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
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
stead Legal Convictions discovered only to them under the Law who saw no further that the Life of the poor Beasts went for Sin but Evangelical Convictions shew that nothing can atone for our Sins and satisfy God's Justice but the Life of the Son of God not the Blood of Bulls or Lambs no it must be the Blood of the Lamb of God 7. Common Illuminations are a Man's Torment and Affliction and fain he would be eased and freed of them and of the smart thereby but the special ones tend to make a Man fear that he is not troubled enough he would be searched thorowly Search me and know my Heart try me and know my Thoughts see if there be any evil Way in me O lance my Soul Lord lay open my Sore let me not be slightly healed The one would fain shake the Trouble off he thinks it is enough nay too much the other would have it lie faster on O let not my Sore be skinned over The Devils cried Why dost thou torment us before the Time So unsound Persons would not be tormented but Conscience hath got hold of them and they cannot get out of its Hand But one truly enlightned saith with David I will be sorry for my Sin I chuse it I desire it The one desires to be freed from the Effects of Sin from the Pain and Punishment thereof but the other cries out to be delivered from the Sin which is the Cause of all Pain and Punishment The one is like the Swine who likes not the Whip yet loves the Mire they like not the Lash of the Law but hate to come under the Yoke of the Gospel The one cries out for a Plaister to ease his Conscience may be he is willing to let some Boughs and Twigs be lop'd off but the other would have the Ax laid to the Root of the Tree he would have the Body of Sin as well as the Branches to be destroyed he is for cutting off the right Hand Lusts of Profit and for pulling out the right Eye Lusts of Pleasure The unsound Soul is like Saul for sparing some of the Fat of the Cattel and Agag the King I mean his chief and beloved Lusts but a sincere Christian is for yielding up all to the Sword of the Spirit 8. Common Enlightnings work Terror which may be at last drive the Soul further from God as it is said of Cain He went out from the Presence of the Lord But special and saving Convictions cause the Soul to draw nearer to God in Jesus Christ The one is like a Slave under the Rod fain would get away from his Master the other is like a Child under the Rod that desires to see and behold his Father's reconciled Face and Favour The common Illuminations wound but the Soul sees not the Way of Cure nor will he bear the Instrument which would let out the Life and Power of Sin but perhaps catches up some thing or another to apply to his Sore may be his changed Life his Duties and good Deeds from hence he hopes that his State is good he being as he thinks not the Man he once was But as he who is under special Illuminations comes to be wounded by beholding a bleeding Saviour which is the alone way of Cure so he chiefly desires that Faith that Grace which will destroy the Life and Power of all Sin and thorowly cleanse and purify his Soul Brethren the Spirit of a Sinner may be torn into pieces by legal Terror the Heart of Stone may be broken and yet no Heart of Flesh be given the Ground may be plow'd up in part yet the Seed of Grace not sown in the Heart Sensuality saith one may be kept down by a Spirit of Bondage when it is not cast out by the Spirit of Adoption They have the Law to convince them but not Grace to renew them it is not being once enlightned that is sufficient unless truly enlightned it is not great Knowledg unless it be sanctified it is not the fair Fruit of Reformation nor Oil in the Lamp of the outward Life and visible Profession of Religion it is not your seeming pious Duties nor legal Convictions that discover you to be a true Christian no nothing short of Union with Christ and Faith that works by Love avails any thing Neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision but a new Creature 9. Common or Legal Illuminations doubtless flow from a sense of God's Power who is able to punish and reward the Creature according to his Work not that they would be like God but can't alas get out of the Hand of God But true spiritual Enlightnings rise from a sense of God's Holiness by beholding the Excellency of it and seeing a necessity of a Conformity thereunto the Convictions of the one at the best is at a stay they do not grow however they never terminate in Conversion the Effect cannot exceed the Cause they only tend to reform the Life and oft-times such