Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle c. or the true Church the Church of the First-Born which the Jewish Church was but a Shadow a Type of But now he hath obtained a more excellent Ministry he excelâ— all Ministers all true Ministers are but his Substitutes and must one Day be accountable to him he is the Great Shepherd and chief Bishop of our Souls This is he that speaketh from Heaven who came from Heaven himself and received his Doctrine from the Father as Mediator and as the great Minister of Righteousness O how shall they escape that refuse such a Preacher one that speaketh from Heaven nay him that is God over all blessed for evermore Where the Word of a King is there is Power Who shall not then attend upon the Word of this King this great and mighty Lord Sinners with what Awe and holy Trembling should you attend on the Word of this Salvation that began first to be spoken by the Lord Christ may be said to speak in and by the Prophets nay to speak to Adam But this speaking doubtless refers to his personal speaking when he was on Earth There may be said to be a threefold beginning of the Gospel-Ministration 1. In Predictions by Promises and by Types 2. In the immediate Preparation of it and so it begun in the Ministry of John the Baptist 3. In the open clear and actual Ministration of it and thus it begun to be first spoken by our Lord himself upon his Baptism for then he entered upon his Ministry and it was carried on afterwards by his Apostles and other Ministers that he appointed and by his Church he daily still does appoint and in an ordinary manner authorize Men to preach it But O how great is this Salvation that God should please to send his own Son to preach and publish this Salvation Brethren should a King lay aside his Crown and throw off his Princely Robes and come into the Pulpit and preach the Gospel would not all wonder at it and flock to hear him David was a King and yet a Preacher Solomon was a King a mighty King and yet a Preacher but what poor and igneble low-born Kings nay base-born Kings were they to this King who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Certainly this is Matter of highest Concernment or of greatest Moment of all things in the World and before all things to be regarded Did Christ in Person speak from Heaven to Men on Earth and make known to them this Salvation Moreover he speaks still he it is that speaks to you now Day by Day by us his poor Ministers who may be you are ready to slight and despise in your Hearts yet know Christ's faithful Ministers personate him they are his Ambassadors they represent the very Person of Christ Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God He that heareth you saith Christ heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Little do Sinners think what they do when they sleep under the Word disregard slight and despise the Word of this Salvation in the Mouths of Christ's Ministers Christ's Ambassadors See what Christ himself saith And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your Words shake off the Dust of your Feet Verily I say unto you It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that City All this is because it is Christ's Word and Christ that speaks to you by his Servants the same Contempt that is shewed to the Ambassadors of an earthly King is shewed to him and he treats them as if it were done unto himself Moreover the Esteem and Honour that is shewed to an Ambassador in receiving his Word or in hearkening with awe and respect to what he says in his Master's Name is shewn to the King Ministers are not to be esteemed or had in Honour for their own sakes but for Christ's sake But if you love Christ honour Christ you will love and respect his faithful Servants and hearken to what they speak unto you in his Name and by his Authority Thirteenthly The Salvation of the Gospel is great and glorious if we consider the wonderful Confirmation and Ratification of it in the Days of the Gospel in the Primitive Time Which first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and with divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will The Apostle brings this in also as a farther Demonstration of the Greatness of the Salvation of the Gospel namely the consideration of the miraculous confirmation thereof God is said to bear witness to the Gospel and to the Salvation thereof there was never such Witness born to any Truth as is to the Truth of the Gospel For 1. All the Prophets bore witness to it 2. John the Baptist was sent to bear witness to it 3. The Apostles were also Witnesses chosen of God to this end nay and we have the Witness of God himself And the Father himself that hath sent me hath born witness of me The Father bore witness at our Saviour's Baptism and at the Transfiguration by a Voice from Heaven 4. We have the Witness and Confirmation of the wonderful Miracles that our Lord wrought But I have a greater Witness than that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same do bear witness to me that the Father hath sent me That which was a Witness of Christ's being the true Messiah was a Witness of the Salvation he hath wrought 1. He raised the Dead opened the Eyes of the Blind even of him that was born blind he cast out Devils he caused the Lame to walk the Dumb to speak he cleansed the Lepers and healed all manner of Diseases and Sicknesses among the People and all to confirm the Truth of this Salvation no Man ever did such Works 2. Moreover the Holy Ghost was given in a miraculous manner unto the Apostles and others they were filled yea baptized with it they spake many strange Languages and all this was 1. To confirm and fully to prove that Christ was the Son of God and Saviour of the World 2. To confirm the Truth of his Doctrine and every Precept Ordinance and Promise thereof 3. To assure all that believe of the certainty of their Eternal Salvation and that they should never perish And also 4. To assure all that believe not that repent not but live in Ways of Sin and Wickedness that they shall all be damned It confirms particularly that word Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish and that word Except a Man be born again
