inquit scimus ex parte prophetamus cum dutem venerit id quod perfectum est quod ex parte est evacuabitur Deinde ut quomodo possee aliqua similitudine ostendere quantum ab illa quae fatura est distet haec vita non qualiumcunque hominum verum etiam qui praecipua hîc sanctitate suut praediti Cum essem inquit parvus quasi parvulus sapiebam c. Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. and upon the whole man at the great resurrection then shall the whole man be wholly perfect perfect Soul and perfect Body united together and when they are brought to the heavenly Canaan the Canaanites shall be no more in the land as thornes in their eyes and goads in their sides no more arising of sinne in the Soule no more imperfections cleaving to their Seraphicall Hallelujahs nothing wanting that may be further desired to the compleating of their happinesse Thus Christ is not like a foolish builder that laid a foundation and was not able to finish it but he layes the foundation and carrieth on the building of grace here which he compleatly perfects and beautifully adornes in glory hereafter In this great work of saving his people from their sins Christ is all and in all He is all Meritoriously purchasing grace for them He is all Efficiently working grace in them He infuseth grace preserveth grace increaseth grace and perfecteth grace He is not like unto Moses that brought the children of Issrael out of Egypt and died when he came neere to the borders of Canaan Nor like unto Joshua that brought them into Canaan but began the work where Moses left But both of them together will more fitly typifie the work of Christ our Saviour a Ipse Christus is propriè est qui nos vocat fide vesipiscentia donat ac credentes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justificat regenerat vivificet servitque in vitam aeternam Zâ—nch de dispens salutis per Christum Thes 17. who brings his people out of bondage from under their hard taskmasters leads them safe through the wildernesse of this world and peaceably setleth them in their everlasting rest having subdued all their enemies under their feet Quest But why are we not perfectly saved from sin by being wholy Sanctified at once even at our first conversion Answ 1. Some say this is done for the greater exaltation of Gods free Grace to make us the more sensible of what he hath done for us that we may have no cause of glorying in our selves but may give all the glory unto God But this Answer seemes to me to be of no great force For had we bin Sanctified wholly at once the work would have been no lesse of grace then now it is there would have bin nothing of our merit in it If a Physitian should undertake freely and upon his own care and charge to heal a poor sick person who is not able to give him a Fee is it not as free if he thought it fit to cure him perfectly in a day as if he take seaven yeares to perfect the cure Neither should we have bin lesse sensible of what the Lord had done or have gloried the more in our selves or the less in God Yea had we bin perfectly Sanctified all at once should we not have bin the more sensible of so weighty and suddaine a change and have gloried less in our selves and more in God in that state of perfect Sanctification then now we are able to doe in a state of imperfection We set up our own and diminish the due praises of God our Saviour till we come to a state of perfect holinesse 2. Neither dare I adventure to say with some that this is done to keep us humble and low in our owne eyes 'T is true I know that our daily imperfections are matters of humiliation and the consideration of them should make us the more humble But were we perfectly sanctified we should be perfectly humble and there would be no room for pride Neither doe I apprehend any great weight in what other particular reasons I have seen given for it For I doe not remember any speciall reason given in Scripture It is sufficient that God hath revealed it his will to have it so and we are abundantly bound to be thankfull for our deliverance whether it be sooner or later compleated We lost our stock of grace sodainly and are long in recovering our losse We were wounded in a moment but are not so soon healed Our Chirurgion was able to have wrought the cure in as little time as we made the wound But let us waite the Lords leisure for the healing of our Souls in his own order without too curiously prying into the reason of his method Though the work of Salvation from sin be wholly the work of Christ Instrumentall causes of Sanctification both in Purchase and application as hath been already shewed yet he is pleased to fit and make use of instruments for bringing in and leading on his people in the waies of holinesse The instrument that Christ makes use of in the first Sanctification of grown persons for infants such in whom Grace is wrought are sanctified without meanes is his Word or Gospel Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And the Gospel is called the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 which is termed the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 19. And the word which is able to save our Soules James 1.21 And saith Paul to the Thessalonians 2 Ep. 2.13 14. God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefe of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ The word discovers our sin and misery Rom. 7. James 2.9 Rev. 3.17 And directs us to the Fountaine of Grace for healing and help Isa 55.1 2 3. Zach. 13.1 Mat. 11.28 29. Ioh. 17.37 38. The Word being but an Instrument workes not without the spirit of Christ which is the Principall Efficient b Instrumentum non movet nisi moveatur as we say The instrument moves not unlesse it be moved As a Sword cuts not without some hand to weild it so the Word though it be sharper then a two-edged sword slayeth not corruption nor converteth the Soule but as it is set home by the power of the Spirit and this may be one reason why the Word of God is called the word of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 Dr. Gouge upon the place gives two reasons why the Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit 1. In regard of the Author of it 2 Pet. 1.21 2. In regard of the nature or kind of it for it is spirituall and so opposed to a materiall sword made of mettall which may be
this age be expired This sore evil is both our great sin and heavy judgement And for thi◠and by this justly may the Kingdome of God be taken from us given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof O that God would both pardon and remove this devouring evil and create peace in the hearts and Churches of his Saints Then should I hope to see holinesse in a thriving condition in the midst of contention it must needs be languishing For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3.16 And 't is not without cause that peace and holinesse are linked together Heb. 12.14 Reader thou wilt find in this small piece little of Controversie but something of the mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 which I hope is without Controversie with thee The Antinomian and Libertine which are scarcely two but rather one are the chiefest Adversaries that I oppose which every Minister of the Gospel must do that will preach practicall Divinity Yea which every man must really confute that will be a serious Christian and if thou art such a one thy self though but of small gifts it is probable thou hast besides thy Bible divers better Treatises than this written by some such men as Preston Sibbs Bolton Ball c. which I shall not desire thee to lay aside for the reading of this But if thou hast spare time to reade variety thou hadst better read this than many of the swarming Pamphlets that flie abroad in these times Thou wilt find cause enough I am confident to approve the subject although if thou art judicious thou maist have reason to blame me for handling it no better Here are I hope but few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood for 't is my usuall course in preaching to run with Ahimaaz the way of the plain that so I may the sooner bring good tidings to the soule Such as it is I leave it to thy candid perusall at thy leisure It was first preached to the people of my own Charge and since published specially for their sakes And now that others also may reap some spirituall advantage by it is the unfeigned desire and earnest prayer of Thy Servant and Fellow-servant in the Work of our Lord Geo Hopkins The Contents CHAP. I. WHy fallen Angels are left to perish and Man redeemed p. 1 The Analysis of the chap. Mat. 1. and Explication of the Text ver 21. p 4 Doct. The great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins even from sin it self p. 7 Explained in 5. Propositions p. 8 Proved by Scripture p. 9 Four Arguments confirming the Doct. 1. Hereby God is most honoured p. 10 2. Hereby Man is delivered from the greatest Evil. Sinne proved to be so p. 12 3. Hereby Man is restored to the chiefest good that he is capable of Holinesse proved to be so p. 15 4. Arguments drawn from the current of Scripture which treats most of the Doctrine of Sanctification p. 25 Obj. from Gal. 3.13 and Luke 1.71 72. answered p. 27 CHAP. II. How Christ saveth his people from their Sinnes I. As the Meritorious cause purchasing Sanctification for them p. 29 II. As the Efficient cause working sanctifying Grace in them He is 1. The Procreating cause p. 34 Obj. The Holy Ghost is in a speciall manner called our Sanctifier Answer'd p. 37 2. The Conserving cause p. 40 3. The Perfecting cause working perfection of Grace in his people 1. Comparative 2. Absolute p. 44 Qu. Why are we not perfectly sanctified at our first Conversion Answered p. 49 The