eternal death and wrath which they have deserved and by sin are exposed unto Moreover you may here learn the reason why so many people especially those who most seriously and earnestly desire and endeavour their salvation choose to hear Ministers preach rather than others because they are commissioned by the Lord to preach the Word of salvation and their Ministry is most likely to be effectual Others may preach without a Commission the same words and do no good for want of Gods blessing It is not the bare speaking the words of salvation that will bring salvation but the revelation of Gods arm and operation of his Spirit with the Ministry of the Word As when our Saviour raised Lazarus from the dead he cryed with a loud voice Lazarus come forth and he that was dead received life and came forth Ioh. 11.43 44. Others could have spoken the same words as our Saviour and cryed over the grave with as loud a voice Lazarus come forth but with no effect the dead man would have remained still in the state of the dead whatever any man could have spoken or done but when our Saviour spake the words the dead man was quickened there went forth a vertue and efficacy a divine power and spirit with our Saviours words which raised him from the dead so uncommissioned persons may entrench upon the work of the Ministry and preach the Gospel speak words of salvation and cry to sinners to leave their sins to arise from their spiritual death to come forth from their graves they may exhort them to repent and believe that they may be saved and yet none of their words be likely to take impression and effect a saving change in the heart because being out of Gods way they cannot expect Gods blessing but Ministers are qualified and commissioned for the work and through Gods blessing there is a life and power goeth along with their preaching which maketh it effectual for salvation no wonder then if such as are led by the Spirit do choose to hear Ministers preach refusing others that they may be safely guided by them in the way of life and salvation SECT XIII Vse 2. FOR Reproof 1. Of Ministers 2. Of People 1. Are Ministers to tell people words whereby they may be saved this then reproves such Ministers 1. As do not preach at all 2. As do not preach soul-saving Truths 3. As do not preach in such a Way as is likely to do good But my business being chiefly to speak unto People I shall pass by this Use. 2. People are here to be reproved unto whom the Lord sends faithfull Ministers to tell them such words whereby they may be saved 1. It reproves such as persecute such Ministers that are of such a spirit as the wicked Iewes of old spoken of 1 Thess. 2.15 16. Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary unto all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved to fill up their sin alway for wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Some there are that persecute Ministers with the tongue by reproaching of them others persecute Ministers with the hand by imprisoning of them and many other wayes afflicting of them seeking the extirpation of them as persons not fit to live upon the face of the earth thus ungratefully they endeavour the ruine of them that desire and seek their salvation and foolishly endeavour to blow out the light which would shew them the way to Heaven 2. It reproves such who if they do not persecute Ministers yet hate them bear a secret spight and enmity in their hearts against them and the reason is because they testifie that their works are evil upon which account our Saviour was hated Ioh. 7.7 they hate them because they reprove them for their sins and disturb their Consciences sometimes by sounding peals of Judgement in their ears that they cannot sin with that freedom and security as they desire Poor souls how will they endure the pains of Hell themselves that cannot endure the sore-thoughts of them and hate them which bring such sad thoughts into their mindes though it be in order to their escape Would any of you hate a neighbour that should cry aloud in the dead of the night Fire fire and bounce at your doors and awaken you out of your sleep to warn you of a Fire drawing neer to your habitation which if not prevented would burn house and goods and persons together And what do Ministers more than cry Fire fire and tell you of your near approach to everlasting burnings in which without some speedy course taken for prevention will certainly seize upon you and consume you everlastingly And have any reason to be troubled and offended and hate Ministers for awakening them upon such an account as this when their souls lie at stake and are in such danger A Physician of the body is not hated that tells his Patient that his disease is dangerous which if let alone without taking such a remedy will certainly be his death And have any reason to hate Ministers who are Physicians of the Soul because they tell men of the disease of sin which if not cured by the blood of Christ will certainly and may suddenly bring eternal death 3. It reproves such who if they do not so deeply hate Ministers yet will not be perswaded to hear them such as are so drencht in the World and so over head and ears in worldly business that they minde nothing else If any could tell them of a good bargain or some notable way of thriving in their Estates such a one they would visit and hear and O how would they relish such discourses But though Ministers give notice of the best bargain that ever was made and bring tydings of the most notable way of thriving namely of the way of thriving in spiritual and heavenly riches and shew men how they may