God's sight and accepted for the sake of Christ's Merits Not that Christ's Righteousness alone is the matter of our Justification exclusive of all our inherent Righteousness and Obedience no no but rather it is our Righteousness which doth justify us The Gospel according to these Men is propounded as a Law and God as a Rector or just Governour commanding Obedience thereunto as the procuring Cause of our Justification So that our Faith and Obedience is a Cause and Condition of Life as Unbelief and Disobedience is the Cause of Eternal Death But having formerly detected this dangerous Error I shall not further insist upon the Confutation of it here 5. Such preach a Legal Doctrine that render Man a Co-worker with Christ in the Salvation of their own Souls by which means there is room left for him to boast and glory Such a Doctrine they preach who magnify the Will of Man or the Power of the Creature which I hope I have by the Assistance of God sufficiently detected and refuted in this Treatise All boasting being excluded by the Grace of God in the Gospel Man being abased and God alone exalted APPLICATION I shall now come to make the general Application of what I have said unto you from this great Text and so conclude with all I shall say from it First Inform. First by way of Information the Doctrine which hath in these Sermons been insisted on may inform us That Gospel-Sins are the greatest Sins and that the blind Heathens are not cannot be so guilty and culpable before God nor in such a dangerous Condition as those are who live under the preaching of the Gospel and yet slight and neglect the Salvation of it O what will they do in the Day of Judgment that live in England in London in a Land and City of so great Light and perish through their Sin and Contempt or Neglect of Gospel-Grace Secondly This may also inform us how strangely Mankind are blinded and deceived by the God of this World in that small things are accounted great and that which is of the greatest Concernment is little or not at all regarded but esteemed as a trivial matter O says some we must mind the main Chance they mean the main Business in respect of their Earthly Subsistence which is to get Bread and to provide for the Body for their Wives and Children Now the Doctrine which you have heard shews you how you are deluded that look upon Earthly Things to be the main Business you should look after What is of such Importance as the Salvation of your precious and immortal Souls and to be providing for an endless Eternity Thirdly I may infer from hence That the greatest part of Mankind are Unbelievers for all that neglect this Salvation and look not upon this matter as their chief Business are doubtless in a State of Unbelief They do not credit this holy Doctrine they believe not God's Word If one should tell you that are going a Journy that if you go such a Way you will certainly be destroyed by Thieves or wild Beasts yet you will go on Would it not follow clearly that you believe not what was told you Why thus it is here Sinners are told and assured from the Word of God as certain as God is true and his Word true that if they leave not their Swearing their Pride their Drunkenness their Lying their Lusts and Uncleanness their Worldly-mindedness and their preferring Earth and the things of the World above the things of God or if they do not believe repent and be born again they shall certainly perish for ever yet they go on and live in those ways of Sin and believe not repent not this is an evident sign that they do not give Credit to what is told them and so are Unbelievers and if they still persist in their way they will be certainly damned 1. Our Saviour saith Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish ye shall not escape eternal Wrath be ye great Sinners or not Sinners of the first Rank The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God 2. Christ saith He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth on him and they that do not believe are told there is no other way to escape this Wrath and that this Wrath will be poured forth upon them like Fire unless they believe in Christ receive Christ obtain an Interest in Jesus Christ nay that they are condemned already but they believe not 3. Moreover such who live a sober moral Life are told that notwithstanding that yet unless they are born again unless they get Faith in Jesus Christ and their Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and they obtain the Righteousness of Christ they cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now they will not believe this but conclude their State is good and that Morality is sufficient to save their Souls which shews that these are Unbelievers also 4. Others are told that their good Deeds their good Duties their Prayers their hearing of Sermons or their being Baptized and having Communion with God's People will not do unless they are savingly renewed and sanctified having the true Grace of God in their Hearts and lead a Godly Holy and Spiritual Life finding the powerful Operations of the Spirit changing them into the Likeness of Jesus Christ but they believe it not but rest upon their Duties and outward Privileges tho they are told the Kingdom of God is not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness and Truth and Joy in the Holy Ghost or that the Kingdom of God is not inward only but in Power also and that Lamps of Profession will not save them except they have Oil in their Vessels many of these are like the foolish Virgins and believe it not but rest on a bare Name of Christians on a Form of Godliness and may be fall short too as to an outward Profession of Godliness for so do they who pray not in the Closet nor in their Families neither read God's Word nor make it their Business to hear the Word preached in Season and out of Season but every small Matter takes them off of those Duties Be sure all prayerless Souls are graceless Souls it is to be feared many of this sort make Religion but little of their Business who neither read pray nor meditate nor perhaps call upon their Children and Servants so to do but let their Children have their Carnal Lusts their Pride ambitious and wanton Inclinations indulged and nourished in them O how little is the outward Part of God's Worship kept up in the Families of some Professors Fourthly This may serve also for a Use of Terror to secure Sinners 1. May not Cry out Fire Fire Such a Cry hath often startled and amazed many of you that live in and about this City Sirs a Fire is just a breaking out which you cannot escape unless you look about you the sooner
Divine Majesty of God as so to charge the Doctrine of particular Election of lost Sinners Brethren Though Christ is not a Redeemer of Angels the Elect Angels needing none yet he is the Head of Angels and a Confirmer of them He is the Head of Principalities and Powers by him and for him were all things created that are in Heaven that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Christ is God and he is the preserver of the Elect Angels they are committed to him and under his Power and he upholds them though he never died for them and shall we think he will not preserve his Elect Saints or that their Election should not as absolutely secure them for whom he as their blessed Lord and Head died and to whom he is a Redeemer as the Elect Angels to whom he is only a Confirmer And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principalities and Powers Ye are compleat fully compleat ye stand in him in his Righteousness compleat who is your Head and shall be preserved in him in whom you are elected to everlasting Life 6 thly Because they are chosen to Salvation that is to enjoy and possess Salvation if they have it not the Decree of God is frustrated but his Eternal Decrees are as firm as Mountains of Brass If the Decree of God in appointing his Elect to Salvation be frustrated or made void either it is done by himself or by others Now it cannot be made void by himself because it is an absolute Decree his Mind alters not and none else are able to do it And as to the Slips and Miscarriages of the Elect themselves God foresaw all their Evils from Everlasting and as that hindered not their Election so besure it shall neeer turn them out of it But we are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation c. From the beginning that is from before the World began or from Eternity for the absolute Decrees of God according to his Eternal Counsel are from Everlasting After the Apostle had shewed these Saints that there would come a falling away from the Faith and that many would be deceived and damned for ever to comfort and encourage them against the fear of final Apostacy he brings this in the 13 th Verse But we are bound to give Thanks for you Brethren beloved of the Lord c. You need not fear as if he should say of being deceived or of perishing by dangerous Errors or otherwise 1. Because you are beloved of the Lord. 2. And also are elected to Salvation and because beloved therefore elected Whomsoever God doth absolutely appoint to this or that End he will assist or enable to do whatsoever Means is necessary in order to that End Now the Elect are chosen to Salvation to inherit Eternal Life if therefore any of them miss of it his Decree and Purpose is frustrated which cannot be We have another Text of the like Nature with this For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ From hence the Apostle argues that they needed not to doubt of their Salvation and by what preceeds it appears that Election is a great Motive to Holiness as when a Man that is sure of the Victory will fight couragiously Let us who are of the Day or Children of Light not of Night nor of Darkness be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love for God hath not appointed us to Wrath c. Children of the Night shall perish but none of the Children of the Light ever shall The Apostle ascends to the original Cause of it which is God's absolute Decree of Election Salvation would wholly else depend upon the uncertainty of Man's Will and not upon the immutable and unchangeable Will and Purpose of God Thâ—â— is more than appointing the Means it is an appointing the Persons not appointed to Salvation upon the foresight of Man's Faith because Faith is the Gift of God and proceeds from his Counsel that 's appointed too else a Man may say that I might be saved I must thank God but that I am saved I must thank my self because it was left to the liberty of my own Will whether I would believe and be saved or no. Two things are necessary in our Salvation 1. The Merits of Christ's Blood 2. Faith to apply it by which God's Image is restored to us and preserved in us and both these we have by his own free Grace through Christ Jesus as the Fruit of his electing Love 7 thly It doth further plainly appear that Election does eternally secure all Christ's Sheep all true Believers from final Falling or everlasting Ruin from the words of our Blessed Lord himself For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. Now is it not easy for any Man from hence to draw an Argument that the Elect cannot fall finally away so as to perish for if it is so that they cannot be deceived i. e. finally or take in damnable Errors so as to perish of which our Saviour speaks for the Elect have otherwise in a great measure and in many things I mean some of them been deceived but it is impossible they should be so deceived as to be damned And if this be granted then Election secures them they cannot finally fall If they might perish eternally they might be deceived with damnable Heresies and bring upon themselves swift and utter Destruction but they cannot be so deceived because they are the Elect therefore they caÌ„nnot fall away so as to perish Arg. If the Election of Grace be absolute as the Decree of Day and Night or as that of Christ dying for our Sins If we are elected in Christ as the Head we being all Members given to him to make up his Mystical Body if those that are elected shall be called justified and glorified if the Means as well as the End be under God's absolute Decree and Purpose if our Election doth as absolutely secure us from final Apostacy as the Election of the Holy Angels does secure them if we are elected to Salvation if it be impossible for any of the Elect to be finally deceived then none of them none of the Elect or no Sheep or Lambs of Jesus Christ can so fall away as to perish eternally but all this is true therefore none of them can so perish So much shall suffice as to the first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance Secondly My next Argument shall be taken from the Nature of God's Infinite Love to all his Saints The Love of the Father and Love of the Son doth secure them from perishing it is wonderful it passeth
off from pressing Care and Diligence on the Mariners 4. That God who hath ordained the End I tell you again hath also ordained the Means Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. We are chosen in Christ that we may be holy and without blame before him in Love Nor can any ever come to any well-grounded hope he shall be saved or know he is elected unless he is holy heavenly spiritual watchful and diligent in all Gospel-Duties which is the Fruits and Effects of Election 5. The Decree of Election considered absolutely in it self without respect had unto its Effects is no part of God's revealed Will that is it is not revealed that this Man is and that Man is not Elected This therefore can be made neither Argument nor Objection about any thing wherein Faith and Obedience are concerned 6. The Sovereign and ever-to-be-adored Grace and distinguishing Love of God is laid down in the Word of God to be the greatest Motive to Holiness imaginable Who maketh thee to differ from another O that God should open my Eyes call me by his Grace may a Believer say Shall I sin against him because his Grace so abounds to me God forbid If God hath elected me I may live in Sin walk as I list is the Language rather of a Devil than of a Man much less of a Saint I speak the more to this because I would shew you that are Believers what Improvement you ought to make of God's Free Grace and Love to you Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another And as Moses said Consider what great things God hath done for you Object 4. If I shall persevere to the End what need is there of those Take-heeds in the Scripture Why are we bid to watch and take heed lest we fall Answ This is all one with the former besides I answered it largely when I first entred upon my Work but yet let me add a word or two further 1. A Child of God may sin and fall grievously and greatly dishonour God and bring Reproach on the Gospel which may tend to grieve some and harden others nay he may lose his Comfort and Joy of God's Salvation therefore hath need to watch Satan is a strong a vigilant and cunning Enemy O see what Reasons you have from thence to watch and pray 2. If you grow careless carnal or indifferent in the Matters of Religion it may be a sign that your Hearts are not right with God Many of the Members of the Churches to whom the Epistles were directed were no more than Professors and if so they were liable to fall away and perish for ever Object 5. But same Branches in the Vine may bear no Fruit but may be cut off and wither c. Answ I have also fully answered this Objection already see the Argument taken from our Union with Christ There is a twofold being in Christ an External being in him by a Profession and a true Spiritual being in him Object 6. If Christ died not for all what ground have I to believe he died for me Answ 1. What doth it signify to believe Christ died for all unless thou findest the Effects of his Death in thee Many thousands shall perish notwithstanding Christ died for them in their Judgment that make this Objection yea the generality of them for whom he died therefore unless all were saved what Encouragement is there to believe from hence 2. He that believes shall be saved If thou therefore dost believe thou shalt be saved Is not this a better Ground of Faith than that of Christ's dying for all 3. A bare believing that Christ died for all I have proved is no Ground of thy Interest in his Death for that may be without any Fruits or gracious Effects 4. Thou hast the same Ground to believe as any have or as such had who do now believe before they did believe or as they had once who now are in Heaven 5. Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners and the Promises of Mercy upon believing are made to the vilest Sinners on Earth 6. Great and black Sinners have found Mercy and are now in Heaven even some of them that put Christ to Death And is here not Ground of Faith and Hope for thee 7. Remember that if thou believest not but dost continue in thy Sin and Rebellion against God thou shalt be certainly damned thy rejecting of Christ will have that Effect at last upon all Unbelievers 8. Moreover Christ calls to stout-hearted Sinners such that are far from Righteousness He brings his Salvation near to them He calls upon a People not called by his Name He hath received Gifts for the Rebellious also that God might dwell among them And is not here a good Ground to venture thy Soul upon Jesus Christ be thou who thou wilt 9. No Person is excluded by the Lord that we know of Can any Man say there is no Mercy for him unless he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost which may be not one in an Age is guilty of The Nature of which Sin I purpose to open after I have closed with this Text. Thy Condemnation O Sinner will be of thy self God will judg the World in Righteousness this we are all agreed in and set down as an undeniable Article of our Faith None shall have this to plead at the last Day I was not Elected God will vindicate his Justice and Righteous Proceedings in the Day of Judgment and all Mouths shall be then stopped and every Man's Conscience be a Witness for or against him And though foreseen Faith and Holiness is not the Cause why any are elected yet foreseen Wickedness is the Cause why Men are reprobated O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Object 7. But is it not said Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Answ 1. This Text the Papists do abuse as well as the Arminians who strive to make Man a Co-worker or a Partner with Christ in our Salvation But this the Apostle intends not because we are saved by Grace For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works lest any Man should boast For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works 2. Whoever it is that brings in this Text as an Objection against the Doctrine of the Saints Final Perseverance you may be sure is a corrupt Person in his Judgment and one that pleads for a Covenant of Works or joins the Creature with Christ as a Co-workein the Salvation of Man For if it be to be taken in their sense then it would follow that Man is his own Saviour for if I procure my own Salvation by Works or by working it out for my self I save my self or am my own Saviour or I
accounted all things as loss or as nothing for the Excellency of Jesus Christ his Lord. 4. Doth Jesus Christ rule and reign in thee by his Spirit He that hath Christ in him may feel his ruling Power and that he by his Spirit hath spoiled the ruling and predominating Power of Sin every evil Habit in the Heart and Life of such being broke 5. Moreover if Christ is in thee and thou by Faith art in him then thou art a new Creature This the Apostle positively doth assert Therefore if any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Such have new Understandings or are renewed in their Understandings Wills and Affections they have also new Thoughts new Love new Fears new Joy new Desires new Companions and new Conversations all things with such are become new Lastly And to conclude with all I shall say from this Text here is also Matter and Cause of Comfort and great Consolation to all Believers to all who have a part in this Salvation I need not shew you which way this appears for every one that hath heard what a kind of Salvation it is may easily infer from thence that all that have a part in it are happy for ever 't is a great and glorious Salvation Remember what you are delivered from by it and what you are raised up unto by it and also that it is a sure and certain Salvation no Enemy no Sin no Devil can dispossess you of it if you are Believers and have received the Earnest thereof which is the Holy Spirit by which also you are sealed to the Day of Redemption Therefore it remains that you endeavour to shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvelous Light and hath given you a true sight of and interest in this great Salvation wrought by Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be Glory Honour and Praise now and for ever Amen FINIS A. Access FREE access to the Father an Effect of Christ's Death Pag. 262 Accompany What those things are that do accompany Salvation 323 366 Adoption Adoption a glorious Privilege 417 Afflictions Afflictions compared to a Refiner's Fire 17 Afflictions Christ's Fan 17 Aggravation The Aggravations of Sin opened in ten Particulars 356 All. Christ died not eternally to save all Men proved 248 to 256 Christ in some sense did die for all universally or for every individual Person 256 Angels Angels pry into our Salvation 433 Angels great understanding yet learn by Experience of the Church 434 Arian Heresy what 85 Arminianism Arminianism detected 146 147 Arminianism again detected 158 Arminianism further detected 228 to 256 Attributes All the Attributes glorified equally in our Salvation by Jesus Christ 372 All the holy Attributes united together in Christ to save Believers 247 All the Attributes of God in Arms to cut down such who neglect the Salvation of the Gospel 467 468 B. Backbiting a notorious Evil such may be guilty of Murder 7 Baptizing is dipping 132 Baptism of great use to Believers 133 Beguiled Christ's Sheep may be beguiled by Deceivers how far 89 90 Blood unlawful to be eaten The whole World forbid to eat it because it is the Life of the Creature Pag. 256 Business The Salvation of our Souls the chief Business we have to mind whilst in this World shewed in many Particulars 441 442 443 C. Cease Such who are begotten and born of God cannot cease being his Children 214 Chaff Why false or hypocritical Professors are compared to Chaff shewed in six things from p. 18 to 25 Who are Chaff from p 18 to 25 Charity Ministers should exercise Charity towards such Christians that seem dull and drowsy 322 Child John Child's Sin what 48 Some Passages of his Desparation 48 49 50 He hang'd himself 51 Children The happy State of being the Children of God born of God 222 to 227 How God's Children are known 219 220 Christ Christ is God and Man wherefore 93 94 Christ coequal to the Father 380 Christ the express Image of the Father's Person 368 How Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 273 274 Condition Conditional Christ not a Conditional Redeemer 251 The Condition that Arminians say the Creature is to perform is impossible 250 251 252 Their Conditional Redemption no Redemption at all 250 251 252 253 254 It renders Salvation not free or wholly by Grace 151 Cornelius not saved without Faith in Christ tho his Prayers are said to be heard 385 Curse of the Law remains on all Unbelievers 474 D. Darkness Hell a Place of utter Darkness Pag. 5 Dead Man naturally dead 145 How Men may know they are spiritually dead or dead in Sin 146 Death The Nature of natural Death 145 Natural and Spiritual Death compared 145 146 Death of Christ secures the Saints Final Perseverance 235 Christ suffered Death in our stead 239 Dear How a dear Child of God may be known 219 220 Despair a great Sin 449 455 456 Utter Despair will add to the Damneds Misery 61 Devil The Devil the Cause of Sinners spiritual Blindness 445 The Devil will torment the Damned by upbraiding them 61 Devils and wicked Men tormented together 62 Discipline The Fan of Church Discipline twofold 13 14 15 E. Effect 1. Appeasing God's Wrath an Effect of Christ's Death 257 2. Reconciliat an Effect of Christ's Death 258 3. The Holy Spirit as given to the Elect an Effect of Christ's Death 259 4. Adoption an Effect of Christ's Death 262 5. Pardon of Sin an Effect of Christ's Death and Satisfaction 262 6. Free Access to the Throne of Grace an Effect of Christ's Death 262 7. Redemption an Effect of Christ's Death 262 8. Justification an Effect of Christ's Death 263 9. Sanctification an Effect of Christ's Death 263 10. Glorification an Effect of Christ's Death 265 First Effect of Christ's Death in us by the Spirit is Life 267 Second Light Conviction 267 Christ's Death shall have its Effect on all for whom he died like as a Corn of Wheat that is sown will have its Effect 253 Elect Election There is Election of Grace Personal Election proved 170 171 172 c. Christ the Head of Election 170 Election secures the Saints Final Perseverance 172 177 178 179 181 182 Envy a great Sin 7 Essentials What the Essentials of Christianity are 85 86 Every Man doth not intend oft-times all and every individual Person in the World 299 Eutychians What the Eutychian Heresy is 85 F. Faith Justifying Faith is a reliance on Christ A full perswasion that Christ is mine not essential to the being of Faith 420 Of a direct Act of Faith 420 A general Faith to believe Christ died for all therefore for me not to be valued and may be a false Faith 268 Fall Fallings Saints may fall foully 162 Causes of the Saints Fallings 164 165 166 167 Falling from Grace No final falling from Grace proved
Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head Surety and Representative for though we in our Persons were utterly unable to do it yet Christ having done it in our Behalf and Nature it is accepted as if we had done it our selves Christ's Righteousness and Obedience being imputed to us who do believe so that what he did and suffered is accounted unto us as if we had done and suffered it yet it was Christ that purchased Life not we he purchased and we possess he is the Redeemer we are the Redeemed he merited all and we have all freely of Grace through his Merits or through that Redemption that is in his Blood 5. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or of Grace only doth appear yet further because the Foundation thereof laid from before all Worlds in God's eternal Election was the Spring of it and this was alone of God's own free Grace There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And if it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Works are no more Works This Opposition or Contrariety is not only between Grace and legal Works but between Grace and all manner of Works whatsoever because it lies betwixt the Nature of Grace and Works they are repugnant or contrary the one to the other they can no more be the Causes or Motive of any one Action than one individual thing can be White and Black in the same part as a worthy Writer notes Men are not elected partly of Grace and partly of Works foreseen but wholly of Grace nothing but an Act of God's Sovereign Grace was the Cause and Motive of it 6. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or by Grace only because the Glorious Covenant between the Father and the Son made and entred into before the World began was alone of God's Grace of his infinite Grace and Favour God was at liberty who foreseeing Man's Fall and horrible Transgression he having forfeited all those Blessings bestowed originally upon him whether he would or would not afford him any Help or Relief but might have justly and utterly rejected the whole Race of Mankind as he rejected all the Angels that sinned or kept not their first Estate Did Man fallen Man deserve this Love this Favour who was become an Enemy to God Was there any thing in Man that could be a Motive to move the Almighty to enter into this Covenant to save so vile a Creature such a poor and despicable a Creature as Man became by his Sins the Visage of his very Soul being now loathsom deformed and abominable in the sight of God God's holy Image being utterly defaced and all his Beauty gone being besmeared and covered all over with noisom Filthiness and Pollution filled with Enmity and Hatred against God dethroning his blessed Creator and setting up the Devil in his Place subjecting himself to that implacable Enemy of his and casting off his most holy and gracious Sovereign from whence he received his Breath and Being Nay and in respect of God himself it must needs appear to be wholly of Grace could Redemption of Man add any thing to the essential Glory of God Did he stand in need of Man to make him more happy or glorious in himself who being an independent Being had been eternally happy in the Injoyment of himself had Man never been made or had he left him under Wrath and Misery Or was he obliged to save us and that he might do it to send his own Son to die and be made a Curse for us Or could he not have created other Creatures to have shewed forth his glorious Perfections Or why might he not have sent his Son to have taken hold of the Nature of Angels to have redeemed them who were his Creatures as well as fallen Man and more glorious too than Man before they fell and let Man have perished for ever and not have entred into such a Covenant of Grace with his own Son on his Behalf 7. Life and Salvation therefore is a free Gift it is wholly of Grace because we could not have obtained it unless God sent his Son out of his own Bosom to effect it The giving of Christ and the Father's sending of him into the World is nothing but an Act of his own free Grace God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 8. Because Everlasting Life is by Christ alone nor could we have had it except he died I am 〈…〉 the Truth and the Life no Man can come unto the Father but by 〈…〉 is by Faith that it might be by Grace But after that the 〈◊〉 and Love of God our Saviour appeared Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life Thus if we consider the Rise the Spring the Motive and the Author of Everlasting Life all appears fully to be of God's Grace alone but should we proceed a little further as to the Means and Application of the Remedy in order to interest in this Salvation that is all of Free Grace also 1. We are called and quickened by God's special Grace according to his Eternal Purpose in Jesus Christ No Man could quicken himself All rational Arguments without Divine Influence or an Almighty Power will not bring our Souls into a State of Life See how Paul ascribes his Conversion and special Vocation to God's Grace But when it pleased God who separated me from the Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me c. Special Vocation is of God's Free Grace who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the World begun We are quickened renewed or regenerated by Grace through the Operations of the Holy Ghost 2. Adoption is of Grace Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace As the Purpose was free so is the Execution free also That the Purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth To them gave he Power to become the Sons of God c. The Privilege of being Sons and Daughters of God is freely given to us through Jesus Christ 'T is through Christ for that we might become Sons he became a Servant and died the cursed Death of the Cross for us to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 3. Justification is wholly of Grace Being justified freely by
