will turn away his anger from thee and behold thee with a smiling countenance thou being in Christ and Christ in thee and God being well pleased with his Sonne must needs bee well pleased with thee too great is your benefit by having an interest in Christ I may say in this case what Elisha the Prophet said to King Jeroboam 2 King 3. 14. Verily sayes hee were it not that I regard the person of Jehosaphat King of Judah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee just so does God say to us were it not for my Sonne Jesus Christ you should never see my face nor have a good look from me 6. If thou hast a real interest in Christ then this is another part of thy comfort that God the Father doth as truly accept of thee in his Sonne as if thou hadst in thine own person done and suffered what Christ did this is a great benefit God accepts of what Christ hath done for us as if we had none it our selves as in Ephes 1. 6. Hee hath made us accepted in the beloved that is in Christ God lookes upon thee in Christ and accepts of all thy duties and performances as well as if thou hadst prayed as well as ever Christ prayed and done and suffered as much as ever Christ did 7. Art thou now in Christ well take this for thy comfort thou maist be confidently assured that thou shalt bee one day with Christ This is the last consolation and I shall give you a pregnant text to prove it though it be not so well understood in the common reading of it as it should bee Rom. 8. 10. sayes the Apostle if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse What is the meaning of this the body is dead because of sinne the meaning is not that the body does mortifie sin but the body is dead because of sin that is sin shall bring your bodies to the grave but your spirits shall live because of righteousnesse that is the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ through the righteousnesse of Christ your souls shall live for ever in glory with Christ though your bodies die and sin bring them to the grave yet the killing of your bodies shall but make way for the living of your spirits being in Christ here you shall for ever live with Christ in glory hereafter the death of your bodies shall but give you an entrance into Glory and therefore why should death be grievous to those that are in Christ Jesus for death is but as it were the marriage day wherein Christ and their soules shall bee united together if Christ bee in you your bodies shall die because of sin but your spirits shall live because of righteousnesse You have another pertinent place to prove this in Joh. 17. 23 24. sayes Christ there I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me and Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me Some conceive that this prayer of Christ was made onely for the Apostles that they might be where Christ was in heaven but if you marke the precedent words you shall find that it was for all Beleevers for saies Christ himself neither pray I for these alone but for all those that shall beleeve in my Name to the end of the world Great is your comfort in having an interest in Christ here you shall one day reign with him for ever in Glory Thus I have done with these seven consolations to those that have a real and well grounded interest in Christ I have onely now a word or two by way of Use to apply and set home what I have said concerning this particular Use Here you see what unspeakable comforts redound to you that have an interest in Christ you have all things though you have nothing Christ is yours and all that Christ hath is yours and all that you have is Christs Christ sweetens all afflictions and crosses to you and the having of Christ represents God the Father to you not with terrour and dread but with goodnesse and meeknesse and loving-kindnesse and mercy and long-suffering and through Christ God doth as freely accept of you and of what you doe as if it were done as well as ever Christ did it and being in Christ here you shall for ever live with Christ in glory hereafter Oh how should all these mercies and priviledges stir up all those that have yet no part in Christ never to give rest to their eyes nor slumber to their eye-lids till they have gotten an interest in him SERMON VI. EPHES. 2. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ LEst any of you that hear mee this day should lie under a spirit of delusion and think that all that I have said touching the happinesse of those that have an interest in Christ belongs to them when it doth not I shall therefore spend this houre in shewing you some characters whereby you may know whether you have a real interest in Christ or no this is the needfullest point that ever in my life I prest upon you and the Lord give you grace to lay these characters close to your own hearts and by them seriously to examine your own souls whether you have a reall interest in Christ or no but before I give you these characters give me leave by the way to premise these three or four Cautions or cautelary conclusions which will the better make way to the handling the point in hand Caution 1 1. Take this caution that men may be strongly conceited and opinionated that they have an interest in Christ when they have not I shall give you a plain text for this in 2 Cor. 10. 7. Doe you look on things after the outward appearance sayes the Apostle if any man trust to himself that hee is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so are we Christs This is a very notable place there were some among the Corinthians that were strongly conceited they did belong to Christ when they did not and had an ill opinion of the Apostles and thought they did not belong to Christ and to such as these the Apostle Paul here speaks men may be strongly conceited they have an interest in Christ when there is no such matter as it was with the Church of Laodioea in Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked 2. Another cautelary conclusion I would have you take notice of is this that in laying down the characters of a man that hath an interest in Christ I do not
SERMON preached on a speciall occasion On 1 COR. 15. 57. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ THese words are a part of Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Triumphant Song In the Song there are two parts and this is the last 1. A confident Challenge 2. A solemne Thanksgiving The one is directed to the enemies the other to the giver of victory 1. A confident Challenge in which he outbraveth Death and all the powers of the Grave O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory the words allude to Ilos 13. 14. where Christ is brought in speaking I will ransome them from the power of Death and redeem them from the Grave O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction there is Christs ingagement and undertaking for a full conquest of Death Christ threatneth Death and the Apostle insulteth over it the form of the words is altered because the enemy was now faln and Paul proclaimeth the victory hitherto Death and the Grave had insulted over the misery and frailty of mankinde all the tombes and charnels of the World were but so many Monuments of Deaths conquests Golgotha the place of skuls seemed to be designed on purpose to upbraid and discourage our Redeemer so many skuls and rotten reliques of humane frailty as there were in that place so many Trophies and Monuments of triumph did Death produce before the eyes of Christ as if it were said to him Canst thou darest thou grapple and enter into the lists with such an enemy But our Lord was not discouraged when he ascended upon the Crosse he did as it were answer these bravings of Death thus O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction and because he was as good as his word and every way performed his ingagement the Apostle as one of Christs followers cometh and insulteth over