Law perfectly is cursed but no Man can keep the Law perfectly therefore all Man naturally are cursed and impossible then to be blessed until delivered from that Curse and this therefore Christ came to do him hath God sent to bless us which Blessing we could not have 〈…〉 Christ puts himself in our place and bears the Curse away from us Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being 〈◊〉 a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that 〈◊〉 on a Tree He that was hanged on a Tree under the Law was hanged for transgressing of it and was cursed of God and when 〈◊〉 is said Christ was made a Curse for us it signifies his bearing that Wrath and indignation of God which was due to us for our Sin and his he must do if ever we are justified and eternally â—â—ved from that Eternal Wrath and Vengeance Sin had brought upon every Soul of us 5. As our Lord Jesus if he procure Salvation for us must die and become a Curse for us so he must also raise up himself from the Dead or be discharged of the Bonds of Death he must destroy Death and be freed out of Prison He therefore rose again from the Dead for our Justification His Discharge was virtually a Discharge for us or for all he died for our Lord Jesus must subdue all our Enemies and bring not Death only but the Devil also and all the Powers of Darkness under his Feet or there could be no Salvation for our poor Souls Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christ and Believers are of one and the same Nature they are as it were but one Man or are so united as to be considered as one Mystical Body This was held forth in his Incarnation in his assuming our Nature He took not only an Humane Soul but our Humane Flesh into Union with his Divine Nature that both our Souls and Bodies might be brought into Union with him and that our Bodies might also be raised from Death to a State of Life and Glory at the last Day and be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body Who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Had not Christ conquered Death and the Devil who had the Power of Death we had been lost for ever He hath not only taken away Sin the Sting of Death but he hath and will be the Death of Death The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death The Body as well as the Soul is brought into Union with Christ he is the Head of the whole Believer the Body as well as the Soul Shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot Both Body and Spirit are the Lord's our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Brethren what a Conquest hath Christ made how hath he subdued all our Enemies that so he might work out a full and perfect Victory for us in every respect For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Ver. 54. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Ver. 55. 6. And lastly And as Christ must conquer the Devil the World Sin Death and the Grave for us and in our Nature so he must by his mighty Power destroy the Devil and Sin 's great Power in us and vanquish that natural Enmity that is in our Hearts against God and his Ways and thereby restore the Image of God in us which we had lost HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Ninthly GOSPEL-Salvation is great if we consider the Subject thereof or what is delivered and saved for ever namely the Souls and Bodies of his People First The Soul that is it Jesus Christ came to save which is very precious as I shall shew you in a deduction of several Particulars Certainly the Salvation of the Soul must needs be a great Salvation What is it to save our Estates our Liberties our Healths the Members of our Bodies our Eyes Arms Legs or our natural Lives to the saving of our precious and immortal Souls The Soul is more worth than all the World What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 1 st To demonstrate the great Worth Excellency and Preciousness of the Soul consider that it was first formed in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Our Souls had a glorious Impression of God's Image stamp'd upon them in the first Creation which we lost by Sin and Transgression But this Blessed Image is restored again as you have heard by the Grace of God in this Salvation 1. Pray Brethren remember that the Soul of Man is capable of a Divine Impression of God's glorious Image it is made I mean of such a Nature that it is capable of this great Blessing therefore to be deemed a very precious thing God will not stamp his Image upon low and base Metal if I may so speak with reverence 2. There are three things I find which the great God glories in as being peculiar to himself or his own glorious Prerogative alone The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel saith the Lord which stretcheth out the Heavens and layeth the Foundations of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The first is his stretching out of the Heavens O what a great and glorious Work was that The second is his laying the Foundation of the Earth the hanging it upon nothing what a wonderful thing is that considering its great Weight and wonderful Body The third is his forming of our Souls Certainly the Spirit or Soul of Man is a glorious thing that God should account the Creation of it amongst those chiefest Parts of his admirable Handy-work Why is not the forming the Blessed Angels who are glorious Spirits rather mentioned it is worthy of serious Contemplation Our Bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made they are no small part of God's Wisdom and curious Workmanship if the Nature and Order of every Part was considered as some Artists who study Man's Humane Body will shew you But what is the Formation and Excellency of our Bodies to our Souls 3. The Soul is capable of Divine Union with Jesus Christ through a Communication of the Holy Spirit and by Faith of the Operation of God and thereby the whole Man partakes of the like Union also
his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ without Works Now to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness 'T is not because we are righteous in our selves therefore we are justified no but being justified by the Righteousness of Christ we are declared righteous in him and this is wholly by God's free Grace 4. Faith is a Grace or a Gift freely given to all that believe To you it is given in behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but to suffer for his sake For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God 5. Repentance is of Grace Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel c. God in the New Covenant promises to take away the Heart of Stone and to give a Heart of Flesh that is a broken tender and a repenting Heart If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledging the Truth If God will give them a Power and an Heart to repent it is his own free and gracious Gift to poor Sinners 6. Forgiveness of Sin is also freely given of God it is of Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ So that it appears Eternal Life from the first to the last is wholly of Grace both the Author of it the Means of it and the End thereof all is of Grace Heaven it self is the Gift of Grace Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom The Crown of Glory is the Gift of Christ Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Take the Water of Life freely buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Salvation was contrived by Infinite Grace and all things that do concur or accompany it are freely given Bread of Life and Water of Life is freely given A new Heart will I give them and a new Spirit will I put into them To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven c. Thirdly To proceed to the Grounds of the Point I shall give you the Reasons why Eternal Life is the Gift of Christ or of the free Grace of God 1. It is because Sin and Death cannot be removed out of the Way to Life but only by Jesus Christ and so by Grace only The Law of God is broke and Justice calls for Wrath and Vengeance to be executed upon the Transgressor Justice must be satisfied but Man cannot make a Compensation for the Violation of God's Holy Law nor will God acquit the Sinner unless that be done the Law is but an Impression of God's Holy Nature it resulted not from a bare Act of his Sovereignty but from his Holiness and perfect Rectitude of his blessed Nature If Man could have attained to Life by any Works of Obedience done by him Christ died in vain and if it had consisted with the Wisdom and Holiness of God to have accepted of imperfect Obedience provided it had been sincere he could at first have given Man such a Law and so have saved the Life of his Son For any therefore to affirm that God accepteth sinful Man for the sake of his imperfect though sincere Obedience it is to assert in effect that he accepted of some sinful and polluted Acts as a Recompence and Satisfaction for other sinful Acts and Deeds of Darkness for all our best Services are unclean in themselves Paul accounted all his own Righteousness but Dung c. Besides the Obedience under the Gospel which God requires is to be performed in the highest perfection imaginable Be ye Perfect as your Father in Heaven is Perfect The Law of the Gospel is the same in Nature with the Moral Law therefore if it may be called a Law it is a perfect Law we are still commanded to love the Lord our God with all our Hearts with all our Souls and with all our Strength yea and to live and sin not Little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not Our Faith Love and Patience c. ought to be perfect the Law or Commands of the Gospel know no Bounds nor Limits Vntil we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ It would therefore be a Work becoming the New-Lawyers to shew where the Commands lie in the Gospel that God's Law only requires sincere Obedience unto the Law certainly loses no part of its Sanction by the Gospel that is as Holy Just and Good as ever and a perpetual Rule of Life and Obedience Therefore as a reverend Person Notes either the Gospel-Law or Law of Faith must require Perfection of Obedience in these Duties or some other Divine Law or else God would become an indulger of Sin by Law if it be by another Law viz. the Moral that requires perfect Obedience and this sincere only then these Laws differ but in Degree not in Specie or Kind because both require the same Duties or Works and so this Gospel-Law would be no distinct Law but only the Measure of sincere Obedience would receive a new use which we own it has to wit to be an Index and Mark of our Justification tho we cannot own that use of its giving Right c. But to proceed saith he a distinct Law they must hold or quit their Cause or this Foundation of it for the Text sets the Law of Faith down as an opposite Law to that of Works and that they hold Then if it be a perfect Law requiring perfect Obedience there is no possibility of Justification in this Life Poppius the Arminian grants the Conclusion that our Obedience must be consummate before our Assurance and others distinguish between a compleat and partial Justification the former is not they say until the Day of Judgment But this is not all the Difficulty for it 's the adding a Load to a Burden Is this Gospel to a Man that is unable to perform the least part of the Moral Law to tell him that God or the Mediator requires perfect Obedience to it for the future and another too Or is this Gospel to say you shall perish eternally and have the Fire of Hell seven times heated if you obey not this Gospel It 's indeed a conditional Hell but it is more dreadful than the Fire of Hell and the Condition is more impossible because we have less power to shun this Difficulty of two perfect Laws Mr. Bull owns no other perfect Law but this Gospel since Man fell but by shunning one Difficulty he falls into two as great 1. Then the Moral Law is abrogated besides the falsness of the Doctrine it self for it is impossible that should cease to be
nor Sorrow after Death 3. Besides if the Soul was mortal then the same Food that feeds the Body â—eeds or might feed the Soul and the same Balsam that will heal the Sores of the Body 〈…〉 Sores and Wounds of the Soul I seeâ— reason who I should not from their foolish Notion affirm this Therefore when the 〈◊〉 sick they should send to a Physcian to 〈…〉 case of bodily Sickness and not sâ—nd 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 to apply a spiritual Cordial What signifies a Spiritual Medicine to a Corporal Thing Will preaching the Word seed and relieve a Man that is ready to perish with external Hunger Moreover 4. If the Soul be mortal then that Sword that kills the Body also kills the Soul Man may as well still one as the other But how contrary is this to that which our Saviour sâ—ith to his Disciples And fear not them which kill the Body and are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell 'T is not a Sword a Spear nor a Furnace of boiling Oil that can kill the Soul Man that way cannot hurt the Soul 't is Sin that destroys that Note this well if Man cannot kill the Soul it is immortal but Man cannot kill the Soul therefore it is immortal Is there any Creature or Thing that is Mortal which Man cannot kill or deprive it of Life Certainly these Men are strangely misled 5. Besides did not our Saviour say to the Penitent Thief on the Cross I say to thee this Day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Was the Body of Christ and the Body of that gracious Person that Day together in Paradise Their base abuse of this Text in reading it falsly by misplacing the Stops will not relieve them I say to thee this Day I make thee a Promise this Day that thou shalt sometime or another be with me in Paradise thus they to favour their grand Error misplace the common Point in reading which should we allow of what abominable Abuse might be put upon the Scripture in other places even quite to destroy the true Sense nay and make the Scripture speak untruly 6. Moreover doth not Paul say For me to live is Christ and to die is Gain How could Death be Gain to him if his Soul was mortal and slept with his Body in the Grave Is Communion with Christ on Earth worth nothing Is it Gain to lose that They know he would no sooner rise from the Dead if he died presently than if he lived twenty or thirty Years longer in the Body How then could Death be Gain to him Certainly it would be great Loss to him for he would lose all those Years of sweet Joy and Comfort in Communion with Christ if he died presently which he might have should he live twenty or thirty Years longer in this World 7. To this let me add what Paul affirms in another place For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle be dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens He doth not say when this earthly House is raised up again but when it is dissolved that is when the Body lies in its dusty Crumbs the Soul hath a House in Heaven Therefore saith he we are always confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. Pray what is that which is absent from the Lord whilst it is at home in the Body is it not the Soul And what is that which is present with the Lord when it is absent from the Body Doth not this Place as fully prove the Immortality of the Soul as if the Apostle should in plain words say at Death the Soul which dwells now in our Body goes to Heaven to dwell in Heaven it goes to Christ Heaven is its Home As soon as Lazarus died his Soul was carried into Heaven signified by Abraham's Bosom and as soon as the rich Man died his Soul was in Hell though it is a Parable yet it clearly teaches us thus much though Parables do not always go on all four as we use to say 8. To which let me add what Paul further says For I am in a Strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Our Souls at Death depart and they go to Christ What is Joy and Peace in Christ to Joy Peace and Consolation with Christ In the Resurrection-Day Christ comes to us we shall meet him in the Air but at Death we go to him the Spirits of all Men go upward to God that gave them to be sent to the Place appointed for them either to Heaven or to the Prison of Hell or Place of Darkness in which Prison the Spirits of those Men are now who were once disobedient and sinned against God in the Days of Noah 9. In the last place to prove the Soul to be immortal consider well what Paul saith I knew a Man in Christ above fourteen Years ago whether in the Body I cannot tell or whether out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How he was in Paradise and heard unspeakable Words which it is not lawful for a Man to utter In the third Heaven or in Paradise for certain he was but whether caught up Body and Soul together or in the Soul only out of the Body he could not tell From whence I argue that Paul knew that the Soul was capable of being separated from the Body and in that separated state capable of the Divine Ravishments of Heaven or of the Vision of God if he had not been of this Judgment since he was in the third Heaven he might be sure he was taken up in the Body Besides do we not read of the Spirits of just Men that are already made perfect Object But is it not said that David is not yet ascended into Heaven Answ I answer Peter there only refers to the Body of David that is not ascended for his Sepulchre is with us to this Day saith he and therefore he argues David means Jesus Christ whose Soul was not left in Hell that is his Body was not left in the Grave for the Body is often in the Scripture called by the Name of the Soul But when we read of the Soul as distinguished from the Body and as that which Man cannot kill it intends the superiour Part of Man or that which in our common acceptation is called the Soul or Spirit of Man in which the Image of God was chiefly created and which is fed with Spiritual Food and capable of sweet Communion with Jesus Christ as you have heard Now then if the Soul be Immortal and goes to Hell or Heaven at Death I mean to Joy or Sorrow or to a Prison of Pain and Darkness or to a Palace of Joy
and Pleasure O what a great Salvation is Gospel-Salvation How soon doth eternal Misery or Torment seize upon the Ungodly even no sooner do they die but their Souls are in Hell and no sooner do Believers die but their Souls are in Paradise and had not Christ came and wrought out our Salvation our Souls must have lain under Wrath and Misery for ever in an eternal separation from God and all true Joy and Happiness O what a fearful and an amazing Loss is the loss of the Soul Sirs pray remember this Salvation is the Salvation of your precious Souls thy Soul O Sinner is dearly concerned in it Our Soul is our All what have we more A Man is never utterly undone till his Soul is utterly lost if the Soul is saved all is saved but if the Soul is lost for ever lost all is lost But 2 dly The loss or losing of the Soul is the loss of the Body too that must have perished for ever with the Body of Beasts whilst our Souls must have lain in Torments had not Christ came to redeem us Moreover The Salvation of the Soul is the Salvation of the Body Christ came to save both the Soul and Body too And hence the Apostle saith Even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body that is for the farther Effects of our Adoption Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be that is it doth not appear what we shall be when our Bodies shall be raised He shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious Body This Salvation saves not our Souls only from Wrath but our Bodies also they shall rise to Life and Immortality the Bodies of the Wicked as well as their Souls shall be cast into Hell but the Bodies and the Souls of the Godly shall be glorified in Heaven for ever O what a grievous thing it is to think of the loss of the Body to have the Soul taken away from the Body But how sweet is it to think of that Day when those two old Friends shall meet together again and when both shall be delivered from all Evil from all Deformity and Pollution and be glorified and also shall never part more or be separated from each other to the Days of Eternity APPLICATION 1. Reproof to such who despise their own precious Souls What Fools are they who to save their Hutts lose their Heads or who to save their Goods in a fearful Fire lose their dear Child in the Cradle As I once told you of a Woman that did thus her House was on Fire and she bestirred her self to get out her best Goods and at last when she could go in no more she rejoiced that she had saved her Goods but said one to her Woman where is your Child O my Child my Child then she cried her Child when it was too late for that was burned to Death in the Cradle Just thus some to get and save their Goods to get the World lose their Souls We read of some who to save their Lives or their Bodies from being burned to Ashes for Christ denied Christ they could not burn for him What saith our Saviour He that seeks to save his Life shall lose it What Fools are they then who think that way to save their Bodies for as they lose their Souls so they lose their Bodies also And it is not worse to have the Body to â—e in Hell-Fire for ever than to be burned in Martyrdom and be consumed to Ashes in Corporal Fire 2. Consider that all such who neglect this great Salvation slight and neglect their own precious and immortal Souls What is the Hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul He makes a bad Market that puts off his Soul at any Price What shall a Man give in exchange of his Soul Jesus Christ who knew the great worth of it laid down a Price of infinite Value to redeem and purchase it Witches they say sell their Souls to the Devil out of Malice to be revenged on some that have offended them What a dismal thing is that how fearful is their State But pray Brethren what do they lose who sell their Souls to the Devil as it were for the sake of their brutish Lusts or out of love to Sin Thus the Whoremongers and unclean Persons sell their Souls and Drunkards who will have their merry Bouts their Cups and Pots and silthy Companions and may be their Whores too let what will become of their immortal Souls others will have their Pride and haughty Hearts gay Clothes and their detestable Dresses though their Souls are clothed with Rags and a crawling Worm knaws on them and to Hell must be thrown at last where the Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Moreover the carnal Worldling will be rich he will lay up Gold and Silver he will gain the World though he lose thereby his own Soul But remember Sinners Christ died for the Soul this Salvation is the Salvation of the Soul and does any wretched Sinner despise his Soul or is it think you not worth his Pains to part with his Cups with his sinful Companions with his or her Pride unlawful Gain or the love of this World to save it for ever 3. How does this tend to reprove such who do expose their precious Souls to eternal Wrath for the unjust Gain of Six-pence or a Shilling Are there not too many such in the World who will cheat lie and defraud their Neighbours for a small matter of profit O how dear will they one Day pay for that Gain 4. How does this reprove likewise such Parents that think they can never do enough for to enrich their Children or get them great Portions and care not what they eat drink wear or how richly their Bodies are deck'd and adorned but take no care of their immortal Souls but rather indulge them in their Sins and vain and wicked Practices and set also Soul damning Examples continually before their Eyes 5. We may also infer from hence what a mighty Charge an amazing Charge Parents have committed to them as also the Ministers of the Gospel who are to take care and watch over the Souls of such who are committed to them as such that must one Day give an Account of them 6. Moreover wo be to such who deceive and blindly lead the Souls of Men to destruction that are so exceeding precious If the Blind lead the Blind they will both fall into the Ditch 7. Shall I exhort you Sinners to look to Christ for the Salvation of your Souls 1. He bids you look to him Look unto me and be ye saved all ye Ends of the Earth 2. Consider that there is no other way to save your Souls there is but one Saviour and one way of Salvation There is no other Name given under
with Vnquenchable Fire Together with an Account how Professors may know whether they are Wheat or Chaff By BENJAMIN KEACH Pastor of a Congregation at Horsly-down Southwark LONDON Printed in the Year 1694. A Trumpet blown in Zion OR An Allarum in God's Holy Mountain Containing an EXPOSITION of that Metaphorical Scripture MATTH III. 12. Lately delivered in Two Sermons and now Published as an Allarm to the Drousie and Chaffie Professors of this Age. MATTH III. 12. Whose Fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather the Wheat into his Garner but the Chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire OUr Text is Metaphorical and as touching the main Scope and Coherence of it it is one and the same with the 10 th verse of this Chapter which I have already spoken unto and lately published the Sermons unto the World John the Baptist endeavoureth to take off the Jews from their pretended Priviledges of having Abraham to their Father or their being his natural Seed or Offspring and as so considered in Covenant with God and thought their State and Condition good Which he strove to convince them was a mistake and this he doth by that Tropical Expression in ver 10. Now also is the Ax laid to the root of the Trees And in this 12 th verse Whose Fan is in his hand c. As if he should say You shall e're long see your selves deceived for all your great confidence in the flesh touching your external federal relative holiness and legal priviledges For Christ with his Ax will now quickly cut you down And with his Fan fan you away as Chaff if you have no better right to Church-membership on Earth and to the glory in Heaven than that which is derived to you from the account whereof you boast viz. Having Abraham to your Father So much only shall now serve as to the Scope and Coherence of the Words 1. I shall proceed to give you the parts of the Text. 2. Open the Terms thereof 3. Note two or three points of Doctrine therefrom 4. Apply the whole 1. As to the parts you have First The person speaking and that is John the Baptist Secondly The person spoken of and that is Jesus Christ Thirdly The Predicate or what is spoken of Christ i. e. Whose Fan is in his hand c. John the Baptist was a great Prophet yea the greatest Prophet that was born of Women having greater Light and Knowledge of the Messiah than any of them that went before him in that he could tell them this is he He was sent to prepare the way of the Lord as his great Messenger or Harbinger He therefore was well instructed into the Nature and Excellency of his Masters Kingdom which was suddenly to be set up upon the removalof the old Jewish Church and Church-Membership this John was he that the Prophet Malachi spoke of that God would send as his Messenger to prepare the way of the Lord as also how he would do this even by a spirit of Burning that should consume that People and leave them neither Root nor Branch i. e. burn up all their hopes in respect of their Root viz. That external Covenant God made with Abraham on which they stood and of which they boasted as also all that confidence they had in their own good works and inherent Righteorsness And this John's Ministry clearly held forth and thereby discovered the grand Effect and glorious Design or Christs Doctrine and Nature of his spiritual Kingdom which was near at hand Secondly As touching Jesus Christ who is the person John speaks of I shall not now treat of his Office Power Dignity and Glory which are more fully hinted at in the Context Whose shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with Fire v. 11. But I shall pass by that and shall explain the Terms 1. Shew you what is intended by Christs Floor 2. What is intended by the Fan in his hand by which he doth purge his Floor 3. What is meant by the Chaff and why so called 4. What is intended by the Wheat and why so called 5. What we are to understand by Christs Garner and gathering the Wheat into it 6. And lastly what is intended by the Fire and by Burning up the Chaff First I said before our Text is Metaphorical therefore no doubt by floor the holy Ghost alludes to that which in common acception is well understood by Husbandmen i. e. A floor is a heap of Corn that is threshed out of the Straw and laid in a Barn Wheat and Chaff together this usually is called a floor Quest But what is intended or meant by it here what is Christs floor which he is said to purge Answ I answer By floor is doubtless intended hereby more directly and immediately the Jewish Church but in a more remote and comprehensive sense any spiritual community of Christians Church or body of People professing religion 1. The Jews were then Gods floor or Gods People as God himself is called an Husbandman and they were a great Heap a mighty floor But almost all Chaff very Lees i. e. loose vain empty carnal and unbelieving Men and Women A more prophane and ungodly generation was hardly ever in the world and but a very few godly ones among them but a very little wheat viz. few sincere ones or believing persons in all that floor who waited for Christs Coming and did when he came in truth receive him But now the Lord Jesus was come with his Fan in his hand to separate the Wheat from the Chaff and not let them remain any longer together on that floor in that old Barn i. e. in the Legal Jewish Church state according to the external Covenant of peculiarity God made with Abraham and his natural Seed as such Which had stood near its full period of time perfixed by the Almighty but now must be pulled down Jesus Christ being come and just a going to build a new spiritual Garner or Gospel Church to put all his choice Grain or Wheat into viz. all believing and true penitent persons this primarily I am satisfied is intended by floor For the Jewish Church was not to abide or continue any longer than till the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ it being a Typical Church when the Antytype was come that must needs vanish away 2. Yet in a remote sence floor may refer to any Spiritual Community Church or people in the times of the Gospel professing themselves to be Christians Among which may be Chaff as well as Wheat Evil and ungodly Persons as well as Believers gracious and true Religious ones and the truth is there is more than one floor of this sort in our days For First If we cast our eyes abroad we shall soon espy a very great old and decayed Barn that hath a mighty floor or heap of People in it called Christians and
