delivered from the greatest evill so thereby he is restored to the chiefest and choicest good g See Master Baxters Saints Rest part 1. cap. 4. sect 4. By Reason man excelleth beasts by Holinesse he excelleth himself inferiour onely to the Angels in Degree and made like unto the Lord as far as a Creature may be to his Creator Ball of Faith pag. 285. the image of God and the enjoyment of him is Mans greatest good yea what greater good is any creature capable of than to be brought into conformity to God and the fruition of him to all eternity Now righteousnesse and holinesse are Gods Image and therefore the new man is said to be created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after God that is after the Image of God in righteousness true holiness Eph. 4.2 And the new man is expresly said to be renewed in knowledge which we must understand of sanctified knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 And by this we are made capable of the eternal inheritance of the Saints in life Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet h Haec autem aptitudo vel novae dignitatis conditto ut in nobis inveniatur duo praeâ—upponit ex parte Dei potentem operationem misericordem acceptationem Operatione enâ—m acceptatione divina â—oonei constituimur ad participandam sortem sanctorum Oâ—… divina necessaria est quia mutari nos oporreâ— navas 〈◊〉 efficipâ—ius quam participes esse pâ—ssumus coelestium benefiâ—â—â—um Nam in nobis nihil est aliud quam summa inâ—ptitudo â—â—â—num spirituale sive intelligendum sive faciendum sive denique â—â—â—um Dav. in loc to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light This meetnesse requires a two-fold work of God 1. His gracious acceptation of us 2. His powerfull operation of a work of grace in us for we must be changed and made new Creatures before we can be partakers of the heavenly blessings Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Saviour Christ Mat. 5.8 for they shall see God i Negaâ— quenquam posse Deum videre fine sanctimonia quoniam non aliis oculis videbimus Deum quam qui reformati fuerint ad ejus imaginem Calv. in loc And without holinesse no man shall see God Ro. 12.14 Sanctification makes us capable of the vision of God not as a meer condition or passive qualification but as the necessary disposition of the Agent towards its Object as the seeing faculty is required to the act of seeing as well as a visible object Joseph said unto his Brethren Ye shall not see my face except your younger Brother be with you Benjamines being with them was nothing to their naturall faculty of seeing they had eyes sufficient to look Ioseph in the face if they might have been admitted into his presence without Benjamines being there and therefore his company was a meere condition But when the Psalmist saith Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law we take this to be his meaning that unlesse the blind eye of our understanding be illuminated we can discern no more in spirituall than the man born blinde could of naturall things till Christ had opened his eyes For the naturall man receives not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Thus without holinesse no man shall because without it no man can see k Ita Deus nobis erit notus conspiâ—uus ut videatur spiritu à singulis nobis in singulis nobis Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 29. God For by the Sanctification of the understanding the Soule is enabled to behold him and the sanctified will and affections onely are able to enjoy him and were an unsanctified soule in Heaven it could enjoy nothing at all of the glory of the Lord. Yea if you will but acknowledge that the great worke of Christ in the Salvation of his people consisteth in his bringing them to glory which none that is a Christian can deny our argument will be strong enough For what is grace but the beginning of glory and what is glory but the perfection of grace wherein sin is removed and compleat holinesse bestowed upon the Soule Our growth from one degree of grace to another is called our being changed or transformed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Here then grace is called glory For grace and glory differ not specifically l Magis minus non variant speâ—iem but gradually and therefore are the same essentially Davenant calls Grace aetas infantilis gloriae the infant age of glory A man is the same person when he is grown to full stature as he was when he was an infant consisting both of the same essentiall and integrall parts But the difference is in growth so the glorified in Heaven are the same that were the sanctified on Earth onely in this they differ what was begun here is absolutely perfect there here they were regenerated John 3.3 1 Pet. 2.2 Isa 66.11 Eph. 4.13 and born againe and as new-born babes fed upon the sincere milke of the word sucking and being satisfied with the breasts of consolations but there they are grown to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ and sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb continually feasting themselves in the presence of God Because this argument may probably be the most taking with those that wait and rejoyce in the hope of glory I shall insist the more largely upon it and more particularly consider wherein Heavens glory consisteth Paul tells us Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He speaks indeed of the Kingdome of grace but glory being the same in kinde we may take a view of it as we are able according to these