Benefit For if they do not feel the Blow how shall they take notice of the Hand that strikes If they are not softened with Sorrows how shall they receive the Divine Impression If they have no sense of his Displeasure how shall they fear to offend him for the future If the Medicine doth not work how can it expel noxious Humours 2. The neglect of Chastenings doth not only render them unprofitable but exposes to greater Evils 1. It provokes God to withdraw his Judgments for a time This the Sinner desired and thinks himself happy that he is at ease Miserable Delusion This Respite is the Presage of his final Ruin 'T was the desperate State of Judah as God expresses it Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more The words of an anxious Father that has tried all Methods Counsel Kindness Corrections to reclaim a rebellious obstinate Son and finding no answerable Effect gives him over to follow the pernicious swinge of his corrupt Desires No Severity is like the suffering him in his licentious Courses Thus when God hath used many gracious ways to reduce the Sinner by his Word Spirit and Judgments but he is inflexible to the Calls of the Word impenetrable to the Motions of the Spirit and insensible of afflicting Providences when after a Combate with the Rod Sin comes off unwounded and the Rod retires this Calm is more dreadful than the fiercest Storm nothing can be more fatal to the Sinner for by this Divine Desertion he is given over to a reprobate Mind and vile Affections he goes on undisturb'd in his Sins and every day increaseth his Enmity against God and provokes God's Enmity against him 'T is not conceivable that one who is not made pliable to the Grace of God by Afflictions should submit when he is in pleasant Circumstances and dispos'd to enjoy sensual Satisfactions If the Whip and Spur cannot break and tame the unruly Beast certainly the rich Pasture will never make him manageable So that God's ceasing to punish the Sinner at present is so far from being a Favour that 't is the Effect of his deepest Displeasure for it contributes to his hardning 'T was the Case of Pharaoh when any of the Plagues were removed Indulgence occasioned his Induration As Water taken from the Fire freezes sooner and harder than if the thinner Parts had never been evaporated by the former Heat so when Men are taken off from the Fire of Affliction they are more confirmed in their vicious Courses than if they had never been afflicted 2. The slighting of lighter Strokes provokes God sometimes to bring more dreadful Judgments in this Life upon Sinners No Man can endure that his Love or Anger should be despised Nebuchadnezzar commanded the Furnace to be heated seven times hotter for those who contemned his Threatnings God tells the Israelites If ye will not be reformed by these things but will walk contrary unto me Then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your Sins He will change the Rods into Scorpions and will scourge them for their continued Rebellions 'T is the intent of that Expostulation Shall one take up a Snare from the Earth and have taken nothing at all Shall God remove his Judgments while Sinners are careless and unreformed as if they might be final Conquerors over them no he will multiply and greaten them It may be at first God blasts part of the Estate and the Sinner is not apprehensive of his Hand then he comes nearer and snatches away a dear Relation if still the Sinner is unaffected he strikes his Body with a lingring or acute Disease if still he be not concern'd for God's Displeasure he wounds his Spirit makes him sick in Sense and Conscience at the same time fills him with Terror by the Reflection upon his wicked Ways and the fore-sight of that dreadful Tribunal before which he must appear so that altho he cannot live he dare not die tho his Earthly Tabernacle be ready to fall upon him he is afraid to go out and meet the supream Judg and if this doth not work a sincere thorow Change God casts him into Hell to the Company of the Giants those bold Rebels that fought against God Briefly as under the Law an incorrigible Son that neglected his Father's Reproofs was to die without Mercy so an unreformed Sinner who kicks against the Pricks and refuses to submit to God's Corrections shall be cut off in his Obstinacy Justice will proceed to Excision and Acts of Vengeance against him 3. Fainting under Chastenings is pernicious to Sufferers for it renders them utterly indisposed for the Performance of Duty and uncapable of receiving the Comforts proper for an afflicted State 1st It renders them utterly indisposed for the performance of Duty Hope draws forth all the active Powers of the Soul 't is the great Motive to Diligence and Instrument of Duty Despair like extremity of Cold that checks the Spring and binds up the Earth that its Fruits cannot appear hinders the free Exercise of Reason and Grace and cuts the Sinews of Obedience He that is hopeless of a good Issue out of Troubles will neither repent nor pray nor reform but indulges barren Tears instead of real Duties Besides it often falls out that the same Affliction is sent from God's Displeasure upon his People for their Sins and is the Effect of the Rage of Men against them upon the account of their professing his Name Such is the Wisdom and Goodness of God that by the same fiery Trial he may refine his Servants from their Dross and Impurities and render the Glory of the Gospel more conspicuous The Hatred of Religion and a blind Fury may transport Men to Acts of Cruelty against the Saints but 't is by the permission of the universal Soveraign who hath the Hearts of all in his Hands and fuffers their Rage for holy Ends. The Enemy designs against their Faith but God's Aim is to make them reform their Lives Now if either through strong Fears or the stinging sense of Troubles upon the account of Religion our Courage fails we are presently in danger of falling away and denying our Master The faint-hearted Person is usually false-hearted and for want of Resolution being frighted out of his Conscience and Duty chooses Sin rather than Suffering and thereby justly deprives himself of the Crown of Life that is promised only to those who are faithful unto the Death Besides not only the loss of Heaven but the Torments of Hell are threaten'd against those who withdraw from the Service of God to avoid Temporal Evils The fearful and unbelieving are in the front of those that shall have part in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death Now what Folly is it when two Evils are propounded to choose the greatest that is Eternal Death rather than Temporal and of two Goods to prefer the less a
it was requisite to atone the just Displeasure of God for our Offences 'T is said he offered his own Body on the Tree his peculiar Right in it was requisite to make it a proper and acceptable Sacrifice 'T is true the Father and holy Spirit had the same Right in the Human Nature of Christ as the Son had with respect to the making it but the Son by assuming it into a Personal Union with himself has a peculiar Right in it and offer'd his own in a strict sense And in Consequence to this his Sacrifice was of infinite Value He did not compound with God but paid a Ransom equivalent to what was due for Sinners He bled a Fountain from his wounded Side that cleanses from all Sin 2dly By his Intercession He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make Intercession for them God pardons Sin as a Soveraign upon the Throne his Authority is preserved entire without any Condescension of his Person therefore the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross is pleaded in Heaven to reconcile God to us he satisfied Justice and sollicites Mercy his Blood speaks still and its Voice is as powerful as ever The Prevalency of his Intercession depends upon the Dignity of his Sacrifice the Dearness of his Person to the Father does also assure us of his favourable Audience He declar'd on Earth I know thou always hearest me 3dly The Gospel sets forth his Willingness to save us Faith has an Aspect upon Christ as able and willing to save for Power without a Will to save is unprofitable and the Will without Power is fruitless and ineffectual For the begetting of Faith we are to consider the Proposal and Offer of Grace in the Gospel and the Promise of it 1. In the Gospel there is a Proposal of Grace to all the Invitation is universal Whoever will let him come to the Waters of Life freely Our Saviour gave this Command to the Apostles Preach the Gospel to every Creature Neither the number nor quality of Mens Sins are a Bar against their coming to Christ for Life None are excluded but those who exclude themselves In the Parable those were earnestly invited by the Command of the Master of the Feast who refused to come This Offer of Grace and Life to all that will humbly receive it is the first Foundation of Faith and induces our Acceptance of it for without this the self-condemned Sinner sinks into Misery bottomless and helpless The most miserable Despair is drawn from Impossibility If Men think 't is impossible to obtain what they desire they will not endeavour to obtain 'T is easily clear'd by the Scriptures if Men will believe the Scriptures when they are clear that as the Brazen Serpent the Sign of Salvation was lifted up on high and made obvious to every Eye to convey healing Virtue to those who were stung by the fiery Serpents so our crucified Saviour is lifted up in the Gospel for every Soul-wounded Sinner to regard The belief of inviting Mercy opens the Springs of Godly Sorrow a Natural Sorrow arises from the sense of oppressing Evils and is terminated upon our selves a Spiritual Sorrow proceeds from the sense of our Unworthiness and the Divine Goodness that is so ready and desirous to save us 2. There is a Promise of Grace to all that repent and believe Our Saviour encourages us Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you