evil it is to proceed no further but if he cannot then he is oblidg'd by the holy Law of Christ to take one or two more and go to him and strive to convince him and bring him to a sight and sense of his iniquity but if he cannot do it then it ought to be brought unto the Church and if he will not hear the Church then the Fan of Excommunication is to be used in the Name of Jesus Christ and they purged out As to such who rend themselves from a Church or violate their sacred Covenant by irregularly withdrawing themselves they ought to be marked and solemnly in the publick Congregation declared to have withdrawn rent and cut off themselves from the Communion of the Church and no longer to be owned nor lookt upon as Members and none to Communicate with them until they have given satisfaction by Repentance The Second part of the Fan of Discipline is that rule laid down by the Apostle of withdrawing from every Brother and Sister that walketh disorderly as such that are Busibodies Tatlers or Idle or such that neglect their Duties in attending on the Church in times of solemn Worship or that make Parties or cause Division in the Church and refuse to live in Obedience to Christ under the due and just Government thereof or to obey them that are set over them in the Lord or who strive to have the prehemience like Diotrophes being Vain-glorious prating against or despising of Dignities or the just Authority of Christs Ministers or Angels of his Churches as the beloved Apostle speaks 3 Joh. 9 10. Wherefore if I come I will Remember his deeds which he doth prating against us with malicious Words and not content therwith neither doth he himself receive the Brethren and forbideth them that would and casteth them out of the Church These are to be marked and withdrawn from 2 Thess 3. 6. Not to be counted as Enemies but exhorted as Brethren Unless they provoke the Church to further and a more severe Censure Some of this sort oft-times strive to draw away disciples after them and seek to disquiet the Peace of the Church and in a fawning and flattering manner to deceive the hearts of the Simple therefore these if they will not hear the Church are to be quite fanned out also by Excommunication and to be looked upon as an Heathen-man or Publican as in the Case of Notorious and Scandalous Sinners or such who are guilty of Heresie Mat. 18. Fifthly Jesus Christ hath also another Fan in his hand to purge his floor or cleanse his Wheat from the Chaff filth and defilement of Sin namely the Holy Spirit and by this means he cleanses and Purifies in a gracious manner the Souls of his own People Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God What filthy Creatures were those Corinthians before the Lord Jesus by his Spirit had purged and Sanctified them Faith of the the Operation of God is a most excellent Grace it is by Faith in the Blood of Christ that we come to be purged from the Guilt of Sin Faith applying his Merits and Righteousness unto the Soul in Justification and such is the Nature thereof that it makes holy the Hearts and Lives of all such Persons in whom it is by the Spirit wrought or infused in Sanctification And hath put no difference between them and us Purifying their hearts by Faith Yea it cleanseth them from all filthyness of Flesh and Spirit that they may perfect Holyness in the fear of God But let me tell you that the Spirit and Grace of Christ in this respect is as a Fan rather to Cleanse the Saints by purging out the Chaff of Corruption which naturally is in their Hearts and Lives than to purge Hypocrites and gross Professors out of the Church and to that I Principally referr here 6. Moreover Christ hath the Fan of Persecution or the Sufferings of the Cross and all other afflictions which he brings upon his People which he uses to purge and purify their Souls and his Churches too And from hence Afflictions are compaired to a Refiners fire He shall set as a Refiners fire and Purifier of Silver He that is the Messiah i. e. our Lord Jesus Christ this is his Work viz. to purge his People who in this Place are compared to Silver and Gold that is refined As in my Text they are likened unto Wheat in this he is compared to a Refiner and hath his Furnace in the other to an Husbandman and so hath his Fan. Both these Texts allude to the same thing and doing the same work namely to sever and separate the clean from the unclean the Gold from the Dross the Chaff from the Wheat And evident it is that Persecution Trials and Afflictions commonly make a great discovery who are Wheat or pure Gold viz. Sincere Believers and who drossy and chaffy Professors If Wheat Persecution purges and purified them But if they are Chaff it usually fans them away But he that received the seed in stony places the same is he which heareth the Word and anon with joy reciveth it Yet hath he not root in himself but endureth for a while for when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended Thus