lead them to Repentance and may be hate reproach and persecute the People of God nay and are guilty of Blood crucifying Christ afresh in his Members Now I say they might be convinced of all these and many more great Aggravations of Sin and yet after such a taste fall away themselves and become as bad as the worst of them I have mentioned 4. They might have a taste of the terrifying Powers of the World to come even such a taste as Felix had who trembled when he heard Paul preach of Hell Wrath or of Judgment to come This I find our late Annotators intimate to be meant hereby Some of them say they were affected with the powerful Doctrines of the Gospel concerning the Final Judgment as their Natural Conscience was wrought on by the Spirit in the Word they felt it as if it were begun in them the Sparkles of God's Wrath having set their Consciences in a light Flame for their Sins This is a tasting of the Powers of the World to come with a Witness 5. They may taste of the constraining Powers of the World to come so that their Consciences might curb them and put a Bridle on their Lusts so that they might not run into Sin as others do the fear and dread of another World keeps them in awe and restrains them for a time from committing any open or secret Acts of Wickedness and by the Power of this constraining Grace they might as you have heard reform their Lives as to become other Men and Women 6. Moreover as the Powers of the World to come may refer to the Everlasting Joy and Comfort of the Saints they might also have some seeming taste of the sweetness thereof I mean they might have a sight and sense of that happy State the Righteous shall be in in the World to come and they finding Christ to be a Redeemer and that he came to save Sinners from Wrath and to purchase Everlasting Blessedness may have some hope of Interest in that Redemption from Wrath and of being made happy eternally in the World to come they might promise to themselves a part in the first Resurrection and their Hopes herein might be as a sweet taste of the Joys and Consolations of that Day Mr. David Dickson speaking of this Passage saith They may taste of the Powers of the World to come that is saith he in contemplation of the Blessedness promised to the Saints in Heaven and have a natural desire of it as Balaam desired to die the Death of the Righteous Thus many of the Jews rejoiced in John's Doctrine He was a burning and shining Light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his Light It was but a taste of Joy it did not continue it was but for a Season 1. It is but a Taste or Savour that arises from an enlightned Conscience not from a renewed Heart 2. It is not a taste that makes them out of love with this World or to be weary of it or to die to it though they seem taken with the Thoughts of the World to come yet they value this World no doubt too highly 't is this World that is in their Hearts 3. It is not a taste of the World to come that changes them into a meet and sit State to be partakers of the Glory and Blessedness of it as the Saints are said to be giving Thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light 'T is not a bare taste can do this no nothing but a thorow change of Nature or a spiritual receiving and feeding by Faith on Jesus Christ 4. It was not such a tasting of the Powers of the World to come that made them long for it and to seek it with the full bent of their Wills and urgency of their Affections and to contemn all the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this present evil World for it as Moses and all the Holy Patriarchs did For they that saw such things declare plainly they seek a Countrey and confessed they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth 5. It was a tasting not a feeding on Jesus Christ and a digesting of his Word they come not to experience the Powers of the World to come were begun in them setting them against Sin Satan and this World 6. And lastly It was a tasting but no saving Relish no Soulcraving after a true Interest in the Glory of the World to come they did not find the Power of the Resurrection and last Judgment in themselves And that tasting that doth not secure the Soul against a total and final Apostacy as Union with Christ doth is not to be valued or accounted of APPLICATION 1. I told you Brethren at first that touching these Persons Attainments here is nothing spoken of Union with Christ of the Faith of God's Elect of Regeneration Love to God and to his People nothing of Adoption Justification nor Sanctification and so nothing that is pecusiar to a true Christian nothing of those things that accompany Salvation 2. It appears they are like the Ground that oft receives the Rain that falls upon it and yet bears or brings forth Briars and Thorns therefore they are nigh unto cursing whose End is to be burned and this the Apostle hints of them in Vers 7 8. 3. This informs us that Men may go a great way in a visible Profession of the Gospel by common Influences of the Spirit and Light improved by natural Powers and yet be in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity 4. O bless God for the least degree of saving Grace Have you love to God to his poor Saints Do you minister unto them for Christ's Sake then have you obtained to a higher degree of Attainment than those ever had and no cause to fear your spiritual State and Condition Thus I have passed through the second thing I first propounded to speak unto namely What those Attainments are that are spoken of the Persons in our Text. I shall now come to the last thing to shew you what is spoken of them Thirdly What is spoken of these Persons consists of two Parts 1. That they may fall away 2. That it is upon their so falling away impossible for them to be renewed by Repentance It is the last of these I purpose to speak of viz That it is impossible to renew them again unto Repentance either to such a Repentance they once had or to true saving and Evangelical Repentance The Reason is by the Holy Ghost added Seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame 1. It is not doubtless impossible in respect of God's Absolute Power had he not limited himself by an unchangeable Decree But if he hath determined to deny Grace and all saving Influences of his Spirit to these Apostates that makes it impossible for them ever to be renewed which shews us that
also the Nature and Quality or Degree of it Of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy c. God at the last Day will so justly and righteously proceed against wicked Men that their Reward shall be judged reasonable in their own Judgment and by their own Consciences 7. They shall not escape because Mercy and Grace is sinned against principally by all that neglect this Salvation Mercy will as you have heard plead against them And if Mercy be their Enemy if Goodness it self rise up against them where will they find a Friend to appear for them 8. They shall not escape because God hath absolutely and unavoidably decreed the Destruction and eternal Damnation of all those that believe not but neglect this Salvation His Decree his Counsel and Purpose shall stand He that believeth not shall be damned 9. It is because the Sinner is not able to deliver himself out of God's Hand If he escape it must be from one of these two Considerations 1. That either God must change his Purpose his absolute Decree and Counsel 2. Or else the Sinner must get out of God's Hand and so deliver himself Now it is impossible God's Mind should change or his absolute Decree be made void his Decree shall stand and he will do all his Pleasure God will be true and not make himself a Liar to save the guilty Sinner And that it is impossible for the Sinner to get out of God's Hands is evident because God is Omnipotency it self whither can he fly from his Presence Who can stand before or escape his Indignation Therefore there is no way for such to escape God's Wrath who neglect this Salvation APPLICATION 1. O bless God for this Salvation and value it according to the Nature Worth and Greatness of it 2. Bewail all ungodly Persons who are found slighters and neglecters of it and mourn over them O how sad is their Condition May be you have some in your Families that are Neglecters of it may be a Wife a Husband or Children that do not regard it but are ungodly and neglect the Means of Grace how should what you have heard move you to pity them to weep over them to pray for them and strive with them 3. Examine your selves whether you have not or do not neglect this Salvation Do you make it your chief Business to get an Interest in Christ Do you prefer the Means of Salvation above all things in the World What time do you take to seek God to pray to him to hear his Word And with what Zeal Love Faith and Diligence do you do all these things Do you not defer Soul-Concernments to another time O see to it and examine your selves Do you not rest upon something or another short of Christ Doth the Power of Grace appear in your Hearts and Lives 4. This may teach Believers to bear up under all Trials and Fears Let what will come they are safe who have an Interest in this great Salvation other Salvations are nothing to this and if we should not be saved from the Wrath of Man but must lose our Liberty and be exposed to Death and Dangers here in this World yet it will go well with us if this Salvation is ours Let what Judgments can come upon the Land thou hast got a sure Sanctuary God is thy Help and thy Salvation Brethren there are many sad Effects that do attend those that neglect continually neglect this Salvation whilst they are in this World as Manifestations of God's Displeasure As 1. God withdraws the Influences of his Spirit from them after they have for a long time resisted it in the common Motions thereof even to such a Degree that it shall strive with them no more thus God dealt with the old World 2. God gives such up at last to blindness of Mind so that they in seeing see not and in hearing hear not neither do they understand And in them is fulfilled the Prophecy of Esaias By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive The Word of God if neglected and not received that it may become a Savour of Life unto Life will become a Savour of Death unto Death it either softens or hardens Mens Hearts 3. God gives them up to their own Hearts Lusts as God by the Psalmist says