Preface.
That great preacher of the Gospel, and insatiable admirer of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Apostle Paul, in all his writings, but especially in the Epistle, which he wrote to the Romans, [which was by Melancthon well called, The Protestants Confession of Faith,] as well as his Epistle to the Galatians, does abundantly maintain this article of [⟨◊⟩] faith, that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Justifying faith is a receiving of, and a relying on the gift of righteousness from God, by our Lord Jesus Christ; or the consent of a distressed soul to be justified, by God's graciously imputing to him, the obedience which the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Surety, yielded to God, on the behalf of his elect. This faith does justify a sinner, not as it is a work; but organically and relatively; inasmuch as it is the instrument, by which a man apprehends the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, as freely tendered to the sinner in the Gospel. Tis only in this [⟨◊⟩], that faith, and no grace, but this faith, has the honor to justify us. This is the good old way, of arriving to rest; and, Aliter qui Vadit, cadit.
But every jewel has a counterfeit. And, how shall a man know, that his faith in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for his justification, is not a counterfeit?
To answer that case, the blessed Apostle James, under the inspirations of the Almighty, declares to us, the marks of a justifying faith; and those marks are, the works which it perpetually disposes the believer to.
Now among the admonitions of the Apostle to this purpose, there is a special remark due to that, in (James 2:20). Will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
The reader will presently observe in this remarkable passage; both the character of the faith, which does not produce and promote good works, in the man that has it: it is a dead faith; it will be of no use to the man in whom it is; it can do nothing for him: and then, the character of the man who has this faith; he is a vain man; he seems, and he boasts, to have, what he has not; and he flatters himself with hopes that never shall be made good to him. So that, we are now assured, a workless faith is a worthless faith.
Paul, who professedly handles the doctrine of justification, does plainly assert, that no man living is justified by works, but a man is justified only by faith. James does nevertheless assert, that a man is justified by works, and a man is not justified by faith only. And yet, however some of the ancients, as well as Luther stumbled at this appearance of contradiction, the assertions do not contradict one another at all. Paul treats of our justification before God, and the right to everlasting life, therein granted to us, which is only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. James treats of that which may manifest our justification to men, that see and hear, our profession of our faith; and here works are significant. The conscience of a man, may be distressed with a twofold accusation.
First, a man may be accused of iniquity; it may be said, you have broken the law, and thereby wronged the name, of God, and the terrible penalty of that law, now belongs to you. The answer to this accusation is to be, my Lord Jesus Christ has fully obeyed the will of God, and suffered the penalty due to me for my disobedience; and I do by faith depend on this righteousness of my Lord Jesus Christ, for my acceptance with God for ever.
Secondly, a man may be accused of hypocrisy; it may be said, you talk of your faith; but is it not mere talk? How can you prove, that your faith is any more, than what is in the very devils themselves? The answer to this accusation is, the works of a sanctified man, which I am doing every day, are the proof of my faith. According hereunto it is asserted by Paul, that a man is justified alone by faith: but it is asserted by James, that a man is not justified by a faith which is alone. The question discoursed by Paul is, how a guilty person may come to be acquitted by the Lord, from all the guilt that lies upon him? The answer to this question, is, not by any works of our own, but only by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is, on our part, only by faith applied to us. The question discoursed by James, is, whether a man pretending to faith in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be saved, though he continue without the works of a holy life, agreeable thereunto? The answer to this question is, no, such a man has no saving faith at all. And that James is to be taken in that sense, is evident from this: he does insist upon the instance of Abraham; and yet Abraham was a justified man, thirty years, before those works, which are said here to justify him. Upon the whole then, we see Paul and James, reconciled, or, indeed, never contradicting. And we are advised after all; tis a vanity in any man to profess, that he has a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, if his faith be not fruitful in those good works, which may justify the man's profession.
There are two very important cases, about which the thoughts of every Christian, cannot but be exercised; and we will here bestow some of our thoughts thereupon.
The first case which a Christian, must consider, if he would be a Christian, is, what are those good works, which a true faith, will quicken and incline the believer to?