direct young Men to reform their Lives and Ways according to the Precepts of God's Word nor to think by any degree of moral Righteousness or inherent Holiness they could be cleansed no no but to take heed according to the mysterious and sublime Doctrine of God's free grace in Christ Which was the only way of Salvation as well under the Law as under the dispensation of the Gospel Sirs this was and still is Christs Fan namely the glorious Doctrine of God's Grace thro' the Redemption that is in Christ's blood and it was by this fan Christ cleansed that Jewish floor to which my Text primarily refers For the Jews were his floor in which was abundance of Chaff and now Jesus Christ was come with his fan in his hand to purge this floor and evident it is his holy Doctrine severed or separated the Wheat from the Chaff and by this means was the Wheat gathered into Christs Gospel-Garner and the Chaff blown away for as Chaff cannot endure the wind of the fan so could not those unbelieving Jews and hypocritical Pharisees endure Christs holy and heavenly Doctrine See Joh. 6. 52. to v. 60. How can this Man give us his flesh to eat They thought he spake of a Natural eating of his flesh as we eat the flesh of Beasts or Fish His Doctrine was not understood by them Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you ver 53. Now the eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his blood is no other thing than the receiving Jesus Christ by Faith for Righteousness and eternal Life Believing in Christ coming to Christ looking to Christ leaning trusting or staying on Christ receiving of Christ and eating of Christ imply one and the same thing It is our going out of our selves to him or feeding by faith on him or resting or relying on his Merits on his Obedience in his Life and in his Death for Justification and eternal Life without any Works done by us or any Righteousness wrought in us as the Apostle speaks But to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness But this mysterious and sublime Doctrine the Jews could not bear but it was such a Fan as fanned them all away that believed not For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness going about to establish their own Righteousness have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God They thought their own personal and inherent Righteousness was that by which they must be justified accepted and eternally saved they had meat of their own to eat and therefore saw no need to go to their Neighbours door for it they were full and increased in Goods and thought they had need of nothing And hence the Doctrine of Justification by the Righteousness of Christ alone was rejected by them it was not understood by them that Christ's flesh should be Meat indeed and his blood Drink indeed was a strange Doctrine in their apprehensions they could not conceive how such things could be as Nicodemus spake of Regeneration Nor can any Man whatsoever who will receive no point of Faith but what his natural reason can comprehend and thus this Doctrine of our Lord Jesus was a Fan in his hand and it fanned away all the Chaff of that mighty Jewish floor even all that received not that Doctrine or who believed not in Christ received not Christ by Faith for righteousness and eternal life Nay it was such a Fan that it fann'd away some of Christs Disciples not such who were his Disciples indeed but many that followed him and who are said to believe on him they believed he was the true Messiah had some kind of faith tho' not the Faith of Gods Elect Many of his Disciples when they heard this said This is a hard saying who can bear it It seemed hard to them because they could not comprehend it by their own carnal reason From thà t time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Such a Fan was this Doctrine then and such a Fan it is now that it may be said to make a discrimination between the pure Wheat and the Chaff for no doubt all that receive not this holy Doctrine whatever fair shew they make in the flesh are but Chaff in the sight of God and will be found such at the last day Nor ought they to be suffered to abide in Christ's Garner on Earth as they shall not be gathered into his Garner in Heaven but be esteemed as Chaff or drossy professors whatsoever their conversations may be I mean such who eat not Christs flesh and drink not his blood i. e. wholly feed not upon Christ rely not alone upon the Merits of a crucified Christ or seek not Justification by his Righteousness only but go about to bring in their own Works and inherent Holiness with Christ's Merits in point of Justification in God's sight But to proceed But like as a Husbandman hath more Fans than one even so also in the Second place Jesus Christ hath another Fan also and that is I doubt not likewise intended here viz. The dispensation of God's Providence for this was as a Fan in Christ's hand by which he fann'd away those unbelieving Jews and so purged his floor I mean the time was now come that their national legal and external Church-State must be pulled down and dissolved the Dispensation was changed the Priesthood changed and right of Church-membership changed they having Abraham to their Father or being the Seed of professing Parents would do them no good nor avail them any thing Because the Covenant of Peculiarity God made with him and his natural seed as such as to the Date of the Duration thereof was now run out and expired the Ax being now laid to the root of the Tree ver 10 th So that unless they receive Christ believe in Christ and are found gracious persons fit Wheat for Christs spiritual Garner or Gospel-Church which is built up of lively stones as Chaff the Gospel-dispensation like a Fan purges them out as indeed it did and blew them all away And we are not alone in respect of this great Truth for many of our worthy Brethren who in some things differ from us assert the same particularly Reverend Mr. Cotton who speaking of this Text Mat. 3. 10. saith The first is the root of Abraham's Covenant which this people much trusted upon and of that it is which John Baptist speaketh Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father so that all their confidence that they had in Abraham's Covenant Temple and Tabernacle and such things are burnt up and so they have no Root left them to stand upon and this is one thing intended by the Root Secondly There is saith he
Information so also by way of Terror and that to many sorts of Persons 1. Tremble ye wordly Professors who have earthly Spirits that set your Hearts on things below and neither cloath the Naked nor feed the Hungry Weep and howl for the misery that shall come upon you ye have heaped Treasure together against the last day how will your Folly gall your Consciences when you lye in Hell-Torments whilst you heap up Gold and Silver in your Bags and Chests you heap up Wrath against the last day Remember what Christ says unto you And these shall go away into everlasting punishment What will your Profession signifie if you love the World above God which be sure you do if you see a Brother or Sister in want and do not give them such things that they need Remember Mr. Child I have made this World saith he my God 2. Tremble you proud and vain-glorious Persons Pride cryes poor Mr. Child hath undone me The Proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that comes shall burn them up Will you glory in your Riches Honours Gifts Knowledge or any thing you have will you not be reclaimed to throw off your God-provoking Fashions whatsoever comes of it but plead to uphold your Lusts and Vanity tho' the Name of God be dishonoured and Religion brought into Contempt and the Godly grieved 3. Tremble you vain young Men and Women who forget your Creator in the days of your Youth that secretly resolve your own Hearts shall choose your ways who will feed your carnal Appetites and wanton Desires and will run on in wicked Courses let Ministers say what they will Godly Parents say what they will yet you will swear lye be drunk commit Uncleanness O know as you feed your Lusts here and that burns in you so shall Hell feed on you and that fire like Chaff burn you up hereafter Will a few merry Hours with your filthy Companions make a compensation for the loss of your precious and immortal Souls Are you willing to suffer the Wrath of God for ever rather than to forgo your vain and wicked Courses 4. Tremble ye that harbour Atheistical Thoughts in your Hearts and are ready to think or hope there is no God O how soon may you feel him within you by his terrible Wrath as Mr. Child in bitterness of Soul cryed out 5. Tremble ye Lyars that love to make a lye for you shall have your portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 6. Tremble ye who are light and frothy persons also you that are Back-biters Busie-bodys that vilifie and reproach the Servants of God out of Malice and Prejudice you will be as Chaff that shall burn in Hell for ever 7. Tremble all ye that slight Christ and his Gospel and neglect those convictions you have either of Sin or Duty and that slight all serious thoughts of Eternity or how things will go with you in another World and who stiffle your Consciences or turn a deaf ear to it's rebukes God may awaken you er'e long in his Wrath and tear you to pieces when there is none to deliver you 8. Tremble all ye Hypocrites whose Hearts condemn you for harbouring some Sin or another in your bosoms who are not what you seem to be but strive to cover your vileness under a cloak of a visible Profession Fearfulness will soon surprize you Who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning Hell is that place that is prepared for Hypocrites and Vnbelievers It seems by the word of our Blessed Saviour that they above all are in a dangerous Estate and shall not escape eternal burning 9. Tremble ye Apostates ye who have backsliden from God O fear lest God let out his Wrath upon you here and it burn within you whilst you are alive in the body and if it prove a final Apostacy Wo be to you as ever you were born then there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries Exhort O Repent Repent haste to Christ believe on him 1. Motive The God of mercy exercises much Patience towards poor Sinners O how doth he wait O how willing is he they should be saved and not come into the place of Torment 2. He tells you what your End will be if you believe not if you accept not his Son fly not for Refuge to take hold of Jesus Christ if ye believe not in Christ ye shall dye in your sins that is you shall be damned for ever He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned He sets out the Torments of the damned by the most amazing figures to move upon mens Spirits and work upon their Minds so that they being deterred form evil Practices may flee from the Wrath to come by laying hold on the hope set before them he gives warning before he strikes tells you of your danger Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him the wicked shall be turned into Hell with all the Nations that forget God You may know how it will go with you at the last day if you hear but Gods warning-pieces in his Word Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate Persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Drunkards nor Extortioners c. Compared with Rev. 21. 8. 3. God calls nay cries to you sinners O ye simple ones why will ye love simplicity and fools hate knowledge turn ye at my reproof and behold I will pour out my spirit upon you c. 4. He gives sinners time and space to repent or a day of Grace O now unexcusable will he leave every ungodly man at the last day their destruction shall appear to be of themselves be sure God will be clear when he judges none shall have any thing to charge him with all mouths shall be stopped The man That wanted the Wedding-Garment was speechless 5. God hath sent his Son to die for Sinners God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life 6. He sends his Ministers to call you to invite you who tell you all things are now ready Sinners will your sinful Honours Riches or Pleasures make a reparation for the loss of a Christ the loss of Heaven and loss of your own souls Take two or three Directions 1. Seek the Kingdom of Heaven first before all things 2. Take notice this is the day of your Visitation
know now the things that belong to your peace before they are hid from your Eyes Behold now is the accepted time c. 3. Close with Christ whilst the Spirit strives with thee and before Conscience is feared or let out against thee to tear thee into pieces 4. Attend carefully upon the means of Grace and know assuredly that the Wages of Sin is eternal Death even everlasting burnings therefore renounce it with the greatest abhorrence know all the Pleasures and Honours of this Life are but the Elements of carnal felicity and according to the Judgment of Reason and sense would any one chuse the enjoyment of the greatest Pleasures for a day and afterwards be satisfied to suffer the most exquisite Torments for a year much more folly and madness it is for momentary brutish delights to incurr the fiery Indignation of God for ever 1. One word to you that are Believers and I have done O bless God for Jesus Christ who has born the wrath of God for you and in your stead that you might never seel the bitterness of it even Jesus who delivered us from wrath to come 2. Admire the distinguishing Grace and special Love of God We love him because he first loved us It was his Love that overcame you The meer fear of Hell is not sufficient to Convert the Souls of men tho' it may stop them in their way and prevent great Abominations in the gross acts thereof yet does not cannot renew their Nature regenerate and make holy their hearts and lives that Religion that is the meer effect of fear will be according to the nature of its principle even legal wavering and inconstant yet the fear of Hell may awaken the sinner and in some sence prepare for Grace When the Soul is stormed by the terror of Wrath and the fear of Hell has made a breach Divine Grace enters but it is the Love of God and hopes of Heaven that works spiritual affections as the Obedience that flows therefrom is Evangelical free and voluntary from the entire consent of the Soul and are abiding 3. Be content with your Condition tho' poor in this World remember Lazarus how much better was his state than the Rich Glutton's O do not envy the wicked that are Rich they will pay dear for their Wealth when they come to Hell which they with greedy covetous minds heap up I remember a Passage which is related in History A General with an Army passing through another Princes Countrey gave strict Order that no Person should offer to touch the least thing which belong'd to the Inhabitants but nevertheless one Souldier as they were upon their March stole a Bunch of Grapes which the General being informed of gave Order that he should immediately be put to Death as he was going to Execution he fell a eating his Grapes and some Persons looking greedily on him he observing them said Do not envy me my Grapes for they cost me dear they cost me my Life 4. Let it appear to all that you do love Jesus Christ and preferr the honour of God and his interest above all things in this World let the main end and design of your Souls in desiring Grace Gifts Knowledge c. and in all you act and do in his Service be that you may advance his Glory Sirs the time is near when it will be known who are Christs Wheat true Christians and who are not but let all that are but Chaff tremble for Hell is prepared for them He will gather the Wheat into his garner but the Chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire FINIS THE BLESSEDNESS OF Christ's Sheep OR No final Falling from a State of true Grace DEMONSTRATED In Several SERMONS lately Preached and now for general Good Published Wherein all the grand Objections usually brought against the Saints final Perseverance are fully answered By BENJAMIN KEACH Heb. 10. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto Perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul London Printed in the Year 1694. THE BLESSEDNESS OF Christ's Sheep c. JOHN X. 27 28. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BELOVED these Words are the Words of our Blessed Saviour and they contain no small Comfort to all true Believers who are the Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ My main Purpose or Intention is to speak to the 28 th Verse and to defend the sweet and comfortable Doctrine of the Saints final Perseverance but shall begin with the 27 th Verse viz. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me In our Text are two Parts 1. Something Implied viz. Christ is a Shepherd and that he hath a People that are his Sheep 2. Something that is Expressed viz. That all such who are his Sheep hear his Voice and do follow him You have in the Words 1. The Property of Christ's Sheep 2. Their Security and happy State and Condition 1. Their Character or Property viz. They hear his Voice and do follow him 2. Their Security and happy State and Condition 1. He knows them that is he approves of them 2. He gives to them Eternal Life 3. They are in his Hand and shall never perish Our Saviour in this Chapter calls himself the Shepherd of the Sheep yea the Good Shepherd Ver. 11. I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd giveth his Life for the Sheep Now if it be demanded who are the Sheep of Christ I answer All that the Father hath given to him and that believe in him Christ's Sheep may be considered as his two manner of ways 1. Decretively See Ver. 16. And other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice The Lord Jesus meaneth the Gentiles these he calls his Sheep by virtue of God's Eternal Election Them also I must bring They are given unto me and all that the Father hath given me shall come unto me I lay down my Life for them or in their stead that they might not perish I therefore as if he should so say must bring them call them renew or regenerate them The Covenant I have made with my Father is such that it cannot be broken the Purpose Counsel and Promises of God shall stand This agrees with that Word of the Holy God to St. Paul Be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace For I am with thee and no Man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much People in this City They are called the Lord's People though then in a state of Darkness and Unbelief decretively or according to his Eternal Purpose they were his 2. Actually or such who are already brought in or who do believe and are visibly of his Fold The Doctrine I shall prosecute shall be
this Bread it feeds and strengthens our Faith and also our Love to the Lord Jesus Who can forbear to love that Christ who poured forth his precious Blood for us He was made a Curse for us by hanging on the Tree and bearing our Sins When you take this Bread and this Cup you declare you take and accept of Christ as the only Food of your Souls and that way of Salvation God hath been graciously pleased to find out and when you eat the Bread and drink of the Cup you shew that you feed alone upon him and that he is your Saviour Indeed Christ doth in effect say to you Soul take all this in token that I have satisfied the Justice of God for thy Sins I have made thy Peace take this Bread and this Cup as a Pledg of it and of my Eternal Love to thee and as a Token that all thy Sins are forgiven and that thou art mine also 1. By this Ordinance we learn and clearly see the horible Evil of Sin the cursed Nature of Sin in that nothing could atone for it nor satisfy the Law and Justice of God but the precious Blood of the Son of God himself 2. Here likewise we see that infinite Love of the Father in giving of Christ to die for us He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all 3 Here also we perceive the wonderful Love of Jesus Christ who willingly laid down his Life for us 4. Moreover here we see how we come to be saved or the Way of Life and that it is only by a Sacrifice and that by the Sacrifice of Christ himself alone 5. Here we see our near Union with Christ and blessed Union one with another as the Bread and Wine is turned into Nourishment the first is held forth and as many Corns of Wheat do make one Loas so we being many Members are but one Body and therein the latter Union is held forth also I mean our Union one with another Thirdly The Ordinance of Prayer is also as a Pasture for Christ's Sheep to feed in If we pray in Faith we receive what we desire and stand in need of That Soul that goes to God in Christ's Name believingly never comes away empty handed We have not because we ask not or else ask amiss that we may consume it on our Lusts to please the Flesh and gratify our Carnal Appetites and so an evil End spoils good Means So long said a good Woman in distress as I have a praying Heart God will have a helping Hand It argues we have not hungry Souls if we have not praying Souls You may as well live without eating as spiritually live without praying and as it is a sign you are not well when you cannot eat so it is a sign your Souls are not well when you cannot pray And as it is a sign the Body is faint when the Breath is short or breaths not freely so it is a sign of a faint and languishing Christian when his Prayers are short or prays not freely He that believes savingly will pray servently He that thrives not in this Pasture will thrive in none As be cannot live naturally that breaths not no more can that Soul live spiritually that prays not He that casts off Prayer casts off God No wonder God withholds Mercies from us when we restrain Prayer from him Pure Prayer is only pleasing to a pure God our Prayers must be directed to the right Object O thou that hearest Prayer to thee shall all Men come We must always direct our Prayers to God but must not forget to come unto him by Jesus Christ and we must see to the Matter of it as well as the Object If we ask not that which is lawful our Prayers must needs be unlawful as it is a Sin to do any thing God commands not so it is a Sin to ask any thing God allows not We must also be right in the Manner as well as in the Matter of our Prayer When our Spirit prays not our Hand receives not And we must if we would thrive in this Pasture also see that our End be right Our great End should be that our Prayer may be accepted and God may be glorified The first thing we should ask in Prayer is that the Name of God may be hallowed O Soul haste into this Pasture Whatsoever ye ask saith Christ in my Name I will do it that the Father may be glorified To pray in Christ's Name 1. Is to know we come to have this Privilege to draw near to God only by Christ i. e. through the Vail that is to say his Flesh he hath purchased us this Liberty 2. 'T is to pray in his Strength i. e. by the Spirit which he hath procured for us and given to us 3. 'T is to pray in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation Whatsoever we ask on Earth Christ obtains for us in Heaven 4. To ask in Christ's Name is to ask for his Sake for his Worthiness 'T is not what our Deservings are but what Christ's Merits are Fourthly The Promises of God are another Pasture where the Sheep of Christ do daily feed The Promises of God are of a Soul-fastening and Soul-strengthning Nature But there is no feeding here without believing A Sheep may as well feed on Grass without Teeth as a Christian can feed on the Promises without Faith The Reason why the Soul cannot get into this rich Common or rather fat Medow is because he cannot get over the Slough of Unbelief Man lives not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God He can feed his People and support them by a Word of Promise when their Bread faileth Nor must we take unlawful Means to supply our Necessities nor distrust the Care and Providence of God tho we do not see which way we shall subsist Trust in the Lord and do good so thou shalt dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed We must depend upon the Providence and Promise of God for Supplies both of Body and Soul The young Lions lack and suffer Hunger yet they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing We must let God judg and chuse for us 't is better for us sometimes to want than to abound There are Promises as I have sometimes shewed you that answer every Condition we can be in Fifthly The Providences of God and the Saints Experience are another Pasture for Christ's Sheep How oft have they been fed this way I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging Bread This was more especially David's Experience and under that Dispensation when the Promises of God were of temporal Blessings ours under the Gospel are better Or else take it thus Not begging in vain If they are such Children that walk in the Steps of their godly Parents or not so begging
