Tempter with Defiance and Indignation This holy Fear is not a meer judicial Impression that restrains from Sin for the dreadful Punishment that follows for that servile Affection tho it may stop a Temptation and hinder the Eruption of a Lust into the gross Act yet it does not renew the Nature and make us Holy and Heavenly There may be a respective Dislike of Sin with a direct Affection to it Besides a meer servile Fear is repugnant to Nature and will be expell'd if possible Therefore that we may be in the Fear of the Lord all the day long we must regard him in his endearing Attributes his Love his Goodness and Compassion his rewarding Mercy and this will produce a filial Fear of Reverence and Caution lest we should offend so gracious a God As the natural Life is preserved by grateful Food not by Aloes and Wormwood which are useful Medicines so the Spiritual Life is maintained by the comfortable Apprehensions of God as the Rewarder of our Fidelity in all our Trials 2. Strip Sin of its Disguises wash off its flattering Colours that you may see its native Ugliness Joseph's reply to the Tempter How shall I do this great Wickedness Illusion and Concupiscence are the Inducements to Sin When a Lust represents the Temptation as very alluring and hinders the Reflection of the Mind upon the intrinsick and consequential Evil of Sin 't is like the putting Poison into the Glass but when it has so far corrupted the Mind that Sin is esteemed a small Evil Poison is thrown into the Fountain If we consider the Majesty of the Lawgiver there is no Law small nor Sin small that is the Transgression of it Yet the most are secure in an evil course by Conceits that their Sins are small 'T is true there is a vast difference between Sins in their Nature and Circumstances there are insensible Omissions and accusing Acts but the least is damnable Besides the allowance and number of Sins reputed small will involve under intolerable Guilt What is lighter than a Grain of Sand you may blow away a hundred with a Breath And what is heavier than a heap of Sand condens'd together 'T is our Wisdom and Duty to consider the Evil of Sin in its essential Malignity which implies no less than that God was neither wise nor good in making his Law and that he is not just and powerful to vindicate it And when tempted to any pleasant Sin to consider the due Aggravations of it as Joseph did which will controul the Efficacy of the Temptation I shall only add that when a Man has mortified the Lusts of the Flesh he has overcome the main part of the infernal Army that wars against the Soul Sensual Objects do powerfully and pleasantly insinuate into carnal Men and the Affections are very unwillingly restrain'd from them To undertake the Cure of those whose Disease is their Pleasure is almost a vain Attempt for they do not judg it an Evil to be regarded and will not accept distasteful Remedies 3. Fly all tempting occasions of Sin Joseph would not be alone with his Mistress There is no Vertue so confirmed and in that degree of Eminence but if one be frequently ingaged in vicious Society 't is in danger of being eclips'd and controul'd by the opposite Vice If the Ermins will associate with the Swine they must lie in the Mire if the Sheep with Wolves they must learn to bite and devour if Doves with Vultures they must learn to live on the Prey Our surest Guard is to keep at a distance from all engaging Snares He that from Carelesness or Confidence ventures into Temptations makes himself an easy Prey to the Tempter And let us daily pray for the Divine Assistance to keep us from the Evil of the World without which all our Resolutions will be as ineffectual as Ropes of Sand to bind us to our Duty 5. The Consideration of the Evil of Sin is a powerful Motive to our solemn and speedy Repentance The remembrance of our Original and Actual Sins will convince us that we are born for Repentance There are innumerable silent Sins that are unobserved and do not alarm the Conscience and altho a true Saint will neither hide any Sin nor suffer Sin to hide it self in his Breast yet the most holy Men in the World have great reason with the Psalmist to say with melting Affections Who can understand his Errors O cleanse me from my secret Sins discover them to me by the Light of the Word and cover them in the Blood of the Redeemer There are Sins of Infirmity and daily Incursion from which none can be perfectly freed in this mortal State these should excite our Watchfulness and be lamented with true Tears There are crying Sins of a Crimson Guilt which are to be confest with heart-breaking Sorrow confounding Shame and implacable Antipathy against them and to be forsaken for ever Of these some are of a deep die in their Nature and some from the Circumstances in committing them some are of a heinous Nature and more directly and expresly renounce our Duty and more immediately obstruct our Communion with God As a Mud-Wall intercepts the Light of the Sun from shining upon us 2. Some derive a greater Guilt from the Circumstances in the commission Such are 1. Sins against Knowledg for according to the Ingrediency of the Will in Sin the Guilt arises Now when Conscience interposes between the Carnal Heart and the Temptation and represents the Evil of Sin and deters from Compliance and yet Men will venture to break the Divine Law this exceedingly aggravates the Offence for such Sins are committed with a fuller Consent and are justly called Rebellion against the Light And the clearer the Light is the more it will increase the disconsolate fearful Darkness in Hell 2. Sins committed against the Love as well as the Law of God are exceedingly aggravated To pervert the Benefits we receive from God to his Dishonour to turn them into occasions of Sin which were designed to endear Obedience to us to sin licentiously and securely in hopes of an easy Pardon at last is intensive of our Guilt in a high degree This is to poison the Antidote and make it deadly There is a Sacrifice to reconcile offended Justice but if Men obstinately continue in Sin and abuse the Grace of the Gospel there is no Sacrifice to appease exasperated Mercy 3. Sins committed against solemn Promises and Engagements to forsake them have a deeper Die for Perfidiousness is join'd with this Disobedience The Divine Law strictly binds us to our Duty antecedently to our Consent but when we promise to obey it we increase our Obligations and by sinning break double Chains In short any habitual allowed Sin induces a heavy Guilt for it argues a deeper root and foundation of Sin in the Heart a stronger Inclination to it from whence the repeated Acts proceed which are new Provocations to the pure Eyes of God Accordingly in repenting
Reflections our Sorrow should be most afflicting our Humiliation deeper our Selfcondemnation most severe for those Sins which have been most dishonourable to God and defiling to us Not that we can make any Satisfaction for our Sins tho we should fill the Air with our Sighs and Heaven with our Tears but it becomes us to have our Sorrows inlarged in some proportion to our Unworthiness And this mournful Disposition prepares us for the Grace of God The Law does not allow Repentance but exacts entire Obedience 't is the Privilege of the Gospel that repenting Sinners are assur'd of Forgiveness without this Qualification 't is inconsistent with the Majesty Purity and Justice of God to extend pardoning Mercy to Sinners for they will never value nor humbly and ardently seek for Mercy till they feel the woful Effects of Sin in their Conscience only the stung Israelite would look to the brazen Serpent And this is requisite to prevent our relapsing into Sin for the Dominion of Sin being founded in the Love of Pleasure the proper means to extinguish it is by a bitter Repentance the Heart is first broken for Sin and then from it To conclude Let us renew our Repentance every day let not the Wounds of our Spirits putrify let not the Sun go down upon God's Wrath let us always renew the Application of Christ's Blood that alone can cleanse us from Sin SERMON III. 1 JOHN V. 2. By this we know we are the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments OF all the Marks that are useful in the Trial of our Spiritual State in reference to Eternity there is none affords a more clear and comfortable Assurance of God's special and saving Mercy than Love to the Saints This has often resolved the Doubts and quieted the Fears of afflicted enquiring Souls when other Graces have not been so apprehensible in their Operations But there is no Mark which the deceitful Heart does more securely rest upon through the mistake of Natural Human Love for that which is Spiritual and Divine It is therefore most worthy our serious Thoughts the Deceit being so easy and infinitely dangerous to shew what is the unfeigned genuine Love of the Brethren to which Salvation is annex'd to confirm the humble sincere Christian and undeceive presuming Hypocrites The great Design of St. John in this Epistle is to excite and enflame in Christians the Love of God and of their Brethren the two comprehensive