Acts 2. 47. might as well have attained it out of the Church Certainly Brethren God cannot but be highly provoked by such undervaluing these high Gospel-priviledges 2. It voids the exercise of Christian duties it destroys a Christians gratitude and thankfulness It is in event to tell God that he was at an unnecessary expence when he gave us the Gospel and it must needs dull and take off the edge of our devotions for the Heathen and quench all zeal and cut the sinews of all endeavours for bringing them over to the embracing of the Gospel and tells us we are guilty of a foolish ignorant commiseration when we pity them Nay they might rather were this Doctrine true pity us who go about a circuit for that knowledge which they have a more compendious way to Thirdly Then no reason so highly to admire as some do the moralities and improvements of the Heathens which as glow-worms might have some glimmering lustre in the night of ignorance but now the Sun of Righteousness is arisen they appear to be but of an earthly extraction Put antur esse virtutes in quibus regnat superbia quaedam sibi placendi altitudo ruinosa saith Augustine A vein of Lib. 21. de Civi◠Dei cap. 16. pride and vain-glory run through all their moralities which besides in the best of them were checkquered with some grosser sins Fourthly Let us with thankfulness advance the mercy of God in making known himself to us by Gospel-discoveries he was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the best of the Heathen but in Judah is God known Psal 76. 1. Blessed be his name we can say in England is God known Raritas In 1 Cor. 2. 14. Psal 147. 20. ipsa pretium augeat saith Calvin God hath not dealt thus with every nation The Psalmist might well close up with a Praise ye the Lord c. Let us commiserate and pray for those who sit in darkness let us in Goshen pity Egypt but let 's not advance nature in them to the disparagement of the grace and Gospel of God amongst our selves lest while we would seem charitable we prove unthankfull and by magnifying the light of nature we disparage the light of the Gospel and rob God of his freeness and specialty of his grace Holy Bernard complaining to Pope Innocent of Abelardus Professour at Paris who it seems amongst many other errours had broached this which I have been discoursing of censures him thus Dum multùm sudat quomodo Platonem faciat Christianum se probat Ethaicum While he would make Plato a Christian he proves himself a Heathen And certainly those who so highly advance natural light can have but low mean and very undervaluing thoughts of the Gospel Fifthly Improve Gospel-discoveries of God by walking answerably to such revelation let your conversations be such as become Phil. 1. 27. the Gospel of Jesus Christ Let 's blush that moralities in a Heathen should out-shine Christianitie in us We know more let 's not practise less Let 's not as Salvian speaks of some Gentes agere sub 2 Tim. 2. 19. nomine Christiano but let every one who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity otherwise our knowledge of God will but increase Luke 12. 47. our stripes Though the utmost improvements of nature cannot save the Heathens excuse them they will in part Fabritius shall fare better then Catiline yet the abuse of it condemned them they perish without the law Rom. 2. 12. And if this left them without excuse that they held natural truth in unrighteousness and Rom. 1. 18 21. when they knew God glorified him not as God as the Apostle saith it did how much more inexcusable shall the abuse of Gospel-light and imprisoning it by sin leave Christians Solons Socrates Scipioes Catoes will appear in judgment against many pretended Christians It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon When God Matth. 10. 15 Rom. 2. 9. comes to administer justice upon the ungodly it will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Darkness seems never so dismall as to those who go immediately from the light the darkness of hel will be sadder to none then to those who fall into it from under the light of the Gospel The Pagans plea of ignorance will not excuse him because voluntarily contracted and wilfully lived in but a Christians improved knowledge will much more condemn him Sixthly Then let 's not pride our selves in our natural improvements in our parts and endowments We are here in a place of improvement and let us improve to the height for questionless we must be accountable to God for our talents of natural abilities depth of judgment acuteness of wit strength of memory quickness of apprehension which I wish they did really believe or seriously consider who abuse these to the reproach of Religion and opposing the truths of God but let 's not rest in these as in themselves setting us a whit the nearer to the saving grace of God Nay if not sanctified and joyned with humility they may set us at a greater distance from God and heaven Great parts and gifts are not just matter of pride and vain-glory but arguments of usefulness and engagements to serviceableness for God for to whom much is given of him much shall be required These will heighten our account when God shall examine how we have traded with his talents how honoured him or benefitted our selves or others by the knowledge we have of him Indeed pride is the Scholars sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a tumour 1 Cor. 8. 