upon us, we cannot make protestation that we are of the company of the children of God, that we are of his church and people, to be short, we can have nothing to do with Christ, unless we be delivered from all our filthiness. If a man should call himself the servant of a prince, and in the mean time be a thief, ought he not to be doubly punished, because he abused the name that in no wise belonged to him? Behold the Son of God, who is the fountain of all holiness and righteousness! shall we endeavour to hide ourselves, and cloak all our filthiness, be it ever so shameful, under his name? Is not this such horrible sacrilege, that it deserveth the most severe punishment? It is true, that let us take whatsoever pains we may to serve God purely, we cease not to be wretched sinners, full of blemishes; and to have many wicked imperfections in us.

But if we desire to do well, if we hate sin, though we go limpingly, seeing our design is good, and we strive to go forward in the fear of God, and in obedience to his will, this is a right affection; and Jesus Christ maketh the same account of us, as though we were just; he freeth us from all our faults, and charges them not to our account. Therefore, the faithful, though they be not entirely perfect, though they have many sins, are taken for God's children; and Jesus. Christ thinketh it no dishonour that they should be called by his name: for he causeth the goodness which is in them, through his grace, to be acceptable to God.

But if we abuse the name of Jesus Christ, and make a cloak of it for our sins, do we not deserve to have him rise up against us. seeing we have dishonoured his majesty, and falsified his name? Therefore, let us mark well what this word, christianity, meaneth its meaning, is to be members of the Son of God! Christ having been pleased to accept us, we must cleave to him in all righteousness; for he hath

received all fulness, that he might make us partakers of his grace. The spirit of God must reign in us, if we would be taken for his children, and for members of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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All those that give themselves to wickedness, and submit not themselves to the will of God, to mortify their wicked lusts, are false varlets and abusers, in pretending to claim the name of christians. When we see men separate themselves from the church of God, when we see those who have begun well, go not on, we must remember that although there be weakness men, the foundation of God ceaseth not to remain sure. And how so? Because God knoweth whom he hath chosen, and will certainly maintain them. Therefore, let us not doubt but what we are of that number, seeing our Lord hath called us to him; for this is a witness that he had chosen us before we were born: then let us content ourselves with this holy calling.

Let us not be troubled with whatever stumblingblocks may fall in our way; but in the mean time, let us hope that we shall be preserved by the power of God, and that he will maintain his church, and not suffer his people to perish; although the world may strive hard to lessen their number. Let us study to walk in fear, not abusing the will of our God; but know, seeing he hath separated us from the rest of the world, that we must live as children in his house : for he hath given us the outward mark of baptism, that we may have the seal of the Holy Ghost. This is the earnest (as St. Paul calleth it, Eph. i. 14.) of our election it is the pledge which we have of our being called to the heavenly inheritance.

Therefore, let us pray to God, that he would sign and seal his free election in our hearts by his holy spirit; that he would shelter us under the shadow of his wings and if the poor castaways go astray, and are carried away by the devil; if they fall, never to

rise again; if they cast themselves headlong into destruction, let us pray God to keep us under his protection, that we may be in subjection to his will, and be maintained by his power. Although the world strive to shake us, still let us rest ourselves upon this foundation; The Lord knoweth them that are his: and let us never be put from it, but stand steadfastly to it, and profit more and more by it, until God take us to his kingdom, which is not subject to any changes.

SERMON VII.

1 TIMOTHY, Chap. ii. verses 3, 4, and 5.

3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

WHEN we despise those whom God would have honoured, it is as much as if we should despise him: so it is, if we make no account of the salvation of those whom God calleth to himself. For it seemeth thereby, that we would stay him from showing his mercy to poor sinners, who are in the way to ruin. The reason why St. Paul useth this argument, that God will have all the world to be saved, is, that we may, as much as lieth in us, also seek the salvation of those, who seem to be banished from the kingdom of God; especially while they are unbelievers.

We must always observe what the condition of the world was in the days of St. Paul. It was something new and strange to have the gospel published to the world in those days: for it appeared that God had chosen the stock of Abraham, and that the rest of the world would be deprived of all hope of salvation. And indeed we see how holy writ setteth forth the

adoption of this people: but St. Paul commandeth us to pray for all the world; and not without cause; for he addeth the reason, which is here mentioned: to wit, because God will have all men to be saved. As if he should say, my friends, it is reasonable that we should observe what the will of God is, and at what he aimeth; that every one of us may employ himself to serve him aright.

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Therefore, seeing it is the will of God, that all men should be partakers of that salvation which he hath sent in the person of his only begotten Son, we must endeavour to draw poor, silly, ignorant creatures, to us, that we may all come together, to this inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, which hath been promised But we must observe, that St. Paul speaketh not of every particular man, but of all sorts of men, and of all people. Therefore, when he saith that God will have all men to be saved, we must not think that he speaketh of them individually, but his meaning is this; that whereas in times past he chose a certain people to himself, he meaneth now to show mercy to all the world; yea, even to them that seemed to be shut out from the hope of salvation.

He saith in another place, the heathens were without God, and void of all promise; because they were not as yet brought to the fellowship of the Jews. This was a special privilege that God had given to the descendants of Abraham. Therefore St. Paul's meaning is, not that God will save every man, but that the promises which were given to but one people, are now extended to all the world: for as he saith in this same epistle, the wall was broken down at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God had separated the Jews from all other nations; but when Jesus Christ appeared for the salvation of the world, then was this difference, which existed between them and the Gentiles, taken away.

Therefore, God will now embrace us all and this

is the entrance into our salvation. For if that had always continued, which God ordained but for a season, then should we be all accursed; and the gospel would not have been preached to us: we should have had no sign or token of the love and goodness of God. But now we have become his children; we are no more strangers to the promises, as were our fathers for Jesus Christ came to be a Saviour to all in general; he offered the grace of God the Father, that all might receive it.

As St. Paul speaketh of all nations, so he likewise speaketh of all conditions; as if he should say, God will save kings and magistrates, as well as others: we must not restrain his fatherly goodness to ourselves alone, nor to any certain number of people. And why so? For he showeth that he will be favourable to all thus we have St. Paul's meaning. To confirm this matter, he addeth, it is God's will that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. We must mark well why St. Paul useth this argument; for we cannot know the will of God, unless it be made known to us; unless we have some sign or token whereby we may perceive it. It is too high a matter for us to know what God's counsel is ; but as far as he showeth it to us by effect, so far we comprehend it.

The gospel is called the mighty power of God, and salvation to all them that believe: yea, it is the gate of paradise. It followeth then, if through the will of God the gospel be preached to all the world, there is a token that salvation is common to all. Thus St. Paul proveth, that God's will is that all men should be saved. He hath not appointed his apostles to proclaim his name only among the Jews, for we know that the commission was given them to preach to all creatures; to be witnesses of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem to Samaria, and from thence throughout all the world.

Are the apostles sent to publish the truth of God