Duties and bright Sum of the Law our principal Perfections in Heaven and Earth These he recommends by the most affectionate and obliging the most warming melting Perswasives the superlative Love of God to us and our Communion with the Saints in Nature and Grace In the former Verse the Apostle argues from the reality of the Effect as an Evidence of the Cause Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ that is the Saviour of the World foretold by the Prophets and expresses the Truth of that Faith in a sutable Conversation is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Grace is not less powerful in producing tender reciprocal Affections between the Off-spring of the same Heavenly Father than the subordinate Endearments of Nature The Pretence is vain of Love to God without loving his regenerate Children And in the Text he argues from the knowledg of the Cause to the discovering of the sincerity of the Effect By this we know that we love the Children of God with a holy Affection if we love God and keep his Commandments There is but one Difficulty to be removed that the Force of the Apostle's reasoning may appear 't is this a Medium to prove a thing must be a clearer Evidence than what is concluded by it Now tho a Demonstration from the Cause be more noble and scientifical yet that which is drawn from the Effect is more near to Sense and more discernable And this is verified in the Instance before us for the Love of God who is absolutely spiritual in his Being and Excellencies doth not with that sensible Fervour affect and passionately transport us as Love to his Children with whom we visibly converse and who are receptive of the most sensible Testimonies of our Affection Accordingly the Apostle argues He that loves not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen As the Motives to love our Brethren from our Conjunction in Nature and familiar Conversation are more capable to allure our Affections and more sensibly strike the Heart than the invisible Deity who is infinitely above us by the same reason we may more easily judg of the truth of our Love to them than of our Love to God To this the Answer is clear the Apostle doth not speak of the Love of God as a still silent contemplative Affection confined to the superiour Faculty of the Soul but as a burning shining Affection like Fire active and declarative of it self in those Effects that necessarily flow from it that is voluntary Obedience to his Commands and thus it becomes manifest to the renewed Conscience and is a most convincing Proof of the Sincerity of our Love to the Saints The Text being cleared affords this Doctrine Doct. The Sincerity of our Love to the Children of God is certainly discovered by our Love to God and Obedience to his Commands For the Illustration and Proof of the Point I will briefly shew I. Who are described by this Title The Children of God II. What is included in our Love to them III. What the Love of God is and the Obedience that flows from it IV. How from Love to God and willing Obedience to his Commands we may convincingly know the Sincerity of our Love to his Children To explain the first we must consider that this Title The Children of God is given upon several accounts First By Creation the Angels are called the Sons of God and Men his Off-spring The reason of the Title is 1. The manner of their Production by his immediate Power Thus he is stiled The Father of Spirits in distinction from the Fathers of the Flesh. For tho the Conception and forming of the Body be the Work of his secret Providence yet 't is by the hand of Nature the Parents concurring as the second Causes of it but the Production of the Soul is to be entirely ascribed to his Power without the Intervention of any Creature 2. In their spiritual immortal Nature and the intellectual Operations flowing from it there is an Image and Resemblance of God from whence this Title is common to all reasonable Creatures and peculiar to them for tho Matter may be ordered and fashioned by the Hand of God into a Figure of admirable Beauty yet 't is not capable of his Likeness and Image so that neither the Lights of Heaven nor the Beasts and Plants of the Earth are called his Children Secondly By External Calling and Covenant
Law the declared Will of his Maker accordingly a Law the Rule of his Obedience was written in his Heart Now Sin the Transgression of this Law contains many great Evils 1. Sin is a Rebellion against the Soveraign Majesty of God that gives the Life of Authority to the Law Therefore Divine Precepts are enforced with the most proper and binding Motive to Obedience I am the Lord. He that with purpose and pleasure commits Sin implicitely renounces his Dependance upon God as his Maker and Governour over-rules the Law and arrogates an irresponsible Licence to do his own Will This is exprest by those Atheistical Designers who said With our Tongue we will prevail our Lips are our own who is Lord over us The Language of Actions that is more natural and convincing than of Words declares that sinful Men despise the Commands of God as if they were not his Creatures and Subjects What a Dishonour what a Displeasure is it to the God of Glory that proud Dust should fly in his Face and controul his Authority He has ten thousand times ten thousand Angels that are high in Dignity and excel in Strength waiting in a Posture of Reverence and Observance about his Throne ready to do his Will How provoking is it for a despicable Worm to contravene his Law and lift his Hand against him It will be no Excuse to plead the Commands of Men for Sin for as much as God is more glorious than Men so much more are his Commands to be respected and obeyed than Mens When there is an evident Opposition between the Laws of Men and of God we must disobey our Superiours tho we displease them and obey our Supream Ruler He that does what is forbidden or neglects to do what is commanded by the Divine Law to please Men tho invested with the highest Sovereignty on Earth is guilty of double Wickedness of Impiety in deposing God and Idolatry in deifying Men. It is an extream Aggravation of this Evil in that Sin as it is a disclaiming our Homage to God so 't is in true account a yielding Subjection to the Devil For Sin is in the strictest Propriety his Work The Original Rebellion in Paradise was by his Temptation and all the actual and habitual Sins of Men since the Fall are by his efficacious Influence He darkens the Carnal Mind and sways the polluted Will he excites and inflames the vicious Affections and imperiously rules in the Children of Disobedience He is therefore stiled the Prince and God of this World And what more contumelious Indignity can there be than the preferring to the glorious Creator of Heaven and Earth a damned Spirit the most cursed part of the Creation It is most reasonable that the Baseness of the Competitor should be a Foil to reinforce the Lustre of God's Authority yet Men reject God and comply with the Tempter O prodigious Perversness 2. Sin vilifies the ruling Wisdom of God that prescrib'd the Law to Men. Altho the Dominion of God over us be Supreme and Absolute yet 't is exercis'd according to the Counsel of his VVill by the best Means for the best Ends he is accordingly stiled by the Apostle The eternal King and only wise God 'T is the glorious Prerogative of his Soveraignty and Deity that he can do no Wrong for he necessarily acts according to the Excellencies of his Nature Particularly his Wisdom is so relucent in his Laws that the serious Contemplation of it will ravish the sincere Minds of Men into a Compliance with them They are framed with exact Congruity to the Nature of God and his Relation to us and to the Faculties of Man before he was corrupted From hence the Divine Law being the Transcript not only of God's Will but his Wisdom binds the Understanding and Will our leading Faculties to esteem and approve to consent and choose all his Precepts as best Now Sin vilifies the Infinite Understanding of God with respect both to the Precepts of the Law the Rule of our Duty and the Sanction annex'd to confirm its Obligation It does constructively tax the Precepts as unequal too rigid and severe a Confinement to our Wills and Actions Thus the impious Rebels complain The Ways of the Lord are not equal as injurious to their Liberty and not worthy of Observance What St. James saith to correct the uncharitable censorious Humour of some in his time He that speaks Evil of his Brother and judges his Brother speaks Evil of the Law and judges the Law as an imperfect and rash Rule is applicable to Sinners in any other kind As an unskilful Hand by straining too high breaks the Strings of an Instrument and spoils the Musick so the Strictness and the Severity of the Precepts breaks the harmonious Agreement between the Wills of Men and the Law and casts an Imputation of Imprudence upon the Law-giver This is the implicit Blasphemy in Sin Besides the Law has Rewards and Punishments to secure our Respects and Obedience to it The wise God knows the Frame of the reasonable Creature what are the inward