I sin God forbid 5. Hath God raised me from the lowest Hell and set me on High made me his own Child and espoused me to his Blessed Son Hath he set a Crown upon my Head and put Chains better than those of Gold about my Neck Has he clothed me with a Robe that shines like the Light and sparkles beyond all precious Stones Has he given the Flesh of his Son to me for Food and his precious Blood to me to drink and shall I sin against him God forbid 6. Hath God given me himself given me a Taste how good he is Hath he allowed me to have free access to the Throne of Grace and to have Communion with himself and with his Son and shall I sin against him God forbid 7. Hath God given me his Holy Spirit to destroy the Body of Sin and do I confess my self dead to Sin and as being dead have I been buried with Christ in Baptism and shall I live in Sin God forbid 8. Have I seen and do know the detestable Nature of Sin how evil a thing Sin is and am by the Graces of the Spirit compleatly armed to oppose resist and overcome Sin and all the Enemies of my Soul and shall I commit Sin and cowardly yield to the Temptations of Satan and acquit the Field to the Reproach and Disgrace of my Blessed Lord and Captain of my Salvation and destroy mine own Soul that Christ hath done so much to save and shall I sin God forbid 9. Am I an Heir of Heaven an Heir of Glory and have the blessed Angels to minister to me and to wait upon and to protect me who also observe how I behave my self and shall I sin God forbid 10. If I sin live in Sin make a trade of Sin it will appear I hate God resist his Will contemn his Authority cast Dung in his Face grieve his good Spirit and put the Devil into the very Throne of God and shall I live in Sin God forbid Brethren here is the principal and the grand Motive to keep you from Sin it is from these and such-like Grounds that we should not sin against God But I cannot further now enlarge I should have spoken of the Nature of Christ's Love and have shewn how that keeps the Saints from Sin and falling so as not to perish but I 'le proceed no further at this time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN the last Day I was upon the second Argument to prove That all true Believers shall certainly be saved and none of them shall ever so fall away as eternally to perish Which was taken from the Nature of the infinite and unchangeable Love of God the Father Thirdly I shall now proceed to the third Argument taken from the Nature of the Love of Jesus Christ the Son and shew you that his Love secures the standing of all his Sheep or all the Elect Ones of God unto Everlasting Life First The Love of Christ is an early Love He loved us from everlasting I was set up from Everlasting from the Beginning or ever the Earth was Then I was with him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoicing in the habitable Part of his Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. It appears it was not only an early Love but a Love also of Complacency a Love of Delight Secondly Christ's Love to his Elect is a wonderful Love 1. If we consider the Person loving viz. the Son of God the Prince of the Kings of the Earth 2. If we consider the Persons beloved in their natural and fallen State for when such he set his Heart upon them When they lay in their Blood it was then he passed by and loved us Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy Time was the Time of Love and I spread my Skirt over thee and covered thy Nakedness c. We were his Enemies traiterous Enemies vile Rebels to him having abominable Enmity against him in our Hearts 3. Consider the wonderful Atchievements his Love put upon him to undertake and the wonderful Effects thereof 1. Even to become a wonderful Surety for us and to pay a wonderful Debt 2. To leave wonderful Glory even to come from Heaven where he lay in the Bosom of the Father and to come to the Earth to dunghil Earth 3. If we consider his wonderful Condescension and Abasement he became Man who thought it not robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation and took unto him the Form of a Servant He became wonderful Poor who was wonderful Rich yea amazingly Rich Heaven and Earth and all things in it being his own yet was born of a Poor Virgin who doubtless had little or no Money to accommodate her or to defray the Charges of a Lying-In at the Inn and therefore they turn'd her into the Stable where she was delivered of our Blessed Saviour and laid him in a Manger O what wonderful Abasement was this Moreover he also had no Money to pay the Tax that was laid upon him therefore sends Peter to the Sea to take a piece of Money out of the Mouth of a certain Fish He had no House of his own to dwell in no not a poor Cottage The Foxes of the Earth said he have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath no where to lay his Head Also when in his greatest Pomp on Earth he rode but on an Ass and that not his own neither but he borrowed it Moreover the good Women ministred Relief to him he had not to supply his own Necessities he was poor in his Life poor in his Death standing charged with the Debts of many thousands the least not owing less than ten thousand Talents which could he not have paid and satisfied for he must have lain in Prison for ever O what a Charge of Guilt was laid upon him Does Sin render a Man miserable doth one Sin charged on a Person render him poor How poor then was he for a Time that stood charged with all the Sins of his Elect He was for saken of all his Friends on Earth in his greatest Distress and by his Father in Heaven he was Poor and Miserable in the Sight of all that saw him they pulled off his Hair spit in his Face crown'd him with Thorns strip'd off his Garment and all this for the sake of his Sheep or for his Elect. 4. If we consider the wonderful and amazing Wrath he bore what a Curse he was made for us the wonderful Horror Pain and Anguish he felt the wonderful Sweat he sustained which were great Drops of Blood the wonderful Passion and Sufferings on the Cross he endured He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood He
they shall all be saved No more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I am upon the Proof and Demonstration of the Doctrine which I raised from our Text viz. That none of the Sheep of Christ or Saints of God can so fall away as eternally to perish The last time I spoke to the fourth Argument which was taken from the Nature of the Covenant of Grace I shall proceed to the next Argument Fifthly They who are the Sheep of Christ Believers in Christ or his Elect Ones cannot finally fall away because they are the Children of God begotten of God and born of God Two things I shall do in prosecuting this Argument First Prove that all Believers are begotten and born of God Secondly Shew you how it doth appear from hence that they can never finally fall away and eternally perish First That they are begotten of God appears from several Scriptures Of his own Will beg at he us with the Word of Truth c. Meerly by his own Grace as the original Cause with the Word by the Spirit as the instrumental Means Spiritual Generation is the Work of God the Product of the Will of God and not of the Will of Man Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Not of Blood as in natural Generation or not of the Blood of Abraham Grace and Regeneration being not the Product of the State or Faith of believing Parents This was the carnal Boast of the Jews We have Abraham to our Father Not of the Power of Man's Will that cannot produce the New Creature in himself nor in a Child or Brother If it was in the Power of a godly Man or godly Minister to convert or to regenerate his Child his Wife or his Brother would he let them perish But alas alas this is out of Man's reach out of his Power he cannot renew himself A Child may as easily beget it self in the Womb before it self was as a Man can form Christ in his own Soul or regenerate himself 't is God that doth it the Holy Spirit begets us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten of him Whosoever hath that efficacious Soul uniting Soul transforming Soul renewing Sin-killing Grace of Faith is born of God 'T is not a bare believing Jesus is the Christ no but such a Faith that works by Love or the Faith of God's Elect For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Faith saving Faith the Faith of the Operation of God produceth this glorious Effect through the Spirit in the Soul From all which Scriptures it evidently appears that all Believers all the Saints are the Children of God begotten and born of God Quest Well what of this some perhaps may say How doth this prove they cannot fall away so as to perish 2 dly I answer This is my second Work and you will soon see how forcible the Argument is from hence to prove that none of them can perish See what our Blessed Saviour saith That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit That which is born of corrupt Nature or is the Product of the Flesh is Flesh or of the same Nature of that which did beget it As it is said of Adam he begat a Son in his own likeness that is a depraved sinful and mortal Child The Flesh bringeth forth Effects proportionable to the Cause 'T is thus in the first Birth But if by Flesh you will have our Saviour intend the product of Man's natural Abilities or the Effects of the highest Improvements of his natural Light Understanding Will c. why then it follows still that a Man purely natural can produce nothing but natural Operations for nothing in operation exceedeth the Virtue or Excellency of that Cause which influenceth it So that no Man can by his Abilities however improved produce any divine or spiritual Operation and this shews that Man must be born of the Spirit that becomes or is made truly spiritual and sit for the Kingdom of Heaven And saith our Saviour what is born of the Spirit is Spirit or is of the same Nature with the Holy Spirit that is Spiritual Holy Immortal since every Creature begetteth its own Nature Qualities and Image Such as is the Cause such is the Effect Thus it is in Generation and thus it is in Regeneration it must be from a Divine from a spiritual Cause and not a Natural that the Image of God is formed in the Soul The Flesh cannot bring forth an Heavenly Babe Can Corruption produce or be the Cause of Regeneration Can a Worm or an Ant bring forth a Man sooner than Flesh Or can any Man under Heaven beget or form and bring forth the New Creature in the Soul which is called the forming of Christ or the Image of God in us But now pray consider that such as is the Nature or Quality of the Begetter such is the Nature of that which is begotten of him therefore since the New Creature is begotten by the Holy Spirit it must partake of the Nature of the Spirit Christ saith it is Spirit it is spiritual immortal or incorruptible Hence the Apostle Peter saith Believers partake of the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature Every Child of God is begotten by the Spirit through the Promise as Isaac was I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Compare this with that in 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever Pray observe it which liveth and abideth for ever Mortal Seed in Generation begetteth and bringeth forth a mortal Babe a corruptible Child but the Word and Spirit of God begetteth and bringeth forth an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Such is the Babe of Grace or Child of God I speak of the New Creature or the regenerated Part in Man From hence let me draw this Argument viz. Arg. 1. That which is begotten and born of and is brought forth by the Spirit of God or of immortal and incorruptible Seed is an immortal or incorruptible Babe But the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is begotten and born of or brought forth by the Spirit of God therefore the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Now if it be immortal or incorruptible it can never die but liveth and abideth for ever and
prayed the Father and was heard herein that all that the Father had given him might be one as He and the Father was one What can be a greater Argument to prove that that Union which is between Christ and Believers is an inseparable an abiding and an undissolvable Union The Union here doth not respect that Essential Union that is between the Father and the Son but in respect of Christ as he is our Head and Mediator in which respect the Father poured into him of his abundant Fulness that so we having a firm perfect and setled Union with him might in a glorious manner receive from him and be supplied with all things we need And Christ being the Medium of our Union with God both the Father's Union with Christ and Christ's Union with us are for the final Perfection and compleating that Glorious Work he hath begun in the Souls of his People until we all come to be with him where he is and behold his Glory If therefore we consider the Nature of this Union and the Prayer of Christ that it might be perfected and abide undissolvable it must follow that it is impossible for any Soul that is thus united to the Lord Jesus ever so to fall away as eternally to perish Fourthly By this Spiritual Union with Christ we partake of his Blessed Image or Divine Nature So that the Head and Members are of one kind and not like Nebuchadnezzar's Image a Head of Gold and a Belly and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay This would be to make the Mystical Body of Christ a Monster an Immortal Head an Incorruptible Head and a Mortal Body and Members that may corrupt putrify and become loathsom No this cannot be such as is the Head as to Nature and Quality such is the Body and every Member in particular a living Head and living Members a Head of pure Gold and Members of pure Gold also a Head that cannot die and therefore the Members cannot die For Fifthly It is a Vital Vnion as you have heard that is to say the same Life that is in Christ is in all Believers And as it is in the natural Body the Members have not only Life in the Head but Life in themselves also and so long as there is Life in the Head there shall be Life in the Members so it is here And this must therefore be for ever for by the same parity of Reason that one Member may die or corrupt the whole Body may die and corrupt also But Christ is our Life and the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union communicates Life to every Soul in whom he resides and dwells and the Holy Spirit hath taken up his abode in Believers for ever He that hath the Spirit hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me From hence I argue Arg. 1. If he that believeth in Christ or that hath Union with Christ is a Part or Limb of Christ Mystical then not one Soul that believes in Christ and has real Union with him can eternally perish Shall a Member of Christ perish or be torn from his Body Brethren was it Christ's Natural Body only that was concerned in that Prophecy A Bone of him shall not be broken Or did Christ take more care of the Members of his Natural Body than of the Members of his Mystical Body Arg. 2. If Christ's Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body be greater than any Man's Love to or Care of the Members of his Natural Body can be then not one of Christ's Sheep or Saints can eternally perish But his Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body is far greater than theirs can be therefore it follows no Believer can ever perish Arg. 3. If the Union between Christ and Believers be a Marriage-Union and that those that Christ does espouse and bring into that Relation to himself he doth espouse for ever if it is a Union like that Union that is between God the Father and Christ as Mediator if it be an indissolvable Union a Union which God nor Christ will ever break nor Sin Satan nor no Enemy can ever break then not one Soul that is truly and really united to Christ can ever so fall away as eternally to perish But all this we have proved to be true therefore not one Soul that hath true and real Union with Christ can fall away so as eternally to perish Arg. 4. If the Love of God and the Love of Christ abides firm for ever to every Soul that hath Union with Christ which is the Spring efficient and moving Cause of this Union then not one of them who have Union with Christ can perish But we have proved that the Love of the Father and Son abides firm for ever to every Soul that has Union with Christ therefore not one of them can perish for ever Arg. 5. If Christ died rose again and ascended into Heaven as the Head and Representative of all those that were given unto him and have Union with him then as sure as he is now in Heaven they shall every Soul of them come thither But this hereafter I shall fully prove and clearly God assisting make appear when I come to speak to the next General Argument Arg. 6. If the Union between Christ and Believers is so strong and firm a Union intensively that Christ and they become one Spirit so that as if there was but one Spirit in Christ and in them or what the Spirit is to Christ and doth to Christ as Mediator without measure he is to every Believer and does for every Believer in measure according to each Believer's Necessity and Capacity then this Union secures every Believer from falling so as to perish for ever But this we have proved is so the Spirit must either desert Christ as you heard or them if ever the Union be broken not Christ that all will say is impossible not Believers because of the blessed Union they have with him and also because Christ hath promised that the Spirit shall abide in them for ever Nay this is also the absolute Promise of the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Grace And as for me this is my Covenant with them saith Jehovah My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth and for ever Arg. 7. By virtue of this Sacred Union because Christ lives the Saints or those that have Union with him shall live also which Blessing besides he has by a positive Promise assur'd them of then no Soul that hath real Union with him can perish But this our Blessed Saviour doth assert Because I live ye shall live also that is the
Life of Grace here and the Life of Glory hereafter Arg. 8. If there is no Condemnation to such who are in Jesus Christ or have Union with him if they have Everlasting Life because they have Union with the Son and are passed from Death to Life and shall not come into Condemnation then this Sacred Union secures and saves all that are united to Christ from falling away so as eternally to perish But that all this is true we have proved and it is in plain words asserted by the Holy Ghost therefore this Sacred Union secures and saves them all from eternal perishing Arg. 9. If Christ in us is a certain and sure Ground of the Hope of Glory and that Hope is the Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast that cannot be lost then Union with Christ gives all such an assurance of Salvation and that none of them that have Union with Christ or have Christ in them can eternally perish But that this is so the Holy Ghost doth positively assert therefore none of them can so perish Arg. 10. Lastly If Faith in the Habit of it through which by the Spirit we come to have this Actual Union with Christ can never be lost or shall not fail then none that have Union with Christ shall ever perish But that Faith in the Habit of it cannot be lost or shall not fail our Saviour affirms it being one part of his Prayer when on Earth and no doubt it is part of his Intercession now in Heaven I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not And he never asked any thing of the Father but it was granted him And I know thou hearest me always Therefore they can never perish I might add here that Communion which flows necessarily from this Union which affords a strong Argument for the Saints final Perseverance Union cannot be without Communion for whilst the Members are united to a living Head there will be as one observes an Influx of Animal Spirits whereby they shall partake of Life and Motion and though a Believer I grant may lose the sensible Experience of Communion with Christ yet the Spirit from their Mystical Head will be working in them providing for them and standing by them To conclude with this Argument I argue 1. If our Union be by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit 2. If our Union with Christ be a Conjugal Union a Marriage-Union 3. If it be as near a Union as is between the Body the Members of the Natural Body 4. If it be such a Union as is between the Tree and the Branches 5. If it be such a Union as is between the Father and Son as Christ is Mediator 6. If it be a Union of Spirits as if but one Soul was in two Bodies 7. If it be such a Union that Believers partake of the Divine Nature 8. If it be a Vital Union 9. If it be such a Union that cannot be dissolved by all the Powers of Darkness the Seed of Grace remaining Then it is impossible for any Believer that hath Union with Christ to perish Eternally But all these things are true therefore no true Believer can Eternally perish APPLICATION First These things being so we may infer that our Union with Christ is a most glorious Spring of the greatest Comfort to Believers imaginable 1. From hence Brethren comes in your Actual Justification No Man is personally justified before he receives Christ by Faith before he has actual Union with him But every Soul that is in Christ is actually justified and discharged from all the Guilt of his Sins and stands in Christ compleat in his perfect Righteousness without Spot before the Throne of God 2. Such are made near and dear to Christ O how near is the Wife to the Husband or the Members to the Body even so near and dear is every Soul that hath actual Union with Christ unto him 3. From hence flows our Communion with Christ for by virtue of our Union we come to have our Natures changed It is hereby that we come to behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible that a brutish and swinish Creature as all unrenewed Men and Women are should have Communion with the Holy God or with the Holy and Blessed Jesus What Fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness Or what Communion hath Light with Darkness Or what Concord hath Christ with Belial If we would have Communion with Christ we must be Holy and touch not the unclean thing And impossible it is that we should be Holy until we come to have Union with Jesus Christ by which means we come to partake of his pure Nature and have the evil Habits of our vile and filthy Hearts and Souls changed The Tree must be first made good and then the Fruit will be good Man naturally is united to the Devil and to his own Sin and Iniquity and hath Enmity in his Heart against God The Prince of Darkness is the Head of this dark and wicked World The Vnderstandings Wills and Affections of all Men are under diabolical Influence ever since Adam betrayed us into the Enemies Hands and abide so until that Union be dissolved by the Power of Divine Grace and the Soul united by the Spirit unto Jesus Christ We are united to the first Adam by a Likeness of Nature and how can we be united to the Second without a Principle of Life by which another a new Nature is formed in us We were united to the First by a living Soul and we must be united to the other by a quickning Spirit By Nature Man is dead in Sins and Trespasses and how can he have Communion with a living Christ without a Principle of Life Would any go about to join a stinking Carcass to the Holy Jesus Would not any think it a great Plague to him if he had a dead and rotten Carcass united to him O remember it is from your Union with Christ your Communion with him follows yea and your Communion with the Saints too you can take no delight in Heavenly Company nor Heavenly Things without an Heavenly Heart 3. By this Union you that are Believers come to have interest in and a right unto all things Jesus Christ hath purchased by his Death nor shall any ever have any share or part in all those Spiritual and Eternal Blessings except they obtain this Union As the Cyon cannot partake of the Sap and Fatness of the Olive-Tree without it is grafted into the Stock no more can we partake of the Fatness and glorious Fulness of the true Olive Jesus Christ unless we are grafted into him by Faith and have the Indwellings of the Spirit and then all things that Christ merited for us and are laid up in him for us are ours 4. It is by virtue of this Union that we have
the Law that believe not because nothing but a perfect Righteousness can deliver from the Curse thereof 3. Moreover God is obliged upon the account of his Covenant with his Son for us to discharge us for ever because Christ hath fully performed all things as the federal Conditions of our Restoration and Deliverance from Sin and the Curse of the Law which he covenanted to do Arg. 5. All that are delivered from the Curse of the Law and to whom there remains no more any legal and just Cause in God of Wrath and Separation from him unto their Eternal Condemnation cannot eternally perish But all that believe in Christ are delivered from the Curse of the Law and to them there remains no more any legal and just Cause in God of Wrath and Separation from him unto their eternal Condemnation therefore no Believer shall eternally perish Fifthly Christ dying for our Sins was a full and compleat Paiment of all our Debts which bound us over to Death and Condemnation we owed ten thousand Talents and Christ our Surety was charged with it even with all we owed to Justice and by his Death he paid the uttermost Farthing Now the Principal and the Surety are legally and judicially one Person so that in Christ we paid all though it was God and not we that found out the Surety and paid himself with his own Money and therefore we are acquitted in a way of Sovereign Grace we have it in a way of Mercy though in a way of Righteousness also That God might be Just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus From whence I argue Arg. 6. All those for whom Christ hath paid all their Debts or made a full Compensation for shall never perish But Christ hath paid all the Debts of Believers or made a full Compensation for them therefore they shall never perish Would it not be look'd upon as an Act of Injustice in a Creditor to arrest and throw a poor Debtor into Prison for those Debts his Surety paid for him and laid down every Farthing of his Money Now then say I either some of the Sins of Believers or some of their Debts Jesus Christ did not die for pay or satisfy for or else all must conclude it is impossible because God is Just any one of them should perish Now who is it that dares to affirm that Christ did not die and satisfy for all the Sins of Believers or for his Elect Ones If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness He will not exact from us the Satisfaction which he hath accepted in the Atonement of his own Son our Surety and in his own way applied God will not require double Payment Sixthly From the Death of Christ I further argue No Believer can eternally perish because his Death was the highest and greatest Expression and Demonstration of Divine Love both in the Father and Son Now say I as I hinted once before He that gave the great Gift will not deny the lesser Sure if God gave his Son to die for our Sins he will give us Grace to resist Sin to mortify Sin and will also pardon all our Sins And if Christ died for us spilt his Blood for us he will pray for us he will not refuse to intercede for us that our Faith may not fail or we lose the Benefit and Blessings purchased for us by his Death He that would not pray for his Friend or for his Neighbour will not die for him But on the other Hand if he yields himself up to die for him he will pray for him Christ died for his Sheep he will therefore both feed them heal their Diseases and preserve them that they may not be devoured by any Enemy whatsoever neither by Sin nor the Devil c. See Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 8. 32. Seventhly Jesus Christ by his Death purchased Grace and all things his Saints need or shall need in order to make them meet for Glory therefore they shall not perish Do they need Faith need Patience need Power against Sin need Pardon need Purging c. all these things and whatsoever else they stand in need of they shall have My God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Jesus Christ All Grace is in Christ as the Fruit of his purchase And of his Fulness all we receive and Grace for Grace And this is to shew forth the Riches of God's Glory Will he lose his Glory Shall Satan insult over the Majesty of Heaven after this manner viz. Lo here is one of them for whom thou gavest thy Son to die whom thou hast left to me and I have destroyed him for ever Will God think you suffer this since his main Design in the Gift of Christ is the Glory of his own Rich and Sovereign Grace Nay and after he has with such large Expence of rich Treasure and such Pains restored his lost Image to a poor Believer will he suffer Sin and Satan utterly to deface it again whilst he looks on Our Opposites are Men for Natural Reason Now Sirs what think you of this is there any reason for you to believe God will suffer either of these things to be done Eighthly The Death of Christ preserves all Believers to Everlasting Life because he hath by one Offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified Christ as the Effects of his Death before he hath done will bring all for whom he was a Sacrifice to Heaven Justification in the Perfection of it shall be continued Sanctification shall be compleated our Interest in him shall not be lost Can any think that Christ will not maintain Life in that Soul which he made alive by his own Death Arg. 7. If therefore Christ's Blood was not shed for none in vain but that he shall have his whole Purchase then none of his Sheep or Elect Ones shall ever perish But Christ's Blood was shed for none in vain therefore he shall have his full Purchase none of his Elect shall perish No Man would lay down a Sum more in value than a whole Kingdom but would first see himself sure of it upon laying down that Price the Father's Covenant and Promise also made all the Elect certain of Eternal Life upon Christ's dying for them Besides Beloved the Sacrifice of Christ unites all the Holy Attributes together to secure a Believer's Interest Justice and Mercy are both agreed in Christ they meet together and kiss each other yea and join Hands to help and save every Believer The Flood-gates of Mercy are opened and the Fire of Divine Wrath confin'd in its Flames or rather quenched by the Streams of Christ's Blood that Mercy might flow down to us abundantly Christ's Blood hath eternal Virtue in it it is called the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant therefore extendeth to the Expiation of Sins to come as well as what are already