our Duty to love God with all our Heart and Soul What Advantage brings Christ's Death to abrogate one perfect Law and establish another here is little Gospel A second Difficulty is we must either say Christ has purchased to us Pardon for Sins against the Gospel-Law or none at all but that one Sin of Adam's if the Moral Law be abrogated after the Fall we never sinned against any Law but the Gospel for we were under no other Law according to him c. The Sum of that I drive at is this viz. There is a necessity we must be justified and saved by Grace only because we cannot be saved by a Law of Obedience but by Christ and Grace alone If we sly not to Christ by trusting believing and depending on him and the Grace of God in him who hath satisfied the Justice and Law of God for us and brought in Everlasting Righteousness the Law of God will cut us down and throw us into Hell for ever 2. It is by Grace alone that we are saved because all boasting is excluded and cause of boasting And this is the Design of God in the Gospel viz. That Man might not have whereof to glory but in the Lord alone Nor could this be done any other way but by his contriving our Salvation to be wholly by his own free Grace Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast 3. It is only by Grace that we are saved or Eternal Life is the free Gift of God and Gift of Christ because he will have all the Glory of it God will not give the Glory of our Salvation unto others Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good Pleasure of his Will to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 4. It is by Grace only because God would magnify his Son by whose Righteousness and Obedience imputed to us we are justified and saved and it is to this end I say that God might exalt Jesus Christ his Design was to magnify Christ in our Salvation and to abase Man Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 5. And lastly It is by Grace because God would have Salvation sure to all Believers Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed c. If Salvation were by our Works and Obedience it might be very uncertain or if the whole of our Happiness and Eternal Life be not in Christ's Hand but that it dependeth on the Will of Man or on the condition of our Faith and Holiness or in the improvement of our Abilities and it is possible that we may or may not answer the Condition thereof it might so fall out that not one Soul might be saved Besides should it be so those that are saved would then have something to glory in or boast of in the Great Day They in effect may thank themselves and admire their own Wisdom Care and Industry that brought them to Heaven Fourthly Why doth and will Christ give Eternal Life to all his Sheep to all his Saints Answ 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death But by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us 2. Because all that are given unto Christ are ordained unto Everlasting Life 3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End to give Life unto them I am come that ye might have Life and that ye might have it much more abundantly It was that he might give his People the Knowledg of Salvation and save them from their Sins 4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End viz. to communicate it to all his Elect he is made a quickning Spirit that he might quicken all his As in Adam all die so all that are in Christ shall live Spiritually here and Eternally hereafter Because I live ye shall live also 5. Because all his Elect were quickned together with him virtually when he rose from the Dead yea and also virtually they entred into Heaven with him for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative 6. Because Eternal Life was promised to them in Christ before the World began and they have many firm and sure Promises made of it to them since also 7. Because they are united to him and Christ hath prayed That they may all be made perfect in one and he hath prayed that they may have Eternal Life Now Union with Christ gives right to Glory a whole Christ shall be glorified and not a part only Quest What doth Eternal Life import Answ I answer It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil present and to come and a full and perfect possession and injoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above Quest But doth not this seem to diminish or lessen the Glory of God the Father to assert That it is Christ that gives Eternal Life c. Answ No not in the least for all things are of God and through Jesus Christ All things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ It is God that hath reconciled us unto himself 't is by Christ we are reconciled his Blood being the Price of our Reconciliation God the Father gave Christ for us and also gives him to us And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last Day And thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him It is the Father that gave Christ the Power as Mediator to give Eternal Life unto his Sheep APPLICATION First This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace it clearly condemns Free-Will for if it be only by God's Grace it is not at all of Man's Will They 't is true do acknowledg the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone or the Effects of his great Love and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love but do affirm that Grace which those Men have who perish at last would have been sufficient to have renewed them had they improved it They assert that all Men have Power to believe and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them 't is in the preaching of the Word or consisteth in no more than Moral Swasions Arguments or Excitements in a rational way But
so he hath now According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love Vs as such and such particular Persons not such of such and such Qualification viz. as being Believers obedient and holy Persons No no but that they might believe c. Election will produce Faith it is because they are elected that they do believe But ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you that is not such as were ordained to believe and ordained to Eternal Life And as many as were ordained unto Eternal Life believed As it was hinted before Christ hath elect Persons or Sheep that yet believe not I have much People saith he to Paul in this City Unto these Testimonies I shall add one or two more as that of Paul touching the Saints at Thessalonica Knowing Brethren beloved your Election For our Gospel came not to you in VVord only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost c. By the evident Operations of God's Spirit the Apostle knew they were elected We cannot know our Election but by special Vocation or as it is manifest in the Fruits and Effects of it There is a Knowledg of Things as our Annotators note on this place à priori when we argue from the Cause to the Effect So à posteriori when we argue from the Effect to the Cause Now what is Election but a chusing some out of others Thus the Angels that stand were elected and the rest were left to the Power they had or passed by or reprobated Peter also confirms the Doctrine of personal Election calling the Persons to whom he wrote his Epistle Elect according to the foreknowledg of God or his Eternal Purpose and therefore were separated unto God by special Grace or effectual Calling through sanctification of the Spirit to Obedience c. The Father Son and Holy Ghost are concerned in our Salvation the Father elects this is principally ascribed to the first Person in the Godhead the Son purchaseth he redeems and the Holy Spirit renews calls and sanctifies Now the Purchase of the Son extends no further than the Election of the Father nor the Sanctification of the Spirit further than the Purchase or Redemption of the Son Sanctification here takes in the whole Work of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration and actual Holiness to the final sitting and making the Soul meet for the Eternal Inheritance So much shall serve to prove that there is an Election of particular Persons Object But may be some will Object If this be so what need any Man concern himself about his Salvation as to seek it or labour after it for if he be elected he shall be saved but if not let him do what he can he cannot be saved he cannot frustrate God's Decree nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Mouth Answ 1. I answer All Mankind are under the strongest Obligation imaginable to God as he is their Creator and they his Creatures as he is their only Lord and Supreme Governour they are bound to fear him and obey his Laws let him do what he will with them Is not that a base and for did Principle in a Servant or Subject to do nothing but for meer Self-profit and Advantage 2. Paul was certain of a Crown of Life yet knew it was his Duty to press towards the Mark for the Prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus and to keep down his Body He strove as strenuously against Sin as if Salvation could be merited by so doing so that his Election took him not off from a diligent Care in use of Means in order to his attaining to Eternal Happiness 3. God hath as well ordained the Means as the End as I newly told you both are appointed of God and equally under his absolute Decree Men are not elected to Salvation but also to Sanctification and Holiness 4. We are not to look upon the Decree of God as a Reverend Minister well observes for a Rule of Life but the Word of the Gospel secret things belong to God c. The Decree can neither be a Rule of Life nor Ground of Hope but the Precept and the Promise c. He that leads an ungodly Life and pursues his filthy Lusts may assure himself so living and dying he shall be damned for ever He that believes not in Christ but rejects him and despiseth all the Offers of his Grace to the End of his Life no Decree can save him therefore if he will go on in Sin presumptuously let him take what will follow On the other hand he that doth believe in Christ and conforms to the Holy Gospel need not doubt of Salvation no Decree can hinder him of Salvation Men ought to endeavour to believe and repent and close with Christ upon a Peradventure If God peradventure will give them Repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth 5. Because God hath absolutely determined the Time of thy Life or how long thou shalt live And there it a Time thou canst not pass Wilt thou therefore forbear eating or use of Physick to preserve thy Life and say If I eat not I shall live my appointed Time What signify Means of Medicines I will take no Physick no Potion for it the Time is come God hath set in his Eternal Decree I shall die nothing can save my Life Would not all think you were under a fearful Temptation and Delusion of the Devil 6. Did not God absolutely tell Paul that he had given him the Lives of all that were with him in the Ship and that none of them should perish Yet he said Vnless these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Whosoever therefore that doth neglect the Means God hath appointed in order to the obtaining the End let it be what it will doth but tempt God and comply with the Devil let his Pretence be what it will 7. No Decree of God necessitates Men to sin for though the Free Grace of God is the absolute Cause of Election and no foreseen Faith or Holiness yet foreseen Wickedness Unbelief and Disobedience is the procuring Cause of the Reprobation and of the Damnation of them that perish O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help 8. Were any ever damned that did what they could in the use of all Means under the Light of the Gospel to be saved Brethren God may justly and will condemn Men for their not improving their one Talent Nor will it be a good Plea for such to say I knew thou were an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sown c. Thus some Men seem to charge God I am not Elected There is an Election of Grace of special and distinguishing Grace and Man hath no Power in his own Will and God doth not give me Power to believe and