My People would not hearken to my Voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsels 4. Nay sometimes God takes away the Gospel from them as he did from the Jews that rejected Christ refused the chief corner-Stone Therefore I say unto you The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof What can be a worse Judgment this befel that People and it hath not been restored to them ever since When God removes the Gospel it may be long before he lets a People have it again nay perhaps never 5. Moreover for neglecting the great Salvation God sometimes brings upon a People or Nation fearful temporal Judgments and puts them it may be into the Hands of cruel Enemies For thus he dealt with the unbelieving Jews he brought the Romans in upon them that burned their City and Temple so that it is said Wrath came upon them to the uttermost 6. God sometimes will not save Persons with Temporal Salvation because they neglect Spiritual Salvation so that they may read their Sin if the Lord opens their Eyes in their Punishment But it is not God's usual way under this Dispensation to inflict Temporal Punishment on such that neglect the Salvation of the Gospel but he reserves his Wrath to another World and therefore let none think though they escape his Judgments here that they shall escape his Judgments and Wrath hereafter that they shall not be able to do as you heard But no more at this Time HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the third and last Point of Doctrine which I observed from our Text viz. That there is no possibility for such or any one Soul of them to escape that neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel The last Day I shewed you First What those things are which they shall not escape Secondly Why they cannot shall not escape who are guilty of this Neglect Thirdly I am now to shew you When or at what Times they that neglect Gospel-Salvation shall not escape 1. In the Day of common Calamities and desolating Judgments that will come upon the Earth there is Beloved a dismal Hour spoken of in God's Word that is not yet come yet no doubt it is very near in which but a few shall escape I am afraid many good Men who have been remiss and negligent in and about the great Concerns of Christ and of their own Souls shall not escape I mean
they may fall in that Hour by Temporal Judgments God in the last Days will pour out the Fierceness of his Wrath For my Determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine Indignation even all my fierce Anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the Fire of my Jealousy compared with Nahum 1. 2 3 4 5 6. It will be with the Ungodly then as it befel the People of Old according to the Prophecy of the Prophet Jeremiah Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring Evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape and though they shall cry unto me I will not hearken unto them Our Saviour alludes to that Time of which I speak Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man O who shall stand when God appears in the latter-Day-Judgments which are now just at the Door There are a few which he hath set his Mark upon that shall be hid and they are such that sigh and mourn for all the Abominations that are committed in the Land They of them that escape shall escape and they shall be on the Mountains like Doves of the Valley every one mourning for his own Iniquities O what an amazing Hour will that be when the seven Vials of God's Wrath shall be poured out upon the Kingdom of the Beast the Earthquake is near look for it and the Midnight Cry not far off Be sure there is such a distressing Hour approaching upon the World that those that have and shall still neglect this Salvation when it comes shall not escape 2. They that neglect this Salvation shall not escape in the Day of Conscience I mean escape the Torments of an enraged accusing and condemned Conscience and sometimes the Conscience is awakened and is let out upon the Sinner here in this World before the Soul is separated from the Body How many through the Guilt of their horrid Sins have been this way tormented Some Mens Sins are open before-hand going before to Judgment and some Men follow after Some Mens Sins are discovered by themselves through that great Guilt that lies upon them or others discover them or God himself brings their Sins to light and by this means they sometimes pass Judgment upon themselves and may be a severe Judgment or Men pass Judgment upon them or perhaps more directly to the Purport of the Holy Ghost in the Text the Church passeth Judgment or a righteous and just Church-Censure upon them for their great Sins But what a severe Judgment in the day of Conscience did poor Spira and Child pass upon themselves for their Iniquities However those cannot escape who trifle in the matters of Religion or neglect the great Salvation in such a time when God lets Conscience out upon them their Sorrow and Misery is very great and if it be so bitter a thing to fall into our own Hands I mean to fall into the Hands of our own Conscience what a fearful thing is it to fall into the Hands of the living God God giveth to some Men the Name he gave to Pashur even Magor-Missabib that is Fear and Terror on all sides he makes them a Terror to themselves and to all their Friends so that they are all afrightned reflecting on their sad and miserable Condition partly by Terror within and partly by Judgments without 3. Those that neglect this Salvation shall not escape at the Hour of Death may be some of them may go on quietly in their Sins and not fall under the Accusations and Terror of their guilty Consciences Conscience may be asleep or seared with a hot Iron but at Death I mean as soon as the Soul departs they will be with a witness awakened and then they shall see they cannot escape nay all hope and possibility of escaping is then gone for ever True many as soon as struck with Death roar out and find no escaping others may be God then in his Infinite Mercy may shew the way of an escape but when dead if ungodly if they have neglected this Salvation they lift up their Eyes in Hell with the rich Glutton being in Torment Remember if Death comes upon you before you have got an Interest in Christ or a part in this Salvation you cannot then and at that time escape 4. They shall not escape in the Day of Judgment in the Day when Christ shall come For when they shall cry Peace and Safety then sudden Destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a Woman with Child and they shall not escape Tho Sinners escape here in this World yet they shall not escape in that day they shall not be able to deliver themselves out of God's Hands nor shall any be able to deliver them The Wicked shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath they shall not come willingly to Christ's Bar but they shall be brought forth dragged as it were to hear their Sentence which will be Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Mat. Devil and his Angels If the Righteous scarcely are saved where shall the Vngodly and Sinner appear they will not be able to stand in the Judgment O what Dread and Horror will then seize upon them they that give the greatest Diligence take the greatest Care about the Salvation of their So 〈◊〉 are saved with much difficulty 't is a narrow Way and a strait Gaâ—e that leads to Life Through much Tribulation and Temptations we enter into the Kingdom of God and if this â—e so what will become of them in the great Day that have wholly neglected this great Salvation If the Righteous be scarcelâ— saved the Wicked shall certainly perish and be damned Quest What is the Nature of that Wrath which none of them that neglect this Salvation shall escape Answ I answer it is great Wrath Wrath proportioned according to the Greatness of their Sin as the Salvation â—â—ighted is great Salvation so the Wrath that such shall bear will be great Wrath. 1. It is incensed Wrath therefore great Wrath such Wrath that hath been long a kindling in the Heart of God for the Abuse of his Mercy and Infinite Goodness 2. It is intolerable Wrath therefore great Wrath the Torment of the Heathen that never heard of this Salvation shall be more tolerable more easy to bear than the Wrath which is poured out in Hell upon such that neglect the Salvation wrought by Jesus Christ Nay it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment than for them 3. It is infinite Wrath. Who knows the Power of thine Anger even according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath it bears full Proportion to the Fear of it nay who is able to arrive to the full Sense Fear and Apprehension of God's Infinite
a Warning to all how they have mens Persons in Admiration But he had not many years asserted the Doctrine before mentioned before he changed his Judgment and turned to be a grand Arminian which Notions he maintained with great Confidence and was so conceited of his Abilities that he feared not to Dispute with any Man charging the Doctrine of Personal Election at a strong manner as if the Asserters of it rendered God cruel and worse than the worst of Mortals In his Judgment he was a Baptist being against Infants Baptism and for the Baptism of Believers for many years he lived in Buckingham-shire near me I being intimately acquainted wth him for near 30 years but a little before the last Persecution of Dissenters he removed his Dwelling and came to London and lived near to my Habitation in Pauls Shadwel now the first time I came to fear him was through some Words he uttered to me which was to his effect I have said he seriously considered whether there be any thing in Religion worth suffering for Which Words I wondred at from such a one as he but soon after he Conformed Troubles rising high and then wrote a Cursed Book rendering the Dissenters especially the Baptists very odious casting Reproach upon their faithful Ministers because some of them were not learned men I mean with the Knowledge of the Tongues and quickly after this he fell under fearful Despairation I was one of the first Men that he sent for and I found him in a dismal State and Condition being filled with Horror saying he was damned and crying out against himself for Writing that Book saying he had touched the Apple of Gods Eye I said all I was well capable to speak to Comfort him but all in vain at another