gain pardon and peace and the favour of God and the graces of the Spirit and escape future misery and attain salvation and everlasting happiness yet like Gallio they minde none of these things they will not step over the threshold to hear Ministers preach the Gospel of salvation and how shall they escape who neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 4. It reproves such who if they do hear Ministers yet do not understand them that are so dull of hearing that they know not what Ministers say nor whereof they affirm that gather about a Minister as beasts about a Man that sounds a Trumpet and stare upon him but know not what the meaning of the sound is so they hear Ministers and look and stare upon them some strange things are brought to their ears which they know not the meaning of and are like words of another language to them because their eyes are closed and they want spiritual sense and discerning and a great reason is because they do
set forth the Lord Jesus Christ in his Divinity and eternal abode with God in his Humanity with which he cloathed and vailed himself and abode for a while here amongst men in his Life so holy his Works so powerfull his Love so great his Death so painfull his Resurrection so soon his Ascension so wonderfull his Session and Intercession at the right hand of God and the Glory which he hath with the Father in Heaven however he had been vilified by some men when he was upon the Earth The Angel could have preached the Law with such Thunder and Lightning as should have made the Conscience of Cornelius to tremble even as the Israelites did when the Law was given by their ministration on Mount Sinai He could have shot the arrows of the Almighty so deep into his Spirit as no balm on earth should have been able to heal his wounds The Angel could have represented the God of Heaven in a more terrible way than man can do as Lord of an innumerable host of mighty Angels of which he was but one and as set in battel-array against Christless sinners and told Cornelius what dreadfull threatnings were denounced and what heavy Curses did belong unto such as had broken Gods Law and hereby could have put him into such terrors and consternation in reflection upon the least guilt as should have sunk him down to the very brink of the burning Lake in his own apprehension and forced him in the anguish of his spirit to cry out O what shall I do to be saved And then he could have represented the Lord Jesus Christ unto him as the only and an all-sufficient and most mercifull Saviour of Mankinde who had undertaken the Office of Mediatour and Advocate and was faithfull He could have described his beauty and excellency in such high expressions and invited Cornelius to come to Christ with such sweet words and pressing arguments as never proceeded out of the mouth of any man But the Angel had no commission to preach the Gospel to Cornelius only to speak to him from God that he would send men to Ioppa and call for Peter and he should preach the Gospel unto him And as it was in the beginning so it is still God doth not send Angels down from Heaven to preach Christ and Salvation by Christ unto the people but he sendeth Ministers men whom he qualifieth and commissioneth for the work The Reasons why God doth make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel rather than Angels may be chiefly these three 1. Because of our Infirmity 2. For the honour of the Ministry 3. That he might secure his own Glory Reas. 1. Because of our Infirmity We could not in this state of darkness weakness and sinfulness bear the preaching of Angels that are so holy and glorious Our eyes would be dazled our spirits would be amazed and hearts sink within us at the voice of Angels should they appear unto us in their glory Manoah thought he should dye when an Angel came to him and foretold him of a Son which should be born to him Iudg. 13. Zacharias was sore troubled at the appearance of an Angel with the like message Lâ—k 1. The Shepheards in the Field were exceedingly afraid when the Angel came to them to bring tidings of the birth of our Saviour Luk. 2. And Christs Disciples were no less afraid when the Angels brought news to them of his Resurrection And if holy men could not bear the appearance of Angels much less could the unholy and wicked whose guilt and defilement would make them a thousand-fold more fearfull If an Angel should immediately descend from Heaven into this place and taking my room should preach unto this Auditory before me would not fearfull thoughts arise in the hearts and paleness get upon the checks of the best amongst you But what dread would there seize upon the spirits of such of you as are graceless and profane who are yet in your sins and have not made your peace with God How would you shrink and croud out faster than you crouded in as not being able to endure When Moses had been forty dayes upon the Mount with God and had seen only his back-parts yet his face did shine with such lustre by reflexion of the beams of Gods Majesty upon him that the children of Israel could not look upon his face without a Vail And if Angels who continually behold the face of God in Heaven should come down and appear and preach men would not be able to hear and bear Therefore God maketh use of Ministers to preach the Gospel men of like passions and infirmities with our selves for our infirmities sake Men who will not affrighten us with their glory whom we may look upon without dazling our eyes whom we may speak unto and converse with familiarly without dread and terrour As Elihu said of himself to Iob chap. 33.6 7. So