1.6 Thirdly Consider the time of running is but short but the time of your Reward will be eternal if you do not come short of this eternal Rest but hold out and run to the end of the Race If you can but say with the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have been faithful unto the death I have not wickedly departed from my God as David speaks Psal 18.21 If you be not Apostates but hold out to the end know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. O the unconceivable Reward O the invaluable and unconceiveable Bliss of all those that come to this eternal Rest The tongue of Men and Angels is not able to express it I beseech you on the one side fear the loss of it and on the other side let the consideration of that eternal happiness quicken you to do the utmost of your endeavours to attain it If you had ten thousand lives to spend in the service of God if you had ten thousand Estates to lay down at his feet if you could do as much as all the Apostles did and all the Martyrs did or suffered let me tell you the fruition of Jesus Christ one day in glory will recompence it all The Lord work these things upon our hearts that every one of us here present may fear exceedingly and continually lest a Promise being left of entring into his Rest we should forsake the Promise and by forsa ing the Promise should come short of eternal Happiness The persevering Saint shall be the Crowned Saint REV. III. 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown THE seven famous Churches of Asia mentioned in the three first Chapters of this Book of Revelations had this honour put upon them to have seven Epistles sent unto them immediately from the Lord Jesus Christ himself and as they were the glory of the World while they stood fast to God and to his Truth so were they after their declining from God and his Truth made the Monuments of his anger and indignation The words I have now read unto you are part of the sixth Epistle written from the Lord Jesus Christ to the Church of Philadelphia wherein as he was a faithful Witness and one that knew their spiritual Estate better than they knew it themselves therefore he sets down in his Epistle something by way of Commendation Consolation Exhortation Something is set down here by way of Commendation in ver 8 I know thy works behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it By open door may be meant either a free and full liberty and opportunity of spreading the Gospel as the Apostle uses that phrase 1 Cor. 16.9 For a great door and effectual is opened to me and there are many adversaries or else by open door may be meant a door of Hope in reference to Eternity that door of Heaven that sin had shut against us is by the merit of Jesus Christ opened to us Oh blessed are they that have this door opened to them by Jesus Christ who is the Door the Way the Truth and the Life but says he Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word and hast not denied my name This is by way of Commendation though she had but a little strength yet because she improved it and did not deny the name of Christ was not an Apostate Church this our Saviour puts upon her account of Commendation 2. Here is something also by way of Consolation in ver 9.10 Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not that is I will discover their Hypocrisie I will make them known to be what they are and reveal to whom they do belong I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee that is I will subdue thy Enemies under thy feet and let them know that I have loved thee and in ver 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth Here is marvellous comfort Jesus Christ never brings his Children into a Wilderness but he goes with them when they go through the fire and through the water he will be with them I will keep thee and I will uphold thee says he Then in the third place Here is something by way of Exhortation in the words of the Text Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown In which words there are two things considerable 1. A Duty pressed 2. Motives expressed The Duty pressed is Constancy and Perseverance Hold fast that which thou hast The Motives expressed are two the one is drawn from the suddenness of Christs coming to Judgment Behold I come quickly the other is taken from the danger of losing their Crown set before them That no man take thy Crown 1. For the Duty pressed Hold fast that thou hast keep it with might and main use thy utmost endeavour to keep what thou hast What was that this Church had which Christ exhorts to hold fast It had both the profession and possession of true Religion Now this true Religion consisted in two things in purity of Doctrine and in holiness of Life and Conversation both these this Church had she had purity of Doctrine as I shewed you out of ver 8 Thou hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name thou hast kept my Word Then for holiness of Conversation she had not denied Christs Name in the midst of Persecution Thou hast kept theword of my patience Now says our Saviour that which thou hast that true Religion thou profesest maintain and keep hold fast against all opposition both in profession and practice hold fast the truth thou hast embraced and hold fast the grace that thou hast received So then the Doctrine I shall commend to you hence is this Doct. That Christians must hold fast both the Truth and the grace they have received with Constancy and Perseverance There are two branches in this Doctrine which we might make two Propositions The first this That Christians must hold fast the truths they have received with Constancy and Perseverance The second this That Christians must hold fast the grace they have received with Constancy and Perseverance I begin with the first That Christians must hold fast the truths they have received with Constancy and Perseverance For the proof of this consider that place 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Model or that Plat-form of Gospel-Truths those fundamental Truths which the Apostle had wrapt up in a bundle to be received and embraced
so Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince gainsayers holding fast the faithful word as Adversasaries pluck one way so do you pluck another way striving earnestly for the faith of the Gospel So Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Prov. 4.13 Take fast hold of instruction let her not go keep her for she is thy life Prov. 23.23 Buy the truth and sell it not buy it at any rate sell it at no rate thus you see this Duty commanded see it commended in one Example most remarkable and imitable because it was in the purest times the Primitive-time of the Church Acts 2.42 And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers For the better explication of this Point it may be demanded 1. How must Christians hold fast the truth they have received 2. Why must Christians hold fast the truth they have received 1. How must Christians hold fast the truth they ave received I answer They must hold it fast these three ways In their Memories Affections Practice and Conversations 1. They must hold fast the truth in their Memories Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip We should learn of the blessed Virgin Mary of whom it is said That she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Luke 2.19 It is not the great getter but the great saver that becomes the rich man it is not the hearing but the keeping of Truths that will make us spiritually Rich. 2. We must hold fast the truth in our Affections we must cleave to the truth in love and liking thus did David Psal 119.31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame and in ver 20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all time O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day Ver. 97 and ver 167 of the same