past Christ's Death hath glorious Effects as the Apostle shews For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God To talk of Christ's Death and see no Effects of it alas what 's that All that Christ died for shall see and feel too its Glorious Effects and Operations upon their Souls and Consciences though the Sacrifice be over the Virtue and excellent Causality of it abides for ever Ninthly Christ by his Death redeemeth his People from all Iniquity and this was his End in dying What signifies such a Redemption that leaves a poor Slave in his Chains and Irons without procuring a Release for him In this lies the Glory of our Redemption by Christ 't is not only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but from a vain Conversation also See the Apostle's Words Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works If this was his End and Design in his Death do any think he will see himself frustrated in it Shall any Enemy of the Soul bring Christ under a Disappointment Compare this with 1 Pes. 1. 17 18 19. Tenthly and Lastly Jesus Christ hath by his Death purchased Eternal Redemption or Everlasting Life for all his Sheep and by his Spirit hath also given to them the Earnest of it therefore his Death preserves them to Salvation In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Now I should come to speak more particularly to the Effects of the Death of Christ and inlarge upon some things that I have but a little touched upon but that I must leave until the next Time and shall only speak something by way of Improvement of this Argument APPLICATION First To you that are Believers O praise and bless God for a Crucified Saviour What in Heaven and Earth is cause of greater Wonder and Admiration Christ's Death is the meritorious Cause of all Spiritual and Eternal Joy and Comfort all Grace flows out of the Wounds the Spear and Nailâ— made in his Blessed Body and from the Death and Pangs his Soul underwent Nothing is a greater Evidence of Christ's Love to us than the Death of his Cross 2. Apply his Blood draw Virtue from his Blood fly to his Death see how that stands to save thee from the Justice and Wrath of God in his Death is thy Hope and Succour when pursued by Satan and under all Temptations 3. Triumph in the Cross of Christ thou O Child of God wast crucified with Christ thy Sins were punished in him and thou art acquitted in him and raised in him O labour to know Christ and him crucified Labour to know him and the Power of his Death and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. 4. And as to you Sinners is not here Ground of Hope for you Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life But wo to such who slight this bleeding Saviour that sin because Grace hath abounded or that make the Death of Christ an Incouragement to them to continue in Sin Tush say some trouble not your self with me Christ died for Sinners O Souls will you crucify Christ again I tell you if you do not feel the Effects of his Death in vain is all your present Hope 5. This may serve also to detect such and severely to reprehend them that say Christ died to save all or for all and every Man and Woman in the World Brethren if he died for all that is in the Stead and Room of all then all shall be saved God will not condemn such whom Christ laid down his Life for or in the place or stead of as I have proved from God's Word But further to detect this Error of General Redemption 1. Consider that Redemption is a Word easy to understand it is the saving of a Person that is in Slavery or Captivity commonly procured or obtained by a Price paid or a Ransom but if the Person is indeed redeemed he is set at Liberty To say a Man is redeemed and yet left in Chains and strong Bonds out of which he cannot come unless the Redeemer break those Chains and Bonds to pieces is to speak untruly or in plain English a Lie Now are all Men redeemed Redemption cannot be more universal than it is in Matter of Fact If ten Men were in Slavery in Argiers and a Sum of Money was paid to redeem them and yet after all care is not taken to make that Ransom to be effectual for their Redemption but six or seven of them are left in Captivity can any Man say all the ten were redeemed out of that Slavery and Thraldom wherein they are held Even so it is here for Men to say that the Redemption by Christ is for all the World and yet the greatest part of Mankind lie in Bonds under the Power of Sin and Satan and have not the Death of Christ made effectual to them is a great Mistake and indeed not true as to Matter of Fact 2. Are we redeemed only from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God and are we not also redeemed from Sin and from being under the Power of Satan That Redemption that is by Christ is you hear from all Iniquity and are all so redeemed The Apostle Peter saith Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from a vain Conversation but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ c. So many as are and shall be redeemed from all Iniquity from a vain Conversation or whom Christ hath redeemed from the Power of Satan he setting them at Liberty who naturally are bound and bringing them out of the Prison-House so many and no more did he die for and no further doth Redemption by Christ extend 3. If there are many left in the Enemies Hand and under their Power and eternally perish then there is no general or universal Redemption but there are Multitudes so left and perish 4. That Grace Love and blessed Price that doth not procure Universal Salvation is not cannot be an Universal Redemption But God never shewed such Grace and Love by the Price of Christ's Blood that doth procure Universal Salvation therefore there is no Universal Redemption for that Price or Paiment which doth not actually pass or terminate in Salvation is no Redemption at all an Attempt to redeem unless it be
hereby magnified they join hand in hand for the effecting of it Fourthly No Power can supersede God's Decree nor obstruct Jesus Christ in his compleating the Whole of his Work I will work and who shall let And again it is said He shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory He shall not fail nor be discouraged The Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand And seeing then that the Final Accomplishment of the Salvation of every Believer is put into Christ's Hand for a farther Demonstration how this tends to secure them all from Danger and to preserve them to Eternal Life Take here a short Induction of Particulars 1. Consider the Nature of that Covenant by virtue of which all the Elect are put into Christ's Hand It is a Covenant made and entered into by the Son as Mediator with the Father not only to redeem and purchase Life for them and to infuse Life in them but to preserve them in a State of Life so that none of God's Covenant-Children might depart from him any more for ever which the first Covenant failed in and therefore God found fault with that or rather with them with whom it was made who failed in continuing their Obedience thereunto but sinned and fell from God Now say I God to prevent the like again hath entered into a New Covenant with his Son for us which is so well ordered in all things and sure as that not one Soul shall ever eternally miscarry that is comprehended therein O remember that this Covenant was the Result of Infinite Wisdom as well as it resulted from inconceivable Love and Goodness in God and it was to frustrate and destroy the Works of the Devil for ever so that he might never have Cause to insult over the Majesty of God in getting out of his Hand one Soul that he designed in his Eternal Counsel to make happy and save for ever 2. Consider Jesus Christ to this End in this Covenant hath took all that the Father gave unto him into his Hand as their Surety Pray consider all Believers are thus in the Hand of Christ Hence he is called the Surety of a better Covenant He is their great Sponsor if any be lost he must answer for them Let me read that Text in 1 Kings 20. I shall only allude to it to clear up this Matter the better to weak Capacities Thy Servant went out into the midst of the Battel and behold a Man turned aside and brought a Man unto me and said Keep this Man if by any means he be missing then shall thy Life go for his Life I know this was spoken by the Prophet parabolically yet it may serve to shew you the Nature of Suretiship where one engageth for another or for others Thus Judah became Surety to his Father for Benjamin I will be Surety for him of my Hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever Reuben also became Surety for Benjamin And Reuben spake unto his Father saying Slay my two Sons if I bring him not to thee and deliver him into thy Hand This was more indeed than was required of him or that his Father Jacob could accept of without Sin had he failed But O see the Nature of Suretiship Jesus Christ hath taken all his Saints into his Hand as their Surety to the Father and God hath accepted him in this Case and looks for them all at his Hand the Father substituted him not to be a Shepherd only but a Surety also 3. And let it be considered that Jesus Christ became not our Surety to pay our Debts or to satisfy for our Sins which we stood charged with before our Conversion but also for all our Sins after we believe his Blood was a plenary Satisfaction for all so that Christ says as it were to the Father as Judah to Jacob I thy Servant am become Surety for these and every one of these that thou hast given to me and if I bring them not to thee and set them not before thee in Heaven then let me bear the blame for ever Or he may say as Paul speaketh concerning his Son Onesimus If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on my Account I Paul have written it with my own Hand I will repay it c. Thus Christ may say Father charge the Sins the Debts that my Saints have and shall commit to me I will be accountable for them And indeed he hath already done it once for all and not only so but to bring them all to Heaven and this in a most high and sublime Covenant and Holy Compact he made with the Father before the World began therefore not one Soul of them can perish 4. Consider also that in pursuit of this Covenant and Suretiship Jesus Christ hath suffered Death spilt his own precious Blood which the Father doth accept of as their full Discharge and shall any once suppose that one Soul of his People for whom he thus struck Hands and died for and took into his Care and Charge shall eternally miscarry 5. Consider that as they are in Christ's Hands and he hath suffered Death for them and in their stead so also that the Merits of his Blood might become effectual to them he is every ways fitted endowed and qualified with all things whatsoever that is necessary in order to his actual Discharge of this great Trust he hath taken upon him 1. He hath received the Spirit without measure to the end he might have that and all Grace that is needful to communicate to every one of his Saints as he sees necessary for them and it is laid up in his Hand not given all at once to them but they shall have all their Wants supplied according to his Riches in Glory 2. He hath Wisdom enough also for he is Wisdom it self 3. He is clothed with Power also he is a Saviour a great One Pray hear what he himself saith I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth c. He cannot fail for want of Power as Mediator let the States or Straits of any Soul of his be what they will or of any that relie upon him or come unto him Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Nay and this Power is given to him to this very end namely not only to quicken and renew them but also to perfect Holiness in them and to bring them to Heaven at last As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 6. Consider the strict Charge the Father hath given to Christ as he hath put all Believers into his Hand 1. A Charge to redeem them he laid down his Life as the Father commanded him 2. See that in Isa 49.
this I shall endeavour to prove and fully demonstrate First From the Nature of Grace it self Secondly In respect of the Fountain from whence it doth proceed i. e. the Blessed God and Father of Mercy Thirdly From Christ the Purchaser and more immediate Author the Beginner and Finisher of it in the Soul he is the Alpha and Omega of Grace First From the Nature of Grace it self 1. Let us consider unto what it is compared even to a small Seed to a Grain of Mustard-seed which becomes after it is sown a great Tree If ye have Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you The Mountain of Guilt of Pollution of Corruption of Opposition shall be removed out of the way of that Person sooner or later that hath never so small a Measure of Grace such is the Nature of it I do not judg that our Saviour chiefly refers here to the Faith of Miracles but our late Annotator no doubt is right I take the plain sense of the Text to be this saith he that there is nothing which may tend to the Glory of God or to our Good but may be obtained of God by a firm exercise of Faith in him Whether our Saviour speaketh here of a Faith of Miracles or no I will not determine I rather think that he speaks here of any true Faith c. A weak Faith put into exercise shall prevail and overcome at last This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith it doth and shall overcome in every Soul at last This Seed I have proved already doth remain it can never be rooted out of the good Ground where it was received into honest Hearts it brought forth Fruit unto Everlasting Life 2. Grace in the Soul is compared to a Well of living Water The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of living Water springing up unto Everlasting Life Grace in the Soul is like a Well that hath a never-sailing Spring at the bottom Grace proceeds from the Spring or Well of Salvation which continually supplies the Soul until it comes to Heaven We have a glorious Figure of this in the Water that gushed out of the Rock smitten in the Wilderness that never ceased following the Israelites until they came to Canaan True this Water may not rise up always alike but may sometimes be low like our Rivers it may have its Ebbs as well as its Flows but when it is a very low Tide it risen again and may be by degrees higher than ever it was before They shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine the Scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon 3. Grace is compared to Leaven which a Woman hid in three Measures of Meal till the whole was leavened the whole Soul Grace is of a diffusive Quality It works also like Leaven gradually it diffuseth it self first into the Vnderstanding and leavens that with blessed Gospel-Light It also diffuseth it self into the Will and bows and subjecteth that to the Power of Divine Truth and to a full Acceptance of Jesus Christ chusing him and relying upon him for Righteousness and Eternal Life It also diffuseth it self into the Affections of the Soul and then the whole is leavened It leavens or makes gracious every Faculty of the Soul and all its Powers the Body and all its Members Grace like Leaven makes the Creature a new Lump and of the same Nature with it self Holy Spiritual Heavenly c. Leaven is a quickning thing so Grace through the Spirit is the quickning Principle in the Soul Grace when received will like Leaven do its Work and never cease till all is in a spiritual manner leavened therewith 4. Grace is also compared by the Spirit of God to Fire 1. 'T is a Divine Spark that God kindles in the Soul which he taketh pains to do of his own abundant Goodness 2. And as he will not quench it himself as you heard so none else can And if it cannot be put out then be sure it will burn it is the Nature of Fire to seize on whatsoever is combustible Now Sin is that proper Fuel which Grace will never cease consuming until it hath quite brought it as it were to Ashes 3. Jesus Christ came on purpose from Heaven to kindle this Fire to burn up Sin and all Corruptions in the Souls of his People And can any think it is in the Power of Satan by his Temptations to quench it for ever and so frustrate his gracious Design If the Devil could not quench it when it was but a small Spark like smoaking Flax when it was first kindled in the Soul how should he be able to do it then when it has got a greater head All know it is much easier to put out and get the mastery of a Fire at first kindling than it is afterwards Yet mistake me not I do not say that this Divine Fire burns always alike in the Soul No Satan and Corruption may damp and lessen its burning but what tho for notwithstanding the Operations of Grace may be interrupted by the Law in the Members the Flesh lusting and warring against the Spirit and it may suffer an Eclipse and a poor Christian may lose the sense and feeling Influences of it at some times as to the comforting Operations thereof yet the Habit of Grace can never be lost 5. The Spirit of Grace is a Vital Principle it is the Life of the Believer or of the Soul of a Child of God Nay and this Life is Eternal it is in them an Eternal Vital Principle as I have proved since I was upon this Text therefore Grace through the Spirit prevents their eternal perishing those that have the Spirit in them and Grace in them have Christ and Everlasting Life in them Moreover should any say that Grace is not immutable in it self yet say I with relation it stands in unto Christ viz. having a Spring at the bottom it is an abiding Principle it will and must live Moreover it is a powerful and permanent Principle Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World that is the Holy Spirit in the Graces and blessed Influences thereof Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace 6. Grace is a holy and sanctifying Principle it resisteth Sin and purgeth the Conscience It teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts to live soberly godly and righteously in this present World 7. Why is Grace called saving if Men may have it and yet perish Certainly that Grace that a Man may have and be damned is not saving Grace Secondly Grace shall abide in the Souls of Believers in respect of the Fountain of it from whence it proceeds namely the Holy God 1.
Grace as I may say is the Off-spring of Heaven And what doth God love on Earth above his own Grace in the Souls of his People 'T is God's Gift though it be Christ's Merit And as Reverend Charnock notes Grace hath great Allies the greatest Power that ever yet acted upon the Stage of the World had a Hand in the birth of it Should we see all the States of the World engaged in bringing a Person to a Kingdom and maintaining therein his Right we could not rationally think that there were any likelihood they should be baffled in it The Trinity saith he sat in Consultation about Grace For if there were such a Solemn Convention held about the first creating of Man much more about the new and better creating of him and raising him somewhat above the State of Man the Father decrees it the Son purchaseth it the Spirit infuseth it The Father appoints the Garison what Grace should be in every Soul Christ raiseth this Force and the Spirit conducts it the Trinity hath a hand in maintaining it and all this is but the carrying on the New Creature The Father is said to beget us John 1. 13. and we are said to be the Seed of Christ Isa 53. 10. and born of the Spirit John 3. 6. therefore that which hath so strong a Relation and Allies cannot be lost Thus Charnock 2. The Father is the Root and Foundation of Grace as it is the Effect of his free Love and Favour and every Grace is part of the Divine Nature in it there is an imitation of one or other of the Divine Attributes and it exemplifies the Divine Perfections in its Operations The Design of God in infusing of his Grace into our Souls is to shew forth his Vertues or his Praise and Glory in all the Parts of it and doth glorify one or another Attribute of God 3. What is Grace and the Work of Grace in the Soul but God's Workmanship which as you have heard he hath shewed much Skill and heavenly Wisdom about and also hath been at more Cost to effect in us than in making the World he will not therefore suffer that Work to be marr'd and brought to nought We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works Did he give his Son purchase Grace and will not the same Love engage his Power to preserve and perfect it in us 4. And since God's Power is concerned in preserving Grace in us and us in a State of Grace can it be thought that Satan that strong Man armed when he had full possession of the Soul and also had so strong a Party in us on his Side and yet could not prevent an overthrow he being vanquished and turned out should ever get possession again especially since now the Soul is so well armed and hath the strongest Party on its Side against him besides such wonderful Allies to stand by it to oppose its Enemies and to aid and assist it against him and all his Abetters If Grace when a Babe gave Satan such a fatal Defeat and Overthrow certainly now it hath got such strength in the Soul it will never be overcome by him We are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation And Christ hath prayed that our Faith fail not and was heard therein Brethren is the Power of the Omnipotent God limited to a Faith of the Creature 's getting and to his Care in securing If so it is as much as to say the Nurse will keep the Child in her Hand if it doth not get out of it and stray away from her We say God keeps us by his Power through Faith because he hath ordained Faith and Holiness to be the Means which he by his Power will maintain in us as well as Happiness or the Salvation of our Souls to be the End 5. God hath promised to help us to uphold us to strengthen us and to preserve us unto the End The Steps of a good Man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his Way Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his Hand If he falls into Sin into Temptation or Affliction the Lord will not leave him but help him up and bring him out of all his Distresses He hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us He hath also promised to be our God and our Guide even unto Death and hath assured us That the Righteous shall hold on their Ways and he that hath clean Hands shall grow stronger and stronger and to put his Fear into our Hearts that we shall not depart from him Again the Apostle asserts That he that hath begun aâ— good Work in us will perform it to the Day of Christ 6. In a word it cannot stand consistent with the Wisdom Love Faithfulness Holiness nor the Glory of God to suffer any of his own Children and redeemed Ones to be pulled away from him by Sin Satan the Flesh or this World or any Enemy whatsoever and Grace to come to nothing in them 1. Can it stand consistent with his Wisdom to suffer his own Eternal Counsel to be frustrated Or hath any Man the true Grace of God and yet not as the Result of God's Purpose from Eternity If so how comes it to pass that Paul tells the Saints That they were saved and called with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the World began Can it stand consistent with Divine Wisdom to let Satan insult over God himself and boast after this manner Thou hast sent thy Son to die for these Persons thou hast renewed them by thy Grace and made them thy own Children and espoused them to thy own Son and this according to the greatness of thy Love and thy Purpose before all Worlds and didst it also to destroy and bring to nought my Design and laborious Work in seeking to devour them but see how thou art defeated and frustrated in all thou hast done I have tempted them to Sin I have again deceived their Souls and set thee against them and thy Design in saving of these is by me made of none effect I have turned those Saints into Swine and robbed them of all that Grace and rich Treasure thou gavest to them notwithstanding thou hadst put them into the Hand of thy own Son to preserve and keep 2. Can it stand consistent with his tender Love to leave his Saints in the midst of so many cruel Enemies who are unable to save themselves as poor Babes of two or ten Days old out of their Hands and yet suffer them by Sin and Satan to be torn to pieces whilst he stands by and looks on and yet they are such that are his own Children begotten and born of him by his Spirit Or shall his Love be so great in begetting Grace or in infusing
