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
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
Christum vivificetur nullum verae coelestis vitae opus praestare posse Zach. Ep. ad m. Men. de nostra ad Deum conversione the children of wrath even as others Eph. 2.3 dead in trespasses and sins ver 1. they are indeed Christs Sheep but lost sheep e Ovis animal est stolidum ac iners omnium quadrupedum stupid ssâ—â—uÌ„ quod in devia et loca deserta diseurrit et oberrat etiamsi pascita aomi habeat et pabusuÌ„ copiosuÌ„ Eisi à tempestatibus et invibus obruatur non discedit ex loco nisi a pastore abigatur c. Aristot de nat animal l. 9. in a straying condition without the fold of Christ John 10.16 The terme then from which they are brought in this great Salvation is Sin Sathan and the World The term to which is God in holinesse To this purpose speak many Scriptures two I shall mention which speak fully to the matter Paul saith that Christ sent him to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified Acts 26.18 And again saith Paul to Titus c. 2.3 4 5 6. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another But after that the kindeness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renning of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour The Cure must be according to the nature of the Disease and the Remedy suitable to the Misery which was a departing from God to the Creature which is called two great evils Jer. 2.13 My people have committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisternes that can hold no water The power likewise by which this salvation is wrought must needs be answerable to the greatnesse of the misery It must be a strong arm that rescues a Lamb out of the paw of a Lion It must be no lesse than a Divine f Tu es Deus omnipotens qui justificas impios et vivificas mortuos et mutas peccatores et non sunt Tibi soli possibile est suscitare silios Abrabae de duris lapidibus Aug. Theo. conf par 2. cap. 10. power that raiseth a Soule from death to life and makes it partaker of the Divine nature It is the Divine power that gives all things pertainig to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 And it is the same mighty power by which Christ himself was raised from the dead that worketh effectually in them that believe Eph. 1.19 20. The want of Grace in the soul is not a Physicall privation before the habit where the subject is apt and disposed to receive the form but a Logicall privation where the form is excluded and past a naturall power of recovery The generation of a living child is naturall to man and according to nature it is said Abraham begat Isaac c. but the raising of the dead to life is a work above nature and therefore a reall miracle requiring an Almighty power to effect it Our new creation in Christ is a greater worke then our first creation in Adam and our resurrection from sin to newnesse of life is more than the resurrection of our bodies from the grave Christ therefore puts forth his Almighty power to save his people from their sins when he thus workes none can let he workes irresistably the greatest ineptitude and depravity of nature shall be overcome He opens the eyes of them that were borne spiritually blinde and the unction of his Spirit is an eye-salve whereby they are enabled to see and know all things necessary to Salvation Though the will be refractory and the carnall minde not an Enemy only but enmity it selfe against God Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 36.26 Gen. 6.5 he bowes and inclines it and of unwilling makes it willing Psal 110.3 They shall be a willing people in the day of thy power His blood dissolves the adamantine spirit He takes away the hard and stony heart and gives a heart of flesh Though the thoughts and imaginations of the heart be evill onely evill and that continually he reformes them and makes them delight in meditating on his word Though carnal affections be strong and unbridled carrying the minde to earthly objects he crucifies the flesh with the Affections and Lusts Though the holds and fortifications of sinne be strong in the Soule and the strong man armed Satan possesse them and the Elect by nature themselves Psal 68.18 be rebellious also joyning with Satan and warring against their Saviour Christ who is infinitely stronger batters these fortifications spoiles him of his goods delivers poor captivated soules and brings them into a blessed captivity to the obedience of Christ himselfe In a word where Christ undertakes the worke the roughest and hardest stone in the corrupted and confused Masse shall be hewen polished and fitted to the spirituall building and the most knotty piece shall be curiously wrought to a most beautifull statue after the image of God I shall both summe up and further cleer this discourse in these short Propositions following 1. Man by nature g Britan. Theol. Sententia in Synodo Dord Thes 1. Voluntas hominis lapsi nudata est donis spiritualibus salutaribus quibus in innocentiae statu donata fuit ac proinde ad actus spirituales nil jam valet absque viribus gratiae Thes 2. Lapsae voluntati inest non tantum peccandi possibilitat sed etiam praeceps ad peccandum inclinatio De libero Arbitrio Gratiâ brevis est Ecclesiae nostâ—ae definitio Art 10. proposita in haec verba Ea est hominis post lapsum Adae conditio ut sese naturalibus suis viribus bonis operibus ad fidem invocationem Dei convertere ac praeparare non possit Quare absque gratia Dei quae per Christum est nos preveniente ut velimus co-operante dum volumus ad pietatis opera facienda quae Deo grata sunt accepta nil valemus In quibus verbis homini in statu lapsus sive peccati tam vires quam merita negantur ad bonum spirituale Daven De lib. Arb. Gratiae cooperatione is dead in trespasses and sins and hath neither power nor wil to help himself yea he is an enemy to the work of Grace upon his own Soul and therefore stands in need of the effectually working grace of Christ 2. h Brit. Theol. sent in Syn Dord De conversione Thes 1. Deus animos electorum suorum praedictis gratiae suâ— actibus excetatos praeparatos