time he said Mine iniquities are great and many old sins as well as of a late date come to mind Wrath is come upon me to the utmost God hath forsaken me good Men are my Enemies I hate my self I am afraid and ashamed to go abroad and am confused and distracted at home the Scriptures look dreadfully upon me I have raised Reproach invented Reproach and by it wronged multitudes I am afraid to live and afraid to dye Judgment I fear will be terrible in this World and more in the World to come I cannot give an Account of my Actions to Men how much less to God! my Heart condemns me and he is greater and knows more I think I have not only outdone Cain Balaam and Judas but some of the Devils themselves O I cannot Repent I cannot Repent I shall go to Hell I am broken in Judgment When I think to Pray either I have a flushing in my Face as if I were in a flame or I am dumb I cannot speak all the signs of one whom God hath left forsaken and hardened If I was in Heaven it could not relieve me for I should behold the Face of God and holy Saints as now I behold the Face of good Men upon Earth with shame and confusion of Face and then again said Wrath is come upon me to the utermost I am one of the greatest Hypocrites that ever lived upon the Earth and shall be so accounted God hath and will do his will upon me Oh he thunders upon me should God let out the sence of my sins on me as he will I should howl like a Dog roar like a Lyon bellow like an Ox mine inward parts would melt within me as brass melts in a flaming fire I shall lye lower than Judas I have sinned worse then Judas he quoting those words in Heb. 10. 2 6. If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truths remains no more sacrifice for sin c. he said when I am faint and low I take some refreshments but in Hell there is no refreshment not a drop of Water to cool my Tongue To some that came to visit him and to Comfort him he said All is gone I am undone I have been so great a sinner against God and the people of God that God will have no Mercy on me but will glorifie himself by me and make me an Example for the strengthening and establishing of his People but it shall end in my destruction God hath sworn in his Wrath that I shall never enter into his rest I have been a loose and carnal Professor and if I were in the place of God I should meet the same measure that God doth to me My Calamity is even at the door and all men in a little time will justifie Gods dealing with me The Wrath of God is kindled and burns in me it is impossible for you to imagin my torment and this is but an Earnest penny of my Eternal Damnation Said a godly man this is a humbling dispensation that you are exercised under A humbling dispensation said he do you call it I tell you it is an hardening dispensation and I feel it to be so Said his Friend I hope there is mercy yet reserved for you to whom he replyed I know I shall have such Mercy as the Damned have I do highly justifie God in his dealings with me at another time I once thought said he that there was a power in man but now I find it otherwise for I cannot Pray I have no desire after any thing that is good I cannot Repent His Visitors asked him if they should Pray for him he said No No. One said to him the Learned Dr. Twist in his Vinditiae Gratiae consesseth there were Depths in the Controversie between the Calvinists and Arminians yet he believed the Truth against the Arminians Mr. Child replyed I thought I could have dived to the bottom of it by my parts but I see I cannot and then and many other times said I am broken in Judgment One of his Visitors said you are obliged to stoop to the Soveraignty of God he replyed Oh I cannot I would be above him O that there should be an Eternal blessed Being and I sure never to enjoy him there shall be an Eternal Wrath and Punishment and I sure to fall under it I shall be an eternal Monument of the Wrath of God Pride and Covetousness hath ruined me it hath undone me I have been too much influenced thereby I have been a Hypocrite I am so now I seem to repent I do not I cannot repent And walking to the end of the room turned back with a very stern Countenance and striking his Hand on his Breast said No Sir I cannot pamper this Body for God will have it made a remarkable Example to this Generation He cryed out against himself for charging those that hold the Doctrine of Personal-Election with Consequences beyond the Sense of their Minds or Principles I have said he made this World my God I have been guilty of Idolatry I have been guilty of Pride endeavouring to run every Man down in Dispute I have endeavoured to shake the Cross off my Shoulders how deplorable
said of the Wrath of God as some other things or of Death it self i. e. that the fear is worse than the thing No no acording to the fear so is the the Wrath and Vengeance of an angry God The fears of a dreadful Deity are not vain Bugbares and the effects of ignorance or of a crasie head of Folly Melancholly or Superstition as some Atheistical Wretches are ready to say No no but it is grounded and built upon solid Foundations as it is in part made manifest sometimes by the terrible effects upon mankind as I have hinted Wrath bears proportion unto the greatest fear of it nay doth far exceed the fear thereof and what prepared Plagues infinite pains intollerable anguish have some self-accused and self-condemned mortals seared and looked for what is the nature of that certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation why now according to the fear of it so will the thing it self be Some have felt much Sorrow but have feared much more Mans thoughts and fears exceed all that can be expressed c. Thirdly The Wrath of God will be intollerable in Hell and the extremity of the damned amazing if we compare that misery and anguish with all or any nay the worst of Plagues and Punishments that can be undergone in this World I mean of all temporal Miseries as Pestilence Famine War or any tormenting Disease as the Stone Gout c. 1. These may be but the Fatherly Rebukes and Chastenings of the Almighty not from a Sin-revenging hand but a Sin-correcting hand of God not in Wrath but in Love but if his Anger be so terrible when he chastizes as a compassionate Father what is his fury when he punishes as a severe Judge if he deals thus sharply with those he loves what will their portion be whom he hates if his Wisdom leadeth him forth thus to corect in mercy what will be the strokes of his Justice and incensed Wrath and Fury 2. The Miseries of this present Life are abated or mitigated with the mixture of some Sweet None are so universally afflicted so deplorable but some thing remains to ease their sufferings and tormenting pains Judgments are tempered with Mercys No man as one observes is tortured with all Diseases nor forsaken of all Friends besides if the Malady be incurable and remediless yet their grief is a little allayed by the Sympathy of Friends and Neighbours But in Hell the damned are tortured and surrounded with pain and horror and incompass'd with flames without any mixture nothing to refresh their distressed Souls and Bodies no not one drop of water to cool their Tongue The rich Man desired but so much water that Lazarus could bring upon the tip of his finger and it was denyed him Fourthly The State of the Damned is void of the least degree of Comfort Ease and Refreshment The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of his holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb They shall have Judgment without Mercy Sorrow without Joy Pain without Ease Darkness without Light all felicity is totally withdrawn Pitty is the cheap and smallest relief any here can meet withal in misery not denyed to the most guilty notorious Criminal but yet this is not afforded to the damned all their bitter Crys cannot move the Compassion of God nor the Blessed Angels or Saints in Heaven toward them for they are not Objects of Compassion their Miseries being the just punishments of an offended God whom they wilfully and of their own choice contemned thro' love to Sin and this present World besides in Hell all humane affections are extinguished for ever Ah this is the quintisence and perfection of Misery the excess of Anguish and Sorrow to be deprived of all good things pleasing to our desires and to suffer all evils from which we have the deepest aversation and abhorrence for as in Heaven all Good all Felicity all Joy is inconceivable so in Hell all evil is felt and endured to the highest degree and nothing but what is evil Some of the greatest miseries that Mortals have met with here in this World have been inflicted upon them by the hand of Man whose power is but little and oft-times restrained and mittigated by the Lord as in the case of the poor Martyrs But in Hell the pain and punishment the of damned will be from the immediate hand of Almighty God whose power is Infinite nay and it shall be according to his glorious Power or the greatness of his Power Who knows the power of thine anger When infinite power is exerted in punishing the offending Sinner who can conceive of that what are the Lashes of a small Whip to that with Scorpions or the stroaks of a Child to the blows of a Giant but alas this will not reach it because the Stroaks of Gods Wrath are incomprehensible in Hell he lets out the perfection of his Wrath as in Heaven the perfection of his Love c. The Sorrows and Miseries we endure here from the hand of God may by Repentance by Cryes and Tears through Christs Blood be taken off God hath promised to ease such who fly unto him and look up to his Son of their burthen as he did those that were stung with fiery Serpents in the Wilderness who looked up to the brazen Serpent but no Tears no Cries no Repentance will do in Hell there 's no Gospel preached no means of Grace afforded no Christ held forth Fourthly The Torments of the damned will be dismal intolerable and amazing because they shall be cast into a lake of fire or be tormented with fire O how amazing is it to be thrown into a fierce fire look into a Glass-house behold their burning Furnaces or into a hot Oven can you bear the thoughts of being thrown into one of them whether the fire of Hell be material or metaphorical Fire however the reality and extensiveness of the Torment is signified by it held forth by it and as in other tropes in the Scripture the things signified or held forth by those Metaphors far exceed what they are borrowed from so no doubt it is here our ordinary fire is not an adequate Representation of the fire of Gods Wrath tho' it may seem to set it forth to our Capacities in some measure what is the fire that man kindles to the fire that God kindles nay to that Divine Wrath doth kindle The breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it It is mingled with the most tormenting Ingredients and not a little of it but a River this serves so Illustriously to set it forth that as one hints as some of the Ancient Fathers expressed it if one of the damned might pass out of Hell flames into the fiercest fires here it were to exchange a