Rest. Those who feel Sin as an intolerable Burden and their fainting Souls are without Support let them devolve their Burden upon him and trust entirely in him they shall obtain blessed Rest. The timerous Sinners that tremble under the Weight of their Guilt are encouraged for in this condition Christ invites them to come to him and promises Rest. Let them aggravate their Sins to the highest yet St. Paul challenges the Precedence as the chief of Sinners and obtained Mercy When the Heart is broken for Sin and from it not to believe the Promise of Mercy is dishonourable to our Saviour's Love and the Value of his Blood as if not sufficient to save poor Souls that would fain live in him We have the strongest Testimony of his Love in dying for us when we were Enemies Christ came with this Intention to save Sinners and when they come to him will he reject them He cannot deny himself he 's Truth and he has most expresly declar'd Whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out and this Promise is confirm'd by the Will of his Father that sent him Christ invites thirsty Souls to partake of the Waters of Life and when he has inspir'd them with ardent Desires and they come will he send them away empty 'T is absolutely impossible for him who is incarnate Love and Mercy to despise and reject the Soul that looks to him that longs and languishes after him and will be ever unsatisfied without him In short the precious Promises in the Gospel of the Pardon of Sin and eternal Salvation are so proposed to us that the Hope of returning Sinners may be cherish'd and confirm'd and the Presumption of secure Sinners may be dash'd and controul'd While we are in this middle State the fear of Caution join'd with the lively hope of Mercy is the most congruous Temper and becoming the Breast of a Christian. The Presumer is like a Ship without Ballast floating so lightly in his own Folly that every Gust of Temptation oversets him The fearful Spirit is like a Ship over-laden and if not lightned will certainly sink and perish Fearless Security exposes to all the Temptations that gratify the Carnal Appetites desponding Fear causes a neglect of the Remedy If there be no fear of Punishment or no hope of Pardon the Consequences are equally fatal 3. 'T is necessary in order to the bringing Men to Christ to remove their carnal Prejudices The first and most fear'd Difficulties are That serious Religion will be a damp to all their Joys a harsh and unreasonable Restraint of their Liberties a Bar against all the Advantages of the World the sickly Fancy is frighten'd at the thoughts of this If the Way to Heaven were short and fair Men would like it but 't is long and deep and they are discouraged as the Israelites with the tedious and troublesom Wilderness before their arrival at the Land of Promise Accordingly Carnal Men cast a slanderous Shade upon Religion as a melancholy severe and joyless Discipline Now we may rectify these Mistakes by the Light of Scripture of Reason and of Experience 1. The Scrpiture declares that the Ways of Wisdom are Ways of Pleasantness and all her Paths are Peace The Entrance the Progress and Continuance in these Ways is joyful to the renewed Soul Let us take a right View of the Divine Commands the Sum of them is this That Men would be happy here and for ever We are commanded
our Assent tho we cannot resolve all the Difficulties that are raised against them 'T is unreasonable to deny what is evident because we cannot unfold what is obscure There is no Doctrine more frequently and emphatically asserted in the Divine Writings than that the Repentance of a Sinner and his acceptance of Pardon and Life is very pleasing to God He assures us in the most sacred and solemn manner of this As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live He is willing they should be saved and they are wilful to be damned With what render and melting Compassions does he argue with them Why will ye die O House of Israel as if they were upon the brink of Hell and ready to drop into irrecoverable Misery 2. We must distinguish between his directing Will and his approving Will whatever God decrees to effect shall be infallibly accomplish'd but many things that he approves are left undone His Commands are his Will the Rule of our Duty but not of his Purpose what he will do The Scripture mentions the Word of God's Power and the Word of his Holiness The Word of his Power effects all things according to his Will but the Word of his Holiness his Laws declar'd to regulate our Lives are often oppos'd and without Efficacy 3. The Wisdom of God directs all the Operations of his Attributes that orders the Dispensations of Mercy and the Inflictions of Justice When the Apostle had considered the astonishing Oeconomy of Providence with respect to the Jews and Gentiles he breaks forth O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out That so great a part of the World live in Darkness and die in Darkness and go to their Fathers where they shall never see Light and the Day-spring from on high visits other Nations is according to the Counsel of his Will 4. God does afford assisting Grace to Sinners which if they improved he would not desert them The Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit to illuminate excite and perswade Sinners not to forsake their own Mercy He strives with them he woes and waits to be gracious till by their obstinate Resistance they quench his holy Motions 'T is true he dispenses Grace in different degrees for he is the Master of his own Favours but tho effectual converting Grace is not bestowed upon all yet there is common Grace that has a tendency to Conversion which if humbly and thankfully improved such is the most free and excellent Goodness of God Men would receive further Supplies But they are careless and opposite to his gracious Operations therefore the Spirit is most righteously withdrawn from them He that in Luxury has wasted his Estate 't is just he dies in Poverty Besides this 't is very considerable that Men shall be condemned at the last Day not for mere Impotence but obstinate Opposition they loved Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil not for the want of that Grace they did not receive but for the neglect to improve that Grace they had received and rejecting what was offered The slothful Servant was condemn'd for hiding his single Talent in a Napkin not because he had not five Talents Secondly 'T is the great Design of God to glorify his Son When he brought his First-begotten into the World the Command was Let all the Angels of God worship him God has given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Those who cross his Supreme Wisdom and Soveraign Will shall by a constrain'd Submission acknowledg the high Dignity of his Son The great Command of the Gospel is that Men should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance and Remission of Sins The Death of Christ may be considered as an Act of Obedience to God and of Love to Men. His Intention was to glorify God by bringing lost Souls to him Now 't is promised as a Reward of his Sufferings he shall see of the Travail of his Soul and be satisfied He is infinitely pleased with the Salvation of Souls as the Fruit of all his Anguish and bloody Agony The Election of a number of the lost World that shall believe in him and be adopted and saved by him has a special respect to his Honour that his Death might not be in vain that the Son of God may be magnified in his unspeakable Love to them and their sincere Obedience to him his relative Glory as Head of the Body will shine in them for ever 'T is also observable the Decree of Election is of infallible Accomplishment both as to the Conversion and Perseverance of the Elect not only because the Divine Will is unchangeable and insuperable with respect to the Events determined by it but with a peculiar regard to the Glory of Christ. No Principle of Opposition in the corrupt Heart of Man can frustrate the Operation of God's Spirit either in the powerful entrance or sure continuance of his Grace Our Saviour tells us All that the Father gives me shall come to me And speaking of his Sheep he saith My Father which gave them me is greater than all and none is able to pull them out of my Father's Hand The Purpose of God and Purchase of Christ secure their Salvation for these our Saviour intercedes Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are His Mediation is never interrupted when Christ's Prayer and God's Power are ineffectual then may they fall away totally and for ever whom God keeps and Christ commends to his keeping From hence it appears that the Ministers of the Gospel are indispensably obliged zealously to endeavour the Salvation of Souls which the Father has design'd for the Honour of his Mercy and which the Son of God esteems his dearest Glory The APPLICATION 1. From hence there is just cause to admire the glorious Grace of God in converting Sinners and making them willing to comply with the Terms of the Gospel Indeed 't is strange to Amazement that Men involv'd under the Guilt of Sins so numerous and so heinous and liable every hour to the Sentence of the Law so sure and severe Eternal Death for their Sins should neglect a Pardon so dearly purchas'd and so graciously offer'd and not with the deepest Humility with ravishing Joy and the highest Thankfulness receive it Is there no Spirit no Understanding left in them Nay is sensible Nature and its inviolable Inclinations so extinguish'd that they are Enemies to themselves But