is the sanctifying of the heart Circumcision Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live Rom. 2.29 He is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Consider the foregoing verses On the contrary evil and unsactified hearts are called uncircumcised in Scripture Lev. 26.41 If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled Jer. 9.25 26. Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Iudah and Edom and the children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost corners that dwell in the wildernesse for all these nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwaies resist the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe ye Circumcision then as you see was not onely a seale of the righteousnesse of faith The Passover The Passeover or Paschall Lamb Exod. 12. was a Type of Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world as it hath been explained before The sprinkling of the blood upon the doore-posts signified the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon the heart and soule for removing of the filth as well as the guilt of sin which was also signified by other sprinklings and washings of the Law as I shall shew you anon Sacraments extraordinary The Baptism in the cloud and in the red Sea figured the same which is now signified by our Baptism under the Gospel of which I shall speak in its due place The Manna in the wildernesse was a type of Christ who is the bread of Life upon whom whosoever feedeth by faith hath a spirituall life in Christ he dwelling in Christ and Christ in him to wit by the graces of his spirit Christ himself thus expounded what the Manna signified as you may read at large Ioh. 6.48 to 59. Types The Brazen serpent Numb 21.9 with Iohn 3.14 15. was a type of Christ restoring spirituall life as well as delivering from the death of condemnation As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And this is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 The Laver Exod. 30.17 typified our sanctification by the Blood of Jesus Christ Eph. 5 25 26. Even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word We read of the Laver of regeneration Tit. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost The blood of the Sacrifices sprinkled signified the blood of Christ in its sanctifying vertue Heb. 9 1◠14. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heighfer sprinkling the uncleane 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 workes to serve the living God! chap. 10.22 Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Promises 2. Let us consider the Promises even of the covenant of promise Jer. 31.33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them Here you see how large a part of this Covenant consisteth in the promises of sanctifying grace Prophecies 3. Let us consider the Prophesies Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse It is the uncleannesse of sin that is washed away by this Fountain of Grace Isa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. This freedom here spoken of is from a state of thraldome in sin from the bondage of corruption as well as from the obligation to punishment for it is said ver 3. the latter part That they might be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified The like we have chap. 42. 6 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousnesse and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes and bring out the prisoners from the prison them that sit in darknes out of the prison-house Here we see that the opening of blinde eyes is spoken of and what is that but the grace of saving knowledge and what the prison is you may gather out of my foregoing words upon the former text Mal. 3.2 3. He to wit Christ is like refiners fire and like fullers sope And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousnesse Sacraments of the N.T. 4. The Sacraments of the New Testament signifie the same sanctifying grace Rom. 6.4 We are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so also we should walk in newnesse of life 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified Here you see the washing of Baptism signifies the sanctifying as well as the justifying vertue of the blood of Christ John 1.35 He that sent me to baptise with water the same said unto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remain on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost See also chap. 5.3 Except a man be born of water and of the
in his Epistle to Titus c. 2. pressing the duties of severall ages sexes and orders of people to ver 11 useth this with other weighty arguments that Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works ver 14. Thus also Peter exhorting the elect to be active in the wayes of holinesse not fashioning themselves to their former lusts 1. Pet 1. from ver 10. to v. 18. useth this as a most forcible argument among others ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vaine conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the precious blood of Christ Arg. 1 The First Argument is drawn from Gods honour that is the chief work of Christ our Saviour wherein God is most honoured but God is most honoured in the saving his people from their sins therefore is this the chief work of Christ c. That that is the great or chief work of Christ wherein God is most glorified will need little proof for that must needs be the greatest work that most effectually atteineth the highest end And what end higher than the glory of God