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
SALVATION FROM SINNE BY JESVS CHRIST OR The Doctrine of SANCTIFICATION which is the greater part of our SALVATION founded upon CHRIST who is both the Meritorious and Efficient cause of Sanctifying Grace purchasing it for working perfecting it in his people Applied as it was specially intended for the better information of our Judgements and quickning of our Affections in holiness wherein our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth Preached in the weekly Lecture at Evesham in the County of Worcester By GEORGE HOPKINS M. A. Minister of the Gospel there JOHN 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathanael Web and William Granâ—ham at the black Beare in Paul's Church-yard neere the little North doore 1655. To the people of my special charge in the Burrough of Evesham Both Magistrates and others Dearly Beloved I Know not to whom I may better dedicate this little Treatise than to your selves to whom I have dedicated my self under Christ in the work of the Gospel from my first beginning to be a constant Preacher of the Gospel And I have accounted it my priviledge to succeed such faithfull Ministers who for many yeares continually instructed you in the wayes of holinesse The first of them was Doctor Baily who preached unto some of you yet living the Practice of Piety which he after published And during the time of my continuance among you I have not ceased to preach according to my talents the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse As Paul required Timothy to charge some that they preach no other Doctrine So I charge you as having received the charge of you that ye receive none other Doctrine than what is according to godlinesse Be not hasty to heare such as bring contrary Doctrine run not with men of itching eares after such as are admired for teaching meer Novelty Wandring starres to which such teachers are compared in Scripture sparkle more than the fixed starres of greatest magnitude And one Comet or Blazing starre though it portend mischief is more wondred at than all the Starres of Heaven yea than the Sun in the firmament But be you carefull with the wise men to follow such starres whose motion tends to the place where your Saviour is And although you finde him here not clad in soft rayment nor deckt with tapestry but as in his infancy laid in straw yet think not much to bow down and worship him and offer your gifts your whole selves spirit soule and body of far greater value than gold frankincense and myrrhe as due to him who offered his soule a sacrifice for you Beware of being intangled with the profits and pleasures of the world which as I have lately shewed you are the two great barres that hinder soules from coming to Christ Think it not much to attend once in a week upon a Lecture sermon Those that will not leave their ordinary worldly businesse to attend upon the Word of Christ for one hour when they may return to it again will be loath to forsake all to follow Christ if they should be called to it and without this you cannot be his true Disciples Oh be not like the murmuring Israelites that despised the heavenly Manna because it fell daily at their tent doores and lusted after flesh Be not like the multitude of unthankfull poore that wax wanton in this time of plenty Lest the Lord by sending among you a famine of hearing the Word cause it to become precious But while you have the Ordinances of grace wait diligently upon Christ who is the fountain of grace in them Pray and labour for sanctified hearts and lives considering that Holinesse is your reall Happinesse as I have more largely taught you in these following Sermons Never feare that my pressing you or your pressing on to holiness or good works will in the least derogate from the freenesse of Gods grace for they are not your own work but Gods work in you and by you neither by them do you adde any thing to God but God to you you doe not increase his glory but he augments your happinesse so that what good you doe being done in the strength of his grace and tending to the perfection of your own soules makes no Recompence to God but makes you the greater Debtors to him The more holy and abundant you are in good works the more you have received from God and the more you owe to God And you have no more cause to glory in your selves for what good you do than to glory in your selves for the free pardon and remission of your sinnes These Sermons were not preached neither are they now published without my unfeigned prayers to God for a blessing upon them to your soules As I have been at the paines to compose preaâ—h and publish them in which I have found Gods assistance and direction for your sakes so be you at the paines to read them carefully and practise them diligently which that you may be enabled to doe pray earnestly that so glory may redound to God advantage to your own soules and comfort to Your unworthy but faithfull Minister of Christ Geo Hopkins HOlinesse being the very Image of God upon the soule and the blessed perfection in which we were Created to the reparation whereof we are Redeemed by Christ renewed by the holy Ghost conducted by the Word and furthered by all Gods Ordinances and in which so much of our everlasting Blessednesse will consist It is no wonder if it have many Adversaries in the world and