return with the Dog to his Vomit again but the Path of the Just in spiritual Convictions is as a shining Light that shineth more and more to a perfect Day Spiritual Enlightnings lead the Soul to Christ the Spirit in them doth not only convince of Sin but also of Righteousness such see all their old Props and Supports to fail them 't is Christ now and none but Christ the World is nothing to them a Name is of no worth to them Knowledg and Gifts without Grace will not satisfy them they see the Vanity of the Creature and the Fulness of the Mediator Christ is the chiefest of ten thousand to all such Others may see some things Christ hath purchased that may affect them but these see an Excellency in his Person To you that believe he is precious He is an Honour or honourable Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee These have their Eyes opened to see the Nature of God the Holiness of the Law the Weakness of the Creature the Sinfulness of Sin and the Sufficiency of Jesus Christ Others are convinced of many Sins and of some degree of Evil in Sin but these see that Sin is exceeding sinful and that no Sin is so odious as the Sin of Unbelief in which respects common Convictions fail Now considering what Enlightnings Men may have and yet not be savingly enlightned what little reason is there for any to conclude that the Persons in our Text were sanctified holy and true Christians because the Holy Ghost says they were once enlightned They may have or attain unto a great Change but not a true and thorow Change and they may be such who arrive to Light in spiritual Things above thousands nay may be exceed many true Christians in Knowledg Abilities Gifts and in their Lives and Conversations too in some respects and may not doubt of the Goodness of their State nay and may suffer for Religion yea give
their Bodies to be burned and yet be destitute of saving Grace or of true Love to God and therefore not self-condemned Hypocrites whose Hearts condemn them and yet be far from the State of sincere and renewed Christians APPLICATION 1. O see what Light what Spiritual Light you have received and what Convictions you have had the experience of 2. Which do you account the greatest Evil Sin or Suffering the Torture or Pain you feel or the Sin you have committed Do you groan most under the sense of Sin and want of Holiness or under the presages and fear of Hell and Damnation May be you cry out your State is sad but what think you of your Sin which is the Cause of it 3. Be exhorted to labour after true Spiritual Illuminations and thorow Convictions of Sin Motives 1. Sin will be your Pain and Sorrow first or last either here or hereafter 2. Consider what a good and gracious God you have offended 3. Without effectual Convictions there will be no true Conversion and where the first is indeed wrought the last will follow those that God kills in this respect he will make alive 4. Remember the Word never comes with Power until Convictions come with Power and also abide on the Soul and Conscience of the Sinner 5. Consider that it is better to be broken in Mercy than in Judgment better here than in Hell 6. Remember that true and thorow Convictions tend to let out the Life or Power of your Sin and consider also what Means of Convictions God is pleased to afford you 7. Sinner Christ was wounded for thy Sin look up to him nothing breaks the Soul rightly you have heard but a sight of a broken and crucified Christ HEB. VI. 4 5. For it is impossible for those c. I Have closed with the first Qualification or Attainment of these Persons spoken of in my Text I shall now proceed to the Second And have tasted of the Heavenly Gift 1. By the Heavenly Gift some understand the Heavenly Doctrine In that sense it may be true for Herod had some kind of Taste of the Heavenly Doctrine which John the Baptist preached he heard him gladly or with Joy As the Baptism of John is said to be from Heaven so all the Truths and Ordinances of the Gospel may be said to be but one intire Heavenly Gift 2. Others by the Heavenly Gift understand the Holy Ghost according to that in Acts 8. 20. Thou hast thought the Gift of God may be purchased with Money So Acts 10. 45. That on the Gentiles also was poured the Gift of the Holy Ghost Quest But what Gift of the Holy Ghost is it which these Persons are said to have a taste of Answ 1. The miraculous Operations of the Holy Ghost in the Times of the Gospel in the extraordinary Gifts thereof which are said to come down from Heaven in a way of Eminency as Acts 1. 