THE SAINTS DIGNITIE AND DUTIE TOGETHER WITH The Danger of IGNORANCE and HARDNESSE Delivered in Severall SERMONS By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New-England HEBR. 10.38 Now the just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. To the Reader Reader THou hast here set forth to thy view the last memoriall for ought I know in this kind of that Reverend Divine Mr. Thomas Hooker Rev. 14.13 who now rests from his labours being dead in the Lord. And though this present work be but small in quantitie yet it comprehends a great many divine Truths For thou shalt in this as in a glasse see thine owne condition be it what it will If thou be indeed a child of God thou shalt find him herein a Barnabas a son of Consolation to thee in discovering what thy Priviledges are and what thy practise is or should be But if thou be yet in thy unregenerate estate he will prove a Boanerges a son of Thunder in shewing the danger of Non-proficiencie under the means of grace and knowledge and in wilfull hardness against admonition and reproof These Sermons are upon severall Texts of Scripture which I suppose will prove the more delightfull for the variety which is pleasing to all And though there bee no great dependance of these Sermons each upon other yet the whole without forcing may be reduced to these three Heads Dignitie Dutie Danger In the three former Sermons is set forth the dignitie or priviledges of true beleevers The inestimable gift of the Lord Jesus Christ for the redemption of his people is sweetly and fully explained in the First Sermon In the Second is shewed that Christ hath not only given himself for believers but to them and that he is in them with the blessed Effects of his Inhabitation In the Third thou shalt find the happie condition of the people of God being now freed from the Law and under Grace the Priviledges whereof are inlarged in severall Branches The duties of the Saints that injoy these dignities and priviledges are set forth in the two next Sermons In the Fourth That they ought only to attend to the voice of Christ who is the wisedome of the Father and to be obedient to him In the Fifth is shewed what kind of obedience is required of them even the obedience of Faith which is set forth in the fruitfulness and activitie of it in their Imitation of Abraham the Father of the faithfull And then in the two last Sermons is laid down the danger of neglecting these Priviledges and Duties either by remissness and ignorance under the means of knowledge and grace which is the sum of the Sixth Sermon or else which is worse by hardning the heart against instruction and reproof which is the Subject of the last that those that will not sweetly be drawn by the cords of love shall bee violently surprized with the chains of wrath The Works of this worthy man already Extant have proved by Gods blessing profitable and comfortable to many and I make no question but there is a blessing reserved for this also Therefore as the Wiseman saith Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether will prosper this or that or whether they shall be alike good In this confidence it is commended to thy Prayers and paines in perusing it and that it may prove a furtherance in thy progresse towards heaven is the desire of Thy Christian Friend T. S. THE GIFT OF GIFTS OR The END why CHRIST Gave Himself By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New England ROM 5.15 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 LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. The Particular Titles and Texts of each SERMON SERM. I. The Gift of Gifts on Tit. 2.14 SERM. II. The Blessed Inhabitant on Rom. 8.10 SERM. III. Grace magnified on Rom. 6.14 SERM. IV. Wisdomes Attendants on Prov. 8.32 SERM. V. The Activitie of Faith on Rom. 4.12 SERM. VI. Culpable Ignorance on Isai 27.11 SERM. VII Wilfull Hardness on Prov. 29.1 The GIFT of GIFTS OR The End why Christ gave Himself SERMON I. TIT. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works THe Apostle in the beginning of this Chapter had given several exhortations to severall sorts of Persons To the Aged men vers 2. To the Aged women vers 3. To the younger women and younger men vers 5 6. And to Servants in vers 9 10. Having thus exhorted these severall sorts to severall duties he subjoyneth an Argument that might serve to perswade them all to the practise of the duties he had exhorted them unto and that is laid down from the beginning of the 11th verse to the end of the 14th Wherein he describeth the end of the Doctrine of the Gospel and of the grace of God revealed therein which is That it should bring men to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously in this present world Vers 12. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Vers 13. To bring people to this temper and disposition is the end and scope of all the Gospel Now having spoken of Christ in the end of vers 13. Our Saviour Jesus Christ he cometh also to describe Christ in ver 14. by such things as may also serve as Arguments to perswade to the former duties exhorted to The Lord Christ is described in this 14th Verse by an Act of his Who gave himself for us and this same action of Christ it is illustrated First by the Object for whom it was done He gave himself for us Secondly By the end Why it was done That he might redeem us from all iniquitie and purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works Thus you see the Coherence of these words and the Scope of them and also the Parts of the Text They are the Action of Christ described by the Object and End of it We will first speak of the Action and Object joyning of them both together Who gave himself for us Give me leave to spend a little time in the opening of the Words And first what is meant here by us Who they are that are the object of this action of Christ Who they are for whom Christ gave himselfe In a word the Persons for whom Christ gave himself they are beleevers In 1 Tim
