past Christ's Death hath glorious Effects as the Apostle shews For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God To talk of Christ's Death and see no Effects of it alas what 's that All that Christ died for shall see and feel too its Glorious Effects and Operations upon their Souls and Consciences though the Sacrifice be over the Virtue and excellent Causality of it abides for ever Ninthly Christ by his Death redeemeth his People from all Iniquity and this was his End in dying What signifies such a Redemption that leaves a poor Slave in his Chains and Irons without procuring a Release for him In this lies the Glory of our Redemption by Christ 't is not only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but from a vain Conversation also See the Apostle's Words Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works If this was his End and Design in his Death do any think he will see himself frustrated in it Shall any Enemy of the Soul bring Christ under a Disappointment Compare this with 1 Pes. 1. 17 18 19. Tenthly and Lastly Jesus Christ hath by his Death purchased Eternal Redemption or Everlasting Life for all his Sheep and by his Spirit hath also given to them the Earnest of it therefore his Death preserves them to Salvation In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation in whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Now I should come to speak more particularly to the Effects of the Death of Christ and inlarge upon some things that I have but a little touched upon but that I must leave until the next Time and shall only speak something by way of Improvement of this Argument APPLICATION First To you that are Believers O praise and bless God for a Crucified Saviour What in Heaven and Earth is cause of greater Wonder and Admiration Christ's Death is the meritorious Cause of all Spiritual and Eternal Joy and Comfort all Grace flows out of the Wounds the Spear and Nailâ— made in his Blessed Body and from the Death and Pangs his Soul underwent Nothing is a greater Evidence of Christ's Love to us than the Death of his Cross 2. Apply his Blood draw Virtue from his Blood fly to his Death see how that stands to save thee from the Justice and Wrath of God in his Death is thy Hope and Succour when pursued by Satan and under all Temptations 3. Triumph in the Cross of Christ thou O Child of God wast crucified with Christ thy Sins were punished in him and thou art acquitted in him and raised in him O labour to know Christ and him crucified Labour to know him and the Power of his Death and the Fellowship of his Sufferings c. 4. And as to you Sinners is not here Ground of Hope for you Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting Life But wo to such who slight this bleeding Saviour that sin because Grace hath abounded or that make the Death of Christ an Incouragement to them to continue in Sin Tush say some trouble not your self with me Christ died for Sinners O Souls will you crucify Christ again I tell you if you do not feel the Effects of his Death in vain is all your present Hope 5. This may serve also to detect such and severely to reprehend them that say Christ died to save all or for all and every Man and Woman in the World Brethren if he died for all that is in the Stead and Room of all then all shall be saved God will not condemn such whom Christ laid down his Life for or in the place or stead of as I have proved from God's Word But further to detect this Error of General Redemption 1. Consider that Redemption is a Word easy to understand it is the saving of a Person that is in Slavery or Captivity commonly procured or obtained by a Price paid or a Ransom but if the Person is indeed redeemed he is set at Liberty To say a Man is redeemed and yet left in Chains and strong Bonds out of which he cannot come unless the Redeemer break those Chains and Bonds to pieces is to speak untruly or in plain English a Lie Now are all Men redeemed Redemption cannot be more universal than it is in Matter of Fact If ten Men were in Slavery in Argiers and a Sum of Money was paid to redeem them and yet after all care is not taken to make that Ransom to be effectual for their Redemption but six or seven of them are left in Captivity can any Man say all the ten were redeemed out of that Slavery and Thraldom wherein they are held Even so it is here for Men to say that the Redemption by Christ is for all the World and yet the greatest part of Mankind lie in Bonds under the Power of Sin and Satan and have not the Death of Christ made effectual to them is a great Mistake and indeed not true as to Matter of Fact 2. Are we redeemed only from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God and are we not also redeemed from Sin and from being under the Power of Satan That Redemption that is by Christ is you hear from all Iniquity and are all so redeemed The Apostle Peter saith Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from a vain Conversation but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ c. So many as are and shall be redeemed from all Iniquity from a vain Conversation or whom Christ hath redeemed from the Power of Satan he setting them at Liberty who naturally are bound and bringing them out of the Prison-House so many and no more did he die for and no further doth Redemption by Christ extend 3. If there are many left in the Enemies Hand and under their Power and eternally perish then there is no general or universal Redemption but there are Multitudes so left and perish 4. That Grace Love and blessed Price that doth not procure Universal Salvation is not cannot be an Universal Redemption But God never shewed such Grace and Love by the Price of Christ's Blood that doth procure Universal Salvation therefore there is no Universal Redemption for that Price or Paiment which doth not actually pass or terminate in Salvation is no Redemption at all an Attempt to redeem unless it be
perpetually to be continued the Death of Christ hath special influence unto the mortification of Sin in the Death of the Cross Our Old Man is crucified that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Sin is mortified and we are sanctified by virtue of the Death of Christ and we hereby through his Grace come to be planted into the Likeness of his Death And as Paul in another place saith Being made conformable unto his Death This Conformity is not in our Natural Death or in our being put to death for him but Christ dying for our Sins is the procuring Cause of our dying to Sin therefore we must look for the Death of our Sins in the Death of Christ as the proper Effect thereof Virtue goeth from the Death of Christ to the subduing and destroying of Sin his Death was not only a Passive Example but is accompanied with Power conforming and changing us into his Likeness 'T is the great Ordinance of God to this very End it is by a fellowship or participation in his suffering we are never made conformable to the Death of Christ till we die to Sin the Death of Christ was designed to be the Death of Sin And as certain as Christ died for the Sins of all the Elect so certain it is they shall all first or last feel the powerful Effects thereof in the Death of their Sins The Corn fell into the Ground and died and shall produce all the Increase that virtually was hid in it Christ is our Life the Spring Fountain and Cause of it therefore we have nothing but what we derive from him Object He is say some the Author of Life and as he taught the Way of Life so he is our Life Answ He is our Life as he is our Head and it would be but a sorry Head that should only teach the Feet to go or the Members to act and move without communicating Strength unto them and to the whole Body Christ Brethren is an Head of Influence and in these spiritual Influences or Life that Strength which he communicates to us doth consist in the killing of Sin He loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blame And if this was his End in his Death be sure his Death shall perfectly effect this glorious Work in the End upon every Soul of his Tenthly and lastly Glorification is also an Effect of the Death of Christ it is the Fruit of his Suffering it was by his own Blood he entred as our Head and Representative once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us The Crown of Glory is the Purchase of his Blood and as sure as his Righteousness his Holy Life and Obedience and Meritorious Death carried him to the Father and set him down at the right Hand of the Majesty on high so will his Merits as certainly bring all the true Heirs to that Glory above where the Fore-runner is for us already entered For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through Sufferings First he brings those Sons into a State of Grace as the Effects of his Death and Resurrection and unto a State of Glory And whom he justified them also he glorified I shall draw up the Sum of this Argument If such are the certain Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death 1. If it hath appeased the Wrath of God for all that are in him 2. If it hath made their Peace and for ever reconciled them unto God 3. If the Holy Spirit is purchased and procured as the Effects of his Death for them by which they are renewed quickned and helped to mortify Sin and is to them an Earnest a Witness and Seal of Everlasting Life and shall abide with them for ever 4. If Justification is the Effect of Christ's Death and they are for ever acquitted from all Sin and accepted as Righteous in Christ's Righteousness 5. If all that believe in him are sanctified as the Effects of his Death and shall be perfected for ever 6. If Pardon of Sin is an Effect also of Christ's Death and all Believers have and shall have their Sins forgiven for ever or remembred no more 7. If they are adopted Sons and Daughters to God as the Effect of Christ's Death 8. And also if Glorification is an Effect of his Death and as certain as is the Cause the Effect will be or as sure as Christ is glorified in Heaven all that are his Members shall be glorified Then it is impossible that any one of them should so fall away as eternally to perish But all these things are true and none dare to deny them so to be therefore they cannot fall so as eternally to perish I shall apply this and come to the next Argument APPLICATION First To Sinners 1. Hath the Death of Christ such Virtue in it even to renew quicken regenerate all that believe in him Is God through the Death of his Son reconciled and shall all that take hold of him be justified c. O then Sinners look up unto him and never cease looking until you find the Effects of his Death in your own Souls Object 1. But alas Sir I am a vile and abominable Sinner Answ Well notwithstanding that yet there is Virtue enough in Christ to save you Object 2. But I have been a Drunkard a Swearer an Adulterer a Thief Answ So had some of those Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but you are sanctified but you are justified Object 3. But I have been an Old Sinner Answ Well let it be so yet but a Sinner and Christ died for Sinners for the chief of Sinners therefore there is hope for you nay if you can believe and apply the Virtue of Christ's Blood you shall find Mercy Object 4. But I fear Christ did not die for me Answ 1. If he died for the Chief of Sinners why not for thee And if those that crucified him found Mercy why not thee 2. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any ungodly Person hath that dwells on the Face of the whole Earth Sinner look up Nay 3. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any of those had once who now feel the Effects of his Death 4. Did ever any Sinner throw himself at his Feet as a poor lost and undone Creature and take hold of him that was rejected Query What is the first Effect of Christ's Death Answ The first Effect of Christ's Death in the Soul is Life Life is infused And if thou hast a vital Principle in thee thou wilt cry out under the Sense of thy
this I shall endeavour to prove and fully demonstrate First From the Nature of Grace it self Secondly In respect of the Fountain from whence it doth proceed i. e. the Blessed God and Father of Mercy Thirdly From Christ the Purchaser and more immediate Author the Beginner and Finisher of it in the Soul he is the Alpha and Omega of Grace First From the Nature of Grace it self 1. Let us consider unto what it is compared even to a small Seed to a Grain of Mustard-seed which becomes after it is sown a great Tree If ye have Faith as a Grain of Mustard-seed ye shall say unto this Mountain Remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you The Mountain of Guilt of Pollution of Corruption of Opposition shall be removed out of the way of that Person sooner or later that hath never so small a Measure of Grace such is the Nature of it I do not judg that our Saviour chiefly refers here to the Faith of Miracles but our late Annotator no doubt is right I take the plain sense of the Text to be this saith he that there is nothing which may tend to the Glory of God or to our Good but may be obtained of God by a firm exercise of Faith in him Whether our Saviour speaketh here of a Faith of Miracles or no I will not determine I rather think that he speaks here of any true Faith c. A weak Faith put into exercise shall prevail and overcome at last This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith it doth and shall overcome in every Soul at last This Seed I have proved already doth remain it can never be rooted out of the good Ground where it was received into honest Hearts it brought forth Fruit unto Everlasting Life 2. Grace in the Soul is compared to a Well of living Water The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of living Water springing up unto Everlasting Life Grace in the Soul is like a Well that hath a never-sailing Spring at the bottom Grace proceeds from the Spring or Well of Salvation which continually supplies the Soul until it comes to Heaven We have a glorious Figure of this in the Water that gushed out of the Rock smitten in the Wilderness that never ceased following the Israelites until they came to Canaan True this Water may not rise up always alike but may sometimes be low like our Rivers it may have its Ebbs as well as its Flows but when it is a very low Tide it risen again and may be by degrees higher than ever it was before They shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine the Scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon 3. Grace is compared to Leaven which a Woman hid in three Measures of Meal till the whole was leavened the whole Soul Grace is of a diffusive Quality It works also like Leaven gradually it diffuseth it self first into the Vnderstanding and leavens that with blessed Gospel-Light It also diffuseth it self into the Will and bows and subjecteth that to the Power of Divine Truth and to a full Acceptance of Jesus Christ chusing him and relying upon him for Righteousness and Eternal Life It also diffuseth it self into the Affections of the Soul and then the whole is leavened It leavens or makes gracious every Faculty of the Soul and all its Powers the Body and all its Members Grace like Leaven makes the Creature a new Lump and of the same Nature with it self Holy Spiritual Heavenly c. Leaven is a quickning thing so Grace through the Spirit is the quickning Principle in the Soul Grace when received will like Leaven do its Work and never cease till all is in a spiritual manner leavened therewith 4. Grace is also compared by the Spirit of God to Fire 1. 'T is a Divine Spark that God kindles in the Soul which he taketh pains to do of his own abundant Goodness 2. And as he will not quench it himself as you heard so none else can And if it cannot be put out then be sure it will burn it is the Nature of Fire to seize on whatsoever is combustible Now Sin is that proper Fuel which Grace will never cease consuming until it hath quite brought it as it were to Ashes 3. Jesus Christ came on purpose from Heaven to kindle this Fire to burn up Sin and all Corruptions in the Souls of his People And can any think it is in the Power of Satan by his Temptations to quench it for ever and so frustrate his gracious Design If the Devil could not quench it when it was but a small Spark like smoaking Flax when it was first kindled in the Soul how should he be able to do it then when it has got a greater head All know it is much easier to put out and get the mastery of a Fire at first kindling than it is afterwards Yet mistake me not I do not say that this Divine Fire burns always alike in the Soul No Satan and Corruption may damp and lessen its burning but what tho for notwithstanding the Operations of Grace may be interrupted by the Law in the Members the Flesh lusting and warring against the Spirit and it may suffer an Eclipse and a poor Christian may lose the sense and feeling Influences of it at some times as to the comforting Operations thereof yet the Habit of Grace can never be lost 5. The Spirit of Grace is a Vital Principle it is the Life of the Believer or of the Soul of a Child of God Nay and this Life is Eternal it is in them an Eternal Vital Principle as I have proved since I was upon this Text therefore Grace through the Spirit prevents their eternal perishing those that have the Spirit in them and Grace in them have Christ and Everlasting Life in them Moreover should any say that Grace is not immutable in it self yet say I with relation it stands in unto Christ viz. having a Spring at the bottom it is an abiding Principle it will and must live Moreover it is a powerful and permanent Principle Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the World that is the Holy Spirit in the Graces and blessed Influences thereof Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace 6. Grace is a holy and sanctifying Principle it resisteth Sin and purgeth the Conscience It teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts to live soberly godly and righteously in this present World 7. Why is Grace called saving if Men may have it and yet perish Certainly that Grace that a Man may have and be damned is not saving Grace Secondly Grace shall abide in the Souls of Believers in respect of the Fountain of it from whence it proceeds namely the Holy God 1.