may stain the Execellence of an understanding Creature To live righteously which respects the State and Situation wherein God has disposed Men for his Glory It comprehends all the respective Duties to others to whom we are united by the Bands of Nature or of Civil Society or of Spiritual Communion And to live godly which includes all the internal and outward Duties we owe to God who is the Soveraign of our Spirits whose Will must be the Rule and his Glory the End of our Actions In short The Law is so form'd that prescinding from the Authority of the Law-giver its Holiness and Goodness lays an eternal Obligation on us to obey it Now Sin is not only by Interpretation a Reproach to the Wisdom and other Perfections of God but directly and foimally a Contrariety to his Infinite Sanctity and Purity for it consists in a not doing what the Law commands or doing what it forbids 'T is therefore said That the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God An active immediate and irreconcilable Contrariety to his holy Nature and Will From hence there is a reciprocal Hatred between God and Sinners God is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity without an infinite Displicence the Effects of which will fall upon Sinners and tho 't is an Impiety hardly conceivable yet the Scripture tells us that they are Haters of God 'T is true God by the transcendent Excellence of his Nature is uncapable of suffering any Evil and there are few in the present State arrived to such Malice as to declare open Enmity and War against God In the Damned this Hatred is explicit and direct the Fever is heightned to a Frenzy the blessed God is the Object of their Curses and Eternal Aversation If their Rage could extend to him and their Power were equal to their Desires they would dethrone the most High And the Seeds of this are in the Breasts of Sinners here As the fearful Expectation of irresistible and fiery Vengeance increases their Aversation increases They endeavour to raze out the Inscription of God in their Souls and to extinguish the Thoughts and Sense of their Inspector and Judg. They wish he were not All-seeing and Almighty but Blind and Impotent uncapable to vindicate the Honour of his despised Deity The Fool hath said in his Heart there is no God The Heart is the Fountain of Desires and Actions interpret the Thoughts and Affections from whence the Inference is direct and conclusive that habitual Sinners who live without God in the World have secret Desires there was no Soveraign Being to observe and require an Account of all their Actions The radical Cause of this Hatred is from the Opposition of the sinful polluted Wills of Men to the Holiness of God for that Attribute excites his Justice and Power and Wrath to punish Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith They are Enemies to God in their Minds through wicked Works The naked representing of this Impiety that a reasonable Creature should hate the blessed Creator for his most Divine Perfections cannot but strike with Horror O the Sinfulness of Sin 4. Sin is the Contempt and Abuse of his excellent Goodness This Argument is as vast as God's innumerable Mercies whereby he allures and obliges us to Obedience I shall restrain my Discourse of it to three things wherein the Divine Goodness is very conspicuous and most ungratefully despised by Sinners 1st His creating Goodness 'T is clear without the least shadow of Doubt that nothing can give the first Being to it self for this were to be before it was which is a direct Contradiction and 't is evident that God is the sole Author of our Beings Our Parents afforded the gross matter of our compounded Nature but the Variety and Union the Beauty and Usefulness of the several Parts which is so wonderful that the Body is composed of as many Miracles as Members was the Design of his Wisdom and the Work of his Hands The lively Idea and perfect Exemplar of that regular Fabrick was modell'd in the Divine Mind This affected the Psalmist with Admiration I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy Works and that my Soul knows right-well Thine Eyes did see my Substance yet being imperfect and in thy Book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them And Job observes Thy Hands have made me and fashioned me round about The Soul or principal Part is of a Celestial Original inspired from the Father of Spirits The Faculties of Understanding and Election are the indelible Characters of our Dignity above the Brutes and make us capable to please and glorify and enjoy him This first and fundamental Benefit upon which all other Favours and Benefits are the Superstructure was the Effect from an eternal Cause his most free Decree that ordained our Birth in the spaces of Time The Fountain was his pure Goodness there was no Necessity determining his Will he did not want external declarative Glory being infinitely happy in himself and there could be no superiour Power to constrain him And that which renders our Maker's Goodness more free and obliging is the Consideration he might have created Millions of Men and left us in our native Nothing and as I may so speak lost and buried in perpetual Darkness Now what was God's end in making us Certainly it was becoming his Infinite Unerstanding that is to communicate of his own Divine Fulness and to be actively glorified by intelligent Creatures Accordingly 't is the solemn Acknowledgment of the Representative Church Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power For thou hast created all Things and for thy Pleasure they were created Who is so void of rational Sentiments as not to acknowledg 't is our indispensable Dutry Our reasonable Service to offer up our selves an intire living Sacrifice to his Glory What is more natural according to the Laws of uncorrupt Nature I might say and of corrupt Nature for the Heathens practised it than that Love should correspond with Love as the one descends in Benefits the other should ascend in Thankfulness As a polish'd Looking glass of Steel strongly reverberates the Beams of the Sun shining upon it without losing a spark of Light thus the understanding Soul should reflect the Affection of Love upon our blessed Maker in Reverence and Praise and Thankfulness Now Sin breaks all those sacred Bands of Grace and Gratitude that engage us to love and obey God He is the just Lord of all our Faculties Intellectual and Sensitive and the Sinner employs them as Weapons of Unrighteousness against him He preserves us by his powerful gracious Providence which is a renewed Creation every Moment and the Goodness he uses to us the Sinner abuses against him This is the most unworthy shameful and monstrous Ingratitude This makes forgetful and unthankful Men more brutish than the dull Ox and the stupid Ass who serve those that feed
them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and Order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give Ear O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2dly 'T was the unvaluable Goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his Rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good Report whatsoever are vertuous and Praise-worthy In Obedience to it the Innocence and Perfection of the reasonable Creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Man's Creation by an illustrious Revelation to shew him his Duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the Circle of its Precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious Design was to keep Man in his Love that from the Obedience of the reasonable Creature the Divine Goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeigned and excellent Goodness the Sinner outragiously despises for what greater Contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it under foot And this constructively the Sinner does to the Law of God which Contempt extends to the gracious Giver of it Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by Sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extream vilifying of God's Goodness in preferring Carnal Pleasures to his Favour and Communion with him wherein the Life the Felicity the Heaven of the reasonable Creature consists God is Infinite in all possible Perfections All sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any Competitor and requires to be supream in our Esteem and Affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural Light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an Observation of St. Austin That it was a Rule amongst the Heathens that a wise Man should worship all their Deities The Romans were so insatiable in Idolatry that they sent to Foreign Countries to bring the Gods of several Nations an unpolish'd Stone a tame Serpent that were reputed Deities they received with great Solemnity and Reverence But the true God had no Temple no Worship in Rome where there was a Pantheon dedicated to the Honour of all the false Gods The Reason he gives of it is that the true God who alone has Divine Excellencies and Divine Empire will be worship'd alone and strictly forbids the Assumption of any into his Throne To adore any besides him is infinitely debasing and provoking to his dread Majesty Now Sin in its Nature is a Conversion from God to the Creature and whatever the Temptation be in yielding to it there is signified that we choose something before his Favour Sin is founded in bono jucundo something that is delectable to the Carnal Nature 't is the universal Character of Carnal Men They are Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God To some Riches are the most alluring Object The young Man in the Gospel when our Saviour commanded him to give his Estate to the Poor and he should have Treasure in Heaven went away sorrowful as if he had been offer'd to his loss To others the Pleasures that in strict Propriety are sensual are most charming Love is the Weight of the Soul that turns it not like a dead Weight of the Scales but with Election freely to its Object in the carnal Ballance the present Things of the World are of conspicuous Moment and out-weigh Spiritual and Eternal Blessings Altho the Favour of God be eminently all that can be desir'd under the Notion of Riches or Honour or Pleasure and every Atom of our Affection is due to him yet Carnal Men think it a