which was the supreme end of all Christs undertakings Joh. 17.4 That God is most glorified in the saving his people from their sins is manifest by its contrary God is most yea onely dishonoured by the sinnes and not all by the sufferings e As a cause or occasion given of his dishonour although the wicked take occasion to blaspheme God when his people are brought low Psal 79.10 12. of his people Gods people by their holinesse glorifie him and he is much honoured in the midst of their sufferings whereas Sin dishonours him in the midst of ease and abundance of mercies Gods honour Will well agree with the sufferings of his people but Sin is directly injurious to his glory though by accident he gets himselfe glory by it as he at first produc'd light out of darkness Thus God is much honoured by the great sufferings of Job while he sinneth not Job 1.20 21. yea God is so much honoured that he makes his boast against Satan of his Servant Job cap. 2 3. And the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my Servant Job that there is none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill and still he holdeth fast his integrity although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause And on the contrary how much is God dishonoured by our sinfull ease and prosperity yea most dishonoured by it in those that are redeemed from the guilt and punishment of sinne The grosse miscarriages of Gods people give occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme his name and wayes Thus when David had foulely offended saith the Lord by his Prophet Thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12.14 The crimes of Professors are ever the most scandalous yea the sins of Gods dearest children are most offensive to God himselfe because they are also committed against the greatest mercy and loving kindness The Lord in this case is ready to say with the Psalmist Psal 55.12 It was not mine Enemy that reproached me then I could have born it But when a Sinner is saved from his sins God is much honoured both before Angels and Men. Arg. 2 The second Argument is drawn from the greatnesse of the evill of sin above suffering That must needs be the greatest work in our Salvation whereby we are saved from the greatest evill but sin f It is better for a man to be cast into the torments of Hell among the Damned than to be overcome with any Sin Hookers Souls Prepar pag. 16. See Master Burroughs his Treatise of the Evill of Evills is the greatest evill and therefore our Salvation from it must needs be answerable That sin is the greatest evill is evident for many reasons 1. It is the procuring cause of all other evills and therefore must needs it self be the worst of evills The cause is ever more eminent than its effect whether for good or evill a good cause is better than its effect and an evill cause is worse That sin is the onely procuring cause of all evills is without controversie for as sin entred in the world death entred by sin and death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5 12. And the wages of sin is death saith Paul Rom. 6.23 Death temporall with all the evills of life as sicknesse wounds sorrowes and whatsoever else tendeth to Death and Death eternall All the horrour of hell is the fruit of sin the foundations of Hell are laid upon sinne Hell the worst of torments was built meerly for sinners therefore sin must be the worst of evills And because that sin is the Souls greatest evill and unhappinesse it is that when God comes to deliver a Soul out of meer pity and bowels of compassion his Eye chiefly pities them and his Bowells yerne over them because of their misery in sinne it selfe as you may read at large Ezek. 16. the former part of the Chapter And the saving mercy that he sheweth his love in is opposed to hardning in sinne rather than damning for sinne Rom. 9.18 He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardneth And the punishment of sinne with sin we account the greatest judgement 2. Sinne is Mans greatest evill because it hinders him from the enjoyment of the greatest good which is God himselfe It is sinne onely that separates between God and the Soule this is the onely partition wall Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you 3. Sinne is the greatest evill because of all things it is most displeasing to God the chiefest good yea there is nothing displeasing to God but sinne primarily and this is an abomination to him and therefore Sinnes are called in Scripture abominations Ezek. 9.4 And the Lord said unto him goe through the midst of the City through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof Prov. 15.9 The way of ths wicked is an Abomination unto the Lord. And God doth so loath sinners for their sinne that he will not abide them in his sight The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity saith David Psal 5.5 But the evill of suffering is not at all in it selfe displeasing unto God Yea he himselfe who is infinitely good is the Author of it and there is no evill of suffering but what comes from him as the principall efficient Can there be evill in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 As by being saved from sinne Arg. 3 Man is
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
