received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved By Truth is meant Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 1. 18. the saving Truth of the Gospel which is called the Word of Truth There is a Truth natural which the Heathens had and detained in Unrighteousness which brought Gods Wrath down from Heaven upon them There is a supernatural Truth from divine Revelation This is here meant the Abuse of which Truth highly provokes God to give up men judicially to the Delusions of Sin and the Devil and at last as the just Event and Effect of their rejecting the truth and believing Lies are damned These Wretches that receive not the Love of the truth are first punished with spiritual Judgments and then with eternal ones they are first blinded here judicially and then as the just Reward of their rejecting Christ the truth as it is in Jesus they are damn'd Having divided and opened the Text I shall lay down this one general Proposition viz. Doct. That God by Christ in just Judgment gives over such as are enemies to his Gospel to the Delusions of the Devil and their own Hearts to be hardned and blinded while others in Mercy are enlightned and converted by it That Gospel which makes the way of Salvation by Christ clear and evident to many souls who are in darkness and sit as in the shadow of Death to others thro' their Ignorance Prejudice and Malice and the righteous Judgment of God for their Perverseness and Infidelity proves a means to blind and harden their Hearts That Word and Gospel which to some is a Savour of Life unto Life to others thro' their Pride and Unbelief is a Savour of Death 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. unto Death In this sense these words agree with what was prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah He shall be for a sanctuary Isaiah 8. 14 15. speaking of Christ but for a stone of stumbling and for a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Israel For a Gin and for a Snare to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and many among them shall stumble and fall and be broken snared Luke 2. 34. and taken And with the words of good old Simeon to Mary the Mother of our Lord This Child is set says he for the Fall and Rising again of many in Israel and for a sign to be spoken against By the Fall and Rising again is here meant undoubtedly the Salvation and Damnation of many Christ will be the occasion of many Peoples Damnation even of all that reject him and his precious Gospel and believe not in him As Christ is the Cause of many Peoples Salvation even of all that believe and shall be saved Acts 4. 12. for there is no other Name by which men can be saved but by his So he is the Cause of their Damnation eventually and accedentually who oppose his Gospel and believes not in him for he that believeth not shall be damned This is the thing which Mark 16. 16. Christ tells us of in my Text and is spoken of by Paul Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of Offence whosoever believeth Rom. 9. 33. on him shall not be ashamed nor confounded For the opening of this weighty Point I shall first shew you what those sins are which provoke God and Christ to such a-degree as to blind and harden men by that means by which others are enlightened and softned Secondly Lay down some Conclusions for the better clearing up this great Truth Thirdly shew you how this stands with the Holiness and Goodness of God to give Men up to Blindness of Mind and Hardness of Heart to believe Lies that as Paul saith 2 Thes 2. 10 11. they may be damned Fourthly Then I shall sum up the whole with some practical Application O Lord God the Father of the Spirits of all Flesh help thy poor sinful Dust the meanest of all employed in thy Vineyard Give him thy holy Spirit and Wisdom from above to manage this great Point for thy Glory the good of Souls O! let him not darken Counsel by words without Knowledge but be led into all truth and cause it to shine transparently to the Convincing of the erroneous World the Conversion of sinners and the est ablishing thy Children in their most holy Faith c. for Jesus Christ's sake to whom with thy Self and eternal Spirit of Truth be Honour and Glory for ever Amen First I shall shew you what those sins are which provoke God to such a high degree as to give men over to Blindness under the Gospel Would you know what those sins are that provoke God to blind and harden many by the Word I 'll tell you in general They are sins against Knowledge and Light 1st Sins against the Light of Nature There are such sins which Paul speaks of that are of a provoking Nature and highly displeasing Rom. 1. 