Sin Thrust a Sword into a dead Man's Bowels and he will not stir nor cry out Sin is in wicked Men like a Sword in the Sides of such as are dead but as soon as Life is infused there will be Sense and a crying out Now when they heard this they were pricked in the Heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles What shall we do Some of these had been the Murderers of the Lord of Life and Glory yet they found Mercy 2 dly Another Effect is this viz. You will perceive a mighty Famine in your Soul as it was with the Prodigal Son all your old Hopes of Heaven will be gone Poverty of Spirit will overtake you An awakned wounded Sinner despairs of all Supplies or Help in himself he is distressed with pinching Hunger and so flies home to his Father 1. Yet may not get Power over Sin presently 2. But O he trembles at the Thoughts of God's Justice by beholding the Spear in Christ's Side 3. He throws down his Weapons as being conquered and overcome and resolves to do as the four Lepers did 2 Kings 7. 3 4 8 9. 4. He sees nothing but Death if he abides where he is and believes not And if he returns to his old Course he sees he must die and therefore ventures to throw his Soul upon Christ or ventures himself on Christ and lies at the Feet of Christ and says If I perish I perish I can but die and if he will pardon me heal me and have compassion on me I shall live O Sinners that you could but do thus Secondly We may infer from hence that it is in vain for any Person to talk of Christ's Death or to say Christ died for Sinners nay for the whole World and therefore for me unless they come to feel the Virtue and blessed Effects of his Death on their own Souls O see you rest not without finding the Power of the Death of Christ Sirs though the Sacrifice is over yet the Virtue and excellent Causality of it remains and not only to justify and absolve a believing Sinner but also to quicken regenerate and to sanctify and make him Holy also Therefore labour to know and experience the Power of Christ's Death Thirdly From hence also we may infer that this is the only Way to know Christ died for us namely when we find the Effects of his Death that we die to Sin that the Body of Sin is crucified in us with him Hath the Life of your Sins been let out O see to this you that prosess the Gospel Fourthly This shews us also what a dangerous thing it is for any to build their Faith upon the general Love of God to Mankind What say some I believe Christ died for me because he died for all and because for all therefore for me Brethren I am afraid this is the ruin of many Souls because it may be but a false Faith that those poor Creatures have they may not experience the Effects of Christ's Death may be it is not prest upon their Consciences but this of Christ dying for all they think is enough Now pray consider and O that all such mistaken Persons would consider it also 1. That a general Faith viz. to believe that Christ died for all gives no Man any particular saving Interest in Christ's Death for if it did then every Man that so believeth hath a saving Interest in his Death But thousands perhaps so believe and yet are as vile and ungodly People as any in the World Therefore to build on that general Faith without a particular Application of the Promise or Promises of God and experiencing the Effects of Christ's Death is a false Faith and deceives the Soul 2. That that Faith which a Man may have that may leave such that have it and trust in it under the Power of Sin is a false Faith and will deceive the Soul but Men may have that Faith namely believe Christ died for all and therefore for them and yet be under the Power of Sin therefore that may be a false Faith 3. That Faith that doth not change the Heart purify the Heart is a false Faith But many that believe Christ died for all and therefore for them have that Faith and yet it doth not change their Hearts purify their Hearts therefore it is a false Faith 4. From hence I argue that it follows undeniably that all those People that believe Christ died for all must come to a particular Application of Christ's Blood and not trust to that general Application they must feel the Effects of Christ's Death upon their own Souls or else they are undone nor do I doubt in the least but many of them of that Judgment do so divers of them being as gracious Christians as any others and have Experiences that clearly contradict their own Principles Fifthly and Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers O see what the Death of Christ hath and will effect for you and in you 1. God's Wrath is appeased in him towards you 2. Justice is satisfied in him towards you 3. The Law is silenced 4. Peace and Pardon procured 5. Life is infused 6. The Guilt Power Pollution and Punishment of Sin removed and gone for ever 7. You are justified 8. Satan is conquered 9. The World is overcome you are and shall be sanctified and Heaven is opened you are in Christ's Hand and shall not perish but have Everlasting Life JOHN X. 28. And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand BRETHREN there are but two Arguments more that I intend to insist upon for the farther Proof and Demonstration of the Saints final Perseverance or to prove That none of the Saints or Sheep of Christ can so sin and fall away as eternally to perish I spoke the last Day to the Effects of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ I might proceed to speak to the Intercession of Christ also but I shall take that in the Arguments I shall next enter upon Ninthly The Saints are in the Hand of the Father and in the Hand of the Son considered as Mediator And from hence I shall prove That it is impossible they should so fall away as eternally to perish First I shall shew you in what respect they may be said to be in the Hand of the Father and what is meant by his Hand and how that doth secure them Secondly Shew you what is meant by their being in the Hand of the Son and shew you how that may be said also to secure their firm standing and tends to their final Perseverance Thirdly Shew you in what respect they may be said to be in Christ's Hand First By the Hand of the Father doth intend his Power Behold the Lord's Hand is not shortned that he cannot save As if God should say I am not grown weaker than formerly I am God Almighty still and as Omnipotent
off from pressing Care and Diligence on the Mariners 4. That God who hath ordained the End I tell you again hath also ordained the Means Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. We are chosen in Christ that we may be holy and without blame before him in Love Nor can any ever come to any well-grounded hope he shall be saved or know he is elected unless he is holy heavenly spiritual watchful and diligent in all Gospel-Duties which is the Fruits and Effects of Election 5. The Decree of Election considered absolutely in it self without respect had unto its Effects is no part of God's revealed Will that is it is not revealed that this Man is and that Man is not Elected This therefore can be made neither Argument nor Objection about any thing wherein Faith and Obedience are concerned 6. The Sovereign and ever-to-be-adored Grace and distinguishing Love of God is laid down in the Word of God to be the greatest Motive to Holiness imaginable Who maketh thee to differ from another O that God should open my Eyes call me by his Grace may a Believer say Shall I sin against him because his Grace so abounds to me God forbid If God hath elected me I may live in Sin walk as I list is the Language rather of a Devil than of a Man much less of a Saint I speak the more to this because I would shew you that are Believers what Improvement you ought to make of God's Free Grace and Love to you Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another And as Moses said Consider what great things God hath done for you Object 4. If I shall persevere to the End what need is there of those Take-heeds in the Scripture Why are we bid to watch and take heed lest we fall Answ This is all one with the former besides I answered it largely when I first entred upon my Work but yet let me add a word or two further 1. A Child of God may sin and fall grievously and greatly dishonour God and bring Reproach on the Gospel which may tend to grieve some and harden others nay he may lose his Comfort and Joy of God's Salvation therefore hath need to watch Satan is a strong a vigilant and cunning Enemy O see what Reasons you have from thence to watch and pray 2. If you grow careless carnal or indifferent in the Matters of Religion it may be a sign that your Hearts are not right with God Many of the Members of the Churches to whom the Epistles were directed were no more than Professors and if so they were liable to fall away and perish for ever Object 5. But same Branches in the Vine may bear no Fruit but may be cut off and wither c. Answ I have also fully answered this Objection already see the Argument taken from our Union with Christ There is a twofold being in Christ an External being in him by a Profession and a true Spiritual being in him Object 6. If Christ died not for all what ground have I to believe he died for me Answ 1. What doth it signify to believe Christ died for all unless thou findest the Effects of his Death in thee Many thousands shall perish notwithstanding Christ died for them in their Judgment that make this Objection yea the generality of them for whom he died therefore unless all were saved what Encouragement is there to believe from hence 2. He that believes shall be saved If thou therefore dost believe thou shalt be saved Is not this a better Ground of Faith than that of Christ's dying for