purchases and the Spirit applies the Blessings purchased Salvation is called a Garment He hath clothed me with the Garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness The Father may be said to prepare the Matter which this Robe is made of the Son wrought it he made the Garment and the Holy Spirit puts it on the Soul the Garment of Salvation is Christ's Righteousness Again the Father sought out or chose the Bride the Son espouses and marries her but it is the Holy Ghost that inclines her Heart and stirs up nay that causes the Soul to like and to love this Blessed Lover and brings it to yield and consent to accept heartily and willingly of Jesus Christ We were sick of a fearful and incurable Disease and the Father found out the Medicine the Blood of Christ is that Medicine and the Holy Spirit applies it to the Soul We were in Debt in Prison and bound in Fetters and cruel Chains and the Father procured a Friend to pay all our Debts The Son was this our Friend who laid down the infinite Sum and the Holy Spirit knocks off our Irons our Fetters and Chains and brings us out of the Prison-house The Father loved us and sent his Son to merit Grace for us the Son loved us and died and thereby purchased that Grace to be imparted to us and the Holy Spirit works that Grace in us O what is the Nature of this Salvation how Great how Glorious That the whole Trinity both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost are thus imployed in and about it that we might have it made fure to us for ever APPLICATION 1. Reproof Wo to such that esteem their own filthy Rags above this Garment of Salvation or that seem to set light by it Hath God the Father Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost held a Counsel before the World began about the Salvation of our Souls and hath each Person of the Blessed Trinity such a Part in order to the making of it to be effectual to us And shall any dare to say there is no need of this Garment We may work a Robe out of our own Bowels by the Operations of the Spirit that will serve to hide our Nakedness trouble not us with your old Divinity We are for rational Religion He that is Righteous and obeys Christ and leads a Goldly Life need not doubt of his Salvation For in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him O how ready are Men to abuse the Scripture Can any Man think that his own personal inherent Righteousness can either justify or save him or that the Apostle Peter means any such thing God may so far accept of a Man in his Obedience in which he acts in all Sincerity and Faithfulness to him as to hear his Prayers so as to reveal himself to him in Christ as he did to Cornelius But was Cornelius a Believer and justfied before he heard of Jesus Christ and had Faith wrought in his Soul See how Peter preached Christ for Life and Salvation to this Man Notwithstanding all his own Righteousness Peter was commanded of God to tell him what he should do that he might be saved plainly intimating he did not know the Way or how to be saved before Peter preached Christ to him He saith the Lord shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do And in verse 43. Peter said To him that is to Jesus Christ gave all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of Sins Will any say Cornelius had remission of Sins before he heard this Sermon and believed in Jesus Christ Was not Peter sent to him and to those other Gentiles with him that they might be converted O take heed you stumble not at this Stone lest it fall on you and grind you to Pouder 2. Dare any of you think that this Salvation is but a small Matter and that you need not trouble your selves about it O tremble you who never had one serious Thought about it to this Day You have other things to mind are full of Business but O Sirs what is of such Moment as this Salvation Yet nevertheless some will not spare time to hear it or to attend upon the Word of this Salvation Others will not part with the Love of this World to have a Part in it they value their earthly Riches Pleasures and Honours above it nay too many esteem their filthy Lusts more than an Interest in this great Salvation But what contempt do such Persons cast upon the great God who hath manifested such Depths of Divine Wisdom Grace and Goodness in bringing of it in and working of it out for our precious Souls Did they know what God is Christ is Salvation is certainly they would change their Opinion and not a little blame themselves for their great Folly Brethren a true and spiritual Knowledg of the Great Salvation of the Gospel makes all the Things of the World seem little nay nothing in comparison thereof All things that Carnal Men have their Hearts set upon are poor thin and beggarly Things when compared to Grace here and Glory hereafter No sooner had Paul a true sight of this Great Salvation but immediately he consulted not with Flesh and Blood When the sweetness of Christ and Salvation is tasted and a Soul knows how good and satisfying it is every thing that hath a Tincture of Flesh and Blood all carnal Interests and fleshly Counsels expire A full sight of this Salvation seems to make Life uneasy and Death desirable Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation Nothing in this World could be worth a Thought of his Heart since his Eyes had seen God's Salvation Why what did he see It was Jesus Christ the Author of Salvation in whom he knew was Salvation and in no other He that lives so long as to see Christ by an Eye of Faith to be his Saviour and his Salvation will be willing to leave this World be willing to die because he then shall die in peace None can die happily that have not a sight of this Great Salvation nor can any have a true sight of this Salvation but they only who have by Faith a true sight of the Blessed Saviour Paul when he came to the Knowledg of Christ and of Salvation by Christ esteems every thing in the World to be no better than Dung and longs to be dissolv'd and to be in Christ's Arms and taste how good Salvation is in the full possession of it in Heaven 3. This reproves such who delay seeking after the Knowledg of this Salvation If it be so great it must and ought first of all be regarded Seek first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness May be ' ere long you will wish you had sought after Christ and Salvation by him before all things when you come to
the Law cannot no more can the Devil nor a Believer's own Heart I mean so as to bring him under Eternal Condemnation 8. And lastly All such that are justified shall be glorified see Rom. 8. 30. O glorious Salvation that brings in this blessed Privilege how happy are all justified Persons Fifthly Adoption appertains to this Salvation Every Believer is raised also to this great Privilege and hath this Prerogative he is made a Son of God a Child of God Adoption is to take such to be Children that naturally were not as a special Act of Grace and Favour So we who were the Children of Wrath by Nature are made or adopted to be the Children of God by Grace through Jesus Christ And Christ in working out this Salvation procured this glorious Blessing Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons To be Kings Children is no small Dignity yea the Children of the King of Heaven and Earth What manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Beloved now are we the Sons of God c. God is not ashamed to be called our God nay our Father 1. Brethren this is an honourable Title What were we once how low base and ignoble before Grace 2. This Privilege it appears cost Christ dear 3. And because we are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts crying Abba Father 4. And if we be Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 5. Then Beloved we also as Children shall be cared for as Children be fed as Children be clothed as Children also be chastened God in all Afflictions deals with us as his Children 6. And if Children we shall be always Children for we are not only the Children of God by Adoption but we are also begotten and born of God and so partake of his Divine Nature which we cannot lose Sixthly By the Grace and Means of this Salvation we are espoused to Jesus Christ O what an Honour and Dignity is this Believers are the Bride the Lamb's Wife And how is and shall the Spouse of Christ be clothed Even in Gold of Ophir She shall be brought to the King in Raiment of Needle-work She is all glorious within and she shall be all glorious outwardly in Body too e're long as well as she is so now in her Soul and inward Parts Jesus Christ puts Chains about the Necks of all that are his or that he espouses I mean those precious Graces of his Spirit which he hath purchased for them For they shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck The Father called for the best Robe to be put upon his Son as soon as he returned home and a Ring on his Finger The inward Beauty of the Spouse does even ravish the very Heart of Christ Thou hast ravished my Heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my Heart with one of thine Eyes with the Chain of thy Neck With one of thine Eyes some understand by one of her Eyes the Eye of Faith no doubt that is a precious Grace in Christ's sight Every Believer partakes of Grace and all Spiritual Gifts every Grace is a glorious Ornament and of great Price in the sight of God This Salvation makes Men and Women glorious Creatures new Creatures every one resembles the Son of a King they hereby come to partake of God's Holy Nature And as the Grace of this Salvation makes glorious Christians so it does also make glorious Churches Candlesticks of pure Gold Seventhly This Salvation brings Peace with it Peace is a precious Blessing we receive Grace first and then Peace My Peace I give unto you my Peace I leave with you The Peace of God is so excellent a thing that it passes all Mens Vnderstanding What would Spira or Child have given for true Peace and inward Serenity of Mind O it is a great and glorious Salvation Were these things considered and could be fully opened it would appear more abundantly true Peace of Conscience is never known to the Worth of it but to such who have known the want of it Eighthly I might also speak of Sanctification which Blessing all they also partake of that have an Interest in this Salvation Holiness is an Heaven on Earth it is Heaven begun here and it fits and makes every Believer meet for that blessed Inheritance of the Saints in Light the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit are given to this end I mean to make us holy in Heart and Life Ninthly Free access unto the Throne of Grace is another Blessing and Privilege which all Believers receive who have a part in this Salvation Christ hath made the Way easy for us to the Father it is by a new and living Way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his Flesh or by his Death Tenthly All the Promises of God belong to Believers and are procured for them in and by this Salvation They are great exceeding great and precious there is a Fulness in them the Promises as they are sure in Christ Yea and Amen in Christ so they answer every State and Condition any Believer can be in Eleventhly All the Ordinances of the Gospel belong to this Salvation and are no small Privilege they are as golden Pipes to convey Heavenly Riches or Sacred Treasure to our Souls Nay and in the last place there is a Crown of Glory that every Believer shall be raised unto that hath a saving Interest in this Salvation and not only a Crown but a Kingdom also Now is not this a great Salvation which raises poor Creatures who were fallen as low as Hell up to Heaven and of being Slaves of Sin and Satan to be Sons and Daughters of God It was a great Salvation that Joseph had when he was brought out of Prison where he lay in Irons to be the chief Ruler under the King in Egypt And it was a great Advancement of David from following the Sheep to sit on a Throne but nothing like this of Believers What is an Earthly Throne to an Heavenly one He that overcometh shall sit down with Christ in his Throne and reign for ever and ever APPLICATION 1. Admire this Salvation say it is no small thing to have a part in it I cannot particularly apply what I have insisted upon But 2. Bless God for Jesus Christ You cannot say that the Salvation he hath wrought is a barren Salvation O what is and will be the product of it 3. Particularly Consider what a Blessing Justification is and take heed you are not drawn away nor corrupted about the nature thereof 4. Be exhorted you that are Saints to strive to exercise Faith in respect of your Justification Believe the Gospel-Testimony He that believeth is justified from all things c. You have
Blemish 6. Sinners are you bound in strong Chains and in the Prison-house Are you in the Bonds of Iniquity How will you do to come out for you are kept by the strong Man armed if you can conquer this strong and cruel Enemy you may get out but are you a Match for Satan No certainly none can deliver himself none can get out of Satan's Hands it must be done by one mightier than he Well in this Salvation there is Liberty Christ is clothed with Power as you lately heard he is anointed to preach the Gospel to the Poor he is sent to heal the Broken-hearted to deliver the Captives and to set at liberty them that were bound Jesus Christ is stronger than the strong Man armed He hath taken captive Captivity himself O what a blessed what a great and glorious Salvation is this 7. Are you poor and naked and have nothing to cover your Nakedness but filthy Rags Well be it so yet this Salvation brings to you a rich and glorious Robe viz. Christ's Righteousness nay change of Raiment Salvation it self is called a Garment and it is by this Salvation also you have the Robe of Sanctification and Grace wherewith you are clothed Humility is called a Garment I counsel thee to buy of me white Raiment that thou mayst be clothed and that the Shame of thy Nakedness appear not 8. Are you poor hungry Souls and have no Bread nothing to eat but are forc'd to feed on Husks as the poor Prodigal did Soul to thy joy in this Salvation is Bread of Life for thee Eat you that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness The Gospel Sirs provides a Feast of fat things Have you not read of the Marriage-Supper All things are now ready O what a Banquet doth this Salvation make for hungry Sinners and such who hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled 9. Are you Thirsty and have no Water to drink are all Wells empty and all Springs dry Yet know O Sinner here is the Well of Salvation brim full If any Man thirst let him come to me and drink 10. Are you guilty Sinners and condemned to die by a Holy and just Law The Gospel-Salvation has a full Discharge for you Christ hath died in your stead and here is a Pardon a free Pardon obtained upon his Satisfaction 11. Or Sinner dost thou want a broken Heart dost thou want a penitent Heart in this Salvation Christ has purchased Grace to melt and soften thy Heart Him hath God exalted at his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of Sins 12. Dost thou want Faith or more Faith It is to be had in this Salvation To you it is given in behalf of Christ not only to believe c. To believe Grace to believe is given to poor Sinners Christ is the Author and Finisher of our Faith 13. Do you want Peace the Gospel is the Gospel of Peace Christ is the Prince of Peace and as he had made Peace for us so he hath promised to all that lay hold on this Salvation to give them Peace yea great Peace not such Peace that the World gives 14. Do you want Strength it is in this Salvation also In the Lord that is in Christ shall one say have I Righteousness and Strength Nay you shall be strengthned according to his glorious Power Christ is our Strength as he is God's Arm of Power so he is our Arm also I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right Hand of my Righteousness 15. Or do you want Comfort this Salvation hath all Joy and spiritual Comfort in it God is called the God of all Comfort and Consolation but he is so only to us in Jesus Christ Christ hath procured and sent the Comforter himself to us and to abide with us for ever I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you 16. Do you want Weapons and Armour to ingage your Enemies this Salvation provides these also see Eph. 6. 10 11 12 13. Christ's Souldiers are armed compleatly yea they have Armour of Proof put upon them 17 Do you want a Guide this Salvation provides you an infallible and faithful Guide also 1. To guide us we have God's Word which is that sure Word of Prophecy which if you follow you shall never go astray 2. To guide us we have also the Holy Spirit and Spirit of Truth when he is come he will guide you into all Truth 18. Or do you want a Shepherd to feed you a King to rule you a Priest to sacrifice and make an Atonement for you a Prophet to teach you this Salvation provides all these for you Christ is your Shepherd your Priest your King your Prophet and excels all that ever bore those Names 19. Do you want an Husband would you change your Condition What say you Sinners particularly you young People do you desire a good Match to be well disposed of in Marriage O then receive this Salvation here is a Prince nay the Prince of the Kings of the Earth that desires your Love will you accept of this Offer behold he is now come and knocks at your Doors O open to him say not nay For this Match being once made between Jesus Christ and your Souls this Salvation and all that is contained in it is yours for ever 20. Would you be Rich Great Honourable truly Rich and Honourable here it is receive this Salvation and all these things as you heard the last Day are yours none so Great so Rich nor so Honourable as Believers The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour the Saints are the excellent in all the Earth 21. Do you want Health and would you be freed of all your Diseases and Sickness for ever Health is in this Salvation Soul-health and that is the best Health Christ hath born our Sicknesses to cure and heal our Souls 22. Do you want a great Portion this is more than all the other this Salvation is so comprehensible that God himself is contained in it This Salvation gives us Interest in God God hereby gives himself to every Believer to be his Portion Christ hath purchased this Portion for us he restores to us a lost God by this Salvation we come to injoy God again 1. God is a Portion that will supply all thy Wants 2. A Portion that will content and fully satisfy every Soul that has an Interest in him 3. A Portion that can never be spent nor wasted 4. A Portion for thy Soul and a Portion that will last as long as thy Soul shall last and that is for ever Sirs many have great worldly Portions but they are sometimes soon spent and they become poor and miserable Some also have great earthly Portions bodily Portions but have no Portion for their poor Souls O get God to be your Portion i.
justify us in God's sight as an Habit or Act or in respect of the Product of it but only objectively i. e. in respect of the Object it doth apprehend apply and take hold of O Sirs take heed ye are not deceived may be ye look upon the Lives and Conversations of Men and you think they are good Men holy Men yet for all this examine the Doctrine they preach for an evil and corrupt Doctrine may be as pernicious and damnable as an evil Conversation But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be 〈…〉 Teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction 7 thly Be wary also lest you are carried away with the Error of the Wicked to doubt of or deny the Resurrection of the Body If once you come to deny the Resurrection your State is dangerous for that is a capital Error If the Dead rise not then is not Christ risen and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your Faith is also vain Yea and we are found false Witnesses of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead rise not It must be the same Body not another for if not the same it will be no Resurrection but a new Creation and if not the same Body but another then it will not be that Body that suffered for Christ that shall be glorified nor that Body that sinned against God and Christ that shall be punished but an innocent Body a Body that never sinned Be sure labour to hold the Head and be established in all the fundamental Truths of the Gospel they are not many 1. Your Souls are in danger of being corrupted we have slie and crafty Deceivers among us in these Days 2. Many thousands we have cause to fear are already poisoned with most pernicious Notions and Soul-destructive Errors who are in danger of perishing this way to Eternity yet seem sober holy and devout Persons 3. Let it be your care to fit under the Ministry of such Men who preach Christ Christ only or wholly seek to exalt Christ and the Free Grace of God by Jesus Christ Take heed who you hear and take heed what you hear and how you hear Therefore watch and remember saith Paul that by the space of three Years I ceased not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears He was afraid of those grievous Wolves that would enter in among them not sparing the Flock You hear that Christ's Sheep hear his Voice let it appear you are his Sheep by having this Character namely in that you hear his Doctrine and will not hear the Voice of Strangers But O rest not in a bare hearing the Voice of Christ nor in the knowledg of saving Truth get it not only into your Heads but into your Hearts He that hath truly received Christ's Doctrine or rightly hears his Voice brings forth good Fruit he feels the Power of his Word upon his own Heart Knowledg without Grace will stand you in no stead A good Doctrine and much Head-Knowledg and great Gifts without Love Humility and a Godly Life signifies nothing Knowledg puffs up but Love edifies I shall add no more at this Time JOHN X. 27. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me DOCT. 1. All true Believers are the Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ they hear his Voice and they follow him I have shewed you what is meant by hearing of Christ's Voice Fourthly I am now to speak to the next thing proposed or Head of Discourse which is the fourth General I know them c. 1 st In speaking to this I shall shew you 1. In what respect Christ knows his Sheep 2. What a kind of Knowledg he hath of them 3. Shew what Comfort doth and may arise unto them hereby 1. Christ knows them as they are his Father's Choice All Christ's Sheep are chosen Sheep such as the Father hath pick'd out of the common Lump of Mankind or out of the great Flock of fallen Man thus Jesus Christ knows them and as they are his own Choice also for the Father and the Son agreed both in the Choice of the Elect. If you know these things happy are ye if you do them I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen Not only to Apostleship but to Eternal Life for Judas was chosen to be an Apostle but he was not in the Election of Grace 2. Christ knoweth them as they are the special Purchase of his own Blood He knows whom he died for and in the room and stead of he knows what Sheep he hath bought and paid so dear for The Foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth them that are his There is a certain Number who are built upon a Rock upon a sure Foundation these are sealed and confirmed by God's Eternal Decree of Election and are the Price therefore of Christ's special Purchase and as such he knows them from all others in the World 3. He knows them as such who have and do experience the Effects of his Death He sees and knows they are his Sheep as they have his Mark his Image formed in them for like as other Shepherds know their Sheep by the Mark they have upon them so to speak after the manner of Men Jesus Christ may in this respect be said to know his Sheep his Saints and People Surely they are my People Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour I know these are my People I cannot but own them they will keep my Covenant I have renewed them and they abide faithful to me and will not deal falsly with me In another place he says Their Spot is not the Spot of my Children These I know are none of my Sheep their Spot their Sin their Iniquity are not such as are in my People not Sins of Infirmity or common Frailties but they have a contagious Spot upon them they have none of my Image my Mark c. 4. Christ knows his Sheep with a Knowledg of Approbation I know them that is I approve of them I like them well I esteem them and accept of their Persons and their Services 5. Christ may be said to know his Sheep also with a Knowledg of Love and Affection He knows them as to delight in them they have his Heart I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep As this mutual Knowledg between the Father and the Son was joined with perfect Love and Delight so is Christ's Knowledg of his Sheep And this he himself also here expresses by saying I lay down my Life for the Sheep which shews not only the Sincerity but also the