the fan of Persecution purges these Chaffy Professors out of Christs Spiritual floor or rather his garner Namely his Church into which in a day of Liberty they got and had a place but they cannot bear the Wind and blast of Affliction and Tribulation And as it purges out much Chaff so also the Wheat is thereby refined and made more clean and fit for the Lords use Of so great benefit is Persecution to Gods Church that they cannot some times be without it it is if need be that we are in heaviness if we need it not or if Christ sees there is no need of it we shall never feel the Rod He doth it not for his pleasure but for our profit that we might partake of his Holiness And this Jehovah by the Prophet further makes known to us This is the fruit of all the taking away your Sin And thus the Lord purgeth away the filth of the Daughter of Sion and the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Judgment and by the Spirit of burning The Rod of Affliction or Furnace of Persecution cannot purge out the filth of Sin that is in the Lords People without the operations of the Holy Spirit The Spirit is called a Spirit of burning because like fire it burns up and consumes the Filth Chaff and Dross that is in us Before Trials and Persecution comes Christ seems to have a very great floor a great heap or much Corn but when he comes to try them with this fan in his hand one great part
dreadful of all What can be a greater Token of Gods Divine Wrath it is the begining of that Future Vengeance that shall be poured forth upon them to Eternity Thus the Almighty dealt by the Jews for their Sin in rejecting of Jesus Christ and putting him to death by wicked hands for this he gave them up to an hard unbelieving and an impenitent heart and then let in the Romans upon them who utterly destroyed their City and Temple and so scattered them on all the face of the Earth and hence the Apostle saith that Wrath was come upon them to the uttermost 7. The Wrath of God like Fire sometimes also seizeth on the Consciences of men by which means they are fearfully tormented for their horrid Blasphemy Prophaness Atheism Apostacy c. We have had two Examples of this sort viz. Mr. Francis Spira in the last Century and Mr. John Child in this It is enough to make all who read those Naratives to Tremble at the very thoughts of the incensed Wrath and Anger of an offended God Who can stand before his indignation when his wrath is poured out like fire on the Souls and Consciences of Men O how doth he seem to Tear them into peices even to such a degree as they seem to be in the very torments of Hell while in the Body And not knowing but that a faithful reciting of some Passages concerning the inward Horror of the said Spira and Child may be of some use to Caution all to take heed of such like sins which they fell under I shall tho' more briefly than I intended compare their States Circumstances inward Anguish and Horror of their Spirits together SOME PASSAGES Of the Fearful Estate of Francis Spira SPira having received the Light of the Gospel became a Teacher of the Blessed Truths thereof amongst his Friends and familiar Acquaintance and says the Narrative in comparison seemed to neglect all other Affairs much pressing this main point of Doctrine viz. That we must wholly and only depend on the free and unchangable Love of God in the Death of Christ as the only way to Salvation As to his natural and corrupt Inclination ' I was saith he excessively Covetous of Money and accordinly applyed my self to get it by Injustice corrupting Justice by doing it ' c. As touching Spira's Sin and his grand fall it was thus viz. The Popes Legate Resident at Venice was stirred by the malice of the Papists to accuse Spira to him and by the Craft and Policy of the Legate and through slavish Fear Spira first fled and afterwards renounced his Testimony to the Truth before which it appears he reasoned thus within himself thro' the Suggestion of the Devil viz. ' Be well advised fond Man consider Reasons on both sides and then judge how canst thou thus overwean thine own sufficiency as thou neither regardest the Examples of thy Progenitors nor the Judgment of the whole Church dost thou not consider what misery this thy Rashness will bring thee into thou shalt lose thy Substance gotten with so great Care and Travel thou shalt undergo the most exquisite Torments that Malice 〈…〉 devise thou shalt be 〈…〉 an Heretick of all 〈…〉 to close up all thou shalt die shamefully What thinkest thou of the lothsom stinking Dungeon the Bloudy Ax the Burning Faggot are they delightful be wise at length and keep thy Life and Honour Go to the Legate Weak Man and freely Confess thy Fault ' c. And upon these thoughts he goes to the Legate and salutes him with this News viz. Having for these divers years entertained an Opinion concerning some Articles of Faith contrary to the Orthodox and received Judgment of the Church and uttered many things against the Authority of the Church of Rome and the universal Bishop I humbly acknowledge my Fault and Error and my Folly in my misleading others I therefore yeild my self in all Obedience to the supream Bishop of Rome into the Bosom of the Church of Rome never to depart again from the Traditions and Decrees of the Holy See I am heartily sorry for what is past and I humbly beg Pardon for so great an Offence The Legate at this commanded him to return to his own Town and there to confess and acknowledge the whole Doctrine of the Church of Rome to be holy and true and to abjure the Opinions of Luther c. After this he signed an Instrument