particulars 1. Righteousnesse which is the first part of glory mentioned hath different acceptions and therefore we must give you a distinction by the way 1. Righteousnesse is sometimes taken in a strict and narrow sence and is distinguished from holinesse holinesse being a conformity to the first table of the Law and righteousnesse to the second holinesse having respect to God and righteousnesse to man immediately and in this sense we take it in such texts of Scripture where holinesse and righteousnesse are both expressed as Luk. 1.75 2. Righteousnesse is sometimes taken more largely and promiscuously or convertibly with holinesse And so where we read of righteousnesse or holinesse severally in Scripture one and the same thing is usually intended And in this latitude righteousnesse or holinesse is our conformity to the whole will of God here sincerely hereafter perfectly
SALVATION FROM SINNE BY JESVS CHRIST OR The Doctrine of SANCTIFICATION which is the greater part of our SALVATION founded upon CHRIST who is both the Meritorious and Efficient cause of Sanctifying Grace purchasing it for working perfecting it in his people Applied as it was specially intended for the better information of our Judgements and quickning of our Affections in holiness wherein our everlasting happiness chiefly consisteth Preached in the weekly Lecture at Evesham in the County of Worcester By GEORGE HOPKINS M. A. Minister of the Gospel there JOHN 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nathanael Web and William Granâ—ham at the black Beare in Paul's Church-yard neere the little North doore 1655. To the people of my special charge in the Burrough of Evesham Both Magistrates and others Dearly Beloved I Know not to whom I may better dedicate this little Treatise than to your selves to whom I have dedicated my self under Christ in the work of the Gospel from my first beginning to be a constant Preacher of the Gospel And I have accounted it my priviledge to succeed such faithfull Ministers who for many yeares continually instructed you in the wayes of holinesse The first of them was Doctor Baily who preached unto some of you yet living the Practice of Piety which he after published And during the time of my continuance among you I have not ceased to preach according to my talents the Doctrine which is according to godlinesse As Paul required Timothy to charge some that they preach no other Doctrine So I charge you as having received the charge of you that ye receive none other Doctrine than what is according to godlinesse Be not hasty to heare such as bring contrary Doctrine run not with men of itching eares after such as are admired for teaching meer Novelty Wandring starres to which such teachers are compared in Scripture sparkle more than the fixed starres of greatest magnitude And one Comet or Blazing starre though it portend mischief is more wondred at than all the Starres of Heaven yea than the Sun in the firmament But be you carefull with the wise men to follow such starres whose motion tends to the place where your Saviour is And although you finde him here not clad in soft rayment nor deckt with tapestry but as in his infancy laid in straw yet think not much to bow down and worship him and offer your gifts your whole selves spirit soule and body of far greater value than gold frankincense and myrrhe as due to him who offered his soule a sacrifice for you Beware of being intangled with the profits and pleasures of the world which as I have lately shewed you are the two great barres that hinder soules from coming to Christ Think it not much to attend once in a week upon a Lecture sermon Those that will not leave their ordinary worldly businesse to attend upon the Word of Christ for one hour when they may return to it again will be loath to forsake all to follow Christ if they should be called to it and without this you cannot be his true Disciples Oh be not like the murmuring Israelites that despised the heavenly Manna because it fell daily at their tent doores and lusted after flesh Be not like the multitude of unthankfull poore that wax wanton in this time of plenty Lest the Lord by sending among you a famine of hearing the Word cause it to become precious But while you have the Ordinances of grace wait diligently upon Christ who is the fountain of grace in them Pray and labour for sanctified hearts and lives considering that Holinesse is your reall Happinesse as I have more largely taught you in these following Sermons Never feare that my pressing you or your pressing on to holiness or good works will in the least derogate from the freenesse of Gods grace for they are not your own work but Gods work in you and by you neither by them do you adde any thing to God but God to you you doe not increase his glory but he augments your happinesse so that what good you doe being done in the strength of his grace and tending to the perfection of your own soules makes no Recompence to God but makes you the greater Debtors to him The more holy and abundant you are in good works the more you have received from God and the more you owe to God And you have no more cause to glory in your selves for what good you do than to glory in your selves for the free pardon and remission of your sinnes These Sermons were not preached neither are they now published without my unfeigned prayers to God for a blessing upon them to your soules As I have been at the paines to compose preaâ—h and publish them in which I have found Gods assistance and direction for your