were most discerning And there is this that we would say that among all these that shall be eternally excommunicate from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Hypocrites in Sion shall have the bitterest cup of Divine indignation presented unto them Hence it is that Christ when he would tell the worst company that one shall have in hell it is alwayes this ye shall go to that place where hypocrites and sinners are and so it would be of your concernment that by the candle of the Lord ye would search the inward parts of the belly before ye go down to the grave with a lie in your right hand a deceiving heart having turned you aside We confesse it is sad to consider these anxious disappointments that many in those dayes shall once meet with IV. But there is this last difference betwixt justifying Faith and temporary Faith That there are three precious effects of justifying Faith which a temporary believer cannot win to 1. To be denyed to all his enjoyments and attainments and walk humbly under them for we may say that it is impossible for an hypocrite to be denyed to his enjoyments he maketh such a deity of them and worships them or rather he worshippeth himself in them There are three great graces that a hypocrite doth pursue after though he rather seeketh them as gifts than as graces Knowledge Prayer and Humility And though it be but little that he can attain of any of the three or rather nothing in a saving way yet least of all can he attain to the last yea we may judge that there is alwayes within his bosome a standing conviction that he could never win unto that gracious grace of humility O could ye never win to this to count your own righteousnesse as filthy rags and to rejoice alone in the righteousnesse of a crucified Saviour I would press this upon you by the way O Christians of this generation forget your perfections and remember your imperfections have a holy oblivion of your attainments but have a Divine remembrance of your short comings look more to what is before unperfected nor to what is behind and thus shall you evidence true justifying Faith 2. It is an effect of justifying Faith to be under some constant and Divine impression of the preciousnesse of Jesus Christ according to that word 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you who believe Christ is precious It is not said that Christ was precious or shall be precious but it is said He is precious which doth import as we use to speak a continued act Did ye never know what it was to dwell twenty four hours under the impression of the matchlesse excellency and precious worth of a crucified Saviour I will pose you with this Are there not some here and elsewhere that passe under the notion of Saints that never knew what it was to dwell half an hour under these high and elevaring thoughts of the preciousnesse of Jesus Christ So that wee professe we cannot tell whether we shall call him precious or undervalued but wee may conjoyn these two names together that he is precious and yet undervalued Christ. 3 By true justifying Faith a Christian winneth to mortification of his invisible and predominant lusts which is impossible for a temporary Believer to win to And is there not a great difference betwixt an Idol when it is cast out and an Idol when it goeth out I will tell you the great mortification of hypocrites the devil was living in them as one that was a black one and now hee cometh again and transformeth himself into an Angel of light He was living in them before by his spirit of prosanity and now hee liveth in them by the spirit of hypocrisie and counterfeiting of these things that were never clear attainments while it is the noble dignity of Faith Act. 15. 9. To purifie the heart But are there not many here who never knew what it was to mortifie one lust for Christ Can such a delusion overtake you Oâ—athiests That ye shall reign with Christ if ye die not with him There is an opinion vented in these dayes that there may be repentance in heaven and I think it would seem that the Christians of this age have much of that opinion we are so little in repentance while we are here below but know that Faith and Sanctification are two inseparable companions And let me tell you if ye would know the compend of the precious exercise of Faith It is this Faith hath three great things that it perpetually contemplates and views 1. Faith looketh to the promise and there it doth rejoyce and rest upon it 2. Faith looketh to the duties that are commanded and there it cryeth out Here am I I will obey and hearken unto the voice of the word And 3. Faith looketh to the crown and there it doth exult and sweetly rejoyce in divine expectation And O what a sight is that to behold that everlasting Prince standing at the end of our race having a crown in his right hand with this Motto ingraven on it Hee that persevereth to the end shall be saved And what a Faith suppose yee shall it be thought when wee shall get on that immortal Crown of blessednesse What think ye is the exercise of these that are above O heaven heaven if we did know it would we not be in a holy extasie of desire till we were there And blessed be he eternally that hath purchased that precious felicity to us Now we shall at this time shut up our discourse by speaking a little to these things in which a Christian doth ordinarily meet with assurance of his interest in God and is put to the divine actings of the grace of Faith for there are some sealing times to a Christian. I. The first time of the sealing is after the mortification of some predominante lust and idol then they are admitted to read their names in these precious and ancient records of heaven and to see in these Books their unworthy names written by the hand of that everlasting Prince This is clear Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give a white stone and in the stone a new name written that no man knows saving he that receiveth it And from that 2 Tim. 4. 