Psalm My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly On the contrary when men have not a sincere love to the Truth they lose both the Truth and their own Souls too 2 Thess 2.10 11 Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness This is the case of many Papists and Atheists at this day they are drawn away to believe lyes lying miracles lying doctrines when God sees men careless and remiss in their love to the Truth he says to such careless wretches Take him Jesuit take him Satan bind him and blind him and lead him to destruction Hence are all those frequent Exhortations which are fcattered up and down in the Scripture to love Wisdom Understanding and Instruction Prov. 3.3 My son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments let not mercy and truth forsake thee bind them about thy neck write them upon the table of thine heart Prov. 4.6 Forsake not wisdom and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee Prov. 7.4 Say unto Wisdom thou art my sister and call Vnderstanding thy kinswoman What a man loves that he will keep carefully if he loves a Jewel he will be careful to preserve it if he loves a Picture he will be careful not to deface it a man will part with that last which he loves best 3. Hold fast the Truth not only in Memory and Affection but likewise hold fast the truth in Practice and Conversation you should yield conscionable subjection to every known Truth without holding any one part of the Truth in unrighteousness the more a man practiseth what he knows the more he shall know what to practice John 7.17 If any man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self True knowledg is the mother of Obedience but obedience is thenurse of Knowledg when a Scholar hath taken out one Lesson well it is an encouragement to a Master to teach him another certainly if we would practice more we should know more The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 Look as the Widows oyl by laying it out was encreased so knowledg laid out in practice is put forth to advantage therefore put forth every known truth into practice This is the way to hold fast the Truth you have received The second Quaery by way of Explication is this But why must Christians hold fast the truth they have received with Constaney and Perseverance The Reasons are these First Because the Truth hath many Enemies to oppose it corrupt it gainsay it malign it deface it and disgrace it though Truth cannot be ashamed yet it is many times blamed Jesus Christ himself had not more Enemies upon Earth than his Truth hath at this day yea our blessed Saviour had the more Enemies because he did bear witness to the Truth John 8.40 But now you seek to kill me a man that hath told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham That was the great quarrel they had against our Saviour because he told them the truth Now as Jesus Christ the Way the Truth and the Life was opposed so will his Truth be opposed to the end of the World First The Devil is a grand Enemy to the Truth that Prince of darkness would not willingly have one Lamp of the Sanctuary unblown out the most of his rage is against the faithful Ministers of the Gospel who hold forth the word of Truth to Gods people Secondly Ignorant Unbelieving Atheistical wretches that count Preaching foolishness that will be ready to undervalue it Thirdly Subtile and undermining Priests and Jesuits those Frogs out of the bottomless pit they will endeavour to corrupt it Fourthly Scandalous Protestants which bring not forth fruit these will cast an aspersion and scandal upon the Truth therefore because of these Enemies Christians should hold forth the truth they have received That 's the first Reason Secondly The second reason is this Truth is worth the holding fast because we have many blessed priviledges by it as for Example 1. The truth of the Gospel is our Cap of Maintenance it is the Charter of our Priviledges it is the evidence of our everlasting Inheritance Thy Testimonies have I claimed for my heritage saith David And will you not keep your evidences for a good Inheritance 2. Here is another Priviledg If you will keep the Truth you may be sure the Truth will keep you as we say of a Tradesman If he will
of grapes if there be but one cluster If there be but one Cherry on a tree it shews there is some life in the tree one Cherry upon a tree it shews there is life as well as if there was twenty Pounds upon it one Cherry shews that it is a living tree and a man will not cut down that tree The Lord Christ will cherish the least beginnings of grace if there be but a spark of grace in the soul he will not quench it but blow it up into a flame Look as Physicians deal with diseased Patients they do not administer purging Potions according to the greatness of their distempers but according to the strength of their Patients So the Lord Jesus Christ deals with his own children not according to the diseases and distempers that are in them not according to the distempers of their sins but according to the measure of their strength he will not lay on them more than he will give them strength to bear These are the reasons of the point Before I come to the Application of the point Because this is Childrens bread and Dogs are ready to snatch at it that yet have no right to it therefore for the explication of the point there are these three Quaeries that would be satisfied First What an Infirmity is Secondly What are the causes of those Infirmities Thirdly What are the signs and symptoms of those Infirmities First What an Infirmity is An infirmity briefly in the soul is this Some sickness or indisposition of the soul that arises from the weakness of grace Or an Infirmity is this When the purpose and inclination of the heart is upright but a man wants strength to perform that purpose when the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 when a man can say with the Apostle To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not Rom. 7.18 When the bent and inclination of the soul is right but either through some violence of corruption or strength of temptation a man is diverted and turned out of the way As the needle in the Seamans Compass you know if it be right it will stand always Northward and the bent of it will be towards the North-Pole being jogged and troubled it may sometimes be put out of frame and order yet the bent and inclination of it is still Northward This is an infirmity That 's the first Secondly What are the causes of these Infirmities there are divers causes you must know of our infirmities as First An infirmity may arise from want of age for want of time to gather strength The Lord Christ you must know hath Lambs in his Fold as well as Sheep and he hath plants in his Orchard as well as stronger Trees and Babes as well as strong Men. Now says the Apostle I write to you Babes and little Children because your sins are pardoned for his name-sake 1 John 2.12 Observe there that remission of sin is bestowed not only upon young men that are strong to resist temptations not only upon aged men that are well experienced in the ways of grace but it is bestowed even upon Babes I write unto you little Children because your sins are pardoned for his name-sake Secondly Our infirmities may arise also from a want of the means of grace either when men want milk or the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 or have but little of it Thirdly Infirmities may arise from some secret corruption that was undiscovered in our first conversion This may be an occasion of an infirmity for that may both weaken the soul and exceedingly distemper and disquiet it Fourthly Our infirmities may arise from forsaking sound and solid truths and disquieting our thoughts with doubtful disputations as the Apostle calls them Rom. 14.1 when men trouble their heads with trifles or