sakes so be you at the paines to read them carefully and practise them diligently which that you may be enabled to doe pray earnestly that so glory may redound to God advantage to your own soules and comfort to Your unworthy but faithfull Minister of Christ Geo Hopkins HOlinesse being the very Image of God upon the soule and the blessed perfection in which we were Created to the reparation whereof we are Redeemed by Christ renewed by the holy Ghost conducted by the Word and furthered by all Gods Ordinances and in which so much of our everlasting Blessednesse will consist It is no wonder if it have many Adversaries in the world and if Satan and all ungodly men do imploy their wit and power to extinguish it subtill Hereticks secretly undermine it and bring in Doctrines which if practically entertained would destroy it The Libertines more plainly slight and contemne it and the profane do openly deride and persecute it No man but the Son hath seen God at any time but in the glasse of his Word and Works must we here behold him One of these Glasses is the Church and its sanctified Members here do the wicked see the holinesse of God and hate it here do the just behold the holinesse of God and love it It is as neglecters and despisers of Christ in his holy ones that the wicked are condemned as lovers of Christ in his holy ones that the righteous are rewarded in the judgement that is before us Mat. 25. All Doctrines and Practises therefore that derogate from Sanctification do tend to Damnation and are enmity against God The usuall wayes by which the Deceiver and his Instruments attempt this work are these foure 1. By denying the necessity and true ends and uses of holinesse and perswading men that it is necessary no otherwise than as an evidence of some better thing or as a point of gratitude onely for salvation received when as it is part of our salvation it self and a necessary meanes to the rest which yet remaineth 2. By setting Justification and Sanctification in opposition as
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
of their sin before they be also condemned to the same pit of hellish howling CHAP. V. FIrst let me exhort you in generall to get your hearts deeply possessed with the consideration of this truth 1. Use of Exhortation That the great work of Christ our Saviour is the saving of his people from their sinnes This will be of great concernment to the glory of God and the good of your own and others soules as will more fully appeare in the following discourse The not understanding and want of consideration of this is the cause of great contentednesse in sinne among profane and earnall persons They look onely upon judgement as the great evill they are liable unto as for their sinnes they love and delight in them as if there were no evil in them So little do most consider of the evill of sinne that were it not for fear of the judgement annexed to the Law and denounced against sinners they would have no thoughts of ever-leaving their sins the Language of many poore carnall soules declares as much Tell a profane person of his evill courses so as to convince him of his sinne he will answer he hopes he may repent hereafter and God may have mercy on him at the last The example of the Thief on the Crosse much takes with him but for present reformation he hath no minde to it Tell me plainly thou that livest in known sinnes being convinced in conscience of the evill of them and that yet there is no saving work wrought upon thy heart Tell me I say and let Conscience answer when thou hast had good motions upon thy heart from the Spirit of God in thy solitary seasons or when thou hast been plainly shewed by some powerfull Sermon what thy state is how sinfull and damnable Hath not thy deceitfull heart wedded to corruption silenced the voice and quieted the workings of conscience by telling it this work of turning to God and seeking his grace is indeed necessary to salvation but this is a work that may be done hereafter and so it be done any time t is well enough though in sickness or old age And doth not this plainly shew that thine ey is only upon the evil of suffring for sin not upon sin it self for were sin accounted a greter or as great an evil as suffering yea were it accounted an evil of any moment at all there would be no pleading for a little more slumber a litle more folding of the hands to sleep in sin Were sinners as sensible of the evill of sin as of the pain of scorching flames oh how would they awake and rouze up themselves plead no longer for the flesh to delight it self in sensual pleasures Is it not ignorance in this point that is the cause why so many in these times will not account a Sermon of repentance or holinesse worth the hearing and that the Preacher that spends much time upon such subjects is esteemed no better than ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospel Is not ignorance of this doctrine the cause why so many self-conceited self-sending teachers meddle so little with the propheticall and kingly office of Christ and insist almost wholly upon his Priestly office and handle that but by the halves too They are much upon the satisfaction which Christ hath made to God for sinne by his fulfilling the Law and suffering for us but the purchase of sanctifying grace is little taken notice of Verily every office of Christ is very necessary to the saving of his people His Propheticall office is necessary to their teaching and enlightning in the waies of holinesse his Kingly office is necessary