full of the filthinefs of fin. Now 'tis the word of God, which is the great inftrument of purifying and purging Ginners from their filthineffes. Job. xv. 3. Now ye are clean, through the word which I bave spoken unto you. Eph. v. 26. That he might fanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word The word of God, is the outward means of purity and cleannefs in heart and life. 'Tis this, which difcovers men's pollutions to them, and gives them a fight of the loathfomeness thereof, whereby they are made to loathe themselves, and feek after purification from them. And 'tis by this word, that God fanctifies men, and makes them to become pure and holy. Job. xvii. 17. Sanctify them by thy truth, thy word is truth. The work of fanctification is begun, continued, and carried on, by the word of God. The holy doctrines, holy commands, holy examples, holy threatnings, and holy promifes contained in the word of God, are the great means of begetting and increafing grace in the fouls of men.

5. The fnow and rain are of a cooling nature; fo is the word of God.-Snow and rain are cold, though in different degrees and both of them have a natural aptitude, to cool things that are hot. When the air is hot, and the earth burnt, by fcorching drought, the rain does then cool them both.-So the word of God cools the hot and fcorched fpirits of Men. Thus, there are burning lusts in the hearts of men, which do inflame them, and fet them on fire; fuch as uncleannefs, drunkenness, paffion, &c. Now the word of God is the great inftru ment for affwaging and extinguishing these lufts. The holy Spirit makes ufe of the word of God, as the principal means, for the mortification of men's vile affections and lufts. The apostle ufing another metaphor, calls this the Sword of the spirit, wherewith he flays the lufts of finners, Eph. vi. 16, He fets home the truths, commands, prohibitions, and threatnings recorded in the word of God, whereby the rage and prevalency of indwelling fin is taken away. Again, There are fcorching afflictions,

afflictions, wherewith men are fometimes exercifed. Afflictions are fome of them compared to a fire, and a furnace. Ifai. xlviii. 10. And there are fome trials. which are called fiery trials, 1 Per. iv. 12. Now the word of God is that which allays the heat of fuch afflictions. This is the great inftrument of refreshing the fpirits of men under the fharpeft afflictions. Pfal cxix. 92. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perifbed in mine affliction. So, Y. 50. This is my comfort in mine affliction; for thy word hath quickned meAgain, there are feorching temptations, wherewith men are fometimes affaulted. We read of the fiery darts of (Satan) the wicked one, Eph. vi. 16. fuch horrid injections of the Devil, as put the fpirits of men, as it were, into a flame. Now the word of God mixed with faith, is the great means of quenching thefe fiery temptations. By that, Chrift repelled the temptations of Satan. Matth. iv. 4, 7, 10. So by fome word brought hence to a tempted foul, the temptation is overcome. By the fword of the Spirit, Satan is put to flight. By the waters of life, his fiery arrows are quenched.

6. The fuow and rain are caufes of fruitfulness; fo is the word of God. The fnow preferves the tender blade from the injury of nipping frofts, and nourishes the herbs; and when it melts, defcends to the roots, and fo prepares them for growth. The rain alfo makes the corn and grafs and herbs and plants, to bud and bloffom and bear fruit. Pfal. cxlvii. 8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grafs to grow upon the mountains.----. So the word of God, tends to make men fruitful in every good work. Matth. xiii. 23. But he that received feed into good ground, is he that heareth the word; and underftandeth it, which alfo beareth fruit, and bringeth forth fome an bundred fold, fome fixty, and fome thirty. Hence Chrift's coming by his Spirit in his word, is faid to be like bowers upon mown grafs, which makes it to grow. Pfal. Ixxii. 6. The doctrines of the gofpel, dropping

G. g.

on

on the fouls of faints, tends mightily to the increase of their graces, and to multiply their fruits of holiness. 1. Pet. ii. 2. As new-born babes, defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Hence they that are planted in the houfe of the Lurd, where the word of God is difpenfed, are faid to grow, and flourish, and tó bring forth fruit. Pfal. xcii. 12, 13, 14.

APPLICATION.