this proud adversary that was now faln O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory This challenge is illustrated by a Prolepsis or an Anticipation of an objection some might ask What is this sting of Death What is this power of the Grave The Apostle answereth The sting of Death is sin the strength of sin is the Law Death cometh to have this power by sin and sin to have this power by the Law The sting of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The prick it implyeth both the stroke of Death and the anguish of it as in the sting of a Serpent there is the deadly touch and the pain and torment of the wound and so it noteth the power of Death over us the prick or weapon by which it striketh is sin Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and the terrours and horrours of it which also doe arise from sin now by horrours I mean not onely the naturall aversation retirement or flight of the spirits but the bondage torment and despair that is upon the conscience as Death is a penall evill inflicted by the justice of God guilt maketh Death terrible so that a sinner is all his life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. and kept under an awe of judgement to come 't is not alwayes felt but soon awakened especially in sicknesse and approaches of Death when we feel the cold hands of it ready to pluck out our hearts conscience is whipped with a scourge of six strings fear horrour distrust grief rage and shame The strength of sin is the Law How is that to be understood The Law giveth strength to sin ratione cognitionis obligationis augmentationis they are the words of a German Divine and will yeeld us a fit method wherein to open the matter 1. The Law discovereth sin and maketh it appear in its owne colours the more light and knowledge of the Law the more sense of sin as in transparent vessels dregs are soon discerned Rom. 6. 9. I was alive without the Law but when the Law came sin revived and I dyed When by a sound conviction all disguises are taken off from the conscience we finde sin to be sin indeed Paul was alive before that is in his owne hopes as many a stupid soul maketh full account he shall goe to heaven till conscience be opened and then they finde themselves in the mouth of Death and Hell 2. The Law giveth strength to sin in regard of the obligation of it it bindeth over a sinner to the curse and wrath of God God hath made a righteous Law which must have satisfaction and till the Law be satisfied we hear no news but of a curse and that maketh Death to be full of horrours there remaineth nothing but a fearfull expectation of the fiery indignation of the Lord. 3 It augmenteth and increaseth sin by forbidding it lusts are exasperated and rage upon a restraint as the yoke maketh the young bullock more unrulely Now put all together and you will understand the force of the expression The strength of sin is the Law the Discovery of the Law stoppeth the sinners mouth and the curse of the Law shutteth him up and holdeth him fast unto the judgement of the great day by which restraint sin groweth the more raging and furious all which put together make Death terrible not an end of misery but a door to open into Hell Now this being the case of every man what shall we do and how shall we extricate our souls from such a labyrinth of endlesse horrour You have an answer of that in the next verse in the Apostles Thanksgiving where he acquainteth you not onely with grounds of Hope but Triumph Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ In this thanksgiving you may observe 1. The Author of the mercy God by Jesus Christ 2. The manner how we come to be interested in it He giveth us victory Or rather you may observe 1 The Act of the Father as to Jesus Christ in that he appointed him to get the victory 2 The Act of the Father as to us in that hee applyeth this victory to our souls Christs victory and the application of it are the two grounds of this thanksgiving 1. Christs victory over Sin Death and the Law for it must be extended to all the things mentioned in the context they are enemies by combination and knit together in a fast league the Law giveth strength to sin and sin giveth a sting to Death as long as the Law hath power sin will be strong and as long as sin hath strength Death will bee terrible But Christ hath overcome Death he foyled it in his own person as I shall shew you anon fully and for Sin he hath taken away the guilt of it by his own merit and will destroy it more and more by the power of the Holy Ghost when he stood before the tribunall of God he stood there as a
surety and undertaker Heb. 7. 22. A surety of a better restament now he was a surety mutually Gods and ours to work Gods work in us and our work for us among other things which he undertook there he undertook the abolition of sin on Gods part he obliged himself that it should be performed by his Spirit on our part he obliged us to endeavours of mortification now because Christ is an able surety the work is as good as done already Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin mark 't is crucified with him as implying his undertaking upon the crosse that the body of Death might be destroyed as noting the Work of Gods Spirit which was ingaged and made sure by Christs death upon the crosse that we should not serve sin as noting the concurrence of our endevours to which wee are obliged by the same sponsory Act of Christ thus much Christ hath done for the abolition of sin now for the Law that was an enemy that could not be overcome but must be satisfied and so it was by Christ who both performed the duty and sustained the penalty of it chiefly the latter and therefore t is said he was made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. The sting is lost in Christ and the honey left for us But this is matter of another respect and cognisance 2 The next reason of the Apostles thanksgiving is the application he hath given us victory for understanding of which you must note that 1 Christs victory is imputed to us as if it were done in our own persons when we are actually united to him wee are possessed of all his merit Christ fought our war and joined battell in our stead we have a mysticall victory in Christ and are said to overcome when Christ overcame this is the reason why the acts of beleevers are complicated and folded up with Christs acts in the expressions of Scripture Crucified with him quickened with him and raised with him and set down with him in heavenly places Ephes 2. c. All which are terms proper to the Judiciall Vnion which is different both from the Morall and Mysticall as I could easily shew you were it not a matter of another nature now this mysticall victory is of great use to a beleever in time of discouragements if the Law challenge Satan and Conscience say thou art a sinner under a curse thou maist answer I am a sinner but I am crucified in Christ in my surety his payment and suffering is mine if Death or the world discourage you may say This is a beaten enemy I foyled it in Christ I ascended in Christ c. 2. The benefit of this victory is imparted and applyed to us by which he maketh us conquerours over sin and death all Christs worke was not done upon the Crosse there is much to be accomplished in our hearts Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet c. not onely under Christs feet but ours as Joshua called his fellowes to come and tread upon the necks of the Canaanitish Kings Come put your feet upon the necks of these Kings so Christ will see us conquer he that got a victory for us will get a victory in us over sin and death and hell Christ hath trodden them under foot already when his own heel was bruised now he will doe it under your feet Doctr. Having laid this foundation the point and head of Doctrine which I shall discuss is Christs victory over Death for the comfort and profit of Beleevers Death is either the first or second temporall or eternall sinners are under the sentence of both and both are in a sort put into the hands of Satan he had the power of Death Heb. 2. 