for the subduing of rebellious lusts and affections for the conducting of them and leading them on in the paths of righteousnesse and his purchase as he is our Priest of sanctifying grace is as necessary as his obtaining pardoning grace for us The not laying of this to heart is surely the cause of so much slightnesse and remissnesse even in many of the children of God themselves in their whole spirituall course Tell me truly thou that fearest God and dissemble no longer to thy own injury and Gods dishonour Hast thou not many times said thus in thy heart I am verily perswaded my estate is good before God that I have true grace and an interest in the precious merits of Jesus Christ and though I be not so carefull watchfull and spirituall as I might be though I give way to such and such lesser evils and neglect such and such smaller duties yet having an interest in Christ who is able to save me to the uttermost all these will be pardoned and done away in the day of account and being not under a covenant of works but of free-grace for the remission of sinnes I need not be so very scrupulous Whence now comes such evill and carnall reasonings in thy heart but from hence that thou little considerest that the great work and care of Christ is to save thee from thy sinnes Thou lookest upon suffering as the greatest evil and upon sinne as little in comparison of it thou thinkest free-grace is chiefly yea almost wholly if not onely to be admired in the remission of sinnes and magnified in the justification of Gods Elect diminishing his grace in their sanctification O how exceedingly is God dishonoured not onely by wicked men but even by his own children also for want of rightly considering wherein their salvation lies O learn now if thou hast not hitherto considered it that it is the great work of Christ to save his people from their sinnes And to that end weigh well the arguments confirming the Doctrine And to the end thou maist be further helped in thy understanding of this truth of so great importance study againe and consider better very many Scriptures that speak of the work of salvation by Christ and see whether thou hast not exceedingly straitned the sense and meaning of them by conceiving them to speak of salvation from the fruits of sin onely when they specially intend salvation from sinne onely Did not these words in the text He shall save his people from their sinnes and these words Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world seem to thee to be meant onely of the guilt and punishment of sinne O learn now more clearly and fully to understand the sense of Scripture concerning Gospel-grace and know that Christs saving his people by sanctifying them as well as justifying them is the very stream both of the old and new Testament And here that I may help your understanding a little I shall instance 1. In the Sacraments and Types 2. In the Promises 3. In the Prophesies of the old Testament 4. In the Sacraments of the new Testament 5. In the Gospel-invitations together with some other texts of Scripture Sacraments ordinary 1. For the Sacraments which were ordinary in the old Testament Circumcision of the flesh signified circumcising that
returned was the immediate principle of life Now when Christ had given life unto him and called Lazarus come forth would Lazarus have done well to answer Lord if I come forth and walk upon my own legs thy power will not be manifested in my resurrection the work will not appeare to be a reall miracle Would it not have been a dishonour to Christ for Lazarus to have laine still in the grave when Christ had thus called him forth to manifest his gracious power Certainly the more readily he came forth and the more he walked worked or performed any actions of life the more fully was the miracle and therein the glory of Christ manifest to the world And thus it is in our spirituall resurrection from death in sin To return again to the exhortation consider I beseech you what is the great work you have to mind as long as you live that which is the great work of Christ must be your great work also wherein you must diligently labour in subordination to him to wit in the saving of your souls from sin But I will not detain you in the generall exhortation but descend to particulars where I shall speak 1. To such as are in the state of nature Art thou yet poor soul in thy naturall condition under the power of Sin and Satan O consider thou art in a sad condition thou art lying under the greatest misery and thy great work is all yet to do wait upon God diligently in the use of his means for the saving of thy soul Obj. But thou wilt presently say Is it in the power of a naturall man to convert himself Am I able to deliver my owne soul Answ If thou art willing to be saved from the bondage of corruption know that the Lord is willing to afford thee help but if thou art not willing to leave thy sin why dost thou complaine for want of power Doubtless the same that Christ charged upon the Jewes Iohn 5.40 Ye will not come to me that ye might have life may be charged upon thee and the multitude of carnall persons that live under the meanes of grace When Christ bewailed Ierusalem's sad condition being ready to be destroyed he complaines How often would I have gathered thy children together and ye would not Mat. 23.37 So may I say how often hath the Lord tendred unto thee saving grace and thou wouldst not accept it Were thy defect a meere simple impotency thy condition were the more excusable but thy defect is mainly