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
Loins were loosed and his Knees smote one against the other When they cry peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 3. A fire sometimes breaks forth in the Night when men are asleep So God comes upon men many times in the night of ignorance and unbelief while they lye on their Beds of Ease and carnal Security by amazing Judgments or by sudden Death How secure was the old World and the rich man in the Gospel to whom God said this night thy soul shall be required of thee 4. A consuming Fire destroys wasts and devours exceedingly as Sodom found and London also by woful experience So God when he breaks forth in his Wrath and Fury he makes most lamentable desolation The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath and the fire shall devour them The Wrath of God is compared to a consuming fire For our God is a consuming Fire 5. A Consuming and raging fire spares none the Palace of the Prince no more than the Cottage of the Peasant the mighty Oaks as well as the lowest Shrubs are devoured by it so the wrath of God seizeth and will seize on all wicked men on the mighty and honourable of the Earth as well as the poor and contemptible ones the King on his Throne as well as the Beggar on the Dunghill His wrath shall be on every one that is lofty and upon every one that is proud and lifted up and he shall be brought down upon all the Cedars of Lebanon and upon all the Oaks of Bashan He will come upon Princes as upon morter the whole earth shall be devoured by the fire of his Jealousy neither their Gold nor Silver shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath 6. Wood Hay and Stubble are fit fuel for the fire to seize upon and such things that are combustible make it to burn the more vehemently And if high strong Towers cannot stand before a consuming fire how is it possible for Briars and Thorns Some Sinners are like stubble fully dry They are fit Fuel for the Wrath of God like fire to take hold of O what horrid Guilt lies upon some mens Consciences just like a great heap or pile of wood well dried or Cart loads of straw or dry stubble What if God will to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction A long Course in sin Custom in sin resisting the Grace of God slighting Convictions hardening the Heart against Reproof stisling the Accusations of Conscience and abusing the Patience and long Suffering of God fits men for the fire of his Wrath Whilst they are folden together as Thorns and whilst they are drunken as Drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry Such that are drunk with Pride drunk with Pleasures or whose Souls are surfited with the Riches and Cares of the World the fire of Gods Wrath as fit matter or combustable stuff will seize upon 7. A dreadful fire when it breaks out turns all joy into sorrow and makes a day of mirth a day of Mourning So the consuming wrath of God whether it seizes on the consciences of Men only whilst alive in the body or on Body and Soul both here or on the Soul at Death it turns all joy into sorrow O what extremity of misery do such feel ask Judas or Spira they could tell you 8. Fire is a most cruel and dreadful tormentor if a man be cast into a fire what intollerable pain and anguish doth it put him to but alas alas that 's nothing to the Wrath of God when God kindles it in the Consciences of men nor to Hell fire You will say O 't is a fearful thing to fall into a furious fire into a burning Furnace but O Sirs how much more dreadful is it to fall under the Wrath of God! It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God For our God is a consuming fire If it be terrible to have a finger a foot or a hand to be burned off or to have the whole body cast into a Furnace of boyling Oil as some of the holy Martyrs were how then can sinners who are as chaff bear the Thoughts of Gods wrath and vindictive Vengance which is far more intollerable than any fire into which any Mortal was ever cast For 1. Other fire burns only the external part or temporal or corporal matter but the fire of Gods wrath burns and torments the Spirit the Soul the invisible part 2. Elementary fire is seen but internal Wrath is only felt inwardly it cannot be seen 3. The fiercest fire that ever was kindled hath been overcome and by Engines or Instruments put out but the fire of Gods Wrath when kindled and the Soul thrown into Hell cannot be put out nor be extinguished 't is unquenchable fire Tho' the burning of Mount Aetna and other burning Mountains are impossible for man to extinguish yet doubless they shall not burn always they will be put out but wrath shall burn for ever So much as to the Explanation of our Text. From hence we may observe divers Propositions or Points of Doctrine 1. Doct. The old floor is gone 't is removed viz. The old Jewish Church or national Church of Israel the wheat that was in it being taken into Christs Gospel-Garner and the chaff or all graceless persons or unbelievers are fann'd away Now Christ hath removed the partition-wall that was between Jew and Gentile and hath reconciled both unto God in one body Now there is no knowing men after the flesh fleshly Priviledges i. e. being the Seed of Abraham or being the Seed of Believers as such gives no right to Spiritual saving and eternal Blessings Both those two People Jews and Gentiles that believe of twain are made one i. e. one new man or one Christian or Gospel-Church And this is done by Jesus Christ who by his Fan or Dispensation of the New Testament hath abolished the old Covenant-right of Church-Membership not the fleshly Seed but the spiritual Seed of Abraham are to be received into Christs Gospel Garner Ye as lively stones are built up a spiritual House c. But this I shall not prosecute 2 Doct. Jesus Christ would have none but pure Wheat be gathered into his Garner not the fleshly and spiritual Seed not the Believer and the Vnbeliever not godly ones and ungodly ones not the Chaff and the Wheat as it was under the Law in the National Church of the Jews Not whole Parishes or whole Nations no no none but true Christians or holy persons sanctified and sincere and truly gracious Souls 3 Doct. Christs great Work and Office is to purge his People to cleanse them and make them holy and to sever the Wheat from the Chaff the pure from the impure or to separate Hypocrites from his
torment for a refreshment Fifthly It will be intolerable because the punishment of Hell is to satisfie Divine Justice to pay the just Debt owing to God for the breach of his holy Law true because sin is an infinite wrong and the Creature is but finite they can never pay the Debt nor make a satisfaction for the injury done to God therefore they must suffer eternally they are always a paying but can never fully pay what they owe Justice requiring the utmost farthing Nothing can surely set forth the dismalness of their torment more than this Oh take a view of Divine Wrath in the sufferings of our Blessed Saviour when he stood in our stead and was to satisfie for the Sins of all the Elect how did it bring him down prostrate to the ground and made him sweat great drops of blood and to Cry out My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Tho' he was God as well as Man and had the Strength of the infinite Deity to support him Ah Sirs this wrath laid upon finite Creatures will sink them down to the lowest Hell and grind them to Powder Sixthly It will be Wrath-amazing and very terrible Wrath because it will seize on the Soul of the Sinner it will put the Soul into the fire The Soul hath been the chief sinner here and therefore shall be the chief sufferer in those Regions of Sorrow and how unsupportable is that Wrath which is let out on the Soul or Spirit of man you have had a taste in Spira and Child If Sirs a spark of Divine Displeasure when it falls upon the guilty Conscience tears it pieces what will be those floods of Divine Wrath poured forth in Hell on the Souls of Men and Women who can stand here whilst in this World before an Angry God or encounter with Offended Omnipotency such is the sharpness of his Sword the heaviness of his Rod when laid on by the hand of his Wrath that every stroak is deadly and no doubt Satan greatens the wounds on the Conscience he charges the guilt upon their Spirits with all the Soul-killing aggravations and strives to hide Divine Mercy and Rob the Soul of the precious Blood of Christ the only lenitive and choice balm to heal a wounded Spirit O what visions of horror what sence of fear and perplexity were presented to the distressed minds of these two miserable Creatures before mentioned the guilty Conscience turns all Joy into Sorrow all Light into Darkness the sweet Promises of the Gospel that assure of favour and pardon to believing Sinners afford no relief but are turned into arguments of Despair by reflecting on their former Iniquities and abuse of Mercies so that Christ himself they see is become their Accuser ' Whatever the wounded Sinner sees and hears saith a worthy Minister afflicts him whatever he thinks of torments him all the diversions in the World Business Pleasures Merry Conversations Comedies are as ineffectual to give him freedom from those stings and furies in his breasts as the sprinkling of holy Water is to expel the Devil from a possessed Person those who in their Pride and Jollity have despised serious Religion either as a fond Transport and Extasie or a dull Melancholly and Dejection about the Soul c. yet when God has set their sins with all their killing circumstances before their Eyes how changed how confounded are they at that apparition how restless in the dreadful expectation of the doom that attends them ' But alas alas what is internal Wrath let out on the Soul in Hell as he notes for the Aprehensions of the Soul will be enlarged and their spirits work with the quickest activity Here tho' they have no hope at present yet they know not what God may do in a moment to turn their Sorrow into Joy and their Night into Noon-day here are many things to divert their thoughts and they meet with some intermission of their horror and perplexity as Mr. Child intimated but in Hell there 's none of this Seventhly It will be intolerable misery because it shall be Torments on the Body and Soul too not on the Soul only but on both O it will be a dismal Meeting when they two old Companions meet together at the last day I mean the miserable Soul and Body of a wicked man at the Resurrection and hear the dolesom Sentence Go ye cursed Spira and Child had direful Sorrow and Anguish in their Souls but their Bodies were not much tormented they both being in a state of Health as to the outward man but the fire of Gods Wrath will extend to and seize upon the Body as well as on the Soul in that day every Faculty of the Soul and Member of the Body which have been Instruments of Sin shall then be in Pain and under fearful Torture and Misery Now the Spirit of a man may support or sustain his bodily Infirmities and Afflictions but in Hell the Spirit cannot afford any Relief to the Body because it cannot sustain its own misery both must and shall suffer Eighthly All the Perplexing Passions and Faculties will then be let out upon the wicked beyond whatever they have been here whilst in this World 1. The Conscience in a fearful manner shall torment the damned May we not conclude Conscience will terrifie them after this manner O thou Wretch what a God hast thou lost who is a most infinite suitable seasonable and a Soul-satisfying Good what a Christ art thou deprived of who died for poor Sinners how often did he knock at thy Door calling upon thee intreating thee to let him in who stood with his Arms spread open to embrace all that came to him and what a Heaven and endless Joy hast thou contemned and this for one base Lust for bruitish Pleasure for a moment for a little Earthly Profit and sinful Honour How didst thou hearken to thy vile Companions and close in with them rather than adhere to me who accused thee for thy cursed Evils thou wouldst not mind those Checks and Lashes thou hadst from me in thy Bosom did not I tell thee what thy Pride thy Lying thy Swearing thy Whoreing thy Theft thy Cheating thy Covetousness and Cruelty to the Poor or Unmercifulness thy Neglect of the means of Grace and of Gospel or Christian Duties thy Hardness of Heart thy Unbelief thy Hypocrisie and Formality would bring thee to in the End This is the gnawing Worm that dyeth not O how fearfully will Conscience terrifie and torment the Soul of the Damned then now it is Blinded Misled Deceived may be seared with a hot Iron but then it will be throughly awakened and all Vails taken off it will lay unmerciful Blows upon the Soul and make it cry yea roar and none to speak a word to allay or appease its Acclamations and its fearful Outcries You may judge of the Nature of a Tormenting Conscience in Hell by what those have sound and experienced to be
nothing it is not such eating as the Idolatrous Papists dream of it is by the Holy Spirit by the indwelling of the quickning Spirit whereby we have a real participation of Christ He is in us by his Spirit as a Vital Principle changing our Hearts and working in us his own Holy Image infusing Gracious Dispositions and Sacred Habits in the Soul and we are in him by Faith in a gracious hidden and mystical manner and this Union cannot be dissolved Secondly This Union must needs be most intimate near and strong if we consider by what Metaphors it is set forth in God's Word 1. It is a Marriage-Union like as a Man and his Wife are said to be one Flesh so he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit No Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourished and cherished it as the Lord the Church He that loveth his Wife loveth himself a Man and his Wife is but one Mystical Self and what is in Nature as to the Perfection of it is much more eminently in Christ Now since God hath fitted to our Nature a Care of our Body this Care be sure is much more in Christ when the Apostle shews what the Love of the Husband should be unto the Wife and that a Man leaves both Father and Mother and cleaveth to his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh Saith he This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church or of Christ and every believing Soul The Union between Husband and Wife is near ay but Death dissolves this Union because they can be united or be one no longer than both live But Christ lives for ever and the Soul of a Believer lives for ever Nay Believers have Eternal Life in them and they shall never die therefore it follows this Union abides for ever He hath betrothed his Saints his Spouse unto himself for ever And can any then dissolve this Marriage-Contract and Conjugal Union Is Christ able to preserve his Souse or the Soul that is united unto him Is it in the Power of his Hands Pray Brethren consider it well Will any of you that have a Spouse a Wife that you dearly love suffer her to be torn into pieces and basely murdered before your Eyes if you could prevent it And do any think that Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Power over Sin the World the Devil yea over Hell and Death will he I say ever suffer his Spouse to be destroyed and murdered by Sin World or Devil Strange did he die for her and has he married her and made her one Spirit with himself and will he leave her to conflict to fight and war with an Enemy that he knows is too strong and mighty for her and not come in rush in to her assistance to save and rescue her from such bloody cruel and barbarous Enemies No doubt but he will rise up with Indignation and Jealousy to save every Soul that is so related and united to him Thirdly This Spiritual Union between Christ and every believing Soul is set forth by that near and intimate Union which there is between the Natural Body and every Member thereof The Head and Members make but one Body even so Christ is the Head of his Saints and they being many are all Members of that one Body Christ and all Believers make but one Mystical Christ Even as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so is Christ that is Christ Mystical Now this Relation of Head and Members I say holds forth this Spiritual Union between Christ and every Believer We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone And it is from their Head Jesus Christ that every Member receives Divine and Saving Influences of Life Strength Government and Guidance as the Apostle shews From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love Our Union with Christ brings us into a fixed Settlement and secures us from all Fears or danger of miscarrying let all Enemies do what they can Can the Members be lost that have such a Head Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the communication of any thing unto us as Members from him the Head But it must be in that which constitutes him and us in this Relation saith a Reverend Minister he is our Head antecedently in order of Nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head yet not antecedent to our Union it self Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that tho they are many and have many Offices Places and Dependencies yet there is but one living quickning Soul in Head and Members The same Life that is in the Head is in the Body and in every Member thereof in particular and he that offers Violence to one Member offers Violence to the Body and the Head also And as one living Soul makes the natural Head and Members to be but one Man one Body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and in his Members gives them their Mystical Union and makes them but one Body As the first Man Adam was made a living Soul so the last Man Adam was made a quickning Spirit It is he that quickens by his Spirit or conveys a vital Principle to all his by which they live spiritually as from Adam all his live naturally Because I live ye shall live also So long as there is Life in Christ the Head there shall be Life in the Members because that Life that is communicated to the Head without measure as Mediator was to this very End that it might be communicated to every believing Soul that is united to him Now then if it be thus if this be the Nature of the Soul's Union with Jesus Christ that it is set out and opened to us by the Union that there is between the Body natural and its Members then I infer 1. That by the Life that is in the Head the Members live and because of that Life that is in him they cannot die it was by that Spirit that is in him that we were first quickned and Life is in us and shall be continued to us 2. I also infer That if Christ be able or can do it he will prevent his losing of any one of his Members And for any one to say it is not in his Power is Blasphemy and to say he can and will not is a like Evil to assert because it renders Christ less tender and careful of his Spiritual Members than we are of the Members of our Natural Body Which of us would suffer his Hand or Foot to be torn from us nay a Toe or Finger if we could prevent it 3. Furthermore I infer That all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body
past Christ's Death hath glorious Effects as the Apostle shews For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God To talk of Christ's Death and see no Effects of it alas what 's that All that Christ died for shall see and feel too its Glorious Effects and Operations upon their Souls and Consciences though the Sacrifice be over the Virtue and excellent Causality of it abides for ever Ninthly Christ by his Death redeemeth his People from all Iniquity and this was his End in dying What signifies such a Redemption that leaves a poor Slave in his Chains and Irons without procuring a Release for him In this lies the Glory of our Redemption by Christ 't is not only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but from a vain Conversation also See the Apostle's Words Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works If this was his End and Design in his Death do any think he will see himself frustrated in it Shall any Enemy of the Soul bring Christ under a Disappointment Compare this with 1 Pes. 1. 17 18 19. Tenthly and Lastly Jesus Christ hath by his Death purchased Eternal Redemption or Everlasting Life for all his Sheep and by his Spirit hath also given to them the Earnest of it therefore his Death preserves them to Salvation In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Now I should come to speak more particularly to the Effects of the Death of Christ and inlarge upon some things that I have but a little touched upon but that I must leave until the next Time and shall only speak something by way of Improvement of this Argument APPLICATION First To you that are Believers O praise and bless God for a Crucified Saviour What in Heaven and Earth is cause of greater Wonder and Admiration Christ's Death is the meritorious Cause of all Spiritual and Eternal Joy and Comfort all Grace flows out of the Wounds the Spear and Nailâ— made in his Blessed Body and from the Death and Pangs his Soul underwent Nothing is a greater Evidence of Christ's Love to us than the Death of his Cross 2. Apply his Blood draw Virtue from his Blood fly to his Death see how that stands to save thee from the Justice and Wrath of God in his Death is thy Hope and Succour when pursued by Satan and under all Temptations 3. Triumph in the Cross of Christ thou O Child of God wast crucified with Christ thy Sins were punished in him and thou art acquitted in him and raised in him O labour to know Christ and him crucified Labour to know him and the Power of his Death and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. 4. And as to you Sinners is not here Ground of Hope for you Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life But wo to such who slight this bleeding Saviour that sin because Grace hath abounded or that make the Death of Christ an Incouragement to them to continue in Sin Tush say some trouble not your self with me Christ died for Sinners O Souls will you crucify Christ again I tell you if you do not feel the Effects of his Death in vain is all your present Hope 5. This may serve also to detect such and severely to reprehend them that say Christ died to save all or for all and every Man and Woman in the World Brethren if he died for all that is in the Stead and Room of all then all shall be saved God will not condemn such whom Christ laid down his Life for or in the place or stead of as I have proved from God's Word But further to detect this Error of General Redemption 1. Consider that Redemption is a Word easy to understand it is the saving of a Person that is in Slavery or Captivity commonly procured or obtained by a Price paid or a Ransom but if the Person is indeed redeemed he is set at Liberty To say a Man is redeemed and yet left in Chains and strong Bonds out of which he cannot come unless the Redeemer break those Chains and Bonds to pieces is to speak untruly or in plain English a Lie Now are all Men redeemed Redemption cannot be more universal than it is in Matter of Fact If ten Men were in Slavery in Argiers and a Sum of Money was paid to redeem them and yet after all care is not taken to make that Ransom to be effectual for their Redemption but six or seven of them are left in Captivity can any Man say all the ten were redeemed out of that Slavery and Thraldom wherein they are held Even so it is here for Men to say that the Redemption by Christ is for all the World and yet the greatest part of Mankind lie in Bonds under the Power of Sin and Satan and have not the Death of Christ made effectual to them is a great Mistake and indeed not true as to Matter of Fact 2. Are we redeemed only from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God and are we not also redeemed from Sin and from being under the Power of Satan That Redemption that is by Christ is you hear from all Iniquity and are all so redeemed The Apostle Peter saith Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from a vain Conversation but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ c. So many as are and shall be redeemed from all Iniquity from a vain Conversation or whom Christ hath redeemed from the Power of Satan he setting them at Liberty who naturally are bound and bringing them out of the Prison-House so many and no more did he die for and no further doth Redemption by Christ extend 3. If there are many left in the Enemies Hand and under their Power and eternally perish then there is no general or universal Redemption but there are Multitudes so left and perish 4. That Grace Love and blessed Price that doth not procure Universal Salvation is not cannot be an Universal Redemption But God never shewed such Grace and Love by the Price of Christ's Blood that doth procure Universal Salvation therefore there is no Universal Redemption for that Price or Paiment which doth not actually pass or terminate in Salvation is no Redemption at all an Attempt to redeem unless it be
9. That thou mayst say to the Prisoners Go forth and to them that are in Darkness Shew your selves He had a Charge to call his Elect out of the Grave of Sin and to knock off their Fetters to open their Eyes and to heal their Wounds 3. He hath a Charge to lead them For he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them even by the Spring of the Waters shall he guide them Christ hath the Conduct of these redeemed Captives which we have fully proved by his being called a Shepherd 4. He hath received a Charge to receive all the Father hath given him and those that come unto him he saith he will in no wise cast out And this he doth not only out of his own Affections and B. wels to all such poor Sinners but also as in discharge of his Office as all are put into his Hand 5. He hath received also a Charge to perfect that good Work that he hath begun in them The bruised Reea shall he not break and the smoaking Flax shall he not quench till he hath brought forth Judgment unto Victory He will carry on that Work in the Soul till it i compleated He shall do this saith the Father this is part of his Work and Office which he hath accepted of And our Saviour takes notice of this thing as his Father's Will and Charge given unto him And this is the Father's Will that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last Day My Father sent me to cherish and take care of the poorest and weakest Soul that he hath given me and to see that none of them be lost I must as if he should say strengthen their Faith subdue their Corruptions and never leave them till I present them all before my Father without Spot at the last Day 6 He must give an Account of them also at the last Day and he will present them all without Blame before the Father in Love and say Behold here am I and the Children which thou gavest me none of them are lost 7. Consider in what Relation all Believers stand unto him in as well as he hath them in his Hand they are his Brethren nay more his Seed his Off-spring his own Children begotten and born of his own Spirit they are the Members of his own mystical Body his own Spouse yea of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone and will not this think you greatly move him excite and stir up his tender Heart to hold them fast in his Hand and keep them from perishing 8. Consider his Faithfulness is it look'd upon as one of the worst Blots any Mortal can have upon him to betray his Trust or not to discharge it with all care and faithfulness especially where the Life of a Person is concerned And shall not our Lord Jesus faithfully discharge his Trust Will he fail any poor Believer under Temptation or leave him to the Power of Sin and Satan when the Life of the Soul is concerned O what is the Natural Life of the Body to the Eternal Life of the Soul Now are all the Godly put into Christ's Hand and hath he accepted of this Trust viz. to keep all the Father hath given him unto Everlasting Life and not suffer the Soul of any one to be lost and will he not be faithful O how faithful hath he been to the Father in all things and to the Souls of those that are already safely landed on the other side of the Grace and will he not be as faithful to all that yet remain in this lower World Alas he knows how weak and frail we are and that without him we can do nothing He is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and will also with the Temptation make way for our escape that we may be able to bear it For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted He has a Fellow-feeling of our Infirmities and hath Compassion of the Ignorant and such that are out of the Way 9. Consider of the Greatness of that Love he hath to all that are in his Hand or are committed to his Charge which I have already spoken unto 10. Consider what he says in my Text take notice of his Resolution and Purpose of his Soul Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand Quest What is meant by any Answ The World shall not the Devil shall not the Flesh shall not Sin shall not Temptation shall not Prosperity shall not Adversity shall not Death shall not no Enemy whatsoever shall be able to pluck them out of my Hand viz. 1. They shall not break that Union there is between me and them but it shall abide indissolvable for ever 2. None shall be able to remove my Love from them I will love them still love them to the end 3. None shall cause me to cast them off or throw them out of the Covenant into which I have brought them 4. Neither shall any be able to do it they shall not be able by Force to do it nor by Flattery to do it I will keep them and safely protect them The Enemy will attempt to do it as if our Saviour should say they will strive they will pluck and pull and do what they can to get them out of my Hand but says he they shall not do it Reproaches Persecution Poverty Hunger Nakedness Peril nor Sword these nor any of these shall ever be able to pluck them out of my Hand Thirdly I shall now shew you in what respect the Saints may be said to be in the Hand of Christ or under what considerations I shewed you at first in opening our Text that he hath a seven-fold hold of them which is held forth in part in the Sacred Scripture by several Tropical Allusions 1. They are as you have heard again and again in his Hand by virtue of his Covenant which he made with the Father so that they are in his Hand As when a Man makes a Bargain to do such or such a piece of Work which he ingageth and promiseth he will go through with and will not cease until he has perfected it Now upon this Account we say that Work is in his Hand And thus Christ hath undertaken the Work of our Salvation we and that Work of Grace in us are in his Hand and he will perform it and perfect it before he hath done 2. God the Father hath given us into Christ's Hand we are in his Hand by the Father's gracious Resignation and he hath accepted of the Trust Care and Charge of us as our only Sponsor and Blessed Trustee to pay our Debts and supply all our Wants 3. We are in Christ's Hand as Sheep are in the Hand of a Shepherd to feed lead and preserve us and defend us from all Enemies 4. As a
the Crown of our Heads to the Soles of our Feet it is more filthy than the filthiest thing in the World in God's sight And as all the Faculties of our Souls were poisoned thereby so all the Members of our Bodies are defiled and polluted with it also Nay and it is such a kind of Pollution that renders the Sinner loathsom to God God is said to be grieved with Sin nay grieved that he made Man grieved at his Heart because every Imagination of the Thought of his Heart was evil continually God is said upon this to repent that he made Man not that God properly can repent it signifies an alienation of God's Heart and Affections from Man for his Sin and Wickedness whereby he carries himself towards him as we do when we repent we have done a thing 2. It was therefore hereby that we lost God's Love and Favour and is not that a dismal and most bitter thing Man's only Happiness lies in his Likeness to God and in the enjoyment of his Love and the Light of his sweet Countenance But this the whole Race of Mankind lost by Original Sin and instead of his Love we were brought under his Wrath. Sin incurr'd the Wrath and Anger of God God is angry with the Wicked every Day And as we by Sin became Enemies to God so also hereby God became an Enemy to us And if we consider what it cost God and cost Jesus Christ to make our Peace or to make up this Breach sure we must say this is a great and wonderful Salvation 3. Sin is the worst of Evils it is the Plague of Plagues it is worse than any Affliction Afflictions oft-times bring us nearer unto God but Sin drives us further from him Sin is a departing from God a leaving and forsaking of God a casting of God off the more we are afflicted the more we are made conformable to Jesus Christ He was afflicted and a Man of Sorrows but the more we sin the more like we are unto the Devil Nay and by Afflictions we are purged and are said to partake of the Holiness of God therefore there is much Good in Affliction but Sin hath nothing but Evil in it hurtful Evil Soul-defiling and Soul-damning Evil. Sin is the Spring and Cause of all other Evils it is the Cause of all Sickness and of all Sorrow and Misery nay and 't is the Cause of Death it self The Wages of Sin is Death nay the Sting of Death is Sin that which makes Death so terrible to a wicked Man 4. Sin hath put Mankind into Satan's Hand who hath laid him in cruel Chains Consider what a thing it is to be taken Captive by a grand and merciless Tyrant Satan took all Mankind Captive and holds them still who are under the Power of it in Captivity they are his Bondmen his Slaves he takes them Captive at his Will Every vicious Habit is a strong Bond or Chain in which Satan binds his Vassals All Men naturally are bound down under the Bond of Ignorance Unbelief and Hardness of Heart such is the Nature of Sin Christ came to set at liberty such that were bound I perceive saith Peter that thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity And O what is the Strength of these Bonds Who can break them but the Arm of the Omnipotent God Moreover these Bonds bind the Soul unto and under the Wrath of God O what a kind of Salvation is it that delivers us from Sin and out of the Power of Satan 5. Sin hath put out the Eyes of all Mankind and stripp'd them naked and wounded them unto Death All Men are born blind the Eyes of our Understanding naturally are darkened the State of Mâ—n by Nature is most miserable it is set out by a wretched Infant cast out in the open Fiâ—la in its Blood in the Day of its Nativity having none to pity it to wash it nor swade it at all We are all naturally most loathsom full of filthy Sâ—abs and running Sores and yet such iâ— the Ignorance and Blindness of the Sinner's Eyes and unsensibleness of his State that he sees it not feels it not but thinks all is well with him and is ready to fly into that Man's Face that shall tell him such iâ— his Condition 6. Moreover Sin feeds Men poorly How do they feed What is their Table spread with Are they served with the Best They are fed as it were with Mallows and Janiper-roots That saith Caryl is the Chear Sin make â—â— them yea Wickedness will be as Gravel in their Teeth and as Poison in their Bowels True some of them feed their Bodies deliciously every Day they are full fed they have liberal large and plentiful Tables But alas what have their Souls to eat What did the Soul of the Prodigal find Did he not feed on the Husks which the Swine did eat Their Food is and will be Gall and Wormwood he feedeth on Ashes saith the Prophet all his Hopes will deceive him and prove vain like the Spider's Web the Pleasures Honours Riches and Comforts of this Life are the Food wicked Men live upon they never tasted in a Spiritual manner of God they know not how good he is nor do they desire to eat that which is Good but the Time is coming in which they will desire to taste of Christ's Supper and shall not be admitted because they refused to come to the Wedding O what is Sin and how miserable is the Condition of Sinners And doth not this sâ—t forth and tend to demonstrate the greatness of this Salvation which delivers us from so great an Evil He shall save his People from their Sins He that understands no Evil in Sin as Man is fallen from God hath lost God the first Cause and chiefest Good and last End and being under the Power of a constant Enmity against him and in this deplorable Condition as I have hinted will have as one observes other apprehension of thâ—se things when at last he misses of a Part in this Great Salvation and when the Means of it shall not be afforded any more to him for ever And on the other Hand he that comes to see this to be his State and obtains an Interest in this Salvation will say it is a Great and Glorious Salvation Secondly By this Salvation we are delivered from that which is destructive to our whole Souls and Bodies 1. The Sinner by Sin is as you heard a Slave a Captive and under Satan's Power bound in strong Chains c. And now let me add he is for his Sin cursed by the Lord and condemned to die by his Righteous Law nay the Law le ts fly or denounces most bitter Curses against Sin even against every Sin and every Sinner that takes not hold of this Salvation Cursed is he that continues not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them From this
Law perfectly is cursed but no Man can keep the Law perfectly therefore all Man naturally are cursed and impossible then to be blessed until delivered from that Curse and this therefore Christ came to do him hath God sent to bless us which Blessing we could not have 〈…〉 Christ puts himself in our place and bears the Curse away from us Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being 〈◊〉 a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that 〈◊〉 on a Tree He that was hanged on a Tree under the Law was hanged for transgressing of it and was cursed of God and when 〈◊〉 is said Christ was made a Curse for us it signifies his bearing that Wrath and indignation of God which was due to us for our Sin and his he must do if ever we are justified and eternally â—â—ved from that Eternal Wrath and Vengeance Sin had brought upon every Soul of us 5. As our Lord Jesus if he procure Salvation for us must die and become a Curse for us so he must also raise up himself from the Dead or be discharged of the Bonds of Death he must destroy Death and be freed out of Prison He therefore rose again from the Dead for our Justification His Discharge was virtually a Discharge for us or for all he died for our Lord Jesus must subdue all our Enemies and bring not Death only but the Devil also and all the Powers of Darkness under his Feet or there could be no Salvation for our poor Souls Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christ and Believers are of one and the same Nature they are as it were but one Man or are so united as to be considered as one Mystical Body This was held forth in his Incarnation in his assuming our Nature He took not only an Humane Soul but our Humane Flesh into Union with his Divine Nature that both our Souls and Bodies might be brought into Union with him and that our Bodies might also be raised from Death to a State of Life and Glory at the last Day and be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body Who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Had not Christ conquered Death and the Devil who had the Power of Death we had been lost for ever He hath not only taken away Sin the Sting of Death but he hath and will be the Death of Death The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death The Body as well as the Soul is brought into Union with Christ he is the Head of the whole Believer the Body as well as the Soul Shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot Both Body and Spirit are the Lord's our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Brethren what a Conquest hath Christ made how hath he subdued all our Enemies that so he might work out a full and perfect Victory for us in every respect For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Ver. 54. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Ver. 55. 6. And lastly And as Christ must conquer the Devil the World Sin Death and the Grave for us and in our Nature so he must by his mighty Power destroy the Devil and Sin 's great Power in us and vanquish that natural Enmity that is in our Hearts against God and his Ways and thereby restore the Image of God in us which we had lost HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Ninthly GOSPEL-Salvation is great if we consider the Subject thereof or what is delivered and saved for ever namely the Souls and Bodies of his People First The Soul that is it Jesus Christ came to save which is very precious as I shall shew you in a deduction of several Particulars Certainly the Salvation of the Soul must needs be a great Salvation What is it to save our Estates our Liberties our Healths the Members of our Bodies our Eyes Arms Legs or our natural Lives to the saving of our precious and immortal Souls The Soul is more worth than all the World What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 1 st To demonstrate the great Worth Excellency and Preciousness of the Soul consider that it was first formed in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Our Souls had a glorious Impression of God's Image stamp'd upon them in the first Creation which we lost by Sin and Transgression But this Blessed Image is restored again as you have heard by the Grace of God in this Salvation 1. Pray Brethren remember that the Soul of Man is capable of a Divine Impression of God's glorious Image it is made I mean of such a Nature that it is capable of this great Blessing therefore to be deemed a very precious thing God will not stamp his Image upon low and base Metal if I may so speak with reverence 2. There are three things I find which the great God glories in as being peculiar to himself or his own glorious Prerogative alone The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel saith the Lord which stretcheth out the Heavens and layeth the Foundations of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The first is his stretching out of the Heavens O what a great and glorious Work was that The second is his laying the Foundation of the Earth the hanging it upon nothing what a wonderful thing is that considering its great Weight and wonderful Body The third is his forming of our Souls Certainly the Spirit or Soul of Man is a glorious thing that God should account the Creation of it amongst those chiefest Parts of his admirable Handy-work Why is not the forming the Blessed Angels who are glorious Spirits rather mentioned it is worthy of serious Contemplation Our Bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made they are no small part of God's Wisdom and curious Workmanship if the Nature and Order of every Part was considered as some Artists who study Man's Humane Body will shew you But what is the Formation and Excellency of our Bodies to our Souls 3. The Soul is capable of Divine Union with Jesus Christ through a Communication of the Holy Spirit and by Faith of the Operation of God and thereby the whole Man partakes of the like Union also