all 3. A bare believing that Christ died for all I have proved is no Ground of thy Interest in his Death for that may be without any Fruits or gracious Effects 4. Thou hast the same Ground to believe as any have or as such had who do now believe before they did believe or as they had once who now are in Heaven 5. Christ died for the chiefest of Sinners and the Promises of Mercy upon believing are made to the vilest Sinners on Earth 6. Great and black Sinners have found Mercy and are now in Heaven even some of them that put Christ to Death And is here not Ground of Faith and Hope for thee 7. Remember that if thou believest not but dost continue in thy Sin and Rebellion against God thou shalt be certainly damned thy rejecting of Christ will have that Effect at last upon all Unbelievers 8. Moreover Christ calls to stout-hearted Sinners such that are far from Righteousness He brings his Salvation near to them He calls upon a People not called by his Name He hath received Gifts for the Rebellious also that God might dwell among them And is not here a good Ground to venture thy Soul upon Jesus Christ be thou who thou wilt 9. No Person is excluded by the Lord that we know of Can any Man say there is no Mercy for him unless he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost which may be not one in an Age is guilty of The Nature of which Sin I purpose to open after I have closed with this Text. Thy Condemnation O Sinner will be of thy self God will judg the World in Righteousness this we are all agreed in and set down as an undeniable Article of our Faith None shall have this to plead at the last Day I was not Elected God will vindicate his Justice and Righteous Proceedings in the Day of Judgment and all Mouths shall be then stopped and every Man's Conscience be a Witness for or against him And though foreseen Faith and Holiness is not the Cause why any are elected yet foreseen Wickedness is the Cause why Men are reprobated O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Object 7. But is it not said Work out your Salvation with fear and trembling Answ 1. This Text the Papists do abuse as well as the Arminians who strive to make Man a Co-worker or a Partner with Christ in our Salvation But this the Apostle intends not because we are saved by Grace For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Not of Works lest any Man should boast For we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to good Works 2. Whoever it is that brings in this Text as an Objection against the Doctrine of the Saints Final Perseverance you may be sure is a corrupt Person in his Judgment and one that pleads for a Covenant of Works or joins the Creature with Christ as a Co-workein the Salvation of Man For if it be to be taken in their sense then it would follow that Man is his own Saviour for if I procure my own Salvation by Works or by working it out for my self I save my self or am my own Saviour or I
were like the Ground which the Rain falls oft upon that nevertheless brings forth Briars and Thorns and no good Fruit. 8 thly There is one thing particularly noted by the Apostle concerning these Hebrew Christians which they had and which the other had not therefore not gracious Persons See ver 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your Work of Faith and Labour of Love which ye have shewed toward his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister 1. This he mentions as a Reason of his good Opinion of them and why he was so perswaded of them and which was better than all those high Attainments of which he speaks concerning such that are in danger of Final Apostacy Love to the poor Saints in ministring to them for the sake of Christ or because they are the Members of his Body is more than all those five Attainments mentioned in the 4 th 5 th and 6 th Verses Now also let it be considered that if this Fruit of true and saving Grace I mean Charity or Love to the poor Saints as such had been in the Persons he speaks of who were in danger of falling finally how then could this be an Argument of such Confidence in Paul concerning them or of Comfort to those Saints he wrote unto Alas what are common Illuminations What is it to have some transit taste of the Heavenly Gift or to be made Partakers of the common Operations of the Spirit in Convictions of Sin or of Duty to the Inhabitation of the Spirit or unfeigned Love to Christ and to the Children of God Or what is it to have some taste of the good Word of God to a spiritual feeding and digesting it or to be affected with the powerful Doctrine of the Gospel in respect of the World to come or with the Resurrection of the Dead and last Judgment to the gracious Experience of the Power of Christ's Resurrection and so feel in our Souls a Discharge from the Judgment of the Great Day through Faith in Jesus Christ 2. The Apostle was perswaded concerning these Hebrew Christians that they had such things in them that did accompany Salvation that is such things that are inseparable from Salvation i. e. such who have them shall certainly be saved He describes such who are sincere Christians by the Fruits and Effects of true Grace namely the Work of Faith and Labour of Love by which their Obedience unto God did appear 1. He notes the Principle from whence they acted in their Duty to God 2. The Constancy of their Obedience they continued in bringing forth of that good Fruit they had ministred to the Saints and still did minister to them 3. He takes notice of the Principle from whence they acted or did what they did viz. they ministred to the Saints in Love to God and to Jesus Christ it was Love shewed to his Name 4. He adds that in their Preservation in their happy State the Faithfulness of God God is not unrighteous to forget your Work of Faith c. which comprehends his Covenant and Promise to them which for their farther Comfort he enlargeth upon ver 13 to ver 19. to which he subjoins the Promise and Oath of God made to all that are sincere Believers or Heirs of the Promise But to proceed to speak to those five Qualifications or Attainments of the Perso she speaks of in our Text who may fall away and finally perish for ever First The first is their being once enlightned They might be instructed in the Doctrine of the Gospel beyond many or be illuminated not only by learning the literal Knowledg of the Gospel as Men learn Philosophy but also may attain to some supernatural Light by the common Illuminations of the Spirit and may understand many profound Mysteries of the Gospel yet remember Knowledg puffeth up they might have knowing Heads but graceless Hearts Note from hence Doct. 2. That it is a high Privilege and an Attainment for Men to be enlightned with the Knowledg of the Gospel yet nevertheless Men may attain to much Light therein and yet not be savingly enlightned but may finally fall away and perish notwithstanding at last First I shall shew you what the common Illuminations of the Spirit are that Men may fall from Secondly Shall shew you what the saving and special Illuminations of the Spirit are and how they differ 1 st Common Enlightnings of the Word and Spirit may tend to convince the Conscience of a Sinner of Sin 1. As to the horrid Guilt thereof as it exposeth the Soul to God's Wrath Thus was Judas enlightned his Conscience was convinced that he had betrayed the Innocent Blood Thus also Felix was enlightned under Paul's preaching 2. From these Convictions they may also with much horror confess their Sins Cain Judas and many others did this 3. From these Illuminations and Convictions they may reform their Lives and do many things like as Herod did upon his hearing John the Baptist 4. Nay common Illuminations may discover to the Sinner much of that Evil that there is in Sin that God abhorreth it and that it is contrary to his Nature as well as a violation of his Holy Law and this Light they may receive from what God declares concerning Sin and of his abhorrence of it in his Word as also by those fearful Judgments which he inflicteth upon and pronounceth against such that sin live in Sin and make a Trade of it Likewise by the Knowledg they may attain concerning Christ's suffering for Sin and by the Punishment of the Damned in Hell and no doubt but the Devils know the great Evil of Sin in all these respects But pray observe that although these Persons may know that Sin is against God contrary to his Holy Nature and that he doth abhor it yet this Light and Knowledg they have never brings them to loath and abhor it in themselves because of the evil Nature of it and as it is against God 2 dly They also by these common Illuminations may come to know that God is Man's chiefest Good The Heathen found this out by the Light of Nature considering in themselves that nothing in this World could satisfy the Soul c. But these Persons attain unto a farther Sight and Knowledg of it by the Word in a supernatural manner but yet remember that the Light they have never leadeth them to make choice of God as their chiefest Good and only Happiness 3 dly They may attain unto the Knowledg of all the great and essential Principles of the Christian Religion and be able to dispute and contend for them also against Opposers nay may be able Preachers of that Holy Doctrine Have we not prophesied in thy Name c. No doubt but Judas was a great Preacher as well as Peter Yet observe and note it well they may be utter Strangers to that Grace Faith Love and Regeneration which they may open explain and press upon others
