speaking of Baptism is called Illumination And St. Cyprian gives us the Reason because by virtue of Baptism in expiatum pectus ac purum desuper se lumen infundit Light is infused from above into the purified Soul And that this Expression is so to be understood here in the Text as also Chap. 10. 32. the Syriac and Ethiopic give us good ground to believe for they render the Text thus It is impossible for those who have been once baptized and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift And at the 10th Chap. v. 32. which we translate But call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions that is call to mind the former days in which after by Baptism ye had publickly embraced the Profession of Christianity ye were upon that account exposed to many grievous Sufferings and Persecutions So that I think there can be no great doubt but by those that were once enlightned the Apostle means those that were baptized To proceed then 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 these two Expressions seem to denote the Spiritual Benefits and Graces of the Holy Ghost conferred upon Christians by Baptism particularly Regeneration which is the proper work of the Holy Ghost and Justification and Remission of Sins So we find Faith whereby we are justified called the Gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Faith is the gift of God and our Justification is called a Gift and a free Gift five several times in one Chapter Rom. 5. 15 16 17 18. But not as the offence so also is the free gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many and what this free Gift is he tells us in the next words viz. Justification or Remission of Sins v. 16. And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to Condemnation but the free gift is of many offences unto justification For if by one man's offence death reigned by one much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life So that by the Heavenly Gift I understand remission of Sins and by being made partakers of the Holy Ghost the sanctifying Power and Efficacy of God's Spirit And have tasted the good word of God that is entertained the Gospel which is here called the good word of God by reason of the gracious promises contained in it particularly the Promises of Eternal Life and Happiness And the powers of the World to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Powers of the Gospel Age that is the miraculous Powers of the Holy Ghost which were bestowed upon Men in order to the propagation of the Gospel And that this is the true meaning of this Phrase will I think be very plain to any one who shall but consider that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally in Scripture used for miraculous Powers and Operations and particularly to express the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost which were bestowed upon the Apostles and first Christians I need not cite the particular Texts for the proof of this they are so many and so well known And then if we consider farther that the times of the Gospel the days of the Messias are frequently called by the Jews Seculum futurum The Age to come And indeed this is the very Phrase used by the LXX concerning our Saviour Isa 9. 6. where he is called according to our Translation The Everlasting Father but according to that of the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the future Age. And this very Phrase is used once more in this Epistle to the Heb. ch 2. 5. For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the World to come whereof we now speak He had said before that the Law was given by Angels v. 2. If the word spoken by Angels was stedfast but the dispensation of the Gospel which he calls The World to come or the future Age was not committed to them this was administred by the Son of God Vnto the Angels hath he not put into subjection the World to come And 't is observable that this Phrase is only used in this Epistle to the Hebrews because the Jews very well understood the meaning of it being that whereby they commonly exprest the times of the Gospel according to that ancient Tradition of the House of Elias which distributed the duration of the World into three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ages the Age before the Law the Age under the Law and the Age of the Messias which they called the Seculum futurum or the Age to come and which is likewise in Scripture called The last days or times and the conclusion of the Ages Concerning which it was particularly prophesied that the Holy Ghost should be poured forth upon Men in miraculous Gifts and Powers And to this very purpose the Prophet Joel is cited by St. Peter Acts 2. 16 17. This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie c. From all which it is very evident that by tasting the powers of the World to come is meant being partakers of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost which were poured forth in the Gospel Age by the Jews commonly called The World to come If they shall fall away that is if after all this they shall apostatize from this Profession out of love to this present World or from the fear of Persecutions and Sufferings It is impossible to renew them again to Repentance that is it is a thing very difficult hardly to be hoped for that such wilful and notorious Apostates should be restored again by Repentance For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate Impossible is not always to be taken in the strictest sense for that which absolutely cannot be but many times for that which is so very difficult that it seems next to an impossibility So our Saviour that which in one place he calls exceeding hard viz. for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven he afterwards calls impossible with Men and so here I understand the Apostle that those who apostatize from Christianity after Baptism and the benefits of it 'T is exceeding hard to recover them again to Repentance This Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to renew them again to Repentance some understand of restoring them again to