14. as Gods executioner and the one maketh way for the other Death to the wicked is but a taking them away to torment as unruly persons are committed to prison that they may molest no more Gods patience expireth with their lives and then his vengeance beginneth The curse of the first Covenant was eternall Death Gen. 2. 15. thou shalt dye that is eternally the curse must carry proportion with the blessing the blessing was eternall life and the curse was eternall death I say the sorrow and pain must have bin perpetual answerable to the life which he should have enjoyed therefore Christ is said to have delivered us from wrath to come which certainly was our portion and inheritance by Adam and without Christ there is no escape But to come to particulars I shall shew you 1. How Christ delivered us from Death 2. How far 1. How be delivered us The Apostle answereth that Heb. 2. 14. by Death he destroyed him that had the power of Death now Christs Death cometh under a twofold consideration as a merit or as a glorious act of warre and combate as the Act of a Redeemer or the Act of a Conquerour which answereth to the double evill in Death 't is a naturall evill and a poenall evill 't is a naturall evill as it is the dissolution of soul and body 't is a poenall evill as 't is a curse of the Covenant or the punishment of sin 1 There was merit in Christs voluntary Death 't was a ransome for the elect he dyed not onely in bonum eorum for their good and profit but loco vice ominium in their room and stead as when the ram was taken Isaac was spared so Christs Death was in stead of ours God will not exact the debt twice of us and our surety Job 33. Delivered him from going down into the pit for I have found a ransome The sinner must dye or the surety now saith the Lord I accept of the Death and passion of Christ for this penitent man if we go downe to the pit we go not down by way of vengeance by Christs Death the merit of our sin is expiated justice satisfied Gods wrath appeased the Law fulfilled sin pardoned and so the Jawes of Death are broken Death in its self is the sentence of the Law the fruit of sin and the recompense of angry justice and so it hath no more to doe with us for God hath found a ransome 2 You may look upon it as the Act of a Conquerour Christ foiled Death in his own person ever since he rifled the Grave death hath lost its retentive power Act. 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loosing the pains c. t is an allusion to the throws of a travailing woman the Grave was in travail till this precious burthen was egested for he could not be holden of it and over since the Grave is a womb rather then a dungeon and pit of vengeance non vitam rapit sed refoomat it doth not destroy life but renew it in almost the same metaphor Christ is called Col. 1. 18. The first
born from the dead not that hee was the first that was raised from the dead howbeit he was the first that arose others were raised by the power of another but Christ arose by his own so he is called 1 Cor. 15 20. The first fruits from the dead as the offering of the first-fruits was a blessing to all the store so Christ dying and rising is a ground of conquest to all the elect Christ before his death had beene combating with the powers of darknesse and all the subordinate instruments Death was Satans beast of prey that was set upon him but our Lord foiled it in its own dungeon the battail between Christ and Death was begun upon the Crosse he grappled with it there and they went tugging and wrestling to the Grave Christ like a prudent warriour carryed the war into his enemies countrey and there got loose of the grasp of Death foiled it in its own territory he arose and left Death gasping behinde him so that the quality of the grave is quite altered before 't was a prison Satans dungeon now 't is a chamber of repose a bed of ease ever since Christ slept there when the Prophet speaketh of Christs resurrection he saith Isa 53. 8. He shall be taken from prison and from judgement by prison meaning the grave but speaking of the death of the faithfull he saith Esai 57. 2. They shall rest in their beds 't was for a while to Christ a prison that to us it might be a bed of ease 2. The next question is how far he hath delivered us from death we see the godly are obnoxious to the changes and decayes of nature yea to the strokes of violence as well as others and how are we delivered I answer 't is enough that the second death hath no power over us Rev. 20. 6. Nothing to do with us Rom. 8. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one condemnation c. We may dye but we shall not be damned and though we go to the grave yet we are freed from hell But this is not all in the first death beleevers have a priviledge they doe not dye as others doe 1. The habitude and nature of it is changed that which is poenall in death is now gone 't is not a destruction but a delivery beleevers have wrong thoughts of Death we are delivered from it as 't is a punishment and a curse now 't is a blessing one of Christs Legacies of the Church all things are yours Death is yours 1 Cor. 3. 18. while Death was in the Devils hands it was an enemy but 't is made a friend and a blessing in Christ a passage from the vale of tears to the kingdome of glory the end of a mortall life and the beginning of that which is immortall as Haman to Mordecai it intended a mischief but it proved a priviledge to a wicked man it is properly an execution but to the godly a dismission of their souls into the bosome of Christ Luk. 2. 28. Now lettest thou thy servant to depart in peace they quietly send away their souls but a wicked mans soul is taken away t is twice so expressed Luk. 12. 20. This night shall they take away thy soul from thee and Job 27. 8. When God taketh away his soul c. they would fain keep it longer but God taketh it away whether they will or no a godly man resigneth and sendeth away his soul in peace his life cannot be taken away t is only yeelded up upon the call of providence and he dyeth not because he must dye but because he would dye he may dye sooner then he thought but not sooner then he would for when God willeth it he submitteth But to return the blessing of death lieth in 3 things 1. The Funerals of the godly are but the Funerals of their sins and frailties and weaknesses peccatum moritur miseria moritur homo non moritur 't is not the man dyeth but the sin the misery dyeth all other means and dispensations doe but weaken sin but Death destroyeth it when God justifieth the damning power is gone when God sanctifieth the reigning power is gone but when by death we come to be glorified then the very beeing of it is gone when the house was infected with leprosie so as scraping would not serve the turn it was to be digged down we are so infected with sin that all other remedies are too weak nothing but death will serve the turn when Ivy is gotten into a wall it cannot be wholly destroyed till the wall it self be demolished cut off the stump the body the boughes the branches still there are some strings that are ready to sprowt again so t is here originall sin cannot be destroyed the constant groans of the faithfull are Who shall deliver us from this body and masse of sin But now Death is a sudden cure sinne brought in death and as it were in revenge death destroyeth sin 2. There is a way made for a present and compleat Vmon of the soul with Christ Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ we are loosed from the body and joined to Christ t is better a soul be separated from the body then absent from Christ we have an Union here but not a presence now judge you which is better to be present with the body or to be present with the Lord to have the company of the body or the company of Christ Here the soul is inclosed and imprisoned as it were but there thou hast the free enjoyment of Christ without the clog of an earthly estate the soul as soon as it departs the body goeth immediately to Christ as when Potiphars wife laid hold on Josephs coat he escaped so you leave your upper garment in Deaths hand but the soul flyeth to God the body came from Adam and runneth in a fleshly channell and what we had from Adam must for a while be mouldred to dust to purge it from the impurity of the conveyance but the soul by a naturall right returneth to God that gave it and by a speciall interest to Christ that redeemed and sanctified it by his own spirit 3. The body which seemeth most to suffer hath much advantage a shed is taken down to raise up a better structure 't is sown a naturall body 't is raised a spirituall body c. 1 Cor. 15. 