with matters of less moment and in the mean while neglect the marrow of Religion even as little Children that forsake wholsome food and feed on green apples and so put their bodies into distempers Fifthly Our infirmities may arise from this when our affections are too much carried out after the World and the things of the World for certain it is look how much the soul is carried out after the world so much the weaker it is the stronger our love to the world is the weaker is our love to Jesus Christ and to grace and spiritual things Sixthly Our infirmities may arise from the not right ordering of our company dead company dead and barren company many times make dead and barren hearts Seventhly Our infirmities may arise from our losing our first love remitting of the zeal and intention and forwardness that once we had in the ways of grace when we grow loose and slothful in the service of our God and do not stir up the grace of God that is in us 2 Tim. 1.6 Exercise you know encreaseth strength but want of exercise many times occasions weakness When a man prays coldly hears the word of God coldly communicates at the Lords Table coldly The more coldness there is in the performance of the Duties of Religion the more weakness there will be in the soul These are the causes of our infirmities Thirdly It may be demanded What are the signs and symptoms of an Infirmity briefly I shall give you these four First Where there are infirmities there is spiritual life though there be want of spiritual strength this is a certain sign of an infirmity You know there is a great deal of difference between a dead man and a weak man a dead man that hath not life and a weak man that hath life and wants strength It cannot be said of any wicked man that he is a weak man but he is a dead man neither can it be said that he does any thing weakly but he does it wickedly Observe what our Saviour speaks of a bruised reed he speaks of it as a thing that yet hath some life in it for a reed though it be exceeding weak that it is shaken with every wind yet by the side of the water it grows it hath life in it Make this sure to thy self that thou hast life in thee or else the comfort of this Doctrine cannot belong to thee if so be thou hast life in thee though thy Grace be weak yet if thou hast life it is but an infirmity But you will say How may I know I have life in me I answer You may know it thus First Thou mayst know it by thy spiritual feeling thou wilt feel what hurts thee thou wilt feel sin to be a great burthen and thou wilt groan under it and thou wilt bemoan thy self like Ephraim Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God surely after that I was turned I repented and after that
words Any of you seem to come short of it that is short of that Eternal Rest that is promised In the first the serious Premonition or forewarning you have these two particulars First the occasion of this Premonition in this word Therefore Now this word therefore hath reference to something that went before in the foregoing Chapter the Apostle had told us of a generation of sinners in the Wilderness that had provoked the Lord to anger for forty years together insomuch that the Lord sware that they should not enter into his Rest and so it came to pass for of six hundred thousand that came out of Egypt there were but two namely Caleb and Joshua that entred into the Land of Canaan I say not above two of those that were above twenty years old that entred into the Land of Canaan but their carcasses fell in the Wilderness the Wilderness was their grave therefore saith he because of this dreadful example of Gods wrath upon these stubborn Israelites Let us fear it is as if he should say let their wo be our warning their destruction should be our instruction from hence you may take this point of Doctrine The examples of Gods wrath upon other sinnners should make us very careful to shun their sins And then secondly You have the Premonition it self in these words Let us therefore fear and from thence you may take this Observation The life of a Christian must be a life of fear The whole course of a Christians life must be a course of godly and watchful fear And then you have the ground or foundation of this Premonition in these words Lest a promise being left us of entring into his Rest wherein you have three particulars 1. That there is a heavenly Rest an eternal Rest prepared this the Apostle takes for granted He speaks here of entring into this Rest therefore there is a Rest prepared from whence you may take this Observation That there is a Rest prepared in Heaven for Gods people 2. This Rest is not only prepared but it is also promised Observe here saith the Apostle Lest a promise being left us of entring into his Rest from hence you may observe That the Rest prepared in Heaven for Gods People is not only prepared but also promised to all them that do believe 3. Take notice This Rest though it be prepared and promised may yet be left and forsaken by those to whom the promise is tendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the word here in the original signifies lest the promise be forsaken I know our translation reads the word thus lest a promise being left us as if so be this were the sense of it lest a promise being given us lest a promise being left us as a Legacy lest a promise being bestowed upon us but the word Vs is not in the Original nor in the old Translation as a late Learned Eminent Writer in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews observes Dr. Gouge the old Translation seems to come nearest the sense which reads it thus Lest by forsaking the promise we be deprived of that rest so that although the promise be made though the promise of entring into rest be tendered to many yet notwithstanding this Promise may be left may be forsaken the words being taken in this sense you may observe this Proposition or Doctrine from them Though God be infinitely gracious in making a promise of eternal Rest yet many there are that do shamefully forsake this Promise The third and last branch of the Text is the dreadful danger discovered in case this Premonition be neglected that is in these words Lest any of you should seem to come short of it you have three particulars First The Persons that must avoid this dreadful danger in these words Any of you It is very observable here how jealous the Apostle is of these Hebrews lest any of them should prove Apostates and Backsliders and fall off from their profession and principles and so forsake the Promise and by forsaking the Promise should come short of eternal Rest from whence you may take this Observation or point of Doctrine In matters of soul-concernment Christians should be very jealous not only of themselves but of others also Secondly Observe the manner or extent of avoiding this dreadful danger in this phrase seem lest any seem to come short of it it is as if the Apostle should say It is not enough for you to abstain from Apostacy and Back-sliding which will cause your coming short of Heaven but you must avoid the very seeming and appearance of it it is not enough that you do not utterly fall away but you must likewise take heed that you give no occasion to others to think that you are fallen away or like to fall away from whence you may observe this Doctrine That it is not enough for Christians to abstain from evil but they must also abstain from the appearance of evil and avoid the occasions of danger But I come to the third and last particular in the last branch of the Text which is indeed the most awakening and soul-shaking truth that you meet with in the whole Book of God that is the unconceivable damage or unvaluable loss that will fall upon them that do neglect the Apostles Premonition here that is that the shall come short of eternal life lest any of you saith he should seem to come short