1. of pride breeding in the Apostle by reason of his multitude of revelations had not God let it out by the thorn in the flesh That 2 Cor. 12. 7. chain of gold which adorns my neck helps to sink me deeper if I be a drowning Arts and Sciences are your ornaments but if not sanctified may sink you the deeper into perdition Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum wes a sad complaint of old One dram of grace will save a man when a talent of gifts oft presseth men to hel Seventhly Let us examine whether there be not many amongst those who goe for Christians to whom God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many who know as little of God as if they lived in America I believe you my Brethren who deal with the multitude finde this too sadly true that many worship God upon no other account then the Romanes did their Jupiter or the Ephesians their Diana because he is the God of the nations and country in which they were born and their fore-fathers God and his worship in credit and under the magistrates command who serve God by tradition more then out of conviction of judgement My Brethren our spirits should be stirred in us as Pauls was with an affection mixed of grief and compassion Vers 16. when we observe this But may not we even at our Athens finde some to whom God is an
idols let him alone and in Revel 22. 11. He that is filthy let him be filthy still so he that is unprofitable let him be unprofitable still Oh sad judgement and is as sadly expressed Esay 66 the 3 and 4. They have chosen their own ways and their soul delights in their abominations I also will choose their delusions c. which is as much as to say he will leave them to themselves and suffer them to go on to be deluded by those delusions as such they having wilfuly chosen Men care not to profit by the word and God gives them over to unprofitableness as Christ cursed the fig-tree Matth. 21. 19. III. By taking the Gospel wholly away and removing the candlestick from them Thus Christ threatned to proceed against Ephesus unless by a speedy return she prevented it Rev. 2. 5. Jerusalem was come to the height of wickedness when the Gospel was removed Matth. 23. 37 38. The Jews by a wilfull contempt first put away the Gospel from themselves before God took it away from them as the Apostle speaks expressely Acts 13. 46. God will not always cast this pearl before swine who as Clemens expresseth it delight more in the mud of their lusts then in the pure waters of the Sanctuary in the word of God God will not always cast his childrens bread to the dogs God threatens a famine of the word upon the Jews Amos 8. Would you know the reason see ver 5. they began to be weary of it and unprofitable under it As a master sometimes deals with a bad servant pulls his livery over his ears and turns him out of doors so God oft deals with men takes away his Word and Ordinances his livery and cognizance or as a man divorcing an adulterous wife takes away all her jewels and garments and puts them upon another so God when people go a whoring takes away from them the Gospel and Ordinances which are the glory and ornament of a nation and gives them to others IV. If he does continue the Gospel yet he takes away the able and faithful Ministers of it Observe how God dealt with his vineyard Isa 5. great expence you may see he had been at vers 2. so much that he appeals to their own judgements what he could have done more what cost he should further bestow upon them as to outward means ver 4. but there being no suitable thriving under all this see how the Lord proceeds judicially against it after the threatning of a totall devastation ver 5. he adds that the clouds should rain no more upon it So doth God deal with an unprofitable people he removes these clouds as Ministers are called who are to drop fatness into the soul and lets you sit under clouds without water and none of the dews of heaven in them to make you thrive And how hath God dealt of late in this Nation removing from us many eminent Preachers and pulling down many pillars of the Church And may we not justly fear that this hath been by many mens unprofitableness and wantonness under the word of God Is it not a sign that Gods vineyard hath brought forth little fruit when God hath eclipsed so many stars of the first magnitude Is it not to be feared it is because men have neglected to walk by and improve the light of those who have held out the Gospel to them V. By taking away the Ministers gifts The people are apt to complain of nothing more then that their preachers want abilities and gifts perhaps it is a judgement upon your unprofitableness under and abuse of the word Alas the Minister is nothing without divine influence and communication in his ministerial endowments It is God that gives some Apostles some Prophets c. Ephes 4. 