it may be said of Ministers they are in Gods stead and yet formed out of clay and their terrour shall noâ— make us afraid Reas. 2. For the honour of the Ministery Jesus Christ himself the Son of God was a Minister when he was upon the Earth and his employment was to preach the Gospel and the highest spiritual honour that can be conferred upon any is to be Christs Embassadours Representatives and to succeed him in this office and work of the Ministery which honour he hath conferred upon some men rather than Angels I am not of their opinion who think that Gods people are exalted to a higher dignity than the Angels neither do I think the consequences to be right from Heb. 1 1â— on which this Notion is grounded Are they not all ministring spirits speaking of Angels sent forth to minister for them which shall be heirs of salvation It doth not follow because Angels do minister to the Saints therefore they are inferiour to the Saints for Jesus Christ himself did minister to them though he be their Lord and King when he washed his Disciples feet in which act he appeared so like a servant yet then he calleth himself their Lord and Master Ioh. 13.13 Ministring to others doth not imply inferiority unless it be such as doth withall imply dependency but rather the contrary our Saviour telleth his Disciples when he perceived them to be ambitious of greatness that whoever would be the greatest amongst them should be their Minister Math. 20.26 Indeed our humane Nature in Christ is exalted above Angels but in other respects we are inferiour to Angels The Angels are above us in regard of spirituality they are all spirit we are partly flesh and but partly spirit In regard of immortality they never dye we cannot escape death long In regard of purity they have not the least tincture of sin the most holy persons on earth are not without some remainders of defilement In regard of neerness unto God they dwell with God in Heaven and behold his face continually we are on earth and see
death for it or discovereth our death and utter insufficiency of our selves to obey its injunctions and have instead thereof their necks put under the sweet and easie yoak of the Law of Christ which is called the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus because life and strength is given by the Spirit of Christ to yield obedience thereunto As Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death And vers 3 4. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The Law could not give strength against sin because of the strength of the flesh the Law discovered sin but it could not subdue sin but God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh in which flesh he suffered and offered a sacrifice for sin by which sin or sin-offering as the word sin doth elsewhere signifie as Hos. 4.8 They eat the sins of my people that is the sin-offerings of my people he condemned sin in the flesh sin was hereby judged and condemned to lose its power in his people it was condemned to death which death or sin-offering of Christ hath vertue and influence upon sin to kill it to crucifie it like as Christ was crucified for it and so Gods people are said to be delivered from the Law from the irritating and provoking power of it unto sin that being dead wherein they were held and whereby the Law did stir up such motions that they might serve in newness of spirit Rom. 7.6 that they might yield the fruits of new obedience that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them sin having lost its strength they have strength from the Spirit of Christ to yield such obedience to the Law as through Christ shall be accepted And with this deliverance of people from the rigour and irritation of the Law is conjoyned their deliverance also from the curse and malediction by Jesus Christ who was made a curse for them instead whereof the blessing of Abraham the father of the faithfull is given unto them as it is expresly said Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Faith 4. When they are saved from the eternal damnation of Hell all unbelieving sinners are under the sentence of damnation Ioh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already they are condemned by the great Judge unto an utter exclusion from the glorious presence of the Lord in that place of joy and happiness which is above and to endure most horrid extream and endless anguish and torment in soul and body in the place of utter darkness which is beneath where their worm shall never dye and where the fire shall never be quenched This sentence is dreadfull and all unbelievers are lyable every moment to the execution thereof upon their souls So soon as God shall give commission to the Serjeant Death to arrest them and clap up their bodies into the Prison of the grave then their souls being found guilty will be delivered into the hand of the Devil the Jailor of Hell whither he will drag them and where they must remain full of anguish through sense of Gods immediate wrath wherewith they will be filled and bound up in chains of darkness and wo untill the Judgement of the great day on which great day the Lord Jesus Christ will be sent by God to judge the whole world together and they shall be brought forth in chains to his barre and having reassumed their bodies shall be judged by him soul and body unto the flames of everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and O the dread and horrour which will then possess them O the howlings and bitter lamentations which then they will make when the God of Heaven shall execute the fierceness of his anger upon them for their sins in