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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86549	Salvation from sinne by Jesus Christ: or, The doctrine of sanctification (which is the greater part of our salvation) founded upon Christ, who is both the meritorious, and and efficient cause of sanctifying grace, purchasing it for, working & perfecting it in his people. Applied (as it was specially intended) for the better information of our judgements, and quickning of our affections in holiness, wherein our everlasting our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth. / Preached in the weekly lecture at Evesham in the county of Worcester, by George Hopkins, M.A. minister of the Gospel there.; Salvation from sinne by Jesus Christ	Hopkins, George, 1620-1666.	1655 (1655)	Wing H2743; Thomason E1608_1; ESTC R208454	135,124	325

sorts of persons among us admitted to all Church-priviledges but I would not have the common sort so lightly cast off as they are by some as if it were no part of our duty to seek their spirituall good And what shall we say of those who censure their Minister for not suspending from the Lords table some that have offended though he know nothing of the offence when they themselves that know it will not so much as once admonish them which is their manifest duty Men are very ready to complaine of others for that wherein themselves are chiefly in fault And it is too usuall sad experience tells us for people to complain both of the Minister and Congregation to which they belong when themselves never once set about the duty of private members I know that in so great a place as this there is far more ministeriall work than we two and twice two more are able to perform yet will some find fault because we cannot do our own work and theirs too that so they may be quit from the troublesome duty of admonishing an offending brother But is not this to binde heavy burdens and grievous to be born and lay them on other mens shoulders when they themselves will not touch them with the least of their fingers I doubt not Brethren but both you and we shalloperform our duties defectively at the best as long as we live here yet let us faithfully and cheerfully set about each man his part and do it as we are able without casting it off from one to another This duty Brethren you owe as you have fit opportunity both to the godly and ungodly Doe you see carnall persons in the height of wickednesse and think you therefore they are not to be medled with Is not their case the more to be pitied and their cure if it may be the more seriously minded God doth often reclaim the worst of sinners and he doth it in the use of his own meanes whereof private admonition is one When Jerusalem suffered the saddest desolation heedless passengers were grown hard-hearted towards her she affectionately cries out Lam. 1.12 Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow So may we say on the behalf of poore sinners Is there any misery like unto the misery of those that lie in the ruines and desolation of sin Is there any evil like unto this and is it nothing to you all ye that regardlesly passe by If the deepest misery be the meetest object of pity and the greatest poverty the fittest object of charity then here may you bestow your spirituall almes very cheerfully here are objects enow amongst us fit for your exercise Though you may take such a sinner for one that is without and judge him unfit to be called by the name of brother yet vouchsafe him the priviledge of a neighbour Lev. 19 17. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Give me leave to make use of the parable of our Saviour Christ of the wayfaring man travelling from Jerusalem to Jer●co that fell among thieves Satan and inbred corruption have conspired together and wounded a poore soul leaving him in a dying and perishing condition O be not as the Priest and Levite that seeing passed by on the other side but put on rather bowels of compassion with the good Samaritan bind up his wounds and pour in oyle A seasonable reproof from a sympathising heart may be as a precious oyle as saith David Psal 141.5 and by thus shewing mercy on him you shall truly deserve to be called his neighbour This duty you must exercise towards those that are godly also as need and opportunity requires The faithfull have much need of each others help in this as well as other wayes and they are the more bound to it as being fellow-members of the same body called to that unity for mutual help How much might Christians advantage each other were they but faithful in the performance of this necessary duty But alas how little is done in it Remember I beseech you what I have formerly taught you in divers Sermons from Mat. 18.15 16 17. wherein I handled the graduall proceedings of this duty Remember also what you have lately heard from my Fellow-labourer from Gal. 6.1 and let not this duty remain as it doth almost wholly undone Observe the rule of Christ and in private offences begin with private admonition for if the offence may be put away privily it is not the mind of Christ that the offender should be put to open shame h This use is excellently and largely pressed by M. Baxter in his Saints rest part 3. ch 12 13. wherein he gives directions for the right performance of this duty sets down the common hinderances answereth objections against the performance of it and giveth motives to all Christians to set about it and particularly presseth it at large upon Ministers and patents with directions to them I might here