The most Râ—verend Dr. IOHN TILLOTSON late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury R. White sculp Several Discourses Viz. Proving Jesus to be the Messias The Prejudices against Jesus and his Religion consider'd Jesus the Son of God proved by his Resurrection The Danger of Apostacy from Christianity Christ the Author Obedience the Condition of Salvation The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with free Grace The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles The Difficulties of a Christian Life consider'd The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Children of this World wiser than the Children of Light By the Most Reverend Dr. JOHN TILLOTSON Late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Being The FIFTH VOLUME Published from the Originals By Ralph Barker D. D. Chaplain to his Grace LONDON Printed for Ri. Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard 1698. THE CONTENTS Of the Fifth Volume SERM. I. Proving Jesus to be the Messias MATTH XI 2 3 4 5 6. NOW when John had heard in Prison the works of Christ he sent two of his Disciples and said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again these things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Page I. SERM. II III. The Prejudices against Christianity consider'd MATTH XI 6. And blessed is he whosover shall not be offended in me p. 47 91. SERM. IV. Jesus the Son of God prov'd by his Resurrection ROM I. 4. And declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead p. 127. SERM. V. The danger of Apostacy from Christianity 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 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afâ—â—sh and put him to an open shame p. 155. SERM. VI. Christ the Author and Obedience the Condition of Salvation HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Authâ—â— of eternal salvation unto all them thaâ— obey him p. 197. SERM. VII The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with free Grace HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him p. 231. SERM. VIII The Authority of Jesus Christ with the Commission and Promise which he gave to his Apostles MAT. XXVIII 18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World p. 265. SERM. IX The Difficulties of a Christian Life consider'd LUKE XIII 24. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able p. 301. SERM. X XI The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus LUKE XVI 19 20. There was a certain Rich Man which was cloathed in Purple and fine Linen and fared sumptuously every day And there was a certain Beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of Sores p. 343 379. SERM. XII The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus LUKE XVI 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded tho' one rose from the dead p. 417. SERM. XIII The Children of this World wiser than the Children of Light LUKE XVI 8. For the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light p. 447. SERMON I. Vol. V. Proving Jesus to be the Messias MATTH XI 2 3 4 5 6. Now when John had heard in Prison the works of Christ he sent two of his Disciples and said unto him Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Jesus answered and said unto them go and shew John again these things which ye do hear and see The Blind receive their sight and the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and the Deaf hear the Dead are raised up and the Poor have the Gospel preached unto them And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me ABOUT the time of our Saviour's appearing in the World there was a general expectation of a Great Prince that should come out of Judea and govern all Nations This the Gentiles had from the Prophecies of the Sybils which spake of a great King that was to appear in the World about that time So Virgil tells us that the time of Augustus was the utmost date of that Prophecy Vltima Cumaei venit jam carminis aetas And Suetonius tells us that all over the Eastern Countries there was an ancient and constant Tradition that such a Prince should spring out of Judea And for this Reason it is that our Saviour is call'd by the Prophet the Expectation of the Nations But more especially among the Jews there was at that time a more lively and particular expectation grounded upon the Predictions of their Prophets of a Prince whom they call'd the Messias or the Anointed and those who were more devout among them did at that time wait for his appearance as it is said of Simeon that he waited for the consolation of Israel Hence it was that when John the Baptist appeared in the quality of an extraordinary Prophet they sent from Jerusalem to enquire whether he were the Messias John 1. 19. The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who art thou And he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ The Sanhedrim to whom it belonged to judge who were true Prophets sent to know whether he was the Messias or not He would not take this honour to himself but told them the Messias was just at hand and the next day when Jesus came to be baptized of him he bare record that he was the Son of God and that he saw the Spirit descending and abiding upon him So that it is plain that he knew him and bare witness of him which makes it the more strange that here in the Text he should send two of his Disciples to enquire whether he were the Messias or not Art thou he that should come or do we look for another That is art thou the Messias or not for so he is call'd in the ancient Prophecies of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the World and conclude from the Inconveniencies of abused Liberty that the best State of things would be that the generality of Mankind should be all Slaves to a few and be perpetually chained to the Oar or condemned to the Mines There are many times as bad Consequences of good things as of bad but yet there is a great difference between good and bad for all that As Knowledge and Liberty so likewise the Christian Religion is a great Happiness to the World in general though some are so unhappy as to be the worse for it not because Religion is bad but because they are so 4. If Religion be a matter of Mens free Choice it is not to be expected that it should necessarily and constantly have its Effect upon Men for it works upon us not by way of Force or natural Necessity but of Moral Perswasion If Religion and the Grace of God which goes along with it did force Men to be good and virtuous and no Man could be so unless he were thus violently forc'd then it would be no Virtue in any Man to be good nor any Crime and Fault to be otherwise For then the Reason why some Men were good would be because they could not help it and others bad because the Grace of God did not make them so whether they would or not But Religion does not thus work upon Men. It directs Men to their Duty by the shortest and plainest Precepts of a good Life it perswades Men to the Obedience of these Precepts by the Promises of Eternal Happiness and the Threatnings of Eternal Misery in case of obstinate Disobedience it offers us the Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit to help our Weakness and enable us to that for which we are not sufficient of our selves But there is nothing of Violence or Necessity in all this After all Men may disobey these Precepts and not be perswaded by these Arguments may not make use of this Grace which God offers may quench and resist the Holy Ghost and reject the Counsel of God against themselves And the Case being thus it is no wonder if the Temptations of this present World prevail upon the vicious Inclinations of Men against their Duty and their true Interest and consequently if the Motiyes and Arguments of the Christiane Religion have not a constant and certain Effect upon a great part of Mankind Not but that Christianity is apt to bring Men to Goodness but some are so obstinately bad as not to be wrought upon by the most powerful Considerations it can offer