4 5. and of those Gifts these Persons might have some taste either by their receiving those Gifts themselves for that unsound Persons may do And in thy Name we have cast out Devils so 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. And though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have not Charity I am nothing or else they may be said to have a taste of those Gifts by being wonderfully affected by beholding the miraculous Operations of this Heavenly Gift wrought by others 2. By tasting of the Heavenly Gift it may refer to the Doctrine of the Gospel it may denote their making some trial by Hearing and diligently attending on the Doctrine of Salvation there is a tasting for trial either to receive or refuse as we commonly do Meats or other things Every tasting is not a digesting Men taste before they eat and digest food These Persons may taste of the Doctrine of Justification taste of the Heavenly Gift or Doctrine of God's Free Grace taste of the Ordinance of Baptism and the Lord's Supper and seem also to like the Heavenly Gift well in all these and in other respects yet may feed all the while on some one Lust or another on the Love of this World or on their carnal and sensual Pleasures and because they were never savingly renewed having no new Nature they could not feed on spiritual Things so as to digest them No doubt it was or is such a tasting as the full Stomach takes sometimes of Food a full Stomach will taste yet refuse to eat they have no Appetite these being glutted with the Love of other things the Heavenly Gift is not so sweet to them as Food is to an hungry Man The Sum then is this these Persons had or may have some Experience of the Holy Ghost in the miraculous Gifts either in themselves or in others their Understandings being enlightned for it is evident that 't is a Taste by Illuminations by what we before shewed and they also might taste the Heavenly Doctrine or Ministration of the Gospel and might find the Truths the Institutions and Worship thereof to be good they making a trial of it so far as their carnal and unsanctified Hearts were capable to do yea they might find the Ways of God better than once they thought before they were inlightned and from thence imbraced them to appearance owned and walked therein for a time Doct. 2. That there is a Goodness and an Excellency in the Heavenly Gift and Heavenly Doctrine of the Gospel which such may taste of that never receive the Truth in the Power and Love thereof Doct. 3. That the rejecting and utter casting off the Gospel and the Ordinance and Worship thereof after some Tastes and Experience of it is an high Offence to God and a fearful Aggravation of Sin and a certain Presage of Damnation So much as to their second Attainment 3dly And were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost This seems to be more than a bare tasting Object Doth not this seem to interfere with your Exposition of the Attainment you mentioned last Answ 1. To this take Dr. Owen's Answer It is saith he ordinary to have the same thing twice expressed in various words to quicken the Sense of them 2. The Holy Ghost is mentioned before as he hints as the great Gift of the Gospel-Times as coming down from Heaven not absolutely not as unto his Person but with respect unto an especial Work namely the changing of the whole State of Religious Worship in the Church of God 3. But here in these words when it is said They were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost it is spoken chiefly in respect unto external actual Operations 1. They partake of the Holy Spirit in the common Operations of it themselves they tasted the Heavenly Doctrine as it was administred by others as it is hinted before but here is a Reception or a partaking of the Holy Spirit whereby it had some great and visible Operations upon their Hearts and Lives though not saving Operations not such
3. 12. Mark 16. 1â— Isa 46. 12. Philâ—â— 12. Ephes 2. 8 9 10. Rom. 4 5. Allen 's Glass of Justificat What Work of Salvation Man cannot work out Ephes 2. 1 2. What Work it is we are to work out Phil. 1. 6. Rom. 8. 13. Mat. 18. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. Acts 23. 1. Ezek. 18. 24. Rom. 10. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Jude 1. Isa 40. 31. Heb. 2. 18. The Absurdities that attend the Doctrine of final Apostacy Charnock * See Dr. Owen in his Answer to Mr. John Goodwin pag. 114 115 116. Psa 51. 12. Practical Discourse pag. 125. Deut. 7. Mat. 11. 25. Rom. 9. 18. Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 31. 33. Serm. 1. Afterwards I was informed who it was that sent it to me Mr. John Goodwin 's sense of the Subjects 〈◊〉 meant The Sense of some of the Antient Fathers of this Text. Mr. David Dickson What the Persons are that the Apostle here intends What things do accompany Salvation Heb. 6. 