descend in this exhortation to speak more particularly and to stir up persons according to their relative obligations to be subservient to Christ in this great saving work But I will not now branch forth into so many particulars being desirous to hasten towards a conclusion of this Subject I shall therefore in generall desire all especially such as are godly Husbands Wives Parents Masters and other friends of intimate acquaintance to improve their interest in such as they are so related to for the promoting of this saving work of Christ If your children through Gods blessing upon your faithful endeavors become the children of God and your servants the servants of God If you that are husbands and wives be instrumentall for the espousing of one the other to Christ that so you may walk hand in hand in Heavens way and meet in Heaven to abide together with the Lord for ever after a little time of separation by death how beneficial and comfortable will such indeavours be both to you and them God be honoured in both The Lord hath given great encouragement in his Word to the faithfull performance of this duty Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Dan. 12.3 And they that be wise or teachers shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as starres for ever and ever CHAP. VI. LAstly If this Salvation from Sin be the Work of Christ then this is matter of consolation to all such as are in a state of Salvation in divers respects especially in these two which I shall particularly mention 1. Here is comfort against the fear of falling away 2. In assurance of full freedome at last from all their sins

That grace and glory in this agree I know will be easily granted but how heavenly peace and joy should depend upon perfect sanctification as I conceive it doth may be more doubted For the clearing of this therefore I shall speak of these two later the more largely Peace which is the second part of glory is three-fold 1. with God 2. with our own Consciences 3. with Saints and Angels 1. Peace with God is two-fold 1. Procured 2. Continued 1. Peace with God procured is I confesse from a work wrought without us to wit the satisfaction of Christ on our behalfe according to what the Law required and depends upon Gods gracious acceptation of us in Christ yet is holinesse a necessary condition or qualification of the person that shall enter into peace as the Prophet phraseth it Isa 57.2 The righteous is taken away from the evil to come he shall enter into peace 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 2. Peace with God continued depends upon a work of Christ within us to wit the work of Sanctification for being perfectly Sanctified in Heaven we do the will of God perfectly and displease him no more so that the peace formerly made is no more broken 2. Peace of Conscience must needs be perfect when a man comes to be perfectly holy and to enjoy perfect peace with God yea it were a contradiction to think otherwise For to have Conscience accusing for doing well were a sinfull error of Conscience and contrary to perfect holinesse Conscience is a Judge and to clear the guilty and condemn the innocent is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 17.15 and how can holinesse be perfect unlesse Conscience be perfect also Doth not Conscience belong to the practicall understanding and if this be perfected is not the perfection of Conscience included in it Or if you will make Conscience to be a distinct faculty of the Soul it matters not in this case so that we make it any thing belonging to the Soul for if the Soul in Heaven be perfectly good every power and faculty of it must be perfectly sanctified amongst which Conscience will finde a place m Conscientia humana est judiciū hominis de semetipso prout subjicitur judicio Dei Ames de Cons p. 1. Conscience as Doctor Ames defines it is Mans judgement concerning himselfe as it is subject to the judgement of God Therefore when God speaks peace perfected Conscience as it is in Heaven must needs speak so too and that Conscience cannot be perfectly good which is not quietly good Some distinguish of foure sorts of Consciences 1. A Conscience good but not quiet Such is the Conscience of a child of Light walking in Darknesse Such was the Conscience sometime of David and other of Gods Children Secondly A Conscience quiet but not good Such a Conscience as cryes peace peace to the sinner while he goes on in the stubbornesse of his own heart 3. A Conscience quiet and good Such is the Conscience of a Child of God when he walkes in Gods wayes and in the light of his Countenance 4. A Conscience neither good nor quiet Such is the accusing gnawing Conscience of a wicked Man such was the Conscience of Iudas after he had betrayed Christ But after this life the two first of these will be taken away 1. For when a man is perfectly sanctified as he shall be in Heaven there will be no room for Conscience to be unquiet because it will have no matter for which to accuse but will be perfectly quiet as the state of the Soule is perfectly good 2. The Conscience of the damned in Hell as it is perfectly evill so it is as restlesse and unquiet the worm as it never dyeth so it alwayes worketh 3. Perfect peace with Saints and Angels is but the perfection of the grace of love mutually exercised The third part of Heavens happinesse is perfect joy now joy is an affection of the Soule and the Soule being perfectly sanctified in glory this affection must be perfected as well as Love and the rest of the Affections which must all be taken