8. Believe mee more mortification would make more believing but would ye know the original of misbelief It is the want of exercise of spiritual mortification of our lusts I know not where the most part of us intendeth to lodge at night but this is certain that wee live with much contentment with our lusts and these predominant idols that doth so much possesse us II. It is readily a sealing time to a Christian when hee is admitted to the divine enjoyment of these satisfying delights that are to be found in Christ When was it that the Spouse cryed out so often My beloved is mine and I am his Was it not when she was brought to the banqueting
at the pains to imbrace it but I say unto you there is but small pains in the way oâ— Godlinesse I say unto you it may so easilâ— be had that it is in your offer to day and 〈◊〉 ye will ye may put forth your hand and take it Consider therefore what yee will do O will ye despise it I say will ye still negleâ— and despise it will ye but read that dreadâ—â—ll word Act. 13. 40. 41. Behold ye despiâ—â—s and wonder and perish Tell me freely would ye have us to return this answer to him who sent us that ye are despisers of the Great Salvation Say to it Are there none of you who for all this will consent to partake of this Great Salvation O captives and prisoners and ye who are in the bonds of â—atan will ye come and partake of this Great salvation and you shall be made free I have 〈◊〉 act of release for you to day If ye will â—ome and make use of it ye shall be set at â—â—berty But Oh shall the prison doors be â—st open and yet none come forth But that I may come to a close I say yet unto â—â—on O poor prisoners go forth go forth and partake of this Great Salvation Oh will â—e not come forth What holdeth you in The foundation of your prison house is taken to day therefore if ye will but come â—orth and cast a look to Christ your very â—â—kels shall fall off your hands and ye shall â—â— as those who were never bound Now I â—ave this with you and to make you think â—pon it I shall speak these five words unto â—ou and I intreat you think upon them 1. First I have excellent tidings to tell â—â—u I hope some of you will give ear to â—â—em viz. There is a great Person come â—ere to day and that is the mighty Author â—f this Great Salvation who hath brought â—erlasting righteousnesse with him desiring â—ou to make use thereof It is his desire that yee would take his excellent Gift at his hand These I say are the tidingâ— that have to preach unto you and I hope never to be declared a liar for what I preach untâ— you I say yet unto you that Christ thâ— Author of the Great Salvation desiâ—eth to give it freely unto you if ye will but take it But O will yee not take it I think â—â— yee did see an hundreth men lying in prison or dungeon without all light bread oâ— water and a great Prince coming to them saying I desire you all to come forth anâ— partake of this Great liberty which I bring unto you and every one of them should answer I scorn to come forth at this time would yee not think them exceeding greaâ— fools And yet I fear this act of great foll fall out in many of your hands to day thaâ— when Christ hath given us the keyes of youâ— prison doors and they are opened yee wiâ—â— not come forth But I must intreat you yâ—â— to come forth and shew your selves Foâ— who knoweth but wee may bee commandeâ— to shut your prison doors again and to seâ— them with seven seals with an unalterabâ—â— decree from heaven never to bee recalled Wherefore O ye prisoners go forth go forâ— from your prison house 2. Secondly I would say this to you that it is not without much ground thâ— this Salvation offered to you is called Great Salvation I know a little Paper two or three sheets might contain all tâ—â— salvations that ever any man obtained bâ— the world would not bee able to contain 〈◊〉 the Books which might be written to the commendation of this Great Salvation yea unto any who will imbrace it I say First If thou finde not this Salvation above thy â—aith then go thy way when thou art come But I know thou wilt finde it both above thy â—aith and hope Secondly If thou finde it not above thy desires when thou aâ—â— come â—nto it then go thy way again but were thy desires as the sand upon the sea shoare thou shalt alwayes finde more in this Salvation then ever thou could desire Thirdly If this Salvation be not above what thou can conceive then go thy way when thou art come to it But think of it as thou can it shall alwayes be above thy thoughts of it Fourthly If this Salvation be not above thy opinion of it then go thy way when thou â—â—it come unto it but I know thou wilt â—â—nd it far above thy opinion of it Therefore seeing it is so Great a Salvation as that all the world could not contain all the Books â—ight be written