as ever Hand here and so in my Text by a Synecdoche is put for Strength or Power So also Isa 50. 2. Is my Hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem or have I not Power to deliver Behold at my Rebuke I dry up the Sea I make the Rivers a Wilderness c. Read the next Words following my Text My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's Hand Secondly By the Hand of the Father may denote God's Eternal Purpose or his Counsel for Hand sometimes is put for the Purpose or Counsel of God To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined to do And if it may thus be taken here then this may be the Sense of it viz. All the Elect all the Sheep and Lambs of Christ are by God's Eternal Purpose and Counsel ordained to Eternal Life and none can pluck them out of his Election or change his Purpose For like as the Death of Christ was determined by the Hand or Counsel of God so were the Effects thereof I mean what Persons should be saved thereby even all and every one of them that he had given unto his Son as he is Mediator The Design and Purpose of God by Jesus Christ was to save all the Elect and the End and Design of Christ's Death cannot be frustrated they are in God's Hand that is it is his Purpose and Counsel to save them and his Counsel shall stand and he will do all his Pleasure 1. All the Counsels of God then from Eternity and all his Promises and Declarations that hold forth those Counsels having a special Relation to Christ's dying for his People and their actual Salvation must and shall have their absolute Accomplishment for the End of a thing is that for which the thing it self is And had it not been for that the thing had never been at all it being that the chief Agent principally aimed at and purposed to bring about 2. Therefore the Salvation of Christ's Saints must be certain from the consideration of the Immutability of God in which the Perfection of his Divine Nature shines forth and requireth a correspondent Affection of all the Internal and External Acts of his Mind and Will 3. From his Soveraignty in making good and executing all his Purposes which will not admit of any Mixtures of Consults as among Men the Lord may do what he will with his Creatures we are but as Clay in his Hand and such as he will make Vessels of Honour who shall contradict him or resist his Will Shall any change God's Mind or render his Thoughts liable to Alteration Also is it not from his Sovereign and Distinguishing Grace to some that makes the Apostle break out O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out 4. If we consider how his absolute Purposes doth excite his Omnipotency to the actual accomplishing of them who can once suppose any one Believer should miscarry The Lord of Hosts hath sworn saying Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand As God is able to do whatsoever he hath purposed so we may assure our selves there is nothing that shall fail which is according to his determinate Counsel He is of one Mind and who can turn him 5. And what Folly and unreasonable Incredulity is it once to imagine there should be any manner of suspending the Acts and Purposes of the Will of God upon any actings of the Creatures whatsoever seeing it cannot be done without subjecting Eternity to Time and the Will of Man to the Will of God or the First Cause to the Second the Lord to the Servant 6. Now then seeing God hath taken the Salvation of his Elect into his own Hand Power and Eternal Purpose and hath been at such vast Expence of Rich Treasure in order to the accomplishing of his great Design herein who can imagine that any one of his Saints should miss of Everlasting Life Suppose a Prince should have a wonderful Project in Hand which he carries on with the Advice of his Council to make so many of his Subjects that his Love and Affections are let out upon Great and Happy on Earth and in doing of which should expend all or the greatest part of his own Riches nay sacrifice his own Son Would he after all if he could help it suffer his Design to miscarry in the Advancement of any one of them Or should a most wise and cunning Artist contrive a curious Piece of Workmanship which might cost him thousands it being his whole Work and taking up all his Time for forty or fifty Years to bring it to Perfection suppose it be a rare Piece of Clock-work would he suffer any one part of it to be disjointed from the rest by an Enemy whilst he look'd on if he could prevent it or were it in the Power of his Hand Alas what are all the râ—rest the richest or most curious Things in Nature that are or ever have been in the World to this Work of God in the Redemption and Salvation of his Chosen Ones What Treasure hath he spent as I may say Hath it not cost him the parting with the Pearl of great Price even the breaking of it into pieces that so he might enrich and make great and glorious every one of his Elect Nay and after he hath curiously formed his own Image upon each of their Souls to the Joy and Wonder of the Holy Angels and to the Perplexity and Sorrow of Devils and this as the Contrivance of his Eternal Council will he after all think you suffer Satan to deface this his Image in the Souls of any one of them and so spoil and bring to nought part of that glorious expensive and curious Piece of his own Workmanship which was the absolute Result of his Council to compleat and deliver from miscarrying from all Eternity Now then seeing that all the Elect or all true Believers are thus in the Father's Hand viz. put under his Absolute and Eternal Decree and Purpose to save through Jesus Christ what can obstruct or hinder this God from effecting of his own Glorious Design herein To talk of Conditional Purposes concerning Perseverance saith Dr. Owen are either impossible implying Contradictions or ludicrous even to an unfitness for a Stage See the 29 th Verse My Father that gave them me is greater than all and none can pluck them out of my Father's Hand My Father as if Christ should say is equally concerned with me about my Saints Perservation and final Perseverance and they are in his Hand he hath put them into his own Power and he is greater than all he is greater than me as I am Mediator tho as God I and my Father are one tho he hath put them into my Hand as I am Mediator and their
Is it some Temporary Act of his whereby he hath declared himself unto them Then I say grant that Salvation is to be had in a Redeemer in Jesus Christ and give me an Instance how God in any Act whatsoever saith he hath declared his Mind and revealed himself to all Men of all Times and Places concerning his willingness of their Salvation by Jesus Christ a Redeemer and I will never more trouble you in this Cause Secondly Doth this Will equally respect the All intended or doth it not If it doth why hath it not equal Effects towards all What Reason can be assigned that all they whom God equally intended Salvation for by Christ have it not However they who have Salvation either have it as the Effects of Free-Grace or of Free-Will Who will assert the latter Besides this would follow i. e. God will have some Men be saved to whom he wills not the Means of their Salvation for so he doth not to one great Part of the World But since we have proved that there is not a Sufficiency of Grace granted to all universally that is Grace subjective to enable them to believe and change their Hearts but to some only I shall say no more to this for if it were sufficient it would have the same Effect on all as it hath on some that which is sufficient to such an End would be made no doubt efficient by the Will of the great Agent who worketh all our Works in us and for us of his own good Pleasure and without whom we can'do nothing Object 14. Well say some say what you will if this Doctrine of Election and Final Perseverance be true we see not to what purpose we should preach the Gospel to Sinners any more or press Saints to Holiness Answ 1. I am weary of these impertinent Objections God hath ordained the preaching of the Gospel as the great Ordinance to call in his Elect and to beget Faith in them It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And not only to beget Faith but also to strengthen that Faith and to perfect the Saints more and more in Holiness These Men dream of an Election without the Means and of a Salvation without Faith and Regeneration and a preserving Men to Eternal Life without a Perseverance in Grace and Holiness It is a Perseverance in well-doing we plead for and this we say Christ will in the use of Means not without it enable all his People to do he will help them strengthen them and keep their Souls alive Pray consider the Ways by which Jesus Christ preserves his People unto Everlasting Life the Saints are said to be sanctified by the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ 1. It is in a Way of Holiness And from fainting or being weary in well-doing he stirs us up by his Spirit to wait upon him and promises That they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength they shall mount up with Wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary walk and not faint or grow stronger and stronger both in Faith and Patience 2. Christ preserves us in a Way of Perseverance in well-doing by shewing us our own Weakness and that without him we can do nothing but that we must wholly rely upon him in the Way of our Duties for all things we need 3. By increasing Grace in us He by his Word shews that the Grace we have already received is not sufficient to keep us from falling therefore he stirs us up to seek to him for more Grace more Faith more Patience more Humility more Wisdom c. 4. By succouring us under all Temptations For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is also able to succour them that are tempted He has purchased Help and Succour for tempted Saints His Bowels move him to help us against Sin and against Satan He hath a soft and tender Heart and hath a fellow-feeling of our Infirmities which is a Spring of great Comfort to tempted Christians 5. By warning and forewarning us of the Danger we are in by our spiritual Enemies and charging us by his Word always to be upon our watch and not to sleep as others do 6. By putting his Fear into our Hearts that we may not depart from him that is not finally to depart which he doth when at first he infuseth Holy Habits in us 7. By his putting upon us that Holy and Spiritual Armour Ephes 6. 10 11 12 13 14. Do these Men think Christ's Soldiers can expect the Victory and not fight or overcome their Enemy though they throw away their Sword which is the Word of God The Preaching of the Gospel is of wonderful use to them it is the Word of Command their Captain speaks to them thereby and shews what they are and are not to do and how they should keep their Ranks and maintain true Order and Discipline in themselves Church and Families 8. By his continual Intercession for them he prays for us that we may be kept in the World from the Evil of it that we may not be finally overcome thereby These things being considered pray Brethren remember that as the Saints cannot perish as Hypocrites and Unbelievers may so they cannot sin live in Sin and in neglect of Holy Duties continually as unsound Persons may do And now Brethren I having answered all the grand Objections that are usually brought against the Saints final Perseverance I shall shew you some of those Absurdities which do attend the contrary Doctrine viz. That Christ died to save all and every individual Person in the World and that the Elect may fall totally and finally away and perish for ever 1. It renders the Death of Christ as to its Effects and the Success thereof uncertain as to the Salvation of any one Person 2. It doth imply a Deficiency in God or want of good Will in him to prosecute his Design to perfection in Man's Salvation they affirming that Christ died for all even every individual Traitor who lies in strong Chains and Fetters under the Power of Sin and Satan but he will not break off the cursed Irons and bring out of the Prison-house but a very few of them only 3. It would also follow then that the Purpose of God yea his Eternal Counsel in Christ Jesus may be disappointed and Eternity be subjected to Time the Will of the Creator to the Will of the Creature the first Cause to the Second and all or many of God's Absolute Acts to be suspended unto the actings of sorry Man and so the Lord submit to the Servant Yea as saith a Reverend Minister It sets God at an uncertainty because it doth subject the Grace of God to the Will of Man it hangs the Glory of his Grace in all the Motions of it and the Efficacy of the Promises upon the slipperiness of Man's Will and Affections It makes the Omnipotent Grace of God follow not
said and so finish with this Text. 1. Inform. This may serve to inform and convince all Persons concerning the absolute Soveraignty of God He may save Man if he please and not Angels or may send a Saviour for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all Who shall say to him What dost thou If he had vouchsafed a Saviour for none of Adam's Posterity had he been unjust any more than he is in casting off for ever all the fallen Angels He called Abraham out of his own Country and revealed himself to him and let others remain then under the Power of Sin Ignorance and Idolatry calling them not He revealed himself to Isaac and rejected Ishmael he chose Jacob and refused Esau he afterwards chose the Children of Israel to be a peculiar People for himself and let all other Nations of the Earth abide in Darkness And in the Gospel-Days Christ chose a few poor Fisher-Men and refused the Learned and Wise Men after the Flesh nay and hid the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven from the Wise and Prudent and all this as an Act alone of his Soveraignty And in these days what Reason can be alledged why we and a few Nations more have the Knowledg of the Gospel when the greatest part of the Earth lie in Popish Mahometan and Pagan Darkness but that it is his good pleasure so to do He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth 2. Praise God for the Knowledg you have of the Mysteries of Christ and the Gospel of Free-Grace Brethren next unto the Grace of God in my Conversion I have often said I do look upon my self bound to admire the Riches of God's Love and Goodness to me in opening my Eyes to see those Arminian Errors which when I was Young I had from some Men of corrupt Principles sucked in nay and when I was about 23 Years Old I wrote a little Book for Children in which some of those Errors were vindicated which after my Eyes were inlightned and the Book with Alterations being again Reprinted I left out and now do declare my dislike of the first Impressions and do disown what I there asserted When I was a Child I thought as a Child I understood as a Child as the Apostle speaks And let me intreat you to study the Nature of the Covenant of Grace for until I had that opened unto me I was ignorant of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. O do not forget that the Design of God in contriving our Salvation in his Eternal Wisdom by Jesus Christ was wholly to advance his own Glory and the Freeness and Riches of his Grace and to abase and humble Man unto the Dust therefore be sure never err on that Hand And I think it is not easy for Men well to err on the other I mean in exalting God alone Christ alone though I deny not but that some good Men who in seeking to advance Free-Grace perhaps have erred and taken up some unsound Notions as that of Actual or Personal Justification before Faith and Actual Union with Jesus Christ O what need have we to ponder well the Paths of our Feet and not with Pride to magnify our selves or strive to promote any corrupt Notion under any Pretence whatsoever Our Days are Evil many dangerous Errors abound and it is cause of greatest Grief to see what a Generation of Men are risen up of late who strive to mix God's pure Gold with their Dross and his Wine with their Water Though on the other Hand let us bless and praise the Lord for raising up so many brave Champions in the mean time of our Brethren of the Congregational Way to defend the Gospel of God's Grace and the Truth as it is in Jesus Yet I could wish there was not so much Gall in some of them against us their Brethren who in all the great Truths of Christianity are of one Mind and Judgment and yet are exposed to Reproach for witnessing to a Truth of Christ that lies as plain in the Gospel as any one Truth or positive Precept of Christ whatsoever I mean that of Believers Baptism Why should we be censured for maintaining that Truth which the Holy Ghost so fully bears witness unto I long to see more of the Spirit of Love and Charity would to God that Chapter 1 Cor. 13. was more read and considered 4. This may also serve to reprehend such who strive to cast Reproach upon this Holy Doctrine and such that maintain it as if it tended to incourage People in Sin or open a Door to Licentiousness Let all for ever forbear such Reflections Is not this the Purport of that Doctrine which we vindicate 1. That there is wrought and preserved in the Minds and Souls of all Believers by the Holy Spirit a Supernatural Principle of Grace and Holiness whereby they are made meet and enabled to live unto God and discharge all Duties of Obedience which he requireth of them and accepteth through Christ which Principle or Habit of Grace is essentiaily distinct from all Natural Habits Intellectual and Moral however and by what Means so ever acquired or improved 2. That the Holy Spirit by his effectual Operations doth enable us according as we are required by his immediate Influences in all Acts of Obedience whether internal only in Faith and Love c. or External also even so that all the Powers of our Souls and Members of our Bodies are or ought to be in a spiritual manner governed and influenced thereby and unto all Duties of Holiness in our daily walking with God and that all this is the Effect of God's Free-Grace to us in Jesus Christ who hath communicated of the Spirit without measure to our Blessed Head and Mediator that he may give it forth to all his Saints that have Union with him and believe in him Brethren God hath circumcised the Hearts of his People to love him with all their Souls and with all their Strength He writes his Law in our Hearts as he promised I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts This gracious Habit or Principle in the Soul is nothing but a Transcript of the Holy Law of God implanted and abiding in our Hearts whereby we are enabled with Chearfulness and ready Inclination of our Spirits to act in the Duties of Obedience and Holiness unto God as he requireth of us and also our Likeness and Conformity unto God doth consist herein I say it doth consist in this Divine and Sacred Principle or Spiritual Habit that is infused into the Soul it is our Spiritual Life whereby we live unto God it is the Foundation and Sum of all Internal Excellencies no Works no Duties are accepted where this Principle is not It is a Vital Principle of Holiness and it makes Religion co-natural to us Moreover it is a certain a permanent and an abiding Principle it is that Seed
