wilt for it; a dead ftate, or at least a dead frame, is the true caufe; and therefore repent. If thou be mourning and humbled under it, it is a fign of fome life; pursue under Chrift's banner, and thou halt obtain the victory.

(2.) Have ye fped, and got fome victory over the body of death? be not fecure, and fit not down on that ye have attained, for death is not yet fwallowed up; therefore pursue.-I fhall only add,

3. By way of exhortation to duty from this point.

(1.) Be lively Chriftians, as those that are alive from the dead through Jefus Chrift; keep grace in exercise, let not the holy fire go out; watch against deadness creeping in on your fouls, yield not to it, for that were to yield to death, that muft be fwallowed up.

(2.) Join iffue with the Conqueror, in pursu ing the victory in your own fouls. There is a noble Captain on your head; under his conduct, then, fight the good fight; let mortification be your daily work; while one luft remains, ye muit never give over; make no truce with them, or any of theirs, but refolve to pursue these fruits of death, till death be fwallowed up in victory.

(3.) Jein iffue with the Conqueror, in pursuing the victory in the world, especially in the places where ye live. Do your utmost, by word and example, to awaken a dead world; take care of the young generation; and as ye love their fouls, remove the ftumbling-block of your divifions out of their fight, which threatens the ruin of religion in this parish; when the members of the body are all going asunder, falling off from one another, it is an evidence death is working in that body; and it has made much fad work in the land and country-fide already.

(4.) Be

(4.) Believe this truth with application, in all your endeavours after holiness. That is the true method of fanctification, ufing the mean appointed of God, and believing the promised fuccefs. If ye will not believe, ye fhall not be established.

(5.) Be weaned from the world, and long for the day when death shall be swallowed up in victory: Phil. i. 23. "Having a defire to depart, and to be with Chrift, which is far better. Were we eager in the battle, we would readily long for the day of complete victory.

Let all be stirred up, and exhorted from this,

1. To get and make fure their interest in this victory purchased by Christ in this battle. Come to Christ, and make fure your interest in him; alas! what will it avail you that Chrift has purchased this victory for you? It would be promifing-like in this cafe, if ye be raised up from spiritual death, or if ye be wrestling against the remains of it.

2. Carry as becomes those who are interested in this victory.

(1.) O love the Lord, come fee the field of battle, where the Lord lay, and love him, John, xiv. 13. Whom will ye love, if not him that died for us?

(2.) Hate fin, and feck the deftruction and extirpation of it; fet yourselves against the body of death. Ye have here-What may excite you to it, for it was your fin that gave death its power, and furnifhed it with weapons against Chrift. You may encourage yourselves in the conteft, for victory is certain, for death is already vanquished in fome fort : Rom. vi. 6. "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Chrift." Chrift himself is engaged in the pursuit of the victory with you, and for you.

3. Patiently bear your troubles, weakneffes, and diftreffes,

diftreffes, that hang about you, for thefe workings of death will be quickly over.

4. Join not yourselves with the congregation of the dead. Beware, (1.) Of dead company, making them your beloved companions, for "a companion of fools fhall be destroyed." (2.) Renounce dead works, as an impiety towards God, and unrighteousness towards men. (3.) Beware of a dead cafe and frame, that is, to be cold, ftiff, motionlefs, of the colour of clay, as men that are in a withered, lifelefs, fpiritual condition.

Laftly, Let heaven and eternal life be the main thing ye have in view, and are in queft of, faying, There is my reft, and there muft I be.

THE SUITABLE IMPROVEMENT OF SAINTS

FORMER EXPERIENCES. *

SERMON XI.

2 KINGS, ii. 14. And he took the mantle of Elijah, that fell from him, and fmote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

A1

MONG all the Elders who have through faith obtained a good report, there is none more remarkable than Elijah the Tifhbite. He was a perfon altogether extraordinary. In his exercife and experience he was fingularly distinguished. His tranflation was a ftriking lofs to the church of God; it was, however, not irrepairable; his exercifes were, in fome meafure, patterns to the people of God in after ages; his experiences were powerful encouragements to a following of him who through faith and patience inherited the promiles; and, what was of ftill greater importance, Elijah's God fill lived, and, as being the fame yet

* Delivered August 16. 1713.

terday,

terday, to-day, and for ever, was to be the object of hope and confidence to his people in all generations. In all their ftraits he was to be looked to, and inquired after, for his prefence with them, and his bleffing upon them. Thus, we fee, was Elifha exercised in the verfe before us; for when overwhelmed, and in perplexity, He took the mantle of Elijah, which fell from him, and fmote the waters, and faid, Where is the Lord God of Elijah?

This verse fhews us,

1. What Elifha did. (1.) He took Elijah's mantle, that fell from him; God fo ordered, that it fell in Elifha's fight for his comfort, that he might have it as a token of the spirit of Elijah resting on him. He willingly takes it up; he did not fay, What avails the mantle now, when it is not above Elijah's fhoulders? No; that God that did wonders by it before, can do the fame again, on whose shoulders foever, by divine appointment; even fo the ordinances of God are to be prized for the Lord's fake, not flighted for the fake of the inftruments, though they are not like to fill the room of those that went before them. (2.) He fmote the waters with it. He was to go back to the schools of the prophets in Jericho. Though the Lord take away eminent inftruments, his work must not be neglected, they that are left behind must beftir themselves to carry on the Lord's work. Jordan was between him and them, as oftentimes depths of difficulties will be found in the way of duty. He might have boated it over; that was the easiest way, and to a carnal eye the fafeft. But it was not the way his godly predeceffor took before him; therefore, having the fame spirit as he had, he will rather believingly venture on the waters, in the faith that God