affected. Sure there will be a larger share, that will come even to the part of ministers, when such an effusion of the Spirit shall be, as is here signified: that they shall know how to speak to better purpose, with more compassion and sense, with more seriousness, with more authority and allurement, than we now find we can.

Other ways also we may suppose the Spirit to have mediate influence by others for this purpose. I shall only close this discourse with saying somewhat to an objection that some may be apt to make.

"But to what great purpose is it, may some say, to speak of what the Spirit will do, when it shall be so largely and plentifully poured forth? This we do not doubt, but when the Spirit comes it will do very great matters; (as the Jews' expectation was, 'When Elias cometh, he will restore all things;') but what shall we do in the mean time? and what good will the foreknowledge of this do us now?"

Certainly it will import us not a little even now, to know which way we are to look, what it is that will do our business, and must do it ; to be at least delivered from that impertinent trouble of making vain attempts, and of expecting that to be done any other way, which can never be. Our experience shews us, alas! it is not this nor that external frame of things, that can mend our case. Should we not be as bad, as any other men can be to us, if there be not another spirit? Hath not experience shewn it? And to have a disposition to be continually making attempts, wherein we are sure to be disappointed, and can bring about nothing, so that we shall but traffic for the wind; it is but to add mockery to the torment of our disease. It is indeed a part of the disease itself, to have a kind of pruriency, and itch to trying things, that would make our case so much the worse. A prosperous state of things externally, some are ready to imagine, would itself do all. Alas! What an impertinency were that, and how little to the purpose ? In all likelihood it would make us ten thousand times worse, than the sharpest sufferings could ever make us, or let us be, according to God's ordinary methods, And to know, that we are to look one way, is certainly a great advantage; that we may hence at least learn not to look a contrary way; that when we hear it is the effusion of this Spirit, must do our business, we should not let our spirits run into union with another kind of spirit: as it is with all such, that, when a state of things displeases them, are ready to cry out, "Let fire come down from heaven, and make a present destruction of all." "You know not what spirit you are of," saith our Lord in this case. Is this like the gentle workings of that be

nign and sweet Spirit that we are told must do our business? And it would be a great advantage to us, if the apprehension of this did so constantly and habitually possess our souls, and sink into our hearts, as to frame all our deportments accordingly; and that this might be understood to be our only avowed expectation and hope. It would deliver the rest of men from fear about us; for certainly no man hath any reason to be afraid of the Spirit of God: that never did any one any hurt. It can never do men any hurt surely to be made better by its operations in so easy a way, and to be brought into so easy a state, as that will be sure to issue in. Hereupon we shall deliver ourselves and the world about us from a great deal of inconvenience, if once this be but understood, and avowed, and seconded by all suitable deportments, that we only expect the Spirit of the blessed God to change the state of things in the world, and to make it better and more favourable unto the religion of serious christians.

SERMON V*.

WE E have been treating of the mediate influence of the Spírit in order to the more prosperous and flourishing state of religion in the world: and have shewn what influence it may have unto this purpose, by the magistracy, and by the ministry, being exercised immediately upon them, and so working mediately by them for the promoting of religion amongst others, by those that stand invested with the glory of these great offices. We shall go on to shew what influence it may have,

Thirdly. By means of family order. And it is too obvious unto common observation, how religion hath decayed, and the interest of it declined by the disuse and deficiency of this means; since families have become so much the nurseries of vice and wickedness, that were much more generally the seedplots of religion.