to keep sinne from reigning over thee thou shalt be sure to have the victory in the end fall on thy side Thus much for the first part of the verse the promise that the Apostle makes to the people of God Sinne shall not have dominion over you Let us now come as breifly as we can to the second part of the verse and that is the ground and reason of this promise For you are not under the Law but under Grace Give me leave in a word to observe something in the generall before we come to the words themselves The Apostle had exprest a great deale of sweet incouragement to these Beleevers in that he promiseth in the name of God that sinne should not have dominion over them the ground and reason of all this is because they were not under the Law but under Grace This teacheth us thus much and I will note it in a word by the way That All the incouragement we have from God it is all of Grace It is not by workes for then it would come by the Law but it is by Grace that is of Gods free mercy of his free gift This is it that the Papists and the old Pelagians and divers other Heretiques will not give to God that all that we have for matter of incouragement is of Grace Again we may also observe another thing the ground of mercy which the Apostle here had exprest to the people of God he makes it come by Grace and not by the Law But how commeth this grace to them It commeth by Christ and by the Gospell The Lord Jesus Christ he is the meritorious cause of all this grace the Gospel that is the Revealer the Preacher of this grace the Instrument whereby God doth make known and communicate it to us In as much then as the Apostle makes the ground of all the mercy that beleevers have to be by grace and that grace commeth by Christ and the Gospel you may learn in the next place in the generall this instruction also That All the priviledges and mercies that we do enjoy they all come to us by Christ and by his Gospel So much is here included in the word Grace by Christ and by the Gospel come we to injoy all the favour and mercy from God that we doe injoy I will shew you a little in brief how that by Christ we come to injoy all the grace and favour we doe injoy See first that place in Rom. 5.18 19 20. there the Text plainly sheweth that as all our misery and all the displeasure of God came on us by one man that is by Adam so all the mercy and the favour of God with all the comforts and priviledges that we doe injoy they come to us by the second man that is by Jesus Christ you may read the place at your leasure you shall find it expresse in the Text. This is it also you shall see as plainly exprest in the first Verse of that Chapter Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also wee have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand Observe peace with God it cometh by Christ access to that grace with God wherein we stand is all by Jesus Christ And as it is thus for Christ so it is also for the Gospel whatsoever priviledges or favours from God we enjoy they are all through the Gospel 2 Thes 2.14 Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ All our glorie cometh by Christ all this glory of Christ is partaked of us through the Gospel And hence also is that in 2 Tim. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Still you see the Gospel is made the means whereby we come to injoy those favours and priviledges from God that we doe injoy But you may object if so be all the grace and favour Gods people have had with God come by Christ and by his Gospel then how came they to enjoy it that lived before the coming of Christ and the preaching of the Gospel the Patriarchs and Fathers from Adam to Christ To this I answer that as they so many of them as were beleevers had the same grace and favour with God that we have so they also had the same Christ and the Gospel that we have Christ and the Gospel was as well made known to them as to us and by Christ and the Gospel they came to enjoy that grace with God which they had as well as we doe Hercupon it is that Christ professeth that Moses and the writings of the Prophets did bear witness of him as he speaks in Joh. 5.46 And the Apostle Saint Paul speaking of the unbeleeving Jewes layeth down the cause therof not to be a want of the revelation of Christ in the writings of Moses and the Prophets But saith he 2 Cor. 3.14 their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament and even unto this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart Christ and the Gospel are revealed in the Old Testament as well as in the New onely here is the difference there was a vail put over their minds that they could not see this Christ and this