of Abjuration and then fell under horrid Despairation ' And he thought he heard a direful Voice ' saying Thou wicked Wretch thou hast renounced the Covenant of thy Obedience thou hast broke thy Vow henc Apostate bear with thee the Sentene of thy Eternal Damnation He trembling in Body and Mind fellinto a Swound Now began some of his Friends to repent too late of their Rash Council not looking so high as to the Judgment of God laid all the blame on his Melancholly Constitution that over-shaddowing his Judgment wrought in him a kind of Madness and directed him to the use of Physicians c. To which Spira replyed Alas poor men how far wide are you do you think that this Disease is to be Cured by Potions believe me there must be another manner of Medicine it is neither Plaister nor Drugs that can help a fainting Soul cast down with the sence of sin and the Wrath of God 't is only Christ that must be the Pysician and the Gospel the Souls Antidote Amongst others that come to visit him was Panlus Vergerius and Mattheus Gribauldus principal Labourers for his Comfort they sound him about 50 Years of Age. Neither affected with Doteage nor with the unconstant head-strong Passion of Youth but in the strength of his Experience and Judgment in a burning heat calling for drink yet his Understanding active quick or Apprehension Witty in Discourse above his ordinary manner they forcibly infused some liquid Sustenance into his Mouth most of which he spit out again and in a fretting mood said As it is true that all things work for the better to those that Love God so to the wicked all to the contrary for whereas a plentiful Off-spring is the Blessing of God and his Reward being a stay to the weak Estate of their Aged Parents to me they are a cause of bitterness and vexation they do strive to make me tire out this misery I would fain be at an end I deserve not this dealing at their hands Oh that I were gone from hence that some body would let out this weary Soul My sin said Spira is greater than the Mercy of God nay answered his Visitors the Mercy of God is above all sin God would have all men to be saved it is true said he God would have all the Elect to be saved he would not have damn'd Reprobates to be saved I am one of that Number I know it for I willingly denyed Christ and I feel that he hardens me and will not suffer me to hope Being
hear his Voice with Affection They like love and approve of his Word and Doctrine it is sweet to them Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it They know that there is no Falshood in it it is pure from all Mixture there is exact Purity and Holiness in it which makes unsanctified Persons to like it not but either disbelieve it or else despise and hate it But a godly Man loves it upon the account of its Purity in that it promotes nothing but Holiness both in Heart and Life The Word of the Lord is right and all his Works are done in Truth Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right and hate every false Way I do not reject such things that my carnal Reason cannot comprehend or such as are opposite to the Lusts and Corruptions of my Heart or worldly Interest but I approve of all things that come out of thy Mouth Some Men do not receive the Truth in the love of it and therefore are given up to believe a Lie or to strong Delusions 3. They hear Christ's Voice with Attention they hear it diligently He says Hearken diligently unto me and they with the greatest care do so Thus Mary heard Christ's Voice she gave such attention to his Word and Doctrine that she left all her secular Concerns to attend upon him though her Sister was offended with her And thus Lydia heard the Word of Christ Whose Heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul None can hear with attention but such whose Hearts the Lord doth open and none can open the Heart and cause the Soul to hear that is dead but Christ only 4. They hear Christ's Voice believingly Others hear it but do not believe it Who hath believed our Report and to whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed Christ saith Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God But O how few stedfastly give credit to this Doctrine certainly if Sinners did believe this but with the same Humane Faith with which they believe many other Things and Reports it would make them tremble but Christ's Sheep or all gracious Persons give full credit to whatsoever he hath said and that not only with an Humane Faith but with a Divine Faith also or Faith of the Operation of God The Man believed the Word that Jesus had spoken unto him The great Doctrine of the Gospel is a Doctrine of Faith 't is to believe He that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness Mankind are generally for doing to be justified they will not be perswaded that all is done already for them and that they are only to believe and be justified but thus Christ's Sheep hear his Voice 5. Christ's Sheep hear his Voice tremblingly with great Fear holy Awe and Reverence Thus good King Josias heard the Word of God his Heart was tender and he trembled and saith the Lord To this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and that trembleth at my Word They know it is God's Word Christ's Word who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Who is the only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords Where the Word of a King is there is Power Power goeth along with Christ's Voice to awe all their Hearts that are gracious My Heart standeth in awe of thy Word saith David 6. Christ's Sheep hear Christ's