9. Love to the poor Saints a blessed sign of true Grace The Nature of the common Illuminations of the Spirit Mat. 7. 22. Mat. 6. 23. The Nature of the special Illuminations of the Spirit Acts 2. 37. Zech. 12. 20. Acts 2. 36. Acts 24 25. Joh. 4. 29. Psal 51. 5. Ezek. 6. 9. Ezek. 20. 43. Job 42. 5. Psal 38. 7. Rom. 7. 9. Psal 51. 4. Hos 3. 5. Psal 139. 23. Gen. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 10. Gal. 5. 6. 1 Thess 1. 3. Prov. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 7. Psal 73. 25. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. Serm. II. What meant by the Heavenly Gift How some unrenewed Persons may be said to be partakers of the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Sam. 10. 6 9. Rom. 10. 17. 1 Thess 1. 8. Why the Word of God is called good Ps 19. 10. Psal 119. 105. Psal 119. 50. Col. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 4. 7. 1 Thess 1. 5. Joh. 19. 3. Reader these things were enlarged upon but I am forc'd to leave out the Enlargements here Psal 119. 11. Mat. 11. 28. Psal 34. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Mat. 27. 34. John 2. 23 24. Mat. 13. 20. Psal 119. 127 128. 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. What a kind of taste a Believer hath of God and his Word Psal 42. 2. Mat. 5. 6. Job 23. 12. Ps 19. 10. Psal 110. 97. Jer. 15. 16. Isa 55. 2. Psal 36. 8. Psal 63. 5. Psal 119. 11. Luk. 1. 66. Dr. Owen p. 50 51. Heb. 4. 2. Heb. 6. 6 7. What is meant by the World to come Rev. 11. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 13. What is meant by Christ's delivering up the Kingdom to the Father Job 14. 12. Rev. 21. 1. Luke 20. 35 36. The Nature and Glory of the World to come opened Rev. 22. 3. Isa 55. 13. Rom. 8. 21. Acts 3. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Isa 60. 21. Dan. 7. 27. Dan. 7. 27. Rev. 21. 4. Isa 33. 25. Isa 60. 10. Isa 65. 14. Jer. 31. 12. Isa 35. 2. Rev. 21. 3. 1 Thess 4. 16 17. Mat. 5. 3. Rev. 5. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Jam. 2. 5. Psal 45. 9. Rom. 8. Rev. 21. The Riches of the World to come opened Phil. 3. ult Jam. 5. 2 3. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. Psa 17. ult The Honours of the World to come Mat. 12. The Joys and Pleasures of the World to come Psal 36. 8. Psa 16. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 9. How to have Interest in the World to come Mat. 16. 26. Rev. 22. 20. Serm. III. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Phil. 3. 21. 1 Thess 1. 9. Vers 10. What a taste of the World to come a false Professor may have Mat. 7. 22. Isa 22. 13. Isa 56. 12. Rom. 2. 4. Acts 24. 25. Joh. 5. 35. Col. 1. 12. Heb. 11. 13. Ver. 13 14. How it is impossible for these to be renewed unto Repentance Heb. 6. 6. Dickson Mat. 12. 31. Heb. 10. 26 27. Ps 81. 12. 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. What is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost Jer. 3. 3. Jer. 3. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 9. What the Sin against the Holy Ghost is 2 Pet. 2. 20. Mat. 12. Heb. 10. 26. Heb. 10. 29. Mat. 12. 22 24. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Verse 11. Sermon 1. Reader This Treatise is swollen so big already that I can give thee little more than the Heads of the Sermons on this Texts Gospel-Salvation great Salvation comparatively Psa 91. 11. Gospel-Salvation great in it self Rev. 13. 8. Prov. 8. 22 23 24 Job 33 24. Tit. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Gospel-Salvation great in respect of that Counsel held in Eternity about it Zech. 6. 11. 'T is a great Salvation in respect of the Design of it 1 Cor. 2. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 24. Col. 2. 15. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Gospel-Salvation great considering how low Man was fallen and the seasonableness of it Rom. 5. 6. Job 7. 17. Job 33. 24. Serm. II. Gospel-Salvation great considering the Persons that brought it about Psal 25. 5. Isa 63. 5. What part of this Salvation is attributed to God the Father 2 Cor. 5. 18. Heb. 10. 5. Joh. 3. 17. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32. Joh. 3. 16. Eph. 1. 3. Joh. 5. 17. What a Part Christ hath in working out this Salvation Christ is a great Saviour Phil. 2. 9. Isa 9. 6. Isa 6. 9. Heb. 1. 4 5. Phil. 2. 6. Isa 19. 20. Heb. 1. 3. Joh. 14. 9. Isa 63. 1. Rev. 5. 5. Heb. 7. 25. Isa 42. 12. The H. Ghost hath his part in working about our Salvation Isa 61. 