under this account, that it is the power of God unto salvation.' Manifest to me, that any way or parcel of the gospel which we do profess, or practise, hath not the power of God in it, and upon it, towards the furtherance of salvation, and I will throw off that profession.

But you will ask, perhaps, In what sense is the gospel the power of God?

I answer, In a threefold sense.

(1.) Negatively: there is not any other power in it. The world saw that there was a great efficacy in the gospel, and they knew not whence it was; but they charged it upon two things: First, Upon the matter of it, that it was a cunningly devised fable. So the apostle Peter tells us, 2 Epist. i. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power of Christ.' The world charged it so, and thought that gave it its efficacy. Secondly, There was another thing to which they thought its efficacy was owing, and that was the eloquence and power of its preachers. The preachers of it were surely eloquent, excellent men, that they could so prevail upon the people, and win them over to the gospel. No, saith the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5. My speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.' But let not men mistake; the efficacy of the gospel is owing to neither of these causes, but to the divine power that accompanies it.

(2.) It was the power of God declaratively: it made known the power of God. So our apostle declares in the very next words to the text: ' For therein,' saith he, is the righteousness of God revealed.' It hath made a revelation of the way whereby God will save men. It makes a revelation of that power which God puts forth for the salvation of

men.

(3.) It is the power of God instrumentally. It is the instrument. God puts forth to effect his great and mighty works in the world. Preaching is looked upon as a very foolish thing in the world. We preach Christ crucified, to the Greeks foolishness;' 1 Cor. i. 23. But God hath chosen this foolish thing to confound the wise. And though the preachers of it are very weak men, mere earthen vessels, God hath

chosen this weak thing to bring to nought things that are strong and mighty, the things of this world. Therefore, Acts xx. 32. it is called the word of God's grace, which is able to build us up, and give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified.' The plain preaching of it hath this power upon the souls of men, to convince them, convert them, draw them home to God, to expose them to all troubles in this world, to make them let go their reputation and livelihood, and expose themselves even to death itself: it is the power of God to these ends and purposes; God hath made it his instrument for that end. If it were the power of God to give peace and prosperity unto a nation, or to heal the sick, there is no man need, or ought to be ashamed of it; but to be the power of God for so excellent an end, as the eternal salvation of the souls of men, makes it much more glorious. The gospel we profess, all the parts of it, every thing wherein it is engaged, is that whereby God puts forth his power to save our poor souls, and the souls of them who believe: and the Lord God never lay it to the charge of any who would hinder the dispensation of the gospel unto this end and purpose. It were sad for men to keep corn from the poor, plysic from the sick, that lie a dying; but to keep the word of God from the souls of men, that they might be saved, Lord, lay it not to the charge of any.

The author of the gospel was not ashamed of his work he engaged in on our behalf; is not ashamed of us in any of our sufferings, in any of the shameful things we may undergo. The gospel requires no shameful thing at our hands; puts us upon no duty that can justly expose us to shame; the things are good, useful, honourable to men. We have a cloud of witnesses about us: and if any man require of us, what this gospel is, which we profess, and an account whereupon we profess it, we can make this answer; It is the power of God unto salvation;' and for that end alone do we profess it.

I might speak to some farther reasons, to shew why this duty is indispensably necessary; for, as I said, it is not only that we ought not to be ashamed, but the duty is indispensable. And I thought to have spoken to those two heads, which alone make a duty indispensable, that we may not upon any account be against it; because it is necessary, as

we say, 'necessitate præcepti, and likewise, 'necessitate medii;' that is, both upon the command of Christ, and upon the account of the order of the things themselves.

It is necessary upon the command of Christ, because he hath required it at our hands, and under that condition, that if ever we intend to be owned by him at the last day, we should own his gospel in the profession of it. All the world, and all our own things, and all the injunctions of the sons of men, cannot give a dispensation to our souls to exempt them from under the authority of the commands of Christ. Let us look unto ourselves, we are under the commands of Christ, and there is no one particular duty to be avoided, but what must be accommodated to this rule. And not only so,

But it is necessary also from the order of things: Christ hath appointed it as a means for that great end of bringing our souls to salvation. As well may a man arrive to a city, and never come into the way that leads unto it, as we go to rest with Christ, and never come to the profession of the gospel, nor abide by it: this is the way that leads unto it.

I have done with what I thought to deliver upon this doctrine, and among many uses that might be made, I shall only commend one unto you, without which it will be utterly impossible that any of us shall be able at the long run to keep up to the profession of the gospel, or any duty of it. And that is this:

Use. Get an experience of the power of the gospel, and all the ordinances of it, in and upon your own hearts, or all your profession is an expiring thing: unless, I say, you find the power of God upon your own hearts in every ordinance, expect not any continuance in your profession. If the preaching of the word be not effectual unto the renewing of your souls, the illuminating of your minds, the endearing of your hearts to God, if you do not find power in it, you will quickly reason with yourselves, upon what account should you adventure trouble and reproach for it.

If you have an experience of this power upon your hearts, it will recover all your recoiling, wandering thoughts, when you find you cannot live without it. It is so as to every orFinance whatever, unless we can have some experience of the

efit of it, and of the power and efficacy of the grace of God

in it, we can never expect to abide in our profession of it. What will you bear witness unto, an empty, bare profession, that neither honoureth God, nor doth good to your own souls?

If you would then be established in this truth, of not being ashamed of the gospel, recall to your minds what benefit you have received by it. Have you received any advantage by hearing the word? Hath it at any time restored your souls when you have been wandering? Hath it comforted you when you have been cast down? Hath it engaged your hearts unto God? Recall to mind what benefit and advantage you have had by it; and then ask, what it hath done, that now you should forsake it? And in every ordinance that you are made partakers of, inquire diligently what power of God upon your own hearts goes forth in the dispensation of that ordinance. This will confirm and strengthen you; and without this, all your profession is vain, and will signify nothing.

SERMON XXXIX.*

GOD THE SAINTS' ROCK.

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.—Psa!. Ixi. 2.

THERE are two things in the words. First, The state wherein the psalmist was. Secondly, The course that he steered in that state.

His estate is doubly expressed: 1. From the place where he was; 'from the end of the earth.' And, 2. From the condition he was in; his heart was overwhelmed.'

And in the course he steered there are two things also. 1. The manner of it: he cried unto the Lord. 2. The matter of that cry: 'Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.' First, There is the state wherein he was. And,

1. The first description of it (for both parts are metaphorical) is from the place where he was: The end of the earth.' Now this may be taken two ways: either naturally, and then it is an allusion to men that are far distant and remote from help, relief, and comfort; or, as I may say, ecclesiastically, with reference to the temple of God, which was .'in medio terræ,'' in the midst and heart of the land,' where God manifested and gave tokens of his gracious presence and favour: as if he had said; I am at the end of the earth, far from any tokens, pledges, or manifestations of the love and favour of God; as well as from outward help and assistance.

2. The second description of his state is, that his heart was overwhelmed. Wherein we have two things.

(1.) A confluence of calamities and distresses. (2.) The effect they had upon him; his heart was overwhelmed, and fainted under them. As long as the heart will hold up they may be borne: The spirit of a man will bear his infirmity ;' but when the spirit is wounded,' and the heart faints, a confluence of calamities greatly oppresses.

What is meant by overwhelmed, himself declares in

* This sermon was preached Nov. 11, 1670.