to them 5. It cannot be denyed but that Christianity is as well framed to make Men good as any Religion can be imagined to be and therefore where-ever the Fault be it cannot be in the Christian Religion that we are not good So that the bad Lives of Christians are no sufficient Objection either against the Truth or Goodness of the Christian Doctrine Besides the Confirmation that was given to it by Miracles the Excellency of the Doctrine and its proper Tendency to make Men holy and virtuous are a plain Evidence of its Divine and Heavenly Original And surely the Goodness of any Religion consists in the sufficiency of its Precepts to direct Men to their Duty in the force of its Arguments to perswade Men to it and the suitableness of its Aids and Helps to enable us to the Discharge and Performance of it And all these Advantages the Christian Religion hath above any Religion or Institution that ever was in the World The reasonable and plain Rules of a good Life are no where so perfectly collected as in the Discourses of our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles No Religion ever gave Men so full Assurance of the mighty Rewards and Punishments of another World nor such gracious Promises of Divine Assistance and such Evidence of it especially in the Piety and Virtue and Patience and Self-denyal of the Primitive Christians as the Doctrine of God our Saviour hath done which teacheth Men to deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present World in contemplation of the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to hiwself a peculiar People zealous of good Works 6. and lastly After all that hath or can be said it must be acknowledged and ought sadly to be lamented by us that the wicked Lives of Christians are a marvellous Scandal and Reproach to our Holy Religion and a great Obstacle to the spreading of it in the World and a real Objection against it to prejudiced Persons with whom it doth justly bring into doubt the Goodness and Efficacy of the Institution it self to see how little Effect it hath upon the Hearts and Lives of Men. It is hard for a Man to maintain the Reputation of an excellent Master in any kind when all the World sees that most of his Scholars prove Dunces Whatever Commendation may be given to any Art or Science Men will question the Truth and Reality of it when they see the greatest part of those who profess it not able to do any thing answerable to it The Christian Religion pretends to be an Art of serving God more decently and devoutly and of living better than other Men but if it be so why do not the Professors of this excellent Religion shew the Force and Virtue of it in their Lives And though I have sufficiently shewn that this is not enough to overthrow the Truth and disparage the Excellency of the Christian Doctrine yet it will certainly go a great way with prejudiced Persons and it cannot be expected otherwise So that we have infinite Reason to be ashamed that there is so plain a contrariety between the Laws of Christianity and the Lives of the greatest part of Christians so notorious and palpable a difference between the Religion that is in the Bible and that which is to be seen and read in the Conversations of Men. Who that looks upon the Manners of the present Age could believe if he did not know it that the holy and pure Doctrine of the Christian Religion had ever been so much as heard much less pretended to be entertained and believed among us Nay among those who seem to make a more serious Profession of Religion when we consider how strangely they allow themselves in Malice and Envy in Passion and Anger and Uncharitable Censures and evil Speaking in fierce Contentions and Animosities who would believe that the great Instrument of these Mens Religion I mean the Holy Bible by which they profess to regulate and govern their Lives were full of plain and strict Precepts of Love and Kindness of Charity and Peace and did a hundred times with all imaginable Severity and under pain of forfeiting the Kingdom of God forbid Malice and Envy and Revenge and evil speaking and rash and uncharitable Censures and
here speaks of This may be bad enough and the greater Sins any Man who professeth himself a Christian lives in the more notoriously he contradicts his Profession and falls off from Christianity and the nearer he approacheth to the Sin in the Text and the danger there threatned but yet for all that this is not that which the Apostle speaks of 4thly But it is a total Apostacy from the Christian Religion more especially to the Heathen Idolatry the renouncing of the true God and our Saviour and the Worship of false Gods which the Apostle here speaks of And this will be evident if we consider the occasion and main scope of this Epistle And that was to confirm the Jews who had newly embraced Christianity in the profession of that Religion and to keep them from apostatizing from it because of the Persecutions and Sufferings which attended that Profession It pleased God when Christianity first appeared in the World to permit the Powers of the World to raise a vehement Persecution against the Professors of it by reason whereof many out of base fear did apostatize from it and in testimony of their renouncing it were forced to Sacrifice to the Heathen Idols This is that which the Apostle endeavours to caution and arm Men against throughout this Epistle Ch. 2. 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should fall away And Chap. 3. 12. it is call'd an evil heart of Vnbelief to apostatize from the living God Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of Vnbelief to depart from the living God that is to fall from the Worship of the true God to Idolatry And Chap. 10. 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering not forsaking the assembling of our selves together that is not declining the Assemblies of Christians for fear of Persecution and v. 26. it is call'd a sinning wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth and v. 39. a drawing back to Perdition And Ch. 12. it is call'd by way of Eminency the Sin which so easily besets the Sin which in those times of Persecution they were so liable to And I doubt not but this is the Sin which St. John speaks of and calls the Sin unto Death and does not require Christians to pray for those who fall into it with any assurance that it shall be forgiven 1 John 5. 