Brethren each Person in the Trinity hath a part in it the Father hath his Part the Son hath his Part and the Holy Ghost hath his Part also Remember that these three are one though three Persons or Subsistences yet but one and the same God one in Essence though distinguished as to their distinct Personalities the Person of the Father is not the Person of the Son the Father took not upon him Flesh and died for our Sins but the Son the Son sent not the Father but the Father sent the Son The Father and the Son do not proceed from the Holy Ghost but the Holy Ghost doth proceed from them But a little to open and insist upon the distinct Parts which each Person hath and how concerned in the accomplishing of this great Salvation 1. The Father is held forth in the Scripture as the Contriver or first Author of this Salvation All Things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ All Things in and about our Salvation are of God the Father as he is the Fountain and Spring of it He hath devised means that his banished might not for ever be expelled from him I have found a Ransom Where did God find it saith Reverend Caryl Certainly in his own Bosom in his own Heart Jesus Christ came out of the Bosom of the Father there he was and God found him in and with himself he did not find the Ransom by chance but he found it in his own Wisdom Love and Goodness 2. The Father was injured his Glory seemed to be eclipsed by Sin therefore must be righted and his Honour repaired and he sought out the proper way to do it I know as if God should say how to do the poor Sinner good I know how to save him and do my own Honour my Justice Truth and Holiness no wrong my Honour is secured my Justice is satisfied and yet the Sinner whom my Heart is set upon shall be saved 3. The Father could only appoint the Terms and Way of our Salvation Who but God could tell or did know what would comport with his Truth and Justice and with the Sanction of his Righteous Law and Infinite Holiness And he saw it did not comport with his Truth Justice Holiness and Blessed Law to save Man meerly as an Act of Sovereign Mercy but it did agree in his Infinite Wisdom to transfer the Punishment of the Sinner to another namely to his own Son he taking our Nature on him who from the Union of the two Natures in one Person procured an Infinite Satisfaction or made a Plenary Compensation for our Sins 4. God the Father is therefore held forth as the Person who substituted his own Son as Mediator and Surety in our stead and room to work out our Redemption or this great and glorious Salvation and to this end prepared him a Body A Body hast thou prepared me And the Father is said also to send his Son How many times doth our Blessed Saviour ascribe this unto the Father in the Gospel recorded by John I am perswaded not less than forty times The Father that sent me is with me God sent not his Son into the World to condemn the World This is the Will of him that sent me 5. All the Blessings of our Salvation are ascribed to the free Bounty Mercy Love and Goodness of God the Father Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation c. And therefore he is stiled The Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort Now this being so what an abominable thing is it for the Socinians to say That the Doctrine of Satisfaction renders the Son more merciful and kind than the Father see Penn's Sandy Foundation shaken No this is very unjustly and unrighteously thrown upon this great Gospel-Truth Certainly it exalts the Goodness and Mercy of God the Father far more than their idle and absurd Notion of God's pardoning Sin in a way of meer Mercy without a Satisfaction to his offended Justice seeing God in a way of Mercy and Divine Goodness is so set upon this Work of our Salvation that though it cost him the Life of his own Son yet it shall be done he will not spare him He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The Father did not spare him as an Act of his own Love and Goodness to us God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Certainly that Person shews greater Love and Pity to another who to save him gives a Million than he that gives but a Pound Must God by these Men be deemed to have no Mercy at all because he seeks the Honour of his Justice equally with the Glory of his Mercy Is he not Merciful because he is Just as well as Gracious 6. Brethren it was the Father that loved us and chose us in Jesus Christ before the Foundation of the World which is the Spring of all Spiritual Blessings even of Redemption and Salvation it self 7. Moreover the Father is said to raise Jesus Christ from the Dead Though the Son being God could raise himself yet as Mediator the Power to quicken whomsoever he will is said to be given to him by the Father Besides it is the meer Grace and good Pleasure of God the Father to accept of Christ and his Obedience for us and to accept of us in Jesus Christ Also it is the Father that blesseth us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Nay no Man Christ says can come unto him unless it be given by the Father that is Power must be given to him to come And again he saith No Man can come unto me except my Father that sent me draw him We ought therefore to see we do not lessen the Glory of God the Father in our Salvation who is the Efficient the Original and moving Cause thereof My Father saith Christ hitherto worketh and I work Brethren we are not to attribute the Works of Creation and Providence to God the Father only for he hath a great and glorious Hand in the Work of Redemption I may say to accomplish this Work even the Salvation of his Elect he worketh hitherto and Christ also worketh which brings me to consider of the next Person in the Trinity concerned herein Secondly As the Father hath as you have heard his part in bringing in the great Salvation of the Gospel so Jesus Christ the Son of God hath his part in working of it out the Father fix'd on him as the great Agent actually to perfect it he is in such a peculiar manner concerned in it that his Name is Saviour his Name shall be called Jesus Jesus signifies a Saviour certainly this must needs be a great Salvation if we consider the Greatness Dignity and Glory of his Person whom God hath sent to save us
the Crown of our Heads to the Soles of our Feet it is more filthy than the filthiest thing in the World in God's sight And as all the Faculties of our Souls were poisoned thereby so all the Members of our Bodies are defiled and polluted with it also Nay and it is such a kind of Pollution that renders the Sinner loathsom to God God is said to be grieved with Sin nay grieved that he made Man grieved at his Heart because every Imagination of the Thought of his Heart was evil continually God is said upon this to repent that he made Man not that God properly can repent it signifies an alienation of God's Heart and Affections from Man for his Sin and Wickedness whereby he carries himself towards him as we do when we repent we have done a thing 2. It was therefore hereby that we lost God's Love and Favour and is not that a dismal and most bitter thing Man's only Happiness lies in his Likeness to God and in the enjoyment of his Love and the Light of his sweet Countenance But this the whole Race of Mankind lost by Original Sin and instead of his Love we were brought under his Wrath. Sin incurr'd the Wrath and Anger of God God is angry with the Wicked every Day And as we by Sin became Enemies to God so also hereby God became an Enemy to us And if we consider what it cost God and cost Jesus Christ to make our Peace or to make up this Breach sure we must say this is a great and wonderful Salvation 3. Sin is the worst of Evils it is the Plague of Plagues it is worse than any Affliction Afflictions oft-times bring us nearer unto God but Sin drives us further from him Sin is a departing from God a leaving and forsaking of God a casting of God off the more we are afflicted the more we are made conformable to Jesus Christ He was afflicted and a Man of Sorrows but the more we sin the more like we are unto the Devil Nay and by Afflictions we are purged and are said to partake of the Holiness of God therefore there is much Good in Affliction but Sin hath nothing but Evil in it hurtful Evil Soul-defiling and Soul-damning Evil. Sin is the Spring and Cause of all other Evils it is the Cause of all Sickness and of all Sorrow and Misery nay and 't is the Cause of Death it self The Wages of Sin is Death nay the Sting of Death is Sin that which makes Death so terrible to a wicked Man 4. Sin hath put Mankind into Satan's Hand who hath laid him in cruel Chains Consider what a thing it is to be taken Captive by a grand and merciless Tyrant Satan took all Mankind Captive and holds them still who are under the Power of it in Captivity they are his Bondmen his Slaves he takes them Captive at his Will Every vicious Habit is a strong Bond or Chain in which Satan binds his Vassals All Men naturally are bound down under the Bond of Ignorance Unbelief and Hardness of Heart such is the Nature of Sin Christ came to set at liberty such that were bound I perceive saith Peter that thou art in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bond of Iniquity And O what is the Strength of these Bonds Who can break them but the Arm of the Omnipotent God Moreover these Bonds bind the Soul unto and under the Wrath of God O what a kind of Salvation is it that delivers us from Sin and out of the Power of Satan 5. Sin hath put out the Eyes of all Mankind and stripp'd them naked and wounded them unto Death All Men are born blind the Eyes of our Understanding naturally are darkened the State of Mâ—n by Nature is most miserable it is set out by a wretched Infant cast out in the open Fiâ—la in its Blood in the Day of its Nativity having none to pity it to wash it nor swade it at all We are all naturally most loathsom full of filthy Sâ—abs and running Sores and yet such iâ— the Ignorance and Blindness of the Sinner's Eyes and unsensibleness of his State that he sees it not feels it not but thinks all is well with him and is ready to fly into that Man's Face that shall tell him such iâ— his Condition 6. Moreover Sin feeds Men poorly How do they feed What is their Table spread with Are they served with the Best They are fed as it were with Mallows and Janiper-roots That saith Caryl is the Chear Sin make â—â— them yea Wickedness will be as Gravel in their Teeth and as Poison in their Bowels True some of them feed their Bodies deliciously every Day they are full fed they have liberal large and plentiful Tables But alas what have their Souls to eat What did the Soul of the Prodigal find Did he not feed on the Husks which the Swine did eat Their Food is and will be Gall and Wormwood he feedeth on Ashes saith the Prophet all his Hopes will deceive him and prove vain like the Spider's Web the Pleasures Honours Riches and Comforts of this Life are the Food wicked Men live upon they never tasted in a Spiritual manner of God they know not how good he is nor do they desire to eat that which is Good but the Time is coming in which they will desire to taste of Christ's Supper and shall not be admitted because they refused to come to the Wedding O what is Sin and how miserable is the Condition of Sinners And doth not this sâ—t forth and tend to demonstrate the greatness of this Salvation which delivers us from so great an Evil He shall save his People from their Sins He that understands no Evil in Sin as Man is fallen from God hath lost God the first Cause and chiefest Good and last End and being under the Power of a constant Enmity against him and in this deplorable Condition as I have hinted will have as one observes other apprehension of thâ—se things when at last he misses of a Part in this Great Salvation and when the Means of it shall not be afforded any more to him for ever And on the other Hand he that comes to see this to be his State and obtains an Interest in this Salvation will say it is a Great and Glorious Salvation Secondly By this Salvation we are delivered from that which is destructive to our whole Souls and Bodies 1. The Sinner by Sin is as you heard a Slave a Captive and under Satan's Power bound in strong Chains c. And now let me add he is for his Sin cursed by the Lord and condemned to die by his Righteous Law nay the Law le ts fly or denounces most bitter Curses against Sin even against every Sin and every Sinner that takes not hold of this Salvation Cursed is he that continues not in all things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them From this