of it or lest any of you should be deprived of that eternal Rest that is prepared for and promised to all those that do believe so then in this last particular in the last branch of the Text there is something implyed and something expressed that which is implyed is this That it is possible for those that do profess the truth to come short of heaven or else the Apostle would not have set down this Premonition here and then that which is exprest is this That it is a most unvaluable and unconceivable loss to come short of Heaven so then from hence there are these two points of Doctrine I shall commend to you and truly they are two very startling and awakening Truths as by Gods assistance you shall hear in the prosecution of them And the first Doctrine is this Doct. 1. That it is possible for many that profess the truth and are confident that they are in a state of grace and seem to come very near to Heaven yet for all that to come short of Heaven Doct. 2. To come short of Heaven or that eternal happiness which is prepared for the Saints in light is a most dreadful unconceivable unvaluable irrecoverable loss a loss that should be trembled at by all sorts of persons whatsoever I begin with the first Doctrine That it is possible for many that do profess the truth or true Religion and are confident that they do belong to God and are in a state of Grace and do seem to come very near to Heaven yet for all
that to come short of Heaven This is a very awakening Truth but I shall by Gods assistance make it clear to you and confirm it in the three Branches of it First That it is possible for many Professors of the Truth or true Religion to come short of Heaven Secondly That it is possible for many that are confident that they are in a state of Grace to come short of Heaven Thirdly That it is possible for many that come very near to Heaven yet to come short of Heaven I shall prove these three and let your hearts go along with me and oh that you and I could follow the counsel of the Prophet Isaiah To hear the word of the Lord with trembling For the first That it is possible for many that profess the Truth and true Religion to come short of Heaven I shall give you two instances for this the Scribes and Pharisees were those that professed the truth and true Religon they sate in Moses Chair our Saviour commanded his Disciples to hear them because they opened the Law they were Expounders of the Law and our Saviour commanded his Disciples to hear them although they should not do as they did they professed the Truth and true Religion and in the outward acts of Piety these Scribes and Pharisees went exceeding far I will shew you how far they went in these six particulars First They searched the Scriptures they were very diligent in reading the Law of Moses they gave themselves so much to the study of the Law that they could tell exactly almost every verse in the five books of Moses nay they could tell you how often every letter in the Hebrew Alphabet was repeated in the Law of Moses for example the Letter Aleph was repeated Three-hundred seventy-seven times in the five books of Moses Secondly They were frequent in prayer they prayed in the Streets and in the Synagogue and made long prayers for a pretence to devour Widows houses Matth. 23.14 Thirdly To Prayer they added Fasting also hear what one of them saith Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the week and this he did for the taming of the body Fourthly They were very strict in the observation of the Sabbath insomuch that they quarrelled with our Saviour because his Disciples did but pluck the ears of Corn upon the Sabbath day nay they were so superstitious in the observation of the Sabbath that if one had got a thorn in his foot they would not pull it out upon the Sabbath-day for fear of breaking the Sabbath Fifthly They were very industrious in teaching of others they compassed Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Matth. 23.15 they would have taken any pains to win others to the same Sect or Religion with themselves Sixthly They were very exact and unblameable in their outward conversation for 1. They were free from more gross and scandalous sins which stare a man in the face God I thank thee saith the Pharisee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican Luke 18.11 Nay they separated themselves from notorious sinners they would not come into the company of Drunkards and Sabbath-breakers they were of the strictest Religion amongst the Jews their Religion was the most strait Sect Acts 26.5 which knew me from the beginning if they would testifie that after the most strait Sect of our Religion I lived a Pharisee insomuch that it was generally conceived among the Jews that if there were but two men in all the world that should go to Heaven a Scribe was one and a Pharisee the other and yet those Professors for all that fell short of Heaven and our Saviour saith That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Matth. 5.20 Let me give you another example of the five foolish Virgins which you read of in Matth. 25 Our Saviour tells us That five Virgins were wise and five were foolish By Virgins there are meant Professors and they are called Virgin-Professors because they were not tainted or defiled with any gross or scandalous sin even those five foolish Virgins they notwithstanding in their own opinion and in the opinion of others were waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom Christ and yet for all this those Virgin-professors fell short of Heaven Matth. 25.10 And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the door was shut the door of Heaven the door of Mercy was shut against them so you see the first Branch proved 2. Let me prove the second Branch That it is possible for many that are confident that they are in a state of Grace and that they have an interest in and belong to the Lord Jesus Christ to come short of Heaven in Matth. 7.22 23 Many will say to me in that day at the great day of Judgment Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name have done many wonderful works and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Mark how confident they are have we not prophesied in thy name and cast out Devils in thy name We have eaten and drunk in thy presence Luke 13.26 To whom Jesus Christ will say Depart from me ye that work iniquity get you out of my sight I cannot abide to look upon you these were confident What a deal of confidence express they as if they had been as really acquainted with Jesus Christ as any were Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name c Again in Rom. 2.17 18 19 the Apostle speaks there to that boasting Jew Thou restest in the Law and makest thy boast of God and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the Law and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darkness an instructor of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledg and of the truth in the Law thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Such a one as teacheth others and teacheth not himself such a one is stark naught so that it is possible for a man to be a teacher of others and confident of coming to Heaven and yet for all that come short of it that 's the second Branch 3. Let me prove the third branch of the Doctrine That it is possible for men to come very near to Heaven and yet for all that to come short of Heaven Let me give you some Examples for that This was the case of the young man in the Gospel which you read of Matth. 19 20 21 when our Saviour bid him to keep the Commandments saith he Lord all these things I have kept from my youth up the meaning is this as to his outward
