people which run wantonly from God doe for sometime Live in that wantonnes upon some of the Reliques of their former Injoyments so long as they will last which is but a little time for then they must Live upon huskes wish the Swine Luk. 15.15 16 17. till they are brought to Returne to their Fathers house O that all who have wantonly strayed in their hearts from their Fathers Streames wherein they were Refreshed as with marrow and fatnesse would now consider where they are and that so long as they sit downe in the practise of sinne they Live not neere the Injoyments of Saints Fourthly Sinne brings shame upon the soule and most when the heart is neerest God A Converted sinner is brought home to God with much shame seeing himselfe look so unlike God when he is brought before him But a revolted Saint when recovered hath much more Cause of shame Jer. the 3 Chap. and the 24 and the 25 verses for God hath more ground of lashing and wounding such a heart for he can tell them not onely of lying in their bloud in the day of their nativitie but of their destroying and spoyling the Earerings and Jewells he bestowed upon them As you may see in the 16 of Ezekiel beginning at the 10th verse and so to the end of the Chapter It is impossible to expresse how much the heart of a Saint blushes and what shame covers the Spirit of a soul that hath gone astray from God when it is brought again to look upon the old wonted loves and to minde againe his happiness in Gods heart He is then like the Publican Luk. 18.13 dares not looke up to Heaven or like the Prodigall Luk. 15.19 who desires to be but a servant Let me speake but this one word or two to them who have wantonly gone from God and now delight in sinne Did you know what shame will accompany your Spirit if ever God brings you home it would much imbitter that seeming sweetnes you gather from sinne There are many Effects of sinne but I shall reduce them I meane to speake of to these two heads First Sinne is injurious to God Secondly It is injurious to a Man First to God Job 22.2 3. but in that consider this Caution God as God can neither be injured by us nor receive any addition of good from us but when wee speake of Injuries wee are to looke upon God in his administrations or appearances towards us and so God may be said to be Injured 1 Sam. 2.30 and to be honored or dishonored and in that sence the Injurie to God consists in these things First It clouds his glory amongst men especially the sinne of Saints The Light Rom. 2 23 24. Life Love of God in Saints are beames of that divine body they are sparkes of that fire which purely lives in God and when this Light and Love appeares in a Saints life they are said to glorifie God and to cause men that view them to see their good workes and to give glory to God Mat. the 5.16 But when the lives of the people of God are full of darknes and sinne they doe exceedingly Cloud the beames of Gods beauty as to men Like the Clouds in the Aire which cover the Earth from beholding the Beautie of the Sunne Secondly It denies the Authoritie of God for a man that is a member of a Common-wealth not to conforme to the Lawes doth deny the Authoritie there and so those soules that acknowledge themselves related to God and yet in their lives doe practise things contrary to God they * Tit. 1.16 Jude 4. doe deny his Authoritie Thirdly Sin doth as much as in it lyes binde * Jer. 5.25 and hinder the goings out of God in his Love to doe us good as you may see Isaiah the 59.2 3. It is true when God will arise in his Majestie in glory sin is drove out before him and expelled by him and no sin * Isa 1.4 can hinder him but sinne tends and doth what in it lyes to oppose the goings out of Divine Love and in that sence he is said to be hindered Fourthly It brings blackness upon that beauty which God delights to view God loves a soule so as to beautifie him with the beautie of * Ezek. 16.14 himselfe and then he delights to view * Cant. 2.14 that beauty but so far as any of the people of God doe trade in or medle with sin or darknes so far they draw a dark Cloud over and throw dirt in the face of this beauty As for the Injuries that sin doth to the people of God it may be reduced into three heads First It is Injurious to him as he is a Christian Secondly As he is a Member of the State Thirdly As he is a Master of a familie First The Injuries that sinne doth to the people of God as they are Christians I have already spoken of and therefore shall say no more but onely speake a word or two from the two Latter Secondly Sinne is Injurious to a man as he is a member of the State that 's cleerly demonstrated in many mens practises What is that weakens the heart and tyes up the hands of many men in Authoritie from suppressing of sinne but the guilt of sinne in their owne * Rom. 2.22 23. Consciences how is it possible for any man in any office to be zealously carried out in suppressing of unrighteousnesse when they themselves are unrighteous Can a drunkard punish drunkennes or a swearer punish swearers or an oppressor punish oppressors but as they are constrained to it either by an overruling hand of providence going beyond them while it makes use of them or els the necessitie in their Imployments constraine them to it But such doing is done very coldly with