in to make up the perfect sanctification of the Soule Perfect joy requires two things to its morall as well as its naturall perfection 1. That it be fixed upon God the chiefest good which is the onely satisfactory object And our joy here is therefore sinfully imperfect because we fixe it upon creature-comforts which are not perfect But God who is perfectly good is to be the onely object of our joy and other things are to be rejoyced in onely in subordination to him 2. Perfect joy requires a perfect rejoycing in this perfect object and in this life the joy of the Saints is therefore imperfect because though it be fixed upon God yet it is but imperfectly exercised Thus in both these respects our joy here is sinfully as well as naturally defective But in Heaven we shall perfectly rejoyce in God our perfect good and I hope none will deny but it is our duty to rejoyce in God forever with the most intense degree of joy and it were our sinne to doe any lesse What is this part of our happinesse then but a most necessary part of our perfect holinesse And in all these we see that perfect Holinesse is Heavens happinesse Another argument proving the great work of Christ our Saviour to be the saving of his people from their sins Arg. 4 may be drawn from the main scope and current of Scripture That must needs be the great work of Christ our Saviour which Scripture that is the word of salvation chiefly points out unto us But it is our salvation from sin or sanctification that Scripture chiefly points out unto us Eph. 1.13 Col. 3.16 Therefore this is the great work of Christ c. The Gospel is called the Gospel of our salvation because it shews us the way of salvation And it is called the Word of Christ not onely because it was endited by the Spirit of Christ but also because Christ is the subject whereof Scripture chiefly treats Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me saith Christ Christ is the subject of Moses writings and of all the Prophesies of the holy Prophets and the New Testament is called the Gospel or joyfull message of Jesus Christ because therein is brought unto us news of our salvation by Christ yea the will of Christ revealed in his Word being the instrument or means of our salvation must needs concur with Christ the principall Efficient of our Salvation Now Scripture mainly insists upon the doctrine of Sanctification which is our salvation from sin which will easily appeare if we take a generall view of Scriture thus Scripture contains 1. Precepts or Commands 2. Threatnings 3. Promises 4. Examples First The Precepts of Scripture command Holinesse and teach us how to eschew evill and

that may be worth some thousand pounds So is the esteem of most concerning the worth of Christians he that talks most and wordeth it best in all company is the onely man when a weighty serious Christian of fewer words and meaner outside is of no account But the worth of a Christian lies not in a few good words nor in plausible performance of duties but in true and real sanctification from sinne A sincere humble-hearted Christian is worth his weight in gold and I doubt not but one such Christian will weigh down a hundred vainglorious talkers in the balance of the Sanctuary Think not the highest Mountaines are the most fruitfull Land because they overlook the lower Valleys the mountains indeed are most in shew especially at a distance but the lowest valleyes bring forth fruit most abundantly Gifts and Grace compared There is a great deale of difference between Gifts and Graces as I shall instance in three particulars There is the gift of knowledge and the grace of knowledge the gift of faith and the grace of faith the gift of prayer and the grace of prayer There may be oft times is a large gift of all these where the true grace of them is wholly wanting No doubt but Iudas and divers others lawfully set apart to the work of the Ministrie were indued with a large measure of the gifts of knowledge faith and utterance both for preaching and prayer But how farre were they from the grace of either Our Saviour Christ himself gives us an account of many Mat. 7.22 that will say at the last day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderfull works and then will he professe unto them I never know you depart from me ye that work iniquity But true sanctifying Grace is precious in his esteem the grace of knowledge is more precious than any thing in all the world Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdome and the man that getteth understanding For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver the gain thereof than of fine gold she is more precious than rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her Happy indeed are they that have the grace of knowledge when many that are endued with great gifts are and shal be eternally miseable Hel it self is full of large gifts yea the Devils there have greater knowledge than all the Saints on earth The gift of knowledge through the corruption of man puffs up as we see by woful and abundant experience when the grace of knowledge makes a man more humble The mere gift makes a man wise in his own eyes and while he takes himself to be a knowing man he knowes nothing as he ought 1 Cor. 8.7 Seest thou a man that is wise in his own eyes there is more hope of a foole than of him saith Solomon Prov. 26.12 A foole in Solomons usuall sense is one that is wicked and verily there is more hope of a profane person than of him that is well conceited of himself The Gospel took better effect among Publicans and