ceives that there is nothing but wrath speaking to him therein, then he falleth into a great fit of discouragement, as in Lam. iii. 17, compared with verse 18, where the rise of his discouragement, was the misinterpreting of the sad dispensations of God.

Fifthly, This is the rise of a Christian's discouragement, when he is made to possess the iniquities of his youth, and all the terrors of God seem to be called, as in a solemn assembly, round about him; O then, he taketh on a great fit of discouragement.

Now that which secondly we shall speak to is, to propose some considerations unto you to guard against discouragements.

The first shall be this, Those that have a heart that is under the spirit of bondage and discouragement, cannot pray as they ought; discouragement makes prayer a most unpleasant duty; as is clear, Psalm lxxvii. 4, I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Discouragement (as it were) hinders and obstructs the exercise of prayer. Secondly, Discouragement doth exceedingly interrupt the exercise of faith, as in Psalm xliii. 5, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou discouraged within me? trust in God, for I will yet praise him for the health of his countenance. The Psalmist (as it were) speaks a difference (if not an opposition) betwixt the disquieting and faith. If ye would not interrupt the lively acting of faith, ye should study to guard against discouragement, that ye do not sit down and draw desperate conclusions against yourselves. I know ye may call a Christian Marah now, because he is indeed under bitterness; but the day is approaching when ye may call a Christian Naomi, when he shall be comforted with the consolations of God.

The third consideration to press you to guard against discouragement is, there is no duty that a Christian is called to, when he is under discouragement, but it makes it a burden to him; according to that word, Jer. xx. 9, Discouragement brought forth that resolution, Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, &c. A soul that is under the exercise of faith moves swiftly, as the chariots of Aminadab; but a soul that is under the exercise of discouragement, moves, as the chariots of Pharaoh, heavily.

Lastly, There is this consideration to press you to guard against discouragement, namely, misbelief and discouragement is the mother of apostacy; as is clear, Lam. i. 8, She sighed; and what followed upon that? and turned backward. And it is no wonder discouragement grows big with child of apostacy, because it makes duties become tasteless.

Now the rest of the things which we would have a Christian keeping his heart from, we shall only name briefly unto you. The third frame that a Christian should keep his heart from is, from an impatient frame; he should study to make his heart keep silence to any cross that comes to him from the hand of God. Fourthly, He should keep his heart from a lusting frame, not to be taken up in an immoderate pursuit after the things of the world. Fifthly, He should keep his heart from an untender frame; he should study always to keep his heart tender, that he may have that divine soft

ness, that his heart may melt: likewise he is to keep his heart from an unpraying frame-to be at every occasion in a fit temper of spirit for the duty of prayer. Lastly, He is to keep his heart from a secure frame, always to be upon the watch-tower, and wait for the motions of Christ. And there are three things, the motions of which a Christian should take up. First, He should take up the motions of Christ; to hear if he can take up the motions of the sound of Christ's feet, coming over the mountains of Bether. Secondly, He should take up the motions of his conscience, that he may not be sleeping when sin awakes. Thirdly, He should take up the motions of his heart, to see what frame it is in: a Christian should be able to write a diary of his own heart, that in such an hour of such a day, I was in a believing frame; and in such an hour of such a day, I was in a discouraged frame; and in such an hour of such a day, I sought him whom my soul loveth; and in such an hour of such a day, he brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner The sum of all is, if ye would keep your hearts, over me was love. ye must give them to Christ to keep, for that is the best way to keep them well; it is only to Christ ye must commit the keeping of your hearts. Ye know, man had but his heart a short time in keeping, and he lost it. And I shall, before I close, because it is the great design of the preaching of the gospel, give you five considerations, that may provoke you to give your hearts to Christ.

The first consideration is, will ye consider the matchless and O! doth transcendant excellency which is in precious Christ? not that transcendant beauty preach, My son, give me thy heart? Psalm xxiv. 7, the Psalmist presses opening to Christ upon this account, Lift up your hearts, O ye everlasting doors and gates. And what is the argument wherewith he presses it? And the King of hardglory shall come in. I would only ask this at you, (O! ye hearted) is it not marvelous presumption for you to refuse the precious offers of such a glorious King?