in the commendation of it O will ye imbrace it even to day while it is â—o your offer 3. Thirdly I would say this unto you 〈◊〉 perswaded that there is no sin that will more provoke the Majesty of God to punish you then the sin of slighting the Great-salvation Bring forth these murtherers saith the Lord of the slighters of this invitation and slay them before me I intreat â—â—en enquire at your own hearts what ye will answer when ye are reproved for slighting of it Old men will ye ask at your own hearts what ye will answer to Christ when he shall propose that question to you Why slighted ye the Great Salvation Old woman what will ye answer when he shall say to you why slighted ye the Great Salvation Young men and young women inquire at your own hearts what ye will answer when Christ shall say to you why slighted ye thâ— great Salvation Can ye imagine any answer unto that question O dreadfull shall the wrath of God be that shall be executed upon the slighters of this Great Salvation 4. Fourthly I would say this unto you that heaven is waiting to hear what acceptation the offer of this Great Salvation doth get among you Here is the Great Salvation here is the offer of it and here is thâ— commendation of it what say ye to it iâ— it not an excellent Salvation Is it not 〈◊〉 free Salvation Is it not a Great Salvation Is it not an eternal Salvation Why then dâ— ye not welcome it Can any of you say anâ—thing to the discommendation of it I know you cannot Yea I daâ— say your own heart are admiring it as most excellent Anâ— therefore O will ye accept it Alas shal theâ— be none here who will be found accepters 〈◊〉 this Great Salvation so freely offered to day 5. Fifthly I would say this to you let a the Angels praise him who the Author 〈◊〉 this Great Salvation All the Saints rounâ— about the Throne praise him who is the Aâ—thor of this Great Salvation All these whâ— are expectants of heaven praise Him who 〈◊〉 the Author of this Great Salvation All yâ—â— to whom this offer is made praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation O heaven praise him who is the Author of this Great Salvation O all ye fowls of the air praise him who is the Author
say one word also to you who are strangers from God and arâ— destitute of the grace of Christ and will noâ— by faith close with this excellent Object There is a fourfold crown that once shall bâ— put upon your heads but do not misinterpret the vision There is a difference betwixâ— the Butler and the Baker ye may prophesiâ— good things to your self but there is a crowâ— of death which ye shall once have put upoâ— your heads ye shall be alwayes dying anâ— never able to die there is a crown of sorrow that ye shall have put upon your head when ye shall eternally sigh forth that lamentation O to be anihilat and reduced unto nothing when the reduction of you into nothing would be a heaven when ye shall bâ— tormented in those everlasting flames Anâ— I would say this by the way ye will be alâ— miserable comfortlesse one to another therâ— will be no ground of consolation that ye shalâ— reap for the community of your sorrow shall increase the degrees of that sorrow And there is another crown also that ye shalâ— put on and that is a crown of sin instead oâ— that crown of righteousnesse would you knoâ— your exercise O ye that are predestinate uâ— to these everlasting pains Would ye knoâ— your exercise It is this ye shall eternally blaspheme and curse the God that made you I am perswaded of this that the terrours of hell will afflict you more and doth then that of the sinning perpetually in hell Ye would think nothing many of you to be in hell if there were no pain there for the exercise of sin it will be your delight and life but be perswaded of it that when your conscience is awakened the exercise of sinning shall exceedingly aggreage your pain And there is this crown lastly that ye shall put on and that is the crown of shame The Prophet Isaiah maketh mention of a crown of pride but ye that have put on that crown of pride ye shall once put on that crown of everlasting confusion and shame when ye shall not be able to lift up your eyes to him whom ye have peirced I would fain desire you to know what will be your exercise at these three dayes what will be your exercise when death shall be summonding you to remove and ye shall first be entered heirs unto these everlasting pains I am perswaded ye will reflect much Will ye not reflect upon many Sermons that ye have heard wherein ye have been invited to partake of the sweet offers of Salvation I remember of one that upon his death bed cryed forth A world for time a world for one inch of time one that perhaps did hold his head high and no doubt was greater than the greatest here his Crown could not purchase on inch of time but dying with this Call time again call time again that petition was denyed and so it shall be I fear to the most part that are here I think it was a pretty Hieroglyphâ—ck of the Egyptians they painted Time with three heaâ—s The first head that painted out time that was past Was a greedy Wolfe gaping which importeth this That our time past was mispent and there was nothing left but like a Wolfe to gape for it again And there was that second head of a roaring Lyon round which import the time prâ—sent and for this end was so painted that people might lay hold upon their present opportunities