former part of the tenth Chapter Now in the Epistle to the Hebrews the Apostle clearly shews that Christ was the substance of those things whereof the Ceremonies were shadows and that as Moses taught outwardly onely so Christ alone teacheth inwardly powerfully and effectually writing his Lawes in the hearts of his people So that all as I conceive that can be truly gathered out of these words is that the inward effectuall teaching or writing of the Law upon the heart is the proper and peculiar work of Christ and he was therefore to be preferred farre above Moses so highly magnified by the Jewes who being but a Minister could onely teach outwardly CHAP. III. IF the great work of Christ our Saviour be the saving of his people from their sins then this may informe us how to answer an argument of the Papists against two points of Doctrine wherein we with the Reformed Churches differ from them The first is the Doctrine of Iustification The second is the Doctrine of assurance of Salvation In the Doctrine of Iustification say they that which maketh us righteous before God and causeth us to be accepted to life everlasting is remission of sinnes and the habits of inward righteousnesse or Charity with the fruits thereof We deny the habits of righteousnesse or Sanctification to be the thing by which in whole or in part we are to be justified in the sight of God either as satisfactory to Justice or Meritorious of Reward and affirme that we are justified by Faith in Christ alone without the deeds of the Law They object among many other Arguments that our way of Justification by Faith alone is the way to banish good workes out of the world and to open a gate for carnall liberty To which our Divines usually answer that we are justified by Faith alone but not by such a Faith as is alone that it is such a Faith as worketh by love and brings forth the fruits of righteousnesse And although we do not doe good works to be justified by them as any part of our legall righteousnesse yet the practice of good workes we hold most necessary for many other good reasons But not intending to give any account of those many reasons we assigne let us consider what answer this Doctrine in hand will afford Saving Faith is to accept of and embrace Christ for Salvation to wit that we may have that Salvation applyed to us which he hath purchased for us and what that is hath been already shewed to wit Salvation from sinne and not meerely from wrath for sinne This is Salvation both in Scripture-sense and language as you have heard at large Christ did not purchase our Salvation piece-meale neither doth he bestow it piece-meale neither can we receive it piece-meale he will be a whole Saviour or no Saviour He that believes that he may be saved believes that he may be saved from the whole misery of his Soul which is both sin and wrath and he that doth not thus believe doth not saveingly believe and he that doth thus believe in Christ or embrace him leaves no room for carnall liberty If we phansie to our selves such a salvation as Scripture speakes not of and then draw absurdities from the Doctrine of Salvation by Faith alone the absurdity will returne upon the misapprehension of the Objectors If a Man should say he believes in Christ to be saved from sinne and not from wrath our Adversaries I suppose would not call that saving Faith and we have lesse cause to call that saving Faith that professeth to believe in Christ to be saved from wrath and not from sinne as appeares by the arguments confirming the Doctrine Christ as our whole Saviour to wit from both those evils is the adaequate object of saving Faith which is therefore both Justifying and Sanctifying Faith and not a Carnall or Licentious Faith or rather phantasie as they make it Were there no evill that we should be saved from by believing but onely that of suffering the wrath of God for sinne their argument might seem to have the greater strength although it would then be found too weak But when the Soule looks upon sin it selfe as the great enemy from which Christ came to save his people and flies to Christ that it may obtaine deliverance how can it at the same time give welcome entertainment to sinne Is it possible for a Man to have fellowship and communion with pleasure and delight and without feare with a man that he is flying from as his most mortall adversary hasting to a place of refuge to be secured from him 2. They object likewise against the Doctrine of assurance of Salvation We affirming that there may be a certainty and infallibility by Faith l Faith together with experience of speciall Grace wrought in the heart gives us assurance of Salvation they asserting that we can only have a probability by hope arguing that the Doctrine of certainty of Salvation tends to carnall security to which we may likewise answer out of this Doctrine That if Christ came to save his people from their sinnes it would be a contradiction to assert that a Man may be assured of his Salvation at the same time while he allowes himself in carnall security which is reall bondage He that deliberately allowes himselfe in a course of carnall liberty may thereby assure himselfe that he is not in a state of Salvation for 't is evident that he lies under the great evil that Christ came to save his people from and it may be truly said to such a Man as Peter said to Simon Magus Thou hast neither part nor lot in this Matter of Salvation for thy heart is not right in the sight of God thou art in the gall of bitternesse Act. 8.21 and bond of iniquity In this objection