The second consideration to press you to give your hearts in keeping to Christ is, take a view and a comprehensive look of the precious acts of the infinite condescensions of Christ: doth not his coming down from heaven, preach that doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? Doth not his being born under the law, preach that doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? And doth not his being born in so low a condition, preach that doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? And if nothing will persuade you to give your hearts to Christ, ye should take a look of those five wounds which he received in his blessed body: First, Doth not the wound that he received in his right hand, preach this, My son, give me thy heart? Secondly, doth not the wound that he got in his left hand, preach this doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? Thirdly, Doth not the wound that he received in his precious side, preach this soulconcerning doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? And likewise, do not the wounds which he received in his blessed legs, preach this doctrine, My son, give me thy heart? O! were ye never constrained to wish for ten thousand hearts, to ware and bestow upon him? Oh! what hearts have ye, which refuse the offers of so noble and condescending a Prince?

The third consideration is, if you will look upon those things which intreat you to give Christ your hearts, ye cannot but give them unto him. Christ cries, O! come and give me your hearts: necessity cries, O! go, and give Christ your hearts: and we say likewise, O! give Christ your hearts to keep.

The fourth consideration is, will ye look upon these unspeakable disadvantages which attend those that will not give their hearts to Christ? I would say this by the way, there are two balances in which we weigh our hearts. First, Some weigh their hearts in the balance of the sanctuary, and they are found light. Secondly, Some weigh their hearts in the balance of deceit, and they are found without fault. But now I say this to the persons who will not give their hearts to Christ, I defy all the angels in heaven to speak forth their unspeakable disadvantages? yea, sense shall be the best preacher of it in that day. And I shall name these three inexpressible disadvantages to you. First, If ye give not Christ your hearts, Christ shall be your eternal enemy. And in the contrary to that precious doctrine which he once preached, Come unto me, he shall pronounce that sad sentence against you, Depart from me; and therefore, as ye would not engage Christ to be your eternal enemy, ye should give him your hearts. O! the gospel-vengeance of a crucified Saviour, will be more terrible, sad, and fearful, than the vengeance of the law; Christ is the best friend, and the most terrible foe. The second disadvantage is, ye shall be eternally shut out from the enjoyment of the blessed company of angels, and from the souls of just men made perfect; and O! therefore, meditate and consider upon this, what it is to be separated from the Father, the first person of the blessed Trinity; and from the Son, the second person of the blessed Trinity; and from the Holy Ghost, the third person of the blessed Trinity; and from all the blessed society which are in heaven. And the last disadvantage is, ye shall be kept under these everlasting chains, even all of you who will not give your hearts to Christ. If ye be not under this everlasting chain of love, ye shall be under these everlasting chains of wrath. I suppose the most stout-hearted sinner here, if he could but a moment hear the screechings of the damned, (if it were granted to him) would not delay to give his heart to Christ.

The last consideration is, O consider these infinite, eternal, and unchangeable advantages that those have who give their hearts to Christ: we conceive, if all the angels in heaven would preach together upon the unspeakable blessedness of the saints in heaven, they would always close their sentences with this, It is unspeakable joy which attends those that are admitted to that blessed life. There are five things which are unchangeable to Christians, and five things which are unchangeable to reprobates; there is this, which is unchangeable to the saints: First, Their communion with God shall be unchangeable; for, after they shall win to heaven, they shall be under a continual and blessed emanation of Christ's presence. Secondly, They shall have an unchangeable love. A Christian's love, while he is here, is like unto the moon, subject to many vicissitudes and alterations; but afterwards, when they shall be in heaven, their love shall be unchangeable. Thirdly, His holiness shall then be

284 HOW A CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO KEEP HIS HEArt.

unchangeable, when once he shall put on the robe of Christ's righteousness, he shall then sing that song, O death! where is thy sting? And O grave! where is thy victory? Fourthly, His praise to God shall then be unchangeable: O! what a pleasant sight shall it be, to see the souls of just men made perfect, with harps in their hands, singing these pleasant songs unto God most sweetly, Hallelujah to him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb, which lives for ever? Their tongue is made like the pen of a ready writer: there is not such a complaint uttered by Moses in heaven, I am a man of slow speech neither doth Jeremiah now complain, I am a child, and cannot speak. Fifthly, Their desires after God shall then be unchangeable: a Christian, while he is here below, will desire God now, and within a little while, he will desire his idols: but when he shall be above, his desires after God shall be unchangeable.

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And upon the contrary, there are five things unchangeable in the lot of a reprobate, and of those that will not give Christ their hearts. First, Their separation from God shall be unchangeable: when once they shall go down into the pit, there shall be no hope of coming up again. Oh! would ye think upon this, what a life it shall be, to be under eternal excommunication from Christ's presence? O! but if ye knew Christ, and believed what an one he were, ye would close with him. Secondly, The reprobate shall have an unchangeable sorrow; O! he may be sad, when the vengeance of God shall be squeezing the marrow out of his bones, and when he is eternally shut up in these horrible flames, and out of them to have no redemption. Thirdly, Reprobates shall have an unchangeable hatred against God, and God shall have an unchangeable hatred against them; and I cannot wish a greater misery to any, than for Christ to have an unchangeable hatred against them. Fourthly, Ye that are aliens from God-ye shall sin unchangeably, ye shall never cease to sin, and ye shall never cease to be tormented; on these two eternity shall be spent. Lastly, Your inward anxiety and torturing of conscience, shall be unchangeable; that worm shall never die, but shall eternally gnaw your conscience.

Now what shall we say more? We have set life and death before you, and whether of them will ye embrace? O! that ye would embrace Christ, even precious Christ, and give over your hearts to that blessed Lord. It is like, in these days, that the devil hath purchased many harpers to himself, to sing that song, I am not far from victory. The curse of a crucified Saviour shall eternally come down upon the heads of those who will not give their hearts to Christ; and to you that will, or have given your hearts to Christ, the eteral blessing of Christ shall come upon your hearts. Behold the day is coming, (O atheists!) when ye would give ten thousand worlds for one invitation of the gospel again; and ye would be content to bide ten thousand years in hell for one preaching, and it shall be denied to you. O therefore, do not withstand Christ's offers take him, ye will get him for a look; and know, that if ye will not love him now, his heart will burn with hatred against you; and one day he shall curse your cursed hearts, for that hatred ye bare to him. Now to him who intreats you to embrace his offer, be praise.

TWO SERMON S

CONTAINING

ARGUMENTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR

HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD'S THREATENING

ROD.

SERMON I.

MICAH. vi. 9.- The Lord's voice crying unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

Ir is a question that is hard to determine, whether the greatness of God, or the condescendency of God, be the greatest mystery? But O! when both these are put together, they make up a matchless mystery. What is more dreadful than power which cannot be resisted? And what is more terrible than wisdom from which nothing can be hid? And yet what is more sweet than the love wherewith he hath loved us, and the unchangeableness thereof, which doth cut off all suspicion ? I would only say this unto you, God hath been speaking to you divers ways, and by different things; and as the apostle speaketh, There are many voices in the world, and every voice hath its own signification, so I may say, there is not a voice by which God speaks to you, that needs to be a barbarian speaking in an unknown tongue.

I confess, it is sad, that when God condescends to speak unto us so many different ways, there should be so many who should stop their ears are there not some to whom Christ hath piped, and they have not danced? And now he is beginning to mourn to you, and O! will ye not lament? I would say this unto you, the day may be approaching, when Glasgow's rods shall be preachers, and its crosses teachers from the Lord. Yea, God is beginning to preach that word to you, that is in Jer. ii. 31, O generation, see the word of the Lord, &c. If ye will not hearken to God, in the voice and mouth of his preachers, he will send a more severe preacher unto you, and ye shall be forced to hear his voice. I say, look that the contempt of Christ in his rods, in his ordinances, and in his offers, make not this place an Aceldama, a field of blood, and a Golgotha, the place of dead men's sculls. I say to you, the day may be approaching, when ye shall meet with these six silent things from God. First, When ye shall meet with silent rods, when ye shall not know nor understand the language of them, when they shall speak to you in a strange and profound language, which ye shall