considered as the Head and all the Father hath given him as the Members of his Body chosen in him and united to him Therefore their standing in Christ by virtue of Election is like that of the Election of their Head Now can Christ cease being an Elect Head Every one will say No that is impossible No more can they cease from being Elect Members This of Election in Christ presupposeth an Union and there was a decretive Union from Eternity and that influenced their actual Union in Time and as certainly as Christ died rose again and ascended in the fulness of Time who was decretively a Lamb stain before the Foundation of the World so will God's Decree of Election in Christ as certainly bring in all the Elect into actual Union with Christ and carry them all to Heaven whither their Head as the Forerunner for us is already entered as sure as he is now there But you will hear more of this when I come to speak of that Argument simply taken from their Union with Christ 3 dly That the Saints of God or Sheep of Jesus Christ by virtue of their Election cannot fall away so as to perish for ever doth appear evident from one or two express Scriptures see Rom. 8. 28. We know all things work together for Good to them that love God who are the Called according to his Purpose For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the First-born among many Brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified See here and I beseech you consider it and weigh it well for this Text is enough to convince one would think all the Opposers of this glorious Truth in the World or silence them for ever The Apostle begins the Happiness and eternal Salvation of all that shall be saved and the certainty of it in Election Whom he did foreknow that is whom he in his good Pleasure did pitch upon or think good to give to his Son to be his Spouse or Members of his Mystical Body he also did predestinate them and all them them and none but them he elected chose or appointed them to be conformed to the Image of his Son that is in Holiness c. but more of that by and by and whom he so predestinated or elected he called and them he justified and them and every one of them he glorified or will so call justify and glorify This is that place of Scripture which is called by some the Golden Chain by others the Chain of Salvation and it may very well be so called nothing can be more clear than this viz. That those who are elected shall be called justified and be all as certainly glorified 'T is not in the Power of all the Enemies of the Soul to break this Chain one part is so linked to the other it begins in Election and ends in Glorification So that our Election is a forcible Argument to prove there is no final falling for any one of the Sheep of Jesus Christ 4 thly It is because the Means is ordained by the unalterable Decree of God as well as the End True we grant Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord And it is he that indureth to the End that shall be saved or such only that mortify the Deeds of the Body or Who by continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life But pray Brethren consider that God hath ordained all his Elect Ones to be holy and without blame before him in love or as Paul in that to the Romans before mentioned to be conformed to the Image of his Son Grace shall be given to them to renew them and to carry on and finally at last perfect Holiness in them For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them No Man can do good Works until created and formed by the Lord This People have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my Praise They shall bring forth Fruit to the praise of his Glory see that emphatical Text John 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain Not only ordained to Eternal Life as the End of their Election but also ordained to bring forth Fruit as the Way and Means of obtaining it Nay more that they shall persevere in bringing forth Fruit that your Fruit should remain 1. They shall not cease bearing Fruit because united to such a Root a Root that hath so much Sap in it or grafted into such an Olive Tree and they shall be made Partakers of the Fatness thereof Because I live ye shall live also Because their Root lives they shall live or because their Head lives they shall live Christ is the Head of Election the Head of his Mystical Body and of every Member of it a Head of Influence and he lives therefore they that are his true Branches or his Members according to Election shall live also they shall live a Life of Holiness the Life of Grace here and the Life of Glory hereafter 2. They shall bring forth Fruit because the Holy Spirit is given to them and shall remain in them for ever This Water will make them fruitful They spread forth their Root by a River and shall not see when Heat cometh but their Leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the Year of Drought neither shall cease from yielding Fruit. Now if this be so if they are elected to use the Means or ordained to be Holy if it is the absolute Decree of God that they shall hold on their way and are united to such a Head that their Fruit shall remain and they shall not cease yielding Fruit then they cannot finally fall away Election secures them they shall not perish but have Everlasting Life But all this is true therefore they cannot perish 5 thly I argue from the Nature of the Election of the Blessed Angels All the Angels that stand were elected and it was this that secures them and preserves them from falling Those that fell were not elected and as evident it is not one of the Elect Angels are fallen nor can fall I marvel any thinking Christians should doubt of Election as it results from the absolute Soveraignty of God's Grace or good Pleasure of his Will since God by Election took hold of some of the Angels as well as some of the lost Sons and Daughters of Adam Was God unjust because he did not secure by his unchangeable Decree the standing of all the Angels but left some of them and only fix'd upon so many as he in his own Wisdom thought good They may as well charge this upon the
Divine Majesty of God as so to charge the Doctrine of particular Election of lost Sinners Brethren Though Christ is not a Redeemer of Angels the Elect Angels needing none yet he is the Head of Angels and a Confirmer of them He is the Head of Principalities and Powers by him and for him were all things created that are in Heaven that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Christ is God and he is the preserver of the Elect Angels they are committed to him and under his Power and he upholds them though he never died for them and shall we think he will not preserve his Elect Saints or that their Election should not as absolutely secure them for whom he as their blessed Lord and Head died and to whom he is a Redeemer as the Elect Angels to whom he is only a Confirmer And ye are compleat in him who is the Head of Principalities and Powers Ye are compleat fully compleat ye stand in him in his Righteousness compleat who is your Head and shall be preserved in him in whom you are elected to everlasting Life 6 thly Because they are chosen to Salvation that is to enjoy and possess Salvation if they have it not the Decree of God is frustrated but his Eternal Decrees are as firm as Mountains of Brass If the Decree of God in appointing his Elect to Salvation be frustrated or made void either it is done by himself or by others Now it cannot be made void by himself because it is an absolute Decree his Mind alters not and none else are able to do it And as to the Slips and Miscarriages of the Elect themselves God foresaw all their Evils from Everlasting and as that hindered not their Election so besure it shall neeer turn them out of it But we are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation c. From the beginning that is from before the World began or from Eternity for the absolute Decrees of God according to his Eternal Counsel are from Everlasting After the Apostle had shewed these Saints that there would come a falling away from the Faith and that many would be deceived and damned for ever to comfort and encourage them against the fear of final Apostacy he brings this in the 13 th Verse But we are bound to give Thanks for you Brethren beloved of the Lord c. You need not fear as if he should say of being deceived or of perishing by dangerous Errors or otherwise 1. Because you are beloved of the Lord. 2. And also are elected to Salvation and because beloved therefore elected Whomsoever God doth absolutely appoint to this or that End he will assist or enable to do whatsoever Means is necessary in order to that End Now the Elect are chosen to Salvation to inherit Eternal Life if therefore any of them miss of it his Decree and Purpose is frustrated which cannot be We have another Text of the like Nature with this For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ From hence the Apostle argues that they needed not to doubt of their Salvation and by what preceeds it appears that Election is a great Motive to Holiness as when a Man that is sure of the Victory will fight couragiously Let us who are of the Day or Children of Light not of Night nor of Darkness be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love for God hath not appointed us to Wrath