if Satan and all ungodly men do imploy their wit and power to extinguish it subtill Hereticks secretly undermine it and bring in Doctrines which if practically entertained would destroy it The Libertines more plainly slight and contemne it and the profane do openly deride and persecute it No man but the Son hath seen God at any time but in the glasse of his Word and Works must we here behold him One of these Glasses is the Church and its sanctified Members here do the wicked see the holinesse of God and hate it here do the just behold the holinesse of God and love it It is as neglecters and despisers of Christ in his holy ones that the wicked are condemned as lovers of Christ in his holy ones that the righteous are rewarded in the judgement that is before us Mat. 25. All Doctrines and Practises therefore that derogate from Sanctification do tend to Damnation and are enmity against God The usuall wayes by which the Deceiver and his Instruments attempt this work are these foure 1. By denying the necessity and true ends and uses of holinesse and perswading men that it is necessary no otherwise than as an evidence of some better thing or as a point of gratitude onely for salvation received when as it is part of our salvation it self and a necessary meanes to the rest which yet remaineth 2. By setting Justification and Sanctification in opposition as
this age be expired This sore evil is both our great sin and heavy judgement And for thi◠and by this justly may the Kingdome of God be taken from us given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof O that God would both pardon and remove this devouring evil and create peace in the hearts and Churches of his Saints Then should I hope to see holinesse in a thriving condition in the midst of contention it must needs be languishing For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3.16 And 't is not without cause that peace and holinesse are linked together Heb. 12.14 Reader thou wilt find in this small piece little of Controversie but something of the mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 which I hope is without Controversie with thee The Antinomian and Libertine which are scarcely two but rather one are the chiefest Adversaries that I oppose which every Minister of the Gospel must do that will preach practicall Divinity Yea which every man must really confute that will be a serious Christian and if thou art such a one thy self though but of small gifts it is probable thou hast besides thy Bible divers better Treatises than this written by some such men as Preston Sibbs Bolton Ball c. which I shall not desire thee to lay aside for the reading of this But if thou hast spare time to reade variety thou hadst better read this than many of the swarming Pamphlets that flie abroad in these times Thou wilt find cause enough I am confident to approve the subject although if thou art judicious thou maist have reason to blame me for handling it no better Here are I hope but few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood for 't is my usuall course in preaching to run with Ahimaaz the way of the plain that so I may the sooner bring good tidings to the soule Such as it is I leave it to thy candid perusall at thy leisure It was first preached to the people of my own Charge and since published specially for their sakes And now that others also may reap some spirituall advantage by it is the unfeigned desire and earnest prayer of Thy Servant and Fellow-servant in the Work of our Lord Geo Hopkins The Contents CHAP. I. WHy fallen Angels are left to perish and Man redeemed p. 1 The Analysis of the chap. Mat. 1. and Explication of the Text ver 21. p 4 Doct. The great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins even from sin it self p. 7 Explained in 5. Propositions p. 8 Proved by Scripture p. 9 Four Arguments confirming the Doct. 1. Hereby God is most honoured p. 10 2. Hereby Man is delivered from the greatest Evil. Sinne proved to be so p. 12 3. Hereby Man is restored to the chiefest good that he is capable of Holinesse proved to be so p. 15 4. Arguments drawn from the current of Scripture which treats most of the Doctrine of Sanctification p. 25 Obj. from Gal. 3.13 and Luke 1.71 72. answered p. 27 CHAP. II. How Christ saveth his people from their Sinnes I. As the Meritorious cause purchasing Sanctification for them p. 29 II. As the Efficient cause working sanctifying Grace in them He is 1. The Procreating cause p. 34 Obj. The Holy Ghost is in a speciall manner called our Sanctifier Answer'd p. 37 2. The Conserving cause p. 40 3. The Perfecting cause working perfection of Grace in his people 1. Comparative 2. Absolute p. 44 Qu. Why are we not perfectly sanctified at our first Conversion Answered p. 49 The Instrumentall causes of our Sanctification 1. Whereby Grace is first wrought p. 51 2. Whereby it is preserved and increased p. 55 The subject of this Salvation the Elect by nature children of wrath p. 57 The power by which they are saved is an Almighty power And why necessary so to be p 60 Six Propositions for the further clearing of it p. 62 Obj. If man be meerely passive in the work of Conversion to what purpose should a carnall person use the meanes of Grace Answered p. 65 Obj. Against outward teaching from Jer. 31.33 34. and Heb. 8.10 11. Answered ibid. CHAP. III. The Uses of Information 