Gospel that was revealed in the Old Testament And therefore the same Apostle in 1 Cor. 10.3 professeth that the beleeving Jews of the Old Church did eat of the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drink For saith he they dranke of that spirituall rock that followed them and that rock was Christ They were partakers of the same Christ and of the same Gospel that we are The difference is onely this They that were before the coming of Christ they had the Law in a greater plentie and they had the Gospel in a greater scarcitie than we have They had more of the Law and lesse of the Gospel we have lesse of the Law and more of Christ and the Gospel They had not onely the Morall Law but the Judiciall Law and the Ceremoniall Law whereas we are delivered from the Judicial and Ceremoniall Law onely so far as there was in any of them a Morall Equitie And as they had more of the Law so they had lesse of the Gospel Christ indeed was preached to them but it was in Types and Figures but to us Christ is preached nakedly the Gospel indeed was revealed to them but very darkly very obscurely but now to us it is preached in an open and full manner But you will say what is the reason that God put this difference between the people of God before Christ and since I answer The Reason was this Because that before Christ the Church was in his infancie in his childhood therefore as great Heires so long
dominion over you For the understanding of this you must know there is a double dominion of sinne the one is when sinne reigneth to obedience the other is when sinne reigneth to death First I say there is a reign or dominion of sinne to obedience that is it which is spoken of in the 12. verse of this Chapter Let not sinne reign in you that you should obey it in the lusts thereof This dominion of sinne is when as sinne doth sit in the soule as a King sitteth upon his Throne and commandeth the heart of a man and all the members of his body as a lawfull Soveraigne doth command his Subjects The other reign of sinne which is a reign unto death is that which is spoken of in Rom. 5. 21. there the text saith Sinne hath reigned unto death and that is nothing but the power that sinne hath to damn all those whom it hath lorded it over Now both these are meant in the Text for both of them goe together the reign of sinne to obedience and the reign of sinne to death and damnation even as the light and heat of the Sun goe together so doth the dominion of sin to obedience and damnation goe together Where-ever sinne reigneth to obedience that is where-ever sin is in the soul of a man as a King making a man to obey it in his commands as a Subject doth his Prince there also will that sin reign to the damnation of that man Both of them are meant in the words So then the meaning of the words comes to this effect that sinne shall neither have dominion over you to obedience nor to damnation sinne shall neither reign over you to make you obey it as a Subject his Soveraigne nor to damn you for obedience of it This is the meaning of the promise and this is a promise that is made to all beleevers to all that are members of Jesus Christ And the observation that I note from thence is thus much that Sinne shall never reign in the children of God so as to make them obey it as a Subject their King nor so as to damn them for obeying of it The Point you sâ—e is no more than the words of the Text explained sinne may dwell with a child of God and sinne may dwell in a child of God Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I but sinne that dwelleth in me But sinne shall never reign over a child of God neither to make him obey it with full consent of will as a Servant doth his Masters commands or as a Subject doth his Soveraignes laws nor yet to damne him for obeying of it thus sinne shall never reign over any child of God though it may be in him and dwell with him yet it shall never reign over him The truth of this you may see in Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne you became the servants of righteousnesse He is not made free from the presence of sinne nor from the power of sinne for Saint Paul prosesseth of himselfe Rom. 7. 23. I find a law in my members that is sinne rebelling against the law of my mind that is the grace of God that is in me and bringing me into captivity to the law of sinne Therefore sinne may be in a man A child of God is not free from the guilt of sinne neither But how then is he free from sinne Thus he is free from the dominion of sinne sinne doth not reign in them as a Lord and King sinne doth not reign in them so as to damn them for it This is that also in Luke 1. 74. 