than that A Man accounts it no small Misery to be deprived of that which he esteems to be his only Happiness though he knows he can enjoy it but a short time Suppose it be his Riches his Houses his Lands or his Gold and Silver or his Pleasures or his Honours or his dear Relations in whom his very Life seems to bound up he is upon the loss of that which he esteems so highly of as a dead Man Now sure if the Soul is of such an excellent Nature that no created Good can fill its Desires nothing in this World nothing but God himself it must needs be a very precious thing But so it is for as Rachel said once to Jacob her Husband Give me Children or I die So this is the Voice of the Soul of Man Give me God give me Christ or I die Nay to be deprived of God is the Death of the Soul and it was that which brought Death on the Soul of Man originally by Sin we were deprived of God and that was the Death of the Soul God is the spiritual Life of the Soul as in a moral sense the Soul is the natural Life of the Body for as the Body is dead without the Soul naturally so the Soul is dead without God spiritually Therefore the Salvation of the Soul must needs be a great and glorious Salvation that which brings God again to the Soul that which restores God a lost God to the Soul that gives Life to a poor dead Soul and makes it live again and so be happy again yea and that for ever more 8. The Soul is precious and a most excellent thing it appears because God's Thoughts are so let out upon it What care hath he taken of the Soul of Man How early did he concern himself for the redemption of it and what a way did he seek out and contrive to restore it to a state of Peace Joy and Happiness again when he foresaw it brought under Death Sin and Misery it seems to be the Darling of Heaven as it was formed as it were by the Breath of God so nothing he thinks too good to impart for its Ransom to redeem it nor nothing too precious to feed it heal it or comfort it He gives the Bread of Heaven the very Flesh and Blood of his own Son to feed it the Righteousness of his own Son to clothe it the Graces of his own Spirit to deck and adorn it nay and his own Spirit is sent to lead to guide protect and govern it Certainly these things clearly shew and demonstrate its great Worth or that it is a most excellent thing in God's sight 9. The Soul is precious if we consider what God gave for its Redemption David saith That the Redemption of the Soul is precious and ceases for ever hard to be obtained though not impossible nothing but the Blood the precious Blood of Christ Jesus could redeem it Some take Soul there for our Life but certainly David intends the Redemption of the Soul from Sin and Wrath. Silver and Gold could not do this no it must not be redeemed it could not be redeemed by corruptible things not by a thousand Rams nor ten thousand Rivers of Oil nor by our First-born the Fruit of the Body could not make an Atonement for the Sin of the Soul No no it must be the Father's First-born it must be Jesus Christ the Blood of the Son of God or nothing if Christ die not for the Soul it must perish for ever But rather than the Soul should be lost and undone for ever God will not spare his own Son but deliver him up for us all 10. The Soul is very precious doth appear because from the unwearied Attempts and restless Endeavours of the Devil to destroy it all Satan's grand Rage and Malice is let out against the Soul of Man had it not been for our Souls he would have concerned himself no more to have work'd out our Ruin than the Ruin of irrational Creatures But he foresaw the precious Nature of the Soul of Man what excellent Faculties it was endowed withal and what a glorious Image of God was stamp'd upon it and therefore he rages and foams out his hellish Spite and Malice against us and all to destroy our Souls and this Rage and Fury he continues still against our Souls O what Ways diverse and cunning Stratagems doth he use that so he may spoil the Happiness or destroy the Comfort of our Souls For as it is God's great Concern to save our Souls so it is Satan's great Business to damn and destroy our Souls for ever and as God contrives Ways and Means to make our Souls happy for ever so the Devil contrives Ways and Means to make our Souls miserable for ever The Soul is as I may say that sweet Morsel Satan hungers after and fain would tear in pieces and devour if possible it is not so much to destroy our Bodies by natural Death as our Souls and Bodies by eternal Death O how great is that Salvation that is the Salvation of our precious Souls God's Care Cost and Labour to preserve our Souls to save our Souls shews that it is of great Worth And it is this that makes Man to differ so much from brutish Creatures and to excel all the Works of God in this nether Creation Had it not been for our Souls would God have been any more concerned for us than for the Beasts that perish And was not the Soul I say a very excellent and precious thing Satan would not make it his greatest Work and Business to destroy it as he hath always done and still continues to do 11. The Soul is very precious doth yet further appear because if a Man could gain all the World all the Riches Honours and Pleasures of the World with the loss of his Soul his Loss would be more than his Gain yea infinitely more there 's nothing that can make a Recompence for the loss of the Soul as our Saviour clearly shews Mat. 16. 26. All the World is nothing in Value when compared with the Soul therefore it is precious 12. The Soul is immortal its Nature is Life it is no corporal Thing 〈◊〉 thing it is not composed of the four Elements as our 〈◊〉 it cannot diâ— nor be annihilated it will either 〈…〉 Joy and â—lehedness or else of Eternal 〈…〉 'T is strange to me that any Man should 〈…〉 to be mortal 1. 〈…〉 and cast Contempt upon themselves 〈…〉 Mankind of their greatest Glory and reâ—der Man in 〈…〉 above the Beasts that perish and also they darken and â—â—â—â—ngely eclipse the Infinite Love and Grace of God in the Redemption and Restoration of Man 2. And if the Soul be moâ—t 〈…〉 with the Body then had we not been redeemed at all we â—â—d been no more if 〈◊〉 than the Beasts are we should but have 〈…〉 been no more we should have known no more Pain
Absurdities attending the Doctrine of the final Apostacy of true Believers opened in twelve Particulars 313. The Application 315 to 318 Third Text Heb. 6. 4 5 6. 1. This Scripture mistaken by the antient Fathers 319 2. The Text opened with the Connection of what precedes and succeeds Doct. 1. The severest Doctrine useful to Professors that are slothful or dull of hearing 321 2. What those Persons Attainments were and what not 322 323 They were not true Believers 323 324 Doct. 2. It is a high Privilege for Men to be enlightened with the Knowledg of the Gospel 3. What common and saving Illuminations of the Spirit are and how they differ 325 to 331 Second Sermon What is meant by the Heavenly Gift 332 What by tasting the Heavenly Gift 333 334 How said to partake of the Holy Ghost 334 And tasted of the good Word of God 335 1. What is meant by the Word of God 335 2. Why called the good Word of God shewed in eight Particulars 336 What a kind of Taste an unsound Christian may have of the Word of God 337 338 What a kind of Taste Believers have of God's Word pag. 340 341 What is meant by the World to come 343 The Nature of the World to come 346 The Riches Honour Joy and Pleasures of the World to come 349 350 351 352 Third Sermon What meant by the Powers of the World to come 354 What a kind of Taste the Persons in the Text were said to have of the Powers of the World to come shewed in six Particlars 355 356 357 358 What is spoken concerning those Persons viz. They may fall away How it is impossible to renew such unto Repentance how not impossible 359 360 Why it is impossible c. 360 What the Sin against the Holy Ghost is 361 362 363 The Application 364 The fourth and last Text Heb. 2. 3. 1. The scope of the Text opened 368 2. The Terms and Parts explained 369 Doct. 1. That the Salvation of the Gospel is great and glorious Doct. 2. That the Means of this Salvation may be neglected Doct. 3. That such who neglect this Salvation cannot escape 369 Doct. 1. Two things proposed to be done 1. To prove the Proposition That Gospel-Salvation is great c. 2. To improve it by way of Application Arg. 1. Salvation great comparatively 369 370 Arg. 2. Salvation great positively Great and glorious in respect of the time when found out and promised 370 371 Arg. 3. Great in respect of that great Counsel held in Eternity between the Father and Son about it 371 Arg. 4. Great in respect of the Design of God therein which is threefold 1. His own Glory 2. The Ruin of Satan and his Kingdom 3. The Eternal Happiness of Man or of all that believe Arg. 5. Great considering how low Man was fallen and the seasonableness of it Second Sermon Arg. 6. Salvation is great considering the Persons that brought it about or do 〈◊〉 it viz. the Father the Son and the Holy 〈…〉 What part of Gospel-Salvation may 〈…〉 rectly attributed to God the Father 〈…〉 seven Particulars 〈…〉 79 What part Christ hath in it pag. 379 380 Christ a great and Almighty Saviour shewed in many Particulars 381 382 What part the Holy Ghost hath in working out our Salvation 382 383 Third Sermon Arg. 7. Gospel-Salvation great considering what we are delivered from 1. Sin that hath corrupted our Nature 2. From that which is destructive to our Nature which is Punishment both here and hereafter 1. The Evil of Sin opened in six Partic. 391 392 2. The nature of that Punishment we are delivered from 393 394 395 Arg. 8. Gospel-Salvation great considering what Christ hath done and suffered to effect it opened in five Particulars 397 398 399 Fourth Sermon Arg. 9. Salvation great considering the Subjects redeemed 1. The Soul of Man 2. The Body 400 The Soul of Man exceeding precious proved by eleven Arguments 401 402 403 404 405 The Soul Immortal proved by seven Arguments 406 407. The Application 408 409 Ministers and Parents have a great Charge committed to them the Charge of Souls 410 411 False Teachers much to answer for that deceive Souls Fifth Sermon Arg. 10. Gospel-Salvation great considering what Believers are thereby raised up unto or the Privileges invested with shewed in many Particulars 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 The Application Object I cannot rise to a full Perswasion that Christ is mine answered Such a full Perswasion appertaining not to the Being of true justifying Faith but is a high degree of it 420 Sixth Sermon Arg. 11. Gospel-Salvation great and glorious because a full compleat comprehensive Salvation 421. It hath all things in it that either Sinners or Saints do need proved at large 422 to 428 Seventh Sermon Arg. 12. Salvation great in respect of Christ himself the first and great Minister thereof 429 When Christ first began to preach this Salvation 431 Arg. 13. Gospel-Salvation great considering its wonderful Confirmation pag. 432 433 Arg. 14. Gospel-Salvation great because the holy Angels pry into it and are amaz'd at it 433 434 Arg. 15. Salvation great because so free a Salvation 434 435 Arg. 16. Salvation great because 't is eternal 435 Eighth Sermon Doct. 2. opened Gospel-Salvation may be neglected Four things proposed 436 1. What meant by neglecting it 436 2. Who may be said to neglect this Salvation opened in eighteen Particulars 436 to 443 Ninth Sermon 3. From whence it is Men neglect this Salvation largely opened 443 444 445 446 447 The Application 451 452 Tenth Sermon 4. The great Evil and Sin of 〈…〉 of the Gospel opened 453 1. In respect of God the Father 453 2. In respect had to Christ 457 458 459 3. In respect had 〈…〉 holy Spirit 461 462 Eleventh Sermon What a great Sin it is to neglect Gospel-Salvation opened in respect of the Sinner himself 464 c. Twelfth Sermon 1. What those cannot escape that neglect Gospel-Salvation 471 1. Not escape the Curse of the Law 471 472 2. The Guilt and Punishment of Sin 3. The Wrath of God 4. The Damnation of Hell 2. The Cause and Reasons why they cannot escape shewed in nine Particulars 475 Thirteenth Sermon 1. When or at what time they shall not escape shewed in four respects 477 2. The nature of that Wrath shewed in nine Particulars which they cannot escape 480 481 482 Fourteenth Sermon 1. Why the Gospel is attended with such Threats 483 484 485 486 2. What Sinners shall not escape 487 488 Fifteenth Sermon 1. What is not a Legal Doctrine 489 490 2. What is a Legal Doctrine 490 491. A TRUMPET Blown in ZION OR AN ALLARM IN God's Holy Mountain CONTAINING An Exposition of that Metaphorical Scripture MATTH III. 12. Lately delivered in Two Sermons and now Published to awaken the Drowsie and Formal Professors of this Age. Wherein the Nature of God's Wrath both Internal and Eternal is discovered as seizing upon the Chaff and Burning of it up
and art tost up and down with Temptations Trials and Afflictions Know that his Design is wholly herein for thy good it is but to purge out thy Chaff that thou as pure white Wheat may'st shine the more bright and clear in Grace and Gospel-Holiness for Sin and Corruption spoils thy Beauty to all that behold thee No Doctrine tends to promote Gospel Holiness like the Doctrine of Gods Free-Grace Shall we sin because grace hath abounded God forbid 2. O what a Mercy of Mercies it is that Gods Wrath is appeased towards you Christs Blood has quenched this dreadful fire as to you who believe and indeed nothing else could do it O bless God for Christ and for that River of Water which proceeds from him to the extinguishing this flaming Fire he hath born it and allay'd it nay quite put it out so that you shall never feel the burning or tormenting Nature thereof 3. Thou shalt at last whosoever thou art if sincere if Wheat be gathered into his Garner viz. into Heaven it self for Christ will not lose one grain of his spiritual Wheat not one Sheep of his shall perish He that has begun that good work in thee will perform it to the day of Christ He will gather his wheat into his Garner but the Chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So much for this time 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 BEloved I have gone through the several Terms of the Text by way of Explaination and have taken Notice of several Propositions or Points of Doctrine that naturally arise therefrom I purpose only to prosecute but one of them namely the 6 th and last viz. Doct. That the Wrath of God is like Fire 't is intollerable or the Misery and Torment of the Damned will be dismal and amazing there 's no expressing how fearful their condition is and will be who fall under the vindictive Wrath and Vengeance of an angry God I shall only do three things 1. Further open the Nature of Gods Wrath. 2. Prove and demonstrate the Truth of the Proposition 3. Improve it by way of Application And to proceed it is necessary to note to you in the first place as I before hinted that the Wrath of God may be considered under a twofold Consideration As it is manifested 1. Internally or Externally taking hold of and seizing upon some ungodly persons here whilst in this World 2. As it is Eternal seizing on and taking hold of all undone and lost Sinners hereafter Sin is the cause of Gods Wrath and Vengance both of that which is felt here and shall eternally be felt and undergone hereafter the word as the learned note which is translated Wrath comes from a Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies heat or to be hot and hence 't is compared to fire an angry Man we say is a fiery Man a Man that hath much fire or fury in him the Wrath of man is hot but the Wrath of God is much hotter Because there is Wrath beware Sirs there is Wrath in the Heart of God against Sinners there his anger is kindled there is Wrath also in his Decree and in his Threatnings his Wrath continues on all Unbelievers He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth upon him Tho' many of them do not feel it they have not the sense of it but shall have one day yet there are some that God lets out his Wrath upon to such a degree here that they do feel it and cry out under the sense and horror thereof in a fearful manner Secondly The Wrath of God as it is compared unto fire is oft-times let out to consume men in divers respects 1. Sometimes by Poverty as by a flame he consumes in a secret way their outward substance there is a Curse upon their estates which dries up their Riches in which they Trusted and set their Hearts upon forgetting God their Maker their Chief Good and Last End 2. Sometimes he Consumes their Honour Reputation and Credit they falling by their Iniquity into disgrace after they have made a Profession of Religion and have been in the Love and Esteem of good Men. 3. Sometimes also by Sickness as by a flame he consumes their Health and thus he threatned the People of Israel The Lord shall smite thee with a Consumption and with a Feaver and with an Inflamation and with extream Burning 4. Also his Wrath oftentimes breaks out like fire on some Men by suddain Death in a strange and unusual manner as in the case of Lots Wife and of Nadab and Abihu and there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord. This was so amazing that Moses said unto Aron and unto Eleazor and unto Jâ—hamar Vncover not your heads neither rend your cloaths least ye die and least Wrath come upon all the People but let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled Open not your Mouths as if he should say shew no such sorrow as at other times for God is Just and he hath let out his deserved Wrath against these young Men least you should seem to Justifie them and shew a dislike of God's token of Divine dispeasure 5. Moreover God many times le ts out his Wrath by War and the Sword consumes and devours much people As also by Famine and by the Pestilence The Wrath of God as it is let out in this World is as a drying scorching and devouring fire The flame of Gods Displeasure puts all into a flame as at this day all the Earth seems to be on a fire God is now a burning up and consuming the Nations Therefore he hath poured upon him speaking of Jacob the fury of his anger and the strength of Battel and it hath set him on 〈◊〉 round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart War consumes the Riches the Wealth the Strength the Food and Bread of the Nation as well as the People but it is not laid to heart He teareth me saith Job in his Wrath The Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mr. Caryl Notes is near in sound to our English Tear and it signifieth to Tear as a Lyon his prey Wrath is of a Tearing and devouring Nature God sometimes in his Wrath Tears in pieces the Bodies of Men he tears their Power their Riches and consumes their Beauty and turns all as it were to Ashes and thus he will pour out his Wrath on Babylon and she shall be burned with fire 6. The Wrath of God also Seizeth on the Souls of some men whilest they are in this World as when they are left or given up unto hardness of Heart Vnbelief and blindness of Mind indeed this is most
dreadful of all What can be a greater Token of Gods Divine Wrath it is the begining of that Future Vengeance that shall be poured forth upon them to Eternity Thus the Almighty dealt by the Jews for their Sin in rejecting of Jesus Christ and putting him to death by wicked hands for this he gave them up to an hard unbelieving and an impenitent heart and then let in the Romans upon them who utterly destroyed their City and Temple and so scattered them on all the face of the Earth and hence the Apostle saith that Wrath was come upon them to the uttermost 7. The Wrath of God like Fire sometimes also seizeth on the Consciences of men by which means they are fearfully tormented for their horrid Blasphemy Prophaness Atheism Apostacy c. We have had two Examples of this sort viz. Mr. Francis Spira in the last Century and Mr. John Child in this It is enough to make all who read those Naratives to Tremble at the very thoughts of the incensed Wrath and Anger of an offended God Who can stand before his indignation when his wrath is poured out like fire on the Souls and Consciences of Men O how doth he seem to Tear them into peices even to such a degree as they seem to be in the very torments of Hell while in the Body And not knowing but that a faithful reciting of some Passages concerning the inward Horror of the said Spira and Child may be of some use to Caution all to take heed of such like sins which they fell under I shall tho' more briefly than I intended compare their States Circumstances inward Anguish and Horror of their Spirits together SOME PASSAGES Of the Fearful Estate of Francis Spira SPira having received the Light of the Gospel became a Teacher of the Blessed Truths thereof amongst his Friends and familiar Acquaintance and says the Narrative in comparison seemed to neglect all other Affairs much pressing this main point of Doctrine viz. That we must wholly and only depend on the free and unchangable Love of God in the Death of Christ as the only way to Salvation As to his natural and corrupt Inclination ' I was saith he excessively Covetous of Money and accordinly applyed my self to get it by Injustice corrupting Justice by doing it ' c. As touching Spira's Sin and his grand fall it was thus viz. The Popes Legate Resident at Venice was stirred by the malice of the Papists to accuse Spira to him and by the Craft and Policy of the Legate and through slavish Fear Spira first fled and afterwards renounced his Testimony to the Truth before which it appears he reasoned thus within himself thro' the Suggestion of the Devil viz. ' Be well advised fond Man consider Reasons on both sides and then judge how canst thou thus overwean thine own sufficiency as thou neither regardest the Examples of thy Progenitors nor the Judgment of the whole Church dost thou not consider what misery this thy Rashness will bring thee into thou shalt lose thy Substance gotten with so great Care and Travel thou shalt undergo the most exquisite Torments that Malice 〈…〉 devise thou shalt be 〈…〉 an Heretick of all 〈…〉 to close up all thou shalt die shamefully What thinkest thou of the lothsom stinking Dungeon the Bloudy Ax the Burning Faggot are they delightful be wise at length and keep thy Life and Honour Go to the Legate Weak Man and freely Confess thy Fault ' c. And upon these thoughts he goes to the Legate and salutes him with this News viz. Having for these divers years entertained an Opinion concerning some Articles of Faith contrary to the Orthodox and received Judgment of the Church and uttered many things against the Authority of the Church of Rome and the universal Bishop I humbly acknowledge my Fault and Error and my Folly in my misleading others I therefore yeild my self in all Obedience to the supream Bishop of Rome into the Bosom of the Church of Rome never to depart again from the Traditions and Decrees of the Holy See I am heartily sorry for what is past and I humbly beg Pardon for so great an Offence The Legate at this commanded him to return to his own Town and there to confess and acknowledge the whole Doctrine of the Church of Rome to be holy and true and to abjure the Opinions of Luther c. After this he signed an Instrument of Abjuration and then fell under horrid Despairation ' And he thought he heard a direful Voice ' saying Thou wicked Wretch thou hast renounced the Covenant of thy Obedience thou hast broke thy Vow henc Apostate bear with thee the Sentene of thy Eternal Damnation He trembling in Body and Mind fellinto a Swound Now began some of his Friends to repent too late of their Rash Council not looking so high as to the Judgment of God laid all the blame on his Melancholly Constitution that over-shaddowing his Judgment wrought in him a kind of Madness and directed him to the use of Physicians c. To which Spira replyed Alas poor men how far wide are you do you think that this Disease is to be Cured by Potions believe me there must be another manner of Medicine it is neither Plaister nor Drugs that can help a fainting Soul cast down with the sence of sin and the Wrath of God 't is only Christ that must be the Pysician and the Gospel the Souls Antidote Amongst others that come to visit him was Panlus Vergerius and Mattheus Gribauldus principal Labourers for his Comfort they sound him about 50 Years of Age. Neither affected with Doteage nor with the unconstant head-strong Passion of Youth but in the strength of his Experience and Judgment in a burning heat calling for drink yet his Understanding active quick or Apprehension Witty in Discourse above his ordinary manner they forcibly infused some liquid Sustenance into his Mouth most of which he spit out again and in a fretting mood said As it is true that all things work for the better to those that Love God so to the wicked all to the contrary for whereas a plentiful Off-spring is the Blessing of God and his Reward being a stay to the weak Estate of their Aged Parents to me they are a cause of bitterness and vexation they do strive to make me tire out this misery I would fain be at an end I deserve not this dealing at their hands Oh that I were gone from hence that some body would let out this weary Soul My sin said Spira is greater than the Mercy of God nay answered his Visitors the Mercy of God is above all sin God would have all men to be saved it is true said he God would have all the Elect to be saved he would not have damn'd Reprobates to be saved I am one of that Number I know it for I willingly denyed Christ and I feel that he hardens me and will not suffer me to hope Being
a thing is this that I that have preached so much of the glory of another World should now be deprived of it all You will as surely see me damned as you now see me stand here To others he said I have trifled in Religion trifled trifled I am lost there is no Hope no Hope At another time he said The black Tokens of Reprobation are upon me He said to Mr. Plant smiting on his Breast Sir I am Damn'd I am Damn'd it is so most certainly My day is over O that it was with me as in days past but it is too late the Decree is gone forth it is Sealed in Heaven and it is irreversible Jesus Christ cannot save me he will not he cannot Mediate for me I have so much offended him in maliciously abusing of his People O what a Wretch was I what a Spirit was I led by I have guilt enough said he to sink seventeen Kingdoms and I know the Earth would open its mouth and swallow me alive like Corah Dathan and Abiram were it not that God hath reserved me to be a more publick Spectacle of his Anger and Displeasure both to Angels and Men. I can neither Pray nor desire others to pray for me my Heart is perfectly hardened how should I when I cannot desire Jesus Christ to pray for me flouds of Tears flowing from him Dear bought Experience saith he hath taught me that it is no small thing to trifle with him in the great things of Religion and Eternity c. In one of his Letters sent to Mr. James Jones are these Expressions viz. Being possessed with Doubts Fears and Tremblings night and day the sad savour of Gall and Wormwood an horrible Relish of Gravel-stones the sad Apprehensions of Curses Blastings and Mildew the dismal sound of the mad Prophets words I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh had I been a Backslider of an ordinary size I have a Voice behind me or dire Texts to love and make a Lye is a qualification for the Lake His poor Wife as I remember intimated to me that the very Ends of the Halr of his Head in the Night-season did stand in Drops thro' the Anguish of his Soul Thus he continued for several Months under most dreadful horror and fearful desparation until the 13 th of Octob. 1684. when to put an end to his miserable Life he hanged himself in his own hired house in Brick-lane near Spitlefields London leaving a sorrowful Widdow and several Children But she poor Woman lived not long after 'T is to be noted that there was a strange blast upon his Estate for tho' I understood by a Friend that was intimate with him he was little before his fall worth near a thousand pounds yet I can hear but of a little left to his Children his Eldest Son being but in a low and mean Condition I take not upon me to pass Judgment upon this miserable Man not knowing how God might deal with him whose Mercy is Infinite for I do not believe Self-murther is an unpardonable sin for if so there is more Sins unto Death than one certainly it is a Sin against the Father and the Son and not against the Holy Ghost and therefore may be forgiven unto men who may before their Life is quite gone have Repentance given to them But I am of the Opinion with a worthy Minister that visited him that if any Atheist in the World who had formerly known this man and had conversed with him in his bitter Agonies he would have seen sufficient Demonstrations to have convinced him that there is a dreadful God or a Power besides and above Nature who can touch shake and disorder and turn into Confusion the strongest constitution of body by ministring and fastning terrible things upon the Soul and as he saith let this Pillar of Salt tend to warn and season the People of this present and future Ages of the danger of sinning against the light of their understanding Moreover it doth I am sure serve with a witness to prove and fully to demonstrate the truth of that Proposition I am upon viz. That God doth sometimes let out his Wrath on the Consciences of some men for their horrid evil in this World which seems intollerable and hard to be born or undergone by any Mortal But Secondly To proceed by buring up the Chaff with unquenchable fire or by the Wrath of God in this place our Blessed Saviour doth intend casting the wicked into Hell it self Remarkable it is that no less than four or five times the Lord Christ positively affirms in Mark 9. that the fire of Hell into which Body and Soul of wicked men shall be cast cannot be quenched where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched c. Why repeated so often is it not to assure all ungodly persons of the certainty of it Men are not willing to believe this great truth they are too ready to think that it is inconsistent with infinite goodness to inflict such Punishment on his Creatures but alas they forget that there is an infinite perfection in every one of the Divine Attributes and that as Gods mercy is infinite unsearchable and unconceivable so is his wrath and fury none are able to conceive much less to declare what pain and anguish the damned undergo What torments like fire and what fire is so hot and so tormenting as Hell-fire sad it is to burn half an hour in an Elementary fire yet the Martyrs have endured that for Christs sake God made it easie to some of them But alas who can bear the burnings of Hell-fire when wrath shall be let out upon the Soul to the utterermost O Sirs what a fearful thing will it be to be found chaff and false hypocritical Persons such cannot escape the damnation of Hell No nor can any sinner whatsoever except they believe repent or are born again there is no avoiding being cast into unquenchable fire Thirdly I shall now endeavour to prove the point viz. That the Wrath of God in Hell is intollerable and far greater than any Wrath let out here either on the Bodies or Souls of men which will appear if we consider these particulars following First The extremity of their Torment will appear upon the Consideration that it is inconceivable beyond all mens understanding who knoweth the power of thy Anger who can apprehend it or is rightly and duely affected therewith we can conceive of all bodily pain or external Torment but cannot comprehend the Nature of infinite Wrath no more than we can conceive or apprehend the Nature of infinite Love and Goodness Secondly It is and will be intollerable because it is according to that fear nay beyond the fear that an awakened Conscience hath of it even according to thy fear so is thy Wrath. O what frightful thoughts and astonishing fears had Spira and Child of Gods Wrath Now Sirs it cannot be
the Effects of it who have been under Desparation in this World 2. Shame also will torment them some shall rise to Shame and everlasting Contempt O what Shame and Confusion of Face shall the Damned be cloathed with should a King lose his Crown and Kingdom to get a few Cockle-shells would it not bring Shame upon him O how will the Damned Soul cry I have for meer Toys and Trifles lost that God that made me that Christ that is worth ten thousand Worlds even he that is the Pearl of great Price I have been that Judas that did not value him above thirty pence no not above the sinful Profits of this World not above the Pleasure of Sin and the filthy Lusts of the Flesh thus will the unclean Person be ashamed Shame will torment him I must saith he now lye in Hell for ever and pay dear for my Folly 2. The Drunkard will be also tormented with Shame I was such a Fool he then may say that for the sake of my Cups and Love to my cursed Companions and merry Bouts have lost God the Perfection of Happiness I rather chose to go to the Ale-house or Tavern to Drink and carouse with these Damned Wretches than to go to hear Gods Word I derided them that feared to sin against God and accounted them Fools but I must lye in Hell for ever and pay dear for my wickedness 3. Shame also will torment the Proud and Ambitious Person Ah what a Fool was I he will say to love the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God! I sought vain Honour and pleased my self with a Name all my Design was to be great and had in Esteem among Men I was proud of my Estate and despised he Poor I was of a Haughty Spirit and gloried in my Titles of Honour I sought the Favour of my Prince but regarded not the Favour of God I was proud of my Parts I gloryed in my Gifts in my Beauty in my Strength I delighted my self in Antick Dresses and in Decking of my Vile Body that now is here burning in Hell I was so Graceless that I would not leave off Idle and Foolish Fashions though Godly Ministers were grieved at me and told me my Doom and tho' God bore Witness against my High Head and Haughty Heart by strange Prodigies in Nature seen in divers poor Animals yet I still vaunted my self in Pride and Wantouness and laught at Christs Ministers when they reproved me O what shame torments me now here must I lye in Hell under Gods Wrath for ever and pay dear for my Folly 4. The prophane Swearer and Blasphemer will be also tormented with Shame O saith he I looked upon my self to be no small Person but one of the Hero's of my Day and fit to keep Company with great Men because I could swear and curse with any of them how often did I call upon God to Damn me I have but that which I desired he hath now damn'd me indeed I acted like a fearless Brute Beast O what Shame do I find my Soul covered with that I should cast away my self for that filthy Vice that was no Profit to me any manner of way 5. Shame also will terrisie and bring Confusion upon the carnal Worldling or Covetuous Person who made this World his God I had he will say store of Gold and Silver in my Bags and Chests where it lay to rust but I refused to feed the Poor and to cloath the Naked I regarded no distressed Members of Christ I set my Heart upon my Earthly Treasure valuing it above God and Jesus Christ O what a Fool was I in that I could not foresee how soon I must leave all that which I had gathered I to get the World slighted nay despised my own Soul now if I had ten thousand Worlds I would give them for the Favour of God nay for one drop of Water to cool my Tongue 6. The Lyar moreover will be tormented with Shame Ah! saith he how often did I read that those that did love and make Lies should burn in this Lake but I would not believe it I damn'd my own Soul by telling Lies to please my graceless Companions even to cause them to laugh and be merry or to excuse my self and free me from shame when on Earth or for a little worldly Profit Gain or for popular Applause I made no Conscience oftelling Lyes O what Shame doth these things now bring upon my Spirit 7. The Seducer and Heretical person likewise will be filled and tormented with shame who preached false Doctrine or sucked in detestable Errors laying aside the chief Corner-stone and magnifying Morality or the Light of natural Conscience above Christ I seemed saith he to be a strict and zealous Person and deceived multitudes of People but for trusting in my own Righteousness for hugging a few base filthy Raggs I am damned I was ignorant of Gods Righteousness and of the Mysteries of the Gospel yet gave out that none were true Christians but such as my self I denyed that Christ that bought me and did not believe the Resurrection of my Body but now I find how the Devil blinded my Eyes and now here tormented with Shame I must lie in these flames Body and Soul for ever O! and what a multitude of poor deluded Creatures have I been an Instrument to bring into this place Wo is me that ever I was born 8. The Hypocritical Professor will be tormented with Shame also I rested he will say upon a bare Name of being Religious pleased my self with the Shell withan empty Cabinet without the Jewel a Lamp of Profession with a Form of Godliness my Business was to keep up my Credit amongst Gods People that they might take me to be one of them yet my own Conscience often told me I was not sincere I loved not the Life and Power of Godliness I did all to be seen of men had base ends I appeared abroad to be what I was not at home O what Shame now torments my Soul I had a darling Lust which I would not forego my heart was never really changed Thus I might go on to the rest c. O what Shame will seize upon the Sinner when all his vain Excuses are laid open and all his Extenuations of his Guilt are discovered when his secret Deeds of Darkness are published as it were on the House-top when his Breast shall be transparent to all Eyes when his inward Thoughts cursed Lusts cruel Malice Murthers and Deceits are made manifest and all his beastly Sensualities shall be laid open before God Angels and Saints when the Vails and Covers of Shame shall be taken off how will he be confounded for ever 9. The Devil also no doubt will reproach them for their Folly though he be in Misery with them Ah thou Wretch may not he say wast thou not a Fool to believe me whom thou wast often told was a Liar from the Beginning and wouldst not believe
Information so also by way of Terror and that to many sorts of Persons 1. Tremble ye wordly Professors who have earthly Spirits that set your Hearts on things below and neither cloath the Naked nor feed the Hungry Weep and howl for the misery that shall come upon you ye have heaped Treasure together against the last day how will your Folly gall your Consciences when you lye in Hell-Torments whilst you heap up Gold and Silver in your Bags and Chests you heap up Wrath against the last day Remember what Christ says unto you And these shall go away into everlasting punishment What will your Profession signifie if you love the World above God which be sure you do if you see a Brother or Sister in want and do not give them such things that they need Remember Mr. Child I have made this World saith he my God 2. Tremble you proud and vain-glorious Persons Pride cryes poor Mr. Child hath undone me The Proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that comes shall burn them up Will you glory in your Riches Honours Gifts Knowledge or any thing you have will you not be reclaimed to throw off your God-provoking Fashions whatsoever comes of it but plead to uphold your Lusts and Vanity tho' the Name of God be dishonoured and Religion brought into Contempt and the Godly grieved 3. Tremble you vain young Men and Women who forget your Creator in the days of your Youth that secretly resolve your own Hearts shall choose your ways who will feed your carnal Appetites and wanton Desires and will run on in wicked Courses let Ministers say what they will Godly Parents say what they will yet you will swear lye be drunk commit Uncleanness O know as you feed your Lusts here and that burns in you so shall Hell feed on you and that fire like Chaff burn you up hereafter Will a few merry Hours with your filthy Companions make a compensation for the loss of your precious and immortal Souls Are you willing to suffer the Wrath of God for ever rather than to forgo your vain and wicked Courses 4. Tremble ye that harbour Atheistical Thoughts in your Hearts and are ready to think or hope there is no God O how soon may you feel him within you by his terrible Wrath as Mr. Child in bitterness of Soul cryed out 5. Tremble ye Lyars that love to make a lye for you shall have your portion in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 6. Tremble ye who are light and frothy persons also you that are Back-biters Busie-bodys that vilifie and reproach the Servants of God out of Malice and Prejudice you will be as Chaff that shall burn in Hell for ever 7. Tremble all ye that slight Christ and his Gospel and neglect those convictions you have either of Sin or Duty and that slight all serious thoughts of Eternity or how things will go with you in another World and who stiffle your Consciences or turn a deaf ear to it's rebukes God may awaken you er'e long in his Wrath and tear you to pieces when there is none to deliver you 8. Tremble all ye Hypocrites whose Hearts condemn you for harbouring some Sin or another in your bosoms who are not what you seem to be but strive to cover your vileness under a cloak of a visible Profession Fearfulness will soon surprize you Who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burning Hell is that place that is prepared for Hypocrites and Vnbelievers It seems by the word of our Blessed Saviour that they above all are in a dangerous Estate and shall not escape eternal burning 9. Tremble ye Apostates ye who have backsliden from God O fear lest God let out his Wrath upon you here and it burn within you whilst you are alive in the body and if it prove a final Apostacy Wo be to you as ever you were born then there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries Exhort O Repent Repent haste to Christ believe on him 1. Motive The God of mercy exercises much Patience towards poor Sinners O how doth he wait O how willing is he they should be saved and not come into the place of Torment 2. He tells you what your End will be if you believe not if you accept not his Son fly not for Refuge to take hold of Jesus Christ if ye believe not in Christ ye shall dye in your sins that is you shall be damned for ever He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned He sets out the Torments of the damned by the most amazing figures to move upon mens Spirits and work upon their Minds so that they being deterred form evil Practices may flee from the Wrath to come by laying hold on the hope set before them he gives warning before he strikes tells you of your danger Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him the wicked shall be turned into Hell with all the Nations that forget God You may know how it will go with you at the last day if you hear but Gods warning-pieces in his Word Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate Persons nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Thieves nor Drunkards nor Extortioners c. Compared with Rev. 21. 8. 3. God calls nay cries to you sinners O ye simple ones why will ye love simplicity and fools hate knowledge turn ye at my reproof and behold I will pour out my spirit upon you c. 4. He gives sinners time and space to repent or a day of Grace O now unexcusable will he leave every ungodly man at the last day their destruction shall appear to be of themselves be sure God will be clear when he judges none shall have any thing to charge him with all mouths shall be stopped The man That wanted the Wedding-Garment was speechless 5. God hath sent his Son to die for Sinners God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life 6. He sends his Ministers to call you to invite you who tell you all things are now ready Sinners will your sinful Honours Riches or Pleasures make a reparation for the loss of a Christ the loss of Heaven and loss of your own souls Take two or three Directions 1. Seek the Kingdom of Heaven first before all things 2. Take notice this is the day of your Visitation