1. Inf. How from this Doctrine to answer a Popish Argument 1. Against Justification by Faith in Christ alone 2. Against Assurance of Salvation p. 70 2. No wonder if the godly want assurance of their Salvation when they fall foully p. 74 3. We may and must avoid evil and do good to this end that we may escape Hell and obtain Heaven p. 76 4. Christ hath not died and done alike for all men p. 79 5. The difference between saving Faith and the Faith of carnall persons p. 83 6. Those that preach the Doctrine of Sanctification as well as Justification are the best Gospel-preachers p. 84 7. Those that have most grace are the best Christians not they that have the greatest Gifts Gifts and Grace compared p. 93 8. A Soule given up to a state of sin is in a most sad condition worse than those that fall under the worst of Judgements p. 101 CHAP. IV. The Uses of Reproof I. To such as hinder the salvation of their own soules p. 105 II. To such as hinder the salvation of others 1. Such as teach corrupt Doctrine p. 110 2. Such as are enemies to Church-reformation p. 118 3. Church-dividers p. 119 Their sin aggravated by eight Considerations p. 126 The sin not the lesse because many godly persons are guilty of it p. 132 4. Such as give bad Example p. 134 Bad example the more dangerous 1. In Ministers 2. In Magistrates and other Persons of note 3. In Superiours of neere Relation as Parents Masters 4. In eminent Professors p. 135 5. Such as intice counsell or perswade others to sin p. 143 6. Persecutors p. 148 CHAP. V. The Uses of Exhortation I. In Generall To get the heart deeply possessed with a serious consideration of this Truth That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins The not understanding or not considering this is the cause of divers evils p. 153 For the better understanding of this it is shewed how the Sanctifying work of Christ is specially held forth as well as his Justifying work Of the Old Test 1. In the Sacraments and Types p. 159 2. In the Promises p 162 3. In the Prophesies ibid. 4. In the Sacraments of the New T. p. 164 5. In the Gospel-invitations and other Scriptures p. 165 The Exhortation further prosecuted 173 Obj. Must we be saved by our Graces and Duties Answered in seven Propositions p. 174 II. The Exhortation Particularly directed 1. To such as are carnall p. 177 Obj. A naturall man hath not power to convert himself Answered p. 178 Carnall Persons left without excuse for 1. God is willing of their salvation p. 179 2. Christ is willing of their salvation p. 179 Five
flesh of our flesh he might become unto us a meet Saviour And the verity mysterie of his Incarnation is plainly recorded in this Chapter Which divides it self into two generall parts 1. A Genealogy of Christ from the beginning of the Chapter to ver 18. 2. The History of his Nativity from thence to the end of the Chapter In which that I may clear the way to the Text consider with me these few particulars 1. Mary's Conception She was found to be with child v. 18. 2. Josephs false-Conception or misapprehension concerning it which made him afraid to take his espoused wife and this caused 3. His Resolution to put her away privily ver 19. but before the Execution of his purpose behold 4. Gods timely prevention feare not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife c. ver 20. In which yet more particularly consider how God teacheth Joseph 1. By whom Mary had conceived viz. By the Holy Ghost 2. What she should bring forth She shall bring forth a Son v. 21. 3. What he should name him thou shalt call his name Jesus 4. The reason of the name For he shall save his people from their sins In this worke of Salvation according to the words in the Text consider 1. The Efficient Cause or person saving Jesus 2. The Subject or person saved his people 3. The evill from which from their sins 1. The person saving is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour from the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to save The reason of the name then is from the nature of the worke he takes in hand 2. By his people which are the persons saved we understand not the nation of the Jews adaequately as if they all and onely they were his people here spoken of They were indeed his people 1. by nation and his naturall relation as man unto them himselfe being of the seed of Abraham as appeares in his Genealogy 2. They were his people by outward profession for they professed faith in and waited for the promised Messias yea and to them onely was he at first sent for saith Christ Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel But the generality of them did not imbrace him for when he came to his owne his owne received him not Joh. 1.11 Therefore by his people the nation of the Jewes is not here understood 2. Neither by his people d Apostolus ait Conclusit enim Deus omnes in infidelitate ut omnium misereatur Quos omnes nifi de quibus lo quebatuâ— tanquam dicens vos illos Deus ergo Gentiles Judaeos quos praescivit praedestinavit conforme fieri imagini fiâ—i sui omnes in infidelitate conclusit ut de amartiudine infidelitatis suae paeuitendo confusi ad dulcedinem misericordiae Dei credendo conversi clamarent illud in Psal Quam multa multitudo dulcedinis tuae Domine quem abscondisti timentibus te perfecisti autem sperantibus non inse sed in te Omnium itaque miseretur vasorum misericordiae