Grace and no more Love shewed in keeping and preserving that Grace in their Souls What! purchase such Riches for them by the Blood of his Son and let them be robbed of it all in a Moment 3. Can it stand consistent with the Faithfulness of God who hath said I will help thee I will uphold thee by the right Hand of my Righteousness and I will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able c. The Work I have begun in thee I will perform to the Day of Christ and as thy Day is thy Strength shall be and yet notwithstanding all this will leave them and let their Grace wither and come to nothing and Sin and Temptations be too hard and strong for them and so cast them off for ever 4. Can it stand consistent with his Holiness to let his precious Grace which is an Impression of his own Image and Likeness in the Soul be blotted blurr'd and defaced for ever this Likeness being a Likeness unto him in that most high and beloved Perfection of his Nature viz. his Holiness which Work on the Soul is curiously wrought by his own Spirit and more valued by him than ten thousand Worlds will he I say neglect that which is so dear and like unto him and suffer it to be crush'd under the Foot of filthy Corruption by the Lusts of his implacable Enemy 5. Can it stand consistent with the Honour of God's most Sovereign Majesty to let Grace be destroyed and come to nothing in the Soul whose End in all he doth is principally to advance his own Glory What is it I pray you that tends more to bring Honour to God in the World than that Grace which he hath infused into the Hearts of his People If Sin brings the greatest Dishonour to him then certainly Grace brings the greatest Honour to him which strives to root out and utterly to destroy Sin so that God and Jesus Christ might reign alone in the Soul If a King hath but one special Favourite that asserts and maintains his Right and seeks to uphold his Throne be sure he will if possible preserve him and suffer none to undermine and supplant that Favourite so as to root him out of the Kingdom Thirdly In regard had to Jesus Christ who is the Purchaser and immediate Author of Grace I further argue Grace shall at last become Victorious or never finally be suppressed in the Hearts of Believers 1. Christ by his Death purchased that Grace which every true Christian is possessed of He died to redeem us from all Iniquity and to purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works It is upon the Account of his Death as the Effects of his Death the Spirit and the Graces of the Spirit are shed abroad in our Hearts Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you see and hear Certainly if he purchased us and Grace for us when we were his Enemies he will preserve it in us since we are actually now reconciled to him Shall he be at the expence of his Blood to buy it as one notes and spare his Power to secure it 2. Christ was manifest to take away Sin to dispossess Satan and will he let Satan take Possession again He came to destroy the Works of the Devil And what are Satan's Works but Sin Will not Christ accomplish that which he came into the World to do 3. He is called the Author and Finisher of our Faith If this be so we may assure our selves he will perfect it he that begins it will end it he hath not left it to another after he hath begun the Work of Faith to finish it No no he still keeps it in his own Hand and he will see it done 4. It is for the Honour of Christ that Grace lives and is strengthened in his People Wherefore also we pray for you that our God would account you worthy of this Calling and fulfil all the good Pleasure of his Will and the Work of Faith with Power Part of the good Pleasure of the Will of God had been fulfilled in them they were called justified adopted and the Work of Sanctification was begun and Paul prays that with Power it might be compleated and then shews us how it tends to the Glory of Christ to have this done That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified and you in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ Brethren the Glory of Christ and the final Salvation of the Saints are wrap'd up together Grace tends to Christ's Glory here and to his Eternal Praise and Glory hereafter 5. Jesus Christ's Work now he is in Heaven is to intercede for his Saints And be sure as he prayed when on Earth that the Faith of his Peters might not fail so he makes the like Intercession for them in Heaven Hence the Intercession of Christ is part of the Saints Holy Triumph in that of Romans 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who also maketh Intercession for us Now the Intercession of Christ hath great Power and Prevalency in it in order to our final Perseverance in Grace 1. Because he pleads continually with God the Virtue of his own Merits what he hath purchased for us he intercedes for but he purchased Grace for us and he prays for the final continuation of it in us therefore it shall abide in us to the End 2. By his Intercession he prevails with God that we may be delivered from all our Spiritual Enemies that they may never have Power over us of whom Sin is the chief That which Christ intercedes for he is heard and accepted in but he intercedes that we may be kept and delivered from the Power and eternal Punishment of Sin therefore Sin shall never have Power to condemn us 3. He intercedes that our Prayers may be heard and that we may be helped to pray and part of our Prayer is that Sin may not have Power over us to condemn us therefore Sin never shall so condemn us because Christ causes our Prayers with the Incense of his own Intercession to come up as a sweet Savour in the Nostrils of God 4. Christ intercedes that all our Sins may be pardoned and covered If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father He carries this Cause for us in the Court of Heaven therefore our Sins shall never work our Ruin 5. It is by his Intercession we come to the Throne of Grace with boldness Christ our Friend and High Priest appearing evermore in the Presence of God for us 6. And also it is through Christ's Intercession that all our Good Works and Holy Services are accepted of God So much shall serve to the tenth and last Argument And from hence
I argue If Grace though never so weak shall be victorious if Grace be such a Blessed Principle such a Spark that Sin nor Satan can't quench such a Seed that no Enemy can get out of the Ground of our Hearts if Grace through the Spirit is Life Eternal Life in the Soul if Grace be the Darling of Heaven hath such great and Almighty Allies if the whole Trinity sate in Council about the Birth of Grace or the Way of its infusion into the Soul if it be the Gift of the Father's Free Love and a part of his Holy Nature if it be wrought in us to shew forth his Praise if Grace be God's great and glorious Workmanship if the Power of God be engaged to preserve it in us if God hath promised to maintain its Life in us if it cannot stand consistent with God's Wisdom Love Faithfulness and Holiness to let it be totally overcome and vanquished in the Souls of his Elect if Christ purchased Grace for us if he was manifest to take away Sin if Christ be the Author and Finisher of Grace in the Soul if the Life of Grace tends so much to the Honour of Christ if Christ's Work now in Heaven is to interceed for the continuation of Grace in us that it may never fail in the Seed or Habit of it Then no true Believer can fall so from Grace as eternally to perish But all this is true therefore no Believer can so fall from Grace as eternally to perish APPLICATION First Of Information 1. First from the whole we may learn that the State of Believers through the Redemption by Jesus Christ is far better than Adam's was by Creation for though we have no natural and inherent Power of our own yet we have a supernatural Power ingaged to help and uphold us we are kept by the Power of God He stood by the Strength of Nature and Power of Free-Will before the Fall We by the Strength of Grace and Power of the Mediator who hath a Charge to uphold us in a State of Grace which was not allowed to Adam nor the Angels we have not only the Word of Grace to encourage us but also the Power of Grace to establish us Adam stood by his own Original Righteousness our standing is by the Suretiship Righteousness and Undertakings of Jesus Christ Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Adam's Life was in himself our Life is hid in Christ and so out of the Power of our worst Enemies to come at it or deprive us of it and as Adam and all his were condemned so Christ and all his are justified 2. It may inform us that such who make a Profession of Religion without attaining to a State of true Grace and real Union with Christ are in danger of eternal Ruin notwithstanding whatsoever their Knowledg Gifts and common Improvements may be and their Hopes thereupon and that they are of this sort that frequently fall away and perish in their Sins which if well weighed may put every Professor into serious Thoughts and upon a thorow Work of Self-examination about their present Condition and therefore in this respect there is need enough of those Cautions and Take-heeds in the Scripture Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall How many are there who do but think they stand or that their State is safe and good when in truth they are in no better Condition than the Foolish Virgins or the thorny and stony-ground Professors 3. It also may inform us that all those that shall be saved are such who take care to make their Calling and Election sure It is a palpable Demonstration that they are under strong Delusion who suppose Election only refers to the End and not to the Means or that Men that are elected shall be saved let them live how they please No no the Case is quite otherwise we are elected to be Holy as well as to be Happy the whole Design of God herein being to make us Holy and also to preserve us in a Way and State of Holiness Therefore if thou dost begin well hast obtained true Grace and dost continue in a Way of well-doing or dost bring forth good Fruit and dost not waver nor faint in thy Mind it may be an Evidence that thy State is Good and that thou art one of Christ's Sheep who follow him constantly and wilt so follow him unto the End Secondly This may be Matter of great Comfort to weak Believers and such who may be under spiritual Deadness and feel Corruption too strong for them O do not be discouraged the weakest Grace gives a deadly wound to Sin and a good ground of Hope thy State is safe your Names are written in Heaven which is as our Saviour notes the greatest Cause of Joy which it could not be if their Names might be blotted out again 'T is no wonder Sin is in thee and makes thee mourn when it made Paul to cry out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 'T is one thing to have the Law of Sin in our Members and to have Sin in our Conversations and another thing to have it reign in us or to have it in our Affections Soul remember that weak Grace weak Faith shall become victorious Thou hast Grace enough in thy Head though thou hast but little in thy Hand O cry to God be much in Prayer that God would give thee more Grace and supply thy Wants and quicken and revive thy Soul as he hath promised A weak Faith renders the Soul as perfectly justified in Christ as the strongest Faith any Man hath whosoever he be and gives a Title to Eternal Life he that had but a weak or a dim Eye that look'd up unto the Brazen Serpent was as well healed as he that had a strong Sight or good Eyes 2. This Doctrine yields much Comfort to the strongest Saint also for if he that hath never so strong and lively Faith might fall finally away and perish what would Regeneration Justification Adoption c. signify to him Would not his Spirits droop and his Fears torment him But here by virtue of the Doctrine of final Perseverance is Comfort both for the Weak and Strong both have equal Interest in Christ in God's Love in the Covenant both are elected both are in Christ's Hand Such who have now a strong Faith had once but a weak Faith it was but a little Seed once and Christ's Charge extends to those that are weak He carries the Lambs in his Arms and the Stock in Christ's Hand is sure and his Promise of supply shall not fail and the Strong cannot stand of themselves Thirdly Caution Judg not of the Truth of thy Grace by the weakness of it a little Gold a Dram is Gold as well as a great Wedg 2. Let not this encourage thee to be negligent or remiss in Duty God
has promised thee Victory but thou must sight Grace teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness He that is not under the Influence of Grace never had the Truth of it in him Fourthly Always consider this in thy Heart that thy standing is by Grace and that thou art in Christ's Hand O depend on him for all and fly to him for whatsoever thou dost need JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I closed the last Time with the Consirmation of the Doctrine which I have for several days been upon I shall now proceed to consider of the Objections and give an Answer to them that are usually brought against this great and comfortable Doctrine of the Saints final Perseverance Several of which I have answered already as I met with them occasionally under divers of those Arguments I have spoken to in clearing up the Truth of the Proposition therefore shall labour to answer such that remain which take as they here follow Object 1. If Christ did not die for all how could the Birth of our Saviour be said to be Matter of Joy unto all People And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great Joy which shall be to all People For unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Answ 1. I answer All People doth not intend every individual Person to all People that is the good News is not to you only but to both Jews and Gentiles I have shewed you before that all and every and whole World is taken in many places of Holy Scripture with restriction and takes in but a part as on the contrary when the Vniversality of the Subject is intended it is expressed by singular If a Man die shall he live again Which refers to every Man He that believeth shall be saved it signifies all that so do So I will pour out of my Spirit upon ALL Flesh as you have it in Joel that is upon Persons of every Age Sex and Degree upon Young Old Masters Servants Sons and Daughters so it may be taken here and in several other places as that in 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who will have all Men saved c. that is Kings as well as Peasants Noble as well as Ignoble Rich as well as Poor Gentiles as well as Jews or some of all sorts The Gospel is said to be preached in Paul's Time to every Creature under Heaven whereas it reached then but to a small part of the World one great part not being at that time known or found out as one well observes 2. Was the Birth of Christ Matter of Joy in the Effects of it to Judas and to the unbelieving Jews and to many more 3. I argue thus If the Birth and Death of Christ was cause of greatest Joy to all Persons individually considered it must be thus either in respect of the Design Purpose and Intention of God because of such Joy unto them or else in respect of the certain Effects of his Birth and Death But 1. Who will say that God according to his Eternal Purpose and Design did intend it for the Salvation of every individual Person None can be so weak sure to assert that for who shall resist God's Will or withstand God's absolute Design Purpose and Intention Christ must accomplish or effect the Salvation of all if in that sense it was Matter or Cause of Joy unto all or that he died for all or that God would have all that is every individual Man and Woman in the World saved 2. And as to the Effects of the Death of Christ it is evident quite otherwise for Multitudes have no saving Benefit thereby Therefore it follows clearly that that is not the sense of the Text nor Mind of the Spirit of God though in some sense the Birth and Death of Christ was Cause of Joy to all since every one received all that Good thereby whatsoever it is they are possessed of 4. Did not Simeon by the Holy Ghost say that this Child speaking of Christ is set for the Fall and rising again of many in Israel Unto some the word is a Savour of Death unto Death and Christ a Stone of stumbling the Reason is because they that believe in him shall be saved and they that believe not shall be damned We freely grant the intervening of Mens Unbelief Malice and Opposition to Christ and his Gospel is the proximate meritorious Cause of the Fall and Ruin of any Soul 5. Also it is said Every Man shall have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. which can refer to none but to good Men or godly Men only So it is said God is the Father of all One God and Father of all Eph. 4. 6. Yet as Mr. Cole observes on that place the Devil is the Father of the greatest part of the World Christ is said to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Col 1. 20. Yet what a multitude are not nor ever shall be reconciled to him All certainly intends none but the Elect So it is said it is written in the Prophets they shall all be taught of God John 6. 45. It respects only Believers or God's New-Covenant-Children Now seeing the word all and every in many Places refers only to the Elect and is taken with such Restriction why should it be taken Universally here and in those other Places mentioned especially considering the Arguments I have laid down to prove that Christ did not die for any but those that were given to him by the Father we having also proved he died in their stead for whom he suffered Death so that they might never die Eternally Object 2. If there be such a Decree of Election and that none shall be saved but those that God hath ordained to Eternal Life what need Men seek after or regard the Salvation of their Souls Answ This Objection we have largely answered under our first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance taken from the Election of Grace to which I refer you Object 3. This Doctrine of Election and Final Perseverance tends to make Men loose and remiss in the Service of God Answ 1. What can be a greater Mistake Do the certain Grounds of Hope of obtaining the Victory tend to make a Souldier remiss and careless when engaged in the Battel Or do they not much more animate him to fight couragiously 2. Shall a Child be taken off from his Duty or be remiss in serving his Father because his Father tells him he shall never be disinherited 3. Did not Christ know that the Angels had Charge over him yet was he less careful of his own Preservation And did not Paul assure all that were in the Ship with him that they should all be saved yet did that take him
off from pressing Care and Diligence on the Mariners 4. That God who hath ordained the End I tell you again hath also ordained the Means Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. We are chosen in Christ that we may be holy and without blame before him in Love Nor can any ever come to any well-grounded hope he shall be saved or know he is elected unless he is holy heavenly spiritual watchful and diligent in all Gospel-Duties which is the Fruits and Effects of Election 5. The Decree of Election considered absolutely in it self without respect had unto its Effects is no part of God's revealed Will that is it is not revealed that this Man is and that Man is not Elected This therefore can be made neither Argument nor Objection about any thing wherein Faith and Obedience are concerned 6. The Sovereign and ever-to-be-adored Grace and distinguishing Love of God is laid down in the Word of God to be the greatest Motive to Holiness imaginable Who maketh thee to differ from another O that God should open my Eyes call me by his Grace may a Believer say Shall I sin against him because his Grace so abounds to me God forbid If God hath elected me I may live in Sin walk as I list is the Language rather of a Devil than of a Man much less of a Saint I speak the more to this because I would shew you that are Believers what Improvement you ought to make of God's Free Grace and Love to you Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another And as Moses said Consider what great things God hath done for you Object 4. If I shall persevere to the End what need is there of those Take-heeds in the Scripture Why are we bid to watch and take heed lest we fall Answ This is all one with the former besides I answered it largely when I first entred upon my Work but yet let me add a word or two further 1. A Child of God may sin and fall grievously and greatly dishonour God and bring Reproach on the Gospel which may tend to grieve some and harden others nay he may lose his Comfort and Joy of God's Salvation therefore hath need to watch Satan is a strong a vigilant and cunning Enemy O see what Reasons you have from thence to watch and pray 2. If you grow careless carnal or indifferent in the Matters of Religion it may be a sign that your Hearts are not right with God Many of the Members of the Churches to whom the Epistles were directed were no more than Professors and if so they were liable to fall away and perish for ever Object 5. But same Branches in the Vine may bear no Fruit but may be cut off and wither c. Answ I have also fully answered this Objection already see the Argument taken from our Union with Christ There is a twofold being in Christ an External being in him by a Profession and a true Spiritual being in him Object 6. If Christ died not for all what ground have I to believe he died for me Answ 1. What doth it signify to believe Christ died for all unless thou findest the Effects of his Death in thee Many thousands shall perish notwithstanding Christ died for them in their Judgment that make this Objection yea the generality of them for whom he died therefore unless all were saved what Encouragement is there to believe from hence 2. He that believes shall be saved If thou therefore dost believe thou shalt be saved Is not this a better Ground of Faith than that of Christ's dying for all 3. A bare believing that Christ died for all I have proved is no Ground of thy Interest in his Death for that may be without any Fruits or gracious Effects 4. Thou hast the same Ground to believe as any have or as such had who do now believe before they did believe or as they had once who now are in Heaven 5. Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners and the Promises of Mercy upon believing are made to the vilest Sinners on Earth 6. Great and black Sinners have found Mercy and are now in Heaven even some of them that put Christ to Death And is here not Ground of Faith and Hope for thee 7. Remember that if thou believest not but dost continue in thy Sin and Rebellion against God thou shalt be certainly damned thy rejecting of Christ will have that Effect at last upon all Unbelievers 8. Moreover Christ calls to stout-hearted Sinners such that are far from Righteousness He brings his Salvation near to them He calls upon a People not called by his Name He hath received Gifts for the Rebellious also that God might dwell among them And is not here a good Ground to venture thy Soul upon Jesus Christ be thou who thou wilt 9. No Person is excluded by the Lord that we know of Can any Man say there is no Mercy for him unless he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost which may be not one in an Age is guilty of The Nature of which Sin I purpose to open after I have closed with this Text. Thy Condemnation O Sinner will be of thy self God will judg the World in Righteousness this we are all agreed in and set down as an undeniable Article of our Faith None shall have this to plead at the last Day I was not Elected God will vindicate his Justice and Righteous Proceedings in the Day of Judgment and all Mouths shall be then stopped and every Man's Conscience be a Witness for or against him And though foreseen Faith and Holiness is not the Cause why any are elected yet foreseen Wickedness is the Cause why Men are reprobated O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Object 7. But is it not said Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Answ 1. This Text the Papists do abuse as well as the Arminians who strive to make Man a Co-worker or a Partner with Christ in our Salvation But this the Apostle intends not because we are saved by Grace For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works lest any Man should boast For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works 2. Whoever it is that brings in this Text as an Objection against the Doctrine of the Saints Final Perseverance you may be sure is a corrupt Person in his Judgment and one that pleads for a Covenant of Works or joins the Creature with Christ as a Co-workein the Salvation of Man For if it be to be taken in their sense then it would follow that Man is his own Saviour for if I procure my own Salvation by Works or by working it out for my self I save my self or am my own Saviour or I
said and so finish with this Text. 1. Inform. This may serve to inform and convince all Persons concerning the absolute Soveraignty of God He may save Man if he please and not Angels or may send a Saviour for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all Who shall say to him What dost thou If he had vouchsafed a Saviour for none of Adam's Posterity had he been unjust any more than he is in casting off for ever all the fallen Angels He called Abraham out of his own Country and revealed himself to him and let others remain then under the Power of Sin Ignorance and Idolatry calling them not He revealed himself to Isaac and rejected Ishmael he chose Jacob and refused Esau he afterwards chose the Children of Israel to be a peculiar People for himself and let all other Nations of the Earth abide in Darkness And in the Gospel-Days Christ chose a few poor Fisher-Men and refused the Learned and Wise Men after the Flesh nay and hid the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven from the Wise and Prudent and all this as an Act alone of his Soveraignty And in these days what Reason can be alledged why we and a few Nations more have the Knowledg of the Gospel when the greatest part of the Earth lie in Popish Mahometan and Pagan Darkness but that it is his good pleasure so to do He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth 2. Praise God for the Knowledg you have of the Mysteries of Christ and the Gospel of Free-Grace Brethren next unto the Grace of God in my Conversion I have often said I do look upon my self bound to admire the Riches of God's Love and Goodness to me in opening my Eyes to see those Arminian Errors which when I was Young I had from some Men of corrupt Principles sucked in nay and when I was about 23 Years Old I wrote a little Book for Children in which some of those Errors were vindicated which after my Eyes were inlightned and the Book with Alterations being again Reprinted I left out and now do declare my dislike of the first Impressions and do disown what I there asserted When I was a Child I thought as a Child I understood as a Child as the Apostle speaks And let me intreat you to study the Nature of the Covenant of Grace for until I had that opened unto me I was ignorant of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. O do not forget that the Design of God in contriving our Salvation in his Eternal Wisdom by Jesus Christ was wholly to advance his own Glory and the Freeness and Riches of his Grace and to abase and humble Man unto the Dust therefore be sure never err on that Hand And I think it is not easy for Men well to err on the other I mean in exalting God alone Christ alone though I deny not but that some good Men who in seeking to advance Free-Grace perhaps have erred and taken up some unsound Notions as that of Actual or Personal Justification before Faith and Actual Union with Jesus Christ O what need have we to ponder well the Paths of our Feet and not with Pride to magnify our selves or strive to promote any corrupt Notion under any Pretence whatsoever Our Days are Evil many dangerous Errors abound and it is cause of greatest Grief to see what a Generation of Men are risen up of late who strive to mix God's pure Gold with their Dross and his Wine with their Water Though on the other Hand let us bless and praise the Lord for raising up so many brave Champions in the mean time of our Brethren of the Congregational Way to defend the Gospel of God's Grace and the Truth as it is in Jesus Yet I could wish there was not so much Gall in some of them against us their Brethren who in all the great Truths of Christianity are of one Mind and Judgment and yet are exposed to Reproach for witnessing to a Truth of Christ that lies as plain in the Gospel as any one Truth or positive Precept of Christ whatsoever I mean that of Believers Baptism Why should we be censured for maintaining that Truth which the Holy Ghost so fully bears witness unto I long to see more of the Spirit of Love and Charity would to God that Chapter 1 Cor. 13. was more read and considered 4. This may also serve to reprehend such who strive to cast Reproach upon this Holy Doctrine and such that maintain it as if it tended to incourage People in Sin or open a Door to Licentiousness Let all for ever forbear such Reflections Is not this the Purport of that Doctrine which we vindicate 1. That there is wrought and preserved in the Minds and Souls of all Believers by the Holy Spirit a Supernatural Principle of Grace and Holiness whereby they are made meet and enabled to live unto God and discharge all Duties of Obedience which he requireth of them and accepteth through Christ which Principle or Habit of Grace is essentiaily distinct from all Natural Habits Intellectual and Moral however and by what Means so ever acquired or improved 2. That the Holy Spirit by his effectual Operations doth enable us according as we are required by his immediate Influences in all Acts of Obedience whether internal only in Faith and Love c. or External also even so that all the Powers of our Souls and Members of our Bodies are or ought to be in a spiritual manner governed and influenced thereby and unto all Duties of Holiness in our daily walking with God and that all this is the Effect of God's Free-Grace to us in Jesus Christ who hath communicated of the Spirit without measure to our Blessed Head and Mediator that he may give it forth to all his Saints that have Union with him and believe in him Brethren God hath circumcised the Hearts of his People to love him with all their Souls and with all their Strength He writes his Law in our Hearts as he promised I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts This gracious Habit or Principle in the Soul is nothing but a Transcript of the Holy Law of God implanted and abiding in our Hearts whereby we are enabled with Chearfulness and ready Inclination of our Spirits to act in the Duties of Obedience and Holiness unto God as he requireth of us and also our Likeness and Conformity unto God doth consist herein I say it doth consist in this Divine and Sacred Principle or Spiritual Habit that is infused into the Soul it is our Spiritual Life whereby we live unto God it is the Foundation and Sum of all Internal Excellencies no Works no Duties are accepted where this Principle is not It is a Vital Principle of Holiness and it makes Religion co-natural to us Moreover it is a certain a permanent and an abiding Principle it is that Seed