Springs of our Actions and has accordingly propounded such Motives to our Hope and Fear the most active Passions as may engage us to perform our Duty He promises his Favour that is better than Life to the Obedient and threatens his Wrath that is worse than Death to the Rebellious Now Sin makes it evident that these Motives are not effectual in the Minds of Men And this reflects upon the Wisdom of the Law-giver as if defective in not binding his Subjects firmly to their Duty for if the Advantage or Pleasure that may be gain'd by Sin be greater than the Reward that is promised to Obedience and the Punishment that is threatned against the Transgression the Law is unable to restrain from Sin and the Ends of Government are not obtained Thus Sinners in venturing upon forbidden things reproach the Understanding of the Divine Law-giver 3. Sin is a Contrariety to the unspotted Holiness of God Of all the glorious and benign Constellations of the Divine Attributes that shine in the Law of God his Holiness has the brightest Lustre God is holy in all his Works but the most venerable and precious Monument of his Holiness is the Law For the Holiness of God consists in the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his moral Perfections Wisdom Goodness and Justice and the Law is the perfect Copy of his Nature and Will The Psalmist who had a purged Eye saw and admir'd its Purity and Perfection The Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the Eyes The Word is very near therefore thy Servant loves it 'T is the perspicuous Rule of our Duty without Blemish or Imperfection The Commandment is holy just and good It injoins nothing but what is absolutely Good without the least Tincture of Evil. The Sum of it is set down by the Apostle to live soberly that is to abstain from any thing that
them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and Order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give Ear O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2dly 'T was the unvaluable Goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his Rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good Report whatsoever are vertuous and Praise-worthy In Obedience to it the Innocence and Perfection of the reasonable Creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Man's Creation by an illustrious Revelation to shew him his Duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the Circle of its Precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious Design was to keep Man in his Love that from the Obedience of the reasonable Creature the Divine Goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeigned and excellent Goodness the Sinner outragiously despises for what greater Contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it under foot And this constructively the Sinner does to the Law of God which Contempt extends to the gracious Giver of it Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by Sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extream vilifying of God's Goodness in preferring Carnal Pleasures to his Favour and Communion with him wherein the Life the Felicity the Heaven of the reasonable Creature consists God is Infinite in all possible Perfections All sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any Competitor and requires to be supream in our Esteem and Affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural Light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an Observation of St. Austin That it was a Rule amongst the Heathens that a wise Man should worship all their Deities The Romans were so insatiable in Idolatry that they sent to Foreign Countries to bring the Gods of several Nations an unpolish'd Stone a tame Serpent that were reputed Deities they received with great Solemnity and Reverence But the true God had no Temple no Worship in Rome where there was a Pantheon dedicated to the Honour of all the false Gods The Reason he gives of it is that the true God who alone has Divine Excellencies and Divine Empire will be worship'd alone and strictly forbids the Assumption of any into his Throne To adore any besides him is infinitely debasing and provoking to his dread Majesty Now Sin in its Nature is a Conversion from God to the Creature and whatever the Temptation be in yielding to it there is signified that we choose something before his Favour Sin is founded in bono jucundo something that is delectable to the Carnal Nature 't is the universal Character of Carnal Men They are Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God To some Riches are the most alluring Object The young Man in the Gospel when our Saviour commanded him to give his Estate to the Poor and he should have Treasure in Heaven went away sorrowful as if he had been offer'd to his loss To others the Pleasures that in strict Propriety are sensual are most charming Love is the Weight of the Soul that turns it not like a dead Weight of the Scales but with Election freely to its Object in the carnal Ballance the present Things of the World are of conspicuous Moment and out-weigh Spiritual and Eternal Blessings Altho the Favour of God be eminently all that can be desir'd under the Notion of Riches or Honour or Pleasure and every Atom of our Affection is due to him yet Carnal Men think it a cheap Purchase to obtain the good Things of this World by sinful means with the loss of his Favour This their Actions declare Prodigious Folly as if a few Sparks struck out of a Flint that can neither afford Light or Warmth were more desirable than the Sun in its Brightness And how contumelious and provoking it is to God he declares in the most moving Expressions Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. For my People have committed two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and hewed them out broken Cisterns that can hold no Water This immediately was charg'd upon the Jews who set up Idols of Jealousy and ador'd them rather than the glorious Jehovah and in proportion 't is true of all Sinners for every vicious Affection prefers some vain Object before his Love and the Enjoyment of his glorious Presence that is the Reward of Obedience 5. The Sinner disparages the impartial Justice of God In the Divine Law there is a Connexion between Sin and Punishment the Evil of doing and the Evil of suffering This is not a meer Arbitrary Constitution but founded on the inseparable Desert of Sin and the Rectitude of God's Nature which unchangeably loves Holiness and hates Sin Altho the threatning does not lay a strict necessity upon the Lawgiver always to inflict the Punishment yet God having declar'd his equal Laws as the Rule of our Duty and of his Judgment if they should be usually without Effect upon Offenders the Bands of Government would be dissolv'd and consequently the Honour of his Justice stain'd both with respect to his Nature and Office for as an essential Attribute 't is the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his Moral Perfections and as Soveraign Ruler he is to preserve Equity and Order in his Kingdom Now those who voluntarily break his Law presume upon Impunity The first rebellious Sin was committed upon this Presumption God threatn'd If you eat the forbidden Fruit you shall die the Serpent says Eat and you shall not die and assenting to the Temptation Adam fell to Disobedience And ever since Men are fearless to sin upon the same Motive God chargeth the wicked Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self not concern'd to punish the Violation of his sacred Laws The Sinner commits the Divine Attributes to fight against one another presuming that Mercy will disarm Justice and stop its terrible Effects upon impenitent obstinate Sinners From hence they become bold and harden'd in the continuance of their Sins There is a Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood and when the Curse of the Law is declar'd and denounc'd against Sin the Wicked blesseth himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace tho I walk in the Imagination of my Heart