Now we may thus conceive of them; Good Works, are sincere essays to observe the Law of God. Our God has given us a rule of life, in [illegible] which we call, The Moral Law. None of our works are perfectly good, if in any point they fall short of that rule. But none of our works do perfectly come up to the rule, as long as we are lodged in this body which is to die. The best men alive, when they look upon the best works of their lives, may cry out, with one of the Ancients, Terret me tota vita mea, nam apparet mihi, aut Peecatum, aut tota Sterilitas; The sinfulness, and barrenness, of all my life, strikes me with a deadly terror of soul! Nevertheless, there are sincere essays towards perfection, which all believers are conscientiously making every day. Now these essays are good, in the merciful reckoning of God, our Father in our Lord Jesus Christ. Though none of our sincere essays at well-doing are such good works as to justify us, before that three times holy God, who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and whose pure eyes yet behold in our good works, a world of evil: yet our sincere essays are pleasing to our God, who by His Good Spirit has excited them, and assisted them; and, whose workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained, that we should walk in them. Such good works, as our prayers, are, as it is said, in (Proverbs 15:8), the delight of the Lord; and such good works, as our alms, are, as it is said, in (Hebrews 13:16), the sacrifices wherewith God is well pleased.
But now, to speak strictly, Good Works must have these four ingredients to render them such.
First; the matter of our works must be according to the Law of God, or, His will revealed in His Word. The Prophet could say, in (Micah 6:8), He has showed you, O man, the thing that is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Good Works must be such, as the Lord has shown to us, that He has required of us. They are no good works, whereof our God may say, Who has required them? Works of piety, are good works; for we have the Word of our God for them; as in (Psalm 92:1), It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord. Works of charity are good works; for we have the Word of our God for them; as in (Hebrews 13:16), To do good, and to communicate, forget not. No works are good, but such as are contained in the Two Tables of the Ten Commandments; the commandments of love to God, and of love to man.
But to the constitution of Good Works, it is not enough, that the matter of what we do, be according to the Law of God. Men may do works that shall be good for the matter of them, and yet, every work of their hands be unclean, says the Lord. Plowing is lawful, and praying is lawful; and yet these works may be sinful in the doer of them. Therefore,
Secondly, the manner of our works, must be right, as well as the matter of them. A man may incur the wrath of God, by his good works, if he do them not in any manner according to the law, as they should be done. We find, in (1 Chronicles 15:13), The Lord our God is offended at those who seek Him not after the due order. No mere external actions are to be esteemed good works; there must internal cautions go along with them; else they are but the matter of good works, without the form. Good Works must be done with regular circumstances, if they would be called, good.
Thirdly, the design of our works must be right, as well as the manner of them. The design which the Law of God has assigned for our good works, is, that the great God, may be acknowledged, and magnified, and glorified: and the Gospel of God, coming in, has assigned a further design for them; namely, to express our gratitude to our Lord Redeemer, for His redeeming of us. Thus it is enjoined, in (1 Corinthians 10:30), Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. An evil intention will utterly spoil any good works, though they were otherwise never so good. And a merely selfish intention is an evil one. Good Works must all be done, with an eye, to the honor of God, and the service of Christ, before any temporal advantage to self: else the best sacrifices are but an abomination.
Fourthly, Good Works must proceed from a good principle; or otherwise they will have no real goodness in them. Waters that flow from a bitter and a poisoned fountain, can't be good. A good heart, like a good fountain, must be the principle, from where good works are to flow. We are told, in (Matthew 12:35), A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things. A good principle within, is a good treasure of the heart. Works done merely from a principle of slavish fear, or fleshly love, are not good, though they be never so good. There must be a principle of respect to God in Christ, wooing us to all our good works, or else they are stark naught. Yes, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, must be in us, as a vital principle, for our good works, or else they are dead works, every one of them. Hence, no good works were ever done by any one unregenerate man, since the world began; for every unregenerate man is destitute of the principle, which is to be acted in them: the most splendid works of the unregenerate, are but (as Austin called them) splendid sins before the Lord.