Harlots than with the Scribes and Pharisees for to them saith Christ the Publicans and Harlots enter into the kingdome of God before you Mat. 21.31 And the reason is evident for a profane person is more easily convinced of his sin which is a good step toward conversion and a necessary antecedent to it A self-conceited proud person resisteth God in his message and motions and God resisteth him so that there is as it were an antipathy between them The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsell of God Luke 7.30 and God resisteth the proud James 4.6 but he giveth grace to the humble And the grace of knowledge makes a man humble little in his owne eyes and low in his own esteem shewing him his ignorance wants weakness and the more a man truly knowes the more he sees what he knows not and dare not rashly adventure upon things above his reach Ps 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me There was likewise the gift of Faith even to the working of Miracles which was nothing in the Lords esteem without sanctifying Grace 1 Cor. 13.2 Thogh I have faith so that I could remove mountaines and have no charity I am nothing But the grace of faith in all that are indued with it is precious 2 Pet. 1.1 And the triall of this grace is said to be much more precious than of gold 1 Pet. 1.7 There is also the gift of Prayer and this furnisheth a man with words and apt composure as to the outward form but the grace of Prayer furnisheth the heart with the sense of its wants and apprehension of the worth of grace and fills the soul with sighs and groans when it wants words to speak its minde There was more of the grace of prayer in that short Petition of the self denying Publican God be mercifull to me a sinner than in many of the Pharisees long prayers and their fastings to boot The Pharisees prayed by measure and the Papists pray by number but a gracious spirit prayes by weight and such prayers are most prevalent Jam. 5.16 The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Regard not then so much how long thou prayest or what are thy expressions in prayer as what are thy sighs and groans and what the serious sense of thy heart in prayer and supplication The speciall help of the spirit lies in framing the heart with the affections not the tongue with words for prayer as is evident Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Measure not then the quantity of thy gifts to know what thou art in point of Christianity but try the quality the sincerity and growth of thy grace A little grace with little gifts is of farre greater value than the greatest gifts without grace A small vessel laden with Gold from the Indies is of more value than the greatest ship laden with Coales Salt or such like Commodities Grace lies not meerely in the head but chiefly in the heart and in the feet also of a Christian to wit the habit of grace in the inward affection and the exercise in the outward conversation or course of life together with the actings of the inward faculties 1. In the heart or inward affections Thus according to the tenour of the new Covenant the true grace of knowledge rectifies the heart Jer. 31.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And 't is the

heart that God especially calls for Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart With the head man assenteth to the truth of God but with the heart man consenting believeth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 that is justifying faith is seated chiefly in the heart I doe not exclude the understanding The head inventeth words but the heart inditeth matter for prayer and praise My heart is inditing a good matter saith David Psal 45.1 The head may dictate to the tongue but grace frameth and fixeth the heart for duty Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Here the heart leadeth the way to the outward service calling upon awakening the tongue Psaltery and Harp ver 8. Awake my glory that is my tongue which is therefore called our glory because it is the instrument wherewith man glorifies God compare Psal 16.9 with Acts 2.26 and you shall finde that that which the Psalmist calleth the glory the Apostle translateth the tongue in quoting that text Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad 2. True Grace is also much in the feet of a Christian I mean the exercise of grace is in the course of life and conversation not excluding the inward exercise which is called our way wherein we are to walk according to the Word of God Thus also in the new Covenant God promiseth as to write his lawes in the hearts of his people so to cause them to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36.27 Psal 119.59 I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies ver 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way ver 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Walking is an act of continuance and imports the constant course of life in such Scripture-phrases as these Thus saith David Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord yea Grace causeth not onely to walk but also to run in the waies of God Thus likewise saith David Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy commandements Thus Paul I therefore so run not as uncertainly 1 Cor 9.26 and he exhorteth us v. 24. So run that ye may obtain Gifts have been and are still much abused but Grace cannot be misimplied The strivings hot contendings fearfull schismes and factions in the Church of Corinth were made through the pride and vainglory of the gifted men among