in thy will thou art in love with the sensuall pleasures of sin thou delightest in them and art not willing to exchange them for the precious graces that Christ offers thee Christ invites thee and thy excuse is I cannot when the truth is thou wilt not accept of grace offered Say not I cannot save my selfe when thou art not willing that Christ should save thee And to the end thou maist be left without excuse Consider 1. God is willing to save thee yea he would delight in thy salvation more than in thy destruction yea he hath bound it with an oath Ezek 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live Turne ye turne ye from your evill waies for why will ye die O ye house of Israel Hath not God also abundantly declared his willingnesse in the giving of his Son Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life 2. Christ is willing had he not been so he would never have laid down his life to open a way for thy salvation Were he unwilling he would not send his Ambassadours to pray and beseech thee to accept of his help Had he been willing of Ierusalem's destruction he would not have wept over it for refusing the message of Salvation Hath God declared his willingness by his word and oath and the death of his Son And hath Christ declared his willingnesse by giving himself a ransome sufficient for thy soul Doth he offer to cleanse and purify thee with his dearest bloud Doe the Gospell-invitations Come come come often sound in thine eares Doth he stretch forth his hand all the day long for thy help and blame thee for thy backwardnesse to thy own good Where is now the fault but onely in thy selfe How doth the Lord still exercise patience and long-suffering wooing waiting for thy accepting of his gracious offers but yet thou turnest the deaf eare and hardnest thy heart against the salvation of thy own soul Suppose a man sick of some desperate disease and an eminent Physitian sends to him telling him Thy disease is very dangerous and there is no hope of thy life unlesse thou accept of my help if thou art but willing I will come and heale thee I have healed thousands of the same disease and can as easily heal thee if thou art but willing I should do it But he answers If God hath appointed I shall recover I shall and if not there is no help for me and so refuseth the Physitians offer slights the Messenger and dieth of the Disease Is not this man guilty of his own death and will not all that hear it say He might have been a living man would he but have taken the Physitians counsell Is not this the very condition of thy soule poore carnal wretch Thy disease is mortal and how often hath the Lord the spiritual Physitian sent his Messengers declaring to thee the pernicious danger of thy sinne that it will be thy eternal ruine unlesse thou accept of his help and how many hundred messages hath he sent unto thee telling thee if thou art but willing he will come down and heale thee And the more to convince thee of his skill he hath given thee examples of many that he hath cured that were as desperately sinful as thy self But thou sayest If it be Gods will I shall be saved I shall or else all meanes and endeavours are in vaine and slightest the offers of Christ by his Messengers Is not the fault now plainly in thy self and is it not manifest wilfulnesse if thou perish without help Say not as many doe in their hearts I know Christ can save me if he will Let me tell thee againe Christ is willing as well as able to save thee if thou art but truly willing of his help and if thou art not willing thy perdition will be of thy self the blood of thy soule will be upon thy owne head And let this be engraven for thy Epitaph that all may read it when thou art dead and gone Lo here he lies who perished in his sinnes because he would not be saved But yet my heart is very unwilling to part with thee thus yea methinks the Lord himselfe is unwilling thus to let thee go notwithstanding thy former wilfulnesse When the Lord had
45 46 47 52. if preaching sharply to obstinate sinners be legall preaching you will be constrained to call Christ a very legall Preacher if you do but read and consider his Sermons Consider likewise the preaching of the Apostles Peter preached a Sermon Acts 2. that pierced the Jewes to the heart ver 37. Paul preached a rouzing Sermon of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come that made Felix tremble to hear it Act. 24.25 And John the beloved Disciple that lay in Jesus his bosome and knew much of his heart tells us Rev. 21.8 The fearfull and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and whoremongers and Sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Read also Rom. 1.18 ch 2. to ver 10.1 Corin 6.9 ch 10. 11. 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. Hebr. 1.2 1 2 3. c. 12. 29 Iam 5.1 2 3. As Christs ordinary practice was a pattern for all Christians Learn of me for I am meek and lowly saith Christ Mat. 11.29 So his preaching is a pattern for those that are Ministers of the Gospel We must learn of Christ what and how to preach And as Paul saith Be ye followers of me as I am also of Christ to wit in ordinary conversation So may it be said of his preaching also to those that are Ministers we must imitate him as he imitated Christ in the Doctrine he preached And if to preach as Christ and his Apostles did be legall preaching I desire to live and die a legall preacher And however many esteeme of it I had rather as I have formely told you that my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth than ever I should with a pleasing voice flatter you in your sinnes and sing you asleep in the midst of carnall security O how dreadfull is that saying Ezek 3.17 18. Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel therefore heare the word from my mouth and give them warning from me when I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hand 4. Let it be further considered That when there was more sharp and home preaching which was the manner of the Lords Prophets not many yeares since there was farre lesse pride censoriousnesse contention hypocrisie and other evils among professors and farre more true zeale for God humility meekness tender-heartednesse one towards another and sincerity than can be now found among them O how unlike are we now to those Saints that lived twenty yeares since we have indeed the name of Saints more frequent in our mouths than they but they had farre more of the grace of Saints in their hearts and lives than we 'T were well if we had lesse of the name and more of the nature of Saints indeed And to close up the Answer let us consider what may be the reason why it is not now meet that the judgements of God upon sinners should be preached among us it is not because men have more tender consciences than ordinary although tender consciences are much talked of that nothing should be applied to them but lenitives and cordials from the promises of God But because men are grown more tender of their sins and are loath to have their Delilahs disturbed that lodg in their bosoms But let every faithfull Minister of Christ remember that saying of Paul to Titus chap. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith And let me tell thee whosoever thou art that wouldst have thy corruptions so tenderly dealt with the Lord will either break thy heart for sin here and bring thee to himself as a sincere convert or else he will grind thee to pouder hereafter thou shalt not long sleep thus in a whole skin thou hadst best therefore look about thee quickly Possible some one may now say in his heart Quest I am convinced by what you have pressed upon me What would you have me to do What course might I take for my salvation out of this state of sin I am in I shall give thee a few directions Answ observe them carefully and practice them conscionable and I doubt not through Gods help but they may be effectuall for thy good 1. Meditate seriously of the sad condition of poor damned soules How exquisite are their paines how intolerable are their torments and how restlesse are their helplesse soules Didst thou ever feele the vehement pain of the Gout Stone broken Bones bones out of Joynt or any other wracking Misery and dost thou remember how grievous it was to endure it for a little time Suppose thou hadst bin to indure it all the dayes of thy life without intermission what wouldest thou doe nay what wouldst thou not doe to be freed from it What if all the parts of thy body were as grievously tormented as ever thou hast felt any one part how heavy would it be to beare But alas What are all these to what the body must indure in hell they are but as a flea-biting to it and yet the torment of the soul will be more grievous All the torments that the wit of man can invent are but as nothing to what those poor souls suffer upon whom the full vialls of the Lords wrath are poured out The same drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into cup of his indignation and are tormented with fire brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night Rev. 14.10 11. Consider this as thy own portion if thou go on in sin 2 Meditate seriously of the unspeakable joyes of the Saints in Heaven If all the delightful objects in the world were united in one and bestowed upon thee and thou wert to live here all thy daies in the enjoyment of it it would not be worth one day in heaven Psal 84. u Illa civitas sempiterna est ubi est vera plena foelicitas non dea sed donum Dei Aug. de civ Dei l. 5. c 16. Rom. 8.18 If David esteemed one day in Gods house on earth better than a thousand in carnall delights we may much more speak so of a day in Gods heavenly presence In thy presence is fulnesse of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore saith David Psal 16.11 As Paul reckoned that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with future glory though he himselfe was abundant in sufferings so may it be as truly said that the greatest wordly glory is not in the least degree worthy to be compared to those soule-ravishing joyes of the
glorified Saints And if Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt what may we esteem the glory of Christ to be which he hath prepared for his people There is in the heavenly Mansions a removall of all evils and grievances whatsoever and a complication of all good things that may make a soul compleatly blessed 3. Meditate seriously of the nature of eternity which is an endlesse duration whether it be of happinesse or misery If the damned in Hell should be released after as many years as there are hairs on their head starres in the firmament and sands on the Sea shore it would be a large abâ—â—â—ment of their misery And if the blessed in Heaven should after so many years be deprived of their glory it would exceedingly diminish their happinesse But such is the nature of eternity that when so many yeares are expired the torments of the damned and the joyes of the blessed are no nearer ended than at the first beginning And if thou die in thy sins thou wilt fall into those