of this No Man taketh this Honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron He did not intrude himself upon this Service but he had a lawful Call unto it the Father called him and sent him into the World to keep feed and save his Sheep This shews the wonderful Love of the Father he is the first and principal Author of our Salvation All things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ All the spiritual Blessings we have by Christ spring from the Father the Father is held forth as the first Cause first Mover and Contriver of all spiritual Mercies for us The Father also fitted and qualified him or put him into a Capacity to accomplish this Work and Office he prepared him a Body that so he might die for his Sheep Thirdly Jesus Christ is a kind loving and compassionate Shepherd What Shepherd ever loved his Sheep as Christ loved his The greatness of his Love bowels of Affection and Compassion appears 1. By his coming so far as 't is from Heaven to the Earth to seek them For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost Luke reads it To seek and to save that which was lost My People have been lost Sheep Jer. 50. 6. 1. We were all lost in the first Adam not one Sheep but was lost and had not Christ came to seek and save us we had been all lost for ever 2. We were all lost not only by Original but also by our own actual Sin All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one of us to his own evil way We were all gone out of the way gone far from God and without all hope or possibility of returning had not Christ came to seek us For we were all as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls 3. They also by the Grace of God at length came to see that they were lost they are lost in themselves and in their own sight Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying Go not in the way of the Gentiles c. but go rather to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel The whole House of Israel was lost but there were but a few of them that saw their lost State 2. The Bowels and Compassion of Christ to his Sheep chiefly appears by his dying for them He laid down his Life for the Sheep none could shew greater Love than this As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep 3. His great Love and Affection to his Sheep is manifested by his care to gather them He shall gather the Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his Bosom Gathering implies bringing them Home unto himself by the Arm of his Power or by the effectual Operation of his Word and Spirit To whom hath the Arm of the Lord been revealed Or who hath felt and experienced the powerful Influences of his Spirit and saving Grace thereof on their Souls This must be before any poor Sinners are gathered or brought home to God Jesus Christ must rescue them out of the Mouth of the Lion and Paw of the Bear as David did his Sheep who was a Type of him We were all once in Satan's Hand that hungry Lion had us in his Teeth and was going to tear us to pieces but then comes our Blessed Shepherd and delivers us None but he whose Power is Infinite could gather us or bring us home to God such a miserable State were we in 4. Christ's Love is further expressed by that affecting Metaphor Luke 15. 6. He goes after the lost Sheep leaveth the rest in the Wilderness and never gives over until he hath found it And when he hath found it he layeth it on his Shoulders rejoicing O my Friends how great is the Love of Christ to one poor lost and undone Sinner He will not lose one that his Father hath given him No no though it be but one individual Soul that is missing yet he will go after that seek that leave all the rest to look after that one poor Sheep and when he has found it he sees it cannot go it has no strength therefore he lays it upon his Shoulders Sinners Christ must lay hold of you and take you up and lay you on his Shoulders and carry you home if ever you are saved It is upon Christ's Shoulders Christ's Power that every Elect Soul is brought home 't is not on the Power of their Will their Strength their Faith no but on Christ's Shoulders Moreover it is said He rejoiced and calls upon all his Friends the blessed Angels and Saints to rejoice with him for I have found my lost Sheep This shews his wonderful Love to poor undone and lost Sinners that are his Sheep whatever it costs him whatever Pains Labour or Charge home he will bring them saved they must and shall be I have other Sheep saith he that are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice 5. His Love to his Sheep to his Saints also appears in his laying them in his Bosom in his Heart O how near and dear is every believing Soul to Jesus Christ It 's a Metaphor taken from a Father or tender Mother that hugs an only Child in his or her Arms and lays it in their Bosom knowing not how to express the Greatness of their Affections Christ himself is said to lie in the Bosom of the Father which denotes how he is beloved by him how near and dear he is to him Even so this discovers his great Affections to his People 6. He also makes his Love manifest to them by his gentle leading of them He shall gently lead them that are with young He will not lead them faster than they are able to go or lay more upon them than they can bear nay he gives Strength to them and supports their Souls under all their Troubles and Sorrows Jacob was a compassionate Shepherd If I over-drive them saith he all the Flock will die Christ had many things to tell his Disciples but they were not able to bear them He lets out or discovers his precious Truth to his People according as he knows they are able to receive it and take it in You shall not have harder Things Trials Temptations nor Afflictions than your strength is There hath no Temptation taken you but what is common to Man and God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 7. His infinite Love and Bowels are made known also to his Sheep by his feeding them as well as it is by his leading them He feeds them with choice Food he gives them his own Flesh to eat and his own
partake of them These Waters quiet the Conscience under the Accusations of the Law quiet the Conscience under Satan's Temptations Thou art a Sinner saith Satan and thy Sins are committed with great Aggravations thou deservest Wrath and Divine Vengeance But no sooner doth the Soul drink of these Waters but it is quieted the Spirit by Faith shews the dejected Person that Christ hath born the Wrath of God and reconciled him to the Father 3. They quiet Believers under Affliction in Times of Want and Poverty and under National Fears and Disquietments And 4. In a Time of Sickness and at the Hour of Death 1. By evidencing to the Soul that the Covenant is well-ordered in all things and sure 2. That the Promises of God are firm and cannot be broken 3. That the Love of God is Everlasting and nothing can separate them from it 4. That the Faithfulness of God and his Almighty Power is engaged to preserve them and keep them unto Salvation 1. Exhortation If Christ feeds us in such Pastures and gives us such Waters labour O ye Saints to be thankful What Praise doth this call for even holy and thankful Lips and Lives 2. Labour to glorify this God this Saviour strive to bring forth Fruit to him Herein saith Christ is my Father glorified that you bring forth much Fruit so shall you be my Disciples 3. Take heed you do not straggle from the Fold of Christ or refuse the Conduct and Guidance of your Blessed Shepherd 4. Terror Wo to them that do annoy disturb or disquiet Christ's Flock Christ's Sheep or any manner of way seek to scatter or divide them so that they cannot comfortably feed and lie down together 5. Sinners will you not enquire where Christ feeds Remember his Direction Go forth by the Footsteps of the Flock 6. What comfort is here for you that are the Sheep and Lambs of Christ How safe are you in the Hand of such a Shepherd So much at this Time and for the first part of my Text viz. the 27 th Verse JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand I Closed with the 27 th Verse the last Day and shall now come to the great Subject which at first I told you I should God assisting endeavour to demonstrate and fully prove Namely The final Perseverance of the Saints of God or Sheep of Jesus Christ But that we may the more orderly proceed we shall first consider again the Parts of our Text. 1. You have an Account of a Gift given which is expressed Life 2. The Nature of that Life explained Eternal Life 3. The Donor or whose Gift it is viz. Jesus Christ's 4. To whom the Gift is given namely to his Sheep 5. The Certainty of their possession of it They shall never perish neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand Some read it neither shall any and from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be better so rendred viz. any that is any Enemy neither Sin nor World Men nor Devils Things present nor Things to come let all Enemies do what they can I have them in my Hand in my Power in my keeping as if our Blessed Lord should say And I will hold them fast and they shall be preserved through Faith by my Power and the Power of my Father who gave them me unto Everlasting Life and perish they shall not 1. I give them Eternal Life I now give it to them in the Seed thereof Those that Christ gives saving Grace unto he gives Eternal Life unto I give them the promise of it and when they die they shall have the actual possession thereof 2. They shall never perish that is eternally perish they shall not die the second Death or be cast into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone They shall not come into Condemnation or be eternally damned as all Unbelievers shall be 3. Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand No doubt by the Hand of Christ is meant his Power his Protection the Lord's Hand is not shortned that it cannot save he is able to save it is in his Power to save They were delivered into Christ's Hand by that Holy Covenant or Compact made with the Father before the World began And when they believe or by that Grace which he infuses into them he then takes actual and fast hold of them and there he will keep them and never let his hold go They come therefore into Christ's Hand upon the same Considerations by which they came to be his Sheep which as I have already opened was seven manner of ways viz. 1. By Election 2. By that holy Covenant or Compact made between the Father and the Son 3. By the Father's free Donation they were given into his Hand delivered to him by the Father 4. By Purchase he bought them and so they came into his Hand 5. By Regeneration or Transformation he hath wrought his Image upon them and so brought them into his Hand 6. By Conquest he fought for them and conquered their Enemies and subdued their own filthy and rebellious Hearts and so they came into his Hand 7. They by a holy Resignation of themselves as being overcome by his Divine Grace yielded themselves up into his Hands So that he hath a sevenfold hold of them Secondly Their being in Christ's Hand denotes 1. His personal possession of them he being now entered upon the actual Administration of his Pastoral Office 2. It denotes the present actual Charge he hath taken of them he having gathered and brought them home to his own Fold and put them into his own Pasture 3. It denotes also their great Safety and blessed Security he being as Mediator every way invested qualified and endowed with Power and Authority to keep them having received all Grace yea the Fulness of Grace from the Father as well as an express Command to supply all their Wants and Necessities to subdue all their Enemies and to preserve them unto Eternal Life So much shall serve us to the Explanation of the Terms of our Text. I shall only observe three Propositions from hence Doct. 1. Everlasting Life is a free Gift or Salvation is wholly by Grace it is only of God and the Gift of Jesus Christ Doct. 2. The Saints of God are committed into the Hand of Christ he hath the Care and Charge of them Doct. 3. All the Saints all Believers or Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ have Everlasting Life given to them and they shall every Soul of them be saved and none of them so fall away as eternally to perish I shall speak to the first and last of these Propositions in which the Second will be comprehended In opening the first I shall 1. Shew what is meant by Eternal Life 2. Shew how it appears that Salvation is a free Gift or wholly by Grace 3. Shew why Salvation
Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that is in our Head Surety and Representative for though we in our Persons were utterly unable to do it yet Christ having done it in our Behalf and Nature it is accepted as if we had done it our selves Christ's Righteousness and Obedience being imputed to us who do believe so that what he did and suffered is accounted unto us as if we had done and suffered it yet it was Christ that purchased Life not we he purchased and we possess he is the Redeemer we are the Redeemed he merited all and we have all freely of Grace through his Merits or through that Redemption that is in his Blood 5. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or of Grace only doth appear yet further because the Foundation thereof laid from before all Worlds in God's eternal Election was the Spring of it and this was alone of God's own free Grace There is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace And if it be of Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace But if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Works are no more Works This Opposition or Contrariety is not only between Grace and legal Works but between Grace and all manner of Works whatsoever because it lies betwixt the Nature of Grace and Works they are repugnant or contrary the one to the other they can no more be the Causes or Motive of any one Action than one individual thing can be White and Black in the same part as a worthy Writer notes Men are not elected partly of Grace and partly of Works foreseen but wholly of Grace nothing but an Act of God's Sovereign Grace was the Cause and Motive of it 6. Life and Salvation is a free Gift or by Grace only because the Glorious Covenant between the Father and the Son made and entred into before the World began was alone of God's Grace of his infinite Grace and Favour God was at liberty who foreseeing Man's Fall and horrible Transgression he having forfeited all those Blessings bestowed originally upon him whether he would or would not afford him any Help or Relief but might have justly and utterly rejected the whole Race of Mankind as he rejected all the Angels that sinned or kept not their first Estate Did Man fallen Man deserve this Love this Favour who was become an Enemy to God Was there any thing in Man that could be a Motive to move the Almighty to enter into this Covenant to save so vile a Creature such a poor and despicable a Creature as Man became by his Sins the Visage of his very Soul being now loathsom deformed and abominable in the sight of God God's holy Image being utterly defaced and all his Beauty gone being besmeared and covered all over with noisom Filthiness and Pollution filled with Enmity and Hatred against God dethroning his blessed Creator and setting up the Devil in his Place subjecting himself to that implacable Enemy of his and casting off his most holy and gracious Sovereign from whence he received his Breath and Being Nay and in respect of God himself it must needs appear to be wholly of Grace could Redemption of Man add any thing to the essential Glory of God Did he stand in need of Man to make him more happy or glorious in himself who being an independent Being had been eternally happy in the Injoyment of himself had Man never been made or had he left him under Wrath and Misery Or was he obliged to save us and that he might do it to send his own Son to die and be made a Curse for us Or could he not have created other Creatures to have shewed forth his glorious Perfections Or why might he not have sent his Son to have taken hold of the Nature of Angels to have redeemed them who were his Creatures as well as fallen Man and more glorious too than Man before they fell and let Man have perished for ever and not have entred into such a Covenant of Grace with his own Son on his Behalf 7. Life and Salvation therefore is a free Gift it is wholly of Grace because we could not have obtained it unless God sent his Son out of his own Bosom to effect it The giving of Christ and the Father's sending of him into the World is nothing but an Act of his own free Grace God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 8. Because Everlasting Life is by Christ alone nor could we have had it except he died I am 〈…〉 the Truth and the Life no Man can come unto the Father but by 〈…〉 is by Faith that it might be by Grace But after that the 〈◊〉 and Love of God our Saviour appeared Not by Works of Righteousness that we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ That being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life Thus if we consider the Rise the Spring the Motive and the Author of Everlasting Life all appears fully to be of God's Grace alone but should we proceed a little further as to the Means and Application of the Remedy in order to interest in this Salvation that is all of Free Grace also 1. We are called and quickened by God's special Grace according to his Eternal Purpose in Jesus Christ No Man could quicken himself All rational Arguments without Divine Influence or an Almighty Power will not bring our Souls into a State of Life See how Paul ascribes his Conversion and special Vocation to God's Grace But when it pleased God who separated me from the Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me c. Special Vocation is of God's Free Grace who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before the World begun We are quickened renewed or regenerated by Grace through the Operations of the Holy Ghost 2. Adoption is of Grace Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace As the Purpose was free so is the Execution free also That the Purpose of God according to election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth To them gave he Power to become the Sons of God c. The Privilege of being Sons and Daughters of God is freely given to us through Jesus Christ 'T is through Christ for that we might become Sons he became a Servant and died the cursed Death of the Cross for us to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 3. Justification is wholly of Grace Being justified freely by