a faint heart and a weake hand vice rather finding out their Authoritie then their Authoritie finding cut vice but such Actions are not honorable to the Actors in Gods sence though the Action may advance them among men It is true Providence sometimes puts on * 2 King 10 8 9 10.1.14 Isa 10.5 6 7. guilty men to suppresse and subdue guilty persons and unrighteous things but then providence doth it in going beyond them As hath not Experience proved that many men have done that which when it was done it appeared in their owne eyes and others to be very righteous yet it was so far beyond them that they themselves had been Instruments to occasion the taking away of the lives of many honest hearts for the standing for the same things but the yeare before If you aske me the reason why sinne hinders men in suppressing sin my answer is this First Because it takes away much of the face of Authoritie in the party punished by his knowing the party punishing to be guilty of the same thing Secondly It doth weaken the spirits of a man when he lies under the guilt of that which he
the 28. verse It is endlesse to reckon up the great heart-earnings and the tender and sweet entertainments that God gives to poore unworthy spirits beyond what they can expect The Lord give you power to believe it and cause you to rejoyce in it with joy unspeakable and full of glory The third and last Use is an Use of Exhortation to exhort all those that are withdrawne from God and are againe returned O take heed of wandring any more Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you * Joh. 5.14 know that the second withdrawing will be a great deale worse then the first and further consider if you are really brought home what panges and throwes you had before delivered and know it was enough nay too much that you have trampled upon Gods kindnesse so long and besides take notice it is very dangerous and desperate to make second attempts of withdrawing from God * Heb. 6.6 Heb. 0.26 27. Alas you cannot have better provision abroad then you have at home Why will you goe Jacob reproved his Sons and said Why looke you upon one another is there not bread enough in Aegypt Gen. 42.1 2. But I say unto you why will you returne back againe to Aegypt Is there not delight enough in Canaan It is better to abide with your Father and friends then to shake hands with Enemies that harbour nothing in their hearts but darts of death as sin doth Romanes the 6th and the last O I beg of you to consider what hath been said and the Lord so discover it to you that you may be overcome by it and so endeared to it that you may never again goe from God but for ever dwell with him O it is good to be there I shall say no more to this Use nor to this first Conclusion but come to speak briefly a word or two from the words in order as they lye The words are these But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him The first Doctrine from these words He saw him a great way off and had compassion on him is Doct. Large distances will not cause so great a disdaine but that the least reall movings towards God is eyed and imbraced by him with great compassion The word a far off is a metaphoricall expression it doth not imply any thing that doth deny Gods omni-presence but implies holds forth thus much that the poor Prodigall was very low and very far from that state or frame of heart wherein the did apprehend to meet God and the truth was there was so little and small a beginning of what in comparison ought to have been and also was when he was further enriched with commings in of God and in that sense also he was a great way off How far off think you those people were in that sense which the Lord speaks of in the 42. of of Isaiah and the 3. Concerning the goings out of his grace and love in Christ he tells you he will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax The words imply a great deale more then is there exprest for they doe imply thus much That if there be but so much fire that is to say so much grace as causes smoak though the flame be not discerned God will runne through the smoak and imbrace the fire he will by no meanes quench it but nourish and cherish it and if there be but so much beginnings of life as to give a soule the denomination of a Reed though it be a bruised Reed which commonly men cast away as being not worthy of the ownning yet God will owne it and by no means reject but imbrace it Beloved all this holds forth thus much that the least and lowest motions towards God if reall are imbraced by him How far off doe you think Ephraim was Hosea the 11 and the 3 when God taught him how to goe leading him by the arme and laid meat unto him but he knew not that the Lord led him David in the first of the Kings and the 18th had a thought in his heart to build a House to God but it was onely a thought in his heart not brought up so far as to expression or action yet the Lord pierces through all and comes into the secret Cabinet of Davids heart and finds those thoughts and tells him it was well that it was in his heart How sweetly did God imbrace those thoughts though they were a far off from the act of doing for it was Gods intent he should not doe it Beloved how far off doe you think those hearts are whom the Lord speaks of in the 50. of