of theirs there would be likewise the more appearance of strength although not strength enough to their purpose did Salvation consist onely in being justified and so delivered from Gods avenging wrath But if the Master-piece of our Salvation be to be saved from sin it selfe as hath been proved how can it be supposed that assurance of Salvation should give liberty to sin 2. Hence it is no wonder that a child of God after falling into grosse sinnes or more then ordinary remissenesse in the service of God should upon the triall of his Estate want assurance of Salvation If Christ came to save his people from their sins can his people be assured of Salvation while they goe on carelesly in sinning It is true a misguided or sleepy conscience may forbeare to molest or trouble a man that hath let loose the reines to carnall liberty but a cleer awakened conscience will not speak peace in such a case as this When David had fallen into those foule sinnes of Adultery and Murder no sooner was his Conscience awakened but he was at a losse for the comfortable assurance of his Salvation his inward joy and peace were drowned
more but what may be retorted again in like manner I know not If he shall say as some do Christ hath repented believed and done all for thee It may be answered so you say he did for Cain and Judas if he did as much for every man as for any man and yet they are damned If he shall say Christ will give thee a believing penitent heart and will take away thy hard and stony heart this destroyes their own tenet for then there is some speciall grace purchased for and bestowed upon one which another hath no share in But I will not now trouble you with the controversie at large onely for your help to satisfie your selves and silence gainsayers consider what hath been already laid down in the foregoing discourse Christ hath by his own blood obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 And this redemption is from dead works to serve the living God as you may see ver 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God See likewise cap. 10.9 10.14 Then said I Loe I come to doe thy will O God By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Thus we see he hath redeemed his people from all iniquity as the Apostles expression is Tit. 2.14 He hath purchased for them perfect eternall Sanctification Faith and Repentance which the Gospel requires Christ gives unto his people as a part of what he hath purchased for them He gives repentance unto Israel Acts 5.31 He is Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 It is from the fulnesse of his Purchase as well as of the fulness of the Grace that dwells in him that his people do receive Christ hath purchased the beginning increase and perfection of all sanctifying and saving grace for his people And herein hath he done more for his people than for others herein hath he done much more for Abel Jacob Peter than for Cain Esau Judas Here is enough to make a partition wall between the Elect and Reprobate 5. This will likewise inform us wherein the multitude of carnal people among us deceive themselves in their accepting of Christ for their Savior They look upoÌ„ Christ as coming to save them from the wrath of God onely that is due unto them for sin and they are willing to be saved by him We doubt not but the vilest sinner that delighteth in his abominations who saith he is willing that Christ should save him from the wrath of the Almighty speake truth We need not question but any man would be willing to be saved from the flames of Hel yea the Devils themselves would not refuse to be delivered from them for nature it self abhorres sufferings Who would be willing to go to a place of everlastâ—ng torment But true faith accepts of Christ as a perfect Saviour to save the soule from all its misery both of sin and suffering And this is the main difference between the faith of a child of God and the Faith of the ignorant and carnall multitude There is not the prophanest wretch but would be willing that God should be reconciled unto him blotting out his sins but how hard a matter is it to perswade a sinner to be reconciled unto God willingly parting with his sins All the wooing intreating beseeching and the best Rhetorick we can use is too little to prevaile 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God So saith Peter Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul This is indeed the great and main work of the Ministers of the Gospel to perswade sinners to accept of Christ for salvation from Sinne sinne is the mire that carnall persons stick in and are unwilling to be drawn out of 6. This will also informe us who they are that are the best Gospel preachers that most exalt the riches and grace of Christ undoubtedly those that preach Christ a Saviour from sinne as well as from the fruit and effects of sinne Many thinke there is no Gospel-preaching but onely the preaching of pardon and remission of all sin to the worst of sinners If we preach the doctrine of Sanctification that is accounted Legall doctrine but if we perswade swearers drunkards and the worst of sinners that they have nothing to do but believe their sins are pardoned already and that the legal work of repenting watching striving against sin and care to please God must not be regarded then we shall be extolled for preachers of free-grace Alas poor mistaken souls are Christ and Grace onely exalted in the pardon of sin and must we take no heed to the sanctification of sinners Is it a Gospel-work to preach Christ as having