drawn as comporting with this latter Exposition Doct. 1. All true Believers are the Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ and he is their Shepherd they hear his Voice and follow him Two things I shall God assisting do Before I raise any other Point of Doctrine in prosecuting this I shall 1. Open or explain this Proposition 2. Apply it In speaking to the first I shall observe this Method First I shall explain the Proposition 1. I shall shew you in what respect they may be said to be his Sheep 2. Shew what is meant by Christ's Voice 3. What by hearing of his Voice 4. What by his knowing of them 5. Give you some of the Characters of Christ's Sheep and shew how they follow him 6. Shew what a kind of Shepherd Christ is First They are his Sheep by Choice or by virtue of Election Those that are Christ's are not only his Sheep but his Spouse also according to another Scripture-Metaphor and therefore 't is reasonable they should be his own free Choice and such as he can and doth dearly love not only such as the Father loved but he himself also loved all that were Elected from Everlasting were beloved by the Father and the Son from Everlasting with a Purpose of Grace and Favour or Love of Benevolence The Sign and Fruit of Christ's Love to his Sheep is the Choice he hath made of them Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained that you should go and bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain John 15. 16. This Christ mentions here as an Argument of his greatest Love and therefore he doth not refer to that Choice of them as Apostles for so was Judas chosen who was not comprehended in God's Eternal Election I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen John 15. 18. Judas was chosen to the Apostleship but was not chosen to Eternal Life he was a Devil and therefore not to be one of Christ's Sheep Have I not chosen you Twelve and one of you is a Devil Christ hath no Sheep but such that he was pleased to chuse or make choice of for his own and he knows them before they know him as the Apostle speaks The Lord knows them that are his that is all such that he hath chosen according to the Decree of Eternal Election Secondly Christ's Sheep are his by virtue of the Father's free Donation They are all given unto him I pray not for the World but for them thou hast given me I have manifested thy Name to the Men which thou gavest me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them me They were given to Christ to be his Sheep to be his Spouse and Members of his Mystical Body Behold I and the Children thou hast given me are for Signs and Wonders in Israel Thirdly They are Christ's Sheep by Purchase He bought them all and that too at a dear Price He paid heartily for them every Sheep cost one and the same Price even the meanest poorest and weakest of them cost more than ten thousand Millions nay that which was in value more than ten thousand Worlds Ye are not your own but you are bought with a Price We had sold our selves to other Masters and they had possession of us I am carnal saith Paul sold under Sin He was formerly sold and was hardly yet got out of the Tyrant's Hand Behold for your Iniquities have you sold your selves but ye shall be redeemed without Money We were all sold to Sin sold to Satan and there was no ways to redeem us from the Wrath of God without a great Ransom Justice will have a satisfactory Price And since corruptible things as Silver and Gold will not do it no nor a thousand Rams nor ten thousand Rivers of Oil nor the Fruit of the Body which could not make Atonement for the Sin of the Soul Christ must come to the Price proposed to him and demanded of him if he will purchase these Sheep and that was his own precious Blood Take heed therefore unto your selves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers that ye feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood I lay down my Life for my Sheep This was the Price so dearly did Christ buy his Sheep And this Day Beloved the Tokens of this Price or Sacred Signs or Symbols of this Purchase is to be set before your Eyes pray remember that Believers are Christ's Sheep by Purchase Fourthly Believers are Christ's Sheep by Renovation or Transformation In this lies a great Mystery they had not once a Sheep-like Nature but by Grace their swinish and evil Qualities are changed he hath infused new and holy Dispositions into them So that in this respect Jesus Christ excels all other Shepherds for they cannot turn Swine Bears or Tigers into Sheep but the Lord Jesus by the Holy Ghost makes such to become his Sheep or to have Sheep-like Natures and Dispositions that were before as vile filthy and abominable as the worst of Sinners the Holy Ghost compares them before Grace and Regeneration to Dogs Swine c. they having like evil Qualities with those unclean and filthy Creatures Such were some of you What a kind of such were they Why Thieves Covetous Drunkards Reviiers Extortioners Effeminate c. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus that is by the Power of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Christ hath not one Sheep but what he hath made so to be He as God made them at first and they having lost their first Excellent and Holy Nature he new makes them forms them again or transforms them into his own holy humble meek and gentle Nature This People have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my Praise We are created in Christ Jesus unto good Works and thus they may be said to be his Sheep Fifthly Believers are Christ's Sheep by a Holy Covenant or Contract made with the Father and by virtue of this Covenant they were given to him By virtue of this Covenant he died for them by virtue of this Covenant they became his and he calls them renews them and changes them He shall see his Seed It was by the Blood of this Covenant the Great Shepherd of the Sheep was raised from the Dead that they might be raised quickned and justified By virtue of this Covenant he gathers them and carries them in his Arms and lays the young and tender Ones in his Bosom and gently leads such that are with Young Isa 40. 11. By virtue of this Covenant he puts his Fear into their Hearts that they may not depart from him Christ as Mediator in this Covenant is God's Servant and undertakes the Office of Shepherd to take care of feed heal and preserve all those
by Original Sin or by Nature only wounded or maimed but dead The Holy Ghost doth not make use of an improper Metaphor We by Nature were as truly and really in a spiritual Sense dead that is had no more Life spiritual Life Motion Heat Feeling or Strength in us than a dead Man hath natural Life Motion Heat Feeling or Strength in him but when the Soul hears the spiritual and powerful Voice of Christ 't is immediately quickened a Principle of divine Life is infused You hath he quickened that were dead in Sins and Trespasses Thus the Greatness of Christ's Power towards Sinners appears that were dead or destitute of a Principle of spiritual Life Those that assert the Power of the Creature or that every Man is put into a Capacity to be saved if he will certainly do not consider this lay this to heart ponder on this viz. That all Mankind before Grace is infused into the Soul are dead What short of Almighty Power can raise the Dead to Life Power is not in the Dead to quicken himself nor can dead Lazarus resist that Principle of Life infused into him 't is not what the Sinner but what Christ the Saviour will and he quickens not all but whom he will For as the Father raiseth up the Dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will 'T is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy 4. Christ's Voice by his Spirit is a Soul-humbling and a Self-abasing Voice They that hear his Voice are straitway brought to his Feet loathing and abhorring themselves The Voice of Christ hath the same Effect on the Soul as the sight of God in Christ I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in Dust and Ashes After Paul had heard the Voice of Christ saying Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me how humble was he though called to be an Apostle yet esteemed himself less than the least of all Saints Now to be less than the least is to be nothing Man before Grace or before he comes to hear the Voice of Christ is a proud Creature but Grace humbles him to such a degree that he is little nay nothing in his own Eyes 5. Christ's Voice is a Soul-regenerating Voice His Voice is powerful and shakes the old Foundation down all former Hopes and fleshly Confidence is gone It was the Voice of the Spirit that first made us and made this World By the Word of God were all things made and created And 't is his Voice that creates us again or that renews us or forms his Sacred Image in us He that commanded by his Voice Light to shine out of Darkness doth but speak the word and so shines into our Hearts and thereby transforms us and gives us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 6. 'T is a Sin-killing Voice It lays the old Man a bleeding as it were the Spirit destroys the Body and Power of Sin it breaks down all the strong Holds of Sin Christ slays this Enemy by the Sword that goes out of his Mouth that is by his Word through the Operations of the Spirit If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live 'T is not enough to forbear the acting of Sin but we must kill and crucify it and this we cannot do without the powerful assistance and help of the Spirit 7. 'T is a Soul-strengthning Voice As Sin dies Grace lives and the Soul receives strength Faith is the Life and Strength of the Soul and this Life and Strength we receive by the Holy Spirit 8. 'T is a comforting Voice 'T is by the Spirit God speaks Peace to the Soul He will speak Peace unto his People and unto his Saints I will speak comfortably to her I will speak to her Heart None can speak to the Heart but God by his Spirit it is the Holy Ghost that is the Comforter And after the Sinner hath been deeply wounded in the true sense of Sin and is dejected grieved and sorely troubled then the Spirit comes with its sweet still and comforting Voice and revives the drooping Soul To comfort the Conscience Luther saith is as great a Work as to make the World 1. Now the Spirit speaks Comfort to the distressed Conscience through the Blood of Christ that is by shewing the Soul that Christ died in its stead and bore the Wrath that was due to us having fully satisfied God's Justice and answered all the Demands and Requirements of the Law being made a Curse for us that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Christ Jesus that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith The Blood of Christ speaks it hath a Voice in it it speaks good things yea better things than the Blood of Abel But it never speaks Comfort to the Soul till the Spirit applies it and sprinkleth it upon the Heart O what Peace and Comfort then doth the Spirit speak to a wounded Spirit 2. The Spirit speaks Comfort to the Soul by applying the Promises of Pardon and Peace unto us causing our Souls to take hold of them and to cleave to God in them This Promise is mine God hath fastened and fixed it on my Heart saith a Believer 3. By opening the Greatness and Preciousness of Christ's Love to us because he hath loved us with an everlasting Love therefore with loving Kindness hath he drawn us and helped us to believe and to receive him 4. The Spirit speaks Comfort to Believers by opening unto them the Nature and Excellency of the Covenant of Grace which is ordered in all things and sure being confirmed by the Oath of God c. 5. By shewing them the Power Mercy and Faithfulness of God c. O Sirs no Voice like the Voice of the Spirit happy is that Soul which hears this Voice and 't is this Voice of Christ that all his Sheep hear Thirdly There is also the Voice of Christ's Doctrine I mean the true Evangelical Doctrine of the Gospel The true Faith of the Gospel or the sacred Doctrine thereof is the Voice of Christ which his Sheep will hear And they will not hear the Voice of Strangers they will not hear the Voice of false Teachers or their pernicious Doctrine they know not the Voice of Strangers they can distinguish between Christ's Voice Christ's Doctrine and the Doctrine of false Prophets and false Teachers they know not the Voice of Strangers that is they approve not of their Doctrine but they know they approve of Christ's Doctrine though never so hard never so difficult and never so unpleasant to others yet 't is approved of by them 't is easy and pleasant to them that are Christ's Sheep They hear what Christ hath
he must be God that so he might bear the Burden of Divine Anger in his Flesh the Godhead upholding and sustaining his Humane Nature under his bloody Agony and fearful Anguish and Suffering on the Tree when God the Father was withdrawn from him and the Pangs of Hell took hold of him 3. That he might overcome and vanquish all the Enemies of our Souls as Sin Satan Death and Hell Had he not been God he could not have raised himself from the Dead from whence rises the Spring of our Regeneration to a State of Grace here and our Resurrection to a State of Glory at the last Day hereafter 2 dly He must be Man because he must die which the Godhead could not do yea he must be Man in our Nature that he might satisfy the Justice of God for us because the Righteousness of God requires that the same Nature which had sinned should make a full Compensation to the Law of God and infinite Justice O take heed no Man shakes your Faith in this great Article of the Christian Religion 3 dly Take heed also that you abide stedfast in the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction which dependeth on the former Such who deny Christ's Deity must disown that plenary Satisfaction he gave to the Law and Justice of God Beware of Socinianism Quakerism c. and all such like Errors 4 thly Take heed there are some who tell you Christ has fully satisfied for the Breach of the Law of the first Covenant for the Sins of the whole World so that all Men are cured of that Sickness and delivered from that Curse and put into a Capacity to be saved if they will but exercise the Power of their own Will and Abilities and that Men have power to believe and be regenerated that sit under the preaching of the Gospel and if they answer and discharge their part in Salvation Christ's Death will become effectual to them it being but on this Condition that Christ Jesus died to save Men provided they answer those Terms the Gospel offers Whereas it's evident that Christ is not the End of the Law as touching Righteousness to any Man but only to such as believe I speak of the Adult and the Gospel is not our Sickness but our Cure that condemns not but as the healing Remedy is rejected and the Curse of the Law abides upon all Unbelievers And it is also as evident that Man by Nature is dead in Sin and must by an almighty and irresistible Power be quickned which is done by the infusion of a Principle of Divine Life Faith is God's Gift and not the Condition of the Covenant of Grace it is a Branch or part of that Grace promised therein upon the Condition of Christ's Satisfaction not the Condition to be performed by the Creature which procures the Blessings purchased therefore no Condition then in order and connection in the Promises that God will enable all his Elect to perform by bestowing that Blessing upon them freely by his own Grace The whole of our Salvation is by Christ It is by Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed and all boasting might be excluded And 't is not an uncertain Salvation that depends upon the doubtful and depraved Will of Man but it is well ordered in all things and sure by the infinite Grace Wisdom and Power of God Nor did Christ die only for our Good who are saved but in our stead also so that Eternal Life comes to us in a way of Justice and Righteousness as well as in a way of Mercy and Goodness God was not rendred only reconcileable by the Death of his Son which the Creature is to make effectual on his part but he is absolutely reconciled For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being now reconciled we shall be saved by his Life 5 thly There are others also that affirm that Jesus Christ as Mediator gave to God a valuable Consideration or Recompence that he might justly wave and not execute the Law of perfect Obedience and by his Merits purchased a new and milder Law of Grace so that Christ's Righteousness hath only purchased the removing the Law of Works from being a Covenant of Life and that our Right to Salvation the Favour of God and Peace of Conscience does depend upon our Obedience to the Gospel which Christ hath purchased should be accepted for our Righteousness by which we must be justified and judged and that Faith in its whole latitude is our believing and obeying the Gospel or new Law that by this we are made partakers of the Benefits of Christ he having merited this Grant or Law That they who obey him sincerely should be saved and that he is justified so far and so long as he answers the Condition of this new Law of Grace Now we and all sound Protestants in opposition to this affirm That Jesus Christ as the Head Surety and Representative of all the Elect did fulfil or satisfy for the Law of Works bearing the Curse of the Law for us and in our stead and by his Holy Life c. purchased for us that Life which the Law promised to him that continued to do all things that were written therein and by the Supereminency of his Obedience Additions of Blessedness unto Life and that his Obedience and Righteousness whereby he fulfilled the Law is imputed to Believers for their Justification by which God grants them pardon of Sin and a Grant of Eternal Life and that by Christ's Righteousness thus imputed Believers stand perfectly justified and delivered from the Curse of the Law and are certainly intituled to Eternal Life and that Faith is a relying on Christ and trusting in him and his Righteousness and Merits only for Salvation 6 thly Therefore be sure also you hear Christ's Voice and adhere to his Doctrine about Justification through his perfect and compleat Righteousness alone imputed unto all them that do believe in him without Works done by us or Holiness wrought in us I mean our Faith and sincere Obedience is not the Matter of our Justification before God nor any part of it but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ only in his perfect conformity to the Law of God in his Life and by dying on the Cross as our Surety and blessed Representative Yet know we constantly affirm That that Faith which unites us to Christ in whom we are justified doth purify both the Heart and Life and though inherent Grace Holiness and good Works do not justify our Persons before God yet they do justify our Faith and declare us to be in a justified State before Men and to our own Consciences also as the Apostle James shews and that that Faith that is not attended with good Fruits is dead as the Body without the Spirit is dead Pray remember that you have been often taught that Faith it self doth not
justify us in God's sight as an Habit or Act or in respect of the Product of it but only objectively i. e. in respect of the Object it doth apprehend apply and take hold of O Sirs take heed ye are not deceived may be ye look upon the Lives and Conversations of Men and you think they are good Men holy Men yet for all this examine the Doctrine they preach for an evil and corrupt Doctrine may be as pernicious and damnable as an evil Conversation But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be 〈…〉 Teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction 7 thly Be wary also lest you are carried away with the Error of the Wicked to doubt of or deny the Resurrection of the Body If once you come to deny the Resurrection your State is dangerous for that is a capital Error If the Dead rise not then is not Christ risen and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your Faith is also vain Yea and we are found false Witnesses of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead rise not It must be the same Body not another for if not the same it will be no Resurrection but a new Creation and if not the same Body but another then it will not be that Body that suffered for Christ that shall be glorified nor that Body that sinned against God and Christ that shall be punished but an innocent Body a Body that never sinned Be sure labour to hold the Head and be established in all the fundamental Truths of the Gospel they are not many 1. Your Souls are in danger of being corrupted we have slie and crafty Deceivers among us in these Days 2. Many thousands we have cause to fear are already poisoned with most pernicious Notions and Soul-destructive Errors who are in danger of perishing this way to Eternity yet seem sober holy and devout Persons 3. Let it be your care to fit under the Ministry of such Men who preach Christ Christ only or wholly seek to exalt Christ and the Free Grace of God by Jesus Christ Take heed who you hear and take heed what you hear and how you hear Therefore watch and remember saith Paul that by the space of three Years I ceased not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears He was afraid of those grievous Wolves that would enter in among them not sparing the Flock You hear that Christ's Sheep hear his Voice let it appear you are his Sheep by having this Character namely in that you hear his Doctrine and will not hear the Voice of Strangers But O rest not in a bare hearing the Voice of Christ nor in the knowledg of saving Truth get it not only into your Heads but into your Hearts He that hath truly received Christ's Doctrine or rightly hears his Voice brings forth good Fruit he feels the Power of his Word upon his own Heart Knowledg without Grace will stand you in no stead A good Doctrine and much Head-Knowledg and great Gifts without Love Humility and a Godly Life signifies nothing Knowledg puffs up but Love edifies I shall add no more at this Time JOHN X. 27. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me DOCT. 1. All true Believers are the Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ they hear his Voice and they follow him I have shewed you what is meant by hearing of Christ's Voice Fourthly I am now to speak to the next thing proposed or Head of Discourse which is the fourth General I know them c. 1 st In speaking to this I shall shew you 1. In what respect Christ knows his Sheep 2. What a kind of Knowledg he hath of them 3. Shew what Comfort doth and may arise unto them hereby 1. Christ knows them as they are his Father's Choice All Christ's Sheep are chosen Sheep such as the Father hath pick'd out of the common Lump of Mankind or out of the great Flock of fallen Man thus Jesus Christ knows them and as they are his own Choice also for the Father and the Son agreed both in the Choice of the Elect. If you know these things happy are ye if you do them I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen Not only to Apostleship but to Eternal Life for Judas was chosen to be an Apostle but he was not in the Election of Grace 2. Christ knoweth them as they are the special Purchase of his own Blood He knows whom he died for and in the room and stead of he knows what Sheep he hath bought and paid so dear for The Foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth them that are his There is a certain Number who are built upon a Rock upon a sure Foundation these are sealed and confirmed by God's Eternal Decree of Election and are the Price therefore of Christ's special Purchase and as such he knows them from all others in the World 3. He knows them as such who have and do experience the Effects of his Death He sees and knows they are his Sheep as they have his Mark his Image formed in them for like as other Shepherds know their Sheep by the Mark they have upon them so to speak after the manner of Men Jesus Christ may in this respect be said to know his Sheep his Saints and People Surely they are my People Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour I know these are my People I cannot but own them they will keep my Covenant I have renewed them and they abide faithful to me and will not deal falsly with me In another place he says Their Spot is not the Spot of my Children These I know are none of my Sheep their Spot their Sin their Iniquity are not such as are in my People not Sins of Infirmity or common Frailties but they have a contagious Spot upon them they have none of my Image my Mark c. 4. Christ knows his Sheep with a Knowledg of Approbation I know them that is I approve of them I like them well I esteem them and accept of their Persons and their Services 5. Christ may be said to know his Sheep also with a Knowledg of Love and Affection He knows them as to delight in them they have his Heart I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep As this mutual Knowledg between the Father and the Son was joined with perfect Love and Delight so is Christ's Knowledg of his Sheep And this he himself also here expresses by saying I lay down my Life for the Sheep which shews not only the Sincerity but also the
this Bread it feeds and strengthens our Faith and also our Love to the Lord Jesus Who can forbear to love that Christ who poured forth his precious Blood for us He was made a Curse for us by hanging on the Tree and bearing our Sins When you take this Bread and this Cup you declare you take and accept of Christ as the only Food of your Souls and that way of Salvation God hath been graciously pleased to find out and when you eat the Bread and drink of the Cup you shew that you feed alone upon him and that he is your Saviour Indeed Christ doth in effect say to you Soul take all this in token that I have satisfied the Justice of God for thy Sins I have made thy Peace take this Bread and this Cup as a Pledg of it and of my Eternal Love to thee and as a Token that all thy Sins are forgiven and that thou art mine also 1. By this Ordinance we learn and clearly see the horible Evil of Sin the cursed Nature of Sin in that nothing could atone for it nor satisfy the Law and Justice of God but the precious Blood of the Son of God himself 2. Here likewise we see that infinite Love of the Father in giving of Christ to die for us He spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all 3 Here also we perceive the wonderful Love of Jesus Christ who willingly laid down his Life for us 4. Moreover here we see how we come to be saved or the Way of Life and that it is only by a Sacrifice and that by the Sacrifice of Christ himself alone 5. Here we see our near Union with Christ and blessed Union one with another as the Bread and Wine is turned into Nourishment the first is held forth and as many Corns of Wheat do make one Loas so we being many Members are but one Body and therein the latter Union is held forth also I mean our Union one with another Thirdly The Ordinance of Prayer is also as a Pasture for Christ's Sheep to feed in If we pray in Faith we receive what we desire and stand in need of That Soul that goes to God in Christ's Name believingly never comes away empty handed We have not because we ask not or else ask amiss that we may consume it on our Lusts to please the Flesh and gratify our Carnal Appetites and so an evil End spoils good Means So long said a good Woman in distress as I have a praying Heart God will have a helping Hand It argues we have not hungry Souls if we have not praying Souls You may as well live without eating as spiritually live without praying and as it is a sign you are not well when you cannot eat so it is a sign your Souls are not well when you cannot pray And as it is a sign the Body is faint when the Breath is short or breaths not freely so it is a sign of a faint and languishing Christian when his Prayers are short or prays not freely He that believes savingly will pray servently He that thrives not in this Pasture will thrive in none As be cannot live naturally that breaths not no more can that Soul live spiritually that prays not He that casts off Prayer casts off God No wonder God withholds Mercies from us when we restrain Prayer from him Pure Prayer is only pleasing to a pure God our Prayers must be directed to the right Object O thou that hearest Prayer to thee shall all Men come We must always direct our Prayers to God but must not forget to come unto him by Jesus Christ and we must see to the Matter of it as well as the Object If we ask not that which is lawful our Prayers must needs be unlawful as it is a Sin to do any thing God commands not so it is a Sin to ask any thing God allows not We must also be right in the Manner as well as in the Matter of our Prayer When our Spirit prays not our Hand receives not And we must if we would thrive in this Pasture also see that our End be right Our great End should be that our Prayer may be accepted and God may be glorified The first thing we should ask in Prayer is that the Name of God may be hallowed O Soul haste into this Pasture Whatsoever ye ask saith Christ in my Name I will do it that the Father may be glorified To pray in Christ's Name 1. Is to know we come to have this Privilege to draw near to God only by Christ i. e. through the Vail that is to say his Flesh he hath purchased us this Liberty 2. 'T is to pray in his Strength i. e. by the Spirit which he hath procured for us and given to us 3. 'T is to pray in the Virtue of Christ's Mediation Whatsoever we ask on Earth Christ obtains for us in Heaven 4. To ask in Christ's Name is to ask for his Sake for his Worthiness 'T is not what our Deservings are but what Christ's Merits are Fourthly The Promises of God are another Pasture where the Sheep of Christ do daily feed The Promises of God are of a Soul-fastening and Soul-strengthning Nature But there is no feeding here without believing A Sheep may as well feed on Grass without Teeth as a Christian can feed on the Promises without Faith The Reason why the Soul cannot get into this rich Common or rather fat Medow is because he cannot get over the Slough of Unbelief Man lives not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God He can feed his People and support them by a Word of Promise when their Bread faileth Nor must we take unlawful Means to supply our Necessities nor distrust the Care and Providence of God tho we do not see which way we shall subsist Trust in the Lord and do good so thou shalt dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed We must depend upon the Providence and Promise of God for Supplies both of Body and Soul The young Lions lack and suffer Hunger yet they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing We must let God judg and chuse for us 't is better for us sometimes to want than to abound There are Promises as I have sometimes shewed you that answer every Condition we can be in Fifthly The Providences of God and the Saints Experience are another Pasture for Christ's Sheep How oft have they been fed this way I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the Righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging Bread This was more especially David's Experience and under that Dispensation when the Promises of God were of temporal Blessings ours under the Gospel are better Or else take it thus Not begging in vain If they are such Children that walk in the Steps of their godly Parents or not so begging
or Everlasting Life is a free Gift or by Grace only 4. Shew why Christ doth and will give Eternal Life unto his Sheep 5. And lastly I shall briefly apply it 1. Quest What is meant by Eternal Life Answ There is a three-fold Life of Man 1. The Life of the Body which is a natural Life or the Life of Nature In him we live move and have our Being Neither count I my Life dear to me so that I might finish my Course with Joy He giveth to all Life c. All have this Life Sinners as well as Saints have a natural Life 2. There is a Spiritual Life which is the Life of the Soul the Life of a Saint or of the New Creature this is the Life of Grace I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God c. The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live that is their Souls shall live or be quickned and raised to a State of spiritual Life 3. Eternal Life that is properly the Life of Glory or the Life of the other World that Life which the glorified Saints possess above The Wages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Object But Christ says I give them Eternal Life He speaks in the Present Tense Answ 1. I answer you heard before that true and saving Grace is the Seed of Eternal Life or the Seed of Glory to come as Glory is the Harvest of Grace 2. Spiritual Life is the earnest of Eternal Life Now every Believer hath received the Spirit which is the Earnest of their Eternal Inheritance And thus they have it as a Man that purchases an Inheritance he gives Earnest for it and no sooner that is done but he cries such a House or such Land is mine 't is his by virtue of the Earnest given though he hath not yet the actual possession of it so it is here 3. Christ gives his Saints Eternal Life Now because he gives them a sure Title to it he makes them a Deed of Gift of it or seals unto them a Right and legal Conveyance of it as firm as the Law and Ordinance of Heaven Now when a Person hath a true Right and Title or Deed of Gift made and sealed to him of such or such an Estate he may say he has the Estate 't is his own And thus Believers have Everlasting Life or the Eternal Inheritance i. e. they have a true Right and Title of it sealed to them here by the Holy Spirit After that ye believed you were sealed with the Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of the Saints Inheritance c. Faith is the Evidence of things not seen 4. The Spirit of God who is that Principle of Divine Life in the Soul of Believers is Eternal Christ is in us every Believer hath Christ in possession and Christ is Eternal Life and therefore he that hath the Son hath Everlasting Life These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know you have Eternal Life c. Jesus Christ being in us here is more to us than the Hope of Glory for he is Eternal Life and the Soul of a Child of God shall never lose nor be dispossessed of Christ no not by Death it self therefore may be said to have Eternal Life They have Eternal Life abiding in them because they have the Spirit abiding in them But the Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of living Water springing up unto Everlasting Life Query Methinks I hear some doubting Soul say O that I could but experience this Spiritual Life to be in me How may I know I am made alive and have Eternal Life given to me 1. In answer to such it is necessary to consider that all Adam's Posterity by Nature are spiritually dead in Sin or under a Privation of the Life of God until spiritually quickned and made alive by Jesus Christ 2. Now as natural Death is made use of by the Spirit of God to shew what spiritual Death is so also natural Life is tropically made use of to demonstrate and discover spiritual Life A Man naturally dead 1. Is cold all Heat is gone if long dead So all unregenerate Persons are spiritually Cold or without any Divine Heat or Warmth in their Spirits that Principle of internal Life Man had before he fell being lost and gone he is cold as a Stone God ward or in a spiritual Sense 2. A Man naturally dead cannot move all power of Motion and Activity or all vital Actings are gone also So in Men spiritually dead there is a Disability or Impotency unto all spiritual things to be performed in a spiritual manner they can perform or act spiritually no Act of Life or do any thing that is absolutely accepted of him The carnal Mind is Enmity against God it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God 3. A Man naturally dead cannot breath nor speak no more can carnal Men Men spiritually dead breath forth their Desires in Prayer to God they have no Tongue to speak for God or to pray to God acceptably all they do is dead Service all their Prayers and Works are dead Prayers dead Works because performed from Persons spiritually dead and not from a Principle of Divine Life 4. A dead Man can't feel see nor hear No more can such who are dead in Sin they cannot feel spiritually they have a heavy Burden a mighty Weight of Sin Guilt and Wrath lying upon them but feel it not They are grievously wounded but feel no pain do not cry out think they are well and all nothing They cannot see spiritual Objects nor spiritual Things These Dead see not Jesus Christ see not his Beauty his Glory neither the Want of him nor the Worth of him the Eye of their Understanding is darkned they have no Faith which is the Eye of the new Creature Nor can they hear in a spiritual Sense until like dead Lazarus they hear Christ's voice by his Spirit and are made alive 5. The Beauty of the Dead is gone Death is gastly so is the spiritual Beauty of the Soul gone of those who lie dead in Sin and Trespasses 6. The Bodies of those who are naturally dead are fit for nothing they soon stink and therefore must be buried and put under the Ground being loathsom c. So ungodly Persons who are spiritually dead are loathsom in God's sight as filthy Carion or a stinking Sepulchre is in ours and are fit for nothing but to cast into Hell as abominable and hateful to the Holy Jehovah 1. By these things therefore you may know