44. here 't is not capable of high injoyments 't is humbled with diseases unfit for duties again it 's sown'd corruptible body 't is raised an incorruptible body here 't is liable to changes there it may live forever without change and decay if we love long life there is eternall life 't is carnall self-love that maketh us willing to abide in the flesh if we did but love our selves but love our own flesh we would not be afraid to dye for to dye is to be perfected to have body and soul free from sin and incorruption 2. The hurt of it is prevented
as you are chosen and sanctified in Christ Jesus it cannot hurt you I say again death may kill you but it cannot hurt you it hath no power over the better part like a Serpent it feedeth only upon your dust nay and for your bodies that which dyeth as a creature is sure to live as a member of Christ the Lord Jesus is our head in the grave your bodies have a principle of life within them beleevers are raised by the Spirit of holinesse the same Spirit that quickneth them now to the offices of grace shall raise their mortall bodies So Rom. 8. 11. He shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The holy Ghost can never leave his old mansion and dwelling place how many grounds of comfort have we against the mortality of the body Christ is united to body and soul and he will not let his Mysticall body want one sinew or joynt in the account that he is to make to the Father he saith he is to lose nothing Joh. 6. 39. Mark he doth not say none but nothing Christ will not lose a leg or a piece of an ear Again God is in Covenant with body and soul when you go down to the chambers of death you may challenge him upon the Charter of his own Grace God is the God of Abrahams dust of a beleevers dust though it be mingled with the remains of wicked men yet Christ will sever it Mat. 22. 32. Christ proveth the resurrection of the body by that argument that God is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the ground of the argument is that God made his Covenant not only with the souls of the Patriarchs but with their whole persons Again Christ hath purchased body and soul so much is intimated in that place 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies Christ had payed price enough to get a title to body and soul and therefore he will not lose one bit of his purchase the Lord will call the grave to an account Where is the body of my Abraham my Isaac my Jacob t is said Rev. 20. 13. The Sea gave up her dead and the Grave gave up her dead and Hell gave up her dead let me note that Hell is there taken for the state of the departed or else what 's the meaning of that passage that followeth afterward and death and hell were cast into the lake that burneth c. Well then all the dead shall be cast up as the Whale cast up Jonah so the grave shall cast up her dead the grave is but a chest wherein our bodies are kept safe till the day of Christ and the key of this chest is not in the Devils hands but Christs see Rev. 1. 18. I have the keys of Death and Hell when the body is laid up in the cold pit 't is laid up for another day God hath an especiall care of our dust and remains when our friends and neighbours have left is Christ leaveth it not but keepeth it till the great and glorious day 3. We are eased from the terrours and horrors of death death is terrible as t is a poenall and a naturall evill as I distinguished before 1 As it is naturall evill death in it selfe is the greatest of all evils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said an heathen which in Jobs language may be rendred The King of terrours Job 18. 14. We gush to see a Serpent much more the grim visage of death morall Philosophy could never finde out a remedy against it Heathens were either desperate rash stupid or else they dissembled their gripes and fears but Christ hath provided a remedy he hath delivered us not only from the hurt of death but the fear of death Heb. 2. 14. to deliver them from the fear of death that all their life time were subject to bondage by his spirit hee filleth the soul with the hopes of a better life nature may shrink when we see the pale horse of death approaching but we may rejoyce when we consider its errand 't is to carry us home as when old Jacob saw the chariots come from Egypt how did his heart leap within him because he should see his son Joseph Death however we figure it with the pencill of fancy is sent to carry us to heaven to transport us to Jesus Christ now who would bee afraid to be happy to be in the Armes of our beloved Jesus Let them fear death that know not a better life a Christian knoweth that when he dyeth he shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 17. The world may thrust you out but you may see heaven alluring ready to receive you as Stephen saw heaven opened Act. 7. latter end there is an intellectuall vision or perswasion of Faith which is common to all the Saints though every one hath not such an extasie and sensible representation as Stephen had yet usually in the hours of their departure faith is mightily strengthned and acted so that they are exempted from all fear and sorrow 2. As 't is a poenall evill 't is sad when death is sent in justice and cloathed with wrath and cometh in the quality of a curse you know what was said before The sting of death is sin they dye indeed that dye in their sins death is a black and gloomy day to them they drop down like rotten fruit into the lake of fire now Christ hath taken away the sting the dolours and horrours of it he hath taken away death as he hath taken away sin he hath not cast it out but cast it down taken away the guilt and power of it though not the beeing of sin so the hurt the sting is gone though not death it self 't is like a serpent disarmed and unstinged we may put it into our bosomes without danger there are many accusations by which Satan is apt to perplex a dying soul these make death terrible and full of horrours But they overcome by the bloud of the Lamb Rev. 12. 11. and get the victory of these doubts and fears when sins are pardoned fears vanish Luther said Feri domine feri absolutus sum a peccatis meis strike Lord strike my sinnes are pardoned 4. 'T will be utterly abolished at the last day We scarce know now what Christs purchase meaneth till the day of judgement 't is said 1 Cor. 15. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death t is weakened now but then it shall be abolished as to the elect Rev. 20. 14. And death and hell shall be cast into the lake of fire this is the second death the dominion of death is reserved for hell it must keep company with the damned whilest you rejoyce with God for the present t is continued out of dispensation it doth service to promote Gods glory but then the wicked must share death and hell amongst them and be kept under a