cheap Purchase to obtain the good Things of this World by sinful means with the loss of his Favour This their Actions declare Prodigious Folly as if a few Sparks struck out of a Flint that can neither afford Light or Warmth were more desirable than the Sun in its Brightness And how contumelious and provoking it is to God he declares in the most moving Expressions Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. For my People have committed two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of living Waters and hewed them out broken Cisterns that can hold no Water This immediately was charg'd upon the Jews who set up Idols of Jealousy and ador'd them rather than the glorious Jehovah and in proportion 't is true of all Sinners for every vicious Affection prefers some vain Object before his Love and the Enjoyment of his glorious Presence that is the Reward of Obedience 5. The Sinner disparages the impartial Justice of God In the Divine Law there is a Connexion between Sin and Punishment the Evil of doing and the Evil of suffering This is not a meer Arbitrary Constitution but founded on the inseparable Desert of Sin and the Rectitude of God's Nature which unchangeably loves Holiness and hates Sin Altho the threatning does not lay a strict necessity upon the Lawgiver always to inflict the Punishment yet God having declar'd his equal Laws as the Rule of our Duty and of his Judgment if they should be usually without Effect upon Offenders the Bands of Government would be dissolv'd and consequently the Honour of his Justice stain'd both with respect to his Nature and Office for as an essential Attribute 't is the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his Moral Perfections and as Soveraign Ruler he is to preserve Equity and Order in his Kingdom Now those who voluntarily break his Law presume upon Impunity The first rebellious Sin was committed upon this Presumption God threatn'd If you eat the forbidden Fruit you shall die the Serpent says Eat and you shall not die and assenting to the Temptation Adam fell to Disobedience And ever since Men are fearless to sin upon the same Motive God chargeth the wicked Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self not concern'd to punish the Violation of his sacred Laws The Sinner commits the Divine Attributes to fight against one another presuming that Mercy will disarm Justice and stop its terrible Effects upon impenitent obstinate Sinners From hence they become bold and harden'd in the continuance of their Sins There is a Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood and when the Curse of the Law is declar'd and denounc'd against Sin the Wicked blesseth himself in his Heart saying I shall have Peace tho I walk in the Imagination of my Heart
an inconceiveable Evil there is in Sin and how hateful it is to the most High when God who is Love who is stiled the Father of Mercies has prepared and does inflict such Plagues for ever for the Transgression of his holy Laws and such is the Equity of his Judgment that he never punishes Offenders above their Desert I shall now apply this Doctrine by reflecting the Light of it upon our Minds and Hearts 1. This discovers how perverse and depraved the Minds and Wills of Men are to chuse Sin rather than Affliction and break the Divine Law for the obtaining Temporal Things If one with an attentive Eye regards the generality of Mankind what Dominion present and sensible Things have over them how securely and habitually they sin in prosecution of their Carnal Aims as if the Soul should not survive the Body as if there were no Tribunal above to examine no Judg to sentence and punish Sinners if he has not Marble Bowels it will excite his Compassion or Indignation What Comparison is there between the good Things of this World and of the next in Degrees or Duration Aiery Honour Sensual Pleasures and Worldly Riches are but the thin Appearances of Happiness Shadows in Masquerade that cannot afford solid Content to an immortal Spirit the Blessedness of Heaven replenishes with everlasting Satisfaction What Proportion is there between the light and momentary Afflictions here and a vast Eternity fill'd with Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish and desperate Sorrow What stupid Beast what Monster of a Man would prefer a superficial transient Delight the Pleasure of a short Dream before ever-satisfying Joys Or to avoid a slight Evil venture upon Destruction Yet this is the true Case of Sinners if they can obtain the World with the loss of Heaven they count it a valuable Purchase if they can compound so as to escape Temporal Troubles tho involved under Guilt that brings extream and eternal Misery they think it a saving Bargain Amazing Folly Either they believe or do not the Recompences in the future State if they do not how unaccountable is their Impiety If they do 't is more prodigious they do not feel the Powers of the World to come so as to regulate their Lives and controul the strongest Temptations to sin against God A wicked Believer is moâ—e guilty than a wicked Infidel How could we conceive it possible were it not visible in their Actions that Men who have judicative Faculties to compare and distinguish things and accordingly be moved with Desires or Fears should with ardent Affections pursue despicable Vanities and neglect substantial Happiness and be fearful of the Shadows of Dangers and intrepid in the midst of the truest Dangers He is a desperate Gamester that will venture a Crown at a Throw against some petty Advantage yet this is really done by Sinners who hazard the loss of Heaven for this World they hang by slender Strings a little Breath that expires every moment over bottomless Perdition and are insensible without any palpitation of Heart any sign of Fear How strong is the Delusion and Concupiscence of the carnally-minded The Lusts of the Flesh bribe and corrupt their Understandings or divert them from serious Consideration of their Ways and the Issues of them From hence it is they are presently entangled and vanquish'd by sensual Temptations they are cozen'd by the Colours of Good and Evil and Satan easily accomplishes his most pernicious and envious Design to make Men miserable as himself How just is the Reproach of Wisdom How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity and Fools hate Knowledg The Light of Reason and Revelation shines upon them they have not the excuse of Ignorance but the righteous and heavy Condemnation of those who love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil 'T is no mean degree of Guilt to extenuate Sin and make an Apology for Sinners The wisest of Men tells us Fools make a mock of Sin they count it a fond Niceness a silly Preciseness to be fearful of offending God They boast of their deceitful Arts and Insinuations whereby they represent Sin as a light matter to corrupt others But 't is infinitely better to be defective in the Subtilty of the Serpent than in the Innocence of the Dove A meer Natural who is only capable of sensitive Actions and is distinguish'd from a Brute by his shape is not such a forlorn Sot as the sinful Fool. What the Prophet Jeremy speaks of one who gets Riches unjustly that he shall leave them and in the end die a Fool will be verified of the wilful obstinate Sinner in the end he shall by the terrible Conviction of his own Mind be found guilty of the most woful Folly and how many have acknowledged in their last hours when usually Men speak with the most feeling and least Affectation how have they in words of the Psalmist arraigned themselves So foolish have we been and like Beasts before thee 2. From hence we may be instructed of the wonderful Patience of God who bears with a World of Sinners that are obnoxious to his Justice and under his Power every day If we consider the number and aggravations of Mens Sins how many have out-told the Hairs of their Heads in actual Transgressions how mighty and manifest their Sins are that the Deity and Providence are questioned for the suspending of Vengeance And yet that God notwithstanding all their enormous Injuries and violent Provocations is patient towards Sinners it cannot but fill us with Admiration His Mercy like the cheerful Light of the Sun visits us every Morning with its benign Influences his Justice like Thunder rarely strikes the Wicked He affords not only the Supports of Life but many Comforts and Refreshments to the unthankful and rebellious 'T is not from any Defect in his Power that they are not consum'd but from the Abundance of his Mercy He made the World without any strain of his Power and can as easily destroy it he has an innumerable Company of Angels attending his Commands and every Angel is an Army in strength one of them destroyed an hundred and fourscore and five thousand in a Night He can use the most despicable and weakest Creatures Frogs and Lice and Flies as Instruments of Vengeance to subdue the proudest Pharaoh the most obstinate Rebels He sees Sin where-ever it is and hates it where-ever he sees it yet his Patience endures their crying Sins and his long-Suffeing expects their Repentance The Lord is not slack as some Men count slackness but he is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance He spares Sinners with such Indulgence in order to their Salvation 'T is deservedly one of his Royal Titles The God of Patience Our fierce Spirits are apt to take Fire and Revenge for every Injury real or suppos'd but the great God who is infinitely sensible of all the Indignities offer'd to his Majesty