the Law cannot no more can the Devil nor a Believer's own Heart I mean so as to bring him under Eternal Condemnation 8. And lastly All such that are justified shall be glorified see Rom. 8. 30. O glorious Salvation that brings in this blessed Privilege how happy are all justified Persons Fifthly Adoption appertains to this Salvation Every Believer is raised also to this great Privilege and hath this Prerogative he is made a Son of God a Child of God Adoption is to take such to be Children that naturally were not as a special Act of Grace and Favour So we who were the Children of Wrath by Nature are made or adopted to be the Children of God by Grace through Jesus Christ And Christ in working out this Salvation procured this glorious Blessing Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons To be Kings Children is no small Dignity yea the Children of the King of Heaven and Earth What manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. God is not ashamed to be called our God nay our Father 1. Brethren this is an honourable Title What were we once how low base and ignoble before Grace 2. This Privilege it appears cost Christ dear 3. And because we are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts crying Abba Father 4. And if we be Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 5. Then Beloved we also as Children shall be cared for as Children be fed as Children be clothed as Children also be chastened God in all Afflictions deals with us as his Children 6. And if Children we shall be always Children for we are not only the Children of God by Adoption but we are also begotten and born of God and so partake of his Divine Nature which we cannot lose Sixthly By the Grace and Means of this Salvation we are espoused to Jesus Christ O what an Honour and Dignity is this Believers are the Bride the Lamb's Wife And how is and shall the Spouse of Christ be clothed Even in Gold of Ophir She shall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-work She is all glorious within and she shall be all glorious outwardly in Body too e're long as well as she is so now in her Soul and inward Parts Jesus Christ puts Chains about the Necks of all that are his or that he espouses I mean those precious Graces of his Spirit which he hath purchased for them For they shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck The Father called for the best Robe to be put upon his Son as soon as he returned home and a Ring on his Finger The inward Beauty of the Spouse does even ravish the very Heart of Christ Thou hast ravished my Heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my Heart with one of thine Eyes with the Chain of thy Neck With one of thine Eyes some understand by one of her Eyes the Eye of Faith no doubt that is a precious Grace in Christ's sight Every Believer partakes of Grace and all Spiritual Gifts every Grace is a glorious Ornament and of great Price in the sight of God This Salvation makes Men and Women glorious Creatures new Creatures every one resembles the Son of a King they hereby come to partake of God's Holy Nature And as the Grace of this Salvation makes glorious Christians so it does also make glorious Churches Candlesticks of pure Gold Seventhly This Salvation brings Peace with it Peace is a precious Blessing we receive Grace first and then Peace My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you The Peace of God is so excellent a thing that it passes all Mens Vnderstanding What would Spira or Child have given for true Peace and inward Serenity of Mind O it is a great and glorious Salvation Were these things considered and could be fully opened it would appear more abundantly true Peace of Conscience is never known to the Worth of it but to such who have known the want of it Eighthly I might also speak of Sanctification which Blessing all they also partake of that have an Interest in this Salvation Holiness is an Heaven on Earth it is Heaven begun here and it fits and makes every Believer meet for that blessed Inheritance of the Saints in Light the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit are given to this end I mean to make us holy in Heart and Life Ninthly Free access unto the Throne of Grace is another Blessing and Privilege which all Believers receive who have a part in this Salvation Christ hath made the Way easy for us to the Father it is by a new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh or by his Death Tenthly All the Promises of God belong to Believers and are procured for them in and by this Salvation They are great exceeding great and precious there is a Fulness in them the Promises as they are sure in Christ Yea and Amen in Christ so they answer every State and Condition any Believer can be in Eleventhly All the Ordinances of the Gospel belong to this Salvation and are no small Privilege they are as golden Pipes to convey Heavenly Riches or Sacred Treasure to our Souls Nay and in the last place there is a Crown of Glory that every Believer shall be raised unto that hath a saving Interest in this Salvation and not only a Crown but a Kingdom also Now is not this a great Salvation which raises poor Creatures who were fallen as low as Hell up to Heaven and of being Slaves of Sin and Satan to be Sons and Daughters of God It was a great Salvation that Joseph had when he was brought out of Prison where he lay in Irons to be the chief Ruler under the King in Egypt And it was a great Advancement of David from following the Sheep to sit on a Throne but nothing like this of Believers What is an Earthly Throne to an Heavenly one He that overcometh shall sit down with Christ in his Throne and reign for ever and ever APPLICATION 1. Admire this Salvation say it is no small thing to have a part in it I cannot particularly apply what I have insisted upon But 2. Bless God for Jesus Christ You cannot say that the Salvation he hath wrought is a barren Salvation O what is and will be the product of it 3. Particularly Consider what a Blessing Justification is and take heed you are not drawn away nor corrupted about the nature thereof 4. Be exhorted you that are Saints to strive to exercise Faith in respect of your Justification Believe the Gospel-Testimony He that believeth is justified from all things c. You have
the Word of that God that cannot lie to assure you of it Do not judg of your Justification according to the degree of your Sanctification as if you were no further justified than you are sanctified or that your Sanctification is any Cause of your Justification nor do not think you are more justified when you are in a lively frame of Duty than at another time when deadness and dulness takes hold of you Object I cannot believe so as to rise to a full perswasion that I am justified and shall be saved though I can relie upon Christ as a poor Sinner for my Justification and Eternal Life Answ 1. Well bless God for that Faith for a full Assurance doth not appertain to the Essence of true Faith but it is the highest degree of it and no doubt many are gone to Heaven that never attained to that degree of true Faith 2. I knew a Godly Minister who told me in his Sickness a little before he died All his Hopes were gone he could not come to Christ as a Saint his Evidences were so clouded this he uttered with Tears as I remember and with no small grief He presently broke forth and said But Brother I can come to him as a poor burdened lost and heavy-laden Sinner and I am sure he will not refuse me or to that purpose If thou canst do so certainly great Peace will come in it is from the weakness of our Faith that a strong and full Perswasion is wanting a direct Act of Faith I am perswaded must needs bring in the greatest Joy and Comfort a looking for all the signs of true Grace in us oft-times confounds a poor Christian If there is no Sin that thou dost allow thy self in but dost hate Sin as Sin and lovest Holiness and art willing to follow Christ in all things according to thy Light and lovest all the Saints of God as such no doubt but thy State is good and safe 3. But remember if thou canst not come to a satisfaction about what I speak in respect of those Signs yet know if thou dost believe i. e. rely upon the Merits and Righteousness of Christ as a poor Sin-sick Sinner all may be well 4. Take heed you do not look for a Righteousness in your selves to recommend you to God or to trust in for Justification Also know that it is not for the sake of Christ's Merits or for the sake of his Righteousness that we are justified but that it is his Righteousness that is the Matter of our Justification alone before God as it is â—puted unto us and received by Faith Christ's Merits render no our Faith and sincere Obedience to be any part of our Righteousâ—ess to Justification in God's sight 't is his Righteousness only which was perfect and no other Righteousness must thou be foâ—nd in in this respect if thou art justified and eternally saved Though 't is true that Man that has true Faith shall find the Effects of it to be such that it will cleansâ— and purify his Heart and Life and that Faith that hath not such Effects and good Fruits to accompany it is a dead Faith as the Apostle James shews HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I Closed the last Day with the tenth Demonstration to prove the Salvation of the Gospel to be Great and Glorious Seventhly Gospel-Salvation is Great and Glorious because it is a full a compleat and a comprehensible Salvation That which I intend hereby is this viz There are all things contained in this Salvation which our 〈…〉 in order to Grace and whatsoever is necessary for us here and eternal Glory hereafter 't is not a barren or a partial Salvation but a fruitful and compleat Salvation it does not require us to make Bâ—â—k and allow us no Straw it doth not command us to believe and give us no Power it is not like the Law that commands perfect Righteousness and condemns all that have it not but gives no Strength to perform it Some there be who seem to preach a strange Gospel they tell you what Christ hath done viz that he hath died c. and done his part in this Salvation and lest Sinners to do their part the Debt is paid you may go out of Poison if you will this they do tell you But alas alas the lest Sinner is bound he is in Chains under the Power of Sin and Satan nay he is dead and what can he do Is his Power greater than the Power of Satan Can he translate himself out of the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of God's Son Can he by any Power God hath given him quicken himself or raise himself from the Dead No no this is impossible But now say I Gospel-Salvation is a full and comâ—â—â—â— Salvation what is needful and absolutely necessary to be donâ— for the Sinner in order to his having a saving Interest in it Jesus Christ will accomplish nay and he will do it himself he will not â—dmit you to have a Share or a Part in the Salvation of your own Souls for as he knows Sinners are not able to do that which must be done for them and in them if they are interested into the Blessings of this Salvation so he will have and must have all the Glory and Honour of this Salvation himself from the first to the last Christ hath no Partner no Competitor in this great Work I mean in and about the Salvation of our Souls 1. Sinners are you dead dead in Sins and Trespasses Christ is come to quicken you I am come that you might have Life There is in this Salvation Life for dead Sinners Christ hath a certain Water to give that whosoever drinketh of it though he be dead yet he shall live that Water is his Spirit 't is by that by infusing of his Spirit into the dead Soul that the Soul comes to be quickned the Spirit of Christ is his quickning Voice The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Christ is our Life not only as he purchased Life for us but as he by his Spirit infuses it in us The Spirit is that Vital Principle in us You hath he quickned that were dead in Trespasses and Sins And he puts forth his Almighty Power to do this as the Apostle had declared to the Saints at Ephesus just in the Verses before in the first Chapter shewing to them that the same Power is put forth in raising us from a Death in Sin or in working Faith in our Souls that was wrought in Christ when he was raised from he Dead and therefore it is said to be the exceeding Greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power as before Can any Man do this can he raise himself Dead Lazarus might quicken and raise himself as soon out of the Grave as a dead Sinner can
think Repentance a harsh Doctrine no no it is sweet and blessed Tidings to hear that there is Repentance vouchsafed to poor Sinners yea for the worst of Sinners Besides was not Repentance the very first Doctrine Jesus Christ preached when he entered upon his Ministry He calls upon Men to repent and believe the Gospel he declares there is a Way found out for Pardon and Remission of Sin And what can so kindly and sweetly excite or stir up Sinners to Repentance as the sight of the infinite Mercy and pardoning Grace of God through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ His Mercy only melts and breaks the hard Heart of guilty Criminals 3. To preach the Combinations and Threatnings of God's Wrath and Vengeance against all ungodly and impenitent Sinners who slight and neglect the Salvation of the Gospel can be no Legal Doctrine 1. Because the Gospel abounds with them yea and more fearful Threatnings than those were under the Law for the one were Threats of Temporal Punishment but the other are Eternal even the Denunciation of God's Wrath in Hell for ever 2. Because of the greatness of that Mercy and Divine Grace and Goodness which such who sin under the Gospel do abuse and tread under their Feet 3. To shew the Justice Headship and Authority of Jesus Christ who is God as well as Man that so all Men may stand in awe of him and dread and fear him because of his great Love and Goodness extended through his suffering for Sin and enduring the heavy Wrath of God for us and for many other Reasons which you have heard 4. Because the Threatnings of the Gospel do not only render God as a just Revenger but also as a merciful Redeemer not only as a Judg to pass Sentence but as a gracious Soveraign ready to give forth Pardon to all convicted broken and self-condemned Rebels The Law threatens Death but affords no Offers of Life on any Terms that can be attained to therefore no Encouragement given by it to Sinners to humble themselves it commands perfect Obedience but affords no Strength to perform it pronounces the Sentence against us but produces no Pardon for us it commands us to trust in God but reveals not a Mediator who is the immediate Object of Faith and Trust 5. The Threatnings of the Gospel are a Manifestation of God's Goodness As a Father threatens his Child from that Love and Bowels he hath to it that so it might not feel the Lashes of his Rod and Anger And O how are Gospel-Threatnings mixt with alluring Motives and endearing Arguments and Perswasions intimating how ready God is to pass by our Offences if we submit our selves to him and accept of the Offers of his Grace and Favour If such preaching of Wrath therefore be Legal I must acknowledg my great Ignorance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Besides how long are the Threatnings of the Gospel deferred before executed The Contemners of the Law died presently as well as it discovered no Remedy But so it is not here God seems to be ready to forgive and slow to Wrath he waits long before he strikes and brings Wrath and Judgment upon Offenders as well as he directs them to a way to escape Secondly I shall shew you what is a Legal Doctrine or Legal Preaching 1. The Doctrine or Preaching of such Persons is legal that say that all who will be eternally saved must arrive to a perfect and sinless Righteousness in themselves i. e. keep the Law perfectly and sin not in their own Persons or they cannot be justified William Penn speaking of that Text Rom. 2. 