conversation he was unblameable he came so near Heaven that as St. Mark relates the story Mar. 10.21 Jesus beholding him loved him that is he looked upon him in a very friendly manner and pitied him that such a one should come so near to Heaven and yet come short of it by resting on his own self-righteousness he came near Heaven but yet he came short of it so Herod came near Heaven Mar. 6.20 he heard John Baptist gladly and he did many things that John Baptist bid him and yet he came short of it So you read of a Scribe Mar. 12.34 that answered very discreetly to our Saviour our Saviour tells him Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God and yet he came short of it What a sad thing was that So Agrippa Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Act. 26.28 but yet he was not a whole Christian so he came near to Heaven but yet he came short of Heaven But here it may be demanded Quest But how far then may a man go on in the profession of the truth and true Religion and yet come short of Heaven To this I answer Truly a Professor may go so far that the hearing of it may make some of you tremble and to say What will become of me Now I shall shew you that in three particulars A man may have 1. A very glorious shew of grace and holiness and yet have no true grace at all 2. Admirable gifts and parts and qualifications and yet have no true grace at all 3. Some superficial beginnings and tasts of Grace and Holiness and yet have no truth of Grace but come short of Heaven First A man may have a very glorious shew of holiness and yet have no true grace and so come short of Heaven he may have something like grace as in a Garden Weeds may be so like good Herbs that it may be hard to know one from the other a man may have such a shew of grace that he may be thought to have grace in truth Let me give you instances in these four particulars First A man may be a fair civil carriaged man very innocent and inoffensive in his conversation one that doth not oppose the Gospel nor oppose the Truth this is something Some there are that are Lions of whom David complains Psalm 57.4 My soul is among Lions and I lye even among them that are set on fire Some there are that have Lion-like Spirits whose hearts are all set on fire that would overthrow Magistrates and Ministers and Sabbaths and Ordinances and all it is something for a man to be civil and inoffensive in his carriage that he is no Enemy to the Gospel Secondly A man may be a frequenter of Ordinances and a man may be a countenancer of Religion and an owner of Magistracy and Ministry and yet all this while have but a shew of grace and no true grace at all In Luke 13.26 27 there you have some that will say to our Saviour Lord we have eaten and drunk in thy presence and we have heard thee teach in our streets There are many that frequent Ordinances that come to the Assemblies of Gods people day after day and wait upon God in the use of his Ordinances some that honour the Ministers of God and yet for all that come short of Heaven Thirdly They may go farther they may be maintainers and supporter of Ministers both by their Persons and Purses and thus it was with Ananias and Sapphira they went and sold their possessions and laid them down at the Apostles feet and yet come short of Heaven Fourthly They may go so far not only to have a good opinion of themselves but they may gain the good opinion of others Nay they may be well thought of by those that are men of judgment those that are godly may think well of them that they are real Saints and that their names are written in the book of life as is meant by that Scripture in Psalm 69.28 where David saith Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous It cannot so be understood that a man that hath once his name written in the book of Life can have it blotted out but the meaning is this Blot them out of the book of Life that is discover their names were never written in that book discover them to be but Hypocrites though they carry themselves so fairly that for the present others do think that their names are written in the book of Life Judas carried the matter so fair that the rest of the Disciples questioned themselves rather than Judas Master is it I saith one of them Master is it I saith another they never dreamed that Judas should betray their Master Simon Magus carried the matter so fair that Philip that was one of the Deacons reckoned him to be a true Believer and was baptized and continued with Philip. This is the first particular That a man may have glorious shews of grace and holiness and yet have no true grace at all Secondly The second thing is to shew that a man may have admirable gifts and parts and qualifications that are like to grace and yet are not true grace For example A man may have an admirable gift in Preaching he may be a very able Preacher having a very acute and quick Invention a profound Judgment a retentive Memory a clear Elocution Judas I make no question was as good a Preacher as the rest of the eleven Apostles a man may preach to others and yet he himself in the mean while be a cast-away Oh we that are Preachers we may preach against Pride with proud hearts against Covetousness with covetous hearts press Self-denial with self-seeking hearts press Repentance with impenitent hearts we may preach these things and yet not feel them at all in our own hearts So a man may have an admirable gift in Prayer I do not say the grace of Prayer there is a great deal of difference between the gift and the grace of Prayer the gift of Prayer makes a man proud the grace of Prayer makes a man humble the gift of Prayer abounds in outward expressions the grace of Prayer consists in inward impressions upon the heart the gift of Prayer vents its self in publick but the grace of Prayer is most enlarged in private the gift of Prayer makes a man pray in his own strength but the grace of Prayer makes a man pray in the strength of Jesus Christ the gift of Prayer makes a man expect an eccho of praise from men but the grace of Prayer expects only the approbation of God the gift of prayer that may be lost but the grace of Prayer is never lost I say a man may have admirable gifts in Prayer excellent Expressions and seeming-impressions upon the heart some may pray like Saints and in the mean time live like Devils I am confident this deceives many Some there are that have
their faith is true Faith when it is but Fancy they think their Repentance is true Repentance when it is but Worldly-sorrow they think their obedience is true Obedience when it is but Hypocrisie It may be they take Civility for Sanctity and natural parts for true Piety it may be they take Restraining-grace for Renewing-grace and so they are deceived in their spiritual Estates Thousands there are that deceive themselves in this particular Thirdly It may be demanded But how comes it to pass that it is possible for men to come near to Heaven and yet come short of Heaven For answer to this I shall give you but two Reasons First Men come near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven because they will not come up to the price I do not mean the price of merit I abhor that opinion to think that we can merit Heaven but my meaning is this they do not come up to the price of means though nothing can be done by way of merit yet much must be done in the use of means my meaning is they will not do that which Jesus Christ would have them do they will not suffer that which must be suffered they will not forsake that which must be forsaken 1. They will not do that which Jesus Christ would have them do for Example they will not walk exactly they will not renew their repentance they will not set about the work of God with all their might and mind and strength they will not work out their salvation with fear and trembling there is much to be done many duties to be done from a right principle in a right manner and to a right end 2. They will not suffer that which is to be suffered our Saviour saith If any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me