an inconceiveable Evil there is in Sin and how hateful it is to the most High when God who is Love who is stiled the Father of Mercies has prepared and does inflict such Plagues for ever for the Transgression of his holy Laws and such is the Equity of his Judgment that he never punishes Offenders above their Desert I shall now apply this Doctrine by reflecting the Light of it upon our Minds and Hearts 1. This discovers how perverse and depraved the Minds and Wills of Men are to chuse Sin rather than Affliction and break the Divine Law for the obtaining Temporal Things If one with an attentive Eye regards the generality of Mankind what Dominion present and sensible Things have over them how securely and habitually they sin in prosecution of their Carnal Aims as if the Soul should not survive the Body as if there were no Tribunal above to examine no Judg to sentence and punish Sinners if he has not Marble Bowels it will excite his Compassion or Indignation What Comparison is there between the good Things of this World and of the next in Degrees or Duration Aiery Honour Sensual Pleasures and Worldly Riches are but the thin Appearances of Happiness Shadows in Masquerade that cannot afford solid Content to an immortal Spirit the Blessedness of Heaven replenishes with everlasting Satisfaction What Proportion is there between the light and momentary Afflictions here and a vast Eternity fill'd with Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish and desperate Sorrow What stupid Beast what Monster of a Man would prefer a superficial transient Delight the Pleasure of a short Dream before ever-satisfying Joys Or to avoid a slight Evil venture upon Destruction Yet this is the true Case of Sinners if they can obtain the World with the loss of Heaven they count it a valuable Purchase if they can compound so as to escape Temporal Troubles tho involved under Guilt that brings extream and eternal Misery they think it a saving Bargain Amazing Folly Either they believe or do not the Recompences in the future State if they do not how unaccountable is their Impiety If they do 't is more prodigious they do not feel the Powers of the World to come so as to regulate their Lives and controul the strongest Temptations to sin against God A wicked Believer is moâ—e guilty than a wicked Infidel How could we conceive it possible were it not visible in their Actions that Men who have judicative Faculties to compare and distinguish things and accordingly be moved with Desires or Fears should with ardent Affections pursue despicable Vanities and neglect substantial Happiness and be fearful of the Shadows of Dangers and intrepid in the midst of the truest Dangers He is a desperate Gamester that will venture a Crown at a Throw against some petty Advantage yet this is really done by Sinners who hazard the loss of Heaven for this World they hang by slender Strings a little Breath that expires every moment over bottomless Perdition and are insensible without any palpitation of Heart any sign of Fear How strong is the Delusion and Concupiscence of the carnally-minded The Lusts of the Flesh bribe and corrupt their Understandings or divert them from serious Consideration of their Ways and the Issues of them From hence it is they are presently entangled and vanquish'd by sensual Temptations they are cozen'd by the Colours of Good and Evil and Satan easily accomplishes his most pernicious and envious Design to make Men miserable as himself How just is the Reproach of Wisdom How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Fools hate Knowledg The Light of Reason and Revelation shines upon them they have not the excuse of Ignorance but the righteous and heavy Condemnation of those who love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil 'T is no mean degree of Guilt to extenuate Sin and make an Apology for Sinners The wisest of Men tells us Fools make a mock of Sin they count it a fond Niceness a silly Preciseness to be fearful of offending God They boast of their deceitful Arts and Insinuations whereby they represent Sin as a light matter to corrupt others But 't is infinitely better to be defective in the Subtilty of the Serpent than in the Innocence of the Dove A meer Natural who is only capable of sensitive Actions and is distinguish'd from a Brute by his shape is not such a forlorn Sot as the sinful Fool. What the Prophet Jeremy speaks of one who gets Riches unjustly that he shall leave them and in the end die a Fool will be verified of the wilful obstinate Sinner in the end he shall by the terrible Conviction of his own Mind be found guilty of the most woful Folly and how many have acknowledged in their last hours when usually Men speak with the most feeling and least Affectation how have they in words of the Psalmist arraigned themselves So foolish have we been and like Beasts before thee 2. From hence we may be instructed of the wonderful Patience of God who bears with a World of Sinners that are obnoxious to his Justice and under his Power every day If we consider the number and aggravations of Mens Sins how many have out-told the Hairs of their Heads in actual Transgressions how mighty and manifest their Sins are that the Deity and Providence are questioned for the suspending of Vengeance And yet that God notwithstanding all their enormous Injuries and violent Provocations is patient towards Sinners it cannot but fill us with Admiration His Mercy like the cheerful Light of the Sun visits us every Morning with its benign Influences his Justice like Thunder rarely strikes the Wicked He affords not only the Supports of Life but many Comforts and Refreshments to the unthankful and rebellious 'T is not from any Defect in his Power that they are not consum'd but from the Abundance of his Mercy He made the World without any strain of his Power and can as easily destroy it he has an innumerable Company of Angels attending his Commands and every Angel is an Army in strength one of them destroyed an hundred and fourscore and five thousand in a Night He can use the most despicable and weakest Creatures Frogs and Lice and Flies as Instruments of Vengeance to subdue the proudest Pharaoh the most obstinate Rebels He sees Sin where-ever it is and hates it where-ever he sees it yet his Patience endures their crying Sins and his long-Suffeing expects their Repentance The Lord is not slack as some Men count slackness but he is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He spares Sinners with such Indulgence in order to their Salvation 'T is deservedly one of his Royal Titles The God of Patience Our fierce Spirits are apt to take Fire and Revenge for every Injury real or suppos'd but the great God who is infinitely sensible of all the Indignities offer'd to his Majesty
for some growing Distemper every Corrosive is for some proud Flesh that must be taken away In short they are deliberate Dispensations to cause Men to reflect upon their Works and Ways and break off their Sins by sincere Obedience Therefore we are commanded to hear the Voice of the Rod and who hath appointed it 'T is a Preacher of Repentance to lead us to the Knowledg and Consideration of our selves The Distress of Joseph's Brethren was to revive their Memory of his Sorrows caused by their Cruelty Now when Men disregard the Embassy of the Rod are unconvinceable notwithstanding its lively Lessons when they neither look up to him that strikes nor within to the Cause that provokes his Displeasure when they are careless to reform their Ways and to comply with his holy Will as if Afflictions were only common Accidents of this mutable State the Effects of rash Fortune or blind Fate without Design and Judgment and not sent for their Amendment this is a prodigious despising of God's Hand For this reason the Scripture compares Men to the most inobservant Creatures to the wild Asses Colt the deaf Adder to the silly Dove without Heart and the Advantage is on the Beasts side for their Inconsideration proceeds meerly from the Incapacity of Matter of which they are wholly compos'd to perform reflex Acts but Man's Incogitancy is the sole fault of his Spirit that wilfully neglects his Duty The Prophet charges this Guilt upon the Jews Lord when thy Hand is lifted up they will not see 2. Insensibility of Heart is an eminent degree of despising the Lord's Chastenings A pensive feeling of Judgments is very congruous whether we consider them in genere Physico or Morali either materially as afflictive to Nature or as the signs of Divine Displeasure for the Affections were planted in the Human Nature by the Hand of God himself and are duly exercised in proportion to the quality of their Objects And when Grace comes it softens the Breast and gives a quick and tender sense of God's Frown An eminent Instance we have in David tho of Heroical Courage yet in his sad ascent to Mount Olivet he went up weeping with his Head covered and his Feet bare to testify his humble and submissive sense of God's Anger against him Now when Men are insensible of Judgments either considered as natural or penal Evils if when they suffer the loss of Relations or other Troubles they presently fly to the Comforts of the Heathens that we are all mortal and what can't be help'd must be endured without the Sense Humanity requires that Calm is like that of the dead Sea a real Curse Or suppose natural Affection works a little yet there is no Apprehension and Concernment for God's Displeasure which should be infinitely more affecting than any outward Trouble how sharp soever no serious deep Humiliation under his Hand no yielding up our selves to his Management this most justly provokes him of this Temper were those described by Jeremiah Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they refused to receive Correction Secondly The Causes of this despising of God's Chastenings are 1. A contracted Stupidity of Soul proceeding from a course in Sin There is a natural Stubbornness and Contumacy in the Heart against God a vicious Quality derived from rebellious Adam we are all hewn out of the Rock and dig'd out of the Quarry and this is one of the worst Effects of Sin and a great part of its Deceitfulness that by stealth it increaseth the natural Hardness by degrees it creeps on like a Gangreen and causes an Indolency The Practice of Sin makes the Heart like an Adamant the hardest of Stones that exceeds that of Rocks From hence proceeds such Unteachableness of the Mind that when God speaks and strikes yet Sinners will not be convinc'd that Briars and Thorns are only effectual to teach them and such an Untractableness in the Will that when the Sinner is stormed by Affliction and some Light breaks into the Understanding yet it refuseth to obey God's Call 2. Carnal Diversions are another Cause of slighting God's Hand The Pleasures and Cares of the World as they render Men inapprehensive of Judgments to come so regardless of those that are present Some when ever they feel the Smart of a Cross use all the Arts of Oblivion to lose the Sense of it The Affliction instead of a leading them to Repentance leads them to vain Conversations to Comedies and other sinful Delights to drive away Sorrow Others altho they do not venture upon forbidden things to relieve their Melancholy yet when God by sharp and sensible Admonitions calls upon them they have presently recourse to Temporal Comforts which altho lawful and innocent in themselves yet are as unproper at that time as the taking of a Cordial when a Vomit begins to work for whereas Chastisements are sent to awaken and affect us by considering our Sins in their bitter Fruits this unseasonable Application of sensual Comforts wholly defeats God's Design For nothing so much hinders serious Consideration as a voluptuous indulging the Senses in things pleasing like Opiate Medicines they stupify the Conscience and benumn the Heart 'T is Solomon's Expression I said of Laughter It is mad for as Distraction breaks the Connexion of the Thoughts so Mirth shuffles our most serious Thoughts into disorder and causes Men to pass over their Troubles without Reflection and Remorse And as the Pleasures so the Business of the World cause a supine Security under Judgments We have an amazing Instance of it in Hiel the Bethlemite who laid the Foundation of his City in the Death of his First-born and set up the Gates of it in his youngest Son yet he was so intent upon his Building that he disregarded the Divine Nemesis that was apparent fulfilling the terrible Threatning prophesied against the Builder of Jericho 3. An obstinate fierceness of Spirit a Diabolical Fortitude is the Cause that sometimes Men despise afflicting Providences so far as to resist them There is a passive Malignity in all an Unaptness to be wrought on and to receive Spiritual and Heavenly Impressions from God's Hand but in some of the Sons of Perdition there is an active Malignity whereby they furiously repel Judgments as if they could oppose the Almighty Their Hearts are of an Anvil-Temper made harder by Afflictions and reverberate the Blow like that Roman Emperor who instead of humbling and reforming at God's Voice in Thunder thundred back again All Judgments that befal them are as Strokes given to wild Beasts that instead of taming them enrage them to higher degrees of Fierceness The Prophet described some of this Rank of Sinners who said in the Pride and Stoutness of their Hearts the Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen Stones the Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars And many though not Explicitly yet
have other Affairs other Desires which they regard and pursue they are tost in the Labyrinth of the World and have no Time nor Inclination to secure their main Interest 'T is further observable from the Excuses alleged in the Parable of a Purchase and a Marriage and as 't is said in Mat. 22. That the Invited made light of it one went to his Farm and another to his Merchandise that those Temptations of the World are most perswasive and fatal to Men that seem to be very natural and innocent For what Duty is more clearly natural and reasonable than to make Provision of Supplies sutable to their Condition and State to their Charge and Families 'T is true Conscience and Prudence require that Men should be diligent in their Callings for the Support and Comfort of the present Life But the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness that leads to it must be sought in the first place The brightest Valuations the most inflam'd Affections the most vigorous and constant Endeavours are due to Heaven Now the Minds and Faculties of Men are limited and cannot with intense and equal Ardency apply themselves to various Objects If the World be the main Object of their Care and Counsel the Vigor of their leading and instrumental Faculties will be less free and active for Heaven And from hence it is that the Affairs and Engagements of this World tho immediately they do not deprive Men of Heaven yet mediately they are destructive to them for they lessen their Esteem cool their Affections slack their Endeavours to obtain it they oppress their Spirits ingross their Time that they have no leisure to work out their own Salvation They make them receptive of many Temptations which wound their Souls to Death for ever The constant Spring of the Sins and Misery of Men is from hence they have forgot the regular use of the Creatures as Means and Motives of their ascending to God they understand not the Rule of Wisdom to make Temporal Things subordinate to Eternal they have lost the happy Temper of not totally declining the World nor of eager embracing it In short they would enjoy the World and only use God in their Exigencies 'T is therefore inculcated in Scripture That the Friends of the World are the Enemies of God and that the Love of the World is inconsistent with the Love of the Father 'T is a most dangerous Sin being so hardly discernable and hardly cur'd for the more appearance there is of Reason and the less of Sensuality in a Sin the more it insinuates and prevails We usually judg of Sins by the Foulness of the external Act but the Guilt of it principally arises from its inward Contrariety to God The Love of the World dethrones God in the Hearts of Men other Sins dishonour him in breaking his Laws this reproaches him as less worthy of our Respects When it has free Dominion it will as certainly tho silently destroy the Souls of those who are of a fair Reputation in the Eyes of Men as the Riots of notorious Sinners will be their Ruine 2dly The corrupt World those who are stiled the Children of this World by their Example and by their Opposition are Obstacles in the way to Heaven 1. By Example for the broad Way is beaten by the Multitude and few strive to enter in at the strait Gate that leads to Eternal Life Now Men easily receive the Impression of Example Of this there is palpable Evidence for when Sins are common the numbers of the Guilty diminish the Sense and Shame of the Guilt But if Conscience be sometimes unquiet they smother the Sparks of Conviction in their Breasts and make a resolute Reckoning they shall be in no worse condition than others Miserable Comfort as if one tortur'd on a Rack could receive any Mitigation of his Pains by the sight of many others suffering the same Torture So contagious are the Fashions and Manners of the World that a principal end of our Saviour's Death was to deliver us from this present evil World that is not from the Place but from the depraved State and sinful Practices of the Men of the World The Apostle Peter remembers Believers Ye know that ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot So deep was the Pollution it could only be wash'd out in that precious Fountain The Principles and Ways of the World have a mighty Influence to blind and harden Men in Conformity to them The Heathen Idolatries and Impurities were continued so long in the World being commended and establish'd by publick Custom and accordingly the Apostle tells the Ephesians they in time past walked according to the course of the World Now to apply this more closely to the present Subject 't is visible by the Conversation of Men in the World that their Aims their Appetites their Endeavours are terminated in the World their Souls cleave to it the Train and Tendency of their Actions leads to it A superficial Tincture of Religion a Complemental Visit to God sometimes in publick Worship contents the most but their Thoughts their Time and Strength are spent to obtain and enjoy the present World for 't is esteem'd their main Interest and Heaven is only sought by the by as an Accession to their Felicity Now we usually approve and affect things according to common Opinions and Practice tho unreasonable and exorbitant The Psalmist speaking of the gathering uncertain Riches observes this their way is their Folly yet their Posterity approve their Sayings they imitate the Folly of their Progenitors tho fatal to them Men are vain in their Minds and secure in their Sins by Conformity to the numerous Examples that encompass them Nay a regenerate Man by conversing with the unregenerate World is in danger to be tainted in his Judgment and to be irregular in his Affections to Earthly Things he is apt to conceive so highly and to frame such glorious and goodly Ideas of Worldly Excellencies that his Desires are inflam'd to attain them and proportionably he is chill'd and controul'd in the Alacrity and Vigor of his Endeavours after heavenly things Thus as a fresh-Water River by its nearness to the Sea has a brackish Taste so even the Citizens of Heaven are prone to be Earthly-minded by their Society with the Children of this World 'T is the wise and earnest Advice of the Apostle Be not conformed to this World but be ye transform'd by the renewing of your Minds that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God The Corruption of the World has deeply seiz'd upon us since to purge it away a Man must be melted anew and transform'd into another Creature So difficult it is for a Carnal Man to resist the united Force and potent Sway of corrupt Nature and