16. There is a Sin unto Death I do not say that he shall pray for it All Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin not unto Death We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not that is does not fall into the Sin of Apostacy from Christianity to that of the Heathen Idolatry But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not And then v. 21. he adds this Caution Little Chrildren keep your selves from Idols Which sufficiently shews what that Sin was which he was speaking of before So that this being the Sin which the Apostle design'd to caution Men against throughout this Epistle it is very evident what falling away it is he here speaks of namely a total Apostacy from Christianity and more especially to the Heathen Idolatry 5thly We will consider the Reason of the difficulty of Recovering such Persons by Repentance If they fall away it is extremely difficult to renew them again to Repentance and that for these three Reasons 1. Because of the greatness and heinousness of the Sin 2. Because it renounceth and casteth off the means of Recovery 3. Because it is so high a Provocation of God to withdraw his Grace from such Persons 1. Because of the greatness and heinousness of the Sin both in the Nature and Circumstances of it It is a downright Apostacy from God a direct renouncing of him and rejecting of his Truth after Men have owned it and been inwardly perswaded and convinced of it and so the Apostle expresseth it in this Epistle calling it an Apostacy from the living God a sinning wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth It hath all the Aggravations that a Crime is capable of being against the clearest Light and Knowledge and the fullest Conviction of a Man's Mind concerning the Truth and Goodness of that Religion which he renounceth against the greatest Obligations laid upon him by the Grace and Mercy of the Gospel after the free Pardon of Sins and the Grace and Assistance of God's Spirit received and a miraculous Power conferr'd for a Witness and Testimony to themselves of the undoubted Truth of that Religion which they have embraced It is the highest Affront to the Son of God who revealed this Religion to the World and sealed it with his Blood and in effect an expression of as high Malice to the Author of this Religion as the Jews were guilty of when they put him to so cruel and shameful a Death Now a Sin of this heinous Nature is apt naturally either to plunge Men into hardness and impenitency or to drive them to despair and either of these Conditions are effectual Barrs to their Recovery And both these Dangers the Apostle warns Men of in this Epistle Ch. 3. 12 13. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Vnbelief to apostatize from the living God but exhort one another daily whilst it is call'd to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of Sin Or else the Reflection upon so horrid a Crime is apt to drive a Man to Despair as it did Judas who after he had betray'd the Son of God could find no ease but by making away himself the guilt of so great a Sin fill'd him with such Terrors that he was glad to flye to Death for Refuge and to lay violent hands upon himself And this likewise was the Case of Spira whose Apostacy though it was not total from the Christian Religion but only from the Purity and Reformation of it brought him to that desperation of Mind which was a kind of Hell upon Earth And of this danger likewise the Apostle admonisheth Ch. 12. 15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God or as it is in the Margine lest any Man fall from the Grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and then he compares the Case of such Persons to Esau who when he had renounced his Birth-right to which the Blessing was annex'd was afterwards when he would have inherited the Blessing rejected and found no place of Repentance though he sought it carefully with Tears 2dly Those who are guilty of this Sin do renounce and cast off the means of their Recovery and therefore it becomes extreamly difficult to renew them again to Repentance They reject the Gospel which affords the best Arguments and Means to Repentance and renounce the only way of Pardon and Forgiveness And certainly that Man is in
in our selves Not secure because there is great danger that our Resolution may be born down one time or other by the Assaults of Temptation if we be not continually vigilant and upon our Guard Not confident in our selves because we stand by Faith and Faith is the gift of God therefore as the Apostle infers we should not be high minded but fear Men may have gone a great way in Christianity and have been sincere in the Profession of it and yet afterwards may apostatize in the foulest manner not only fall off to a vicious Life but even desert the Profession of their Religion I would to God the Experience of the World did not give us too much Reason to believe the Possibility of this When we see so many revolt from the Profession of the reformed Religion to the Corruptions and Superstitions of Rome And others from a religious and sober Life to plunge themselves into all kind of Lewdness and Debauchery and it is to be feared into Atheism and Infidelity Can we doubt any longer whether it be possible for Christians to fall away I wish we were as certain of the possibility of their Recovery as we are of their Falling and that we had as many Examples of the one as of the other Let us then be very vigilant over our selves and according to the Apostle's Exhortation 2 Pet. 3. 17. Seeing we know these things before beware lest we also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from our own stedfastness 2dly This shews us how great an Aggravation it is for Men to Sin against the Means of Knowledge which the Gospel affords and the Mercies which it offers unto them That which aggravated the Sin of these Persons was that after they were once enlightned that is at their Baptism were instructed in the Christian Doctrine the clearest and most perfect Revelation that ever was made of God's Will to Mankind that after they were justified freely by God's Grace and had received Remission of Sins and had many other Benefits conferred upon them that after all this they should fall off from this Holy Religion This was that which did so heighten and enflame their Guilt and made their Case so near desperate The two great aggravations of Crimes are Wilfulness and Ingratitude if a Crime be wilfully committed and committed against one that hath obliged us by the greatest Favours and Benefits Now he commits a fault wilfully who does it against the clear knowledge of his Duty Ignorance excuseth for so far as a Man is ignorant of the Evil he does so far the Action is involuntary but knowledge makes it to be a wilful Fault And this is a more peculiar Aggravation of the Sins of Christians because God hath afforded them the greatest means and opportunities of Knowledge that Revelation which God hath made of his Will to the World by our Blessed Saviour is the clearest Light that ever Mankind had and the mercies which the Gospel brings are the greatest that ever were offer'd to the Sons of Men the free Pardon and Remission of all our Sins and the assistance of God's Grace and Holy Spirit to help the weakness of our Nature and enable us to do what God requires of us So that we who sin after Baptism after the knowledge of Christianity and those great Blessings which the Gospel bestows on Mankind are of all Persons in the World the most inexcusable The Sins of Heathens bear no proportion to ours because they never enjoyed those means of Knowledge never had those Blessings conferred upon them which Christians are Partakers of so that we may apply to our selves those severe words of the Apostle in this Epistle How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Hear how our Saviour aggravates the Faults of Men upon this account of the wilfulness of them and their being committed against the express Knowledge of God's Will Luke 12. 