kind of taste they may have of those Powers c. 1. By the Powers of the World to come of which they are said to have a taste I understand are meant the Glorious Effects of God's mighty Power that was and shall be further exerted in bringing in the Kingdom of the Messiah first in those miraculous Operations which being to assure us of the certainty of the new World were wrought before these Mens Eyes 2. The Powers of the World to come do doubtless consist also in the dissolving of this present World and all the States and Kingdoms of the Earth Thou hast of old laid the Foundation of the Earth and though the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed compared with 2 Pet. 3. 10 11 12 13. The mighty Power of God shall be put forth in dissolving this old World 3. And not only so but also that God by his Almighty Power will bring in and establish the Kingdom of the Messiah in the Glory of it for as the dissolving of the old World appertains to the Power of the great God so doth also his bringing in according to his mighty Power the new Heavens and the new Earth The Heavens shall pass away with a great Noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat and the Earth and the Things therein shall be burned up And all this is but to make way for the World to come or for the new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 4. The Resurrection of the Dead also appertains to the Powers of the World to come and in it lies no small part of God's mighty Power neither Who shall change our vile Body that it may fashioned like unto his own glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 5. The Power of the last Judgment and definitive Sentence together with the eternal Punishment of wicked Men and Devils may also be here intended Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power 6. Moreover the exerting of God's mighty Power the Power of his Grace Divine Love and Goodness in his glorifying of the Saints may be meant also here by the Powers of the World to come When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe For as the letting out of the Power of his Wrath and Vengeance in the World to come upon the Wicked as was hinted before may hereby be comprehended so likewise the letting out of the Power of his Love and Goodness on the Godly Secondly I shall shew you now what a kind of taste the Persons in our Text may be said to have had of the Powers of the World to come 1. They had or might have a taste of the Truth and Certainty of the World to come which they clearly saw confirmed by those miraculous Operations in the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and wonderful Works that were wrought by the Apostles nay which perhaps some of them had Power to do themselves for many shall say at the last Day Have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom Christ will say I profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity No doubt but as Saul and Balaam prophesied so Judas might as well as the other Apostles cast out Devils and do other wonderful Works 2. And as by those miraculous Operations they might have a taste of the Powers of Christ's Kingdom as it began then so this might cause them stedfastly to believe the Truth of the Powers of the World to come in the future State and Glory thereof Many Persons do not firmly believe this and therefore regard not how they live here in this present World but say let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die So also in another Place by the same Prophet it is said Come say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink and to Morrow shall be as this Day and much more abundant These ungodly Wretches fear nothing of those Judgments that are come but lay their Hearts loose upon the Neck of their Lusts But the enlightned Persons in our Text did believe or give stedfast Credit to the Truth of that future State both of the Resurrection and Judgment-Day even of that Day of Reckoning when Sinners shall be punished for all their abominable Wickedness they believed God's Word and the Revelation thereof touching what will come upon the Ungodly in the World to come and so are said to taste of the Powers of it and this Persons may do and yet perish 3. They might not only have a taste of the World to come by a common Faith or by giving stedfast Credence to the Truth and Certainty of it but might also be under great Convictions of the Evil of Sin knowing that all the Sweet thereof will be turned into Bitter and that Sin in the World to come will be punished and the Sinner condemned to Everlasting Burning and that God will reward every Man according to his Deeds and might know also that some shall find greater Condemnation or a hotter Hell than others more intolerable Pain in that Day As 1. All such who draw others into Sin whether it be Drunkenness Pride Theft Uncleanness c. 2. All such who sin after strong Convictions and great Illuminations or that sin against Light and Knowledg 3. Such who have been often reproved and yet live in their wicked Practices and harden their Hearts let Ministers and godly Parents say what they will they regard it not 4. Such who have greater Means of Grace than others or who live under an awakening and powerful Ministry and yet go on in their Sins in Pride Swearing Drunkenness Uncleanness c. 5. Such who sin under Judgments or when God's Hand is lifted up and his Wrath poured out upon Men for their Abominations and greater Wrath denounced and ready to break forth 6. Such who sin boldly impudently in the Face of the Sun Shew their Sin as Sodom and hide it not 7. Such who expose the Holy Name of God which they profess to Reproach and harden the wicked World in their Sins and open the Mouths of many to blaspheme God and speak evil of his Ways and People 8. Such who delight in Sin or take pleasure in their Wickedness do boast and glory in that which is their shame 9. Such who despise and contemn Jesus Christ and his Ministers in their Hearts and wilfully cast off all Counsel 10. All thâ—se who abuse God's Patience Goodness and Long-suffering and make that an encouragement to them to continue in their evil Ways which should
the Power to change the Heart is not in the Creature it is God's Work on the Soul 't is he that stamps his own Image upon us and if he withdraws the Influences of his Holy Spirit from Men or refuses to give Grace to them in order to bring them to Repentance and to believe in Christ they must perish Now God will not afford these Persons that so fall away the Assistance of his Spirit in order to the working the great Work of Faith in them therefore it is impossible for them to be renewed He saith not saith one it is impossible they should be saved but that it is impossible they should be renewed unto Repentance these Apostates Salvation is impossible because their Repentance is impossible He that never repenteth can never be saved for he that repenteth not shall not have Remission of Sin and if the Holy Spirit be utterly withdrawn from Men it is impossible they should ever be renewed to Repentance 2. The Persons therefore here intended do not repent cannot repent Repentance is hid from their Eyes they never endeavour after Repentance they are left to hardness of Heart and to final Impenitency by the Lord as a just Judgment for their horrid Evil and cursed Apostacy possibly they may fall under Terror and Despair yet never desire or look after Repentance on God's Terms Brethren it is not impossible for the greatest Sinner in the World to be renewed that hath not sinned against the Holy Ghost or whom God hath not wholly given up to blindness of Mind and to hardness of Heart All manner of Sins and Blasphemy against the Father and the Sun shall be forgiven unto Men but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto Men. And all Vnrighteousness is Sin and there is a Sin unto Death 3. God leaves these Persons for ever he utterly casts them off And wo unto them saith he when I depart And may say unto them and much more as he said once unto Ephraim Ephraim is joined unto Idols let him alone He commands his Ministers to let them alone and not striâ—e with them reprove not exhort them any more He saith unto Conscience Let them alone check curb reitrain nor rebuke them any more He saith unto his Spirit Let them alone move them or excite them to perform Religious Duties no more strive with them no more for ever No Doctrine no Word no Rod no Affliction or Judgment shall do them good any more for ever This Spiritual Judgment is the worst of all Judgments and so makes it impossible for them ever to be renewed unto Repentance for there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries 4. God puts an end unto all expectation concerning them he looks for no more Good from them he exercises no more Care about them no more Labour Pains nor Patience towards them God affords no more Means of Grace for their Conversion Repentance is hid from their Eyes he says Let this Ground lie barren for ever it shall never be plowed sowed nor watered any more for ever He looks for no more Fruit he will not dress it nor dung it any more his Sun shall shine upon it no more nor shall the Rain fall upon it from Heaven any more wo unto such Souls God saith to them as Christ said when he cursed the barren Fig-tree Never Fruit grow on you any more 5. God in Judgment and Wrath gives these up to a reprobate Sense to hardness of Heart to blindness of Mind and to a seared Conscience and they become notoriously Wicked being filled with Rage and Madness full of Envy and Malice against God and against Christ and against all that fear God 6. And usually they are left in severity to their sensual Lusts and become notoriously Wicked and Prophane nay rather worse than the worst of Carnal Persons that never were enlightned at all And so he gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsel They are left or given up unto Satan to be led acted and influenced by him and are commonly also carried away into pernicious Errors and Delusions even to believe a Lie that so they may be damned because they received not the Truth in the Love of it that they might be saved And many times they become Persecutors of God's People reproaching vilifying and contemning all Religion Quest What a kind of Sin is the Sin against the Holy Ghost And what sort of Persons are they who may sin this Sin Answ 1. I shall shew you first in the Negative what a Sin it is not Namely all Sin or Sins whatsoever that any carnal Person who to this Day abode under the Power of Natural Ignorance and never was inlightned by any Operations of the Spirit commits for such cannot commit the Sin against the Holy Ghost it being positively said That they are such who were once enlightned 2. It is not every Sin which is against Light and Knowledg for no doubt but David and Peter sinned against Knowledg and the Light of their own Consciences and after they had been enlightned yet were recovered and renewed unto Repentance 3. The Sin against the Holy Ghost is not every Sin that is committed against the Holy Ghost for he that grieves the Holy Spirit and that quencheth the Holy Spirit sins against the Holy Spirit nay all wicked Men who sit under the Preaching of the Gospel no doubt sin against the Spirit whilst they resist the Strivings and Motions thereof 4. It is not any hainous and abominable Sin as Whoredom Perjury Murder no not Self-Murder not the murdering of the Saints of God nor putting Christ himself to Death by wicked Hands or the murdering of the Lord of Life and Glory Paul was guilty of the Blood of Stephen and many of the Jews were pardoned who might have a Hand in the barbarous Murder of the Son of God 5. It is not every wilful and presumptuous Sin for multitudes of wicked ignorant Persons so sin daily for whom there is Mercy and Pardon upon Repentance though they have a Whore's Forehead and refuse to be ashamed 6. It is not every degree of Apostacy or Backsliding from God A true Child of God may be guilty of a partial Apostacy for thus Israel sinned and fell from God nay backslid so far as to turn to cursed Idolatry yet God offered them Pardon Return backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord c. 7. Nay I will not say that every malicious Sin against God's People is the Sin against the Holy Ghost when Men hate the Saints for their Religion and Goodness though it be one of the highest Degrees of Wickedness because therein their hatred against God himself is manifested But what may not a Man do that