You must be content to bear his Cross as well as to wear his Crown Now this they will not do Again They will not forsake that which must be forsaken our Saviour saith a man must part with his right-eye and right-hand any thing that stands in opposition to or that comes in competition with him Now men will not do they will not suffer they will not forsake what Christ would have them It fares with them as with a pedling Chapman who likes a Commodity well but he will not come up to the price of it men are willing to do something but they will not do so much as is required they will not proportion their labour according to their work they will not make up the hedg according to the breach This is certain many there are that come short of Heaven because they do not use the utmost of their endeavours for the prosecution of the end many come short of Heaven because of their slight endeavours in the way of heaven Luke 13 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able What is the reason they only seek but do not strive It is not enough for you to seek to enter in at the strait gate unless you strive and you must strive as in an Agony so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Original Secondly A second reason is this Why some men come so near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven Because of their Apostacy they begin in the spirit and end in the flesh they put their hands to the Plow and look back you did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Gal. 5.7 You do not obey it constantly you are not steady and firm in the truth but you are starting aside like a broken bow falling from the truth in their profession and in their practice of Religion These are the reasons why men come near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven And thus I have proved the Point in the three Branches of it Now what use shall we make of it The Use is this by way of Conviction Oh what terrour may this strike into the hearts of all those who are only Nominal Christians that have a name only to live and in the mean time are dead that have a form of Godliness but are as great strangers to the power of it as Pagans are to the profession of it Oh what terrour may this strike into the hearts of all you that come short of those that come short of Heaven and if you come short of those that come short of heaven what will become of you For example May a man be a frequenter of the Word of God May a man make conscience of keeping the Sabbath I mean for the external observation of it May a man be a countenancer of Religion and yet come short of Heaven then what will become of them that neglect Ordinances What will become of them to whom the Word of the Lord is a burden The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it Jer. 16.10 And what will become of them that say of the service of the Lord What a weariness is it Mal. 1.13 What a weariness is it to wait on God and to hear Sermons If a man may be a Believer and yet come short of Heaven I mean a temporary Believer to believe for a while then what will become of them that believe not at all believe none of the Precepts of God to obey them nor the promises to embrace them nor the threatnings to tremble at them If a man have outward reformation and yet come short of Heaven What then will become of them that have no reformation at all that wallow in the mire of their sins What will become of Lyars and Swearers and Drunkards The Pharisees were no friends to those gross sins and yet they came short of Heaven Oh that this might awaken all those that are yet asleep in their sins that are rockt in the Devils Cradle and that do not understand their own condition May a man have natural parts and qualifications and yet come short of Heaven What will become of them that are Sots in matters of Religion that have not obtained to their A B C in Religion but are ignorant of the fundamentals of Religion May a man have some superficial tasts and beginnings of grace and give his assent to the truths of the Gospel May he receive the word of God with joy May he be moved at a Sermon and have a resolution to obey and reform many things and yet come short of Heaven then how doleful and dreadful is their condition that have no affection to nor no delight in the Word of the Lord that have no purposes of new and better obedience but they come to hear the Word out of Formality and Custom and not to get any spiritual advantage to their own souls Oh! if this were seriously thought upon it would make Sinners to look about them and to fall down at the feet of God
and say Lord what will become of me Lord what will become of me Vse 2. Of Exhortation I shall close this Point with a word of Exhortation If it is possible for many that profess the Truth and true Religion and are confident that they are in a state of grace and seem to come very near to Heaven and yet for all that to come short of it then as you love your God as you love your Souls as you love your Peace as you desire to appear with comfort before your Judg rest not in any bare outward profession rest not in a naked name of Religion Be not contented that you have the Lamps of Profession unless you have the Oyl of saving Grace Consider what advantage will it be for you to come near to heaven to come to the brow of the hill as it were and afterwards to drop down into hell What advantage will it be for a man to be lifted up to heaven and not lifted up into heaven it is the greatest curse that can possibly be expressed Oh what a cutting Corrosive what a gnawing Worm will this be to all Eternity for a man to say I came near to Heaven to the top of the Hill and yet I fell short of those glorious hopes that are laid up for the Saints in light O what a stinking Cockatrice will this be to them that have but a bare naked name of Religion an outward profession only It may be thou art no Swearer nor Lyar nor Sabbath-breaker but it may be thou art a covetous wretch over head and ears in the world tumbling up and down in dirt and clay as if there were no other happiness but here below It may be thou art but a formal Christian it may be thou art but a picture that hath hands and eyes but no legs it may be thou hast eyes but no feet to run the ways of Gods Commandments It may be it may be said of some of you young men that hear me this day what was said of the young man in the Gospel You are not far from the Kingdom of God what will this advantage you if you do not follow Jesus Christ fully and obey him sincerely that you may enjoy him eternally O that my counsel this day were accepted by you in the fear of the Lord give no rest to your eyes nor slumber to your eye-lids until you can say Blessed be God I am more than the best Hypocrite in the world though he can outstrip me in shew yet for the inside I outstrip him But it may be you will say What is this inside of Christianity this essential Religion wherein you would have us outstrip Hypocrites and those that come short of Heaven I will tell you in three words To the Essentials of Christianity there are these three things required 1. Union with Christ 2. Renewing Grace 3. A Compliance with the Will of Christ First Union with Christ Till you are united to him you have no interest in him nor benefit by him therefore look this that you have the Spirit of God to unite you to the Lord Jesus Christ Our Saviour saith John 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine so neither can you bring forth fruit unless you abide in me O labour for this Union when the Soul is once united to him then it hath communion with him in his life in his death in his resurrection in his intercession in his graces and comforts and all What is that which knits the Cistern to the Fountain You know it is the Leaden Pipe that is it that is the conveyance from the Conduit-head