be gathered to Christ and to God their father who sit as cheise in that blessed Parliament that tryumphant panegyricall Assemblie Hebr. 12.22 Ye are come unto mount Sion and to the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angells to the generall assembly and church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel and thus you have the ad hoc laid before you 3 Per hoc 3 Reason It saves us by great means It doth not only save from great evills as you heard in the 1 Reason and procure great benefits as is cleared in the 2 Reason but it doth all by great meanes as is now to be made good and therefore in all these respects it may well pass for great Salvation Now the meanes which bring about this great Salvation shall be referred to two heads 1 To God 2 To those things that he useth as instruments to this saving work 1. Those that refer to God may be divided into 3 rankes as the Godhead is distinguished into 3 persons for as the faciamus hominem Gen. 1.26 noted that the whole Godhead was taken up in mans creation so was the whole Godhead imployd about this great Salvation conceive it thus 1. The wisdom and love of God the Father 2. The sufferings and Righteousnesse of God the Son 3. The revelation and application of God the Holy Ghost 1 To begin with the Father No wisdome but his could have found out a way and no love but his could have contrived such a way 1 No wisedome but his could have found out a way God at the first created man after his own likeness in righteousness and perfect holiness placed him in Paradise the glory of the World gave him a perfect Law that by doing it he might live gave him serenity of knowledge to understand his will and readiness of will to do it In breife he had a posse non mori though he were left mutable yet no necessity oâ—â—alling was laid upon him he was left to his own freedome either to stand oâ— fall 〈◊〉 to good is now but a dreame but then it was a priviledge had it been improved rightly But â—â—am by transgression falling and being a 〈◊〉 person and the worlds representative drew all manking with him And all 〈…〉 being under the curse of that Co 〈…〉 to the everlasting deâ—ertion of the Worlds Creator the matter of Salvation was utterly at a loss Man could not save himselfe neither could Angells help him so that as to men and Angells that worke must be let alone for ever Now in this desperate and hopeles state it pleased the Eternall Wisdome to find out an expedient and the offended Creatour provided a Redeemer whereas he had but one Son his only begotten and only beloved that thought it no robbery to be equall with himselfe he must be sent out of his own bosome and the Eternall word must be made flesh that being God and man in unity of person he might undergo the wrath of God for man and might reconcile God to man and man to God This was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle speaks of 1. Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of godlines c. This might well be the astonishment of men and Angells the Angells being left remediles without hope of a Redeemer that for us men and for our Salvation the Son of God should be incarnate and made man 〈◊〉 altitudo ô profunditas oh the unsearchableness of Gods wisdome This was the fullness of love that was manifested in the fullness of time This is the mystery that the Angells desire to prie into 1 Pet. 1.12 Which was tipified by the Cherubims placed upon the mercy-seat looking downe into the Propitiatory and in regard the foundation of mans Salvation was laid in such great and deep wisdome it may be rightly called great Salvation 2 And Gods love in this was no less wonderfull than his wisdome and the mercy of Redemption may well be said to equall if not exceed the power of creation The Apostle offers at an expression of this love when he saith Deus sic delexit c. God so loved the World Iohn 3.16 But it was so that the tongne of man is not able to express nor the heart of man able to conceive It overrunns all the degrees of Comparison and hath no paralell for a Man to give a Son to die to save a friend were a favour to be admired but for God to give his only Son to save his enemies for him to become man a servant a scorne of men and the outcast of the people that we who deserved to be reprobated and outcasts and castawayes might receive the adoption of Sonns this infinitly over reacheth the topp of any created understanding well might the Apostle say God is love 1 Iohn 4.16 For had not the great God been so turned into the very abstract of love that all his wayes had been mercy the Son of God had never become man upon such an accompt well doth he deserve to be stiled Pater misericordiarum deus omnium consolationum 2 Cor. 1.3 And this great love being twin'd with such great wisedome in God the Father in order to our Salvation may well denominate it great Salvation 2 Come we in the second place to the second person God the Son and let us see what he did contribute towards this great Salvation and the summe totall of his account may be cast up in 1. His active Obedience 2. His passive Obedience 1 He did all that man should have done in his active obedience and therefore was his name called the Lord our RIGHTEOUSNESS Jer. 33.16 Capitall Letters to note out the greatness of this Salvation The Apostle saith more 1 Cor. 1.30 He is made wisedome righteousness and sanctification and redemption which is but a paraphrase upon his threefold office 1 He is our wisedome in his propheticall office 2. He is our Righteousness sanctification in his priestly 3. He is our Redemption in his Kingly office He lived a most righteous and holy life and there was no guile found in him he carryed himselfe as a most innocent and harmless Lamb in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 2. He suffered all that man should have suffered in his passive obedience herefore the Apostle saith Gal. 4.4 That he was made under the law 1. By fullfilling the righteousness of the law 2. By undergoing the curse of the law After he had like a man of sorrowes run through a dolorous and mâ—serable life he did undergo a most shamefull and cursed death Phil. 2.8 Being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Crosse which prompted the