taken away suffering the fruit of sin and is it a legall Doctrine to preach Christ for the destruction of sin that is the cause of suffering and the worst of evils You have pretended to be admirers of Free-grace if you are so indeed you may here stand and wonder with your selves at your gross mistake and that you have admired the grace of Christ no more You have amired that murder persecution witchcraft blasphemy and the like should be forgiven that Manasseh Paul and many of the Jews that crucified Christ should be freely pardoned you have been ready to cry Grace grace riches of grace grace abounding and super-abounding to such a work as this 'T is true there is cause enough to magnâ—fie this wonderfull work of Christ and we may well say This is the Lords doing and it is mervailous in our eyes I would not willingly in the least dimmish this pardoning grace of Christ Yet come and behold and admire Grace once more to wit the sanctifying Grace of Christ Is it not a wonder to see the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the falling together and a little Child to lead them To see the Cow and the beare feed and their young ones lie down together and the Lion eat straw like an Ox To see a sucking Child play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child put his hand upon the Cockatrice den Isa 11.6 7 8. To see a Sinner become a Saint 2 Chr. 33. Gal. 1.23 1 Cor. 10.20 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Joh. 1.3 to see a Sorcerer become a sincere Worshipper of the Living God To see a furious Persecutor become a painfull Preacher of that Faith which once he destroyed To see those that had formerly communion with Devils to be made partakers of the Divine nature
and to be called into fellow ship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Here is matter of admiration indeed Stand here and pause a little see whether you have not more cause than before to cry out O the breadth length and depth and height of the grace of Christ The soule that is betrothed to Christ in holinesse may much more say in this case what David said when he was advanced from a mean family to great dignity Lord Who am I and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto Here may we likewise say with the Psalmist Psal 8.4 What is man Lord that thou art mindfull of him and the Son of man that thou so visitest him And are not they to be esteemed the most faithfull preachers of the Gospel who shun not to reveale unto the people both parts of the Counsell and Grace of Christ but shew forth the glory of his sanctifying as well as of his justifying work Beware then I beseech you of the dangerous way of admiring grace against grace which is indeed to destroy grace Take heed of hearkning to them that so much contemne the doctrine of Sanctification by Christ under pretence of exalting Chrâ—st The Doctrine of the grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly justly and godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. Paul teacheth us that it is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners but not to save them in their sins that were a contradiction but to save them from their sins There is in him plenteous redemption and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal 130. ult and he saves them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Hebr. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the perfection of all And were it so that Christ should save us from wrath and not from sin he would be but an imperfect Saviour for it would be but a halfe salvation nor so much neither But Christ doth not leave his work imperfect those that are his redeemed ones are compleat in him Col. 2.10 he justifies them he sanctifies them and so saves them And he that will be a faithful Minister of Christ must preach justificatioÌ„ sanctification which are inseparable It is no marvell if Antinomian teachers carry the multitude after them When they shall teach them that there needs no sorrow for sin no repentance no such care to please God that God takes no notice of their sins nor is displeased with them for sin it is no strange thing if those that are in love with their lusts do folow applaud approve them when they cannot bear the plain dealings of a faithfull Minister of Christ who tells them they cannot have Christ and their lusts too That the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men That the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God That if they will be saved by Christ they must be content to have their iniquities destroyed they must be saved from their sins for they and their sins cannot be saved together It is no marvaile I say to see those loose sort of Teachers gain a multitude of imaginary Converts How easie a matter is it to make a Proselite of a worldling if he may have Christ and his Mammon too or a voluptuous man if he may have Christ and his carnall pleasuers too And who would not have Christ when he shall be taught to deny or part with nothing not so much as a beloved lust for Christ Such clawing teachers are fit to please men of itching ears and such rotten doctrine hath undoubtedly made so many unsound Professors as we see of late How many Antinomian pretenders to more than ordinary Christians have attained to do we see that give way to intemperate drinking lascivious jesting defrauding and many other evils If Solomon when the two women pleaded their cause before him concluded that she was indeed the Mother of the Child whose yerning bowels pleaded against the dividing