our Duty to love God with all our Heart and Soul What Advantage brings Christ's Death to abrogate one perfect Law and establish another here is little Gospel A second Difficulty is we must either say Christ has purchased to us Pardon for Sins against the Gospel-Law or none at all but that one Sin of Adam's if the Moral Law be abrogated after the Fall we never sinned against any Law but the Gospel for we were under no other Law according to him c. The Sum of that I drive at is this viz. There is a necessity we must be justified and saved by Grace only because we cannot be saved by a Law of Obedience but by Christ and Grace alone If we sly not to Christ by trusting believing and depending on him and the Grace of God in him who hath satisfied the Justice and Law of God for us and brought in Everlasting Righteousness the Law of God will cut us down and throw us into Hell for ever 2. It is by Grace alone that we are saved because all boasting is excluded and cause of boasting And this is the Design of God in the Gospel viz. That Man might not have whereof to glory but in the Lord alone Nor could this be done any other way but by his contriving our Salvation to be wholly by his own free Grace Where is boasting then it is excluded by what Law of Works nay but by the Law of Faith not of Works lest any Man should boast 3. It is only by Grace that we are saved or Eternal Life is the free Gift of God and Gift of Christ because he will have all the Glory of it God will not give the Glory of our Salvation unto others Having predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good Pleasure of his Will to the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved 4. It is by Grace only because God would magnify his Son by whose Righteousness and Obedience imputed to us we are justified and saved and it is to this end I say that God might exalt Jesus Christ his Design was to magnify Christ in our Salvation and to abase Man Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him 5. And lastly It is by Grace because God would have Salvation sure to all Believers Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed c. If Salvation were by our Works and Obedience it might be very uncertain or if the whole of our Happiness and Eternal Life be not in Christ's Hand but that it dependeth on the Will of Man or on the condition of our Faith and Holiness or in the improvement of our Abilities and it is possible that we may or may not answer the Condition thereof it might so fall out that not one Soul might be saved Besides should it be so those that are saved would then have something to glory in or boast of in the Great Day They in effect may thank themselves and admire their own Wisdom Care and Industry that brought them to Heaven Fourthly Why doth and will Christ give Eternal Life to all his Sheep to all his Saints Answ 1. Because Eternal Life was purchased for them by his Death But by his own Blood he entred once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us 2. Because all that are given unto Christ are ordained unto Everlasting Life 3. Because Christ was sent into the World to this End to give Life unto them I am come that ye might have Life and that ye might have it much more abundantly It was that he might give his People the Knowledg of Salvation and save them from their Sins 4. Because Life is given to Christ to this End viz. to communicate it to all his Elect he is made a quickning Spirit that he might quicken all his As in Adam all die so all that are in Christ shall live Spiritually here and Eternally hereafter Because I live ye shall live also 5. Because all his Elect were quickned together with him virtually when he rose from the Dead yea and also virtually they entred into Heaven with him for he ascended as their Head and blessed Representative 6. Because Eternal Life was promised to them in Christ before the World began and they have many firm and sure Promises made of it to them since also 7. Because they are united to him and Christ hath prayed That they may all be made perfect in one and he hath prayed that they may have Eternal Life Now Union with Christ gives right to Glory a whole Christ shall be glorified and not a part only Quest What doth Eternal Life import Answ I answer It doth import a Deliverance from all Evil present and to come and a full and perfect possession and injoyment of all true spiritual and everlasting Good and Glory above Quest But doth not this seem to diminish or lessen the Glory of God the Father to assert That it is Christ that gives Eternal Life c. Answ No not in the least for all things are of God and through Jesus Christ All things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ It is God that hath reconciled us unto himself 't is by Christ we are reconciled his Blood being the Price of our Reconciliation God the Father gave Christ for us and also gives him to us And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have Everlasting Life and I will raise him up at the last Day And thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him It is the Father that gave Christ the Power as Mediator to give Eternal Life unto his Sheep APPLICATION First This may serve to reprehend those that would not have Salvation to be wholly of Grace it clearly condemns Free-Will for if it be only by God's Grace it is not at all of Man's Will They 't is true do acknowledg the Contrivance of our Salvation to be of God's Grace alone or the Effects of his great Love and his sending of Christ into the World to be an Act of Infinite Grace but withal deny Regeneration and effectual Vocation to be wholly the Effects of God's special and distinguishing Love but do affirm that Grace which those Men have who perish at last would have been sufficient to have renewed them had they improved it They assert that all Men have Power to believe and that that Grace which God affords to Men to save them 't is in the preaching of the Word or consisteth in no more than Moral Swasions Arguments or Excitements in a rational way But
whether this Light Power or Moral Grace as they call it be Natural or Supernatural Mediate or Immediate they do not seem well to accord about it Some of them as one observes say the Power of Natural Reason or the Exercise of Human Credence is sufficient to a Man being convinced of the Truth of the Gospel or of the Declaration of God's Love and Grace in Christ so that he may believe as easily as to believe any other Matter upon infallible Testimony Others call it a Gift or the Light of the Spirit which all Men have yet if thorowly examined it is no more than a Natural Gift Light or Ability That it is the special Grace of God or Illumination of the Holy Spirit is not granted but denied by these Men it being no other Grace or Power than is afforded equally to those who perish as to such who are saved It is not such Grace or Operations of the Spirit that infuses holy Habits which determines the Will or inclines it to Good but such Excitements that only awaken and rouse its Native Power it is such Grace that the Will may receive or refuse the whole Efficacy of it so far as I can gather it lies not in its own Nature nor from the effectual Operations of God's Spirit but from the Will of Man Now how contrary this is to the Truth of the Gospel and all the Experiences of renewed and gracious Persons I leave to their considerations yet to detect and condemn these Notions I shall add a word or two before I conclude 1. Can a dead Man quicken himself or be raised to Life without a vital Principle be infused into him Will Moral Swasions bring a dead Man to Life 2. Hath Man a Power naturally in him exceeding the Power of Satan Or is he stronger than that strong Man armed Or are not all Men naturally under the Power of the Prince of Darkness he taking them Captive at his Will Let this be considered for seeing God's Word doth positively declare this to be the State of all Men by Nature i. e. that they are under Satan's Power what signifies that which they affirm Will Satan be perswaded to release and let go his Captives which he holds down in strong Bonds and Chains Or doth not our Saviour expresly intimate he will keep all his Goods in security until a stronger than he comes and binds him and devests him of his Power 3. Is not Faith said to be the Gift of God and not only so but that we believe according to the working of God's Almighty Power and after the same manner that he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead 4. Is not the Carnal Mind enmity against God having in it an utter Averseness and Moral Impotency to do that which is spiritually Good for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 5. Doth not the Scripture say that those who are born again are not born of the Will of Man but of God And again it is said of his own Will begat he us And if so is not the Creature as passive in Regeneration as the Child is in Generation God doth not work on the Soul absolutely of his Will according to these Men but waits to see what Man 's Will will do all depends on Man's-Will Grace with them neither worketh Physically nor Irresistibly and that God cannot or doth not by any Divine Operations of unwilling make the Will of Man willing for after all God doth the Will hath power and oftentimes does resist it and render all God doth of none effect Now as a reverend Person well observes according to these Mens Doctrine as the Power for these great Concerns of Salvation is not in God or his special Grace so neither is the Act from him that which gives or work the Act determines the Will or causes it to determine it self but the Lord by his Grace brings it only to the Will 's choice and leaves it to do as it list The Lord by his Power works not the Will to turn to God to loâ—e God to imbrace Christ to yield to the Spirit but leaves it indifferent to turn to God or against him to love God or to hate him to imbrace Christ or reject him to yield to the Spirit or resist him It must be left indifferent as to either Grace turns not the Scales but leaves the Will an equal poise that the Will of Man not the Grace of God may have the casting weight if Grace should weigh it down the Liberty of the Will they say would be violated and in nature destroyed Is this the Doctrine of general Love which they will have to be in God to Mankind viz. Hath the Lord left it indifferent in his Eternal Purpose whether any should be saved or no For if the Will complies not God will not bend it or bring it by irresistible Grace in a Physical Way to a Compliance and though Christ in redemption according to them died for all yet he hath left it indifferent whether any should be actually redeemed or no for the depraved Will of Man determines the whole Event of all that which Christ hath done and the Gospel or the Spirit doth do and if some Men were not better natured and more considerate than others Christ might have died in vain And it follows also that such who are saved have more cause to admire their Wills compliance in believing than to exalt and admire the free Grace of God if what they say be true Alas this general Love of God they talk of that is but an indifferent respect to all or any for all are beloved alike or else God is a respecter of Persons they say ends in Love or Hatred as the Sinner's Will determines it If the Will accepts chuses and yields to Christ then the Person is beloved and chosen by Him but if the Will refuses as the Will of every Mortal might as well as one according to their Notion then he is hated Whatever particular Love they ascribe to God it is no other than what rises or is occasioned from the Sinner's Love to him God foresaw that such and such Persons would believe and love him therefore purposed to save them he foresaw that they would embrace chuse and love Christ therefore he loved them and chose them to Eternal Life provided they continue their Good-liking and Affections to God unto the End How they will be able to deliver themselves from these and such like Consequents from attending their Notions I see not The Apostle says We love him because he first loved us and that we have not chosen him but he hath chosen us But certainly if these Men consider their Principles when they speak of particular Persons they must say he did not love us first but we loved him and that he did not chose us first but we chose him And thus the Doctrine of God's Free Grace
likeness as Mediator and taking our Nature not to Christ barely considered as God for as Christ is God he is no where saith to be the First-born among many Brethren Now this Conformity being absolutely designed in Election Christ in the Contrivance and Intention of the Father was the first Exemplar and Copy of it or the main Center to which all must be brought that were given unto him the Father setting him up and electing him as Head of all that should be saved or as the glorious Bridegroom and therefore it was requisite he should be consulted about those who were to be the Members of his Body and his own blessed Spouse for ever And since Christ was also to suffer and undergo such Pain and Sorrow in the purchasing and redeeming of them it was necessary he should not only freely assent and consent in the Choice of them but also be certain of the obtaining and securing them all to and for himself for ever and not run the Hazard of injoying or not injoying of them which must follow he did if the Doctrine of some Men of dark Minds were true To proceed it may not be amiss to consider what is contained in the Bowels of my first Argument viz. that there is a peculiar People or some certain Persons as personally considered of the lost Children of the first Adam who are Elected or Chosen of God in Christ from all Eternity of his own Sovereign Grace and good Pleasure ordained unto Everlasting Life and that this Decree of Election doth prevent their final falling or make it impossible that any of them should ever so apostatize as eternally to perish The Argument being thus fairly stated it calls upon me to do two things First To prove that there is such a particular and personal Election of a peculiar People of the lost Sons of Adam Secondly To shew how this prevents their final falling and makes it impossible that any of them should ever so apostatize as eternally to perish A little to open the first of these 1. I say of peculiar Persons which denotes it belonging to them only and to none else others are passed by or not afforded by any such Divine Act of Grace the like Privilege they are God's Jewels or his peculiar Treasure though until called and cleansed or their inward Filth and Pollution purged away they cannot be delighted in by him or be beloved with a Love of Complacency though from Eternity God did love all his with a Love of good Will purpose of Grace and of Benevolence I say personally Elected that is the Objects of this Grace or of this Election were singled out and pitched upon by Name not with respect had to such or such Qualifications foreseen in them they being repenting believing and holy Persons but chosen in Christ the Head of Election that they should believe should repent and should be Holy and without blame before him in Love They are chosen that they may be Holy not because they were Holy or God foresaw they would be Holy I say they were ordained to Everlasting Life Now to predestinate decree or ordain denotes the same thing and signifies the absolute Purpose of God to bring them into a State of Grace here through Jesus Christ and to Eternal Glory and Happiness here-after Hence it is said As many as were ordained to Eternal Life believed or appointed and he that ordered or ordained the End ordained the Means also and so prepared them for Everlasting Life They were chosen in Christ in the Mediator in their Blessed Head that their standing might be secured through their Union with him and his Righteousness being imputed to them according to God's Eternal Purpose 2. And further to make good the first Part of what I have laid down viz. That there is such a particular Election what lies more clear in the Word of God and the Election of Jacob I shall here first mention as a full Proof of what I say For the Children being not yet Born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth Here the Apostle designedly or on purpose confirms not only the Doctrine of Personal Election but also that of Preterition of a passing by or rejection of the other and all resulting from the Eternal Purpose and Good Pleasure of God's Will As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated The main scope of Paul in this place is to shew that God hath not cast off all Israel that is those who are the true Israel or such who are the Children of the Promise or that do belong to Christ according to the Election of Grace see 5 6 7 8 Verses therefore they that run the Love of God and Election here spoken of to the Posterity of Jacob and Reprobation to the Posterity of Esau and will not have it to be understood of their particular Persons do palpably abuse the sacred Text and Drift of the Holy Ghost Now that all Men may know that Election doth run to or take hold of particular Persons and that not for any foreseen Faith or Holiness in them Paul saith The Children being not yet born neither having done Good or Evil. And therefore adds not of Works that is of foreseen Worthiness or Desert in Jacob but that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand that is stand firm as an Act of God's Sovereign Love and Grace only and abide a blessed Truth against all the Opposition and Cavils of cloudy Minds I might have mention'd Abraham Isaac Moses David and others also Jeremiah of whom God says Before I formed thee in the Belly I knew thee that is I knew thee to be one of them that I had chosen and given to my Son or one of mine Elect Ones and I sanctified and ordained thee a Prophet Moreover in the New Testament we find that our Saviour calls his Disciples by Name and tells them That he knew whom he had chosen excluding Judas he must therefore intend their Eternal Election for as I said before Judas was chosen to the Apostleship also Paul by Name Jesus Christ declares to Ananias was a chosen Vessel not only as an Apostle but one also comprehended in the Election of Grace Do but observe the Nature of his Conversion and what he was before and when called by the special Grace of God Moreover of this number and sort were those that the Lord speaks of in Elias's Time which Paul mentions I have reserved to my self seven thousand Men who have not bowed the Knee to Baal Though it is a certain Number put for an uncertain as to us yet all their particular Persons were chosen and known to God Even so at this present Time also there is a Remnant according to the Election of Grace God had some particular Persons then whom he had from everlasting elected and
Divine Majesty of God as so to charge the Doctrine of particular Election of lost Sinners Brethren Though Christ is not a Redeemer of Angels the Elect Angels needing none yet he is the Head of Angels and a Confirmer of them He is the Head of Principalities and Powers by him and for him were all things created that are in Heaven that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Christ is God and he is the preserver of the Elect Angels they are committed to him and under his Power and he upholds them though he never died for them and shall we think he will not preserve his Elect Saints or that their Election should not as absolutely secure them for whom he as their blessed Lord and Head died and to whom he is a Redeemer as the Elect Angels to whom he is only a Confirmer And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principalities and Powers Ye are compleat fully compleat ye stand in him in his Righteousness compleat who is your Head and shall be preserved in him in whom you are elected to everlasting Life 6 thly Because they are chosen to Salvation that is to enjoy and possess Salvation if they have it not the Decree of God is frustrated but his Eternal Decrees are as firm as Mountains of Brass If the Decree of God in appointing his Elect to Salvation be frustrated or made void either it is done by himself or by others Now it cannot be made void by himself because it is an absolute Decree his Mind alters not and none else are able to do it And as to the Slips and Miscarriages of the Elect themselves God foresaw all their Evils from Everlasting and as that hindered not their Election so besure it shall neeer turn them out of it But we are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation c. From the beginning that is from before the World began or from Eternity for the absolute Decrees of God according to his Eternal Counsel are from Everlasting After the Apostle had shewed these Saints that there would come a falling away from the Faith and that many would be deceived and damned for ever to comfort and encourage them against the fear of final Apostacy he brings this in the 13 th Verse But we are bound to give Thanks for you Brethren beloved of the Lord c. You need not fear as if he should say of being deceived or of perishing by dangerous Errors or otherwise 1. Because you are beloved of the Lord. 2. And also are elected to Salvation and because beloved therefore elected Whomsoever God doth absolutely appoint to this or that End he will assist or enable to do whatsoever Means is necessary in order to that End Now the Elect are chosen to Salvation to inherit Eternal Life if therefore any of them miss of it his Decree and Purpose is frustrated which cannot be We have another Text of the like Nature with this For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ From hence the Apostle argues that they needed not to doubt of their Salvation and by what preceeds it appears that Election is a great Motive to Holiness as when a Man that is sure of the Victory will fight couragiously Let us who are of the Day or Children of Light not of Night nor of Darkness be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love for God hath not appointed us to Wrath c. Children of the Night shall perish but none of the Children of the Light ever shall The Apostle ascends to the original Cause of it which is God's absolute Decree of Election Salvation would wholly else depend upon the uncertainty of Man's Will and not upon the immutable and unchangeable Will and Purpose of God Thâ—â— is more than appointing the Means it is an appointing the Persons not appointed to Salvation upon the foresight of Man's Faith because Faith is the Gift of God and proceeds from his Counsel that 's appointed too else a Man may say that I might be saved I must thank God but that I am saved I must thank my self because it was left to the liberty of my own Will whether I would believe and be saved or no. Two things are necessary in our Salvation 1. The Merits of Christ's Blood 2. Faith to apply it by which God's Image is restored to us and preserved in us and both these we have by his own free Grace through Christ Jesus as the Fruit of his electing Love 7 thly It doth further plainly appear that Election does eternally secure all Christ's Sheep all true Believers from final Falling or everlasting Ruin from the words of our Blessed Lord himself For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. Now is it not easy for any Man from hence to draw an Argument that the Elect cannot fall finally away so as to perish for if it is so that they cannot be deceived i. e. finally or take in damnable Errors so as to perish of which our Saviour speaks for the Elect have otherwise in a great measure and in many things I mean some of them been deceived but it is impossible they should be so deceived as to be damned And if this be granted then Election secures them they cannot finally fall If they might perish eternally they might be deceived with damnable Heresies and bring upon themselves swift and utter Destruction but they cannot be so deceived because they are the Elect therefore they caÌ„nnot fall away so as to perish Arg. If the Election of Grace be absolute as the Decree of Day and Night or as that of Christ dying for our Sins If we are elected in Christ as the Head we being all Members given to him to make up his Mystical Body if those that are elected shall be called justified and glorified if the Means as well as the End be under God's absolute Decree and Purpose if our Election doth as absolutely secure us from final Apostacy as the Election of the Holy Angels does secure them if we are elected to Salvation if it be impossible for any of the Elect to be finally deceived then none of them none of the Elect or no Sheep or Lambs of Jesus Christ can so fall away as to perish eternally but all this is true therefore none of them can so perish So much shall suffice as to the first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance Secondly My next Argument shall be taken from the Nature of God's Infinite Love to all his Saints The Love of the Father and Love of the Son doth secure them from perishing it is wonderful it passeth