not Satan insult after this manner over the Lord of Life and Glory whilst Sinners close in with his Temptations and cleave to their Lusts earthly Profits and Pleasures and neglect the great Salvation of the Gospel 3 dly Such who neglect this so great Salvation offer Violence to the Holy Ghost 1. They do resist the Holy Spirit whom God hath sent as his great Messenger to influence enlighten and convince their Hearts and Consciences about the Worth and Weightiness of this Concern He will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Because they neglect attending upon the Means of this Salvation believe not the Necessity there is of this Saviour nor of Faith in him and seek it not above all things Is it a small Matter to resist the Holy Ghost O lay it to Heart 2. They grieve the Holy Spirit also yea and hereby tire him out so that he at last withdraws his Influences from the Sinner and will strive with him no more like as he did by the World and if so the ruin of the Soul will be unavoidable for without the Holy Spirit no Man can repent believe or be renewed be regenerated and so come to have Interest in this so great Salvation 3. Such quench the Spirit who neglect this Salvation and do not believe it is to cast Water on that Divine Spark which the Holy Ghost strives to kindle in the Soul of a poor Sinner or to blow out the Candle of the Lord so far as the Sinner is able to do it whereby Spiritual Light and Knowledg comes to be let into the Heart 4. Nay to neglect this Salvation in the Means of it is as much as may be to hinder the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit in and about this Salvation The Holy Spirit hath more immediately to do with Sinners his special Work is to enlighten to convince of Sin to work Faith in the Soul and to renew and sanctify the polluted Heart and all that neglect this Salvation or that slight those Convictions they have of the Evil of Sin or Sense of their woful Condition do seek to obstruct the King's great Officer and Messenger in the discharge of his Office Look to it Sinners for if it be deemed a dangerous thing to resist a Constable in the exercise of his Office because he is the King's Servant what Danger do you expose your selves to that oppose withstand and strive to hinder the Spirit in the discharge of his great Work and Office It is to contemn the King's Ambassador the Holy Spirit is sent to treat with Sinners in Christ's Name it is hereby Christ himself speaks to them from Heaven and they that adhere to the Motions of the Spirit do adhere to Jesus Christ and they that oppose or resist his Motions do oppose and resist Christ also The Holy Spirit is the great Gospel-Blessing promised to infuse Grace in the Soul all Grace is from the Spirit Sinners cannot believe without the Holy Spirit nor love God The Love of God is shed abroad in the Hearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost There is no Regeneration without the Spirit Those that are born again are born of the Spirit no Union with Christ without the Spirit no broken Heart no Cries no Tears that will prevail with God without the help of the Spirit Such that will not adhere to his Motions and Influences say in their Hearts that they will not be changed will not believe nor repent nor have Christ to be their Prince and Saviour The Spirit awakens the Conscience and stirs up Fears in the Soul and sets before the Sinner's Eyes his great Evil Guilt and horrid Pollution therefore if they refuse the Wooings Intreaties and Influences of the Spirit they must perish for ever APPLICATION 1. O let us lament and mourn over all that neglect this so great Salvation All Unbelievers and Neglecters of the Means of Salvation are horridly guilty before the Lord 't is hereby all their Sins are bound upon their Consciences and cleave to them and are charged upon them not only Original but all actual Sin whatsoever 2. O infinite Love and Patience May we not stand amazed and wonder at the long-suffering and forbearance of God O House of David saith the Prophet is it a small thing for you to weary Men but will you weary my God also What greater Wickedness and Ingratitude can there be than this Will you contemn and resist your Saviour and the Holy Ghost How long shall God wait upon you Will he always wait to be gracious O know that his Mercy will at last be turned into Fury 3. Unworthy are such to live to be fed to be clothed to be protected and preserved that thus despise God's Mercy and sovereign Goodness Would a Man feed clothe and bestow great Favours on such that despise slight and contemn him 4. What do you think of your selves Sinners to you I speak that neglect this so great Salvation O this is your Sin you refuse the only Remedy God hath found out to heal and save your Souls therefore your Damnation will be just and deserved with a witness You love Darkness rather than Light you contemn the highest Good the best of Beings and the highest Expressions of his Love and Favour that God that made you that Christ that spilt his Blood to redeem the worst of Sinners those Bowels that pitied you you refuse and resist that Spirit that would renew you sanctify you and make you meet for Heaven and all this out of love to your base Lusts your cruel Enemies that seek to destroy and murder your precious Souls Abhor your selves Alas Men do not see what Monsters of Wickedness they are whilst they neglect this so great Salvation You sin I say against the Remedy the costly Remedy the only Remedy against the Remedy that Infinite Wisdom hath found out and Infinite Goodness hath vouchsafed Yet if you return to God there is Mercy for you say O Lord now we see our Sin O that you could but say so in truth and fall down at the feet of God and say Thou hast overcome us with thy Love 5. Lastly Here is Comfort for Believers who have received this so great Salvation O bless God for Faith cherish the Motions of the Holy Spirit that hath broken your Bonds you prefer Christ and the Salvation by Christ before all things live worthy of a Part and Interest in this Salvation you have Salvation and shall not lose it O walk so that you may never lose the Joy of it for that you may do God may hide his Face Christ may withdraw himself if he hath done it enquire when you had him and consider what you have done that he hides his Face from you let the Cause if it be Sin be bewailed and let the loss of him be more grievous to you than the loss of Comfort from him and be willing to
Practices and become utter Enemies to God and his People 7. Lastly All Atheists or such who deny the Being of God or the Eternal Godhead and Deity of the Majesty of Heaven and ridicule and contemn all supernatural Knowledg or Revelation of God these shall receive and undergo the Wrath of God from which they cannot escape APPLICATION This may serve to awaken all secure Sinners who have false Notions of God's Mercy What will you do if you persist still in your evil Ways I am afraid here may be some of one sort or another of them which I have named that shall not escape the Wrath of God O that we could but hear that Cry which we read of Acts 2. 36. What shall we do Were Sinners pricked in their Hearts they would break forth into Tears in the sight and sense of the Evil of Sin Hath Sin put the Lord of Life and Glory to death Was the Wrath of God due to us let out upon him that we might never feel the weight thereof O how should this fill our Hearts with Revenge and Indignation against Sin Certainly the Sufferings of Christ for our Sins shew forth the Evil of it beyond all the Torments the Damned endure in Hell and if God did not spare him who as our Surety stood in our Place and Room what will become of thee O Sinner that goest on presumptuously in thy evil Way and dost not regard or lay to Heart the great Salvation of the Gospel Shall not the Love of God overcome thee then fear his Wrath which is so dreadful and will be let out in Fury Quest What is the Reason Men do no more fear and dread the Wrath of God Answ 1. It is because they do not know the direful Nature thereof We knowing the Terror of the Lord saith the Apostle perswade Men. The faithful Servants of God know it but Sinners know it not therefore fear it no more 2. It is because God doth not execute the Sentence against their evil Works presently This is the Reason Solomon tells us why The Hearts of the Children of Men are fully set in them to do wickedly 3. Sinners are blinded by the Devil and think God takes no notice of their Ways and evil Doings and so go on boldly may be think no Eye seeth them And because God is so gracious patient and slow to Anger and long before he strikes they think the Blow will never come at all O it is sad that the Goodness Mercy and Long-suffering of God which should lead Men to Repentance should tend to harden them in their evil Ways but though they now despise his Goodness and Forbearance c. yet they shall not escape the Judgment of God Quest What should Sinners do to escape the Wrath of God Answ 1. Sinner if thou wouldst escape God's Wrath find out the Original Cause thereof ponder well thy State by Nature and the Pollution of thy