of it knowing that was the ready way to destroy it Let the wise discern betwixt us and our Antinomian Adversaries which of the two is upright in his cause and whether a divided Christ be like to prove a living and quickning Saviour We may here with the Apostles of Christ lift up our voice to God with one accord Acts 4.24 to 29. and say Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things The Kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done But this thou in mercy hast ordered to the saving of thy people But now behold a combination of Antinomians Familists and licentious Libertines with evil hearts and wicked hands have what in them lies divided and separated the saving work of thy Son Jesus Christ contrary to the revealed will to the ruine and destruction of many thousand soules And grant unto thy servants that they may with all boldnesse speak thy word not dawbing with untempered mortar but plainly telling Iudah of her sins and Ierusalem of her transgressions that so they may through thine effectual grace be instruments of recovering many from this snare of the Devil who are now led captive by him at his will 7. If the great work of Christ be the saving of his people from their sins this wil further inform us who they are that are the best Christians that have most interest in Christ even those that are the most saved from their sins that have their corruptions most mortified that are the most meek humble self denying obedient Christians and not they that are most in shew and outward appearance This I speak because I see most judge by a wrong rule both of themselves and others in point of Christianity I have heard some highly applauding such as talk and seem to know much while they complaine of their own ignorance want of expression inability in comparison of them calling the other able Christians And we see in this talkative age those that talk much to be renowned among many while the modest humble hearted are little set by I have sometime seen a Gallant in gold and silver lace strutting in great state and perhaps not so much worth in all the world beside as the clothes upon his back To this man many do reverence ignorantly apprehending him to be some honourable person when they regardlesly pass by another man in plain habit
heart that God especially calls for Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thy heart With the head man assenteth to the truth of God but with the heart man consenting believeth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 that is justifying faith is seated chiefly in the heart I doe not exclude the understanding The head inventeth words but the heart inditeth matter for prayer and praise My heart is inditing a good matter saith David Psal 45.1 The head may dictate to the tongue but grace frameth and fixeth the heart for duty Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Here the heart leadeth the way to the outward service calling upon awakening the tongue Psaltery and Harp ver 8. Awake my glory that is my tongue which is therefore called our glory because it is the instrument wherewith man glorifies God compare Psal 16.9 with Acts 2.26 and you shall finde that that which the Psalmist calleth the glory the Apostle translateth the tongue in quoting that text Therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad 2. True Grace is also much in the feet of a Christian I mean the exercise of grace is in the course of life and conversation not excluding the inward exercise which is called our way wherein we are to walk according to the Word of God Thus also in the new Covenant God promiseth as to write his lawes in the hearts of his people so to cause them to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36.27 Psal 119.59 I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies ver 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way ver 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Walking is an act of continuance and imports the constant course of life in such Scripture-phrases as these Thus saith David Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord yea Grace causeth not onely to walk but also to run in the waies of God Thus likewise saith David Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy commandements Thus Paul I therefore so run not as uncertainly 1 Cor 9.26 and he exhorteth us v. 24. So run that ye may obtain Gifts have been and are still much abused but Grace cannot be misimplied The strivings hot contendings fearfull schismes and factions in the Church of Corinth were made through the pride and vainglory of the gifted men among them There were so many tongues and so many speakers puffed up with self-conceit that those gifts which were given them for edification were abused to ostentation and confusion in their solemn meetings which Paul corrects as we read at large 1 Cor. 14. What is the cause of our sad divisions and the great disorder that we are grown into but this that men play the wantons with the gifts that God hath given them Scripture tells us knowledge puffs up 1 Cor 8.2 And when men are swoln with pride 't is no mervaile if they break out into contention for saith Solomon Onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13.10 Let then the most humble peaceable selfe-denying serious Christian be accounted the best and let grace be ever preferred before gifts Lastly if Christs great work be the saving of his people from their sins this informes us that a soule given up to a state of sin is in a most sad condition No judgement