I doubt not but many of you can remember the time, when in this city family discipline was much another thing than now it is; and the sobriety and diligence and regularity of youth much more than now; and fewer known to miscarry than at this time. And it is too plain a case, that the miscarriage of so many doth owe itself much to this, the neglect and letting down of family government, and the banishing of religion out of families, at least in a very great degree: that there is so

*Preached June 5th, 1678

little calling upon the name of God, so little of family worship, family instruction, family discipline; that there are so few governors of families, of whom it may be said; as concerning Abraham, "I know Abraham :" What will he do? He will command his household, Gen. 18. 19. How few will the state of the case admit that character to be given of in our days! How little care is taken to ground them that are under the charge and inspection of masters of families, in the principles of religion! Do we observe from sabbath to sabbath, that they profit by ordinances? whether they are going forward or backward in the business of religion? And where the fathers of families have, or pretend to have less time, how much might be done by the mothers among the younger children, and the servants of their own sex ? And whereas by the superior heads of families want of time is very much pretended, pray, whose is your time, do you reckon? And whose business is it, that you have to do in the world, God's or your own? And if you will say, that the duties of your callings are part of the business that God will have you do; it is but too possible to do God's business as our own; and therefore it is to be considered, whether you do that business as God's or as your own: and suppose it never so much God's, and intended for him; Doth the doing of part excuse the neglect of the rest? And the lesser and much inferior part, the neglect of the more noble and principal parts of your business? Or would you think, that that servant did discharge himself faithfully, to the office or obligations under which he is, who, when you commit to him in a stated course many sorts of business to be done, spends all his time about one, and neglects all the rest, and the main and most important parts of the business you have put into his hands? And I think it might be considered too to good purpose, whether (since there hath been so great a neglect of keeping up order and government and worship in families, and the thing that is at the first challenge replied by every one is lack of time,) the city is grown much richer than it was in those former days, when men could spare more time for such purposes than they do now?

Whatsoever there is of digression in this, I submit it to your own judgment, how needful and seasonable it is, and whether it be pertinent and proper. But I make no doubt, that, whensoever God shall restore religion in the world, and make it again to prosper, and more to prosper, as we hope he will; it will be by this means in very great part. Much will be done towards it, when it shall please God to stir up the hearts of those, that are governors of families, parents and masters, and to set them with effect on their duty in these things; when

they shall be brought more to tender the precious immortal souls under their care, and be filled with a more just zeal against the licentiousness and growing debauchery of the world. I make no doubt, but when it shall be so, this will be found to do a great deal towards the reviving and restoring religion amongst men. There will be a time, when it shall be said severally, and singly concerning the families of Israel, that God is the God of all their families, (as it is in Jer. 31. 1.) and they shall be his people; so as that the relation shall not be only with the bulk and body of the people in gross, but even with particular families. And this, it is said, should be in the latter days, if you look back to the close of the foregoing chapter, chap. 30. 24. In the latter days, ye shall consider it. And at the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. And it is said, it should be at such a time, as wherein there should be planting of vines upon the mountains of Samaria, (chap. 31. 5.) and when the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim should cry, "Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, unto the Lord our God,' (ver. 6.) when the people of Ephraim, that is, of the other ten tribes that use to go under that name, and those that did belong to Samaria, should go to Zion, as heretofore; a thing which certainly hath not yet been.

Fourthly. By means of the more common and general exam◄ ple of serious and exemplary religion in the professors of it. That is one great means, by which we may suppose the Spirit of God will work much, when it hath made religion to revive and live in some, to make their exemplary walking the means of diffusing religion unto others. Religion is now, as it is exemplified in the walking and practice of the most, a very little alluring thing, very little amiable; it carries little of invitation in it, little by which we may suppose it capable of proselyting the world, and captivating of men generally to the love of it. The mean, low, abject spirit that is discovered by some, and the contentious, jangling and quarrelsome spirit that is discovered by others, carry little of allurement in them to strangers, and signify little to the making of proselytes, and the winning of persons to the love of religion. We have reason to expect that God will work mightily to make religion spread, by a certain aptitude that there shall be in it, when grown more lively and more vigorous, and a brighter shining and more glorious thing in the world, to attract hearts into the good liking of it. We go on to speak

[2.] Of its more immediate and direct influence upon the souls themselves to be wrought upon; which was the second head propounded to be spoken to. And so we are to reckon,