the extream and remediless torments of Hell which shall never have an end The sentence of eternal damnation which all unbelievers whilest such are under here is dreadfull yet whilest here it is reversible whilest the reprieve of execution lasteth a repeal of the sentence may be obtained by an appeal from the Court of the Law to the Court of Chancery from the Barr of Gods Justice to the Throne of Grace by application of themselves unto Christ to be their Advocate and of his Righteousness to themselves by Faith whereby Justice hath been satisfied and they may be acquitted People are saved from eternal damnation when through an interest in Christ they obtain pardoning mercy and so are freed from all obligation to punishment by their sins hence it is said that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 and they that believe are not condemned Joh. 3.18 and that because Jesus is their Saviour and hath delivered them from the wrath which is to come 1 Thess. 1.10 Believers have a title to eternal salvation here through their title to Christ it is sure and they may be assured of it but hereafter they shall actually obtain it at the day of Judgement and perdition of the ungodly when the wicked shall be condemned and thrust into the place of torments they shall be acquitted saved and received into Heavenly Mansions prepared by their Redeemer for them in his Fathers house where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore and so they shall march along with him unto the Zion which is above with shouting and the voice of triumph with Songs in their mouths and unspeakable delight in their hearts they shall then obtain everlasting joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away and no place be found for it to dwell where they shall take up their eternal abode This is the Salvation which is here meant and which God hath promised to shew unto them who believe and order their conversation aright And thus you see what it is for a people to be saved SECT V. 2. THE second thing is To shew what those Words are which Ministers are to tell people whereby they may be saved And here I shall for the present speak only of those words which the Apostle Peter told Cornelius whereby he and his house were saved there was great power and vertue which went along with them for it is said whilest he was speaking of them the Holy Ghost fell upon the Gentiles unto whom he preached as upon the Apostles themselves at the beginning chap. 10.44 and therefore they are worthy your serious regard possibly you that are unconverted in the hearing or reading
these words may have the Holy Ghost fall upon you and feel such a wonderfull power going along with them as shall draw you unto Christ and bring you out of the estate of spiritual death and damnation in which you are by nature into a state of life and salvation whilest I am speaking to your ears God may speak to your hearts whilest I am presenting these words before you and holding forth the light unto you God may open your eyes and give you by his Spirit such a spiritual discerning of these things as you never had before and so affect your hearts as no word of man is able to do hear then a Sermon of God out of the mouth of the Apostle Peter which hath been effectual for conversion and who knoweth but it may produce the same effect in some of you in the repetition and explication of it as it did in the Gentiles in the first preaching of it It is said the Holy Ghost fell upon all them which heard these words when Peter preached them O that the Holy Ghost might fall upon some of you whilest I am preaching them The Gentiles had extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost given unto them in their hearing Peter O that you might have a true work of conversion by the Holy Ghost given in the hearing of me They are the Words of God receive them as his words which may effectually work to your salvation if the Lord give faith in the hearing Look up then to the Lord for his blessing on which the efficacy of the Word doth depend The words are in Act. 10. from the 34th to the 44th Vers. I shall first read them and then open these words of salvation to you After that Cornelius had sent for Peter to Ioppa he sent for many of his friends to his house and when they were come together and Peter was come and had a relation from Cornelius of his â—ision and they had told him that they were all there present before God to hear the things which were commanded him of God Vers. 34. he begins his Sermon Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ he is Lord of all That Word I say ye know which was published throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the Baptisme which John preached How God anoynted Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of Judea and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly not to all the people but to witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it was he which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead To him gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins This Sermon of Peter's which is the first Sermon which was preached unto the Gentiles after the partition-wall was broken down is but brief but it hath much sweet and soul-saving doctrine in it and it is likely that the Scripture doth bâ—t briefly rehearse the heads of that which the Apostle discoursed of more largely unto them and therefore I shall endeavour to open this Sermon unto you which is like a rich Cabinet of most precious treasure wherein is to be found the Pearle of the greatest price which the wise Merchant-man will sell all that he hath to obtain because it is not only desireable to enrich him but also necessary to save him I mean the Lord Jesus Christ whom the Apostle doth describe and hold forth unto the Gentiles We read Luk. 24.31 that the Disciples hearts burned within them whilest our Saviour spake to them by the way and opened to them the Scriptures and O that you might feel your hearts burn within you whilest I am opening unto you this Scripture which doth relate Peters Sermon The Sermon of Peter may be reduced to Four general heads 1. Concerning God 2. Concerning the Word 3. Concerning Iesus Christ. 