Heart from whence all actual Sins flow 2. Find out the immediate Cause of his Displeasure and Wrath that is ready to break forth against thee and cry out What have I done O see what Guilt lies upon you and the Nature of it 3. Labour to know what it is that hath appeased God's Wrath nothing but a Sacrifice an Atonement could do it thy Tears thy Prayers thy Repentance could not do it the Storm was great and our beloved Jonas was thrown into the Sea of God's Wrath to allay it and to cause a Calm 4. Get a thorow Sense of the great Evil of Sin 5. And then loath your selves Nothing but Grace poured forth from the Lord can do this O when once you can mourn for your Iniquities as a Man mourns for his First-born by beholding him whom you have pierced there will be hope 6. Pray and cry mightily to the Lord cease not Day nor Night until you find out the Plague of your own Hearts 7. Above all things fly to Jesus Christ look up to him and neglect not this Salvation one Hour but throw down your Arms sight against God no more nor fence against the two-edged Sword of his Mouth but as a poor lost and burdened Sinner come to him and thou shalt find rest unto thy Soul Object But perhaps some may object Is not this Doctrine a Legal Doctrine Answ I say no but I shall answer this Objection the next time and so close with this Text. HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I Shewed you the last Time wherefore the Gospel is clothed with such fearful Threatnings against Sinners that neglect the great Salvation that is offered unto them therein Also what sort of Sinners are like for ever to fall under the Wrath of God Moreover you may remember I mentioned an Objection which possibly some may raise viz. Object Is not this Doctrine a Legal Doctrine or a legal way of preaching to insist so much upon the Threatnings of Wrath and Divine Vengeance I answered No it is not I therefore now shall endeavour God assisting to do two things First Shew you what is not a Legal Doctrine or a Legal Way of Preaching Secondly Shew you what is a Legal Doctrine or not Evangelical Preaching 1. To preach God a Just and Holy God is no Legal Doctrine though the Law it is true holds him forth so to be that discovers that God is Just but his Mercy was vailed under dark Shadows Types and Legal Sacrifices But now the Gospel sets forth the infinite Justice of God beyond the Law for in a Ceremonial Way the Blood of Beasts seemed to pacify God's Wrath. Though we deny not but the Blood of Jesus Christ the great Sacrifice which alone in a proper sense can satisfy for Sin was held forth thereby But in the Gospel the Justice and Holiness of God so clearly shines forth in Jesus Christ that it is with open Face manifested unto all all may behold therein the Just actually slain and made a Sacrifice for the Vnjust Never did God's Justice appear so fully as it doth in the Suffering and Death of Christ for Sin Therefore to preach the Severity and Justice of God against Sin and Sinners can be no Legal Doctrine 2. To preach Repentance the Necessity of Repentance Regeneration and Holiness is no Legal Doctrine but it is pure Gospel The Law allowed of no Repentance For those that sinned against Moses 's Law died without Mercy under two or three Witnesses Do not mistake me I do not say that there was no Repentance for such who lived under the Dispensation of the Law for tho the Law or first Covenant allowed of no Repentance yet the Gospel was preached to Adam to Abraham to Moses David c. But pray remember and consider it well that Repentance came in not through the Law but through the Gospel upon the account of Christ's Satisfaction and therefore it is only a Gospel-Blessing which being duly considered Men have little reason to
177 to 298 Objections for final falling answered 298 to 312 Fan. What is Christ's Fan shewed in six Particulars from p. 9 to 17 Father God the Father the Contriver of our Redemption 377 The Father could only appoint the Terms or Way of our Recovery 378 The Father substituted and appointed Christ to be our Saviour and Surety 378 The Father prepared Christ a Body and sent him into the World The Father chose us in Christ the Father draws us to Christ 378 379 Fire Why God's Wrath is compared to Fire shewed in eight things 31 32 33 Grace compared to Fire 288 Floor What is Christ's Floor shewed 3 4 5 6 1. Jewish Church 2. National Churches 3. Congregational Churches Follow How Christ's Sheep follow him opened in eight Particulars 115 116 117 Food The Nature of Spiritual Food opened in seven Particulars 137 Full. Gospel-Salvation a full and compleat Salvation opened at large 421 to 429 G. Garner What meant by Christ's Garner viz. 1. His Church 29 2. Heaven 30 Chaff as well as Wheat in Christ's Garner below but none in his Garner above 30 Ghost Sin against the Holy Ghost what 360 361 362 363. How false Professors may be said to partake of the Holy Ghost 334 Good The Word of God Good in what respect 335 336. Grace Vocation of God's Free Grace 151 Faith is a Grace and of God's pure Grace and Favour 151 Repentance a Grace 151 Why Eternal Life is meerly of Grace shewed in five Particulars 154 155 The Father sent Christ to merit Grace for us the Son purchased Grace for us and the Holy Spirit works Grace in us 382 383 Grace works physically 448 The Spring Author and Excellency of Grace as 't is a Divine Principle in Believers opened 286 287 288 289 Gross Acts of Sin may be left by unrenewed Persons 448. H. Habits To change the evil Habits of the Heart is the Work of the Spirit of God only not in Man's Power 448 Hand What meant by the Father's Hand 249 250 251. What meant by Christ's Hand 273 to 280 In what sense Christ's Sheep may be said to be in his Hand 280 to 284 The happy State of Believers by being put into Christ's Hand 276 278 280 281 Heaps Many Heaps of prophane Persons in the National Floor 4 5 6 Hell Torments direful opened in many respects 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 c. Hypocrites How Hypocrites may be known or the Chaff from the Wheat 18 to 25. I. Importance The Salvation of our Souls matter of chiefest Importance we have to mind whilst in this World 441 442 443 Intercession The Nature and Power of Christ's Intercession opened 293 294 Interests All Interests concerned about our Salvation are secured in Christ how 275 Judgment Eternal Judgment an Essential of the Christian Religion 86 Justification Justification how or what 95 96 Justification wholly of Grace 151 The Nature of Justification opened 414 415 Justification compleat 416 Christ's Righteousness being the Matter of it 415. Justification not a gradual Act as Sanctification is in us those that are justified are perfectly justified and for ever justified 263 415. K. Kingdom What meant by Christ's delivering up the Kingdom to the Father 345 Kingdom of Christ very near 353 Kingdom of Christ when it begins 345 It will be glorious 344. Knowledg The Knowledg Christ hath of his Sheep largely opened 98 to 107 Non-proficiency in Knowledg very dangerous 321 Some People perish for lack of Knowledg 445 L. Lake Hell a Lake of Fire 55 Law The Law must be satisfied for our Breach made of it Pag. 152 The Gospel justifies not as a mild Law of Grace requiring sincere Obedience according to the new Doctrine 153 Perfection of Obedience as well required under the Gospel as under the Law tho not of us in point of Justification 152 153 154 Moral Law not abrogated 153 154 Why Christ was made under the Law 238 239. Life Eternal Life A threefold Life of Man 143 What meant by Eternal Life 143 144 How and why Eternal Life is meerly of God's Grace 147 148 149 150 153 154 Why Christ will give Eternal Life to his Sheep 155 156 How Christ is said to be our Life 264 Believers have Eternal Life now how 144 Love The Love of the Father what 184 It secures the standing of Believers in a State of Grace 185 186 c. Love of Christ an early a wonderful a conjugal an attracting and an inconceivable Love it passeth Knowledg 195 196 197 Christ's Love secures our standing also 198 Love to the poor Saints and relieving them for Christ's sake a better sign of true Grace than the greatest of spiritual Gifts 323. M. Mark What the Mark is on the Forehead and right Hand 119. Means The Means of Salvation as well as the End is ordained of God 300. Memory A strong Memory but a natural Gift 38. Mercy God's Mercy manifested in its greatest Glory in Christ 372 Had not God vouchsafed a Redeemer Divine Mercy had never been manifested 372 Divine Mercy will rise up against such that neglect the Gospel-Salvation 468. Ministers Christ the great Minister of the New Testament 429 Ministers Office a high and sublime Office 431 Ministers Christ's Ambassadors 431 Ministers to be careful lest Chaff be let into the Church which is Christ's Garner 30. Murder Self Murder not an unpardonable Sin 51 361. N. Name Names Christ a Name above every Name what 380 What Names Christ hath 380 Christ's Name according to his Nature Nation National The National Sins what great odious and hateful to God 4 5 6 National Church of the Jews dissolved and gone 4 33 No National Church under the Gospel 33 34. O. Office The Office of the Holy Spirit what 461 Such that neglect Gospel-Salvation strive to obstruct the Holy Spirit in the discharge of his Work and Office 461 462. Old The Old Heaven and Old Earth shall pass away to make way for the New 345 Orphan Believers are in Christ's Hand as an Orphan is in the Hand of a faithful Guardian 283. P. Pardon Pardon of Sin what 413 Pardon of Sin a great Blessing opened in six Particulars 413 Passions All the Passions of the Soul let out in Hell will add to their Misery 58 59 60. Pastures What the Pastures are where Christ feeds his Sheep 130 131 132 134. Peace a Gospel-Blessing it passeth all understanding 418. Perseverance Final Perseverance of the Saints proved 177 to 297 Objections against the Saints Final Perseverance answered 297 to 310. Personal Election what Personal Election proved 170 172 173. Portion God the Portion of Believers What a Portion God is opened in eleven Particulars Pag. 427 428. Prayer The Nature of pure spiritual Prayer 134 135. Prayer one of Christ's Pastures 134. Principle From what Principle true Christians act towards God 324 Grace a Vital Principle 288 Grace an abiding Principle 289 to 296. Promises Promises of God a fat Pasture for Christ's Sheep 135. Providences The profit