Isaich and the 10. God there sends comfort and consolation to a people that feare him and obey his voyce but alas it wat a far off for the Text saith they were a people that walked in darknesse and see no light that is to say they were surrounded with sorrowes and trouble and had no comfort but though they had not so much light as to rejoyce in Gods Love yet God in his Love runs out to meet them rejoycing over them and imbracing them in that condition with great compassion If you ask me the Reasons why the Lord doth eye and take notice of such small movings towards him and doth imbrace them with great compassion though a far off the Reasons are these The first Reason is because the beginnings as well as the * Phil. 1.6 Heb. 12.2 perfecting of any good in the creature is of God it being therefore one with him it must needs be owned by him The least desires or smallest groanings or heart-breaking after God though it be but a desire to desire or longing to long really after God it is that which God ownes and he cannot but doe it for it is a streame that flowes from no fountaine but his owne fullnesse he is a Father that must and will owne his owne child though covered with a ragged coat my meaning is if there be the least spark of life in a poor groaning heart groaning after Love and though it doth but groan and sigh and cannot expresse it selfe but with poore ragged and tattered expressions yet God will imbrace it and why because it flowes from himselfe Romanes the 8. the 26. 27. O what comfort and sweet encouragement is this to poor broken spirits were they but sensible The second Reason is taken from the nature of God which is so free and so ready and prone to shew mercy that he longs and waites to shew mercy Isa the 30.18 It is the delight of his soule to meet with objects to manifest Love The same pity that is in Parents is transcendently in God if the Child cannot speak but cry for the dug the mother will take it up and lay it in her bosome and if it cannot stand she will carry it and hold it dandling it upon
condemning the fallacie of rest though men may thinke their spirits high they are but low and in the end it will appear restlesse and though they may be saved yet this work with many others will be burnt Corinthians the 1. and the 3. and the 12 13 and 14 verses Secondly There are many people who are exceeding restlesse till they have imbraced the external administrations of the Gospel and when they have done so they think all is done and then are at quiet Alas if Christ be not as well formed in * Gal. 4.19 you as acknowledged by you your condition is not lesse but more sad and though you thinke you are at rest your state is restlesse * Am. 6.7 But no more of false Rests though much more may be said but a word or two of that Rest which is the rest of Saints Under the Law there were varieties of rests but all rests were swallowed up in one as being the Anti-type of all those types now this rest is the Lord Jesus Christ as you may see at large in the 4th of the Hebrewes Now when we say Christ is the rest of Saints or a Saints sabbaoth we are to looke upon Christ as one with God nay very God and is that Eternall Love and Life which was and is for ever It lives in God and is communicated to the Creature by the Spirit of God that Love is very God as you may see in the first Epistle of John the 4th and the 8th For it 's true we may look upon Christ as the grand Ordinance of God and so he is the streame and not the fountaine and so he is inseriour to the Father as you may see John the 14. and the 28 verse Now so to rest in or on Christ is to rest in the streame and not in the fountaine and in a word it is to rest upon an Ordinance though it be the publique and grand Ordinance yet in that sence he is an Ordinance But a Saints rest is to rest in the sweet enjoyments of God in Christ that foundation will stand not onely now but when Christ gives up the Kingdome to the Father * 1 Cor. 15.24.27 then all streames will be gathered up into the fountaine and all beames will be gathered up into the body then a Saint will not be unseated in his Centre but will be more glorious for God will be all in all and all in him will be one with him in that glory Wee might speak very large in reference to a Saints rest both as to the Author and the matter and the sweet content a soule injoyes in that rest but what I have spoken is sufficient to discover a Saints rest to be unmoveable to be matchlesse and unalterable O happy is that heart who is lull'd asleep in nothing but in those Loves nor doth not rest in any appearance though in near relations but upon the marrow of that mercy Dear friends thus to say is good but they and they onely are happy that doe injoy it and they which doe injoy it are not able to expresse the tythe of what they injoy As it is a peace so it is a rest past all understanding * Phil 4.7 But no more of this second thing Thirdly We shall speake a word or two what it is for a soule to withdraw from its rest and therein we might be very large in reckoning up many particulars but we shall briefly declare our thoughts to it Deare friends know that all stardings from * Isa 59.7 8. Ier. 12.13 Hos 11.1 2. God either in spirituall communion or externall withdrawings from any thing that is exactly Gods