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able it is, in the nature of things, and without fuch a miracle as God will not exert, impoffible, that they who have stood out fuch things in vain, should be renewed: This fhould make us, that are ministers efpecially, to tremble at an unholy life, or at the thought of declining from thofe ways of religion, of which we have known fo much, and for which we have fo many means of improvement.

Ver. 11. Then faid I, Lord, how long? And he anfwered, Until the cities be wafted without inhabitant, and the boufes without man, and the land be utterly defolate;

Ver. 12. And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forfaking in the midst of the land.

Now this judgment fastening, was fure to draw on all other judgments; therefore the Prophet, touched with compaffion, inquires, How long? and receives a very fad answer, Until the cities be wafted. God is fovereignly free in this; but ufually he keeps that course, that long continued and fpared finning makes long continued calamities when they come: Judgments, as the ancients thought comets to be, are as lafting as the matter is they are kindled with; and truly, upon this account, we may juftly apprehend that our troubles are but just beginning, rather than near their end; yet, repentance might prevail for the fhortening them; these sweet showers fooneft lay the ftormy winds.

And this confideration may have fomething hopeful in it, that, in these latter times, things move fomething more speedily, as natural motions do towards their end; for a short work will God make upon the earth, as the Apostle's word is; and we fee, in our particular ftraits that were greateft, that the Lord hath made them fhort even beyond our expectation; and what remains, is in his hand. I truft he will haften the defeat of the plots, and power of his enemies; and doubt

doubt not all the late and prefent commotions of these poor kingdoms, are the birth-pangs of a happy deliverance and peace; and, when they grow thickest, it is nearest the birth.

How long?] Obferve the compaffion of the meffengers of God, not defiring the evil day, but mourning for it, pitying thofe they denounce judgment againft, and melting for those they harden.

Till the cities be wasted.] This intimates there would be no relenting under all thefe judgments, but that these, as well as the word, and together with it, would harden them more, till they were almost quite confumed; and this is ufual; men think it would be otherwife; but it is found, times of great plagues and judgments are no times of great converfion; but men are more hardened both against word and rod; their spirits grow ftiff and obdured in a kind of defperation; but mercy, coming as the fpring fun-shine, mollifies and diffolves, and makes fruitful; therefore, fuch a day is to be longed for. I fufpect we fhall not fee much done by the gospel till then; and before that, we may fuffer yet more difmal things, and be wafted with peftilence, sword and famine; yet there is comfort in this, the Lord will not make a full end of us; a tenth shall be left; and if not we, yet at least our pofterity shall reap the sweet fruits of our bitter calamities, that are the juft fruits of our iniquities.

Ver. 13. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and fhall be eaten; as a teil-tree, and as an oak, whofe fubftance is in them when they caft their leaves, fo the holy feed fhall be the fubftance thereof.

There is ftill a remnant holy to God, the preservers of a land from utter ruin. Profane perfons despise the children of God, and know not that they are beholden to them for the fubfiftence of the land, and of the world; they are as these oaks, whofe roots did bear up the earth of that high-way, that went be

tween

tween the king's house and the temple, as the refemblance is taken by fome.

In judgments, the Lord remembers that; Destroy it not, there is a bleffing in it. As for the perfonal condition of believers, there may be a great decay; a winter vifage may be upon it; but yet the holy feed abideth in them, and is their stability; and ftill that word is true that is borrowed hence, femen fan&tum, ftatumen terra; "the holy feed, the fubfiftence or "eftablishment of the earth." When their number is completed, time shall end, and this vifible world fhall be fet on fire: and this day is haftening forward, though most of us think but little, if at all, of it.

V

End of the Lectures on Ifaiah vi.

EX

EXPOSITORY

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LECTURES

ON

ROMANS XII. 3-12.

ver. 3. For I fay, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

ESIDES the common word of edification imply

ing it, we find often, in the Scriptures, teaching compared to building; and, amongst other things, the resemblance holds in this, that in both, of neceffity, there is a foundation firft to be laid, and then the ftructure to be raised upon it. He that gives rules of life, without firft fixing principles of faith, offers prepofterously at building a houfe without laying a foundation; and he that inftructs what to believe, and directs not withal a believer how to live, doth in vain lay a foundation, without following out the building: But the Apoftles were not fo foolish builders, as to fever thefe two in their labours in the Church. In this epiftle, we find our Apoftle excellently acquitting himself in both thefe. He firft largely and firmly lays the ground-work, in the foregoing part of the epiftle, now he adds exhortations and directions touching the particular duties of Chriftians.

The first thing, certainly, to be done with a foul, is to convince it of fin and death, then to address and lead it in to Chrift, our righteousness and life;

this done, it should be taught to follow him: This is Christianity, to live in Chrift, and to live to Chrift; to live in him by faith, and to live to him in holiness; these our Apostle joined in his doctrine, chap. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The exhortation that begins this chapter, hath in it the whole fum of Chriftian obedience, fitly expreffed, and strongly urged; and in that are all particular rules comprised.

But because of our ignorance and our floth, we do not always readily draw forth particulars from these comprehenfive general rules wherein they lie; we need therefore to be affifted in this; and to this the Scriptures defcend, particularly the Apostles, in their epiftles, and that usually in the latter part of them; and this is a main part of our duty in preaching the word, often to reprefent these rules to you, not fo much that you may understand them better, though fomewhat of this likewife may be needful, as that you may remember them, and eye them more, and walk according to them; and there is no more in these things truly known, than what is known after this manner. I have endeavoured, in the courfe of my teaching, to reach this end: My defign, and I hope yours likewise, hath been, not to pass so much time, nor to pass it with empty delight, which in other things might be done at an easy rate, but that you be really built up heavenwards, and increase with the increase of God; that the truth and power of Chriftianity may poffefs our hearts, and grow there, and may be evident in our lives, to the glory of our Lord Jefus.

We fhall endeavour to lay before you the particular graces that are the ornaments of Chriftians; and this, not that you may look on them fimply, and commend them, but may pursue them, and be clothed with them, and then they will be much more comely and commendable; as a robe of rich apparel, if

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