like that of being given up to a reprobate sense and vile affections Had we stood with Abraham and seen Sodom flaming and smoking with fire and brimstone and so terrible wrath from Heaven consuming her inhabitants would not our hearts have aked within us at so dreadfull a sight But that which righteous Lot saw while he lived among them which vexed his soul from day to day even their filthy and unlawfull deeds was in itself a sight far more grievous to behold Men are apt to judge that God is highly displeased with those that fall under some remarkable temporall judgement but little regard his wrath in giving up soules to sinne yea a seeming judgement sometimes begets an hasty and rash censure When the Viper fastned upon Pauls hand no doubt said the Barbarians this man is a murtherer whom though he hath escaped the Sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live Acts 28.4 And had Job lived in our daies we should have had many ready to charge him in the depth of his misery with wickedness and hypocrisie as his friends did But beloved there is a sort of vengeance from heaven that lies upon the greatest part of the world and upon many among us which is little regarded and that is Gods leaving men up to their own hearts lusts Rom. 1.24 26. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleannesse through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their bodies betweene themselves and ver 26. For this cause God gave them up to vile affections To the like purpose speaketh Solomon Prov. 22.14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein And 't is well reckoned by the Psalmist among the heavy judgements upon Israel in the Wilderness that when they lusted exceedingly tempted God he gave them their request but sent leannesse into their souls Ps 106.14 16. Ps 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken unto my voice I rael would none of me so I gave them up unto their owne hearts lusts they walked in their own counsels the judgement upon evil men seduce is that they shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 And were it well considered we might observe the remarkable judgement of God upon many in these times How many of those that waxed wanton and despised the precious Truths and Ordinances of God are now given up to swearing drunkennesse whoredome and such like abominable wickednesse Had these men been smitten with lightning and thunderbolts from heaven for their departure from the waies of righteousnesse we should have been ready to say this is the finger of God Certainely God hath already pointed them out more sadly by the heaviest plagues in that they have been given up to hellish blasphemies and to work wickednesse with greedinesse and his hand in this is more heavy upon them than if we had seen them fall dead in our streets As it is the Saints happinesse that their little grace shall be improved so is it the misery of a multitude of seared Sinners that their filthy and vile affections shall be still increased as it is written Revel 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still CHAP. IV. IF the great work of Christ our Saviour be the saving of his people from their sins Use of Reproof then this reproves those that do what in them lies to hinder this
composed wherein we have an Encomium of their happy condition If it was Jerusalems happinesse then to be so united is it not her misery to be so divided If it were a lovely sight then to see the tribes of the Lord going up together to give thanks to the Lord how sad a sight is it now to see the Tribes going some one way some another building Temple against Temple and rearing Altar against Altar The Souldiers that parted the Garment of Christ would rather cast lots than divide his seamlesse Coat but those that cause division and contention in the Church spare not to rend not the coat but the mysticall body of Christ The Jews that crucified pierced Christ his hands and his feet but those that cause divisions in the Church set him upon the rack to rend limb from limb and member from member as is intimated in the words of Paul to the Church of Corinth when they were full of factions and schismes 1 Cor. 1.13 Is Christ divided If Christ cried out Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when he persecuted his Church and made havock of it and accounted it as an intolerable injury done unto himself not onely because he hath a sympathising affection with his Church but also because his Church is his Body and is called Christ to wit Christ mysticall 1 Cor. 12.12 Verily Christ might take up a greater complaint against those who by their divisions subdivisions would teare him limb-meale and if Paul were smitten down unto the earth when he heard the voice of Christ from heaven methinks those that are Dividers in the Church should be pierced to the heart if they did but consider and minde the many affectionate calls of Christ in his Word for unity and peace and the sad complaints by reason of divisions and contentions and his judgements threatned against the authors and promoters of them Consider but that one threatning Rom. 2.8 9 But to them that are contentious indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish We live in times wherein we have great expectation of the fulfilling of glorious Gospell-prophecies and promises and I doubt not but those that concerne the unity and peace of the Church are to be numbred amongst them Zeph. 3.9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Jer 32.39 And