way unlesse God hedged up your way from it is a withdrawing from rest nay all our runnings out to or imbracing of and living upon any thing besides God though seemingly it may have a Law to owne it yet for us so to imbrace it is to withdraw from rest nay all low and loose actions or thoughts * Pro. 24.2 Gen. 6.5 which are contrary to the minde of God is a startling from God and a withdrawing from God and so a going from rest for God is our rest all which I leave to you to beg of God to informe you and so far to overcome you that you may for ever abide with God from Gods abiding with you I am now to speak a word or two to discover the Reasons and Grounds why the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their rest I shall reduce the Reasons to these two The one is taken from themselves and the other is taken from God As to the Reason relating to themselves we may reduce that to these two heads The first is the grand cause The second is the accidentall or occasionary cause As for the grand it is because there is darknesse sin and corruption in the best of Saints That which is the reason why some men for ever stand in opposition to God is that which doth cause the people of God sometimes to withdraw from God it is the reliques of the old man that are not yet fully crucified but still move hel-ward and death-ward to accomplish its owne ends and that this remaines in the best you may see Galathians the 5th and so also in the Romanes the 7th and the 21. which made him cry out thus the 24. O wretched man And therefore all the people of God had need not onely to watch * Mar. 24.42 Mat. 25.41 and walke humbly before God but to live much upon God for there is that in selfe which will carry the soule with a strong streame from its proper Centre Now from this grand cause there are many accidentall occasionall causes flowing from it to cause a soule to withdraw from Christ and they are these First The hearkening to or disputing with inclinations or temptations to sin this was the occasion of Eves and Adams * Gen. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psa 137.9 fal To admit of a dispute with sin temptation doth very much strengthen temptation and weaken us and when the heart through the power of Christ doth make sudden resistance it doth commonly conquer with little spoyle or breach upon its owne quiet and peace A dispute of sin admits of a familiarity with sin and it gives sin opportunity to present new objects of delight which never leaves till it hath drawne the fleshly part of the creature into alabyrinth where the heart is much lost and then it hearkens unto any dictates that propound reft and content but this state is very dangerous and the heart now begins to be sick happy is that soule who is seasonably recovered for there is no end of sins promises nor no beginning of its performance till in the end it brings forth death Romanes the 9. and the 24. Deare friend minde this and the Lord in mercy give you understanding to keepe at home and not stragle abroad I meane to live much with
out of the water that doth nothing but gaspe and pant longing for his owne Element without which he cannot live It is just so with that heart which hath ever tasted of Gods Love cannot long Live without those Injoyments though sometimes the best of Saints are apt to withdraw yet when Light and Life appeares Raising up a Remembrance of the former solace it had in Divine Loves O it pants groanes and is Restles till againe it is refreshed with those Injoyments and it will say as Sampson in another Case said Give me her or els I dye At your leisure reade the fifth of the Canticles you shall see where Christ came to the Spouse in the beginning of the Chapter and put in his finger at the hole of the doore that is to say he gave in so much Light so much remembrance of former Loves which did not onely shew her where and what shee was but caused in her a Restlesnes till she found him whom her soule loved and she was so earnest in the pursuit of his society that all the oppositions reproaches and smitings of the watchmen of the Citie could not take her off but she still cryes out and tells the Daughters of Jerusalem that she was sicke of love and she was never at rest till she had found him whom her soule loved Deare Friends Look upon any place of Scripture where any soule did withdraw from God and is now by him made sencible of that withdrawing you will then there finde them very restless till they did returne If you aske me the Reasons for it they are these The first Reason is implyed in the latter End of this verse which is the reason and ground David gives his soule to Returne to God It is because God hath dealt bountifully with him That power of Life and Light that doth convince a soule of his withdrawing from God doth raise up a remembrance and sence of the former sweetnes plenty and bounty he injoyed in God Psal 77. and the 6. It is that which is cleerly seene in the Prodigalls Expressions Luk. 15. where he saith There is enough in my fathers house Deare Friends the sence of this is a conquering and over-coming power and the rather because that Light which presents this remembrance doth exceedingly plead and expostulate with the heart telling it that it was not as now when he lay in his Fathers bosome