Instrumentall causes of our Sanctification 1. Whereby Grace is first wrought p. 51 2. Whereby it is preserved and increased p. 55 The subject of this Salvation the Elect by nature children of wrath p. 57 The power by which they are saved is an Almighty power And why necessary so to be p 60 Six Propositions for the further clearing of it p. 62 Obj. If man be meerely passive in the work of Conversion to what purpose should a carnall person use the meanes of Grace Answered p. 65 Obj. Against outward teaching from Jer. 31.33 34. and Heb. 8.10 11. Answered ibid. CHAP. III. The Uses of Information 1. Inf. How from this Doctrine to answer a Popish Argument 1. Against Justification by Faith in Christ alone 2. Against Assurance of Salvation p. 70 2. No wonder if the godly want assurance of their Salvation when they fall foully p. 74 3. We may and must avoid evil and do good to this end that we may escape Hell and obtain Heaven p. 76 4. Christ hath not died and done alike for all men p. 79 5. The difference between saving Faith and the Faith of carnall persons p. 83 6. Those that preach the Doctrine of Sanctification as well as Justification are the best Gospel-preachers p. 84 7. Those that have most grace are the best Christians not they that have the greatest Gifts Gifts and Grace compared p. 93 8. A Soule given up to a state of sin is in a most sad condition worse than those that fall under the worst of Judgements p. 101 CHAP. IV. The Uses of Reproof I. To such as hinder the salvation of their own soules p. 105 II. To such as hinder the salvation of others 1. Such as teach corrupt Doctrine p. 110 2. Such as are enemies to Church-reformation p. 118 3. Church-dividers p. 119 Their sin aggravated by eight Considerations p. 126 The sin not the lesse because many godly persons are guilty of it p. 132 4. Such as give bad Example p. 134 Bad example the more dangerous 1. In Ministers 2. In Magistrates and other Persons of note 3. In Superiours of neere Relation as Parents Masters 4. In eminent Professors p. 135 5. Such as intice counsell or perswade others to sin p. 143 6. Persecutors p. 148 CHAP. V. The Uses of Exhortation I. In Generall To get the heart deeply possessed with a serious consideration of this Truth That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sins The not understanding or not considering this is the cause of divers evils p. 153 For the better understanding of this it is shewed how the Sanctifying work of Christ is specially held forth as well as his Justifying work Of the Old Test 1. In the Sacraments and Types p. 159 2. In the Promises p 162 3. In the Prophesies ibid. 4. In the Sacraments of the New T. p. 164 5. In the Gospel-invitations and other Scriptures p. 165 The Exhortation further prosecuted 173 Obj. Must we be saved by our Graces and Duties Answered in seven Propositions p. 174 II. The Exhortation Particularly directed 1. To such as are carnall p. 177 Obj. A naturall man hath not power to convert himself Answered p. 178 Carnall Persons left without excuse for 1. God is willing of their salvation p. 179 2. Christ is willing of their salvation p. 179 Five
Christum omnia Christi membra continuitas quaedam ratione Spiritus Sancti qui plenâ—ssime residens in Christo capite imus idem numero ad omnia etiam ejus membra diffunditur vivificans ca singula uniens universa Dav. in Col. c. 1. v. 18. of the body Col. 1.18 He is the head of the body the Church As then in the naturall body the members have their life preserved by being united to the head being compact together by certain bonds and ligaments and if any be cut off and severed it becomes void of all life and motion So is it in the mysticall body if a soul should be dismembred from Christ it would as a hand cut off immediately become livelesse and uselesse If man at his first Creation so soon lost the life of perfect grace having the custody thereof committed to himselfe much more would he lose it now the degree thereof being so imperfect as it is were not this life originally in Christ Were it in us alone it would be but as water in a broken cisterne that would presently leake all out But Christ is an ever-over-flowing fountain continually streaming forth into the souls of his people yea as a spring arising within them as his words to the woman of Samaria import John 4.10.14 Jesus answered and said unto her if thou hadst known the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Undoubtedly Christ himself is this Fountaine of grace and well doth Paul call it the grace which is in Christ Jesus 2. Tim. 2.1 God hath not then given unto his Saints as Abraham gave to Hagar water in a bottle to be soon exhausted that they should hopelessely bewaile the childe of grace as in a starving and perishing condition But hath sent the Angell of his Covenant who hath cheered their hearts by opening their eyes and shewing them a well of water whereby they may have assured hope that the babe shall be preserved and nourished till it come to perfect stature And this directs me to the next head As Christ is the Conserving so he is also the Perfecting cause of sanctifying grace in his people Christ the perfecting cause of sanctifying grace He is the Alpha and Omega in the work of grace He layes both the foundation and the top-stone in the spirituall building He is the Finisher as well as the Authour of our Faith Hebrews Chap. 12. ver 22. and we are said to be compleat in him Col. 2.10 In the work of Sanctification as well as Justification * Ph. 2.12 Not as though we were already perfect or could attain it in this life as the perfectists fondly argue from thence x Quae itaque in sanctis reperitur est imperfecta quaedam perfectio tum scientiae tum obedientiae De bac Aug Cont. duas Ep. Pelag. l 3 c. 5 Secundum istius vitae modum est quaedam perfectio cique per fectioni hoc deputaetur ut se quisque noverit nondum esse perfectum Dav. in Col. cap. 4. v. 13. In this life this work of Christ is but opus in fieri not in facto esse A work in doing not done Yet is grace perfect in its kinde from the first instant of it in the soul There is a twofold perfection 1. Of parts 2. Of degrees Or there is a Perfection 1. Of truth 2 Of Growth 1. That is perfect in Parts to which no parts are wanting and is opposed to maimed Thus a child is said to be perfect in the day of his birth that hath all parts that a child should have That is perfect with a perfection of Truth which is not Adulterate or counterfeit thus that is said to be perfect gold which is true and not counterfeit In this sense the work of Sanctification is Perfect at the first the soul is Sanctified throughout and in every part though it be but partly Sanctified The new man at first forming hath all its parts and members and the child of grace hath no part wanting in the day of his birth y Animalia nascuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Hist anim l. 7 c. 8. 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.5 2 Cor. 6.6 Ro. 12.9 Then also is it perfect in respect of Truth there is Faith unfained Love without dissimulation and every other grace in sincerity It will abide the touch-stone although it be not full weight 2. There is a Perfection of Degrees and of Grouth this is twofold 1. Comparative compared with that which is very weak little and much beneath it 2. Absolute as having nothing to be superadded Thus in a Comparative sense he is said to be Perfect that is a strong man in Christ an able Christian in Comparison of those that are as babes and but weak in the faith Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be Perfect be thus minded And Heb. 5.14 Strong meat belongs to them that are of full age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.15 the Greek word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Perfect and is the same that is used in the foregoing proof This perfection also doth Christ give unto the soule that is his he brings it in and leads it on in the wayes of grace He who is called the Everlasting Father who hath begotten us againe is not contented meerely to preserve the children of Grace that they die not but doth tenderly nurse and cherish them and cause them to grow to greater strength and stature Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it selfe in love But alas how imperfect is the greatest perfection that is attainable in this life how many are the sinfull weaknesses of the best of Gods servants and what little dwarfs are they here in comparison of their heavenly stature Christ doth not therefore set up Hercules Pillars with a Nil ultra to what he doth for his people here but he writes a Plus ultra there is something more that he doth for them yea that he works in them which exceeds this as far as heaven is higher than the earth There is therefore in the last place Perfection of dâ—greeâ— absolute an absolute perfection of Degrees which he bestows upon the Souls of his people at the houre of death z Tunc enim erit perfectum illud de quo loquens Apostolus Ex parte