c. Children of the Night shall perish but none of the Children of the Light ever shall The Apostle ascends to the original Cause of it which is God's absolute Decree of Election Salvation would wholly else depend upon the uncertainty of Man's Will and not upon the immutable and unchangeable Will and Purpose of God Thâ—â— is more than appointing the Means it is an appointing the Persons not appointed to Salvation upon the foresight of Man's Faith because Faith is the Gift of God and proceeds from his Counsel that 's appointed too else a Man may say that I might be saved I must thank God but that I am saved I must thank my self because it was left to the liberty of my own Will whether I would believe and be saved or no. Two things are necessary in our Salvation 1. The Merits of Christ's Blood 2. Faith to apply it by which God's Image is restored to us and preserved in us and both these we have by his own free Grace through Christ Jesus as the Fruit of his electing Love 7 thly It doth further plainly appear that Election does eternally secure all Christ's Sheep all true Believers from final Falling or everlasting Ruin from the words of our Blessed Lord himself For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. Now is it not easy for any Man from hence to draw an Argument that the Elect cannot fall finally away so as to perish for if it is so that they cannot be deceived i. e. finally or take in damnable Errors so as to perish of which our Saviour speaks for the Elect have otherwise in a great measure and in many things I mean some of them been deceived but it is impossible they should be so deceived as to be damned And if this be granted then Election secures them they cannot finally fall If they might perish eternally they might be deceived with damnable Heresies and bring upon themselves swift and utter Destruction but they cannot be so deceived because they are the Elect therefore they caÌ„nnot fall away so as to perish Arg. If the Election of Grace be absolute as the Decree of Day and Night or as that of Christ dying for our Sins If we are elected in Christ as the Head we being all Members given to him to make up his Mystical Body if those that are elected shall be called justified and glorified if the Means as well as the End be under God's absolute Decree and Purpose if our Election doth as absolutely secure us from final Apostacy as the Election of the Holy Angels does secure them if we are elected to Salvation if it be impossible for any of the Elect to be finally deceived then none of them none of the Elect or no Sheep or Lambs of Jesus Christ can so fall away as to perish eternally but all this is true therefore none of them can so perish So much shall suffice as to the first Argument to prove the Saints final Perseverance Secondly My next Argument shall be taken from the Nature of God's Infinite Love to all his Saints The Love of the Father and Love of the Son doth secure them from perishing it is wonderful it passeth
all Understanding It is because God's Love is set upon them and it is such a Love What a Love 1. I answer it is an Everlasting Love The Lord appeared of old unto me saying Yea I have loved thee with an Everlasting Love c. It is a Love from Everlasting therefore it must be a first Love an early Love and because he loved them from Eternity he elected them from Eternity 2. It is a firm Love a strong Love an endeared Love nay an inconceivable Love I in them and thou in me and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me A Love of the same Nature of the same Quality O! what is the Nature of that Love the Father hath to Jesus Christ Who can conceive of it much less express it It is impossible for us to comprehend how firm strong and endearing it is but thus he loves all his Elect Ones Christ as Mediator is the Object of the Father's Love so are all his Members The same Love that is let out to the Head as to the Nature of it is let out to his Mystical Body and to every particular Member thereof 3. The Father's Love is a Love of Delight He is said to love others with a Love of Pity but he loves his Saints with a Love of Complacency He will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his Love he will rejoice over thee with singing He takes delight and satisfaction in his Love not in our Love to him but in his Love to us Again it is said As the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoice over thee 4. The Love of the Father is an inseparable Love nothing can separate his Love from his Elect like as nothing could separate his Love from his own Son so nothing can separate his Love from his Saints For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I am fully assured as some read it not by any special Revelation but by the same Spirit of Faith which is common to all Believers neither fear of Death nor hope of Life nor shall the Devils be able or evil Angels though they are Principalities or Powers though of that Rank or according to others who by Principalities understand the wicked Potentates of the Earth nor shall cruel Persecutors be able nor shall Things present whatever Temptations Miseries or Afflictions which you now lie under or may hereafter meet with neither height of Honour or Spiritual or Civil Advancement nor depth of worldly Disgrace or Abasement or the deepest of Spiritual Desertion that can befal them nor any other Creature or Thing shall be able to separate us who believe or are united to Christ from the Love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Arg. That which no Power of Earth or Hell no Potentate no Enemy no Friend or no thing whatsoever is or shall be able to do or effect cannot be done or it is impossible it should be done But no Power of Earth or Hell no Potentate no Enemy no Friend or nothing whatsoever is able or shall be able to separate true Believers from the Love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord Therefore it is impossible any such should fall so away as eternally to perish Object But stay say some your Argument is not good for Sin may separate them from the Love of God We grant indeed from what the Apostle says that nothing else can do it but Sin may for your Iniquities have separated between you and your God Answ I answer It is a mistake Sin cannot separate them who are his beloved Ones from his Love the Scripture mentioned proves not that such who are true Believers may be separated from God's Love or that Sin can finally separate them from their God therefore consider 1. That I deny not but Sin may separate such from God who are his People only by visible Profession or only his in an externally legal Covenant as the whole House of Israel at that Time was when the Prophet uttered those Expressions and it hath separated them and the greatest part of them I mean for ever for the Jews for the Sin of Unbelief and rejecting of Christ were utterly cast off 2. Sin may also separate God's Elect Ones from his sensible sweet and comfortable Presence for a time God may hide his Face from his dearest Children or bring them into great Afflictions 3. Israel when in the Babylonian Captivity was said to be separated from God because they were separated from his Temple and visible Worship where he promised them his Presence But it doth not follow from hence Sin can ever finally separate God and his Love which is eternal and abiding from those he hath chosen in Jesus Christ To make it appear yet more fully that Sin cannot separate them from the Love of God for ever consider First That though it is true as I have before shewed that God's Beloved Ones may grievously sin against him yet they cannot sin away his Love and Affection And to make this appear hear what God himself saith If his Children for sake my Law and walk not in my Judgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments What then will he take away his loving-Kindness from them and cast them off for ever O no Then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquities with Stripes nevertheless my loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail my Covenant I will not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Mouth Object This is spoken of Christ My loving-Kindness I will not utterly take from him c. Answ 1. I grant that it is spoken of Christ but not of Christ personally but Christ mystically considered Did Christ personally ever forsake God's Law Besides doth not God say his Children 2. Christ and Believers are considered as one in regard of their mystical Union with him 3. Doth the Covenant of Grace made with Christ respect his Person only Or doth it not refer to all that are in him or given to him or all his true spiritual Seed But to put it out of doubt read the next Words and tremble whoever you be that assert that the Elect may perish for ever Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie to David Well what is that which God hath sworn by his Holiness and will not lie to do for David the true David that is his own beloved Son pray read the 36 th verse His Seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me His Seed that is all those that are given to him or