And now there is a second case which a Christian has to consider, that so he may be stirred up, and helped on, to do those good works by which he may approve himself indeed a Christian.
Where lies the necessity of Good Works, in a justified believer, to justify the faith, which he is a professor of?
Now we do know this: that our good works are not antecedently necessary to our justification before the God of Heaven. For good works cannot be done by any man, until he be justified. Until a man be united to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Life, he is a dead man: and what good works can a dead man do? This is a thing livelily preached to us, by our Lord Himself, in the fifteenth chapter of John; the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Hence that common saying of Austin, Bona Opera sequuntur Justification, non praecedunt Justificandum. No, nor is faith itself, as doing of good works, that which entitles us to the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, for our justification; 'tis faith, only as it lays hold on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the chief of sinners, that justifies us; and until this be done, we cannot be carried forth to any good works at all.
But then, good works, are consequently necessary upon our justification. 'Tis indeed said, that God justifies the ungodly; but then, He does not leave them ungodly when He has justified them. Well, and where lies the necessity? Truly, if we would not be vain men, we must know such things as these.
First, will you know, O man? That it is in the very nature of a justifying faith, to put a man upon the doing of good works. Faith is a purifier of the heart (Acts 15:9), and so, it cannot but be a purifier of the life. The same faith, which embraces the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Priest, for atonement, (and as doing this, it justifies!) embraces Him also, as a Prophet, and as a King: now this Prophet will instruct, and this King will enjoin, our doing of good works for ever. A justifying faith, receives Christ the sacrificer, and the intercessor; and in that notion, it justifies. But is this all? No, it also, according to (Colossians 2:6), receives Christ the Lord. Now good works are by that Lord required. 'Tis no true faith, which any man has, if it be not for a whole Christ. The Devil said to our Lord Jesus Christ, What have we to do with you, you Holy One? If a man would be concerned with our Lord Jesus Christ, only as a merciful One, and a gracious One, and not likewise as an holy One, that man has no more faith than a Devil! Justifying faith is a tree, which cannot but have the good fruits of good works growing upon it. It is the Holy Spirit of God, that creates, and that bestows, a justifying faith, wherever it is; and that Holy Spirit cannot suffer any soul, in which He dwells, to be wholly remiss about the good works which are agreeable to His holiness.
Briefly; 'tis in the very nature of a saving faith to be a working faith. The Scriptures of Truth, assure us, in (Galatians 5:6), faith works, by love. It was well said, therefore by John Hus, Ubi Bona Opera non apparent ad extra, ibi Fides non est ad intra: faith is not within, if good works are not without. Faith must become visible, and (as has been sometimes said) incarnate, by good works upon it.
Again; will you know, O man? That good works are no small part of the great salvation, which is the hope and claim of all the justified. Our Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed us by His blood; what for? We are informed, in (Titus 2:14), to purify to Himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works. The following words, Let no man despise you, Calvin thinks them spoken to the people, because people often don't care to hear of this; but it is a thing to be spoken with all authority. A main thing, bought for us by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, is, that we may be made happy, by our enjoying a resemblance of that righteousness, in our own doing of good works, wherein we shall be conformed to His example. The doing of good works is one main thing, in that blessedness, which our Lord Jesus Christ has purchased for us, in His being made a curse on our behalf: and a man has no true faith in him, until he be thus persuaded! Very grand is the mistake of men, about salvation: salvation is not merely our fruition of the good things reserved for us, in the unseen and future state; but salvation lies also in our performance of good works leading thereunto. Our captivity to the Devil, is that from which we are in our salvation rescued: and that captivity keeps a man from doing of good works. For a man to be set at liberty from the Devil, and so to do those good works, which are contrary to the works of the Devil, this, this is our salvation. A man's being made able and willing to do good works, like the good angels of Heaven, this is the salvation, which faith does make out after; 'tis the end of our faith, and the salvation of our soul.