2. Men are miserably deceived about Repentance This is indispensably required not only by the Command but as a Disposition that qualifies the Sinner for pardoning Mercy For altho the Majesty and Supremacy of God be illustriously visible in pardoning Sinners and 't is most evident that his Authority is above the Rigor of the Law and his Mercy is infinitely free yet they are always exercis'd correspondently to his essential and unchangeable Perfections his ruling Wisdom his unspotted Holiness and governing Justice From hence it follows that a Sinner remaining in the Love and under the Power of his Sins is not a capable Object of pardoning Mercy Who can conceive that a wise Prince should send forth a Proclamation of Pardon to Rebels without their Consent to return to their Allegiance John the Baptist the Forerunner of the Rising Sun of Righteousness the Morning-Star of the Gospel preach'd the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins Even our Saviour begins his preaching the Gospel with this Repent ye and believe the Gospel St. Peter directed those who were anxious and inquiring about their Salvation Repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins He repeats this Doctrine in Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the Times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. And he gives Testimony of the Resurrection of Christ Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sins According to this unalterable Tenor of the Gospel Repentance is the Condition that qualifies the Subject without which no Man is pardoned Some are strangely scrupulous of using this word Condition tho 't is authorized by the full Current of the Reformed Divines and I know none more convenient to express the necessity of it in a pardon'd Person Our Saviour tells his Disciples Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Are not those words a Conditional Assertion upon what Terms they possess that inestimable Privilege of being his Friends Thus when God invites Men to come out from the Pollutions of the World and to touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be your Father and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Are not these Conditional Promises And upon the Performance of the Terms the Blessing will be bestowed and not otherwise 'T is objected that the asserting Repentance to be the Condition of Pardon lessens the Grace of the Gospel but this is a great Mistake for Repentance is an Evangelical Duty and Grace The Law requires Innocence and perfect Obedience or condemns without Mercy the Gospel commands and accepts Repentance This Grace was purchas'd by our Saviour and is wrought in us by the holy Spirit and join'd with Faith are the first Fruits of the returning Sinner to God When 't is exercis'd in the most eminent degrees it has not the least Merit nor Causality in the obtaining Pardon If a repenting Sinner could fill the Air with his Sighs and Heaven with his Tears if all his vital Springs were open'd and Streams of Blood flow'd out they cannot be satisfactory to God's injured Justice The unreconcilable Hatred of Sin the ardent Love of Holiness and stedfast Resolution to follow it which are Ingredients in sincere Repentance tho they are pleasing to God yet are the Duty of the reasonable Creature before the commission of Sin and therefore can deserve nothing of God But the ordaining an inseparable Connexion between Repentance and Pardon is honourable to God and very beneficial to Men for there is no State of Misery more miserable than for the Sinner to be hardned in his Sins But to return from this Digression The Scripture describes Repentance by a sincere Change and Renovation of the Mind the leading Faculty by the entire turning of the Heart from the love of Sin to the love of Holiness by the active lively Passions Sorrow Fear Shame Indignation Zeal that are principal Ingredients in it and by the Fruits worthy of Repentance and Works meet for Repentance 'T is called Repentance from dead Works and Repentance unto Life Now Men are willingly deceived with an insincere and ineffective Repentance either with a meer mental Change or with broken Resolutions instead of the intire Heart or with the leaving some Sins and retaining others that are sutable to their Humours and Lusts. They confess their Sins and condemn themselves for them sometimes they have flashing Thoughts melting Affections good Purposes to forsake Sin this they think to be sincere Repentance but when a Temptation appears they are easily overcome and live in the habitual Practice of their provoking Sins This Conceit of their being true Penitents is as unreasonable as if one that has a returning Ague should think himself freed from his Disease in the intervals of his Fits Now to quiet Conscience they readily apply to themselves the words of the Apostle What I do I allow not And since the best Saints while they are in sympathy with frail Flesh cannot be perfect but many Sins they unwarily and unwillingly commit which are Infirmities lamented by them and graciously forgiven by their Heavenly Father therefore indulgent Sinners take shelter under this Pretence that their Relapses are meer unavoidable Infirmities But what Weakness can be pretended for wilful habitual Sins Such Excuses do not cover their Guilt but discover their strong Affections to their Lusts They have not the Excuse of Ignorance to pretend the Flesh and the World are omnipotent Enemies that cannot be resisted is to blaspheme the Grace of the holy Spirit In short a new Life is inseparable from Repentance in its Reality Sad and serious Thoughts Sighs and Tears the sorrowful Confession of Sins and good Purposes against them are the Blossoms of Repentance ineffective without the substantial Fruits of it in a reformed Conversation 'T is one of the Arts of Satan to join things together that are inconsistent In Paradise he assured the Woman that she might take of the forbidden Tree and of the Tree of Life and he now deceives many with the hope that their indulged repeated Sins are consistent with Repentance But if Men do not forsake the foul Sins they lament their Sorrow will go with them to Hell and settle in the Worm that shall never die Fifthly The Tempter hinders Men from Compliance with the present Invitations of Grace by suggesting there will be time enough for accepting them hereafter and a future Repentance will be sufficient to redress all their Miscarriages By this Deceit he trains them on to Ruin By this he eludes the Force of present Convictions that without Repentance they must perish for ever and puts Men out of the Compass of Conversion 'T is clear by its own Light and needs no other Proof that present Obedience is due to the Commands of God To day if you will hear
his Voice harden not your Hearts Yet against all the Evidence of the Word without and of Conscience within Satan so strongly deceives Men that they rebelliously neglect their Duty till their Time and Life are expiring But how unbecoming how difficult how hazardous is a late Repentance How unbecoming is it to put off God till hereafter Such is his glorious Majesty we should with the most reverent Respect and humble Thankfulness obey his first Call If a Prince should invite a Subject to come to him for some great Favour would he so break all the Rules of Decorum as to delay his coming by saying Hereafter will be time enough And what is the greatest Majesty on Earth to the God of Glory no more than a More to the Sun and proportionably the Indignity arises to neglect the Offers of his Grace Besides how incongruous is it to give the Flower of our Time and Strength to our Lusts and to reserve the Bran for God To spend the Age of our vital and vigorous Actions in the Vanities and Business of the World and to allow only our languishing Age for the obtaining of Heaven That Men should content themselves with dead Affections in his Service who is their Life that were so lively in the Service of Sin that is their Death How difficult is a late Repentance Can you repent and believe at your pleasure Men think that in their Age after the ebbing and retirement of the carnal Affections they shall more easily forsake their Sins