11. And he may oft-times with-draw this influence God may dry up the breast because you thrive not by the sincere milk of the Hom. 12. in Ezek. 3. 26. word Propter malum populum etiam bonis tollitur sermo doctoribus so Gregorie VI. By denying success to the word preached though he continue able Ministers God must give the increase even when a Paul preacheth and an Apollos waters which he is pleased oft to deny Because of our neglect and contempt of his word and carelesness to profit under it he denies the dews of his blessing which should make the seed of the word thrive and prosper Or if the Minister preaches powerfully yet perhaps not suitably to thy necessities not what may profit and this by a secret judgement of God upon thy obstinate unprofitableness under former enjoyments of the word You have a very pregnant instance of this Ezek. 3. 26. where God tells the Prophet that he should be dumb and not be a reprover unto them and these reproofs as I have often hinted are most like to profit as S. Gregory sayes Magna omnipotentis Dei gratia est cùm iniquè agentibus Gregor in Ezek. durus à doctoribus sâ—â—mo increpationis profertur VII By 〈◊〉 loose a spirit of delusion and by suffering false prophets to deceive and gull the people and to poysen them with errour instead of feeding them with the word of God When Gods vineyard brings forth bryars instead of fruit he suffers the wolues and the foxes to eat it up Esay 5. 4. sive obrepant vulpes lupi in Ecclesiam hoc totum tribuere convenit ingratitudini nostrae quia fructum non reddidimus qualem decebat fuimúsque desides otiosi saith Calvin And Calv. in loc I cannot but in my serious thoughts resolve that inundation of Heresies upon this nation and all those delusions which go abroad into the judgement of God giving men over to strong delusions to believe lies because they improved not nor delighted in the truth in the love of it as God gave the lying spirit commission to go and deceive Ahab 1 Kings 22. 22. And sure God hath in his justice and wrath for our wantonness under and inconstancy to the truth let loose many lying spirits in our daies which miserablely mislead many into damnable Heresies VIII By delivering up to Satan and permiting him to have power over them It is said of Judas John 13. 27. that Satan entred into his heart if the word take not possession of thy heart the devil will whom God useth as the instrument and executioner of his just judgement even that spirit who worketh powerfully in the children of disobedience Ephes 2. 2. I adde one caution lest I might seem to speak too harshly and severely of Gods proceeding that God doth not proceed thus judicially presently upon every neglect of his word but after long exercise of his patience and after much obstinacy and wilful contempt of his word He did not presently cut up the fig tree but expected three years and upon importunity spared it one year more Luk. 13. 8. God forsakes not any till they obstinately forsake him non deserit nisi deserentem Christ
Embleme of peace so acceptable should the ministry of the Word be which reveals Christ as your peace c. Thirdly Examine whether you be of the number of those sinners Christ came to save You will say that 's needless Did not Christ come to save all Is it not said expressely Christ died for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. and that he tasted death for every man Hebr. 2. 9. and that God was in Christ reconciling the whole world unto himself 2 Cor. 15. 19. How far Christs intentions extended in his undertakings would be too large to discuss it will be sufficient at present to note that the price Christ paid is sufficient in it self for the expiation of all sins and that it extends to all sorts of sinners notwithstanding this we know from Scripture that the greatest part of the world shall perish even of those who are under the Gospel Many are called but few are chosen and Christ doth expressely restrain that universality which many to little purpose contend for when he saith he laid down his life for his sheep Joh. 10. 15. to redeem his Church Acts 20. 28. and to save onely his own people Matth. 1. 21. and for those who were given him of his Father in contradistinction to the world Joh. 17. 9 Therefore there is room left for enquiry whether we be of the number of them who shall be saved by Christs undertakings for us Such are I. Repenting returning sinners so Christ tells you himself Matth. 9. 