more but what may be retorted again in like manner I know not If he shall say as some do Christ hath repented believed and done all for thee It may be answered so you say he did for Cain and Judas if he did as much for every man as for any man and yet they are damned If he shall say Christ will give thee a believing penitent heart and will take away thy hard and stony heart this destroyes their own tenet for then there is some speciall grace purchased for and bestowed upon one which another hath no share in But I will not now trouble you with the controversie at large onely for your help to satisfie your selves and silence gainsayers consider what hath been already laid down in the foregoing discourse Christ hath by his own blood obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 And this redemption is from dead works to serve the living God as you may see ver 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God See likewise cap. 10.9 10.14 Then said I Loe I come to doe thy will O God By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all For by one offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Thus we see he hath redeemed his people from all iniquity as the Apostles expression is Tit. 2.14 He hath purchased for them perfect eternall Sanctification Faith and Repentance which the Gospel requires Christ gives unto his people as a part of what he hath purchased for them He gives repentance unto Israel Acts 5.31 He is Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 It is from the fulnesse of his Purchase as well as of the fulness of the Grace that dwells in him that his people do receive Christ hath purchased the beginning increase and perfection of all sanctifying and saving grace for his people And herein hath he done more for his people than for others herein hath he done much more for Abel Jacob Peter than for Cain Esau Judas Here is enough to make a partition wall between the Elect and Reprobate 5. This will likewise inform us wherein the multitude of carnal people among us deceive themselves in their accepting of Christ for their Savior They look upoÌ„ Christ as coming to save them from the wrath of God onely that is due unto them for sin and they are willing to be saved by him We doubt not but the vilest sinner that delighteth in his abominations who saith he is willing that Christ should save him from the wrath of the Almighty speake truth We need not question but any man would be willing to be saved from the flames of Hel yea the Devils themselves would not refuse to be delivered from them for nature it self abhorres sufferings Who would be willing to go to a place of everlastâ—ng torment But true faith accepts of Christ as a perfect Saviour to save the soule from all its misery both of sin and suffering And this is the main difference between the faith of a child of God and the Faith of the ignorant and carnall multitude There is not the prophanest wretch but would be willing that God should be reconciled unto him blotting out his sins but how hard a matter is it to perswade a sinner to be reconciled unto God willingly parting with his sins All the wooing intreating beseeching and the best Rhetorick we can use is too little to prevaile 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God So saith Peter Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul This is indeed the great and main work of the Ministers of the Gospel to perswade sinners to accept of Christ for salvation from Sinne sinne is the mire that carnall persons stick in and are unwilling to be drawn out of 6. This will also informe us who they are that are the best Gospel preachers that most exalt the riches and grace of Christ undoubtedly those that preach Christ a Saviour from sinne as well as from the fruit and effects of sinne Many thinke there is no Gospel-preaching but onely the preaching of pardon and remission of all sin to the worst of sinners If we preach the doctrine of Sanctification that is accounted Legall doctrine but if we perswade swearers drunkards and the worst of sinners that they have nothing to do but believe their sins are pardoned already and that the legal work of repenting watching striving against sin and care to please God must not be regarded then we shall be extolled for preachers of free-grace Alas poor mistaken souls are Christ and Grace onely exalted in the pardon of sin and must we take no heed to the sanctification of sinners Is it a Gospel-work to preach Christ as having taken away suffering the fruit of sin and is it a legall Doctrine to preach Christ for the destruction of sin that is the cause of suffering and the worst of evils You have pretended to be admirers of Free-grace if you are so indeed you may here stand and wonder with your selves at your gross mistake and that you have admired the grace of Christ no more You have amired that murder persecution witchcraft blasphemy and the like should be forgiven that Manasseh Paul and many of the Jews that crucified Christ should be freely pardoned you have been ready to cry Grace grace riches of grace grace abounding and super-abounding to such a work as this 'T is true there is cause enough to magnâ—fie this wonderfull work of Christ and we may well say This is the Lords doing and it is mervailous in our eyes I would not willingly in the least dimmish this pardoning grace of Christ Yet come and behold and admire Grace once more to wit the sanctifying Grace of Christ Is it not a wonder to see the Wolf dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the falling together and a little Child to lead them To see the Cow and the beare feed and their young ones lie down together and the Lion eat straw like an Ox To see a sucking Child play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child put his hand upon the Cockatrice den Isa 11.6 7 8. To see a Sinner become a Saint 2 Chr. 33. Gal. 1.23 1 Cor. 10.20 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Joh. 1.3 to see a Sorcerer become a sincere Worshipper of the Living God To see a furious Persecutor become a painfull Preacher of that Faith which once he destroyed To see those that had formerly communion with Devils to be made partakers of the Divine nature
SALVATION FROM SINNE BY JESVS CHRIST OR The Doctrine of SANCTIFICATION which is the greater part of our SALVATION founded upon CHRIST who is both the Meritorious and Efficient cause of Sanctifying Grace purchasing it for working perfecting it in his people Applied as it was specially intended for the better information of our Judgements and quickning of our Affections in holiness wherein our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth Preached in the weekly Lecture at Evesham in the County of Worcester By GEORGE HOPKINS M. A. Minister of the Gospel there JOHN 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathanael Web and William Granâ—ham at the black Beare in Paul's Church-yard neere the little North doore 1655. To the people of my special charge in the Burrough of Evesham Both Magistrates and others Dearly Beloved I Know not to whom I may better dedicate this little Treatise than to your selves to whom I have dedicated my self under Christ in the work of the Gospel from my first beginning to be a constant Preacher of the Gospel And I have accounted it my priviledge to succeed such faithfull Ministers who for many yeares continually instructed you in the wayes of holinesse The first of them was Doctor Baily who preached unto some of you yet living the Practice of Piety which he after published And during the time of my continuance among you I have not ceased to preach according to my talents the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse As Paul required Timothy to charge some that they preach no other Doctrine So I charge you as having received the charge of you that ye receive none other Doctrine than what is according to godlinesse Be not hasty to heare such as bring contrary Doctrine run not with men of itching eares after such as are admired for teaching meer Novelty Wandring starres to which such teachers are compared in Scripture sparkle more than the fixed starres of greatest magnitude And one Comet or Blazing starre though it portend mischief is more wondred at than all the Starres of Heaven yea than the Sun in the firmament But be you carefull with the wise men to follow such starres whose motion tends to the place where your Saviour is And although you finde him here not clad in soft rayment nor deckt with tapestry but as in his infancy laid in straw yet think not much to bow down and worship him and offer your gifts your whole selves spirit soule and body of far greater value than gold frankincense and myrrhe as due to him who offered his soule a sacrifice for you Beware of being intangled with the profits and pleasures of the world which as I have lately shewed you are the two great barres that hinder soules from coming to Christ Think it not much to attend once in a week upon a Lecture sermon Those that will not leave their ordinary worldly businesse to attend upon the Word of Christ for one hour when they may return to it again will be loath to forsake all to follow Christ if they should be called to it and without this you cannot be his true Disciples Oh be not like the murmuring Israelites that despised the heavenly Manna because it fell daily at their tent doores and lusted after flesh Be not like the multitude of unthankfull poore that wax wanton in this time of plenty Lest the Lord by sending among you a famine of hearing the Word cause it to become precious But while you have the Ordinances of grace wait diligently upon Christ who is the fountain of grace in them Pray and labour for sanctified hearts and lives considering that Holinesse is your reall Happinesse as I have more largely taught you in these following Sermons Never feare that my pressing you or your pressing on to holiness or good works will in the least derogate from the freenesse of Gods grace for they are not your own work but Gods work in you and by you neither by them do you adde any thing to God but God to you you doe not increase his glory but he augments your happinesse so that what good you doe being done in the strength of his grace and tending to the perfection of your own soules makes no Recompence to God but makes you the greater Debtors to him The more holy and abundant you are in good works the more you have received