Observe the phrase, The gospel of God. It is his embassy of peace to men, the riches of his mercy and free love opened and set forth; not simply to be looked on, but laid hold on. The glorious holy God declaring his mind of agreement with man in his own Son; his blood streaming forth in it to wash away uncleanness, and yet this gospel is not obeyed. Sure the conditions of it must be very hard, and the commands must be intolerably grievous, that they are not hearkened to. Why, judge you if they be. The great command is that, to receive that salvation; and the other is this, to love that Saviour; and there is no more. Perfect obedience is not now the thing. And the obedience which is required, that love makes sweet and easy to us, and acceptable to him. This is proclaimed to all that hear the gospel, and the greatest part refuse it; they love themselves, and their lusts, and this present world, and will not change, and so they perish.

They perish, What is that? What is their end? I will answer that but as the Apostle doth, and that is even asking the question over again, What shall be their end?

There is no speaking of it; a curtain is drawn ; silent wonder expresses it best, telling it cannot be expressed. How then shall it be endured? It is true, that there be resemblances used in Scripture, giving us some glance of it; we hear of a burning lake, a fire that is not quenched, and a worm that dies not'; but these are but shadows to the real misery of them that obey not the gospel. Oh! to be filled with the wrath of God, the ever living God, for ever! What words or thoughts can reach it! Oh! eternity, eternity; Oh! that we did believe it.

This same parallel of the Lord's dealing with the righteous and the wicked, is continued in the following verse in other terms, for the clearer expression, and deeper impression of it.

z Isa. lxvi. 24. Mark ix. 44. Rev. xxi. 8.

Ver. 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

It is true, then, that they are scarce saved, even they that endeavour to walk uprightly in the ways of God, that is, the righteous; they are scarcely saved. That imports not any uncertainty or hazard in the thing itself to the end, in respect of the purpose, and performance of God, but only the great difficulties, and hard encounters in the way; that they go through so many temptations and tribulations, so many fightings without, and fears within ; the Christian being so simple and weak, and his enemies so crafty and powerful; and the oppositions of the wicked world being so many and great, their hatreds, and scorns, and molestations, the slights and violence of Satan, and, the worst of all, the strength of their own corruptions. Alas there is, by reason of abounding corruption, such frequent, almost continual, need of purging by afflictions and trials; to be still under physic; to be of necessity at some times drained and brought so low, that there is scarce strength or life remaining in them.

And, truly, all outward difficulties would be but matter of ease, would be as nothing, were it not the incumberance of lusts and corruptions within. Were a man to meet disgraces and sufferings for Christ, how easily would he go through them, yea, and rejoice in them, were he rid of the fretting impatience, the pride, and self-love, of his own carnal heart. These clog and trouble him worst, and he cannot shake them off, nor prevail against them without much pains, many prayers and tears; and many times after much wrestling, he scarce finds that he hath gained any ground: Yea, sometimes he is foiled and cast down by them.

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And so in all other duties, such a fighting and continual combat with a revolting backsliding heart, the flesh pulling, and dragging downwards; when he would mount up, he finds himself as a bird with VOL. II.

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a stone tied to its foot; hath wings that flutter to be upwards, but is pressed down with the weight fastened to him. What struggling with wanderings and deadness in hearing, and reading, and prayer! and that which is most grievous is, that, by their unwary walking, and the prevailing of some corruption, they grieve the Spirit of God, and provoke him to hide his face, and withdraw his comforts! How much pain to attain any thing, any particular grace of humility, or meekness, or self-denial; and if any thing be attained, how hard to keep and maintain it against the contrary party! How often are they driven back to their old point! If they do but cease from striving a little, they are carried back by the stream: And what returns of doubtings and misbelief, after they thought they were got somewhat above them! in so much that sometimes they are at the point of giving over, and thinking it will never do for them. And yet through all these they are brought safe home. There is another strength which bears them up, and brings them through; but these things, and many more of this nature, argue the difficulty of their course, and that it is not so easy a thing to come to heaven as most imagine it.

Inf. Thou that findest so little stop and conflict in it, goest thy round of external duties, and all is well, art no more troubled; thou hast need to enquire, after a long time spent in that way, Am I right? Am I not yet to begin? Sure this looks not like the way to heaven, as it is described in the Scripture; it is too smooth and easy to be right.

And if the way of the righteous be so hard, then how hard shall be the end of the ungodly and sinner that walks in sin with delight. It were strange

if they should be at such pains, and with great diffi culty attain their end: And he should come in amongst them in the end. They were fools indeed, true! if it were so; but what if it be not so? Then the wicked is the fool, and shall find he is: When

he shall not be able to stand in judgment, where shall he appear? When to the end he might not appear, he would be glad to be smothered under the weight of the hills and mountains, if they could shelter him from appearing?

And what is the aim of all this which we have spoken, or can speak, on this subject, but that ye may be moved to take into deeper thoughts the concernment of your immortal souls. Oh! that you would be persuaded. Oh! that you would make in to Jesus Christ, and seek salvation in him. Seek to be covered with his righteousness, and to be led by his Spirit in the ways of righteousness. That will seal to you the happy certainty of the end, and overcome for you all the difficulties of the way. What is the gospel of Christ preached for? What was the blood of Christ shed for? Was it not, that by receiving him, we might escape condemnation? Nay, this drew him from heaven; for he came that we might have life, and might have it more abundantly".

Ver. 19. Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

NOTHING doth so establish the mind amidst the rollings and turbulency of present things, as both a look above them, and a look beyond them; above them, to the steady and good hand by which they are ruled; and beyond them, to the sweet and beautiful end, to which, by that hand, they shall be brought. This the Apostle lays here as the foundation of that patience and peace in troubles, wherewith he would have his brethren furnished. And thus he closes this chapter in these words: Whèrefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The words contain the true principle of Christian

patience and tranquillity of mind in the sufferings of this life, expressing both wherein it consists, and what are the grounds of it.

1. Wherein it consists: it lies in this, committing the soul unto God; the word εν ἀγαθοποιία added, is a true qualification of this, that it be in well-doing, according to the preceding doctrine, which the Apostle gives clearly and largely, ver. 15, 16. If men would have inward peace amidst outward trouble, they must walk by the rule of peace, and keep strictly to it. If you would commit your soul to the keeping of God, know he is a holy God; and an unholy soul that walks in any way of wickedness, known or secret, is no fit commodity to put into his pure hand to keep: Therefore, as you would have this confidence to give your holy God the keeping of your soul, and that he will accept of it, and take it off your hand, beware of wilful pollutions and unholy ways. Walk so as you may not discredit your Protector, and move him to be ashamed of you, and disclaim you. Shall it be said that you live under his shelter, and yet walk inordinately? As this cannot well be, you cannot well believe it to be. Loose ways will loosen your hold of him, and confidence in him. You will be driven to question your interest, and to think, "Sure, I do but delude myself; can I be under his safeguard, and yet follow the course of the world, and my corrupt heart?" Certainly, let who will be so, he will not be a guardian and patron of wickedness: No, he is not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with him. If thou give thy soul to him to keep upon terms of liberty to sin, he will turn it out of his doors, and remit it back to thee to look to as thou wilt thyself. Yea, in the ways of sin, thou dost, indeed, steal it back, and carriest it out from him. Thou puttest thyself out of the compass of his defence, goest without the trenches, and art, at thine own hazard, exposed to armies of mischiefs and miseries.

• Psal. v. 4

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