10. Acts 10. Verse 6. * God calls the Gentiles or whom he pleases among them as well as the Jews which Peter might not understand before now Gal. 1. 16. Mat. 6. 33. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 3. 15. Mat. 9. 12 13. Mat. 11. 28. Rev. 3. 20. Phil. 1. 6. Serm. III. Great Salvation in respect of what we are delivered from The Evil of Sin opened 1 Sam. 2. 30. Psal 2. 3. Exod. 20. 5. 2 Chron. 19. 2. Rom. 8. 7. Gen. 6. 5 6. Psal 7. 11. Rom. 6. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Isa 61. 1. Acts 8. 23. Ezek. 16. 3 4 5 6. Sinners are under God's Curse Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 1. 18. Psa 90. 11. Heb. 12. ult Luke 16. 24. Gospel-Salvation is great in respect of what Christ doth and must do in order to effect it 1 Pet. 1. 28 1â— Heb. 10. 4. Verse 5. Rom. 8. 3. Joh. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 2. 8 9. Heb. 2. 16. Gal. 4. 4. Gal. 3. 13. Gal. 3. 13. Heb. 2. 14 15. Phil. 3. ult 2 Tim. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 15. 26. 1 Cor. 6. 15. Ver. 19 20. Serin IV. Salvation great in respect of the Subjects of it Mat. 16. 26. Zech. 12. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Job 32. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 11. The Soul is capable of Divine Contemplation Ps 139. 1 Ver. 15. 1 Cor. 2. 1 2. Nothing but God himself can satisfy the Soul God's Thoughts greatly let out about the Soul of Man Psal 49. 8. Nothing
that changed them into a State of Grace 2. Nay they partake not only of common Gifts but common Grace also even such Grace that doth reform their Lives bridle restrain and curb their inordinate Lusts and Passions so that through the Knowledg of Jesus Christ they esteeming him as their Blessed Saviour they are said to escape the Pollution of the World as Peter plainly declares though afterwards they are again intangled therein and overcome 3. They did no doubt by the Assistance of the Holy Spirit leave and forsake those evil Ways and prophane Courses and Practices in which they lived before May be they were gross Idolaters Adulterers Blasphemers c. but the Spirit by its common Operations did so far strive and prevail with them that they became other Men As it is said of King Saul The Spirit of God will come upon thee and thou shalt be turned into another Man but not a new Man And God gave him another Heart 4. These Persons may partake of such Grace which the foolish Virgins had to keep their Lamps of Profession burning for a Time Doct. 4. The Holy Spirit may be with Persons nay in them by his common Operations with whom he is not by his gracious Inhabitation they may partake of common but not of saving Grace 4 thly The fourth Attainment of these Persons or these false Professors is this viz. And tasted of the good Word of God Four things I shall do in speaking unto this First Shew what is meant by the Word of God Secondly Shew why it is called the good Word of God Thirdly Shew what a taste an unsound Christian may have of the good Word of God Fourthly And also shew what a taste it is that a true Christian hath of it First By the Word of God is meant the Word of the Gospel Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Again it is said From you sounded out the Word of God that is the Gospel of Christ Secondly It is called the good Word of God 1. Because it bringeth good News to Sinners the Tidings it brings are good and profitable to all that receive it in Truth 2. Because it is a Declaration of that good and gracious Counsel and Purpose of God in saving poor Sinners by Jesus Christ it is Heavenly Sublime the Nature and Glory of God in all his Attributes is made manifest thereby 3. It is good in the blessed Effects thereof That which is excellent and precious in it self and also doth as much good we esteem very good Now as divine Truth is pure Thy Word is pure therefore thy Servant loveth it so it is precious above Gold in the Effects of it on the Heart 1. It enlightens the Eyes it illuminates dark Minds it is a shining Light Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. 