47 48. The Servant which knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes for unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required and to whom Men have committed much of him they will ask the more The Means and Mercies of the Gospel are so many Talents committed to our Trust of the neglect whereof a severe Account will be taken at the Day of Judgment If we be wilful Offenders there is no Excuse for us and little hopes of Pardon If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth says the Apostle in this Epistle there remains no more sacrifice for sin I know the Apostle speaks this particularly of the Sin of Apostacy from Christianity but it is in proportion true of all other Sins which those who have received the Knowledge of the Truth are guilty of They who after they have entertained Christianity and made some progress in it and been in some measure reformed by it do again relapse into any vicious course do thereby render their Condition very dangerous So St. Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them Therefore we may do well to consider seriously what we do when under the Means and Opportunities of Knowledge which the Gospel affords us and the inestimable Blessings and Favours which it confers upon us we live in any wicked and vicious course Our Sins are not of a common rate when they have so much of Wilfulness and Unworthiness in them If Men shall be severely punish'd for living against the Light of Nature what vengeance shall be poured on those who offend against the Glorious Light of the Gospel This is the Condemnation that Light is come c. 3dly The Consideration of what hath been said is Matter of Comfort to those who upon every Failing and Infirmity are afraid they have committed the unpardonable Sin and that it is impossible for them to be restor'd by Repentance There are many who being of a dark and melancholy Temper are apt to represent things worse to themselves than there is reason for and do many times fancy themselves guilty of great Crimes in the doing or neglecting of those things which in their nature are indifferent and are apt to aggravate and blow up every little Infirmity into an unpardonable Sin Most Men are apt to extenuate their Sins and not to be sensible enough of the Evil and Heinousness of them but it is the peculiar Infelicity of Melancholy Persons to look upon their Faults as blacker and greater than in truth they are and whatsoever they hear and read in Scripture that is spoken against the grossest and
Lives remembring that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God I will conclude with the words of the Apostle immediately after the Text The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And how gladly would I add the next words But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak SERMON VI. Christ the Author and Obedience the Condition of Salvation HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him THIS is spoken of Christ our great High Priest under the Gospel upon the Excellency of whose Person and the Efficacy of his Sacrifice for the Eternal Benefit and Salvation of Mankind the Apostle insists so largely in this and the following Chapters but the Summ of all is briefly comprehended in the Text that our High Priest being made perfect became the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him In which words we have these four things considerable 1st The great Blessing and Benefit here spoken of and that is Eternal Salvation and this implies in it not only our Deliverance from Hell and Redemption from Eternal Misery but the obtaining of Eternal Life and Happiness for us 2dly The Author of this great Blessing and Benefit to Mankind and that is Jesus Christ the Son of God who is here represented to us under the notion of our High Priest who by making Atonement for us and reconciling us to God is said to be the Author of Eternal Salvation to Mankind 3dly The Way and Means whereby he became the Author of our Salvation being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having consummated his work and finish'd his Course and receiv'd the Reward of it For this word hath an allusion to those that run in a Race where he that wins receives the Crown And to this the Apostle plainly alludes Phil. 3. 12. where he says not as though I had already attained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as if I had already taken hold of the Prize but I am pressing or reaching forward towards it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or were already perfect that is not as if I had finish'd my Course or had the Prize or Crown in my hand but I am pressing forward towards it In like manner our blessed Saviour when he had finish'd the Course of his Humiliation and Obedience which was accomplish'd in his Sufferings and had receiv'd the Reward of them being risen from the Dead and exalted to the Right Hand of God and crown'd with Glory and Honour he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made perfect and therefore when he was giving up the Ghost upon the Cross he said John 19. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is finish'd or perfected that is he had done all that was necessary to be done by way of suffering for our Redemption And the same word is likewise used Luke 13. 32. concerning our Saviour's Sufferings I do cures to day and to morrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the third day I shall be perfected this he spake concerning his own death And therefore Chap. 2. 10. God is said to make the Captain of our Salvation perfect through Sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus our High Priest being made perfect in this Sense that is having finish'd his Course which was accomplished in his Sufferings and having received the Reward of them in being exalted at the Right Hand of God he became the Author of Eternal Salvation to us 4thly You have here the qualification of the Persons who are made Partakers of this great Benefit or the Condition upon which it is suspended and that is Obedience He became the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him These are the main things contained in the Text. For the fuller Explication whereof I shall take into consideration these five things 1st How and by what means Christ is the Author of our Salvation 2dly What Obedience the Gospel requires as a Condition and is pleased to accept as a Qualification in those who hope for eternal Salvation 3dly We will consider the possibility of performing this Condition by that Grace and Assistance which is offer'd and ready to be afforded to us by the Gospel 4thly The necessity of this Obedience in order to Eternal Life and Happiness And 5thly I shall shew that this is no prejudice to the Law of Faith and the free Grace