I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever Neither will these be esteeemed the meanest Gospel-mercies for it is said in the latter end of that verse For the good of them and their children after them But how farre are we from the accomplishment of these things yea what probability is there of it in our daies q O miseram Christi Ecclesiam quae subinde veteribus optimis patribus ac doctoribus orbatur ae novis verō imperitis ac furiosis hominibus invaditur dilaniatur Zanch. ep ad Bulling If one heart and one way be for the good of a people and their children after them as that fore-mentioned text tells us then our heart-divisions and different waies are to be looked upon as a sore evil both to us and our children after us And 't is much to be feared that the children that are yet unborne will fare the worse for our present breaches Think not that the dislike of any one party alone or sinister respects lead me to speak thus much against dividing practises Judge not my reproof and complaint to be superfluous neither plead for this as Lot did for Zoar say not 't is a little one but heare a little besides what is already spoken what further aggravations of this evill are found in Scripture 1. Consider how plain are the words of Paul Rom 16.17 18. Now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple When the Apostle bids us mark and avoid them doth he not rank them with profane and grosse sinners we are commanded to withdraw from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thes 3.6 And saith Paul 1 Cor. 5 11. If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one eate not If the command of withdrawing from such and the prohibition of eating with such is because they are scandalous the argument is of force to prove Church dividers to be scandalous also for the Apostle enjoyns us to avoid them as he commands us to avoid fornicators c. therefore are Church-dividers equall yea I might adde and justly too more dangerous sinners Fornicators Swearers Drunkards and such like are accounted grosse Sinners and so they are and unfit for Christian communion because their abiding within unreformed tends to the ruine of the Church but how is it that they that are of rending and dividing principles and practises are not esteemed scandalous also when Scripture speaks so much against them and their practises tend more immediately to the Churches overthrow Breaches in the roof and walls of an house by which raine beats in and rots the timber-work will cause a decay and ruine of the whole in time if not repaired But pulling beam from beam post from post and rafter from rafter is the most speedy way to ruine the house Godly persons are or ought to be carefull to avoid communion with grosse sinners and some judge it necessarily infectious if they communicate at the Lords table with a scandalous person Whosoever is of that minde and judgement should be as fearfull to receive the Sacrament with a wilfull Church-divider as with a common Drunkard But when the Apostle saith Obj. marke them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine ye have learned and avoid them we must understand it of those that divide by some hereticall and false doctrine onely and not of those that dissent in some smaller matters about Discipline or the like Answ 1. Whatever the Apostle particularly intended I am sure the doctrine of Unity Peace and Love is none of the least of what our Saviour Christ and his Apostles taught and those then that cause divisions and offences teach and act expresly contrary to so great a truth and a most necessary duty 2. If there be an unity in the truth with those from whom they divide how will they justifie their practice when they make a causelesse breach Nay will it not aggravate their sinne Impium enim sacrilegum est divortium quo in Christi veritate consentiunt distrahere For it is a wicked and sacrilegious divorce to pull those asunder who consent in the truth of Christ r Scismaticos facit non diversa fides sed communionis disrupta societas Aug.
enemy therefore when Sathan had overcome Eve he makes use of her to tempt her husband as being a more likely way to prevaile than to treat with him himself Thus he made use of Solomons wives to draw him to Idolatry For this cause the Lord forbad the Israelits to make marriages with Idolaters Deut. 7.3 4. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son For they will turne away thy son from following me that they may serve other Gods And Paul giveth the like admonition to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.14 Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers And as the Lord warned the Israelites of the danger that would insue upon the making of such Marriages so accordingly it befell them when they transgressed this command Their strange wives became a snare to them Judges 3.5 6. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites Hittites Amorites Perisites Hivites and Jebusites And they tooke their daughters to be their wives and they gave their daughters to their sons served their gods It was Sampsons Delilah that betrayed him into the hands of the Philistims And how is it found by sad experience that such as yoke themselves unequally for carnall advantages are much insnared in their spirituall condition When Marriages are made the infidelity or prophanenesse of the one party is not sufficient to make a necessary divorce but the believing and spirituall are to do what they can to win the unbelieving and carnall yet when persons are free they had best take heed how they intangle themselves And wo to that person that becomes a snare Thou that art an inticing husband canst thou not be content to perish alone but thou must needs draw thy wife to the same eternall ruine with thee Thou that art an inticing wife canst thou not be satisfied to perish alone but thou must draw thy husband to the same everlasting torment with thee must you needs go to hell by couples As those that have been happy instruments in saving their yoke-fellows shall reap the everlasting comfort of it So on the contrary it will be an everlasting torment to those husbands and wives who have been Sathans instruments in destroying each others soules O consider this and lay it to heart before it be too late The last way I shall mention of hindring the saving of people from their sins is by persecution Although now there is not blessed be God such open persecution with violence as in the dayes of Popish Kings and Rulers with fire and faggot and other waies of torture Yet the scornes decisions and abuses that have been offered to the waies and servants of God have been a great means to hinder some by discouraging them in the way to turn others out of the good way wherein they were going In these times I confess a slight forme of godlinesse and some smooth words About matters of Religion especially the arguing of controversies in divers opinions is in great credit and much in fashion and the upper garment of Saint ship is the very livery of the times we live in But the power of godlinesse is but here and there found and serious Christian practice hath little savour and acceptance He that will be a Christian indeed shall be reviled by the profane party on the one hand for his precisenesse and scorned and vilified by our Novelists on the other hand as a Legallist and Formalist as one that trusts to and hopes to be saved by his duties Is not ancient serious christian practice every where spoken against by the wantons of our age who account old stedfast professors no better than Pharisees and Selfe-justitiaries It was a cruell practice of Paul before his conversion that he persecuted the Saints shutting many of them up in prison and gave his voyce against them when they were to be put to death and that he punished them oft in every Synagogue and being exceedingly mad against them persecuted them even to strong cities but the most mischievous of all was that he compelled them to blaspheme Acts 26 10 11. The other were but temporal sufferings this a spirituall mischief So now may we say it was a murtherous practice in Bonner and others that burned the Saints in the daies of Queen Mary but of far more evil consequence is the sin of those that by scoffs and scornes at the power of godlinesse under specious pretences have deluded many simple soules causing them to blaspheme the ancient tried and approved wayes of God and rejoice in it as if they had done God good service O how doth this confirm the ungodly in the midst of their wickednesse and cause many that began to minde Religion to take up with a slight Antinomian profession and go no further And how sad is it to heare many talk of Gospel liberty and Saints priviledges applying all to themselves while they are in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity their lives conversations plainly declaring that they are as great strangers to the worth of Regeneration as ever Nichodemus was And while they promise liberty they bring themselves into real bondage 2 Pet. 2.18 19. Whosoever thou art that hast had a hand in managing this will of the Devil to secure poor Soules in the midst of their sins as it were bidding them sleep on and take their rest crying peace peace where there is no peace know that a fearfull woe belongs to thee the blood of those soules which thou hast destroyed will be required at thy hands Suppose thou hadst seen the vision of John in the opening of the fifth Seal Rev. 6.9 10. and hadst beheld under the Altar the Soules of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held and hadst heard them crying with a loud voyce saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwel on the Earth wouldst thou not have blessed thy selfe from being of the number of them that should have a hand in their blood But there will a louder and more direfull cry from poor damned soules in hell be lifted up for vengeance against thee even those whom thou hast destroyed by teaching them to spurn at the power of godlinesse The Martyrs that were slain died but temporally to live eternally but those poor Soules whom thou hast taught to score at holinesse indeed must die eternally and without recovery O that all these sorts of hinderers of the work of Christ in saving people from their sinnes had but this reproof set home upon their hearts O that seducing Teachers mischievous Dividers scandalous Ministers and others exemplary for wickednesse that enticing Sinners and self-admiring Scorners at Godlinesse had but the loud cry of dying souls that by their means perish in their wickedness continually ringing in their eares that it might be a means to recover them out