Righteousness of Christ and also a Righteousness that may declare them to be righteous before Men namely a holy and blameless Life the one is the Righteousness of Justification the other is the Righteousness of Sanctification Others may have a taste of both these they may behold a Worth in and a Want of Christ's Righteousness but do not hunger after it and so accept it as a poor hunger-starved Person on Gospel-Terms and may attain to some degree of inward as well as outward Sanctification 2. These therefore taste and eat also and that too out of pure Necessity If I saith the Soul feed not upon Christ eat not his Flesh and drink not his Blood I shall perish Give me Christ or I shall die is the Voice of this sort Others take a taste as if they cared not whether they eat or eat not 3. A true Believer doth taste eat and also digest the Word 't is that which they live upon and hereby they come to have Union with Christ by Faith The Soul partakes of the Divine Nature But a common Tasting or a common Faith or a bare Credence of the Truth of the Gospel doth not do this which the Persons in our Text only had 4. The good Word of God is to all true Christians as their necessary Food nay esteemed more or above their necessary Food as Job experienced it therefore to these the Word and God in the Word Christ in the Word is exceeding sweet How sweet is Food to a hungry Person O says the Soul the Lord is good his Word is good his Promises and his Ordinances are exceeding good I can relish the Word of God I esteem it above Gold it is also sweeter than Honey or the Honey-comb I have an appetite to it O how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the Day This discovers to us the goodness of our Condition when there is nothing that we value or esteem love and delight in above God's Word Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my Heart He did not taste only but did eat and greedily digest the Word also 4. The Word of God without the God of the Word will not satisfy these Mens Souls 't is not a bare Ordinance no no but they must have God in and with the Ordinance 't is not the Shell without the Kernel it is not the Cabinet without the Jewel it is not a Lamp without Oil that will satisfy the wise Virgins Prayer and Preaching will not do with these though they pray and hear every Day except they meet with God and Christ in those Duties the Word and Ordinances without Christ are but like dry Bread and lean Meat that have but little Juice or Nourishment in them they must be delighted with Fatness knowing it is such things God has prepared for them Eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness they eat it appears to full satisfaction Others labour for that which satisfies not but of all true Believers David saith They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fat things of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures And in another place saith he My Soul shall be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness and my Soul shall praise thee with joyful Lips 5. That which true Believers taste and eat is turned into Spiritual Nourishment in the Heart And in order to this 1. There is required a laying up the Word or hiding of it No Nourishment can be had by Food unless it be received into the Stomach where the Cause of Digestion and Communication are fix'd And if the Word be not received into the Heart by fixed Meditation and Delight it may affect and please a Person for a while but it will not nourish the Soul 2. Every Physician will tell you that Food must be mixed and incorporated with the digestive Humour Power and Faculty of the Stomach whereinsoever it consists or it will not nourish Give a Man never so much Food if there be any noxious Humour in the Stomach hindering it from mixing with the Power of Digestion saith a worthy Writer it will no ways profit the Person But the Word preached did not profit them not being mix'd with Faith in them that heard it Meat nourishes not without Concoction so unless the Soul receives and digests the Word through Faith so that the Word and the Heart are united together all is nothing but a bare taste will never do this And 3. Like as Food when it is well digested is turned into Flesh and Blood and Spirits so where a Person feeds on the Word by Faith or eats and digests it it is turned into a Principle of Life and spiritual Strength As some Men who have for want of Food been brought so low and faint that they were ready to die away but by feeding on good Food and digesting it soon perceive a renewing of their Strength Life and Vigour seems to return to them again so by feeding on the Word the Strength of the Soul abides it communicates abiding Strength Faith and Experience and 't is hereby the Soul grows Day by Day and his Love to God is increased and by the Power of it he walks with God in Holiness and Lowliness of Mind and brings forth all the Fruits of the Spirit like as the Ground bringeth forth by the Showers of Heaven Herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed 4. These are delighted and cheared by the Word as in a Banquet of Wine and get great Power over their Corruptions But such a tasting and eating as this and such blessed Effects of the Word on the Soul did the Persons never attain unto who are said in our Text to have tasted the good Word of God c. Evident it is that the Apostle clearly notes concerning the Persons in my Text that whatsoever taste they might have of the Doctrine of the Gospel called the Heavenly Gift or of the good Word of God yet they were fruitless Souls even like the Earth that the Rain falls upon and yet brings forth Briars and Thorns See ver 7 8. APPLICATION 1. Learn from hence the deplorable Condition of all such who satisfy themselves with the meer Notion of Truth and empty Speculations about it without getting so much as such a taste of the goodness of the Word which may be had by those who are not savingly renewed How many thousands are there at this Day that do not desire so much as a taste of heavenly Things their Hearts are so filled and glutted with the things of this World nay with their abominable and filthy Lusts 2. But for the Lord's Sake take heed you rest not satisfied with a bare taste of heavenly Things or with some seeming relish thereof Such indeed may not be far from the Kingdom of Heaven But alas alas if they
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
to full satisfaction all the Pleasures of this present World are but a Shadow of the Pleasures of Heaven and of the World to come and though these satisfy not yet those will satisfy the Soul 3. They are Pleasures for evermore we shall swim in Pleasures in that World Thou wilt shew me the Way of Life in thy Presence is fulness of Joy and at thy right Hand are Pleasures for ever more 4. The Joys and Pleasures of the World to come will be so sweet that as Mr. Caryl saith a whole Eternity will seem to be but as a Moment 5. They will be Pleasures without Pain without a Sting O what a Sting have some Men found to be in or to attend their carnal Pleasures Here are Sorrows cleaving to Men as well as Joy Pain and Misery as well as Delights and Pleasure but in the World to come there will be all Sweet and no Bitter all Pleasure and no Pain all Joy and no Sorrow 6. Is God able think you to delight to rejoice and to fill the Souls of his Saints with Joy and Pleasure Be sure then he will do it God's Love is such so infinite so inconceivable to his Children that he will fill them with the fullest Joys imaginable Will not earthly Parents make the Lives of their Children as sweet and happy as they can They are called Joys unspeakable and full of Glory All the lawful Pleasures of this World are Brethren but a Figure or Shadow of them The Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for those that love him The Eye hath seen much and the Ear hath heard of more than the Eye ever saw and the Heart conceives of more than ever the Ear heard but the Heart cannot conceive how sweet the Joys of Christ's Kingdom will be or comprehend how transcendent the Joys of Heaven are 7. The Pleasures of the World to come are the Effects of God's infinite Love and Goodness according to the Perfection thereof And as none know the Power of God's Anger and Wrath in Hell that is let out against ungodly Sinners that hate him so none know the Power of his Infinite Love Grace and Goodness let out in Heaven to delight and ravish the Hearts of all them that love and serve him 8. The Pleasures of the World to come never will cease indeed no shorter a Time than an endless Eternity can serve to let out the infinite Goodness of the Eternal Deity and those varieties of Joys and Delights that flow and will flow like Rivers from him as none can imagine what the Nature of that personal Communion which the Saints shall have with Christ will be so also they will be Eternal Eternal Joys saith one are the longest and yet the shortest Longest in respect of Duration yet the shortest in respect of Apprehension An Eternity of Joy will seem to us no more tedious than one Minute or small Moment ' twis be so full of Joy and Pleasure 't is such Satisfaction that breed no wearisomness it doth not â—loy nor glut the Soul we living at the Fountain-head of Joy and Comfort in immediate Communion with Christ our Delights will renew as much as continue They are certainly blind or unthinking Persons that do not see how the Deity or Holy God delights in Varieties it may easily be discerned by beholding the different Varieties of Creatures Faces Colours or varieties of things to delight all our Senses here in this World O no doubt the Joys and Varieties of the World to come will be Wonderful and take up a whole Eternity for God to let out Joys will be as it were every day fresh and renewed upon us From hence saith a beloved Writer fresh Appetite and fulness of Satisfaction are perpetually interchangeable the Joys are so many the Years seem so few Eternity of Joys makes Eternity but as a Moment as eternal Pain and Torment makes every Moment seem an Eternity These things being so O who would not desire an Interest in Christ O happy happy Believer what a Choice hast thou made Exhortation Sinner what sayst thou come seek a Portion a Part in the World to come you are very busy to get a Part or Portion in this present evil World Alas alas what good can all these thing do you and how long can you keep them Come be perswaded to seek this better Country Christ hath redeemed us from this present evil World and hath purchased for us another World even this World to come Will you seek it You may have a share and part in the World to come Quest You will say which Way or how may we get a part in it Answ I answer You must marry the Prince and Heir of that World and so you shall have a Portion in it and a true Title to it you must by Faith espouse Jesus Christ there is no other way to have an Interest in the World to come Sinners you may gain the World to come and save your Souls but whilst you seek to gain this present evil World you may lose your Souls What will it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Also you may have an Assurance of the World to come O strive to make it your own peculiar Inheritance take hold of the Foretop of Time Now I may say Time is hereafter it may be said Time was and then Time is past and lost for ever Remember that in this World while you are here the World to come in the Glory of it will be got or lost for ever if you obtain Grace you shall have Glory but if you have no Grace in this World no Glory you are like to have in the World to come Lastly Remember this World is near at an End 't is ready to pass away and the World to come in the Glory of it is just about to begin it is not far off He that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus HEB. VI. 4 5. And of the Powers of the World to come THE last time I spoke of the World to come and of the Powers of it especially of the Powers Glory and Pleasures of the World to come respecting the State of the Saints therein I shall now proceed to shew you what a kind of taste of the Powers of the World to come the Persons mentioned in our Text may be said to have which is the next thing propounded to be done under this Head Secondly The Persons here meant I have proved are not true and sincere Believers though such who come very near unto such being almost Christians Now the last Qualification or Attainment they are said to arrive unto is this Of tasting of the Powers of the World to come First I shall shew you what may be meant by the Powers of the World to come Secondly Shew what a
kind of taste they may have of those Powers c. 1. By the Powers of the World to come of which they are said to have a taste I understand are meant the Glorious Effects of God's mighty Power that was and shall be further exerted in bringing in the Kingdom of the Messiah first in those miraculous Operations which being to assure us of the certainty of the new World were wrought before these Mens Eyes 2. The Powers of the World to come do doubtless consist also in the dissolving of this present World and all the States and Kingdoms of the Earth Thou hast of old laid the Foundation of the Earth and though the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed compared with 2 Pet. 3. 10 11 12 13. The mighty Power of God shall be put forth in dissolving this old World 3. And not only so but also that God by his Almighty Power will bring in and establish the Kingdom of the Messiah in the Glory of it for as the dissolving of the old World appertains to the Power of the great God so doth also his bringing in according to his mighty Power the new Heavens and the new Earth The Heavens shall pass away with a great Noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat and the Earth and the Things therein shall be burned up And all this is but to make way for the World to come or for the new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 4. The Resurrection of the Dead also appertains to the Powers of the World to come and in it lies no small part of God's mighty Power neither Who shall change our vile Body that it may fashioned like unto his own glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 5. The Power of the last Judgment and definitive Sentence together with the eternal Punishment of wicked Men and Devils may also be here intended Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power 6. Moreover the exerting of God's mighty Power the Power of his Grace Divine Love and Goodness in his glorifying of the Saints may be meant also here by the Powers of the World to come When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe For as the letting out of the Power of his Wrath and Vengeance in the World to come upon the Wicked as was hinted before may hereby be comprehended so likewise the letting out of the Power of his Love and Goodness on the Godly Secondly I shall shew you now what a kind of taste the Persons in our Text may be said to have had of the Powers of the World to come 1. They had or might have a taste of the Truth and Certainty of the World to come which they clearly saw confirmed by those miraculous Operations in the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and wonderful Works that were wrought by the Apostles nay which perhaps some of them had Power to do themselves for many shall say at the last Day Have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom Christ will say I profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity No doubt but as Saul and Balaam prophesied so Judas might as well as the other Apostles cast out Devils and do other wonderful Works 2. And as by those miraculous Operations they might have a taste of the Powers of Christ's Kingdom as it began then so this might cause them stedfastly to believe the Truth of the Powers of the World to come in the future State and Glory thereof Many Persons do not firmly believe this and therefore regard not how they live here in this present World but say let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die So also in another Place by the same Prophet it is said Come say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink and to Morrow shall be as this Day and much more abundant These ungodly Wretches fear nothing of those Judgments that are come but lay their Hearts loose upon the Neck of their Lusts But the enlightned Persons in our Text did believe or give stedfast Credit to the Truth of that future State both of the Resurrection and Judgment-Day even of that Day of Reckoning when Sinners shall be punished for all their abominable Wickedness they believed God's Word and the Revelation thereof touching what will come upon the Ungodly in the World to come and so are said to taste of the Powers of it and this Persons may do and yet perish 3. They might not only have a taste of the World to come by a common Faith or by giving stedfast Credence to the Truth and Certainty of it but might also be under great Convictions of the Evil of Sin knowing that all the Sweet thereof will be turned into Bitter and that Sin in the World to come will be punished and the Sinner condemned to Everlasting Burning and that God will reward every Man according to his Deeds and might know also that some shall find greater Condemnation or a hotter Hell than others more intolerable Pain in that Day As 1. All such who draw others into Sin whether it be Drunkenness Pride Theft Uncleanness c. 2. All such who sin after strong Convictions and great Illuminations or that sin against Light and Knowledg 3. Such who have been often reproved and yet live in their wicked Practices and harden their Hearts let Ministers and godly Parents say what they will they regard it not 4. Such who have greater Means of Grace than others or who live under an awakening and powerful Ministry and yet go on in their Sins in Pride Swearing Drunkenness Uncleanness c. 5. Such who sin under Judgments or when God's Hand is lifted up and his Wrath poured out upon Men for their Abominations and greater Wrath denounced and ready to break forth 6. Such who sin boldly impudently in the Face of the Sun Shew their Sin as Sodom and hide it not 7. Such who expose the Holy Name of God which they profess to Reproach and harden the wicked World in their Sins and open the Mouths of many to blaspheme God and speak evil of his Ways and People 8. Such who delight in Sin or take pleasure in their Wickedness do boast and glory in that which is their shame 9. Such who despise and contemn Jesus Christ and his Ministers in their Hearts and wilfully cast off all Counsel 10. All thâ—se who abuse God's Patience Goodness and Long-suffering and make that an encouragement to them to continue in their evil Ways which should
the Power to change the Heart is not in the Creature it is God's Work on the Soul 't is he that stamps his own Image upon us and if he withdraws the Influences of his Holy Spirit from Men or refuses to give Grace to them in order to bring them to Repentance and to believe in Christ they must perish Now God will not afford these Persons that so fall away the Assistance of his Spirit in order to the working the great Work of Faith in them therefore it is impossible for them to be renewed He saith not saith one it is impossible they should be saved but that it is impossible they should be renewed unto Repentance these Apostates Salvation is impossible because their Repentance is impossible He that never repenteth can never be saved for he that repenteth not shall not have Remission of Sin and if the Holy Spirit be utterly withdrawn from Men it is impossible they should ever be renewed to Repentance 2. The Persons therefore here intended do not repent cannot repent Repentance is hid from their Eyes they never endeavour after Repentance they are left to hardness of Heart and to final Impenitency by the Lord as a just Judgment for their horrid Evil and cursed Apostacy possibly they may fall under Terror and Despair yet never desire or look after Repentance on God's Terms Brethren it is not impossible for the greatest Sinner in the World to be renewed that hath not sinned against the Holy Ghost or whom God hath not wholly given up to blindness of Mind and to hardness of Heart All manner of Sins and Blasphemy against the Father and the Sun shall be forgiven unto Men but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto Men. And all Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin unto Death 3. God leaves these Persons for ever he utterly casts them off And wo unto them saith he when I depart And may say unto them and much more as he said once unto Ephraim Ephraim is joined unto Idols let him alone He commands his Ministers to let them alone and not striâ—e with them reprove not exhort them any more He saith unto Conscience Let them alone check curb reitrain nor rebuke them any more He saith unto his Spirit Let them alone move them or excite them to perform Religious Duties no more strive with them no more for ever No Doctrine no Word no Rod no Affliction or Judgment shall do them good any more for ever This Spiritual Judgment is the worst of all Judgments and so makes it impossible for them ever to be renewed unto Repentance for there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries 4. God puts an end unto all expectation concerning them he looks for no more Good from them he exercises no more Care about them no more Labour Pains nor Patience towards them God affords no more Means of Grace for their Conversion Repentance is hid from their Eyes he says Let this Ground lie barren for ever it shall never be plowed sowed nor watered any more for ever He looks for no more Fruit he will not dress it nor dung it any more his Sun shall shine upon it no more nor shall the Rain fall upon it from Heaven any more wo unto such Souls God saith to them as Christ said when he cursed the barren Fig-tree Never Fruit grow on you any more 5. God in Judgment and Wrath gives these up to a reprobate Sense to hardness of Heart to blindness of Mind and to a seared Conscience and they become notoriously Wicked being filled with Rage and Madness full of Envy and Malice against God and against Christ and against all that fear God 6. And usually they are left in severity to their sensual Lusts and become notoriously Wicked and Prophane nay rather worse than the worst of Carnal Persons that never were enlightned at all And so he gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsel They are left or given up unto Satan to be led acted and influenced by him and are commonly also carried away into pernicious Errors and Delusions even to believe a Lie that so they may be damned because they received not the Truth in the Love of it that they might be saved And many times they become Persecutors of God's People reproaching vilifying and contemning all Religion Quest What a kind of Sin is the Sin against the Holy Ghost And what sort of Persons are they who may sin this Sin Answ 1. I shall shew you first in the Negative what a Sin it is not Namely all Sin or Sins whatsoever that any carnal Person who to this Day abode under the Power of Natural Ignorance and never was inlightned by any Operations of the Spirit commits for such cannot commit the Sin against the Holy Ghost it being positively said That they are such who were once enlightned 2. It is not every Sin which is against Light and Knowledg for no doubt but David and Peter sinned against Knowledg and the Light of their own Consciences and after they had been enlightned yet were recovered and renewed unto Repentance 3. The Sin against the Holy Ghost is not every Sin that is committed against the Holy Ghost for he that grieves the Holy Spirit and that quencheth the Holy Spirit sins against the Holy Spirit nay all wicked Men who sit under the Preaching of the Gospel no doubt sin against the Spirit whilst they resist the Strivings and Motions thereof 4. It is not any hainous and abominable Sin as Whoredom Perjury Murder no not Self-Murder not the murdering of the Saints of God nor putting Christ himself to Death by wicked Hands or the murdering of the Lord of Life and Glory Paul was guilty of the Blood of Stephen and many of the Jews were pardoned who might have a Hand in the barbarous Murder of the Son of God 5. It is not every wilful and presumptuous Sin for multitudes of wicked ignorant Persons so sin daily for whom there is Mercy and Pardon upon Repentance though they have a Whore's Forehead and refuse to be ashamed 6. It is not every degree of Apostacy or Backsliding from God A true Child of God may be guilty of a partial Apostacy for thus Israel sinned and fell from God nay backslid so far as to turn to cursed Idolatry yet God offered them Pardon Return backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord c. 7. Nay I will not say that every malicious Sin against God's People is the Sin against the Holy Ghost when Men hate the Saints for their Religion and Goodness though it be one of the highest Degrees of Wickedness because therein their hatred against God himself is manifested But what may not a Man do that