Word universally even all that he saith unto them Him shall ye hear in whatsoever he shall say unto you And those who do not thus hear this great Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People Some will hear Christ's Word which they like of but if any part of his Doctrine sutes not their carnal Hearts or Interest that they will not hear nor comply with but Believers are for hearing the hardest things that are contained in Christ's Word they approve of every thing as you heard before 7. They hear Christ's Voice with Retention they hear and keep his Word they lay it up in their Hearts as it is said of the Blessed Virgin They will not lose it and therefore with David hide Christ's Word in their Hearts 8. They hear his Voice always constantly unto the End they will attend unto his Word and Doctrine as long as they live let what will come they are not offended as the stony-ground Hearers are said to be 9. And lastly They hear Christ's Voice only his Voice and none else They will not hear the Voice of a Stranger that is they will not receive damnable Errors they know the Voice of Deceivers nor will they receive a Mixture in Doctrine nor in God's Worship they will not join Christ and Moses together Works and Faith together Christ's Righteousness and their own together Christ's Institutions and the Inventions and Traditions of Men together Quest May not Believers who are Christ's Sheep be beguiled so as to receive some capital Errors or an Error in some fundamental Point Answ 1. No doubt but they may be seduced I mean a particular Sheep or Saint may be grievously corrupted in his Judgment 2. But if a Believer be drawn away or seduced he shall if sincere if an Elect Person be restored again for it is impossible any of them should finally be deceived If it were possible they should deceive the very Elect but that cannot be Quest Why are false Teachers called Strangers Answ 1. Because a Stranger is one that we know not so a false Teacher is one that knows not Christ nor his true and saving Doctrine they are not acquainted with him are not brought into Union with Christ nor have Communion with him 2. They are Strangers to the Life and Power of true Religion and Godliness 3. The Saints also know them not they approve not of them nor of the Doctrine they preach they can discern between Truth and Error by the Anointing they have received 4. A Stranger is one that is not a constant dweller in one Place so false Prophets and false Teachers are not fixed long in one Opinion Her Ways saith Solomon are moveable speaking of the false Church or adulterous Woman many of these are one day for one thing for one Error and another day for another this shews they are false Teachers or Strangers to the Truth they know it not 5. They are called Strangers because they publish strange Doctrine Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines The Doctrine of Christ is one and the same being immutable can suffer no Change or Alteration but these bring in a new Doctrine not known in the Primitive Days not taught by Christ or his Apostles nor received in the purest Times of the Gospel before Corruptions crept into the Church They will not hear the Voice of Strangers or the Doctrine of false Teachers 1. Not
nothing it is not such eating as the Idolatrous Papists dream of it is by the Holy Spirit by the indwelling of the quickning Spirit whereby we have a real participation of Christ He is in us by his Spirit as a Vital Principle changing our Hearts and working in us his own Holy Image infusing Gracious Dispositions and Sacred Habits in the Soul and we are in him by Faith in a gracious hidden and mystical manner and this Union cannot be dissolved Secondly This Union must needs be most intimate near and strong if we consider by what Metaphors it is set forth in God's Word 1. It is a Marriage-Union like as a Man and his Wife are said to be one Flesh so he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit No Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourished and cherished it as the Lord the Church He that loveth his Wife loveth himself a Man and his Wife is but one Mystical Self and what is in Nature as to the Perfection of it is much more eminently in Christ Now since God hath fitted to our Nature a Care of our Body this Care be sure is much more in Christ when the Apostle shews what the Love of the Husband should be unto the Wife and that a Man leaves both Father and Mother and cleaveth to his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh Saith he This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church or of Christ and every believing Soul The Union between Husband and Wife is near ay but Death dissolves this Union because they can be united or be one no longer than both live But Christ lives for ever and the Soul of a Believer lives for ever Nay Believers have Eternal Life in them and they shall never die therefore it follows this Union abides for ever He hath betrothed his Saints his Spouse unto himself for ever And can any then dissolve this Marriage-Contract and Conjugal Union Is Christ able to preserve his Souse or the Soul that is united unto him Is it in the Power of his Hands Pray Brethren consider it well Will any of you that have a Spouse a Wife that you dearly love suffer her to be torn into pieces and basely murdered before your Eyes if you could prevent it And do any think that Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Power over Sin the World the Devil yea over Hell and Death will he I say ever suffer his Spouse to be destroyed and murdered by