13. Not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified saith From whence how unanswerably may I observe that unless we become Doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our Example to fulfil we can never be justified before God nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their Acceptance but only as their Pattern Now this is a Legal Doctrine with a witness these Men would be look'd upon as true Preachers of the Gospel but let all Men be aware of them Is any Man able perfectly to keep the Law if so why doth the Apostle say What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his Son c. Besides if there had been a Law that could have given Life verily saith Paul Righteousness should have been by the Law And again he saith By the Works of the Law no Man is justified and if Righteousness come by the Law then is Christ dead in vain Christ it seems by what this Man saith came only to fulfil the Law as our Example that we might conform to him therein and so be justified by it But he forgot that we and all Mankind have broke the Law and stand charged and condemned thereby unto eternal Condemnation and who shall make Atonement for that Breach and deliver us from the Curse thereby incurred No Doctrine can cast higher Contempt upon Christ and invalidate his Suffering and Justification by Faith alone in him than this Doctrine doth 2. Such preach a Legal Doctrine who preach up Obedience by us to the Law or Gospel either as the procuring or moving Cause and Condition of our Justification and Eternal Life 3. Such also preach a Legal Doctrine who preach up Wrath and Divine Vengeance to scare or frighten Men out of their Sins and as if by the bare leaving and forsaking of Sin Men might escape Death and Wrath. Such a Doctrine as Reverend Dr. Owen notes may fill an unregenerate Man with Horror and servile Fear whereby as Bond-Servants or Slaves by the Whip of this Doctrine they may be forced to break off from some gross Acts of Sin and perform some outward Duties of Religion which otherwise they are unwilling to do for as it is not from Love to God nor from Faith in Christ so they find no Delight nor Sweetness in it but being often remiss and seeing cause to doubt of the Sincerity of their Obedience they fall under Terror and slavish Fear they only acting from an enlightned Conscience and not from Faith or renewing Grace These Men neither love the Law nor Gospel tho they are forced to keep up in some degree of Obedience to it 4. Such preach a Legal Doctrine that affirm Man 's own Faith and inherent Righteousness for the sake of Christ's Merits is part of our Righteousness to Justification in the sight of God and that Christ hath procured or merited a mild Law of Grace of Faith and sincere Obedience in the room of the Law of perfect Obedience Which Law of sinless Obedience Christ having given to God a full Recompence for our Breach of he hath taken that Law-away and that so far as we faithfully live up to this new Law of Grace we are justified in
and usefulness of Experiences of God's Providences 136. Q. Quench Dangerous to quench the Holy Spirit Satan cannot totally quench the Spirit in Believers 228. Quickning The Spirit the quickning Principle of the Soul 228 R. Resurrection of the Body an Essential of the Christian Religion 86 Right-Hand Christ the Father's Right-Hand 274 Righteousness What Righteousness it is a Man may turn from 307 Christ's Righteousness which is the Material Cause of our Justification is an Everlasting Righteousness and therefore cannot be lost 307 Such that trust to their own Righteousness shall perish 307 Christ's Righteousness a Garment 382 383 Rod. The Rod Christ's Voice 86. S. Salvation wholly of Grace Pag. 147 Shewed and proved in eight Particulars 147 148 149 150 Salvation a Garment the Father prepared it the Son wrought it the Holy Ghost puts it on the Soul 382 383 Salvation great 369 to 435 Who neglect the great Salvation 436 to 443 From whence Salvation is neglected 443 444 Great Evil of neglecting Salvation 452 453 c. Great Evil in respect of God the Father 452 453 In respect of Christ 457 In respect of the Holy Spirit 461 In respect of the Sinner himself 468 469 470 Salvation our greatest Business proved 441 442 443. Sheep Believers Christ's Sheep 1. By Choice 2. By the Father's Donation 3. By Purchase 4. By Renovation 5. By Covenant made with the Father 6. By Conquest 7. By their Resignation of themselves to him 77 78 79 80 Characters of Christ's Sheep 11â— to 121 Shepherd What a kind of Shepherd Christ is 122 to 129 Sin The Evil of Sin opened in many Particulars 388 389 390 391 392 393 c. Sins of the Saints of a heinous Nature on several respects 168 Sins of Believers cannot separate them from God's Love 185 186 187 188 c. Why Saints cannot dare not sin 191 192 The great Evil of the Sin in neglecting Gospel-Salvation 464 to 469 Those that are born God cannot commit Sin shewed 216 217 The odiousness of Sin shewed 470 Christ died for all the Sins of the Elect. 236 241. For their Unbelief 241 No vindictive Wrath due to Believers their Sins Pag. 243 Sin the greatest Evil. 58 Socinians what their Errors are 85 Soveraignty It is God's absolute Soveraignty to chuse and call whom he will and send the Gospel to whom he will 169 172 173 314 Soul The Soul of Man very precious proved by many Arguments 400 401 402 c. The Soul proved to be Immortal by seven Arguments 406 407 Ministers and Parents have a great Charge having the Charge of Souls No impairing the final loss of the Soul 409. Spira Francis Spira's Fall what 44 Spira's natural Disposition 44 Some Passages of his fearful State 44 45 46. Spirit The great Blessings we receive by the Holy Spirit opened 259 260 261 1. The Spirit an Earnest to us 260 2. A Seal a Witness 261. A twofold Act of the Witness of the Holy Spirit 1. A direct Act. 2. A reflex Act. 261. State The State of Sinners by Nature very miserable opened in many Particulars 393 394 395. Stead Christ died not only for our good but in our stead proved by 9 Arguments 237 238 239 240. Strangers Who are Strangers and why so called 90 How Christ's Sheep will not follow nor hear the Voice of Strangers 90 91. Supper The precious Nature of the Lord's Supper opened 133 134. T. Taste What a Taste of God's Word Hypocrites may have 337 What a Taste the Saints have 340 341. Threatnings Why there are such Threatnings contained in the Gospel 483 484 485. Torments Torments of Hell what largely opened 53 54 55 56 57 Torments of Hell eternal why 58 59. Tremble What sort of Persons have cause to tremble at the thoughts of Wrath and Hell 50 59 60. U. Vnbelief the greatest Sin shewed in many Particulars 449. Vnion Vnion with Christ opened 224 225 226 Vnion with Christ secures Believers from Final Apostacy 227 228 229 230 231. Vniversal No Vniversal Redemption from Sin and Wrath proved by many Arguments 252 253 254. Voice What meant by Christ's Voice shewed in four things 80 to 86 What a kind of Voice the Voice of Christ's Spirit is shewed in 8 Particulars 81 82 What meant by hearing Christ's Voice and how the Saints hear it shewed in many Particulars 87 88 89. W. Water The Nature of Water 138 What meant by Water of Life or Spiritual Water 139. Weigh God weighs all Men and their Spirits Graces Duties 37 38. Wheat Why the Saints are compared to Wheat shewed in nine respects 27 28 29. Will. The Will of Man determines the whole Event of Man's Redemption according to the Arminian Doctrine 15â— World There is a World to come what meant thereby 343 The World to come in its greatest Glory begins when Christ comes the second time 344 The Riches Honours and Pleasures of the World to come opened 449 450 451 452 453. The World to come will consist of a new Heaven and new Earth 344 The word World sometimes refers to the Elect 256. Wrath. The Wrath of God dreadful Pag. 41 The External Wrath of God what 42 The Internal Wrath what 43 The Eternal Wrath in Hell opened 52 1. Inconceivable 2. According to the fear of it 53 3. No Misery like Wrath in Hell 53 54 4. Wrath of God in Hell without mixture 54 55 At what time Sinners shall not escape God's Wrath. 478 479 The Nature of God's Wrath opened which they shall not escape that neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel 480 481 What kind of Sinners shall suffer and undergo God's Wrath. 487 489. Y. Yoke There is a Yoke to be taken up by all such that will be saved 447 The Yoke uneasy to the Flesh or to all unrenewed Persons 447. ERRATA â—â—ge 52 line 15 read Elementary P. 53. l. 25. r. Wretch P. 118. l. 24. for his 〈…〉 P 170. l. 29. for saith r. said P. 212. l. 27. r. whosoever hath that efficacious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transforming Soul-renewing c. P. 213. l. 26. dele sooner than Flesh P. 9. l. 10. for in self r. in it self 224. l. 4. for Thirdly r. 2. P. 236. l. 23. dele the 〈◊〉 P. 246. l. 5. for great r. 〈◊〉 l. 16. for nor r. or 〈…〉 9. dele not P. 255 〈◊〉 read it is evident that by the word All and the word 〈…〉 is only intended c. P. 302 l. 6. for thy r. the. P. 324. l. 20. read 〈…〉 things which they acted P. 368. l. 33. for only r. also P. 379. l. 38. r. Gospel-Salvation P. 381. l. 38. dele the first the. P. 405. l. 8. dele because Sermon 1. Preacht Feb. 5. 1693. Parts opened Luk. 7. 28. Mal. 3. 1 2. Terms opened What meant by Floor John 15. 1. National floor opened Pro. 6. 32. Pro. 16. 13. Mat. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 18. Isa 42. 8. Jer. 10. 11. 1 Joh. 3. 10. Rom. 1. 28. 29. What is meant by Christ's Fan. John 15. 3. Act. 15.
but Christ's Blood could redeem the Soul Mich. 6. 7. Rom. 8. 32. The Rage of Satan to destroy the Soul shews it is a precious thing Could a Man gain all the World with the loss of his Soul his Loss would be great The Soul is immortal Mar. 10. 28. Luk. 23. 43. Phil. 1. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Verse 6. Luke 16. Phil. 1. 23. Eccles 12. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. Heb. 12. 23. Acts 2. 29. Rom. 8. 23. 1 John 3. 12. Phil. 3. 21. Job 27. 8. Acts 4. 12. Mark 16. 16. Ezek. 13. 19. Serm. V. Gospel-Salvation great considering what we are raised unto by it Heb. 9. 22. Col. 1. 14. Pardon of Sin contained in Gospel-Salvation Isa 43. 25 Isa 27. 4. Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 8. 39 40. Union with God a Blessing of Gospel-Salvation 1 Joh. 1. 3. Acts 13. 39. The Nature of Justification opened Gal. 3. 13. Rom. 8. 32 33 34. Col. 2. 10. Cant. 4. 7. Ezek. 16. 13 14. Heb. 10. 14. Psa 143. 2. Job 25. 4. Job 9. 20. Rom. 8. 1. Gal. 4. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 1. Gal. 4. 6. Heb. 12. 5 6 7 8. Psal 45. 9 10. Prov. 1. 9. Luke 15. 22. John 16. Heb. 10. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Rev. 3. 21. Serm. VI. Gospel-Salvation great because 't is a full and compleat Salvation Col. 1. 13. 5. John 10. 10. Joh. 5. 25. Eph. 2. 1. Eph. 1. 18 19 20. Isa 61. 1. Eph. 5. 14. Ezek. 36. 26. Psal 51. Eph. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Ps 110. 3. Zech. 13. 1. Jer. 4. 14. Joh. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Eph. 5. 25 26. Isa 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Rev. 3. 18. Isa 55. 2. John 7. 37 38. Act. 5. 31. Heb. 12. 2. Isa 41. 10. John 14. 18. John 16. 13. Prov. 12. 12. Psal 16. 3. God in the Salvation of the Gospel is the Portion of Believers Gen. 15. 1. Psal 73. 26. Lam. 3. 24. Serm. VII Gospel-Salvation great in respect of Christ who was the great Minister of it Heb. 1. 1. Mat. 21. 37. Mat. 20. 28. Heb. 7. 1 2. Verse 6. Heb. 12. 25. 2 Cor. 5 20. Luke 10. 16. Mat. 10. 14 15. Gospel-Salvation great considering its wonderful Confirmation Heb. 2. 3 4. Joh. 5. 37. Ver. 39. Luke 13. 3 5. Joh. 3. 3. Joh. 3. 36. Mat. 27. 51 52. The Salvation of the Gospel great in that the Angels behold it with admiration 1 Tim. 3. 16. Eph. 3. 10. Gospel-Salvation great and glorious because it is a free Salvation Isa 55. 1 2. Rev. 22. 17. Salvation Eternal therefore great Isa 45. 17. Isa 51. 6. Sermon VIII Who may be said to neglect this Salvation 1 Cor. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Jer. 8. 9. Jer. 44. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. Isa 55. 5 6. Prov. 1. 24 25. John 12. 42 43. Job 21. 24. Psal 10. 4. Isa 53. 1. Acts 4. 12. Psal 9. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8. John 3. 3 5. A summary Account of the precedent Arguments to prove Salvation great Sermon IX From whence it is many People neglect their own Salvation Rev. 3. 17. From whence Ignorance and Blindness of Men proceeds Hos 4. 6. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. Mat. 22. 2 3. Ver. 5. Luke 14. 17. Ver. 18 19 20. Mat. 7. 13 14. Luk. 18. 9. Unbelief the greatest Sin Heb. 3. 18 19. Heb. 4. 1. Joh. 1. 5. Joh. 5. 40. Rom. 8. 7. Sermon X. Psal 2. 2 3. Eph. 3. 10. John 3. 16. Isa 45. 22. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 8. 24. 1 John 5. 10. Luke 13. 35. John 3. 3 5. Rom. 10. 3. Acts 4. 12. Mat. 22. 37. John 15. 13. Rom. 5. 10. Isa 65. 2. Cant. 5. 5. Isa 53. 2 3. Charnock Deut. 32. 15. Mark 3. 5. John 16. 8 9. Rom. 5. 5. John 3. 5. Isa 7. 13. Sermon XI Joh. 3. 36. Mark 16. 16. Acts 13. 46. Prov. 8. 18. John 12. 26. John 15. 22. All the Divine Attributes plead against such who neglect the Salvation of the Gospel 2 Thess 1. 9. Psal 90. 1. Satan's Work it is to hinaer Mens Salvation Joh. 12. 43. â—am 1. 21. Reader 〈…〉 these Sermons 〈…〉 Sermon XII Rom. 10. 4. Joh. 9. 41. Joh 3. 35. Mat. 23. 33. Luke 18. 11. Phil. 3. 8 9. Mark 3. The Causes and Reasons why they cannot escape that neglect gospel-Gospel-Salvation John 6. 53. Acts 4. 12. Mich. 6. Heb. 2. 2 3. Heb. 10. 28 29. Mark 16. 16. Nah. 1. 6. Mat. 13. 13 14. Psal 81. 11 12. Mat. 21. 43. 1 Thess 2. 16. Sermon XIII The Time when Sinners shall not escape Zeph. 3. 8. Jer. 11. 11. Luke 21. 36. Ezck. 9. 4. 1 Tim. 5. 24. Jer. 20. 3 4. Luke 10. 23. 1 Thess 5. 3. Job 21. 30. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 18. What the Nature of that Wrath is the Wicked shall not escape Psa 80. 11. 2 Thess 1. â— Rev. 14. 10. Zeph. 2. 1 2. Isa 13. 9. Nah. 1. 6. Psal 38. 4. 2 Thess 1. 9. Rev. 14. 10 11. 1 Thess 1. 2 Cor. 4. ult Sermon XIV Eccl. 8. 4. Mal. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Luke 19. 27. Amos 4. 12. Isa 53. Isa 63. Luke 13. 3 5. Mark 16. 16. John 3. 3 5. 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. Rev. 21. 8. Levit. 10. 2 3. Rom. 8. 13. What kind of Sinners Wrath shall fall upon Rom. 2. 29 30. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Rev. 21. 8. Rom. 1. 18. Mat. 5. 20 Phil 3. 8 9 Joh. 3. 3. Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 3. Mat. 25. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Eccles 8. 11. Rom. 2. 3 4. Mat. 11. 28. Sermon XV. Heb. 19. 28. Pen ' s Sandy Foundation shaken p. 26. Rom. 8. 2 3. Gal. 2. 16 21. Luk. 13. 3. Joh. 3. 36. Terror Deut. 32. 22 29. Mat. 10. 15. Mat. 11. 22 23. Mar. 6. 11. Lamentat Reproof Exhortat Isa 52. 7. Rom. 10. 17. Eph. 2. 1. Joh. 3. 8. How Persons may know they have an Interest in Christ 1 Pet. 2. 7. Ps 73. 25. Cant. 5. 10 Phil. 3. 9 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17.