And because it is mainly from this Foot of account that the Apostle in the Text draws his Inference and calls Gospe-Salvation Great Salvation I shall a little further enlarge upon this particular 1. Jesus Christ hath a great Name given to him yea a Name above every Name that is he is so highly exalted as he is Mediator that he is clothed with Power Glory and Majesty above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth so that all in Heaven above and in Earth beneath must bow down before him and adore and worship him and be in subjection to him For unto us a Child is born a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders And his Name shall be called Wonderful c. This his Name is according to his Person he is a wonderful or an admirable Person Wonderful in his Incarnation God man Wonderful in his Birth Wonderful in his Life Wonderful in his Death and in the Effects End and Design of his Death he is not only called Wonderful but also Counsellor Never such a Counsellor for Wisdom and Knowledg for he is the Wisdom of God it self and the only Wise God He is called the Mighty God the Everlasting Father or the Father of Eternity and the Prince of Peace Moreover he is called Immanuel God with us God in our Nature and also called the only begotten Son of God and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate he is called the Desire of all Nations Elect Precious And he is made so much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they for unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee He is called the one Mediator time would fail me to speak of all his Names And 2. As is his Name such is his Nature He is God's Fellow he is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father he thought it not robbery to be equal with God O what a kind of Salvation must this be that such a Person is sent to work it out One clothed with such a Name with such a Nature with such Glory He is called a Saviour a great One He shall that is God shall send them a Saviour a great One and he shall deliver them He as he is God-Man is ordained Heir of all Things and all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to him nay he is the Upholder the Sustainer or Preserver of the World he is not only the Brightness of the Father's Glory and express Image of his Person but he upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power He is one and the same God with the Father the express Character of the Father's Pérson so that they that see and know him see and know the Father also He supports sustains feeds preserves governs throws down and raises up kills and makes alive whom he will he has the Keys of Hell and Death He is the Wonder of Angels the Consternation and Dread of Devils and the Joy and Delight of the Saints there is not such another Person in Heaven nor Earth perfect God and perfect Man and yet but one Christ one Person certainly here 's some great and wonderful Work to be done when such a Person is substituted ordained and so qualified and sent into the World to work out the actual Accomplishment thereof Nay God himself who delighteth in him put the Prophet to propound this Question concerning him Who is this that cometh from Edom with died Garments from Bozrah this that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his Strength Christ himself as I conceive answers I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save O happy Mortals that God hath sent us such a Saviour he is mighty to save 3. Consider also that none but he could save us procure and work about this Salvation for us There was none in Heaven nor Earth able nor worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof but the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he hath prevailed 4. Jesus Christ is such an Almighty Saviour that he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him He has the Perfection of Power with him he can save to the full let the State of the Soul that comes to God by him be whatsoever it will or can be 1. Though a Man is sunk down to the very Gates of Hell under the pressure and sense of God's Wrath. 2. Though he hath the Guilt of Millions of Sins like Mountains of Lead lying upon him yet Christ can save him 3. Though Satan says there is no Hope and the Heart of the Sinner joins in with him and says there is no Hope no Pardon no Help no Salvation hang thy self drown thy self saith Satan thou art damn'd there is no Mercy for thee yet Christ can then save that poor Soul and many such he hath saved when but a little before all hope of Relief seemed to be gone 4. Though the Devil should raise up all the Force and Powers of Hell and Darkness against a Person to destroy him yet Jesus Christ can save him if he will work upon the Soul by stretching forth his Almighty Power nothing can obstruct or hinder him 5. Christ can save from the Sin from the Guilt the Filth and Power of it and break into pieces all the Bonds Chains and Fetters of the Enemy nay let the Sins of a Person be never so many never so great yet he can save to the uttermost though they are such Sinners as Manasseh and Mary Magdalen were nay such that put to death by wicked Hands the Lord of Life and Glory 't is as easy with him to save great Sinners as the least or less guilty Ones he can save the stout-hearted such who are far from Righteousness 6. He can save from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God he is every ways furnished fitted and enabled to save 7. He is a Mighty Saviour and able to save to the uttermost in that he can save by himself alone by his own Power it is not if we will begin the Work if we will do what we can he can and will save us no but he takes the whole Work of Salvation into his own Hand he is the Author and Finisher of it 't is he alone 7. Moreover Christ is as willing to save poor lost and undone Sinners as he is able he had his Name given to this end i. e. because of his Power willingness and readiness to save Sinners Brethren this doth not only bespeak this to be a great Salvation but also it discovers the greatness of God's Love even the greatest Pity Power and Wisdom that ever was manifested Thirdly The third Person that is concerned in this Salvation is the Holy Ghost The Father chuses the Son
Heaven whereby we must be saved He that receives Christ believes in Christ shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned 3. If Life be more worth than all the World certainly the Soul is more worth than ten thousand Worlds O do not part with it on any Terms for it cost Christ dear the Price of his own Blood his Heart-Blood was let out to save our Souls Alas there are some nevertheless that are like the false Prophets of old who sold the Souls of the People for a handful of Barley and for a piece of Bread 4. How near may some of you be to Death and if you have not got an Interest in Christ before then what will become of your precious Souls 5. Will you consider what Means of Grace God is pleased to afford you for the good of your Souls and know it is by the preaching of the Gospel that God commonly saves the Souls of Men I mean that it is the Means he uses for the begetting of Faith Shall the Word have some good Effect upon your Souls this Day 6. Consider all your Prayers Tears Alms-deeds all Reformation of Life Services Duties and inherent Holiness cannot save your Souls no none but Christ nothing but the Merits of Christ it is his Blood alone that made your Peace and must wash away all the Guilt and Filth of your Sins Your Souls your precious Souls O Sinners are wounded polluted naked what will you do Nothing but Christ's Blood I tell you can heal them nothing but his Flesh his Blood can feed them and nothing but his Righteousness can clothe them and nothing but the Graces of Christ's Spirit can inrich can deck and adorn your Souls and without Faith you cannot obtain any of those Blessings O what shall I say to you if going down upon my Knees could move you to lay to Heart what a sad State you are in who have not received by Faith this Salvation and incline you now to believe I would readily do it but alas it is God's Gift O look up to him do what you can pray and attend on the Word What do you say do you believe that this is a Great Salvation Will you esteem it and look after it above all things in the World It is Sirs that one thing needful chuse with Mary that good Part that shall never be taken from you Shall there be Joy in Heaven this Day how can you slight such a precious Soul and such a precious Saviour who spilt his Blood to save the worst of Sinners Will you tread his Blood under your Feet If so what will you do at the Day of Death and in the Day of Judgment Should your Souls be lost there is no repairing that Loss no redemption of the Soul out of Hell no other Price no other Saviour no other way if this be slighted you must perish HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the Proof and Demonstration of the greatness of the Salvation of the Gospel I closed with the ninth Reason of the Point the last time Tenthly Gospel-Salvation is a great and glorious Salvation if we consider what such who have interest in it are raised up unto or do and shall partake of I mean what great Blessings and wonderful Privileges they are invested with by it First Pardon of Sin This Blessing have all they that receive it 1. Consider the Blood of Christ is the way of Gospel-Remission no Remission of Sin without the shedding of Blood there is remission of Sin but no Blood could procure this Remission but the Blood of Christ he paid our Debts in whom we have redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins It was by his offering himself an Expiatory Sacrifice to God there 's no Salvation without Pardon of Sin and no Pardon of Sin without a Compensation be made by Jesus Christ to the Law and Justice of God 2. Consider who are pardoned even all that believe though they were never such great Rebels against God such were Traitors and Enemies once who are now forgiven Here is a Pardon for the vilest Sinner that sees his horrid Evil and Rebellion and takes hold of Jesus Christ or looks up to him by Faith 3. Consider the Nature of this Pardon and Gospel-Remission Such are pardoned for ever I will remember their Sins no more they are blotted out for ever God promises to all penitent and believing Sinners to throw their Sins into the Depth of the Sea 4. Consider the Terms of Pardon it is a free Forgiveness we having nothing to pay God of his meer Grace and Goodness doth forgive us through the Atonement of Christ's Blood freely Even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgression for my own sake and will not remember thy Sins This is spoke to a People that had wearied the Lord with their Iniquities O what a glorious Salvation is this that here is Remission and free Pardon for rebellious Sinners such that deserve nothing but Wrath and Hell 5. It is a Pardon of all Sins great and small Sins of Omission and Sins of Commission Sins of all sorts and sizes 6. 'T is God that blotteth out our Sins he that can forgive he whose right it is to pardon he against whom we have sinned and he who when he gives a Pardon none can supersede it nor revoke it let them do what they can Secondly Reconciliation with God is another Blessing of this Salvation God doth not only forgive us but he takes us into his Bosom he is fully reconciled to us in Jesus Christ he cries Fury is not in me Again he says This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son And none can make God our Enemy again for ever if we are Believers none can separate us from his Love in Jesus Christ our Lord as something agâ— I shewed you no not Sin nor Satan Thirdly By this Salvation we come to have Union with God and to be made one Spirit with Jesus Christ and how great and glorious is this saâ—red Union but having formerly spoken to it I shall not say more to it nâ—w Moreover we are not only brought into a State of Union but are also admitted to have Communion with the Father and the Son Brethren it is one thing for a Traitor to be pardoned and another thing for him to be admitted into the King's Presence and to become one of his great Favourites Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Fourthly By this Salvation also we are justified Justification is a high Privilege By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Let me shew you what it is to be justfied that so this Salvation may appear the more
the Law cannot no more can the Devil nor a Believer's own Heart I mean so as to bring him under Eternal Condemnation 8. And lastly All such that are justified shall be glorified see Rom. 8. 30. O glorious Salvation that brings in this blessed Privilege how happy are all justified Persons Fifthly Adoption appertains to this Salvation Every Believer is raised also to this great Privilege and hath this Prerogative he is made a Son of God a Child of God Adoption is to take such to be Children that naturally were not as a special Act of Grace and Favour So we who were the Children of Wrath by Nature are made or adopted to be the Children of God by Grace through Jesus Christ And Christ in working out this Salvation procured this glorious Blessing Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons To be Kings Children is no small Dignity yea the Children of the King of Heaven and Earth What manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. God is not ashamed to be called our God nay our Father 1. Brethren this is an honourable Title What were we once how low base and ignoble before Grace 2. This Privilege it appears cost Christ dear 3. And because we are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts crying Abba Father 4. And if we be Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 5. Then Beloved we also as Children shall be cared for as Children be fed as Children be clothed as Children also be chastened God in all Afflictions deals with us as his Children 6. And if Children we shall be always Children for we are not only the Children of God by Adoption but we are also begotten and born of God and so partake of his Divine Nature which we cannot lose Sixthly By the Grace and Means of this Salvation we are espoused to Jesus Christ O what an Honour and Dignity is this Believers are the Bride the Lamb's Wife And how is and shall the Spouse of Christ be clothed Even in Gold of Ophir She shall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-work She is all glorious within and she shall be all glorious outwardly in Body too e're long as well as she is so now in her Soul and inward Parts Jesus Christ puts Chains about the Necks of all that are his or that he espouses I mean those precious Graces of his Spirit which he hath purchased for them For they shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck The Father called for the best Robe to be put upon his Son as soon as he returned home and a Ring on his Finger The inward Beauty of the Spouse does even ravish the very Heart of Christ Thou hast ravished my Heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my Heart with one of thine Eyes with the Chain of thy Neck With one of thine Eyes some understand by one of her Eyes the Eye of Faith no doubt that is a precious Grace in Christ's sight Every Believer partakes of Grace and all Spiritual Gifts every Grace is a glorious Ornament and of great Price in the sight of God This Salvation makes Men and Women glorious Creatures new Creatures every one resembles the Son of a King they hereby come to partake of God's Holy Nature And as the Grace of this Salvation makes glorious Christians so it does also make glorious Churches Candlesticks of pure Gold Seventhly This Salvation brings Peace with it Peace is a precious Blessing we receive Grace first and then Peace My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you The Peace of God is so excellent a thing that it passes all Mens Vnderstanding What would Spira or Child have given for true Peace and inward Serenity of Mind O it is a great and glorious Salvation Were these things considered and could be fully opened it would appear more abundantly true Peace of Conscience is never known to the Worth of it but to such who have known the want of it Eighthly I might also speak of Sanctification which Blessing all they also partake of that have an Interest in this Salvation Holiness is an Heaven on Earth it is Heaven begun here and it fits and makes every Believer meet for that blessed Inheritance of the Saints in Light the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit are given to this end I mean to make us holy in Heart and Life Ninthly Free access unto the Throne of Grace is another Blessing and Privilege which all Believers receive who have a part in this Salvation Christ hath made the Way easy for us to the Father it is by a new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh or by his Death Tenthly All the Promises of God belong to Believers and are procured for them in and by this Salvation They are great exceeding great and precious there is a Fulness in them the Promises as they are sure in Christ Yea and Amen in Christ so they answer every State and Condition any Believer can be in Eleventhly All the Ordinances of the Gospel belong to this Salvation and are no small Privilege they are as golden Pipes to convey Heavenly Riches or Sacred Treasure to our Souls Nay and in the last place there is a Crown of Glory that every Believer shall be raised unto that hath a saving Interest in this Salvation and not only a Crown but a Kingdom also Now is not this a great Salvation which raises poor Creatures who were fallen as low as Hell up to Heaven and of being Slaves of Sin and Satan to be Sons and Daughters of God It was a great Salvation that Joseph had when he was brought out of Prison where he lay in Irons to be the chief Ruler under the King in Egypt And it was a great Advancement of David from following the Sheep to sit on a Throne but nothing like this of Believers What is an Earthly Throne to an Heavenly one He that overcometh shall sit down with Christ in his Throne and reign for ever and ever APPLICATION 1. Admire this Salvation say it is no small thing to have a part in it I cannot particularly apply what I have insisted upon But 2. Bless God for Jesus Christ You cannot say that the Salvation he hath wrought is a barren Salvation O what is and will be the product of it 3. Particularly Consider what a Blessing Justification is and take heed you are not drawn away nor corrupted about the nature thereof 4. Be exhorted you that are Saints to strive to exercise Faith in respect of your Justification Believe the Gospel-Testimony He that believeth is justified from all things c. You have
afterwards Alas what do the greatest part of Mankind more than provide for one Day Nay should the whole Time of our natural Lives be seventy Years it is not as one Hour to Eternity Now that the Salvation of our Souls is matter of the highest Moment will appear many ways And first by giving you a summary Account of what I have said 1. Must not that be of highest Moment or ought not the Matters of that Salvation be our chiefest Business when all Salvations compared to it are nothing or not worth regard 2. Must not that be Business of the highest Concernment for us to look after which God so early even in Eternity thought of and contrived the Way of bringing it in or for the 〈…〉 of in his infinite Wisdom 3. Must not that be minded before all things that God in Eternity as I may so say held a Council about the actual accomplishment of 4. Ought not we to look upon that Salvation as matter of the highest Concernment which God designed for such great and glorious Ends As 1. To manifest his own Glory 2. The utter ruin of Satan's Kingdom And 3. to make us everlastingly happy in the injoyment of himself 5. Ought not that Salvation to be our greatest Business that raises us up to such a Blessed State who were fallen so low and delivered us from eternal Wrath just as the Hand of Justice was up and ready to strike the fatal Blow 6. That which was so seasonable and when all hopes of Relief and Help was gone 7. Must not we needs think that Salvation of the highest Moment that the Son of God himself came to work out for us which he and none but he could accomplish nay both the Father Son and the Holy Ghost the whole Trinity join together and take each of them a part to effect and perfect for our Souls 8. Must not that needs be our only Business to look after that Christ shed his most precious Blood to procure 9. Ought we not to prefer that Salvation before all things that delivers us from the greatest Evil the Plague of all Plagues 10. Must not that Salvation be of the greatest Moment and preferred above all things in the World that is the Salvation of our precious and immortal Souls nay of Soul and Body too from everlasting Burning and Damnation in Hell 11. Ought we not to make that Salvation our chiefest Work whilst in this World that raises us up so high and makes us so great honourable and happy for ever as you have heard 12. Must not that Salvation needs be our great and chiefest Business to mind and seek after that is so full so comprehensive perfect and compleat 13. Must not that Salvation be of highest Moment that the Son of God in his own Person came from Heaven to preach and make known to Men on Earth 14. Is not that Salvation of the greatest Concernment for us to give up our selves to look after and to be chiefly affected with which the Holy Angels desire to pry into and stand astonished at the thoughts of it is so great and sublime 15. Is not that Salvation business of the greatest Moment of all that is so great so sweet so rich so admirable and so free and easy to be obtained 'T is but looking to Christ to come to Christ to rest on Christ 't is but to take and eat 't is but to drink when we are thirsty 't is without Money and without Price 16. And lastly Ought not that Salvation to be our chiefest Concernment that is an eternal and everlasting Salvation i. e. that such that obtain it shall have a Crown of Glory for ever or be everlastingly saved and they that neglect it shall be everlastingly damned Now Brethren he that makes this Salvation the least of his Business does neglect it yea utterly neglect it let him think what he will And all that make not Religion their chiefest Business who prefer not the Honour of God and their own Salvation before all things will at one time or another expose God's Name to Reproach and their own Souls at last to eternal Wrath and Misery Brethren doth not he neglect his Trade his Family c. that makes it the least of his worldly Concernments Lastly They neglect this Salvation that do not look up to God to give them the Knowledg of their State the true sense of Sin and to reveal Christ to them and work Faith in them HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation THE last time I entred upon the second Doctrine viz. That the Salvation of the Gospel may be neglected I shewed you who they are that may be said to neglect this great Salvation that was the second general Head I propounded to do I shall now proceed Thirdly In the third place I shall shew you from whence it is or comes to pass some Persons nay so many People in the World do neglect the Salvation of their own precious Souls 1. Some are ignorant of the Way of Salvation and from hence neglect this Gospel-Salvation Thus it was with the Jews For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness went about to establish their own Righteousness Rom. 10. 3. Suppose a Man that is sick were resolved to make use of such or such a Medicine to cure him of his Disease which he is told the Nature of and that it is an infallible Potion yet if he knows not how to apply it he understands not that why now from thence he utterly neglects to make use of it at all but seeks some other way of Cure Even so it is here many hear of Christ and Salvation by him but understand not how to apply his Blood how to fly to his Merits and Righteousness and therefore seek to be saved some other way and so neglect the Salvation by Jesus Christ Or suppose that a Man who is going a long Journey yet he knows not the Way but thinks he is right and so rides on boldly but goes the quite contrary Way now he neglects the right Way through Ignorance even so it is with many blind and deceived Mortals they think they have the right and proper Medicine or are in the right Way to Heaven and they go confidently on take their own Courses apply their own Antidote when alas it is a Counterfeit 1 st May be think that is Christ and the true Saviour which is nothing but the Dictates of natural Conscience Some suppose the Light of Nature or a sober and moral Life will bring them to Heaven and eternally save their Souls 2 dly Others conclude their being Protestants and born of Christian Parents and owning the Christian Religion is sufficient and that they need not trouble themselves any further about their Salvation 3 dly Mankind generally see not know not that they are born in Sin and by Nature are Children of Wrath they know not that they are under the Curse of the Law
deceitfulness of their own Hearts 'T is slighted out of an Opinion or Perswasion that all is well with them They believe in Christ hope in God's Mercy Christ say they died for Sinners And thus the Devil and their own deceived Hearts cause them to neglect seeking out after the saving Knowledg of Christ and Salvation by him on Gospel-Terms for Sin predominates in them reigns in them notwithstanding all their Hopes and Confidence What signifies such Faith that does not purify the Heart and Life or such Hope Alas it will be but like the Spider's Web vain Thoughts rest in those and destroy them vain in their Rise vain as to the Ground they build their Hopes upon a vain Bottom vain as to the Motive and vain as to the Fruit or Product thereof they think they have hold of Salvation yet are dropping into Hell 6. Some neglect the Salvation of the Gospel partly out of servile and slavish Fear and partly out of pretended Modesty they dare not be so bold to take hold of Christ or venture their Souls on Christ because they are so vile filthy and abominable unless they had something to bring something to present to Christ to render them acceptable or welcome to him they will not come they pretend they dare not come they can't think so great Salvation should be bestow'd freely on such as they are if they could be rid of their Sins or wash themselves from their Sins then they would come or could they get themselves some new Clothes make themselves a new Heart or get some inherent Righteousness of their own then they would come Sad Case but it is no wonder some are carried away with this Delusion considering what a kind of Doctrine is preached in these perilous Times But Sinner know thou must come to Christ to be washed come as one that sees what need thou hast to be put into the Fountain which is set open for Sin and Uncleanness and come as one naked that Christ may clothe thee Christ calls Sinners to him may be you will say What is it to come to Christ Why to believe in him to lay hold by Faith upon him And if thou dost thus though thou art never so great a Sinner thou shalt be saved 7. Others neglect Gospel-Salvation out of Idleness and cursed Sloth 'T is a hard thing to enter in at the strait Gate Self-denial is of absolute necessity O but this is too difficult for this sort they can't pray read meditate they don't love to hear Sermons they do not care to put themselves upon Spiritual Duties as to seek the Kingdom of Heaven nay and to take it by Violence they can take pains to damn their own Souls but cannot will not take that pains they are enabled to do to save their Souls Sirs Men will not be condemned for not doing that which they had not Power to do but for neglecting that which they might have done their Destruction is of themselves though their Salvation is wholly of God and of the free Grace of God in Jesus Christ Have not Men Power to leave all gross Acts of Wickedness and to attend upon the Means of Salvation They who say we put the Creature to do nothing falsly charge us we press Men to leave their wicked Practices upon a right foot of Account and to wait upon God in his Blessed Ordinances which he has appointed for the begetting of Faith True we say a Man can't change his own Heart yet he may leave the gross Acts of Sin 't is one thing to have the Life reformed and another to have the Heart renewed 'T is the changing the vicious Habits or the Work of Regeneration which we say must be done by God's Almighty Power Grace must be infused into the Soul which works physically 8. Moreover it is through Pride in some that they neglect this great Salvation they have such a good Opinion of their own Righteousness they cannot see they have any need of the Righteousness of Christ they are such that our Saviour speaks of And he spoke a Parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were Righteous and despised others These are so conceited of themselves that through pride of what they have got of their own they regard not an imputed Righteousness to justify them Man naturally affecteth to stand by a Righteousness of his own Adam was a rich Man a noble Man he had enough of his own to live upon and his Sons retain a proud Spirit like some Sons of a decayed Gentleman their Father was a Knight a Lord and they are great in their own Conceit though their Cloak perhaps is nothing but Patches they scorn to beg or to dig no they will sooner steal and stand on the High-way Proud Man doth thus in a spiritual Sense he will not beg he will not go to Christ's Door for Bread he will rather steal and rob Christ of his Honour in their Salvation by seeking it some other Way even in an unlawful Way this is no better than a spiritual robbing Jesus Christ of having the whole Glory and Honour of the Salvation of the Soul and yet they do not enrich themselves hereby neither it is but only in conceit they fancy themselves rich and trust in their own Righteousness as if it were choice Treasure when it is nothing but filthy Rags which they pride themselves in and boast of 11. It is through Unbelief this Salvation is neglected Men believe not The grand Neglect centers here this is the killing Evil the Sin of all Sins the Plague of all Plagues I consider Unbelief in general not only as it is a non-reception of Christ not believing in Christ not accepting of Christ but as it is a denying to give Credit to the Revelation of God and of what he declares in his Word 1. They do not believe Salvation ought to be the main Business of their Lives which they should regard and seek after above all things it being the one thing needful yea more than Meat Drink Clothes Wives Children Health Credit Riches Honours Pleasures or Life it self 2. They do not believe that Sin is the greatest Evil nor that God is Man's supreme and chiefest Good wherein his only Happiness lies 3. They do not believe that such is the Holiness Justice Wrath and Severity of God that he will throw Sinners into Hell although he positively declares in his â—ord that he will do it except they believe repent and forsake their abominable Ways yet they doubt not of their Salvation though they are perhaps Swearers Drunkards unclean Persons proud Persons covetous or perverse Wretches 4. They will not believe what the woful End of all Unbelievers and Unregenerate Persons will be 5. They will not believe that they are in a spiritual Sense brought to utter Beggary being Sons of a Beggar that spent all he had 6. They will not believe though it is told them again and again that they are blind miserable