whether you are spiritually alive or not for if so you are quickned and made alive by the Operations of the Spirit and there is a Principle of Divine Life infused into your Souls So that from a holy and new Nature you can and do breath forth your Desires freely and frequently to God and see the excellency of spiritual Objects and Things Christ is must precious and lovely in your sight Your Eyes see and your Ears hear and you have spiritual feeling and you can and do act and move that is believe repent and obey God with great Activity and a strong Propensity or gracious Inclinations of Heart There is also much of the Beauty of Holiness shining forth in your Lives 2. This also by the way may serve to detect that Doctrine some nay too many maintain of the Power of the Creature Alas alas what can the Dead do For evident it is that those who are thus dead have no Principle or first Power of living unto God or to perform any Duty to be accepted of him It is with them as to all Acts and Ends of spiritual Life as with the Body as to the Acts and Ends of natural Life when the Soul is departed from it or else God would never say they are dead call them dead Does God make use of an improper Metaphor Dare they affirm that It must be so if Man naturally be not dead but wounded in a spiritual Sense only True a wicked Man is naturally alive and his Soul is in his Body and he is endowed with Vnderstanding Will and Affection and may perform many Duties God requires of him But what of this for in spiritual Life the Holy Ghost is unto the Soul what the Soul is unto the Body in respect of natural Life namely the quickning Principle And as a Learned Author well observes to deny such a quickning Principle of spiritual Life superadded unto us by the Grace of Christ distinct and separate from the natural Faculties of the Soul is upon the Matter to renounce the whole Gospel It is all one as to deny that Adam was created in the Image of God which he lost and that we are renewed unto the Image of God by Jesus Christ 2 dly They may also as well assert Man hath a creating Power for Regeneration is called the New Creature which is created in us after the Image of God according to his own glorious Power 3 dly Therefore whatsoever Sinners act in spiritual Things by their Understanding Will or Affections that are not renewed they do it naturally and not spiritually and are therefore called dead Works We may also from hence infer what a mighty Blessing and Favour it is to be made spiritually alive How should such admire God and his Free Grace in Jesus Christ for as they have an internal holy Life so they shall never die but have eternal Life nay that this Eternal Life is begun in them here I give them Eternal Life But to proceed Secondly I am to shew how Salvation or Everlasting Life is a free Gift or by Grace only 1. Life and Salvation is of Grace in opposition to Nature we have it not as the Product of Nature Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God To be born signifies to receive a Principle of Life and those that are the Children of God have not that spiritual Life that is in them from the Motions or Powers of Nature not from the Power of Man's Will nor from their fleshly or natural Parts and Abilities however improved 2. Life and Salvation is wholly of Grace or a free Gift in opposition to Merit we cannot purchase or procure it by our Acts of Obedience By Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works c. Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us Not the desert of our Works let them be what they will either before or after Grace but from God's own sovereign Mercy and Goodness whose Bowels yerned towards his Elect in Misery For the VVages of Sin is Death but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death Natural Death Spiritual and Death Eternal are the Wages and Desert of Sin And who will deny a Servant his Wages Wicked Men are the Servants of Sin and they shall have their Wages But though Death is the Wages or Merit of Sin yet Eternal Life is not the Wages of our good Works no but the Gift of God through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ It is not by our Works or for our Worthiness The Apostle as our Annotators note varies the Phrase on purpose to shew that Salvation is wholly of God's Grace and not of our own Merits 'T is of Grace or the Gift of God through Jesus Christ that is through his Merits De gratia libero arbitrio saith Augustine 3. Life and Salvation is by Grace only or the free Gift of God in opposition to the Law The Law could not give Life that could not save us For had there been a Law given that could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law The Law requires perfect Obedience and lays every one under the Curse that continues not in all things that is written therein to do them Therefore no Life by the Law that being weak through the Flesh Man could not perfectly fulfil it and so could have no Life by it 4. Life and Salvation is the free Gift of God in opposition to any acceptable Service done for it by us as some times great Gifts are bestowed on Persons for the sake of some small Service performed for them But it is not so here though Salvation be a Reward of Grace yet it is not given for the sake of any acceptable Service done by us we know that a small Matter sometimes purchases that which is of great Value but nothing we do or can do can purchase Life and Salvation for our Souls True Eternal Life is a Purchase it is a Reward of Merit but O mistake me not it is not of our purchasing it is no Reward for any Work done by us but it is the Purchase of Jesus Christ the Reward of his Work by his fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law for us in our Nature in his holy and spotless Life and by his satisfying the Justice of God for our breaking and violating of his Holy Law which he did by the painful and cursed Death of his Cross For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit That the
our Duty to love God with all our Heart and Soul What Advantage brings Christ's Death to abrogate one perfect Law and establish another here is little Gospel A second Difficulty is we must either say Christ has purchased to us Pardon for Sins against the Gospel-Law or none at all but that one Sin of Adam's if the Moral Law be abrogated after the Fall we never sinned against any Law but the Gospel for we were under no other Law according to him c. The Sum of that I drive at is this viz. There is a necessity we must be justified and saved by Grace only because we cannot be saved by a Law of Obedience but by Christ and Grace alone If we sly not to Christ by trusting believing and depending on him and the Grace of God in him who hath satisfied the Justice and Law of God for us and brought in Everlasting Righteousness the Law of God will cut us down and throw us into Hell for ever 2. It is by Grace alone that we are saved because all boasting is excluded and cause of boasting And this is the Design of God in the Gospel viz. That Man might not have whereof to glory but in the Lord alone Nor could this be done any other way but by his contriving our Salvation to be wholly by his own free Grace Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast 3. It is only by Grace that we are saved or Eternal Life is the free Gift of God and Gift of Christ because he will have all the Glory of it God will not give the Glory of our Salvation unto others Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good Pleasure of his Will to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 4. It is by Grace only because God would magnify his Son by whose Righteousness and Obedience imputed to us we are justified and saved and it is to this end I say that God might exalt Jesus Christ his Design was to magnify Christ in our Salvation and to abase Man Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 5. And lastly It is by Grace because God would have Salvation sure to all Believers Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed c. If Salvation were by our Works and Obedience it might be very uncertain or if the whole of our Happiness and Eternal Life be not in Christ's Hand but that it dependeth on the Will of Man or on the condition of our Faith and Holiness or in the improvement of our Abilities and it is possible that we may or may not answer the Condition thereof it might so fall out that not one Soul might be saved Besides should it be so those that are saved would then have something to glory in or boast of in the Great Day They in effect may thank themselves and admire their own Wisdom Care and Industry that brought them to Heaven Fourthly Why doth and will Christ give Eternal Life to all his Sheep to all his Saints Answ 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death But by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us 2. Because all that are given unto Christ are ordained unto Everlasting Life 3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End to give Life unto them I am come that ye might have Life and that ye might have it much more abundantly It was that he might give his People the Knowledg of Salvation and save them from their Sins 4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End viz. to communicate it to all his Elect he is made a quickning Spirit that he might quicken all his As in Adam all die so all that are in Christ shall live Spiritually here and Eternally hereafter Because I live ye shall live also 5. Because all his Elect were quickned together with him virtually when he rose from the Dead yea and also virtually they entred into Heaven with him for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative 6. Because Eternal Life was promised to them in Christ before the World began and they have many firm and sure Promises made of it to them since also 7. Because they are united to him and Christ hath prayed That they may all be made perfect in one and he hath prayed that they may have Eternal Life Now Union with Christ gives right to Glory a whole Christ shall be glorified and not a part only Quest What doth Eternal Life import Answ I answer It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil present and to come and a full and perfect possession and injoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above Quest But doth not this seem to diminish or lessen the Glory of God the Father to assert That it is Christ that gives Eternal Life c. Answ No not in the least for all things are of God and through Jesus Christ All things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ It is God that hath reconciled us unto himself 't is by Christ we are reconciled his Blood being the Price of our Reconciliation God the Father gave Christ for us and also gives him to us And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last Day And thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him It is the Father that gave Christ the Power as Mediator to give Eternal Life unto his Sheep APPLICATION First This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace it clearly condemns Free-Will for if it be only by God's Grace it is not at all of Man's Will They 't is true do acknowledg the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone or the Effects of his great Love and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love but do affirm that Grace which those Men have who perish at last would have been sufficient to have renewed them had they improved it They assert that all Men have Power to believe and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them 't is in the preaching of the Word or consisteth in no more than Moral Swasions Arguments or Excitements in a rational way But
our base Hearts and hence it is our Danger is great which appears may be not so clearly till the Providence of God brings us unto such a State Occasion or Company whereby Satan hath an Opportunity to excite and stir up or draw forth that Sin or evil Seed into act that lies hid within us 2. The Cause of those Evils or grievous Falls that some Christians have and do sustain are from Satan who is not only a malicious Enemy but a strong and cruel Enemy also Hence called A roaring Lion going about and seeking whom he may devour He is very diligent to observe the natural Inclinations of all Christians and watcheth the fittest Opportunity to make his Onsets As when David neglected the proper Work and Business God by his Providence called him unto The time when Kings go forth to battel he sent Joâ—b and tarried at home himself and then the Enemy set upon him he being a walking on the Roof of his House spied a Woman washing her self which produced his fearful Fall Let Christians take heed they are not out of such Employment that God calls them to and not put an Opportunity into Satan's Hand by excess of Eating Drinking or Idleness or by gadding or gazing Abroad like Dinah Jacob's Daughter and beware how they neglect any spiritual Duty in the way of which God hath promised to keep our Souls 3. The Falls of the Saints may be occasioned by reason of the weakness of their Grace Faith may be but small or not in Exercise and so the Hope and Trust of the Soul may faâ—l If the Anchor hath not good and firm hold but should slip the Ship is in danger so it is here Hope is the Anchor of the Soul it should be therefore both sure and stedfast O ye of little Faith wherefore did you doubt Christians are in no small danger if their Faith be not strong Faith is the Shield by which we should quench all the siery Darts of the Wicked The Apostle alludes to those violent Temptations by which Satan strives to enflame Mens Lusts but right skill to use the Shield of Faith will soon quench all those Darts of Temptations A Shield is to desend every part of the Body and will if rightly used So by Faith a Christian is enabled when in the true Exercise thereof to preserve his whole Soul from Evil but let this Shield go and Satan quickly prevails If Satan can perswade a Man there is no such Evil in Sin as God's Word declares or that it is no great matter 't is no wonder he is overcome 4. They sometimes fall by reason of their own fleshly Confidence or trusting in their own Strength Though all deny thee yet will not I. Nay Peter said unto him Though I should die with thee yet I will not deny thee O how dangerous a thing is it to glory in our own Abilities or trust in Self-confidence What little knowledg have we of our own Hearts It was but a few Hours after this but Peter denied our Saviour and swore he did not know him When Men have not their whole dependance on the Grace and Power of God he oft-times leaves them that they may see without him they can do nothing And whenever God withdraws his Divine Assistance from a Person or leaves him to himself he falls immediately as Peter did 5. The Falls of the Saints may be through the Ensnarements and Vain-glory of this wicked World Hezekiah fell this way his Heart was lifted up with Pride in beholding all his Glory and Riches which he shewed to the Princes of the King of Babylon in a vain-glorious manner He shewed them all the House of his precious things the Silver and the Gold and the Spices and the precious Ointments and all the House of his Armour and all that was found in his Treasures there was nothing in his House nor in all his Dominions that Hezekiah shewed them not This was his Sin and Fall this provoked God against him And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah Hear the Word of the Lord. Behold the Days come that all that is in thine House and that which thy Fathers have laid up in Store to this Day shall be carried into Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon 6. Sometimes they fall by the Subtilty of Deceivers who lie in wait to corrupt their Minds and poison their Souls with their abominable Errors Hence the Apostle Peter cautions the Saints to take heed lest they being led away by the Error of the Wicked fall from their own stedfastness 7. Many times they fall through slavish Fear in the Time of Persecution Many gracious Christians have wanted Courage in that Hour and have been prevailed with too far to a sinful Compliance with the Lusts and Wills of their Adversaries by reason of their cruel Threats and bloody Edicts who have nevertheless afterwards been restored again by Repentance as Peter was 8. Some fall through their Remisness in Duty or being off their Watch. There is no great fear of falling if Christians always stand with their Swords in their Hands and having all their Armour on Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit watching thereunto with all Perseverance The VVitch told the wicked Person as the Story goes that employed her to do Mischief to a godly Neighbour of his That she could not touch him because he was always either Reading Praying or Meditating or to that effect No Evil no Sin nor Devil need that Man fear that is always careful in the true and faithful discharge of his Duty to God If we are asleep or slothful 't is no marvel that Satan prevails and wounds our Souls How easy was it for the Philistines to cut off Sampson's Hair and bind him when he was asleep or Jael to strike a Nail through Sisera's Head he being asleep 9. And lastly They may sometimes also fall by having a greater dependance on that Grace they have already received or on the Grace that is in them than on that Grace which is in Christ Jesus we stand not by virtue of that Grace that is in our Cisterns but by the Grace that is in God's Fountain When the Grace already received fails us that Grace that is in Christ shall supply us if we by Faith depend upon him Thou therefore my Son be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus How is that done Why to have our whole dependance upon Christ who as he is our Head and Mediator hath received the Spirit without measure to the end he might communicate thereof to all his Members 'T is of his Fulness that all we receive and Grace for Grace But it is not all let out at one time we have not all our Riches put into our own
me I am against it Grace hath the upper Hand in my Soul I am for the Law of God I give my Voice for Christ I that is my renewed part that 's the I he speaks of 6. He cannot sin unto Death sin so as to fall finally fall and perish for ever 'T is evident that this is intended here though there may be a Truth in the other respects If any Man see his Brother sin a Sin which is not unto Death he shall ask and he shall give him Life for them that sin not unto Death There is a Sin unto Death I do not say he shall pray for it The Elect sin but not unto Death there is Pardon for all their Sins if they ask their Sins shall be forgiven them but there is a Sin unto Death a falling into Heresy or Debauchery or such an Apostacy that shall never be forgiven but thus they cannot commit Sin that are born of God so as to perish Which indeed the Apostle in the same Chapter shews to be his meaning All Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin not unto Death Mind his next words We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not He clearly shews us what he intendeth by sinning not namely he sinneth not unto Death but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself that the Wicked one toucheth him not This is the great Happiness and Advantage of the Children of God who partake of his Holy Nature they are furnished with a self-preserving Principle the Seed remains they shall never lose their New Nature therefore cannot sin unto Death For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World the World in all its Snares Sins Allurements and Temptations whatsoever that is they shall at last overcome Because he that is in them is stronger than he that is in the World 6 thly The very Relation of Children secures them and fully shews they cannot shall not sin fall and perish for ever for what Father a dear and tender Father will suffer any one of his Children to be torn into Pieces and cruelly devoured before his Face if he be able to preserve and deliver it Or should he suffer it would not all say that he was a cruel and unmerciful Father one that had no Love no natural Affections to his poor Child If therefore any one Child of God falls into the Enemy's Hand I mean into Sin 's Hand or Satan's Hand and is torn into pieces or is destroyed and ruined for ever it must be 1. Either for want of Love in God to that poor Child of his 2. Or else for want of Power and Ability in God he being not strong or able enough to save his distressed Child out of the Hands of those cruel Enemies Or 3. For want of Care and Watchfulness in God from whence the Enemy took an Advantage and destroyed his Child that was begotten and born of him Now it cannot be that God wants Love to all or any one of his Children we have shewed you that he loves them with an everlasting infinite and inconceivable Love such a Love as nothing can separate his Children from it and to say he either wants Power to save them or Care and Faithfulness is Blasphemy O what is the Love the Care and Faithfulness of God Besides he has committed them into Christ's Hand to keep and preserve them as my Text holds forth And can any think that Christ has not received a Charge to keep them from the Danger of Sin that they be not finally lost thereby as well as from any other Enemy Or do you think Christ will fail in his Care and Faithfulness who is their great Shepherd Sponsor Surety or Trustee Moreover if he should as I shall hereafter shew you lose one Child he loses one of the Members of his own Mystical Body Now from the whole let me draw this general Argument and so conclude with this 1. If every true Believer is begotten and born of God 2. If they partake of his Holy and Divine Nature 3. If Children cannot cease being Children or that Relation continues as long as Life continues however disobedient the Child may be and if it be thus with the Children of God who are begot and born of him or by his Spirit that they cannot cease being his Children nor lose that Divine Nature they derived from him in Regeneration 4. If God hath provided so well for his own Children in the Covenant that they shall not depart from him 5. If no Child that was born of God did ever perish that we read of 6. If they are the Children of God or Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 7. If they cannot sin unto Death Then no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish But all these things affirmed are true certainly true therefore no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish Brethren I shall apply this and pass to the sixth Argument APPLICATION Infer 1. From hence we infer that those Men who affirm that such who are the Children of God begotten and born of the Spirit may perish are strangely beclouded for they must suppose that a Child may utterly lose the Nature and Relation of a Child and degenerate so far as to become a Dog a Swine c. which is impossible in Nature and much more in Grace for as none but the Almighty Power of the Infinite God could change the Soul so it is impossible for any Diabolical Power to turn or change that Holy Nature again and that not only because the Divine Nature and Image of God is such in self but also by reason of the Design and Purpose of God in and by Jesus Christ in our Restauration that being such that it cannot be lost any more without the highest dishonour to God and a frustration of his Eternal Purpose and Counsel which was to destroy the Works of the Devil If any should object that Adam had the Image of God in him before he fell and lost it I answer He was the Son of God by Creation only not by Grace he was not begotten by the Holy Spirit nor did he stand as we do in Christ Infer 2. This may also therefore inform all Believers that they are in a most happy and safe Condition because they are born of God and brought by Grace and Regeneration into an unchangeble State Exhort O see that you are the Children of God begotten of God for if so though you are but Babes yet you are out of Eternal Danger Let me give you Brethren here a few Marks or Characters of Babes in Christ or of a Child of God 1. Babes have all the Parts and Lineaments of a Man if it be a perfect Birth So a Babe in Christ hath all the Essentials of a true Christian he hath all the Parts and Lineaments of the New Creature There is a Formation of God's Image or a gracious Work of
the Spirit in every Faculty of the Soul and a partaking of every Grace though at the first forming it is not come to full Growth and Perfection there is not only Light in the Vnderstanding Convictions in the Conscience but the Will is subjected to the Will of God and Power of Divine Grace and the Affections are renewed and changed also to love as God loves and to hate as God hates 2. A Babe partakes of the Nature of the Father that begot him So does a Child of God partake of his Divine Nature he is after God created in Righteousness and true Holiness That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit 3. It is observed that Babes come into the World crying So a Babe in Christ or one born again comes into a State of Grace praying Behold he prays And though it be not universally true in Nature yet it is so in Grace always so he that prays not is not renewed nor born again 4. A Babe or Child new-born desires the Milk of its Mother's Breast So such who are born of God desire after the sincere Milk of the Word or the heavenly and pure Doctrine of the Gospel that they may grow thereby 5. A dear Child loves and honours his Father who begot him So every true Child of God does love and honour God If I be a Father where is mine Honour 6. A Child is grieved when the Father is offended and will take care that he doth not displease him if a dear Child So doth every Child of God mourn when God is offended and also takes special care and heed he displeases him not 7. A dear Child loves all his Brethren and Sisters So every one that is born of God doth not only love him that begat but also all those who are begotten of him 8. A dear Child will strive to follow and imitate his Father in all his Vertues So a Child of God follows God imitates God in all his imitable Perfections Be ye followers of God as dear Children 3. Reproof How doth this tend to reprehend the Enemies of God's People who abuse reproach backbite nay persecute them How will they stand in the Judgment-Day when Christ will say what ye did to this and that Child of mine you did it unto me He that toucheth you saith Jehovah toucheth the Apple of my Eye 4. This greatly raiseth the Honour of Believers What greater Dignity can be conferred on us than to be begotten and born of God This is more than to be Adopted Sons we are born of God partake of his Divine Nature Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. If David thought it no small Honour to be the Son-in-Law to an Earthly King what an Honour hath God conferred upon his Saints 5. And lastly You that are Saints read your Privilege If Children then Heirs But no more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand I Closed last Day with the fifth Argument Sixthly I shall now proceed to my next Argument to prove That none of Christ's Sheep can so fall away as eternally to perish And that shall be taken from the Nature of that Divine Spiritual and Mystical Union that there is between every true Believer and the Lord Jesus Christ By the way Let it be considered that this Union by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit is not a Personal Union that is impossible he doth not assume our Nature and so prevent our Personality which as one observes would make us one Person with himself But he dwells in our Persons keeping his own and leaving us our Personality indefinitely distinct But it is a Spiritual Union a Mysterious and Mystical Union more to be admired than undertaken fully to be defined by any Man under Heaven Many Debates there have been about this Union amongst Learned Men some carry it too high and some too low for though it be not a Personal Union yet it is more than a Union in Love and Affection or in Principle in Design and Interest which may be between one Friend and another First It is such a strong Union intensively that Christ and a regenerate Man become one Spirit He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit One Spirit saith Reverend Charnock as if they had but one Soul in two Bodies What the Spirit doth in Christ it doth also in a Believer according to the Capacity of the Soul The same Spirit which was the immediate Conveyer of Grace to the Humane Nature of Christ is so to us Christ hath an Essential Holiness in respect of his Godhead but a Derivative Holiness as Man and this Derivative Holiness proceeded from the Spirit 's dwelling in him without measure which we have in our Measures And by virtue of this Union by the same Spirit whereby we become one Spirit with Christ not only that Grace which is in us and in the greatest Apostle is the same but that Grace which is in us and in our Blessed Mediator the Man Christ Jesus are of the same Nature and Original As the Light of the Sun and the Light of the Stars are the same but they differ in Degrees not essentially And as we say of Souls Animae sunt pares dignitate saith Charnock though the Actions are not the same because of the indisposition of the Organs and the predominancy of some particular Humour 'T is the same Spirit in Christ and a Believer as it is the same Soul in dignity which is in an Infant and a Man of most refined Parts It is more here for 't is the same Spirit in respect of his Person which makes Christ very near of Kin to us this Spirit must either desert Christ or us before this Union can be dissolved Not Christ for he had it in the World not in Measures and he is yet anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows Not us because the Promise of Christ cannot be broken This being the Top-stone of the Comfort of Believers in sending this Comforter that he may abide with us for ever Evident it is that it is such a Union that Believers are said to partake of the Divine Nature that the Holy Spirit is promised to them and in a spiritual manner is united to them and dwelleth and abideth in them and that for ever cannot be denied Christ shews us that this Union arises from our spiritual eating of his Flesh and drinking of his Blood He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him But when some were offended and could not see how this could be he said unto them ver 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth
prayed the Father and was heard herein that all that the Father had given him might be one as He and the Father was one What can be a greater Argument to prove that that Union which is between Christ and Believers is an inseparable an abiding and an undissolvable Union The Union here doth not respect that Essential Union that is between the Father and the Son but in respect of Christ as he is our Head and Mediator in which respect the Father poured into him of his abundant Fulness that so we having a firm perfect and setled Union with him might in a glorious manner receive from him and be supplied with all things we need And Christ being the Medium of our Union with God both the Father's Union with Christ and Christ's Union with us are for the final Perfection and compleating that Glorious Work he hath begun in the Souls of his People until we all come to be with him where he is and behold his Glory If therefore we consider the Nature of this Union and the Prayer of Christ that it might be perfected and abide undissolvable it must follow that it is impossible for any Soul that is thus united to the Lord Jesus ever so to fall away as eternally to perish Fourthly By this Spiritual Union with Christ we partake of his Blessed Image or Divine Nature So that the Head and Members are of one kind and not like Nebuchadnezzar's Image a Head of Gold and a Belly and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay This would be to make the Mystical Body of Christ a Monster an Immortal Head an Incorruptible Head and a Mortal Body and Members that may corrupt putrify and become loathsom No this cannot be such as is the Head as to Nature and Quality such is the Body and every Member in particular a living Head and living Members a Head of pure Gold and Members of pure Gold also a Head that cannot die and therefore the Members cannot die For Fifthly It is a Vital Vnion as you have heard that is to say the same Life that is in Christ is in all Believers And as it is in the natural Body the Members have not only Life in the Head but Life in themselves also and so long as there is Life in the Head there shall be Life in the Members so it is here And this must therefore be for ever for by the same parity of Reason that one Member may die or corrupt the whole Body may die and corrupt also But Christ is our Life and the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union communicates Life to every Soul in whom he resides and dwells and the Holy Spirit hath taken up his abode in Believers for ever He that hath the Spirit hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me From hence I argue Arg. 1. If he that believeth in Christ or that hath Union with Christ is a Part or Limb of Christ Mystical then not one Soul that believes in Christ and has real Union with him can eternally perish Shall a Member of Christ perish or be torn from his Body Brethren was it Christ's Natural Body only that was concerned in that Prophecy A Bone of him shall not be broken Or did Christ take more care of the Members of his Natural Body than of the Members of his Mystical Body Arg. 2. If Christ's Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body be greater than any Man's Love to or Care of the Members of his Natural Body can be then not one of Christ's Sheep or Saints can eternally perish But his Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body is far greater than theirs can be therefore it follows no Believer can ever perish Arg. 3. If the Union between Christ and Believers be a Marriage-Union and that those that Christ does espouse and bring into that Relation to himself he doth espouse for ever if it is a Union like that Union that is between God the Father and Christ as Mediator if it be an indissolvable Union a Union which God nor Christ will ever break nor Sin Satan nor no Enemy can ever break then not one Soul that is truly and really united to Christ can ever so fall away as eternally to perish But all this we have proved to be true therefore not one Soul that hath true and real Union with Christ can fall away so as eternally to perish Arg. 4. If the Love of God and the Love of Christ abides firm for ever to every Soul that hath Union with Christ which is the Spring efficient and moving Cause of this Union then not one of them who have Union with Christ can perish But we have proved that the Love of the Father and Son abides firm for ever to every Soul that has Union with Christ therefore not one of them can perish for ever Arg. 5. If Christ died rose again and ascended into Heaven as the Head and Representative of all those that were given unto him and have Union with him then as sure as he is now in Heaven they shall every Soul of them come thither But this hereafter I shall fully prove and clearly God assisting make appear when I come to speak to the next General Argument Arg. 6. If the Union between Christ and Believers is so strong and firm a Union intensively that Christ and they become one Spirit so that as if there was but one Spirit in Christ and in them or what the Spirit is to Christ and doth to Christ as Mediator without measure he is to every Believer and does for every Believer in measure according to each Believer's Necessity and Capacity then this Union secures every Believer from falling so as to perish for ever But this we have proved is so the Spirit must either desert Christ as you heard or them if ever the Union be broken not Christ that all will say is impossible not Believers because of the blessed Union they have with him and also because Christ hath promised that the Spirit shall abide in them for ever Nay this is also the absolute Promise of the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Grace And as for me this is my Covenant with them saith Jehovah My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth and for ever Arg. 7. By virtue of this Sacred Union because Christ lives the Saints or those that have Union with him shall live also which Blessing besides he has by a positive Promise assur'd them of then no Soul that hath real Union with him can perish But this our Blessed Saviour doth assert Because I live ye shall live also that is the
Life of Grace here and the Life of Glory hereafter Arg. 8. If there is no Condemnation to such who are in Jesus Christ or have Union with him if they have Everlasting Life because they have Union with the Son and are passed from Death to Life and shall not come into Condemnation then this Sacred Union secures and saves all that are united to Christ from falling away so as eternally to perish But that all this is true we have proved and it is in plain words asserted by the Holy Ghost therefore this Sacred Union secures and saves them all from eternal perishing Arg. 9. If Christ in us is a certain and sure Ground of the Hope of Glory and that Hope is the Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast that cannot be lost then Union with Christ gives all such an assurance of Salvation and that none of them that have Union with Christ or have Christ in them can eternally perish But that this is so the Holy Ghost doth positively assert therefore none of them can so perish Arg. 10. Lastly If Faith in the Habit of it through which by the Spirit we come to have this Actual Union with Christ can never be lost or shall not fail then none that have Union with Christ shall ever perish But that Faith in the Habit of it cannot be lost or shall not fail our Saviour affirms it being one part of his Prayer when on Earth and no doubt it is part of his Intercession now in Heaven I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not And he never asked any thing of the Father but it was granted him And I know thou hearest me always Therefore they can never perish I might add here that Communion which flows necessarily from this Union which affords a strong Argument for the Saints final Perseverance Union cannot be without Communion for whilst the Members are united to a living Head there will be as one observes an Influx of Animal Spirits whereby they shall partake of Life and Motion and though a Believer I grant may lose the sensible Experience of Communion with Christ yet the Spirit from their Mystical Head will be working in them providing for them and standing by them To conclude with this Argument I argue 1. If our Union be by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit 2. If our Union with Christ be a Conjugal Union a Marriage-Union 3. If it be as near a Union as is between the Body the Members of the Natural Body 4. If it be such a Union as is between the Tree and the Branches 5. If it be such a Union as is between the Father and Son as Christ is Mediator 6. If it be a Union of Spirits as if but one Soul was in two Bodies 7. If it be such a Union that Believers partake of the Divine Nature 8. If it be a Vital Union 9. If it be such a Union that cannot be dissolved by all the Powers of Darkness the Seed of Grace remaining Then it is impossible for any Believer that hath Union with Christ to perish Eternally But all these things are true therefore no true Believer can Eternally perish APPLICATION First These things being so we may infer that our Union with Christ is a most glorious Spring of the greatest Comfort to Believers imaginable 1. From hence Brethren comes in your Actual Justification No Man is personally justified before he receives Christ by Faith before he has actual Union with him But every Soul that is in Christ is actually justified and discharged from all the Guilt of his Sins and stands in Christ compleat in his perfect Righteousness without Spot before the Throne of God 2. Such are made near and dear to Christ O how near is the Wife to the Husband or the Members to the Body even so near and dear is every Soul that hath actual Union with Christ unto him 3. From hence flows our Communion with Christ for by virtue of our Union we come to have our Natures changed It is hereby that we come to behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible that a brutish and swinish Creature as all unrenewed Men and Women are should have Communion with the Holy God or with the Holy and Blessed Jesus What Fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness Or what Communion hath Light with Darkness Or what Concord hath Christ with Belial If we would have Communion with Christ we must be Holy and touch not the unclean thing And impossible it is that we should be Holy until we come to have Union with Jesus Christ by which means we come to partake of his pure Nature and have the evil Habits of our vile and filthy Hearts and Souls changed The Tree must be first made good and then the Fruit will be good Man naturally is united to the Devil and to his own Sin and Iniquity and hath Enmity in his Heart against God The Prince of Darkness is the Head of this dark and wicked World The Vnderstandings Wills and Affections of all Men are under diabolical Influence ever since Adam betrayed us into the Enemies Hands and abide so until that Union be dissolved by the Power of Divine Grace and the Soul united by the Spirit unto Jesus Christ We are united to the first Adam by a Likeness of Nature and how can we be united to the Second without a Principle of Life by which another a new Nature is formed in us We were united to the First by a living Soul and we must be united to the other by a quickning Spirit By Nature Man is dead in Sins and Trespasses and how can he have Communion with a living Christ without a Principle of Life Would any go about to join a stinking Carcass to the Holy Jesus Would not any think it a great Plague to him if he had a dead and rotten Carcass united to him O remember it is from your Union with Christ your Communion with him follows yea and your Communion with the Saints too you can take no delight in Heavenly Company nor Heavenly Things without an Heavenly Heart 3. By this Union you that are Believers come to have interest in and a right unto all things Jesus Christ hath purchased by his Death nor shall any ever have any share or part in all those Spiritual and Eternal Blessings except they obtain this Union As the Cyon cannot partake of the Sap and Fatness of the Olive-Tree without it is grafted into the Stock no more can we partake of the Fatness and glorious Fulness of the true Olive Jesus Christ unless we are grafted into him by Faith and have the Indwellings of the Spirit and then all things that Christ merited for us and are laid up in him for us are ours 4. It is by virtue of this Union that we have