greater than other p. 167. c. 3. Superlatively the greatest p. 170. c 1 Reason Because it comes from so great a God p. 174. c. 2 Reason Because it is for despising so great a Saviour p. 177. 3 Reason Because inflicted for resisting the spirit p. 180. c. 4 Reason Because prepared for great Enemies p. 182. 5 Reason Because it hath a long reach p. 185. 1 It reacheth to the Soul p. 185. c. 2 It reacheth to eternity p. 187. c. 6 Reason Because it consists of great Punishments p. 189. 1 The Punishment of Loss 2 The Punishment of Sense p. 189. c. 1 Noted by the worm that dyeth not p. 192. 2 By the fire that never goes out p. 193. 1 Rationall Torments inflicted upon 1 The understanding 〈◊〉 2 The conscience in three things p. 1 Remembrance of things past 2 Sense of present misery p. 197. c. 3 Fear of wrath to come 3 The Will p. 200. 4 The Passions p. 221. c. 2 Sensible Torments for the Body p. 213. c. Use of Terrour p. 219. Prompting us to a 4 fold Meditation 1 Of Death p. 224. c. 2 Of Judgement p. 227. c. 3 Of Hell p. 230. c. 4 Of Heaven p. 232. c. The Conclusion from pag. 234. to the end GREAT SALVATION BY JESVS CHRIST Tendered to the greatest of Sinners c. Hebr. 2 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation SAlvation is so sweet a subject that its pitty it should meet with any but faithfull handlers and profitable hearers I may say of the very sillables of it as once holy Bernard did of that saving Name Jesus in which it was founded Mat. 1.21 That it is Mel in ore melos in aure jubilum in corde Hony to the mouth Musick to the eare and rejoycing to the heart Words of Salvation are breath of life and its pitty any of that should be likâ— breath scattered in the ayre they are water of life and its pitty it should be like water spilt upon the ground we should deal by such doctrine as goldsmiths do by the filings of their gold secure every dust of it As God saith to ungodly teachers so may we say unto ungodly hearers What have you to do to take my word into your mouthes or eares when it takes no hold upon your hearts Whereas you hate to be reformed and have cast my words behind you Psal 50.16 17. Salvation is such a mystery of miraculous mercy that the very Angells do delight to pry into is 1. Pet. 1.12 And as they were ministring Spirits to the great Saviour when he was upon Earth so they are glad to be Ministring Spirits to the heyres of this great Salvation Heb. 1.14 A Messenger coming from the dead and from that triumphant community of just and perfect Soules were fitter to speak to you of such a theam than one that 's going to the dead and is yet clothed with the raggs of mortality and corruption If such a one should hear us expressing our low conceptions of such sublime mysteries as accompany Salvation he wouldsay as the Queen of the South of Solomons wisdome that one half is not told you in your own Country If the Divell and damned Soules might hear but one Sermon more of Salvation with hope of obtaining it can you think that they would be so regardles and negligent as the common sort of hearers are Do you think that the divells themselves which beleeve the dreadfullness of perfected damnation and tremble to beleeve it would say to such a preacher as Foelix did to Paul Acts 24 25. Go thy way for this time and when I have a more convenient season I will call for thee This is the unum magnum the unicum maximum the great thing that the Apostle indeavours to secure in this place that none of Christs blood may be lost that none of his own Ministeriall labour may be labour in vaine In a word his drift and scope is that that Salvation which was so great in the operation and in the Revelation should be as great in the Worlds acceptation Christ had wrought it out who was the Son of God higher than Angells the great Prophet and Priest and King of his Church as this Epistle declares at large The Gospel had brought it to light which is the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1. Tim. 1.11 which makes Salvation neerer and clearer than the law did And therefore if we accepâ— it not how shall we escape that is to say there is no possibâ—â—ity of escaping One of the Ancients hath laid down this Rule as Gods method of dealing with the refuiers of his mercy Ingentia beneficia flagitia supplicia Where God offers or bestowes great meâ—cies there the setting light by those mercies are sinns with an high hand and those great sinns draw down proportionable punishments Now according to this Rule 1. What mercy â—reater than Gospel-mercy 2. What sin can be greater than to set light by such mercy 3. What punishment can be greater than that that such sin deserves The Apostles words here considered as related to the context may be exactly reduced to hat rule we shall therefore from such premises draw these three naturall conclusions as the plaine results of this Scripture 1. That Salvation brought to light by the Gospel is great Salvation 2. That setting light by such Salvation is great sin 3. That the neglect of such great Salvation brings great damnation The First Doctrine Gospel Salvation is great Salvation BEfore we open the doore to let you into a clear sight of this truth it may not be impertinent to remove an objection that lies as a stumbling block at the very entrance and that is this In that we proclaime Gospel-Salvation to be great Salvation some may demand whether there be any other Salvation that may stand in competition with Gospel-Salvation To which we answer that God never revealed but two wayes unto mankind for Salvation The first was by a Covenant of workes manifested unto the first Adam as the Worlds representative wherein the condition was Hoc fac vive do this and thou shalt live or do this and be saved But that Law being transgressed and that Covenant broken and Adam and his posterity being under the curse of that Covenant and the wrath of God abiding on them God was pleased to enter into another Covenant of grace with mankind through the second Adam proposing unto them another condition Hoc crede vive whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3.16 Though there was an old way to Salvation by working held out by the law yet now the new and living way brought to light by the Gospel is the way of beleeving and this Salvation by the Covenant of grace doth as farr excell that by the Covenant of workes as the second Adam doth excell the first I may further adde that
〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 offâ—â—e Saviour can we th◠〈…〉 Devils themselves 〈…〉 gent deceiving of finners to their 〈…〉 they would greedily apprehend the oppâ—â—nity of laying hold upon Salvation Heâ— O heavens and hearken O earth and be astonished at this We may stand amazed and wonder that those prodigies are not every daies news which accompanyed the crucifying of this blessed Saviour and did witness to the world hâ—â— deeply the Lord was displeased with the more than barbarous cruelties th◠〈◊〉 be a God even of invincible patienâ—e and long-suffering and can see and suffer himself to be provoked every day and his Sons blood and righteousness to be trampled on and set at nought by the refusers of mercy yet this is but during the day of grace this will not last alwaies the day of wrath is a coming even at the doors and then righteous judgement shal be dispensed and one high and main end of that great and terrible day is the exaltation of Gods Son that he may be manifested to both worlds of men and Angels to be Gods onely beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Then shall the Lord Jesus be terrible to those that refused him and glorious in them that believe 2 Th. 7.8 3. Reason Because it is wrath inflicted for resisting and vexing of the Spirit of grace The Father and Son have been the matter of the two foregoing Reasons and this third is drawn from the third Person in this great and glorious Trinity This Spirit moved upon the waters in the worlds Creation Gen. 1.2 This Spirit did strive with man in the daies and Ministry of Noah Gen. 6.3 This spirit was prophesied of in the daies of the Prophets Isay 59. â—1 My Spirit that is upon thee shall not depart from thee nor from thy seed nor from thy seeds feed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever and Joel 2.28 I will poure out my Spirit upon all flesh c. This spirit our Saviour promise when he went to the Father I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter and he shall abide with you for ever Joh. 14.16 And this spirit was sent according to promise in the likeness of cloven and fiery Tongues Acts 2.2 3 4. to guid the Apostles into all truth to bring to their remembrance and to teach them more perfectly the things they had heard of Christ to inspire and guide them in perfecting the Scriptures and bearing witness to the truth of them by many wonderfull miracles And this spirit keeps residence in the Church and joyns it self as the spirit of wisdom and revelation with the word of wisdom and revelation to call and draw men unto Christ and to work energetically and effectually in such as are made believers by the exceeding greatness of its mighty power Now as Steven impleaded the Jews so may we lay it to the charge of all such as live within the sound of the Gospel Act. 7.51 Ye stifnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears ye do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your Father did so do ye When the Spirit of God strives verbis and verberibus in the Word and Rod in ordinances and providences and the Lord may charge it upon us as he doth Pro. 1.24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and none would regard but ye have set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind and distress and anguish cometh upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me c. Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices When the spirit shall be thus unworthily resisted and vexed nothing renders the Lord more inexorable implacable and merciless and leaves the guilty to perish without remedy 4. Reason Because it is prepared for great enemies The very word prepared is a most stinging expression Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared c. That wrath into whose preparation the wisedome and justice of so great a God is ingredient must needs be inconceivably and unutterably great But if we take in the great enemies for whom it is prepared â—t will augment it it was prepared for the Dâ—vel and his Angell Mat. 25.41 Those that were discontented with their own angelicall excellency and emulated the Majesty and greatness of God and had an ambition to be like him Tophet is prepared for the King i. e. for the Prince of darkness and God of this world or for the greatest of malefactors be they never so high never so mighty never so noble after the flesh all their number pompe and greatness shall be swallowed up in the bottomless pit Observe what black Catalogues the Scripture makes of that notorious rabble of Rebells Rampant that must descend into the bottomless pit 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God See also Gal. 5.19 20 21. The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lascivousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies enyvings murders drunkenness revelling and such like of the which I tell you as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And Eph. 5.5 This ye know that no whoremonger nor uncleane person nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God These Scriptures are only exclusive and bar Heaven against such hear one place more that acquaints us which the place that must receive them when Heaven spues them out and that is the very sink of Hell Rev. 21.8 The fearfull and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death It s said in Scripture that those which die in their unbeliefe and impenitency shall have their portion with hypocrites dissemblers of holyness do but double their wickedness and God will double their damnation The persecutors of Gods people that strike at God and Christ and wound them through the sides of the Saints these shall sink deep into the bottomless pit and the dispisers of God and Christ shall go into the same place of torment the damnation prepared for the most notorious malefactors shall be shared amongst the world of ungodly When men are to entertaine their best friends they will do it with a