otherwise it would be the matter of their ruine and of their eternall undoing And there was that last head which was of a deceitfull Dog fawning which signified that people they â—eceive themselves with the time to come thinking they will be religious at their deaâ—h and that they will overcome at their death but this is â—â—attery no better then the fawning of a mad Dog I think wee may learn much of this even to be provoked to lay hold upon ouâ— golâ—â—n opportunities that wee sell not â—ur time but that wee buy it There are two thiâ—â—gs that a Christian must not sell that is sell not the truth but buy it and sell not your time but buy it I am perswaded of this that one moment of time is worth ten thousand worlds if improven And I would ask you what advantage shall yee have of all things that yee have â—oâ—mented your selves about when time shall be no more I suppose indeed this is an ordinary evil amongst the people of this age of which we have our own share and proportion There are many that envy Godlinesse and the Godly The excellent ones that are in the earth that think it a pleasure to vent their malice against such I know that ordinary practice it is older by a thousand years then themselves that they persecure Godlinesse under the name of hypocrisie They call Godliness hypocrisie and upon that account they begin and speak maliciously against it onely â— would ask you this question What will â—e say in that day when Christ will ask that question at you that Gideon asked at Zeba â—od Zalmuna who are these that ye killed with your tongue Most it not be answered Every one did resemble the person of a King â— will ye not believe will ye not close with Christ I know it is ordinary that we run â—pon these two extreams Sometimes we â—o not believe the threatnings of the Law â—nd sometimes we will not believe the proâ—ises of the Gospel But I would only deâ—e to know what if it had been so orderâ—â— in the infinite wisdome of God that all â—â—e letters of this Book should have been â—â—earnings what should have been our lot â—â—all the promises should have been sâ—raped â—t of it But certainly this must be your â—t all â—he promises of the Book of this Coâ—nant shall be taken from you and all the â—â—ses thereof shall be a flying roll that shall â—â—er within your houses and shall there â—â—â—rnally remain Know this O ye that are â—â—emies to Christ know it and think upon it Every battel of the warriour is with confused noise and with garments rolled in blood But that war that Christ shall have against the hypocrites in Zion and those that are ignorant of him and will not close with him it shall be with fewell of fire and eternal iâ—dignation O what will be your thoughâ—â— suppose you when Christ shall come wiâ—â— that two edged sword of the â—ury of thâ— Lord to enter to fight with you It iâ—â—â— delightsome exercise Oh that ye were nâ—â— almost but altogether perswaded to be Christians and that once Christ might conqâ—â— you with that two edged sword that proceedeth out of his mouth that so ye might subject your selves to Him and make Him tâ—â— object of your Faith Now to Him thâ—â— hath engraven upon His vesture and on 〈◊〉 thigh that He is the King of kings and 〈◊〉 Lord of lords we desire to give praise A SERMON Concerning the Great-Salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape
your selves II. Challenge That Death will present unto you will be for the killing of many precious Convictions which we have had What will each of you answer at death when your conscience proposeth this challenge to you thou met with such a challenge at such a time and went home and crucified it when at another time thou met with another challenge and went home and crucified it These challenges will be laid home to thy door therefore think on them III. Challenge Death will charge you for a formal hypocriticall way of going about duties I say your Conscience will then tell you that ye went to such a Communion with a selfish end and aâ— another time ye prayed hyporritically and formally and what will ye have to answer when ye meet with these challenges I confesse I know not what ye can answer to these but I charge you be thinking what ye will answer for it may be that these convictions shall ly on your consciences that even this day ye have heard two searching Sermons and did meet with some convictions but made no good use of them yea and â—â— may be ye did sleep all the time O what will ye answer when it will be said to you ye went to such a Sermon and sleeped all the time and ye went to such a Communion but had no other end before your eyes but to be seen of men I intreat you consider presently what ye will answer to these IV. Challenge Will be for your breaking of many precious resolutions It will be said to some of you that at the Communion in this place ye took on vowes and did break them I am sure ye cannot question the justice of this challenge therefore see what ye will answer V. Challenge Ye slighted many precious offers of the Gospel O men and women in this city what will ye answer to this I was often exhorted to take Christ and yet would never take him What will Conscience say to that when death shall table it before you I tell you what ye must then answer O cursed I that ever refused Christ in the Gospel and ye shall then be confounded because this is your sin Believe me there was never