fathers; and there is no middle state between these two; we must either be born from above or born from beneath; no middle state, speaking of morals: when we speak of naturals we know there can be but one author of nature; but as to morals, two great parents and fathers divide the world, and one of them you must call so. They that are not born of God, his own word concludes concerning them, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do," John viii. 44. But now see wherein a divine production appears and shows itself to be such; here is somewhat begotten, born of God, that appears like God in this, as a thing made up of goodness. And here I shall more distinctly consider,

i. What objects this goodness hath reference to in them. And,

ii. Wherein, or in what exertions, it shows itself towards such objects.

But if men would but believe all this, then there can be no more reasonable thing in all the world, than to be full of inquiring thoughts concerning our state, till we arrive to some proportionable certainty concerning it, till we can say, Blessed be God, now I find some of those i. What objects it refers to. You must still consider characters upon me, that speak me one of his children, that an imitation of the divine goodness; that supposed all that spirituality, that life, that power, that knowledge of along as that wherein this creature is a God-like creature. him and divine things, that wisdom, that holiness, that It is a God-like creature as it is a most beneficent creature; truth, that will justify me in enumerating myself to the and it being the goodness of beneficence, or beneficent children of God, his family, counting myself among them, goodness, that we are to speak to under this head, we shall But if we find no such characters as these, and yet say of somewhat a different kind. But our present discourse and believing that he will count me among them too. have somewhat further under another order of heads, to consider what may admit of the same name, but will be we are children of God, we pretend to him, we profess it is to be confined unto a beneficent goodness, and being him, that very profession itself is a lie; as is said concerning those false pretenders, Rev. iii. 9. that said, "they so, we are not now at this time to consider God as one of were Jews, (that is, Christians,) and were not, but of the the objects that this goodness hath reference to. synagogue of Satan, they do lie." It is a very fearful goodness extendeth not to thee," saith the Psalmist, (speakthing when even a man's profession is a lie. I call my-ing of such goodness,) Psalm xvi. 2. but, as was said, it self a Christian, but it is a lie; one that believeth Jesus being an imitation of the Divine goodness, it must respect to be the Christ, but it is a lie; for whosoever believeth such objects as Divine goodness, which is beneficent, doth this, is born of God; but of this I find nothing in my- and there is a more special object of the Divine goodness, respect, and they are of two sorts; there is a more general as hath been largely shown upon another occasion. God's goodness hath,

self

"My

* Preached June 10th, 1694.

(i.) A general object. "The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works;" so diffusive, so flowing is his goodness, the whole earth is full of it. The whole earth-a more surprising instance of the extensiveness of it could not have been given. The whole earth this stage of wickedness, where constant rebellions against the Majesty of Heaven have been in continued succession from age to age, and from generation to generation acted. The whole earth is full of his goodness; a thing that should not only convince, but amaze that it should be so,

Why, such is the goodness of this creature that is born of God proportionally extensive-"As you have opportunity, do good unto all men," Gal. vi. 10. a goodness that must flow every where, as far as one can, that must diffuse and spread itself to our very uttermost. As you have opportunity-supposing there be an ability and power, then there needs nothing more than opportunity. If there be opportunity, let this goodness exert itself; this shall show you a God-like sort of creatures, born of God, bearing his image; he doth good to all-" as you have opportunity do you do good to all."

When he had it in design to raise up to himself a seed, a new creation in the world, it must be understood it should be such as it was fit for him to own as the peculiar parent of this offspring. What? shall I raise up a new seed to be but like other men? Is this like to God? when he was to do a new thing in the world, to raise up a new sort of people, that they should be but just like the old? Think what men are naturally, and as they grow up from the old stock; every one minds his own things, every one is for himself, cares not what becomes of others, what becomes of this world. But this creature, born of God, is of a large comprehensible spirit, it measures with the universe, not narrow, not clung, not contracted; it bounds (comparatively) private interest, my good is the good of the creation. It is spoken as a most peculiar character of this seed, that when all else do naturally mind their own things, as the apostle speaks concerning Timothy, he doth as naturally mind the things of another, of his neighbour, as if he had no private interest of his own at all. God will have it known that in this second creation of his, this new attempt, when he was to raise up a people, a seed out of a common universal ruin, I will do such a thing in the world as shall make the world look about them, and wonder to behold what new sort of people are sprung up among them. That whereas they have ever himself for his end, himself for his measure, every one being for himself; here is a people that are off from self, a self-denying people, a self-abandoning people, made up of goodness, and making that goodness to flow as far as ever it can; for it is a divine goodness, and they make this goodness disperse like God's, they make it to flow to the uttermost they can.