Sin World or Devil Strange did he die for her and has he married her and made her one Spirit with himself and will he leave her to conflict to fight and war with an Enemy that he knows is too strong and mighty for her and not come in rush in to her assistance to save and rescue her from such bloody cruel and barbarous Enemies No doubt but he will rise up with Indignation and Jealousy to save every Soul that is so related and united to him Thirdly This Spiritual Union between Christ and every believing Soul is set forth by that near and intimate Union which there is between the Natural Body and every Member thereof The Head and Members make but one Body even so Christ is the Head of his Saints and they being many are all Members of that one Body Christ and all Believers make but one Mystical Christ Even as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so is Christ that is Christ Mystical Now this Relation of Head and Members I say holds forth this Spiritual Union between Christ and every Believer We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone And it is from their Head Jesus Christ that every Member receives Divine and Saving Influences of Life Strength Government and Guidance as the Apostle shews From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love Our Union with Christ brings us into a fixed Settlement and secures us from all Fears or danger of miscarrying let all Enemies do what they can Can the Members be lost that have such a Head Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the communication of any thing unto us as Members from him the Head But it must be in that which constitutes him and us in this Relation saith a Reverend Minister he is our Head antecedently in order of Nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head yet not antecedent to our Union it self Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that tho they are many and have many Offices Places and Dependencies yet there is but one living quickning Soul in Head and Members The same Life that is in the Head is in the Body and in every Member thereof in particular and he that offers Violence to one Member offers Violence to the Body and the Head also And as one living Soul makes the natural Head and Members to be but one Man one Body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and in his Members gives them their Mystical Union and makes them but one Body As the first Man Adam was made a living Soul so the last Man Adam was made a quickning Spirit It is he that quickens by his Spirit or conveys a vital Principle to all his by which they live spiritually as from Adam all his live naturally Because I live ye shall live also So long as there is Life in Christ the Head there shall be Life in the Members because that Life that is communicated to the Head without measure as Mediator was to this very End that it might be communicated to every believing Soul that is united to him Now then if it be thus if this be the Nature of the Soul's Union with Jesus Christ that it is set out and opened to us by the Union that there is between the Body natural and its Members then I infer 1. That by the Life that is in the Head the Members live and because of that Life that is in him they cannot die it was by that Spirit that is in him that we were first quickned and Life is in us and shall be continued to us 2. I also infer That if Christ be able or can do it he will prevent his losing of any one of his Members And for any one to say it is not in his Power is Blasphemy and to say he can and will not is a like Evil to assert because it renders Christ less tender and careful of his Spiritual Members than we are of the Members of our Natural Body Which of us would suffer his Hand or Foot to be torn from us nay a Toe or Finger if we could prevent it 3. Furthermore I infer That all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body
that remains in Believers and will have good and spiritual Fruit to attend it therefore this Doctrine must needs promote Holiness that is thus founded on such a Sacred Principle and the Motives are every way as strong 5. It appears Brethren that our standing by Grace is most firm and sure it is like the standing of those who are in their consummate State in Glory The Good Angels and Blessed Souls above are confirmed in that State by superabounding Grace for by Nature as one observes the Angels are mutable What was the Reason some of them fell who beheld the Face of God The bare beholding the Face and Glory of God will not continue one Creature in a happy State without an Act of Divine and Confirming Grace it is a continual Addition of Grace and Supplies of Grace that preserves our Souls in a State of Life and to this End are we united to Jesus Christ I mean to such an Head that of and from his Fulness we might have a Communication of Strength and all Divine Influences as our Souls do stand in need 6. And this being so labour after the Exercise of Grace rest not in a small Degree thereof the more Grace you have the more Glory you will bring to God and the more easy it will be for you to resist Temptations 7. The more Grace also the more Peace Holiness is that which God calls for it is that which becomes his House for ever and without it no Man shall ever see the Lord. Therefore let this be the Use of all the Sermons you have heard from this Text even to work up your Hearts to Thankfulness to Holiness in all the whole Course of your Lives and to depend upon Christ alone into whose Hand you are committed by the Father that he would give you fresh