are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereby intimating that they that have not crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof have no interest in the Lord Jesus Christ when Christ came in the flesh we crucified him but if ever Christ comes into thy soul he will crucifie thee they that are Christs they do crucifie the flesh Christ will be avenged on thy sins and crucifie thy lusts and kill thy corruptions when he comes into thy soul But here beloved I do not mean a totall subduing of sin as if every lust and corruption should be quite subdued but only thus far to give a deadly blow to sin that sin shall not reign nor bear sway in thy soul as it hath done formerly sin in the heart of one that is in Christ shall be like those Monarchs spoken of in Dan. 7. 12. it is said their Dominions shall be taken away but their lives shall be prolonged for a little season just so it is with sin in the heart of a beleever the dominion of sin is taken away but the life and beeing of it is preserved for a little season there shall be some remainders of sin still in the best of Gods servants but sin shall not reign in their mortall bodies and therefore you that never had any power to mortifie your sins that never had any bridle of restraint to any of your lusts lay no claim to Jesus Christ for they that are his have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof I might here make use of a story that I have often told you of in the History of Scotland there is mention made of an Island situate in the midst of the Sea between Scotland and Ireland and there was a great controversie between the two Nations to which of the Kingdomes this Island did belong and a great Polititian to decide the controversie commands a great company of Toads and Frogs to be gathered together and put into the Island and if those venomous and unclean beasts should live there then the Island belonged to Scotland but if they died then it belonged to Ireland for no unclean creature does inhabit there just so it is with us there is a great controversie between Christ and the Devill to which thy soul does belong why now if poisonsome lusts venomous sins can live and thrive in thy soul then you belong to the Devil but if these lusts and sins dy in your soul then you belong to Jesus Christ 3. Another Character is this that man that is without unfeigned love to the person of Christ that man is without any interest in Christ for every one that hath Christ loves him and every one that hath him not loves him not 1 Cor. 16. 2. If any man loves not the Lord Christ let him be accursed he that does not love Christ hath no interest in Christ and shall be accursed when Christ shall come to judgement Object Object But some will be ready to say If this be so that the not loving of Christ be an argument of the not having of Christ wby then I think I am well enough for I do love Christ with all my heart Answ Answ I will tell thee in the very words of Christ who it is that loves him Joh. 14. 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings does not thy conscience tell thee O man that thou dost not care for any command of Jesus Christ let him command what he will you will do what you list you see here Christ tels thee plainly that he that loveth him not keepeth not his sayings I beseech you therefore in the fear of God take heed of deceiving your own souls in thinking you love Christ when there is no such matter but labour to love him in truth and evidence your love to him by keeping of his Commandemants 4. That man that is without any saving knowledge of Christ is without any actuall interest in Christ there is no man that hath Christ but knows Christ Mistake me not I do not say that every man that hath Christ knows he hath him for a man may have Christ and yet not know of it for the present but this I say he that hath an interest in Christ whosoever he be he must know Christ in part Joh. 8. 54 55. You say that God is your God and yet you have not known him 't is a very strange place you say that God and salvation by him and all is yours and yet you have not known him Oh my Beloved you say you have Christ and yet you have not known Christ he himself will convince you at the last day of laying a false claim to him read Joh. 1. 12. compared with the 24. and 26. verses Now when I tell you that a man without the knowledge of Christ is without any interest in Christ I do not say that those are without Christ that have not so great a measure of knowledge as other men have but when you are without the knowledge of Christ accompanyed with these two circumstances then I can safely pronounce you to be a Christlesse man 1. If you be without the knowledge of Christ and yet sit down contented in your ignorance neither desiring nor labouring after the knowledge of him then I may safely say that for the present thou art without Jesus Christ if you are like those spoken of in 2 Pet. 3. 5. For this they are willingly ignorant of that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water or like those in Job 2. 14. that say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes if you are such as these I can safely pronounce you to be Christlesse men 2. Not only when you are contentedly ignorant but likewise when with obscurity in your Judgements you adde obstinacy in your wils when thou art an Ignorant and dost not know and wilt not know that hast not learned and yet will not learn but art like those spoken of in Psal 82. 5. They know not neither will they understand he does not say they know not neither do they but neither will they understand a godly man may have the former of these although you be very ignorant yet if you desire to know you may have an interest in Christ but I am bold to say in case you are ignorant and yet sit down contentedly and do not care to know more and obstinately and will not learn more that you have no interest in Christ and therefore keep off your hands from Christ lay no claim to him for you have nothing to do with him he is none of yours 5. Another Character is this that man that is without a hearing ear to the voice of Christ and an obedient heart to the mands of Christ that man hath no interest in Christ I shall give you two plain texts of
Christ hath is yours 3. Take this for your comfort that all that you have is Christs I shall sum up all that I have to say concerning this under these three comprehensive particulars 1. Your sinnes are Christs to pardon them and satisfie Gods justice for them 2. Your sufferings are Christs to sanctifie them And 3. Your bodies and soules are Christs to save them 1. You that have an interest in Christ your sins are his to pardon them Esay 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquity of us all the chastisements of our peace were laid upon him and by his stripes we are healed hee bore our sins in his own body on the tree and to this purpose the Apostle hath an expression in 2 Cor. 5. 21. He was made sin for us that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him Christ was no sinner but hee was made a sinner for us he bore our sins upon him our sinnes are Christs to pardon them 2. Our sufferings are Christs sufferings to sanctifie them unto us Act. 9. Christ says to Saul Saul Saul why persecutest thou me hee lookes upon the injuries and wrongs that are done to his people as if they were done to him 3. Your bodies and soules are Christs to save them our members are Members of Christs body as in 1 Cor. 6. 