75. That he would grant us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Observe this Text Every one that is a child of God is delivered out of the hands of his enemies that is out of the hands of his spirituall enemies the world and the flesh and the Devill and he is delivered out of the hands of these enemies that he might serve God without fear in holiness and righteousnesse But how can any man be thus delivered from hell and sin and the Devill to serve God without fear in holiness and righteousness if he be not delivered from the reign and dominion of sin both as a King and as a Judge to damn him So that you see the Doctrine is cleared That all that are Gods people are delivered from the reign of sin sin neither reigneth in them to Lord it over them nor to damn them I will briefly give you the grounds of the point and so come to apply it The first Reason why all Gods children are delivered from the domnion of sin is because that all the reign of sin both as a Lord and as a Judge both to damnation and to obedience it all cometh through the justice of God which hath lest us thereto to punish all sins in Adam Now Jesus Christ he satisfieth the justice of God he appeaseth the wrath of God in all particulars wherein we have provoked him Gods justice being satisfied he takes off the punishment and so delivereth his people for whom Christ hath satisfied from the dominion of sin both to obedience and to damnation This then is the first Reason Because Christ he hath satisfied the justice of God and hath delivered all his people from that curse and that misery that lay upon them by the Law This is that you have in Gal. 4. 5. God sent his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law We are under the Law in a twofold respect First we were under the accidentall power of the Law whereby the Law through our corruption did multiply transgressions in our souls and beget sin upon us as a man begetteth children Secondly We were under the Law in respect of the curse of the Law the Law cursing all that broke it and cursing of them to damnation we were under the curse of the Law in this respect Now Christ hath redeemed all his children from under the Law in both these respects First in the first respect he hath redeemed all his children from under that accidentall power of the Law where by the Law had power through our corruption to multiply transgression upon occasion of every Commandement it gave for the Law of God commanding and forbidding and our corruption being strong in us we broke every Commandement and so the Law occasioned a multiplication of transgression Now the Lord Christ hath delivered us from under this accidentall power of the Law in some measure so that how soever still through the remainder of corruption the Law occasioneth a great many sins in us because it commandeth and we doe not obey yet the Law doeth not occasion any reigning sin because there is nothing the Law commandeth but we obey it in some measure I pray observe it They love the Law of God they strive to
with the punishment of sinne such of you as doe desire as truly to be rid of sinne it selse as to escape damnation for sinne in a word such of you as are sensible of the corruption of your nature and groan under it as under the greatest misery you can possibly lie under such of you as maintain an invincible opposition against the sinnes of your nature and make them your daily conflict you are Gods people and to you I speak at this time Here my brethren is comfort for you sinne may be in thee it may foile thee it may have sometime a great power over thee yet notwithstanding be of good comfort sinne shall never have dominion over thee it shall never make thee his subject it shall never damne thee I pray take notice of the speech of God to Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. The Apostle was troubled with his corruptions and he prayed thrice to be rid of it here is a signe of Gods childe though he have corruptions in him yet he is restlesse under them and he never giveth over praying till God deliver him from them Paul prayed thrice that is often he could not be quiet till he were free from it it was as a thorn in his foot what answer doth God give My grace is sufficient for thee As if he should say Paul be of good comfort art thou annoyed with corruption yet notwithstanding My grace is sufficient for thee thy corruption shall never have dominion over thee well may it dwell in thee never shall it reign over thee well may it foile thee never shall it conquer thee thou shalt never come to be overcome with thy corruptions so as to give up thy selfe with full consent of will to obey thy sinnes My grace is sufficient to keep thy corruption from reigning over thee though I will not keep it from dwelling in thee My grace is sufficient to keep sinne from damning of thee though I will not yet keep it from molesting of thee Here is comfort for thy poor soule therefore that art burthened and grieved with the sense of thy corruptions As the Lord resolved that he would not for a time drive out the Canaanites from among the people of Israel but yet they should be Tributaries to them and acknowledge them for their Soveraigne so the Lord hath resolved that sinne shall dwell in thee but yet it shall be a Tributary it shall never sway the Scepter it shall never weare the Crown it shall never set on the Throne of thy soule and not prevailing to reign over thee it shall never prevaile to damne thee Be of good comfort therefore God will deliver thee from all dominion of sinne yea he hath done it already Oh how did Saint Paul crie out Rom. 7. 