Quid est omnium Et eorum scilicet quos ex Gentibus â—â—um quos ex Judaeis praedestinavit voâ—avit juscificavit glorificavit non omnium hominum sed istorum omnium nominem darenaturus Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 20 cap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est sibi datum à Patre ut ipse loquitur John 17. Periphrasis electorum Piscat in loc doe we understand all Mankinde as some would have it Aâ—l of all nations are not his people but some out of every nation according to that new song Rev. 5.9 Thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation Yea the words themselves his people are restrictive and intimate not an extension to all men but a limitation to some onely 3. By his people therefore we understand those that are his by donation those that were given him by the Father Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Thus saith the Lord also to Paul concerning Corinth Act. 18.10 I have much people in this City The evill from which they are saved is their sins and doubtlesse from their sufferings too but as their sins onely are expressely mentioned as that from which they should be saved and this the reason why Christ should be named Jesus so doubtlesse this is that that Christ primarily and chiefly intended to save his people from their sins even from sin it selfe at which I mainely aim in this Discourse Whence observe That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins Even from sin it selfe For our more cleer proceeding I shall lay down these following positions 1. Man is fallen from God and by nature lyes under two great evills 1. Sin 2. Wrath for sin 2. It is the work of Christ to save his people from both these 3. Our Salvation by Christ from the wrath of God due for sin is a mercy so farre beyond our ability to deserve or requite that if we had the tongue of men and Angels we could never sufficiently praise God and Christ our Redeemer for this unspeakable mercy 4. Yet the work of our Salvation from Sin it selfe is a greater mercy to us and this is the Master-piece of what Christ our Saviour hath undertaken for us 5. By Salvation from sin I doe not understand a bare removall of corrupt qualities but a procuring and bestowing of good instead thereof for we are redeemed as we are called from uncleanness to holinesse And the privation of morall good in man is a sin as well as the position of morall evill and in this latitude the Apostle defines sin in that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the transgression of the Law 1 Job 3.4 Which consisteth both in Affirmative and Negative precepts and the not being and doing what is commanded is a transgression as well as being and doing what is forbidden The Doctrine being thus stated I proceed to the proof of it 1. by Scripture 2. by Argument There are divers Scriptures that speak to our purpose amongst many take these few First heare what Christs harbinger speakes yea see how he points him out Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World And Iohn saith that he was manifested to take away our sins 1. Joh. 3.5 And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 that he loved and washed us from our sins in his owne blood Rev. 1.5 In all these texts we see that sin onely is expressed and I believe that which is specially intended although I know that the guilt and fruit of sin is also included Thus Paul tells us that Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it Eph. 5.25.26 thus likewise
in his Epistle to Titus c. 2. pressing the duties of severall ages sexes and orders of people to ver 11 useth this with other weighty arguments that Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works ver 14. Thus also Peter exhorting the elect to be active in the wayes of holinesse not fashioning themselves to their former lusts 1. Pet 1. from ver 10. to v. 18. useth this as a most forcible argument among others ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ Arg. 1 The First Argument is drawn from Gods honour that is the chief work of Christ our Saviour wherein God is most honoured but God is most honoured in the saving his people from their sins therefore is this the chief work of Christ c. That that is the great or chief work of Christ wherein God is most glorified will need little proof for that must needs be the greatest work that most effectually atteineth the highest end And what end higher than the glory of God which was the supreme end of all Christs undertakings Joh. 17.4 That God is most glorified in the saving his people from their sins is manifest by its contrary God is most yea onely dishonoured by the sinnes and not all by the sufferings e As a cause or occasion given of his dishonour although the wicked take occasion to blaspheme God when his people are brought low Psal 79.10 12. of his people Gods people by their holinesse glorifie him and he is much honoured in the midst of their sufferings whereas Sin dishonours him in the midst of ease and abundance of mercies Gods honour Will well agree with the sufferings of his people but Sin is directly injurious to his glory though by accident he gets himselfe glory by it as he at first produc'd light out of darkness Thus God is much honoured by the great sufferings of Job while he sinneth not Job 1.20 21. yea God is so much honoured that he makes his boast against Satan of his Servant Job cap. 2 3. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause And on the contrary how much is God dishonoured by our sinfull ease and prosperity yea most dishonoured by it in those that are redeemed from the guilt and punishment of sinne The grosse miscarriages of Gods people give occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his name and wayes Thus when David had foulely offended saith the Lord by his Prophet Thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 The crimes of Professors are ever the most scandalous yea the sins of Gods dearest children are most offensive to God himselfe because they are also committed against the greatest mercy and loving kindness The Lord in this case is ready to say with the Psalmist Psal 55.12 It was not mine Enemy that reproached me then I could have born it But when a Sinner is saved from his sins God is much honoured both before Angels and Men. Arg. 2 The second Argument is drawn from the greatnesse of the evill of sin above suffering That must needs be the greatest work in our Salvation whereby we are saved from the greatest evill but sin f It is better for a man to be cast into the torments of Hell among the Damned than to be overcome with any Sin Hookers Souls Prepar pag. 16. See Master Burroughs his Treatise of the Evill of Evills is the greatest evill and therefore our Salvation from it must needs be answerable That sin is the greatest evill is evident for many reasons 1. It is the procuring cause of all other evills and therefore must needs it self be the worst of evills The cause is ever more eminent than its effect whether for good or evill a good cause is better than its effect and an evill cause is worse That sin is the onely procuring cause of all evills is without controversie for as sin entred in the world death entred by sin and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5 12. And the wages of sin is death saith Paul Rom. 6.23 Death temporall with all the evills of life as sicknesse wounds sorrowes and whatsoever else tendeth to Death and Death eternall All the horrour of hell is the fruit of sin the foundations of Hell are laid upon sinne Hell the worst of torments was built meerly for sinners therefore sin must be the worst of evills And because that sin is the Souls greatest evill and unhappinesse it is that when God comes to deliver a Soul out of meer pity and bowels of compassion his Eye chiefly pities them and his Bowells yerne over them because of their misery in sinne it selfe as you may read at large Ezek. 16. the former part of the Chapter And the saving mercy that he sheweth his love in is opposed to hardning in sinne rather than damning for sinne Rom. 9.18 He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth And the punishment of sinne with sin we account the greatest judgement 2. Sinne is Mans greatest evill because it hinders him from the enjoyment of the greatest good which is God himselfe It is sinne onely that separates between God and the Soule this is the onely partition wall Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you 3. Sinne is the greatest evill because of all things it is most displeasing to God the chiefest good yea there is nothing displeasing to God but sinne primarily and this is an abomination to him and therefore Sinnes are called in Scripture abominations Ezek. 9.4 And the Lord said unto him goe through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof Prov. 15.9 The way of ths wicked is an Abomination unto the Lord. And God doth so loath sinners for their sinne that he will not abide them in his sight The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity saith David Psal 5.5 But the evill of suffering is not at all in it selfe displeasing unto God Yea he himselfe who is infinitely good is the Author of it and there is no evill of suffering but what comes from him as the principall efficient Can there be evill in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 As by being saved from sinne Arg. 3 Man is
forth abortives or untimely fruit But as a woman in travaile that hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So Christ was in exceeding sorrow and heavinesse at the approach as I may say of a hard bargain when his houre drew nigh Mat. 26.38 But how abundantly was he satisfied when he saw that he had purchased a gratious and a numerous seed as the fruit of his body by those intolerable throwes that tormented his soul Thus likewise Paul having enumerated many grosse sorts of sinners 1 Cor. 6.9 10. addes ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus q Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae materia est ex ejus morte et resurrerectione justitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit Calv. in loc Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem etredemptorem in memoriam redigat per quem nobis tot bona provenerunt Pet. Mart. in loc and by the Spirit of our God What is here wrought by the Spirit was purchased by Christ and is wrought upon his account or in his name for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we should be saved from our sins This is the fountaine mentioned Zach. 13.1 that is opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse that they may be purified therein This is signified in baptism under the Gospell Titus 3.5 