doubt of that And if you can make it appear that he so died for us as you affirm namely in the room or stead of all his Elect then your Argument is not to be answered Answ I answer That Jesus Christ did not suffer Death for our Good only but in our room or stead also I shall prove and make clearly to appear 1. This Notion if you will so call it of Christ dying for us must denote his dying in our stead because it is so always generally taken when one Person is said to die for another one is condemned and another dies for him that is in his Room to save the guilty Person from Death And should not this be granted we should be all confounded and not know either what Men or the Scripture means when they say such a Man such a Person died for another or for others when the Person for whom that great Love and Favour was shewed to was as a Criminal and condemned to die which moved his Friend or Surety to step in and suffer the Penalty for him or in his stead Now it was so here we were all Criminals guilty of the highest Treason against the God of Heaven and were by the holy Law of our offended Soveraign condemned to die and to bear Eternal Wrath and our Blessed Saviour was chosen in our room and given up as an Act of the Father's Infinite Love and Favour and as an Act of no less Love Favour and Compassion in Christ to die for us and to satisfy Divine Justice for us or to bear the Punishment we were to have born and must had not he born it for us for ever 2. Is it not plainly foretold that the Messiah should be cut off but not for himself Now since he had no Sin of his own and yet was cut off for Sin it follows he was put in our Place and stood charged with our Guilt or Debt and so was penally cut off he was cut off for us to save us from Divine Wrath and Vengeance It was not for himself it was not for the fallen Angels it was therefore for us that we might not die but live eternally 3. Pray Brethren see what our Saviour saith upon this Account Greater Love hath no Man than this that a Man lay down his Life for his Friends Can this Expression intend any thing more or less than in the room or stead of his Friend or die for them Thus Christ died Even the Just for the Vnjust the Just in the place or stead of the Unjust or us the guilty Persons Hereby perceive we the Love of God Because he laid down his Life for us we ought to lay down our Life for the Brethren These Texts fully prove the Notion He that lays down his Life for his Brother or dies for the Brethren dies in their stead to save them from Death as some have done For scarcely for a righteous Man will one die yet peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die But God commendeth his Love towards 〈◊〉 in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us Now then seeing Christ underwent Death and bore that Punishment that was due for Sins and there being no Cause in himself why he should suffer that Pain and Penalty it unavoidably follows that it was because he stood in our Place charged with our Offences 4. Again it must be thus taken and understood because it is said The Lord laid on him the Iniquity of us all Our Sins were made to meet in him He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities It was not by Christ's praying and interceding to the Father for us to forgive us our Iniquities No no that was not enough it was his dying for them He bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree He prayed again and again but that Cup could not pass by if we are delivered and saved from our Sins he must die nay his Soul must be made an Offering for Sin 5. That Christ died in our stead will further appear because he was made Sin for us that knew no Sin He bore the Sins of many that is the Punishment of them Our Sins were charged upon him though he had no Sin of his own in a moral Sense but was pure from all Iniquity yet in a judicial Sense he was made Sin as he was constituted and put in the Sinner's Place dying and making Satisfaction in our stead as our blessed Head and Surety And how frivolous is the Cavil of the Socinians who would have it be understood where it is said Christ was made Sin that he was accounted a Sinner by wicked Men. This cannot be the meaning of the Place because as he was made Sin for us that knew no Sin so it was that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Do wicked Men account Believers to be made the Righteousness of God in him Or does not God look upon us or count us in him so to be 6. But why is it said by the Holy Ghost But when the fulness of Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law c. Had he not stood in our Law-place why is it thus expressed Certainly God saw it necessary to substitute him and to accept of him in our stead and therefore he was made under the Law i. e. he was obliged to keep the Law perfectly for us God requiring that of us in order to Justification which we being fallen were not able to do therefore he did it for us and in our Nature being made of a Woman he took our Nature upon him and suffered Death making a full and compleat Satisfaction for our Breach thereof whose Sufferings and Obedience upon the account of his being God as well as Man had an infinite Worth and Merit in them And if this which the Apostle saith in this place doth not prove that he suffered in our room I must confess I know nothing of this great Gospel-Mystery 7. That he suffered not only for our Good or Profit but also in our room and stead doth further appear because it is said He died for our Sins Who was delivered for our Offences and rose again for our Justification This Particle saith a Learned Man joined with an Accusative doth generally signify the impulsive Cause and not final Mat. 10. 22. 13. 5. 14. 9. John 20. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 11. And particularly when it is used in reference to Sufferings it hath that signification and no other see Levit. 26. 18 28. Deut. 28. 11. 2 Kings 23. 26. Jer. 13. 22. John 10. 32. In all these Places it necessarily signifies the Meritorious and Impulsive Cause and nowise the Final for our Offences must needs be understood that our Offences were the Meritorious and Impulsive Cause of Christ's Sufferings Another Particle the Holy
the Law that believe not because nothing but a perfect Righteousness can deliver from the Curse thereof 3. Moreover God is obliged upon the account of his Covenant with his Son for us to discharge us for ever because Christ hath fully performed all things as the federal Conditions of our Restoration and Deliverance from Sin and the Curse of the Law which he covenanted to do Arg. 5. All that are delivered from the Curse of the Law and to whom there remains no more any legal and just Cause in God of Wrath and Separation from him unto their Eternal Condemnation cannot eternally perish But all that believe in Christ are delivered from the Curse of the Law and to them there remains no more any legal and just Cause in God of Wrath and Separation from him unto their eternal Condemnation therefore no Believer shall eternally perish Fifthly Christ dying for our Sins was a full and compleat Paiment of all our Debts which bound us over to Death and Condemnation we owed ten thousand Talents and Christ our Surety was charged with it even with all we owed to Justice and by his Death he paid the uttermost Farthing Now the Principal and the Surety are legally and judicially one Person so that in Christ we paid all though it was God and not we that found out the Surety and paid himself with his own Money and therefore we are acquitted in a way of Sovereign Grace we have it in a way of Mercy though in a way of Righteousness also That God might be Just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus From whence I argue Arg. 6. All those for whom Christ hath paid all their Debts or made a full Compensation for shall never perish But Christ hath paid all the Debts of Believers or made a full Compensation for them therefore they shall never perish Would it not be look'd upon as an Act of Injustice in a Creditor to arrest and throw a poor Debtor into Prison for those Debts his Surety paid for him and laid down every Farthing of his Money Now then say I either some of the Sins of Believers or some of their Debts Jesus Christ did not die for pay or satisfy for or else all must conclude it is impossible because God is Just any one of them should perish Now who is it that dares to affirm that Christ did not die and satisfy for all the Sins of Believers or for his Elect Ones If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness He will not exact from us the Satisfaction which he hath accepted in the Atonement of his own Son our Surety and in his own way applied God will not require double Payment Sixthly From the Death of Christ I further argue No Believer can eternally perish because his Death was the highest and greatest Expression and Demonstration of Divine Love both in the Father and Son Now say I as I hinted once before He that gave the great Gift will not deny the lesser Sure if God gave his Son to die for our Sins he will give us Grace to resist Sin to mortify Sin and will also pardon all our Sins And if Christ died for us spilt his Blood for us he will pray for us he will not refuse to intercede for us that our Faith may not fail or we lose the Benefit and Blessings purchased for us by his Death He that would not pray for his Friend or for his Neighbour will not die for him But on the other Hand if he yields himself up to die for him he will pray for him Christ died for his Sheep he will therefore both feed them heal their Diseases and preserve them that they may not be devoured by any Enemy whatsoever neither by Sin nor the Devil c. See Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 8. 32. Seventhly Jesus Christ by his Death purchased Grace and all things his Saints need or shall need in order to make them meet for Glory therefore they shall not perish Do they need Faith need Patience need Power against Sin need Pardon need Purging c. all these things and whatsoever else they stand in need of they shall have My God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Jesus Christ All Grace is in Christ as the Fruit of his purchase And of his Fulness all we receive and Grace for Grace And this is to shew forth the Riches of God's Glory Will he lose his Glory Shall Satan insult over the Majesty of Heaven after this manner viz. Lo here is one of them for whom thou gavest thy Son to die whom thou hast left to me and I have destroyed him for ever Will God think you suffer this since his main Design in the Gift of Christ is the Glory of his own Rich and Sovereign Grace Nay and after he has with such large Expence of rich Treasure and such Pains restored his lost Image to a poor Believer will he suffer Sin and Satan utterly to deface it again whilst he looks on Our Opposites are Men for Natural Reason Now Sirs what think you of this is there any reason for you to believe God will suffer either of these things to be done Eighthly The Death of Christ preserves all Believers to Everlasting Life because he hath by one Offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified Christ as the Effects of his Death before he hath done will bring all for whom he was a Sacrifice to Heaven Justification in the Perfection of it shall be continued Sanctification shall be compleated our Interest in him shall not be lost Can any think that Christ will not maintain Life in that Soul which he made alive by his own Death Arg. 7. If therefore Christ's Blood was not shed for none in vain but that he shall have his whole Purchase then none of his Sheep or Elect Ones shall ever perish But Christ's Blood was shed for none in vain therefore he shall have his full Purchase none of his Elect shall perish No Man would lay down a Sum more in value than a whole Kingdom but would first see himself sure of it upon laying down that Price the Father's Covenant and Promise also made all the Elect certain of Eternal Life upon Christ's dying for them Besides Beloved the Sacrifice of Christ unites all the Holy Attributes together to secure a Believer's Interest Justice and Mercy are both agreed in Christ they meet together and kiss each other yea and join Hands to help and save every Believer The Flood-gates of Mercy are opened and the Fire of Divine Wrath confin'd in its Flames or rather quenched by the Streams of Christ's Blood that Mercy might flow down to us abundantly Christ's Blood hath eternal Virtue in it it is called the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant therefore extendeth to the Expiation of Sins to come as well as what are already
effected is no Redemption 5. Brethren is Christ an Universal Saviour of the Souls of all Men Why there can be no Universal Redemption unless there be an Universal Redeemer as I said before but there is no such Universal Redeemer Object We do not plead for an absolute Vniversal Redemption but for a Conditional and that Condition is to be performed by the Creature and many perish because they do not perform it the Condition is Faith Regeneration Sincere Obedience and Holiness c. Answ The Condition they say is Repentance Faith and Regeneration Now were it thus as these Men affirm then how is Christ rendred even more weak and inconsiderate than any Man of Understanding For what Man would lay down ten thousand Pounds to redeem a Captive out of Slavery when he knew a cruel Tyrant had him in his Hands and in strong Chains and would not let him go nor regard at all the Sum laid down for his Ransom there being no treating with him he ' I take no Price but unless he is conquered and the Person redeemed by Power the Money is lost This is the Case Christ's Blood is the Ransom that was laid down to satisfy the Law and Justice of God but all and every Man and Woman in the World is under the Power of Sin and Satan and unless Christ delivers the Soul out of the Hands of these Enemies by the Power of his own Arm his Blood would be of none Effect to redeem any one Soul Therefore God by this Conditional Universal Redemption rather seems to mock Men according to these Mens Notion for this is the purport of it You are redeemed Sinner yea all of you by Christ's Death if you can redeem your selves Do but your part and you are redeemed What is that Why answer the Conditions viz. change your own evil Hearts make you a new Heart believe in Christ get out of Satan's Chains raise your selves from the Dead and you shall be redeemed Is this possible Strange doth the Righteous God make that the Condition of Salvation on the Creature 's Part which he knew the Creature was no more able to do than to give sight to the Blind or raise the Dead 2. Besides it renders Christ to be but a Conditional Redeemer could the Creature answer the Condition yea and it puts Christ but into a possibility also of being a Redeemer as one well observes he is not actually so whilst he stands under that Conditionality for the Conditionality doth not only lie upon the Person to be redeemed so that he cannot be a redeemed One till the Condition is performed But it puts also a Bar to the Purchaser he can't in any good sense be called the Redeemer of such a Person 'till the Person hath performed the Condition As for Example if I lay down an hundred Pounds for the Redemption of a Person in Slavery upon this Condition that he yield to serve me seven Years after I must have his Consent to these Terms before I can redeem him and therefore upon this Condition I am certainly suspended from being a Redeemer and am no Redeemer to the said Person if he refuse the Terms all that I have done is but a Proffer of Terms Hence saith the said Reverend Author for Christ to be a Conditional Universal Redeemer is a Contradiction for it 's to be but a Redeemer of some that perform the Condition and no Redeemer to them who do not 6. To which let me add this Notion of Conditional Redemption renders Salvation not to be freely of God's Grace no not the very Purchase it self because in the Design of it it was not to be had without the Creatures Money I mean without his answering the Condition of Repentance Faith Regeneration and final Perseverance c. which to do they deny Christ's purchased Grace and Power for all or any one or hath he promised to perform it for them or to work it in them No but it is that which absolutely the Creature must find Power Strength and Skill to do or perish for ever the Redemption being intended for him on no other Terms all depends on the Will of Man 't is as Man's Will determines it 7. Moreover who can suppose Christ would shed his Blood and lay down such an infinite Sum to redeem such whom he knew would not answer those Conditions propounded Nay and which is worse to lay down his Life to redeem Multitudes upon such Conditions which he knew they were no more able to perform than to create a World Can this stand consistent with the Wisdom and Goodness of Jesus Christ This Assertion of theirs saith the same Author is as if they should say A. B. purchased an Estate for me and in my Name upon Condition that I should take up the Monument and carry it over the Bridg. 8. All those that have Redemption or that Christ died to redeem have or shall have remission of Sin But the greatest part of Men have not nor ever shall have remission of Sin therefore Christ did not die for the greatest part of the World Redemption and Forgiveness of Sins is of equal extent 9. Again I might argue thus Those that Christ did not pray for he did not die for those that he never would put up one Prayer one Sigh to the Father for certainly he never purchased Remission of Sins and Eternal Life for I pray for them I pray not for the World but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine Now it is easy to know what World it was Christ prayed not for namely those that were not given to him by the Father for all that were of the World that did belong to the Election of Grace though then under the Power of Sin and Unbelief he did pray for Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their Words the Elect whilst Sinners may be called the World as well as any others 10. If Christ died for all he intended to save all But Christ did not intend to save all therefore he did not die for all Strange will any say our Lord Jesus did that which was contrary to his Purpose and Intertion And if it was his Intention to save all who could frustrate him in it Why then are not all saved Sirs the Death of Christ cannot extend to the Salvation of any one Soul further than the Intention and Purpose of God or the Election of the Father and Application of the Holy Spirit 11. Those that Christ died for he purchased Grace for Remission of Sin for and all things in order to make the Redemption of his Blood effectual unto he purposed to bestow the lesser Grace and Gift upon them as well as the greater Would a Man give a Million to purchase such an Estate for a Man and will he refuse to part with five Pounds in order to have it made sure to him for whom he laid down so great
perpetually to be continued the Death of Christ hath special influence unto the mortification of Sin in the Death of the Cross Our Old Man is crucified that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Sin is mortified and we are sanctified by virtue of the Death of Christ and we hereby through his Grace come to be planted into the Likeness of his Death And as Paul in another place saith Being made conformable unto his Death This Conformity is not in our Natural Death or in our being put to death for him but Christ dying for our Sins is the procuring Cause of our dying to Sin therefore we must look for the Death of our Sins in the Death of Christ as the proper Effect thereof Virtue goeth from the Death of Christ to the subduing and destroying of Sin his Death was not only a Passive Example but is accompanied with Power conforming and changing us into his Likeness 'T is the great Ordinance of God to this very End it is by a fellowship or participation in his suffering we are never made conformable to the Death of Christ till we die to Sin the Death of Christ was designed to be the Death of Sin And as certain as Christ died for the Sins of all the Elect so certain it is they shall all first or last feel the powerful Effects thereof in the Death of their Sins The Corn fell into the Ground and died and shall produce all the Increase that virtually was hid in it Christ is our Life the Spring Fountain and Cause of it therefore we have nothing but what we derive from him Object He is say some the Author of Life and as he taught the Way of Life so he is our Life Answ He is our Life as he is our Head and it would be but a sorry Head that should only teach the Feet to go or the Members to act and move without communicating Strength unto them and to the whole Body Christ Brethren is an Head of Influence and in these spiritual Influences or Life that Strength which he communicates to us doth consist in the killing of Sin He loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blame And if this was his End in his Death be sure his Death shall perfectly effect this glorious Work in the End upon every Soul of his Tenthly and lastly Glorification is also an Effect of the Death of Christ it is the Fruit of his Suffering it was by his own Blood he entred as our Head and Representative once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us The Crown of Glory is the Purchase of his Blood and as sure as his Righteousness his Holy Life and Obedience and Meritorious Death carried him to the Father and set him down at the right Hand of the Majesty on high so will his Merits as certainly bring all the true Heirs to that Glory above where the Fore-runner is for us already entered For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through Sufferings First he brings those Sons into a State of Grace as the Effects of his Death and Resurrection and unto a State of Glory And whom he justified them also he glorified I shall draw up the Sum of this Argument If such are the certain Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death 1. If it hath appeased the Wrath of God for all that are in him 2. If it hath made their Peace and for ever reconciled them unto God 3. If the Holy Spirit is purchased and procured as the Effects of his Death for them by which they are renewed quickned and helped to mortify Sin and is to them an Earnest a Witness and Seal of Everlasting Life and shall abide with them for ever 4. If Justification is the Effect of Christ's Death and they are for ever acquitted from all Sin and accepted as Righteous in Christ's Righteousness 5. If all that believe in him are sanctified as the Effects of his Death and shall be perfected for ever 6. If Pardon of Sin is an Effect also of Christ's Death and all Believers have and shall have their Sins forgiven for ever or remembred no more 7. If they are adopted Sons and Daughters to God as the Effect of Christ's Death 8. And also if Glorification is an Effect of his Death and as certain as is the Cause the Effect will be or as sure as Christ is glorified in Heaven all that are his Members shall be glorified Then it is impossible that any one of them should so fall away as eternally to perish But all these things are true and none dare to deny them so to be therefore they cannot fall so as eternally to perish I shall apply this and come to the next Argument APPLICATION First To Sinners 1. Hath the Death of Christ such Virtue in it even to renew quicken regenerate all that believe in him Is God through the Death of his Son reconciled and shall all that take hold of him be justified c. O then Sinners look up unto him and never cease looking until you find the Effects of his Death in your own Souls Object 1. But alas Sir I am a vile and abominable Sinner Answ Well notwithstanding that yet there is Virtue enough in Christ to save you Object 2. But I have been a Drunkard a Swearer an Adulterer a Thief Answ So had some of those Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but you are sanctified but you are justified Object 3. But I have been an Old Sinner Answ Well let it be so yet but a Sinner and Christ died for Sinners for the chief of Sinners therefore there is hope for you nay if you can believe and apply the Virtue of Christ's Blood you shall find Mercy Object 4. But I fear Christ did not die for me Answ 1. If he died for the Chief of Sinners why not for thee And if those that crucified him found Mercy why not thee 2. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any ungodly Person hath that dwells on the Face of the whole Earth Sinner look up Nay 3. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any of those had once who now feel the Effects of his Death 4. Did ever any Sinner throw himself at his Feet as a poor lost and undone Creature and take hold of him that was rejected Query What is the first Effect of Christ's Death Answ The first Effect of Christ's Death in the Soul is Life Life is infused And if thou hast a vital Principle in thee thou wilt cry out under the Sense of thy
Sin Thrust a Sword into a dead Man's Bowels and he will not stir nor cry out Sin is in wicked Men like a Sword in the Sides of such as are dead but as soon as Life is infused there will be Sense and a crying out Now when they heard this they were pricked in the Heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles What shall we do Some of these had been the Murderers of the Lord of Life and Glory yet they found Mercy 2 dly Another Effect is this viz. You will perceive a mighty Famine in your Soul as it was with the Prodigal Son all your old Hopes of Heaven will be gone Poverty of Spirit will overtake you An awakned wounded Sinner despairs of all Supplies or Help in himself he is distressed with pinching Hunger and so flies home to his Father 1. Yet may not get Power over Sin presently 2. But O he trembles at the Thoughts of God's Justice by beholding the Spear in Christ's Side 3. He throws down his Weapons as being conquered and overcome and resolves to do as the four Lepers did 2 Kings 7. 3 4 8 9. 4. He sees nothing but Death if he abides where he is and believes not And if he returns to his old Course he sees he must die and therefore ventures to throw his Soul upon Christ or ventures himself on Christ and lies at the Feet of Christ and says If I perish I perish I can but die and if he will pardon me heal me and have compassion on me I shall live O Sinners that you could but do thus Secondly We may infer from hence that it is in vain for any Person to talk of Christ's Death or to say Christ died for Sinners nay for the whole World and therefore for me unless they come to feel the Virtue and blessed Effects of his Death on their own Souls O see you rest not without finding the Power of the Death of Christ Sirs though the Sacrifice is over yet the Virtue and excellent Causality of it remains and not only to justify and absolve a believing Sinner but also to quicken regenerate and to sanctify and make him Holy also Therefore labour to know and experience the Power of Christ's Death Thirdly From hence also we may infer that this is the only Way to know Christ died for us namely when we find the Effects of his Death that we die to Sin that the Body of Sin is crucified in us with him Hath the Life of your Sins been let out O see to this you that prosess the Gospel Fourthly This shews us also what a dangerous thing it is for any to build their Faith upon the general Love of God to Mankind What say some I believe Christ died for me because he died for all and because for all therefore for me Brethren I am afraid this is the ruin of many Souls because it may be but a false Faith that those poor Creatures have they may not experience the Effects of Christ's Death may be it is not prest upon their Consciences but this of Christ dying for all they think is enough Now pray consider and O that all such mistaken Persons would consider it also 1. That a general Faith viz. to believe that Christ died for all gives no Man any particular saving Interest in Christ's Death for if it did then every Man that so believeth hath a saving Interest in his Death But thousands perhaps so believe and yet are as vile and ungodly People as any in the World Therefore to build on that general Faith without a particular Application of the Promise or Promises of God and experiencing the Effects of Christ's Death is a false Faith and deceives the Soul 2. That that Faith which a Man may have that may leave such that have it and trust in it under the Power of Sin is a false Faith and will deceive the Soul but Men may have that Faith namely believe Christ died for all and therefore for them and yet be under the Power of Sin therefore that may be a false Faith 3. That Faith that doth not change the Heart purify the Heart is a false Faith But many that believe Christ died for all and therefore for them have that Faith and yet it doth not change their Hearts purify their Hearts therefore it is a false Faith 4. From hence I argue that it follows undeniably that all those People that believe Christ died for all must come to a particular Application of Christ's Blood and not trust to that general Application they must feel the Effects of Christ's Death upon their own Souls or else they are undone nor do I doubt in the least but many of them of that Judgment do so divers of them being as gracious Christians as any others and have Experiences that clearly contradict their own Principles Fifthly and Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers O see what the Death of Christ hath and will effect for you and in you 1. God's Wrath is appeased in him towards you 2. Justice is satisfied in him towards you 3. The Law is silenced 4. Peace and Pardon procured 5. Life is infused 6. The Guilt Power Pollution and Punishment of Sin removed and gone for ever 7. You are justified 8. Satan is conquered 9. The World is overcome you are and shall be sanctified and Heaven is opened you are in Christ's Hand and shall not perish but have Everlasting Life JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN there are but two Arguments more that I intend to insist upon for the farther Proof and Demonstration of the Saints final Perseverance or to prove That none of the Saints or Sheep of Christ can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish I spoke the last Day to the Effects of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ I might proceed to speak to the Intercession of Christ also but I shall take that in the Arguments I shall next enter upon Ninthly The Saints are in the Hand of the Father and in the Hand of the Son considered as Mediator And from hence I shall prove That it is impossible they should so fall away as eternally to perish First I shall shew you in what respect they may be said to be in the Hand of the Father and what is meant by his Hand and how that doth secure them Secondly Shew you what is meant by their being in the Hand of the Son and shew you how that may be said also to secure their firm standing and tends to their final Perseverance Thirdly Shew you in what respect they may be said to be in Christ's Hand First By the Hand of the Father doth intend his Power Behold the Lord's Hand is not shortned that he cannot save As if God should say I am not grown weaker than formerly I am God Almighty still and as Omnipotent
Surety yet he hath not let go his own hold of them he will see not one of them be lost for whom I lay down my Life If any would get them out of my Father's Hand it must be against his Will his Purpose his Decree and they must do it by Force by Violence they must pluck them or rend them out of my Father's Hand Mind the word pluck twice mentioned Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Not that any are able to pluck them out of the Hand of Christ as Mediator But our Saviour adds that in this 29 th Verse as a farther Confirmation and as an assurance of their safe standing Who is too strong for Omnipotence it self Can any bring his Counsel to nought or destroy such that he holds in the Hand of his Eternal Decree in the Hand of his Everlasting Love and Affection and also in the Hand of his amazing inconceivable and irresistable Power That Enemy that will destroy one Saint must be a Match for the Infinite God and overcome him and rob him of his chiefest Treasure or of his precious Jewels O who dares to say this can be done Well then assure your selves that not one Sheep of Christ can perish Sin must be stronger than God if it destroys one of the Elect and Satan more mighty greater in Power than God which to think is Blasphemy Why should our Saviour here add My Father is greater than all were it not to signify the impossibility of their perishing or to shew how impossible it is that any Enemy should destroy them Thirdly By their being in the Father's Hand may be meant Jesus Christ who is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God because by and through him God exerts his Power or his Strength to save or the Glory of his Power is manifested as well as of all his other Attributes Sin seem'd to eclipse the Power of God in saving his People because Divine Power could not save in a way of Omnipotence to the Impeachment of his Justice and Holiness but in Christ Justice and Holiness is as much magnified as Mercy and Goodness and thereby so too that the Power of God might shine forth in its full Glory Father glorify thy Name saith Christ Then came a Voice from Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it Thy Name that is however thou art made known or glorify all thy Glorious Attributes Almighty Power was seen in creating the World and also as it wrought in conjuction with Divine Justice it shone forth in casting the Angels out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise as also in the Flames of Sodom And as Divine Power joined with Divine Mercy and Goodness it shone forth in saving the Israelites at the Red Sea But the Strength and Glory of every Attribute never shone forth in their equal brightness and splendour as all are united and in conjunction together and meet in sweet Harmony as they do in the saving of Man by Jesus Christ so that Jesus Christ may be well called the Wisdom of God and the Power of God Christ is the first-born of every Creature And as the First born is the Strength of the Parent so is Christ the Strength of God The transcendent Excellencies and Glories of the Divine Being that were scattered as it were in the Creation are all united and gathered in Christ that like as when a bundle of Rods united and bound up together cannot be broke or as so united are very strong so God in Christ shines forth as having all his Glorious Perfections united in one and in this sense Believers may be said to be in the Father's Hand and so that none can pluck them out God hereby appearing in his united Strength And thus Christ may be said to be that Branch that God hath made strong for himself And again The Man of thy right Hand the Son of Man whom thou hast made strong for thy self in whom thou shewest the greatness of thy Power to save or to manifest his Almighty Power by O what a Hand is the Hand of God in Christ Who can pull one Soul out of the Father's Hand or out of Christ who is the Father's Hand of Power to save all his Elect Believers are in Christ's Hand and Christ is the Father's Hand yea the Father 's Right Hand the Power and Glory of all the Divine Attributes are united together in Christ herein they shew the Perfection of their Strength and are all exerted in the Salvation of every Believer therefore it is impossible one of them should perish In the uniting of all the Attributes of God together doth the strength of God appear to save And in this respect Believers are in God's Hand God is concerned to see the Salvation of his People perfected by Christ as Mediator who is as so considered his Right Hand or the Greatness of his Power or the Perfection of his Power and Strength Secondly To proceed as they are in the Father's Hand so he hath you heard put them into Christ's Hand as their great Sponsor Mediator and Surety and that before the World began in that Covenant and Blessed Compact the Father and Son entered into in order to the Eternal Salvation of all his Saints And the Holy God hath fixed on such Ways and Means and in such manner that the Thing designed cannot miscarry Men indeed may miss of their Ends they aim at but what is directly in the Hand of God and is put by him into the Hand of his Son to effect and finally to accomplish shall never miscarry it being as I have told you done according to his Eternal Counsel God's Absolute Purpose shall stand let it be what it will much more that Grand Purpose and Design of his of saving all true Believers by Jesus Christ First There is a proof of it already as to Matter of Fact Many thousands of the Souls of his Elect are gone to Heaven in spight of Sin Hell Death World and Devils Secondly In the Salvation of Believers by Christ all Interests concerned are secured 1. God is Just and herein he declares his Justice with a Witness And 2. Yet the Sinner is justified 3. Vengeance hath to the full took hold of Sin And yet 4. Mercy is magnified to the highest Degree in saving the Sinner Justice is satisfied and yet the Sinner is forgiven 5. The Law of God hath its full and just Sanction and the Violence offered to it is retrieved 6. And Jesus Christ who did all this in beholding his Seed and Fruit of his Soul and their Eternal Blessedness secured for ever is well pleased and fully satisfied Thirdly The way of accomplishing this Design is such as will certainly compass the End Divine Power being ingaged in it which resteth not in the least on the Concourse or Compliance of any frustrable Instruments nay every Attribute being
hereby magnified they join hand in hand for the effecting of it Fourthly No Power can supersede God's Decree nor obstruct Jesus Christ in his compleating the Whole of his Work I will work and who shall let And again it is said He shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory He shall not fail nor be discouraged The Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand And seeing then that the Final Accomplishment of the Salvation of every Believer is put into Christ's Hand for a farther Demonstration how this tends to secure them all from Danger and to preserve them to Eternal Life Take here a short Induction of Particulars 1. Consider the Nature of that Covenant by virtue of which all the Elect are put into Christ's Hand It is a Covenant made and entered into by the Son as Mediator with the Father not only to redeem and purchase Life for them and to infuse Life in them but to preserve them in a State of Life so that none of God's Covenant-Children might depart from him any more for ever which the first Covenant failed in and therefore God found fault with that or rather with them with whom it was made who failed in continuing their Obedience thereunto but sinned and fell from God Now say I God to prevent the like again hath entered into a New Covenant with his Son for us which is so well ordered in all things and sure as that not one Soul shall ever eternally miscarry that is comprehended therein O remember that this Covenant was the Result of Infinite Wisdom as well as it resulted from inconceivable Love and Goodness in God and it was to frustrate and destroy the Works of the Devil for ever so that he might never have Cause to insult over the Majesty of God in getting out of his Hand one Soul that he designed in his Eternal Counsel to make happy and save for ever 2. Consider Jesus Christ to this End in this Covenant hath took all that the Father gave unto him into his Hand as their Surety Pray consider all Believers are thus in the Hand of Christ Hence he is called the Surety of a better Covenant He is their great Sponsor if any be lost he must answer for them Let me read that Text in 1 Kings 20. I shall only allude to it to clear up this Matter the better to weak Capacities Thy Servant went out into the midst of the Battel and behold a Man turned aside and brought a Man unto me and said Keep this Man if by any means he be missing then shall thy Life go for his Life I know this was spoken by the Prophet parabolically yet it may serve to shew you the Nature of Suretiship where one engageth for another or for others Thus Judah became Surety to his Father for Benjamin I will be Surety for him of my Hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever Reuben also became Surety for Benjamin And Reuben spake unto his Father saying Slay my two Sons if I bring him not to thee and deliver him into thy Hand This was more indeed than was required of him or that his Father Jacob could accept of without Sin had he failed But O see the Nature of Suretiship Jesus Christ hath taken all his Saints into his Hand as their Surety to the Father and God hath accepted him in this Case and looks for them all at his Hand the Father substituted him not to be a Shepherd only but a Surety also 3. And let it be considered that Jesus Christ became not our Surety to pay our Debts or to satisfy for our Sins which we stood charged with before our Conversion but also for all our Sins after we believe his Blood was a plenary Satisfaction for all so that Christ says as it were to the Father as Judah to Jacob I thy Servant am become Surety for these and every one of these that thou hast given to me and if I bring them not to thee and set them not before thee in Heaven then let me bear the blame for ever Or he may say as Paul speaketh concerning his Son Onesimus If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on my Account I Paul have written it with my own Hand I will repay it c. Thus Christ may say Father charge the Sins the Debts that my Saints have and shall commit to me I will be accountable for them And indeed he hath already done it once for all and not only so but to bring them all to Heaven and this in a most high and sublime Covenant and Holy Compact he made with the Father before the World began therefore not one Soul of them can perish 4. Consider also that in pursuit of this Covenant and Suretiship Jesus Christ hath suffered Death spilt his own precious Blood which the Father doth accept of as their full Discharge and shall any once suppose that one Soul of his People for whom he thus struck Hands and died for and took into his Care and Charge shall eternally miscarry 5. Consider that as they are in Christ's Hands and he hath suffered Death for them and in their stead so also that the Merits of his Blood might become effectual to them he is every ways fitted endowed and qualified with all things whatsoever that is necessary in order to his actual Discharge of this great Trust he hath taken upon him 1. He hath received the Spirit without measure to the end he might have that and all Grace that is needful to communicate to every one of his Saints as he sees necessary for them and it is laid up in his Hand not given all at once to them but they shall have all their Wants supplied according to his Riches in Glory 2. He hath Wisdom enough also for he is Wisdom it self 3. He is clothed with Power also he is a Saviour a great One Pray hear what he himself saith I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth c. He cannot fail for want of Power as Mediator let the States or Straits of any Soul of his be what they will or of any that relie upon him or come unto him Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Nay and this Power is given to him to this very end namely not only to quicken and renew them but also to perfect Holiness in them and to bring them to Heaven at last As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 6. Consider the strict Charge the Father hath given to Christ as he hath put all Believers into his Hand 1. A Charge to redeem them he laid down his Life as the Father commanded him 2. See that in Isa 49.