24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Here is a true signe of Gods childe they that have not this are none of Gods by reason of the remainders of corruption which is as death in him therefore the Apostle here calleth it the body of this death he meaneth originall corruption but calleth it a body of death because it is a death to him and he had rather suffer death then have it in him by reason of this he counteth himselfe miserable and wretched Oh miserable and wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death he would give all the world if he had it but to be delivered from the presence of sinne this is the state of Gods children nothing in the world burtheneth them so much as the presence of their corruptions they are not pleased when they break Gods Commands they doe not make it their trade to commit sinne it is the greatest griefe and shame and wound their soule hath Well how doth Saint Paul comfort himselfe against the remainders of corruption in him I thank God saith he through jesus Christ our Lord As if he should say why doe I thus dismay my selfe sinne is in me but yet notwithstanding sinne shall not have dominion over me by Christ I am delivered from the reign of sinne Oh thanks be to God through jesus Christ Here is consolation take it and incourage your selves by it against the remainders of corruption that are in you God hath left sinne in you but why It is but to serve you as the Canaanites that were left in Canaan they shall not reign over you saith God they shall be Tributaries to you to draw water and to hew wood for the service of the Sanctuary to helpe you in offering up Sacrifices they shall be your servants I speak this to your comforts onely that are the Lords sinne is left in you not to reign over you but to serve you You are Priests to God the Father and you must have Sacrifices to offer up unto God of old God made his people offer up costly Sacrifices Oxen and Sheep and Calves but now sinne serveth the turne the sinne that is in thee serveth thee for Sacrifice every sinne that thou mortifie it is as pleasing a Sacrifice to God as if thou offerest up an O xe or a Sheep thus they are thy servants and they save thee cost they serve in stead of Sacrifices they serve to draw water and cut wood thy sinnes they doe more further thygrace then any thing else they helpe thee to draw the water of godly sorrow of true repentance they helpe thee to prize the mercies of the Lord Jesus Christ they helpe thee to humility to meeknesse to a spirit of compassion to others in a word nothing doth thee so much service as the sinne that is in thee Be of good comfort therefore if thy sinnes be grieved for striven against laboured against they further thy reward for all eternity Here is the second Use The last Use is for Exhortation in as much as you that are Gods people see that sinve shall never have dominion over you be exhorted therefore to fight against your sinnes you have a good cause you are sure of victory oh then play the men Souldiers that have a good cause and have good hope of victory how manfully doe they fight and yet they are not sure of victory neither But thou that art one of Christs what cause can here be better then thine the cause of Christ against the Devill what greater assurance can there be of obtaining the victory seeing God himselfe is ingaged in the quarrell the word is gone cut of his mouth he hath said it Sinne shall not have dominion over you Oh then stand it out against sinne never yeeld the bucklers to thy corruptions that make hard upon thee make the battell fresh and strong against thy lusts though thou art foyled again and again never give over conflicting for God hath said it and his words shall never fall to the ground that sinne shall not have dominion over thee he hath engaged himselfe in the cause and if God be true and able
is that doe this and live doe it the Law it doth not accept of endeavours and of desires there is nothing that standeth with the Law but a perfect doing Hence is that same Gal. 3.10 there saith the Apostle Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Here is the first direct property of the Law it accepteth of nothing but perfect obedience it pardoneth no failings it will admit of no imperfections but Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them The second direct property of the Law is this that it giveth Commandements but it giveth no power at all to obey the Commandements it setteth us a rule but it helpeth with no vertue no strength to walke by the rule In this respect it is that the Law is called the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit By the Letter there is meant the Law as by the spirit is meant the Covenant of Grace the Law is called the Letter because as the writing of Letters doth direct us and shew us a Coppy but administreth no kind of art or skill to the Scholler to follow the coppy so this is the property of the Law it prescribeth a rule but administreth no ability to walk by the rule These are the two direct properties of the Law Now in respect of these two man so long as he was in the state of innocency before his fall he was well enough I t is true the Law would pardon no faylings would accept of no imperfect obedience but man in that estate needed not to care for he had power to keep the whole Law and to observe every tittle thereof and to yeeld perfect obedience to every thing contained in it Again the Law was a meer Letter directing onely what should be done but affording no helpe for the doing of what is required man had power in himselfe God had given him it in his creation to obey the Law to write exactly after that coppy But since man is come into a state