not Satan insult after this manner over the Lord of Life and Glory whilst Sinners close in with his Temptations and cleave to their Lusts earthly Profits and Pleasures and neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel 3 dly Such who neglect this so great Salvation offer Violence to the Holy Ghost 1. They do resist the Holy Spirit whom God hath sent as his great Messenger to influence enlighten and convince their Hearts and Consciences about the Worth and Weightiness of this Concern He will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Because they neglect attending upon the Means of this Salvation believe not the Necessity there is of this Saviour nor of Faith in him and seek it not above all things Is it a small Matter to resist the Holy Ghost O lay it to Heart 2. They grieve the Holy Spirit also yea and hereby tire him out so that he at last withdraws his Influences from the Sinner and will strive with him no more like as he did by the World and if so the ruin of the Soul will be unavoidable for without the Holy Spirit no Man can repent believe or be renewed be regenerated and so come to have Interest in this so great Salvation 3. Such quench the Spirit who neglect this Salvation and do not believe it is to cast Water on that Divine Spark which the Holy Ghost strives to kindle in the Soul of a poor Sinner or to blow out the Candle of the Lord so far as the Sinner is able to do it whereby Spiritual Light and Knowledg comes to be let into the Heart 4. Nay to neglect this Salvation in the Means of it is as much as may be to hinder the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit in and about this Salvation The Holy Spirit hath more immediately to do with Sinners his special Work is to enlighten to convince of Sin to work Faith in the Soul and to renew and sanctify the polluted Heart and all that neglect this Salvation or that slight those Convictions they have of the Evil of Sin or Sense of their woful Condition do seek to obstruct the King's great Officer and Messenger in the discharge of his Office Look to it Sinners for if it be deemed a dangerous thing to resist a Constable in the exercise of his Office because he is the King's Servant what Danger do you expose your selves to that oppose withstand and strive to hinder the Spirit in the discharge of his great Work and Office It is to contemn the King's Ambassador the Holy Spirit is sent to treat with Sinners in Christ's Name it is hereby Christ himself speaks to them from Heaven and they that adhere to the Motions of the Spirit do adhere to Jesus Christ and they that oppose or resist his Motions do oppose and resist Christ also The Holy Spirit is the great Gospel-Blessing promised to infuse Grace in the Soul all Grace is from the Spirit Sinners cannot believe without the Holy Spirit nor love God The Love of God is shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost There is no Regeneration without the Spirit Those that are born again are born of the Spirit no Union with Christ without the Spirit no broken Heart no Cries no Tears that will prevail with God without the help of the Spirit Such that will not adhere to his Motions and Influences say in their Hearts that they will not be changed will not believe nor repent nor have Christ to be their Prince and Saviour The Spirit awakens the Conscience and stirs up Fears in the Soul and sets before the Sinner's Eyes his great Evil Guilt and horrid Pollution therefore if they refuse the Wooings Intreaties and Influences of the Spirit they must perish for ever APPLICATION 1. O let us lament and mourn over all that neglect this so great Salvation All Unbelievers and Neglecters of the Means of Salvation are horridly guilty before the Lord 't is hereby all their Sins are bound upon their Consciences and cleave to them and are charged upon them not only Original but all actual Sin whatsoever 2. O infinite Love and Patience May we not stand amazed and wonder at the long-suffering and forbearance of God O House of David saith the Prophet is it a small thing for you to weary Men but will you weary my God also What greater Wickedness and Ingratitude can there be than this Will you contemn and resist your Saviour and the Holy Ghost How long shall God wait upon you Will he always wait to be gracious O know that his Mercy will at last be turned into Fury 3. Unworthy are such to live to be fed to be clothed to be protected and preserved that thus despise God's Mercy and sovereign Goodness Would a Man feed clothe and bestow great Favours on such that despise slight and contemn him 4. What do you think of your selves Sinners to you I speak that neglect this so great Salvation O this is your Sin you refuse the only Remedy God hath found out to heal and save your Souls therefore your Damnation will be just and deserved with a witness You love Darkness rather than Light you contemn the highest Good the best of Beings and the highest Expressions of his Love and Favour that God that made you that Christ that spilt his Blood to redeem the worst of Sinners those Bowels that pitied you you refuse and resist that Spirit that would renew you sanctify you and make you meet for Heaven and all this out of love to your base Lusts your cruel Enemies that seek to destroy and murder your precious Souls Abhor your selves Alas Men do not see what Monsters of Wickedness they are whilst they neglect this so great Salvation You sin I say against the Remedy the costly Remedy the only Remedy against the Remedy that Infinite Wisdom hath found out and Infinite Goodness hath vouchsafed Yet if you return to God there is Mercy for you say O Lord now we see our Sin O that you could but say so in truth and fall down at the feet of God and say Thou hast overcome us with thy Love 5. Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers who have received this so great Salvation O bless God for Faith cherish the Motions of the Holy Spirit that hath broken your Bonds you prefer Christ and the Salvation by Christ before all things live worthy of a Part and Interest in this Salvation you have Salvation and shall not lose it O walk so that you may never lose the Joy of it for that you may do God may hide his Face Christ may withdraw himself if he hath done it enquire when you had him and consider what you have done that he hides his Face from you let the Cause if it be Sin be bewailed and let the loss of him be more grievous to you than the loss of Comfort from him and be willing to
many Devices whereby he strives to do this which I shall not now insist upon he shews them the Glory of this World thereby to allure them into his hungry Jaws to devour them and destroy their Souls for ever He has many Nets spread and Multitudes are caught by him either one way or another 1. Some he deprives of this Salvation through love of sinful Profits or worldly Gain This way he destroyed the young Man mentioned in the Gospel that came running to Christ and also Demas who forsook the Gospel and fell away for love to the sinful Profit of this evil World And how many daily by Earthly-mindedness and abominable Covetousness lose this Salvation through the Craftiness of the Devil and the Evil of their own Hearts 2. Some by sinful Honours O how many love worldly Grandure and a Name among Men above the Salvation of their Souls These are like those jews who are said to believe on Christ but did not confess him for fear of being put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of Men more than the praise of God 3. Others by earthly Pleasures and sinful Delights he catches in his Net and makes a Prey of 4. Also Multitudes he destroys by cursed Errors and damnable Heresies That way he deceives them and robs them of this Salvation concluding that those Principles they have sucked in are the undoubted Truths of Jesus Christ and do not doubt of the Goodness of their Condition Fourthly And lastly Consider the Vanity of all those things for the take of which Men neglect this so great Salvation What is Sin the Pleasures of Sin or all the Râ—â—hes and Glory of this World when compared to the Salvation wrought by Jesus Christ Sin is the Soul's Sickness the Scabs and Sores the Plague and Poison of the Soul 't is the Spâ—wn of the old Serpent and yet Sinners lick it up and esteem it above all that Good that is in God and in Jesus Christ and value it more than the Crown of Glory in Heaven Sin is the Leprosy and Plague of the Soul 't is compared to the rottenness and stinking Putre action of a filthy Sepulchre nay to the superfluity of Naughtiness O that Men should neglect so great Salvation and expose themselves to eternal Flames and Wrath in Hell for love to that which the Holy Ghost thus paints out and discovers the detestable Nature of Besides how soon are Men deprived of all those things which their deceived Hearts are set upon they are not sure of enjoying them one Day no not for one Hour O how soon will all the seeming Sweet of Sin and of this World be turned into Bitter and all earthly Joy into Sorrow all their Pleasures into eternal Pain and Misery And O how will they cry out against themselves for slighting the Salvation of their Souls for the sake of and love to these things when it will be too late HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I Closed the last Day with the second Point of Doctrine namely That the great Salvation of the Gospel may be neglected I shall now proceed to the third and last Proposition Doct. 3. There is no possibility for such or any one Soul of them to escape that neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel First I shall shew you what it is they cannot escape Secondly Why they cannot escape Thirdly When or at what time they shall not escape Fourthly Shew why the Gospel hath such fearful Comminations and Threatnings contained in it First They shall not escape the Curse of the Law which all ungodly and unbelieving Sinners lie under for no Man is nor can be delivered from the Curse thereof but only those who believe in Jesus Christ and embrace the Salvation of the Gospel For Christ is the End of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth to them that believe and to every one of them but not to those that believe not Christ hath born the Curse of the Law he by his actual Obedience fulfilled the Righteousness thereof and by bearing the Penalty of it which our Sins incurr'd by his Death he hath delivered all that believe from the Curse thereof but the Curse of it remains on all them who receive not Jesus Christ it hath its full blow and stroke on all Gospel neglecters because it is by him and no other ways we can be delivered from the Curse thereof 2. Therefore it follows in the second place that they cannot be delivered from the Guilt and Punishment of their Sins their Sins lie upon them they are charged upon all that neglect or refuse the Salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ It is the Decree of the Eternal God that all such that believe not shall bear their own Sins because they reject Jesus Christ who hath born the Punishment that was due to Sin Some conceit that they need not this Salvation need not the Righteousness of Christ or Faith in Christ and this through Ignorance concluding their State is good Jesus said unto them If ye were blind ye should have no Sin but now ye say We see therefore your Sin remaineth They thought their own Righteousness was sufficient and were ignorant of God's Righteousness and hence the Guilt of their Sin remaineth upon them 3. All those that neglect this so great Salvation shall not escape the Wrath of God This follows as the natural Consequence of the former Divine Wrath parsues them and every Soul of them that believe not but refuse the Grace of God offered by Jesus Christ in the Gospel like as the avenger of Blood pursued the Man slayer under the Law The Cities of Refuse were a type of Christ 't is to him all guilty Sinners must fly if they escape the Wrath and Vengeance of God Divine Justice is only satisfied in Christ and Sinners for not accepting and receiving by Faith that Atonement and pleading that Satisfaction he hath made Wrath follows them even at their Heels and will strike them down He that believeth not shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him Wrath is upon all naturally we are all by Nature the Children of Wrath but it remains no longer upon them that believe but it abideth on such that believe not 4. They shall not escape the Damnation of Hell or everlasting Burning Our Saviour speaking to the Scribes and Pharisees saith How can ye escapâ— the Damnation of Hell Yet they were a People that appeared outwardly righteous to Men and boasted that they were not Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers or such as Publicans were But alas no Righteousness will carry a Man to Heaven but a perfect compleat sinless Righteousness Paul was not an Hypocrite as some of the Pharisees were before he believed yet his Righteousness tho according to the Letter of the Law was such that few attained unto As touching the Righteousness which is of the Law
God's sight and accepted for the sake of Christ's Merits Not that Christ's Righteousness alone is the matter of our Justification exclusive of all our inherent Righteousness and Obedience no no but rather it is our Righteousness which doth justify us The Gospel according to these Men is propounded as a Law and God as a Rector or just Governour commanding Obedience thereunto as the procuring Cause of our Justification So that our Faith and Obedience is a Cause and Condition of Life as Unbelief and Disobedience is the Cause of Eternal Death But having formerly detected this dangerous Error I shall not further insist upon the Confutation of it here 5. Such preach a Legal Doctrine that render Man a Co-worker with Christ in the Salvation of their own Souls by which means there is room left for him to boast and glory Such a Doctrine they preach who magnify the Will of Man or the Power of the Creature which I hope I have by the Assistance of God sufficiently detected and refuted in this Treatise All boasting being excluded by the Grace of God in the Gospel Man being abased and God alone exalted APPLICATION I shall now come to make the general Application of what I have said unto you from this great Text and so conclude with all I shall say from it First Inform. First by way of Information the Doctrine which hath in these Sermons been insisted on may inform us That Gospel-Sins are the greatest Sins and that the blind Heathens are not cannot be so guilty and culpable before God nor in such a dangerous Condition as those are who live under the preaching of the Gospel and yet slight and neglect the Salvation of it O what will they do in the Day of Judgment that live in England in London in a Land and City of so great Light and perish through their Sin and Contempt or Neglect of Gospel-Grace Secondly This may also inform us how strangely Mankind are blinded and deceived by the God of this World in that small things are accounted great and that which is of the greatest Concernment is little or not at all regarded but esteemed as a trivial matter O says some we must mind the main Chance they mean the main Business in respect of their Earthly Subsistence which is to get Bread and to provide for the Body for their Wives and Children Now the Doctrine which you have heard shews you how you are deluded that look upon Earthly Things to be the main Business you should look after What is of such Importance as the Salvation of your precious and immortal Souls and to be providing for an endless Eternity Thirdly I may infer from hence That the greatest part of Mankind are Unbelievers for all that neglect this Salvation and look not upon this matter as their chief Business are doubtless in a State of Unbelief They do not credit this holy Doctrine they believe not God's Word If one should tell you that are going a Journy that if you go such a Way you will certainly be destroyed by Thieves or wild Beasts yet you will go on Would it not follow clearly that you believe not what was told you Why thus it is here Sinners are told and assured from the Word of God as certain as God is true and his Word true that if they leave not their Swearing their Pride their Drunkenness their Lying their Lusts and Uncleanness their Worldly-mindedness and their preferring Earth and the things of the World above the things of God or if they do not believe repent and be born again they shall certainly perish for ever yet they go on and live in those ways of Sin and believe not repent not this is an evident sign that they do not give Credit to what is told them and so are Unbelievers and if they still persist in their way they will be certainly damned 1. Our Saviour saith Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish ye shall not escape eternal Wrath be ye great Sinners or not Sinners of the first Rank The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God 2. Christ saith He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth on him and they that do not believe are told there is no other way to escape this Wrath and that this Wrath will be poured forth upon them like Fire unless they believe in Christ receive Christ obtain an Interest in Jesus Christ nay that they are condemned already but they believe not 3. Moreover such who live a sober moral Life are told that notwithstanding that yet unless they are born again unless they get Faith in Jesus Christ and their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and they obtain the Righteousness of Christ they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now they will not believe this but conclude their State is good and that Morality is sufficient to save their Souls which shews that these are Unbelievers also 4. Others are told that their good Deeds their good Duties their Prayers their hearing of Sermons or their being Baptized and having Communion with God's People will not do unless they are savingly renewed and sanctified having the true Grace of God in their Hearts and lead a Godly Holy and Spiritual Life finding the powerful Operations of the Spirit changing them into the Likeness of Jesus Christ but they believe it not but rest upon their Duties and outward Privileges tho they are told the Kingdom of God is not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness and Truth and Joy in the Holy Ghost or that the Kingdom of God is not inward only but in Power also and that Lamps of Profession will not save them except they have Oil in their Vessels many of these are like the foolish Virgins and believe it not but rest on a bare Name of Christians on a Form of Godliness and may be fall short too as to an outward Profession of Godliness for so do they who pray not in the Closet nor in their Families neither read God's Word nor make it their Business to hear the Word preached in Season and out of Season but every small Matter takes them off of those Duties Be sure all prayerless Souls are graceless Souls it is to be feared many of this sort make Religion but little of their Business who neither read pray nor meditate nor perhaps call upon their Children and Servants so to do but let their Children have their Carnal Lusts their Pride ambitious and wanton Inclinations indulged and nourished in them O how little is the outward Part of God's Worship kept up in the Families of some Professors Fourthly This may serve also for a Use of Terror to secure Sinners 1. May not Cry out Fire Fire Such a Cry hath often startled and amazed many of you that live in and about this City Sirs a Fire is just a breaking out which you cannot escape unless you look about you the sooner
Ch. 6. 10. Rom. 6. 14. Cant. 1. 1 2. Psal 91. 11. Cant. 8. 6. Isa 54. 10. Psal 37. 31. 1st Exhort Joh 42. 5. 1 Chron. 17. 16. 1 Sam. 25. 41. Rev. 3. 19. Cant. 1. 4. Eph. 3. 19. The fourth A 〈◊〉 taken from the Nature of the Covenant of Grace Isa 53. 10 11. Zech. 6. 12 13. Psal 89. 20. Verse 28 29. John 6. 37 38 39. Phil. 1. 6. Psal 57. 2. Isa 26. 12. Phil. 2. 13. Psal 110. 3. Dr. Owen â— Sam. 23. 5. Isa 27. Ephes 2. 2 3. Gal. 3. 4 25. Ephes 2. 1 2. Eph. 1. 18. Zech. 9. 11. Rom. 8. 1. Heb. 7. 22. Dr. Owen on Heb. 2. 22. p. 223. Ps 89. 34. Jâ—â— 33. 20 21. Rom. 4. 16. Isa 53. 10. Psal 89. 28 29. Gal. 3. 16 29. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 6. 13 17 18. Ephes 1. 13 14. Ch. 4. 30. Isa 54. 9 10. Isa 55. 3. The general Argument Sermon X. 5th Arg. Taken from their being the Children of God Jam. 1. 18. Joh. 1. 13. Mat. 3. 8 9 10 11 12. John 3. 5. 1 Joh. 5. 1. Gal. 3. 26. John 3. 6. Gen. 5. 3. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Gal. 4. 23. Jer. 32. 40. Ch. 3. 14. Rom. 8. 17. Isa 53. Psal 89. 29. How Believers may be said not to commit Sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Eccles 7. 20. Rom. 7. 25. Rom. 8. 1. Rom. 7. 15. 1 Joh. 5. 16. V. 16 17. Ver. 18. 1 Joh. 5. 4. 1 Joh. 4. 4. The general Argument Eph. 4. 24. John 3. 6. Acts 9. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Mal. 1. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 1. Eph. 5. 1. Zech. 2. 8. 1 John 3. 1 2. Sermon XI The Sixth Argument taken from the Soul's Union with Christ Dr. Owen 1 Cor. 6. 17. Joh. 6. 56. Eph. 5. 31 32. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Eph. 5. 30. Ephes 4. 15 16. 1 Cor. 15. 45. Ps 139. 16. Rom. 11. 17. Dr. Owen Joh. 15. 2 6. Mat 13. 21. John 15. 16. Gal. 2. 20 21. John 19. 36. Isa 29. 21. John 14. 19. Rom. 8. 1. John 3. 36. John 5. 24. Col. 1. 27. Heb. 6. 18. 19 20. Luk. 22. 32. John 11. 42. Charnock 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15. Col. 2. 19. Rom. 7. 4. Sermon XI The seventh Argument taken from the Death of Christ Heb. 9. 22. 1 John 1. 11. Dan. 9. 26. John 15. 13. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Rom. 5. 7. Isa 53. 6 7. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Isa 53. 12. Gal. 4. 4 5. Rom. 4. 24. Mr. F. Dr. Owen shews the same and many others Rom. 8. 32. John 10. 15. Luk. 22. 19. Heb. 9. 28. Isa 53. 4 5 6 8. Christ hath delivered all Believers from Condemnation 1 Pet. 2. 24. Isa 53. 5. Isa 27. 4. Rom. 1. 32. Christ the Antitype of the Scape-Goat and carried away our Sins Levit. 16. 21 22. Heb. 9. 26. Christ by his Death hath delivered us from the Curse of the Law Dan. 9. Gal. 3. 4. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath born all God's Vindictive Wrath due to Believers Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. 1 John 1. 9. Christ by his Death purchased Grace for us Phil. 4. 19. Joh. 1. 14 16. Heb. 10. 14. Christ by his Death redeemeth us from all Sin Tit. 2. 14. Eph. 1. 13 14. Phil. 3. 10 11 12. John 3. 16. Assertors of General Redemption reprehended 1 Pet. 1. 18. Examen confectionis pacificae Joh. 17. 9. Ver. 20. Examen confectionis pacificae John 12. 23 24. Dr. Chauncy in his Treatise of the Doctrine of Godliness p. 203 204. Eph. 5. 25. * Joh. 17. 19 20. 10. 11. 16. 13 14. Mat. 3. 5 6. Joh. 3. 26. John 12. 32. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 1 Tim. 4. 4. A Minister in Glostershire as I am told of the Presbyterian Perswasion Gen. 9. 4. To eat Blood the Life of the Creature unlawful Joh. 1. 29. 1 Tim. 4. 10. Sermon XIII The Eighth Argument taken from the Effects of Christ's Death and Resurrection Rom. 6. 5 6. Col. 2. 12 13. 1 Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 6. 10 11. 1 Cor. 5. 15. Reconciliation the Effect of Christ's Death Eph. 2. 16. Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 5. 10. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Zech. 6. 13. Acts 2. 32 33. Isa 44. 3. Ezek. 36. 25. Rom. 15. 16. 2 Thess 2. 13. Ezek. 36. 27. Rom. 8. 26. Gal. 4. 5 6. 1 Joh. 4. 4. Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 16. Eph. 1. 14. 4. 30. John 14. Col. 1. 14. Gal. 4. 5. Heb. 10. 19 20. Reader these things were enlarged upon when this Sermon was preached which I am forc'd to leave out here Acts 13. 39. 2 Pet. 2. 20. Ver. 22. Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 6. 5. Phil. 3. 10 11 12. Eph. 5. 25 26 27. Heb. 9. 12. Rom. 8. 30. The general Argument Acts 2. 37. Sermon XIV 9th Arg. taken from their being in the Hand of the Father and in Christ's Hand Isa 9. 1. Act. 4. 28. Rom. 11. 33. Isa 14. 24. 1 Cor. 1. 18. John 11. 28. Col. 1. 15. Psal 8â— 15. Isa 42. 3. 53. 10. Heb. 9. 22. 1 King 20. 39. Gen. 43 9. Gen. 42. 37. Philem. 18 19. Phil. 4. 19. Isa 63. 1. Mat. 28. 18 19. Heb. 7. 25. Joh. 17. 2. Isa 49. 10. Joh. 6. 37. Mat. 12. 20. John 6. 39. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 2. 18. Heb. 5. 1 2. In what respect the Saints are said to be in Christ's Hand Joh. 16. 13. Isa 42. 16. Psal 73. 2 23. Isa 49. 13 16. Jer. 17. 8. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Psa 10. 14. Psal 12. 7. Verse 5. The general Argument Sermon XV. Mat. 13. 31. Mat. 17. 20. Contin of Mr. Pool 's Annotat. 1 Joh. 5. 4. Mat. 13. Joh. 4. 14. Hos 14. 7. Mat. 13. 33. Grace compared to Leaven Grace compared to Fire Grace is a Vital Principle 1 Joh. Rom. 6. 14. Tit. 2. 12. True Grace is of a saving Nature Grace the Off-spring of Heaven Gen. 1. 26. God the Father is the Foundation of Grace 1 Pet. 2. 9. Grace God's Workmanship in the Soul Eph. 2. 10. The Power of God concerned to preserve Grace in us 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Promises of God secures Grace in us Psal 37. 23 24. Phil. 1. 6. It cannot stand consistent with the Wisdom of God and all other Attributes to let Grace utterly fail in us 2 Tim. 1. 9. Christ is the Purchaser the Author and finisher of Grace Tit. 2. 14. Acts 2. 33. Charnock 1 Joh. 3. 5 8. Heb. 12. 2. Verse 12. The Intercession of Christ secures the Saints in a State of Grace 1 Joh. 2. 2. Heb. 7. 25. Heb. 10. 21 22. The general Argument 1 Cor. 1. 30. Mat. 13. Luke 10. 20. Rom. 7. 24. Isa 40. 11. Tit. 2. 11 12. Sermon XVI How could the Birth of Christ be cause of Joy to all People answered Joel 2. 28. Col. 1. 23. Luk. 2. 34. Mark 16. 16. See p. 174. 175. of this Treatise Doctrine of Election and Perseverance opens no Door to Sin â—â—b 12. 14. Eph. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Col.