Supplies of Grace and keep you from falling To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be Glory and Praise for ever Amen The Trial of the False Professor OR The Danger of Final APOSTACY Opened in three SERMONS preached lately at Horse-lie-down Wherein the Nature of the Sin against the Holy Ghost is discovered HEB. VI. 4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost ver 4. And have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come ver 5. If they fall away to renew them again unto Repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame ver 6. BELOVED this Place of Holy Scripture was sent to me in Writing some Months ago I know not by whom perhaps by some who hold a Total and Final Apostacy from a State of True Grace But before I entered upon this Text I resolved in the Strength of God to endeavour to prove the Impossibility of their final Falling who are True Believers or such who have Real Union with Jesus Christ which I hope I have effectually done I know that this Text is brought by some to prove That True Believers may fall not only foully but also finally Which certainly is a great Mistake which I shall endeavour God assisting to make appear Mr. John Goodwin speaking of this Place and that in Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully c. saith Evident it is from these two Passages the Holy Ghost after a serious manner and with a very pathetick and moving sirain of Speech and Discourse scarce the like to be found in all the Scripture admonisheth those who are at present true Believers to take heed of relapsing into the ways of their former Ignorance and Impiety This Caveat or Admonition he presseth by an Argument of this import that in case they shall thus relapse there will be very little or no hope at all of their Recovery or Return to the Estate of Faith and Grace wherein now they stand before the Faces of such Sayings and Passages as these rightly understood and duly considered there is no standing for that Doctrine which denies a Possibility either of a total or final Defection of the Saints c. He add That the Supposition or Hypothetical Proposition If they fall away doth denote here a Possibility of it which I will not deny but that these Persons of which the Apostle speaks were true Believers I see no ground at all to believe but do utterly deny it yet I readily grant this hath always been look'd upon as a very difficult place of Scripture to be rightly understood I have therefore consulted the best Authors and Exposuors I could meet with upon it 1. And I find that some of the Antients mistaking the Drift and Design of the Holy Ghost herein would take no Repentance from such who fell under Temptation in Times of Persecution especially if they fell into Idolatry 2. Nay such as fell into scandalous Crimes as Adultery and the like they would not admit by Repentance into the Church or have Communion any more with them And from hence I find that Tertullian reflects upon the Bishop of Rome that had admitted an Adulterer upon his Repentance Also Novatus as I find him quoted by a good Author denied all Hope of Church Pardon unto such Persons that had fallen into gross Sins after they had made a Profession of the Gospel and that from hence Which may seem strange considering that Paul admitted the incestuous Person upon his Repentance that being so notorious a Crime as most do or can fall into But no more as to this Brethren before I proceed let me premise three or four things 1. That the Apostacy here spoken of is not a bare falling into this or that Actual Sin be it of whatever Nature it will For do we not read how grievously some of the Saints of God sinned and fell and yet were restored again by Repentance 2. Nor is it a partial Apostacy or a falling upon Temptation or Surprizal in Time of Persecution though it be to the denying of Christ for did not Peter so fall and yet was restored afterwards 3. Neither is it a falling into some Capital Error as some of the Corinthians fell by denying the Resurrection of the Dead whom Paul laboured to recover Or like that of the Galatians who fell by denying Justification by Faith alone but mix'd Works with God's Free Grace in that great Point of Faith 4. Nor is it a falling of Ignorant Persons who never made any Profession of Religion such are not capable so to sin as is here mentioned because it is expresly said to be such who were once enlightned c. 5. And lastly Neither is it a falling away of such who are justified Persons or of those who have savingly been enlightned and quickned by the Spirit of God for such I have sufficiently proved cannot fall totally and finally so as to perish Thus far in the Negative But in the Affirmative 1. This Apostacy is a total and
go no further they will never come there and if they totally fall away their State will be worse in the end than it was at the beginning nay far worse than their Condition who never were enlightned at all but remain under the Power of natural Blindness c. 3. You that are Professors may also from what hath been briefly hinted perceive whether you have had a right taste of God and of his good Word or not Whether you have received Christ and do live upon the Bread of Life or not Or whether you have by Faith applied the Word and by Meditation digested it or not 4. Hath the Word changed your Hearts Have you got Power over your Corruptions and Temptations thereby Doth nothing satisfy your Souls short of God and Jesus Christ and it is as well a Likeness to him as an Interest in him Will not the Word and Ordinances quiet you unless you meet