21 22. unto God When they knew God that is by the Light of Nature for the Light of the Word they had not as for his Judgements and his Statutes says the Psalmist they have not known them they glorified him Ps 147. 20. not as God but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Hearts were darkened These Heathens had the Light of Nature which was sufficient to let ' em know that there was a God and that He was not like a Man or a Beast or a creeping thing as they foolishly imagined for that which might be known of God is manifest Ver. 29. Ver. 20. in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are clearly seen What is seen Even his eternal Power and Godhead But how is this seen and understood Why by the things that are made So that they are without Excuse the Heavens declare Gods Psal 19. 1 2. Ver. 23. Glory and the Firmament shews his handy Work Now this Light they abused and misimproved they changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four footed Beasts thus they became vain in their own Imaginations For which cause God gave Ver. 24. them up to uncleanness thro' the Lusts of their own Hearts yea he gave them up to vile Affections and to a reprobate Mind or Ver. 26. to a mind void of Judgment to do those things which are not convenient Now if sins against the Light of Nature be of such an aggravating Nature as to provoke God to give up Persons to blindness of Mind What will sins against the Light of the Gospel do the greater the Light is that persons sin against the greater must their Sin be and the more provoking in the Sight of God Which brings me to the Second thing Namely sins against the Light of the Gospel these are great sin and provoke God highly to Anger to reject Christ and his Gospel and not receive the
are pure in their own eyes and yet Pro. 30. 12. were not wash'd from their filthyness Many think and flatter themselves that they are Rich and full and have need of nothing and know not that they are Poor Rev. 3. 15 16. and Blind Naked Wretched and Miserable Thus many deceive themselves and put a dreadful cheat upon their precious Souls But 3dly you have the predicate or thing spoken of by Christ to this People in these words For Judgmemt I am come into this World that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made Blind a startling and a wakening Word Before I lay down the Proposition I must a little open the word Judgment in the Text which will give great Light into it Judgment is taken many ways in the Holy Scripture 1st It is sometimes taken for the Just Statutes and Holy Commandements of God Ps 19. 9. the Judgments of the Lord says Ps 19. 9. David are Pure and Righteous altogether 2dly For punishments Inflicted upon Christ by God for our sins which we must have suffer'd in Hell had not he born them for us on Earth Acts. 8 and 33. In his Humiliation his Judgment was taken away and who can declare his Generation By humiliation here is meant the Grave and the bands of Death which Christ suffer'd and lay under for our Sins and by Judgment is meant the Hand says one and Counsels of God justly afflicting and punishing his Son our Surety for our Sins and sakes but this is not meant in our Text. 3dly It is taken sometimes for the moderation or measure which God keeps in Chastizing of his People O Lord Correct me says the Prophet but with Judgment let it be with measure and moderation not in thine Jer. 10. 24. Anger lest thou bring me to nothing God hath not ty'd himself not to Afflict his people he will debate with them but it shall be in measure he keeps time and measure with his in afflicting of them so that they cannot enter into Judgment with God But 4th for the Wrath and Vengeance of God which he Mat. 8. 28. will Execute upon Wicked Men at the last day the Lord says the Apostle will Come Jude 5. 15. with Ten thousand of his Saints to do what To Execute Judgment upon all that are Ungodly c. The day of Judgment will be a passing of an Irrevocable Sentence and Condemnation upon all that shall then be found Enemies to Christ and his Pure Gospel But lastly It is also sometimes taken for the Spirit of Wisdom and Justice to know and discern what is Right what is wrong what is Good and what is Evil. Give the King says the Pfalmist thy Judgments and thy Righteousness Psal 72. 1 2. to the King's Son but neither of these senses are meant in the Text. Quest What is then meant by Judgment Answ 1st Some by Judgment here understand the Eternal Counsel and Decree of God as if Christ had said I am come into this World to Execute the Righteous Will and Counsels of my Father and the Event of it is this viz. that some who saw not see and some who see in a sense are made blind This I conceive is not primarily meant here 't is true Christ came into the World to do the Will of his Father and John 6. 38. 