Which is called the laver of regeneration For as the washing of water puts away the filthinesse of the flesh so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 This also was typisied by the ceremoniall washings under the Law if we look back unto them which in themselves were ineffectuall as is plainly expressed at large Heb. 9. take more speciall notice of ver 12.13.14 Neither by the blood of Goats and calves but by his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insufficiency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter and therefore the Sacrifice of Christ must take place according to Scripture which saith Lo 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 And ver 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified according to the tenour of the new Covenant wherein saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their mindes will I write them as you may read ver 16. see more in the following verses Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted as those that are produced to confirme the Doctrine which I will not stand to repeate and many others I shall summe up all in a word Whatsoever is promised in Scripture concerning our Sanctification is purchased and ratified by Christ Jesus For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ the Efficient cause of sanctifying grace Christ the procreating cause of sanctification Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause working Sanctifying grace in them And he is 1. The Procreating 2. The Conserving 3. The Perfecting cause of it For in and by him Grace is begun continued increased and perfected Christ is the procreting or principall efficient cause of Sanctification He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification 1 Cor. 2.30 Heb. 2.11 For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are sanctified c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel Act. 5.31 And he is called Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 And what is said of Repentance and Faith may be said of every Grace for he is the fountaine of Grace and doth willingly communicate and readily distribute to the necessities of his people It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Hid not from but for his people for saith John c. 1.16 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts 1. r Not that these are two really distinct parts or works but one worke in distinct respects or considerations The rooting out of sinne 2. The implanting of Grace Sinne is called the old man the flesh the body of sinne and our old man is said to be crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 And they that are Christs are said to have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Grace is called the new man Eph. 4.24 the new creature Gal. 6.15 the first resurrection Rev. 20.6 and the faithfull are risen with Christ Col. 3.1 And we are said to be dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 In all which we see that the two parts of the worke referre to the death and resurrection of Christ not meerly because Christs death and resurrection purchased it for us but also because by the same power that he raised up himselfe from the dead he actually mortifies our sins and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death and Resurrection makes them therein conformable to himselfe Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship or communion of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier as Christ is our Redeemer and the Father our Creator in a speciall manner Why then doe you attribute that to Christ as the speciall Efficient which belongs to the Holy Ghost Answ 1. It is true that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines our Sanctifier as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture Yet withall we must remember that the workes of the Trinity that are termed workes ad extra are undivided thus God the Father created Eph. 3.9 The Son created John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
Christum omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti qui plenâ—ssime residens in Christo capite imus idem numero ad omnia etiam ejus membra diffunditur vivificans ca singula uniens universa Dav. in Col. c. 1. v. 18. of the body Col. 1.18 He is the head of the body the Church As then in the naturall body the members have their life preserved by being united to the head being compact together by certain bonds and ligaments and if any be cut off and severed it becomes void of all life and motion So is it in the mysticall body if a soul should be dismembred from Christ it would as a hand cut off immediately become livelesse and uselesse If man at his first Creation so soon lost the life of perfect grace having the custody thereof committed to himselfe much more would he lose it now the degree thereof being so imperfect as it is were not this life originally in Christ Were it in us alone it would be but as water in a broken cisterne that would presently leake all out But Christ is an ever-over-flowing fountain continually streaming forth into the souls of his people yea as a spring arising within them as his words to the woman of Samaria import John 4.10.14 Jesus answered and said unto her if thou hadst known the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Undoubtedly Christ himself is this Fountaine of grace and well doth Paul call it the grace which is in Christ Jesus 2. Tim. 2.1 God hath not then given unto his Saints as Abraham gave to Hagar water in a bottle to be soon exhausted that they should hopelessely bewaile the childe of grace as in a starving and perishing condition But hath sent the Angell of his Covenant who hath cheered their hearts by opening their eyes and shewing them a well of water whereby they may have assured hope that the babe shall be preserved and nourished till it come to perfect stature And this directs me to the next head As Christ is the Conserving so he is also the Perfecting cause of sanctifying grace in his people Christ the perfecting cause of sanctifying grace He is the Alpha and Omega in the work of grace He layes both the foundation and the top-stone in the spirituall building He is the Finisher as well as the Authour of our Faith Hebrews Chap. 12. ver 22. and we are said to be compleat in him Col. 2.10 In the work of Sanctification as well as Justification * Ph. 2.12 Not as though we were already perfect or could attain it in this life as the perfectists fondly argue from thence x Quae itaque in sanctis reperitur est imperfecta quaedam perfectio tum scientiae tum obedientiae De bac Aug Cont. duas Ep. Pelag. l 3 c. 5 Secundum istius vitae modum est quaedam perfectio cique per fectioni hoc deputaetur ut se quisque noverit nondum esse perfectum Dav. in Col. cap. 4. v. 13. In this life this work of Christ is but opus in fieri not in facto esse A work in doing not done Yet is grace perfect in its kinde from the first instant of it in the soul There is a twofold perfection 1. Of parts 2. Of degrees Or there is a Perfection 1. Of truth 2 Of Growth 1. That is perfect in Parts to which no parts are wanting and is opposed to maimed Thus a child is said to be perfect in the day of his birth that hath all parts that a child should have That is perfect with a perfection of Truth which is not Adulterate or counterfeit thus that is said to be perfect gold which is true and not counterfeit In this sense the work of Sanctification is Perfect at the first the soul is Sanctified throughout and in every part though it be but partly Sanctified The new man at first forming hath all its parts and members and the child of grace hath no part wanting in the day of his birth y Animalia nascuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Hist anim l. 7 c. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Cor. 6.6 Ro. 12.9 Then also is it perfect in respect of Truth there is Faith unfained Love without dissimulation and every other grace in sincerity It will abide the touch-stone although it be not full weight 2. There is a Perfection of Degrees and of Grouth this is twofold 1. Comparative compared with that which is very weak little and much beneath it 2. Absolute as having nothing to be superadded Thus in a Comparative sense he is said to be Perfect that is a strong man in Christ an able Christian in Comparison of those that are as babes and but weak in the faith Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be Perfect be thus minded And Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.15 the Greek word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Perfect and is the same that is used in the foregoing proof This perfection also doth Christ give unto the soule that is his he brings it in and leads it on in the wayes of grace He who is called the Everlasting Father who hath begotten us againe is not contented meerely to preserve the children of Grace that they die not but doth tenderly nurse and cherish them and cause them to grow to greater strength and stature Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love But alas how imperfect is the greatest perfection that is attainable in this life how many are the sinfull weaknesses of the best of Gods servants and what little dwarfs are they here in comparison of their heavenly stature Christ doth not therefore set up Hercules Pillars with a Nil ultra to what he doth for his people here but he writes a Plus ultra there is something more that he doth for them yea that he works in them which exceeds this as far as heaven is higher than the earth There is therefore in the last place Perfection of dâ—greeâ— absolute an absolute perfection of Degrees which he bestows upon the Souls of his people at the houre of death z Tunc enim erit perfectum illud de quo loquens Apostolus Ex parte
inquit scimus ex parte prophetamus cum dutem venerit id quod perfectum est quod ex parte est evacuabitur Deinde ut quomodo possee aliqua similitudine ostendere quantum ab illa quae fatura est distet haec vita non qualiumcunque hominum verum etiam qui praecipua hîc sanctitate suut praediti Cum essem inquit parvus quasi parvulus sapiebam c. Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. and upon the whole man at the great resurrection then shall the whole man be wholly perfect perfect Soul and perfect Body united together and when they are brought to the heavenly Canaan the Canaanites shall be no more in the land as thornes in their eyes and goads in their sides no more arising of sinne in the Soule no more imperfections cleaving to their Seraphicall Hallelujahs nothing wanting that may be further desired to the compleating of their happinesse Thus Christ is not like a foolish builder that laid a foundation and was not able to finish it but he layes the foundation and carrieth on the building of grace here which he compleatly perfects and beautifully adornes in glory hereafter In this great work of saving his people from their sins Christ is all and in all He is all Meritoriously purchasing grace for them He is all Efficiently working grace in them He infuseth grace preserveth grace increaseth grace and perfecteth grace He is not like unto Moses that brought the children of Issrael out of Egypt and died when he came neere to the borders of Canaan Nor like unto Joshua that brought them into Canaan but began the work where Moses left But both of them together will more fitly typifie the work of Christ our Saviour a Ipse Christus is propriè est qui nos vocat fide vesipiscentia donat ac credentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justificat regenerat vivificet servitque in vitam aeternam Zâ—nch de dispens salutis per Christum Thes 17. who brings his people out of bondage from under their hard taskmasters leads them safe through the wildernesse of this world and peaceably setleth them in their everlasting rest having subdued all their enemies under their feet Quest But why are we not perfectly saved from sin by being wholy Sanctified at once even at our first conversion Answ 1. Some say this is done for the greater exaltation of Gods free Grace to make us the more sensible of what he hath done for us that we may have no cause of glorying in our selves but may give all the glory unto God But this Answer seemes to me to be of no great force For had we bin Sanctified wholly at once the work would have been no lesse of grace then now it is there would have bin nothing of our merit in it If a Physitian should undertake freely and upon his own care and charge to heal a poor sick person who is not able to give him a Fee is it not as free if he thought it fit to cure him perfectly in a day as if he take seaven yeares to perfect the cure Neither should we have bin lesse sensible of what the Lord had done or have gloried the more in our selves or the less in God Yea had we bin perfectly Sanctified all at once should we not have bin the more sensible of so weighty and suddaine a change and have gloried less in our selves and more in God in that state of perfect Sanctification then now we are able to doe in a state of imperfection We set up our own and diminish the due praises of God our Saviour till we come to a state of perfect holinesse 2. Neither dare I adventure to say with some that this is done to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes 'T is true I know that our daily imperfections are matters of humiliation and the consideration of them should make us the more humble But were we perfectly sanctified we should be perfectly humble and there would be no room for pride Neither doe I apprehend any great weight in what other particular reasons I have seen given for it For I doe not remember any speciall reason given in Scripture It is sufficient that God hath revealed it his will to have it so and we are abundantly bound to be thankfull for our deliverance whether it be sooner or later compleated We lost our stock of grace sodainly and are long in recovering our losse We were wounded in a moment but are not so soon healed Our Chirurgion was able to have wrought the cure in as little time as we made the wound But let us waite the Lords leisure for the healing of our Souls in his own order without too curiously prying into the reason of his method Though the work of Salvation from sin be wholly the work of Christ Instrumentall causes of Sanctification both in Purchase and application as hath been already shewed yet he is pleased to fit and make use of instruments for bringing in and leading on his people in the waies of holinesse The instrument that Christ makes use of in the first Sanctification of grown persons for infants such in whom Grace is wrought are sanctified without meanes is his Word or Gospel Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And the Gospel is called the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 which is termed the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. And the word which is able to save our Soules James 1.21 And saith Paul to the Thessalonians 2 Ep. 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ The word discovers our sin and misery Rom. 7. James 2.9 Rev. 3.17 And directs us to the Fountaine of Grace for healing and help Isa 55.1 2 3. Zach. 13.1 Mat. 11.28 29. Ioh. 17.37 38. The Word being but an Instrument workes not without the spirit of Christ which is the Principall Efficient b Instrumentum non movet nisi moveatur as we say The instrument moves not unlesse it be moved As a Sword cuts not without some hand to weild it so the Word though it be sharper then a two-edged sword slayeth not corruption nor converteth the Soule but as it is set home by the power of the Spirit and this may be one reason why the Word of God is called the word of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 Dr. Gouge upon the place gives two reasons why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit 1. In regard of the Author of it 2 Pet. 1.21 2. In regard of the nature or kind of it for it is spirituall and so opposed to a materiall sword made of mettall which may be