with Christ in them 5. This may be for a use of Terror to such who rest satisfied with the common Operations of the Word and Spirit of God they may go far yet fall away nay so fall as it may be impossible for them ever to be renewed by Repentance But 5 thly I shall now come to the fifth and last Thing or Attainment mentioned in our Text concerning these Professors who are in danger of Final Apostacy And of the Powers of the World to come They have not only tasted of the good Word of God but also of the Powers of the World to come Two things I shall propound to do here 1. Shew you what is meant by the World to come 2. Shew what a kind of taste these Persons may be said to have of it 1. Some by the World to come assert is only meant the Gospel-Church-State or Spiritual Kingdom of the Messiah which begun in the Apostles Days Nay I find Reverend Dr. Owen is much of this Perswasion as you may see in his Exposition of the first Chapter to the Hebrews By the World to come saith he the Apostle in this Epistle intends the Days of the Messiah that being the usual Name of it in the Church at that time as the New World which God had promised to create whereof these Powers by Signs Wonders and mighty Works were then wrought by the Holy Ghost according as it was foretold by the Prophets that they should be so Joel 2. Acts 2. These the Persons spoken of are supposed to have tasted either they had been wrought in and by themselves or by others in their sight whereby they had experience of the glorious and powerful working of the Holy Ghost in the Confirmation of the Gospel Yea saith he I do judg that they themselves in their own Persons were partakers of these Powers in the Gift of Tongues and other miraculous Operations which was the highest Aggravation possible of their Apostacy I will not deny this to be intended by the Powers of the World to come But this Exposition seems too much to interfere with the second and third Attainment mentioned of these Persons and if this be granted to be intended hereby yet it must be carried also further I mean to the after-State of Christ's Kingdom for the Kingdom that is now expected and the latter-day-Glory we all allow to be the Kingdom of the Messiah Nor can any doubt of a World yet to come or glorious visible Kingdom of Jesus Christ to be set up in the last Days the Holy Ghost positively affirming That the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ And that when the seventh Angel soundeth his Trumpet and not till then which brings in the third and last Wo upon the Antichristian State and Kingdom Yet I question not but that the beginning of the Kingdom of the Messiah was in the Apostles Days and did commence from the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ being ushered in and established with the miraculous Gifts and Operations of the Holy Spirit Which wonderful Appearance of God's Power doth no doubt appertain to the Kingdom of Christ as such And at the pouring forth of the latter Rain we may expect as great nay a greater miraculous working-Power than ever accompanied it to this Day because the Glory of the latter House shall exceed the Glory of the former And there seems to me to be the like Parity of Reason for those miraculous Operations in the last Days in order to the spreading the Gospel over all the World and the establishment of Christ's more visible Kingdom as there was at first the Appearance of Christ will be with Power and great Glory 2. Therefore let it be considered and not doubted of but that there is yet a World to come and another kind of World than this World is and a more glorious Kingdom of Christ than at present we behold That the World to come will consist of a new Heaven and a new Earth which we look for as the Apostle Peter observes is evident according to God's Promise this present World yea these Old Heavens and Old Earth shall pass away and be dissolved Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for a New Heaven and New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness It was not then come but expected to be revealed in the last Days 3. It will be a World between this and the ultimate Glory in the Kingdom of the Father I mean when Christ shall give up his Kingdom to the Father that God may be all in all that is Christ will yield up his Rule and Government as Mediator for his Mediatorial Kingdom shall cease and the Kingdom and Glory of God i. e. Father Son and Holy Ghost shall only be magnified Christ shall then as Mediator no longer sit and rule upon his Throne his Work will be done and the Date of his Commission be expired 4. Let it also be considered that the World to come in the Glory of it shall not be revealed until this present World passes away is burnt up and dissolved and therefore cannot be expected until the Resurrection of the Just For Man lies down and rises not till the Heavens be no more This the Holy Ghost clearly shewed also to John And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed and there was no more Sea And that the World to come shall begin in its greatest Glory at the Resurrection doth appear by our Saviour's own words But they which shall be worthy to obtain that World to come and the Resurrection from the Dead neither marry nor are given in Marriage Neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the Angels and are the Children of the Resurrection It appears the World to come or Kingdom of the Messiah in its greatest Glory and the Resurrection commence together or at one and the same time And this is further confirmed because in one Place it is