from God and the more you owe to God And you have no more cause to glory in your selves for what good you do than to glory in your selves for the free pardon and remission of your sinnes These Sermons were not preached neither are they now published without my unfeigned prayers to God for a blessing upon them to your soules As I have been at the paines to compose preaâ—h and publish them in which I have found Gods assistance and direction for your sakes so be you at the paines to read them carefully and practise them diligently which that you may be enabled to doe pray earnestly that so glory may redound to God advantage to your own soules and comfort to Your unworthy but faithfull Minister of Christ Geo Hopkins HOlinesse being the very Image of God upon the soule and the blessed perfection in which we were Created to the reparation whereof we are Redeemed by Christ renewed by the holy Ghost conducted by the Word and furthered by all Gods Ordinances and in which so much of our everlasting Blessednesse will consist It is no wonder if it have many Adversaries in the world and if Satan and all ungodly men do imploy their wit and power to extinguish it subtill Hereticks secretly undermine it and bring in Doctrines which if practically entertained would destroy it The Libertines more plainly slight and contemne it and the profane do openly deride and persecute it No man but the Son hath seen God at any time but in the glasse of his Word and Works must we here behold him One of these Glasses is the Church and its sanctified Members here do the wicked see the holinesse of God and hate it here do the just behold the holinesse of God and love it It is as neglecters and despisers of Christ in his holy ones that the wicked are condemned as lovers of Christ in his holy ones that the righteous are rewarded in the judgement that is before us Mat. 25. All Doctrines and Practises therefore that derogate from Sanctification do tend to Damnation and are enmity against God The usuall wayes by which the Deceiver and his Instruments attempt this work are these foure 1. By denying the necessity and true ends and uses of holinesse and perswading men that it is necessary no otherwise than as an evidence of some better thing or as a point of gratitude onely for salvation received when as it is part of our salvation it self and a necessary meanes to the rest which yet remaineth 2. By setting Justification and Sanctification in opposition as
doe good Secondly the threats are to deter us from disobedience Thirdly the Promises most of them are of the rewards of grace n i. e. Gracious rewards or rewards not for grace in us but from grace in God for our encouragement to all holy obedience Fourthly the Examples are 1. Of wicked men in the wayes of wickednesse and the judgement of God upon them for it that we may beware of partaking in their sins lest we be also partakers of their plagues 2. Examples of godly men in the wayes of holinesse and of the blessing of God upon them in their wayes that we may be excited to tread in their steps And thus we see that the Scripture which is the Word of life and salvation by Christ is the doctrine of holinesse leading us all along in the wayes of Sanctification Yea Christs owne Sermons if we doe but observe them are most upon this subject But doth not Paul say Object that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 And are we not said to be saved and delivered by Christ out of the hand of our enemies Luk. 1.71 74. How then is the great work of Christ the saving of his people from sin it selfe That Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law is true Answ and 't is a great work yet it doth not follow that this is his main work but the contrary hath been proved already viz. our redemption from sin is the greater Is not our own corrupt flesh the worst enemy we have Is not that one Enemy within us worse than all our Enemies without us What hurt could all the rest doe were it not for our own in-bred corruption Satan and the world were as great yea greater enemies to Christ but could not prevail upon him because they found no evil in him Sinne is the very chains o Nam vinctos nos tenebat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum apud Dav. in Col. c. 2. v. 15. and fetters wherein Satan binds the soule and leads it away captive Thou art in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity said Peter to Simon Magus Act. 8.23 The Devils snares are baited with alluring temptations to sin and those that resist the temptation escape the snare And although by reason of our corruption we are lyable to be tormented by Satan and Satan as Gods Executioner hath committed unto him the power of death Heb. 2.14 yet that power whereby he leads us captive into sin at his will is far worse 3. It is said in the fore-mentioned Text Luk. 1.74 75. that we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness In which words it appears that our being rescued out of the hands of our enemies refers as a means to our serving God in holinesse and righteousnesse as the end If a Servant should be imprisoned for some wrong done and his Master desirous of his service ransometh and enlargeth him the servants enlargement is first procured but his Masters service is chiefly intended Having thus by Scripture and Argument proved That the great work of Christ is the saving his people from their sins I shall in the next place shew you how it is that he accomplisheth for his people this great salvation CHAP. II. CHRIST saves his people from their sins 1. As the meritorious cause purchasing Sanctification for them 2. As the Efficient cause working sanctifying grace in them 1. I. Christ the meritorious cause of our sanctification As the meritorious p Confiderandae hic sunt causae cur Servator noster appellatus sit Jesus item Christus Ac Jesus quidem nomine Hebraico quod Latinè est Servator appellatus est quia servavit etiamnum servat populum suum id est electos à peccatis infra v. 21. Servat autem duobus modis merito efficaciā Merito quiae morte sua meritus est electis apud Deum remissionem peccatorum ac donationem Spiritus Sancti vitae eternae Efficaci â vero quia per Spiritum S. praedicationem Evangelii efficit in illis fidem quae meritum in promissione Evangelii amplectuntur et ex fide studium serviendi Deo secundùm sancta ipsius mandata Piscat Observat in Mat. c. 1. v. 16. cause by his death and resurrection purchasing for them the mortification of sin and spirituall resurrection to newnesse of life This he doth by vertue of his Priestly office Thus saith the Prophet Isa 53. 10 11. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for Sinne he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes he shall see the travails of his soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall see seed so 't is in the Hebrew and whether we read it indefinitely a seed or his seed it matters not But a plentifull increase of spirituall seed is here understood to which that of our Saviour Christ may allude Io. 12.24 Except Corn or Wheat fall and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit As the sown seed by dying bringeth forth a plentifull increase So Christ by his death bringeth many sons to glory which is begun in the work of grace wherein those that were dead in trespasses and sins are raised up to spirituall life which is eternall Or as from Abraham and Sarah as a dead stock from Isaac destinated to the slaughter and received from the dead in a figure there arose a seed as the stars of heaven for multitude So from Christ the Anti-type sacrificed and dead there springs a numerous off-spring who derive life from him as may be intimated in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall prolong dayes the word his is not in the Hebrew our translation supplyes it and so some understand it of Christ himselfe being raised again to dye no more Others read it he shall prolong their dayes understanding it of his seed being to continue here successively to the end of the world and then to live with him for evermore I conceive it will be no inconvenience to understand it of Christ mysticall and to include both the former interpretations for Christ raised up himselfe to life and his seed have life in and through him As saith Christ himselfe Iohn 14.19 Because I live ye shall live also And saith Paul Col. 3 3. Our life is hid with Christ as the fountain or root And Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me He shall see the travel of his soul i. e. the fruit of his travell and be satisfied Though his pangs were as a woman travelling with child and farre more sharp yet he shall not be as those that travelled in paine and brought forth winde Isa 26.8 Nor as those that brought children to the birth and had no strength to bring forth Isa 37.3 Nor as those that bring