2. It quickens and revives a Soul under Deadness therefore it is good Thy Word hath quickned me 3. It is that which inriches the Soul Let the Word of God dwell in you richly We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us Hence Ministers by preaching the Gospel though they may be externally poor yet make many spiritually rich 4. It may be said to be Good because of the powerful Effects it hath on Mens Souls where it comes not in Word only The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged Sword It makes the Dead to live infusing through the Spirit Life and regenerating Grace into the Hearts of Sinners it searcheth and purges out all Corruption by the means of it young and old come to have their Hearts and Ways cleansed Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you 5. It is our Sword by which we offend and wound our Enemies and defend our selves against all their Assaults and Temptations 6. It is good in respect of that discovery it makes of God of Jesus Christ and of Salvation as also of future Glory there is contained in it a Revelation of the Incarnation of the Son of God with all the Effects of infinite Wisdom in the glorious Contrivance of our Redemption What doth the Pagan World understand or know of these things who have not the good Word of God with them 7. It hath a comforting a healing and strengthning Virtue in it and it also preserves from Sin therefore it is good Thy Word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee It gives peace and quiet to a disturbed and distressed Mind when the Promises are set home with Power upon the Conscience How many hath that one Word revived that have been ready to drop into Hell in the sense of their Sin Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest 8. It is our Food I mean the Food of our Souls yea both Milk for Babes and strong Meat for Men of riper Age nay it is sweet satisfying and Soul-fatning Food therefore it is good Sirs if you have never tasted how good the Word of God is your State doubtless is bad but it is not enough to have a taste of it but you must feed upon it Eat O Friends drink yea drink abundantly O Beloved Thirdly I shall proceed to shew you what a kind of taste an unsound Christian may have of the Word of God It is evident that the Apostle here carefully keeps himself to such Expressions as we have in the Text to shew he intends not such Persons who by Faith truly receive and spiritually feed on Jesus Christ therefore it is said have tasted True by tasting sometimes is meant a spiritual feeding O taste and see that the Lord is good Compared with that in Peter If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Brethren every one that feeds may be said to taste though he doth more than taste but every one that tasteth may not be said to feed no nor be said to love approve of nor digest that which he tasteth of Pray remember to feed is more than to taste I did but taste a little Honey saith Jonathan And it is said of our Saviour When he had tasted thereof he would not drink he tasted but did not drink So Men may taste and yet may not eat not feed upon that they tasted of I shall now come to shew you what a taste they may have of the Word of God 1. As tasting respecteth Experience or simple Knowledg of the Truth of a thing so these Persons may have a taste i. e. may have a simple Knowledg or Experience of the Truth of the Word of the Gospel they may taste in this sense they may believe or be fully convinced in their Consciences by what they have heard and have met with by such Operations of the Spirit that have past upon them that
the Gospel is true and that Christ is the only Saviour and that the Institutions and Ordinances of the Gospel are his Blessed Appointments Thus many of the Jews tasted of Christ's Word i. e. They believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men They gave a true Assent to the Proposition of his Word yet did not close in with him they did not consent to receive him to desire love and obey him they had no Union with him by saving Faith and the like may be said of these Persons in our Text. 2. Nay these Persons finding Jesus Christ to be the true and great Saviour they may taste the Word or believe with some kind of Joy though it be a false Joy Who would not be saved or have Christ as a Saviour This they like they would be saved from Hell and Wrath but do not consider that Christ came to save his People from their Sins He will save none who abide in their Sins who hold them fast and resolve not to let them go Many may taste some sweetness in hearing of the Power of Christ to save who go on presumptuously in their ungodly Practices It is expresly said that the stony-ground Hearers received the Word with joy they had a taste of it A common Faith seems to give a taste the Name of a Saviour relishes sweet 3. They may taste of the Promises of the Word but may not like the Precepts of it or what sometimes follows and overtakes such who profess the Gospel or may like some Precepts but not like some others of them every Word of God with these is not precious they cannot deny themselves and follow Christ whither soever he goes They are not like David who saith Every Word of God is pure therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false