(according to what the Apostle prayed for, Thef. 3.1. fo as they meet with no stop in the mouths of the Minifters, nor in the hearts of the people, their healing efficacy will evidently appear. It is faid indeed in the fore-mentioned chapter of Ezekiel. v. 11. that the miry places were not healed. In fuch places, where the water hath not its free courfe, but ftops, it mingles with the fofter parts of the Earth, and makes Mire. So the truths of the Gospel, though they meet with no stop in the mouths of the Minifters; yet if they meet with obstructions in the hearts of the hearers, fo as the motions of the Spirit are not observed, and the operations of the Spirit refifted: Then corruption mingles even with the word it felf, turning the freeness of the grace of Chrift into wantonnels, and the efficacy of his grace into laziness. This makes a miry, polluted, dirty Soul. Therefore as ever we defire that our Souls fhould profper, and thrive as a watered Garden, according to that promife, Jer. 31. 12. See that thefe waters have a free paffage: Let faith be exercifed upon thofe truths, which hold forth the freeness, and riches of the grace of Chrift: For thofe are the truths, the Prophet faw in his Vifion, reprefented by thofe waters. And let this be in conjunction with the exercise of Repentance. This is the way, by the

Spirit of grace, working with these truths, whereby Souls are healed and purged, 1 Pet. 1.22, Seeing ye have purified your Souls, in obeying the truth, through the Spirit. These were the truths, by obedience whereunto, their Souls were purified.

This is the way, whereby the Lord first begins to heal, and purge the Soul. For this I fhall give you but one place of Scripture, but it is a place to be taken notice of It is 2 Corinth. 5. 19. Wherein note three things.

(1.) God intending, according to his Eternal purpose, to heal fome fick, quicken fome dead, fave fome loft Souls, declares his purpose to do it, by way of Reconciling them to himself. This he will do, before they fhall be poffeffed of that Salvation, he hath chofen them unto. His method is first to purge their Souls, mortifying that enmity that is in their hearts, both against his ways, and their own good, and fo to reduce them to terms of Reconciliation with himself, and make them willing to be Reconciled unto him.

(2.) How God will do this, [God was in Chrift.] The Divine Nature. affumed the Human Nature, and fo in, and through Chrift, God-Man, in one Perfon offers terms of Love, and Peace to them, as the most ef fectual way to prevail upon them, and to bring

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bring their Souls about to him. (3.) But in what peculiar way will he more transcendently manifeft this grace, and mercy The Text tells us, he will do it E in not imputing their iniquities; propo-. fing, and promifing a full, and everlasting pardon, of all fin, never to be called in, his terms be accepted of: And the finner being made willing to be Reconciled unto God. Thus he fubdues the heart, conquer ing it by Love. And thus the work of pur ging, and cleanfing the Soul is begun, Lak.7. 47, Her fins, which are many, are forgiven, for fhe loved much. And as thus it is begun, fo upon a failure, it is renewed, and conti nued. When a Soul that is Difeafed, and polluted, is awakened to apply himself to Jefus Chrift, the Sun of Righteousness, in the exercife of Faith, and Repentance, ma king way, that the waters of the Sanctuary, the Spirit of grace, and the Gofpel of grace may not be flopt in their courfe, but have a free paffage into the Soul, the hope of Reconciliation with God is raifed greatly, and that ftirs up the Soul to purifie himself, 1 Job. 3. 3, Every one that bath this hope, purifieth himself. Obferve that [He purifies himfelf. This is neceffary: For as Phyfick is most effectual to purge out corrupt humours, when Nature works with it for it is to no purpofe to give it to a dead Man,

and

and when Nature is quite spent in a fick Perfon, it comes too late.). So it is here. The Soul that thus applies it felf to Chrift, will find his blood to be a healing, purging, fin-mortifying blood. But in applying our selves thereunto, our own thoughts, and affections; our own endeavours, and refolutions against all occafions of fin, against the first rifings of fin; and we must apply our felves to what mortifying means we find prefcribed,and have been found to be of use to others. All these we muft fet on work,and then the Spirit of God, will work with us, Rom. & 13, if ye through the Spirit, do mortifie the deeds of the Body, ye shall live. And doing thus, we may be faid, To purge our felves, as 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2 Fim. 1. 21. If we do thus, We shall be Veffels of honour, fit for the Master's ufe: That is,our Souls fhall profper.

This is the first thing, that I have to commend unto you, as ye mind the well-fare and profperity of your Souls, to mind this. There is another kind of Phyfick, to be made ufe of, as the matter requires, and that is Cordials; for the healing of a fainting Soul This may be spoken unto hereafter; when I have first spoken unto what is, moft times,to be made ufe of,betwixt this of Purging, and that of Cordials.

SERMON.

SERMON VIII.

"T

He next thing that I fhall take notice of, as neceffary for the health, and well-fare of the Boody (which as the Lord fhall. enable me, I fhall apply to the point in hand) is the obferving of a good Diet; with refpect to the choice of meats, fuch, as by experience, have been found, beft agreeable to the Nature, and Conftitution of the Body; and in proportion, fuitable to the natural hear of our ftomachs, for Concoction, and Digeftion. This is a great means of health, especially for fuch as are naturally weak, and infirm. For, ufually, as is our Food, fo is our Blood; as is our Blood,fo are our Spirits; and as are our Spirits, fo are our Bodies for health, or fickness; for ftrength, or weaknefs. Now, as I told you, what in a natural way is for the health and well-fare of the Body,is, in a fpiritual way, applicable to the health, and well-fare of the Soul. I fhewed you, that it was fo, in that which I fpake last unto. I am now to fhew, it is fo in this In order hereunto, we must take notice,

that