that are the Children of the Promise such who are renewed by his Grace or born of him by his Spirit these are his Seed and all these shall endure for ever And to make it good God hath sworn to Christ as Mediator by his Holiness they shall endure that is remain his Children for ever or abide in his Covenant to Eternity and therefore they can't be separated from his Love by Sin Now dare any go about through their great Ignorance to charge God with Perjury O let them dread the Consequents of their evil Opinion Object Those of the Seed of Christ or Believers who sin and afterwards do humble themselves we grant shall endure or be restored and they are such that the Spirit of God speaks of in that Psalm you mentioned Answ In answer to this Brethren pray consider that God hath promised Grace to all his Children that fall into Sin to humble them Repentance is in the Covenant of Grace a broken and tender Heart he will give them not only at first when they believe but afterwards when through Temptations and humane Frailties they are overtaken and sin against him 't is not a Repentance of their own getting whereby to oblige God to return again to them But pray see what he says to his beloved Ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the Spirit shall fail before me and the Souls that I have made For the Iniquity of his Covetousness was I wroth and smote him and he went on frowardly in the Way of his Heart Well and what will God do with him now he hath sinned and that grievously too and God hath afflicted him as sorely smote him in his Wrath or as a Father seems to do when his Child that hath grievously offended him but he is not humbled he repents not but goes on frowardly under the Rod shall he perish stay a little see what God says verse 18. I have seen his Ways and will heal him although I might justly destroy him as if God should say and leave him to perish yet of my meer Mercy and for my own Name sake I will pity him I will give him Repentance I will heal him he shall mourn for his Sins and I will restore Comfort to him and to his Mourners Alas till God turn us we turn not therefore a godly Man says with poor Ephraim Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote on my Thigh After God hath graciously touched our Hearts convinced us of our Sins or changed our Minds we repent and alter our Practices and God will give Grace thus to do He remembers his Covenant and his Oath to our David c. I create the Fruits of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord I will heal him I will in a wonderful manner and by my own Grace and Almighty Power do all and have all the Praise to my self Object But may be the Persons you speak of were a praying People they were found in their pious Duties and so their Sins were forgiven and they healed Answ How fain would some Men eclipse the Free Grace of God and find something in the Creature to oblige God to give the Mercy promised 1. I deny not but God will be sought unto for all the good Things promised to Believers But who is it that puts it into our Hearts to seek him or helps and influences our Spirits to pray unto him We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us with Groanings that cannot be uttered 2. Yet nevertheless see what God saith of the People before mentioned But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel ver 22. Thou hast not brought me the small Cattel of thy Burnt-offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy Sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an Offering nor wearied thee with Incense ver 23. Thou hast bought me no sweet Cane with Money neither hast thou filled me with the Fat of thy Sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy Sins and wearied me with thine Iniquities ver 24. See now what a People these were they had not so much as done the least things commanded had not brought the small Cattel for a Sacrifice nor did they pray nor seek the Face of God Yet that God may magnify his Grace see what he speaks in the next Words I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgression for mine own sake and will not remember thy Sins Nothing you see can take off God's Love from his Covenant-Children nothing is done by our own Merits or for the sake or worth of our Duty but all wholly of his own Mercy and Goodness Secondly To make it further manifest that the Sins of Believers cannot separate them from the Love of God is evident because Jesus Christ hath fully satisfied his Justice for all their Sins he hath paid all their Debts Wrath and Divine Vengeance cannot hurt the Elect of God in whose stead Christ died Should their Sins work their Ruin and destroy their Souls it would follow that Christ made no perfect Compensation for them if he hath it would be injustice in God should he let out his vindictive Wrath against them for their Sins Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows c. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all Thirdly Because they have an Advocate with the Father Christ pleads the Merits of his own Blood the Satisfaction he hath made for their Sins My little Children these things write I unto you that you sin not O take heed you sin not do not grieve your Father offend your God you know how hateful Sin is to him as if he should so say But if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Saints should neither presume to sin nor despair if overtaken thereby Fourthly Because Christ prayed in the Days of his Flesh that the Father would keep them that he had given him in the World from the Evil thereof though not from every Evil. I dare not say that because whatever Christ prayed for it was granted and yet we see the best of Saints do sin But he prayed that they might not fall so sin so as to perish in their sin or sin unto Death therefore their Sins shall never damn them Fifthly Their Sins cannot separate them so from the Love of God as that he should cast them off for ever because a broken Heart and pardon of Sin is contained in the Covenant of Grace I will be merciful unto their Vnrighteousness and their
the Nature and Tenour of this great and glorious Covenant The Father we say enters into a Covenant with his Son and promises Eternal Life unto him and to all his Elect Seed upon the consideration of what he I mean our Blessed Saviour was to perform in respect of those federal Conditions proposed to him which he did then undertake on Man's behalf or such of Mankind that God did intend to save And the Father that accepted of him and sent him into the World and gave him his Sheep doth look to him as to the final and compleat Accomplishment of all things that were either to be done for them or wrought and done in them in order to the Everlasting Salvation of their Souls And this Christ engaged to do and took them into his Hands in this Covenant to effect which is clearly signified in my Text together with a full Assurance unto us that he will do it in spite of Sin Devil World and all Enemies Neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand Our Blessed Saviour further saith All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me And this is the Father's Will that sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last Day This was the Covenant between them both this is his Father's Will that none no not one no nothing of them that were given to him neither their Souls nor Bodies should be lost but all must be saved he having engaged and promised to fulfil and accomplish the Father's Will herein O happy Believers you are not left to your own Covenanting with God to the Power of your own Wills nor do you stand upon your own Legs but you are in God's Covenant in Christ's Covenant you are committed into Christ's Hand to keep you stand upon your Surety's Engagements his Undertakings God looks to him and expects that he gives a good Account of all his Sheep at the last Day and Christ is able and faithful He says Them I must bring I have struck Hands with my Father I have covenanted and promised to die for them and to call renew and eternally to save them and they shall never perish This being all true what is become of the Doctrine or rather of the gross Error of a final falling from a State of true Grace Secondly To proceed a little further Jesus Christ by virtue of this Covenant and in pursuance of that great Work he undertook did not only die to satisfy for the Sins of his People but also purchased or procured thereby a gracious conveyance of the Holy Spirit and the saving Graces and Influences thereof to change their Hearts bend and subject their Wills and graciously to renew and convert their Souls unto God which God foresaw otherwise could never be done and also to carry on that good Work in them until they come to Glory And this indeed he was obliged to perform according to the Tenour of this Covenant And hence it is that Paul saith Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good Work in you will perform it until the Day of Christ or until the Day of your Death he will perform it which denotes his Covenant-undertaking he having obliged or bound himself as our Surety to do it It is not said he will perfect or finish it but he will perform it Had not the Apostle referred to that Obligation in the Covenant of Grace which he laid himself under the other Expression had been as proper i. e. to say he will perform it He is faithful and cannot fail in doing and performing what he hath made a Bargain or covenanted to do As we say when a faithful and responsible Person hath covenanted to do this or that though the Work be great and difficult and much Opposition lies in his way yet he will do it he will perform what he hath undertaken Hence David saith I will cry unto God most High unto God that performeth all things for me To God most high that is able to do it let Sin Men and Devils do what they can to hinder him This is further confirmed by the Prophet Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our Works in us All is the Effects of thy Grace according to thy glorious Covenant Hence also the Apostle saith For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure No Man can chuse that which is savingly Good much less perform it until his Will is graciously renewed My People shall be willing in the Day of my Power This being so how contrary is this Doctrine to that which some Men maintain concerning the Power of the Creature or Power of Man's depraved Will the purport of which leaves the Salvation of every Soul at the greatest Uncertainty imaginable They tell you Christ died for all Men that is for their Good and satisfied for their Sins against the first Covenant for all Men and that all are put into a Capacity to be saved if they will believe repent and continue in believing and in well-doing to the End they clearly intimate that whatsoever the Decree or Purpose of God is and whatsoever the Nature of the Covenant of Grace is yet all is at the determination of Man 's own Will whether any one will be saved or not God affording him only strong moral Perswasions Reasons Motives and Subjective Considerations thereunto which may or may not incline excite or prevail with him to believe and obey the Gospel and perform the procuring Conditions of Life and Salvation or they may not incline excite or prevail with any one Soul they do not will not say that Christ is under an Obligation by virtue of the Covenant made with the Father to afford effectual Grace special Aid internal Strength to any in order to bring them over unto God but that it is left to the Creature and that he needs no such supernatural or irresistible Grace to work upon him Which doth 1. Evidently tend to ascribe the whole Glory of our Regeneration and Perseverance in Grace unto Man and not to the Grace of God for that Act of our Wills on this Supposition whereby we convert unto God is meerly an Act of our own and not of the special Grace of God This is clear for if the Act it self were of effectual Grace then would it not be in the Power of the Will to hinder it as a late Reverend Minister notes Also 2. it would and must follow that this would leave Regeneration and Salvation absolutely uncertain notwithstanding the Purpose of God the Covenant of Grace the Undertaking and Death of Christ whether ever any one in all the World should
be saved or no as I hinted before for when God hath done all Christ hath done all that he is concerned in or is to do on his part it is absolutely in the Power of the Will of Man whether it shall be effectual or not which is directly contrary to the Covenant Promise and Oath of God unto Jesus Christ 3. It is also contrary as you have heard unto express Texts of Scripture wherein effectual Conversion and final Perseverance is wholly ascribed unto the special Grace of God as the immediate Effect thereof God worketh in us to will and to do The Act therefore it self in our Conversion is of God's Operation and though we will our selves yet it is he who causeth us to will by working in us to will and to do But if the Act of our Will in Believing and Obedience in our Conversion and Perseverance be not the effect of God's special Grace in us then God doth not work in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Thirdly The Covenant of Grace secures all Christ's Sheep all his Saints from falling away so as eternally to perish because the Covenant of Grace is an Everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure Not only well ordered in all things for the Glory of God in all his blessed Attributes but also for the Happiness Safety and Security of all their Souls that the Father gave unto Jesus Christ 1. It is well ordered for our Good in that Christ hath pacified the Wrath of God thereby for us Christ hath by the Blood of his Covenant made up that great Breach that was between God and us So that now God says unto his People Fury is not in me See what Paul says When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son And by his Spirit he reconciles us he slays and subdues the Enmity that naturally was in our Hearts against God Christ in this Covenant it is so well ordered is that blessed Days-man that lays his Hand upon both he brings God to Man and Man to God We were the Children of Wrath and under the Curse of the Law but by the Grace of this well-ordered Covenant we were made the Children of God and delivered from the Curse of the Law Christ hath delivered us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us We had lost the Image of God but by this Covenant it is restored to us again and so that we shall not lose it any more for ever We were dead blind naked in Bonds and in Prison but by the Grace of God in this Covenant we are quickned our Eyes are enlightned and we have our naked Souls clothed yea and are brought out of Prison and all our Wounds are healed We were guilty and filthy Creatures but by this Covenant are justified and sanctified being actually acquitted and through Faith pronounced Righteous in the perfect Righteousness of Christ and all our Sins pardoned and are sanctified purged and washed by Faith in his Blood and shall not come into Condemnation There is therefore now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus they shall never perish If there is no Condemnation to them there is no possibility of their final falling Well but what are the Characters of those happy Souls why they are such saith the Apostle who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Moreover see this more fully confirmed by Christ himself Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Words and believeth on him that sent me hath Everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation but is passed from Death to Life He is passed out of a state of Death to a state of Spiritual Life he hath Eternal Life in the Seed of it in him he hath a sure and certain Right and Title to Everlasting Life he shall not be deprived of it by any Enemy whatsoever so much do these words of our Blessed Saviour imply Now what daring Men are they who say they may come into Condemnation that do believe Will they gainsay and contradict the Lord of Life and Glory 3 dly It is a well-ordered and sure Covenant because it is made in and with our blessed Surety as before I shewed you God treats with us trades again with us gives forth his Heavenly Treasure to us but all is upon the Credit and Security of Jesus Christ who is become the Surety of this Covenant Now we may have what we need come when we will in his Name he is engaged to God the Father for us Christ was made a Surety of a better Covenant When God saw Man undone run out of all and no trusting him any more Christ step'd in and undertook for us and put his Hand to the Covenant and brings himself under an Obligation for us Quest Is Christ a Surety to God for us or of us to God An. I answer God on his part had no need of a Surety to undertake for him he never failed nor broke at first with Man it was Man that broke and failed in his Covenant with God But we on all Accounts saith Dr. Owen stand in need of such a Surety for us or on our behalf Neither without the interposition of such a Surety saith he could any Covenant between God and us be firm and stable or an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure 4 thly Because this Covenant is made upon the unchangeable Decree and Counsel of God My Covenant I will not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Mouth If you can break my Covenant of the Day and Night then may also my Covenant be broken with David Now Christ and his Seed his Elect are but one Party in this Covenant it was made with him and with us in him before the World began See Paul Who hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began It was made as firm to us in Christ who do believe as it was made to him and only made with him for us to this End even to secure Eternal Life for us that we might not lose it and it is as firm by the Decree and Counsel of God as the Covenant of Day and Night And thus it is of Grace alone the Reason of which the Apostle gives us Therefore it is of Faith that it might be of Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed Pray observe it well 5 thly This Covenant is sure to all the Elect and gives them an Assurance of Everlasting Life because the execution of it is put into the Hands of the Holy Spirit the Holy Ghost is to see that all the Legacies left in Christ's last Will and Testament are given to all Believers all Covenant-Blessings shall therefore be
they shall all be saved No more at this Time JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I am upon the Proof and Demonstration of the Doctrine which I raised from our Text viz. That none of the Sheep of Christ or Saints of God can so fall away as eternally to perish The last time I spoke to the fourth Argument which was taken from the Nature of the Covenant of Grace I shall proceed to the next Argument Fifthly They who are the Sheep of Christ Believers in Christ or his Elect Ones cannot finally fall away because they are the Children of God begotten of God and born of God Two things I shall do in prosecuting this Argument First Prove that all Believers are begotten and born of God Secondly Shew you how it doth appear from hence that they can never finally fall away and eternally perish First That they are begotten of God appears from several Scriptures Of his own Will beg at he us with the Word of Truth c. Meerly by his own Grace as the original Cause with the Word by the Spirit as the instrumental Means Spiritual Generation is the Work of God the Product of the Will of God and not of the Will of Man Which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Not of Blood as in natural Generation or not of the Blood of Abraham Grace and Regeneration being not the Product of the State or Faith of believing Parents This was the carnal Boast of the Jews We have Abraham to our Father Not of the Power of Man's Will that cannot produce the New Creature in himself nor in a Child or Brother If it was in the Power of a godly Man or godly Minister to convert or to regenerate his Child his Wife or his Brother would he let them perish But alas alas this is out of Man's reach out of his Power he cannot renew himself A Child may as easily beget it self in the Womb before it self was as a Man can form Christ in his own Soul or regenerate himself 't is God that doth it the Holy Spirit begets us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten of him Whosoever hath that efficacious Soul uniting Soul transforming Soul renewing Sin-killing Grace of Faith is born of God 'T is not a bare believing Jesus is the Christ no but such a Faith that works by Love or the Faith of God's Elect For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ Faith saving Faith the Faith of the Operation of God produceth this glorious Effect through the Spirit in the Soul From all which Scriptures it evidently appears that all Believers all the Saints are the Children of God begotten and born of God Quest Well what of this some perhaps may say How doth this prove they cannot fall away so as to perish 2 dly I answer This is my second Work and you will soon see how forcible the Argument is from hence to prove that none of them can perish See what our Blessed Saviour saith That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit That which is born of corrupt Nature or is the Product of the Flesh is Flesh or of the same Nature of that which did beget it As it is said of Adam he begat a Son in his own likeness that is a depraved sinful and mortal Child The Flesh bringeth forth Effects proportionable to the Cause 'T is thus in the first Birth But if by Flesh you will have our Saviour intend the product of Man's natural Abilities or the Effects of the highest Improvements of his natural Light Understanding Will c. why then it follows still that a Man purely natural can produce nothing but natural Operations for nothing in operation exceedeth the Virtue or Excellency of that Cause which influenceth it So that no Man can by his Abilities however improved produce any divine or spiritual Operation and this shews that Man must be born of the Spirit that becomes or is made truly spiritual and sit for the Kingdom of Heaven And saith our Saviour what is born of the Spirit is Spirit or is of the same Nature with the Holy Spirit that is Spiritual Holy Immortal since every Creature begetteth its own Nature Qualities and Image Such as is the Cause such is the Effect Thus it is in Generation and thus it is in Regeneration it must be from a Divine from a spiritual Cause and not a Natural that the Image of God is formed in the Soul The Flesh cannot bring forth an Heavenly Babe Can Corruption produce or be the Cause of Regeneration Can a Worm or an Ant bring forth a Man sooner than Flesh Or can any Man under Heaven beget or form and bring forth the New Creature in the Soul which is called the forming of Christ or the Image of God in us But now pray consider that such as is the Nature or Quality of the Begetter such is the Nature of that which is begotten of him therefore since the New Creature is begotten by the Holy Spirit it must partake of the Nature of the Spirit Christ saith it is Spirit it is spiritual immortal or incorruptible Hence the Apostle Peter saith Believers partake of the Divine Nature Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these we might be partakers of the Divine Nature Every Child of God is begotten by the Spirit through the Promise as Isaac was I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Compare this with that in 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God that liveth and abideth for ever Pray observe it which liveth and abideth for ever Mortal Seed in Generation begetteth and bringeth forth a mortal Babe a corruptible Child but the Word and Spirit of God begetteth and bringeth forth an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Such is the Babe of Grace or Child of God I speak of the New Creature or the regenerated Part in Man From hence let me draw this Argument viz. Arg. 1. That which is begotten and born of and is brought forth by the Spirit of God or of immortal and incorruptible Seed is an immortal or incorruptible Babe But the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is begotten and born of or brought forth by the Spirit of God therefore the New Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate is an immortal or an incorruptible Babe Now if it be immortal or incorruptible it can never die but liveth and abideth for ever and