them There were so many tongues and so many speakers puffed up with self-conceit that those gifts which were given them for edification were abused to ostentation and confusion in their solemn meetings which Paul corrects as we read at large 1 Cor. 14. What is the cause of our sad divisions and the great disorder that we are grown into but this that men play the wantons with the gifts that God hath given them Scripture tells us knowledge puffs up 1 Cor 8.2 And when men are swoln with pride 't is no mervaile if they break out into contention for saith Solomon Onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13.10 Let then the most humble peaceable selfe-denying serious Christian be accounted the best and let grace be ever preferred before gifts Lastly if Christs great work be the saving of his people from their sins this informes us that a soule given up to a state of sin is in a most sad condition No judgement like that of being given up to a reprobate sense and vile affections Had we stood with Abraham and seen Sodom flaming and smoking with fire and brimstone and so terrible wrath from Heaven consuming her inhabitants would not our hearts have aked within us at so dreadfull a sight But that which righteous Lot saw while he lived among them which vexed his soul from day to day even their filthy and unlawfull deeds was in itself a sight far more grievous to behold Men are apt to judge that God is highly displeased with those that fall under some remarkable temporall judgement but little regard his wrath in giving up soules to sinne yea a seeming judgement sometimes begets an hasty and rash censure When the Viper fastned upon Pauls hand no doubt said the Barbarians this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live Acts 28.4 And had Job lived in our daies we should have had many ready to charge him in the depth of his misery with wickedness and hypocrisie as his friends did But beloved there is a sort of vengeance from heaven that lies upon the greatest part of the world and upon many among us which is little regarded and that is Gods leaving men up to their own hearts lusts Rom. 1.24 26. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their bodies betweene themselves and ver 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections To the like purpose speaketh Solomon Prov. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein And 't is well reckoned by the Psalmist among the heavy judgements upon Israel in the Wilderness that when they lusted exceedingly tempted God he gave them their request but sent leannesse into their souls Ps 106.14 16. Ps 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken unto my voice I rael would none of me so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts they walked in their own counsels the judgement upon evil men seduce is that they shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 And were it well considered we might observe the remarkable judgement of God upon many in these times How many of those that waxed wanton and despised the precious Truths and Ordinances of God are now given up to swearing drunkennesse whoredome and such like abominable wickednesse Had these men been smitten with lightning and thunderbolts from heaven for their departure from the waies of righteousnesse we should have been ready to say this is the finger of God Certainely God hath already pointed them out more sadly by the heaviest plagues in that they have been given up to hellish blasphemies and to work wickednesse with greedinesse and his hand in this is more heavy upon them than if we had seen them fall dead in our streets As it is the Saints happinesse that their little grace shall be improved so is it the misery of a multitude of seared Sinners that their filthy and vile affections shall be still increased as it is written Revel 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still CHAP. IV. IF the great work of Christ our Saviour be the saving of his people from their sins Use of Reproof then this reproves those that do what in them lies to hinder this

of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling CHAP. V. FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth 1. Use of Exhortation That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sinnes This will be of great concernment to the glory of God and the good of your own and others soules as will more fully appeare in the following discourse The not understanding and want of consideration of this is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons They look onely upon judgement as the great evill they are liable unto as for their sinnes they love and delight in them as if there were no evil in them So little do most consider of the evill of sinne that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law and denounced against sinners they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins the Language of many poore carnall soules declares as much Tell a profane person of his evill courses so as to convince him of his sinne he will answer he hopes he may repent hereafter and God may have mercy on him at the last The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him but for present reformation he hath no minde to it Tell me plainly thou that livest in known sinnes being convinced in conscience of the evill of them and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart Tell me I say and let Conscience answer when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy solitary seasons or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Sermon what thy state is how sinfull and damnable Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption silenced the voice and quieted the workings of conscience by telling it this work of turning to God and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation but this is a work that may be done hereafter and so it be done any time t is well enough though in sickness or old age And doth not this plainly shew that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring for sin not upon sin it self for were sin accounted a greter or as great an evil as suffering yea were it accounted an evil of any moment at all there would be no pleading for a little more slumber a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin as of the pain of scorching flames oh how would they awake and rouze up themselves plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures Is it not ignorance in this point that is the cause why so many in these times will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse worth the hearing and that the Preacher that spends much time upon such subjects is esteemed no better than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel Is not ignorance of this doctrine the cause why so many self-conceited self-sending teachers meddle so little with the propheticall and kingly office of Christ and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office and handle that but by the halves too They are much upon the satisfaction which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law and suffering for us but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little taken notice of Verily every office of Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlightning in the waies of holinesse his Kingly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections for the conducting of them and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse and his purchase as he is our Priest of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us The not laying of this to heart is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course Tell me truly thou that fearest God and dissemble no longer to thy own injury and Gods dishonour Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart I am verily perswaded my estate is good before God that I have true grace and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ and though I be not so carefull watchfull and spirituall as I might be though I give way to such and such lesser evils and neglect such and such smaller duties yet having an interest in Christ who is able to save me to the uttermost all these will be pardoned and done away in the day of account and being not under a covenant of works but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes I need not be so very scrupulous Whence now comes such evill and carnall reasonings in thy heart but from hence that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes Thou lookest upon suffering as the greatest evil and upon sinne as little in comparison of it thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly yea almost wholly if not onely to be admired in the remission of sinnes and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their sanctification O how exceedingly is God dishonoured not onely by wicked men but even by his own children also for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies O learn now if thou hast not hitherto considered it that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes And to that end weigh well the arguments confirming the Doctrine And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth of so great importance study againe and consider better very many Scriptures that speak of the work of salvation by Christ and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them by conceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely when they specially intend salvation from sinne onely Did not these words in the text He shall save his people from their sinnes and these words Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne O learn now more clearly and fully to understand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace and know that Christs saving his people by sanctifying them as well as justifying them is the very stream both of the old and new Testament And here that I may help your understanding a little I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types 2. In the Promises 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament 5. In the Gospel-invitations together with some other texts of Scripture Sacraments ordinary 1. For the Sacraments which were ordinary in the old Testament Circumcision of the flesh signified circumcising that