Furthermore; will you know, O man? That the commandment of Heaven has made good works incumbent on every man on Earth. It is true, when we are in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are not under a Covenant of works. Our own doing of good works, is not now, the condition of our entering into life. But still, the Covenant of Grace does not release us, from all obligation, to do those good works, which once were the terms of our entering into life; the language of it is that in (Romans 3:31). Do we then make void the [illegible] through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. Because we are under the Covenant of Grace, are we not still obliged to all that holiness, all that watchfulness, all that exactness, which was demanded in the Old Covenant? God forbid! Yea, we do still so establish the law, that if we fail in any one thing, it is our sin, it should be our grief, it will be our shame; and we must, with contrition of heart, make our confession, that we come short of our duty. Indeed, because we cannot but continually transgress, and, in many things we offend all, therefore the New Covenant has provided a remedy for us: it is only the good works of our Lord Jesus Christ reputed ours, that cause us to stand as without fault before the throne of God. But we must own it still, as a fault in us, a fault worthy of death, whenever we miss of doing any thing, that is demanded as a duty, in the Old Covenant: there is a sin, in every transgression of the law; a sin to be confessed, bewailed, abhorred. Yea, and our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel, does, how often? repeat those precepts; in (Matthew 5:16), Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works: and in (Titus 3:8), This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God, should be careful of good works: and in (1 John 2:1), These things write I to you, that you do not sin.
Moreover; will you know, O man? That without good works we are abominably and inexcusably ungrateful to our Lord Jesus Christ, who has done so many kind works for us? The evangelical reason for our good works, is, that we may show our thankfulness to him, who has loved us, and given himself for us; to him, who has loved us, and washed away our sins, in his own blood. If a man have the least grain of true faith in him, he will make that enquiry before our Lord Jesus Christ, in (Psalm 116:12), What shall I render to the Lord, for all his benefits. Now the reply that faith makes to this enquiry, is the same that our Lord himself makes; let those good works be done, which may adorn the doctrine of God the Savior! It was argued, in (Romans 12:1), I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Even so, all the return, which our Lord Jesus Christ expects from us, for all his mercies, is, that we devote ourselves to the service of our Lord: and faith says, that this is a thing infinitely reasonable. Where faith has been infused into the heart of any man, there is no motive to good works more powerful than this upon him. If he could think, I shall escape Hell, yes, I shall merit Heaven, by my good works! this were not such a powerful motive to good works, for a heart that has faith in it, as to think, I shall by my good works glorify, my blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who has done so much for me! That man has no faith in him, on whom this motive has not a very constraining operation. For us to be without good works, would be a horrible reproach to the Lord Jesus Christ, as if he were, a patron of sin, and as if he were a God that had pleasure in wickedness, and evil might dwell with him. Now a true faith will never let a man be so wicked, as thus to reproach the Lord. Foolish and unwise are all they, that thus requite the Lord!
Finally, will you know, O man? That a heart set for the doing of good works, is a qualification, and a preparation of them that shall inherit the recompenses of everlasting life. There is no passing into the most holy heavens, without being, as it is expressed in (Colossians 1:12), made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. All the partakers of the heavenly inheritance, are doing of good works therein for ever; they do nothing but good works there throughout eternal ages. Now, except a man have a heart for good works [in conversion, (Matthew 18:3)] given to him, he is not meet for that inheritance, whereinto there enters nothing that shall defile. The good works which our weekly Sabbath is to be filled withal, make it very wearisome to an unrenewed soul: they say, What a weariness is it? When the sanctification of the Lord's Day, was lately urged upon a grave ceremonious clergyman, he replied, What? would you have a man be upon the rack, a whole day together? Truly, the eternal Sabbath, which our glorious Jesus carries all his people into, men will be weary of it, it will be a rack to them, they won't be suited in it, if they should not have a heart for good works inspired into them; none but those that are thus pure in heart, will be fit for the beatific sight of the most holy God. Our God must work us for that self-same thing, (2 Corinthians 5:5), or, else the thing would be distasteful to us: now, it is by a spirit for good works, that he does work us up hereunto. And he has warned us, in (Hebrews 12:14), Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. Though we shall not go to Heaven for our good works, we cannot go to Heaven without them.