4. Concerning the way of salvation by Christ. SECT VI. 1. THE Apostle speaks unto the Gentiles concerning God v. 34. and 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Two things he gives them to understand concerning God 1. His gracious disposition to accept of Men. 2. His good will towards the Gentiles 1. He lets them know how gracious God was in being willing to accept of men of any men without respect of persons whatever their sins had been so that they did turn from them in his fear and wrought righteousness for the future This is needfull for sinners to know that they might be encouraged to seek after salvation For if they apprehend God only as he is holy and just and jealous if they are told only that he is powerful and furious and a sin-revenging God when they reflect upon their guilt they will be ready to fly away from him under a slavish fear of punishment and in discouragement and despair go on in the practice of sin as long as they can Therefore Ministers must represent God unto sinners as gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness pardoning iniquity transgression and sin as he sets forth himself to Moses Exod. 34.6 7. they must tell sinners that God is gracious and ready to accept of all those that fear him and turn from their evil waies and resolve to work righteousness for the time to come and that he will be found of and give a reward unto all such as diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him O that you who are going on in sin were perswaded of this how gracious and merciful the Lord is whom you do so highly offend by sin and how ready he is to accept of you if you would but turn from sin He hath given us Ministers commission to tell you that there is an accepted time and a day of salvation for your souls which he yet lengthens out unto you Yea we are sent as his Embassadours to entreat and beseech you that you would be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 And when God declares by us that he is so willing to accept of you that he desires you to accept of his salvation and beseecheth a reconciliation when he can so easily avenge
therefore the world hate and contend with his Disciples because he hath chosen them out of the world wicked men have an enmity in their hearts against Believers and will not be at Peace with them But Christ preached Peace with God Christ came from Heaven to bring this glad tydings to earth that the God of Heaven was willing to be at Peace with sinfull men It would not have been an easie thing to have made sinners believe especially if they had been convinced of sin how heinous it is in its own nature how highly it affronts and provokes the highest Majesty if they had been awakened with a sense of the dreadfulness of the punishment which God hath threatned and they had deserved for their sins that so great and holy a God should be willing to put up all affronts and forgive all iniquities and be at Peace with sinners yea that he should seek after it They might have questioned not only how this could be but also how any could have known it But to put all out of doubt Christ the eternal Son of God hath come forth from Heaven declaring what he hath heard of the Father and hath made known this that God is willing to be at peace with us Christ was sent from the King of Glory upon the Embassage of Peace and he preached Peace therefore unto men not unto all men for Isa. 57.21 There is no Peace to the wicked that is to such as are impenitent and senseless of their sins and go on still in their trespasses Christ threatned the wicked as severely as Iohn Baptist he tells the impenitent that they should perish Luk 13.3 and the unbelievers that they should die in their sins Ioh. 8.24 And he calls the hypocritical Pharisees who persevered in their opposition of him and his waies Serpents and Vipers that could not escape the damnation of Hell Matth. 23.33 But Christ preached Peace to all that repented were troubled for their sins that mourned and turned that believed and yielded up themselves to the obedience of the Gospel He preached the Gospel to the poor to the bruised and broken that is such as were sensible of their sins and their need of a Saviour Luk. 4.18 And we Ministers have commission from the Lord to preach Peace to the children of men we are Ministers of the Gospel of Peace unto us is committed the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 Indeed we must sound the Trumpet of War from Heaven in the ears of secure sinners to awaken them but we are to hang out the white flag and to come with Olive branches of Peace from God to them that tremble at Gods Word and are humble for their sins Sinners are there any among you whose hearts the Lord hath touched and bruised for sin yea broken to shivers and melted and filled with grief and sorrow for a life of past-wickedness that have not only legal terrours but true Evangelical repentance I have a word of Peace to deliver to such of you from the Lord. God is willing to be at Peace