USE I Hence fee how great a mercy it is, to enjoy the word of God.---Snow and rain in their feafons are very great bleffings. The withholding of rain is a great judgment, productive of a famine. So is the want of the word of God, a moft dreadful judgment of God. Ifai. v. 6. I will alfe command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it. i. e. They fhall have no teachers to inftruct them; or if they have, there fhall be no bleffing from heaven, to make their teaching effectual for their good. A famine of the word is much more terrible, than a famine of bread, or a thirft for water. (Amos viii. 11.) The enjoyment therefore of the word of God, is a fingular favour. It is of as great ufe to the fouls of men, as rain is to the earth. We should therefore prize the word of God, as a choice bleffing; and heartily praife God for the enjoyment of it. We give thanks to God for the fhowers of rain, which he feasonably fends to refresh the earth, and make it to bring forth fruits. How much more fhould we bless and praife God for thofe plentiful fhowers of heavenly doctrine, which fall upon us? Thus, when the Pfalmift had been praifing God for the favours of his common providence, among which he mentions the fhow and rain, he does in a more peculiar manner call upon the people of God, to praife him for his word and ordinances granted to them. Pfal. cxlvii. 19, 26. He fheweth his word unto Jacob, bis ftatutes and judgments unto Ifrael. He hath not dealt fo with any nation; and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praife ye

the

The Lord. Though all nations have the natural rain falling upon them, yet but few nations comparatively have the fpiritual rain of the gofpel falling upon them. This therefore being a diftinguifhing favour of divine providence, does in a more efpecial manner call for our praifes.

USE 2. This teaches us to depend upon God for bleffing on his word, that it may become effectual for faving good to our fouls. Snow and rain, are but fe cond caufes, which cannot of themselves cause the earth to be fruitful. They are but means in the hand of God, the firft and fupream caufe. 'Tis he that gives them all their efficacy and vertue, whereby they become productive of good fruits. 'Tis his bleffing accompanying them, which makes them effectual means of fruitfulness. Pfal. xv. 10. Thou makeft the earth Joft with fhowers thou bleffeft the fpringing thereof. Tis not the rain alone, but the bleffing of God, that makes the earth rich and fruitful.--So, it is not the word of God alone, that can make the fouls of men to thrive, flourish, and be fruitful in holiness. If God do not co-operate therewith, it will be altogether ineffectual thereunto. I Cor. iii. 6, 7. I bave planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increafe. So then neither is be that planteth, any thing; neither be that watereth but God that giveth the increafe. The word of God, difpenfed by the most able inftruments, cannot convert finners, or edify faints, without the concurring bleffing of God. We muft not therefore depend on bare or dinances, for being made fruitful by them. We fhould prize them, but not deify them, by trufting to them. Our eye must be unto God alone, in a way of dependance on him, for his power to accompany his word, that it may be unto us of our falvathe effectual means tion. To him we must look and pray, that he would blefs his holy word unto us, that fruit thereby may be found upon us, from him. Our hearts are naturally as the barren wilderness; but he can turn the wilderness Gg 2.

inco

into a fruitful field. He can pour down thofe living waters upon them, which fhall caufe them to bring forth froit abundantly.

As ever then, we expect fpiritual benefit by the word of God, let us be much in prayer to God, that he would teach us thereby to profit. We ask God's bleffing on our bodily food, that our frail natures may thereby be nourished and ftrengthened. So fhould we ask a bleffing on our fpiritual food, the word of God, that our fouls may thereby be in bealth and profper. And if we do not thus beg God's bleffing on his word, we cannot on good grounds hope to be benefited thereby. Though the rains of heavenly doctrine fall frequently and plentifully upon us; yet if we are prayerlefs, we hall bear nothing but briars and thorks, and fo be nigh unto curfing, and in danger of our end's being to be burned. Follow God then with your prayers, for his holy Spirit to accompany his word, that it may bẻ abundantly bleffed unto you: and then may you hope and believe, that it shall become the power of God unte falvation, to your fouls. And let all communicants, in particular, pray for God's bleffing on the Lord's fupper, that vifible word, which hath alfo, in relation to the fouls of believers, many of the properties of rain and now. This ordinance is of a divine original; and when accompany'd with a divine bleffing, hath a fpecial efficacy to promote the good of fouls. It is of a beart foftning and heart-cleanfing tendency. It tends to quench the fiery darts of hell to quench the heat of burning lufts, and to refresh the faints when in the fire of affliction. It tends to make them fruitful in holinefs. But all depends on God's bleffing. This you muft ask for, with humble importunity, in the name of Chrift. God will hear and anfwer the prayer of faith.

DOCT. II. The word of God, fhall moft certainly accomplish his pleafure, and attain the end, for which he fends it.

PROF.