15. says the Apostle shall I take the Members of Christ and make them Members of an harlot God forbid thy bodie is Christs and thy soule is Christs the Apostle hath it in so many expresse tearms in 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. What know you not says the Apostle that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and you are not your own for you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and souls which are his Thus you see what a large field of mercie al you that have an interest in Christ have here to walk in you have all things though you have nothing all things equivalently all things conditionally all things finally and all things inheritively all the Ministers of Christ are yours the whole world is yours life and death is yours things present are yours whether present afflictions or present mercies things to come are yours whether afflictions or temptations or trouble or want or any things and mercie to come is yours as life and Salvation Heaven and Happinesse all is yours all that Christ hath is yours Christs Father is your Father his Spirit is your Spirit his righteousnesse is your righteousnesse his graces are your graces his peace is your peace and his sufferings are your sufferings and all that you have is Christs your sins are Christs to pardon them and your sufferings Christs to sanctifie them and your soules and bodies Christs to save them I might here adde one head more that all your duties and services are Christs too he persumes them with the sweet odour of his merits and so presents them and makes them acceptable to God hence it is that you read in the Revelation that Christ addes his incense to the prayers of all his Saints and this is a very great consolation 4. All you that have an interest in Christ take this for your comfort that the having of Christ is that which will sweeten all the crosses and afflictions and adverse conditions that you meet withall here in this world the having of Christ will sweeten every trouble as I told you before what the tree was to the waters of Marah that Christ will be to every sad and dejected soul in every troublesome condition the waters of Marah were so exceeding bitter none could drink of them but when the tree was cast into the waters then they became sweet Why so it may be thy condition here in this world is as the waters of Marah full of bitterness and sorrow and trouble and affliction but now doe but cast this tree of life the Lord Jesus into these waters and then this will convert them from waters of Marah bitter and troublesome to be rivers of joy and streams of comfort Christ will be to thy soul as the honie in the Lions bellie was to Samson it became good for food to feed upon it may be afflictions and troubles may come in upon thee like a roaring Lion but Christ is as the hony in this Lion that sweetens all thy sorrows and makes them advantagious and comfortable for thee I might apply to this purpose what an Author observes concerning the water of the Sea it is very salt in its self but when it comes to run through the bowels of the earth it then loseth its saltnesse and becomes pleasant why so though thy condition here in the world be full of sharp and sore afflictions yet when these come to run through Christ he sweetens them all unto thee Great is your comfort in having an interest in Christ for this is that which sweetens all the crosses and troubles you meet withall here in the world and Beloved doe but seriously consider of it and let mee a little reason the case with you What though thou mayst feed upon the bread of sorrow yet how canst thou be uncomfortable when withall thou feedest upon the bread of life the Lord Jesus Christ What though thou mayest drink the water of affliction and wine of astonishment yet how canst thou be uncomfortable so long as thou dost drink drops of Christs bloud What though you have not a house to put your head in yet let this be your comfort that you have a house preserved for you a building not made with hands eternall in the heavens What though you have nothing but a stone for your pillow to lay your head upon when every night you lay your head in the bosome of Jesus Christ Thus much concerning the fourth consolation 5. All you that have a reall and well-grounded interest in Christ herein lies your comfort that in and through Christ you may look upon God that in himselfe is cloathed with dread and terriblenesse with a great deal of joy and comfort Christ makes all the attributes of God to be delightfull and comfortable to thee that though God be a consuming fire to burn up thy soul like stubble out of Christ yet in Christ you may look upon God as fire but yet so as that Christ interposeth between you and it Christ is as a skreen between the fire of Gods wrath and you thou art to look upon God not as an enemy that sets himselfe against thee but as a friend reconciled to thee not as an angry Judg that is desirous to condemne thee but as a mercifull Father that is willing to pardon thee you are not to looke upon God cloathed with dread and terrour but with mercy and compassion that God that will frown upon thee out of Christ yet bring but a Christ in thy armes and present him to God the Father and then hee
or speak for you Christ is a mediator to those only that are under a covenant of grace now what canst thou say for thy self oh man why thou shouldst not be condemned and damned in hell for ever for thy drunkennesse adultery sabbath-breaking prophanenesse swearing lying and thy ungodly practises thou canst have nothing to plead for thy selfe but must needs be cast out into hell fire irrecoverably but now a godly man that is under the covenant of grace he can say Lord here is Christ my mediatour that pleads with thee for the pardon of all my sins and for the obtaining of heaven and happinesse and glory for me through his obedience and merits but thou that art under the covenant of works thou canst not say I have Christ to plead for me and to be an Advocate with the Father to beg for pardon of sin and life and salvation for thee thou canst not say so for without the covenant of grace there is no Mediator Christ is the Mediator onely of the new covenant therefore what sad condition art thou in seeing as verily as thou standest here now so thou must one day stand before Gods tribunall to answer and be judged for every thing thou hast done in thy body whether it be good or evill and then thou wilt have no body to plead for thee but must inevitably be cast into everlasting burnings 4. Being out of the covenant of grace this is your misery God will in exactnesse and rigour of justice proceed against you for your sins without any mixture of mercy at all Beloved God hath no mercy without his covenant but in the covenant of grace he is a God gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse abundant in mercy and truth pardoning iniquity transgressions and sins but he is cloathed with justice and rigour to all that are without this covenant As it is in courts of judicature in point of life and death the Judge will take no notice whether the man be a sorrowfull man or no the Law is not to shew mercy but to punish the offence the Law does not enquire whether the man be penitent and sorry for what he hath done but whether the fact be done or no if it be he must dye for it there is no remedy just so it is here God doth not enquire under a covenant of works whether you are sorrowfull for breaking of his Law but he enquires whether you have broken it or no and if you have he will condemn thee and cast thee into hell fire and then the poor soul cryes out Oh Lord be mercifull to me this once it shall be a warning to me I will never sin against thee nor displease thee more but will from henceforth walk more humbly and holily and circumspectly before thee and yet all this that thou hast promised if thou wert able to perform it will not avail thee for God will hear none out of Christ and out of the covenant of grace 5. A man out of the covenant of grace he hath no true and speciall title to any of the blessings of God here in this world Gods blessings go along with his covenant and therefore it is very observable that in that chapter where God does promise the blessings of the covenant of grace in that very chapter he promiseth the blessings of this life as you may see in the 36. of Ezek. sayes God there I will powre clean water upon you and