the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour In which he shews first what was our misery to wit a state of foolishnesse disobedience c. ver 3. Secondly he declares the moving cause of our salvation to wit not our works but his mercy according to his mercy he saved us to wit from the forementioned misery and that is done by the washing of Regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost c. ver 5 6. And herein the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeareth ver 4. Justifying grace is afterwards mentioned v. 7. In the third fourth and fifth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans and the third to the Galatians the Apostle speaks chiefly and almost wholly of justifying grace But the reason of that is because he there disputed the question of justification with those that sought it by a legal righteousness of their own therefore in this case it was necessary for him first to keep to the question in hand yet in the following chapters he shews the vertues of Christs death for the killing of sinne and of his resurrection for our arising to newnesse of life Rom. 6. And that they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 But where no controversie lies in his way but the doctrine of salvation is intirely to be handled he states salvation mainly in the sanctification of the soul as appeares in the foregoing instances And when Paul accounts all but losse and dung that he might win Christ Phil 3.8 it was not meerly that he might be found in the righteousness which is through faith in Christ but also that he might know Christ and the power of his resurrestion and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable to his death And towards the full attainment of this it is that he presseth forwards ver 12.13 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after c. When Paul wrote to Timothy to direct him what to teach as the most necessary doctrine and what he should see others teach also he directs him to teach the practice of godlinesse 1 Tim. 4.7 8. But refuse profane and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse For bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come He addes ver 9. This is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation And backing it with a further argument ver 10. he addes again ver 11. These things command and teach And in the fifth chap. with the former part of the sixt having directed him how to teach the duties of persons in their severall relations he addes These things teach and exhort ver 2. And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions c. The Doctrines that are now vented against the power of godlinesse are but the fruit of the proud dotage of the times wherein we live for the mysterie of the Gospel is called the mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh c. Let it be further considered that when Paul professedly handleth the doctrine of Gods speciall distinguishing grace he opposeth saving grace as I formerly observed to hardning in sin rather than perishing for sin Ro. 9.18 He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth I might give you divers other Scriptures but these may suffice being thus opened to help you in the better understanding of the doctrine of Saving grace Consider well of these and see wherein thy salvation lies and labour in the use of all the meanes that God affords thee for the saving of thy soul from sin Hear diligently pray earnestly watch narrowly work out thy salvation with fear and trembling and strive in good earnest if thou meanst to be crowned Obj. But methink I heare some already whispering what must we be saved by our graces and duties What kinde of Popish doctrine is this To which I answer Answ This is the great Objection whereby Sathan that grand Deceiver hath hardned many against the most pressing arguments of the most serious Ambassadors of Christ to holinesse of life Upon this one slender cavil many for fear of Popery are become Antinomians I may better say professed Libertines And for fear of being their own Saviours have refused to be saved by the purifying blood and spirit of Jesus Christ But to speak more particularly and satisfactorily to this point consider with me these few propositions following Prop. 1. Mans Misery consists of two parts 1. Sin 2. Condemnation for Sin 2. Mans Salvation consists of two parts opposite to those two evils 1. Sanctification which is his Salvation fron Sin 2. Pardon of Sin and Justification whereby he is delivered from Guilt and Condemnation And both these are essentially necessary to mans Salvation 3. Justification and Sanctification are both concomitant and inseparable twins of unspeakable Mercy and Free-grace proceeding from the tender bowels of Jesus Christ 4. As no mans Justification is the cause of his Sanctification so no mans Sanctification is the cause of his Justification but both are alike the proper fruits of the forementioned grace of Jesus Christ 5. As no man is saved from wrath and condemnation but by being pardoned and justified so no man is saved from sin but by being sanctified And thus salvation depends upon sanctification And what danger is in this Doctrine I am sure the ruine of the soule depends upon the contrary 6. Justification is a relative change wrought without us Sanctification is a reall work wrought upon us Christ is the Author but Man is the Subject of Sanctification Or to speak to the meanest capacity it is Christ that sanctifeth it is Man that is sanctified 7. By this sanctifying grace of Christ those that were dead in trespasses and sins have a principle of spiritual life put within them and maintained whereby they are enabl'd to live the life of grace to the glory and honour of God Now must we be afraid of setting forth in the strength of grace communicated lest we dishonour the work of Christ Is Christ dishonoured by our walking running striving pressing forward in the waies of his Commandements When Christ raised Lazarus from the Grave he wrought a reall miracle in causing his soule to return into his body whereby he received life again Here Christ was the Author of this Miracle and Lazarus was the Subject upon whom it was wrought It was Christ that gave life by causing the soul to return into the body it was Lazarus that received life and his soul that