unto men; his fitting at the right hand of the Majefty on high, in our nature; making continual interceffion for his people; his prefence in time of trouble, his protection in time of danger, and all the works of his Mediatorship.

(3.) His manifeftations and communications are all fweet. How delicioufly entertained is the believing foul, when he manifefts himself to him, in another way than he does unto the world; and communicates of his grace, mercy, and loving-kindnefs unto him.

8. Hence fee the duty of all finners and believers both. It is the duty of Anners to come to the Saviour: if they would have a screen and fhadow between them and the wrath of God; they are to come to Chrift as the apple-tree, and fit down under his fhadow.-It is the duty of believers, that have been wandering from their refting place, to return to their reft, and take their feat again under his fhadow. As Mofes, being a type of Chrift, ftood in the gap to hold off the wrath of God, Pfal. cvi. 23.; fo Chrift the Mediator of the new covenant ftands betwixt us and the heat of God's wrath, and of the wrath of men and devils. O come under the fhadow of this apple-tree. "Their forrows fhall be multiplied that halten after other gods," and that run to other trees for fhade and fhelter; but comforts fhall be multiplied on them that come to this apple-tree, and fit down under the fhadow thereof. Chrift is the apple-tree, and he is able to help you; "A man fhall be a hidingplace from the ftorm, a covert from the tempeft, as rivers of water in a dry place, and as the fhadow of a great rock in a weary land." Here the weary fhall have reft; the fcorched fhall have fhelter; and the faint fhall have fruit. As he is able, fo he is willing to give all comers welcome entertainment; "Him that cometh, I will in no wife caft out" nay, I will be fo far from cafting him out, that it will never enter into my mind; "I will in no wife caft him out." Our Lord hath a commiffion to receive all comers, and to loose all the prifoners of hope; "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; for he hath appointed me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and to open the prifon-doors to them that are bound, to preach good tidings to the meek," Ifa. Ixi. 1. How heartily does

he

he invite you to come! "On the great day of the feast, Jefus ftood, and cried, If any man thirfteth, let him come to me and drink; if any man hunger, let him come to me and eat." Wherefore are we fent out to you, but to bring you to the apple-tree.

Permit me next to addrefs myfelf to you by way of advice. Let me advise you,

1. To be fenfible of your great need of this fhadow. If any here prefent be infenfible of their need, there are three hands I would fend you to for your conviction.

(1.) One is to the law: for, "By the law is the knowledge of fin:" hear what the law fays to you, "Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them, Gal. iii. 10.-That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before the Lord, Rom. iii. 19.-When the command thus comes, fin will revive, and you will die," Rom. vii. 9.

(2.) Go to the Spirit of God, and hear what the Spirit fays; "When he is come, he will convince the world of fin: Of fin becaufe they believe not on me," John xvi. 8, 9. As the law fhews that you are unrighteous, fo the Spirit fhews you are an unbeliever; the Spirit, by the law, fhews your malady, and by the law and gol pel both, fhews your averfion from the remedy.

(3.) You are to hear what confcience fays; when the law condemns you as a tranfgreffor of the law, and the Spirit convinces you of fin, because you believe not the gofpel; then the proper work of confcience is to país. the condemnatory fentence against you, and to pronounce it in your bofom, making you to fay, I am the I am the woman that hath violated the law of God, and vilified the gofpel of God. But when you are convinced, you must not reft here; for,

man,

2.

O efteem highly of the apple-tree, and the fhadow thereof. How will a fcorched, fun-burnt man defire a fhadow and what would a fainting man give for sweet fruit? Such is to be had under the fhadow of Chrift's righteoufuefs. This is the manner and order of the Spi

rit's work; having convinced of fin, he convinces next of righteoufnefs; he brings first to the fiery law, and then to the fair apple-tree. Let your efteem of him be attended with defire after him and delight in him. I told you the words may read, 'I delighted, and fat down ;' it fuppofes fome heart-panting after him, as the hart pauteth after the water-brooks, Pfal. xlii. 1.

3. O! will you go to the apple-tree. You should not only be fenfible of your loft ftate and condition, and not only defire to be at him, and highly prize and esteem him; but just go to him. How can you fit down under his fhadow, if you go not to him? That is, being fenfible of your need of Chrift, and affured of the worta of Christ, you turn your face towards him, and your back upon every thing oppofite to him; to turn your back upon all the trees of the wood, upon all created confidences wherein you was ready to truft, and to go only to the apple-tree for relief.

4. When you come to the apple-tree, then fit down under the fhadow thereof; and what is this? It is juft fit down; and,

1. Interpofe Chrift between you and all things that annoy you put him between you and all fears; between you and all temptations; between you and all hazards; between you and every fcorching fun.