Now what should be the result of our thoughts upon these two cases thus offered, but this?
We are to be advised, first of all, that we do not expect to be justified by our good works, or to do any good works until we are justified, in our believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is of no little importance to us, that our good works have their due place in our divinity: and many treatises of such divinity as the English nation has been of later years defiled and abused withal, have not only been ineffectual to procure those good works, which they have pretended for, but also been really prejudicial thereunto, for their want of this. We must beware how we go to patch up a righteousness of our own, out of those good works whereto God may enable us, or do like them who in (Romans 10:3), being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. There is not a more fatal rock for the shipwreck of a soul, than this! When sinners are awakened, with the apprehensions of the divine vengeance pursuing of them, for their sins, this is the first thing that they usually betake themselves to: they fly first to the good works of a reformation in their faulty lives. No, O [illegible] man; will you know? Your first flight should be to the Lord Jesus Christ, for His righteousness to be conferred upon the most loathsome sinner out of hell; and that you may be found in Him, not having your own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 'Tis a vain imagination that you may not believe on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, for your justification, until by doing of good works you are made fit for the imputation of that righteousness. Many say, indeed they would lay hold on the Lord Jesus Christ, and on His righteousness, but they dare not, because they are not fit for Him. Alas, this also is but another and a finer strain, to set up our own righteousness. How, not fit? The wretched circumstances of your soul, that make you say, not fit, are your very fitness. We must come to our Lord Jesus Christ for those things, which the preposterous hearts of men would come to Him with. It is an error for men to venture their everlasting interest upon the Lord Jesus Christ, under this encouragement, that they have attained to such and such godly dispositions, as will recommend us to Him; we must go to Him, and His righteousness, and venture to cast ourselves upon it, as recommended by nothing, but our own horrible misery, thereunto. Certainly, it will never make sincere converts, to talk of [illegible] off men's fingers from catching hold of Christ, before they are fit for Him. 'Tis our catching hold of Him, that must make us fit for Him, and for every good work! We shall do good works when we have come utterly without them, to the Lord Jesus Christ, first; for a share in the righteousness of the good works which He did for us, and then, for the assistance to do good works ourselves, in a measure like to them. Well, and when we have done our good works, we must after all, remember this, that we are to renounce them all; renounce all dependence on them for the purchase of the divine favor to us. When some told our dying Herbert, the many good works which he had been doing in his life, he only said, Good works, if sprinkled with the blood of Christ! It is the blood of Christ, and not our good works, that must be of any value with us. They that build their faith on their good works, build on a sandy foundation: the primitive Christians were found in this article; (Justin Martyr will clear it:) that we are justified only by a wonderful commutation between our Lord and us, He taking our guiltiness, and we having His righteousness. 'Tis well declared by Cyprian: Non aspernatur Dei Filius carnem Hominis induere, ut cum peccare ipse non posset, aliena peccata portaret. Immortalitate interim posita, fieri se mortalem patitur, ut Innocens pro Nocentium Salute Perimatur. 'Tis well declared by Theodoret, who expounding that passage in the Psalms, I restored that which I took not away, applies it to our Lord Jesus Christ. That is to say: Others robbed God of His glory, but I (says our Lord) have restored it again; the sins by which 'twas done, they were mine by imputation, though never mine by inherency. The Protestant Reformers were so full in this article, that they did not scruple to say, Amisso Articulo Justificationis, simul amissa est tota Doctrina Christiana, and as they lived and died in the judgment of that martyr, whose expiring words were, Behold, a marvellous exchange, my Lord has my guiltiness, and I have His righteousness! thus, they have generally ever since been clear in it, until some of late, have darkened the truth, under pretence of preserving the interests of holiness. Albeit, as our incomparable Owen says, I am not satisfied, that any of those, who at present oppose this doctrine, do in holiness and righteousness, and the exercise of all Christian graces, surpass those who in the last ages, both in this and other nations, firmly adhered to it. Yes, some of the Papists themselves, have been under such convictions, as have compelled them to subscribe to this article; especially, when the approaches of death, have given them with a lively sense to feel themselves going to appear before the judgment-seat of God. Ernestus, the Archbishop of Magdeburg, when he was near his death, was comforted by a Minorite, who told him, that the merit of his good works, would make sure a place in heaven for him; whereupon the dying man cried out, Nullo modo, I will by no means trust to the merit of any good works, done by any man whatever, but the good works of Christ are sufficient for me! Bellarmine himself, who had lived so blamelessly, that he was not conscious of his ever having once told a lie, when he came to auricular confession he could find nothing to mention, without looking back so far as his childhood, yet when his death was arresting him, he durst no more trust to the merit of his good works, but would have that clause inserted in his will, that he desired the Lord to receive him, Non ut aestimater meriti, sed [illegible] Largitor veniae; not on merit, but in mercy!