13. I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is such as are not righteous in their own opinion for as if man had continued truely righteous he had not stood in need of a Saviour so if self righteous he shall receive no benefit by Christ such he came not to call but sinners So you 'l say we are all yea but humbled sinners such as are inwardly convinced and truly humbled for sin Quest But doth not Christ call all Matth. 11. 28. Answ Yes but mark the limitation such as are weary there 's ease for such so Luke 19. 10. The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost So we were all lost you 'l say True but these are such as see themselves lost and irrecoverably undone without Christ The prodigal was lost long but never returned to nor was entertained by his Father till he saw himself so and mourned that he was so Luke 15. 18. Christs commission was to binde up such onely as mourn and to proclaim peace and the acceptable year of the Lord to such onely Isa 61. 1. II. Believing sinners those are the terms upon which the Gospel offers salvation by Christ for so runs the promise Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And Christ tells you himself he came into the world for this end John 12. 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And this was the design of God's sending Christ for sinners that Whoever believed should not perish John 3. 16. This is the condition of the Covenant of grace and salvation as Scripture every where expresseth as Rom. 10. 9 10. to this Paul directed the trembling jayler Acts 16. 30 31. All a Christians life is in Christ and faith is the hand that receives him John 1. 72. Whatever a Christian derives from or partakes of by Christ as forgiveness Acts 10. 43. is all by faith the Spirit of Christ Gal. 3. 14. inward puritie Acts 15. 9. perseverance 1 Pet. 1. 5. son-ship Gal. 3. 26. and at last eternal salvation by Christ John 3. 36. all which are received by faith III. Reforming sinners Christ came not to save any man in his sins but from his sins Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquitie Utique venit medicus ad aegrotum August Tom. 10. p. 200. constat sed ideo venit medicus ad aegrotum nè semper sit aegrotus Quod vult facere amat non quod invenit saies S. Augustin Whether do you then live as those Christ came to save Christ came not to save you onely from the guilt of sin but from the power of sin that sin might have no more dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. So that let no presumptuous sinner flatter himself in a continuance of sin upon this consideration that Christ came to save sinners for Christ saves and delivers them from sin here whom he saves from wrath hereafter Luke 1. 74 75. And the promise of mercy is made upon forsaking sin Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Fourthly Let us all heartily entertain this so acceptable a doctrine as that message of Christ's coming to save sinners Entertain it in your ear by attendance upon the Gospel preached but that is a small matter welcome it in your hearts by believing it otherwise it will not profit you as it is said of them Heb. 4. 3. The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it And not onely so but in your lives too by obeying it and living suitably to the Gospel which discovers this acceptable doctrine to you Phil. 1. 27. Let your conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ The end of this Gospel-revelation was obedience and holiness suitable to our belief so the mysterie of Christ is said to be made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16. 26. for so our lives may witness our acceptance and hearty entertainment of this as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief It was a fond opinion which the Manichees and others of old maintained from this place of Scripture That Adam's soul was transfused into Paul's bodie because the Apostle saies here he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first but he means not time but in nature and qualitie Primum se dixit non peccatorum ordine sed peccati magnitudine saies Augustine August Tom. 10. p. 202. And that I think is not a much better interpretation which Grotius puts upon the words as if they were spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex summa modestia as if the Apostle had onely spoken by a Rhetorical modestie as when he calls himself the least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 9. The Apostle sure intended not these words as complements Cave n◠existimes Apostolum modestiae causâ mentitum saith Calvin Whence it seems some long before Grotius had mis-interpreted the Apostle thus as if he had but told an humble officious lye perhaps as a bait to the applause of others as it is the practise of some to pretend low thoughts of themselves that so others may magnifie and extol them But the Apostle spoke not to know what others