forth abortives or untimely fruit But as a woman in travaile that hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soon as she is delivered of the Child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So Christ was in exceeding sorrow and heavinesse at the approach as I may say of a hard bargain when his houre drew nigh Mat. 26.38 But how abundantly was he satisfied when he saw that he had purchased a gratious and a numerous seed as the fruit of his body by those intolerable throwes that tormented his soul Thus likewise Paul having enumerated many grosse sorts of sinners 1 Cor. 6.9 10. addes ver 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus q Nam sanguis Christi purgationis nostrae materia est ex ejus morte et resurrerectione justitia et sanctificatio nobis contigit Calv. in loc Hoc adjecit ut Mediatorem etredemptorem in memoriam redigat per quem nobis tot bona provenerunt Pet. Mart. in loc and by the Spirit of our God What is here wrought by the Spirit was purchased by Christ and is wrought upon his account or in his name for there is no other name given under Heaven whereby we should be saved from our sins This is the fountaine mentioned Zach. 13.1 that is opened to the house of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse that they may be purified therein This is signified in baptism under the Gospell Titus 3.5 Which is called the laver of regeneration For as the washing of water puts away the filthinesse of the flesh so the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 This also was typisied by the ceremoniall washings under the Law if we look back unto them which in themselves were ineffectuall as is plainly expressed at large Heb. 9. take more speciall notice of ver 12.13.14 Neither by the blood of Goats and calves but by his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God As likewise Heb. 10. The Apostle shews the insufficiency of the legall rites in the beginning of the Chapter and therefore the Sacrifice of Christ must take place according to Scripture which saith Lo I come to doe thy will O God by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all And ver 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified according to the tenour of the new Covenant wherein saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their hearts and in their mindes will I write them as you may read ver 16. see more in the following verses Multitudes of texts to this purpose might be quoted as those that are produced to confirme the Doctrine which I will not stand to repeate and many others I shall summe up all in a word Whatsoever is promised in Scripture concerning our Sanctification is purchased and ratified by Christ Jesus For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 Christ the Efficient cause of sanctifying grace Christ the procreating cause of sanctification Christ saves his people as the Efficient cause working Sanctifying grace in them And he is 1. The Procreating 2. The Conserving 3. The Perfecting cause of it For in and by him Grace is begun continued increased and perfected Christ is the procreting or principall efficient cause of Sanctification He is therefore said to be made unto us of God-Sanctification 1 Cor. 2.30 Heb. 2.11 For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are sanctified c. And him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel Act. 5.31 And he is called Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 And what is said of Repentance and Faith may be said of every Grace for he is the fountaine of Grace and doth willingly communicate and readily distribute to the necessities of his people It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 And in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 Hid not from but for his people for saith John c. 1.16 of his fulnesse we all receive and grace for grace Christs sanctifying work consists of two parts 1. r Not that these are two really distinct parts or works but one worke in distinct respects or considerations The rooting out of sinne 2. The implanting of Grace Sinne is called the old man the flesh the body of sinne and our old man is said to be crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6.6 And they that are Christs are said to have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 Grace is called the new man Eph. 4.24 the new creature Gal. 6.15 the first resurrection Rev. 20.6 and the faithfull are risen with Christ Col. 3.1 And we are said to be dead unto sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6.11 In all which we see that the two parts of the worke referre to the death and resurrection of Christ not meerly because Christs death and resurrection purchased it for us but also because by the same power that he raised up himselfe from the dead he actually mortifies our sins and raiseth us againe to newnesse of life The Faithfull have an interest in Christs Death and Resurrection by way of communion with him he communicates unto them the vertue of his Death and Resurrection makes them therein conformable to himselfe Thus saith Paul Phil. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship or communion of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Obj. Is not the holy Ghost our Sanctifier as Christ is our Redeemer and the Father our Creator in a speciall manner Why then doe you attribute that to Christ as the speciall Efficient which belongs to the Holy Ghost Answ 1. It is true that these works are in some speciall manner attributed to the three persons severally and the holy Ghost is specially called by Divines our Sanctifier as may also be proved from severall texts of Scripture Yet withall we must remember that the workes of the Trinity that are termed workes ad extra are undivided thus God the Father created Eph. 3.9 The Son created John 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was
made And the Holy Ghost created Gen. 1.2 So in this new creation the Father sanctifies therefore Christ prayes Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth The Son sanctifies as hath been already proved at large And the Holy Ghost sanctifies Rom. 1.4 Divines joyne them all togegether thus God the Father sanctifies us in Christ by the Holy Ghost In the forming of the new man the whole Trinity is imployed as at the framing of the first Man when God said Let us make man after our owne image Gen. 1.26 Where note by the way that in this work though the three persons are all imployed they are not subordinate causes nor three co-ordinate causes concurring to the same effect but one cause For although there be a mysterious distinction of the persons yet by reason of the Unity of the Essence s Ubi caedem sunt operationes ibi eadem essentia Et vice versâ there is a Unity of the Divine attributes and operations And thus according to the confession of Athanasius we say The Father is God the Son is God the Holy Ghost is God and yet there are not three Gods but one God The Father Almighty the Son Almighty the Holy Ghost Almighty and yet there are not three Amighties but one Almighty So we must say The Father Created the Son Created the Holy Ghost Created and yet there are not three Creators but one Creator So also the Father Sanctifies the Son Sanctifies the Holy Ghost Sanctifies and yet there are not three Sanctifiers but one Sanctifier Thus they are all but one cause because they all have but one and the same causality viz. one and the same Divine power by which they worke This mysterie may be intimated in that Hebrew Idiotism Gen. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where a verb singular is joyned with a noune plurall signifying the unity of causality action as well as of Essence and Nature in the three persons Though the Holy Ghost is specially called our Sanctifier Answ 2 because he doth immediately sanctifie yet may the worke be eminently attributed to Christ 1. Because the Holy Ghost the sanctifying spirit is given by Christ to his people Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire which is of a purifying nature John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father even the spirit of truth c. Ch. 16 17. If I goe not away John 1. 16 17. Col. 1 19. ver 18. John 15. 1 Part. the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you 2. Because in Christ is the fulnesse of all Grace and the faithfull derive it from him as the Members from the head t Caput distat distinguitur à suis membris tripliciter 3. Ratione causalitatis influentiae Caput enim motum sensum omnibus membris impertit communicat membra omni motu sensu destituuntur fi à capite sejungantur Sic Christus vitam spiritualem motum gratiae infundit membris suis altoqui stupidis mortuis ab omni motu spirituali destitutis Sin◠me nil potetestis facere at contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dav. in Col. cap. 1. ver 18. as the branches from the stock as the streame from the fountaine He received the spirit without measure and conveieth it in measure to his people As Christ is the Procreating cause of sanctifying grace so is he the conserving cause of it It is he that gives and maintaines the life of grace As God at first by his power made all things of nothing and since maintaines them in their being by his providence having their continued being from him who gave them their first being so that the Apostle saith Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being So is it in the new Creature the continuance of Grace is from Christ u Neque ipsum recte vivere nobis ex nobis est nifi credentei adjuvet orantes qui et ipsam fidem dedit quia nos ab illo adjuvandos esse credanius Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 19 cap. 4. who created the first Grace in the Soule and we are no more able to live the life of Grace or performe any gracious worke without his conserving co-operating and assisting grace than we are able to live walk and worke without the preservation and assistance of Divine Providence Christ is to the Soule as the Soule is to the Body when Saint Paul saith Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ yet neverthelesse I live he doth with an Epanorthosis correct himselfe thus yet not I but Christ liveth in me As if he should say this spirituall life of Grace which I now live is not from my selfe but from Christ who liveth in me to wit by his Grace and gives life and motion to me As the Soule gives life to the Body and the Body lives no longer than the Soule is united to it but becomes a dead carcase whensoever it is separated from it So if Christ who is the life of the Soule should be severed from it it would immediately become dead againe in Trespasses and Sinnes and able to doe no more in Grace than a dead Corps in Nature This our Saviour Christ himself excellently proves and illustrates in another comparison John 15.5 6. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine and ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can doe nothing As the branches that sprout out of the vine receive sap from it whereby they are preserved and become fruitfull but being once broken off become dead and fruitlesse having no more sap or life in themselves So saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 severed from me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye can doe nothing There are in the Greek two negatives which deny the more vehemently as if he should say ye cannot possibly doe any thing for if a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered Philosophers are of opinion that if the Heavens should stand still but a minute of an houre and withhold their influence from this lower world man could not move so much as a little finger Much more if Christ should but withhold the influence of his grace from us should we be unable to move one haires breadth towards any good Christ is likewise called the head and the faithfull the members w Caput membra in eo conveniunt quod babeant inter se continuitatem quod omnia actum suum informationem habeant ab eadem anima Sic caput hoc mysticum omnia ejusdem membra habent continuitatem quandam inter se informationem suam spiritualem vivificationem ab codem principio Est enim inter
of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling CHAP. V. FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth 1. Use of Exhortation That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sinnes This will be of great concernment to the glory of God and the good of your own and others soules as will more fully appeare in the following discourse The not understanding and want of consideration of this is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons They look onely upon judgement as the great evill they are liable unto as for their sinnes they love and delight in them as if there were no evil in them So little do most consider of the evill of sinne that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law and denounced against sinners they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins the Language of many poore carnall soules declares as much Tell a profane person of his evill courses so as to convince him of his sinne he will answer he hopes he may repent hereafter and God may have mercy on him at the last The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him but for present reformation he hath no minde to it Tell me plainly thou that livest in known sinnes being convinced in conscience of the evill of them and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart Tell me I say and let Conscience answer when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy solitary seasons or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Sermon what thy state is how sinfull and damnable Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption silenced the voice and quieted the workings of conscience by telling it this work of turning to God and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation but this is a work that may be done hereafter and so it be done any time t is well enough though in sickness or old age And doth not this plainly shew that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring for sin not upon sin it self for were sin accounted a greter or as great an evil as suffering yea were it accounted an evil of any moment at all there would be no pleading for a little more slumber a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin as of the pain of scorching flames oh how would they awake and rouze up themselves plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures Is it not ignorance in this point that is the cause why so many in these times will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse worth the hearing and that the Preacher that spends much time upon such subjects is esteemed no better than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel Is not ignorance of this doctrine the cause why so many self-conceited self-sending teachers meddle so little with the propheticall and kingly office of Christ and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office and handle that but by the halves too They are much upon the satisfaction which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law and suffering for us but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little taken notice of Verily every office of Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlightning in the waies of holinesse his Kingly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections for the conducting of them and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse and his purchase as he is our Priest of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us The not laying of this to heart is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course Tell me truly thou that fearest God and dissemble no longer to thy own injury and Gods dishonour Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart I am verily perswaded my estate is good before God that I have true grace and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ and though I be not so carefull watchfull and spirituall as I might be though I give way to such and such lesser evils and neglect such and such smaller duties yet having an interest in Christ who is able to save me to the uttermost all these will be pardoned and done away in the day of account and being not under a covenant of works but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes I need not be so very scrupulous Whence now comes such evill and carnall reasonings in thy heart but from hence that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes Thou lookest upon suffering as the greatest evil and upon sinne as little in comparison of it thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly yea almost wholly if not onely to be admired in the remission of sinnes and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their sanctification O how exceedingly is God dishonoured not onely by wicked men but even by his own children also for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies O learn now if thou hast not hitherto considered it that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes And to that end weigh well the arguments confirming the Doctrine And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth of so great importance study againe and consider better very many Scriptures that speak of the work of salvation by Christ and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them by conceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely when they specially intend salvation from sinne onely Did not these words in the text He shall save his people from their sinnes and these words Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne O learn now more clearly and fully to understand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace and know that Christs saving his people by sanctifying them as well as justifying them is the very stream both of the old and new Testament And here that I may help your understanding a little I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types 2. In the Promises 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament 5. In the Gospel-invitations together with some other texts of Scripture Sacraments ordinary 1. For the Sacraments which were ordinary in the old Testament Circumcision of the flesh signified circumcising that
the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour In which he shews first what was our misery to wit a state of foolishnesse disobedience c. ver 3. Secondly he declares the moving cause of our salvation to wit not our works but his mercy according to his mercy he saved us to wit from the forementioned misery and that is done by the washing of Regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost c. ver 5 6. And herein the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeareth ver 4. Justifying grace is afterwards mentioned v. 7. In the third fourth and fifth chapters of the Epistle to the Romans and the third to the Galatians the Apostle speaks chiefly and almost wholly of justifying grace But the reason of that is because he there disputed the question of justification with those that sought it by a legal righteousness of their own therefore in this case it was necessary for him first to keep to the question in hand yet in the following chapters he shews the vertues of Christs death for the killing of sinne and of his resurrection for our arising to newnesse of life Rom. 6. And that they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 But where no controversie lies in his way but the doctrine of salvation is intirely to be handled he states salvation mainly in the sanctification of the soul as appeares in the foregoing instances And when Paul accounts all but losse and dung that he might win Christ Phil 3.8 it was not meerly that he might be found in the righteousness which is through faith in Christ but also that he might know Christ and the power of his resurrestion and the fellowship of his suffering being made conformable to his death And towards the full attainment of this it is that he presseth forwards ver 12.13 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after c. When Paul wrote to Timothy to direct him what to