Reflections our Sorrow should be most afflicting our Humiliation deeper our Selfcondemnation most severe for those Sins which have been most dishonourable to God and defiling to us Not that we can make any Satisfaction for our Sins tho we should fill the Air with our Sighs and Heaven with our Tears but it becomes us to have our Sorrows inlarged in some proportion to our Unworthiness And this mournful Disposition prepares us for the Grace of God The Law does not allow Repentance but exacts entire Obedience 't is the Privilege of the Gospel that repenting Sinners are assur'd of Forgiveness without this Qualification 't is inconsistent with the Majesty Purity and Justice of God to extend pardoning Mercy to Sinners for they will never value nor humbly and ardently seek for Mercy till they feel the woful Effects of Sin in their Conscience only the stung Israelite would look to the brazen Serpent And this is requisite to prevent our relapsing into Sin for the Dominion of Sin being founded in the Love of Pleasure the proper means to extinguish it is by a bitter Repentance the Heart is first broken for Sin and then from it To conclude Let us renew our Repentance every day let not the Wounds of our Spirits putrify let not the Sun go down upon God's Wrath let us always renew the Application of Christ's Blood that alone can cleanse us from Sin SERMON III. 1 JOHN V. 2. By this we know we are the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments OF all the Marks that are useful in the Trial of our Spiritual State in reference to Eternity there is none affords a more clear and comfortable Assurance of God's special and saving Mercy than Love to the Saints This has often resolved the Doubts and quieted the Fears of afflicted enquiring Souls when other Graces have not been so apprehensible in their Operations But there is no Mark which the deceitful Heart does more securely rest upon through the mistake of Natural Human Love for that which is Spiritual and Divine It is therefore most worthy our serious Thoughts the Deceit being so easy and infinitely dangerous to shew what is the unfeigned genuine Love of the Brethren to which Salvation is annex'd to confirm the humble sincere Christian and undeceive presuming Hypocrites The great Design of St. John in this Epistle is to excite and enflame in Christians the Love of God and of their Brethren the two comprehensive Duties and bright Sum of the Law our principal Perfections in Heaven and Earth These he recommends by the most affectionate and obliging the most warming melting Perswasives the superlative Love of God to us and our Communion with the Saints in Nature and Grace In the former Verse the Apostle argues from the reality of the Effect as an Evidence of the Cause Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ that is the Saviour of the World foretold by the Prophets and expresses the Truth of that Faith in a sutable Conversation is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Grace is not less powerful in producing tender reciprocal Affections between the Off-spring of the same Heavenly Father than the subordinate Endearments of Nature The Pretence is vain of Love to God without loving his regenerate Children And in the Text he argues from the knowledg of the Cause to the discovering of the sincerity of the Effect By this we know that we love the Children of God with a holy Affection if we love God and keep his Commandments There is but one Difficulty to be removed that the Force of the Apostle's reasoning may appear 't is this a Medium to prove a thing must be a clearer Evidence than what is concluded by it Now tho a Demonstration from the Cause be more noble and scientifical yet that which is drawn from the Effect is more near to Sense and more discernable And this is verified in the Instance before us for the Love of God who is absolutely spiritual in his Being and Excellencies doth not with that sensible Fervour affect and passionately transport us as Love to his Children with whom we visibly converse and who are receptive of the most sensible Testimonies of our Affection Accordingly the Apostle argues He that loves not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen As the Motives to love our Brethren from our Conjunction in Nature and familiar Conversation are more capable to allure our Affections and more sensibly strike the Heart than the invisible Deity who is infinitely above us by the same reason we may more easily judg of the truth of our Love to them than of our Love to God To this the Answer is clear the Apostle doth not speak of the Love of God as a still silent contemplative Affection confined to the superiour Faculty of the Soul but as a burning shining Affection like Fire active and declarative of it self in those Effects that necessarily flow from it that is voluntary Obedience to his Commands and thus it becomes manifest to the renewed Conscience and is a most convincing Proof of the Sincerity of our Love to the Saints The Text being cleared affords this Doctrine Doct. The Sincerity of our Love to the Children of God is certainly discovered by our Love to God and Obedience to his Commands For the Illustration and Proof of the Point I will briefly shew I. Who are described by this Title The Children of God II. What is included in our Love to them III. What the Love of God is and the Obedience that flows from it IV. How from Love to God and willing Obedience to his Commands we may convincingly know the Sincerity of our Love to his Children To explain the first we must consider that this Title The Children of God is given upon several accounts First By Creation the Angels are called the Sons of God and Men his Off-spring The reason of the Title is 1. The manner of their Production by his immediate Power Thus he is stiled The Father of Spirits in distinction from the Fathers of the Flesh. For tho the Conception and forming of the Body be the Work of his secret Providence yet 't is by the hand of Nature the Parents concurring as the second Causes of it but the Production of the Soul is to be entirely ascribed to his Power without the Intervention of any Creature 2. In their spiritual immortal Nature and the intellectual Operations flowing from it there is an Image and Resemblance of God from whence this Title is common to all reasonable Creatures and peculiar to them for tho Matter may be ordered and fashioned by the Hand of God into a Figure of admirable Beauty yet 't is not capable of his Likeness and Image so that neither the Lights of Heaven nor the Beasts and Plants of the Earth are called his Children Secondly By External Calling and Covenant
virtually declare a Resolution notwithstanding the most visible Discouragements from Heaven to proceed in their sinful courses with more greediness and from a sullen secret Atheism are more strongly carried to gratify their Lusts again when they are in Afflictions I shall proceed to consider the other Extream of fainting under God's Rebukes 1. The Original Word signifies the slackening and relaxing of things that were firmly join'd together The Strength of the Body proceeds from the Union of the Parts when they are well compacted together By their disjointing 'tis enfeebled and rendred unfit for Labour In this Motion the Apostle in the 12th Verse exhorts them to lift up the Hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble Knees That is to encourage and strengthen their Souls by a real belief of the Promises made to afflicted Christians 2. It may respect the sinking and falling away of the Soul like Water being hopeless of overcoming Troubles When Water is frozen into hard Ice it will bear a great Burden but when 't is dissolved and melted nothing is weaker So the Spirit of a Man confirmed by religious Principles is able to sustain all his Infirmities Si fractus illabitur orbis if the Weight of the heaviest Afflictions fall upon him yet his Mind remains erect and unbroken and bears them all with Courage and Constancy But if through Impatience under Tribulation and Diffidence in the Divine Promises we shrink from our Duty or reject the Comforts of God as if they were small and not proportionable to the Evils that oppress us this is to faint when we are rebuked by him The Causes of this Despondency are usually 1. Either the kind of the Affliction when there is a Singularity in the case it increaseth the Apprehension of God's Displeasure because it may signify an extraordinary Guilt and singular Unworthiness in the Person that suffers and upon that account that Sorrow swells so high as to overwhelm him 2. The number and degrees of Afflictions when like those black Clouds which in Winter-Days join together and quite intercept the Beams of the Sun so many Troubles meet at once and deprive us of all present Comfort Job lost his Children by a sudden unnatural Death and was tormented in all the Parts of his Body and reduced from his rich Abundance to the Dunghil and a Potsherd to scrape his Boils Indeed his Heroical Spirit was supported under those numerous and grievous Troubles but such a Weight were enough to sink the most 3. The continuance of Afflictions When the Clouds return after Rain and the Life is a constant Scene of Sorrows we are apt to be utterly dejected and hopeless of Good The Psalmist tells us All the Day long I have been plagued and chastened every Morning and from thence was strongly tempted to Despair 4. Comparing their great Sufferings with the Prosperity of those who are extreamly vicious inclines some to Despair For not only their present Evils are heightened and more sensibly felt by the Comparison but the prosperous Impiety of others tempts them to think there is no just and powerful Providence that distributes things below and looking no higher than to Second Causes that are obvious to Sense they judg their State past Recovery The next thing is to prove that 't is the Duty and Wisdom of the Afflicted not to Despise the Chastenings of the Lord nor to faint under them First 'T is their Duty carefully to avoid those Extreams because they are very dishonourable to God 1. The Contempt of Chastisements is high Profanation of God's Honour who is our Father and Soveraign and in that Quality afflicts us 'T is our Apostle's Argument Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much more be subject to the