to the Cistern so here What is it that knits thy Soul to Jesus Christ that thou mayst be continually partaking of him who is the Fountain of light and life and peace and consolation What is it but this Pipe the Union that is between Christ and the soul Now a Hypocrite hath not this Union he is not united to Christ it may be he bears the name of Christ but never was ingrafted into him it may be he is tyed to Christ by the thred of an outward profession as the Seions is tied to the stock but yet he is not ingrafted into the stock Secondly It consists in renewing Grace If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 An Hypocrite may have many trinkets and bables as we say I but a Regenerate man he brings forth one Jewel worth ten thousand of them An Hypocrite may have restraining grace but a truly Regenerate man he is renewed in the spirit of his mind he hath a new name which I spake of in so many Sermons the white Stone and the new Name Rev. 3. Thirdly This Essence of Christianity consists in a total compliance with the Will of Christ he that is a true Believer a true Regenerate man an inside Christian he can say Lord not my will but thy will be done Lord Rule in me as thou pleasest so I may be but thine take possession of my heart and dispossess sin and Satan he will say Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee But now an Hypocrite it may be he gives up his name to Jesus Christ in profession but he doth not give up his heart to Christ in subjection and submission it is one thing to give up the name to Christ and another thing to give up the heart to Christ when you give up the key of the Castle to Christ then you will say Lord I will do what thou wouldst have me do and suffer what thou wouldst have me suffer and forsake what thou wouldst have me forsake there is nothing I have though it be as dear to me as my right-hand and right-eye but I will part with it at thy command To shut up all If you would not come short of them that come short of Heaven then rest not in a bare profession in a bare naked name of Christianity labour to be united to Christ labour for renewing Grace labour to give up your selves to Jesus Christ let there be a compliance in your will to the will of Christ Again If many may be confident that they are in a state of Grace and yet come short of Heaven O then take heed of self-delusion and self-flattery to think your selves something when you are nothing and so deceive your own souls It is better a thousand times for a man to think himself nothing when he is something than to think himself something when he is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 I have laboured more abundantly than they all and yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Beg earnestly of God that you may know the worst of your selves and the best of Jesus Christ and pray O Lord let me not be deceived in this great business of Eternity let me not go to hell with vain hopes of Heaven
keep his Shop his Shop will keep him The truth will be your Shield and Buckler if you keep it to defend you against all gainsayers Psal 91.4 He shall cover her with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust his truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler hold fast the Faith and that will hold you up the Apostle bids us in one place to stand fast in the faith Rom. 11.20 and in another place by faith we stand 2 Cor. 1.24 From both those places together you may gather thus much when we stand in it then we stand by it when we stand fast in the Faith then we shall be sure to be established by the Faith against all oppositions Thirdly The holding fast the Truth will yield and afford you the sweetest joy and comfort upon your Death-beds What was that made Saint Paul rejoyce at death 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith He had not let go his hold this was the ground of his joy and hope when he was ready to be offered and his departure was at hand Fourthly The truth of the Gospel is a Testament sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ wherein so many precious rich and royal Legacies are bequeathed unto us by the Testator our blessed Mediator our dearest Friend that hath redeemed us with his own precious blood Now shall we not look after the proving of the Will of this blessed Testator So much for the Explication Now for the Application of this Point And the first Use is by way of Reproof does not this Doctrine justly and sharply reprove the unconstancy and unsetledness of many Professors at this day Doth it not meet them as the Angel did Balaam with a drawn Sword of a sharp reproof O that this Reproof might take hold on those that are concerned this day you know we read that Passage this day What went ye out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind No John Baptist was not a Reed but a Rock But alas look upon Professors at this day and we have more Reeds than Rocks we have more falling than fixed Stars More Children that are carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 than men setled rooted and stablished in the present truth that are constant in nothing but unconstancy are there not some that can be content to part with Religion and let Truth go and Gospel-priviledges go and all go so they may but enjoy their Trades and Professions their places and preferments though I hope better things of many of you that hear me this day will not the Lord think you sharply rebuke such in his anger will he not speak to them in his hot displeasure What have I given you the Gospel such precious Truths and do you slight them do you trample them under feet do you prefer the puddles of Popery before these wholsom streams and clear fountain of Truth Well if the Gospel be a burthen to you I will ease you of your burthen and how doleful would this be if God should say the priviledges you are weary of shall be taken from you you shall be eased of them Vse 2. Therefore give me leave in the Name of Christ and in the cause of the Gospel to beseech you to hold fast that which you have received hold fast the Truth against Errour hold fast the truth of the Protestant Religion against Popery and Popish Innovations and Superstitions this I forewarn you of the rather upon this account because there are some among us which are well conceited of that cursed Religion because they never have smarted under the Antichristian tyranny as our forefathers have done they have forgotten the blood of our Martyrs that was shed in Queen Maries days Nay that blood that was spilt in Ireland but twenty one years ago therefore that you may be fenced against the flatteries and insinuations of Popish Doctrine take notice that Popish Religion is an Idolatrous Religion they are guilty of as gross Idolatry as every was practised among the Heathens for 1. They worship the Saints with a religious worship which is proper to God only they pray to Saints departed which is a dishonour to God the Father and Jesus Christ the only Mediator between God and man They pray to the Virgin Mary and make her their Redeemer by praying to her saying Save us O Saviouress and redeem us and in the hour of death receive us This is a great dishonour to the Lord Jesus Christ What can be greater Idolatry than this to attribute that to a creature which is proper only to the Creator 2. They set up Images to be worshipped contrary to the second Commandment which says Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor how down to it nor worship it c. But they will object and say They do not worship the Image but God in the Image I answer Neither did the children of Israel worship the golden Calf but they thought they worshipped God in or under the Image of the golden Calf Exod. 32.4 yet it was gross Idolatry as appears 1 Cor. 10.7 Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written the people sate