me I am against it Grace hath the upper Hand in my Soul I am for the Law of God I give my Voice for Christ I that is my renewed part that 's the I he speaks of 6. He cannot sin unto Death sin so as to fall finally fall and perish for ever 'T is evident that this is intended here though there may be a Truth in the other respects If any Man see his Brother sin a Sin which is not unto Death he shall ask and he shall give him Life for them that sin not unto Death There is a Sin unto Death I do not say he shall pray for it The Elect sin but not unto Death there is Pardon for all their Sins if they ask their Sins shall be forgiven them but there is a Sin unto Death a falling into Heresy or Debauchery or such an Apostacy that shall never be forgiven but thus they cannot commit Sin that are born of God so as to perish Which indeed the Apostle in the same Chapter shews to be his meaning All Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin not unto Death Mind his next words We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not He clearly shews us what he intendeth by sinning not namely he sinneth not unto Death but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself that the Wicked one toucheth him not This is the great Happiness and Advantage of the Children of God who partake of his Holy Nature they are furnished with a self-preserving Principle the Seed remains they shall never lose their New Nature therefore cannot sin unto Death For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World the World in all its Snares Sins Allurements and Temptations whatsoever that is they shall at last overcome Because he that is in them is stronger than he that is in the World 6 thly The very Relation of Children secures them and fully shews they cannot shall not sin fall and perish for ever for what Father a dear and tender Father will suffer any one of his Children to be torn into Pieces and cruelly devoured before his Face if he be able to preserve and deliver it Or should he suffer it would not all say that he was a cruel and unmerciful Father one that had no Love no natural Affections to his poor Child If therefore any one Child of God falls into the Enemy's Hand I mean into Sin 's Hand or Satan's Hand and is torn into pieces or is destroyed and ruined for ever it must be 1. Either for want of Love in God to that poor Child of his 2. Or else for want of Power and Ability in God he being not strong or able enough to save his distressed Child out of the Hands of those cruel Enemies Or 3. For want of Care and Watchfulness in God from whence the Enemy took an Advantage and destroyed his Child that was begotten and born of him Now it cannot be that God wants Love to all or any one of his Children we have shewed you that he loves them with an everlasting infinite and inconceivable Love such a Love as nothing can separate his Children from it and to say he either wants Power to save them or Care and Faithfulness is Blasphemy O what is the Love the Care and Faithfulness of God Besides he has committed them into Christ's Hand to keep and preserve them as my Text holds forth And can any think that Christ has not received a Charge to keep them from the Danger of Sin that they be not finally lost thereby as well as from any other Enemy Or do you think Christ will fail in his Care and Faithfulness who is their great Shepherd Sponsor Surety or Trustee Moreover if he should as I shall hereafter shew you lose one Child he loses one of the Members of his own Mystical Body Now from the whole let me draw this general Argument and so conclude with this 1. If every true Believer is begotten and born of God 2. If they partake of his Holy and Divine Nature 3. If Children cannot cease being Children or that Relation continues as long as Life continues however disobedient the Child may be and if it be thus with the Children of God who are begot and born of him or by his Spirit that they cannot cease being his Children nor lose that Divine Nature they derived from him in Regeneration 4. If God hath provided so well for his own Children in the Covenant that they shall not depart from him 5. If no Child that was born of God did ever perish that we read of 6. If they are the Children of God or Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ 7. If they cannot sin unto Death Then no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish But all these things affirmed are true certainly true therefore no true Believer can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish Brethren I shall apply this and pass to the sixth Argument APPLICATION Infer 1. From hence we infer that those Men who affirm that such who are the Children of God begotten and born of the Spirit may perish are strangely beclouded for they must suppose that a Child may utterly lose the Nature and Relation of a Child and degenerate so far as to become a Dog a Swine c. which is impossible in Nature and much more in Grace for as none but the Almighty Power of the Infinite God could change the Soul so it is impossible for any Diabolical Power to turn or change that Holy Nature again and that not only because the Divine Nature and Image of God is such in self but also by reason of the Design and Purpose of God in and by Jesus Christ in our Restauration that being such that it cannot be lost any more without the highest dishonour to God and a frustration of his Eternal Purpose and Counsel which was to destroy the Works of the Devil If any should object that Adam had the Image of God in him before he fell and lost it I answer He was the Son of God by Creation only not by Grace he was not begotten by the Holy Spirit nor did he stand as we do in Christ Infer 2. This may also therefore inform all Believers that they are in a most happy and safe Condition because they are born of God and brought by Grace and Regeneration into an unchangeble State Exhort O see that you are the Children of God begotten of God for if so though you are but Babes yet you are out of Eternal Danger Let me give you Brethren here a few Marks or Characters of Babes in Christ or of a Child of God 1. Babes have all the Parts and Lineaments of a Man if it be a perfect Birth So a Babe in Christ hath all the Essentials of a true Christian he hath all the Parts and Lineaments of the New Creature There is a Formation of God's Image or a gracious Work of
as they were all given to him so they are all known by him they are so many Members numerically and no more as it is in the Body natural In God's Book are all his Members written as David speaks of the Members of his Body which some conclude refers to Christ chiefly and to the Members of his Mystical Body 4. I infer That if Jesus Christ loses one Member of his Mystical Body then his Body will be an imperfect Body a maimed Body for so we know it is in the natural Body though the loss be but of one of the least Members thereof 3 dly The Union between Christ and Believers is set forth by the Union of a Tree and its Branches Thou being a wild Olive-Tree wert grafted in amongst them and with them partakest of the Root and Fatness of the Olive-Tree Now the Branches have a close and near Union with the Tree and being grafted into it partake of the Juice and Fatness of the Root the Tree and Branches being nourished thereby There is the same fructifying and fatning Virtue in the one that is in the other only with this difference in the Root and Tree it is originally in the Boughs or Branches by way of Communication This is brought by the Holy Ghost to open the Union of Christ and his Saints both he and they are partakers of the same Fruit-bearing Spirit he that dwells in them dwells in him also only it is in him as to them originally in them by communication from him Take a Cyon a Plant a Graft fix it to the Tree with all the Art you can and bind it on as close as possible yet 't is not united to the Tree until the Sap that is in the Tree be communicated to it which Communication states the Union Even so and in like manner let a Man be bound to Jesus Christ by all Bonds of visible Profession imaginable yet unless the Holy Spirit be in him to unite him to Christ unless he hath that Divine Sap and Life communicated to him he hath no real Union with him Object But doth not our Saviour say Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit he taketh away And again If a Man abideth not in me he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered and Men gather them and cast them into the Fire and they are burned Doth not this prove that such who have real Union with Christ may eternally perish Answ I know this is brought as a grand Proof for final falling away But to give an answer hereunto 1. Some tell you that there is no need to translate the words so but that it may as well be translated Every Branch not bringing forth Fruit in me that is that have not real Union in me For though there can be no true Fruit brought forth without real and saving Union with Christ yet Men may bring forth some kind of Fruit and such that looks like good Fruit it is called Fruit He may pray hear the Word and lead an honest moral and sober Life yea and give to the Poor and yet not bring forth this Fruit in Christ or from a real Union he hath with him for all Acts of an External Profession in Religion may be brought forth without any Divine Principle of Grace or being rooted and grafted into Christ by the Holy Ghost and such a one the good Husband-man will discover for this Man's Fruit will not continue but wither Having not root in himself but endureth for a while for when Tribulation and Persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended Evident it is that all that received the Seed into good Ground or were sincere Christians brought forth Fruit to Everlasting Life though not all the like Quantity But 2. Let it be considered that there is a twofold being in Christ spoken of in God's Word as Christ also is compared to a Vine under a twofold Consideration 1. There is a Spiritual Real and Invisible being in Christ by Faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and these are grafted into Christ the Vine spiritually considered and so have that true Union with him of which we speak 2. There is also an External or Visible being in Christ by an outward profession Hence those that are baptized in his Name are said to be baptized into Christ Paul saith of some that they were in Christ before me How did he know who were savingly invisibly in Christ No doubt he speaks of their visible being in him by that Profession they made of the Gospel and by their being baptized and in this respect Vine is to be taken for the Church which sometimes bears Christ's Name Now evident it is many that thus are in Christ that is by a Profession and Sacramental Implantation may bring forth some sort of Fruit for a while but for want of a real Union with Christ they having not a Supply of Grace and Divine Sap from the Root they abide not in Christ that is in a visible Profession but are cast forth as withered Branches and at last will be cast into the Fire But now whosoever bringeth forth true Spiritual Fruit who is visibly in Christ the Vine him will God purge that he may bring forth more Fruit. And that this is the true meaning of this Text is plain if we consider what Christ saith of all his Elect Ones as hinted to you before viz. That he had not only chosen them but ordained them that they should go and bring forth Fruit and that their Fruit shall remain And this he speaks to his Disciples soon after in this very Chapter to comfort them lest they might fear miscarrying and become like such who are withered Branches And this is sufficient to remove this Objection Thirdly The Union of the Soul with Christ as to the excellent firm and abiding Nature thereof is further demonstrated and strengthened by the consideration of the Union of Christ to the Father and them as it is expressed by our blessed Lord I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one First the Father in Christ the Fulness of the Godhead being in him bodily then Christ in Believers so that from that fulness of Grace Strength c. that the Father communicated to the Son as Mediator by virtue of his Union with him and which is communicable to us all his Members do receive from Christ by virtue of their Union with him Our Lord prayed in Verse 20 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us c. Now though it be hard to understand the Nature of this Union in some Respects yet this is easy to comprehend viz. that the Union between the Father and Christ is an inseparable Union it is an abiding Union or it is a Union that cannot be dissolved Why then let us consider since Christ
Grace as I may say is the Off-spring of Heaven And what doth God love on Earth above his own Grace in the Souls of his People 'T is God's Gift though it be Christ's Merit And as Reverend Charnock notes Grace hath great Allies the greatest Power that ever yet acted upon the Stage of the World had a Hand in the birth of it Should we see all the States of the World engaged in bringing a Person to a Kingdom and maintaining therein his Right we could not rationally think that there were any likelihood they should be baffled in it The Trinity saith he sat in Consultation about Grace For if there were such a Solemn Convention held about the first creating of Man much more about the new and better creating of him and raising him somewhat above the State of Man the Father decrees it the Son purchaseth it the Spirit infuseth it The Father appoints the Garison what Grace should be in every Soul Christ raiseth this Force and the Spirit conducts it the Trinity hath a hand in maintaining it and all this is but the carrying on the New Creature The Father is said to beget us John 1. 13. and we are said to be the Seed of Christ Isa 53. 10. and born of the Spirit John 3. 6. therefore that which hath so strong a Relation and Allies cannot be lost Thus Charnock 2. The Father is the Root and Foundation of Grace as it is the Effect of his free Love and Favour and every Grace is part of the Divine Nature in it there is an imitation of one or other of the Divine Attributes and it exemplifies the Divine Perfections in its Operations The Design of God in infusing of his Grace into our Souls is to shew forth his Vertues or his Praise and Glory in all the Parts of it and doth glorify one or another Attribute of God 3. What is Grace and the Work of Grace in the Soul but God's Workmanship which as you have heard he hath shewed much Skill and heavenly Wisdom about and also hath been at more Cost to effect in us than in making the World he will not therefore suffer that Work to be marr'd and brought to nought We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works Did he give his Son purchase Grace and will not the same Love engage his Power to preserve and perfect it in us 4. And since God's Power is concerned in preserving Grace in us and us in a State of Grace can it be thought that Satan that strong Man armed when he had full possession of the Soul and also had so strong a Party in us on his Side and yet could not prevent an overthrow he being vanquished and turned out should ever get possession again especially since now the Soul is so well armed and hath the strongest Party on its Side against him besides such wonderful Allies to stand by it to oppose its Enemies and to aid and assist it against him and all his Abetters If Grace when a Babe gave Satan such a fatal Defeat and Overthrow certainly now it hath got such strength in the Soul it will never be overcome by him We are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation And Christ hath prayed that our Faith fail not and was heard therein Brethren is the Power of the Omnipotent God limited to a Faith of the Creature 's getting and to his Care in securing If so it is as much as to say the Nurse will keep the Child in her Hand if it doth not get out of it and stray away from her We say God keeps us by his Power through Faith because he hath ordained Faith and Holiness to be the Means which he by his Power will maintain in us as well as Happiness or the Salvation of our Souls to be the End 5. God hath promised to help us to uphold us to strengthen us and to preserve us unto the End The Steps of a good Man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his Way Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his Hand If he falls into Sin into Temptation or Affliction the Lord will not leave him but help him up and bring him out of all his Distresses He hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us He hath also promised to be our God and our Guide even unto Death and hath assured us That the Righteous shall hold on their Ways and he that hath clean Hands shall grow stronger and stronger and to put his Fear into our Hearts that we shall not depart from him Again the Apostle asserts That he that hath begun aâ— good Work in us will perform it to the Day of Christ 6. In a word it cannot stand consistent with the Wisdom Love Faithfulness Holiness nor the Glory of God to suffer any of his own Children and redeemed Ones to be pulled away from him by Sin Satan the Flesh or this World or any Enemy whatsoever and Grace to come to nothing in them 1. Can it stand consistent with his Wisdom to suffer his own Eternal Counsel to be frustrated Or hath any Man the true Grace of God and yet not as the Result of God's Purpose from Eternity If so how comes it to pass that Paul tells the Saints That they were saved and called with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given us in Christ before the World began Can it stand consistent with Divine Wisdom to let Satan insult over God himself and boast after this manner Thou hast sent thy Son to die for these Persons thou hast renewed them by thy Grace and made them thy own Children and espoused them to thy own Son and this according to the greatness of thy Love and thy Purpose before all Worlds and didst it also to destroy and bring to nought my Design and laborious Work in seeking to devour them but see how thou art defeated and frustrated in all thou hast done I have tempted them to Sin I have again deceived their Souls and set thee against them and thy Design in saving of these is by me made of none effect I have turned those Saints into Swine and robbed them of all that Grace and rich Treasure thou gavest to them notwithstanding thou hadst put them into the Hand of thy own Son to preserve and keep 2. Can it stand consistent with his tender Love to leave his Saints in the midst of so many cruel Enemies who are unable to save themselves as poor Babes of two or ten Days old out of their Hands and yet suffer them by Sin and Satan to be torn to pieces whilst he stands by and looks on and yet they are such that are his own Children begotten and born of him by his Spirit Or shall his Love be so great in begetting Grace or in infusing
Grace and no more Love shewed in keeping and preserving that Grace in their Souls What! purchase such Riches for them by the Blood of his Son and let them be robbed of it all in a Moment 3. Can it stand consistent with the Faithfulness of God who hath said I will help thee I will uphold thee by the right Hand of my Righteousness and I will not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able c. The Work I have begun in thee I will perform to the Day of Christ and as thy Day is thy Strength shall be and yet notwithstanding all this will leave them and let their Grace wither and come to nothing and Sin and Temptations be too hard and strong for them and so cast them off for ever 4. Can it stand consistent with his Holiness to let his precious Grace which is an Impression of his own Image and Likeness in the Soul be blotted blurr'd and defaced for ever this Likeness being a Likeness unto him in that most high and beloved Perfection of his Nature viz. his Holiness which Work on the Soul is curiously wrought by his own Spirit and more valued by him than ten thousand Worlds will he I say neglect that which is so dear and like unto him and suffer it to be crush'd under the Foot of filthy Corruption by the Lusts of his implacable Enemy 5. Can it stand consistent with the Honour of God's most Sovereign Majesty to let Grace be destroyed and come to nothing in the Soul whose End in all he doth is principally to advance his own Glory What is it I pray you that tends more to bring Honour to God in the World than that Grace which he hath infused into the Hearts of his People If Sin brings the greatest Dishonour to him then certainly Grace brings the greatest Honour to him which strives to root out and utterly to destroy Sin so that God and Jesus Christ might reign alone in the Soul If a King hath but one special Favourite that asserts and maintains his Right and seeks to uphold his Throne be sure he will if possible preserve him and suffer none to undermine and supplant that Favourite so as to root him out of the Kingdom Thirdly In regard had to Jesus Christ who is the Purchaser and immediate Author of Grace I further argue Grace shall at last become Victorious or never finally be suppressed in the Hearts of Believers 1. Christ by his Death purchased that Grace which every true Christian is possessed of He died to redeem us from all Iniquity and to purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works It is upon the Account of his Death as the Effects of his Death the Spirit and the Graces of the Spirit are shed abroad in our Hearts Therefore being by the right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you see and hear Certainly if he purchased us and Grace for us when we were his Enemies he will preserve it in us since we are actually now reconciled to him Shall he be at the expence of his Blood to buy it as one notes and spare his Power to secure it 2. Christ was manifest to take away Sin to dispossess Satan and will he let Satan take Possession again He came to destroy the Works of the Devil And what are Satan's Works but Sin Will not Christ accomplish that which he came into the World to do 3. He is called the Author and Finisher of our Faith If this be so we may assure our selves he will perfect it he that begins it will end it he hath not left it to another after he hath begun the Work of Faith to finish it No no he still keeps it in his own Hand and he will see it done 4. It is for the Honour of Christ that Grace lives and is strengthened in his People Wherefore also we pray for you that our God would account you worthy of this Calling and fulfil all the good Pleasure of his Will and the Work of Faith with Power Part of the good Pleasure of the Will of God had been fulfilled in them they were called justified adopted and the Work of Sanctification was begun and Paul prays that with Power it might be compleated and then shews us how it tends to the Glory of Christ to have this done That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified and you in him according to the Grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ Brethren the Glory of Christ and the final Salvation of the Saints are wrap'd up together Grace tends to Christ's Glory here and to his Eternal Praise and Glory hereafter 5. Jesus Christ's Work now he is in Heaven is to intercede for his Saints And be sure as he prayed when on Earth that the Faith of his Peters might not fail so he makes the like Intercession for them in Heaven Hence the Intercession of Christ is part of the Saints Holy Triumph in that of Romans 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who also maketh Intercession for us Now the Intercession of Christ hath great Power and Prevalency in it in order to our final Perseverance in Grace 1. Because he pleads continually with God the Virtue of his own Merits what he hath purchased for us he intercedes for but he purchased Grace for us and he prays for the final continuation of it in us therefore it shall abide in us to the End 2. By his Intercession he prevails with God that we may be delivered from all our Spiritual Enemies that they may never have Power over us of whom Sin is the chief That which Christ intercedes for he is heard and accepted in but he intercedes that we may be kept and delivered from the Power and eternal Punishment of Sin therefore Sin shall never have Power to condemn us 3. He intercedes that our Prayers may be heard and that we may be helped to pray and part of our Prayer is that Sin may not have Power over us to condemn us therefore Sin never shall so condemn us because Christ causes our Prayers with the Incense of his own Intercession to come up as a sweet Savour in the Nostrils of God 4. Christ intercedes that all our Sins may be pardoned and covered If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father He carries this Cause for us in the Court of Heaven therefore our Sins shall never work our Ruin 5. It is by his Intercession we come to the Throne of Grace with boldness Christ our Friend and High Priest appearing evermore in the Presence of God for us 6. And also it is through Christ's Intercession that all our Good Works and Holy Services are accepted of God So much shall serve to the tenth and last Argument And from hence