Father of Spirits and live 'T is a Principle deeply planted in the Human Nature which the most barbarous Nations have kept inviolable to express the reallest Respect to our Parents from whom we derive our Life and by whose tender Care we have been preserved and educated altho their Discipline be rigorous but it is infinitely more just and reasonable that we should reverently submit to the Father of Spirits who hath the highest Right in us As much as the immortal Spirit excels the infirm corruptible Flesh proportionably should our Reverence to God when he most sharply rebukes us exceed our Respects to our Earthly Fathers when they correct us The manner of the Apostle's Expression is very significant Shall we not much rather If there be any vital spark of Conscience remaining in our Breasts if Reason be not wholly declined to Brutishness we cannot do otherwise 2. Fainting under Chastenings reflects dishonourably upon God 'T is true in some respect those who are extreamly dejected are not so guilty as the Despisers for usually they acknowledg the Order and Justice of his Providence But that false Conception of the Father of Mercies either that he willingly afflicts the Children of Men or that he hates them because he afflicts them here is so contrary to his holy Nature and injurious to his Goodness the special Character of his Nature that 't is an equal Provocation with the slighting his Soveraignty How to bear Afflictions SERMON V. HEBREWS xii 5. My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Secondly I Shall proceed to prove 't is the best Wisdom not to despise God's Chastenings nor faint under them I will not insist upon the Consideration that 't is the Counsel of the supream Wisdom to us nor that 't is the avoiding the vicious Extreams which is the chiefest Point of Moral Prudence but it is the only way to prevent the greatest Mischiefs that will otherwise befal us 'T is said he that is wise is profitable to himself that is either in obtaining Good or preventing Evils Now it will appear how pernicious those Extreams are by considering 1. The Contempt of Chastenings deprives us of all those Benefits which were intended by them God's End in them is to imbitter Sin to our Taste and make us disrelish that deadly Poison for as according to the Rules of Physick Contraries are cured by Contraries so Sin that prevails by Pleasure by something delightful to the Carnal Part is mortified by what is afflictive to Sense Repentance is a Duty that best complies with Affliction for when the Spirit is made sad and brought to the Sobriety of Consideration it will more readily reflect upon the true Causes of Troubles When the Springs overflow 't is but directing the Stream into a right Channel the changing the Object of our Grief viz. mourning for Sin instead of sorrowing for outward Trouble and we are in the way to Happiness Sensible Sorrow leads to Godly Sorrow The natural is first then the spiritual Now the Despisers of God's Hand that are unaffected with Judgments are incapable of this
in a day repeated Christ's Sacrifice was with Blood and an unbloody Sacrifice is not propitiatory nor can obtain Remission Where can they find in Scripture the Religious Worship of the Saints They set up an infinite number of Intercessors and rob our Saviour of his Glory as if he were defective either in his Compassionate Love to us for whom he mediates or in his Power with God They prefer his Mother before him in dispensing Mercy of which Sinners have the most need they represent him as strict and severe but she is composed of Sweetness he is the Judg she the Advocate and Saviour we will leave them to the jealous God I shall only observe farther that many erring Sects preserve their Allegiance to the Divine Authority in the Scripture for they do not assume an Infallibility to themselves but mistake the Sense of Scripture but the Papists by asserting that the Authority of Scripture depends upon the Testimony of their Church that is the Sun borrows its Beams from her Eyes and by arrogating an Infallibility to it do in effect renounce Homage to the Authority of God in his Word And from hence it is that the Adherers to that Religion are so inconvincible tho Sense Reason and Scripture discover their Doctrines to be plainly impossible Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation involves such Contradictions as destroy the Essence and End of Miracles Their Doctrine of the Pope's Supremacy implies there are two Monarchs of one Kingdom two Heads of one Body two Husbands of one Spouse No Errors are more strong and fatal than such as are arm'd with Authority especially if that Authority be esteem'd sacred But to return from this Digression tho not impertinent Compel them to come in The word signifies the use of all constraining Motives and the most earnest Intreaties that are congruous to prevail upon those who are invited to a Feast The same word is used Mat. 14. 22. And Jesus constrained his Disciples to get into a Ship which certainly was not by violent driving or drawing them but by his commanding Authority So 't is related of the two that were with our Saviour in the Journey to Emmaus that they constrained him to abide with them The Constraint was by earnest Intreaties far from Force The same word is used of Peter's compelling the Gentiles to live after the Rites of the Jews that was by his Example Thus the Nations were compelled to receive the Gospel by the Apostles the Ambassadors for Christ who did ardently in season and out of season pray them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God Their Doctrine was recommended by the Holiness of their Lives and confirmed by the Lustre of their Miracles In short the Expression signifies how pleasing it is to God that those who are invited by the Offers of Grace in the Gospel should come to Christ to obtain Life and that the Invitation shall be effectual in the Hearts of those who belong to the Election of Grace The Proposition that I shall insist on is this 'T is the great Duty of the Ministers of Christ to use their best Endeavours to instruct and perswade Men to embrace the saving Mercies of the Gospel The Commission was immediately given to the Apostles but extends to the end of the World till the Ministration of the Gospel shall cease I will explicate the Doctrine in this order I. Consider what is implied the Aversness in Men from consenting to the Terms of Salvation offered in the Gospel II. The Means by which they are wrought on and induced to come to the Celestial Feast III. Prove that 't is the great Duty of the Ministers of Christ to apply themselves with a holy Zeal to bring Men to partake of the saving Mercies revealed in the Gospel I. There is an Averseness implied in the Expression Compel them to come in This will be evident by considering that the World the Flesh and Satan are Enemies in Combination against the Souls of Men and raise an Army of Objections against their submitting to the Terms of the Gospel 1. The World is the general Temptation the natural World and the corrupt World the Things and Men of the World hinder our coming to Christ. 1st The natural World comprising all the Creatures in it was originally very good both in respect of the Things themselves and their designed Use for they were beneficial to Man in order to his serving and enjoying the blessed God But since his Fall from the State of unstain'd Nature they are accidentally evil to him The Creatures are made subject to Vanity not willingly they are perverted from their innocent use to foment and gratify Mens vicious Appetites Therefore the Apostle declares the whole Creation groans and travels in Pain is in a kind of Agony ready to faint not for the Labour but the Indignities they suffer The Charge that God fastens upon Idolaters is true against Worldly Men Ye have taken my Silver and my Gold and have carried into your Temples my goodly pleasant things The Riches the Pleasures the Greatness and Glory of the World are the Idols of their Heads and Hearts The Interposition of the Earth darkens their Minds eclipses their Esteem of the Fruition of God as their only Happiness the Love of it alienates and estranges their Affections from him their Trust in it slackens their due Dependance upon him From hence it is that the World which made by God was a fair and bright Theatre of his Perfections to raise the Thoughts and Affections of Men with Delight and Wonder to the blessed Creator as 't is manag'd by Satan and abus'd by the Lusts of Men is the Shadow of Death such as some Trees cast that not only intercept the refreshing Light of the Sun but shed a malignant contagious Influence Strange Alteration The World is present and sensible and makes an easy entrance into the Bosoms of Men. Their Souls are surpriz'd and deceived by the Suggestions of the Senses that represent earthly things as great Realities spiritual and future things are to them but matters of Fancy and Conceit The present and succeeding World are like Counterballances as the one rises the other sinks in Mens Opinions When the World has got Possession of them it commands and captivates all their Powers and Faculties All the Preaching in the World is in vain a Throng of Business or loose Diversions causes the neglect of the great Salvation Represent to them the attractive Mercies of God his melting Bowels open'd in the Gospel to all repenting Sinners they are unmoved frozen in their Dregs Remember them that their Bodies are dying every day and their Souls are already dead and that without sincere coming to Christ they cannot be recovered to the Life of Grace and Glory 't is in vain tell them they must shortly appear before the dread Lord of Spirits and be accountable for all things done in this World and the Consequence will be eternal all is in vain they