But we are in the next place to be advised, that having first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, that we may be justified, we do then abound in those good works, which are the proper and genuine symptoms of believers; those good works, which the oracles of Heaven call, the fruits of righteousness. We should, as the Apostle speaks (1 Corinthians 15:58), always abound in the work of the Lord. The Bible has no good words any where, for those Antinomian wretches, with whom good works are despised and neglected: it spits nothing but sulphureous fire, in the faces of those libertines! If we are destitute of good works, we have none but a dead faith, and a dead faith will very little befriend a dead soul. To have no good works then, is a woful thing: and, the admonition is (Matthew 3:10), every tree which brings not forth good fruit, is [illegible] down, and cast into the [illegible]. What then will be the woe, how woful will be the doom of those that are full of evil works, and bring forth much of that evil [illegible], which grows on the vine of Sodom, and in the field of Gomorrah? Sad will it be for us to perish among unbelievers, after we have seemed mightily to believe; and after a fair show of our faith, to be damned among, the workers of iniquity. Surely, if we would with the joy of faith, be satisfied, that the seal of the Holy Spirit, which we seem to have, when we entertain our assurance, that the righteousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ is upon us, is not a cheat, a sham, a self-deluding enthusiasm, it becomes us, with a constant zeal for good works, to exercise our selves, at keeping a conscience void of offence towards God and man. It becomes us, to ponder, how much we owe to our Lord Jesus Christ, and study, how to serve the Lord that has bought us; and with good works always to be at work for Him. It becomes us, to forethink, how little time we have to be working in, how near we are to the time where there can be no working, and to do as many good works, as we can in our time; yes, to call our selves to a daily account, with unspeakable trouble, if we have let one day pass without many of them. It becomes us even to raise our civil and natural, as well as religious works, to the dignity of good works, by the most frequent, most explicit, and most ennobling dedications of all our works, into the Lord. So, it will not be long before we rest from our labors, but our works will follow us.
These things being so, 'tis a great service to the souls of men, to supply them, with rules of trial, by which they may examine themselves, as well concerning their faith, as concerning the good works, which they pretend to. Now, to accommodate his neighbors with such rules of trial, the reverend author of the ensuing discourse, has permitted their desires to be gratified in the publication of it. The discourse is what was delivered to a popular auditory, for which cause, the reader must not wonder, if he find somewhat of inculcation in it: he will seek in such a discourse, Non Scientiam, sed Saporem; and no doubt, he will find what he seeks. But such was the savor which it left upon the minds of the hearers, when it was delivered, as that the notes thereof are here come abroad, for them to ruminate, yet more thoroughly upon that, wherein they have already found themselves not a little edified. The author is known, throughout the churches of the famous and happy colony, to none of the least whereof he has for many years been a faithful pastor; known, for his piety, gravity, and usefulness, more than any recommendations of mine can render him: and my relation to him, will easily excuse me as well as his modesty forbid me, for saying any more. Nor have I any thing further to add, but my hearty prayers, that these good works of this worthy person, may be so profitable among the people of God, in this wilderness, as may fully answer the holy designs, of him that has thus offered to the service of the Tabernacle.
Cotton Mather.