but 't is a pernicious Deceit The native Corruption of Mens Hearts alienates them from a dutiful return to God and contracted Corruption by habitual Practice fastens them in Sin as their Centre In Youth when the Blood and Spirits are high and fierce the Body has a corrupting Influence upon the Mind but by Custom in Sin the Mind is so depraved that it heats the frozen Blood and corrupts the Body Suppose the exciting Grace of the Spirit be not totally withdrawn which has often been ineffectual Can it be expected that after Men have been hardened in the commission and continuance of Sin they should be more receptive of Heavenly Impressions A Disease neglected at first that stealingly slips into the Habit of the Body and gradually weakens Nature becomes at last uncontroulable and incurable How hazardous is it to neglect present Obedience to the Call of Divine Mercy Our Days in the Language of the Psalmist are but as an hand-breadth and can Men extend their Lives beyond their Span A vast Eternity follows without Dimensions an undivided Duration It is no more in their Power to continue Time to come than to recal Time past How many are surpriz'd by hasty Death in their Security and die in their unrepented Sins and perish for ever The wise Man alarms the Sluggard with approaching Poverty and his Expressions are very applicable to the Delayers of Repentance Death comes like a Traveller gradually by silent Steps and as an armed Man will irresistably arrest them and Damnation follows which they can neither repel nor discover till they are seiz'd by it O that deluded Sinners would consider that nothing so ripens them for Death and accelerates Judgment as the Presumption that the Season of Grace will continue notwithstanding their lavish and careless wasting it But suppose that Life be extended to the utmost Date can you expect that the holy Spirit should visit you that have been so long putrifying in the Grave and breath a new Life into you 'T is the most severe threatning My Spirit shall not always strive with Man and then their Case is desperate There is a fearful Example recorded in Scripture the old World was first drowned in Sensuality and resisted the holy Spirit till he was withdrawn and then the Deluge wash'd away those Swine in their Mire Can you expect that at last when the World and your Sins leave you God will accept and receive you You are commanded to seek him in your early Spring in the first Dawnings of his Light and Favour and is a poor Remnant of your Life sufficient for obtaining his Meroy The Harlots respected not the dead but contended for the living Child Satan and the World strive to have the prime and best part of your Lives and will God be contented with the dying Remains Or do you expect an easy Composition for all the Abuse of his Benefits because of his Patience Do you presume because he forbears so long he will readily forgive at last The Servant not call'd to an account till he was run into an irrecoverable Arrearage of ten thousand Talents was delivered to the Tormentors till he should pay all his Debt How are Men degenerated and fallen lower than the Brute Creatures The Stork in the Heaven knows her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but Men know not the Judgment of the Lord. This Consideration made our compassionate Saviour dip his Words in Tears He beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes O wretched deceived Souls how long will you neglect a Saviour and Salvation How long shall he wait to be gracious and expect your lingering Repentance in vain Remember the time of Grace is limited if you refuse Obedience to the present Call do you know he will renew the Offers of his Grace Now is the accepted Time now is the Day of Salvation Will this New last for ever There is no Now of Favour and Hope in Hell 'T is true God is merciful and 't is one of his Royal Titles The God of Patience though Threatnings are denounced against Sinners and Judgments are ready to seize upon them he repents and stops his Wrath but there is no State more fearful in this World than when Men by neglecting Repentance make God weary of repenting When Patience has had its perfect Work towards the Unrelenting and Unreformed Justice succeeds before God cuts off a Sinner he cuts off all his Excuses Read with Fear the first of the Proverbs Because I have called and you refused I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear cometh God's Frown much more his Scorn is infinitely terrible and insupportable Those who delay Repentance till the Body is diseased all over and Death is printed in the Countenance and the languishing Lights are almost quench'd and the vital Frame is near a Dissolution yet presume a few Sighs will transport their Souls to Heaven How just and dreadful will their Disappointment be However they are deceived God is not mocked as a Man sows he shall reap SERMON IX LUKE xiv 23. The Lord said to the Servant Compel them to come in that my House may be full II. I Am now to consider the Means by which Men are wrought on to accept of the Invitations of
it was requisite to atone the just Displeasure of God for our Offences 'T is said he offered his own Body on the Tree his peculiar Right in it was requisite to make it a proper and acceptable Sacrifice 'T is true the Father and holy Spirit had the same Right in the Human Nature of Christ as the Son had with respect to the making it but the Son by assuming it into a Personal Union with himself has a peculiar Right in it and offer'd his own in a strict sense And in Consequence to this his Sacrifice was of infinite Value He did not compound with God but paid a Ransom equivalent to what was due for Sinners He bled a Fountain from his wounded Side that cleanses from all Sin 2dly By his Intercession He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make Intercession for them God pardons Sin as a Soveraign upon the Throne his Authority is preserved entire without any Condescension of his Person therefore the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross is pleaded in Heaven to reconcile God to us he satisfied Justice and sollicites Mercy his Blood speaks still and its Voice is as powerful as ever The Prevalency of his Intercession depends upon the Dignity of his Sacrifice the Dearness of his Person to the Father does also assure us of his favourable Audience He declar'd on Earth I know thou always hearest me 3dly The Gospel sets forth his Willingness to save us Faith has an Aspect upon Christ as able and willing to save for Power without a Will to save is unprofitable and the Will without Power is fruitless and ineffectual For the begetting of Faith we are to consider the Proposal and Offer of Grace in the Gospel and the Promise of it 1. In the Gospel there is a Proposal of Grace to all the Invitation is universal Whoever will let him come to the Waters of Life freely Our Saviour gave this Command to the Apostles Preach the Gospel to every Creature Neither the number nor quality of Mens Sins are a Bar against their coming to Christ for Life None are excluded but those who exclude themselves In the Parable those were earnestly invited by the Command of the Master of the Feast who refused to come This Offer of Grace and Life to all that will humbly receive it is the first Foundation of Faith and induces our Acceptance of it for without this the self-condemned Sinner sinks into Misery bottomless and helpless The most miserable Despair is drawn from Impossibility If Men think 't is impossible to obtain what they desire they will not endeavour to obtain 'T is easily clear'd by the Scriptures if Men will believe the Scriptures when they are clear that as the Brazen Serpent the Sign of Salvation was lifted up on high and made obvious to every Eye to convey healing Virtue to those who were stung by the fiery Serpents so our crucified Saviour is lifted up in the Gospel for every Soul-wounded Sinner to regard The belief of inviting Mercy opens the Springs of Godly Sorrow a Natural Sorrow arises from the sense of oppressing Evils and is terminated upon our selves a Spiritual Sorrow proceeds from the sense of our Unworthiness and the Divine Goodness that is so ready and desirous to save us 2. There is a Promise of Grace to all that repent and believe Our Saviour encourages us Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you Rest. Those who feel Sin as an intolerable Burden and their fainting Souls are without Support let them devolve their Burden upon him and trust entirely in him they shall obtain blessed Rest. The timerous Sinners that tremble under the Weight of their Guilt are encouraged for in this condition Christ invites them to come to him and promises Rest. Let them aggravate their Sins to the highest yet St. Paul challenges the Precedence as the chief of Sinners and obtained Mercy When the Heart is broken for Sin and from it not to believe the Promise of Mercy is dishonourable to our Saviour's Love and the Value of his Blood as if not sufficient to save poor Souls that would fain live in him We have the strongest Testimony of his Love in