not Satan insult after this manner over the Lord of Life and Glory whilst Sinners close in with his Temptations and cleave to their Lusts earthly Profits and Pleasures and neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel 3 dly Such who neglect this so great Salvation offer Violence to the Holy Ghost 1. They do resist the Holy Spirit whom God hath sent as his great Messenger to influence enlighten and convince their Hearts and Consciences about the Worth and Weightiness of this Concern He will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Because they neglect attending upon the Means of this Salvation believe not the Necessity there is of this Saviour nor of Faith in him and seek it not above all things Is it a small Matter to resist the Holy Ghost O lay it to Heart 2. They grieve the Holy Spirit also yea and hereby tire him out so that he at last withdraws his Influences from the Sinner and will strive with him no more like as he did by the World and if so the ruin of the Soul will be unavoidable for without the Holy Spirit no Man can repent believe or be renewed be regenerated and so come to have Interest in this so great Salvation 3. Such quench the Spirit who neglect this Salvation and do not believe it is to cast Water on that Divine Spark which the Holy Ghost strives to kindle in the Soul of a poor Sinner or to blow out the Candle of the Lord so far as the Sinner is able to do it whereby Spiritual Light and Knowledg comes to be let into the Heart 4. Nay to neglect this Salvation in the Means of it is as much as may be to hinder the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit in and about this Salvation The Holy Spirit hath more immediately to do with Sinners his special Work is to enlighten to convince of Sin to work Faith in the Soul and to renew and sanctify the polluted Heart and all that neglect this Salvation or that slight those Convictions they have of the Evil of Sin or Sense of their woful Condition do seek to obstruct the King's great Officer and Messenger in the discharge of his Office Look to it Sinners for if it be deemed a dangerous thing to resist a Constable in the exercise of his Office because he is the King's Servant what Danger do you expose your selves to that oppose withstand and strive to hinder the Spirit in the discharge of his great Work and Office It is to contemn the King's Ambassador the Holy Spirit is sent to treat with Sinners in Christ's Name it is hereby Christ himself speaks to them from Heaven and they that adhere to the Motions of the Spirit do adhere to Jesus Christ and they that oppose or resist his Motions do oppose and resist Christ also The Holy Spirit is the great Gospel-Blessing promised to infuse Grace in the Soul all Grace is from the Spirit Sinners cannot believe without the Holy Spirit nor love God The Love of God is shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost There is no Regeneration without the Spirit Those that are born again are born of the Spirit no Union with Christ without the Spirit no broken Heart no Cries no Tears that will prevail with God without the help of the Spirit Such that will not adhere to his Motions and Influences say in their Hearts that they will not be changed will not believe nor repent nor have Christ to be their Prince and Saviour The Spirit awakens the Conscience and stirs up Fears in the Soul and sets before the Sinner's Eyes his great Evil Guilt and horrid Pollution therefore if they refuse the Wooings Intreaties and Influences of the Spirit they must perish for ever APPLICATION 1. O let us lament and mourn over all that neglect this so great Salvation All Unbelievers and Neglecters of the Means of Salvation are horridly guilty before the Lord 't is hereby all their Sins are bound upon their Consciences and cleave to them and are charged upon them not only Original but all actual Sin whatsoever 2. O infinite Love and Patience May we not stand amazed and wonder at the long-suffering and forbearance of God O House of David saith the Prophet is it a small thing for you to weary Men but will you weary my God also What greater Wickedness and Ingratitude can there be than this Will you contemn and resist your Saviour and the Holy Ghost How long shall God wait upon you Will he always wait to be gracious O know that his Mercy will at last be turned into Fury 3. Unworthy are such to live to be fed to be clothed to be protected and preserved that thus despise God's Mercy and sovereign Goodness Would a Man feed clothe and bestow great Favours on such that despise slight and contemn him 4. What do you think of your selves Sinners to you I speak that neglect this so great Salvation O this is your Sin you refuse the only Remedy God hath found out to heal and save your Souls therefore your Damnation will be just and deserved with a witness You love Darkness rather than Light you contemn the highest Good the best of Beings and the highest Expressions of his Love and Favour that God that made you that Christ that spilt his Blood to redeem the worst of Sinners those Bowels that pitied you you refuse and resist that Spirit that would renew you sanctify you and make you meet for Heaven and all this out of love to your base Lusts your cruel Enemies that seek to destroy and murder your precious Souls Abhor your selves Alas Men do not see what Monsters of Wickedness they are whilst they neglect this so great Salvation You sin I say against the Remedy the costly Remedy the only Remedy against the Remedy that Infinite Wisdom hath found out and Infinite Goodness hath vouchsafed Yet if you return to God there is Mercy for you say O Lord now we see our Sin O that you could but say so in truth and fall down at the feet of God and say Thou hast overcome us with thy Love 5. Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers who have received this so great Salvation O bless God for Faith cherish the Motions of the Holy Spirit that hath broken your Bonds you prefer Christ and the Salvation by Christ before all things live worthy of a Part and Interest in this Salvation you have Salvation and shall not lose it O walk so that you may never lose the Joy of it for that you may do God may hide his Face Christ may withdraw himself if he hath done it enquire when you had him and consider what you have done that he hides his Face from you let the Cause if it be Sin be bewailed and let the loss of him be more grievous to you than the loss of Comfort from him and be willing to
do any thing to enjoy Christ again HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the second Proposition that is implied in the Text viz. Doct. 2. That the Means of the great Salvation of the Gospel may be neglected The last Time I shewed the great Evil that attended the neglect of Gospel-Salvation in respect of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Secondly The second thing proposed was to shew you what a great Evil this is in respect of the Sinner himself that doth neglect it But before I proceed to speak to this let me premise one thing namely That we ought first to be sensible of that Evil which is in this and in all Sin as it is against God for if our Convictions arise not from hence our Trouble is not right it flows not from a true Spring or right Principles It is not sufficient to see our Sin and Evil as it is against our selves as it hurts and wounds our own Souls but chiefly as it is against that God that made us and sent his Son to redeem us or as Sin is loathsom and abominable in his sight tending to eclipse his Glory nay to dethrone him and frustrate his gracious Design in our Redemption and bring his Honour under contempt This I say should first of all and chiefly be lamented Such sin against the Remedy and highest Goodness that neglect this Salvation and the gracious Operations of the Holy Spirit and so rather adhere to Satan than to God Suppose a Child under the Rod of his tender Father should cry out O the Smart but signify nothing of Sorrow or Grief in offending his Father would not that rather aggravate his Guilt or could it tend to please his Father and to cease laying on of more Stripes But to come to shew you what a great Evil it is to neglect this Salvation in 〈◊〉 of the Sinner himself 1. This Sin this Unbelief 〈…〉 is the Cause why all Sin remains upon the Conscience 〈…〉 Sinner True God hath transmitted the Guilt of our 〈◊〉 Christ so that he hath satisfied for them but the Sinner 〈◊〉 â—eceive this Atonement but refuses it and so his Sin his Guilt and Pollution remains upon him Faith being appointed as the Way of the Application of the Remedy 2. Nay Sin doth not only remain on such that neglect this Salvation and refuse Christ but this Refusal keeps Sin in its full Strength and binds all Sins fast to the Soul Sin reigns in them and condemns them and so doth the Law also which is the Strength of Sin because they receive not Jesus Christ who is the End of the Law as to its condemning Power to every one that believeth but not to them that reject Christ and believe not 3. Faith unites to a Holy God and to a Spotless Saviour whereby we come to have a Righteousness which discharges us from all Sin and Wrath due to it and such are made Holy But Unbelief continues the Soul in its old Stae as being united to the old Adam condemned Adam all Men are in the first or second Adam in the dead or living Adam And as is the dead Adam so are they that are in him they are dead and by the Law condemned therefore not justified And as is the living so are they that are made alive they live and are acquitted and can die spiritually no more 4. This Sin this Neglect is against a Man's own Life and Happiness Life is offered to him but he rejects it he will not have Life he has no love to himself seeks not the preservation of himself Mankind naturally have a special care to preserve themselves but these chuse Death rather than Life Sickness rather than Health Slavery rather than Liberty Cursing rather than Blessing 5. Hereby they deprive themselves of all the saving Benefits of Christ's Death for no adult Person hath or can have any Interest in the Merits of Christ without Faith He that believeth not the Wrath of God remains upon him He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Here is in this Salvation Pardon Peace Christ and Everlasting Life but the Sinner contemns all My People will have none of me saith the Lord. And this is the Voice of all that neglect this Salvation they will not have God will not have Christ will not have Life such is their Ignorance and the Enmity that is in their Hearts against God These account themselves unworthy of Everlasting Life and the Death of Christ will be in vain as to them 6. Hereby also they shew they have no Love nor Pity for their Immortal Souls If they loved their Souls would they not seek the Salvation of them Nay they are cruel to their own Souls Would not that Man be cruel to his poor Child that saw it fall into the 〈◊〉 and would not endeavour to pluck it ouâ— or 〈◊〉 it in the Water almost drowned crying out for help but would not 〈◊〉 to save it nor câ—â— for help O mercilâ—ss Mortals What no pit on your precious Souls that are so dear and near to you Will you nor cry to God to Jesus Christ to pull your Souls out of the Fire or rescue them out of the Teeth of the devouring Lion Can there be greater Folly Madnes or Cruelty than this O think upon it you Sinners that neglect this Salvation 7. Moreover their Folly appears further who neglect this Salvation in that they refuse a Crown a Kingdom and to be Heirs Heirs of God They may be rich eternally riâ—h yea great and honourable for ever but utterly refuse it Riches and Honour are with me saith Christ yea durable Riches and Righteousness If any Man saith our Saviour serve me him will my Father honour 8. Such that neglect the Salvation of the Gospel it doth vet further appear are very cruel to themselves and therefore guilty of the greatest Folly imaginable Had the Children of Israel in the Wilderness when they were stung with fiery Serpents refused to have looked up to the brazen Serpent that was lifted up upon the Pole when they were in tormenting Pain and Anguish would it not have shewed great Cruelty to themselves as well as Madness Sinners are wounded mortally wounded they are stung with a worse Serpent than those fiery Serpents And to look unto Christ by Faith is the only Cure and Remedy or the only way to be healed and as there is no other way so this is a certain and infallible Cure But Sinners who neglect this Salvation refuse to apply this sovereign Balsam to their wounded Souls 9. Is it not an evil and hurtful thing for a Man to yield himself up to the Counsel and Conduct of a sworn cruel and mortal Enemy who seeks his Blood and will rip up his Bowels and tear out hiâ— very Heart But thus they do that neglect this Salvation they hereby follow the Advice and