this I shall endeavour to prove and fully demonstrate First From the Nature of Grace it self Secondly In respect of the Fountain from whence it doth proceed i. e. the Blessed God and Father of Mercy Thirdly From Christ the Purchaser and more immediate Author the Beginner and Finisher of it in the Soul he is the Alpha and Omega of Grace First From the Nature of Grace it self 1. Let us consider unto what it is compared even to a small Seed to a Grain of Mustard-seed which becomes after it is sown a great Tree If ye have Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you The Mountain of Guilt of Pollution of Corruption of Opposition shall be removed out of the way of that Person sooner or later that hath never so small a Measure of Grace such is the Nature of it I do not judg that our Saviour chiefly refers here to the Faith of Miracles but our late Annotator no doubt is right I take the plain sense of the Text to be this saith he that there is nothing which may tend to the Glory of God or to our Good but may be obtained of God by a firm exercise of Faith in him Whether our Saviour speaketh here of a Faith of Miracles or no I will not determine I rather think that he speaks here of any true Faith c. A weak Faith put into exercise shall prevail and overcome at last This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith it doth and shall overcome in every Soul at last This Seed I have proved already doth remain it can never be rooted out of the good Ground where it was received into honest Hearts it brought forth Fruit unto Everlasting Life 2. Grace in the Soul is compared to a Well of living Water The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of living Water springing up unto Everlasting Life Grace in the Soul is like a Well that hath a never-sailing Spring at the bottom Grace proceeds from the Spring or Well of Salvation which continually supplies the Soul until it comes to Heaven We have a glorious Figure of this in the Water that gushed out of the Rock smitten in the Wilderness that never ceased following the Israelites until they came to Canaan True this Water may not rise up always alike but may sometimes be low like our Rivers it may have its Ebbs as well as its Flows but when it is a very low Tide it risen again and may be by degrees higher than ever it was before They shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine the Scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon 3. Grace is compared to Leaven which a Woman hid in three Measures of Meal till the whole was leavened the whole Soul Grace is of a diffusive Quality It works also like Leaven gradually it diffuseth it self first into the Vnderstanding and leavens that with blessed Gospel-Light It also diffuseth it self into the Will and bows and subjecteth that to the Power of Divine Truth and to a full Acceptance of Jesus Christ chusing him and relying upon him for Righteousness and Eternal Life It also diffuseth it self into the Affections of the Soul and then the whole is leavened It leavens or makes gracious every Faculty of the Soul and all its Powers the Body and all its Members Grace like Leaven makes the Creature a new Lump and of the same Nature with it self Holy Spiritual Heavenly c. Leaven is a quickning thing so Grace through the Spirit is the quickning Principle in the Soul Grace when received will like Leaven do its Work and never cease till all is in a spiritual manner leavened therewith 4. Grace is also compared by the Spirit of God to Fire 1. 'T is a Divine Spark that God kindles in the Soul which he taketh pains to do of his own abundant Goodness 2. And as he will not quench it himself as you heard so none else can And if it cannot be put out then be sure it will burn it is the Nature of Fire to seize on whatsoever is combustible Now Sin is that proper Fuel which Grace will never cease consuming until it hath quite brought it as it were to Ashes 3. Jesus Christ came on purpose from Heaven to kindle this Fire to burn up Sin and all Corruptions in the Souls of his People And can any think it is in the Power of Satan by his Temptations to quench it for ever and so frustrate his gracious Design If the Devil could not quench it when it was but a small Spark like smoaking Flax when it was first kindled in the Soul how should he be able to do it then when it has got a greater head All know it is much easier to put out and get the mastery of a Fire at first kindling than it is afterwards Yet mistake me not I do not say that this Divine Fire burns always alike in the Soul No Satan and Corruption may damp and lessen its burning but what tho for notwithstanding the Operations of Grace may be interrupted by the Law in the Members the Flesh lusting and warring against the Spirit and it may suffer an Eclipse and a poor Christian may lose the sense and feeling Influences of it at some times as to the comforting Operations thereof yet the Habit of Grace can never be lost 5. The Spirit of Grace is a Vital Principle it is the Life of the Believer or of the Soul of a Child of God Nay and this Life is Eternal it is in them an Eternal Vital Principle as I have proved since I was upon this Text therefore Grace through the Spirit prevents their eternal perishing those that have the Spirit in them and Grace in them have Christ and Everlasting Life in them Moreover should any say that Grace is not immutable in it self yet say I with relation it stands in unto Christ viz. having a Spring at the bottom it is an abiding Principle it will and must live Moreover it is a powerful and permanent Principle Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World that is the Holy Spirit in the Graces and blessed Influences thereof Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace 6. Grace is a holy and sanctifying Principle it resisteth Sin and purgeth the Conscience It teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts to live soberly godly and righteously in this present World 7. Why is Grace called saving if Men may have it and yet perish Certainly that Grace that a Man may have and be damned is not saving Grace Secondly Grace shall abide in the Souls of Believers in respect of the Fountain of it from whence it proceeds namely the Holy God 1.
I argue If Grace though never so weak shall be victorious if Grace be such a Blessed Principle such a Spark that Sin nor Satan can't quench such a Seed that no Enemy can get out of the Ground of our Hearts if Grace through the Spirit is Life Eternal Life in the Soul if Grace be the Darling of Heaven hath such great and Almighty Allies if the whole Trinity sate in Council about the Birth of Grace or the Way of its infusion into the Soul if it be the Gift of the Father's Free Love and a part of his Holy Nature if it be wrought in us to shew forth his Praise if Grace be God's great and glorious Workmanship if the Power of God be engaged to preserve it in us if God hath promised to maintain its Life in us if it cannot stand consistent with God's Wisdom Love Faithfulness and Holiness to let it be totally overcome and vanquished in the Souls of his Elect if Christ purchased Grace for us if he was manifest to take away Sin if Christ be the Author and Finisher of Grace in the Soul if the Life of Grace tends so much to the Honour of Christ if Christ's Work now in Heaven is to interceed for the continuation of Grace in us that it may never fail in the Seed or Habit of it Then no true Believer can fall so from Grace as eternally to perish But all this is true therefore no Believer can so fall from Grace as eternally to perish APPLICATION First Of Information 1. First from the whole we may learn that the State of Believers through the Redemption by Jesus Christ is far better than Adam's was by Creation for though we have no natural and inherent Power of our own yet we have a supernatural Power ingaged to help and uphold us we are kept by the Power of God He stood by the Strength of Nature and Power of Free-Will before the Fall We by the Strength of Grace and Power of the Mediator who hath a Charge to uphold us in a State of Grace which was not allowed to Adam nor the Angels we have not only the Word of Grace to encourage us but also the Power of Grace to establish us Adam stood by his own Original Righteousness our standing is by the Suretiship Righteousness and Undertakings of Jesus Christ Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Adam's Life was in himself our Life is hid in Christ and so out of the Power of our worst Enemies to come at it or deprive us of it and as Adam and all his were condemned so Christ and all his are justified 2. It may inform us that such who make a Profession of Religion without attaining to a State of true Grace and real Union with Christ are in danger of eternal Ruin notwithstanding whatsoever their Knowledg Gifts and common Improvements may be and their Hopes thereupon and that they are of this sort that frequently fall away and perish in their Sins which if well weighed may put every Professor into serious Thoughts and upon a thorow Work of Self-examination about their present Condition and therefore in this respect there is need enough of those Cautions and Take-heeds in the Scripture Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall How many are there who do but think they stand or that their State is safe and good when in truth they are in no better Condition than the Foolish Virgins or the thorny and stony-ground Professors 3. It also may inform us that all those that shall be saved are such who take care to make their Calling and Election sure It is a palpable Demonstration that they are under strong Delusion who suppose Election only refers to the End and not to the Means or that Men that are elected shall be saved let them live how they please No no the Case is quite otherwise we are elected to be Holy as well as to be Happy the whole Design of God herein being to make us Holy and also to preserve us in a Way and State of Holiness Therefore if thou dost begin well hast obtained true Grace and dost continue in a Way of well-doing or dost bring forth good Fruit and dost not waver nor faint in thy Mind it may be an Evidence that thy State is Good and that thou art one of Christ's Sheep who follow him constantly and wilt so follow him unto the End Secondly This may be Matter of great Comfort to weak Believers and such who may be under spiritual Deadness and feel Corruption too strong for them O do not be discouraged the weakest Grace gives a deadly wound to Sin and a good ground of Hope thy State is safe your Names are written in Heaven which is as our Saviour notes the greatest Cause of Joy which it could not be if their Names might be blotted out again 'T is no wonder Sin is in thee and makes thee mourn when it made Paul to cry out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 'T is one thing to have the Law of Sin in our Members and to have Sin in our Conversations and another thing to have it reign in us or to have it in our Affections Soul remember that weak Grace weak Faith shall become victorious Thou hast Grace enough in thy Head though thou hast but little in thy Hand O cry to God be much in Prayer that God would give thee more Grace and supply thy Wants and quicken and revive thy Soul as he hath promised A weak Faith renders the Soul as perfectly justified in Christ as the strongest Faith any Man hath whosoever he be and gives a Title to Eternal Life he that had but a weak or a dim Eye that look'd up unto the Brazen Serpent was as well healed as he that had a strong Sight or good Eyes 2. This Doctrine yields much Comfort to the strongest Saint also for if he that hath never so strong and lively Faith might fall finally away and perish what would Regeneration Justification Adoption c. signify to him Would not his Spirits droop and his Fears torment him But here by virtue of the Doctrine of final Perseverance is Comfort both for the Weak and Strong both have equal Interest in Christ in God's Love in the Covenant both are elected both are in Christ's Hand Such who have now a strong Faith had once but a weak Faith it was but a little Seed once and Christ's Charge extends to those that are weak He carries the Lambs in his Arms and the Stock in Christ's Hand is sure and his Promise of supply shall not fail and the Strong cannot stand of themselves Thirdly Caution Judg not of the Truth of thy Grace by the weakness of it a little Gold a Dram is Gold as well as a great Wedg 2. Let not this encourage thee to be negligent or remiss in Duty God
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
Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him They shall sit upon Thrones Know ye not that the Saints shall judg the World Even such poor Saints that this World disdains and do contemn 10. This World will have an End and the Time is near and the other World will begin in the Glory of it The World to come Brethren that shall never end it is an Eternal World tho the administration of it as in the Hands of Christ as Mediator shall cease and have an End yet the Kingdom and Glory of the World to come shall never have an End the Riches of it the Glory of it and the Joys of it shall abide for ever it is a Kingdom and a Crown that fadeth not away Lastly It will be a peaceable World Wars will cease Jerusalem shall be a quiet Habitation Nation shall not rise up against Nation nor learn War any more in that World I should now come to speak to the second Thing namely to shew what a taste it is that the Persons in our Text had or may have of the Powers of the World to come but I shall make a little use of this first APPLICATION 1. By way of Reprehension Brethren what Fools be they who value this World above the World come These are like the vain French-Man who said he would not part with his part in Paris for a pure in Paradise Alas he knew not what a Place Paradise is O the Vanity of Mens Minds how blind and deceived are poor Mortals 2. This shews and clearly may demonstrate that God's People are Men and Women of greatest Wisdom they are not satisfied with corruptible Things it is God and his Eternal Riches Kingdom and Glory their Eyes are set upon they are Rich it appears in Reversion though they have but little now in Possession they love Riches though not the Riches of this World they shall have one day rich and immortal Robes Robes beyond those of beaten Gold At thy right Hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir It is not a few little Houses no nor earthly Palaces 't is not Bags of Gold and Silver that can satisfy them no no it is nothing less than a whole Kingdom and Crown of Glory in the other World of which they are joint Heirs with Christ They shall inherit all things all Riches and Happiness 1. Riches that inrich the Soul ay and the Body too the Bodies of the Saints shall be inriched in the World to come our vile Body shall be changed and made like Christ's Glorious Body 2. They shall have true Riches the Riches of this World are faise Riches deceitful Riches counterfeit Riches shadowy Riches they are but a Figure or a Shadow of the Riches of the World to come 3. They have right to incorruptible Riches not like the Worldings Riches that canker and corrupt and the Rust of which will rise up as Witness against them at the last Day 4. They are certain and and abiding Riches the Riches of this World are uncertain Riches they are but for a Moment and are gone Charge them that are in this World saith the Apostle that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain Riches but in the living God O how poor and miserable are some Men who are rich in this World 5. The Riches of the World to come are Soul-satisfying Riches Gold and Silver satisfy not but Believers shall see God in the other World have a glorious Vision of God they shall be like him for they shall see him as he is Nothing but a Possession of God and a Likeness unto him will satisfy a gracious Soul I shall be satisfied saith David when I awake in thy Likeness I shall not be fully satisfied until then as if he should say but then I shall be satisfied to the full indeed What is there more for a Man to desire than God They that have God for their Portion may say with Jacob that they have all 6. The Riches of the other World are had without Care without Perplexity Alas Cares and Snares attend the Riches of this World there is Pains in getting them and Cares in keeping them and Fears of losing them and these things eat out the sweetness that seems to be in them but as there will be no Cares in keeping of the Riches of the World to come so there will be no fear of losing them 7. The Riches of the World to come will be the Perfection of Riches No Man can be perfectly rich here tho he hath some Riches yet he hath not all Riches and though he be rich in some things yet he is not rich in all things and though he be rich externally and for a time rich yet he may be spiritually poor But they that attain to the Riches of the World to come are every ways rich perfectly rich rich in the Body and rich in the Soul they are such Riches that Christ and the Angels do possess Secondly The Honours of the World to come will be great far surpassing all the Honours of this present evil World 1. 'T is no small Honour to be the Sons of God now are we the Sons of God This is a Privilege that appertains to the present Spiritual Kingdom of Christ but it doth not appear what we shall be that is the Time of the manifestation of the Sons of God then Christ will honour his Saints and God will honour them If any Man serves me him saith our Saviour will my Father honour 2. Will it not be an Honour to be crowned with a Crown of Glory Glory Honour and Immortality is the Portion of all who by well-doing seek it 3. Will it not be a great Honour to judg the World yea to judg the fallen Angels 4. Will it not be an high Honour to be the Lamb 's glorious Bride to be the Spouse of the Prince of the Kings of the Earth to have the Attendance of the Holy Angels and to have the Wicked to bow down to your very Feet and lick up the Dust 5. Will it not be a great Honour to sit with Christ on the Throne Besides it will be Eternal or Everlasting Honour it will abide for ever Thirdly The Pleasures of the World to come will be transcendent Pleasures far surpassing all the vain and carnal Pleasures of this present World 1. I once told you when I was speaking of Eternal Joys that the Pleasures of the World to come will not only delight the Soul but the Body too though not carnal sensual Pleasures yet the glorified Bodies of the Saints shall be filled with Delight and Pleasure as well as their Spirits you may be sure and that in a wonderful manner 2. The Joys of the World to come will be the Fulness of Joy and Delights Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures Rivers of Pleasures denote fulness Pleasures
purchases and the Spirit applies the Blessings purchased Salvation is called a Garment He hath clothed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness The Father may be said to prepare the Matter which this Robe is made of the Son wrought it he made the Garment and the Holy Spirit puts it on the Soul the Garment of Salvation is Christ's Righteousness Again the Father sought out or chose the Bride the Son espouses and marries her but it is the Holy Ghost that inclines her Heart and stirs up nay that causes the Soul to like and to love this Blessed Lover and brings it to yield and consent to accept heartily and willingly of Jesus Christ We were sick of a fearful and incurable Disease and the Father found out the Medicine the Blood of Christ is that Medicine and the Holy Spirit applies it to the Soul We were in Debt in Prison and bound in Fetters and cruel Chains and the Father procured a Friend to pay all our Debts The Son was this our Friend who laid down the infinite Sum and the Holy Spirit knocks off our Irons our Fetters and Chains and brings us out of the Prison-house The Father loved us and sent his Son to merit Grace for us the Son loved us and died and thereby purchased that Grace to be imparted to us and the Holy Spirit works that Grace in us O what is the Nature of this Salvation how Great how Glorious That the whole Trinity both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are thus imployed in and about it that we might have it made fure to us for ever APPLICATION 1. Reproof Wo to such that esteem their own filthy Rags above this Garment of Salvation or that seem to set light by it Hath God the Father Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost held a Counsel before the World began about the Salvation of our Souls and hath each Person of the Blessed Trinity such a Part in order to the making of it to be effectual to us And shall any dare to say there is no need of this Garment We may work a Robe out of our own Bowels by the Operations of the Spirit that will serve to hide our Nakedness trouble not us with your old Divinity We are for rational Religion He that is Righteous and obeys Christ and leads a Goldly Life need not doubt of his Salvation For in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him O how ready are Men to abuse the Scripture Can any Man think that his own personal inherent Righteousness can either justify or save him or that the Apostle Peter means any such thing God may so far accept of a Man in his Obedience in which he acts in all Sincerity and Faithfulness to him as to hear his Prayers so as to reveal himself to him in Christ as he did to Cornelius But was Cornelius a Believer and justfied before he heard of Jesus Christ and had Faith wrought in his Soul See how Peter preached Christ for Life and Salvation to this Man Notwithstanding all his own Righteousness Peter was commanded of God to tell him what he should do that he might be saved plainly intimating he did not know the Way or how to be saved before Peter preached Christ to him He saith the Lord shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do And in verse 43. Peter said To him that is to Jesus Christ gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of Sins Will any say Cornelius had remission of Sins before he heard this Sermon and believed in Jesus Christ Was not Peter sent to him and to those other Gentiles with him that they might be converted O take heed you stumble not at this Stone lest it fall on you and grind you to Pouder 2. Dare any of you think that this Salvation is but a small Matter and that you need not trouble your selves about it O tremble you who never had one serious Thought about it to this Day You have other things to mind are full of Business but O Sirs what is of such Moment as this Salvation Yet nevertheless some will not spare time to hear it or to attend upon the Word of this Salvation Others will not part with the Love of this World to have a Part in it they value their earthly Riches Pleasures and Honours above it nay too many esteem their filthy Lusts more than an Interest in this great Salvation But what contempt do such Persons cast upon the great God who hath manifested such Depths of Divine Wisdom Grace and Goodness in bringing of it in and working of it out for our precious Souls Did they know what God is Christ is Salvation is certainly they would change their Opinion and not a little blame themselves for their great Folly Brethren a true and spiritual Knowledg of the Great Salvation of the Gospel makes all the Things of the World seem little nay nothing in comparison thereof All things that Carnal Men have their Hearts set upon are poor thin and beggarly Things when compared to Grace here and Glory hereafter No sooner had Paul a true sight of this Great Salvation but immediately he consulted not with Flesh and Blood When the sweetness of Christ and Salvation is tasted and a Soul knows how good and satisfying it is every thing that hath a Tincture of Flesh and Blood all carnal Interests and fleshly Counsels expire A full sight of this Salvation seems to make Life uneasy and Death desirable Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation Nothing in this World could be worth a Thought of his Heart since his Eyes had seen God's Salvation Why what did he see It was Jesus Christ the Author of Salvation in whom he knew was Salvation and in no other He that lives so long as to see Christ by an Eye of Faith to be his Saviour and his Salvation will be willing to leave this World be willing to die because he then shall die in peace None can die happily that have not a sight of this Great Salvation nor can any have a true sight of this Salvation but they only who have by Faith a true sight of the Blessed Saviour Paul when he came to the Knowledg of Christ and of Salvation by Christ esteems every thing in the World to be no better than Dung and longs to be dissolv'd and to be in Christ's Arms and taste how good Salvation is in the full possession of it in Heaven 3. This reproves such who delay seeking after the Knowledg of this Salvation If it be so great it must and ought first of all be regarded Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness May be ' ere long you will wish you had sought after Christ and Salvation by him before all things when you come to
and Nature great as to his Commission in his Call and in respect of those great and glorious Anointings that were upon him 〈◊〉 small now proceed Seventhly The Salvation of the Gospel is great c. if we consider what poor Sinners hereby 〈…〉 and delivered from By this Salvation those thâ—â— believe are delivered from every Evil in this World and in that which is to come All Evil may be considered under two general Heads First That which corrupteth our Nature both Soul and Body as to their Being Secondly That which is destructive to our Nature as to its well-being both Soul and Body The first is Sin the second is Punishment I purpose to speak briefly to both these that so we may the better demonstrate the Greatness of this Salvation First Of the Evil of Sin which all those are and shall be for ever saved and delivered from who embrace this Salvation This I shall speak unto more generally and then more particularly Brethren the Evil of Sin comprehendeth many things as it respecteth God and is directly against him his Holy Nature hateful and loathsom in his sight and in respect had to Man which takes in our first Apostacy from God the loss of his Holy and Blessed Image as also his Love and Favour and so the Pravity of all the Powers of our Souls and Faculties thereof as the blindness of our Minds and Darkness of our Understandings the Rebellion and Stubbornness of our Wills and hardness of our Hearts the Carnality and Vanity of our Affections the horrid Guilt Pollution and Filthiness that cleaves to the Soul and Conscience together with Shame Bondage Nakedness Poverty and Enmity against God Slavery to Satan and to this World having contracted a Likeness to the Devil or an Impress of his Image doing his Will and serving our own Lusts All these and many other things comprize the Evil of Sin from which by this Salvation we are delivered But to speak a little more particularly let us 1. Consider the Evil of Sin As it is contrary to God's most Holy and Pure Nature it is that thing which his Soul is said to hate Would not we be greatly concerned if any should do that in our sight and presence which they know we hate and abominate 2. Sin is a Dishonour to God and it is called a Despising of God Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Certainly Sin must needs have a great Evil in it if it be a despising of God if a Man be despised he thinks himself greatly wronged loss of Honour is no small loss 3. Sin is a crossing of God's Will acting directly contrary thereunto nay and it is a doing the Will of the Devil How are you troubled if your Servants cross your Will in that which is just and right and wherein your Interest and Honour lies and is nearly concerned Sin is a crossing of the Will of God not only when the Sinner doth not what God commands to be done which is a Sin of Omission but also in doing that which he hath positively forbid which is a Sin of Commission 4. Sin doth cast contempt upon God as when Men sin presumptuously with a high Hand as if it were in defiance of Heaven as if they bid God do his worst intimating that they will have their Way their Wills their cursed Lusts or sinful Pleasures and Profit let what will come of it 5. Sin is a renouncing of God's just Authority and Government over us it is a breaking his Bonds and casting his Cords from us What is the Voice of Sin God shall not reign over us we will not be under his Government but will live as we list our Tongues are our own and who is Lord over us Nay and as Sin doth cast off God and disown him contemn him rebel against him will not have him reign but strive to pull him out of his Throne So by Sin the Sinner sets up the Devil in God's Place puts him into God's Throne The Heart is the Throne of God but there the Sinner will not allow God to rule God to be but gives way to Sin and will sin and in so doing he exalts Satan and puts him into the Government and subjects to him O what is the Evil of Sin 6. Sin in the Nature of it is a manifestation of the Sinner's hatred of God God declares against Sinners in his Word as such that hate him the lesser Love is accounted a Hatred in the Scripture But alas Sinners seem to have no Love to God at all they proclaim War against him even wish there was no God to controul them to judg them to punish them so that they might sin the more freely and with the more impudence if it be possible for them so to do The Fool saith in his Heart there is no God He would have no God he would be glad it there was no God such is his hatred of God Hence it is said Visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers on the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me And again it is said Shouldst thou love them that hate the Lord Sin even strikes at God's very Being Can you think any Person can have more hatred to you than to wish you had no Being nay would if he could destroy you and cause you not to be or deprive you of a King any more for ever This seems to be the Voice or Sin naturally in Mens Hearts therefore it must needs be a great Evil they would not have God to be if they could bring it about or have their Will for such as we despise resist war against we would kill and destroy if we could Sin would dethrone God and thrust him out of the World it fills the Mind so full of Enmity against him 2 dly But in the second place Sin hath not only great Evil in it as it against God but also in respect of our selves 'T is not only 〈…〉 our to God but hurtful to us No Evil like the Evil of Sin in this 〈…〉 also as will appear if we consideâ—â— 1. It was Sin we lost God's Holy Image in which we were created in our first Parents O what a 〈◊〉 Creature was Man as he came out of his great Creator's Hand there was no Spot Blemish nor Stain in him Man was created in Righteousness and true Holiness in that did the Image of God consist But this Likeness to God we lost by Sin and by yielding unto it and by being overcome by it we became like unto the Devil Naturally all Men bear his Image even the Devil's Likeness Judas was so much like the Devil that Christ calls him a Devil Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil 2. Sin poisoned our whole Nature and corrupted all our Faculties 1. It is compared to the Plague of the Leprosy it spreads it self over us from
Curse can no Soul be delivered but by Jesus Christ alone Is it not a fearful Thing to be under the Curse of an offended and angry God whose Wrath is like Fire that seizes on dry Stubble But he that believes or accepteth of the Salvation of the Gospel is delivered and saved for ever from the Curse of the Law Christ hath delivered us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us 2. Man by Sin is set against himself his own Conscience wars and sights against him and it is also sometimes let out upon him by the Lord to such a Degree tormenting him so dreadfully that he is not able to bear it hence some have destroyed themselves What is more dreadful and amazing than a guilty an accusing and condemning Conscience Poor Mr. Child found it intolerable and many more besides him it is that Worm that oft-times begins to gnaw here and will if this Salvation be not took hold of torment the Soul for ever for as in Hell the Fire is not quenched so the Worm dieth not But he that receives Jesus Christ believes in Jesus Christ and so gets an Interest in this Salvation is delivered from the Guilt and the Lashes the Accusation and Condemnation of his own Conscience nay his own Conscience speaks Peace to him and yields him a continual Feast For our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World c. O how is the Case altered Conscience before was a Tormentor but now is a Comforter before it spoke nothing but Terror but now it speaks nothing but Peace before it did accuse but now it doth excuse before it fed us with Gravel-stones but now it feeds us with Joy and sweet Food 3. The State of the Sinner is very sad and the Nature of Sin very destructive as it exposes the Soul to future Wrath the Wrath of God remains upon him that believes not The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men. But by this Salvation we are saved from present and from future Wrath also this is done by Jesus Christ Even Jesus who delivered us from Wrath to come Wrath to come is far greater than any Wrath Mortal ever felt in this World Who knows the Power of thine Anger even according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath. But not one Drop of it shall fall upon that Soul that hath a Part and Interest in this Salvation Should God let out but a little of his Wrath upon a Soul whilst he is in the Body wo to him whither shall he fly how should he be able to bear it O 't is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God O what a great and glorious Salvation is this Suppose a Man was condemned to die for High-Treason or for some other great Crime nay to be burned alive or to be flead alive and just as the Sentence was going to be executed upon him one should bring him the Tidings that the King had pardoned his Offence and therefore he should not die would he not look upon this to be a great Salvation But alas what can reach or be compared to the State of condemned Sinners What is it to be thrown into a Fire or to burn for half an Hour nay to be put into a lingering Fire to be dying a whole Day nay a whole Year or if it were possible to be dying forty or fifty Years to lie burning in Hell to all Eternity Every Sinner is condemned by the Law of God to be burned to be burned alive in Hell for ever where the Damned are always dying but yet cannot die If this were well and seriously considered certainly every one must acknowledg the Gospel-Salvation to be a Great and Glorious Salvation that delivers all that imbrace it from so great a Death as the second Death or the Wrath of God in Hell Brethren this Salvation doth not only free and deliver the Souls of all that believe from Wrath from all Wrath and Misery but the Bodies also as I shall shew you hereafter before I have done with this Text. The Body shall be delivered from Sickness Lameness Blindness Poverty Hunger Nakedness nay and from Corruption it self even from whatsoever it is that is either grievous or destructive here or hereafter If a Man be but delivered from Want or from Hunger being almost starved to Death and ready to tear his own Flesh to feed himself or from Nakedness or from tormenting Pain suppose it be but the Extremity of the Tooth-ach Gout or tormenting Pain of the Stone or from Slavery in Turkey or from some grievous and cruel Imprisonment being in Bonds and Irons lying in a dark Dungeon among Toads and Serpents would he not think it a Great Salvation Or if People who feel the bitterness of War Famine or Pestilence were delivered and set at Liberty would they not account it a Great Salvation a Great Deliverance But what are all these Salvations to this Great Salvation I am speaking of What is the Sickness of the Body or Death of the Body here to the Sickness and Death of Body and Soul for ever What is an Imprisonment in the worst of Jails and to lie in Chains and Irons put upon us by Men like our selves and to bear their Wrath for a few Days to the eternal Prison What is a dark Dungeon here to the Blackness of Darkness for ever What is the Wrath of Man to the Wrath of God or Chains of Iron to everlasting Chains of Darkness What is a little outward Want or Poverty to the Want of God's Favour and Love to Eternity being separated from his Presence for ever and to lie in Fire burning and broiling and cannot have so much as one Drop of Water to cool the Tongue for one Drop is denied to the Damned in Hell The rich Glutton when in Hell begged that Lazarus might be sent to him and dip the Tip of his Finger in Water to cool his Tongue but it was not granted Alas all Miseries here are nothing as they pass away in a Moment when compared unto Eternal Wrath and burning in Hell which is the pourings forth of the unspeakable and righteous Vengeance of a provoked and angry God There is no Parallel nothing to express the Nature of that destructive Evil that is in Sin there is nothing left us to illustrate it withal therefore to be delivered and saved for ever from the just Punishment and dismal Wrath of God must needs be deemed Great Salvation and the Excellency of it will at length be known to them who slight and despise it when they come to fall and perish under the want of it He that is delivered from lying in Prison for a thousand Pound Debt where he must have lain till Death having nothing to pay it