teach as the most necessary doctrine and what he should see others teach also he directs him to teach the practice of godlinesse 1 Tim. 4.7 8. But refuse profane and old wives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse For bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and that which is to come He addes ver 9. This is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation And backing it with a further argument ver 10. he addes again ver 11. These things command and teach And in the fifth chap. with the former part of the sixt having directed him how to teach the duties of persons in their severall relations he addes These things teach and exhort ver 2. And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions c. The Doctrines that are now vented against the power of godlinesse are but the fruit of the proud dotage of the times wherein we live for the mysterie of the Gospel is called the mysterie of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse God manifest in the flesh c. Let it be further considered that when Paul professedly handleth the doctrine of Gods speciall distinguishing grace he opposeth saving grace as I formerly observed to hardning in sin rather than perishing for sin Ro. 9.18 He will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth I might give you divers other Scriptures but these may suffice being thus opened to help you in the better understanding of the doctrine of Saving grace Consider well of these and see wherein thy salvation lies and labour in the use of all the meanes that God affords thee for the saving of thy soul from sin Hear diligently pray earnestly watch narrowly work out thy salvation with fear and trembling and strive in good earnest if thou meanst to be crowned Obj. But methink I heare some already whispering what must we be saved by our graces and duties What kinde of Popish doctrine is this To which I answer Answ This is the great Objection whereby Sathan that grand Deceiver hath hardned many against the most pressing arguments of the most serious Ambassadors of Christ to holinesse of life Upon this one slender cavil many for fear of Popery are become Antinomians I may better say professed Libertines And for fear of being their own Saviours have refused to be saved by the purifying blood and spirit of Jesus Christ But to speak more particularly and satisfactorily to this point consider with me these few propositions following Prop. 1. Mans Misery consists of two parts 1. Sin 2. Condemnation for Sin 2. Mans Salvation consists of two parts opposite to those two evils 1. Sanctification which is his Salvation fron Sin 2. Pardon of Sin and Justification whereby he is delivered from Guilt and Condemnation And both these are essentially necessary to mans Salvation 3. Justification and Sanctification are both concomitant and inseparable twins of unspeakable Mercy and Free-grace proceeding from the tender bowels of Jesus Christ 4. As no mans Justification is the cause of his Sanctification so no mans Sanctification is the cause of his Justification but both are alike the proper fruits of the forementioned grace of Jesus Christ 5. As no man is saved from wrath and condemnation but by being pardoned and justified so no man is saved from sin but by being sanctified And thus salvation depends upon sanctification And what danger is in this Doctrine I am sure the ruine of the soule depends upon the contrary 6. Justification is a relative change wrought without us Sanctification is a reall work wrought upon us Christ is the Author but Man is the Subject of Sanctification Or to speak to the meanest capacity it is Christ that sanctifeth it is Man that is sanctified 7. By this sanctifying grace of Christ those that were dead in trespasses and sins have a principle of spiritual life put within them and maintained whereby they are enabl'd to live the life of grace to the glory and honour of God Now must we be afraid of setting forth in the strength of grace communicated lest we dishonour the work of Christ Is Christ dishonoured by our walking running striving pressing forward in the waies of his Commandements When Christ raised Lazarus from the Grave he wrought a reall miracle in causing his soule to return into his body whereby he received life again Here Christ was the Author of this Miracle and Lazarus was the Subject upon whom it was wrought It was Christ that gave life by causing the soul to return into the body it was Lazarus that received life and his soul that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which shall believe on him to life everlasting 1 Tim. 1.15 16. 4. Consider how averse thou wast to the work of grace upon thy owne-soul Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is enmity against God not an enemy but enmity it selfe The saving mercy then thou sharest in was neither deserved nor so much as desired by thee yet the Lord pitied thee when thou wast in thy blood and hadst not an heart to pity thy selfe and said unto thee live he hath prevented thee with his goodnesse and was found of thee when thou soughtest him not O let thy heart and mouth be filled with the high praises of God and c Tamen quod nos oneratos obrutosque peccatis à contemplatione suae lucis aversos ac tenebrarum id est iniquitatis dilectione caecatos non omnino deseruit Misitque nobis verbum suum qui est unicus ejus filius quo pro nobis in assumptae carne nato atque pâ—sso quanti Deus hominem penderet nosceremus atque illo sacrificio singulari à peccatis omnibus mundaremur ejusque spiritu in cordibus nostris dilectione diffusa omnibus difficultatibus superatis in aeternam requiem contemplationis ejus ineffabilem dulcedinem veniremus Quae corda quae linguae ad agâ—ndas ei gratias satis esse contenderint Aug. de civ Dei l. 7. c 31. Quantum tibi sumus debitores Domine Deus noste tanti redempti pretio tanto salvati mysterio tanto gratis adjuti benificio Quantum à nobis miseris es timendus amandus honoâ—andus reverendus laudandus benedicendus qui sic nos amasti salvasti sanct ficasti sublimasti Quis diâ—ere quis cogitare sufficiat Aug conf Theo. par 2. c. 14. say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed my soule and hath raised me up a horn of salvation My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour For he hath regarded the low estate of my forlorn soule He that is mighty hath done great things for me and holy is his name and his mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy spirituall diseases Who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with his loving kindnesse and tender mercies I will blesse the Lord while I have a day to live yea the terme of this life is too short to praise thy name O Lord. O let my soule for ever live that being filled with the fulnesse of God and love of Christ which passeth knowledge I may admire and praise the breadth and length and depth and height of thy richest grace and may with the heavenly quire of Angels sing blessing and glory and honour to God in the highest and to the lamb of God that taketh away my sin who sitteth upon the throne to all eternity Amen Hallelujah Exh. 5. Blesse God for every act of sin the Lord hath delivered thee from so far as thou canst observe it Hath Satan at any time assaulted thee with his temptations or hast thou been sorely endangered by thy own corrupt inclinanation to commit sin and hath the Lord prevented thee by any meanes whatsoever Thou hast cause to blesse his name If we have gotten a remarkable victory in warre we take it for our duty to set apart a day of thanksgiving for it If we are recovered from sickness or delivered from any eminent temporall danger we think we are bound to returne praise to God and so we are And should we not be as thankfull yea more thankfull for Gods manifold gracious preservations of us from spirituall dangers Suppose thou wert travailing on a journey with a great charge of money about thee and a company of robbers set upon thee and when their hands were in thy pockets and their Swords and pistols at thy brest God should by a speciall providence bring passengers that way who come in in the very nick of time to save thee both from wounding and robbing Wouldst thou not looke upon it as a speciall favour and be thankfull to God for so great a deliverance and be thankfull and loving to those that came in for thy help Thus is it in thy spirituall condition Thou art as a wayfaring man travailing towards home and thou carriest a precious treasure about thee and how oft hath Satan and his instruments set upon thee to rob thee of what they can and wound thy soule And how oft hath the Lord delivered thee by sending in seasonable checks of conscience motions of his spirit reproofs counsels and advice of Christian friends and instructions by his messengers whereby thou hast been delivered And hast thou not cause to blesse the Lord for thy preservation and for the meanes whereby thou wast preserved Are not spirituall dangers greater then temporall and is not the consequence of them more dangerous if they prevaile And is not the mercy of such a deliverance the more highly to be prized 1 Sam. 25. and God more highly to be praised David hath herein given us a very pertinent example When he sent his servants to Nabal for provision and Nabal returned them back empty with a churlish answer David partly by the instigation of Satan and partly by the heat of his own provoked passion rashly resolved to destroy Nabal all that pertained to him before the morning light and was marching up with four hundred men at his heeles for the execution of his purpose But the Lord sent in Abigail by his gracious providence with seasonable and spiritual counsel whereby David was prevented of the execution of the evil he had intended Now David was presently apprehensive of so great a mercy See how heartily he blesseth God for keeping him from the sin of self-revenge and blesseth the instrument also whereby he was preserved 1 Sam. 25.32 33. And David said to Abigail Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath sent thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand And again ver 39. When David heard that Nabal was dead he said blessed be the Lord that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal and hath kept his servant from evil Thus consider with thy self Hath the Lord at any time delivered thee from the attempts of thy spiritual enemies whether by violent onsets or by more subtill contrivances Call upon thy heart to affectionate praise and thanksgiving for so great a