39. to Execute his Eternal Purposes of Grace in the Salvation of Sinners by his Death but yet I cannot think that this is meant primarily by Judgement here tho' some great Men would have it so But Secondly Others by Judgement here understand the Sentence of Condemnation as if Christ had said I am come to execute the Judgement of Condemnation but this is not meant by it for if you take it in this Sense you 'll find it hardly reconcileable with what is said John 3. 18. God sent not his John 10. 10. Son to condemn the World but that the World thro' him might have life Christ's first coming was not as a Judge but as a Saviour he came not in the days of his Flesh to condemn Sinners but by his Death and bloody Luke 19. 10. Agony to save them from Hell and Wrath I had rather Fall in and acquiesce with those Divines that by Judgment here understand the spiritual Government of the World by Christ committed to him as Mediator by Christ committed to him as Mediator by God his Father and managed by him with perfect Equity and Righteousness Thus Judgement is sometimes taken in Scripture The Father says Christ judgeth no man that is but by his Son for he has commited all John 5. 22. 16. 11. Judgements to him thus it is understood in my Text God governs and judges the World now by his Son Christ that all men may honour him as they honour the Father and great part of this Government of the World by Christ was his promulging and publishing his everlasting Gospel which is called the word of Life the Power of God Phil. 2. 15. Rom. 1. 16. to the saving of them that believe and the Law of Faith The Effect of this is twofold 1st That they which see not might see i. e. that those poor Souls who are spiritually blind and so utterly unable to see and find the way that leads to Life might thro' the Spirit as this Man born blind saw clearly be enlightned into the saving Knowledge of Christ and of the divine Truths of the Gospel The second Effect is and a dreadful one too that they which See might be made Blind that is that those who think they see and boast of their Knowledge as these did might through their prejudice to the Gospel Infidelity be more Blind than they were from their Birth There are two things signifi'd in making persons blind first to keep men from seeing and knowing the Truth when the Light of it is set before them this is a dreadful judgment and how many are there in this miserable case they have the Light of the Word shining in the midst of them and yet they discern it not The Bible is a sealed Book to many they know nothing savingly and feelingly of the truths and mysteries of the Gospel Their eyes are blinded Psal 69. 23. that tho' the Light shine they cannot behold it is not the case of such Souls dreadful to whom the Gospel is hid yes says Paul if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost But 2dly To make blind is to increase Ignorance for the great Abuse of former Knowledge and Light this happened to them spoken of by Paul 2 Thes 2. 11 12. For this Cause God shall send them 2 Cor. 4. 4. strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie that they all might be damned who believe not the Truth but have pleasure in Vnrighteousness This is a dreadful Judgement but what is the Cause of it Verse 10th tells you Because they
thus severely with every sinner all are sinners against God but all are not blind and hardened sinners some are enlightened and called out of darkness into marvellous light Therefore 2dly These sinners thus blinded c. are such as have provoked the Most High to a very great degree shutting their eyes against the Light which shined upon them and contemning the means which he used to reclaim them such a Wretch was proud Pharoah first he hardened his heart and blinded his Exod. 7. 3. 4. own mind and then God said as a just punishment upon him that he would harden his heart c. Such Wretches were the Heathens mentioned by Paul they sinned prodigiously against the Light of Nature for which God in a way of judgment as have been hinted gave them up to Uncleanness Rom. 1. 28. thro' the Lusts of their own hearts and to a reprobate mind to do those things which were not convenient These People in my Text mentioned had sinned greatly against Light and trampled upon Christ and his Righteousness therefore God in a way of just Judgment upon them for their monstrous wickedness suffered them to be blinded while others in mercy were brought into Christ and savingly enlightned Now beloved this being rightly understood I appeal to all your Consciences that hear me this day That tho' this be a most tremendous Dispensation of God yet whether it be not very consistent both with the Holiness Justice and Kindness of God What do you think is it not just with God to punish Sinners to avenge him of his Adversaries Especially such as have wilfully shut their eyes lest the Light of the Gospel should shine upon them and they should convert and Christ heal them What saith Christ of such wretches I spoke to them in Parables in dark sayings because in seeing they see not and in hearing they hear Mat. 13. 