therefore it is a very precious thing it is principally the Soul that Jesus Christ doth espouse it seems to be a proper or fit Match for the Son of God He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 4. And 't is not only capable of Union but also of Divine Spiritual Communion both with the Father and the Son That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that you might have fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ That Communion we have in our Spirits with the Father and the Son is by the Holy Ghost by which we come to have through his gracious Influences a Communication of that which is truly and spiritually Good according to our Needs and to delight strengthen and rejoice our Hearts our Souls being changed into the Life and Likeness of Christ and walking in the Light of the Spirit we have Fellowship one with another that is Christ with us and we with Christ for till the Soul is regenerated it cannot have Fellowship with the Holy God for Light cannot have Fellowship with Darkness it is not earthly or sensual but a Divine Heavenly and Spiritual Communion O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man there 's no other Creature that is capable of these most excellent Privileges save Man Mankind only of all that dwell on the Earth Nor could we have had this Honour and Dignity conferred on us we should not I mean been capable Subjects of it had it not been upon the Account of the excellent Nature of our Souls 5. Our Souls are also capable it appears from hence of Divine Inspiration God in a gracious manner inspires our Spirits with glorious Light and Knowledg there is a Light of Acceptation and a Light of Inspiration Like as Astronomers tell us that the Moon iâ— of such a Nature that she is capable by the glorious shining and reflection of the Son to receive Light and so she shine and gives Light to us in the Night Thus the Moon is a Light of Acceptation but it is the Sun that gives Light to her So a Candle is made meet to receive Light but shines not gives not Light until it is lighted And thus also our Spirits are made meet to receive Divine Light from God The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord but it never shines with any supernatural Light until the Lord pleases to light it There is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Lord giveth him Vnderstanding In Man that is in every Man every Man hath a rational Soul in him fit to receive Divine Light and Inspiration if God please to inspire him therewith he hath not that saving Knowledg and Light naturally no not till he doth partake of the Inspiration of the Almighty Though Man be endowed with natural Light Knowledg and Reason and may understand in some measure the Parts of Natural Religion yet that Light is but Darkness compared to the supernatural Light of Grace or the saving Knowledg of God in Christ All true and spiritual Knowledg and Understanding is from the special Inspiration of the Almighty For what Man knoweth the things of Man save the Spirit of a Man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God But though it be thus that Man's Spirit without the Teachings and Inspiration of God's Spirit cannot understand nor know the things of God that is the Mysteries of the Gospel or have the saving Knowledg of Christ yet there is a Spirit a Soul in him that is capable to receive this Light and Revelation of God when he pleases to enlighten him therein therefore I say the Soul of Man is a very precious thing and so tends to greaten the Salvation of the Gospel by which it is saved from Hell and Wrath. 6. The Soul is capable of Divine Contemplation it can muse meditate and contemplate upon God the highest and chiefest Being no other Creatures on Earth are capable to do this because they have no rational Souls What have some Men found out of the Mysteries of Nature by means of the Excellency of the Soul Nay and also what Knowledg have they attained of the God of Nature as might be demonstrated should I speak of Natural and Moral Philosophy c. though it is true and I deny it not but that the knowledg of these things is acquired in a great measure yet nevertheless all in the first place next unto God must be attributed to the Excellency of the Soul I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy Works and that my Soul knoweth right well David ascribes that wonderful Knowledg which he had of the Works of Creation to his Soul No doubt he was well skilled in Philosophy and was a Man greatly given to Contemplation My Subâ—iance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth How curiously and exquisitely hast thou as if he should say composed my Bones Muscles Sinews Veins and Arteries in my Mother's Womb and all the Parts and Members of my Body And my Soul contemplates all these things my Soul knows that thou art a wonderful working God O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man what pity is it that it should be lost and damned for ever and how doth this tend to demonstrate the Glory and Greatness of this Salvation for it was under Wrath and the Curse of God by Sin Sirs the Nature of the Soul is such that it leads a Man out to behold and magnify God in the Works of Creation and Providence tho it want supernatural Light and Knowledg But O when it comes to be divinely inspired what does it discover through the help of the same Spirit of God in Christ and of the Work of Redemption For all Knowledg to this Knowledg is but of little worth Paul therefore determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified nay and accounted all natural Knowledg Gifts Wisdom and Improvements or whatsoever he once esteemed of to be but Dung in comparison of the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ his Lord. 7. The Soul is precious doth yet further appear because without an enjoyment of God or a part and interest in him it can never by happy nothing short of God himself can fill its Desires This some of the Heathens by the dim Light of Nature came to understand it is restless until it comes to find God Rest Peace and Satisfaction in God who is the best of Beings and our chief Good The Soul is much like unto Noah's Dove which he sent out of the Ark that found no rest for the Sole of her Foot until she returned unto him in the Ark Therefore miserable will all those be that for ever shall one Day be separated from God should they meet with no worse Torment
and Pleasure O what a great Salvation is Gospel-Salvation How soon doth eternal Misery or Torment seize upon the Ungodly even no sooner do they die but their Souls are in Hell and no sooner do Believers die but their Souls are in Paradise and had not Christ came and wrought out our Salvation our Souls must have lain under Wrath and Misery for ever in an eternal separation from God and all true Joy and Happiness O what a fearful and an amazing Loss is the loss of the Soul Sirs pray remember this Salvation is the Salvation of your precious Souls thy Soul O Sinner is dearly concerned in it Our Soul is our All what have we more A Man is never utterly undone till his Soul is utterly lost if the Soul is saved all is saved but if the Soul is lost for ever lost all is lost But 2 dly The loss or losing of the Soul is the loss of the Body too that must have perished for ever with the Body of Beasts whilst our Souls must have lain in Torments had not Christ came to redeem us Moreover The Salvation of the Soul is the Salvation of the Body Christ came to save both the Soul and Body too And hence the Apostle saith Even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body that is for the farther Effects of our Adoption Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be that is it doth not appear what we shall be when our Bodies shall be raised He shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious Body This Salvation saves not our Souls only from Wrath but our Bodies also they shall rise to Life and Immortality the Bodies of the Wicked as well as their Souls shall be cast into Hell but the Bodies and the Souls of the Godly shall be glorified in Heaven for ever O what a grievous thing it is to think of the loss of the Body to have the Soul taken away from the Body But how sweet is it to think of that Day when those two old Friends shall meet together again and when both shall be delivered from all Evil from all Deformity and Pollution and be glorified and also shall never part more or be separated from each other to the Days of Eternity APPLICATION 1. Reproof to such who despise their own precious Souls What Fools are they who to save their Hutts lose their Heads or who to save their Goods in a fearful Fire lose their dear Child in the Cradle As I once told you of a Woman that did thus her House was on Fire and she bestirred her self to get out her best Goods and at last when she could go in no more she rejoiced that she had saved her Goods but said one to her Woman where is your Child O my Child my Child then she cried her Child when it was too late for that was burned to Death in the Cradle Just thus some to get and save their Goods to get the World lose their Souls We read of some who to save their Lives or their Bodies from being burned to Ashes for Christ denied Christ they could not burn for him What saith our Saviour He that seeks to save his Life shall lose it What Fools are they then who think that way to save their Bodies for as they lose their Souls so they lose their Bodies also And it is not worse to have the Body to â—e in Hell-Fire for ever than to be burned in Martyrdom and be consumed to Ashes in Corporal Fire 2. Consider that all such who neglect this great Salvation slight and neglect their own precious and immortal Souls What is the Hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul He makes a bad Market that puts off his Soul at any Price What shall a Man give in exchange of his Soul Jesus Christ who knew the great worth of it laid down a Price of infinite Value to redeem and purchase it Witches they say sell their Souls to the Devil out of Malice to be revenged on some that have offended them What a dismal thing is that how fearful is their State But pray Brethren what do they lose who sell their Souls to the Devil as it were for the sake of their brutish Lusts or out of love to Sin Thus the Whoremongers and unclean Persons sell their Souls and Drunkards who will have their merry Bouts their Cups and Pots and silthy Companions and may be their Whores too let what will become of their immortal Souls others will have their Pride and haughty Hearts gay Clothes and their detestable Dresses though their Souls are clothed with Rags and a crawling Worm knaws on them and to Hell must be thrown at last where the Worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Moreover the carnal Worldling will be rich he will lay up Gold and Silver he will gain the World though he lose thereby his own Soul But remember Sinners Christ died for the Soul this Salvation is the Salvation of the Soul and does any wretched Sinner despise his Soul or is it think you not worth his Pains to part with his Cups with his sinful Companions with his or her Pride unlawful Gain or the love of this World to save it for ever 3. How does this tend to reprove such who do expose their precious Souls to eternal Wrath for the unjust Gain of Six-pence or a Shilling Are there not too many such in the World who will cheat lie and defraud their Neighbours for a small matter of profit O how dear will they one Day pay for that Gain 4. How does this reprove likewise such Parents that think they can never do enough for to enrich their Children or get them great Portions and care not what they eat drink wear or how richly their Bodies are deck'd and adorned but take no care of their immortal Souls but rather indulge them in their Sins and vain and wicked Practices and set also Soul damning Examples continually before their Eyes 5. We may also infer from hence what a mighty Charge an amazing Charge Parents have committed to them as also the Ministers of the Gospel who are to take care and watch over the Souls of such who are committed to them as such that must one Day give an Account of them 6. Moreover wo be to such who deceive and blindly lead the Souls of Men to destruction that are so exceeding precious If the Blind lead the Blind they will both fall into the Ditch 7. Shall I exhort you Sinners to look to Christ for the Salvation of your Souls 1. He bids you look to him Look unto me and be ye saved all ye Ends of the Earth 2. Consider that there is no other way to save your Souls there is but one Saviour and one way of Salvation There is no other Name given under
Heaven whereby we must be saved He that receives Christ believes in Christ shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned 3. If Life be more worth than all the World certainly the Soul is more worth than ten thousand Worlds O do not part with it on any Terms for it cost Christ dear the Price of his own Blood his Heart-Blood was let out to save our Souls Alas there are some nevertheless that are like the false Prophets of old who sold the Souls of the People for a handful of Barley and for a piece of Bread 4. How near may some of you be to Death and if you have not got an Interest in Christ before then what will become of your precious Souls 5. Will you consider what Means of Grace God is pleased to afford you for the good of your Souls and know it is by the preaching of the Gospel that God commonly saves the Souls of Men I mean that it is the Means he uses for the begetting of Faith Shall the Word have some good Effect upon your Souls this Day 6. Consider all your Prayers Tears Alms-deeds all Reformation of Life Services Duties and inherent Holiness cannot save your Souls no none but Christ nothing but the Merits of Christ it is his Blood alone that made your Peace and must wash away all the Guilt and Filth of your Sins Your Souls your precious Souls O Sinners are wounded polluted naked what will you do Nothing but Christ's Blood I tell you can heal them nothing but his Flesh his Blood can feed them and nothing but his Righteousness can clothe them and nothing but the Graces of Christ's Spirit can inrich can deck and adorn your Souls and without Faith you cannot obtain any of those Blessings O what shall I say to you if going down upon my Knees could move you to lay to Heart what a sad State you are in who have not received by Faith this Salvation and incline you now to believe I would readily do it but alas it is God's Gift O look up to him do what you can pray and attend on the Word What do you say do you believe that this is a Great Salvation Will you esteem it and look after it above all things in the World It is Sirs that one thing needful chuse with Mary that good Part that shall never be taken from you Shall there be Joy in Heaven this Day how can you slight such a precious Soul and such a precious Saviour who spilt his Blood to save the worst of Sinners Will you tread his Blood under your Feet If so what will you do at the Day of Death and in the Day of Judgment Should your Souls be lost there is no repairing that Loss no redemption of the Soul out of Hell no other Price no other Saviour no other way if this be slighted you must perish HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the Proof and Demonstration of the greatness of the Salvation of the Gospel I closed with the ninth Reason of the Point the last time Tenthly Gospel-Salvation is a great and glorious Salvation if we consider what such who have interest in it are raised up unto or do and shall partake of I mean what great Blessings and wonderful Privileges they are invested with by it First Pardon of Sin This Blessing have all they that receive it 1. Consider the Blood of Christ is the way of Gospel-Remission no Remission of Sin without the shedding of Blood there is remission of Sin but no Blood could procure this Remission but the Blood of Christ he paid our Debts in whom we have redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins It was by his offering himself an Expiatory Sacrifice to God there 's no Salvation without Pardon of Sin and no Pardon of Sin without a Compensation be made by Jesus Christ to the Law and Justice of God 2. Consider who are pardoned even all that believe though they were never such great Rebels against God such were Traitors and Enemies once who are now forgiven Here is a Pardon for the vilest Sinner that sees his horrid Evil and Rebellion and takes hold of Jesus Christ or looks up to him by Faith 3. Consider the Nature of this Pardon and Gospel-Remission Such are pardoned for ever I will remember their Sins no more they are blotted out for ever God promises to all penitent and believing Sinners to throw their Sins into the Depth of the Sea 4. Consider the Terms of Pardon it is a free Forgiveness we having nothing to pay God of his meer Grace and Goodness doth forgive us through the Atonement of Christ's Blood freely Even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgression for my own sake and will not remember thy Sins This is spoke to a People that had wearied the Lord with their Iniquities O what a glorious Salvation is this that here is Remission and free Pardon for rebellious Sinners such that deserve nothing but Wrath and Hell 5. It is a Pardon of all Sins great and small Sins of Omission and Sins of Commission Sins of all sorts and sizes 6. 'T is God that blotteth out our Sins he that can forgive he whose right it is to pardon he against whom we have sinned and he who when he gives a Pardon none can supersede it nor revoke it let them do what they can Secondly Reconciliation with God is another Blessing of this Salvation God doth not only forgive us but he takes us into his Bosom he is fully reconciled to us in Jesus Christ he cries Fury is not in me Again he says This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son And none can make God our Enemy again for ever if we are Believers none can separate us from his Love in Jesus Christ our Lord as something agâ— I shewed you no not Sin nor Satan Thirdly By this Salvation we come to have Union with God and to be made one Spirit with Jesus Christ and how great and glorious is this saâ—red Union but having formerly spoken to it I shall not say more to it nâ—w Moreover we are not only brought into a State of Union but are also admitted to have Communion with the Father and the Son Brethren it is one thing for a Traitor to be pardoned and another thing for him to be admitted into the King's Presence and to become one of his great Favourites Truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Fourthly By this Salvation also we are justified Justification is a high Privilege By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses Let me shew you what it is to be justfied that so this Salvation may appear the more
the Law cannot no more can the Devil nor a Believer's own Heart I mean so as to bring him under Eternal Condemnation 8. And lastly All such that are justified shall be glorified see Rom. 8. 30. O glorious Salvation that brings in this blessed Privilege how happy are all justified Persons Fifthly Adoption appertains to this Salvation Every Believer is raised also to this great Privilege and hath this Prerogative he is made a Son of God a Child of God Adoption is to take such to be Children that naturally were not as a special Act of Grace and Favour So we who were the Children of Wrath by Nature are made or adopted to be the Children of God by Grace through Jesus Christ And Christ in working out this Salvation procured this glorious Blessing Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons To be Kings Children is no small Dignity yea the Children of the King of Heaven and Earth What manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. God is not ashamed to be called our God nay our Father 1. Brethren this is an honourable Title What were we once how low base and ignoble before Grace 2. This Privilege it appears cost Christ dear 3. And because we are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts crying Abba Father 4. And if we be Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 5. Then Beloved we also as Children shall be cared for as Children be fed as Children be clothed as Children also be chastened God in all Afflictions deals with us as his Children 6. And if Children we shall be always Children for we are not only the Children of God by Adoption but we are also begotten and born of God and so partake of his Divine Nature which we cannot lose Sixthly By the Grace and Means of this Salvation we are espoused to Jesus Christ O what an Honour and Dignity is this Believers are the Bride the Lamb's Wife And how is and shall the Spouse of Christ be clothed Even in Gold of Ophir She shall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-work She is all glorious within and she shall be all glorious outwardly in Body too e're long as well as she is so now in her Soul and inward Parts Jesus Christ puts Chains about the Necks of all that are his or that he espouses I mean those precious Graces of his Spirit which he hath purchased for them For they shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck The Father called for the best Robe to be put upon his Son as soon as he returned home and a Ring on his Finger The inward Beauty of the Spouse does even ravish the very Heart of Christ Thou hast ravished my Heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my Heart with one of thine Eyes with the Chain of thy Neck With one of thine Eyes some understand by one of her Eyes the Eye of Faith no doubt that is a precious Grace in Christ's sight Every Believer partakes of Grace and all Spiritual Gifts every Grace is a glorious Ornament and of great Price in the sight of God This Salvation makes Men and Women glorious Creatures new Creatures every one resembles the Son of a King they hereby come to partake of God's Holy Nature And as the Grace of this Salvation makes glorious Christians so it does also make glorious Churches Candlesticks of pure Gold Seventhly This Salvation brings Peace with it Peace is a precious Blessing we receive Grace first and then Peace My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you The Peace of God is so excellent a thing that it passes all Mens Vnderstanding What would Spira or Child have given for true Peace and inward Serenity of Mind O it is a great and glorious Salvation Were these things considered and could be fully opened it would appear more abundantly true Peace of Conscience is never known to the Worth of it but to such who have known the want of it Eighthly I might also speak of Sanctification which Blessing all they also partake of that have an Interest in this Salvation Holiness is an Heaven on Earth it is Heaven begun here and it fits and makes every Believer meet for that blessed Inheritance of the Saints in Light the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit are given to this end I mean to make us holy in Heart and Life Ninthly Free access unto the Throne of Grace is another Blessing and Privilege which all Believers receive who have a part in this Salvation Christ hath made the Way easy for us to the Father it is by a new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh or by his Death Tenthly All the Promises of God belong to Believers and are procured for them in and by this Salvation They are great exceeding great and precious there is a Fulness in them the Promises as they are sure in Christ Yea and Amen in Christ so they answer every State and Condition any Believer can be in Eleventhly All the Ordinances of the Gospel belong to this Salvation and are no small Privilege they are as golden Pipes to convey Heavenly Riches or Sacred Treasure to our Souls Nay and in the last place there is a Crown of Glory that every Believer shall be raised unto that hath a saving Interest in this Salvation and not only a Crown but a Kingdom also Now is not this a great Salvation which raises poor Creatures who were fallen as low as Hell up to Heaven and of being Slaves of Sin and Satan to be Sons and Daughters of God It was a great Salvation that Joseph had when he was brought out of Prison where he lay in Irons to be the chief Ruler under the King in Egypt And it was a great Advancement of David from following the Sheep to sit on a Throne but nothing like this of Believers What is an Earthly Throne to an Heavenly one He that overcometh shall sit down with Christ in his Throne and reign for ever and ever APPLICATION 1. Admire this Salvation say it is no small thing to have a part in it I cannot particularly apply what I have insisted upon But 2. Bless God for Jesus Christ You cannot say that the Salvation he hath wrought is a barren Salvation O what is and will be the product of it 3. Particularly Consider what a Blessing Justification is and take heed you are not drawn away nor corrupted about the nature thereof 4. Be exhorted you that are Saints to strive to exercise Faith in respect of your Justification Believe the Gospel-Testimony He that believeth is justified from all things c. You have
the other refers to convinced and awakened Sinners who seem to despair and yet go on in their Sins 1. Isa 57. 10. Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy Way yet sayest thou not There is no Hope Thou goest on in thy unjust and sinful Ways till thou hast even wearied thy self as if the Lord should say and yet thinkest thy State good wilt not say there is no Hope but contrariwise thou hast Hope and dost conclude all is well these are bold presumptuous Sinners Compare this Text with that in Jer. 2. 25. But thou sayest There is no Hope No for I have loved Strangers and after them I will go We are very vile our Consciences reprove us convince us of our abominable Evils but there is no Hope God will not pardon us nor take us into his Favour therefore we will go on in our own Ways and take our swing These were ashamed of their doings as the next Verse shews and yet not so ashamed as to leave their Sins and Doings and to return to the Lord but doubted of his pardoning Grace We see say some there 's no ground of Hope there is no help for such as we our Hearts are so hard Corruptions are so strong in us there is no Salvation for us we will therefore take our Course cleave to our Sins and Lovers and to our old Companions we will even follow our Trades and pursue the World and satisfy our Lusts with Pleasures Despair sometimes makes Persons desperate others of this sort grow melancholy and ready through Satan's Temptations to lay violent Hands on themselves when it prevails far upon them Now these I say do cast great Reproach upon the Power of God and his pardoning Grace in Jesus Christ 4. Such who believe not but neglect the Salvation of the Gospel cast contempt and dishonour on the Truth of God they do not give credit to what God says in his Word about Salvation by Jesus Christ and of that necessity there is of Faith in him and Union with him and of being born again if ever they are saved If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins But the Jews would not believe this Hence it is said He that believeth not maketh God a Liar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son As such do who do not believe the Testimony of any Person though never so true And is it not a horrid Evil to render God a Liar He saith Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish and except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God But this is not believed by many Persons they hope to be saved though not regenerated 5. Such who believe not but neglect the Salvation of the Gospel yet think to be saved go about to cross and contradict the settled Will and Purpose of God it is in effect to shew a dislike of God's way of Salvation The Jews are said not to submit themselves to the Righteousness of God they magnified their Wills above the Will of God liked not of that way of Salvation that he in his Eternal Counsel fixed upon they will be saved by their own Righteousness that which God accounts but as filthy Rags they esteem as a choice Robe Suppose Brethren there was some other Way to be saved than by Christ yet is it not meet that the Creature comply with the Will of his Creator Shall he rebel against his Soveraign Were there two ways to such or such a City one by Sea and the other by Land and a Prince commands his Servant to go by Sea and not by Land shall he attempt to go by Land and so cross his Master's Will and violate his express Command But it is not so here there is but one Way of Salvation There is no other Name given under Heaven therefore such must needs be more inexcusable who neglect this Way and their Condition dangerous for let them think what they will damned they will be at last whoever they are that neglect this Salvation But more of that hereafter 2 dly Those that neglect the Salvation of the Gospel do slight and cast Contempt on Jesus Christ they seem to undervalue all that he has done certainly that was not worth his coming from Heaven to Earth to effect that you do not think worth your while to go a Mile or two to attend upon the Means of nor worth setting your Thoughts seriously upon Was our Salvation so great that he parted with his Life to procure it and is it not worth your parting with your Sins to have an Interest in it What is the Voice of the Hearts and Ways of such Sinners Do not they reproach the Son of God after this manner Why wast thou so unwise to shed thy Blood to purchase Salvation for us We do not value it above the Pleasures of the World we esteem our carnal Delights and earthly Profits more than that Salvation which thou hast wrought 2. Nay they slight the Person of Christ who says Behold me behold me look unto me Can you see me stand knocking at the Door of your Hearts and refuse to let me in Should one cry out Pity me pity me you will break my Heart if you do this thing suppose it be a dear Father or Mother that thus speaks to a Child that takes evil Courses and the Child regards not the Cry nor Tears of its Parent would not all say that such a Child contemn'd his Father Thus Sinners you will be found contemners and slighters of Jesus Christ one Day if you neglect this so great Salvation he stands ready to imbrace you in his Arms to espouse your Souls but you slight and despise him and his precious Love in your Hearts 3. Nay such who neglect this Great Salvation slight the Voice of Christ's Blood Sirs the Blood of Christ cries his Death has a Voice in it Hath Christ's Blood been shed to redeem you to cleanse you from Sin to save and sanctify your Souls and will you not hear the loud Cry thereof Nay doth not Christ himself cry to you after this manner Wilt thou continue in thy Sin and neglect the Salvation I have purchased What greater Ingratitude what worse Indignity canst thou cast upon me and upon that Sacrifice which I have offered up to make thy Peace and reconcile thee unto God After this manner Christ seems to speak 4. To neglect this Salvation is to cross or contradict the grand Design of God in sending his Son into the World was it not to exalt Jesus Christ to magnify him Last of all he sent unto them his Son saying They will reverence my Son God requires and commands all to honour his Son believe in his Son receive and imbrace his Son subject to his Authority to this End he sent him into the World But how do such seek to cross the Design of God herein who prefer their earthly Profits and
saith he I was blameless yet he esteemed it but Dung in comparison of God's Righteousness and renounced it all in point of Justification that he might be found in Christ And as it is Christ's Righteousness that is our Title for Heaven so it is his Death his bearing the Punishment of Sin that delivers us from eternal Damnation in Hell Hell is a fearful Place it is made deep and large The Fire is not quenched and the Worm dieth not and that Place is prepared for all Unbelievers for all who continue in their Sins and under the Power of Unbelief and neglect this so great Salvation the Damnation of which they cannot escape Secondly I shall shew you the Reasons why such cannot shall not escape God's eternal Wrath that neglect the Salvation of the Gospel 1. It is because this is the way yea the only way which Infinite Wisdom hath found out for the Salvation of our Souls If there is but one way to cure a Mortal Disease that may seize upon a Person then if he neglect that one Remedy he must die Sirs as there is but one way to escape starving and that is to eat so there is but one way to escape perishing and that is by believing or by feeding on Jesus Christ or by eating of his Flesh and drinking of his Blood There are many ways to be damned but there is but one way to be saved Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you If you neglect this way of Salvation there is no other way whereby you can be saved Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved 2. Such that neglect this Salvation cannot shall not escape the Wrath of God because it is just and equal that all such Persons who slight and neglect this Salvation should be destroyed and that for ever 1. By reason they neglect an Offer of Pardon and Peace contrived by the Infinite Wisdom of God and it is the highest Demonstration of admirable Mercy and Goodness therefore there cannot be a higher Indignity and Contempt cast upon God's Sovereign Grace and Favour Many of those Sinners that neglect this Salvation are so vile and ungrateful as not to enquire what this Grace means nor on what Terms this Salvation may be had And is not this in plainness to tell the Holy God that they scorn his Love and Goodness and despise the Offers of Peace and Reconciliation by Jesus Christ and fear not what he can do unto them and so no less than a trampling the Blood of Christ under their Feet Let Men deal thus with their provoked Rulers or with an earthly Prince when guilty of High-Treason and see how unpitied they will die yea be drawn hang'd and quartered What guilty of the worst of Treason and have an Offer of Pardon and slight or neglect the suing of it out How equal and just a thing would it be that such should die So it will be here Brethren God will not be mocked Sinners shall one Day see what it is to neglect the Salvation wrought out by Jesus Christ I mean the Way and Means of the Application thereof they will be forced to subscribe to the Righteousness Justice and Equity of their own Damnation in loving and cleaving to their Lusts and counting their earthly Riches Pleasures and Honours better than Jesus Christ and a part in this Salvation Remember it is the Sinner's own Salvation that he neglecteth it is his own Good his own Cure his own Relief his own Happiness Can any perish more justly and deservedly than such who refuse to be saved who choose Death rather than Life and Darkness rather than Light 3. They cannot shall not escape because it is Salvation in such a way a way that cost so dear even the Blood of the Son of God Should the King yield up his own Son as a Sacrifice to answer the Law for a cursed Traitor and yet he should despise and slight his Goodness how would that aggravate his Guilt O with what a Price is this Salvation procured by what a Sacrifice What Tears did Christ shed O what drops of Blood did he sweat and what Wrath did he bear What a Curse did he undergo to save us from Hell and Death How can any think to escape that neglect the Means of this Salvation 4. Because it is Salvation on such easy Terms as to us had God offered Sinners Salvation on hard and difficult Terms their Sin might not seem to be attended with such Aggravations Had God required a thousand Rams or ten thousand Rivers of Oil of every one that would be saved or to sacrifice their Sons and Daughters or their First-born the Fruit of their Bodies for the Sin of their Souls this would seem hard but none of this God requires of us it shall not be must not be our Son our Child our First-born but his Son the holy Child Jesus his First-born that must die or be a Sacrifice for our Sins it must be my Son as if God should say and all that I require of you is to apply his Blood and to sacrifice your Sins in love to me 5. That which the Apostle builds the Righteousness of God's proceeding against such that neglect this Salvation upon and shews the unavoidableness of their perishing from is the greatness of the Salvation it self Shall God's Justice be eclipsed shall his Honour be marr'd his Goodness be despised his Law be violated his Holiness stained it would be thus should such be saved who neglect and slight this Salvation Therefore all such cannot escape his Wrath. 6. The Apostle further argues the impossibility of their escaping who neglect this great Salvation from that impossibility there was of their escaping who refused to hear Moses For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Reward How shall we escape c. It was a just Reward they received for their Sins and Disobedience And if so how shall these escape God will render a just Retribution a righteous and proportionable Punishment it will be far worse or much greater howbeit it is against greater Light greater Grace and despising a Person of far greater Honour and Dignity He that despised Moses Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Blood of the Son of God c. Sirs to love Sin to love this World or any Person or Thing above Jesus Christ is in effect to tread the Son of God under your Feet 't is such an undervaluing and vilifying of him God doth as it were propound the Case to us he would have Sinners themselves to be Judges how just their Condemnation will be if they neglect this Salvation and
