See St. Mark iv. 1, and St. Luke viii. 5. All these together are the thorns, and these grow in hearts that do more deeply receive the seed, and send it forth, and spring up more hopefully than either of the other two, and yet choak it. Oh! the pity.

Many are thus almost at heaven, so much desire of renovation, and some endeavours after it, and yet the thorns prevail. Miserable thorns! The base things of a perishing life drawing away the strength of affections, sucking the sap of the soul. Our other seed and harvest, our corn and hay, our shops and ships, our tradings and bargains, our suits and pretensions for places and employments of gain or credit; husband, and wife, and children, and house, and train; our feastings and entertainments, and other pleasures of sense, our civilities and compliments; and a world of those in all the world are these thorns, and they overspread all. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

And for how long is all the advantage and delight of these? Alas! that so poor things should prejudice us of the rich and blessed increase of this divine seed.

The last is good ground, a good and honest heart; not much fineness here, not many questions and disputes, but honest simplicity, sweet sincerity, that is all; a humble, single desire to eye and to do the will of God, and this from love to himself. This makes the soul abound in the fruits of holiness, receiving the word as the ground of it: different degrees there are indeed, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred fold, yet the lowest aiming at the highest, not resting satisfied; yet growing more fruitful-if thirty last year, desiring to bring forth sixty this.

This is the great point, we ought to examine it; for much is sown and little brought forth. Our God hath done much for us, (what more could be done?) yet when grapes were expected, wild grapes are produced. What becomes of all? Who grow to be more spiritual, more humble and meek, more like Christ, more self-denying, fuller of love to God, and one to

another? Some; but, alas, few. All the land is sown, and that plentifully, with the good seed: but what comes for the most part? Cockle and no grain. Infelix lolium.

We would do all other things to purpose, and not willingly lose our end; not trade and gain nothing; buy and sell and live by the loss; not plough and sow, and reap nothing. How sensibly do we feel one ill year! And shall this aloue be lost labour, that, well improved, were worth all the rest? Oh! how much more worth than all! Shall we only do the greatest business to the least purpose? Bethink youselves, what do we here? Why come we here! If we still remain as proud and passionate, and as self-willed as before, what will all great bargains, and good years, and full barns, avail within a while? That word, Thou fool, this night shall they fetch away thy soul, how terrible will it be!

We think we are wise in not losing our labour in other things. Why, it is all lost, even where most gained. What amounts it to, cast up? Vanity and vexation of spirit is the total sum. And in all our projecting and bustling, what do we but sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind; sow vanity, and reap vex

ation?

This seed alone being fruitful, makes rich and happy, springs up to eternal life. Oh that we were wise, and that we would at length learn to hear every sermon as on the utmost edge of time, at the very brink of eternity! For any thing we know for ouselves, of any of us it may be really so; however, it is wise and safe to do as if it were so. Will you be persuaded of this? It were a happy sermon if it could prevail, for the more fruitful hearing of all the rest henceforward. We have lost too much of our little time; and thus, with the apostle, I beseech you, I beseech you, receive not the grace of God in vain.

Now that you may be fruitful, examine well your own hearts, pluck up, weed out, for there are still thorns. Some will grow; but he is the happiest man that hath the sharpest eye and the busiest hand, spy.

ing them out, and plucking them up. Take heed how you hear; think it not so easy a matter. Plough up, and sow not among thorns, Jer. iv. 3.

And above all, pray, pray before, after, and in hearing. Dart up desires to God, he is the Lord of the harvest, whose influence doth all. The difference of the soil makes indeed the difference of success, but the Lord hath the privilege of bettering the soil. He that framed the heart, changes it when and how he will. There is a curse on all grounds naturally, that fell on the earth for man's sake, but fell more on the ground of man's own heart within him: Thorns and briars shalt thou bring forth. Now it is he that denounced that curse, that alone hath power to remove it; he is both the sovereign owner of the seed, and changer of the soil, turns a wilderness into Carmel by his Spirit; and no ground, no heart can be good till he change it.

And being changed, much care must be had still of manuring, for still that is in it, that will bring forth many weeds, is a mother to them, and but a stepmother to this seed. Therefore,

Consider it, if you think this concerns you; he that hath an ear to hear, as our Saviour closes, let him hear. The Lord apply your hearts to this work; and though discouragements arise without, or within, and little present fruit appear, but corruption is rather stronger and greater, yet watch and pray; wait on, it shall be better, this fruit is to be brought forth with patience, as St. Luke hath it. And this seed, this word, the Lord calls by that very name, the very word of his patience. Keep it, hide it in thy heart, and in due time it shall spring up. And this patience shall be put to it but for a little while; the day of harvest is at hand, when all in any measure fruitful in grace shall be gathered into glory.

SERMON XIV.

2 COR. vii. 1:

Having therefore these promises, (dearly beloved,) let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

It is a thing both of unspeakable sweetness and usefulness for a Christian, often to consider the excellency of that estate to which he is called. It cannot fail to put him upon very high resolutions, and carry him on in the divine ambition of behaving daily more suitably to his high calling and hopes. Therefore, these are often set before Christians in the scripture, and are pressed here by the apostle upon a particular occasion of the avoidance of near combinements with unbelievers. He mentions some choice promises that God makes to his own people, and of their near relation to, and communion with himself. And upon these he enlarges, and raises the exhortation to the universal endeavour of all holiness, and that as aiming at the very top and high degree of it.

In the words are, 1. The thing to which he would persuade. 2. The motive. The thing-holiness in its full extension and intention; "purging ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

The purging out of filthiness, and perfecting of holiness, express those two parts of renewing grace, mortification and vivification, as usually they are distinguished. But I conceive they are not so truly dif ferent parts, as a different notion of the same thing; the decrease of sin and increase of grace being truly one thing, as the dispelling of darkness and augmenting of light. So here the one is rendered, as the necessary result, yea, as the equivalent of the other;

the same thing indeed; purging from filthiness, and in so doing perfecting holiness; perfecting holiness, and in so doing purging from filthiness: that perfection, by which is meant a growing, progressive advance towards perfection.

The words, without straining, give us as it were the several dimensions of holiness: the breadth, purging all filthiness; the length, parallel to man's composure, running all along through his soul and body,purging filthiness of the flesh and spirit; the height, perfecting holiness; the depth, that which is the bottom whence it rises up,-a deep impress of the fear of God. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Cleanse ourselves. It is the Lord that is the sanctifier of his people, he purges away their dross and tin, he pours clean water, according to his promises, yet doth he call to us to cleanse ourselves; even having such promises, let us cleanse ourselves. He puts a new life into us, and causes us to act, and excites us to excite it, and call it up to act in the progress of sanctification. Men are strangely inclined to a perverse construction of things: tell them that we are to act and work, and give diligence, then they would fancy a doing in their own strength, and be their own saviours. Again, tell them that God works all our works in us, and for us, then they would take the ease of doing nothing; if they cannot have the praise of doing all, they will sit still with folded hands, and use no diligence at all. But this is the corrupt logic of the flesh, its base sophistry. The apostle reasons just contrary, Phil. ii. 13: It is God that worketh in us, both to will and to do. Therefore, would a carnal heart say, we need not work, or at least, may work very carelessly. But he infers, Therefore let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, i. e. in the more humble obedience to God, and dependence on him, not obstructing the influences of his grace, and, by sloth and negligence, provoking him to withdraw or abate it. Certainly many in whom there is truth. of grace, are kept low in the growth of it, by their