of sinne since the fall of man the Law hath by accident and by occasion of mans fall two other properties First of all that the Law doth curse every man that is under it even unto Hell this is that in the forenamed place Gal. 3.13 As many as are under the Law are cursed for cursed is every one that doth not all that is written in the book of the Law Hence it commeth to passe that the Law doth inflict damnation upon all them that are under it Hence are these names given to the Law 2 Cor. 3.6 7 9. In the 6. verse the Letter killeth that is the Law killeth us In the 7. verse it is called the ministration of death In the 9. verse it is called the ministration of condemnation all these names are given to the Law because through mans fall there is occasioned a property to the Law to kill and to destroy and to condemn Againe another property that is occasioned to the Law by sinne and by the fall of man is this that the Law doth multiply transgressions in the hearts and lives of people This is a strange thing therefore I pray observe the opening of it I say the property of the Law it is that it doth multiply transgression and sinne in the hearts of people for therefore it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 5.10 The Law entred that sinne might abound the Law doth cause the abounding of sinne there had never been so much sinne in the world if it had not been by the Law not directly but by occasion doth the Law multiply transgressions in the hearts of people The Apostle in Rom. 7.4 5. compareth the Law to a Husband the sinfull heart to a Wife that look as by the Husband the Wife commeth to bring forth children so by the Law mans corrupt heart commeth to bring forth sins If you aske how this commeth about It is thus The Law it commeth with Commandements and with prohibitions it commandeth people to doe these and these things it commandeth people to leave undone these and these things now the Law meeting with the corruption of mans heart setting a rule to that heart that will not be ruled it makes the heart to rebell and transgresse if there were no Law there would be no sinne if the Law did not command there were no sinne in not doing if the Law did not forbid there were no sinne in doing But now the Law comming to the corrupt heart bidding them doe corruption refusing to doe the Law causeth corruption to sinne The Law again comming to a corrupt heart and bidding them refraine corruption refusing causeth corruption to sinne for if there were no rule there could be no erring besides the rule Thus in these respects it is that by occasion the Law commeth to have this property to be as a Father and as a Husband multiplying transgressions in the hearts of people Gather up that which I have said and lay them together the two direct properties of the Law and the two accidentall properties of the Law occasioned by corruption and you see there are four properties of the Law So then to be under the Law it is nothing else but to be under these four properties of the Law to be in such a state and condition wherein we are liable to all these four properties of the Law Viz. First That nothing will serve our turn but perfect obedience no sinne to be pardoned no frailty to be past by no imperfection to be covered Secondly To be in such a state and condition wherein there is a great deale commanded but no power no strength communicated to enable us to doe any thing that is commanded Thirdly To be in such a state and condition wherein we are under a curse and condemnation even to the pit of hell Lastly To be in such a state and condition wherein dayly and hourly there are sinnes multiplied and brought forth in us through the corruption of our nature To be in a state that hath these four miserable properties is this to be under the Law Now let us shew you what it is to be under Grace And first what Grace is and then what it is to be under Grace I pray observe this also Grace it is nothing else but the free promise of Salvation in and by the Lord Jesus Christ This is Grace To be under grace is to be under the four properties of grace For as the Law had four properties so this grace hath four properties contrary to the Law all of them direct and proper to Grace The first propertie of Grace is this There shall be a pardon of sin the sins that are past shall be forgiven That this is in grace you may see in Jer. 31.34 For I will forgive their iniquities and
hear you But that is not all I beseech you to hear it and tremble The Lord at that day will not only neglect a man that hath neglected him but he will also rejoyce at his destruction and laugh when his fear cometh Mark what the Text saith and remember it for ever Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but yee have set at naught all my counsell and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh What a fearfull thing is this that the God of heaven the God of mercy should solace himself in the ruine of all such rebellious wretches as would not hear and imbrace his blessed truth when he delivered and manifested it to them When Christ shall say This is that drunkard that will not part with his cup for all my perswasions and intreaties This is that adulterer that would not part with his lust notwithstanding all my calling upon him and reproving of him Here is a man that loved his