they may fall in that Hour by Temporal Judgments God in the last Days will pour out the Fierceness of his Wrath For my Determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine Indignation even all my fierce Anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the Fire of my Jealousy compared with Nahum 1. 2 3 4 5 6. It will be with the Ungodly then as it befel the People of Old according to the Prophecy of the Prophet Jeremiah Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring Evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Our Saviour alludes to that Time of which I speak Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man O who shall stand when God appears in the latter-Day-Judgments which are now just at the Door There are a few which he hath set his Mark upon that shall be hid and they are such that sigh and mourn for all the Abominations that are committed in the Land They of them that escape shall escape and they shall be on the Mountains like Doves of the Valley every one mourning for his own Iniquities O what an amazing Hour will that be when the seven Vials of God's Wrath shall be poured out upon the Kingdom of the Beast the Earthquake is near look for it and the Midnight Cry not far off Be sure there is such a distressing Hour approaching upon the World that those that have and shall still neglect this Salvation when it comes shall not escape 2. They that neglect this Salvation shall not escape in the Day of Conscience I mean escape the Torments of an enraged accusing and condemned Conscience and sometimes the Conscience is awakened and is let out upon the Sinner here in this World before the Soul is separated from the Body How many through the Guilt of their horrid Sins have been this way tormented Some Mens Sins are open before-hand going before to Judgment and some Men follow after Some Mens Sins are discovered by themselves through that great Guilt that lies upon them or others discover them or God himself brings their Sins to light and by this means they sometimes pass Judgment upon themselves and may be a severe Judgment or Men pass Judgment upon them or perhaps more directly to the Purport of the Holy Ghost in the Text the Church passeth Judgment or a righteous and just Church-Censure upon them for their great Sins But what a severe Judgment in the day of Conscience did poor Spira and Child pass upon themselves for their Iniquities However those cannot escape who trifle in the matters of Religion or neglect the great Salvation in such a time when God lets Conscience out upon them their Sorrow and Misery is very great and if it be so bitter a thing to fall into our own Hands I mean to fall into the Hands of our own Conscience what a fearful thing is it to fall into the Hands of the living God God giveth to some Men the Name he gave to Pashur even Magor-Missabib that is Fear and Terror on all sides he makes them a Terror to themselves and to all their Friends so that they are all afrightned reflecting on their sad and miserable Condition partly by Terror within and partly by Judgments without 3. Those that neglect this Salvation shall not escape at the Hour of Death may be some of them may go on quietly in their Sins and not fall under the Accusations and Terror of their guilty Consciences Conscience may be asleep or seared with a hot Iron but at Death I mean as soon as the Soul departs they will be with a witness awakened and then they shall see they cannot escape nay all hope and possibility of escaping is then gone for ever True many as soon as struck with Death roar out and find no escaping others may be God then in his Infinite Mercy may shew the way of an escape but when dead if ungodly if they have neglected this Salvation they lift up their Eyes in Hell with the rich Glutton being in Torment Remember if Death comes upon you before you have got an Interest in Christ or a part in this Salvation you cannot then and at that time escape 4. They shall not escape in the Day of Judgment in the Day when Christ shall come For when they shall cry Peace and Safety then sudden Destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a Woman with Child and they shall not escape Tho Sinners escape here in this World yet they shall not escape in that day they shall not be able to deliver themselves out of God's Hands nor shall any be able to deliver them The Wicked shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath they shall not come willingly to Christ's Bar but they shall be brought forth dragged as it were to hear their Sentence which will be Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Mat. Devil and his Angels If the Righteous scarcely are saved where shall the Vngodly and Sinner appear they will not be able to stand in the Judgment O what Dread and Horror will then seize upon them they that give the greatest Diligence take the greatest Care about the Salvation of their So 〈◊〉 are saved with much difficulty 't is a narrow Way and a strait Gaâ—e that leads to Life Through much Tribulation and Temptations we enter into the Kingdom of God and if this â—e so what will become of them in the great Day that have wholly neglected this great Salvation If the Righteous be scarcelâ— saved the Wicked shall certainly perish and be damned Quest What is the Nature of that Wrath which none of them that neglect this Salvation shall escape Answ I answer it is great Wrath Wrath proportioned according to the Greatness of their Sin as the Salvation â—â—ighted is great Salvation so the Wrath that such shall bear will be great Wrath. 1. It is incensed Wrath therefore great Wrath such Wrath that hath been long a kindling in the Heart of God for the Abuse of his Mercy and Infinite Goodness 2. It is intolerable Wrath therefore great Wrath the Torment of the Heathen that never heard of this Salvation shall be more tolerable more easy to bear than the Wrath which is poured out in Hell upon such that neglect the Salvation wrought by Jesus Christ Nay it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for them 3. It is infinite Wrath. Who knows the Power of thine Anger even according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath it bears full Proportion to the Fear of it nay who is able to arrive to the full Sense Fear and Apprehension of God's Infinite
God's sight and accepted for the sake of Christ's Merits Not that Christ's Righteousness alone is the matter of our Justification exclusive of all our inherent Righteousness and Obedience no no but rather it is our Righteousness which doth justify us The Gospel according to these Men is propounded as a Law and God as a Rector or just Governour commanding Obedience thereunto as the procuring Cause of our Justification So that our Faith and Obedience is a Cause and Condition of Life as Unbelief and Disobedience is the Cause of Eternal Death But having formerly detected this dangerous Error I shall not further insist upon the Confutation of it here 5. Such preach a Legal Doctrine that render Man a Co-worker with Christ in the Salvation of their own Souls by which means there is room left for him to boast and glory Such a Doctrine they preach who magnify the Will of Man or the Power of the Creature which I hope I have by the Assistance of God sufficiently detected and refuted in this Treatise All boasting being excluded by the Grace of God in the Gospel Man being abased and God alone exalted APPLICATION I shall now come to make the general Application of what I have said unto you from this great Text and so conclude with all I shall say from it First Inform. First by way of Information the Doctrine which hath in these Sermons been insisted on may inform us That Gospel-Sins are the greatest Sins and that the blind Heathens are not cannot be so guilty and culpable before God nor in such a dangerous Condition as those are who live under the preaching of the Gospel and yet slight and neglect the Salvation of it O what will they do in the Day of Judgment that live in England in London in a Land and City of so great Light and perish through their Sin and Contempt or Neglect of Gospel-Grace Secondly This may also inform us how strangely Mankind are blinded and deceived by the God of this World in that small things are accounted great and that which is of the greatest Concernment is little or not at all regarded but esteemed as a trivial matter O says some we must mind the main Chance they mean the main Business in respect of their Earthly Subsistence which is to get Bread and to provide for the Body for their Wives and Children Now the Doctrine which you have heard shews you how you are deluded that look upon Earthly Things to be the main Business you should look after What is of such Importance as the Salvation of your precious and immortal Souls and to be providing for an endless Eternity Thirdly I may infer from hence That the greatest part of Mankind are Unbelievers for all that neglect this Salvation and look not upon this matter as their chief Business are doubtless in a State of Unbelief They do not credit this holy Doctrine they believe not God's Word If one should tell you that are going a Journy that if you go such a Way you will certainly be destroyed by Thieves or wild Beasts yet you will go on Would it not follow clearly that you believe not what was told you Why thus it is here Sinners are told and assured from the Word of God as certain as God is true and his Word true that if they leave not their Swearing their Pride their Drunkenness their Lying their Lusts and Uncleanness their Worldly-mindedness and their preferring Earth and the things of the World above the things of God or if they do not believe repent and be born again they shall certainly perish for ever yet they go on and live in those ways of Sin and believe not repent not this is an evident sign that they do not give Credit to what is told them and so are Unbelievers and if they still persist in their way they will be certainly damned 1. Our Saviour saith Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish ye shall not escape eternal Wrath be ye great Sinners or not Sinners of the first Rank The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God 2. Christ saith He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth on him and they that do not believe are told there is no other way to escape this Wrath and that this Wrath will be poured forth upon them like Fire unless they believe in Christ receive Christ obtain an Interest in Jesus Christ nay that they are condemned already but they believe not 3. Moreover such who live a sober moral Life are told that notwithstanding that yet unless they are born again unless they get Faith in Jesus Christ and their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and they obtain the Righteousness of Christ they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now they will not believe this but conclude their State is good and that Morality is sufficient to save their Souls which shews that these are Unbelievers also 4. Others are told that their good Deeds their good Duties their Prayers their hearing of Sermons or their being Baptized and having Communion with God's People will not do unless they are savingly renewed and sanctified having the true Grace of God in their Hearts and lead a Godly Holy and Spiritual Life finding the powerful Operations of the Spirit changing them into the Likeness of Jesus Christ but they believe it not but rest upon their Duties and outward Privileges tho they are told the Kingdom of God is not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness and Truth and Joy in the Holy Ghost or that the Kingdom of God is not inward only but in Power also and that Lamps of Profession will not save them except they have Oil in their Vessels many of these are like the foolish Virgins and believe it not but rest on a bare Name of Christians on a Form of Godliness and may be fall short too as to an outward Profession of Godliness for so do they who pray not in the Closet nor in their Families neither read God's Word nor make it their Business to hear the Word preached in Season and out of Season but every small Matter takes them off of those Duties Be sure all prayerless Souls are graceless Souls it is to be feared many of this sort make Religion but little of their Business who neither read pray nor meditate nor perhaps call upon their Children and Servants so to do but let their Children have their Carnal Lusts their Pride ambitious and wanton Inclinations indulged and nourished in them O how little is the outward Part of God's Worship kept up in the Families of some Professors Fourthly This may serve also for a Use of Terror to secure Sinners 1. May not Cry out Fire Fire Such a Cry hath often startled and amazed many of you that live in and about this City Sirs a Fire is just a breaking out which you cannot escape unless you look about you the sooner
When People hear the Cry of Fire in the Night how do they cry out Where Where Alas this Fire seizes not on your Houses nor Goods no nor on your Bodies only but on your Souls it has already kindled even the Wrath of God which no Sinner can escape that neglects this Salvation God's Wrath is compared to Fire and it has perhaps already taken hold of some of your Consciences but if it be not kindled there yet it is kindled in God's Anger For a Fire is kindled in my Anger and shall burn unto the lowest Hell O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter End 2. Is the Wrath of God so terrible and can no Unbeliever or impenitent Sinner escape it what cause is here for them all to tremble Suppose you should be told that this Night you shall certainly not escape Death neither you nor your Wife nor Children but that your House shall be burned down your Goods Self Wife and Children shall all be burned to Ashes and that this Judgment you shall not escape would it not be startling and terrifying Tidings if you should believe it But alas what would that be to this doleful Tidings viz. that your precious Soul and Body as well as your Wife and Children and all belonging to you if you and they do neglect the Means of this Salvation and not believe in Christ and become new Creatures shall in a short time be in everlasting Flames and undergo intolerable Pain and Punishment from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power which you shall not escape for the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Nay and it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for you or for that Soul who refuses the Offers of Christ Pardon of Sin and Salvation through him Fifthly It may be for a Lamentation to see how few understand the Nature of this Salvation and study the Mysteries of it or desire an Interest in it and also to see how many make light of it whilst others by dangerous Errors seek ways to eclipse the Glory of God's Free Grace therein Remember those Demonstrations you have heard to open the Greatness of the Salvation the Gospel Sixthly This reprehends such who are more affected with Temporal Salvation than with the Spiritual and Eternal Salvation of the Soul and also all such that defer looking after and striving to get an Interest in it Seventhly By way of Exhortation 1. Let me exhort you to praise God for Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of this Salvation Christ is all and in all in our Salvation God hath sent us an Almighty Saviour O how miserable should we have been for ever had not God sent us Jesus Christ 2. Let me exhort you to admire the Love of Christ in coming to work out this Salvation What hath he born and undergon to save our Souls O love and exalt this Saviour and eclipse none of his Glory 3. Be exhorted to praise God for affording you the Knowledg of Gospel-Salvation O how few are they who have heard of this joyful Tidings But few Nations of the World have this News sounding in their Ears viz. the Gospel preached to them they have no declaration of it God shews his Soveraignty herein he reveals himself and the Knowledg of Salvation to whom he pleases And indeed many dark Parts of this Nation have but little of the Mysteries of the Gospel made known to them What People in the World have greater cause to admire God's distinguishing Grace and Favour than we that live in and about this City London is exalted to Heaven in respect of the Means of Grace O that it may never be brought down to Hell as our Saviour threatned Capernaum 4. From hence also I might exhort you to bless God for faithful Ministers who publish the Salvation of the Gospel to you How beautiful upon the Mountains are the Feet of him that bringeth good Tidings that publisheth Peace that bringeth good Tidings of Good that publisheth Salvation Let it appear you highly value and honour your faithful Ministers by your diligent attention on the Word and Doctrine they preach For Motives consider 1. God has ordained Preaching as the ordinary Way and Means to work Faith Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And to increase and strengthen Faith also 2. God is gradiously pleased to assord Men a Day or a Time of Visitation in which he offers Terms of Peace unto them Take heed you do not like Jerusalem lose your Day and neglect the Means God affords you 3. You know not how short your Day may be and if you lose your Day you will lose your Souls also The Harvest will end with some and they not saved And that you may not lose the Day of your Visitation take a few Directions 1. Seriously think on the sad and woful Condition which naturally you are in being dead in Sin and Children of Wrath and if you die in that Estate you are lost for ever 2. Let your Thoughts now be let out on your latter End for when the Night comes no Man can work This is great Wisdom and every Man's Duty we none of us know how soon our great Change may come And what will you do if you live in the neglect of the Means of Salvatio even until God cuts you off 3. Pray that the Wind of the Spirit would blow upon your Souls The Wind bloweth where it listeth it bloweth at God's Command when on whom and how he pleaseth The Spirit is that great and only Agent that must work Faith in you quicken you and regenerate your Souls 4. Therefore see that you do not quench the Spirit but improve all the Convictions thereof 5. If you would have an Interest in this great Salvation you must have an Interest in Jesus Christ the great Saviour If you do not receive Christ by Faith but refuse him sad will your Condition be for no Christ no Salvation Quest How may I know that I have Christ or an Interest in him Answ 1. If thou hast Christ thou hast Life thou art spiritually quickned And as thou hast Spiritual Life so also thou hast Light thy Eyes are opened I mean the Eyes of thy Understanding 2. Thou canst remember the time when thou hadst no God no Christ or wast without Christ and it is much if thou art not able to tell how when or after what manner thou didst meet with him whether it was by the Word preached or by reading or by some Affliction c. 3. If Christ be thine he is very precious to thee Canst thou say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee neither is there any on Earth that I desire beside thee And with the Spouse My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand Paul
9. Annatators Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 10. 3. Joh. 3. 9. Joh. 6. 60. Joh. 6. 66. Joh. 6. 60. 66. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 5. 41. Tit. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Matth. 18. 17. Rom. 6. 17 18. 2 Thess 3. 6 14 15. Matth. 18. 2 Thess 3. 6. Matth. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Acts 15. 9. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mat. 3. 3. Mat. 13. 20. 21. Heb. 12. 10. Isa 27. 9. Isa 4. 4. Rom. 9. 6. Mat. 21. 29. Joh. 12. 13. Jer. 23. 2â— Jer. 23. 28. Pro. 13. 5. Isa 43. 3 4. James 1. 26. Eccl. 10. 14. Mat. 12. 34. v. 35. v. 36. v. 37. Psa 15. 1. Mat. 12. 24. Jam. 1. 26. Antick Head-Dresses discovers the vanity of the Heart 1 Cor. 11. 10. Heb. 13. 9. Psa 111. 10. Sin is likened to Chaff Mat. 3. 3. Ger. 51. 2. Chap. 4. 11. 12. Jer. 35. So Jer. 15. 7. Why the Saints are compared to Wheat Prov. 12 26. Psa 6. 3. Mat. 3. ult Eph. 3. 8. Rom. 7. 21. v. 19. 24. Mat. 13. 2 King 6. 33. Heb. 12. 10. The Church is Christs Spritual Garner Heaven is Christs Garner Rev. 21. 27. What meant by burning up the Chaff Psa 8. 8. Psa 97. 3. Nah. 1. 6. Jer. 10. 10. Nah. 1. 6. Rev. 6. 16. Dan. 5. 5. 6. 1 Thess 3. 3. Psa 21. 9. 10. Heb. 12. ult Isa 2. 12 13 14 15 16 Zeph. 1. 18. Rom. 9. 22. Nah. 1. 10. Heb. 2. 12. Eph. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Isa 1. 25 Isa 33. 14. Math. 25. 41. The Wrath of God whether internal or external is intollerable Amos 3 8. Isa 29. 6. Isa 24. 1. Mat 2. 4. Mal. 3. ult 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. 1 Sam. 2. 3. Joh. 10. 28. Phil. 1. 6. Serm. II. Preached March 12. 1693. Gods Wrath opened Job 36. 18. Joh. 3. 36. External wrath opened Deut. 28. 22. Levit. 10. 1 2. vers 6 Isa 42. 25. Job 16. 9. Internal Wrath explained 1 Thes 1. 16. Internal wrath on the Consciences of Men opened See the Relation of him at large Sold by A. and J. Churchil at the black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row The Narrative concerning Mr. Child is Sold by Tho. Fabian at the Bible in Cheapside and worthy it is Reader of thy perusal The fire of Gods eternal wrath opened Mark 9. 43 44 45 46 47 48. Psa 90. 11. Tormens of Hell inconceivable Hells Torments according to the fear of them Heb. 10. 26. No pains like the pains of Hell Luk. 16. 24. No Ease no Comfort in Hell His Wrath without mixture Rev. 14. 10. 2 Thess 1. 9. Psa 80. 11. The damned cast into a la7c of fire Isa 30. 33. Hell Torments can never satisfie Divine Justice Mat. 5. 26. The Torments of Hell seize on the Souls of the damned Body and Soul both shall be tormented in Hell Conscience will torment the damned Dan. 12. 2. Shame wil torment the damned The Devil will upbraid the damned The sorrow and despair of the damned will be great The wicked in Hell shall have the frightful company of Devils Hell is a dark place Exod. 10. 21. Jude 13. Torments of the wicked Eternal Mark 9. 2 Thess 1. 8 9. Rom. 3 5. 6. Rev. 16. 10. 11. Sin the greatest evil 2 Cor. 5 11. Jam. 5. 1 2 3. Mat. 25. 46. Mal. 4. 1 2. Rev. 21. 8. Isa 33. 14. Mat. 24. 51. Luk. 12. 45. Heb. 10. 27. Joh. 8. 24. Mark 16. 16. Heb. 6. 18. Joh. 3. 36. Psa 9. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Prov. 1. 26 27. Joh. 3. 16. Mat. 22. 7. Directions Comfort to Believers 1 Thess 1. 10. Serm. 1. Preach'd Feb. 5. 169 1 â— Parts of the Text. John 6. 37. Acts 18. 9 10. Believers Christ's Sheep by Choice 2 Tim. 2. 19. By Donation Joh. 17. 9. Joh. 17. 6. Isa 8. 18. By Purchase 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Rom. 7. 14. Isa 50. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Acts 20. 28. By Renovation 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. Eph. 2. 10. By Holy Covenant and Contract Heb. 13. 21. Jer. 31. 33. By Conquest By a holy Resignation 2 Cor. 8. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 14. John 4. 29. Acts 2. 37. John 5. 25. Eph. 2. 1. John 5. 21. Job 42. 5 6. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 13. Psal 85. 8. Hos 2. 14. Gal. 3. 14. Heb. 12. 24. 2 Sam. 23. 6. 1 John 5. 7. Mich. 6. 9. Psal 89. 15. Serm. 2. Preach'd Feb. 12. 1693-4 How Christ's Sheep do hear his Voice Mat. 13. 23. Luke 24. 45. Psal 119. 140. Psal 33. 4. Psal 119. 128. 2 Thess 2. 10. Acts 16. 14. Isa 53. 1. John 3. 3. John 4. 50. Rom. 4. 5. 2 Chron. 34. 27. Isa 66. 2. Psal 119. 161. Acts 3. 23. Psal 119. 11. Mat. 13. Mat. 24. 24. Heb. 13. 3. John 5. 35. Mat. 11. 27. Dr. Owen John 1. 14 18. 1 John 1. 22. Heb. 1. 5 6. Gal. 4. 6. Joh. 8. 20. 10. 17 18. John 20. 21. Luke 10. 22. Acts 20. 28. John 5. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 18. Psal 2. 8. Heb. 10. 9. Heb. 1. 8 9. Isa 61. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 4. Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. 3. Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9. 14. Rom. 4. 16. Rom. 5. 10. The new Doctrine or rather new Gospel 2 Pet. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 13 14 15. Acts 20. 31. Serm. 3. John 13. 17 18. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Isa 63. 8. Deut. 32. 5. John 10. 14 15. Exod. 33. 12. John 10. 3. Rev. 2. 23. Jer. 17. 10. Joh. 2. 25. Rev. 2. 13. Joh. 6. 64. John 21. 15. Rev. 2. 2. Ezek. 34. 17. Mat. 18. Exod. 3. 7. Rev. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Sam. 2. 3. Psal 139. 1 2 3 4. Job 11. 11. Job 22. 13. Psal 50. 21. Dan. 5. 27. Job 10. 7. Job 27. 6. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Heb. 6. 10. Serm. IV. Why Believers are compared to Sheep 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Isa 53. 7. Psal 39. 9. Levit. 10. 1 2 3 4. Gen. 19. 22. Psal 73. 24. Cant. 1. 7. Cant. 1. 8. Ezek. 34. Psal 119. 176. Psal 51. 7. John 13. Mal. 3. 16. Psal 119. 74. Acts 4. 23. John 16. 33. Psal 57. 1. Isa 32. 2. Hab. 3. 17 18. Matth. 25. Mat. 25. 32 33. Charnock Gal. 2. 20. Christ's Sheep do follow him Joh. 10. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 21. Mat. 11. 29. Phil. 2. 5. Eph. 5. 1 2. Eph. 5. 25. 1. Joh. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. Heb. 7. 26. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Heb. 5. 8 9. John 14. 11. John 15. 14. Gen. 22. 2 3. Verse 12. Isa 50. 5 6. Ruth 1. 14 15 16. Rev. 14. 4. Num. 14. 24. Joh. 6. 66. Heb. 10. 39. Mat. 13. Christ's Sheep have his Mark on them Ezek. 9. 4. Eph. 1. 13 14. Eph. 4. 30. Rom. 8. 9. Heb. 12. 14. Christ's Sheep follow the Footsteps of the Flock Jude 3. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Phil. 3. 8 9. Psal 23. 2 3. 1 Cor. 2. 4. Christ's Sheep trust in the Faithfulness of
they shall all be saved No more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I am upon the Proof and Demonstration of the Doctrine which I raised from our Text viz. That none of the Sheep of Christ or Saints of God can so fall away as eternally to perish The last time I spoke to the fourth Argument which was taken from the Nature of the Covenant of Grace I shall proceed to the next Argument Fifthly They who are the Sheep of Christ Believers in Christ or his Elect Ones cannot finally fall away because they are the Children of God begotten of God and born of God Two things I shall do in prosecuting this Argument First Prove that all Believers are begotten and born of God Secondly Shew you how it doth appear from hence that they can never finally fall away and eternally perish First That they are begotten of God appears from several Scriptures Of his own Will beg at he us with the Word of Truth c. Meerly by his own Grace as the original Cause with the Word by the Spirit as the instrumental Means Spiritual Generation is the Work of God the Product of the Will of God and not of the Will of Man Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Not of Blood as in natural Generation or not of the Blood of Abraham Grace and Regeneration being not the Product of the State or Faith of believing Parents This was the carnal Boast of the Jews We have Abraham to our Father Not of the Power of Man's Will that cannot produce the New Creature in himself nor in a Child or Brother If it was in the Power of a godly Man or godly Minister to convert or to regenerate his Child his Wife or his Brother would he let them perish But alas alas this is out of Man's reach out of his Power he cannot renew himself A Child may as easily beget it self in the Womb before it self was as a Man can form Christ in his own Soul or regenerate himself 't is God that doth it the Holy Spirit begets us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten of him Whosoever hath that efficacious Soul uniting Soul transforming Soul renewing Sin-killing Grace of Faith is born of God 'T is not a bare believing Jesus is the Christ no but such a Faith that works by Love or the Faith of God's Elect For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Faith saving Faith the Faith of the Operation of God produceth this glorious Effect through the Spirit in the Soul From all which Scriptures it evidently appears that all Believers all the Saints are the Children of God begotten and born of God Quest Well what of this some perhaps may say How doth this prove they cannot fall away so as to perish 2 dly I answer This is my second Work and you will soon see how forcible the Argument is from hence to prove that none of them can perish See what our Blessed Saviour saith That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit That which is born of corrupt Nature or is the Product of the Flesh is Flesh or of the same Nature of that which did beget it As it is said of Adam he begat a Son in his own likeness that is a depraved sinful and mortal Child The Flesh bringeth forth Effects proportionable to the Cause 'T is thus in the first Birth But if by Flesh you will have our Saviour intend the product of Man's natural Abilities or the Effects of the highest Improvements of his natural Light Understanding Will c. why then it follows still that a Man purely natural can produce nothing but natural Operations for nothing in operation exceedeth the Virtue or Excellency of that Cause which influenceth it So that no Man can by his Abilities however improved produce any divine or spiritual Operation and this shews that Man must be born of the Spirit that becomes or is made truly spiritual and sit for the Kingdom of Heaven And saith our Saviour what is born of the Spirit is Spirit or is of the same Nature with the Holy Spirit that is Spiritual Holy Immortal since every Creature begetteth its own Nature Qualities and Image Such as is the Cause such is the Effect Thus it is in Generation and thus it is in Regeneration it must be from a Divine from a spiritual Cause and not a Natural that the Image of God is formed in the Soul The Flesh cannot bring forth an Heavenly Babe Can Corruption produce or be the Cause of Regeneration Can a Worm or an Ant bring forth a Man sooner than Flesh Or can any Man under Heaven beget or form and bring forth the New Creature in the Soul which is called the forming of Christ or the Image of God in us But now pray consider that such as is the Nature or Quality of the Begetter such is the Nature of that which is begotten of him therefore since the New Creature is begotten by the Holy Spirit it must partake of the Nature of the Spirit Christ saith it is Spirit it is spiritual immortal or incorruptible Hence the Apostle Peter saith Believers partake of the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature Every Child of God is begotten by the Spirit through the Promise as Isaac was I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Compare this with that in 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever Pray observe it which liveth and abideth for ever Mortal Seed in Generation begetteth and bringeth forth a mortal Babe a corruptible Child but the Word and Spirit of God begetteth and bringeth forth an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Such is the Babe of Grace or Child of God I speak of the New Creature or the regenerated Part in Man From hence let me draw this Argument viz. Arg. 1. That which is begotten and born of and is brought forth by the Spirit of God or of immortal and incorruptible Seed is an immortal or incorruptible Babe But the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is begotten and born of or brought forth by the Spirit of God therefore the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Now if it be immortal or incorruptible it can never die but liveth and abideth for ever and
this the Apostle shews and affirms Therefore it is impossible such should fall away or suffer a Spiritual Death here or an Eternal Death in Hell hereafter 2 dly My second Argument from hence is this Because the Child of a natural Parent cannot cease to be his Child whilst he liveth or Life abideth in him this every Man must grant True he may prove a Rebellious and a Disobedient Child but still he is his Child and the Man that begat him is his Father that Relation cannot be lost nay and that Nature which the Child derived from his Father continues and must continue he is of his Flesh and Blood still Even so it is here and impossible it is that it should be otherwise that Man or Woman whose Soul is begotten and born of God cannot cease to be a Child of God though he may prove disobedient to his Heavenly Father and grieve and dishonour him but yet nevertheless he is a Child of God still and God who by his Spirit in a spiritual manner begot him is his Father and that blessed Relation continues and that holy Nature or Seed of Grace which he derived from God continues and must abide also in him as long as that Life he hath in him as a Child of God doth remain and that Life is as I have proved by the former Argument Eternal or Immortal 3 dly Besides I have made it most evident by my former Arguments that God in the Covenant of Grace and through the Suretiship of Jesus Christ hath provided that his Children shall never so rebel against him as finally to depart I will put my Fear into their Hearts and they shall not depart from me Though they may be backsliding Children yet God saith he is married to them which denotes that intimate Union there is between the Lord Jesus and them according to another Metaphor 4 thly None of those who were truly Regenerate or indeed the Children of God as being begotten and born of him though some of them grievously sinned against him were ever cast out so as to cease to be God's Children Where is he that can contradict this by shewing some that were indeed Children begotten of God who have by their Disobedience ceased from being his Children or never were restored after they sinned and fell Who fell worse than David and Peter I have before clearly proved though they may sin and fall yet they shall rise again Arg. 2. If all those that were the Children of God who sinned were restored and not one Instance can be given of any one of this sort i. e. that were truly regenerated that sinned fell and rose no more then none of the true Children of God can so sin so fall as eternally to perish But all those that were the Children of God who sinned were restored and not one Instance can be given of any one of this sort i. e. that were truly regenerated that sinned and fell and rose no more therefore none of the true Children of God can so sin so fall as eternally to perish 5 thly Those that are the Children of God begotten by him cannot sin so as eternally to perish and lose Eternal Life because all that are his Children are Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ This I grant is not always true of the Children of earthly Parents or earthly Princes for they are oft-times disinherited but it is otherwise here they are all born Heirs their being regenerated and united to Christ gives them a sure and undoubted Right and Title to Eternal Life The Holy Ghost positively asserts this very thing And if Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 6 thly It is because the Children of God are the Seed of Christ which the Father said Christ should see He shall see his Seed Nay the Father assured him that his Seed should indure for ever And they are all given to him and Christ will say at the last Day Lo here am I and the Children that thou hast given me none of them are lost 7 thly I argue yet further upon this Argument from that blessed Text in the first Epistle of John Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for the Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God I am very much mistaken if I have not my Argument here in express Terms Evident it is the Apostle means not that they do not sin at all that 's evident because he elsewhere says If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us James also says in many things we offend all neither is there as Solomon declares a just Man upon the Earth that doth Good and sinneth not Therefore that is not the sense of the Text I will give you my understanding of it 1. So far as he is born of God he doth not commit Sin or so he sins not that is the New Creature doth not sin that never yields to Sin but evermore wars against it and resisteth it This is that which Paul calls the Law of his Mind it is the renewed or regenerated Part or 't is that which is born of God that lusteth against the Flesh or wars against it 2. He doth not nay he cannot sin as others do this appears by that I mentioned last because of that new Nature or blessed Seed he hath received 3. He cannot live in a Course of Sin or make a Trade of Sins He cannot live in a custom of Sinning because all evil Habits are broken by Divine Grace in him That Man that lives in any way of Sin the old Habit of Lying Pride Lusts Drunkenness Covetousness or any other Sin being not broken is not born of God for it is impossible a Child of God should so sin i. e. live in a course and practice of committing of known Sins or in a constant and continual omission of known Duties Though he may fall into gross Sins as David and other Children of God did yet they continue not in a Course of such Sins that once possibly they were overcome by nay be sure they set a greater Watch against such Sins and hate them rather more than all other Sins because thereby they greatly dishonoured God and wounded their own Souls 4. Therefore Sin is not his Way or Walk he doth not commit Sin as to walk after it he walks not after the Flesh but after the Spirit He may step into the Way of Sin but he soon steps out of it again whereas others walk in that Way every Day it is the high Way the common Road of the Ungodly 5. He doth not commit Sin with Liking Allowance and Love Though the fleshly Part may like love and allow of it yet he finds another Part in him that hates it What I hate that do I. And hence it is the Apostle saith It is not I that doth it but Sin that dwells in