there he had bread enough he had there smiles without frownes and was alwayes danied upon the knees of his fathers kindness and was fed with marrow and fatnes and then it will ask and demand of the soule saying What dost thou here Deare Friends I am not able to tell you how these lively appearances of Gods precious plenty doth break and wound the soule That heart who ever lived under it can and will say that it is unexpressible how the heart breakes in longing after God and how the sence of his fullnes makes it Restless till it doth Returne The second Reason Why a soule is and must be Restless that is convinced of his withdrawings Is because that Light and Life which is raised up in the heart makes that part which is made sencible of his withdrawings not onely sencible of the fullnes of God but brings him into an union with God Therefore I forme my Reason thus Every thing doth and must be eager in its running to its Center God is the Center of the heart and by the soule that is made sencible he is knowne to be so Therefore it cannot but be earnest in his running to God Streames must returne to the fountaine and beames to the body O how restles are these streames which are hindered in their pursuit It must needs be much more with that heart who is brought to know himselfe one with * Jer. 3.23 Cant. 5. Mat. 11.22 God and also sencible that he is withdrawne from God The sence of this onenes and propriety in God was the cause of Davids heart-breakings after God Psal the 63. and the 1. The third Reason That Light and power which makes the soule sencible of its withdrawing from God doth not onely shew its onenes with God and a fullnes in God but also by it shews the emptinesse of all things besides God Take notice it was the Argument the Prodigall used that was that he was in an empty starving Condition truly there is very much of the sweet dealings of God seene in that discovery for God never shews this emptines but by his own fullnes and when he doth it he doth not onely shew the emptines in something but in every thing besides * Jer. 3.23 24. himselfe For he presents all things to be as they are and even those things which sin and the Devill presents pleasant and lovely I meane all the wanton practises and withdrawings from God and all glory pleasures and contents on this side God and God doth doe it in away of sweet pleading with the heart telling it when it was at home in his bosom it had all contents which was not for a moment but for ever and the last would be best and saying to the soule What are all these delights * Isa 41.21 22 23. Ezek. 23.5.22 Loves thou hast spoused with They speake faire but they end foule and if they smile in the day commonly in the night they frowne or if smile in the night in the day they frowne All content ends with the action all profit pleasure and honour ends with the person and place and what was is no more but all things are vanitie and a meere bubble Can all the contents and pleasures procure peace in the day of a storme or make thee well when sicke or give thee life one houre when dead No all things are so empty not onely in themselves but in their remembrance of thee that when thou ceasest it takes its leave as never manifesting more * Psal 37.10.17.20 Psal 34.16 Love Oh! it is not so saith the Lord with me to thy heart What I was I am and shall be for ever and the last will not be the least but the greatest O the sence of this emptines thorough the discovery of Gods fullnes makes the heart exceeding restles till it is seated in that Center Friends I could wish my soule were able to discover how taking and over-coming this kinde of dealing is with a poore broken heart but it is God alone that can make out the fullnes of this to you I shall say no more to the Reasons but speake a word or two to the Uses of this Conclusion The first use is an use of Information to informe us of two things from what we have already spoke from this Conclusion First 'T is to shew you how Restles that heart is to returne to God who is really made sencible of his withdrawings from God It is easier to keepe a streame from the fountaine or a beame from the body then to restraine
such a heart from his returning to God Alas God is not onely his Life and so his Center but he so lives by him that he cannot live without him Those dayes and nights wherein a heart is thus sencible of his withdrawings and hath no Refreshings in his returning they are dayes and nights of Death and not of Life to such a heart and how sad a Condition that is and how Restles that Condition is I leave to you to judge Secondly You may see from what we have already said that this restles running out to God doth arise from Gods making the heart sencible of his withdrawing Therefore this is to Informe us that the power of a hearts returning to God is of God * Can. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 Phil. 2.13 Oh what cause then have soules in that condition to acknowledge the power to be of God they cannot but cry out as David Psalme the 66. and the 16. O come see what the Lord hath done for my poore soule The mercy and kindnesse of God in this act is beyond what any can expresse but he that doth injoy it Oh you that doe enjoy it have cause for ever to speak out Gods love To convert a sinner and make him a Saint is an eminent favour but to returne and call home a Prodigall Sonne is that which speaks out much more of the power kindnesse and unchangeable love of God Oh you that have tasted of it let your life speak out Gods love and I shall say no more to you but this that Christ sayes John the 5. and the 14. Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you In the next place this may Informe us of the great mistakes of some men who in their writings and expressions declare that they are againe brought home to God but yet they are so far from being restlesse in their returne to God that they rather rest in their satisfying of others then in their assurance of their entertainment with God Alas Gods mercy is double and treble in returning such a heart to himselfe but the returnes of such are hardly single towards him but to such I shall say no more but rather with teares beg that they may be sensible of the want of sense I meane of their withdrawings from God I am sure then they will be restlesse till they doe returne Againe This is to informe us If it be so that those hearts who are withdrawne from God when made sensible are so restlesse till they doe returne then 't is no strange thing why they get so much ground of them who have all this time stood and not withdrawne Christ sayes Matthew the 19 and the 30 verse The first shall be last and the last shall be first Alas these soules that are thus recovered are exceeding swift in their returnes though know by experience what it is to capitulate with or to give entertainment to or to shake hands with sin the bitternes they have found out of their fathers heart makes them cleave close A burnt Childe dreads the fire Deare friends observe it that a child so soon as he hath gotten a knock commonly doth not onely leane to but lay hold of with both hands the Mothers knee Deare friends I speake this the rather that any of you that stand may not too much rejoyce and glory in your owne condition over them that are fallen as many in this poore Nation are who through a gathered light liberty have put themselves in it before God brought them to it and so have turned their liberty into Loosenesse These sort of people doe either belong to God or they doe not but I am confident many doe and if so God will bring them home and they will be restlesse in their returnes And take notice you that God hath made yet to stand that for ought I know these poore lost hearts may get ground on you and therefore doe not neglect your pursuite in spending time to censure them but rather double your owne diligence in your owne pursuite and endeavour with humility care and teares to recover them The second Use is an Use of Comfort to Comfort those poore hearts who are sadly fallen from God and being made sensible are restlesse in their returnes though their condition seemes in their owne eyes sad yet they have much cause of Comfort and Rejoycing and that in these things First Their condition is not alone there is not onely a David and a Prodigall but many more who have sadly fallen as well as they Secondly Consider that you are changed God is not changed for though we be unfaithfull God is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe as you may see the 2 Epistle of Timothy the 2 and the 13. Malachy the 3 and the 6 verse Thirdly Consider that there is as much readinesse in God to receive you as restlesnesse in you to be received by him Doe but view what Christ sayes about the lost sheep Luke the 15. the 5 6 and 7. verses there was greater rejoycing for the returne of that one then was for the ninety nine it was so with the lost groat and with the Prodigall more then his elder Brother Luke the 15. and 30. verse All these Scriptures hold forth the great rejoycing God takes in and the great readinesse of Gods giving entertainment to a poore soule thus returned I know the Devill doth set upon such a heart drawing Arguments not onely from the breach of a Law but their sinning against Light and Love which Arguments are of such a power and force sufficient to sinke any soule in the world were it not for the abundance of love and kindnesse given in from the Father suitably at such a season But Oh deare soules I speake to them which are in such a condition doe not be discouraged but consider not what you are in your selfe but what you are in God and at your leisure view these Scriptures Jeremiah the 3 and the 1 vers Zech. the 13 and the 1 Isay the 1 and the 18 Isa the 43. the 22 23 24 and the 25 and 26. verses Isa the 44. the 21 22. Isa 49. the 15 and 16. Jer. 31. and the 20. Read the 16. of Ezekiel from the first to the last 1 Ep. of John 2 and the 1. Mat. the 11. and the 28. Psalme 147. 3. The Third and Last Use is an Use of Exhortation to Exhort all that are thus fallen and thus made sensible that they give glory to God for giving of them a heart againe to returne it 's a double mercy Oh what hath God done for you he hath not dealt by you as you have dealt by him Ezek. the 16. the 59 and the 60. verses but he hath returned love for hatred and shewed himselfe to be a God though thou wast but a creature O praise him and prize him loose no time in speaking out his Love thou hast lost too much time already all thy dayes are too little to declare what God hath done for