has promised thee Victory but thou must sight Grace teacheth us to deny all Vngodliness He that is not under the Influence of Grace never had the Truth of it in him Fourthly Always consider this in thy Heart that thy standing is by Grace and that thou art in Christ's Hand O depend on him for all and fly to him for whatsoever thou dost need JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN I closed the last Time with the Consirmation of the Doctrine which I have for several days been upon I shall now proceed to consider of the Objections and give an Answer to them that are usually brought against this great and comfortable Doctrine of the Saints final Perseverance Several of which I have answered already as I met with them occasionally under divers of those Arguments I have spoken to in clearing up the Truth of the Proposition therefore shall labour to answer such that remain which take as they here follow Object 1. If Christ did not die for all how could the Birth of our Saviour be said to be Matter of Joy unto all People And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great Joy which shall be to all People For unto you is born this Day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Answ 1. I answer All People doth not intend every individual Person to all People that is the good News is not to you only but to both Jews and Gentiles I have shewed you before that all and every and whole World is taken in many places of Holy Scripture with restriction and takes in but a part as on the contrary when the Vniversality of the Subject is intended it is expressed by singular If a Man die shall he live again Which refers to every Man He that believeth shall be saved it signifies all that so do So I will pour out of my Spirit upon ALL Flesh as you have it in Joel that is upon Persons of every Age Sex and Degree upon Young Old Masters Servants Sons and Daughters so it may be taken here and in several other places as that in 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who will have all Men saved c. that is Kings as well as Peasants Noble as well as Ignoble Rich as well as Poor Gentiles as well as Jews or some of all sorts The Gospel is said to be preached in Paul's Time to every Creature under Heaven whereas it reached then but to a small part of the World one great part not being at that time known or found out as one well observes 2. Was the Birth of Christ Matter of Joy in the Effects of it to Judas and to the unbelieving Jews and to many more 3. I argue thus If the Birth and Death of Christ was cause of greatest Joy to all Persons individually considered it must be thus either in respect of the Design Purpose and Intention of God because of such Joy unto them or else in respect of the certain Effects of his Birth and Death But 1. Who will say that God according to his Eternal Purpose and Design did intend it for the Salvation of every individual Person None can be so weak sure to assert that for who shall resist God's Will or withstand God's absolute Design Purpose and Intention Christ must accomplish or effect the Salvation of all if in that sense it was Matter or Cause of Joy unto all or that he died for all or that God would have all that is every individual Man and Woman in the World saved 2. And as to the Effects of the Death of Christ it is evident quite otherwise for Multitudes have no saving Benefit thereby Therefore it follows clearly that that is not the sense of the Text nor Mind of the Spirit of God though in some sense the Birth and Death of Christ was Cause of Joy to all since every one received all that Good thereby whatsoever it is they are possessed of 4. Did not Simeon by the Holy Ghost say that this Child speaking of Christ is set for the Fall and rising again of many in Israel Unto some the word is a Savour of Death unto Death and Christ a Stone of stumbling the Reason is because they that believe in him shall be saved and they that believe not shall be damned We freely grant the intervening of Mens Unbelief Malice and Opposition to Christ and his Gospel is the proximate meritorious Cause of the Fall and Ruin of any Soul 5. Also it is said Every Man shall have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. which can refer to none but to good Men or godly Men only So it is said God is the Father of all One God and Father of all Eph. 4. 6. Yet as Mr. Cole observes on that place the Devil is the Father of the greatest part of the World Christ is said to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven Col 1. 20. Yet what a multitude are not nor ever shall be reconciled to him All certainly intends none but the Elect So it is said it is written in the Prophets they shall all be taught of God John 6. 45. It respects only Believers or God's New-Covenant-Children Now seeing the word all and every in many Places refers only to the Elect and is taken with such Restriction why should it be taken Universally here and in those other Places mentioned especially considering the Arguments I have laid down to prove that Christ did not die for any but those that were given to him by the Father we having also proved he died in their stead for whom he suffered Death so that they might never die Eternally Object 2. If there be such a Decree of Election and that none shall be saved but those that God hath ordained to Eternal Life what need Men seek after or regard the Salvation of their Souls Answ This Objection we have largely answered under our first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance taken from the Election of Grace to which I refer you Object 3. This Doctrine of Election and Final Perseverance tends to make Men loose and remiss in the Service of God Answ 1. What can be a greater Mistake Do the certain Grounds of Hope of obtaining the Victory tend to make a Souldier remiss and careless when engaged in the Battel Or do they not much more animate him to fight couragiously 2. Shall a Child be taken off from his Duty or be remiss in serving his Father because his Father tells him he shall never be disinherited 3. Did not Christ know that the Angels had Charge over him yet was he less careful of his own Preservation And did not Paul assure all that were in the Ship with him that they should all be saved yet did that take him
do appropriate part of it to my self which is the worst part of Popery They say that Christ's Merits with their own good Works do justify and save them And what do the Arminians say less who join Faith Inherent Righteousness and Sincere Obedience with the Merits of Christ both in Justification before God and in the Salvation of their Souls They say all Men are in a capacity or have Power to work out their own Salvation if they will Mr. William Allen says on that Text Rom. 4. Now to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted for Righteousness That they are the Works of the Law he doth not say That he that loves not c. So that Love Gospel-Obedience and Holiness according to these Men are not excluded as the Matter of our Justification before God but are a part of it They plead for Gospel-Works in point of Justification though not for the Works of the Law Pray what Difference is there between these Mens Doctrine and that of the Papists But I having lately in my Treatise called The Marrow of Justification so fully confuted this Grand Error I shall add no more to it at this Time but come to examine the Text. 1. It is evident that the Persons to whom the Holy Apostle wrote this Epistle were Saints and Justified Persons or such who were quickned renewed or regenerated by the Holy Spirit Therefore 2. Let us consider what Part of Salvation it was which they were required to work out 1. They could not appease the Wrath of God nor satisfy Divine Justice that sure was not in their Power to do nor is it here intended 2. They could not deliver themselves from the Curse of the Law because by their uttermost endeavour they could not arrive to a compleat or perfect Righteousness nor satisfy for the breach of it by Original Sin and by Actual Sins formerly by them committed 3. They could not change their own Hearts or create in themselves a new Heart they had no creating Power certainly they dare not say they had Power or were capable to form Christ in their Souls or restore God's lost Image in them Again 4. They could not raise themselves from the Dead for they were once dead in Sins and Trespasses and sure they will say that to raise and quicken the Dead is Christ's Work only You hath he quickned he does not say you have ye quickned 5. They could not bind the strong Man armed who formerly had the ruling Power in them and in whose Chains and Fetters they were once bound Will they say that all Men have a greater Power in them than is the Power of Satan so that Man may translate himself if he will out of the Power and Kingdom of Satan into the Kingdom of God's dear Son as all Believers by the irresistable Power of God are 6. They could not believe of themselves because Faith is a Fruit of the Spirit of God and 't is said expresly It is not of our selves but it is the Gift of God Now all things are as parts of our Salvation or appertain thereunto and none of all these things can be here meant by the Apostle because the Persons to whom he wrote had all these things work'd out for them and in them before Quest What Work is it then What were they to work out Answ I answer The Apostle means that good Work of Mortification of Sin and all Works that are the Fruits of Faith that is they should lead a Holy and Godly Life they having received a Principle of Grace from Christ to this very End there being a Necessity that the Tree be first made Good before the Fruit can be Good and that a dead Man have a Principle of Life infused into him before he can either move or work Quest But can the Creature do these things you mention of himself Answ The Apostle seems very jealous of these Saints lest they should catch up some Arminian Notion which is too much rooted in Man's corrupt Nature and therefore to vanquish Free-Will or the Power of the Creature for ever nay the Power that is in regenerated Persons he adds For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure who worketh in them powerfully effectually carrying on the Work through all Difficulties and Obstacles with victorious Efficacy God works not only Grace in them at first but still by his Spirit through fresh Supplies does aid influence and assist them and will until the Work is perfected or until the Day of Christ We cannot mortify Sin pray nor do any good Work without the Spirit If ye through the Spirit saith Paul do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live So then this is the Sum In Holiness and all good Works we act and do But how even as we are acted moved and influenced of God It is as when God acts works and moves in us by his Spirit And as to do all with fear and trembling this is only to shew how low we should lie at the Foot of God and be humble and not lifted up with Pride since all our Power and Sufficiency is of God But so much to this Text and Objection Object 8. But what say you to that Text in Jer. 22. 24. Though Coâ—iah the Son of Jehojakim King of Judah were the Signet upon my right Hand yet would I pluck thee thence This Place of Scripture is sent me as a grand Objection against Final Perseverance Answ We must distinguish between one that might be near to God or as dear as a Signet on the right Hand in respect of Place or External Dignity as a King and God's bringing him from thence by Temporal Punishment and one that is a Signet upon God's right Hand in respect of Divine Grace and Favour in Jesus Christ or as touching his Eternal Election the latter this Text does not refer unto Object 9. Is it not said If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you c. Answ The Supposition If ye do doth not always denote a Possibility that a Person may not do so See John 15. 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Father's Commandment and abide in his Love Was it possible for Christ not to abide in his Father's Love Our Saviour uses these Expressions as an Argument of Comparison 1. This shews how acceptable Holiness and Obedience is to God 2. It also implies thus much i. e. That God hath ordained his Saints to Faith Love and Obedience as well as to Eternal Life If my Word abide in you c. Now elsewhere God saith to Christ And the Words which I have put into thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed which are Believers they shall have his Word abide in them for ever The Law of God
precede the Motions of Man's Will to be the Lacquey not the Leader either in converting or preserving which is at best to make the Glory of God's Grace as volatile as a Feather at the best sometimes up sometimes down the Soul is this Moment embraced by the Lord with the dearest Affections the next cast out as a Vessel wherein is no Pleasure and the succeeding Moment admitted to fresh Communications this Hour the Temple of the Holy Ghost the next an Habitation for Dragons and Satyrs The Will of Man giving one Time the Key to the Spirit the next Time to the Devil 4. It gives occasion to Man to boast and so contradicts the whole Design of God in the Gospel of his own Free Grace which is to take away for ever any Cause for the Creature in himself to glory 5. It brings in that great Absurdity of the Repetition of Regeneration whereof there is no mention made in all the Scripture unless they do believe all that fall away so as to lose the Seed of Grace or from being in a State of Grace are lost for ever or fall irrecoverably but a Repetition of Regeneration seems to be maintained by one of the chief of them from Heb. 6. 6. If they fall away to renew them again c. 'T is impossible he denies to renew some to Repentance but others he would infer from thence may be renewed Now a renewing again to Repentance may be where the Seed of Grace was never lost but the Strength and Exercise of it as in David's and Peter's Case therefore 't is not a total falling which Believers are liable to but a partial only But to suppose that such who are regenerated may fall totally and be renewed again to Repentance doth presuppose a Repetition of a former Birth or a second Regeneration To prove which these Men mention that Text twice dead pluck'd up by the Roots Now evident it is that if true Believers may fall totally from Grace and none of them can be renewed again then all such that so fall sin against the Holy Ghost But if they may be renewed again then there is a repetition of Regeneration When I come to speak to that Text in the 6 th of the Hebrews I hope I shall sufficiently prove by the Assistance of God that those there mentioned were not true Believers as I have proved no true Believer can so fall as to need another Regeneration though they may fall as to need a gracious Restoration or to be healed of their backsliding Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation 6. It tends to frustrate the absolute Design of Christ and his Promise made to his Saints or makes it of none Effect who hath said I give them Eternal Life and they shall not perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not not perish as some read it 7. It renders the Death of Christ in the Effects of it uncertain to any Unless they are such who have found out another way of Salvation for some than for others for some affirm that there is an Election of a certain Number and they shall infallibly be saved and there is a way for others to be saved too some the King sends his Chariot of Free Grace for to bring them home to himself and others must trudg home on their own Feet which they may do if they will which idle Notion deserves no Breath nor Paper to confute 8. That a Man may be in God's special Love to Day and his dear Child having his Image stamp'd upon his Soul and to morrow be hated by him and be the Child of the Devil and have his Likeness and Image upon him And from hence it renders God's Love mutable and as if he did not foresee all Emergencies from Eternity Can these Men fancy infinite Bowels and Affections so unconcerned as to let the Apple of his Eye be pluck'd out or he be as a careless Spectator whilst he is robbed of his precious Jewels by the Powers of Hell to have the Delight of his Soul as reverend Charnock notes lost like a Tennis Ball between himself and the Devil 9. It doth cast a Disgrace upon the Wisdom of God in contriving no better a way for the Restoration of Man and his Establishment but that which dependeth wholly upon the voluble and inconstant Temper of the Creatures corrupt Will to perfect in them 10. Such who assert that those may eternally perish whom Christ died for or in the stead of seem to charge God with Injustice as not to acquit those whose Transgressions are answered for by their Surety or else that the Sufferings of Christ were not sufficient to effect a Discharge due to them Or doth it not insinuate as one notes a Deficiency of Power or want of good Will in Christ to prosecute his design to Perfection 11. It suspends the Virtue and Success of all that Christ hath done for Men upon some thing to be done by themselves which Christ is not the doer of and consequently that Men are Principals in procuring their own Salvation And so Christ shall have his Thousands in truth saith he his Nothings whilst freedom of Will or he might have said Free-Will shall have his Ten thousands Is this to exalt the Lord alone or to raise and sing the Praises of our Beloved David And further 12. It would also follow as he observes that those who are gone to Heaven have nothing more of Christ's to glory in and to praise him for than those who are perished and gone to Hell For according to the Principle of General Redemption Christ did and doth for all alike and not a Jot more for one Party than for another Also as he notes it tends to make Men presumptuous and carnally secure How many have sooth'd up themselves in their Impenitency and hardness of their Hearts and fenced themselves against the Word upon this very Supposition that Christ died for all and therefore for them and why should not they look to be saved as well as others To which I might add their Notion of that Power which they say is in the Creature to believe leads Men out to defer looking out for Salvation for why may they not delay to do that to Day which is in their Power to do to Morrow and may be perhaps some Years hence as well as now But let them and all others know Christ's Death will have its Effect on their Hearts if he died for them and they must look to him when he calls and wait upon him for the moving of his Spirit in the use of that Means which he hath ordained in order to Faith and Regeneration and in the season of it who says To day if you will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts c. but the Will the Deed they must wait upon the Lord to give unto them and work by his Spirit in them APPLICATION I shall in the lost place make a little Improvement of what I have
that remains in Believers and will have good and spiritual Fruit to attend it therefore this Doctrine must needs promote Holiness that is thus founded on such a Sacred Principle and the Motives are every way as strong 5. It appears Brethren that our standing by Grace is most firm and sure it is like the standing of those who are in their consummate State in Glory The Good Angels and Blessed Souls above are confirmed in that State by superabounding Grace for by Nature as one observes the Angels are mutable What was the Reason some of them fell who beheld the Face of God The bare beholding the Face and Glory of God will not continue one Creature in a happy State without an Act of Divine and Confirming Grace it is a continual Addition of Grace and Supplies of Grace that preserves our Souls in a State of Life and to this End are we united to Jesus Christ I mean to such an Head that of and from his Fulness we might have a Communication of Strength and all Divine Influences as our Souls do stand in need 6. And this being so labour after the Exercise of Grace rest not in a small Degree thereof the more Grace you have the more Glory you will bring to God and the more easy it will be for you to resist Temptations 7. The more Grace also the more Peace Holiness is that which God calls for it is that which becomes his House for ever and without it no Man shall ever see the Lord. Therefore let this be the Use of all the Sermons you have heard from this Text even to work up your Hearts to Thankfulness to Holiness in all the whole Course of your Lives and to depend upon Christ alone into whose Hand you are committed by the Father that he would give you fresh Supplies of Grace and keep you from falling To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be Glory and Praise for ever Amen The Trial of the False Professor OR The Danger of Final APOSTACY Opened in three SERMONS preached lately at Horse-lie-down Wherein the Nature of the Sin against the Holy Ghost is discovered HEB. VI. 4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost ver 4. And have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come ver 5. If they fall away to renew them again unto Repentance seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame ver 6. BELOVED this Place of Holy Scripture was sent to me in Writing some Months ago I know not by whom perhaps by some who hold a Total and Final Apostacy from a State of True Grace But before I entered upon this Text I resolved in the Strength of God to endeavour to prove the Impossibility of their final Falling who are True Believers or such who have Real Union with Jesus Christ which I hope I have effectually done I know that this Text is brought by some to prove That True Believers may fall not only foully but also finally Which certainly is a great Mistake which I shall endeavour God assisting to make appear Mr. John Goodwin speaking of this Place and that in Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully c. saith Evident it is from these two Passages the Holy Ghost after a serious manner and with a very pathetick and moving sirain of Speech and Discourse scarce the like to be found in all the Scripture admonisheth those who are at present true Believers to take heed of relapsing into the ways of their former Ignorance and Impiety This Caveat or Admonition he presseth by an Argument of this import that in case they shall thus relapse there will be very little or no hope at all of their Recovery or Return to the Estate of Faith and Grace wherein now they stand before the Faces of such Sayings and Passages as these rightly understood and duly considered there is no standing for that Doctrine which denies a Possibility either of a total or final Defection of the Saints c. He add That the Supposition or Hypothetical Proposition If they fall away doth denote here a Possibility of it which I will not deny but that these Persons of which the Apostle speaks were true Believers I see no ground at all to believe but do utterly deny it yet I readily grant this hath always been look'd upon as a very difficult place of Scripture to be rightly understood I have therefore consulted the best Authors and Exposuors I could meet with upon it 1. And I find that some of the Antients mistaking the Drift and Design of the Holy Ghost herein would take no Repentance from such who fell under Temptation in Times of Persecution especially if they fell into Idolatry 2. Nay such as fell into scandalous Crimes as Adultery and the like they would not admit by Repentance into the Church or have Communion any more with them And from hence I find that Tertullian reflects upon the Bishop of Rome that had admitted an Adulterer upon his Repentance Also Novatus as I find him quoted by a good Author denied all Hope of Church Pardon unto such Persons that had fallen into gross Sins after they had made a Profession of the Gospel and that from hence Which may seem strange considering that Paul admitted the incestuous Person upon his Repentance that being so notorious a Crime as most do or can fall into But no more as to this Brethren before I proceed let me premise three or four things 1. That the Apostacy here spoken of is not a bare falling into this or that Actual Sin be it of whatever Nature it will For do we not read how grievously some of the Saints of God sinned and fell and yet were restored again by Repentance 2. Nor is it a partial Apostacy or a falling upon Temptation or Surprizal in Time of Persecution though it be to the denying of Christ for did not Peter so fall and yet was restored afterwards 3. Neither is it a falling into some Capital Error as some of the Corinthians fell by denying the Resurrection of the Dead whom Paul laboured to recover Or like that of the Galatians who fell by denying Justification by Faith alone but mix'd Works with God's Free Grace in that great Point of Faith 4. Nor is it a falling of Ignorant Persons who never made any Profession of Religion such are not capable so to sin as is here mentioned because it is expresly said to be such who were once enlightned c. 5. And lastly Neither is it a falling away of such who are justified Persons or of those who have savingly been enlightned and quickned by the Spirit of God for such I have sufficiently proved cannot fall totally and finally so as to perish Thus far in the Negative But in the Affirmative 1. This Apostacy is a total and
great and glorious to you 1. To be justified is more than to be pardoned A Man may be forgiven and yet not have the Guilt removed from him nor be declared Righteous and Innocent To be justified is to be pronounced Just and Righteous in God's Sight through the perfect Righteousness of Jesus Christ or to be actually acquitted upon Trial or discharged from the Guilt and Punishment of Sins not that we are not Sinners in our selves but as Christ was made Sin for us who knew no Sin in himself so we are made the Righteousness of God in him who knew no Righteousness in our selves As our Sin was imputed unto Christ so his Righteousness is imputed unto us God in Justification deals not with us in a way of Mercy only as he doth in Pardon of Sin but in a way of Justice and Righteousness also we paid all that was due to vindictive Wrath and Justice in Jesus Christ I mean Jesus Christ for us as our Surety hath done it 2. Justification is so great a Blessing that the Justice of God hath nothing to lay to the Believer's Charge for Justice as well as Mercy does acquit him 3. Nor hath the Law any thing to lay to the â—â—arge of them that God justifies Christ in our stead having answered all the Demands thereof and born the Penalty it denounces upon the Transgressors of it Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us 4. And as the Law can lay nothing to our Charge if God justifies us so can none else Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemn us None can implead such or put in an Accusation that shall be heard at God's Bar if it is God that doth acquit us that justifies us what signifies any Charge that can be brought in against us What though for want of clear Light our Hearts should condemn us or wicked Men or Satan our Hearts may charge us unjustly and ignorantly for want of Light and wicked Men and Devils maliciously 5. Moreover none can condemn such that God justifieth because it is Christ that died Hath not his Death Worth and Merit enough in it It is Christ that died he who was God as well as Man our Debt is long ago paid and when we believe we receive an actual Discharge The Apostle challenges all the Enemies of our Souls to come in and see what they can do to condemn a justified Person Come World come Devil come Law come Sin come Conscience what can you lay to the Charge of those that Christ died for and God hath actually acquitted Bring forth your Plea your Charge of Eternal Condemnation Hath not Christ born the Punishment due to these for all their Sins they have do or may commit Is not his Satisfaction more than enough Hath he not purchased and merited superabundant Grace Come saith a poor Believer I will stand Trial with you now though I have but one single Plea It is Jesus Christ that died for me and in my room I appeal to the Great God and Judg of Heaven and Earth whether my Plea is not good and according to Law and allowable Sirs by this Plea all are silenced and impleaded at once 6. All that are justified are compleat in Jesus Christ they are without Spot before the Throne of God And ye are compleat in him which is the Head of Principalities and Powers Christ's Compleatness and Perfection in respect of his Suretiship-Righteousness being accounted to us we are compleat touching our Justification we want nothing our Garment is without Hem and there is no Spot nor Stain in it Thou art all fair my Love and there is no Spot in thee Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair Thou wast exceeding beautiful and thy Renown went forth among the Heathen for thy Beauty for it was perfect through my Comeliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord. Quest Whether is Justification all at once or a continued Act in God Answ 1. I do not believe it is a divided Act as 't is God's Act so it is one Act only but whether it be one entire Act or as one transient Act as if all were 〈◊〉 out with a Pen at once or a continued Act I shall not determine but this I will say He that God accepteth and justifieth in Christ â—one of his Sins shall ever be charged upon him as to that 〈…〉 Wrath and Vengeance that is due to them for as theâ—e is an Imputation of Righteousness unto us so it follows that there is a Non-Imputation of Sin 2. Justification admits of no Degrees tho it should be thought to be a continued Act in God and though in our sight and feeling we may not thus apprehend it through want of Faith and by reason of Satan's Temptations yet as to the Act it self we are never less nor more justified because the Matter of our Justification viz. the Righteousness of Christ is not less or more but always the same and it cannot be lost as I have proved in this Treatise As Christ Brethren was justified at his Resurrection from all Sin that was laid upon him or which met in him on the Cross so all Believers are cleansed and justified from all Guilt and that for ever and this Christ pleads in Heaven for them as often as they sin By one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Object Why doth David say Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified Answ That is in himself no Man can be justified by his own Righteousness in God's sight all must say with Bildad How can Man be justified with God because he hath sinned and daily doth Sin Who dare appear at God's Bar in his own Duties in his own sincere Obedience or in his inherent Holiness No every one must fly to God in Christ and plead his Justification and Discharge through him alone No Man hath any thing to recommend him to God in point of Justification in his sight nor doth he need any other Righteousness to discharge him or to acquit him before God yet we as in our selves must â—â—y with Job If I justify my self my own Mouth shall condemn me 7. Such is the blessed State of those who by the Father are justified through this Salvation that to them the Apostle affirms there is no Condemnation There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus 1. He doth not say there is nothing in them which in its own Nature doth not deserve Condemnation 2. Nor doth he say a true Believer shall never condemn himself pass a Sentence unjustly against himself for that he may do 3. Neither doth he say Satan shall never condemn him but let whoever will condemn such God will not Christ will not and Sin cannot
the Word of that God that cannot lie to assure you of it Do not judg of your Justification according to the degree of your Sanctification as if you were no further justified than you are sanctified or that your Sanctification is any Cause of your Justification nor do not think you are more justified when you are in a lively frame of Duty than at another time when deadness and dulness takes hold of you Object I cannot believe so as to rise to a full perswasion that I am justified and shall be saved though I can relie upon Christ as a poor Sinner for my Justification and Eternal Life Answ 1. Well bless God for that Faith for a full Assurance doth not appertain to the Essence of true Faith but it is the highest degree of it and no doubt many are gone to Heaven that never attained to that degree of true Faith 2. I knew a Godly Minister who told me in his Sickness a little before he died All his Hopes were gone he could not come to Christ as a Saint his Evidences were so clouded this he uttered with Tears as I remember and with no small grief He presently broke forth and said But Brother I can come to him as a poor burdened lost and heavy-laden Sinner and I am sure he will not refuse me or to that purpose If thou canst do so certainly great Peace will come in it is from the weakness of our Faith that a strong and full Perswasion is wanting a direct Act of Faith I am perswaded must needs bring in the greatest Joy and Comfort a looking for all the signs of true Grace in us oft-times confounds a poor Christian If there is no Sin that thou dost allow thy self in but dost hate Sin as Sin and lovest Holiness and art willing to follow Christ in all things according to thy Light and lovest all the Saints of God as such no doubt but thy State is good and safe 3. But remember if thou canst not come to a satisfaction about what I speak in respect of those Signs yet know if thou dost believe i. e. rely upon the Merits and Righteousness of Christ as a poor Sin-sick Sinner all may be well 4. Take heed you do not look for a Righteousness in your selves to recommend you to God or to trust in for Justification Also know that it is not for the sake of Christ's Merits or for the sake of his Righteousness that we are justified but that it is his Righteousness that is the Matter of our Justification alone before God as it is â—puted unto us and received by Faith Christ's Merits render no our Faith and sincere Obedience to be any part of our Righteousâ—ess to Justification in God's sight 't is his Righteousness only which was perfect and no other Righteousness must thou be foâ—nd in in this respect if thou art justified and eternally saved Though 't is true that Man that has true Faith shall find the Effects of it to be such that it will cleansâ— and purify his Heart and Life and that Faith that hath not such Effects and good Fruits to accompany it is a dead Faith as the Apostle James shews HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I Closed the last Day with the tenth Demonstration to prove the Salvation of the Gospel to be Great and Glorious Seventhly Gospel-Salvation is Great and Glorious because it is a full a compleat and a comprehensible Salvation That which I intend hereby is this viz There are all things contained in this Salvation which our 〈…〉 in order to Grace and whatsoever is necessary for us here and eternal Glory hereafter 't is not a barren or a partial Salvation but a fruitful and compleat Salvation it does not require us to make Bâ—â—k and allow us no Straw it doth not command us to believe and give us no Power it is not like the Law that commands perfect Righteousness and condemns all that have it not but gives no Strength to perform it Some there be who seem to preach a strange Gospel they tell you what Christ hath done viz that he hath died c. and done his part in this Salvation and lest Sinners to do their part the Debt is paid you may go out of Poison if you will this they do tell you But alas alas the lest Sinner is bound he is in Chains under the Power of Sin and Satan nay he is dead and what can he do Is his Power greater than the Power of Satan Can he translate himself out of the Power of Darkness into the Kingdom of God's Son Can he by any Power God hath given him quicken himself or raise himself from the Dead No no this is impossible But now say I Gospel-Salvation is a full and comâ—â—â—â— Salvation what is needful and absolutely necessary to be donâ— for the Sinner in order to his having a saving Interest in it Jesus Christ will accomplish nay and he will do it himself he will not â—dmit you to have a Share or a Part in the Salvation of your own Souls for as he knows Sinners are not able to do that which must be done for them and in them if they are interested into the Blessings of this Salvation so he will have and must have all the Glory and Honour of this Salvation himself from the first to the last Christ hath no Partner no Competitor in this great Work I mean in and about the Salvation of our Souls 1. Sinners are you dead dead in Sins and Trespasses Christ is come to quicken you I am come that you might have Life There is in this Salvation Life for dead Sinners Christ hath a certain Water to give that whosoever drinketh of it though he be dead yet he shall live that Water is his Spirit 't is by that by infusing of his Spirit into the dead Soul that the Soul comes to be quickned the Spirit of Christ is his quickning Voice The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Christ is our Life not only as he purchased Life for us but as he by his Spirit infuses it in us The Spirit is that Vital Principle in us You hath he quickned that were dead in Trespasses and Sins And he puts forth his Almighty Power to do this as the Apostle had declared to the Saints at Ephesus just in the Verses before in the first Chapter shewing to them that the same Power is put forth in raising us from a Death in Sin or in working Faith in our Souls that was wrought in Christ when he was raised from he Dead and therefore it is said to be the exceeding Greatness of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power as before Can any Man do this can he raise himself Dead Lazarus might quicken and raise himself as soon out of the Grave as a dead Sinner can
I argue If Grace though never so weak shall be victorious if Grace be such a Blessed Principle such a Spark that Sin nor Satan can't quench such a Seed that no Enemy can get out of the Ground of our Hearts if Grace through the Spirit is Life Eternal Life in the Soul if Grace be the Darling of Heaven hath such great and Almighty Allies if the whole Trinity sate in Council about the Birth of Grace or the Way of its infusion into the Soul if it be the Gift of the Father's Free Love and a part of his Holy Nature if it be wrought in us to shew forth his Praise if Grace be God's great and glorious Workmanship if the Power of God be engaged to preserve it in us if God hath promised to maintain its Life in us if it cannot stand consistent with God's Wisdom Love Faithfulness and Holiness to let it be totally overcome and vanquished in the Souls of his Elect if Christ purchased Grace for us if he was manifest to take away Sin if Christ be the Author and Finisher of Grace in the Soul if the Life of Grace tends so much to the Honour of Christ if Christ's Work now in Heaven is to interceed for the continuation of Grace in us that it may never fail in the Seed or Habit of it Then no true Believer can fall so from Grace as eternally to perish But all this is true therefore no Believer can so fall from Grace as eternally to perish APPLICATION First Of Information 1. First from the whole we may learn that the State of Believers through the Redemption by Jesus Christ is far better than Adam's was by Creation for though we have no natural and inherent Power of our own yet we have a supernatural Power ingaged to help and uphold us we are kept by the Power of God He stood by the Strength of Nature and Power of Free-Will before the Fall We by the Strength of Grace and Power of the Mediator who hath a Charge to uphold us in a State of Grace which was not allowed to Adam nor the Angels we have not only the Word of Grace to encourage us but also the Power of Grace to establish us Adam stood by his own Original Righteousness our standing is by the Suretiship Righteousness and Undertakings of Jesus Christ Who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Adam's Life was in himself our Life is hid in Christ and so out of the Power of our worst Enemies to come at it or deprive us of it and as Adam and all his were condemned so Christ and all his are justified 2. It may inform us that such who make a Profession of Religion without attaining to a State of true Grace and real Union with Christ are in danger of eternal Ruin notwithstanding whatsoever their Knowledg Gifts and common Improvements may be and their Hopes thereupon and that they are of this sort that frequently fall away and perish in their Sins which if well weighed may put every Professor into serious Thoughts and upon a thorow Work of Self-examination about their present Condition and therefore in this respect there is need enough of those Cautions and Take-heeds in the Scripture Let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall How many are there who do but think they stand or that their State is safe and good when in truth they are in no better Condition than the Foolish Virgins or the thorny and stony-ground Professors 3. It also may inform us that all those that shall be saved are such who take care to make their Calling and Election sure It is a palpable Demonstration that they are under strong Delusion who suppose Election only refers to the End and not to the Means or that Men that are elected shall be saved let them live how they please No no the Case is quite otherwise we are elected to be Holy as well as to be Happy the whole Design of God herein being to make us Holy and also to preserve us in a Way and State of Holiness Therefore if thou dost begin well hast obtained true Grace and dost continue in a Way of well-doing or dost bring forth good Fruit and dost not waver nor faint in thy Mind it may be an Evidence that thy State is Good and that thou art one of Christ's Sheep who follow him constantly and wilt so follow him unto the End Secondly This may be Matter of great Comfort to weak Believers and such who may be under spiritual Deadness and feel Corruption too strong for them O do not be discouraged the weakest Grace gives a deadly wound to Sin and a good ground of Hope thy State is safe your Names are written in Heaven which is as our Saviour notes the greatest Cause of Joy which it could not be if their Names might be blotted out again 'T is no wonder Sin is in thee and makes thee mourn when it made Paul to cry out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death 'T is one thing to have the Law of Sin in our Members and to have Sin in our Conversations and another thing to have it reign in us or to have it in our Affections Soul remember that weak Grace weak Faith shall become victorious Thou hast Grace enough in thy Head though thou hast but little in thy Hand O cry to God be much in Prayer that God would give thee more Grace and supply thy Wants and quicken and revive thy Soul as he hath promised A weak Faith renders the Soul as perfectly justified in Christ as the strongest Faith any Man hath whosoever he be and gives a Title to Eternal Life he that had but a weak or a dim Eye that look'd up unto the Brazen Serpent was as well healed as he that had a strong Sight or good Eyes 2. This Doctrine yields much Comfort to the strongest Saint also for if he that hath never so strong and lively Faith might fall finally away and perish what would Regeneration Justification Adoption c. signify to him Would not his Spirits droop and his Fears torment him But here by virtue of the Doctrine of final Perseverance is Comfort both for the Weak and Strong both have equal Interest in Christ in God's Love in the Covenant both are elected both are in Christ's Hand Such who have now a strong Faith had once but a weak Faith it was but a little Seed once and Christ's Charge extends to those that are weak He carries the Lambs in his Arms and the Stock in Christ's Hand is sure and his Promise of supply shall not fail and the Strong cannot stand of themselves Thirdly Caution Judg not of the Truth of thy Grace by the weakness of it a little Gold a Dram is Gold as well as a great Wedg 2. Let not this encourage thee to be negligent or remiss in Duty God