dying for us when we were Enemies Christ came with this Intention to save Sinners and when they come to him will he reject them He cannot deny himself he 's Truth and he has most expresly declar'd Whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out and this Promise is confirm'd by the Will of his Father that sent him Christ invites thirsty Souls to partake of the Waters of Life and when he has inspir'd them with ardent Desires and they come will he send them away empty 'T is absolutely impossible for him who is incarnate Love and Mercy to despise and reject the Soul that looks to him that longs and languishes after him and will be ever unsatisfied without him In short the precious Promises in the Gospel of the Pardon of Sin and eternal Salvation are so proposed to us that the Hope of returning Sinners may be cherish'd and confirm'd and the Presumption of secure Sinners may be dash'd and controul'd While we are in this middle State the fear of Caution join'd with the lively hope of Mercy is the most congruous Temper and becoming the Breast of a Christian. The Presumer is like a Ship without Ballast floating so lightly in his own Folly that every Gust of Temptation oversets him The fearful Spirit is like a Ship over-laden and if not lightned will certainly sink and perish Fearless Security exposes to all the Temptations that gratify the Carnal Appetites desponding Fear causes a neglect of the Remedy If there be no fear of Punishment or no hope of Pardon the Consequences are equally fatal 3. 'T is necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ to remove their carnal Prejudices The first and most fear'd Difficulties are That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties a Bar against all the Advantages of the World the sickly Fancy is frighten'd at the thoughts of this If the Way to Heaven were short and fair Men would like it but 't is long and deep and they are discouraged as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesom Wilderness before their arrival at the Land of Promise Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion as a melancholy severe and joyless Discipline Now we may rectify these Mistakes by the Light of Scripture of Reason and of Experience 1. The Scrpiture declares that the Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness and all her Paths are Peace The Entrance the Progress and Continuance in these Ways is joyful to the renewed Soul Let us take a right View of the Divine Commands the Sum of them is this That Men would be happy here and for ever We are commanded
if we consider the Depravation of Mankind so inveterate and invincible we shall turn the Current of our Wonder another way that the obstinate Perverseness of any is subdued and that with consenting Wills they receive Christ as their Prince and Saviour Election is the Fountain of distinguishing Grace Many are called but few are chosen Conversion Adoption Justification Sanctification Glorification are all the Fruits of electing Mercy By the most gracious and free Act of his own Will he chose some out of the corrupt Generality and they are but a little diminutive Flock to make them Vessels of Honour that his Goodness might be the more admirable Those who are made a willing People were by the natural and contracted Hardness of their Hearts as averse and repugnant to the Heavenly Call as others if after a thousand Repulses the Spirit had been withdrawn they had died in their Sins but as 't is said of Lot's miraculous Rescue from the Flames of Sodom While he lingred the Angels laid hold upon his Hand the Lord being merciful to him and brought him forth and set him without the City so the free and omnipotent Grace over-rul'd their reluctant Hearts and strongly and sweetly inclin'd them to God their supream and satisfying Good and to come to Christ as the only means to restore them to the Favour and Enjoyment of God The natural Man is no more able to believe with a saving Faith in Christ than to obey the whole Law 't is the Gift of God He provides the Means of Salvation and applies them he by victorious Grace leads Captivity captive and bestows that most precious Gift upon his People How many that enjoy'd the same Gospel and did not reject so many Invitations nor so often grieve and vex the holy Spirit nor so long abuse the Patience of God were justly left in their Sins this will set a Lustre upon special and saving Mercy O what a conspicuous Discovery what a lively and thankful Sense will there be of this Grace in the next World Our Saviour tells the unbelieving Jews There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves turn'd out The Comparison of the opposite States will then be more joyful and transporting to the Saints and more manifest and tormenting to the Reprobates They shall feel a burning Thirst after the Happiness they have lost and be tortur'd between Desire and Despair for ever 2. Let those who make light of the Invitations of Grace consider what will be the Issue of their Obstinacy Within a little while Conscience will awaken the Remembrance of their careless Contempt of the Divine Mercy and that will awaken Despair To instruct such Persons and make them afraid that they may fly to the Sanctuary from the Destroyer let them consider 1. This will render them inexcusable Their Obduration and final Ruin will be of themselves God is pleased to appeal to the Human Understanding What could I do more for my Vineyard that I have not done His Works and his Words are declaratory of his Will how pleasing the Repentance and Life of Sinners is to him He has prepar'd a Saviour and Salvation and offers them to lost Souls In the Year of Jubilee Liberty was proclaim'd for all the Israelites who had been Servants but if any one would not leave his Master his Ear was bored and he was a Servant for ever Thus the acceptable Year of the Lord is proclaim'd in the Gospel a happy Freedom to Sinners by Jesus Christ but those who are in love with their reigning Lusts refuse this Freedom and are condemn'd to the worst Bondage for ever God by his Authority commands them to repent and believe the Gospel He invites them by the most gracious Promises to accept and receive them he expresses the most tender Compassions towards perishing Sinners Why will ye die He reproaches their unaccountable Folly How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity He urges them by terrible Threatnings not to neglect his offer'd Grace But they are deaf to his loudest Calls if a Lust whispers from their Earthly Affections they are presently moved No Mercy will soften them no Reproofs will reform them the richest Means of Grace are lost and they prodigally perish Now how justly do they fall under the condemning Sentence of the Law who slight the Mercy of the Gospel God takes no Pleasure in the Death of a Sinner but they take Pleasure in their Sins they die in their Sins because they will die they are deprived of Life because they will not come to Christ that they may have Life At the Day of Judgment lost Sinners will intirely clear God and deeply charge themselves with their deserved Ruin 2. Such are irrecoverable The Gospel is the only Dispensation of Grace if Men obstinately reject it their Condition is as desperate as if they were bound in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day Mercy alone can heal us and if that be wounded our Sickness is incurable He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abides on him His Doom is sealed and irreversible God now speaks in a still Voice but hereafter he will speak in a Whirlwind to the Despisers of his Grace 'T is true we cannot say a Soul is quite lost while there is a delay of Judgment but the Scripture declares that Sinners by their stubborn Refusals of Mercy make God inexorable to their Prayers There is a day of Grace and the Lapse of it is fatal to the Neglecters Of this there have been very fearful Examples how many Despisers of the Grace of the Redeemer in the course of their Lives yet in the Agony of their last Departure when their Sins with a ghastly Aspect appear and with frightful Horror they look into the bottomless Pit Conscience anticipates the Divine Judgment Let the most compassionate Ministers offer them the Cordials of the Gospel and tell them they despair too soon the self-condemning Conscience replies they repent too late O that Men were early wise to secure their eternal Interest 3. The neglect of Salvation will aggravate Sin and the Judgment of Men. This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light The higher the Disobedience the lower the Damnation will be of Sinners The Heathens in their Race of ignorant Rebellion are not so guilty nor liable to so heavy a Sentence as those who disobey the Gospel The Israelites had so abus'd the Mercies of God to his Dishonour there were no such Rebels on Earth the Prophet was fain to descend to Hell for a Comparison to equal their Wickedness Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom Give Ear unto the Law of our God ye People of Gomorrah But those who turn the Grace of God into an occasion of