Way 4. A bare taste or a simple taste of the Word is enough for these a great deal of the World may be they think is too little yet a little Religion a little of the Word short Prayers and little Preaching will suffice them A great Portion is too little for their Children but Six-pence or a Shilling they may think is too much for the poor Saints or a small matter a great deal to be given to the Children of God It is evident these Persons gave little or nothing to the poor Saints by what the Apostle speaks in the Verses following our Text and therefore no sincere Believers For God is not unrighteous to forget your Work of Faith and Labour of Love in that ye have ministred to the Saints c. You as if he should say are not of that sort I am a speaking of they do not love the Children of God though they have had a taste of the Word This one Vertue Brethren is more than all those five Attainments mentioned in my Text when that which a Man gives is given in love to Christ 5. Yet this bare taste as you have heard might have some Effect upon these Mens Hearts 1. They might find some kind of delight in that Knowledg they have of the Doctrine of the Gospel and might speak in the Commendation and Vindication thereof Thus Balaam seemed wonderfully to be affected with the State of Israel and with the Tabernacle and Tents of Jacob yet he loved the Wages of Unrighteousness 2. It may work as you heard last Day a visible Change in them such a Power may go along with that taste they like Saul might become other Men. 3. They might have the same Lamp of Profession with true Christians and be taken for real Converts not known to the Godly but to be such The wise Virgins doubtless thought well of the Foolish they did not know they were unsound or foolish Ones 4. Such a Work and Effect the Holy Spirit and tasting of the Word might have that they might be full of great Expectation of bâ—ing embraced by Christ when he comes if they fell not away before 'T is said the foolish Virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom they had much Confidence may be more Confidence tho it was Self-confidence that the Wise for true Believers may be attended with many Doubts Dr. Owen speaking of this sort mentioned in my Text saith and no doubt saith the Truth That there is an inferiour common Work of the Holy Spirit in the Dispensation of the Word on many to whom it is preached causing in them a great Alteration and Change as to Light Knowledg Abilities Gifts Affections Life and Conversation when the Persons so wrought upon are not quickned regenerated or made new Creatures nor united to Jesus Christ that in the Persons thus wrought upon there is or may be such an Assent and Light and Conviction of the Truth proposed and preached to them as in its kind is true not counterfeit giving or affording to them a Profession of the Faith That is they are blinded and know not that they are unsound in the Main their Hearts for want of true Light deceive them as in the Case of the foolish Virgins nay and they may perhaps hold out in their Profession constantly unto Death nay may give their Bodies to be burned O see Brethren that your Faith is the Faith of God's Elect and that you are savingly renewed O look about you since it may be thus The Doctor adds That among these Persons are oft-times some that are endued with excellent Gifts and lovely Parts Qualifications and Abilities rendering them very useful to the Church of God being Vessels in his House to hold and convey to others the precious Liquor of the Gospel though never had their own evil Hearts changed To which let me add they are such or of this sort of Persons who are liable to sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost or so fall that it may be impossible for them to be renewed by Repentance Yet before they so fall it may not be impossible for them to become true Converts The Nature of which Sin against the Holy Ghost I purpose to open before I close with this Text. Fourthly I shall proceed to shew you what a taste of God and of his good Word it is which all true Believers have 1. 'T is a taste that arises from Spiritual Hunger There is a true sense of Want they have a craving Appetite and nothing but God in Christ can satisfy their Souls My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God saith David And hence it is that they are pronounced blessed Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled not have only a taste No no but they shall be filled they shall eat to satisfaction They see that they want a Righteousness whereby they may be declared Just and Righteous before God namely the