spirit c. Here the water of Baptism signifies Regeneration by the spirit of Christ Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 3.21 The Lords Supper is for the strengthening of Faith and the several graces of the spirit in the Soule and Food is for the maintaining and increasing of naturall strength John 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed my blood is drinke indeed 5. Let us take a view of some of the principal Gospel inviations Isa 55.1 Ho Gospel-invitations every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c. Joh. 7.37 In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 And the spirit and the bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely In these texts we see free and gracious offers made to the thirsty and accordingly our Saviour Christ pronounceth them blessed which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Mat. 5.6 Hungring and thirsting are metaphoricall expressions and signifie the earnest and importunate desire of the soule for as the hungring and thirsting appetite is not satisfied but with meat and drink which it earnestly craveth so the soul that is truly sensible of its wants is restlesse unlesse it obtain a supply Now let it be considered whether the offers before mentioned be onely of pardoning grace and the blessednesse Christ speaketh of be to such as hunger and thrist after his justifying righteousnesse onely or whether sanctifying grace is not here principally I do not say only intended Should we understand these of pardoning and justifying grace alone who would not desire such grace that ever heard of it Should the blessedness here spoken of belong to all that earnestly desire Christs justifying righteousnesse who among us would fall short of the blessing that ever heard the Gospel preached The most wicked among us desire to be pardoned for the sake of Christ and justified by his righteousnesse and if in their health and prosperity they little regard it yet when sicknesse arresteth them and death looks them in the face they unfeignedly desire it which is to hunger and thirst after it and so the multitude of wicked and ungodly men that live and die in their sinnes would be pronounced blessed by Christ himself it here were no more intended When a wicked impenitent sinner lies upon his death-bed and expresseth his desire that God would pardon his sin for the sake of Christ and justifie him through his righteousness we have no reason to think that he dissembles not meaning what he speaks for who would be willing to be condemned But those gracious offers hold forth to us both pardoning and sanctifying grace and sanctifying grace more especially Hear John explaining the invitation of Christ forementioned John 7.37 38 39. But this he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive And what Spirit is this but the holy Ghost which is our Sanctifier Here let me ask the sound Believer What hast thou hungred and thirsted after what hath been thy desire didst thou never earnestly desire sanctifying grace dost thou not still finde it to be thy greatest want dost thou not daily beg it at the hand of God would the assurance of a pardon content thy soule if it were possible to obtain it without sanctifying grace I know it cannot be Thus likewise saith Christ Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest These expressions are also metaphoricall and reteining the Metaphor what is the burden here spoken of If it were onely the burden of wrath due for sin Cain and Judas groaned under the burden and would have been glad of ease and so would the most desperate sinner◠in the world If you say they did not come to Christ for ease I answer that coming is also a metaphorical expression and we cannot understand it of a locall motion To come to Christ for ease is but to be willing to be eased by him and to accept of his help And what reason have we to think that Cain or Judas were unwilling that Christ should ease them of that horrour and judgement their souls lay under Yea let me adde I doubt not but all the Devils in Hell would be willingly eased of the intolerable burden of Gods eternal vengeance If you say But there is no promise made to Devils but to Men I answer it is true but sure the men to whom this rest belongs have other kind of desires than what the Devils have And in this as James compares the faith that is not saving with the faith of Devils Jam. 2.19 so may I compare the desire that is not saving with the desire of Devils The burden then here spoken of is the burden of sin it selfe with the wrath of God as the fruit of it and those that have found or shall find ease by Christ are such as groan under the intolerable burden of sin it self and not meerly under the burden of wrath And here I might also appeal to the sincere Christian Wouldst thou think thy self sufficiently eased of thy burden if Christ should onely deliver thee from eternall torments would the body of sin be no burden to thee would it be a pleasure to bear it about thee It was Paul's greatest burden it made him groaning and panting after ease cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death His complaint in this expression is the voice of one tired out with a wearisom burden and neere spent with sorrow We shall now consider some other texts of Scripture When Paul states the doctrine of salvation by free grace he magnifies free grace mainly in the sanctification and not meerely in the justification of the sinner Ephes 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith and not of your selves it is the gift of God What this salvation here spoken of is let the Apostle himselfe declare in the foregoing verses Ver. 1 2 3 4 5. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world but God who is rich in mercy for his great mercy wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved In which verses you plainly see that Grace is magnified up in the quickning from death in trespasses and sins to live the life of grace So likewise saith Paul to Tit. c. 33. to 7. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by
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