(2.) Sit down and ftay with Chrift, and never part with him, depart who will; let your language be with Ruth, "Intreat me not to leave, or to return from following after thee; for whither thou goeft, I will go; where thou lodgeft, I will lodge: thy people fhall be my people, and thy God my God," Ruth i. 16. It is remarkable, Chrift fays to his difciples, "Will you alfo go away?" No fays Peter; "Whither fhall we go? thou haft the words of eternal life ?”

(3.) Sit down and quiet yourself in Chrift. The poor fpoufe of Chrift was wandering and reftlefs; fhe can get no reft without or within doors; fhe goes hither and thither: fhe met with the watchmen, and then with the daughters of Jerufalem; but no rest till now that fhe is come to the fhadow of the apple-tree.

(4.) Sit down and take refreshment to your weary fouls;

come

come and feaft upon the apple-tree; and, as you come, be convinced you cannot come alone; Chrift hath told you, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath fent me, draw him;" therefore put up your prayer to God, and fay, The Son of thy love, O Father, hath 'told me, I cannot come under his fhadow, except thou draw me; therefore now, O good and gracious God, for the fake of Jefus, draw me:' and under the influence of this drawing grace, come and fit down and gather apples. "I am the true vine," faid our Lord Jefus, and my Father is the hufbandman;" even fo, he is the true apple-tree, and his Father is the gardener; and he is now come to fhake the tree, to let down the apples about your hands that you may gather, or to bend the branches down to you, that you may pluck what apples you need.

What apples, fay you? Why, we shall tell you of eight forts of apples. Well here is,

1. The apple of imputed righteoufnefs for you that are guilty finners. Your own righteoufnefs is a rotten apple, good for nothing but to be caft away with all your other idols, to the moles and to the bats; but the righteoufnefs of Chrift is a sweet apple, a fresh apple, a ripe apple, ready for eating and if you taste of this apple you fhall live a life of juftification. By eating the forbidden fruit you was condemned; but by tafling of this apple you shall be juftified: " By one man's offence, judgment came upon all men to condemnation: but by the righteoufnefs of one, the free gift comes upon all men unto juflification of life: for, as by one man's difobedience, many were made finners; fo by the obedience of one, fhall many be made righteous," Rom. v. 18, 19.

2. Here is the apple of implanted grace you may pluck from off this tree of life. Do you want even the grace of faith and ability to pluck? It grows upon this tree; Chrift is the author of faith, and the finifher of it. Do you want the grace of repentance? It grows alfo upon this tree, Acts v. 31. "Him hath God exalted, to give re pentance to Ifrael, and remiffion of fin." Do you want love? It grows upon this tree; his love is the feed of love; "We love him, becaufe he firt loved us :" his doing,

dying, rifing, reigning love is the feed that being fown in your heart, will make heart-love to him grow there.Whatever grace you need you may get it upon this tree of life; for, "Out of his fulnefs we all receive, and grace for grace;" or, as it may read, 'Love for love.'

3. Here is the apple of peace. Is not peace with God and peace of confcience a fweet apple? And does it not grow here?" In the world ye fhall have tribulation, but in me ye fhall have peace :-He made peace by the blood of his crofs." O! who would not be in hands with this refreshing apple, that will chear the heart against all the difquiet in the world! This peace in Chrift is like a dry houfe within, in a rainy day without doors. It is like a quiet harbour in ftormy weather; or a safe haven in a terrible tempeft.

4. Here is the apple of joy, joy in the Holy Ghost; and this also grows upon the apple-tree: "Whom having not feen ye love, in whom tho' now ye fee him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory," 1 Pet. i. 8. A tafte of this apple makes all carnal joy tastelefs to you; for, it is unfpeakable joy, full joy, glorious joy, and unfpeakably full of glory; the very dawning of the day of glory.

5. Here is the apple of contentment that grows upon this tree of life; contentment with every lot, every cross; "Godliness with contentment is great gain." When a man tastes of this apple, it makes him fay with Paul, "I am poor, yet poffeffing all things; I am forrowful, yet always rejoice: I have learned in whatfoever state I am, therewith to be content." This fweet apple fweetens every lot, be it never fo bitter.

6. Here is the apple of communion with God, and accefs to him, that grows upon this tree; for, "Thro' him we have access by one Spirit to the Father:" putting the foul in cafe to fay, "Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift." This makes the foul to invite others fometimes to come and fhare, faying, “O taste and see that the Lord is good; for, that which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us;" while we have fellowship with the Father, in his electing love; with the

Son,