you shall be clean yea from all your filthinesses and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new heart will I also give you and a new spirit will I put within you and will take away the stony heart from you and will give you a heart of flesh and will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my judgements and doe them and you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers and you shall be my people and I will be your God all these are the meroies of the covenant of grace now mark the next words saith God I will call for corn and will incerease it and lay no famine upon you but I will multiply the fruit of the trees and the increase of the field and so in the 10 11 ver of that chap. And I will multiply men upon you and the cities shall be inhabited and the wastes shall be builded and I will multiply upon man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and I will do better to you then at your beginnings and ye shall know that I am the Lord Here the Lord entails earthly blessings to the covenant of grace intimating that all that are under the covenant of grace they have a title not only to all spirituall but to temporal blessings likewise but no wicked man out of the covenant of grace hath any true title to any outward blessings they that are of the faithfull are blessed with faithfull Abraham and enjoy outward blessings as a blessing but wicked men it is true they have something allowed them but it it as to prisoners in a prison they have something to keep them alive untill their execution and so wicked men they have prison allowances till the execution day 6. Your misery that are strangers to the covenant of grace lies in this God will not give acceptance to any of your services though you may doe as much for the matter of them as any godly man doth nay thou mayst hear more Sermons and say more prayers and perform more duties then a godly man does and yet not be accepted when the others shall as you may see in Gen. 4. 4 5. Cain and Abel they both of them brought sacrifices to God one of his flock and the other of his grounds and the Apostle speaking of this sayes that by faith Abel offered a more excellent offering then Cain it was not more excellent in regard of the matter of it for in all probability and likelihood Cains sacrifice was of more value then Abels for his was but a few young lambs the firstlings of his flock but Cains was of the first fruits of his ground and yet Abels sacrifice was accepted and the others rejected because Abel was a godly man under the Covenant of Grace by which God did accept of what he did though it were lesse then Cains and so Solomon The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight a sacrifice you know is a great deal more costly then a prayer for that costs a man nothing but his breath when the other will cost a great deal of money and yet a costly sacrifice is hated by God coming from a wicked man when a pennilesse prayer coming from a godly man is accepted so that under a covenant of grace though you do less for the matter of the duty then wicked men doe
that all men must be judged that after death they must appeare before the Judgement-seat of God to give an account of all their actions Now because they did not see these things accomplisht already they cryed out Where is the promise of his coming they would not beleeve there was any such thing the questioning of the truths of God was that which brought them to be very atheists 4. Another ground from whence atheism doth flow is pride of heart it is very well observed by one that most commonly Atheists are of the greatest men you shall seldome see a poore man an atheist but rich men altogether as Pharaoh in Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord sayes he that I should obey his voice and so Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 3. Who is that God sayes hee that shall deliver you out of my hands so Alexander said himselfe was God Atheists are ordinarily of the greatest and richest and highest people Object But here some may object and say What doe you tell us here in England that wee are without God in the world you may say so to Pagans and Heathens but wee hope you will not say so to us Answ For answer to this Objection I shall here shew you 13 discoveries of a practicall atheist I shall give you three of them out of the Scripture and ten more deduced from the Scripture in Psal 14. 1. where it is said The Foole hath said in his heart there is no God in that very Psalm there are three discoveries of an atheist 1. A man living all his dayes in a prophane and disordered course of life towards God such an one is an atheist in the first verse of that same Psalme The Foole hath said in his heart there is no God what follows they are corrupt they have done abominable workes there is none that doth good that man that all his life time lives in a disorderly course of life and addes drunkennesse to thirst and commits one sinne after another that man is a practicall atheist hee lives as if there were no God in the World 2. That man that doth wholly neglect the duty of prayer in the 4. verse of the 14. Psalm They eat up my people as they eat bread and they call not upon the Lord such a man is a practicall atheist 3. That man that hates and carries a grudge in his heart against those that feare the Lord that man is an atheist in Psal 14. 6. You have shamed the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his refuge Use Now give me leave a little to press these three discoveries home upon your consciences Are they atheists that live a disorderly life and walk in a course of wickednesse all their dayes are such as these atheists Oh then how many atheists are there now in the world that doe spend all their days in sin and vanity and in a moment goe down into the grave 2. Are they atheists that doe neglect the duty of prayer oh then with grief of heart be it spoken how many atheists are there in the World that doe wholly omit this duty both in their families and in their closets How many are there that can say they never goe to God upon their knees in secret to beg for grace and mercy from God and this neglect of secret duties is a palpable demonstration that you doe live as if there were no God in the World and in so doing ye are very atheists 3. Is hatred and contempt of the people of God a badge of an atheist then likewise are there many Atheists in the world how many are there that can love a swearer and adulterer a prophaner c. yea love a dog and yet hate a Christian this proceed from a root of Atheisme that is in their hearts SERMON XVI EPHES. 2. 12. And without God in the world I Have delivered you in my last three Scripture discoveries of an Atheist there are ten other Characters yet behinde that are drawn from the Scriptures As 1. That man is an Atheist that does indulge and favour himself in the practise of secret sins he that does continually allow and favour himself in the practise of secret sins that man lives as if there were no God in the world Reverend Mr. Perkins gives us this badge of an Atheist that that very sinne which he will not dare to commit in the presence of a child yet that sin will he venture upon when no eye sees him thou that canst venture upon a sin in hope of secrefie thinking to hide it from the All-seeing Eye of God thou art a very Atheist thou that darest do that in the sight of God that thou art afraid to doe in the presence of a man this proceeds meerly from a root of Atheisme that is in the heart as in Job 22. 