13 14 15 not neither do they understand This Peoples heart is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heal them Such Sinners as these you will say deserved to be punished and sent to Hell for their abominable wickedness Now if it be just and righteous in God to turn such Rebels into Hell for their Sins Why should it not be just in him to seal them up now to that Damnation Why may not God leave such destitute of his Grace and give them over to a reprobate Mind and to a hard Heart and yet be just and righteous Are there any of you that doubt whether this be consistent with the Goodness and Holiness of God Let me ask you this one Question viz. May not God deny the means of grace to whom he pleaseth and yet be a holy and Question a righteous God you will say Yes For he is not bound to give it to any Why then may not God deny it to and withdraw it from them in Judgement that have abused his patience and turned the Doctrine of Grace into wantonness Doth God give up men to Satan and to their Lusts to be seduced and hardned Are not these his Instruments in punishing Sinners And may not the just and holy God use what Instruments he please for the Execution of his wrath for Sin But here you will multiply Objections against what I have said which I shall briefly Answer Some of you will say Is not Blindness of Ob. 1 Mind and Hardness of Heart Sin How then can the holy God blind and harden any and not be the Author of sin Hardness and Blindness is not of God Ans 1 simply or as it is sin but only accidentally as it is the Punishment of sin If Sin be considered in its self in its true Nature as it is a Defect and a Transgression of Gods 1. John 3. 4. holy and righteous Law surely none can be the Author of it but he that doth it and perswades and invites to the doing of it James 1. 14. 15 Now God he neither doeth evil nor commandeth nor infuseth that Lust and Sin that is exercised and committed by ungodly men therefore he is not the Author of it But if you consider sin as the Punishment of sin so the Permission of it is but a just Dispensation of God and a judicial Act. Now surely God may be the Author of his own Judgements without being the Author of Sin But 2dly You must know that there is a difference between Hardness and Hardning Ans 2 Blindness and Blinding Blindness and Hardiness is a sin but to blind and harden is not always so Remember that Blindness is not from God as a sin but as a just Judgement upon some for hardning their own Hearts It is not possible saith Hos 13. 9. Rom. 14. 4. one that we should sin by him by whom we repent and rise from sin it is from God that we stand from our selves that we fall So that God is not the Author of Sin in giving men up to blindness of mind to believe Lies God say some is not angry with his own works but he is with men for their Ob. 2 blindness and hardness therefore he can no ways be said to harden and blind Hardness and Blindness as it is a sin and Answer the cause of Sin so it is not of nor from God but as it is a just Punishment of sin so it is of and from him who being highly provoked is pleased that the Obstinacy of the wicked should be thus punished So that tho' this be not God's Work as it is sin yet it is his Work as it is a Judgment But 3dly God saith others giveth Occasions Ob. 3 to men that their Hearts may be blinded and hardened c. This is true in a sense but remember Answer it is thro' the Lusts and Corruptions of mens Hearts that they became such Occasions Like as a rebellious Son is the more hardned by the Kindness and Benignity of his Parents The Miracles which God shewed in Aegypt and which Christ wrought before the Jews and Pharisees and the Sermons which he and the Apostles preached had not in themselves any Tendency to produce such an Effect as this of blindness Yet these you see through the Lusts of their hearts were occasions of their hardning The Mistress of a house says one does not think that she is accessary to her servants Theft because she suffereth Plate to go freely about the House for the use of the Family which possibly is a Temptation to the Lust of her Servant to make him or her steal God beloved doth great things Psal 145. 17. in the world and shews much Kindness to the Sons of men he gives them freely of his Mercies and sends his word unto them Psal 105. 25. which to many thro' their Corruption is an Occasion of their hardning The