with you through his Son There is an Advocate with the Father who is ready to make up the breach which sin hath made between God and your souls and God doth call you to lay hold on his strength that you may make Peace with him and he promiseth that you shall make peace with him Isa. 27.5 Thus concerning the word of Repentance and Peace which Peter tells Cornelius and them which were with him SECT VIII 3. PEter speaks to them of the Lord Jesus Christ by whom this Peace was purchased and the Word of Peace preached and that 1. Concerning his Vnction 2. Concerning his Life 3. Concerning his Miracles 4. Concerning his Death 5. Concerning his Resurrection 6. Concerning his Ordination to be the Iudge of the World 7. Concerning his Mission of them to preach 1. Peter speaks to them concerning the Vnction of Christ. He tells them that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power God poured forth his Spirit without measure upon Christ which qualified him for his offices and he gave him power and authority to execute them There is a Threefold Office which Christ was anointed unto 1. The Priestly Office 2. The Pâ—â—phetical Office 3. The Kingly Office 1. Christ was anointed to the Priestly Office who offered up sacrifice to God even a sin-offering and Peace-offering â—o make reconciliation for sin not the sacrifice of Bulls and Goats or Lambs or Rams which could never of themselves take away guilt but he through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God he offered the sacrifice of himself for a sweet-smelling savour and shed his own blood for the remission of sins by which blood having obtained eternal redemption for his people he entered into the Holy place not made with hands which was but figurative but into Heaven it self there to appear in the presence of God to make intercession for them Christ is the great High priest not after the order of Aaron who were many and mortall and sinfull and their Priesthood changeable but he is a High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec hath an unchangeable Priesthood therefore is able to save all those to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession in their behalf Heb. 7.25 Moreover v. 26. he is holy harmless undefiled seperate from sinners and yet very tender and compassionate towards sinners being touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and knows how to pity them which are tempted he is mercifull and he is faithfull too in this Office which the Lord hath anointed him unto Having therefore such an High-Priest over the House of God sinners have encouragement to draw neer unto God with full assurance of acceptance through him Hebr. 10.21 22. 2. Christ was anointed to the Prophetical Office Christ is that Prophet whom the Lord promised to raise up to his people like unto Moses Deut. 18.15 but is far greater than Moses who came down from Heaven to preach the Gospel of salvation to lost sinners who revealed the counsels of the Father which were hid from ages and generations and kept secret untill his time from the foundations of the World who discovered the purposes of Gods Love and the promises of his Grace and brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel Christ is the great Prophet anointed by the Father to teach his people by his Word and Spirit who opens the eyes of the understanding which naturally is dark and blinde and leads his people into all truth who of themselves would wander into errour without whose teachings there can be no saving light nor spiritual discerning and relish of Gospel Mysteries 3. Christ was anointed unto the Kingly Office Peter in his Sermon calls him Lord of all God hath given him a Name above every Name he hath exalted him above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion both in Heaven and
that you had towardly and hopeful Children like Olive-plants round about your Tables that you had most kind and faithfull friends of most pleasant conversation that you had servanâ—s horses chariots coaches doggs hawks and all sorts of serviceable and delightful creatures the best and in the greatest number at your commands to attend your pleasure suppose you were cloathed with purple wrapped in fine linnen adorned with gold and silver and pretious stones and had the most rich and glorious Attire that the greatest cost and art could make for you suppose that your food were most delicious that Aire Earth and the Sea were ransack'd to provide dainties for your Table that your courses were served up with the most rich and generous Wine the most sweet and harmonious musick suppose that you were laden with titles of honour and had all the Crowns and Scepters of the earth laid at your feet and that the whole world had you in the highest esteem and were in willing subjection unto you yet what would it profit you to gain all these things or any thing else that the heart of man could desire in the world and lose your souls which are a thousand fold more pretious the gain of these things are but for the body and but for a while whereas the loss of the soul is for ever and when the soul is lost all is lost when the soul leaveth the body a period is put to all earthly enjoyments and the more you have of these things the more grievous will it be to part with them Think with your selves that you must dye certainly and may dye suddenly and then if not before you will acknowledge the worlds vanity and the preciousness of your souls which are of longer duration than the age of ten thousand worlds put together and what is the gain of the world which is so transitory and temporal in comparison