and Mercy of God declared in the Gospel 1st We will consider how and by what means Christ is the Author of our Salvation and this is contain'd in these words Being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation that is as I told you before having finish'd his Course which was accomplish'd in his last Sufferings and having received the Reward of them being exalted at the right hand of God he became the Author of eternal Salvation to us so that by all that he did and suffer'd for us in the days of his Flesh and in the state of his Humiliation and by all that he still continues to do for us now that he is in Heaven at the right hand of God he hath effected and brought about the great Work of our Salvation His Doctrine and his Life his Death and Sufferings his Resurrection from the Dead and his powerful Intercession for us at the Right Hand of God have all a great influence upon the reforming and saving of Mankind and by all these Ways and Means he is the Author and Cause of our Salvation as a Rule and as a Pattern as a Price and Propitiation and as a Patron and Advocate that is continually pleading our Cause and interceding with God on our behalf for mercy and grace to help in time of need And indeed our condition requir'd an High Priest who was qualified in all these respects for the recovery of Mankind out of that corrupt and degenerate state into which it was sunk an High Priest whose lips should preserve knowledge and from whose mouth we might learn the Law of God whose life should be a perfect Pattern of Holiness to us and his Death a propitiation for the sins of the whole World and by whose Grace and Assistance we should be endowed with Power and Strength to mortifie our Lusts and to perfect Holiness in the Fear of God and therefore such an High Priest became us who was holy harmless undefiled and separate from Sinners who might have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way and being himself compast with infirmities might have the feeling of ours being in all points tempted as we are only without sin and in a word might be able to
he should continue for some time in the Resolution and Practice of a holy and virtuous Life and afterwards fall off from it and turn from the holy Commandment deliver'd unto him his latter end would be worse than his beginning all his righteousness that he hath done would not be remember'd he should die in his iniquity For without holiness no man shall see the Lord. If any man draw back God's Soul will have no pleasure in him This is so very clear and plain from Scripture that no Man can entertain a contrary perswasion without contradicting the whole tenor of the Bible The Sum of what I have said is this that a virtual Obedience and sincere Faith and Repentance are sufficient where there is no time and opportunity for actual Obedience and the practice of a holy Life but where there is opportunity for actual Obedience and the continued practice of a good Life and perseverance therein they are indispensably necessary in order to our Eternal Salvation and a well-grounded hope and assurance of it 2dly There is a perfect and there is a sincere Obedience Perfect Obedience consists in the exact Conformity of our hearts and lives to the Law of God without the least imperfection and without failing in any point or degree of our Duty And this Obedience as it is not consistent with the frailty and infirmity of corrupt Nature and the imperfection of our present State so neither doth God require it of us as a necessary Condition of Eternal Life We are indeed commanded to be perfect as our Father which is in Heaven is perfect But we are not to understand this strictly and rigorously for that is not only impossible to Men in this present State of Imperfection but absolutely impossible to Humane Nature for Men to be perfect as God is perfect but the plain meaning of this Precept is that we should imitate those Divine Perfections of Goodness and Mercy and Patience and Purity and endeavour to be as like God in all these as we can and be still aspiring after a nearer resemblance of him as may be evident to any one who considers the connexion and occasion of these words By a sincere Obedience I mean such a conformity of our lives and actions to the Law of God as to the general course and tenour of them that we do not live in the habitual practice of any known Sin or in the customary neglect of any material and considerable part of our known Duty and that we be not wilfully and deliberately guilty of the single act of heinous and notorious Sins as I have formerly explained this matter more at large in another Discourse And this Obedience even in the best of Men is mixt with great Frailty and Imperfection but yet because it is the utmost that we can do in this State of Infirmity and Imperfection the terms of the Gospel are so merciful and gracious as that God is pleased for the sake of the meritorious Obedience and Sufferings of our Blessed Saviour to accept this sincere though imperfect Obedience and to reward it with Eternal Life And this I doubt not after all the intricate disputes and infinite Controversies about this business is the true and clear state of this matter And this sincere Obedience which the Gospel requires of us as a Condition of our Happiness though it be sometimes called by Divines Evangelical Perfection yet it is but very improperly so called for nothing is properly perfect to which any thing is wanting and great defects and imperfections must needs be acknowledged in the Obedience of the best and holiest Men upon Earth and they who pretend to Perfection in this Life do neither understand the Law of God nor themselves but as St. John says of such Persons they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them and besides other Imperfections these two are evident in them Ignorance and Pride And thus much may suffice to have spoken to this second Particular namely what Obedience the Gospel requires as a Condition and is pleased to accept as a Qualification for Eternal Life SERMON VII The Possibility and Necessity of Gospel Obedience and its consistence with free Grace HEB. V. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him FOR the Explication of these Words I propos'd to consider these Five Things 1st How and by what Means Christ is the Author of our Salvation 2dly What Obedience the Gospel requires as a Condition and is pleased to accept as a Qualification in those who hope for eternal Salvation 3dly The Possibility of our performing this Condition by that Grace and Assistance which is offer'd and ready to be afforded to us by the Gospel 4thly The Necessity of this Obedience in order to eternal Life and Happiness 5thly The Consistency of this method and means of our Salvation with the Law of Faith and the free Grace and Mercy of God declared in the Gospel I have handled the Two first of these and now proceed to the Third Thing I propos'd to consider viz. The possibility of our performing this Condition by that Grace and Assistance which is offer'd and ready to be afforded to us by the Gospel For if Christ be the Author of eternal Salvation only to those who obey him then those who live in disobedience to the Gospel are in a state of Damnation But there cannot be the guilt of Disobedience where Obedience is impossible no Man being guilty or justly liable to Punishment for the not doing of that which it was no ways possible for him to do Therefore the Covenant of the Gospel into which God is entred with Mankind doth necessarily suppose the possibility of performing the Condition of it otherwise it leaves them in as bad a Condition as they were in before because it only offers new Blessings and Benefits to us but sets us never the nearer the obtaining of them if so be the Condition upon which they are granted be altogether impossible to us nay it renders our State many degrees worse if our not performing the Condition of such gracious Offers bring us under new and greater guilt If it be said that some few Persons have great Benefit by it because they by an especial and effectual Grace shall be enabled to perform the Conditions of this Covenant is not this a mighty straitning to the Grace and Mercy of the Gospel to confine it within so narrow a compass as still to leave the greatest part of Mankind in a worse Condition than if Salvation had never been offer'd to them As it certainly does if as this Doctrine does necessarily suppose the Guilt and Punishment of Men shall be greatly increased and heightned by their Contempt of and Disobedience to the Gospel when at the same time it is acknowledged that it was not possible for those Men to obey it for want of that special and effectual Grace which is necessary to enable them thereto
for the blessed sight and enjoyment of God who is the Cause and Fountain of Happiness I come in the Fifth and last place To shew that this Method and Means of our Salvation is no prejudice to the Law of Faith and to the free Grace and Mercy of God declared in the Gospel The Gospel is called the Law of Faith and the Law of Grace in opposition to the Jewish Dispensation which is called the Law or Covenant of Works because it consisted so much in external Rites and Observances which were but types and shadows of good things to come as the Apostle calls them in this Epistle and which when they were come that Law did expire of it self and was out of date the obligation and observance of it was no longer necessary but a better Covenant which was establish'd upon better Promises came in the place of it and Men were justified by Faith that is by sincerely embracing the Christian Religion and were no longer under an obligation to that external and servile and imperfect Dispensation which consisted in Circumcision and in almost an endless number of external Ceremonies These are the works of the Law so often spoken of by St. Paul concerning which the Jews had not only an opinion of the necessity of them to a Man's Justification and Salvation but likewise of the Merit of them in opposition to both which opinions St. Paul calls the Covenant of the Gospel the Law of Faith and the Law of Grace But there is no where the least intimation given either by our Saviour or his Apostles that Obedience to the Precepts of the Gospel which are in substance the Moral Law cleared and perfected is not necessary to our acceptance with God and the obtaining of Eternal Life but on the contrary 't is our Saviour's express Direction to the young Man who ask'd what good thing he should do that he might obtain Eternal Life If thou wilt says he enter into Life keep the Commandments and that he might understand what Commandments he meant he instanceth in the Precepts of the Moral Law And indeed the whole tenour of our Saviour's Sermons and the Precepts and Writings of the Apostles are full and express to this purpose Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine that is these Precepts which I have delivered and doth them not I will liken him to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him In Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith that is acted and inspired by Charity And that the Apostle here means that Charity or Love which is the fulfilling of the Law is evident from what he says elsewhere that neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but the keeping of the Commandments of God In which Text it is plain that the Apostle speaks of the terms of our Justification and what is available with God to that purpose And St. James to the same purpose tells us that by the works of Obedience our Faith is made perfect and that Faith without Works is dead and surely a dead Faith will neither justifie nor save any Man St. John likewise very earnestly cautions us to take heed of any such Doctrine as would take away the necessity of Righteousness and Obedience Little Children says he let no man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is righteous as he is righteous To all which I shall only add the plain words of my Text that Christ became the Author of eternal Salvation to them that obey him So that no Man hath reason to fear that this Doctrine of the necessity of Obedience to our Acceptance with God and the obtaining of eternal life should be any ways prejudicial to the Law of Faith and the Law of Grace For so long as these three things are but asserted and secured 1st That Faith is the Root and Principle of Obedience and a holy Life and that without it it is impossible to please God 2dly That we stand continually in need of the Divine Grace and Assistance to enable us to perform that Obedience which the Gospel requires of us and is pleased to accept in order to eternal life And 3dly That the forgiveness of our Sins and the Reward of eternal Life are founded in the free Grace and Mercy of God conferring these Blessings upon us not for the merit of our Obedience but only for the merit and satisfaction of the Obedience and Sufferings of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer I say so long as we assert these three things we give all that the Gospel any where ascribes to Faith and to the Grace of God revealed in the Gospel I have been careful to express these things more fully and distinctly that no Man may imagine that whilst we assert the Necessity of Obedience and a Holy Life we have any design to derogate in the least from the Faith and the Grace of God but only to engage and encourage Men to Holiness and a good Life by convincing them of the absolute and indispensable necessity of it in order to eternal Salvation For all that I have said is in plain English no more but this that it is necessary for a Man to be a good Man that he may get to Heaven and whoever finds fault with this Doctrine finds fault with the Gospel it self and the main end and design of the Grace of God therein revealed to Mankind which offers Salvation to Men upon no other terms than these which I have mentioned and to preach and press this Doctrine is certainly if any thing in the World can be so to pursue the great End and Design of the Christian Religion so plainly and expresly declared by St. Paul Tit. 2. 11 12. The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World And if the Grace of God declared in the Gospel have this effect upon us then we may with Confidence wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works and then he adds these things teach and exhort and rebuke with all Authority that is declare and inculcate this Doctrine and rebuke severely those who teach or practise contrary to it And he repeats it again with a more vehement Charge to Titus to press upon Men the necessity of