an offer of this everlasting Gospel and of Christ in it made unto you that shall not at death before or after be brought to your remembrance and O how sad and doleful will it be to you when Christ shall open the book where your sins are written and begin with the sin of slighting the Great Salvation thus I invited you when you were twelve years old and ye would not come I invited you when ye were thirty years old and ye would not come I invited you when sixty years old and ye would not come What will ye answer to this Have ye any thing to say Or must ye not stand speechlesse before your Judge when he shall put home this challenge unto you therefore think seriously upon it how ye will answer to it VI. Challenge will be for your sinning oftentimes against Light and O how sad and painfull a challenge will that be at the day of Death when it will be said thou sinned with a witnesse in thy bosome that thou wast doing wrong thy Conscience will say oftentimes did I tell thee this is sinfull yet wouldest thou not abstain from it And what will ye answer from this VII Challenge Oftentimes ye sinned upon every small temptations and what will ye answer to that Must ye not then confesse it and say O how often have I deserted Christ and imbraced my idols upon a small temdtation Now I intreat you be thinking what ye will answer to these seven most material Challenges which certainly shall be presented to you at death I assure you ye must either answer all your challenges in Christ else ye will not get them well answered Therefore I would exhort you to imbrace the Gospel and Christ in it that so let death propose never so many challenges unto you ye may answer them all as David did viz. God hath made with me an everlasting Covenant and that will answer all your challenges though my house be not so with God yet I have the everlasting Covenant to build my salvation upon Now to presse you to make use of Christ I shall give you these four Considerations Consideration 1. If ye imbrace not Christ now Death will be very unpleasant to you O what else can comfort thee when going through the region of the shadow of Death but this I am Christs I am Christs is there any other thing can comfort thee in that day but only this I am Christs and He is mine Consideration 2. If ye imbrace not Christ and the Great Salvation now It will be an hundred to one if ever ye get time or libertie to do it when ye are going to die For although many delay their closing with Christ till death yet scarcely one of a hundred getteth favour to grip Christ at death therefore think on it for ye will not get your mind so composed at death as ye imagine nor all things done as ye suppose therefore now imbrace the Great Salvation Consideration 3. If ye delay your closing with Christ till death seise upon you ye shall never be able to make up that losse For will the dead rise and praise God Or shall any come from the land of forgetfulnesse to take hold upon a crucified Saviour Therefor O will ye take him for your Salvation Consideration 4. If ye will take Christ now he shall be your guide When ye are going through the valley and shadow of death And O how blessed is the person that can sing that word Psal. 48. 14. This is my God he will be my guide even unto death If ye can sing that pleasant song O how may ye be comforted when your eye strings shall begin to break O how happy is hee who can say Though I walk through the shadow of death yet will I fear no ill 〈◊〉 I know that the Lord is with mee Now this is the acceptable day and the year of salvation therefore do not delay but imbrace Christ lest death surprise you ere yee be aware and so the acceptable day be lost But unto these who think they may delay till death I say surely there are many damned atheists in hell that sometime did think as yee think I will make all wrongs right when death and I shall meet I hope that three dayes repentance will satisfie for all my wrongs for I am sure there are many in hell who did never get three dayes to think upon their former wayes Therefore O come come and imbrace Christ presently Now are yee all perswaded of this truth that yee shall once see death Then study a tender walking for believe me there are many of us who shall go thorow death with many bruised bones because of untender walking before God We know it is not the multitude of words can perswade you to imbrace Christ for many of you never minded the thing but believe mee death will pâ—each these things to you in a more terrible manner then wee can do at this time Therefore I say â—o each of you O prepare to meet thy God for if death finde you in an estranged estate from God I defy the Angels in Heaven to free you out of that estate And the day is coming wherein thou shalt cry out O slighter of the Great Salvation that I am I would give ten thousand worlds for one Sermon again that I once heard wherein Christ was freely offered to me when thou shalt bee tormented without hope of remedy Therefore While it is to day harden not your hearts for your late wishes shall not bee granted when yee are gone if yee make not haste O therefore Haste haste in time and come out from the land of your captivity and from the house of your bondage and take Christ for your Redeemer the guide of your youth and old age Now unto him who can lead you thorow all these steps betwixt you and heaven be eternal praise Amen FINIS