about him, while paffing through this valley of Baca, which make him to go many times with a boweddown back. What these weights and burdens are, ye may hear more fully afterward.

The obfervation I offer from the words, is this, That believers are many times burdened, even unto groaning, while in the clay-tabernacle of the body; we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened.

The method I fhall obferve in handling this doctrine, is, 1. To give you fome account of the be liever's prefent lodging; he is in a tabernacle. 2. Of the believer's burdens in this tabernacle. 3. Of his groans under thefe burdens. 4. Conclude with

fome improvement of the whole.

1. The first thing is, To give you fome account of the believer's prefent lodging while in the body and there are these two or three things that I remark about it, which I find in the text and context.

1. Then, I find it is called a houfe in the first verse of this chapter; and it is fitly fo called, because of its rare and curious ftructure and workmanship, Pfal. cxxxix. 14, 15. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy works, and that my foul knoweth right well. My fubftance was not bid from thee, when I was made in fecret, and curiously wrought in the lower parts of the earth. The body of man is a wonderful piece of architecture, the fkill and wisdom of the great Creator is wonderfully difcovered therein; it is fet up, as it were, by line and rule, in fuch exact order, that the most curious piles and edifices in the world are but a chaos or mass of confufion, when compared therewith. Take a clod of duft, and compare it with the flesh of man, unless we were VOL. II. G

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inftructed of it before hand, we would not imagine it to be one and the fame matter, confidering the beauty and excellency of the one above the other; which evidently proclaims the being, power, and wisdom of the great Creator, who made us and not we ourselves, and who can fublimate matter above its first original.

2. I remark, concerning the believer's prefent lodging, that however curious its structure be, yet it is but a house of earth; therefore called in the firft verfe, an earthly houfe: And it is fo, especially in a threefold refpect; 1. In refpect of its original, it is made of earth. It is true, all the elements meet in the body of man, fire, earth, water and air; but earth is the predominant: And therefore, from thence he is faid to have his rife, Job iv. 19. He dwells in boufes of clay, and his foundation is in the duft. Whatever be the beauty, ftrength, ftructure, or high pedigree of men; yet as to their bodies, they claim no higher extract than the duft of the earth. 2. It is a house of clay, in refpect of the means that fupport it; it ftands upon pillars of duft: For the corn, wine and oil, wherewith the body of man is maintained, do all spring out of the earth, Hof. ii. 21, 22. God is faid to hear the heavens, the heavens to hear the earth, the earth to hear the corn, wine and oil, and thefe to hear Jezreel. And, if thefe props be withdrawn, how foon will the clay-tabernacle fall to the ground, and return to its original! 3. It is a houfe of earth in refpect of its end; it returns thither at its diffolution: Accordingly, fee that of God to Adam, Gen. iii. 17. Duft thou art, and unto duft thou shalt return. Perhaps there may be fome allufion unto thefe three, in that paffionate exclamation of the prophet Jeremiah to the rebellious Jews,

Jews, Jer. xxii. 29. O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. They were earth in their original, they were earth as to their support, and they would return unto earth in the end.

2.

3. I remark, concerning the believer's prefent lodging, that it is but at beft a tabernacle; fo it is called, verfe firft, If the earthly boufe of this tabernacle were diffolved; and again here, We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened. Now, a tabernacle or a tent is a moveable or portable kind of habitation, and is peculiar especially to two forts of men : 1. Unto travellers or wayfaring men. To foldiers or wayfaring men. ft. I say tabernacles or tents, they are peculiar to ftrangers or wayfaring men. Strangers, especially in the eastern countries, ufed to carry thefe portable houfes about with them, because of the inconveniencies which they were expofed to: Hence, Heb. xi. 9. it is faid of Abraham, that by faith be fojourned in the land of promife, as in a firange country, dwelling in tabernacles, with Ifaac and Jacob, heirs of the fame promife. They dwelt in tabernacles, because they had no prefent inheritance; they were but strangers and paffengers in the country. To this the apoftle probably alludes here; and fo this intimates to us, that the faints of God, while in the body, are pilgrims and strangers, not as yet arrived at their own country, I am a franger in the earth, fays the Pfalmift, Pfal. cxix. 19. And it is faid of the fcripture-worthies, Heb. xi. 13. that they confeffed that they were firangers on earth; they defired a better country, that is an heavenly. O believer, thou art not a refidenter, but only a paffenger through this valley of Baca; and therefore ftudy a difpofition of foul fuitable to thy prefent condition. 2. Tabernacles, as

they were used by strangers and wayfaring men, fo by foldiers and wayfaring men, who are obliged frequently to move their camps from one place to another Believers, while they are in the tabernacle of the body, must act the part of foldiers, and fight their way to the promised land, through the very armies of hell. We wrestle not (fays the apoftle) with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world, with spiritual wickedneffes in high places, Eph. vi. 12.

And therefore, as the apoftle exhorts, it concerns us to put on the whole armour of God, the field of faith, the belmet of falvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the girdle of truth, and to be frequently accuftoming ourfelves to a holy dexterity in weilding and managing the fword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, that fo we may be able to make a couragious ftand in the day of battle, and at last come off the field in a victorious manner, when Chrift the captain of falvation fhall found the retreat at death. Thus the believer's lodging in a tabernacle, fhews him to be both a traveller and a foldier.

4. Another thing that I remark concerning the believer's lodging, is, that it is but a tottering and crazy houfe, that is fhortly to be taken down; for, fays the apoftle, ver. 1. The earthly houfe of this tabernacle is to be diffolved. What man is he (fays the Pfalmift) that liveth, and fhall not fee death? Shall be deliver his foul from the hand of the grave? Pfal. Ixxxix. 49. This king of terrors has erected his trophies of victory over all that ever sprung of Adam; the greatest Cefars and Alexanders, who made the world to tremble with their fword, were alt forced at laft to yield themselves captives unto this grim meffenger of the Lord of hofts: There is no

discharge

difcharge of this warfare; the tabernacle of the body muft diffolve. However, it may be ground of encouragement to the believer, that death is not a deftruction or annihilation; no, as the apostle tells, it is only a diffolving, or taking down of the tent or tabernacle; for God defigns to fet up this tabernacle again at the refurrection, more glorious than ever: it was the faith of this that comforted and encouraged Job under his affliction, Job xix. 25, 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall fand at the latter day upon the earth. And tho' worms deftroy this body, and tho' my reins be confumed within me (fays he) yet in my flesh fhall 1 fee God. So much for the first thing in the method.

The fecond thing propofed was, to speak a little of the believer's burdens while in this tabernacle. This earthly houfe lies under many fervitudes, and the believer (as one fays) pays a dear rent for his quarters. For,

1. The clay-tabernacle itself is many times a very heavy burden to him; the crazy cottage of the body is liable to innumerable pains and diftempers, which make it lie like a dead weight upon the foul, whereby its vivacity and activity is exceedingly marred. When the poor foul would mount up, as upon eagles wings, the body will not bear part with it: So that the believer feels the truth of Chrift's apology verified in his fad experience, The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

2 Not only is he burdened with a burden of clay, but also with a burden of fin; I mean, indwelling corruption, the fecret atheism, enmity, unbelief, ignorance, pride, hypocrify, and other abominations of his heart. O but this be a heavy burden, which many times is like to difpirit the

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