nothing it is not such eating as the Idolatrous Papists dream of it is by the Holy Spirit by the indwelling of the quickning Spirit whereby we have a real participation of Christ He is in us by his Spirit as a Vital Principle changing our Hearts and working in us his own Holy Image infusing Gracious Dispositions and Sacred Habits in the Soul and we are in him by Faith in a gracious hidden and mystical manner and this Union cannot be dissolved Secondly This Union must needs be most intimate near and strong if we consider by what Metaphors it is set forth in God's Word 1. It is a Marriage-Union like as a Man and his Wife are said to be one Flesh so he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit No Man ever hated his own Flesh but nourished and cherished it as the Lord the Church He that loveth his Wife loveth himself a Man and his Wife is but one Mystical Self and what is in Nature as to the Perfection of it is much more eminently in Christ Now since God hath fitted to our Nature a Care of our Body this Care be sure is much more in Christ when the Apostle shews what the Love of the Husband should be unto the Wife and that a Man leaves both Father and Mother and cleaveth to his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh Saith he This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church or of Christ and every believing Soul The Union between Husband and Wife is near ay but Death dissolves this Union because they can be united or be one no longer than both live But Christ lives for ever and the Soul of a Believer lives for ever Nay Believers have Eternal Life in them and they shall never die therefore it follows this Union abides for ever He hath betrothed his Saints his Spouse unto himself for ever And can any then dissolve this Marriage-Contract and Conjugal Union Is Christ able to preserve his Souse or the Soul that is united unto him Is it in the Power of his Hands Pray Brethren consider it well Will any of you that have a Spouse a Wife that you dearly love suffer her to be torn into pieces and basely murdered before your Eyes if you could prevent it And do any think that Christ who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth Power over Sin the World the Devil yea over Hell and Death will he I say ever suffer his Spouse to be destroyed and murdered by Sin World or Devil Strange did he die for her and has he married her and made her one Spirit with himself and will he leave her to conflict to fight and war with an Enemy that he knows is too strong and mighty for her and not come in rush in to her assistance to save and rescue her from such bloody cruel and barbarous Enemies No doubt but he will rise up with Indignation and Jealousy to save every Soul that is so related and united to him Thirdly This Spiritual Union between Christ and every believing Soul is set forth by that near and intimate Union which there is between the Natural Body and every Member thereof The Head and Members make but one Body even so Christ is the Head of his Saints and they being many are all Members of that one Body Christ and all Believers make but one Mystical Christ Even as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so is Christ that is Christ Mystical Now this Relation of Head and Members I say holds forth this Spiritual Union between Christ and every Believer We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone And it is from their Head Jesus Christ that every Member receives Divine and Saving Influences of Life Strength Government and Guidance as the Apostle shews From whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love Our Union with Christ brings us into a fixed Settlement and secures us from all Fears or danger of miscarrying let all Enemies do what they can Can the Members be lost that have such a Head Our Union with Christ cannot consist in the communication of any thing unto us as Members from him the Head But it must be in that which constitutes him and us in this Relation saith a Reverend Minister he is our Head antecedently in order of Nature to any communication of Grace from him as a Head yet not antecedent to our Union it self Herein then consists the Union of Head and Members that tho they are many and have many Offices Places and Dependencies yet there is but one living quickning Soul in Head and Members The same Life that is in the Head is in the Body and in every Member thereof in particular and he that offers Violence to one Member offers Violence to the Body and the Head also And as one living Soul makes the natural Head and Members to be but one Man one Body so one quickning Spirit dwelling in Christ and in his Members gives them their Mystical Union and makes them but one Body As the first Man Adam was made a living Soul so the last Man Adam was made a quickning Spirit It is he that quickens by his Spirit or conveys a vital Principle to all his by which they live spiritually as from Adam all his live naturally Because I live ye shall live also So long as there is Life in Christ the Head there shall be Life in the Members because that Life that is communicated to the Head without measure as Mediator was to this very End that it might be communicated to every believing Soul that is united to him Now then if it be thus if this be the Nature of the Soul's Union with Jesus Christ that it is set out and opened to us by the Union that there is between the Body natural and its Members then I infer 1. That by the Life that is in the Head the Members live and because of that Life that is in him they cannot die it was by that Spirit that is in him that we were first quickned and Life is in us and shall be continued to us 2. I also infer That if Christ be able or can do it he will prevent his losing of any one of his Members And for any one to say it is not in his Power is Blasphemy and to say he can and will not is a like Evil to assert because it renders Christ less tender and careful of his Spiritual Members than we are of the Members of our Natural Body Which of us would suffer his Hand or Foot to be torn from us nay a Toe or Finger if we could prevent it 3. Furthermore I infer That all the Members of Christ's Mystical Body
prayed the Father and was heard herein that all that the Father had given him might be one as He and the Father was one What can be a greater Argument to prove that that Union which is between Christ and Believers is an inseparable an abiding and an undissolvable Union The Union here doth not respect that Essential Union that is between the Father and the Son but in respect of Christ as he is our Head and Mediator in which respect the Father poured into him of his abundant Fulness that so we having a firm perfect and setled Union with him might in a glorious manner receive from him and be supplied with all things we need And Christ being the Medium of our Union with God both the Father's Union with Christ and Christ's Union with us are for the final Perfection and compleating that Glorious Work he hath begun in the Souls of his People until we all come to be with him where he is and behold his Glory If therefore we consider the Nature of this Union and the Prayer of Christ that it might be perfected and abide undissolvable it must follow that it is impossible for any Soul that is thus united to the Lord Jesus ever so to fall away as eternally to perish Fourthly By this Spiritual Union with Christ we partake of his Blessed Image or Divine Nature So that the Head and Members are of one kind and not like Nebuchadnezzar's Image a Head of Gold and a Belly and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet and Toes part of Iron and part of Clay This would be to make the Mystical Body of Christ a Monster an Immortal Head an Incorruptible Head and a Mortal Body and Members that may corrupt putrify and become loathsom No this cannot be such as is the Head as to Nature and Quality such is the Body and every Member in particular a living Head and living Members a Head of pure Gold and Members of pure Gold also a Head that cannot die and therefore the Members cannot die For Fifthly It is a Vital Vnion as you have heard that is to say the same Life that is in Christ is in all Believers And as it is in the natural Body the Members have not only Life in the Head but Life in themselves also and so long as there is Life in the Head there shall be Life in the Members so it is here And this must therefore be for ever for by the same parity of Reason that one Member may die or corrupt the whole Body may die and corrupt also But Christ is our Life and the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union communicates Life to every Soul in whom he resides and dwells and the Holy Spirit hath taken up his abode in Believers for ever He that hath the Spirit hath the Son and he that hath the Son hath Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me From hence I argue Arg. 1. If he that believeth in Christ or that hath Union with Christ is a Part or Limb of Christ Mystical then not one Soul that believes in Christ and has real Union with him can eternally perish Shall a Member of Christ perish or be torn from his Body Brethren was it Christ's Natural Body only that was concerned in that Prophecy A Bone of him shall not be broken Or did Christ take more care of the Members of his Natural Body than of the Members of his Mystical Body Arg. 2. If Christ's Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body be greater than any Man's Love to or Care of the Members of his Natural Body can be then not one of Christ's Sheep or Saints can eternally perish But his Love to and Care of the Members of his Mystical Body is far greater than theirs can be therefore it follows no Believer can ever perish Arg. 3. If the Union between Christ and Believers be a Marriage-Union and that those that Christ does espouse and bring into that Relation to himself he doth espouse for ever if it is a Union like that Union that is between God the Father and Christ as Mediator if it be an indissolvable Union a Union which God nor Christ will ever break nor Sin Satan nor no Enemy can ever break then not one Soul that is truly and really united to Christ can ever so fall away as eternally to perish But all this we have proved to be true therefore not one Soul that hath true and real Union with Christ can fall away so as eternally to perish Arg. 4. If the Love of God and the Love of Christ abides firm for ever to every Soul that hath Union with Christ which is the Spring efficient and moving Cause of this Union then not one of them who have Union with Christ can perish But we have proved that the Love of the Father and Son abides firm for ever to every Soul that has Union with Christ therefore not one of them can perish for ever Arg. 5. If Christ died rose again and ascended into Heaven as the Head and Representative of all those that were given unto him and have Union with him then as sure as he is now in Heaven they shall every Soul of them come thither But this hereafter I shall fully prove and clearly God assisting make appear when I come to speak to the next General Argument Arg. 6. If the Union between Christ and Believers is so strong and firm a Union intensively that Christ and they become one Spirit so that as if there was but one Spirit in Christ and in them or what the Spirit is to Christ and doth to Christ as Mediator without measure he is to every Believer and does for every Believer in measure according to each Believer's Necessity and Capacity then this Union secures every Believer from falling so as to perish for ever But this we have proved is so the Spirit must either desert Christ as you heard or them if ever the Union be broken not Christ that all will say is impossible not Believers because of the blessed Union they have with him and also because Christ hath promised that the Spirit shall abide in them for ever Nay this is also the absolute Promise of the Father to the Son in the Covenant of Grace And as for me this is my Covenant with them saith Jehovah My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth and for ever Arg. 7. By virtue of this Sacred Union because Christ lives the Saints or those that have Union with him shall live also which Blessing besides he has by a positive Promise assur'd them of then no Soul that hath real Union with him can perish But this our Blessed Saviour doth assert Because I live ye shall live also that is the
the whole Heart as when a Child is formed in the Womb it hath all the Parts Nature doth not fashion one Part and leave another imperfect So the Holy Spirit forms every Part of the new Creature in the Soul of the Regenerate This Habit is but one 't is an intire Rectitude in all the Faculties and an universal Principle of inclining and disposing to that which is good and well-pleasing to God there is a Divine Light in the Vnderstanding by which the Soul sees God to be its chief Good and owns and looks upon him as such There is a Change in the Will that consents and chuses God as such there is a Change in the Affections There is no true Draught of the Image of God in us unless there be a Rectitude of Affection and Disposition There is therefore a conformity of Affections to God they love God and love as God loves and hate as God hateth they hate Evil because of that inward Filthiness that is in it and love Grace and Vertue because of its pure and native Beauty and Excellency therefore it is from hence the Soul comes to take delight in God 5. It changes not the Heart only but the whole Life also The Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Such live no longer to themselves but to God their Tongues speak for God their Ears hear for God their Hands work for God their Actions are Holy Just and Good There is a Change of Company also a Change of Labour of Endeavour and their whole End Aim and Design is to glorify God Heavenly Things are preferred by them before earthly Things they chiefly seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness They do not pursue the World as they did nor fashion themselves according to the former Lusts and the Course of this World nor pray as they did nor hear as they did nor give Alms as they did No no they do all things from another Principle from another End and with other Zeal Endeavours and Diligence Thirdly Christ's Sheep will feed in Christ's Pasture in their own Pasture where they are put by him not but that they may for good Reasons be removed into another Pasture but they will not unless under strong Temptation break down the Hedg or Fold where they were put and run away No no but are contented with that Food that Pasture God affords them though there may be some more Fat and Rich than theirs Some Sheep when they grow wanton are unruly and will break into other Mens Ground so there are some Professors some Church-members that rend themselves away from their own Flock and Fold in a disorderly manner Which as a Reverend Minister shews is an abominable Evil and a shame to them this destroys the Relation of Pastor and People for what may be done by one Individual may be done by all and saith he what Liberty belongs to the Sheep belongs also to that particular Shepherd who has the Charge of them much more it is a breaking Covenant with Christ and the Congregation and therefore a great Immorality 't is a Schism if there be any such thing in the World it is a despising the Government of the Church and there is as much reason a Person should come in when he pleases without asking Consent as to depart when he pleases It is also very evil and unkind in another Church to receive such a One as not doing as they would be dealt with Such a Practice can issue in nothing but in the Breach and Confusion of all particular Churches It tends saith he to Anarchy putting an Arbitrary Power in every Member and breaks all Bonds of Love and raiseth the greatest Animosities between Brethren and Churches The truth is how can another Shepherd justify such an Act to the great Shepherd of the Sheep I mean to take into his Fold his Neighbour's Sheep without Christ's Order and Authority Fourthly Christ's Sheep will and do follow him and this our Blessed Saviour lays down as an undoubted Character of all that are his They follow his Example his Steps The good Shepherd when he putteth forth his own Sheep he goeth before them and the Sheep follow him Jesus Christ hath gone before his Sheep in his Obedience to the Father leaving us an Example that we should follow his Steps 1. They follow his Steps in Humility He bids us to learn of him upon this Account Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in Heart How did Christ deny himself in taking our Nature upon him In this ought his Sheep to follow him Let the same Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus O let the same humble Spirit and self-denying Temper be in you which was in him Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God and made himself of no reputation but took upon him the Form of a Servant c. Saints are or ought to be of a humble Frame having mutual Love and a condescending Spirit even to them that are in the lowest and meanest Condition bearing with the Weak and not exalting themselves nor offending one another in any thing that is indifferent in its own Nature I become all things to all that I might gain some 2. Christ's Sheep do follow him in Love and bowels of Compassion Be ye followers of God as dear Children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us By this all Men may know we are his Disciples even when we have this Mark of his Sheep namely that we love one another Husbands are exhorted to love their Wives as Christ also loved his Church and gave himself for it even with a sincere pure ardent and constant Affection And thus ought all Christians to love each other also being united as Brethren together and Members of the same Body of which Christ is the Head He that loveth not his Brother is in Darkness he is none of Christ's Sheep He that saith he abideth in the Light ought also to walk even as he walked and love as he loved 3. They follow him in Holiness But as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy God the Father is holy and Christ is holy He was holy harmless and undefiled separated from Sinners Therefore in this we should follow him in the whole Course of our Lives and in the several parts of our Conversations All those who are his Sheep they are such who are sanctified Persons who laying aside all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit they go on perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 4. They follow the Example of Christ their holy Shepherd in Obedience Though he was a Son yet learned he Obedience by the things he suffered And being made perfect he became
perpetually to be continued the Death of Christ hath special influence unto the mortification of Sin in the Death of the Cross Our Old Man is crucified that the Body of Sin might be destroyed Sin is mortified and we are sanctified by virtue of the Death of Christ and we hereby through his Grace come to be planted into the Likeness of his Death And as Paul in another place saith Being made conformable unto his Death This Conformity is not in our Natural Death or in our being put to death for him but Christ dying for our Sins is the procuring Cause of our dying to Sin therefore we must look for the Death of our Sins in the Death of Christ as the proper Effect thereof Virtue goeth from the Death of Christ to the subduing and destroying of Sin his Death was not only a Passive Example but is accompanied with Power conforming and changing us into his Likeness 'T is the great Ordinance of God to this very End it is by a fellowship or participation in his suffering we are never made conformable to the Death of Christ till we die to Sin the Death of Christ was designed to be the Death of Sin And as certain as Christ died for the Sins of all the Elect so certain it is they shall all first or last feel the powerful Effects thereof in the Death of their Sins The Corn fell into the Ground and died and shall produce all the Increase that virtually was hid in it Christ is our Life the Spring Fountain and Cause of it therefore we have nothing but what we derive from him Object He is say some the Author of Life and as he taught the Way of Life so he is our Life Answ He is our Life as he is our Head and it would be but a sorry Head that should only teach the Feet to go or the Members to act and move without communicating Strength unto them and to the whole Body Christ Brethren is an Head of Influence and in these spiritual Influences or Life that Strength which he communicates to us doth consist in the killing of Sin He loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blame And if this was his End in his Death be sure his Death shall perfectly effect this glorious Work in the End upon every Soul of his Tenthly and lastly Glorification is also an Effect of the Death of Christ it is the Fruit of his Suffering it was by his own Blood he entred as our Head and Representative once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us The Crown of Glory is the Purchase of his Blood and as sure as his Righteousness his Holy Life and Obedience and Meritorious Death carried him to the Father and set him down at the right Hand of the Majesty on high so will his Merits as certainly bring all the true Heirs to that Glory above where the Fore-runner is for us already entered For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through Sufferings First he brings those Sons into a State of Grace as the Effects of his Death and Resurrection and unto a State of Glory And whom he justified them also he glorified I shall draw up the Sum of this Argument If such are the certain Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death 1. If it hath appeased the Wrath of God for all that are in him 2. If it hath made their Peace and for ever reconciled them unto God 3. If the Holy Spirit is purchased and procured as the Effects of his Death for them by which they are renewed quickned and helped to mortify Sin and is to them an Earnest a Witness and Seal of Everlasting Life and shall abide with them for ever 4. If Justification is the Effect of Christ's Death and they are for ever acquitted from all Sin and accepted as Righteous in Christ's Righteousness 5. If all that believe in him are sanctified as the Effects of his Death and shall be perfected for ever 6. If Pardon of Sin is an Effect also of Christ's Death and all Believers have and shall have their Sins forgiven for ever or remembred no more 7. If they are adopted Sons and Daughters to God as the Effect of Christ's Death 8. And also if Glorification is an Effect of his Death and as certain as is the Cause the Effect will be or as sure as Christ is glorified in Heaven all that are his Members shall be glorified Then it is impossible that any one of them should so fall away as eternally to perish But all these things are true and none dare to deny them so to be therefore they cannot fall so as eternally to perish I shall apply this and come to the next Argument APPLICATION First To Sinners 1. Hath the Death of Christ such Virtue in it even to renew quicken regenerate all that believe in him Is God through the Death of his Son reconciled and shall all that take hold of him be justified c. O then Sinners look up unto him and never cease looking until you find the Effects of his Death in your own Souls Object 1. But alas Sir I am a vile and abominable Sinner Answ Well notwithstanding that yet there is Virtue enough in Christ to save you Object 2. But I have been a Drunkard a Swearer an Adulterer a Thief Answ So had some of those Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but you are sanctified but you are justified Object 3. But I have been an Old Sinner Answ Well let it be so yet but a Sinner and Christ died for Sinners for the chief of Sinners therefore there is hope for you nay if you can believe and apply the Virtue of Christ's Blood you shall find Mercy Object 4. But I fear Christ did not die for me Answ 1. If he died for the Chief of Sinners why not for thee And if those that crucified him found Mercy why not thee 2. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any ungodly Person hath that dwells on the Face of the whole Earth Sinner look up Nay 3. Thou hast as much ground to believe that Christ died for thee as any of those had once who now feel the Effects of his Death 4. Did ever any Sinner throw himself at his Feet as a poor lost and undone Creature and take hold of him that was rejected Query What is the first Effect of Christ's Death Answ The first Effect of Christ's Death in the Soul is Life Life is infused And if thou hast a vital Principle in thee thou wilt cry out under the Sense of thy
the Effects of it who have been under Desparation in this World 2. Shame also will torment them some shall rise to Shame and everlasting Contempt O what Shame and Confusion of Face shall the Damned be cloathed with should a King lose his Crown and Kingdom to get a few Cockle-shells would it not bring Shame upon him O how will the Damned Soul cry I have for meer Toys and Trifles lost that God that made me that Christ that is worth ten thousand Worlds even he that is the Pearl of great Price I have been that Judas that did not value him above thirty pence no not above the sinful Profits of this World not above the Pleasure of Sin and the filthy Lusts of the Flesh thus will the unclean Person be ashamed Shame will torment him I must saith he now lye in Hell for ever and pay dear for my Folly 2. The Drunkard will be also tormented with Shame I was such a Fool he then may say that for the sake of my Cups and Love to my cursed Companions and merry Bouts have lost God the Perfection of Happiness I rather chose to go to the Ale-house or Tavern to Drink and carouse with these Damned Wretches than to go to hear Gods Word I derided them that feared to sin against God and accounted them Fools but I must lye in Hell for ever and pay dear for my wickedness 3. Shame also will torment the Proud and Ambitious Person Ah what a Fool was I he will say to love the Praise of Men more than the Praise of God! I sought vain Honour and pleased my self with a Name all my Design was to be great and had in Esteem among Men I was proud of my Estate and despised he Poor I was of a Haughty Spirit and gloried in my Titles of Honour I sought the Favour of my Prince but regarded not the Favour of God I was proud of my Parts I gloryed in my Gifts in my Beauty in my Strength I delighted my self in Antick Dresses and in Decking of my Vile Body that now is here burning in Hell I was so Graceless that I would not leave off Idle and Foolish Fashions though Godly Ministers were grieved at me and told me my Doom and tho' God bore Witness against my High Head and Haughty Heart by strange Prodigies in Nature seen in divers poor Animals yet I still vaunted my self in Pride and Wantouness and laught at Christs Ministers when they reproved me O what shame torments me now here must I lye in Hell under Gods Wrath for ever and pay dear for my Folly 4. The prophane Swearer and Blasphemer will be also tormented with Shame O saith he I looked upon my self to be no small Person but one of the Hero's of my Day and fit to keep Company with great Men because I could swear and curse with any of them how often did I call upon God to Damn me I have but that which I desired he hath now damn'd me indeed I acted like a fearless Brute Beast O what Shame do I find my Soul covered with that I should cast away my self for that filthy Vice that was no Profit to me any manner of way 5. Shame also will terrisie and bring Confusion upon the carnal Worldling or Covetuous Person who made this World his God I had he will say store of Gold and Silver in my Bags and Chests where it lay to rust but I refused to feed the Poor and to cloath the Naked I regarded no distressed Members of Christ I set my Heart upon my Earthly Treasure valuing it above God and Jesus Christ O what a Fool was I in that I could not foresee how soon I must leave all that which I had gathered I to get the World slighted nay despised my own Soul now if I had ten thousand Worlds I would give them for the Favour of God nay for one drop of Water to cool my Tongue 6. The Lyar moreover will be tormented with Shame Ah! saith he how often did I read that those that did love and make Lies should burn in this Lake but I would not believe it I damn'd my own Soul by telling Lies to please my graceless Companions even to cause them to laugh and be merry or to excuse my self and free me from shame when on Earth or for a little worldly Profit Gain or for popular Applause I made no Conscience oftelling Lyes O what Shame doth these things now bring upon my Spirit 7. The Seducer and Heretical person likewise will be filled and tormented with shame who preached false Doctrine or sucked in detestable Errors laying aside the chief Corner-stone and magnifying Morality or the Light of natural Conscience above Christ I seemed saith he to be a strict and zealous Person and deceived multitudes of People but for trusting in my own Righteousness for hugging a few base filthy Raggs I am damned I was ignorant of Gods Righteousness and of the Mysteries of the Gospel yet gave out that none were true Christians but such as my self I denyed that Christ that bought me and did not believe the Resurrection of my Body but now I find how the Devil blinded my Eyes and now here tormented with Shame I must lie in these flames Body and Soul for ever O! and what a multitude of poor deluded Creatures have I been an Instrument to bring into this place Wo is me that ever I was born 8. The Hypocritical Professor will be tormented with Shame also I rested he will say upon a bare Name of being Religious pleased my self with the Shell withan empty Cabinet without the Jewel a Lamp of Profession with a Form of Godliness my Business was to keep up my Credit amongst Gods People that they might take me to be one of them yet my own Conscience often told me I was not sincere I loved not the Life and Power of Godliness I did all to be seen of men had base ends I appeared abroad to be what I was not at home O what Shame now torments my Soul I had a darling Lust which I would not forego my heart was never really changed Thus I might go on to the rest c. O what Shame will seize upon the Sinner when all his vain Excuses are laid open and all his Extenuations of his Guilt are discovered when his secret Deeds of Darkness are published as it were on the House-top when his Breast shall be transparent to all Eyes when his inward Thoughts cursed Lusts cruel Malice Murthers and Deceits are made manifest and all his beastly Sensualities shall be laid open before God Angels and Saints when the Vails and Covers of Shame shall be taken off how will he be confounded for ever 9. The Devil also no doubt will reproach them for their Folly though he be in Misery with them Ah thou Wretch may not he say wast thou not a Fool to believe me whom thou wast often told was a Liar from the Beginning and wouldst not believe
justify us in God's sight as an Habit or Act or in respect of the Product of it but only objectively i. e. in respect of the Object it doth apprehend apply and take hold of O Sirs take heed ye are not deceived may be ye look upon the Lives and Conversations of Men and you think they are good Men holy Men yet for all this examine the Doctrine they preach for an evil and corrupt Doctrine may be as pernicious and damnable as an evil Conversation But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be 〈…〉 Teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction 7 thly Be wary also lest you are carried away with the Error of the Wicked to doubt of or deny the Resurrection of the Body If once you come to deny the Resurrection your State is dangerous for that is a capital Error If the Dead rise not then is not Christ risen and if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your Faith is also vain Yea and we are found false Witnesses of God because we testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the Dead rise not It must be the same Body not another for if not the same it will be no Resurrection but a new Creation and if not the same Body but another then it will not be that Body that suffered for Christ that shall be glorified nor that Body that sinned against God and Christ that shall be punished but an innocent Body a Body that never sinned Be sure labour to hold the Head and be established in all the fundamental Truths of the Gospel they are not many 1. Your Souls are in danger of being corrupted we have slie and crafty Deceivers among us in these Days 2. Many thousands we have cause to fear are already poisoned with most pernicious Notions and Soul-destructive Errors who are in danger of perishing this way to Eternity yet seem sober holy and devout Persons 3. Let it be your care to fit under the Ministry of such Men who preach Christ Christ only or wholly seek to exalt Christ and the Free Grace of God by Jesus Christ Take heed who you hear and take heed what you hear and how you hear Therefore watch and remember saith Paul that by the space of three Years I ceased not to warn every one Night and Day with Tears He was afraid of those grievous Wolves that would enter in among them not sparing the Flock You hear that Christ's Sheep hear his Voice let it appear you are his Sheep by having this Character namely in that you hear his Doctrine and will not hear the Voice of Strangers But O rest not in a bare hearing the Voice of Christ nor in the knowledg of saving Truth get it not only into your Heads but into your Hearts He that hath truly received Christ's Doctrine or rightly hears his Voice brings forth good Fruit he feels the Power of his Word upon his own Heart Knowledg without Grace will stand you in no stead A good Doctrine and much Head-Knowledg and great Gifts without Love Humility and a Godly Life signifies nothing Knowledg puffs up but Love edifies I shall add no more at this Time JOHN X. 27. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me DOCT. 1. All true Believers are the Sheep and Lambs of Jesus Christ they hear his Voice and they follow him I have shewed you what is meant by hearing of Christ's Voice Fourthly I am now to speak to the next thing proposed or Head of Discourse which is the fourth General I know them c. 1 st In speaking to this I shall shew you 1. In what respect Christ knows his Sheep 2. What a kind of Knowledg he hath of them 3. Shew what Comfort doth and may arise unto them hereby 1. Christ knows them as they are his Father's Choice All Christ's Sheep are chosen Sheep such as the Father hath pick'd out of the common Lump of Mankind or out of the great Flock of fallen Man thus Jesus Christ knows them and as they are his own Choice also for the Father and the Son agreed both in the Choice of the Elect. If you know these things happy are ye if you do them I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen Not only to Apostleship but to Eternal Life for Judas was chosen to be an Apostle but he was not in the Election of Grace 2. Christ knoweth them as they are the special Purchase of his own Blood He knows whom he died for and in the room and stead of he knows what Sheep he hath bought and paid so dear for The Foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth them that are his There is a certain Number who are built upon a Rock upon a sure Foundation these are sealed and confirmed by God's Eternal Decree of Election and are the Price therefore of Christ's special Purchase and as such he knows them from all others in the World 3. He knows them as such who have and do experience the Effects of his Death He sees and knows they are his Sheep as they have his Mark his Image formed in them for like as other Shepherds know their Sheep by the Mark they have upon them so to speak after the manner of Men Jesus Christ may in this respect be said to know his Sheep his Saints and People Surely they are my People Children that will not lie so he was their Saviour I know these are my People I cannot but own them they will keep my Covenant I have renewed them and they abide faithful to me and will not deal falsly with me In another place he says Their Spot is not the Spot of my Children These I know are none of my Sheep their Spot their Sin their Iniquity are not such as are in my People not Sins of Infirmity or common Frailties but they have a contagious Spot upon them they have none of my Image my Mark c. 4. Christ knows his Sheep with a Knowledg of Approbation I know them that is I approve of them I like them well I esteem them and accept of their Persons and their Services 5. Christ may be said to know his Sheep also with a Knowledg of Love and Affection He knows them as to delight in them they have his Heart I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine As the Father knoweth me even so I know the Father and I lay down my Life for the Sheep As this mutual Knowledg between the Father and the Son was joined with perfect Love and Delight so is Christ's Knowledg of his Sheep And this he himself also here expresses by saying I lay down my Life for the Sheep which shews not only the Sincerity but also the
Life of Grace here and the Life of Glory hereafter Arg. 8. If there is no Condemnation to such who are in Jesus Christ or have Union with him if they have Everlasting Life because they have Union with the Son and are passed from Death to Life and shall not come into Condemnation then this Sacred Union secures and saves all that are united to Christ from falling away so as eternally to perish But that all this is true we have proved and it is in plain words asserted by the Holy Ghost therefore this Sacred Union secures and saves them all from eternal perishing Arg. 9. If Christ in us is a certain and sure Ground of the Hope of Glory and that Hope is the Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast that cannot be lost then Union with Christ gives all such an assurance of Salvation and that none of them that have Union with Christ or have Christ in them can eternally perish But that this is so the Holy Ghost doth positively assert therefore none of them can so perish Arg. 10. Lastly If Faith in the Habit of it through which by the Spirit we come to have this Actual Union with Christ can never be lost or shall not fail then none that have Union with Christ shall ever perish But that Faith in the Habit of it cannot be lost or shall not fail our Saviour affirms it being one part of his Prayer when on Earth and no doubt it is part of his Intercession now in Heaven I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not And he never asked any thing of the Father but it was granted him And I know thou hearest me always Therefore they can never perish I might add here that Communion which flows necessarily from this Union which affords a strong Argument for the Saints final Perseverance Union cannot be without Communion for whilst the Members are united to a living Head there will be as one observes an Influx of Animal Spirits whereby they shall partake of Life and Motion and though a Believer I grant may lose the sensible Experience of Communion with Christ yet the Spirit from their Mystical Head will be working in them providing for them and standing by them To conclude with this Argument I argue 1. If our Union be by the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit 2. If our Union with Christ be a Conjugal Union a Marriage-Union 3. If it be as near a Union as is between the Body the Members of the Natural Body 4. If it be such a Union as is between the Tree and the Branches 5. If it be such a Union as is between the Father and Son as Christ is Mediator 6. If it be a Union of Spirits as if but one Soul was in two Bodies 7. If it be such a Union that Believers partake of the Divine Nature 8. If it be a Vital Union 9. If it be such a Union that cannot be dissolved by all the Powers of Darkness the Seed of Grace remaining Then it is impossible for any Believer that hath Union with Christ to perish Eternally But all these things are true therefore no true Believer can Eternally perish APPLICATION First These things being so we may infer that our Union with Christ is a most glorious Spring of the greatest Comfort to Believers imaginable 1. From hence Brethren comes in your Actual Justification No Man is personally justified before he receives Christ by Faith before he has actual Union with him But every Soul that is in Christ is actually justified and discharged from all the Guilt of his Sins and stands in Christ compleat in his perfect Righteousness without Spot before the Throne of God 2. Such are made near and dear to Christ O how near is the Wife to the Husband or the Members to the Body even so near and dear is every Soul that hath actual Union with Christ unto him 3. From hence flows our Communion with Christ for by virtue of our Union we come to have our Natures changed It is hereby that we come to behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is impossible that a brutish and swinish Creature as all unrenewed Men and Women are should have Communion with the Holy God or with the Holy and Blessed Jesus What Fellowship hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness Or what Communion hath Light with Darkness Or what Concord hath Christ with Belial If we would have Communion with Christ we must be Holy and touch not the unclean thing And impossible it is that we should be Holy until we come to have Union with Jesus Christ by which means we come to partake of his pure Nature and have the evil Habits of our vile and filthy Hearts and Souls changed The Tree must be first made good and then the Fruit will be good Man naturally is united to the Devil and to his own Sin and Iniquity and hath Enmity in his Heart against God The Prince of Darkness is the Head of this dark and wicked World The Vnderstandings Wills and Affections of all Men are under diabolical Influence ever since Adam betrayed us into the Enemies Hands and abide so until that Union be dissolved by the Power of Divine Grace and the Soul united by the Spirit unto Jesus Christ We are united to the first Adam by a Likeness of Nature and how can we be united to the Second without a Principle of Life by which another a new Nature is formed in us We were united to the First by a living Soul and we must be united to the other by a quickning Spirit By Nature Man is dead in Sins and Trespasses and how can he have Communion with a living Christ without a Principle of Life Would any go about to join a stinking Carcass to the Holy Jesus Would not any think it a great Plague to him if he had a dead and rotten Carcass united to him O remember it is from your Union with Christ your Communion with him follows yea and your Communion with the Saints too you can take no delight in Heavenly Company nor Heavenly Things without an Heavenly Heart 3. By this Union you that are Believers come to have interest in and a right unto all things Jesus Christ hath purchased by his Death nor shall any ever have any share or part in all those Spiritual and Eternal Blessings except they obtain this Union As the Cyon cannot partake of the Sap and Fatness of the Olive-Tree without it is grafted into the Stock no more can we partake of the Fatness and glorious Fulness of the true Olive Jesus Christ unless we are grafted into him by Faith and have the Indwellings of the Spirit and then all things that Christ merited for us and are laid up in him for us are ours 4. It is by virtue of this Union that we have
said and so finish with this Text. 1. Inform. This may serve to inform and convince all Persons concerning the absolute Soveraignty of God He may save Man if he please and not Angels or may send a Saviour for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all Who shall say to him What dost thou If he had vouchsafed a Saviour for none of Adam's Posterity had he been unjust any more than he is in casting off for ever all the fallen Angels He called Abraham out of his own Country and revealed himself to him and let others remain then under the Power of Sin Ignorance and Idolatry calling them not He revealed himself to Isaac and rejected Ishmael he chose Jacob and refused Esau he afterwards chose the Children of Israel to be a peculiar People for himself and let all other Nations of the Earth abide in Darkness And in the Gospel-Days Christ chose a few poor Fisher-Men and refused the Learned and Wise Men after the Flesh nay and hid the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven from the Wise and Prudent and all this as an Act alone of his Soveraignty And in these days what Reason can be alledged why we and a few Nations more have the Knowledg of the Gospel when the greatest part of the Earth lie in Popish Mahometan and Pagan Darkness but that it is his good pleasure so to do He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardeneth 2. Praise God for the Knowledg you have of the Mysteries of Christ and the Gospel of Free-Grace Brethren next unto the Grace of God in my Conversion I have often said I do look upon my self bound to admire the Riches of God's Love and Goodness to me in opening my Eyes to see those Arminian Errors which when I was Young I had from some Men of corrupt Principles sucked in nay and when I was about 23 Years Old I wrote a little Book for Children in which some of those Errors were vindicated which after my Eyes were inlightned and the Book with Alterations being again Reprinted I left out and now do declare my dislike of the first Impressions and do disown what I there asserted When I was a Child I thought as a Child I understood as a Child as the Apostle speaks And let me intreat you to study the Nature of the Covenant of Grace for until I had that opened unto me I was ignorant of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. O do not forget that the Design of God in contriving our Salvation in his Eternal Wisdom by Jesus Christ was wholly to advance his own Glory and the Freeness and Riches of his Grace and to abase and humble Man unto the Dust therefore be sure never err on that Hand And I think it is not easy for Men well to err on the other I mean in exalting God alone Christ alone though I deny not but that some good Men who in seeking to advance Free-Grace perhaps have erred and taken up some unsound Notions as that of Actual or Personal Justification before Faith and Actual Union with Jesus Christ O what need have we to ponder well the Paths of our Feet and not with Pride to magnify our selves or strive to promote any corrupt Notion under any Pretence whatsoever Our Days are Evil many dangerous Errors abound and it is cause of greatest Grief to see what a Generation of Men are risen up of late who strive to mix God's pure Gold with their Dross and his Wine with their Water Though on the other Hand let us bless and praise the Lord for raising up so many brave Champions in the mean time of our Brethren of the Congregational Way to defend the Gospel of God's Grace and the Truth as it is in Jesus Yet I could wish there was not so much Gall in some of them against us their Brethren who in all the great Truths of Christianity are of one Mind and Judgment and yet are exposed to Reproach for witnessing to a Truth of Christ that lies as plain in the Gospel as any one Truth or positive Precept of Christ whatsoever I mean that of Believers Baptism Why should we be censured for maintaining that Truth which the Holy Ghost so fully bears witness unto I long to see more of the Spirit of Love and Charity would to God that Chapter 1 Cor. 13. was more read and considered 4. This may also serve to reprehend such who strive to cast Reproach upon this Holy Doctrine and such that maintain it as if it tended to incourage People in Sin or open a Door to Licentiousness Let all for ever forbear such Reflections Is not this the Purport of that Doctrine which we vindicate 1. That there is wrought and preserved in the Minds and Souls of all Believers by the Holy Spirit a Supernatural Principle of Grace and Holiness whereby they are made meet and enabled to live unto God and discharge all Duties of Obedience which he requireth of them and accepteth through Christ which Principle or Habit of Grace is essentiaily distinct from all Natural Habits Intellectual and Moral however and by what Means so ever acquired or improved 2. That the Holy Spirit by his effectual Operations doth enable us according as we are required by his immediate Influences in all Acts of Obedience whether internal only in Faith and Love c. or External also even so that all the Powers of our Souls and Members of our Bodies are or ought to be in a spiritual manner governed and influenced thereby and unto all Duties of Holiness in our daily walking with God and that all this is the Effect of God's Free-Grace to us in Jesus Christ who hath communicated of the Spirit without measure to our Blessed Head and Mediator that he may give it forth to all his Saints that have Union with him and believe in him Brethren God hath circumcised the Hearts of his People to love him with all their Souls and with all their Strength He writes his Law in our Hearts as he promised I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write it in their Hearts This gracious Habit or Principle in the Soul is nothing but a Transcript of the Holy Law of God implanted and abiding in our Hearts whereby we are enabled with Chearfulness and ready Inclination of our Spirits to act in the Duties of Obedience and Holiness unto God as he requireth of us and also our Likeness and Conformity unto God doth consist herein I say it doth consist in this Divine and Sacred Principle or Spiritual Habit that is infused into the Soul it is our Spiritual Life whereby we live unto God it is the Foundation and Sum of all Internal Excellencies no Works no Duties are accepted where this Principle is not It is a Vital Principle of Holiness and it makes Religion co-natural to us Moreover it is a certain a permanent and an abiding Principle it is that Seed
Law perfectly is cursed but no Man can keep the Law perfectly therefore all Man naturally are cursed and impossible then to be blessed until delivered from that Curse and this therefore Christ came to do him hath God sent to bless us which Blessing we could not have 〈…〉 Christ puts himself in our place and bears the Curse away from us Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law by being 〈◊〉 a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that 〈◊〉 on a Tree He that was hanged on a Tree under the Law was hanged for transgressing of it and was cursed of God and when 〈◊〉 is said Christ was made a Curse for us it signifies his bearing that Wrath and indignation of God which was due to us for our Sin and his he must do if ever we are justified and eternally â—â—ved from that Eternal Wrath and Vengeance Sin had brought upon every Soul of us 5. As our Lord Jesus if he procure Salvation for us must die and become a Curse for us so he must also raise up himself from the Dead or be discharged of the Bonds of Death he must destroy Death and be freed out of Prison He therefore rose again from the Dead for our Justification His Discharge was virtually a Discharge for us or for all he died for our Lord Jesus must subdue all our Enemies and bring not Death only but the Devil also and all the Powers of Darkness under his Feet or there could be no Salvation for our poor Souls Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage Christ and Believers are of one and the same Nature they are as it were but one Man or are so united as to be considered as one Mystical Body This was held forth in his Incarnation in his assuming our Nature He took not only an Humane Soul but our Humane Flesh into Union with his Divine Nature that both our Souls and Bodies might be brought into Union with him and that our Bodies might also be raised from Death to a State of Life and Glory at the last Day and be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body Who hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel Had not Christ conquered Death and the Devil who had the Power of Death we had been lost for ever He hath not only taken away Sin the Sting of Death but he hath and will be the Death of Death The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death The Body as well as the Soul is brought into Union with Christ he is the Head of the whole Believer the Body as well as the Soul Shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot Both Body and Spirit are the Lord's our Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Brethren what a Conquest hath Christ made how hath he subdued all our Enemies that so he might work out a full and perfect Victory for us in every respect For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Ver. 54. O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Ver. 55. 6. And lastly And as Christ must conquer the Devil the World Sin Death and the Grave for us and in our Nature so he must by his mighty Power destroy the Devil and Sin 's great Power in us and vanquish that natural Enmity that is in our Hearts against God and his Ways and thereby restore the Image of God in us which we had lost HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Ninthly GOSPEL-Salvation is great if we consider the Subject thereof or what is delivered and saved for ever namely the Souls and Bodies of his People First The Soul that is it Jesus Christ came to save which is very precious as I shall shew you in a deduction of several Particulars Certainly the Salvation of the Soul must needs be a great Salvation What is it to save our Estates our Liberties our Healths the Members of our Bodies our Eyes Arms Legs or our natural Lives to the saving of our precious and immortal Souls The Soul is more worth than all the World What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul 1 st To demonstrate the great Worth Excellency and Preciousness of the Soul consider that it was first formed in the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness Our Souls had a glorious Impression of God's Image stamp'd upon them in the first Creation which we lost by Sin and Transgression But this Blessed Image is restored again as you have heard by the Grace of God in this Salvation 1. Pray Brethren remember that the Soul of Man is capable of a Divine Impression of God's glorious Image it is made I mean of such a Nature that it is capable of this great Blessing therefore to be deemed a very precious thing God will not stamp his Image upon low and base Metal if I may so speak with reverence 2. There are three things I find which the great God glories in as being peculiar to himself or his own glorious Prerogative alone The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel saith the Lord which stretcheth out the Heavens and layeth the Foundations of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The first is his stretching out of the Heavens O what a great and glorious Work was that The second is his laying the Foundation of the Earth the hanging it upon nothing what a wonderful thing is that considering its great Weight and wonderful Body The third is his forming of our Souls Certainly the Spirit or Soul of Man is a glorious thing that God should account the Creation of it amongst those chiefest Parts of his admirable Handy-work Why is not the forming the Blessed Angels who are glorious Spirits rather mentioned it is worthy of serious Contemplation Our Bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made they are no small part of God's Wisdom and curious Workmanship if the Nature and Order of every Part was considered as some Artists who study Man's Humane Body will shew you But what is the Formation and Excellency of our Bodies to our Souls 3. The Soul is capable of Divine Union with Jesus Christ through a Communication of the Holy Spirit and by Faith of the Operation of God and thereby the whole Man partakes of the like Union also