It must be so, when you consider that this being born of God, and that every such divine birth, doth spring out of believing Jesus to be the Christ: whoso believeth, is born of God, and is a Christian indeed, and honours the Christian name. What, shall the world be Christianized and made nothing the better?-made Christians, and not made good? How unlike God were this!-how mean and low a design would that be! If they be Christians, they must be good men, and so appear born of God: when they are changed, when they become Christians, they become imitators of his goodness: otherwise, how despicable is the performance of the Son of God in this world, when he is to raise up other sons that shall be just as the rest of men are? But then,

(ii.) This goodness it hath a special object too, even as the Divine goodness which it imitates hath-" My goodness extends not to thee"-but to whom then? eminently, principally, to the saints that are in the earth, those excellent ones "in whom is all my delight," Psalm xvi. 3. God takes pleasure in his people; he loveth the righteous; he hath a peculiar love, good will, and kindness towards those that he doth regenerate, that are born of him. And so they that are born of him have a peculiar kindness and good will unto one another, as the text speaks-"Whosoever loveth him that begat, loveth also them that are begotten of him." It cannot but be so, as there is opportunity to do it, good must be done to all, but "especially to those who are of the household of faith," Gal. vi. 10. They that bear |

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the same image, that have the same nature, that spring from the same father, and are of the same seed, this goodness must have a more peculiar reference and tendency to such; and it will argue our not being of his seed, not being children of this Father, if all be alike to him, if his kindness be not distinct, if he be as well pleased with the conversation of the one sort as of the other. But then,

ii. Besides the consideration of the objects of this goodness, we must consider wherein it shows itself, and in what exertions it appears towards its object-why,

(i.) It appears in sundry negatives; and they are not to be overlooked, for there are great appearances of this goodness in them, as you will have cause to judge: As, [i.] In not being apt to harm others. This is goodness, when there is not an aptness to harm another. What, is it to be thought that this creature, born of God, is a mischievous creature, as it were, born to do mischief? how is that possible? As our Lord was holy, harmless, separate from sinners, so are they to be,-"Be ye harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke," Phil. ii. 15. Mark the connexion, "the sons of God"-and harmful? mischievous ?that cannot be: hath he begot such a sort of creatures into the world to do mischief in it? no; such are not of this seed.

[ii.] Much less are they apt to take pleasure in another's harm: so it is with many other men-it is a pleasant sight to them to behold the mischiefs and misdeeds of others; but it cannot be so with them that are of this seed. Again, [iii.] This good appears in an inaptness to do evil for evil. They do not think themselves warranted, Because such a one hath done evil to me, therefore I will do evil to him; "not rendering evil for evil," no, by no means, this cannot agree to this seed, this God-like sort of creatures. Again,

[iv.] They are very inapt to be provoked: this sort of creature is not apt to provocations, as is the character 1 Cor. xiii. 5.-"not easily provoked," which is a great imitation of God, who is "slow to anger;" so must they be, and so they habitually are, "swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath."

[v.] Much less can they suffer anger and wrath upon provocation to arise to a fixed hatred; they are quite another sort of men from the men of the world, of whom this is the character, "hateful, and hating one another," Titus iii. 3. This cannot belong to this God-like sort of creature, to have a fixed hate for any one, whosoever they be; no, not the worst enemy in all the world; the contrary is expressly commanded, and is a law in their very natures, even in reference to the very worst enemy. And,

[vi.] They are not habitually vindictive: not only do they not in fact render evil for evil; not only do they abstain from this, or not do this; but much more are they alien from an habitual vindictiveness: to be in the habit of their minds revengeful, oh, this cannot be in this Godlike seed! And,

[vii.] Much less is it possible for them to be implacable: this is again the worst sort of mankind, which is described by this character, implacable; that cannot be reconciled; if once there be a grudge it is everlasting, a fixed thing. Oh, this cannot belong to this God-like seed, to be of an irreconcileable spirit, it hath the sum of hell in it, the devil as the parent of it appears in this countenance, nothing more plain; the very show of that countenance discovers who is the father, an implacable spirit, malicious, vindictive, and then implacable. With this are conjunct other things that we might mention: as envy at the good of another: it is the notion of envy to grieve at another's good; as it is an argument of a most diabolical spirit to rejoice at another's hurt, to take complacency in the harm of another; so to grieve at the good one hath in himself, or doth possess and enjoy, such a one is better than I, and that grieves me-or such a one doth more good, or possesseth more good than I, and this I am grieved at; this cannot consist with the divine goodness that appears in this God. begotten creature. But then,

(ii.) This goodness shows itself in positives too, and that more eminently,

[i.] In actual doing good as there is opportunity, and towards both sorts of objects. "To all as there is oppor tunity, but especially to the household of faith,” Gal. vi.

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