2. Men are miserably deceived about Repentance This is indispensably required not only by the Command but as a Disposition that qualifies the Sinner for pardoning Mercy For altho the Majesty and Supremacy of God be illustriously visible in pardoning Sinners and 't is most evident that his Authority is above the Rigor of the Law and his Mercy is infinitely free yet they are always exercis'd correspondently to his essential and unchangeable Perfections his ruling Wisdom his unspotted Holiness and governing Justice From hence it follows that a Sinner remaining in the Love and under the Power of his Sins is not a capable Object of pardoning Mercy Who can conceive that a wise Prince should send forth a Proclamation of Pardon to Rebels without their Consent to return to their Allegiance John the Baptist the Forerunner of the Rising Sun of Righteousness the Morning-Star of the Gospel preach'd the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins Even our Saviour begins his preaching the Gospel with this Repent ye and believe the Gospel St. Peter directed those who were anxious and inquiring about their Salvation Repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins He repeats this Doctrine in Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the Times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. And he gives Testimony of the Resurrection of Christ Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sins According to this unalterable Tenor of the Gospel Repentance is the Condition that qualifies the Subject without which no Man is pardoned Some are strangely scrupulous of using this word Condition tho 't is authorized by the full Current of the Reformed Divines and I know none more convenient to express the necessity of it in a pardon'd Person Our Saviour tells his Disciples Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Are not those words a Conditional Assertion upon what Terms they possess that inestimable Privilege of being his Friends Thus when God invites Men to come out from the Pollutions of the World and to touch no unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be your Father and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty Are not these Conditional Promises And upon the Performance of the Terms the Blessing will be bestowed and not otherwise 'T is objected that the asserting Repentance to be the Condition of Pardon lessens the Grace of the Gospel but this is a great Mistake for Repentance is an Evangelical Duty and Grace The Law requires Innocence and perfect Obedience or condemns without Mercy the Gospel commands and accepts Repentance This Grace was purchas'd by our Saviour and is wrought in us by the holy Spirit and join'd with Faith are the first Fruits of the returning Sinner to God When 't is exercis'd in the most eminent degrees it has not the least Merit nor Causality in the obtaining Pardon If a repenting Sinner could fill the Air with his Sighs and Heaven with his Tears if all his vital Springs were open'd and Streams of Blood flow'd out they cannot be satisfactory to God's injured Justice The unreconcilable Hatred of Sin the ardent Love of Holiness and stedfast Resolution to follow it which are Ingredients in sincere Repentance tho they are pleasing to God yet are the Duty of the reasonable Creature before the commission of Sin and therefore can deserve nothing of God But the ordaining an inseparable Connexion between Repentance and Pardon is honourable to God and very beneficial to Men for there is no State of Misery more miserable than for the Sinner to be hardned in his Sins But to return from this Digression The Scripture describes Repentance by a sincere Change and Renovation of the Mind the leading Faculty by the entire turning of the Heart from the love of Sin to the love of Holiness by the active lively Passions Sorrow Fear Shame Indignation Zeal that are principal Ingredients in it and by the Fruits worthy of Repentance and Works meet for Repentance 'T is called Repentance from dead Works and Repentance unto Life Now Men are willingly deceived with an insincere and ineffective Repentance either with a meer mental Change or with broken Resolutions instead of the intire Heart or with the leaving some Sins and retaining others that are sutable to their Humours and Lusts. They confess their Sins and condemn themselves for them sometimes they have flashing Thoughts melting Affections good Purposes to forsake Sin this they think to be sincere Repentance but when a Temptation appears they are easily overcome and live in the habitual Practice of their provoking Sins This Conceit of their being true Penitents is as unreasonable as if one that has a returning Ague should think himself freed from his Disease in the intervals of his Fits Now to quiet Conscience they readily apply to themselves the words of the Apostle What I do I allow not And since the best Saints while they are in sympathy with frail Flesh cannot be perfect but many Sins they unwarily and unwillingly commit which are Infirmities lamented by them and graciously forgiven by their Heavenly Father therefore indulgent Sinners take shelter under this Pretence that their Relapses are meer unavoidable Infirmities But what Weakness can be pretended for wilful habitual Sins Such Excuses do not cover their Guilt but discover their strong Affections to their Lusts They have not the Excuse of Ignorance to pretend the Flesh and the World are omnipotent Enemies that cannot be resisted is to blaspheme the Grace of the holy Spirit In short a new Life is inseparable from Repentance in its Reality Sad and serious Thoughts Sighs and Tears the sorrowful Confession of Sins and good Purposes against them are the Blossoms of Repentance ineffective without the substantial Fruits of it in a reformed Conversation 'T is one of the Arts of Satan to join things together that are inconsistent In Paradise he assured the Woman that she might take of the forbidden Tree and of the Tree of Life and he now deceives many with the hope that their indulged repeated Sins are consistent with Repentance But if Men do not forsake the foul Sins they lament their Sorrow will go with them to Hell and settle in the Worm that shall never die Fifthly The Tempter hinders Men from Compliance with the present Invitations of Grace by suggesting there will be time enough for accepting them hereafter and a future Repentance will be sufficient to redress all their Miscarriages By this Deceit he trains them on to Ruin By this he eludes the Force of present Convictions that without Repentance they must perish for ever and puts Men out of the Compass of Conversion 'T is clear by its own Light and needs no other Proof that present Obedience is due to the Commands of God To day if you will hear
As one Spark of God's Wrath firing the Conscience is more terrible than the most fearful Evils in the World so one Beam of his Favour enlightning the Soul is more sweet and ravishing than all the most valued and desir'd things in the World SERMON X. LUKE xiv 23. The Lord said to the Servant Compel them to come in that my House may be full III. I Shall now prove 't is the great Duty of the Ministers of Christ to apply themselves with a holy Zeal to bring Men to partake of the saving Mercies of the Gospel This will appear by considering 1. The Command of God from whom they are sent lays the highest Obligation upon them to perform their Duty The manner and degrees of Obedience are measured by the greatness of the Authority that enjoins it To Soveraign Authority immediate absolute and supream Obedience is due The Authority of God is more binding than the highest in Princes or the dearest in Parents What are all Kings of the Earth to him less than nothing Temporal Greatness consists only in Comparison In the Scale of Magistracy the Superiors to some are subordinate to others But the Majesty of God is absolutely and truly Infinite And as the immediate Servants of the King are under special Obligations to obey his Commands besides the common Duty of his other Subjects so the Ministers of the Gospel by their Consecration and immediate Relation to God are bound with all zealous Diligence to do his Will 2. 'T is the principal End of their Commission God designs in the Contrivance and Revelation of the Gospel to glorify his Mercy and his Son in our Salvation First Love is the clearest and most adequate Notion of the Deity God is Love Now Mercy is medicinal healing and recovering Love The Object of it is the Miserable and Unworthy In God's Moral Government Mercy and Justice are the leading Attributes and Mercy in its Exercise has the Supremacy Mercy rejoices against Judgment When our first Parents were cited to Judgment for their rebellious Sin Mercy promis'd a Saviour before the Sentence was pronounc'd God is stiled the Father of Mercies 't is his natural Off-spring the freest and most delightful Emanation from him Judgment is his strange Work that by Constraint he executes He does not afflict willingly the Children of Men God is more pleased to see the Fruits of his Mercy in his Creatures restor'd to Happiness than the Effects of his Justice in the Guilty and Miserable To be inclin'd to do Evil and Hurt is an Imperfection infinitely distant and opposite to the Divine Nature The Lord God is a Sun and as 't is proper to it to enlighten revive and refresh the World by its Operations and Influences 't is accidental to consume and destroy and proceeds from the Imperfection of Things upon whom his Beams fall Thus 't is according to the Nature of God to dispense the liberal Effusions of his Goodness to the Creatures if they feel the Effects of his Justice 't is for Sin that deserves it and draws it forth into Exercise Mercy is God's Glory by Glory we understand the Lustre that results from the Perfection of Things and is attractive and worthy of Admiration There is Light in one Beam of the Sun but Glory results from the Union of all its Beams in their full Strength Accordingly a double Glory belongs to God 1st His Essential Glory that results from his