into hell under the eternall wrath of God Sure thou sayest in thy heart I will hereafter return to God sometime or other before I die I intend to repent and lay fast hold upon Christ at the last and I hope I may be saved then as well as if I do it now Hast thou not some such reasonings in thy heart as these To which I answer thou art ready to plead thy own inability now and say I cannot repent believe and turn to God it is not in the power of a naturall man to do it Why then dost thou promise what thou wilt do at the last will it be any more in thy power then than now is it out of the power of a strong and healthy man to repent and lay hold upon mercy offered and is an aged sick or crasie person able to perform it Consider well of it and give me a reason why thou shouldst be better able to doe this great work when thy body is decaying and thy memory and understanding declining and thou unable to frequent the publick Ordinances than now while strength of body and mind and means of grace do all concurre together Obj. But thou wilt say I hope God will give me grace then and enable me to do it Answ 1. God offers thee his help now yea his saving grace why wilt thou not accept of it 2. What reason hast thou to think that Christ will bestow upon thee that grace at the point of death that thou hast wilfully refused all the dayes of thy life Nay hast thou not reason to expect that before that time thou shalt be judicially sealed up to blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart for refusing so many of the Lords gracious offers of mercy Thus it befell the Jewes in the like case Isa 6.9 10. And the Lord said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see indeed but perceive not Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed When the terrours of hell and death take hold on thee and thou criest to God maist thou not justly expect that the Lord will be as peremptory in refusing to hear thy cries and complaints as thou hast been in refusing to obey his voice in the daies of thy prosperity Read and consider well Prov. 1.20 to 31. Zech. 7.13 Therefore it is come to passe that as he cried and they would not heare so they cried and I would not hear saith the Lord of hosts Read the foregoing verses 3. Let me ask thee how many thou hast seen converted to Christ in their old age that lived constantly under the means of grace in their younger yeares The work of grace is wrought most commonly upon those that are in the prime of their age gray-headed sinners seldome repent Why wilt thou then promise thy selfe so much in old age 4. Tell me plainly and deceive not thy own soule while thou shiftest thus Is not pardon of sin and justification that thou maist be delivered from a place of torment the great mercy thou hopest for and is not this the end thou proposest while thou promisest thy self future repentance If so thou dost but deceive thy own soule Christ came to save thee from thy sinnes and not meerly from the tormenting wrath of God Christ will be a whole Saviour or no Saviour he will deliver thee from the power of thy sin here or he will never deliver thee from hell hereafter Think not that a little counterfeit sorrow at the last will prevaile with the Lord to pardon thy sin O study well the offers promises and threatnings of the Gospel now for I feare thou art as yet ignorant of the nature of saving grace I believe thou dost much cheer up thy selfe with the consideration of Gods goodnesse riches of grace mercy and long-suffering and think thy selfe by these sufficiently secured 'T is true indeed the consideration of these may comfort the humble selfe-denying converting sinner and are well made use of to lead us to repentance But thou that continuest in sinne upon this score after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.4 5. Obj. But what kinde of legal preaching is this Is this to preach salvation by Christ This is more like the voice of the Law than of the Gospel more like the thundring and lightning from mount Sinai than the voice of Christ from mount Sion Ans 1. I well remember ever since I knew what a Sermon meant till these late years that the most thundring rouzing sin discovering heart-searching Preachers were most highly prized and followed by all that were esteemed godly and the wicked and profane were wont to call them damnation preachers and desired to heare such as would preach them a Sermon of mercy I wonder now how it comes to passe that so many professors in these times are fallen in with the profane multitude to revile such messengers of Christ Sure there is a harmony between the theory at least of the one and practice of the other The Antinomian Professors plead grace is free and God hath so revealed himself that we need not doubt of his love it doth not become a Gospel-spirit to repent of sin or grieve for any miscarriages their sins were all long since done away in Christ neither ought they so much as once question their spiritual state neither should Ministers preach any thing but Free-grace and mercy in Jesus Christ And the wicked and profane say God is mercifull and Christ died to save sinners and hereupon take liberty to go on in sin impenitently never questioning their spiritual condition but hope to be saved by Christ as well as the best And the Antinomian sort of teachers will fit them for preaching according to their own hearts desire Either all our old Professors or these new ones are much mistaken But you will say These are times of greater light and many of our young Professors now see that that our ancient Professours understood not in former times Answ These are times wherein Professors are more light than formerly but whether they have more light I much question Some men have or at leastwise think they have much light in their heads but little in their hearts and their Religion is much in controversies but little in the life and power of godlinesse 2. Light is of two sorts First the light of bare knowledge and if this be the light so much boasted of the Devils and damned in hell may boast more for they know more than all the Saints upon earth Secondly there is the light of grace seated chiefly in the heart and shining forth in the life and conversation and this if I mistake not yea if Christ mistake not is the true light of