with the loss of the soul which is immortal and whose loss is irrepairable a loss in the estate may be recovered Riches may fly away upon the wing and sometimes return upon the wing again as in the case of Iob but the loss of the soul can never be recovered when once the soul hath taken wing and is fled into the lower regions it will never find wings to return again to its former estate O therefore whatever you lose take heed you do not lose your souls your souls are very precious seek after their salvation 2. It is the salvation also of your Bodies which I would have you endeavour after I do not mean the salvation of your bodies from sufferings which Religion doth sometimes call you unto nor a salvation of your bodies from sickness and temporal death which Religion doth not exempt any from but the salvation of your bodies from perpetual death and pain of Hell you may pamper your flesh for a while on Earth which may make it a more fit bait for the Worms in the grave and your bodies after death may be at rest and take a sweet sleep for many years in the dust but there is a morning approaching after the long night of death and many hours of darkness in which the graves will be opened and the dead will be awakened and then your bodies will come forth of the dust and they will be adjudged by Christ unto most horrid and endless torments in Hell to burn for ever in unquencheable Fire if you be found under the guilt of sin O therefore labour after the salvation of your Bodies when your bodies now are sick you endeavour to get them cured when they are full of pain you use means to get the pain removed and you will fly as fast and as far as you can from natural Death and you will do much to lengthen out and strengthen the thred of your life though do what you can it will in time be cut asunder and death which hath you upon the chase will overtake and overcome you whatever resistance be made O labour to get deliverance from the pains of body which are prepared in Hell for the damned Fly O Fly from eternal Death and the strokes of Gods wrath which will come upon the bodies of the wicked hereafter if you would not have those faces scorched those eyes and tongues and hands rosted and that flesh broiled and fearfully tormented in the flames of Hell fire labour after salvation As you love then your selves your souls and bodies seek after your salvation SECT XVI Motive 2. FRom the consideration of the Salvation which you should endeavour to obtain and here I shall set before you some properties of this salvation to move you the more effectually to seek after it 1. It is a great Salvation 2. It is a rare Salvation 3. It is a necessary Salvation 4. It is a possible Salvation 5. It is a neer Salvation 6. It is an evident Salvation 7. It is a free Salvation 8. It is a sure Salvation 1. It is a great Salvation and that both in regard of the thing it self and in regard of the causes of it 1. It is great in regard of the thing it self As in Motion so in Salvation there is the terminus à quo and the terminus ad quem the term from which and the term to which that which people are in Salvation delivered from and that which in Salvation they attain unto both which are exceeding great 1. That which people in Salvation are delivered from There are six great evils which those that are saved are delivered from 1. From sin the greatest evil of all from the guilt of sin Eph. 1.7 and the power the reigning power of sin Rom. 6 14. 2. From Sathan the greatest enemy of all from his power and tyranny Col. 1.13 2 Tim. 2.26 3. From the Law the evil which it occasioneth namely the provoking to concupiscence and disobedience Rom. 7.5 6. and the evil which it denounceth namely Gods curse Gal. 3.10 13. 4. From the world not in regard of their place but in regard of their course Gal. 1.4 Ioh. 15.19 Ioh. 17.16 5. From Death the sting of death and the fear of death at least the grounds of fear Heb. 2.14 15. 6. From wrath the wrath of God which is to come 1 Thes. 1.10 2. This Salvation is great in regard of that which in Salvation people do attain unto All the priviledges of the Gospel are wrapt up and included in the word Salvation Election is the foundation of it Effectual calling is the begining of it Justification Adoption and Sanctification are contained in it and Glorification is the consummation of it This Salvation then is great in regard of the thing it self 2. This Salvation is great in regard of the causes of it 1. Efficient 2. Meritorious 3. Instrumental 4. Finall 1. This Salvation is a great Salvation in regard of the efficient cause and that is God the Father Salvation is ascribed to him as the author Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved
The Wells OF SALVATION OPENED OR WORDS WHEREBY We may be Saved By THOMAS VINCENT Minister sometime in Maudlins Milk-street LONDON Act. 16.29 Then he called for a Light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas Vers. 30. And brought them out and said Sirs What must I do to be saved V. 31. And they said Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy House V. 32. And they spake unto him the Word of the Lord and to all that were in his House LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop at the Golden Bible on London-bridge 1668. TO THE Citizens of LONDON I Have sounded two Trumpets of Iudgement in your ears the former signifying Gods terrible Voice to the City in the late terrible Iudgements of Plague and Fire which have devoured so many Inhabitants and Habitations as the space of many Ages should the World so long continue would not blot out the remembrance of