down to eat and to drink and rose up to play 3. Their Idolatry exceeds the Idolatry of the Heathen in that they worship a piece of Bread or the bread Transubstantiated as they call it into the body of Christ Now if the body of Christ be in Heaven as we are sure it is as appears by that of the Apostle Acts 3.21 Whom the heaven must receive until the time of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began The Apostle says the heaven must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things that is until the day of Judgment It Christs body be in Heaven then certainly they worship not the body of Christ but a piece of Bread and what more abominable Idolatry than this One of their own Religion Costerus confesses It is more tolerable to worship a Dog or a Cat or a Crocodile than to worship a piece of Bread This their Idolatry is a great stumbling-block both to the Jews and Heathens Therefore Averroes a great Philosopher being asked why he would not be a Christian because says he The Christians eat the God they worship therefore says he Let my Soul be among the Philosophers Again As they are Idolaters in their worship so they are erroneous in their Doctrines witness their doctrine of Justification denying the righteousness of Christ and trusting to their own righteousness witness their doctrine of Merits by Works yea their doing works of supererogation witness their Popish pardons and Purgatory-satisfaction as if the satisfaction of Jesus Christ were imperfect witness their robbing of Jesus Christ of all his Offices both as King Priest and Prophet as might easily be proved In brief
those glorious hopes that are laid up for the Saints in Light Fourthly Be contented to endure some hardship in the way Heaven will make amends for all all the costs discouragements and difficulties that you meet with in the pursuit of your hopes will be abundantly recompenced by one hours fruition of that eternal happiness Secondly If you would not despise or undervalue that heavenly Inheritance learn to live by Faith and not by sight and sense if you live by sight and sense you will look on the things that are seen and not on the things that are not seen the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 If you live by Faith you will fetch your comforts from Christ more than from any thing in the Creature Thirdly If you would not despise this pleasant Land then beg of Jesus Christ that he would draw your Souls that you may run after him Quicken me with thy quickning-grace for thy Name sake Lord bestow thy quickning-grace upon me that I may mind the business of Eternity seriously Lord help me to set about the work vigorously that I may not trifle with thee in matters that are of infinite Concernment I remember the speech of a Martyr a good woman at that time when profession of the Gospel was enough to bring to the stake says she I hear there are Crowns and Kingdoms to be disposed of this day here take my child I will put in for one Crown for one Kingdom Oh that every one of us had hearts to do as she did let us be contented to suffer hardship for a while that we may enjoy the pleasant Land for ever and ever So much for the first Branch of the Text that is the horrible ingratitude of this people They despised the pleasant Land The ground of that ingratitude you have in the next words of the Text And believed not his Word But so much for this time PSAL. CVI. 24. And believed not his Word I Have spoken to this Text in one Sermon already as you may remember in it I took notice of two Branches First Israels horrible ingratitude in these words They despised the pleasant Land and that I finished last day Now I come to the second Branch of the Text that is the ground of their ingratitude in these words They believed not his Word What word They believed not the Promise that God had made unto them that he would bestow the Land of Canaan upon them nay God did not only promise it but he sware unto Abraham Isaac and Jacob Gen. 50.24 And Joseph said unto his Brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this Land to the Land which he sware to Abraham to Isaac and Jacob. But because the Spies forsooth came and told them Oh there are walled Cities and Giants and Anakims to fight with and it is impossible for you to get possession of the Land therefore they believed the Spies but they would not believe God they believed the report of those that told them of the Giants but they would not believe Gods Report they would not believe Gods Promise So the Doctrine I shall commend to you from this second Branch of the Text is this Doct. One main Reason why men do undervalue the Heavenly Canaan and so come short of it is their Vnbelief Look as it was with the Children of Israel here spoken of in the Text the sin that made them despise and undervalue the Land of Canaan and so were debar'd and shut out of the Land of Canaan was their Unbelief as the Apostle shews expresly Heb. 3. ult So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief So here One main reason why men undervalue the Heavenly Canaan and so come short or are deprived of the Heavenly Canaan it is their Unbelief Men believe lyes but they will not believe the Truth they believe the Devil who is a lyar and tells them they may come to Heaven with a wet-finger and therefore they may live as they list but they will not believe the Lord Jesus Christ that tells them Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it Matth. 7.14 They believe the father of lyes but they will not believe him that is the God of Truth who says Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you shall seek to enter in but shall not be able Luke 13.24 They believe the report of Satan but they will not believe the report of the word of God which tells us expresly 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinners appear They will not believe that Doctrine which you may remember proved out of Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Where I shewed you that the life of a Christian is a life of fear and that in matters of Soul-concernment Christians should not only be very jealous of themselves but of others also I also shewed you that it is possible for many that are professors of the Truth or true Religion to come short of Heaven and that it is possible for many that are confident that they are in a state of grace to come short of Heaven and that it is possible for many to come very near to Heaven and yet to come short of Heaven But men will not believe these Truths now their Unbelief is the cause why they slight Heaven and shall be deprived of Heaven For the better Explication of this Doctrine there are two things I shall open to you First What this Unbelief is that makes men so undervalue the Heavenly Canaan Secondly Why this Unbelief is such a great and grievous sin so dangerous and destructive that it deprives men of that Heavenly Canaan First What this Unbelief is that makes men slight the Heavenly Canaan For answer to this you must know there is a twofold Unbelief There is a Negative And There is a Positive Unbelief First There is a Negative Unbelief and that is the sin of Pagans and Heathens that never heard of God nor of the Gospel of Jesus Christ they believe not because they know not they know not God Rom. 10.14 How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard This is the sin of Pagans this ignorance it excuses in part though not in whole their sin is not so great by far as the sin of those that do profess the Gospel yet their Negative unbelief is a sin because Gods Commandment is That we should believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 John 3.23 And this is his commandment that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ But this is the Negative unbelief this concerns not us but it concerns those that know not God Secondly There