1. Against the fear of falling away Psal 34.19 Many indeed are the troubles and temptations of the righteous but the Lord will deliver them out of them all Satan his Instruments are very powerfull they do and shall deceive many especially in such times as these But the Elect of God and such onely are effectually called shall not be deceived For saith our Saviour Christ Mat. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. The Elect may be long deceived before their conversion they may after their conversion also be brought off for a time from some of the sound principles they have professed and from much of the practice of Christianity wherein they were forward as I am perswaded many are in these dayes whom God will cause in his good time to remember from whence they are fallen and repent and do their first Works And the most faithfull of Gods Elect are deceived all their dayes in lesser matters both in judgment and practise But the Elect of God shall not be utterly deceived in those things that are essentially necessary to be known and done Whosoever then thou art that sincerely fearest God rejoyce in thy firme and setled condition The Love wherewith the Lord hath loved thee is everlasting love Jer. 33.3 his mercy he will keep for thee for evermore Psal 89.28 the kindnesse of thy Redeemer is everlasting kindnesse Isa 54.8 The Covenant that God hath entred with thee is an everlasting Covenant Isa 55.3 Heb. 8. 8 9. c 13.20 The spirit i Scriptura non uno loco inculcat Spiritū S. electis datum inhabitare corundem corda Si autem inbabitat igitur domicilium fixamque sedem ibi deligit neq zimaginabimur cum excurrere vagari redire quod malum spiritum facere consucvisse Christus Mat. 12. testatur Zanch. Epist l. 1. Datur electis Spiritus S. ut arrbabo haereditatis coelestis Eph. 1. Nemo autem qui promissis pactisve vult stare arrbabonem reposcit quin potius in hoc totus est ut promissa sive pacta praestet ne tum quidem ubi illa praestiterit arrhabonem repetiturus Consequitur ergo Spiritum S. apud cum cui semel datus est relinqui Quod eo quoque comprobatur quod Eph. 4. dicuntur credentes per Sp. Sanctum in diem redemptionis obsignari Zanch. ibid. of Sanctification already given thee is the earnest of thy Inheritance Eph. 1.14 Thou art sealed by it to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 It is sent unto thee not as a wayfaring man to tarry but for a night but to abide with thee for ever Joh. 14.16 The seed of grace is an incorruptible seed 1. Pet. 1.23 The life of grace is everlasting life For he that truely believeth hath everlasting life Joh 3.36 Ch. 5.24 Thou believest the record that God hath given of his Son and this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life 1 Joh 5.11 12 Everlasting life is already begun in thy soule and the Lord is faithfull who will establish thee to the end 2. Thes 3.3 Satan indeed desireth to have thee that he may sist thee as wheat but Christ hath prayed for thee that thy faith may not faile Luke 22. 31 32. The powers that are against thee are great but the power that is for thee is k Nemo fallit redemptorem tuum nemo circumvenit nemo premit Aug. in Psal 103. v. 3. greater Thou shalt be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 The Lord that hath already rescued thee out of the jawes of Satan that was ready to devour thee as David rescued the Lamb out of the mouth of the Lion will carefully watch over thee that thou maist no more become a prey He that keepeth thee will not slumber Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon the right hand The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soule the Lord shall preserve thy going out and coming in from this time forth and for evermore Hear how Christ the great Sheepherd of thy Soul speaks for thy comfort John 10.27 28 29 30. My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my fathers hand I and my Father are one And how confidently doth Paul triumph against all opposition Rom. 8.35 37 38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thou hast cause indeed to feare Satans and the Worlds temptations and thine own inbred corruption with a feare begetting care for the prevention of the evil but let not thy feare cause thee to cast away thy confidence in Christ thy Saviour but in assurance of his help and protection fly unto him at all seasons and say as David did in another case Psal 66.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Forsake not him and he will not forsake thee In this case I may say as Azariah said to Asa and all Judah and Benjamin The Lord is with you while ye be with him yea the Lord hath said I will not faile thee nor forsake thee A repetition of the same thing in Scripture is like Pharaoh's doubled dream which sheweth that the thing shall certainly come to passe which is foretold or promised Now we have here the Lord doubling his promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Note also that whereas two negatives in the Greek Language deny the more strongly we have here no lesse than five negatives two in the former and three in the latter clause of this promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we should translate the words literally it would be thus I will not not faile thee neither will I not not forsake thee Enemies indeed thou hast and the worst are in thine own house I meane which is worse in thine own heart Feare with a cautious but not with an incredulous feare Remember thou art here a member of the Church-militant among many Enemies warre thou must and adventure hazards and difficulties yet be not dismayed l Eisi diabolus peccatum