endlesse easeless pains of Hell and lose those eternal unspeakable delights of Heaven 4. Consider how vain uncertain and unsatisfactory all things are that are here below Vanity of vanities saith Solomon all is vanity Eccles 1.2 Solomon who had the greatest wisdome to invent what might be delightfull and the greatest riches to purchase his hearts desire in all carnall pleasures and being King of Israel had power to command what might be further added by his Subjects upon experience of all tells us of one thing this is vanity and of another this is also vanity And when he had tried all he could devise he cries out Vanity of vanities vanity of vanities all is vanity The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing nor any sence with its Object And what didst thou ever meet wâ—th in the world that fully contented thy heart What sweet without the mixture of some bitter And what assured possession hast thou of any thing O let this weane thy heart from seeking rest in thy present condition 5. Consider how short and uncertain thy present life is It is but a little while but thou must bid adieu to all thy friends here and wordly injoyments and then must thou enter upon thy eternall estate either of joy or sorrow When Jacob was presented before Pharaoh and he asked him How old art thou He answered The dayes of the yeares of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty yeares few and evil have the dayes of the yeares of my life been When he had multiplied his years into dayes he esteemed them but few So saith Job chap. 14.1 Man that is born of a woman is of few daies he doth not say of few years A day is somewhat lesse than the three hundred sixty fifth part of a yeare yet man lives but a few dayes And how uncertaine are thy dayes Hast thou not commonly seen some well and dead within the space of a week or fortnight some die suddenly and are not many younger than thy selfe gone down to the grave before thee And what assurance hast thou that thou shalt live another week day or houre And should thy life be taken from thee in the condition thou art now in what would become of thy immortall soul 6. Having considered these things as arguments to quicken thee in minding thy salvation break off from thy sinfull companions who are the Devils instruments to hold thee in thy sin and misery If thou art given to drinking gaming uncleanesse or the like vice thou hast thy companions to help thee on and keep thee in thy sinfull course or if thou art no open sinner thou hast some that probably help to hold and quiet thee in thy gracelesse sensuall condition as ever thou desirest to escape the snare of the Devil beware of his Instruments fly from them The blessed man is described partly by his departing from the society of sinners Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull And saith Solomon Prov. 4.14 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men Avoid it passe not by it turn from it and passe away When Scripture repeats the same thing either in words or sense it intimates either certainty vehemency or earnestnes of speech But here we have no lesse than six expressions in these two short verses forbidding us the way and society of the wicked Here doth the wise man as it were cry aloud to us away away away for your lives 7. Seek acquaintance with those that are godly such have experience of the evil of sin the beauty of holinesse and the comfort of a gracious life and can inform thee in these things and tell thee how they came to be delivered from their spirituall enemies They that have travailed in the same path can best direct thee in the way thou art to goe 8. Hearken diligently to the preaching of the Word Faith comes by hearing Rom 10.17 and the Gospel is called the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1.16 and saith Jam. 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the engrafted word which is able to save your soules Be constant then in attending to the word hear the word of God in season out of season take all opportunities to hear this is the most ordinary means of conversion consider how many were converted by the preaching of the Gospel three thousand in one day Act. 2.41 and very many of them sincere converts And when thou hearest consider seriously whose word thou hearest not the word of Man but of God and weigh well the great concernment of what thou hearest it is the Word by which thou must be justified or condemned in the great day of account 9. Give serious regard to the many friendly convictions and motions of the Spirit of God I know by experience that carnall persons have many such convictions and good motions which they do not cherish but rather quench I believe very many if not most that attend upon the powerfull preaching of the Word have at some time or other some close workings and stirrings upon their hearts however they come to get loose from them again Some have confessed their sins with tears and some have been under some continuance of trouble of mind and yet have returned again to their former folly O take heed of so doing left thy last estate be farre worse than thy first Set in rather with such movings of the Spirirt thou maist probably obtain the saving grace which thy soul needeth 10. Pray earnestly to God for saving grace humbly confessing and bewailing thy sin before him When Peter had told Simon Magus that he was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity he said to him Repent and pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee