all these did not speak them to partake of the grace of the Kingdom We read of others that did eat and drink in Christ's presence and such in whose Luk. 13. 26. streets Christ himself taught they heard him and at their tables entertain'd him and had ordinary converse with him and yet no better than workers of iniquity 3. Not meer morality or civility carrying it fair in the world for these though commendable in themselves come short of conversion and rested in they are but beautiful abominations a smoother way to hell and such are but as wild beasts tamed or tied up their natures not being changed c. 4. Not forms or professions of godliness shews of holiness and being as it were varnisht over 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. with specious semblances of sanctity when there is nothing but rottenness within c. 5. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. sapiens gnarus peritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scire meerly knowing much for the Devils know so much as that they have their name from knowledg and yet they are Devils still and so men may be very knowing but not practising answerably to their knowledg be no better than Jam. 4. 17. Luk. 12. 46. Devils incarnate and their knowledg but aggravate their sin and increase their stripes 6. Not going on in a formal way of duties and in a constant Is 58. 1 2 3. Ezek. 33. 31 32. Luk. 18 12. customary course of performances for this many have done and may do yea be much in extraordinary duties yet never be true Christians because never sincere converts 7. Not Pharisaical Matth. 5. 20. righteousness for Christ hath said except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven and yet these were very exact and went very far and it was commonly conceited among the Jews that if but two in all the world went to heaven one should be a Scribe and an other a Pharisee They going far in outward works 1. of piety made long prayers 2. of charity gave much alms 3. of equity tythed Mint Annis and Cummin 4. of curtesy invited Christ often to their tables and yet but hypocrites because they wanted a sound work of conversion upon their souls 8. Not being of such a sect or party nor simply of such a Church or Society or Congregation or way or judgment or opinion or being hearers of such or such Ministers or such a ones people or the like though I fear too too many lay too much stress upon these in these days as if they must needs be good Christians and true Saints because they are in such a way and of such a Church and such a Congregation and adhere to such a party and are hearers of such Ministers and such a ones people as in the Apostles time how many did bear themselves up with this I am of Paul and I of Apollo and 1 Cor. 1. 12. 13. I of Cephas one he cryes up Paul and his preaching and bears himself up as being his disciple and one of his people another he cryes up Apollo c. another Cephas but what says the Apostle Is Christ divided was Paul crucified 3. 3. for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul and whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and v. 4. another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal c. The Apostle Jude speaks of some in his days who separated themselves and yet were sensual Jud. 19. not having the spirit c. they were destitute of true grace and the Spirit of regeneration as appear'd from fleshly lusts having the upper hand and rule in them And the Prophet Isaiah speaks of some which said to others Stand by your selves come not near to us for we are holier Is 65. 5. than you and yet were a smoak in God's nose very loathsome unto him But let not any here mis-construe what I say for I do not speak against fellowships or societies but I would not have any simply take up in this for it is not this but sound conversion that speaks a Christian Judas was of the best fellowship that ever was of that very society that Jesus Christ himself and the Apostles were of one of the twelve and yet for all that a Devil as Jesus Christ himself declares Joh. 6. 70. Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil See here 's one of the very society of Christ himself and his Apostles and yet a Devil a strange expression but that we know who said it i. e. of a devilish nature one of his children and if there was a Devil among those that were of the very fellowship of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles we had need look about us for what fellowship or society can there be under heaven whereof people may be and yet not be Devils incarnate How fair soever they may carry it outwardly as Judas no doubt did insomuch that when Christ told them one of you shall betray me they questioned among themselves who it should be no more suspecting Judas than themselves Joh. 13. 21 22. And therefore I beseech you let none bear up themselves nor lay so much stress on this it is sound conversion that must speak you sincere Christians and not being of such a way or society Jer. 7. 3. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your ways and your doings and v. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these they pointed as it were with the finger to the temple of the Lord why we have the Temple and the Temple-worship c. but not amending their ways all were but lying words For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink Rom. 4. 17. but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost c. The purest Churches may have impure members and the most orderly congregations disorderly persons and among reall Saints may be such as are but painted sepulchres and though they have the Euge and approbation of men yet may they have the Apage and disallowance of God and all his holy Angels It was a notable speech uttered long since by an English Christian of a reformed Church in the Netherlands We have the good orders here but you have the good Christians in England O that it could be said so still and did says a learned godly Divine now with the Lord the servants of Christ know what it is to live in reformed Churches with unreformed spirits under strict order with loose hearts how forms of Religion breed but forms of Godliness how men by Church discipline learn their Church postures and there rest they
from the Sun than any iniquity or obliquity proceed from God a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32. 4. 3. The sin and great iniquity of this yet further appears if we do but consider while we have and do forsake and turn aside and go away from God who or what it is that we have and do turn aside to and go away after And Ephes 2. 2. 2 Pet. 2. 10. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Jude 18. Jonah 2. 8. this is that which heaven and earth may be astonished at for it is after sin after the flesh after our vile lusts and leasing and lying vanities yea after Satan after the Devil 1 Tim. 1. 15. For some are already turned aside after Satan and so after hell death perdition and destruction and at best it is but after the creature after 1 Sam. 12. 21. Prov. 25. 4 5. vain things which cannot profit nor deliver things that are not that are vanity yea vanity of vanities i. e. vainest vanity as Solomon long since Quid ost impemtentis vita quam periculosa à Deo alienatio Angelorum offensio servitus Diabolica c. upon the utmost proof and experiment of them hath left upon record and that again and again Eccles. 1. 2. 14. 2. 17. 12. 8. c. And what an evil and bitter thing is this and what iniquity and sin is there in it that God and such a God God blessed for ever a God of all and infinite perfections should be turned aside and gone away from and the back turn'd upon Quid magis horrendum posset excogitari quà m praeponererem adeò vilem Deo creatori Granatensis and i th' mean time sin and the flesh and the vile lusts thereof yea the Devil himself and death and hell turn'd to and gone after what for God to be left for the creature All-sufficiency it self forsaken for vanity Fulness for emptiness and indigency Yea sin and Satan and a man's vile lusts preferred before the Lord of life and glory O well may the heavens be astonished at this and be horribly afraid yea be very desolate and so shall the sinner too such despisers shall behold another day and wonder and perish Vse 2. This it speaks our misery that we are all by nature turn'd aside and gone away from God and such a God as you have heard but now describ'd yea that God whose face and Psal 73. â—5 presence makes heaven and is the heaven of heaven for heaven is not God's happiness but God is heavens happiness whom have I in heaven but 30. 5. 63. 3. thee that God with whom is the fountain of life in whose favour is life yea whose favour is better than life and who is alone the sole soveraign suitable all-sufficient and eternal good of the soul And that which further advances and adds to this misery is this that we being turn'd aside and gone away from God he also is departed and gone away from us so that now by nature we are said to be without God in the world and to be estranged and far from him I mean in regard of his special and gracious presence and what inspeakable yea unconceivable misery does this speak there is a woe with an Emphasis put upon this yea woe also to Hosea 9. 11. 12. them when I depart from them this is last brought in as the sorest and heaviest evil and even perfection of their miseries and which indeed in the perfect completion thereof will be the very hell of hell that there must be a departure from God and a being punished with everlasting Matth. 25. 41. 2 Thes 1. 9. Ps 73. 28. destruction from the presence of the Lord c. for loe they that are far from thee shall perish c. Certainly the world is not so sad without the Sun the earth without rain the body without the soul as the soul without God who is more the life of the soul than the Soul is the life of the body Saul spake truely as to that when he said I am sore distressed the Philistins making war against him and God being departed from him 1 Sam. 28. 15. Job 34. 29. When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him c. And when God goes away all good must needs also go away with him and all evils break in as the Lord threatens that people upon their forsaking him and breaking that covenant he had made with them Deut. 31. 17. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day and I will forsake them and I will hide my face from them and what then and ther shall be devoured and many evils and troubles shall befall them c. And how can it be otherwise when their defence is departed from them Use 3. This shews the absolute indispensable necessity of being turn'd again if ever we be saved if ever we enter into heaven and enjoy God for ever Why because by nature we are all turn'd aside and turn'd away from these and have our backs upon them and how can we unless we be turn'd again ever come to partake of them Can a man unless he turn ever come to a place that he hath his back upon and is going away from as can he come to a place in the East that has his back upon it and is going a quite contrary way to a place in the West And can a man unless he turn again and be converted ever come to heaven that has his back upon heaven is going as fast as he can in the ways that lead to hell in a quite opposite and contrary way and course it cannot be And therefore this shews the absolute and indispensable necessity of being turn'd again of being converted if ever we go to heaven if ever we be saved and come to enjoy God for ever and hence says our Saviour Matth. 18. 3. Except you be converted and become as little children for it is a change not of place but of disposition that is required here ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven and indeed ye cannot for till ye are converted your backs are upon it and ye are going on in a quite opposite way to it Can any go to heaven with their backs upon heaven No except ye repent says Christ ye shall all likewise perish and turn ye turn ye says the Lord Luke 13. 3 5. Ezek. 33. 11. from your evill ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel As if the Lord should have said How can ye live unless ye turn that have your backs upon life and are going on in the ways that lead unto death And therefore this being our condition by nature that we are all turn'd aside and turn'd away from God and our sin and misery being so great by reason thereof O let us never rest 'till we come to be turn'd again there
you shall not be saved but perish none indeed are saved for it but for me and my merits sake nor can any be saved without it Had Jesus Christ shed Seas of bloud he would never yet save a sinner that he does not bring to repent of his sins The Father and Son never agreed nor resolv'd upon saving man in an absolute illimited way but in such a way and order as in a way of repenting and believing not as if there was Quamvis Christus millies mortem obiisset nullus tamen impoenitens peccatorum condonationem ex illius morte consequetur nec quemvis alium fructum percipiet Deutus any merit or causality in repentance but as the way and condition without which though not the cause for which remission of sins and salvation cannot be obtained Thus Repentance is necessary not onely as God's command but also as a way means and order that God has ordained for remission and salvation so that though there is no causality dignity or merit in our repentance yet it is of that nature that the holy Ghost must necessarily work it in all those who are partakers of them so as to qualifie for them so that either we must repent or Aut poenitendum aut pereundum perish turn or dye be converted or destroyed either this must be done or we undone for ever Ezek. 18. 30. If indeed we repent and turn from our transgressions then the Lord hath told us iniquity 33. 11. shall not be our ruine though it tends to our ruine but unless we repent and turn it will inevitably be so If we still persist and live and lie Si divinae miserationes nequeunt nos allectare tum judica Dei nos terreant in our sins we shall then certainly dye in our sins and perish in our sins Hence says the Lord Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel implying that 'till we do turn from our evil ways we say in effect we will dye For the turning away of the simple shall Prov. 1. 31. 11. 19. slay them and he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness he shall dye in Ezek. 3. 19. his iniquity Either we must be turned to God here or separated from him for ever hereafter either be converted or for ever excluded the Kingdom of Heaven and turn'd into hell Verily I say unto you except ye be converted c. ye Matth. 18. 2. shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven If Tertullian therefore thou be backward in thoughts of repentance be forward in thoughts of hell c. for we must turn or for ever burn in hell Thus conversion is necessary as a means to life and happiness so that as life is a necessary consequent of conversion so death is an inevitable fruit and effect of the neglect of it so that I may say to you as Moses sometimes said to that people See I here set before you this day life and good death and evil life and all manner of good if you obey and repent and turn to the Lord but death and all manner of evil if ye refuse and I call Deut. 30. 15. heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that ye may live Why life and death are the greatest and forciblest arguments in the world what will not a man give or do for life Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life And death is the most formidable of evils call'd the King of terrours we use to say such a man is as earnest and intent upon a thing as if life and death depended upon it Why truly life or death depend upon our turning or not turning to God life and death are in these things and accordingly such should our prayers and cares and indeavours be in and about the same 5. The gratefulness and acceptableness of it unto God how pleasing welcom and delightful it is to him when a sinner does indeed repent and turn to God! O with what joy and singular complacency does the Lord speak of Ephraim as turning from his Idolatries and not going on as he had done to provoke him and wrong himself Ephraim shall say what have I any more to Hos 14. 8. do with Idols I have heard him and observ'd him and that with a great deal of joy and delight as that I am glad of and rejoyce in So I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 18 19. c. that is bewailing his sins the Hebrew is hearing I have heard him that is attentively pleasingly delightfully so as to take special notice of him and to have a singular regard to him and now his bowels are troubled for him and he will surely have mercy on him As God has a singular hatred and abhorrence of sin so Quemadmodum Deus summo odio habet peccatum ita quoque summe hominis poenirentia delectatur per quam à summo malo ad summum bonum convertitur Gerh. he cannot but be much pleased with repentance by which the sinner turns from it to himself from the chief evil to the chief good and it being that wherein his own glory and the sinners good is so much concern'd For thereby God is honoured Jesus Christ sees of the travel of his soul and is satisfied the Spirit ceases to be grieved as formerly sin is pardoned God's favour recover'd Satan defeated and the soul saved how well was God pleased with Josiah his heart being tender and he humbling himself before 2 Chr. 34. 27. God which he twice mentions as being much taken therewith And so Manasseh though so great a sinner yet repenting what respect had God to him yea so acceptable is this to God that he had respect to it even in Ahab so far as temporally to reward it though hypocritical the more to encourage to that which is true And the acceptableness of this to God does further appear by his earnest invitings to it longings after it waitings for it bearing so long with sinners as in reference to it his readiness to receive sinners upon the first discoveries of it and pardoning the hainousest sins upon it Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise and what is a broken heart but a penitent heart an heart kindly melted humbled and in bitterness for sin and this now is the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificia Dei God 1. Of God to denote its singular excellency it being usual in the Hebrew to set out the excellency of a thing by the addition of the name of God as the mountains and Cedars of God c. 2. It is called the