the later signifying Gods terrible Voice to the World at the second appearance of Christ to the last and Universal Iudgement of all the Children of Adam which is both sure and near the dreadfulness of which Iudgement to the Wicked no Tongue is able to express The chief intent of both my Treatises concerning the late and future Iudgement hath been to awaken sleepy Sinners out of their carnal security and to prepare them for the great Salvation purchased by Iesus Christ and proclaimed proffered and promised in the Gospel therefore having at first purposed and in my last Book of Christs Appearance to Iudgement promised to treat more largely of Salvation than in the close of a Vse I could do I have here endeavoured to fulfill my Promise in telling you Words whereby you may be saved We read 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners And Heb. 2.3 4. that this Salvation began to be spoken of by the Lord and was confirmed by them that heard him The Lord speaketh to you from Heaven by his Spirit in his Word and Ministers that you would accept of this Salvation See then that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not ye escape if ye turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Heb. 12.25 They that seek this Salvation diligently shall finde it certainly but they that refuse or neglect it must needs perish unavoidably and be miserable eternally That this little Piece may be blessed by the Lord and made use of as a Means to promote your Salvation is the Prayer of him whose great desire is that you might be saved Thomas Vincent WORDS Whereby we may be Saved ACT. 11.13 14. And he shewed us how he had seen an Angel in his house which stood and said unto him Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose sirname is Peter who shall tell thee Words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved WEE read in the second and third Verses of this Chapter of the contention which some of the Circumcision had with the Apostle Peter because he had gone in to and eaten with such as were uncircumcised Whereupon Peter giveth an account to them of his reason and the occasion of his so doing rehearsing the matter more briefly from Verse 4. to the 18th which is related more largely in the whole foregoing tenth chapter First he telleth them of his Trance at Ioppa and the Vision which himself had of the Vessel descending from Heaven with unclean Beasts in it and the command from Heaven to eat not calling that common and unclean which God had cleansed the Lord hereby giving him to understand That like as under the Law though there were divers kinds of meats forbidden and therefore unclean and unlawfull to be eaten yet under the Gospel that prohibition being taken off and the meats sanctified by the word of Gods command or allowance believers might freely eat of them without sin So also though under the Law before the coming of Christ the people of God in the Nation of the Iewes where only the Church of God was to be found were to separate themselves from all heathen Nations as unclean and it was unlawfull for them to go in and eat with Heathen or Gentile persons lest they should be defiled and enticed by such familiar converse with them unto their Superstitions and Idolatries yet God having before foretold and promised the accession of the Gentiles unto the Church and under the Gospel having sent his Son who brake down the middle wall of partition between the Iewes and the Gentiles and having sanctified the Gentiles by his Spirit and Faith they were no longer to be accounted unclean and therefore it was as lawfull for the believing Iewes to eat and converse with them as one with another Moreover he he telleth them of the Circumcision of the Vision which Cornelius a Gentile had of an Angel and the command which he had from the Lord by the Angel to send for him to preach the Gospel of salvation unto him together with the effect of his preaching namely the falling of the Holy Ghost upon the Gentiles as upon themselves at the beginning and therefore that it would have been no less than a withstanding of God himself for him still to have kept at a distance from the Gentiles Which answer of Peter gave such satisfaction that it did not only put to silence them which contended with him but also caused them to glorifie God in behalf of the Gentiles My Text is a brief rehearsal which Peter giveth of Cornelius his Vision which he had from his mouth And he shewed us how he had seen an Angel in his house which stood and said Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose sirname is Peter who shall tell thee words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved I might present you with divers Doctrines from the words but because I intend to handle but two I shall mention but two which to me are the most observable Doct. 1. That God doth make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel rather than Angels Doct. 2. That Ministers are to tell people such words whereby they may be saved It is the latter of these which I intend chiefly to insist upon yet the former lying in the way and being so worthy of note and may be of such use I shall spend a little time about it SECT I. Doct. 1. THat God doth make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel rather than Angels The Angel appeareth to Cornelius doth not preach the Gospel to Cornelius but from the Lord directeth him to send to Peter to Peter who was one of Christs Ministers and He should preach unto him and tell him such words whereby he and his should be saved The Angel could have told him such words himself he could have