transcendent Excellencies the supream Beauty and Brightness of that unapproachable Light wherein he is said to dwell every Attribute being truly infinite is most glorious 2dly Declarative Glory that consists in the Operation and Influence of God's Perfections and in the humble and thankful Adoration of them by intelligent Creatures Some Divine Attributes are more eminently the Glory of God as they are more declarative of his Perfections and more sensibly and powerfully affect the Minds and Hearts of Men. In this respect Mercy as 't is the most benign and comfortable so 't is the brightest Light in all the Constellation of the Divine Attributes 't is our Happiness we are under it Aspects and Influences The other essential Excellencies of God are regarded as the Qualities of our Soveraign infinitely above us with most humble Fear and respectful Admiration But his Mercy represents him as our Father and Friend and engages our Affections entirely to him When Moses desir'd to see God's Glory he told him his Goodness should pass before him Now Mercy is the most excellent Degree of Goodness 'T is Goodness primarily excited and active from it self and takes occasion from the Misery of the Creature to be beneficent 'T is observable when he was proclaimed in his glorious Titles The Lord the Lord God Merciful and Gracious next to the Deity Mercy is plac'd as his dearest Attribute and of the thirteen Titles of Honour attributed to him nine belong to Mercy to signify the advantage it has above Justice Mercy is his peculiar Treasure 't is said he is rich in Mercy not in Possessions tho the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof his Riches are not without himself but in his own Perfections Now 't is the great Design of God to glorify this Attribute in the Salvation of the Lost and Miserable Adam had sufficient Grace to stand but was free to fall and by the Fraud of Satan join'd with his own Folly was seduc'd from his Duty and involv'd himself and all his Progeny in utter Ruin It was very becoming God that his Enemy should not obtain his End that Mankind should not be the eternal Trophy of the Tempter and so noble a part of the Creation be as it were abolish'd for ever From hence the Mercy of God took its Rise and most apparently and eminently declar'd it self in sending his Son the Heir of his Love and Glory to be the Redeemer and Ransom of the Lost and Miserable The Gospel is made up of Arguments and Endearments of Commands and compassionate Calls of incouraging Invitations and the most constraining Motives that sinful Men would apply themselves to our blessed Saviour and not perish for ever in their Sins And God has appointed an Order of Men consecrated to this Service This is most excellently exprest by the Apostle Now we are Embassadors for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God From hence the Duty of Evangelical Ministers is clear and consequent that with zealous Affections and persevering Diligence they should endeavour to bring Souls to partake of the Grace of the Gospel An Objection may be raised If God be pleased with the Salvation of sinful Men why are not all saved for nothing is the Object of his Will but is within the compass of his Power The Objection is specious and may surprize at first but duly considered may receive a sufficient Answer 1. 'T is a leading Rule that when Doctrines are clearly revealed in the Scripture we must yield
if we consider the Depravation of Mankind so inveterate and invincible we shall turn the Current of our Wonder another way that the obstinate Perverseness of any is subdued and that with consenting Wills they receive Christ as their Prince and Saviour Election is the Fountain of distinguishing Grace Many are called but few are chosen Conversion Adoption Justification Sanctification Glorification are all the Fruits of electing Mercy By the most gracious and free Act of his own Will he chose some out of the corrupt Generality and they are but a little diminutive Flock to make them Vessels of Honour that his Goodness might be the more admirable Those who are made a willing People were by the natural and contracted Hardness of their Hearts as averse and repugnant to the Heavenly Call as others if after a thousand Repulses the Spirit had been withdrawn they had died in their Sins but as 't is said of Lot's miraculous Rescue from the Flames of Sodom While he lingred the Angels laid hold upon his Hand the Lord being merciful to him and brought him forth and set him without the City so the free and omnipotent Grace over-rul'd their reluctant Hearts and strongly and sweetly inclin'd them to God their supream and satisfying Good and to come to Christ as the only means to restore them to the Favour and Enjoyment of God The natural Man is no more able to believe with a saving Faith in Christ than to obey the whole Law 't is the Gift of God He provides the Means of Salvation and applies them he by victorious Grace leads Captivity captive and bestows that most precious Gift upon his People How many that enjoy'd the same Gospel and did not reject so many Invitations nor so often grieve and vex the holy Spirit nor so long abuse the Patience of God were justly left in their Sins this will set a Lustre upon special and saving Mercy O what a conspicuous Discovery what a lively and thankful Sense will there be of this Grace in the next World Our Saviour tells the unbelieving Jews There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves turn'd out The Comparison of the opposite States will then be more joyful and transporting to the Saints and more manifest and tormenting to the Reprobates They shall feel a burning Thirst after the Happiness they have lost and be tortur'd between Desire and Despair for ever 2. Let those who make light of the Invitations of Grace consider what will be the Issue of their Obstinacy Within a little while Conscience will awaken the Remembrance of their careless Contempt of the Divine Mercy and that will awaken Despair To instruct such Persons and make them afraid that they may fly to the Sanctuary from the Destroyer let them consider 1. This will render them inexcusable Their Obduration and final Ruin will be of themselves God is pleased to appeal to the Human Understanding What could I do more for my Vineyard that I have not done His Works and his Words are declaratory of his Will how pleasing the Repentance and Life of Sinners is to him He has prepar'd a Saviour and Salvation and offers them to lost Souls In the Year of Jubilee Liberty was proclaim'd for all the Israelites who had been Servants but if any one would not leave his Master his Ear was bored and he was a Servant for ever Thus the acceptable Year of the Lord is proclaim'd in the Gospel a happy Freedom to Sinners by Jesus Christ but those who are in love with their reigning Lusts refuse this Freedom and are condemn'd to the worst Bondage for ever God by his Authority commands them to repent and believe the Gospel He invites them by the most gracious Promises to accept and receive them he expresses the most tender Compassions towards perishing Sinners Why will ye die He reproaches their unaccountable Folly How long ye simple ones will ye love Simplicity He urges them by terrible Threatnings not to neglect his offer'd Grace But they are deaf to his loudest Calls if a Lust whispers from their Earthly Affections they are presently moved No Mercy will soften them no Reproofs will reform them the richest Means of Grace are lost and they prodigally perish Now how justly do they fall under the condemning Sentence of the Law who slight the Mercy of the Gospel God takes no Pleasure in the Death of a Sinner but they take Pleasure in their Sins they die in their Sins because they will die they are deprived of Life because they will not come to Christ that they may have Life At the Day of Judgment lost Sinners will intirely clear God and deeply charge themselves with their deserved Ruin 2. Such are irrecoverable The Gospel is the only Dispensation of Grace if Men obstinately reject it their Condition is as desperate as if they were bound in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day Mercy alone can heal us and if that be wounded our Sickness is incurable He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abides on him His Doom is sealed and irreversible God now speaks in a still Voice but hereafter he will speak in a Whirlwind to the Despisers of his Grace 'T is true we cannot say a Soul is quite lost while there is a delay of Judgment but the Scripture declares that Sinners by their stubborn Refusals of Mercy make God inexorable to their Prayers There is a day of Grace and the Lapse of it is fatal to the Neglecters Of this there have been very fearful Examples how many Despisers of the Grace of the Redeemer in the course of their Lives yet in the Agony of their last Departure when their Sins with a ghastly Aspect appear and with frightful Horror they look into the bottomless Pit Conscience anticipates the Divine Judgment Let the most compassionate Ministers offer them the Cordials of the Gospel and tell them they despair too soon the self-condemning Conscience replies they repent too late O that Men were early wise to secure their eternal Interest 3. The neglect of Salvation will aggravate Sin and the Judgment of Men. This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light The higher the Disobedience the lower the Damnation will be of Sinners The Heathens in their Race of ignorant Rebellion are not so guilty nor liable to so heavy a Sentence as those who disobey the Gospel The Israelites had so abus'd the Mercies of God to his Dishonour there were no such Rebels on Earth the Prophet was fain to descend to Hell for a Comparison to equal their Wickedness Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom Give Ear unto the Law of our God ye People of Gomorrah But those who turn the Grace of God into an occasion of