to be received and evill to be removed Leigh on the Promises p. 5. Promissio Dei est denunoratio futurorum bonorum nobis dandorum c. Polan Syntag. l. 6. c. 31. not of such as had an eternall Being A Promise of what is already done or past is a contradiction in termes Prop. 2. When Christ undertook the work of the Salvation of his people he did at once undertake both their Justification and Sanctification Heb. 10. to v. 19. Prop. 3. I take Sanctification here in the sense as our Divines usually do to wit for the whole work of grace upon the soul after its first closing with Christ Christ did make one intire purchase of his peoples Salvation meriting both Sanctifying and pardoning grace for sinfull and guilty men who upon the purchase made had as much right to the one as to the other and no more Isa 53.5 Gal. 3.10 Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Hebr. 10. to v. 19. Therefore we can no more conclude Corol. that we were actually pardoned and justified immediately upon the price that Christ paid then that we were actually Sanctified Christ in his Gospell-offer tendereth himself both for our Justification and Sanctification Prop. 4. and commandeth us so to accept of him requiring Faith repentance and sincere obedience of all those that will be his And he that will not imbrace him for Sanctification shall not have him for Justification he that is not willing to have his sins mortified shall not have them pardoned Christ will be a whole Saviour or no Saviour Acts. 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Luke 13.3 5.19.27 Hence that offer Acts 3.19 of Remission of sins upon condition of repentance and conversion to God and all others in Scripture of the like nature are not the lesse but the more free because conditionall For the condition that is required is our priviledge Our turning from God by sin is our greatest misery and our conversion or turning to God in holinesse is our greatest happinesse as you have formerly heard 2. what the Lord requireth of his people he communicateth to them his grace for the performance of according to the tenour of the New-Covenant as in the next proposition So that the condition required doth but injoyne us to accept of a double blessing and oblige us to minde our whole Salvation to wit from sin as well as suffering that God may be the more glorified in the riches of his grace They are therefore utterly mistaken yea they much eclipse and lessen Gospell grace and turne most part of the Gospell into Law who call all conditionall promises the voice of the Law and not of the Gospell Suppose a King should offer to a poor unworthy subject two most precious Jewels joyned together in a golden link tendring them to him freely tels him withall Thou shalt not have the one without the other but take them both together as they are tendred Would it be wel for this poor man to say The gift would be more free of greater bounty if I might break that golden link and take one of the jewels without the other it is a diminishing of the freenesse of the gift that you injoyne me to take them both This is plainely the case The Lord hath in the Gospell individually linked together both his pardoning and Sanctifying grace but flesh and blood would fain break this golden link We are naturally willing to have our sins pardoned that we may be freed from suffering but nature is an enemy to Sanctifying grace Christ as the efficient cause 5. Prop. pardons the sins that are past and Sanctifies the sinner when he doth actually convert or bring him home from Satan to God so that those that come unto Christ or believe in him are then made actuall partakers both of Iustifying and Sanctifying grace of Iustifying grace by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse of Sanctifying grace by the reall communication of his grace unto them That as all the children of the first Adam are subject to sin and misery in the day of their generation and birth so all the children of the second Adam Jesus Christ are delivered from a state both of sin and condemnation in the day of their regeneration and new-birth Thus Paul as Christs instrument was sent to the Gentiles To open their eyes to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they might receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified Acts 26.18 See also 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Here the Apostle maketh a plain Antithesis between what they then were what they had been formerly Ye are washed that is cleansed by the blood of Christ which was signified by the water of your Baptisme both from the guilt and state of sin ye are sanctified ye are justified Now make up the other part of the Antithesis and it must be this Ye were unsanctified ye were unjustified And when was that before they were converted when they lived in such sins as are mentioned ver 9. and 10. they were committers of them and guilty before God excluded from an actuall title to the Kingdome of God Such were some of you but ye are washed c. Eph. 2. to ver 10. Rom. 4.28 ch 5.1 Act. 15.9 Those then Corol. 1. that say Faith doth but manifest our Justification may as well say it doth but manifest our Sanctification for they were both proposed purchased and wrought together Hence Sanctifying grace is the necessary qualification of a justified person because Christ doth not bestow these saving mercies severally but jointly and individually where his sanctifying grace is not communicated his righteousnesse is not imputed and hereby even by sanctifying grace wrought in us we are to try our actuall interest in Jesus Christ Hence those that are perplexed with the sense of Gods displeasure pinched with the want of grace are to come to Christ for help in both kinds Those that say they dare not believe nor lay hold upon the Promises for the remission of sins because they are of unhumbled and impenitent hearts must learn to come to Christ that their hearts may be broken and humbled It is he that gives repentance unto Israel as well as remission of sins The believing sinner Prop. 6. being justified from all the sins that are past and sanctified inchoately The pardon continueth good in Law and the sanctifying grace bestowed is conserved by the same Jesus Corol. Hence the Elect of God though they many times fall to their sore wounding from the lively actings of grace and under Gods just paternal displeasure yet they never fall from a state of grace and their heavenly Fathers affectionate love Psal 89 28. to 34. with Isa 55.3 Prop. 7. Those that are regenerate being but partly renewed although in every part are subject to many infirmities and many back-slidings n Novis peccatis quantum in nobis est abdicamus no à gratia Dei Ita fit ut quotidiana peccatorum remissione upus habeant Sancti omne quia baec sola in Dei familia nos retiret Bulling in 1 Joh. 1.7 and the same Jesus who was the giver and preserver of the forementioned favours multiplieth pardons with renewing grace Hos 14.4 I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Thus in the salutation of both Peters Epistles he prayeth grace and peace be multiplied 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Pet. 1.2 And this renewing grace maketh the soul importunate for pardon of sin and power against sin Thus David when he was restored from his great fall prayed Psal 51.9 10 11. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Hence the godly are to pray daily for pardon of sin and power against it Corol. Thus Christ taught his Disciples to pray Forgive us our trespasses and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil And here note that as in the fourth Petition he teacheth them and us daily to pray for our daily sustenance so in these Petitions which are adjoyned with a conjunction copulative he teacheth daily to pray for daily forgiveness and for daily preservation against tentations And it were far better for us to be a day without our daily Bread than without our daily Pardoning supporting and renewing grace It is true the Lord hath promised both and will perform what he hath promised yet thus saith the Lord I will for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Ezek. 36.37 And because the Lord hath thus promised his people have the more incouragement and ground to pray Forgive us c. At the hour of death Prop. 8 the souls of the Saints are perfectly freed both from sin and guilt and so translated to heaven Heb. 12.23 Rev. 21.27 Prop. 9. Gloria ista inchâ—atur in hâc vita post mortem corporis fit auctior tandem à resurrectione perficitur Alst Qu. Theo. c. 41. At the general Resurrection and great day of Judgement the redeemed of the Lord shall be sententially justified before Angels and Men and perfectly sanctified in the whole man consisting of soul and body united to become meet instruments for the everlasting praises of God their Saviour To whom be glory for ever AMEN FINIS