Temptations of a wicked World and are possest of so great a Happiness by the free Grace and Mercy of God to do any thing whereby they may forfeit their Happiness or so much as to entertain a Thought of offending that God to whom they cannot but be sensible how infinitely they are obliged In this imperfect state few Men have so little Goodness as to sin without a Temptation but in that state where Men are perfectly good and can have no Temptation to be otherwise it is not imaginable that they should fall from that state 2. As to the state of the damned that that likewise is immutable the Scripture does seem plainly enough to assert when it calls it an everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and uses such Expressions to set forth the continuance of their Misery as signifie the longest and most interminable Duration expressions of as great an Extent as those which are used to signifie the Eternal Happiness of the blessed and as large and unlimited as any are to be had in those Languages wherein the Scriptures are written Besides that wicked Men in the other World are in Scripture represented as in the same Condition with the Devils of whom there is no ground to believe that any of them ever did or will repent Not because Repentance is impossible in it's own nature to those that are in extream Misery but because there is no place left for it Being under an irreversible Doom there is no encouragement to Repentance no hope of Mercy and Pardon without which Repentance is impossible For if a Man did utterly despair of Pardon and were assured upon good ground that God would never shew Mercy to him in this case a Man would grow desperate and not care what he did He that knows that whatever he does he is miserable and undone will not matter how he demeans himself All motives to Repentance are gone after a Man once knows it will be to no purpose And this the Scripture seems to represent to us as the case of the Devils and damned Spirits Because their state is finally determined and they are concluded under an irreversible Sentence therefore Repentance is impossible to them Sorry no doubt they are and heartily troubled that by their own Sin and Folly they have brought this Misery upon themselves and they cannot but conceive an everlasting Displeasure against themselves for having been the Cause and Authors of their own Ruin and the Reflection upon this will be a perpetual spring of Discontent and fill their Minds with eternal Rage and Vexation and so long as they feel the intolerable Punishments of Sin and groan under the insupportable Torments of it and see no end of this miserable State no hope of getting out of it they can be no otherwise affected than with Discontent at themselves and Rage and Fury against God They are indeed penitent so far as to be troubled at themselves for what they have done but this Trouble works no Change and Alteration in them they still hate God who inflicts these Punishments upon them and who they believe is determined to continue them in this miserable state The present Anguish of their Condition and their despair of bettering it makes them mad and their Minds are so distracted by the wildness of their Passions and their Spirits so exasperated and set on Fire by their own giddy Motions that there can be no rest and silence in their Souls not so much as the liberty of one calm and sedate Thought Or if at any time they reflect upon the evil of their Sins and should entertain any thought of returning to God and their Duty they are presently checkt with this Consideration that their case is determined that God is implacably offended with them and is inexorably and peremptorily resolved to make them miserable for ever and during this Perswasion no Man can return to the love of God and Goodness without which there can be no Repentance This Consideration of the immutable state of Men after this Life should engage us with all seriousness and diligence to endeavour to secure our future Happiness God hath set before us good and evil Life and Death and we may yet chuse which we please but in the other World we must stand to that Choice which we have made here and inherit the Consequences of it By Sin Mankind is brought into a miserable State but our Condition is not desperate and past Remedy God hath sent his Son to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Remission of Sins So that tho' our Case be bad it need not continue so if it be not our own fault There is a possibility now of changing our Condition for the better and of laying the foundation of a perpetual Happiness for our selves The Grace of God calls upon us and is ready to assist us so that no Man's Case is so bad but there is a possibility of bettering it if we be not wanting to our selves and will make use of the Grace which God offers who is never wanting to the sincere endeavours of Men. Under the Influence and Assistance of this Grace those who are dead in trespasses and sins may pass from death to life may be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God So long as we are in this World there is a possibility of being translated from one state to another from the dominion of Satan into the kingdom of God's dear Son But if we neglect the oportunities of this life and stand out against the offers of God's Grace and Mercy there will no Overtures be made to us in the other World After this life is ended God will try us no more our final miscarriage in this World will prove fatal to us in the other and we shall not be permitted to live over again to correct our Errors As the Tree falls so it shall lie such a State as we are settled in when we go out of this World shall be fixt in the other and there will be no possibility of changing it We are yet in the hand of our own Counsel and by God's Grace we may mould and fashion our own Fortune But if we trifle away this Advantage we shall fall into the hands of the living God out of which there is no Redemption God hath yet left Heaven and Hell to our choice and we had need to look about us and chuse well who can chuse but once for all and for ever There is yet a space and oportunity left us of Repentance but so soon as we step out of this Life and are entred upon the other World our Condition will be sealed never to be reverst And because after this Life there will be no further hopes of Mercy there will be no possibility of Repentance This is the accepted time this is the day of Salvation therefore to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts lest God