ease his pleasure his comforts his worldly contentments more then me Here stands he that hearkned to the advice of his carnall friends and wicked companions and set at nought all my counsels and admonitions Oh my brethren then shall the just judgement of God sink these down to the everlasting pit where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever I say no more but I beseech you hear me now that God may hear you at that day You will have need of a Saviour and of mercy then The soul longs for nothing in the day of death but pitty and pardon O make Christ your friend now hear him now obey him now receive him now that it may go well with you for ever If now the command of God cannot carry you nor these Arguments which I have used draw you to yeeld obedience to this truth yet remember that passage Deut. 5.27 29. with which I will conclude and me thinks if you have any good nature in you it should work much upon you When the people of Israel had said unto Moses after they had heard God speak unto them out of the midst of the thunder and lightning Go thou neer and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will hear it and doe it The Lord saith the Text heard the voice of their words the Lord said I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee they have well said all that they have spoken Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandements alwaies that it might be well with them for ever Mark my brethren it is the Lords own request that there may be an heart in you to hear and obey that so yee may live for ever Oh therefore if a man cannot prevail with you yet let the Lord Jesus Christ beg so much of you You may think it strange that the Lord should desire this at your hands but it is true he desireth it heartily and he will be exceedingly pleased if you satisfie his desire Well now seeing it is the great request that the Lord by me hath made unto you ask your own souls commune with your own hearts and tell me what answer I shall return to the Lord Shall I say you will not hear My brethren it is a grievous and tedious thing for a poor Minister to give up such an answer unto God I would not willingly have this answer from you therefore I beseech you answer again Tell me what shall I say Speak comfortably as they did Whatsoever the Lord our God shall say that will we hear and doe If so then let me conclude with the answer of God O that there were such a heart in you and that you would fear the Lord and keep his Commandements that it might be well with you for ever FINIS THE ACTIVITIE OF FAITH OR ABRAHAM'S IMITATORS By that Reverend Divine THOMAS HOOKER Late Preacher in New England JAM 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone LONDON Printed by G. D. for Francis Eglesfield and are to be sold at the Sign of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1651. The Activity of Faith OR Abraham's Imitators SERMON V. ROM 4.12 And the Father of Circumcision to them who are not of circumcision onely but also walk in the steps of that Faith of our father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised THe blessed Apostle Saint Paul from the 20. verse of the former Chapter to the end disputeth that great question of justification by the free grace of God and after many Arguments alledged to prove that it is by grace and not by works he concludeth in the 28. verse Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith with the works of the Law Having dispatched this and setled his assertion by strength of argument in this fourth Chapter wherein my Text is he laboureth to make the truth yet more clearer and evident by way of example and to the end he setteth it forth in the lively colour of that faith of Abraham giving us an instance of this truth in the example of him who was the father of the faithfull a father not by naturall generation but by imitation the Lord having appointed him to be the coppy to all the Beleevers of succeeding ages that as he beleeved and by faith was saved so they that doe expect to receive salvation must walk in that way if they purpose to partake of that end Now touching this example of Abraham that I may not be long before I come to that which is the principall point I intend to deliver at this time the Apostle doth two things first he layeth down the pattern it selfe clearly both in Gods vouchsafing justification to Abraham and also in Gods sealing this by the seale of circumcision and this he doth in the 11. verse And as he hath propounded it thus both in Gods gift and in Gods sealing thereof so in the words of the Text he maketh an application of both applying it to all Abrahams children that shall live to the end of the world whether Jewes or Gentiles and in effect it is as if he had said thus Abraham when he was uncircumcised did beleeve and so was justified therefore they that are uncircumcised may beleeve and be also justified Abraham when he did beleeve was circumcised and that hindered not so those that are circumcised may beleeve and be justified that is the Jewes and the Gentiles have both liberty to come into the Covenant of grace and so also to be happy by that Covenant as Abraham was In the words therefore you have an application of the former patterne to the particular use of every faithfull servant of God that look what good Abraham