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which shall believe on him to life everlasting 1 Tim. 1.15 16. 4. Consider how averse thou wast to the work of grace upon thy owne-soul Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is enmity against God not an enemy but enmity it selfe The saving mercy then thou sharest in was neither deserved nor so much as desired by thee yet the Lord pitied thee when thou wast in thy blood and hadst not an heart to pity thy selfe and said unto thee live he hath prevented thee with his goodnesse and was found of thee when thou soughtest him not O let thy heart and mouth be filled with the high praises of God and c Tamen quod nos oneratos obrutosque peccatis à contemplatione suae lucis aversos ac tenebrarum id est iniquitatis dilectione caecatos non omnino deseruit Misitque nobis verbum suum qui est unicus ejus filius quo pro nobis in assumptae carne nato atque pâ—sso quanti Deus hominem penderet nosceremus atque illo sacrificio singulari à peccatis omnibus mundaremur ejusque spiritu in cordibus nostris dilectione diffusa omnibus difficultatibus superatis in aeternam requiem contemplationis ejus ineffabilem dulcedinem veniremus Quae corda quae linguae ad agâ—ndas ei gratias satis esse contenderint Aug. de civ Dei l. 7. c 31. Quantum tibi sumus debitores Domine Deus noste tanti redempti pretio tanto salvati mysterio tanto gratis adjuti benificio Quantum à nobis miseris es timendus amandus honoâ—andus reverendus laudandus benedicendus qui sic nos amasti salvasti sanct ficasti sublimasti Quis diâ—ere quis cogitare sufficiat Aug conf Theo. par 2. c. 14. say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed my soule and hath raised me up a horn of salvation My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the low estate of my forlorn soule He that is mighty hath done great things for me and holy is his name and his mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy spirituall diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with his loving kindnesse and tender mercies I will blesse the Lord while I have a day to live yea the terme of this life is too short to praise thy name O Lord. O let my soule for ever live that being filled with the fulnesse of God and love of Christ which passeth knowledge I may admire and praise the breadth and length and depth and height of thy richest grace and may with the heavenly quire of Angels sing blessing and glory and honour to God in the highest and to the lamb of God that taketh away my sin who sitteth upon the throne to all eternity Amen Hallelujah Exh. 5. Blesse God for every act of sin the Lord hath delivered thee from so far as thou canst observe it Hath Satan at any time assaulted thee with his temptations or hast thou been sorely endangered by thy own corrupt inclinanation to commit sin and hath the Lord prevented thee by any meanes whatsoever Thou hast cause to blesse his name If we have gotten a remarkable victory in warre we take it for our duty to set apart a day of thanksgiving for it If we are recovered from sickness or delivered from any eminent temporall danger we think we are bound to returne praise to God and so we are And should we not be as thankfull yea more thankfull for Gods manifold gracious preservations of us from spirituall dangers Suppose thou wert travailing on a journey with a great charge of money about thee and a company of robbers set upon thee and when their hands were in thy pockets and their Swords and pistols at thy brest God should by a speciall providence bring passengers that way who come in in the very nick of time to save thee both from wounding and robbing Wouldst thou not looke upon it as a speciall favour and be thankfull to God for so great a deliverance and be thankfull and loving to those that came in for thy help Thus is it in thy spirituall condition Thou art as a wayfaring man travailing towards home and thou carriest a precious treasure about thee and how oft hath Satan and his instruments set upon thee to rob thee of what they can and wound thy soule And how oft hath the Lord delivered thee by sending in seasonable checks of conscience motions of his spirit reproofs counsels and advice of Christian friends and instructions by his messengers whereby thou hast been delivered And hast thou not cause to blesse the Lord for thy preservation and for the meanes whereby thou wast preserved Are not spirituall dangers greater then temporall and is not the consequence of them more dangerous if they prevaile And is not the mercy of such a deliverance the more highly to be prized 1 Sam. 25. and God more highly to be praised David hath herein given us a very pertinent example When he sent his servants to Nabal for provision and Nabal returned them back empty with a churlish answer David partly by the instigation of Satan and partly by the heat of his own provoked passion rashly resolved to destroy Nabal all that pertained to him before the morning light and was marching up with four hundred men at his heeles for the execution of his purpose But the Lord sent in Abigail by his gracious providence with seasonable and spiritual counsel whereby David was prevented of the execution of the evil he had intended Now David was presently apprehensive of so great a mercy See how heartily he blesseth God for keeping him from the sin of self-revenge and blesseth the instrument also whereby he was preserved 1 Sam. 25.32 33. And David said to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath sent thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand And again ver 39. When David heard that Nabal was dead he said blessed be the Lord that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and hath kept his servant from evil Thus consider with thy self Hath the Lord at any time delivered thee from the attempts of thy spiritual enemies whether by violent onsets or by more subtill contrivances Call upon thy heart to affectionate praise and thanksgiving for so great a