12 13 14. when a wicked man hath done wickedly he is ready to say How doth God know can he judge through the thick clouds thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not these are the expressions of an Atheisticall heart An Atheist if he can but keep himself from the censure and reproach of men he is well enough if men cannot say black to his eye or there goes a drunkard a swearer an adulterer or the like he is never troubled for his sins Oh therefore thou that wouldst be accounted chast where thou dwellest and yet keepest thy Dalilah in thy lap and oh thou debaucht liver that canst quietly and securely walk on in wayes of sin so that thou canst but keep them from the eyes of men know thus much that this proceeds from thy Atheisticall heart When the hope of secrefie imboldens any man to the practise of any sin that man is a very Atheist you that can fear the eye of a mortall man and yet not be afraid of the All-seeing Eye of an immortall God you that were never troubled for your sinnes when no body knew them but your selves but now this is that which troubles you that your sins are known to others if it be thus with thee thou art a practicall Atheist those that are troubled not because God sees their sins but because man sees them they are very Atheists as in Job 24. 13. 15. 17. these are they that abhorre the light that know not the way thereof nor continue in the path thereof the eye also of the Adulterer waiteth for the twilight and saith no eye shall see me and disguiseth his face for the morning to them is as the shadow of death and if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadew of death such as these are very Atheists they were not troubled because God saw their sins but because man did see their sins this is as the terrour of death to them they would not have men see their sins and yet they do not care what follies they are guilty of in the sight of God so that men cannot say black to their eyes
of their hatred For the first those are without any reall interest or propriety in God as their God that doe live in the world without a saving and effectuall knowledge of God as in 2 Chron. 15. 3. it is said there that for a long time Israel was without the true God and without the teaching Priest and without the Law all that time while they were without the Law and the Priest to teach them it is said they were without God those that live without a saving knowledge of God the Scripture lookes upon them as having no reall interest in God Joh. 8. 54 55. You say sayes Christ that he is your God and yet you have not known him intimating that God was not their God because they were utterly ignorant of him Now Beloved every knowledge of God does not demonstrate your interest in God unlesse it be 1. A practicall knowledge of him as in Joh. 8. 55. sayes Christ there I am of God I know him and I keep his sayings intimating that that man that does lay claim to God as his God must know him and this knowledge of him will make him yeeld obedience to him and keep his sayings And 2. It must be an experimentall knowledge of God as David sayes in Psal 51. 6. Thou hast made me to know wisdom in my inward parts If so bee you were persons living without a practicall and experimentall knowledge of God you are without any interest in him as your God But before I can leave this particular I must answer an Objection Me thinks I hear a poor perplexed soul say If this be so that only those that know God aright have an interest in him then the Lord be mercifull unto me for I am a poor ignorant sinfull wretch that do know nothing of God at all as I ought to know him and therefore surely I have no interest in God my God Ans Now to such as you are by way of answer I shall leave these two or three words for your comfort 1. Take this for an answer that in Scripture account to complain of thy ignorance is a good degree of knowledge in Prov. 30. 23. you read there of Agur who was an excellent man in vertue and knowledge in the time of Solomon and yet you shall not read of a man that more complaines of his ignorance then this man doth Surely sayes hee I am more brutish then any man and have not the understanding of a man I have neither learned wisdome nor attained to the knowledge of the holy and yet this man that so much complains of his ignorance did demonstrate such fruits of grace and knowledge in his practise as ever man did 2. Take this for an answer that in Gods account he knowes most that doth most He does not know most that hath a great judgement to dive into and dispute about vain questions and niceties but he is a knowing man in Gods account that does walk answerably to that small measure of knowledge that he hath as in Psal 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that doe thy commandements God does not measure your knowledge by your questions and disputes but by your practise as in Jer. 22. 16. He judged the cause of the poore and needy then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord 3. Take this for an answer that it is not the wanting of some measures or degrees of knowledge nor the having of much ignorance that does demonstrate thy want of an interest in God unlesse your ignorance hath these three properties with it As 1. Suppose thou art ignorant of God yet if thou are not conceitedly ignorant if thou art not a self-conceited man that thinkest thou knowest much when thou knowest little thou art well enough if you are not like those in Hos. 8. 2. Israel shall say unto me My God we know thee and yet there is no fear nor knowledge of God in the land 2. If thou doest not sit down contentedly in thy ignorance but doest labour and endeavour after more knowledge then thy condition is good enough But if thou sayest unto God Depart from me for I desire not the knowledge of thy wayes like those spoken of in Job this is a sad signe that you have no interest in God at all 3. If thou art not obstinately ignorant like those spoken of in Psal 82. 5. They know not neither wil they understand When men are ignorant and will be ignorant this is an evidence that they have no interest in God in 2 Pet. 3. 5. sayes the Apostle these things they are willingly ignorant of now if your ignorance bee accompanyed with these three circumstances that you are conceitedly and contentedly and obstinately ignorant if it be so the Lord be mercifull to you for these are apparent demonstrations that you have yet no interest and propriety in God as your God But though you have abundance of ignorance in you yet if you bewail your ignorance and labour and desire after more knowledge if you follow on to know the Lord and are not obstinately ignorant but would doe more if you knew more if it be thus with you thy ignorance doth not evidence that thou hast no interest in God 2. Another Character of a man that is without an interest in God is this hee is such a one that lives in the world without making the Word of God to bee his rule Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods Word you therefore hear him not because you are not of God those that will not make the Word of God to be their rule and conform their practises in obedience thereunto Christ sayes the reason of it is because they are not of God and so in 1 Joh. 4. 6. Hee that knoweth God heareth us and hee that is not of God heareth not us and therefore you that walk after the vaine imaginations of your own hearts that are swayed and ruled by your lusts and will not make Gods Word a bridle to curb and restrain your lusts and corruptions but you will doe what you list let God command what he will all these are manifest arguments that you are not of God 3. That man is without an interest in God that lives in the world without making the wayes of God to be his pleasure as in Joh. 3. 8. 10. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God righteousness is not to be taken here only for justice or civil righteousness but for the whole bulk of godliness the body of christianity he that doth not righteousnesse is not of God this not doing of righteousnesse is answerable to the committing of sin in 1 Joh. 3. 8. the text sayes Hee that committeth sin is of the Devill now this is not to be taken simply that he that falls into sin is of the